Sunday, September 27, 2009
Birth of Jesus - Luke 1&2
During the time when Jesus was born, many people had no idea that their Messiah was to be born during their generation. Only those who meditated on the scripture and eagerly anticipated the coming of their Savior were aware in the time they were living. This will also be the case at the second coming of Jesus. Many people will not be expecting Jesus when He does come, partly because the seemingly long delay. The ones who will be prepared will be the ones who like at His first coming meditate on the scripture and long for His return. By immersing ourselves in scripture and communing with the Holy Spirit we will be the ones like Simeon and Anna who knew that the coming of the Messiah would be in their generation.
What we must do then to be found waiting for Jesus upon His second coming is live like the few who knew His first coming. We must live just and devout, allowing the Holy Spirit to move upon us. (Luke 2:25) We must have the faith that Simeon had in knowing that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. (Luke 2:26) Though this type of lifestyle may be consuming of our lives, and cause us to never feel fully satisfied, there is reward that makes it beyond worth it. I can’t even imagine the joy that Simeon felt in holding and blessing the baby Jesus. That moment made every longing and groaning worth it. The complete barrenness we feel in life makes so much more sense once we see Jesus with our eyes.
Anna is such a beautiful example of how we ought to be living our lives. The devotion to Jesus she maintained through her life is stunning; especially considering her loss early on in life, the husband of her youth. We should be living lives of prayer and fasting, thanking the Lord for everything. We should be staying in the temple day and night crying out in desperation for the Lord. She knew before the cross the story of redemption, and spoke of Him to the people who would hear. (Luke 2:36-38) We should be speaking to people of the redemptive work of Christ to all people we encounter. We need to humble ourselves to such a place to recognize our barrenness and cry out to the Lord, because our only hope for this earth is His return, where He will rule in perfect leadership.
Oh the joy that must have come to those who anticipated their Christ, “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) They must have been thrilled to know that God was going to be with them in the flesh.
There were a few people who knew that Jesus was the Savior they were waiting on, but many religious Jews didn’t. Many people in the days of the birth of Jesus were living controlled by religious spirits, which blinded them to the Messiah in which they were waiting on. To think that someone would search their whole lives for their Savior, and then miss Him at His return is absurd. But the reality is that they were so driven by religion that they forgot it was about a Man, and made it about the law. The law became an idol to them and it destroyed their destiny in Christ. This must have pained Jesus’ heart in a way that we cannot even comprehend.
The humility and lowliness of Christ starts at His birth, lying in a manger, not in a palace being praised by kings. Jesus was pleased to be humble, having no recognition was a delight to Him. There was no room for Jesus in the inn so He had to lower Himself to the place where animals lived and ate. Much like in the world there was no room for Him so He dwelt with the sinners, tax collectors and prostitutes; the unworthy according to this world. Jesus was not seeking the approval of man. His whole life resembles the perfect picture of humility. God is vast, a shore less ocean waiting to be discovered; and the person of Jesus is equally as vast, He resembles the Father in every way, they are in unison. To think that the God of the universe could be expressed in the form of a humble man is beyond what our minds can grasp. Mary carried the fullness of God in her womb! Even at His birth, light and joy were revealed. Heaven was full of joy and worshipped God on the day of His birth.
Mary must have been awestruck when the angel Gabriel came to her saying that she was favored by God and that she would bear the Son of the Highest named Jesus. I wonder what was going through her mind when the angel told her that the Holy Spirit will come upon her and then she would bear a Son. The power of the person of Christ was present at the beginning of time, but we see glimpses of His nature even when He was in the womb. I just love that God included in the bible the part where John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb, and she was filled with the Holy Spirit. (Luke 1:41) The power we see here of Jesus bringing that kind of joy is a beautiful illustration of what was to come. The kingdom of God has always been about the beauty within. Mary found favor with God not because of looks or fame, but because of the beauty she carried within of a humble heart. (Luke 1:48) The song of Mary reveals the understanding she was given about the One she would soon birth. She had great revelation about the fear of the Lord; His mercy, humility, justice, compassion, goodness and blessing. (Luke 1:46-55) Because of her divine understanding she magnified the Lord with her soul. Mary had more faith than Zacharias did when the angel of the Lord appeared to her to tell her of the Son she would bear. Mary was blessed because of her faith.
Jesus brought much joy and light upon His earthly arrival. The joy and light that He brought was directly from heaven, from a place of truth, love, humility and faith.
What we must do then to be found waiting for Jesus upon His second coming is live like the few who knew His first coming. We must live just and devout, allowing the Holy Spirit to move upon us. (Luke 2:25) We must have the faith that Simeon had in knowing that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. (Luke 2:26) Though this type of lifestyle may be consuming of our lives, and cause us to never feel fully satisfied, there is reward that makes it beyond worth it. I can’t even imagine the joy that Simeon felt in holding and blessing the baby Jesus. That moment made every longing and groaning worth it. The complete barrenness we feel in life makes so much more sense once we see Jesus with our eyes.
Anna is such a beautiful example of how we ought to be living our lives. The devotion to Jesus she maintained through her life is stunning; especially considering her loss early on in life, the husband of her youth. We should be living lives of prayer and fasting, thanking the Lord for everything. We should be staying in the temple day and night crying out in desperation for the Lord. She knew before the cross the story of redemption, and spoke of Him to the people who would hear. (Luke 2:36-38) We should be speaking to people of the redemptive work of Christ to all people we encounter. We need to humble ourselves to such a place to recognize our barrenness and cry out to the Lord, because our only hope for this earth is His return, where He will rule in perfect leadership.
Oh the joy that must have come to those who anticipated their Christ, “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) They must have been thrilled to know that God was going to be with them in the flesh.
There were a few people who knew that Jesus was the Savior they were waiting on, but many religious Jews didn’t. Many people in the days of the birth of Jesus were living controlled by religious spirits, which blinded them to the Messiah in which they were waiting on. To think that someone would search their whole lives for their Savior, and then miss Him at His return is absurd. But the reality is that they were so driven by religion that they forgot it was about a Man, and made it about the law. The law became an idol to them and it destroyed their destiny in Christ. This must have pained Jesus’ heart in a way that we cannot even comprehend.
The humility and lowliness of Christ starts at His birth, lying in a manger, not in a palace being praised by kings. Jesus was pleased to be humble, having no recognition was a delight to Him. There was no room for Jesus in the inn so He had to lower Himself to the place where animals lived and ate. Much like in the world there was no room for Him so He dwelt with the sinners, tax collectors and prostitutes; the unworthy according to this world. Jesus was not seeking the approval of man. His whole life resembles the perfect picture of humility. God is vast, a shore less ocean waiting to be discovered; and the person of Jesus is equally as vast, He resembles the Father in every way, they are in unison. To think that the God of the universe could be expressed in the form of a humble man is beyond what our minds can grasp. Mary carried the fullness of God in her womb! Even at His birth, light and joy were revealed. Heaven was full of joy and worshipped God on the day of His birth.
Mary must have been awestruck when the angel Gabriel came to her saying that she was favored by God and that she would bear the Son of the Highest named Jesus. I wonder what was going through her mind when the angel told her that the Holy Spirit will come upon her and then she would bear a Son. The power of the person of Christ was present at the beginning of time, but we see glimpses of His nature even when He was in the womb. I just love that God included in the bible the part where John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb, and she was filled with the Holy Spirit. (Luke 1:41) The power we see here of Jesus bringing that kind of joy is a beautiful illustration of what was to come. The kingdom of God has always been about the beauty within. Mary found favor with God not because of looks or fame, but because of the beauty she carried within of a humble heart. (Luke 1:48) The song of Mary reveals the understanding she was given about the One she would soon birth. She had great revelation about the fear of the Lord; His mercy, humility, justice, compassion, goodness and blessing. (Luke 1:46-55) Because of her divine understanding she magnified the Lord with her soul. Mary had more faith than Zacharias did when the angel of the Lord appeared to her to tell her of the Son she would bear. Mary was blessed because of her faith.
Jesus brought much joy and light upon His earthly arrival. The joy and light that He brought was directly from heaven, from a place of truth, love, humility and faith.
Love Everlasting Aug 15th 2009
At the dawn of time the love song of me resounded in Your being.
The blueprint of my soul fascinated the depths of Yours.
In the womb of eternity You meditated on my beauty.
You were dancing, singing and rejoicing on the day of my birth.
Out of the overflow of love I was created.
The blueprint of my soul fascinated the depths of Yours.
In the womb of eternity You meditated on my beauty.
You were dancing, singing and rejoicing on the day of my birth.
Out of the overflow of love I was created.
Jesus the Healer- Mark 5:1-20
Jesus has such a different perspective of people than we do. In our natural, sinful minds we are so judgmental of other people. We always seem to notice all the issues people have rather than their qualities. We can so easily become hypocritical, arrogant, bitter, jealous, self righteous and disgusted when we think about certain people, inside or outside of the body of Christ. These mentalities are sinful and are an example of how wicked our flesh is. One example of this is the man with a legion of demons. This man was absolutely crazy, dangerous, uncontrollable and full of darkness (Mark 5:3-5). I imagine that guy in prison that must be confined at all times, the one that is the worst of the worst of bad guys, who everybody fears. In our fleshly minds we would have (and probably the minds of the people in that day) passed all kinds of judgment and extreme ideas of who he was. But Jesus on the other hand saw His beloved brother in the beautiful form that he was created in and had compassion on him because of the demons controlling him. Jesus saw that it wasn’t actually the man doing all the craziness, it was the 6,000 demons that had utterly taken him over.
Something that really speaks to my heart is that this man with a legion of demons, was really no different than you or I. He was created by the same God, for the same purpose. The power of darkness manifests differently in people, some are driven into mental illness, some homosexuality, some addiction, some a religious spirit, some pride, some lust, some offense ect… My point is that darkness is darkness, there is no better or worse form of darkness. The truth is that “…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) We all need the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, just as much as the demon possessed man.
It almost seems like it would be better to have blatant sin which could easily be identified and delivered from; rather than having hidden areas of darkness of heart, that gets covered up over and over again. I think it was for this reason that Jesus spent so much time with the blatant sinners (prostitutes, tax collectors, sinners), because they were the ones who were humble enough to recognize and repent of their sin. Much more than those who struggled with the sin that could easily be hidden from people (Pharisees, Sadducees). Our sin is never hidden from Jesus. There is a certain level of willingness and desperation among those who are slaves of the obvious sin.
The authority that Jesus walked in is far beyond what meets the eye. Because of Jesus’ perfect discernment of good and evil, He was able to confront the evil and preserve what was good. So when Jesus approached the man with a legion, what He saw was His creation who was very much so created with a right mind (Mark 5:15), a gift in the area of evangelism (Mark 5:20) and he longed to be with Jesus (Mark 5:18). The only problem was 6,000 demons had gotten ahold of him, and caused the true person to be masked by these demons. So, Jesus having all authority and faith to cast out the demons, simply says, “Come out of the man, unclean spirits.” (Mark 5:8) And they had to submit, leaving the man in the way he was created to be. It is amazing the Lord gives us this same authority to cast out demons. We fallen and sinful beings have been entrusted with the same power and authority that Jesus walked in.
Out of the joyful and grateful heart that the man experienced after being healed and delivered from the hand of the enemy, he begged to stay with Jesus. He knew that what He experienced with Jesus was truth. After this Jesus gave him instruction to go and tell his hometown about all that He did for him and the compassion He showed. So the man went and proclaimed Jesus, “and all marveled.” (Mark 5:20) I believe that the people marveled for two reasons, one because the man was in his right mind. Second because there was probably a certain level of zeal and authority in his preaching, due to having such a dramatic encounter with the living God. He was a changed man, marked by the holy God to be a recipient of the eternal inheritance. Going back to the worst prison criminal, can you imagine him all of a sudden being completely ruined in love by love, full of compassion, marked with eternity, proclaiming Jesus to the prison guards and prisoners. Not impossible, but hard to picture, right? Well that is pretty much what happened in Mark 5:1-20. This is probably why the people were afraid in Mark 5:15, because they were used to seeing this man totally mental, destructive, using his strength to break chains. So to see him in his right mind was foreign to those who came out to see what was going on, they probably were cautious not knowing if at any moment he would go back to the craziness. I love that the man became an evangelist and proclaimed Jesus! It’s just like Jesus to do something so unthinkable as to save and deliver the one who everybody assumes to be incurable. But He does this to demonstrate the nature of God to have mercy on His people. This story encourages believers to hope for the ones who seem the most unlikely to get saved, healed, delivered and endued with power from on high. These testimonies are usually the ones that carry much power to release a spirit of revival to those who it is appointed. Jesus’ compassion and mercy on this man was a direct view of the person of Jesus. Whenever the person of Jesus is revealed, there is power that hits the human heart. And when that power hits the most hardened of hearts are rendered to that of Christ’s.
Something that really speaks to my heart is that this man with a legion of demons, was really no different than you or I. He was created by the same God, for the same purpose. The power of darkness manifests differently in people, some are driven into mental illness, some homosexuality, some addiction, some a religious spirit, some pride, some lust, some offense ect… My point is that darkness is darkness, there is no better or worse form of darkness. The truth is that “…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) We all need the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, just as much as the demon possessed man.
It almost seems like it would be better to have blatant sin which could easily be identified and delivered from; rather than having hidden areas of darkness of heart, that gets covered up over and over again. I think it was for this reason that Jesus spent so much time with the blatant sinners (prostitutes, tax collectors, sinners), because they were the ones who were humble enough to recognize and repent of their sin. Much more than those who struggled with the sin that could easily be hidden from people (Pharisees, Sadducees). Our sin is never hidden from Jesus. There is a certain level of willingness and desperation among those who are slaves of the obvious sin.
The authority that Jesus walked in is far beyond what meets the eye. Because of Jesus’ perfect discernment of good and evil, He was able to confront the evil and preserve what was good. So when Jesus approached the man with a legion, what He saw was His creation who was very much so created with a right mind (Mark 5:15), a gift in the area of evangelism (Mark 5:20) and he longed to be with Jesus (Mark 5:18). The only problem was 6,000 demons had gotten ahold of him, and caused the true person to be masked by these demons. So, Jesus having all authority and faith to cast out the demons, simply says, “Come out of the man, unclean spirits.” (Mark 5:8) And they had to submit, leaving the man in the way he was created to be. It is amazing the Lord gives us this same authority to cast out demons. We fallen and sinful beings have been entrusted with the same power and authority that Jesus walked in.
Out of the joyful and grateful heart that the man experienced after being healed and delivered from the hand of the enemy, he begged to stay with Jesus. He knew that what He experienced with Jesus was truth. After this Jesus gave him instruction to go and tell his hometown about all that He did for him and the compassion He showed. So the man went and proclaimed Jesus, “and all marveled.” (Mark 5:20) I believe that the people marveled for two reasons, one because the man was in his right mind. Second because there was probably a certain level of zeal and authority in his preaching, due to having such a dramatic encounter with the living God. He was a changed man, marked by the holy God to be a recipient of the eternal inheritance. Going back to the worst prison criminal, can you imagine him all of a sudden being completely ruined in love by love, full of compassion, marked with eternity, proclaiming Jesus to the prison guards and prisoners. Not impossible, but hard to picture, right? Well that is pretty much what happened in Mark 5:1-20. This is probably why the people were afraid in Mark 5:15, because they were used to seeing this man totally mental, destructive, using his strength to break chains. So to see him in his right mind was foreign to those who came out to see what was going on, they probably were cautious not knowing if at any moment he would go back to the craziness. I love that the man became an evangelist and proclaimed Jesus! It’s just like Jesus to do something so unthinkable as to save and deliver the one who everybody assumes to be incurable. But He does this to demonstrate the nature of God to have mercy on His people. This story encourages believers to hope for the ones who seem the most unlikely to get saved, healed, delivered and endued with power from on high. These testimonies are usually the ones that carry much power to release a spirit of revival to those who it is appointed. Jesus’ compassion and mercy on this man was a direct view of the person of Jesus. Whenever the person of Jesus is revealed, there is power that hits the human heart. And when that power hits the most hardened of hearts are rendered to that of Christ’s.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Kansas City... Here I come!
I move in exactly two weeks to go to the International House of Prayer! Oh how I long to dwell in the house of the Lord!
Jesus I love You
Thank You Jesus that You have pulled me up out of the grave of my past and loved me to a measure far beyond my mind can even grasp. Oh Lord I am so thankful that You have allowed me to come to a place of rest in you. Jesus you prepared my heart to trust your ways. Lord I surrender it all to You because I trust that Your will is the only & sure way. It is the best feeling I have ever felt to know I am in the will of the Father. There is a peace and confidence that comes from trusting the uncreated God. The will of my life has come from such a deep and burning place of love for my soul, how could I deny that love?
As the bride of Christ I long to be equally yolked in love with You Jesus. From the place of that unfailing love You have for me teach me to love You the same way. There is nothing better, Your love has won my heart.
Jesus I love You
As the bride of Christ I long to be equally yolked in love with You Jesus. From the place of that unfailing love You have for me teach me to love You the same way. There is nothing better, Your love has won my heart.
Jesus I love You
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Praise the Lord!
My cousin accepted Jesus last night over the phone with me! Another citizen of heaven has been born! Halleluia!!
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Searching for the City
Hebrews 11 is one of my favorite chapters...
10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God... 13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland... 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for has prepared a city for them. 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26... for he looked to the reward.
Our reward is growing closer and closer as our surprisingly small lifespans keep flying by. Thinking about my lifespan on earth versus my lifespan in eternity completely confirms my heart to be living of the things of heaven. I find that keeping my gaze on the city will never fail to bring me peace. It also causes pain, temptation and distractions to be eased, in knowing that they are only in exsistence in this life.
Moses had a choice to suffer affliction or to parttake in the passing pleasures of sin. The only way he was able to choose to suffer is because he saw past the present and had faith in the unseen; because he looked to the reward.
I want to grow in faith, so that when I am face with suffering I will not compromise or give in because I will have my focus so firmly placed on the things above. This kind of faith does not happen over night, so we must pursue the city diligently. We need to stay in the Word daily, so we can develop a deep relationship with Christ, as a person. The deeper we go in Christ the lighter we will become, and the more our faith will grow. He promises to be found by the heart that searches for Him.
"You will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you," says the Lord
10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God... 13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland... 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for has prepared a city for them. 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26... for he looked to the reward.
Our reward is growing closer and closer as our surprisingly small lifespans keep flying by. Thinking about my lifespan on earth versus my lifespan in eternity completely confirms my heart to be living of the things of heaven. I find that keeping my gaze on the city will never fail to bring me peace. It also causes pain, temptation and distractions to be eased, in knowing that they are only in exsistence in this life.
Moses had a choice to suffer affliction or to parttake in the passing pleasures of sin. The only way he was able to choose to suffer is because he saw past the present and had faith in the unseen; because he looked to the reward.
I want to grow in faith, so that when I am face with suffering I will not compromise or give in because I will have my focus so firmly placed on the things above. This kind of faith does not happen over night, so we must pursue the city diligently. We need to stay in the Word daily, so we can develop a deep relationship with Christ, as a person. The deeper we go in Christ the lighter we will become, and the more our faith will grow. He promises to be found by the heart that searches for Him.
"You will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you," says the Lord
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Learning to Love
Something I truly desire in this life is to know the love of Christ, and be able to love to the supernatural degree that He loves. I want to love in all circumstances, even the undeserving, those who persecute me, the drug addicts, the prostitutes, the murders, the disabled. I want to learn how to love in the deepest way, that those who never have felt loved would feel the love of Christ through me.
And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment... Philippians 1:9
The only way that we can learn to love the way Jesus loved is if we understand how much He loves us, and allow our hearts to open up in that place of vulnerability and trust that His love is unfailing. Without trusting in His love, we will never be satisfied. When we arn't satisfied our hearts begin searching for that thing which will satisfy, and until we realize He is our only hope we will remain empty.
...but have not love, I am nothing... love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails... 1 Corinthians 13:2-8
And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment... Philippians 1:9
The only way that we can learn to love the way Jesus loved is if we understand how much He loves us, and allow our hearts to open up in that place of vulnerability and trust that His love is unfailing. Without trusting in His love, we will never be satisfied. When we arn't satisfied our hearts begin searching for that thing which will satisfy, and until we realize He is our only hope we will remain empty.
...but have not love, I am nothing... love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails... 1 Corinthians 13:2-8
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Finding Rest in Him
For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:10-11)
And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. (Hebrews 5:9)
As I was meditating on these passages yesterday I realized how necessary it is to have rest in the Lord...
The only way to enter into rest in Jesus is if we allow our busy schedules (works) to be mellow, so we can commune with God. We must be focused on having rest in Him or it will never become part of daily lives. And the lack of diligence in having that rest is, in God's eyes, disobedience. So obeying Him will naturally bring us into a place of rest with the Lord. Oh Lord, how I long for rest in You, Your presence is all I need.
And as it says eternal salvation is for those who obey... leading me to believe that eternal salvation is for those who have rest in Him, because they obey. Isn't that just beautiful, Jesus doesn't want to compete with our schedules, even if it is ministry. He just wants our time, our love, our affection towards Him. I want to experience all there is to know about this man, I am hungry to engage in a deep relationship and fall more in love with Him. I know that there will never be an end to this precious love and rest I find in Him. And simply by obeying Him, I have unlimited access straight to His heart.
I pray that my heart would abound in love, and that I will always be diligent to find my rest in Him. Amen. I love You Jesus with all of me.
Sara
Friday, January 30, 2009
Silence in heaven
Wow I just love when i gain a new understanding of something I have read several of times!
Revelation 8:1
When He opened the seventh seal, there was a silence in heaven for about a half an hour.
I realized that the silence in heaven is not only a silence of awe and for what will happen next, but it is God showing John how important the prayers of the saints are in the second coming of Christ. Prayers of longing for the return of Christ from the last 2,000 years have been rising like incense and filling the bowls in heaven. Not one prayer lost.
It is during this silence in heaven that the smoke of the incense is passed from the angel's hand and ascends before the Father. The silence is specifically for the saints to be heard. All the prayers ever prayed to usher in the King have now been released to God to then bring forth righteous judgement. The noises that break the silence are thunderings, lightnings and an earthquake. Which shows how much power the prayers of the saints truly have. Our prayers will destroy darkness and usher in the light of our King Jesus.
It is amazing to me to think about the people who have been praying faithfully for the return of Jesus and have not given up for fear that their prayers will not be heard. To the world it seems crazy for someone to devote their life to praying for the return of Jesus, but God gives them power over darkness. It is the saints prayers that help write the end of the story. And at the end of the story a new story begins. Only the new story will be in the beautiful city of the new Jerusalem; with Jesus, the perfect leader sitting on the throne.
Lord let Your Kingdom come!
Revelation 8:1
When He opened the seventh seal, there was a silence in heaven for about a half an hour.
I realized that the silence in heaven is not only a silence of awe and for what will happen next, but it is God showing John how important the prayers of the saints are in the second coming of Christ. Prayers of longing for the return of Christ from the last 2,000 years have been rising like incense and filling the bowls in heaven. Not one prayer lost.
It is during this silence in heaven that the smoke of the incense is passed from the angel's hand and ascends before the Father. The silence is specifically for the saints to be heard. All the prayers ever prayed to usher in the King have now been released to God to then bring forth righteous judgement. The noises that break the silence are thunderings, lightnings and an earthquake. Which shows how much power the prayers of the saints truly have. Our prayers will destroy darkness and usher in the light of our King Jesus.
It is amazing to me to think about the people who have been praying faithfully for the return of Jesus and have not given up for fear that their prayers will not be heard. To the world it seems crazy for someone to devote their life to praying for the return of Jesus, but God gives them power over darkness. It is the saints prayers that help write the end of the story. And at the end of the story a new story begins. Only the new story will be in the beautiful city of the new Jerusalem; with Jesus, the perfect leader sitting on the throne.
Lord let Your Kingdom come!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Darkness cannot understand Light
"And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." John 1:5 When I was really thinking about this verse it made me think of all the joy I receive from the Light. There is an overflow of joy. To think that there are some who will never experience that same joy makes me sad. Those who do not receive the eternal crown will never see the beauty of Christ. The world did not know Him because the world became dark. It is the darkness within us that makes us not understand who He is. There are times when we become offended by His ways, and that is simply the darkness that is confused by the Light of truth.
When we strive to stay in His presence we will continue to receive more and more understanding through His Light. And when we do receive His Light, He gives us the right to become children of God, born of the Living God and not of flesh. The true Light gives light to every man coming into the world. I want to understand Christ to fullest measure.
"...I lifted my eyes toward heaven and my understanding returned to me..."
Daniel 4:34
When we strive to stay in His presence we will continue to receive more and more understanding through His Light. And when we do receive His Light, He gives us the right to become children of God, born of the Living God and not of flesh. The true Light gives light to every man coming into the world. I want to understand Christ to fullest measure.
"...I lifted my eyes toward heaven and my understanding returned to me..."
Daniel 4:34
Friday, January 23, 2009
Sowing into the Spirit
I'm noticing more and more my tenancies to get wrapped up in things of little meaning, which disconnects me from what has meaning, and that is Christ. I find that if I dwell on things, they soon consume me. I want Jesus to be my dwelling place that consumes me always. There is no better feeling than to draw near to Him, and likewise there is no worse feeling than being disconnected from Him. "Sow into the Spirit or sow into the flesh," in Justin Rizzo's song. We are always doing one or the other.
When I can set all things of this world aside and simply worship my creator, it makes me realize how little of value the things of this world are compared with the promise of eternity. Through Him I can overcome my fleshly desires. I long to reap the benefit of eternity, it is written on my heart.
JESUS CONSUME ME!!!
"He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son." Revelation 21:7
When I can set all things of this world aside and simply worship my creator, it makes me realize how little of value the things of this world are compared with the promise of eternity. Through Him I can overcome my fleshly desires. I long to reap the benefit of eternity, it is written on my heart.
JESUS CONSUME ME!!!
"He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son." Revelation 21:7
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