Him first

“Jesus answered him, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with every passion of your heart, with all the energy of your being, and with every thought that is within you.’’ Matthew‬ ‭22‬:‭37‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Loving my God first and most passionately comes before sitting in a struggle to understand what is happening in relationships and what is happening in my physical body.

High blood pressure has been threatening me, and I refuse it’s athority as I’ve not had a problem with it ever before, except under stress. Whilst I am under stress with exams this week, the stress is not great. However, I live in a volatile environment where offense dwells. The endeavour not to cause offense is too great and its force must be dealt with spiritually, not naturally. 

When I love my God with all I am, I can trust Him in this challenge. He is my keeper and my protector. As I read about Israel’s latest challenge with the fall of Syria I recognise their need to trust their Lord as well.

“With you as my strength I can crush an enemy horde, advancing through every stronghold that stands in front of me.”Psalms‬ ‭18‬:‭29‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Destroying strongholds of fear and intimidation is a must! 

“Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life, then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will guard your heart and mind through Jesus Christ.”Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Without limits

““The One whom God has sent to represent him will speak the words of God, because God has poured out upon him the fullness of the Holy Spirit without limitation. The Father loves his Son so much that he has given all things into his hands.”John‬ ‭3‬:‭34‬-‭35‬ ‭TPT‬‬

The words that capture me here are: ‘God has poured out His Holy Spirit without limitation’. When the Holy Spirit came in Acts 2 He poured out the Holy Spirit, it seems without limitations. Peter, in Acts 2 preached to the crowd and he referred to a scripture from Joel which states: in the last days I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh…’(Joel 2:28-32) can we say God has limited His Holy Spirit or can we embrace Him without limits?

The passage in John goes on to say: ‘the Father loves the Son so much that He has given all things into His hands’. I am challenged to believe that Jesus bought us the same privilege. Jesus told His disciples: ‘ Receive this truth: Whatever you forbid on earth will be considered to be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will be considered to be released in heaven.’Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭18‬ ‭TPT‬‬

This is authority! We have been given divine authority!

Jesus was our forerunner. He showed us the way to behave under authority and with authority. May we step up to our divine appointment! Amen!

Great love

“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In an age where secular mankind believe they are good, and that Heaven should allow them admittance, this scripture confronts a truer picture. Claiming self-righteousness is not enough when confronted with scriptures such as:

“No one is righteous— not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.” Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with lies.” Snake venom drips from their lips.”Romans‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬-‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

That is very confrontational. Snake venom drips from their lips? That is strong! Then who is to judge? And by what standards?

John taught “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.”1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What does the judge say? Jesus said: “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.”Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

 

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, no man or woman comes to the Father but through Him! These were His own words. (John 14:6)

Now we return to the scripture at the top of the page. We know we are sinners without Christ, we are offered the Father’s gift: eternal life through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. He is our righteousness, He is our purity, He is our life! As we accept our state and ask for forgiveness we receive His gracious gift, eternal life.

Prayer: Jesus, I ask you to forgive my sins, be my saviour, come and live in my heart and give me eternal life! Thank You! Amen!

Knowing love

“We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.”1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Have I put my trust in God’s love? Or have I continued without the full realisation of His love?

Coming from a Catholic background and growing up in a critical family I did not know love like Jesus gives. I searched for it for 19 years but when He found me, I was the happiest girl alive.

At times I know I need more of an awareness of His love for me, especially as the greatest critic of all plays upon my sensibilities. He comes to condemn, shame and destroy, but my Jesus gives me life in His love.

Daily I must choose love, I must decide to live in His love irregardless of what others may feel towards me or do. I am loved by the King of heaven, He died for me, He saved me from my sins. I am wholly trust Him. Amen!

The promise

“Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”

‭‭John‬ ‭11‬:‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Your name may not be Martha, however, you could insert your name here. I am now in my 70’s and am, perhaps closer to eternity than you. I have the joy of knowing Jesus paid for my sins, and made a way for me to be in heaven with Him when my earthly body relinquishes its hold.

Nonetheless, right now I can live a resurrection life, I have a new heart, a heart that seeks God and not it’s own way. I can walk in the position of a child of God and know my prayers will be answered. I am positioned in Jesus in the heavens, right now.

I am known, I am accepted, I am blessed with a heavenly blessing. All that is in my Father’s house is mine to use. His goodness and grace are mine, His miracles are mine, His abundance is mine. I am His daughter. Amen!

Bread of life

“Jesus said to them, “I am the Bread of Life. Come every day to me and you will never be hungry. Believe in me and you will never be thirsty.”John‬ ‭6‬:‭35‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Jesus is talking to the crowd who followed Him after He fed them through a miracle. He fed 5,000 people with 5 barley loaves and two fish. Jesus steps up His revelation by telling them He is the bread that f life. He tells them in verse 51:

“I alone am this living Bread that has come to you from heaven. Eat this Bread and you will live forever. The living Bread I give you is my body, which I will offer as a sacrifice so that all may live.”John‬ ‭6‬:‭51‬ ‭TPT‬‬

The people were thinking naturally. They could not fathom how Jesus’ body could be bread, and how could they eat Him every day. 

Yet, we know Jesus also is called the ‘word of God’. John refers to this in chapter 1:1,2:

“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God.”John‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus offended these natural thinkers by telling them:

 “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day.”John‬ ‭6‬:‭53‬-‭54‬ ‭NLT‬‬

For us New Testament believers we know He was not telling the people they must be cannibals, but rather that ‘all of Him’ represented the food from heaven, He was the living word of God, He embodied all there was need for eternal life, He was enough.

 When Jesus asks the twelve disciples if they would also leave, Peter declares: ‘where would we go? You have the words of eternal life! We have come to believe and know Hou are the Holy One of God!’(v 68,69)

Jesus is all we need! Amen!

Treasures

“For your heart will always pursue what you esteem as your treasure.”Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭21‬ ‭TPT‬‬

I once said, ‘I do not need diamonds and jewels, people are my treasures!’ I love winning friends, souls and making disciples; I love Jesus and want my friends to know Him and His way.

Today is my birthday and I awoke to a message from my son in Australia wishing me a very happy birthday and telling me he loves me lots. My flatmates knocked on my door and when I went out they had baked a cake and had gifts for me. They also greeted me with a shooting candle and song. My family and friends on Facebook all wished me a happy birthday and it is now only 7am.

I am promised lunch with my flatmates, and who knows what else. Most importantly I can spend time with my Jesus and read His word. I value loving relationships above all. My Jesus loves me with a pure and fathomless well of love. Amen!