The Fathers Heart....The Second Revelation, Mike JC [13 ebook reader txt] 📗

And well….how did it go for Saul?....

Of course,….unfortunately for him… Sauls intended diminishing of the Church had quite the opposite effect…..instead of containing the so-called Christian Church uprising…..so-called containment turned into major expansion……”therefore those who were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word”(Acts 8:4)…..

It was not turning out like Saul (Paul) expected…..

And as I said earlier, unless your gifting is founded on the right foundation….ultimately your sense of achievement will allude you and discontentment, bitterness and confusion will be your end….

However,…….

Even though Paul started out wrong….and his tactics were radical to the extreme….

“and as for Saul after consenting to Stephens death……he made havoc of the Church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison” (Acts 8)

When he finally encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus…..and fell in love with his creator….we see a totally different man emerge,…. where his heart and his thinking had made the adjustment,.. and came in line with the heart of The Father where he made this statement (Acts 9)

“and you he made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience…..

Among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others…….

But God……..who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us…….raised us up together, and made us to sit together in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus…..that in the ages to come He might show us the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness towards us……

For we are His workmanship……….

Created in Christ Jesus for good works,….which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them”…..(Eph 2)

Of course Paul acknowledged his failings that were committed prior to his encounter with Jesus…..but left this earth grounded upon the statement where he said …:”I have run the course …I have finished the race”……….a beautiful state of mind to be in after an erratic determined start in life

And so….we can conclude from this, that……the correct foundation is essential for us to achieve great exploits, and even though there may be times of ‘pushing through’ and ‘holding our ground’,…….

If we are believing that we are led by the Holy Spirit,……..( and not hearing the voice of a stranger …..anything that doesn’t line up with the Word of God which causes contention and division)

And also …….what we do….. has a foundation of love and concern and enjoyment for others,…then we know that we are on the right track

And also consider this……”despise not the day of small beginnings”(Zec 4:10)…….

I heard on the radio recently a middle aged lady who made a particular pizza, just to be a blessing to her family…..she loved cooking even from an early age..

And she said this over the radio…..”I have now been cooking that pizza every Sunday for the last 3 decades, and every Sunday all my family and friends including neighbours come around on Sunday for my pizza…….you just don’t know how great that makes me feel, to know that I am blessing others with my gift”………well…..how cool is that!!!

You know what ‘flicks your switch’ in regard to the well-being of others…..you know …..deep inside you….”what God has prepared beforehand that you should walk in it”

The thing that you are naturally bent towards (as my granddaughter put it)….the thing that you always keep coming back too!!

The thing you enjoy….that satisfies you….that you keep coming back to

(I know that some may say that suffering is part of our calling,)… but just remember ……what do you want for your child?……

do you want your child to suffer?….of course not!!!....

then why do we think we are better parents than our Heavenly Father, and that we want our children to be happy and satisfied….to enjoy life and be content….and He doesn’t !!!!!

No…. we raise them in that manner so that things will turn out well for them, don’t we?……..

And….the Bible clearly states what our Dad intends for us….

“Above all Brethren”…..

“above all”…..

“I wish that all would go well with you in all things, and that you would be in good health, even as your mind, will, and emotions prospers”(3 John 2)……this is the heart of your Heavenly Father for you

No….what you desire for your kids ….so does He desire for his kids…you and me….

You may be motivated towards marine biology (like the person I mentioned earlier on)….or perhaps medicine or creating wealth (to help the poor)…or perhaps working with children , or creating music to bless people……..but whatever it is that is on your heart….there is no question, …..if you do it ‘as unto the Lord’…”He will make your way prosperous and you will have great success”(Josh 1:8)

And in conclusion ….regarding our purpose in life …..consider this,……

We all may be making adjustments in our lives to pursue the purpose that we have been created for…and often, at very different stages of our lives ……

For instance…some may come to a knowledge of Christ at a very young age ….others considerably older

However….”we know that there is a spiritual body and a natural body”….and the spiritual body and the natural body flow in unison with one another when Jesus is on the throne of our hearts……and the natural age factor becomes very relevant to the pursuit of our gift…and that our natural age affects the dynamic of our spiritual walk in regard to the broadening or narrowing of our confidence to accomplish our purpose in life

In other words…..our age has certain significance in regard to our purpose

The Apostle John gives us a little insight in his epistle

Even though the Apostle Paul is basically referring to our spiritual growth here…the same can also be applied to our natural man……

We seem to fall into 4 catagories as we age through life

1….little children …have a sense of dependability

2….young men ….have a sense of invincibility

3…..middle age …has a sense of stability

4 ….and old age, …a sense of vulnerabity

The Apostle Paul writes in (1 John chpt 2)

“I write to you little children because your sins are forgiven you for His names sake…(dependability)

“I write to you young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one….(invincibility)

“I write to you Fathers, because you have known Him from the beginning (the vulnerability or fragility of age…looking back….remembering the early dynamic times of your life)

I know in my own life, as a young man,….invincibility was very much tied up with my Christian walk…..whenever I prayed for someone or commanded things to change or perhaps  had confrontation with the devil…..i felt very much in control and expected things to dramatically change for the better…..i was focused and determined and was not easily put off my game……which was also true of my natural man, and imé sure it is with you as well…..

When I played a game of rugby ,…..i had no expectation of losing, and it was the same in many other areas of life…..i felt healthy and strong and my spiritual life took on the same intenseness (if you like)…as well as the same focus and determination as my natural man….

Experiencing miracles and answered prayer always seemed inevitable……and praising God was readily on my lips, and anticipation of great things in God was always close at hand….

However,….several decades later, as my health is noticeably not in the same category as it was as a young man, and my general wellbeing is clearly more frail than it was more than 50 years ago….i have become well aware that certain aspects of my life now have a certain fragility and vulnerability about them, and my focus on God now appears to have a certain history about it, and my sphere of confidence has been narrowed down considerably…..i have become more dependent on God and my growing vulnerability causes me to heavily focus on the one who made my life complete and exciting all those decades ago…….

And in doing so,……..i find my purpose and passion in life has swung dramatically towards a different outcome…….

what was once my focus on achieving the goal and purpose that God had planned for my life as a young man,…. has now morphed into more into a fatherly role, whereas I seemingly now, more appear to get satisfaction in life by seeing others achieve their goals and dreams…..and sense continually…. the family aspect of our Heavenly Fathers creation and rejoice in the accomplishments of others…..

I have found that I am far more aware of peoples loneliness and the enormous pressures in this world that people are having to deal with  …….as well as the awakening spiritual climate that is alienating and categorising people…..

The amazing thing, is that through all this new territory that I am having to negotiate, my sense of contentment and satisfaction is …still….very much alive in me, and I am wonderfully expectant, even in my now,.. narrower,.. corridor of expectation…..life is wonderful….

So ….to just recap…

David of the Old Testmament…….as a youngster displayed that youthful fearlessness and invincibility,…that all conquering attitude,… as he faced and slew,….not only a lion and a bear, but as we all know, an enemy that the entire Israelite army was afraid to challenge,…. and yet we also know…that in the latter part of his life he appeared far more subdued and considerably more contemplative……aware,….that the spectrum of his life was narrowing day by day……and that which was once,…. a very wide playing field,…..had now….clearly narrowed down considerably…..where he delights, rather, in more,…. seeing his children doing well….particularly Solomon in building the temple, where he says to him in regard to his youth and inexperience….

“Solomon my son…Be strong and of good courage….and do it!!!.....do not fear or be dismayed……for the Lord God….my God……will be with you,….

He will not leave you, nor forsake you”…(1 Chronicles 28:20)

And so….

David came to the latter part of his life, realising,….what a short journey life really is, where he said…..:”the days on this earth for us ….are but a shadow”…(1 Chron 29:15)

But also had the revelation that,…….”blessed are you, Lord God of Israel,….Our Father, forever and ever…..

Greatness, power, glory, victory and majesty to your name…..for all that is in the heaven and earth is yours ,…. both riches and honour come from you….in your hand is power and might,…….

your hand makes great and gives strength to all” (to accomplish the will of God for our lives …to fulfil our purpose….to follow our destiny…….)

And so…. as we start to move into the latter and twilight years of our lives, our fragility and ability, comes more into question in regard what The Father would have us do….but as a young person,……we find…we are able to run…. towards Goliath with the greatest of confidence that David displayed

So…..

Whatever stage of life you are at…..now is no better time than to hear and respond to that little inner voice……that passion within….that stirring inside…to find that fulfilment….your quest to enhance the world that we live in by your contribution, regardless of how big or small it may be   

Now……

The reason  that I am mentioning the whole spectrum of life….… is…..

Because,…..

As you follow the passion of your heart and the calling that is in your life,                                                  ….life will surprise you with a constantly changing shift towards a different aspect of your purpose, but at the root, you remain aware that the mantle of your calling has remained steadfast…..you just didn’t realise your gift would take you down these different and surprising roads…

You can easily end up where you didn’t expect……but you will find great contentment there.

So……

Be open to the Holy Spirit, love Jesus and your Heavenly Father, “and do unto others as you would have them do unto you”,…..” and your gift will make a way for itself”… (Prov 18:16)

Blessed be the one true God forever and ever…Father, Son and Holy Spirit

May the Father empower you with his greatness

Amen