Randy's World

I was reading a newsletter by David Wilkerson today and he was writing about a "Eclipse of Faith"! It was about how sometimes we go through things and we don't know if God is with us or if our faith is going to stand as we go through dark times!

He Started out by using Peter as an example!  He pulled the scripture about how Peter Denied Jesus three times! As I read the scripture something jumped out at me.  

Luke 22:31-32

"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat.   But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail, And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers," 

Jesus knew that He was going to be turned over and be "Sifted" ! In other word Satan was going to come at him with everything that He had and was going to try to make him doubt his faith! Jesus, was going to let Peter be taught a valuable lesson. He told Peter that he was going to be tried every way that he turned and that help was going to be needed just to get through it! "But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith not fail! 

He wanted Peter to know that even though this bad time was going to be so harsh and he was going to feel like that he was alone in his battle. Intercession had already been given. This allowed him a ray of  hope to make it through those dark days ! Isn't that like our Jesus to be there in our midnight hour!

Here is what jumped out at me! Jesus said "When you have turned back" strength your brothers! 

Jesus knew Peter was going to have a "Eclipse of Faith".  He would walk away and deny even knowing him but, He would be back!  You know Jesus lets us roam off ever once and a while but, like the ever present Shepard that He is our roaming is only for a season and He will begin to pull us back with loving care!     

I feel Peter had to have a lesson taught to him and there needed to be some brokenness brought to him. You see earlier Peter had been boasting that He would never leave Jesus and he was ready to go to Jail for him.  Jesus knew Peter needed to learn that his strength came not from himself but from the lord!  He also needed to learn to put his faith  and trust in Jesus.  Humility, needed to be taught.  That is probably one of the hardest lesson for a believer to learn to have faith  in the lord when we don't see him!! Be humble enough to return and trust our savior even in our darkness! but, it's the most important!  

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Today in church I heard a really great message on"Living on Empty!" In the message Brother Johnny made the statement about how we needed to break the "Alabaster Box"! He touched on how most people think that the Alabaster box is so important to them! How they value it but, the real treasure is inside the Alabaster Box !and  we need to break it and let God's Holy Spirit come out and experience His true treasure! 

 In other words we need to go through a brokenness and rid ourselves of the hardness of life and the things that we think we have and place at great value! We need to die to ourselves and then God can really move in our life.  Then we can experience the life in the Holy Spirit and it's anointing that comes from that brokenness! 

John 12:24

Very Truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains a single seed. But, if it dies, it will produce many seeds! 

I pray today that God Shatters this "Alabaster Box" that I so value and let me Experience the life that He wants for me! I praise God for His Mercy and Grace and the Love that He loves to lavish on us! 

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While in church this morning the thought came across my mind about letting go of the past!  Have you ever noticed how we seem to hold on to our past!  I know it is good to remember some good memories from our past I love to travel down memorie lane!  I'm talking about holding on to harmful things like old hurts, old grudges, old bitterness and unforgivness! 

You know when we hold on to these things they really don't hurt anyone but us!  I don't like to talk about the hurtful things in my past and there has been many because I feel like when you do it brings up all those old feelings and next thing we know we are stuck right back in them! I know that is easier said than done! Most of the time we just have to stop and look at what is hurting us and say do I really need to keep hanging on to this! Do I really need to keep reliving this over and over again! Because most of the time these problems lead to death for us spiritually and sometimes physically!!

I was thinking today that there was one VERY LONG day between the day that Jesus was crucified and the day HE arose! One very long Saturday if you will while He was in the Grave!   One Day when there were a lot of hurt, a lot of fear, and lot of doubt! But then came SUNDAY  when He spoke to death to loosen Him and HE rose from the darkness of the grave into the Light!

That's what we need to do with our past when it has us bound! Even though It may seem like we are in the grave for a very long Saturday! We just need to realize that we can just pray and ask Jesus to Loosen our death shroud and be like HIM come out of the Grave of the past and Walk into the Light with Him!

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John 20:1

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed for the entrance! 

He Has Risen!

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Luke 23:34

Jesus said, "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

These are some of the most powerful words in the bible. Just think our savior was hanging on a cross by nails driven in His Hands and Feet!  He had been beaten and humiliated!  He was forced to drag heavy wooden beams through a street lined with people mocking and spitting on him! His love for us was so great that He willingly endured much pain and suffering!  While hanging on that cross He ask the Father to forgive Us! That is such unconditional Love!

I think about  how much I fail him!  I love HIM and I feel like such a failure most of the time! The bible says in our weakness He is made strong! I am so overjoyed that He is my Lord and Savior!  This is truly one day when we need to stop and Just say!

"THANK YOU JESUS FOR YOUR SACRIFICE AND YOU UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND FORGIVENESS!"

God Bless!

Randy  

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Matthew 26: 26-30

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying "Take and eat; this is my body." Then He took the cup, and when he given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it , all of you.  This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness  of sins! I tell you , I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until the day  when I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom." when they had sung a hymn, they went to the Mount of Olives. 

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Matthew 21:12-13

Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there.  He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.  "It is written " he said to them," My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers."

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Matthew 21: 6-8

The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.  They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on.  A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road!

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How many time have I said to myself "what can I do?"  I am only one person!  Can one person make a difference?  Can  one person make a change in this world? 

While in church this morning this thought crossed my mind.  Then suddenly one of the bible stories that I have heard all my life came to my mind!  It's a story of a young man that put his faith in God in action and changed lives right before everyone's eyes! 

The children of Israel was at war with the philistines and they were losing because of one Man!  "Goliath" The Israelites were trembling at the sight of this man.  Fear had paralyzed them the bible says "The Israelites were dismayed and terrified." This fear and controlling  had went on for Forty days!!

We know how the story goes;  This young teenage boy armed with a rock and a sling and his Faith in God and changed the direction of this war! You see He had God backing him up and He was able to do what seemed impossible at the time.  One of my favorite scriptures in the bible Is: "With God all things are possible."  You see God likes to take weak things of this world and defeat the "Strong"!

So the answer to the question "Can "I" one person make a change in this world?"  Is yes when you have God backing you up there is no "Giant" that can stand up to you and you can change the face of any situation!      

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John 10:10

10. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

I have heard this scripture preached many times over and over again!  Most of time it is used in a prosperity message.  I really have been thinking today about the abundant life and I realized I really have a abundant life.  It's not like what most people think.  When people think about a abundant life they think about material things.  Well I don't have a lot of material wealth.  I have what I need.  I don't go lacking.  I have a beautiful, kind, wife.  Who is always thinking of others before herself.  I have wonderful children who are a joy to me.  Who when I look at them everyday and see amazing love in them.  I have a great job and a wonderful loving Heavenly Father!!    Great and loving friends.  When you get to thinking about your life in this way you realize just how much ABUNDANCE you have.  

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