God’s Love, His Word, His Holiness! His plan! it’s mind blowing!

God’s Love, His Word, His Holiness! His plan! it’s mind blowing! 

Some thoughts from the book of Deuteronomy..

The Book of Deuteronomy is the bridge between the first four books (outside the Land) and the next seven books (inside the Land). It contains the Sh’ma: the Great Commandment.

“Hear O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:

and thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with

all thy soul, and with all thy might.” Deuteronomy 6:4,5.

There are more quotes by Jesus from Deuteronomy than from any other book. Through Moses, God set such a high standard for the people that all subsequent prophets lived under his shadow, never attaining to it, until the coming of the Lord Yeshua, Jesus Christ.

So these  collections of Moses sermons was repetition of God’s law to the people before they entered the Promised Land!

So what did they have to do to enter the Promised Land?

Deuteronomy 30:20 “That thou mayest love YHWH  your God, and that you may obey His voice, and that you may cleave unto Him: for He is your life, and the length of your days: that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore unto your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”

Over and over again Moses traced the work of salvation which God was accomplishing through him to the promises sworn unto Abraham (v.20). The apostle Paul, in speaking about salvation in New Testament terms, makes use of this appeal by Moses (Deuteronomy 30:10-20) in Romans 10:1-21, Jesus (John 3)!

So here Israel is faced  with a key decision - To love God so wholeheartedly that they will live in accordance with God’s revealed will as outlined in His written revelation, the Torah!

We are not under the law and THANK GOD and PRAISE Him for that! BUT we are called to the same wholeheartedness! God has given us far more blessings than He has enumerated on  the blessings side  in Mt. Gerizim.. (Deuteronomy 28).  Because all these things there were a shadow in a sense compared to all the blessings we enjoy here, the freedoms we have,  the love, the abundance, and the revealing of God’s Word.. They had the Torah, the book of Moses, we have much more, they could anticipate the Messiah only by faith, only as a dream on the Horizon! We can see the Messiah as something completed.. He did come, He was the son of David, He was born and raised in Nazareth  and He fulfilled over 100 specifications in His death alone! He died for our sins, He was buried,  He rose again  on the 3^rd day! The core achievement was the  crucifixion of Christ! This  was not a tragedy, it was an achievement by the ruler of the universe to demonstrate  His ultimate love.

 God knew  that  Israel would fail and provided for that failure.. God knew that we can’t perform and will also fail!  He knew if He left man alone that he would get himself in a  predicament that  nothing less than the death of God would prevail to extricate men from that predicament..

And He laid out His whole plan of redemption which involved God entering into His creation and fulfilling the requirement of His righteousness and paying the price so that He could extend His grace and mercy and forgiveness to us by our accepting what He has done on faith.. And that’s His only requirement that we trust Him. He finds a different way, every day probably, to asks us the question “Do you really trust Me?” .

He challenges us in blessings!  Do we keep our eyes on the source of the blessings? He challenges us in darkness, in  the valleys.. In fact those valleys are often a primary call to intimacy with Him.

But what He is looking for is not us following rules and regulations.. that’s not what Deuteronomy  is about.. It’s us having wholehearted devotion to Him and to walk moment by moment,  hand in hand  with Him.. Not asking Him to bless what we are doing, but for us to do what He is blessing..

Deuteronomy, a challenging book! It has shown me that the  Law itself is a mechanism by which we can demonstrate our love for Him.. That’s what it’s all about! It’s a love relationship!

Heavenly Father, Thank you Your Words! I thank You that You are a Holy God and a keeper of  Your promises and that  those promises take their climax in the person of JESUS CHRIST! And in His Person we have access to You .. In His person You can ascribe His righteousness to us..

Thank you for Your incredible plan of redemption that You executed on our behalf that we might have life, that we have the  law fulfilled in JESUS CHRIST,  that we have  His holiness ascribed to us and in His perfection we have fellowship with You!  How can we possibly comprehend what you’ve done for us..

Forgive us Lord and especially our ingratitude when we fail to acknowledge that every good thing comes from Your hand, blessings we can’t even number.. Forgive also our sins of presumption as we  continually seek our own way rather than discern  Your way..

Help us to  understand what you want us to do these days.. Help us to become a living sacrifice for Your Glory!  .. Help us Father to fulfil Your purpose in our lives rather than continue to follow our own design.

Thank You that You love us so  much  and You provided redemption to bring us here to this point in time.. Please continue to feed us and increase our appetite for Your word and to more fully comprehend the incredible blessings provided  in JESUS CHRIST..  We pray that through your Holy Spirit and Word we might be pleasing in Your sight and more fruitful stewards as we commit our life into Your hands once again!  In the Name of Yeshua! Amen!!! 

·         ❤=TO YESHUA WE LOVE YOU❤
(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*
¸.•´ ❤Amen
(✿◠‿◠) Hallelujah ♫♪♫♪

You have words of eternal life.

John 6:68  “Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.”

Was pondering this ‘To whom shall we go’...  At the time when Peter said these words to Jesus we need to remember that the teachers around at that time were corrupt..

The Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the scribes were unable to guide them aright..

The Pharisees were the religious people. They would be considered the conservatives today.

 * They were extremely precise and minute in all matters pertaining to the law of Moses. * Their system of religion was a form and nothing more. *They were noted for their pride and self-righteousness.

*They are enemies of Jesus.

They didn't have a personal relationship with God.  It was all about outward behaviour not a heart transformation. 

Today this would represent someone who is also religious and or traditional.  Going to church each week, doing the right things which would include prayer and reading the bible, etc,  but has no personal relationship with Jesus.  Christianity without Christ or a form of Godliness without the Holy Spirit! *Trying to earn salvation rather than except the gift Jesus gave to us..Works!! etc!!

The Sadducees were the outcome of the influence of Grecian customs and philosophy during the Greek domination.

We would call them liberals today.

*They were called hypocrites by the Lord and also a wicked and adulterous generation * They ridiculed the doctrine of the resurrection, and denied the existence of angels.

I think today they would represent a people who deny the deity of Christ. * What we refer to as humanism today.. When we leave Jesus out of the way we are in danger of being sadd – u—cee!!!

 * when we don’t take the Word of God seriously or try to change it to suit our lifestyle!

Both of these religions   represent the state of our sad fleshly existence.

I do wonder if things have changed much today?

Do we still live by those words of Peter to Jesus?  "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.” Or are we taken captive by every doctrine that passes our way.

What I conclude from this is that God’s invitation to us is one of love & communion with Him.. A walk in spirit & truth. What we see today however in most 'churches is a  false/corrupting doctrine. A “form of Christianity without Christ as the centre..”

Timothy & Peter warned us about this..

"The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having 'itching ears;' and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." 2 Timothy 4:3,4.

"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily (like hiding the Leaven in the meal) shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their 'Pernicious Ways,' by reason of whom the 'Way of Truth' SHALL BE EVIL SPOKEN OF." 2 Peter 2:1,2.

My prayer is that we come before our Father asking Him to reveal to us every false belief, attitude and sin we have and He promises us He will cleanse us..  and that we become like the Bereans spoken of in Acts 17:11  “ These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”

ONLY JESUS HAS THE WORDS OF LIFE.. JESUS CHRIST is  THE SAME, YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER!!

Mary...  \o/

I am attaching below a commentary I found ~ I feel it really nails this.. Mathew 13:33 The parable of the leaven... "Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened."

Now what is meant by the "three measures of meal?" Where do we get meal? Not from Tares. They would not yield fine wholesome flour. Meal comes from corn. Hence the "Meal" cannot represent the "unregenerate mass of humanity," but the pure seed of the Word of God. It is a striking coincidence that the professing Church is divided today into three great parts, the Roman Catholic, the Greek, and the Protestant churches, which may represent the "three measures" into the "Meal" of which has been placed the false and corrupting doctrines of "Baptismal Regeneration," "Prayers for the Dead," "Image Worship," the "Sacrifice of the Mass" and other false doctrines.

What are you high on!!!

I was just listening to Paul talk about all the godly kings in Judah’s history who received a good testimony for loving God and following His ways but who almost always fell just one step short of total revival. 

As he was sharing, the penny dropped as to what has been really been going on in my life and stirring my heart of late!

The Lord wants us to be close to Him.. to worship Him alone and only Him.. He wants us to make Him the centre of everything!  Why? Because we have created to have Him and only Him as our one and only focus of worship.. Everything else must come second..

Jeronimo!!

It’s interesting how most of the godly kings received the following sort of testimony from God  “And Jehoshophat walked in all the ways of his father Asa.  He did not turn aside from them, doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD.  Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for the people offered sacrifices and burnt incense on the high places”. 1Kings 22:43

I am no bible scholar but to me, the high places where people sacrificed to idols in the old testament represents the places in our heart where we have affection and devotion for things (even good things such as family, careers, churches etc) close to, or even exceeding, our devotion to God.

As far as I know, there was only one king who went all the way and had the courage and conviction to tear down the high places.  I want a testimony like king Hezekiah:- “And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did.  He removed the high places, and broke the images, and cut down the sacred pillars, and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it and called it Nehushtan.  He trusted in the LORD God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him.   For he held fast to the LORD, and did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses.   And the LORD was with him; and he prospered wherever he went”.  2 Kings 18:3-6

This is very challenging.  No, this is impossible.  We can’t pull down the high places or strongholds in our life in our own strength or determination.  It is only by the Spirit that we die to self.   

<3 J msf

“...present  your bodies as living sacrifices . . . to God” (Rom 12:1).

Beauty for Ashes \o/

Beauty for Ashes

God will raise up a people of Jesus – those in whom Christ dwells by the Spirit of the Lord to repair the old ruins and heal the people of captivity (Isaiah 58:12).

Isaiah 61:1-4: "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken hearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified. And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations."

As we were worshiping our Lord this morning this scripture was just burning in my heart.. and I sense the Lord wanting us to be reminded of it..

We (Paul and I) were also reminded of the pure love of God.. It is most humbling the reality and the intensity of the power of His love.. It overwhelms me and fills my heart with tears of gratitude..and love for Him..

When I experience this level of intimacy with our Father, the world and the value I have placed in my natural human understanding and strength become so meaningless..His love gets me undone, I feel broken.. and in this state I remember one of the most important things I believe that He has spoken to us..

Go! Go into all the world and preach the gospel! Sharing My love and Good news with all, and make DISCIPLES! Teaching them how to obey my commandments!!

And oh His promise in Isaiah 57:15 "For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones."

To know by experience the pure love of God is the most humbling reality of life. The intensity of the power of His love overwhelms us and instantly fills our hearts with tears of gratitude and reflective love for Him. A moment in His love can transform our minds. The pride of this world and the value we have placed on our natural human understanding and strengths become meaningless to us. To know His love is to be broken. 

Through our brokenness, the way for the humble is opened into kingdom wisdom from the throne of heaven. A single burst of direct impartation from God can fill our being with wisdom and understanding of God that is far superior and supersedes all of our human precept upon precept accumulation of knowledge.

Romans 12:16: "Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion."

James 4:6: … "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."

James 4:10: "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."

1 Peter 5:6: "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.."

Collosians 3:1-2: "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth."

Father, we come to you to humble ourselves before you and ask for your mercy and grace. We repent from our pride and arrogance of seeking to live life and solve the problems of the people of the world with our natural human understanding. We choose to turn from all of our foolish ways of sin. Cleanse us, Father, with the precious blood of Yeshua ,Jesus our Lord and Saviour. Cleanse us from every residue of sin and religious ways. We come to you again emptying ourselves and laying our everything upon Your heavenly alter. Father, receive our contrite and humble spirit; revive our spirits and hearts with Your life.

Father, as we look up to You, we see the open doors to our prison of earthbound thinking. We lift our faces, our hands and our hearts to You. We set our hearts and minds on Your heavenly reality, and with all our hearts and souls we call upon Your Holy Name; lift us into heavenly places and fill us with Your love that we may be pleasing in your sight. Cast us not away, oh Lord, for we are consumed with Your love and cannot - will not - live without You. You alone are worthy and glorious above all. Look not upon our lack, but complete us with Your sufficiency. Purify us in Your holy love to become one with You forever. Father, make us carriers of Your love!!!
In Your Precious Name, Yeshua, our Lord Jesus, Amen xxx

Been thinking about LOVE :)

The word ‘love’ has been on my heart lately! A lot!

I am being reminded of WHAT IS IT?!!

We use it all the time! I ‘love’ this day, I ‘love’ this food! Even, I ‘love’ you!

The bible talks about 3 Human Loves -

1.      Storge  love: our natural, emotional love

-          Can become a suffocating love, if not returned

2.      Eros love: our natural, sexual, “falling in love” love

-          Can lose our rationality if not careful

3.      Phili0 love: our natural, friendship love. A sharing of common interest. Seeing eye to eye.

And then there is Agape, God’s love!

It’s different from human love.  It’s supernatural and comes directly from God.. We cannot produce this ‘love’ as it requires a new spirit.

Having and passing on Agape is what makes Christianity different from all the other religions of the world.

So this is what it looks like!

Definition of God’s Love

Agape is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. [It] does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong.  It is never glad about injustices, but rejoices whenever truth wins out.  If you love someone you will be faithful to him no matter what the cost.  You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him.  Agape never fails.  (1Corinthians 13)

Agape love is not dependent upon our understanding, our feelings or our desires or upon how the other person responds  and it’s not dependent upon the circumstances we are in!

In other words it’s unconditional, it is one-sided, it is a ‘freeing’ love and is centred on reaching the other person!

Agape involves a simple choice – to co-operate with the Divine lover of our soul.  It is not based on human emotion but on God alone.  It is God Himself loving through us as we learn to say  "I choose to set myself aside and allow God to love through me".

Our ‘self’ (ie. our emotions and desires) are by nature opposed to such a love  because there is nothing in it for us. Our self is somehow more comfortable with holding on to the fears, hurts and all the “justified” offences that quench the flow of God’s love in and through our hearts

By God’s grace however, we can choose to yield these things to Him so that we can be His vessel and ambassador.

Are you willing to Love like this?

Can we tear up that long list of “justified hurts” and choose to forgive?

John 12v24 tells us...”Verily, verily I say onto you, Except a grain of wheat fall  into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it dies it’s going to bring forth much fruit (Gods Love).”

So why is Agape so Important?

It is the whole meaning and purpose of or lives (1 Timothy 1v5)

It's the only way others will know we are Christians ( John 13v35)

It proves we are abiding in God ( John 15v4)

It shows we are filled with fullness of God (Ephesians 3v19)

It is proof that we love (agapao) God (John 14v21)

It is the perfect bond of union, not only between God and us, but between others and us. 

AGAPE is impossible to manufacture and even to copy because its source is God alone.  But we who are filled with His agape love are able to be agents of this supernatural love wherever we go, for with GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!

LORD, help me to daily put my ‘self’ aside and make these faith choices to honour You.. Help me to understand that I cannot do this in my own strength but only as I trust, abide and yield to You..

I pray in the Name of Yeshua!

Amen! J

With much  'agape' :)

Pursuing in knowing Him is the most important thing!

Hi!!! ✿◕‿◕✿  ♥ ♥

John 17:3 says “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

I was reminded today the importance of KNOWING Him!

Having to take a long road trip, I took with me dozens of cd’s to worship my Lord!!

And as I travelled along just enjoying worshipping Him,  I began to see something with ‘fresh’ eyes!

That “wanting” to KNOW Him more is the most important thing! ♥

A desire was birthed afresh  in me!

I sensed that to KNOW Him more intimately was more  important than knowing about His Word, serving Him with my time, leading others to truth and sharing, moving powerfully in the gifts of His Holy Spirit, being on vacation or with friends and the list goes on!! ★☆, •(♥).•*´¨`*•♥•(★),

I really felt there is nothing more important than knowing God more.. NOTHING!

I am left craving for more of Him.. I desire I deeper revelation of Who He is!

I believe He won’t leave anyone hungry for those who seek Him with all their heart! :)

"And you shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart.." Jeremiah 29:13

Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ, ★☆, •(♥).•*´¨`*•♥•(★), Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ, ★☆, •(♥).•*´¨`*•♥•(★), Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ, ★☆, •(♥).•*´¨`*•♥•(★),

Only by His Spirit can we know Him!!

"...as it is written:

       'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
       Nor have entered into the heart of man
       The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.'

I want to KNOW HIM MORE ....

Keep on pursuing LOVE J ♥

"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor? Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him? For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen."  Romans 11:33-36

What does it mean to worship in spirit and truth?

John 4:23-24
23 “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24 “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

True Worship is in spirit or from the heart, in other words it is sincere.


It is in truth, that is it is according to the dictates of the Word of God, which is the TRUTH (John. 17:17).

What does it mean to worship in spirit and truth?

a word of encouragement :)

Hi friends! J
I wanted to offer a word of encouragement to each of you today, as we run in this race towards the true goal of our journey together – our spiritual maturity and perfection in Christ.
Allow me to encourage you to each run to win -- to finish this race well as the Apostle, Paul, would say. Let’s run to fully achieve the purposes of God’s Will, for each of us, in this season of our lives.

Let’s run with the callings and giftings He has uniquely placed into our lives and let us each stand fast in our respective places of service to the Body of Christ.

Let us look beyond, the discouragements of today's local media blitz and commentators with their vain philosophies and so-called “politically correct” ideologies.

Let us look to the LORD, with spiritual eyes, listen, with hearing ears, and in this moment, faithfully remember to behold the glory of the promised home He is preparing for His Church.

Allow the Holy Spirit to develop your character. Allow Him to direct your conduct that you may be whole and spiritually mature.

Let us be fully known as His beloved children -- reborn, adopted and fully transformed into His likeness and image.

May we each continue to boldly and freely put on the garments of our salvation and remain fully robed in His Righteousness.

May we continue to ready and prepare ourselves to be rightly fitted for our future, bridal garments. Let these be adorned with gold, silver and precious stones – the tested and righteous deeds of all the saints.

Let our faithful choices, and our willingness to partake of the leading, and works of the Holy Spirit be demonstrated within and throughout our lives.

Let God’s unique, “Agape”(Love), Wisdom and Power freely flow through each of us. Let these flow through cleansed vessels, and may His abiding Presence be freely be poured out into the lives of others.

Let us always remember Who our LORD really is and how He ever lives to intercede for us.
Let us exalt and bear true witness to His Name. For we are indeed, called to be His ambassadors!

Let us boldly proclaim what He has done, and what He is now doing, to bring forth such great fruitfulness and adorned beauty from every nation of the earth.

Let us be ever mindful of the price He paid to restore the precious and redeemed lives of those He foreordained, chose and destined to glorify His Name.

Let us, in true humility, and loving obedience -- "toast" Him with our praises and offer to Him, alone, the sacrificial prayers of our thanksgiving.

Let us each remember -- we are but the branches, He -- the True Vine. Let our faithfulness and obedience bring forth great fruitfulness for His Coming Kingdom.

Let us remember, He is our Eternal Bridge -- providing and fulfilling all the covenant promises spoken from Heaven into the lives of "hearing" men, who have chosen to responsive to His grace upon this earth.

Let us daily remember -- it is His shed Blood -- that today, and forever, speaks forth, from the Heavenly Throne of the Almighty.

Please continue to pray for one another!
Most of all – lets pray and purpose in our hearts to finish well! Let me know if anyone needs prayer!

Blessings to everyone!

in His love ...

Will Yeshua (Jesus) find faith?

Just stealing some moments with the Lord this morning while admiring a beautiful sunrise with glorious colours and pink clouds.. Just the kind I like!! I sense Him say, “It’s ok” ..”Be still and know that I AM God”..

Now, I want to share what has been troubling me lately.. Almost everything that is happening on planet earth at the moment – a great famine of the Word of God, Division amongst the body of Christ (with something like 33,900 Christian denominations)!! Poisoning of our foods!! Corrupt governments! Illuminati!  Aliens! Not that I think about these things often.  I have been trying to think of things that are lovely and pure over the last couple of days as I express many prayers and tears for my nephews who lost their daddy three days ago following a heart attack.. It just feels like everything is in my face at the moment.. I don’t want to ignore what’s going on!  Although I am feeling a little heavy in my heart, I don’t want to ignore or take for granted God’s amazing promises!

The following scripture just came to mind -  Luke 18: 8, where Jesus say’s “ When the Son of man comes will He find any faith?”

What captured my imagination as I meditated on this statement that Jesus made was the thought that He knew exactly what was coming ahead.. He knew the answer to that question before He even asked it.  It’s all written in advance.. God’s dwelling place is in eternity, which is outside of our knowable time dimension.. He knows the beginning, the middle and the end!  Yes, and I believe it.. God is omnipresent (everywhere) and omniscient (all knowing)..

One thing led to another and I began to ponder how much of my Christian walk has been based on “faith” verses “works”.  Scary question to ask I know.

A friend of mine recently shared what he believe the Lord had told him - that He is going to shake everything that can be shaken.  The purpose of this shaking will be to demolish the unhealthy confidence we have placed in the things of this world and to restore our confidence and faith in Him.  The only thing that will remain will be JESUS IN US.  When I look at world as well as local events, I believe it is already happening.

Consider the following verses from 2 Timothy 3:2-5 describing the last days “For men shall be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, stubborn, arrogant, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying its power.  And from such people turn away!”   This scripture speaks for itself don’t you think in summarising this current generation.

The form of godliness reference scares me I must say.  Many of us know the bible very well, but we do not know the LORD very well. We do not, or cannot, slow down enough to hear Him speak to us these days. Our whole life is driven by our own limited understanding and not by the leading of the HOLY SPIRIT.  We quote other men’s thoughts and interpretations but not the words and teachings illuminated by the HOLY SPIRIT.  We search all the latest ministries and Christian books for truth and by-pass the true TEACHER . The purpose of the HOLY SPIRIT is to TEACH us and to REVEAL JESUS to us.  How is it in the West that we have become so reliant on “men” or “men’s perceptions of how to do church” rather than the HOLY SPIRIT?   Is it any wonder that we are so devoid of TRUTH and POWER?

“ But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him”  1 John 2:27
“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his own works, as God did from His.  Let us therefore be diligent to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” Hebrews 4:9-11

God has promised us a new place of rest in Him.  We do not have to labour (in our own strength that is) to abide in His rest. I don’t know about you but I have had enough of a busy lifestyle, full of programs and sacrifices to try and measure up.  Bottom line is I believe that it is time to start living “IN CHRIST” and no longer “FOR CHRIST”.  It’s the age old battle between “religion” and “relationship”.  Which one is winning in your life?

What I am learning is that the diligence required to enter into that place of rest (Heb 4: 11) has nothing to do with our “works” but everything to do with our “focus”, ie keeping our eyes on Jesus.. “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith..” Heb 12:2.    “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You..”  Isaiah 26:3

So, my challenge to us today is, where are we looking, where are we placing our confidence.  If Christ, there ought to be peace and power flowing freely through us.  If not Christ, then bring on the shaking I say!  Better to be judged or tested now than on judgment day!

 Mary :)

2 Chronicles 7:14 .. If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.... Amen!