My Jesus, My Judas

Jesus offered Judas a place among the 12 and a bigger place in HIS heart. No reason was good enough for Jesus to exclude Judas, not even the betrayal HE knew that was coming. When Jesus washed the feet of Judas  after the last supper, Jesus knew that would be the last thing HE would do for Judas.  HE would have been more burdened about what was going to happen to Judas after the betrayal, than about what was going to happen to HIM.   

Jesus washing the feet of HIS disciples is recorded in John Chapter 13.  This section ends with a beautiful verse.  “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them”. (John 13:17).

HIS invitation is clear.  WASH THE FEET.  If God decides to include a Judas in my life, HE expects me to wash the feet of my Judas.   My knees may not bend before my Judas, my hand may not reach for his feet, and my heart may rebel against it.  But I pray on that day, my eyes will be fixed on the Father and not on the Judas before me or the people around me, that I will have the strength to kiss the feet that will run off to betray me, and that I will have the heart of Jesus to be concerned about the one who is about to destroy me, more than what is going to happen to me.  I pray on that day I will find security in HIS words and not in my actions.   

While writing this, I remembered the song “None but Jesus” is it a coincidence or did the Holy Spirit who prays through us, gave it to me as a prayer for the day I will wash the feet of my Judas;

In the chaos, in confusion
I know you’re Sovereign still

In the moment of my weakness
You give me the grace to do your will

When you call I won’t delay 
This is my song through all my days

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU5KOCOodFE

The Place Called 'There'

The Place Called There was shared by Bro. Johann Amaratunga on the VCRL  http://groups.google.com/group/risenlordcommunity/?pli=1 in June 2008.  Over the past three years I read it many times, and it has blessed me, challenged me and has sent me back to The Place Called 'There'.  With Bro. Johann's permission, I am sharing it here.   

I am inspired to share this about Elijah!  

After great victories come great temptations. This is primarily because we lose our sense of humility and dependence upon God. Elijah had successfully defied the king, his armies, his prophets, and all the people in the nation. But the next day, a note from a woman caused him to run in terror (1 Kin. 19:2-3).  Praise The Lord!

The Lord appeared to Elijah and asked, "What are you doing HERE, Elijah?" (1 Kin. 19:9). Elijah wasn't "THERE" anymore. His place called "THERE" was back in Samaria. People were now worshiping the true God, but Elijah had run away in fear, leaving the people without a leader.

This resulted in the Lord replacing Elijah with Elisha. Elijah's ministry fell short of what it could have been. The Lord actually spoke to Elijah in an audible voice. He told him to do three things, one of which was to anoint Elisha to replace him (1 Kin. 19:15-16). Elijah anointed Elisha (1 Kin. 19:19), but didn't do the other two things. That means Elijah failed in two-thirds of the things the Lord told him to do. He was blown away from his earlier victories.. That's amazing.

Well this was not the end of Elijah's mission!!.. Elijah went on to prophesy (1 Kin. 21:17-24), and he called the fire of God down two more times (2 Kin. 1:9-12). And most impressive of all, Elijah never died; he was caught up into heaven by a whirlwind (2 Kin. 2:11).

This man, who failed miserably, still walked so closely with God that he never died. This speaks volumes to us.

He uses us in spite of what we do, and not because of what we do.

 If we will hold on to our faith, we can still experience wonderful things from the Lord even after failing BIG TIME…

I'm convinced that the great love that God has for us always causes Him to supply all our needs. It's obvious that we don't always receive those provisions, not because God isn't faithful to give, but because we aren't all "THERE". There is a place called "THERE" for all of us, where we act in obedience to what the Lord has called us to do. That's where God's supernatural supply is. The supply is always "THERE", waiting for our arrival.

The answer to all the present Crisis's go to the place "THERE"

May this be an inspiration to the many Elijah's we sometime become!!

Praise The Lord!

Johann

Dare to Believe

I was thinking of Moses this morning… when Moses went to meet the Pharaoh, all that the Pharaoh saw in Moses was a loser – a fallen Prince of Egypt, who was planning a “Mission Impossible” against him.  No wonder the Pharaoh didn't take him seriously! 

The loser took Pharaoh by surprise when he marched the Israelites out of Egypt with the wealth of the Egyptians… into the desert, through the red sea into the Promised Land.  What the Pharaoh failed to see was that Moses was a man sent by God, and God walked before Moses.

Moses did not walk into the palace of Pharoah without a clue… he knew what the Pharaoh was capable of, but he also knew what God was capable of.  He knew the challenges that he would have to face on the way to the Promised Land, but HE believed in the providence of God.  He heard the complaints of his fellow Israelites in the desert, and even the personal attacks against him, but he chose to listen to God. 

When God calls us, HE does not make us blind to our circumstances, but opens our eyes to see beyond them, to see what HE is capable of.  He does not make us deaf to the world around us, but he opens our ears to hear HIS voice.  HE does not make us immune to the hurtful things we may have to face, but HE gives us the strength to rise above them.  

If we continue to believe in our circumstances, they will continue to overwhelm us.  But if we dare to believe in God and what HE is capable of, we shall see the Promised Land.

Soldier in the Army of God, by B.J. Morbitzer

I am a soldier in the in the army of my God.
The Lord Jesus Christ is my Commanding Officer.
The Holy Bible is my code of conduct.
Faith, prayer and the Word are my weapons of warfare.

I have been taught by the Holy Spirit

Trained by experience,
Tried by adversity and tested by fire.

I am a volunteer in this Army,

And I am enlisted for eternity.
I will not get out, sell out, be talked out, or pushed out.
I am faithful, reliable, capable, and dependable.
If my God needs me, I am there.

I am not a baby. 

I do not need to be pampered, petted, primed up,
Pumped up, picked up, or pepped up.

I am a soldier.
I am not a wimp.
I am in place, Saluting my King,
Obeying His orders, Praising His name,
And building His kingdom!

No one has to send me flowers, gifts, food, cards or, candy.
I do not need to be cuddled, cradled, cared for, or catered to.
I am committed.

I cannot have my feelings hurt bad enough to turn me around.
I cannot be discouraged enough to turn me aside.
I cannot lose enough to cause me to quit.

When Jesus called me into His Army, I had nothing.
If I end up with nothing, I will still come out ahead.  I will win.

My God has and will continue to supply all of my needs.

I am more than a conqueror.
I will always triumph.
I can do all things through Christ.

Devils cannot defeat me.
People cannot disillusion me.
Weather cannot weary me.
Sickness cannot stop me.
Battles cannot beat me.
Money cannot buy me.
Governments cannot silence me.
And Hell cannot handle me.
I am a soldier.

Even death cannot destroy me.

For when my Commander calls me from this battlefield

He will promote me to Captain
And then allow me to rule with Him.
I am a soldier in the Army,
And I’m claiming victory.

I will not give up.
I will not turn around.
I am a soldier,
Marching Heaven bound.

Riding on the wings of the Eagle...

So much has happened since my last post… “The longest three weeks of my life”.

My boys used to call me a “worrier” because I used to be over protective of them.  For this very reason, when my eldest son told me of his desire to sign on with the army, I found it very difficult to accept his decision.  I feared for his life, I feared for his soul, I feared for his journey with God… and it was with all these fears that I fell at the feet of Jesus.

At the feet of Jesus, I remembered a promise that HE had given me in Isaiah 59:21 “"As for me, this is my covenant with them," says the LORD.  "My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever," says the LORD.

At that point, I held on to the promise of God… HIS promises stand firm even when I don’t like my circumstances or when I can’t understand my circumstances.  When I started to believe HIS promise, a peace and joy that I could not explain filled my heart.  From that point onwards, we started to witness signs and wonders that confirmed the promise of God.

1. The Captain who was in-charge of my son’s unit started to inspire my son both as a soldier and as a man of God.
2. The recruits sharing my son’s bunk started to borrow and read his Bible.
3. My son personally began to experience the hand of God upon his life.  Once he told me “I have a reputation among my army buddies for having unending energy and strength.  And it reminds me of Psalm 121 which says “I lift up my eyes to the mountains, where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth”.
4. On the 14^th of December, we were attending a very anointed wedding of our nephew, and just when the couple was entering into the covenant of marriage, I received a call from my son, who was about to sign his contract with the Army.  I could not think of a better moment for him to sign on, and I cried... not because I was sad about my son’s decision, but because I saw God using the most appropriate moment... a moment when the anointing of God was in that place and HIS presence was so tangible.  I cried because God can be so intimate, so involved and so much part or our lives, even to the tiniest detail. 

Just few days ago, my son completed his Basic Military Training and passed out as a Trained Soldier.  When he did, he was named the Company Best Recruit.  His photograph appeared on the Ministry of Defense website, with the words “Eagle” appearing just above his name.  Is it a coincidence or another sign from God that HIS hand is upon the young soldier?

“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

The longest three weeks of my life...

The longest 3 weeks in my life ends today, and my son will be home for the first time after he enlisted for National Service. 

During our almost daily telephone calls I felt that he was changing, from the carefree young man I called my son to a soldier who has begun to train and live for a purpose bigger than him.  Yes, I am proud of him and I am also accepting that his world is growing bigger from being my son to being a soldier, and soon, a boy friend, a husband, a father… and simultaneously his world as my son will grow smaller, and less important. 

This morning as I was in prayer, I realized, may be God too would have dreaded at the thought of sending me into this world for my “national service”.  He would have watched my world over here growing bigger than HIM, and HE becoming a less important part of my life.  He saved me from myself by sending storms and angels to make me come to my senses and realize who I am and why I am here.

While in prayer this morning, I realized that God is waiting for me to come home just like I am waiting for my son to come home.  HE is counting the days, the hours and waiting for me to come home, to give me the biggest hug and tell me how much he missed me, and hold me close to HIS heart never to be separated again.

As for my son, I have no fear any more… because I know he will always be a soldier for Christ and a man of God.  I know this because God has put HIS seal on my son, and HE goes after those HE has called HIS own.  I take comfort in the love of God that comes looking for us; in the storms and angels HE sends our way, when our world over here begins to grow bigger than HIM.

Going back to the place of failure...

It was a tough business day for Simon… he had returned from the sea empty handed.  It was the nature of his business… there were good days, and bad days.  He was ready to move on and get ready for the next day.  When he had finished washing his nets, the carpenter sitting in his boat and preaching to the crowds, tells Peter to go out into the deep and cast his nets again. 

Go out into the deep?  The very place he came back a little while ago empty handed?  The place of failure?  The carpenter says “Yes” that’s the place…  Simon must have muttered to himself "sure, you are the carpenter and you know all about fishing, lets go..."

1 Corinthians 3:21 says “God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe”.  As always, Simon would not have understood many things that Jesus preached that day, but he must have seen something what the educated and the respected did not see in the young carpenter.  Instead of moving on, he moved back to the very place of failure... this time with the Son of God in his boat, and he found a miracle in the place of failure.

Time and time again, the Lord is sending me to the very places that I experienced failure, insecurity, pain, rejection… The world tells me “move on”, but Jesus says “go back into the deep and cast out your net”.  Go back into the deep – the very place I just returned empty handed, frustrated, angry, disappointed... and HE is asking me to throw the net of forgiveness, kindness, love, patience, to the very people who I prefer to stay away from.  This time I know I am not going there alone or coming back empty handed, because Jesus is in my boat, and I am ready to be saved through another foolish act that God is calling me to do.