God – Page 164 – Cross Culture Church

Meditation: June 19, 2012

Posted by Cross Culture Church Categories: Meditations

“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,” Ephesians 3:14-15

The Father allows us to enter into the love relationship experienced between Himself and His Beloved Son. We are welcomed into His family as being the earthly portion adjoined to the heavenly portion. There the fellowship is complete. Here we anticipate the reunion that awaits us whereas through prayer we are able to tap into the resources that await us there. He gives us a glimpse of His glory now. Enough of what He has promised is fulfilled in our lifetimes to assure us of what we have yet to anticipate is glorious. Yet eye has not seen nor has ear heard, nor has it entered into the thoughts what God has ultimately provided for us. As Jesus prayed to the Father, we pray having been given access to Him through the Blood to petition His Throne. Fathers on the earth can take what they have received from Him and bless their children with blessings from above. Our fatherhood is a derivative of His Fatherhood over us. Our prayer is that His love will be distributed through us as Christ would pray that the same love received by Him would be shared by us.

18 Jun 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: June 18, 2012

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“For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah 11:9

When the evil element has been removed from the earth, nothing would stand in the way of what God intended to convey to His beloved. There is knowledge that ascends from beneath teaching His creatures to rebel and resist all that is of God. It is sensual and devilish, deceiving many to believe that there could be no other way to live. The end of evil is judgment. A clear distinction will be made between the holy and the unholy, the righteous and the profane. God will then separate the wheat from the tare and remove the dross from the silver and gold. Those who remain will know that He is God alone for His knowledge will become widespread. The veil would be lifted from our eyes and we will see Him as He is. What a pleasure to converse with eager souls anticipating the knowledge of the Lord instead of the appeasement of their gnawing conscience with feel-good methods and messages! We will drink in the refreshing water of life that covers the earth as the waters cover the sea. We pray that the earnest desire to know Him replace every passion of the heart. Then our self-judgment will preserve us from being judged with the world and the worldly seeking of carnal knowledge rather than the joy of the Lord.

17 Jun 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: June 17, 2012

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“And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19

The keys unlock the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus spoke to the multitudes in parables because it had not been given to them to know the mysteries of His kingdom, but it was given to His disciples. They had submitted to Him and had committed to fully follow Him. Along their journey they were graced by the Holy Spirit to receive the revelation from the Father that He was the Christ, the Son of the living God. This truth unlocked the mystery to which they were to enter in. Experiencing Christ is having access bringing down to earth the blessings contained in heaven. As we grow in our knowledge of Christ, not merely our knowledge of created things, we will discover that all is subject to what we are learning. He has preeminence over all things. They maintain their consistency by and through Him alone. A glimpse of Christ is insufficient for the journey ahead of us. We must maintain our focus exclusively on Him if we are to participate in kingdom work.

16 Jun 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: June 16, 2012

Posted by Cross Culture Church Categories: Meditations

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30

The two most important truth contained within this Scripture is when Jesus is truly recognized, it is His influence and not our own that must take precedence. We are given influence in order to influence others to see and know Him. Some may not remember us, but that is not the most important thing. If they are enabled to see Him and be led by Him, the work of God is complete and the reward in heaven awaits us. Secondly, our moment in the sun is temporary. Ours is to prepare the way for those who will take our place. A good spiritual leader must maintain his sight on eternity yet recognize the continuing work in time. Who will be our successors, and will they exceed us in effectiveness? Fathers must pass the baton or torch to their sons to run the relay race excelling beyond the old record that was previously set. Records are set to be broken. As the knowledge of Jesus Christ increases, there will be a generation that will reach cultures and penetrate places beyond our abilities. But we must train them for the task that lies ahead. We must get out of the way and let Jesus have His way.

15 Jun 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: June 15, 2012

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“It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.” Ecclesiastes 7:5

The course that many have chosen is one of sensationalism and entertainment. Their religious experience is none other than a palatable and rhythmic sound to lull their consciences to sleep while their hearts are further hardened against the truth. The rebuke of the wise is a wakeup call to attention among the masses which are in a drunken stupor intoxicated by worldly passions. It is the awakening to God’s Truth convicting the soul in order for the Holy Spirit to turn them from darkness to light. It is the truest expression of God’s love dispelling ignorance to God’s ways thus leading towards an expected end. It is the rebuke, not merely the words of affirmation and consolation that redirects the course of the wayward traveler. We must know where we may have strayed if we are ever to return to the perfect path. Many would merely listen to the song, the lullaby of fools. When the music comes to an end, would our eyes be fixed on the prize of the high calling of God? Truth is often painful to begin with, but it eventually becomes the salve to heal the wound that it causes.

14 Jun 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: June 14, 2012

Posted by Cross Culture Church Categories: Meditations

“By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.” Proverbs 24:4

The knowledge of God is the principle thing to be attained by all who would be wise. We are built up as the House of God and the Household of Faith. God Himself is to inhabit what the Holy Spirit is establishing as His permanent residence. This has to do with our personal identity and corporate identity. We are made wise to consider how the Church is interdependent and must function as the Body of Christ. It is through our unity that we are rightly constructed. Then each part contributes to the growth of every part. Never should we become exclusive in our endeavors to please God. The small portion given to the part will only inflate the ego and eliminate it from receiving the blessings of God’s promise. If the rooms are too filled with precious and pleasant riches, each room must allow Jesus Christ in that He might rearrange the furnishings, discard of the rubbish, and restore what is broken. When the fragrance of His Presence fills the room, life leading to life is the aroma of life. All is most precious because He determines the value of what He puts in place.

12 Jun 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: June 12, 2012

Posted by Cross Culture Church Categories: Meditations

“for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” 1 John 4:20

There is that moment in the life of every Christian where love is indiscriminately distributed. This is the mark of true conversion that one has passed from death unto life. It does not mean that the person will remain there, but if he has never been there, he has never received conversion. All too often very little is required of the seeker that limits his expectations of God. If God does not require the whole heart of the individual, how can that individual expect to receive the fullness of Christ? The test is openness to others with a heart overflowing with love. We cannot contain the authentic love of God for its objective is to be given away. Our mission is to fully follow after Him allowing His love to be shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. If we love Him we will love our brother, love, and keep His commandments.

11 Jun 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: June 11, 2012

Posted by Cross Culture Church Categories: Meditations

“Let Your work appear to Your servants, and Your glory to their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands.” Psalm 90:16-17

To see with our eyes what God is doing is a blessing beyond measure. God allows His servants to see where He is in the midst of confusion and apparent hopelessness. He is there working His plan even when all appears to be still or falling apart all around us. Not alone does His servants see His works, they are used by the Lord to participate in what He is doing. His works are established through His servants as evidence that He is in fact the same yesterday, today, and forevermore. He seeks those who would fully avail themselves to Him. Why should our lives be filled with clutter that works against His plan? Our greatest joy can be found in pleasing Him through reflecting His will on earth as it is in heaven. Oh that Christ might be seen today through those who earnestly and exclusively seek Him as the only stability in these uncertain times.

10 Jun 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: June 10, 2012

Posted by Cross Culture Church Categories: Meditations

“He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness.” Malachi 3:3

God Himself will purge His people as silver and gold. He has invested in the lives of His own and is committed to removing the residue that would shroud the beauty of what is deposited deep within the heart and soul. There are desires polluted and misdirected by the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches. When the heart of His leaders are turned in the wrong direction, yet they remain His leaders; they are purged of the dross in order for His glory to shine through them. He is aware of the tendency within the heart of humanity to stray away, but fire of the refiner must burn away all that should not be. It is a painful thing to be refined but the end result is glorious! When we are tried, we will come forth as pure gold. Offerings are not enough to please our Lord. He seeks after an offering in righteousness. It is the life of the offerer that qualifies him to give Him what He has requested. The Lord is purifying His servants in order for a pure word to come forth from a pure heart.

09 Jun 0Comments 0Likes

Meditation: June 9, 2012

Posted by Cross Culture Church Categories: Meditations

“It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ’s sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb.” 1 Peter 1:18-19 (MSG)

The grace of God has been freely given to us but it is not cheap. Love requires sacrifice. And the more we love the greater the sacrifice. Since God is able to see the depth of our sinful state, only He would be able to convey to us what we needed in order to be set free. The naïve may think that a moderate adjustment is sufficient to stop the free-fall to destruction. But who independent of God is able to know the affect of even apparent innocent acts upon the character? This is the environment in which all were raised. No one knows any other life than this. But God knew of our need for help. And He supplied it before we had the sense to desire it. Jesus Christ, God’s Son redeemed us with His blood while we were yet sinners. Now all must apply what has been appropriated for us if any is ever to benefit from such great a sacrifice.