My Jesus, My Saviour - there is none like you

What a contrast. From the last meal where the disciples shared an important festival meal with Jesus, found relief that they were not to betray Him and praised God through songs, singing the Psalms, such as 116, 118 and 138. Singing beautiful words - "I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the Lord’s name for saving me. I will keep my promises to the Lord in the presence of all his people."

To the low of Jesus capture, their desertion in action and in words, to Jesus death. No wonder Peter wept bitterly when after professing in song to the Father, and in person to the Son he then abandoned Jesus, deserted Him.

How sometimes I have such hope and make so many promises to God and Jesus. And how I also weep bitterly when I am proved wrong, when I break those promises and desert Him and His ways.

And yet Jesus still gave Himself as a sacrifice and brought redemption and restoration to Peter and to me. Oh how wonderful! He took on something that was so heinous to Him but that He knew was the only way that Peter and I could come into the presence of our God, Yahweh, the existing one, which is what God wants.

And He provided signs, and still does, of who He is and the power He has, so that I can stand at his feet like the Roman centurion, who crucified Him, and say Truly He is the Son of God.

My Jesus, my Saviour, there is none like You. All of my days I want to praise the glory of Your mighty name.
Help me to sing the Psalm praises from my heart to You just as the early disciples did in that last meal with You. To have the intimacy they had with You. So that even when I desert You, You will bring me back, through the salvation You gave me and the love You have for me.

Laura

KINGDOM DYNAMICS 27;32

            

        The Cross-Cultural Nature of God's Word and Work,

         HUMAN WORTH / DIVINE DESTINY

 

      This text reminds us that different cultures were represented at Calvary and in the church.

          (1  Simon; Wise men of all ages would be honoured to be allowed to perform the task that

            conferred upon Simon of Cyrene, a black man from northwestern Africa. Whether it was voluntary

            or by force, in any case, black hands were extended to help the Saviour bear His cross.

             (2  The Ethiopian eunuch from Africa (Acts 8;26 ) was the first Gentile convert  mentioned 

                by name in the Book of Acts. History reports that he returned to Ethiopia to found the 

                 Abyssinian Christian Church, which exists until this day.  

                Matthew 27 :32 

                     THE KING ON A CROSS 

                Now as they came out they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name.Him they compelled

                to bear His cross. 

            

                 

 

           

          

Preparing For The Big Day

Well having not blogged for a while I am slightly at a loss for what to blog about. So I think I will focus on the weddings. The meeting of two lovers, a ceremony of dedication, in the true biblical sense two becoming one, only to be broken by God. What a lovely way to describe our relationship with God.

Did you know in a Jewish wedding the couple drink wine to symbolise life, and in particular, the new life they will have together? Also once married they go into a secluded place for a little while to spend time together alone before meeting the guests.

In the first wedding parable there are so many invited guests. And yet of the guests that attended the one singled out was the one without the right clothes.

The King, the father of the bridegroom, had to organise everything. He had the authority, the provision and the right to do so. For every guest he provided a set of clothes to wear over their own for the big day. They weren't commanded to wear it, it was a gift. But if you didn't wear it then you had to take the risk that you offended the father, and could be evicted from the wedding.

How amazing to be invited to a special day unexpectedly, to be provided with beautiful clothes to wear. And how rude not to wear them and when asked to have no reason why not.

God gives us a beautiful gift of salvation, to cover our own inadequacies. But we need to be aware if we don't use it that the father will be offended. We need to be prepared, just like the wise virgins, and have our focus on the Father and what He wants from us. We may fall asleep, everyone does, but we shouldn't be caught without the necessary items that we need: the garments of salvation, and a spiritual knowledge in abundance. A knowledge of the Trinity - Father, Jesus and Spirit - that if stored up, treasured and used wisely brings the oil of gladness, healing, wisdom, sacrifice and anointing. That will light our way to allow us and others to follow the bridegroom. (Although it has to be used, it is no use keeping it in a jar, it has to go into the lamp.)

Jesus says in the end - "Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved."

I pray that my love does not grow cold.
I pray that I put the garments of salvation on.
I pray that I store up my spiritual knowledge and use it wisely.
I pray for endurance.

Laura

Signs of the End of the edge

When we read Matthew 24 it gets scary. The disciples must have been rather bewildered to say the lest, you can
imaging the thoughts, that where going through there heads. Here we go guys into Jerusalem with the King of Kings
clamming the Kingdom of Heaven on Jerusalem and the end of Gentle rulership they new this would occur,
this was prophesied in the Hebrew Scriptures many times " the time of the end "The Messiah would appear to come
with the kingdom of God. Israel would arise to National greatness the spearhead of the Kingdom.
But what was Jesus saying to them," The end " is not yet as always Jesus had three things he wanted to teach then,
one; it is more complicated than there simplistic minds; Two; they could not no when the end would be or
when the return of Christ would take place; And three they should not worry about world events they should be
watching there relationship with God. What doe's this mean to us in this day and age?The very same we do not no when the end of time is or the return of our saviour,we should be living our life's looking forward to His return and meanwhile
to live responsibly ,faithfully, compassionately, and courageously under the authority of the Holy Spirit and living by
Gods word.Following Jesus by fulfilling or commission.

Prayer - A Disciples Guide

There is so much that can be gleaned from this passage but the phrase that stood out for me was this... It is written my house is a house of prayer.

Here Jesus must be talking about God's house, the tabernacle. And it becomes even more poignant when I think back to the ascension passage where I was focussed on the fact that God's dwelling place, the tabernacle, changes with the death of Christ, and he now dwells in us, in our hearts, within our soul. God with us!

So how amazing is it that here Jesus calls us, the tabernacle, a dwelling place for prayer. The Greek word for prayer suggests not just a quick chat to God about our day but something much more. A closeness and intimacy with God, a vow or surrender of something important for our heart's desire and through an understanding of their culture an offering of thanks before prayer has been voiced - faith and worship mingled together.

Hers is another guide to discipleship. God says, if you want to be my dwelling place, a living tabernacle, then you need to -

1. Have an intimacy with me
2. Surrender the most important things in your life in order to gain your heart's desire (which should be Jesus heart's desire)
3. Use thanksgiving to worship me as a living memorial to your faith in me

Now that is humbling, beautiful prayer.

God let me pray to you like that every day.

Laura

I am generous!

His is our God!  So different to me.  Not just fair, but full of grace.  Giving more than we ask or think or deserve…just because that’s His heart.  Lord, give me out of Your heart that I may be more like Jesus.

Brian