Stones/Choices

Several nights ago, God woke me around three am, with three sentences, a few thoughts, then a text from a missionary in India. Since then, I wrote it down, looked up Bible verses about stones and rocks, prayed and fasted.
The 3 sentences:
* The gates of hell will never prevail.
* My church stands on the Rock.
* The rocks will cry out in praise if we don't.
These sentences are mentioned in the Bible- not verbatim and the first two are in the same verse, Matthew 16:18.
I repeated these sentences and thought about them before another thought came to me.
I saw myself standing with my palms up and stones in them.
The stones represented choices. I saw the scene in John 8: the religious leaders and Pharisees brought an adulteress women to Jesus, trying to trap him, with the law of Moses. Moses- who wrote the ten commandments on a stone. Jesus wrote in the dust. Dust- what God created us from- while they were demanding his response.
"All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!" Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. They "slipped away one by one...until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman.
Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, 'Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?"
"No, Lord,"
And Jesus said, "Neither do I. Go and sin no more." He doesn't want to condemn us.
Jesus saved her. He loves us; He wants the best for us.
We want to throw stones at the wicked, turning the stones/choices into weapons.
That's sin as well, taking things into our own hands, instead of trusting God.
When we see someone sinning/destroying, a loved one, a stranger, hearing of evil things- countless times a day nowadays- it hurts- the sinner, the victim, others, us. We're all affected by sin- we live on the same rock, in the vast universe.
What do we do with the rocks in our hands? Our choices-
We build up, or tear down.
I'm not saying I believe all stones or rocks in the Bible represent choices. I wouldn't dare! (Rev. 22:18) I'm merely sharing a message for me, to share with you, at this time. Because I'm saved,- I've accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord of my life- I have His Holy Spirit living in me- as the Bible says. As believers/Saved Christians God speaks to us, through His Word- The Bible, Prayer and mediation on His word and through other Christians- seeking Him. He speaks to us and reveals Himself as we Seek Him- with all our heart, mind and soul. It's a relationship. Do you commune with Him, listening, reading His word, His answers, or do you ignore Him?
Back to our choices- with the stones in our hands- we can build up or tear down.
Building up: Others- encouraging, loving, serving. Ourselves- Growing In God- remaining in the vine- Him, Flourishing. Our bodies are living temples because the Holy Spirit resides in our new hearts- no longer stone (Ezk 36:26).
Tearing down: Sin tears down Others, Damages Our households, Ourselves, Breaks God's heart.
Tear down  or  Build up = 
               Sin          or  Obedience
Selfishness  or  Praise (Trust)
We don't need to worry about evil and sin. The gates of hell will never prevail. God is in control.
Our weapon, like Jesus's weapon, is the Bible, God's Word- it's called our sword- what we fight with- it's Powerful.
When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness after 40 days and nights of fasting, he became hungry.
"And the tempter came and said to him, 'If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.'
But he answered and said, 'It is written, Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." Satan tempted Jesus with his physical need for food, but Jesus answered that his need to obey God was greater and God's word is our greater need.
 Satan tempted Jesus two more times, challenging him to throw himself off the temple- to prove his identity. Jesus answered with scripture, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.
Finally, Satan tempted Jesus with splendor and power attempting to get Jesus to worship him. "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.' Then the devil left him and angels came and attended him."
 The temptations involved desiring immediate results. Wanting immediate results, fulfilling our desires can lead to idolatry. Jesus remained faithful, obeying his Father God, not his own feelings, concerns, or desires. Jesus is our supreme and perfect example.

 God gives us free will- the ability to make choices. How we spend our time matters- now and forever. This life is but a day compared to eternity. Choose well. The Bible is called our daily bread, meant to be consumed, taken in, daily. It is life, joy and wisdom. Taste and see- for yourself- the Bible tells us.
Our best choice is to listen to God's voice.
God's living Word- alive and active, judging thoughts and attitudes. The scriptures can change our thoughts, attitudes, outcomes. (Hebrews 4:12)
What should you do with the stone in your hand?

Give it to God. Praise God- always thankful- because of Who He is and what He's done. The rocks will cry out in praise if we don't, because He is worthy- of  all Honor and Glory and Praise. Drop your weapons, lift your hands, surrender to God, lift your voice and Praise the Almighty.
Then I received a phone message, from India. It said a lot, and one sentence stuck out: *Only the dead can't praise God.
Sometimes we trust in idols instead of God. An idol is anything you put your trust in, before God. The thing, activity you go to for comfort, peace, joy, instead of to God. Seek Him first and all these things will be added unto you.
In Bible times idols were sometimes made of stone. God wants those idols of stone smashed to pieces. He commanded they be crushed- to dust. Pulverized. Just dust- where is your trust?
David conquered his enemy with a stone- it seems- but his words reveal more. 1 Samuel 17:45 :Then David told the Philistine, 'You come at me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of the armies of Israel whom you have defied. This very day the LORD will deliver you into my hand,...so that all the earth will know that there is a God in Israel, and this whole congregation will know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or spear. Indeed, the battle is the LORD's..."
David used a stone to defeat his enemy, but his trust wasn't in that stone, it was in the Rock of Ages, our firm foundation, whom he was being obedient to and giving glory to. He made the right choice.
The Bible mentions building stones, cut stones, boundary stones, precious stones, sacred stones, a time to scatter stones, a time to gather stones. And that the Lord is the everlasting rock, the rock of refuge, fortress, rock of salvation, fire came from a rock to show God's presence and acceptance of offerings, water came from rocks to bless, refresh, Jesus- the stone of Israel.
From an empty tomb- the space in a massive rock- came fullness of life- victorious- not easy or painless- but abundant- if we have Jesus- our cornerstone- our forever home. He is always with us, our firm foundation, which won't be shaken. Isaiah 28:16 and repeated in 1 Peter 2:6 "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame."
The Almighty could have crushed every stone into dust.
Jesus made the perfect choices- you are one of them.
He chose God. He chose obedience. He chose suffering. Abuse, Torture- He chose- because He chose Love, He chose us.
And the stone that was rolled away- displayed an empty tomb that our lives could be full.

What's your role in the Rock? Your part, your purpose on this planet, this pebble of pain- in His hand? He has us in His hands- the whole world. His precious choices-Engraved. He won't put us to shame- instead He makes us precious.
From dust to His precious treasure- He simply asks that we trust and obey.   

*In Old Testament times God told the Israelites to build memorials- alters of stones, piles of rocks, to remember what God had done at a certain place and time, His intervention, salvation, solution, and to pass on their faith. We should built memorials every day with our stones, or choices- remembering- every moment- Who God is and What He's done. Stones in our hands- like choices- Sin or Obey. Selfish or Praise. Tear Down or Build Up.
 Give God Glory- the Abundant Life-

The Good Shepherd Breaks His Sheep because He Loves them

                       A good shepherd will passionately, persistently search for His wandering, disobedient sheep. 
Sometimes if a sheep refuses to follow his master, out of pure love the shepherd will break him. If necessary a good shepherd may break the sheep's leg. He will carry the sheep on His shoulders to keep it from harm and dependent on Him. The Good shepherd hopes the sheep will always follow Him, because he's the one who loves them.
He is their provider, caretaker, life.
They will die without their shepherd.
 "So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.
Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak."
 But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."
 The man asked him, "What is your name?"
"Jacob," he answered.
Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."
 Jacob said, "Please tell me your name."
 But he replied, "why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed him there.
So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared."Genesis 32:24-30 
 Jacob wrestled all night. He didn't give up. He was determined. God knew Jacob's name. Why did he ask?  In those days the meaning of one's name was part of one's identity. Jacob means: deceiver. He had to admit and face who he was. He did have much deceiving in his life. He was a liar and a cheat. God changed Jacob that night. He changed his identity. Israel means: struggles with God; or perseveres (to continue a course of action despite difficulty) Overcomer.  Liar to Leader.   Deceiver to Perseverer.  A new name. a new identity. a makeover.
God changed Jacob physically also. He would have a limp forever. He would have to lean on God. God broke him. Many become bitter and turn away from God for breaking them. Jacob encountered God and clung to Him. He knew where blessings come from. He said,"I will not let you go unless you bless me."  Let's Cling to God and become Overcomers!  Don't Let Go!   You need Him, piece of clay.
 God can change our Spiritual walk forever too! Surrender. Become Who God wants you to be. Your true identity. When you don't understand, Cling. Lean not on your own understanding. Be Blessed.  Be Courageous to fight your fight. Run your race. Persevere.   Overcome.   Hold On to God.   Be Blessed.   Be Courageous. Be Changed.  Liar to Leader. Admitters. Overcomers. Who is a liar but he that denys Jesus Christ. 1John2:22 "He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son." Rev.21:7   I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:11 "...I know my sheep and my sheep know me.......I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd. ( See John 10 and Luke 15)  Shalom

Eternal Satisfaction

Raise your hand if you want people to suffer in Hell.
I don't want there to be a Hell. I don't want anyone to go to Hell. It is not up to me. How dare I question God, Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth and all creation. (He is the potter, I am the clay)  "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life." Rev.21:6
 "He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters, and all liars-their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur"(Rev21:7) Hell is a place for those who have rejected Jesus Christ and have not accepted and surrendered to God.

God is LOVE. God is also HOLY, RIGHTEOUS, JUST. Do some think they can violating the different attributes of God and then depend on His Love to be saved? 
Do some think God will bring them into His presence when they have ignored Him and turned their backs from Him?
God is Holy and if we haven't repented and accepted Him then we can't be in His presence.  Do you have your door open wide during the night for anyone to come in, or do you decide who enters your home?  Same with God.
We, as a people (humanity), have a problem. We are selfish. We don't understand everything. It's okay. We don't need to. We don't get to. God didn't tell us everything, however, He does get to the point.  Do you trust your maker? It takes surrender.
Anytime you decide to turn to Him, He will Save you. He's Waiting. He's very Patient.  Because He Loves us more than we can imagine.
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me" John14:6. "He who is not with me is against me. Luke 11:23.
"Whoever is thirsty let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life." Rev22:17
C.S.Lewis says, "All your life an unattainable ecstasy has hovered just beyond the grasp of your consciousness. The day is coming when you will wake to find, beyond all hope, that you have attained it, or else that it was within your reach and you have lost it forever."
"Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. (Is.55:6)  Look Up  Ps.19:1 The Heavens declare the Glory of God. Look Inside Ps.14:1"...The fool has said in his heart, There is no God..."  Look around-Rom.1:20 "For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse."  
Unbelievers are blind to the truth.

"What came first for this man, friends? Was it sight or faith? What came first? Faith preceded sight. Faith always precedes sight. You have to trust before you see. You have to trust Jesus before it all makes sense. You have to begin with faith. The truth has to be believed and trusted, and then you see. Some of you are waiting to see. Let me say, you are blind. You begin with faith and then you see. You don’t have all the answers. You won’t know all the details. There is no certainty regarding the future and God’s purposes and provisions and plans for our lives. But what we do is we trust him by faith. And in time, we see. Faith is an internal conviction that leads to external actions of worshiping, witnessing, and walking with Jesus." Mark Driscoll from Jesus and Blind Bart

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him." 1 Cor.2:9 So, we're unable to know what God has prepared for us in Heaven. There's More! Keep reading. but God has revealed it to us by His spirit" 
 God explains it to us in the Bible and by His Holy Spirit, who lives in us once we repent, surrender our lives to God and accepting His sacrifice for our sins. There's another verse that says, "The Secret things belong to the Lord our God."Deut.29:29 There's More! but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever.

Shout, Cry Out, Pray the Word!

My pastor's first message of the year included an encouragement to SHOUT.
I don't have the notes, but I still feel it's relevant to post on this message.
It spoke to me. That is to say: God Spoke to me. And now I share with you. I have been bugged with the burden to write this. So perhaps it is just for You.
The word was to Live life loud. Speaking to Christians.
The directive was to live according to God's words. God's words and promises are to be the loudest voices in our lives.
What voices do you listen to? Your flesh's desires? The world's, your mother's, father's....spouse's, friend's,.....competitor's......
i pray not Satan's! Satan is a liar! The father of lies! He is a Deceiver! He hates you! He espescially hates God's Children.  Shout God's Word!  It is your right. Your privilege. your Salvation! Your HOPE! Let your life speak for you.
God's word is our Daily Bread. We need His Word to Know Who He is, live how He desires us to and for our protection.
The Bible, God's Word is our Sword. It's what we fight with. Satan's strategy is to cause mankind to doubt God. To doubt that God is who God says He is, and to doubt that He means what He says (Genesis 3:1-4). 
Satan wants to distract us and prevent us from knowing God and living for God. His goal is the same as it was in the garden.
"Did God really say....."  Fight back like Jesus did, with, "The word of God says..." Satan tryed to cause Jesus to sin by tempting Him. Jesus fought back with God's words. We need to know and speak God's words. Ps.119:11 "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."
Knowing God's word keeps us from sinning and being selfish.
Satan has been defeated. 
Christians are empowered by the Holy Spirit to overcome.
1John 4:4"...the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."    Ephesians 6:10-18. Our Armor.
When we are weak, we are strong! 2 Cor.12:9 God's strength is made perfect in our weakness, as we trust in Him.
We need to know who we are serving and why.1 Peter5:8
"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." Gal.5:16
How do we listen to God?
* Read His word
*Pray and pray His word.  Believe it. There is power in God's words and praying His promises. 
 *Let the Holy Spirit speak to you.1 Cor.2:9-11  John 14:26
 *Obey His word. Live it.  Trust God. James1:22-25

So let Hope Rise and Darkness Tremble!

Today is Winter Soltice
The Old Testament has over 60 prophesies and 300 references about Jesus the coming Messiah, written about 400 yrs. before Christ. 
Isaiah 53
"Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows , and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the Lord has lain on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.
a ruined face, disfigured past recognition.
Nations all over the world will be in awe, taken aback, kings shocked into silence when they see him. For what was unheard of they'll see with their own eyes, what was unthinkable, they'll have right before them." 

Jesus got to pick his own parents

Jesus got to pick his own parents.

Ever realized that?

Who did he choose?
For his mother,
 he choose a believing young Jewish girl.  She was hopeful of the promised savior to come. She was God fearing, obedient, and humble. She praised God.
I believe his father was God revering as well and was a loving father.

Wouldn't you choose these kind of parents for yourself?

Wouldn't you want these kind of parents for your children?

We all love our children and we all fall short of, always being for them, the parents they need.

Take me for example.   I have not always given my children the love they have needed from me, in the ways that they have each needed it. I was too busy tending my own needs and selfish desires, instead of letting God love and comfort me.
I have always loved each of my four children (I admire each one also). I know that I should have shared more of my heart and self.
True love is action.   
 During a season in my life, it seemed that I had no love to give them. If I had chosen to trust and obey God, then His love, power and wisdom could have opened my eyes to see and heart to give his perfect love thru me.
That's why I started this Blog site. Not to glorify me, but to Glorify the only one worthy of Glory.
Today I try to live moment by moment in step with His spirit,
so that His Love and wisdom can live out thru me.
It is a surrendered life.
It is worth it.              This life on earth is not very long.
How we live here will matter in eternity.
Humankind is selfish and needs Jesus.

Of course Mary and Joseph weren't perfect. They needed Jesus too.
If we have Jesus in our life, as our savior then we have His Love, peace, patience, joy, self control, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,and gentleness. These are fruits of the spirit.
(Gal.5:22)
"Since we live by the spirit, let us keep in step with the spirit."(Gal.5:25)
Keeping in step with the Spirit as we walk through life- means moment by moment giving up, surrendering, our desires for God's desire for us.
This isn't easy. It gets easier the more you do it, and eventually you will want to moment by moment, choose God's ways over your own desires.    More of God, less of me.
  He must increase, I must decrease (John chapter 3).
Go with God.

Suffering and Rejoicing

"...genuine, yet regarded as imposters;  known, yet regarded as unknown;   dying, and yet we live on;    beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful,    yet always rejoicing;    poor, yet making many rich; having nothing,   and yet possessing everything.  2 Cor. 6:8-11 
Why was this Jesus's followers' attitude?
because they had encountered GOD.

The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Gal.2:20

Have you encountered God?
If you knew how much God loved you, you would
FALL on your knees
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Gal.6:14

"...perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering." 1 Thess.1:4

"I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ- the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings,..."Phil.3 :7