Reconciliation

Struggling these last few weeks..........Thank you for your grace as I have not been able to blog lately....praying that life will slow a bit!

Reconciliation in Christianity has to do with the relationship between humankind and God

2 Corinthians 5:18-20

¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

Hosea 10:12;
     "Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord,
til He comes and rains righteousness on you."

Fallow ground....once plowed, but now lying waste....must be tilled.....(broken-up) with a sharp plow in order to make the soil ready for seed and , ultimately, fruitful and productive.

We have to start by allowing God to "plow up," the hardened ground of our hearts!

The God who has displayed His glory in the past is NO LESS ABLE to turn the HEART of a NATION today than He was a 100 years ago!

Psalm 85:10

¹⁰ Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.


Through this mudane life of mine.......I have participated in my share of misunderstandings and broken friendships.....It's funny how life can get in the way and my natural fleshy self focuses on; "what I want.......what I am feeling.............how I have been hurt.............or how someone has taken advantage of me......I can and do work up a good case of self-pity or even at times casting myself as the victim."
If I could only learn to SURRENDER......I could see through eyes of RECONCILIATION......and me with my self-centered self would be less.........I would be able to see beyond my own circumstances.........I would quit pushing God off of the throne and allow Him to begin healing me.

We all have old wounds from our past that need to be healed and SELF is our enemy. The danger of pride is always with us. 

Romans 3:24-25

King James Version (KJV)

²⁴Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
²⁵Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (RECONCILIATION) through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

Lord, remind us that it is not always agitated uprisings and nonstop activity which lead to justice, but that change often comes through the quiet commitment of a small group of people. Help us raise our small body of people to set about quietly becoming the change we want to see in the world. Amen.
(Common Prayer Book)

all is well,
Robbie

Weekends are made for being still

Psalm 46:10;

¹⁰ He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

Just call out His name

The song we sang at Church the Sunday I woke up afraid from what the second born had told me.
 I have only heard stories about people  who have had encounters but this was way to close to home!

I find my grey dress pants for Church and it's all I can do to drag myself out into the cold crisp air.
A whole new exposure for these teens and I am not sure how to rise to it......knowing in my heart that  I am not equipped to handle this not to mention I am scared to death!

I sit in church and I try to breath!
Satan is trying to kill  me and now He is messing with my second born!

Trying to raise 4 teens the best I know how.....wanting to instill values that will sustain.
Praying for the words of my mouth to be found pleasing to the King.............wishing to speak less and seek more.

Last year I had no idea that I would step off the teaching and speaking venue only to start a journey of sharing joy, pain and tears with teens!  Do joy and pain always go together?

I see it when I look at the window of the foggy cold February morning.............how the trees all barren...how naked they seem.
"Eros,"  My word He gave me for 2012.............desire.....longing for.  I want to know Him.....to long for His presence.
But it was me that doubted that I actually heard that word....until I bought a clearance book for two dollars and right there in the introduction was my word;  "Eros."  The Greeks believe that Eros conveyed a passion that involves the whole of a person's character.
I need that kind of passion in order to spend time with Him everyday! To seek His face.......Eros....will mean a wreck less abandonment..........a surrendering......to Jesus Christ!


If we are to be God's hands and feet in the world we need to know Him. To know him we have to Eros (desire) Him!

The second born comes running through the door.................she is hot under breath......she slides down beside me and says I have to tell you something;

Last night at the teen sleep over there was a girl that I didn't know......she is from Florida moving here only a few months ago.......she told us of a ghost that follows her where-ever she goes and claimed it was here with her now at this sleep-over. Funny things started to happen....lights flickered on and off.......there were scratches that appeared on random girls.....and the second born had pictures to prove it.


I swallow hard and try to breath in grace.......I have never had to deal with anything quiet like this. I turn I breath and I say..........."let me be very clear on this.....there is NO such thing as a GHOST!" It is either light or darkness..........it is either an angel or a demon there is NO in between!"

Question: "What does the Bible say about ghosts / hauntings?"

Answer: Is there such a thing as ghosts? The answer to this question depends on what precisely is meant by the term “ghosts.” If the term means “spirit beings,” the answer is a qualified “yes.” If the term means “spirits of people who have died,” the answer is “no.” The Bible makes it abundantly clear that there are spirit beings, both good and evil. But the Bible negates the idea that the spirits of deceased human beings can remain on earth and “haunt” the living.
Hebrews 9:27 declares, “Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.” That is what happens to a person’s soul-spirit after death—judgment. The result of this judgment is heaven for the believer (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23) and hell for the unbeliever (Matthew 25:46; Luke 16:22-24). There is no in-between. There is no possibility of remaining on earth in spirit form as a “ghost.” If there are such things as ghosts, according to the Bible, they absolutely cannot be the disembodied spirits of deceased human beings.
The Bible teaches very clearly that there are indeed spirit beings who can connect with and appear in our physical world. The Bible identifies these beings as angels and demons. Angels are spirit beings who are faithful in serving God. Angels are righteous, good, and holy. Demons are fallen angels, angels who rebelled against God. Demons are evil, deceptive, and destructive. According to 2 Corinthians 11:14-15, demons masquerade as “angels of light” and as “servants of righteousness.” Appearing as a “ghost” and impersonating a deceased human being definitely seem to be within the power and abilities that demons possess.

The closest biblical example of a “haunting” is found in Mark 5:1-20. A legion of demons possessed a man and used the man to haunt a graveyard. There were no ghosts involved. It was a case of a normal person being controlled by demons to terrorize the people of that area. Demons only seek to “kill, steal, and destroy” (John 10:10). They will do anything within their power to deceive people, to lead people away from God. This is very likely the explanation of “ghostly” activity today. Whether it is called a ghost, a ghoul, or a poltergeist, if there is genuine evil spiritual activity occurring, it is the work of demons.

What about instances in which “ghosts” act in “positive” ways? What about psychics who claim to summon the deceased and gain true and useful information from them? Again, it is crucial to remember that the goal of demons is to deceive. If the result is that people trust in a psychic instead of God, a demon will be more than willing to reveal true information. Even good and true information, if from a source with evil motives, can be used to mislead, corrupt, and destroy.

Interest in the paranormal is becoming increasingly common. There are individuals and businesses that claim to be “ghost-hunters,” who for a price will rid your home of ghosts. Psychics, séances, tarot cards, and mediums are increasingly considered normal. Human beings are innately aware of the spiritual world. Sadly, instead of seeking the truth about the spirit world by communing with God and studying His Word, many people allow themselves to be led astray by the spirit world. The demons surely laugh at the spiritual mass-deception that exists in the world today.
 (information taken from: got questions.org- the Bible has the answers) 


In a fallen world............empowering our children to slimply call out His Name (Jesus)  when they feel scared or if something doesn't feel right...............teaches them that.....the enemy must flee.


Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,  Philippians 2:9


all of grace,
Robbie

Amazing Love

Eternal Father,

It is amazing love,

that thou hast added the spirit of comfort to teach, comfort, guide,

that thou hast allowed the ministry of angels to wall me round.

All heaven subserves the welfare of the poor worm.

Permit thy unseen servants to be ever active on my behalf,

and to rejoice when grace expands in me.

Suffer them never to rest until my conflict is over,

and I stand victorious on salvation's shore.

Grant that thy proneness to evil,

deadness to good,

resistance to thy Spirit's motions,

may never provoke thee to abandon me.

May my hard heart awake thy pity, not thy wrath,

And if the enemy gets an advantage through my corruption,

let it be that heaven is mightier than hell,

That those for me are greater than those against me.

Arise to my help in richness of covenant blessings,

Keep me feeding in the pastures of thy strengthening WORD,

searching Scripture to find thee there.

If my waywardness is visited with a scourge,

enable me to receive correction meekly,

to bless the reproving hand,

to discern the motive of rebuke,

to respond promptly, and do the first work.

Let all thy fatherly dealings make me a partaker of thy Holiness.

Grant that in every fall I may sink lower on my knees,

and that when I rise (NOT IF I RISE) BUT WHEN I RISE it may be to loftier  heights of devotion.

May my every cross be sanctified,

every loss be gain,

every denial a spiritual advantage,

every dark day a light of the Holy Spirit,

every night of trial a song.

Spiritual Helps:

from the book; "The Valley of Vision," A collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

It's sin desire to have you...........................this is what He told me on my walk with him.............little did I know that it would almost kill me.

Sin is crouching at the door.....It's DESIRE is for YOU, but you must rule over it."

Genesis 4:7

"Desire," (teshuqah)

And it's me that can't seem to find the gratitude these last few weeks when I felt I couldn't take another step.

The enemies attacks have come at me hard.........I have felt alone and scared.

Words have been my biggest weapon...............the tongue that whipped the hard............... the damage that is done. 

We are the broken............from the storms that sometimes make you want to curl up and die.

And it's He that whispers...........Be Still..........but I don't know how anymore.

And it's He that whispers.............."your sins are forgiven."

An OT prophet might declare..........."The Lord also has put away your sin."

Yes He is able..............at the cost of Christ's death on the Cross!

There are things if you try and hold on to you will fall.  Sometimes the letting go of our will is the biggest step towards SURRENDERING!

asking for your grace..........would you pray for me today?
Thank you.

all of grace,

Robbie

Surrendering to the Empty-Tomb Centered Life

 Could it be true that I don't believe in the Resurrection of Christ even though I saw it with my own eyes?

It's me who denies the resurrection of Christ when I see death as the final! The aging body as the end.


I am slowly learning..........that only God can transform us.
It's when I stare out the window into the morning fog it is then that I realize........my reality is not about my agendas..........that is not who I am.
I will only find myself when I lose myself.

Matthew 10:39;
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Surrendering ourselves is the beginning of our transformation!

Inside the empty tomb looking out.

This lent season has hit me hard.............I am in the darkness of my sins.....feeling a sense that I have missed something important and how I am living my life untrue to myself...........to others.....to God.
I am confronting these feelings. Repenting.......Praying......asking God to show me what I really look like on the inside.
On the outside I look like a Christian..........I go to church..........I spend time with God...........I pray.   But to surrender or recklessly abandon myself to God I haven't........I can't let go of the need to control.
I am struggling to reach the bottom of my own well, trying to get water for myself.

John 4:11;

¹¹ “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water?

I have failed to recognize Jesus as the ALMIGHTY! I have some Christian attributes, but there is no abandonment or surrender to Jesus Christ!

It's time this lent season to ask God; "Show us...........what we really look like?"

What if we lived our lives with the tomb empty?
His Resurrection frees us........from ourselves. His empty tomb turns our eyes from the me, me , me kind of world and beckons us to keep our eyes on Him!

God is love........."AGAPE." Such love should inspire us......................to not be imprisoned by our own chains.............This type of Love couldn't be held captive in a cold tomb.....Nor do we have to be held captive by our sin, if we will truly SURRENDER our lives to living Christ!

"Christ must increase, and I must decrease." (apostle John)
The way up is down we live in an upside down kingdom!

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. (Revelation 22:13)


all is well,
Robbie


We are not converted only once in our lives but many times...and this endless series of large and small conversions, inner revolutions, leads to our transformation in Christ. (Thomas Merton)

Weekends are for embracing

"The Blood deals with what we have done...........whereas the Cross deals with, what we are. The Blood disposes of our sins, while the Cross strikes at the root of our capacity for sin."- Watchman Nee (China/1903-1972).

Embrace the trials and sufferings of Jesus...........That is our way to the light.

If we embrace godly disciplines.............we will have an inward joy.

May your where-abouts this weekend dear friends be one of embracing.......................LIFE. God has set LIFE and death before us..........and by His grace we choose life!

Self-discipline and Self-denial  during this Lent season is one small way we can step off the spiritual treadmill pick up our cross and follow Jesus.


all of grace,
Robbie

Lent- It's aMAZEing

I can't seem to follow through with anything this year and this new job has me spinning a bit disoriented lately.

The day before yesterday I got up early to spend time with the King.........(only happened once this week).  Knowing Lent was on it's way....... dreaming of how I wanted it to be the different this year!
It always starts out with  good intentions and ends up with me living in the flesh..........doing what I really want to do.
So I asked myself and my teens yesterday;  "What is Lent truly about?"

Is it OK that I see Lent as a time of plunging........into a deep dark maze with no-way out?
Repentance I murmur............I know I really want that.......but it's hard because I continue on pretending I am meeting Jesus in the maze of my life.

Externally, Lent is a time of doing without. It is a time of self-denial, a time of true repentance.
But inwardly, Lent is a time of drawing closer to Jesus.
This year I am wanting that...............the inward change..........drawing closer to the King! I want to know him!

Maybe it's me who is scared............worried what demands the King will make of me during the Lent season. Maybe I would like to just avoid it all together instead of being driven into a maze that I feel I can't find my way out of......a place where Satan himself has been given permission to confront me..........and maybe it's me with my prideful self that knows deep down inside I will just fail God again like I have so many times before.

I want to find my way out...............I want a HEART transformation that only true repentance can bring.........but is the maze too much for me?  Fear makes me want to run from it all............RUN from repentence run from transformation .........staying on my spiritual treadmill of  running in place that is going NO-where!

Am I closed..............to the very GRACE of God?  This may be...........my opportunity of CHANGE! Change can be so hard..........but it also can be so a-MAZE-ing!  If this is true that Lent is offering us a chance to CHANGE and  an opportunity for TRANSFORMATION.........then I want it.......I am willing to be a risk taker...........willing to getting lost in the maze that is before me. Join me want you? In this rare opportunity to start a fresh....to journey INWARD it is our next phase of life with the King.

Let this day be our day of departure.........we are beginning our inward journey:  "ashes to ashes and dust to dust."  It's all about self-denial...........and getting away from the world and spending time with the King!  "Dust we are and dust we shall return."

He is beckoning us to walk with Him with our hands held open ready to receive the unlocking of our real self............ trusting Him through the maze of life where our eyes and ears can't help us because we are walking in submission.......obedience........and surrender to God. It starts with the smallest of surrenders............by opening our hearts to the grace of  Lent..............His Grace!

At the end it will be aMAZEing!

all is well,
Robbie