Free will Part 3 of 3

Free will 

Part 3 of 3

   OK, I need you to stop, and think for a while, how come someone was willing to go through all the pain He did. Then be nailed to a tree? Because in equal measure He loved us that much. Do you know anyone whom your willingly – unconditionally – ready to sacrifice yourself for? That is how great Gods love is for all of us. W.O.W Once you can finally get your head around that, and grasp how great a gift this is, how much better you will fully feel about yourself. You will not want to even dip your big toe into your old ways.

# OK, now that part is sinking in,

now try the following out for size. #

   Over 2000 years ago, Christ Jesus & our father God knew you, way before your parents new about conceiving you. This is true supernatural stuff. Let this resonate with you for a minute. So then after accepting Him into your life because you knew you had to change you ‘life style choices’, to go back to your old ways, that would be plain stupid.

   You don’t go and pay good hard earned money on a brand new computer, only to get it home, then go on line to your old virus filled web sites, or do you?

OK, Sixty million Dollar Question: …

Why if God so loved his Son, why send Him and allow

Him to be treated worse than a common criminal.

Then allow Him to be wiped till there was barely any

skin left on His back, if that was not enough then

they put a thorny crown upon Jesus’ head.

Then made to carry on Jesus back , through the

streets for all to see, all the waywardness streets

to the Mount of olives. Then with these great

long nails, they drove them through Jesus’ hands and

feet, right through to the other side of the cross …

Why oh Why?

… All this to beat death, and ascend to Heaven. But wait this is just scandalous, I don’t know of anyone today that would love us so much they would freely sacrifice their only son, so we would have life more abundantly, do you? That is why we sing songs of worship, and give prayers of gratitude today. Now, when we die and go up to Heaven, as death has no hold over us any more, to be with Christ Jesus in Heavenly realms.

   Within our relationship, and it’s so good, surly you would not take advantage of this beautiful thing. But yet, Christ wants to be closer with you, helping you. Surly you know the sky is the limit in what you can have. Here’s a point to ponder … ‘The more I want Him, the more I behold Him, (if you will), there is a change in me, a supernatural change that leaves me more & more & more, felling Wonderful .. Happiest .. Contentment ..Whole’. Finally liberated from all that had bound me from before for so long. Instead of wanting the urges to go after my old fleshy ways, now I yearn for the good graces, from our living God above. I’m now wanting a personal relationship, so that when I get to Heaven I will already know Him. It’ll be like meeting up with a long lost friend, who would not want that?

   The old 1,000 hoops we had jump through, are now gone. We are not coming to Church for a performance, nothing of the sort. Praise Be. Now, what should move you spiritually, is, Christ Jesus our Lord & Saviour. While we are looking upon Him, looking into His Glorious face, and trying to more like Him, there is something stirring within me that is beyond measure and wealth, I feel so liberated. I no longer want to give my time or thoughts to my old fleshy ways, not for a second. Now I only seek a relationship with Him, for ALL else is folly! Again the only thing that should move you is that relationship with Him.

"While we try and to be like Him the Holy Spirit is

working in me something wonderful is which changing 

me for the better”

   Because now I’m taking pleasure in Him, and all my desires are totally changing. Now there is this wondrous opportunity to tell so many people about this as possible, till it sinks in. This has changed me so much so, I thought I was happy, but now I know true happiness. I recognise Gods graces now upon my life I refuse to let anyone one still this true happiness and Gods good graces in my life. I will share these for eternity, and back, never letting them be taken, that would be this Worlds greatest travesty. I want all of us to know Him better, closer.

Q: Are you ready to know Jesus on a

more personal level?

    

   There is something wrong with a person who says “I feel less condemned, but I still want my old ways”. So then why did you choose to be saved? Then still expect all of Gods graces. Let me put it this way – ‘Why would you want to get your dream job, yet you don’t turn up for work, and still expect to get paid, really who does that?

Psalm 150                                            Praise the Lord!

1. Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament!

2. Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!

3. Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp!

4. Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!

5. Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals!

6. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!

   Everyday, with no let up, you are going to be in conflict with yourself, your old fleshy ways, and Jesus ways? I know as soon as I open my eyes, it’s always Jesus ways, no hesitation, no question. Some of you may still be in conflict, so let me help you with this suggestion of a poem, try and remember it or write it down and keep it in your wallet…

“ Jesus I know I have to choose myself

I’m angry and frustrated with myself,

so help me God, so that I know to choose

you every time”

...may god be with now and forever, to help you through life’s trials and tribulations. Every morning before you get out of bed say aloud if you can..

I Choose Jesus every time

[May Gods word be a blessing to all may it shine a light unto your feet].

The Strength of Quietness ....

The Strength of

Quietness

Isaiah 30 15 “ . . In returning and rest you shall be saved;
In quietness and confidence shall be your strength. . “

Q: Why should we be quiet?

In answer this verse comes to mind . . “Be still in the presence of the Lord”

   Well, when take a look in depth, we learn that many things don’t have praise such as praise, or, so repeatedly enjoined in the Bible. Quietness is a result rather than a factor.

   It’s a misconception that noise creates strength, that the noisier someone is the stronger they become, or it is said some can’t sit still unless there is music or the TV on in the back ground.

   There’s an old saying that goes thus . .

‘We mar our work for God by noise and Bustle,

can we not do our part and NOT Be heard?

Why should we care that man should see us,

With our tools and our Psalms and the skill

with Which we use them.

And in often times we chaff and think

It heard that we should our great & costly

Stones for other men to build on and get

Praised while our names are forgotten

Or are passed over..’

  

   There are forces at work we never hear, but yet effect our everyday lives.  The rays of the Sun touch us and affect our moods. They silently feed the plants and help the crops grow in the field, and yet can bring such wondrous energy.   Gravitation is another silent force as well. With no rattle of machinery, no noise of engines, and yet it holds all the stars and worlds in their orbits with its invisible chains.  The Dew falls silently at night, whilst we sleep. And yet it touches every plant and leaf and flower with life and beauty.

   These were just a few examples of ‘Silent Forces’ that we can’t see or touch, yet affect our everyday lives. Just because we can’t see or touch these things, we know they are around yet, there is evidence of there strength.

There is strength in quietness

   In life it’s the quiet forces that will affect the most. There is strength even in self-mastery – in quietness of speech, a noisy talker will always be the weakest. So it is the calm quiet life that the truest strength is found.

Zephaniah 1 7  “ . .Be silent in the presence of the Lord God . .”

To do likewise would be too . . .

• ·  The tendency of the grace of Christ in the heart is to soften & refine the whole nature.
• ·  Make the very tones of our voices more gentle.
• ·  It helps to curb boisterousness into quietness
• ·  It squashes angry feelings into gentleness of love.

·        We are shown how to restrain resentments, instead teaching us to return kindness for unkindness, gentleness for rudeness, blessings for cursing, prayer for dis-spiteful usage.

“ . .love suffers long and is kind, love

Does not envie, love vaulteth not

Itself, is not puffed up, seeks not

It’s own, is not provoked, can with

Stand all things, believe in all things, 

hope in all things, can endure 

all things . .”

   With the love of Christ in our hearts can make us like Christ, and He was quiet when it was called for. He was never – Frustrated – Fumed or Fretted. He was never worried. When speaking he carried in Him calmness in His soul and was evident in all He did.

   A body builder will push his muscles to bursting. They will be fed only by that will help to build him up even more. Working hard to he was in control, except for one – small – muscle that will take more than working out in the gym. It won’t be affected by what he eats. Instead it will take everything he has and more. This can only be in the stillness/quietness in the presence of the Lord God.

We would do well to hear & understand the power of

Quietness

   This lesson I hope will help to keep us from out bursts of temper and from saying ‘rash’ and ‘haughty’ words that in an hour’s time, there can be no taking those words back. It’s too late no use saying sorry, as these words can last a life time.

   Even the most perfect marriage has it’s harsh incidents and it’s rude contacts, which tend to disturb the wife heart and cause pain. As for a man to be gentle, that no word  or act – habit – disposition of his, shall ever hurt the heart of the woman he loves.

   Nothing but the love that is not provoked, that does not have itself unseemly. That it can be silent and sweet, in any circumstances can make the Holiest wedded life, what it should be. Blessed is the couple that has already learnt this vital lesson.

   This last part teaches us quietness never came through the smoothing of circumstances, so there shall be nothing to irritate the spirit. We can not find or make a quiet place to live in, and thus make quiet in our soul. We are unable to have those around so loving and so sweet. All this so that we should nothing to vex or anoy us. The quietness should come from with in us nothing but the peace of God with in us.

Yet a quiet heart can lead to a quiet life