Love Without Stopping
“Keep your eyes open, hold tight to your convictions, give it all you’ve got, be resolute, and love without stopping.” ~~1 Corinthians 16:12-14 The Message

It’s the last part of that verse which caused me to pause, really pause and ponder. I had to stop and ask myself the question “has my love stopped?” Most of us would probably say we never ever stop loving those we say we love…at least we wouldn’t say it out loud.
Come on, get real honest with me, all of us have times when we don’t feel loving, lovely or loved for that matter. We get tired of the same old, same old, and in our fatigue we don’t give it all we’ve got; we don’t resolve to set our faces like flint and love whether we feel like it or not.
Life has or will have difficult relational moments for all of us. It’s in those times, the times when we close our eyes and loosen our hold on our convictions ~the things that God wants to matter most to us~ that our love can stop. Why… because, by our lonesome selves love is not possible. We forget to keep the main thing, the main thing.
Let’s all of us, pause today and confess our lack of resolve and our sin if necessary and let Love Himself fill us with His Perfect Love. And then whether we feel it or not, let’s reopen our eyes, and giving it our all, love without stopping.
Stephanie

You can’t take it with you

I have heard the saying many times “You never see a U-Haul behind a hearse.” When we leave this world we can’t take any of our possessions with us. It all gets left behind. I’m sure that most of you have heard that too. However this week at our staff chapel Christian author and conference speaker Marilyn Heavilin put a new twist to it that just about took my breath away. She said there is only one thing we can take with us and that is the hearts that we bring to the knowledge of saving grace through Jesus. Isn’t that the best treasure we can possibly think of to take along to heaven?

Matthew 6:19-21 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is there your heart will be also.

Some times I get too wrapped up in my treasures on earth. When the Lord calls me home I’ll have left a big pile of “stuff” that someone will have to get rid of. Shouldn’t I be more concerned about my Buddhist neighbor or the kids playing down the street? As I pursue God, the more and more my heart will be aligning itself with what is important to God. And I don’t think God cares or even gives a thought to my teapot collection….accept if it begins to take my eyes off of Him.
Treasures….many different things to many different people. We spend so much time searching for that “perfect teapot or teacup” (or what ever treasures you look for) and I may spend a good sum of money on it. But of what eternal value is it? What if I put that much effort into the lives of others? What a treasure it will be when the Lord calls me home and because of the love of Christ I have shown to another, or the Truth of the Gospel I shared with someone, we will be in heaven praising God for eternity together…now that truly is treasure!

MaryAnn

“Entering the “Holy of Holies” – the “Most Holy Place”‘ – Part 5 “Why is my life such a battle?” I used to ask myself. Things seemed to always be a struggle and not going “right” by my standards, and people just were not doing things my way. Then I realized that this life is a battle -a spiritual battle. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, describes this and how to be prepared for the battle. I am in a daily warfare because if the idols of my heart – the things that Satan wants to keep me bound with, that center around me (self-sins). The things I have done, the accomplishments I have achieved, that I am able to do this and that, are what is important to me for significance and recognition. But then my focus is not on God, and the battle will continue. Amy Carmichael says in “Edges of His Ways”, “It is not the place where we are, or the work that we do or cannot do that matters, it is something else. It is the fire within that burns and shines, whatever be our circumstances.” That fire is the Spirit of God as was present in the Holy of Holies and now indwells us as believers.
When the “old self” dies, we experience the resurrection to a new life of the glory and power of Christ in us. The pain of the cross is forgotten for the veil is removed and we can live in the spiritual presence of God. When the veil of self is removed from our hearts, the pretense is gone, that also removes the veil from our face and our countenance is changed. See 2 Corinthians 3:18. We won’t have to pretend; we will have the real reflection of the glory of God through His Spirit dwelling in us.
Our part is to stay focused on Christ and not allow self-focus to veil our hearts and cause separation from the intimacy with God that He desires to have with us. Have you trusted Christ as Savior? Have you entered the Holy or Holies? Renounced those self-hyphenated sins that keep you just outside?
May our Prayer be: “Lord, how excellent are Thy ways, and how devious and dark are the ways of man. Show us how to die, that we may rise again to newness of life. Rend the veil of our self-life from the top down as Thou didst rend the veil of the temple. We would draw near in full assurance of faith. We would dwell with Thee in daily experience here on this earth so that we may be accustomed to the glory when we enter Thy heaven to dwell with Thee there. In Jesus’ name.” Amen. —Quoted from The Pursuit of God, Tozer/Draper, 1995, p. 64)

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“Entering the “Holy of Holies” – the “Most Holy Place”‘ – Part 4 I believe that this lesson is crucial for us to move ahead in our “Pursuit of God”.
Perhaps you are thinking, ‘Why would God want us to experience the pain of the cross and death to self?’ Why did He allow the pain of the cross and the death of His Son? Both have the same answer – to provide for our intimate relationship with Himself.
What is there about “death” that is concerning for us? The unknown, the uncertainty of what the experience will be like? When we know Christ we can believe that the experience of death will bring a different and much better life, whether it be the “death” to self or physical death. God is trustworthy – His promises are sure, true, and faithful. He has our best interest in His plans for us and only allows what will best produce the result He desires for each of us — to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus. (Romans 8: 28, 29) Now we come to what I’ve called “Our Part”.
Our part is to yield and trust God and insist that the work be done. We must confess and forsake the self-life and reckon it crucified, not just accept the doctrine of self-crucifixion. The cross is rough and deadly, but it is effective.
Do we have the courage to let go of those hidden “self-hyphenated” sins? And be truly freed from the inner struggles and battles in our daily lives? Jean Nicholas Grou writes, “When in His mercy God leads a soul in the higher paths of sanctification, He begins by stripping it of all self-confidence, and to this end He allows our own schemes to fail, our judgment to mislead us. We grope and totter and make countless mistakes until we learn to mistrust ourselves and to put all our confidence in Him.”(The Pursuit of God, Tozer/Draper, 1995,p. 60)

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“Entering the “Holy of Holies” – the “Most Holy Place”‘ – Part 3 Tozer states, “It is the veil of our fleshly, fallen nature living on, unjudged within us, uncrucified and unrepudiated…the close-woven veil of the self-life which we have never truly acknowledged, of which we have been secretly ashamed and which for these reasons we have never brought to the judgment of the cross.” This veil is woven of the threads of the self-life – the self-hyphenated sins that are just so much a part of who we are – subtle and powerful – the human sinful spirit in each of us. Not necessarily what we do, but who we are – woven into our personality, our very nature.
The “self-sins” of self-righteousness, self-pity, self-confidence, self-sufficiency, self-admiration, self-love, self- gratification, etc. They’ve been with us so long that we don’t even notice them; they dwell so deep within that we aren’t even aware of them until God focuses His light upon them and reveals them to us. Tozer says in Man: the Dwelling Place of God, “Self is one of the toughest plants that grows in the garden of life. It is in fact, indestructible by any human means. Just when we are sure it is dead, it turns up somewhere as robust as ever to trouble our peace and poison the fruit of our lives.”
The second thing I found in this reading, I am calling ‘God’s Part’.
Self is like an opaque veil that hides God’s face from us. We want instruction to know what to do, but the veil must be removed by the work of God – it is a spiritual experience. We must bring our “self-sins” to the cross for judgment. God will do the work, if we want it done. He must do everything for us before we are free. Isaiah 26: 12 says, “LORD, You will establish peace for us, for You have done all our works in us.” I remember one time many years ago praying that God would remove the sham from my life – everything false – little did I know that for the sham to be removed I needed to be prepared to be purged. We need to know that it will be worth it. It can be and will be painful. There is nothing pretty about the cross. The cross is an instrument of death, and is rough, but effective. “Hinds Feet on High Places” by Hannah Hurnard is a book that I read many years ago about the experience of surrendering those self-sins. I would recommend it to you for reading.
More recently I experienced looking in the mirror one day and just saying to the Lord, through my tears, “You just want to squeeze all of me out of me, don’t You? But to fill me with Yourself.” May it be so.

djm

“Entering the “Holy of Holies” – the “Most Holy Place”‘ – Part 2 When Christ declared from the cross, “It is finished” (Matthew 27:51) the veil (or curtain) of the temple that divided the “Holy Place” and the “Holy of Holies” was torn or “rend” from top to bottom opening the way for all to come into God’s “Holy of Holies”, His presence through Jesus Christ. God desires a personal relationship and intimate fellowship with each one of us.
Read Hebrews 10: 19 – 22 – The shedding of Christ’s blood brought “the Way” for that relationship – the tearing of His flesh provided the tearing of the veil (curtain) which kept us from the opportunity to actually come into God’s presence with boldness (v. 19) and have the intimacy with God that He desires. What is this saying to us? To you personally today?
So with nothing preventing our entering into to this personal relationship – – -Why do we stay in the outer courts and not enter into the “Holy of Holies”, “the Most Holy Place” of God’s Presence in our relationship with Him? What makes us unwilling to enter into His presence to live in victory, but instead just remain right where we are, just in the Holy Place, but not entering into the holiness of seeking His face – never experiencing the awesomeness of His presence daily – moment by moment – in our lives? We have trusted in Christ as Savior, but still are missing the peace of His Presence and Sovereignty.
In reading ThePursuit of God by A.W. Tozer, I see there are three things needed to begin and pursue this journey of entering and experiencing the awesomeness of God’s Presence…
First, I need to have the desire to enter into His Presence. Tozer writes, “Ransomed men (women) need no longer pause in fear to enter the Holy of Holies. God wills that we should push on into His presence and live our whole life there.” This is a conscious experience, a spiritual experience to enter the Presence of God. The greatest fact about the tabernacle or temple was that Jehovah was there. “Jehovah-shammah” means the God who is here.
To go beyond the veil “can never come from mere doctrinal knowledge of God” Tozer says, but “to penetrate, to push in sensitive living experience into the holy Presence, is a privilege open to the child of God.” So why do we hold back and not enter into this intimacy with God? What hinders us?
Tozer calls it, “the veil in our hearts”. This has not been taken away as the veil of the temple was, but remains “hiding the face of God from us”.

djm

“Entering the “Holy of Holies” – the “Most Holy Place”‘ – Part 1

How do we get there from where we are? How do I get there from where I am spiritually at present?

By way of introduction, let’s look at a little background information in order to better understand where we are seeking to get to and why? What is the “Holy of Holies” or the “Most Holy Place”? Reading through Hebrews 9:1 – 14, we are given a description of the way that the Tabernacle and the Temple were set up and looked on the inside. In verses 1, 2, we are told that the first room was called the Holy Place were there was “the lampstand, the table, and the table with showbread”. This is where the people came to worship the LORD. Read v. 3 – 5 – At the front of the Holy Place was a curtain or veil which divided these two parts of the Tabernacle/Temple. This was a heavy woven fabric of “blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen with a design of cherubim worked into it.” (Exodus 26:31) Behind this veil was the “Holy of Holies” or “the Most Holy Place” where God’s Presence dwelt. His Presence was a fire (flame) between the cherubim that where atop the Ark of the Covenant. God’s Presence was waiting within or behind the veil. Jehovah-shammah – “The God who is here”.

But we see in v. 6 & 7, that only the High Priest could enter into the “Holy of Holies” and only once a year with blood to make atonement for himself and the sins of the people committed in ignorance which had not been confessed and atoned for previously. First he purified himself by a sacrifice for his sins, then went into the Holies of Holies and sprinkled the blood on the Ark of the Covenant. The people tied a rope around him so that he could be pulled back out in case he had not confessed all and was struck dead. Today the Jewish people celebrate a Day of Atonement, “Yom Kippur”, once a year for the forgiveness of sins. Verse 8 – 12, tell us that this Old Testament practice was “a symbol for the present time”, but that “the Messiah” – Christ, our High Priest, has come that He “once for all…by His own blood…obtained eternal redemption”. On the cross, Christ said, “It is finished.”
In verse 22, we read, “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”
Continuing reading the rest of the chapter, v. 23 – 28, on your own.

djm

Okay Lord he’s yours

Higher Ground is a Monday night support group/Bible study here at America’s Keswick. We recently began a new study of the book “The Pursuit of God” by A.W. Tozer. WOW…this book has really made me stop, think and examine my heart…Am I truly pursuing God with all my heart, soul and mind? Sadly and shamefully, I have to admit the answer is no….but oh how I want too!
In so many ways, and from so many different directions I have been hearing God asking me “How much do you love Me? Will you still love Me, will I still be sufficient, will you still be obedient, if I take_________ from your life? Or if ____never happens? If My answer to your prayer is no?”
One of the things that stands in my way is…things…and not just material things but people. Although it’s natural to cling to those we love, to cling to our earthly treasures…Tozer calls this evil! Most of us would say that our families, especially our children are our treasures. So is this a bad thing? Is it evil? Doesn’t God want us to love our husbands, children, parents? And of course the answer is yes we are to love our families, care for them, provide for them but in our very sin nature we have a propensity to take the very thing that is good an elevate it to an idol level. Any time our lives depend on anything other than God…we are in trouble. Everything I am, everything I “possess” is from God.
Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the Lords and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”
Psalm 50:12b “The world is mine and everything in it.”
Ecclesiastes 5:19 “When God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work – this is a gift of God.”

I’ve taken some of my gifts and put them in first place position instead of having God first place in my life in all things. And so God has been placing these questions on my heart. One thing that keeps coming up in my heart is my oldest son John. God and I wrestled recently, it wasn’t pretty. I wept, I tried to hold on, I tried to plead but God won. Oh it was and is so painful. John isn’t saved and it breaks my heart…I had to put his name in those blanks and cry out to God YES YOU ARE SUFICIENT. YOU ARE MY ALL AND ALL.
“Everything is safe which we commit to Him, and nothing is really safe which is not so committed.” A. W. Tozer. John has never been safer because he is in God’s hands. I know God loves him more and desires more for him then his Mom.

Dear Lord, continue to root out of my heart anything that’s stands between putting you first place. I’m afraid Lord, give me your courage. Amen.

MaryAnn

All My Ducks In A Row

Isn’t it great when you have a rare day when all your ducks are in a row? They are few and far between but it’s wonderful when it happens! Sometimes when we pray we want all our ducks to line up in a row so we “know” God is working and He is showing the way. But I would like to warn you because sometimes when it all seems to be coming together we need to be careful. As you and I pray and watch we must be in the Word constantly! It is easy for our circumstances to seemingly point us in a certain direction.

King David found himself in a situation where it all lined up. 1 Samuel 24:1-5 tells us how David’s ducks all lined up in a row. First, David happened to be hiding from Saul in a cave. Secondly, the cave that Saul found to “attend to his needs” in happens to be the one where David and his men are. Thirdly, David was advised by his men to take Saul’s life. He was so close that David even cut a piece from Saul’s robe! Doesn’t it all line up so well? It would seem that this would be the hand of God moving so David could finally be rid of Saul. But David didn’t see it that way! Verse 6 gives David’s response to his circumstances -“The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed.” To David it must have looked like everything was lining up for him to kill Saul. All the ducks were in a row. But he knew it was against what God would have him do. David knew the principles of God’s word and that is what he counted on rather then his circumstances lining up.

God may very well be lining up all your ducks in a row but if your final decision in a matter is only determined by your circumstances be very careful that you do not sin against God. You and I need to go beyond our circumstances and clearly look into the Bible and see if there is a godly principle that we do not want to violate. God is patient as we seek Him. Take the time to see if your circumstances line up with the Word of God!

“Your word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” Psalm 119:11 (NKJV) Kathy

A Rose or a Skunk.

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?

How do we live out our faith in front of our family? Friends? Co-workers? Do we live out our faith and share the gospel in a way that is a beautiful fragrance like that of a rose? When someone sees a beautiful rose they are drawn by its beauty. Sometimes a person is drawn by its beautiful fragrance before their eyes ever behold its beauty.

What about the smell of lets say…a skunk? You can smell a skunk a mile away before you ever see it! If you weren’t familiar with skunks you might think it was cute and want to pet it. But very quickly you would find out that you didn’t want to be any where near a skunk and run as fast as you could in the other direction!

I recently spoke with someone who was somewhat offended when I asked if she was “born again.” She had a few “born again” believers at her office that were skunks rather than roses. They were judgmental, condemning and self-righteous. Their lives did not reflect the love of Christ and obedience to the Word.

I have to admit I’ve been a skunk on a few occasions and even been around a few skunks. I know I have grieved my Lord when I’ve been a skunk. But this is not my desire. I want to always have the fragrance of Christ through my life and my testimony to draw others to the gospel not send them running away.

Paul asks the question “Who is equal to such a task?” Are you? Think about how you represent our Savior. Strive to always be a rose.

Mary Ann