Everywhere I turn, I see the ancient footprints of Mary Magdalene, Dorcas, Simon Peter, the Widow of Zain, Saul, Mary of Bethany, Zaccheus, Tabitha, the Ethiopian Eunuch and so many more---all set free in Jerusalem and Samaria and beyond. Today we stood on top of Mount Carmel where Elijah stood and said: "Come near to me." God is saying the same thing to me this day: Come Near. Mount Carmel overlooks a vast expanse from Galilee to Tiberias to Nazareth. Amazing as we stood on top of the mount and looked into the past, standing in the present, knowing the future will happen here. One Eternal Day. He is coming Back!
Just as they met the LORD, He is still alive and active in the streets of America this day. “You are now free from slavery to the demands of self, for recognition, for life to go as you want, for good health and prosperity, for freedom from emptiness, and for the experience of fullness. … You are now really free to live.” Acts 14-15(The Message). Stopped by Joppa where Tabitha where Peter brought Tabitha back to life. Free to really live! Saw the place of Peter's miraculous vision at the House of Simon the Tanner that all of us are clean in the eyes of God. Here's the place where Cornelius was set free and led many Gentiles to convert to following Christ. Free to live!
Acts 14:9 Paul, looking the man in Lystra in the eye, saw that he was ripe for God's work, ready to believe. Wondering as we drive along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea what others see in us this day, this year as they look into our eyes? At Mt. Carmel where Amos wanted to hide from God - Amos 9:3 - does distance or hiding have any place in me?
Acts 14:19 they beat Paul unconscious but Paul who was “launched by God’s Grace (14:26) came to, came right back and put muscle and sinew in the lives of the disciples, urging them to stick with what they had begun to believe and not quit, making it clear to them that it wouldn't be easy: "Anyone signing up for the kingdom of God has to go through plenty of hard times." Why do we make it sound like it's all going to be good?
Acts 14:14-15 - "We don't make God; he makes us, and all of this—sky, earth, sea, and everything in them." How many ways I limit God in my small thinking, in my unbelief, in my extra rules that I add thinking it’s a more holy way, but totally in my prejudice and self righteousness.
ReplyDeleteActs 14:22 - "Anyone signing up for the kingdom of God has to go through plenty of hard times." We should not expect anything else. God chastens those He loves. The enemy is rampant. It only stands to reason there will be plenty of hardship –entire kingdoms are at war in the heavenlies.
Acts 15:10-11 - So why are you now trying to out-god God, loading these new believers down with rules that crushed our ancestors and crushed us, too? Don't we believe that we are saved because the Master Jesus amazingly and out of sheer generosity moved to save us just as he did those from beyond our nation? So what are we arguing about?"
Trying to out-god God with rules that crush…”We believe we’re saved by grace alone, so why do we argue over fine points that crush the Body?
Acts 15:11-"Don't we believe that we are saved because the Master Jesus amazingly and out of sheer generosity moved to save us just as he did those from beyond our nation?"
ReplyDeleteMy prayer is for generosity today. For others, perhaps some whom I have a hard time loving.
For my family, some who are wandering away from the Master Jesus.
I pray for the Pearls, living jewels, specially selected by the Master Jesus for such a time as this.
Also, I pray for this nation. It was founded on the principles of Religious Freedom. I pray we will once again be known as a Godly Nation.
Hello from Tiberias. Trying to blog every day if I can on both blogs. Looks like I will be able to. Israeli internet at this hotel is frrrreeeee. But the keysa re still in Israeli and I hope I am hitting the right thing! I just posted on my other blog---
ReplyDeletehttp://beverly-brandon.blogspot.com about our day on top of Mount Tabor standing in the past, present and future. Love to you all from
Tiberias. Bev