Before I check my inbox or notifications, I choose to write this update, not knowing what some of you have written me or commented on or what perspective youve come from. Today is a fine day. I got up early, in order to attend the Ash Wednesday service at St Georges Anglican Church, in the small Chapel of Mary and All the Angels. It was very moving and meaningful and profound. I vaguely remember Catholic Ash Wednesday as a kid, but I never bothered about what it all could have meant. Now, I am so filled with joy at Gods forgiveness through Christ, I could not wait to gather together with other believers in order to celebrate even this solemn occasion, wherein the priest is called upon, from the Book of Joel, to weep between the porch and the altar, and we are called to show true contrition. But He has filled me with such supernatural joy lately, that all I can express is gratitude, and a desire to see more of Jesus beauty, and that He would hold me tight. Last night, several verses leaped out luminously from the covers of my Bible: Romans 4:18, 19-21: about Abraham who, contrary to hope, in hope believed (CONTRARY TO HOPE!!! His situation was hopeless, hope said, Pick another direction, another topic, but Abraham said, No; I remain in the direction Im facing and will hope THAT WAY! :D ) And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body (HE DID NOT CONSIDER HIS OWN BODY, his situation, his very body, militated against the direction and sanity of his hope, but he decided the state of his body and situation didnt matter in the realm of his crazy hope!! :D) his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarahs womb (They were promised a child. His body was passed the age of getting erection, and Sarah laughed at the prospect of getting pleasure from her husband, their state being contrary to it...In faith, that is our position, no matter who we are or where we come from: the only thing we have IS COMPLETE INABILITY to do it on our own, because our flesh is so contrary to it all :D) He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being FULLY CONVINCED THAT WHAT HE (GOD) HAD PROMISED HE WAS ALSO ABLE TO PERFORM (Its not yours to accomplish, this salvation; its yours to trust Jesus has done it and is doing it and will do it through you!!). Having faith (and believers have a measure of it...may God increase our faith!), faith in this crazy business of the Gospel is OUR EVIDENCE of things not seen, Hebrews 11:1 says. Rest assured, if you believe the Gospel, if you believe Jesus was the promised Messiah, if you believe He was the only begotten Son of God, your belief is the evidence! What a warm comfort to hearts weary and burdened! One last thing for you patient radicals who decide to read this all the way through: Can truth be found in the mouth of a fool? Is it possible? If so, which gives value to which? Do you lightly esteem a diamond because it is found in something so common as the earth? Do you therefore think the treasure worthless because of where it was found? Or would you rather say, Contrary to the fall-apart appearance, this property is valuable because of the great treasure hidden there, and whoever placed it there would defend such a ruin to the death to protect the treasure? Oh God! How wonderful are You to hide Your treasure in the ruin of my life! And no matter the value of the diamond I offer the passerby, they take its worth according to the face-value of the ruin! I am amazed! But You, Lord, have promised to rebuild this ruin, this property, into something more worthy of the riches You have buried there, when You return. The worthless has become priceless through the Gospel of Gods Son! Here! Take diamonds by the handfuls! Fill your bags! Take them from the mouth of a fool, of a ruin, and Hes promised to rebuild any property willing to take and bury deep within itself the treasure of Christs resurrection and reign! Beauty for ashes! Beauty for ashes! Oh, thank you God!
Posted on: Wed, 05 Mar 2014 15:54:14 +0000
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