Fulfilment?

Its not so much the signs and wonders or the fulfilment of dreams and desires, the coming to pass of a promise, a word, the work with power.

For many times these become Idols in themselves.

I think the joy does not come in these things themselves, but it is the joy of seeing God work and move and to be deep in His presence whilst He does that. Moving upon my heart. And that we can have any day of any week.

Is God evil who allows evil?

The question of the book of Job: is God evil who allows evil?

Is He who said, “thou shall not murder” a murderer?

A thousand times no. God is just holy good, upright, without a trace of moral evil in Him - He is love.

Evil does not proceed from Him towards his saints – the actions of evil, to murder, to destroy, to afflict with sickness in Job’s story proceed from Satan’s hand. It is not God who suggests that Job be stricken by evil, it is Satan’s suggestion. Satan the destroyer’s nature is to destroy. God’s nature is to give life.

If we examine what is God’s action in the story it is is simply to transfer the saint into Satan’s hands. Which is done again with Jesus Christ, His Son. My theory is that since this world belongs to Satan anyway, and Satan says, "You have built a wall of protection around him", all God does is to lift His hand.

God brings up job in conversation to Satan, knowing what Satan will do. This shows that God allows evil in the form of the destroyer, Satan and that God uses evil for his own purpose although evil – death, destruction, and murder does not proceed from Him toward Job, His beloved saint.

Examine the action of God in Job's story, He says - "spare His life, do not touch his body".

The trial is bewildering, if we were Job we would want to know why. That God in His goodness would allow evil is a perplexing mystery, yet the evil does not come from God, and does not change the character of His goodness.

Numbers 29:29

"The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law."

There is a mysterious element in the christian faith. Its called the "mystery of the faith." Do not let that which is not revealed obscure the revealed way of God. Hold on to the revelation of who He is, He is still the same God and on the other hand allow for mystery.

In this temporal setting of earth, evil is allowed for a season to reign and operate but God exercises His redeeming power and purpose on earth through this temporal and earthly season.

To be absorbed with the Righteousness of Christ

The condemnation of the enemy attacks the heart with accusation, the equipment given to us to combat it is the breastplate of righteousness - Jesus' righteousness.

It is important thus to be conscious of the perfections of Christ. The levite priests when offering the burnt offering and sin offerings on the altar of God on behalf of the people examines the sacrificial victim, the animal - are there blemishes, is there lameness on the animal? He does not bother to examine the sinner. A simple confession on behalf of the sinner is all that is required. Focus is on the Lamb.

 It did not matter- how big the sin was or how evil the sinner. Is there sin in Christ? Was there sin in His intents or thoughts? No, all of his actions and heart was the full expression of God's glory, God's perfect love. Every action, full of God's grace, full of God's mercy. Mercy and grace flows like mighty torrents from Jesus heart. Every word from his mouth justice and mercy and righteousness, His walk with God was strong and His devotion to God was complete, perfect. Every prayer was with perfect faith. For whom did He die? Is it not for you and I? Even now in heaven He stands, the symbol of God's desire to justify us, count as righteous as the Son is righteous. Jesus Christ Himself. That is the measure of your right standing with God.

Jutification - righteousness overflowing in our account

All the perfect deeds and life of Christ have been counted to us in full. Righteousness is supposed to give us that perfect confidence to approach the throne of God. Its ultimate development is in confidence and boldness before God and before men to stand strong for God.

In the same fashion, we should not overly examine ourselves for faults and flaws, but be conscious of the perfection of Christ. In spiritual warfare, in the face of the accusations of the enemy, it is also important to be conscious of God's grace and mercy.

Focus on Jesus' perfect life and intercession before the father, focus on grace.

Focus on the aspect of Christ's perfection on our behalf.

The Taking of Faith

Mar 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

The words in bold, "you receive them" is translated from the word, Lambano, in Greek. The simplest meaning of Lambano is "to take". Indeed several Greek scholars overwhelmingly translate the word as "to take", especially Thayer. There is a passive element to the word - as in "to passively receive", but taking into account the meaning that Greek scholars themselves give, the evidence leans towards translating the active, not passive meaning of 'taking' about 70% of the time. 

In other words, when you pray for whatever you need, desire or require, take and grasp these things by faith in God, and you will posses the reality and manifestation of these things.

Taking what God has promised and given

The implications are clear - God has promised what He has promised - healing, holiness, His Holy Spirit, Salvation, wholeness, wisdom, guidance and direction. We have to ask, pray and believe, taking from God's finished work and treasuries of heaven the things He Himself wants to give us.

"So don't be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom." Luke 12:32, NLT

Everything that Glorifies Christ as King over your life, God is willing to give, actually in the finished work of Christ, in the spirit realm, these things are already given. We are already blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. We need to start taking the things which are promised over our lives.

Active Taking

Lambano is used 261 times in the new testament. The word has very common everyday uses in the case of objects, Jesus 'takes' His robe (puts it on), Pilate 'takes' water to wash his hands, the woman 'takes' yeast and hides it in the flour, the servants of the king are 'taken' to be killed, Jesus 'takes' the vinegar when offered at the cross.

With regards to spiritual matters, John the Apostle says those who have "received" Jesus, (taken Jesus as their savior) God gave the right and authority to become Sons of God. John also says from Jesus, who is full of grace and truth and glory, we receive, or 'take,' Lambano His overflowing measure of grace upon our lives. Paul says take up the whole Armour of God, the word there is "analambano" which is to take it to yourself. It implies take this up and make this your very own.

With Reference to what Apostle John says about "taking" Jesus as Saviour: How are we saved? Passively? I made a decision to "take" Jesus into my life as Saviour and God, as I am sure that you have. If  that is how we are saved, why should we think that things are any different in spiritual matters after we are saved?  Sometimes the Spirit of God comes nearer to spoon-feed you. Young babies have to be spoon fed, but even then they exert effort to eat and drink. Grown men (spiritually speaking) should have the power to take the things of God to themselves to feed themselves with the word of righteousness. Incidentally, "Lambano" is used to describe "eating" the word of God too, and repeated several times in the bible.

Spiritual Assertiveness 

"The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it." Luke 16:16

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Phil 3:14 

The things of the kingdom of God do not fall as ripe fruit off a tree. Ask Hannah, who asked God for Samuel, ask the Samiritan Syro-Phoenician woman who begged Jesus to heal her demonized daughter three times, despite being called a puppy or a dog. Take the promise of God and hold fast with faith. God is willing to heal. We need to persist in the taking.

Pressing in and Taking Hold

Paul says in Philippians: "Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus." Phillippians 3:12 NASB

On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, "Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'" John 7:37-8 NLT

In the above verse, Jesus doesn't say, "ask me to give and I will give it to you" but come to me, believe in me and drink, take it.

Do you remember the woman with the issue of blood? She made a demand on Jesus without Jesus even being aware, without Jesus saying "I want to give to you". She received her full healing simply by saying to herself continually, "If I may but touch the hem of His garment I will be healed." She believed He was the messiah, the anointed one, the healer, the Saviour. She took of the overflowing power on Christ's person for herself. Jesus was shocked. He felt power flow from Him but did not know how or who or why. How did He react? He was pleased! "Daughter, your faith has made you well" - Daughter! She gained a God given identity from Jesus through the taking of faith!

Clearly, He is no respecter of persons. These principles are universal. He asks all to come to Him to eat, to drink without money, without price, for all and everyone to be saved! Wisdom (proverbs 9) invites everyone to her banquet. Jesus also invites the world to the wedding banquet of the Lamb. Clearly God likes us to take from His abundance. Where will you go? Make yourself cisterns that are broken, or come to the source of living waters - Jesus Christ? Where will you satisfy the hunger in your life?

Lambano with regards to the Holy Spirit

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11:13

God is willing to give us the Holy Spirit in power, Christ has been crucified, to take away our sin and His righteousness has been credited to our account. Jesus own righteousness, which we are exhorted in Romans 5 to 'Lambano' to take the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness so as to reign in life. The Holy Spirit has been promised to the believer to empower our lives, now we need to take it receive it in our hearts, according to the promises given.

The teaching ties with what Jesus says in Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. The taking of faith always comes before possession.

The following words in bold are 'Lambano' in Greek.

Acts 1:8 KV
8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

Acts 8:15,17 NKJ
15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Acts 19:2 NKJ
2 he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit."

Galatians 3:2 NKJ
2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Hebrews 4:16 
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

The core to taking is desire - if you don't want it, you won't seek it and neither will you take it. 

The Trial of Hope

How is proven character, (dokime) and hope connected?

Romans 5:3-5 We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character (dokime) produces hope, and hope does not disappoint because God's love has been poured our into our hearts by the Holy Spirit given to us.

The word that we read in English as “proven character” (amplified bible) is not there, the greek word actually is Dokime (Greek Word number G1382), the meaning is closer to the word experiment, experience, proof, proven-ness, trustiness, a proof, a specimen of tried worth. The old King James translators rendered the word as “experience” which I like better. The word refers to a faith which has been tempered by pain, by affliction, by various trials, not a newbie faith, for trials and afflictions arise ‘for the word’s sake.


Other occurrences of Dokime

The meaning leans towards the word experience. Something that is made concrete and solid through experience. A kind intention to give is no use, unless people 'experience' the receiving of gift(2 Cor 9:13). The word is closely associated with pain and trial and conflict in the scripture, and points to something which is highly experience based in nature. People experienced the proof an experience of the power of God working in Paul life, like how we experience painful times of affliction.

The word appears 7 times in the new testament, the word brings up the meaning of people who are seeking ‘proof’ of Christ speaking through Paul (2 Cor 13:3) how timothy is a ‘proven minister’ of God, people seeking people’s great experience of suffering in the ‘trial’ of their affliction (2 Cor 8:2), the actual experience of people receiving from other’s ministry of giving (2 Cor 9:13).

If i could re-translate the key verse of Romans 5:3-5, this way: suffering produces endurance, which in the process produce the approval of God if we have a right response, through the testing of trustworthiness and further experiences of God's presence and goodness in the midst of trial, disappointment, pain and loss, which produce lasting hope, a expectation of God's goodness in the future, which does not disappoint. The process of prolonged suffering and patient faith produces 'prooven experience' of God's presence power and goodness in the midst of trial, which becomes a source of hope.


The Trial of Hope

Psalms 105:17 

he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
18 His feet were hurt with fetters; his neck was put in a collar of iron;
19 until what he had said came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him. 

I am increasingly convinced these days, that Hope is one of the most important things in life, not only to our faith. When people lose hope, they lose the will to live. You can get sucked into various demonic distractions if you lose your prophetic vision, your hope for your future. The big weapon that Satan employs together with accusation is dismay, discouragement and hopelessness. The bible exhorts us over and over, be courageous, do not be dismayed at the massive challenges that face us. Impossibilities, mountains, obstructions frequently attempt to dismay us, as we look at the natural circumstances. Can we continue to hope supernaturally in the face of serious and great challenges to our hope?

I think of the story of Joseph, through the long and painful trial of affliction and pain, continually hoping in God, “being tried by the word of God”. What is the trial? To destroy our hope. What then must we do? Continue to habitually place our hope in God till it becomes an automatic reaction in our heart, an automatic response to challenges and pain. I will hope in God. Why so downcast O my soul? Place your hope in God (PS 42, 43).

We live in an age where there is very little character in people. Therefore there is very little hope in the world. If there are people of Godly character, they can provide hope, by being symbols, of the overcoming of grave challenges. Nelson Mandela is a symbol of Hope, love and forgiveness. People like that inspire us to endure, when we see their testimony and witness their person, we say 'there is hope in this world.'


The Hope that God will bless us
Hebrews (6:11 onwards) speaks of hope like an anchor of the soul, which steadies us through stormy waters. Paul talks about Abraham, how Abraham was empowered to hope through 2 unchangeable things. The first being that God promised to bless and multiply him, the second being that God swore to bless him, there is a third assurance God’s character and integrity - which is God cannot lie, He is truth. Paul then connects us to these promises for the Christian who flee to Christ to hope in Him.

Hebrews 6:18-20 

18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain,

In other words, we must believe like Abraham, we must believed that God wants to bless and multiply us, even as He has already promised to Abraham. For we are children of faith, Abraham seed and the same blessing on Abraham also applies to us. (Gal 3:29) And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. God wants to bless us and multiply us. He swore, He promised and He cannot lie.


Pressing in for the blessing

1Chronicles 4:10

Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!" And God granted what he asked.

Genesis 32:25,26 

When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.

26 Then he said, "Let me go, for the day has broken." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."

Not a passive wish, but an active wrestling 

The habit and quality of hope in character is not passively developed. Jacob did spend all night in prayer wrestling with God with only one plea, "that You would bless me". There needs to be a continual exercise, a habit of hoping in God, in order for hope to be fully formed in the Character, in order that hope can be fully developed, until it becomes “the hope that does not disappoint, that does not put to shame.” An eternal, undying hope in God. Let us take courage and not be dismayed at massive challenges for God will surely help us if we do not lose Hope in Him that He is good and will deliver us. 

Don't pre-suppose what form the blessing will take, or how it will happen. Just press into His presence to obtain it. God will decide in His wisdom the best form and way that the blessing will occur and take place. He will surely bless His children who hope in Him

Tamim: Blameless, Perfect, Wholehearted, Entire, - A Holy Life - Law and Grace Part 3

Whole heartedness towards God 

God is without sin, without darkness and evil. Morally perfect, good, just and upright, kind and abounding in loving-kindness. Devotion to God develops from and depends greatly on this one thing: our possessing a revelation of God Himself.

Deut 32:6

“The Rock, his work is perfect, (Tamim)
for all his ways are justice.
A God of faithfulness and without iniquity,
just and upright is he

James 1:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.


1 John 1:5

This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.


Tamim: the moral power to do what is right in God's eyes, a work of God

Psalms 18:30

31 This God— his way is perfect; (Tamim)
the word of the Lord proves true;
he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

32 the God who equipped me with strength
and made my way perfect (Tamim).

From the above verse it is apparent that this wholehearted, entire devotion is a supernatural work of grace. Not something man can work and become out of his own effort, but something so perfect, a devotion so complete that only God can work it out in a person's life. It takes great courage and moral strength to do the right thing in the eyes of God, not merely what is acceptable in the sight of men. To repeat: it is the moral power of integrity, unchanging conviction to do what God desires. It is a moral power that we do not possess, but must possess us through the Holy Spirit. 

The bible is full of people who have been described as "blameless" - both in the old and new testament - Noah, Abraham have both been described as such. The hebrew word there is Tamim. Meaning, wholehearted, incontestably  devoted in their thoughts intents and actions.

Trust fully that our God who is perfect, who does "perfect work"is able to complete this wholehearted devotion to God within us.

Tamim - William Vine's exposition on the word 

Tamim (Strong’s Hebrew word number : H8549), means "perfect; blameless; sincerity; entire; whole; complete; full." The 91 occurrences of this word are scattered throughout biblical literature.

Tamim means "complete," in the sense of the entire or whole thing: "And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat thereof, and the whole (Tamim) rump, it shall he take off hard by the backbone..." (Lev 3:9).

The sun stood still for the "whole" day while Joshua fought the Gibeonites (Jos 10:13). In Lev 23:15 God commands that there be seven "complete, Tamim" sabbaths after the first fruit feast plus fifty days and then that the new grain offering be presented. 

It refers to the completion of time in a prophetic season of a person's life.

This word may mean "intact," or not cut up into pieces.

Tamim may mean incontestable or free from objection. God’s work is perfect - it cannot be disputed.

The people of God are to avoid the idolatrous practices of the Canaanites. "You shall be perfect with the Lord thy God." (Deu 18:13) Used in such contexts the word means the one so described externally meets all the requirements of God's law.

This word modifies the victim to be offered to God (51 times). It means that the sacrificial animal has no blemish (Lev 22:18-21).

Many times we surrender ourselves to God because we are in a desperate state, having fallen and failed many many times, we give the broken bits to God and say "God take it all", as I have done many many times. Think about a sacrifice that is given to God when we are walking right, doing all we can to keep His way, to believe in Him, to walk in His grace. That is the way Jesus walked, giving God a life of full devotion.

Nothing displeasing to God

In several contexts the word has a wider background. When one is described by it, there is nothing in his outward activities or internal disposition that is odious (displeasing) to God; "...Noah was a just man and perfect (Tamim) in his generations, and Noah walked with God" (Gen 6:9)

Honest and sincere with men 

In Judges 9:16, tamim describes a relationship between men, it is clear that more than mere external activity is meant: "Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely Tamim [literally, "in a sincere manner"]." 

How to become tamim? Only through faith

In Genesis 17:1 God promises Abraham that He will multiply him, but on condition that Abraham walks blameless (tamim) with him. How did Abraham do the works of God in a complete manner in his life? Paul provides the secret in Romans 4: Abraham believed whatever God said to him with a whole heart. James says Abraham's works were completed through faith. Simply put, put all your faith muscles, every fibre of your trust and belief in Jesus Christ's person and promises for your life. Trust him to clothe you with strength as He did with all these other saints to be morally upright in heart and action. The only way thus is a life of dependance on God, through a life attitude of prayerful dependance.


God removes the stumbling in our life and keeps us from stumbling.

1 John 2:10
10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Jude 1:24
24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

The promise made to us is clear God is able and desiring to make us such. Are we willing? To forsake self-effort and pride, to humble ourself before God and say: "I am weak, complete this in me in Your power", at the same time not giving in to the voice of licence-to-sin who says, why even try? It is impossible. Also avoiding the pharisee's method of doing everything depending and trusting our own strength and moral goodness. Can we lean hard on God to do this?

Ps 101:2

I will behave myself wisely in a perfect (Tamim) way: Oh when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart."

1 Cor 4:4

4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.

The bible clearly shows that this whole heartedness is possible (though entirely supernatural). It is a requriement that God asks of us "Be thou holy, for I am holy". A work God himself does in us, to which work we must seek, desire and pray it be fulfilled in us. Imagine not knowing anything in your own actions or inner thoughts that are accusing to yourself. That is the way Paul walked. Then imagine God approving of your life and saying "He is a perfect man, a blameless man." God wants to remove all the stumbling within us so that we may have utmost joy in His presence. To develop a spirit and heart that is one with God's love. We must develop this looking to God with the eyes of our heart, a habit of daily prayer and a heart that leans entirely for God to work mightily within us.

Reference

*The word study on Tamim is adapted from material from Vines’s expository dictionary of Biblical Words, by William Edwy Vine 

Jesus our Righteousness - Law and Grace part 2

And this will be his name: 'The LORD Is Our Righteousness.' In that day Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety. Jeremiah 23:6

Human beings simply cannot produce the moral power which God’s standards demands– being entirely perfect and immeasurably high and holy. You would do better trying to jump over the walls of Jericho with a high jump pole than to attempt to keep God’s law in your own strength.

The problem as discussed earlier surfaces : we need supernatural help. A savior to give us, sinful human beings a platform, a relationship bridge, a mediation, to be confident to approach God, whilst in the state of our sinfulness. We also need the moral power of a Savior to be formed in our hearts, to raise us up from state of sin and death and become our life, our righteousness (the power to do and act in perfect sound integrity) within us. (Romans 5:10 NASB 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.)

Justification -“being not guilty”, “being declared fully righteous”

And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, (Romans 4:5)

God’s description in the verse above is said to be “Him who justifies the ungodly”. God delights to give righteousness, especially since His dear Son had paid such a high price in suffering and carrying our sins to the cross, dying, bearing God’s wrath and rising again. To appear in the presence of God as our defense lawyer and our high priest, pleading constantly by His wounds before the face of the Father, "justify them, make them clean, make them Holy, fill them with the Holy Spirit" (Heb4:14-16). The Father desires to give us righteousness, transformation, Spiritual power to do right.

Justification then, means being acquitted in a court of law, being declared not guilty and being declared fully righteous. Righteousness is the opposite of sin, where sin is being in a state of rebellion against God and His ways,  righteousness is to be declared to be in the right, a state of being right with God 'in good relationship standing'. The bible calls this the “gift of righteousness” and exhorts us, encourages us and even warns us, not to employ our human efforts to earn this state of being made right. “And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness”. It encourages us strongly only to do one thing – To believe.

Believe what? To believe in the person, of Jesus as described in the Gospels. To put personal trust and dependence on Him alone as your acquittal from God’s court of law. This is not a one time thing. It is a lifelong faith. In Christ alone, my hope is found. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses (sins) according to the riches of His grace” Ephesians 1:17. Do you know that God loves mercy, He loves to give grace? He loves to show mercy, He loves to give tender loving kindness and everlasting mercy. In Christ we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses. The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy (loving-kindness, of great royal love, one translation puts it) (Ps 145:8.)


Micah 7:18, 19 ,20


Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity

and passing over transgression

for the remnant of his inheritance?


He does not retain his anger forever,

because he delights in steadfast love.


He will again have compassion on us;

he will tread our iniquities underfoot.

You will cast all our sins

into the depths of the sea.


You will show faithfulness to Jacob

and steadfast love to Abraham,

as you have sworn to our fathers

from the days of old



Isaiah 55:7 - 9

let the wicked forsake his way,

and the unrighteous man his thoughts;

let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,

and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts


Psalms 30:5

For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.

Isaiah 54:8

In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you," says the LORD your Redeemer.

Romans 4:7-8
Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,

and whose sins are covered;

blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.


Remember who it is who said this verse quoted above in psalms and again in Romans- David who committed murder and adultery, the very two commandments in God’s law which deserve the penalty of death. What David says is it is blessed to be in a state of right relationship and standing with God- it is blessed to be forgiven! Simply place your trust on this One who died for you in order to remove your sins, carrying them away “as far as the east is from the west.” And on the authority of God’s very own word count yourself as forgiven and saved when you have believed in that Chris, the Son of God whose blood washes away the sins of the world. Simply believe the good news that the Lord’s own blood and sacrifice avails powerfully for you. Simply because like Abraham you believe in God’s forgiveness, and like Abraham because of your reliance your sheer dependance on God (which is faith) and because of this faith are counted righteous! (Rom 4). Remember what we have believed from the beginning - that God so loved the world, in all its sinful state, that He sent His only begotten son, so that whosever believes in Him, will not perish but have everlasting life. He was not sent to condemn the world but to save the world.

Law and Grace: the Great Struggle in the Inner Life - Part 1 Internal Struggle

Psalms 119:65 "Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble."

The Legalistic Mind

A legalistically influenced mind, psyche, attitude and approach to Christianity is fundamentally opposed to the ways of God. God commands us, live by faith, your have died to the law, you are free of its demands, live by the supply and power of the Spirit and on my promise of my Spirit which I will surely supply to you.

Yet being conscious of the law is an important step in journeying on towards forming a mind and heart which is empowered to walk in the grace of God and in the power of the Holy Spirit. It is an important stage of development on the way to the Holiness which God Himself creates in us. It is a milestone in the Christian's journey in finding and entering "the promise of His rest for the people of God". (Hebrews 4).

The Conflict

Yet there is a huge conflict awaiting the believer and a huge internal struggle which he goes through this particular phase of his journey. Leaning to overcome the legalistic mind, without doing away with the law is essential if one is to gain victory over the evil thoughts intents and passions "which war against the soul".

How do we develop a mind which is influenced by the Grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, how do we overcome the passions and Sin nature which rages within? Are we damned to stay in the place as which Paul describes as "the good I will to do, I do not (cannot) do, but it is the evil I hate that I continually practice"? (Romans 7)

The Milestones along the journey

Consider the following purposes that God's perfect moral standard, the ten commandments has on the believer:

The Law's job is to activate sin as a living experience in the believer, bringing the knowledge of "hell within" to the believer as a living experience to which the believer would desire escape.

Romans 7:5, 7-11 

For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death.

What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet (lust/greed).” But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness (greed). For apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.

The Law: a mighty torpedo which destroys the fortress of fierce self reliance and self-powered moral living

The law destroys the identity and the very life of a person, when fully understood, that God is perfect and holy and his commands are holy and perfect, it enters the heart, "the commandment came, sin comes alive and I died". Its ultimate fruit is death. To bring forth the knowledge that we can of ourselves do no good work. It destroys the strong attitude of fierce independence and self-powered righteousness.

"And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can't." Romans 7:18

The law promises life and points out the way to life 

"The very commandment that promised life" (Rom 7:11) clearly,  the law was intended to bring life "Do not murder (even anger is murder), do not covet, do not commit adultery." We instinctively know this is right and the law attempts to show us the beauty of holy living, we hope we can become perfect, our appetite for beauty and a holy life is sharpened by the law.

"But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good." Romans 7:16

The Law births forth a desire for perfect obedience to God and a higher, God born desires for that which is right, (inward holiness) and integrity (faithfulness to God) which only God can create.

The law brings forth condemnation and death 

But, and this is a huge but! The law brings death instead of the life which it previews in the heart of the believer. Law paints a paradise of sinless living but brings Satan and our consciences's condemnation instead.

But it has done its job, without the law, our conscience would be dead towards God. With the law, the conscience awakens and desire is set ablaze for a better life.

Burning its way into the very heart and conscience of the believer, the believer's conscience and Satan's accusations bring the worst damage to the believer's mind and heart at this stage. 

The ultimate aim of the Law

The Law ultimately functions to bring us to a realisation of the depth of our need for a living Christ, a messiah, a Savior who can save from sin, raise us from the dead and create a new heart within us.

"Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith" Galatians 3:24

The ultimate intention of the Law is really to reveal the lavish and abundant grace of God. And cause us to focus and give ourselves fully to the only one who can set us free. A living and dynamic relationship with the one Who is your Holiness, the One who is your righteousness, Jesus Christ alone. We will continue on being Christ conscious in the next part of this series.

The Cup and the Baptism

The previous post contained a section on the cup and the baptism, which I delve into more detail here, it is replicated again in the previous article in later edits. Replicating it again here for the benefit of some.

Matthew 10:38

The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized.

The cup He drank refers to the one which He asked the Father three times, "let this cup pass from me". Where for Him it was the total combined load of the sins of all humanity throughout history in the vessel of His body to absorb the wrath of His Father. For the apostles, it was the scorn and hatred of men. Paul said, we are "the most hated of all men, the garbage of all the earth" (1 Cor 4:13). They could not bear the sins of the world being human and not God and man like Christ. But they could take up the hatred that people directed to God. "Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church" (Col 1:24). It is as though the shepherd's job, the apostles' job is to absorb the hatred of Christ  from the world and the devil on behalf of the church, something like what Christ did for his disciples. When He was on earth, the devil and the whole religious mafia went after Him and His chicks were safe under his wings. I suspect in the spirit realm, it is a similar matter.

What is the baptism? Water baptism? haha of course not. It is the baptism of the Spirit in which Christ was filled at the river Jordan. And He went through another baptism in being glorified, He received "the Spirit without measure" (John 3:34), Acts 2:33 Peter says Jesus was resurrected, glorified, ascended and given a further portion of the Holy Spirit, being one with God as He said He would be in John 17. He then sheds this baptism upon those who ask Him. "How much more will the Father not give the Spirit to those who ask"? (Luke 11:13).

So we see the cup of rejection of and by men and the measure of the Spirit of God upon a person,  is linked together inextricably in Jesus' statement above. The reason why the Son of God could be glorified, is because "He learnt obedience through suffering". Having completed His obedeince to God as a true Son, He was entrusted with all power, omnipotent power, as God is powerful. No longer limited by space time and human weaknesses and frailties.

Paths to power

Thank God for every bit of persecution in your life for in the spirit realm you are accumulating the power of His presence, the approval and favour of God over your life.

“Rejoice for your reward in heaven is great, for so the prophets were persecuted in like fashion” -Matthew 5

This was the revelation which empowered the apostles to rejoice whilst facing deep persecutions, the prospect of more of the Spirit of God spilling into their lives.

Tough Christianity

We need to prepare to be hated for His name sake. Because we love Him, the world will hate us.

Take up the cross,
We need to willingly take up the cross, despising its shame. Because we love Jesus more than anything. True discipleship values the person of Jesus greater wealth than any worldly possession including the approval of men. We can have the approval of men or the approval of God but not both.

Does not our heart burn with love for Christ whilst we contemplate His suffering on the cross?

Hebrews 12:

2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

Be prepared to be an outsider, when you are persecuted, identify closer to those who are despised in society.

Hebrews 11

12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured.

Persecution and the power of God are closely related, so is the cross and resurrection power.

Matthew 10:38

The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized.

The cup He drank refers to the one which He asked the Father three times, "let this cup pass from me". Where for Him it was the total combined load of the sins of all humanity throughout history in the vessel of His body to absorb the wrath of His Father. For the apostles, it was the scorn and hatred of men. Paul said, we are "the most hated of all men, the garbage of all the earth" (1 Cor 4:13). They could not bear the sins of the world being human and not God and man like Christ. But they could take up the hatred that people directed to God. "Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church" (Col 1:24). It is as though the shepherd's job, the apostles' job is to absorb the hatred of Christ  from the world and the devil on behalf of the church, something like what Christ did for his disciples. When He was on earth, the devil and the whole religious mafia went after Him and His chicks were safe under his wings. I suspect in the spirit realm, it is a similar matter.

What is the baptism? Water baptism? haha of course not. It is the baptism of the Spirit in which Christ was filled at the river Jordan. And He went through another baptism in being glorified, He received "the Spirit without measure" (John 3:34), Acts 2:33 Peter says Jesus was resurrected, glorified, ascended and given a further portion of the Holy Spirit, being one with God as He said He would be in John 17. He then sheds this baptism upon those who ask Him. "How much more will the Father not give the Spirit to those who ask"? (Luke 11:13).

So we see the cup of rejection of and by men and the measure of the Spirit of God upon a person,  is linked together inextricably in Jesus statement above. The reason why the Son of God could be glorified, is because "He learnt obedience through suffering". Having completed His obedeince to God as a true Son, He was entrusted with all power, omnipotent power, as God is powerful. No longer limited by space time and human weaknesses and frailties.

Honouring God

If you are greatly persecuted for your faith, the power of God is likely very near and waiting to manifest in your life. Rejoice and praise God like Paul and Silas in prison. Have a good attitude of worship, don’t become bitter. Stay sweet and pure. Honor God and praise Him. The power of God might just be waiting to spill all over your life.

The psalm of the apostle 

There needs to arise in the body of Christ a generation of leaders who can take persecution and be be supernaturally bold and courageous and say to their enemies "let them come near to me" and not shy away from suffering like so many believers do these days. God doesn't need more armchair warriors or desk pastors. He desires true bold lion-like apostles to rise up. Who rise up in bold faith to serve the people of God. Who will put their faces like flint unto the work and the mission to which they are called and not turn back. Who will sing in the pitch black darkness of seeming hopelessness and say boldly, "God will help me". During the darkest hours of the soul to be courageous and bold.

Isaiah 50:4-7

4 The Lord God has given me
the tongue of those who are taught,
that I may know how to sustain with a word
him who is weary.
Morning by morning he awakens;
he awakens my ear
to hear as those who are taught.

5 The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious;
I turned not backward.

6 I gave my back to those who strike,
and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;
I hid not my face
from disgrace and spitting.

7 But the Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like a flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame.

8 He who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together.
Who is my adversary?
Let him come near to me.

9 Behold, the Lord God helps me;
who will declare me guilty?
Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;
the moth will eat them up.

10 Who among you fears the Lord
and obeys the voice of his servant?
Let him who walks in darkness
and has no light
trust in the name of the Lord
and rely on his God.

11 Behold, all you who kindle a fire,
who equip yourselves with burning torches!
Walk by the light of your fire,
and by the torches that you have kindled!

7 But the Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like a flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame.

Encouragement for the persecuted and suffering

There is a purifying effect of persecution. It separates the men from the boys. The serious seeker from the casual observer who is casually interested in religion. It is also the dividing line between disciple and prophet, disciple and apostle. All of the sudden we are forced to count the cost- for Jesus sake, give up this, endure this for X amount of time, are you willing? Weighing up Christ and the Gospel on one hand and turning back to egypt on the other hand. Which do you love more? False motives of selfish  ambition cannot stand the fires of prolonged trial. Looking to the power of God and the supernatural experience of the Spirit through it all to provide that supernatural hope, that supernatural experience of the power of God to endure it all. To be sure God honors this type of suffering more than any other.

1 Peter 4:

Suffering as a Christian

12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And

If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?

19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while
doing good.

Revelation 6:9-11
Fifth Seal: The Cry of the Martyrs

9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

God gives a supernatural comfort and rest to the ones whom He calls dear.

Psalms 116:15

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants.

Lets pray that God fill us with supernatural endurance, with a supernatural will and flint like decision to follow Him all our days. Let Him seal the decision in our hearts with solidness, with boldness, with fearlessness. Let Him empower our faith and devotion to its fullest measure, even in the face of all suffering to press through, for He is able to deliver the righteous from judgement, from testing from trouble and from persecution.

1 Tim 4:1 (NIV)
The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

2 Pet 2:9 (NLT)

So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.

“Alas! O dear How I am poor, of low estate and low social standing!”

"... that the feeblest among them on that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the angel of the Lord, going before them." Zechariah 12:8

Then welcome to Christianity God certainly chooses and honours the poor, the weak, the underprivileged the sick, the widow and the orphan. Where a weak one a feeble one can become mighty through His power. Philemon was a slave which the apostle Paul says “he is a beloved brother”.

Warped Values in Christianity

James was livid and angry about the values that have warped post Jesus Christianity...

James 2:

5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?

Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God.

The source of wealth and treasure and power of a Christian was intended and remains entirely supernatural in nature

Treasures? What treasure? Treasures of eternal salvation and covenantal faithfulness, supernatural and abiding peace in the face of crisis, the favor and affection of Christ. "Blessings all mine with ten-thousand beside." How God provides for all our needs according to His riches and glory in Christ. Get plugged into Christ, in order to fully understand and realise the eternal security (even financial) which is provided for every believer.

Deut 32:30

How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?

Luke 10:19 NLT

Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.

Gideon was a nobody, "I am the smallest nobody, that was ever a body," he said. So was Mary the mother of Jesus, so was Elijah, King David, Abraham, Joseph, all men of no standing, no reputation. DL Moody was a shoe clerk, Smith Wigglesworth was a plumber. Whom God raised up and made mighty in Him.

Dearly loved, honored by God and performed great exploits having eternal impact in the Kingdom of God. The Gospel the good news of Christ exalts the lowly from the dung heap and makes one an ambassador for Christ. The gospel and the working of the Holy Spirit make the feeble mighty in faith. God gives the authority and power in Christ to the believer, makes us more than conquerors. "Over all the power of darkness." He causes the believer in Christ to sit upon the throne of Christ's glory. But never expect for men to say, "well that's nice." Expect to remain despised because of the cross.

People whom Jesus regards as impossible to be saved (by all natural considerations) and be made truly holy in God’s Kingdom

Jesus certainly did not persue the rich to save the rich – well Zacheus was rich but the wrong kind of rich (enriched through illegal activities, would be equivalent to a loanshark or drug dealer today) But look how gloriously saved was Zacheus! In fact he said it is impossible to save them apart from a miracle from God! 

Matthew 19

24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, Who then can be saved? 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

"I'm just a normal person, just an ordinary person". Like the Shulamite who said "I am dark" the Lord says to you, "you are lovely, with one glance you ravish my heart." So be glad in your everyday estate.

The power of God and persecution are brothers. We cannot expect to have one and escape the other. If Jesus was despised so will we be. He warned us of this.

Hebrews 11:33-38

33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

Be careful what your eyes see and what your ears hear

Is there any biblical basis to the saying, be careful what your eyes see and what your ears hear in this perilous Internet age?

1. Proverbs 4:23 Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life

2. Proverbs 23:31, 32

Do not look at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup
and goes down smoothly.

32. In the end it bites like a serpent
and stings like an adder.

3. Matthew 18:9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.

4. Matthew 6:22 "The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, (healthy, good) your whole body will be full of light.

5. Proverbs 4: 25 Let your eyes look directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you.
26 Ponder the path of your feet;
then all your ways will be sure.

Someone once said that the human heart is an idol factory, if one is to be clean, then one has to do two things.

The positive approach – seek to see and be filled with the beauty of the Lord

Psalm 27:4

4 One thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire in his temple.

Ephesians 1:17

God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal Christ and His beauty to you continually that you may worship God in your heart. Prayer is an inescapable necessity, for prayer is meeting with God.

The negative approach

Matthew 18:9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.

Certain things cause certain people to sin. We are not all alike in our weaknesses. Something that will stumble one will not stumble another. Only we know what stumbles us.

It is helpful for us to confess our sins and weaknesses to one another so that we can support each other in pursuing a life of purity.

We also need the determination to be done with the habits and tendencies which lead to sin in our own heart. A determination to obliterate sin entirely, not to hold back in our war against sin. Don’t get me wrong I am not advocating a sanctification of human work and effort. Only God can change the heart

The Promise of His Working

Ezekiel 36:26 NLT

And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.

Ezekiel NIV

19 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.

So to change the heart is not only God who does the work, we need to want to put away the old ways, the old man, the sinful nature and we must desire, gradually or immediately to put on the new man, the man who is created in Christ image. It requires an act of volition on our part, our wills and choices, as well as our faith and dependance on God who does the work are embedded in the heart of the matter of holiness.

The Goal of the Testings of God

The Goal of the Test

No teacher tests his students in order to rejoice at their failure. So with God, the goal of the test is not so that our feet and faith will stumble but that our faith can pass the test and be found standing when the tests are through. Someone once said that with God, its an open book test- the whole bible is there to provide the answers we need for our time of trial and testing.

The Difficulties and Storms of life they are a portion of everyone who is born on earth.

Job 5:7

But mankind is born headed for trouble, just as sparks soar skyward.

Luke 6:47

47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.

Building a faith that endures

If testing and trouble is an inevitable outcome in life, then we have to be even more diligent to make sure that our faith passes the tests that are sure to come.

In building a faith that has longevity, Jesus points to two things. The first is the discipline of acquainting oneself with His teachings (mainly the gospels) - He says this requires digging. The digging required I interpret as deep contemplation, a deep investigation into the meaning of His words, His teaching in the gospels, an endeavour which requires the Holy Spirit to illuminate and a heart which wants to dig for treasure. 

The second meaning is a deep reflection in the heart of with a determination to put into action what God says.  A heart which digs into the foundations of its own innermost beliefs and asks itself the question: How do I obey His teaching? What deep beliefs (however long held or however dear and cherished) must I forsake to build by faith so that it stands, whatever testing?  

Remember we are building a house of faith. The last I checked, a house does not house one person alone. Which leads to the question - do you want to build a one-bedroom, or a warehouse for souls? The bigger the faith you wish to have the stronger the impact which you would like your faith to have to protect and house the souls of men, the stronger and deeper must your foundation of faith be. A small foundation might do for one person to survive the onslaught of life, but if you want a faith that can house save and protect your own family, like Noah had, a house that can last down through the generations, where your descendants can say, he built our faith then we need to start to pray and get to work on His word especially and foremost, I stress: the Gospels. "to hear His word and do them", the word of Christ. The teachings from the mouth of Christ, the teachings and testimony of Christ - His person, as recorded faithfully in the gospels.

Psalms 11 clearly states that God tests the heart, and that facing opposition and resistance is normal in  pursing a walk of faith. 

Psalms 11

The Lord Is in His Holy Temple
To the choirmaster. Of David.

1 In the Lord I take refuge;
how can you say to my soul,
Flee like a bird to your mountain,

2 for behold, the wicked bend the bow;
they have fitted their arrow to the string
to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;

3 if the foundations are destroyed,
what can the righteous do?

4 The Lord is in his holy temple;
the Lord's throne is in heaven;
his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man.

5 The Lord tests the righteous,
but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.

6 Let him rain coals on the wicked;
fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.

7 For the Lord is righteous;
he loves righteous deeds;
the upright shall behold his face.

The Whole Aim of Testing

The whole aim of the test is the last two verses: He loves righteous deeds, the upright shall behold His face. He wants fellowship with the tested and approved. He wants to reveal His heart to those who are after His heart, to those who have been transformed into His likeness.

The Benefits and Challenges of Prolonged Prayer and Focusing on God's Presence.

As I attempt to spend extended amounts of time in prayer in order to dwell in God's presence, I notice three things

1) More distractions come to vie for my hearts affections - a sense of conflict and confusion arises,

2) There are strong thoughts and intents that bubble up from my heart, that I have to repent of, 

3) The need to press on deeper into God's presence, 

I can see in my minds eye that the negative thoughts and intents of the heart as I pray and they are bubbling up really strong - be it lust for other things, bitterness, disappointment towards God etc. are like huge boulders in the spirit man that have to be destroyed and gotten rid of, if I am to come to a fuller experience of the Holy Spirit in order that the "fullness of God" be manifest in my life according to Ephesians 3:

Ephesians 3:

16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge -- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Prolonged prayer (what Christ Himself did), learning to pray without ceasing is not easy but here are the benefits:

1) It is the practice of cultivating the heart. And over time you will have a heart entirely focused on God , His heart, focused on His person, His desires and you will know His voice. (if your eye is single it will be filled with light). (Matthew 6:22),

2) Wholehearted and joyful submission and the power to obey fully will be another result. No longer being a conflicted man - "what I will to do I find no power to carry out", it remains only a desire. Remember friends share their hearts because they are alike. If you want to hear God more, then you must be like God. A transformation must occur in you before we can come to agreement and walk together. "How can two walk together unless they are agreed?"(Amos 3:3). He shares His heart with His friends not His enemies.

3) A place where the theory of God (His word) no longer remains as theory but becomes life transforming power. You yourself will be transformed into His likeness.

4) Endurance,

5) The place of breakthrough. Where God can express Himself freely through you. In heart, word, deed, mind, works, signs and wonders following.

The wonders of God : God is not bound and limited by His word.

God is not bound and limited by His word. He is not legalistically bound to do what has already been done in the bible. The bible is but a fragment of the wonders of who God is. The bible is a recorded collection of chosen interactions in which God interacts with earth. It is also the primary revelation on who He is, but it is not exhaustive. The apostle John states that there would not be paper and space enough to make a full and detailed record of the works of Christ.

John 21:25 Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

The bible provides us with evidence on how he breaks all precedents, all boundaries of logic, exceeding all expectations on His goodness, and doing ever greater works which show He is the Lord and King of all- miracles that prove the fingerprint of God, time and time again. What must break and change to accommodate this God is our thinking.

A partial list of miracles which were until their time of manifestation unprecedented – totally new.

Example 1 – The splitting of the red sea.

Example 2 – Manna from heaven

Example 3 – Joshua bringing down the walls of the fortress of Jericho

Example 4 –Elijah rising up people from the dead

Example 5 – The word of Knowledge given to Elisha about activities of the enemy king’s camp

Example 6 – Translation of Phillip the evangelist

Example 7 – Jesus walking on water

Example 8 – Pentecost baptism of the Holy Spirit

Example 9 – Peter’s shadow bringing healing

Example 10 – Paul’s handkerchiefs carrying the healing power of God

In every single one of those miracles, some of which we see God's people in a crisis and we don't really know what God will do next. When we see Him act, God Himself breaks Himself out of every box we can put Him in. When the need arises, when people find themselves facing impossibilities, God brings His power to bear upon impossible situations and shows His glory in miraculous works, exceeding every expectation, every idea we have about Him and show Himself for who He truly is- God.

For some miracles, He repeats, the red sea is split, but so is the Jordan river when the time comes for Joshua to cross it, it rolls back – a similar miracle with water occurs again. Other miracles are situation specific and one-off - the strategies used for warfare in the defeat of Jericho and David's strategies against the Philistine army and Gideon's against Midian are never used again. The word of knowledge is listed as a gift of the Spirit for new testament believers to walk in, something which is repeated in the pages of Scripture over and over, simply because God is a Spirit, He knows all things and speaks to men.

What is the Key to miracles? Simply, spend time to know the God of the bible in His presence in an experiential way. Moses walked with God before there was a record of the Law was created, Abraham also. Paul and Peter spent time soaking in God’s presence to know Him intimately. Elijah and Elisha did the same. Jesus spent hours in prayer in fellowship with His Father, only doing what the Spirit of God reveal to Him to do. We will be empowered with the faith to bring every impossible situation under the Lordship of Christ when we know Him in Spirit and in Truth. There is no substitute for spending time in God's presence.

“If I die to myself as Christ demands, I will lose my individuality”

You will always retain your uniqueness. Your uniqueness is enhanced and your potential expanded and fulfilled when you submit to God

The permanence and uniqueness of the human heart, personality and desires that God created in you for the expression of His kingdom in your life is unique to you and you alone, it will never be removed from you. God does not demand that personality be destroyed.

The combination of gifts and psychological make up and personality is forever yours, and will forever be irreplaceable. The expression of the life of God, the love of God in your heart therefore is a unique expression. Each saint is not uniform in His or her Christ-likeness. The beauty and individuality of each saint is evident.

Compare the personalities of apostles John and Paul – John is poetic, a teacher, prophetic, thematic in his letters and intimately relational in His romance with Christ, calm and peaceful yet deeply worshipful in His devotion to God. Paul on the other hand is systematic, deeply thoughtful, hard-driving, zealous in his work, energetic and powerful in His service to the Church.

One represents the heart, the other the head. Examine their language in their letters. John is metaphorical – he uses a lot of imagery and personal insight and intimate stories– teachings of Christ being the bread of life, his letters are filled with the stories of Jesus and His teachings before his death, that He is the vine, we are the branches stories and teaching which are intimate, simple and heart moving. He gives us the promise that “the Peace that Christ gives us, the world cannot give to us”, truths that Father God loving us even as He loves Christ.

Paul on the other hand represents the phrase – love God with all your mind. He challenges us to understand the wisdom of God, “which is beyond understanding.” To Experience the power of the Holy Spirit who gives wisdom, to believe in and apply redemption truths of the cross. Challenging us to believe and take redemption in Christ personally- in all its glory for heart, mind, soul, behaviour and action, and applying, appropriating God’s promises for mind, spirit and soul.

Is individuality obliterated in the Kingdom? Obviously not. They are hardly the same person but each manifests an aspect of God given to each personality. The bible calls this glorification of Christ within the heart and soul. Your glorification likewise will be unique, the revelation of God given to you is a unique portion, for no one else.

Our potential to achieve is not limited by God, but when His grace comes to empower you, your potential is expanded and your secret life desires are fulfilled in God you achieve more than you ever could on your own. Paul says “I worked harder than all the other apostles, yet not I but the grace of God working powerfully within me”.

The new life coming in does not over-ride personality, making you a mindless zombie. 

Dying to self does not destroy that part of human nature which the bible calls the soul. The bible calls this process being that the soul is “saved”, cleaned up, set free from the selfish, self-serving nature which binds it.

The torment of our sinfulness

Sin and its effects are tormenting to the soul. Imprisoning, painful wretched and torturous. We are compelled and forced by the cruel slave master of sin to chase things that can never satisfy. The eye is never satisfied proverbs 27:20 Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes. The heart is forever forced to hunger and crave – human recognition from society, wealth and status. The power of sin and lust never lets us let go, it forces you on from conquest to conquest, never letting you rest and repose. It offers no peace, no freedom even with wealth, no satisfaction even with the more it craves. It devours like a black hole sucking all that is beautiful and light into a never ending abyss of darkness.

Lust destroys the soul – our greed for more kills our potential to care about others, it stifles the growth of mercy and true compassion, empathy and love. When unchecked it is the little fox which spoils the whole vine of the soul of our humanity which is meant to live in an unselfish and unbound and free manner. Greed invites us to live with self in the centre of our lives, with fear as our warden and gatekeeper, with the fleeting promise of unreliable earthly riches as our treasure instead of the strong and eternal security of God’s care and love.

Luke 12:15

And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

What does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose His soul?

Freedom – our heart’s true desire

The process of submission to the power and indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a process of becoming holy – the bible calls this ‘sanctification’. The soul is gradually subjecting itself to the rule of the Spirit and The Lordship of Christ who commands us to a life of loving your brother as Christ has loved you. Being filled with the love of God your Father, daily “abiding” and dwelling in a real experience of Christ’s love for you so that you can manifest the love of God in heart, soul mind and action is the path to ultimate freedom, although it looks like death.

We gain freedom from the agitating worries and cares of this life when we make God our primary concern. Seeking His agenda, His desires, His purpose for our lives above all other worldly and earthly cares. There is a peace that surpasses all understanding which is found and enjoyed by those who “leave the camp” of this world and its lusts and passions and run after Jesus in the wilderness of solitude, to walk close to Christ.

There is a peace that settles in the heart when all the sinful passions of the pride of life and ambition “to be someone” cease, and all we want to do is to worship and serve Him more to serve and love others more.

There is freedom when we embrace humility – that our life is not simply about making ourselves happier and richer and more comfortable. That our life is about serving God in humble adoration and humbly serving others with simplicity, sincerity and love.

There is great freedom when we are free from fear, when the power of God’s love fills us and a supernatural faith is born within us, that all things are indeed possible with God.

There is freedom from loneliness when God the Father comes close in a personal experience and makes our heart His home. There are treasures of comfort and power and assurance which surround the heart which causes the soul – the heart and mind to rejoice in freedom and in the great love of God.

There is confidence to face life and all its challenges, sometimes likened to a storm which rocks our life – the puny fishing boat. Because Christ has overcome hell, death and every temptation in this life and because He dwells within you, He will make you overcome your storms as well. When God holds your hand through life, there you find unlimited possibility, unlimited hope, unlimited power and faith to face the challenges of life.

There is hope for impossible situations in God. He is the mover of every mountain. The raiser of the dead. Would you not like to live in possibility and hope continually? Would you want to live this type of life?