Grace is Powerful

     In all their distress he too was distressed… 

     In his love and mercy he redeemed them;       

     he lifted them up and carried them 

     all the days of old. Isaiah  63:9

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you…  II Cor 12:9

      Greetings in the name that is Peace,

As I read scripture this week, I struggled with divine lessons intended to move me from self-dependence, to Christ-dependence, The thought that kept surfacing was ‘grace’. As I reflected on what God wanted to teach me about grace, my emotions were a roller coaster of fragmented thoughts and they, like unruly children, refused to quietly move me to understanding. What was I not hearing? I was in deep need of His comfort and I wanted to His tender words meant for me.

I happened across a small booklet about God’s grace. It was something I acquired from my Mother, after her death. In it, I have found treasure… it set my feet to dancing! Treasure that blessed my heart and encouraged my understanding of His infinite, powerful, gift of ‘grace’.

“Suppose you have a young child who is the joy and delight of your life. Suppose too, that this child was cruelly murdered. What is your attitude toward the killer?

1.    If you use every possible means to kill him for his crime,  it would be vengeance.

2.    If you sit back and watch the civil authorities convict him and execute him, it would be justice.

3.    But if you pardon the murderer, invite him to live in your home and adopt him as your son, that would be grace.

Not realistic? Well, let’s look at another illustration. I have sinned against a holy God. And by God’s law I am guilty. Consequently my sin has brought on me a sentence of eternal Hell. If God allows my sentence to be carried out, I could not rightfully complain because I am receiving what I deserve according to the divine law, of the Omnipotent, infinite, and Holy Creator-God.

The gavel sounds and as they start dragging me away, God intervenes, providing my substitute, His only Son! The One who is perfect in righteousness, becomes the sacrifice Lamb! He will die in my place. A tortuous death on the Cross as He becomes my Sin-bearer!

Then God turns to me and offers to forgive me and give me everlasting life, as a free gift! To my utter amazement, the LORD then offers to make me His child and take me home to live with Him eternally. What would you call this unmerited favor to me a sinner? I who deserves the very opposite? Only one word describes such treatment: Grace.

A young girl was sitting in her room singing when 2 shots were fired outside her home (because a man was angry with two women who lived there). The shot severed her spinal chord leaving this 3 yr old a paraplegic. Two years later, sitting in the Suffolk County courtroom, she faced the man who took away her ability to walk and run and play as other children. Kai began to cry as she spoke these words: “What you did to me was wrong!” But her next words surprised everyone hearing her, even her mother. “ But I still forgive him,” she said softly as she looked around the courtroom. This 5 yr old girl was dealing with a very present evil done against her, changing her life forever. This act of forgiveness puts flesh on Jesus words.

But Jesus was saying, “ Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31-32

 Yes, Jesus asks much of His followers, but He gives much. He gives grace to do what is right, in all circumstances.

“If I do not give thanks, I deny God’s Sovereignty.” Kay Arthur

Also true: unforgiveness denies the grace God offers. Let this truth sink in and mold you into a vessel of praise and thanksgiving! . I must stay in His word and stay close to His grace, for it cannot be phonied up to impress anyone. It is as daily as manna, for is it not a mark of all who call Jesus ‘Lord and Savior’?

What comes to mind when you reflect on grace? I like this acrostic:
GRACE:   God’s   Riches  At  Christ’s   Expense

Grace is the riches of all that is mine in Christ. Grace is a Light for my path. Grace is Love lavished upon me. Grace is letting the Lord Jesus pour His love through me to others. Grace is humbling. Without grace I cannot live the Christian life. Almost every New Testament letter begins and ends with words on Grace. Ephesians is rich with the truth of grace. How precious our Lord is to meet our every need with grace.

…who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, 2 Timothy 1:9

Almighty One, Giver of grace, Provider of all my needs, I want to sing my thanksgiving to You. You know I cannot carry a tune and yet my heart sings your praises. Thank You for the rich store of old hymns that reflect on Your grace. You are a wonderful Abba. You taste my distress and are distressed. You pour out your grace in love and compassion on me. Hallelujah to my God and King. Your Word is true. Your grace is perfect….  I love You dear Lamb of God, my sacrifice. It is in Your Name I come boldly, before the throne, to find mercy and grace to help in time of need. Meet each sister and brother today, in grace and love. In Your name I pray. Amen.

By His Grace,

az

My Light

  The LORD is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the defense of my life;
Whom shall I dread? Psalm 27:1

Dear Sisters and Brothers who are precious to the LORD,

Light keeps us from walking in darkness. He is Light. His word is Light. His word is mine for the taking! In my dark times it is life and breath and strength; as welcome as the sunrise after the darkest night.

Neck deep in Psalm 18 and 27, this past month, has been a  source of strength and encouragement. When trials invade, cloaked in darkness, the Lord is my Stay. He is alive as my Shield, my Deliverer, and my Refuge! These are but a few descriptors the Lord put in Psalm 18! Each one is a treasure of rich meaning. I elected to compile a list of ‘who He is to me’ and another list of ‘what He has done’ (and is doing) in my life, plus a third listing of His worth. During this exercise, the warmth of His Love washed over me and left me in awe of His provision for me! It was then I heard Him whisper: “Arlene, hear my love for you in these words.”

Want a blessing? Take time to prayerfully read Psalm 18, meditatively as you list the descriptors included. I promise you will be lifted up, for His Truth will permeate and fill your being.

His Words for me this morning were in verse 18: ‘But the LORD was my stay’. Trials that shake our foundation can intimidate; replacing faith with fear. David proclaimed God was his ‘stay’ when Saul was pursuing David unto death.

stay: remain in the same place

stay: a device used as a brace or support.

God brought David forth and rescued him from all his enemies, because He delighted in him. When Christ and His word are our stay, firstly, we can stand strong in the LORD, unmoving, refusing fear; choosing instead to believe God is Sovereign, good and all-wise.  Secondly, we can know a peace which passes all understanding, even though tears drip from our chins; for Christ is more than our stay, He is our strength and support. Our cry comes into His ears. And what sets my feet to dancing is next: (v19) He delights in us. Grab this Truth and dance in praise!! He absolutely loves us beyond measure! Is there not unmeasured ‘rest’ in this?

The very fact of trial proves that there is something in us very precious to our Lord; else He would not spend so much pains and time on us. Christ would not test us if He did not see the precious ore of faith mingled in the rock-matrix of our nature; and it is to bring this out into purity and beauty that He forces us through the fiery ordeal. Be patient, O sufferer! The end result will more than compensate for all our trials, when we see how they wrought out, the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. To have one word of God’s commendation;  to be glorified in Christ, so as to glorify Him…ah! That will more than repay for all. unknown

And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever. Revelation 22:5

Daddy, You who deliver me and comfort me and hear my brokenness, I bow before You in surrender and worship. How beautiful You are to me. Thank You for the intricate word pictures that draw me to You. I am comforted. I am encouraged. You are strength and hope. Because of You I am still standing! How amazing to know you as my ‘stay’! Only because of You can I stand at all. I know Your Word says ‘If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.’ (Isaiah 7:9 niv) Because You are my stay, I am standing, I am blessed. I look forward to eternity with You where there will be no darkness, because the lamp is the Lamb!! Bless each sister and brother who reads my words about You. May You be glorified ‘now’ and forever. amen

Walk in the Light as He is in the Light... much love to you sisters and brothers,
az

Forever Young!

“LORD, make me to know my end
And what is the extent of my days;
Let me know how transient I am.
Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths,
And my lifetime as nothing in Your sight;
Surely every man at his best is a mere breath. Selah. Psalm 39:4-5

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

There are times in our life when we deal with physical issues that limit our activities and change our routine. Inability to exercise or attend church is a huge test for me. These very important activities were replaced with doctor appointments and meds. (I rarely take medicine) Under this umbrella of infirmity, many things were revealed to me, which I often take for granted. Like breathing or the wonder of going through a day, unaware I have lungs! This was replaced with gasping for breath and very nearly calling 911. Add to this endless coughing, steroids, and an inhaler. Weary enough to complain and feel sorry for myself, i was reminded of my precious friend, who is struggling with cancer daily. A cancer that will too soon take her life. (It is always too soon to let go of someone you love.) She is such an inspiration. Courage flows out of her making me ashamed of my sniveling and grumbling. My complaining does not honor God. She is filled with joy and in her suffering she brings Him glory! Praise His Name... I too want to bring God glory, but here is the catch... I want to decide what qualifies as a ‘glory-bringer’.

I questioned, as I contemplated this, “who am I to decide what brings God glory? I want to be strong in faith and let God be God, but my flesh wants input into deciding what will bring Him glory. Short-sighted me has a very different picture of a ‘glory-bringer’. Could glory be found in circumstances which i deem as weakness, failure, and disappointments? He redeems all things, for ‘all things serve Him’, but failure seems counter productive!  Shouldn’t something wonderful be planned to bring our amazing God the glory due His name? It was then I saw the truth, it was my own chagrin over failure, my perfectionist nature, causing me to have a skewed view. The saints, who wrote the classics, saw their trials and failures, as something God used to humble and strengthen faith and as such they embraced their suffering. Coast to coast, I believe God is purifying His body the Church. I heard one sister say this past couple years have been the hardest yet.

We are called to glorify God. If we evaluate God’s calling by our gifts rather than by the call, we fall into legalism and we enlist our own strength to serve Him. Our failure does not disqualify us from serving the King, but our pride will set us aside, unfit for service.

God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are,  so that no one may boast (glory) before him. ‘ I Cor 1:28-29  This is freedom, because we have nothing to prove! It is not about us.

It is a great sadness to be surprised by suffering. For God faithfully prepares His saints to suffer. When life becomes easier we tend to rely on ourselves and take His good gifts for granted go through a day without bowing our hearts in gratitude.

Franciscan friar Brother Giles said, “It is impossible to acquire virtues without trouble and effort.” Our brothers and sisters facing serious health issues know what it is to have suffering embedded into each minute. Death moves ever closer and we deny its presence. Would we not live better lives if we stopped denying the inevitable and lived like we were mortal? Ask yourself : ‘Do I know anyone who is not dying? including myself?’

Death doesn’t ask questions; it doesn’t review resumes It just comes. GT

I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see
 the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.
 Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the LORD. Psalm 27:13-14

Our days are filled with God’s great goodness, His loving kindness, and His faithfulness; even if we do not acknowledge it. Psalm 103 says; God satisfies our lives with good things. The word good infers a wide meaning: beautiful, best, better, cheerful, precious, sweet joyful. The word ‘things’ means: a word, advice, commandment, work. Put  these together and  may it bump your heart to praise Him! His Spirit and His Word satisfy us with that which is good, beautiful, gives joy, and strengthens us for His glory. How good He is to satisfy us with good things, especially Himself and His word. We will be forever young, this sets my feet to dancing.

Great God, You are Faithful and filled with compassion, for us who are your purchased possessions. We want to bring You glory and trust You for every trial, but we fight against the trials we must face to have our faith strengthened. Thank You no trial will last any longer than You determine. You are Victory. You know that unless we stand firm in our faith we will not stand at all. Create a deep hunger for Your word in each of our hearts, so we will seek You daily, praise You daily, trust You daily. Remind us as often as necessary that “the battle is the LORD’s”. And today LORD let each one of us bring Your Name glory. amen and amen in the Name of Jesus, Lord of all.

I have been embraced by God’s undeserved goodness this week and the wonderful part was that I wasn't so occupied that I missed it! I was receptive to His sweet love and it truly is better than life! Thank You LORD.

az

God's Menu Offers Humble Pie

 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. I John 2:15-16

Fellow Believers, precious to our Lord,

The world tells us to be powerful, be strong. Our flesh fights to be in control. Control is power. The devil encourages both.

I must frequently remind myself of the Lord’s words in II Corinthians 12:9: But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

 

We are encouraged ‘imitate’ Christ in many of our churches, but this will eventually lead to frustration and denial. We are even instructed to ask  the question: “What would Jesus do?” and then go and do it. This sounds good but I cause no little harm when I choose to imitate Christ, for that is little more than living for Him in my own strength. This path is preferred because it has no Cross and therefore no death to self is required. My flesh is right at home, adjusting quickly to being in control. As I work to imitate the Savior, I am unaware of what is missing! Not until I fail miserably do I realize my lack of power! “My child, I have made this impossible to do in your strength. Come to me and let me fill you for it is only by the Holy Spirit’s power through you that will enable you to walk by faith.”

 Without the Cross, everything else is nothing but religious sentimentalism. Let me become one of the members of the body of the crucified Jesus Christ! FF

I read the following this week and want to pass it on. This is good!

"There would be little harm in trying to imitate Christ if such an endeavor did not hide from us what our Lord really desires; and so keep us back from 'life more abundant.' Christ has come Himself into our hearts to dwell there, and what He wants is to live His life in us, as the Apostle Paul says, 'For to me to live is Christ.' Christ was the very source and mainspring of all he was and did. What a wonderful thing this is! We would be driven to despair if Christ had simply left us an example to follow or imitate, for we have no power within ourselves to do it. We must have a new source; a new spring of action, and Christ Himself wants to be just that for us." -E.C.H.

Our relentless enemy ‘pride’ rides a fast horse! The devil himself grooms and feeds it at every opportunity. God’s word is our dearest possession and is the very Truth God uses to teach, guide and strengthening us to humble ourselves. Humility will bring a freedom and  sweet soul-rest to our faith walk. There is no faith walk without humility. To be appropriately humble is not a matter of having a worse opinion of ourselves than is accurate, nor is it talking-down about ourselves, more lowly than we are. It is certainly not in denying our gifted-ness. Humility is living with the truth of our weakness and wretchedness, as we cast ourselves at Christ’s feet, in utter despair of having any ‘fix’ in ourselves for our sinful hearts! "LORD, tear me away from myself and my vain desires!"

So that no mortal man should [have pretense for glorying and] boast in the presence of God. I Cor 1:29

People who can’t admit their strengths are also unlikely to admit their weaknesses. GT

God does not open paths for us in advance of our coming. He does not promise help before help is needed. He does not remove obstacles out of our way before we reach them. Yet when we are on the edge of our need, God’s hand is stretched out.    “When you pass through the waters…they shall not over flow you.”   Isaiah 43:2  AJF

A. Pride says: “Why me” When a trial moves into our lives.

[

B. Humility says: “Why not me?”

It takes time for me to move from A to B. I need time to process. O that I would grow in my relationship with the Lord, until my first response is faith, not flesh.

When God gives direction in His word, as we obey, would it not be rich with His purposes and blessing? So, when is the last time you obeyed the following admonition? Ouch!

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

Father-God, You love me and measure suffering into my life so I can come to know You deeply and prove You True. I bow, for You alone  are God and know just what to allow in my life. All my trials are designed personally for me and You never make a mistake, for there is nothing but goodness in You. Fill my heart with faith to consider it pure joy to face trials of many kinds and persevere. Oh that I would not hesitate to trust You, You who left heaven’s glory and Your Father’s side, to enter the world You created, to die for the sins of mankind! As You reveal areas of pride let me be quick to agree and humble myself and receive Your cleansing.  I bow at Your feet Holy One, Thank You for being a God of compassion and Hope and Love indescribable. Blessed be Your Holy Name now and forever.

Have a week of seeking Him who loves You always,

az

Fellowship with Who?

Philippians 3:10 AMP

[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power out-flowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings becoming conformed unto his death;

Brothers and Sisters,

How it blessed me to read a favorite Bible passage in such a beautiful rendering. A syncopating complement to my heart’s hunger to know Him! Does it move you? Read it again slowly as you allow it to wrap around you, enfolding you in Christ’s Love. Is there not enough in this verse to live strong in the LORD for many months? Like a lush banquet with an extended dessert table! The beating of my heart enlivens with sheer joy. Have I not discovered a new depth of riches in the familiar?

Our precious Father prophesied His love, His patient hand moved in love over His people; leading and disciplining them through the deserts. Faithfully He proclaimed His love from the beginning of time and finally proved it at the Cross.  

“That I may know Him”…  This is relationship: Captured by His Savior’s love Paul was consumed with knowing such Love intimately. God enables me know He saves me and loves me.

This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3

We are placed in Christ upon salvation. This is the principle of position: I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might, which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

We died with Christ and are raised with Him, yes, we are seated in the heavenly realm in Christ. This is jaw-dropping, set my feet to dancing Truth.

Principle of fellowship: To share in His sufferings is a gift Phil 1:29.

Principle of Transformation: ‘being made conformable unto his death’. Wherever God has you right now, it is to transform you into the image of His Son. Your training and discipline are what He is using to prepare you for what comes next. Is He not teaching you to run with patience the race set before you and to keep your eyes on Christ? I believe He accomplishes more in our suffering and failures than our successes.  I want things done yesterday and perfectly. That compounds opportunity for failure. Maturing in our Christian walk is by faith and cannot be hurried.

J.B. Stony agrees by saying, “it is a great thing to learn faith: that is, simple dependence on God. It will comfort you much to be assured that the Lord is teaching you dependence upon Himself, and it is very remarkable that faith is necessary in everything. ‘The just shall live by faith,’ not only in your circumstances, but in everything.

This takes time! There are no shortcuts to maturity because it is by growth…

G.G. writes: “Some have been betrayed into professing perfection or full deliverance, because at the time they speak they are happy and confident in the Lord. They forget that it is not a present experience that ensures fruit unto maturity, but a patient continuance in well doing. To taste of the grace of God is one thing; to be established in it and manifest it in character, habit and regular life is another. Experience and blessings, though real gracious visitations from the Lord, are not sufficient to rest upon

 Philippians 3:8-10 overflows with an abundance of God’s provision for my daily walk; God’s plan, God’s way. Wow! Even with all of eternity we will only begin to know the infinite intricacies of our precious Savior’s character! One of the marvels of God’s grace is that He desires fellowship with me! Who can explain that? The Creator God desires to involve Himself in my personal, daily affairs? Astounding! Unbelievable! When we meditate on this Truth do we even hear what a profound proclamation we are purporting? Even from the beginning, He walking in fellowship with Adam and Eve in the garden, throughout the years of the sacrificial system, to the Cross and resurrection, His desire is for us and therefore He has continually provided the way for man to draw near. All God accomplished at the Cross, is so we might have all He has in His Son. The living out of our faith is always connected with a Person, nothing less reaches the heart of God; for it is inseparable from Christ.

O God, You who loves, You, who provides a way for us to know You and love you, I bow before You who are awesome in beauty. You know all things and see my trials and struggle and the sin that so easily besets me. The world tempts, the devil prowls, the flesh pushes up the casket lid with furry… but You are my refuge, my ever present help in trouble. I run to pure Love and I am tucked safely near your heart. I praise You for I am eternally secure in Christ. Sustainer of my heart, You give and You take away, blessed be Your name. Am I not learning to kiss the hand that takes from me? Blessed mercy, that wrenches from my hands all that hinders Your work in me, that You might give me Yourself! I am on my face in worship. Bless You Lord. Teach me to fellowship. Holy, holy, holy! I pray because You gave your Son.

Amen

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. II Cor 13:14

az

 

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New Years Resolutions....

 Therefore we… know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.  For we live by faith, not by sight…So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. II Cor 5:6&9

My Brothers and Sisters a Blessed New Year to You in Jesus our LORD,

A new beginning.  A fresh start. Another chance to do better.  Many resolutions are made after reflecting over the past year.  A perfect time to come humbly before the Lord of heaven and cry, “Examine me O Lord.”

Resolution: noun, a firm decision to do or not to do something. (will power) 

After becoming a Christian I realized how futile it was to make “New Year’s resolutions”!

My experience revealed that such thoughts and actions were another way of trying to make the old sin nature better, hence  acceptable to God. In my strength I was planning to live better and be kinder and love others. I would stop complaining and grumbling and express gratitude! My feeble attempt to live in such a way was to bring glory to God. This lasted about as long as a snowball on a hot sidewalk, and brought frustration and discouragement along with shame and failure. God has condemned the flesh and will accept nothing from it. Still it is so easy to fall back into self-dependence vs Christ-dependence.

 When a believer begins to discover something of the awful tyranny of the self-life, he becomes intensely concerned about the denial of self with the resultant freedom to rest and grow in Christ. ms

We have many ways to try and improve ourselves, one of which is making resolutions. How exhausting it is to keep our rebel self under control. More meetings, more Bible study, more prayer. All feeble attempts to have victory over sin and self, but it is not God’s way. Prayer, Bible study and scripture memory are very important and strengthen the ‘new man’, but will not accomplish actual change anymore than making a resolution; as it places our focus on keeping the resolution (on ourselves) rather than on Christ. God’s way of dealing with our rebel self and the beginning of all Christian living is the Cross. Death. The flesh will only yield to the Cross. Ours is to appropriate this truth: our old sin nature is crucified with Christ and we are risen with Christ; alive in Him.(Gal 2:20, Rom 6)

 

Paul: 'For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.' I Cor 2:2

 'I press on toward the goal of the upward call of God, in Christ.' Phil 3:14

Setting a goal by faith, knowing you cannot attain it without God, puts the focus on Him; for what is impossible with man is possible with God!  

Paul stated that he ‘might know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings being conformed to His death’… this was Paul’s goal! Being conformed to the likeness of Christ does not take place by taking up a resolution, but by taking up a Cross. Paul's goal was to please Christ  Cor 5:9.

And after all, is there anything in all the world to be compared with the joy of doing His will? I know of no other like it. ac

When you aim at nothing you will hit it every time. I set goals with the aim of pleasing Christ. I love to take one or two verses of scripture to be my 2012 verses which I record in my journal, memorize, pray and paraphrase. I love God's word it keeps on giving all year and sets my feet to dancing! Along with setting goals for exercise (physical/health) relational goals, artistic and intellectual goals, by faith I set spiritual goals. I desire above all else to know Him more intimately at the end of 2012. 

I want to ‘please’ Him. I do not have tomorrow nor do I own the next minute of life and it is arrogance to set resolutions that I believe I can keep. My prayer is 'Lord make my goal be to please You more than myself.' I know it to be truth that without Him I can do nothing. John 15

Father of every tomorrow, Keeper of my heart, You are LORD. You are worthy Holy One, You whom I love and follow. I know I cannot follow without a cross, keep me faithful to deny myself and take up my cross. You came and lived humility and gentleness and patience and You know I struggle with pride and fall short in every area. Pride always wants pass itself off as something more than it is. Lord thank you for Your mercy and goodness. I need Your grace. Without You I am nothing and can do nothing that matters beyond the grave. Teach me to walk with You humbly. I want to be like You. When Your Spirit is filling me I am not struggling to produce the fruit only You can produce, it is then You are glorified in me!  I am in awe of You, blessed be Your name Adoni, I am your servant. I pray this imperfect prayer, to my perfect Father, in the name of His perfect Son. I love You precious LORD,     Amen and amen

Without Him I am nothing and can do even less, there is great freedom in this! The Christian life is not about me, but about Him... O how He loves you precious ones,

az

The Eleventh Commandment

We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. I John 4:16

Thanks be to God for His indescribably gift. II Corinthians 9:15

Dear Ones who love the Lord Jesus,

I hope this season is lifting you up rather than producing heart calluses. My heart was soaring this morning reading the Gospel of John and I was reminded men put in the chapter divisions. It is natural to stop at the end of a chapter for it gives an exact place to begin reading again. I like to go back a few verses into the previous chapter for contextual unity. Chapter 14 does not begin in verse one, but is a continuum of the Lord’s supper recorded in chapter 13. It was here I found something priceless. I so enjoy discovering 'connects' in His word! I define this as a 'Love' chapter! Love spoken, Love promised, Love demonstrated, Love incarnate washing dirty, smelly feet.

In John 13:1 Jesus knew His hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father and then something precious is added in the narrative: ‘having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. He will so love us. He is the same faithful God yesterday, today and forever. These words were followed by a description of Jesus humbling Himself, removing his outer garment and washing the smelly, dirty feet of His self-centered, disciples who were just arguing about which of them was the greatest! His suffering was just ahead of Him and He encouraged His followers that He would be glorified and He gave these men, who were teethed on the Law of Moses, (10 commandments) a new commandment. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. John 13:34

The answer to their self-occupation was  to love one another. Not just 'love each other' but get to the truth of what it means to love. Jesus said 'love as ‘I have loved you’. This changes our normal perception of loving and we must conclude He is asking the impossible, unless we take up our cross and follow Him we can never love as He loved. To love His way is to reveal Him to a lost world as Savior of all. He challenges them saying, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (14:15) This connects directly to verse 34 in Chapter 13 and the new commandment He gave them and indirectly refers to their pride revealed earlier.

I think Jesus was saying this to the disciples?

'If you truly love Me you will lay down your pride and serve others. You will stop arguing and maneuvering to promote yourself and instead become servant of all. To love Me you must love others.

To love God with all our heart means to obey His word and willingly have fellowship with Him. It means to sigh after and long for Him. How false is a love that takes no pains to go and see One it loves! ff 

When I tell God I love Him with all my heart, am I embracing my cross or just using words I have been taught?

The Lord loved to the point of laying down His life for us. Do we love Him according to His example? Let us cry out to Him for the impossible that He will love through us. Life will stop being about our being loved and become about Him loving others through us. John speaks much of love and it is interesting that he ends the Gospel asking Peter, "Simon do you love me?" three times. Kneeling put your name in place of Peter's listening as God ask you “Do you love me?”. 

That best portion of a good man’s life are His little nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love. Ww

There is a wonderful happiness in being loved, we all know it; but the further we go on, the more we know that what matters most is not to be loved but to love. ac
God did not begin strong and then become weary of loving and say: “I quit, this was a big mistake!“ He did not begin with me like a pot on the potter’s wheel and when I became marred walk away. He already knew I was a hopeless case, found wanting and cracked beyond repair, unfix-able! His plan all along was to rescue me with His love and grace; giving me a new nature and eternal forgiveness. There is no greater gift.

For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:17

We need to trust all that God’s love gives and all that His love withholds. What a privilege to be a vessel He willingly pours His love through. It will have a ripple affect and who can say where it will go and whom it will touch. I believe the world has yet to see what God will do through one wholly surrendered, crucified life.

  Abba, Daddy, You who defined Love on earth, You, the indescribable gift of God, revealed what love is to a harsh, self-inflated world. I so need Your love to remake me and refine me and fill me to serve the way You have planned. I want to love You perfectly but cannot. Enable me to embrace and live the eleventh commandment by Your Spirit in me. You are Strength to lay aside my pride and enable me to serve loved ones and those You bring into my life. I am so quick to be self-centered. Help! When I do not take up my cross and reckon myself dead to self and sin I make life about me. Forgive me and cleanse me. I want to remove all that hinders and be filled with Your Spirit for only You can live this love-life through me. I bow and fix my eyes on the Cross. Imprint on my heart what it means to love as You loved Jesus, in Your most holy Name I pray. amen

Merry Christmas, a blessed Holyday,
az