Ray Stedman's teaching. Be encouraged.
John 16:25-33
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world (John 16:33).
The security of these disciples rested on the ability they thought they had to understand what Jesus was saying to them. They wanted to know, and then they thought they would feel at peace. "Now we know," they said. "Now we understand." Jesus had been speaking to them in figures--the foot washing, the vine and the branches, and the woman in childbirth. "But now you're speaking to us plainly. Now we know and understand that you are indeed from God." They felt a sense of security because they understood that.
This is so like us! We think that God has to explain what we're going through and that then we'll feel secure. Our peace wants to rest upon a certain knowledge of what is happening. But our Lord is very careful to point out that this kind of peace is very insecure indeed. "Within an hour you will be running like a bunch of frightened sheep. You say you know who I am. You say you understand that I came from God and that I know all things. Do you know that within an hour's time you will be so confused and so uncertain of what is happening you will run away and leave Me alone? Rather than trusting Me to work things out, you'll forsake Me and not want to be identified with Me. And yet I'll not be alone. My security won't be threatened in that hour, for the Father is with Me. And I say this to you in order that you might know the kind of peace I have. It is not based on what happens, or even on my understanding of what happens, but upon a trust in the One who controls what happens. I say this to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you're going to have nothing but trouble--trouble at work, trouble at school, trouble in your home, trouble in your family. You'll have nothing but trouble, because that is the way this world is. But be of good cheer. I have overcome the world."
Isn't that an encouraging word? I have gone through times of great personal stress and deep sorrow, times of uncertainty and lack of understanding, not knowing what God was working out, perceiving Him to be working in ways that I have thought were utterly wrong, thinking He had no business doing things like this to me. And I've had to rest back upon these tremendous revelations of His Word. "You can have my peace," Jesus says, "My sense of security," which rests not in the circumstances, not in the understanding of the circumstances that we so crave, but in a confidence that the One who is guiding the circumstances knows what He is doing. That is where peace comes from.
Lord, grant that I learn to make You my source of peace rather than seeking peace from my circumstances or even my understanding of what You are doing.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Back on the Mount #4
From "The Beginner's Guide to Intercessory Prayer" by Dutch Sheets.
"Fourth, a Hebron lifestyle will give you the ability to walk in great authority. King David was anointed to be king over Judah at Hebron, and he ruled from there for seven years. ......
Satan, sin, our flesh, and negative circumstances want to rule our lives, but God wants us to rule over these things....Romans 5:17 says, "For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ."
"God wants to crown us, like David, with the authority to rule in ungodly situations. Intercessors rule from Hebron."
God knows, we need to let our grace and righteousness given to us reign in ungodly situations. Unless you live in a perfect world.....I don't.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Back to Hebron - #3
From The Beginner's Guide to Intercessory Prayer by Dutch Sheets.
"....intimacy with God - living at Hebron - will cause your intercession to defeat the giants in your life and others' loves. Hebron was formerly ruled by Arba, the greatest of all the giants in the land of Canaan, and had been named after him. Caleb defeated this giant, took the mountain, and renamed it Hebron (see Josh. 14:14-15). Your Father wants you to be an overcoming intercessor, able to defeat every giant that comes your way. Like Caleb, you, too, can live on this mountain representing dead giants, fulfilled destinies, and friendship with God."
Seems a little better than a cave to me....(sometimes).
His love in me flowing to others.....
Ray Stedman.....again.
John 15:12-17
12 "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.
14 "You are My friends if you do what I command you.
15 "No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.
This section begins and ends with the command of Jesus: "I command you to love one another." The fact that this is put in the imperative mode means it is not an option in our life. It is not something we do if we feel like it. It is to be a deliberate response to another person whom we know to be in the family of God, regardless of how we feel toward that person.
Many people struggle at this point. They say, "How can you command love? Love is a feeling, and if you don't love somebody, you can't help it. Love is our master; we do not master it." Those who say these things reveal that they have a very serious misconception of love. Unfortunately, we are victims of Hollywood in this respect. We think of love as a feeling we have of affection toward another.
But love, as Jesus speaks of it here, is far different. We can be sure of one thing: He would never command us to do what is impossible for us to do. The secret, of course, is that we are to love, He says, "as I have loved you." This kind of love is to arise out of the same kind of relationship that He has with the Father that made it possible for Him to love us. In this same manner, and from the same source, we are to love one another with the same quality of love. He loved us because God is love, and He was indwelt by the Father. He was in the Father, and the Father in Him. As He yielded to that relationship, love flowed out. It could not help it--God is love. Since God is love, as we yield to that relationship to the Son, love flows from us. And it will have the qualities that His love has. He goes on to define for us the aspects of love that mark the quality of His love for us, which we also are to show to one another.
The first is given in the words, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." Love lays down its life for another. We all know how fully Jesus Himself exemplified this. His is the greatest love that anyone can demonstrate toward friends. Obviously this means more than simply dying physically for them. If it meant only that, there would be very few of is who could or would ever fulfill this, largely because we would lack the opportunity to do so. And, of course, one could do so only once! But our Lord is commanding us to do this repeatedly. So He means by this that we are to give ourselves up for one another. When you go out of your way to meet a friend's need, when you are willing to spend time with someone who is a Christian just because that one is a Christian--not necessarily because you are drawn to that person--and you are willing to go out of your way and to give yourself up for him or her, you are laying down your life, a part of it at least, for that person. This is what Jesus had in mind.
Lord, You have loved me with this kind of love. Now I pray that this same love would flow through me to others in the body of Christ
John 15:12-17
12 "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.
14 "You are My friends if you do what I command you.
15 "No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.
This section begins and ends with the command of Jesus: "I command you to love one another." The fact that this is put in the imperative mode means it is not an option in our life. It is not something we do if we feel like it. It is to be a deliberate response to another person whom we know to be in the family of God, regardless of how we feel toward that person.
Many people struggle at this point. They say, "How can you command love? Love is a feeling, and if you don't love somebody, you can't help it. Love is our master; we do not master it." Those who say these things reveal that they have a very serious misconception of love. Unfortunately, we are victims of Hollywood in this respect. We think of love as a feeling we have of affection toward another.
But love, as Jesus speaks of it here, is far different. We can be sure of one thing: He would never command us to do what is impossible for us to do. The secret, of course, is that we are to love, He says, "as I have loved you." This kind of love is to arise out of the same kind of relationship that He has with the Father that made it possible for Him to love us. In this same manner, and from the same source, we are to love one another with the same quality of love. He loved us because God is love, and He was indwelt by the Father. He was in the Father, and the Father in Him. As He yielded to that relationship, love flowed out. It could not help it--God is love. Since God is love, as we yield to that relationship to the Son, love flows from us. And it will have the qualities that His love has. He goes on to define for us the aspects of love that mark the quality of His love for us, which we also are to show to one another.
The first is given in the words, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." Love lays down its life for another. We all know how fully Jesus Himself exemplified this. His is the greatest love that anyone can demonstrate toward friends. Obviously this means more than simply dying physically for them. If it meant only that, there would be very few of is who could or would ever fulfill this, largely because we would lack the opportunity to do so. And, of course, one could do so only once! But our Lord is commanding us to do this repeatedly. So He means by this that we are to give ourselves up for one another. When you go out of your way to meet a friend's need, when you are willing to spend time with someone who is a Christian just because that one is a Christian--not necessarily because you are drawn to that person--and you are willing to go out of your way and to give yourself up for him or her, you are laying down your life, a part of it at least, for that person. This is what Jesus had in mind.
Lord, You have loved me with this kind of love. Now I pray that this same love would flow through me to others in the body of Christ
Once it was....
HIMSELF
Once it was the blessing, now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling, now it is His Word.
Once His gifts I wanted, now the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing, now Himself alone.
Once 'twas painful trying, now 'tis perfect trust;
Once a half salvation, now the uttermost.
Once 'twas ceaseless holding, now He holds me fast;
Once 'twas constant drifting, now my anchor's cast.
Once 'twas busy planning, now 'tis trustful prayer;
Once 'twas anxious caring, now He has the care.
Once 'twas what I wanted, now what Jesus says;
Once 'twas constant asking, now 'tis ceaseless praise.
Once it was my working, His it hence shall be;
Once I tried to use Him, now He uses me.
Once the power I wanted, now the mighty One;
Once for self I labored, now for Him alone.
Once I hoped in Jesus, now I know He's mine;
Once my lamps were dying, now they brightly shine.
Once for death I waited, now His coming hail;
And my hopes are anchored, safe within the veil.
A. B. Simpson
Once it was the blessing, now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling, now it is His Word.
Once His gifts I wanted, now the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing, now Himself alone.
Once 'twas painful trying, now 'tis perfect trust;
Once a half salvation, now the uttermost.
Once 'twas ceaseless holding, now He holds me fast;
Once 'twas constant drifting, now my anchor's cast.
Once 'twas busy planning, now 'tis trustful prayer;
Once 'twas anxious caring, now He has the care.
Once 'twas what I wanted, now what Jesus says;
Once 'twas constant asking, now 'tis ceaseless praise.
Once it was my working, His it hence shall be;
Once I tried to use Him, now He uses me.
Once the power I wanted, now the mighty One;
Once for self I labored, now for Him alone.
Once I hoped in Jesus, now I know He's mine;
Once my lamps were dying, now they brightly shine.
Once for death I waited, now His coming hail;
And my hopes are anchored, safe within the veil.
A. B. Simpson
Friday, July 18, 2008
Of the Vine
Ray Stedman....again.
John 15:1-3
1. I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser.
1. I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser.
2. Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit.
3. You are cleansed and pruned already, because of the word which I have given you [the teachings I have discussed with you].
His beautiful analogy has helped many Christians understand the relationship God wants them to know. When He said, "I am the true vine," He did not mean true in contrast with something false, but rather real, genuine, as opposed to the mere copy or symbol. As He held this vine and its branches in His hand, He indicated that this was the copy. He was the true vine from which true life is received.The figure of the vine is used many times in the Scriptures. The disciples would immediately think of several places where it was used. One is in Isaiah 5: "The vineyard of the LORD Almighty is the house of Israel" (Isaiah 5:7a). Israel was that vine. As Isaiah tells us, God cleared out the rocks in His vineyard and hedged it about. He built a tower; He protected the vineyard and cared for it. He did everything possible to cause it to produce grapes. But when He came into His vineyard and looked for grapes, He found instead sour, tasteless grapes. Isaiah tells us what that represents in verse 7: "The vineyard of the LORD Almighty is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the garden of his delight. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress" (Isaiah 5:7).
God came looking for justice and righteousness; instead, He found oppression, cruelty, exploitation, and indifference to the needs of others. It is evident from this parable that the fruit that God expects of the vine is moral character or, as described in Galatians, the fruit of the Spirit. The life that is in the vine produces fruit that Paul describes in Galatians 5 as love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control. The fruit, in other words, is Christlikeness. And our Lord is indicating that the very purpose of the vine is to produce such fruit.
Lord, teach me to abide in You so that I can bear the fruit of Christlikeness.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Tender Warrior
"Tender Warrior" - Stu WeberA book for men....mentioned to me quite a while ago by a wonderful and ripened woman of God. I see it has been revised and put back out in print.
My last post reminded me of this.
Despite this wonderful woman being promoted....she still influences my daily life.
Check it out.
Living at Hebron (2)
..."Hebron became the home of Caleb, one of the greatest warriors of Israel. Friendship with our Father makes us powerful overcomers. Caleb, the faith-filled spy and great Israeli conqueror, asked God for Hebron, the "mountain of friendship," as his inheritance. God granted his request and Hebron, the place of friendship, became the "mountain of the conquering warrior." A warrior heart and a tender heart aren't conflicting. To the contrary, I believe Caleb was a great warrior because of his relationship with God. God, your Father and Friend, wants you, also, to be a conquering intercessor living at Hebron. Out of your relationship with Him, you, too, will be a great overcomer.....
....God will give us victory in every situation as we partner with Him."
....God will give us victory in every situation as we partner with Him."
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
From Today's Thought
"He who loves the coming of the Lord is not he who affirms it is far off, nor is it he who says it is near. It is he who, whether it be far or near, awaits it with sincere faith, steadfast hope and fervent love."
Augustine
Augustine
Monday, July 14, 2008
Living at Hebron
From "The Beginner's Guide to Intercessory Prayer" by Dutch Sheets.
....Our friendship with God is pictured in the Scriptures by a famous mountain in Israel. Its name, Hebron, actually means "friendship, fellowship, or communion." ...
Being the highest point in Israel, Hebron teaches us that the highlight of the Christian life and the pinnacle from which all else should flow is friendship with the Almighty. It is only from there, as we look down on all of life, that the correct perspective can be obtained.
...David explains what eliminated his confusion about the prosperity of the wicked...
Until I came into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end...For, behold, those who are far from Thee will perish; thou hast destroyed all those who are unfaithful to Thee. But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all Thy works (Ps 73:17,27-28)
....Our friendship with God is pictured in the Scriptures by a famous mountain in Israel. Its name, Hebron, actually means "friendship, fellowship, or communion." ...
Being the highest point in Israel, Hebron teaches us that the highlight of the Christian life and the pinnacle from which all else should flow is friendship with the Almighty. It is only from there, as we look down on all of life, that the correct perspective can be obtained.
...David explains what eliminated his confusion about the prosperity of the wicked...
Until I came into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end...For, behold, those who are far from Thee will perish; thou hast destroyed all those who are unfaithful to Thee. But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all Thy works (Ps 73:17,27-28)
Like David, we must take our perspective on life from God's viewpoint. One of the most important things you'll learn as God's friend is to intercede from His perspective. Living at Hebron, the high place of friendship, makes this possible. As you spend time with God, you'll begin to think like Him, which will allow you to pray according to His heart and will..... As you live at Hebron, you will increasingly care about what is on God's heart, just as He cares what is on yours. This partnership is glorious."
Him in me, I in Him.
Another wonderful devotional from the teachings of Ray Stedman.
John 14:8-11
Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work (John 14:10).
In this part of the passage, our Lord is dealing with the secret of His own being. In some ways this is the most profound revelation that we have of the nature of the Lord in His relationship with the Father, and it is absolutely fundamental. This is what He meant when He said to His disciples at the beginning of this chapter, "Trust in God; trust also in me." That is, "Understand there is a unique relationship that is the secret of My life and that will be the secret of your life, too. You must understand that I have not come here simply to demonstrate how God works, how God looks, how God acts; I have come to demonstrate how a person acts who is in right relationship with God, who is filled with God. The Father dwells in Me, and He does the works. I do them, but I do them by a secret relationship, so that though I perform them--my mind thinks, my hands work, and my body acts--it nevertheless is really the Father who is doing all this through Me. I live in Him; He lives in Me."
"And if you want proof of this," He says to Philip, "look at two things: My words and My works. My words prove that I am in the Father. I could never say what I say if I were not in the Father, for what I say is truth. It is reality. It is the way things are. And My works prove that the Father is in Me. A human could never do what I do, but God can. And you must understand this, Philip. Otherwise you will have no understanding of the secret of your own life." For in verse 20 He goes onto say, "On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you" (John 14:20). That is, "The relationship that I have with the Father is the pattern that I will have with you. Just as I live by means of the Father at work in Me, so you will live by means of Me at work in you. I will come to you. I will live in you. I will work through you. And you can face every problem of life on that basis. I will be adequate to handle anything that comes your way, on that basis. Whatever life throws at you of fear, of upset, of discouragement, of disappointment--whatever its nature may be--you can handle it in the same way that I have handled life: You in Me and I in you, as the Father is in Me, and I am in Him."
There is much more that our Lord went on to say that relates to the handling of the difficulties of life, but it all grows out of His wonderful explanation to the disciples, in answer to the cry of Philip, that they might know the secret of His being: "I am in the Father and the Father is in Me, just as I will be in you and you will be in Me."
Lord, I desire to learn to live on the same basis that You lived. May I live each day remembering that it is You in me and I in You. I want that to be the secret of my being as it was Yours.
John 14:8-11
Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work (John 14:10).
In this part of the passage, our Lord is dealing with the secret of His own being. In some ways this is the most profound revelation that we have of the nature of the Lord in His relationship with the Father, and it is absolutely fundamental. This is what He meant when He said to His disciples at the beginning of this chapter, "Trust in God; trust also in me." That is, "Understand there is a unique relationship that is the secret of My life and that will be the secret of your life, too. You must understand that I have not come here simply to demonstrate how God works, how God looks, how God acts; I have come to demonstrate how a person acts who is in right relationship with God, who is filled with God. The Father dwells in Me, and He does the works. I do them, but I do them by a secret relationship, so that though I perform them--my mind thinks, my hands work, and my body acts--it nevertheless is really the Father who is doing all this through Me. I live in Him; He lives in Me."
"And if you want proof of this," He says to Philip, "look at two things: My words and My works. My words prove that I am in the Father. I could never say what I say if I were not in the Father, for what I say is truth. It is reality. It is the way things are. And My works prove that the Father is in Me. A human could never do what I do, but God can. And you must understand this, Philip. Otherwise you will have no understanding of the secret of your own life." For in verse 20 He goes onto say, "On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you" (John 14:20). That is, "The relationship that I have with the Father is the pattern that I will have with you. Just as I live by means of the Father at work in Me, so you will live by means of Me at work in you. I will come to you. I will live in you. I will work through you. And you can face every problem of life on that basis. I will be adequate to handle anything that comes your way, on that basis. Whatever life throws at you of fear, of upset, of discouragement, of disappointment--whatever its nature may be--you can handle it in the same way that I have handled life: You in Me and I in you, as the Father is in Me, and I am in Him."
There is much more that our Lord went on to say that relates to the handling of the difficulties of life, but it all grows out of His wonderful explanation to the disciples, in answer to the cry of Philip, that they might know the secret of His being: "I am in the Father and the Father is in Me, just as I will be in you and you will be in Me."
Lord, I desire to learn to live on the same basis that You lived. May I live each day remembering that it is You in me and I in You. I want that to be the secret of my being as it was Yours.
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