Still thinking in the -things- He has for you?

How blind i am not to see Him clearly! Please Lord, open my eyes so i would see you everyday, every moment of my life, that i would walk in your ways. Examine my ways and don't let me go astray.
How blind we can get? Getting used to hear about Him, getting used to read His Word, getting used to live life and to have our own desires. Yes, we gave our lives to Jesus, yes, we said that we'd follow Him, but we still have our -own- desires, our own little space, a place that we'd probably gave up, but we kept the extra key with us so we would enter whenever we want.
How blind we can get? Going out each day, thinking about ourselves, passing over people in need, people that probably will die without getting to know the Lord. How much do we really care about it? Do we really care? Do we really care and work for the Kingdom of God to be established here on earth, or we are playing church as lonely rangers that meet every week?
We are in the world, that's right, but we are not part of the world, as if we are not the same. I question myself, am i really a Christian, a follower of Jesus Who walked on this earth but was never part of it? He was despised, yet He always gave Himself in service to others, never looking at His own needs. Remember what i shared with you before? He came from being away from the multitude, to have a time of solitude with His Father, yet when He came out, saw more people awaiting Him. What He felt? Compassion, and went and healed those who were sick, He went to serve -again. Yes, i know what you're thinking, -that wasn't that hard for Him, i mean, He was God! He was never really tired, He could have gone for days if He would have wanted too! And i would say to you, that if you read the Scriptures and if you trust the Lord, but i mean, really trust Him, that you are totally sure that He is in control of His Word that He left for us even through the years, then you will have to admit the parts where is written that he was thirsty, or that he was hungry, or even at the moment when He was praying at the garden, He Himself confessed that His soul was troubled to death! He cried out to His Father asking Him to spare Him of having to die, but He knew what was needed to happen, He is the Lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world! He looked at his suffering as a door to superior gain and glory!
And i agree with you, He is God, and he was God when He was walking on earth, and i don't want to discuss any kind of doctrinal issue but to stick to His Word and what He has revealed to us. There is no need to make up new ideas, that usually, since they are made by us, humans, sinners, the only powerful thing that they do is to make divisions in the body of the Messiah. I mean who are we to question God?
And here is a calling, a cry from my heart. He is coming soon, not for many denominations, not for the little groups that point their finger to everyone else that in their own eyes are not holy enough, not for the great massive congregations that boast in their numbers and services every week, but haven't noticed at all that they shut out the door on His face and kept Him out. He is not coming for those who thought that the only way to be closer to Him and grow in Him was to isolate themselves in some remote place so they wouldn't face any temptation. He is not coming for those who call themselves His children, and call Him 'Lord' and perform great miracles and signs and wonders, but are living for themselves. He is not coming for those that are keeping Him from the dearest thing or person for them. 'Yes Lord, I give you my all, take everything'....but really inside you know what or who are you keeping from Him...like Ananias and Sapphira, saying,-that's all we have- trying to fool the Holy Spirit.
He is going to come for a bride, a bride without any spot or wrinkle, you know what that means? No spot, no reserved sin, no hidden sin. We can hide a sin from people, but He is looking! And His eyes are full of fire, but you know for what? So He would burn the sin, and in that way purify us. Don't you want to be pure? Don't you desire to be spotless? Purity in His eyes, is something so much higher than what we think. We can not reach it alone, but He made the way for us! And those same eyes of fire are also eyes that are full of compassion, of love, love like we have ever known!
No wrinkle, there is no 'old' faith, and if you are experiencing it, ask to be renewed! And don't misunderstand me, we ought to be mature, but not let our faith grow 'old', settle as something 'old', something that used to be powerful but it's not anymore...yeah you know, i pray, i've grown in a Christian home, i know the Bible, i know God, i'm a good person -and it starts to sound more and more alarming!- the only thing we got to do is pray, prayer...yeah right now we have nothing else to do. What are you talking about? We NEED prayer, we need to LIVE in prayer, we need to understand the POWER of prayer, it is not -just- the -only- thing we have to do, it's the POWERFUL TOOL the Lord gave us, to WORSHIP Him first of all, to FEED our relationship with Him, to INTERCEDE for other people, to BATTLE the spiritual. OK, old Christian, are you living for earthly things? Are you daydreaming of all the things God has for you? You are not spiritual if you are. You are blind and if you are still hoping for those things to come, maybe they will but isn't Him enough? More than enough i believe. And believe me i'm the first one to step forward confessing that i've walked most of what i considered now, my old Christian poor life waiting for the perfect plan that God had for me.
When i understood! Not by my cleverness that it's not that much of a virtue of mine, but by what i believe was the work of the Holy Spirit in me, in respond to my endless desire of being a genuine follower of the Lord.
HE IS, like He said clearly to Moses, -I AM-, He is my inheritance, and there is no reason to think that there should be something more. If things, those especial things that you want, and you know exactly what it is, are more important for you than the wonderful gift of being accepted in the Beloved, being accepted by the blood, the precious blood that our Lord shed for you, then you are LOST.
Yes, you will have things in this world, and don't get me wrong, God has created beautiful things that He created especially for us, but before that His purpose was to have a relationship with His creatures, us, you and me, and that is what is all about.It's about Him, it's about Him glorifying Himself through His son. It's about Him loving you and drawing you near to Him. That's the REAL LOVE. Like He said in Matthew 16:26, For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
So you want to continue living -your- life? Or you want to loose you life, and gain His? Do you want to stay blind? Do you want to continue playing Christian? Or you want to submit your life to the Lord? Do you want to wait for the good things God has for you? Or you want to live a deep relationship with the one that left everything He had to come to this earth so you would have the chance to know Him? Doesn't His love melts your heart? Isn't He the most beautiful being? Wouldn't you like to spend all your life, your temporary life, with Him and then rejoice with Him in eternity? Wouldn't you like to give your life to Him? And, do you desire His coming? Or you are too comfortable here...?
He is coming, don't live as He is not.

I want to give my life Every day I open my eyes
I just cannot live anymore for this filthy world
Take my life Oh Lord and purify my soul
I Don't want to walk alone through this valley anymore

If you are not with me, i don't want to live
Help me not to step astray from you love and your embrace
If you are not with me there's no reason to breathe
I have everything when i just have You

There are people out there walking blind in despair
With no clue of the blood that you shed
Take me to them, bring your Light through my life
And use me for the sake of Your Name!

Not living for me anymore
Not pleasing myself and my heart
But walking at the sound of Your voice
With eyes wide open to the needs around me.

To you Lord i will only praise
For you Lord is my every breath

Natalia
http://tehilim23.blogspot.com/

My Vision---

I've been thinking in so many things during this time, things that i want to change in my life and that i know in my own strength it's just impossible. I've been going through so many changes lately that sometimes i just get tired of thinking and let myself be taken by the flow. It's hard not to loose my place, on the Rock, but i fight to understand that He is guiding me and leading me through life, and that life, that life is all about Him! About His Kingdom being established on this earth! In me.
How many times i've prayed that His Kingdom would come, but how many times i've thought just in a general way and not that His Kingdom would come in my life! That He would decide and lead and guide, that He would order my steps! Oh, how much i really desire to be that woman that would give everything for just seating at His feet and hearing his voice, but what i think much more incredible, to look at His face! What a privilege Miriam had to seat at the feet of our Savior and look at Him. His eyes full of fire, consuming fire that would wash the filthiness away, but at the same time eyes of compassion that would embrace me with a single gaze.
I've been meditating on that passage in Matthew 14: 14 where it says that when He came out , He saw a great multitude and had compassion or mercy on them and healed those that were sick. I thought about this verse, and thought about myself, how many times i've turn my back to people just seeking my own comfort. Instead of walking straight, maybe just take a little short cut so i won't bump into whoever i don't feel to talk to right now. How much i've been centered in my own life, and not ready to hear others, to help others...Oh Lord give me Your heart!
Jesus, He is my model, He is my Vision, and it's a Great Vision, a Great example!
I once heard a preacher that i admire very much for his boldness and passion, (Paul Washer) sharing this analogy from his own experience of what is to follow the Lord's steps. He said that when he was young, a child, his father would wake him up early in the morning to work in their farm, and he remembered that in the snow his father would left these huge footprints and that he wanted to fit with his feet in those footprints, of course they were way to big for him but he would try even if he fell, just to fit in them. He said that he probably looked very ridiculous but that everybody that would have looked at him would have known that that kid wanted to be like his father.
I thought this analogy was so beautiful! We have an aim, a goal that we want to reach, that Great Vision put before us. We will fall, but we'll do it on the way, we'll be losing the weight in our backs from this world, and approach the cross. And it's not easy or pleasant, but that's the only reason for which we are alive. That's my only hope, that He that started the work in me, will accomplish it. That even though i walk through the valley of shadow of death He will be with me. That even if i fall, His right hand will lift me up and his rod and staff will comfort me...Father make me more like You.

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me save that Thou art
Thou my best thought by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light

Riches i need not nor man's empty praise
Thou mine inheritance now and always
Thou and Thou only FIRST in my heart
High King of heaven my treasure Thou art

High King of heaven my victory won
May i reach heaven's joys O bright heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

Words: John Fawcett

Natalia
http://tehilim23.blogspot.com/