Are You Ready For Love's Demand?

Friends

Do you really want to be my friend?
I have gone the extra mile for you
Opened my heart to you
Extended patience and even mercy
I have even bore the wounds from when you turned me away

Zec 13:6 If someone asks him, 'What are these wounds on your body ?' he will answer, 'The wounds I was given at the house of my friends.'

I knew the things I asked were too hard for you
I knew the things I said were to difficult for you to hear
I knew the love I showed you confused you
I did it to show you how far I would go

John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

You said you wanted to be my friend
But what you really wanted was for me to be yours
You wanted to be loved, but didn't want the demands of love
Love's demand is to believe only, to trust steadfastly
Love's demand is to do what is asked of you

John 15:14 You are my friends if you do what I ask.I am your friend, I bear the wounds

You see them, I know you do
Do you really want to be my friend?
Do you love me Peter?
Do you love me?
Will you feed my sheep?
Will you take care of my lambs?

I see your tears
Now that you know what it means to be my friend
I know your heart
Do you really want to be my friend Peter?
Now do you see your own heart?
Do you see your double mindedness?
Have I really ever asked too much, more than you can bear?
Have I ever not been your friend, even when you turned me away?
Do you really want to be my friend?
Do you love me?
Are you ready for love's demand?
To do as I ask?

Written by:
Rocky Chambers

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I couldn't choose which email to post from Rocky today, so I'm going to just go ahead and post both of them!

This second piece written by Rocky starts with the very same verses that I have based my website and message board on: 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.

Christine

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2 Cor 10:3-5 (KJV) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

What is the image you have of yourself? If it is an image that does not conform to the image of Christ, cast it down!

Rom 8:29 (KJV) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

The image you have of yourself needs to be replaced with the image of Christ. Your part in doing that is to realize that the image God has of you is the Hope of the Gospel. HOPE is the inner image we have. And to anchor your hope you need to meditate, study, focus on God's Word.

Heb 6:16-19a (NIV) Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.

Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.

God has given us His WORD, His promise.

If you want to overcome whatever it is that stands between you and Christ, then get into the word, build up your hope, that inner image until you can't see it any other way. Then you can stand on God's word, on His promise, on the oath He sealed by the blood of Christ and with the promise of the Holy Spirit.

Stop meditating on the image of the sinner, the lost, the ungodly, the impoverished, or whatever other non-heavenly image you have of yourself.

You are to be conformed to the image of Christ, now cast down any imagination that goes against the image of Christ. Get into the word, build that hope up by seeing God conforming you to the image of Christ! When that image changes, when that hope gets so big you can't see it any other way...then everything will change!

You'll stop seeing yourself as a poor unworthy sinner, and you'll start to truly see yourself as a child of the living God, even as the righteousness of God. God gave His Word.

2 Cor 5:21 (NIV) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

For some this might be too hard for you to accept, BUT...If you go back and look at the first verse I quoted a great truth might begin to dawn on you. The battleground is not in the physical, it's not in the flesh. The battleground is in your mind, in your imagination. That is why the kingdom of God is not about doing, but about faith, hope and love.

Imagine Christ, Imagine Christ in you!

Written by:
Rocky Chambers


Thanks to my friend Rocky for sharing these with me via email today!
Christine