Sheltered by the Love of Jesus
Greetings in the Lord!
Well, as I begin the new week, I am listening to the wind blow fiercely through the mountains yet again. The news says it may reach speeds of up to 70 miles per hour, and I believe it, as I see the waving of the tall Ponderosa pines through my windows. But to me, the winds also represent the swift moving of the Holy Spirit these days; the powerful presence of the Lord among us, clearing away the old and ushering in the new. Of course, sometimes the wind storm makes quite a mess, as we saw with the devastating tornadoes this fall. The wreckage eventually gets cleaned up though, and rebuilding happens. Such is the time we are in....a tearing down, uprooting, and finally, replanting. But turbulent times can be unnerving, however. It is with that in mind that the Lord gives us today's word from 2 Samuel 3:1)
"The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker."
The passage then goes on to list the six sons born to David while he was living in Hebron. It is a reminder to us that even though conflicts seem to drag on and on, where much betrayal and violence abounds, God can and does strengthen and prosper the righteous. So it will be in 2014. I've published before that this will be a bumpy year, when many things will be birthed--both good things for the upright, and wicked deeds for evil doers, but we fear not because we trust in God.
To understand more clearly the nature of the conflicts ahead, we have to know that Saul represented worldly kingship, while David "had a heart after God." Saul was insecure, arrogant, jealous, ego-centric, greedy, violent and disobedient to God because he gave to God what he wanted instead of doing what the Lord asked of him. He really did not know God or follow His ways. The same could be said of the people who persecuted Jesus and the disciples, many of whom were religious leaders, but did not have a heart after God and His ways. So we shall see an increase of wickedness and persecution this next year as hatred comes out of the darkness--but the true people of God will shine!
"All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. They will put you out of the synagogue, in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me." John 16:1-3
Jesus said many things to prepare His disciples of the trials they would have to endure for His namesake, and reassured them of the promises of salvation and joy they would experience when they would see him again. His prophetic words were to comfort them during the upcoming trials so they would know that He is still in control, even when persecution and hatred rears its ugly head and tempts them to leave the faith or hide in fear and deny living for Him. I've lived in many countries where Christianity is openly persecuted and it takes wisdom to get by, but I've never denied my faith. Doesn't mean that it was always without incident, but of this I can say--there is a divine mystery of persecution--miracles will happen; hearts will change. The early Church grew exponentially during that time; love for Jesus overwhelmed the persecuted ones, and God added to their numbers. When hatred abounds, the love of Jesus becomes more attractive, even irresistible.
So, the windstorm will blow the trees and earth as "creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed." Romans 8:19. And the windstorm of hate will blow against humanity, uprooting those who are secure in themselves, technology and man's wisdom, false doctrines, and worldly wealth, but who are not grounded in the love of Christ Jesus.
But "who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39.
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
Well, as I begin the new week, I am listening to the wind blow fiercely through the mountains yet again. The news says it may reach speeds of up to 70 miles per hour, and I believe it, as I see the waving of the tall Ponderosa pines through my windows. But to me, the winds also represent the swift moving of the Holy Spirit these days; the powerful presence of the Lord among us, clearing away the old and ushering in the new. Of course, sometimes the wind storm makes quite a mess, as we saw with the devastating tornadoes this fall. The wreckage eventually gets cleaned up though, and rebuilding happens. Such is the time we are in....a tearing down, uprooting, and finally, replanting. But turbulent times can be unnerving, however. It is with that in mind that the Lord gives us today's word from 2 Samuel 3:1)
"The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker."
The passage then goes on to list the six sons born to David while he was living in Hebron. It is a reminder to us that even though conflicts seem to drag on and on, where much betrayal and violence abounds, God can and does strengthen and prosper the righteous. So it will be in 2014. I've published before that this will be a bumpy year, when many things will be birthed--both good things for the upright, and wicked deeds for evil doers, but we fear not because we trust in God.
To understand more clearly the nature of the conflicts ahead, we have to know that Saul represented worldly kingship, while David "had a heart after God." Saul was insecure, arrogant, jealous, ego-centric, greedy, violent and disobedient to God because he gave to God what he wanted instead of doing what the Lord asked of him. He really did not know God or follow His ways. The same could be said of the people who persecuted Jesus and the disciples, many of whom were religious leaders, but did not have a heart after God and His ways. So we shall see an increase of wickedness and persecution this next year as hatred comes out of the darkness--but the true people of God will shine!
"All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. They will put you out of the synagogue, in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me." John 16:1-3
Jesus said many things to prepare His disciples of the trials they would have to endure for His namesake, and reassured them of the promises of salvation and joy they would experience when they would see him again. His prophetic words were to comfort them during the upcoming trials so they would know that He is still in control, even when persecution and hatred rears its ugly head and tempts them to leave the faith or hide in fear and deny living for Him. I've lived in many countries where Christianity is openly persecuted and it takes wisdom to get by, but I've never denied my faith. Doesn't mean that it was always without incident, but of this I can say--there is a divine mystery of persecution--miracles will happen; hearts will change. The early Church grew exponentially during that time; love for Jesus overwhelmed the persecuted ones, and God added to their numbers. When hatred abounds, the love of Jesus becomes more attractive, even irresistible.
So, the windstorm will blow the trees and earth as "creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed." Romans 8:19. And the windstorm of hate will blow against humanity, uprooting those who are secure in themselves, technology and man's wisdom, false doctrines, and worldly wealth, but who are not grounded in the love of Christ Jesus.
But "who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39.
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
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