The Bride

I have been listening to Joseph Prince’s Ruth teaching. I have had to listen to each CD over and over and over again. When JP says it is so rich he is not kidding. Each time I listen to one CD I hear something new from the Holy Spirit that blesses me. Today I heard something for the first time after listening to it for days and I had to stop the player. I just wept! I felt Jesus love for me and my mind was so flooded with answers that all I could do was cry. I will quote Pastor Prince and then share what God said to me. JP is teaching on how Ruth is a type of us – the gentile church – and how Boaz is a type of Jesus. Now this is not new teaching as many have taught on it from many angles. He is explaining how the kinsman redeemer must be wealthy enough and willing to redeem the one who has lost – their land, their husband, so forth. And that this kinsman redeemer must be related to the one seeking redemption. He goes on to explain that this is why Jesus had to come in human form – to be related to us – HALLELUJAH! So this is mostly not news for me but then JP says, “Is Jesus able to redeem us? Is he willing to redeem us? Is he willing to marry us?” 

Oh dear God thank you for this one. Yell Yes!!! Jesus is not only our kinsman redeemer but he is our groom – He wants to marry us! What does that mean? Well I am a fairly new bride of only four years so I could remember what my husband did in pursuit of my hand. He wanted to marry me so badly that he was willing to do anything. He was not willing to be apart from me for even a moment. So to have this epiphany that the Almighty God, Lord of Lords, King of Kings, Creator of the universe, the Great I AM wants to marry me is almost excessively deep for words. For me it means He is willing to rescue me, give me his entire paycheck, listen to me with great interest and smile at my silly sayings. He will come find me and he misses me when I don’t call him. He wants to lie next to me and hold me close and reassure me that I am safe. He wants to surround me with protection and command the enemy to leave. He is willing to avenge the devil that comes against me! And not only is He willing – He is able. 

He is doing it. He’s not just standing by waiting for me to accept the invitation – I did that when I told Him I wanted Him to be my savior and the Lord of my life. That was all the invitation He needed. He has not ever forgotten his commitment to marry me. Even when I stray away from the wedding plans, He has not. He is faithful and true. He is returning for His bride. He is able to complete what He began. He is so in love with me that there is nothing I can do to change that. Even if I act totally yucky He has already forgiven me because He is so in love with me. Even if I refuse to put on pretty clothing and makeup and perfume he still thinks I am the most beautiful bride ever!! He wants to marry me!!! He is my kinsman redeemer! He is my Boaz. He is my Jesus!!! 

Father God, thank you for my wonderful husband who acted certain ways in the beginning or our relationship to win my heart. Thank you, Father, thank you!!! I have a personal experience to understand your son’s love for me. I have a mental image that Holy Spirit can use to remind me every day that the true groom is still in pursuit and is the perfect husband and will not let me slip from His gaze! I have only gotten through the first two CD's. So excited to keep listening!

Awesome Song

I am still trying to learn - would love to put this song as my background - although so many songs of worship and praise are really my favorites - so for now trying to post it here.
Jesus, Lover of My Soul 

If only we truly knew how much He loves us. Our small, finite brains get so bogged down with the thoughts of this world - totally not reality, only a reflection of the truth - and we are so stuck, so stuck in our wrong thinking. Dear God, get us unstuck! You love us so much we can not even grasp the infinite love you have for each and every one of us. Spirit, help us focus on God's love for us, focus on Jesus, know we are worth pursuing!!!

Obedience of Christ

I've been praying and pondering on the idea of obedience. I heard recently that when we focus on our obedience we take our eyes off of Jesus. So much of religion these days and since dawn of mankind I believe has been on our efforts. But the cross of Jesus changed the requirement of the law. Scripture says Jesus fulfilled the law. So today I awoke way too early by fussing dogs and thought about what it means to focus on Jesus' obedience. In the garden He was so stressed and tormented that He sweat drops of blood. That's a lot of anguish! But he said, "Not my will, Father, but yours be done." He was obedient to do what Father God had planned from the foundation of the world. Jesus could have not done it! He could have stepped off the cross at any time but He FINISHED IT on our behalf. So now we as believers I think are being sucked back into believing there is more we need to do because His finished work is not enough. Then I thought of how my heart is so desirous to please God - Father, Jesus, and HS. How I so often pray for what I should be doing to be obedient. How I think I am hearing from God Almighty and do what He has told me to and then things go goofy and I think what the whirl?~! God can't be wrong so I must have been listening to the wrong side. But I want to be hearing from God. Etc. Etc. Etc." Do you ever go down that road? All torn up cuz you wanted to be obedient but somehow wonder what went wrong? Hmmm I thought this morning - am I opening up myself to hearing incorrect voices by focusing on my obedience? Then 2 Corinthians 10:5 popped into my head. It does not say taking every thought captive to MY OBEDIENCE! It states taking every thought captive to the OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST!! Can it be? Yes, we are to focus on HIS obedience. He accomplished my freedom, my health, my prosperity, my righteousness, my being joint heir with Him, and so much more. He did it by His obedience. That's the obedience I must focus on. My obedience will simply be a by product of focus on His. Oh, then I read further in 2 Cor. 10 and 11. I am reminded that all my glory must be reflection of His glory, anything I boast in is only of value if boasted in Him. And goes on to mention the simplicity of the gospel. Good News! It is all about Jesus!

This will be a blast?

Today I learned how to and started my very own blog. It should be interesting and educational.