What if you met Jesus today?

'Mum, I think you have put a bit too much butter on my toast. I think it would be great if Jesus came back today so we could meet him, and all those people who don't believe in him would see that he is real.'

This is the random conversation that happened in our kitchen this morning. It had me in tears as I thought about how it would be to meet Jesus face to face right now - after years and years of talking with Him, crying out to Him, having my trust in Him grow and learning how to surrender to Him.

I don't know what I would do in that moment, but I imagine that there probably wouldn't be any words, just tears of joy and a huge sense of perfect love surrounding me. 

Tears because many times I have been thirsty, so aware that I am lacking, and Jesus has come and done exactly as the scripture says, He has refreshed, supported and strengthened me.

The [Holy] Spirit and the bride (the church, the true Christians) say, Come! And let him who is listening say, Come! And let everyone come who is thirsty [who is painfully conscious of his need of those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported and strengthened]; and whoever [earnestly] desires to do it, let him come, take, appropriate, and drink the water of Life without cost. Revelation 22:17 AMP

The wonderful thing is we can meet with Jesus today, maybe not face to face, but we can still commune with him. Worship is a great way to start that meeting. For me, when listening to that beautiful worship song, O come to the Altar by Elevation Worship, it doesn't take long to get to that place of surrender, and picture myself falling into the arms of my Heavenly Father. Absolute unconditional love.

And He [further] said to me, It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I [Myself] will give water without price from the fountain (springs) of the water of Life. He who is victorious shall inherit all these things, and I will be God to him and he shall be My son. Revelation 21:6-7 AMP

It is done! 

Jesus, please help us today to understand more of what 'It is done!' means in our lives. Please help us to keep coming to you, knowing that we can freely at any time, anywhere and you will refresh, support and strengthen us. Thank you for that day when we will meet you face to face, the Author and Giver of peace. Help us today, to be your light in a world that so desperately needs your peace, your shalom. Thank you that you will help us to carry out your will today. Amen.

Now may the God of peace [Who is the Author and the Giver of peace], Who brought again from among the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood [that sealed, ratified] the everlasting agreement (covenant, testament), strengthen (complete, perfect) and make you what you ought to be and equip you with everything good that you may carry out His will; [while He Himself] works in you and accomplishes that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ (the Messiah), to Whom be the glory forever and ever (to the ages of the ages). Amen (so be it). Hebrews 13:20-21 AMP

Parenting - Help me Jesus

For wherever there is jealousy (envy) and contention (rivalry and selfish ambition), there will also be confusion (unrest, disharmony, rebellion) and all sorts of evil and vile practices. 

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure (undefiled); then it is peace-loving, courteous (considerate, gentle). [It is willing to] yield to reason, full of compassion and good fruits; it is wholehearted and straightforward, impartial and unfeigned (free from doubts, wavering, and insincerity). James 3:16-17 AMP

This morning, after an interesting evening last night, I felt to re-declare this scripture over our family. What challenging moments we can have as parents. Sometimes it is definitely not as picturesque as the image above - all gliding down the river in peaceful unity.

I am always so thankful for God's word, for the truth and hope it brings. What a beautiful vision verse 17 gives (as opposed to verse 16!) - a home filled with purity, peace-loving, courteousy, gentleness, always yielding to reason, full of compassion, overflowing with good fruits, free from doubts, wavering and insincerity.

That vision may sound like pure fantasy to some people. But I know we have a God who is able to turn situations around, bringing love, healing and restoration. 

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20 NKJV

I am under no illusion that this type of change comes instantly. And while we have a loving Heavenly Father who brings the healing, we have a part to play too. A part that involves repentance, forgiveness, yielding to God and not letting the flesh have it's way.

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these things are contrary to one another, so that you do no do the things that you wish. Galatians 5:16-17 NKJV

 

A part that involves letting His presence change us,

But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence), Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 AMP

It is a process of transformation, a process that gives us hope. In our kitchen I still  have an artwork on the wall that one of our children did in 2012, when she was in kindergarten. It is still there on purpose (not because I was slack with cleaning up). The title is 'God isn't finished with me yet' and then it has three pictures in a line, left to right .... a caterpillar, our daughter, and a butterfly. The scripture is Psalm 139:14 - I praise you because of the wonderful way you created me.

Praise God we don't go through this transformation alone, but rather with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the love and support of family and friends.  He is on our side, and wants to see homes filled with people living His way with love and peace. Let's ask Jesus to help us play our part in that vision today.

Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. Galatians 5:25 The Message

God's discipline and healing brings fruit

My dear child, don't shrug off God's discipline,

but don't be crushed by it either.

It's the child he loves that he disciplines;

the child he embraces, he also corrects.

Hebrews 12:5-6 The Message 

Who enjoys being disciplined? Not me. 

Around September last year I felt God was talking to me about having more discipline in an area of my life. I listened to what He was asking me to do and tried to follow through on what He was asking. 

However, I was trying in my strength and I kept failing. Eventually I just stopped trying. I gave up, put it in the too hard basket - because it was too hard for me to do alone. I had forgotten that God doesn't ask us to change, and then leave us, expecting us to make the change ourselves. No, he loves us and wants to walk with us through the change. He lovingly trains us.

God is educating you; that's why you must never drop out. He's treating you as dear children. This trouble you're in isn't punishment; it's training, the normal experience of children.  Hebrews 12:7 The Message

While on holidays in January I took the opportunity to go to a worship night at a church my friend attends. It was two hours of beautiful worship, heavy with the presence of God. During the worship time I felt God again talk to me about having more discipline in that area of my life. But this time He spoke about it in context of my future and my family's future, as if to say, this change is vital for your family's future well-being.

Okay, I got the message loud and clear. I had no idea how I was going to make the change, after failing so many times before. However, I had heard from God and decided to trust Him and try again, but this time involving Him.

Towards the end of the night, the worship leader said, 'God has done miracles here tonight'. I heard it but didn't fully realise what God had done in my life that night.

Since that night I have done many times over what God had asked me to do, the first couple of times were a struggle, but then it has been so easy. I am in awe of what God did in that beautiful time of worship. He healed something in me, and that healing is now enabling me to do exactly as He has asked, with no striving on my part. It has all been by His Spirit.

“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:
‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’Says the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 4:6 NKVJ

That healing needed to happen before I could develop the discipline that God had spoken to me about. Since that night I have seen glimpses of what God was talking about when he spoke of the future well-being of our family. And I am so grateful to Him. He has restored hope into an area of my life that I thought was hopeless.

My prayer is that in sharing this story that you will be encouraged to keep pursuing what God has asked you to do, even where they has been failure. And continually make sure that you let His Spirit direct, guide and when needed, bring healing. Be expectant of the fruit that will come.

Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11

One constant

But the Lord shall remain and continue forever; He has prepared and established His throne for judgement. Psalm 9:7 AMP

Over the past week I have been chatting with mothers who are each in different seasons. Some with children starting school for the first time, some starting on the teenage years journey, some with children who completed Year 12 last year and find themselves with one less child at home and some whose children are navigating the years of young adulthood. All these seasons filled with vastly different challenges. 

When I think about these every changing seasons and our family, having children aged from 14 years to 8 years, each child going through their own season, there is one thing I am extremely grateful for ...

Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is [always] the same, yesterday, today [yes] and forever (to the ages). Hebrews 13:8 AMP

Our seasons change. Our homes change. But Jesus is the same. What an immense amount of comfort that truth brings - when things around us appear to be spiraling out of control, when we fear the future, He is there, always trustworthy and faithful to put things right.

GOD holds the high centre, he sees and sets the world's mess right. Psalm 9:7 The Message

It takes only a moment to pray, ask God for his help, his wisdom and guidance. And sometimes we don't have to utter a word, He hears the cry of our heart. We need to trust and not be moved.

I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory [my inner self] rejoices; my body too shall rest and confidently dwell in safety, for You will not abandon me to Sheol (the place of the dead), neither will You suffer Your holy one [Holy One] to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:8-11 AMP