Mombasa TimeSunday, October 3, 2010
messy
No matter how hard I try, I mess up. Sometimes my mistakes are out of ignorance and sometimes they are out of just plain disobedience. There is no sugar coating it. I wonder if sweet and low is an acceptable substitute?
Friday, October 1, 2010
Luke 7:23
And blessed (happy-- with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, apart from outward conditions--and to be envied) is he who takes no offense in Me and who is not hurt or resentful or annoyed or repelled or made to stumble [ whatever may occur].
And blessed (happy-- with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, apart from outward conditions--and to be envied) is he who takes no offense in Me and who is not hurt or resentful or annoyed or repelled or made to stumble [ whatever may occur].
New Season
Seasons are easily defined periods of time that are everywhere we look. New seasons of life, weather patterns, financial situations, marriage, all can be defined in terms of seasons. I currently prefer not to look at the intermediate time line. Somehow projecting my life on an infinite time line is more comfortable than looking at the finite period marked by birthdays and family events, that would force me to admit, I am entering the "autumn" of my life
But Christ gives me the opportunity to mark my life in the infinite. The end of our existence here on this Earth will not be" the end"... I, and you, have eternal spirits. God extends an invitation to all of us, often quietly, always consistently, without fail to spend that eternity with Him. His hand is extended to all of us, without prejudice or without malice. The Bible tells us that God does not respect any person above another based on Earthly measurements of value. He does however, tell us that we can receive favor from Him. But that is an equal opportunity for all of us based on our individual or corporate behavior. He does not grant favor to me and then refuse another the same level of favor for the same level behavior or attitude. He is no respecter of persons.
"For there is no respect of persons with God," Paul declared (Rom. 2: 11).
It is sometimes difficult for us to imagine just how "holy" God is. Isaiah found out in a vision that his lips were even so unclean and filthy, that they were not even worthy of praising the Lord. Issiah's lips were cleansed by an angel searing them with a burning coal to purify them.
Isaiah 6:5
"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
Pair this with Romans 3:23 that tells us that not one of us on this Earth is worthy of God. NONE. And you quickly see the shape we are all in!
"23Since all have sinned and are falling short of the honor and glory which God bestows and receives."
The analogy I used once upon a time was, "What is worse, stealing a penny or a hundred dollars?" Of course the answer is , neither. Stealing is stealing. As humans we wish to quantify things. We measure and group. Smallest to largest.Good, better and best...Does God?
In Romans 3:23 He qualifies sinners as ALL of us. That is a measurement. And in John 3:16 He also uses a measurement. He says, That God so loves the World, that he sent His ONLY Son to be sacrificed so that NONE would persih. It goes on to say, "17For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him."
In this season, I have come to the full knowledge that we, ALL, have a need to not only be forgiven, but must also walk in the full embodiment of that, if we individually, are to experience true freedom. Freedom from condemnation, freedom from being bound by not only my own actions and but from others actions toward me.
I get it.
In Luke 4:17 Jesus stood in front of the religious leaders of His time, opened the Torah to Isaiah 61 and read,
1" The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,."
After finishing He sat down and declared the scripture fulfilled , THAT DAY, in front of them.
I say brothers and sisters, COME! Join me in proclaiming the Year of the Lord's Favor. God's word never returns void. This invitation still stands. God will not withdraw it until the last soul that is His is collected.
I once had a visit from the Holy Spirit and He showed how ALL the twisting and turmoil on this Earth is so insignificant. We can be at peace here, among and with each other, Put aside the yokes we take on, the hurts and the offenses. Walk free. Leave them. Forgive and be forgiven. it is divine!
But Christ gives me the opportunity to mark my life in the infinite. The end of our existence here on this Earth will not be" the end"... I, and you, have eternal spirits. God extends an invitation to all of us, often quietly, always consistently, without fail to spend that eternity with Him. His hand is extended to all of us, without prejudice or without malice. The Bible tells us that God does not respect any person above another based on Earthly measurements of value. He does however, tell us that we can receive favor from Him. But that is an equal opportunity for all of us based on our individual or corporate behavior. He does not grant favor to me and then refuse another the same level of favor for the same level behavior or attitude. He is no respecter of persons.
"For there is no respect of persons with God," Paul declared (Rom. 2: 11).
It is sometimes difficult for us to imagine just how "holy" God is. Isaiah found out in a vision that his lips were even so unclean and filthy, that they were not even worthy of praising the Lord. Issiah's lips were cleansed by an angel searing them with a burning coal to purify them.
Isaiah 6:5
"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
Pair this with Romans 3:23 that tells us that not one of us on this Earth is worthy of God. NONE. And you quickly see the shape we are all in!
"23Since all have sinned and are falling short of the honor and glory which God bestows and receives."
The analogy I used once upon a time was, "What is worse, stealing a penny or a hundred dollars?" Of course the answer is , neither. Stealing is stealing. As humans we wish to quantify things. We measure and group. Smallest to largest.Good, better and best...Does God?
In Romans 3:23 He qualifies sinners as ALL of us. That is a measurement. And in John 3:16 He also uses a measurement. He says, That God so loves the World, that he sent His ONLY Son to be sacrificed so that NONE would persih. It goes on to say, "17For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him."
In this season, I have come to the full knowledge that we, ALL, have a need to not only be forgiven, but must also walk in the full embodiment of that, if we individually, are to experience true freedom. Freedom from condemnation, freedom from being bound by not only my own actions and but from others actions toward me.
I get it.
In Luke 4:17 Jesus stood in front of the religious leaders of His time, opened the Torah to Isaiah 61 and read,
1" The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,."
After finishing He sat down and declared the scripture fulfilled , THAT DAY, in front of them.
I say brothers and sisters, COME! Join me in proclaiming the Year of the Lord's Favor. God's word never returns void. This invitation still stands. God will not withdraw it until the last soul that is His is collected.
I once had a visit from the Holy Spirit and He showed how ALL the twisting and turmoil on this Earth is so insignificant. We can be at peace here, among and with each other, Put aside the yokes we take on, the hurts and the offenses. Walk free. Leave them. Forgive and be forgiven. it is divine!
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