Invade by Watermark
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fwrRC1KQrU
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Monday, November 19, 2012
Desire for fellowship:
"We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us...But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. For we wanted to come to you -- certainly I, Paul, did, again and again -- but Satan stopped us. For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.
But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because your faith. For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.
Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones." 1 Thessalonians 2:8, 2:17-3:13
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Bapa,
I don't understand. How could I have lived my life after salvation and still not known intimacy with You? How do other people? As christians we say the right things, we even want the right things, but...What changed in my life? What made the difference?
A few weeks ago I was the same christian I had been since I was 14 just with a little bit more biblical knowledge, but now I can feel Your presence and so much more. My heart-knowledge matches my head-knowledge. Even more so, I know You. I'm ready give up my life at a moment's notice because I know You. You are everything to me. I could have said those words a few weeks ago, but they wouldn't have been true. The thing is...I wouldn't have known that they weren't true. What has changed in me? What changed my life? I don't know if it was anything I did. You did it for me, didn't You? I asked and You brought it about.
"They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name." (Acts 5:40b-41)
" But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, 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...I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:7-9a, 10-11)
I know what these mean in my heart. This isn't just a head-knowledge anymore. A willingness to lose everything and to suffer that Your name may be glorified, that's what I know. Nothing on this earth compares to You!
Your Holy Spirit is who changed me. I was desperate for something more in life. I saw the life of a friend of mine and I knew he had something that I wanted. At the time I didn't know what that was though. You so encompassed him in Yourself that his very life was sacrificed to You. He wanted You to have control, but he took it one step farther...He gave You that control. My desperation caused me to seek. The yearning for something more caused me to ask. And because that is exactly what You wanted from me and for me, You gave me everything that matters in life. You gave me Yourself. An intimate relationship with the creator of the universe. An intoxicating presence. An indescribable master. You are Lovely. You are Bapa. And You are everything to me.
I don't understand. How could I have lived my life after salvation and still not known intimacy with You? How do other people? As christians we say the right things, we even want the right things, but...What changed in my life? What made the difference?
A few weeks ago I was the same christian I had been since I was 14 just with a little bit more biblical knowledge, but now I can feel Your presence and so much more. My heart-knowledge matches my head-knowledge. Even more so, I know You. I'm ready give up my life at a moment's notice because I know You. You are everything to me. I could have said those words a few weeks ago, but they wouldn't have been true. The thing is...I wouldn't have known that they weren't true. What has changed in me? What changed my life? I don't know if it was anything I did. You did it for me, didn't You? I asked and You brought it about.
"They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name." (Acts 5:40b-41)
" But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, 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...I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:7-9a, 10-11)
I know what these mean in my heart. This isn't just a head-knowledge anymore. A willingness to lose everything and to suffer that Your name may be glorified, that's what I know. Nothing on this earth compares to You!
Your Holy Spirit is who changed me. I was desperate for something more in life. I saw the life of a friend of mine and I knew he had something that I wanted. At the time I didn't know what that was though. You so encompassed him in Yourself that his very life was sacrificed to You. He wanted You to have control, but he took it one step farther...He gave You that control. My desperation caused me to seek. The yearning for something more caused me to ask. And because that is exactly what You wanted from me and for me, You gave me everything that matters in life. You gave me Yourself. An intimate relationship with the creator of the universe. An intoxicating presence. An indescribable master. You are Lovely. You are Bapa. And You are everything to me.
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