Write My Answer On A Billboard Large And Clear

~ I'll climb to the lookout tower and scan the horizon.
I'll wait to see what God says ~ Habakkuk 2:1-2
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Jan 11, 2014

Day 10: God's LOVE is WIDE and HIGH and LONG and DEEP





" I am your refuge and your strength. Even though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, do not fear. I am an ever present help in your trouble."

~ Your Heavenly Father

taken from Psalm 46: 1-3 


The Following story has 
been shared over the years
by many - including
pastors and priests.

But I remember it from
a certain man of wisdom...
Paul Harvey...and
"The Rest of the Story"

In the midst of 
contemplative thot,
while scribing my dream
in my last post,
I was reminded of this 
awesome story.

Please read 
my 'editorial note'
at the end...
in regards to the hidden 
possible misunderstanding
of this feathery-feel-good
account of Jesus's ultimate
LOVE for YOU and ME!

I loved the story
from the begining...
I didn't SEE the implication
the first time I heard it
many years ago.
But when my eyes
were opened to the 
deeper word picture...
my spirit was in an uproar.
I share my editorial note
because I think 
its important enough 
to be fully understood. 


Boston preacher
Dr. S.D. Gordon,
placed a beat up, bent,
rusted old bird cage 
beside his pulpit 
when he told this story. 
An unkempt, unwashed, 
little lad about 10 years 
old was coming up the alley 
swinging this old 
caved in bird cage 
with several tiny birds 
shivering on the floor of it.

The compassionate 

Dr. Gordon asked the boy 
where he got the birds.
He said he trapped them.
Dr. Gordon asked what he 
was going to do with them. 
The boy said he was 
going to play with them 
and have fun with them.


The preacher said, 
“Sooner or later 
you’ll get tired of them. 
Then what are you 
going to do with them?”

The lad said, 

“I have some cats at home. 
They like birds. 
I’ll feed them to my cats.”

Dr. Gordon said, 

“Son, how much do you 
want for the birds?”

The boy, surprised, 

hesitated and said, 
“Mister, you don’t 
want these birds. 
They're just plain 
old field birds. 
They can’t even sing. 
They’re ugly.”

The preacher said, 

“Just tell me. 
How much do you want?”

The grubby little lad 

thought about it. 
He squinted up one eye.
He calculated and hesitated 
and said, “Two dollars?”

To his surprise Dr. Gordon 
reached into his pocket 
and handed the boy 
two, one dollar bills.

The preacher 
took the cage.
The boy, in a wink, 
hurried up the alley.

In a sheltered crevice 

between buildings, 
Dr. Gordon opened 
the door of the cage 
and tapping on the 
rusty exterior 
he encouraged 
the little birds, 
one at a time, 
to find their way out 
through the narrow door 
and fly away. 


Thus ...


having accounted for 
the empty cage 
beside his pulpit, 
the preacher went on 
to tell what seemed, 
at first, a separate story.

How once upon a time, 

Jesus and the Devil 
had engaged 
in a negotiation.
Satan had boasted 
how he’d baited a trap 
in Eden’s garden 
and caught himself 
a world full of people.

“What are you 

going to do 
with all those 
people in your cage” 
Jesus wanted to know.

The Devil said, 

“I’m going to play 
with em’, tease em’. 
Make them marry 
and divorce 
and fight and kill 
one another. 
I’m going to teach them 
to throw bombs 
on one another. 
I’m going to have 
fun with them!”

Jesus said, 

“You can’t have fun 
with them forever. 
When you get tired 
of playing, 
what are you going 
to do with them?”

Satan said, 

“Damn them! 
They’re no good anyway! 
Damn them! 
Kill them!”

Jesus said, 

“How much do you 
want for them?”

Satan said, 

“You can’t be serious! 
If I sell them to you, 
they’ll just spit on you. 
They’ll hate you. 
They’ll hit you 
and beat you. 
They’ll hammer nails 
into you! 
They’re no good.”

Jesus said,

“How much?”

Satan said, 

“All of your tears 
and all of your blood. 
That’s the price.”




Jesus took the cage, 

paid the price, 
and opened the door.

O how WIDE 
and HIGH and 
LONG and DEEP
is the Heavenly 
Father's LOVE 
for YOU and ME!

 

Editorial Note

Its a feel good account
of Jesus' great LOVE for us....

I don't deny that.
But it is preposterous 

to think that 
the SON of GOD -
The One True GOD...
should need to seek
'permission'  from the Devil
(also called Lucifer,
satan, or fallen cherub)

before doing ANYTHING!!

This story subtlety attempts
to make Lucifer Lord ...
and Jesus ...

the subordinate one!


Jesus 'IS'
the DOOR!!!
The WAY
The TRUTH
The LIFE!

John 14:6



​Jesus' journey to Golgotha
to relinquished His WILL
His LIFE....His BLOOD
His KINGLY ​​AUTHORITY​ -
was a choice of submission
to His Heavenly Father's
WILL for YOU and ME.
Jesus' purpose on earth 

was to ransom us 
from the 'curse' of sin -
a result of God's judgement
against Adam and Eve's
DISOBEDIENCE in the Garden.


We were created by GOD

for Companionship with GOD. 
We were created with
a passion* for Him.
Because GOD is HOLY...
we can not enter
Eternal LIFE
with Him in Heaven,
with the curse of SIN.
SIN not only corrupts our
earthly bodies of flesh,
it corrupts our mind...
and our spirit as well.


We therefore,
had to be ransomed
from the un-holiness 

through HOLINESS.
JESUS, being GOD's
ONLY SON....

was that HOLINESS!
NOT a brother to
Lucifer, as some teach...


The HOLINESS of JESUS

took the curse
upon Himself
to OPEN the DOOR
for us to enter 

ETERNAL LIFE
with God the Father
and His SON...
as was GOD's PLAN
from the beginning. 



NEVER was it laid out
upon a 'round table'
for open discussion.
NEVER was it any other plan!
NEVER was there
a 'Jesus plan'
versus a 'Lucifer plan'....
again...as some teach.



JESUS and Lucifer
were NOT BROTHERS!

Lucifer was created by God 
as a beautiful Cherub.
JESUS was not created.
He was with God
from the beginning.

NEVER EVER did we
belong to the Devil !

 
The only thing this
fallen cherub can do ....
is to whisper ideas
into people's ears...
as shown in this story.


The CHOICE to act...
has ALWAYS been OURS!


JESUS became the
SACRIFICE for our atonement.
With His BLOOD...

we were given the CHOICE
to leave the bondage of SIN
and fly unweighted by
the earthly 'curse of SIN'

Because of JESUS,
and through JESUS...
The DOOR
is ALWAYS OPEN! 



Matthew 28:19
compels me to ask...
Are You following 
God's Plan for Your LIFE?
JESUS came to redeem 
YOU and ME...
to restore us back
to the Heavenly Father.
I have CHOSEN 
to follow JESUS.
Have YOU?

CHOOSE this day...
whom you will serve.
CHOOSE while there
is still daylight.

O how WIDE 
and HIGH and 
LONG and DEEP
is the Heavenly 
Father's LOVE 
for YOU and ME!

prayerfully submitted
patrina
  

* Passion is NOT LUST!

(from the Latin verb  
patī meaning to suffer)
 is a term applied to a 
very strong feeling 
about a person 
or thing. 
Passion is an intense
 emotion compelling, 
enthusiasm, 
or desire for anything.
~ Wikipedia



9 comments:

  1. Well, were your ears burning? I was talking about you today at the shop, where I have been praying if I should be there or not. Well, first confirmation came yesterday when I clicked on one of your commenters and her blog's name was "Off the Beaten Trek" , my heart laughed with glee because the little shop (resale) where I work (almost for free) is called "Off the Beaten Path"!! I read your awesome post yesterday and had so much to think about it, decided I needed a longer time to be able to post...it was so late. Then today, a day I was not supposed to work, but did for her (the manager) since she hasn't been feeling good, anyway, while I was there today GOD sent this precious young woman! We had a long talk immediately focusing on the Lord Jesus and then she began to share ..... I told her she HAD to see your blog! Also, her child who is very artistic might like it because of a painting he was doing of a dream or something. Then I find out she is married to a young man named Abraham.... a boy that when my now dau of 44 yrs used to pray for a little boy that got sick on the school bus around 25 to 30 yrs ago when she was riding the bus too....she was older. Anyway, this girl's husband is that little boy!!! She was so thrilled and said, "God sent me here today to meet you!" Well, GOD'S LOVE IS WIDE, HIGH, LONG and DEEP!!! Indeed He is so alive and working and loving!!! And now another precious post....about the precious valued "unimportant?" little birds....you have NO IDEA how FAR GOD reaches to touch us by another's words!! Love you and thank you for the week of posts on how much He loves us!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sherry,
    Thank you so much for picking up the pencil to share how God's LOVE has been tangible in unexpected ways for you! I loved hearing your testimony of God's touch! Wow! excited to hear what god has planned for this new relationship He's blessed you with....just as the Lord has given me 'Drew' this week too....as I shared in Day 6.

    I'm always amazed at His finite love for us. As I have chosen to focus on Him and writing what He's laid on my heart each day for a set time...He has drawn so close to me...and my heart sings with JOYful praise for who He is and continues to be in my life. By simply choosing to leave the other stuff...like reading the daily headlines of the chaotic world around us. (kind of a fasting actually)...my heart and faith and HOPE is being renewed. Like scripture says in Romans 12:2.

    Thank YOU! for your kind words...Your heart never ceases to bless me.
    patrina <")>><

    Living Sacrifices
    Romans 12:1-2

    1Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Glory be to the Lord! That's why I never believe in coincidences anymore. I know even if an event is not making any sense, if not for that day, I know we can find that piece to be a part of a bigger plan much later.

    We can't say "evil is good" and "good is evil"...Jesus willingly submitted to the Father's will to save humanity. What love! I like the correction you made regarding those stories. Thank you sister for always blessing me with your faith. God bless.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "We can't say "evil is good" and "good is evil"

      They are world's and kingdoms apart!

      thanks for your kind words

      Delete
  4. What an amazing post you have written today. The story of the empty bird cage, I have heard before. But reading it here again so grips my heart. And the way it relates to how Jesus ransomed us is beautiful. I love your comments at the end. How true... Satan has no power over us unless we give him authority. Blessings, dear friend. I am so glad we are blog neighbors, and also love that you are posting daily this year... so encouraging. We do need to make our voices heard all over the cyberworld...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Satan has no power over us unless we give him authority."

      The choice to 'act' has always been ours!

      Posting for this series about God's LOVE. but wont be on a daily basis forever :) I'm fasting and focusing on God's LOVE. This is part of a discipline I've chosen to do before the LORD as keep my mind stayed on HIM.

      praying you are home safe and sound soon!

      Delete
  5. Hi Patrina,
    God has made Jesus my Lord and Saviour, and who could wish for more. If we draw close to God the devil will flee from us. Drawing close to God, for me, is listening to what the Holy Spirit is saying to me daily. I don't know what these teachings are regarding 'Lucifer'.and Jesus as I have never come across it. I have my own views on the name. Lucifer means 'light bearer', and I can not see where satan was ever a light bearer, (although he can 'disguise' himself as an angel of light), as he was a liar from the beginning. However, there is much that every believer could discuss on that subject eh?
    God bless you for encouraging all to trust in Jesus.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Drawing close to God, for me, is listening to what the Holy Spirit is saying to me daily."

      Agreed!

      " I don't know what these teachings are regarding 'Lucifer'.and Jesus as I have never come across it."

      I had never heard of such a school of thot either until last year. Maybe it is a new age thot. Not sure where it got its roots but I read it first as a part of the Mormon belief...as taught by Joseph Smith. Just google Jesus and satan brothers...and you'll find pages and pages :) it's a shade of grey, I would say. A bit murky and confusing.

      The first time I ever heard it though was on a Nigerian blog post. It was stated as pretty much believed fact. That satan and Jesus, brothers. both submitted a proposal to God how how to save mankind. The thing I don't understand about this supposed 'belief' is why mankind needed saved? It speaks of these proposals being made in heaven before satan was cast down.

      Mankind didn't need saving until satan tempted Eve with the million dollar question...."Did God really say?"

      All these shades of grey just serve to confuse people more. The devil is always behind every shade of grey. He turns everything around and upside down and always in his favor.

      I'm not here to debate religion... but from where I stand...The HOLY BIBLE is black and white...no shades of grey. What seems to be contradiction...is a lack of understanding the entire WORD of God and in reading it out of context. God the Father, the son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit - are the trinity - the 3 in ONE. satan was never a part of that union.

      I cannot not see Lucifer as a 'light-bearer' either...but he was created as a beautiful cherub - must have been how pride crept in. Beauty can become tainted with deceptive pride. And we all know that PRIDE comes before the fall!

      Thanks, Brenda for picking up the pencil and for your seeking searching mind.. to understand spiritual truths.

      blessings
      patrina <")>><

      Delete
  6. I hope 2014 proves to be a good year for you and yours!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for picking up the pencil...

May the grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship
of the Holy Spirit ...
be with you all.


Patrina
His Warrior Bride in Boots

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