Something to Consider

Phil 2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Last night a group of ladies and myself were contemplating how much Jesus had to humble Himself to live as a man and die for a people who were His enemies. (Romans 5:10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son...)

Although, this side of heaven we cannot possibly comprehend the magnitude of this truth, we are able to gain some understanding of the size of the heavens through science and thus get an idea of the biggness of God, leading to a better understanding of... He humbled Himself.

Recently my family and I were invited to attend a science camp for home schoolers, no we do not home school but our friends invited us anyway.  We did not attend the whole camp only one portion, the dinner.  Ha!  After dinner a non-profit organization called 4th Day Alliance put on a presentation that took us, the observers, into space with the attempt to give us an understanding of the size of the earth compared to the other planets, the sun, the solar system, the galaxies and the two largest stars in space, as well as, the vastness of the space between all these objects. The presentation was very effective especially towards the end when the largest known star was introduced (sorry I cannot remember the name), this star is so big that hundreds of our Milky Way Galaxies can span this star from one side of it to the other side. Amazing to say the least.  The interesting observation in this example of the size of this star wasn't it's size (because truly the enormity of it is a little beyond my grasp) rather it was the size of the earth compared to the star. Remember hundreds of our galaxies spanned this star which means our earth was completely engulfed, not able to be seen anywhere.  Imagine a single grain of the finest sand in a hay stack the size of of the sun.  As I sat in awe and wonder at this amazing truth I began to understand why God tells in Phil 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing...

If God is bigger than this star (this is only the largest known star, what about all the others we have yet to discover), and I believe He is, then pondering the question, how much did God have to humble Himself to take on human nature to become the perfect sacrifice for the sins of mankind leaves me speechless in awe and wonder.  My hearts sings, "You did it for me, You did it for love, it's Your victory, Jesus You are enough."

Jesus humbled Himself for our sakes, He served, He was persecuted, He was ridiculed, He was poor, He was loving, He was abandoned, He wasn't appreciated, then He died and rose for us that we might have life.  The Lord did this for all mankind, in our lives we are put into relationships, positions and situations that will require us to humble ourselves not always with the sufferings and trials Jesus received and yet sometimes this will be required of us.  Jesus humbled Himself for many, we are called to be humble servants for a few.

I have to tell you that towards the end of the presentation by 4th Day Alliance there was an inexpressible joy welling within me that nearly brought me to tears as I began to realize that my God is bigger than my problems, that He really is my strength, and I really can trust in Him. I felt relief at this new understanding, relief that God is capable.  There was an amazing comfort and peace resting upon me knowing there really is nothing to be anxious about--I am a child of God, an amazing and awesome God, a big God, a loving God who has promised to keep me until the day I am called home.  Amen?  Amen!

Still considering this,

CC

Something God cannot do...?

There is a truth the Lord has been ministering to me lately, a truth I cannot deny and a truth so powerful He has been taking me back to it over and over again in the past few weeks.  God cannot lie!  He cannot tell a fib, in fact He cannot even tell a half truth.  

In John 14:6 Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except by Me."  Our God says He is the truth.  If He cannot lie than if He says He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, we ought to take heed in our walks.  This truth is so profound, freeing and rich.  

If the Lord says in Jeremiah 29:11-14a that He has thoughts for us and they are not of evil but of good then we can believe His thoughts are good towards us.  

Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do?  Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

Our Lord cannot tell us that He is for us and then forsake us around the bend.  In fact, in 2 Timothy 2:13 it says, If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

Have you put your faith and trust in the Lord?  Is your position in Christ under the realm of grace?  Then the Spirit of God is in you and since the Spirit, the Father and the Son are One God in three Persons the Lord cannot deny Himself (He who is in you).  

If you are struggling with discouragement I encourage you to take the time to open up the word of God and discover all the amazing promises He has spoken.  If you are discouraged, chances are, a good portion of your thoughts are centered around you and your short comings.  Make a point to get back into the word and put your focus back on Christ.

In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus says, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

If our God says He will give us rest for our weary souls, then we can trust this is truth, but the key is we need to come to Him, take His yoke and learn from Him.  He was poor, He was persecuted, He eventually was abandon but His joy was full and His burden was light because He was about the Father's business all His days.  If Jesus says we should come and learn from Him then my conclusion is He wants to teach us something, show us something, and impart truth to us, a truth that will set us free.  The Lord desires to reveal Himself to you and to me.

John 8:36 "Therefore if the Son sets you free you are free indeed."  There is freedom in Jesus, freedom from sin, which includes self-absorbing thoughts designed to bring condemnation and draw us away from God.  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (Js 4:8 ).  Be anxious for nothing...let your requests be made known to God...and the peace of God...will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Phil 4:6-7).  Consider the birds of the air and the flowers of the field they neither sow nor reap, toil nor spin.  Are you not of more value then they? (Matthew 6:26-29)

The Lord God loves you with and everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3) and that's the truth!

Tender blessings,

CC

 

Have You Relocated Yet? Salvation Part 1

Colossians 1:13

He (the Father) has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,

The word delivered in this passage in it's original form means to draw with force and violence, to drag, pull, meaning to deliver or to draw out of danger or calamity and to liberate.

The word conveyed in this passage in it's original form denotes change of place, to remove, to translate into the kingdom of the Son of God.

Jesus, the Son of God (see John 1:29-34), God in flesh (see John 1:1 & 14) came from heaven to live as a man, He lived a sinless life (see John 8:7), died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins (see John 1:29), three days later He rose from the grave (see Matthew 28:6).

If you hear this word, believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord you will be saved. (see John 6:40, Rom 10:9-10)  If you have done this then you have been delivered from the power of darkness into the Son of His love.

What does this mean?  

My husband and I were out for a walk with our little 5lb Yorkie (Brando) one morning. We hadn't owned Brando but for a couple of months.  Up until this time all our big dog encounters had been good.  We saw the big dog sitting by his master, unleashed, but didn't realize Brando was in danger until the moment the big dog lunged at Brando, snarling, barking and growling.  Fortunately Brando wears a harness so when the big dog overpowered our dog we were able pull him up with force and out of the dangerous situation he was unable to escape from by himself.

There are two spiritual realms in this world; the realm of sin and the realm of grace (see Romans 6).

The moment we put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ He pulls us out of the realm of sin and delivers us into the realm of grace.  Every person before coming to Christ lives in the realm of sin.  We are under the dominion of sin, we are powerless to leave this kingdom and Satan, the ruler of this kingdom, will do all he can to keep us from leaving.  However, once we cry out to Jesus we are immediately relocated into the realm of grace, where the Father rules, and we are now given the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome sin in our life.  This a one time event and it is permanent (see John 10:28).

Jesus is the only way to heaven (see John 14:6).  Salvation is a free gift from God (see Romans 6:23 & Eph 2:8-9).

Have you relocated yet?

If not, the Way is an easy road. 

Put your faith and trust in Jesus by admitting you are a sinner (Romans 3:10 & 23) and admitting your need for a Savior.  Accept the free gift the Father is offering to you by accepting Jesus as your Lord (see Romans 6:23).  Confess your new belief to someone (see Romans 10:9-10).  

You are now a citizen of heaven (see Philippians 3:20).

Welcome to the family,

CC

A Conversation With A Friend

Recently I had an email conversation with a friend of mine.  She was discouraged in her walk.  I asked her if I could post this email because I felt most likely there are others struggling with some of these same things.  I have struggled with discouragement in my walk many times and it is from these verses and many others I have drawn my strength. God's word is powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword.  The word cuts through the lies of the enemy allowing God's truth to shine and His grace to reign in our hearts.  The following is our email conversation.

Friend: I really am having a hard time right now, so please keep praying and please keep encouraging me and I am a bit intimidated by you ladies so don't let me back off, okay.  

CC:  No need to feel intimidated I think I can speak for all of us (because I know they would agree) that you are viewed in our hearts and minds as an equal.  For we are one in Christ and all struggling with weakness, we are all in need of Him.  Intimidation is a tactic of the enemy to keep us away from one another.  When you begin to have this thought reject it, it's a lie, and think this instead, Galatians 3:28 ...for [we] are all one in Christ Jesus. Meditate on it, repeat it, and use it as your weapon and you will be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Eph 6:11).

Friend:  I still fear people,

CC:  As we stay true to the instruction in Proverbs 2:1-5 fear of people will be replaced with fear of God and walking to please Him will overpower the inclination to please men.  

Friend:  …and I still believe that as soon as they really get to know me they won't love me and they will leave me. If they don't leave me, often I will before there is too much closeness so that I won't get hurt or rejected. My mind knows that He will never leave me, but perhaps my heart doesn't know it yet and I am still closing off my heart to Him and pushing Him away. 

CC:  Okay, I see this as the biggest lie of all that will render you ineffective if you continue to entertain it.  Set your mind to do some serious battle against this lie.  It is from the enemy and originates in the pit of hell.   Tuck Hebrews 13:5 in your arsenal of spiritual weapons and use it a lot.  Hebrews 13:5 For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."  v6 So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?

Here's more:  The Lord cannot deny Himself.  Christ is in you and Jesus, Himself said, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand." Matthew 12:25

The Lord, His name is: Jehovah-Shammah which means: The Lord is There

His name is Emmanuel: God with us

Finally, and get this memorized and engrained or etched on the tablet of your heart:  Titus 1:2 ...in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began...

God cannot lie.  If He says He will not leave us nor forsake us-He won't.  If He says, a house divided against itself will not stand then He will not be against you.  If His very name is The Lord is There then He is indeed there.  If His name is God with us then He is indeed with us.  It is true!

Friend:  This study, accountability, fellowship group has been helping me to hear the Lord more clearly and to see His love in you all. I have been doing my best to make better choices and to do what the Lord has been asking me to do.  

CC:  Then the battle is on because you are acting in obedience to the Lord.  Amen!    Remember 1 Peter 1:4-5 ...you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  Remember if God is for us, which I believe we've established, than who can be against us. Romans 8:31

You have set your mind to obedience to God by seeking Him in your morning devos every morning.  Expect attack, and stick with it.  

Galatians 6;9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.   Again, a promise given by our God who cannot lie and is keeping us for that day.  A promise you can have confident hope in believing.

Friend:  There are several areas that I have blatantly been disobedient and I know that He forgives me, but it hurts me that I can't trust Him in these specific areas of my life.  

CC:  Mark 9:24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened o you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  

Again, James 1:3 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  

Keep going back to your Father, He is a patient and loving God who will give you all you need.

2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.

Friend:  It probably hurts Him to. So I am doing my best to gird up the loins of my mind, and lay aside all malice, deceit, envy, contention, and the list goes on. He is capable and I am tired

CC:  Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Friend:  …so I will let Him lead me through this and trust His strength, and focus on Him and not so much on my failings and weaknesses.  

CC:  A sister in the faith recently pointed me to this scripture one day when I was in a place you are in today.  Psalm 62:1 Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer.  From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.     

God is above our problems and when we humble ourselves before Him and get our focus back on Him we too, are lifted out of the pit of despair we find ourselves in when we bring our focus down to looking at ourselves. Look up!

We need each other.  2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Amen?  Amen!

Have a great week...God is with you!

 

Matthew 28:18-20

And Jesus came and spoke to them saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  Amen.

The strength of my life

2 Chronicles 16:9

"For the eyes of the LORD run to and from throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.

If the Lord wants to show Himself strong then He is looking for a person in need.  He searches us out, seeking the humble, seeking the weak, seeking the needy so He can lift us up, be our strength, and be glorified.

Psalm 103:14 For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.

The Lord understands our weaknesses.  How many times have you cried out to Him when life was going good? We generally cry out because we are in need.  The Lord hears our cries and comes to our aid.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

In 2 Cor 12:10 Paul says he takes pleasure in weaknesses and needs. "For when I am weak, then I am strong.

James 4:7 God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Our pride repels God it keeps us from the fullness of God in our lives. However, the promise of God is if we humble ourselves before Him He will lift us up.  

In contrast Peter tells us that the devil roams around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).

When the settlers came to America they built forts with high walls surrounding their towns.  They realized their need for protection against the enemy and the walls provided this protection.  When the enemy would attack they would seek refuge behind the walls.  When the enemy surrounded their camp only a fool would step outside to take on the enemy alone, in his pride, thinking he didn't need the protection of those walls.  The enemy would overpower him easily.

It is the same in our spiritual walk.  The Lord is our strong tower, a shield about us.  We are sitting ducks when we attempt to go at life alone.  Our enemy seeks to overpower while our Lord, the God of our strength, seeks to empower us with His strength, to prove Himself faithful and strong in our lives. 

Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Blessings,

CC