Give Thanks to the LORD, for He is good.

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;

‘For His lovingkindness is everlasting.’ Psalm 118:1

My Precious Brothers and Sisters, you are loved!

Recently, I find myself running again and again to Psalm 118 and the message to my heart is ‘Give thanks’. One of those lifelong lesson we continue to learn, albeit slowly, as we grow in faith. I found it interesting that verse one of Psalm 118, also ends the Psalm. In verse two it speaks of what Israel should declare repeating this phrase ‘Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; ‘For His lovingkindness is everlasting.’ Three more times this is repeated. When the scripture says something once it is important, but when it is recorded more than once, we should sit up and take notice.

Anyone suffering will find there is great comfort in the Psalms. I believe it bolsters our faith and comforts abundantly because it overflows with encouragement to give thanks to the LORD. There are more verses on giving thanks to God in Psalms than any other book of the Bible.  Giving thanks does not come naturally! We are more inclined to complain and grumble and fret. Giving thanks enables us to turn in faith to the Creator, rather than be swallowed up by negativity. Where grumbling pulls us under; praise and thanksgiving lifts us up.

 A thankful heart is a singing heart. And according to Colossians 3:14 a singing heart is the result of ‘Letting the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom...’ If we are deep in Him who indwells us, then we know Him as our daily strength, our joy and our song. Do I hear some ‘amens!’ ?

The Lord is my strength and song…. Psalm 118:14

Open to me the gates of righteousness; I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous will enter through it. I shall give thanks to You, for You have answered me, and You have become my salvation. Psalm 118:19-21

True thanksgiving is choosing to allow Christ Jesus to live through us in His righteousness.  The best training is to learn to accept everything as it comes, as from Him whom our soul loves. ac  My mentor taught me the same thing in a slightly different way: “Acceptance is half the battle.”  Acceptance can be the most difficult thing we do; the letting go, the shaking free of our consuming need to control and the deliberate choice to refuse to fight what God allows in our life!  Only grace can carry us through.

 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

The little tests can be the ones that undo us. As Amy Carmichael puts it, “ the common little rubs of life, silly little nothings, things you are ashamed of minding one scrap. Yet they can knock a strong man over and lay him low“.

My mentor and I were out to have lunch. While glancing at our menu, a waitress was threading her way through a busy section as she balanced a heavily laden tray. A man stood abruptly, bumping her arm and she almost dropped it all. My mentor looked at me over her menu and ask a strange question: “What spilled when she was bumped?”

I gave the obvious answer, “the soup of course.”

She responded with a ‘yes’ and then explained, “ It is a picture of life. When we get bumped, the only thing that spills is what is in our heart.”  I understood that when life bumps me and my reaction is negative and complaining, it is a red flag to lead me to repentance. When Jesus is filling me with His Holy Spirit, He is in control and no sin can spill out. Sin tells me something very important, that I am on the throne of my heart, rather than the Lord. I need to confess and receive the forgiveness awaiting me.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9

Feelings can shake us up but good! Living by our feelings is like inviting the enemy in to have a cup of tea. We are instructed not to be surprised by trials, but notice it takes us further!! My feet are dancing….  We are to do more than ‘not to live by feelings’, we are to rejoice that we are privileged to share His sufferings. Do you know anyone who is rejoicing in their suffering? Read the following verses, as if for the first time dear ones…

Answer: ‘Is suffering ever God’s will?”

So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. I Peter 12:13-14 & 19

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. I Peter 12:13-14

Do you hear thankfulness in the words: “but rejoice”?  Let’s use the ‘great exchange’ and turn it into a blank to be filled in by you. Put the numbered words in the blank.

      1.  give thanks  2. worship 3. count it all joy 4. sing His praise

But __________________ inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 

Remember Jesus endured great suffering for the joy to come! We are to rejoice and endure now to be overjoyed when His glory is revealed! Hang on He is coming.

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:2-3

We endure, by considering Him (Hebrews 12:3, our focus on Christ)

If we focus on circumstances it will wear us to a frazzle. Consider Him, make Him your focus. Sing, praise, give thanks, rejoice, dance, worship… God is forever worthy!

ADVERSITY WITHOUT SURRENDER IS MISERY!

Thank You Father that this is the only Hell I will ever know! Thank You for every trial, no matter how bitter. Whatever You allow, you will use for Your good purposes in my life. Teach me to give thanks because You are good. Keep me faithful. Thank You that even my sorrows are not wasted, but all things serve You. Your provision is enough. Blessed be Your Name. Thank you for coming to live, die and rise from the dead to save me. I give thanks in your Holy name, amen 

You are in my prayers, az

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The Simple Gospel (Good News) Message

The Gospel (or Good News) message of Jesus Christ is so simple that it almost defies understanding. By evidenceofdesign| 1 video

Waiting

Oh my soul, wait silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from Him. Psalm 62:5

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

If I handed you a pencil and paper and instructed you to write down all your expectations for this week… what would you write? How long would you have to think about it before you knew what to put on your list?

Many years ago, frustrated in my relationship with another person, I experienced memorable disappointment.  I did not know what to do about it. Relying on my need to work out an answer that would satisfy me, I was not aware that I relied on my ability to manipulate people, until God held up his holy mirror and stopped me in my tracks! A revealing light brought me to my knees, and in His sweet Presence I wept, but not out of disappointment. It was seeing myself as I am. God’s light revealed my manipulation in all its ugliness, all that was flesh about it. Manipulation is what our osn falls into as we strive to ‘control’ situations and other people. Where is our trust in God in our trials? There is none. Manipulation is another word for ‘unbelief’. That is what broke my heart. Instead of trusting God, to work it out in His time, in His way,  I, in putrid unbelief, grieved my Savior. Where was the waiting?

 After the believer enters into the faith-life, he wonders why it was so difficult for him to understand that it was all of Grace- a humble reception of a finished work. And yet he goes through the faithless struggle once again before he sees that his daily Christian life is also a ‘finished work’, complete in Christ! mjs

Have you ever had success trying to change another person? Moving to the spiritual realm, what is our response to what life has dealt us? Have we grabbed control and told God exactly how He is to answer our prayers? We short circuit waiting on the LORD and replace it with controlling and manipulating to get relief or gain control. We are instructed to ‘wait’ on God. Jesus is the answer to every need and every trial. Waiting requires faith. Waiting requires death to the osn, the flesh. Waiting is hard. It feels like you are not doing all you can. Waiting will always reveal a lack of faith in the One who has never failed or made a mistake.

When people get married they expect the person they wed to make them happy. Instead they find themselves in a constant struggle for control. It began in the garden. We expect our spouses to do and be what we feel is right. We come into the world, with our entitlement list clenched in our small, wet fist. We are born with a self-centered attitude. We may not admit it, but our list is comprehensive: a pain free life. Health. Wealth or win the lottery, control over all that happens to us and others are to serve us. We are here to be happy!

When Corrie ten Boom was asked ‘what’ enabled her to endure the horrors of the concentration camp, she amended, not ‘what’, but ‘Who’.” She then added, “The devil is strong, but his power is limited; Jesus’ power is unlimited.” Jesus sustained Corrie in Ravensbruck. She believed His words, “All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me.”

We unfairly place expectations on others; intentionally or subconsciously. Our attitude is the same as if we were trying to fix everything about them that bothers us! Damaged relationships result in people being handicapped. The feeling of never measuring up, never being good enough, robs us of dignity and fills us with shame. Shame is abrasive, not a positive catalyst to bring about change. Christ gives grace, the freedom to mature in faith and fully surrender to God. God gives us grace and we are to give others grace. Only God is good enough, wise enough, and holy enough to ‘fix’ anyone. Only God can meet our deep need to be loved and have purpose. Only God has power to change us and redeem our wounds and failures. We will know rest and freedom as we surrender our expectations, waiting on Him. But in the waiting is the knowing. Imagine knowing Him more and more intimately! O how He loves you.

A person may easily know his sins are forgiven, but it is a further truth to know that he himself has ‘died to sin’. He finds this conflicts with his experience. Suppose I tell you, a great $ debt you owed was paid by someone, it would not be a question of experience, but of simply believing my statement. Just so with God, He tells us our sins are forgiven, and it is question whether we believe Him. But when He tells us we have died to sin, we look inside and say,

’Ah, sin is still at work; how is that?’ A person must be taught of God to really know the truth that he has died to sin.” JND

 My soul, wait in silence for God alone, because my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and salvation, my stronghold; I won’t be moved.

My safety and honor rest on God. My strong rock and refuge are in God.
Trust in him, people, at all times; pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us. (Selah)  Psalm 62:5-8

Doesn’t it just bless your socks off! Let these truths warm your soul and fill you with AWE!  My feet are dancing…

Yeshua, Keeper of my heart, full of grace and Truth, You who are Eternal Light, I am in awe of You. My heart cries “Change me, Lord”. And you gently and tenderly transform me like a silver smith, who heats the metal until it is pure and his reflection can be seen! So You allow our trials to heat our metal, purifying us until the likeness of Jesus can be seen. Establish us in simple faith. And free me from placing unfair expectations on others. It’s grace that humbles us, not our sin. Shame doesn’t move us to change, but Your grace transforms. Thank You for who You are, unchanging, faithful and good. I pray in your Blessed Name of the LORD,

May you be encouraged to ‘wait’ on the One who is waiting for you, list and all. 

  

Much love,

 az

Daily Bread

‘Give us this day our daily bread.’ Matthew 6:11

Brothers and Sisters, whose names are written in the book of life, greetings in Jesus,

 Wow! That sentence is overflowing with truth eternal. Our names are written in the book of life! My feet are dancing, my heart rejoicing, for He is near and because He is near, we are told to stand firm in the Lord and rejoice in the Lord always! Paul repeats his instruction: ‘Rejoice,’ and it is ‘in’ the Lord we are to rejoice. Whether circumstances encourage us to rejoice is irrelevant. We are to rejoice in the Lord and not be anxious about our circumstances but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests (circumstances) to God and the peace of God which transcends all (our circumstances) understanding, will guard your hearts and minds (with peace) in Christ Jesus.’ (Phil 4:1-7)

Just as God provided manna for the Israelites in the wilderness, giving them, their daily bread, so too, He provides our daily bread. Think outside the box and consider how and why our wonderful Savior meets our needs. Heart hunger precipitates partaking of our daily bread. God knows what we need before we ask. We cannot value heart hunger to highly. Developing heart hunger depends greatly on God’s standards being revealed to us through His word.  (Time in His word)

We advance (mature by growth) spiritually by becoming increasingly aware of what we really are (in Christ) not by trying to become what you hope to be. That goal you will never reach, no matter how much self-effort is applied.

It is when you see you are dead to sin that you die to it (daily); it is when you see you are risen, that you arise; it is when you see you are a new creation, in Him, that you (progressively) grow. Seeing the accomplished fact in the Word determines the pathway to the realizing of that fact. The only possibility of spiritual progress lies in our discovering the truth as God sees it; the truth concerning Christ, the truth concerning ourselves in Christ. wn

God carefully shows us our sin and need…. daily and waits for us to run to Him for all we need, He then reveals through His word and Spirit, who we are in Christ and what we have in Christ! What is your need today? Do you need the bread of courage? Or is it the bread of humility to apologize to someone you have hurt? What daily manna is t he Lord providing you today? Is it the daily bread of strength in your weakness? Calm for your fear? Wisdom for a misunderstanding? Or the bread of encouragement, as you find yourself at the point of giving up? I cannot count the times I have cried, ‘LORD, I can’t do this anymore.’ But the bread of Philippians 4:13 fed me. Truth: In Christ we have all we need. Carefully read this verse in Ephesians 1:3 and receive this daily bread.

Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.

God is always working for our holiness, not our happiness, as He has our best in mind. There is not a sorrow or test you will ever face that will not benefit you, if you trust Him with it.  He makes no mistakes! Suffering most often results in a hungry heart. A hungry heart is one that seeks God and finds itself on its face before the throne, in awe. Who can rape you of His promises, or twist the truth from your grasp? Who can separate you from His love?  NO one and nothing! (Romans 8: 35-39) You will not look to Him for daily bread as long as you are kneading the dough of self-confidence and heating the ovens with your own cleverness. Whatever your need, He has the exact bread you need. Look for His provision in His Word, in song, in words from a friend, or from the Holy Spirit moving in your life. ‘Tell Him all your troubles’. (Gospel tune) Look to Him.

To have life is not enough: the life of the Lord Jesus demands the death of the flesh, if that life is to be fully developed and become fruitful in us. Here is the crux of the whole matter. ms

You will know if you are willing to accept crucifixion with Christ when you are willing to count everything as loss for the sake of Christ. Paul records these rich words in the bread of Philippians 3:7-9,

“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.”

Paul had so much to lose from the world’s perspective. All that he had worked for his entire life, he counted loss, counted it as rubbish, for the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus as LORD.  His whole attitude reflects that he was trusting Christ in difficult circumstances, for he was unfairly imprisoned in a stinking jail. Still, he rejoiced in Christ. He could not see the future to know how things would work out! Are you in a prison? Are you rejoicing or complaining? Lift up your hands to Him who knows your struggles and receive the Bread you need. Remember in Ephesians it says we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ? The Lord’s prayer says we are to ask for daily bread… now look at the words of Jesus, I love it:

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. John 6:35

What a beautiful picture emerges of Jesus, Bread of Life, all sufficient, richly satisfying and complete in His provision.

LORD, you who are the brightness of uncreated Light, You who reveal Yourself as the Bread of life, revealing to us in Your word how great You are! Enable us to apprehend You as the supply of our daily need and believingly lay hold of You Bread-Giver. Lord, we always see You through the eye of need. Thank You for the comfort Your Sovereignty brings to me. Great is Your loving kindness and goodness. You are my mighty Warrior, Lord Sabbaoth! Thank You for loving me so perfectly. Amen in Christ Jesus.

az

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The Simple Gospel (Good News) Message

The Cross

Dear Ones, 

‘Calvary is the secret of it all’ has been my dominating thought this week. All Jesus accomplished on the Cross is His provisional force in our lives when we appropriate this truth by faith. Our daily walk is transformed by His resurrection power; as we count (appropriate) the truth that we are crucified with Christ and we are risen with Christ and hang on, we are ascended with Christ. You and I are seated at the right hand of the Father, ‘in’ Christ. The heavenly Father sees us in His Son, Jesus…. Perfect.

Understanding this phase of our Christian walk and appropriating the facts of the Cross is a most difficult time for the believer who is verdantly pursuing the God. Our Lord holds great treasures within Himself, which He promises to disclose! Glory to God!

John 16:13- 15  But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.

Today we hear much about church life that consists of programs and numbers and much ado about nothing!  Where is Christ? Where the Cross? No Cross, no life. No Cross, no Christ centered growth. Just people asking God to bless their ideas and programs. Where is the beholding Him? The Lord does not disclose Himself to those who know nothing of the Cross, nothing of “Not I, but Christ”. There is no victory for us that was not first His. The provision we are to ‘know’, He purchased. What He purchased, we should be experiencing. I hope the Lord disclosed Himself to you in wonderful ways, as you met with Him in His Word! I want to share my thoughts from scripture this week:

Jesus revealed as the Word is the expression of Truth.

Jesus as revealed in the Word is the expression of Thought.

Jesus revealed as an infant born is the expression of deity.

Jesus revealed as the Shepherd is the expressions of loving watch care.

Jesus revealed as the Bread and living water is the expression of daily Provision.

Jesus revealed as Light is the expression of eternal Glory.

Jesus revealed as ‘I AM’ is the expression of Omnipotence.

Jesus revealed in nature is the expression of the Creator God.

Jesus revealed as the Healer is the expression of great Compassion.

Jesus revealed as Heavenly Father is the expression of relationship.

Jesus revealed as Teacher is the expression Forbearance.

Jesus revealed as Servant is the expression of Humility.

Jesus revealed at the Cross is the expression of Sacrificial Love.

Jesus revealed as the resurrection is the expression of Omnipotence.

Jesus revealed as LORD of all is the expression of His Purpose

Jesus revealed in miracles is the expression of the merciful, Most High God.

These thoughts inspired me to behold Him in all His beauty; as I waited on Him to disclose Himself to me, by His Spirit, through His word. My heart cry echo’s that of Paul in Philippians three,

‘All I want is to know Christ and the power of His resurrection… becoming like Him… ‘

Lord, You who know me and still love me, I bow in awe of Your greatness, for it is immeasurable. Thank You for revealing Yourself in a myriad of ways. I long to know You. Teach me who You are! Disclose Yourself to me. Thank You for the hard times that drive me to You. I hunger for You. I do not have to look any farther than the face of Jesus to see You. I love the name, “I AM”. It has no beginning and no end, but goes round and round! Just as You have no beginning and no end.  I have heard it said that, “You are not ‘I WAS’ or ‘I WILL BE' but 'I AM’, for You are forever present, outside of time! On my face, I cry ‘Holy, Holy, Holy’ and pray in the holy name of ‘I AM'.

“…When the Lord Jesus said this word to the Jews, He dared to claim to be the great I AM of the old testament, whom they all knew to be the covenant God of their fathers. He went farther, saying that for them heir own eternal destiny would depend on their accepting Him as such, for He said,

“If ye believe not that I AM, ye shall die in your sins.” (John 8:24)  RH

God’s personal name became Jehovah and Jesus claimed this for Himself. The meaning of the name Jehovah, in all it’s greatness, is two-fold. First it means all that He is, the Ever-present One, who stands outside of time, to whom there is no past, nor future, but to whom every thing is ‘present’.   “Before Abraham was, I AM.” The name Jehovah is also connected with Israel, as His people, the Chosen Ones, whom He brought into covenant relationship with Himself.

Jesus wants to ‘Be’ all those things and more, to each of us. Oh that we are willing and ready to welcome Him, who delights to turn our sorrows into that which will bring about the likeness of Christ in us! He longs for fellowship with us. He does not want patronage.

It is a good thing to go through hard times, and even to experience grief and loss. Of course it doesn’t seem like a good thing to our flesh. But adversity makes us realize this world is not our true home, for here we have no lasting peace of comfort. TK

Brothers and Sisters I have prayed for you this week. Especially you who live in countries closed to the Gospel of Christ and are called to lay down your lives for the sake of Jesus. May God give you endurance and fill you with faith to trust Him even unto death.

We walk by faith and not by sight,

az

What is the fastest land animal? Think you know? Go to Gramz Kidz and click on 'By Design". Be amazed at God's creation.

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The Simple Gospel (Good News) Message

The Gospel (or Good News) message of Jesus Christ is so simple that it almost defies understanding. By evidenceofdesign| 1 video

A Great and Wonderful Mystery...

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Colossians  3:1    

To the Faithful in Christ who long to see Him face to face!

‘It will save years of frustration and effort for one to understand that prayer can not be learned or developed, because prayer is the natural outflow of the our new nature, our new life in Christ. As one grows and the Cross frees the new from the old, there is the growth of effective prayer. ms

What really became clear to me this week is the importance of the Cross in a believers prayer life. Many books are written about prayer, good or not so good. Caution! Be aware in your reading on prayer, taking notice whether the Cross is put forth as the sole ground and basis of God’s provision! The Cross allows us to come to Him, through the blood of Jesus Christ. If the Cross is absent or secondary, it is not worth the paper it is written on. The shed blood gives us the right to come boldly before His throne in prayer and petition, confessing our sins and receiving grace to help in time of need. The Cross is the central point of focus in our Christ-life. We come with praise, thanksgiving and intercession.

Without the Cross, isn’t prayer a mere formality? A religious exercise we perform to gain favor and acceptance with God and to make ourselves feel righteous? Without the Cross prayer is arrested in it’s purpose! We are not heard because of our eloquence, our many words or how we turn a phrase. It is always a matter of our heart condition. God looks at our heart.

Prayer warriors will find praying is a most difficult endeavor. Exhausting. Wonderful. Necessary. Heart rending. Intimate. In prayer we are contending for the faith. I have often heard a missions pastor say: Little prayer, little power. Much prayer, much power! Prayer is filled with mystery. God takes our imperfect prayers and presents them faultless before the throne of grace, as the Holy Spirit prays through us! Who can explain this? It is so humbling.

 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.

We do not know what we ought to pray for, 

                        but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. Romans 8:26

It is the Cross that works death to our osn (old sin nature) as the Holy Spirit applies God’s truth. It is only as the Holy Spirit keeps in the place of death, our osn and all that is in us, that is against God, that our spirit has viable communication with the living, Holy, God!

One of the most delightful and necessary parts of prayer is meeting with other believers to pray. This past year I have been blessed to have weekly prayer partner, to pray for our families. This had been my desire for a long time. I also love Mom’s in Prayer where I meet with other moms to pray for our High school and our student. I pray for my granddaughter.

“For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” Matthew 18:20 

We know God is always with us and will never leave or forsake us, so this scripture is to say He attends us in a very special way when we honor Him by meeting with even one other person! What a Savior! My feet are dancing!

In prayer: We are to come with our cup up! (in expectant faith) Hebrews 11:6 We are to be humble enough to expect God to pray through us. We are to begin with a time of praise, followed by a time of confession, as He searches our hearts to reveal sin that would hinder our prayers. Now, a time of thanksgiving. Then intercession! We can pray scripture for our loved ones and bring any praises for answered prayer and whatever requests we have to the LORD.

  

“Faith is not a force we exercise or a striving to believe that something shall be,

 thinking that if we believe hard enough it will come to pass.”ARH

It is necessary to approach God as Sovereign and good. We are not come with an attitude that if we believe God hard enough, somehow He is obligated to answer our prayers according to our will. Not just answer, but to answer in the way we have decided is the right answer. This makes it about us… which doesn’t make sense because we are sinful, foolish, short-sighted and cannot make our heart beat one more time. Why do we so readily pray for our will to be done rather than God’s will? O how we must grieve our precious LORD.

  So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17

God’s word is a key in our prayer life. Strong faith is developed through reading and meditating on His word. Begin praying His word! Do not let prayer become about you, even when praying for your self. Let me encourage you to keep a prayer journal for His glory and your own encouragement. And….

           Rock your world!  Ask God to give you a prayer partner!

Revive your perspective of God’s sovereignty with words from J.I. Packer: "We may be frankly bewildered at the things that happen to us, but God knows exactly what He is doing, and what He is after, in His handling of our affairs. Always, and in everything, He is wise; we shall see that hereafter, even if we never saw it here. (Job in heaven knows the full reason why he was afflicted, though he never knew the reason in this life.) Meanwhile, we ought not hesitate to trust His wisdom, even when He leaves us in the dark." - J. I. Packer

LORD, I open my heart to You. In Your gentleness look deeply into my heart and change in me what needs changing; so I love You better. Suffering or healing, sickness or health, comfort or allowing me to feel my trial and the pain of others as I wait on Your comfort. Cause me to adore Your will even if it is remains a mystery. I long for faith to endure and even more so, I long to endure with joy. I pray for my brothers and sisters, teach us to pray! Grow us up. Give us a gnawing hunger to ‘know’ You intimately and a hunger for Your word that it would established in us, that which produces reverence for You. It is in Jesus most holy name I pray. Amen

God graciously answers prayer,                            az

Dove's Eye at  http://az-doveseye.blogspot.com/

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The Simple Gospel (Good News) Message

The Gospel (or Good News) message of Jesus Christ is so simple that it almost defies understanding. By evidenceofdesign| 1 video

1.      

Birth Truths vs Growth Truths

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Brothers and Sisters who are hungry to know the One who loves them immeasurably, Jesus, Savior, Substitute, Lamb of God, King of kings,

One of the most important elements in growing spiritually as a Christian, is the Holy Spirit’s revelation of the self-life, the old sin nature (osn) to the believer.

Our osn is the fleshly carnal life with which we are all born. It is the ‘carnal life of the first Adam’
 1. dead in trespasses sins’ -Eph 2:1,
 2. thoroughly corrupt before God -Gal 5:19-21
 3. the life where ‘nothing good dwells in me’ -Romans 7:17

Plato said ‘Know thyself,” and he was half right. Paul wrote, “Not I, but Christ!” and he was all right. In order for us to truly get to know the Savior and begin growing in an intimate knowledge and fellowship with Him… we must come to know thyself. This can be confused with introspection and is not what I mean. This comes through the Holy Spirit revealing truth in our daily experiences and through the word of God.

When I came to know Jesus, not just know about Him in my mind, but know Him beyond religion, I was 25. Before He found me I was religious and read my Bible, taught Sunday school, attended church and loved God. At least this is how I would have described it. I kept a list of don’ts. Don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t swear be good. But I was empty inside and ready to try everything I had refused previously. After all if ‘being good’ entails this much misery, why be good?

Then I was born again. Free. A new person.  The Holy Spirit began to reveal ‘sin’ in my life. Like coming into a dark room, I could only see the big messes and dirt until the Light came in. He, in His gentleness, used a dimmer switch a little at a time convicting me of sin and cleansing me in His precious blood. The most difficult was when He began to reveal not only my sin, but my osn. The part of me that was proud and deceitful and selfish and fearful. OUCH! He showed me my Romans 6 and 7 self!

Regarding my salvation I was occupied with Jesus death and resurrection and the cleansing and forgiveness in Jesus shed blood. Then I began to realize there is so much more to our Christian life than just ‘birth truths’ there are growth truths that most people never embrace. They know nothing of ‘Not I, but Christ’ Gal 2:20. They see crucifixion, but not personally for them, it relates to Jesus death for them.

‘knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him’ Romans 6:6 (osn)

God says we are risen with Christ. (Col 3:1, Rom 6) If you desire resurrection power in your Christian life, for His glory, it must be preceded by your death. Where there is no death there can be no resurrection. This seems far afield from Bible study, praying, serving at church. We can do all these things in the flesh for our osn can be right at home in church! We can be busy with religious acts and never know anything about  ‘Crucified with Christ’ or ‘Raised with Christ’! These truths are all through the scriptures but our osn has a way of ignoring truth, to our detriment. We do not want the Cross to interfere with our living. We will not be willing to take up our cross until ‘self’, our osn becomes intolerable to us.

The flesh will only yield to the cross; not to all the resolutions you may make at a conference, not to any self-effort, not to any attempted self-crucifixion; only to co-crucifixion, crucified together with Christ. Galatians 2:20  PBP

Through the crucifixion of the old man with Christ the believer has been made dead unto sin, he has been completely freed from sin;s power, he has been taken beyond sins’s grip, the clain of sin upon him has been nullified. This is the flawless provision of God’s grace. R. P

But to become a reality in our lives we must lay hold of it by faith, moment by moment. Our part is not production but reception. Hear what you just read! I  am dancing!

Some fail to grow deep in Christ because they are pressured to ‘grow’ before there is an awareness of a need to grow, before there is a spiritual hunger to be like Christ, there must be deep, thorough, and long preparation, if there is to be authentic growth and the reality of a truly Christ centered life in us.

I have shared this before it is so good! “Our sins were dealt with by the blood, we ourselves are dealt with by the Cross. The blood procures our pardon, the Cross procures deliverance from what we are in Adam. The blood can wash away my sins, but it cannot wash away my old man: I need the Cross to crucify me—the sinner.” WK

 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Do not let sin control the way you live;^[ do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. Romans 6:11-14

O LORD the God who saves me, I cry out to You. May my prayer come before You; turn Your ear to my cry. Your Son went to the Cross, alone, as our Substitute to die for our sins, as our Representative He took us with Him, that we might be dead to sin and alive with You. Give us understanding that we may appropriate these Truths for we long to be like Jesus. Redeemer, Lover of our souls, where else would I go? You alone know the way that we take, You never misunderstand us, or criticize us, or shame us and I am in awe. I exalt You. Keep me and lift me up. Thank You Holy One. I pray in the Name above all names, Jesus.

Much love to all my sisters and brothers,

az

What Will the New Year Bring?

 Brothers and Sisters,

A new year.

What will it bring? What did it interrupt? What will come to  an end? What will it expose? What will it bring together or separate?   What will cause you to laugh or wring out your soul with sadness? What dreams will be realized or evaporate?

A new year.

Heralded across our nation is the need to make resolutions, it is a time to examine ourselves and wrestle a plan into place, to improve who we are and it goes something like this: “do better, try harder, be stronger, pray more, read God’s word more, do good, change my bad habits, eat healthier, I should give up _____. Exercise, be patient, learn a new skill, be kind, love others, be humble, tell the truth, stop indulging food or immorality, stay away from porno, drugs, or fatty foods. “ Reading this list takes the dance from my feet and the joy from my heart! Like a pack of dogs biting at your ankles until you trip and fall.

You must be born again. John 3:7

God alone gives us a clean slate, a 2^nd chance, a fresh start. I like to call it a new beginning, for that is exactly what it was….. I was 25 and so religious I squeaked. I didn’t drink, swear, do drugs or sleep around and I read my Bible and taught Sunday school.  I was a lost as can be and filled with a self-righteousness I did not call by name. I lived years, hanging by the thread of fear that I did not measure up. Fear I would not  be ‘good enough to enter heaven. Then date rape devastated my life. 16 and pregnant and scared beyond words, I ran away from home and the shame of my circumstances and married this man who was 4 yrs older than I. Daily I lived in shame and guilt and was flooded with great disappointment of what could have been. It was a roller coaster of crisis replacing my hopes and dreams for my life.

I was barely 17 when I gave birth. Being a mom came naturally and I loved it. I just couldn’t figure out why this man didn’t love me. I grew up with a Father who loved my mother beyond words. What was I to do? I cried out for a new beginning. God in his amazing faithfulness drew me to Himself through the hurt and rejection in my life. My husband was in Chiropractic school and I was blessed to stay home and care for our daughter while taking care of 35 units, just to pay the rent. We bought our first house, he began his practice and I was miserable until… Jesus found me and gave me a new start. Jim had told me he would leave me if I ever got more religious. Well I didn’t. I left religion behind and embraced my new beginning! Born again and washed in the blood of the Lamb. I now had reason to live. Wow! One moment I was dead and the next I was alive and praise the Lord, I have never been the same.

God is faithful, unlike my husband. Though life is full of hard things and wounded me over and over I have great joy in the Lord my Savior.  I frequently need reminding life is not about me! 50 yrs of being married to this man, praying for his salvation, has been used by my heavenly Father to change me; creating the likeness of His Son in me.  

He indwells me!!

 I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being… Ephesians 3:16

I do not make resolutions for that is presumption and makes life about me. I set goals but in trying to be strong I find I am weak, I try and be patient and fail. Trying to change my behavior ends in failure, but as I graduate from the school of failure, weary of ‘trying’, I am finally ready to receive from the Lord what He has provided. It is then I lean hard into Christ and find it is not a matter of trying but trusting. I cannot change myself because I am a sinner. He can accept nothing from my fleshly efforts. I am not to produce but to receive. I am to reckon on the Truth of His word. He strengthens, comforts, gives wisdom, blesses, leads, satisfies, and encourages as He pours out His grace and mercy. I dwell in His loving watch-care. As I learn more and more about who I am in Christ I want to know Him more and more intimately. His word is my tresure.

Gracious Abba, my loving God, You who led me out of darkness in to the Light,  You found me and rescued me when I was so far from You, religious and blind.  I run to You and long to be like You. Thank You for the day I am with You, home at last. Until then make me content to have You indwell me. You are peace and I need You to be near me. Thank You for giving to me a spirit of rejoicing. And strength to endure and dance before You with joy. Hallelujah to the Holy One.

A blessed New Year in the Lamb!

az