Jesus, God's faithful High Priest, has been revealing to us the idols that grieve Him-- all leading up to the exposure of the "image that provokes to jealousy." Although there may very well be an historical outworking of this in the world, with the beast, false prophet and the "abomination of desolation," I am, right now, simply responding to the Spirit who is revealing spiritual conditions of the human heart. In my understanding, this image that provokes God to jealousy is the self, sitting on the throne of the heart. By now, we should have a clear sense of God's opinion of this. If that is what we see in ourselves, then we must allow Christ to deal with it once and for all. True salvation includes deliverance from the rule and worship of self.
God has work for His saints to do. We're not just waiting around for the end to come~ we are called to be kings and priests with Him as His Kingdom grows upon the earth. He intercedes 24/7 in the heavenlies and we are to minister with Him (we are in the heavenlies when we walk in the Spirit). This requires purification of heart so that we may be at one with Him and His purposes. Once our hearts are cleansed and in unity with the Spirit, we begin to see what He is doing on the earth and to be united with His purposes.
We must understand that God allows things to come to fruition~ He lets them develop until they are fully grown. It is then that things are seen for what they are, and God's judgments are shown to be righteous. Ezekiel writes: "The rod has blossomed, pride has budded. Violence has risen up into a rod of wickedness." Ezekiel 7: 10b-11a NKJV This is one reason we don't see God act on things when we think He ought to! Yes, it is troublesome to have to put up with evil all around us, but the end is coming for all wickedness.
I'll never forget the first time I realized that I was supposed to be grieved over the evil in the world (before that, I sort of ignored it). I had read a Scripture verse about Lot being troubled over the evil of his city (2 Peter 2:7 I suggest reading the different translations), and I realized that I wasn't all that bothered myself. I began to pray for God's heart on it: wow, what a change that brought on! Very uncomfortable, but how can we pray if we don't see things the way God does?
One of the reasons we don't want to see and feel God's way is that it makes us feel separated from humanity, and from the world we live in. Most of us don't want to feel that way. We have such an intense need to belong that we dull ourselves to the evil, or hide ourselves away in little pockets of Christian life. No, of course we don't need to wallow in wickedness~ that's not what I'm getting it. But you can hardly get away from it if you exist in the world. It is how we respond to what we see that I'm talking about. The sick feeling I get in my soul and spirit when I see the way the world is does not drive me to attack the world, rather it causes me to go before the throne of God for direction and grace. I then receive His comfort, because He feels the same separation from the world, and so many of the people in it. Christ came to bridge that separation, yet how many refuse to cross into the blessedness of God's light? And yet, His heart rejoices greatly in those who love Him, and His glorious plans for the future are real and sure.
Sharing God's hatred of evil and His love of the truth sets us apart from the world, and brings us into His realm of protection. "And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side; and the LORD said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.” Ezekiel 9: 3-4 NKJV (Of course, we know this includes women too). Part of the Lord's Prayer is "deliver us from evil". Are we serious about praying this, or are we too concerned about how it will affect our lifestyle?
God's "secret place" is not always a very comfortable one, but it is a spiritually safe one.
These visions of Ezekiel today are some of the most chilling in the Bible to me. This picture strikes at the heart of what is going on in the world and in our nation, not just historically in the past or future temple in Jerusalem:
"Then he said to me, 'Mortal, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each in his room of images? For they say 'The Lord does not see us, the Lord has forsaken the land.'" Ezekiel 8:12 NRSV
Satan has dark strategies that are working out in the governments of man. But there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed. We might as well face it: God sees everything. He's dealing with what's inside His people's hearts until we can join in praying wholeheartedly "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. . .deliver us from evil." We ask the Spirit of Truth and Revelation to expose the darkness, bring those who will repent into the Kingdom of Christ, and to glorify His name in the lives of the people of God.
Don't be afraid to see what the Lord shows you about what is happening in the world. Because Christ is victorious, and so are you!
Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
November 2, 2010 Taking It Personally
Whenever I read Scripture, whether Old Testament or New, I always ask "How does this pertain to me?" and "What are you showing me about yourself today, Lord?" So even if I don't understand very much of what I read, I'm still going to come away having had an encounter with the Lord. My goals of understanding Him more and being more equipped to live for Him are therefore always fulfilled.
One thing that stands out to me when I read the prophets is how much God hates idolatry. This isn't going to touch me much if I keep myself at a distance from these expressions, or put them in the past tense, or aim them in someone else's direction. In the here and now, Christ is passionate about burning away the things that I substitute for Him, the things that I worship that are not Him. The things that I fear and bow down to-- the things that intimidate me-- or the things I try to fill up with other than Him. Even though I know very well that nothing can fill the emptiness that we all feel without Him, I still struggle at times to keep from seeking fulfillment from other sources. We all do.
Accepting God's feelings about idols helps me to lay them down. As I move from being motivated mostly by the fear of the Lord to being motivated by love for Him, I find that I don't want to grieve His heart. Hidden idols in my heart grieve Him, and I want to be rid of them at all cost. I have to ask Him what they are, because it is still part of my sin nature to hide them from myself. Once we're willing to deal with this issue, He gently guides us towards freeing ourselves from all that is contrary to pure heart worship.
When I see how much Ezekiel was willing to go through to demonstrate God's Word to His people I feel pretty wimpy in comparison. God hasn't called me to do the things Ezekiel did (whew!) but He has called me to do some things, which I often find lame excuses for not doing. I wonder if idols have anything to do with this? I think I'll ask Him.
I love the book of Hebrews! What glorious visions of Christ we find here! Today, I'm grateful to be reminded of His loving priesthood and how we can, because of Him, come boldly to the throne for mercy and grace. Every day is my time of need! If I want to do the works He's called me to do, I'll have to enter into (and remain in) that seventh day. This is the place of pure worship that I'm looking for!
Avoiding things I'm called to do is just as much outside of the Rest as doing things I'm not called to do (it's all my own works).
"There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His." Hebrews 4:9-10 NKJV
I embrace the sword of His Word, as painful as it sometimes is, because it so clearly shows me where I'm at, as well as vividly revealing the Lord. As His sword cuts away the junk, it makes more room in my life for Him.
One thing that stands out to me when I read the prophets is how much God hates idolatry. This isn't going to touch me much if I keep myself at a distance from these expressions, or put them in the past tense, or aim them in someone else's direction. In the here and now, Christ is passionate about burning away the things that I substitute for Him, the things that I worship that are not Him. The things that I fear and bow down to-- the things that intimidate me-- or the things I try to fill up with other than Him. Even though I know very well that nothing can fill the emptiness that we all feel without Him, I still struggle at times to keep from seeking fulfillment from other sources. We all do.
Accepting God's feelings about idols helps me to lay them down. As I move from being motivated mostly by the fear of the Lord to being motivated by love for Him, I find that I don't want to grieve His heart. Hidden idols in my heart grieve Him, and I want to be rid of them at all cost. I have to ask Him what they are, because it is still part of my sin nature to hide them from myself. Once we're willing to deal with this issue, He gently guides us towards freeing ourselves from all that is contrary to pure heart worship.
When I see how much Ezekiel was willing to go through to demonstrate God's Word to His people I feel pretty wimpy in comparison. God hasn't called me to do the things Ezekiel did (whew!) but He has called me to do some things, which I often find lame excuses for not doing. I wonder if idols have anything to do with this? I think I'll ask Him.
I love the book of Hebrews! What glorious visions of Christ we find here! Today, I'm grateful to be reminded of His loving priesthood and how we can, because of Him, come boldly to the throne for mercy and grace. Every day is my time of need! If I want to do the works He's called me to do, I'll have to enter into (and remain in) that seventh day. This is the place of pure worship that I'm looking for!
Avoiding things I'm called to do is just as much outside of the Rest as doing things I'm not called to do (it's all my own works).
"There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His." Hebrews 4:9-10 NKJV
I embrace the sword of His Word, as painful as it sometimes is, because it so clearly shows me where I'm at, as well as vividly revealing the Lord. As His sword cuts away the junk, it makes more room in my life for Him.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
October 30, 2010 Effective Grieving
The book of Lamentations makes a lot more sense when you read it right after Jeremiah. Considering what had happened to Jerusalem, the siege and the exile to Babylon, it makes total sense to grieve. Most of us are familiar with the "stages of grief" from psychology. Instead of referring to that right now, I am looking solely at what I learned about grieving from what we've read so far in Lamentations. Then we can evaluate the observations as we read the rest of the book and review what we've already read.
There are different points of view expressed in this long poem of grief. It's not so confusing when you read it this way. However, strong feelings of confusion are natural when experiencing grief, especially something so deeply affecting as what Jeremiah is writing about. As we see Jerusalem personified as a grieving widow, and then enter in to her experience and the expression of her grief, we can learn a lot.
There's Jeremiah's personal grief expressed here, too; and sometimes it even seems that God is expressing His own grief through Jeremiah. I came to the conclusion that God grieved as much as anyone for having to put His people through the stuff. If you're a parent, you most likely know how painful it is for parents to do the needed discipline at times. It is obvious that God did not enjoy the destruction and the resulting grief of His people. He's a compassionate God.
So, my first conclusion is this: if you've suffered loss, no matter what type, tell the story and express the grief as thoroughly and honestly as you can (and a creative medium such as journaling or poetry can help you do this). At first, you don't have to think through the feelings, make sense of them, dissect them or judge them (they may seem irrational to you or others). Just get them out in reviewable form.
If we are around someone who is grieving, being able to hear/see, etc. the feelings helps us share the grief with them-- helps us understand. Reading this book, along with some of the Psalms and other people's expressions, can help us understand someone in extreme grief even if we haven't been there ourselves. Being open to sharing our grief expressions with intimate others can open us up to sharing our grief with God, and to experiencing His comfort as well. We understand from Lamentations that God does not hold Himself aloof from our grief, even if we have brought a loss onto ourselves (yes, I have been there).
IMPORTANT: I want to note that we must not apply the discipline reason for loss to someone (even to ourselves, as in the throes of grief, we may become self-condemning) unless it is our own child we ourselves are disciplining. It is up to the Holy Spirit to reveal the "whys" for things happening to people, and He may not always do so. It can be so terribly wounding to people for us to try to interpret their losses for them, even if we are correct-- and we most likely are not. Please refrain from doing so (unless you're the prophet Jeremiah--and remember, he warned them in advance by God's orders).
Second, in the midst of the grieving process, it is paramount to remember what we know about God, review things He's done for us, and praise Him for His goodness and steadfast love. Making ourselves read or listen to the Word is essential in this process. If we have journaled about His work in our lives, this is a good time to go back to it and read it again. We may be feeling really angry at God, and maybe we're blaming Him for stuff. He can handle it, and He is OK with us expressing these thoughts and feelings. But He also wants us to draw away from the feelings and the grief sometimes, and just meditate on Him. Sometimes others can remind us of His love and goodness, and His good plans for us-- this must be done gently and with love. Look how Jeremiah did this so tenderly in the middle of Lamentations. Such a good example!
The third part is a melding process of the first two. The Holy Spirit begins to work in us to compare and contrast our experience and feelings of grief with the realities of God. The more we are able to immerse ourselves in Him and His Word, including fellowship with wise and loving believers, the quicker we are able to integrate what we've experienced and feel with our knowledge of Him and the truth He reveals to us. Slowly, (and it's different for everyone in timing and the way the process looks), things start to clear up. We see where we need to repent, and we are able to do so. We see what God is doing in our life, and we are able to hear and accept His promises for the future. He imparts His peace to us as we hold on in faith to what we believe about Him.
The more solidly we are rooted into the Rock that is God, and the more thoroughly we have allowed His Word to change our thinking, the more equipped we will be to endure hardship, loss, and even disaster, and the more effectively we will be able to work through our grief and help others to do so as well. Even if we find ourselves being disciplined for something, we will be secure in the love and goodness of our Father. Perhaps we will even avoid said discipline by having experienced vicariously the loss and grief, repentance and restoration of another. I believe this is God's hope for us all.
There are different points of view expressed in this long poem of grief. It's not so confusing when you read it this way. However, strong feelings of confusion are natural when experiencing grief, especially something so deeply affecting as what Jeremiah is writing about. As we see Jerusalem personified as a grieving widow, and then enter in to her experience and the expression of her grief, we can learn a lot.
There's Jeremiah's personal grief expressed here, too; and sometimes it even seems that God is expressing His own grief through Jeremiah. I came to the conclusion that God grieved as much as anyone for having to put His people through the stuff. If you're a parent, you most likely know how painful it is for parents to do the needed discipline at times. It is obvious that God did not enjoy the destruction and the resulting grief of His people. He's a compassionate God.
So, my first conclusion is this: if you've suffered loss, no matter what type, tell the story and express the grief as thoroughly and honestly as you can (and a creative medium such as journaling or poetry can help you do this). At first, you don't have to think through the feelings, make sense of them, dissect them or judge them (they may seem irrational to you or others). Just get them out in reviewable form.
If we are around someone who is grieving, being able to hear/see, etc. the feelings helps us share the grief with them-- helps us understand. Reading this book, along with some of the Psalms and other people's expressions, can help us understand someone in extreme grief even if we haven't been there ourselves. Being open to sharing our grief expressions with intimate others can open us up to sharing our grief with God, and to experiencing His comfort as well. We understand from Lamentations that God does not hold Himself aloof from our grief, even if we have brought a loss onto ourselves (yes, I have been there).
IMPORTANT: I want to note that we must not apply the discipline reason for loss to someone (even to ourselves, as in the throes of grief, we may become self-condemning) unless it is our own child we ourselves are disciplining. It is up to the Holy Spirit to reveal the "whys" for things happening to people, and He may not always do so. It can be so terribly wounding to people for us to try to interpret their losses for them, even if we are correct-- and we most likely are not. Please refrain from doing so (unless you're the prophet Jeremiah--and remember, he warned them in advance by God's orders).
Second, in the midst of the grieving process, it is paramount to remember what we know about God, review things He's done for us, and praise Him for His goodness and steadfast love. Making ourselves read or listen to the Word is essential in this process. If we have journaled about His work in our lives, this is a good time to go back to it and read it again. We may be feeling really angry at God, and maybe we're blaming Him for stuff. He can handle it, and He is OK with us expressing these thoughts and feelings. But He also wants us to draw away from the feelings and the grief sometimes, and just meditate on Him. Sometimes others can remind us of His love and goodness, and His good plans for us-- this must be done gently and with love. Look how Jeremiah did this so tenderly in the middle of Lamentations. Such a good example!
The third part is a melding process of the first two. The Holy Spirit begins to work in us to compare and contrast our experience and feelings of grief with the realities of God. The more we are able to immerse ourselves in Him and His Word, including fellowship with wise and loving believers, the quicker we are able to integrate what we've experienced and feel with our knowledge of Him and the truth He reveals to us. Slowly, (and it's different for everyone in timing and the way the process looks), things start to clear up. We see where we need to repent, and we are able to do so. We see what God is doing in our life, and we are able to hear and accept His promises for the future. He imparts His peace to us as we hold on in faith to what we believe about Him.
The more solidly we are rooted into the Rock that is God, and the more thoroughly we have allowed His Word to change our thinking, the more equipped we will be to endure hardship, loss, and even disaster, and the more effectively we will be able to work through our grief and help others to do so as well. Even if we find ourselves being disciplined for something, we will be secure in the love and goodness of our Father. Perhaps we will even avoid said discipline by having experienced vicariously the loss and grief, repentance and restoration of another. I believe this is God's hope for us all.
Friday, October 29, 2010
October 29, 2010 Private Righteousness
I love today's Psalm for its applicability to my life, and it's ability to convict me when I need it! I like it better in the hard-cover version I read most days:
"I will study the way that is blameless. When shall I attain it?
I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is base." Psalm 101:2-3a NRSV
I've had years of practice at walking with the Lord at home-- from being a stay-at-home mom with three kids, to a work-at-home artist and writer. Most of the time it is only the Lord who knows whether I have lived with integrity or not, although the fruit that I have borne, good or bad, all comes from this tree, grown at home. Especially now, when the routine of raising children is over, there are lots of opportunities to waste time on worthless things. Even though I'm careful not to get into evil things, I've discovered that even "harmless" things can steal the fruit I was meant to bear. Since Jesus Himself is my righteousness, and the Way in which I'm to walk, staying in His presence is the only way I'm going to attain a useful and blameless life that pleases Him. If I don't purposely set myself to live before Him at all times, I can easily drift (and occasionally do).
As a person who spends a great deal of time alone, I've discovered that my worst enemy is myself. I believe David realized this as well, and expressed it in this Psalm. If I do nothing but look into the mirror, I'm going to have to deal with a person who could possibly: do something base, fall away from grace, be perverse of heart, think evil thoughts, secretly slander someone, have a haughty or arrogant attitude, practice deceit or utter lies. If I don't face up to the wickedness that dwells in my own selfish nature, I've already practiced deceit with myself. So I'm with David-- I'm not going to wear a mask to fool myself (and I can't fool God, of course). Instead, I'm going to get into conflict with all evil that thinks it wants to dwell in my private lodgings. "Morning by morning I will destroy all the wicked in the land, cutting off all evildoers from the city of the Lord." vs 8 NRSV
And in the holographic sense, I'm the city of the Lord, and so are you.
"I will study the way that is blameless. When shall I attain it?
I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is base." Psalm 101:2-3a NRSV
I've had years of practice at walking with the Lord at home-- from being a stay-at-home mom with three kids, to a work-at-home artist and writer. Most of the time it is only the Lord who knows whether I have lived with integrity or not, although the fruit that I have borne, good or bad, all comes from this tree, grown at home. Especially now, when the routine of raising children is over, there are lots of opportunities to waste time on worthless things. Even though I'm careful not to get into evil things, I've discovered that even "harmless" things can steal the fruit I was meant to bear. Since Jesus Himself is my righteousness, and the Way in which I'm to walk, staying in His presence is the only way I'm going to attain a useful and blameless life that pleases Him. If I don't purposely set myself to live before Him at all times, I can easily drift (and occasionally do).
As a person who spends a great deal of time alone, I've discovered that my worst enemy is myself. I believe David realized this as well, and expressed it in this Psalm. If I do nothing but look into the mirror, I'm going to have to deal with a person who could possibly: do something base, fall away from grace, be perverse of heart, think evil thoughts, secretly slander someone, have a haughty or arrogant attitude, practice deceit or utter lies. If I don't face up to the wickedness that dwells in my own selfish nature, I've already practiced deceit with myself. So I'm with David-- I'm not going to wear a mask to fool myself (and I can't fool God, of course). Instead, I'm going to get into conflict with all evil that thinks it wants to dwell in my private lodgings. "Morning by morning I will destroy all the wicked in the land, cutting off all evildoers from the city of the Lord." vs 8 NRSV
And in the holographic sense, I'm the city of the Lord, and so are you.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
October 19, 2010 Exercising Godliness
Reading the story of the Hebrews who went back on their word about freeing the slaves reminds me of how I tend to be sometimes. You might be able to relate too, if you think about it. How often do we agree with God about something, only to go back on it later? We don't usually admit that we're "changing our mind," but we do (backwards repentance!). We often assent to the freedom God gives us, only to put ourselves back in bondage to the thing we were enslaved by.
The problem is, I believe, that after the initial decision to do right, we discover the pain or trouble it will cost us to actually do right. Deciding to lose weight, or get in shape, or clean out the garage, or budget our time or money, all sound great in our minds, but doing them is another matter all together. Spiritual things are pretty much the same, aren't they? That's why Paul told Timothy to "exercise yourself toward godliness." 1 Timothy 4:7b
It's good to educate ourselves about the "whys" of doing something. "Why" should I eat healthy food? "Why" should I study the Word? "Why" should I strengthen my core muscles? "Why" should I be a doer of the Word? "Why" should I be faithful in the little things? Understanding things helps us do them. But no matter how much we understand, it's always going to cost us to do what we know. Perhaps this is why we need coaches. They've gone through the pain and they've gotten to the gain! They can help us continue when the going gets rough.
For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come."
1 Timothy 4:8
If the benefit of healthy living is "little" compared to the benefit of godly living (which includes development in spiritual things, God's way), then godliness is very profitable indeed! If people benefit from practicing a "zen" lifestyle, imagine how much greater the benefits of practicing life the way Jesus reveals it!
Having walked a bit in the living Way, I can personally testify that God's ways are totally worth walking in. For instance, the practice of forgiveness towards others keeps me in the flow of heaven, and relieves a lot of stress. But learning that practice has been a painful ordeal at times. It helps me to remember that my Coach already forgave us, and that cost Him more than I can imagine.
The problem is, I believe, that after the initial decision to do right, we discover the pain or trouble it will cost us to actually do right. Deciding to lose weight, or get in shape, or clean out the garage, or budget our time or money, all sound great in our minds, but doing them is another matter all together. Spiritual things are pretty much the same, aren't they? That's why Paul told Timothy to "exercise yourself toward godliness." 1 Timothy 4:7b
It's good to educate ourselves about the "whys" of doing something. "Why" should I eat healthy food? "Why" should I study the Word? "Why" should I strengthen my core muscles? "Why" should I be a doer of the Word? "Why" should I be faithful in the little things? Understanding things helps us do them. But no matter how much we understand, it's always going to cost us to do what we know. Perhaps this is why we need coaches. They've gone through the pain and they've gotten to the gain! They can help us continue when the going gets rough.
For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come."
1 Timothy 4:8
If the benefit of healthy living is "little" compared to the benefit of godly living (which includes development in spiritual things, God's way), then godliness is very profitable indeed! If people benefit from practicing a "zen" lifestyle, imagine how much greater the benefits of practicing life the way Jesus reveals it!
Having walked a bit in the living Way, I can personally testify that God's ways are totally worth walking in. For instance, the practice of forgiveness towards others keeps me in the flow of heaven, and relieves a lot of stress. But learning that practice has been a painful ordeal at times. It helps me to remember that my Coach already forgave us, and that cost Him more than I can imagine.
Monday, October 18, 2010
October 18, 2010 Bubbles of Hope
God loves us so much! He is daily sending out His messages of love and hope, if we just had ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts to understand. Jeremiah received a message of hope in a mundane transaction of real estate. How often we miss these things because we're not expecting them.
Are you in the midst of disaster? Turn to God. He is the God of restoration.
Are you suffering from depression? I am your hope, says the Lord.
Are you being disciplined? "For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” Jeremiah 31:34
In Christ we have a new covenant, the promise of God's goodness forever. Even if you feel like you are at the bottom of the ocean. . . weighed down by impossible circumstances and crushed by unbearable heaviness. . . God is with you, and nothing is too hard for Him. Do you feel separated from God's love? There are bubbles all around you! Take these to your heart, for they contain the oxygen of hope that will sustain you until He comes and lifts you up.
"And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me. Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good" Jeremiah 31: 40-41a NKJV
Are you in the midst of disaster? Turn to God. He is the God of restoration.
Are you suffering from depression? I am your hope, says the Lord.
Are you being disciplined? "For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” Jeremiah 31:34
In Christ we have a new covenant, the promise of God's goodness forever. Even if you feel like you are at the bottom of the ocean. . . weighed down by impossible circumstances and crushed by unbearable heaviness. . . God is with you, and nothing is too hard for Him. Do you feel separated from God's love? There are bubbles all around you! Take these to your heart, for they contain the oxygen of hope that will sustain you until He comes and lifts you up.
"And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me. Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good" Jeremiah 31: 40-41a NKJV
Saturday, October 16, 2010
October 16, 2010 The Merciful Conscience
It's the insights we receive in our quiet study of the Word of God, and the applications we see as we internally meditate on that Word during our day, that prepare us for the things we face, day in and day out. We don't suddenly decide what we believe and how to react when someone accuses us falsely to our face, or when our child throws a temper tantrum in the middle of Walmart. We don't have time to think then-- we just react. Or better yet, respond. Responses we'll be happy with, and that will please the Lord, will be determined in the quiet times we spend with the Lord, not on the fly.
Reading Paul's instructions to Timothy today sounded so much like a loving father getting his son ready for dealing with people-- maybe some really obnoxious people-- getting him ready for times he'd more likely react than respond. It's like he was saying to him, "Son, when you're studying the Word, make sure you study how to be merciful." Paul gives us some tips.
He was telling Timothy that as much as we hate evil and want to teach people the right way, we first must be patient and merciful. The key to this is to remember how we've been in the past. "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief," said Paul, who went on to express his appreciation for the mercy that Christ had shown him. I know we can all relate. The Lord expects us to take this mercy and pass it on. Without mercy, we are not instructing people, we are setting ourselves up as their judge. "Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith," Paul explains. Without mercy, we will not have any of these, for we will not even forgive ourselves.
Our biggest incentive to be merciful, rather than legalistic and vengeful, is that God is: "O God, the proud have risen against me, and a mob of violent men have sought my life, and have not set You before them. But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth." Psalm 86: 14-15 NKJV
As hard as it is to swallow sometimes, we must be merciful with sinners, because if we're not, we're "rejecting conscience." God will eventually punish the wicked. For now, it is our job to instruct in righteousness and to offer the saving grace of Christ.
Reading Paul's instructions to Timothy today sounded so much like a loving father getting his son ready for dealing with people-- maybe some really obnoxious people-- getting him ready for times he'd more likely react than respond. It's like he was saying to him, "Son, when you're studying the Word, make sure you study how to be merciful." Paul gives us some tips.
He was telling Timothy that as much as we hate evil and want to teach people the right way, we first must be patient and merciful. The key to this is to remember how we've been in the past. "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief," said Paul, who went on to express his appreciation for the mercy that Christ had shown him. I know we can all relate. The Lord expects us to take this mercy and pass it on. Without mercy, we are not instructing people, we are setting ourselves up as their judge. "Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith," Paul explains. Without mercy, we will not have any of these, for we will not even forgive ourselves.
Our biggest incentive to be merciful, rather than legalistic and vengeful, is that God is: "O God, the proud have risen against me, and a mob of violent men have sought my life, and have not set You before them. But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth." Psalm 86: 14-15 NKJV
As hard as it is to swallow sometimes, we must be merciful with sinners, because if we're not, we're "rejecting conscience." God will eventually punish the wicked. For now, it is our job to instruct in righteousness and to offer the saving grace of Christ.
Friday, October 15, 2010
October 15, 2010 Don't Grow Weary?
A verse really grabbed my attention today: the apostle Paul saying "do not grow weary in doing good." Since I tend to do that on a somewhat regular basis, I wondered if there were any readily available answers as to how to avoid that. This is what I saw, just in the passages for today:
From Jeremiah:
Do and say what God tells you, no matter how strange and unexpected, and don't follow the crowd. For one thing, this is not boring enough to get weary of, and for another, He strengthens and protects those who obey Him.
From Paul's letter to the Thessalonians:
The Word of God runs swiftly, so if we let it live in us, it will empower us. We tend to get weary when we get opposition from those without faith, but here we are again assured that God will protect us and deliver us, because He is faithful. We're warned not to hang around lazy leeches (I suppose that doesn't mean don't minister to such). This was partly to be a warning to the "disorderly" people, but I think it's also an intelligent precaution on our own part, so it doesn't rub off on us. If we hang around God, and His people who allow Him to move through them, we'll get motivated by Him. Although His atmosphere and attitude is established and peaceful, His glory is not idle.
From the Psalms:
Since we all do get weary sometimes (and even burned-out), we can turn to the Lord for help. He will forgive us, restore us, and revive us. His peace is an important factor in maintaining a steady and faithful lifestyle of service. Over-stress, worry, and improper burden-bearing wear us down and steal our health and our joy, eventually leading us into sinful coping behaviors.
I especially love verses 10-13 of Psalm 85, It is such a great picture!
"Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ." 2 Thessalonians 3:5 NKJV
From Jeremiah:
Do and say what God tells you, no matter how strange and unexpected, and don't follow the crowd. For one thing, this is not boring enough to get weary of, and for another, He strengthens and protects those who obey Him.
From Paul's letter to the Thessalonians:
The Word of God runs swiftly, so if we let it live in us, it will empower us. We tend to get weary when we get opposition from those without faith, but here we are again assured that God will protect us and deliver us, because He is faithful. We're warned not to hang around lazy leeches (I suppose that doesn't mean don't minister to such). This was partly to be a warning to the "disorderly" people, but I think it's also an intelligent precaution on our own part, so it doesn't rub off on us. If we hang around God, and His people who allow Him to move through them, we'll get motivated by Him. Although His atmosphere and attitude is established and peaceful, His glory is not idle.
From the Psalms:
Since we all do get weary sometimes (and even burned-out), we can turn to the Lord for help. He will forgive us, restore us, and revive us. His peace is an important factor in maintaining a steady and faithful lifestyle of service. Over-stress, worry, and improper burden-bearing wear us down and steal our health and our joy, eventually leading us into sinful coping behaviors.
I especially love verses 10-13 of Psalm 85, It is such a great picture!
"Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ." 2 Thessalonians 3:5 NKJV
Thursday, October 14, 2010
October 14, 2010 I Choose The Temple Of Truth
Since we are created to be God's temple, individually and corporately, we have a responsibility to remain faithful to Him. There is an unholy temple, and I don't want to be it. In that temple, the self is set up as god, and lawlessness "rules." Unrighteousness is its condition. According to our reading today, it is the work of Satan. It is the result of not loving the truth, and those who live there are given over to a lying delusion, and eventually to destruction.
On the other hand, we have the choice to live in, and be, God's holy temple. In this temple, Christ Jesus is King, and because of His grace, we serve the living God. This temple is full of the praise of God, and His truth rules. The condition of those who live here is blessing and strength, grace and glory!
Even though the world seems to be, more and more, embracing the spirit of antichrist, rushing headlong into insanity, we who are in Christ Jesus may be always joyful and hopeful in Him. As we patiently wait for His return, we have the awesome privilege to daily serve Him in whatever He has given us to do, whether small or great.
"Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work."
2 Thessalonians 2: 16-17 NKJV
On the other hand, we have the choice to live in, and be, God's holy temple. In this temple, Christ Jesus is King, and because of His grace, we serve the living God. This temple is full of the praise of God, and His truth rules. The condition of those who live here is blessing and strength, grace and glory!
Even though the world seems to be, more and more, embracing the spirit of antichrist, rushing headlong into insanity, we who are in Christ Jesus may be always joyful and hopeful in Him. As we patiently wait for His return, we have the awesome privilege to daily serve Him in whatever He has given us to do, whether small or great.
"Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work."
2 Thessalonians 2: 16-17 NKJV
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
October 5, 2010 The Best Mystery Is A Solved One
I love a mystery, don't you? What I enjoy most about a mystery is finding out the solution. If there's only mystery, and no revelation, the thrill is lost and the only thing left is frustration! That's good news when it comes to the gospel! It's a mystery revealed: "the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints" "which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1: 26, 27b
I'm going to let the Holy Spirit speak to you about that, because it's such a packed statement it really takes the whole New Testament to unfold it! I felt, though, that I needed to be forthright in clearing up an apparent mystery as to why I have not kept up writing in Daily Manna. Be assured, I haven't back-slidden, and I'm still reading my One Year Bible, as I hope you are. I certainly hope my silence has not been a discouragement to you.
I have felt great pressure to "spew" while I've been reading the prophets-- everything I read is so vividly relevant to the present condition of our nation. But the Holy Spirit had not released me to speak what's been on my heart. Just because I have a daily blog does not mean I have permission to speak daily! This is a human expectation (mine included) that can cause pressure. Again I remind you, the designation "Daily Manna" refers to the daily reading of God's Word, not my daily words!!
The Lord has made it clear to me that I am under no compulsion to write daily; rather He has strongly gotten it across to me that I am NOT to do so, at least not now. I will, however, write when He tells me to. This will keep me from blowing off steam that is supposed to build and give me momentum to accomplish the things He has given me to do. It's a hard lesson to learn, for all of us, that just because we have something to say (referring here to something TRUE to say), doesn't mean we should always say it. The goal is to be like Christ, and He only did and said what He saw His Father doing and saying at any given time.
Scriptures are clear about what is wrong and what needs to be done about it. I hope you have been brave and have continued to sludge (if you felt that way) through the prophets' words of wrath and judgment, and that the Holy Spirit has revealed to you the things you needed to see and discuss with Him in prayer. I hope these passages have given you great impetus for intercession. I hope you were comforted and inspired by the many words of hope and pictures of Christ in Isaiah, as was I.
What I want to do today, dear brother or sister, is to encourage you and bless you. I do not curse my country as some people do, but neither do I wish to bless evil as some others do all the time. So what I will do is what I see my Father doing, and that is bless His people, His HOLY nation! Who is His holy nation, if not those who fear Him? Those whose hope of salvation is Christ the Lord. In His name I bless you! You ARE blessed because you belong to HIM! In Jesus Christ, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.
It is time to SEE the mountain of the Lord, His kingdom growing in the earth. It is time to run to the mountain! God is lifting up His banner of love-- even as the trumpet of battle is blowing-- lifting up His covering which is Christ's blood. Under this covering we are protected from God's wrath against evil. Yes, there is wrath. I feel it inside many times, and maybe you do too, against corruption, injustice and plain stupidity. There is a separation of light from darkness as the Spirit hovers, brooding over the earth. What He is forming in you is CHRIST! Not the world's lying definition of that, but Christ Himself, the Word of Truth. This is your hope of glory, the light shining out into the darkness. There will definitely be a separation-- not of church and state, as many are calling for, but a separation of the wicked from the righteous. The separation will be for judgment, because this world is judged. We are under the blood, if we are His. We are not appointed to wrath (this doesn't mean we don't get some discipline at times when we need it-- we are His children, the children of light.) Let's just make sure we are in Him. As the light rises in you, the darkness will flee from you as the dark of night flees from the rising of the dawn!
This is not a time for finger-pointing or blame, but time for serious consideration, and time for deep intercession. God can and does choose nations, when they submit to Him; He can revive our nation, making it again a "nation under God", but the people of the nation need to be revived! When I say revival, I mean taking hold of the kindgom of God. Nationwide repentance is needed: Repentance for desiring a king other than God. Repentance for trusting in government for provision and safety rather than trusting in the Lord. Repentance for running after and serving other gods. Repentance for the sacrifice of children to the evil spirits of old. Repentance for allowing the freedom that Christ bought for us, that we have fought so desperately to retain, to be traded in for slavery. There are many other things to be repented of, as the Word and Spirit will testify.
The Church must from the heart repent for its lack of discernment and from hiding from her duties: "These things also belong to the wise: It is not good to show partiality in judgment. He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” him the people will curse; nations will abhor him. But those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them." Proverbs 24: 23-25
As citizens of an earthly nation, we must come before God to repent for the sins of our nation; as citizens of Heaven, we must call our earthly nation to come under the blood of Christ and be reconciled to God. Then, as citizens of both Earth and of Heaven, when it's time, we must get out and vote as the Holy Spirit, Scripture and conscience direct.
There is no more time for excuses or laziness. Let the Sun rise in you and enlighten the darkness!
"For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross." Colossians 1: 19-20
Questions to ponder:
What parts of the Word have been a mystery to you? Have you asked God to reveal them to you? What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you lately?
What influences have you come under in your life that have stolen the freedom you have in Christ? Are you a slave to anything right now, other than Christ? Do you know how to get free?
How much do you value your freedom? Are you willing to fight for it?
What enemies do you see that want to destroy your freedom? What part of the battle is physical, and what part is spiritual?
I'm going to let the Holy Spirit speak to you about that, because it's such a packed statement it really takes the whole New Testament to unfold it! I felt, though, that I needed to be forthright in clearing up an apparent mystery as to why I have not kept up writing in Daily Manna. Be assured, I haven't back-slidden, and I'm still reading my One Year Bible, as I hope you are. I certainly hope my silence has not been a discouragement to you.
I have felt great pressure to "spew" while I've been reading the prophets-- everything I read is so vividly relevant to the present condition of our nation. But the Holy Spirit had not released me to speak what's been on my heart. Just because I have a daily blog does not mean I have permission to speak daily! This is a human expectation (mine included) that can cause pressure. Again I remind you, the designation "Daily Manna" refers to the daily reading of God's Word, not my daily words!!
The Lord has made it clear to me that I am under no compulsion to write daily; rather He has strongly gotten it across to me that I am NOT to do so, at least not now. I will, however, write when He tells me to. This will keep me from blowing off steam that is supposed to build and give me momentum to accomplish the things He has given me to do. It's a hard lesson to learn, for all of us, that just because we have something to say (referring here to something TRUE to say), doesn't mean we should always say it. The goal is to be like Christ, and He only did and said what He saw His Father doing and saying at any given time.
Scriptures are clear about what is wrong and what needs to be done about it. I hope you have been brave and have continued to sludge (if you felt that way) through the prophets' words of wrath and judgment, and that the Holy Spirit has revealed to you the things you needed to see and discuss with Him in prayer. I hope these passages have given you great impetus for intercession. I hope you were comforted and inspired by the many words of hope and pictures of Christ in Isaiah, as was I.
What I want to do today, dear brother or sister, is to encourage you and bless you. I do not curse my country as some people do, but neither do I wish to bless evil as some others do all the time. So what I will do is what I see my Father doing, and that is bless His people, His HOLY nation! Who is His holy nation, if not those who fear Him? Those whose hope of salvation is Christ the Lord. In His name I bless you! You ARE blessed because you belong to HIM! In Jesus Christ, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.
It is time to SEE the mountain of the Lord, His kingdom growing in the earth. It is time to run to the mountain! God is lifting up His banner of love-- even as the trumpet of battle is blowing-- lifting up His covering which is Christ's blood. Under this covering we are protected from God's wrath against evil. Yes, there is wrath. I feel it inside many times, and maybe you do too, against corruption, injustice and plain stupidity. There is a separation of light from darkness as the Spirit hovers, brooding over the earth. What He is forming in you is CHRIST! Not the world's lying definition of that, but Christ Himself, the Word of Truth. This is your hope of glory, the light shining out into the darkness. There will definitely be a separation-- not of church and state, as many are calling for, but a separation of the wicked from the righteous. The separation will be for judgment, because this world is judged. We are under the blood, if we are His. We are not appointed to wrath (this doesn't mean we don't get some discipline at times when we need it-- we are His children, the children of light.) Let's just make sure we are in Him. As the light rises in you, the darkness will flee from you as the dark of night flees from the rising of the dawn!
This is not a time for finger-pointing or blame, but time for serious consideration, and time for deep intercession. God can and does choose nations, when they submit to Him; He can revive our nation, making it again a "nation under God", but the people of the nation need to be revived! When I say revival, I mean taking hold of the kindgom of God. Nationwide repentance is needed: Repentance for desiring a king other than God. Repentance for trusting in government for provision and safety rather than trusting in the Lord. Repentance for running after and serving other gods. Repentance for the sacrifice of children to the evil spirits of old. Repentance for allowing the freedom that Christ bought for us, that we have fought so desperately to retain, to be traded in for slavery. There are many other things to be repented of, as the Word and Spirit will testify.
The Church must from the heart repent for its lack of discernment and from hiding from her duties: "These things also belong to the wise: It is not good to show partiality in judgment. He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” him the people will curse; nations will abhor him. But those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them." Proverbs 24: 23-25
As citizens of an earthly nation, we must come before God to repent for the sins of our nation; as citizens of Heaven, we must call our earthly nation to come under the blood of Christ and be reconciled to God. Then, as citizens of both Earth and of Heaven, when it's time, we must get out and vote as the Holy Spirit, Scripture and conscience direct.
There is no more time for excuses or laziness. Let the Sun rise in you and enlighten the darkness!
"For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross." Colossians 1: 19-20
Questions to ponder:
What parts of the Word have been a mystery to you? Have you asked God to reveal them to you? What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you lately?
What influences have you come under in your life that have stolen the freedom you have in Christ? Are you a slave to anything right now, other than Christ? Do you know how to get free?
How much do you value your freedom? Are you willing to fight for it?
What enemies do you see that want to destroy your freedom? What part of the battle is physical, and what part is spiritual?
Monday, September 20, 2010
September 20, 2010 A Vision In The Fire
Instead of trying to figure all this out in my mind, I just let the words today swirl around me and soak into me. Don't you just love the visions of the Lord here, how He stands out with such magnificent beauty and glory? The visions of judgment can create an overwhelming fear in people sometimes, but in these passages we are given such a clear vision of the Lord and His indestructible kingdom, that if we keep our eyes on Him we will be able to stand and trust Him until it is all accomplished. Seeing Him in this way reminds me of what the three Hebrew men saw in the firey furnace: the Lord Himself present among them. They came forth without even the smell of smoke on them. When we are in the Lord, this is what our experience will be. Whether we are being persecuted by the wicked, or the fires of judgment burn, we will be preserved and protected by our Savior when we are standing with Him.
Weighed in the balance:
HYPOCRISY
"Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites," Isaiah 33:14
We may be fooled by false righteousness, but it will not hold up against the fire. If we have a fear of judgment, we may want to examine ourselves and see if we are walking in hypocrisy. It can sneak up on us even when we are serious about walking with the Lord. The sure way to stay secure is to
WALK IN THE SPIRIT. Because God looks at the heart, there is no "formula" for living that is fireproof. Good behavior can be hypocrisy when it covers up hidden lust in the heart (and lust is simply whatever is motivating the flesh at the time). God is so good to bring things about in such a way as to reveal to us what we thought was the fruit of the Spirit but was only our own effort at being good.
Only the fruit of the Spirit can hold up under pressure, and fire. There is no reason to worry about this: walk with Him and trust Him to reveal what needs to be revealed. A desire to walk in the Spirit, and humble prayer for the Lord to teach us how, will set us on the path. His voice is always leading us, so all we must do is listen and obey. The Word is our guide as well; if we neglect the Word, it's harder to hear Him speak to us in our heart. The good news is, if you are born again, it is natural for you to walk in the Spirit! The more mature you get, the more swiftly you will run. You are free to BE in Him, you see!
Questions to ponder:
What fruits of the Spirit have you been able to see in your life lately? How about in your spouse, child or friend? Have you ever thought about mentioning it to them? How would you feel if someone pointed out a fruit of the Spirit that they saw growing in your life?
What is it about hypocrisy that bothers you the most? In yourself? In another? What is your response to it? What did Jesus say about it?
What would hypocrisy look like on a national level? What should our response be to hypocrisy in the government or in our leaders?
Weighed in the balance:
HYPOCRISY
"Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites," Isaiah 33:14
We may be fooled by false righteousness, but it will not hold up against the fire. If we have a fear of judgment, we may want to examine ourselves and see if we are walking in hypocrisy. It can sneak up on us even when we are serious about walking with the Lord. The sure way to stay secure is to
WALK IN THE SPIRIT. Because God looks at the heart, there is no "formula" for living that is fireproof. Good behavior can be hypocrisy when it covers up hidden lust in the heart (and lust is simply whatever is motivating the flesh at the time). God is so good to bring things about in such a way as to reveal to us what we thought was the fruit of the Spirit but was only our own effort at being good.
Only the fruit of the Spirit can hold up under pressure, and fire. There is no reason to worry about this: walk with Him and trust Him to reveal what needs to be revealed. A desire to walk in the Spirit, and humble prayer for the Lord to teach us how, will set us on the path. His voice is always leading us, so all we must do is listen and obey. The Word is our guide as well; if we neglect the Word, it's harder to hear Him speak to us in our heart. The good news is, if you are born again, it is natural for you to walk in the Spirit! The more mature you get, the more swiftly you will run. You are free to BE in Him, you see!
Questions to ponder:
What fruits of the Spirit have you been able to see in your life lately? How about in your spouse, child or friend? Have you ever thought about mentioning it to them? How would you feel if someone pointed out a fruit of the Spirit that they saw growing in your life?
What is it about hypocrisy that bothers you the most? In yourself? In another? What is your response to it? What did Jesus say about it?
What would hypocrisy look like on a national level? What should our response be to hypocrisy in the government or in our leaders?
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
September 14, 2010 Hastening Righteousness
As I read the O.T. prophets I sometimes wonder what kind of relevancy there is in them (for myself, for us right now) . I love to find the passages that speak directly of Christ, so of course I'm always looking for that. But what of the rest of it? It's easy to want to pass over it. Today though, since the coming elections are on my mind (I've been seeking the Lord for ways to pray for the nation), these prophetic words take on a poignant application.
One thing we can see in the prophetic writings, especially the ones of judgment on particular nations, is what is it that pleases God in a nation, and what brings His anger and judgment? I see a clear "compare and contrast" of the rulership of Christ vs. the rulership of earthly kingdoms. If we're open to it, I think we will be able to see our nation, with its government and leadership, as God sees it. We will have a clearer vision of what we should look for in our leaders, and we will be able to see what the future outcomes will be of the decisions made in our government. As the constituents of a democracy, the responsibility for these falls on us.
Rather than attempt to tell you (or myself) what to think or pray, I'm simply going to point out the sides of the "balance" that I see. I don't want the proclamation on us in the heavenlies to be you've been weighed in the balance and found wanting. On God's right hand is Christ, the King, and His righteous character. On the left is that which, eventually, will be separated out and destroyed.
In mercy the throne will be established;
And One will sit on it in truth, in the tabernacle of David,
Judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness.
Isaiah 16:5
We know that Jesus Christ is returning to reign on Earth, and that His reign will be just, righteous and true. But anyone who wants to can willingly give up the throne and allow Him to rule right now (in the future, it will be mandatory). This is simply recognizing the reality that Jesus is actually Lord. "All authority in heaven and earth is given to me." The truth is, there is only one throne. Anyone in it other than Him is a usurper and will be overthrown. It is easy enough to tell who is on the throne-- in my own life and in the nations.
PRIDE
We have heard of the pride of Moab—
He is very proud—
Of his haughtiness and his pride and his wrath;
But his lies shall not be so.
Therefore Moab shall wail for Moab;
Everyone shall wail.
Isaiah 16: 6-7a
Pride is what brought Satan down, and what will bring every nation and every individual to a fall.
The first and best thing we can each do for our nation is to go before the Lord and allow Him to reveal Himself to us. In His presence, our own pride and haughtiness are revealed. The places where we do not allow Him to rule are revealed. If we allow Him to take the logs out of our eyes, we may, with His grace, have a clear enough vision to see the faults of our nation and take them before the Lord in humble intercession.
Questions to ponder:
We often hear the statement God Bless America! Do you say it?
Have you ever taken for granted the fact of God's blessing the nation?
What do we need to do as a nation to reap God's blessings?
On what is the Lord dealing with you today to help you be a better citizen:
1) of the Kingdom of God 2) of the country you live in?
One thing we can see in the prophetic writings, especially the ones of judgment on particular nations, is what is it that pleases God in a nation, and what brings His anger and judgment? I see a clear "compare and contrast" of the rulership of Christ vs. the rulership of earthly kingdoms. If we're open to it, I think we will be able to see our nation, with its government and leadership, as God sees it. We will have a clearer vision of what we should look for in our leaders, and we will be able to see what the future outcomes will be of the decisions made in our government. As the constituents of a democracy, the responsibility for these falls on us.
Rather than attempt to tell you (or myself) what to think or pray, I'm simply going to point out the sides of the "balance" that I see. I don't want the proclamation on us in the heavenlies to be you've been weighed in the balance and found wanting. On God's right hand is Christ, the King, and His righteous character. On the left is that which, eventually, will be separated out and destroyed.
In mercy the throne will be established;
And One will sit on it in truth, in the tabernacle of David,
Judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness.
Isaiah 16:5
We know that Jesus Christ is returning to reign on Earth, and that His reign will be just, righteous and true. But anyone who wants to can willingly give up the throne and allow Him to rule right now (in the future, it will be mandatory). This is simply recognizing the reality that Jesus is actually Lord. "All authority in heaven and earth is given to me." The truth is, there is only one throne. Anyone in it other than Him is a usurper and will be overthrown. It is easy enough to tell who is on the throne-- in my own life and in the nations.
PRIDE
We have heard of the pride of Moab—
He is very proud—
Of his haughtiness and his pride and his wrath;
But his lies shall not be so.
Therefore Moab shall wail for Moab;
Everyone shall wail.
Isaiah 16: 6-7a
Pride is what brought Satan down, and what will bring every nation and every individual to a fall.
The first and best thing we can each do for our nation is to go before the Lord and allow Him to reveal Himself to us. In His presence, our own pride and haughtiness are revealed. The places where we do not allow Him to rule are revealed. If we allow Him to take the logs out of our eyes, we may, with His grace, have a clear enough vision to see the faults of our nation and take them before the Lord in humble intercession.
Questions to ponder:
We often hear the statement God Bless America! Do you say it?
Have you ever taken for granted the fact of God's blessing the nation?
What do we need to do as a nation to reap God's blessings?
On what is the Lord dealing with you today to help you be a better citizen:
1) of the Kingdom of God 2) of the country you live in?
Monday, September 13, 2010
September 13, 2010 Dissolved Into Strength
Every once in a while, I find myself in a place of absolute inability to function. Whether it's my own fault or it's something that God is doing is impossible for me to tell, but I always come to the same conclusion: I am nothing without Him. I could relate very much to this verse today: For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.
2 Corinthians 13: 4
I decided a long time ago that there isn't any point in trying to do something in my own strength. What little natural strength I have is easily used up, and what meager things I can do on my own are nothing compared to what the Lord can do through me. I have learned (more than once) that the world goes on without me. This can come as a big shock to anyone who has finally believed that "I am the only one who can be me and do what I do." As true as this is, we still must accept that it is up to God to empower us. He is Life, and there is no substitute for waiting on Him.
I see myself as a sailboat. My gifts and talents are like sails. When the wind blows I will go somewhere as long as my sails are oriented to being filled with the wind. Just as in the natural world, sometimes the wind is just not blowing! A sailboat cannot control the wind. It cannot fake wind either. Why do we Christians think we have to fake the wind? Do we control the wind? No. We don't control the Holy Spirit, and we do not fake His activity. We just wait. We actively wait, for at the first sign of movement, we get our sails hoisted and ready to be filled.
It is the times that I am forced to rest that I see how very weak I am. I feel overwhelmed at the idea of doing any of the things I had previously been doing with ease. How much I need the Lord! There is no shame in this. If Jesus accepted this place of total dependency on God, then it good enough for me. In fact, it is the only safe place to be. I am reminded, with force, to be constantly dependent on Him and His strength alone so that I do not fall into pride and self-will. Stripped of all that makes me feel acceptable to Him, I discover once again that He loves and accepts me "just because." Everything gets distilled down to having a relationship with God and a more pure desire to please just Him. Of course, this is the place of inspiration, where exploits are born.
Questions to ponder:
Are you naturally a "be-er" or a "do-er"?
What word-picture would you use to describe the way God empowers your life?
Do you ever feel you are trying to "do" your life on your own? What do you do about that?
Have you ever felt a sudden shift in how the Holy Spirit was moving in your life? How did you feel about that? What was your response to this change?
2 Corinthians 13: 4
I decided a long time ago that there isn't any point in trying to do something in my own strength. What little natural strength I have is easily used up, and what meager things I can do on my own are nothing compared to what the Lord can do through me. I have learned (more than once) that the world goes on without me. This can come as a big shock to anyone who has finally believed that "I am the only one who can be me and do what I do." As true as this is, we still must accept that it is up to God to empower us. He is Life, and there is no substitute for waiting on Him.
I see myself as a sailboat. My gifts and talents are like sails. When the wind blows I will go somewhere as long as my sails are oriented to being filled with the wind. Just as in the natural world, sometimes the wind is just not blowing! A sailboat cannot control the wind. It cannot fake wind either. Why do we Christians think we have to fake the wind? Do we control the wind? No. We don't control the Holy Spirit, and we do not fake His activity. We just wait. We actively wait, for at the first sign of movement, we get our sails hoisted and ready to be filled.
It is the times that I am forced to rest that I see how very weak I am. I feel overwhelmed at the idea of doing any of the things I had previously been doing with ease. How much I need the Lord! There is no shame in this. If Jesus accepted this place of total dependency on God, then it good enough for me. In fact, it is the only safe place to be. I am reminded, with force, to be constantly dependent on Him and His strength alone so that I do not fall into pride and self-will. Stripped of all that makes me feel acceptable to Him, I discover once again that He loves and accepts me "just because." Everything gets distilled down to having a relationship with God and a more pure desire to please just Him. Of course, this is the place of inspiration, where exploits are born.
Questions to ponder:
Are you naturally a "be-er" or a "do-er"?
What word-picture would you use to describe the way God empowers your life?
Do you ever feel you are trying to "do" your life on your own? What do you do about that?
Have you ever felt a sudden shift in how the Holy Spirit was moving in your life? How did you feel about that? What was your response to this change?
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
August 11, 2010 The Secret Pavilion
I will share something about the book of Nehemiah that will revolutionize it for you, in case you've never seen it before. I learned it while doing my degree work in Christian Biblical Psychology. It's all about restoration, and it is pertinent to the rebuilding of a broken person, as well as the entire Church. As are all the histories of the Jewish people, they are all written for our instruction.
Today I saw something a little different that I hadn't noticed (maybe I was taught it before, but I don't remember). All the different people who worked on the wall are like all the different people we come in contact with when we are "under construction." The Lord will use various people to be His hands in our life when we need help. A great many people have been devastated emotionally and spiritually, and even physically (often as a result of those) and are in need of being healed and put back together. God doesn't use any one person (such as a counselor or pastor) to "fix" someone; otherwise I think we would take credit for "building" someone or for making them who they are to become. God uses teams, and He gets all the glory for it. The teams are organized by the Holy Spirit, and not necessarily in a way we can see. I can testify that while I was going through the greatest part of my restoration, that many people had a part to play in different areas in my life. Sometimes they didn't even realize that God was working through them for the purpose of healing and restoration. Others didn't realize they were getting in the way.
Notice that first Nehemiah assessed the damage, and then they began to work on the wall. Most people who have been through life traumas don't have anything in the way of proper defenses. This might be noticed in the lack of good boundaries, in behavior lacking in any kind of normal sense about what is healthy, and in the tendency to be overrun by harmful agents. The picture of a war-ravaged city, burned down and with the walls in ruins, is a powerful image to help us understand how damaged people can be. If you haven't been there yourself, I guarantee you know someone who is. Likely, you are one of the people who is working on your little section of the wall. When everyone does their part, a person is able to be restored to functioning more quickly. The deeper issues of healing then, are dealt with in a safer environment.
While all this work is going on, God nurtures us in the Secret Pavilion. It's the secret place of His presence, and it's there for all who fear God and trust Him. It's for the workers and well as those "under construction." Sometimes it takes a person a while to learn to trust God, as well as have the right kind of reverent awe of the Lord. When those around them are living in this place, it's a lot easier for them to be led to into it. No matter who's trying to do you in, or who's speaking evil against you, you're hidden from it in the Secret Pavilion. Even plaguing inner voices are shut down in this tent of peace, where the love of God surrounds you and protects you.
In the Secret Pavilion, you can also receive a vision of the Heavenly City, the New Jerusalem. "Blessed be the LORD, for He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!" Psalm 31:21 This vision of the wholeness, holiness, and oneness of the finished product of God's people-- what Jesus is working on and will finish-- is what gives the workers and the people being restored, hope enough to continue. It's what gives us courage, strengthening our hearts. And Satan will be just as surprised about the results as he was when Jesus was resurrected!
Questions to ponder:
Have you ever noticed how many loud and opposing voices there are all around you all the time? Have you ever experienced the peace and quiet of God's secret pavilion?
Who do you know that is in a broken and ruined condition? How is God moving through you to help rebuild the wall?
What was your impression of how Nehemiah communicated with the king? What kind of instruction does this give you for your own life?
Today I saw something a little different that I hadn't noticed (maybe I was taught it before, but I don't remember). All the different people who worked on the wall are like all the different people we come in contact with when we are "under construction." The Lord will use various people to be His hands in our life when we need help. A great many people have been devastated emotionally and spiritually, and even physically (often as a result of those) and are in need of being healed and put back together. God doesn't use any one person (such as a counselor or pastor) to "fix" someone; otherwise I think we would take credit for "building" someone or for making them who they are to become. God uses teams, and He gets all the glory for it. The teams are organized by the Holy Spirit, and not necessarily in a way we can see. I can testify that while I was going through the greatest part of my restoration, that many people had a part to play in different areas in my life. Sometimes they didn't even realize that God was working through them for the purpose of healing and restoration. Others didn't realize they were getting in the way.
Notice that first Nehemiah assessed the damage, and then they began to work on the wall. Most people who have been through life traumas don't have anything in the way of proper defenses. This might be noticed in the lack of good boundaries, in behavior lacking in any kind of normal sense about what is healthy, and in the tendency to be overrun by harmful agents. The picture of a war-ravaged city, burned down and with the walls in ruins, is a powerful image to help us understand how damaged people can be. If you haven't been there yourself, I guarantee you know someone who is. Likely, you are one of the people who is working on your little section of the wall. When everyone does their part, a person is able to be restored to functioning more quickly. The deeper issues of healing then, are dealt with in a safer environment.
While all this work is going on, God nurtures us in the Secret Pavilion. It's the secret place of His presence, and it's there for all who fear God and trust Him. It's for the workers and well as those "under construction." Sometimes it takes a person a while to learn to trust God, as well as have the right kind of reverent awe of the Lord. When those around them are living in this place, it's a lot easier for them to be led to into it. No matter who's trying to do you in, or who's speaking evil against you, you're hidden from it in the Secret Pavilion. Even plaguing inner voices are shut down in this tent of peace, where the love of God surrounds you and protects you.
In the Secret Pavilion, you can also receive a vision of the Heavenly City, the New Jerusalem. "Blessed be the LORD, for He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!" Psalm 31:21 This vision of the wholeness, holiness, and oneness of the finished product of God's people-- what Jesus is working on and will finish-- is what gives the workers and the people being restored, hope enough to continue. It's what gives us courage, strengthening our hearts. And Satan will be just as surprised about the results as he was when Jesus was resurrected!
Questions to ponder:
Have you ever noticed how many loud and opposing voices there are all around you all the time? Have you ever experienced the peace and quiet of God's secret pavilion?
Who do you know that is in a broken and ruined condition? How is God moving through you to help rebuild the wall?
What was your impression of how Nehemiah communicated with the king? What kind of instruction does this give you for your own life?
Monday, August 9, 2010
August 9, 2010 God's Clear Guidelines For Social Networking
Today the Lord reminded me of some things I'd learned, and clarified them for me. I thought they might be relevant to you as they are to me. They have to do with our interactions with people in the world, and with fellow Christians.
First, it is most important that we do what we say. The issue of living what we preach came up first; often that's going to take crying out to God for help in order to do so. Without that kind of integrity, we lose our good witness and end up ashamed. God comes through with aid when we're committed to actually doing the Word, not just reading it and talking about it.
The issues of "intermarrying with pagans" and "sexual immorality" got a lot of attention: these are obviously really important to the Lord. With the Old and New Testament passages juxtaposed like this, I got a clearer understanding of what the Lord is trying to say, at least to me right now. I think as Christians, we mostly know we're not to marry outside of Christ, or have sex outside of marriage. But I think we can apply this to ourselves in a deeper understanding of intimacy and partnership. We shouldn't be birthing anything of mixed spiritual seed (children of the devil birthing something together with children of God; birthing something that's partly of the devil and partly of God). We shouldn't even take the risk of that kind of illegitimate relationship -- it creates all sorts of trouble.
On the other hand, the Apostle Paul made it clear that the Lord wasn't telling us to go around judging the world for its idolatrous and sexually immoral behavior, or for all the rest of the things he listed (and there is so much more)! God's got it covered. He said he wasn't even telling us to avoid contact with the people in the world, "since then you would need to go out of the world." How could we be a witness in the world if we're not allowed to hang around with people in the world?
If you'll think about it for a minute, Jesus came down out of a holy heaven and entered into a very sinful world, in human form, to hang out with us sinful people. It wasn't because He loved the sin! Obviously He doesn't! He came because He loves people, and He wanted to share God's good news with them. He wanted to give them a way out of the sin, and a way to escape the corruption in the world and the judgement of the world that is to come. He is the Way, and He made it possible for us to see that.
Now it's up to us to do the same. He never engaged in the sinful behavior, however. He was always Himself, yet He made Himself accessible. He was engaging without compromise. Jesus is the best example of how to do godly social networking. Not only that, He's given us His Spirit to help us do it right.
Paul brought up a major issue about how to deal with people who call themselves Christians and don't live like it (and it seems to me that he is talking about habitual lifestyle, not just mistakes, since he called them "evil people"!). As I said before, we should not be one of those. But here we see that we shouldn't even hang around with one of those! Does this seem contradictory? Hang out with the sinners in the world, but don't hang out with the sinners in the Church.
Well, think about it. First, there's the possibility that it might be an imposter (poser, infiltrator), possibly a wolf. Or it could be a person under the influence of a Jezebel spirit. Any of these types are stalking around looking to lead people astray and devour them. Someone doing immoral things within the body of Christ ends up leading others to do the same, usually the lambs. It despoils the testimony of the Church, and it grieves the Spirit of God. The Church is about oneness with God and each other. God will not be one with evil! There may be other reasons besides these. Whatever the reasons for God saying it's a big deal, Paul makes it clear that it's dangerous and that we are to take action. Yes, we are to judge it. We are to disengage from fellowship with them, and we are not to associate. [If you have read further in the letters of Paul, you will see that this choice is to be redemptive always].
As you can see, the things we read in Scripture are very relevant and applicable to our daily lives. I received some clear instruction today, and some things on which to seek God further. I hope you did too.
Questions to ponder:
How committed are you to obeying what the Word of God teaches?
What do you do when you are up against a compromising situation?
Have you ever gotten too involved with an unbeliever? How did that turn out?
How much say does God have in your own social networking practices?
How does God's Word affect how you relate to people in the world? people in the church? Is He calling for any change in these areas?
Have you ever had to give up a Christian friend because they were living a sinful lifestyle? What would tell someone facing that type of choice?
First, it is most important that we do what we say. The issue of living what we preach came up first; often that's going to take crying out to God for help in order to do so. Without that kind of integrity, we lose our good witness and end up ashamed. God comes through with aid when we're committed to actually doing the Word, not just reading it and talking about it.
The issues of "intermarrying with pagans" and "sexual immorality" got a lot of attention: these are obviously really important to the Lord. With the Old and New Testament passages juxtaposed like this, I got a clearer understanding of what the Lord is trying to say, at least to me right now. I think as Christians, we mostly know we're not to marry outside of Christ, or have sex outside of marriage. But I think we can apply this to ourselves in a deeper understanding of intimacy and partnership. We shouldn't be birthing anything of mixed spiritual seed (children of the devil birthing something together with children of God; birthing something that's partly of the devil and partly of God). We shouldn't even take the risk of that kind of illegitimate relationship -- it creates all sorts of trouble.
On the other hand, the Apostle Paul made it clear that the Lord wasn't telling us to go around judging the world for its idolatrous and sexually immoral behavior, or for all the rest of the things he listed (and there is so much more)! God's got it covered. He said he wasn't even telling us to avoid contact with the people in the world, "since then you would need to go out of the world." How could we be a witness in the world if we're not allowed to hang around with people in the world?
If you'll think about it for a minute, Jesus came down out of a holy heaven and entered into a very sinful world, in human form, to hang out with us sinful people. It wasn't because He loved the sin! Obviously He doesn't! He came because He loves people, and He wanted to share God's good news with them. He wanted to give them a way out of the sin, and a way to escape the corruption in the world and the judgement of the world that is to come. He is the Way, and He made it possible for us to see that.
Now it's up to us to do the same. He never engaged in the sinful behavior, however. He was always Himself, yet He made Himself accessible. He was engaging without compromise. Jesus is the best example of how to do godly social networking. Not only that, He's given us His Spirit to help us do it right.
Paul brought up a major issue about how to deal with people who call themselves Christians and don't live like it (and it seems to me that he is talking about habitual lifestyle, not just mistakes, since he called them "evil people"!). As I said before, we should not be one of those. But here we see that we shouldn't even hang around with one of those! Does this seem contradictory? Hang out with the sinners in the world, but don't hang out with the sinners in the Church.
Well, think about it. First, there's the possibility that it might be an imposter (poser, infiltrator), possibly a wolf. Or it could be a person under the influence of a Jezebel spirit. Any of these types are stalking around looking to lead people astray and devour them. Someone doing immoral things within the body of Christ ends up leading others to do the same, usually the lambs. It despoils the testimony of the Church, and it grieves the Spirit of God. The Church is about oneness with God and each other. God will not be one with evil! There may be other reasons besides these. Whatever the reasons for God saying it's a big deal, Paul makes it clear that it's dangerous and that we are to take action. Yes, we are to judge it. We are to disengage from fellowship with them, and we are not to associate. [If you have read further in the letters of Paul, you will see that this choice is to be redemptive always].
As you can see, the things we read in Scripture are very relevant and applicable to our daily lives. I received some clear instruction today, and some things on which to seek God further. I hope you did too.
Questions to ponder:
How committed are you to obeying what the Word of God teaches?
What do you do when you are up against a compromising situation?
Have you ever gotten too involved with an unbeliever? How did that turn out?
How much say does God have in your own social networking practices?
How does God's Word affect how you relate to people in the world? people in the church? Is He calling for any change in these areas?
Have you ever had to give up a Christian friend because they were living a sinful lifestyle? What would tell someone facing that type of choice?
Saturday, August 7, 2010
August 7, 2010 Random Thoughts of Encouragement
I found a personal encouragement in each section today:
Ezra -- God can and will deal with a government that is hindering a labor given by God: this is personally applicable for us, as Bob's business has been directly hindered by State government being slow, and totally ignorant; and it was a business given to us by prophecy.
Corinthians -- I'm God's fellow laborer. That doesn't make me better than anyone else, it just means that God is doing His part in giving increase. I'm the temple of the Holy Spirit: His refining fire is working all the time to burn off stuff that doesn't please Him. If I hang in there with Him, I'll have some gold and silver and precious stones to offer Him in the end.
Psalms -- I'm just in awe of the voice of God! The power, beauty and majesty of His voice is compelling beyond all other sounds. Whenever I hear Him, I am moved to worship Him. I can see, hear, touch, feel and sometimes even taste His voice. I want more.
Proverbs -- I just got this picture of the Lord walking around in my unconscious holding up a lamp. He's not leaving a single corner, closet or cubbyhole untouched by His light. There is nothing hidden or unknown to Him, so I don't have to fear what might be lurking around in there. I'm encouraged to cooperate with Him and let Him completely in.
It's just not possible to read God's word and not get something, if you're open. If you're not getting anything real and personal from Him everyday, ask yourself this question:
Am I willing to receive whatever the Lord has to say to me today?
Ezra -- God can and will deal with a government that is hindering a labor given by God: this is personally applicable for us, as Bob's business has been directly hindered by State government being slow, and totally ignorant; and it was a business given to us by prophecy.
Corinthians -- I'm God's fellow laborer. That doesn't make me better than anyone else, it just means that God is doing His part in giving increase. I'm the temple of the Holy Spirit: His refining fire is working all the time to burn off stuff that doesn't please Him. If I hang in there with Him, I'll have some gold and silver and precious stones to offer Him in the end.
Psalms -- I'm just in awe of the voice of God! The power, beauty and majesty of His voice is compelling beyond all other sounds. Whenever I hear Him, I am moved to worship Him. I can see, hear, touch, feel and sometimes even taste His voice. I want more.
Proverbs -- I just got this picture of the Lord walking around in my unconscious holding up a lamp. He's not leaving a single corner, closet or cubbyhole untouched by His light. There is nothing hidden or unknown to Him, so I don't have to fear what might be lurking around in there. I'm encouraged to cooperate with Him and let Him completely in.
It's just not possible to read God's word and not get something, if you're open. If you're not getting anything real and personal from Him everyday, ask yourself this question:
Am I willing to receive whatever the Lord has to say to me today?
Friday, August 6, 2010
August 6, 2010 God's Two-Part Plan For Establishing His Abiding Glory
I may have said this before, but it's hitting me like waves: Babylonian captivity is all about worship. We go into captivity and confusion because we worship other gods. When we come out, the first thing that happens is that the true worship of God is restored.
The things we're confronted with in captivity are all the things we've worshipped instead of God: What am I trusting in? Who do I fear? What do I desire most of all? Who or what am I molding myself to? Who am I trying to please? What am I filling myself with? Who am I following? How am I getting guidance? What do I think about all the time? What do I crave? Who or what intimidates me? What am I addicted to? What am I patterning my life after? Who or what do I run to for protection? What or who do I count on for provision? For fulfillment? For worth? For identity? What are my entanglements? Who or what do I actually worship?
Because there are so many things we worship as idols instead of, or along side of, God, we might have to go into captivity more than once. But every time we are released, we are back to getting true worship established once again. This is a life process for all of us, I think. The faster we're willing to relinquish our idols the quicker we are out of captivity and into freedom.
If we want God's abiding glory, we must first turn away from our idols (and this is why God identifies them to us and shows us His perspective on them). Then we must follow God's directions for establishing true worship. While this is happening, there will be opposition.
In these chapters today we see opposing ages and the spiritual rulers of these ages at work. There is this present age of the world (which is reaching its end), and the satanic spirits that rule over it. There is also the Kingdom age (which began with Christ's appearance in the world). That has been a mystery that has slowly been revealed since then, and is still being progressively revealed. The Spirit of Truth is the ruling spirit of the Kingdom Age.
Every person has to choose which age he or she will partake of. We are born, naturally, into this present worldly age. What could we call it? The age of rebellion? The age of lies? When we're born again, we begin to partake of the Kingdom age in some ways. But just because we're born again in the spirit doesn't mean we're able to understand or accept much of it-- it's so different than what we've gotten used to. We find ourselves in two opposing kingdoms and two opposing ages at once, and we are mighty confused!
From what Paul is saying about wisdom and spirit, I understand that the wisdom of this age comes from the heart of pride and rebellion that originated with satan. The wisdom of the Kingdom of Christ proceeds from the heart of God. Since it's written that it's the spirit of man that knows the "things of a man" and that the Spirit of God knows the deep things of God, I'm taking it that the wisdom of this age is also what comes from the heart of man separated from God. Satan is completely obsessed with man, however, so it takes discerning of spirits to sometimes be able to tell the difference between what's coming from man's spirit and what's coming from demonic spirits.
The spirit of man gravitates one way or the other. People are going to receive from demonic spirits or the Spirit of God, like it or not. If we've not put ourselves in subjection to the Kingdom of God, then we're subjected to the kingdom of rebellion (or lies, or darkness). The "rulers of this age," that Paul speaks of, can't logically be human, as he's talking about the fact that they crucified Christ, not knowing that He would be risen from the dead. Obviously, they worked through people. These spirits are still around, still working through people, trying to keep the Kingdom of God from prevailing. Too late! They've been defeated. They didn't stop it from coming and they didn't even see what was going to happen. They can't possibly stop it. The glorious reign of Christ on earth is inevitable.
Carnally minded people, even Christians, have a hard (or impossible) time seeing what's going on in the Kingdom of God. Until we reject the idols of this present age of rebellion, we can't be spiritually minded. Until we are spiritually minded, we can't receive the deep things of God revealed by the Spirit of God. When we are worshipping idols, we are still receiving only the wisdom of this age, the same "wisdom" that blindly crucified Christ.
Wrongly directed worship destroys the fruit of the Spirit in us and tears down the seed of the Word in us. It defiles and defames the temple. When we get disgusted with living in the age of rebellion, and reject its idols, we can then become cleansed from their influence and become a vessel for pure worship of God. We begin to have the fruit of the Spirit in abundance. Instead of ourselves usurping the throne of our hearts (being actually "puppet kings" of satan), then Christ is welcomed as King of kings, and we are holy participants in the Kingdom Age. We are now worshiping Him in whatever areas we are not rebelling against Him as King. He is working on getting all of us to absolute worship of Him! Give us an undivided heart to worship You! Glory!!
The Kingdom Age has glories in it we are only beginning to see as we come out from this putrid cloud of darkness. The Spirit of God delights to reveal these things to us; Jesus Christ knows all things of the Father's heart, and instructs the Spirit to reveal them to us when we are ready to receive them.
I hope this helps you to rise up and put off everything that hinders you from worshiping God purely from the heart. It certainly does motivate me!
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.
For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
1 Corinthians 2: 9-10 NKJV
Questions to ponder:
Has your concept of idol worship changed?
What idol or idols in your life has the Spirit of God identified to you today, or recently?
How is He motivating you to turn away from them?
What is He showing you to do that will replace the practices of idol worship?
What glimpse of His glory has He given you to keep you wanting the deep things of God?
The things we're confronted with in captivity are all the things we've worshipped instead of God: What am I trusting in? Who do I fear? What do I desire most of all? Who or what am I molding myself to? Who am I trying to please? What am I filling myself with? Who am I following? How am I getting guidance? What do I think about all the time? What do I crave? Who or what intimidates me? What am I addicted to? What am I patterning my life after? Who or what do I run to for protection? What or who do I count on for provision? For fulfillment? For worth? For identity? What are my entanglements? Who or what do I actually worship?
Because there are so many things we worship as idols instead of, or along side of, God, we might have to go into captivity more than once. But every time we are released, we are back to getting true worship established once again. This is a life process for all of us, I think. The faster we're willing to relinquish our idols the quicker we are out of captivity and into freedom.
If we want God's abiding glory, we must first turn away from our idols (and this is why God identifies them to us and shows us His perspective on them). Then we must follow God's directions for establishing true worship. While this is happening, there will be opposition.
In these chapters today we see opposing ages and the spiritual rulers of these ages at work. There is this present age of the world (which is reaching its end), and the satanic spirits that rule over it. There is also the Kingdom age (which began with Christ's appearance in the world). That has been a mystery that has slowly been revealed since then, and is still being progressively revealed. The Spirit of Truth is the ruling spirit of the Kingdom Age.
Every person has to choose which age he or she will partake of. We are born, naturally, into this present worldly age. What could we call it? The age of rebellion? The age of lies? When we're born again, we begin to partake of the Kingdom age in some ways. But just because we're born again in the spirit doesn't mean we're able to understand or accept much of it-- it's so different than what we've gotten used to. We find ourselves in two opposing kingdoms and two opposing ages at once, and we are mighty confused!
From what Paul is saying about wisdom and spirit, I understand that the wisdom of this age comes from the heart of pride and rebellion that originated with satan. The wisdom of the Kingdom of Christ proceeds from the heart of God. Since it's written that it's the spirit of man that knows the "things of a man" and that the Spirit of God knows the deep things of God, I'm taking it that the wisdom of this age is also what comes from the heart of man separated from God. Satan is completely obsessed with man, however, so it takes discerning of spirits to sometimes be able to tell the difference between what's coming from man's spirit and what's coming from demonic spirits.
The spirit of man gravitates one way or the other. People are going to receive from demonic spirits or the Spirit of God, like it or not. If we've not put ourselves in subjection to the Kingdom of God, then we're subjected to the kingdom of rebellion (or lies, or darkness). The "rulers of this age," that Paul speaks of, can't logically be human, as he's talking about the fact that they crucified Christ, not knowing that He would be risen from the dead. Obviously, they worked through people. These spirits are still around, still working through people, trying to keep the Kingdom of God from prevailing. Too late! They've been defeated. They didn't stop it from coming and they didn't even see what was going to happen. They can't possibly stop it. The glorious reign of Christ on earth is inevitable.
Carnally minded people, even Christians, have a hard (or impossible) time seeing what's going on in the Kingdom of God. Until we reject the idols of this present age of rebellion, we can't be spiritually minded. Until we are spiritually minded, we can't receive the deep things of God revealed by the Spirit of God. When we are worshipping idols, we are still receiving only the wisdom of this age, the same "wisdom" that blindly crucified Christ.
Wrongly directed worship destroys the fruit of the Spirit in us and tears down the seed of the Word in us. It defiles and defames the temple. When we get disgusted with living in the age of rebellion, and reject its idols, we can then become cleansed from their influence and become a vessel for pure worship of God. We begin to have the fruit of the Spirit in abundance. Instead of ourselves usurping the throne of our hearts (being actually "puppet kings" of satan), then Christ is welcomed as King of kings, and we are holy participants in the Kingdom Age. We are now worshiping Him in whatever areas we are not rebelling against Him as King. He is working on getting all of us to absolute worship of Him! Give us an undivided heart to worship You! Glory!!
The Kingdom Age has glories in it we are only beginning to see as we come out from this putrid cloud of darkness. The Spirit of God delights to reveal these things to us; Jesus Christ knows all things of the Father's heart, and instructs the Spirit to reveal them to us when we are ready to receive them.
I hope this helps you to rise up and put off everything that hinders you from worshiping God purely from the heart. It certainly does motivate me!
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.
For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
1 Corinthians 2: 9-10 NKJV
Questions to ponder:
Has your concept of idol worship changed?
What idol or idols in your life has the Spirit of God identified to you today, or recently?
How is He motivating you to turn away from them?
What is He showing you to do that will replace the practices of idol worship?
What glimpse of His glory has He given you to keep you wanting the deep things of God?
Thursday, August 5, 2010
August 5, 2010 When All Seems Lost, God Makes A Way
I was suicidal once, years back; for a month or more, I struggled with thoughts of how I could end my life because chronic depression had left me hopeless, and my circumstances seemed unchangeable. I had lost connection with my faith in God, although I would not have denied it consciously. The only thing that kept me going was that I needed to take care of my children. I thank God for a dad who heard God, comprehended where I was at, and offered to pay for therapy. This was the beginning of a long journey of healing and restoration for me. That I now have abiding peace and joy in my life, and a stable environment and relationships, is a great example of the power of the cross of Christ. It is in Him alone that I have found reality, sanity and purpose.
I share this because it is the first thing I thought of when I saw the heading for today's reading in Ezra: End of the Babylonian Captivity. What I saw in the passage was that if God could stir up the spirit of Cyrus, He can do whatever needs to be done to rescue us from our distresses. He did do that for me. When I thought no good could come from my life (that was of course, a deception), God broke through my darkness and brought me out. My sinful choices had gotten me into captivity in the first place. God used it for good in my life anyway.
When humanity had fallen into the depths of depravity, God made a way. When Jesus went to the cross to die, He took upon Himself the whole of mankind's mess. He came back from the depths of death bringing our deliverance with Him. As Paul said, it sounds like foolishness to a lot of people, but I say, foolishness or not, it's wisdom and life. I can testify first hand-- I'm only alive because of Him.
The Corinthians passages are some of the most powerful and hopeful I know of: I love them! When you put them together with the Ezra account, the Psalms and the Proverbs, today's reading packs a powerfully hopeful punch! I completely embrace being a "foolish thing"! It means I'm chosen to put to shame the "high and mighty" things of the world. I just said to my husband this morning, that I didn't belong in the big, bad world-- that I just wanted to hide out "in a cave" and be a little girl. The fact is, I am God's little girl! I don't have to fit in with, or be accepted by, the world (that's perishing anyway); I don't belong! I belong to the Kingdom! I'm in Christ and Christ is in God. I can be strong in the power of His might! I can glory in Him! I don't have to be anything, because He is everything. However, as I keep pressing into Him, the foolishness that is me gives way to the wisdom that is Him. I begin to realize that in the Kingdom I have substance, significance, sustainability.
If you are lost, Jesus is the Way. If you have been found by Him, Jesus is still the Way. Along the Way you find Truth and Life. These things are worth living for! Whether you know it or not, Jesus already died for you and proclaimed you "forgiven." Your future love relationship with God began at that moment. Whenever you awake to this reality and say "yes," the adventure begins. Never give up on your life! You will be totally surprised at the wondrous things He has in store for you, even if you feel like a foolish thing right now.
Bonus: Negativity is the beginning of the suicidal road; here's how not to get there, ever:
"I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living.
Wait on the LORD;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD."
Psalm 27:13-14
Questions to ponder:
Have you ever struggled with despair or suicidal thoughts? How did you get out from under them?
If you have had victory in this area, have you ever shared it with others?
Do you know anyone who struggles with depression or suicidal thoughts?
How do you deal with that?
Even if these things are far from your own experience, what have you learned that is applicable to you?
Truth: Whatever you've overcome in your life is what the Lord will use to minister life to others through you.
I share this because it is the first thing I thought of when I saw the heading for today's reading in Ezra: End of the Babylonian Captivity. What I saw in the passage was that if God could stir up the spirit of Cyrus, He can do whatever needs to be done to rescue us from our distresses. He did do that for me. When I thought no good could come from my life (that was of course, a deception), God broke through my darkness and brought me out. My sinful choices had gotten me into captivity in the first place. God used it for good in my life anyway.
When humanity had fallen into the depths of depravity, God made a way. When Jesus went to the cross to die, He took upon Himself the whole of mankind's mess. He came back from the depths of death bringing our deliverance with Him. As Paul said, it sounds like foolishness to a lot of people, but I say, foolishness or not, it's wisdom and life. I can testify first hand-- I'm only alive because of Him.
The Corinthians passages are some of the most powerful and hopeful I know of: I love them! When you put them together with the Ezra account, the Psalms and the Proverbs, today's reading packs a powerfully hopeful punch! I completely embrace being a "foolish thing"! It means I'm chosen to put to shame the "high and mighty" things of the world. I just said to my husband this morning, that I didn't belong in the big, bad world-- that I just wanted to hide out "in a cave" and be a little girl. The fact is, I am God's little girl! I don't have to fit in with, or be accepted by, the world (that's perishing anyway); I don't belong! I belong to the Kingdom! I'm in Christ and Christ is in God. I can be strong in the power of His might! I can glory in Him! I don't have to be anything, because He is everything. However, as I keep pressing into Him, the foolishness that is me gives way to the wisdom that is Him. I begin to realize that in the Kingdom I have substance, significance, sustainability.
If you are lost, Jesus is the Way. If you have been found by Him, Jesus is still the Way. Along the Way you find Truth and Life. These things are worth living for! Whether you know it or not, Jesus already died for you and proclaimed you "forgiven." Your future love relationship with God began at that moment. Whenever you awake to this reality and say "yes," the adventure begins. Never give up on your life! You will be totally surprised at the wondrous things He has in store for you, even if you feel like a foolish thing right now.
Bonus: Negativity is the beginning of the suicidal road; here's how not to get there, ever:
"I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living.
Wait on the LORD;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD."
Psalm 27:13-14
Questions to ponder:
Have you ever struggled with despair or suicidal thoughts? How did you get out from under them?
If you have had victory in this area, have you ever shared it with others?
Do you know anyone who struggles with depression or suicidal thoughts?
How do you deal with that?
Even if these things are far from your own experience, what have you learned that is applicable to you?
Truth: Whatever you've overcome in your life is what the Lord will use to minister life to others through you.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
August 4, 2010 As Long As She Lay Desolate
Sometimes I forget to do the most obvious thing: look into the Word and see what God is revealing about Himself. Isn't that what it's all about? There are a few things I noticed about Him in the Chronicles passage today. 1) He's compassionate, 2) He keeps His Word, and 3) He's in control. I don't really need to go into all that, as these things are shown clearly in what we read. We know these are supposed to be traits of God, but do we recognize them for what they are when He's revealing Himself to us in our daily life?
Usually, it's in hind sight that I can recognize that God's hand was clearly visible in all that was going on in my life. Whenever I've been in a tough place that seems dark and threatening, it's not always been obvious that God was with me. But He always has been. It's good to remember hard times in which have we gained understanding about His ways, and how He used all things for our good. If we can't remember anything helpful in our own life, it's wise to talk to someone who can, and who can help us see. Reading the Word can also illuminate what the Lord is doing with us in the midst of darkness and distress.
One verse stood out to me and ministered to me strongly about my own life: "As long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years." I know this is speaking of the land of Israel, but I take it to heart, as my body and my life are my own land. It reminded me of what the Lord had said to me a little while ago, that I was in a "fallow year" (this had to do with writing music in particular). If you'll remember, the tilled land was to lay unused for a season every seventh year, to give it and the laborers a rest. (Exodus 23: 10-12). The people were also to keep the Sabbath day of rest every week. These are principles that go beyond Old Testament law. If we don't rest and keep our focus on the Lord, bad things happen. On the other hand, there are many other Scriptures that exhort us to stop vacationing and "break up your fallow ground."
The Lord knows us and what we need, and if we follow the leading of the Spirit, we'll stay in step with Him and keep the Sabbaths we might need to take (some might think of them as fasts). If we don't, it seems that God has a way of intervening and making sure that we get the needed rest. Sometimes it's our bodies that intervene, by simply breaking down because of the stress we've put them under. I suppose when this happens it's because we weren't listening. In the down times, we can feel that everything that meant something to us is stripped away. While we are desolate though, we often seek the Lord as we should have been seeking Him all along-- with more depth and passion.
I'm always inspired by the Psalms, especially David's, as his response to difficulty was always to seek the Lord. His greatest desire was always to be close to the Lord, but I think it was in the times of dire distress that his focus was clarified:
"One thing I have desired of the LORD,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD,
And to inquire in His temple.
For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock."
Psalm 27:4-5 NKJV
Maybe our weekly Sabbath rest, our break from our workaday life when we put our focus on the Lord, is our practice run. It's when we have to face a layoff, an illness, a death in the family or other major loss, or a period of fierce opposition that we really put into practice what we have learned: that God is our refuge-- that He's compassionate, that He always keeps His word, and that although He did not cause our catastrophe, He's still and will always be, in control.
To study on your own:
What other traits of God did you see in the OT passages?
What did Corinthians reading reveal to you about God?
Can you think of examples of how He's revealed these characteristics to you in your own life?
What is He doing with you right now?
Usually, it's in hind sight that I can recognize that God's hand was clearly visible in all that was going on in my life. Whenever I've been in a tough place that seems dark and threatening, it's not always been obvious that God was with me. But He always has been. It's good to remember hard times in which have we gained understanding about His ways, and how He used all things for our good. If we can't remember anything helpful in our own life, it's wise to talk to someone who can, and who can help us see. Reading the Word can also illuminate what the Lord is doing with us in the midst of darkness and distress.
One verse stood out to me and ministered to me strongly about my own life: "As long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years." I know this is speaking of the land of Israel, but I take it to heart, as my body and my life are my own land. It reminded me of what the Lord had said to me a little while ago, that I was in a "fallow year" (this had to do with writing music in particular). If you'll remember, the tilled land was to lay unused for a season every seventh year, to give it and the laborers a rest. (Exodus 23: 10-12). The people were also to keep the Sabbath day of rest every week. These are principles that go beyond Old Testament law. If we don't rest and keep our focus on the Lord, bad things happen. On the other hand, there are many other Scriptures that exhort us to stop vacationing and "break up your fallow ground."
The Lord knows us and what we need, and if we follow the leading of the Spirit, we'll stay in step with Him and keep the Sabbaths we might need to take (some might think of them as fasts). If we don't, it seems that God has a way of intervening and making sure that we get the needed rest. Sometimes it's our bodies that intervene, by simply breaking down because of the stress we've put them under. I suppose when this happens it's because we weren't listening. In the down times, we can feel that everything that meant something to us is stripped away. While we are desolate though, we often seek the Lord as we should have been seeking Him all along-- with more depth and passion.
I'm always inspired by the Psalms, especially David's, as his response to difficulty was always to seek the Lord. His greatest desire was always to be close to the Lord, but I think it was in the times of dire distress that his focus was clarified:
"One thing I have desired of the LORD,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD,
And to inquire in His temple.
For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock."
Psalm 27:4-5 NKJV
Maybe our weekly Sabbath rest, our break from our workaday life when we put our focus on the Lord, is our practice run. It's when we have to face a layoff, an illness, a death in the family or other major loss, or a period of fierce opposition that we really put into practice what we have learned: that God is our refuge-- that He's compassionate, that He always keeps His word, and that although He did not cause our catastrophe, He's still and will always be, in control.
To study on your own:
What other traits of God did you see in the OT passages?
What did Corinthians reading reveal to you about God?
Can you think of examples of how He's revealed these characteristics to you in your own life?
What is He doing with you right now?
Saturday, July 31, 2010
July 31, 2010 Suddenly
One of the reasons we're told not to judge others on "doubtful matters"-- things that aren't stated outright in Scripture-- is that we don't know what God is working on with someone else. We don't even know that about ourselves so often. Because Christ is the Author and Finisher of our faith, it is His job to decide what needs to be changed when. Our job is receive one another, accept one another, and live according to the law of love in order not to trouble others with our mode of life. That is hard enough without trying to fix others.
If any correction needs to happen, let it be done by those with the authority to do so, and let it be on the clear doctrines of Christ, such as fornication.
When King Hezekiah-- grieved by the spiritual adulteries perpetrated by his predecessor-- desired to bring the nation back to a right relationship with God and reinstate the temple worship, he didn't seem to dictate exactly how that was to be done. He exhorted the priests and Levites to consecrate themselves and to cleanse out the temple. He told them to take out the rubbish, but he left it to them to do the work. Since we each are a temple of the Holy Spirit, and each of us kings and priests unto the Lord, it is the Holy Spirit's task to lead each one of us as to how to cleanse ourselves from dead works. Some of the rubbish in our souls might be obvious to others, but some of it might look OK to someone else, but the Lord reveals to us that it's not OK for us. "Whatever is not of faith is sin." This is a basic key to walking in holiness (wholeness), but it really comes down to the individual working out their salvation with Christ's leading. We are all in different stages of our growth and development.
The mysterious thing is how the Spirit works in each of us, deep inside our hearts, to prepare us for the next stage. Sometimes we observe a brother or sister who seems to be wandering around in darkness, and then, voila! All of a sudden they seem to have snapped out of it, moving forward in a level of glory that might even pass us by temporarily. We should rejoice when that happens. It gives me hope to know that if I'm struggling in life, God's got it under control, and He's leading me step by step out of the maze of confusion and darkness that I might be in.
I think we can anticipate a sudden "coming round the bend" for the Church in general. God is doing a work in His people, much of it unseen. Christ is still the head of His body. He is still in charge of each individual's salvation process, and of the building of His Kingdom, living stone by living stone. Maybe at this moment some of the trash is being taken out of the temple in one person's life, and another is getting their instrument of praise polished up and ready to go. At the proper time, all will be in order and the glory of God will be seen in a unity, joy and love that is greater than has ever been seen before. This verse will again be very relevant: "All the people rejoiced that God had prepared the people, since the events took place so suddenly."
2 Chronicles 29:36
If any correction needs to happen, let it be done by those with the authority to do so, and let it be on the clear doctrines of Christ, such as fornication.
When King Hezekiah-- grieved by the spiritual adulteries perpetrated by his predecessor-- desired to bring the nation back to a right relationship with God and reinstate the temple worship, he didn't seem to dictate exactly how that was to be done. He exhorted the priests and Levites to consecrate themselves and to cleanse out the temple. He told them to take out the rubbish, but he left it to them to do the work. Since we each are a temple of the Holy Spirit, and each of us kings and priests unto the Lord, it is the Holy Spirit's task to lead each one of us as to how to cleanse ourselves from dead works. Some of the rubbish in our souls might be obvious to others, but some of it might look OK to someone else, but the Lord reveals to us that it's not OK for us. "Whatever is not of faith is sin." This is a basic key to walking in holiness (wholeness), but it really comes down to the individual working out their salvation with Christ's leading. We are all in different stages of our growth and development.
The mysterious thing is how the Spirit works in each of us, deep inside our hearts, to prepare us for the next stage. Sometimes we observe a brother or sister who seems to be wandering around in darkness, and then, voila! All of a sudden they seem to have snapped out of it, moving forward in a level of glory that might even pass us by temporarily. We should rejoice when that happens. It gives me hope to know that if I'm struggling in life, God's got it under control, and He's leading me step by step out of the maze of confusion and darkness that I might be in.
I think we can anticipate a sudden "coming round the bend" for the Church in general. God is doing a work in His people, much of it unseen. Christ is still the head of His body. He is still in charge of each individual's salvation process, and of the building of His Kingdom, living stone by living stone. Maybe at this moment some of the trash is being taken out of the temple in one person's life, and another is getting their instrument of praise polished up and ready to go. At the proper time, all will be in order and the glory of God will be seen in a unity, joy and love that is greater than has ever been seen before. This verse will again be very relevant: "All the people rejoiced that God had prepared the people, since the events took place so suddenly."
2 Chronicles 29:36
Friday, July 30, 2010
July 30, 2010 Wearing The Armor of Light
I never noticed before that the passage which says to "put on Christ" is the same passage that says to "put on the armor of light." I think that's awesome! In order to wear this armor, we have to put off the works of darkness. These works are related to being asleep, as the world is. When we're awake, we're walking in love, and this isn't compatible with the works of the flesh, which is the self-centeredness of the fallen nature. Once we've awakened to the reality of our salvation, and we get dressed with the brilliant glory of Christ, what darkness can overcome us?
Again, I'm struck with the prophetic vision of David. He had a relationship with Christ even then, and understood the armor of light. He had no need to fear when he found himself in a dark valley shadowed with evil, enemies, and death. "Dwelling in the house of the Lord forever" takes on a deeper meaning when we understand that it's not necessary to get rid of our natural bodies in order to live in a divine tent of perpetual light that goes wherever we go.
"You are with me" becomes a little more intimate when we're thinking of wearing Christ! It also becomes more public. There's no hiding our salvation or our relationship with the Savior when we're wearing the armor of light! The days of "my faith is personal" (meaning "I don't share it with anyone") are over! When you're dressed in light, can you help but be noticed by people who are in the dark? They might be afraid and run away, but many will be drawn to the light that covers you.
Jesus lives in us by His Word and Spirit when we're born again. But salvation has to be more than just an inner belief, as we have discussed earlier. Having light than shines out from the inside and covers us from the outside is the only effective way to be a witness for Christ. If you're dark, you stay hidden in darkness and nobody notices you. Not to mention how Jesus feels about that! The times we walk around incognito are basically times we're denying that we know Him. I'm not saying we have to be religious about our witnessing! I've known people who talked a lot about the Lord, but were essentially walking in darkness. I've been there myself-- and as "easy" as it is to be asleep, being in the dark is torment when you're a child a God.
The devil feeds on "dust" (Genesis 3:14) which is our self-nature; when we don't put off the works of darkness, he can get us even more entangled in webs of deception, addiction and bitterness than we were before we got "saved." When he's prowling around looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8), he's looking for someone who's not defended, not wearing their armor of light. When we're walking in love, and therefore in the light, we're well defended and have nothing to fear.
Putting our armor on is much more than a morning ritual! Just declaring that we have put on our helmet of salvation, etc., isn't what gets us clothed in light! It's waking up to what salvation really is, and making a command decision to leave the darkness behind. It's called repentance.
We are the children of light! The true light lives in us. Christ's love is shiny and wonderfully resistant to attack. Let's start a fashion trend and wear the light! Shine, shine, shine!
Again, I'm struck with the prophetic vision of David. He had a relationship with Christ even then, and understood the armor of light. He had no need to fear when he found himself in a dark valley shadowed with evil, enemies, and death. "Dwelling in the house of the Lord forever" takes on a deeper meaning when we understand that it's not necessary to get rid of our natural bodies in order to live in a divine tent of perpetual light that goes wherever we go.
"You are with me" becomes a little more intimate when we're thinking of wearing Christ! It also becomes more public. There's no hiding our salvation or our relationship with the Savior when we're wearing the armor of light! The days of "my faith is personal" (meaning "I don't share it with anyone") are over! When you're dressed in light, can you help but be noticed by people who are in the dark? They might be afraid and run away, but many will be drawn to the light that covers you.
Jesus lives in us by His Word and Spirit when we're born again. But salvation has to be more than just an inner belief, as we have discussed earlier. Having light than shines out from the inside and covers us from the outside is the only effective way to be a witness for Christ. If you're dark, you stay hidden in darkness and nobody notices you. Not to mention how Jesus feels about that! The times we walk around incognito are basically times we're denying that we know Him. I'm not saying we have to be religious about our witnessing! I've known people who talked a lot about the Lord, but were essentially walking in darkness. I've been there myself-- and as "easy" as it is to be asleep, being in the dark is torment when you're a child a God.
The devil feeds on "dust" (Genesis 3:14) which is our self-nature; when we don't put off the works of darkness, he can get us even more entangled in webs of deception, addiction and bitterness than we were before we got "saved." When he's prowling around looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8), he's looking for someone who's not defended, not wearing their armor of light. When we're walking in love, and therefore in the light, we're well defended and have nothing to fear.
Putting our armor on is much more than a morning ritual! Just declaring that we have put on our helmet of salvation, etc., isn't what gets us clothed in light! It's waking up to what salvation really is, and making a command decision to leave the darkness behind. It's called repentance.
We are the children of light! The true light lives in us. Christ's love is shiny and wonderfully resistant to attack. Let's start a fashion trend and wear the light! Shine, shine, shine!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
July 29, 2010 The Rechargeable Sacrifice
Reading Paul's exhortations today was like getting a Christian checklist; on the top of the list to me was "get recharged." If we're to be effective witnesses in the world-- who overcome evil with good and don't conform to the world-- we have to function first as members of Christ's body. We won't be living sacrifices for long if we don't get recharged! This checklist is all about staying in proper connection with the body of Christ. Giving and receiving of all things in the Lord is what recharges us. A loner in the Kingdom won't make it for long. It's a joy to be a living sacrifice, as long as we are full of life, and that takes replenishment. Just as a cell phone will only be useful so long without getting plugged into its base, a Christian will only be an effective witness if he or she gets plugged into the body for recharge. We're made that way.
Monday, July 26, 2010
July 26, 2010 Bridge Over the Chasm of Doubt
I often have to be reminded of what I already know. Although I may feel ashamed for having "forgotten" something I had revelation on, and really felt I understood, I am grateful for the prodding I get from the Holy Spirit. He gently reminds me, and somehow gets across His desire that I do what He's saying.
Today He used this passage to do that kind of prodding with me:
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” Romans 10:8-11 NKJV
I'm not suggesting that I used to be saved but now I'm backslidden and need to be reinstated. No, there's more to salvation than becoming born-again. We tend to use the term "backslidden" to mean "become unsaved," and that's a debatable concept anyway. Just because I might get close to a slippery slope of sin doesn't mean I've lost my salvation! But that's not what I'm talking about here. What I mean is: I'm not walking in total salvation because I forget to cross the bridge from believing to overcoming. What is that bridge anyway? We see the chasm, if we're honest, but we can't see the bridge.
Perhaps we don't see the bridge because whenever we reach that chasm, there is no bridge. We are put in the position of having to build it. We build the bridge over the chasm of doubt by speaking the word of truth that we believe and walking on it until we reach the actuality of our faith.
I'll use myself as an example. Through faith in Christ, I've overcome many obstacles in my life. Depression is one of them. Even though I was a born-again child of God, I still had chronic depression and bouts of severe and debillitating depression-- as I had suffered throughout my life-- until the last several years, where it has diminshed to only an occasional temptation. Quite a process and lots of help from others helped me understand how to overcome the depression. But I had to overcome it myself by walking on the bridge over the chasm of doubt.
All the Word and faith about who I was in Christ, His love for me, His purposes in my life, knowledge of the fruit of the Spirit, etc., wasn't going to defeat the darkness of depression if that truth stayed locked inside my heart. Only by speaking out loud the truth I believed in my heart, and walking upon the bridge it created, would I be able to exit the gross darkness I lived in and into God's glorious light. Declaring what I believed inside my born-again heart was the only thing that could dispel the lying reality that colored my mental and physical existence. Every time I did this, I was able to take another step into freedom from depression. Believing alone could not do it; faith demands action, and speaking is the first action we take.
Sometimes our cultural adages steer us away from believing the word of God. All our life we hear "actions speak louder than words," and so we believe we don't have to speak, only act. This is like saying "the car engine revving is louder than the turn of the key." Well, of course it is, but try getting the engine to rev without turning the key in the ignition switch! And just because the engine is revving doesn't mean we're getting anywhere. We do have to shift gears, release the brake, and put our foot on the gas. Our declared words of faith are like the key that gets it all going.
I'm saying all this to help you, as well as myself, so we can get our heart beliefs out where they can activate our salvation. I'm believing God for healing and restructuring of some physical problems that are hindering my life progress. The things I'm wanting to receive from God are stated clearly in the Word-- they are not gray or cloudy. I have complete faith in their truth, and in God's will for me. So why am I not getting saved in those areas? Because I forget to declare the truth out of my mouth. I forget to put the key into the ignition and turn it. I forget to build the bridge and walk on it.
Understanding and practicing this concept can save us a lot of frustration, disappointment, shame and even anger with God. The above Scripture tips us off as to how to get saved, and keep on getting saved. We believed the truth, and we confessed our faith when we were born again. We have to keep practicing that to get to where we're walking in all that Christ bought for us by His death and resurrection. Christ is the Word, and He is the Salvation. We unveil Him once again in our lives at every point of decision whenever we speak the truth we heard and believed.
What hinders you from confessing your faith? Ask the Lord to show you the things that keep you from speaking the word that's in your heart, so that you can walk on the bridge of faith until you own salvation in that area of your life.
Today He used this passage to do that kind of prodding with me:
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” Romans 10:8-11 NKJV
I'm not suggesting that I used to be saved but now I'm backslidden and need to be reinstated. No, there's more to salvation than becoming born-again. We tend to use the term "backslidden" to mean "become unsaved," and that's a debatable concept anyway. Just because I might get close to a slippery slope of sin doesn't mean I've lost my salvation! But that's not what I'm talking about here. What I mean is: I'm not walking in total salvation because I forget to cross the bridge from believing to overcoming. What is that bridge anyway? We see the chasm, if we're honest, but we can't see the bridge.
Perhaps we don't see the bridge because whenever we reach that chasm, there is no bridge. We are put in the position of having to build it. We build the bridge over the chasm of doubt by speaking the word of truth that we believe and walking on it until we reach the actuality of our faith.
I'll use myself as an example. Through faith in Christ, I've overcome many obstacles in my life. Depression is one of them. Even though I was a born-again child of God, I still had chronic depression and bouts of severe and debillitating depression-- as I had suffered throughout my life-- until the last several years, where it has diminshed to only an occasional temptation. Quite a process and lots of help from others helped me understand how to overcome the depression. But I had to overcome it myself by walking on the bridge over the chasm of doubt.
All the Word and faith about who I was in Christ, His love for me, His purposes in my life, knowledge of the fruit of the Spirit, etc., wasn't going to defeat the darkness of depression if that truth stayed locked inside my heart. Only by speaking out loud the truth I believed in my heart, and walking upon the bridge it created, would I be able to exit the gross darkness I lived in and into God's glorious light. Declaring what I believed inside my born-again heart was the only thing that could dispel the lying reality that colored my mental and physical existence. Every time I did this, I was able to take another step into freedom from depression. Believing alone could not do it; faith demands action, and speaking is the first action we take.
Sometimes our cultural adages steer us away from believing the word of God. All our life we hear "actions speak louder than words," and so we believe we don't have to speak, only act. This is like saying "the car engine revving is louder than the turn of the key." Well, of course it is, but try getting the engine to rev without turning the key in the ignition switch! And just because the engine is revving doesn't mean we're getting anywhere. We do have to shift gears, release the brake, and put our foot on the gas. Our declared words of faith are like the key that gets it all going.
I'm saying all this to help you, as well as myself, so we can get our heart beliefs out where they can activate our salvation. I'm believing God for healing and restructuring of some physical problems that are hindering my life progress. The things I'm wanting to receive from God are stated clearly in the Word-- they are not gray or cloudy. I have complete faith in their truth, and in God's will for me. So why am I not getting saved in those areas? Because I forget to declare the truth out of my mouth. I forget to put the key into the ignition and turn it. I forget to build the bridge and walk on it.
Understanding and practicing this concept can save us a lot of frustration, disappointment, shame and even anger with God. The above Scripture tips us off as to how to get saved, and keep on getting saved. We believed the truth, and we confessed our faith when we were born again. We have to keep practicing that to get to where we're walking in all that Christ bought for us by His death and resurrection. Christ is the Word, and He is the Salvation. We unveil Him once again in our lives at every point of decision whenever we speak the truth we heard and believed.
What hinders you from confessing your faith? Ask the Lord to show you the things that keep you from speaking the word that's in your heart, so that you can walk on the bridge of faith until you own salvation in that area of your life.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
July 17, 2010 The Robe of Righteousness
God's ideas about righteousness are very different from the ones we come up with as human beings. God says righteousness can only be received, by believing Him. He says there's nothing we can do, even from the Mosaic law, to make us righteous. If we want to be accepted by God, we're going to have to come to Him on His terms. We can't go before His throne of grace in filthy rags (our own efforts to be righteous). We have to go before Him in a robe of righteousness. We are given this robe when we receive Christ as our savior. His righteousness is placed on us, and then we are clothed properly.
When we are in right standing with the Father based on our faith in Christ, we can then come before Him in our time of need (which is all the time, isn't it?). Now that we have been given a right relationship with the Father God through Christ our Brother, we are going to have the opportunity to grow up in Him. The end result is people who are just like Jesus, walking in righteousness that flows from the inside out because He lives in us. This delights the Father, but it is never what makes us right with Him.
When we are in right standing with the Father based on our faith in Christ, we can then come before Him in our time of need (which is all the time, isn't it?). Now that we have been given a right relationship with the Father God through Christ our Brother, we are going to have the opportunity to grow up in Him. The end result is people who are just like Jesus, walking in righteousness that flows from the inside out because He lives in us. This delights the Father, but it is never what makes us right with Him.
Friday, July 16, 2010
July 16, 2010 The Prince of Peace Builds His House
There is a generation that does great warfare in the spirit and subdues their enemies all around. They gather the foundation stones and all the materials needed to build the temple-- a temple for God's name. These great stones are foundational truths from the Word of God. These they quarry and hew and dress with great labors. They gather the knowledge (trees) and the tested, pure testimony of God (gold tried in the fire). They dig deep for rubies and diamonds and sapphires and emeralds of revelation and bequeath these treasures to their children. All these things they prepare for the next generation, imparting to them a great love and value of the truth, until the children become the stones and the trees and the gold. The children become the jewels for the King's crown. The parents prepare all: they impart the vision: they lay down their lives so the children can be built into the house for God's name.
The Prince of Peace spares no expense in building His habitation, which must be glorious. He is a man of rest, for He has subdued His enemies all around. His name is Peaceful. His children rest in Him and are assured of peace, for they are secure in Him. There is no more intimidation or striving in war, for just a word and the enemies all around cower and flee. The house is built quietly and with a noble order so reverent that no voice is heard except that of the Prince. He places His stones with great care, for they are living, breathing beings who are equally at home in the heavenly realm as in the earthly realm. Nothing can shake them because they are being built together in peace.
The house for the name of God is exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorious throughout all countries. There the name of God is revealed in all its facets, and the worship of Him creates such splendor that the nations are drawn to its boundless wisdom, beauty, holiness and power.
The Prince of Peace spares no expense in building His habitation, which must be glorious. He is a man of rest, for He has subdued His enemies all around. His name is Peaceful. His children rest in Him and are assured of peace, for they are secure in Him. There is no more intimidation or striving in war, for just a word and the enemies all around cower and flee. The house is built quietly and with a noble order so reverent that no voice is heard except that of the Prince. He places His stones with great care, for they are living, breathing beings who are equally at home in the heavenly realm as in the earthly realm. Nothing can shake them because they are being built together in peace.
The house for the name of God is exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorious throughout all countries. There the name of God is revealed in all its facets, and the worship of Him creates such splendor that the nations are drawn to its boundless wisdom, beauty, holiness and power.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
July 15, 2010 When Kings Go Out To Battle
What jumped out at me today was a phrase I'd noticed before, but never thought to wonder about: in the spring of the year, at the time kings go out to battle.(1 Chronicles 20:1). I wondered what the spiritual significance of this was, and I asked the Lord about it. I was expecting to read about David's affair with Bathsheba, since the same phrase was used in that story. I looked it up: it is 2 Samuel 11:1, but this was a different account of David. In both accounts, it says that Joab went out against Ammon and besieged Rabbah, but that David stayed in Jerusalem in the spring of the year, at the time kings go out to battle. Whether both accounts are the same period of time, I do not know. It is not in the boundaries of this devotional that I do external research. I will leave this mystery for later, and you can go study it for yourself if you wish.
One thing is clear, there are seasons when we should be battling the enemy, and if we're not, then we'll surely end up devastated. Going from historical ignorance here, but not spiritual ignorance, I'd say it is quite possible that this was one particular time period in David's life. It seems, from the way he took and wore the defeated king's crown instead of dedicating the gold to the Lord-- as he had always done before-- that he was falling into pride. When we're prosperous and feel powerful and undefeatable, luxury and a feeling of complacency certainly have a way of leading us away from humility and hard work and into pride and laziness. "Let other people do it; this is my due."
In our reading, although there is great time-compression in this chronicle, it is revealing to see what happened over the census David decided to do. Pride again seems to be the open door here for the sinful choice he made. "Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel." 1 Chroncles 21:1 The consequences for this were devastating, and God's judgment brought David to a place of humility again. Pride and not fearing the Lord go hand in hand. Pride is iniquity of the spirit, and it was Satan's downfall, remember-- he is particularly attuned to it and empowered by it.
In our individual lives, pride opens the door for the devil to steal, kill and destroy. Resisting the devil requires submitting to God, and that requires humility. (James 4:7) Humility is one of the best of our weapons of warfare. In a nation's life, pride in the hearts of those in leadership (government) opens the door for satanic attack, and also God's judgment-- which falls on the people the government was supposed to bless and protect. Rather than lash out in anger, it is wise for the people in a nation to humble themselves and pray for their leadership. I've been convicted many times of not doing this seriously enough. What I read in the Word today gives me strong incentive.
I still want more revelation about the time kings go out to battle. It was in the spring. To me that says it's the time when things that have already been planted and established are beginning to bud (spiritual or natural, and it's a different time for everyone). That means that another harvest is on its way, and each harvest should be greater than the last (for a natural example-- a harvest from an apple orchard). Satan wants to keep us and our life efforts from bearing any fruit; if there's something established in our life that he hasn't been able to destoy, he's going to want to keep the harvest from happening: "nip it in the bud." Every spring, it's the same. The bully wants to create a famine for us if he can. If we're proud and lazy-- or simply don't have a clue -- we'll lose the fruit of our labors. This was to be our provision, our offering to the Lord, and a blessing to the poor.
You know spring is a reality, therefore you need to understand the season and go out to battle. The person who has the initiative can take the high ground, or choose the most strategic battlefront. Why wait for the devil to barge in and take what's yours (by the blessing of God and the work of your hands)? You know he's just going to keep doing the same thing until he realizes it's futile. So don't be proud, lazy or stupid! Pick up your Sword and go out against him.
One thing is clear, there are seasons when we should be battling the enemy, and if we're not, then we'll surely end up devastated. Going from historical ignorance here, but not spiritual ignorance, I'd say it is quite possible that this was one particular time period in David's life. It seems, from the way he took and wore the defeated king's crown instead of dedicating the gold to the Lord-- as he had always done before-- that he was falling into pride. When we're prosperous and feel powerful and undefeatable, luxury and a feeling of complacency certainly have a way of leading us away from humility and hard work and into pride and laziness. "Let other people do it; this is my due."
In our reading, although there is great time-compression in this chronicle, it is revealing to see what happened over the census David decided to do. Pride again seems to be the open door here for the sinful choice he made. "Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel." 1 Chroncles 21:1 The consequences for this were devastating, and God's judgment brought David to a place of humility again. Pride and not fearing the Lord go hand in hand. Pride is iniquity of the spirit, and it was Satan's downfall, remember-- he is particularly attuned to it and empowered by it.
In our individual lives, pride opens the door for the devil to steal, kill and destroy. Resisting the devil requires submitting to God, and that requires humility. (James 4:7) Humility is one of the best of our weapons of warfare. In a nation's life, pride in the hearts of those in leadership (government) opens the door for satanic attack, and also God's judgment-- which falls on the people the government was supposed to bless and protect. Rather than lash out in anger, it is wise for the people in a nation to humble themselves and pray for their leadership. I've been convicted many times of not doing this seriously enough. What I read in the Word today gives me strong incentive.
I still want more revelation about the time kings go out to battle. It was in the spring. To me that says it's the time when things that have already been planted and established are beginning to bud (spiritual or natural, and it's a different time for everyone). That means that another harvest is on its way, and each harvest should be greater than the last (for a natural example-- a harvest from an apple orchard). Satan wants to keep us and our life efforts from bearing any fruit; if there's something established in our life that he hasn't been able to destoy, he's going to want to keep the harvest from happening: "nip it in the bud." Every spring, it's the same. The bully wants to create a famine for us if he can. If we're proud and lazy-- or simply don't have a clue -- we'll lose the fruit of our labors. This was to be our provision, our offering to the Lord, and a blessing to the poor.
You know spring is a reality, therefore you need to understand the season and go out to battle. The person who has the initiative can take the high ground, or choose the most strategic battlefront. Why wait for the devil to barge in and take what's yours (by the blessing of God and the work of your hands)? You know he's just going to keep doing the same thing until he realizes it's futile. So don't be proud, lazy or stupid! Pick up your Sword and go out against him.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
July 13, 2010 The Earth Trembles, The Trees Rejoice
King David and the Apostle Paul seemed to both have the understanding that the natural creation has an awareness of God and proclaims Him in a way that is unmistakable to man. When the earth's quaking and the seas are roaring, it's because the presence of God is near-- He's getting closer. Our response should be in accordance with this: acknowledge His mighty awesomeness, worship Him in the beauty of holiness, glorify Him and make thank offerings, and pray for deliverance from evil. In the midst of all the shaking, we should be able to discern His nearness and rejoice along with the trees! Nature is telling us something-- our salvation is at hand!
Nature also informs us of what is righteous and what is not. Built into us is the knowledge of how God created us and how He created things to be. He reveals His will in nature, and in our own being: spirit, soul and body. As Paul states so powerfully, nobody has any excuse for doing things against nature and against God. What people are doing these days truly follows the description in Romans 2, and it makes nature want to vomit.
When humans "suppress truth in unrighteousness," they are given over to evil in a progression: a darkened mind, then a darkened heart, then darkened physical behavior. It all starts with "exchanging the truth for a lie" and "worshipping and serving the creature instead of the Creator." Romans 1:25
If God gave people up to uncleanness and vile passions, I'd say that's part of His judgment. Verse 18 says the "wrath of God is revealed from heaven." I'm reminded of a a few others verses: "the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God" James 1:20; and "If I whet My glittering sword, And My hand takes hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to My enemies, And repay those who hate Me." Deuteronomy 32:41 and "Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord." Romans 12: 9 NASB (caps were in the translation). Paul said in prelude to that verse (I'm jumping ahead from our reading, I realize): "Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." Romans 12:17-18
Jesus talked about cities that would have repented if they had seen His works (Luke 10). Jonah's preaching brought the gigantic city of Ninevah to repentance in sackcloth and ashes (even though he was relishing the thought of their destruction). That destruction is coming-- has already started in the people who reject God-- but it is up to us right now to shine forth the glory of God in a way that shows Who He Is. Since God is enthroned in the praises of His people (Ps. 22:3) -- and true praise and worship makes way for the visible, brilliant presence of God-- then our proclaiming His praise would be one way of preaching the truth, and a way that darkened lives could possibly be enlightened again-- before it is too late.
Nature also informs us of what is righteous and what is not. Built into us is the knowledge of how God created us and how He created things to be. He reveals His will in nature, and in our own being: spirit, soul and body. As Paul states so powerfully, nobody has any excuse for doing things against nature and against God. What people are doing these days truly follows the description in Romans 2, and it makes nature want to vomit.
When humans "suppress truth in unrighteousness," they are given over to evil in a progression: a darkened mind, then a darkened heart, then darkened physical behavior. It all starts with "exchanging the truth for a lie" and "worshipping and serving the creature instead of the Creator." Romans 1:25
If God gave people up to uncleanness and vile passions, I'd say that's part of His judgment. Verse 18 says the "wrath of God is revealed from heaven." I'm reminded of a a few others verses: "the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God" James 1:20; and "If I whet My glittering sword, And My hand takes hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to My enemies, And repay those who hate Me." Deuteronomy 32:41 and "Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord." Romans 12: 9 NASB (caps were in the translation). Paul said in prelude to that verse (I'm jumping ahead from our reading, I realize): "Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." Romans 12:17-18
Jesus talked about cities that would have repented if they had seen His works (Luke 10). Jonah's preaching brought the gigantic city of Ninevah to repentance in sackcloth and ashes (even though he was relishing the thought of their destruction). That destruction is coming-- has already started in the people who reject God-- but it is up to us right now to shine forth the glory of God in a way that shows Who He Is. Since God is enthroned in the praises of His people (Ps. 22:3) -- and true praise and worship makes way for the visible, brilliant presence of God-- then our proclaiming His praise would be one way of preaching the truth, and a way that darkened lives could possibly be enlightened again-- before it is too late.
Monday, July 12, 2010
July 12, 2010 What We're All About
This simple statement is so powerful on its own that I really don't feel the need to say much about it: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17 NKJV It was the Apostle Paul's mission statement in a way, if I remember rightly what that term means. It was what he was all about, in a nutshell.
After reading in Acts about the conversion and ministry of Paul, I am quite ready to learn from him (via the Holy Spirit) about the power and righteousness of God, the walk of faith, and the message of the gospel of Christ. I want to have his heart, for truth and for souls, imparted to me-- you?
I think I enjoyed, more than ever before, vicariously going on those mission trips as I imagined sailing on the numerous ships to various places, seeing the miracles and rejoicing in the people who received Christ. Now I am looking forward to sitting at that preacher's feet, in a way, and letting the things that motivated him to so lay down his own life get into me and motivate me. There is no time barrier in the Kingdom of God. It's just as real and alive now as it was then. With this attitude, then, I plan on diving into the letters and coming out changed. Want to join me?
After reading in Acts about the conversion and ministry of Paul, I am quite ready to learn from him (via the Holy Spirit) about the power and righteousness of God, the walk of faith, and the message of the gospel of Christ. I want to have his heart, for truth and for souls, imparted to me-- you?
I think I enjoyed, more than ever before, vicariously going on those mission trips as I imagined sailing on the numerous ships to various places, seeing the miracles and rejoicing in the people who received Christ. Now I am looking forward to sitting at that preacher's feet, in a way, and letting the things that motivated him to so lay down his own life get into me and motivate me. There is no time barrier in the Kingdom of God. It's just as real and alive now as it was then. With this attitude, then, I plan on diving into the letters and coming out changed. Want to join me?
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