This passage speaks volumes to me about freedom, human rights and love.
John 10:17-18 ESV - "For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father."
Yes. No one should take your life either. Taking life and freedom away from people is wrong. The Father didn't do that to Jesus. The Father gave Jesus authority over His own life. We can say this is an aspect of His Messiahship but that office is a human office. It is the height of human dignity. Only the best of us could be the Messiah. He Is divinity and the pinnacle of all that is good and right.
It is interesting that Jesus says that the Father loves Him because if how He exercises His free will. It reminds me of the employee and employer relationship. A manager 'loves' the person who chooses to work well with the authority and resources they have been given. We don't have this kind of relationship with God. Jesus' favor has become our favor but at the same time Jesus humanity is our humanity. God has given us a stewardship over our life. It doesn't belong to us. It belongs to Him but we choose.
'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness...' - The Declaration of Independence
Yes. This is individual and communal. I don't have the right to take these things from you. We live together in this and find a pathway to live in dignity together.
--
Wednesday, September 16, 2020
Monday, September 14, 2020
The Chambers Of Our Mind
"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own," - 1 Corinthians 6:19 ESV
Our body, or mind, is going to be a temple of something. Our imagination (the chambers of our imagery) is active and something is there. It is either holy and the spirit has free access to the rooms of our soul or it is closed off and filled with things that never see the light.
This next passage is an amazing picture of a person's thought life that is filled with idolatry. God sees it all but if we 'dig in the wall' it can be seen by us also.
"Then he said to me, 'Son of man, lift up your eyes now toward the north.' So I lifted up my eyes toward the north, and behold, north of the altar gate, in the entrance, was this image of jealousy. And he said to me, 'Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations that the house of Israel are committing here, to drive me far from my sanctuary? But you will see still greater abominations.' And he brought me to the entrance of the court, and when I looked, behold, there was a hole in the wall. Then he said to me, 'Son of man, dig in the wall.' So I dug in the wall, and behold, there was an entrance. And he said to me, 'Go in, and see the vile abominations that they are committing here.' So I went in and saw. And there, engraved on the wall all around, was every form of creeping things and loathsome beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel. And before them stood seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan standing among them. Each had his censer in his hand, and the smoke of the cloud of incense went up." - Ezekiel 8:5-11 ESV
Don't get me wrong most of us have closed off rooms in our soul. They may be secrets we protect or places that are just too painful to enter. Abuse does that.
"When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth." - Luke 11:21-23 KJV
The Holy Spirit is the 'stronger man' who can take back that chamber, those chambers, God can cleanse His temple.
"And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise." - John 2:13-16 KJV
Yes. Passover is when God set Israel free from bondage. Jesus is 'freeing' his Father's temple here. Those money changers had rigged weights. They cheated people and gouged them. They bought 'sacrifices' that where made to God but that was not God's heart. He wanted people to have easy access to his house.
God wants easy access to your mind. He wants to cleanse your mind and mine so we can be clean and free and not in bondage to lies and systems that are false and dark.
If you and I are functioning as 'temples' people can have access to God when they are with us. If our mind is cleansed we will have thoughts, words and ideas that are nourishing and wholesome. God is the treasure and not the structure that He dwells in. An empty Church is just a building. Our mind can be a thriving place if God dwells there.
--
Our body, or mind, is going to be a temple of something. Our imagination (the chambers of our imagery) is active and something is there. It is either holy and the spirit has free access to the rooms of our soul or it is closed off and filled with things that never see the light.
This next passage is an amazing picture of a person's thought life that is filled with idolatry. God sees it all but if we 'dig in the wall' it can be seen by us also.
"Then he said to me, 'Son of man, lift up your eyes now toward the north.' So I lifted up my eyes toward the north, and behold, north of the altar gate, in the entrance, was this image of jealousy. And he said to me, 'Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations that the house of Israel are committing here, to drive me far from my sanctuary? But you will see still greater abominations.' And he brought me to the entrance of the court, and when I looked, behold, there was a hole in the wall. Then he said to me, 'Son of man, dig in the wall.' So I dug in the wall, and behold, there was an entrance. And he said to me, 'Go in, and see the vile abominations that they are committing here.' So I went in and saw. And there, engraved on the wall all around, was every form of creeping things and loathsome beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel. And before them stood seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan standing among them. Each had his censer in his hand, and the smoke of the cloud of incense went up." - Ezekiel 8:5-11 ESV
Don't get me wrong most of us have closed off rooms in our soul. They may be secrets we protect or places that are just too painful to enter. Abuse does that.
"When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth." - Luke 11:21-23 KJV
The Holy Spirit is the 'stronger man' who can take back that chamber, those chambers, God can cleanse His temple.
"And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise." - John 2:13-16 KJV
Yes. Passover is when God set Israel free from bondage. Jesus is 'freeing' his Father's temple here. Those money changers had rigged weights. They cheated people and gouged them. They bought 'sacrifices' that where made to God but that was not God's heart. He wanted people to have easy access to his house.
God wants easy access to your mind. He wants to cleanse your mind and mine so we can be clean and free and not in bondage to lies and systems that are false and dark.
If you and I are functioning as 'temples' people can have access to God when they are with us. If our mind is cleansed we will have thoughts, words and ideas that are nourishing and wholesome. God is the treasure and not the structure that He dwells in. An empty Church is just a building. Our mind can be a thriving place if God dwells there.
--
Friday, September 11, 2020
Moses And Aaron
I have always wondered about this interplay between Moses and his brother Aaron. Was it God's will or was it a 'compromise' of sorts?
"But Moses said to the LORD, 'Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.' Then the LORD said to him, 'Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.' But he said, 'Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.' Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses and he said, 'Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him." - Exodus 4:10-16 ESV
Also, Did God predict that Aaron would be happy to step into this role or did God move on Aaron's heart in some way to produce the outcome?
Either way it comforts me that God is willing to make us interdependent in ways. Moses is a 'type' or Christ. He was a Savior of Israel in that God used him to get them out of Eygpt and to the edge of the promised land.
"...You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do..."
Reminds me of this.
"When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.' And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld." - John 20:20-23 ESV
There is this grand interplay between the Trinity and us as individuals. If we have a Pastor God sometimes uses words from that person to speak to us. He gives the pulpit the words and we are both taught together.
Maybe sometimes we feel like saying...
'...Oh, my Lord, please send someone else...'
Even in that there is a provision for companionship in the sending.
Oh that is good. I'm praying we all run into more people who are 'glad in their heart' to see us and work with us. No one should have to go alone in this world.
--
"But Moses said to the LORD, 'Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.' Then the LORD said to him, 'Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.' But he said, 'Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.' Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses and he said, 'Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him." - Exodus 4:10-16 ESV
Also, Did God predict that Aaron would be happy to step into this role or did God move on Aaron's heart in some way to produce the outcome?
Either way it comforts me that God is willing to make us interdependent in ways. Moses is a 'type' or Christ. He was a Savior of Israel in that God used him to get them out of Eygpt and to the edge of the promised land.
"...You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do..."
Reminds me of this.
"When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.' And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld." - John 20:20-23 ESV
There is this grand interplay between the Trinity and us as individuals. If we have a Pastor God sometimes uses words from that person to speak to us. He gives the pulpit the words and we are both taught together.
Maybe sometimes we feel like saying...
'...Oh, my Lord, please send someone else...'
Even in that there is a provision for companionship in the sending.
Oh that is good. I'm praying we all run into more people who are 'glad in their heart' to see us and work with us. No one should have to go alone in this world.
--
Wednesday, September 2, 2020
Cursed Thinking And Blessed Thinking
The first person here is us thinking naturally and the second blessed person is us when we are walking by faith. This isn't some other person this is you and me!
"Thus says the LORD:
Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" - Jeremiah 17:5-9 ESV
There is no middle ground. It is either Adam or Christ. Our Adamic natural 'man' thinks one way and the new us that has a living spirit quickened by the Holy Spirit thinks a different way. We put on Jesus like a garment and choose to cast down one set of thoughts and confess the truth we have been taught about what God says and how He thinks.
All of that is in the Bible. It isn't a mystery. We may be ignorant but we can search the scriptures and find out what a blessed person is concentrating on. That truth becomes water for our soul.
Flip the switch with me and with every other believer on the planet who is choosing to walk by faith today. Turn on the light by mixing faith with the truth.
"But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me." - John 15:26 ESV
The Spirit of God will honor a decision to walk by faith in the truth. A humble person who is sending down roots to find water will find it.
--
"Thus says the LORD:
Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" - Jeremiah 17:5-9 ESV
There is no middle ground. It is either Adam or Christ. Our Adamic natural 'man' thinks one way and the new us that has a living spirit quickened by the Holy Spirit thinks a different way. We put on Jesus like a garment and choose to cast down one set of thoughts and confess the truth we have been taught about what God says and how He thinks.
All of that is in the Bible. It isn't a mystery. We may be ignorant but we can search the scriptures and find out what a blessed person is concentrating on. That truth becomes water for our soul.
Flip the switch with me and with every other believer on the planet who is choosing to walk by faith today. Turn on the light by mixing faith with the truth.
"But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me." - John 15:26 ESV
The Spirit of God will honor a decision to walk by faith in the truth. A humble person who is sending down roots to find water will find it.
--
Tuesday, September 1, 2020
Transcendence And The Upper Room
Transcendence sounds eastern. It is the claim that that there is existence outside the four walls of seventy years. A very attractive idea to those who are trapped. Our mind tells us, 'There is more.'
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 ESV - "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."
The 'Upper Room' is a great study.
John 20:26 ESV - "Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you.' "
Jesus walked through walls to get to the trapped disciples who feared death. He Is the way in and the way out. We can't or won't exit the upper room. Fear of death keeps us there but Jesus enters in to give us the peace to exit the trap of four walls. We have a place to go beyond our seventy years. It is a timeless place filled with eternal people that took Christ's hand and escaped death.
The disciples found that place. They had the last supper there where Jesus revealed unique things. It was a 'transcendent' experience on many levels. He dies. They get trapped there by their own fear. He enters in to visit. Jesus ascends in Heaven. That room becomes a place of operation for the early church.
God got them into that room and God got them out. It became a place of strength.
That room is like our life of faith. It has stages but freedom, power and community are the end result.
Acts 1:10-14 ESV - "And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers."
--
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 ESV - "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."
The 'Upper Room' is a great study.
John 20:26 ESV - "Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you.' "
Jesus walked through walls to get to the trapped disciples who feared death. He Is the way in and the way out. We can't or won't exit the upper room. Fear of death keeps us there but Jesus enters in to give us the peace to exit the trap of four walls. We have a place to go beyond our seventy years. It is a timeless place filled with eternal people that took Christ's hand and escaped death.
The disciples found that place. They had the last supper there where Jesus revealed unique things. It was a 'transcendent' experience on many levels. He dies. They get trapped there by their own fear. He enters in to visit. Jesus ascends in Heaven. That room becomes a place of operation for the early church.
God got them into that room and God got them out. It became a place of strength.
That room is like our life of faith. It has stages but freedom, power and community are the end result.
Acts 1:10-14 ESV - "And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers."
--
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)