Take Me To The Father

After hearing a fresh presentation of the Prodigal Son story, I learned that in a Jewish family when the prodigal son left and squandered his money that in order to keep the family intact, it was the older brothers role to seek out and find the younger brother. It was his job to bring the erring brother to the Father. In this story we find the self righteous older brother was not even happy to hear that his younger brother was returned to the family. An interesting insight that this fresh telling of this story is that Jesus is our true older brother and truly He seeks to find and save the lost. This unique picture of Jesus coming to find me inspired me that it is truly through Jesus that I am brought to God the Father. I called on Jesus with a renewed understanding that Jesus will take me to the Father. After this Jesus revealed His love toward me as the work of God's love would be Jesus being my advocate to come to the Father. How can Jesus do this? It is by the love that He showed on the Cross that makes it possible to bring us to the Father. Truly think about His love, think about His mercy, think about His love that will see us through. Another insight in coming to Jesus that I am both like the sinning prodigal son and also the self righteous older brother. Truly in this story God the Father wants both to come into a loving family relationship with Him.

Worship and Money

I have been pondering for sometimes now, how to not to love money. For this is the root of all sins. The Bible declares we must love God and yet despise the love of money. Recently I have gone to my Pastor to learn the stewardship principle. The first thing I needed to do was to track what I was spending on. I discovered that I was throwing money at things that had no value. Pop, eating out excessively, and gas. It was very eye opening as to my lack of control. As I looked at this for over a week, I realized I was not seeking to do good works God had prepared for me to do because of this abuse. Then God gave me a thought. How do I not worship money? The answer was to decide to worship God with all the money I had and not just Tithing. This thought liberated me. I made the decision (a realistic decision) to limit myself two bought drinks at quick stop stores and only one eat out one meal a day. I now take with me canned fish to stop paying for snacks. For the first time in my life financial freedom is in sight. PTL

The Truth Shall Set You Free

You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free. Truly I have all of God's promises to receive and apply faith to. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these we might be made partakers of the divine nature. The first stronghold braking truth is to dwell on the fact that Christ died for you and was buried and rose again according to the Scripture. As this is applied we receive the second Truth. We trust Christ, His love, His Word, and His Cross. A third Truth is, "In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus." Faith is received as we recognize His provision as a gift. As a gift we say thanks in everything. The fourth Truth is to "Count it all joy when you fall into divers temptation." The fifth Truth is, "Come unto Me all you that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of Me for I am meek and lowly in heart and I will give you rest. For my burden is light and my yoke is easy." Will you receive these truths and rest your faith. To know Truth is to walk in the Spirit and to be filled with His Spirit. You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free.

Joy of Confession

What a blessing to confess our sins and find God's forgiveness. As we confess the sins we know, we are cleansed of the sins we don't know. I've discovered that there are two distinct types of sins we can confess and find freedom. There are the sins we recognize as sins. Did you know you can be forgiven for being a Pharisee? God can bless with forgiveness for both. I've discovered this truth. What freedom? God through Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for judging and believing their own self-righteousness. It's hard to believe that God can forgive something so rebuked by Jesus. What freedom as we confess both types of sins. I wrote a poem as a burn on myself. It goes something like this:

Oh, I am a Pharisee and I'm okay.
I teach the law and judge all day.
My righteousness exceeds the common folk.
Oh, I am a Pharisee and I'm okay.

It ends with:
I am a Pharisee and I'm not okay.

Isn't God's forgiveness so great. Truly Jesus' yoke is easy and His burden is light.

My Yoke Is Easy

Matthew 11:28-30

"Come unto Me,all that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me: for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Truly as we are yoked with Christ, both of us handle life by His strength. As some of you know I experience panic attacks. I've discovered the power of trust in Christ can lead me to freedom. I am also applying this trust as I pray for others. I pray for others, no longer hindered by double mindedness. I can boldly go to God for intercession and wisdom. I am excited for the assurance God is giving me. I now can apply His love to prayer. Love declares "Bears all thing. believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. Truly as I pray God's Word, I can be confident that my prayers will be answered. John 15:7 "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."

I am reminded of the need to be persistent and fervent in prayer. "O' Lord, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

God's Role

I've been pondering God's role in my spiritual growth. I've realized my only part is being good soil. This isn't even something I do, but God's work also. God's main job is to prepare the soil. Once the soil is prepared, God waters the seed. He waters it by the washing of the Word. I am amazed as to how God has worked and lead. As my soil is good. I will delight myself in God and He will give me His desires for my life. God waters prominently by the promises He allows me to receive and to apply. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these we might be made par tackers of the divine nature. Truly not only are we refreshed by showers, but also being close to waters streams as found in Psalm 1. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in His law doth he meditate day and night and he shall be like a tree planted by rivers of water. His leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he does shall prosper. Pray to God for good soil and promises to be watered by.

Make Me A Blessing

As my assurance grows fuller, I am having not to focus my energy on my doubting. I lead the church service at the County Home. My message was about blessings such as found in the Sermon on the Mount. I thought of being a blessing. I still work through panic attacks. I've learned to face, focus, and work through them. I am encouraged as I don't need the medicine to meet these attacks. I can now put my energy into being a blessing. There's a thought that as we focus on a goal, a part of us will try and make it true. I've decided for my goal to be "Glorify God, enjoy Him forevermore. To touch lives and keep myself pure." My homepage shares the new poem on this thought.

Blessings from the Poet