Hebrews 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
Keep the flame of love toward the word of God and Jesus stirred up. It is a deliberate act of remembering the experiences we have had with God. This allows us to stir up the embers and to focus on faith in God.
*****
Sadly some do fall away.
Jesus warns:
Revelation 2:3-4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
*****
Often I find it is critical for me to cause my mind to go back to 1975 when God revealed Himself to me and I was born again by Him showing me my sin.
A few days after that, I was transported into heaven in the night as I slept. I was merged into the body of Jesus, being made one with the Word of God. It was a spiritual experience. This same thing happened twice in those nights.
A few days after that, I was transported into heaven in the night as I slept. I was merged into the body of Jesus, being made one with the Word of God. It was a spiritual experience. This same thing happened twice in those nights.
God was preparing me for the work that He had for me to do on this earth in exhorting the church and encouraging them in the word of God.
*****
There have been so many times throughout the years when I have been hit with discouragement or fears or doubts and I have made myself stop and return to the memory of those things God did for me in 1975. And by returning and thinking on them, I am restored and delivered and am able to continue the work.
I believe this is the way that we stand fast in the confidence that we have in God and Christ.
It is also very helpful to share our experiences with other people, to share what God has done in our lives with other people.
***
***
I have been in a rehab hospital for several months and am now at home. But the thing that happens is that people come in and out of this house, and not once have I failed to share something of God with each person that has entered my room. I share by the Spirit of God, meaning that I am not trying to share, but rather I simply share the example brought to my mind by the HOLY SPIRIT and that is sharing by the Spirit of God. But I always share.
***
***
Pam saw a very funny thing when we left the rehab hospital in Lubbock. Here is the story ...
A nurse accompanied me and Pam to the main doors of the rehab hospital to help me get into the car. As Pam left us to go get the car, she heard me ask the woman "Are you from TEXAS?" It took only a couple minutes for Pam to bring the car to the main doors, but by the time she got out of the car, I was talking with the nurse about wisdom that is from God as we're told in James 3:17, exhorting her to carefully consider the characteristics of wisdom from God when making decisions ...
James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
*****
Sharing the things of God with others, increases your own faith in God.
Phileman v6 That the communication of
thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing
which is in you in Christ Jesus.
These things I do constantly. I believe this stirs up God in me and helps me to hold fast in times of difficulty.
*****
Hymns: I love to tell the story
(Click forward arrow > to play music:)
1. I love to tell the story
Of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory,
Of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story,
Because I know ’tis true;
It satisfies my longings
As nothing else can do.
Chorus:
I love to tell the story,
’Twill be my theme in glory
To tell the old, old story
of Jesus and His love.
2. I love to tell the story;
More wonderful it seems
Than all the golden fancies
Of all my golden dreams,
I love to tell the story,
It did so much for me;
And that is just the reason
I tell it now to thee.
3. I love to tell the story;
’Tis pleasant to repeat
What seems each time I tell it,
More wonderfully sweet.
I love to tell the story;
For some have never heard
The message of salvation
From God’s own holy Word.
4. I love to tell the story;
For those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting
To hear it like the rest.
And when, in scenes of glory,
I sing the new, new song,
’Twill be the old, old story,
That I have loved so long.
(Click pause symbol, " ... at beginning of hymn, to stop music)
*****
An occupational therapist came to the house to work with me. It was very obvious to me that she was not of God. Yet God had me share with her.
I told her the story of my last fall in which I was lying on the floor about 6 feet from the telephone with a broken hip and badly broken hand. I managed to get my injured leg and arm on the non-injured leg and arm and started inching myself toward the phone. I might get 1/4 inch before I had to rest. I was ready to give up. Had I given up, I believe I would have died, for there was no one scheduled to come to the house in the immediate future.
I told her the story of my last fall in which I was lying on the floor about 6 feet from the telephone with a broken hip and badly broken hand. I managed to get my injured leg and arm on the non-injured leg and arm and started inching myself toward the phone. I might get 1/4 inch before I had to rest. I was ready to give up. Had I given up, I believe I would have died, for there was no one scheduled to come to the house in the immediate future.
But then I heard these words which I believed to be from God. "You can do this".
Because of those words, I continued to inch forward for the next 4-1/2 hours in the middle of the night.
Because of those words, I continued to inch forward for the next 4-1/2 hours in the middle of the night.
When I got to the area where the phone was, I managed to pull it off the table by the cord. But the handset portion squirted off and I never saw it again. However, there was a Kindle tablet on the floor nearby. It was being recharged. I began inching my way toward the Kindle. I reached it and managed to send an email to everyone in our church group saying, "have fallen ... help ... send ambulance"
It wasn't long after that when I heard someone at the front door. The ambulance people had arrived to take me to the hospital.
As they were rolling me out the front door of my house on the gurney I heard these words, "You will never see this house again." I knew that was God. We put the house up for sale and after 2 1/2 months in rehab hospital, I moved from Texas to Colorado to Pam's home for help.
I told this story to the therapist by the Spirit of God, and I know it will do a work in her life.
*****
Hymn: Victory in Jesus
1. I heard an old, old story how a Savior came from glory,
How He gave His life on Calvary to save a wretch like me;
I heard about His groaning, of His precious blood's atoning,
Then I repented of my sins and won the victory.
Chorus:
O victory in Jesus, my Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him, and all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood.
2. I heard about His healing, of His cleansing power revealing.
How He made the lame to walk again and caused the blind to see;
And then I cried, "Dear Jesus, come and heal my broken spirit,"
And somehow Jesus came and brought to me the victory.
3. I heard about a mansion He has built for me in glory.
And I heard about the streets of gold beyond the crystal sea;
About the angels singing and the old redemption story,
And some sweet day I'll sing up there the song of victory.
*****