Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Trust
Trust (Faith and Belief)
"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen (Ephesians 3:20-21)."
"but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die" (Genesis 3:3-4 NASB)!"
Definition (noun): reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence; confident expectation of something; hope; confidence in the certainty of future payment for property or goods received; credit; a person on whom or thing on which one relies; the condition of one to whom something has been entrusted (Dictionary.com).
We are born into sin and by nature we distrust others, God and even ourselves. The way we manage the deadness and darkness inside of us is to compare and judge outside of God what is right and wrong and what should or should not be trusted - this view and way of deciding is thanks to the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (original sin). We were designed to fully trust God and retain a ruling authority on earth through our position in Him, which we gain again through our position in Christ by trusting Him - Who He is, what He says and what He does. The lie of the enemy got Eve to question her position in God - "You surely will not die", this created a wedge between her and God through distrust and was amplified by her soul's desire for the "God-sight" it promised and her body's desire for the good fruit to eat. The death that ensued was of the spirit, not the soul or body, in fact these forcibly inherited a toxic freedom to dwell outside of God. Our trust in the work of Christ converts our spirit from death to life and our soul is saved from reacting to our "born into" fallen nature. In Christ we have the fullest justification, not by works so that none can boast. Blame gone, shame gone, comparisons gone, high and lofty thoughts and vein imaginations gone - our heart leaves wickedness and becomes good. Now we merely work out daily our salvation through the active trust found in the reviving of our spirit and its oneness with Holy Spirit ("according to the power that works within us"). While we were still sinners Christ died, while we still could do nothing but react to our falleness, He died to redeem us fully back to our original design and communion in Him. He truly has done work "far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think", and he need not die again for any darkness still squatting in our tormented soul, for as we work out daily the salvation through trust we exchange the deadness and darkness for Life and Light. To Him be the glory forever and ever indeed!
We pray for Your life and light to completely penetrate the death and darkness that our child was born into until all is fully exchanged through Your awesome redemption. We know the plan of redemption You have for our family and we honor You for it with our deepest thanks and highest praise for all You have done Jesus. We pray that no high and lofty thought will keep our child from recognizing that justification is complete in You and there is no need to compare, judge, blame or hide in shame anymore. The reactions of our soul have been defeated by Your Spirit's leading and we declare the same will soon happen for our child. You are truly everything to us Lord!
Friday, August 10, 2012
Helpfulness
Helpfulness
"For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it (1 Corinthians 9:19-23 NASB)."
Definition (adjective): giving or rendering aid or assistance; of service (Dictionary.com).
Actual or perceived needs are met or attempted to be met through helpfulness in a measured plan of attack or in openness to respond when an opportunity to serve or to help arises. When helpfulness meets an actual need there is usually a response of thankfulness and gratitude. There are needs we try to meet that we perceive to be real or pressing, but may not be. In fact, the ones in perceived need may not even want help, so to such aid and helpfulness a response of ungratefulness, surprise, or annoyance and irritation - "I didn't need (or want) your help." or "What, you didn't think I could do it myself?" There are many ex-helpers around to suggest that we are not always prudent in our helpfulness. We may not even always be selfless in our helpfulness, like we noticed could be a trap in our caring for others. Helpers motivated by unconditional outward care stay helpers longer and with less bitterness or unforgiveness than self centered helpers who require thanks or reciprocation for aid. With us living inside out instead of outside in, we can let go of ourselves enough to reach anyone, even if it means adjusting or changing like Paul did to save some.
Prayers: We pray our child will be moved in spirit to help others selflessly; and move by Your Spirit for the timing and ways to help. Your timing is perfect and Your nature is unparalleled, and it is Your ways that we desire our child to follow. May our child learn to not hold tight to reputation, but be willing to become all things for all men, at Your leading, to save some and encourage many into a personal connection with You for full redemption. We ask for Your strength and help to show and fully reveal Your true nature Father as we remain in Christ and walk by Your Spirit as individual parts of a whole body. We honor You for the provision and supply and are grateful for our place of stewardship to jointly supply strength to Your body by Your grace.
"For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it (1 Corinthians 9:19-23 NASB)."
Definition (adjective): giving or rendering aid or assistance; of service (Dictionary.com).
Actual or perceived needs are met or attempted to be met through helpfulness in a measured plan of attack or in openness to respond when an opportunity to serve or to help arises. When helpfulness meets an actual need there is usually a response of thankfulness and gratitude. There are needs we try to meet that we perceive to be real or pressing, but may not be. In fact, the ones in perceived need may not even want help, so to such aid and helpfulness a response of ungratefulness, surprise, or annoyance and irritation - "I didn't need (or want) your help." or "What, you didn't think I could do it myself?" There are many ex-helpers around to suggest that we are not always prudent in our helpfulness. We may not even always be selfless in our helpfulness, like we noticed could be a trap in our caring for others. Helpers motivated by unconditional outward care stay helpers longer and with less bitterness or unforgiveness than self centered helpers who require thanks or reciprocation for aid. With us living inside out instead of outside in, we can let go of ourselves enough to reach anyone, even if it means adjusting or changing like Paul did to save some.
Prayers: We pray our child will be moved in spirit to help others selflessly; and move by Your Spirit for the timing and ways to help. Your timing is perfect and Your nature is unparalleled, and it is Your ways that we desire our child to follow. May our child learn to not hold tight to reputation, but be willing to become all things for all men, at Your leading, to save some and encourage many into a personal connection with You for full redemption. We ask for Your strength and help to show and fully reveal Your true nature Father as we remain in Christ and walk by Your Spirit as individual parts of a whole body. We honor You for the provision and supply and are grateful for our place of stewardship to jointly supply strength to Your body by Your grace.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Caring
Caring
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:9‐12 NASB).”
"So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full (Matthew 6:2 NASB)."
"Then you shall celebrate the Feast of Weeks to the LORD your God with a tribute of a freewill offering of your hand, which you shall give just as the LORD your God blesses you (Dueteronomy 16:10 NASB)."
"This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain (Hebrews 12:27 NASB)."
Definition (Verb): have thought or regard; to be concerned; to make provision or look out for; to have an inclination, liking, fondness, or affection; to feel concern about; to wish, desire, like (Dictionary.com).
When we care for others we are stirred to help them and show them we care. Help without caring is selfishly motivated: duty without caring for others can make us help others while only caring about being faithful to our duty - think of the customer service rep who continues to talk to a colleague while cashiering, never looking at or talking to a customer (duty without caring for others). We must love as Christ loved to remain sacrificial in our caring and not risk misinterpreting self centered duty as neighborly love. The only way to aim well is to care for others in the nature of God. An aim for reward and recognition are typical tells of a self centered motivation, though God delivers many if/then promises in the Bible for us to pursue His heart and His kingdom purposes in the earth: if we give He will bless or when He blesses we are to give for instance. Also, if we give frequently or spontaneously to family, friends or to an unknown person in need especially, it may be difficult to hide our faces from gaining visible recognition. The main intent of our giving should be to give because the Lord has given to us. Adam and Eve were gardeners and stewards with an authority given by God to rule, change and tend the Earth. At the fall man chose to do things alone - without God. This fallen way is still available to man: doing things on our own for ourselves; but so is the way of redemption through Christ: doing things with God - that which we were originally intended for. Everything but allowing the caring nature of God to live through us will eventually be shaken in this life or burned up in transition to the next, so we have every reason to remain in Christ in that which we steward, tend, create and do and we have no reason to cling to the fallen old nature that will remain.
Prayers: We pray our child will have a touchable and responsive heart to Your Spirit's leading: always carrying Your nature and allowing it to be fully expressed outwardly. If cares of the world and any selfish nature rise up to compete with Your glory and goodness we pray our child would war with them by standing firm and by casting off the old nature that tries to remain and casting up to You all cares of this world that try to enter in. We desire You to be the main response and reflection of our child. We desire to be models of this and so access Your grace to live redeemed as You originally intended us to with fullness in Christ. We pave the way in Jesus' name with this intercession to see our child enter Your desired place of wholeness in Christ. MAY IT BE SO! For the victory is and always will be Yours.
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:9‐12 NASB).”
"So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full (Matthew 6:2 NASB)."
"Then you shall celebrate the Feast of Weeks to the LORD your God with a tribute of a freewill offering of your hand, which you shall give just as the LORD your God blesses you (Dueteronomy 16:10 NASB)."
"This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain (Hebrews 12:27 NASB)."
Definition (Verb): have thought or regard; to be concerned; to make provision or look out for; to have an inclination, liking, fondness, or affection; to feel concern about; to wish, desire, like (Dictionary.com).
When we care for others we are stirred to help them and show them we care. Help without caring is selfishly motivated: duty without caring for others can make us help others while only caring about being faithful to our duty - think of the customer service rep who continues to talk to a colleague while cashiering, never looking at or talking to a customer (duty without caring for others). We must love as Christ loved to remain sacrificial in our caring and not risk misinterpreting self centered duty as neighborly love. The only way to aim well is to care for others in the nature of God. An aim for reward and recognition are typical tells of a self centered motivation, though God delivers many if/then promises in the Bible for us to pursue His heart and His kingdom purposes in the earth: if we give He will bless or when He blesses we are to give for instance. Also, if we give frequently or spontaneously to family, friends or to an unknown person in need especially, it may be difficult to hide our faces from gaining visible recognition. The main intent of our giving should be to give because the Lord has given to us. Adam and Eve were gardeners and stewards with an authority given by God to rule, change and tend the Earth. At the fall man chose to do things alone - without God. This fallen way is still available to man: doing things on our own for ourselves; but so is the way of redemption through Christ: doing things with God - that which we were originally intended for. Everything but allowing the caring nature of God to live through us will eventually be shaken in this life or burned up in transition to the next, so we have every reason to remain in Christ in that which we steward, tend, create and do and we have no reason to cling to the fallen old nature that will remain.
Prayers: We pray our child will have a touchable and responsive heart to Your Spirit's leading: always carrying Your nature and allowing it to be fully expressed outwardly. If cares of the world and any selfish nature rise up to compete with Your glory and goodness we pray our child would war with them by standing firm and by casting off the old nature that tries to remain and casting up to You all cares of this world that try to enter in. We desire You to be the main response and reflection of our child. We desire to be models of this and so access Your grace to live redeemed as You originally intended us to with fullness in Christ. We pave the way in Jesus' name with this intercession to see our child enter Your desired place of wholeness in Christ. MAY IT BE SO! For the victory is and always will be Yours.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Obedience
Obedience
“Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:23 NASB).”
"Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner (John 5:19 NASB)."
"Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner (John 5:19 NASB)."
Definition: The state or quality of being obedient; the act or practice of obeying; dutiful or submissive compliance (Dictionary.com).
We do not need to sacrifice to meet any of God’s needs and our sacrifices for appeasement and salvation are never sufficient, only the sacrifice of Jesus is - so obedience is better than sacrifice. Obedience is more than compliance it is dutiful or submissive compliance. Obedience represents a proper heart attitude that mere rule following cannot completely express. Let us be wary of seeking a renown reputation: in so seeking we may allow man's estimations to ultimately dictate what should or should not be done, thus damaging our capacity to follow Christ as He followed the Father.
May we model such an obedient life for our child, please help us to be commited to Your Way above all other ways no matter the pressure to aspire to so called political or social "correctness". As for our family - the standard You set is all the correctness we want to aspire to.
Thank Your for Your help and many blessings.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Sacrifice
Sacrifice
”Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus (Phillipians 2:3-5 NASB),…”
“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13 NASB).”
“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship (Romans 12:1 NASB).”
Definition: Sacrifice - The offering of animal, plant, or human life or of some material possession to a deity, as in propitiation or homage; the person, animal, or thing so offered; the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim; the thing so surrendered or devoted; to make a sacrifice or offering of; to surrender or give up, or permit injury or disadvantage to, for the sake of something else (Dictionary.com).
In sacrifice we lay aside our wants and needs for the purpose of elevating others. This elevation can be situational or a lifestyle; when we lift others in aide and encouragement we honor God. Real, true sacrifice is rare. When we really give sacrificially we: give up time until we become inconvenienced; we give up desires so those of another can be met; we give up resources until the ability to meet personal needs is questioned; we give up personal security to aid others who are in trouble or who are in dangerous places; we may also give up life to save life – we don’t wait until we have extra to give, we give in a time of need and we give until it hurts.
We surrender this baby and pregnancy to You and Your will, and thank You for Your help and blessings. If anyone sacrifices something for our child, we pray our baby will be grateful. May gratefulness and sacrifice be part of our lifestyle, not just in consideration, but in action, until our child receives and recognizes the habit and in turn behaves responsibly in gratefulness, and responsively to pass on and share with others even until it hurts.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Child of God, Mission and Inheritance
Child of God, Mission and Inheritance
“…in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:21-22 NASB).”
“…but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love (Ephesians 4:15-17 NASB).”
“The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me (John 17:22-23 NASB).”
Mission - an operational task, usually assigned by a higher headquarters; an operation designed to carry out the goals of a specific program
Inheritance - To take or receive (property, a right, a title, etc.) by succession or will, as an heir; to receive (a genetic character) by the transmission of hereditary factors; to succeed (a person) as heir; to receive as one's portion; come into possession of. To take or receive property or the like by virtue of being heir to it; to receive qualities, powers, duties, etc., as by inheritance (followed by from); to have succession as heir (Dictionary.com).
We are children of God: God grafts us into His holy family, making us sons and co-inheritors with Christ. We are on a mission: as new creations we follow Christ in death, resurrection and ascension to heavenly life. He reconciles and mediates for us and through Him we become ministers of reconciliation to others. God qualifies us as we hear His word and obey, then we gain His perspective and keep our innate moral intuition clear of foolish reasoning. We cast every concern on God until we are left with pure abundant and unhindered life; we cast down sin, worldly desires and pharisaical leaven that lead to death. We strengthen ourselves by adding excellence, knowledge and self control to our faith, then God builds on that momentum through personal ministry and refinement until we effectively reflect His image in godliness. Then we use our strength in faith and our devine inner deposit to boldly minister to others through brotherly kindness, truth and love. We aim toward sharing in divine inheritance: after the newly redeemed choose to have trust in Christ, by God's grace in discipleship we connect our strengths to their weaknesses and encourage them to cast their cares to God and allow Him to minister to them and bring renewed life to the journey that adds to their faith. Once strengthened in character and belief we connect our strengths to their strengths and begin to build the corporate identity in Christ. Bearing God’s image and Love, cultivating His kingdom to advance His glory on earth and dwelling with Him eternally was always the creation plan and by means of reconciliation through Christ it is still the plan. We are children of God, on a mission and His inheritance is at hand.
Prayers: We surrender our child to You and Your will, and thank You for Your help and blessings. We know Your creation plan and promise. Our goals are to portray Your glory, discuss Your sovereignty firmly and frequently and express the importance of seeking first Your kingdom and righteousness to see them advance in and from our lives. We add to our faith excellence, knowledge and self control to be like You and show Your true glory, kindness and love. Your grace to us through our faith is amazing and complete, but we never want to let our faith make excuses for lack of excellence, ignorance, poor self control or any misrepresentation of You. We submit ourselves to Your ministry and mission and ask that our child be inspired by us or by other strong believers to do the same.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Appearance
Appearance
Definition: The state, condition, manner, or style in which a person or object appears; outward look or aspect.
Caring for ourselves physically and grooming ourselves is only important to man. Bearing this in mind, we should view appearance in perspective to what is most important. Outside of necessary hygiene, every adornment and display or makeup of our physical bodies is strictly physical and so appeals only to physical people; but the LORD looks at the heart - and He is looking for a heart that is completely His. Occasionally primping will gain us favor on Earth: with future bosses, future mates, even gaining credibility as a leader, but God looks past these things and grants favor to us based on our internal display of things like devotion, integrity and true surrender. Things are not always as they appear, God only knows, but let's endeavor to be consistent inside and out.
Prayers: We pray our child will have the proper perspective on appearance, always knowing what matters most to You.
We pray good habits in cleanliness will arise, but any worry or obsession of looks will subside. We need Your help to offer a proper balance and support of appearance since we are far out of plumb ourselves.
Thank You for Your mercy to move beyond fear and worry and thank You for Your grace to be strong and capably aware of all that concerns You. Your help is most welcomed and desired, we cherish Your guidance and long to be more like You for the sake of our child.
"Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7 NASB)."
Definition: The state, condition, manner, or style in which a person or object appears; outward look or aspect.
Caring for ourselves physically and grooming ourselves is only important to man. Bearing this in mind, we should view appearance in perspective to what is most important. Outside of necessary hygiene, every adornment and display or makeup of our physical bodies is strictly physical and so appeals only to physical people; but the LORD looks at the heart - and He is looking for a heart that is completely His. Occasionally primping will gain us favor on Earth: with future bosses, future mates, even gaining credibility as a leader, but God looks past these things and grants favor to us based on our internal display of things like devotion, integrity and true surrender. Things are not always as they appear, God only knows, but let's endeavor to be consistent inside and out.
Prayers: We pray our child will have the proper perspective on appearance, always knowing what matters most to You.
We pray good habits in cleanliness will arise, but any worry or obsession of looks will subside. We need Your help to offer a proper balance and support of appearance since we are far out of plumb ourselves.
Thank You for Your mercy to move beyond fear and worry and thank You for Your grace to be strong and capably aware of all that concerns You. Your help is most welcomed and desired, we cherish Your guidance and long to be more like You for the sake of our child.
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