Here is a little converstion that just went through my head.

"Suffer and die. I don't want my life to just be suffering and then I die one day."

Jesus did that.

"I don't want to be l i k e J e s .." Stop. Oh, my goodness. Haven't I always said that I want to be like Jesus.

Haven't we all said this. Yet we did not understand that it was to enter into His sufferings as well. Everyone thinks it all the joy, peace, gentleness. The way they picture being like Jesus.

If we are to be "like Jesus" or "follow after Him" what do we expect? All roses and leaping lambs?

No, there will be blood, sweat and tears.

Wow.

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Chanin

By the way, I am still waiting for the roses and leaping lambs. :-)

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Chanin

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Ron Halverson

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William

"[i]We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; [b]always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies[/b].[/i]" 2Co 4:8-10

I have grown weary of yakking about 'me'. Been noticing it more and more over the last few weeks. So I will just be a fool and pray that somehow it all gets translated into some kind of expression, whatever nonsense disregarded and the Lord gets exalted as He should be.

There are some difficult trials amongst us, in this family that gathers here. The heart felt honesty is endearing and pray that we can encourage one another as well as step into these trials and 'weep with those who weep'.

I guess it doesn't always have to be verbalised to be felt.

[b]Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Do not quench the Spirit.
Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.
Abstain from every form of evil.

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[i][u]He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.[/u][/i]

Brothers, pray for us.[/b] Th 5:16-25

P.S. Love that Ravenhill quote! Just plain blunt!

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Mike Balog

So send I you to labor unrewarded,
To serve unpaid, unloved, unsought, unknown
To bear rebuke, to suffer scorn and scoffing-
So send I you to toil for me alone.

So send I you to bind the bruised and broken,
O'er wand'ring souls to work, to weep, to wake,
To bear the burdens of a world aweary-
So send I you to suffer for My sake.

So send I you to loneliness and longing,
With heart ahung'ring for the loved and known,
Forsaking home and kindred, friend and dear one-
So send I you to know My love alone.

So send I you to leave your life's ambition,
To die to dear desire, self-will resign,
To labor long, and love where men revile you-
So send I you to love your life in Mine.

So send I you to hearts made hard by hatred,
To eyes made blind because they will not see,
To spend tho' it be blood, to spend and spare not-
So send I you to taste of Calvary.

So send I you-by grace made strong to triumph
O'er hosts of hell, o'er darkness, death, and sin,
My name to bear, and in that name to conquer-
So send I you, my victory to win.

So send I you-to take to souls in bondage
The word of truth that sets the captive free,
To break the bonds of sin, to lost death's fetters-
So send I you, to bring the lost to me.

So send I you-my strength to know in weakness,
My joy in grief, my perfect peace in pain,
To prove My power, My grace, My promised presence-
So send I you, eternal fruit to gain.

So send I you-to bear My cross with patience,
And then one day with joy to lay it down,
To hear My voice, "well done, My faithful servant-
Come, share My throne, My kingdom, and My crown!" Margaret Clarkson

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Ron Bailey

Years ago, I was reading in the Gospel of John, Chapter 14 and the twelth verse:

12I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father.

I thought..oh yea, walk on water, heal the sick, sure, I want to be like Jesus. Sadly, it was years later before the rhema of this chapter made it's way two more verses down the page.

15If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands.

One day this verse hit me like a ton of bricks. It is impossible to "like" Jesus without being willing to be obedient to God. Paul wrote:

Phl 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

I believe the bible teaches us that Jesus was totally obedient, even to death. If we want to be "like Him", we must be obedient. If we are not obedient, we are not like Jesus.

Who/Whom did Jesus obey? Why His Father of course. When He was not ministering or teaching, He was stealing away to be alone with the Father, and in fact said that He did not say or do anything unless the Father first told Him or showed Him.

Still want to be like Jesus? But wait, there's more....just a little further down the page, John wrote this...

21The person who has My commands and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I [too] will love him and will show (reveal, manifest) Myself to him. [I will let Myself be clearly seen by him and make Myself real to him.]

Alleluia. See it's not a "one way" street. God makes some precious promises. To be loved of the Father is the epitomy of life. It is abundant life, regardless of circumstances, events, and people. But wait, there is still more. Jesus went on to say that He Himself will make Himself real to all who keep His commands. Glory be to God.

So where do we go to find out what to obey? The Bible? Yes....and no. See, God has an individual walk for each and every one of us. That's why He sent the Holy Spirit to us, to anoint us for what He has called us to do. In the Bible we read about what He called others to do. Some obeyed, some didn't. We see victory and tragic defeat all through the bible, those who obeyed God, and those who did not. They did not have a bible, they had God, and listend to His voice. But the purpose of the Bible is to teach us His ways. Yet it goes beyond that. It brings us to the place of the cross where we surrender our life and begin to take up His life. Now we have a life that can be led by the Holy Spirit. But even then, we must yeild to His leading in obedience. This is where obedience begins and is matured. The more we obey His voice in personal relationship, the more we are like Jesus. Then what happens? God only knows. But I can tell you this of a certainty, you will be amazed by His mercy, His grace, His presence, and His direction. You will live the life of the high and narrow way. You will live above this life, in abundant life in direct fellowship with Him. Where do you start? In the secret place of prayer. Get alone with Him. Tell Him you want His love and direction. Ask Him to give you a new heart that is like Samuel..quick to obey. Reach out and touch the Lord as He goes by. He's waiting just for you. To be successful in this life is to lose your life, so that you can live His life. Then you will begin to do the works of Jesus, and even greater works than these. Yes, there will be all the things that are listed below in all the other posts so far and ever more. But these matter little when you are loved by the Father and Jesus has manifest Himself too you.