Measuring
My husband and I led an Adult Sunday School class last week in which we studied the mind of Man and its functions. In describing one function the Bible uses the words “compare”, or “measure” (2 Cor 10:12), depending on the translation. It is how we judge or discern things, and upon this function we decide whether to continue with what we are doing, or to change. Today the Lord picked up on the topic of measuring again, only this time it was in the context of the Church. The scripture was Rev 11:1, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar and count the worshipers there.” In this scripture the Lord is measuring the temple, which we are. In bringing this scripture the Lord also related the word “measure” to Eph 4:13; there is a measure to which we are to grow up into, and that is the measure of the full stature of Christ. Though we individually are measured by God, the Body of Christ, His Church, is also measured by God.
After this the Lord quoted from Rev 3:1 & 2. “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.” What the Lord began bringing across my spirit is that there is a trend in which the Church is beginning to focus on the reputation that works bring. A reputation is the result of a measurement of Man. The Church is being tempted to want something visible to measure their success against; something that can be measured or counted by themselves and by others. When this happens, the true content of our walk of faith begins to die. If we want a reputation more than a walk with our Lord, we will not measure up to His full stature.
Why would we be tempted to measure ourselves and fall into such error? One reason is that satan, our adversary sows seeds of distrust towards God, causing us to feel left out of His blessings and full intentions for everyone else. Another reason is that our spirits lust to envy (Jms 4:5), and this is a hard habit to break. We see it in the world as the “competitive spirit”, which causes men to get ahead. We see it in the Church as boasting about numbers and projects accomplished. In the world men measure themselves against each other and determine their success by such things as growth, numbers, and reproduction. People become impersonal commodities to them. But we are not to have this kind of pride. It is called “pride of life” (1 Jn 2:16).
God wants to measure us by His Son, Jesus. That is the standard we are to have, and the growth we should want to attain to. We are measured with a rod, which is mentioned again in Rev 21:15 as is golden. It has been tried in the fire and proven pure and valuable. He is called “Worthy”, the standard by which all men will be measured. I believe the Lord’s intention in bringing this word today is to call us all to lay down all that we want to accomplish in Him, except what He has called us to. He has His eye on His own and is building the Church up into the stature of His Son, Jesus Christ. Together with Him we will accomplish the works appointed to us. And He will not disappoint us. Amen.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
individual love
This morning while getting ready for work the Lord spoke something that got my guard up, and I questioned whether it was Him indeed that spoke to me. The conversation began, “I have loved no one like I love you.” Though I know my Lord loves me, I wouldn’t expect Him to exalt His love of me over another. “How can this be?” I blurted out in disbelief. Then the Lord gave me understanding, and a lesson I want to share with you.
“I love you with an individual love. It takes on a personality of its own,” He continued. He brought to mind the passage of scripture wherein Jesus comforts His disciples by saying, “In My Father’s house there are many mansions (some translations say “rooms”)” (Jn 14:2). Jesus further states that He is going there to prepare a place for us. God’s individual love for us contains an individual preparation for each one of us. Sometimes we think we should all be in one big room, but God had created us each unique, with differing needs and callings. He has preserved His purpose for our uniqueness in combining various different parts (people) all into one body. Each person has his or her own calling, and works appointed to them individually, even before the world began. And so, God loves us like He loves no one else, not because we are more special to Him, but because His love is fitted to whom He created us to be.
The next scripture the Lord brought to mind was 2 Cor 10:12, which speaks about “measuring” ourselves against each other. The Lord told me that we cannot look at another Christian’s life and think we know how much God loves them, for we don’t know His plan for them. If it appears that they have more favor, we might think He loves them more than us. By comparing our lives with the lives of others we “err”. God puts into each one of our lives what He does because He loves us. We have to allow Him to treat us each as individuals and not be offended if our brother seems to be getting ahead of us.
As a parent, I have loved each of my children like no other, for they are unique and each one is special in his or her own way. In the past I have found fault with the way I showed love, not treating all my children the same. Now I see that we shouldn't expect our heavenly Father to treat us the same either, and that we can only know His love for us on an individual basis, one-on-one. He designed us that way.
“I love you with an individual love. It takes on a personality of its own,” He continued. He brought to mind the passage of scripture wherein Jesus comforts His disciples by saying, “In My Father’s house there are many mansions (some translations say “rooms”)” (Jn 14:2). Jesus further states that He is going there to prepare a place for us. God’s individual love for us contains an individual preparation for each one of us. Sometimes we think we should all be in one big room, but God had created us each unique, with differing needs and callings. He has preserved His purpose for our uniqueness in combining various different parts (people) all into one body. Each person has his or her own calling, and works appointed to them individually, even before the world began. And so, God loves us like He loves no one else, not because we are more special to Him, but because His love is fitted to whom He created us to be.
The next scripture the Lord brought to mind was 2 Cor 10:12, which speaks about “measuring” ourselves against each other. The Lord told me that we cannot look at another Christian’s life and think we know how much God loves them, for we don’t know His plan for them. If it appears that they have more favor, we might think He loves them more than us. By comparing our lives with the lives of others we “err”. God puts into each one of our lives what He does because He loves us. We have to allow Him to treat us each as individuals and not be offended if our brother seems to be getting ahead of us.
As a parent, I have loved each of my children like no other, for they are unique and each one is special in his or her own way. In the past I have found fault with the way I showed love, not treating all my children the same. Now I see that we shouldn't expect our heavenly Father to treat us the same either, and that we can only know His love for us on an individual basis, one-on-one. He designed us that way.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Life is a Dance
Life is like a Dance
This morning I was talking with the Lord about the many things I am waiting on Him for; areas that need His intervention or guidance. When He began to speak, He said “Life is like a dance. I teach you the steps, bring the song with its cadence and rhyme, and you learn to follow Me.” This lesson followed our conversation;
Learning how to dance all begins like a father holding the hand of his toddler. The child cannot walk without his father’s assistance, and feels secure hand-in-hand. But if the child is to learn to one day be like his father, he must walk on his own. Then I can teach him to dance.
To walk on his own, a child separates from his father’s hand and imitates his father’s steps. It is a stage of increasing independence. The child looks at his father’s face for approval and acceptance. He soon learns that, even when he walks into other rooms of the house, his father is still there. He is ready to learn more of his father’s ways
One day the father plays music for his child. The music quickens the child’s heart and causes the feet and body to sway and move. The father then steps up to his child and says, “Here. Let me teach you to dance.” The father teaches the child the steps and how to be sensitive to his leading. With practice the child becomes a graceful talented dancer. As people come into his life he asks them if they know how to dance. If so, he enjoys a good dance with them. And if not, and they’re willing, he teaches them how to dance, for he knows the steps that his father taught him.
This story is about the stages we grow in, becoming like our heavenly Father. In the beginning we wouldn’t take a step without Him. Our security is found in holding on to Him. Then we learn to look at His face. We read about God’s ways in His scripture and realize He is all around us. Later we begin to recognize the quickening of His Spirit in our hearts. We learn to follow His leading and the gentle rhythms of God’s soul. This becomes exciting to us for it brings out our talents, and we look for ways to share them.
God teaches us how to take our baby steps so that we will one day learn to walk on our own. And He teaches us to dance so that we will dance with others. We would miss much joy if we did not let go and learn to trust the steps He leads us in. He will not always direct our every step, but rather, we will hear His voice as we walk, confirming the way we are going (Is 30:21).
This morning I was talking with the Lord about the many things I am waiting on Him for; areas that need His intervention or guidance. When He began to speak, He said “Life is like a dance. I teach you the steps, bring the song with its cadence and rhyme, and you learn to follow Me.” This lesson followed our conversation;
Learning how to dance all begins like a father holding the hand of his toddler. The child cannot walk without his father’s assistance, and feels secure hand-in-hand. But if the child is to learn to one day be like his father, he must walk on his own. Then I can teach him to dance.
To walk on his own, a child separates from his father’s hand and imitates his father’s steps. It is a stage of increasing independence. The child looks at his father’s face for approval and acceptance. He soon learns that, even when he walks into other rooms of the house, his father is still there. He is ready to learn more of his father’s ways
One day the father plays music for his child. The music quickens the child’s heart and causes the feet and body to sway and move. The father then steps up to his child and says, “Here. Let me teach you to dance.” The father teaches the child the steps and how to be sensitive to his leading. With practice the child becomes a graceful talented dancer. As people come into his life he asks them if they know how to dance. If so, he enjoys a good dance with them. And if not, and they’re willing, he teaches them how to dance, for he knows the steps that his father taught him.
This story is about the stages we grow in, becoming like our heavenly Father. In the beginning we wouldn’t take a step without Him. Our security is found in holding on to Him. Then we learn to look at His face. We read about God’s ways in His scripture and realize He is all around us. Later we begin to recognize the quickening of His Spirit in our hearts. We learn to follow His leading and the gentle rhythms of God’s soul. This becomes exciting to us for it brings out our talents, and we look for ways to share them.
God teaches us how to take our baby steps so that we will one day learn to walk on our own. And He teaches us to dance so that we will dance with others. We would miss much joy if we did not let go and learn to trust the steps He leads us in. He will not always direct our every step, but rather, we will hear His voice as we walk, confirming the way we are going (Is 30:21).
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
safety
There have been many ministries and individual ministers who have spoken about safety in Jesus. I want to address this issue today. To determine whether or not we are safe, we have to know the times and the circumstances we live in. In the natural, we live in a free country, America. But realistically speaking, we do have theives, murderers, and people who destroy things in our society. In the spiritual we have angels that watch over us, plus the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives. But realistically speaking, there are demons, and satan himself, who according to Jesus are present in our lives to "steal, kill, and destroy." (Jn 10:10) Is satan stronger than Jesus? No. Is satan able to affect our lives? According to Jesus, yes.
We as Jesus' followers have been given a lot of power and authority. Some people are saying that satan does not have power to harm us under certain circumstances. For what then do we need the authority and the power given us? Or better yet, whom do we have to overcome, if satan is no harm to us? Another question that comes to mind is, if we are safe from harm when we abide in Him (Jesus)then why were Paul and the Apostles harmed? Will there ever be a time in our lives when we can say we have arrived, if Paul said himself that he could not say that? (Phil 3:12)
I believe that the teachers who are speaking about our safety mean well, but their lessons and prophecies are not bearing the weight of scriptural comparison. Let us look at the book of Revelation, Chapter 12, where war is seen in the heavens. This is a war which we see around the birth of one who has the spirit of Prophecy, and whose brothers and sisters also have the spirit of Prophecy. It is an important birth that God is giving the Church a glimps of, for the Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of Prophecy. During this birth there is war in the heavens which continues on down to the earth as satan is cast down. Where is the safety mentioned here? There is overcoming mentioned, in the blood of the Lamb and in the word of their testimony, who love not thier lives unto death. But we don't read about the safety of God's people here. We read that they overcome.
What times do we live in, and what are our circumstances? To answer this questions I would like to tell you about an incident that happened almost 6 years ago. Under very strange cirmcumstances two faithful servants of God were in a car accident, one severely hurt. This jarred my sense of security and I asked the Lord how the accident could have happened, as I thought surely He protects His people. He answered me that night in a dream. In the dream I saw satan on the earth, like a large beast full of stars, and with a tail that swept the night sky, tossing stars to the ground. There was war in heaven and some of the fighter planes sent parachuters down to the earth. They were not harmed by the darkness nor the stars hurled to the earth and were sent to help fight against the beast.
After this dream I understood that the times we now live in are those of Revelation 12, and satan has been cast out of the heavens. He is angry because he knows his time is short. Even the symbolic mother of the one born with the spirit of Prophecy fled away from him. But if we who have the spirit of prophecy can overcome him then let's do so. Let's not hold onto a false sense of safety but onto every word that comes out of Jesus' mouth. We were warned that people would be saying "peace and safety" when it was not to be (1 Thess 5:3). God will prepare us to overcome our enemy, and lead us to vicory. Let us put our trust in Him. Amen.
We as Jesus' followers have been given a lot of power and authority. Some people are saying that satan does not have power to harm us under certain circumstances. For what then do we need the authority and the power given us? Or better yet, whom do we have to overcome, if satan is no harm to us? Another question that comes to mind is, if we are safe from harm when we abide in Him (Jesus)then why were Paul and the Apostles harmed? Will there ever be a time in our lives when we can say we have arrived, if Paul said himself that he could not say that? (Phil 3:12)
I believe that the teachers who are speaking about our safety mean well, but their lessons and prophecies are not bearing the weight of scriptural comparison. Let us look at the book of Revelation, Chapter 12, where war is seen in the heavens. This is a war which we see around the birth of one who has the spirit of Prophecy, and whose brothers and sisters also have the spirit of Prophecy. It is an important birth that God is giving the Church a glimps of, for the Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of Prophecy. During this birth there is war in the heavens which continues on down to the earth as satan is cast down. Where is the safety mentioned here? There is overcoming mentioned, in the blood of the Lamb and in the word of their testimony, who love not thier lives unto death. But we don't read about the safety of God's people here. We read that they overcome.
What times do we live in, and what are our circumstances? To answer this questions I would like to tell you about an incident that happened almost 6 years ago. Under very strange cirmcumstances two faithful servants of God were in a car accident, one severely hurt. This jarred my sense of security and I asked the Lord how the accident could have happened, as I thought surely He protects His people. He answered me that night in a dream. In the dream I saw satan on the earth, like a large beast full of stars, and with a tail that swept the night sky, tossing stars to the ground. There was war in heaven and some of the fighter planes sent parachuters down to the earth. They were not harmed by the darkness nor the stars hurled to the earth and were sent to help fight against the beast.
After this dream I understood that the times we now live in are those of Revelation 12, and satan has been cast out of the heavens. He is angry because he knows his time is short. Even the symbolic mother of the one born with the spirit of Prophecy fled away from him. But if we who have the spirit of prophecy can overcome him then let's do so. Let's not hold onto a false sense of safety but onto every word that comes out of Jesus' mouth. We were warned that people would be saying "peace and safety" when it was not to be (1 Thess 5:3). God will prepare us to overcome our enemy, and lead us to vicory. Let us put our trust in Him. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
