Tag: Jesus

My Weakness – His Strength

Iris Godfrey

Much, Much better today! Thanks so much for all the prayers as you read. This cold/flu stuff is not nice. I cannot remember ever hurting as much for such. Now that I am doing much better, it is time to get on with matters at hand. There is always more than I can do in a day, if I open my eyes. So I lean on our Lord within me to accomplish what is before me. He is good and strengthens my weakness.

In fact, Paul said his weakness was what he would brag about, not any supposed strength of his own. In 2 Corinthians 12, after Paul had talked about his visions etc, he said this, “Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited I was given a thorn in my flesh, a mesasenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with The Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Now this is definitely not putting your best foot forward. (Side note: the teachings of the world are never useful in regard to the government of the Kingdom of God. His ways are very different than any form or self-exaltation). He stood head-and-shoulders above any other apostles in visions and revelations. Yet, this was not what he chose to brag about. He was instead willing to brag about his weaknesses.

I do not believe Paul's “thorn” was any form of illness, simply because the use of that term in the Scripture is always associated with irritation, temptations, testings, etc…. So I believe he was given a constant reminder of some sort of the fact that he was a very weak and easily tested human being. That being so, it becomes even more amazing that he was who he was.

Accepting our weakness is the first real step in understanding the strength of our Savior. He is strong and I can simply trust Him for the strength needed to accomplish for my day. I need not be undone because I find myself week. Neither do I need to give weakness its intended result – making my reslove weak in Him. Instead, leaning into His strength, I am strengthened in ways I never thought possible and led to accomplish matters too difficult for me.

I have my limitations; He has none. Glory. Now that is truly awesome. That means, me released in Him and He released in me is able – whatever. His goodness is amazing.

What about 1 Peter? Oh I will probably get back there soon. Just have a few items on my heart to share, so am taking the space to do just that.

I am typing this on my iPad Mini, and learning to use the program designed for blogging. I have done some with it before, but find I use my iPad much more than my computer, and it is usually with me. So there you are. Blessings on all who read.

 

And The Government . . .

Iris Godfrey

6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:6-7 NASB

“And the government will rest on His shoulders…” That phrase simply means everything about the government will be supported by Him, led by Him, kept by Him and determined by Him. Nothing outside of Him will be responsible for anything. 

The government of the Kingdom of God rests on our Lord Jesus Christ. In truth, according to Romans 13:1 “every” authority is from Him. “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.” This Scripture is true wherever one lives on this globe. Whether in the US where a democracy is the form of government, or in Cuba where a dictator is seemingly responsible for all. 

If the government is really on His shoulders, then much of what we concern ourselves with is irrelevant. Whether it is the government of the land where we live, or whether it is our own personal lives, His is the government. 

This is amazing when we begin to consider what He allows and expects from us in using our free-will. He seems to incorporate our choices into His governing as we move forward in time, call, vision and purpose. He does not over ride us, nor does He leave it all up to us. Yet in this boundless inclusion, we are asked to move in harmony with His governing choices. 

We are given hints as the needs we have to come into this awareness  in 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 where the Holy Spirit lets us know we will judge the world and angels. So He has an expectation of us that we have not often understood. We need to know the Book, Beloved, and not just to right our behavior, but to be able to inter-act with His heart in this government, now in this life. It is a call to a supernatural awareness of His love and HIs purposes, so we can relate to Him in ways of honor and friendship in co-operation. Such is the Vision in HIs heart. 

Guess we better move our thought patterns to the Spirit world. Let’s see Colossians 3:1-2 says this, “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” 

Thank you Lord, for lifting us out of our mire and grime into the glorious realms where worlds are governed. We are yours. 

 

 

That Child of Hope!

Iris Godfrey

6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:6-7 NASB

“For a child will be born to us,…” oh yes, the hope of all hopes. In any family when a child is born there is an automatic rejoicing deep within the hearts of family members, regardless of the circumstances of that birth. Why? Simply because now the family line will proceed. Now there is the hope of life. Now there is the hope of moving forward in time with the family name, characteristics and many more very obvious things.

Now when we understanding this passage, it was not just any child, but the Child who had been promised with the first words spoken by Almighty God, “Light be!” (Literal rendering from Genesis 1:3) I am aware that we are taught in Bible School that the first prophecy about this Child was in Genesis 3:15, but when we take a look at the entire revelation of God in the Scriptures, we find that Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12) and He says we are the light of the world also (Matthew 5:14). Then we add to that the description in Revelation 21:22-23, “I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine on it for the gory of God has illumined it, and it lamp is the Lamb,” we are aware that the first recorded words from our Father were deeply prophetic regarding this Child as well as all who would call on His name. (Isn’t it wonderful to know that we have been included in the first recorded words from our Father!)

So this Child of all children has brought the hope of eternal light and understanding of our Father and all he is about. The light that enlightens all who will allow has come and is illuminating any and all who will. This is hope beyond hope. This is hope that lifts us and thrusts us into a realm of believing and existing that we have not know previously. It is the hope of the ages. 

Here we are in this season, once again, wrapped in His joy, hope, promise and glory celebrating Him and the light He has brought to us. Rejoice this day and season that we know Him – that Child of hope!

Birthed into Hope

Iris Godfrey

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy birthed us from above into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, into an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, being kept in the heavens into us who by the power of God are being guarded through faith, into a deliverance to be uncovered in the last time.” (personal translation)1 Peter 1:3-5

“… according to His great mercy He has birthed us into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” All of this greeting is linked organically together with each expression being dependent upon the next expression upon the next… you get the idea. They are all concepts of truth linked by their shared nature in Jesus Christ. To understand one is to open for the understanding of the other. Sometimes in teaching, in an effort to help reach for a fuller understanding of one, it can become an isolated thought instead of a piece of the whole. As we read and study, let’s reach for each without loosing sight of the whole. This we often call, “keeping things in their context.” It is one very important to understand. We can often misunderstand a portion of Scripture if that portion is not held in oneness with its surrounding portion. 

 

 In His great mercy – that which is out of Him, through Him, in Him, – He birthed us into a living hope. Our birth in Him (often called “born again” – best understood as “born from above) is into a living hope. First notice it is “into” not just “in.” There is a huge difference in the words. We are being born into something. Like being born into a family. In this family we are born into a living hope. Something living, eternal, never fading and the substance of this living thing is hope. Biblical hope is “confident expectation.” It is not a wish, as we might think in today’s usage. 

We are always expecting Him and all His promises to unfold goodness and righteousness before our eyes and in our hearts. Hope is a vital element in continuing to live for without it the human spirit will quickly grow discouraged and begin to die. Hope is living in Jesus and it is in mercy, precious mercy and love that this is given and given in abundance. 

We have been birthed into this marvelous expectation through the resurrection of our Lord Jesus from the dead. Once again, we are included in all He did. He did all not only for us but as us. This is a huge understanding that immediately enfolds us within.

Lord, thank you. We are so thankful to be included in You. As we enjoy today in You, may the emotional healing of belonging and inclusion in You begin to be our embraced placement in your heart with such living expectation of life.