The Holy Spirit laid this thought upon my heart today…….. There are no deeper connections made than when we experience the touch of the Holy Spirit in some of our darkest moments. It can be like hope in liquid gold form flowing through the deepest parts of who we are. What would this world be like without the hope of glory stretching out before our often weary feet? Yet we know this, that those who could have fainted faint not, those whom weariness threatens to overtake suddenly can run. And right out of the blue we are taken up on eagles wings and just for a moment rest in the updrafts of His presence. It restores our souls and strengthens us to endure and overcome for we ” know,” when we are finished running our race it will be no longer moments in the updrafts of His presence, it will be for all eternity.
I think it is hard for many people to separate what victory means and what victory looks like.
Look at Jesus on the cross. Nailed up there, rejected, tortured, stripped naked, taken outside the city to the garbage dump, and killed there. A notorious and ignominious death. This is victory, this is what the defeat of Satan looks like. The world and the spirit of the world hates this. This physical death looks like anything but victory, but it is and He made an open shame of Satan, by this death, according to Scripture.
” Forgive them Father for they know not what they do.” Can you hear the chains falling brothers and sisters? The chains of hell and sin and death. Foolishness to those that are perishing, victory and glory to the saints. Satan will soon be loosed once more only this time will be his end. Satan himself will come in the anti-christ and he will get what he has always wanted. Every tribe, every tongue, every nation will bow down to him. This is what, in the very beginning, caused his fall, pride. He thought he could take Gods place! And now here he is, every living being bowing down to him.
But wait, what will darkness do with the light of the saints? What will he do with the bearers of the truth? What did he do to Jesus? He will try and kill every voice that stands against him. But that’s okay, for the saints overcome him as Jesus overcame him. Not by avoiding death, but by embracing it and crying out like Jesus did, not rendering evil for evil. This is how evil is defeated. This is the victory, Satan may destroy our bodies, like he did with the Apostles, but victory reigns eternally in the spirit of the saints. Praise God Satan was defeated at Calvary and millions of saints after Him were able to follow His example and even after the great falling away, God’s remnant saints in these last days will follow His leading and we will take up our crosses willingly by the power of the Spirit that burns inside of us…………bro Frank
To stand or kneel with head bowed in the presence of a Holy God. A place of infinite glory, of quiet surrender , a place where all things are possible and a deep inner peace glows with some kind of heat in the innermost parts of who we are and radiates out in concentric circles of glory and majesty. This holy heaviness bows our heads and at the same time raises our hands towards heaven like the open mouth of a baby bird longing to be fed ,expecting to be fed. Come Lord Jesus come and fill the vastness of my spirit so that it spills out as living waters in a dry and thirsty land. Rivers in the desert. Fruit on the vine. Manna from above, sweeping down from heaven in a river of love.
Psa 11:3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
We live in days where one may hear the sentiment of this Scripture over and over again. We saints could look around the world and see it burning in the flames of sin and ungodliness. We could have ears to hear despairing thoughts as our eyes behold the ever-increasing darkness that is enveloping us like a creeping fog that rises up from the lower reaches and seems to level everything in wickedness. We undoubtedly live in times where in the secular world and in so much of Christendom the foundations of truth and life and light are being replaced by lies and death and darkness. Yet, what is the foundation of the righteous?
The foundation of the righteous is trust in God. When Davids friends or enemies tried to persuade him to ” Flee as a bird to your mountain,” he starts out by reminding them ” In the Lord put I my trust.” This is our testimony to the world is it not? That we have put our trust in God, in Christ alone for our eternal souls. Now, no matter what is coming upon us, no matter that the pillars of truth and the foundations of righteousness are being torn apart with every passing day with increasing speed and venom, still out trust is in the Lord. This is our testimony. We shall not flee to the mountains but rather we shall stand, even as the whole world is falling around us, for the righteous foundations are ours and ours alone to stand upon.
When the ungodly and the religious can no longer stand then we shall stand. As the world descends into moral and unholy chaos then it is our time to truly stand upon the foundation that belongs to us, Jesus Christ our Lord and the Word and the Spirit which He gave us. When Paul told the folks that he was headed to Jerusalem, they pleaded and prophesied to him not to go there for surely great harm would come to him. What was Paul’s reply?
When two paths open up before me, and I choose the narrow one, when I do all these things and men know me because of them, when disaster strikes my life and my response is to praise my Father in Heaven and lift up the name of Jesus, then I am walking in the Spirit.As I do all these things and a peace that is beyond understanding fills me completely, then I know that I am walking in the Spirit of the Living God and my heart literaly burns within my chest. And as it burns, it gives off a light that men can see and they are drawn to Christ in me. When this happens, I know that I am walking in the Spirit! Read the rest of this entry »
I just wanted to share some worship with all of my brothers and sisters. This is from a sister from Scotland, a friend of mine who I know has an intimate relationship with Jesus. All worship should leave us with a sense of His majesty and His glory, should prepare our hearts and usher us into His presence. Sadly most of it does not. Be blessed, you will not regret downloading this. http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/singlefile.php?lid=17979&commentView=itemComments You can find Aileen’s album on my blogroll under “Latest CD.” Those of you who know me will know that I never promote anyone and in posting this I am hopefully promoting the majesty and glory of the Living God.
The moments I have spent in your sanctuary, rob me of all of my words and render them all meaningless. I feel heavenly words in all of me, not just in my brain and in my mouth, but in my very essence. Who and what you are is in my very DNA in your presence, and every particle of me glows with who you are in your presence , and I know that I cannot dwell there for I would that I would never leave that place. And so that I can go on living I must only dwell there for a moment, but oh what a glorious moment, these moments are my very life. Read the rest of this entry »
Yes, even in the very depths of our trials, we can call upon that name, the name of Jesus, the name that is above every name. The name by which everything must bow. Darkness must flee at that name, mourning must flee in the presence of Jesus. Hopelessness becomes hope in the presence of the Lord. Bitterness becomes forgiveness, strife becomes peace, captivity becomes freedom Read the rest of this entry »
In a dark hole I have found pleasure; in a place of bitterness and death, rest and hope of salvation; in the abyss or depths of hell, joy; where others weep, I have laughed; where others fear, I have found strength; who will believe this? In a state of misery I have had very great delight; in a lonely corner I have had most glorious company, and in the severest bond, great rest. All these things, my fellow brethren in Jesus Christ, the gracious hand of God has given me. Behold, He that at first was far from me, is now with me, and Him whom I knew but a little, I now see clearly; to whom I once looked from afar, Him I now behold as present; He for whom I longed, now offers me His hand; He comforts me; He fills me with joy; He drives from me bitterness, and renews within me strength and sweetness; He makes me well; He sustains me; He helps me up; He strengthens me. Oh, how good is the Lord, who does not suffer His servants to be tempted above that they are able I Oh, how easy, pleasant and sweet is His yoke I Is there any like God the Most High, who sustains and refreshes those that are tempted? He heals them that are bruised and wounded, and restores them altogether. Isa. 41; 43:20. None is like Him. Learn, most beloved brethren, how sweet the Lord is, how faithful and merciful; who visits His servants in trial (Isa. 43:2); who humbles Himself and condescends to be with us in our huts and humble abodes. He gives us a cheerful mind and peacef ul heart.
Only eye-witnesses to His glory will suffice as the days of history draw to a close. To tell others a story that you have been told is not good enough. Can you say, with the prophet “My eyes have seen the King?” Have you experienced the fullness of God? Has your whole “house,” been shaken by His majesty and His splendor? Is your feet beautiful? Read the rest of this entry »
Each human is a vast unexplored universe. Only I have the ability to navigate the human heart and map it. Without the navigator, without the map all is chaos and darkness. Without the ship of God and Jesus the Captain, you will only ever stare at the horizon of your souls and be fearful of what lies beyond.”
They walked down the rest of the stairs and into the Citadel, my mum said to Mrs Mapes that she was “coming home.” As they walked in, the band and the choir were singing “Jesus is calling, Tenderly calling, Calling for you and for me.” My mother was already weeping.Read the rest of this entry »
I wrote the piece below last February. Perhaps this election has taught the American Christians something, I hope so. When all is said and done, this world needs hope. In a world of ever increasing darkness, there is a more desparate need for light. Like a moth to a flame, people will reach out in time of need. And if the Church, the Royal Priesthood ,is not shining the light of Christ, which represents true hope, a blessed hope, then the world will look to itself to find it. Unfortunately, no man can give the world or America what it needs, unless it is the Man, Christ Jesus. So when the glory of the election victory fades for the majority, and as the coming years progress and the world goes deepr into trouble, let us pray that the Body of Christ is ready to reach out and offer the world true hope, a hope that conquers fear, a hope that triumphs despite adversity, a hope that replaces mundane living and merely exsiting with a joy and a purpose in life. This is all to be found in our Lord Jesus. We as Christians must live that before we can share that. This is an historic day for the country of America, whatever side you voted for. Only in this land could Barack Obama do what he just did. A balm has just been placed on a 400 year old wound. Long may the healing continue.
That small still voice, the voice of the shepherd speaking to His sheep, and His sheep recognizing His voice. The Holy Spirit whispering into the hearts of believers. The Holy Spirit leading and guiding and magnifying the Lord Jesus in our hearts.
You have gathered here today in defiance of darkness and tyranny. You have come here to fight as free men and free men you are, for it is I that gave you that very freedom. So you see with your eyes that you are few and they are many, you see that you are vastly outnumbered. Will you fight today?Read the rest of this entry »
There is a time for shouting and praising God, but if we are ignoring the knocking, then we must stop shouting. If our lives are not reflecting the Glory of God, if we are not becoming like His Son, daily, then all of our shouting and praising God will just be so much noise. How tragic for the church of the living God if, when He looks down, He does not see praise but just a group of people making a noise.”Read the rest of this entry »
“Jesus has many who love His kingdom in heaven, but few who bear His cross. He has many who desire comfort, but few who desire suffering. He finds many to share His feast, but few His fasting.All desire to rejoice with Him, but few are willing to suffer for His sake. Many follow Jesus to the breaking of the bread, but few to the drinking of the cup of His passion. Many admire the miracles, but few follow Him to the humiliation of the cross. Many love Jesus as long as no hardship touches them.”
This is a vision that I had as I stood on a terrace in Croatia. My wife and I went there last year on our 25th anniversary. Before I went the Lord had shown me that I would meet someone there and that it would be significant, just did not know that He was talking about Himself. The whole piece was my vision, He gave me a new way of writing my testimony and of writing about coming into His presence, then the Word that He gave me for the church, I wrote in red at the end. I pray that this will challenge and convict you………….
They will gather together and throw in their gold and rise up and play, or in this case, fall down and play. You see the people are without leadership, and the Lord has with-held His rain. So the people have demanded gods to go before them, listen to what they said to Aaron…”make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him. “
Psa 11:3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?