Post script notes on Himself

Ps. The only point on which I disagree with Mr Simpson that I believe what the scriptures say when it declares that God wants to fill us with all the fullness of God in overflowing fashion, (Ephesians 3) and like Simpson writes, on a constant basis 'rivers of living waters' for the great need of our own selves as well as the people around us.

Himself - A. B Simpson

I wish to speak to you about Jesus, and Jesus only. I often hear people say, "I wish I could get hold of Divine Healing, but I cannot." Sometimes they say, "I have got it." If I ask them, "What have you got?" the answer is sometimes, "I have got the blessing", sometimes it is, "I have got the theory"; sometimes it is, "I have got the healing"; sometimes, "I have got the sanctification." But I thank God we have been taught that it is not the blessing, it is not the healing, it is not the sanctification, it is not the thing, it is not the it that you want, but it is something better. It is "the Christ"; it is Himself. How often that comes out in His Word - "Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses", Himself "bare our sins in his own body on the tree"! It is the person of Jesus Christ we want. Plenty of people get the idea and do not get anything out of it. They get it into their head, and it into their conscience, and it into their will; but somehow they do not get Him into their life and spirit, because they have only that which is the outward expression and symbol of the spiritual reality. I once saw a picture of the Constitution of the United States, very skillfully engraved in copper plate, so that when you looked at it closely it was nothing more than a piece of writing, but when you looked at it at a distance, it was the face of George Washington. The face shone out in the shading of the letters at a little distance, and I saw the person, not the words, nor the ideas; and I thought, "'That is the way to look at the Scriptures and understand the thoughts of God, to see in them the face of love, shining through and through; not ideas, nor doctrines, but Jesus Himself as the Life and Source and sustaining Presence of all our life."

I prayed a long time to get sanctified, and sometimes I thought I had it. On one occasion I felt something, and I held on with a desperate grip for fear I should lose it, and kept awake the whole night fearing it would go, and, of course, it went with the next sensation and the next mood. Of course, I lost it because I did not hold on to Him. I had been taking a little water from the reservoir, when I might have all the time received from Him fullness through the open channels. I went to meetings and heard people speak of joy. I even thought I had the joy, but I did not keep it because I had not Himself as my joy. At last He said to me - Oh so tenderly - "My child, just take Me, and let Me be in you the constant supply of all this, Myself." And when at last I got my eyes off my sanctification, and my experience of it, and just placed them on the Christ in me, I found, instead of an experience, the Christ larger than the moment's need, the Christ that had all that I should ever need who was given to me at once, and for ever! And when I thus saw Him, it was such rest; it was all right, and right for ever. For I had not only what I could hold that little hour, but also in Him, all that I should need the next and the next and so on, until sometimes I get a glimpse of what it will be a million years afterwards, when we shall "shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of our Father" (Matt. 13: 43), and have "all the fullness of God."

And so I thought the healing would be an it too, that the Lord would take me like the old run-down clock, wind me up, and set me going like a machine. It is not thus at all. I found it was Himself coming in instead and giving me what I needed at the moment. I wanted to have a great stock, so that I could feel rich; a great store laid up for many years, so that I would not be dependent upon Him the next day; but He never gave me such a store. I never had more holiness or healing at one time than I needed for that hour. He said: "My child, you must come to Me for the next breath because I love you so dearly I want you to come all the time. If I gave you a great supply, you would do without Me and would not come to Me so often; now you have to come to Me every second, and lie on My breast every moment." He gave me a great fortune, placed thousands and millions at credit, but He gave a cheque-book with this one condition, "You never can draw more than you need at the time." Every time a cheque was wanted, however, there was the name of Jesus upon it, and so it brought more glory to Him, kept His name before the heavenly world and God was glorified in His Son.

I had to learn to take from Him my spiritual life every second, to breathe Himself in as I breathed, and breathe myself out. So, moment by moment for the spirit, and moment by moment for the body, we must receive. You say, "Is not that a terrible bondage, to be always on the strain ?" What, on the strain with one you love, your dearest Friend ? Oh, no! It comes so naturally, so spontaneously, so like a fountain, without consciousness, without effort, for true life is always easy, and overflowing.

And now, thank God, I have Him, not only what I have room for, but that which I have not room for, but for which I shall have room, moment by moment, as I go on into the eternity before me. I am like the little bottle in the sea, as full as it will hold. The bottle is in the sea, and the sea is in the bottle; so I am in Christ, and Christ is in me. But, besides that bottleful in the sea, there is a whole ocean beyond; the difference is, that the bottle has to be filled over again, every day, evermore.

Now the question for each of us is not "What think you of Bethshan, and what think you of divine healing?" but "What think you of Christ?" There came a time when there was a little thing between me and Christ. I express it by a little conversation with a friend who said, "You were healed by faith." "Oh, no," I said, "I was healed by Christ." What is the difference? There is a great difference. There came a time when even faith seemed to come between me and Jesus. I thought I should have to work up the faith, so I labored to get the faith. At last I thought I had it; that if I put my whole weight upon it, it would hold. I said, when I thought I had got the faith, "Heal me." I was trusting in myself, in my own heart, in my own faith. I was asking the Lord to do something for me because of something in me, not because of something in Him. So the Lord allowed the devil to try my faith, and the devil devoured it like a roaring lion, and I found myself so broken down that I did not think I had any faith. God allowed it to be taken away until I felt I had none. And then God seemed to speak to me so sweetly, saying, "Never mind, my child, you have nothing. But I am perfect Power, I am perfect Love, I am Faith, I am your Life, I am the preparation for the blessing, and then I am the Blessing, too. I am all within and all without, and all for ever." It is just having "Faith in God" (Mark 11: 22). "And the life I now live in the flesh, I live," not by faith on the Son of God, but "by the faith of the Son of God" (Gal. 2 20). That is it. It is not your faith. You have no faith in you, any more than you have life or anything else in you. You have nothing but emptiness and vacuity, and you must be just openness and readiness to take Him to do all. You have to take His faith as well as His life and healing, and have simply to say, "I live by the faith of the Son of God." My faith is not worth anything. If I had to pray for anyone, I would not depend upon my faith at all. I would say, "Here, Lord, am I. If you want me to be the channel of blessing to this one just breathe into me all that I need." It is simply Christ, Christ alone.

Now, is your body yielded to Christ for Him thus to dwell and work in you? The Lord Jesus Christ has a body as well as you only it is perfect; it is the body, not of a man, but of the Son of man. Have you considered why He is called the Son of man? The Son of man means that Jesus Christ is the one typical, comprehensive, universal, all-inclusive Man. Jesus is the one man that contains in Himself all that man ought to be all that man needs to have. It is all in Christ. All the fullness of the Godhead and the fullness of a perfect manhood has been embodied in Christ, and He stands now as the summing-up of all that man needs. His spirit is all that your spirit needs, and He just gives us Himself. His body possesses all that your body needs. He has a heart beating with the strength that your heart needs. He has organs and functions redundant with life, not for Himself, but for humanity. He does not need strength for Himself. The energy which enabled Him to rise and ascend from the tomb, above all the forces of nature, was not for Himself. That marvellous body belongs to your body. You are a member of His body. Your heart has a right to draw from His heart all that it needs. Your physical life has a right to draw from His physical life its support and strength, and so it is not you, but it is just the precious life of the Son of God. Will you take Him thus today, and then you will not be merely healed, but you will have a new life for all you need, a flood of life that will sweep disease away, and then remain a fountain of life for all your future need. Oh, take Him in His fullness.

It seems to me as if I might just bring you a little talisman today, as if God had given me a little secret for every one here and said to me, "Go and tell them, if they will take it, it will be a talisman of power wherever they go, and it will carry them through difficulty, danger, fear, life, death, eternity." If I could stand on this platform and say, "I have received from heaven a secret of wealth and success which God will give freely, through my hand, to everybody who will take it," I am sure you would need a larger hall for the people who would come. But, dear friends, I show you in His Word a truth which is more precious. The Apostle Paul tells us that there is a secret, a great secret which was hidden from ages and from generations (Col. 1: 26), which the world was seeking after in vain, which wise men from the East hoped they might find, and God says it "is now made manifest to his saints"; and Paul went through the world just to tell it to those that were able to receive it; and that simple secret is just this "Christ in you the hope of glory."

The word "mystery" means secret; this is the great secret. And I tell you today, nay, I can give you, if you will take it from Him, not from me-I can give you a secret which has been to me, oh, so wonderful! Years ago I came to Him burdened with guilt and fear; I tried that simple secret, and it took away all my fear and sin. Years passed on, and I found sin overcoming me and my temptations too strong for me. I came to Him a second time, and He whispered to me, "Christ in you," and I had victory, rest and blessing.

Then the body broke away in every sort of way. I had always worked hard, and from the age of fourteen I studied and labored and spared no strength. I took charge of a large congregation at the age of twenty-one; I broke down utterly half a dozen times and at my last constitution was worn out. Many times I feared I should drop dead in my pulpit. I could not ascend any height without a sense of suffocation, because of a broken-down heart and exhausted nervous system. I heard of the Lord's healing, but I struggled against it. I was afraid of it. I had been taught in theological seminaries that the age of the supernatural was past, and I could not go back from my early training. My head was in my way, but at last when I was brought to attend "the funeral of my dogmatics," as Mr. Schrenck says, "the Lord whispered to me the little secret, 'Christ in you'; and from that hour I received Him for my body as I had done for my soul. I was made so strong and well that work has been a perfect delight. For years I have spent my summer holiday in the hot city of New York, preaching and working amongst the masses, as I never did before; besides the work of our Home and College and an immense mass of library work and much besides. But the Lord did not merely remove my sufferings. It was more than simple healing. He so gave me Himself that I lost the painful consciousness of physical organs. That is the best of the health He gives. I thank the Lord that He keeps me from all morbid, physical consciousness and a body that is the object of anxious care, and gives a simple life that is a delight and a service for the Master, that is a rest and joy.

Then, again, I had a poor sort of a mind, heavy and cumbrous, that did not think or work quickly. I wanted to write and speak for Christ and to have a ready memory, so as to have the little knowledge I had gained always under command. I went to Christ about it, and asked if He had anything for me in this way. He replied, "Yes, my child, I am made unto you Wisdom." I was always making mistakes, which I regretted, and then thinking I would not make them again; but when He said that He would be my wisdom, that we may have the mind of Christ, that He could cast down imaginations and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ, that He could make the brain and head right, then I took Him for all that. And since then I have been kept free from this mental disability, and work has been rest. I used to write two sermons a week, and it took me three days to complete one. But now, in connection with my literary work, I have numberless pages of matter to write constantly besides the conduct of very many meetings a week, and all is delightfully easy to me. The Lord has helped me mentally, and I know He is the Saviour of our mind as well as our spirit.

Well, then, I had an irresolute will. I asked, ' Cannot you be a will to me?" He said, "Yes, my child, it is God who worketh in you to will and to do." Then He made me to learn how and when to be firm, and how and when to yield. Many people have a decided will, but they do not know how to hold on just at the proper moment. So, too, I came to Him for power for His work and all the resources for His service, and He has not failed me.

And so I would say, if this precious little secret of "Christ in you," will help you, you may have it. May you make better use of it than I! I feel I have only begun to learn how well it works. Take it and go on working it out, through time and eternity-Christ for all, grace for grace, from strength to strength, from glory to glory, from this time forth and even for evermore.

HIMSELF
     by A. B. Simpson
Once it was the blessing, Now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling, Now it is His Word.
Once His gifts I wanted, Now the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing, Now Himself alone.

Once 'twas painful trying, Now 'tis perfect trust;
Once a half salvation, Now the uttermost.
Once 'twas ceaseless holding, Now He holds me fast;
Once 'twas constant drifting, Now my anchor's cast.

Once 'twas busy planning, Now 'tis trustful prayer;
Once 'twas anxious caring, Now He has the care.
Once 'twas what I wanted, Now what Jesus says;
Once 'twas constant asking, Now 'tis ceaseless praise.

Once it was my working, His it hence shall be;
Once I tried to use Him, Now He uses me.
Once the power I wanted, Now the Mighty One;
Once for self I labored, Now for Him alone.

Once I hoped in Jesus, Now I know He's mine;
Once my lamps were dying, Now they brightly shine.
Once for death I waited, Now His coming hail;
And my hopes are anchored, Safe within the veil.

 

Albert Benjamin Simpson (1843-1919) was one of the most important Christian workers of his day. He was an ardent soul-winner and was active in raising up new believers and in training Christian workers. He began his service as a Presbyterian minister, but later resigned after realizing the inherent frustrations in trying to serve the Lord within the denominational framework. He wrote over 70 books on the Bible and the Christian life. His many hymns and poems are full of inspiration and truth. He was the founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance.

Being real and human as a leader - Article from christianity today

A wonderful article on Christianity today-

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2013/december/letting-pastors-be-real.html

Shepherd is supposed to lay down his life for the sheep not become the star everyone looks to. To sacrifice more than others in the service of their faith. To give and love and be lower on the rung as a servant. Even the lowest servant. Not to lord over and command. Not to take the place as father and lord. but servant.

Be real, be vulnerable, resist the temptation to look bigger than human, more than just human. Be intimately acquainted with your own faults and weaknesses. Resist the the force that pressures you to be ‘the man’. Only God is the man, only God can fill the void of people’s hearts. Boast in weaknesses and failings. So that God's grace and power can be exemplified.

If you focus on the numbers, you will lose that personal touch.

Exhibit humility and transparency.

Take a step back intentionally. So that God can move. Be a facilitator the man in the back seat cheering others on praying in the background and not the man in front which is doing all the work. Make space for people to rise up into their call into their gifting. Make space for people to speak and work and pray and contribute to the gathering.

For I know In me dwells the sin nature which only wants itself to be self-important - like Satan whose pride caused him to seek worship and self adoration. And this sin works to make it all about me at the expense of a focus and glory on Christ. So the only way is to embrace the cross to die to self for sin has to be killed and God has to deal with that and to claim by faith in Christ a life of humility.

Humility and redirecting the honour 1 Cor 12 tells me that leaders are to create a culture in which

1) We are mutually reliant on one another which means all the members in the body of Christ not just one. We need one another especially the parts which seem weaker poorer and more despised because the bible calls them more vital

2) The body is to honour the weaker and more dishonourable parts  v23. 'bestow on them more abundant honour'

3) Presentable parts no need honour because honour is given in the exercise of your presentable gifting/talent. Honour is inherent in the task itself.

4) v25 "members are to have the same care for one another" the body of christ is to have an equality regulator built into its culture.

5) The weak are to be given more care - more generosity and more help, more kindness, more honour to rehabilitate them to wholeness because God honours and saves and seeks the poor! Book of James says God saves has an especial favour towards those who are weak and poor.

Imagine a culture like that!

The role of Fathers in the Kingdom of God.

The role of a Father in the Kingdom of God is this to set the vision of the kingdom before their children, bring them up nurture them with this purpose of greatness in them. That they are destined to play a powerful role in bringing the kingdom to pass through their lives. Fathers must model what the pursuit of the kingdom looks like, fleshed out in a life under the service of the King.

Fathers love, nurture and equip children to be able to bring that vision to pass and to take a participatory role in the creation of that vision for their generation. Fathers teach children to teach their children's children be able to pass down that vision from generation to generation to make an multi-generational impact a reality.

Leadership what do you do when no one is watching?

Leadership –

The meaning of leadership is not to lead when in the presence of people who support the vision.

But to be convicted with the purpose and values of the vision so as to do all things to lead men to that vision, especially when there are none who support it as yet, and especially in the moments where you are utterly alone in the pursuit of that vision.

To attune the body mind and spirit in the direction and course which is charted by the dream in the heart, because it has become one with the person.

Leadership is not what you do in the public eye, it is especially what you do when no one watches for in the hidden moments of life, you are burning, tempering, strengthening, clarifying, focusing on the purpose which you were called to do and to be.

Because you are convicted, that the purpose in you has grown so great that it is what you do, in your waking, in your sleeping, it has become you, it is the purpose for which you were made, akin to a call, It is the definite purpose of God destined and imprinted in the core design and deepest desire of your heart.

Bring us to zion,

The place of your presence

Where people are not merely content to coast along

But are fired up to grow and act in maturity
Where your Sons rule with you in partnership

In wisdom.

And the release destiny and purpose

To release and realize the animating power of your presence.

In the perfection of righteousness and holiness.
Living where your glory dwells.

Inspired in part by this excellent speech given at Westpoint-

http://theamericanscholar.org/solitude-and-leadership/#.Upg5mn8ayK2

The prayer of Elijah

I thirst continually for your presence. I want to walk with you and in you. For you are beautiful and you are holy.

I want to see your face.  Walk with me. I want to obey your every word, your every gesture. Your joy is my utmost delight.

Never to lose sight of you. O do not let me stray from your presence for it is my very life and all my desire.

May your power be thoroughly expresed in and through me. Let everything that hinders be stripped away. I am jealous for your fame and glory. Cause your people to see you as I see you. Show your power mightily.

Sunbird

Up and about,
Bounding from bough to bough,
My friend the sunbird
Shrill and sharp
Talks about the morning light

Tiny bursts of moving colour,
Olive green and blue streaks,
Arrayed like the sun
In his splendour

Ever the dapper feller,

He doesn't have
A care in the world

Jumping and chirping
Hunting for a juicy spider
Some nectar,
Bits of fruit
- There is sweetness
In the hunt.

Storms may come,
But they soon pass.
There is yet sweetness
For the mourning heart.

Cry if you must,
Let out the hurt
For deep pain
Is best throughly expressed

And the wounds of the heart
They do well with a hug and tear
On a shoulder of a kind and listening ear.

But after that
Don't stay down
For any longer
Than you must.

Laughing and playing ever
Merry making
They remind me
That to be young

Is a choice of heart

There is always
Time for fun
A good clean joke and

A hearty laugh,

If you have a heart
That leaps
Like the sunbird.

I love you like I would love any other

Who ever wants to know that they are loved in a generic way?

Don't we all want to know in a personal indisputable way our own significance from the one person that matters in life whoever that may be?

Which wife wants to know that they are loved by their husbands generically?

Which child ever wants to hear their father say "I love you like I love any other child." How utterly horrible.

Why should the love of God not be experienced by people in a way that is personal, intimate, fierce and powerful?

As natural human love can change lives what more the Love of God? or an intimate personal experience from the God who is love?

We read in the song of solomon Gods declarations from heaven about His beloved, a bride a wife an intimate - one who knows Him.

Which heart would not be satisfied with the voice of the Father who says :"You are mine, I have redeemed you, you are my beloved, I know you, for I have made you and you are dear to me."

Romans 8:16

The spirit Himself witnesses with our Spirit hat we are the Sons of God

The purpose in a man

if ambition is the ruling motivation of our life then all our relationships take the tone of ambition.

If love is the ruling power of our heart then our purpose of relationships will be love.

John Wesley's breakthrough of a personal experience of God after many years of search

God's Generals pg 53, 54

A Picture of Soul Prosperity

3 John 1:2 

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

I want to focus on that last segment - 'even as your soul prospers'. What does a prospering soul look like? I want to write a list of characteristics which are not exhaustive but hint at the soul prosperity that apostle John was writing about.

Much has been written about Spiritual vitality but hardly anything exists which points to wholeness in the realm of the soul.

Physical health (as the verse says, 'be in health') and success in life (prosper in all things) are by-products, natural outcomes which naturally emerge from the flow of soul prosperity. The root of it all is the vitality and vivaciousness of the Spiritual life. 

An Image of the Soul prospering  

1)  To be filled with creativity, life and joy
2) Finding Meaning, fulfilment and wisdom in your work,
3) Not to be bound with Legalism, a constant striving to earn approval or to be 'good enough'.
4) Liberty, Freedom,  a sense of being set free to love God and love others in the Love of God. 'For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom'.
5) Having meaningful friendships and mutual supportive relationships - (these are healthy fruitful relationships which do not drain us. Not those in which we only give but never receive from.
6) Having a sense of confidence, significance and esteem, knowing your worth in Christ and being happy in your uniqueness.
7) Knowing your own identity and having a sense of purpose,
8) Developing and growing in your unique knowledge, skills, gifts, talents and loving it, psychologists call this the joy of intrinsic motivation, joy from within from doing what you love, which leads to life and joy in the heart. 'When a desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life'.
9) Not being weighed down with constant worry, anxiety and care
10) Being generous and being a giver to bless others, which is the fruit of love 

All the 10 characteristics above can be said of Christ.

2 Great books I've read about the subject are 

1) Boundaries, which deals with the subject of identity, guarding your own values, talents, time and identity do that you can develop into the person God intended you to be and the art of saying 'no.' The book comes endorsed by major names like apologist Josh Mcdowell, and mega church pastor Bill Hybells. The book is fantastic because it teaches the art of balance between sacrificial service and burnout. And is especially helpful if you're from a culture like mine in which saying no can be equivalent to breaking relationships.

and

2) Changes that heal which deals Grace and Truth - the ingredients for personal growth, Bonding to others (finding and sustaining mutual relationships), sorting out good and bad - self acceptance and not denying reality of evils in ourselves and others and how to deal with and remedy tendencies of perfectionism. Lastly the book deals with gowing into an adult - which deals with how to discharge responsibility, as is fitting of an adult Christian.

The books authors are psychologists which integrate a biblically based spiritual world view, the discipline of psychology and real world experience in the practice of psychiatric counselling in bringing people to wholeness. 

A whole lot of wisdom is shared in the pages and the books are packed to the brim with insight about depression, abandonment issues, developmental (growing up) issues, relationships and how to handle them. Never regretting buying and reading those. Although I buy my books from book depository.com - Amazon links are attached for you to read user reviews which book depository lacks.

What would life look like if we endeavoured to obey everything God shows you to do?

Build your life with good materials, good and disciplined sleep is the foundation of every other good habit you can form.

What would life look like if we endeavoured to obey everything God shows you to do?

What would your life look like if you endevoured to obey everything God shows you - your peace would be strong like a mighty river

Forget the failings of yesterday for they are forgiven. Today is a new day, a new invitation to walk with Me.

This is how to lead and bless others by walking with God.

Just one human act of love is greater than performing signs and wonders. It is out of that place of love that power flows. Just one human act of love in response to the love of God is the greatest thing of all.

Love versus duty

Obedience out of love and obedience out of duty is different.

Love is the greatest motivator the greatest cause, the greatest outcome. For God is love and the greatest thing in all of life is love.

Help me to obey because You love me not because I'm duty bound. Help me to know your Love so that my acts can be a natural response of love towards Love. Help me to focus on what you want me to do every moment of the day not to deviate from this relationship with You.

Isaiah 48:17-22 NASB

17 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel,

“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit,
Who leads you in the way you should go.
18 “If only you had paid attention to My commandments!
Then your well-being would have been like a river,
And your righteousness like the waves of the sea.
19 “Your descendants would have been like the sand,
And your offspring like its grains;
Their name would never be cut off or destroyed from My presence.”

20 Go forth from Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans!
Declare with the sound of joyful shouting, proclaim this,
Send it out to the end of the earth;
Say, “The Lord has redeemed His servant Jacob.”
21 They did not thirst when He led them through the deserts.
He made the water flow out of the rock for them;
He split the rock and the water gushed forth.
22 “There is no peace for the wicked,” says the Lord.

To touch the hem of His Garment

The Moravian movement was started and powered by prayer. The great awakening in England by the Wesley brothers were also started and propelled by heavenly forces by prayer. The whole of the new testament acts is powered from the first scene of a 120 waiting saints waiting to receive the power of the Holy Spirit. Smith Wigglesworth said if he was not in conversation with men, he was speaking to God.

There needs to be a hardening of endurance in prayer - becoming like a hardened steel drilling bore/bit which can bore through dryness, apathy, lifelessness, wilderness seasons, long, and press hard in a forward reach to God. All this is done before heaven touches the earth.

Endurance and commitment is much required.

Our flesh is weak but spirit willing.

So our flesh and spirit need to be strengthened and hardened through prayer to see God's power and action.

Beyond prayers that help to align us when we are mis-aligned with His priorities, there is a place of prayer in union with God's purpose and will where heaven's agenda dictates the time of prayer. No longer dealing with earthly mis-alignment - repentance and holiness, but where heaven's desires are exerted from the heart of Christ upon His waiting saints.

As much as I would like to have others of like spirit help to generate that momentum in prayer, sometimes they can't be found. As Christ endured long and obtained strength in prayer, gaining from the Father - instruction and wisdom and leading, day to day. As Peter who received his commission to preach to the gentiles, for something of heaven to touch the earth, it requires a spirit which long endures to touch the hem of His garment

For from God comes true might and power, creativity, beauty and life from His throne, peace and deliverance from bondage. Beauty wisdom and strength. "For He will show us the path of life, in His presence is fullness of Joy, at His right hand are pleasures forevermore."(PS 16:11)

Psalms 16

8 I have set the Lord continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will dwell securely.
10 For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
11 You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

John Wesley - yielding to love

(John and Charles Wesley) taught that yielding to God's love and allowing it to flow through us will ultimately produce "every Christian grace, every holy and happy temper. And from those springs uniform holiness of action."

Quoted from Roberts Liardon, God's Generals, The Revivalists, pg 55.

Another Father

"Somewhere out there you have another father who gave you another name, and he sent you here for a reason, and even if you take the rest of your life to find out, you owe it to yourself to find out what that reason is."

Kevin Costner's line to Kal-el, On Fatherhood, true identity, a pre-planned inheritance, a hope future and destiny from the Father in the film, Superman, Man of Steel

Perfect theology

Jesus Christ is perfect theology - know Him, put your life on the line for Him and follow Him.

Perfect theology is a person, not your own understanding and mind!

The Two Covenants - an antidote against a poisonous message

The spread of a disturbing twist in the message of grace

There is an increasingly disturbing message on the loose which is currently as we speak, being propagated from Singapore to America and is possibly having a global effect.

The message at best is an incomplete understanding of the teaching and doctrine of the grace of God. At its worst, the message will totally kill your walk with God if imbibed for too long.

At the core is a profound misunderstanding of the grace of God, its aims, purposes and power as well as a total misunderstanding of the old covenant law. A proper, biblical understanding of the law and its purpose as well as the grace of God and its purpose will help christians everywhere to quickly discern error and help them to steer clear of the trap of holding beliefs that lead them to become anti-law, 'anti-nomian' or hold a view of the grace of God which degenerates into the licence to sin - 'licentiousness'.

Andrew Murray writes splendidly about the divisions, purposes, intents and character of God as revealed by both old and new covenant in this free e-book, The Two Covenants, which is being held by the Christian Classics Ethereal Library.

I was myself a former adherent to the aforesaid message for about 6 years. Shamefully I was one of its ardent proponents . Looking back, I can say with much regret that this message has caused me untold amounts of damage to my faith, regret, sorrow and unnecessary suffering to my walk with God and it has created and invited much unnecessary trouble in my life. I sincerely wished I had read this book earlier than I did, for it would have saved me much sorrow. I highly commend it to you, for your own personal and spiritual growth and profit and as a defence against such teachings which are now as common as the flu.

Two Gods?

The book helped to open my eyes that it is the same God of the old covenant who is loving and kind and gracious in both covenants but also superbly just and holy, so as to inspire worship and much admiration. In both covenants He is inflexible in His holiness yet boundless in His grace and superabundant in His grace and mercy toward mankind. It truly helped to deepen the knowledge of this God who is merciful yet holy.

A healthy respect for the law

There comes with this deception a dishonouring of the commandments, the law of God. Paul in His treatise on law and grace in the book of Romans helps us to walk the line, free of legalistic human effort and full of the Spirit of God in relationship which is born by faith. Yet Paul called the law - good, just, holy in Romans Chapter 7 'has what is holy caused me to sin, surely not'

Quoting Paul in Romans 7 (NASV) excerpts
12 So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
13 Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me?
14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.

The chief proponent of the grace of God and its chief expositor, Paul is calling the law, the commandments holy, righteous and good. I argue that if a christian cannot say that of the Law like David, that he loves God's laws and righteous ways, 'O how I love your law,' that christian is likely to lose all reverence for God falling into a trap of taking God for granted and is in a dangerous position of falling into licentiousness - a way of life that subtly endorses sin. 

Gradually, that Christian's faith becomes totally ineffective. The teaching replaces the power and deadly force of true faith with a substitute which is not faith but with an imitation, a toy gun - capable of doing no  damage to the devil or sin or the powers of darkness. An object capable only to provide its bearer a a totally false sense of security in his delusions that what he has is indeed true faith, when faith's power and substance had been robbed from that person without his knowing.

A Warning

Proverbs 22:28
Do not move the ancient boundary Which your fathers have set.

That ancient landmark is Moses Law, which Christ Himself never did disrespect in any of his teachings. In fact Christ strengthened the law! If a Christian has no proper place to put the law in the matrix of his faith, then there is danger of being deceived into licentiousness.

Be warned! Any revelation or teaching that either removes Christ's sermon on the mount in Matthew 5 or exalts any teaching and revelation above that which Jesus Himself preached when He was on earth is likely heresy and will stand the judgement of its works and fruit at the last day.

Legalism versus Holiness born by grace

There is a line to walk - either we are trying to be good by human effort or we are in relationship with the Spirit of God through trusting in Christ's person, word and work through faith in God's empowering grace.

Walking in a faith relationship with God causes us to become transformed. 'Walking by the Spirit' we become more like Him through encounters with the very living God in seeing His heart and character and experiencing it first hand upon the tablet of our heart, we are transformed (2 Cor 3).

Any sincere believer who desires to work the works of God will come into a conflict with the flesh and his own sincerity in wanting to be pure and reach a place where He is forced to either continue the journey trusting in self and strength or leaning into the Christ who died on a cross and was raised from the dead to live through us.

May this book help in forming your faith foundation as you attempt to walk the line of faith in following the master in whatever He says to you, in a personal, intimate relationship.

Whisper

The city angrily burns
Its black plumes obsecuring,
its neon and halogen polluting
the clear stratosphere.

The truth that the stars long to speak,
the message the stars store in their ancient heart,
Their souls well up, longing to pour down.

Upon any who would stop and turn,
to hear the faint message the shining worlds speak

to ones looking,
To be filled with wonder.

The city blares its messages in a million distractions.
Mind us! look at this!
It says in wave after wave of killing fabricated hurricane.

The mountains they bow and look on
with a smile.
The trees they continue to birth,
Life and fruit and growth, over and over
The green plains they whisper.

The Pursuit of God - AW Tozer (1897-1963)

The Pursuit of God by AW Tozer

Tozer lived in the age before the internet, and up to a little after after World War II. Against the backdrop of the modern era of business - he perceived in the Church at large, a sleepiness descending, an apathy over the bride of Christ over matters such as prayer, over matters of living in the very grace of God, over matters of intimacy.

This very short book in electronic format was the result of the man's anguish and travailing, a much beloved treasure of the modern church and a personal favourite of mine, dealing with the subject of spiritual hunger, without which, the spiritual life is all but lost.

The book forms a complete compliment to AB Simpon's teaching on Himself, which emphasises the nature of our relationship with Christ, Andrew Murray's book on the need to empty of the self life and pride which destroys all it touches, to form that required humility of a servant and AW Tozer completes this set with the need to cry out for more of a hunger for God.

May these spiritual giants be a blessing to you as they were in their day firebrands in the hands of God. May God also raise up firebrands in like Spirit, able to speak and stand strong as Elijah in his day, and also for us in our generation.

Humility - Andrew Murray (1828-1917)

Humility

On the subject on good Christian Character, I have found this volume on Humility, one of the most useful. It is complimentary to A B Simpson's teaching on relationship with God, in 'Himself'. This volume talks about the need to be empty, for one to yield entire, to God in His demands, for that is the very keynote, the very song and tone and timbre of the Saviour's heart, who is 'meek and humble of heart.' (Matt 11:29)

Himself - Albert Benjamin Simpson (1843-1919)

Himself. One of the most formative teachings, shaping my current belief to pursue a relationship with God. To which end, theology is the means, as explained clearly by A B Simpson, who also trod the path of theology but found it empty of power to save men for His glory.

A short biography on Simpson can be found here. 

A W Tozer documents the history on Simpson's life and world wide missions ministry, in this short but powerful paperback (a worthy read, as is nearly anything by Tozer). Wingspread - A study in spiritual altitude A B Simpson 

The man was a prolific preacher and author, publishing and preaching hundreds of sermons in his day through is own missions focused publication, transcripts can be found here. 

Free e books by Simpson can be found here. 

I used a short one year daily devotional written by Simpson for a short time, if you feel you would need short encouragement, this one is pretty good. Here.

There you stand

You’re my flag pole
When the thoughts of my mind
Whirl like a dervish
The fabric by violent winds
Curl in a flurry

There you stand
Always stable
Never flinching
The centre of my stillness
The calmer of my storm

You’re the light in all this darkness
You’re my breath
In this toxic atmosphere
When you arrive,
My heart crumples like paper

All my resistance melts, like a glacier
My true resolution rises
One and strong
I am reconciled, sorted
I hear clearly the notes

And words of my song

The Growth of a Tree

As you are growing deeper in God, you are growing stronger as a person. In your mind, your heart, character, wisdom and faith.

Every Tree must grow deep in order to grow big. So you must grow deep if you want to grow big to accomplish all that God has for you.

The Whale

I once saw a whale
who had sad eyes
because he was a whale,

and there was no one like him.
To be a friend to him
To understand what it was like to be a whale

To understand all his whale-y talk
And how his whale-y mind thought
He knew he was no shark

He could never stand the smell of blood.
He wondered why
He was always hungry, sometimes sleepy, always dreamy

Some of the other fishes said,
"He's whale-y crazy!"
It wasn't their fault, they had never seen a whale before.

But the tragedy was
that he had grown to believe them
It was the oft-repeated line that caused

him not to want to be a whale,
but to be anything else
but a whale, never a whale.

But then the whale gradually
Learnt to be glad, that he was a whale
The other fishes were glad too

Because he brought joy, just by being himself
And not somebody else
He grew stronger so he could go deeper

To plough the ocean's depths

He had a whale of a time

Songs of sweetness and songs of Hope

A song about the sweetness of communing with God

Matt Gilman - Made for you 

So love the whole album - which is Holy, Matt Gilman

Songs of Hope if you're going through a tough time

Hope's anthem - William Matthews

You are my Hope - Cory Asbury

Holiness and joy

Hebrews 1:9 NASV

“You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;

Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You

With the oil of gladness above Your companions.”

Joy and Holiness?

Somehow we don't associate an exuberant joy and love for life with God's characteristic of holiness. yet the two are inextricably linked in the above verse about Christ, the Risen One.

God is Holy but He is also exceedingly joyful and full of life. The exclamation of 'You are holy' also means "you are full of life, you are exceedingly joyful, full of righteous-ness and full of purity and clean!"

I heard a preacher say that Holiness is the exclamation of How "other-ly" God is to us. To exclaim Holy Holy Holy is to say you are "different, different, different (from us)".

Arguably the only way to be more joyful in the Christian walk is to have more of God the Holy Spirit who is also a spirit of joy! Think about that. A Spirit of Joy. (Romans 14:17)

And the closer you press in to experience God, the more you will like a miner hit the core, the massive gold deposit hidden in rock- the core characteristic of God, the treasure trove of God. Where He is in the Holy of Holies, the angels cry out "Holy Holy Holy is Jehovah Elohim Shaddai!" There is a growing discovery of how pure God is  - that God is Holy, exceedingly so.

And so to walk with God would mean we are pressing into His presence. Pressing in with the heart, seeking with that heart to desire to worship to know and love Him more and more. And His presence will produce an imprint on our lives - a holiness manifest in our heart, that will differentiate His people.

But somehow the prevailing thought takes away the revelation that Jesus was an exceedingly joyful man and to know Him now as He is in heaven and to be full of Holiness is also to be full of the joy of God. The same joy that the Father had when He created the world and said, "it is good!" the same joy that the Father had, I imagine when He raised Christ from the dead and said, "It is exceedingly good!".

I think God the Father's heart brimmed over with love and exuberant joy when he created waterfalls, mountains, the sea and all the tress and all the birds and all of nature, when He created man. His heart brimmed to overflowing when His Son decided to complete the work of saving mankind from their sins and when The Father raised the Son from the dead, after the Son's violent suffering at the cross, the Father was so exceedingly happy that He said (i imagine) "I will give you the full reward of the joy of the Holy Spirit forever and ever." Look at the focus verse of this post again.

Other examples of a joyful God

"For the joy that was set before him, endured the cross."(Hebrews 12:2) The joy of the salvation of mankind - to know them in relationship, to be involved with their lives, getting rid of sin through His broken body at the cross, to apply His Holy Spirit.

(Luke 12:32) "it is God's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom" For His Children to know and exercise the reign of the King within their hearts and in their lives, brings God good pleasure - or joy.

"For He is the light, the life of the world"(John 8:12)
"For the Son of God has come to give life and life more abundantly (John 10:10).

What Kind of life would He give, if its was a joyless life?


What makes God joyful?

MAtt 10:21 NASV

20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.
21 At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. 22 All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”

Proverbs 8 NASV

30 Then I was beside Him, as a master workman;
And I was daily His delight,
Rejoicing always before Him,
31 Rejoicing in the world, His earth,
And having my delight in the sons of men.

From proverbs, we see that Christ (personified as the wisdom of God) rejoiced in God Himself, He also rejoices in His work in men, He delights over mankind who are all His children those who are saved, and those who are not, those who know Him and those who don't God loves and rejoices in them all, for He made them all for his good pleasure.

From Luke, we see that He also loves to to reveal Himself to child-like hearts, He rejoices to cause people to rejoice in heavenly truths and He delights to teach His children the secrets of God. He loves to reveal Himself to hearts who seek.


John 15:10 NASV

10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.