Growing in the Knowledge of God

My dearest love,

   "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)
   "...since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light." (Colossians 1:9-12)

   How do I express to people that THIS is what I want for them? To YOUR people! Believe me, please, I'm very glad that so many of the people I know acknowledge You as Savior. The thing that's on my heart though is growth, maturity, and intimacy...with You. In Acts 15 after Barnabas and Paul split up, Paul and Silas went through different cities "strengthening the churches." Bapa, that's what I want. I want people to not only acknowledge You as Savior, but to KNOW You. How do I express this part of my heart to the people who aren't this passionately in love with You?
   I wonder what the life of the man on the cross would have looked like if he hadn't died that day.
   Luke 23:40-43
   But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
   Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
   Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

   Oh, my dear love, would he have lived like Paul and John the Baptist and those of faith who are commended in Your word?
   Hebrews 11:32-38a
   "And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated -- the world was not worthy of them."

   In a certain way I envy him, the man on the cross. The day he received salvation is the same day he was brought into glory. What a blessing that would be! For the kingdom of heaven is something to be looking forward to and more, something to be longing for. However, in another way I don't envy him. My love, I know that glory (Your kingdom and an eternity in Your presence) will be incomparably wonderful to anything we have of You on this world, but You Yourself said in John 16:7, "But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." You said to Your disciples that it is better for You as a physical human being (able to be touch, felt, heard) not to be here so that we can have You as a spirit with us always, no matter where we're at. My love, I don't envy the man on the cross in this way. He never had the opportunity to live for You through the power of Your Holy Spirit. He never received the joy that comes when seeing someone come to You and say, "You are my Lord."
   Everything else is truly a loss compared to knowing You! My love, there is nothing that I can really do to explain this, is there? It's You, it's all You. Use my life to show this intimacy, please! I know that the rest is up to You and the individuals decision. But You know this passion wrestles within me. All I want is for people to know You.

Apart

   My dear love, my dear Jesus, I miss You today.My dearest love, I miss Your gentle touch. Your caress is more than sweetness to my soul. Your presence feeds an ill and weakened spirit. My love, even without You near I will fight for You, but please don't leave me to fight this battle alone for long. I yearn to fight by Your side. I yearn to be support as much as I can for You and Your desires. I wish to follow and not have to make decisions by myself.
   My love, I know You cherish me, but I would not want an hour longer of time apart from You in Your loving arms (a daily token of Your love and affection.) I know You love me, but I would not ask for another minute to go by without hearing the words.

   Bapa, hold me please.

He Is Madly In Love With YOU

Invade by Watermark

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fwrRC1KQrU

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

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.

Listen to Our Hearts

How do you explain?
How do you describe?
A love that goes from East to West
And runs as deep as it is wide?
You know all our hopes.
Lord, You know all our fears
And words cannot express the love we feel
But we long for You to hear.

So listen to our hearts
Hear our spirits sing
A song of praise that flows
For those You have redeemed
And we use the words we know
To tell you what an awesome God You are
But when words are not enough
To tell You of our love
Just listen to our hearts

If words could fall like rain
From these lips of mine
And if I had a thousand years
I would still run out of time
So if You listen to my heart
Every beat will say
Thank you for the Life
Thank you for the Truth
Thank you for the Way

God's Children

There is a promise...

Revelations 21:4
"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

We have a job...

1 Thessalonians 2:19-20
"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."

Don't give up...

1 John 2:28
"And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming."