The handmaid at His feet

I was reading a passage in John chapter 3, and a phrase in the passage that Iʼve read many times before suddenly caught my attention.

Nicodemus was one of the Pharisees, and as we know, the Pharisees did not accept the message of Jesus Christ or believe Him to be the Messiah. In fact, they rejected His miracles and often claimed that He healed through the power of demons. But the passage tells us that “There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night…”

The depiction of the hour when Nicodemus came to see Jesus is very telling of the manner in which he came. In hiding. Under the cover of darkness, so, his fellow Pharisees would not see him and believe him to be giving ear to this man, who at the time, they were seeking to kill. But his opening statement to Jesus depicted that very fact. Nicodemus said:
“Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

This very act and statement of Nicodemus indicated a very important thing: That he was not of the same belief as his fellow Pharisees that this Jesus was a fake. He believed, based on the miracles that He had seen Jesus perform, that He was truly a man of God. But he was struggling. He was struggling against everything he had learned thus far; he was struggling with the thought of how his fellow Pharisees would react if they even knew that he was doing what he was doing; he was struggling against what he had always believed, and how all of that was being brought to question in the light of what he now had before him.

He was struggling to see.
He wanted, just as he was, for Jesus to do something: say something, that would convince him that He was who He said he was.

But Jesusʼ answer to him made one thing very clear. Believing in the Son of God is not a matter of “convincing”. It is not even a physical process. It doesnʼt take place in our minds. Believing doesnʼt even take place in our hearts. It takes place in our spirit.

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. ”Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his motherʼs womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ʻYou must be born again.ʼ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:5-8)

The phrase that I stated earlier as having caught my attention was what Jesus said in John 3:3: “Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot SEE the kingdom of God.”
Though Nicodemus did not understand what was being said to him, Jesus was simply telling him that as long as the process was taking place in his head; as long as he was looking for a sign: as long as he was looking for Jesus to “convince him”, then he (Nicodemus) would never “see” the truth; the Kingdom of God; that is Jesus the Savior of the world.

Jesus was saying that Nicodemus would need to be born again, that is TRANSFORMED, from a flesh thinker, into a spirit processor. And it would only be then that his eyes would be opened and he would be able to see.

Again, processing Jesusʼ words in his flesh, Nicodemus literally translated “born again” as the physical process of giving birth. So, Jesus went further in verse 5 to state the type of birth to which he was referring. “Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Which is the process of baptism. But what is critical to note here is that Jesus cautioned Nicodemus; even as He cautions you and I today, to not get caught up in the term “Born again”. Jesus cautions us not to believe for one moment that the culmination of the TRANSFORMATION lies solely in tooting the phrase “Iʼm born again”.

In verses 7-8 Jesus says:
“Do not marvel that I said to you, ʻYou must be born again.ʼ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

The TRANSFORMATION is in the receiving of His Spirit of Christ.
We believe that Jesus is because we are transformed by His Spirit. We know in our hearts that Jesus is Lord because we have been transformed by His spirit.

We “see” the Kingdom of God as eternal life in Christ Jesus because we have died from being flesh thinkers, and been born again into being Spirit processors.
It is not a mental process. It does not involve rationale, psychology or even reasoning. It requires one thing and one thing only: Submission!

The Spirit will call. But it is we who have to answer. The Spirit will stir. But it is we who have to yield.
The Spirit will prompt. But it is we who have to submit.
The spirit called, stirred and prompted Nicodemus.
That was why he stole away in the middle of the night to seek Jesus.
That was why in John 7:50-51 he said to his fellow Pharisees: “Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?”
That was also why after Jesus was crucified, it was he who accompanied Joseph of Arimathea to take His body, embalm it with spices, wrap it in linen and place it in the tomb.

Without the Spirit of Christ living in us, we are condemned to living in the flesh. Running everything that concerns God, Christ and salvation through the filter of our minds, under the guidance of our so called wisdom and intelligence. This life without Christ is living in darkness, and it is this darkness that is the condemnation. We are only freed from this condemnation when we accept Jesus Christ. When we allow His Spirit to reveal Him to us. This is when we come into the light. (John 3:18-21)

It is important to note that this darkness is not accidental. All of the “reasoning & logical explanation” that rise up to to keep minds active and spirits unyielding is Satanʼs way of keeping people in darkness; away from the light. The light of the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Once we yield to Christ, that self that was was in darkness, the flesh thinker dies. The new person, the spirit processor is then born.

Brethren, no one can be convinced to believe that Jesus is Lord, and our mission as messengers of the gospel is not to convince anyone! It is simply to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. It is to share our experience of what the gift of salvation has done to us. How it has changed us. How Jesus has saved us. Jesus did the work of His Father. The 12 disciples did their work according to their individual calling. The women who ministered to Jesus did their work. The apostles did their work. Know your calling. Know your work, and do it. The Spirit of Christ will give everyone a chance to receive Him. They will have seen signs, heard testimony, and received the prompting. It is then up to them; up to you; up to me, to receive Him. and begin to live in Him. So that we can “see” the Kingdom of God, and in so doing, “enter in”.

Now unto him that is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Share your thoughts, that you might encourage your brethren.

In Christ,
The handmaid at His feet.

Coming into the knowledge of Christ is a joyous occasion. It is a rebirth; an awakening; a new beginning; a new life!

It is a cause for great celebration! And that is truly how every Christian ought to view it.

Were you excited when you became a Christian?

Did you “feel” your re-birthing?

How did your re-birth take place?

When did your re-birth take place.

Were there tears streaming down your face?

Were you on your knees? Standing? Laying prostrate?

Were you shouting your praise? Speaking softly? Was it a barely audible whisper? Or was there simply a peaceful smile on your face?

Did you even feel a change? Have you felt a change? Do you feel a change?

I had the pleasure of sitting in on a youth bible study once, and during the course of it, a young lady shared “I’d always gone to church with my parents when I was younger, but when “I” became a Christian, I…”

It’s one of the most beautiful statements on Christianity that I’ve ever heard. 

Some of us were born into the church, and have been attending church all our lives. 

Some of us came to church when we were facing some problem or crisis.

What happened to “you” when you became a Christian? How did you feel? Did you feel any different? What changed for you?

More honestly, are you a Christian yet? Or are you still a church goer? A better informed church goer?

Are you one who knows of the way, yet does not follow the way? Or do you pave the way according to your own understanding? According to your comfort level?

Do you still “live your life”? or do you “live your life in Christ?

What does that living one’s life in Christ even mean?

I was having a talk with my sixteen year old daughter a few days ago, and I was explaining to her why it’s important to become conscious of Christ when it’s time to make certain life decisions. Because when we make life decisions, there are certain “filters” that we pass these matters through.

Filter 1. One’s upbringing: Whether we like it or not: whether we are conscious of it or not, this reality affects everything. It is either what causes us to head in or away from a certain direction. It is the primary basis for the things that we are used to, comfortable with, tolerant of, intolerant of, or simply can’t wait to get very far away from. It comes from family structure, culture, tradition, and early life influences. It is also the first and the longest condition that is imposed upon or ingrained in us as people.

Filter 2. Personal preferences: Here, the filter is one’s self. Our likes, dislikes, tendencies, habits, beliefs, mindsets, passions, fears, way of thinking, our learned behaviors, our vices, etc. All those things that are particular to us as individuals. It’s onset is later than the first filter, but as we become older and more independent, it becomes the more dominant of the two filters.

Then, I told my daughter that there is another filter. Though optional, it’s, in my opinion, the most important of them all.

Filter 3. The filter that is Christ Jesus. It is the filter that is installed when we “become Christians”. It causes us to no longer do things solely based on what we alone think is right. Instead, it causes us to check our desires against what the Word of God says. It causes us to deliberately seek the  interpretation of the Holy Spirit. It causes us to: in spite of the output of Filter 1 and Filter 2, yearn to affirm that in whatever decision we are making, we are right with God.

When we accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior; when we give our lives to Christ; and become ‘Christians’, the truth is that we are no longer calling the shots. It is Christ in us who calls the shots. When we become Christians, we no longer order our steps. We ask Christ to order our steps. We ALLOW Christ to order our steps.

Psalm 119:133 says:

Order my steps in Your word,

And let no iniquity have dominion over me.

Proverbs 16:9says:

A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.

I spoke in the previous blog article about no longer being flesh thinkers, but instead, becoming spirit processors.

When our desires, thoughts, feelings, perceptions, predispositions, emotions, knowledge, understanding, plans, wishes, notions, goals, ambitions, pass through the filter that is Christ Jesus, we are in essence asking Him to direct our next step, our actions, our thought process, our reactions, our utterances, our hearts, everything that we think, say, or do- according to His Word; according to His Spirit; in accordance with His will for our salvation, and for the glory of His Name.

We often forget that begin making decisions for ourselves when we are very young. When a child is dropped off in pre-school/nursery school for the first time, though the parents have given him/her pointers, advice and guidance on what to do, what to say, and how to conduct themselves; every step that little child makes, every single day that they are in that school, away from their parents, will be their own decision. Those decisions will be prompted by something within them: something they’ve learned from their parents, other siblings, other friends, or wherever they learned it from. But whatever influences that child chooses to draw from will be simply that: Their Decision!

So, in this beautiful, yet dangerous world that we live in, where we will face all sorts of difficult, life altering decisions every single moment of every single day, who better to lean on for guidance to make those decisions other than He who holds the entire world in the palm of His Hand??!!   Who better to seek wisdom from other than He who IS Wisdom itself??!!

So, brethren, ask yourself this honest question today.

Are you truly a Christian?

Are you passing EVERY ASPECT of your life through Filter # 3?

The filter that is Christ Jesus?

Are you really committing ALL of your ways (those you are aware and unaware of) to him?

Have you surrendered to Him and asked Him to order your steps in His Word?

If you are, then I hope you have answers to all those questions concerning “your transformation” that I asked earlier in this write up.

If not, what are you waiting for? 

 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

As always, share your thoughts, that you might encourage your brethren.

In Christ,

The handmaid at His feet.

When people take time out to go on a Spiritual Retreat, they do so to fellowship, to pray, to recharge, and to relax. Yes, it is a time away from every day life. But it is also a time to get closer to God. The goal is to come home a bit more “complete” than we were when we left it.

The theme of the Retreat that I just attended was “Fear Not Daughter of Zion”. It was a great time full of inspiring and illuminating sermons, Spirit filled revival, and worship, and ground shaking prayer sessions. I found it amazing that all three of the sermons, that were given by three different speakers had one central message. It wasn’t the usual don’t fear the attacks that the enemy is or is looking to wage on you, though that is a valid issue, the message was to not be afraid of one of the biggest obstacles that we face every single day…

Ourselves!

We, brethren, are often our biggest obstacles when it comes to claiming the promises that God has made to us.

We, brethren, are often the biggest obstacles when it comes to using the gifts and talents that the Lord has already endowed us with.

We, brethren, are often the biggest obstacles when it comes to making progress in our spiritual walk.

We are the problems. Our fear is the problem. Placing the blame on everyone and everything but ourselves is the problem.

Fear does not take us by force; it is we who give in to fear.

When hardships come; when problems come; when insecurities rise; when unexpected situations present themselves; what do we do?

We break down.
We shrink back.
We turn back.
We cower.
We blame others.
We blame the devil and evil spirits.

But who gives in to the fear?
Who succumbs to the pressure?
Who resigns themselves to depression, anger, envy, resentment and despair?

We do!

It is we who choose to fear!

God is saying to us “ Do Not Fear”.

That simply means that we have absolutely no need whatsoever to give in to fear at all.

There are at least 63 instances in the bible where God, Jesus, an angel, or someone being used by the Spirit of God spoke the words “Fear Not” to someone or some people in order to reassure them. Likewise, there are at least 48 instances in the bible when the words “Do Not Be Afraid” were also used by God, Jesus, the angels or people being used by the Spirit of God to assure us.

With all these assurances, in addition to the all of the others that are there to to reassure and encourage us, why do we still react to situations that come upon us with fear; with resignation, with anger; with malice, with envy, with frustration, etc.

The Lord Himself has assured us that He is bigger than any situation that may come upon us, and He is all that we need. But the only way that we can move the power of God that is already in us is to move ourselves.

Move- in prayer.
Move- in faith.
Move-in trust.
Move-in word.
Move- in deed.
Move in service.

Don’t cower.
Don’t shrink back.
Don’t run away.
Don’t blame others…

Stand.

Then move!

Proverbs 18:8 “The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.”

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”

One of the speakers at the Retreat said “It’s a trust thing”.

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

The Other speaker said “It’s like the automatic doors at the stores. They only open up if you step forward. As long as you stay back, they remain closed”.

Let us decide to not allow fear keep us back any longer. In every aspect of our lives.

We believe in the God who has assured us that as long as we believe in Him, He will never leave us nor forsake us. So when life comes, let us trust Him. Then, let us step forward, in the strength of the One who is with us. Then watch those doors swing wide open.

Share your thoughts that you might encourage your brethren.

In Christ,
The handmaid at His feet