I have used this passage by Oswald before, but I feel it is one that needs to be read more than once. Not only read, but ingested that the fragrance of Christ may fill us so entirely that we might grasp the enormity of what the cross was really about.  If you follow a crossless  gospel or your church is taking you the way of a crossless gospel, run far away as far as you can from it – it cannot and will not bring you salvation dear reader. There is only one way for salvation under the heavens and it is God’s way alone for His glory alone.

1 Corinthians 1:18
[ Christ the Power and Wisdom of God ] For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

THE COLLISION OF GOD AND SIN

“Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree.” 1 Peter 2:24

The Cross of Jesus is the revelation of God’s judgment on sin. Never tolerate the idea of martyrdom about the Cross of Jesus Christ. The Cross was a superb triumph in which the foundations of hell were shaken. There is nothing more certain in Time or Eternity than what Jesus Christ did on the Cross: He switched the whole of the human race back into a right relationship with God. He made Redemption the basis of human life, that is, He made a way for every son of man to get into communion with God.

The Cross did not happen to Jesus: He came on purpose for it. He is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” The whole meaning of the Incarnation is the Cross. Beware of separating God manifest in the flesh from the Son becoming sin. The Incarnation was for the purpose of Redemption. God became incarnate for the purpose of putting away sin; not for the purpose of Self-realization. The Cross is the centre of Time and of Eternity, the answer to the enigmas of both.

The Cross is not the cross of a man but the Cross of God, and the Cross of God can never be realized in human experience. The Cross is the exhibition of the nature of God, the gateway whereby any individual of the human race can enter into union with God. When we get to the Cross, we do not go through it; we abide in the life to which the Cross is the gateway.

The centre of salvation is the Cross of Jesus, and the reason it is so easy to obtain salvation is because it cost God so much. The Cross is the point where God and sinful man merge with a crash and the way to life is opened – but the crash is on the heart of God

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Reading David Wilkerson’s Daily blog today,  (and please do go and read it ) I was reminded of a post I wrote in September of 2008, most part of which is the title above.

I trust these simple thoughts will perhaps encourage someone today that is needful of some help in these areas of waiting and going, and listening and speaking.

How’s that for a thought? So often we are taught to “Go, go, go! for God.”, “Get involved everywhere”, “Put your name down for as many ministries as you can.”, “If you’re not getting involved, then you are not growing and fitting in.” Has this happened to you? Have you been pressurised to join in because it was expected of you, because it’s the ‘done thing’ without giving it a second thought as to what God wants for you?

I sometimes think that we must look like a trail of ants going on and on about our business, doing this and that and keeping busy, busy, busy for the Lord and if you are like I was until very recently, you are might well be saying to the Lord while looking over your shoulder, “Lord, are you keeping up?”

I tried, without realising it, to fit God’s vision for my life into my vision of my life, instead of the other way round. Living like this is so exhausting because we do it in our strength and not in His and we burn out, because in the process, we often neglect our relationship with Him because we are so busy, busy, busy.

I believe God wants us to be so in-tune with His Spirit that we know exactly what, when and where we are meant to do, say or be. That’s how Jesus walked, lived and spoke. That is the intimacy He is looking from each one of us and with each one of us. So how do we get to that with Him? Certainly not by doing, doing doing. Angus Buchan says “A good idea is not always a God idea.”

Just because there is a gap in a ministry or a need to be met, doesn’t mean we can rush right on in and go for it. Has it been taken it to the Lord to see what He thinks about it then waited on for His response? Sometimes He says “No”. God does say “No”. Are our lives so given to Him that we can hear that “No”? Can we hear Him when He says “Be quiet, don’t speak now.”? He sees the big picture of what is going on, we see the little picture often only of what we can see right in front of our eyes at that moment. Isaiah 40:31 says “But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” (NKJV). In His strength we are renewed when we wait for Him.

A friend of mine started going to a bible study for ladies and for months she just sat, saying very little. She went to the Lord time and again, asking what her purpose was for going seeing as she was not saying anything much or contributing. He was silent, so she carried on going as she was clearly not told to “Stop going”. She has walked closely with the Lord for many, many years and has so many riches to share with brothers and sisters. One day she was bursting to make a comment or two to one of the ladies and she sensed the Lord saying to her, “So, are you going to give out your wisdom and experience or Mine?” The comment died in her mouth before she opened it, and she had to do some soul searching with Him about her spiritual pride which the Lord showed her had started creeping in. And she sat silent for weeks more until one day, the Lord ‘opened’ her mouth to another of the ladies who was struggling with an aspect of her life and the Lord gave her exactly what she needed, by what was said. If she had spoken before, she might have interfered with whatever the Lord was busy doing in her life at that time and she would have prevented her from going through what was necessary for her growth in the Lord. It is about His perfect timing for each life and our utter obedience to His voice.

Our obedience to God in absolutely everything, it is crucial in our walk with Him. We have to do everything we do and say, as ‘Unto the Lord’, but the problem sometimes comes in when we can get all ‘puffed up” with self-importance or feel spiritually superior to another or get overenthusiastic without using His wisdom in a given situation which can happen so easily – our flesh is very strong. There is no space in our hearts for ourselves, they need to be so surrendered and submitted to Him, that we can get to the place where we know instinctively when the tiny voice of the Holy Spirit is directing us.

I have blundered many, many times over years in my walk with the Lord, by not listening or not hearing or being too enthusiastic and not waiting, and even, I am ashamed to say, spiritually proud. It is only by the patience and grace of God that I have been able to learn and move a bit further along with Him than where I was before.There has been lots of heartache and agony of realisation afterwards, that where I barged in was not what God had wanted.

I am so grateful to the Lord that in everything we can give thanks and we can repent and can move on with Him in confidence, without feeling condemned. As we grow in Him and make ourselves wholly available to Him, we learn slowly how to “live and move and have our being in Him.” (Acts 17:28)

1 Kings 19:11-13 reads: Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” .

That’s the place we all need to strive to get to. If we are so noisy and busy in our lives, we will never hear the still small voice. Can you hear it? Ask Him to open your heart and ears. He will do it.

Bless you

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Psalm 36:5 Your mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

I have a very dear sister in the Lord.  We have never met, neither have we ever spoken, yet I know unequivocally, that the Lord has joined us together as sisters and I have been so blessed, encouraged, challenged and changed by her candid, transparent style of writing and the sharing of her life and walk. All glory to the Lord for all this. It is all of His doing.

The Lord has brought her to a point where she has been called to move out of the ‘blogosphere’ for now and into a time with Him.  She has written a post regarding a prayer moment she had recently that I would so encourage you to read.  It describes us all at some time or many times,  in our walk.

Barbara, I just want to say , Thank you.

Bless you

Please click on the link of the title below to be taken to the rest of this post on Collection…

Walking on Water

I want to share something before I go. And in doing so, I hope that it will bring glory to our risen Christ and maybe some comfort to someone somewhere who might be in the midst of a similar battle. It is something that happened in prayer that I reflect on periodically, something that strengthens me even now. It seems that there are some things that we are to hold close to our hearts, and some things we are to tell of regarding the wonderful things our God does for us.

This is only a personal experience, but for me it was a profound one that changed the course of a prayer and of an internal battle, and brought home some solid, scriptural truths that bring much comfort in times of distress.

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Author Joel Richardson, has written a commentary which I link to below and has a further look at the Interfaith unification between, Muslims, Jews and Christians and what  God has to say about it.

It is posted under my Watchman’s Lookout tab.

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Am I living so surrendered to Him that I have the simplicity of knowing that there is nothing going on, that He does not have under His full control?

And am I prepared to step off the boat in Him, when there is no solid ground beneath my feet, but knowing fully that He will make a way and that the outcome will be His?

Oh dear precious Lord, these thoughts are the cry of my heart this day. Do whatever you have to do! Praise You!

My Utmost For His Highest

July 28th.

Oswald Chambers

AFTER OBEDIENCE – WHAT?

And straightway He constrained His disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side. . . .” Mark 6:45-52

We are apt to imagine that if Jesus Christ constrains us, and we obey Him, He will lead us to great success. We must never put our dreams of success as God’s purpose for us; His purpose may be exactly the opposite. We have an idea that God is leading us to a particular end, a desired goal; He is not. The question of getting to a particular end is a mere incident. What we call the process, God calls the end.

What is my dream of God’s purpose? His purpose is that I depend on Him and on His power now. If I can stay in the middle of the turmoil calm and unperplexed, that is the end of the purpose of God. God is not working towards a particular finish; His end is the process – that I see Him walking on the waves, no shore in sight, no success, no goal, just the absolute certainty that it is all right because I see Him walking on the sea. It is the process, not the end, which is glorifying to God.

God’s training is for now, not presently ( just now/ a little later). His purpose is for this minute, not for something in the future. We have nothing to do with the afterwards of obedience; we get wrong when we think of the afterwards. What men call training and preparation, God calls the end.

God’s end is to enable me to see that He can walk on the chaos of my life just now. If we have a further end in view, we do not pay sufficient attention to the immediate present: if we realize that obedience is the end, then each moment as it comes is precious.

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Below is Hebrews 12:1-13 (Scripture refs -A -V can be found here), followed by a posting from David Wilkerson’s blog on this wonderfully freeing topic of the Chastening love of God.

May you be so blessed as you read both.
In His love
Jessie

Hebrews 12:1-13

Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and(A) sin which clings so closely, and(B) let us run(C) with endurance the race that is(D) set before us, 2looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,(E) who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising(F) the shame, and(G) is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Do Not Grow Weary
3(H) Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or(I) faint-hearted. 4In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

(J) “My son,(K) do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6For(L) the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”

7It is for discipline that you have to endure.(M) God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8If you are left without discipline,(N) in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to(O) the Father of spirits(P) and live? 10For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good,(Q) that we may share his holiness. 11(R) For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields(S) the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

12Therefore(T) lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13and(U) make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint(V) but rather be healed.

Chastening Love

Because God loves you, he will work to cleanse you. But it is a loving chastening upon those who repent and return to him. You may feel God’s arrows in your soul because of your past and present sins, but if you have a repentant heart and want to turn from error, you can call upon his chastening love. You will be corrected—but with his great mercy and compassion. You will not feel his wrath as the heathen do, but rather the rod of his discipline, applied by his loving hand.

Perhaps your suffering comes from making wrong decisions. How many women are suffering because they married men whom God warned them not to marry? How many children are breaking their parents’ hearts, bringing them to the end of their ropes? Yet many times this happens because of the parents’ own past years of sin, neglect and compromise.

When you know you have arrived at your lowest point, it is time to seek the Lord in brokenness, repentance and faith. It is time to receive a new infusion of Holy Ghost strength. It is time to be renewed and refreshed, to have spiritual strength overflow within you.

You see, when you cry out to God, he pours his strength into you: “In the day when I cried thou answerers me, and strengthened me with strength in my soul…Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou salt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. The Lord will perfect that which concerned me: thy mercy, O Lord, endured for ever” (Psalm 138:3, 7–8).

One of the most difficult things for Christians to accept is the suffering of the righteous. Up to the time of Christ, the Jews associated prosperity and good health with godliness. They believed that if you were wealthy, in good health or otherwise blessed, it was because God was showing that he was pleased with you. This was why Jesus’ disciples had a hard time understanding his statement that “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24). The disciples asked, “Who then can be saved?”

Likewise today, there is an erroneous doctrine that says if you are in agreement with God you will never suffer; just call out to God and he will come running and solve everything immediately. But this is not the gospel! The heroes of faith listed in Hebrews 11 all walked in close relationship of faith with God and they suffered stoning, mocking, torture and violent deaths (verses 36–38). Paul himself, who walked closely with God, was shipwrecked, stoned, whipped, and left for dead, robbed, jailed and persecuted. He suffered the loss of all things. Why? These were all testings and purgings, the proving of his faith to the glory of God.

God wants to plant something in our hearts through our testings and trials. He wants us to be able to say, “Lord Jesus, you’re my Protector, and I believe you rule over the events of my life. If anything happens to me, it’s only because you allowed it, and I trust your purpose in doing it. Help me understand the lesson you want me to learn from it. If I walk in righteousness and have your joy in my heart, then my living and dying will bring glory to you. I trust that you may have some prepared glory, some eternal purpose that my finite mind doesn’t understand. But either way, I’ll say, ‘Jesus, whether I live or die, I am yours!’”

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