Only a month to go!
I'm sure we all share the same experience that Paul spoke about in Rom 1:11 "The longer this waiting goes on, the deeper the ache. I so want to be there to deliver God's gift in person and watch you grow stronger right before my eyes! Rom 1:12 But don't think I'm not expecting to get something out of this, too! You have as much to give me as I do to you."
I was so stirred, the past week, to make the most of the friendships God has entrusted us with. "So, friends, we can now--without hesitation--walk right up to God, into "the Holy Place." Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God. The "curtain" into God's presence is his body. So let's do it--full of belief, confident that we're presentable inside and out. Let's keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching. (Heb 10:19-25 MSG)
The first part speaks directly about making the most of our frienship with God. We have an awesome, always-available, opportunty to fellowship with Him - LET'S USE IT! In the same breath, he speaks about our frienship with fellow believers. There are aspects of God that we can only encounter in one-another! That's how He chose to reveal Himself - through people ... and to neglect fellowship with one-another is to neglect fellowship with Him. Now some might have allowed 'guilt' into their hearts and to them this will sound like condemnation, however, I prefer to use the same words as scripture and call it: "spurring each other on" Come on, we have so much to give and to receive from each other and from our Father, let's make the most of every opportunity.
For those who have not confirmed for the weekend funtion, please do so soon.
Details:When: Friday 4th to Sunday the 6th of August. You can arrive from 11H00 on Friday. We'll finish on Sunday at 11H00.
Where: Holmsted Manor, Staplefield Road, Cuckfield, West Sussex, RH17 5JF
Accommodation: 13 Rooms with own facilities, 9 with 2 single beds and 4 with double beds. All bedding included.
Food: Will be supplied. - you are welcome to bring your own snacks.
Cost: £40 includes accommodation and food.
We are only able to book the whole facility for the whole weekend, so no discount applies if you only stay for one night. Please don't allow finances to stop you coming. Just let us know, we'll make arrangements.
Day-visitors are welcome – a donation of £10/day will cover food & drinks.
What next? BOOK. Please forward your names and whether you want a single bed or double bed room.
Andre & Mary-Anne
Monday, July 03, 2006
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Faith
Faith is one of the most attractive and contagious spiritual forces. Faith releases tremendous benefits into one's life, for faith is the doorway between the spirit realm and the natural realm. Faith takes spirit realities and brings them into the realm of our experience, for our benefit.(Heb 4:2)
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
“...from faith to faith..” Our faith has its origin in God's faith. His persuasion leads to our persuasion. When we see that which God is absolutely convinced of, faith is the natural response. Faith does not begin with effort from our side, but with simply seeing. What we hear and see awakens faith; what we do and say is the result of faith.
Faith and Presumption
There have been times where Mary-Anne and I have acted upon faith and the results were awesome. There have been other times where I acted on presumption and the results were close to disastrous. At that time the differences between faith and presumption were murky, but they have become much clearer. Let's look at some of the differences:
True faith has nothing to do with my own effort. True faith is almost unaware of itself; it's simply seeing. When your focus is on seeing what He sees, persuasion and conviction flow without effort and without constraint.
Presumption on the other hand has everything to do with my own effort and personal convictions. That's why it normally follows a set procedure or formula. The missing ingredient however, is seeing together with God and being convinced of what He is convinced of.
I have realized that when I become too aware of the level of my faith and the way in which I express it, it is a sure sign of losing focus. When I focus on what God believes and set my gaze on what He sees, faith flows, grows, explodes without me even thinking about it. This focus changes my perception in a deep and intimate way. Presumption is cosmetic, shallow and does not flow from the spirit.
The faith of God.
Jesus exhorted us to have the faith of God ( Mark 11:22) Many translation have ' faith in God'. See Young's literal translation. Here and in many other places the literal meaning is the faith OF God.
That is also consistent with Rom 3:17 that says it is from faith to faith. It also corresponds to the fact that faith is a gift (Eph 2:8) God does not want us to have an inferior faith to His faith. He desires to convince us of what He is convinced of!
The greatest reward of faith is not the circumstances it can change or the stuff we can attain with it, but it is the intimacy of seeing together with God; the oneness of knowing what He know; the friendship of sharing the same opinion.
The exceeding great reward of Abraham's faith was not Isaac, but God Himself!
Our Father is so keen for you to see what He sees. He offers you the opportunity to see from His point of view. Life is so much more than what can be sensed through the five senses; don't restrict yourself to to this natural realm. Become aware of His indwelling and allow Him to think His thoughts through you.
By Andre Rabe
http://eclesia.blogspot.com
andre.rabe@gmail.com
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
“...from faith to faith..” Our faith has its origin in God's faith. His persuasion leads to our persuasion. When we see that which God is absolutely convinced of, faith is the natural response. Faith does not begin with effort from our side, but with simply seeing. What we hear and see awakens faith; what we do and say is the result of faith.
Faith and Presumption
There have been times where Mary-Anne and I have acted upon faith and the results were awesome. There have been other times where I acted on presumption and the results were close to disastrous. At that time the differences between faith and presumption were murky, but they have become much clearer. Let's look at some of the differences:
True faith has nothing to do with my own effort. True faith is almost unaware of itself; it's simply seeing. When your focus is on seeing what He sees, persuasion and conviction flow without effort and without constraint.
Presumption on the other hand has everything to do with my own effort and personal convictions. That's why it normally follows a set procedure or formula. The missing ingredient however, is seeing together with God and being convinced of what He is convinced of.
I have realized that when I become too aware of the level of my faith and the way in which I express it, it is a sure sign of losing focus. When I focus on what God believes and set my gaze on what He sees, faith flows, grows, explodes without me even thinking about it. This focus changes my perception in a deep and intimate way. Presumption is cosmetic, shallow and does not flow from the spirit.
The faith of God.
Jesus exhorted us to have the faith of God ( Mark 11:22) Many translation have ' faith in God'. See Young's literal translation. Here and in many other places the literal meaning is the faith OF God.
That is also consistent with Rom 3:17 that says it is from faith to faith. It also corresponds to the fact that faith is a gift (Eph 2:8) God does not want us to have an inferior faith to His faith. He desires to convince us of what He is convinced of!
The greatest reward of faith is not the circumstances it can change or the stuff we can attain with it, but it is the intimacy of seeing together with God; the oneness of knowing what He know; the friendship of sharing the same opinion.
The exceeding great reward of Abraham's faith was not Isaac, but God Himself!
Our Father is so keen for you to see what He sees. He offers you the opportunity to see from His point of view. Life is so much more than what can be sensed through the five senses; don't restrict yourself to to this natural realm. Become aware of His indwelling and allow Him to think His thoughts through you.
By Andre Rabe
http://eclesia.blogspot.com
andre.rabe@gmail.com
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