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Mercy on the mockers

Luke 9:51-56
As the time drew near for his return to heaven he moved steadily onward toward Jerusalem with an iron will. One day he sent messengers ahead to reserve rooms for them in a Samaritan village. But they were turned away! The people of the village refused to have anything to do with them because they were headed for Jerusalem.
When word came back of what had happened, James and John said to Jesus, "Master, shall we order fire down from heaven to burn them up?" But Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they went on to anther village.

Gods word tells us that Jesus moved steadily with an iron will toward Jerusalem. Jesus is our greatest example of how to live and how to be pleasing to God. Jesus knew his goal was to enter Jerusalem so that he could fulfill his purpose in life which was to give his life in trade for the sins of the world.

James and John knew that Jesus was God who came to earth in human form so that he could set free all those who are imprisoned by sin. Because James and John knew the truth and had been set free from the darkness that used to linger in their souls they wanted everyone to experience that same freedom and it frustrated them to see people respond in ignorance when the truth was standing right in front of them.

The blissfulness of walking in the light with the Light of the world among them caused them to respond with quick anger to those who were rejecting the freedom Jesus had to offer.  It makes no sense to refuse freedom when it is being freely offered. John and James wanted to call fire down from heaven and destroy that town  when they refused to accept Jesus. They were offended by the peoples reaction to reject the truth that Jesus came to save them.

Jesus response was quite different then that of James and Johns. Jesus never changed his focus no matter who was denying him. He turned and rebuked his disciples for thinking about vengeance instead of mercy. It was mercy that was leading him to the cross. Jesus had mercy on the mockers.

Perhaps this was the thought on Jesus mind as he continued his walk to Jerusalem:

I know my mission, I know I have my reasons. I came from heaven and there I know I will return. You my followers are thinking with the mind of man.... Stop!.... Don't you remember that I split the atom before Adam was created?
That I broke the dark silence with my voice and life erupted with choice.

I have mercy on the mockers because I know how small minded they really are, for if they would only extend a hand upward they would see that glory falls when praise arises.

I know who I am, now you must know who you are. You are all that I say you are. You are made in my image and likeness, you are victorious and you are blessed beyond expression. You are a child of the living God created to praise him from here through eternity.

Those who mock are following a different flock. Don't be angry. Have mercy, have pity and pray for those who mock that someday they to will answer the knock.
www.preparingyourheart.com

Colossians 3:12-14

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowances for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

When you get up in the morning your clothes do not just get on you automatically. You have to choose what you want to look like that day and then put on your choices. It is the same for this list that we are given here in the book of Colossians. We must choose to put on love, to put on mercy and kindness and we must choose to put on gentleness and patience. Notice that these things are listed as something that we should clothe ourselves in, something that we can choose to do. But look what is said about forgiveness. Forgiveness is not so much seen as a character trait to put on as a choice, but it is given as a command. The word of God says that we MUST forgive others and that we should never forget how much God has forgiven us.

Daily we must choose to put love on our hearts and minds. The word of God says that it is love that binds us all together. So when you clothe yourself with these character traits of God you must remember that he will draw us all together with his love. Don't worry if everyone else is not listening to what God says to do, that is not your concern. It is your concern to do as God expects you to do.

Daily you must choose to put mercy on your mind. Because there will be times when you feel tempted to show no mercy toward others. You need to remember that if you refuse to show mercy, mercy will not be shown to you.  You will be forgiven with the same measure that you forgive others. You must choose to put kindness, gentleness and patience on your mind and heart when you find yourself in the mood to make a judgment against someone.

Love is the belt of truth that keeps us walking in harmony. The truth of love keeps all the other character  traits in there proper place, for it is love that binds us together and reminds us that we are one in the body of Christ. Without the belt of love we would slip into a condemning judgmental attitude  when we see our brother fall. But when the truth of love is wrapped around you, you are able to help your brother find his way back when he falls. If you are slipping and tripping by not living the way God expects you to live then how can you expect to help anyone else who is falling away from the Lord and his glorious light?

In James chapter 1 verse 5 we are told to ask for wisdom if we need it and God will give it to us. Do you notice how we are told to put on this list of character traits of Christ but when it comes to wisdom God tells us to ask for it and he will give it to us. Wisdom is not an action that we can take on our own, it is a blessing given from above to help us measure our thinking and our hearts. Wisdom is given as a gift that allows us to see more clearly through the eyes of Christ. Wisdom allows us Gods view of a situation. When you clothe yourself with mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness patience and love, having Gods wisdom will insure that you don't overlook an opportunity to be the person God created you to be. With these character traits of Christ alive in you and with his wisdom allowing you to see what he sees, you begin to understand why it is love that binds us together. With out love you are nothing. Wisdom is the accessory that makes us completely able to be pleasing to God. Without his wisdom we stand as fools in the face of the almighty.

Gods wisdom is a magnifying glass that shows us his love, his mercy, his gentleness, his kindness, patience and humility. For we should never forget that Jesus Christ is God and he humbly left his throne in heaven to become a human being just like you so that one day when you needed to know that he understands how you feel, he could say yes he does and that he brought with him all the love in heaven down to earth to show you the way to have eternal life with him.

So just remember that God didn't put you here just to leave you wandering alone and helpless. He placed you here on his earth with a purpose and for a season in time. He gave you ten laws to live by and a list of his character traits to follow. And he offers his wisdom and insight if you ever need to see more clearly what it is that he expects of you. So make sure to put on the right clothes. Don't wear any attitude that would be offensive to God and make sure to magnify his love to everyone you meet today.

 

Rambling thoughts from a busy mind.

I sit and reminisce at the table of the Lord.
No eye has seen no ear has heard what wondrous secrets the heavens behold. The bejeweled majesty of my King radiates light into my soul as I reflect on His goodness.
To sit in your presence and gaze at your wonders.......  O yes that is what I long to do all the days of my life.
It has been said that you cant be so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good.....  I understand that concept to the fullest but I long so urgently to just sit and be lathered in the luscious words of life that cleans my soul and my mind.

I have noticed that the more heavenly minded I become the more urgent my earthly missions seems to chase me. The more I know the more I want to tell it to others.  I think that I find it impossible to be of no earthly good. For it was of a purpose that I was created to walk this earth and do good.  To have no other God then Jehovah Jesus Christ on high as my savior and to love my neighbor as myself. That's my mission. No good comes from me except that of  which flows from Christ through me. There is true goodness that comes from swallowing the sweet song of my Saviors words. His sweetness in me draws others to want to taste and see what it is I have found...  kind of like I rub off on others who get to close because they were attracted to the sweetness.... not my sweetness,..... for I am nothing with out Him. But the way that I am able to become more and more like Him in the presence of my enemies does truly amaze me. For when I am weak He is strong, when I am tempted he guards my thoughts.
I'm not patting my self on the back.......  I'm just stating a fact that all who follow Christ with a renewed spirit become more and more like Him.

The funny thing is that the closer I get to Jesus the more the world thinks I'm useless ....LOL  ..... I think that's funny.
They see me as useless because I am no longer able to support their way of thinking, no longer able to laugh at what they think is funny and they certainly don't agree with me on the fact that one day every knee will bow every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Ya.... that really gets em going when I tell them they can freely choose now or they can wait till they are in the presence of all that is Holy and when they see that they were wrong they will bow their knee and they will confess that Jesus is Lord of all.

Come to think of it...........  I really enjoy being different..... I always wondered why God would make a salmon to fight his way to swim up stream and then die after such a long hard struggle...... but I can kind of relate to that.... Why swim in an ocean with no purpose when you can swim in a stream full of obstacles that make you swift in your thinking and make you stronger as you go.?  As I swim in the opposite direction from the vast majority of the worlds way of thinking, ....who refuses to find their true God given purpose.... I find it quite fulfilling to fight my way into my Lords arms.  The thing is ......  the farther you swim up stream the more you start to realize how much more fun life is in that stream instead of just floating in the vast deep lonely waters waiting to die and not knowing for what purpose you were created.

Ok.... I'm done for now...lol.....  

MULTI-COLORED CHRISTIANS

Matthew 5:14

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill can not be hidden"

 

Different kinds of light shine differently but all light erases the shadows darkness. We are to be as lights on a hill, not hidden. We are to draw others out of the shadows of darkness and into the light and love of Christ Jesus.

A red bulb will shine a glow of righteous warmth. A kind of light that must shine truth into a world of dark anger. Red bulb Christians use the light of Christ to shine a righteous anger for the glory of the Lord. Righteous anger shows up when others are being oppressed and shines a warmth of truth that speaks volumes of love. Righteous anger and love go hand in hand and it is only the love of Jesus Christ that can lead all souls to heaven. It is the warm glow of Christ in your heart that will lead you to speak up when others are being told to shut up. The world of anger has a strong tongue and will use it to try and suppress all that is good and right in order to obtain its own agenda.

A blue bulb cast a cool refreshing light. We must be able to shine this light in to situations that requires patience in times of struggle. A person who shines the blue light of patience is the one who's life reflects the one who is the water of life. This blue light Christian is eager to give a drink to all who thirst for truth so that they to will never thirst again. Truth is refreshing, and it revives all who have become dehydrated by the lies of this dark world. Truth brings strength, and with truth and strength we are able to walk renewed and stand firm in a world full of lies and darkness. A Christian blue light is one who will draw others with patience to the cross of Christ and will never force someone to drink the truth but will make others thirsty for the waters of life by the way they live their own life in Christ. To one who is lost it will be refreshing to see someone glowing with patience.

A green light person is one who shines promise amid death. Green is the promise of life. The green light Christian is gifted with the ability to show others that greener days are coming for all who live in Christ Jesus. Some are lost from the memory of their childhood faith. This life and its problems seem to have buried that faith in a sea of burden. Life happened and they grew up and grew out of their love for the Lord. They were over come by the heaviness of the weight of the world upon their shoulders. The green light person is able to shine renewed light into this persons life to remind them that it is Christ who is the one who must carry our burdens and it is Christ who longs to carry you when life gets heavy. Don't take the weight of the world upon your shoulders, Christ already did that when he carried his cross up Calvary's hill and opened up his arms and said it is finished. The green light person is a garden hope for those who have fallen by the wayside of life. Green corresponds the gift of growth that comes from the tree of life to all who will accept it freely. Ignoring the cross of Christ causes death to your soul but a fresh light from the word of God can restore your soul and you will be able to taste and see the goodness of God in the garden of life.

Some have the gift of being a beacon light. The are standing tall and strong in the midst of the storms of life so that all who have lost their way can see a hope of returning. The Christian who is a beacon light is one who is willing to stand with the lost during the storm. They are the ones who will not walk away when they hear someone crying out for help. They are the one who will continue to stand and shine the light of truth no matter who or what is coming against them. The beacon lights of this world are the ones who will shine out into the sea of sin and proclaim that all is not lost, that there is a way to come back. They are willing to stand and shine the truth even if it is to save just one dying soul for they know and realize that all the angels in heaven do rejoice over one lost sinner returning to the courts of heaven. The beacon light is one who has stood the test of time and will not fail his lost brothers in a time of darkness. This beacon light of a Christian will not only stand and shine their light but they will search out and look for the lost. They will stay planted on the firm foundation of Christ Jesus and they will search through an ocean of lies to find just one who is seeking to be saved by the truth.

Some are gifted with the ability to glow like a black light. They are able to go into this world  and cause others to see changes in themselves. They are able to bring about the goodness of the light in you even if your surrounded by darkness. A black light affects the darkness differently then a regular light. A black light will make any little bit of white glow. Unlike other lights that light up a room so that others can see, a black light does not actually light up the whole room but it causes all that looks white to show up in the dark. This black light Christian is able to make those hiding in the cover of darkness able to see themselves differently. They are given the ability to shine light into the dark hearts of those who think that God can not see them. They make all that is light shine brighter, they are able to show those who are hiding from God that God sees the goodness in them and that even though they think they are hiding, God wants them to come to him and repent so that he can bless them and carry them out of the darkness. The purpose of a black light Christian is to keep others from trying to hide from God. Every time someone tries to hide their sin from God, God continues to show them that they can not hide from him and that there is goodness in them that only comes from him.

A CHAIN REACTION

Philippians 1: 12-14

"And I want you to know this, dear brothers: everything that has happened to me here has been a great boost in getting out the Good News concerning Christ. For everyone here, including all the soldiers over at the barracks, knows that I am in chains simply because I am a Christian. And because of my imprisonment many of the Christians here seems to have lost their fear of chains! Somehow my patience has encouraged them and they have become more and more bold in telling others about Christ."
 
Wow.... that just about says it all as to how we should be acting and reacting to our daily situations. Paul was in prison, in chains and his faithfulness to the cross of Christ never wavered and he continually preached the good news no matter what his circumstance.
Paul caused a chain reaction. Other Christians who were imprisoned and in chains found courage and strength through the testimony of one mans freedom in chains.

We all have chains that bind us. We all have circumstances and situations that scare us and might cause us to want hide in fear, but you don't know who God may bring into your life that needs to see a Christian who is not afraid to live while chained to a circumstance. Your walk of faith can be a chain reaction to others who find encouragement through your faithful hardship.

Paul was only chained for as long as God would have him be chained for. We all know the story of God sending an angel to release Peter from prison chains. Its the same for you and I. You don't have to be Peter or Paul for God to show his magnitude in your life.  God is not blind to our circumstances. God is living in the real reality, not the one we tend to fall into. Its not reality to think that God is with us when all is good but then to tremor and fear when life takes a so called "bad turn".
God is God always.

God can and does work miracles in the lives of many people today, but if you don't receive what you think you should from God
maybe you should stop looking at your "reality" and focus on his. Your chains, your circumstances may be for the benefit of someone
in danger of losing hope, in danger of losing faith or in danger of backsliding or maybe even in danger of hell its self.
Somehow I think that if we could see reality as God sees it we might not really be as concerned about the here and now as much as we would be concerned about the soul of our neighbor.

God can use chains to free people.

If your faith is not growing you're probably not going.

We hear from the Lord not because we are worthy, but because we are willing.

 

There's a book in the bible called "ACTS" It is full of the stories of the actions of the Apostles, of those who choose to follow Jesus Christ. The gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are the accounts of the works and life of Jesus as he walked in humble obedience to his father in heaven. But the book of Acts starts at the time when Jesus ascends into heaven and he sends his Holy Spirit to live with in all those who believe.  

 Some of the headlines in the book of acts read something like this:

"Peter preaches"  "Peter heals"  "Peter and John face the Sanhedrin"  "The believers pray for boldness"  "The believers share their possessions"  "The apostles meet furious opposition"

"Steven is arrested"  " An angel rescues Peter"  " Paul curses a sorcerer"  " The counsel sends letters"  "Paul has a vision"   "Paul tells about the unknown God" …… the list goes on and on with more words that show action, …..  Peter speaks, Paul arrives, Paul continues, Paul witnesses, Apollos is instructed, Timothy joins Paul, Lydia is converted.

These are just a few examples of what was going on in the lives of these few believers.

 

 But what about you? What is going on in your life as a believer?  What action does your faith drive you to commit? If your faith is not growing you're probably not going. Faith is what fuels your run. It is the faith of the believer that causes them to speak out, go out, and stand out or to help out. That's why we hear the term "stepping out in faith". Faith is an action word and if your life has no actions of faith then you're not running the race that God has set before you.

 

We have received the same Holy Spirit that they received in their day.  Our lives as followers of Christ are no different then theirs.  We were all given the great commission to go out and tell all people about the love of Christ, to go to the ends of the earth and preach the good news.

 

The good news????   Yes…. The good news is that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever. He died for the sins of all mankind and only he can bring you to the redemptive gates of heaven where he is waiting for you with open arms. 

If we are not living examples of the love of Christ then who will be?  Surly not the non believeing world for they are blind to the love of their creator. It is we… the children of God who are saved through our faith in Christ and filled with his Holy Spirit.

 

Every morning when you wake up you should say to God almighty in heaven, "Here I am Lord, Send me".

 

What are your acts?  What are you doing for the cause of Christ? Your faith should lead you in to action, for the word of God says that faith without works is dead.  For how can you say you have faith and yet live as though you don't?  True faith in Christ will cause you to grow hungry for his words and his ideas. And those words and ideas will cause you to run and not grow weary.  Your active faith in the love of Christ will rise up and empower you to run the race that he has set before you and when you finish that race you will hear the most wonderful words any child of God can possibly hear, …. "Well done, my good and faithful servant".

It’s an "Inner Social Spiritual Experience"

Wisdom spoke loud and clear one night. It spoke to me saying:
“It’s an Inner Social Spiritual Experience.”  

Immediately my spirit jumped and I searched for a pen.

I pondered intensely upon what "It" might be.

I needed to find out what “It” was so that I could experience this "Inner Social Spiritual Experience."

“It” is the way you live.  “It” is the inner connection you have with Christ. “It” is very real and very personal and no one but you can tune in to hear what the Spirit of God is saying to you from the inner depths of your soul.

O sure others can hear from God and tell you what he is saying concerning you, but that is not an "Inner Social Spiritual Experience". 

 If you are not conversing with the God of this universe from within the depths of your soul then you do not have ears to hear what his spirit is saying.  Deafness covers you in darkness when it concerns your spiritual ears.

Can you hear what his spirit is saying to you?

Can you feel his compassion well up within your soul and cause you to weep tears of joy?

Its "inner social", you cannot get what God has to offer you from an outside source.

His spirit cannot drive you if you cannot hear what direction he is telling you to go.

The "Inner Social Spiritual Experience" is not only for hearing direction but for living life with the anticipation of a continuing flow of knowledge that comes from a well that never runs dry and the joy of knowing that your savior lives within you.

To know that before time began he planed your life in such a way that you would walk the glory path of righteousness and it would lead you into his loving arms. That you would live in such a way that you must choose to hear him speak from the depths of your soul or to ignore his voice and walk alone.

The "Inner Social Spiritual Experience" is not a one-way street. It is a walk in the garden of the soul with your maker picking flowers of delight for you along the way.
As you walk and talk with him, his wind of wisdom guides you along the path of everlasting life.

Inner social means that in no way can you ever have this type of relationship from an outside source.  

It is a personal plan, a personal touch and a very personal relationship of blessing. It is the Lord God, your savior pouring out his thoughts into your spirit, filling you to an over flowing abundance of grace and mercy and forgiveness and an abundance of his joy that sets your heart on fire so that he can enjoy the experience of seeing and hearing you laugh and seeing you respond to what he has given you.

The "Inner Social Spiritual Experience" is an ongoing, everlasting love that is freely given and will never be withdrawn. God’s love is from everlasting to everlasting.
If we are far from God it is not God who left us but we who left him.

The "Inner Social Spiritual Experience" is a dance that intertwines the soul of God with the soul he has given you. He is so enwrapped within you that nothing can ever separate you from his love, nothing can separate what he has joined together. The dance is a love song of the seasons of the soul. A dance that will never end because the song is given fresh and new everyday. The song that is in your soul was placed there by God as a part of an everlasting song that will be sung for all eternity.

Every born again believer is part of the “Glory” song. The song that causes souls to join together in an awesome response to the "Inner Social Spiritual Experience". This song of glory causes untold countless souls to sing perfectly together in unison to the glory of God their father.

Your relationship with God is very real and very personal, but when joined with others who are singing the same song, the stadium of the universe begins to ring, the tone rises high above the heavens and the universe begins to vibrate, to move in unison to the glory of his name.

If you’re not having an "Inner Social Spiritual Experience" with your creator than you are missing out on hearing the universe sing the greatest song of victory.

Victory over death,
victory that proclaims the truth that there is no other way to the father except through his son Jesus Christ.

A song that gives fresh manna daily to all who hunger for it.

You are missing out on feeling the move of his spirit within this universe and in the universe of your soul.

This glory song, this song of victory will rise up within you and you will taste and see the goodness of the Lord and you will hunger and thirst to sing louder, sing stronger, to sing more often, and to search deeper for more of this "Inner Social Spiritual Experience".

 

(I write this to give Glory to God and hope to hurting mothers) A mothers view of hell Nothing in this world can be viewed as more of a picture of hell then that of a mothers heart suffering for her child. From a mothers view the site and sounds of your child hurting causes your heart and mind to skip days of hearing, seeing, and feeling. It leaves your heart in limbo as the days go by and you don't realize that you are not breathing because you yourself are dying inside from the pain of having no control to stop your child's suffering. As a christian mom I realize and did realize that at my time of suffering Jesus was there with us as he always is, but my greatest thankfulness is that Christ walked me through this suffering when I was unable to form words. That he was God as he always has been and that he guided my wounded heart and mind and comforted me and kept me from falling apart. I walked two weeks in a breathless state. My faith never wavered but my mind and body were on hold. As I stood beside my sons bed I faked more smiles viewing his pain then I have ever faked anything in my life. My pain was not the issue, my feelings were not the issue. My son needed to see strength and hope and faith in action, not fear and despair. As I stood by his bedside and griped the bed while smiling, I pictured Jesus mother as she witnessed the sites and sounds of her son's pain and suffering. The pain levels of a mothers heart must be many, but I can say this..... when you reach a certain level of brokenness you no longer realize what level you are in until you see the pain of another mother who's suffering is at a greater level. At that point of realization thankfulness and guilt start flowing fast through your heart and mind. ...... Thank fullness that you were spared the pain level she is going through but great guilt that your pain and tears do not compare to hers. Guilt that your feelings don't compare to her level of horrors. But one thing is for sure...... as moms we all reach a certain level of pain seeing our child suffer and to each mom that level IS the deepest form of hell. Jesus hand in the form of others Grief can cause the simplest task to be an overwhelming mountain. It was in my time of grief for my son that the hand of Jesus was extended. It took the form of family and friends, co workers and Internet strangers reaching out to give prayer and financial support. Over the course of a two week period I saw the church that Jesus talked about in action. I saw members from all walks of life willing to reach out and help me. I witnessed the Love of Christ that I have always known to be true. It did not surprise me that my family and friends were there for me because they always are, we are very close. They were there to support me in my time of need and I guess I can say that I never doubted they would be because that's just how we are with each other as a family. But what did surprise me was the love that came from the Internet family of God. People I never met were willing to pray and financially support me in my time of need. I was just as surprised when my co workers took up a collection of 200.00 dollars to help pay for expenses while I was in Texas. I had only been at that job for 3 months and yet these people were willing to help me in my time of need. I saw the hand of God move starting with my husband and my family as the palm that was the base support and then all others who were willing to pray and support me were like the fingers that help grip me and comfort me during my despair. Having a family that is in the family of God is like wearing gloves.... you have the strength and support everyday that you need and when times get tough the awesome hand of God moves and others are like a glove that just slip right in and fit into the plan that God has for his people. Its not about me I dont write this so that others can think about what I went through. I write this because its not about me. Its about the Glory of God being seen in our everyday life. Its about being thankful that God is real and that he never cesess to be in control. My son was burned in Afghanistan by a suicide bomber and by the grace of God almighty he survived. He was told by a Special Forces Medic that he doesnt know how he survived that blast. Brian not only survived but will make a full recovery after a year of rehab and therapy, at which time it just so happens to be that his 4 year contract with the Army will be up. I can never say that I know the exact plans God has for each of us but I do know that in our everyday walk with him he guides us along the path of everlasting life. Each and everyone of us has a story, a walk in the wilderness with Christ and each and everyone of us need to be ready to share our story for his glory.

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for Brian. I just returned home from spending a week with him at Brooks Army Medical Center in Texas. He did have to have his entire left hand skin grafted and the top of his right hand grafted. Eariler in the week they were not sure if he was going to need his neck skin grafted also, but it turned out to be good news about that. He needed no grafting on his face or neck. His recovery will take a full year of rehab. Please continue to keep him in your prayers as the Lord contines to bless him with life. I have a feeling he will be writing another book as God leads him through this portion of his life. If your interested in reading his bio you can go to briancfleming.com I know that God has a reason for everything and I know that someday we will see his purpose in this.

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