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LUKE 21:25-28
"And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;
men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."
men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."
The sea and the waves are roaring at this time. Whatever direction you turn there seems to be upset, disillusionment, distrust, manifest lies set up as truth as never before. Satan is having a field day and is becoming ever more bold. And yet, in that very boldness lie the seeds of his destruction. The Heavenlies are being shaken.
The signs are there, just as scripture reveals. However, just as all seems lost, the heavenly cavalry come charging in — Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Notice that when the earth is in turmoil, it is manifested in the seas, but rescue and redemption comes in the air, in the clouds. The heavenly kingdom realm treats fear, distress and perplexity as anathema. The denizens of the deep will be confounded.
The Lord shows us what is happening in the spiritual by an outworking in the natural, and we need to pay attention to world events, whether local or national or international. But… we must also exercise Holy Spirit discernment, lest such things overwhelm us.
Jesus’ words in Luke’s Gospel, sets all aright for us — though we see the things of earth in chaos around us; recognise that disorder for what it is — the result of men seeking their own ways, looking to the earth for their reward. ‘Lift up your heads’, look to the heavenlies, ‘and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.’ All perplexity vanishes, we understand and are comforted, knowing whose we are.
The signs are there, just as scripture reveals. However, just as all seems lost, the heavenly cavalry come charging in — Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Notice that when the earth is in turmoil, it is manifested in the seas, but rescue and redemption comes in the air, in the clouds. The heavenly kingdom realm treats fear, distress and perplexity as anathema. The denizens of the deep will be confounded.
The Lord shows us what is happening in the spiritual by an outworking in the natural, and we need to pay attention to world events, whether local or national or international. But… we must also exercise Holy Spirit discernment, lest such things overwhelm us.
Jesus’ words in Luke’s Gospel, sets all aright for us — though we see the things of earth in chaos around us; recognise that disorder for what it is — the result of men seeking their own ways, looking to the earth for their reward. ‘Lift up your heads’, look to the heavenlies, ‘and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.’ All perplexity vanishes, we understand and are comforted, knowing whose we are.
‘Meditate on these things…’
PSALM 24:7-10
Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
The LORD mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Lift up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
He is the King of glory.
Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
The LORD mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Lift up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
He is the King of glory.
Psalm 24:7-10 St George’s, Edinburgh, Scottish Metrical Psalter 1650
A HOLY CONDITION: Oswald Chambers on PEACE
— Life in the SPIRIT --
FOR A MAN to be undisturbed and in unity with himself is a good condition, not a bad one, because a united personality means freedom from self-consciousness; but if his peace is without any consideration of Jesus Christ, it is simply the outcome of this disposition of darkness which keeps men alienated from the life of God.
When Jesus Christ comes in He upsets this false unity.
[from ‘Biblical Ethics’]
When Jesus Christ comes in He upsets this false unity.
[from ‘Biblical Ethics’]
Listen to this meditation by clicking below…
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Psalm 121 (A Song of Ascents)
I will lift up my eyes to the hills--
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is your keeper;
The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is your keeper;
The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.
Following on from our Tuesday gathering on 15th March 2022
‘Where two or three are gathered, there am I in the midst of them’ is a wonderful expression of His presence whenever we meet and The Holy Spirit flows from one to another, melding individuals into one expression. And He is faithful to bring this blessing whenever we meet, binding us together ‘with cords that cannot be broken.’
The spirit word which launched us in ‘His way’ this week was ‘nourishment’, and we were led then to Psalm 121, which begins with ‘I will lift up my eyes to the hills…’, to the higher ground, out of the miry clay of our valley existence to meet in the heavenly realms with Him. The version of Psalm 121 quoted in the title comes from — not from the Authorised Version as I thought — but from the Scottish Psalter, the first verse of which is …
The spirit word which launched us in ‘His way’ this week was ‘nourishment’, and we were led then to Psalm 121, which begins with ‘I will lift up my eyes to the hills…’, to the higher ground, out of the miry clay of our valley existence to meet in the heavenly realms with Him. The version of Psalm 121 quoted in the title comes from — not from the Authorised Version as I thought — but from the Scottish Psalter, the first verse of which is …
I to the hills will lift mine eyes,
from whence doth come mine aid.
My safety cometh from the Lord,
who heav’n and earth hath made.
from whence doth come mine aid.
My safety cometh from the Lord,
who heav’n and earth hath made.
Having sung this since primary school, it sticks in my mind, the older form of expression giving a majesty to the words that some modern translations seem to lack, even if they are more accessible. But this beautiful psalm brings comfort and peace in any form, for it expresses the undeniable experience of a deep relationship with our Lord and Saviour.
Our world seems to have reached a crossroads at this time, and we see the bellicosity being expressed in many quarters, pushing us all to make concerted choices. That the release from captivity of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori should come at such a time as this — with unrelenting punishment meted out on civilians in Ukraine — highlights the fact that despite these dark days, the light of The Lord still shines. Indeed, a recent report from Ellel Ministries in Ukraine reveals that the Lord is answering prayer in miraculous ways [see links 1 and 2 below], along with tentative evidence that the Russian invasion is faltering. We pray that a just conclusion to this war is found, sooner rather than later.
And as our gathering drew to a close, the words of a song came to mind, the words of which are an amazing inspiration and reminder of whose we are.
Our world seems to have reached a crossroads at this time, and we see the bellicosity being expressed in many quarters, pushing us all to make concerted choices. That the release from captivity of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori should come at such a time as this — with unrelenting punishment meted out on civilians in Ukraine — highlights the fact that despite these dark days, the light of The Lord still shines. Indeed, a recent report from Ellel Ministries in Ukraine reveals that the Lord is answering prayer in miraculous ways [see links 1 and 2 below], along with tentative evidence that the Russian invasion is faltering. We pray that a just conclusion to this war is found, sooner rather than later.
And as our gathering drew to a close, the words of a song came to mind, the words of which are an amazing inspiration and reminder of whose we are.
I am destined for a kingdom
Anointed by the Lord
Made for glory
He's preparing me to reign
I am called to judge the angels
And I know I'm being restored
To the vision that God gave
In Jesus name
In Jesus name
I soar on wings like eagles
In Jesus name
I'm full of power in the Son
And as I lift His name on high
And my spirit starts to cry
He is here! He is here!
And he is LORD!
Anointed by the Lord
Made for glory
He's preparing me to reign
I am called to judge the angels
And I know I'm being restored
To the vision that God gave
In Jesus name
In Jesus name
I soar on wings like eagles
In Jesus name
I'm full of power in the Son
And as I lift His name on high
And my spirit starts to cry
He is here! He is here!
And he is LORD!
LINKS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
1 — ‘How God is working in Ukraine’ — report from Nina Rotkina
2 — Peter Horrobin’s ‘Seeds of The Kindom’ message, ‘I cry to You, Lord’ from 16th March 2022
‘Meditate on these things…’
REVELATION 5:8-10
Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
And they sang a new song, saying:
"You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth."
Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
And they sang a new song, saying:
"You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth."
“I to the Hills Will Lift Mine Eyes” — Scottish Festival Singers”
VIOLINISTS ACROSS THE WORLD PLAY FOR UKRAINE
Mention of this You Tube video was made in this morning’s Argyllshire Advertiser, and includes — among the 94 violinists from 27 countries taking part — Campbeltown’s Archie McAllister (now living in Lochgilphead). Illia Bondarenko, whose video leads the performance had to complete his video between bombing attacks.
Mention of this You Tube video was made in this morning’s Argyllshire Advertiser, and includes — among the 94 violinists from 27 countries taking part — Campbeltown’s Archie McAllister (now living in Lochgilphead). Illia Bondarenko, whose video leads the performance had to complete his video between bombing attacks.
A HOLY CONDITION: Oswald Chambers on JOY
— Strength in The LORD --
PEOPLE NOISY IN words are not always turbulent in spirit; excessively quiet people who have nothing to express in shouting, may be joyous in heart.
[from ‘If Ye Shall Ask’]
[from ‘If Ye Shall Ask’]
Listen to this meditation by clicking below…
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Mark 13:4-8
“Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?”
And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you.
For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many.
But when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet.
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.
And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you.
For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many.
But when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet.
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.
If we thought that we lived in troubled times with climate change and a global pandemic, Russia’s barbaric war on Ukraine has raised the spectre of worldwide catastrophe to add to the list. There is much to trouble us in these ‘end times’.
Maybe these are the times of ‘great tribulation’ as spoken of in th book of Revelation — we will not know until the Holy Spirit reveals it to us. What we must understand at this time is that whatever may befall, we need not succumb to panic if we are ‘in Christ’. Easy to say, but hard to hold on to. Turn always to Jesus Christ for His Holy Spirit presence.
Here is what I read from Oswald Chambers today …
Maybe these are the times of ‘great tribulation’ as spoken of in th book of Revelation — we will not know until the Holy Spirit reveals it to us. What we must understand at this time is that whatever may befall, we need not succumb to panic if we are ‘in Christ’. Easy to say, but hard to hold on to. Turn always to Jesus Christ for His Holy Spirit presence.
Here is what I read from Oswald Chambers today …
THE BASIS OF PANIC
Mark 13:7 But when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet.
That is either the statement of a madman or of a Being who has power to put something into a man and keep him free from panic, even in the midst of the awful terror of war. The basis of panic is always cowardice. Our Lord teaches us to look things full in the face. He says — "When you hear of wars, don't be scared." It is the most natural thing in the world to be scared, and the clearest evidence that God's grace is at work in our hearts is when we do not get into panics.
Our Lord insists on the inevitableness of peril. He says, "You must lay your account with war, with hatred, and with death." Men may have lived undisturbed over a volcano for a long while, when suddenly an eruption occurs. Jesus Christ did not say.— “You will understand why war has come," but — “Don't be scared when it does come, do not be in a panic.”
It is astonishing how we ignore Jesus Christ's words. He said that nations would end in war and bloodshed and havoc. We ignore His warnings; and when war comes we lose our wits and exhibit panic.
(OSWALD CHAMBERS, from THE SHADOW OF AN AGONY)
‘Meditate on these things …
REVELATION 7:13-17
Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?"
And I said to him, "Sir, you know."
So he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.
They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat;
for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?"
And I said to him, "Sir, you know."
So he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.
They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat;
for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
We have two videos today. The first is from Pastor Tim Dilena of Times Square Church in New York, and the second is the Gaither Vocal Band’s rendition of ‘These Are They …’
“The World Changed In One Night” — Pastor Tim Dilena (Times Square Church)
“These Are They …” — Gaither Vocal Band
A HOLY CONDITION: Oswald Chambers on JOY
— Strength in the LORD --
OUR LORD TEACHES that moral progress must start from a point of moral innocence, and is consequently only possible to a man when he has been born again.
To become "as little children" means to receive a new heredity, a totally new nature, the essence of which is simplicity and confidence toward God. To develop the moral life, innocence must be transformed into virtue by a series of deliberate choices in which present pleasure is sacrificed for the ultimate joy of being good. The natural has to be transformed into the spiritual by willing obedience to the word and will of God.
[from ‘Biblical Ethics’]
To become "as little children" means to receive a new heredity, a totally new nature, the essence of which is simplicity and confidence toward God. To develop the moral life, innocence must be transformed into virtue by a series of deliberate choices in which present pleasure is sacrificed for the ultimate joy of being good. The natural has to be transformed into the spiritual by willing obedience to the word and will of God.
[from ‘Biblical Ethics’]
Listen to this meditation by clicking below…
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"My Lord and My God, I have hoped in Thee:
O Jesu, sweet Saviour, now liberate me!
I have languished for Thee in afflictions and chains,
Through long years of anguish and bodily pains.
Adoring, imploring, on humbly bowed knee,
I crave of thy mercy to liberate me."
MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS, 1587
TRANSLATED FROM THE LATIN BY AGNES STRICKLAND
O Jesu, sweet Saviour, now liberate me!
I have languished for Thee in afflictions and chains,
Through long years of anguish and bodily pains.
Adoring, imploring, on humbly bowed knee,
I crave of thy mercy to liberate me."
MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS, 1587
TRANSLATED FROM THE LATIN BY AGNES STRICKLAND
Psalm 7:1-2+17
O Lord my God, in You I put my trust;
Save me from all those who persecute me;
And deliver me,
Lest they tear me like a lion,
Rending me in pieces, while there is none to deliver...
I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness,
And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.
Save me from all those who persecute me;
And deliver me,
Lest they tear me like a lion,
Rending me in pieces, while there is none to deliver...
I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness,
And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.
Mary wrote in Latin, as most educated persons in her day would have done. Instead of ‘liberate’, we might expect to see ‘set free’, or ‘delivered from’; or ‘save me’ instead. Even with such a translation, we can hear the deep cry of Mary’s heart, seeking release from all her troubles.
Thinking of Queen Mary’s distress and her seeking the Lord to free her from her plight took me to Psalm 7, where David pleads with God to deliver him from persecution. Amidst all their troubles their only recourse was to cry out to The Lord, ‘Return, O LORD, deliver me! Oh, save me for Your mercies' sake!’
This morning on BBC Radio 4’s ‘A Point of View’ programme, Rebecca Stott talked of her Russian friend Veronika, who is a gifted gardener, and their friendship, but with particular emphasis on how Veronika views her country in the light of events in Ukraine. The programme shows how this Russian lady has gone from a position of belief that Putin would not invade Ukraine, to being ‘depressed’ at her pride in her homeland being so cruelly shattered. She now says ‘there are no words’. It sums up the feelings of so many of us. The world has profoundly changed, and each new day brings further revelations of horror.
It is often said that we must come to the end of ourselves before The Lord will move. Certainly, it is when we are in extremis, when we can see no other way, that we find that God brings comfort and release. Being ‘at the end of ourselves’ really means that we have come to the place of complete surrender to God, so that pain, loss and all the awfulness this world can throw at us is replaced by ‘the light of His countenance’, by ‘the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, [which] will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ [Philippians 4:7]
Thinking of Queen Mary’s distress and her seeking the Lord to free her from her plight took me to Psalm 7, where David pleads with God to deliver him from persecution. Amidst all their troubles their only recourse was to cry out to The Lord, ‘Return, O LORD, deliver me! Oh, save me for Your mercies' sake!’
This morning on BBC Radio 4’s ‘A Point of View’ programme, Rebecca Stott talked of her Russian friend Veronika, who is a gifted gardener, and their friendship, but with particular emphasis on how Veronika views her country in the light of events in Ukraine. The programme shows how this Russian lady has gone from a position of belief that Putin would not invade Ukraine, to being ‘depressed’ at her pride in her homeland being so cruelly shattered. She now says ‘there are no words’. It sums up the feelings of so many of us. The world has profoundly changed, and each new day brings further revelations of horror.
It is often said that we must come to the end of ourselves before The Lord will move. Certainly, it is when we are in extremis, when we can see no other way, that we find that God brings comfort and release. Being ‘at the end of ourselves’ really means that we have come to the place of complete surrender to God, so that pain, loss and all the awfulness this world can throw at us is replaced by ‘the light of His countenance’, by ‘the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, [which] will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ [Philippians 4:7]
‘Meditate on these things…’
PSALM 27:5-6
For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.
And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.
For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.
And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.
"Living Hope" - Phil Wickham
A HOLY CONDITION: Oswald Chambers on JOY
— Strength in the LORD --
PEOPLE ARE TIRED of the preaching about a future
heaven and they have gone to the other extreme and deal only with what is called the practical. Consequently, they rob themselves of the unfathomable joy of knowing that everything God has said will come to pass.
The Redemption covers more than men and women, it covers the whole earth. Everything that has been marred by sin and the devil has been completely redeemed by Jesus Christ. At present that is absolutely inconceivable to us. The world represents the societies of men on God's earth, and they do as they like; the earth remains God's. "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth." The meek bide God's time.
[from ‘Biblical Ethics’]
heaven and they have gone to the other extreme and deal only with what is called the practical. Consequently, they rob themselves of the unfathomable joy of knowing that everything God has said will come to pass.
The Redemption covers more than men and women, it covers the whole earth. Everything that has been marred by sin and the devil has been completely redeemed by Jesus Christ. At present that is absolutely inconceivable to us. The world represents the societies of men on God's earth, and they do as they like; the earth remains God's. "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth." The meek bide God's time.
[from ‘Biblical Ethics’]
Listen to this meditation by clicking below…
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Jude 1:20-25 [KJV]
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
And of some have compassion, making a difference:
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen
Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
And of some have compassion, making a difference:
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen
I felt led a few days ago to look at this passage from Jude, and this morning I read this commentary by Oswald Chambers on the same verses… it emphasises the essential need for prayer. Prayer is everything in our relationship with the Lord. It is what keeps us ‘on track’ on our pilgrimage through life …
PRAYER PERVADED BY PENTECOST
We have to pray relying upon what has been revealed by the sent-down Holy Spirit, and the first revelation is that we do not know how to pray. (See Romans 8:26)
We have to learn to draw on our relationship to Jesus Christ. As we do, we realise that the Holy Spirit keeps us in simple relationship to our Lord while we pray. When we pray in the Holy Spirit we are released from our petitions. "Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” (Matthew 6:8) Then why ask? The whole meaning of prayer is that we may know God.
The "asking and receiving" prayer is elementary; it is the part of prayer we can understand. But it is not necessarily praying in the Holy Spirit. Those who are not born again must ask and receive; but when we have received and have become rightly related to God, we must maintain this simplicity of belief in Him while we pray. Our minds must be saturated by the revelation of prayer until we learn in every detail to pray in the Holy Spirit. Prayer is not an exercise, it is life.
(OSWALD CHAMBERS from “IF YE SHALL ASK”)
Our Lord is undoubtedly able to keep us from stumbling, but do we access His ability to do it?
On our previous post (‘Truth Is Fallen In The Street’), we saw that each of us is capable, at some level, of failing and falling into sinful ways. What is so amazing, and comforting, is that we have a God, who, if we commit to Him and allow the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ to inhabit every aspect of your life, is able to keep you from falling (stumbling), but — much more fundamentally — present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. He will not just ‘wipe the slate clean’, but He does the work in the fullest expression of joy. Hallelujah!
- He is ‘the way’ — ‘Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.’ [Psalm 119:105]
- He is ‘the truth’ -- ‘And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ [John 8:32]
- He is ‘the life’ — ‘For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.’ [1 Timothy 4:8]
On our previous post (‘Truth Is Fallen In The Street’), we saw that each of us is capable, at some level, of failing and falling into sinful ways. What is so amazing, and comforting, is that we have a God, who, if we commit to Him and allow the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ to inhabit every aspect of your life, is able to keep you from falling (stumbling), but — much more fundamentally — present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. He will not just ‘wipe the slate clean’, but He does the work in the fullest expression of joy. Hallelujah!
‘Meditate on these things…’
ROMANS 8:26
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
“A Love For Truth” — Dylan Woodward
A HOLY PROMISE: Oswald Chambers on HOPE
— In Doubt: Hope in GOD --
God grant we may accept His clouds and mysteries, and be led into His inner secrets by obedient trust.
[from ‘The Place of Help’]
[from ‘The Place of Help’]
Listen to this meditation by clicking below…
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Isaiah 59:13-15
In transgressing and lying against the LORD,
And departing from our God,
Speaking oppression and revolt,
Conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
Justice is turned back,
And righteousness stands afar off;
For truth is fallen in the street,
And equity cannot enter.
So truth fails,
And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.
And departing from our God,
Speaking oppression and revolt,
Conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
Justice is turned back,
And righteousness stands afar off;
For truth is fallen in the street,
And equity cannot enter.
So truth fails,
And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.
Gathering — Tuesday 8th March 2022
In a conversation with a friend, The Lord gave Gill this word; ‘Truth is fallen in the street.’ It is to be found in Isaiah 59, a chapter which can be divided into three segments describing ‘separated from God’, ‘sin confessed’, and ‘The Redeemer of Zion’, and concludes with chapter 60, verse 1, ‘Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.,’
Isaiah presents us with the transformation from darkness to light that is the foundation of faith. The acknowledgment that we are separated from God and need to confess that sinfulness is the first step towards our redemption.
At this time, our planet is being driven into chaos by one man’s ambition, an overweening arrogance displaying lies and deceit at every turn, a refusal to reach agreement, and belligerence which pulverises life without thought. There is not a vestige of compassion. Many are already calling this the third world war. Anything further from God is impossible to imagine. What are we to make of it?
It would be easy to slide towards despair, but the Lord would have us resist such a reaction. We must continue to understand that He is in control of all things — that these tragedies occur because of the free will He has granted to every one of us, and there are times when evil seems to be concentrated in one man. However, this is no more than something inherent in each one of us, but which, thankfully, most keep on a tight rein, and/or have no knowledge. It is only when a tyrant arises that we see the reality of our earthly existence.
The Lord is calling us to stand in this hour, to hold fast. Evidence seems to show that the Ukrainian people have strong faith in God and a determination to hold onto the land the Lord has given them. Playing out before our eyes in the natural world is The Lord’s picture of the war in the spiritual realm between angels and demons; the war within each one of us.
During the First World War, an American senator declared, ‘the first casualty, when war comes, is truth’, echoing Isaiah, who wrote ‘for truth is fallen in the street’. What happens when you drop something in the street? It get trampled, ground down, covered in dirt until it is unrecognisable and eventually lost. We must pray that His truth is not lost at this time, by looking always to Him ‘who is able to keep you from falling’. Only He has the answer.
Isaiah presents us with the transformation from darkness to light that is the foundation of faith. The acknowledgment that we are separated from God and need to confess that sinfulness is the first step towards our redemption.
At this time, our planet is being driven into chaos by one man’s ambition, an overweening arrogance displaying lies and deceit at every turn, a refusal to reach agreement, and belligerence which pulverises life without thought. There is not a vestige of compassion. Many are already calling this the third world war. Anything further from God is impossible to imagine. What are we to make of it?
It would be easy to slide towards despair, but the Lord would have us resist such a reaction. We must continue to understand that He is in control of all things — that these tragedies occur because of the free will He has granted to every one of us, and there are times when evil seems to be concentrated in one man. However, this is no more than something inherent in each one of us, but which, thankfully, most keep on a tight rein, and/or have no knowledge. It is only when a tyrant arises that we see the reality of our earthly existence.
The Lord is calling us to stand in this hour, to hold fast. Evidence seems to show that the Ukrainian people have strong faith in God and a determination to hold onto the land the Lord has given them. Playing out before our eyes in the natural world is The Lord’s picture of the war in the spiritual realm between angels and demons; the war within each one of us.
During the First World War, an American senator declared, ‘the first casualty, when war comes, is truth’, echoing Isaiah, who wrote ‘for truth is fallen in the street’. What happens when you drop something in the street? It get trampled, ground down, covered in dirt until it is unrecognisable and eventually lost. We must pray that His truth is not lost at this time, by looking always to Him ‘who is able to keep you from falling’. Only He has the answer.
‘Meditate on these things…’
EZEKIEL 36:23-28
And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD," says the Lord GOD, "when I am hallowed in you before their eyes.
For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.
Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.
And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD," says the Lord GOD, "when I am hallowed in you before their eyes.
For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.
Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.
“The Battle Hymn Of The Republic” — The Mormon Tabernacle Choir / West Point Band
A HOLY CONDITION: Oswald Chambers on JOY
— Strength in the LORD --
We go to God when we have no joy in ourselves and find that His joy is our strength.
[from ‘The Highest Good’]
[from ‘The Highest Good’]
Listen to this meditation by clicking below…
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Galatians 5:1-6
Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.
And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.
And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
Circumcision was a ritual, which God gave to Abraham as a symbol of the first covenant between man and God:
And God said to Abraham: "As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; … and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. [Genesis 17:9-11]
Initially, it was through this covenant with God, that God’s people were freed from bondage — finding liberty. Psalm 119 says:
Do not snatch your word of truth from me, for your regulations are my only hope. I will keep on obeying your instructions forever and ever. I will walk in freedom (liberty), for I have devoted myself to your commandments. [Psalm 119:43-45 NLT (New Living Translation)]
Jesus’ first public speech was when He quoted Isaiah 61 in the synagogue — and giving a foretaste of His true purpose as a result. He claimed Isaiah’s prophecy as His own ‘to proclaim liberty to the captives’, thus establishing His credentials as The Christ; The Messiah.
Paul in our key verses for today, urges us to avoid lapsing into bondage; instead claiming our liberty, for which Jesus died upon the cross. Not only claiming that liberty, but standing in it, holding fast to our faith worked in us through His love. Thus the new covenant relationship is established. Stand fast in Jesus, lest we fall from grace.
And God said to Abraham: "As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; … and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. [Genesis 17:9-11]
Initially, it was through this covenant with God, that God’s people were freed from bondage — finding liberty. Psalm 119 says:
Do not snatch your word of truth from me, for your regulations are my only hope. I will keep on obeying your instructions forever and ever. I will walk in freedom (liberty), for I have devoted myself to your commandments. [Psalm 119:43-45 NLT (New Living Translation)]
Jesus’ first public speech was when He quoted Isaiah 61 in the synagogue — and giving a foretaste of His true purpose as a result. He claimed Isaiah’s prophecy as His own ‘to proclaim liberty to the captives’, thus establishing His credentials as The Christ; The Messiah.
Paul in our key verses for today, urges us to avoid lapsing into bondage; instead claiming our liberty, for which Jesus died upon the cross. Not only claiming that liberty, but standing in it, holding fast to our faith worked in us through His love. Thus the new covenant relationship is established. Stand fast in Jesus, lest we fall from grace.
‘Meditate on these things …’
ISAIAH 61:1-3
"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,
Because the LORD has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."
"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,
Because the LORD has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."
“Stand Fast In The Liberty” — composed and sung by Dan Ricciardelli
“Stand Fast In The Liberty” (lyrics)
Stand fast in the liberty, wherein Christ Jesus has set us free.
Take every thought into captivity.
Stand fast in the liberty
Though we stumble yet we shall arise.
We shall forsake all the enemies lies.
God will surely answer our cries
as we stand in the liberty.
Stand fast in the liberty, wherein Christ Jesus has set us free.
Take every thought into captivity.
Stand fast in the liberty
Jesus has proclaimed a year of release.
Now we can walk in love joy and peace.
Our bondage to sin and death will cease
as we stand in the liberty.
Stand fast in the liberty, wherein Christ Jesus has set us free.
Take every thought into captivity.
Stand fast in the liberty
Why should I look with a natural eye,
and not behold Him who is higher than I.
With faith of the eagle He’ll cause us to fly
as we stand in the liberty.
Stand fast in the liberty, wherein Christ Jesus has set us free.
Take every thought into captivity.
Stand fast in the liberty
Now we behold with an open face
the one who called us by His glory and grace.
From glory to glory a change takes place
as we stand in the liberty.
Stand fast in the liberty, wherein Christ Jesus has set us free.
Take every thought into captivity.
Stand fast in the liberty
Take every thought into captivity.
Stand fast in the liberty
Though we stumble yet we shall arise.
We shall forsake all the enemies lies.
God will surely answer our cries
as we stand in the liberty.
Stand fast in the liberty, wherein Christ Jesus has set us free.
Take every thought into captivity.
Stand fast in the liberty
Jesus has proclaimed a year of release.
Now we can walk in love joy and peace.
Our bondage to sin and death will cease
as we stand in the liberty.
Stand fast in the liberty, wherein Christ Jesus has set us free.
Take every thought into captivity.
Stand fast in the liberty
Why should I look with a natural eye,
and not behold Him who is higher than I.
With faith of the eagle He’ll cause us to fly
as we stand in the liberty.
Stand fast in the liberty, wherein Christ Jesus has set us free.
Take every thought into captivity.
Stand fast in the liberty
Now we behold with an open face
the one who called us by His glory and grace.
From glory to glory a change takes place
as we stand in the liberty.
Stand fast in the liberty, wherein Christ Jesus has set us free.
Take every thought into captivity.
Stand fast in the liberty
A HOLY PROMISE: Oswald Chambers on HOPE
— In Doubt: Hope in GOD --
Never try to anticipate the actual fulfilment of a vision; you transact some business spiritually with God on your mount of transfiguration and by faith see clearly a vision of His purpose, and immediately afterwards there is nothing but blank darkness.
You trust in The Lord, but you walk in darkness; the temptation is to work up enthusiasm, you have to stay on God and wait [Isaiah 50:10-11].
If darkness turns to spiritual doldrums, you are to blame.
[from ‘Not Knowing Whither’]
You trust in The Lord, but you walk in darkness; the temptation is to work up enthusiasm, you have to stay on God and wait [Isaiah 50:10-11].
If darkness turns to spiritual doldrums, you are to blame.
[from ‘Not Knowing Whither’]
Listen to this meditation by clicking below…
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John 15:26-27
But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
Jesus is always affirming, never leaving us with a down; He is forever our comforter, and we see that here in this coda to chapter 15. He promises to send the Helper — the Spirit of Truth — who will testify of Him. In this age we know this to be true, having personal experience of the Holy Spirit working in us.
What is special — and uplifting — about all that Jesus says, is that He never condemns, but always reassures and affirms. He never leaves us to doubt and sink into panic and anxiety, because He never leaves us. The times when we feel forsaken, come because we have erected a barrier between Him and ourselves. But He wants us to be with Him. He says ‘you have been with me from the beginning.’
When is that beginning? Is it when we come to first come to know Him? His beginning or our beginning? As Jesus is talking to His disciples at this point, it seems likely that He is talking of the start of His ministry, when they were chosen to walk with Him, but there is a sense that, in the Spirit, that beginning is outside of the restrictions of time.
The book of Ephesians begins with ‘just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,’ [Ephesians 1:4]. Whenever ‘the beginning’ is in a temporal sense, we are assured that we shall be with Him forevermore.
What is special — and uplifting — about all that Jesus says, is that He never condemns, but always reassures and affirms. He never leaves us to doubt and sink into panic and anxiety, because He never leaves us. The times when we feel forsaken, come because we have erected a barrier between Him and ourselves. But He wants us to be with Him. He says ‘you have been with me from the beginning.’
When is that beginning? Is it when we come to first come to know Him? His beginning or our beginning? As Jesus is talking to His disciples at this point, it seems likely that He is talking of the start of His ministry, when they were chosen to walk with Him, but there is a sense that, in the Spirit, that beginning is outside of the restrictions of time.
The book of Ephesians begins with ‘just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,’ [Ephesians 1:4]. Whenever ‘the beginning’ is in a temporal sense, we are assured that we shall be with Him forevermore.
‘Meditate on these things …’
PROVERBS 8:22-32
"The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.
I have been established from everlasting,
From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.
When there were no depths I was brought forth,
When there were no fountains abounding with water.
Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills, I was brought forth;
While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields,
Or the primal dust of the world.
When He prepared the heavens, I was there,
When He drew a circle on the face of the deep,
When He established the clouds above,
When He strengthened the fountains of the deep,
When He assigned to the sea its limit,
So that the waters would not transgress His command,
When He marked out the foundations of the earth,
Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman;
And I was daily His delight,
Rejoicing always before Him,
Rejoicing in His inhabited world,
And my delight was with the sons of men.
"Now therefore, listen to me, my children,
For blessed are those who keep my ways.
"The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way,
Before His works of old.
I have been established from everlasting,
From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.
When there were no depths I was brought forth,
When there were no fountains abounding with water.
Before the mountains were settled,
Before the hills, I was brought forth;
While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields,
Or the primal dust of the world.
When He prepared the heavens, I was there,
When He drew a circle on the face of the deep,
When He established the clouds above,
When He strengthened the fountains of the deep,
When He assigned to the sea its limit,
So that the waters would not transgress His command,
When He marked out the foundations of the earth,
Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman;
And I was daily His delight,
Rejoicing always before Him,
Rejoicing in His inhabited world,
And my delight was with the sons of men.
"Now therefore, listen to me, my children,
For blessed are those who keep my ways.
“O Ignis Spiritus” (Hildegard Von Bingen) — AnúnaxjMichael McGlynn
A HOLY PROMISE: Oswald Chambers on HOPE
— In Doubt: Hope in GOD --
When God puts the dark of "nothing" into your experience, it is the most positive something He can give you. Remain in the center of nothing, and say "thank you" for nothing. It is a very great lesson, which few of us learn, that when God gives us nothing it is because we are inside Him, and by determining to do something we put ourselves outside Him.
[from ‘Not Knowing Whither’]
[from ‘Not Knowing Whither’]
Listen to this meditation by clicking below …
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John 15:18-25
"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.
If you were of the world, the world would love its own.
Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.
If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.
He who hates Me hates My Father also.
If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.
But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, They hated Me without a cause.'
If you were of the world, the world would love its own.
Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.
If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.
He who hates Me hates My Father also.
If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.
But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, They hated Me without a cause.'
What Jesus meant by ‘the world’ has generated much discussion and not a little confusion over the years. However, it is clear that Jesus saw His people as ‘not of the world’, because His people were like Him and the world hated (persecuted) Him.
‘The world’ translates literally as ‘orderly arrangement’, but also suggests a variety of other interpretations, from ‘the earth’, ‘the people of the earth’ to ‘the ungodly multitude’, but remembering John 3:16 ‘ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...’ The concluding statement in verse 17, makes it plain that Jesus’ purpose was the saving of the world — a change of the ‘orderly arrangement’ — showing that God’s desire is that all should turn to Him.
For those of us who believe, it is a matter of who is our inspiration; the source of who we are and are to be — ‘abiding in Jesus Christ’ or ‘of the world’. Scripture tells us that the prevailing spirit in the world is not The Lord, and we read in 1 Corinthians 2:10-11 ‘For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.’
We also know that the spirit of the world has been defeated in the heavenly realms — ‘So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.’ [Revelation 12:9] — although that spirit tries to deceive us into believing otherwise.
Jesus’ purpose here is — as ever — to bring reality to bear, simply because He is the way, the truth and the life, and it cannot be otherwise with Him. He said, “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” Know that ‘You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.’ [1 John 4:4]
‘The world’ translates literally as ‘orderly arrangement’, but also suggests a variety of other interpretations, from ‘the earth’, ‘the people of the earth’ to ‘the ungodly multitude’, but remembering John 3:16 ‘ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...’ The concluding statement in verse 17, makes it plain that Jesus’ purpose was the saving of the world — a change of the ‘orderly arrangement’ — showing that God’s desire is that all should turn to Him.
For those of us who believe, it is a matter of who is our inspiration; the source of who we are and are to be — ‘abiding in Jesus Christ’ or ‘of the world’. Scripture tells us that the prevailing spirit in the world is not The Lord, and we read in 1 Corinthians 2:10-11 ‘For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.’
We also know that the spirit of the world has been defeated in the heavenly realms — ‘So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.’ [Revelation 12:9] — although that spirit tries to deceive us into believing otherwise.
Jesus’ purpose here is — as ever — to bring reality to bear, simply because He is the way, the truth and the life, and it cannot be otherwise with Him. He said, “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” Know that ‘You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.’ [1 John 4:4]
‘Meditate on these things…’
JOHN 16:8-11
And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement:
- of sin, because they do not believe in Me;
- of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;
- of judgement, because the ruler of this world is judged.
And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement:
- of sin, because they do not believe in Me;
- of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;
- of judgement, because the ruler of this world is judged.
‘This is My Father’s World’ (instrumental) — Taryn Harbridge
A HOLY WALK: Oswald Chambers on FAITH
— What God says about THE WORLD --
In the face of problems as they are, we see in Jesus Christ an exhibition of where our faith is to be placed — in a God whose ways we do not understand.
[from ‘Disciples Indeed’]
[from ‘Disciples Indeed’]
Listen to this meditation by clicking below …
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Friday Gathering — 25th February 2022
Our gatherings have been a little erratic of late, what with the work been done in Dove Cottage, as well as various illness, stresses and a dash of confusion. However, through it all came the message of hope, particularly welcome considering the Ukraine invasion. Indeed, had we met on Tuesday as planned, we would not have come together to pray until next week.
The Lord met us in our meeting, and over and over again, the Holy Spirit message was unmistakably one of hope. A lot of what was shared centred around the invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022, and David Wilkerson’s devotional for that date in his book ‘God Is Faithful’ was entitled ‘We are not without hope’, which says this:
The Lord met us in our meeting, and over and over again, the Holy Spirit message was unmistakably one of hope. A lot of what was shared centred around the invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022, and David Wilkerson’s devotional for that date in his book ‘God Is Faithful’ was entitled ‘We are not without hope’, which says this:
We who know Christ’s righteousness are not to live as those who are without hope. We have been blessed with both the love and the fear of God. And His will for us in the darkest, most terrible times is to obtain His joy and gladness. Even as we see judgment falling around us, we are to sing, shout and rejoice—not because judgment has come but in spite of it.
In Isaiah 51:10, God reminds His people, “[I] made the depths of the sea a road for the redeemed to cross over.” The next verse begins with the word So—meaning, “in light of what I have just said.” God was telling His people, in effect, “I am still the Lord, the Ancient of Days, the worker of miracles—and My arm is still strong to deliver you.” What does God want to get across to us in light of this truth? He says it all in one verse, Isaiah 51:11:
— “So the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing.” In other words, “I am going to have a people who return to Me with trust, faith and confidence. They will take their eyes off the conditions surrounding them and get back their song of joy.”
— “With everlasting joy on their heads.” The joy that God’s people experience will not be just for a Sunday morning or a week or a month. It will last through the years, through hard times, even to the very end.
— “They shall obtain joy and gladness.” God looked down through the ages and said, “I am going to have a people who will obtain joy.”
— “Sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” This does not mean all our suffering will end. It means our trust in our faithful Lord will put us above every pain and trial.
With these truths in mind, nothing should be able to rob us of our joy in Christ.
DAVID WILKERSON [from ‘God Is Faithful’]
“Hope Has A Name” — River Valley Worship
A HOLY PROMISE: Oswald Chambers on HOPE
— In Doubt: Hope in GOD --
Darkness is not synonymous with sin; if there is darkness spiritually it is much more likely to be the shade of God’s hand than darkness on account of sin; it may be the threshold of a new revelation coming through a big break in personal experience.
Before the dawn there is desolation; but wait, the dawn will merge into glorious day.
[from ‘He Shall Glorify Me’]
Before the dawn there is desolation; but wait, the dawn will merge into glorious day.
[from ‘He Shall Glorify Me’]