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Archive for October, 2009

Finding out who we are…

Isn’t this one of the BIGGER questions?

But how are we going to find out who we are?

Well, let me suggest to you that you could go down many roads trying to find out who you are.  Let me give you a pointer and a testimony.

For me, life has no meaning outside of Christ.

I mean, just looking at this objectively for a moment, how can the ‘created’ find meaning disconnected from the ‘Creator’?  It cannot do so.

Life radically and completely changes when we are connected to our Creator through the sacrifice of Jesus.

Our Heavenly Father always had a plan for your life.  Repent and commit your life to Jesus and you will not only find out who you are and ubundant, overflowing life but you will find that being in Christ IS your life.

Life is not all about you it is all about Him!

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. [Matt 10:39]

For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your  life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. [Col 3:3-4]

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Good morning!  I was just skimming through a few Youtube clips this morning and I was really touched and encouraged by this particular clip and testimony.  You know, there are so many contemporary Christian songs that we sing that lack the content and depth and truth of the older hymns.  This song isn’t one of them. Enjoy!

Desert Song

– Brooke Fraser (Hillsong)

-VERSE 1-
This is my prayer in the desert,
When all that’s within me feels dry,
This is my prayer in my hunger and need,
My God is the God who provides,

-VERSE 2-
And this is my prayer in the fire,
In weakness, or trial, or pain,
There is a faith proved more worth than gold,
So refine me Lord through the flame,

-CHORUS-
I will bring praise,
I will bring praise,
No weapon formed against me shall remain,
I will rejoice, I will declare,
God is my victory and He is here,

-VERSE 3-
This is my prayer in the battle,
When triumph is still on its way,
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ,
So firm on his promise I’ll stand,

-CHORUS-
I will bring praise,
I will bring praise,
No weapon formed against me shall remain,
I will rejoice, I will declare,
God is my victory and He is here,

-REFRAIN- x 4
All of my life, in every season,
You are still God,
I have a reason to sing,
I have a reason to worship,

-CHORUS-
I will bring praise,
I will bring praise,
No weapon formed against me shall remain,
I will rejoice, I will declare,
God is my victory and He is here,

-VERSE 4-
And this is my prayer in the harvest,
When favour and providence flow,
I know I’m filled to be emptied again,
The seed I receive I will sow

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Zephaniah has three chapters mainly speaking about ‘the day of the Lord‘ when the Lord pours out His fierce anger and wrath on those who worship other gods, those that don’t seek Him, those that place their wealth in material things, the proud and arrogant and haughty, those that falsely represent Him, those that refuse to accept His correction, etc.

And then He says this in Zephaniah 3:17 to His people…

“The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.”

The Lord’s whole ‘mood’ swings (if you would allow me to crudely put it this way) from fierce anger and wrath to great love and tenderness and delight.

You see, here is the Lord’s great desire.  He wants to to be close to us and save us.  He wants to take great delight in us.  He wants to quiet us with His love  And He wants to rejoice over us with singing!  Say what?   He wants to rejoice over us with singing! This is His hearts desire!

The only thing that gets in the way of the Lord singing over us is US.

‘Even now,’ declares the LORD,
‘return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning.’
Rend your heart
and not your garments.
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
and he relents from sending calamity.

Joel 2:12-13

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Have you ever experienced or seen a security system where when you enter the right code it says “ACCESS GRANTED”.  Maybe I am getting a little old fashioned.  I mean, it used to be a code.  A few years back it was your fingerprint that gave you access.  Nowadays the latest thing is the eyeprint to give you access.

I want to share a verse and a revelation.  It comes from Ephesians 2:18…

For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit

So let’s make things clear.

We have acccess to whom? = We have ACCESS TO THE FATHER.  Who?  OUR HEAVENLY FATHER!

Through whom? = THROUGH HIM.  Who?  JESUS!   Jesus is the gate or the door!

What is the requirement (or the password)? = BY ONE SPIRIT.  Who?  THE HOLY SPIRIT!

There is one more thing.  We can have the correct password and we can have the door open but we have to walk through that door.

What is that walk?  FAITH!  Romans 5:1-2 says…

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we  have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access BY FAITH into this grace in which we now stand

We have ACCESS TO THE FATHER!  WOOOO HOOOO! We can come into the presence of the King!  I believe this is why Paul says in Ephesians 2:6…

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus

But aren’t we still down here on earth?  Yes but can’t you see, through prayer and faith there is no longer any barrier or emnity between us and our Heavenly Father.  So, in reality, through prayer and faith we are IN THE PRESENCE OF THE KING.  We are seated with Jesus IN THE PRESENCE OF THE KING – communing with them!

Read the whole of Ephesians chapter 2.  We are no longer under the wrath of God.  Jesus is our peace.  Jesus has destroyed the barrier between us and God and us and our brothers and given us ACCESS TO THE FATHER.

Ephesians 2
2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature  and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. NIV

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The Lord gave me a Word a few months ago.  It was this…

The only thing you are committed to is mediocrity and staying the same

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I immediately thought of many people I could give this Word to (ho, ho), BUT… what about my life?

If the Spirit of God lives in me, if I am being changed from glory to glory, if my mind is being renewed, if I am being transformed into the image of Christ, shouldn’t there be evidence of change?

I mean, I am not really starting off at a point of perfection (understatement).  Far from it!  So, daily and weekly there should be measurable change and there should be measureable fruit.  I am reminded of a verse from Paul to the Corinthian church…

2 Cor 13:5
5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you — unless, of course, you fail the test? NIV

My change and my fruit should be measurable day by day and week by week.  This should give me a TESTIMONY of what the Lord is doing in me and through me.  Then, when I meet with other believers we can have true fellowship, TESTIFYING about the things that God is doing in us and through us and praising Him for it.

Here are some of the verses I was thinking of when writing this blog today…

Col 1:27
27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. NIV

2 Cor 3:18
18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect  the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. NIV

Rom 12:1-2
12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual  act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will. NIV

Rom 8:29
29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. NIV

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For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say

“No”

h
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to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age

[Titus 2:11-12]

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Hi!

As you can see, the title of my blog is Enlightened Hope: Captured Thoughts about God and His Word.

Well, here are some thoughts in a different form.  You see, as I drive along, praying and worshipping the Lord, I am now capturing some of my God thoughts on audio (via my Pocket PC).

Here is another nugget, with all of the road noises as well.

Enjoy!  And God bless you!

The Joy of the Lord & The Slow Fade

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Hi!

As you can see, the title of my blog is Enlightened Hope: Captured Thoughts about God and His Word.

Well, here are some thoughts in a different form.  You see, as I drive along, praying and worshipping the Lord, I am now capturing some of my God thoughts on audio (via my Pocket PC).

Here are a couple from this week, with all of the road noises as well.

Enjoy!  And God bless you!

Power & Joy & Salvation

Eternal Thinking and Prayer

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