SONSHINE: SWEET SURRENDER, SWEET JESUS

The Bible is a book of war. “The Lord is a man of war” (Ex. 15:3). Heaven is a realm of war, as well as the earth. “And there was war in heaven” (Rev. 12:7). Jesus is a man of war. “Think not that I am come to send peace of the earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword” (Mat. 10:34). “These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them” (Rev. 17:14). David was a man of war. “Thou (Absalom) knowest thy father (David) and his men that they are mighty men, and thy father is a man of war” (I Sam. 17:8). David faced Goliath and took his sword. He was a man of war before he met Goliath. David is a type of Christ. His followers were men of war. “And there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker” (II Sam. 3:1). The sons of God follow a man of war! Thank God! as the battle rages the Christ within is waxing stronger and stronger, and the kingdom of the flesh is waxing weaker and weaker. So shall it be fulfilled — the natural man shall be subjected to the spiritual, the flesh shall be ruled over by the spirit, and then shall we see “all things in subjection under His feet” (Heb. 2:8). (author unknown)

All the violence, from the Amalekite baby dashed upon the rocks, to Jesus at Calvary, to the first church martyrs. All sacrificed their lives, that we might know "the Kingdom of God is within." The great and last war is fought within and blessed is the man, with a soul, that has raised a white flag in sweet surrender.

Jesus is Victor. When He rose on the third day, Jesus made death, and all the enemies of our soul His footstool. Those enemies aren't outside, they are within and how very few know this.

With the world in travail, many today are involved in eschatological discussion, searching for apocalyptic signs, to know how and when it will all go down. I personally have not time for discussions of eschatology except to proclaim, I have met the risen Christ and Jesus is Victor. He has taken my rebellious soul captive and laid it to rest in Love. That is my "apocalypse" and my eschatology is "only an eye for Him." Today, I no longer even bother to follow Jesus, for He has swept me off my feet and now He carries me as His surrendered captive in Love.

Ah, Sweet Surrender, Sweet Jesus. For me, they are the same.

Jack

Joian Ruth Schroff

God is good. And Joian, more than any of us, knows this. Our sister, and my best friend, rests in the Father's bosom, today. Dear Joian's sojourn, on earth, ended early last winter, after a period of illness.

Together, Joian and myself began "SONSHINE" in "07". Last June, we took our rest from the blog.

Great battles, were waged this last year, by both Joian and myself. One was taken and one was left. Neither, the taking, nor the leaving, lacks in His perfect providence, afforded each. I can't explain, nor fully understand, how each can be perfect. Never the less, I do know, Joian understands it perfectly.

Today, Joian, more than any, knows God is good.

Jack

PS. Thoughts of your joyful rest relieve my tears, tonight. I miss you, my friend. I'll see you soon.

Great Quotes

Those who believe they believe in God but without passion in the heart, without anguish of mind, without uncertainty, without doubt, and even at times without despair, believe only in the idea of God, and not in God, Himself. Madeleine L' Engle
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"If anything about my salvation or right standing with God depends on my faithfulness, I'm toast, damned to hell." Gavazzoni
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Any infinite Being who feels it is their duty to torture me for eternity, should switch to decaf. Joe
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Everyday people are straying away from the church and going back to God. -- Lennie Bruce
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"He took responsibility for all the evils that have befallen man that day He gave His life. This has never been adequately appreciated by religion. It needs to be appreciated." (Roy)
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"Isn't that what man always wants- a divine force he can control? That's actually the definition of witchcraft." (Florian)
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"Christianity is not about polyester and pot roast. It's about Christ and what He's doing in you and me at the moment." (Holly)
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"It's his life for ours. We die, he lives, and then the mystery is that we live again." (Joian)
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"God's Spirit, is a pure motive" (Cardinal)
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"I would rather train twenty men to pray, than a thousand to preach. A minister's highest mission ought to be to teach his people to pray." (H. MacGregor)
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Pretty soon, everybody will get what they deserve, which is Salvation, Reconciliation, Restitution, Restoration, Immortality and Incorruption - now ain't that the coolest thing! (Keith)
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The bible is not an owners manual and trying to apply it to our lives reeks of salvation by works. (Cam)
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I live all the daytime
In faith and in might
And in holy rapture
I die every night (Novalis)
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Where shall we find an abandonment that is as comprehensive as the will of God. (Fenelon)
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He wanted no one but God to witness what he did, just as the only reward he expected was God Himself.(description of Bro. Lawrence)
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The humility of the cross became more desirable to him than all the glory the world had to offer. (description of Bro. Lawrence)
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Prayer is helplessness casting itself upon power; it is misery seeking peace; it is unholiness embracing purity; it is hatred desiring love. Prayer is corruption panting for immortality; it is the eagle soaring heavenward; it is the dove returning home; it is the prisoner pleading for release; it is the mariner steering for the haven amid the dangerous storm; it is the soul, oppressed by the world, escaping to the empyrean, and bathing its ruffled plumes in the ethereal and the divine.(unknown)