notes to self | in all your ways acknowledge Him

Hi all,

It's been a long time since I posted. Life has been busy, and whilst I've still had things to share, they've more been personal revelations for me, that I've scribbled down somewhere and never quite gotten round to sharing. I'd like to share them as I think they can bless for you too, so that's what I'm posting today, notes to self



If I've decided to trust God with my life, then I should be able to trust Him with every aspect of it; the really big things, but also and maybe especially the small things.

'In all your ways acknowledge (include) Him'

- Proverbs 3.6


So when I choose to do my own thing, knowing God has said to do otherwise, what I'm essentially saying is that I don't trust God with every aspect, and that I know better.

And a lot of the time maybe this is subconscious. We just do things the way we always do them...but there is gold to be found in asking God for His opinion, His knowledge and understanding are far greater than ours.

Gracious Speech

The bible tells us in Proverbs 18.21 that life and death are in the power of the tongue. For this reason it's so important we take care with our speech. The right word spoken at the right time is such a blessing to the one who hears it (Proverbs 15.23) and making sure that what we say as Christians especially, brings life and hope, father than condemnation or judgement is so important.

Paul sums it up perfectly when he says in Colossians 4.6:

"Let your speech always be with your grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how to answer each one"

When we speak, God's loving and gracious nature has to come across. This is less something that we can force to happen, and more something that happens as a result of total immersion in God's word. The bible tells us that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Luke 6.45, Matthew 12.34). What this means is that what we say, is a by product of how we actually feel, of what is really in our hearts.

God's word acts as a mirror for us, so that the more time we spend with God, the more we receive the revelation of His love, grace and mercy, and the easier it is for us to impart that same grace to others.

"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

- 2 Corinthians 3.18

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"A man’s heart plans his way,But the Lord directs his steps."

 - Proverbs 16.9

For the Gospel of the Cross is of mercy, grace and forgiveness

"Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots."

- Luke 23.34

It amazes me to know that even as Jesus died, nailed to the cross and soldiers dividing up His clothes between them, mocking Him, He pleaded with His heavenly father to forgive them in their ignorance.

Would you? Think about it; if someone had taken away your clothes, whipped you and made fun of you, would you want to plead on their behalf? Would they even deserve to have you plead on their behalf?

The most obvious and natural response is no.

And yet, this is what Jesus did for us. He died once and for all [Hebrews 9.28, Romans 6.10] for the people that daily mock Him, ignore Him, call Him a fraud, torture Him.

While we were still sinners Christ died for us [Romans 5.8], so that in divine sacrifice, He would take our sin on His shoulders and the suffering that came with it [John 1.29], so that in exchange we could inherit the kingdom of God; mercy, grace and forgiveness, once and for all [Hebrews 4.16, Hebrews 10.10, Proverbs 8.35].

I've played the song below on the blog before, but really feel it laid on my heart again. The lyrics are beautiful and I have posted them below the video:

To bring this world to life

To heal this heart of mine

Your grace enough

Your grace enough

To mend this world in need

To break the chains in me

Your grace enough

Now this means love

The weight of all our sin upon His shoulders

That we should all be called Your sons and daughters

Father,

Let heaven and earth collide in the endless wonder

Of Your love upon the cross

We will follow

And offer this life forever to see Your love unfold

Adopted as Your own

Alive to make You known

Now this means love

This means love

For the lost and for the broken

For the slave and for the orphan

For everyone to realize Your love

From the famous to the faceless

From the beggar to the king

For everyone to realize Your love

You restore the broken hearted

You bring freedom to the captive

For one and all

Forever this means love

All Your children come together

All Your sons and all Your daughters

Your grace enough

Forever this means love

My Vision - "Your Kingdom come... on Earth as it is in Heaven"

Have you ever thought about what the last part of the prayer in Matthew 6 is all about?

"Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven."

-Matthew 6.10

It's about bringing heaven to Earth. It's about doing things on Earth, the way God does them in heaven. As I move abroad to start a church with others, here are some of the ways I would really love to see heaven come to Earth:

1. SELF SUFFICIENCY WITHIN THE CHURCH - Acts 4.32: "Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common"; Acts 4.34-35: "Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need."
2. LOVE DEMONSTRATED, ALWAYS - John 13.34: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another"; John 15.12: "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you"; John 15.17: "These things I command you, that you love one another."
3. GRACE OVERFLOWING - Colossians 4.6: " Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one"; Proverbs 16.24: "Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body."
4. MARRIAGE AS GOD INTENDED - Ephesians 5.25: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her"; Ephesians 5.28: "So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself"; Colossians 3.19: "Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them"; Ephesians 5.22: " Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord"; 1 Peter 3.1: "Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives"; Titus 2.4: "...admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children..."
5. MERCY AND FORGIVENESS - Matthew 6.14: "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you"; Luke 6.37: "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven."
6. SELF-DISCIPLINE, RATHER THAN OVER-INDULGENCE - Proverbs 25.28: "Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls"; 1 Peter 1.13: "So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world"; 2 Peter 1.5-6: "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;"
7. HONESTY - Ephesians 4.25: "Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,”for we are members of one another"; Proverbs 12.17: "He who speaks truth declares righteousness, But a false witness, deceit."
8. DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT - Deuteronomy 6.6: "And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today"; Deuteronomy 11.18: "So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders."
9. LIVES TRANSFORMED - Romans 12.2: "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what isthat good and acceptable and perfect will of God"; 2 Corinthians 3.18: "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

"Jesus told him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life, no-one can come to the father except through me'" - John 14.6

I was minding my own business today when I just felt God drop this verse in my heart. Then I was reminded of these verses-

"For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the Lord. They rejected my advice and paid no attention when I corrected them. Therefore they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way, choking on their own schemes."

Proverbs 1.29-31

Our greatest sin as human beings was pride. We tried to live independent of God.

His word says that He is THE way, THE truth, and THE life. The use of the word 'the' suggests there is only one way to do things and it's HIS way, not ours.

This means when we are making those daily decisions, big or small, our primary motivator should be whether it's the way He would want it done.

So many times in the past (and even today) I know I have treated God like His plan for my life is a back up plan if mine falls through, when actually, His plan should be my plan.

It's easier said than done. Our natural human nature repels against it, after all. But His ways are higher than our ways, and His plan for each and every one of us is for good.

Deciding to go His way is a constant sacrifice, it means we can't keep our lives the exact same way that they are, but rest assured, what God has in store is so much more than all you'd have without Him.

"If your first concern is to look after yourself, you'll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you'll find both yourself and me."

Matthew 10.39 [The Message]