I have spoken often of the body of Christ
as the bride of Christ.
In Western thought this may be premature. She is no more the bride today then I was the bride of my own beloved prior to December 10th 1994. She is called. She is invited. Perhaps even captured. But she has not yet become the bride. In Eastern thought she (the body of Christ) is the bride of Christ....chosen by the Father for the Son. And so we, who have been birthed into the family of God, are betrothed. Promised to the Son. The responsibility upon us is to remain pure and faithful until the wedding day comes and our union is complete.
Having had puzzling dreams of the approaching wedding between Christ and his bride, I have been increasingly anxious to understand the parables Jesus spoke of regarding the big day. I have wrestled often, but I heard very little spoken on them and gave up.
Today I celebrated shabbot with a body of Jewish believers in Calgary for the first time. I have desired to do this for such a long time so it was a great blessing to share in their joy.
The Father is so good! He made provision that I would be there while the message from the Bema was on the parable of the Ten Virgins. The message was incredible in it's breadth and depth. I have never been taught so thoroughly! What an encouragment and inspiration to not be ashamed of hunger and dissatisfaction as I study His word to me. Not only am I excited to re-explore and wrestle once more with the parables but I am anxious to study the other passages that pertain to preparation and to the wedding feast of the Lamb. And I am zealous more than ever to understand the Hebrew language, mindset and culture that bring context to the scriptures.
*************************************************
All ten virgins in the parable knew the bridegroom but only five were known by Him.
Now is the time of preparation.
Now is the time to walk in purity and faithfulness.
Grant mercy Father that I may see the state of my heart and my life. Forgive me my apathy and indifference and awaken my heart to enflamed pursuit. I come NOW to buy what only you can give.
(Matthew 25:1-13, Revelations 3:15-19)
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Honor and Grace
In the last few years, the value of honor and grace has been ignited deep inside me. I am irresistably drawn to those who's garmets carry it's aroma. Most of all, I long for the day this firey love manifests through me.
Jack Frost wrote an article on his website that I needed to hear again.This is VERY valuable stuff. Hit me big, and reminded me of things that Holy Spirit was working in me when I first got this blog started. Here's pieces of it below:
"Even if your judgment of the other person is accurate, if your words, tones, or body language exposes their faults...............then you have stepped outside of honor and grace. Love covers other people's faults, does not complain about them, and does not seek to expose. He who covers a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates…. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint” (Proverbs 17:9; 1 Peter 4:8-9). Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29)...........We can be 100% right, but what are we communicating when we talk to other people? Do other people feel value and worth being spoken by us.........Genuine love gives honor. Self-love takes honor and dispenses dishonor. Not to honor can actually become a self-imposed curse and may result in a cloud or shadow of judgment hanging over our home, work place, church, or relationships. Dishonor does not serve well our personal interests and values even if our judgment is accurate. It is like we are trying to punish people when we expose their faults........ Probably my greatest pitfall in walking in honor is that I am often right in my evaluation of other's attitudes, behavior, and weaknesses and the way they have let me down or disappointed me. But is my body language covering or uncovering them? Is my conversation bringing exposure or is it leading to restoration? Is that person's redemption at the root of my words or am I seeking to make myself look innocent by uncovering their faults? We may be right in our evaluation of a person’s faults or weaknesses or how they’ve disappointed us, but love covers and does not expose other's weaknesses or whine about them...........To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:8-9)......Ninety-three percent of all communication is not words but non-verbal attitudes that are communicated through tone and body language. When a name of a person who has disappointed you comes up in conversation, are your tone, body language, and words seasoned by grace? The way I used to handle disappointment was to just keep my mouth shut if I didn't have anything good to say about them. But that communicates something negative. Silence speaks rejection. So now, as soon as their name comes up, I want to be sensitive to think about their strengths. How can I bring a word of edification about them? Honor is a decision I choose to make to give a person a position of great worth and value in my life." - Jack Frost
Holy Spirit, I appreciate you. I love how you lead me into ALL truth. I love how you will not let me be. More Lord. Blow on that ember and burn away all the self-important and self-protective dross.
Jack Frost wrote an article on his website that I needed to hear again.This is VERY valuable stuff. Hit me big, and reminded me of things that Holy Spirit was working in me when I first got this blog started. Here's pieces of it below:
"Even if your judgment of the other person is accurate, if your words, tones, or body language exposes their faults...............then you have stepped outside of honor and grace. Love covers other people's faults, does not complain about them, and does not seek to expose. He who covers a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates…. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint” (Proverbs 17:9; 1 Peter 4:8-9). Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29)...........We can be 100% right, but what are we communicating when we talk to other people? Do other people feel value and worth being spoken by us.........Genuine love gives honor. Self-love takes honor and dispenses dishonor. Not to honor can actually become a self-imposed curse and may result in a cloud or shadow of judgment hanging over our home, work place, church, or relationships. Dishonor does not serve well our personal interests and values even if our judgment is accurate. It is like we are trying to punish people when we expose their faults........ Probably my greatest pitfall in walking in honor is that I am often right in my evaluation of other's attitudes, behavior, and weaknesses and the way they have let me down or disappointed me. But is my body language covering or uncovering them? Is my conversation bringing exposure or is it leading to restoration? Is that person's redemption at the root of my words or am I seeking to make myself look innocent by uncovering their faults? We may be right in our evaluation of a person’s faults or weaknesses or how they’ve disappointed us, but love covers and does not expose other's weaknesses or whine about them...........To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:8-9)......Ninety-three percent of all communication is not words but non-verbal attitudes that are communicated through tone and body language. When a name of a person who has disappointed you comes up in conversation, are your tone, body language, and words seasoned by grace? The way I used to handle disappointment was to just keep my mouth shut if I didn't have anything good to say about them. But that communicates something negative. Silence speaks rejection. So now, as soon as their name comes up, I want to be sensitive to think about their strengths. How can I bring a word of edification about them? Honor is a decision I choose to make to give a person a position of great worth and value in my life." - Jack Frost
Holy Spirit, I appreciate you. I love how you lead me into ALL truth. I love how you will not let me be. More Lord. Blow on that ember and burn away all the self-important and self-protective dross.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
The kingdom of God
".....saying "the Kingdom of God is on the earth" is basically like announcing, "The righteousness, peace, joy and power of God is present for you, RIGHT NOW!" People need righteousness to atone for their sin and guilt, they need peace and joy to live and they need the power of God to unseat the rule of the kingdom of darkness in their lives (sin, sickness, disease, insanity, etc.)" - Ryan Lawson: http://www.ngca.org/podcasts.htm
He is King! And he has given his children the keys to his kingdom. "Whatever you ask in my name, it shall be given to you."
He is King! And he has given his children the keys to his kingdom. "Whatever you ask in my name, it shall be given to you."
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Return to rest
I opted to be a servant.
Oh how I wanted to serve you.
I wanted to do it all. To do it well. I wanted to please you.
Faithfully.... not perfectly, I did. I tried. I failed. I tried again. And again.
But you wanted a lover.
You want a lover.
Oh how I wanted to serve you.
I wanted to do it all. To do it well. I wanted to please you.
Faithfully.... not perfectly, I did. I tried. I failed. I tried again. And again.
But you wanted a lover.
You want a lover.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
What excites the Father?
I ask: " Let your kingdom come, let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven"
You respond : "It is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."
WooHoo ! Oh Pappa!!!!!!! You don't know what this is doing to me!
Watch out world. This pauper is about to realize she is a princess.
And when she does......
You are invited , and you...and you....and yes you too! Compelling, calling, inviting you to my Father's house to share in the abundance that is your's too!
You respond : "It is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."
WooHoo ! Oh Pappa!!!!!!! You don't know what this is doing to me!
Watch out world. This pauper is about to realize she is a princess.
And when she does......
You are invited , and you...and you....and yes you too! Compelling, calling, inviting you to my Father's house to share in the abundance that is your's too!
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Arise, shine for your light has come!
The messages below are so powerful I had to post excerts of them:
"God is waiting on you and I to become who we already are. To manifest the fullness of the Godhead that already dwells within us.
Romans 8:19 tells us that all of creation also waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed – to manifest who they already are. Nature itself, the very elements of the earth, are longing to be brought into their divine alignment, even as God set Adam over earth as a shadow of Christ over creation. The authority of the Kingdom of Heaven longs to be released on earth, and the earth is crying out for Heaven. Could it be that the lynchpin – the critical link in the chain – is you and I? Is it possible that the only missing piece of the puzzle is for you and I to believe who we already are? Or moreover, to believe who He is within us?
I am fully convinced that revival is right now for whoever wants it. We can have as much of God as we want. We can operate in any level of holiness, hunger, humility or power that we want. Heaven is fully open and at our disposal. Every veil is torn that separates us from God, and all enmity between us and the Father has been removed through the shed blood of Christ.
There are no excuses for us to be sleeping during harvest time. Proverbs 10:5 says, “He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.” There are no excuses for us not to be operating beyond our natural capabilities. No excuses for us not to operate in the supernatural. Lack of faith is not an excuse, for we can always ask for more faith. Apathy and lack of desire is not an excuse, for we can always ask the Father to rekindle the flame of divine intimacy.
It is awakening time. Time for action. To say we are waiting on God for revival is essentially our pitiful way of blaming Him for the iniquity in our communities and the unregenerate hearts in our own spheres of influence. He has put you and I in the midst of these times and places to be salt and light. If salt loses its saltiness, it is worthless. Many are not seeing revival around them, because there is no personal revival within. Every day should be revival time for you and I. He expects us to extend our own staff of delegated authority. Like Moses, God wants us to stop whining for Him to do something, and instead stretch forth our own rod of power to split the Red Seas before us.
God has equipped us with all the tools we need to make revival happen. In fact, He has given us His very Spirit! Do you not say, “Four months more and then the harvest?” I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest (John 4:35).
Now is the time. Joel’s Army will emerge with or without us. Our own individual role in this movement will be determined by us, because many are called. The question we have been asking, “How much longer?” is really insufficient, unless we are asking it of ourselves. This is our chance to run with gospel of the Kingdom like no one before us. Let us make the most of our days here and become earth shakers. " - John Crowder
"God is waiting on you and I to become who we already are. To manifest the fullness of the Godhead that already dwells within us.
Romans 8:19 tells us that all of creation also waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed – to manifest who they already are. Nature itself, the very elements of the earth, are longing to be brought into their divine alignment, even as God set Adam over earth as a shadow of Christ over creation. The authority of the Kingdom of Heaven longs to be released on earth, and the earth is crying out for Heaven. Could it be that the lynchpin – the critical link in the chain – is you and I? Is it possible that the only missing piece of the puzzle is for you and I to believe who we already are? Or moreover, to believe who He is within us?
I am fully convinced that revival is right now for whoever wants it. We can have as much of God as we want. We can operate in any level of holiness, hunger, humility or power that we want. Heaven is fully open and at our disposal. Every veil is torn that separates us from God, and all enmity between us and the Father has been removed through the shed blood of Christ.
There are no excuses for us to be sleeping during harvest time. Proverbs 10:5 says, “He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.” There are no excuses for us not to be operating beyond our natural capabilities. No excuses for us not to operate in the supernatural. Lack of faith is not an excuse, for we can always ask for more faith. Apathy and lack of desire is not an excuse, for we can always ask the Father to rekindle the flame of divine intimacy.
It is awakening time. Time for action. To say we are waiting on God for revival is essentially our pitiful way of blaming Him for the iniquity in our communities and the unregenerate hearts in our own spheres of influence. He has put you and I in the midst of these times and places to be salt and light. If salt loses its saltiness, it is worthless. Many are not seeing revival around them, because there is no personal revival within. Every day should be revival time for you and I. He expects us to extend our own staff of delegated authority. Like Moses, God wants us to stop whining for Him to do something, and instead stretch forth our own rod of power to split the Red Seas before us.
God has equipped us with all the tools we need to make revival happen. In fact, He has given us His very Spirit! Do you not say, “Four months more and then the harvest?” I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest (John 4:35).
Now is the time. Joel’s Army will emerge with or without us. Our own individual role in this movement will be determined by us, because many are called. The question we have been asking, “How much longer?” is really insufficient, unless we are asking it of ourselves. This is our chance to run with gospel of the Kingdom like no one before us. Let us make the most of our days here and become earth shakers. " - John Crowder
"We are on the earth, even while we are in Heaven. We dwell simultaneously in two realms. In the meantime, we are bringing our soul into the submission and maturity of who we already are in the spirit. The only reason we have not seen the full outworking of our supernatural arsenal, is because we are still in this process of aligning our soul with Heaven. The Christian life is much less complicated than we make it. It is simply a matter of realization.
What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father (Gal. 4:1-2).
When is the appointed time for the Father to release the fullness of the inheritance to the children? You already have it. You own the whole estate. So when is the set time for you to step into it? As soon as you are ready. He is waiting on you. This is not a timing element, but a maturity issue. And maturity is defined by our level of holy hunger and unconditional openness to the Lord. And these things increase by “tasting and seeing.” Again – it is by realizing His goodness that is already lavished upon us. We love Him more by recognizing that He first loved us." - John Crowder
(To read the full articles and more timely words go here: http://sonsofthunderpublications.blogspot.com/2006/05/when-will-joels-army-emerge-part-i.html )Sunday, September 24, 2006
One thing
God: on my pursuit of one thing:
One thing I ask, one thing I seek
One thing is needed
One thing you lack
One thing I ask, one thing I seek
One thing is needed
One thing you lack
Thursday, September 21, 2006
The Seven longings of the human heart
We are at such a pivitol time in History right now: The Holy Spirit is awakening us to royalty and calling us take our rightful place. And I love how He does it! Oh my Jesus you are indescribable!
Below is an excerpt from an article by Mike Bickle http://www.thunderstruck.org/holysmoke/bickle.htm
The Seven longings of the human heart:
1. The longing for assurance that we are loved. This is where we begin our introduction to the romance of the Gospel. In every heart God has placed a craving to be pursued, delighted in and enjoyed—first by God, then by our families and friends. It is so integral to our identity that we become emotionally crippled when we feel rejection and shame from God or from others.This most fundamental longing to be enjoyed and loved is initially satisfied by the revelation of the finished work of the cross. However, God wants to touch this vital area in an ever deeper and abiding way. He has chosen to do this through the revelation of his emotional capacities as both a Father and a Bridegroom. We will be satisfied only by experiencing a revelation of the affections of God. It is not so difficult to believe that God enjoys and loves mature believers who’ve learned to walk closely with the Holy Spirit. But the fact is, God enjoys and delights in young believers as well, even in the midst of spiritual immaturity (see Luke 15:4-5, 8-10, 20). He wants to marry us—yes, even us! The Word of God declares, "I am my [Beloved’s], and [His] desire is toward me" (Song 7:10). The Lord enjoys us even now, as we are. When our hearts are assured through the revelation of the Spirit that we are deeply loved and enjoyed, something powerful is awakened within us. This is truly the beginning of our experience of the divine romance. Eventually even our emotional chemistry is changed, and our hearts are set afire.
2. The longing for enjoyment. There is a second craving in every human heart— a longing to marvel and to be fascinated, awestruck and filled with endless wonder. The secular entertainment industry has identified this human longing for enjoyment and has exploited it commercially—to their own profit and to our ruin. So many of us search endlessly through worldly entertainment and recreation to fulfill this God-given craving. We really do need to experience a sense of wonderment in the very core of our beings. Without having a sense of awe, we live aimlessly and become spiritually bored. This makes us vulnerable to Satan’s tactics. A spiritually bored church is a weak and vulnerable church. But a satisfied believer is a spiritually strong believer who lives protected from Satan’s schemes. The Lord wants to answer this longing by an unprecedented unveiling of the beauty of Christ. In Isaiah 4:2, God declares that in the last days the Branch of the Lord will be manifested as "beautiful." The Branch of the Lord is none other than Jesus, our Messiah. God will fascinate his people beyond anything they have ever known by the unveiling of the beauty of Jesus in the last days.This is divine entertainment at its highest as God the Father reveals God the Son to us through the Holy Spirit!Throughout church history most believers have not been deeply fascinated by the Lord; they have simply gritted their teeth and tried to avoid evil. But a new anointing is going to be released on the church worldwide.Think about it: We worship one who possesses transcendent beauty! The seraphim gaze on him and cry out, "Holy! Holy! Holy!" as they are stunned by the beauty of God. Within the bridal paradigm the Lord will answer our craving for awe and wonder by revealing to us the beauty of the Bridegroom.
3. The longing to be beautiful. Every one of us longs to possess beauty and to feel beautiful. No wonder: A beautiful God created us in such a way that we long to possess and feel his imparted beauty. Unfortunately, our culture has an obsession with physical appearance and vanity because it seeks to answer this legitimate longing in a wrong way. Most of us pursue carnal beauty because we feel so unsettled and unhappy when we feel ugly. The glorious news is that the beauty of God is not just something he possesses—it is something he imparts through redemption to his bride. In Psalm 90:17, Moses prayed that "the beauty of the Lord" would be released upon the redeemed. Similarly, David prayed that God would "beautify the humble with salvation" (Psalm 149:4). This is a staggering concept. God transfers his spiritual beauty through redemption to formerly demonized, hopeless, sin-ridden people! His beauty is transferable to human beings through Jesus!
4. The longing to be great. In the core of our being, we long to be successful and noble. Our great God created us with the pursuit of greatness programmed deep within our emotional genetics. Sometimes we misunderstand this longing and assume that we must repent of it, but this isn’t true. We cannot repent of the God-given longing to be great—only of pursuing it in a wrong way. We were made for greatness and honor. The Lord meets this longing by granting his bride a position of authority that surpasses even the highest-ranking angels. Jesus declares that his people will one day be exalted to his very right hand, sitting with him on his throne (see Rev. 3:21). In the embrace of our Bridegroom King, we co-rule with Him. Believers are at the very pinnacle of power in the created order. We are a part of the aristocracy of eternity, a part of the ruling class. In Jesus we have married into indescribable wealth and power. As the church takes hold of the truth of who we really are as honored and esteemed heirs of God’s throne, then our lives will portray a divine inner strength and a fierce determination to be wholly his.
5. The longing for intimacy without shame. We long to know and be known before the Lord. God put this longing in us because he wants us to find its deepest satisfaction in experiencing intimacy with him. This spiritual intimacy is available to the redeemed. Jesus wants to entrust to his bride the unique secrets of his transcendent beauty and divine strategies. He has many secrets that he will reveal to his bride, ones that even the principalities and powers do not know (see Eph. 3:10). Because of our value to him we are invited into this mysterious realm of divine knowledge.That intimacy is reciprocal. While we will have knowledge of his secrets, he also has knowledge of our secrets. He understands aspects of our lives that are unknown and misunderstood by others.Jesus feels our pain and struggles. He knows our sin and shame. Yet he treats us with honor as he walks with us through every season of life. He is intimate with us in our victory and prosperity. He rejoices and celebrates with us as He shares our triumphs. He knows our true greatness, and he sees the heights of our nobility in redemption.He is also intimate with us in our heart passions. He knows the depths of our longings, dreams and intentions to love him. Even our failed intentions to love him are seen in his love, To be fully known without shame and to have no fear of being left to experience the mysteries of life alone is exhilarating!
6. The longing to be wholehearted and passionate. In our hearts we long to possess the power to abandon ourselves completely to God. We long to avoid the spiritual boredom, disloyalty and compromise that leave us broken and discontent. We desire the ability to give the deepest affection of our hearts back to the Lord (see Matt. 22:37).We cannot function properly until we have passionately given our hearts to a Person and purpose beyond ourselves. If we don’t have something to die for, then we don’t have anything to live for.The passive heart is vulnerable to every lust of the flesh. In order to be emotionally whole we must reach for wholeheartedness as the Lord graciously imparts it to our weak hearts. He will give us the power to be passionate because He is a passionate God.
7. The longing to make a deep and lasting impact. As human beings we are desperate for a life of meaning, relevance and significance. We long to make a contribution to the lives of those we care about. We experience great enjoyment when we bring pleasure to others.This, too, is a legitimate longing placed in our hearts by a God of meaning and purpose. It is fulfilled by anointed service in his kingdom, resulting in rewards that literally last forever.God designed his people to make a relevant impact in the lives of others. In fact, Jesus wants us yoked together with him in the holy mandate that the Father has given him to disciple the nations (see Matt. 28:19). As we reject our tendency toward self-centered isolationism and walk out the second commandment at our Bridegroom’s side, we will satisfy the longings of our hearts.
Below is an excerpt from an article by Mike Bickle http://www.thunderstruck.org/holysmoke/bickle.htm
The Seven longings of the human heart:
1. The longing for assurance that we are loved. This is where we begin our introduction to the romance of the Gospel. In every heart God has placed a craving to be pursued, delighted in and enjoyed—first by God, then by our families and friends. It is so integral to our identity that we become emotionally crippled when we feel rejection and shame from God or from others.This most fundamental longing to be enjoyed and loved is initially satisfied by the revelation of the finished work of the cross. However, God wants to touch this vital area in an ever deeper and abiding way. He has chosen to do this through the revelation of his emotional capacities as both a Father and a Bridegroom. We will be satisfied only by experiencing a revelation of the affections of God. It is not so difficult to believe that God enjoys and loves mature believers who’ve learned to walk closely with the Holy Spirit. But the fact is, God enjoys and delights in young believers as well, even in the midst of spiritual immaturity (see Luke 15:4-5, 8-10, 20). He wants to marry us—yes, even us! The Word of God declares, "I am my [Beloved’s], and [His] desire is toward me" (Song 7:10). The Lord enjoys us even now, as we are. When our hearts are assured through the revelation of the Spirit that we are deeply loved and enjoyed, something powerful is awakened within us. This is truly the beginning of our experience of the divine romance. Eventually even our emotional chemistry is changed, and our hearts are set afire.
2. The longing for enjoyment. There is a second craving in every human heart— a longing to marvel and to be fascinated, awestruck and filled with endless wonder. The secular entertainment industry has identified this human longing for enjoyment and has exploited it commercially—to their own profit and to our ruin. So many of us search endlessly through worldly entertainment and recreation to fulfill this God-given craving. We really do need to experience a sense of wonderment in the very core of our beings. Without having a sense of awe, we live aimlessly and become spiritually bored. This makes us vulnerable to Satan’s tactics. A spiritually bored church is a weak and vulnerable church. But a satisfied believer is a spiritually strong believer who lives protected from Satan’s schemes. The Lord wants to answer this longing by an unprecedented unveiling of the beauty of Christ. In Isaiah 4:2, God declares that in the last days the Branch of the Lord will be manifested as "beautiful." The Branch of the Lord is none other than Jesus, our Messiah. God will fascinate his people beyond anything they have ever known by the unveiling of the beauty of Jesus in the last days.This is divine entertainment at its highest as God the Father reveals God the Son to us through the Holy Spirit!Throughout church history most believers have not been deeply fascinated by the Lord; they have simply gritted their teeth and tried to avoid evil. But a new anointing is going to be released on the church worldwide.Think about it: We worship one who possesses transcendent beauty! The seraphim gaze on him and cry out, "Holy! Holy! Holy!" as they are stunned by the beauty of God. Within the bridal paradigm the Lord will answer our craving for awe and wonder by revealing to us the beauty of the Bridegroom.
3. The longing to be beautiful. Every one of us longs to possess beauty and to feel beautiful. No wonder: A beautiful God created us in such a way that we long to possess and feel his imparted beauty. Unfortunately, our culture has an obsession with physical appearance and vanity because it seeks to answer this legitimate longing in a wrong way. Most of us pursue carnal beauty because we feel so unsettled and unhappy when we feel ugly. The glorious news is that the beauty of God is not just something he possesses—it is something he imparts through redemption to his bride. In Psalm 90:17, Moses prayed that "the beauty of the Lord" would be released upon the redeemed. Similarly, David prayed that God would "beautify the humble with salvation" (Psalm 149:4). This is a staggering concept. God transfers his spiritual beauty through redemption to formerly demonized, hopeless, sin-ridden people! His beauty is transferable to human beings through Jesus!
4. The longing to be great. In the core of our being, we long to be successful and noble. Our great God created us with the pursuit of greatness programmed deep within our emotional genetics. Sometimes we misunderstand this longing and assume that we must repent of it, but this isn’t true. We cannot repent of the God-given longing to be great—only of pursuing it in a wrong way. We were made for greatness and honor. The Lord meets this longing by granting his bride a position of authority that surpasses even the highest-ranking angels. Jesus declares that his people will one day be exalted to his very right hand, sitting with him on his throne (see Rev. 3:21). In the embrace of our Bridegroom King, we co-rule with Him. Believers are at the very pinnacle of power in the created order. We are a part of the aristocracy of eternity, a part of the ruling class. In Jesus we have married into indescribable wealth and power. As the church takes hold of the truth of who we really are as honored and esteemed heirs of God’s throne, then our lives will portray a divine inner strength and a fierce determination to be wholly his.
5. The longing for intimacy without shame. We long to know and be known before the Lord. God put this longing in us because he wants us to find its deepest satisfaction in experiencing intimacy with him. This spiritual intimacy is available to the redeemed. Jesus wants to entrust to his bride the unique secrets of his transcendent beauty and divine strategies. He has many secrets that he will reveal to his bride, ones that even the principalities and powers do not know (see Eph. 3:10). Because of our value to him we are invited into this mysterious realm of divine knowledge.That intimacy is reciprocal. While we will have knowledge of his secrets, he also has knowledge of our secrets. He understands aspects of our lives that are unknown and misunderstood by others.Jesus feels our pain and struggles. He knows our sin and shame. Yet he treats us with honor as he walks with us through every season of life. He is intimate with us in our victory and prosperity. He rejoices and celebrates with us as He shares our triumphs. He knows our true greatness, and he sees the heights of our nobility in redemption.He is also intimate with us in our heart passions. He knows the depths of our longings, dreams and intentions to love him. Even our failed intentions to love him are seen in his love, To be fully known without shame and to have no fear of being left to experience the mysteries of life alone is exhilarating!
6. The longing to be wholehearted and passionate. In our hearts we long to possess the power to abandon ourselves completely to God. We long to avoid the spiritual boredom, disloyalty and compromise that leave us broken and discontent. We desire the ability to give the deepest affection of our hearts back to the Lord (see Matt. 22:37).We cannot function properly until we have passionately given our hearts to a Person and purpose beyond ourselves. If we don’t have something to die for, then we don’t have anything to live for.The passive heart is vulnerable to every lust of the flesh. In order to be emotionally whole we must reach for wholeheartedness as the Lord graciously imparts it to our weak hearts. He will give us the power to be passionate because He is a passionate God.
7. The longing to make a deep and lasting impact. As human beings we are desperate for a life of meaning, relevance and significance. We long to make a contribution to the lives of those we care about. We experience great enjoyment when we bring pleasure to others.This, too, is a legitimate longing placed in our hearts by a God of meaning and purpose. It is fulfilled by anointed service in his kingdom, resulting in rewards that literally last forever.God designed his people to make a relevant impact in the lives of others. In fact, Jesus wants us yoked together with him in the holy mandate that the Father has given him to disciple the nations (see Matt. 28:19). As we reject our tendency toward self-centered isolationism and walk out the second commandment at our Bridegroom’s side, we will satisfy the longings of our hearts.
For such a time as this...
Are we in another "Esther" season?
A few years ago God began to reveal new things to me from the book of Esther. At the time I was going through a personal mourning season and I could instantly relate to Esther's 6 month purification with the oil of myrr. It was a time of deep sorrow and surrender. At the same time, ministries and messages around the world were being birthed and impacted by the book of Esther. This past spring and summer the Lord began prepping me for Royalty once again. This time however, there was a lavishness...a beautification process, a growing anticipation. I sensed a new thing called 'favor'. There was nothing I did to earn it...it happened to me. And like the natural signs before, suddenly I find I am surrounded by the book of Esther.
Check out Sarah's story:
http://www.bumpenya.com/
A few years ago God began to reveal new things to me from the book of Esther. At the time I was going through a personal mourning season and I could instantly relate to Esther's 6 month purification with the oil of myrr. It was a time of deep sorrow and surrender. At the same time, ministries and messages around the world were being birthed and impacted by the book of Esther. This past spring and summer the Lord began prepping me for Royalty once again. This time however, there was a lavishness...a beautification process, a growing anticipation. I sensed a new thing called 'favor'. There was nothing I did to earn it...it happened to me. And like the natural signs before, suddenly I find I am surrounded by the book of Esther.
Check out Sarah's story:
http://www.bumpenya.com/
Where will I go when my wings take flight?
"......God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house… God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives… God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war… God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them. "If you remove the yolk from your midst, the pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, and if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom will become like midday and the Lord will continually guide you and satisfy your desire in scorched places" It's not a coincidence that in the Scriptures, poverty is mentioned more than 2,100 times. It's not an accident. That's a lot of air time, 2,100 mentions. [You know, the only time Christ is judgmental is on the subject of the poor.] 'As you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me.' (Matthew 25:40)...........A number of years ago, I met a wise man who changed my life. In countless ways, large and small, I was always seeking the Lord's blessing. I was saying, you know, I have a new song, look after it… I have a family, please look after them… I have this crazy idea…And this wise man said: stop. He said, stop asking God to bless what you're doing. Get involved in what God is doing—because it's already blessed.Well, God, as I said, is with the poor. That, I believe, is what God is doing. And that is what He's calling us to do. ........"
(snippets of Bono's Remarks to the National Prayer Breakfast)
(snippets of Bono's Remarks to the National Prayer Breakfast)
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Potbound
What happens to a plant when it gets all the sunshine and water it needs but never leaves it's original pot?I've been realizing that my knowledge of the "things of God" has exceded my intimate experience of it's reality. At one point this was expressed in frustration and longing but lately there's been such a sadness and a numbing like hope deferred has made the heart thus sick. And I've wept, wondering why I have refused to fly.
Like the rich young fool he has beckoned me to come and I have gone away sorrowful....
Jesus, what is it that I am holding back? What have I held onto as my source of security?
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Smaller and simpler still...
My mom and I have been sharing together and have noticed that every time we have tried to deal with an issue of weakness in our lives we have ended up caught in a cycle of striving and stumbling and yet we have also noticed that every time we get enraptured in the presence of God the weakness is made ineffective. In fact, the weakness is made irrelevent. Hmmmmm.......
If sin results when we get our eyes off of Jesus, why do we (the church) tend to place so much emphasis on our responce and our behavior? Are we not doing a disfavor to the precious bride stumbling towards ecstacy? Why are we so oriented to think it all depends on us? Why do we look at ourselves at all?! We should instead gaze into the eyes of redemption and do nothing less than draw the eyes of the broken, and weak amoung us to do the same!
We are all brought into the journey of faith by recognising the work of Christ.......is not the rest of the journey meant to be more of the same? Real and lasting transformation comes from simply meditating on the beauty, goodness and greatness of Jesus. We simply come in our filth and rags to be restored...again and again.....humbly accepting the rainment he clothes us with, confidently delighting in his affection and declaration that we ARE His 'beloved'.
"As you have therefore recieved Christ Jesus as Lord, so walk in Him" Colossians 2:6
"God wants us to experience the "superior pleasures" of the Gospel. He knows that we are best equipped to resist the "lesser pleasures" of sin as we experience satisfaction in intimacy with him." - Mike Bickle
.....when we are faithful to keep ourselves in His holy presence and to make Him absolutely central in our lives, this not only hinders us from offending Him or doing anything that displeases Him (at least willfully), it also gives rise to freedom - a divine freedom - and, if you will not misunderstand me, a familiarity with God tht makes possible asking and recieving the graces we need." -Brother Lawrence
"When you are too perfect at controlling yourself you can become harsh, judgmental, and too easily offended by others." -Francois de Salignac de La Mothe-Fenelon
"....focus, rather on “being”. Being loved. Being God’s child. Being redeemed. Being forgiven. Being accepted. Being favored. Being cherished. Being approved......"-Brian Petak
"I consider myself the most wretched of sinners, full of sores and corruption;
I have committed all sorts of crimes against the King.
Touched with a sense of regret, I confess to Him all my wickedness;
I ask His forgiveness;
I abandon myself into His hands so he can do with me as He pleases.
The King, full of mercy and goodness,
very far from chastising me, embrces me with love, makes me eat at His table,
serves me with His own hands, gives me the key to His treasures.
He also talks with me all the time in the most delightful way in a thousand ways,
and treats me in all respects as His favorite." - Brother Lawerence
The King, full of mercy and goodness,
very far from chastising me, embrces me with love, makes me eat at His table,
serves me with His own hands, gives me the key to His treasures.
He also talks with me all the time in the most delightful way in a thousand ways,
and treats me in all respects as His favorite." - Brother Lawerence
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Will you trust me?
The world's sin is not foul language and lies.
The world's sin is not drug and alcohol abuse.
The world's sin is not lust and impurity.
The world's sin is not abortion and murder.
The world's sin is not greed and theft.
" The world's sin is unbelief "
(John 16:9, 12:39-40)
How heavy is my heart for the many who daily taste the bitter fruits of a heart that has no vision of the Trustworthy One. Without a vision, they cast off restraint!
Son, daughter...why do you not believe?
Like the first children you hear the lie..."God is holding out on you!"
You do not know me. So you do not trust me.
You think you need to protect yourself.
So you lie. So you kill. So you hide.
You think you need to provide for yourself.
So you take.
I am your Father. I love loving you. I love taking care of you.
I am your Husband. I love loving you. I love taking care of you.
You do not know me. So you do not trust me.
You have been orphaned, abandoned, betrayed, and abused.
Not by me. I have never left you. I have never hurt you.
My thoughts are only good toward you. My plans are to give you a hope and a wonderful future.
But you do not know me, so you do not trust me.
A truely intimate relationship is only established and preserved through the gift of trust. When trust is betrayed or withheld, there is a sudden and increasing block in relational intimacy until trust is restored. It really is a very precious gift.
The scriptures call this gift "faith". It is no wonder that we read " Without faith it is impossible to please God...." When we withhold trust, the Father cannot have the intimacy with us that He so longs for. We cannot recieve His affection. We cannot recieve His affirmation. We cannot recieve His delight. We simply do not believe. Unbelief blinds our eyes and deafens our ears, it hardens our hearts to Him. We hold Him at a distance. With all our sin and all our religion. Never really living. Not living at all really! It is only trust that pleases Him. It is trust that says 'I want to know you. I want to love you. Take this broken, messed up heart in your hands. I am weak and fragile but I have confidence in your tenderness, in your mercy, in your care. I believe you are who you say you are!'
All our failures; our religious striving and shameful deeds, result from our lack of confidence in you Father. We don't want to admit that we are helpless and in need, like a tiny infant.We don't want to believe that you came not for the healthy but for the sick. We don't want to believe that you are our Shepherd. If we did, we would know that a GOOD Father feeds his childre, clothes his children, nurtures his children, protects his children, holds and comforts his children, delights in his children, affirms his children, guides and leads his children. We would be at rest.
Abraham believed and it was accounted to Him as righteousness. (Genesis 22:1-12, Hebrews)
When we discover the incredible, passionate, pursuing love of God we can't help but fall in love with Him, and walk toward Him, who is the Light. We become surrendered, holding nothing back because we know that He holds nothing back from us. We become the bride, one with her bridegroom!
" I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it ALL as garbage, so that I may have Christ and become one with Him. I no longer count on my own goodness or my ability to obey God's laws but I trust Christ to save me. For God's way of making us right with Himself depends on faith" (Philippians 3:7-9)
The world's sin is not drug and alcohol abuse.
The world's sin is not lust and impurity.
The world's sin is not abortion and murder.
The world's sin is not greed and theft.
" The world's sin is unbelief "
(John 16:9, 12:39-40)
How heavy is my heart for the many who daily taste the bitter fruits of a heart that has no vision of the Trustworthy One. Without a vision, they cast off restraint!
Son, daughter...why do you not believe?
Like the first children you hear the lie..."God is holding out on you!"
You do not know me. So you do not trust me.
You think you need to protect yourself.
So you lie. So you kill. So you hide.
You think you need to provide for yourself.
So you take.
I am your Father. I love loving you. I love taking care of you.
I am your Husband. I love loving you. I love taking care of you.
You do not know me. So you do not trust me.
You have been orphaned, abandoned, betrayed, and abused.
Not by me. I have never left you. I have never hurt you.
My thoughts are only good toward you. My plans are to give you a hope and a wonderful future.
But you do not know me, so you do not trust me.
A truely intimate relationship is only established and preserved through the gift of trust. When trust is betrayed or withheld, there is a sudden and increasing block in relational intimacy until trust is restored. It really is a very precious gift.
The scriptures call this gift "faith". It is no wonder that we read " Without faith it is impossible to please God...." When we withhold trust, the Father cannot have the intimacy with us that He so longs for. We cannot recieve His affection. We cannot recieve His affirmation. We cannot recieve His delight. We simply do not believe. Unbelief blinds our eyes and deafens our ears, it hardens our hearts to Him. We hold Him at a distance. With all our sin and all our religion. Never really living. Not living at all really! It is only trust that pleases Him. It is trust that says 'I want to know you. I want to love you. Take this broken, messed up heart in your hands. I am weak and fragile but I have confidence in your tenderness, in your mercy, in your care. I believe you are who you say you are!'
All our failures; our religious striving and shameful deeds, result from our lack of confidence in you Father. We don't want to admit that we are helpless and in need, like a tiny infant.We don't want to believe that you came not for the healthy but for the sick. We don't want to believe that you are our Shepherd. If we did, we would know that a GOOD Father feeds his childre, clothes his children, nurtures his children, protects his children, holds and comforts his children, delights in his children, affirms his children, guides and leads his children. We would be at rest.
Abraham believed and it was accounted to Him as righteousness. (Genesis 22:1-12, Hebrews)
When we discover the incredible, passionate, pursuing love of God we can't help but fall in love with Him, and walk toward Him, who is the Light. We become surrendered, holding nothing back because we know that He holds nothing back from us. We become the bride, one with her bridegroom!
" I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it ALL as garbage, so that I may have Christ and become one with Him. I no longer count on my own goodness or my ability to obey God's laws but I trust Christ to save me. For God's way of making us right with Himself depends on faith" (Philippians 3:7-9)
And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in Him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvolous love. And may you have the power to understand as allGod's people should, how wide, how long,how high, and how deep his love really is. MAY YOU EXPERIENCE THE LOVE OF CHRIST, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. THEN YOU WILL BE FILLED WITH THE FULLNESS OF LIFE AND POWER THAT COMES FROM GOD.
Ephesians 3:17-19
Oh Beloved Consuming Fire
Wow! I stumbled on this today....... How cool is that!
"GOD is THE CONSUMING FIRE! He comes to take over! He comes to CONSUME us! and our world! ........ the secrets to the Holy life.: STARE AT HIM!!!! and RECEIVE His love FOR YOU! This is GRACE EMPOWERED Holiness!"
This is exactly what Father has been igniting in my spirit!
Take a Listen to Keith Luker as He teaches on the secrets to a Holy life:
http://www.propheticworshipradio.net/store/DL_ConsumingFire.php
"GOD is THE CONSUMING FIRE! He comes to take over! He comes to CONSUME us! and our world! ........ the secrets to the Holy life.: STARE AT HIM!!!! and RECEIVE His love FOR YOU! This is GRACE EMPOWERED Holiness!"
This is exactly what Father has been igniting in my spirit!
Take a Listen to Keith Luker as He teaches on the secrets to a Holy life:
http://www.propheticworshipradio.net/store/DL_ConsumingFire.php
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Covenant
"....You are COMPLETE through your union with Christ..."
(Colossians 2:10)
Circumsision has suddenly found new meaning. It is so symbolic of vulnerabilty, surrender, humility, need, and trust. This is the blessed part we offer in the covenant. We offer our bodies as a living sacrifice. We offer our all - we come vulnerable, trusting and surrendered. We are forever marked by a spirit of humility.
"For we who worship God in the Spirit are the only ones who are truely circumsized. We put no confidence in human effort. Insead we boast about what Christ Jesus has done for us." (Philippians 3:3)
I’m not looking over and I’m not looking under
I’m looking upward and I’m moving onward
To a place where they cry holy And the greatest man bows lowly
From the wonder of a father crying out
Come now let’s reason together
Come now where blood turns to wool
Come now where fire is the measure
Come now where fools turn to gold
Now I’m moving slower and it takes a little longer
But I’m healing deeper and I’m feeling stronger
It’s tearing down defenses and opening my senses
To the wonder of a lover crying out
© 2004 Jason Upton & Key of David Ministries. All rights reserved
http://www.jasonupton.net/com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=233&Itemid=431
He really loves me!
This summer the Lord has been speaking new things to me concerning His Holiness. My eyes have been opened to see that holiness is not a thing I am pursuing....but is the personhood of Jesus Christ, the Holy spirit of God Himself; indwelling in all his fullness. All I have ever wanted was Jesus but I have stumbled continuely, distracted by trying to reach him in my own efforts. He has washed away fear after fear, doubt after doubt...fruit of many lies; weeding out unbelief and rooting me in the depths, heights and breadth of His love. His mercy astounds me. Now I see that Holiness has been pursuing me. He will not let go. He will be faithful to complete the work He began in me.
My faithful bridegroom there is none like you!
My faithful bridegroom there is none like you!
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
He must increase, and I must decrease
Holy - Set apart, consecrated, not for pagan or common use....
Spirit of God you are the Holy Spirit. You carry the fullness of all that is Holy. All that is not set apart in me, all that is not consecrated as yours, all that is largely me , not you...come with your Holy fire and burn away. Two cannot have dominion at the same time.
To be filled with your Spirit is to be nothing but an empty vessel- for your display; that You may be all. Work in me surrender and full possession.
"....He must be all. From Him and through Him and to Him are all things. As God, He is the life of everything. Everything that exists serves as a means for the manifestation of the goodness, wisdom, and power of God in His direct and continous operation. Sin consists in nothing but this, that man determined to be something and would not allow God to be everything. The redemption of Jesus has no other aim than that God should again become everything in our heart and life. In the end even the Son will be subject to the Father that God may be all in all. Nothing less than this is what redemption is to secure. Christ himself has shown in his life what it means to be nothing and allow God to be everything..."1 Cor.15:28
(Andrew Murray- Spiritual Excellence)
Spirit of God you are the Holy Spirit. You carry the fullness of all that is Holy. All that is not set apart in me, all that is not consecrated as yours, all that is largely me , not you...come with your Holy fire and burn away. Two cannot have dominion at the same time.
To be filled with your Spirit is to be nothing but an empty vessel- for your display; that You may be all. Work in me surrender and full possession.
"....He must be all. From Him and through Him and to Him are all things. As God, He is the life of everything. Everything that exists serves as a means for the manifestation of the goodness, wisdom, and power of God in His direct and continous operation. Sin consists in nothing but this, that man determined to be something and would not allow God to be everything. The redemption of Jesus has no other aim than that God should again become everything in our heart and life. In the end even the Son will be subject to the Father that God may be all in all. Nothing less than this is what redemption is to secure. Christ himself has shown in his life what it means to be nothing and allow God to be everything..."1 Cor.15:28
(Andrew Murray- Spiritual Excellence)
Friday, April 07, 2006
Come up here
Your mercy has done something in me. I never knew...never understood the depths....
How do you describe new vision?
How do you describe new vision?
Friday, January 20, 2006
Now go and learn...
Your words have struck me twice....putting in me this ache. I want to know. Will you teach me? I will gladly lay down every sacrifice, every offering. Everything, if I only can know your heart.
"...Matthew invited Jesus and his diciples to be his dinner guests, along with his fellow tax colectors and many other notorious sinners. The Pharisees were indignant."why does your teacher eat with such scum?"they asked the disciples. When he heard this, Jesus replied, "Healthy people don't need a doctor - sick people do." Then he added, Now go and learn the meaning of the this Scripture:' I want you to be merciful; I don't want your sacrifices.' For I have come to call siners, not those who think they are already good enough." (Matthew 9: 10 -13)
"Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off heads of wheat and eating the grain.Some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, "Your disciples shouldn't be doing that! It's against the law to work by harvesting the grain on the Sabbath." But Jesus said to them, " Haven't you ever read in the scriptures what King David did when he and his companions were hungry? He went into the house of God, and they ate the special bread reserved for priests alone. That was breaking the law too. And haven't youever read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the temple may work on the Sabbath? I tell you one is here who is greater than the Temple! But you would not have condemned those who are not guilty if you knew the meaning of this scripture: 'I want you to be merciful; I don't want your sacrifices. For I, the Son of Man, am master of the Sabbath."
"...Matthew invited Jesus and his diciples to be his dinner guests, along with his fellow tax colectors and many other notorious sinners. The Pharisees were indignant."why does your teacher eat with such scum?"they asked the disciples. When he heard this, Jesus replied, "Healthy people don't need a doctor - sick people do." Then he added, Now go and learn the meaning of the this Scripture:' I want you to be merciful; I don't want your sacrifices.' For I have come to call siners, not those who think they are already good enough." (Matthew 9: 10 -13)
"Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off heads of wheat and eating the grain.Some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, "Your disciples shouldn't be doing that! It's against the law to work by harvesting the grain on the Sabbath." But Jesus said to them, " Haven't you ever read in the scriptures what King David did when he and his companions were hungry? He went into the house of God, and they ate the special bread reserved for priests alone. That was breaking the law too. And haven't youever read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the temple may work on the Sabbath? I tell you one is here who is greater than the Temple! But you would not have condemned those who are not guilty if you knew the meaning of this scripture: 'I want you to be merciful; I don't want your sacrifices. For I, the Son of Man, am master of the Sabbath."
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
A passion for His Glory
"He who has the bride is the groom. But the groom's friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the groom's voice. So this joy of mine is complete. He must increase, but I must decrease." The One who comes from above is above all. The one who is from the earth is earthly and speaks in earthly terms. The One who comes from heaven is above all." John 3:29-31
"Love is labouring and suffering (if necessary) to enthrall another person with what will make them most infinately and eternally satisfied....There is nobody else who can meet our needs. Nobody else that can satisfy our hearts.Nobody else that can forgive our sins. There is nobody else that can give us meaning.....God's constant exalting of His glory for our enjoyment is the most loving thing He could do, for in Christ alone are we satisfied." - John Piper (paraphrased)
Jesus prayer before his death reveals His heart:
"Jesus spoke these things, looked up to heaven, and said: Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son so that the Son may glorify You,
for You gave Him authority over all flesh; so He may give eternal life to all You have given Him. This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and the One You have sent--Jesus Christ. I have glorified You on the earth by completing the work You gave Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with that glory I had with You before the world existed.I have revealed Your name to the men You gave Me from the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.Now they know that all things You have given to Me are from You, because the words that You gave Me, I have given them. They have received them and have known for certain that I came from You. They have believed that You sent Me.I pray for them. I am not praying for the world but for those You have given Me, because they are Yours.All My things are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I have been glorified in them. I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by Your name that You have given Me, so that they may be one as We are one.While I was with them, I was protecting them by Your name that You have given Me. I guarded them and not one of them is lost, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture may be fulfilled.Now I am coming to You, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have My joy completed in them. I have given them Your word. The world hated them because they are not of the world, as I am not of the world.I am not praying that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, as I am not of the world.Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.I sanctify Myself for them, so they also may be sanctified by the truth.I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in Me through their message.May they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You. May they also be one in Us, so the world may believe You sent Me. I have given them the glory You have given Me. May they be one as We are one.I am in them and You are in Me. May they be made completely one, so the world may know You have sent Me and have loved them as You have loved Me.Father, I desire those You have given Me to be with Me where I am. Then they will see My glory, which You have given Me because You loved Me before the world's foundation.
Righteous Father! The world has not known You. However, I have known You, and these have known that You sent Me.I made Your name known to them and will make it known, so the love You have loved Me with may be in them and I may be in them."John 17
Lord let me not become focused and fixiated on lesser things; wood, hay and straw. Draw back my gaze oh Beautiful One.
"Love is labouring and suffering (if necessary) to enthrall another person with what will make them most infinately and eternally satisfied....There is nobody else who can meet our needs. Nobody else that can satisfy our hearts.Nobody else that can forgive our sins. There is nobody else that can give us meaning.....God's constant exalting of His glory for our enjoyment is the most loving thing He could do, for in Christ alone are we satisfied." - John Piper (paraphrased)
Jesus prayer before his death reveals His heart:
"Jesus spoke these things, looked up to heaven, and said: Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son so that the Son may glorify You,
for You gave Him authority over all flesh; so He may give eternal life to all You have given Him. This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and the One You have sent--Jesus Christ. I have glorified You on the earth by completing the work You gave Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with that glory I had with You before the world existed.I have revealed Your name to the men You gave Me from the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.Now they know that all things You have given to Me are from You, because the words that You gave Me, I have given them. They have received them and have known for certain that I came from You. They have believed that You sent Me.I pray for them. I am not praying for the world but for those You have given Me, because they are Yours.All My things are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I have been glorified in them. I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by Your name that You have given Me, so that they may be one as We are one.While I was with them, I was protecting them by Your name that You have given Me. I guarded them and not one of them is lost, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture may be fulfilled.Now I am coming to You, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have My joy completed in them. I have given them Your word. The world hated them because they are not of the world, as I am not of the world.I am not praying that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, as I am not of the world.Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.I sanctify Myself for them, so they also may be sanctified by the truth.I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in Me through their message.May they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You. May they also be one in Us, so the world may believe You sent Me. I have given them the glory You have given Me. May they be one as We are one.I am in them and You are in Me. May they be made completely one, so the world may know You have sent Me and have loved them as You have loved Me.Father, I desire those You have given Me to be with Me where I am. Then they will see My glory, which You have given Me because You loved Me before the world's foundation.
Righteous Father! The world has not known You. However, I have known You, and these have known that You sent Me.I made Your name known to them and will make it known, so the love You have loved Me with may be in them and I may be in them."John 17
Lord let me not become focused and fixiated on lesser things; wood, hay and straw. Draw back my gaze oh Beautiful One.
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