CALLED BY NAME

Have you ever felt it has been hard to emotionally receive the Father's love? The Father demonstrated His love, and gave up His Son.  After the resurrection He sent back the Holy Spirit to shed His love abroad in our new hearts. Why should it be so hard?

I don't confess to have all the answers but for me, it took several years before I could accept His love. I was too afraid to FEEL His compassion. It was one thing for God the Father to love Jesus, He was His son, but why should I be so afraid to receive His love for me?  I was His daughter! I think I have figured it out.

God the Father is a person too.  He has a mind, a will and emotions. On earth the only father love I had ever experienced was my own father; a  man rather distant, too busy, and indifferent. I think he loved me.  He never said so. At least he was in the home and provided for the family. 

At thirty years old when I came to Christ, I brought with me the same emotional feelings of my heavenly Father that I had experienced with my earthly dad. "He was distant, too busy and indifferent. "I think He loves me?"  


One morning when I was in prayer,  I had this vision.  I saw a baby in the arms of Jesus. As He lifted the baby up  before the Father, I heard my name presented before the Throne of Grace, "This is Dorothy Jane ---- I bought her in my blood for You.  Receive your daughter Father."  Jesus then said to me, "Now go and tell others what you have seen.  For every one who I call by name, I do the same."  I laid weeping on the floor. I don't know how long. The love of the Father flowed over me. I have never been the same since. Believe and receive the Father's love for you. He is NOT your earthly father.  You are a child of God, He is your  forever real father, who will never ever forsake you. You can trust His love. It truly is amazing 

Psalm 139 :14-18 and Jeremiah 1:5 

THE BONDAGE OF SELF-PITY

Have you ever felt sorry for yourself? "The why me syndrome?"  I have. It is a horrible bondage, but you don't have to wallow in it any longer.   In my wallowing days, I didn't realized that the enemy was feeding me thoughts of resentment, anger, hate, self-justification, and bitterness. and I was believing for each one of them.  But the worst of it was I was accusing God of not loving me.  Honestly, I didn't even know I had this poison hidden in my heart for years towards my own mother.  I was totally blind and covered it up. I was a Christian and aren't Christians suppose to love their mother?

It was about ten years into my faith when all this sickness was revealed in the my heart. I was in bondage to self pity.  A dear older sister spotted this attitude and helped me to see that I needed to repent. It was a lie.  God did love me.  I just had to look at the cross.   He found me in my iniquity and with His great compassion picked me up out of the mire, took me to the cross, and I died with Him, was buried and raised with Him clothed in His Righteousness.  I never held on to self pity again?  It was gone. Consumed in His death.

 The Lord enabled me to change my mind toward my mother.  God created her and my father to bring me into this world.  Who was I to resent her. I had to forgive her.  She was the best mother she knew to be and the best mother for me.  Within days I was amazed how the Lord had changed my heart.  Self pity was my sin and it cost Jesus His life.  I had no reason to feel sorry for myself any longer.  God does love me and demonstrated it at Calvary.

A NEW MAN: A THOUGHT TO PONDER

Once we believe, and by faith receive, God's love and forgiveness, it opens up a new world. A world foreign to all that we have known. A world where selfishness, pride, greed, envy , violence, and hatred do not rule but are swallowed up by His almighty love. A love that gives itself away to others. All things have become new.

The addictions and private hells that men and women  once faced are dismissed by the power of His Cross.  Jesus has been to the depth hell and come out victorious in resurrection power, breaking the  bondage of sin. In Him, we are apart of a NEW MANKIND. We have never been before.

Joined to Him, Spirit to spirit,  we have been born from above to be part of this NEW KIND OF HUMANITY.  The world around us still may  HAUNT us, but IN HIM, we have come to the ultimate reality.  We are alive for the first time no longer WALKING DEAD MEN SPIRITUALLY SEPARATED FROM OUR CREATOR.  Once we  inhabited the domain of darkness, but now translated into The Kingdom of His dear Son. Colossians 1:13,14.

This NEW COMPANY of people is made up of men and women who  believe that Jesus is the final reality.  He is the Truth , the only way to the Father, He has died in their place for forgiveness of sin and believe that this world is in PROCESS of passing away. 

This company of LOST PRODIGALS have been found, forgiven , MADE NEW, and crazy with JOY. They worship and give thanks and in their gatherings, encouraging one another, " HE IS ALIVE, HE IS PRESENT", establishing them in this NEWNESS OF LIFE. They are new creations. I Cor. 5:17.

Out of death has come new life and a new kind of humanity  from every color and nation that has been created. If you are in Christ you are seated in Him in Heavenly Places.  And it is all by GRACE THROUGH FAITH in the finished work of Christ.  He died in our place, and rose again to bring us home to our Father. 

 On earth today there are three kinds of people groups: the Jew, the Gentile (all the other nations) and the Born from Above believers. All three  groups contain peoples from many nations.  Have you ever thought about which people group you  belong ? Your future  will depend on it. Only the new group created out of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus will see Heaven. Repent, Believe and Receive the Holy Spirit ." YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN." 
John 3:3-7

IS JESUS THE MESSIAH?

I have something interesting to share with you.  Do you remember how on the cross Jesus cried out "Eli, Eli, Lama sabachthani?"My God my God why have you forsaken me?"  I have always wondered why. I assumed that it was at that time He became my sin and the Father had to turn His head away.  I think it is still good a reason, however, I would like to share another thought to ponder.

If Jesus was the Messiah, where was the proof? When Jesus cried out on the cross, "My God my God why hast thou forsaken me?", He was singing in His weaken voice Psalm 22, " My God My God why have you forsaken Me' The Jews knew this song.  When Jesus sang it from the cross He was declaring , "I am He."  The Jews were very familiar with this Psalm and believed that the Messiah would quote it when He came. In fact, someone near the cross said,"Surely He must be the Messiah!" 

Another interesting situation that Jesus wanted to proof His Messiahship was when Jesus intentionally waited four days before He arrived at Lazarus' tomb.  Mary and Martha were all upset and wondered why Jesus took so long.  After three days a dead body starts to decay and stinks.  One knows it is dead.  Jesus knew exactly what He was doing by waiting.  Again He used this opportunity to declare His Messiahship .  (John 11:21-25)

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection , and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead yet shall he live." 

His resurrection is the foundation of our faith.  If He is not risen than we are still in our sins.  Jesus truly is the Messiah.  I know He is alive because He lives within my heart. The sinner ( me) has died in Christ, is buried in Him and am raised to newness of life. God's word is true: repent, be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit.