yesterday i pondered His seal upon me.
last night i found this scripture.
CHOSEN:
He chose us in Him before the creation of the world Ephesians 1:4
SEALED:
Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal Ephesians 1:13
CREATED:
For we are God's workmanship, created in Jesus Christ Ephesians 2:10
and Ephesians 2:10 continues
...to do good works
which God prepared in advance for us to do
which brings to mind
that night, that i cried before the Lord
for my son
and the inkling in my spirit
that God had prepared
this for me to do -
though, i didn't word it that way
see, i was created by Him
chosen by Him
sealed by Him
for Him
and i have heard that said so many times before -
created by Him for Him
but i didn't really relate that to me personally
until yesterday
when i spent the sabbath with Him.
Monday, 16 December 2013
Sunday, 15 December 2013
sabbath
oh this beautiful day.
i have spent it in the presence of God.
not because i went to the assembly.
but because this day
i sat down and talked to Him
and listened to worship songs
and wrote about Him
and thanked Him
and He opened my heart
to so much
that i didn't even know
i had been closed to.
and His Spirit is upon me.
and i can't stop writing.
it is a gift from Him
to be open to receiving His Goodness.
did you know that?
it's not scriptual, i don't think.
but i got this inkling in my spirit
when i saw that my older brother
was happy to put his hand up and
receive the offer of a free holiday at my place.
it's not my place that i am joyous about.
it's just noticing that my older brother
will put his hand up when he recognises a gift being offered.
it's like the invitation to the kings feast.
so many wouldn't come because they had so much to do.
but all they had to do was say
oh, yes please.
and that's all my brother does.
and i think it's a gift from God.
the gift of receiving His gifts.
i don't know.
i could be wrong.
i have been wrong before.
but
i have seen God gift people
over and over and over again.
He is never exhausted in His giving.
and it's tormenting to see
that they do not notice
the Giver other than the one in front of them.
i have seen God pay people's debts.
i have seen God clothe people.
i have seen God put a roof over the head of a criminal who does not want to acknowledge Him.
i have seen God send people to pray for that same criminal.
i have seen God fill a pantry with food and dishes and pots and pans.
i have seen God place massive billboards in front of crying daughters.
i have seen God heal people.
i have seen God work things out perfectly for those who do not love Him.
i have seen God bring the good gift of a wife.
i have seen God take and block the way of an enemy.
i have seen God avenge those who have harmed one of His.
i have seen God wrap the arms of an ex-wife around the new woman and hug her.
i have seen God close the mouths of His people and instead bring them to their knees to pray for their enemies.
i have seen God shut away His people to keep them from vengence that is His and His alone.
i have seen God.
and so have so many others.
on the Sabbath, Jesus healed a man.
(right at this moment a perfume has invaded my home. it's not my perfume. it is sweet. oh my goodness. it's so beautiful)
did Jesus heal this man because God works every day.
that's the answer a 10yr old gave.
didn't Jesus say to receive the Gospel as a child?
anyway, i'm not here to quibble about the sabbath right now.
i'm here to say that
God loves us.
and last night i prayed that He would give me the desire to be fully joyful in Him.
and today He gave me just that.
and i want to praise my God.
and i am thankful that i am His.
i have spent it in the presence of God.
not because i went to the assembly.
but because this day
i sat down and talked to Him
and listened to worship songs
and wrote about Him
and thanked Him
and He opened my heart
to so much
that i didn't even know
i had been closed to.
and His Spirit is upon me.
and i can't stop writing.
it is a gift from Him
to be open to receiving His Goodness.
did you know that?
it's not scriptual, i don't think.
but i got this inkling in my spirit
when i saw that my older brother
was happy to put his hand up and
receive the offer of a free holiday at my place.
it's not my place that i am joyous about.
it's just noticing that my older brother
will put his hand up when he recognises a gift being offered.
it's like the invitation to the kings feast.
so many wouldn't come because they had so much to do.
but all they had to do was say
oh, yes please.
and that's all my brother does.
and i think it's a gift from God.
the gift of receiving His gifts.
i don't know.
i could be wrong.
i have been wrong before.
but
i have seen God gift people
over and over and over again.
He is never exhausted in His giving.
and it's tormenting to see
that they do not notice
the Giver other than the one in front of them.
i have seen God pay people's debts.
i have seen God clothe people.
i have seen God put a roof over the head of a criminal who does not want to acknowledge Him.
i have seen God send people to pray for that same criminal.
i have seen God fill a pantry with food and dishes and pots and pans.
i have seen God place massive billboards in front of crying daughters.
i have seen God heal people.
i have seen God work things out perfectly for those who do not love Him.
i have seen God bring the good gift of a wife.
i have seen God take and block the way of an enemy.
i have seen God avenge those who have harmed one of His.
i have seen God wrap the arms of an ex-wife around the new woman and hug her.
i have seen God close the mouths of His people and instead bring them to their knees to pray for their enemies.
i have seen God shut away His people to keep them from vengence that is His and His alone.
i have seen God.
and so have so many others.
on the Sabbath, Jesus healed a man.
(right at this moment a perfume has invaded my home. it's not my perfume. it is sweet. oh my goodness. it's so beautiful)
did Jesus heal this man because God works every day.
that's the answer a 10yr old gave.
didn't Jesus say to receive the Gospel as a child?
anyway, i'm not here to quibble about the sabbath right now.
i'm here to say that
God loves us.
and last night i prayed that He would give me the desire to be fully joyful in Him.
and today He gave me just that.
and i want to praise my God.
and i am thankful that i am His.
nothing - everything
so here's a thought
if you were unaware that you are sealed by Christ
would you think you are marked?
would that be the greatest deception?
not being a learned theologian
i'm not even sure that being sealed by Christ -
having the seal of Christ upon you
is even scriptual.
in as much as - i can't see it written exactly as i have put it.
and i do understand the responsibility
that i personally have to honouring the One to whom
that seal belongs
but without the picture
the image - of His seal upon me
i didn't comprehend
as i do today
that His blood has placed
a seal, a royal seal, a spiritual mark, if you will
upon me
so that now
i understand that there is a rejection
that i experience that is wholly brought about
because of the seal upon me.
and yes, i do know that i experience rejection
because people just don't like me
but there is a rejection, an ousting - a separation
that i experience and have experienced that has bewildered me.
even abuses, physical, mental and verbal that i have experienced
give me to think of this seal -
to contemplate
that even then
Christ Himself had set me apart.
well at least that is scriptual -
"...because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation..." (II THESSALONIANS 2:13)
and i'm not saying only me
but in speaking of me, as i am
i see that there is a possibility, if not probability
that much has come against me
not because He has forsaken me
but because He has sealed me, for Him.
and though these things drew me towards Him
they easily could have drawn me away
as they do, to many all over the world
a few years ago
i did think about this
ever so mildly, i admit
i got this little inkling in my spirit
that there was a possibility that
much of what i experience in my life
is actually a calling
and that i should warn any prospective spouses
that if they should have any ideas of being with me
that they had better understand that i suspect that i belong to God
and if they had no intentions of submitting themselves to Him
they definitely wouldn't be able to handle being with me.
and funnily enough, that has proven to be true.
in a way.
because of course, before i was baptised
i lived as though i might not belong to God
but even in that time
God in His Sovereignty
was demolishing everything i had placed between me and Him.
i sort of knew.
but to surrender
was hard
until i realised
that all the good in my life
had been brought about by Him
not one good thing came into my life
without coming through Him.
and if good came into my life through Him
then the nothing good that came into my life
also had to come through Him.
and there was this one time that i was crying and beside myself with worry
over the fatherhood of my son, especially
and i had been crying out to God to help me
and i got this inkling in my spirit
that i was in this position because
one, i could do it
two, He chose me to do it
and three, i could only do it
with Him.
and i walked to the end of the hall where i had thrown my bible
and written on the page were these words
'He is a Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, God in His Holy dwelling' Psalm 68:5
my son fatherless, me a widow
and that brings to mind something else
that i have had an inkling in my spirit about
that many things i encounter in my life
hard things, uncomfortable things, ugly things,
hard people, uncomfortable people, ugly people
are not there by accident
they are there through the Sovereignty of God
because the only way i could endure is
through Him
all these things draw me to draw on Him.
they push me into Him
eventually.
i am reminded of my friend who i loved heaps.
she had a life much like mine
and i loved her so much.
but i failed her.
i pulled away from her to save myself
without ever realising,
until today
that i was trying to love her through her hard time
in my own strength
and i couldn't do it
i was only able to love her in the beginning
because He loved me first.
and God forgive me
i didn't see it.
our wisdom is shallow.
our love is empty.
His is vast.
not so long ago
i had the opportunity to love
as He does
my very own niece
who was experiencing
so much rejection and hatred being bombarded at her
through her foolish actions, maybe
through her own rebellion, maybe
through her own pride, maybe
regardless
God placed in me
such an awesome love for her
a love that continues to this day
not because she deserves it
not because she asked for it
not because she changed her life
but through Him
He will love and love and love and love and love
until that final day
and through it her rejection from others became mine
and that is what will happen when we love the one the world rejects
we also will be rejected.
and what does all this have to do with being sealed by Christ?
nothing? maybe.
but i suspect
it has everything to do
with being His.
Everything.
if you were unaware that you are sealed by Christ
would you think you are marked?
would that be the greatest deception?
not being a learned theologian
i'm not even sure that being sealed by Christ -
having the seal of Christ upon you
is even scriptual.
in as much as - i can't see it written exactly as i have put it.
and i do understand the responsibility
that i personally have to honouring the One to whom
that seal belongs
but without the picture
the image - of His seal upon me
i didn't comprehend
as i do today
that His blood has placed
a seal, a royal seal, a spiritual mark, if you will
upon me
so that now
i understand that there is a rejection
that i experience that is wholly brought about
because of the seal upon me.
and yes, i do know that i experience rejection
because people just don't like me
but there is a rejection, an ousting - a separation
that i experience and have experienced that has bewildered me.
even abuses, physical, mental and verbal that i have experienced
give me to think of this seal -
to contemplate
that even then
Christ Himself had set me apart.
well at least that is scriptual -
"...because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation..." (II THESSALONIANS 2:13)
and i'm not saying only me
but in speaking of me, as i am
i see that there is a possibility, if not probability
that much has come against me
not because He has forsaken me
but because He has sealed me, for Him.
and though these things drew me towards Him
they easily could have drawn me away
as they do, to many all over the world
a few years ago
i did think about this
ever so mildly, i admit
i got this little inkling in my spirit
that there was a possibility that
much of what i experience in my life
is actually a calling
and that i should warn any prospective spouses
that if they should have any ideas of being with me
that they had better understand that i suspect that i belong to God
and if they had no intentions of submitting themselves to Him
they definitely wouldn't be able to handle being with me.
and funnily enough, that has proven to be true.
in a way.
because of course, before i was baptised
i lived as though i might not belong to God
but even in that time
God in His Sovereignty
was demolishing everything i had placed between me and Him.
i sort of knew.
but to surrender
was hard
until i realised
that all the good in my life
had been brought about by Him
not one good thing came into my life
without coming through Him.
and if good came into my life through Him
then the nothing good that came into my life
also had to come through Him.
and there was this one time that i was crying and beside myself with worry
over the fatherhood of my son, especially
and i had been crying out to God to help me
and i got this inkling in my spirit
that i was in this position because
one, i could do it
two, He chose me to do it
and three, i could only do it
with Him.
and i walked to the end of the hall where i had thrown my bible
and written on the page were these words
'He is a Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, God in His Holy dwelling' Psalm 68:5
my son fatherless, me a widow
and that brings to mind something else
that i have had an inkling in my spirit about
that many things i encounter in my life
hard things, uncomfortable things, ugly things,
hard people, uncomfortable people, ugly people
are not there by accident
they are there through the Sovereignty of God
because the only way i could endure is
through Him
all these things draw me to draw on Him.
they push me into Him
eventually.
i am reminded of my friend who i loved heaps.
she had a life much like mine
and i loved her so much.
but i failed her.
i pulled away from her to save myself
without ever realising,
until today
that i was trying to love her through her hard time
in my own strength
and i couldn't do it
i was only able to love her in the beginning
because He loved me first.
and God forgive me
i didn't see it.
our wisdom is shallow.
our love is empty.
His is vast.
not so long ago
i had the opportunity to love
as He does
my very own niece
who was experiencing
so much rejection and hatred being bombarded at her
through her foolish actions, maybe
through her own rebellion, maybe
through her own pride, maybe
regardless
God placed in me
such an awesome love for her
a love that continues to this day
not because she deserves it
not because she asked for it
not because she changed her life
but through Him
He will love and love and love and love and love
until that final day
and through it her rejection from others became mine
and that is what will happen when we love the one the world rejects
we also will be rejected.
and what does all this have to do with being sealed by Christ?
nothing? maybe.
but i suspect
it has everything to do
with being His.
Everything.
Sealed by Jesus
I have been sealed.
I walk about with His seal upon me.
The day I surrendered to Him, to Jesus Christ
He placed His seal upon me.
Before I was baptised I had no seal.
I had desires for Him, but no seal.
I could go and come, come and go
Away from Him, but always back to Him.
And then I was baptised.
Died into the water.
Raised into Him.
And He sealed the deal.
He placed His seal upon me.
A seal -
A seal of His authority upon me.
I am sealed as His.
I cannot lay claim to anything of me.
I cannot lay claim to anything of mine.
It is all His.
I am His.
I do not need to wear a cross to show that I am His.
If the eye could see, it would say -
Ah, I see you belong to Him.
Oh Christian, you are sealed. Not marked.
I am His.
And everything I am is His.
The moment I was baptised.
Oh how I must earnestly pray for others.
Logos, Labels, Marks and Tattoos.
Oh people. He Seals you.
All these other things you do yourself.
And they mean nothing.
Repent. Turn around.
And be sealed by Him.
I walk about with His seal upon me.
The day I surrendered to Him, to Jesus Christ
He placed His seal upon me.
Before I was baptised I had no seal.
I had desires for Him, but no seal.
I could go and come, come and go
Away from Him, but always back to Him.
And then I was baptised.
Died into the water.
Raised into Him.
And He sealed the deal.
He placed His seal upon me.
A seal -
A seal of His authority upon me.
I am sealed as His.
I cannot lay claim to anything of me.
I cannot lay claim to anything of mine.
It is all His.
I am His.
I do not need to wear a cross to show that I am His.
If the eye could see, it would say -
Ah, I see you belong to Him.
Oh Christian, you are sealed. Not marked.
I am His.
And everything I am is His.
The moment I was baptised.
Oh how I must earnestly pray for others.
Logos, Labels, Marks and Tattoos.
Oh people. He Seals you.
All these other things you do yourself.
And they mean nothing.
Repent. Turn around.
And be sealed by Him.
Wednesday, 23 October 2013
Despair
God so Loves you
that He will ruthlessly garden
in the depths of
of your heart
and it will cause you to despair
it will cause you to doubt
salvation
but it is evidence that He
most definitely Loves you
Though it might be easier for you
if He just pruned away
at the fruit of sin,
to have the fruit removed
but the root remain
is no good to you
and brings no glory to God
in this moment of hardness
the Holy Spirit of God
with hands around
the base of guilt and shame, fear and anxiety
with all the power that exists,
is uprooting all the things
that derail and
destroy you
Matt Chandler
Gifts!
Attractive? His Gift - His Purpose
Clever? His Gift - His Purpose
Brave? His Gift - His Purpose
Wealthy? His Gift - His Purpose
Beautiful? His Gift - His Purpose
Talented? His Gift - His Purpose
Intelligent? His Gift - His Purpose
Wise? His Gift - His Purpose
Strong? His Gift - His Purpose
Life? His Gift - His Purpose
Christian?
18 "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: 'They hated me without reason.'
Jesus
We will sing, sing, sing
And make music with the Heavens
We will sing, sing, sing
Grateful that You hear us
When we shout Your Praise
Lift High the Name of Jesus
We will sing, sing, sing
And make music with the Heavens
We will sing, sing, sing
Grateful that You hear us
When we shout Your Praise
Lift High the Name of Jesus
What's not to Love about You
Heaven and Earth adore You
kings and kingdoms bow down
Son of God, You are the One
You are the One, we're living for
You are the Love that frees us
You are the Light that leads us
like a fire burning
Son of God, You are the One
You are the One, we're living for
We will sing, sing, sing
And make music with the Heavens
We will sing, sing, sing
Grateful that You hear us
When we shout Your Praise
Lift High the Name of Jesus
Sing, sing, sing
And make music with the Heavens
We will sing, sing, sing
Grateful that You hear us
When we shout Your Praise
Lift High the Name of Jesus
Sing, sing, sing
And make music with the Heavens
We will sing, sing, sing
Grateful that You hear us
When we shout Your Praise
Lift High the Name of Jesus
What's not to Love about You
Heaven and Earth adore You
kings and kingdoms bow down
Son of God, You are the One
You are the One, we're living for
You are the Love that frees us
You are the Light that leads us
like a fire burning
Son of God, You are the One
You are the One, we're living for
Sing, sing, sing
And make music with the Heavens
We will sing, sing, sing
Grateful that You hear us
When we shout Your Praise
Lift High the Name of Jesus
Chris Tomlin
Tuesday, 22 October 2013
Sunday, 20 October 2013
sinners
it is not the sins that we do
that makes us sinners
it is because we are sinners
that we sin
He is Sovereign
the plans that Satan has are only as affective as the Lord allows him to do.
the Lord is Sovereign
even over your enemy
the Lord works even the works of the devil
to accomplish His purposes
Saturday, 19 October 2013
The Answer
Pray
Keep praying
Don't give up praying
Pray
Keep praying
Keep going before Him
Keep praying for them
Don't give up
Don't give in
Don't hesitate
Don't be anxious
Pray
Keep praying
And when He answers you
Pray
Keep praying
Don't ever stop praying
For the moment that you do
The devil has an opportunity to make you doubt Him
Keep praying
Keep trusting Him
Keep reaching out to Him
Keep your heart set on Him
Keep your mind set on Him
He will make a way
He is the answer
Pray
It is His will
that NONE
shall perish!
PRAY
His Will!
Pray
HIS kingdom Come
on earth
as it is in Heaven!
Pray
Don't go to others
Don't avenge yourself
Pray
Don't talk about it
Don't ponder on it
Pray
Take all of your fears
and pray
Lay them before HIM
Let Him be glorified
And you shall receive His peace
Not as the world gives you
but Peace that surpasses all understanding
Peace that is over and above your circumstances
He is the Lord
His name is ABOVE any name
ANY and EVERY name
but you MUST pray
until He reveals to you
that your only delight
is found in Him
And when you get that
you will PRAISE HIM
you will know that He is God
you will know that He
works ALL things
for the good of those who Love Him
But you MUST pray
even when that last thing you can do is pray
that is the time that you call out to Him
Lord - help me to pray!
Lord - help my unbelief
if the only thing you can pray is
Jesus Christ, name above all names
Son of David
Have mercy on me
you have prayed
The Answer
is prayer
The Answer
is Him
Pray
Tuesday, 1 October 2013
What a day
It is quite a beautiful day
the day
you truelly understand
that
you are evil
but
the Lord is Good.
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