In His hands

Love Minus Zero — No Limit

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

I was asking Jesus the other day why He said this from the cross. What I felt like He said, in answer, was as always, wondrous and comforting …

That He wasn’t forsaken by God, but felt forsaken — that we, no matter how we feel, no matter what we’ve done, are never forsaken by God, either.

That He always loves us.

But there was more: I felt like He was also saying that not only had He not been forsaken on the cross, but that He had actually never been more dear to God than in those moments.

Remember, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

And it’s the same for you and me. When we are at our most broken, this is when God is nearest. When we can’t carry ourselves…

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God’s glory

daily meditation

Psalm 57:11: Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!

The psalmist is expressing desire for God to show forth himself on the earth, asking that his glory will be above all the earth, that his name be exalted. When Jesus taught on prayer he said that we should pray to our heavenly father: let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). We are to seek that the will of God to be exalted on the earth.

With Adam and Eve in their sin (Genesis 3), there was the throwing down of the will of God, the will of God was jettisoned, trampled upon, disregarded. The will of God was rejected. But in Christ we are to actively in the place of prayer seek that the will of God be done. Through that we are…

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Love… Again!

TLP

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For,

“All people are like grass,
    and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
     but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

And this is the word that was preached to you.

1 Peter 1:22-25

Peter wraps up chapter one with these wonderful verses, bringing his discussion of our lot as followers of Jesus back to the source of everything in a Christian’s life: Love.  His reference to our having “purified” ourselves is another reference to our having our sins taken away.  I wonder how many of us really grasp what that means…  Our sins haven’t been…

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Forgive The Sinner

“Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.” Galatians 6:1 (NASB)

Forgiveness of sins is a great all-embracing gift of God. In His mercy, God set the sinner free and receives him back into His love and favor: When we are forgiven, we have confidence toward God in prayer. We can be thankful every day of our lives because we are free and nothing stands between us and God. With the door open to communion with Him, God desires that we spend time with Him in His Word each day as people whose sins are forgiven. We need to live in the light of His countenance daily.
And God desires that this assurance affect our relationship with others. Those who are forgiven are free to forgive others. If it is difficult to forgive, we should consider how freely God has forgiven us of every offense toward Him…
Remember these words daily: “As I need God’s forgiveness each day, so let me be ready each day to forgive my brother.” God grant you grace to do it! Andrew Murray

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32 (NASB)

The Gospel According To Jesus – Part 37

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a large net thrown into the sea. It collected every kind of fish, and when it was full, they dragged it ashore, sat down, and gathered the good fish into containers, and threw out the worthless ones. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out, separate the evil people from the righteous, and throw them into the blazing furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Matthew 13:47-50 (HCSB)

“Reverent Fear”

TLP

Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors,but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

1 Peter 1:17-21

These few verses have really been “messed with” over the years!  I used to read terror into them, as though they were a serious threat of hellfire, but these days, I’ve changed my view.  Let’s bear in mind what Peter has been telling us up to this point.  Recall that he has…

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Our Thoughts And Beliefs Matter

True Dunamis

This word was originally published on www.elijahlist.com June 11, 2013:

Francis Frangipane:

Taking Every Thought Captive To Christ

While we may find comfort in being Christians, being a Christian has not made us perfect. There are still many strongholds within us. Therefore, let us identify some of these spiritual fortresses. Rare is the Christian who is not limited by at least one of the following strongholds: unbelief, cold love, fear, pride, unforgiveness, lust, greed, or any combination of these, as well as the possibility of many others.

Because we excuse ourselves so readily, it is difficult to discern the areas of oppression in our lives. After all, these are our thoughts, attitudes and perceptions; we justify and defend our thoughts with the same degree of intensity with which we justify and defend ourselves. As it is written, “…as [a man] thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7 KJV).

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His Judgment Is The One That Matters

“For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” John 12:43 (KJV)
During His earthly ministry Jesus warned against doing even the most praiseworthy things, such as praying, fasting, and giving, for the purpose of pleasing the neighbors. What is done for human approval, He said, will bring no added honor from God (Matthew 6:1-18). If the purpose is to please and honor God, however, that should be evident to the neighbors as well (Matthew 5:16). God’s opinion must come first, because His judgment is the one that matters!

The Gospel According To Jesus – Part 36

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he found one priceless pearl, he went and sold everything he had, and bought it.”
Matthew 13:45-46 (HCSB)

Sufficient Grace

Welcome to the Ranch!

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”  2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

I am so very thankful that God loves us so extravagantly.  Time in prayer, worship and meditation on His Word are treasures to me.  Sometimes I can sense Him touching my heart.  Sometimes it feels like a vibration.  Sometimes I know there is some healing going on because of a burning sensation.  Most recently I was experiencing some heart ache.  I sensed Him working there.  I turned my eyes to Him and gave my heart to Him for safe keeping.

He just wants me to give it all to Him.  I realize more and more that we are not equipped to carry around heavy emotional baggage.  That is not what He intended…

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