To Know Him More: July 2007

Sunday, July 1, 2007

You are loved

This note is for all of you who are having these type of thoughts:

I feel as though God has forgotten me.

I feel like God isn't there for me any more.

I feel so all alone.

Nobody loves me.

What am I doing here anyway?

Why am I even alive?

I wish I could just die.

Dear precious child, you are not alone.

You are not forsaken or forgotten.

He will never leave you or forsake you.

He is with you always.

His eye is ever upon you.

God loves you with an everlasting love.

He sent His Son to die- for you.

And do you know what?

I love you too;

I really do.

Even though I may not know you and may never see you,

I love you.

God has a plan for your life.

Your life does count;

it counts immensely!

We need you here on this earth.

That's why you're here.

Your life has made a difference.

You are important to me and most of all to God.

You are a special, unique creation of God.

Your life is not an accident.

Be blessed and rest in His love today.

Somebody who loves you,

Holly

How is a disciple of Jesus Christ supposed to grow spiritually?

Is the right Bible translation the answer?

How about good teaching?

Does a perfect environment promote growth?

Well, the correct answer is: a perfect environment.

But I'm not referring to a Christian community or full time ministry.

I'm speaking of being tapped into The Perfect One.

Jesus said:

I am the Vine, you are the branches.
He who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit;
Apart from Me, you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

We don't have to try and grow.

We don't have to try and be a branch.

We don't even have to try and be a better branch!

We can simply just BE a branch!

Glory!

The Perfect One, the Perfect Vine does the growing!

He feeds us.

He digs around us.

He prunes us.

And yes He even fertilizes us!

We are able to sit in the sunshine of His indwelling presence and GROW!

We are then able to produce the peaceful fruit of righteousness;

luscious, life giving fruit to feed the nations!

That my dear friends is the abundant LIFE!

That is the easy yoke that He told us about.

That is the yoke we've been looking for;

the yoke that we knew must exist

but has seemed so hard to find!

That is the mystery of mysteries revealed.

Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Christ in you and you in Him is your hope of growth.

Apart from Him, you can do nothing.

Beloved, Do Not Be Surprised

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you which comes upon you for your testing as though some strange thing were happening to you; (1Pe 4:12)

I thank God for this verse.

I think of it often.

Fiery ordeals, pressures, afflictions, trials and tribulations are not strange.

I need them and so do you.

My first reaction may sometimes be, “Stop! Go away!”

But then I remember that I must be refined.

I must not shrink back but rather lean into troubles as one leans into a strong wind.

We must let problems and tests do their purifying work.

We must let them blow the chaff away.

Many verses speak of being pressed by troubles and tribulation.

Here are a few:

…through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

(Act 14:22)

In the world you have tribulation: but take courage; I have overcome the world. (Joh 16:33)

For indeed, when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; so it came to pass, as you know. (1Th 3:4)

Lies and doubts often come and try to tell us that if God ‘really” loved us then He wouldn't allow all these "bad" things to happen.

Don't believe the lies.

God knows exactly what we need and when we need it.

He knows the best way to bring about His glory in our lives.

Don't put up a fight- God will have His way.

I will leave you with a poem I came across this week by Louise S. Pridgeon:

Pressed out of measure and pressed to all length,
Pressed so intensely it seems beyond strength;
Pressed in the body and pressed in the soul,
Pressed in the mind till the dark surges roll.
Pressed from foes, and a pressure from friends,
Pressure on pressure, till life nearly ends.
Pressed into knowing no helper but God;
Pressed into loving the staff and the rod.
Pressed into liberty where nothing clings;
Pressed into faith for impossible things.
Pressed into living a life for the Lord,
Pressed into living a Christ -life out poured!

Living water!

~ He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (Joh 7:38) ~

Come! Receive of the Water of Life without cost!

When we believe on Him, we can be filled with His Spirit.

When something is full, it can overflow!

Watch out! You might get wet!

I WANT to get wet! Do you?

I want you to be so filled with God that when I'm hearing you speak and watching your life, I'll have the refreshing water of Life splash all over me!

Will you pray for me today?

Will you pray that I might be filled to overflowing with Him?

I'll pray for you too.

Ho! If you're thirsty- come to the water!

Are you willing to come?

"You search the scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me; and you are unwilling to come to me that you may have life." (John 5:39-40)

The Pharisees of Jesus day spent much time studying the scriptures. They thought they had everything all figured out! But they didn't recognize Jesus when He appeared. How sad! They didn't recognize Him because they didn't know the Father. They thought they knew the scriptures. But knowing the scriptures was not enough for them and it's not enough for us. We cannot have a relationship with the scriptures. Are we willing to go to Jesus that we might have life? that we might have a relationship with the Author of the scriptures?

Jesus said and did only what he saw the Father doing. He was one with Him, He knew Him and we can be one with Him and know Him too! Let's not seek after head knowledge only lest we also miss His appearing.

Life!

New life!
New life!
That's what He's given me!

LIFE!

I am filled with thoughts of His life this morning!

His written word is filled with words about life...

The Good Shepherd gave His life for me!

And because of that I have passed from death unto life!

I have life everlasting- that's eternal life!

I have rivers of life flowing out of me!

He is the Bread of life!

He came that I might have life and life more abundantly!

Because I follow Him, I have the light of life!

That means I can shine!

He has made known to me the ways of life!

Me!? Yes, me- and you!

I shall be saved by His life and reign in life!

I have the newness of life! (We’re not talkin’ old!)

I can hold forth the word of life and speak words of life!

And if you know Him, you can too.

Receive of His life today! There's NOTHING better than Him!

Being built up together

Wherefore comfort yourselves together
and edify one another, even as also ye do. (1Th 5:11)

The Father's desire is to see you built up and edified.
As I walk with the Lord and feel Him making me yield to Him,
I also feel Him wanting to build you up through me.
How can I let Him do that?
Is it through practice, skill or training?
Is there a class we can take to learn how to edify one another?
No.
The only way we can edify one another is through knowing God and having the Holy Spirit of God within us!
His Spirit in you- Christ in you- is the hope of glory and it is our hope of edifying one another too.
It's part of being His temple and His body.

Does edification come through what I say?
Maybe.
Does edification come from what I do?
Maybe.
It all depends on what the Father is doing.
It's so good.
It's so simple.
He fills us.
We live life to the fullest.
He lives through us.
We become edified.

Be built up my brethren!
We are being built up together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit! (Eph. 2:22)

Life Changing Scriptures

Turn to me and be saved all ye ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself. The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness and will not turn back, that to me every knee will bow, every tounge will swear allegiance. (Isaiah 45:22-23)
The Lord's lovingkindess indeed never ceases. For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. (Lam. 3:22-23)
For the Lord will not reject forever, for if He causes grief then He will have compassion according to His abundant lovingkindness. (Lam 3: 31-32)
And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)
And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. (Luke 3:6)
The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)
In Him was life and the life was the light of men. (John 1:4)
There was the true light which coming into the world, enlightens every man. (John 1:9)
Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am." (John 8:58)
Jesus said to him, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me. (John 14: 6)
"I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture." (John 10:9)
"I am the Vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)
No one can come to me, unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, 'AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to me. (John 6:44-45)
Again Jesus therefore spoke to them saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me shall not walk in the darkness , but shall have the light of life." (John 8:12)
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." (John 6:35)
"If any man is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. "He who believes in Me, as the scripture said, 'From his inermost being shall flow rivers of living water.' " (John 7:37-38)
Jesus answered and said to her, "everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." (John 4:13-14)
"I am the good Shepherd; the good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." (John 10: 11)
What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety- nine in the open pasture, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? (Luke 14:4)
But He turned and rebuked them and said, "You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. (Luke 9:55-56)
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. (John 10:27-28)
"Fear not, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32)
"Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; abide in my love." (John 15:9)
..."If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free." (John 8: 31-32)
"If therefore the Son of man shall make you free, you shall be free indeed." (John 8:36)
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26)
"But an hour is coming and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:23-24)
"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life." (John 6:63)
All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son, except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. (Matthew 11:27)
Come to me, all who are weary and heavy- laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my load is light." ( Matt.11:28-30)
"If anyone loves me, he will keep my word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him. (John 14:23)
"O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known; that the love wherewith You did love Me may be in them, and I in them." (John 17: 25-26)
"In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. (John 14:20)
But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)
But when He, the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. (John 16: 13)
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of Truth Whom the world cannot receive because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you. (John 14:16-17)
Now judgement is upon this world; now the ruler of this world shall be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself. (John 12:31-32)
"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes and they will condemn Him to death and will deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him and on the third day He will be raised up." (Matt. 20:18-19)
And when they came to the place called the skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23: 33-34)
...Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures and that He was buried and that He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures, (1 Cor. 15:3-4)
This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim. 2:4)
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor. 5:21)
and he died for all that they who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. (2 Cor. 5:15)
He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things. (Eph. 4:10)
For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11: 36)
And He is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities- all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the church; and He is the beginning, the first born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fulness to dwell in Him and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. (Col. 1:15-20)
So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. (Romans 5:18)
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. (1 Cor. 15:22)
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of the Father. (Phil. 2:10-11)
Therefore I make known to you, that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus is accursed'; and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit. (1Cor. 12:3)
But now we have been released from the law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter. (Romans 7:6)
I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, that is the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations; but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the gentiles, WHICH IS CHRIST IN YOU, the hope of glory. (Col. 1:25-27)
For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Phil. 2:13)
Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? (1 Cor. 3:16)
Now you are Christ's body and individually members of it. (1 Cor. 12:18)
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 that which 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. ( Eph. 4: 15-16)
...I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ. ( Phil. 3:8)
...that I may know Him and the power of His resurection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; (Phil. 3:10)
It was for freedom that Christ set you free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. (Gal. 5:1)
Walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. (Gal 5:16)
As you therefore have recieved Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. (Col. 2:6)
If you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. (Col. 3:1-4)
And when all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, that God might be all in all. (I Cor.15:28)
For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God who is the savior of all men, especially of believers. Perscribe and teach these things. (1 Tim. 2:10-11)
And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, and everyone his brother saying, "Know the Lord" for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest of them. For I will be mercifull to their iniquities and I will remember their sins no more. (Hebrews 8:11-12)
All the earth will worship You, and will sing praises to You; They will sing praises to your name. (Ps. 66:4)
...Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first- born of the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father; to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (Rev. 1:5)
And the Spirit and the bride say, "come." And let the one who hears say, "come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes, take the water of life without cost. (Rev. 22:17)

To Know Him More

Sunday, July 1, 2007

You are loved

How do we grow?

Beloved, Do Not Be Surprised

Living water!

Are you willing to come?

Life!

Being built up together

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