Meditation on "Our Father"

Our Father, who art in heaven. . .

You are my Abba,
A Daddy God.

Daddy God . . .
I praise you,
For you gave me life.
It is by your hand that I live.
Job 12: 10 In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being.

Daddy God . . .
I thank you,
For you give me eternal life.
It is through your Son Jesus Christ that I live.
John 10: 10b I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Daddy God . . .
There is none like you!
p.s. 119: 32 I run the way of your commandments, for you enlarge my understanding.

Pope Trail

I keep thinking about a wonderful bike ride in the High Sierras last summer. When I was on my way to Pope beach I rode through a forest of giant evergreens. Their enormous size reminded me of the planting of the LORD (similar to Psalm 1:3 and Isaiah 61: 3).

For me that day, these giant soaring trees represented the heroic and much sought after lives of "Giant Faith" men who truly lived-out the Gospel while entrusting themselves to a faithful creator. These giants of the Christian faith still do proclaim "My God is Great"; they do not represent the rebellious Goliaths with fist-shaking hands in the face of God. Imagine with me people like the Pope, well-known evangelists, Christ's early disciples, and famous saints throughout history.

One tree in particular caught my attention. It had been struck by lightening and split in two. Even though it physically suffered from a significant fire, much like any real trial, persecution, or attack against one's life, it remained alive and is continuing to grow strong in the shape of a "V". Now that, to me, stands as a V for Victory which our Conquering King has won over death! (in reference to 1 Corinthians 15: 50 - 58).

Similarly, I noticed there were other towering trees among these giants which had signs of real physical suffering including famine, drought, harsh winter seasons, and plagues/bouts of illness. Illustratively so, these suffering servants had the marks of their Maker:

• visible battle scars (I bid you come; Come gaze upon His wounds; See Christ's hands and feet),
  
• patient endurance (Like God, the Giver of Life, who patiently waits many years for those tiny seeds of faith, planted deep within the soil of our hearts, to take root, sprout and grow in due season.)
• perseverance (The kind that Holy Scripture tells us about; God is Faithful; He will never leave or forsake us; He will see you through any crisis; He loves you!).

Elisha, A Contender

To contend for the faith is a good thing.

Jude 3
Beloved, while eagerly preparing to write to you about the salvation we share, I find it necessary to write and appeal to you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.

What else could he have said to make it more plain? For it's clear, the writer of Jude is appealing to the saints to contend for the faith that was entrusted to them. The one true Faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God; the one entrusted to him and to us, if we so choose to believe.

It's that simple. Let us therefore contend for all of it and not just part of it.

Take a moment to consider the life of our brother Elisha, an example of one who contended for it all. Even while many other known prophets tried to discourage him, he continued on the path of pursuing God by following along, and behind, another forerunner named Elijah* until he found for himself:

• the one true Master over everything in heaven and on earth.
  
• the one worthy of all praise.
  
• the one holding all authority.
• the one all powerful God!
  
• the author of life.
  
• and Victor over death.

iEncourage you to read all about Elisha's pursuit of the living God in 2 Kings 2: 1 - 14.

iPray that you will be moved to contend for the same unchanging faith entrusted to Elijah, Elisha, Jude and other God-fearing forerunners. Amen.

*One who had real evidence of the spirit of the living God upon his life.

This tidal wave come: the Alignment of the Saints

Just as water reflects the face, so one human heart reflects another [Proverbs 27:19].

So I ask you this question: Does your heart reflect the one who belongs to the world? Or does your heart reflect Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God who came in human form and gave his life so that you - dear Saint - might live?

Go ahead and seek Him to understand this tidbit of wisdom: A heart set on following the path of Christ is one that desires to act in obedience to God's word. And the willingness to crucify the flesh (i.e., one's sinful nature) is a cross formation inside the heart of thee.

Now look again inside your Bible! We are told that Jesus, by his very nature, is the true reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being [see Hebrews 1:3]. Therefore, Jesus Christ perfectly reflects the Father's heart (i.e., the heart of LOVE).

Plainly speaking, Jesus showed us God's perfect love and wisdom by learning obedience through what he suffered even unto the point of death on a cross[Hebrews 5: 8].

Do you see? The supreme act of LOVE is defined by the cross.

Jesus himself confirmed this word: "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends" [John 15: 13]. And He showed us the way of the cross.

Therefore I Conclude in this way: We will see God's perfect alignment of the saints when we, like the Israelites, choose to encamp around the presence of the Lord and become conformed to the cross (see Numbers 2 to draw your own conclusion and a picture of a beautiful cross formation).

And now for my very own pressing forward, and the desiring of the refiner's fire in perfecting my faith, I choose to reflect on this verse: I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death [Philippians 3: 10].

Amen.

Please join along with me and all the other nameless Saints from across the sands of time and take up your cross to come into alignment with God's plans and purposes for your life. It's time for a tidal wave of Christ's perfect LOVE, which reflects the true love of the Father.

To Refute and Confound Unbelief

-:Three Premises upon which I take a stand (God's Word does not return void!):-

Psalm 62: 11

Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God.

Jeremiah 32: 17

Ah Lord God! It is you who made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.

Matthew 19:26

But Jesus looked at them and said "For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible."

-:My Exposing Sermon (+ some teaching notes):-

All Power belongs to God. Not some, but all!

In response to suggesting there is a power stronger than God based on Mark 5: 5-6 iSay this, "Truly , I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise" (see John 6:19). Moreover, God is gentle in spirit.

He is neither a taskmaster; nor does he demand compliance. Though he gives us commands, he has is also extraordinarily gracious. He gives us the choice to obey. He is patient. He is loving. He is a gentleman standing at the door knocking. He is waiting for us to ask him into our lives and home.

So tear down that stronghold of unbelief in your own hometown and let the King of Glory come in!

-:His Promise upon which He stands (to those who would believe + Hebrews 11:6):-

Jeremiah 29: 13

When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart.

An Ebeneezer in Word

Romans 8: 6
To set the mind on flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

So I ask you this question: Where do you choose to place your thoughts?

• On your own disappointments, pain and hardship?
  
• Or on the truth that God is Faithful?

I know from experience that if you ask God for wisdom he will give it to you (see James 1: 5).

Just this past Sunday I asked God to open the scriptures for me concerning the desert place(s) of temptation (based on Luke 4) . He gave me this teaching to remember: God is Faithful.

In other words, God is Faithful in the good times and in the bad.
God is Faithful no matter what kind of life circumstance I may find myself facing each day. God is Faithful even in the desert places of my life where I am dry and thirsty, hungering for more, and daily tested concerning my obedience to his word. God is Faithful.

Go ahead. Make it perfect and confess God is - - - - - - - -!

Faithful?
Faithful
Faithful
Faithful
Faithful
Faithful.
Faithful!

I think it's that way. We question at first. We believe. We understand it's an absolute truth (period) and then we Rejoice!

An Ebeneezer Dayspring

Here's what I am thinking:
To set the mind on flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace Romans 8.6

• It is the Holy Spirit who raises one from the dead (my JESUS CHRIST)
  
• It is the Life-Giving Spirit of God who brings me LIFE (give me JESU CHRISTO; this is my plea!).
• It is the Holy Ghost who guards my heart and mind in Christ Jesus (ushering into my life the one who is Prince of Peace JESUS CHRIST).

So I choose to worship my King . . .
and I look forward to see what he's about to bring.

You may ask a good question like this: What does she expect? New mercies everyday! iExclaim.

. . . so I press on.

Are you perhaps wondering even more: How can she say this with such bold confidence? God is Faithful! iProclaim.

Now Look and see! I built an ebeneezer for all to see.

iDoTestify2U. The desert path I took was filled with death, lies, and disappointments one right after another. But the One Who is Truth has proven himself true. The way home is the cross.

Moreover, iSay, God is Faithful to all generations sharing his steadfast love to the thousandth generation (see Exodus 20:6). He loves the Son, he loves Abraham and Rebekah, he loves you, and he loves me.

Dear One I pray that you come to the place where you are willing to stake your life upon the true claims of Gospel alone. Ask God to give you his Spirit. The Holy Comforter is the one who will open the scriptures for you as you open his Book. . . and you'll be given eyes of faith to see God's Faithfulness in times past and in your very real and present situation.