Nigh Now

  • Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.

    You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Netchaplain

Ordained Chaplain
Oct 12, 2011
2,240
846
113
Missouri
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
The greatest thing we will ever have in God is our eternal love for one another—His for me and mine for Him! Of course the former will always be superior, being in its maximum degree; but the learning of the latter will, I think, always be learned in varying progressions. Though union with God admits only in one degree, I believe learning our fellowship in His love for us will have no end, continuing with ceaseless depths. We know He loves us and He knows we love Him, but the more He teaches us His love for us, the more we can know of its import now, and ever more fully understand that it and He are the primary sources of our sustenance.
NC




Nigh Now

The great turning point in the history of a believer is when he becomes consciously an object of divine love. Mercy and goodness are often apprehended long before there is any true knowledge of love (though possessing God’s love, yet requiring time to learn more fully of it—NC). The perfectness of redemption may be known with clearness and certainty, and all the common difficulties and exercises of a convicted sinner may find such an answer that the conscience is in peace, and yet the heart may not have found its perfect rest in divine love.

It is well when our hearts learn to put things in this order—“who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” We know the Lord Jesus as an infinite Benefactor, and are deeply grateful to Him for what He has done, without yet realizing that all has been the outflow of His measureless and everlasting love. In such cases there is no true response to His heart, and He looks in vain for the answering affection which the knowledge of His love would kindle (that is until we sufficiently learn of it—NC).

The believer’s awakening here is a wonderful epoch in his history, and by this I mean not conversion or peace, but the first consciousness of being loved by the Son of God. The effect can be overwhelming. To know Him in the greatness of His person—in the brightness of the Father’s throne, supreme in heavenly glory—and to know that there is a living link of inconceivable love between Him and me! Such knowledge as this transforms the affections; throws the dim and worthless, though often cherished idols of the earth into the shade to which they properly belong, and makes heaven supremely attractive because of the One who is here!

But this does not come all at once. It seems to me there are three distinct steps in the appreciation of His love. First, I learn that He loves me so much that He has saved me. “My Beloved is mine” becomes the rapturous utterance of the soul. His love thrills the heart which is filled to overflowing with a sense of what it has got in Him. The thought of having Him is uppermost.

If this apprehension of His love is maintained it soon leads to the second step of affection. That is, the consciousness that He loves me so much that He has a right to me. All believers will admit this, but it is another thing to reach it in affection. His lordship is not a measure of duty or responsibility alone; it is a claim acquired by love and gladly rendered by love. “I am my Beloved’s.”

When the foregoing steps are taken, a third is quickly reached—the consciousness that He loves me so much that He wants my company. “His desire is toward me.” Love’s delight is found in the company of its object, which is to secure this in that He acts as our Priest—lifting us above the pressure here that we may join Him in the sanctuary. For this He washes our feet to free us from the influences and defilement of the present scene around us so that we may have part with Him who has gone to the Father.

To this end He is presented to us by the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures and in all true ministry, that our hearts may be drawn away from the place where He is not to the scene of His exaltation and glory. He wants our company. His love delights to share with us the joys of that blessed realm—to make us familiar with the Father’s house even now—in a word, to have us near Himself. May we know in a deeper way, and in fuller measure, the blessedness of personal fellowship with “the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal 2:20).

- C A Coates



MJS devotional excerpt for September 27:

"There is a greater blessing for us than relief; there is the Father’s support, for it imparts to you an acquaintance with Himself which relief does not. Relief makes one more satisfied with things here. I have known some who could tell you of a long list of mercies, most touching, truly proof of the tenderness of God.

"Thank God, we all know something of His tenderness. But then there is a greater blessing, namely, that He does not remove the pressure, but raises you above it, so that, though you are not relieved, you are better off than if you were merely relieved, because you know His heart who supports you in the pressure. You have made a deep acquaintance with your Father, and your heart is more attached to Him." -J.B.S.
None But The Hungry Heart
 

APAK

Well-Known Member
Feb 4, 2018
8,853
9,590
113
Florida
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
The “MJS devotional excerpt for September 27” really stands out in large letters to me NC

I remember when I had a herniated disk in my lower spine, and consequently received sciatica pain and discomfort where some of my muscles in my left leg played ‘dead.’ I attempted to walk and suddenly I was surprised that I had an involuntary limp and it was an earth-shattering event for me. I cried out in desperation to Jesus and our Father and said to them, is this the rest of my life, please help me, I don’t want to live the rest of my life like this…..

This single cry out and prayer was definitely heard. After just 6 weeks the pain subsided somewhat, and the sciatica pain was completely gone.

My pain today after 5 years has virtually all but gone. I still live with a slight numbness at times at the sole of my foot. Most of the time it is even undetectable. Other than that, I feel nearly 100% again.

The point I’m making is that during these 5 years, I clung dearly to my Jesus and our Father. God raised me above this physical pain and the effect it had on me mentally as a type of constant pressure. My heart was also greatly depressed. Over a few months, I noticed my faith became stronger in Jesus, and I knew the Father was driving it all. They were my only reliable assurances of real help. My Father delivered his support as always. I literally prayed and spoke to Jesus and the Father all the time ,over a period of months for relief as I went outside and walked a lot in the hope the limb would go away. I was desperate.

I became humbler and thanked the Father. I said I can live with this lesser pain, that it was ok, I can live with it. I took another brave step forward and I really felt the love of the Father working in my life through the very active spirit of Jesus that draw me closer in him.

This event and its aftermath I consider a key milestone in my spiritual growth and walk in Christ. Closer in spirit to Jesus and thus to the Father.

Thank you again for uplifting me. You have been a catalyst now a few times in my life. You cause my heart/ spirit to again reach out without hesitation and respond in sincere thanks to the my Father. I am moved to not just thank our Father for repairing my back, to also thank him for choosing me and in bringing Jesus, his spirit, into my heart as 'we' together keep maturing a spiritual new creature called the new I, fit for the Kingdom. Amen.

Bless you NC

APAK
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nancy and Helen

Netchaplain

Ordained Chaplain
Oct 12, 2011
2,240
846
113
Missouri
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
The “MJS devotional excerpt for September 27” really stands out in large letters to me NC

I remember when I had a herniated disk in my lower spine, and consequently received sciatica pain and discomfort where some of my muscles in my left leg played ‘dead.’ I attempted to walk and suddenly I was surprised that I had an involuntary limp and it was an earth-shattering event for me. I cried out in desperation to Jesus and our Father and said to them, is this the rest of my life, please help me, I don’t want to live the rest of my life like this…..

This single cry out and prayer was definitely heard. After just 6 weeks the pain subsided somewhat, and the sciatica pain was completely gone.

My pain today after 5 years has virtually all but gone. I still live with a slight numbness at times at the sole of my foot. Most of the time it is even undetectable. Other than that, I feel nearly 100% again.

The point I’m making is that during these 5 years, I clung dearly to my Jesus and our Father. God raised me above this physical pain and the effect it had on me mentally as a type of constant pressure. My heart was also greatly depressed. Over a few months, I noticed my faith became stronger in Jesus, and I knew the Father was driving it all. They were my only reliable assurances of real help. My Father delivered his support as always. I literally prayed and spoke to Jesus and the Father all the time ,over a period of months for relief as I went outside and walked a lot in the hope the limb would go away. I was desperate.

I became humbler and thanked the Father. I said I can live with this lesser pain, that it was ok, I can live with it. I took another brave step forward and I really felt the love of the Father working in my life through the very active spirit of Jesus that draw me closer in him.

This event and its aftermath I consider a key milestone in my spiritual growth and walk in Christ. Closer in spirit to Jesus and thus to the Father.

Thank you again for uplifting me. You have been a catalyst now a few times in my life. You cause my heart/ spirit to again reach out without hesitation and respond in sincere thanks to the my Father. I am moved to not just thank our Father for repairing my back, to also thank him for choosing me and in bringing Jesus, his spirit, into my heart as 'we' together keep maturing a spiritual new creature called the new I, fit for the Kingdom. Amen.

Bless you NC

APAK
Thank you APAK for sharing this and thanks to God for hearing our prayers and bringing us to His Son!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nancy