Friday, September 24, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Thoughts from Mother Theresa
“We must not drift away from humble works because these are the works nobody will do. It is never too small…there are many people who can do big things. But there are very few people who will do the small things.”
Desperation
Text: Matthew 15: 21-28 A Gentile Shows Her Faith
Title: The Gift Of Desperation
There is a quality of sound with which faith resonates. Faith is not easily deterred, it holds on to the truth. Circumstances are the entryways for faith. When we are overwhelmed and cannot use reason or might to deliver us from our situation we have two options:
1.Doubt and unbelief, or
2.Faith
Look at the woman of Canaan, she cried out to Jesus, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” This woman was a Canaanite and if you have an understanding of the history of the Jews and the Canaanites you will know they were not on familiar terms. This is a story depicts this woman's state of desperation, even though she is not in right relationship with Jesus she cries out to Him. She aligns herself with the truth; she declares that Jesus is Lord and a Son of David. She asks according to the nature of Christ for mercy. Faith knows how to communicate. She could see through the eyes of faith that Jesus was full of mercy and love. She had a revelation that only through Him her daughter would be free. And if she had to humble herself and come under His authority and receive only the scraps that fall from her Master's table she was willing to receive it.
This woman did not have an expectation that Jesus would fulfil her desire in a specific way but that He was able to heal her daughter. His ability and mercy would not change even towards a dog. It is not so much about who we are, but who He is; this is the essence of faith. When we have an intimate knowledge of who Jesus is, then we can receive from Him because it is His desire to bless us. Our desire for Him needs to supersede our desires for anything else.
Remember this:
“I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation. But Isaiah is very bold and says:
“I was found by those who did not seek Me, I was made manifest by those who did not ask Me.” Romans 10:19-20
We are so conditioned to carefully consider when it is the perfect time to ask for something. We have more faith in our own powers of persuasion, than in the power of Almighty God. Oh, to have faith that cries out, not at a convenient time or place but whose sound goes out over the earth. Knowing that this type of sound is heard in the Heavenly Kingdom; and when it resonates with the tone and atmosphere of heaven there is a pathway of light that descends upon the cry of the desperate. The desperate do not have anywhere else to go or anyone else to ask except the One who was and is and is to come, the eternal one.
I believe the Holy Spirits' desire is for us to be good communicators, not through articulate speech and polished metaphors, but that our words would be saturated with the substance of the building material of eternity; which is faith. He spoke, “Let there be light. And there was light.” Genesis 1:3 our words are either life or death, light or darkness, nothing is null or void; nothing is insignificant. We are made in the image of God and we have the authority to release words of faith that create new structures and atmospheres on earth. Remember there was a time that the earth was without form, and void; and darkness on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Genesis 1:2 but no longer is the earth without form or void because the genesis of creation, or the beginning point was when God spoke let there be light. When we speak we can build up or destroy, but our words either align with the kingdom of darkness or the kingdom of light. Whatever is not born of faith is sin.(Verse: ) All this to say; “Forever, O Lord Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations, You established the earth and it abides.” Psalm 89:2. Mercy is built up forever it is available to all those who call out for it and who will abandon themselves to God's authority. We need to realize that the foundation of the Throne of God; or His authority is righteousness and justice. God desires for us to be a people of faith that establishes His kingdom on the earth where righteousness and justice are the foundations and not unrighteousness and injustice. How will this kingdom be established? Our God is a covenant God, His word says, “Mercy and truth go before your face.” Psalm 89:14 God desires for us to walk in the light that we would have fellow ship with one another. For we know that He is light and there is no darkness in Him at all. (Paraphrase 1John 1:5) His desire is for us to walk face to face with Him, embracing the truth and receiving His mercy so that we would be a light shining in the darkness to all those who do not know Him. Will we have the faith and the courage to walk in the light and to be with our Lord so intimately that where we go we carry the presence of Christ?
To close I would like to share with you this timely verse and personal revelation.
And do this, knowing that the time, that now it is time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in the revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts. Romans 13:11-14
I have noticed that giving into the flesh is connected to timing. As night falls what looked evil in the light of day does not look as evil veiled with darkness. Just as your pupils are more sensitive in the light, so is your spirit's ability to discern between right and wrong. When the light shines you do not want to partake of that which is evil because you see it as it is; that it has no value to your spirit. But under the shadow of night that which looked evil in the light looks enticing in the dark. When we depend upon our senses to guide us and are not submitted to and guided by the Holy Spirit we will partake of what we look upon. If we don't gaze upon the Lord in the beauty of His majesty in the fullness of the day we will not be prepared to resist the pleasures that entice us in the darkness.
I have recognized for myself that when I start the day eating healthy foods, and consistently make healthy choices to eat and drink nutrient rich foods throughout the day I do not have cravings for junk food. But when I have not taken care of my needs during the day and I am famished I will eat whatever I can get my hands on whether it is good or bad for me. Psalm 34 is a beautiful picture of looking to the Lord. “They looked to Him and were radiant and their faces were not ashamed.” and “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusts in Him.”
I believe that we need to seek the Lord while He may be found, We need to be clothed in the armour of light, so no matter the time of day or night we will be ready to push back the advancing darkness of the enemy. I have seen the devastation of not being filled with God's love and light and being taken captive by lies and deception. Many are lost and plundered by the prince of darkness and his principalities under the shadows of darkness. But I see a body arising on this earth, a body full of light , clothed in Christ. One's who have not made provision for the flesh, these ones are rescuing those who have no hope. What will their hope be, all those who have lived under the veils of darkness? Christ in us the hope of glory. 'We will arise and shine for our light has come, and the glory of the Lord is reason upon us. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth and a deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over us. The Gentiles will come to our light, and the kings to our rising. Lift up our eyes all around and see: they all gather together they come to us; our sons shall come from afar, and our daughters shall be nursed by our side. Then we shall see and become radiant, and our hearts shall swell with joy; because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to us, the wealth of the Gentiles will come to us.' Isaiah 60:1-5 {Paraphrased using our, we and us)
Title: The Gift Of Desperation
There is a quality of sound with which faith resonates. Faith is not easily deterred, it holds on to the truth. Circumstances are the entryways for faith. When we are overwhelmed and cannot use reason or might to deliver us from our situation we have two options:
1.Doubt and unbelief, or
2.Faith
Look at the woman of Canaan, she cried out to Jesus, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” This woman was a Canaanite and if you have an understanding of the history of the Jews and the Canaanites you will know they were not on familiar terms. This is a story depicts this woman's state of desperation, even though she is not in right relationship with Jesus she cries out to Him. She aligns herself with the truth; she declares that Jesus is Lord and a Son of David. She asks according to the nature of Christ for mercy. Faith knows how to communicate. She could see through the eyes of faith that Jesus was full of mercy and love. She had a revelation that only through Him her daughter would be free. And if she had to humble herself and come under His authority and receive only the scraps that fall from her Master's table she was willing to receive it.
This woman did not have an expectation that Jesus would fulfil her desire in a specific way but that He was able to heal her daughter. His ability and mercy would not change even towards a dog. It is not so much about who we are, but who He is; this is the essence of faith. When we have an intimate knowledge of who Jesus is, then we can receive from Him because it is His desire to bless us. Our desire for Him needs to supersede our desires for anything else.
Remember this:
“I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation. But Isaiah is very bold and says:
“I was found by those who did not seek Me, I was made manifest by those who did not ask Me.” Romans 10:19-20
We are so conditioned to carefully consider when it is the perfect time to ask for something. We have more faith in our own powers of persuasion, than in the power of Almighty God. Oh, to have faith that cries out, not at a convenient time or place but whose sound goes out over the earth. Knowing that this type of sound is heard in the Heavenly Kingdom; and when it resonates with the tone and atmosphere of heaven there is a pathway of light that descends upon the cry of the desperate. The desperate do not have anywhere else to go or anyone else to ask except the One who was and is and is to come, the eternal one.
I believe the Holy Spirits' desire is for us to be good communicators, not through articulate speech and polished metaphors, but that our words would be saturated with the substance of the building material of eternity; which is faith. He spoke, “Let there be light. And there was light.” Genesis 1:3 our words are either life or death, light or darkness, nothing is null or void; nothing is insignificant. We are made in the image of God and we have the authority to release words of faith that create new structures and atmospheres on earth. Remember there was a time that the earth was without form, and void; and darkness on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Genesis 1:2 but no longer is the earth without form or void because the genesis of creation, or the beginning point was when God spoke let there be light. When we speak we can build up or destroy, but our words either align with the kingdom of darkness or the kingdom of light. Whatever is not born of faith is sin.(Verse: ) All this to say; “Forever, O Lord Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations, You established the earth and it abides.” Psalm 89:2. Mercy is built up forever it is available to all those who call out for it and who will abandon themselves to God's authority. We need to realize that the foundation of the Throne of God; or His authority is righteousness and justice. God desires for us to be a people of faith that establishes His kingdom on the earth where righteousness and justice are the foundations and not unrighteousness and injustice. How will this kingdom be established? Our God is a covenant God, His word says, “Mercy and truth go before your face.” Psalm 89:14 God desires for us to walk in the light that we would have fellow ship with one another. For we know that He is light and there is no darkness in Him at all. (Paraphrase 1John 1:5) His desire is for us to walk face to face with Him, embracing the truth and receiving His mercy so that we would be a light shining in the darkness to all those who do not know Him. Will we have the faith and the courage to walk in the light and to be with our Lord so intimately that where we go we carry the presence of Christ?
To close I would like to share with you this timely verse and personal revelation.
And do this, knowing that the time, that now it is time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in the revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts. Romans 13:11-14
I have noticed that giving into the flesh is connected to timing. As night falls what looked evil in the light of day does not look as evil veiled with darkness. Just as your pupils are more sensitive in the light, so is your spirit's ability to discern between right and wrong. When the light shines you do not want to partake of that which is evil because you see it as it is; that it has no value to your spirit. But under the shadow of night that which looked evil in the light looks enticing in the dark. When we depend upon our senses to guide us and are not submitted to and guided by the Holy Spirit we will partake of what we look upon. If we don't gaze upon the Lord in the beauty of His majesty in the fullness of the day we will not be prepared to resist the pleasures that entice us in the darkness.
I have recognized for myself that when I start the day eating healthy foods, and consistently make healthy choices to eat and drink nutrient rich foods throughout the day I do not have cravings for junk food. But when I have not taken care of my needs during the day and I am famished I will eat whatever I can get my hands on whether it is good or bad for me. Psalm 34 is a beautiful picture of looking to the Lord. “They looked to Him and were radiant and their faces were not ashamed.” and “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusts in Him.”
I believe that we need to seek the Lord while He may be found, We need to be clothed in the armour of light, so no matter the time of day or night we will be ready to push back the advancing darkness of the enemy. I have seen the devastation of not being filled with God's love and light and being taken captive by lies and deception. Many are lost and plundered by the prince of darkness and his principalities under the shadows of darkness. But I see a body arising on this earth, a body full of light , clothed in Christ. One's who have not made provision for the flesh, these ones are rescuing those who have no hope. What will their hope be, all those who have lived under the veils of darkness? Christ in us the hope of glory. 'We will arise and shine for our light has come, and the glory of the Lord is reason upon us. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth and a deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over us. The Gentiles will come to our light, and the kings to our rising. Lift up our eyes all around and see: they all gather together they come to us; our sons shall come from afar, and our daughters shall be nursed by our side. Then we shall see and become radiant, and our hearts shall swell with joy; because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to us, the wealth of the Gentiles will come to us.' Isaiah 60:1-5 {Paraphrased using our, we and us)
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