March 30, 2011 The Poverty Paradox

I'm going to tell you what I saw today in the reading, and then you can go to the Word with it and hash it out with the Lord.  I'm not trying to establish your doctrine here, I'm just trying to challenge you to think about what you're reading, and to think about why you think what you think about it.

If you read the New King James, you may not notice this paradox.  This is what I read in my version: "But there will be no poor among you (for the LORD will bless you in the land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance to possess),  if only you will obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all this commandment which I command you this day. For the LORD your God will bless you, as he promised you, and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you." Deuteronomy 15:4-6 RSV

In the next verse, we get the paradox:  "If there is among you a poor man, one of your brethren, in any of your towns within your land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother,  but you shall open your hand to him, and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be."  Deuteronomy 15:7-8  RSV

It goes on to show the attitude we should have, and talks more about the release year, the seventh year.

More of the paradox follows:  "For the poor will never cease out of the land; therefore I command you, You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in the land." Deuteronomy 15:11 RSV

It seems to me that some of the translators, including the NKJV, had a difficult time is accepting this paradox, so they wrote but you shall give up your claim to what is owed by your brother,  except when there may be no poor among you; for the LORD will greatly bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance 15: 3-4 NKJV.  This "except" just doesn't make a lot of sense.  To me the opposites do make sense, because we see this kind of paradox all the time in Scripture.

God is saying that there will be no poor among you and that there will always be poor among you, at the same time, in the same chapter even.  Why is this?

Considering there is an "if only" clause in that promise, I can totally see why we not only always have some poor people among us, in our nation and in the Church, we have an amazing number of poor people.  Could it possibly be that we ignore clear directions given us by the Lord?

I remember how the Lord, years ago, cut loose our finances when we began to obey His commandment not to charge interest on loans (within the family~ and we take that spiritually too).  I'm not sure if we've come up to the seven year release date on any debts yet, and we may not have had that revelation at the time.  But I see it now, and will live up to it if it comes up [Usually, I just give expecting nothing in return].  This may be Old Testament stuff, but didn't Jesus come to fulfill the Law and not abolish it?  There are principles that we may walk in and begin to experience the kind of blessing that was promised.  He shows us His desires, what He loves and what He hates, and He shows us how to fulfill love and righteousness.  If we would start to study the Word to find out how to do that, I think we'd find out how to get rid of poverty.

In the Old Testament, we see promises about being free from poverty, sickness, oppression, etc.  In the New Testament, we are given everything we need in order to walk in these promises.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  He demonstrated the same truth that was given in the Old Testament.  His principles go beyond the Old Testament, go deeper and higher, into the heart and into the unseen realm.  There is no reason why we should not walk in His promises, except that we don't know, we don't understand, or we don't believe.

As the Lord stated, everyone will not get a hold of His truth and promises, even though He desires that they do.  But that should not stop you from getting a hold of them.  If you believe God's Word and walk in it, and you demonstrate God's love to people the way Jesus did, not only will you see the effect of His promises in your life, you may also be able to help others get a hold of the promises for themselves who may not have otherwise.

Questions to Ponder:
How is debt affecting you?  How is it affecting this nation?
What was Jesus getting at when He taught us to pray: "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Matthew 6:12  NKJV
Is there any possibility that poverty is related to unforgiveness?  Why or why not?

March 28 & 29, 2011 Cultivating a Good Heart

I've been fascinated by the images of water in the Promised Land, and it's got me thinking a whole new way about it.  For the land which you go to possess is not like the land of Egypt from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and watered it by foot, as a vegetable garden; but the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven, a land for which the LORD your God cares; the eyes of the LORD your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year."  Deuteronomy 11: 10-12

Now, take this thought and put it together with the Parable of the Sower, from the NT reading yesterday.  This is when Jesus explained it to the disciples, the seed being the Word of God:  "But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience." Luke 8: 11-15

Have you ever wondered how we come to have the Word of God grow in our heart to begin with?  Were some of us born with a "good heart" that could grow the Word?  Were all of us born with a hardened heart, like the roadway that was packed down hard and trampled on by feet all the time, unable to even receive a seed, much less sustain the growth of one?  I think that mankind in general is in the second category, and it takes a lot of work to get the ground tilled and prepared to receive the Word at all.  God is the Farmer, or the "Husbandman", who works on people's hearts in many ways.  I was able to be a co-worker with Him in the counseling room, where much of the time was spent digging up hard ground, dredging up rocks and other debris, and in planting the truth.  Some of the time I was allowed to help reap a harvest, but this was due to the work of others who had planted and watered.  It is always God who brings the increase. (I Cor. 3: 6-7)

I also think that some of us are blessed to have parents and other people who set to work preparing our hearts when we are very young children.  A godly parent is diligent to work with God to bring their child's heart to a place of receiving the Word;  and they are diligent to help the child maintain that garden until the Word begins to bear fruit.  I believe there is a generation of children being brought into the world now that have had their hearts prepared even from the womb - who will have the "noble and good heart" from the start.  Throughout the Bible, you can see examples of this type of person.  Think of a large number of Samuels and Marys coming into maturity at a time such as this!  It is all of our responsibility in the Church to help guard and nurture these little ones.

Imagine now, what happens when one who has had their heart prepared, a "noble and good heart" - the good ground - coming into the amazing Land of Promise where the rain of heaven waters it and God's eyes are always on it.  Revelation raining down, flowing in streams, watering the Word that's been planted.  This is a land of heavenly revelation and abundant spiritual fruitfulness like we've never experienced before!  This is the land of Life!  Can you see why here we must be all the more watchful and diligent to guard our hearts from deception and the idols of the world?  Anything and everything will grow with extreme rapidity and abundant fruitfulness.  We must beware of what we allow to be planted in the good ground in the land of Life, and stay on the alert.  We must guard our hearts with utmost diligence.

March 27, 2011 The Rarest Asset on Earth

[I didn't have a chance to post this on Sunday, but I wanted to share what I got yesterday anyway].

And the costliest!  It took the Israelites 40 years in the wilderness to get it!  What is that asset?  Humility!  How rare is it?  Just look around you.  I look into my own heart and life, and I'm not even sure it's there.  But one thing I do know, I've been through the wilderness (seems like 40 years anyway!), and now that it's time to enter the Promised Land. I'm hoping the wilderness experience did it's job, and I will be able to walk humble and not stumble.

"And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not." Deuteronomy 8:2

The blessings and requirements of the Promised Land demand the character of humility!  We won't be able to stand, much less bring glory to God, if we are in pride.  The Lord makes it clear that the temptations to pride will be great in our new territory.  Just think:  He has to remove seven mighty "nations" to make room for you!  He will be so big in you that He's going to have to take down a lot of the works of the devil that you encounter in your new land to make room for you and His work!  Seven - a completed number - He won't leave anything there to torment you if you will totally submit to Him and follow His directions!  This is good promise here!!  Grab it!  Hold on!

In Luke we get a great picture of Jesus honoring humility: Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Luke 7:44-48 NKJV

Worship Jesus in humility, and it's a sweet-smelling fragrance to Him and to others! 

One key to humility is remembering the works of God in your life - staying thankful for His grace, salvation and forgiveness.  One hindrance to humility is condemnation!  This might sound contradictory, but it's not.  Pharisees and other hypocrites join right in with the devil in seeing us in the sin of our present and past, and naming us with it.  This does not help us stay humble, it gets our eyes on our self and lies to us - so don't join it, rebuke it!  No matter what your past is, He's got a good plan for you.  When Jesus calls us "Forgiven" we are forgiven.  He called us that on the cross!  It's up to us to believe that, grab a hold of it, thank Him for it, and walk in the freedom from our sin that He bought for us. 

Humility in our heart will keep us in constant dependency on God, and impel us to remain current with our repentance.  We may be maturing in the Lord, but we still need forgiveness - and we still need our feet washed.  If Jesus could allow a woman with a "bad reputation" to wash His feet, we can certainly let Him wash ours!

Agreeing with God is the essence of true humility.  Agree with Him about His promises to make you great in the heavenly Kingdom.  Agree with Him about His lordship, your need for Him, and His "always rightness".

Walk humble, and you won't stumble.







 

March 26, 2011 Fire on the Mountain

How often do we avoid the presence of God because of the glory?  I do too often.  We go to worship and He shows up as fire, His voice makes us tremble, and we're afraid for our lives.  So we back off instead of endure.

Moses was sharing the Commandments with the Israelites, and this is what he said to them. "The LORD talked with you face to face on the mountain from the midst of the fire.  I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the LORD; for you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up the mountain." Deuteronomy 5: 4-5 NKJV

Isn't that what we want a lot of times, for someone else to hear from God for us?  We don't want friendship with God enough to endure the fire.

God didn't force the people to hang out with Him. Rather He expressed His desire that they truly would fear Him.  "Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever! Go and say to them, “Return to your tents.” But as for you, stand here by Me, and I will speak to you all the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments which you shall teach them, that they may observe them in the land which I am giving them to possess.’ Deuteronomy 5: 29-31 NKJV

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom!  Yes, we should definitely have a reverent fear of the Lord - enough to obey Him.  But I want to press through for love of God to be with Him and hear His voice on the mountaintop.  I want friendship with Him, and that means taking Him the way He is.

If we hang out with Jesus long enough, we might end up seeing Him do the things He likes to do!  'Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them.  And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” Luke 7: 11-35  Are we going to get offended with Him for demonstrating His power?  What if the people around us don't like it?

I have to ask myself:  which would I rather have, an intimate relationship with the Lord or being understood by the people around me?  And when I answer myself, I have to honestly say, "I choose the Lord!"

Even if it makes me squirm.

November 3, 2010 The Mark of Groaning

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!

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.

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.  

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.

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.  

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

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. 

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

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

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?

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?

  

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?

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?

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? 

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?

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?