The God of All Comfort

John 8:1-11

8 ¹ but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

² At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. ³ The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group ⁴ and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵ In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” ⁶ They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. ⁷ When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” ⁸ Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
⁹ At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. ¹⁰ Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
¹¹ “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”   
NIV Bible Gateway.com   

An affliction is a crushing pressure that threatens us with destruction. Our health, peace of mind, or relationships could be in danger from the hardship. We know that God will comfort us when we are sick, but will He be there if we bring the affliction upon ourselves by sinning?
   Many believers ask this question, but too often they assume the answer is no. However, the Lord does not condemn us for sin - He has forgotten it. (See Heb. 8:32.) What remains are the consequences of our wrong actions. If we turn to God, He will soothe our soul and guide us safely through the painful fallout. Under His influence, self-inflicted pain is bearable and serves to make faith sronger.
   Remember the woman dragged before Jesus by the Pharisees. She had been caught in adultery, which was a clear violation of the Law. The religious leaders were prepared to stone the transgressor to death, but Jesus spoke to her with compassion. Although He in no way condoned her sin, He did recognize that she was already facing consequences for her unwise choices. He forgave her, saying, "Go. From now on sin no more" (John 8:11).
    Nothing we do can separate us from the love of God. One way He expresses that love is through the promise of comfort when we hurt, even when the pain is self-inflicted. We can allow shame to chase us away from the Father's loving arms, convinced He would not give encouragement to one who disobeyed. Or we can believe Scripture, which says He is "the Father of mercies and God of all comfort" (2 Cor. 1:3).
Stanley, Charles F. "The God of All Comfort."  In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living September 2016. Atlanta: In Touch Ministries. page 16.

A. B. (Albert Benjamin) Simpson (1843-1919)

   From the Institute for the Study of American Evangelicals,  A(lbert) B(enjamin) Simpson (1843-1919), evangelist, founder of the Christian & Missionary Alliance was born on Prince Edward Island, the son of Scottish Presbyterian parents. The brief biography continues with "Simpson touted a 'fourfold Gospel' of Christ as 'Saviour, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King,..'” A 128 page book published by the Christian Alliance in 1925, provides a deep and rich experience of God's love and grace. Each of the four topics are explored and explained in a language everyone that desires can understand. The last chapter, "Kept," begins and ends with II Timothy 1:12. On page 128, the author ends by asking, "The great question for you and me is, how much have we really committed?"

31 Kings or Victory over Self by A.B. Simpson

“These are the kings of the land that Joshua and the Israelites conquered on the west side of the Jordan… thirty-one kings in all” (Joshua 12:7-24)

There are various forms of self-life which need to be subdued and slain before the soul can be in perfect harmony with the divine will. They are tyrants, which, if allowed to remain, will ultimately bring us into subjection to sin and separate us from the Lord.

There is a foe whose hidden power,

The Christian well may fear,

More subtle far than inbred sin

And to the heart more dear.

It is the power of selfishness,

It is the willful I,

And e’er my Lord can live in me

My very self must die.

There is, like Anak’s sons of old,

A race of giants still,

Self-glory, self-confidence,

Self-seeking and self-will.

Still must these haughty Anakim

By Caleb’s sword be slain,

E’er Hebron’s heights of heavenly love

Our conquering feet can gain.

Oh, save me from self-will, dear Lord,

Which claims Thy sacred Throne;

Oh, let my will be lost in Thine;

And let Thy will be done.

Oh, keep me from self-confidence,

And self-sufficiency;

Let me exchange my strength for Thine,

And lean alone on Thee.

On, Save me from self-seeking, Lord.

Let me not be my own,

A living sacrifice I come-

Lord, keep me Thine alone;

From proud vain-glory save me, Lord,

From pride of praise and fame;

To Christ be all the honor given,

The glory of His Name.

O Jesus, slay the self in me,

By Thy consuming breath;

Show me Thy heart, Thy wounds, Thy shame,

And love my soul to death.

When the Shekinah flame came down,

E’er Moses could not say;

So let Thy glory fill me now,

And self forever slay.

O Jesus, come and dwell in me,

Walk in my steps each day,

Love in my life, love in my love,

And speak in all I say;

Think in my thoughts, let all my acts

Thy very actions be,

So shall it be no longer I,

But Christ that lives in me.

This book identifies and gives scripture on “self” and then asks the question, “How shall we overcome these giant Anakim? How shall we win the victory over self? How shall we possess Hebron, the city of love?”

 Due to space you can read the answers for yourself in 31 Kings by A.B. Simpson.

Just a quick hint:

• We must hand over self and all its rights in an eternal covenant and give God the absolute right to own us, control us and possess us forever.   
• We must let God make this real in detail, as each day brings its tests and conflicts, and each of these 31 kings comes face to face before us.  
• We must receive the great antidote to self-the love of Christ.

Experiencing God's Love

Ephesians 3:17-19

¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. NIV Bible Gateway.com

   ... Paul prays that the Ephesians will grasp the depth of Christ's love. Though divine care is beyond human comprehension, the apostle says God will give spiritual understanding so we can experience Him more fully. But there are four things that keep us from getting a handle on His love and resting in it.
    1.  WE THINK GOD'S ACCEPTANCE IS IMPERFECT AND CONDITIONAL LIKE OURS. Yet the Bible tells us that His compassion comes from His character and is not dependent upon our morality, choices, or thoughts. (See Rom. 5:8.)
   2. WHEN WE RECOGNIZE OUR SIN, WE OFTEN EXPERIENCE GUILT. Sometimes this leads to feeling unworthy of the Father's ultimate love. Instead, let a guilty conscience lead you back to God so that you can repent. Realize that His love and forgiveness are greater than any sin. He promises that there is no condemnation for His followers ( Rom. 8:1).
   3. THERE ARE SOME TEACHERS WHO ENCOURAGE LEGALISM. This traps a person into feeling he or she must earn God's favor. It also contradicts the divine truth that our Father loves His children without condition.
   4. SOME OF US HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME RECONCILING GOD'S LOVE WITH HIS DISCIPLINE. These can exist together, however. His correction flows from compassion, just as loving parents must redirect their children.
   Recognizing God's love will bring peace and joy to your life. At the same time, it doesn't give license to sin. Like any caring father, the Lord will use discipline to bring you back to Him. Instead, why not let His love motivate you to walk in a holy and obedient manner before Him?
Stanley, Charles F. "Experiencing God's Love." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living August 2016. Atlanta: In Touch Ministries. page 35.

Love Through Forgiveness

"Her many sins have been forgiven -

as her great love has shown."

LUKE 7:47 NIV 

   There are many reasons why people fail to experience God's love, and one of them is unforgiveness. When we don't forgive, a barrier of bitterness grows and obstructs His love from entering in.

   Friend, are you harboring resentment? Then you're hurting yourself without reason. Jesus came to set the captives free ( Luke 4:18) - and He did so through His love on the cross. He came, not to injure you, but to heal your wounds. And He calls you to forgive those who've hurt you because it's a crucial part of liberating you fully.

   He asks you to have an accurate view of all you've been forgiven so you can understand others (Luke 7:47). You sinned out of pain, unawareness, fear and self-protection (Luke 23:34). The same is true for those who've hurt you - they sinned out of ignorance; they couldn't possibly know the full effect their actions would have on you.

   Friend, don't remain captive to your hostility any longer. Express Christ like mercy to your offenders and be free of the prison. Because then you'll be able to fully experience His love in return.

                                          Jesus, give me the strength to forgive so I can 

experience Your peace and love to the fullest, amen.

  In His presence. . . choose forgiveness.

 Stanley, Charles F., Love Through Forgiveness, Every Day in His Presence, Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2014. page 258.

"Love Covers"by Paul Billheimer

  

Love Covers

By Paul Billheimer

   “If all born-again people are members of the same Body, should not all born-again people fellowship with one another regardless of positions on nonessentials? This is a basic question… (John 13:34-34; John 17:20-23)

   “If you are scripturally born again you are a member of the Body of Christ and a son of my very own Father. As a member of the same family, you are my own brother, whether you realize it or acknowledge it or not… if you are born again, we still are members of the same family and organic parts of the same spiritual Body. I may think some of your beliefs are as crazy as a loon (as you may think some of my beliefs are crazy too), but if I have sufficient love for God, agape love, I will not reject you as a person.

He drew a circle that shut me out,

Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout;

But Love and I had the wit to win-

We drew a circle and took him in.

Edwin Markham

    “‘Jesus said, ‘Judge not’ (Matthew 7:1).

   “‘Brothers, do not slander one another Anyone who speaks against his brother, or judges him, speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, by t sitting in judgment of it. There is only one Law-giver and Judge, one who is able to save and destroy. But you-who are you to judge your neighbor?’ (James 4:11-12)

   “‘Therefore, let us stop passing judgment on one another’ (Romans 14:13).

   “‘Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God’ (Romans 15:7).

   “Judgmentalism may be defined nontechnically as unfavorable judgment, criticism, or condemnation of others because of their conduct or supposed erroneous beliefs, wrong motives, or character. It is an arbitrary evaluation of another person’s worth. In the realm of religion it often results in the rejection of a person because of his opinion in nonessentials to salvation. It is the most frequent cause of division and fragmentation of the Body of Christ…

   “One cannot become judgmental without elevating himself-and self-elevation is Lucifer’s syndrome. It caused his fall and all of the sin and sorrow that followed in its wake… If a wrong has been done or a wrong decision has been made which threatens division, is God aware of it? If I know a thing is wrong and needs to be corrected, is it possible that an all-wise God does not? If a wrong decision has been made, only God can correct it.

   “There is only one answer to division over nonessentials and that is growth in love, agape love…I know of no other way except by a deeper work of the cross, a deeper death to all the life of nature and self. When we are truly willing, God will order the exact set of circumstances that will slay the flesh and increase growth in agape love. Love grows mostly by exercise…

   “The real question is not who is right-not even who is most nearly right. The Real question is: Do we recognize that God loves and accepts other members of the Body who differ from us in matters nonessential to salvation? Are we sufficiently mature in agape love to accept those who He accepts?..

Prayer is where the action is…

Prayer is our answer.

Prayer is the only thing that Satan cannot handle.

Blackmon, Selma, editor. The Exchanged Life News.

"Our times are in God's hands - not Satan's" Psalm 31:15

The book, Don’t Waste Your Sorrows by Paul Billheimer, gives new insight into God’s eternal purpose for each Christian in the midst of life’s greatest adversities.

   “Because tribulation is necessary for the decentralization of self and the development of deep dimensions of agape love, this love can be developed only in the school of suffering…” Romans 8:18, 5:3-5; John 16:33; 1 Thessalonians 3:3-4

Our Times Are in God’s Hands – Not Satan’s

Psalm 31:15

   “There is nothing accidental in the life of an obedient child of God. All born-again believers are in training for rulership. God Himself is personally supervising the training of His Son’s Eternal Companion who is to be His governing elite following the Marriage Supper of the Lamb… God Himself specifically chooses the tools and instruments which He knows are needed to fashion and qualify His Bride for the unique sphere of her operation and service in the eternal kingdom. Someone has said that the turning lathe that has the sharpest knives produces the finest work. When God makes a saint, He uses the sharpest knives on His turning lathe as well. He cannot shape one without pain, but He never uses needless pain...

   “When He laid down His life on Calvary, it was not for angels or archangels, cherubim or seraphim, nor for any of the other inhabitants of the unseen world, but for human beings made in His own image, who will constitute His Bride…

   “Marriage and the home is the center of all life on earth… It is a complete laboratory with all of the stresses and strains, trials and pressures packed under one roof… Everything needed to produce Christlikeness in us can be found in the home… Marriage is the most stressful fact of life. If the whole of life is stress, then marriage is the center of stress… most newlyweds have not yet learned the true meaning of unselfishness. They may be saved, sanctified or filled with the Holy Spirit, and still be unconsciously self-centered. One of God’s main purposes in ordaining marriage and the home is not primarily for pleasure, as is ordinarily supposed, but to decentralize the self, to teach agape love. The stresses of marriage and the home are designed to produce brokenness, to wean one from self-centeredness, and to produce the graces of sacrificial love and gentleness.

   “Because so few people understand the nature and purpose of marriage, when unexpected stresses and strains develop they are tempted to feel that they have made a mistake and perhaps have married the wrong person. The next step is to seek a way of escape by one means or another, sometimes through a professional marriage counselor or, more often, the divorce court…

   “If all born-again believers are in apprenticeship for rulership, and if a lofty dimension of agape love is the supreme qualification for high rank and authority in that eternal social order toward which the universe is moving, and if a high dimension of agape love cannot be achieved without suffering, could this explain why God permits many who seek healing to suffer on, even for a lifetime?

   “If God healed everyone immediately where would be the opportunity for character training? If God delivered everyone from conflict, oppression, and opposition at the first call, where would be the opportunity for the perseverance that creates character? If tribulation were lifted at the first cry, where would be the chance for exercise in patience which issues in heavenly character, the chief ingredient of which is agape love?” (James 1:2-4; Romans 5:3-5)

“If we suffer, we shall also reign with him” 2 Timothy 2:12 and “If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” Romans 8:17

Blackmon, Selma, editor. The Exchanged Life News. Volume 3 Issue 21. May 25, 2003.

The Lord is My Shepherd

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23

Phillip Keller

   As a way of introduction, Phillip Keller writes, “This book has been developed against a rather unique background which has perhaps given me a deeper appreciation than most men of what David had in mind when he wrote his beautiful poem. First of all I grew up and lived in East Africa, surrounded by simple native herders whose customs closely resembled those of their counterparts in the Middle East. So I am intimately acquainted with the romance, the pathos, the picturesque life of an Eastern shepherd. Secondly, as a young man, I actually made my own livelihood for about eight years as a sheep owner and sheep rancher. Consequently I write as one who has had firsthand experience with every phase of sheep management. Later, as the lay pastor of a community church, I shared the truths of this Psalm, as a shepherd, with my ‘flock,’ every Sunday for several months.”

   For this brief paper, I have chosen only one small part, “He Restoreth My Soul.” Now, I have picked again one section of this chapter regarding “cast” or “cast down.”

    Psalm 42:11 again cries out. There is an exact parallel to this in caring for sheep. This is an old English shepherd’s term for a sheep that has turned over on its back and cannot get up again by itself. If the owner does not arrive on the scene within a reasonably short time, the sheep will die. The author gives several reasons as to what caused the sheep to be “cast down.”

    “There is the aspect, too, of a sheep simply having too much wool. Often when the fleece becomes very long, and heavily matted with mud, manure, burrs and other debris, it is much easier for a sheep to become cast, literally weighed down with its own wool.

   “Wool in Scripture depicts the old self-life in the Christian. It is the outward expression of an inner attitude, the assertion of my own desire and hopes and aspirations. It is the area of my life in which and through which I am continually in contact with the world around me. Here is where I find the clinging accumulation of things, of possessions, of worldly ideas beginning to weigh me down, drag me down, hold me down.

   “It is significant that no high priest was ever allowed to wear wool when he entered the Holy of Holies. This spoke of self, of pride, of personal preference-and God could not tolerate it…

   “Whenever I found that a sheep was being cast because it had too long and heavy a fleece, I soon took swift steps to remedy the situation. In short order I would shear it clean and so forestall the danger of having the ewe lose her life. This was not always a pleasant process. Sheep do not really enjoy being sheared and it represents some hard work for the shepherd, but it must be done.

   “Actually when it is all over both sheep and owner are relieved… And similarly in dealing with our old self-life, there will come a day when the Master must take us in hand and apply the keen cutting edge of His Word to our lives. It may be an unpleasant business for a time. No doubt we’ll struggle and kick about it. We may get a few cuts and wounds. But what a relief when it is all over. Oh, the pleasure of being set free from ourselves! What a restoration!” How about reading Hebrews 12.

   “This Psalm opened with the proud, joyous statement, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd.’

   “Now it closes with the equally positive, buoyant affirmation, ‘And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.’

   “Here is a sheep so utterly satisfied with its lot in life, so fully contented with the care it receives, so much ‘at home’ with the shepherd that there is not a shred of desire for a change… Conversely on the shepherd’s side there has developed a great affection and devotion to his flock. He would never think of parting with such a sheep. Healthy, contented, productive sheep are his delight and profit. So strong, now, are the bonds between them that it is in very truth-forever.”

Blackmon, Selma, editor. The Exchanged Life News.

Christ as life, hide in Jesus Chrust

The wall

Carolyn S. Smith

  

I built a wall around my heart,

A safe place I could hide.

A secret place for just myself,

With all my pain inside.

Others came to visit me,

And though we laughed and cried,

I hid my pain behind the wall,

They couldn't come inside.

One day Jesus came to me

And though I longed for peace,

I was imprisoned by my pain

And couldn't find release.

I could not bring myself to let Him

Come inside the Wall.

And though He helped tremendously,

I couldn't give my all.

As time flew by, my longings

Increased to highest peaks.

I yearned for His fellowship,

I hungered for true peace.

Quietly, He waited there,

Just outside my Wall.

Not asking once or rushing me,

Just loving despite all.

At length one day I knew that I

Could no longer hide.

I asked Him to destroy the wall

So He could come inside.

My heart beat quite alarmingly,

My mind was filled with fear.

My Wall was gone - where would I hide

My anger and my tears?

Amazingly, a peace began

To fill my soul anew.

A quiet joy, an unknown strength

More than I ever knew.

I looked around and saw the Wall

Lay shattered at my feet,

But suddenly I didn't care,

I had a peace so sweet.

I knew at once the pain that had been

Bottled deep within

Had only been a symptom

Of bitterness and sin.

As I released the sin and pain,

Jesus wiped away my tears.

I understood He was my friend,

And He would calm my fears.

And just as sure, I knew that now

He always would abide.

I knew that when I faced new fears,

In Him, now I could hide.

So now instead of crouching

In pain behind my wall,

My hiding place is Jesus,

The greatest place of all.

Evidence of brokenness, God's unconditional love

The Evidence of Brokenness

   Brokenness is evident when the believer no longer reacts with his previous flesh patterns when the following rights are challenged:

All of my rights have been surrendered.

I am willing to be out of control.

I am not believing in or living by feelings or old patterns, but by Christ within.

I am obedient out of a love motive because I want to, not because I have to.

I am not performing for God but I am actively letting Christ perform in and through me.

I am willing to fail.

I am willing to be weak.

I have a sense of total inadequacy in self-strength (2 Corinthians 3:5).

I have a sense of adequacy in Christ through His strength (Philippians 4:13; 2 Corinthians 3:6).

I recognize God's power in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:10).

I am depending upon Christ to meet my basic inner needs: acceptance, meaning and purpose, identity, power over sin, strength and victory.

I am trusting God whatever and resting in Him even with external turmoil.

I am seeking Christ Himself more than His benefits.

I am forgiving of all (Ephesians 4:32).

I am willing to be rejected.

I am transparent and willing to share failures.

I am vulnerable and willing to share failures.

There is a readiness to let others receive the credit.

There is genuine humility.

I am placing value upon those who have little or no value to myself.

There is a readiness to affirm (build up) others.

I am teachable.

I am willing to be misunderstood.

I am willing to be broken again.

I asked God to take away my pride and God said, "No." He said it was not for Him to take away but for me to give up.

I asked God to make my physical body whole, my handicapped child whole, and God said, "No." He said the body is only temporary.

I asked God to grant me patience and God said, "No." He said patience is a by-product of tribulation. It isn't granted, it's earned.

I asked God to give me happiness and God said, "No." He said He gives His blessings. Happiness is up to me.

I asked God to spare me from pain and God said, "No." He said sufferings draw you apart from worldly cares and bring you closer to Him.

I asked God to make my spirit grow and God said, "No." He said I must grow on my own, but He will prune me to make me fruitful.

I asked God if He loved me, and God said, "Yes." He gave His only Son who died for me, and I will be in heaven someday because I believe.

I asked God to help me love others as much as He loves me and God said, "Now, you finally have the right idea."

The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me.

Psalm 138:8

TREASURES

One by one he took them from me,

All the things I valued most,

Until I was empty-handed.

Every glittering toy was lost.

Then I walked earth's highway grieving,

In my rags and poverty,

Till I heard my Lord inviting--

Lift your empty hands to me.

So, I held my hands toward heaven,

And He filled them with a store

Of His own transcendent riches,

Till they could contain no more.

Then, at last, I comprehended

With my feeble mind and dull

That God could not pour his riches

Into Hands Already Full.

(Author Unknown)

Blackmon, Selma, editor. The Exchanged Life News. Volume 3 Issue 8. February 23, 2003.

The principle, purpose, process and problem of brokenness

BROKENNESS

Principle

  God must break my outward man (soul and five senses of the body), so that the inward man (His Spirit) may be manifest through me; so that I may receive from Him and display His very life in me (II Corinthians 4:10).

  Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

  He who loves his life loses it: and he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal

(John 12:24,25) Luke 17:35; Luke 9:23,24; Mark 8:35; Matthew 10:39

…There came a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head (Mark 14:3).

  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels (II Corinthians 4:7).

Purpose

  For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). My Father has dedicated Himself to the task of conforming me to the image of Christ. He who began His good work in me will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).

  I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection...and the fellowship of His suffering, being conformed to His death (Philippians 3:10).

  Now, those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24). However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit (Romans 8:9); Let us also walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).

  His purpose is to allow the Holy Spirit to control my mind, will, and emotion. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifest in our mortal flesh (II Corinthians 4:11).

Process

  But his wife, from behind him, looked back; and she became a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26). What has become life to me? I continue to use my old ways of satisfying my need for love and acceptance, but God desires that I look to Him as my Source, and for Him to supply all my needs. God lovingly begins to draw me unto Himself and away from my false gods, object of trust, or idols, from which I seek to get my needs supplied.

  The instruments God can use in my life are: husband or wife, father or son, mother or daughter, friend, boss, health, finances, etc. Often He allows something in my life that my flesh cannot handle or control in order to break me. He will allow my old ways not to work (we are all reluctant to give up on our old ways that have worked for us). He wants me to turn from leaning on the trustworthiness of my talent, my attractive appearance, my spiritual gift, my intelligence, my position, my popularity, my good job, my financial security, my good marriage, my obedient kids…these can give me a sense of security and significance.

  God has to allow some of the all things of Romans 8:28 to come in to my life. He never causes it, but He allows it, and His purpose is love. He is totally committed to my well-being. The all things are designed to bring me (the believer) to the end of my self-sufficiency.

  I enter into a relationship of oneness with Him; I am a participant in the Lord Jesus Christ. He wants me in a loving, dependent relationship. He hates independence. He spends the rest of my life getting my walk and my talk congruent with His: And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength (Mark 12:3).

  This people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from Me (Matthew 15:8). I must be willing for God to show me the truth about myself. I can be prideful, rebellious, and stubborn, and refuse to repent, or I can humbly bow my head and say, Yes, Lord.

  Simon, son of John, do you love Me? Yes, Lord: You know that I love You (John 21: 15-17).

  Lord, with You, I am ready to go both to prison and to death (Luke 22:33).

  …And he wept bitterly…(Luke 22:56-62).

  He always had the very nature of God but He did not think that by force He should try to become equal with God. Of His own free will He gave it all up and took the very nature of a servant. He was willing to have no rights of His own. He went humbly to the cross. There He was broken for me (Philippians 2:5-8).

Problem

  Jonah 4

Resources

Lifetime Guarantee, Bill Gillham,  pages 167-186

The Calvary Road, Roy  Hession, pages 21-26

Born Crucified, L.E. Maxwell, page 87

The Release of the Spirit, Watchman Nee

The Handbook to Happiness, Charles Solomon, pages 34, 35, 81

The Ins and Out of Rejection, Charles Solomon, pages 154-171

Brokenness, audio tapes, Dr. Charles Stanley

Blackmon, Selma, editor. The Exchanged Life News.

"Birthright" by David C.Needham

Birthright:Christian,Do You know Who You Are? by David C. Needham

David Needham has included many interesting chapters, some of the titles are:

Ø  Who Are You, Christian?

Ø  The Wonder of Who We Are

Ø  A Declaration of Dependence

Ø  A New Choice: The Commitment of a Person’s Will

Ø  A New Master: The Lordship of Christ is Central

Ø  Where is the Joy?

   “…The essence of His life was that all the he did- His words, His works, His entire life- came from His Father. His was a totally dependent life. For a human to be truly alive-by our Creator’s definition-is to live as an extension of God’s own life…

   Through His unique creation of man, all that God wished to show of Himself-His perfections, His purity, His love-could be seen and most fully appreciated. For a person to fulfill this function is life. And anything less than this is less than life…

   God’s purpose for humans is that they become actual extensions of His life through a dependent relationship with Him…”

   How…

ü  Commitment to the authority of the scriptures

ü  Separation from the world

ü  Evangelism

ü  Submission to authority

ü  Distinctive lifestyle

ü  Worship God centered

Where is the Joy?

V  You are safe

V  You are loved

1)      We need to take a long look at the fact that the entire Trinity is very pleased to have us. Luke 15:6, 20, 23-24

2)      God’s gift of joy comes to us wrapped in a package. That package is Holy Spirit-taught truth. We must give the Spirit a chance. 1 Thessalonians 1:6; Romans 5:3, 5; 15:13

3)      God’s joy can only function when we are honestly resting in the adequacy of Christ. 2 Cor. 10:3-5

4)      God’s joy is inseparable from unconditional discipleship with all its costs. Luke 14:33; John 15:11

   …Oh Christian-face up to it. You know what to do. So do it!

   There is a world that needs to see the invisible God through the prism called ‘you.’ Don’t waste another minute missing life.

   There is a God Who has chosen you to be the object of His love-the displayer of His person. Why waste another second frustrating the very reason Jesus came?”

   Am I aware of whom I really am? Can I answer “Yes” to Matthew 22:37?

   Reading this book will give information on basic Biblical truths of God’s purpose and how this can be accomplished backed up with definitions and scripture.

“O dear Christian, rejoice! Live!”

“Do you know who you are?”

Blackmon, Selma, editor. The Exchanged Life News. Volume 2 Issue 50. December 15, 2002