Life's Quilt

As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord along with all the other souls.

Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles; an angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life.

But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was. They were filled with giant holes. Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in every day life. I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all.

I glanced around me. Nobody else had such squares. Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune. I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened.

My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air.

Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth. The others rose; each in turn, holding up their tapestries. So filled their lives had been. My angel looked upon me, and nodded for me to rise.

My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my life, and laughter. But there had also been trials of illness, and wealth, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it. I had to start over many times. I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again. I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life. I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me.

And now, I had to face the truth. My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was.

I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light.

An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes.

Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes, creating an image, the face of Christ. Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes.

He said: "Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships, and My struggles. Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you."

May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine through!

God determines who walks into your life....

It's up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go."


Anonymous

My Theological Observations


The following is a brief, Scriptural “overview” of my theological perspectives that have come to me during my Spiritual pilgrimage, and by which I try to walk out my Faith:

1. The “Trinity”, I believe to be:

• The Father as the Architect of the Kingdom of God and the Universe – He is the Thinker/Designer,

• The Son is the Speaker – the Word—the “Boss man revealing to others what to do in carrying out the Father’s plans and purposes.

• The Holy Spirit is the Worker/Doer, the One manifesting Jesus’ Presence and Power as God Almighty in the earth; He is the Comforter, Advocate, Helper, Teacher/Revealer, the One bringing conviction, the Spirit of Jesus, and, of course, the Creator.

Like, H2O is a one entity compound manifesting its forms as: a solid –ice; a liquid – water; and a vapor – steam. Yet it always remain H2O despite the level of its temperature. Always in the above whatever Form or Function, the Trinity remains the Godhead.

2. The “Rock” (see: Matthew 16:15-19) upon which the Lord will build His Church is what He saw when the Father revealed by His Spirit to the apostle Peter to be able to know (through inner revelation) and say, “You are 'The Anointed One'" (the Christ/Messiah). In short, this is our Lord’s Modus Operandi as the Head of His Church as a Living Person to His disciples – and not as the Pope of Christianity’s first church and as the founder of “apostolic succession”.

3. Through the Gospel of John, Jesus responds to His disciples on how He implements this process of revelation:

• John 5:19-20 (ESV):

So Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does that the Son does likewise. 20For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all that He Himself is doing. And greater works than these will He show him, so that you may marvel'.

4. By this sharing, He reveals how He implements the Father’s will here on earth.

• John 5:30:

I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.

5. Later, He directs His disciples to do the same thing:

• John 15:5-7:

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. [6] If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. [7] If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

6. Just as the Spirit abode in our Lord and guided Him, so too is today’s disciple (the born again believer, ambassador, and living stone of a holy priesthood):

• 1 Corinthians 3:16:

Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?

• Ephesians 3:16:

That according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being….

7. My favorite verse is Romans 8:14:

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

8. Thus, in my view, as He walked here on earth as a Son, so too are His disciples made in the same mold and are to walk as He walked through revelation:

• Galatians 5:25:

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

• Colosians 2:6:

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

• 1 John 2:6:

whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.

• 1 Peter 2:21:

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you,
leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps.

9. And how are we disciples to walk? The following are some of the ways:

• Ephesians 5:18-20:

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but keep on being filled with the Spirit, [19] addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, [20] giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

• Colossians 1:9-14:

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, [10] so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. [11] May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, [12] giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. [13] He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, [14] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.


10. For the disciple to be “filled with the Spirit” requires him to be baptized by our Lord in the Spirit:

• Luke 3:16:

John answered them all, saying, "I baptize you with water, but He who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He (Jesus) will baptize you with/in (Greek) the Holy Spirit and with fire (see also: Mt. 3:11; Mk. 1:8; John 1:33).

• Acts 1:4-5:

And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, 'you heard from Me; [5] for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with/in the Holy Spirit (by Jesus) not many days from now'.

• Luke 24:49:

And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.

• Acts 1:8:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Typically, without this “power” the believer can only function in the “flesh” and not be able to be a convincing witness of the Kingdom.

10. This “Baptism in the Spirit” then represents the “Personal Pentecost” for each believer. Thus, when our Lord Jesus sees His disciple seeking for it, and is ready, He then baptizes him/her in to His Spirit by allowing the Spirit to overflow as “rivers of living waters”(John 7:38) from within the spirit and out through the soul and body of the believer according to the gifting He has given them.

11. The Apostle Paul directs the Christian Church to implement this Spiritual life and practice through its members after having been Baptized in the Spirit through use of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit (three passages below):

• Ephesians 4:11-14:

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, [12] to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, [13] until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, [14] so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

In my view, this is how today’s Church is to function.

• 1 Corinthians 12:3-11:

Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus is accursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except in the Holy Spirit. [4] Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; [5] and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; [6] and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. [7] To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. [8] To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, [9] to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the one Spirit, [10] to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. [11] All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

• Romans 12:1-7:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. [2] Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. [3] For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. [4] For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, [5] so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. [6] Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; [7] if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching, if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; [8] the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. [9] Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.

My understanding of the “renewal of your mind” basically has to do with what Paul directs us to do in:

• 2 Corinthians 10:5:

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

Along this line, A.B. Simpson, a writer years ago, describes the operation of our minds:

"Every second we get a sting from some fiery shaft, some imagination, some memory, some foreboding, some fear, some care…. The only way to be armed against them is to refuse them and their source from which they come.

There is a world of truth here that most Christians have entirely over-looked: They give their spirit and heart to the Lord, but keep their heads to themselves.

Our intellect must be sanctified by being slain and be replaced by the mind of Christ.

The only remedy for bad thoughts is to stop thinking all our own thoughts, to be spiritually decapitated, and to be delivered from the natural mind as well as the natural heart.

God will, therefore, put us to school in the difficult task of stopping thinking. We will not only try to think right, but we will stop our thoughts and wait for Him to give us His mind. This may seem to you like annihilation; but you will come to it if you are going to enter into the deepest, sweetest, strongest life, until you shall be afraid to think at all until God first thinks in you.

Have you given your thoughts to God? Have you learned ; the meaning of that cry of David, 'I hate thoughts, but Thy law do I love'”?

In addition, Paul also reminds us that we are made in His Image (originally found in Genesis 1:26-27):

• 1 Thessalonians 5:23:

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely (by being Baptized in the Holy Spirit with the Gifts manifesting), and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

If I understand what Paul is saying here, it is this:

first of all, we are spirit, that has a soul – our personality/self (made up of intellect, emotions, and will), and, secondly, that lives in a body. Through this living entity, the born again believer/disciple can flow under the “anointing” of the Holy Spirit.

In fact, the word “Christian” means ‘little anointed one’ (Acts 11:26); our Lord is The Anointed One/Messiah, Meshiach/Christ. Thus, like our Lord when He was here on earth and was led of the Spirit of His Father, so too are we to flow and be led by His Holy Spirit – this is the key to walking in the fullness of Life.

My question then is this: where are these gifts today being manifested in most evangelical churches? I for one do not buy the theological position that the Gifts of the Spirit went out of existence/ceased when the Cannon of the Holy Scriptures came into being or when the first Apostles died.

How do I know this, I personally have experienced and lived it over the years through the grace and mercy of our dear Lord Jesus and His Holy Spirit. This to me is how He intended for His Church to function until His next return at the end of the Church Age.

Believe me, it is an Awesome Thing to see and experience the Holy Spirit manifest these Gifts in our midst and knowing that His Power is flowing through you (as He wills and initiates). It does happen today and is available to all of His disciples, if only we will humble ourselves and ask the Lord for this infilling/ baptism of Spirit and Power.

12. Further, the Holy Spirit, not only is our Comforter (Greek: paraclete), Helper, Creator, the Almighty One, but as well our Teacher/Revelator:

• 1 John 2:20:

But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.

• 1 John 2:27:

But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about everything—and is true and is no lie, just as it has taught you—abide in Him.

Thus, all true Kingdom wisdom, knowledge, and guidance come through REVELATION of the Holy Spirit living within the believer/disciple – not the intellect, study, or seminary training for the would-be-pastor/teacher (although these can be helpful tools in relating to the world and its systems).

For me, then, much of what has come down through the ages as “Church Tradition” is a result of earlier leaders in the Christian Church abandoning the Spirit’s leadership and drifted off into the "soulish" aspects of being (that is, depending more and more on the intellect, emotions, or self will.

Without being filled with His Holy Spirit and being lead on a daily basis (“denying self” [Luke 9:23]), the preacher/messenger is merely passing along from his training and fleshly mind and experience to his listeners stale, rather than fresh bread (revelation) from the Master.

Thus is seen the extreme need for the preacher/messenger to stay on his knees until He sees fit to reveal to him His Kingdom purposes and direction for “building His Church” at this time.

13. Lastly, perhaps the deepest principle of all that our Lord Jesus taught is this:

• Luke 9:23:

And He said to them all, ‘If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me’.

From our birth what is our focus? Self, Self, Self – the only three most important persons in the universe (our trinity): me, myself, and I!!!

Regrettably, much of the focus in the messages heard in today’s Churches is on the believer in order to boost and/or comfort his/her image, rather than to seek the mind and purposes of the Lord as His Spirit operates in the believer through the Gifts of His Church.

13. Of course, there again is God’s enemy – Satan and his followers always at odds against our Lord’s purposes:

• Ephesians 6:10-18:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. [11] Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. [12] For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. [13] Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. [14] Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, [15] and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. [16] In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; [17] and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, [18] praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,


Likewise also:

• 2 Corinthians 10:3-5:

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. [4] For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. [5] We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ….

• James 4: 6-10:

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." [7] Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. [9] Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. [10] Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Lastly, of course, the reason our Lord came in the first place was to turn around all that which started in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:15ff) so that we may be saved, healed, and delivered (John 3:16) and His Kingdom re-established.

Thus, He, Himself, is our role Model, and the One after Whom we are to walk. Amen.

S-h-m-i-l-y....

A Love Story You Will Never Forget

by Laura Jeanne Allen

My grandparents were married for over half a century and played their own special game from the time they had met each other. The goal of their game was to write the word "shmily" in a surprise place for the other to find.

They took turns leaving "shmily" around the house and as soon as one of them discovered it, it was their turn to hide it once more. They dragged "shmily" with their fingers through the sugar and flour containers, to await whoever was preparing the next meal.

They smeared it in the dew on the windows overlooking the patio (where my grandma always fed us warm, homemade pudding with blue food coloring).

"Shmily" was written in the steam left on the mirror after a hot shower, where it would reappear bath after bath. At one point, my grandmother even unrolled an entire roll of toilet paper, to leave "shmily" on the very last sheet.

There was no end to the places "shmily" would pop up. Little notes with "shmily" scribbled hurriedly were found on dashboards and car seats, or taped to steering wheels. The notes were stuffed inside shoes and left under pillows.

"Shmily" was written in the dust upon the mantel and traced in the ashes of the fireplace. This mysterious word was as much a part of my grandparents' house as the furniture.

It took me a long time before I was able to fully appreciate my grandparents' game. Skepticism has kept me from believing in true love, one that is pure and enduring. However, I never doubted my grandparents' relationship.

They had love down pat. It was more than their flirtatious little games; it was a way of life. Their relationship was based on a devotion and passionate affection, which not everyone is lucky to experience.

Grandma and Grandpa held hands every chance they could. They stole kisses, as they bumped into each other in their tiny kitchen. They finished each other's sentences and shared the daily crossword puzzle and word jumble.

My grandma whispered to me about how cute my grandpa was, how handsome and old he had grown to be. She claimed that she really knew "how to pick 'em."

Before every meal they bowed their heads and gave thanks, marveling at their blessings: a wonderful family, good fortune and each other.

But, there was a dark cloud in my grandparents' lives: my grandmother had breast cancer. The disease had first appeared ten years earlier.

As always, Grandpa was with her every step of the way. He comforted her in their yellow room, painted that way so that she could always be surrounded by sunshine, even when she was too sick to go outside.

Now the cancer was again attacking her body. With the help of a cane and my grandfather's steady hand, they went to church every Sunday morning. But, my grandmother grew steadily weaker until, finally, she could not leave the house anymore.

For a while, Grandpa would go to church alone, praying to God to watch over his wife. Then one day, what we all dreaded finally happened. Grandma was gone.

"Shmily." It was scrawled in yellow on the pink ribbons of my grandmother's funeral bouquet. As the crowd thinned and the last mourners turned to leave, my aunts, uncles, cousins and other family members came forward and gathered around Grandma one last time.

Grandpa stepped up to my grandmother's casket and (taking a shaky breath) he began to sing to her. Through his tears and grief, the song came (a deep and throaty lullaby).

Shaking with my own sorrow, I will never forget that moment. I knew that, although I couldn't begin to fathom the depth of their love, I had been privileged to witness its unmatched beauty.

"S-h-m-i-l-y: See How Much I Love You..."

Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa, for letting me see.

by Laura Jeanne Allen

How To Find The Will of God

By: George Mueller


1. I seek at the beginning to get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to a given matter. Nine-tenths of the trouble with people generally is just here. Nine-tenths of the difficulties are overcome when our hearts are ready to do the Lord’s will, whatever it may be. When one is truly in this state, it is usually but a little way to the knowledge of what His will is.

2. Having done this, I do not leave the result to feeling or simple impression. If so, I make myself liable to great delusions.

3. I seek the Will of the Spirit of God through, or in connection with, the Word of God. The Spirit and the Word must be combined. If I look to the Spirit alone without the Word, I lay myself open to great delusions also. If the Holy Ghost guides us at all, He will do it according to the Scriptures and never contrary to them.

4. Next, I take into account providential circumstances. These often plainly indicate God’s Will in connection with His Word and Spirit.

5. I ask God in prayer to reveal His Will to me aright.

6. Thus, through prayer to God, the study of the Word, and reflection, I come to a deliberate judgment according to the best of my ability and knowledge, and if my mind is thus at peace, and continues so after two or three more petitions, I proceed accordingly. In trivial matters, and in transactions involving most important issues, I have found this method always effective.


“I never remember, in all my Christian course, a period
now (in March, 1895) of sixty-nine years and four months,
that I ever SINCERELY and PATIENTLY sought to know
the will of God by the teaching of the Holy Ghost, through
the instrumentality of the Word of God, but I have been
ALWAYS directed rightly.

But if honesty of heart and
uprightness before God were lacking, or if I did not
patiently wait upon God for instruction, or if I preferred the
counsel of my fellow men to the declarations of the Word of
the living God, I made great mistakes.”

-George Mueller (former pastor and founder of an orphanage, Bristol, England)

Christian "One-liners" -- Enjoy!

Don't let your worries get the best of you; remember, Moses started out as a basket case.

Some people are kind, polite, and sweet-spirited until you try to sit in their pews.

Many folks want to serve God, but only as advisors.

It is easier to preach ten sermons than it is to live one.

The good Lord didn't create anything without a purpose, but mosquitoes come close.

When you get to your wit's end, you'll find God lives there.

People are funny; they want the front of the bus, the middle of the road, and the
back of the church.

Opportunity may knock once, but temptation bangs on your front door forever.

Quit griping about your church; if it was perfect, you couldn't belong.

If the church wants a better pastor, it only needs to pray for the one it has.

God Himself does not propose to judge a man until he is dead. So why should you?

Some minds are like concrete thoroughly mixed up and permanently set.

Peace starts with a smile.

I don't know why some people change churches; what difference does it make which one you stay home from!

A lot of church members who are singing "Standing on the Promises" are just
sitting on the premises!

We were called to be witnesses, not lawyers or judges.

Be ye fishers of men. You catch them - He'll clean them.

Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.

Don't put a question mark where God put a period.

Don't wait for 6 strong men to take you to church.

Forbidden fruits create many jams.

God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

God grades on the cross, not the curve.

God loves everyone, but probably prefers "fruits of the spirit" over "religious nuts!"

God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.

He, who angers you, controls you!

If God is your Co-pilot - swap seats! Prayer: Don't give God instructions -- just report for duty!

The task ahead of us is never as great as the Power behind us.

The Will of God never takes you to where the Grace of God will not protect you.

We don't change the message, the message changes us.

You can tell how big a person is by what it takes to...discourage him.

The best mathematical equation I have ever seen: 1 cross + 3 nails = 4 given.