Matt Redman - King of Wonders

My Friend

Toward the end of His earthly life, Jesus gave His disciples the ultimate promotion. He told the twelve that He no longer called them servants, but friends. To be in the same room with Him, or even to admire Him from a distance, was more than they could have asked for. But Jesus brought them into His life. They had proven themselves worthy of the greatest promotion ever experienced by humanity—from servants to intimates. Perhaps only Esther of old could really understand what that exaltation felt like, as she, a servant girl who descended from captives, was promoted to queen. “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15). With this promotion, the disciples’  attention would now shift from the task at hand to the One within reach. They were given access to the secrets in the heart of God.
When Jesus gave His disciples this promotion, He did so by describing the difference between the two positions. Servants don’t know what their master is doing. They don’t have access to the personal, intimate realm of their master. They are task-oriented. Obedience is their primary focus and rightly so, for their lives depend on success in that area. But friends have a different focus. It almost sounds blasphemous to say that obedience is not the top concern for the friend, but it is true. Obedience will always be important, as the previous verse highlights,  “You are my friends if you do whatever I command  you” (John 15:14). But friends are less concerned about disobeying than they are about disappointing. The disciples’ focus shifted from the commandments to the presence, from the assignment to the relationship, 
from “what I do for Him” to “how my choices affect Him.” 

Dividing Soul and Spirit

God loves us, and every son who follows the pattern can expect to have laid
upon his life the cross of Jesus Christ. Whatever life that remains, whatever feeling 
we may possess that keep us tethered to the independence of our natural life must be offered.
There is no death without suffering, neither can we be said to be dead, while there is still 
any part in us which is alive. This is a prerequisite for resurrection life. That death with which 
God blesses the soul, pierces even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints 
and marrow. He who sees in us what we cannot see, knows full well where the blow should fall. 
He takes away that which we are most reluctant to give up. Pain is only felt where there is life, 
and where there is life, is just the place where death is needed. He will prove us, perhaps, by 
destroying the liberty of our soul in some area. Would we dare resist? No! Suffer all things! 
This working of the cross must be voluntary, and can only be accomplished to that extent to 
which we are willing. I see at times that every way is shut up, and that God means to accomplish 
His work in us, by cutting off every resource of the soul. There comes a time in our life…..
an appointed time that He moves sovereignly.... He has a place in His Kingdom
that we will function in throughout all eternity. He is about to perform in us something that we
have longed for but have been unable to accomplish….we may be led to a place that is not of our choosing….. 
It is in this dark place where all seems lost and lifeless….just then His life….the power
of an endless life will be released!

Hebrews 4:10-16
English Standard Version (ESV)
10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.
11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 
12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. 14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Broken Vessels - Hillsong Worship

Life Giving Spirit

1:8 (KJV) But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Isaiah 40:31 (KJV) But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

They that wait ....shall receive power after……you shall receive power after….there has to be an understanding of how to receive….without knowledge we perish….the Holy Spirit comes….He is that river…that river of Life….and He flows…..so when I come in tune and I begin to wait that waiting is active and I focus my attention and I concentrate that I am receiving a flow from the Throne. It is this river that makes glad the city of God.