Acts 3:26

"To you first, God, having raised up 

His Servant Jesus, sent Him to 

bless you, in turning away every 

one of you from your iniquities."

   To whom be all the glory, for our Lord Jesus lives, and is seated at the right hand of Almighty God.

As it is in Heavenly

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As it is in Heavenly

   One night a child was starring up into the night sky, wondering how one could get up to Heaven? As it was so so far away, as he could see no ladder. He was stood by his wise mother who offered in response …

“Heaven must first come down to you,

then, Heaven must come first into

your heart.”

… We must always remember what Jesus Christ told us in Math 6:9/13…

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10-Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
11-Give us this day our daily bread.
12-And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
13-And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the

glory forever. Amen.

…. # Please take note – We can never enter Heaven/ until Heaven enters us. For we must have the life of God inside of us before we are ready to dwell in blessedness with God, and turn away from our old ways.

An author, unknown to me, (but known to Creflo Dollar) once wrote….

We are to much in the habbit of looking forward

to Heaven as something that . . WILL BE ..easier-

pleasanter story for us read when we have finished

this tiresome Earth narrative, a Luxurious palace

chamber to rest in after this lifes drudgery is ended,.

In a remote celestial mountain top retreat , where

the sound of restless waves of Humanity, forever

fretting these shores , will vex our ears no longer.”

   It may seem that Heaven is afar off, and we have to wait to experience it’s wonder that waits there for us. But wait, NO, as it begin right here and now, in al we do today – tomorrow – n in what you did yesterday.

   Remember our Lords prayer, where it states ..” Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven “. (v10) ..Just think of that line for a minute, “ on Earth”. It means, in our shopping: work place: in our cars: homes: schools: in our social lives: our times of temptation; our sorrows as well, tell you what lets say EVERYTHING we do and see. The Lords prayer is not to be taken out of our World into Heaven, and to begin there doing Gods will. That’s why it written “On Earth that it is in Heaven” Jesus told us this, that we might just grasp this, He never said something, and immediately recanted (in other words then with drew the statement).

"How do they live in Heaven”

   When we begin our Christian lives on Earth with our hearts and minds and wills estranged from God. Hence why we want our own mercy way doing what we wanted, when – where – when and how we wanted, for our own gratification, not Gods. As we become Christians, now we want our way our way to be a new life is the acceptance of God and Christ Jesus as our King. But, not straight away does the Kingdom in us become fully His. We need to change everything we do and say, this takes time, it does not happen over night. Just as a puppy must be taught to let us know when it needs out to the garden. So we must be taught his ways. Christian growth is simply the beginning of our wills into perfect accord with Gods. It is learning to do always things that please, it is the least we can do after He saved us.

Tennyson wrote…

Our wills are ours, we know not how -

Our wills are ours, to make them thine*

Our wills are ours, Such a profound truthful description of Humanity. For god made us in His own image, yet we still have a free will to do as we wish. This is so God ‘cannot’ force His will upon us, and so left up to us to come freely to Him.

Our wills are ours, to make them thine*

*means yours

   You see God want our wills, but only if we come unto Him freely, without pressure or force, or, spiritual & Christian growth wont happen. It would be like putting a 10ft wall around us, nothing going out, nothing coming in. We have to give all of us, to surrender completely. There’s no use being a footballer if you don’t use a football. Why would you be an Ice-skater if you don’t wear Ice-skates. Is any of this sinking in yet? When we are taught of/by God then daily by His divine Holy Spirit, then with every passing day our faith brings us a step close3r to Gods dream for us on Earth as it is in Heaven.

   Thy will be done”, … This requires our total obedience, both full and complete. It is talking of God word, not just into our hearts, but letting it come out in everything we do and say. It’s letting out Gods way always, sweetly, quietly, with love and faith.

“But the greatest of these is love”

1Corith 13:13

   The divine law is summed up in one word,, ‘Love -Thou shalt love – God is love – As it is in Heaven’ As the lesson are for sure gathered into one, learning the art of love/ing. The best place to do this is, by loving God first. Then loving God begets in us love to all men.

Our wills are ours, to make them thine

   For sure many of us think of only the Earthly side to love? We all like to be loved (it stirs our soul), that is, to have other people love us, and live for us, do all kinds of things for us freely. There is an old saying ….

….It is better have been loved, and lost,

than to have never been loved at all

   We all enjoy the gratification of love, but that is only miserable selfishness if it goes NO further. To receive, to get is Earthly, “As it is in Heaven”, is truly giving. That is what gods loves does, it finds a blessedness in giving….

John 3:16

“God so loved the world that He gave His only

begotten Son”

...that is pure unconditional love. Christ’s love is the purest of all, pours out it’s very ‘life’s blood’, to the very last drop. The one thing that is the essential meaning of loving must always be giving, not that you are looking for a return, that means not receiving in return. We all think that our Heavenly blessedness is often one of selfishness, in other words; what we feel we deserve, and that it will be all enjoyment, and all receiving.

   Please bear in mind, even in Heaven will not be an eternity of self gratification, of the bliss of receiving. Even there, yes especially there, where all imperfections, they will all left behind, love though must find it’s blessedness in giving, in serving others, and in pouring out into other lives.

“. .On Earth as it is in Heaven. .” In the world that we live today, where social media is king. Staying in touch with those we know, anywhere in the World, we still we still find those still sighing, just to have friends, and just to know what it ius to be loved. . .

• Why not it is only natural..

• We all hunger for love..

...one thing craving will become is, totally ‘unwholesome’, slowly passing this and then onto and becoming ‘Miserably-morbid’. Though a great deal more wholesome desire is craving to give love, to be a blessing to others, to pour out the hearts sweet life to refresh weary hearts.

It is Gods will that we should love..

“O..Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments..”

...Isaiah wrote regarding love in 38 17

“..Indeed it was for my own peace That I had great bitterness;
But You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption, For You have cast all my sins behind Your back..”

...WOW, “What have I done O Lord, to deserve such love like this?” That God ‘is’ willing to do this, yet man kind (Gentiles) never got this then, or even a small percentage of today’s Earth population. I can only say scandalous on today’s population with knowledge read our finger tips, and the Christians who know this and don’t/won’t share, when we have been told to ..

“go out in to the World and preach the Gospel”

...not to sit our bums and do nothing, and make excuses, ‘Oh it’s to windy’ .. ‘they will bring the tone down’ .. excuses excuses.

Whilst sharing this quote, I have to say I’m sure who wrote this..

“It may be only a covetous outreach,

after a blessing which belongs to

another, and without which that

other life must be left wholly and refreshed”

...a great deal more wholesome desire is the craving to give love, to be a blessing to pour out the heart’s sweet life to refresh other weary hearts. It seems to be the mission of some in this world to give not to receive. They are set to shine in the darkness, burning up their own life as lamp oil burns, to be light to other souls. They are called to serve, to minister to wear out their life in giving sweetness, comfort, and to help others , while none come to minister to them, to pour out loves sweetness into their hearts, and to give them daily bread of affection, cheer, and help. In many homes today we find such lives . . . a patient wife and mother, or a gentle unselfish sister blessing, caring for, serving, giving out perpetually loves richest gifts, so why are we so apt in pitying such people.

Our Lord himself, He loved and gave blessed many, in the act He gave his life, but few came to Him a blessing and the sweetness of love in His own soul. For sure it more divine to give love than be loved. At least, God’s will for us is that we should love pouring out our hearts richest treasure upon others, not asking meanwhile for any return...

“ Love is it’s own best returns reward “

...“As it is in heaven” shines before us as the ideal of out Earthly life. Sometimes it is serving others – Sometimes it is quiet patient suffering, or passive waiting. The one great lessen to learnt is to have a perfect accord aligned with the will of God, in every moment of our lives, no matter what that may be.

“As it is in heaven” Heaven may seem far above us today, because for us at the moment the song is too sweet for our unmusical voices to sing.

This life is to beautiful for us, with our imperfect – inharmonious natures to live.

• But if only we are true to our Christian faith.

• If only we strive to do our fathers will.

• If only we keep our hearts open to the love of Christ, and to the help, and sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit, we shall rise day by day towards Heavens perfections until we shall enter those pearly gates and be like him. For the present our striving and our prayers should ever be.

Mathew 6 10

Your kingdom come. Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

The 3 C's

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The 3 Cs

   Today is a breeding for the 3 C’s, as we are tough. I would go as far as saying that from a young age we are brain washed as to what is acceptable. To the poi9nt we are made to be/feel an out-cast, if we feel nothing using the 3 C’s, in fact it’s OK, I hear you ask ‘What are the 3 C’s you’re talking about?

They are ….

·       Criticize . . to judge wrongly

·       Cursed . . .Foul language & calling names

·       Condemn . anyone falsely

   If you say ‘NO’ to any of the above, I will call you out and disagree with you. So lend me your conscience a while, so it may be . . . Challenged ~ Stretched ~ Tempered ~ even Questioned.

Ø Criticize . . to judge wrongly

Math 7 : 1  “. .Judge not, that you be not judged. .”

  In other words, if you don’t want others to judge you don’t judge them.,,

1 Kings 8 : 32  “. . hear in heaven, and act, and judge Your servants. .”

... You no matter if we stand in a quite darkened corner, or, stand on a busy street, we are foolish to think God is neither watching or listening to our false judgement of what ever see or hear.

   So what is it to judge someone who is appointed to pass the law? Although there is a supreme judge, he may be so, but be assured that ‘Only God’ truly knows the hearts of man, we can’t.

2 Chronicles 19^:6/7   “. .and said to the judges, Take heed

to what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but

for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment. ⁷ Now

therefore, let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take

care and do it. .”

   I want you to take time to answer these 3 questions honestly…

1.     In the UK.. How many of you have seen the advertisement of a car being driven fast down a country road, just as he loses control?

2.   Another advertisement, where after scoring for his football/Soccer, after having a pint of beer or 2 with friends after the match, on his way home looses control of his car, and crashes through the fence scything down the kids playing there?

3.   Lastly, and again let’s be honest here, have driven over the speed limit all the time?

John 8: 7  “. .He who is without sin among you, let

him throw a stone. .”

   Who loves a good action movie? Come on now be honest? Well, these films are normally rated at 15+ (in other words, this film is only suited for those over 15 years of age), because of the use of bad language and other content. OK then let me paint you a scene, There you are watching say ‘Lethal Weapon’, when there is a knock on the front door. When you open it to see who’s there, it’s Jesus. Mind if I come to hang out with you, when he sits down he asks what you watching as he sees a film paused. Will you still watch it or turn it off?

   Would you be comfortable with the bad language used often, or turn it off quick, hiding what you were comfortable watching before Jesus came around? Instead you turn off the TV. Yet you were happy to have lots of violence & bad language, But you turn off it because you feel it won’t be Jesus thing. How dare you! If you can show who we are 24/7, then we cannot judge others, because the judge on-high is always there taking notes on what we do ‘behind doors’.

1 Kings 8: 32  “. .Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants. .”

So next time instead of hiding things from our Lord, say this..

Psalm 7: 8&9  ^{“. .}The Lord shall judge the people: judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me. Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins. .”

…Lets also praise each other, and build each other up, when we beat temptation.

1 peter 1: 13/16   ^“. .Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. .”

   Who is without partiality to ‘judge’ according to ones works, and conduct yourselves throughout time of your stay here, and yet fear knowing that you were not redeemed corruptible. . .But with precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish.

   Let me leave you at the end of the first ‘C~Critisize’ with this thought who stand in front of God as white as the day He washed us clean and redeemed us, think careful before you answer! 

(The next 2 C's will be up in the coming days)

Seeing & Believing

 

John 4 v48    Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see

 signs and wonders, you will by no means 

believe.”

 

   This verse is part of a tale about a man’s son who is critically ill. And has travelled some distance, in order to try and meet a guy who creates miracles. It’s a long shot, this is the last he has, (The distance, he had walked, means nothing compared to his son’s wellbeing). Making this journey today is nothing as in a car it would only take 15/20 minutes.

 

   Bare with me if will, but, imagine driving this distance to a Hospital, because you heard of a surgeon who can cure your son. Only to be met such a rebuff. You would be staggered to, and probably you would be angered even frustrated. There’s you who has unlimited riches, but would give it all away to have your son made well-made well again. Because of the station in life your wealth has brought, and am used to people saying ‘yes’ to. So how knocked back you would be to have been me by such a rebuff.

 

   All be it was a boy who was sick and knocking on death door. Illness has no respect for persons of wealth or station.  

 

 Isaiah 55 v11   Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you 

people see signs and wonders, you will by no means 

believe.”

 

   Yet there is no doubt there is a little explanation, such is our Lords anxiety to purify and strengthen our faith in Him. The rich man’s faith was such that his faith was rested on the miraculous. In this very moment our Lord Jesus wanted show that His ‘word’ carried the same weight as if He was praying over his son back at home. Today we just call home on the mobile to find out there and then if his son had been cured, instead he had to walk/run home if faith that his son was well made so by Jesus. Wandering all the time is he or not well again, it must have been torture.

“If God wanted me to believe, why does He not put a sign

in the sky?”

 

   Faith is a matter of the heart and not merely of the mind. Real faith though is called into being not by an miraculous sign by the word of our Lord Jesus. For if faith was to depend on the visible sign in the sky, though there is great doubt it would accomplish it’s objective.

 

If the hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they

be persuaded that He rose from the dead.

 

   How precious is Faith in the estimation of our Lord and what pain He must have took to produce ~ purify & strengthen it. What may one explanation of many of His strange dealings with the son of man. His great longing is to lead us into the life of Faith. But what is Faith? Even though most exercise faith in our lives, in various degrees, what we are conscience of or not.

 

Have Faith and believe

 

The first time we see the word believe used is in . .

Genesis 15 v6    “. .And he believed in the Lord, and

He accounted it to him for righteousness. .”

. .according to the literal meaning of the time ‘Believe’ was to mean ~ to stand one self, by leaning on someone or something ~ this being so we lay our weak and changeable selves on Gods strength.

 

   At this point I must bring 2 things to your attention. .

1.     True faith will have God as its Origin & Objective. Remember ‘Abraham believed God’. In John 6 our Lord Jesus refers to it as ‘Work of God’. Hinting that it is God who give the true inclination of mind in complete trust.

2.   Our Faith in God is an act and NOT a mere sentiment. It is not something that easily or simply comes to a man. He must believe in something or someone other than himself.

 

. . I would be a miss if I did not point out that there is a close relationship between Faith & Will. Observe here, that, in the literal and strictest of senses of the word Faith ~ is that we must use effort. Whereas Will ~ is to make it so. My summation comes but in 3 stages, which I hope will cement what Seeing & Believing has been about.. ..

Stage 1 : Belief in Him our Lord

Stage 2 : The Saving belief

Stage 3 : Believing in the Lord

 

Stage 1 : Belief in Him our Lord

…To begin with this would lead us to an acceptance of His Revelation. All be it that it shows us, not, tells us how to be saved. Though many Christians can testify, that the book of Revelation paints a more vivid picture than Michael Angelo’s cysteine chapels ceiling. Of what will happen during the end times. Whilst it is possible for someone to have faith, yet still be lost? I say yes. True faith is something far far more than this. Therefore the 2^nd stage it is far more imperative that this next stage be reached . . via . . simple belief in Him our Lord Christ Jesus our saviour

Stage 2 : The Saving belief . .

Hebrews 10 v39  “. . But we are not of those who

draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the 

saving of the soul. .”

. .This is where the saving comes in. When I go out and by a chair, I have faith without doubt, that when I come in weary from the day it will hold my weight. Merely believing that the chair will not give on me will give peace of mind, but, ‘believing ‘on’ it, that it will bear my weight gives me peace of mind. This is just one of many instances that we show in our modern living that an unconscious belief in . . the cars we drive . . the coats we wear will keep us dry and warm . . or even this very pen . . that they will do what it says on the tin, to coin a phrase here.

 

Stage 3 : Believing in the Lord . .

   I may believe in the chair to help me become rested and restored. Also as I believe in my car and the pen I write, the same way. But still the car pen and I remain separated and distant, though not so with Christ and my Soul. Believing  . . on . . Him will lead to . . believing . . into . . Him. Becoming one with Him, united to Him be ties of Love & life. What a blessed union this has become.

 

Words will forever fall short and are unable

to describe the union fully

 

 

   Lets say a short prayer I have come across to describe my feeling…

“My faith looks up to thee, thou Lamb of Calvary

Saviour divine”

Making Life a Song

Making Life a

Song

Psalm 33 3  “ . . Sing to Him a new song; Play skilfully with a

shout of joy. .”

   It would be amazing to be able to write a song that everyone sings for years to come. But, oh to have composed such Hymns such as

•      Rock of ages, Or
•   Jesus lover of my Soul . .

   It would been far better than to say, build a Pyramid, for such a large percentage of us can’t write a songs. Most of us are not poets, able to weave words that create the most amazing tapestry. Words that are sweet thoughts that are rhythmic verse that will charm even the hardest of souls. For the of us are unable to make Hymns which shall become angels of peace – Comfort – or give Joy – or give inspiration to weary lives. Only the select few in a generation are blessed with such incredible gifts.

NKJ - Ephesians 5 19  “ . .speaking to one another in psalms and hymns

and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart

 to the Lord . . “

MESSAGE - Ephesians 5 19  “. .Don’t drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him. Sing hymns instead of drinking songs! Sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God . .” 

   There is a way  in which may all make songs. We don’t need to be poets either. We all can make the sweetest music with our lives. We only need to true & loving, from there will the music flow. There many among us who live in circumstances and conditions that seem to make no music. Their lives devoid of all sentiment which has no place amid the severe toils and burdens in their daily lives. Yet even the likes such as these, that seem doomed to hardness, dreariest toil, may and often becomes songs which can minister blessings to many others. You may not see it or feel it, but others in a similar plight will gleam strength and encouragement, just to know someone else is a similar boat as them.

   As a Christian we told not to hide our light under a bushel. I was told of a story about this guy went to Church out of the blue. When asked at the end of the meeting, what it was that brought him along, ‘ was a Sermon he had heard? To which he replied NO. Was it a ‘word’ he had read? he replied NO. Then to what it was that lead him to church?

   The guy said it was in fact a fellow worker. For years the guy has seen his fellow workman had been so true, so faithful, so Christ like in his character & conduct, that his influence had brought himself to Church. His fellow workman’s life, amid all the hardness, was a song of nothing but . . . Love.

   God want all our lives to be songs. How I hear to still say do we get these songs, as well as get the words for the songs? The Lord gives the words, through the duties and life’s experiences which come to us day by day, and is our part to set them to music, in our daily obedience’s and sub-missions. It’s our duty, however the notes may be God gives us, whatever the words He writes for us to sing, to make harmonious music. 

  

Jesus said . .

“My peace I give unto you .”

. . An Inspired promise reads . .

“The peace of God shall keep your heart and mind through Christ Jesus”

A Heavenly Counsel is. .

“Let the peace Of God rule in your heart”

   Whatever the notes, or, the words, therefore the song which we sing should always be of peace.

Our lives are songs, God writes the words 

and we set them to music at pleasure 

and the song grows glad, or sweet, or sad, 

as we choose to fashion the measure 

we must write the music, whatever the song.         

Whatever the rhyme or metre and if 

     it is sad we can make it glad or, 

if sweet we can make it sweeter.

   A perfect Holy life would be a perfect song. But our lives are anything but perfect, hence why the harmonies, through our lives are off key. Being disciples of Christ, we should be learning new harmonies all the time. They then in turn will grow sweeter day-by-day, Month-by-Month, as well learn to do Gods will on Earth. Only the Masters hand can bring out of our souls the musical harmonies that slumber.

   Without our Masters tuition, we are likened to that of a Violin. We lift off the table, and bow in hand, we draw the bow across it’s strings. It will let out a sound that of 2 cats fighting. That is till a master Violin player lifts it up, strokes the bow across the strings. With that the sweetest sound fills the air. We must never give up, as giving up is saying to GOD, you don’t know how to do this with my life, my soul. In essence calling our Lord Jesus Christ a LIAR, are you really ready to this??

   I learnt of a tale concerning the a composer Mendelssohn. He once visited to the great ‘Frieburg Organ.’ Its old custodian refused him permission to play upon the instrument, not knowing to whom he was speaking asking to play. At length Mendelssohn kept asking, whoever he did after a few minutes grant him some time to play on the Organ. Mendelssohn took his seat and soon the most wonderful music was coming from the Organ. The custodian was spell bound. At length he came along side Mendelssohn and kept asking the strangers name? The custodian, upon knowing the his name just stood there humiliated, self- condemned. Saying, after Mendelssohn had stopped playing, and ‘I refused you permission to play upon this old organ’.

   There comes One to us and who desires to take our lives sand helps our souls to make the sweetest music. But, we keep with holding our selves back from Him.

    When, if we would but yield ourselves to Him, He would bring forth the most Heavenly music our ears would have ever heard.

We are but organs mute, till a master 

touches the keys. A vessel 

of Earth into which pours the wine,  

harps are we, silent harps that have 

hung on willow trees, dumb till our 

heart strings swell and break 

with a pulse divine.

   No matter our lives, we should make our lives songs. We have no right to add to the out tunes in the World. Or, to sing, any but sweet strains in the ears of others. We should no longer sing out of key, about sadness in the World which, is already over flowing with songs of sadness. We need to be adding songs of Joy, songs of Peace, and songs of Love.

“If we are truly Christ’s, and daily are 

walking with Him, we should no longer hold back these songs”