kathleen (kathleen)
11-18-2004, 06:53 PM
Dear Friend,
When times of trouble and hardship come our way, we are to have faith that all things will work together for good and not evil. Many times when a problem comes our way, we are quick to murmur and complain and judge that situation as completely negative where no good can come from it. We are to remember that our God created the heavens and the earth simply by speaking
them into existence and when we make our problems bigger than our God, we are in essence tying the hands of Almighty God and saying to Him that He is not able to deliver us from our trials and bring good out of them. Instead, we are to remember the mighty works of God and have confidence that He is with us and will bring good out of every bad situation that comes our way. Be encouraged to not judge your situation as unfixable, but rather see the big picture and know that with God all things are possible. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
I hope you are both encouraged and challenged to trust the Lord at all times and know that all things will work together for good
to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.
JUDGMENT
Judgment means a stalled state of mind. And minds always want judgment,
because to be in a process is always hazardous and uncomfortable. Be very
very courageous, don't stop growing, live in the moment; simply stay in
the flow of life. As this story that happened in the days long ago:
ALL BECAUSE OF A WHITE HORSE
There was an old man in a village, very poor, but even kings were jealous
of him because he had a beautiful white horse. Kings offered fabulous
prizes for the horse, but the man would say, “This horse is not a horse to
me, he is a person. And how can you sell a person, a friend?” The man was
poor, but he never sold the horse.
One morning he found that the horse was not in the stable. The whole
village gathered and said, “You foolish old man! We knew that someday the
horse would be stolen. It would have been better to sell it. What a misfortune!”
The old man said, “Don't go so far as to say that". Simply say that the
horse is not in the stable. This is the fact; everything else is judgment.
Whether it is a misfortune or a blessing I don't know, because this is just
a fragment. Who knows what is going to follow it?”
People laughed at the old man. They had always known he was a little
crazy. But after fifteen days, suddenly one night the horse returned. He
had not been stolen; he had escaped into the wild. And not only that, he
had brought a dozen wild horses with him.
Again the people gathered and they said, “Old man, you were right. This
was not a misfortune; it has indeed proved to be a blessing.”
The old man said, “Again you are going too far. Just say that the horse is
back...who knows whether it is a blessing or not? It is only a fragment.
You read a single word in a sentence - how can you judge the whole book?”
This time the people could not say much, but inside they knew that he was
wrong. Twelve beautiful horses had followed the white horse and came in.
The old man had an only son who started to train the horses. Just a week
later he fell from a horse and his legs were broken. The people gathered
again and again they judged. They said, “Again you proved right! It was a
misfortune. Your only son has lost the use of his legs, and in your old
age he was your only support. Now you are poorer than ever.”
The old man said, “You are obsessed with judgment. Don't go that far. Say
only that my son had broken his legs. Life comes in fragments and more is
forever given to you.”
It happened that after a few weeks the country went to war, and all the
young men of the town were taken to serve for the military. Only the old
man's son was left because he was crippled. The whole town was crying and
weeping, because it was a lost fight and they knew that most of the young
people would never come back. They came to the old man and they said, “You
were right, old man - this has proved a blessing. Maybe your son is
crippled, but he is still with you. "Our sons are gone forever.”
The old man said again, “You go on and on judging. Nobody knows! Only say
that your sons have gone to enter the army and my son has
been forced to stay. But only God, the total, knows whether it is a blessing or a
misfortune.”
Judge not, otherwise you will never become one with the total. With
fragments you will be obsessed, with small things you will jump to
conclusions. Once you judge you have stopped growing. Judgment means a
stale state of mind. And mind always want judgment, because to be in a
process is always hazardous and uncomfortable. So go ahead, enjoy the
journey.
In fact the journey never ends. One path ends, another begins: one door
closes, another opens. You reach a peak; a higher peak is always there. God
is an endless journey. Those who are so courageous that they don't
bother to think about the goal (for it always is there), but are content with
the journey, content to just live in the moment and grow within it, knowing only
there are they able to walk in the totality of this world.
Author Unknown
Think on these things; scripture:
Psalm 118:4-6 “Let them now that fear the LORD say, that His mercy
endureth for ever. I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered
me, and set me in a large place. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear:
what can man do unto me?”
Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”
Psalm 107:19-22 “Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and He
saveth them out of their distresses. He sent His word, and healed them,
and delivered them from their destructions. Oh that men would praise the
LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His
works with rejoicing.”
Revelation 19: 11-16 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
John 14
27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
The Deity of Christ
When times of trouble and hardship come our way, we are to have faith that all things will work together for good and not evil. Many times when a problem comes our way, we are quick to murmur and complain and judge that situation as completely negative where no good can come from it. We are to remember that our God created the heavens and the earth simply by speaking
them into existence and when we make our problems bigger than our God, we are in essence tying the hands of Almighty God and saying to Him that He is not able to deliver us from our trials and bring good out of them. Instead, we are to remember the mighty works of God and have confidence that He is with us and will bring good out of every bad situation that comes our way. Be encouraged to not judge your situation as unfixable, but rather see the big picture and know that with God all things are possible. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
I hope you are both encouraged and challenged to trust the Lord at all times and know that all things will work together for good
to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.
JUDGMENT
Judgment means a stalled state of mind. And minds always want judgment,
because to be in a process is always hazardous and uncomfortable. Be very
very courageous, don't stop growing, live in the moment; simply stay in
the flow of life. As this story that happened in the days long ago:
ALL BECAUSE OF A WHITE HORSE
There was an old man in a village, very poor, but even kings were jealous
of him because he had a beautiful white horse. Kings offered fabulous
prizes for the horse, but the man would say, “This horse is not a horse to
me, he is a person. And how can you sell a person, a friend?” The man was
poor, but he never sold the horse.
One morning he found that the horse was not in the stable. The whole
village gathered and said, “You foolish old man! We knew that someday the
horse would be stolen. It would have been better to sell it. What a misfortune!”
The old man said, “Don't go so far as to say that". Simply say that the
horse is not in the stable. This is the fact; everything else is judgment.
Whether it is a misfortune or a blessing I don't know, because this is just
a fragment. Who knows what is going to follow it?”
People laughed at the old man. They had always known he was a little
crazy. But after fifteen days, suddenly one night the horse returned. He
had not been stolen; he had escaped into the wild. And not only that, he
had brought a dozen wild horses with him.
Again the people gathered and they said, “Old man, you were right. This
was not a misfortune; it has indeed proved to be a blessing.”
The old man said, “Again you are going too far. Just say that the horse is
back...who knows whether it is a blessing or not? It is only a fragment.
You read a single word in a sentence - how can you judge the whole book?”
This time the people could not say much, but inside they knew that he was
wrong. Twelve beautiful horses had followed the white horse and came in.
The old man had an only son who started to train the horses. Just a week
later he fell from a horse and his legs were broken. The people gathered
again and again they judged. They said, “Again you proved right! It was a
misfortune. Your only son has lost the use of his legs, and in your old
age he was your only support. Now you are poorer than ever.”
The old man said, “You are obsessed with judgment. Don't go that far. Say
only that my son had broken his legs. Life comes in fragments and more is
forever given to you.”
It happened that after a few weeks the country went to war, and all the
young men of the town were taken to serve for the military. Only the old
man's son was left because he was crippled. The whole town was crying and
weeping, because it was a lost fight and they knew that most of the young
people would never come back. They came to the old man and they said, “You
were right, old man - this has proved a blessing. Maybe your son is
crippled, but he is still with you. "Our sons are gone forever.”
The old man said again, “You go on and on judging. Nobody knows! Only say
that your sons have gone to enter the army and my son has
been forced to stay. But only God, the total, knows whether it is a blessing or a
misfortune.”
Judge not, otherwise you will never become one with the total. With
fragments you will be obsessed, with small things you will jump to
conclusions. Once you judge you have stopped growing. Judgment means a
stale state of mind. And mind always want judgment, because to be in a
process is always hazardous and uncomfortable. So go ahead, enjoy the
journey.
In fact the journey never ends. One path ends, another begins: one door
closes, another opens. You reach a peak; a higher peak is always there. God
is an endless journey. Those who are so courageous that they don't
bother to think about the goal (for it always is there), but are content with
the journey, content to just live in the moment and grow within it, knowing only
there are they able to walk in the totality of this world.
Author Unknown
Think on these things; scripture:
Psalm 118:4-6 “Let them now that fear the LORD say, that His mercy
endureth for ever. I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered
me, and set me in a large place. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear:
what can man do unto me?”
Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”
Psalm 107:19-22 “Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and He
saveth them out of their distresses. He sent His word, and healed them,
and delivered them from their destructions. Oh that men would praise the
LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His
works with rejoicing.”
Revelation 19: 11-16 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
John 14
27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
The Deity of Christ