Blogged Bible Study-Galatians 4-Grasp the Grace

Galatians 4:1-7 (NIV)

What I am saying is that is as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from the slave, although he owns the whole estate.  He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. But when the time had fully come, GOD sent his Son, born of a woman, under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive the full rights of sons, God sent the Spirit of HIS son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father”. So you are no longer a slave, but a son, God has made you an heir.

This is the beauty of Grace.  Once asking a Pastor what exactly is Grace, we sing about it, we throw it around like a 5 dollar word in Christian circles, and at that time I had no concept of what it actually was.  I was answered with “God’s riches at Christs expense”. Sums it up..still left me empty to the meaning, or application for me.  These verses opened it up for me.  Grace we are swimming in it!! Not only is HIS Grace sufficient for me, and you, there is nothing that will remove you from it as a believer in Christ.  As a son we are inheritors to the Kingdom, we are IN, and all because of the gift of Christ to die for us.

The mind of Christ. Always asked this one too..How can one have the mind of Christ? No one could actually answer that for me, or even admit that we do. But it says..the Spirit of Christ has moved into residency in our hearts! (Swimming in it! grasp this)  His Spirit intercedes for us, HE cries out “Abba , Father”  (Daddy , Father) Where we fall is here.  NO matter what you struggle with, NO matter what I struggle with..right here.  At times we are thinking as the slave, under the Law, forgetting the marvelous gift of Grace that was given to us. Please don’t tell me that you do not ever do this. If we truly grasped this, nothing could stop us in ministry, in our families, in our devotional time, in spreading the fragrance of Knowing HIM, our boldness for the kingdom with just scream from us!! It is not a light thing that HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR US! It means whatever is brought your way, God has already seen HIS Glory fulfilled in it, and you will also see HIS Glory if you don’t turn from HIM.  SWIMMING IN IT! THIS IS SOMETHING TO w00t!!! Holla!!! all about!!!

(in the middle column you will find a list of names and days that they will posting as we study together through Galatians. Under the header of “Carls Blogging Bible Study, check them out, and leave some comment luv)

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(At Our Creative Community, we are all pressing hard into the calling the LORD has put on our heart to pursue. They hold me accountable, and they are precious children of GOD, doing awesome things in HIS strength..please check them out, and if you feel led, join in…)

The Holy Spirit..a gift to you…straight from God the Father, made possible through Jesus Christ. An AMAZING gift!  

I Corinthians 2:12

We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.

When I receive a gift, I explore it! I want to know everything about it, and how it applies to me. SO while studying, the application to self is huge. And not only for me, but for every believer.

I Corinthians 2:10-11

but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

The Holy Spirit searches and knows the deep things of God! HE knows HIS thoughts! try wrapping your mind around that for a while. HE lives in you…

Romans 8:26-27

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

God knows the mind of the Spirit as well as the Spirit knowing HIS..and the Spirit prays/intercedes for us! This is something to do the a happy dance about!  SO many times in weakness, and in walking through the fire, we just don’t know how to pray, and we lay it at HIS feet, and the Spirit of God already knows the plan and is interceding for all that is necessary to complete the plan, and bring us to the exact place that God has already planned for us.

This is just another taste of what I have been working on as I press on to fulfill my calling, learning more about the gift that GOD has given us to insure we are overcomers.  Ultimatly, its your choice to follow the Spirit or grieve HIM.  But the Gift remains..

What do you do with a new gift? How do you respond to its application for you personally?  (I am not looking for a Christianese answer, I am looking for your answer to how you recieve a gift, holidays or otherwise)

Blogged Bible Study – John 19 (Prophesy fulfilled)

As we enter the Holiday Season, there is no better time to look at the crucifixion of Christ.  Christmas is not about a cuddly baby in a manager scene (although I have mine out also).  Its about God fulfilling Prophesy, and showing us that HE will do what HE says HE will do. THe plan of GOD to redeem us, and save us from certain death, eternal torment, from our wicked ways.  No greater love, huh?

Prophesy

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, for unto us a son is given…

Fulfilled

Luke 2: 4-7  the baby is born..

Prophesy

Isaiah 52: 13-15, 53  He will be lifted up, HE will be beat and unrecognisable, dispised, crushed for our inquities, punishment that brought us peace will be upon HIM, by HIS wounds we are healed…like a sheep to the slaughter..no words of rebellion, no words of deceit..God’s will to crush HIM for our sin..redemption is promised…

Fulfilled

John 19:30  “it is finished”

Oh Dear one, let this settle down into the very depths of your heart.  Long before your family tree was a seedling, you were chosen by the King of Kings, and if you are struggling with believing GOD in your life for whatever you are needing..or whatever HE said that you feel in not applied to you..God always comes through, and HE is believable…HE did what HE said in this chapter of John, and HE will do everything that HE has said…So many read this and say, “How barbaric!” but the prophesy needed to be fulfilled..Because God does what HE says..and there is truly no greater love than this.

As we celebrate the coming holidays, remember it was the Prophesy beginning to unfold, there is not alot of prophesy to unfold yet, but make no mistake, it will.  And Jesus will return for the ones who believe, the ones the Father has already given to HIM, and the crucifixion will show the great need we have had all along for this prophesy to be fulfilled.  Thank you Jesus for being obedient even to death on a cross..and being the Way the Truth and the Life…Precious!

(please read through the scripture listed above, as I have only given a summary of each..be blessed…HE loves you so! please read the other entries of this chapter in the “Carl’s Blogged Bible Study”  Peace)

Blogged Bible Study – John 17 Jesus Prayed…

While reading through this chapter, I am flooded with lots of thoughts, lots of praise, and in awe that Jesus would pray for the disciples (17:6-18) and not only them but for us (17:20-26).  I wonder if we all crossed HIS mind while praying. (just my wonder at HIS infinity) Also praying for HIM self, to return to the Glory in GOD’s presence that HE had before the world began. (17:5)

John 17 is a prayer. Jesus (God the Son) prayed to God (God the Father) for HIMself to be glorified having completed the work that HE was sent to do.

Interesting-(v.3) Now this is eternal life; that they may know you, the only true God,and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.  (NIV) 

Jesus prayer for the disciples is for unity (v. 11) and protection against the evil one (v.15).  This is also in the prayer that Jesus modeled in “Lord’s Prayer” Matt. 6:13…”deliver us from the evil one” .  In every chapter of John we see over and over HIS divinity, and the authority that God has given HIM, the power to forgive sins, and to save.   At times is seems repetitious, and we must not allow the familiarity of it all to cause us to fall to complacency.  HE is God the Son, and HE is man…on HIS knees praying for those the Father has given to HIM…for them to KNOW GOD, and to be with HIM, to Share in the LOVE that they have for each other and for the believer to be filled with Love.  Amazing!  If this isn’t enough…then Jesus prayed for me, and HE prayed for you, the believers who believe because the Gospels were written…Thank you Jesus.

A Prayer for you, by the Son of God (and yes I believe the SON gets what HE asks for)

²⁰“I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; ²¹that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

²²“The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; ²³I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. ²⁴“Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

²⁵“O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; ²⁶and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”(NASB)

Oh Praise HIM!  The creator of the Universe, Holy, and Pure…your creator, did not just send you off to figure this all out on your own, HE is making things clear to us through HIS spirit, and was on HIS knees for you and me…yes its that personal!  Embrace it…

(for the rest of the study posts and days go here, please do read them)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Healing, restoration, and a smile

Its been one of hardest weeks, as far as spirituality.  Just a constant up and down of emotions, and choices.  I read a post yesterday that touched my heart more than the author could have ever known.  HE reminded me that we live in a world that is not perfect. And alot of what we experience is also experienced by others.  It seems that when my weeks are tough, old pains seem to surface, and I find myself back at HIS feet, asking why?  I have forgiven, I have repented, I have chosen YOU, and at these times the pangs and the mind seem to run rampant.  While reading this gentlemans post, I came face to face with Jesus and how HE truly felt my pain and yours as a man, sinless, all GOD in bodily form. 

 As I was confronted again with the past, I was also in the shadow of HIM.  HE spoke to my heart…”I was there, I know what you felt, I felt it too. I know every tear you cried, I cried too.   I know your anger, death angered me too.  It was not supposed to be this way, Sin did this…not ME.  What I was doing was building the bridge to bring you back to where your heart will never feel these things again.  Now believe ME.”

Jesus heals and restores, and puts a smile back on my face and in my heart.  HE just seems to do it a piece at a time, and as each piece surfaces…HE requires me to talk it out with HIM.  See, I have been praying for resurrection power over my heart, and HE says “Come, let me heal that”.

If you are not reading any of the Bible study entries on John, I want to encourage you to do it.  And please please please do not miss this post on the NorEasters blog.  Incredible!  (oh and don’t just lurk…leave the man some comment luv!)

YOU SHOULD KNOW/AND DON’T FORGET!

If you don’t know my Jesus, and you feel like you have no way out, I would like to encourage you to take a look at this video.  Its not new, its been around for a while, and everytime I see it, it reminds me of where I have been and where I am now.  The things that used to keep me in bondage.  And how Jesus is the only way out.  This is not an elite club of believers, This is not about status, or geography.  Its not about the color of your skin, its all about God who loved enough to die to for you to satisfy HIS own wrath against the sin.  Offering deliverance.  We only need repent and bow to HIM, make HIM the King of our life, and follow after HIM.  And it all starts out with knowing that HE is there reaching out for you, reach back and its on!  I love theology (or what I understand of it, as I am still learning), but I never want to forget what HE has done for me because HE loves me.  I can not and will not down play that Love of Jesus, it all started with HIS love.

If you do know HIM, please do not forget, that as we learn and grow, our theology and our reality must merge, and be one…or else its useless.