Thinking today about the Egypt, red sea, wilderness and Jordan river progression in relation to the gate versus pathway principle, that was outlined briefly on Tuesday.
"On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands." - Ezekiel 20:6 ESV
God speaks of it almost in a summary but there were two rivers (gateways) and a fair amount of wandering that was sandwiched in-between. Most of those who left Israel did not pass over chilly Jordan.
I want to respect the process God has in a person's life. I don't want to hang on to an assessment that was made that falls short of God's promised end result for a person.
God has gateways for us to pass through... all of us. Impossible barriers that get rolled back or parted by His power. Transformation and renewal are happening during the wanderings. The old generation is dying off and the new generation is coming of age.
Those who pass over Jordan are not the ones who made the golden calf at Sinai.
I was thinking of a man recently who I love but He really got under my skin at one point. He is a charismatic person who misused the scripture in his preaching and hurt people I love. I haven't seen him for a while. His wife recently died and he is preaching again after a time of being utterly devastated and humbled.
God convicted me heavily that I shouldn't know this man after his flesh or his past. God only sees Eygpt and the promised land in our lives. We shouldn't know people after their wanderings. It isn't God's mind. Moses was an angry man in Eygpt but by the end of his wanderings God made him into the meekest man on the face of the Earth.
God has gateways for us. On the other side we will find ourselves in a new place. I want to respect that process and pray if someone is wandering and in a conversion process. I want to have mercy for myself if that person is me.
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Showing posts with label The Gate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Gate. Show all posts
Friday, December 23, 2016
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
The Knocking Savior
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." - Revelation 3:20 ESV
This is a continuation of the gate versus pathway thought from yesterday.
The knock on the door is a gate that gets our attention. The knock comes and the dog goes crazy and barks. Someone is right there outside... just on the other side of the door and they are calling to you but nothing has changed inside. Your location and environment stay the same (except for the dog that is).
When we go through the gate we change location but this is a challenge to let God in to our home life.
Some folks have a big problem with the phrase, 'Ask Jesus into your heart.' and I understand the conflict. A relationship starts with trust and belief. We 'only believe' and that births a relationship with God. We believe in Jesus... who He Is and what He did on the cross. Telling people they must 'ask' implies they must do something.
But Jesus is a knocking Savior. We don't ask Him to knock. That is who He Is. He isn't just out there somewhere as some theoretical theology. If that is all He Is then there is no active relationship. Conversion accompanies communion. God wants to eat with us in our home just as we will one day live with Him in His home after this life is over. We must participate in communion by opening this gate.
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." - Revelation 3:20 ESV
Do we hear His voice? Are we going to ignore Him or are we going to answer the door?
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This is a continuation of the gate versus pathway thought from yesterday.
The knock on the door is a gate that gets our attention. The knock comes and the dog goes crazy and barks. Someone is right there outside... just on the other side of the door and they are calling to you but nothing has changed inside. Your location and environment stay the same (except for the dog that is).
When we go through the gate we change location but this is a challenge to let God in to our home life.
Some folks have a big problem with the phrase, 'Ask Jesus into your heart.' and I understand the conflict. A relationship starts with trust and belief. We 'only believe' and that births a relationship with God. We believe in Jesus... who He Is and what He did on the cross. Telling people they must 'ask' implies they must do something.
But Jesus is a knocking Savior. We don't ask Him to knock. That is who He Is. He isn't just out there somewhere as some theoretical theology. If that is all He Is then there is no active relationship. Conversion accompanies communion. God wants to eat with us in our home just as we will one day live with Him in His home after this life is over. We must participate in communion by opening this gate.
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." - Revelation 3:20 ESV
Do we hear His voice? Are we going to ignore Him or are we going to answer the door?
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Tuesday, December 20, 2016
The Gate And The Way
"For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." - Matthew 7:14 ESV
"And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left." - Isaiah 30:21 ESV
There are acts of faith. Those are like passing a through a doorway but then there is a walk of faith and that is like traveling on a path. Staying on a path is a longer process.
Both require a reason to make the decision.
Jesus' gate is a narrow gate. His grace motivates us to pass through.
I see people striving in their walk and agonizing about decisions. I do it also at times but then I focus in on Jesus again and clarity comes because freedom is ushered in. No matter what the pressures are Jesus will not reject me. He has already finished the work of my salvation.
We choose to enter doorways and walk on pathways but God has this hidden narrow doorway that He is willing to show everyone but many don't want to see it. The doorway is Jesus himself. There is no striving on His road. His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
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"And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left." - Isaiah 30:21 ESV
There are acts of faith. Those are like passing a through a doorway but then there is a walk of faith and that is like traveling on a path. Staying on a path is a longer process.
Both require a reason to make the decision.
Jesus' gate is a narrow gate. His grace motivates us to pass through.
I see people striving in their walk and agonizing about decisions. I do it also at times but then I focus in on Jesus again and clarity comes because freedom is ushered in. No matter what the pressures are Jesus will not reject me. He has already finished the work of my salvation.
We choose to enter doorways and walk on pathways but God has this hidden narrow doorway that He is willing to show everyone but many don't want to see it. The doorway is Jesus himself. There is no striving on His road. His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
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