Driving Out Punishment & Fear! GMG: Week 7: I John 4:16-21

Oh, my soul, for weeks now, the heralds have gone out telling forth the good news..... :

Have you heard it yet?

........ that the God who *is* love, loves you! yes you!?!

Have you heard it echoing in the deepest chambers of your soul?

Do you believe it?  Or do you yet fear, that in some ways, here or there, that His love is not enough!?!

What have you to fear? You have confidence in the day of judgment!  You have confidence in His healing!  You have confidence in eternal life!

Then what has gone amiss?

Why are you hurt?  Why is your face downcast?

Oh, my soul, you know right well, that yet again, you felt fear rise up this week; you have wrestled again with the pain of those who judge you harshly and even falsely?

But, my soul, that fear cannot please God!  You can only please God with faith.

But what is it that one mere soul can do?

Give thanks!

Yes, Give thanks to the Lord God's tender mercies;
Give thanks to the gentle ministries of the Holy Spirit!
You, oh my soul, have been lead down the path of righteousness in spite of this fear!
He has helped to cast it out yet again!

By faith alone!  In Christ alone!  Through grace alone!

Yes, when fear sought you out!
When fear sought to carry you away!
When fear even got a grip on you for a moment!
Yes, then you felt its punishment this week!

(for fear involves punishment!)

You whose emotions died for decades at the tender age of seven.  You, who God guided gently, and carefully back away from the Abyss of the Tragedies; Aye, back from the wild, and twisted, and ragged Abyss of Tragedies, with its jagged edges, from aberration to aberration; with its varied crevasses of immeasurable depths...........;

Yes, You.

Yes, you, oh my soul......... who God challenged and nurtured, with the challenge to learn to ...

............ feel again........

Yes, you, oh my soul, who finally feel pain!

You finally discern more quickly which pain is the inherent grief over the brokenness of life.  Which is a healthy thing!

Such pain drives you to seek to share the good news of His grace!
Such pain drives you to pray fervently for His coming-again!

But more than that!

You, oh my soul, finally discern more quickly which pain is self-destructive........ which is Punishment-Self-Inflicted...... out of fear........ of others' brokenness....... of their brokenness breaking through and hurting you, precious soul created by God, yet again.

What did the Spirit's tender mercies reveal to you this week about this?

Oh, my soul, by His tender mercies, He revealed that:

In your moment of fear, in the fear of more pain from the rejection of those who call themselves 'brothers' and 'sisters'........ In that moment, you began to thrash yourself....... self-flaggelation!!! Not out of mis-informed penance, but out of fear!

How can it be, that out of grief of pain, by focusing on the pain, we thrash ourselves further with the whip of pain provided by those who have rejected us?

But that is so much the case........

And here it is........ The Solution!:

First!  To focus on His love for us........., aye, even for you, oh my soul!

For, again, if His love and saving grace is enough to heal us from our own sin, how can His love and saving grace be insufficient to heal us from the pain of those caught up in the throws of this broken world!?!

Second!  To focus on His love for us......., aye, even for them, and oh!!! their precious souls!!!!

So now, oh, my soul!, you ought to hope for that same confidence-in-the-day-of-judgment ..... for those others around you.

Do they have that confidence yet?  If not, seek to share it with them!

Oh...... but, if they do have that confidence already?  Celebrate it with them - in spite of their frailties!  Even when their frailties hurt you, oh, my soul.........

And if they will not celebrate it with you!?!  If, as much as it is possible with you, you seek to live in peace with them - - - but they reject such peace thus far.......

Celebrate the gift of grace provided for them - past, present, and future!  Even when their frailties hurt you, oh my soul.......  For you can trust Our Father to both heal you, and to correct them in time............

But how?  By being perfected in love...

But won't they hurt us again? ...... Does that matter?  Remember, it is in all these things that we Overwhelmingly Conquer!  Yes, IN those things!  Do we need to fear conquering in these things!?!

But there is more.........  Oh, my soul, have you not heard?  Perfect love drives out fear........

Oh, my soul!  Oh, my soul!  Oh, my soul!  Do you believe it yet!?!

Call upon the Lord!  Call upon the God of Peace!  Call upon the God who is with you!  Call upon the God of Righteousness!  Call upon the God of Healing!

Call upon the Lord our Banner!  Follow His banner wherever it leads you, and faint not!

Let His perfect love fill you and overflow through you........... to all those around you......

............ in All These Things.................

And yes......... in All These Things........... Overwhelmingly Conquer.......... in Love!

Oh yes.......

Faith, hope, and love..... abide these three............... but the greatest...............


........of these.........

........................is love.........!

...........................His love......!



.....................


 


Lord, Why Am I Anxious..........

Being Glorified! - - - GMG: Wk: 5 - Romans 8:28-30

So here it is!  He is working in us, and how surpassingly great is His power working in us who trust Him, Him who has provided a light to the eyes of our hearts!  That, through the eyes of faith, we may see the riches of His glories which He has prepared for us!  And when we look through the eyes of faith, through the eyes of our new  hearts, we see that we are on the path of hope, a path called straight, running straight through our heart, heading straight Home!  Yes, Home! Where Freedom reigns!

And even before arriving Home, we find that He has already provided Freedom for those on the Path called Straight!  Freedom from condemnation and death, and freedom to eternal life, and freedom from sin, and even freedom to examine ourselves and come to Him honestly and openly......, so that.........

.....yes, so that........ we can be Free to Lift Up and Build Up a Brother - thereby helping establish peace in the Kingdom of God!

And here on this path, this path called Straight, the Mighty Warrior is with us!  Yes, our Beloved (who calls us 'Beloved'), the Mighty Warrior, who has already achieved Complete Victory - a victory He calls us to share with Him - and on our way to join in the fullness of His Victory, there are still some residual battles being waged by those who have not yet received the official news that they will finally have to submit to His Victory.......... battles through which we may draw men of peace out of the ranks of those attacking us...... or...... rather, those who have been attacking Him (unwittingly or not........)..........

And along the way, on this path called Straight, He guides us on through various battles and through our various trials - *in* which we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us, trials in the midst of which He helps us to pursue those things which make for peace and the building up of one another...., in the which we find great Exultation!

.............And thusly we move on together, building up each other, being sober of spirit (knowing that a lost and dying world needs the truth of the cross and its redemptive power), being alert (watching for His soon return - and praying for it as He commanded), resisting the evil one (telling him, "May the Lord rebuke thee," - for even Michael did not rebuke the evil one himself), standing firm in our faith (which is still a gift of God)..........., for trials are a'comin.....

And thusly, we also move on together, because of the blood of the Lamb, by the word of our testimony, not loving life, even when faced with death........, and moving on together, awake, righteously, examining ourselves that we come not under judgment....... as we move Home.........

Home, furnished with an abundance of grace and glory!

.........

So then, are we prepared to walk into a realm of such grace and glory?!?!

While it is true that we will be changed in the twinkling of an eye, changed to a blessed state in which we are holy and imperishable, it is also true that He marked our horizons prior to creation (aka: predestined us), to be morphed-to-be-like/with Him, it is also true that, towards these ends, 'We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose......For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son.....and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified!

Thus, we are 'morphing-to-be-like/with Him' - - - 'in all these things' through which we Overwhelmingly Conquer' through Him who loved us........... that we might be glorified.........

,,,,,,,,,,readied, through His handiwork in our lives, to walk into His realm of amazing grace and glory!

Oh, my soul....... are you seeking it?
Are you seeking as much Morphoses Most Glorious as you can receive each day?
Have you grown in His glory....... today?

Ode, Ode, Ode, to the redemptive power of His loving sacrifice...... which makes the Morphoses Most Glorious ........... available to us!

A Walk Through the Heart! - - - - - - - - - GMG Wk:5, Tuesday - - Proverbs 3 (esp. vs. 5-6)

Does the word 'detour' sound good to you when you are heading home, and you can hardly wait to get there?

I remember through the years, when my children were very young, when each of them, in turn, would wonder why we couldn't just go straight home, or straight to Grandma's and Grandpa's....... or - etc.  At those moments, I always brought up my father's chuckles about the phrase, 'as the crow flies.'  I never really had a sense that my children appreciated the term.... since they couldn't simply go 'as the crow flies....'

That simple little phrase has given rise to many a moment imagining finally taking off and going somewhere 'as the crow flies.'  Today, I still love to imagine levitating out of the car and heading out - 'as the crow flies,' looking down at all of the roofs and trees, and children bicycling, and cars moving along - but not keeping up with me!

Ode to innocent desires........ a longing to go home yes, and a longing to seek adventure along the way......, but sometimes we realize we really want a straight path home - as the crow flies, as it were.

........

Yesterday, the Good Morning Girls' study 'You Are Loved' brought us to Psalm 84, where we saw that

--Godly men long to finally arrive 'home' in His courts.....

&

--the highway to Zion, which takes us home to His dwelling place, runs through our hearts!

So often, it seems that there are many detours along the way!  But is that true?  Let's check out this relatively well known verse:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.  (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Does He mean that the paths, or highways in our hearts, those highways that will take us home, will be made straight!?!

Well, let's look at the first couple of verses in the same chapter:

"My son, do not forget my teaching,
But let your heart keep my commandments;
For length of days and years of life
And peace they will add to you."  (Proverbs 3:1)

Okay, backtracking to my younger years again...... when those around me would debate, 'length of days and years of life and pace'....... and what that meant...., the conclusions seemed to come to this:  That this is true of the general principles of life and living......, though in some instances, in our imperfect world, tragedies thwart the natural consequences of godly living.  Though statistically speaking, I'm not on the last leg of my journey (and Lord willing I ?am/not?), I have finally come to the point in my life when I don't think of 'length of days and years of life' in terms of this life.......

Rather, those things are things I look forward to in the hereafter......  and I can hardly wait!

Really, think about it, how long are the 'length of days and years of life' in eternity?  Forever long!

And how does one hope to obtain such length of days and years of life?

Well, the *heart*, where the highways to Zion run, needs to not only remember, but follow His commndments.

Yes, I can hear the antinomians at it already:  But the law is behind us! It is no more!

True, but Jesus, after His crucifixion, just before returning to His Father in heaven, commanded the disciples to .......Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them...., (and) teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

While the 'commandments' of Jesus and/or the New Testament do not mirror each other in form......., they are still to be remembered........

There are statements made that those who persevere and/or endure receive the prize.....

There is the parable of the sower, in which some receive the seed, but not into their hearts....... their endurance is lacking........

But the endurance, is endurance in love........ without condemning others..........

...........


Here, in Proverbs 3, vs. 13, one is encouraged to read, "How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding...."

But more, in vs. 26, it says, "For the Lord will be your confidence......"

And yet more, in vs. 35, it says, "The wise will inherit honor......"

............

In order to find wisdom; in order for our confidence to be established in Him; in order that we will be wise and thus inherit honor.......... we begin simply:

"Do not let kindness and truth leave you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart....."  (Proverbs 3:3)

And there it is, having to do with the heart again.......

If we are faithful to 'write kindness and truth.... on the tablet of your heart'......

then........ how does that help?

Are kindness and truth not the signposts to help us remain on the straight path through the heart, that straight path which leads to Zion!?

,,,,,,,,,,thus, as kindness and truth are written on the signposts of our heart......

......He makes all of our paths straight...........

.............

He loves us enough to provide us the wisdom that leads us to kindness and truth, which in turn leads us to His dwelling place.......

Truly, His signpost work is truth.........

Truly, sharing His truth........... is kind...........

..............

May we be more like Him.............

Let kindness and truth never leave us.............

Let us love............. as He loved............. and as He stil loves.................

Let us be able to say to others, not only with our words, but with our actions, "You are truly loved!"

.

The Source of Grace & Glory!...... Wk:5 Monday, Psalms 84, esp. vs. 11-12

So the post I haven't finished for last week (just one for last week)...... has to do with the EXULTATION!!! - - - that remains after victory........

............

But what comes next........ you know....... when the battles are all finished, and the victory is finally sealed with peace...... peace from grace (for there is no peace without grace......, which is important to remember when the people cry out, "Peace, Peace......" but there is no peace......)?

Oh, what comes next is the best part:  Going Home!

How many warriors, following their king wherever He leads them, are willing to follow Him anywhere......

But....... how many warriors, still long for home.........


And that is how it is for those of us who follow The Mighty Warrior - - - the King of Kings - - - !!!!!


Do we not also long for home, even though we have not yet seen our true home....... even though we still bivouac........ yes, bivouac............  in these temporary tents of ours........ ?

But where is that home?????

"How lovely are Your dwelling places,
O Lord of hosts!
My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.
The bird also has found a house,
And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young,
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.
How blessed are those who dwell in Your house!
They are ever praising You!"  (Psalm 84: 1-7)

So many people long for a lovely dwelling place...... a safe retreat from the world.......

And is that all wrong?

Absolutely not!

God made us with a yearning for peace, beauty, comfort, a safe place....... a place we can call Home!

But we must remember that the yearning He put in our hearts cannot be fully satisfied by anyone, or anything or any place on earth........

So while we may be home, or long for home as we know it - or merely dream of it....... is there no place we can call 'home' for the spirit of our new life here in this world????

Looking back to the psalm again....

Here we see that the swallow, in her nest, lays her young......where?  'His' altars! And finding themselves at home there, they know they are so very blessed........ so they are ever praising Him!  Singing His glorious praise..... accompanied by the rhythm of the trees clapping their hand....... what a glorious altar..../!!

Without His altars, both the altars which are their homes, and the altar which Jeshua haMashiach made effective?...... even the birds could not hope of finding escape from the struggles and corruption of this world...!!

But because of The Mighty Warrior's work on the cross...... fulfilling the work at the altar necessary to provide blood for the mercy seat????....... even those of us who brought this corruption into this world.... can find themselves 'at home at His altars.........'

O, sing His glorious praise!

Yes, we still long for the fullness of all that Home means to us....... we still yearn for more than the comfort of the shadow of 'home' that our childhood and/or dreams of a better life could ever offer........  we still yearn for more than the comfort of the shadow of the cross........

We still yearn for His dwelling place........ Home!

But like Dorothy with her ruby slippers, we have the way Home already with us.......

"How blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
In whose heart are the highways to Zion!
Passing through the valley of Baca they make it a spring;
The early rain also covers it with blessings.
They go from strength to strength,
Every one of them appears before God in Zion."  (Psalm 84:5-7)

Did you catch that?  What is more powerful than Dorothy's ruby slippers?

The highways to Zion, yes, Zion! ........ where His dwelling place is being prepared for us!

And where are those highways?  They are in our heart!

Those highways move through valleys empowered by life-giving rains, which refresh both living things and the springs that refresh them!

And those of us who have these highways in our hearts?

We have our strength in Him!  How securely will He guard that strength for us?

So securely that we will go from strength to strength!

And one day, we will all have the strength to go Home to His dwelling place......

O my soul!  What an incredible love He has for us!

...........

So, yes, it is a fine thing to rest at His altar... to rest in the shadow of the cross......
To sense the highways in our hearts........ to sense the refreshing rain there......
And the strength that comes thereby.......
But perhaps most of all......... it is a fine thing to think of finally arriving in His dwelling places......

.......

But.............

.......

Today, my flesh is sometimes weak........ and the darkness of this world looms ominously towards us....... and sometimes it even seems that I'm alone........ and His dwelling place seems so very far away....... and perhaps sometimes, it feels that it may as well not even exist..........

But at those times........ the Lord gives us something amazing!

"O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
Give ear, O God of Jacob!
Behold our shield, O God,
And look upon the face of Your anointed.
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside.
I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
The Lord gives grace and glory;
No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts,
How blessed is the man who trusts in You!"  (Psalm 84:8-12)

What amazing thing does the Lord give us?

Yes, He has given us the Light of Life!
Yes, He is a shield and buckler for us!
Yes, He lends us His ear!
Yes, He seeks *our* face!
Yes, He dwells in this tent with us, that we do not need to dwell in the tent of the wicked!
Yes, He gives every good thing.......

BUT THERE IS MORE!!!!!

What can be more than that?

He gives.............

Grace and Glory!

Glory!

Glory for us!?!

Glory be to God!

O, my soul praise Him!

For how blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

Yes, my soul, you are..... so, so, so loved!

How Great is His Hope! - - - - - - - Ephesians 1:17-19 - - - - - - - GMG, Wk: 2: Monday

How Great is His Hope?

And, Oh! How much that question matters!........

Because the battle wears on!..... even though the war is won!

Many of us have read about wars which have ended, but men are still fighting and dying, because they do not know that the war has been decided already.

Today, we know that the Mighty Warrior has established every foundation for Complete Victory!...... but when the battles wear on and on, sometimes without reprieve........ battle fatigue can set in!

Without His hope...... we might wonder whether the war is really won!

So, is His hope enough?

How Great is His Hope?

Ephesians 1:16b-19:

In my prayers, I keep asking the God of our Lord Yeshuah the Messiah,
The glorious Father,
to give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation,
so that you will have full knowledge of Him.
I pray that He will give light to the eyes of your hearts,
so that you will understand the hope to which He has called you,
what rich glories there are in the inheritance
......He has promised His people
and how surpassingly great is His power working 
........in us who trust Him.

There it is!  Just a glimpse into the greatness of His hope...... but what a glimpse!

It is the hope to which He has called you!  It's not a hope you have to ask for, earn, find, design, devise, establish, maintain, or otherwise provide for yourself.

He has called you to it!

Why has He called you to it?  .......  "For God so loved the world.......... that........." He has called you to a rich and glorious hope in not only His rich glories, but in how surpassingly great is His power working in us who trust Him.

Did you hear that, my soul?

You earned nothing!  He didn't need to give you anything!  But He has provided power which works in surpassingly great ways..........

And what do you need to do?

Simply receive it!

It is 'set before' you.............

Freedom! Freedom! Freedom! - - - - Romans 8:1-4 - - - - GMG: Wk 3: Wednesday

For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you FREE from the law of sin and of death...... (Romans 8:2)

......

Free from the law of sin and of death? And free unto what?

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord!  (Romans 6:23)

Ode to the peril of the struggle of life and death!

And the eternality of both life and death!  Eternal joy!  Eternal suffering!

And the body of Christ should be seeking eternal life for all men of peace, for all men who will listen to and receive the gospel of peace.........

What an epic struggle it has been and will continue to be as long as this earth endures....

..........

Then, how is it, again, that we overcome death.......?

.........only with the free gift of God.......

Which is eternal............ Life.


But what is this....... 'Life'?


It begins with death!  Death to sin!

The Mighty Warrior!  He has Complete Victory!

What did He conquer?

He conquered sin and death!

He drowned death for victory!  (I Cor. 15:54 - and note, 'victory' in this case necessarily denotes a conquest..... thus, death is indeed conquered!)


Now it is our turn........ by His power.......

To Overwhelmingly Conquer through Him who Loved Us!

He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.  Rev. 2:11
But in all these things, we overwhelmingly conquer.  Rom. 8:37
He who overcomes, I will grant him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my Father on His throne.  Rev. 3:21

.........

And they overcame him because of the blood of the lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.  Rev. 12:11
.........

Ode to balancing truth.........

O my soul......... have you remembered today?

NOT because of what you have done today....... but because...... yes..... only because...

......yes....... the 'cause' is the Promised One!
......yes....... the 'cause' is and will 'be'.........Him and Him alone!

......yes....... because........

......because 'you have the Spirit of Christ'......
......because 'He shared His Spirit with you!'.......
......because the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed you!  (Romans 8:2)
......because of the law that requires faith, which He gave you! (Romans 3:27-31 / Ephesians 2:8)


Repent!

He came to call sinners to repentance!  (Matthew 9:13)

And now, we are to be like Him!  We are to have the Spirit of Christ!

How to be like Him?  Bringing truth and understanding about God to others!

What is it to have life?  If sin is death, then sin is to be left behind..... coupled with grace.

"Awake righteously at once - and be not sinning! For some have a fullness of ignorance about God!  I am saying this to excite your shame!"  (I Cor. 15:34)

And here in I Corinthians 15:34, He was speaking to believers...... who should have been aware of the shame that we can still experience when we fall into sin.

"If we would examine ourselves, we would not come under judgment.  But when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined, so that we will not be condemned along with the world."  (I Cor. 11:31-32)

And here in I Corinthians 11:23, the Word says that we are judged by the Lord and disciplined when we have fallen into sin....... a process which demonstrates His grace, "so that we will not be condemned along with the world."

It grieves my heart so to think of young believers hearing that, because there is now no condemnation, there is also now no shame or judgment or discipline possible for the believer.

What a lie this is!!!!!  Down deep inside of one's very soul, this dangerous lie must be apparent.  It might be tucked away so far that one will not listen....... especially when their mind is shouting out Romans 8:1 so loudly that it drowns out all truth.

.........

This is not to say that the existence of sin in a believer's life must be ruled by the law.  May it never be!

This is not to say that we should be bringing cruel accusations on others in order to have them walk in shame......  even Paul, when he spoke of 'exciting shame'....... it was not for anyone to walk in shame, but rather, as gently as possible, to correct them in love - - - to encourage them to look more closely and realize where we have fallen into sin, and leave it behind, so that we would not come under judgement.  Though earlier in the same letter, he spoke of the Lord judging and disciplining......

So then the Lord is righteous and just to both judge and discipline His children, correcting them and their walk so that we will not be condemned along with the world.

But it is better to address the shame of our own sin before it comes to that:  examining ourselves that we might not come under (His) judgment.

..............

This term 'judge', in the Greek, has its roots in the word krino, which means 'discern or determine'.... and if you read through the notes at the subsequent link for 'judge', there is a sense of the meaning which can recognize goodness, or come to a negative decision which contains a rejection.....

.........

And here is the grief of it.......... that on the one hand, there are those who preach a gospel of works, while on the other hand, there is a gospel in which there is no shame left in this life........ that, sure we'll still sin, but there is no shame left for it because it is already forgiven..........

How can I Corinthians 15:34 (above) be true, and this false ?edge on the? gospel be true?

............

Romans 8:1 is true in that there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus!

yet...... Paul was not amiss in I Corinthians, when dealing with what many have called 'carnal Christians', therefore he spoke of his 'exciting shame' that believers would examine themselves and avoid judgment.

and....... Paul was not amiss in I Corinthians when he spoke of the Lord 'judging' and 'disciplining' His own for their safety.

So........ is there any way in which we ought to determine what is right or wrong in another's life?

And even to disassociate from them (if they will not respond to correction given with grace, that is)?

 "But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler -- not even to eat with such a one.  For what have I to do with judging outsiders?  Do you not judge those who are within the church?  But those who are outside God judges.  Remove the wicked man from among yourselves."  (I Cor. 5:11-12)

So........... a believer ought to examine himself to recognize his own sin and shameful behavior - and thereby correct it; that others do not need to (gently) come alongside and 'excite their shame' (to protect them from judgment from God).

And........ if a believer does not examine himself, then the Lord will judge and discipline His own so that they will not be condemned along with the world.

And........ if one claims to be a brother, and will not receive correction for immorality, covetousness, idolatry, reviling, drunkeness, or swindling....... he should be put out...... that the church's doing so is judging those within....... and sending them out .........

Then is that when God does much of His judging and disciplining, and correcting of His own, and possibly even His own Spiritual work in 'exciting shame'?

.................

While I hold firmly to the obvious scriptural quotes above, .......... :

This last question is a question ----- not a statement of dogma............  I welcome responses..........

Pray for me, pray for the church, pray for our souls to respond with wisdom, and pray for His soon return!

..........

SO FREEDOM!  FREEDOM!  FREEDOM!

The freedom is from condemnation.

The freedom is from death.

The freedom is to eternal life........ after the second death has passed us by unscathed!

The freedom is from sin........., but with it comes the freedom to self-govern..........

To 'examine self' ourselves.........

What kind of love does that require?  A freedom loving love indeed..........., and not a controlling one.

.........

But if a brother is walking towards slavery...... in the flesh......... those who are spiritual are to help awaken his sensibilities to shame with a kindhearted spirit.......... in order that he will have ample opportunity to return to their proper course of freedom......

To.......... freedom from sin, and from death, and unto righteousness.......

Truly, FREEDOM, FREEDOM, FREEDOM ........ Indeed!


.

Keys to Overwhelming Victory! Revelation 12:10-12 - - - - - GMG, Wk 3: Tuesday

O my soul!  You who ran and had to be sought!
You who had to be sought, saved, and protected!
You who are loved by the Mighty Warrior who has already obtained Complete Victory!
You who can say with His beloved, "We overwhelmingly conquer!"

Who........ me?  What? ........
Why..............?
Because He delights in you!
Because you are so loved!

Is He not wondrous!?
What more could you want - or need......?

O my soul, want it or not, you need to be ready......

You, O, my soul, heard it again yesterday - the evil one is on the prowl!
---Be of sober spirit.....
---Be on the alert......
---Resist the evil one......
---Be firm in your faith......

.............all while you still .........

---Remember: it is 'IN' our various trials that 'we overwhelmingly conquer'......

Yes, be ready - - - - trials are a-comin'!

Yes, you may pray, even as He did in Gethsemane......
You may pray as bitter cups are a-comin'!
Pray that those cups may pass from you.........
As long as you know........ not all those cups...... will be passin' by you......

Trials are a-comin'!

Trials that we may overwhelmingly conquer!

Are you ready to count it all joy!?
Are you ready to be sober of spirit?
Are you ready to be on the alert?
Are you ready to resist the evil one?
Are you ready to be firm in your faith?
That is....... are you ready to 'overwhelmingly conquer'!?

Ode to being ready! ...... but how to be ready?

Where's that list?  That list of how to be ready?

........ firstly:  be of sober spirit!   But.........

..........How?........ How indeed!

What tale more sobering than that of the Mighty Warrior......
In contest with the dragon himself!  Yes, the Mighty Warrior........
Hung on the cross!........ His blood............ Given!
The only antidote for the poison His beloved took to herself......
His blood given........ for 'his beloved'.........

Yes, be sober of spirit!  Look again to the cross...with all sobriety - and with the warning that He gave: to remember the cross, and while remembering the cross, while approaching the Lord's bread and the Lord's cup.... to also be examining yourself that ye 'remember the body' so that ye come not under judgment!!! (and yes, here He was speaking about judgment to believers.....click and check with sobriety of spirit.....)... (I Cor. 11:23-32)

What is it then, to 'remember the body'?  What is the body of Christ?  What did Paul say?

"I speak as to wise men; you judge what I say.  Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ?  Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ?  Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread." (I Cor. 10:15-17)

So, while it is vital to remember His body broken for us; is it not also vital that we remember 'the body' - 'His beloved!' - - - 'His beloved' for whom He died! - - - - yes, even the many members in the one body - perhaps even those not yet reached?

How is it that we properly 'remember the body' - if it is not to comfort it, care for it, nurture it, when it is yet broken here on earth......  and more....... How can we properly 'remember the body'  if we do not seek its growth?

And here, to weep with those who weep (Romans 12)?  To show compassion with cheerfulness (Romans 12 as well)?

And here, again, is the need to Go! and make disciples (who make disciples)....... baptizing them and teaching them to obey all things whatsoever He has commanded!?  (Matt. 28:19-20)

Is this not what it is to both 'remember the body' and 'be sober in spirit'?  Not drunk with wine....... but by the Spirit leading our spirit...... to be busy about the task........ of remembering the body, tending to the needs of the body,........  of building the body...... and thus, of preaching Christ crucified?  (and here, preaching taking the 'lower case' meaning....... 'advocating for truth and action'..........  as opposed to a formally anointed calling......)

Is this building and serving as we 'remember the body' not a vital key to help us 'overwhelmingly conquer' through Him who love us!?!?!!

To be certain of the answer to this question, let us look to the promise given us through the pen wielded by the Holy Spirit......

"They defeated him (the evil one - the prowling lion) because of the Lamb's blood!"  (Rev. 12:11a)

......... yes realize that to 'be of sober spirit' is a vital key.....
......... to be so very sobered by the cross that we 'remember the body' and thus, we work together to add to it daily...........


Yes!  it is.......... it is a vital key........
......... a key to help us be strong......
......... to help us to be strong - - - to defeat the lion on the prowl......!!!!!


........

One key is powerful alone, but He has shown us more keys!

What is the next key?


TO BE CONTINUED.......... ON THIS PAGE........

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying,

“Now have come God’s victory, power and kingship,
and the authority of his Messiah;
because the Accuser of our brothers,
who accuses them day and night before God,
has been thrown out!

11 “They defeated him because of the Lamb’s blood
and because of the message of their witness.
Even when facing death
they did not cling to life.

12 “Therefore, rejoice, heaven and you who live there!
But woe to you, land and sea,
for the Adversary has come down to you,
and he is very angry, because he knows that his time is short!”

We OVERWHELMINGLY Conquer!!!!! - - - - - - - I Peter 5:6-9 - - - - - - - GMG: Wk: 3, Monday

Complete Victory has already been proclaimed.  But what's this?

But there's more!  We OVERWHELMINGLY Conquer!!!!!

Why might God go so over the top and proclaim this overwhelming truth?

S.  Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.  Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.  Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.  I Peter 5:6-9

O.  But backing up a bit before exploring the overwhelming truth..

Here we begin to see so much of the reason why God pursued us..... He loves us, beloved - ......

But that is not the only reason He pursued us!  Nor is that why He made sure He told us that we OVERWHEMLINGLY Conquer!

Yes........ He is the ultimate Father who loves His children, but He pursued us when (as in Ps. 139) we have tried to run from Him...... yes, in part, so He could take away His judgments against us.  That is overwhelming!  (Zeph 3:15)

But that is still not all of the reason why He pursued us!

Why else did He pursue us - just so we can 'overwhelmingly conquer' when He has found us?  Just so we can rest in Him?

That hand that led us in Ps. 139, we now see in I Peter 5:6 as 'the mighty hand of God' - - - But here in the same verse, we are to be humbled 'under the mighty hand of God.'

The students in my music studio - - - being students of music, typically have to deal with pride not only in their lives, but also in relation to their music.  Vocal students in particular can even convey their pride through their voice.  Rather than teach them the techniques that can mask the 'symptom' of pride, we address it at its source.  To do so, we begin by defining it thusly:  Pride is the justification of our coveting.  (To date, no one has brought an example to my attention that did not fit with that definition - but it's not straight from scripture, so I'm open to correction if a biblical correction or a real life example contradicts this definition......)

So, keeping in mind the fact that pride's opposite is humility....... and now looking back at verse 6:  'Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God....' and looking ahead at why the might of His hand is referenced here:  because OUR adversary, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour...... - - - - - One might begin to ask, "What can we be proud of when we were brought under the mighty hand of God... out of His love for us, to fellowship with us, and to protect us from an enemy that is too powerful for us?"  ...... And what is there to covet when we are in such a place?  There is *nothing* to be proud of save God Almighty Himself.  And there is nothing to desire, save God's presence to comfort us, protect us, provide for us, and on and on......  But more, He has even more of a plan for those who 'humble (themselves) under the mighty hand of God!

He plans to exalt us 'at the proper time.'  Now that might be exciting and encouraging, but that is even humbling, come to think of it!  Who am I to be exalted?!?  ......  I'm no one.  Then why will He exalt me? Because of His love...... (that love He has ....... for *us*........ think about it.....)

So, do we relax, those of us who are 'humbled under the mighty hand of God'? - - - Not in this life!  No!  We are to be sober and on the alert!  God's mighty hand is with us.  We can feel safe and secure, but there will be 'sufferings' (vs. 9) which will challenge our faith!

So!  We must be alert to guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus - and stand fast in our faith, that we may resist him (remembering that even "Michael, the archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation but said, 'the Lord rebuke thee'." Jude....)

Our faith is in the Complete Victory established by the Mighty Warrior for us, His beloved.... But the God who searched us out, gave us His Word that 'nothing can separate us from the love of God' - not tribulation, nor distress, nor persecution, nor famine, nor nakedness, nor peril, nor sword! ..... But in all these things, we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us!

God chose to honor faith!  Blind faith!  faith unable to physically see the promises because of the sufferings of this life.  Yet faith that can believe that those who say we don't have faith if we are going through trials are like Job's naysayers - yes, that faith can sustain us so that we may resist all attacks, AND EVEN REALIZE THAT IT IS *****IN***** THESE THINGS THAT WE OVERWHELMINGLY CONQUER.....

THROUGH HIM WHO LOVED US!!!!!!!

Through Him:  The Mighty Warrior........ Amen!

We might want to believe that being 'under the mighty hand of God' prevents such a need for a Mighty Warrior to aid us and protect us *in the midst of sufferings...,* but the Word of God is clear.  It is *in* these trials that we overwhelmingly conquer!  We already heard the news about the Complete Victory.... but look!  It IS more!

It is not just complete victory:

We Overwhelmingly Conquer!  Bless the Lord, O my soul!  And all that is in me!.....

And thus is faith honored........ when the faith is placed in the Lord Jesus Christ.......

Jeshua haMashiach!

The Savior!  The Promised One!........

So, through His pursuit, He is honored........ but why else did He pursue us?

When He reached us, and humbled us under His mighty hand, He knew we needed protection from the evil one.

But that is not the only reason He pursued us, beloved!

He also pursued us, those in such dire need, in part, to demonstrate how we are to pursue others who need His love.

It is time to be like Him!

Go!  Go now!  Go ye therefore!  ......

Look out your doorway.... have any nations come near to your door?  If they have, it is so much more simple to establish a mission to reach the nations that have come to you.

How many of us should have 'Gone!' but did not?

So the mighty hand of God has pursued many, and brought them to us, for their sake!

He is yet pursuing the nations!

It is time to pursue the nations with Him!

Yes, even in the midst of sufferings!  Did Jesus avoid suffering, or wait until any suffering was past, before He stood in faith, resisting the evil one?!?

May it never be!

But why?

Because it is ****in***** sufferings that we overwhelmingly conquer!

Oh, the flesh wants to cry out!  End the sufferings that we may rejoice in the victory!  But scriptures here is the proper tutorial for our hearts that would so much like to listen to the flesh.

Hear it!  Hear the truth!

Count it all joy!  ....... each suffering.......  Count it all joy!

For it is *****IN***** sufferings that we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us!

The light of His own life shines brightest in the darkness through the sufferings of His cross.

The light of His life in us shines brightest through the sufferings that come to us, which we take to His cross.

Now......... may we rest in His love...... and glorify His love before the nations..... more and more...... standing in His promise that We Overwhelmingly Conquer..... standing on that promise as we go........ and ......

....... counting it all joy!!!!!!!!

........every bit of it!!!!!!!

Where's the Peace? - - - - - - - - Psalm 86:14-16 - - - - - - - - Romans 14:17 - - - - - - - - - - - GMG, Wk: 1, Friday - - - - - - - -

Ode to peace!

But where to find peace?

O, my soul, the answers to peace must be in the Word of Truth......, but where?

"For the kingdom of heaven is ...... righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.... -  so then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.... - do not destroy the work(er) of God (because..... of different opinions about what is right.......)" Romans 14:17, 19, 20a (NIV/NAS/NETBible)

So often, we want to say in our 'self-talk': "What can I do to obtain peace?"

Looking closely at this sort of self-talk, in which many of us have engaged, one of the main problems clearly turns out to be the pronoun.  Is the instruction in Romans 14 above all about what 'I' should do, or is it about what 'we' should do?   .........'so then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another......'

But more than that, the focus ought to be, "What can we do in the Holy Spirit!"

O, my soul, do you know as well as you ought, what we can do in the Holy Spirit?

For He can do far and above that which 'I' or 'we' are ever going to be able to do!

Ooooohhhhh, but...... backing up for a moment...... looking back at what goes wrong........ in our 'self-talk':

'I' terminology can lead to problems such as selfishness, idolatry of various sorts, coveting, and self-righteousness ----- 'we' terminology can lead to problems such as self-righteous Pharisee'isms, etc. ------

Wretched man that I am, who will set me free from the bondage of this death?  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ, who has set you free! (Romans 7:24...)

Sure enough, the 'I' is wretched!  But, O, my soul......., Jesus has set you free!  You are free from the wretched one that is 'I'! So......

Stop the 'self-talk'!

Engage prayer!  Engage scripture talk!  Engage 'soul talk'!

Engage in Spirit walk! Learn the kingdom walk! Learn the Jesus walk!   For the kingdom of heaven is ...... righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.........

..............and..........

............ well........... and what?

What is the 'righteous' thing we should be pursuing through a Jesus walk, a kingdom walk, a Spirit walk?????

 ......pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another......

But how do we get there?  What is it that gets in the way of our efforts to find peace?

Do we have a desire to build up one another - you know *each* one?  O, my soul!  Who does God not love?  He said it Himself, "For God so loved the world......!"...... and "Go ye therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey all things I have taught you!"  Soul!  Who did He not call you to disciple!?  Soul!  What is worthy of getting in the way of that!?  Who do you *think* is so beneath you that the path to peace is over your head, utterly beyond your reach?

Do you miss out on peace that way?  If you do, where is the righteousness and the joy?

Father, God Almighty, who made heaven and earth, who put a desire to make disciples in my heart years ago..... who left me aching to reach the nations........ but who called me to wait!  For you are God Almighty - who shakes the foundations, and brings the nations jumbled upon nations!  And you had plans for me!  Things I must do before you jumbled the nations together 'just-so' ...........

Help me to seek your peace yet again today!

.............

O my soul!  Do you have a willingness to pursue the things which make for peace?  Hallelujah, that I do!

But...........   Now the time has come!  So now!  O, my soul!  Add perseverance to your faith!

Carry the light!

..............

His people perish for lack of knowledge!

The destruction of peace comes with another destruction........:

How much peace is there if the work(er) of God is being destroyed?  How much righteousness or joy is there if the work(er) of God is being destroyed without our having lovingly pursued the things which are able to make for peace (not that we can force anyone/anything into peace - but 'in as much as it is possible' with us we ought to seek peace with all men)?

If a work(er) of God is off course and heading away from righteousness, is that work(er) inclined to be heading towards peace and joy?  If not, what should our response be?

Asking the Holy Spirit to help us share the peace and joy that comes mingled with righteousness perhaps?

How much righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit have we obtained if we have not pursued the things which the Holy Spirit wishes to show us regarding righteous, peaceful, and joyous ways of seeking to build up another who is swerving off course to any degree?

How often does each of us need the Holy Spirit to come alongside each one, mingling righteousness, peace and joy together?

So then should we pursue being "right"?   - - -

Or then should we pursue being filled with "joy"?  - - -

No....... we need to pursue enough humility to follow the Holy Spirit - to join *in* the Holy Spirit's efforts to mingle righteousness, peace, and joy in one another's lives - each of us, by the other's faith - encouraged!

In that way, and in that way alone, can we mingle our hearts with God's righteousness, peace, and joy in His full measure in this world.

............

Peace is one of the aspects of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).  The fruit of the Spirit is something God expects His people to produce (Matthew 21:43).

So there it is, God has expectations.

But as it turns out, our expectations get in the way.

All too often, people who have been taught to have faith in a democratic, fair, or otherly utopian life to any greater *or* lesser degree, are frustrated and thus out of reach of peace, because, while they may or may not believe in God, and they may or may not even have faith in God for many things, they place their faith in fairness or etc.  They become so hurt by the injustices of life that, until they learn to place their faith in God alone - knowing that the God in whom they trust will not fail them in spite of the griefs and trials before them - that there is a certain something that comes between them and .... peace.

.........

Scripture:

God, arrogant men are rising against me,
a gang of brutes is seeking my life,
and to you they pay no attention.
But you, Adonai,
are a merciful, compassionate God,
slow to anger
and rich in grace and truth.
Turn to me, and show me your favor;
strengthen your servant, save your slave-girl's son.  (Psalm 86:14-16)

You Are Summoned! Zephaniah 43:1, 4 - Wk: 1, Thursday

Oh, my soul...........

Rejoice in the Lord and forsake Him not!

Rejoice in the Lord....
Rejoice in Adonai who has created you!
Who created you while you were yet in darkness!
Adonai created you and called you by name!
You who were born a grasping ya'akov.
He has pursued you!
He has found you!
He has waged mighty battle for you!
He has won the battle for you!
He has blessed you when you sought to wrestle against even Him!
He has drawn you to Himself.....while you were.....
.....like Ya'akov...
..............flesh grasping after ........ what?.......
He has redeemed you!
He has drawn you to Himself.......while you were.......
.......like Isra'el........
.... struggling with God and with men along the way......
What could you have done to merit His favor? .........  Nothing!
Yet.........
He has taken on your struggles.
He took them on Himself!
 - - - the Mighty Warrior alone overcame them!
He overcame them and established Complete Victory over them!
He Himself, Jeshua haMashiach cast them aside...... And now......
He has renewed you!
He has grafted you in, by the power of life in Jeshua haMashiach!
He has grafted you in!
He has formed you, Isra'el.........
........so that now, it can be ever so true...........
........................you are summoned to His rest.....!

The fire and the river may cross your path.
The fire and the river may be at your feet!
But the fire will not burn you!
And the river will not overflow you!

The fire and the river may seem to be a struggle.
But you are summoned!
Step onward!
He has taken on your struggles!
So now you may call upon the name of the Lord!
Forget Him not as you face the fire and the river!
Be not weary of the Lord, for He has summoned you - in love!
He has summoned you to enter His rest!
Be not weary of the Lord!
Be not weary of His love!

But now, you are called to the nations!
You are called to share His love with the nations!
You are called to share His love with the nations who.....
Are grasping, who........
Struggle with God and with men.........
Whom He is pursuing yet...........
Who have eyes, but who do not see........
Who have ears, but who do not hear...........
Be His witness unto the nations!
He whose hand is ready to save you in His hand!
He is ready to do something new!
Be not weary of the Lord!
Be not weary of His love!
Close not your eyes or your ears to His love!
Close not your eyes or your ears to His rest!
Close not your eyes or your ears......
And witness the wonders of His redemption......
.........of the nations - - - for His name's sake!

Rise up in praise of the Mighty Warrior!
Rise up in praise of His Complete Victory!
Rise up in praise of His love!
Rise up in praise of........ the Lamb...........

S.  -  But now this is what Adonai says;
He who created you, Ya'akov,
He who formed you, Isra'el:
"Don't be afraid! for I have redeemed you;
I am calling you by your name;
you are mine.
(Zephaniah 43:1, 4 - CJB)







Wk: 1; Friday can be found here.

The Mighty Warrior is With You! Zephaniah 3:17: Wk: 1, Wednesday GMG

The Mighty Warrior is with you!

"The Lord your God is in your midst / a mighty warrior.....!" (Zephaniah 3:15b, and 17a - NAS/NIV....)

Hear it again and receive it!

The Mighty Warrior is with you!

What's more, the Mighty Warrior is more than just an ally!

The Mighty Warrior saves you!  (NIV)

Why does He save you?!?!!!

The Mighty Warrior loves you!

O my soul!  You must be safe indeed!  The Mighty Warrior who has won the battle to establish an eternal foundation for Complete Victory is with you forever and loves you eternally!

..........

This third meditation on scripture from Good Morning Girls in the series You Are Loved builds powerfully on the previous two.  The first study: celebrates His loving pursuit of us, and the second: celebrates complete victory through love.

And here, the study moves on, building on God's love and His victory...... we now focus on the Mighty Warrior who is the source of all of this transcendant love and eternal victory.

What more does Zephaniah say about this Mighty Warrior?

That he not only loves you, He delights in you!

O, my soul!  You heard it yesterday!  He doesn't just love your incorruptible spirit, He loves you, O my soul - to the point that He delights in you!  Do you believe it yet?  How many ways does He need to tell you?

O, my soul, You are so loved!

But what is this that is said of the Mighty Warrior next?

Ode to reading the Hebrew (maybe someday ...... *sigh*)!!!!  What an amazing array of renderings of this next little phrase telling so much about the Mighty Warrior.  Is this next little phrase so rich that no one can get it all into words...not in our flexible language repleat with the most varied vocabulary in the world...?

....in His love He will no longer rebuke you..... (NIV)
....with His love, He will calm all your fears...... (NLT)
....He will quiet you with His love..... (ESV, KJ200Bible)
....He will be quiet in His love..... (NAS)
....He will rest in His love...... (KJV, Jubilee Bible 2000, AKJV, ASV, DBT, ERS, WBT)
....In His love He will renew you with His love..... (ISV)
....He renews you by His love..... (Net Bible)
....renews you with His love....(God's Word Translation)
....He will be silent in His love.... (Douay-Rheims)
....He will calm you in His love.... (WEB)
....He doth work in His love.... (YLT)

Foreseen here:

The conflict - - -  now over!
The Complete Victory - - - obtained!
And still, the Mighty Warrior is moving, - working -
His love enveloping all He is doing;
His efforts, effectual, by, in, and with His love...... for us.........

for ........ you!



for ........    .........    me!



All rebukes past, yes......... but there's more!

His movements........ accomplishing what 'He will' do.......

But what is it that He is doing?

What is the Mighty Warrior bent upon doing with His masterful use of His love?

Why does any warrior with love in his heart go to war?

To safeguard those whom He loves and end all threats to their peace......!

So it is with the Mighty Warrior!

And when the clanging chaos of the battle is over, the quiet that comes........

The quiet that comes *with the love that finally proves to be the end of all wars*.........

Is a quiet of the celebration of peace..

And that is what we see here - 'quiet', 'calm', 'rest', 'renew', 'silent' ......

So what is it that He is doing?

He is resting in His love......

He is drawing us into His rest with His love.

He is and has been creating calm for you and is drawing you into it with Him.

He is renewing us in the silence of that calm.

He is joining us......... in that peace.......

...........

Still, that is only in the days foreseen...... Days not yet come......

Oh!  But those days are promised!

And for those who are loved!  Yes!  For those who are loved; for those who know His promise!

We hear as they did in the days of of the prophets:

Be still (or cease striving) and know that I am God.  (Ps. 46:10)

O, my soul!  Listen and hear!

He is!

He is love!

He is pursuing you with His love!

His is Complete Victory through His love!

He is the Mighty Warrior who brings you peace through His love!

He is the Mighty Warrior who relishes in the calm of peace, together,...... with you........

......

..............and there's more!

O, Yes! My soul!  There's so much more!

The Mighty Warrior cannot contain His joy in His Complete Victory which He obtained for you!

When the Mighty Warrior has obtained His Complete Victory for you, and you have relished in His peace together......... tasting the beauty of the silence....... tasting it together with you ......

Then the Mighty Warrior will not contain His joy any longer..........

............................Then the Mighty Warrior will rejoice over you with a great cry!

............................Then the Mighty Warrior will rejoice over you with singing!...................

But for now....... O, my soul.  Be still......... cease from striving..........

The promise of the Mighty Warrior will not fail, because there truly is something to the 'old fairy tale's telling, that:

True Love Conquers All!

What the old tales and fables have missed is this:

That True Love ........ is only from God.

His truest messenger........... who bears True Love to us.........

Is the Mighty Warrior!

The Mighty Warrior...... who loves us!



......... who loves.............. (me)!




...................sh................ it's time to be


still........

quiet.........



hush................









....................

S.  -  The Lord your God is with you,
The Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.

(but so many other renderings of this portion of the verse make its meaning so much richer........ - especially when combined with this one.......http://biblehub.com/zephaniah/3-17.htm):

....in His love He will no longer rebuke you..... (NIV)
....with His love, He will calm all your fears...... (NLT)
....He will quiet you with His love..... (ESV, KJ200Bible)
....He will be quiet in His love..... (NAS)
....He will rest in His love...... (KJV, Jubilee Bible 2000, AKJV, ASV, DBT, ERS, WBT)
....In His love He will renew you with His love..... (ISV)
....He renews you by His love..... (Net Bible)
....renews you with His love....(God's Word Translation)
....He will be silent in His love.... (Douay-Rheims)
....He will calm you in His love.... (WEB)
....He doth work in His love.... (YLT)

O.  -  The Holy Spirit has been so faithful to guide the women who put together this study for us.

This meditation upon scripture is built upon those previous studies:  God pursues us with His love.  With that love, He obtains Complete Victory......

Today, we move on to celebrate the one who obtained that victory established in, by, and with His love for us......., and what do we find as we celebrate the one who obtained the victory.......?

O, my soul!  Rejoice!

The Mighty Warrior is with you.
The Mighty Warrior loves you.
The Mighty Warrior delights in you.
The Mighty Warrior, with the power of His love, has obtained peace for you, for your healing, calming, and renewing.
The Mighty Warrior, with the power of His love, has obtained peace for you, in order to enjoy and delight in peace with you!
The Mighty Warrior, after relishing in peace with us, will rejoice over you with a loud ringing cry...... - O, He will rejoice.......... with singing......

A.  -  Now we are to be like Him!

We need to face conflict with love - with Him!
We need to love Him - as He loved us!
We need to delight in Him!
We need to praise Him for His peace and receive His healing and renewing and calming from His love!
We need to relish and delight with Him in His peace!
We need to rejoice in Him!

We need to face conflict with His love - for others!
We need to love others - as He loved us!
We need to delight in others - delighting in those He has sent us to, to share His love!
We need to extend the peace of His kingdom - extending His healing - through the power of His love!
We need to delight in His peace with others - with Him!
We need to rejoice in the called - in His beloved - in His kingdom!

P.  -  Our Father!  You sent your Mighty Warrior to love us, save us, delight in us, heal us, bring us peace, and prepare us here on earth to be with you in heaven!  What a mighty, yet loving Father-God you are!

May your name be holy in my (our) life/lives: Faithful and True, and the name written on your crown which no one has yet known, and your name Word of God, and your name King of King and Lord of Lords (Rev 19:11-16).

Hurry and come again!  No other warrior can bring an end to chaos and put The Kingdom of peace on the map with mankind so that no one can again say, "There is no god," even while God graciously, again and again proclaims "Adonai" (I am......).  Mankind cries for peace, peace.  But without you, there is no peace.  Thank you for peace in your Kingdom of Heaven here on earth, and for bringing me into that peace with you.  Help me to further that kingdom here today!  Show me who in my path you mean for me to share the gospel with.  Show me who you wish to use to refine me - bringing me into greater obedience (both disciplers, and those who are enemies, who laugh at my being in the fire, while you are using the fire to refine and purify me!).  Show me who are my brothers and sisters in you - that I might fellowship with them!  Manifest your kingdom Lord - King of King and Lord of Lords!

Thank you for the glass through which we see, darkly, in joy, the glorious love of you as warrior (Zephaniah 3), and, in humility, the fearsome holiness of you as warrior (Revelation 19).  Help us to be moved both by your love and the fight that is ahead to preach peace through the cross.

Forgive us for not rejoicing with you when you rejoice, and for not seeking peace for others in response to your warning of the judgment to come.  Help us to grow in both your grace, and in your *truth* - empowered unto good works by your truth.

And lead us not unto temptation - - - - but lead us into the world as a light - - - - leading us in the path of righteousness.......... for your name's sake.

For thine is the kingdom of the power of love - the kingdom of the warrior revealed - the kingdom of the holy one - so glorious!

Amen.

Complete Victory! Romans 8:35-39, esp. 37-39; Wk 1: Tuesday

Ode to the Complete Victory!

Didn't you know?  It's in the news - the Good News, that is!

Check out the NET Bible's telling of it in Romans 8:37:

"In all these things we have complete victory through Him who loved us!"

But we don't always act like it, do we?

Do we not believe it?

Yesterday, Good Morning Girls led a study on Psalm 139, focusing on vs. 7-10 (my blog for that amazing study is here).

During that study, God really brought my attention (again) to the fact that we are terribly inclined to have it all backwards in our thinking (We need that 'renewing of the mind' thing happening way more than we think, huh?).  So often, we try to run and hide from God when He is seeking our good.  We forget at such times that God is love.....  That we are loved!  What a thing to forget!  But we do....., well, I do anyway.....

Now, here today, the next Good Morning Girls in this series, "You Are Loved," is pointing out another thing we often lose track of:  We have complete victory....... through Him who loved us!

Now, have we forgotten just the victory, or have we also forgotten that:

We are loved!?

From my own experience, I'd have to admit that when I've forgotten that We Have Complete Victory, it is because I don't feel one bit loved.

At such times, MacLaren's commentary on Romans 8:19 seems to explain and/or describe my life so well:

"There is always a difference between appearance and reality, between the ideal and its embodiments.  For all men it is true that the full expression of oneself is impossible.  Each man's deeds fall short of disclosing the essential self in the man.  Every will is hampered by the fleshly screen of the body.  "I would that my tongue could utter the thoughts that arise in me,' is the yearning of every heart that is deeply moved.  Contending principles successively sway every personality and thwart each other's expression.  For these, and many other reasons, the sum-total of every life is but a shrouded representation of the man who lives it; and we, all of us, after all efforts at self-revelation, remain mysteries to our fellows and to ourselves.  All this is eminently true of the sons of God.  They have a life-germ hidden in their souls, which in its very nature is destined to fill and expand their whole being, and to permeate with its triumphant energy every corner of their nature.  But it is weak and often overborne by its opposite.  The seed sown is to grow in spite of bad weather and a poor soil and many weeds, and though it is destined to overcome all these, it may to-day only be able to show on the surface a little patch of pale and struggling growth.  When we think of the cost at which the life of Christ was imparted to men, and of the divine source from which it comes, and of the sedulous and protracted discipline through which it is being trained, we cannot but conclude that nothing short of its universal dominion over all the faculties of its imperfect possessors can be the goal of its working.  Hercules in his cradle is still Hercules, and strangles snakes.  Frost and sun may struggle in midwinter, and the cold may seem to predominate, but the sun is steadily enlarging its course in the sky, and increasing the fervour of its beams, and midsummer day is as sure to dawn as the shortest day was."

On the coldest of nights, the sun doesn't convince me that it will be warm soon, if at all.  Really, I'm rather inclined to overcome most of my natural fears, but I am inordinantly fearful of the cold.  When I am warm, I shake my head at the thought, but when I have occasionally found myself so cold that I couldn't warm myself up, and I had no immediate hope of help in becoming warm, I trembled from more than the cold.

Where is my faith at such moments?

Where is my faith when the chaos of life threatens the peace of not only my life, but the peace of those whom I love dearly?  At such times, I do find my *confidence* anchored on the rock - *sometimes*, but not always.

Ode to the next question:

When not - - - - why not?

Does the rock change between times of faith and times of doubt!  No!

Does His love change?  Never!

Does the fact of His victory change?  Absolutely not!

But sometimes I do forget that He Is Love, and that I Am Loved - simply because I am His......., and all because I am not busy *seeing the unseen victory*.

......... *sigh*.............

So what is lacking?

Well, let's read on:  Romans 8:38 says... what?

"For I am convinced!"........

Ah....... there it is then....... I am not as convinced as I ought to be.

Convinced of what?

Convinced of His invincible love!

May I rest in His love.  May I rest in the convincing testimony of His love.  May I rest in the victory which His love affords.

And then will I perhaps better remember that we have:

Complete Victory - ........ because of that deep, deep, eternal, boundless love of God!

.........

Sure enough, in his commentary on Romans 8:37, MacLaren calls all of the challenges which we face not only the 'heterogenous mass (which) the Apostle brigades here together,' but more importantly, he also calls them 'the impotent enemies of love.'

It is important to note that it is not our love that makes our enemies' efforts 'impotent'.  Our love is not steady enough for any such victory.

It is only the unchangeable, immutable, eternal, infinite love of God in Christ Jesus that can vanquish all of our foes.  But vanquish them all it will, and Paul's confidence should be our goal.

Such is the calling of the love of God.  And yes....... beloved:

You are so loved!

.........

So, if we have complete victory, might we merely scoff at our enemies and foes?

Certainly not!  We must oppose them with soberness of spirit, filled with God's love.

With that kind of love, we can hold out hope for the lost and dying, for the suffering and afflicted, for those who do not yet realize that there is any such thing as real hope in the midst of even the most horrid suffering.

Can we find such love in our hearts?

Absolutely!

Because that love comes from an eternal well of love.

That love comes from an eternal God of love.

And that love of His surrounds us, and fills us more than we know.

We must simply remember it and stand upon it - the love of the living rock which was broken - the love of the living rock which poured forth water for all those called by Him into the wilderness - the love of the living rock which provided more than enough life for everyone when death seemed to be the only result of a wilderness calling.

Wilderness calling or no.......

You are so loved!

Convinced you ought to be!  But convinced or not.........

You are so very, very, very, very, very, very much ......... loved!

Now may we share the light & life - yes, the love that He calls on us to share - so that others can become convinced that they are also loved........

So that together with them, we will have Complete Victory......

In Him!

...............

S. - Who will separate us from the love of Christ?  Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  Just as it is written, "For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered."  But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principlaities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

O. - O my soul!  Look closely!  It might  only be seen through a glass darkly, but it is there!

Complete Victory! through Him who loved us!  There might well be tears in times of tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword, death, attacks, concerns about tomorrow, the hate of others....... and whatever else there might be which this does not readily sum up, but which can bring turmoil into life in this world.

But neither smiles, nor dry eyes, nor even tears are the measure of my faith.

So there it is:  Tears or no tears, I am loved!  And I am *the beloved* of the Victor who will win Complete Victory for His glory, for His Father's glory, ........ and to share ....... yes, to share ...... with us.....

His beloved.

Oh my soul!

You are so loved!

When the distresses of life come, even when the worst of wilderness walking comes, and death is looming for lack of necessities, we only need to look to the Rock of our Salvation!  Yes, look!  Look to the lover of my soul!  He has more than the necessities of life for us!  He is the Rock split in the wilderness, pouring forth living water!  He is the one who *died* to share glory with *you* - oh my soul!

Oh my soul!  Don't you see it yet?  Don't you feel it yet?

Oh my soul!  Say it over and over again!

You, oh my soul, are so loved!

It's not just the incorruptible spirit He provided for you, oh my soul, that is sooooo loved......

You, - yes, ..... you ......  oh my soul, are so loved!



A. - It's time to grow in soul keeping.  It's time to focus less on self, and more on being a keeper of my soul.

And the power to do that well?  It's the unstoppable power of the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord!

Do more of that soul talking, o my soul, and remind yourself, o my soul,

That you are so loved!


P. - Our Father, You are so great and so powerful that the fallen angels shudder with fear. Who am I to call you Father? Yet You have said that I have no need to fear, because You have called me daughter.  You have said I am Yours, and You love .... me.....

When it comes to the bully down the street, or even the bully in the heart of Satan himself, I have no need to fear, because you have promised to take care of me, and you can do all of that, because you, my Father, - my papa, - are bigger, better, stronger, wiser, and what's more, as if that isn't wonderful enough all by itself - - - you won't get too old for any and/or all of the bullies in the whole universe and beyond!  Your love, power, and wisdom are eternal.  They all last forever, so my confidence in your protection and love will last forever too.  Hallelujah!  Thank you for the peace that such confidence provides.  Please, dear God, help me to stand in that confidence so that your name, El Shaddai, Almighty God, might be glorified in my life.

Though I don't deserve your love, you have called me to stand confidently in faith, letting your love and light shine through me. Let that life and light shine clearly for others (believers and unbelievers) so they can rejoice with me and stand confidently in the power of your love and grace too - establishing the kingdom of heaven more boldly here on earth.  If there is anyone here today who does not know you, Father God, help them to know that as you have been pursuing them, you are seeking Complete Victory for them.  Help them hear you say, "You are so loved!"

Thank you for this joyous banquet! Help me to rejoice in each portion of each course which you have prepared for me, and help me to draw all of the nourishment from it that you mean for me to receive - that I may grow more in your wisdom and love and be prepared for every good work.

Lord, you know that in my life, there have been times when I did not put faith in your complete victory, and that without faith, I walked in sin.  Thank you for Jesus' forgiveness for those sins.  I trust His forgiveness and am grateful for it.  But Lord, I just have to say to you that I am so sorry that I grieved your spirit.  It breaks my heart to have grieved you.  I know I need to press on, forgetting the past, and I need you to help me do that - but on the way by, I just have to say I'm sorry.  Nothing I could ever say or do could ever be enough, which is why I so desperately need Jesus, but I just have to say it sometimes anyway......  Help me to both walk in your forgiveness and walk in your truth - in faith.  Help me also to forgive others whose lack of faith has brought sin into their lives which brought hard consequences into my/their lives - and help me to have compassion for their slipping, as I need compassion for my own.

And Lord, help me (us) to walk in the paths of righteousness *today* - protecting us in your glorious kingdom through the whole day, for yours is the glory of the Complete Victory of Infinite and Eternal Love.  May it establish your kingdom soon....... oh, so very soon........

Amen.



Wk 1: Day 3's study can be found here.











.

He Calls Us Beloved: Psalm 139, esp. vs. 7-10, Wk 1: Monday

How can it be?

How is it that the great creator, the God of redemption, the God of love...... knows me and loves me - and lifts me up from a vile, fallen creature -- to a redeemed and beloved daughter.  Wonder of wonders.  Miracle of miracles.

He created us, beloved.  We walked away from Him, then ran further, ran, and then hid..... hiding for shame.

Yet He seeks to restore us!

We are so beloved that He seeks to restore even us.......  No matter how hard we run, no matter where we hide....... His love still seeks our hearts with His own.  His love still seeks your heart every day, every moment, everywhere you find yourself......

You are so loved.

......

Bereshit bara Elohim! In the beginning God created........  The great designer created inestimable detail throughout His creation.  His glorious, created design bespeaks His praise.

Yet that is not all!  His glorious, created design is something He naturally desires to bless.  He blessed it time and time again as He was designing and creating it all (Genesis 1).  And though we ran from Him, and though we still try to hide from Him, He still desires to bless us...... starting with forgiving, healing, nurturing, and then rejoicing in and with us.

You are so loved!

The great designer knows every detail of everything He created - He would never forget a single detail, because He loves us.

You are so loved!

He even knows what is broken and how to fix it....  But knowing how was not enough for Him because of HIs love for us.  Yes, beloved, He has done all to heal us so that He can bring us into a new path which He has prepared for us, a new path in which we can again seek to walk with Him moment by moment, just as He has been seeking us, knowing where we are, moment by moment; just as He is still seeking us, knowing where we are moment by moment......

You are so loved!

All we need to do to receive His healing, and return to His love, and walk with Him as He designed us to, is to accept His healing and His love and follow Him.

Receive His wonderful gifts!  And do not forget:  You are so loved!

Each design from the beginning was an expression of His glory - but why???  Was that some vanity tour He took?  May it never be!..... Rather:  He took His glory and expressed it in such thoughtful and loving ways that He could share everything He has with all of His creation - especially with mankind.

Receive His wonderful gifts!  And do not forget:  You are so loved!

Certainly, God designed the perfect world even for sparrows.  Though the fall of man brought trouble into the sparrow's paradise, even still, the sparrow rejoices in the glorious wonders which God designed for him to enjoy - these special blessings which God designed into the heavens, the sunshine, the rivers and lakes, the valleys and mountains all bedecked with waving flora.  Certainly the sparrow rejoices in the breeze while in flight, with the fluttering limbs as he rests in the trees, and with his own trills, calls, and songs throughout the day.  Most certainly, then, the sparrow is often filled with so much wonder that he cannot hold in his joy, but sings his melodies.  And when he sings his joyous songs, is he not also sharing the wondrously designed voice which God bestowed upon him....., sharing it with a whole world around him...., bringing delight to all who hear.

Receive His wonderful gifts!  And praise His name, for:  You are so loved!

All this brings God's glory into a realm which we can enjoy, share, and yes, witness in wonder.

Praise His name, for:  You are so loved!

Our sparrow friend cannot sing alone often, though.  The trees and rivers join in, clapping their hands, while the mountains join in song (Is. 55:12, Psalm 98:8).

We ought also to join in with each other and with all creation to sing His praise!

Praise His name, for:  You are so loved!

.......

The design He used when He created mankind included not only this ability to revel in the glory of God and witness His wonder through it, but He also included a special capacity for fellowship with Him and with others.

Even though I am a fallen creature, He still sees that in me which is made in His image (Genesis 9:6).

Even though, as a fallen creature, like my sister Eve with her husband Adam, I am inclined to run and hide from Him because of the grief and pain of my shame (Genesis 3:10)..... yet He seeks out my heart - calling to my heart along the way, knowing each step, each thought, each breath that I take..... And all the while, He is busy providing a way to come back to Him - to stop running, to stop hiding, to rest in Him, to rejoice in the glory He has designed into all things He desires for us to share with Him and with each other.....  (I John 1:3).

Yes, God expressed His glory in ways to share with us......  And when we brought pain to His heart......

God expressed His forgiveness in an amazing way then too - - - to share even His forgiveness with us as well..... - - - to share even His love and forgiveness with you....

Praise Him for His loving kindness!  For:  You are so loved.......

May we never forget it!

May we receive it!

May we rejoice, joining our voices together, clapping our hands together, rejoicing together, rejoicing before Him......... rejoicing that He said to each and every one of us....

You are so loved.........

...............

S - Psalm 139:7-10 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?  If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.  If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

O - Like my sister Eve and her husband Adam, I have been inclined to run and hide from God because He is the God Who Sees Me (Genesis 16:13)...., and........ do I really want the God Who Sees Me to see my sin? But God has been seeking me - - - for my good.  God in His love understood my fear (Genesis 4:10), so He provided Jesus' sacrifice (Genesis 22:8, 14), so my (our) sin can be forgotten forever, never to be remembered again - - - so we can walk with Him in peace again.  We are so loved!  I am so loved!  You are so loved!

In my ignorance and/or pride, I sometimes still run and *try* to hide from God even after having received His forgiveness.  At those times, I run and hide, feeling very foolish for not walking in faith.  But God's *heart* keeps searching for even my heart (as He does for all of us), *Because* He loves me, because He loves us, and wants to heal me (us) from the pain that occurs when standing in faith turns out to be an *after* thought.  Yes, He *seeks* to nurture us and to bring us back into such a close relationship with Him again, that we will walk in faith with Him (and each other) again - instead of playing a sad and heavy version of hide and seek.

After I finally found peace with God through salvation, sometimes, I have still found myself slipping, and sometimes I haven't even known what I *should-have-done*.  I still wanted to run and hide, but He always sought me out in love - helping me to grow along the path.  In time, I have grown in hindsight (still growing), then mid-sight, then I began to learn to avoid more and more slippery spots.  But only because He never let me remain hidden away, hiding from Him for the shame He already died for.

Now, sometimes the challenges are harder..... (or they seem like it to me?.....).  The process continues - and He is *always* faithful to find me.

Now when I slip, and sometimes even fall, I might struggle with a desire to hide, but more and more, I trust His voice, reminding me to watch for a time *soon* when I can seek healing with those I might have hurt (or who have hurt me, and I, not wanting to stand in faith, want to run away), but in the meantime, and even through that process, He seeks me out and helps me move on ***forgetting the past and pressing on to the high calling**** - - - so that I may follow Him: ----

I am loved beyond measure.......

Now may I be more and more about following Him rather than playing hide and seek, being His hands and feet and heart for the lost, effective as a 'fisher of men' in order to extend His peace, helping others to come to Him and find out how true it is that 'You are loved' applies to them, then rejoicing with each other as we glorify Him because 'We are loved'; And may I be found following Him more and more, being His hands and feet and heart for His church, effective in the calling of the saints as a peacemaker.  Seeking to extend the kingdom of peace:  Helping others labor to enter into His rest....  so we can walk with Him in peace.  http://biblehug.com/hebrews/4-11.htm

P - :

Our Father, Yes, mine! and ours!

A perfect Father, seeking us out for adoption all the while making a place for us in a perfect heaven to bring me (us) there with you one day!  What love!  Help me not to run from your love again!  That is so much my desire!

Your name is so rich and pure, The God Who Sees Me.  You have proven that you pursue me in so many kind and wonderful ways.  You have proven even more that you pursue me to share grace and blessings for me! for my living! with a heart of a Father for His beloved child - providing everything I need for life and living and growing-for-tomorrow today! May your name, the God Who Sees Me, be made holy in my life..... in our lives together as your body......

May I (we), follow you more, rather than need to be sought by you over and over - - - Help us to follow you closely, as it is time to walk with you and not to run from you, as you seek to reach others through your love in us - seeking to love and bless them; that * (we) may extend your love, and thereby extend your kingdom on earth.  Help us, Our Father, to be knit together *today* - knit in love for each other and for those whom you are pursuing, that others may know we are one with You, and Your glorious love for them is in us, that they may be drawn to you - preparing us for your kingdom in heaven even as you are preparing your kingdom in heaven for us.

Thankyou for this banquet, for leading this lesson, feeding and growing your beloved.  Our Father, your table is always a bountiful feast of love even in the midst of conflict and attack - help us not to run from it!  Lord if anyone here does not know you yet, help them to understand that your holy love is seeking her out to share peace and love with them.  Help them to turn to you and accept your forgiveness, your love, your peace, and everything you have for them today and always.

Lord for those of us who know you, heal us from the ravages of the conflicts of this world and grant us boldness about them - knowing in faith that you will work all things for the good of those who love you.  Thank you for the forgiveness of your Son!  Father God, wash our hands and feet, renew our mind back yet again to the mind of Christ, help to restore our hearts away from the heart of stone that we create when we are hurt by the evils of this world before we walked in faith, and when we, still yet, walk in fear and/or selfishness, trusting in others and/or ourselves or in some 'hiding place' rather than trusting in you to get us past the pain that comes with the groanings of this world.

When the ravages of sin-in-the-world come against me (us) again today, help me (us) to remember your love for us, and that your love includes forgiveness, and extend all of that love to others, living at peace with everyone in as much as it is possible with me (us) - all with a heart of compassion.  Help me remember that you seek not only my slavation, and not only to know my heart, but to heal my heart that it may fellowship with you fully.  Heal my heart Lord!  Heal our hearts Lord!  Help me (us) to have a heart of flesh, the heart you intendede me (us) to have, the heart that you have for all that is good, the heart that you have for the lost, and for love and unity in your body.  Help our spirits which we receive with your forgiveness to unite with Your spirit, with Your heart within us, with the Mind of Christ in us:  following your leading in faith (for anything not of faith is sin) - that we may love, love each-other-and-others, as we accept your love for ourselves, in the way you intended: that beautiful fellowship grows and endures.

Our Father, please allow the seeds of peace and love you planted in our hearts to grow and not whither and die.  Rather, tend these young plants or ours, and help them to bring forth fruit........ rebuke our enemies and let us not run and hide with them....., don't allow us to mistake them for those who love you.

For thine is a kingdom of the power and glory of love, and of peace, and of hope, and of joy - forever.

Thank you again Jesus in your pursuit of a peace and healing for us, that, through Him, we may come to you and receive your love and forgiveness and have fellowship with you and with your church in these things and everything.

Amen.

Week 1: Tuesday:  Romans 8:35-39