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The Gift of Love

12/24/2016

The Gift of Love

   John 3:16
   He was sent by God.
   He was seen by a great assembly of angels and a company of poor shepherds.
   He was sought by wisemen to adore him and a king to kill to him.

   He is God’s gift of light to a world that loves darkness.

   He is the child who came into the world to:
       Experience and overcome limitations.
       Experience and overcome rejection.
       Experience and overcome sorrow.
       Experience and overcome betrayal.
       Experience and overcome evil.
       Experience and overcome suffering.
       Experience and overcome death so that others may live.

He came to reveal the Father’s love and dedication.
This child in a manger will become the man who will offer a fallen hopeless world the way to the Father and fullness of life,
  He is the one who out of love and obedience will choose to give his own life for the sake of those who will reject, wound and despise him.
   He will do this so that there will be a light and a hope for those who are lost in darkness.

   He is the one who will grow up to forgive and intercede for those who will kill him.
   He is the promised one, the only one who can reach and save a fallen world.

   This is the mystery we try to understand as we ponder the child in the manger.
   He is the gift we can never fully grasp.

   If we did, we would never cease to be astonished at The Father’s love and goodness.

   May you be truly blessed in the gift of The Father.

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Take Heart...

12/12/2016

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Take Heart...

  “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.
Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.
But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Three phrases that are meant to sustain, comfort and encourage.

   “Have peace in me.”
   “On earth you will have trials, sorrows.” But,
   “Take heart, I have overcome.”

Whatever confidence the disciples may have felt from Jesus’ assurance, the words were not enough to prepare or sustain them through the events that were about to unfold.

In the chaos of the arrest and crucifixion, their faith was shattered.
Traumatized and confused, they ran in fear, life was abruptly filled with chaos and despair.

They had invested their lives, hope and trust in this man and now all hope vanished.
   The disciples in theirs lament, descent into misery.
Confused, dazed and grieving, all they could say was, “We thought that he was the one…”

   While Jesus is declaring the greatest victory in the history of man, “It is finished!”, the disciples, in their hearts, were saying, “All is lost.”

You too will face times when your faith is not what you supposed it was.

In the moment of shock, confusion and fear, your trust will be shaken, and you will doubt whether your faith was ever true.

But when you finally pause and gather your thoughts, remember: that while you may falter, He never will.
He does not change.

He will always come to you in your brokenness and give you a new and even greater revelation of who He is and restore you into His peace.

While, “The events of life” may “scatter and confuse you,” He will not leave you.

  “You are in HIm.”
  “Will never leave nor forsake you.”
  “He who has overcome the world.”

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Testing God...

12/5/2016

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Testing God…

“They willfully put God to the test by demanding…” Psalm 78:18

“It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Matthew 4:7

When you test God, you are looking for:
A reason not to trust Him.
An excuse not to obey.
A way to do your own thing.
A way to be in control.

You question His faithfulness.
  “If you love me…, “
“If you do …for me, I will…, “
“If you are you must…, “

As a result,
You will be the voice of doubt.
You will be isolated from the truth.
You will be a poor witness
You will not grow in faith.
You will always be the loser.

The moment you don’t like or understand what He is doing or what He is asking of you, you question Him and begin to doubt; soon He is no longer God in your life.

“Do not put the Lord your God to the test… Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so that it may go well with you…” Deuteronomy 6:16-18

This testing is your drive to be in control, to have the true God submit to your whims. To be your own god.

   At the core of this sin is the drive for control. It is the fuel of defiance.

   The idea of submitting to someone you can’t control is seen as offensive and a justifiable reason for rebellion.

   When you don’t trust Him, you stand to lose more than you can imagine.

“What have you done?” asked Samuel”… “…now your kingdom will not endure…” 1Samuel 13:11, 14

In God’s kingdom, you cannot grow when in you are in doubt.
You cannot win without submitting; you cannot live without dying.

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.” James 4:6-7

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Thinking Out Loud

These are short meditations on some of the thoughts and ideas we receive as we read, study or ponder the things of God.
They are short blogs meant to cause us to think, explore, meditate or simply delight in the things of the Lord.

Author

In a counseling career spanning over 30 years, author and teacher Martin Frankena has shared the life-changing power of Christ’s redemption with individuals and churches in America, Canada, South America, and Europe. Martin's heart is to further the Lord’s mandate of releasing people into freedom from bondages to experience greater wholeness and fulfillment in life. A major focus of the ministry is healing from generational issues.

Thinking out loud

The Gift of Love

Take Heart...

Testing God...

Thinking Out Loud

These are short meditations on some of the thoughts and ideas we receive as we read, study or ponder the things of God.
They are short blogs meant to cause us to think, explore, meditate or simply delight in the things of the Lord.

Author

Archives

Categories

Thinking out loud

The Gift of Love

Take Heart...

Testing God...

Thinking Out LoudThese are short meditations on some of the thoughts and ideas we receive as we read, study or ponder the things of God.They are short blogs meant to cause us to think, explore, meditate or simply delight in the things of the Lord.Author

Archives

Categories

Thinking Out Loud

These are short meditations on some of the thoughts and ideas we receive as we read, study or ponder the things of God.
They are short blogs meant to cause us to think, explore, meditate or simply delight in the things of the Lord.

Author