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Showing posts from February, 2017

A Place of Rest

A Place of Rest Lord, Your Word tells me You are looking for a place of rest.  I think of myself as needing a place to rest—so I run to You. I seek You out—but You also, by Your Desire —are seeking a place of rest—A place of habitation. David sought a place for You. David said: “I will not enter my house or go to my bed-- I will allow no sleep to my eyes, no slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.” Psalms 132:3-5, NIV. Then, in an astounding response You Lord said: “For the LORD has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling: “This is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it--” Psalms 132:13, 14, NIV. Does this mean LORD You still seek to rest in certain places? Yes!  This is what Your Word tells me. So LORD—welcome today. Welcome into me. Welcome into every facet of me. Lord choose me.   Lord find rest in me.  Lord find a pla...

The “R” wheel of spiritual progress

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The “R” wheel of spiritual progress Notice that it is a wheel.. which reveals constant motion.   Spiritual progression is not an event. It is a wheel that keeps going round and round. Henri Nouewen:  The Spiritual life requires a constant claiming of our true identity  The more you go around, the easier, the quicker, and ultimately the less you go around.  If however, you never begin the process you will stay the same—and never progress in intimacy and love with God. Points on the wheel: Recognition:  You recognize something is amiss.. something is wrong.  You begin to think/ dream/ imagine/ understand that there has to be more in your spiritual life. You see this variance between your spiritual experience/life and the spiritual life you read about in the Scriptures, or in biographies, or see in other people whom you know. (2Peter 3:18; 2Tim 1:5; 1Cor 11:1) Relish:  You move past the … something is wrong… to desire… you relish...

Accepted in the Beloved

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Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:6 that we have been 'accepted in the beloved.' Two greek prepositions are important for our understanding of this great truth. EIS--often translated "unto" and means with respect to… the idea of gaining entrance  EN-often translated "in" and means  the idea of remain—to be IN, with or in 1.  When a  person  surrenders to  Christ , repents, is saved, converted, born again, becomes a child of God--he gains entrance into the kingdom of God (EIS)  Joh 6:47* Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. 2.  Once a person believes---and is received ---or has gained entrance--Paul tells us something very powerful---that person has been accepted EN the beloved. Kenneth Wvest:  “His grace could not operate in our salvation apart from the atoning death of our Lord, for God is not only a loving God, but a righteous and just God who cannot pass by sin but must re...