Month: August 2020

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, SO GREAT IS HIS LOVE for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west , so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12 (Selah, pause and consider that!)

HOW READILY AND HOW FULLY God forgives our sins when we turn back to Him. Repentance is all about turning from our way and our direction and returning to His way.

Two of my favourite Bible stories are about GOD’S CHOICE in the lives of two women who weren’t even Jews, Rahab and Ruth.

I think of Rahab and her family as a prime example of the mercy of God, rescued at ‘one minute to midnight’, just before disaster strikes the city of Jericho. Rahab was listed as an inn keeper/prostitute, the last person many would have considered worthy of rescue, BUT GOD DID! Only Rahab and her family left Jericho alive. Rahab is mentioned in Hebrews 11:31, the chapter on the ‘Heroes of the Faith’ and also in James 2:25 for her acts of Faith.

Ruth the Moabitess, followed her mother-in-law Naomi all the way back to Bethlehem. She wouldn’t leave her, even though the future was so uncertain, no prospects, but she was determined to go with Naomi. To leave her own people and be with the people of God;

Where are you go I will go and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and YOUR GOD MY GOD. Where are you die I will die and there I will be buried. Ruth 1:16

It’s not just that they were examples for us to follow, which they were, but God grafted them into the line of Messiah! They were fully accepted and blessed by God;

Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was RAHAB, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was RUTH, Obed the father of Jesse and Jesse the father of King David. Matt 1:5

I’ve been listening to a series of talks by the late David Pawson, on Simon Peter, entitled ‘The Reed and the Rock’. Simon means ‘reed’ and Cephas or Peter means ‘rock’. Peter was one of the three disciples closest to Jesus for the three years of His Ministry in Israel. Peter swore he would never desert Jesus, as did the other disciples, but Jesus told Peter, ‘before the cock crows, (daybreak) you will deny me three times’. The seriousness of what Peter had done, can be seen in Mark 16:7, when the angel/man from Heaven said, ‘but go, tell His disciples AND PETER!’ Peter was no longer one of the Lord’s disciples at this point, Jesus had to reinstate Peter three times, John 21 to undo his betrayal. Peter was to be the leader and spokesman for the early Church in Jerusalem. Sometimes, one with a high calling has to endure the greatest breaking in life(no further confidence in self) before they can step into all God has for them.

All three of these people suffered great loss and humbling, but all were granted full restoration and high position in the purposes of God. God wants this for you and I, we may have fallen but He has a plan and a place for us to step into today, don’t delay. He loves us greatly.

Father’s Love would be encouraged and blessed to receive donations towards the work of the ministry. Perhaps the Lord is speaking to you today about supporting His work, don’t delay. Donate today on our webpage;

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We’re willing to seek the Lord for prophetic words for those who need personal encouragement, donations would be welcomed. Contact us on our webpage to request your word.

Jars of Clay, ordinary containers holding valuable contents.

We looked yesterday at the woman who poured out the ‘very expensive’ perfume from the alabaster jar onto Jesus body, in preparation for His burial. Mark 14:3 says she ‘broke the jar’ to pour the perfume onto Jesus.

The Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, while confined(imprisoned) in the courtyard of the guard awaiting the Babylonians to enter Jerusalem and deport the people into exile. He was told his cousin, Hanamel, was coming to sell him a field at Anathoth in Benjamin; silver would be more useful than land after they were captured. So Jeremiah bought the land as he’d been told by the Lord;

In their presence(witnesses to the sale)I gave Baruch these instructions: This is what the Lord almighty, the God of Israel says: take these documents,… And put them in a CLAY JAR so that they will last a long time.  For this is what the Lord almighty, the God of Israel, says: houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land. Jer 32:13,14,15

God had decreed disaster for Jerusalem, but just before it happened He gave His Word that in the future, people would return from exile and once again buy and sell property in Judah. The Clay Jar was to be the container keeping God’s Word intact, during the seventy years of exile. That jar held the Promise of Almighty God for the future of the Jews and all mankind, through the Messiah.

Paul, when speaking to the Corinthian Church also refers to the new believers as ‘Jars of Clay’.

But we have this treasure(the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in our hearts) in Jars of Clay(the jar just contains the treasure) to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Cor 4:7

We too contain something which is of great value, God’s own Spirit living in us. Paul continues;

We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that THE LIFE OF JESUS may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus sake, so that HIS LIFE MAY BE REVEALED in our mortal body. 2 Cor 4:10

The anonymous woman broke her jar to release the perfume and anoint the Lord for burial. We too are ‘Light Carriers’ for the Lord, but the Jar of Clay(outer life) has to be broken for His light to be seen. We can tell the Lord we’re willing for Him to break this Jar of Clay.

God bless and keep you today.

 

We looked yesterday in Matthew 25 at the Parable of The Ten Virgins(5 came prepared to wait for the Lord) and the Parable of the Talents(the one who hid his talent was rebuked). This chapter ended with the Lord sitting on His throne and separating the nations/peoples into two groups, the sheep nations(those who will be with the Lord, pray for your country) and the goat nations, those who are rejected and will not be with the Lord.

Matthew 26 is about Jesus’ betrayal and His mock trial; no justice from the religious rulers for the Son of God(and Son of Man). Jesus had to go, He was too much of a threat to the institution governed by the religious rulers of the day. Derek Prince said that the greatest enemy of the True Church (those who know and love Jesus) in our days will be the Harlot Church. An organisation with a religious veneer, an appearance of respectability, but vehemently hostile to the Lord and His people. Organised religion hates Jesus and the Freedom He brings.

Matthew 26:6-13 tells the story of the woman who came to Jesus in the home of Simon the Leper(both of them may have been outcasts to their society).

… A woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. Matt 26:7

No doubt the smell of the perfume spread throughout the house, but some of them were annoyed at ‘this waste’.

Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman?” She has done a beautiful thing to Me(last recorded act of kindness to the Lord, before the sham trial and crucifixion). …she did it to prepare My body for burial(Jesus still patiently explaining things to His followers).  I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.

One anonymous woman was led to anoint the Lord’s body for burial, in a house full of people who didn’t understand the significance of what she was doing. Her faithfulness would be recognised wherever the Gospel was preached. God’s reward system is often very different to what we imagine it should be. This personal act of kindness to the Lord will be recognised everywhere the story is told.

Is God asking us to sacrifice something to Him, something very costly, that others may not understand? Something that once it’s broken can never be put back in the jar but will release a fragrant smell to Him, perhaps only to Him. Personal sacrifices to the Lord will be rewarded here on earth and in the age to come. God sees and knows our hearts and what we’ve given up for Him.

God bless and keep you this day.

 

 

Our time is now! Time to prepare/make ready for the Lord.

Matthew 25 begins with two parables, The Ten Virgins and The Talents. Both involved a time of waiting and how that time was spent.

The parable of The Ten Virgins, waiting for the Lord to come and the wedding feast to begin. They fell into two equal groups, one was wise and one foolish. The wise took their lamps and also some oil, but the foolish took only the oil in their lamps, they had nothing in reserve. They were all virgins and they all had lamps but the wise had extra oil, so what was the oil that made such a difference to their destiny? The Bible doesn’t tell us, but I believe the Virgins  represent purity and probably believers. They all had lamps, which could be light and understanding. The ‘Oil’ I believe is the Spirit and the things of God, or done for God while here on earth. The wise virgins were carrying their own oil, their lamps were burning when the Lord came, after midnight, in the darkness.

Later the others also came, ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said, ‘Open the door for us!’ But he replied, I tell you the truth, I don’t know you. Matt 25:11,12

The question for all of us, ‘Does the Lord know you’? Not our pastor or minister, nor our Church friends, but the Lord? We need to spend time now with the Lord, get to know Him and Him to know us. Set times and also as we go about our daily lives. ‘Practice the Presence of God’ or be ‘God aware’, inviting Him into our lives.

The Parable of the Talents also involved a time of waiting, for the Lord to return. He’d given His servants different amounts of ‘Talents’(giftings or abilities). The servant with the five Talents had gained five more, so had the one with two Talents. The servant with one Talent had buried it and had nothing to offer His Lord. Kjell, the man from Sweden,  whom I used to travel with, said the Lord had put gifts or resources in every nation so that the people could live. God has not given us all the same amount but he’s given each of us something we can use for Him. He calls us to be faithful and serve Him where we can in order that He can reward us.

Remember also, ‘To whom much has been given, much will be expected’. Luke 12:48

Matthew 25 ends with the Lord in all His Glory, sitting over the nations/peoples of the earth and separating them, once again into two groups, sheep(those who followed Him) and goats(those who but/offer excuses or butt with their heads against authority). The principle governing this division;

The king will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me’. Matt 25:40

Helping the Lord’s children who are in need will be treated just the same as helping the Lord Himself, a powerful truth.

We need to use our time here for the Lord so that there will be blessings and rewards at His return.

God bless and keep you today.

Does Jesus have more to show us than we’re seeing now?

After the crucifixion two disciples were walking along the road to Emmaus, talking about all that had happened.

Jesus Himself came up and walked with them; but they were kept from recognising Him. Luke 24:16

They told Jesus what they were talking about and He began ‘to explain to them what was said in the Scriptures concerning Himself’. They persuaded Him to come in and stay with them, as the day was almost over.

When He was at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. THEN THEIR EYES WERE OPENED and they recognised him and he disappeared from their sight. Luke 24:30, 31

The Lord celebrated Communion for them and as He ‘broke the bread and gave thanks’, their eyes were opened!

Were not OUR HEARTS BURNING within us while he talked with us on the road and OPENED the Scriptures to us? They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven(Judas was gone) and those with them, assembled together and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen…”. Luke 24:32, 33

While they were still talking about this, Jesus Himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you”. Luke 24:36

Jesus told His disciples to ‘look at and touch His hands and feet. It is I Myself’! He had to persuade them it really was Him.

Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms(that’s a very complete list and Jesus said He’s there in all of them). Then He OPENED THEIR MINDS so they could understand the Scriptures. Luke 24:44, 45

It’s worth noting that both times the disciples had their experiences BEFORE Jesus showed them what was in the Scriptures. It’s also worth noting that He did take time to show them that what He was saying was in the Scripture, even though they were looking at the Living Word.

We never come to the end of God(He’s infinite), there’s always more to discover. I believe that the Lord wants to reveal some things to us today, perhaps enlighten our understanding of who He really is FOR US PERSONALLY. He’s always willing and available to speak to us; He made the ultimate sacrifice for us to know Him.

Please ask Him what He wants to say to you today.

God bless and keep you, now and always.

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday we saw in Ezekiel 20 how the Lord had given Israel the Sabbath(6 times He called it ‘My Sabbath’) as a sign that He’d made them holy(set them apart for Himself). We also noted God told them, ‘to remove the vile images from before their eyes’ and related this to what is being viewed on various media by us as believers. The Jewish people switch off their Phones, Television and Internet on Shabbat(which begins this evening!), for around  25 hours and this is a challenge to us as believers today. We who have a far better covenant in Christ, paid for by His sacrifice on the cross, the Lamb of God offered in our place.

Ezekiel 20 also gives God’s verdict concerning Israel and their waywardness towards Him and His standards and values.

You say, “We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone(‘their hearts were devoted to their idols’ V16). BUT WHAT YOU HAVE IN MIND WILL NEVER HAPPEN. As surely as I live declares the Sovereign Lord, I will rule over you with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm…”. Ezek 20:32, 33

God would not permit Israel to be like the nations(Jewish people have a fear of assimilation/being absorbed into the world and loosing their identity), His plan for the Messiah to come depended on them remaining holy, separated to Him.

I will take note of you as you pass under my rod and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant I will purge you of those who revolt and rebel against Me. Ezek 20:37, 38

The rod of God speaks of His discipline(His staff speaks of His comfort) and God tells Israel that He will purge them of those who rebel against Him. God promised Israel that He would bring them back from the nations into their inheritance, Ezek 20:42. I believe that this is also happening in the Nations and the Church today, God is sifting people. We are living in a very crucial time in history and God is ‘bringing a people into the bond of covenant with Himself’. We need to cleave/hold tight to the Lord in these days, remember He doesn’t demand perfection, but faithfulness and love towards Him and His ways.

Please support Father’s Love Ministry and help us to continue our ministry to the Lord. Remember, you’re going where you’re giving, your gifts are seen by the Lord and He is faithful.

You can Donate now on our webpage;

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We are willing to seek the Lord for words of encouragement and direction for those who would like  personal help.

God bless and keep you today.

Ezekiel chapter 20 begins with the elders of Israel coming to sit before the prophet and enquire of the Lord.

God is angry with Israel because they have disobeyed His Laws and commands and desecrated His Sabbaths.

Also I gave them MY Sabbaths AS A SIGN between us, so they would know that I the Lord made them holy. Ezk 20:12

God actually calls them ‘MY Sabbaths’, 6 times in this chapter. Time set apart for Him; to be with Him.

Orthodox Jews, both in Israel and outside, strictly observe the Sabbath. They switch off their phones, televisions and internet. I remember a leader living in Jerusalem, saying it was such a blessing(so peaceful), to switch off their phone! I believe many of God’s people today, myself included, have become addicted to technology. It used to be that people couldn’t live without their televisions, for example if they broke down. The problem today has increased many fold with mobile phones, tablets and iPads which are always present. This is a major challenge for us to set aside this technology which has been a great blessing and focus on God. God will not be second to anything else in our lives and the way we spend our time shows clearly what or who is ruling over us. Our flesh always want its own way.

And I said to them, “Each of you, get rid of the VILE IMAGES you have set your eyes on and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt, I am the lord your God”. Ezek 20:7

…and desecrated MY Sabbaths. For their hearts WERE DEVOTED TO THEIR IDOLS. Ezek 20:16

It’s not just a question of HOW MUCH TIME we’re spending on this technology, but WHAT WE’RE FEEDING through our eyes and ears, the gates to our souls! Society has changed so rapidly with technology, WHAT WAS UNTHINKABLE ONLY A GENERATION AGO IS COMMONPLACE TODAY.(‘Vile images’ are the norm on our screens). We have to ask who or what is moulding and shaping/the major influences on our lives and the lives of our families today?

Can we learn something vital from the Jewish people, who faithfully switch off the bombardment of this world from their lives for a day of rest every week?

Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the sabbath”. Mark 2:27

God gave mankind the Sabbath to be a blessing, a day of rest, to reflect and recalibrate our lives. We would be wise to accept His gift and switch off or keep out the world from our lives.

God bless and keep you today.

 

 

Christ in us the hope of glory.

It’s never Christ plus something, it’s only ever about the Spirit of God living through us. 2 Cor 3

Paul speaks much to the Corinthian Church about their position as New Covenant believers. He keeps talking about the Spirit(of God) within them/us instead of obeying Law.

You yourselves are our letter(Living Letter), written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 2 Cor 3:3

We are also a letter from Christ to the world of our day; God has written on our hearts by His Spirit. The old saying, ‘people who don’t or won’t read their Bible will read our lives’. People do read the lives of believers and we may be the only letter they’ll ever read, so it’s important that the Spirit of God is seen in us. It’s not about being legalistic and perfect all the time but having a different Spirit to those around us in the world.

He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant— not of the letter but of the Spirit, for THE LETTER KILLS BUT THE SPIRIT GIVES LIFE. 2 Cor 3:6. In 1 Cor 8:2 Paul says, ‘Knowledge PUFFS UP, BUT LOVE BUILDS UP’.

It’s not about what we know(which may actually make us conceited), it’s about who we are in Christ and how much His Spirit reigns in our lives that will touch those around us.

Paul goes on to talk about Moses and how the Israelites couldn’t look at his face because of the glory. He calls it the ‘ministry that condemns men’ and says ‘the new ministry that brings righteousness’.

Paul says there is a veil covering the hearts of those who hear the Law but don’t know Christ(how many religious people sit in churches today, dull of mind, with this veil over their hearts? We say ‘Gospel hardened’). ‘It(the veil) has not been removed because only in Christ is it taken away. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord the veil is taken away. 2 Cor3:14, 15.

Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the spirit of the Lord is, THERE IS FREEDOM(Praise God, we were made for freedom, not religion). And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect/contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being TRANSFORMED INTO HIS LIKENESS with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Cor 3:17, 18.

Believers have true freedom in Christ and when His Spirit reigns in our lives, others will be touched for Him.

God bless and keep you today.

 

 

 

I have had this verse of Scripture heavy on my heart today. Anne Mccartney

Matthew 16:8.

You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread.
I heard the Father say stop complaining and start praising. Our God inhabits the praises of His people.
He is not a stingy Father.
Start looking up to Him and not down at your circumstances. Change is about to come.
Rejoice again I say rejoice!!

Dying to self, living to the Lord.

With her two daughters-in-law SHE LEFT the place where she had been living and SET OUT ON THE ROAD that would take them back to the land of Judah. Ruth 1:7

Naomi had experienced three deaths(she may have coped with one or even two but all hope was gone), her husband and her two sons. She’d heard that there was food again in Judah and there was nothing left for her in Moab, so she made the decision to return home to her own people.

GO BACK(seems good advice, just go back to where you’ve always been), each of you, to your mother’s home. Ruth 1:8

At this they wept again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but RUTH, clung to her. “Look”, said Naomi, “your sister in law is going back to her people and her gods. GO BACK with her”. Ruth 1:14, 15

God gives us lots of opportunities to turn back but Ruth refused to go back, she clung to Naomi. This in a sense is the FOURTH DEATH in the Book of Ruth. A young woman gave up life as she had known it, with her people, her land where she’d always lived and her gods, to go and serve her mother-in-law. RUTH CHOSE A RELATIONSHIP(a close relationship) to set the future course of her life. Together they left Moab and walked back to Bethlehem.

Ruth’s destiny was with her poor and elderly mother-in-law. When she clung and held on to Naomi and gave up everything else she’d known she walked towards God’s Plan for her life.

We have to die to our plans for God’s purposes to prevail in our lives and be warned, it can be painful and the path may well be tough! God’s path may seem foolishness to those around us because our lives are working on a different compass. We’re not looking for the easiest or most advantageous plans for self, but for our Devine Destiny. Ruth gave up ALL HER PLANS, literally died to herself and began the exciting adventure of walking out someone else’s plan for her. Her destiny was to become the great grandmother of King David and an ancestor of the Messiah.

Many people may set out on the path the Lord has chosen and make the commitment to walk upon it;

But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God”. Ruth 1:16

On the first Sunday of January this year I had a significant  dream. Part of it was that the Lord would deal with my flesh and I can see that God has been bringing to death a number of areas in my life, not an easy experience. Not everyone will be as steadfast as Ruth when passing through the fire, the trials of our lives, but GOD IS FAITHFUL. He works to purify us for our good and for eternity.

Father’s Love is a faith based ministry and we appeal for your support to help us with the work. Please donate now at our webpage;

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We are willing to seek the Lord for personal words of encouragement for any who wish them. Please contact our webpage and request a word.

God bless and keep you today.