All About You!
I meet with a young friend of mine on a fairly regular basis. He is in ministry and we enjoy fellowship at a local bakery. Lately, we have been in deep discussion about our struggle. In reality, all of humanity struggles for life. Our common thread is that of suffering and a longing to be whole and free.
As a Christ follower, my struggle is twofold- with the flesh or what I like to call … My poser! I do battle with him, my poser, all the time. As the Apostle Paul said “who will deliver me from this body of death?!” The other battlefront is with the evil one. The Thief, as Jesus refers to him in John 10:10 For he comes to steal, kill and destroy.
So, while I pondered our topic after we parted ways, here is what the Spirit showed me…. Our flesh or poser strives to make life all about us. What we think and desire! And the evil one is all too accommodating to help us in this regard. He is ever the tempter. Coaxing and prodding our flesh or poser to make it all about us.
In closing, here are some verses and a song that, I pray, Jesus will use in your life. For, by Gods amazing grace, I have found that I am truly alive and free when my whole being shouts-
“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” – John 1:29
Peace, Jonathan
John 12:24-25 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.”
2Timothy 2:11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
Acts 17:28
28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’[a] As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’[b]
John 3:14-15
14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.[a]
John 3:30
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
John 15:5
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
Revelation 4:10-11 “The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” (The crowns are their worldly titles and who they are.)
About You, by ZoeGirl
I’ve been thinking lately about You
When it hit me from nowhere, out of the gray
Everything’s been coming together
Now that I’ve moved beyond myself
And wrapped my head around something else
It’s not about me, it’s gotta be about You
(Everyday and…)
All I wanna see is who You’re turning me into
(In every way and…)
I will not forget that You said You’d always lead me through
To who I wanna be, making every part of me about You
I’ve been spending so much time disconnected
I was searching for perfection inside myself
But I finally turned away from my reflection
I saw Your world outside my door
And everything that I’d been looking for
So I’ll lay down my pride ’cause You laid down Your life
And I’m giving up all that’s holding me back
And clinging to You
And You’ll lead me through
‘Cause You always do
A Freedom Song
I had a moment of redemption last night. I felt the strong need to go for a walk before bed. Sue, my wife, asked why and I told her I needed to have a chat with The Lord. I am made to “take a hike” and converse with Him. It seems that my best times with Him are on the road or trail away from my normal surroundings. No distractions, just nature and the one who created it all. Kind of like a date! I go out of my way to intentionally meet with my lover.
Last night was especially beautiful. There were passing clouds and a great breeze from the storm headed up the Eastern seaboard and to top it off- a full moon !
As I began to tell The Lord how I felt- lost, confused, weary from the fight and just plain exhausted from the struggle to regain the intimacy of the Lover of my soul!
As I confessed how I felt, a process I have done many times over the last 8 months of my struggle, something happened inside of me.
A sweet sense of resignation and surrender! An understanding and acceptance that I would be in my current state of brokenness until the trial finished its perfect work in me. That, regardless of how I got here, I was to sit back and relax and stop striving to regain what was lost- And to trust The Lord in the process.
Immediately, I began to sing a made up song about surrender and trust specific to my situation. I could not repeat the rhythm or words if I had to. It was a spontaneous response from my heart to the One who made this revelation possible.
As my new found resignation took hold today, I found myself on the receiving end of truth. Painful yet beautiful TRUTH! Jesus was soo right when He said “the truth will set you free”!
You see, the thing about truth is- you can gain a head knowledge of the truth long before your heart catches up. I have known for quite some time that my current trial was brought on by an assault from the evil one. He had been tempting and goading me for quite some time to respond to a very difficult family situation out of fear.
One day in early February, Sue and I were watching a movie about broken relationships, when the evil one shot an arrow of fear into my heart. Not realizing what had just happened, I responded in a “valiant” way and promised to “do everything I could” to fix the situation.
In stead of stopping and bringing it to The Lord , I let the fear take hold which led to a knee jerk reaction and a power grab for control. To confuse the matter all the more, my sin… Acting in fear in stead of faith and then choosing the path of control, was masked or covered over by my valiant and good intentions!
Proverbs 14:12
12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.
James 1
14 But we are tempted when we are drawn away and trapped by our own evil desires. 15 Then our evil desires conceive and give birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Of course, at the root of my “good intentions” were pride and arrogance. I did not trust The Father to handle the situation , nor did I like His timing. My poser resurfaced in ” all his glory!”
Proverbs 16:18
18 Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance to downfall.
Anytime we give in to temptation and go our own way, we die. As a Christian we are still saved, but like Peter, when He denied knowing The Lord three times, his relationship with Jesus temporarily died and it was only restored when The storm was finished and its perfect work in Peter complete. Then Jesus himself came and restored Peter to relationship. I believe the Lord used this experience to lead Peter to write the following verse-
1 Peter 5:10
10 But after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who calls you to share his eternal glory in union with Christ, will himself perfect you and give you firmness, strength, and a sure foundation.
As Jesus often does…. He confirms what He has just revealed to my heart. Wow! It is no coincidence that today’s Daily Reading from Ransomed Heart Ministries is about……
Resignation
Resignation is not just the sigh that groans with something gone wrong. Such a sigh can be redemptive if it does not let go of the Haunting we have all experienced of something presently lost. Resignation is the acceptance of the loss as final. It is the condition in which we choose to see good as no longer startling in its beauty and boldness, but simply as “nice.” Evil is no longer surprising; it is normal.
It is from this place of heart resignation where many of us, perhaps all of us at one time or another, having suffered under the storm of life’s Arrows, give up on the Sacred Romance. But our heart will not totally forsake the intimacy and adventure we were made for and so we compromise. We both become, and take to ourselves, lovers that are less dangerous in their passion for life and the possible pain that comes with it-in short, lovers that are less wild.
Those of us who have been drawn to understand that God is our Father through conversion in Christ recapture the Romance again-for a while. We find ourselves again in the throes of first love. The Romance we thought we had left behind once more appears out on the road ahead of us as a possible destination. God is in his heaven and all seems right in the universe.
But this side of Eden, even relationship with God brings us to a place where a deeper work in our heart is called for if we are to be able to continue our spiritual journey. It is in this desert experience of the heart, where we are stripped of the protective clothing of the roles we have played in our smaller stories, that the Message of the Arrows reasserts itself. Healing, repentance, and faith are called for in ways we have not known previously. At this place on our journey, we face a wide and deep chasm that refuses us passage through self-effort. And it is God’s intention to use this place to eradicate the final heart walls and obstacles that separate us from him.
(The Sacred Romance , 126, 127)
A ROMAN HOLIDAY
Rest my soul in the promises of your Father. Trust and rest that He knows best. Take a Roman Holiday!
For He is famous for mending the broken things- of which all we are! So, give not in to temptation – for the evil one lives to sow seeds of doubt and distrust.
He wants you believing that your Father is not good and that He can’t be trusted. So take a Roman Holiday for your heart- let these promises take you on an exotic vacation. Let them vacate your doubt and fear and the restlessness that weighs you drear!
drear – causing dejection; “a blue day”; “the dark days of the war”; “a week of rainy depressing weather”; “a disconsolate winter landscape”; “the first dismal dispiriting days of November”; “a dark gloomy day”; “grim rainy weather”
Romans 8:18
Present Suffering and Future Glory
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
Romans 8:28-29
28 We know that in all things God works for good with those who love him,[a] those whom he has called according to his purpose. 29 Those whom God had already chosen he also set apart to become like his Son, so that the Son would be the first among many believers.
No chance hath brought this ill to me;
‘Tis God’s own hand, so let it be,
He seeth what I cannot see.
There is a need-be for each pain,
And He one day will make it plain
That earthly loss is heavenly gain.
Like as a piece of tapestry
Viewed from the back appears to be
Naught but threads tangled hopelessly;
But in the front a picture fair
Rewards the worker for his care,
Proving his skill and patience rare.
Thou art the Workman, I the frame.
Lord, for the glory of Thy Name,
Perfect Thine image on the same.
–Selected
Romans 8:38
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.
I close with this song that was sung at church today. I knew when I heard, that it was a perfect ending to this post. I love it how God works!! Peace Jonathan
Give Me Faith – Elevation Worship
I need you to soften my heart
To break me apart
I need you to open my eyes
To see that You’re shaping my life
Pre-Chorus:
All I am,
I surrender
Chorus:
Give me faith to trust what you say
That you’re good and your love is great
I’m broken inside, I give you my life
Verse 2:
I need you to soften my heart
To break me apart
I need you pierce through the dark
And cleanse every part of me
Chorus
Bridge:
I may be weak
Your spirit strong in me
My flesh may fail
My God you never will (repeat)
Prepare for the Blessing
As the farmer tills the earth, plants the seed, prays for rain and waits for the unseen- So must we position ourselves for a spiritual harvest in our hearts.
If our lives are to bear much fruit, fruit that will last, Our hearts must be prepared. And when the soil is ready, our hearts must receive the seed, the word of God.
Then the Unseen God performs what only He can do and what only He can see….. Give New Life!
He mysteriously works, taking the open heart and His word, And brings New Life to a once dead and barren tract of land- our soul.
John 3:3
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,[a] you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
This same principle is in play in regard to blessings, healing and all sorts of miracles.
Allowing the Lord to till our hearts through the storms of life, our hearts become fertile ground for His promises. Taking one of His promises to heart, we stand on His promise and wait, wait for the unseen to be made manifest in our lives. This, I believe, is what is meant by co-laboring with Christ.
The seen preparing for the unseen!
Do you need a miracle today? Prepare for the Harvest and wait.
2 Chronicles 20:17
You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.'”
Exodus 14:13
But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again.
The call to us in Isaiah sums it up perfectly! Blessings, Jonathan
Isaiah 40:3
3-5Thunder in the desert!
“Prepare for God’s arrival!
Make the road straight and smooth,
a highway fit for our God.
Fill in the valleys,
level off the hills,
Smooth out the ruts,
clear out the rocks.
Then God’s bright glory will shine
and everyone will see it.
Yes. Just as God has said.”
Open the Trenches- from Streams in the Desert
“Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts. And this is but a light thing in the sight of the Lord: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hands” (2 Kings 3:16-18).
To human thinking it was simply impossible, but nothing is hard for God. Without a sound or sign, from sources invisible and apparently impossible, the floods came stealing in all night long; and when the morning dawned, those ditches were flooded with the crystal waters, and reflecting the rays of the morning sun from the red hills of Edom. Our unbelief is always wanting some outward sign. The religion of many is largely sensational, and they are not satisfied of its genuineness without manifestations, etc.; but the greatest triumph of faith is to be still and know that He is God. The great victory of faith is to stand before some impassable Red Sea, and hear the Master say, “Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord,” and “Go forward!” As we step out without any sign or sound–not a wave-splash–and wetting our very feet as we take the first step into its waters, still marching on we shall see the sea divide and the pathway open through the very midst of the waters.
If we have seen the miraculous workings of God in some marvelous case of healing or some extraordinary providential deliverance, I am sure the thing that has impressed us most has been the quietness with which it was all done, the absence of everything spectacular and sensational, and the utter sense of nothingness which came to us as we stood in the presence of this mighty God and felt how easy, it was for Him to do it all without the faintest effort on His part or the slightest help on ours.
It is not the part of faith to question, but to obey. The ditches were made, and the water came pouring in from some supernatural source. What a lesson for our faith!
Are you craving a spiritual blessing? Open the trenches, and God will fill them. And this, too, in the most unexpected places and in the most unexpected ways.
Oh, for that faith that can act by faith and not by sight, and expect God to work although we see no wind or rain.
–A. B. Simpson
The Non- Exclusivity of Jesus!
Many a person struggles with the claim that Jesus is the only path to salvation. Thus, they stumble over Jesus and say- ” I can’t believe in a God who is so exclusive!”
Let’s apply this thinking to math. 2+2 = 4. This is true. But what if, when a math teacher is grading test papers, he decides to grade on a curve. Anyone who was close to the correct answer was given a “correct” response from the teacher.
Of course this would not be fair to those who got the answer right. And I’m sure that it would cause many correct answerers to protest.
But, I believe, those harmed most by the teachers stance would be those who answered incorrectly but received a correct response. For they will go through life living a lie.
Scripture says – Proverbs 14:12
12 There is a way that seems right to a person, but eventually it ends in death.
I’m sure all of us have made choices that have proved to be wrong. Like taking a wrong turn in the woods and ending up far off course from your desired destination.
If we apply this “no wrong answer” thinking to anything, it will end in chaos!
So, why would so many think that this line of thinking would work regarding a matter so important as ones soul?
I believe it is a matter of the heart!
Here are a few verses to support my claim.
Proverbs 23:7
7 For as he thinks within himself, so he is.
Proverbs 19:3
3 The foolishness of man ruins his way, And his heart rages against the Lord.
1 Corinthians 1:18
Christ the Power and the Wisdom of God
18 For the message about Christ’s death on the cross is nonsense to those who are being lost; but for us who are being saved it is God’s power.
1 Corinthians 1:25
25 For what seems to be God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and what seems to be God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
And here is Gods response to our “heart problem”.
Ezekiel 36:26-27
26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.
John 3:16
16 For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.
So loved the World!! World seems to imply All, does it not?!
In closing- it is not God who is being exclusive. His offer is to All who will believe and receive…… All!
Ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s gift, so that no one can boast about it.
Romans 10:9
9 Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
