Heart of Kim

Letting everyone know that I have not abandoned my blog,  just had a lot on my plate over the last couple of months.  Will write again soon.  Kim

I just finished reading the fiction, “The Shack” by William P. Young.  It was definitely ”off the wall” and “out of the box”.   I found it rather amusing and full of insight into the secret places of thought and internal discourse that are common to the  human condition. Tragedy, pain or loss usually lead to eternal questions and  the emotions that accompany those questions.   I thought the writers imagination in characterization and discourse uniquely used earthly things and people to convey spiritual truths to a vast range of potential readers. I did not necessarily agree with every single word or sentence of every doctrinal issue that was touched on in the fictitious story,  but I did agree with the overall concept of the book which was  that God is a good God who loves us,  He never leaves or forsakes us and that He is just and kind and can be trusted even in the midst of sadness and tragedy. 

  But, what amazed me is the reviews I found after I read the book.  Reviews of distrust and accusations of heresy were easy to be found on the internet.    Once again I found the “Religious Watchdog” mentality had emerged with all its fury and opinion and divisive language. I am absolutely amazed at the policing of the Gospel.  There are those who believe they have been made law enforcers and trial judges of anyone proclaiming the Gospel.  Yes,  there is error and many times gross error that is mixed in with the proclaiming of the Gospel.  However, the proclaimers and the hearers are each responsible for their proclamation and the hearing of it, respectively.  There will be no excuses on judgement day.  We cannot stand before God and say, “well that’s not fair, cause so and so said………………..”.   Each person has a right to seek truth.  Jesus said He was Truth.  Each person has the opportunity to go to the scriptures  and acquaint themselves with the Truth.  I for one will NOT base my eternal destiny just on what someone says!   Each and every person has a free will and each person is free to choose  or reject Jesus as their Saviour and Lord. God is just.  God is faithful.  God will honor each persons choice. Each and every person will stand face to face with God one day and those who have accepted that Jesus Christ died for them will have no record of sin because the blood of Jesus has completely washed it away.  Those people will have used their free will and accepted the free gift of salvation. 

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

 Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

There are many sources of input coming from every kind of direction.  We live in “the information age”.   Each time we hear anything we should be well versed in scripture so that we may be able to discern what is being said and we should have established a relationship with the Holy Spirit so that He can help witness truth and error to us personally.   What a mess it is to absorb “everything” you hear.  If you do you will end up in confusion.  We are to “rightly divide the Word of God”.  We are to pray and believe we receive a “spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, that the eyes of our understanding is enlightened”!  There is plenty of deceit to go around where spiritual issues are concerned.  That’s why it is absolutely imperative that we forever settle once and for all the basic doctrinal issues put forth in the Word of God.  We should not let others do all of our thinking for us.  We should become familiar with the Truth so that we can “eat the chicken and spit our the bones”.   Learn to converse with the Spirit of God yourself.  Yes, we can learn from each other, yes, we should be planted and submitted to a pastor, however, don’t just  swallow everything you hear without checking with the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.  There you will find safety.

The Word is “line upon line, and precept upon precept”.  We are transformed from “glory to glory”.  In other words, there are somethings that we cannot understand unless we have built a foundation to support the understanding of that concept.  I appreciate the Lord building safety valves into our christian growth process.  He is a loving Father and just as we would not ask a third grade student to understand and comprehend a tenth graders geometry or calculus or literature, etc.,  nor will God.  The key here is to study to show “yourself” approved, a workman unto God, not being ashamed.  If you don’t understand something then ask the Lord for revelation of that thing.  He will reveal unto you comprehension of that thing in a way that you can understand.   

Everytime you read a book or an article, watch a television program or movie or even listen to a preacher or teacher…… it is wise to weigh everything that is said with the Word of God.  Allow the Holy Spirit to shine His light of understanding into your heart and mind about such things. The Word of God and the Holy Spirit are trusted companions to keep you out of error.  

Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

2 Timothy 1:13  Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

There is one sure-fire way to go on an emotional roller coaster ride;  it’s called Contrast and Comparison. 

C&C has many friends that hang around with them:  jealousy, envy, hurt, bitterness, depression, pride, arrogance…….  and on and on. 

Contrasting and Comparing ourself with others is one of the most sublte ways that satan  uses to  take our focus off of Jesus.

2 Corinthians 10:12-13 (King James Version) 

 ¹²For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

 ¹³But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

 It is absolutely impossible to “contrast and compare” ourself with another without experiencing one of two things:      Exaltation or Abasement.  The reason Paul says it is not wise to do so is because in order to enter into contrast and comparison one must first make “judgement” and in making judgement there usually follows a conviction and verdict.  To place ourself in our own mind either above the other person or below the other person will always bring strife.  Ah, Now we begin to see where all the other emotions that follow come from! 

  The solution is simple:  Fix our eyes on Jesus!  then, we can see ourself and others through the wonderful truth of the Word of God.  Seeing others through the Spirit takes consistent “casting down of imaginations that are attempting to exalt themselves against the knowledge of God”.       The knowledge of God is full of the Gospel of the Grace of God.  Every person has been given an anointing and grace for the measure of rule or call that is on their life.  There is beauty in the different giftings and graces on different people that make up the body of Christ.  No two are alike and each person is as different as their fingerprint. 

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (King James Version)  ¹²For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. ¹³For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. ¹⁴For the body is not one member, but many. ¹⁵If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁶And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? ¹⁸But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. ¹⁹And if they were all one member, where were the body? ²⁰But now are they many members, yet but one body. ²¹And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. ²²Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: ²³And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. ²⁴For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked. ²⁵That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. ²⁶And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. ²⁷Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Next time temptation comes around and presents the thought of “Contrast and Comparison”.  Laugh at that thought, take it captive, and say NO!  Let’s not allow the enemy to suck us into perceptions that are how “he” wants us to view things.  Realize just how wonderfully different God has made each individual and how precious each person is.  There is no one like me  and there is no one like you!   

  Think about it!

Most people think of  God as “way out there, somewhere”, when in reality He is “everywhere”.  God is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing) and omnipresent (all present).   It’s difficult to get our minds wrapped around that thought because it extends past our ability to understand and comprehend with the natural mind.  

The psalmist said it like this in Psalm 139:

 ¹O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. ²Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.  ³Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.   ⁴For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.   ⁵Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.   ⁶Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.   ⁷Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?   ⁸If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.   ⁹If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;   ¹⁰Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.   ¹¹If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.   ¹²Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.   ¹³For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.   ¹⁴I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.   ¹⁵My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.   ¹⁶Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.  ¹⁷How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!   ¹⁸If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.   ¹⁹Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.   ²⁰For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.   ²¹Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?   ²²I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.   ²³Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:   ²⁴And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

God is closer than the air you breathe.  He is God.   He is upholding all things by the Word of His power. He is the creator of life. He is the sustainer of life. He is the wonder of  the miracle of conception and the maker of all things beautiful.

He is God.  He is Love. He is Good.  He is the beginning and the end. He is infinite. He is God.  He is ….. where you are.  There has never been a time that He has not thought of you. You have never been anywhere He wasn’t there.

From the smallest atom to the largest “whatever”, He is there. He is God.

Satan would like to convince you that you are all alone. Not So!  All you need to do is believe the infallible Word of the Living God.  In most religions, the follower is required to be willing to die for their god.  In Christianity, our God, sent His son to this earth to pay the eternal price for sin and He died for us. That’s not all,  He rose from the grave, conquering death and ever lives to make intercession for you and me.  He ever lives to enforce His covenant of grace.  He longs for each human being to believe in Him and receive Him as their personal saviour. Jesus lived, died and rose and now lives to love you.  He came to save and not condemn.  If you don’t know God then receive Him today.  Believe in your heart that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died for you, confess with your mouth that He is Lord of your life and your life begins anew as a new creation in Him!  Why does it have to be that way you ask?  Because God is a God of faith.  Without faith it is impossible to please Him, He that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him! (paraphrased Heb 11:6).

 God knows every link in your DNA.  He knows you.  He loves you. He promised in His word that He would never leave or forsake you!  Wow, to have a wonderful saviour that is everywhere at anytime and you never have to feel alone again!  Awesome! 

 You are Special!  You are one of a kind!  And God knew you before you were even born!  He loves you, and longs to have an intimate relationship with you.  But He will not violate your will.  He waits for you to come to Him and receive Him.  He was, is and forever will be “a gentleman”.   He ever so gently whispers your name and calls you to Himself.  Can you hear Him?  He’s calling you this very moment.  If you know the Lord and have gotten away from His fellowship, never fear, just go boldly to His throne, run to His loving arms, for they remain open to receive you.  Even if we have not been faithful, He abides faithful!  He forgives, restores and refreshes!  Oh what a wonderful Lord!

   Just remember,  God is the smallest thing you can imagine and the biggest thing that you can imagine, whether it is a tachyon particle or a whole universe………  That is the God that loves you!  That is the God that is everywhere, knows all things and is the most powerful being that will ever exist.  And, He desires an intimate relationship with you! 

Over the last few weeks, I have been in and out of various veins of thought, study and observation.  Maybe I have an unusually contemplative personality, I don’t know.  Bear with me as I just share my heart on some things that have gone on inside of me. 

It seems that everywhere I turn, my spirit is grieved over and over again.  I walk down the bookstore and/or movie section of a major retailer and I find only about 5 or 10 percent of  space is allotted for christian materials. The majority of  very carefully thought out displays are devoted to subjects that are “best sellers”.  Well that’s ok, I understand that the merchandising executives are arranging their merchandise based on supply and demand because they are responsible for making money for their company. It’s the supply that is being demanded that grieves my heart. 

I turn on the television and spend most of my time trying to find something that is wholesome and entertaining.  I usually end up frustrated and turning the TV  back off.  Producers, directors and film makers are also going the way of supply and popular demand.

I walk into a clothing store and find it more and more difficult to find anything but a low-cut garment hanging on a rack.

I listen to a political advertisement and end up more confused than I was before I heard an ear full of more mudslinging, criticism and sarcasm.  I see a government that has not issued an invitation to Wisdom and have become the blind leading the blind.  Our nation has become tolerant of  evil and intolerant of truth.  Prayer was thrown out of education many years ago and has produced for the most part a godless society.  Man has become his own God.  

How desperately we need a move of Spirit of an Almighty God in this nation and across the world.  How critical it has become that we as the sons and daughters of God Wake Up to the Time we are living in.   How we need to hear the call of repentance from those who have been entrusted with platforms of power.  Oh, how we need to hear the Spirit reveal to us a loving – holy God that doesn’t excuse sin but took our sin upon Himself that we might be free.  How desperately we need an awakening to God.

I read a newspaper or online article and the negativity and hopelessness is overwhelming.   Opinion has become the truth of todays scholars and analysts.

The human mind is so bombarded with signage and neon lights that the simple beauty of  life is becoming more and more obscure.

I watch young people living out each day in a technological frenzy of drama and strife, crying tears that no one has time to discuss or cares to explain. They end up chasing dreams that were never theirs just so they can be pleasing and acceptable to someone else that never really cared in the first place.  I find teenagers living for the moment without any thought of consequence or how their actions may cloud and cause obscurity to the destination that God has for them. 

Respect for a fellow human being is becoming a thing of the past and the value of a human life is diminishing as courts made up of people who don’t know Jesus, determine the laws of this land. 

Being thankful is a fleeting thought that seems to die as soon as it was born.  Selfishness is all too common and acceptable.

I find a lot of christians oblivious to the devices of satan and ignorant of the Word of God,  thereby, becoming apathetic and religious, having a form of godliness and denying the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

It is fearful and sad to see the world I live in becoming a pagan society.

I thought on these things that are weighty and too great for me.  I realized that I am only one person.  I realized that the only real control I have is with ME.   Will I commit to pray?  Will I become hungry enough to spend more and more time in the presence of my Father.  Will I yield myself to become sensitive to the voice and leading of the Holy Spirit. Am I willing to be corrected?  Am I willing to be taught? Am I willing to lay down my life to pursue and complete the purpose God has for me?    Am I 100% willing? Jesus was.

 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  John 3:16-17

I am convinced more and more each day of the importance of “guarding our hearts” from the deadly poison being spewed from the world’s system of thought. We are told in the Word to “guard our heart with all diligence”. Look at the following scripture:

Proverbs 4: ²⁰My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.  ²¹Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.  ²²For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.  ²³Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.  ²⁴Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.  ²⁵Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.  ²⁶Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.  ²⁷Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

Look at verse 23 in the Amplified: ²³Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.

Another translation says “the forces of life”.   In a world of constant distractions it’s all too easy to fall asleep at the wheel, so to speak, and allow just anything and everything to pass through our eyegate and eargate. 

The Word begins to take a backseat to all of the affairs of life.  The word is worked in only when it becomes convenient and doesn’t interfere in our busy schedule. By the time we get around to the Word of God, we’re so tired; we fall asleep.  Then when it’s time to be on guard against all the wiles of the devil, we are dull of fresh revelation, thereby not on guard against the subtlety of the enemy.  This weakened condition causes us to become prey to deception.

In this hectic world that we live in we must make choices that side with the written Word of God if we are going to realize the “more than conquerors” that we have been made through Christ.  We have been made His righteousness, we have been made kings and priests unto our God, we have been made free from the law of sin and death and we have been given everything that pertains to life and godliness. 

Tests and trials are a part of this life.  Jesus said in John 16:33  

  ³³These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

But He overcame and has given us authority over all the power of the enemy. However;  lack of knowledge and knowledge with no faith/action equals to nothing.  We can find ourselves bound and frustrated by the circumstance of life rather than victorious and overcoming.  In the Revelation of Jesus Christ it says they overcame him (satan) by the blood of the lamb, the word of their testimony and loving not their lives unto the death.

Sorry, but the third part of that verse we don’t even like to quote because we equate it with physical death.  Look, if we won’t die to ourself now and put His Word first place in our life; let’s not kid ourself, we certainly wouldn’t physically give our life willingly.

But, to overcome, we must “guard our heart”.  Why?  Because, out of the abundance of our heart, our mouth speaks and we get what we say!  (Matt 12:34, Luke 6:45, Mark 11:23-24)

Honour and Respect for the Word of God must be first place in our life, especially our “thought life”.   We must realize and have revelation that the Word of God “is God” and it is the power of God unto salvation from whatever we need saving from.  Guarding our heart, realizing that from it comes the power of life and death rolling off our tongue and affecting every area of our life.  We will live and eat the words that we speak.  Jesus, said three times  when He was tempted “it is written”.  If it was important enough for Jesus to overcome temptation with the Word, we must conclude that it is just as important for us to be full of the Word and on guard at all times and ready to fight the fight of faith.

Keeping and guarding our heart with all diligence will help us to stay strong, alert and sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. It will help us keep a mindset that is free from being watered down, diluted and tainted by the world’s way of thinking.  Remember; satan is the god of this world’s system.   We are new creations that should be thinking according to the kingdom of God’s system. We are told to cast down imaginations (thoughts) that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God!  It’s easier to recognize those thoughts and deal with them when our library of information that we have received and loaded into our mind is the Word of God!  Let’s begin to set a watchman at the door of our mind/thoughts and our tongue and take our rightful places as overcoming and victorious sons and daughters of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!   

 Mark 7:   ⁵Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?  ⁶He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.  ⁷Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

I just love the way Jesus cut right to the chase!  He didn’t waste words.  He got right to the point!  He didn’t play games. He just told it like it was.

How refreshing!  In our attempts to “be nice” sometimes we can mislead people as to the purpose of our intentions, our motives or in  the understanding of what we are saying.  A lot of people present themselves with plastic smiles and they slip on their  invisible mask each morning before they leave home.  Sometimes you don’t know what someone thinks or what they are really saying.  I think this course of behavior leaves wide open spaces for miscommunication, misunderstanding and confusion.    

It is so easy to judge others.  However; it is impossible to judge another without either lifting yourself up in pride above the other person or abasing yourself  beneath the other person.  Think about it.  That’s why there is only one judge and He is the Righteous Judge.    It is better to feed on the tree of life and leave the tree of the knowledge of good and evil alone!  Only God knows the heart of a person. 

Romans 2: ²⁸For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: ²⁹But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Religion and self righteousness are synonymous.  The devil loves religion.  Christianity is a relationship with a saviour, not a religion.  Christianity is loving the one who first loved us.  Too much emphasis is put on the dos and don’ts.  I am convinced that a person who grows in their relationship with the Lord will gain greater insight and understanding to the grace of a loving God, thereby, being transformed from the inside out by the power of God.  Why do we want people to come to a forgiving saviour and then immediately place demands on them that the Word plainly says they cannot keep?   (The reason the law was given was to bring man to the end of himself; so that he saw his need for a saviour).  To think any other way is pure and simple; self righteousness.

 There are a lot of hurting people who are looking for answers and yet they refuse to turn to the church because of the “nose in the air” pious attitudes of the self righteous.  This is sad.  I’m sure it grieves the heart of God.   When are we as the church going to be willing to say what we hear the Father say and do what we see the Father do?  When are we going to quit playing church and realize that we are in the last days and “people” are on the mind of God.  We should always have an answer ready for those who may ask us about the hope that is in us!  An answer full of the love of God, without respect of persons, without partiality and without judgement and condemnation. 

Let’s not kid ourselves.  The world is looking for a way out of their mess.  The world can see right through hypocrisy.  The world is looking for the real deal.  They are looking for the genuine.  They are looking for a saviour.  They are looking for someone that “knows” Him.  They already know they are sinners.  They already know about guilt and condemnation.  They already know themselves on deep and intimate levels.  What they don’t know is that God truly does love them and died for their sins and was raised for their justification. 

2 Corinthians 5: ¹⁸And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Let’s not just honour God with traditions and formalities;  let’s honour Him with our whole heart.  Let’s honour Him by believing His Word. Let’s honour Him by seeking Him and really getting to know Him through His Word. 

 It’s so much easier to tell someone about someone that you actually know.

 We are like a lighthouse, and the more aquainted with Him we are, the brighter we shine……..  The brighter we shine, the more opportunity for Him to be lifted up and draw all men unto Himself.   

Psalm 130

 1Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.  2Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.  3If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?  4But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.  5I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.  6My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.  7Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.  8And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Forgiveness.  What exactly does it mean?  It means, to pardon, to release from payment of a debt.   When we receive Jesus as saviour and Lord, we believe that He died for us and that our debt of sin was paid because of His sacrifice.  Basically, that is the Gospel in a nutshell.  Isn’t it strange how from that moment on,  we can get caught up in spending the rest of their life trying to “earn” His approval, trying to “do good” in order to somehow measure up and be accepted.  Think about that for a moment.  It doesn’t make sense!  Salvation cannot be earned.  It is a gift.  It is by grace, through faith. Take a look at what Isaiah prophesied concerning the crucifixion in chapter 53:

 10Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.  11He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

God was fully satisfied with the blood of Jesus.  Forgiveness flowed.  Wow!  The love of God is beyond our human, mental comprehension!  One of  the statements of Jesus when He was hanging on the cross was “Father, forgive them……..”.  Also while hanging on the cross, Jesus forgave the thief and encouraged him concerning the future. The first martyr of the church, Stephen, while being stoned, was asking God to forgive the ones who were stoning him.  Joseph, forgave his brothers for selling him into slavery.    Paul gives us insight, when he was writing to the Corinthian church, about the fact that unforgiveness is a device that satan uses to gain advantage in our lives.

One of the most moving parables that Jesus taught was that of the prodigal son. In that parable, the love and forgiveness of the father is unmistakable and oozes with the awesome love and forgiveness of our heavenly Father. 

   Jesus said that those who are forgiven much, love much.  What we fail to realize is that we ALL have been forgiven much.  A revelation of the grace and mercy of God is absolutely essential to even begin to understand what forgiveness is.  The more we understand about our own state of forgiveness and the fact that we have become the righteousness of God in Christ and that we are loved with an everlasting love; the more we can begin to see others from the same perspective. 

 I am amazed at the number of people I meet who carry unforgiveness year after year after year.  I have seen them turn into angry, bitter, frustrated individuals.  Those who refuse to empty themselves of holding onto unforgiveness view the world from a mindset of unforgiveness.  They see everything and everyone with suspicion and distrust.  They live a life of fear and torment; totally wrapped up in their own hurt and pain.  I am not denying that these people may have been hurt.  We have all experienced hurt at one time or another.  But, over a long period of time, an ever present attitude of revenge and self pity engulf the unforgiving person causing themself and others heartache and pain. It’s sad, because the unforgiveness never solves the issues, it never leads to closure and it never profits anyone in anyway. 

Unforgiveness robs people of peace.  Unforgiveness causes stress on the mind and body thereby creating health issues. Unforgiving people do not have a revelation that they are forgiven. They simply believe that “payment” must be made for there to be justice.  Oh how right and wrong they are.  Yes, payment must be made:  Jesus took our punishment.

John chapt. 1,  ²⁹The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 

Forgiveness is not a feeling; forgiveness is a choice.  When we choose to believe the Word and receive the fullness of what Christ has done for us, we in turn can begin to see others through the eyes of Jesus and choose to forgive.  Living a life knowing you are forgiven and forgiving others is liberating.  It is not the truth that will make us free, it’s a working, experiential knowledge of that truth that will make us free! 

I have not posted much lately.  Simply put, the Holy Spirit has not given me anything to say.  I endeavor to write, being led by the Spirit of God.  Quite frankly,  anything that “I”  have to say, is not worth much.  As I was praying about this post, the only leading was, “pray”.   After thinking on this, I realized that “pray” is exactly what He meant.  So, I will pray.  May you be blessed as you read!

Father, Thank you for being you.  I can come to your throne in boldness because Jesus has paved the way.  The way for me to approach you in confidence was carved out by the blood of the Lamb. I come before you, in confidence because I know I am welcome.  Thank you.  All glory and power to you.  All honor to you. 

Lord, government and government leaders are on my heart.  I see natural intelligence, but I see no wisdom.  Forgive us as a nation, for as a nation, we are turning away from you.  Father, grant us repentance, as a nation, and begin to turn the hearts of those in authority to seek your face.  Let men and women obtain revelation of their need for you.  Father, we have become a self-righteous nation because we have become self-righteous people.  Father grant us forgiveness, as a nation and as a people, and give unto us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus Christ that we may know where we came from and who we are.  Grant those in authority that are born-again, God-fearing believers courage and strength to speak truth and not fear.  Speak to our leaders in the night seasons and reveal yourself to them.   Deliver our nation from the hand of the enemy and set us on a course that we may return to the Godly principles that America was founded on. 

Father, I pray for all pastors, teachers, evangelists, apostles and prophets.  I ask that you strengthen them by your power in their inner man.  Give them a burning desire for your Word.  May they become soooo hungry and thirsty for you, your Word, and your Spirit.  May they crave manifestation of your power and your Spirit. Those  who are frustrated, unfrustrate them. Those who are hurting, heal them. Those who lack, supply their needs abundantly. Those who are weary, revitalize them. Those who have quit, encourage them to get up. Those who are persecuted, become more real to them and show yourself mighty on their behalf.   Those who are in error, yet have a heart for you, teach them. Those who are angry, redirect their anger. Give them insight into the plans and purposes that you have for their measure of influence.  Reveal your plans to them. Impart wisdom, that they may continue to fulfill their callings. Saturate them with a renewed confidence in your grace that is on them to equip the body for the work of the ministry for this hour.

 Father,  you are a Spirit and you tell us that we must worship you in Spirit and in Truth. Teach us what this means.  Bring us to the place of emptying ourself of ourself.  Deliver us from self-righteousness and a spirit of criticism.  Forgive us of  our judgement of others, haughtiness, pride and arrogance.  Open our eyes to truth. Open our ears to hear truth. Give us understanding hearts.  Reveal to us our own hearts, that we may be corrected and trained according to your Word.  Kindle a flame of fire in our hearts for you and you alone that cannot be quenched.  Teach us to number our days and remind us of your mercy and grace.  Bring us to the realization that you are God and there is none beside you.  Hear our cry.  Create clean hearts within us, renew our spirits.  Bring us into full revelation of the light of your glorious gospel. Remind us of who we are in Christ. Walk with us, talk with us, teach us all your ways.  Thank you for the blood. Thank you for grace.  Thank you for Jesus.  Thank You.

I believe I have asked according to your will and therefore I believe that you have heard me and all who read this prayer and agree.  I now receive the petitions that I have ask of you. In Jesus Name. Amen.  

There are keys to the kingdom of God and they are found in God’s Word.  Let’s endeavor to feast on the Word of God each day that we may be skilled in the Word of Righteousness and workmen that need not be ashamed. 

I will close with the Ephesians Prayers that Paul prayed. God Bless!

Ephesians 1: 15Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,  16Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;  17That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:  18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,  19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,  21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:  22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Ephesians 3:  14For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;  17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,  18May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;  19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.  20Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,  21Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Solitude.  What exactly does that word mean? It means, a situation of being alone without other people.  We are promised in the Word of God, that the Lord will never leave us or forsake us.  We have a constant and faithful companion: The Holy Spirit.  In light of that, solitude can be advantageous.   Jesus retreated many times to rest and to be alone with the Father.  It would be good if we considered following His example.

Psalm 46:10 ”Be still, and know that I am God:……..”    The word “still” in this passage means:  to slacken, cease, to become idle……  The same Hebrew word is used for mend, cure, heal, repair.    Life can be so hectic!  Running to and fro from day to day can become a routine.  We find ourselves trapped in a rat race that becomes our normality.  If we find ourselves with “time off”, the first thing we do is plan a trip or an activity to fill the empty space that has been made available to us.  I continue to hear people say,  “I am sooooo bored”.   Is it possible that we missed opportunity to be alone with God?  Is it possible that slowing down  the speed of life might not be such a bad idea?  

  In Mark 4 it says:  18And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 19And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. 

Have we been desensitized to see the cares of the world as necessity? 

 What did Jesus say in Luke 10:41-42?  ”And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Solitude can become a time of sweet communion with the Father.  You might remember the old song, “ In the Garden”,  some of you may not.  Here are the lyrics:

“In The Garden”

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The son of God discloses

And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known

He speaks and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet that the birds hush their singing
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing

And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known

And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known

Wherever your special place of solitude might be, whether it be a garden, a lake, a mountain, or some other place special to you.  Visit it frequently and spend time with Him.  You might find that it’s exactly what you’ve been hungry for!   Time doesn’t wait on us.  We must, TAKE TIME……….. to wait on Him………..

There is a scripture that some folks use when they cannot explain something tragic or devastating.   It is where Job ascribed to God as being the one behind all his troubles.  Job 1:21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.  Now I know there have been endless debates by theologians throughout the years over this one topic.  However, I am not here to debate and a single post is not nearly enough space to write a discourse on this portion of scripture.  The point I want to make is this:  God is never the one who takes away!  I say that emphatically and with confidence. Job made this statement based on insufficient  knowledge of the character of God. I believe people still make this statement today because of the same reason, hence, I see people hurt, angry and bitter against God because of it.  Look at some of the following scriptures with me:

 Jesus himself said in John 10:10 – The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Now think about it for a moment.  Jesus himself answers the age-old question concerning Job.  Jesus is plainly telling us that it is satan who is the thief.  It is satan who steals, kills and destroys.  But what about God’s sovereignty you ask?  I’m glad you ask.  Adam gave away his dominion when he sinned in the garden of Eden.  Guess who he gave it to?  He gave it to satan.  Yes, God is sovereign!  But God is also just.  God didn’t act unjustly and take back dominion from satan when Adam lost it.  What makes us think that God would take away anything that is legally someone elses.  God Almighty is the Righteous Judge and he always judges righteously. 

 Mankind is in the state it is in because of sin.  Jesus willfully came and paid our price and satisfied the righteous justice of God when he hung on the cross and went into hell.  Whether we like it or not, satan is still the god of “this” world and he is god over anyone who has not received Jesus Christ as their saviour and Lord.  It is not till a person receives Jesus as their saviour that they are translated from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light.  

Another reason that I know that God does not take is because the scripture says that Jesus was the express image of God. Hebrews 1: 2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:   Jesus kept saying, If you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father.  Show me somewhere in the new testament where Jesus ever took from anyone.  Jesus was the epitome of  GIVE, GIVE, GIVE.  He hasn’t changed.

 Another reason:    People get the idea that they got to carry the cross of Jesus by the suffering of sickness, disease, poverty, tragedy, loss, etc.  This is not so!  All these sufferings are listed in Deuteronomy 28 and are labeled as curses of the law.    Then, Galatians 3:13 says: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree…  Once again, God is giving, not taking away!  Every one knows John 3:16 which says that God so loved the world that He gave….   Every thing that Jesus suffered was for us. But everything that Jesus bought and paid for us has to be received “by faith”.  

Another reason:  I hear a lot of folks say that they or someone they know is sick because God wants to teach them something.  My dear friend,  who in their right mind would teach their own child something by making the child sick or breaking its legs, etc.  To even consider that God would teach His children in that manner is utterly ridiculous.  The Word of God says in John 14:26 says But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.  In correcting His disciples, Jesus always corrected them with His words. Jesus has not changed; He is the same yesterday, today and forever. 

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to perish from lack of knowledge.  And I certainly don’t want to be accusing God of things that are totally out of character for Him.  And I shutter to think that I would misrepresent Him to others.  I pray that the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him be upon all who are part of the body of Christ.

I know this has been a long blog post, but I thought it necessary to try to fully explain to the best of  my ability why God is not the Taker but He is the Giver.   I will conclude with the real suffering that we enter into and the real carrying of a cross with Him.

Paul said in  2 Timothy 1:11 - …for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.  Paul was talking to Timothy concerning the sufferings of imprisonment  and persecution that he continued to experience because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.   This was written close to the end of Paul’s life and he is writing to Timothy words of  wisdom and encouragement from his cell in a prison in Rome.  We are told in verse 12 of chapter 3 of 2 Timothy that  all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.  There are those all around the world today who are suffering this type of persecution.  We don’t see a lot of this type of persecution in America.  I am thankful to live in a free nation that has been built on christian principles!   However;  there is verbal, mental and emotional persecution against the church everywhere.  Yes, there is suffering.  But the sufferings that Jesus shed His blood to redeem us from, let us receive by faith our healing and deliverance to the Glory of God.  And the suffering that comes from persecution, let us endure to the end to the Glory of God! 

The human eye is amazing!  We are truly fearfully and wonderfully made!  Read the following facts on just the retina and the optic nerve: 

The retina is the nerve layer that lines the back of the eye and senses light and creates impulses. It converts light rays into electrical signals and sends them to the brain through the optic nerve.  The retina is where vision actually takes place. Every single thing we see is projected, upside down and backward, on our retina, onto special photoreceptor cells called rods and cones. There are 6 million cone cells and 120 million rod cells in the human eye. When light falls on one of these cells, it causes a chemical reaction that sends an electrical signal to the brain.  Each microscopic cone cell is connected to a nerve that goes straight to the brain. When a tiny particle of light from an object hits a particular cone, the brain instantly sees it as a particle of color. All the cones together work like the tiny dots on your computer screen. Your brain flips the image and puts all the dots together to tell you exactly what you’re seeing the moment you see it. Each optic nerve has about 1.2 million nerve fibers. This is the cable connecting the eye to the brain. The optic nerve carries the impulses formed by the retina and they are dispatched through the optic nerve to the brain, which interprets them as images. 

  Now that’s amazing to me!  But did you know we also have spiritual eyes that cannot be seen with our natural eyes?  Look at the following scripture –

 John 3:3 says, Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

When we are born again, something marvelous happens!  Other senses outside of our 5 senses (taste, hear, smell, see and touch) are installed in us!  What a download!  We truly have been given ALL things that pertain to life and godliness.   The Word also says - 

Psalms 119:130  The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

 Without natural light our natural eyes are useless;  so it is with our spiritual eyes!  It is the Word of God that gives light to our spiritual eyes;  without the Word of God there is no light for our spiritual eyes to see!  Look at this:

Matt. 6 –  ²¹For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. ²²The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.  ²³But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

No wonder Jesus said that if we don’t understand the parable of the sower, we cannot understand all other parables!  Wow!  The Word of God being sown into our hearts is of UTMOST importance!   The Word of God truly is the bread of life that we live by. Now let me take you to one more scripture:

Ephesians 1:18 says: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened ; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

The word “eyes” means: the eye,  the eyes of the mind, the faculty of knowing.  And the word “understanding” means: the mind as a faculty of understanding, feeling, desiring understanding mind, i.e. spirit, way of thinking and feeling thoughts, either good or bad.  This sure does begin to explain why it is so important to “renew” our mind with the precious Word of God! 

When the eyes of our understanding begin to be enlightened in different areas, we begin to know about all the wonderful things that have been given to us that Jesus paid such a precious price for.  We begin to understand who we are in Him.  We begin to know Him on a much more intimate basis. We begin to see ourself and everyone around us much differently.  We then begin to realize we are no longer blinded in different areas.  The Light has caused us to SEE.

Proverbs 4

20My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.                

21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

 22For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

 23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. 

The main subject in this passage is God’s Word.  The Word that He has spoken is full of the essential substance of life.   Mankind has a great need to place great value  on the integrity of the Word of God.  Many view the Bible as just another book.  Many view Jesus as just a prophet.  I view the Word of God as the most precious, most valuable tangible substance that there is.  

  The Word is the substance of life.  It comes fully packaged with answers to lifes toughest questions and all the power necessary to change whatever condition you might find yourself in at the moment.

In this world, material things are valued greatly and all the world runs after them to find one day that those things cannot and will not satisfy the void deep within their heart.  I choose the Word of God.  It is life to me.  Jesus is the Word of God.  The Word is Jesus.  The value is off the charts and no price can ever be assigned to it. The Word of God is a person. 

The Word of God is there for you to desire it, seek it, hunger after it, pursue it and receive it.   It’s benefit package includes life and health.  Every so often, let’s re-evaluate our appreciation for the Word of God and it’s contents.  It comes from our  loving heavenly Father.

It is His love letter to us.