Tag: abundant life

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Politics and Society today

The Assassination of Charlie Kirk

I was in a television studio when I heard that Charlie Kirk had been shot. The assassination of Charlie Kirk is shocking, tragic; but alas, it is a sign of our times.

Oh, How Tragic

The end of any life is sad. But an assassination, an end so violent and so triggered by anger, is so unnecessary and unjust and incredibly, incredibly sad.


Tributes are everywhere for Charlie Kirk, who was born in 1993 and whose life was cut short at just 31 years of age. My thought: he wasn’t even on earth as long as Jesus!

Prayer

On this day, the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s death will — and should — resound around the English-speaking world. May his faith be a beacon to many, not only to those who follow Jesus already, but to those on the fringes, and even for those who opposed Jesus. May we – and they – wait on Him.

As a young man interviewed on GBNews said on the night of the assassination, “We need Jesus.” That is the only way forward.

A sign of our times

Our lives today are fast and erratic, hectic and vicious, divided between what we see as “good” and “bad”. This assassination is an echo of the evil that is dividing us.

Death and destruction 

“… is in the power of the tongue.” (Proverbs 18:21)


Charlie Kirk spoke the life of Jesus’ words. He reflected and attempted to model the life of a follower of the Prince of Peace. He debated anyone, offering mutual respect and words of hope. But he was “right wing” in politics and politics is currently so divisive.

There is so much animosity between Left and Right in politics, between Truth and Lies, between one side and another. 


Racism needs to be about the Human Race, and how we can live and enjoy life together. 

Real life, quality and freedom in life, is only through Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. He is full of love and goodness and offers that to us. It is only through Him that real life can be lived. He came to bring life, and life more abundantly! (John 10:10)

And Charlie Kirk’s life was all about Jesus; he did live an abundant life. He was and is a wonderful leader and role model.

From Prophet Veronika West:

““Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” (John 12:24)

….I did not understand the Urgency of this word until this very moment,…

Strange indeed…yet not strange to the purposes of God….

….For the Lord will often plant a word in our hearts before a great shaking comes, that we might discern His Voice in the midst of the storm. 

…So Yesterday and today, the Spirit of the Lord impressed (John 12:24)…into my Spirit,…

…Again and again the verse kept coming,…rising up within my heart,…

..In light of the Breaking News on the Assassination of Charlie Kirk….

….I believe now that this was a living word coming from Holy Spirit in preparation for this very hour….

…This Evening….a Most precious grain of wheat has fallen to the ground….A God Fearing,…bold and uncompromising Voice that rang out for Truth and Liberty,….cut down in his prime….in but a moment of time, his precious Life left this World…. 

….To the natural eye, it is a loss that takes our breath away,…it’s the silencing of a Messenger,…But to those of us who perceive with the Eyes of the Spirit,…this Most Precious Seed sown in blood,…

….I declare,…Will bear fruit beyond our wildest imagination….

…America weeps tonight,…A Beautiful family mourns a Loving Husband and a Precious Father,…a Movement is trembling,…and a Nation is reeling….

….But I hear heaven declare…”From the ground that receives this Most Precious Seed,…Watch and Pray,..For It will bring forth a Harvest of great Conviction, Unstoppable Courage,…and a Great Awakening”

…Listen Friends,…What was meant to Silence will only resound even louder in the days ahead….What was meant to Scatter and Divide, will Gather and Unite….What Satan meant for evil, God will turn for good and for His Glory….

…Do not misunderstand me,…death is grievous,…this act of violence is evil and wicked beyond comprehension,…and we are called to mourn with those who mourn. 

…Yet in the great mystery of God,…such moments like these…Unbearable Pain and unexplainable Grief,…I believe can truly ignite what comfort,…ease and convenience never could….

…Tonight,…a precious Seed has been planted in the soil of America’s Destiny….

….And I hear the Spirit whisper….”Watch What Comes forth,…Watch and Pray for what Shall Come forth in the Days ahead”..! 

…Let this not be an ending,…but the Beginning….

….My Cry in this moment of great devastation is…’Let the grief of a Nation turn into groanings of deep intercession and Praise,….Let the deep loss of this One Voice truly Awaken Ten thousand more Voices that cannot be silenced….Let this “grain of wheat” falling to the ground become the Catalyst for a Great Turning,…where America’s heart is broken, humbled, contrite and made tender again before the Lord….

….”For unless the grain dies, it abides alone…..But in its dying,….it multiplies”. 

…May Charlie’s Kirk’s life, and now his passing, be gathered into God’s eternal purposes,….to produce a Great Harvest that Shakes and Awakens a Nation to its True Kingdom Identity and Destiny,…and that draws a Nation back to the Only One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life….!!!”

Thank you LORD, for this word through Veronika.

We walk by faith, not by sight

Not my will, LORD, but Yours be done, on earth as it is in heaven…

GOD will bring good out of this evil. He always does. I’m praying now for his young wife and little children, for his parents, and for his staff. All will be devastated. All will be spurred on. Jesus, comfort through your Holy Spirit and may the tragic death of Charlie Kirk, martyred for his passion for truth, be a beacon to living life well as a servant of Jesus Christ. Amen

Church arise!

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Categories
Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

Living in the Moment

I was an actor before I was a writer

Once upon a time, in a part of my life long, long ago, I was a performing artist – an actor and singer. The heart of my training was from New York City’s Neighbourhood Playhouse, which boasts graduates such as Gregory Peck, Steve McQueen, Robert Duvall, Dianne Keaton, Mary Steenburgen,  and many, many other well known thespians. It was a joy to live and study in New York City. I spent a year in London thereafter, but I drew my technique primarily from what I learned in New York.

Living in the Moment

The heart of the training was learning how to listen and answer, honestly and earnestly, thus developing responses that were simple, truthful, powerful. Applying that technique to scripts came eventually, but the human development and relationship development in the meantime was profound for every student, because we all learned two key things:

  1. Basically, human beings learn to lie — to themselves and to others — in order to survive in society, to present a good front and 
  2. Honest living comes from listening and responding truthfully to what we see moment-by-moment.

This living moment-by-moment is what I want to address here…

Life free from Worry

Jesus said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34)

We can become so anxious with worry about the next day, the next month, the next year. Rather, Jesus advises us to focus on the day, rather than “laying up treasures” (Luke 12) on earth.

Control v Spontaneity

We are often drawn to the story of Jezebel and Elijah when asked to consider the spirit of control. Jezebel was controlling of her husband Ahab. Elijah was not compliant to her control, so she sought to destroy him.

Control seeks its own will. Control uses threat and intimidation to dominate in order to get its own way. As a spirit, control inhabits and controls individuals. For example, in 1 Kings, Jezebel is exposed as controlling and domineering. In 1 Kings 19 we see that she despised Elijah and successfully threatened him. He ran away from her in despair, although eventually his confidence was restored. Ultimately, Jezebel was betrayed by her own servants and was literally cast to the dogs.

Opposite to control is spontaneity: responding to situations as they arise, seeking to live freely and to allow freedom for others, experiencing peace and fearless living.

Jesus has said he offers life and to live life more abundantly (John 10:10).

Abundant life

When we have peace with GOD we are protected from fear.  Without fear, the need to control is side-stepped; there is no need to control when we have no fear. Without fear and the need to control, we have less need to plan and more opportunity to live “in the moment” — safe in the assurance that as GOD guides us, He leads us in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

Living in the moment is how children live, how Jesus lived on earth, and offers life and joy to us as we experience the safety, security and peace that intimacy with GOD offers. It’s also uncomplicated, honest and freeing. May our journey draw us from control to more spontaneous living. Amen.

Categories
Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

Jesus is our future but also our present

When the whole world suffers anxiety, fear and distress, why isn’t the Gospel of Jesus Christ recognised as the balm for the afflicted? It is life. Why don’t we seem to recognise this?

Jesus is our future but also our present. 

Jesus is the road to heaven but also offers our path to peace while we walk the earth: inner peace, peace with one another, peace over war between nations. If only the world could see. 

Has Evangelism gone wrong? 

If we have been called to draw the world to The Saviour Jesus, why is the world population not entirely saved?

Why does the world not see the reality of Jesus’ power to heal and the powerful effect that a commitment to Jesus has on our minds and hearts? … Perhaps it is a simple answer: Because so many who love Jesus and have committed their lives to him, do not realise this truth, and do not walk in it themselves, so cannot share it with their unbelieving sphere.

I am not saying this to blame us for the message getting lost. There is an enemy, there is an array of other cultures and religions pitted against the message of Jesus. But perhaps we who follow him haven’t necessarily contemplated the Word as well as we might. To dwell even on one passage, Romans 12:1-2, would bring us to the realisation that walking with Jesus necessarily leads us to a renewed, healthier perspective as we walk out our faith.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Jesus saves eternally, but also his teaching offers life-giving common sense, taking us out of ourselves. 

Self-centred in our innocence

I just went through boxes of old letters recently. What innocence, what innocent self-centredness, as I — and fellow correspondents — were trying to discover who we are, how we relate to one another, how to overcome disappointment, defeat, and how we can try to be decent people.

Walking with Jesus enables us to hurdle all of that introspective searching. To truly digest his message means we can overcome that self absorption instantaneously, as we grasp his wisdom and live out his message.

Truth v a Religious life

Sadly, throughout the ages, human beings have captured Jesus’ reality without grasping his message of life and freedom through love. Instead, generations of Christians have lived a religion rather than grasping the abundant life that following Jesus offers.

And from the fronts of churches and in the home, we have told one another we must behave according to religio-social rules.

To us all I say, “Come out of religion and take Jesus at his word! Be free, be responsible for your freedom, and in so doing, ignore the religiosity and legalism that causes us to fear one another and fear making a mistake. Instead, seek to love, to do right toward one another and all, and discover the abundant life that Jesus has promised.” We need to look up, look out and not focus too much on the looking in.

One hope today

There is always hope! Today, our hope is that those who do not know Jesus will become so desperate in their affliction arising from the desperate circumstances of today: poverty, disease, natural disasters, decaying society, that people will look for hope beyond governments and society. Or even better, in their desperation, may they see the love we have for one another…. that the world will know us by our love and turn to Jesus themselves.

“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (1 John 3:16)

Jesus is not just for today but for every tomorrow until eternity. Jesus is not only for heaven but for our earthly life as well. Grasp these truths that the truth will set you free: there is no fear but only love, when we walk in the truth of Jesus’ redeeming love and salvation. Trust, accept you are accepted, follow and know that you have overcome all if only you comprehend and walk in the fullness of your salvation.

Shalom, friends. Shalom. And the peace which passes all understanding guard your heart and mind… In Jesus, Amen.

Just as it is too small a thing for Jesus to die only for the Jews but for the Gentiles also (Isaiah 49:6), so it is too small a thing for Jesus to die for eternal life after death only. Our acceptance of Him allows us to be free in the acceptance He has given to us; and His power, love and truth reside within every one who believes (Acts 13:39).

Categories
Examining Biblical Scripture

Be Free

It’s important to remember, amidst the desire to do God’s will, that Jesus died to set us free… not only from sin and death that we would join him in Heaven after our physical death, but also to walk freely now, knowing we are saved by grace and Father God will not let our footsteps err (Psalm 121)

I have a pastor friend who encourages us all, at every service, to be free… free to contribute, free to worship as Yehova leads, free to express and to share. It is not chaotic in the service, it is fresh and Spirit-led, and wonderful.

In our lives too, we must — I must — practice my freedom. When we love God absolutely, embrace our neighbour totally, we are free.

Decision-making can be done in freedom too. For me, that’s sometimes tough. My emotions like to be heard and can get in the way. Oh, Jesus invites our emotions: joy, love; but unrighteous anger, frustration and bitterness are not the things of God. No, some emotions are to be celebrated while others are destructive. Navigating these very human, natural parts of ourselves isn’t easy.

The better we know the Word of God and the more we sense the presence of the Holy Spirit, the easier it is to live free: free to be and to do as He leads, without second-guessing, without self-condemnation.

And of course as I’ve mentioned previously, we are seeking to walk in the New Man, not the Old Man. Our flesh loves to control and dictate our thoughts, actions, emotions. But surrendered to God, we have the equipment to walk in the New Man. That is our aim.

Freedom is knowing and loving our Creator, walking in His will, and living to fulfil our purposes. As we strive to “get it right” we will certainly fail (Romans 7:15-20), but as we trust in Him, confident and full of faith in His perfect will, we will succeed in living a life free from distress.

Be Free: Free to live, free to love, free to walk in holiness as children of God, and people after His own heart.

“This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

“But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:17-24)

And, when you’re a pinch, remember,

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

God bless you in your walk this day and every day to eternity!

Categories
Examining Biblical Scripture

Take Nothing for Granted

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV)

Our faith is strong, our commitment true, so why read, study, pray and praise daily?

We need our lay our dependence totally upon him. As we journey, and go deeper into the purposes God has for us, the way is uphill… not only invigorating, challenging, awesome, but also debilitating, full of the unexpected, and – at times – painful.

We read the Word to discover Jesus and our way to walk; we’ve become committed and know Jesus is our Lord and Saviour, so what is the need for daily refreshing?

We study the Word to show ourselves approved; so once we know the Bible, why do we continue to review it?

We know and trust God’s sovereignty; so why refresh His mind with our prayers? Why are we called to pray without ceasing? (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Because sometimes the Way is stormy and hard, to be full of the Spirit and the Word of God is not only the best way forward, but even the only way forward.

God is all-knowing; he knows we are thankful. So, is it really necessary to praise Him and thank Him frequently?

The answer is a clear and resounding “Yes!” because of the battle between the flesh and the spirit. When I pause from the habit of reading, studying, praying and praising, my flesh rises up and all-so-quickly, my frame of mind shifts from hope, faith and love to worry, despair and fear.

In the battle between flesh and spirit, the weapons of the Word and prayer guard my heart and mind. To walk in His Spirit is freedom, and to do so requires repeated and continual surrender. Yes, I have been saved and am born again (John 3:7), but the process of sanctification – of becoming purer and more holy and loving – will continue for the rest of my life.

As a follower of Jesus, my life’s work is to grow deeper in love with him and to share that love. The flesh cannot do this. So, to pray and praise, to read and study enables His Spirit to fill me. More of you, Lord, and less of me is the heart’s desire of Believers.

So we to study and live, surrendering our flesh; we draw closer and closer to the person God has created us to be: in His image. That’s why taking nothing for granted, we read, study, pray and praise.

Come Holy Spirit, fill us to be more like you. Prepare us for all you have for us, so that we may overcome every obstacle and rejoice in all circumstances.

 

Categories
Examining Biblical Scripture

How to have a Stress Free Life

How to keep the Stress Out of Life: Your spirit made alive by your faith in Jesus is a key to living a peace-filled life.

Ready: 

We want abundant life, as peaceful and free from stress as the life Jesus led. But we don’t generally experience that, do we? Why not? And if not, how can we get to the sort of peaceful existence Jesus lived?

Our flesh is powerful. The mind, and in particular our will, doesn’t always want to cooperate with God’s Holy Spirit. When we are surrendered to God the day runs smoothly; when we choose to control our day, it can be rough. We don’t live in a vacuum; we can’t control our circumstances nor everyone around us. Control is an illusion and trying to maintain it is like rolling a very large boulder up a very steep hill. Trying to stay in control creates stress. On the other hand, surrendering our will to the supernatural sovereign God of the Universe allows for His timing and His encounters. In my experience, I’ve accomplished more and had a more satisfying close to the day when I’ve lived with a plan that is surrendered to God.

Set:

We can say we surrender… but how do we stay surrendered to God beyond a moment of prayer in the morning (or the night before)?

Fortunately we are not on our own. We stay surrendered, “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the LORD of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6)

Try this:

still water1. Select a passage of God’s Word and read it. It might be a single verse or a chapter; the length doesn’t matter.

2. Rest in His Word. Read it and read it again.

3. Fight an urge to resist “resting” by telling God – out loud – that you surrender your will to Him today.

4. Recognize a key step….

Did you surrender your will to your spirit and then your living spirit to God’s Holy Spirit? We have a soul and we have a spirit. Your spirit and soul are not the same thing… Here’s how: Our soul is our mind: will, intellect and emotions. But our spirit is another part of us – the part of us that makes us different from animals. It is what completes us in God’s image.

God made us in His image (Genesis 1:27, 2:7) and it is our spirit which enables us to live and move and have our being in Him. It’s a huge topic for future posts. But here I’ll split a hair… (for more see LarusWalk post The Soul and Spirit within)

Just as through our faith in Jesus we have been given eternal life, so our spirit has been given new life. The Holy Spirit is God’s comforter, helper and convicts us when we need it. In between our soul and God’s Holy Spirit is our living spirit, surrendered to God and empowered by Him. Our spirit is unique to us, ready to enable us to walk, not by might nor by power but by His Spirit. Surrendering our will to our spirit is a key to walking in Life, Love and Peace – daily. So, knowing this…..

5. Surrender your will to your spirit, and your spirit to God. Inviting your spirit to have leadership over your soul makes surrender a whole lot easier.

6. Wait. Listen internally for God’s prompting. Perhaps during the waiting you’ll feel a spontaneous urge to sing or to praise Him in some way; go for it! Or maybe there will be a sigh. It is all a part of your private surrendering process.

Go: Now go, give your day to the LORD, and see how easy the day – even with all it’s responsibilities – can be.