Category: Watchman on Alert BLOG

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Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

What is Reality?

Recently it has occurred to me that our perception of reality is wrong. If our perception is wrong then what is reality? And how can we know, how can we test to be certain: What is real?

What is reality?

There are two approaches to explaining what is reality… because there are two kinds of reality: the physical and the eternal.

The physically real is that which we see and touch, taste, hear — that which we can test as physically real. In the case of Jesus’ resurrection, there were hundreds of witnesses that saw, even touched Jesus after he rose from the dead (assuming the reader trusts historical documented accounts) and that physical reality of the resurrected Jesus is vital to the Gospel. So GOD recognises that physical reality whilst on earth is important. BUT…

The eternally real is that which is connected with GOD: the everlasting: Holy Spirit. Healing. Anointing. Revelation. These are everlasting.

I want to focus on GOD’s reality

GOD’s reality is harder to prove using scientific testing, but when you know it’s real particularly based on your own journey, your life experience with Him, the earthly, temporal existence we live and experience becomes relatively insignificant. Perhaps that’s why testimony is so powerful. In testimony, we demonstrate how our physical reality has met with eternal reality.

Jesus would have known

Jesus would have known that this earth, this human life, our passing existence is relatively insignificant. Oh, it is very significant when we are here! But measured next to eternity…. it is finite. It pales into insignificance. 

“Consider the lilies of the field…” (Matthew 6) Jesus tells us GOD takes care of the physical reality, and we don’t have to bother about it.

Reality is GOD. Reality is His anointing. Reality is the relationship He has with us. We only become alive when we are are born again, when we are in relationship to Him.

Earthly existence is finite

We put our attention on our earthly existence. For Believers we do recognise, even emphasise the heavenly destination. But every time we worry about the present, our earthly presence, we are saying the physical reality is what is (more) important. And that is simply not true. Distractions come and go. We need to put our greatest effort and attention into what is eternal. That’s my belief. Just as “the weapons of are warfare are not carnal,” (2Corinthians 10:4) so too must the greatest of our attention be not upon the carnal / physical, but on the spiritual / eternal.

GOD and our connection with him is Eternal. Therefore it is of value, of relevance, of importance, even whilst we live in this world. The eternal is what is significant, what is important, what is real.

Ponder this: Matter does not matter relative to the eternal.

Shalom. Happy pondering:)

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Reflections and Poetry

A World Racing By

Where does time go?

In the quest for night have we missed

the day; as you reflect

simply danced the time away?

So fast —

Time is rushing passed

to sit and ponder Day and Light 

ticking along, and flicking

moments passing, blink: it’s night!

To wait and think and hope — take flight

A luxury.

The World is passing by

Time is rushing passed

I do not know 

Which way to go

Grab a breath, then on we go

On quest

Time is rushing passed

It’s time to stop and stare

time to wait and glare

Into the mirror of life 

shall we dare

to Stop?

Time: Wait!

No pace, no watch; just wait

and wait

lingering into a life of rest

meandering to

ease and nature and 

peace with time…

Time: not your master.

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God's Story Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

GOD’S STORY: Pt 16 Creativity Unleashed!

GOD’S STORY Part 16 His Creativity Unleashed

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to those who read it.

We look at GOD’s character and in the very first chapter of His story the Bible, we discover His creativity unleashed…

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked.

What was GOD thinking when…

“The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of GOD was hovering over the face of the waters.” (Genesis 1:2)

‘So much potential!’

Is that what He was thinking? There was no form to the earth, but a blank canvas. There was space, there was darkness, there was a deep, there were waters. The Holy Spirit dwelt above. That’s all there was… Until we read of His creativity unleashed!

What could be done with this earth? 

From GOD came the Creation, starting with two entities: the heavens and the earth. But did He know in detail what He’d create? Or was He playfully speaking and spontaneously creating?

I suppose there were already other planets or would be other planets, given they exist now. How would this earth be unique from all the other planets?

GOD created. At first, at the very beginning, there were heavens and there was earth without any sort of form whatsoever. And then: GOD spoke form and life into the earth. He then spoke light. Then He spoke life to many forms. 

The impetus behind Creation

GOD is creative. GOD is alive. GOD is expressive. It seems the vastness of the heavens and the earth was too great to allow it to exist in a state of nothingness. There was too much canvas to ignore! 

And so GOD created a wonder. He created a planet that had life! He put Himself into the planet… and gave it life. He was no longer an observer but became a part of the story of humanity. He created the habitat…. and then He created life for the habitat, first plant life and then animate life. As part of GOD’s self expression and as part of the story about GOD, this truth reveals a great deal about Him.

In creating the vastness of the universe, He decided to put some of Himself into it. 

This is what the earth is: a manifestation of life that mirrors GOD the Creator Himself. The culmination of it all life is Man.

“So GOD created man in His own image; in the image of GOD He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27)

Surely He looked upon all of it, at the end of Day 6, and marvelled!

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Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

Jehovah Nissi: The LORD is my banner

Jehovah Nissi — the LORD is my Banner

Yehovah is the correct Hebrew name for our LORD, just as Yeshua (rather than the English translation, Jesus) is the Son’s name. I wonder if the name of GOD is more powerful in the Spirit realm when we use the Hebrew. Does it matter?

Nissi means banner.

How relevant is this expression to our walk with Jesus?

Jesus and the Church

“His banner over me is love.” (Song of Solomon 2:4b) In the Song of Solomon we read a love story between a man and a woman… But the story also parallels the love between Jesus and His bride: the Church. We are the bride, He is the bridegroom. The banner is a covering. The waving of the banner demonstrates an all-encompassing mutual devotion.

It might be harder for men to relate to this wedding analogy than for woman… Esther, a woman, was pampered for months as she prepared to meet her King… We must prepare to meet Jesus. How can men prepare comparably? I suggest we also consider the spiritual battle we face against the enemy, which perhaps men can better relate to, and which is an integral part of preparation to we meet Jesus.

Moses and the original banner

From Exodus 17:13-16, we see that Moses created an altar after the Hebrews defeated the Amalekites, where the banner was raised.

But how were the Amalekits defeated?

It was through the power of unity, as reflected in Psalm 133:

“How good and pleasant it is when brethren dwell together in unity…”

The unity and love for one another between Moses and Joshua and Judah(?) is expressed as the two younger men supported and help Moses to keep his arms raised throughout the battle, which ensured victory for the Hebrews.

When we witness support for one another, the love for GOD and His love for them is represented. Through their unity, the LORD enabled the Hebrews to prevail, teaching them that strength is greater when there is unity of purpose, unity of will, unity of effort.

A New Testament Principle

“Love the LORD GOD… and love your neighbour as yourself”

When we celebrate GOD, when we raise a banner to Him, when we work together toward a common cause which gives glory to GOD, we demonstrate our love for GOD and for our neighbour. This fulfils the great commandment which Jesus shared as the fulfilment of the Law. The “waving of a banner” then, is a demonstration of our love for GOD and His love for us, for the LORD is [our] Banner!

What is a banner

Worship, which can include the waving of a physical banner, is a spiritually powerful activity expressing our love and honour toward GOD and celebrating Him: His grace, His power. The waving of a banner is an act which demonstrates an act of worship, humility toward GOD.

Whether we wave a physical banner or simply jump, shout, sing, dance in worship, we express our love and gratitude to GOD. When we show the LORD is our everything, He is certainly shared as our protector, saviour, the banner of us which is love Himself.

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God's Story Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

GOD’S STORY: part 15 Discovery!

GOD’S STORY Part 15 Discovery

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Recently I was offered prayer. I said, “Sure, thank you!” I didn’t realise it would lead to such a Discovery!

One word that recurred in tongues three times as I was prayed for was “Torah” 

Discovery

So, I came home and looked at Genesis 1:1 (which you read about last entry)

And I realised, I’m meant to share GOD’s Story simply, through the Torah!! Double exclamation mark because how could I miss what is SO OBVIOUS to me now?!

“How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked.” 

I wrote the above several weeks ago as I began to seek to honour GOD through creating the GOD’S STORY blog chain. Only NOW I’ve realised, this rediscovery of the Pentateuch, the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, is the format I’m meant to use…

GOD’S STORY: Part 15 Discovery

Reading Genesis, I’m discovering so much. This is simply what the Father is saying to me as I read,

“Tell My story without preconditions or assumptions…”

So here goes:

Genesis 1:3a “Then GOD said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.”

But why did GOD ask for light? He is light. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12) so why ask for light as darkness was on the face of the deep? Why did He place Himself into the darkness?

What I recognise is that He spoke His reality into being, in to the Creation, joining with His Creation, saying through this action: ‘Let there be light there too’ or ‘I put Myself into Creation’ or ‘All of Creation has My stamp, My ID, my creativity, My life in it’.

He simply invaded the space, invades every space, doesn’t He? If so, that means He’s here now and always. Yes, that would jive with the supernatural and omnipresent concept of GOD.

Genesis 1:1-3

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.”

Before the heavens and the earth there was GOD. He was in relationship: Creator, Word and Spirit: three personalities in one GOD. 

We don’t know if there were other planets before He created the earth. Perhaps they are part of “the heavens” in this text. Physics, in my limited understanding would suggest (and remember GOD created Laws of physics too) that the planets which are in perfect balance including the earth, were created at the same time as the earth, so that all were created in perfect balance with one another. All we know from this scripture is that GOD preceded the heavens and the earth. So, GOD created them: the heavens and the earth, and then gave form to the earth. His Spirit was over the waters which existed. Then GOD spoke….

And in those first few lines of scripture we have the Father – Creator, the Spirit – Holy Spirit, and the Word – the Son. All of the GODHEAD was before the heavens and the earth and for some reason, He began to create. Perhaps in creating all the planets He decided ‘I’m going to create something with life!’ There was the creative spark, there was the present Spirit, and there was the voice of GOD who spoke and brought forth light. Do you wonder if He had a full plan or if He just began… and allowed one idea to follow another?

Does an artist know the landscape he will paint before he begins? Does the playwright know the entire story before she begins? Do composers hear the complete compositions before they begin their masterpieces?

Here’s a thought

Imagine if we could speak and have our creative spirit simply create with our voices!? We can already copy that as writers, by voice recording our thoughts and implementing a computer programme which transcribes our manuscript.

And spiritually speaking, perhaps we can…. Perhaps we can do all that Jesus has done, before He was Jesus, when He was the voice of GOD speaking His Word. Perhaps the Father would like us to ask Him for this gift. Or perhaps we have it, we just don’t recognise it. Perhaps.

From GOD’s point of view: He thought, He was present, He spoke and brought forth light. How wonderful! What a wonderful, awesome, inspiring GOD.

And if we have the faith of a grain of mustard seed, perhaps we too have gifting in creativity we don’t even know we have, that He wants us to use, to put at His disposal, to increase His presence in this world…. We need to ask Jehovah GOD, and wait with Him for His reply…

Let’s just ponder that reality for this week.

Blessings….

Sarah

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Character Development Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

Opinion is not required

Dear LORD, 

“Teach me to pray so that others will know your will.”

“Teach M***** to be more like you because right now s/he isn’t behaving righteously.”

“Teach my father/mother/brother/sister that I am right and they are wrong about ******.”

BUT GOD

In our prayers, in our walk, GOD doesn’t need our opinions. Our opinion is not required!

We are an opinionated lot, we human beings. And nowadays, with social media, we freely have the “right” to our opinions and the expression of them. Even the mainstream media outlets are full of editorial opinions which are expressed more than fact-based journalism … or at least that is my opinion (irony intentioned).

What does the LORD say in His Word about opinions?:

Romans 12:5 ends with “…. do not be wise in your own opinion.” I suspect that is not a frequently taught principle, neither inside nor outside the church.

“DO NOT BE WISE IN YOUR OWN OPINION”

This I believe is a word for today. For us. For you and for me.

I learned a while back that my opinion can get me into trouble: it leads me to judge, it leads me to close-mindedness, it leads me to relational breakdown. And what does it yield? Only a release of exasperation. That’s just my flesh! And I suspect it is the same for others of us… but that’s just my opinion. This conclusion is born from personal experience, but still it is only an opinion.

Walking away from the Word of GOD, society in the West has lost its compass. This habit of freely (and can I say sometimes: thoughtlessly and disrespectfully) expressing our opinion is a part of it.

I encourage us not to be wise in our own opinions but to “study the Word” and allow it to sharpen us (Hebrews 4:12)… and allow us to dwell peaceably with all men.

Dear LORD, 

“Teach me to be more like you, to know your word and to live it out, by the power of Holy Spirit in me.”

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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God's Story Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

GOD’S STORY part 14 God’s Existence

GOD’S STORY Part 14 GOD’s Existence 

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to us who read it.

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked.

GOD’S STORY: Part 14 GOD’s Existence

“In the beginning GOD

created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

I’ve broken up the verse deliberately, to encourage us to ponder each line individually. 

Our Father in heaven existed before time. Our Father in heaven existed in relationship with Himself: Creator. Word. Spirit. To us, this is Father, Son, Holy Spirit. This is who we know. And He has always been. Always. When we grasp this, if we can grasp this, it makes our existence even more amazing. 

Once upon a time there was GOD. Then He created angels. Then one angel rebelled and took a third of the others with him. He – Lucifer – was cast out of heaven. His cohort became demons. Then GOD created earth, and us. This we glean from various scriptures in Job, Isaiah, elsewhere… but this is a wee bit of context and for this message is not where I’m stopping…

GOD has always BEEN

“In the beginning

GOD

created

the heavens and the earth.”

GOD has always been. He has always been in relationship. He didn’t need us, wasn’t lonely or bored. There is no evidence for that. But He is creative, and so He created. And eventually, He created earth and everything in it. He created humanity.

As I contemplate the beginning of the Holy Bible, and rest simply upon the first two verses, I question, I seek — knock — find — that GOD is incredible. We are incredible to exist. 

Let us simply take much more time contemplating GOD. From the beginning, let us abide in Him to discover Who He is and What is His Story. What is GOD’s Story?

We begin again at the very beginning, before Time, before Us

For homework, I suggest we just rest, abide, sit with GOD: Our Father, Our Creator, Our LORD. Just dwell in Genesis 1:1, then add Genesis 1:2…..

What will we glean? What part of GOD’s Story will He reveal to each and every one of us? For me it is His power, His awesome power as “in a whirlwind…..”

Shalom as you Rest in Him.

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God's Story Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

GOD’S STORY: Part 13 GOD’s point of view

GOD’S STORY Part 13 Seeing from GOD’s Point of View

Colossians 1:9

“We are asking God that you may see things, as it were, from His point of view by being given spiritual insight and understanding.” (JB Phillips)

“For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (New King James Version)

Vision from GOD’s Point of View

GOD is our anchor — keeping us safe through any storm, above water, stable. Trusting this completely, we can rest — in His Sabbath Rest — and dwell, abide in the understanding of His will, His perspective, His point of view. Jesus encourages us to abide over and over again in John 15. Shall we take this onboard now and begin to rest in Him?

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to us who read it.

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked.

Coping with Change

GOD sees us from above. He has the panoramic view which includes us in His universe. He is outside Time and as such, can gauge the timing for events and make room for all eventualities. Sometimes, I think He orchestrates everything and yet makes way for the individual who isn’t quite ready — but will be — for GOD’s move!

We need to walk on water 

Seeing from His perspective enables us to navigate without fear or anxiety. Whether we can gain His perspective or not, as we walk in Him, we can live as though we are able to see as clearly as He does. Either we live by the Spirit, seeing as GOD sees, or live in complete surrender, trusting His lead. Anything from our own perspective is flawed and limits our growth and our ability to be effective in our world. When we know this and walk in this revelation, we are free and at peace.

“He shall give His angels charge over you to keep you in all your way.” (Psalm 91:11)

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

When we abide, trust, rest, obey, then we will be fully invigorated, fully useful, fully released and fully at peace.

How do we “walk on water”?

To walk on water, we walk the walk of what we talk… In other words, we surrender, we trust, we spend time with GOD… lots of time, abiding, resting, communicating with Him. As we engage, we gain His perspective and it becomes more and more a walk by faith rather than the present circumstances that we see with our earthly eyes.

As we trust, as we obey, we live above the storm as He does, looking to Jesus and to Father GOD, the author and finisher of our faith.

I believe I shall write quite a bit more on this… It seems it is the essence of GOD’s STORY — to convey His perspective so that we might gain His insight…. so stay tuned for next week as well…

In the meantime, every blessing as you engage with Yehovah GOD through Holy Spirit who abides in you. Blessed be your journey and blessed be the work of your hands.

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Examining Biblical Scripture Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

The Power of the Cross: ticket for LIFE

The Power of the Cross holds the ticket to Life

The power of the cross is that through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we have the opportunity for eternal life. How does this work?

Isaiah 49:6 says “‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant

To raise up the tribes of Jacob,

And to restore the preserved ones of Israel;

I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles,

That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

In coming to earth, Jesus — GOD in the flesh — offers restoration between GOD and mankind. But how could His presence on earth make such a difference as to conquer death to mankind? What does “salvation” actually mean?

The LORD gave Jesus the commission to rescue the Jewish people, GOD’s elder son. But the commission of the Son, his suffering and his mission, was deemed to be too powerful and too huge a sacrifice to limit salvation only to the Hebrew people. 

GOD sent the son for ALL and faith in Jesus saves anyone who follows Him.

What Jesus did

Jesus was born without an earthly father, who is the source of our sinful nature. It is the sinful nature that separates us from GOD. So, with Holy Spirit as the father, Jesus was born without sin, unlike every other human being.

“I didn’t come to replace the Law but to fulfil it.” (Matthew 5:17)

GOD provides the Law in order to help mankind recognise their rebellious and sinful nature and to repent. Through sacrifice, mankind is able to repent and return to relationship with the Father. But while mankind demonstrates his inability to avoid sin, he is not able either to keep the Law. Therefore he needs something beyond the Law to save him.

Jesus offers reunion between the Law and the Father, between mankind and the Father, between Life and the source of Life. Faith in Him sets us free from our own sin through His sinlessness and His sacrifice. Jesus provides the “ticket” to eternal life.

Salvation enables freedom for the sinner, to reach the Father by His grace

Forgiveness, offered by the Father through faith in the Son, is the ticket to heaven after life on earth and freedom from oppression whilst on earth.

The first Adam sinned and gave up his immortality; the second Adam replaced sin and death with the opportunity for salvation and eternal life.

So, who is Jesus?

Jesus is the saviour for mankind: born of a virgin, He lived, taught, died, and in rising again brought victory over death. Jesus triumphed over sin and death. 

Faith in Him allows us to reap the benefit of resurrection. Faith in Jesus is the ticket to eternal life. The power of the cross is the resurrection power of a sinless substitute for our sin. 

Life is eternal for those who believe and follow Jesus. The power of the cross is the ticket to life!

“No one comes to the Father except through me”

Jesus said this not because He’s racist or egotistical but because no one else before or after, was sinless AND no one else before or after, defeated death. Those are the credentials Jesus has, and no one else. So like it or not, He’s the only Way to reunion with the Creator of the Universe, GOD the Father.

Shalom and God bless… may this explanation be useful to you and yours.

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God's Story Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

GOD’S STORY: Part 12 Decision-making GOD’s Way

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to us who read it.

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked. 

GOD’S STORY Part 12 Decision-making

“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men…” (Matthew 4:19)

As followers of Jesus, how is it possible for us to execute our own decision-making? 

Following is not easy, is it? But we must discipline ourselves, or make the choice, or  surrender…  even when making our own decisions. However we might choose to manage it, following Jesus is great but it is not always easy.

Often we can implement the LORD’s will. We hear from Him; then we use our talents, our time, our resources, to implement what the LORD has positioned us to do. But what about when He stretches us, asks us to go beyond our comfort zone to do something which will make a difference in this world but which pushes our envelope beyond our experience? The LORD led me in this way recently, and here’s where I went wrong…

From Follow to Muddle

Over the past week or two the LORD has been leading me in a new direction. And when it came to taking His lead, I got in quite a muddle. 

I want to share GOD’s Story — GOD’s perspective as near as I have worked it out so far, on decision-making. He prompted me to take some risks, to go out of my comfort zone, and I was willing. That was my choice. I did research and considered the information. I prayed and sought His direction. All of a sudden: BOOM!

I was eager to follow… but then…

Here’s the pattern I followed with the very best of intention

Step 1: I followed …. I received a prompt and whole-heartedly aimed to follow

Step 2: I anticipated next steps

Step 3: I reasoned —

Step 4: I recognised I was in a muddle. 

How did that happen? I anticipated rather than taking GOD’s lead to reason, to plan, to strategise and to implement.

What to do to prevent a repeat?

In the stillness, I must wait, rest, trust, wait some more… until I hear clearly the direction — advice — to take.

“He who waits upon the LORD shall renew his strength…” (Isaiah 40:31)

Following the LORD’s lead does not mean we don’t think, use our intellect and common sense. Rather, it means we allow GOD to influence our thinking, intellect and common sense. We allow the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to lead as we wait for Him to direct our steps.

Regret …. but lessons learned

I wish I’d not got ahead of GOD. But in recognising it I realise I’ve learned to be on the alert for my own anticipation. Enthusiasm is a wonderful characteristic, but we do need to curb our flesh, and surrender ourselves to Holy Spirit’s prompting if we are going to follow, from beginning to end, the fullness of GOD’s plan.

Decision-making begins at the very beginning of any move we make. When we give our hopes and aspirations, our goals and intents of our hearts to the LORD, when we trust He’s heard and rest in Him, He will direct our steps toward the destination. We hope, we trust, we hear, we share and then we follow…. allowing Him to unfold the direction of our steps to achieve our heart’s desire and that which He has for us. 

Every blessing for the week ahead…

Categories
God's Story Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

GOD’s STORY: Part 11 Ignoring Pressure!

 GOD’S STORY Part 11 Ignoring Pressure!

I ask myself — and pray to the LORD — what does He urge me to discuss this week? 

Pressure! In fact, Ignoring Pressure!

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to us who read it.

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked.

Matthew 6:25-34 reads as follows,

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Do Not Worry!

Clearly, GOD does not want us to feel pressure from the world. And yet, we His children can so easily fall into a trap of worry, anxiety, hard effort without the lead of Holy Spirit.

“He who waits upon the LORD shall renew his strength.” From Proverbs 3 and other scriptures like this, we receive wisdom and guidance. Likewise, walking with the Spirit of GOD, in sync step-by-step, we can eliminate the sense of pressure than oppresses us and stresses us, which imposes on our own peace and on the influence we offer to others.

In GOD’s STORY, I believe He is saying to us: receive my peace which passes all understanding, and take each day and each incident one by one. In this is rest, peace, strength and joy.

“I have been misrepresented” I hear Him say. This is not a quote from scripture but rather, as I sit to receive from Him, it is what I record from Him… “I have been misrepresented” means He has not determined that pressure should be a part of our lives, although a religious spirit would suggest we are meant to “measure up!” to a false sense of behaviour and attitude as represented by religion rather than GOD. As we begin to absorb this, we will discover His real intent for us. Yes, we are meant to work… labour is a cost to the Fall of Adam. But through working by the “sweat of our brow” we receive joy and pleasure, dignity and self respect from our own industry… not pressure. 

Pressure is what comes of man seeking to create a legacy or a promotion or a name for himself. Pressure is what comes from worry over the family’s security or our own well being. Pressure arises through a lack of faith in the sovereign protection of GOD.

He wants us, I believe to live ignoring pressure from wherever it may come.

Does GOD feel pressure?

Have you ever wondered what GOD thinks of our demanding prayers, our prayers of declaration? We are taught to pray according to scripture, to declare the power of GOD, that “No weapon formed against [us] will prosper and every tongue that rises against [us] in judgment will be condemned” as His scriptures say and we include in our prayers. 

But how does GOD receive these prayers? Does GOD feel pressure from us?

I wonder how GOD receives our prayers

I believe the more we pray gently and in humility, the clearer we hear Him and the clearer we speak to Him. We are called to pray the desires of our heart. Sometimes we will be vehement, at other times quiet and demure. The more we “be still” before we begin, the more our hearts become quiet and can sense Holy Spirit’s prompt and the direction He leads us to pray. I don’t personally believe that making demands is of the LORD, though I recognise GOD can connect with us wherever we might be.

Personally, I pray to be sincere, committed and even firm, but not to demand our LORD to do as we bid.

This does not cut across or deny the power of spiritual warfare but I do think when we war against the spirits of the air, we are not demanding to GOD but rather firm in our conviction to speak His will into the spiritual realm. In order to do that, surely we need first to be quiet and still, to hear the direction of the LORD and to follow it in prayer. Then we pray with earnest expectation rather than demand. And we receive blessing, knowing He has given us a gift. In this there is no pressure from either side.

Hallelujah! We are blessed.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

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God's Story Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

GOD’s STORY: Part 10 Unpacking our free will with GOD

GOD’S STORY Part 10 Unpacking our Free Will 

I believe wholeheartedly that we who have given our lives to Jesus have free will. But I’d like to suggest we need to undertake the unpacking of our free will. We start by looking at what those who follow Jesus have inherited: We have a renewed mind, with the ability to see truth from deceit, light from darkness, life from death. Without this ability to see clearly, people have not got the full range of choices and so haven’t really got free will. Without Jesus, we are accountable to the devil, who keeps us ignorant and provides no freedom at all.

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to us who read it.

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked. 

Choice comes through clarity of mind

The LORD gives us the ability to know right from wrong from birth (Romans 1). But we choose to follow or to turn from Him. When we follow, we have the ability to see Truth and therefore to make an informed choice that is not available to those who are not born again.

That’s how I see it. But how does the LORD see things? Let’s try unpacking our free will: how GOD has designed humanity, how He leads us, and how He holds off destruction for a time.

GOD gives us freedom

Does GOD insist we obey constrictive rules OR does He give us room so that we can unpack our free will “at will”? Yes, I think He does the latter.

First, allow me to begin with the fact that the LORD knows the way we will choose, and He accounts for that in His bigger picture. (Job 23:10) He knows the choices we will make, and yet we do have the freedom to make our choices and experience the consequences.

Next, I ask you to imagine the LORD as a music producer: He knows the ultimate sound that will come forth, but He enables the composer, conductor and the instrumentalists to engage with one another and with Him to create a symphony of sound. In other words, He knows the ultimate outcome. He knows what will transpire in the meantime, and He waits for us to interact amidst His cues in a way that inspires, moves, motivates us. He knows — we discover. That’s our personal and societal journey. He knows not because He manipulates, but because He knows us, our character. How many of us as parents are more often predicting how our young child will behave. Sometimes we are surprised; but more often, if we know our child, there is a high level of prediction as to how s/he will behave in a particular situation. How much better does our father in heaven know, predict our behaviour and attitude. In fact, when we give our lives to Him, we commission Him to change us into His likeness. So first, He knows us, next He knows the end from the beginning, and ultimately He’ll enable us to fulfil our desire to be “like Him”.

Finally, the LORD has His absolute red lines: He has limits that will not be crossed. When Satan was allowed to mess with Job, the LORD said, “but do not take his life…” (Job 2:6). Similarly, there will come a day when the bowls of wrath will be full (Revelation 16:1) and then Jesus will return to judge the earth (Revelation 16:16-17). Jesus didn’t know when that time would be, but GOD the Father knows. (Matthew 24:36)

This is GOD’s Story, not mine

Ultimately, it matters not a bit what I think or have worked out. In the sovereignty of GOD, He holds the earth and everyone in it in His hands.

What does His omnipotence mean within this conundrum of our free will and His omnipotence?

Omnipotence is having unlimited authority and power. GOD has the power and authority to make choices and He has chosen to give us the freedom to make our own discoveries and our own choices. Whatever we choose will hold consequences. In His Story, GOD chooses to teach us and to shape us through our own choices ,experiences and consequences. That’s how it works under His sovereignty.

Character over Circumstance

In my experience and from observation as well, I see GOD always seems to choose our character development over our situation or circumstance. It seems so long as we survive, GOD would prefer us to grow spiritually, rather than to have an easy ride. He does grant us the desires of our hearts, though we sometimes confuse our will with our heart. Even when someone significant in our lives actually passes away, that experience grows us too. We can rest assured the loved one is in His presence and in His will now. And that passing will catapult our growth: both ours and others’ around us. 

Always, GOD takes our commitment at our word and gives us opportunity to shine! We are allowed to make our own choices: whether to prosper in our growth or to hide from our challenge, we always have a choice. 

When we follow His ways, our character will grow, and in that I believe He takes particular delight.

At the End of the Age… or at least at the end of the Day

Natural and scientific laws operate without GOD’s ongoing attention, because He designed them that way. Within those laws human beings exist and we are responsible for the rest of the earth: the other living creatures, the seas and landscapes. He brought us into this universe in order that we would relate to Him and to one another. Genesis 1 makes that crystal clear.

Since the Fall of man, His plan to bring us back to Him has been unfolding. He is patient, kind, wise, full of goodness and He awaits the appointed time for the grand unfolding of His new heaven and earth.

It is His timing and not ours. It is centuries long, even millennia. We might interpret this as a lack of interest or a lack of power on GOD’s part. But His fragrant love, His service to us as revealed particularly through Jesus, His never-ending devotion and guidance reveals to us that our actions do not dictate the times, seasons, conclusion to this Age — though they do impact our own lives. 

The sovereign will of GOD is like the globe: all encompassing, grander and greater than our individual circumstances, but nevertheless everlasting and ever engaging.

GOD uses reason but encompasses it with His sovereignty and so we live, move, have our being in Him, if we so choose, for we are His offspring (Acts 17:28)

Every blessing and Amen.

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Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

Gratitude!

Gratitude isn’t just being grateful, it is celebrating GOD’s character and the character He places in us.

Gratitude seeps out of the Psalms time and again. “I will praise you, O LORD!” appears over and over. The dedication of the writers is profound.

Psalm 137 struck me this morning… “How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!”

From where does our gratitude flow and to where does it go? 

“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise. My heart is steadfast.” Psalm 57:7 promises the deep and earnest commitment straight from the writer’s heart, aiming for the heart of the Father GOD.

It is vital that we remember to give thanks for all things, both for our own emotional and spiritual health and for the blessing of the LORD. When we bless the LORD we delight Him and it’s handy too that we counter the devil.

As we give thanks we take our minds from ourselves and put our attention on Him. This we do because we are grateful, but it also benefits us in that we find life, joy, peace. Living a self-conscious life draws us toward self-centredness, self-pity. 

When we think of ourselves, we lose sight of our blessings and we lose sight of Him who has blessed us. We become full of self, fear, antagonism, anxiety. But when we keep our eyes on Jesus, when we praise the Father and thank the Son, when we touch the heart of GOD by His Spirit, we are divinely blessed.

But we live a life of gratitude not merely because it helps us, and not merely because it conquers the enemy, and not even because GOD is deserving. But we live a life of gratitude because it is a demonstration of love. And love never fails.

Praise the LORD: for wisdom, for grace, for salvation, for joy. Let everything that has breath, Praise the LORD!

Shalom and Amen.

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God's Story Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

GOD’s STORY part 9 God has given us free will… Really?

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to us who read it.

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked. 

GOD’S STORY Part 9 Has GOD given us Free Will really?

Free Will

Each person makes his/her own choices. But does anyone have free will without the LORD? 

This is what I totally and whole heartedly believe Father Yehovhah GOD, Adonai Elohim wants me to write about this week…. It is a part of His Story which He wants us to understand…

Those who are in rebellion are under the control of the Evil One and make their choices in the dark. 

Those who are in the light of the love of GOD are free to choose which direction to take, fully in the light, fully able to see which is conditional on if we take the time and attention to look. Those who walk with Him make choices, have freedom to engage with Him, freedom to take or reject His guidance… free to take the blessings or consequences of our choices.

Recently, I had an invitation to speak but I had a conflict with the timing of that invitation, and so I had a choice to make. 

I waited on the LORD. I knew I could do either: speak or focus on my original arrangement, but I thought perhaps that He preferred I speak. But how could I reject the other pre-planned situation? Should I help 1 or the many? Then I thought of the 1 sheep and the 99 from Matthew 18. I chose to take care of the 1 even though the 99 might have benefitted.

Following the Word of GOD

I followed GOD’s Word, not because I had no choice, but because I made my choice. I had the peace of GOD then, though I believe that if I’d made a different choice it would not have been wrong. I’d have had different scripture to stand on. GOD gives us choices. 

“He knows the way that I take, and when I come forth I shall shine like gold.” (Job 23:10)

GOD is bigger than our choices

If we have free will, how can GOD be sovereign? This is a deep theological question. It believe it is part of GOD’s Story…. I’d like to continue this journey at a deeper level next time.

Summary

But the kernels to hold on today are: GOD gives free will, Satan blocks it for those who walk without the knowledge of Jesus Christ. And we are responsible for our choices but those who walk in Christ can see and have the opportunity to choose!

Shalom and Amen.

Categories
God's Story Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

GOD’s Story Pt 8: Sovereignty of GOD

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to us who read it.

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked. 

GOD’S STORY Part 8 Sovereignty of GOD

GOD is Sovereign. Personally, I have no doubt about the Sovereignty of GOD… But how is it, when GOD is sovereign, that sometimes His will does not seem to come to pass? Is it correct to think His will does not always reign? 

Recently in the UK a new prime minister gained the title but after 6 weeks, she was forced to resign. The day she came into office the stained glass window in Westminster Hall, which is tidal, was completely alight. It was extraordinary and a rare — perhaps even a never before — event. To my mind and my prayer partners’ at the time, this was a marker for the LORD’s endorsement to her office. So why then did she not remain in office?

GOD does not interfere

I think the LORD observes and is grieved by some of the choices mankind makes. But He doesn’t interfere. He gave a gift of a particular leader as our Prime Minister in this example, who was then rejected by some powerful forces in media and banking, and she was forced out. 

I believe the LORD will continue to observe us — all of us all over the world — until He cannot allow the corruption of humanity to grow any deeper. Then the Restrainer, the presence of GOD through Holy Spirit, will be removed… and Jesus will return.

GOD’s course of Action is long-term

2 Thessalonians 2:7-12 says, 

“For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 

This is a reflection of Romans 1 as well, which explains that we are born knowing right from wrong and the truth of the Creator.

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.”

GOD takes the long view and in doing so, He gives mankind opportunity to discover the Creator and to reconnect with Him. He gives us the opportunity to receive salvation, individually and nationally. He restrains evil. This is His ultimate will. But He gives us the choice to receive or to reject.

The Restrainer — Holy Spirit and His children, Believers who carry Him within —  He holds the enemy and total depravity at bay, giving each persona and each nation the opportunity to embrace the Truth.

Depravity and its reach

We see the evidence of the depraved mind more and more these days in the West, as we ignore common sense and the laws of science, embracing the fancy of individualisation. Evil is not yet fully developed in all its fullness. Even though the world is becoming darker and darker, in GOD’s sovereignty, He holds Satan at bay. 

But when the Restrainer is removed from this earth, what then? I believe this is to be marked by our rapture to Heaven, followed by the earth becoming consumed by depravity…. I shudder! 

Let’s not linger on the thought of a dark world without any goodness, kindness, righteousness whatsoever. 

The LORD’s grief

All the earth’s depravity grieves the LORD! He knows what will come to pass inevitably, but He holds off for as long as possible, for as many as possible to have every opportunity to see the light of Christ, and to receive Him, before His removal of His protection and the ultimate return and judgment of Jesus upon those who have rejected salvation.

What must is be like for the Father who observes?

In my mind’s eye, I can imagine our LORD, Abba Father, who observes our mistakes and waits for us to “knock” (Revelation 3:20) so that He can enter into our lives. 

I can envisage a Father who looks upon His children, wanting to enter into their activities and waiting to be invited. A huge embrace is available to those who call upon Him. 

For those who do not call upon this Father, He prompts them through bringing others into their lives; He gently steers and offers provision, but He does not force anyone to drink the water He offers. 

Eventually, time and opportunity will run out….

The End as we know the Earth

The earth may cease but GOD’s love will never cease. The heavens may fall, but GOD’s power will never decline. The enemy may rise, but GOD will never be defeated. The time may seem short, but His arm extends into infinity.

GOD’s sovereignty may not reveal itself as we would expect, or ask, but it never fails. By faith and through a glance at History, we can trace His eye, His hand, His will. His word reminds us of His promises and on these we can depend, because He is all-powerful.

In Jesus’ name, may we recall and reclaim that which He has already declared in His word.

“No weapon formed against us will prosper and every tongue that rises against us in judgment will fail.” (text) Ultimately, the end from beginning has been ordained and His will will succeed. Amen.

He is sovereign. Let us have no doubt of that.

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Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

Is it time to take stock of your Christian Life?

Every now and then we need to pause, to “be still” simply to reflect on our proximity to GOD and His will in our lives. That’s my way of bridging my relationship with GOD to the present day in the world. 

Is it time to take stock of your Christian life?

I spent a recent Saturday evening in my rocking chair by the gas fire, talking with GOD. I haven’t done that in a very long time, and it was the most wonderful evening I’ve had in a long while. There was no hype, no intensity, no burden. Just conversation with the most important person in my life: Adonai Elohim, Yehovah: my daddy.

Thank you GOD for showing up. Thank you for waiting for me. Thank you.

It is always time

I’ve just had a lovely conversation with a brother who is relatively new in the LORD. His hunger, enthusiasm, plethora of questions, is such a joy to engage. And the questions he has are full of sincerity, faith and passion for the Truth. He’s also asking questions about poverty, power and money. And so, invariably, there are some attitudes that the LORD will touch in this friend’s walk, as he steadfastly looks to Jesus.

But even when we have walked with the LORD for decades, it is always the time to draw close, always the time to ask questions, and always the time simply to rest in Him. He promised us the Sabbath rest… Not just on a Saturday but every day, as we walk with Him, we can live in the peace, grace and stillness of GOD. When we pursue Him, when we are still before Him, we will be changed into His likeness.

Yes, it is always the time to take time to grow in Him.

“In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight.” (Proverbs 3:6)

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God's Story Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

GOD’S STORY: Part 7 – Baptism of Holy Spirit is necessary

GOD’S STORY Part 7 Baptism of Holy Spirit…. He is necessary for growth beyond our sinful nature

Tongues of Fire “sat upon each of them” in the upper room as recorded in Acts 2:3

What does that indicate? And why haven’t we witnessed tongues of fire as they did?

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to us who read it.

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked. 

So, I proceed on a deeper look at Holy Spirit, the person of GOD:

The key for our character growth is not how Holy Spirit manifests but why we need Him. For salvation, when we receive Jesus, the Holy Spirit is as a seal upon that prayer commitment. So, one could say for salvation, you only need the seal, not the baptism. But what if you want to walk beyond your sinful nature. What if you desire to “be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect” as Jesus suggests in Matthew 5:48?

We work out our own salvation with fear and trembling… We come before the LORD in humility with repentant hearts. Jesus offers us complete freedom from sin through salvation through faith in Him (Ephesians 2:8-9) but also from sinfulness, from our very propensity to rebel, to sin, to walk in our own will. How is this changed? How are we transformed?

Our transformation is by Holy Spirit

Have you ever wondered why Jesus sent the comforter? Have you ever wondered why He needs to dwell within us? His seal, our salvation, is just the first step.

Have you ever wondered why the Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) are listed as of the Spirit? 

Our character is in Christ at the moment of our commitment to Him. BUT for our character to be transformed into His likeness by GOD’s sweet grace, He’s provided us with the Holy Spirit. Jesus left earth after His resurrection in order for this “Helper” to come. And how does He help us where Jesus did not?

Jesus is the role model. But Holy Spirit enables us to fulfil the role.

I will say this another way: Jesus, son of GOD, son of man, came to earth that He could take on our sin in our stead. He was and is perfect. But we are not. Even at the point of our salvation, though GOD no longer sees our sin, we still wrestle within ourselves. Anxiety, fear, control, wilfulness, rebellion, impatience, misery, negative thought, jealousy, insecurity… these are just some of the human traits we wrestle against. Holy Spirit teaches us how to rid ourselves of them and He helps us to retrain our thinking and our action toward the love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness, patience, faith and self control …. the grace… which He moulds in our character. 

Then we model Jesus with our own unique personality.

How to live without baptism of Holy Spirit… Why live with baptism of Holy Spirit

Apollos was a minister mentioned several times in Acts and in Paul’s letters. Originally, he’d only been baptised in the name of John, until Priscilla and Aquila taught him “more accurately”. (Acts 18)

Apollos moved from having little knowledge to a fuller understanding. Likely he originally knew little of the Spirt having only been baptised in the name of John. Gaining fuller and deeper understanding from Priscilla and Aquila, his ministry must have grown for Paul to refer to him with the respect he showed. (1 Corinthians 3)

Like Apollos in his early days with Jesus, some Believers are walking in partial experience of GOD’s salvation. We all need Jesus, and the seal of the Spirit evidences our salvation. But also we all need Holy Spirit baptism in our journey toward heaven, so that our character can be more effective on earth and I daresay, we live more peace-filled lives. This surely is a delight to the LORD.

Are we saved without baptism of Holy Spirit. Well, of course it isn’t up to me, but I believe so, yes. Is a person without baptism of Holy Spirit equal with those with? I can only witness my own journey… 

My testimony of life before and after Baptism of Holy Spirit

I gave my life to the LORD at age 24. At age 31 I was a committed Christian who swore, was anxious and controlling, lacked inner peace. At age 32 I was challenged by a fellow-believer to seek water baptism. 

At first, I contested. I had been christened as a child. Surely that was the same thing. But that night, before I went to bed, I wondered, “Why was I so argumentative about baptism?” I felt convicted, ‘Because I need to be baptised’ was the answer that fed back to me.

Some days later, that same friend suggested I ask GOD for the gift of tongues. That bedtime on my own, I asked and the LORD bubbled within me, and as I opened my mouth, I began to speak in tongues.

It was shortly thereafter that I was able to find an opportunity to be water baptised. On that evening I testified, “I gave my life to Jesus for myself. But now, I get baptised in order to walk for others’ sake.”

At the point of re-emerging from the water, I felt Joy! ‘Ah’, I thought, ‘so this is what Joy is!?’ I had never felt it before.

From that moment maturity came upon me more and more quickly. I found it easier to yield my will to His. I stopped swearing virtually overnight. Early on, I felt like a part of me was dying and of course it was… the part or at least some of the part of me that very much needed to die: the carnal, fleshly part of me.

I’m still on that journey.  But my understanding of the Word became much more clear and is acute now, in huge part because of Holy Spirit.

Why some say Holy Spirit gifts are passed

Holy Spirit gifts and power often need to be expected in order to be received. Faith and hope rise up in expectation of what GOD can do. 

In the Dark Ages, people believed GOD but Catholicism had taken root in Europe. As a European descendent I know little other historical theology. Where Christianity flourished it was largely either Catholic or Orthodox. And during the Dark Ages, the Medieval times, there was — as far as I understand — little power evidence of Holy Spirit. Perhaps that is where the idea was birthed that such things as miracles had ceased. There are Biblical scriptures namely 1 Corinthians 13 that are taken to mean the gifts end but the saving grace and love of Jesus continue. But that is a stretch of scripture, as far as I can see.

There are forces against faith in Holy Spirit just as there are forces against faith in Jesus. And so, those saved but not walking in the Baptism of Holy Spirit have limited experience of the power and presence of GOD. Perhaps some have tremendous faith in Jesus but if taught not to expect anything more, they don’t seek and they don’t receive.

Further, some may fear manifestations which are reported as Holy Spirit by some but others contest. To that I bring you to scripture: 

Luke 11:11 says,

“If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?”

GOD will not give us something that is unholy or unhealthy. We need to trust Him.

Matthew 7:7-12 says,

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?”

What is the manifestation of Holy Spirit

Ultimately, the litmus test regarding the Holy Spirit is the transformation of our character.

Discernment and experience will tell us whether something is “of GOD” or is “not of GOD”.

Our discernment will be spiritual and not of our opinion. We need to learn the difference.

Yes, there are forces of darkness and the devil is prowling around. But GOD is sovereign, GOD is bigger, GOD’s angels outnumber satan’s demons 2-1.

The manifestation of the Spirit of GOD will draw us closer to Him and will grow our character into that which more resembles His.

Sometimes we might seem undignified. If the LORD is removing some influence from us, we might have to physically break free as well as mentally or spiritually. David danced and his wife mocked him. Who was the loser of the two?

“So David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the Lord. And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honour.” Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.” (2 Samuel 6:21-23)

Will you seek Holy Spirt and share His Truth

The reality is that the world is getting darker and we who are in Christ are shining more brightly. But we need more of GOD (and less of ourselves) as offered through the Holy Spirit in order to witness and to stand in these times.

Will you trust GOD more, will you surrender more of yourself to Him, will you receive all He offers, when He offers, in the way that He offers? Will you yield your life 100% to Him? I believe He’s asking us all. Who will say, “Yes and Amen”?

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God's Story Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

GOD’S STORY Pt 6 Who is Holy Spirit

“And those members of the body which we think to be less honourable, on these we bestow greater honour; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty”

While this is what Paul writes to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 12:23) in reference to the church as analogous to a human body, so I would ask you to look at this as analogous to the persons of the Godhead: namely, Father Son and Holy Spirit.

So Who is Holy Spirit?

We give GOD All the Glory! But who is GOD: Yehovah, Elohim if not inclusive of all three? Who is Holy Spirit and how does He fit with the others?

The Holy Spirit is to GOD as our most unpresentable parts are to our humanity: vital, for discretion, to be revered.

Part of GOD’s Story then is that Holy Spirit has been given less honour, less respect, less opportunity in our lives as a body of Christ = the church, than the other persons of GOD and I believe this needs to be addressed. Here is my opportunity to share GOD’s Story of Holy Spirit.

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to us who read it.

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked. 

So, here we go…. GOD’S STORY Part 6 Who is Holy Spirit

GOD is Spirit. Surely that is first and foremost. He is timeless, omnipotent, omniscient, and perhaps most important for us to understand in order to understand Holy Spirit, is to remember that Our Father: Yehovah GOD, Elohim is omnipresent. 

From His hovering over the earth in Genesis 1:2 to Jesus leaving the earth so that He could send His Spirit (John 14:25-26)…. I think it’s fair to say WE STILL DON’T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE HOLY SPIRIT, not that well at any rate.

United with the Holy Spirit, there is nothing our LORD cannot do, nothing we cannot do when we abide in Him.

In John 15 Jesus says,

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.”

Several times Jesus says “abide in me… and bear fruit”. What is this fruit that he is talking about? He is talking about character and the fruit that counts is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, which Paul lists in Galatians 5:22-23 namely, love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness, patience, faith and self control. These are markers of character, godly character, Christ-like character, fruit which flows from the Holy Spirit.

And so in order to abide with Jesus and in Jesus, in order to grow in His character, we need the Holy Spirit. It is through Holy Spirit that we abide and through Holy Spirit that the our character bears fruit. That Spirit which is GOD, dwelling in us, transforming us as we allow, that Spirit which is united with us: GOD in us.

Yes, all humanity can choose love and can choose decency by its will. But only through Holy Spirit can we succeed in bearing the character of Christlike love and character. 

How we grow in Christ

Man wrestles with himself and with GOD. Remember Jacob wrestling for his blessing (Genesis 32:24-29)? Jacob did not get all his answers but he did get the blessing of a new name: Israel. And it is his descendants who would become the nation of Israel. 

We all are like two year olds are we not? Like children who want both to please Mum and Dad and yet also to have their own way, do we not struggle against our love for GOD and our own way?

Holy Spirit teaches us and comforts us — leading us to follow and convicting us when we don’t, touching our hearts to draw near and not to punish ourselves for our short-comings but rather to learn from our mistakes. This is the personal touch of Holy Spirit. He is no less a person with whom we are encouraged to relate than the Father or Jesus. And yet, He is the least known, the least acknowledged of the three persons of GOD. 

As the Father is the powerhouse of GOD — the one in whom we ‘fear’; as Jesus is the lamb of GOD, who models for us our humanity as GOD intends; so the Holy Spirit is deeply personal; He encourages us to persevere. In our humanity we will to do life on its own terms. We wrestle against GOD’s will; we doubt Jesus; we resist the Holy Spirit.

“Come unto me all who labour and are heavy-laden and I will give you rest…” These are Jesus’ spoken words in Matthew 11 but it is through a surrender to Holy Spirit that we can yield, be still, come unto, abide and find our rest.

GOD says, “Come”, “Be still”, ‘Love Me and love others” but we get distracted and diverted as our own will says, ‘Come, do it this way, now!’

All of life is a journey

GOD has offered us a journey of a lifetime when we surrender to Him. Holy Spirit enables that walk in that surrender. Only to the degree that we walk His way, in love, above the clouds of turmoil and strife, full of His grace, truth, love, peace do we live the best life. 

This part of GOD’s Story is simply to say, GOD offers, GOD encourages, GOD asks us to align with, yield to, enjoy, and surrender to Him, and it is through Holy Spirit that we are able to do this.

GOD in our own strength

We are not meant — but often do— live a soul-ish spirituality. We love GOD yes, but we still follow our own will to Him. Instead we must surrender our will. We must surrender to the Spirit of GOD, walking daily in His will and way, if we are metaphorically, to ride on the clouds: Surrendering our body to our soul, soul to our spirit, our spirit to Holy Spirit of GOD will lead us into a spirit-filled walk that is as walking on water and as beyond the earthly condition. We can live as GOD lives, without time, without conditions, without limitations, if we simply trust and obey, surrender and receive.

GOD’s Power and Presence within us

Holy Spirit is the power and presence of GOD. When we abide in the LORD and allow ourselves to live completely surrendered, then we will rise above the temporal, beyond the clouds of emotion and circumstance, into a freedom and grace that is unknown to the earthly person.

What is the Holy Spirit? Who is the Holy Spirit?

He is that part of GOD that enables us to be truly intimate. We know the Father from above. We know Jesus from His earthly walk. We know Holy Spirit because He lives within us. 

THE LORD GOD is seeking to draw us closer to Him. How closely will you allow Him to draw you? Will you yield all to Him? In His Story, He is asking you. He is asking us all.

“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) This is not only a call from Jesus to us. This call is from GOD to us. This call is Holy Spirit’s offering to us. 

Will we trust and accept the calling to be fully surrendered to the Creator of the universe?

Categories
Reflections and Poetry

At This Time

At this time…

The Earth is straining

The Nations striving

Existence without You

Burning consequences of unexpected pain.

Tears shed, the strain so trying

Crying to you

Crying for Your loss:

At every independent heart

Rejecting You, rebuking,

Spilling hatred to all who truly love.

The Earth strains

The Heart breaks

The Lord blushes

At our shame.

What is to come:

I shudder, I quake

Echoing the prophecy

Of humanity’s self destruction

Salvation for all who choose —

Far too few choose.

And I sigh at the truth of it

At this time.

Categories
God's Story Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

GOD’S STORY: Part 5 What is the Law?

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to us who read it.

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked. 

GOD’S STORY Part 5: What IS the Law? And How does it relate to Creation?

In a very personal way, the LORD GOD Yehovah has shared with us through Jesus what is the law… It all comes down to Love.

Last week GOD’s Story discussed why GOD created the Law. This week, I’ll share more about what that Law actually is….

Looking at Psalm 119 we can take apart so many verses and see how much the writer is devoted to the precepts, statutes, word, wonderful works. All these draw upon the Law of GOD, the Creator of the Universe.

Looking at the Laws of physics, mathematics, language…. GOD’s Law will not be mocked. We think of the Law as a set of rules (religion) or guidelines (relationship) but it is so much more….

“Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from your law.” (Psalm 119:18) These are not simply words of wisdom but the essence of life.

“Make me understand the way of your precepts; so I shall mediate on Your wonderful works.” (v 27)

The Father does not just want us to obey rules but He wants us to comprehend His workings! Like a watchmaker who intricately creates a timepiece, so the Father has intricately created earth, from Beginning to End. And He has created not just the physical earth but all the properties and laws of nature that govern how everything works together and holds together. He is the Alpha and Omega (Revelation 22:13). In the beginning was GOD (Genesis 1:1) even before Time, creating day and night on the first day, and hence a marker, a beginning of Time itself, there was GOD at work.

Core of Creation

And at the very heart of this Creation… is Love. A GOD who has three identities in one person: the capacity for thought, the physical embodiment, and the spiritual. GOD the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are the labels given but He is in harmony with Himself and models that for mankind. In the beginning was a void and out of that void He created life in all its fulness, that He would have companionship and share that with humanity.

And for humanity to exist well, it needs Love at its core.

Opposition to Love

What does the enemy sow? Hatred, animosity, strife. What does GOD sow? Love, forgiveness, kindness, generosity, grace.

Following GOD’s Law is not following rules and even goes beyond relationship. Jesus came to fulfil the Law, not to replace it (Matthew 5:17). And what did he encapsulate the Law as?

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:36-40)

In essence His Law encapsulates the concept of Love and it goes right back to the beginning — to Creation itself and its natural laws. And GOD has always wanted us to explore, to discover His Laws. The writer of Psalm 119 yearns to understand, 

“Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, And I shall keep it to the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; Indeed I shall observe it with my whole heart.” (v33-34)

GOD’s motive and science

The LORD does not shun our exploration but encourages it. And when we tried to build the Tower to reach heaven, tried to defy nature, He divided us through language, destroying our inter-communication, not so we would be confused against one another, but so we would rely upon Him still, to seek Him rather than to override Him, not to compete with Him, but rather to engage with Him.

The astronaut who goes beyond earth’s atmosphere and into outer space says that it is more obvious, not less, that there is GOD, a Creator, of this vast universe. Exploration in itself does not take us away from GOD, but draws us to Him.

A part of GOD’s story is Love. He loves us and wants us to love Him and one another. He also encourages us to explore, to understand His creation and its laws of nature and of science, so we can better understand Him and ourselves. 


He does not compete with science and exploration. He is science and exploration just as He is the Creator of all and created us in His image.

Comment on Environmentalism

I cannot finish this post today without drawing momentary attention to the climate change agenda, the environment, and where society has got off track.

Simply put, GOD created the earth and the universe. He called us to be stewards (Genesis 1:26-28). He called us to worship Him and to take care of the planet. One without the other is confused or disobedient. 

Let us love our world but let us love GOD first and foremost. Then the world will know us by our love. Hallelujah!

Categories
God's Story Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

GOD’S STORY: Part 4 Why the Law?

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to us who read it.

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked. 

GOD’S STORY Part 4: Why the LAW?

“Open my eyes, that I may see

Wondrous things from your law.”

(Psalm 119:18)

I asked the LORD, What is the next thing to share of Your Story?

He led me to the Ten Commandments. Really? Yes! Okay.

Why the Law to share with you?

You will know Exodus 20, where the LORD lists the summary version of His Law: the 10 Commandments. Exodus and Leviticus are full of GOD’s laws for various contingencies. But the Law is encapsulated well in the 10 Commandments.

Exodus 20:2-17

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

12 “Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

13 “You shall not murder.

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

15 “You shall not steal.

16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.

17 “You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbour’s.”

But why was the Law necessary? 

Sin, yes. But why didn’t GOD just send His son in the first place? If Jesus didn’t come to replace the Law but to fulfil it (Matthew 5:17), why didn’t He just arrive in front of the Hebrews in the wilderness?

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of GOD.” (Romans 3:21) But first we need to know we’ve sinned in order to recognise we have fallen short. The Law teaches us our inability to keep it. Who hasn’t made a mistake and hoped and prayed we’d not suffer the consequences? That fear, that prayer, enables us to see we’ve fallen short. The Hebrews needed to learn GOD’s perfection before they could recognise their fallibility. So they needed to know GOD’s standard, His Law — They certainly weren’t going to find it in the heathen Egyptian society.

And so, why the Law? So we can know we’ve broken it, so we can know we’ve sinned, so we can know we’ve fallen short and need a Saviour… and then value The Saviour: Jesus, the Jewish Messiah Yeshua.

What does the Law signify?

Whilst GOD very much wanted relationship with the Hebrews, the fear of GOD pervaded their hearts. They saw the power of GOD in the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud. They saw His power in the parting of the Red Sea. And so, they pushed Moses up front and said, ‘You talk to GOD and then tell us what He says.’

“Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.” (Exodus 20:18-19)

This was immediately after the 10 Commandments had been announced. The people were willing to obey but didn’t want intimacy with GOD. The Law gives rules, requirements and we turn it into religion. But GOD wants relationship. 

So, why Jesus?

Millennia after the Hebrews in the desert Jesus arrived, and He fulfilled the Law we failed to follow, with two commandments that encapsulated GOD’s standard even more succinctly, 

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your 

strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbour as yourself.’ ” (Luke 10:27)

Even further, through Jesus we can receive freedom today… overcoming the Law through the grace of faith in GOD.

John wrote in chapter 8 of his gospel, “If the son sets you free, you shall be free indeed.” Faith in Jesus, the son of God, offers us freedom from the Law as we receive Him and His love. We discover our choice to follow the Law changes; no longer do we follow out of a sense of duty or fear, but out of the desire to love others just as He has loved us. We are free as the yoke is lifted! “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

The Law makes us aware of our failure to keep it. But we don’t have to live in fear and anxiety about the consequences of our weaknesses. Rather, we can know we have been saved from ourselves — our sinfulness — through the blood of Jesus.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:14) Like little children innocent of their faults, we can embrace Jesus and His Father, knowing Jesus is the Truth and GOD the Father is a GOD of love. The sin of the past is left behind and the new has come: walking as Jesus walks, saved through faith in Him and living beyond sin because through faith in Jesus our sin is forgiven and blotted out.

So, the knowledge of GOD’s Law provoked mankind to realise our sinfulness and Jesus has released us from the yoke of the Law when we choose to follow Him.

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)

God’s Story 

When we look at GOD’s Story through the lens of His Law, we recognise that the Hebrews and all the descendants, save one, were imperfect. It is through that one exceptional person that any and all can be rescued from imperfection. 

We cannot escape GOD’s Law but we can learn to live the Law as embedded in the principle of Love, GOD’s love. And a part of GOD’s story is to recognise His identity. GOD’s identity is that He is Love. 

Categories
God's Story Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

GOD’S STORY: part 3 Love for Israel

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to us who read it.

This is GOD’s Story: Part 3. GOD’s love for Israel.

Let’s look at GOD’s story through His Psalm 105 to see GOD’s love for Israel.

GOD is Love.

The Hebrews en masse didn’t catch the depth and breadth of GOD’s love for them. Surely if they had, their nature and their nation would have experienced more joy, peace and confidence as they trusted and obeyed their Creator and advocate.

Looking at Psalm 105 the other day, I noticed how it starts with a celebration towards the LORD and responds with a sharing of His love for His chosen people: the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The reader is called initially to thank and celebrate the LORD, and to share His good deeds among His people — While today it could refer to those who believe in Him, Jew and Gentile alike (as we are grafted into the vine), historically, most certainly “His people” refers specifically to the Hebrews, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. That has never and will never change. 

The psalm is divided into 45 verses. It is a poem of praise to the Creator,

“Oh, give thanks to the LORD!… Sing to Him…. Talk of all His wondrous works!” (v1,2)

Then, His chosen people are identified: “O seed of Abraham His servant, You children of Jacob, His chosen ones!” (v6) and the LORD’s covenant is referenced (v9) and His devotion is quoted, “Do not touch My anointed ones…” (v15) 

A description of the history of Joseph and Moses in Egypt and all His goodness and protection in the wilderness toward them is referenced before the psalm ends with His holy promise of blessing and His practical demonstration of commitment to this chosen nation as “He gave the lands of the Gentiles, And they (the Hebrews) inherited the labour of the nations, That they might observe His statutes and keep His laws.” (v 44-45)

Why is it that repeatedly the miracles of the plagues against Egypt, the provision to the Hebrews of manna and quail, the guidance and protection from the pillars of cloud and fire… why are these things spoken of quite frequently in scripture? I think this is so because this history reveals HisStory of His grace, His supernatural power, His steadfast love and commitment to these His chosen people. They reveal His consistency as well, toward those who have turned away; He loves the sinner both Jew and Gentile and does not forget His promises to any of us.

The tragedy is that His people, in majority, have not kept His laws and so throughout time they have suffered loss including jealousy, accusation from others and a distance from GOD. Praise the LORD that things have been changing… There are and always have been a group of committed Jews, some Orthodox and some Reformed; but most excitingly, there are now an increasing number of Jewish people who are recognising Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah as well. These Messianic Jews suffer rejection from their own Jewish neighbours and yet they stand fast for the Lord Jesus. I finished reading Psalm 105 thinking not of the Hebrews nor of myself, but predominantly of the sadness of the LORD. But as they turn back He receives them and so it is for all of us as well.

Do we consider His loss, His mourning, His sadness as a Father, who’s children rebel?

He loves us all. He loves His chosen. So many have turned away. What is His feeling in all of this? What is His story? 

We know the LORD created us in His image. We know we suffer when we experience rejection, sadness and loss. So, is it reasonable to think that the LORD GOD Creator of the Universe likewise suffers when we reject Him?

Consider the father and the prodigal son. What does the father experience when his youngest son asks for his inheritance and leaves the family homestead for a life of debauchery and excess? We are not told. We only know that upon the son’s return, he is welcomed by his father with open arms. (Luke 15:11-31)

We are the prodigals. The father is Our Father. And we who are saved have already been welcomed with open arms. A part of His story is that He continues to wait for others, including and especially for the Jews, the descendants from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob aka Israel. This cannot be ignored. Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, wrestled for his blessing (Genesis 32) and was then renamed Israel, which is where the nation got its name, and has kept its name throughout millennia. The Father, LORD of the universe, has not broken His covenant with the people, and continues to love them just as His love is shown in Psalm 105.

We do not know when He will send His son to judge the earth. No one knows, only He (Matthew 24:36). But I certainly believe that left to me, I would have run out of patience, both with the Jew and the Gentile, long, long ago.

GOD’s love for us is clear. He teaches us to worship and obey Him because it releases us to a life of joy and peace. Let us pray for those who have yet to respond to Him, and particularly for the descendants of His people the Hebrews, that they would come to know the perfect peace and grace of a father’s unconditional love. This is what we can pray for. This is what we can minister into: That the world, and His chosen ones, will be saved.

Categories
Reflections and Poetry

Deep thinking v Shallow Thinking: a reflection

What do I mean by deep thinking v shallow thinking?

Shallow is quick, superficial and efficient.

Deep is time consuming, meaningful and profitable.

Shallow is like skating, whereas deep is like scuba diving;

one scrapes the surface and stands out, while the other is silent, invisible, investigative.

One flits across the senses. The other penetrates the soul.

Shallow thinking is like a dance in quick time, elegant yet soon over leaving something ethereal: a memory, emotion or longing.

Deep thinking takes time. The body and mind rest while the heart contemplates life.

GOD is in the deep places. He’s in the speck of cloud far away, He’s in the hurricane and the eye of the storm. And He’s at the bottom of the sea where no-one goes, no one sees, unless we become like Him.

GOD is everywhere, so He’s in the shallow as well as the deep. But in the deep we have limitless time. 

And time makes all the difference.

Categories
God's Story Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

GOD’s Story: 1 Protector

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He walked. 

Today is a new step in Blog Posting on Larus Press by delving into GOD’s Story: 1 Protector. Yehovah GOD is our Protector…

“For He shall give His angels charge over you,

To keep you in all your ways.” Psalm 91:11

If you look at the entirety of Psalm 91 you’ll see the beauty and majesty of the LORD in His words. But this phrase is what He is sharing with us today.

He keeps us in perfect peace, He keeps us protected, He guards our steps and watches our pathways for us. “In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:6.

Do you see how the scriptures dovetail or overlap, complement and show us one aspect of Him at a time? From Psalm 91:11 He reveals that He watches over us and has given us angels to look after us. (Perhaps even if we’re wise, we allow them to reign us in from time to time, as necessary…. Angels certainly have protected me as I drive in my car!)

And If we acknowledge the LORD, we see in Proverbs 3:6 there is a promise: He directs the steps we take.

GOD’s story today then, is that He looks out for us. And if we allow Him His choices, He protects us.

Satan tried to fool Jesus, though he failed. In the wilderness, Satan referred to Psalm 91 saying in Matthew 4:6, 

“If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:

‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’

and,

‘In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”

But Jesus wasn’t fooled and said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ” Matthew 4:7

The key to GOD’s Story is always to rest in Him, to know His word, and to understand the devil prowls like a lion seeing whom he may devour.

As we trust in the LORD and walk in His ways, we are guided, protected and free to live safely in the knowledge that we are loved. “No weapon formed against us shall prosper” (Isaiah 54:17) as we acknowledge His power and authority in the Creation and in our very own lives.

Categories
Politics and Society today

The Effects of Social Media on my Attention

This is an opinion piece about the affects of social media on my attention. Borne out of my experience, it is an expression of my opinion and concern, rather than being based on statistical facts, but based upon what I’ve observed in myself. I wonder if it might be relevant to others who have got distracted, as I have, by social media. If it is, I think it is important to talk about it.

What is Social Media? 

Social Media is a collection of the various internet platforms that seek to offer advice, opinion, news and views. It is designed to grab and keep our attention. It is a proven effective, powerful tool for communication, but separately, it is also powerful in and of itself, regardless of what the subject matter might be.

My experience has been that it distracts me. Although it educates and informs me, it somehow pushes past my thinking to engage my audio visual senses… to the exclusion of the Spiritual. And so… it distances me from my relationship with GOD. 

The Soc Med Experience

I might start off watching in bits and bites, thinking I’ll only look up something specific. Then I might stick with it, thinking I’ll find information that is useful for prayer. It’s good to know what’s going on in the world right? … But it can drag me into the world, not by content necessarily but by its own pull power to keep me engaged… and thus I drift away from prayer. An hour or more later, I’ve not opened my Bible yet nor turned to prayer.

That’s what has happened to me on several occasions. 

Have you ever looked up something on YouTube and got stuck into Shorts from some of your favourite channels? I have. Has it moved us toward or away from GOD?

GOD’s Way

GOD says, “Be still.” 

But YouTube videos, news channel broadcasts, and video clips make if very difficult to stay still in my mind. I pray in tongues sometimes for 20 minutes, just to get back to stillness. That’s okay, but what have I missed in the Spirit for those minutes I’ve been exploring — or being led by —  social media, and in those minutes it has taken to back to the Spirit?

If time is short, in these Last Days — and personally, I think it is — isn’t it important to use our time wisely. He redeems the time! (Ephesians 5:15-16)

1 Corinthians 2:

Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 2, when Paul wrote to the Greeks, to see how Paul related to the “media” in his time… The battle of the spirit over the mind is not a new one. Paul was speaking at the Philosophical epicentre and yet he didn’t want to compete.

Please note: The capitalised words in brackets are my notes, attempting to draw attention to what Paul wasn’t saying and yet was comparing.

“1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. (UNLIKE GREEK PHILOSOPHERS) 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. (SIMPLICITY) 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, (SPIRIT Vs INTELLECT) 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (POWER SOURCE IS GOD NOT THE HUMAN MIND)….

Then continuing from verse 10, 

“10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? (YOUR OWN CONSCIENCE WILL SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT IF/HOW THIS APPLIES TO YOU) Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.” (Q: GET OUR INFO FROM GOD? A: HE IS THE PRIMARY SOURCE)

“13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; (LETS NOT THROW AWAY WHAT GOD HAS PROVIDED) nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.” (OUR INSTRUCTION COMES FROM GOD, WHEN WE ALLOW IT.)

What do I conclude from this?

That I/we do not have to be drawn into matters of news, views, politics etc in order to engage on a spiritual level. GOD will reveal what we need to know in our spirit in order to pray. 

We can view, engage on social media. But let me not kid myself it is for the Kingdom for prayer. Rather, it is because I’m interested, attracted to, motivated by my own interest. That in itself isn’t wrong. However, I admit to myself — and perhaps this applies to someone else also — I need to gauge when my social media searches are to feed my earthly curiosity aka flesh and when it is for the Kingdom.