Open Hands

Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,
    you who have done great things. Who is like you, God? 

Though you have made me see troubles,
    many and bitter, you will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. Psalm 71:19-20

Beloved Brothers and Sisters,

This is my prayer for you this week:

You, who love us perfectly, I bow and give you praise. I lift up my brothers and sisters asking You to fill hearts with an overflow of love for Your testimonies, until their hearts stand in awe of Your word. Administer to each one wisdom and peace and comfort, directing their steps in Your love and truth. For those who suffer… give them faith and endurance and even more give ‘joy’.. You know what each one is suffering. Let them be living proof You are God and You are good. Affirm Your power in them and through them. Thank You that You alone can take our messes and even our sins and turn them for good, to serve Your will and purposes. How great You are! In Your great name I pray Jesus, amen.

Have faith that in the midst of our processing, we are progressing, no matter how it ‘feels’. Feelings make a great caboose but a lousy engine. We walk by faith not feelings. A hungry heart that is thirsting after the LORD is a good thing and will usher you into blessing.

C.S. Lewis wrote to a friend, “We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.”

When believers are being turned upside-down and inside out, discouragement waits on the doorstep. The enemy seems to sense when we are close to the end of a trial and fears our faith will be further strengthened, and he does not like it. The greatest pressure to give up or give in, is when Victory is right around the corner. He thwarts by blaming, guilt-ing, shaming, mixed with self-pity, and fear.

We must walk this path in faith, for the simple reason we must be brought to a place of total dependence on Jesus. It is not Jesus plus something, no, He is to be everything. Until He is all we have, we will not realize He is all we need. We need to live a ‘hands open’ life. The thing we rely on is often what we grasp.  It is much less painful to have something removed from our hands if our hand lay open, surrendered. If you are grasping something (self-involved) it is very painful to remove anything and tears the flesh. Open hands, of faith, bring our God pleasure. The open hands that refuse to grasp, choosing to remain open and extended in suffering, are in a gesture to receive from the heavenly Father his benefits. But how can He place gifts in hands already full?

Hold all things loosely. Especially the ‘stuff’ of this world. How does one measure one’s riches? Begin by removing everything you can purchase. What is left is how rich you are…        Are you rich?

Our old sin nature may masquerade as religious, but does not usually appear deceitful, arrogant, un- improvable, incurable or incorrigible- but it is. There is no remedy, except what God graciously provided….’crucifixion’- death with the Lord Jesus Christ and risen with Him. A new nature lives in us by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit indwells “and He leads us into experiences of desolation here in order that we may not only see how little we know Him as the source of all joy, but in order that we may turn to Him and find not only relief, but full resources in Himself. It is only in solitude that we come to realize this." -J.B.S.

Troubles do not naturally benefit us anymore than it removes signs of aging, but God’s word takes issue with the natural. My feet are dancing. I will be benefitted.

All this is for your benefit (suffering)… 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 4:15a, 16-18

 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. II Corinthians 3:18

The battle is the Lord’s!  In courage open clenched fists, open your hands by faith and allow God to take what needs to go and leave what He chooses to let remain. Trust Him. He never lets go of you through the fire or storm.

Heavenly Father, You who watch me faithfully. LORD, teach me to live open-handed and open-hearted and single minded before You. You, who were pleased to crush your own Son, do what ever You need to do in me, to create the likeness of Jesus in me. Cleanse, quicken, guide, heal, renew, prune me until You see the reflection of Your Son in my words, my attitude and my open hands. Thank you LORD for opening your hands to receive the nails that set me free. Holy God, I am in awe, praying in the Name above all names, Jesus. Amen

You know the way that I take and when You have tried me I shall come forth as gold. Job 23:10

Thank You Father,

az

 http://www.gramzkidz.com. 

 Have you ever read about the Great Horned Owl? It is amazing. Go to Gramzkidz and click on by Design. We have an amazing Creator!!

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|

Unexplainable Joy!

 Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.

 Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them. Psalm 126:5-6

Brothers and Sisters,

What is the nature of joy?  Do we acquaint joy with suffering? What mystery is there in our suffering that is accomplished without our volition? Listen:

This is the nature of joy- it is always greater and deeper for those who have known real sorrow. We should not be surprised, therefore, when God allows us to undergo sorrows that will forever deepen and broaden our worship of Him and our experience of the eternal joy. R.A.

 I Thessalonians 1:6  tells us the church in Thessalonica suffered much, yet had great joy! Is this an oxymoron? I think not. Once surrendered and on the other side of suffering, if you had the choice, it is unlikely you would remove the very thing, that in the end, brought you great joy, in the sweetness of a deepening relationship with our Lord. His joy makes worthwhile anything that causes us to fall to our knees and cry for His help. Our testimony will be: ‘Lord, It was worth it all! Your joy is sweeter than all this world offers’.

Amy Carmichael writes: ‘I cannot forget the flints on my own path and the thorns. But, looking back, I know I would not have chosen any other if I could have known, when I first began to walk in it, what it would mean of His companionship, and also of the power to enter into the griefs of others. It was all worth while, ten thousand times worth while.

Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. All will be made right. He has provided all we need to stand strong. Do not listen to the enemies whispers, for we have a certain end, ‘Enter… into the joy of thy lord.’ Matthew 25:21

Hallelujah! Remember joy, not suffering is eternal.

Trusting Christ does not mean suffering less. Our churches are full of Christians who do not go beyond the initial forgiveness and a godly walk in this world. But it is our Father’s good pleasure to transform us into the likeness of Christ and bring us into His Presence as priests. This is entirely apart from all the imperfections of our flesh. We stand before Him in all the perfection of the Lord Jesus Christ!! This allows us to worship and to ‘behold Him’ in all His glory and beauty. If He were to manifest His presence before each of us right now, we would be flat out on our faces before Him!!!

My feet are dancing. Go ahead, jump up and bow down in worship! Praise the One who loves you more than you can comprehend.

“It shouldn’t be this way,” she spoke quietly, sadly, “a parent shouldn’t have to bury their child,” He took her in his arms and they comforted each other as he said, “You know, I think I expected it to hurt less because we are believers, but it doesn’t. God gave us faith and strength to do what we had to do and we know she is in heaven with Him, but it still hurts even though we know we do not suffer as those who have no hope, we need to remember it doesn't says we won’t suffer,” he finished in a choked voice.

‘you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.’ I Thess 4:13

What a great God we serve. No other god can take our sin, our sorrow, our suffering and make it serve His will and purpose. No other god carried our sorrows and experienced our suffering. How sweet this promises is to us.

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. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:3-4

4X in two verses it speaks of God dwelling with us and of us being His! Let these verses warm you from your head to your toes. What a glory is ours now and eternally. The Lord Jesus is at the Father’s right hand, and He is there as our Life. Through Christ we are given access to our Father’s presence and favor.

Let us be done with ‘talking about’ relying on the Spirit when practically we more often rely on our selves, on human wisdom, human ability and look for quick fixes or programs. This is the flesh. It is not enough to acknowledge Christ’s cross, His crucifixion. We must recognize we have a cross and are crucified with Christ. How few of us can say, “God has shown me wonderful things about the Lord Jesus lately.

LORD of angel armies, Lord of all, I come, I bow, I cry out, “show me many wonderful things about Your precious Son. LORD, I stand our hands open and lifted up to receive all You want to give us. Fill us with faith to receive holy joy. Create a hunger in me that will never be satisfied this side of You. I know You care more about my holiness than my happiness and the suffering You allow, is working the holiness of Your Son in me. How amazing is that? How can I ever thank You? Keep me grateful and fill me with love for You. You alone give a depth of sweetness, in our suffering, that cannot be explained or defined. I bow. I worship. Blessed be Your name sweet Savior.

 In Christ Holy joy is mine!

az

http://www.gramzkidz.com  EVER SEEN A GLASS BUTTERFLY? GO TO 'BY DESIGN' AT GRAMZ KIDZ

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

Crushing Trials

  No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

I Corinthians 10:13

Greetings Brothers and Sisters, in the name of Jesus, King of kings and LORD of lords. May His sweet peace and rest, find you ‘resting’ in Him.

This question was voiced at Bible study, ‘How many of you have been over whelmed this week?’ Some are overwhelmed because they need to learn the life skill of saying ‘no’, exercising restraint, not giving into others expectations but making it a matter of prayer for what is His will for them.

How often the trials of life have managed to beat us up, chew us up and spit us out only to leave us fragile and overwhelmed! The symptoms of such trials are familiar to those under such weighty circumstances. They are physically tired most of the time. Emotionally they are fragile, tears flow easily and they are easily discouraged. Their perspective is skewed.

When I am overwhelmed I have little sense of humor, my focus and my joy are as flat as a punctured tire and are  quickly replaced by unrest and fretting. Unbelief reigns as fear nurtures anxiety. I find myself wrestling not resting. Is it my imagination or has my trial grown larger as I pace its circumference? I presume to fix things, bending low I try to hoist my troubles on my back. Instead I trip and fall crying out “Help LORD, I can’t do this!” as my burden pins me to the ground, slamming the air from my lungs. Humbled, now He can work.

We all make choices and reap what we sow. But many Christians are suffering trials which are the result of God’s growing them up, disciplining, pruning and preparing them to bring forth much fruit (John 15) If God has allowed troubles in your life, which hurt beyond measure, it feels as if He is unjust or unloving. The enemy has been allowed to steamroller your family and you fight to make it through the next minute. You think of Job. Your pain is jaw dropping. You have been beaten down, giving you no time to grab a breath, as one trial follows another in quick succession,

In the middle of trouble it is very hard to see yourself as chosen by a loving God to bear heartache and sorrow. All you know is it threatens to consume you. You do not sense His Presence with you, but He is present with you in your trial. Feel forsaken? He will never leave you nor forsake you. Hebrews 13:5, Are you misunderstood? He knows. Not even his disciples understood Him. Homesick? He left heaven to suffer your hell. Betrayed? John 13:21 Judas betrayed Him. He sees and He cares.

A man asked his friend, “How are you?” The man poured out his troubles and then answered, “Under the circumstances I am not doing so well.”

His friend commented, “Whatever are you doing under there?”

In hard circumstances; whether aware of it or not, we are besieged with temptation. This new perspective poked at me demanding a response. I had never thought of trials as source of temptation; but have always seen temptations as trials. After pondering I have concluded ‘It’s TRUE!’ We question God‘s love, sobbing out ‘why?’ Does He care these trials are crushing me?

If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.’” Isaiah 7:9

 Watch for the symptoms of not standing by faith in your trials.

     1. We begin to believe lies. We dwell in unbelief which is a sin.

2.    We stop feeding readily on His Word. Colossians 3:16 (enemies goal)

3.    We run from the Cross instead of to it. Galatians 2:20, Romans 6

4.    We make this life about us, what we want, but it’s about Him.

5.    We are tempted to be unfaithful.

6.    We are tempted to ‘act’ instead of waiting on Him and His timing.

7.    We are tempted to trust in ourselves (our flesh), not Him.

8.    We lose  perspective. Our eyes turn inward and also fix on circumstances.

9.    We lose our intimacy with Him and our prayer life suffers.

10.  Our feelings reign and joy is a stranger.

"It is by His revelation through the Word that we behold spiritual realities; it is by His loving discipline that we enter into those realities.” mjs

Trials are from the loving Father’s hand to grow and strengthen us. We will never face a trial which will not benefit us; as we surrender to the Cross. Beware of caring more about being delivered ‘from’ the trial than delivered ‘in’ the trial.’ Even though our suffering makes no sense here, it will some day. Can you truly say ’I want God’s will more than my own way? This is the time to prove the things we believe and live our songs.

a.c. “Joys are on their way to us. They are always traveling to us through the darkness of the night. There is never a night they are not coming. Psalm 30:5

"Where man calls for conditions, God calls for the Cross. As the finished work of the Cross is applied to the life by the Holy Spirit, thereby progressively holding the old man in the position of death, the believer is conditioned for the Spirit's fullness. It is not a surrendered self, but a crucified self that gives the Spirit freedom in the life. SR

You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. I Thess 1:6

Interesting that this is the only time in scripture, joy and suffering are mentioned in the same breath! God so provides for His own, that He overrules all that is natural, even giving joy in the midst of trials.

God, You who discipline and nurture your own, You who love us beyond comprehension, keep us faithful to You no matter how great the trial. Make us wise as we work out our salvation with fear and trembling. I pray we will trust in You, LORD, not ourselves. You know the way that I take and when You have tried me I shall come forth as gold. For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God. I trust in your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. Psalm 86:10-12

All is Grace,

az

http://www.gramzkidz.com

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

The Proper Attitude of a Man under Grace

For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:14

Brothers and Sisters of the God of Grace,

November… a new month, this is a new week and Friday is a new day! A new start, a clean page. I like beginnings and I like a clean page without a mark on it. May be that is the artist in me. I am always reticent to reach out and put that first mark on a clean white sheet of paper or canvas. In my excitement of this new month, the very first of November, I recorded the following prayer in my journal that morning:

Abba, Daddy,

You are God, there is no other God but You. Help me love You with abandon, serve You with hope and faith. I need You to fill my heart with faith to trust You implicitly, trusting You to love through me, serve and bless and nourish whoever is in need. Use me to encourage and comfort those who need Your touch. This is Your day, I am crucified with You.

Question: Have you ever experienced a wonderful Quiet time with the Lord, praising, worshiping, casting all your care on Him and then, moving happily into your day, find that not ten minutes after rising from your knees, your old sin nature makes a strong stand and your flesh kicks in as if newly risen fro the dead? It is humbling. That is exactly what happened on the morning of November 1.  Almost instantly I was annoyed with my husband. I was short, yes, even irritable and my remarks were unloving. Everything that happened next was an oxymoron contradicting all I sang and prayed. AAUUhhh!! Shame wrapped itself around my ankles and with one firm tug, I fell face first into a puddle of guilt.

Is my LORD disappointed in my failure? Does He love me less? The Truth is my words and attitude did not surprise Him in the least, for He knew before creation that I would fail to trust Him fully on Nov 1. Albeit, His love for me remained unchanged as it was never dependent on me, but on Jesus Christ and who He is. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Hebrews 13:8 He can never be less than He is and He is Love. It will free you.

The Truth: I was disappointed in myself. I want to share some things I have learned in the school of failure. Hear Truths concisely recorded by W R. Newell:

The Proper Attitude of Man under Grace:

1. To believe, and to consent to be loved while unworthy, is the great secret.
2. To refuse to make "resolutions" and "vows"; for that, is to trust in the flesh.
3. To expect to be blessed, though realizing more and more lack of worth.
4. To testify of God's goodness, at all times.
5. To be certain of God's future favor

6. To rely on God's chastening hand as a mark of His kindness.

Things Which Gracious Souls Discover:

1. To "hope to be better" is to fail to see yourself in Christ only.
2. To be disappointed with yourself, is to have believed in yourself.
3. To be discouraged is unbelief, --as to God's purpose and plan of blessing for you.
4. To be proud, is to be blind! For we have no standing before God, in ourselves.
5. The lack of Divine blessing, therefore, comes from unbelief, and not from failure of devotion.
6. Real devotion to God arises, not from man's will to show it; but from the discovery that blessing has been received from God while we were yet unworthy and un-devoted.
7. To preach devotion first, and blessing second, is to reverse God's order, and preach law, not grace. The Law made man's blessing depend on devotion; Grace confers undeserved, unconditional blessing: our devotion may follow, but does not always do so, -- in proper measure.

There is nothing in me to recommend myself to a holy God. No cause in me why Grace should be shown… Oh the joy I experienced the day I was set free from such fruitless effort. I am accepted in Christ. He is my standing. I live in Christ and He in me. Why do we always reason from what we are in ourselves? The Holy Spirit always reasons down from what God is to us, not what man is to God. This is huge…. Hear it. We need experience failure again and again until we find nothing to rest upon but the abstract goodness of God.

It is not about my failure; but His  grace.

Not about my lack but His abundant supply.

Nor my weaknesses but His strength

Nor even about my foolishness, but God’s wisdom.

 It is not about my sin, but His sin offering…

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. II Corinthians 5:21

Come learn with me the freedom of Grace. It isn’t about us, but about Him. He teaches us to receive grace and to give grace. The body of Christ needs the healing and hope Grace gives. It sets my feet to dancing and my heart to singing of His greatness. Great is the Lord and worthy to be praised. Blessed are You.

God of Grace, I long to be like Jesus and I am nothing like Him. You are the potter and I am the clay. Clay needs water to remain supple and pliable and when I mix clay that has been a without water for a long time, it is useless, broken and hardened… a waste. Do not let me become fruitless and hopeless. You are the water of life and I am like the dried clay, broken in little pieces without the life-giving blood of Christ and the water of life that You alone give. I want to be a woman of faith, faith like Father Abraham! I pray for my sisters and brothers asking you to work in them these freeing Truths. Renew us, revive us, restore us until Your will is all we want and know. I pray in the wondrous Name of Jesus my Lord.

All is Grace,       az

http://www.gramzkidz.com 

(Ever see a glass butterfly? go to Gramz Kidz page "By Design")

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 Watch

Keep on Rejoicing

I will praise the name of God with song
And magnify Him with thanksgiving. Psalm 69:30

Brothers and Sisters,

David so often pours out his soul in tears before the Lord. Brutally honest. David, the greatest song writer to ever live, who writes out of life’s stress. Yet many of the Psalms begin with ‘Bless the LORD, O my soul. And Sing to the LORD… or Our LORD reigns. Praise and honor pour from his heart but this does not stop David from casting his cares on God or from crying out for God to teach him. God called David a man after God’s own heart.

He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will. Acts 13:22

Can you imagine God saying that about you! Replace David’s name with your name as you speak this verse aloud. Hear what you are saying. Though David pours out his troubles and struggles, Amy Carmichael points out David ends most of his Psalms with an up-look, that ends in praise. I desire to live this! Let my day begin with praise as long as I can speak and let it end in praise no matter how it has unfolded or ended.

In Psalm 69 David wept soul-tears (Kay translation) and many a day I have wept soul tears, often for a family member who after much prayer seems un-helped and I am tempted to see it as failure. Tempted to be discouraged. But even so,  

I will praise the name of God with song
And magnify Him with thanksgiving.  

Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. Psalm 126:5

In NAS I caught something wonderful… in I Peter 4:1-2

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the (day of Christ) revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.

This assumes you are already rejoicing, in Christ, in the midst of your trials. It spoke to my heart saying, ‘Have a heart of worship, in a deep, private intimacy now with Lord Jesus. Sweeter even than our rejoicing in the company of brothers and sisters. The deeper your suffering… the more you are to ‘keep on rejoicing’. My feet were dancing and tears filled my eyes at the thought of this and then the next verse lifted me higher telling me I will rejoice with exultation when I am with my LORD on that day His glory is revealed before all the world. Our rejoicing here is a precursor to the rejoicing that is coming. I am to rejoice now whether reviled or suffering as a Christian, even in subtle ways (according to the will of God) Yes! It says that in verse 19 of I Peter 4! I am to rejoice.

To prepare me to exalt Him in my sorrow and heartache, I have learned the necessity of counting myself crucified with Christ; for only then can I expect Christ to His life in me, by His Spirit. His death is my title to be free. I must appropriate His death as that which severs me from all that I was in Adam and severs me from my old sin nature’s power over me. I am so thankful.  I do not have to keep myself!

The Lord Jesus will make it His business to keep us alive and fruitful, if we will make it our business to rely on Him.  We do not have to keep ourselves… Every fear to go down into daily death, every clinging too that which belongs to us, every grasp on our own personal position or ministry, will only hinder the manifestation of His life. It is to be life out of death. Even if our trust in Him brings us into the most helpless and impossible situations, we must rest assured that all will be well, for He is indeed the God of resurrection. HF

‘The LORD keeps those who love Him’ Psalm 145:20

Father-God, I bow. I have tasted and You are sweet and You are enough. I exalt You. Give me an undivided heart that I might bring You glory. Keep me from my finite childishness of dictating to You what is best or what You should or shouldn’t do, who You should heal, or what You should provide as if I can see tomorrow, or am in some way wise! Forgive my arrogance and pride and give me faith to believe You are doing what is right, allowing what will ultimately bring You glory. Most certainly Your ways are above my ways and You are all wise and never make a mistake. You are God, I am not. Thank You for drawing me to Yourself and loving me perfectly. I pray the perfect prayer: “Your will be done in Jesus Name.”

Learning to rejoice dear brothers and sister, You are so loved and prayed for,

az

 http://www.gramzkidz.com

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|

A Servant?

Deal with your servant according to your love and teach me your decrees. Psalm 119:124

May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. Psalm 119:76

Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, you his servants; praise the name of the LORD. Psalm 113:1

Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in you. Psalm 86:4

Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. Psalm 31:16

Precious ones, servants of the Most High God!            October 19, 2012

The word servant has haunted me all week, questioning me, nagging at me! After weeks of study in the book of Philippians, I was unexpectedly at the mercy of rushing thoughts invading my days and nights, as they rudely jockeyed for position, uninvited!  After this week the term ‘servant’ has a deeper meaning. When you hear the word Servant, what comes to mind? Bond-servant? Slave? Paul called himself a ‘servant’ of Christ Jesus.

Imagine asking a young boy, ‘what do you want to be when you grow-up? His excitement spills over as he fires his list at you: Fireman! Astronaut! NBA player! But have you ever heard anyone state unequivocally, ‘I want very much to be a servant.’ Who wants to grow up to be a servant? We like being served. We sit back and wait for someone to serve us and wash our smelly feet. If the service we receive is not what we consider acceptable, we complain self-righteously. Jesus own disciples argued about which of them was the greatest! Hear the words of our holy Servant-King Jesus, all you who know Him:
“and whoever wishes to be first among you (desires to be served) shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28 We are called to be a servant for Jesus. Marked by His love, for His glory. We are not home yet.

We profess to be strangers and pilgrims, seeking after a country of our own, yet we settle down in the most un-stranger-like fashion, exactly as if we were quite at home and meant to stay as long as we could. I don't wonder apostolic miracles have died. Apostolic living certainly has.” ac

Thoughts on being a servant:
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I am a servant of Love.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I am a servant of Truth.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I am not my own and have no rights.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore it is for me to obey my Master.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore it is His will, not my will that matters.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore life is not about me, but Him always.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I walk by faith & do not live by feelings.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I live to please Him.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I am crucified and risen with Christ.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore His love flows through me to others.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I am cleansed in His blood, from all sin.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I daily take up my cross.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore the world hates me, for it hated Him.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I will have trouble in this world.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I reckon myself dead to sin each day.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I feed on the Word of God each day.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I am called to absolute obedience.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I refuse self-pity and unbelief.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I stand strong in the Lord’s power.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I believe His ways are perfect.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I trust He makes my way perfect.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore for me to live is Christ and die is gain!
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I do not insist He explain Himself to me.

“And shall I pray Thee change Thy will, my Father,
Until it be according unto mine?
But, no, Lord, no, that never shall be, rather
I pray Thee blend my human will with Thine.

I pray Thee hush the hurrying, eager longing,
I pray Thee soothe the pangs of keen desire—
See in my quiet places, wishes thronging—
Forbid them, Lord, purge, though it be with fire.” ac
May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant.”  Psalm 35:27

Father-God, Servant King, You who care about our well-being, make us like Your Son who came to serve even to the extreme of laying down His life for us. Search us and reveal all that is in us which is not that of being a servant. Living Grace, You left the glory of heaven to come to earth and serve us by becoming a sin offering. Teach us the humility that will enable us to serve You acceptably. Thank you is just not enough.  Give us an opportunity this very day to serve You by serving others, smelly feet and all. I pray in the Name above all names, Jesus


Learning to be Christ’s Servant,
az

Suffering- Not If, But When

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Romans 8:17

 

Dearest Sisters and Brothers in suffering for the Kingdom,

 

For many of you, my salutation describes what you have experienced in the last few years or may be longer. God seems to be purifying His church and preparing us for the time He will separate His sheep from the goats. Suffering is often what He uses to prepare us for the work He wants to do in us. We must know our position in the Lord Jesus in order for us to understand His ways and rest in His means. Daily submission is an act of faith. In our trials we may surrender because our back is against the wall and our choices have vanished. How often have I stiffened my spine in pride, resisting the Holy Spirit? Look at the end of Stephen’s testimony in Acts 7:51 denouncing and infuriating the religious of his day. His words condemned their stiff-necked resistance against the Holy Spirit. Then they stoned him to death.

You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.

 

Being stoned for my faith this week is doubtful, suffering is a given! It will come and either I will choose to trust Him and surrender in an act of faith or I will stiffen myself in pride and anger, opening the door to unrest, self-pity and fear as I insist on understanding why it was allowed. You may have lost much, you may have buried a loved one, and are numb with the daily-ness of suffering, but we are told to expect it. One of my hero’s, Amy Carmichael, spent the last 35 years of her life in bed in constant pain. The world is rich with her writings, born in a bed of suffering. When God calls you to share in Christ’s suffering, will you say with Paul:

All I want is to know Christ and to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings and become like him in his death…  Philippians 3:10

 

During my Quiet this morning I read a verse that jumped out because of the unusual use of the word ‘accomplished’. What do you think of when you hear that word? Success? A task strived after and completed? That’s my thoughts.

 

Accomplish: verb, achieve or to complete successfully. It is used in the strengthened form meaning to accomplish perfectly. What is so unusual is that it is being used in reference to suffering!! Whooaa….. what?

 

But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. I Peter 5:9

 

God’s perspective is light years away from ours. Look at James 1:2-4 This is so great my feet area dancing! Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Read it again with the definition of ‘accomplish’ in mind! Wow!

 

God sees our suffering not as something to run from or avoid at all costs, but as  a positive accomplishment, because we share in Christ’s sufferings. We are not alone in our suffering. He knows the way you take and when He has tried you, you will come forth as gold. Find comfort in this living word…. He is in control and knows every detail, sees every tear, hears the cries of your heart that no human ear can hear.

 

We are to walk by faith and submission is an act of faith. Faith is strengthened by feeding on God’s word. No excuses! A counselor said this week ‘most of the people I counsel who are struggling in marriage, or relationships or in dealing with trials were NOT in God’s Word.

 

Only in submission is there rest. Are you running from God or running around trying to solve your own problems? Are you frantic in your pride trying to ‘fix’ every thing (or everyone) as if it depended on you? Instead of rest or relief you find you are wearing yourself out? You daily lose your wrestling-match with pride and are broken and weary! I know. I have graduated from the school of failure. The true test of humility is found in Philippians 2:1-1 and then in Proverbs 6:16-17, 8:13 we are given a convicting list. . simply, God resists the proud, because He hates the sin of pride.

 

Humility is not demeaning ourselves and thinking poorly of ourselves. It is simply not thinking of ourselves at all. W.W.

 

There are seven things that the Lord hates and cannot tolerate:

• A proud look,
• a lying tongue,
• hands that kill innocent people,
• a mind that thinks up wicked plans,
• feet that hurry off to do evil,
• a witness who tells one lie after another,
• and someone who stirs up trouble among friends.

 

Father-God, It is such comfort to know that You know the way I take and when You have tried me I shall come forth as gold. Thank You. LORD, teach me how I can actually consider it all joy, as I deal with suffering. You alone are my strength.  I do not have it in me. I am inclined to grumble and complain. You are Sovereign and in control, I surrender to You. Be my joy and rest. I am thankful there is purpose in suffering for You cause it to serve You. I want the word ‘accomplish’ to apply to me, that I might bring You glory. I pray this for all my brothers and sisters around the world some who are imprisoned and deeply suffer for You. Give them endurance and hope and let them sense Your Presence and love today. In Jesus I pray. Amen

 

For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 2 Corinthians  1:5

    
Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 2:3
        
az

http://www.gramzkidz.com

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. 
   

Watch