Do you remember when you were a kid? Hopefully you do. Unless your experiencing memory loss. I remember the childlike wonder when I stared out at the vast ocean. Moments like these really put us in our place in the whole sceme of things. We are very small indeed. Even more, do you remember someone telling you that if you stuck a sea shell to your ear you could hear the ocean? We didn't even doubt them one little bit. It was the ocean in there we were filled with wonder.
My revelation is this. God is like the ocean. He is deep, vast and unpredictable. He is deep and wide ocean of love that washes over us. The sea shell is like hearing the roar of the ocean. It is what it takes to hear God, to hear the oceans whispering roar. Me must be filled with the wonder and faith of that moment. The moment when we stuck that sea shell up to our ear and said I really am going to hear the ocean. My revelation of prayer is that we must approach our time with God with childlike wonder and expectation to hear a beautiful sound. The deep, whispering roar of the ocean.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Profound Repentance
I never want to be a part of a move of God that doesn't have some form of "PROFOUND REPENTANCE"
There is no revival with out it. There is no revival with hearts changing. God is faithful to take hard hearts and make them soft. I pray also that I might be an example of repentance. I know that this life in Christ is much more than a list of external things I can accomplish. It is a change in attitude, change in action, change in thinking. We should never fall for the Pharisee way of doing Spirituality. They were whitewashed graves. They looked together on the outside but were full of dead and bones on the inside. There is only one kind of repentence. It is the kind that God requires. Not merely saying I'm sorry. This is why Jesus points outs to the Pharisees that the sins that men commit are far more than they had even though. I know this. I have stumbled in one point and therefore in all points. I am a murder, and a thief, and much more. Yet God has mercy on me.
Hosea 10:12
Sow to yourself in righteousness, reap in mercy:break up your fallow ground:for it is time to seek the Lord, until He comes and rains righteousness on you.
Breaking our fallow ground(our hearts)is only with proufound repentence. This is the only way the word will take root in us. Beware of those who confess Christ yet don't offer an example of continous repentance.
There is no revival with out it. There is no revival with hearts changing. God is faithful to take hard hearts and make them soft. I pray also that I might be an example of repentance. I know that this life in Christ is much more than a list of external things I can accomplish. It is a change in attitude, change in action, change in thinking. We should never fall for the Pharisee way of doing Spirituality. They were whitewashed graves. They looked together on the outside but were full of dead and bones on the inside. There is only one kind of repentence. It is the kind that God requires. Not merely saying I'm sorry. This is why Jesus points outs to the Pharisees that the sins that men commit are far more than they had even though. I know this. I have stumbled in one point and therefore in all points. I am a murder, and a thief, and much more. Yet God has mercy on me.
Hosea 10:12
Sow to yourself in righteousness, reap in mercy:break up your fallow ground:for it is time to seek the Lord, until He comes and rains righteousness on you.
Breaking our fallow ground(our hearts)is only with proufound repentence. This is the only way the word will take root in us. Beware of those who confess Christ yet don't offer an example of continous repentance.
Friday, February 20, 2009
2 Peter 1:3-4
3His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him(A) who called us to[a] his own glory and excellence,[b] 4by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become(B) partakers of the divine nature,(C) having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
If we get to know the transcendent God of the universe this is all we need. This is eternal life that we know the Father. His promises are superior because he is valuable. His word and the things He says are of infinite value. They keep us from the decay that is in the world. If we picture a tree that is decaying, this is the state the world is in. Is promises preserve us and help us eat of this divine nature. When I think of partake I think of everybody joining in and grabbing a slice of pizza or pie.
If we get to know the transcendent God of the universe this is all we need. This is eternal life that we know the Father. His promises are superior because he is valuable. His word and the things He says are of infinite value. They keep us from the decay that is in the world. If we picture a tree that is decaying, this is the state the world is in. Is promises preserve us and help us eat of this divine nature. When I think of partake I think of everybody joining in and grabbing a slice of pizza or pie.
2 Peter 1:3-4
3His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him(A) who called us to[a] his own glory and excellence,[b] 4by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become(B) partakers of the divine nature,(C) having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
If we get to know the transcendent God of the universe this is all we need. This is eternal life that we know the Father. His promises are superior because he is valuable. His word and the things He says are of infinite value. They keep us from the decay that is in the world. If we picture a tree that is decaying, this is the state the world is in. Is promises preserve us and help us eat of this divine nature. When I think of partake I think of everybody joining in and grabbing a slice of pizza or pie.
If we get to know the transcendent God of the universe this is all we need. This is eternal life that we know the Father. His promises are superior because he is valuable. His word and the things He says are of infinite value. They keep us from the decay that is in the world. If we picture a tree that is decaying, this is the state the world is in. Is promises preserve us and help us eat of this divine nature. When I think of partake I think of everybody joining in and grabbing a slice of pizza or pie.
2 Peter 1:3-4
3His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him(A) who called us to[a] his own glory and excellence,[b] 4by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become(B) partakers of the divine nature,(C) having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
If we get to know the transcendent God of the universe this is all we need. This is eternal life that we know the Father. His promises are superior because he is valuable. His word and the things He says are of infinite value. They keep us from the decay that is in the world. If we picture a tree that is decaying, this is the state the world is in. Is promises preserve us and help us eat of this divine nature. When I think of partake I think of everybody joining in and grabbing a slice of pizza or pie.
If we get to know the transcendent God of the universe this is all we need. This is eternal life that we know the Father. His promises are superior because he is valuable. His word and the things He says are of infinite value. They keep us from the decay that is in the world. If we picture a tree that is decaying, this is the state the world is in. Is promises preserve us and help us eat of this divine nature. When I think of partake I think of everybody joining in and grabbing a slice of pizza or pie.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Full Circle
Its funny how life comes full circle. Not that we move to what is safe but we move to what is real to us. Having said that, I find myself in familiar territory lately. Places I had once exited are now the place I call home. First and foremost My church-the church I grew up in is now my home church. Along my journey I have gain much insight and life lesson due to the Grace of God. Also I am rediscovering my love for a subject that I once thought would be my career. I once believed that my love for History would lead me to be a professor one day. While this is not true I have returned with my fascination with History. This has been a pleasant hobby for me. Lastly I have returned to relying on my God given creativity to spice up life. In the search to figure out how to operate in relationships I find that my creativity is better than to imitate those around me.
Just a Praise Report.
DEPRAVITY
The closer we get to God and his holiness the more or sin come to light. The prophet Isaiah encountered God and said woe is me.
We get a glimpse of Gods purity and we get a glimpse of how dirty we are.
I believe our encounters with a Holy God should always contain repentance. At least when he is revealing his Holiness. I question those who encounter God and still walk and talk like they are good people. Woe is me! that shows human pride.
We get a glimpse of Gods purity and we get a glimpse of how dirty we are.
I believe our encounters with a Holy God should always contain repentance. At least when he is revealing his Holiness. I question those who encounter God and still walk and talk like they are good people. Woe is me! that shows human pride.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
TRUE STATEMENT
ONE ACT OF OBEDIENCE IS BETTER THAN ONE THOUSAND SERMONS.
-Dietrich Bonhoffer (author of The Cost of Discipleship)
The Joys of Meditation
Father has shown me in dramatic ways in the last few days the power of purposeful meditation. This is not eastern meditation where I lose some state of consciousness, but I empy out worry and chew on the scripture. Thanks to one of my heroes Richard Foster I have seen the benefit of such a practice as meditation. Many Christian today feel as though study of scripture is the higest duty of a believer. I beg to differ. I am discovering through practice that medition is a divine and lost art. Simply take a scripture and chew on it similarly to how a cow chews his cudd. Regirgitate again and again. Using our imagination to place us in the time and place in which the story takes place. Waiting on the Holy Spirit as He reveals deeper truth in the passage. Take Matthew 9:12 for example. This was my first practice of late. Jesus says it is not those who are healthy who need a physician but those who are sick. The Holy Spirit showed me that I am the one who is sick with sin. He showed me that I have been in the place of the Pharisee in selfrighteousness. He showed me that people are beautiful yet sick with sin. He spent time with me at the table and showed me that He valued me. I was among the sinners and the tax collectors. Let us all attempt to truly mediate on this living word brother. It is almost a forgotten ancient practice. God give us Grace to do so.
Servant of Christ
Jonas Hamilton
Servant of Christ
Jonas Hamilton
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