This, then, is our responsibility seeing that God is still overseer and sovereign, and we are still God's creation. There is a verse in 1 Samuel which says
So Samuel said: "Has the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings and
sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is
better than sacrifice, [And] to heed than the fat of rams.
For rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness [is as]
iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
He also has rejected you from [being] king." So Samuel said to him, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you
today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, [who is] better than
you.
"And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor relent. For He [is] not a man, that He should relent." (1 Samuel 15:22-23, 28-29)
The reason that Saul was rejected as King, was over not obeying the voice of the Lord. The verses show that God is prepared to tear from His own King, his own Kingdom, for the sake of His purposes on the earth. But I want to focus on the phrase in the first portion. "to obey is better than sacrifice"
Anyone that follows God and wishes to achieve his purposes on the earth must live by this phrase. I want to point out two things that I believe are important to think about while achieving God's purpose on the earth. (this sounds so cool, eh)
1. He is calling for a radical obedience.
2. He is interested in the person and his heart, and ultimately a voice that produces a pure word.
Not one, or the other, While travelling with the Lord this past year, I had to make a decision to obey the voice of the LORD no matter the costs. I spoke at a family meeting where I said there was going to be an earthquake, that causes a tsunami to hit Christchurch, many would die and loose much. However that didn't happen. What have I learned from this endeavour? I am not going to shrink back, I must obey the voice of the Lord and I must also speak what is the right word. For whose sake? It is for the LORD's sake. I well know the sacrifices that God makes on us. This fire is burning brighter than a year before, and I am ready for anything! try say that in Athens 40AD
"Arise and shine, for your light has come" (Isaiah 60:1) The light has been realized and specifically has come to guide you into all truth. He commands you to give all your worship and love to Him
Showing posts with label Keeping the Watch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Keeping the Watch. Show all posts
Friday, 11 May 2012
Keeping the Watch (3)
Seeing tomorrow is the day when I take rest, i will be giving two devotions with God's grace
My mind is on the Garden of Eden right now. I wonder what God's intention was with the Gardens. There is a command in the Garden, which God gives to Adam.
The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.
Yeah, that's right. It's funny how quickly we turn away from this commandment.
What command, you say? why, "He put the man whom He had formed" does that not sound like a commandment? It does to my ear. We always have our ears on other things. But God did not put Adam in the garden by accident. This is before He gives the commandment "Go and tend and keep the garden" This is simply, "I am putting you there"
There are two things that I want to emphasize.
1. That God placed Adam in the garden
This means that He is made for the garden,
2. That God spoke,
This part is what i want to really labour at. God still speaks, giving overseer directions to Adam. It was never the other way round. When we live in unity with God we are living as we are supposed to.
I want to highlight something about the verse, it says "The LORD God" this means, the Sovereign, the Creator, the Omnipotent One, Dwelling in Courts in Heaven. We are not alone, and from that I mean to say, today God is still speaking, today, God is still giving wisdom, today God has ultimate power to bring His purposes to fruition. He uses us.
My mind is on the Garden of Eden right now. I wonder what God's intention was with the Gardens. There is a command in the Garden, which God gives to Adam.
The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.
Yeah, that's right. It's funny how quickly we turn away from this commandment.
What command, you say? why, "He put the man whom He had formed" does that not sound like a commandment? It does to my ear. We always have our ears on other things. But God did not put Adam in the garden by accident. This is before He gives the commandment "Go and tend and keep the garden" This is simply, "I am putting you there"
There are two things that I want to emphasize.
1. That God placed Adam in the garden
This means that He is made for the garden,
2. That God spoke,
This part is what i want to really labour at. God still speaks, giving overseer directions to Adam. It was never the other way round. When we live in unity with God we are living as we are supposed to.
I want to highlight something about the verse, it says "The LORD God" this means, the Sovereign, the Creator, the Omnipotent One, Dwelling in Courts in Heaven. We are not alone, and from that I mean to say, today God is still speaking, today, God is still giving wisdom, today God has ultimate power to bring His purposes to fruition. He uses us.
Wednesday, 9 May 2012
Keeping the Watch (2)
When I came up to the prayer room today, It was like I came into home, and a song came out of me because of responding to this change
There's no expectancy here, there's no stress here, there's no human effort here, This is the ease of His presence, it just comes out, I bet this is what the Angel's experience.
I wanted to say, that this is a great opportunity to tell everyone of the things that God has placed on my heart as a result of this counter, but we can't sell ourselves short! The encounter with Him, being his Son, being His heart, It's inexchangeable, you can't replace His presence for His gifts! Why? because I want to worship Him here, I want to pray here, this is the very things that arise out of my heart as I am at the ease of God's fruitfulness.
I want to paint a picture of what I see here, I see resting from your labors, I see you becoming a little child, i see you coming here because it is the most enjoyable place, and a re-energizing of WHO YOU ARE and WHO GOD DESIGNED YOU TO BE. There is no striving here, there is no effort, no work, this is pure contemplation.
I want to suggest that when God proclaims Jesus and every knee bows, the CLIMAX is a reflection of the Saints who understand the Father's heart:
"I've come up here, abba Father
just to dream with you a little while
I've come up here, Abba FatherThis is what I want! I want the House of Prayer to be a house! To be home, I want it to be easy to dream in! I want it to be the most natural thing ever! That God would meet with us here, because as Father, this is what he has shown us of Himself.
because I know I love you,
and you love me too"
There's no expectancy here, there's no stress here, there's no human effort here, This is the ease of His presence, it just comes out, I bet this is what the Angel's experience.
I wanted to say, that this is a great opportunity to tell everyone of the things that God has placed on my heart as a result of this counter, but we can't sell ourselves short! The encounter with Him, being his Son, being His heart, It's inexchangeable, you can't replace His presence for His gifts! Why? because I want to worship Him here, I want to pray here, this is the very things that arise out of my heart as I am at the ease of God's fruitfulness.
I want to paint a picture of what I see here, I see resting from your labors, I see you becoming a little child, i see you coming here because it is the most enjoyable place, and a re-energizing of WHO YOU ARE and WHO GOD DESIGNED YOU TO BE. There is no striving here, there is no effort, no work, this is pure contemplation.
I want to suggest that when God proclaims Jesus and every knee bows, the CLIMAX is a reflection of the Saints who understand the Father's heart:
In the LORD all the descendants of Israel Shall be justified, and shall glory.' " Isaiah 45:25Let us be the Son to our brother Jacob!
Tuesday, 8 May 2012
Keeping the Watch (1)
I would like to share something that is on my heart, that is likely a preparation of my heart in keeping what is on the heart of God for me and a generation in the proper place. A few weeks ago, while having a worship meeting, God spontaneously placed it on my heart to speak up and to Declare a verse from the Book of Psalms:
I will not give sleep to my eyes [Or] slumber to my eyelids, Until I find a place for the LORD, A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.
So what it was, is a Vow.
There is also a verse in the Book of Isaiah which he has placed on my heart.
Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices [Will be] accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.
I suppose that if I were to try to do it in my own strength, I would want to get the credit for it, but just this afternoon, while working outside, I was thinking about God's desire to consume me with His fire, and then a friend walked out, and I asked her "do you know about herrnhut?" she happened to, and I came running back to the dining hall to find someone to share this revelation with them. "God has heard my prayer!"
This has put two things that I want to share on my heart.
The first is this, the angels that stand before God's throne,
The reality of justice on the earth
And the second is, keeping watch
What a wonderful name, "The Watch of the Lord"
Why do the angels minister before God's throne? do they do it out of responsibility? do they do it because God has done something for them? No, for all eternity, they have one anthem "Holy Holy Holy!" which roughly equates to, You are terrifying, You are beautiful
They are not motivated by what God has done for them, but only who God is.
Why do they continue? because of the worth of Him whom they are worshipping. They say "we live to make your name great"
In the book of Revelation there is a phrase that appears seven times, it is the word hetoimazō, which means, to prepare, to be prepared and to be victorious (past, present future) - why is this so important? it's because without keeping watch, you are not being prepared. Another word that is used in revelation is the word, hypomonē, which eludes to perseverance. The walk we are on, does not bode well for the temperate, the timid, the complacent and the unbelieving. Why? because there are trials that are coming, that will buffet you.
How do all these connect together? just that in keeping this charge I am no different from anyone else, just I have put my hand up and agree, (1) God is worth all of it, (2) It drives me to bring worship to Him everywhere, (3) that I will keep watching for His name
I will not give sleep to my eyes [Or] slumber to my eyelids, Until I find a place for the LORD, A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.
So what it was, is a Vow.
There is also a verse in the Book of Isaiah which he has placed on my heart.
Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices [Will be] accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.
I suppose that if I were to try to do it in my own strength, I would want to get the credit for it, but just this afternoon, while working outside, I was thinking about God's desire to consume me with His fire, and then a friend walked out, and I asked her "do you know about herrnhut?" she happened to, and I came running back to the dining hall to find someone to share this revelation with them. "God has heard my prayer!"
This has put two things that I want to share on my heart.
The first is this, the angels that stand before God's throne,
The reality of justice on the earth
And the second is, keeping watch
What a wonderful name, "The Watch of the Lord"
Why do the angels minister before God's throne? do they do it out of responsibility? do they do it because God has done something for them? No, for all eternity, they have one anthem "Holy Holy Holy!" which roughly equates to, You are terrifying, You are beautiful
They are not motivated by what God has done for them, but only who God is.
Why do they continue? because of the worth of Him whom they are worshipping. They say "we live to make your name great"
In the book of Revelation there is a phrase that appears seven times, it is the word hetoimazō, which means, to prepare, to be prepared and to be victorious (past, present future) - why is this so important? it's because without keeping watch, you are not being prepared. Another word that is used in revelation is the word, hypomonē, which eludes to perseverance. The walk we are on, does not bode well for the temperate, the timid, the complacent and the unbelieving. Why? because there are trials that are coming, that will buffet you.
How do all these connect together? just that in keeping this charge I am no different from anyone else, just I have put my hand up and agree, (1) God is worth all of it, (2) It drives me to bring worship to Him everywhere, (3) that I will keep watching for His name
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