The love of God is often likened to a vast and mighty, rolling ocean.  When a man falls in love with Jesus there is no pressure in that love.  Selfish agendas disappear when I lose myself in that ocean, and only Jesus is seen.  Problems arise when I refuse to stay “hidden in Christ” and the flesh life strives for recognition.  God looks at the heart and judges my motives.  Striving for my own way, my stubborn will, I may see as “gain”.  I may glory in my achievments and desire men’s praise and recognition, but Philippians 3:7 brings God’s perspective:  “But what things were gain to me, I counted loss for Christ”.

I have to get out of “the picture”.  If God could get one man to walk in total truth and transparency before Him, a nation could be changed!  My responsibility before the Lord is to “get right”, not to put others right.  Jesus put Peter right on this matter.  Peter was asking Jesus about his fellow disciple.  Jesus simply told Him,  “…….what is that to you?  You follow me”,  (John 21:22).    Stay true to the Master, God will take care of the others.

Proverbs 16:7 declares “When a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him”.  What is the criteria for a man to please the Lord?  When He sees the life of His Son, Jesus Christ, flowing through a surrendered vessel, God will commit Himself to that person.  When He sees the flesh life operating, the old nature, He stands back and is notably conspicuous by His absence when man operates in a wrong spirit.  God will not commit Himself to that!  A house divided against itself cannot stand.

In Mark 10: 46-52 we find the record of Jesus healing blind Bartimaeus, who was sat begging  by the highway as Jesus passed by.  When he heard it was Jesus passing by, Bartimaeus cried out, “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!”  By calling Jesus the son of David, he recognised the royal lineage of the Messiah.  He knew who he was addressing!  Jesus commanded the man to be brought to Him and asked Bartimaeus, “What do you want me to do for you?”  Bartimaeus simply answered, “Lord, that I might receive my sight”.  Jesus recognised the man’s faith and said, “Go your way, your faith has made you whole”.  Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus.

When we recognise our spiritual blindness and lack of understanding, we see our need of spiritual insight.  In humility, we can call on the Lord, and today, He asks us, “What do you want me to do for you?”  I have need to see life through God’s eyes, His perspective, spiritual insight……blind eyes made to see……to see God in all things……to place His name over and above all situations and relationships……to worship IN the storms of life.  May we cry like the psalmist, “Lord, give me an undivided heart”.

God is not after my willingness, but after my surrender.  When I surrender to Him, “God works in to will and to do of his good pleasure”, Philippians 2:13.  He makes me willing, His is the credit, to God be the glory!

Tongue and interpretation from our Skype virtual Gathering Sunday a.m.

“For the eyes of your heart have been holden.  You have been blinded by the darkness you have looked into.  A concept nothing to do with Me.

Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, the things that I have prepared for you.  But I shall reveal it by My Spirit.

There were times when you appeared to look for My purpose, but My purpose is imparted to those who walk humbly with God.  You will look and search in vain unless you fulfil My terms and conditions.  There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.   But I have imparted life and life abundantly.  It is only in My Son you will find the way of everlasting life.  Only in Him that I have purposed for fulfillment of what I have birthed and called you for, and by My Spirit, you shall come unto Me”.

Call unto Me and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things that thou knowest not.   (Jeremiah 33:3  God’s telephone number!)