How you doin? Sorry for the late start. We had wonderful fellowship with a lovely couple last night a little later then we usually stay up. So we slept in until 6:30am. It was so exciting to have fellowship with like minded followers of Jesus. Praise God for them. I also had a Dr.s appointment this morning. I received a good report of healing, praise Jesus. I am to start the process of walking in my normal shoes. I feel incredible here on day 3 of our fast. God is overwhelmingly compassionate. I often pray for God to fill me with love to overflowing. I can feel that prayer being answered. As my body and soul are being purged of toxins and contaminates, my spirit is being connected to the Holy Ghost in a way that's indescribable. Philippians 2 today.
Verses 1-2, "Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind." The first 11 verses of this chapter are titled "Imitating Christ's Humility". I've heard it said that Jesus' most powerful display of authority was His submission to death on the cross. His servant-hood heart and humility is His greatest display of power and love. Jesus did not rule from above, He ruled from below by serving. COME ON!!!!!!! He wants this for us. Verses 5-8, "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!"
WOW!!!!!!! Jesus gave up so much and He did it because He loved us. My life verses are in this chapter. Verses 12-13, "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." I have pages of thoughts written on these verses that I'll spare you today. Sufficed to say, I love the process that these verses describe and that God has a work in my that makes it possible for me to "fulfill His good purpose". AWESOME!!!!!!!
Please see this as a shameless plug for the Jonathan Welton Conference coming up on Feb. 6-8 at our church. I'm reading his book "Normal Christianity" and it's transforming and renewing my mind. COME ON!!!!!!! I love 2 for 1 deals. The 4th chapter is called "A Slave of Freedom". Jonathan is discussing God's grace allowing love to fulfill the law. Obviously right up my alley. He writes this, "The difficulty of developing this type of lifestyle is that we must have our eyes focused not on a list of rules, but upon walking in love in our relationships. Before I act, I am constantly aware of the pleasure or displeasure of the Holy Spirit and those around me. Every possible rule created outside the of the law of love is a failing attempt at curbing the sin nature. the Average Christian has grown quite accustomed to living in awareness of a list of rules, rather than living in awareness of the heart of God. It will require a major shift for an individual to walk in true freedom." Jonathan uses the term Average Christian to describe what we've become in our western church as apposed to Normal Christians that we should become based on God's plan. He describes 2 options we're faced with, 1) "Live by the love of law", or 2) "Live by the law of love". This plug could go on and on. This book is AWESOME!!!!!!! You could skip reading it and just come to the conference or read it and come to the conference. Needless to say, Stacey and I are very excited.
According to this book, the law of love is this, "I choose not to sin because it harms relationship". I noticed this morning that Philippians 2 and chapter 4 of "Normal Christianity" mentioned relationships quite a bit. After fellowship with like minded followers of Jesus last night, I get it. Have the same mindset as Jesus in your relationships today.
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!"
WOW!!!!!!! Jesus gave up so much and He did it because He loved us. My life verses are in this chapter. Verses 12-13, "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." I have pages of thoughts written on these verses that I'll spare you today. Sufficed to say, I love the process that these verses describe and that God has a work in my that makes it possible for me to "fulfill His good purpose". AWESOME!!!!!!!
Please see this as a shameless plug for the Jonathan Welton Conference coming up on Feb. 6-8 at our church. I'm reading his book "Normal Christianity" and it's transforming and renewing my mind. COME ON!!!!!!! I love 2 for 1 deals. The 4th chapter is called "A Slave of Freedom". Jonathan is discussing God's grace allowing love to fulfill the law. Obviously right up my alley. He writes this, "The difficulty of developing this type of lifestyle is that we must have our eyes focused not on a list of rules, but upon walking in love in our relationships. Before I act, I am constantly aware of the pleasure or displeasure of the Holy Spirit and those around me. Every possible rule created outside the of the law of love is a failing attempt at curbing the sin nature. the Average Christian has grown quite accustomed to living in awareness of a list of rules, rather than living in awareness of the heart of God. It will require a major shift for an individual to walk in true freedom." Jonathan uses the term Average Christian to describe what we've become in our western church as apposed to Normal Christians that we should become based on God's plan. He describes 2 options we're faced with, 1) "Live by the love of law", or 2) "Live by the law of love". This plug could go on and on. This book is AWESOME!!!!!!! You could skip reading it and just come to the conference or read it and come to the conference. Needless to say, Stacey and I are very excited.
According to this book, the law of love is this, "I choose not to sin because it harms relationship". I noticed this morning that Philippians 2 and chapter 4 of "Normal Christianity" mentioned relationships quite a bit. After fellowship with like minded followers of Jesus last night, I get it. Have the same mindset as Jesus in your relationships today.
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