Rejoice

Streams in the Desert - Day 362
Click the above and read, it is good

Sing my heart sing, for life is not in the grave yet.
Sing my heart sing, for your heart beats;
Yes, beats in the hope to beat for the Lord again.
Sing my heart sing, for He is faithful, and harks.
He understands the rythms of your heart:
No rythm is a mystery for He who walk my Life.
Sing my heart sing, for in His life, are we free:
Free from the wretched Sin's Power.
Sing my heart sing, for no flesh you got to be,
But Spirit, waliking in the Spirit:
Denying oneself and the cross your yoke.
Sing my heart sing, for His yoke is light.

The Demon

PART I

Long time, after battling the great storms of life, on that dark and calm night there was a person at my door. Knock … Knock ……… Knock … Knock, “Would you let me in”, gently He asked. I opened the door. There before me was a man, with all brilliance. Yes, a Man. Though man, He had the qualities of a divine being.

Being tormented by the people (flesh, flesh indeed) for years, even from the time I was at my mother’s womb, I was frustrated. No one dare comes to me, because of these who dwelt in me. When my parents, well-wishers tried speaking to me, I don’t think they like to stay with me. For I was alone all the time: yes, even with these people, who was there with me right from my birth.

I wanted a change; I let this man within. Immediately all my flesh, aroused in great fear and trembling and knelt down before this man. Crying they asked Him, “Why have You come for us, before the appointed time?”. “Send us, into those creatures (lust, anger, greed, hatred, envy, licentiousness, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, murders, drunkenness, revelry , and such like).”, they pleaded with unison, for they were many. Then said the Son of Man in all authority, “Go.” Then I saw, few hundred thousands of these creatures run out of my house and jumped into the sea.

PART II

Seeing that few of my pets which I had loved, the animals which gave me an earning die, because of this man, I sent Him out and bid Him not to come again.

As days past, Alas, I was back to the same state.

PART III

After many mornings and many nights, many calm and beautiful days and many stormy nights, I heard, yes, I heard the knock again. I let Him in again, for I was all flesh now, flesh indeed. But I was not mean to be flesh but spirit. He did the same as He did previously, and again an army of those filthy creatures fled and died. I rejoiced for The One who could save, had pity on me. And now I am a new being, before I was naked and shameful, now I am clothed by Him, with His righteousness. Now I walk with Him, denying myself and carrying the cross.

Let Him in, and let Him work in You too.

Lord, Save us, else we perish

A beautiful scripture Matthew 8:23- . And here is a commentary that explains it more


Some extracts from the above site

1. Those that can lay their heads upon the pillow of a clear conscience, may sleep quietly and sweetly in a storm
2. Their petition is, Lord, save us. They believed he could save them; they begged he would, Christ's errand into the world was to save, but those only shall be saved that call on the name of the Lord, Acts ii. 21. They who by faith are interested in the eternal salvation wrought out by Christ, may with a humble confidence apply themselves to him for temporal deliverances. Observe, They call him, Lord, and then pray, Save us. Note, Christ will save none but those that are willing to take him for their Lord; for he is a Prince and a Saviour. Their plea is, We perish; which was,
1. The language of their fear; they looked upon their case as desperate, and gave up all for lost; they had received a sentence of death within themselves, and this they plead, "We perish, if thou dost not save us; look upon us therefore with pity."
2. It was the language of their fervency; they pray as men in earnest, that beg for their lives; it becomes us thus to strive and wrestle in prayer; therefore Christ slept, that he might draw out this importunity.
3. Let the sinners in Zion be afraid, let heathen mariners tremble in a storm, but you(a disciple) shall not be so.

God Bless.

Temptations

Hello all,
The Lord has been very good, and faithful during the past days. Yes, He is always good and faithful all the time. It is just we who can't see that.
Remember, Don Meon's song,
"God is good,
all the timr.
Thru' the darkest nights,
His Light will Shine.
God is good, God is good;
all the time."

Thank You, God, for your mercies were new every morning, like the dew of the dawn. thought I will share some stuff regarding Matthew 4:3-11
Jesus, fasted for 40 days. Why? Maybe, Concerning what He would do after He was baptized. Yes, His ministry. He had a burden for what God had assigned Him for. A burden so great that He fasted for 40 days, without which He could have never carried the burden- The Cross. It was God's burden too.
Has God given His burden to you? You may be carring own, right! (lol) "Cast all your burdens, unto Jesus for he cares for you." Your burden, is carried by Jesus, and you carry His. And pray and fast regarding the burden.
Regarding the last temptation, even Judas was tempted the same, but with a smaller magnitude - 30 pieces of silver. I ask myself this question, "Is Eternal life nothing before what the devil has to offer?" I am weak, and have have fallen many a times to this; I pray that I may stand. Help me, Lord, help us all.

Hey, YOU Beelzebul

A blog again!!! Hey, but this time I am rejoicing; for God is dealing with me.

Here is what I faced, late evening.
I informed my mother, of Saturday being a full day (which was unusual, at the most we have half days and sometimes it is a holiday on Saturday). Later, my mother told my father about this. My father, being very doubtful of me, just commented to my mother, that there no full day for any colleges and school on Saturday. This made my mother to call me and started questioning me. I got very angry with this (which was usual, I either get angry when my parents don't trust me or I lie when they trust me) and spoke rudely. Back in my room after the explosion, I asked my self was that necessary. Was it necessary to speak rudely?After all what did they call me, unfaithful and untrue, that is it; I mean indirectly. I thought within myself and asked, "What would Jesus do when He was falsely accused?" Then came this wonderful verse, from some corner of my heart (btw, does my heart have corners . I don't know).
Matthew 10:25 KJV
[25] It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

Then rang a thousand bells within. It was not just speaking rudely, but to silently endure the accusation.
Therefore, my brother endure, silently.

I began to read the context of this verse now. Then I came to the verse in this context, which I thought which was totally out of context.
Matthew 10:26 KJV
[26] Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
"For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known", what was this doing amidst such beautiful verses, I asked myself. But to say the truth, rather my opinion, this verse made the whole context worth reading and not just reading but living. Brother, remember those secret prayer, those secret fast, those secret suffering, those secret endurance and those secret sacrifices; yes, it is these that are going to be revealed and known, when He shall return. Now, since God takes care of those minute details, why not follow the verses above and below verse 10:26. And, Oh! I forgot and even 10:26 also.

Let God help us.
Let us raise our cup daily, that He may make it bigger daily, and fill it till the brim with the Holy Spirit.

9:46PM, November 18, 2005

At the end of the day, I was a little restless. I was praying, and in the corner of my heart I was seeking an experience. Like a be drenched in the rain of joy, or feeling so light that you think you are floating, these feelings the Lord gives; but it is secondary. It is not an experience that God want to fill you with, but He want you to be filled with the Spirit. Then I thought of a former blog of mine, name "Emotions versus Faith". It was a blessing to me when I read it again.

Spirit of Fear

Being tormented by fear, the whole days, I went back to my Lord, to inquire of why this was happening. The Lord showed my two wonderful scriptures. I praise God for that. They are :-

1. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. [2 Timothy 1:7 KJV]
2. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. [Romans 8:15 KJV]

Now, a Christian seeking and living after the Spirit, has not received a spirit of fear. And if there is any such spirit, it is not of God. Therefore, cast those fear and walk after the Spirit.

Let us be continually be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Save his people from their sins

After being defeated, by the .... >:-> , was in pray with my Lord, my comforter. I was meditating on the first promise in the New Testament, viz, "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." [Matthew 1:21 KJV] I was praying that I wanted to be saved from sin. I understood that I was forgiven from sin, that is saved from the penalty of sin. but Jesus didn't come only for that, He also came to save us from the power of sin. And one day, when He comes, then onwards we shall be saved from the presence of sin :) .
As I was talking to God about being saved from the power of sin, I imagined that God is saving me from all the deadly blows of the sin, by putting a shield before me. It was then that I remembered Eph 6.

Ephesians 6:10-19 KJV
[10] Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
[11] Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
[12] For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
[13] Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
[14] Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
[15] And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
[16] Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
[17] And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
[18] Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
[19] And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

I would like to put forth, the verses in Good News Bible (Today's English version) too.
6:10 Finally, build up your strength in union with the Lord and by means of his mighty power.
6:11 Put on all the armor that God gives you, so that you will be able to stand up against the Devil's evil tricks.
6:12 For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age.
6:13 So put on God's armor now! Then when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist the enemy's attacks; and after fighting to the end, you will still hold your ground.
6:14 So stand ready, with truth as a belt tight around your waist, with righteousness as your breastplate,
6:15 and as your shoes the readiness to announce the Good News of peace.
6:16 At all times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One.
6:17 And accept salvation as a helmet, and the word of God as the sword which the Spirit gives you.
6:18 Do all this in prayer, asking for God's help. Pray on every occasion, as the Spirit leads. For this reason keep alert and never give up; pray always for all God's people.
6:19 And pray also for me, that God will give me a message when I am ready to speak, so that I may speak boldly and make known the gospel's secret.

Therefore, Let us do all this in prayer, asking God' help. []

Abraham & Isaac

Abraham

A person after God’s own heart. Complete surrenderence was being studied, by me from the past few days. And here is an example, of what men would call madness; but God would call “FAITHFUL”. Can we learn something here, let the Lord assist to write His words and thoughts on the tablets of our heart⁽¹⁾. I always wondered, and sometimes didn’t even understand what it means to surrender completely; “To give up all”. Here is a man who simple chose to be a moron before the sight of man. When people asked him, “Where are you going”? I think of only one expression what would be on his face. ( :I don’t know: ). At any given time, there was only one person who knew his address and that was God. TRUSTING THE PROMISES OF GOD, COMPLETELY and OBEDIENCE UNTO DEATH. I just simple remember the promises and blessing God gave him. No other man could have got that. Therefore, let us learn from Abraham, to obey, trust and surrender.

Isaac

"...so patient and gentle that peace with his neighbours was dearer than even such a coveted possession as a well of living water dug by his own men; so grandly obedient that he put his life at his father's disposal...", Geikie's Hours.

What has the Spirit, taught us today? ..............

P.S: (1) Knowledge without Practice is same a glass of water, sealed up which can’t be opened in a huge desert, with no water. Just like some people say a PC without a power plug :D .

Be Like Christ

The Lord is marvelously, teaching us to be like Him daily. We just need to ask Him. We need to pray, "I want to be like you LORD".
A man named Suso, prayed this pray once. The next minute, he gets a knock at his door. When he had opened it; a child was put into his hands and a woman cried loudly, "Here is the fruit of your sin". It was loud enough, for the street to hear, and for the street to wag it's tongue about this noble person, who had seen the woman for the first time. The woman left; with a child in his hands, he when went within and asked God, "What shall I do?". There is the silence of his heart, a voice saying, "You wanted to be like me, here is your chance, suffer for the things that you have not done." From that day onwards, this man brought up the child.
Days went by, and there was the woman again, but in remorse, and confessed of her sin before the very same street.
I remember the verse, "I anyone chooses to follow me, let him deny himself DAILY, carry the cross." Luke 9:23

Peace

John 14:27 MKJV

[27] Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I
give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

    When Christ said "..If any man will come after me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." [Luke
9:23 KJV]. He knew beforehand, what we were going to experience. That is why
He gave us His peace. When we are smitten, insulted or slapped, the world may
say, "Forget it this time". But My Jesus, has given His peace for those who
carry the cross daily. It is before this peace no sacrifice will look cumbersome
or an alabaster bottle costly.

Let us trust in His peace.

************************************

My peace I give
unto you

It's a peace that the world cannot give

It's a peace that the world cannot understand

Peace to know, peace to live,

My peace I give unto you.

My love I give unto you

It's a love that the world cannot give

It's a love that the world cannot understand

Love to know, Love to live,

My love I give unto you.

(Play Tune)

*************************************

Questions

    Yesterday, I came across a believer of
Islam via Yahoo Chat. We had healthy discussion, when it came to the moment, my
heart was throbbing. He had a fully loaded barrel of questions, which his
teacher of Quran had thought him, about Christianity. For few minutes, I was
lost in the desert, searching for an answer. I was drained of all courage, to
the point were I asked myself with great fear, "Is all that I believe true?"

    Then, came the Spirit, reminded me of a statement made by a
person on TV. The show was about Dan Brown's book, "The Da Vince Code". He said
that, when he was confronted with things as these (the truth behind Dan Brown's
statement), for which he do not have sufficient knowledge about. He would put
them on a huge dinning table. All the allegations that question Christianity,
such as the truth of the Bible, Mary Magdelene, different biblical versions and
so on, spread on the table. With all this he would also add one more thing, and
this he is very sure of. He would place the fact that, "Jesus died for me,
to forgive me for all my sin". And now, he would ask himself, "What would you
chose, to digest or believe, O my friend?". He continued asking, "What would you
chose, O sinner? What would you chose, O helpless, damned sinner?". "And now you
will know the answer - 'Jesus died for me, to forgive me for all my sin'", he
affirmed.

    Many times we, children of God, get
carried away by factual things of the world. We get involved in proving our
faith and our calling, losing the first love we had for Him. Therefore, never
lose our first love. But Remember therefore from whence
thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto
thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou
repent [Revelation 2:5 KJV].

Thank You God, for sending your Son, for a wretched sinner
like me.

Price

At twilight, I thought of a testimony I read in the morning. It said, "...it (my life) is not for SALE.. ". I felt that God was talking with me. I was in a state were, I had forgotten this truth (the truth that set me free), for a long long time. My life, was being battered by Satan. I praise God for letting me know the truth that, "I AM FREE."
[1 Corinthians 6:20 KJV] For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
[1 Corinthians 6:19 MSG] Or didn't you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don't you see that you can't live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you.
[Hebrews 9:12 MSG] He also bypassed the sacrifices consisting of goat and calf blood, instead using his own blood as the price to set us free once and for all.
Yes, I am bought, with a price. A price which no man was able to pay. What was that price? Oh, it was the cross, the painful and agony filled cross, a cross meant for the greatest of criminal, a cross of curse, the scornful cross (where the Pharisees and the High priests, people who lived right, rather they lived right before the sight of God scorned the one on the cross), the cross where even a robber mocked him that was on the cross, a cross of bitter wine, a cross which was gambled upon. It was just not this, Oh! It was the SON OF GOD on the cross. It didn't finish here, GOD HERE DIED AS MAN. He took the punishment of sin, upon Himself THOUGH He was without sin.
Finally, He said, "IT IS FINISHED". The price was paid, for me soul. Not just mine, but yours too.
I was just wandering for whom did He pay the price for. The very same people, who were with enmity with Him. Oh! I am set free once and for all. Praise God.

Rest

    I was reading
Psalms 116,
an suddenly came across this beautiful verse

[Psalms 116:7 KJV]
Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.

    Where is your rest my friend? When you are
discouraged, what do you do? Go have drink or a puff of smoke, watch TV, yell at
someone, satisfy your lust or DO YOU GO TO GOD? I asked this question to myself.
The reply was obvious; "Anything but God.", said my heart.

    But when I think of his love, how I long
to be embraced by Him. Oh! How I long to lie in peace on His bosom. And always
remember, He is more worried of you than yourself.

    I remember the movie Home Alone, where in the end, the boy is
been hugged by his mother. It was a hug of comfort and relief.

    Whenever we fall, I would like all to
think of Jesus. Jesus, when He carried the cross; I believe would have fallen
under the weight of the cross. He understands all those feeling  when you
tumble and fall, when you are and fall or when the face comes to the ground. He
understands!  He had to be help by a man named Simeon. He has fall for us,
to show that He understand what it means to fall.

Let God help us!


 

Carnality

    I had a burden in my heart today. Something to do with carnality, lust and adultery. I turned to the Bible. Here I was confronted by many words. I praise God, for the Bible, which teaches us of the truth, the way to live. Halleluiah!

    [Romans 8:7 KJV] Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

    John Gill's exposition of this verse, illustrates the extent of enmity between God and carnal man. A few statements which led my heart towards repentence are:

• it forms unworthy notions of him; thinks him such an one as itself; and endeavours to bury him in forgetfulness, and erase out of its mind all memorials of him: it is at enmity against his perfections; either denying his omniscience; or arraigning his justice and faithfulness; or despising his goodness, and abusing his grace and mercy: it finds fault with, and abhors his decrees and purposes; quarrels with his providences; it is implacable against his word and Gospel; especially the particular doctrines of grace, the Father's grace in election, the Son's in redemption, and the Spirit's in regeneration; and has in the utmost contempt the ordinances and people of Christ.

  
  

• It shows itself in an estrangedness from God; in holding friendship with the world, in harbouring the professed enemies of God, in living under the government of sin and Satan; in hating what God loves, and in loving what God hates; in omitting what God commands, and committing what he forbids; it manifests itself in their language, and throughout the whole of their conversations.

  
  

    When talking about Jesus, the High priest in Hebrews 7:16 KJV John Gill explains the real meaning of the priesthood that have been offer onto us.

    Similarly, lust has its effect on us. In the Parable of the Seeds, Jesus Himself tells us that lusts, strangles the word like a plant among thorns in Mark 4:19.

    The following scripture speak in the same note.

• Romans 1:27 MSG  Sexually confused, they abused and defiled one another, women with women, men with men--all lust, no love. And then they paid for it, oh, how they paid for it--emptied of God and love, godless and loveless wretches.

  
  

• Jeremiah 3:6 & 9 MSG  GOD spoke to me during the reign of King Josiah: "You have noticed, haven't you, how fickle Israel has visited every hill and grove of trees as a whore at large? [9] She took up cheap sex-and-religion as a sideline diversion, an indulgent recreation, and used anything and anyone, flouting sanity and sanctity alike, stinking up the country.

  
  

• Hosea 3:1-3 MSG  Then GOD ordered me, "Start all over: Love your wife again, your wife who's in bed with her latest boyfriend, your cheating wife. Love her the way I, GOD, love the Israelite people, even as they flirt and party with every god that takes their fancy."  [2]  I did it. I paid good money to get her back. It cost me the price of a slave.  [3]  Then I told her, "From now on you're living with me. No more whoring, no more sleeping around. You're living with me and I'm living with you."

  
  

    Let us profess our weakness to the Lord, who is able to keep us from stumbling

Trust in the Lord!

Not all true understand or live the above said statement. When I have a burden in me, my well-wishers say, “Trust in the Lord!” I just say fine and I go through it. Later, when the burden is gone, I reflect on those small moments when I trusted the Lord and He delivered me. With gratitude I praise Him.

But, trusting Him only on few occasions (when we are on the low side), makes us a very phony person. I sometimes am so ashamed of such behavior of mine. But praise God, for still loves, and forgave me.

Trusting Him always in every act, is indeed very necessary, without which our purpose of doing the act will not be fulfilled. The purpose being, to glorify Him in all that we do.

1 Peter 2:12 MKJV having your conduct honest among the nations, in that which they speak against you as evildoers, they may glorify God in a day of His visitation, seeing your good works.

Matthew 5:16 MKJV Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.

Here is a classic example, of how God cared even for the Gentiles in the days of the Old Testament.

Jeremiah 39:16-18 MKJV

[16] Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, So says Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring My Words on this city for evil and not for good. And they shall be done in that day before you.

[17] But I will deliver you in that day, says Jehovah. And you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid.

[18] For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me, says Jehovah.