The Right Handle

 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body.

The Right Handle

Precious Brothers and Sisters who walk by faith and not by sight,

God was again teaching me to live in an attitude of heart, which accepts everything, as it comes, everything as from His hand. Everything. Acceptance, being half the battle.

When we learn this lesson well, we will live a crucified life and we will apply this truth in daily surrender. Partial surrender is no surrender at all. Authentic surrender is to learn to accept everything, as from Him whom we love, as it comes. The struggles and trials are never what we expect, nor are they great things to write home about, but the daily bumps and rubs of life. Often I trip over the small things, the senseless little nothings, of which I am ashamed that they so easily best me. Yes, these very things are what can flatten a man in minutes and leave him shamed and stilted.

While cooking over an out door fire, I reached out and took hold of the pot’s handle, forgetting it too, was very hot. I was instantly reminded and let go with a yelp, but was left with a painful reminder of my foolishness! It is a good life-lesson when we learn to take hold of things by the right handle. Amy Carmichael states: It is a very good thing to learn to take things by the right handle. An inward grouse is a devastating thing. I expect you know this, we all do; but it is extraordinary how the devil tries to ‘get’ us on the ordinary road of life.”

On the ordinary road our ‘feelings’ are in conflict, engaging in a war with what we know is true. Our feelings can easily overwhelm us and open the door to discouragement. Run to Jesus and be reminded you are ‘in Christ’, your strength and position are eternal. All is well. Go deep in Him who is your joy and song. Deep in the Lover of your soul, obeying His word. Go deep in Him who is your Mighty Warrior; for nothing less can keep you to the end.

We want to be saved from our misery, but not from our sin. We want to sin without misery, just as the prodigal son wanted inheritance without the father. The foremost spiritual law of the physical universe is that this hope can never be realized. Sin always accompanies misery. There is no victimless crime, and all creation is subject to decay because of humanity’s rebellion from God.”
― R.C. Sproul, Choosing My Religion

Jesus alone is the right handle in time of trouble; especially when one thing after another is going wrong and you seem to be losing ground. By faith take hold of the right handle, for this is when the enemy of your soul whispers his lie Especially about what ‘should be’ or ‘might have been’? What do we do? We go on steadfastly in faith, choosing obedience, one step at a time doing what we know is right. The love of Christ compels us.

II Corinthians 5:14 NLT

Either way, Christ’s love controls (compels) us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.

Compel: to force or oblige (someone) to do something

• to bring about (something) by the use of force or pressure

• poetic/literary drive forcibly

 for we walk by faith, not by sight— II Corinthians  5:7

Oh that we would walk in a conscious awareness of His sweet Presence! Yet, it is not a requirement if we are no longer babes in Christ. It is joy to have such feelings; but as you mature, you will progress to the point that feelings are not required. You know He is near you and in you. The eternal thing, the great thing is not my feelings, but His facts. So even as we struggle on this earthly journey, it is always a faith-test and we can honor and glorify His name by trusting Him in faith, no matter how we are feeling. I find pleasing Him is far more important than pleasing myself.

 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. II Corinthians 4:16-18

Mighty Warrior, You who hear every beat of my heart and love me beyond understanding, hear my prayer for my sisters and brothers who struggle with life and ‘feelings’ and obeying You and loving You. Transform each us into the likeness of Your Son, the Sacrifice Lamb. Give us understanding to walk by faith and believe You keep us and love us, faithful Father. Lord work in our hearts to love you and desire to please You more than ourselves. Life can knock us down and then dance in death on our backs, while we cry out helpless to deliver ourselves. Keep us faithful in all we do not understand and give us faith to believe You, our Deliverer, are greater than all the enemy can heave at us. You love us immeasurably and I bow in awe and praise of You.  In Your Son’s name, amen

Praying for you all this week,

az

The Simple Gospel (Good News) Message The Gospel (or Good News) message of Jesus Christ is so simple that it almost defies understanding. Jesus death on the Cross was for you.

All or Nothing

 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 13:34

  …Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of       the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, I Peter 1:22

Dear Believers in our Lord Jesus, Savior and Creator,

Spiritual gifts , no matter how exciting… are useless and even destructive if they are not ministered in love. The main evidence of maturing in our faith is a growing love for God and God’s people. ww

 As I read a familiar portion of scripture, the words condensed into this thought: “All or Nothing!” The word ‘all’ is used 8x in I Corinthians 13 and the word ‘nothing’ is used 2x and inferred 2x. The word Love is used 9x and inferred 2x. Verses one to three conclude that without love we are noisy gongs or clanging symbols and profit nothing, by all our attention-getting activity. Such grandiose statements as moving mountains, giving away all one’s possessions to feed the poor and surrendering your body to be burned! Are followed by a conclusion so divine, it boggles the mind. It hit me anew… No matter how great my sacrificial act is, if I did not act out of Love, “I am nothing.” Hear this as if you have never heard it before and read it again.

“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself in love.” Galatians 5:6 niv

This famous love-chapter of I Corinthians, then states what love is, thereby stating what Love is not. Love is patient; so therefore love is not impatient. Love is kind, so it is not unkind. Love does not brag and is not prideful, but humble. Love does not act unbecomingly; so love acts in a way that is respectable, proper and decorous. Love is not self-seeking, but puts others interests first. And amazingly it does not keep track of the wrong suffered from others. It does not rejoice in evil of any kind but rejoices in truth; Love bears all things, Love believes all things, Love hopes all things and Love endures all things. Love endures because it trusts the Lover by faith. There is no unbelief in love! We cannot understand all that happens on this earthly journey, for it is like looking through a glass darkly, all is unclear and blurred.

While reading this chapter a storm moved in with pelting rain and deepening darkness. It became as dark as night. I looked out the window to check on the flowers I had planted that morning, uncertain how much rain they could tolerate. I could not see out clearly enough to ascertain anything. The next morning I went out into the full light of day to see how they fared. No longer looking through a glass darkly, no longer muted colors, but beautiful flowers.

I saw in this a picture of how we see life here; trying hard to understand what and why God does what He does in our life. It is through a glass darkly that we peer. But endure my sisters and brothers, endure, for a new day is coming. A day of full Light, no more sorrow, no more pain, no more death, no sickness. No separation from loved ones and no more daily struggles. Full Light, with Love so bright only a new spiritual body could withstand the Presence of the Holy God!

   WARNING: A life of love requires ‘dying daily’ to self and  sin and then see yourself, risen with Christ!

 Our Christian life is ‘all’ or ‘nothing’.  Whatever we do in our strength no matter how great the sacrifice, is less than nothing unless Jesus Christ does it through us, for then it is done in love, by the power of His Spirit. He cannot do anything except love because Love is who He is. I am especially thankful for two things that touch my heart deep:

1.   I am so precious to Him, He only acts in love toward me. Such Love took Him to the Cross and He became sin for me, He who knew no sin!

2.   God is working all things for my good, because He is Love. The ‘good’ He is working in me, is the likeness of Christ!! Only then can all I do, be done in Love. He is my Rock, my Rescue, my Refuge. My feet are dancing.

If we are anywhere but in the Love of God we drift apart. ac

Oh how I desire to live a life of Love that would make a difference for eternity. Only God can hold me in His love so that He can love the unlovely and the down right ugly and mean spirited through me.

THE WAY THE WORLD LOVES:

 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. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. I John 2:15-17

Father of Love, You who love the ugly and vile and even us, I bow in awe and wonder at such love. Love so powerful it will carry us home. Love so powerful these earthly bodies could not tolerate it’s full presence and still breathe! We want to make a difference in this life, before You call us to dwell in Your ’Light’, (which is so profoundly glorious we have no words to describe it accurately.) Thank You for loving us into sanity, strength, hope, rest and a peace that is heavenly. Help us to want Your will more than our own way so we will be willing to reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive with Christ each day, every day. I pray for my brothers and sisters to live for You at any cost. And strengthen with endurance those who are suffering for Your name, even now today. O God, have mercy and be their comfort and living Hope. In Your Holy name I pray amen.

Come soon Lord Jesus!

All or nothing,

  much love, az

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how to receive Christ as Savior and know forgiveness of your sins, click link:  http://www.campuscrusade.com/fourlawseng.htm

Risen with Christ

Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God….

To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I Corinthians 1:1-3

Dear Church, His Saints, my fellow journeyers,

What I am in Jesus Christ positionally ought to be what I practice in daily life, but often fail. Here is a thought I have courted this week, grab hold of it and consider, what it has to do with you daily. We are to ‘see’ our position as resurrected, through out our day, we are to live as seeing ourselves possessing resurrection life.  I am talking about daily living, not pie in the sky some day, but now, today. Old things have passed away all things have become new. That is a fact. Another is this: ‘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, in the resurrected Christ. (Romans 6:14) Do you see yourself as crucified with Christ? Buried with Him and risen with Him? Hear me… this is your position and the Spirit of God is working these truths in you progressively, creating a likeness to Christ in you every day, through every trial and circumstance. All I can say is WOW! And lift my hands in praise. Hallelujah what a Savior! I am dancing!

“Progress is only advancing in… the spiritual knowledge, of what we possess at the onset.” mjs

Many Christians stop with salvation truths, never moving beyond to growth truths. We must come to know we are ‘complete’ in Christ and not try and augment our salvation by self-effort. I remember the days trying to please God with a flurry of activities (self-effort) as if I could ‘keep saved’ by doing good works; all for the purpose of being acceptable to God. I didn't even like myself why would God accept me? But I realized I didn’t save myself in the first place and I certainly can’t ‘keep’ saved. Christ’s work is a finished work. It is now a matter of walking by faith. It is not production, but reception of our life in Christ! We do not fall into maturity; neither can we hurry it along, though we can delay it. We must conclude that we are acceptable to God, because we are in Christ and Christ is perfect; therefore un-improvable.”  
Only those who have wearied themselves seeking to grow and have failed, are in a position to appreciate the fact that God is the aggressor in the realm of development. msj

My personal, heartbreaking failure in every area of my Christian life is always my Father’s preparation, for His success on my behalf. The major fact being, that if I waver in my confidence of my Father’s love, I will struggle with trusting Him. The more intimately I know my Savior, the more readily I will trust Him and the more I will rest in Him, which results in living a life of ‘not I, but Christ’. Galatians 2:20 Knowing Christ is not happenstance, knowing Him intimately requires my coming humbly to Him, in His word. I must spend time with the One I love, my whole being cries out to be near Him, near His comfort, His love, the sweetness of His being. The thought of this sets my feet to dancing.

“Not only is our life complete in Jesus Christ but likewise the essential victory in all the many exigencies of life. When you fight to get victory, then you have lost the battle at the very outset.” wn

When the enemy attacks in your home or business, and creates a situation with which you cannot possibly deal, what do you do? I would guess you prepare for a huge battle and then pray asking God to give you victory.

 ‘But this approach guarantees defeat because by this attitude you relinquish the battle to the enemy!’ wn

What should you have done? Simply look up and praise the Lord. ‘I am facing a situation I cannot handle. Your enemy the devil, has created this situation to encompass my downfall ( or downfall of a loved one), but I praise you that Your victory is all-inclusive and covers this situation fully. I praise You that I have full victory in Jesus, my Lord and Savior.’

Our hope for victory is not ‘Christ + my efforts’, but ‘Christ + my receiving’. ct  (Read it again and grab this principle for it makes all the difference)

God never intended for us to walk the natural plane. There is no provision made for such a walk. Always, God’s promise is that His child will break through and live and endure as if he were seeing only the workings of the invisible world, not fixed on physical senses. ac

There is great glory for our Lord in a quiet, confident walk in this day of adversity, a day of dread, when things about us are shaking and trembling. Gp

We are His children, His saints! The object of His love. His treasure! And....

The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,

For His compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,

“Therefore I have hope in Him.” Lamentation 3:22-24

Father, You who love me and treasure me, I bow my heart to You! Reckoning myself ‘Crucified with Christ’ and dead to sin, by faith, is difficult. And You want me to go beyond crucified with Christ, to ‘risen with Christ’. I cry out for understanding and ask You to fill me with faith to obey. Out of my brokenness transform me, so others will see Jesus in me. Each day is truly a chance to reckon myself dead to sin and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. I trust You to bring Your name glory through me. Your greatness overshadows me causing me to tremble! Yet, am comforted by Your faithfulness. You are my portion forever, how can it be that You love me so, beautiful Savior, in your precious name I pray, Jesus, amen.

Have a great week! May you live out what you are in the resurrected Christ.

 az

Dry Times

  Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Romans 4:18

Beloved of the Lord,

God’s word states we are to walk by faith and not by (feelings) sight. During a spiritual high we sail along waving our flag of victory and we may even sing our prayers, for they flow out of us and are sprinkled with praises. We may be ready with much ‘spiritual’ advice for those who are in a spiritual funk or struggling with life. Oh, how careful we need to be. God works His perfect will in different ways and at different times. Feelings can make our lives good or the lack of spiritual feelings can leave us ‘feeling’ off track or discouraged. We must learn not to allow feelings to dictate our spiritual disciplines such, as prayer or study.

If you are in a dry time your greatest frustration may by trying to shake yourself out of it. But it is not in your power to do so. God makes no mistakes. He has you where He wants you. He is trusting you with this dry season of life, for your good. Most likely He has not consulted you or filled you in on the details, but is trusting you with the mystery of His will; giving you the opportunity to walk by faith.

How easily I can skip praying or reading His Word, when I don’t feel like it. I read and it‘s as dry as day old toast. Praying, my words seem to rise no higher than the ceiling and I feel oppressed. It 'feels' as ineffective as texting someone who has no cell phone. Thankfully, God the Father sees our hearts. He does not just hear our words. Praying can be such a wonderful time of nearness and at other times you labor to force each word. God seems far away, like He has gone on vacation or He’s plugging His ears. 

Scupoli believed “innumerable benefits are derived from dryness and the absence of devotional feelings,” and he refers to the desert season as “marvelous help, although at the time we are not conscious of it.”

You may have been in the fire lately and are having a hard and painful time of it. God seems to have withdrawn Himself. Withdrawn His grace. This can be excruciating and frustrating. Do not lose heart. It is important to remember that our ‘feelings’ are not a gauge to measure our spiritual maturity. We walk by faith. "Unless you stand firm in your faith; you will not stand at all." Isaiah 7:9

Feelings are never a yardstick of truth. They will betray the truth far more often than they will confirm it. GLT

My mentor taught me early on “when feelings run high, common sense runs low…. do not live by your feelings, but trust God even when you do not understand what He is doing. You know that all things are working together to create the likeness of Christ in you, even the deserts of life. God is preparing you for something more. When God takes the feelings away He has a purpose. So do not be sidetracked with negative self-talk, such as God is punishing you. We cannot control our feelings but we choose our actions. We are responsible for our choices. If we love God for what He gives us, are we not really loving ourselves, not Him? If we are loving Him, we will not give our feelings dictatorship.

When going through the desert, speak God’s truth, by exercising faith in God’s word, apart from any feelings. Remember we are planted together with Him in the likeness of His death.  Rom 6:5   Stand in this position-> in Christ and you will begin to experience resurrection life by the power of the Holy Spirit. You must stand firmly on this basic truth. Reject your old life on the basis of your death in Christ on the Cross, and count yourself alive in Him: dead to sin—alive unto God, in Christ. Romans 6: 11  

Let the facts of your position overwhelm the feelings of your condition. GW

The wilderness will not last any longer than He has purposed. Remember in Psalm 119:91 He promises ‘all things serve Him.”

Abraham, his body as good as dead and Sarah past child bearing were in a desert. Had God forgotten to be gracious? To be a barren woman was considered a curse, not to bear children a desert of heartache and shame. Hear what God’s Word tells us about Abraham choice to believe God: Romans 4 18-21

 In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “ So shall your descendants be.” Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.

Against all hope he believed! My feet are dancing! We can choose faith, too.

God, You who Possess heaven and earth and yet see my desert, and You, who with purpose and plan remove the ‘feelings’ of your Presence, I bow in awe of You! Forgive me for living by my feelings instead of walking by faith. The natural, arrogant result of my dry time is to cry out to You, demanding You remove it and restore my joy!  Forgive me. Lord, let me not fight the withdrawal of spiritual feelings, but choose to hear the Cross calling me to death! Thank You, that in the measure in which I count myself dead with Christ, I will experience His resurrection life. Let me pray, read, and worship because You are worthy and good, no matter how I feel. Give me faith to trust You. I love You. I am yours and no one can ever snatch me from Your grasp. I pray in the Name above all names amen and amen

The believer, in whose daily attitude the mark of resurrection is seen becomes what the world is looking for, a convincing witness to the power of the living Redeemer. GW

Have a blessed week walking by faith, no matter how you feel!

Consider Death

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain Rev 21:43,5

 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Phil 1:21

Dear Brothers and Sisters, you who are dependent for each breath you take,

I am losing a dear friend to cancer. We do not have many visits left before it will be our last here on earth.  It is always too soon to say good-bye and I am forced to move over and make room for grief to wrestle and wound me, again and again. Death ends a life here, for it was temporal from the first, but does not end life eternal with our Savior Jesus. I want to provoke your thinking by sharing what I have been thinking about.

An interesting aspect of facing imminent death, for the Christian, is that it really snaps everything else into perspective, without apology; and is coupled with a discernment  which evaded the person previously. Often they are able to release earthly things when they are confronted with weeks or months to live.

Also, to face facts, we must acknowledge the mortality rate is still 100%. All die, the question is ‘are you ready?’ Even losing the life of a pet is extremely hard. Do you truly believe He has gone to prepare a place for you where there is no death, tears, sickness, fear, sin, bullying, hatred, war, disease, boredom, manipulation, cheating, gossip, drunkenness, drugs, murder, rape, violence, revenge, selfishness, oppression…. or off key singing?

Do you believe all that awaits you there? No more darkness, streets are golden, an unpolluted atmosphere, and unbounded joy! All beyond our imagining.  Reunions will be without the usual sin we drag along. No divisions, no pride or shame, no belittling. We will not wrestle any longer with our old sin nature. Now, my feet are dancing. No longer our cross but crowns to lay at His feet. Banished will be the loneliness that led you into temptation, and you will never be overlooked again or be the one not chosen, loss will not exist! You can no longer be deceived, for the devil is thrown in the lake of fire forever.  Hallelujah to my King! All this is so amazing, wonderful, and freeing, albeit, it is a poor runner up to Who awaits us when we step out of time and breathe celestial air.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:13-16

Hear what God is saying… He numbers our days before we take our first breath. Do you believe this? When someone dies young,  do we believe God numbered their days? And at any age, when a life threatening disease comes, we wear ourselves out trying to defeat it. Understandable, but a bit confusing. On one hand we say we want to go to heaven, but on the other hand we do all in our power to scramble away from death! We want to go to heaven, just NOT now.

 Woody Allen is known for this comment: “I'm not afraid of death ; I just don't   want to be there when it happens.”

If death knocks on our door this week, consider this: If He is who He says He is and heaven is what He says, Should we not celebrate, even throw a party and rejoice, that we are going ‘home’? Just a thought.  We were created to enjoy God forever! But because of man’s sin we die. Only because of Jesus sacrifice can we live with Him forever. Do we need to search our hearts to see if we are too much in love with the world and with all the stuff we have gathered? Enjoy your stuff, but do not let it own you. You have one Master, even Christ. From heaven’s perspective all that we grasp here, is temporal.

 I love Jesus words in John 14:21

In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.   Paul believed these truths, hear his words in Phil 1:21

                                             For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Consider this: We grieve over loss of our loved ones, but if Jesus ask the person who has entered heaven if he would like to return to life here. He would fall to his knees and beg, “Please don’t make me leave You, LORD.” Those who go before us are healed, pain-free, unashamed, happy and at rest, giddy with joy of Him. He is abundantly satisfying.

“You can grieve for me the week before I die, if I’m scared and hurting, but when I gasp that last fleeting breath and my immortal soul flees to heaven, I’m going to be jumping over fire hydrants down the golden streets, and my biggest concern, if I have any, will be my wife back here grieving. When I die, I will be identified with Christ’s exaltation. But right now, I’m identified with His affliction.” R.C.S

AMEN!

On this mountain He will destroy

    the shroud that enfolds all peoples,

the sheet that covers all nations;

He will swallow up death forever.

The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears

    from all faces;

He will remove His people’s disgrace

    from all the earth.

The Lord has spoken.

In that day they will say,

“Surely this is our God;

    we trusted in Him, and He saved us.

This is the Lord, we trusted in Him;

    let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”  Isaiah 25:7-9

The last enemy that will be abolished is death. I Corinthians 15:26

My heavenly Bridegroom, You who know how easily I am distracted, draw me nearer until I want only You, want only Your will, want to please You and look to You, to meet my every need. Change me for Your glory. In Jesus I  pray,  az

We are immortal until our time on earth is done…

Enjoy this moment, it’s all you have,

Az                                                                                    May 4,2012

Nothing Can Separate Us!

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Romans 8:35

Dear Sisters and Brother’s who long to know Jesus more intimately,

How often our world is rocked and severely wounded by separation. Children grow up without grand-parents near-by, we move separating us from dear friends. Men, women and children are torn apart and separated by divorce, others are hurting because a father has walked away, while others leave us if abducted or incarcerated. Families can be separated when a loved one joins the armed forces. A child who is bullied in school feels a deep separation and wrenching emotional pain, as they jockey accusing thoughts! Separation occurs when we are persecuted for our faith. Albeit, one of the most difficult separations, results as a relationship deteriorates, it may include rejection by loved ones, leaving in it’s wake, an unwelcome weight of fog and brokenness. Even when our pets die or we have to find them a new home, we are left to suffer and grieve their absence. Good reasons or bad, can and will separate many from each other; leaving raw, gaping wounds in heart and mind.

 

Life is short. Life is hard. But for each moment of our day we have Jesus.

God could have kept Daniel from the lion’s den. He could have kept Paul and Silas out of jail… He could have kept the three Hebrew children out of the fiery furnace… but God has never promised to keep us out of hard places. What He has promised is to be with us through every hard place, and bring us through victoriously! C.L. B.

Romans 8:18, I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Then this thought invaded: 'God could have kept Christ from the suffering of the Cross.' This question followed: 'Where would I be if there was NO Cross, NO Redeemer, no redemption? My sins, at this moment and every moment, would separate me from this Holy God! I would be rejected. Is there a more frightening thought? The dark of this thought would drown me; I could taste the night when I thought of history so rewritten. In such night, I would have chosen suicide without Jesus intervention as Lamb of God, who came to take away the sins of the world!  I cannot comprehend a world without the resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the dead! Men love darkness more than the Light and how much greater the dark world would be, without the Light of life. But Truth pierces the storm of such darkness, a bolt of Light to my heart when I read the following in Romans! I had to fall to my knees in awe and thanksgiving as I struggled for words that could frame my gratitude and be worthy to use in praise.

Read this most profound question in Romans 8:35:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

 As it is written: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.^”

 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present, nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Read it slowly, hearing each word! Are you dancing? If not, take your pulse! This is an amazing list and covers it all! Hear the truth that NOTHING can or will separate us from His love. My feet are dancing with awe and wonder... Therefore my brothers and sisters, do not lose heart! Recognize the enemy is using anything he can to manipulate and discourage you! Refuse to be discouraged and begin to sing His worth, and praise Him for His love and faithfulness. Put to memory some of these verses for they are Truth and strength and give wisdom, perspective, insight, and build faith. He lives.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

II Corinthians 4:16-18

But nothing, not even my life, is more important than my completing my mission. This is nothing other than the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus: to testify about the good news of God’s grace.  

Acts 20:24 God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (He will never separate Himself from us, never, never, never!)

 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
 What can mere mortals do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6

The pain of trials and separation now:

* Remind me I am not home yet.

* Remind me the battle is the LORDs.

* Remind me He is Sovereign.

* Remind me trials are temporary.

* Remind me to focus on the eternal.

* Remind me He uses all things to create the likeness of Christ in me.

Blessed Savior, You who will never leave me nor forsake me, You who will never separate me from Your love, because You are Love, I praise You. I can never get away from Your love, even if I walked away, You love. Even If I use Your holy name irreverently, You love, even though I am selfish and fearful and unbelieving and grieve You, still, You Love. Though I run to the farthest corner of the earth… You Love. Such love works brokenness in me and I come and kneel, no I am on my face before You, for such Love, as this humbles and terrifies me. ‘Holy, Holy, Holy!!’ Hear my whisper, ‘Abba, my Abba’ and let me draw near, snuggle on Your Daddy-lap, and allow You to comfort and heal my broken places and the cruel wounds life has inflicted. Lord, You are so gentle. I will not be afraid of tomorrow, nor will I lose heart and quit! Because of You, by faith, I will finish strong. Blessed be Your name.

Never, Never, Never will I be separated from His  eternal Love!

This moment is all I have and for this I have Jesus!

az

That's My King! vimeo.com

Visuals set to the audio of the famous sermon "Seven Way King" as spoken by Dr. S.M. Lockridge. The audio is slightly edited for a better flow in the video. The music in the background was performed live by the GCC band while the video played on the...