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Just to let you know, I've started blogging at http://ryan4jesus.wordpress.com/
A New Season of Open Doors
11 years ago
The Vine and the Branches
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ps... i know not everyone will understand this:
(this origonally was at the end, but i put it at the front because I think its important for people to know this)
Jesus loves you and wants you to give you life to Him... He loves you so much he came to earth only to be rejected, despised and spat upon and He did this all so He could save you and set you free from your sins and then He rose again so that we might live with Him. Our lives are transformed because we don't have someone who is dead and is not able to help us, but we have God who is alive and able to help us through any situation and bring us victory in Christ Jesus. Pray to Jesus and ask Him to be Lord, invite Him into your heart and repent of your sins, turn to Jesus and be free.
Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Rom 3:24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
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Tonight I was just thinking about these verses, lately I've been learning that apart from Christ i can do nothing and everyday I need to put my trust and faith in Jesus and walk in Him.
(this is Jesus talking here)
Joh 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
Joh 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Jesus is our vine, He's the whole point of being a Christian, we live for Christ, we suffer with Christ, we rejoic with Christ and we die with Christ, in all things we have Christ. We are never alone, we are part of Him, we have been grafted into Him out of His great love for us and we will live with Jesus for eternity praising and giving glory to God. Jesus holds everything together.
I know what its like to spend time out of the vine, not relying and abiding in Jesus, I felt lonely and isolated and afraid. Since I became a christian when I start to do things my own way its like I suffer, Its like I am not meant to live like that, if I move away from Christ I become insecure and it doesn't feel right to me. I know where I belong, its just who I am, I am Gods Child and I belong to Christ and when I am not trusting in Jesus I am open and vulnerable, but while I am with God I am secure. But I find that even while I fail at times to be perfect, I find Christ who is holding me up, and drawing me to Him. He is able to use these bad situations for His good. There is nothing better in the world then to be loved, and to be loved by God is truly amazing, to think that the one who created this all, who has power beyond my understand and can do all things, loves me... I just think wow.
ps... i know not everyone will understand this:
(this origonally was at the end, but i put it at the front because I think its important for people to know this)
Jesus loves you and wants you to give you life to Him... He loves you so much he came to earth only to be rejected, despised and spat upon and He did this all so He could save you and set you free from your sins and then He rose again so that we might live with Him. Our lives are transformed because we don't have someone who is dead and is not able to help us, but we have God who is alive and able to help us through any situation and bring us victory in Christ Jesus. Pray to Jesus and ask Him to be Lord, invite Him into your heart and repent of your sins, turn to Jesus and be free.
Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Rom 3:24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
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Tonight I was just thinking about these verses, lately I've been learning that apart from Christ i can do nothing and everyday I need to put my trust and faith in Jesus and walk in Him.
(this is Jesus talking here)
Joh 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
Joh 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Jesus is our vine, He's the whole point of being a Christian, we live for Christ, we suffer with Christ, we rejoic with Christ and we die with Christ, in all things we have Christ. We are never alone, we are part of Him, we have been grafted into Him out of His great love for us and we will live with Jesus for eternity praising and giving glory to God. Jesus holds everything together.
I know what its like to spend time out of the vine, not relying and abiding in Jesus, I felt lonely and isolated and afraid. Since I became a christian when I start to do things my own way its like I suffer, Its like I am not meant to live like that, if I move away from Christ I become insecure and it doesn't feel right to me. I know where I belong, its just who I am, I am Gods Child and I belong to Christ and when I am not trusting in Jesus I am open and vulnerable, but while I am with God I am secure. But I find that even while I fail at times to be perfect, I find Christ who is holding me up, and drawing me to Him. He is able to use these bad situations for His good. There is nothing better in the world then to be loved, and to be loved by God is truly amazing, to think that the one who created this all, who has power beyond my understand and can do all things, loves me... I just think wow.
break me
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Sometimes we have to go through painful to learn a lesson. I've just gone through a something with a friend that caused me lots of pain, I felt rejected, and I found it hard to think of other things and get my mood up. I remember I was started walking down the road and started to think things where not fair, anger started to make its way up, but just as it did that God told me to focus on Jesus. It wasn't what I wanted to do, but I forced myself to obey, and thats when God gave me the verse Isaiah 53:3-6. My anger vanished completely. I learnt that God can understand our PAIN because He went through that pain when He came to earth to die for our sins:
Isaiah 53:3-6
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
right then I knew that I wasn't alone in how I was feeling, Jesus(God) felt the same even worse then what I was feeling. I know that Jesus can understand me in my times of weakness and needs because He too has suffered for me, with that I am comforted. I know I don't just have a God who is distant but one who is close and able to take care of all my needs. I've also learnt during this time about waiting and trusting in the Lord, some situations feel like they have no hope, but if you place your hope in God he will deliver you, but you will most likely have to wait on Him. God I find him like a loving father, the amount of bad things I have done makes me deserving of eternity in Hell, but I am grateful that in God's great love he has forgiven all my sins by taken them on Himself through Jesus Christ at the Cross. I am also thankful that through Jesus when I die I'll get to live with Him because He rose from the dead, and he has victory over death =).
Sometimes we have to go through painful to learn a lesson. I've just gone through a something with a friend that caused me lots of pain, I felt rejected, and I found it hard to think of other things and get my mood up. I remember I was started walking down the road and started to think things where not fair, anger started to make its way up, but just as it did that God told me to focus on Jesus. It wasn't what I wanted to do, but I forced myself to obey, and thats when God gave me the verse Isaiah 53:3-6. My anger vanished completely. I learnt that God can understand our PAIN because He went through that pain when He came to earth to die for our sins:
Isaiah 53:3-6
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
right then I knew that I wasn't alone in how I was feeling, Jesus(God) felt the same even worse then what I was feeling. I know that Jesus can understand me in my times of weakness and needs because He too has suffered for me, with that I am comforted. I know I don't just have a God who is distant but one who is close and able to take care of all my needs. I've also learnt during this time about waiting and trusting in the Lord, some situations feel like they have no hope, but if you place your hope in God he will deliver you, but you will most likely have to wait on Him. God I find him like a loving father, the amount of bad things I have done makes me deserving of eternity in Hell, but I am grateful that in God's great love he has forgiven all my sins by taken them on Himself through Jesus Christ at the Cross. I am also thankful that through Jesus when I die I'll get to live with Him because He rose from the dead, and he has victory over death =).
Surrendering more
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Mic 7:7 But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.
Today God has been teaching me about surendering, I have had some things that have gone on in my life lately that has caused me a bit of internal pain. This morning I felt so depressed, and there was a pain in my heart. I remembered a couple of prayers I've said lately where I prayed to God about something and he was faithful and answered it. So I prayed to God about my pain asking God and trusting in Him to heal it, it was only 10 minutes after I prayed this prayer that I started to perk up. And ended up enjoying the rest of the day. Then this afternoon something else came along that could have brought about negative feelings, I dwelt in my head and played scenarios and then I thought to myself, hey Jesus knows best, I am thinking of all my own ways to handle this situation but i'm not asking Jesus. Jesus knows all and is much much wiser then me, I know I can trust Him with my problems, there is no one better. I'm learning lately how to rely on Jesus, and trust in Him more, its a process but I have the best teacher anyone could ask for... God. I'm also learning about how I need people in my life and the importance of other people.
Mic 7:7 But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.
Today God has been teaching me about surendering, I have had some things that have gone on in my life lately that has caused me a bit of internal pain. This morning I felt so depressed, and there was a pain in my heart. I remembered a couple of prayers I've said lately where I prayed to God about something and he was faithful and answered it. So I prayed to God about my pain asking God and trusting in Him to heal it, it was only 10 minutes after I prayed this prayer that I started to perk up. And ended up enjoying the rest of the day. Then this afternoon something else came along that could have brought about negative feelings, I dwelt in my head and played scenarios and then I thought to myself, hey Jesus knows best, I am thinking of all my own ways to handle this situation but i'm not asking Jesus. Jesus knows all and is much much wiser then me, I know I can trust Him with my problems, there is no one better. I'm learning lately how to rely on Jesus, and trust in Him more, its a process but I have the best teacher anyone could ask for... God. I'm also learning about how I need people in my life and the importance of other people.
Free indeed
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Today i helped Isaac and Jeremy with moving some stuff to Rays place. I really enojed the day and it was great to catch up with my brothers in Christ. Dinner was great, we went to sizzlers where we saw the prophets and the pastor eating as well, and also some others from another daniel, talk about coincidence..lol... anyway I was have been dweling on the grace of God this afternoon and how God has set me free from sin, I wrote the following in my journal and wanted to share it with everyone:
I was thinking this afternoon about my strugle with sin and thinking about a book called " victory over darkness" it says you can't be anything past what you believe. Then I realised God through Jesus Christ has provided a way for me to be free. Romans 6:11-12 (Amplified Bible)
11Even so consider yourselves also dead to sin and your relation to it broken, but alive to God [living in unbroken fellowship with Him] in Christ Jesus.12Let not sin therefore rule as king in your mortal (short-lived, perishable) bodies, to make you yield to its cravings and be subject to its lusts and evil passions
Through Jesus I acn believe because of waht Jesus did I am dead to sin and free from it (and alive to God). This is a promise of God whom we can certainly completely trust. God cannot lie!!! Sure I will still sin but I don't need to live as a slave to it, Christ has set me FREE!!!!
I know this is such a basic thing, but really start believing in yourself that you are dead to sin, you can because through Jesus God says you are!!!
Today i helped Isaac and Jeremy with moving some stuff to Rays place. I really enojed the day and it was great to catch up with my brothers in Christ. Dinner was great, we went to sizzlers where we saw the prophets and the pastor eating as well, and also some others from another daniel, talk about coincidence..lol... anyway I was have been dweling on the grace of God this afternoon and how God has set me free from sin, I wrote the following in my journal and wanted to share it with everyone:
I was thinking this afternoon about my strugle with sin and thinking about a book called " victory over darkness" it says you can't be anything past what you believe. Then I realised God through Jesus Christ has provided a way for me to be free. Romans 6:11-12 (Amplified Bible)
11Even so consider yourselves also dead to sin and your relation to it broken, but alive to God [living in unbroken fellowship with Him] in Christ Jesus.12Let not sin therefore rule as king in your mortal (short-lived, perishable) bodies, to make you yield to its cravings and be subject to its lusts and evil passions
Through Jesus I acn believe because of waht Jesus did I am dead to sin and free from it (and alive to God). This is a promise of God whom we can certainly completely trust. God cannot lie!!! Sure I will still sin but I don't need to live as a slave to it, Christ has set me FREE!!!!
I know this is such a basic thing, but really start believing in yourself that you are dead to sin, you can because through Jesus God says you are!!!
Psalm 103:1-22
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ESV Psalm 103:1 OF DAVID. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. 6 The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. 8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. 10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. 14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. 17 But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, 18 to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. 19 The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. 20 Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! 21 Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! 22 Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!
ESV Psalm 103:1 OF DAVID. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. 6 The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. 8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. 10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. 14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. 17 But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, 18 to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. 19 The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. 20 Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! 21 Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! 22 Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!
Suffering in the flesh
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Just a quick post, I've been reading 1 Peter and 2 Peter this week in my spare time and something that has really stood out to me has been 1 Peter 4:1-2:
Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.
It is your fleshly desires and fulfilling them in a manner that is seperate from God that often causes sin. The bible says that man is lead away with his desires, and when his desire grows this leads to sin and sin when its full grown leads to death. Not pleasing these desires is not always an easy thing, but we can know that we have Christ who suffered, and that He understands the suffering that we go through. Next time you are tempted and have to go through suffering know that Christ is there to suffer with you through it. Through Christ you can do all things.
Just a quick post, I've been reading 1 Peter and 2 Peter this week in my spare time and something that has really stood out to me has been 1 Peter 4:1-2:
Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.
It is your fleshly desires and fulfilling them in a manner that is seperate from God that often causes sin. The bible says that man is lead away with his desires, and when his desire grows this leads to sin and sin when its full grown leads to death. Not pleasing these desires is not always an easy thing, but we can know that we have Christ who suffered, and that He understands the suffering that we go through. Next time you are tempted and have to go through suffering know that Christ is there to suffer with you through it. Through Christ you can do all things.
Psalms 8
I just love psalms!!! so much praise is in it and it really shows a God of love, a God worthy to be praised. I used to read the old testament and think that the God in the old testament was different from the new testament, that the God in the old testament had war and such. But now I have come to understand the God in the old testament is the same as the new, He protected His people, He guided them, He was their victory, He forgave them, He loved them… We have this great God!!! This psalm is a praise in the old testament of God….
Psa 8:1 To the Chief Musician; set to a Philistine lute, or [possibly] to a particular Hittite tune. A Psalm of David. O LORD, our Lord, how excellent (majestic and glorious) is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory on [or above] the heavens.
Psa 8:2 Out of the mouths of babes and unweaned infants You have established strength because of Your foes, that You might silence the enemy and the avenger. [Matt. 21:15, 16.]
Psa 8:3 When I view and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained and established,
Psa 8:4 What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him?
Psa 8:5 Yet You have made him but a little lower than God [or heavenly beings], and You have crowned him with glory and honor.
Psa 8:6 You made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet: [I Cor. 15:27; Eph. 1:22, 23; Heb. 2:6-8.]
Psa 8:7 All sheep and oxen, yes, and the beasts of the field,
Psa 8:8 The birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
Psa 8:9 O Lord, our Lord, how excellent (majestic and glorious) is Your name in all the earth!
In defence of the bible
just found this youtube video.. i think its by a relatively new church in brisbane called… new hope brisbane, i found it while trying to look for the hope brisbane bookstore and had a look at their youtube videos'… check it out :)
so inspiring
I was looking up Jewish Christians because I’m hoping to get to know some Jewish people. Anyway I came across these Youtube testimonies, and they are totally inspiring… SO GREAT IS OUR GOD!!! GLORY AND HONOR TO YESHUA! First is a testimony of a Muslim, I just love Muslim testimonies…
This is a Jewish one… its really nice too, to see them talk about Yeshua their messiah!!!
God My Best Friend
This time I just want to share something I wrote some time ago, during unit advance.. I wrote this on Sunday the last day of it. Sometimes I got allot of things going on inside of me (I'm sure everyone can relate to that at times), this is about how close God is to each of us, we might not always feel like he is, but I can assure you he see’s everything. So he knows :D, you can be assured he is never far away…
God my Best Friend
who is there whenever I feel lonely?
who is it that hears all my cries?
who is it that knows all the sorrows of my heart?
who has counted all my tears and put them in a bottle?
who knows the number of hairs on my head?
who is it that listens to my every word?
who is it that loves me this much?
who is it that would sacrifice his place in heaven for me?
who is it that took my just punishment for the wrongs I have done?
who is it that was willing to give His life in place for my sins?
who is it that rose from the dead so that I have new life in Him?
who is it that made such a sacrifice so that I may be with Him for all eternity?
Who is it? who is it? Its Jesus that’s who!!!
wow just reading this really makes me think about what Jesus did for us, such great love, I really wish I could explain the amazement when I think about this… God coming to earth, God!! coming to earth!!!! I mean God!! the one who made everything!!! humbled himself, man this is totally the most awe-striking thing you could ever think about! and dyeing for my sins… God really shows his love to us, doing this for us sinners. So Amazing!!!! lol… I was just looking up the word awe-striking to see if the spelling was correct and came across this:
Therefore, He paid, "for what He had not stolen," and the just suffered for the unjust, both in His soul and body, so while sensing the awe-striking debt for our sins, He sweated blood and water and He even finally cried out, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?"
— Against Heresies
I put this verse to emphasise how much Christ Jesus did for us!!!!
Php 2:5 Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:]
Php 2:6 Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained,
Php 2:7 But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.
Php 2:8 And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!
Php 2:9 Therefore [because He stooped so low] God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name,
Php 2:10 That in (at) the name of Jesus every knee should (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
Php 2:11 And every tongue [frankly and openly] confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Emmanuel – God with us
Today I am heading into uni to meet Emmanuel (will try get a photo of him to show), I think this is an answer to my prayers earlier, this is in conjunction with my last post. What I was thinking in my last was also answers to this prayer I had prayed, one day when going through all this turmoil wondering where God was I prayed, “God please prove to me beyond doubt that you are with me”. I prayed this with a sincere heart and just trusted it to God that he would be able to do this, I believed that God knows me best and can in his own way, without me asking how, would do this. Well all the things in the last post happened, out of all of them the most comforting was being told “I am with you always”.
But God didn’t just leave it there, just last week on Monday I left my camera in the toilet by mistake (I kind of think that God blinded me to it so as to test me), I walked out leaving it above the sinks, and thought the whole time during the first half of my lecture that the camera was with me. During my lectures break (1 hour after the lecture started) I realised I didn’t have my camera, but I knew where I left it because I could recall at what points I did have it. So I ran back to the toilet to find it was gone, I had thought someone from uni had decided that it was a nice cam and was going to keep it. So I went back to my lecture and prayed about it, after the lecture I went to lost property hoping they would have it but no one had turned it in. After that I remember walking home questioning things, but I thought to myself, I’m going to trust God in this and I’m going to keep praying, I even thought I should thank God, so I did my best to thank him for the times I did have my camera and said to myself, God gives and God takes we should be thankful in all circumstances (it was tough thanking God when I felt at loss).
But I kept praying about it and checking lost property thinking to myself, God can change the heart of the person if they did steal it and they will turn it into lost property. I prayed everyday until Thursday but I had this feeling like I hadn’t lost it, yet I saw in no way how I was going to get it back. it wasn’t till Friday that the breakthrough happened, I had organised to meet up with my mate and thought he was coming over to my place, but because of a miss understanding he thought I was going to meet him at uni. I decided since I was going to life group that night that its pointless for him to come to my place and then we go back out. So I went into uni, up to his room but I was told he was waiting for me in the botanicals. As I was walking to the botanicals I had to walk past the library, at this point the thought came to me to ask about the camera in the library, by this time it was 4 days since I had lost it. Upon inquiring the librarian remembered about a notice on the white board, and when I went to the white board it said, compact camera found in o-block, I was pretty sure this would be my camera as I had lost it in that building.
I rang the guy straight away and explained to him the camera, he was like yes, yes, and I started to get excited because I knew he had it. But he wanted proof that I was really the owner so he asked me what the last few photos where but I had no clue. I told him I don’t remember the order of the photographs, so he gave me a hint telling me it was an animal and at that point I remembered that the day I lost it, a kookaburra decided to swoop my mate and myself and I started to take photos of it (which I’ll post up here after I get my cam). After telling him what animal it was he knew I was the owner and met me down in the library. He didn’t have the came on him but gave me his business card and got my contact details, when I saw the card I saw Emmanuel written on it, which was his name. The whole time, God had managed to answer a previous prayer by sending someone with a name meaning “God with us” to pick up my camera, he orchestrated the whole thing so that I may know that God is with us, and we can trust him with all our heart. From my own understanding, before I had found it, I had no idea how this camera would have been found. Now I have an experience that proves this verse:
Pro 3:5 Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.
Pro 3:6 In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.
Pro 3:7 Be not wise in your own eyes; reverently fear and worship the Lord and turn [entirely] away from evil. [Prov. 8:13.]
we are human an don’t know everything, but God knows all. Sometimes God does things we don’t understand, and sometimes we question God. But God knows all and all his ways are righteous and just and love. He is someone that we can always trust!!! do you trust God with all your heart? will you trust Him in times when things don’t seem to be going the way you want them to? will you trust Jesus even when things seem bad? and will you remember Jesus even when times are good? will you give thanks to Jesus in all circumstances whether good or bad, in sickness and in health? (yes I purposefully am implying marriage here)
What a year, What a week
I thank God so much for brining me to Daniels 2 and Hope Brisbane, its been quite a journey this year for me. I’ve never cried so much(you won’t see it cause I do when no one is around) and had so much joy at the same time, I’ve also gone through times when I really questioned things. But through it all God has kept me, and has been building me up.
This year has been a year of change for me, and with this change has come pains, the changes are sure to keep coming. This week I’ve learnt some very good lessons, but they are also very basic ones. I had learnt many things from God during the year, but then I’d have times where I would start to doubt that I was good enough, or wonder if God was really with me. I started to ask, where are you God I really wanted to hear him, I wondered to myself, how can i tell the difference between my own thought and what God is telling me?? This started to bother me because then I thought, well if I’m not hearing from God then he mustn’t be with me… you can see how these kind of thoughts would make a Christian feel uncomfortable. So I brought them before God and asked Him why I was having these times of doubt and other times where things where all good, cause I really felt like I was being tossed back and forth at times. I got the answer “My Promises” to which I knew God was telling me, your like this because your not putting full faith in my promises, trust in my word ( i knew them but I’d often count myself unworthy or for some reason think I was excluded). You know all during this time I still had the desire to spread the gospel so I went to word book store and got myself a eband and I saw this book called “victory in Christ”, I purchased the book and found that it confirmed that part of victory is trusting in His promises.
You know what is amazing about this whole experience, I found God proved to be true to me even when I had doubts, so much grace abounds. I even went up to the front to be prayed for two weeks ago and Gerald was telling me that God see’s my heart, knows my doubts and that he is also pleased with my heart (I wondered what’s there to be pleased about). That week I’d also asked God to give me a verse to comfort me and It was Isaiah 43 which was on the board in the last prayer meeting, not to mention Ray talking about someone asking the very same questions I was asking that very week in my head. I had also prayed at some point asking God where he was and he told me “I Am with you always”. So now instead of always trying to much, I am trusting more. I’ve learnt to trust God more this week, and to trust Him even in times when He doesn’t seem close because I take him at His word and he told me “I Am with you always”. This seems like such a basic thing to me, I’ve know all along about faith, but now I’ve been taught about it.
LOVE
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This is something thats been on my mind for some time, just every now and then I think about it "love". But I'm not thinking about the love for another human rather, the love God has for me and how I should love Him. I think sometimes God puts things in our life to help us learn how to love others, for me when someone does something I don't like or negative to me or I feel un-returned love or am afraid to express it, I look to the cross and I think wow, how many times have I turned my back on God, yet God in his great love for me sacrificed willingly Himself that I may be reunited with Him. This is the kind of love I want to learn and live. A kind of love that isn't based upon what I can get but rather about what I can give. My prayer is that I want to learn the love of Christ, and to live that out. This is important as I found out, about two weeks ago as I concentrated on the book of 1 John, and it emphasises this point:
1Jn 3:16 By this we come to know (progressively to recognize, to perceive, to understand) the [essential] love: that He laid down His [own] life for us; and we ought to lay [our] lives down for [those who are our] brothers [in Him].
1Jn 3:17 But if anyone has this world's goods (resources for sustaining life) and sees his brother and fellow believer in need, yet closes his heart of compassion against him, how can the love of God live and remain in him?
1Jn 3:18 Little children, let us not love [merely] in theory or in speech but in deed and in truth (in practice and in sincerity).
and:
1Jn 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is (springs) from God; and he who loves [his fellowmen] is begotten (born) of God and is coming [progressively] to know and understand God [to perceive and recognize and get a better and clearer knowledge of Him].
1Jn 4:8 He who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love.
1Jn 4:9 In this the love of God was made manifest (displayed) where we are concerned: in that God sent His Son, the only begotten or unique [Son], into the world so that we might live through Him.
1Jn 4:10 In this is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins.
1Jn 4:11 Beloved, if God loved us so [very much], we also ought to love one another.
1Jn 4:12 No man has at any time [yet] seen God. But if we love one another, God abides (lives and remains) in us and His love (that love which is essentially His) is brought to completion (to its full maturity, runs its full course, is perfected) in us!
...
1Jn 4:18 There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love's complete perfection].
1Jn 4:19 We love Him, because He first loved us.
1Jn 5:1 EVERYONE WHO believes (adheres to, trusts, and relies on the fact) that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah) is a born-again child of God; and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of Him (His offspring).
1Jn 5:2 By this we come to know (recognize and understand) that we love the children of God: when we love God and obey His commands (orders, charges)--[when we keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and His teaching].
1Jn 5:3 For the [true] love of God is this: that we do His commands [keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and teaching]. And these orders of His are not irksome (burdensome, oppressive, or grievous).
1Jn 5:4 For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world; and this is the victory that conquers the world, even our faith.
1Jn 5:5 Who is it that is victorious over [that conquers] the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on that fact]?
The End of Market Day and Photos of Nature and Urban
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Ok I already made a post today, so you can look at the next post below which is about the Daniel 3 event, this post is about Market Day, I was pretty nervous approaching people in public, hey if you see me in a room where everyone is meant to be there I'll approach everyone. I guess this is something I have to work on, I'm often thinking.. well what do I say? How do i start? practice will make it easier in time. During the week I also managed to take a few photographs in the botanicals and I wanna share them here as well, the ibis was in southbank though....oh and also not only do I like to take photos of nature but also of buildings and things, you can see that in my urban album...
Now my Nature photos (just click on the photos above to go to my photoweb site)
My urban photos...
Ok I already made a post today, so you can look at the next post below which is about the Daniel 3 event, this post is about Market Day, I was pretty nervous approaching people in public, hey if you see me in a room where everyone is meant to be there I'll approach everyone. I guess this is something I have to work on, I'm often thinking.. well what do I say? How do i start? practice will make it easier in time. During the week I also managed to take a few photographs in the botanicals and I wanna share them here as well, the ibis was in southbank though....oh and also not only do I like to take photos of nature but also of buildings and things, you can see that in my urban album...
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| From Market Day |
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| From Market Day |
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| From Market Day |
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| From Market Day |
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| From Market Day |
Now my Nature photos (just click on the photos above to go to my photoweb site)
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| From Nature |
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| From Nature |
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| From Nature |
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| From Nature |
My urban photos...
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| From urban |
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| From urban |
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| From urban |
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| From urban |
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| From urban |
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| From urban |
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| From urban |
Daniel 3 night at Xi's
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Last night was lots of fun, lots and lots of new people... I've recorded a few videos and you can see them on my youtube account if you wanna look, I've also taken some photos which are on my photo account and I'll post some below....
Some photos I took on the night....
(you can see the rest at 23/7/2009 Daniel 3 Dinner)
Last night was lots of fun, lots and lots of new people... I've recorded a few videos and you can see them on my youtube account if you wanna look, I've also taken some photos which are on my photo account and I'll post some below....
Some photos I took on the night....
(you can see the rest at 23/7/2009 Daniel 3 Dinner)
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| From 23/7/2009 Daniel 3 Dinner |
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| From 23/7/2009 Daniel 3 Dinner |
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| From 23/7/2009 Daniel 3 Dinner |
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| From 23/7/2009 Daniel 3 Dinner |
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| From 23/7/2009 Daniel 3 Dinner |
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| From 23/7/2009 Daniel 3 Dinner |
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| From 23/7/2009 Daniel 3 Dinner |
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| From 23/7/2009 Daniel 3 Dinner |
I can make it to heaven on my good works
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I've been thinking a little bit lately since having a conversation with a friend about works and why works can't get you to heaven. I wanted to use the old testament to prove what we learn in the new testament. So while thinking about the old testament I came up to the most obvious of them all, the fall of mankind. God told Adam that the day he eats of the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil he will surely die. Now did there need to be anything special about this fruit?? maybe, maybe not... but because the simple fact that God gave the command, doing anything else would be disobeying God, which is what the essence of what sin is. Now when God created man, man was without sin and everything was good. Adam had full fellowship with God, he would walk with Him and talk with Him, they where at peace with each other. Now when Eve took of the fruit (of the tree God commanded them not to eat) and Adam also ate it they died spiritually. It mentions that when they heard God they hid, they had fear, the relationship was broken. How many times did Adam disobey God to create this gap? once... and it is still like that, it only takes ONE sin, it doesn't matter how big or small. Can any man say that he has never commited not ONE sin? No man can say this, As it says in Romans:
"Rom 3:23 Since all have sinned and are falling short of the honor and glory which God bestows and receives."
And if a man claims he is without sin he is a liar and the truth is not in him as it says in:
1Jn 1:10 If we say (claim) we have not sinned, we contradict His Word and make Him out to be false and a liar, and His Word is not in us [the divine message of the Gospel is not in our hearts].
Ok so i've established you cannot restore your relationship(get to heaven) by your own works, since it only takes one sin to break that (besides the bible says that we are born sinners, its the result of what adam did, but given the same choice we would have done the same). It would seem like all is lost and there is no hope. If we assume that God doesn't care about us, why did he walk and talk with Adam in the garden of eden? even there you can see that man and God had a close relationship. Would not such a loving God want to restore the ones he loves back into fellowship with Him? God loves you and me so much and he wants this perfect relationship with Himself restored. Ok now for the hard part, I need to explain this so you can understand who Jesus is. When God created man, he said:
Gen 1:26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
now think carefully God didn't say "Let me make man in my image, in my likeness...." but rather he said "Let US make man in OUR image, in OUR likeness, and let....", this US is the trinity, God is relational and he has complete unity in Himself... there are three parts that relate to each other and work as ONE, therefore ONE God. This is how they relate, Father-Son-Spirit, this is usage of human terms to explain something that is out of the scope of our language. Jesus is refered to many times in the old testament and if you really study it, and have insight you will see Him prophesied about quite allot.
Now Jesus was not born from the seed of man, but rather the seed of God when the Holy spirit came over Marry. This was God's son(relational remember), for He Himself is also God. Jesus came to restore our relationship to the Father, through His sacrifice (because since Jesus is God he would have been able to not go through it, but He chose to, because He loves us more then you could possibly imagine). This sacrifice paid the price for you and my sins, God asks us to believe in His Son and that His sacrifice paid the price for our sins and to repent and give our lives over to Him. When you do this, you have been restored to God. You will now have fellowship with the ONE and ONLY True God because of the free gift of what God has done through his unique Son(Jesus) for you.
I've been thinking a little bit lately since having a conversation with a friend about works and why works can't get you to heaven. I wanted to use the old testament to prove what we learn in the new testament. So while thinking about the old testament I came up to the most obvious of them all, the fall of mankind. God told Adam that the day he eats of the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil he will surely die. Now did there need to be anything special about this fruit?? maybe, maybe not... but because the simple fact that God gave the command, doing anything else would be disobeying God, which is what the essence of what sin is. Now when God created man, man was without sin and everything was good. Adam had full fellowship with God, he would walk with Him and talk with Him, they where at peace with each other. Now when Eve took of the fruit (of the tree God commanded them not to eat) and Adam also ate it they died spiritually. It mentions that when they heard God they hid, they had fear, the relationship was broken. How many times did Adam disobey God to create this gap? once... and it is still like that, it only takes ONE sin, it doesn't matter how big or small. Can any man say that he has never commited not ONE sin? No man can say this, As it says in Romans:
"Rom 3:23 Since all have sinned and are falling short of the honor and glory which God bestows and receives."
And if a man claims he is without sin he is a liar and the truth is not in him as it says in:
1Jn 1:10 If we say (claim) we have not sinned, we contradict His Word and make Him out to be false and a liar, and His Word is not in us [the divine message of the Gospel is not in our hearts].
Ok so i've established you cannot restore your relationship(get to heaven) by your own works, since it only takes one sin to break that (besides the bible says that we are born sinners, its the result of what adam did, but given the same choice we would have done the same). It would seem like all is lost and there is no hope. If we assume that God doesn't care about us, why did he walk and talk with Adam in the garden of eden? even there you can see that man and God had a close relationship. Would not such a loving God want to restore the ones he loves back into fellowship with Him? God loves you and me so much and he wants this perfect relationship with Himself restored. Ok now for the hard part, I need to explain this so you can understand who Jesus is. When God created man, he said:
Gen 1:26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
now think carefully God didn't say "Let me make man in my image, in my likeness...." but rather he said "Let US make man in OUR image, in OUR likeness, and let....", this US is the trinity, God is relational and he has complete unity in Himself... there are three parts that relate to each other and work as ONE, therefore ONE God. This is how they relate, Father-Son-Spirit, this is usage of human terms to explain something that is out of the scope of our language. Jesus is refered to many times in the old testament and if you really study it, and have insight you will see Him prophesied about quite allot.
Now Jesus was not born from the seed of man, but rather the seed of God when the Holy spirit came over Marry. This was God's son(relational remember), for He Himself is also God. Jesus came to restore our relationship to the Father, through His sacrifice (because since Jesus is God he would have been able to not go through it, but He chose to, because He loves us more then you could possibly imagine). This sacrifice paid the price for you and my sins, God asks us to believe in His Son and that His sacrifice paid the price for our sins and to repent and give our lives over to Him. When you do this, you have been restored to God. You will now have fellowship with the ONE and ONLY True God because of the free gift of what God has done through his unique Son(Jesus) for you.
Jesus and What He did for us on the cross
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Found this on youtube, its a medical perspective from a trauma surgen.
There is also this video I found about the ark of the covenant...
Found this on youtube, its a medical perspective from a trauma surgen.
There is also this video I found about the ark of the covenant...
Evangelism - Sharing Jesus Christ of Nazareth with the lost
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Lately I've found a real desire building up with me to share the gospel and outreach to people. The message of Jesus Christ I want to make the utmost important thing that I always try to tell people. The challenge is what is the best way to represent the gospel? the first thing is I HAVE TO BE LIVING AND BREATHING IT in order to be able to share it effectively (also need to be led by the Holy Spirit as well). The gospel isn't something that I learn as knowledge and just think about, its something I apply to my life. In 1 John it says:
1Jn 2:5 But he who keeps (treasures) His Word [who bears in mind His precepts, who observes His message in its entirety], truly in him has the love of and for God been perfected (completed, reached maturity). By this we may perceive (know, recognize, and be sure) that we are in Him:
1Jn 2:6 Whoever says he abides in Him ought [as a personal debt] to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself.
Obeying the word of God is also part of loving God, we love Him so we obey His commands (and they are not burdensome). I'm sure this is something that I'll be learning for the rest of my life. Today was my first CDS in "evangelism 1" but because of ushering I had to leave early and didn't really get to hear what they said about the main things about sharing the gospel. But lucky I got phillip as a room mate and he left the CDS from the time he did it on his desk :D (they didn't have enough copies for everyone). ok there are four main points here:
1. God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life:
(Joh 3:16) For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
(Joh 3:17) For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.
Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.
Jer 29:12 Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you.
Jer 29:13 Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. [Deut. 4:29-30.]
Jer 29:14 I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will release you from captivity and gather you from all the nations and all the places to which I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I caused you to be carried away captive.
I exchanged John 10:10 with Jerimiah because to me it speaks more, often in the old testament you hear about a nation, the bible talks to the whole nation. But if you stand back and think of the nation as a single person you can begin to understand how what has been said to the nation of Israel relate's to us. In Jeramiah 29 the people of Israel had been brought into captivity at Babylon, and like Israel(which was captive in Babylon) each on of us are captive to our sins. Here God clearly states that when we seek Him he will release us from captivity (our sins), its in Christ that this freedom is found, He is the one that free's us from our sins.
2. Man is sinful and sparated from God. Therefore, he cannot know and experience God's love and plan for his life.
Rom 3:23 Since all have sinned and are falling short of the honor and glory which God bestows and receives.
Rom 6:23 For the wages which sin pays is death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is eternal life through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord.
and one to add for my own self:
Pro 20:9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? [I Kings 8:46; II Chron. 6:36; Job 9:30; 14:4; Ps. 51:5; I John 1:8.]
1Jn 1:8 If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude and lead ourselves astray, and the Truth [which the Gospel presents] is not in us [does not dwell in our hearts].
When we are born into this world we are all sinners, wheather we are a sinner right at birth before we even commit a sin or from when we first do one, I cannot say. But the fact is all have sinned and fallen short, we cannot be with God because of this sin. God wants to have a personaly relationship with us but sin stops that. And now onto the BEST PART, how God Himself saves us from our sin by becoming the sacrifice for our sins.
Eph 2:8 For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;
Eph 2:9 Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law's demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]
3. Jesus Christ is God's only provision for man's sin. Through His death on the cross you can know and experience God's love and plan for your life.
(The whole point of the gospel is your not saved by your own doing, while we are still sinners Christ died for us, salvation is never based upon how good we are but by what Jesus did for us on the cross, we are saved by trusting and putting our faith in Jesus, repenting and following Jesus as our Lord and Saviour)
Rom 5:8 But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.
(These verses are proof that Jesus Christ rose from the dead, our faith is based on fact and truth and it should be presented boldy as such)
1Co 15:3 For I passed on to you first of all what I also had received, that Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for our sins in accordance with [what] the Scriptures [foretold], [Isa. 53:5-12.]
1Co 15:4 That He was buried, that He arose on the third day as the Scriptures foretold, [Ps. 16:9, 10.]
1Co 15:5 And [also] that He appeared to Cephas (Peter), then to the Twelve.
1Co 15:6 Then later He showed Himself to more than five hundred brethren at one time, the majority of whom are still alive, but some have fallen asleep [in death].
(there is only one way to God, not many ways, like some people like to think, Jesus is the ONLY way to God)
Joh 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.
4. We must individually recieve Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord; then we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives.
This last part is the most important part, once a person has recieved Jesus as Saviour and Lord they are part of His kingdom, they have been saved from their sins. Jesus now intercede's to God on behalf of them(Hebrews 7:25-26), and since Jesus is God who can condemn what God himself has saved, this is the beauty and security of our salvation(Romans 8:33).
Joh 1:12 But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name--[Isa. 56:5.]
But the question still remains, How do I recieve Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord? If you have not recieved Jesus as your Saviour and Lord, get on your knee's and pray to God out from your heart:
"Dear Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner, but I believe you died for my sins and rose from the dead. Please forgive me and make me new. I turn from my sins and surrender my life to you. Come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior. Thank you, Jesus for saving me."
Lately I've found a real desire building up with me to share the gospel and outreach to people. The message of Jesus Christ I want to make the utmost important thing that I always try to tell people. The challenge is what is the best way to represent the gospel? the first thing is I HAVE TO BE LIVING AND BREATHING IT in order to be able to share it effectively (also need to be led by the Holy Spirit as well). The gospel isn't something that I learn as knowledge and just think about, its something I apply to my life. In 1 John it says:
1Jn 2:5 But he who keeps (treasures) His Word [who bears in mind His precepts, who observes His message in its entirety], truly in him has the love of and for God been perfected (completed, reached maturity). By this we may perceive (know, recognize, and be sure) that we are in Him:
1Jn 2:6 Whoever says he abides in Him ought [as a personal debt] to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself.
Obeying the word of God is also part of loving God, we love Him so we obey His commands (and they are not burdensome). I'm sure this is something that I'll be learning for the rest of my life. Today was my first CDS in "evangelism 1" but because of ushering I had to leave early and didn't really get to hear what they said about the main things about sharing the gospel. But lucky I got phillip as a room mate and he left the CDS from the time he did it on his desk :D (they didn't have enough copies for everyone). ok there are four main points here:
1. God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life:
(Joh 3:16) For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
(Joh 3:17) For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.
Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.
Jer 29:12 Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you.
Jer 29:13 Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. [Deut. 4:29-30.]
Jer 29:14 I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will release you from captivity and gather you from all the nations and all the places to which I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I caused you to be carried away captive.
I exchanged John 10:10 with Jerimiah because to me it speaks more, often in the old testament you hear about a nation, the bible talks to the whole nation. But if you stand back and think of the nation as a single person you can begin to understand how what has been said to the nation of Israel relate's to us. In Jeramiah 29 the people of Israel had been brought into captivity at Babylon, and like Israel(which was captive in Babylon) each on of us are captive to our sins. Here God clearly states that when we seek Him he will release us from captivity (our sins), its in Christ that this freedom is found, He is the one that free's us from our sins.
2. Man is sinful and sparated from God. Therefore, he cannot know and experience God's love and plan for his life.
Rom 3:23 Since all have sinned and are falling short of the honor and glory which God bestows and receives.
Rom 6:23 For the wages which sin pays is death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is eternal life through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord.
and one to add for my own self:
Pro 20:9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? [I Kings 8:46; II Chron. 6:36; Job 9:30; 14:4; Ps. 51:5; I John 1:8.]
1Jn 1:8 If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude and lead ourselves astray, and the Truth [which the Gospel presents] is not in us [does not dwell in our hearts].
When we are born into this world we are all sinners, wheather we are a sinner right at birth before we even commit a sin or from when we first do one, I cannot say. But the fact is all have sinned and fallen short, we cannot be with God because of this sin. God wants to have a personaly relationship with us but sin stops that. And now onto the BEST PART, how God Himself saves us from our sin by becoming the sacrifice for our sins.
Eph 2:8 For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;
Eph 2:9 Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law's demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]
3. Jesus Christ is God's only provision for man's sin. Through His death on the cross you can know and experience God's love and plan for your life.
(The whole point of the gospel is your not saved by your own doing, while we are still sinners Christ died for us, salvation is never based upon how good we are but by what Jesus did for us on the cross, we are saved by trusting and putting our faith in Jesus, repenting and following Jesus as our Lord and Saviour)
Rom 5:8 But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.
(These verses are proof that Jesus Christ rose from the dead, our faith is based on fact and truth and it should be presented boldy as such)
1Co 15:3 For I passed on to you first of all what I also had received, that Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for our sins in accordance with [what] the Scriptures [foretold], [Isa. 53:5-12.]
1Co 15:4 That He was buried, that He arose on the third day as the Scriptures foretold, [Ps. 16:9, 10.]
1Co 15:5 And [also] that He appeared to Cephas (Peter), then to the Twelve.
1Co 15:6 Then later He showed Himself to more than five hundred brethren at one time, the majority of whom are still alive, but some have fallen asleep [in death].
(there is only one way to God, not many ways, like some people like to think, Jesus is the ONLY way to God)
Joh 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.
4. We must individually recieve Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord; then we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives.
This last part is the most important part, once a person has recieved Jesus as Saviour and Lord they are part of His kingdom, they have been saved from their sins. Jesus now intercede's to God on behalf of them(Hebrews 7:25-26), and since Jesus is God who can condemn what God himself has saved, this is the beauty and security of our salvation(Romans 8:33).
Joh 1:12 But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name--[Isa. 56:5.]
But the question still remains, How do I recieve Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord? If you have not recieved Jesus as your Saviour and Lord, get on your knee's and pray to God out from your heart:
"Dear Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner, but I believe you died for my sins and rose from the dead. Please forgive me and make me new. I turn from my sins and surrender my life to you. Come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior. Thank you, Jesus for saving me."
Forgiveness - But Lord they did wrong to me!!!
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Col 3:13 Be gentle and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has [freely] forgiven you, so must you also [forgive].
Gonna finnish this off another time, but that verse is basically what this post will be about :D
Col 3:13 Be gentle and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has [freely] forgiven you, so must you also [forgive].
Gonna finnish this off another time, but that verse is basically what this post will be about :D
Through the storm - Mat 14:22-33
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Yesterday I was dweling a fair bit on Matthew 14:22-33, Jesus came to the boat walking on water, everyone saw Him they where afraid but Jesus told them not to be afraid for it was Him. Then Peter ask's Jesus to command him to walk on water, Peter took a step of faith. While Peter had his faith in Jesus and keep his trust in Him he did not sink, it was only when Peter's focus switched from Jesus to the storm around him that Peter started to sink. Peter calls out to Jesus, "save me" and Jesus reaches out and carries him onto the boat. For me when I think about this verse I think about the times that trouble me, when the troubles of life come my way. When we begin to focus on our troubles instead of on Jesus we begin to sink, we begin to lose focus of the one who saves us. Instead of focusing on the troubles in our life we should be focusing on Jesus and His promises, for those things bring joy and love into your inmost being. But even if you feel you have started to sink(focused on life's troubles) Jesus is there the whole time, call out to Jesus for He is there to pull you out and carry you onto the boat(safety).
Yesterday I was dweling a fair bit on Matthew 14:22-33, Jesus came to the boat walking on water, everyone saw Him they where afraid but Jesus told them not to be afraid for it was Him. Then Peter ask's Jesus to command him to walk on water, Peter took a step of faith. While Peter had his faith in Jesus and keep his trust in Him he did not sink, it was only when Peter's focus switched from Jesus to the storm around him that Peter started to sink. Peter calls out to Jesus, "save me" and Jesus reaches out and carries him onto the boat. For me when I think about this verse I think about the times that trouble me, when the troubles of life come my way. When we begin to focus on our troubles instead of on Jesus we begin to sink, we begin to lose focus of the one who saves us. Instead of focusing on the troubles in our life we should be focusing on Jesus and His promises, for those things bring joy and love into your inmost being. But even if you feel you have started to sink(focused on life's troubles) Jesus is there the whole time, call out to Jesus for He is there to pull you out and carry you onto the boat(safety).
Matthew 14:22-33 (Amplified Bible)
22Then He directed the disciples to get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent away the crowds.
23And after He had dismissed the multitudes, He went up into the hills by Himself to pray. When it was evening, He was still there alone.
24But the boat was by this time out on the sea, many furlongs [a furlong is one-eighth of a mile] distant from the land, beaten and tossed by the waves, for the wind was against them.
25And in the fourth watch [between 3:00--6:00 a.m.] of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea.
26And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified and said, It is a ghost! And they screamed out with fright.
27But instantly He spoke to them, saying, Take courage! I AM! Stop being afraid!A)">(A)
28And Peter answered Him, Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.
29He said, Come! So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and he came toward Jesus.
30But when he perceived and felt the strong wind, he was frightened, and as he began to sink, he cried out, Lord, save me [from death]!
31Instantly Jesus reached out His hand and caught and held him, saying to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt?
32And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
33And those in the boat knelt and worshiped Him, saying, Truly You are the Son of God!
Testimony
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CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS FOR THE NIGHT AT: DANIEL 2 PHOTOS 10/7/09
At the beginning of the year I was introduced to Daniel 2, through the open arms of the group I started to grow in my faith. God really used the group and the church to witness in my life, and I started to learn to rely on God for my strength and that I needed Him by my side in all circumstances. I learnt that Jesus is my strength when I have to resist temptation, and I learnt to pray to Him and confess to Him all my difficulties and sins. Jesus has really been a help to me through my difficulties, he opened up my eyes to scriptures that I always knew but never saw how they would help me. He was always there to listen to me, and encourage me to move forward even when I failed. His love is so great.
During last semester One verse that kept coming up quite a bit for me, proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
At around the same time as this scripture was being shared with me people started talking about studying to much and not having enough time for quiet time, but for myself I preferred to do quiet time over study. I thought to myself, why can't study time be a time unto God, if I acknowledge God in my studies, would he not direct my paths?? So this is what I did. Instead of having study time as a time where I would not talk to God, I would ask God to help me with my studies. I asked Him to help me with my assignments, and even though I often thought I failed, I ended up doing allot better then I expected.
The day before my exam I went to check my results for my second assignment which I thought I had failed but then saw I had achieved 76%, I was very excited and encouraged to study. Through my study I prayed for God to help me remember and to guide me, and I also asked others to pray for me. When I had done my exam I actually realized I had managed to study all the things that I needed to study and the things that I had skipped over where not on the exam. I was sure I did well, but I said to myself that I'd be happy with whatever mark that I got and would thank God no matter. But when I went to check my results I had actually achieved the highest mark I've ever achieved while at Uni, my first 7, I am glad and its still taking time to sink in. I really thank God for all He has done for me. Jesus is our strength, and we should put all our trust in Him.
Psalms 84:5-8
5. Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools. [b]
7 They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
8 Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty;
listen to me, O God of Jacob.
Selah
CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS FOR THE NIGHT AT: DANIEL 2 PHOTOS 10/7/09
At the beginning of the year I was introduced to Daniel 2, through the open arms of the group I started to grow in my faith. God really used the group and the church to witness in my life, and I started to learn to rely on God for my strength and that I needed Him by my side in all circumstances. I learnt that Jesus is my strength when I have to resist temptation, and I learnt to pray to Him and confess to Him all my difficulties and sins. Jesus has really been a help to me through my difficulties, he opened up my eyes to scriptures that I always knew but never saw how they would help me. He was always there to listen to me, and encourage me to move forward even when I failed. His love is so great.
During last semester One verse that kept coming up quite a bit for me, proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
At around the same time as this scripture was being shared with me people started talking about studying to much and not having enough time for quiet time, but for myself I preferred to do quiet time over study. I thought to myself, why can't study time be a time unto God, if I acknowledge God in my studies, would he not direct my paths?? So this is what I did. Instead of having study time as a time where I would not talk to God, I would ask God to help me with my studies. I asked Him to help me with my assignments, and even though I often thought I failed, I ended up doing allot better then I expected.
The day before my exam I went to check my results for my second assignment which I thought I had failed but then saw I had achieved 76%, I was very excited and encouraged to study. Through my study I prayed for God to help me remember and to guide me, and I also asked others to pray for me. When I had done my exam I actually realized I had managed to study all the things that I needed to study and the things that I had skipped over where not on the exam. I was sure I did well, but I said to myself that I'd be happy with whatever mark that I got and would thank God no matter. But when I went to check my results I had actually achieved the highest mark I've ever achieved while at Uni, my first 7, I am glad and its still taking time to sink in. I really thank God for all He has done for me. Jesus is our strength, and we should put all our trust in Him.
Psalms 84:5-8
5. Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools. [b]
7 They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
8 Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty;
listen to me, O God of Jacob.
Selah
WOW THE LORD GAVE ME A 7
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Praise God, This is just a post to say my results that I got this semester for my uni. Remember a couple of posts back I was saying how I included God into my studies... well I got my results and its the best I've ever had... I got a 7!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so thankfull, Thankyou Jesus :).
Praise God, This is just a post to say my results that I got this semester for my uni. Remember a couple of posts back I was saying how I included God into my studies... well I got my results and its the best I've ever had... I got a 7!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so thankfull, Thankyou Jesus :).
Mount Tambourine Photo's
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This week just before camp I recieved a new camera from my Mom. I was really surprised because its such a nice camera and I'm really thankfull. So lots of thanks to my Mom for that, and lots and lots to Jesus who provided for me. Here is a photo of the camera, I thank God for this gift and I wanna put a sticker on it saying, "The Lord provides" or something to that effect.
Below are some photo's that I took while on unit advance ccm camp, I took around 216 photos. Not all of them are that great, but then what can you expect from someone who never really has used a camera that much. Hope you enjoy.
Click on the image to go to my photo website if you want to see them in a larger size.
Also Check out the video's I took at: Beanzer's Youtube Channel
This week just before camp I recieved a new camera from my Mom. I was really surprised because its such a nice camera and I'm really thankfull. So lots of thanks to my Mom for that, and lots and lots to Jesus who provided for me. Here is a photo of the camera, I thank God for this gift and I wanna put a sticker on it saying, "The Lord provides" or something to that effect.
 |
| From blog pictures |
Below are some photo's that I took while on unit advance ccm camp, I took around 216 photos. Not all of them are that great, but then what can you expect from someone who never really has used a camera that much. Hope you enjoy.
Click on the image to go to my photo website if you want to see them in a larger size.
Also Check out the video's I took at: Beanzer's Youtube Channel
heart of devotion
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Through a heart of devotion I come to you Jesus,
I yearn to do your will and hear your voice,
I want to know of you more each day so that
I may do your will,
Teach me O'God your ways, create in me a clean
heart that I may know the things of You.
Through hard time, strengthen me into the man you
want me to be. May people see that You have changed
me and give praise to Jesus.
Give me wisdom oh Lord to do your will, and strength
to carry it through. May your word be upon my mouth
and deep in my heart and may I delight in Your ways.
For Your ways O'God are great, your ways are set high
above the heavens, and have more depth then the deepest ocean, for
Your understanding is far greater then mine.
You have made fools out of the wise and out of fools you have made the wise.
You humble the proud and exhault the humble. Your Name O'Lord is worthy
to be praised.
Through a heart of devotion I come to you Jesus,
I yearn to do your will and hear your voice,
I want to know of you more each day so that
I may do your will,
Teach me O'God your ways, create in me a clean
heart that I may know the things of You.
Through hard time, strengthen me into the man you
want me to be. May people see that You have changed
me and give praise to Jesus.
Give me wisdom oh Lord to do your will, and strength
to carry it through. May your word be upon my mouth
and deep in my heart and may I delight in Your ways.
For Your ways O'God are great, your ways are set high
above the heavens, and have more depth then the deepest ocean, for
Your understanding is far greater then mine.
You have made fools out of the wise and out of fools you have made the wise.
You humble the proud and exhault the humble. Your Name O'Lord is worthy
to be praised.
last day of conference and a strange lesson learned
.
I was doing some bible study tonight, just going through my current favourite book of the bible psalms and came across one that I can relate to, these verses describe how I felt today. God is with us to help us in our times of trouble, when we feel really hurt and down. If we look to Him he can renew our strength, we can draw from His love. He is such a wonderful and caring God. Not only did he die for us on the cross so that we may come to Him in confidence but he also continue's to show us this love in our lives everyday. Draw near to God and seek Him (ponder on this)......
Psalm 73:21-28 For my heart was grieved, embittered, and in a state of ferment, and I was pricked in my heart [as with the sharp fang of an adder]. 22 So foolish, stupid, and brutish was I, and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. 23 Nevertheless I am continually with You; You do hold my right hand. 24 You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to honor and glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but You? And I have no delight or desire on earth besides You. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the Rock and firm Strength of my heart and my Portion forever. 27 For behold, those who are far from You shall perish; You will destroy all who are false to You and like [spiritual] harlots depart from You. 28 But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God and made Him my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works.
I was doing some bible study tonight, just going through my current favourite book of the bible psalms and came across one that I can relate to, these verses describe how I felt today. God is with us to help us in our times of trouble, when we feel really hurt and down. If we look to Him he can renew our strength, we can draw from His love. He is such a wonderful and caring God. Not only did he die for us on the cross so that we may come to Him in confidence but he also continue's to show us this love in our lives everyday. Draw near to God and seek Him (ponder on this)......
Psalm 73:21-28 For my heart was grieved, embittered, and in a state of ferment, and I was pricked in my heart [as with the sharp fang of an adder]. 22 So foolish, stupid, and brutish was I, and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. 23 Nevertheless I am continually with You; You do hold my right hand. 24 You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to honor and glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but You? And I have no delight or desire on earth besides You. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the Rock and firm Strength of my heart and my Portion forever. 27 For behold, those who are far from You shall perish; You will destroy all who are false to You and like [spiritual] harlots depart from You. 28 But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God and made Him my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works.
The Fear of God
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The fear of God is one of the things I have been thinking of a bit lately, and what do I really have fear of, God or man. The fear of God comes out of a love for God, and the fear of man comes out of love for man, the fear I am talking about is not the type that causes you to be scared of but rather the fear i'm talking about is when your more afraid of what someone would think of you rather then pleasing God. Since to me, this relates to ministry, since I cannot fully be used by God if I have a fear of man I was brought(this morning) to:
Matthew 10:28-33 And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be afraid of Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Gehenna). 29 Are not two little sparrows sold for a penny? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's leave (consent) and notice. 30 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, then; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 Therefore, everyone who acknowledges Me before men and confesses Me [out of a state of oneness with Me], I will also acknowledge him before My Father Who is in heaven and confess [that I am abiding in] him. 33 But whoever denies and disowns Me before men, I also will deny and disown him before My Father Who is in heaven.
So are you willing to follow God's voice even when you might be persecuted and rejected? if you fear man than above God then when you face a situation where you need to stand up for God the fear of man will hinder you. The Challenge is to get rid of this fear and stand fully for God and proclam Him.
Dear Lord Jesus,
Forgive me for not fully putting my trust in you and fearing man more then you, I pray for you to change me, work in my heart the fear of you that I may go forward and do your will
I pray this throught the glorious and wonderful name of the Lord Jesus Christ, who reigns forever and ever Amen.
Please if you have any thoughts on this subject please comment
The fear of God is one of the things I have been thinking of a bit lately, and what do I really have fear of, God or man. The fear of God comes out of a love for God, and the fear of man comes out of love for man, the fear I am talking about is not the type that causes you to be scared of but rather the fear i'm talking about is when your more afraid of what someone would think of you rather then pleasing God. Since to me, this relates to ministry, since I cannot fully be used by God if I have a fear of man I was brought(this morning) to:
Matthew 10:28-33 And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be afraid of Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Gehenna). 29 Are not two little sparrows sold for a penny? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's leave (consent) and notice. 30 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, then; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 Therefore, everyone who acknowledges Me before men and confesses Me [out of a state of oneness with Me], I will also acknowledge him before My Father Who is in heaven and confess [that I am abiding in] him. 33 But whoever denies and disowns Me before men, I also will deny and disown him before My Father Who is in heaven.
So are you willing to follow God's voice even when you might be persecuted and rejected? if you fear man than above God then when you face a situation where you need to stand up for God the fear of man will hinder you. The Challenge is to get rid of this fear and stand fully for God and proclam Him.
Dear Lord Jesus,
Forgive me for not fully putting my trust in you and fearing man more then you, I pray for you to change me, work in my heart the fear of you that I may go forward and do your will
I pray this throught the glorious and wonderful name of the Lord Jesus Christ, who reigns forever and ever Amen.
Please if you have any thoughts on this subject please comment
Thanks God for this exam
.
Just wanted to say thankyou for everyone praying for my exam, I think it went well (have to wait for my marks). I was praying to God when I was studying and including him in my studies and found that the stuff I studied was perfect for my exam. I really think God led me to read the right parts so i would be able to answer the questions on my exam. So thankyou to everyone for praying for me, and a Major big Thanks to God who's wisdom is incomprehensible and great.
Just wanted to say thankyou for everyone praying for my exam, I think it went well (have to wait for my marks). I was praying to God when I was studying and including him in my studies and found that the stuff I studied was perfect for my exam. I really think God led me to read the right parts so i would be able to answer the questions on my exam. So thankyou to everyone for praying for me, and a Major big Thanks to God who's wisdom is incomprehensible and great.
Tug of war in the flesh
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I am feeling all to much what paul talks about in Romans (7:12-8:3), I desire to please God yet inside me I find a war rages between my spirit. The flesh is strong but the spirit is stronger, who will save me from this flesh!!! Thanks to Jesus for his grace that I may come to him in times of need, thankyou that in the times I am week Jesus is strongest... right now I am weak Lord, be strong in me.
2 Corinthians 12:7-9 And to keep me from being puffed up and too much elated by the exceeding greatness (preeminence) of these revelations, there was given me a thorn (a splinter) in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to rack and buffet and harass me, to keep me from being excessively exalted. [Job. 2:6.] 8 Three times I called upon the Lord and besought [Him] about this and begged that it might depart from me; 9 But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me!
When paul is talking in this verse about flesh he does not talk about physical flesh, like its not some sort of physical element but its a spiritual one, he mentions that the thorn in the flesh was in fact a messenger of Satan to rack and buffet and harass him. I can only conclude that this is similar to spiritual attacks experienced by Christians around the world today, I've had this myself. What was the answer God gives paul? that Jesus's strength is made perfect when we are weak. Its those times that we ourselves are weak that we must fully rely on Jesus (his strength) and not ourselves. But we have this hope in our weakness's:
Romans 5:3-5 3 Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. 4 And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. 5 Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.
Though I am weak now, I know that God uses it for His glory and what can I do but praise him for his almighty wisdom and grace shown to me.
I am feeling all to much what paul talks about in Romans (7:12-8:3), I desire to please God yet inside me I find a war rages between my spirit. The flesh is strong but the spirit is stronger, who will save me from this flesh!!! Thanks to Jesus for his grace that I may come to him in times of need, thankyou that in the times I am week Jesus is strongest... right now I am weak Lord, be strong in me.
2 Corinthians 12:7-9 And to keep me from being puffed up and too much elated by the exceeding greatness (preeminence) of these revelations, there was given me a thorn (a splinter) in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to rack and buffet and harass me, to keep me from being excessively exalted. [Job. 2:6.] 8 Three times I called upon the Lord and besought [Him] about this and begged that it might depart from me; 9 But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me!
When paul is talking in this verse about flesh he does not talk about physical flesh, like its not some sort of physical element but its a spiritual one, he mentions that the thorn in the flesh was in fact a messenger of Satan to rack and buffet and harass him. I can only conclude that this is similar to spiritual attacks experienced by Christians around the world today, I've had this myself. What was the answer God gives paul? that Jesus's strength is made perfect when we are weak. Its those times that we ourselves are weak that we must fully rely on Jesus (his strength) and not ourselves. But we have this hope in our weakness's:
Romans 5:3-5 3 Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. 4 And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. 5 Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.
Though I am weak now, I know that God uses it for His glory and what can I do but praise him for his almighty wisdom and grace shown to me.
Everlasting God! wait upon the Lord
.
I was going to post something on spiritual eyes and mind, but I haven't had time to write it up yet. But in the mean time, I was listening to this song by Lincoln Brewster as I was studying, Its really cool. I will wait upon the Lord, the Lord will be my strength in all times.
Isaiah 40:28-31 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not faint or grow weary; there is no searching of His understanding. 29 He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength [causing it to multiply and making it to abound]. [II Cor. 12:9.] 30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and [selected] young men shall feebly stumble and fall exhausted; 31 But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired. [Heb. 12:1-3.]
and remember to support our new Hope Church starting in Montreal, write on their blog a word of encouragement :)
http://seedsofhopemontreal.blogspot.com/
I was going to post something on spiritual eyes and mind, but I haven't had time to write it up yet. But in the mean time, I was listening to this song by Lincoln Brewster as I was studying, Its really cool. I will wait upon the Lord, the Lord will be my strength in all times.
Isaiah 40:28-31 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not faint or grow weary; there is no searching of His understanding. 29 He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength [causing it to multiply and making it to abound]. [II Cor. 12:9.] 30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and [selected] young men shall feebly stumble and fall exhausted; 31 But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired. [Heb. 12:1-3.]
and remember to support our new Hope Church starting in Montreal, write on their blog a word of encouragement :)
http://seedsofhopemontreal.blogspot.com/
congratulations to lilly and "I kissed dating goodbye"
.
I was pleasantly surprised last night to hear lily had come to Christ. That church service that night I felt as though lily would and was praying for her but i didn't think it would be so soon. I was really happy and glad and really hope and pray for her spiritual walk with God to continue to grow strong as she continues to trust in Him.
Also this week I've been reading "I kissed dating goodbye", I find it rather interesting but I do find while learning this guys view on how we should go about finding a partner I am learning more about God and his love and how we should show others this love. I’ve read about half the book at the moment, one of the first things it talked about was "intimacy is the reward of commitment", actually I found that I was able to relate to this one as in past relationships I can never tell a girl that I love her unless I feel that she was someone I could see myself getting married to. To me they go together because without seeing someone as a future life partner I just seem to see us breaking up, I can’t give my heart to someone when I see it ending in disaster. To me saying I love you is not something I will just throw around and make cheap. It’s pretty bad because I haven’t viewed any of my past relationships with girls as the one that I wanted to spend my life with (well except one that I had in high school in grade 8 we where together for a year and half and I did tell her I loved her). I really shouldn’t have gone out with any of them but I often did because I felt something was missing and I wanted to be close with someone. I do think it terrible the things I’ve done in the past, I went out with girls when I wasn’t ready for something more, and often thought I’ll grow to love them, but without being able to see them as my future partner I was never able to give them my heart. Though we did get intimate in the physical sense we never really grew that close to each other. It’s not always an easy thing to do but now with this new Church I think it’s a time for me to grow and mature in Christ and myself before I am ready to get into another relationship (I’m thinking this would take at least a year depending, I’m calling this the year of growth). I think it’s important before we move into a relationship we get ourselves right first.
Other good points in the book that he goes through are in chapter four, they are these:
1. every relationship is a opportunity to model Christs love
2. my unmarried years are a gift from God
3. I don't need to pursue a romantic relationship before I'm ready from Marriage
4. I cannot "own" someone outside of marriage
5. I wil avoid situations that could compromise the purity of my body or mind.
I was pleasantly surprised last night to hear lily had come to Christ. That church service that night I felt as though lily would and was praying for her but i didn't think it would be so soon. I was really happy and glad and really hope and pray for her spiritual walk with God to continue to grow strong as she continues to trust in Him.
Also this week I've been reading "I kissed dating goodbye", I find it rather interesting but I do find while learning this guys view on how we should go about finding a partner I am learning more about God and his love and how we should show others this love. I’ve read about half the book at the moment, one of the first things it talked about was "intimacy is the reward of commitment", actually I found that I was able to relate to this one as in past relationships I can never tell a girl that I love her unless I feel that she was someone I could see myself getting married to. To me they go together because without seeing someone as a future life partner I just seem to see us breaking up, I can’t give my heart to someone when I see it ending in disaster. To me saying I love you is not something I will just throw around and make cheap. It’s pretty bad because I haven’t viewed any of my past relationships with girls as the one that I wanted to spend my life with (well except one that I had in high school in grade 8 we where together for a year and half and I did tell her I loved her). I really shouldn’t have gone out with any of them but I often did because I felt something was missing and I wanted to be close with someone. I do think it terrible the things I’ve done in the past, I went out with girls when I wasn’t ready for something more, and often thought I’ll grow to love them, but without being able to see them as my future partner I was never able to give them my heart. Though we did get intimate in the physical sense we never really grew that close to each other. It’s not always an easy thing to do but now with this new Church I think it’s a time for me to grow and mature in Christ and myself before I am ready to get into another relationship (I’m thinking this would take at least a year depending, I’m calling this the year of growth). I think it’s important before we move into a relationship we get ourselves right first.
Other good points in the book that he goes through are in chapter four, they are these:
1. every relationship is a opportunity to model Christs love
2. my unmarried years are a gift from God
3. I don't need to pursue a romantic relationship before I'm ready from Marriage
4. I cannot "own" someone outside of marriage
5. I wil avoid situations that could compromise the purity of my body or mind.
Christian RnB (my initials too haha)
.
I like this one... words are good... Its from Canton Jones and its called G.O.D
I like this one... words are good... Its from Canton Jones and its called G.O.D
The New Age "there are many ways to God"
.
yeah its 6am, happened to wake up pretty early today :O... anyway I was looking at some gospel music and saw a link to Opera denies Christ... have a look I have something to say about it.
Can anyone think of a good arguement againt this statement that opera says? "all ways can lead to God" the view is focused around what we can do, the goodness of us. Who of us can be saved by our own goodness? in the video Opera argues that there are many paths to God, that her loving and kindness can get her to God. The ladies respond(i'm actually sorry to see no guys in this crowd) by saying how can you please God, what about Jesus. The problem with those statements is how is a non-christian supposed to understand that? we have to bring them to the knowledge that its not their own goodness that can bring them to heaven but rather its Jesus Christ and his sacrifice. What stops us from going to Heaven and being with God, its sin and you only need to make one sin in your whole life to be called a sinner. I'm sure that if you mention sin you will also here and arguement that along the lines of "oh so if i only sin once I'll go to hell?", we need to be prepaired for these questions, but we also need to be lead by the Holy Spirit in these matter and ask for wisdom when answering them.
Romans 3:22-26 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
John 14:6 6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
yeah its 6am, happened to wake up pretty early today :O... anyway I was looking at some gospel music and saw a link to Opera denies Christ... have a look I have something to say about it.
Can anyone think of a good arguement againt this statement that opera says? "all ways can lead to God" the view is focused around what we can do, the goodness of us. Who of us can be saved by our own goodness? in the video Opera argues that there are many paths to God, that her loving and kindness can get her to God. The ladies respond(i'm actually sorry to see no guys in this crowd) by saying how can you please God, what about Jesus. The problem with those statements is how is a non-christian supposed to understand that? we have to bring them to the knowledge that its not their own goodness that can bring them to heaven but rather its Jesus Christ and his sacrifice. What stops us from going to Heaven and being with God, its sin and you only need to make one sin in your whole life to be called a sinner. I'm sure that if you mention sin you will also here and arguement that along the lines of "oh so if i only sin once I'll go to hell?", we need to be prepaired for these questions, but we also need to be lead by the Holy Spirit in these matter and ask for wisdom when answering them.
Romans 3:22-26 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
John 14:6 6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Amazing Love
.
Yesterday, I heard this new version of "Amazing Grace", I never knew I like the song so much. But its so great to hear it, I suppose now it really has meaning to me.
I also like this one, its about God's love for us :DDDDD
John 15:13 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. (we are friends of God... :DDDDDDD )
God's love is sooooooo GREAT!!!!
Romans 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Yesterday, I heard this new version of "Amazing Grace", I never knew I like the song so much. But its so great to hear it, I suppose now it really has meaning to me.
I also like this one, its about God's love for us :DDDDD
John 15:13 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. (we are friends of God... :DDDDDDD )
God's love is sooooooo GREAT!!!!
Romans 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Greater Love
.
Gods Love for me and for you
A few years ago I was feeling like God was not near to me, like I couldn't be forgiven for my sins. But I prayed desperately and asked God to speak to me in a dream, I think I persisted and asked for about two weeks and then I got this dream.... I was escorted to a door by a man in a white suite, he told me that God wants to see you, besides the door to where God was there was an escape route. I remember thinking, that I must be in trouble if God wants to see me, so i was about to run through the gap and away from God when something inside of me said "you can't escape God you will have to face him eventually" so with that I decided to walk in the room. Inside the room, it was like outer space, i wasn't on a floor but I also did not fall or walk, there was a throne in the room but i remember looking down in shame. I don't remember any actual words being spoken, but I remember that God could speak to me without words, he could read my mind and my soul, it was as if being completely naked, he could see all of me to the very depth. It was so wonderful because I didn't show God love or anything when I went into that room, but he choose to show me love, he reached into the deepest part of me and gave me what i needed. It was really amazing, i felt like a complete being, it was like nothing I have ever felt or think I will feel again till I go to heaven. If simply being with God is that great, how much greater will it be when i'm in his beautiful kingdom and surrounded by other being's who love him just as much... I can guarantee you that heaven will be indescribable.
Is this dream related to love? yes, because he choose to show me love, it wasn't anything that I did to deserve it.
This verse describes how i felt in front of God, when I said being naked i meant this:
Hebrews 4:13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
so that leaves me with point 1
1. His love for us isn't based upon us, its not based upon how good we are, or our love for him. He still loves us.
before I move on I feel I should also back this up with scripture:
2 Timothy 1:9-10 who has saved us and called us to a holy life-- not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
MORE ON GODS LOVE FOR US!!!:
John 3:16-18 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned......
God was willing to die for us,
in Matthew 26:53 Jesus said:
"Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?"
then he says:
"Matthew 26:54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?"
Jesus was willing and obedient to death on the cross, Jesus wanted to die for you and me. He even sweated blood and you can't sweat blood unless under extreme stress. And this was even before judas had come, he is divine, he knew exactly what he was about to go through even though it had not happened yet. God I believe is out of time, I believe he already knows everyone that will be in his kingdom. You can also see Jesus’s love for people and us during his life on earth, he healed many and showed his divine powers through many miracles, yet he never did anything out of selfish motivation, he had complete love for everyone. He wanted us to be with him, and he was willing to go through death that we might live with him. To stop at his death though would not be the whole story, because after three days Jesus rose from the dead, and claimed victory over it. Jesus now is alive in the heavenlies and we have a great priest who is now able to understand our weaknesses. We have been brought with a price, through his blood. This makes us children of God through faith in Jesus.
1 John 3:1-3 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.
Hebrews 4:14-16 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-- yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
point 2
2. Jesus showed his love for us by choosing to die for us on the cross and raising again, he is able to understand our weaknesses.
The Love of God is so great, I wish I could write better about it, but what a better love story then God dieing for you and me....
So what should my response be to this GREAT LOVE that Jesus(God) has for me? First thing I'd like to say is, often people might think that giving their life to God is in a way losing it. They think they need to be religious and go to Church because they have to, and be good because if they are not they won't go to heaven. But as you can see in point 1 that I raised, God's acceptance of you is not based on what you have done. God is bigger then that. Actually God wants to have a relationship with you, a loving nurturing relationship with you. He wants you to love him back as well but he won't force you to love him, he will show you his love and patiently wait for you. Lets see how we can respond to God's love for us....
We have to realize that in order to have a relationship with God, we need to be made alive spiritually, because without God we are spiritually dead. This is what is called being born again. For our physical body, death means the separation of our soul/spirit from our bodies, being spiritually dead means the separation of our spirit from God. Sin is the cause of our spiritual death, and it started from Adam when he disobeyed God and ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, God said to Adam that on that day he would die. God didn't mean he would die physically although that did happen because of sin, but he meant that he would be spiritually separated from God. This is the essence of sin, anything that separates us from God. But we have forgiveness and redemption through the blood of Jesus.
Colossians 1:13-17 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Romans 3:22-26 his righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
point 3
3. We can have a relationship with God, in response to his love for us. We admit we are sinners, we repent and believe that Jesus is God, that he came and he rose from the dead for you.
here is a prayer I found at http://www.christianity.net.au/questions/how_to_become_a_christian
Dear God,
I know that I have not lived as you want me to. I have not loved you as I ought nor loved the people who live around me. I am sorry and want to change.
Thanks you for Jesus. Thank you that he lived and died for me and rose again and is now the Lord.
Please forgive me and help me to live as you want me to.
Amen.
If you prayed this prayer and really meant it, you are now a child of God, you are in Christ.
Our response to God love doesn't stop here, from this point on it gets better. The more you Grow in your love for God, the more you love others and yourself.
Its pretty late now, I feel like there is more to be said but its almost 3am.....
I am leaving some verses below, they where ones that I looked up but didn't end up including them in what I was saying... But they focus on loving God and how we can show him we love him.
John 14:23-26 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. 25 "All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you
1 John 3:10-11 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother. 11 This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
1 John 3:18-20 ear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
Gods Love for me and for you
A few years ago I was feeling like God was not near to me, like I couldn't be forgiven for my sins. But I prayed desperately and asked God to speak to me in a dream, I think I persisted and asked for about two weeks and then I got this dream.... I was escorted to a door by a man in a white suite, he told me that God wants to see you, besides the door to where God was there was an escape route. I remember thinking, that I must be in trouble if God wants to see me, so i was about to run through the gap and away from God when something inside of me said "you can't escape God you will have to face him eventually" so with that I decided to walk in the room. Inside the room, it was like outer space, i wasn't on a floor but I also did not fall or walk, there was a throne in the room but i remember looking down in shame. I don't remember any actual words being spoken, but I remember that God could speak to me without words, he could read my mind and my soul, it was as if being completely naked, he could see all of me to the very depth. It was so wonderful because I didn't show God love or anything when I went into that room, but he choose to show me love, he reached into the deepest part of me and gave me what i needed. It was really amazing, i felt like a complete being, it was like nothing I have ever felt or think I will feel again till I go to heaven. If simply being with God is that great, how much greater will it be when i'm in his beautiful kingdom and surrounded by other being's who love him just as much... I can guarantee you that heaven will be indescribable.
Is this dream related to love? yes, because he choose to show me love, it wasn't anything that I did to deserve it.
This verse describes how i felt in front of God, when I said being naked i meant this:
Hebrews 4:13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
so that leaves me with point 1
1. His love for us isn't based upon us, its not based upon how good we are, or our love for him. He still loves us.
before I move on I feel I should also back this up with scripture:
2 Timothy 1:9-10 who has saved us and called us to a holy life-- not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
MORE ON GODS LOVE FOR US!!!:
John 3:16-18 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned......
God was willing to die for us,
in Matthew 26:53 Jesus said:
"Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?"
then he says:
"Matthew 26:54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?"
Jesus was willing and obedient to death on the cross, Jesus wanted to die for you and me. He even sweated blood and you can't sweat blood unless under extreme stress. And this was even before judas had come, he is divine, he knew exactly what he was about to go through even though it had not happened yet. God I believe is out of time, I believe he already knows everyone that will be in his kingdom. You can also see Jesus’s love for people and us during his life on earth, he healed many and showed his divine powers through many miracles, yet he never did anything out of selfish motivation, he had complete love for everyone. He wanted us to be with him, and he was willing to go through death that we might live with him. To stop at his death though would not be the whole story, because after three days Jesus rose from the dead, and claimed victory over it. Jesus now is alive in the heavenlies and we have a great priest who is now able to understand our weaknesses. We have been brought with a price, through his blood. This makes us children of God through faith in Jesus.
1 John 3:1-3 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.
Hebrews 4:14-16 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-- yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
point 2
2. Jesus showed his love for us by choosing to die for us on the cross and raising again, he is able to understand our weaknesses.
The Love of God is so great, I wish I could write better about it, but what a better love story then God dieing for you and me....
So what should my response be to this GREAT LOVE that Jesus(God) has for me? First thing I'd like to say is, often people might think that giving their life to God is in a way losing it. They think they need to be religious and go to Church because they have to, and be good because if they are not they won't go to heaven. But as you can see in point 1 that I raised, God's acceptance of you is not based on what you have done. God is bigger then that. Actually God wants to have a relationship with you, a loving nurturing relationship with you. He wants you to love him back as well but he won't force you to love him, he will show you his love and patiently wait for you. Lets see how we can respond to God's love for us....
We have to realize that in order to have a relationship with God, we need to be made alive spiritually, because without God we are spiritually dead. This is what is called being born again. For our physical body, death means the separation of our soul/spirit from our bodies, being spiritually dead means the separation of our spirit from God. Sin is the cause of our spiritual death, and it started from Adam when he disobeyed God and ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, God said to Adam that on that day he would die. God didn't mean he would die physically although that did happen because of sin, but he meant that he would be spiritually separated from God. This is the essence of sin, anything that separates us from God. But we have forgiveness and redemption through the blood of Jesus.
Colossians 1:13-17 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Romans 3:22-26 his righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
point 3
3. We can have a relationship with God, in response to his love for us. We admit we are sinners, we repent and believe that Jesus is God, that he came and he rose from the dead for you.
here is a prayer I found at http://www.christianity.net.au/questions/how_to_become_a_christian
Dear God,
I know that I have not lived as you want me to. I have not loved you as I ought nor loved the people who live around me. I am sorry and want to change.
Thanks you for Jesus. Thank you that he lived and died for me and rose again and is now the Lord.
Please forgive me and help me to live as you want me to.
Amen.
If you prayed this prayer and really meant it, you are now a child of God, you are in Christ.
Our response to God love doesn't stop here, from this point on it gets better. The more you Grow in your love for God, the more you love others and yourself.
Its pretty late now, I feel like there is more to be said but its almost 3am.....
I am leaving some verses below, they where ones that I looked up but didn't end up including them in what I was saying... But they focus on loving God and how we can show him we love him.
John 14:23-26 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. 25 "All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you
1 John 3:10-11 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother. 11 This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
1 John 3:18-20 ear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
