Nathanael's heart ....

43 ¶ The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

Jesus saw Nathanel's heart. Even though he was skeptical, Jesus saw his heart, Jesus saw that there was no pretense, hypocrisy in this man's heart and that he sincerely wanted Truth. And even though there was skepticism, Phillip just said to him basically, "Come and see for yourself!" Notice he did not try to convince Nathanael, but instead simply invited him to come to know Jesus for himself.

It has been my experience that people, all people, want to know that God is real. We certainly cannot convince them of this Truth, though religion has certainly given it a good go over the years. But there is no use trying to convince anyone that God is alive and on the throne. Their heart has to be open. Then God can convince, just as He convinced us, and when God does the convincing, all skepticism evaporates as we truly see Him as King of Kings, Lord of Lords. For who He is.

The fig tree symbolized the place of rest, or a place of meditating where God's spirit was working, a place where Nathanel's heart had became opened to the Truth & only Jesus knew this (when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee). **Notice it wasn't in the temple as was the custom of the religion of the day. It seems it was in his own private place that the work of God was opening up his heart. God is so acquainted with us, he knows us intimately.

As soon as Nathanael turned toward Jesus with this heart, how quickly & easily he was able to overcome his skepticism. It seemed to literally evaporate! He was seeking the real deal, the real thing. He was seeking a type of a genuine relationship with the Lord. Jesus knew that ! It was a great reward, for Jesus immediately spoke to him.

Our relationship with the Lord is one that must touch our heart constantly and deeply. It's transforming within, His Spirit. We are always thinking about and pondering deep things in our heart - the more we know and continue in this direction, the more our heart becomes anchored in Christ. It is all about the heart and less about the self. We must be willing to sweep away all that denies us of the type of relationship where His greatness is demonstrated; deny ourselves of the temptation instead to lift self up. May He become all in all in us and through us.

When We Know

(I am not feeling well today, so for all who aren't familiar with my previous & earlier posts, here is one)

" I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice [and] my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon [him] as long as I live. "
(Psalm 116 :1,2)

When we are in a "difficult" place of sorts, it's good to know and be assured that God has heard the "voice of our supplications". We can wait on the Lord. Wait and also know that even though so many of us get into difficult seasons and trials come with the Lord, we know we have hope - hope because He hears our voice, hope because He hears our cries.

We don't have to worry - for God is listening, He will not leave us nor forsake us because we have done some wrong things, he doesn't require perfection in us only an honest heart. As we deal openly with the Lord of the issues in our heart, we can be persuaded like Paul who said God would keep that which was committed unto Him.

When we know that we have given Him all,
When we know that we have given Him our life,
When we know that we have given Him our heart,
When we know that we have given Him our trials,
When we know that we have given Him our families,
When we know that we have given Him our friends,
When we know that we have given Him our mistakes,
When we know that we have given Him our regrets,
When we know that we have given Him our future,

God is on the throne of our lives !

The wounds that we experience in our union with Christ are simply reminders that we are His and we belong to Him. They help our faith to deepen and remind us of the journey we are on .. Paul said he bore on his body the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ. Out of all these places, we drink, and drink, and drink, of the well of salvation in us. This is how we really make a difference, God is getting us through and giving us the courage we need to experience Him in deeper and deeper ways.

God is the only one who can help us to understand why we go through what we go through. He's really the only one who can explain to us the meaning of all things, and what it is that He is after in us. To be Christlike, to know without a doubt God will bring us through everything, through every false accusation. He'll bring us through all, and then we will truly know that God has been with us, and we have walked with Him on an incredible journey.

So many people will challenge us by saying such things as:

"Has God really walked with you?"
"Has God really been there with you ?"
"Has God really heard you?"

We can say yes, yes, yes, He has! And more! Yes He has heard us, and yes He is merciful. His mercy in fact, has preserved me through all things and dealt even bountifully with me. We walk with Him, and as we do, we bear in us the very marks of that journey. God will not forsake us. In fact, there comes a confidence that will always say, I love the Lord because He has heard the voice of my supplications....

Quotes on the Mystery of Suffering

As I was cleaning out my old email, I came across these insightful words, which were posted on Andrew's Storm's Website a while ago. They are the words of a fellow journeyman.

SHOULD I ONLY TAKE THE SWEET FROM THE HAND OF GOD AND NOT THE BITTER?

THE MESSAGE WE CARRY IN AND THROUGH OUR LIVES IS A MESSAGE OF OVER COMING.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN YOU RIGHTEOUSNESS - PEACE - AND JOY

THIS IS FORGED INTO OUR BEING AS WE LET THE SUFFERING, TRIALS OF LIFE DO THEIR PERFECT WORK

IT IS BY TRIBULATION THAT PATIENCE DOES ITS WORK TO PRODUCE FRUIT.

BUT LET IT DO ITS PERFECT WORK , THERE IS A DEPTH IN GOD WHO ALONE KNOWS THIS PROCESS FOR EACH OF US

IN THAT DAY WHEN THE LORD REVEALS US AS JEWELS WE WILL SEE THE MYSTERY OF SUFFERING IN ALL ITS WONDER.

JESUS FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM, ENDURED THE GREATEST OF SUFFERING THE WORLD WILL EVER KNOW, YET HE ALLOWS US TO BE PARTAKERS OF THIS SUFFERING.

EACH ONE OF US ARE BEING MADE INTO HIS LIKENESS IF WE ARE WILLING TO SUBMIT TO HIS LOVE AND WILL.

EACH A BEAUTIFUL JEWEL FORGED IN THE EARTH AND PLACED IN THE TEMPLE MADE WITH OUT HANDS.

THE CHURCH IS THE LIGHT OF TRUTH = IF WE CAN'T ACCEPT THE CROSS IN OUR LIVES, THEN WHERE LIES THE HOPE FOR THE WORLD?

REMEMBER THE NEW JERUSALEM , THE CITY OF GOD DESCENDING FROM HEAVEN IS MADE UP OF SUCH LIVING STONES, AND THE GATE OF THAT CITY ( IT'S ENTRANCE) IS SOLID PEARL.

A PEARL IS SYMBOLIC OF SUFFERING-- SO LET US WITH JOY LOOK AHEAD OF SUFFERING TO THE PRIZE OF THE HIGH CALLING IN CHRIST JESUS AND WALK JOYOUSLY THROUGH THOSE GATES.

posted by Ruth at 7:13 PM

Process vs Christ

I was wondering what to post on lately as I seem a bit stalled, (which is okay) but one thing that I thought I could post on is about the change that I have noticed since leaving the institution (2002) directly related to my own relationship with Christ. The biggest freedom I have experienced is that I have no interest at all in the religious process(es) to achieve anything, to be anything, or do anything. I am simply completely content to have and enjoy my relationship with Him. It is not defined by any process. It is defined instead by the living Christ who lives in me. Christ is a person and not a process.

In retrospect, I noticed that there is a continual preoccupation within the camp of religion with the process. It seems everything according to religion is defined by the 'process' necessary to get where ever one needs to go. Whether it's to get wealthy, get healthy, successful, happy, or even figure out what God's will is, it seems there is a formula that is available that one can access that will guarantee the result one is seeking. Unfortunately this bypasses the central Truth that Christ lives in us, that He is with us, caring deeply at every level & step along the way, from simply where we are - to where He wants to take us.

I believe and am thankful that God in Christ wanted to interrupt this nonsense in my own life because He simply wanted me to be completely fulfilled in Christ alone & that His Son would reign in the deepest part of my heart. That I would just rely on Him. To take away the preoccupation with all the necessary do's, don'ts process so that I can truly relax and look at Christ.

This of course does not happen in one day, or one moment, but it is a constant inclination of the heart towards Him that He brings slowly, repeatedly, day upon day.

Friends

Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Jesus calls you & I friends! Jesus pouring all the riches of Himself into His friends!! Wow, all the riches of what the Father had shown Him and given Him, are now given unto His friends.

What riches did Christ have? What were some of those riches?

Think about Christ's relationship with the Father. The depth. The love. The intimacy. The sharing. The communication. He brings us into that. Think about the very act of Christ pouring the riches of His own relationship with His Father, now out to His friends, to you , to I .

I have had close rich relationships with others. I know how careful I am in bringing a friend into that. To share that, to be a part of that. Or, on the other hand, to be invited into that with others. Someone who will share the love, share the closeness, share the uniqueness & joy of that friendship.

Unfortunately for us all, we can easily forget that Christ has called us friends & brought us into this intimate place with He and the Father. Especially when circumstances and situations trouble and arise, and I allow them to define me. I fret & fail to draw out of the friendship forged within me of Christ & my union with he and the Father. I am reminded this morning that there is continual harmony with Christ, He is my foundation as He is yours. He has built us, built our foundation, which is sure! An intimate foundation of shared love of the pure joy of having a relationship with Him, sustaining us & guiding us through our situations. Christ has poured into you & I, His friends, the very foundation for a continuous friendship through the operation of the grace of God at all times. May doubt quickly evaporate as we grab hold of this truth, as His riches operate and become evident through all things, to God be the glory for what He has done through His Son!

"May His love pour out of us, may we all have a deeper awareness of the greatness Lord in that you have called us friends, in that you have given us the riches of the friendship which you and the Father shared. May we be transformed by this. Renewing our mind against the constant battle of vanity self centredness & purposeless living, I pray in Jesus name. amen

Having His Heartbeat

I have always wanted to be around people who really love Jesus. You can tell when you have met or found someone such as that, who deeply loves Him, because when you are with them, He is who they want to talk about. I personally have been so blessed to meet so many people such as that. They are all unique & different in some ways, but so similar and deep in their love & passion for Christ. Their eyes glimmer & light up as they share their love & passion for Him freely with you. Words are not even necessary, you can actually feel it when you are with them! Experiencing the deep exchange of life on the inside that Christ brings so generously one can't help but share that life (His heart) with others.

What a great heart He has given His people, the body of Christ. It's His heart. Paul had His heart & he understood that it was Christ's heart beating inside of him, and to Paul that was everything. He would not ever consider carelessly hurting a sister or brother in Christ because He had Christ's heart. I have seen people, and I, myself, have carelessly wounded others without fully realizing and taking into consideration, that not only is Christ in me, but Christ is also living in them. Should we/ I offend & wound the very heart of God in others so carelessly?

I think along those lines, church isn't something we figure out, it's a heart. I mean, it's simple. It's His heart. If you have His heart, fully & completely, we are joined to Him. And His great Heart is joining us to others. We can see the 'church' a product of His heart joining us to others.
We are one of another not because of religious persuasions, denominational perspectives but simply because of His heart.

have a great day !

Christians Confess

I just wanted to point you over to this website called Christians Confess.

These are heart felt, sincere comments from people out there in cyberspace who have had time to reflect on some of the attitudes prevalent in the camp of Christianity. People who have really taken the time to truly consider exactly and honestly what their actions and attitudes might be saying to others. Especially those who don't quite think the same way as they do, believe the same way as they do, or the exact same doctrines as they do.

It really is worthwhile to read through the comments, they are helpful in considering our own actions and attitudes, that might need some fine tuning here and there (me).
I think the process of dealing with the self-righteous nature within us all is definitely an ongoing one; something we, who truly want to partake of His grace, and beyond that, bountifully extend that to others, should be so careful to deal with.

thanks!