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!
Showing posts with label High Priest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label High Priest. Show all posts
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.
Monday, February 22, 2010
February 22, 2010
The Leviticus passage seemed strange and irrelevant until I looked at it from a spiritual standpoint. Then it reminded me of our High Priest, Jesus Christ, who is working to make His Bride pure and holy and without spot or blemish.
I think it's pretty normal to notice every little blemish or wrinkle, pimple or rash, wonder what it is and want to get rid of it. This is true in the natural, and in the spiritual too. We are built to want perfection, aren't we?
I used to get so frustrated with my imperfections, when I was younger-- so much so that I became anorexic trying to "control" my body. But the more we try to control things and fix our imperfections, the worse they seem to get. For one thing, we often can't even tell what are actually imperfections, as many of us don't accept ourselves the way God made us. This goes for our physical bodies as well as our psychological and spiritual make up.
Often we can't discern whether something is a serious problem, or just something that will go away on its own. We tend to run to an expert for a diagnosis to assuage our worries. I was also a very anxious hypochondriac as a young woman, until I learned to go to Jesus for a diagnosis. This was very necessary for me, as I was always having one problem or another, and it was very expensive and embarrassing to go to the doctor and find out nothing was wrong with me-- except nerves!! I got a LOT of practice listening to the Lord, and getting His reassurance that I wasn't going to die that day!
I think we have the same issue with sin-- and I'm talking about "missing the mark", not just something obvious spelled-out in Scripture. Whether we have an overbearing conscience and always think we're doing something wrong, or we have a blurry concept of right and wrong which allows us a lot of "sloppy grace", we tend to run to people to get their opinions on whether we are OK or not. This can really get us into trouble, depending on whose opinions we are seeking! There are lots of sources for false guilt, and well as many opportunities to feel justified when we are not.
Sure, we should be able to receive correction if we need it, and know how to get help when we are struggling, but as we grow, we should be finding it easier to be corrected by the Scriptures and by the nudges the Holy Spirit is constantly giving us. The best pastor or counselor is the one who teaches people to seek and hear the Lord for themselves.
What it comes down to is that Jesus, our faithful High Priest, who can scrutinize us closely without violating us in any way, is the only One who is authorized to decide if we are OK or not, including ourselves! We may hear something from another person through which the Holy Spirit may point out an issue and give help towards healing, but it's the Lord and the Spirit of Wisdom and Counsel that will speak to us. When we are His, we will know His voice. When we go to Him with something that's bothering us, He will show us what the problem is and what to do about it. That is part of intimacy.
Once we get used to the idea that Jesus sees everything about us, and stills loves us and accepts us, we will be quicker to go to Him and let His light reveal all. Sometimes He'll reveal that the thing we don't like about ourselves is something He created and will use. But if He reveals a problem or blemish, He will have the clear discernment of what it is and what is to be done about it, and He will treat us with love.
We can't fix ourselves or the rest of the Church, and make a Bride worthy of Him. But we can proclaim His purposes and His goodness and lead the way in pursuing His revealing truth. We will be brought into perfectly-pleasing-ness if we remain in Him.
I think it's pretty normal to notice every little blemish or wrinkle, pimple or rash, wonder what it is and want to get rid of it. This is true in the natural, and in the spiritual too. We are built to want perfection, aren't we?
I used to get so frustrated with my imperfections, when I was younger-- so much so that I became anorexic trying to "control" my body. But the more we try to control things and fix our imperfections, the worse they seem to get. For one thing, we often can't even tell what are actually imperfections, as many of us don't accept ourselves the way God made us. This goes for our physical bodies as well as our psychological and spiritual make up.
Often we can't discern whether something is a serious problem, or just something that will go away on its own. We tend to run to an expert for a diagnosis to assuage our worries. I was also a very anxious hypochondriac as a young woman, until I learned to go to Jesus for a diagnosis. This was very necessary for me, as I was always having one problem or another, and it was very expensive and embarrassing to go to the doctor and find out nothing was wrong with me-- except nerves!! I got a LOT of practice listening to the Lord, and getting His reassurance that I wasn't going to die that day!
I think we have the same issue with sin-- and I'm talking about "missing the mark", not just something obvious spelled-out in Scripture. Whether we have an overbearing conscience and always think we're doing something wrong, or we have a blurry concept of right and wrong which allows us a lot of "sloppy grace", we tend to run to people to get their opinions on whether we are OK or not. This can really get us into trouble, depending on whose opinions we are seeking! There are lots of sources for false guilt, and well as many opportunities to feel justified when we are not.
Sure, we should be able to receive correction if we need it, and know how to get help when we are struggling, but as we grow, we should be finding it easier to be corrected by the Scriptures and by the nudges the Holy Spirit is constantly giving us. The best pastor or counselor is the one who teaches people to seek and hear the Lord for themselves.
What it comes down to is that Jesus, our faithful High Priest, who can scrutinize us closely without violating us in any way, is the only One who is authorized to decide if we are OK or not, including ourselves! We may hear something from another person through which the Holy Spirit may point out an issue and give help towards healing, but it's the Lord and the Spirit of Wisdom and Counsel that will speak to us. When we are His, we will know His voice. When we go to Him with something that's bothering us, He will show us what the problem is and what to do about it. That is part of intimacy.
Once we get used to the idea that Jesus sees everything about us, and stills loves us and accepts us, we will be quicker to go to Him and let His light reveal all. Sometimes He'll reveal that the thing we don't like about ourselves is something He created and will use. But if He reveals a problem or blemish, He will have the clear discernment of what it is and what is to be done about it, and He will treat us with love.
We can't fix ourselves or the rest of the Church, and make a Bride worthy of Him. But we can proclaim His purposes and His goodness and lead the way in pursuing His revealing truth. We will be brought into perfectly-pleasing-ness if we remain in Him.
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