Readers Corner

My Quilt

As I faced my Maker at the last judgement, I knelt before the Lord along with all the other souls. Before each of us lay our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles; an angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life. 

 But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was. They were filled with giant holes. Each square was labelled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in every day life. I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all. 

I glanced around me. Nobody else had such squares.Other than a tiny hole here and there, their tapestries were filled with rich colour and the bright hues of worldly fortune. I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened. My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air.. 

 Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of  truth.. The others rose, each in turn holding up their tapestries. So filled their lives had been. My angel looked upon me, and nodded for me to rise.

 My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my  life, and laughter. But there had also been trials of illness, and death, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it. I had to start over many times. I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again. I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life. I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgemental gaze of those who unfairly judged me.

 And now, I had to face the truth. My life was  what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was. I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light. An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes. Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes, creating an image, the face of Christ.

Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love  in His eyes. He said, 'Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships, and My struggles.’ Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you. 

Let us be happy even if  our quilts are threadbare and worn. The holes will allow Christ to shine through!

Hosting His Presence

Throughout the Bible God's presence is manifested in different forms and different places.

He walked with Adam and Eve in the garden

He appeared to Moses in a burning bush.



 He guided the Children of Israel with a pillar of fire by night and  a pillar of cloud by day.
 

For about 1400 years the Presence of God
was manifested over the Ark of the Covenant, 
kept behind a thick curtain in the Holy of Holies
 in the Temple of God.



When Jesus was crucified the thick curtain was torn from top to bottom and the ark of the covenant was removed to heaven where John the disciple saw it in Revelations 11:19

From that time God's presence was no longer to be manifested in burning bushes , pillars of cloud and fire or over holy relics.

     Paul said, that instead of going TO the Temple

                      to be in the presence of God,                        

every believer now has
        the privilege, responsibility and opportunity   

        to host His Presence in their own bodies.

.

A privilege: As sinners, we marvel that a pure and righteous God should chose to live and  work through us.
For it is God that works in you both to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose Philippians 2:13

A responsibility: People look at Christians and expect to see and hear God.
This is only possible when we acknowledge and surrender to His Presence within us.
You are the light of the world Matthew 5:14

An opportunity: With the presence comes the opportunity and the authority to exercise the power of God
Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
Matthew 10:1

Are you truly hosting the Presence of God? If not start today!



Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,
I will come in and eat with that person,
and they with me. Revelations 3:20

God adopts us when we receive Jesus.

Adoption: to take another’s child as one’s own child.

John 1:12. But to all who received Him, He gave them the legal right to be the children of God.

Romans 8:15-17. So we should not act as frightened workers, but as God’s very own children adopted into His family and calling Him,dear Father.

In the story of the Lost Son in Luke 15 we find the  lost son returning home to his father, having wasted his inheritance and asking to be a servant instead of a son. By celebrating his return with a party and giving him a ring and a new cloak the Father reaffirms his position as a son despite his failures.

The New Testament promises written above encourage us not to settle for being servants of God but to have confidence in His promise that we are His children. 

In our school programs we came up with the following important difference between the rights of a servant or worker and the rights of a son. Can you come up with any more?

The differences between a worker and a son 

A worker	A son
A worker can be fired	A son can’t be fired
A worker gets wages	A son gets the inheritance
A worker has separate accommodation	A son lives in the house and     sits at the table
A worker has to earn favor by hard work	A son has favor by birth.
A worker has no authority	A son shares the authority of the father
A worker belongs for a time	A son belongs for eternity
A worker is not told much.	A son is told everything

Thank God that we are sons and daughters and no longer just. servants and workers

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                               Psalm 23  The Lord Provides.
         Please enjoy these wonderful examples of the  Lord's  provisions for us in Psalm 23.


The Lord is my shepherd                                                     That's Relationship
   
I shall not want                                                                   That's Supply

He makes me lie down in green pastures                                That's Rest

He leads me beside the still waters                                         That's Refreshment

He restores my soul                                                             That's Healing

He leads me in the paths of righteousness                               That's Guidance

For His name's sake                                                             That's Purpose

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,                       That's Testing

I will not be afraid                                                               That's Protection

 for you are close beside me                                                 That's Faithfulness

Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me                     That's Discipline

You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies        That's Provision

You anoint my head with oil                                                  That's Anointing

My cup overflows with blessings                                           That's Abundance

Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow                          That's Blessing                        me all the days of my life    

and I will live in the house of the Lord                                     That's Security

                        forever.                                                       That's Forever. 

                                   Enough said...the Lord Provides!                                    
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -                                          John 3:16

Perhaps the most well-known verse in the Bible can become familiar to us until we unpack all its elements. Then we see how one sentence spoken by Jesus contains an unbelievable amount of love, grace, truth and power.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,"

These words rolls of the tongue easily enough but as we examine them......... we are astounded!!!

What God did in giving Jesus to die on the cross can best be compared to the story of Abraham and Isaac.

We are horrified that God tests the love of Abraham by telling Him to take his only son Isaac and sacrifice Him on a mountain. Our reaction is that it is a cruel  inhuman and unreasonable request. In the end Abraham obeys and proves his love for God.

There are similarities between this story and the story of Jesus.

1)Isaac and Jesus were both beloved only begotten sons.



2)Isaac carried the wood. Jesus carried the cross.

                                                                   
3)Isaac was to be sacrificed on Mount Moriah. Jesus was sacrificed on Mount Golgotha.

4)There is no record of Isaac resisting. Jesus voluntarily gave His life.

5) Abraham proved his love for God by being willing to sacrifice his son.
 
     God proved His love for us by being willing to sacrifice His Son in order to save us.

We no longer have to look at our circumstances as to whether He loves us. He proved it once and for all 2000 years ago with the GREATEST SACRIFICE EVER SEEN ON EARTH.

"that whosoever......,"

The promise of God as a result of HIs sacrifice is for EVERYBODY, rich, poor, criminal, priest, hero, villain, Muslim, Hindu, boy , girl, old and young. There are no limits to this promise , no qualifications                             .

 W H O S O E V E R.

"believes in Him,"  

Whenever there is a promise the response on our lips is ..what do I have to do to obtain it? We are keen to know what is our part. What do we have to do to earn it, to win it, to get it? The scandal of the Gospel is that all the promises of God through the sacrifice of His Son are ours through believing ALONE! 

NO "YOU NEED TO TITHE!: NO "YOU NEED TO BE FAITHFUL TO THE END". NO " YOU MUST NOT SIN." 

God asks us to believe that His work, His sacrifice is enough for us!                                                 It is not by anything that we do that we get to heaven.                                                                     It is believing in the work that He has done. Praise God! 

"shall not perish but have everlasting life."

                 By believing, we will not perish but we will have ( hold, possess) everlasting life.                                            
                             That is the greatest change of fortunes ever,

                  from death to life,                                                                                                                            from poverty to wealth,                                                                                                                   from separation from God to eternal union with Him,                                                                         from eternal darkness into eternal light.

           Thank God for this verse and the knowledge of His amazing love that is in it.

                  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son                                                                        that whosoever                                                                                                                           believes in Him                                                                                                        shall not perish but have everlasting life.

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -