There are times when men tire of hearing other men speak, especially in seasons of sorrow and perplexity, and in seasons when hirelings, wolves and men that just err too much add to such things. It is then we can come back to the source and to the great simplicity that belongs to hearing only Jesus:
Matt 17v5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
Going back to the source means that we can be sure that He is the one that is leading and guiding us at that current moment in our lives. That is the place where, if we have lost confidence in men and in doctrines that abound, we can return to what really matters. At that point in time Peter was suggesting that they stay on the mountain where Jesus had been revealed in His glory, but God redirected his and the other disciples attention to what really mattered- not putting man's direction ahead of what He wanted, because sometimes what men want and how they lead (even with the best of intentions), is not what the Father wants at that point in time. In hearing Jesus, the disciples found their source of life and their spiritual safety, and knew that in hearing Him, they would follow where He led (not where Peter wanted to be, and not what he wanted to do!). At that moment in time they received a great lesson as to where their PRIMARY attention should be (and that all other counsels should be submitted to the highest and purest counsel- His living and written Word).
Sometimes God even interrupts the words of men to make sure that He can speak directly to us! Notice in the scripture above that it says 'While he was still speaking' (talking about Peter)- 'a bright cloud covered them'. God always has something important to say to us, and even if men are really not giving us the best advice and teaching, He ensures that those things won't do us damage or lead us astray by speaking directly to us! (and pulling us aside from erring counsels and erring words). All we have to do is to open the Word and learn of Him, it's never changed! His life and His words will do all that is necessary for us. Even though God is not always impressed with what men are saying, God is always well pleased with what the Son is saying, and we should be too.
Saturday 19 January 2013
Wednesday 16 January 2013
THE PRECIOUSNESS AND SWEETNESS OF A SIMPLE AND HUMBLE PASSIONATE WORSHIP
A big title to get your head around, but something the Lord laid on my heart yesterday when He brought up the image of the woman who poured out expensive perfume on Jesus as her act of worship. The perfume that the woman poured out on Jesus symbolised the heart with which she gave of herself to the Lord, because it is the heart and life that is most precious to the Lord- Rom 12v1: 'Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship'. Once the life and heart are fully for Him (the substance being LOVE), then all those things that come from such a thing, according to truth, will be equally pleasing to Him by the gift of His grace. Just as Christ laid down His life for us, so in imitating Him, when we lay down our lives that also, because of the grace He provides, is a sweet smelling offering Eph 5 v1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. The fragrance spoken of is the love for God, and just like the woman, we too can offer up our love for Him.
This continuing love for Him is usually always in humble and hidden places. What is meant by this is that the place of such worship is usually found in the normal everyday places of life. Not that the place made the worship holy or acceptable, but just like Jesus said that people would no longer worship only in certain places, but true worship was something that would always be of spirit and truth, no matter the surroundings, and so the woman simply did what was normal for her life; she worshiped with an intense love.
The remarkable thing about this worship was what the woman was willing to pour out in this normal and average place. To our knowledge there were no great miracles taking place at that time or hour in order to encourage great worship, in fact, it was actually a time of great danger for the disciples of God, so the woman was actually risking quite a lot, maybe even her life if the Pharisees found out what she was doing at that time (see Matthew 26 and the plot against Jesus, including Judas' scheming in v14).
So not only did the woman do it at the risk of herself and possibly losing her own life, but she did it in preparation for the death that Jesus would experience (Matt 26v12). True worship is a sacrifice, and a denying of self; that is why self must be broken at the time of worship (just like the perfume box was, seen in Mark 14v3), in order to allow the newness of the life of the spirit to burst forth in our lives. It is true that positionally, everyone Christian has already died and come forth into newness of life with Christ yes, but we must practice the practical reality of this our lives as well. Paul said in one of his books that 'I die daily.' He also said that, 'For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.' (2 Cor 4v11). This is the confusing thing for the natural man to understand, after all, how does Jesus' make life come from death? and even in the midst of death and a daily dying? (not just to self, but those things to do with death in the world; sorrow, toiling, the death that results from the sins of those in the world). But nevertheless it is true, and it is a spiritual principle that God established. It is so encouraging for us to think that even in the midst of trials, sorrow and daily death to self and circumstances of death in the world, that we can still break open an alabaster box of worship given to us by the Spirit, in order to give a worship full of passion and love.
Despite dangerous and simple, humble circumstances and surroundings, it is possible to be COMPLETELY CONSUMED with moments of extravagant worship towards our Lord. We aren't given any indication in Matthew that the woman took any notice of ANYONE except for Jesus in this moment of worship, even though His disciples were present and complaining about her worship (Matt 6v6-8), and even though a plot was in the making around her (Matt 6v14). Jesus loves, allows and even invites such a worship, because it is a worship that doesn't focus on man, but a worship that is WHOLLY taken up with it's love.
This is a worship that happily didn't bring itself into the picture, or laud itself in any way. We know this because to this day we still don't know the woman's name! Amazing stuff! Although Jesus said her act would be repeated and told about wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, she herself will never directly receive fame for it! And she liked it that way! If anything, true worship seeks to HIDE ITSELF and it's IDENTITY, lest any glory or honour or worship be taken away from the only one who deserves it. The quality of the worship corresponds directly to WHO IS BEING WORSHIPPED and the intent of the worshipper in directing their worship to only Jesus and the Father . That is why we must always strive to decrease, in order that in any way possible His worship and it's quality may increase (this is the adornment He desires and loves! The true spiritual temple is our hearts! - 1 Cor 3v16).
Lastly, such a worship will bring a great testimony to the Lord; and though, usually, such worship will be surrounded by humble, simple and everyday circumstances, the Lord will ensure that it does a great amount of good, and though no eye sees it, the Lord will see and know about it, and ensure that it is put to good use for His glory.
This continuing love for Him is usually always in humble and hidden places. What is meant by this is that the place of such worship is usually found in the normal everyday places of life. Not that the place made the worship holy or acceptable, but just like Jesus said that people would no longer worship only in certain places, but true worship was something that would always be of spirit and truth, no matter the surroundings, and so the woman simply did what was normal for her life; she worshiped with an intense love.
The remarkable thing about this worship was what the woman was willing to pour out in this normal and average place. To our knowledge there were no great miracles taking place at that time or hour in order to encourage great worship, in fact, it was actually a time of great danger for the disciples of God, so the woman was actually risking quite a lot, maybe even her life if the Pharisees found out what she was doing at that time (see Matthew 26 and the plot against Jesus, including Judas' scheming in v14).
So not only did the woman do it at the risk of herself and possibly losing her own life, but she did it in preparation for the death that Jesus would experience (Matt 26v12). True worship is a sacrifice, and a denying of self; that is why self must be broken at the time of worship (just like the perfume box was, seen in Mark 14v3), in order to allow the newness of the life of the spirit to burst forth in our lives. It is true that positionally, everyone Christian has already died and come forth into newness of life with Christ yes, but we must practice the practical reality of this our lives as well. Paul said in one of his books that 'I die daily.' He also said that, 'For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.' (2 Cor 4v11). This is the confusing thing for the natural man to understand, after all, how does Jesus' make life come from death? and even in the midst of death and a daily dying? (not just to self, but those things to do with death in the world; sorrow, toiling, the death that results from the sins of those in the world). But nevertheless it is true, and it is a spiritual principle that God established. It is so encouraging for us to think that even in the midst of trials, sorrow and daily death to self and circumstances of death in the world, that we can still break open an alabaster box of worship given to us by the Spirit, in order to give a worship full of passion and love.
Despite dangerous and simple, humble circumstances and surroundings, it is possible to be COMPLETELY CONSUMED with moments of extravagant worship towards our Lord. We aren't given any indication in Matthew that the woman took any notice of ANYONE except for Jesus in this moment of worship, even though His disciples were present and complaining about her worship (Matt 6v6-8), and even though a plot was in the making around her (Matt 6v14). Jesus loves, allows and even invites such a worship, because it is a worship that doesn't focus on man, but a worship that is WHOLLY taken up with it's love.
This is a worship that happily didn't bring itself into the picture, or laud itself in any way. We know this because to this day we still don't know the woman's name! Amazing stuff! Although Jesus said her act would be repeated and told about wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, she herself will never directly receive fame for it! And she liked it that way! If anything, true worship seeks to HIDE ITSELF and it's IDENTITY, lest any glory or honour or worship be taken away from the only one who deserves it. The quality of the worship corresponds directly to WHO IS BEING WORSHIPPED and the intent of the worshipper in directing their worship to only Jesus and the Father . That is why we must always strive to decrease, in order that in any way possible His worship and it's quality may increase (this is the adornment He desires and loves! The true spiritual temple is our hearts! - 1 Cor 3v16).
Lastly, such a worship will bring a great testimony to the Lord; and though, usually, such worship will be surrounded by humble, simple and everyday circumstances, the Lord will ensure that it does a great amount of good, and though no eye sees it, the Lord will see and know about it, and ensure that it is put to good use for His glory.
Tuesday 15 January 2013
ENCIRCLING
Christians in this life are ever only circling one of two things; the middle ground between Egypt (the world) and the promised land, or the wall of Jericho that Christ has brought us to in order to take part in great exploits wrought by the King.
The only reason God allowed Israel to wander in circles in the desert for 40 years, was, truth be told, because they wanted it that way. In reality Israel didn't know what they wanted, and really wanted both the world and Christ. And so poor Israel was left to fight a battle they never won; never knowing what they truly wanted, and so never arriving at anything but the fruit of their own heart and desire; namely, nothing in life, and a pointless death. You can be sure of one thing, if Israel had truly gone on with Christ, even after their mistake at the point of crossing the promised land, God would have brought them back to the promised land, but they didn't want it. Many Christians today are stuck in this middle land; this 'middle of nowhere,' and will for the rest of their lives unless they make a break for it in order to circle the Jericho that God wants to lead them to (in order to PRACTICALLY live in the promised land).
The only way one ever breaks free from the middle ground of obedience and disobedience, and that directionless and fruitless land, is to MARCH AROUND THE WALLS OF JERICHO. This march symbolises a constant walk with Jesus, symbolised by the fact that Israel was ordered to march around the wall 7 times; the number of wholeness and completeness. There cannot be spiritual health in a Christians life, practically speaking, unless that Christian is actively walking with the Lord. This march also demonstrated obedience; obedience to do walk the Christian life IN HIS WAY, not our way. If it were up to the Israelites, and no doubt if it would've been up to us back then, we would've wanted to charge straight in and do it our way. But this would've been pointless and ineffective, and this is to teach us that LIVING OUR OWN WAY and FIGHTING ACCORDING TO OUR OWN METHODS is the same and will achieve nothing spiritually. To do it their own way would've just made the Israelites exhausted and this is what many Christians are today, and the very reason Christians don't enter into Biblical discussions and services for the Lord; for they have not allowed themselves to be poured into in order to be able to pour anything out for Christ and for others. And this is the crux of the matter, and where our hope lies: the pouring in to us, and thus the falling of the walls happens when we PRAISE. At the end of their march, the Israelites were told that their priests would blow their trumpets loudly, and that then they were to lift up a great shout (symbolising that EXPECTATION is vital in order to partake of praise and it's effects), and THEN THE WALLS WOULD COME DOWN, and then the Israelites would be able to kill that which kept them from the great promise of Christ. The trumpets represent praise because in Psalm 148v14:14 And he has raised up for his people a horn,
the praise of all his faithful servants... B
Both Israel back then and us today can do nothing in our own power to move ourselves towards Christ and His ways, and to light our hearts with a passion for His purposes; the only way we can receive such things is to PRAISE HIM; the praise that He has called us to (Psalm 148). It is then that the Holy Spirit will fell any walls, and will also lift us and propel us forward into God's purpose as we ourselves first make the practical steps that God has outlined for us; in the march that is the march TOO the way that God is directing us. It is vital to have our whole hearts and our whole lives directed in the way that God has set out for us, and to be faithful to march in it day in and day out. We shall still be sinners yes, and still not be perfect yes, but this is a march done in the grace of God; but the important point is that God is after our hearts; what are they circling? What is the intent of our hearts and how have we purposed in our hearts?
The choice remains for us; circle in the wilderness- a land that typifies fruitlessness and pointlessness; a land that symbolises a heart that wants both Christ and the world (even though really Christ will not long abide such a thing), for eventually, the Lord will spit such a people out of His mouth, OR circle the Jericho that God has brought His people too in order that they may partake of the victory that He has already won for us, and that He wants us to walk out for the glory of Christ and for His service. In the final analysis, it is the PURPOSE OF GOD (not our purpose), that Christ has called us to:
Joshua 5v13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”
14 “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord[e] have for his servant?”
15 The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.
While Joshua was, at first, interested in what he could get, when he was given a revelation of the purpose of God, he fell facedown to the ground in reverence; submitting his will to God's, and so must we do if we want to do anything great for God; we must go with His will and not our will. Many do not even know what that will is anymore because they don't know the Word. They know what other Christians want, they know what their Church and their Pastor wants (all good things in the right and proper context, and in submission to His will though!), but they would have no clue what the commander of the army of the Lord wants, for they do not clearly hear His voice, neither do they want to. The saddest thing about this is that some Christians will go through their lives never even realising that they dwell in the pointless and lukewarm ground, because they have justified living in such a land. They will go through life never being fruitful enough to make any kind of difference for the body of Christ or for God, because they are happy with the selfish life that they live for themselves. Such people will often justify their choice as well; not wanting the world, but not wanting to be too passionate for Christ; such Christians love the fact that they can still be loved by the world and yet still excepted by Christ; they love the fact that they can still love things of the world, and yet hope for the better things that Christ offers, and yet ultimately that will always be greatly deceived, and never receive the fullness of the life and purpose of Christ, because truly, whether they choose to admit it to themselves or not, they do not want all of Christ and His purpose. Many such people will even believe that Christ endorses their life, how wrong they are! Will He may bear long with them, this does not mean He loves their practice! He bore long with the Church of Laodicea because He loved them, but who knows whether in the end they were 'spat out of His mouth' or not, or whether they just died in a lukewarm state. We do not know, but we do not want to risk such things ourselves, it truly isn't worth it.
A life lived for oneself, and not for Christ, is really the antithesis of what a Christians life should be, for: 2 Cor 5v15: And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again./ Such a life in the 'middle land of nowhere' will be identified as a life lived that is only for oneself, and that has no view for Christ's purpose, and indeed, wouldn't even be able to identify what that purpose is if they tried, for while God appeared to Joshua (he received revelation of God's purpose by the Spirit, He never appeared again to those Israelites that wandered in the desert for 40 years (no more of God's purpose was revealed to them!).
If we want to know whether we are circling God's purpose, there are a few things that can help us identify where we are at. Firstly, are we hearing the Lord's voice via His Word? Do we constantly march in His Word, and have 'an ear to hear?' If we stay in His Word, and stay in prayer, we can be very sure that God will show up in our lives and direct us according to His purpose if our hearts are open for such things. Secondly, what are we circling in our heads and in our hearts? Are those things also bent towards the praise that God has directed us to? Are our hearts and minds bent towards the purpose of God for this moment in our lives? Do those things EXPECT that God will move, and so do we move in our lives towards those things, rejoicing in expectation that He will move? Have we set in our hearts that obedience shall be our love and joy? These are quite challenging things, and no one is perfect in them. After all, not one of us are sufficient for such things. But thus we come back to the crux of the matter, and indeed how we shall be sufficient for such things, for praise, by the grace that He provides, will make us sufficient; 2 Cor 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God... God is calling His people in this day and age to great exploits, and to His great purpose, and He is wanting each and every one of His people to go the way He has laid out, the way that Christ has already gone ahead of us in. We live in a time where the power and purpose of God has not lost its victory and Has not lost its power, and we can be a part of it!
The only reason God allowed Israel to wander in circles in the desert for 40 years, was, truth be told, because they wanted it that way. In reality Israel didn't know what they wanted, and really wanted both the world and Christ. And so poor Israel was left to fight a battle they never won; never knowing what they truly wanted, and so never arriving at anything but the fruit of their own heart and desire; namely, nothing in life, and a pointless death. You can be sure of one thing, if Israel had truly gone on with Christ, even after their mistake at the point of crossing the promised land, God would have brought them back to the promised land, but they didn't want it. Many Christians today are stuck in this middle land; this 'middle of nowhere,' and will for the rest of their lives unless they make a break for it in order to circle the Jericho that God wants to lead them to (in order to PRACTICALLY live in the promised land).
The only way one ever breaks free from the middle ground of obedience and disobedience, and that directionless and fruitless land, is to MARCH AROUND THE WALLS OF JERICHO. This march symbolises a constant walk with Jesus, symbolised by the fact that Israel was ordered to march around the wall 7 times; the number of wholeness and completeness. There cannot be spiritual health in a Christians life, practically speaking, unless that Christian is actively walking with the Lord. This march also demonstrated obedience; obedience to do walk the Christian life IN HIS WAY, not our way. If it were up to the Israelites, and no doubt if it would've been up to us back then, we would've wanted to charge straight in and do it our way. But this would've been pointless and ineffective, and this is to teach us that LIVING OUR OWN WAY and FIGHTING ACCORDING TO OUR OWN METHODS is the same and will achieve nothing spiritually. To do it their own way would've just made the Israelites exhausted and this is what many Christians are today, and the very reason Christians don't enter into Biblical discussions and services for the Lord; for they have not allowed themselves to be poured into in order to be able to pour anything out for Christ and for others. And this is the crux of the matter, and where our hope lies: the pouring in to us, and thus the falling of the walls happens when we PRAISE. At the end of their march, the Israelites were told that their priests would blow their trumpets loudly, and that then they were to lift up a great shout (symbolising that EXPECTATION is vital in order to partake of praise and it's effects), and THEN THE WALLS WOULD COME DOWN, and then the Israelites would be able to kill that which kept them from the great promise of Christ. The trumpets represent praise because in Psalm 148v14:14 And he has raised up for his people a horn,
the praise of all his faithful servants... B
Both Israel back then and us today can do nothing in our own power to move ourselves towards Christ and His ways, and to light our hearts with a passion for His purposes; the only way we can receive such things is to PRAISE HIM; the praise that He has called us to (Psalm 148). It is then that the Holy Spirit will fell any walls, and will also lift us and propel us forward into God's purpose as we ourselves first make the practical steps that God has outlined for us; in the march that is the march TOO the way that God is directing us. It is vital to have our whole hearts and our whole lives directed in the way that God has set out for us, and to be faithful to march in it day in and day out. We shall still be sinners yes, and still not be perfect yes, but this is a march done in the grace of God; but the important point is that God is after our hearts; what are they circling? What is the intent of our hearts and how have we purposed in our hearts?
The choice remains for us; circle in the wilderness- a land that typifies fruitlessness and pointlessness; a land that symbolises a heart that wants both Christ and the world (even though really Christ will not long abide such a thing), for eventually, the Lord will spit such a people out of His mouth, OR circle the Jericho that God has brought His people too in order that they may partake of the victory that He has already won for us, and that He wants us to walk out for the glory of Christ and for His service. In the final analysis, it is the PURPOSE OF GOD (not our purpose), that Christ has called us to:
Joshua 5v13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”
14 “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord[e] have for his servant?”
15 The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.
While Joshua was, at first, interested in what he could get, when he was given a revelation of the purpose of God, he fell facedown to the ground in reverence; submitting his will to God's, and so must we do if we want to do anything great for God; we must go with His will and not our will. Many do not even know what that will is anymore because they don't know the Word. They know what other Christians want, they know what their Church and their Pastor wants (all good things in the right and proper context, and in submission to His will though!), but they would have no clue what the commander of the army of the Lord wants, for they do not clearly hear His voice, neither do they want to. The saddest thing about this is that some Christians will go through their lives never even realising that they dwell in the pointless and lukewarm ground, because they have justified living in such a land. They will go through life never being fruitful enough to make any kind of difference for the body of Christ or for God, because they are happy with the selfish life that they live for themselves. Such people will often justify their choice as well; not wanting the world, but not wanting to be too passionate for Christ; such Christians love the fact that they can still be loved by the world and yet still excepted by Christ; they love the fact that they can still love things of the world, and yet hope for the better things that Christ offers, and yet ultimately that will always be greatly deceived, and never receive the fullness of the life and purpose of Christ, because truly, whether they choose to admit it to themselves or not, they do not want all of Christ and His purpose. Many such people will even believe that Christ endorses their life, how wrong they are! Will He may bear long with them, this does not mean He loves their practice! He bore long with the Church of Laodicea because He loved them, but who knows whether in the end they were 'spat out of His mouth' or not, or whether they just died in a lukewarm state. We do not know, but we do not want to risk such things ourselves, it truly isn't worth it.
A life lived for oneself, and not for Christ, is really the antithesis of what a Christians life should be, for: 2 Cor 5v15: And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again./ Such a life in the 'middle land of nowhere' will be identified as a life lived that is only for oneself, and that has no view for Christ's purpose, and indeed, wouldn't even be able to identify what that purpose is if they tried, for while God appeared to Joshua (he received revelation of God's purpose by the Spirit, He never appeared again to those Israelites that wandered in the desert for 40 years (no more of God's purpose was revealed to them!).
If we want to know whether we are circling God's purpose, there are a few things that can help us identify where we are at. Firstly, are we hearing the Lord's voice via His Word? Do we constantly march in His Word, and have 'an ear to hear?' If we stay in His Word, and stay in prayer, we can be very sure that God will show up in our lives and direct us according to His purpose if our hearts are open for such things. Secondly, what are we circling in our heads and in our hearts? Are those things also bent towards the praise that God has directed us to? Are our hearts and minds bent towards the purpose of God for this moment in our lives? Do those things EXPECT that God will move, and so do we move in our lives towards those things, rejoicing in expectation that He will move? Have we set in our hearts that obedience shall be our love and joy? These are quite challenging things, and no one is perfect in them. After all, not one of us are sufficient for such things. But thus we come back to the crux of the matter, and indeed how we shall be sufficient for such things, for praise, by the grace that He provides, will make us sufficient; 2 Cor 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God... God is calling His people in this day and age to great exploits, and to His great purpose, and He is wanting each and every one of His people to go the way He has laid out, the way that Christ has already gone ahead of us in. We live in a time where the power and purpose of God has not lost its victory and Has not lost its power, and we can be a part of it!
Sunday 13 January 2013
WATCH!
Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man. (Luke 21:36)
Mark 13v23 So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.
Mark 13v35 “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”
There are many things in this life that Christians must escape. The kind of escape mentioned above it not a physical one; after all, who amongst us can escape the trials of our lives? No, while we cannot escape those physical things that are to come upon the earth, we are to WATCH in order to escape from the spiritual harm we might allow upon ourselves due to the effect of such things. Most often this happens because of OFFENCE. After all, how could a loving God allow trials? allow judgments? allow wickedness to effect lives made righteous? allow death and destruction? allow Christians to be tried and judged? allow the things we love to be taken? allow confusion and sorrow and the kingdom of heaven to suffer violence? But allow and orchestrate such things He does, and so we must WATCH! How are we to watch? We must WATCH OUR LIVES, we must WATCH OUR DOCTRINE, we must WATCH THOSE THINGS THAT GOD IS ALLOWING UPON THE EARTH and we must WATCH FOR DANGERS FROM WITHOUT. We must WATCH BY PRAYING, because only by prayer will we our watch be effectual to save us; for only by the Spirit will there be made a path through our lives and for us through the things that are to come upon the earth.
We are often very comfortable in our lives, and very comfortable in our homes and in our nations; very sure that things will continue as they are. However, such things are transient, and however much we cannot bear to think about it, we will always be in danger of loss and of the violence of the wicked and of trouble and persecution. We never plan for such things but such things come. Recently it seems that most of Australia has been set alight with raging fires. I released a dream months ago warning about such things, but no one said anything or seemed to pay any attention at all, and yet those fires have come. The same dream spoke of destructive storms, and another dream spoke of such destruction coming to Sydney that it would not even be imaginable to most men, and again, most ignored it. I've also been shown in a dream that future terrorist attacks will happen all around the world, and that Australia will be involved in a war alongside America, and that it will be a time of many tears. And so, the warning and urgent call to us remains the same as it did in Jesus' day; WATCH. We must arm and prepare ourselves with the Word, with prayer, with the prophecies He has given, that by all these things we may 'fight the good fight of faith,' both in the present day and when these things come in like a flood to try and scare us away from our God. If we do not watch, it may be that in sleeping, we too may be taken away; physically and spiritually. God desires to keep His people spiritually safe, and He does this by keeping them watchful. No prophetic warning, encouragement, pleading or teaching ever seems sane in the day of peace and calm, but when trouble comes, men will wish they listened to a God who loves enough to speak to His people to continue to exhort them to remain in the ark of His grace.
Mark 13v23 So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.
Mark 13v35 “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”
There are many things in this life that Christians must escape. The kind of escape mentioned above it not a physical one; after all, who amongst us can escape the trials of our lives? No, while we cannot escape those physical things that are to come upon the earth, we are to WATCH in order to escape from the spiritual harm we might allow upon ourselves due to the effect of such things. Most often this happens because of OFFENCE. After all, how could a loving God allow trials? allow judgments? allow wickedness to effect lives made righteous? allow death and destruction? allow Christians to be tried and judged? allow the things we love to be taken? allow confusion and sorrow and the kingdom of heaven to suffer violence? But allow and orchestrate such things He does, and so we must WATCH! How are we to watch? We must WATCH OUR LIVES, we must WATCH OUR DOCTRINE, we must WATCH THOSE THINGS THAT GOD IS ALLOWING UPON THE EARTH and we must WATCH FOR DANGERS FROM WITHOUT. We must WATCH BY PRAYING, because only by prayer will we our watch be effectual to save us; for only by the Spirit will there be made a path through our lives and for us through the things that are to come upon the earth.
We are often very comfortable in our lives, and very comfortable in our homes and in our nations; very sure that things will continue as they are. However, such things are transient, and however much we cannot bear to think about it, we will always be in danger of loss and of the violence of the wicked and of trouble and persecution. We never plan for such things but such things come. Recently it seems that most of Australia has been set alight with raging fires. I released a dream months ago warning about such things, but no one said anything or seemed to pay any attention at all, and yet those fires have come. The same dream spoke of destructive storms, and another dream spoke of such destruction coming to Sydney that it would not even be imaginable to most men, and again, most ignored it. I've also been shown in a dream that future terrorist attacks will happen all around the world, and that Australia will be involved in a war alongside America, and that it will be a time of many tears. And so, the warning and urgent call to us remains the same as it did in Jesus' day; WATCH. We must arm and prepare ourselves with the Word, with prayer, with the prophecies He has given, that by all these things we may 'fight the good fight of faith,' both in the present day and when these things come in like a flood to try and scare us away from our God. If we do not watch, it may be that in sleeping, we too may be taken away; physically and spiritually. God desires to keep His people spiritually safe, and He does this by keeping them watchful. No prophetic warning, encouragement, pleading or teaching ever seems sane in the day of peace and calm, but when trouble comes, men will wish they listened to a God who loves enough to speak to His people to continue to exhort them to remain in the ark of His grace.
Monday 7 January 2013
WHAT IT IS TO BE ABOUT OUR FATHER'S BUSINESS
Luke 2v46:
After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you."
"Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be about my Father's business?"
The above shows us that to be about the Father's business for Jesus in this instance, was simply to LISTEN, to ASK QUESTIONS, to GIVE ANSWERS and to EXHIBIT UNDERSTANDING for others in the context of spiritual learning and also teaching. This kind of thing in our relationships with others now seems to be something that is generally not practiced much at all, avoided, and even ignored and despised. It seems as though these things are no longer considered by many to be 'BEING ABOUT OUR FATHER'S BUSINESS,' but the Word categorically states that it is. Yes, the Father's business is to love and to demonstrate that love practically, but one of the ways this is fulfilled is also about TALKING ABOUT THE LORD WITH OUR BROTHERS. Why? Because the Word of God is always the Father's business, because He watches over it to ensure that it is always LIFE CHANGING; that it is always, by the ONGOING WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT; living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword (Heb 4v12). When talked about, discussed, thought on, fellowshipped with, taught with and listened too, it is always at work as the MOST POWERFUL THING THAT EXISTS. That is why it should never be a dull and tedious thing to us to be about our Father's business with this kind of thing. However, this kind of thing seems to be a lost love and a lost art in many cases now, their instead being a constant obsession and constant focus on the things of this world, which really just reveal where our hearts often lie, for where our treasure is, their our hearts will be (Matt 6v21), and out of the abundance of our hearts, so our mouths speak (Luke 6v45). The passage above encourages us to copy our Lord in His conversations and His times of listening and speaking about the Word with each other and with the family of God, so lets spur each other on to do the same :)
Malachi 3v16: Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.
After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you."
"Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be about my Father's business?"
The above shows us that to be about the Father's business for Jesus in this instance, was simply to LISTEN, to ASK QUESTIONS, to GIVE ANSWERS and to EXHIBIT UNDERSTANDING for others in the context of spiritual learning and also teaching. This kind of thing in our relationships with others now seems to be something that is generally not practiced much at all, avoided, and even ignored and despised. It seems as though these things are no longer considered by many to be 'BEING ABOUT OUR FATHER'S BUSINESS,' but the Word categorically states that it is. Yes, the Father's business is to love and to demonstrate that love practically, but one of the ways this is fulfilled is also about TALKING ABOUT THE LORD WITH OUR BROTHERS. Why? Because the Word of God is always the Father's business, because He watches over it to ensure that it is always LIFE CHANGING; that it is always, by the ONGOING WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT; living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword (Heb 4v12). When talked about, discussed, thought on, fellowshipped with, taught with and listened too, it is always at work as the MOST POWERFUL THING THAT EXISTS. That is why it should never be a dull and tedious thing to us to be about our Father's business with this kind of thing. However, this kind of thing seems to be a lost love and a lost art in many cases now, their instead being a constant obsession and constant focus on the things of this world, which really just reveal where our hearts often lie, for where our treasure is, their our hearts will be (Matt 6v21), and out of the abundance of our hearts, so our mouths speak (Luke 6v45). The passage above encourages us to copy our Lord in His conversations and His times of listening and speaking about the Word with each other and with the family of God, so lets spur each other on to do the same :)
Malachi 3v16: Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.
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