This blog may ignite some with a resounding "YES" , for others I have no doubt there will be great discomfort .
I was given a book as a gift on the week-end and have not been able to put it down : The Barbarian is it's name . If you have read it you will know what I am about to say , if not you may like to just read on and respond as you choose .
There is a line in the book that goes something like this : GOD WILL ALWAYS CHOOSE FOR US SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OVER & ABOVE SAFETY EVERY TIME!
Selah on this for a moment ,instead of becoming reactionary , even if your own spiritual walk does not reflect this line at this point in time , that does not necessarily mean that this is not spiritual truth , according to God & His Word , more importantly His Kingdom values. Consider John the Baptist's life , ministry, death , even this faithful courageous prophet had to check with Jesus that all was as it should be when he found himself imprisoned awaiting a beheading for no other crime than challenging sin in Herod. I am fairly certain from God's angle safety for John was lower in priority to his spiritual significance ! REFLECT
All but one(John the beloved) of the first Disciples was martyred for their faith and were often beaten , rejected . mocked , tortured in their lives prior to their glorious deaths ! REFLECT
Since when did the church make our personal safety more imperitive than the Gospel being advanced , and why are there so many benign expressions of committment to Jesus , when the call and terms of Discipleship are clearly radical , revolutionary, risky,compelling,uncomfortable , unpredictable,edgy and actually down right dangerous.
If today you are prepared to really come to terms with authentic Discipleship according to Jesus , then you will know such an awesome blessing in your life , this blessing will cause you to throw yourself upon God's ongoing mercy , grace & power rather than having all your comfort zone tick boxes on a daily basis .
I believe more than I ever have in my journey of faith that there has been a very real error in the teaching & definition of discipleship according to JESUS , we have underated , understated, and underestimated what the Lord has required of us when He has called us to be His Disciples .
Consequently in some ways the church has reaped what it has sown , we have settled for a sub-standard level of bland , non-threatening , safe, cosy , christianity which makes no difference to a sinful world, if anything brings us mockery .
People of GOD , please read the Gospels and see what Jesus requires when He calls you to follow Him ....and count the cost of authentic Christianity , what changes have to occur in your lives to match what Jesus asks of you and are you willing to step up to be the radical disciple that He calls you to be .
If not any preaching , reading or challenge of this nature will send you away screaming back into the comfortable , safe , religious,rut that neither dares nor defies the pharisaical expression of 'religious observance'.
Today I pray for my readers .......That Jesus will be fully formed in you according to His glory , His nature & His values .
MATTHEW 8 ;18-22,28-34
MARNEY
Monday, August 23, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
I GOT INTO SIN WHEN I CEASED HAVING A HEALTHY FEAR OF GOD
Jimmy Baker a renowned preacher in America was asked when did he stop loving Jesus , he was asked this by Billy Graham who visited him in prison . He was imprisoned for embezzlement , illegal prostitution businesses and some other illegal behaviours .
His answer is astounding : 'I never ceased loving Jesus with all my heart , mind & soul . However , I did cease to have a healthy fear of God and consequences to sin ............."This (he went onto say was the beginning of my backsliding ."
Reflect upon that statement dear ones , what does the Spirit of the Lord whisper or perhaps shout into your mind , heart , spirit .......?
Today can I ask do you in the light of ETERNITY have a Biblical , healthy fear of God ? If you do God will honour you and keep you close to Him , if you are in error you need to understand you are in a spiritually , dangerous and precarious position.
READ EXODUS 20:19-21, Philippians 2 : 12 ".......-continue to work out your salvation with FEAR & TREMBLING ." I believe this and by the way this is a New Testament reference .
Jesus was wonderfully full of both Grace & Truth .......God's grace is awesome and I am a recipient of this amazing grace . God's truth is absolute , non-negotiable and without fault , this can only have two reactions . OBEY GOD'S TRUTH or DISOBEY ! I for one choose the path of loving obedience .
Prayinbg for you all .
MARNEY
His answer is astounding : 'I never ceased loving Jesus with all my heart , mind & soul . However , I did cease to have a healthy fear of God and consequences to sin ............."This (he went onto say was the beginning of my backsliding ."
Reflect upon that statement dear ones , what does the Spirit of the Lord whisper or perhaps shout into your mind , heart , spirit .......?
Today can I ask do you in the light of ETERNITY have a Biblical , healthy fear of God ? If you do God will honour you and keep you close to Him , if you are in error you need to understand you are in a spiritually , dangerous and precarious position.
READ EXODUS 20:19-21, Philippians 2 : 12 ".......-continue to work out your salvation with FEAR & TREMBLING ." I believe this and by the way this is a New Testament reference .
Jesus was wonderfully full of both Grace & Truth .......God's grace is awesome and I am a recipient of this amazing grace . God's truth is absolute , non-negotiable and without fault , this can only have two reactions . OBEY GOD'S TRUTH or DISOBEY ! I for one choose the path of loving obedience .
Prayinbg for you all .
MARNEY
Monday, August 9, 2010
WHAT ISAAC IS GOD ASKING YOU TO GIVE TO HIM?
A brief word today : God didn't ask Abraham to offer up Ishmael as the sacrifice , not at all,He requested that Isaac be the sacrifice from Abraham. And Abraham stepped up to that request fully believing that the Lord would provide and of course He did !
What ISAAC'S is God asking of you this day ?????
Praying for you : Remember " BEHOLD TO OBEY IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE ......"
MARNEY
( I would invite any discussion from today's post or previous posts)
What ISAAC'S is God asking of you this day ?????
Praying for you : Remember " BEHOLD TO OBEY IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE ......"
MARNEY
( I would invite any discussion from today's post or previous posts)
Sunday, August 8, 2010
SELF SERVING OR GOD OBEYING??
Jesus is constantly speaking to me in His Word about how much He values exact obedience, it is a non-negotiable in the Kingdom of God .
Unfortunately many actually operate from the paradigm that all will be well if I partially obey God , or even sacrifice these areas of my life . Dear readers that is Biblically unsound and theologically not truth , it is not even acceptable in any area of your spiritual journey . If you have lulled yourself into believing that or even worse if others in spiritual authority have taught you that , please know in God's eyes this is not His will , nor is it His plan for you .
We need a revival as God's people with reigniting a HEALTHY fear of God and His Word , I stress again ''healthy", ( I can hear the protests now as I write this ) , please stay with me!If you look into Exodus 20 : 17 you will read some non-negotiables from God ..... keep reading down to verses18 through to verse21. Make some spiritually minded observations : v19 "and they said to Moses , ';Speak to us yourself and we will listen . But do not have God speak to us or we will die ."
Moses' response in verse20 "Moses said to the people, "D0 not be afraid . God has come to test (not tempt) you, so that ....THE FEAR OF GOD WILL BE WITH YOU TO KEEP YOU FROM SINNING. Please Selah on this verse for a moment.
verse 21 "The people remained at a distance , while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was ."
There sadly was a distancing from God for the people ,v.18b...'they stayed at a distance",v21 "the people remained at a distance...".
Be very careful when you start distancing yourself from God , ask yourself deeply why ? Be careful when you start to only want to hear from God's servants and not from God Himself , ask yourself why ?
Be aware when you start to back away from His Word , His plan , His presence , His call to deep ,intimate prayer . Be aware that this will all result in a self-serving spirituality that will lead you to the places Jesus doesn't want you to be.
If you doubt that look at King Saul , Adam and Eve, even David with his eyes over the balcony looking at Bathsheba when he should have been focused on the battle and so many more in the Old Testament .
New testament is also littered with spiritual casualities: Ananias & Sapphira (Acts 5), the rich young ruler , the Pharisees ( using 'religion' to serve themselves), the Corinthians, Judas and sadly many , many more.
Today do you relentlessly obey the voice of God in your life , this really is a matter of ETERNAL consequence for you and others .
Please don't just settle on a 'self- centred gospel ' ( actually there is in God's eyes no such thing ),
this will be as a cancer in your spirit and the Body of Christ .
Read as a reminder today GALATIANS 6:7-9.....read and obey . Oh and for any critics reading ,please understand this is the standard that I am called to with you and I daily remind myself of God's grace as well as His Holiness , you see Jesus was full of GRACE & TRUTH , one cannot have all grace & no truth , or all truth and no grace , we are called to have both.
God bless you today , & praying for you .
MARNEY
Unfortunately many actually operate from the paradigm that all will be well if I partially obey God , or even sacrifice these areas of my life . Dear readers that is Biblically unsound and theologically not truth , it is not even acceptable in any area of your spiritual journey . If you have lulled yourself into believing that or even worse if others in spiritual authority have taught you that , please know in God's eyes this is not His will , nor is it His plan for you .
We need a revival as God's people with reigniting a HEALTHY fear of God and His Word , I stress again ''healthy", ( I can hear the protests now as I write this ) , please stay with me!If you look into Exodus 20 : 17 you will read some non-negotiables from God ..... keep reading down to verses18 through to verse21. Make some spiritually minded observations : v19 "and they said to Moses , ';Speak to us yourself and we will listen . But do not have God speak to us or we will die ."
Moses' response in verse20 "Moses said to the people, "D0 not be afraid . God has come to test (not tempt) you, so that ....THE FEAR OF GOD WILL BE WITH YOU TO KEEP YOU FROM SINNING. Please Selah on this verse for a moment.
verse 21 "The people remained at a distance , while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was ."
There sadly was a distancing from God for the people ,v.18b...'they stayed at a distance",v21 "the people remained at a distance...".
Be very careful when you start distancing yourself from God , ask yourself deeply why ? Be careful when you start to only want to hear from God's servants and not from God Himself , ask yourself why ?
Be aware when you start to back away from His Word , His plan , His presence , His call to deep ,intimate prayer . Be aware that this will all result in a self-serving spirituality that will lead you to the places Jesus doesn't want you to be.
If you doubt that look at King Saul , Adam and Eve, even David with his eyes over the balcony looking at Bathsheba when he should have been focused on the battle and so many more in the Old Testament .
New testament is also littered with spiritual casualities: Ananias & Sapphira (Acts 5), the rich young ruler , the Pharisees ( using 'religion' to serve themselves), the Corinthians, Judas and sadly many , many more.
Today do you relentlessly obey the voice of God in your life , this really is a matter of ETERNAL consequence for you and others .
Please don't just settle on a 'self- centred gospel ' ( actually there is in God's eyes no such thing ),
this will be as a cancer in your spirit and the Body of Christ .
Read as a reminder today GALATIANS 6:7-9.....read and obey . Oh and for any critics reading ,please understand this is the standard that I am called to with you and I daily remind myself of God's grace as well as His Holiness , you see Jesus was full of GRACE & TRUTH , one cannot have all grace & no truth , or all truth and no grace , we are called to have both.
God bless you today , & praying for you .
MARNEY
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
BE CAREFUL WHAT OU SAY & PRAY .....GOD WILL HONOUR YOUR PRAYERS + WORDS
Read Psalm 106 ........pretty sobering actually .
Remember what God has done in your life .....REMEMBER .....GIVE PRAISE ....AND HAVE FAITH FOR FUTURE DAYS!
Verse 12 and verse 13 are so different , what had happened in people , to make them forget what God had done . What will make you remember the goodness of God ?
What makes you forget and grumble about His provision in your life ....Past , Present & Future ?
The tragedy is in verse 14 .... they grumbled , God gave them what they wanted ....and look what happened :death , disease , and eternal consequences .
You get what you pray people , be wise in God , don't be selfish or impure in your motivation , God does take our prayers , words , thoughts seriously!
Verse 43 ''MANY TIMES GOD DELIVERED THEM , BUT THEY WERE BENT ON REBELLION, + THEY WASTED AWAY IN THEIR SIN ." This is a serious issue for those who call themselves the 'already convinced', God calls us to grow up in Him in our desires , our prayers , our actions + our choices.
Glad to be back + praying for all my friends .
MARNEY
Remember what God has done in your life .....REMEMBER .....GIVE PRAISE ....AND HAVE FAITH FOR FUTURE DAYS!
Verse 12 and verse 13 are so different , what had happened in people , to make them forget what God had done . What will make you remember the goodness of God ?
What makes you forget and grumble about His provision in your life ....Past , Present & Future ?
The tragedy is in verse 14 .... they grumbled , God gave them what they wanted ....and look what happened :death , disease , and eternal consequences .
You get what you pray people , be wise in God , don't be selfish or impure in your motivation , God does take our prayers , words , thoughts seriously!
Verse 43 ''MANY TIMES GOD DELIVERED THEM , BUT THEY WERE BENT ON REBELLION, + THEY WASTED AWAY IN THEIR SIN ." This is a serious issue for those who call themselves the 'already convinced', God calls us to grow up in Him in our desires , our prayers , our actions + our choices.
Glad to be back + praying for all my friends .
MARNEY
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)