Entering in through a broken heart

Most of us collapse at the first grip of pain. We sit down at the door of God’s purpose and enter a slow death through self-pity. And all the so-called Christian sympathy of others helps us to our deathbed. But God will not. He comes with the grip of the pierced hand of His Son, as if to say, “Enter into fellowship with Me; arise and shine.” If God can accomplish His purposes in this world through a broken heart, then why not thank Him for breaking yours?

Oswald Chambers – My Utmost For His Highest

Tearing down the walls

We all approach God initially through our natural selves. The natural world acts as an interface to the spiritual. Whether via reason (the mind) or emotion (the heart). This interaction is our first glimpse of the glory of God. Our first steps in relationship with Jesus will follow our natural bent as well.

While a good start our natural interface to relationship with God becomes a barrier to spiritual growth. Staying in a state where only our natural abilities are used to relate to God is no better then the relationships that the Hero’s of the Old Testament had with God. The reality is that staying in this state leaves us short of what is promised by Jesus’ death on the cross.

Mathew 27:50-51 (NLT)
50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom…

So where does that leave us?

The Spirit.

John 4:24 (NLT)
For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.

Being able to relate to God in His natural state (the Spirit) instead of our natural state that’s the goal. Jesus has torn down the natural barriers to us communing with God in Spirit. Reason and Emotion can no longer hold us back from growing spiritually.

Amen!

Perspective

Mark 2:27 (NLT)

27 Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.

This verse struck me today. Most of us would have reversed this, keeping the Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments after all. But that’s what the religious spirit does, it takes the gifts of God (the Sabbath here) and makes it a burden.

Jesus here radically challenged the perspective of those around him, and I believe challenges us as well. How do we view God’s word as list of rules and limitations? Or of blessings and freedom.

Anti-Self Gospel

Jesus did not say, “He who believes in Me will realize all the blessings of the fullness of God,” but, in essence, “He who believes in Me will have everything he receives escape out of him.” Our Lord’s teaching was always anti-self-realization. His purpose is not the development of a person— His purpose is to make a person exactly like Himself, and the Son of God is characterized by self-expenditure. If we believe in Jesus, it is not what we gain but what He pours through us that really counts. God’s purpose is not simply to make us beautiful, plump grapes, but to make us grapes so that He may squeeze the sweetness out of us.

-Oswald Chambers

Love poem for my redhead

Heads will turn to look and stare
At the girl with long red hair
At hips that sway, like long grass,
Watch them gaze as she walks past,

With skin so pale and very fair
Look at the girl with long red hair
The beauty of a freckled face
Her style, panache, her easy grace,

She enters a room, all are aware
And watch the girl with long red hair
Envious eyes that look and desire
The girl with hair like raging fire,

You may look and you may eye
And you may stare as she goes by,
For she has beauty beyond compare
And I love the girl with long red hair

by: Jessica Shailes

Mourning for Joy

Look and see what the Lord has done
He has replaced our mourning with joy
For the Lord is faithful
Joy and pleasure are fleeting
Pain and sorrow wane
Strength and power weaken
For this world temporal
But our God is faithful and eternal
He is the creator of life
He is the God of the resurrection
He is our healer and deliverer
His word is true and His promises are assured
Look and see what the Lord has done
Look and see what the Lord will do

Paths

I look behind
And see what could have been
Places I’ve strayed from the path
But even in my faithlessness
You’ve been faithful
Always sure
To guide me back
To the path you made for me
Looking back
Those other paths pale in comparison
To the path that I’m on

I look forward
And see what could be
Paths paved with
Power and millions
Paths paved with
Joy and sorrow

But I’m just looking for one
One path made by humble hands
One path designed with wisdom
A path that holds
The destiny you prepared for me
You’ve promised to guide my feet
You’ve promised to prepare a place for me
Light my way Lord
Take me into your presence