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I wrote this after reading a book called, The Heavenly Man and reflecting on Luke chapters 14-16... As I lay here thinking about my life as a Christian, I can say I'm not content. I have an unsettled heart I feel waves roaring and rolling inside of me about my complacent Christianity. I say, that's what it has become!!!! I do thank God from the bottom of my heart for the blessing to live in a land where I'm free to openly worship Jesus Christ, But I'm also free to be distracted by so many other things I'm free to find my security in everything else other than God. Let me be honest with myself I'm not consumed for His love! His Word is not my priority! But I desperately Need it to be!! I'd rather be a slave for righteousness, dictated by the divine rule of God, than free to be deterred from the One who truly loves me. My Saviour, I come to you, totally surrendering, my rights, my freedoms, my thoughts, my desires, my dreams, my life. Lord Jesus, handcuff my hands with Your Truth. Cuff it tightly around my wrist so the marks of truth will forever be seen. Shackle my feet to the foundation of Your Word that I may never escape the Solid Rock. Place Your yoke on my neck. For You shall give me grace to live the life You called me to. Bind me in Your everlasting love. Keep me bound so close to Your heart, because Jesus Christ, my Spirit is crying out for You. Help me Father to never let ministry become an idol. I don't want to just work for you, As a bond servant loves his Master. I desire to love You In the land of the free and the home of the brave, For Jesus Christ, I'll live as a weak vessel and a slave. Do I desire to be persecuted for Jesus' sake!? If it's His will, this life is not mine. Until then, I ask for God to grant me His Holy Spirit that even when distractions come, His grace will help me to focus on Him. I will be His diligent son. Copyright © 2014 by Ralph J Monroe III
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UPDATE!! When the month of October started I was at 4% of the budget needed for me to begin my internship in at West Lafayette, IN on the Purdue Campus. After the month of October, I praise God because now I’m at 18%!! The deadline for me to get to 100% budget is December 15th. I really appreciate your prayers as I continue raising support. I know my Daddy God is going to do awesome things! I look forward to sharing what God has done with you! Thank you and God bless you!  Yielding, I lift my heart in total surrender. Becoming a slave to Your commands, I can joy in freedom again. Loving Your word more than the breath You give me. It has become sweet nectar. My soul longing, longing, longing for more of You, rest upon my life like morning dew. Bring me closer to You, Jesus. I confess I don't know how to yield my heart in total surrender, but my faith growing like a child. I desire to be in Your presence, worshiping You always. I feel my faith growing as a child, I know I'll see You face to face. In Your tabernacle is where I want to dwell, under the shadow of Your Almighty wing. Yielding in complete obedience to Jesus is much greater than any offering. Lord help me to yield, for I don't know how, grow in me faith as a child. -Ralph (March 2014) Copyright © 2014 by Ralph J Monroe III
On October 28th I was serving with Chi Alpha at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. We were inside the student center telling people about Chi Alpha and just having an awesome time talking with the students.
News came that there was a preacher along with some of his crew speaking openly about Jesus. However this did not go over well with most students. I wanted to go see this for myself, so I stepped outside and listened to what was being said. From my observations I noticed several things.
I silently prayed for my brothers who was speaking and then turned my attention to a hill, where many students were sitting. I went up to them and asked them what were their thoughts. The overall answer I got was "dislike." However there was one student named John who I began talking to. John is a believer, but he began to question his faith once he took biology class. Later on he believed in God again because there was just too much evidence to deny Him. John told me he grew up in church and was apart of many Bible studies, and he believes in Jesus Christ, but he's not sure if Jesus Christ is God and if He's the only way. My friend John is a mathematician who wants absolutes, and because there's no way for a absolute in his eyes, it's hard for him to see Jesus as God. John then revealed to me that he was gay and his first feeling was that it was not right. He startled me when he said, even now, he doesn't want to feel that way. After he spoke, he looked at me and said "What is your rebuttle to everything I said?" At this moment, I silently cried out to God for help! Immediately the Holy Spirit brought back to my remembrance, do not worry about how or what you are to speak for the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say (Luke 12:11-12). With that in mind, I opened my mouth . I told John that I believe everything in the Bible and that Jesus Christ is God and the only way. Looking at him in the eye I said the greatest risk you can take is believing in Jesus Christ as the absolute God. (There was much more that was said, but I don't remember all of it). John then asked me, "If I'm gay am I going to hell?" Only by God's grace was I able to answer him. I said, "The issue is not weather you will go to hell because of being gay, the issue is you're not being honest with yourself and knowing what your true desire is. God said in the last days men will become lovers of their own-selves, rather than lovers of God (2 Timothy 3:2-3). Men become lovers of men and other unnatural affections we our eyes are not on Jesus Christ. When we focus on God, desiring God, He fills us with His love, which enable us to love Him back and others. So the true question is do you want to fulfill your own pleasure or seek God?" John looked at me and said: "Wow, that is profound" I smiled at Him and said God is awesomenes!! Afterward I gave him a hug and went back to the Chi Alpha table. Please keep John in your prayers as well as many other Christians like John, who are struggling with homosexuality. God is our deliverer, redeemer, and there's not one person God can not redeem!!  With great expectation I was ready to open the Word of God, but I paused. My eyes caught a glimpse of a candle on the living room table. The fire was trying to escape the entrapment of the glass jar. I sat down by the living room table and read the candle...Harvest Reflections...Highly Fragranced Candle.
This was very interesting to me so I took note and began reading the Bible from where I left off on yesterday (Luke 9). I was going to stop reading after I got done with Luke 9, but I decided to read chapter 10 as well. Once I began reading Luke 10, specifically (Luke 10:1-12), I got extremely excited because it was talking about when Jesus appointed 70 people and sent them out 2 by 2 into the places where Jesus would go. The people who Jesus Christ sent out were forerunners for Jesus before manifested presence came to those places. (Luke 10:1"..and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go") Today the Lord Jesus Christ lives inside of us and we are forerunners in a different aspect. We are forerunners to go into every place (jobs, school, the street, etc..) to manifest Jesus Christ, allowing the Holy Spirit to have His way. We are forerunners before His second coming. In Luke 10:2 Jesus says "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." After reading this I was reminded of the candle that was on the table. Harvest Reflections I began to think about my part in being a laborer for the harvest and about my prayer life for the harvest. Jesus sent out the 70 with instructions and said they are as sheep among wolves. (Luke 10:3-12). However, even though they were sheep among wolves there was no need to be afraid because Jesus taught about the fear of God (Matthew 10:27-31). The 70 went out and came back to Jesus rejoicing because they found out that demons are subject to the name of Jesus. Then Jesus told them that He gives them authority to trample on serpent and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you (Luke 10:17-20) There's a greater understanding about the authority which has been given to us by Jesus Christ once we go out into the harvest. Not being afraid of men which can kill the body, but having the fear of God and boldly proclaiming, sometimes verbally, but always in our lifestyle the Kingdom of God is here. After I got done reading though the Scriptures I sat quietly and waited for God to speak to me and He said this: "You are a highly fragranced candle set ablaze by My Spirit within you. What I speak to you in private, speak openly as a lamb amongst wolves. My flame in you is not just to burn for nothing. Come from behind the bush. I have called you light in this world. A light that sits atop of a hill for all to see. I AM the Fire that burns the wick of your heart. I AM the Fragrance that sets you apart." |
AboutI love to write. These writings come from my time in the Word of God, from observation, and trails in life. I pray that you will be blessed as you read them. Archives
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