Peace perfect peace

In my last post I included the song about the prodigal.  We too as individuals within the church can be drawn away from the Lord  by not following the Biblical instructions for the church when they come together,, as stated in 1 Corinthians ch. 14 v. 26:-
'What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a psalm or a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. All of these must be done to build up the church.'

Also, we can deceive ourselves by not acting on that Word spoken to us as individuals, and go to the world or allow the traditions of man to make void the Word of God.
James ch. 1 v. 22 states:-
'But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.'

1 Corinthians ch. 10 v.6 states that the things written in  the old testament were examples for us that we might not desire evil as they did:-

'Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.'

Just as John the Baptist went in the spirit of Elijah, we can be spiritually in the state of a character portrayed in the old testament - sometimes good, sometimes bad.  The warfare is spiritual and not physical and God has a wonderful way of directing and correcting us through that Word.

2 Corinthians ch. 13 v. 5 states:-

'Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!', and we must do this daily to ensure that we are in the right spirit.

Jesus said 'In me you have peace',  He also said . 'Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me , and I am in you. Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.…'

These words have proved, and still are proving, true in my life.

The following is a poem I wrote years ago when I was in a writer's circle and we were asked to write on the letter P, and it reflects to me the peace we have in the Lord when  we follow the Lord's instruction.

P.......s Perfect P.......s

Perhaps  I can share some things learned in my life
portray to you how I have coped
place things in perspective, past ease and past strife
while preparing for that which I've hoped

Pretending you're happy just does not work out
pleasing folk to keep peace is not right
For though problems will surface to darken good times
perfect light is our guide through each night 

Protection will come from our Father above
wisdom written in His precious Word
saying peace beyond measure and purest love
follows acting on His precious Word

So persevere in pursuing perfection
plant God's precepts deep down in your heart
prove His Word through pure  choice and selection
let God's power in your life play it's part

For people will try to persuade you
that pleasure, position and fame
are the things in this world that must guide you
but they're all just a slow burning flame

a paralyzing paradox that can't make things right
a way that cannot bring release
For it's only God's justice - that pure, perfect light
that can bring us true peace ....... perfect peace

John ch. 8 v. 12  reads:-
'When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." '

I say in response to this:-


Thank You Lord for Your mercy so tender
thank You Lord for a love pure and true
thank You Lord for revealing the Father
so that I might be fashioned like You
Thank You Lord that I'm part of Your body
thank You Lord we're becoming Your bride
thank You Lord for Your Spirit of comfort
sent to lead me back home to Your side
Thank You Father that You loved and forgave me
thank You Father that You sent Your dear Son
thank You Lord that You died to redeem me
thank You Lord for the battle You've won

The prodigal returns

This morning I awoke to find myself singing in my mind two songs I wrote some time ago, so I thought I would put them up as a post.

 

 

I'm on a cloud

 

I'm on a cloud above the world
a cauldron boils below
I see beneath me on God's earth
a tale of dread and woe
of how so very long ago
a man was formed from clay
and given life from God above 
but sin led him astray
- sin led him astray






He questioned what the Father said
and lost eternal life
so now he struggles in this world
in self-destructive strife
-in self-destructive strife

He tries to shape his future by the power of his own hand
his cry 'I'm my own master' - it echoes through the land
but while this proud confession is still upon his breath
the worldly life for which he strives has now become a death
-has now become a death

He stumbles in the darkness - his eyes have gone quite blind
'What have I done?' he questions - 'I've lost my peace of mind
-I've lost my peace of mind'

But wait! I look towards the east - a ray of hope I see
a second Adam sent to earth to set all mankind free
Put down your heavy burdens - this Saviour comes with love
come drink the waters of new life - sent down from God above
sent down from God above
He brings salvation to the world 
 your sins have all been pardoned
come learn of Him the Father's ways
don't let your hearts be hardened
-don't let your hearts be hardened

'Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'  Acts ch 2 v. 38


The prodigal returns
 
Lord I’m lost in the darkness         
lost alone and forlorn
my garments are tattered and filthy
my sandals are battered and worn　
Lost, I’m injured and frightened
with wounds all open and sore
the life that I thought I had wanted
has left me rejected and poor　

Lord I’m sorry I hurt You
now pain is the path that I roam
discovered when I chose to desert You
Father I want to come home　
Now as I lay on my pillow
my slumber is broken by fears
my shelter is the ash and the willow
my friends are repentance and tears　

Father I’ll never deserve You
You love me in spite of my shame
I run to You now longing to serve You
proud to be wearing Your name
Yes I run to You now longing to serve You
I’m so proud to be wearing Your name

For God so loved the world

Glory Hallelujah

Glory Hallelujah - I just want to praise Your name
Glory Hallelujah - You made me able to stand when I was lame
Glory Hallelujah - Jesus the star of my night
You took me out of my darkness
and brought me into Your glorious light　

I was just a prisoner - locked in the arms of my worldly desire
sin and degradation burned my soul like raging fire
Then I heard You calling - I started seeking Your face
I came to You with sin’s death and destruction
You came to me with God’s mercy and grace　

 

Now I live in Jesus - I’m seated in Heavenly places with Him

Light is my companion - to show the way to eyes grown dim
I’m hearing from the Father - being taught by the Spirit of Life
No more in agony - in pain and in misery
no more in worry and in strife

From Dusk to Dawn

Lord the dusk was falling in my life
Lord the dusk was falling in my life
My feet began to stumble and my eyes could barely see
Lord the dusk was falling in my life
So I sang of Your Holiness
I sang of Your faithfulness
I sang of Your power from above
I sang of Your gentleness
I sang of Your loveliness
I sang, yes I sang of Your love　

Lord the night brought darkness to my soul
Lord the night brought darkness to my soul
The moon no longer lit my path and the cold was all around
Lord the night brought darkness to my soul
I still sang of Your Holiness
I still sang of Your faithfulness
I still sang of Your power from above
I still sang of Your gentleness
I still sang of Your loveliness
I still sang, I still sang of Your love　

Lord the dawn has broken in my life
Lord the dawn has broken in my life
The darkest hour is gone now and the day is almost come
Lord the dawn has broken in my life
I still sing of Your Holiness
I still sing of Your faithfulness
I still sing of Your power from above
I still sing of Your gentleness
I still sing of Your loveliness
I still sing, I still sing of Your love　

Lord the sun is rising on my soul
Lord the sun is rising on my soul
My heart is warming to Your love as Your light is shining In
Lord the sun is rising on my soul
It makes me sing of Your Holiness
It makes me sing of Your faithfulness
It makes me sing of Your power from above
It makes me sing of Your gentleness
It makes me sing of Your loveliness
It makes me sing, it makes me sing of Your love　

So let’s all sing of His holiness
let’s all sing of His faithfulness
let's all sing of His power from above
let's all sing of His gentleness
let's all sing of His loveliness
let's all sing, let's all sing of His love

　

Did God really say?

There have been reminders in my life lately, particularly when I have been reading the Word, about who and what I should keep my mind focused on.  Should it be what is spoken to me through my carnal mind or what is spoken to me through the mind of Christ?
 ?    ?   ?   ?   ?

 

 ?    ?    ?    ?    ?

 

One of these reminders was when I opened my Bible to the page where, in Matthew ch. 16 vs. 21 - 23. It reads :-

'From that time on Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and that He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.  Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him 'Far be it from You, Lord! he said.  'This shall never happen to You !'.  But Jesus turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind Me, Satan!  You are a stumbling block to Me.  For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.'....

Although Peter was a disciple of Jesus his thoughts were coming from the carnal mind and not wanting Jesus to go through the suffering He had to face as the sacrificial lamb.  Jesus had to be sacrificed in order for mankind to be reconciled back to God.
Sometimes, as born again believers,  we can see things the same way.  We can listen to what the carnal mind is telling us, without realizing that those thoughts can be coming from the spiritual enemy, because it appears to be better for the flesh at the time. 

Yet if we take every thought captive and bring it into obedience to Christ (that Word spoken to us through the enlightening of the Holy Spirit) then the outcome can only be good, as Jeremiah ch. 29 v. 11 says, regarding God's thoughts for us:-
'For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope


 A few days ago my husband called me from the outhouse in the back garden.  I went out and he showed me a plastic bag with daffodil bulbs inside, they had been in the outhouse throughout the Winter.  The bulbs, although they were inside a bag in semi darkness with no soil,  had grown and flowered in the bag

 

I was amazed at what I saw and immediately took them outside and planted them in the garden. I thought about how  the bulbs were able to flourish in a dark corner of the outhouse.

So too with us, Jesus has been made the sacrificial lamb.  He was crucified as a 'payment' for our sins so that we can be born again as a new creation born of God's Spirit. 


Once we believe in Him and begin to have that Word firmly implanted in our minds then we are able to flourish even though we may go through many  trials and be in dark places.

Romans ch. 5 vs. 3 - 5 states:-
'More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.'

As I watched the daffodils grow daily once planted outside, being watered through the rain, I saw how they grew stronger and matured.  I could see a similarity with how we grow stronger and mature, once planted in the body of Christ - the church) through the water of the Word daily highlighted to us by the Holy Spirit.


However, just as the serpent said to Eve 'Did God really say?', the deceiver can cause we who are the church, the 'bride of Christ', to question the Word of God spoken to us, as Paul the apostle mentioned in 2 Corinthians ch. 11 v. 3:-

'But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ'

 

One of the reasons we can come to question God's Word can be the fear of what might happen in the future if we act on that Word.  Yet when Peter was walking on the water because Jesus had called him to do so, the fear only came when he took his eyes off the Lord and saw the strength of the wind:-

'Lord, if it is You,' Peter replied, 'command me to come to You on the water.' 'Come', said Jesus.  Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus.   But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!'…
Matthew ch. 14 vs. 28 - 30

 

 We too can fear when we look at the circumstance we are in instead of keeping our eyes on the Word of God that has been spoken to us within that circumstance.   It is then, when the enemy puts into our carnal minds the words 'Did God really say?', that we must respond:-

'Yes, God did say!'
  

Psalm ch. 12 v. 6 says:- 'The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure, silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.'

 

Peace that passes all understanding

This post is just to give all praise to the source of what I can only say is a 'peace that passes all understanding' that has come into my life regardless of my on-going  trials.  That source is the 'love' of God the Father Who gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him might have life everlasting.

After Gedaliah's death at Mizpah, the remnant that was left of the people who had been at Mizpah wanted to go to Egypt because they were afraid of reprisals from Babylon.  They asked Jeremiah to ask God the way they should go and what they should do.  Jeremiah said he would ask God.

 

They became afraid while waiting ten days for an answer.

 

Sometimes when we ask God for direction when we are afraid, if God does not answer us straight away we make our own decisions as to what to do.  Then, when we are shown what to do by God through the Holy Spirit enlightening the scriptures to us, the fear that has built up while waiting has taken over.  The remnant was warned that if they went  to Egypt whereas then they put it 'they would not see war or trumpet or be hungry' then the very things they feared would destroy them.

 The enemy in the carnal mind can be very powerful and, just as it did with Job, can bring  upon us the very things we fear. They were told that if they trusted in God in their situation then they would be safe, that it would actually be the opposite if they returned to Egypt (trusted in the world and the carnal mind).

Just as God's people were fearful of waiting on God's instruction and wanted to go to Egypt because of the trials they were going through, we who have become God's Spiritual Israel can also allow fear to cause us to listen to what our carnal mind is telling us  to do instead of trusting in God, thinking that we would have a better life.

The following poem is a poem I wrote regarding putting our trust in the Lord as we journey on with Him, and not looking back to our old life.

Have no regrets

Have no regrets - no looking back
don't dwell on what lies behind
for God has just been molding you
for what He has in mind
He's leading you and guiding you 
calling you by name
and once you hear His tender voice
you'll never be the same

You'll find in Him a Father
Who loves beyond compare
Who'll comfort you in troubled times 
a 'dad' Who's always there
He'll search your heart and show you
things He alone can know
and tell you 'Child don't worry
allow my love to flow'

and when with words unuttered
you tell Him how you feel
He'll bind your wounds and heal your hurts
you'll know a love that's real
So still your mind - receive His peace
don't dwell on things you've done
There's a God Who knows your every thought
and your Saviour is His Son

 

'Shalom' has a much deeper meaning in the Hebrew language than the 'peace' that we associate it with in the English translation.  According to Strong's Concordance it 's full meaning is :- 

 

completeness, wholeness,

health, peace, welfare,

safety,soundness, tranquillity,

prosperity, perfectness, fullness,

rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord. 
 

 

Jesus says in John ch. 16 v.33 'These things I have spoken to you that IN ME you may have PEACE.  In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.'

My testimony

 Many years ago I had recorded onto a cassette some poems and songs that I had written.  They related part of my testimony.  While I was living down in West Wales an elder of a church I was attending put them on an mp3 disc for me.  As I know very little about this kind of technology I have just been to the library to ask if anyone can link this disc to my blog.  A young lady there has done her best regarding this, and so I am going to see if this link has worked - the young lady was not sure if it would.  Most of these songs and poems I may have already put up, and I am definitely no  'singer', and only learned a few chords on my guitar to be able to play the tunes that came into my head at the time of writing the songs.
However - one thing I learned at that time of learning from the Lord was that that as we are taught by God through His precious Word, and go through our trials trusting in Him, we are able to get stronger spiritually.  My journey is still on-going, I am forever learning, and I will not know whether this link will work until I publish this post.  If it doesn't work, then I will have lost nothing through trying.:-)
 

To listen to my testimony  press the link below.

Testimony by Brenda Rees - Soundcloud

Walk on water

The Lord has brought me through many trials and, although trials are on-going, I believe absolutely that the Word of God has the power to bring into existence that which does not exist.

The thing that is required to do this is 'faith', whether it be another person's or my own, and I truly believe that the more I put my faith in that Word spoken to me and persevere in my trials, the more my faith is growing.

 

Not long ago my friend and I were out in the streets with our leaflets and a lady and her granddaughter started talking to us.  The granddaughter was eleven years of age and her name was 'Faith'.   She started to talk about how she would love to go to Australia as she knew much about tropical fish, and went on to tell us about many things that she had learned and achieved, including a degree in karate.

As they walked away I thought about how that young girl, Faith, had achieved much in such a short time, and a sentence came straight into my mind:- 'Faith can achieve much.'

 

One thing stood out that I felt the Lord was speaking spiritually to me about.  I read long ago that one of the things that those learning karate do is to close their eyes and concentrate on a light bulb in order to get every other thought out of their mind. This is where the power to even break a brick with their hand comes from. This reminds me of concentrating on Jesus, the true light of the world, and not on other things that would distract me from receiving the power that is in Him

 

Not long after that incident happened I received a new phone for my birthday.  It was a smart phone which I have never had, and did not know how to use.  My daughter in law set it up for me while she was staying with us for a few days, and put a picture of a sea on the screen just before they left for home. 

 

As soon as I saw the picture I was reminded of something that had happened years ago when the Lord was encouraging me to trust in Him in times of turmoil.  I had been alone in bed one morning after my husband had gone to work and suddenly the duvet on the bed turned into a sea.  It was as if I was floating on that sea, on my back.  The vision lasted for about thirty seconds.  When I went downstairs there was a Kenneth Copeland magazine that had been put through the letterbox with a picture of exactly the same looking sea and the words 'Walk on water' on the front.  I knew then that the Lord was telling me to keep my eyes upon Him and not to look at the circumstances in my life, just as He had told Peter in Matthew ch. 14 vs.22 - 33:-

 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.   And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.  But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” and Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.  But when he saw that the wind was boisterous,  he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” and immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”  And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

I knew that once again He was saying this to me, to trust absolutely upon Him and what He was speaking to me, and not to look at the circumstances in my life at this moment in time.
I wanted the words 'Walk on water' put on my new phone screen picture but did not know how to do it .  I asked two people to help me, but they did not know how to do this either. 

The following Sunday I went to the church gathering I had been attending for a few weeks and the man who was speaking said that the theme that he was going to speak on was 'Walk on water.'  I could not believe it! - yet, after all the things that have been happening in my life, and how the Lord is encouraging me more and more to trust in Him, it did not really surprise me that this was being spoken to me.  I shared my testimony with the people there, and I hope that it will encourage them to trust in the Lord to be able to do what is not possible for man to do, as many of them are sick.
I then phoned my son to ask if he could tell me how to put the words 'Walk on water' on my phone screen. He suggested that I put  these words on one of my own pictures of a sea that I had taken and email it to myself so that I could use it on my phone.  I managed to do that.

I know that, just as Peter had to keep his eyes on the Lord, I too have to keep my eyes on the Lord, and act on the Word He speaks to me, in order to receive the promise of God regarding healing - which is 'YES' in Jesus. 

One other thing that stood out to me was:- Even though many people in the churches have said to me that I should not  be going around to different churches all the time, I know that if I had not followed the Lord's instruction regarding this I would not have been in the right place at the right time to hear what the Lord has been saying to me.   As the scripture says:-'God does not live in a house made with human hands.' 
I say these words of thanks to my wonderful Lord for the Words of encouragement found in Him as my One and only mediator between me and God.

Thank You Lord for bringing me through
these trials so heavy - for without You
great patience and tolerance I could not have learned
and lack of forgiveness would surely have burned
For the verbal abuse might have caused me to hate
being told by the enemy 'Retaliate'
But in all circumstances You have been with me
as I  walk upon my 'troubled sea'
being shown I must keep my eyes upon You
in order for that Word to prove itself true