i am nothing

¹It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

 ²I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

 ³And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)

 ⁴How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

 ⁵Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.

 ⁶For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

 ⁷And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

 ⁸For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

 ⁹And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

 ¹⁰Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

 ¹¹I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.

 ¹²Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

 ¹³For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

 ¹⁴Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

 ¹⁵And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

 ¹⁶But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.

 ¹⁷Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?

 ¹⁸I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?

 ¹⁹Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.

 ²⁰For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

 ²¹And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed

 

2Corinthians12

 

If any man thinks he knows God, let him humble himself again.

As Christians, we are blessed with the Grace of God, and wonderful mysteries are revealed to us. Mysteries of Love and Hope and Truth. The nature of the world for what it is is unveiled to us. We can see clearly how upside down things are. This is a great privilege that we are blessed with, undeservedly.

The trap for most of us is taking this blessing and exalting ourselves above everyone else. This trap is mitigated by sin. As Christians we are not exempt from sin, the great mirror, which reminds us each and everyday how feeble and weak we are.

 ⁷And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

This then answers the question of sin that troubles us belivers. If I have declared for Christ, why then does sin still have a place in my life? Why do I fall? Have I failed? Everything happens for the greater Glory of God, and in our weakness and sin is no exception, lest we boast of ourselves and not of God.

⁹And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

The only difference between a Christian and a non-believer is faith, granted to us by Grace from the Father.

This faith means that we have redemption through the Son, the kinsman redeemer, who provides cleansing for this sin that humbles us, if we believe and repent.

 ²¹And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed

I found something recently in Exodus while sharing the word with a dear friend that made this even clearer for me. (of course there are plenty of snippets in The Word that reinforce the doctrine of Faith, this is just one of them);

…and will be gracious to whom I willl be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. Exodus33:19

A Christian, lifted up by the Grace of the Almighty God, must throw himself down in humility and awe of the Love of God, lavished undeservedly upon us. All over the Bible it is reapeated that the last shall come first and the first shall come first.

 ¹¹I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.

i am nothing.

 

.h.a.r.b.i.n.g.e.r.

 ¹Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.

 ²I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.

 ³I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.

 ⁴They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.

 ⁵O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.

 ⁶Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.

 ⁷Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.

 ⁸I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children.

 ⁹For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

 ¹⁰When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.

 ¹¹I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.

 ¹²They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.

 ¹³But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.

 ¹⁴Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.

 ¹⁵Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.

 ¹⁶Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.

 ¹⁷And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.

 ¹⁸Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.

 ¹⁹Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee.

 ²⁰Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

 ²¹They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

 ²²Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.

 ²³Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.

 ²⁴Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.

 ²⁵Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents.

 ²⁶For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.

 ²⁷Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness.

 ²⁸Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

 ²⁹But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.

 ³⁰I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.

 ³¹This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.

 ³²The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.

 ³³For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.

 ³⁴Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.

 ³⁵For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession.

 ³⁶The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

Psalms69

 

 

Dreams for me have always been significant. Reptilian dreams especially. Not in a nice way though. 

King David shows us how to deal with our fears, with the things that give us the shivers, the things that represent darkness and pain…harbingers. 

 ¹³But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.

What then shall we be afraid of? What is too hard for the Lord?

The Isrealites, after they were delivered from Egypt (after 400 years of slavery) were led into the desert by the hand of the Lord. The Isrealites while in Egypt lived in the fertile region called Goshen in the Nile delta. The contrast presented by life in the desert must’ve been shocking, at the least. Of course they complained, but the Lord did not abandon them. He provided for their every need, meat, bread, water….life. The Lord sustained them through the journey in this very harsh wilderness.

As people of faith, we are plucked from the bondage of sin and the world and thrust into a desert without the instant gratifications that sorrounded us while we were in the world. Of course our bodies groan and complain. 

 ²⁹But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.

As we travel the desert, there shall be things to scare us, enemies on every side, blowing horns and loosing arrows and spears at us, constantly. Harbingers everywhere.

 ²⁰Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

We serve a mighty Lord, who has never been defeated. Ever.

Let us place our reliance totally on Him, and watch His Glory for ourselves as he demolishes our enemies.

 ¹⁷And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.

Be not afraid.

…thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.

…put thou my tears into thy bottle…

 ¹Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me.

Let all the earth keep silence before Him

For the law made nothing perfect…

¹For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;

 ²To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;

 ³Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.

 ⁴Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

 ⁵And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:

 ⁶But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.

 ⁷And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.

 ⁸And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.

 ⁹And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.

 ¹⁰For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

 ¹¹If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

 ¹²For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

 ¹³For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.

 ¹⁴For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

 ¹⁵And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,

 ¹⁶Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.

 ¹⁷For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

 ¹⁸For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.

 ¹⁹For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

 ²⁰And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:

 ²¹(For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)

 ²²By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

 ²³And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:

 ²⁴But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

 ²⁵Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

 ²⁶For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

 ²⁷Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

 ²⁸For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

there is none that doeth good

 ¹The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.

 ²God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.

 ³Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

 ⁴Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God.

 ⁵There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them.

 ⁶Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

 

Psalms53

They that be with us are more than they that be with them

¹And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.

 ²Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.

 ³And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.

 ⁴So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.

 ⁵But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.

 ⁶And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.

 ⁷Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.

 ⁸Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.

 ⁹And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.

 ¹⁰And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.

 ¹¹Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?

 ¹²And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.

 ¹³And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.

 ¹⁴Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.

 ¹⁵And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?

 ¹⁶And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

 ¹⁷And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

 ¹⁸And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

 ¹⁹And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.

 ²⁰And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.

 ²¹And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?

 ²²And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.

 ²³And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.

 ²⁴And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.

 ²⁵And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.

 ²⁶And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.

 ²⁷And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?

 ²⁸And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow.

 ²⁹So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.

 ³⁰And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.

 ³¹Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.

 ³²But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?

 ³³And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the LORD; what should I wait for the LORD any longer?

 

2Kings6

My times are in Thy hand

 ¹In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.

 ²Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.

 ³For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.

 ⁴Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.

 ⁵Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.

 ⁶I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD.

 ⁷I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;

 ⁸And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.

 ⁹Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.

 ¹⁰For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.

 ¹¹I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.

 ¹²I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.

 ¹³For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.

 ¹⁴But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God.

 ¹⁵My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.

 ¹⁶Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake.

 ¹⁷Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.

 ¹⁸Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

 ¹⁹Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!

 ²⁰Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

 ²¹Blessed be the LORD: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.

 ²²For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.

 ²³O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.

 ²⁴Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

Psalm 31

 

To have faith is to have a rock upon which to stand at the worst of times. When the waves are higher than you’ve ever seen them. So high they block out the sun. When your world is in darkness. We’ve all been there or somewhere near haven’t we? On what do you rely at such times? Where do you find your rest? Your relief? What are you sure of? Friends? Family? Workmates? Your banker? Insurance? Your stock? Your laywer? The judge? The president? The pope? The rebel?

Who?

Only the Lord can help you. These days it’s ‘disrespectful’ to talk to people about what is probably the most important discussion of our existence. Our civilization has it such that it’s almost taboo to talk about something so important. Something so dear. Life. So when i say ‘only the Lord can help you’, many will frown and fold their faces. i only say it because it is the truth. A truth you can search for yourself, for free. A truth that is also a blessing, also free. My prayer is that all our eyes be opened more and more each day. To see things as they really are. To shatter the mirrors and freeze the images. Only the Lord can truly help you. All else is vanity. No one has loved you more. No one has even come close, but they do not want you to know this. They want you to frown at a divine love offered to all. To shun it and cast it away, as a foul tasting meal. To spit it out and rinse your mouths. Ha! The great lie.

But of course this is not by accident. These are the times we live in. As for me, my times are in Thy hand. 

 

The Lord will give strength unto his people

 ¹Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength.

 ²Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

 ³The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.

 ⁴The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

 ⁵The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.

 ⁶He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.

 ⁷The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire.

 ⁸The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.

 ⁹The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.

 ¹⁰The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever.

 ¹¹The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.

Psalms 29

They that dispute the power of The Lord do so in vain. At the appointed time all knees shall bow and all tongues profess…for it is written, and once it is written, it will surely be.

They say that belief in the Lord is a silly fantasy, a superstition, for the blind and the foolish. They say that The Lord is nothing but a trick of the mind, an illusion, a ghost….nothing. They call themselves ‘free’ because they are able to utter such abominations. How strange. 

To reject a Love so great, is to hurriedly invite wrath to your fate.

The Lord sitteth King for ever.