"Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience." - 2 Corinthians 5:11 ESV
That word 'persuade' is the Greek word peitho (Strong's G3982) and it simply means 'to win one's favour', pacify or produce trust in someone.
I love that this is linked to God-consciousness in this passage. This reciprocal relationship a person has with God and that God has with a person is somehow on display and seen.
We say, 'That person knows God and somehow I sense God knows them.' when we are persuaded in the way that this passage is describing persuasion.
Sometimes I run across a religious person and think, 'Does that person even know what or who they are talking about?' because what they are saying is alienating in some way.
"For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer." - 2 Corinthians 5:13-16 ESV
I often don't know what to say or how to help. I want to help. God has inserted care into my heart. That care is linked to a 'fear' (or an awe) of God's way of knowing people.
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." - Matthew 5:14-16 ESV
Thank you God. Give us places to shine. We want people to be persuaded absent from striving, effort and arguing. We want your light to shine in through some small gap into every hardened heart. We want truth to penetrate every lie. We want every drowning soul to be rescued from pain and isolation and brought into fellowship.
It can't be by words alone. It must be by love and by lifting up Jesus and his cross that has impacted every life in some way.
God, Make us people who display the love and impact of the cross.
--
Showing posts with label Cross. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cross. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Monday, March 5, 2018
Prayers Of Mercy For Those Who Are Outside
Here is a prayer we can pray for people...
'God. Please don't give that person what they deserve. Then use it to open their eyes to Your mercy and grace.'
The mob never cries out, 'Give mercy! Don't hurt them!' but we are not ones to join the mob. If a person is 'a user' and they don't repent people will eventually be lining up for their pound of flesh. Isolation is inevitable. We can be the ones who represent a divine mindset. We can have the great privilege of being 'mercy people' because God has had mercy on us.
Jesus asked his Father to forgive the people who were crucifying Him while it was happening. What the mob was shouting at Him was dark but the words Jesus uttered were a ray of light in the darkness. His mercy words will be remembered forever.
I don't think we are called to be doormats. We set boundaries and enforce them but it all can be done living in an attitude of love, mercy and grace.
In the mission in Florida where I received Christ the policy about drugs and alcohol were very straightforward. If you show up drunk you won't be spending the night. You are going to have to sleep it off somewhere else. God loves you and we care about you but that isn't happening here. We need to protect the people who are staying under this roof and hanging on by a thread. We can't let you drag them down. If you still need a place to stay tomorrow you are welcome here and the past will be gone forever. If you fail again we won't chide you about last week... but you won't be sleeping here if drugs or alcohol are in your system.
I didn't understand it at first. It seemed cruel but it wasn't. It was Love.
Sometimes it was me who had to send them off into the night and I learned to pray, 'Father, Have mercy on them. Protect them. Help them. Save them from what is out there and from themselves.'
These are good prayers to pray, aren't they? I think they are.
God is the One who can change hearts. We are the ones who can ask Him to do it.
--
'God. Please don't give that person what they deserve. Then use it to open their eyes to Your mercy and grace.'
The mob never cries out, 'Give mercy! Don't hurt them!' but we are not ones to join the mob. If a person is 'a user' and they don't repent people will eventually be lining up for their pound of flesh. Isolation is inevitable. We can be the ones who represent a divine mindset. We can have the great privilege of being 'mercy people' because God has had mercy on us.
Jesus asked his Father to forgive the people who were crucifying Him while it was happening. What the mob was shouting at Him was dark but the words Jesus uttered were a ray of light in the darkness. His mercy words will be remembered forever.
I don't think we are called to be doormats. We set boundaries and enforce them but it all can be done living in an attitude of love, mercy and grace.
In the mission in Florida where I received Christ the policy about drugs and alcohol were very straightforward. If you show up drunk you won't be spending the night. You are going to have to sleep it off somewhere else. God loves you and we care about you but that isn't happening here. We need to protect the people who are staying under this roof and hanging on by a thread. We can't let you drag them down. If you still need a place to stay tomorrow you are welcome here and the past will be gone forever. If you fail again we won't chide you about last week... but you won't be sleeping here if drugs or alcohol are in your system.
I didn't understand it at first. It seemed cruel but it wasn't. It was Love.
Sometimes it was me who had to send them off into the night and I learned to pray, 'Father, Have mercy on them. Protect them. Help them. Save them from what is out there and from themselves.'
These are good prayers to pray, aren't they? I think they are.
God is the One who can change hearts. We are the ones who can ask Him to do it.
--
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Jesus' Last Thursday And Friday On Earth
This morning I am reading passages concerning the last couple of days of Christ's earthly ministry (Thursday and Friday).
Here are some passage references Matthew 26:19f, Mark 14:16f, Luke 22:13f, John 13:1f (Jesus' words) 18:13f (Events)
There is so much here but it just shocks me how much Jesus endured. He was tugged back and forth in so many ways. Physically. Emotionally. What a crazy couple of days that must have seemed like a lifetime.
Jesus knows what we go through. Of course, God knows everything but Jesus truly knows intimately. He has endured every humiliation and hardship.
We could say, 'Look how strong and noble He was.' and it would be true. No man was ever more noble. But, Even Jesus stumbled on His way to His destination and needed someone else to carry His cross. At the end of His strength, it was out of His hands. Then the words on the cross. Words of sanity and forgiveness even as He cried out to Heaven. Amazing. Just amazing.
I sit here very humbled.
"Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood." - Hebrews 12:3-4 ESV
Our issues look large and I am not belittling them. How will we do what needs to be done? One step at a time. One decision after another. It may be hard but are you bleeding yet? Wow.
I have a full schedule today but nothing that intense is on it (as far as I know) but even if there was I have a Savior to look to who endured far worse. Let's bear our indignities with dignity. Glory awaits us. He died but in three days He rose from that grave triumphant.
--
Here are some passage references Matthew 26:19f, Mark 14:16f, Luke 22:13f, John 13:1f (Jesus' words) 18:13f (Events)
There is so much here but it just shocks me how much Jesus endured. He was tugged back and forth in so many ways. Physically. Emotionally. What a crazy couple of days that must have seemed like a lifetime.
Jesus knows what we go through. Of course, God knows everything but Jesus truly knows intimately. He has endured every humiliation and hardship.
We could say, 'Look how strong and noble He was.' and it would be true. No man was ever more noble. But, Even Jesus stumbled on His way to His destination and needed someone else to carry His cross. At the end of His strength, it was out of His hands. Then the words on the cross. Words of sanity and forgiveness even as He cried out to Heaven. Amazing. Just amazing.
I sit here very humbled.
"Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood." - Hebrews 12:3-4 ESV
Our issues look large and I am not belittling them. How will we do what needs to be done? One step at a time. One decision after another. It may be hard but are you bleeding yet? Wow.
I have a full schedule today but nothing that intense is on it (as far as I know) but even if there was I have a Savior to look to who endured far worse. Let's bear our indignities with dignity. Glory awaits us. He died but in three days He rose from that grave triumphant.
--
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Confess With Your Mouth
Faith confession... very powerful.
"But what does it say? 'The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart' (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, 'Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.' " - Romans 10:8-11 ESV
We can do this today. If we have never done it we can do it and be saved eternally. Then as a redeemed person, we can do it again and again.
Instead of rehearsing our frustrations, seeming limitations or past failures we can rehearse this and speak it and the words have the power to build and restore because they resonate with divine reality.
In my mind, I'm picturing someone overboard and struggling in the water. Then they cry out and the person looking and listening on deck hears them and throws them a lifeline and they are saved.
Let your voice be heard. Confess who Jesus Is out loud. Say what happened at the cross.
If we do that we are bringing those words into our present situation and mindset. Those words need to be said. Heaven hears that humble confession and God gives greater grace to the humble.
--
"But what does it say? 'The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart' (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, 'Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.' " - Romans 10:8-11 ESV
We can do this today. If we have never done it we can do it and be saved eternally. Then as a redeemed person, we can do it again and again.
Instead of rehearsing our frustrations, seeming limitations or past failures we can rehearse this and speak it and the words have the power to build and restore because they resonate with divine reality.
In my mind, I'm picturing someone overboard and struggling in the water. Then they cry out and the person looking and listening on deck hears them and throws them a lifeline and they are saved.
Let your voice be heard. Confess who Jesus Is out loud. Say what happened at the cross.
If we do that we are bringing those words into our present situation and mindset. Those words need to be said. Heaven hears that humble confession and God gives greater grace to the humble.
--
Monday, April 3, 2017
Being His Disciple
I woke up with this next passage on my mind...
"Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 'If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." - Luke 14:25-27 ESV
Jesus taught in a Hebrew style. He uses parallelisms. The Psalms and Proverbs is full of them. This would classify as a synonymous parallelism. One statement builds on and is equivalent to the next. Claiming co-crucifixion with Christ and hating sentimental attachments with people go hand in hand.
"And Jesus said to him, 'Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.' Yet another said, 'I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.' Jesus said to him, 'No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.'" - Luke 9:60-62 ESV
When I was growing up we had a term for people who made a claim to be something they admired but did not resemble. It was 'poser'. They wore the shirt but lacked the commitment or qualities of the band or movement they claimed to be a part of.
Jesus was making a statement here. His cross was a part of who He was. In a fallen world the cross is where a holy person goes. You can't be called a disciple if you have no cross. You can't be HIS disciple unless you have HIS cross.
This isn't salvation. Salvation is believing in Christ. This is discipleship and there are other benefits involved in discipleship. Intimacy is one. If you want to 'know' Jesus then you have to be where He Is. Wearing a Christian T-shirt doesn't make you a disciple. Identification with His cross and detachment from the controlling influences of sentimentality are key ingredients.
It isn't a works program. It is a value system. I want to have God's value system and I look to Jesus to see what that means. The way into that system is through His cross. He has born the pain of it. We pick it up and there are echoes. Not everyone will like what we are doing. Our life no longer belongs to us. Our hands rest on a plow that moves straight ahead without deviation. We plow straight lines of grace thinking. If we fail we repent and get back up again and say, 'That wasn't Jesus but the fact that I can rebound is evidence of His place in my life.'
Why say we follow Christ if we don't resemble Him? It is only going to confuse people and later it will all burn up like wood and hay on a fire.
No, Let's pick up His cross. It is a light burden and an easy yoke if we have forsaken everything else.
--
"Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 'If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." - Luke 14:25-27 ESV
Jesus taught in a Hebrew style. He uses parallelisms. The Psalms and Proverbs is full of them. This would classify as a synonymous parallelism. One statement builds on and is equivalent to the next. Claiming co-crucifixion with Christ and hating sentimental attachments with people go hand in hand.
"And Jesus said to him, 'Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.' Yet another said, 'I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.' Jesus said to him, 'No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.'" - Luke 9:60-62 ESV
When I was growing up we had a term for people who made a claim to be something they admired but did not resemble. It was 'poser'. They wore the shirt but lacked the commitment or qualities of the band or movement they claimed to be a part of.
Jesus was making a statement here. His cross was a part of who He was. In a fallen world the cross is where a holy person goes. You can't be called a disciple if you have no cross. You can't be HIS disciple unless you have HIS cross.
This isn't salvation. Salvation is believing in Christ. This is discipleship and there are other benefits involved in discipleship. Intimacy is one. If you want to 'know' Jesus then you have to be where He Is. Wearing a Christian T-shirt doesn't make you a disciple. Identification with His cross and detachment from the controlling influences of sentimentality are key ingredients.
It isn't a works program. It is a value system. I want to have God's value system and I look to Jesus to see what that means. The way into that system is through His cross. He has born the pain of it. We pick it up and there are echoes. Not everyone will like what we are doing. Our life no longer belongs to us. Our hands rest on a plow that moves straight ahead without deviation. We plow straight lines of grace thinking. If we fail we repent and get back up again and say, 'That wasn't Jesus but the fact that I can rebound is evidence of His place in my life.'
Why say we follow Christ if we don't resemble Him? It is only going to confuse people and later it will all burn up like wood and hay on a fire.
No, Let's pick up His cross. It is a light burden and an easy yoke if we have forsaken everything else.
--
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Judge Righteous Judgement
An expert can spot things a novice doesn't think to look for.
"Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things." - Romans 2:1 ESV
"Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." - John 7:24 KJV
"I tell you, her sins -and they are many - have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love."" - Luke 7:47 NLT
Our past can make our eyes keen. What will we do with what we see?
The cross can be our frame of reference. Perception can pass through the cross. If it does we will be tender, discerning and loving.
--
"Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things." - Romans 2:1 ESV
"Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." - John 7:24 KJV
"I tell you, her sins -and they are many - have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love."" - Luke 7:47 NLT
Our past can make our eyes keen. What will we do with what we see?
The cross can be our frame of reference. Perception can pass through the cross. If it does we will be tender, discerning and loving.
--
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
Something To Cast Into Bitter Waters
"When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, 'What shall we drink?' And he cried to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the LORD made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them..." - Exodus 15:23-25 ESV
Interesting.
Did God bring them to Marah? Yes.
The tree represents the cross.
"...saying, 'If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer.' Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water." - Exodus 15:26-27 ESV
Israel had national mandates but we have grace.
"For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace." - Romans 6:14 ESV
We have a tree to cast into the bitter waters.
Sober thinking has a tree for the bitter places. Then we move on to Elim. Before the tree goes in the water Elim doesn't look possible but both places are in God's plan.
We have all been damaged along the way but the LORD (Yahweh - Strong's H3068) is our healer. Eygpt doesn't have him. Eygpt resists Him in futility because He Is irresistible. That tree is a sure remedy for all who take it and cast it into their situation.
There are theologies that claim that if you have enough faith you will never get to Marah but that isn't how it is. Marah and Elim are both destinations we will visit. The tree is what we look for when we get there. The tree is what we prescribe for those who have nothing but bitterness to drink.
--
Interesting.
Did God bring them to Marah? Yes.
The tree represents the cross.
"...saying, 'If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer.' Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water." - Exodus 15:26-27 ESV
Israel had national mandates but we have grace.
"For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace." - Romans 6:14 ESV
We have a tree to cast into the bitter waters.
Sober thinking has a tree for the bitter places. Then we move on to Elim. Before the tree goes in the water Elim doesn't look possible but both places are in God's plan.
We have all been damaged along the way but the LORD (Yahweh - Strong's H3068) is our healer. Eygpt doesn't have him. Eygpt resists Him in futility because He Is irresistible. That tree is a sure remedy for all who take it and cast it into their situation.
There are theologies that claim that if you have enough faith you will never get to Marah but that isn't how it is. Marah and Elim are both destinations we will visit. The tree is what we look for when we get there. The tree is what we prescribe for those who have nothing but bitterness to drink.
--
Friday, January 6, 2017
Survival Instinct
Wow. I love Watchman Nee. Every paragraph is so dense with truth...
'Do we crucify ourselves? No. “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin” (Rom. 6.6). It is not that we crucify ourselves, but that our old man was crucified with Christ at the time He himself was crucified. This is an objective fact. Your eyes must be fixed on the Lord. Were you to try to crucify yourself, you would discover how wicked you are and how impossible it is for you to die. The greatest mistake made by believers is right here: although the Bible says that I was crucified with Christ, I look at myself and find myself as hard and corrupted and undisciplined as I ever was. Even so, I try to crucify myself; yet I cannot make myself die. And that is where the mistake begins: you begin with yourself. You should keep in mind, instead, that all real beginnings lie with Christ. You do not die because you have seen yourself dead. You only become dead because you died when Christ died.' - Watchman Nee
The objective truth of the cross must become real in our subjective experience or else Christianity is utterly unmanageable. We say, 'I am dead to this.' but in truth we are very much alive and there is an instinct that kicks in to push us to keep ourselves alive.
God says that we died when Christ died and we were raised when He was raised. He is seated in Heaven and we ARE seated in Heaven. Can we mix faith with that truth so it will become alive in our experience? If we do then when the moment of temptation comes we will have practiced God's thoughts many times in preparation.
I have been deeply convicted this week. This clay pot has deep cracks. It isn't just cosmetic. My old man has incurable wounds. Situations just reveal that to be true but that is not my identity.
The believer is a new creature...
"For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them..." - Galatians 6:15-16a ESV
Let this peace and mercy be upon you today. It is finished. Jesus has done something objectively on the cross and the Spirit can take the veil off our eyes. We were blind but now we can see what God already sees if we walk by faith in what Jesus has done.
--
'Do we crucify ourselves? No. “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin” (Rom. 6.6). It is not that we crucify ourselves, but that our old man was crucified with Christ at the time He himself was crucified. This is an objective fact. Your eyes must be fixed on the Lord. Were you to try to crucify yourself, you would discover how wicked you are and how impossible it is for you to die. The greatest mistake made by believers is right here: although the Bible says that I was crucified with Christ, I look at myself and find myself as hard and corrupted and undisciplined as I ever was. Even so, I try to crucify myself; yet I cannot make myself die. And that is where the mistake begins: you begin with yourself. You should keep in mind, instead, that all real beginnings lie with Christ. You do not die because you have seen yourself dead. You only become dead because you died when Christ died.' - Watchman Nee
The objective truth of the cross must become real in our subjective experience or else Christianity is utterly unmanageable. We say, 'I am dead to this.' but in truth we are very much alive and there is an instinct that kicks in to push us to keep ourselves alive.
God says that we died when Christ died and we were raised when He was raised. He is seated in Heaven and we ARE seated in Heaven. Can we mix faith with that truth so it will become alive in our experience? If we do then when the moment of temptation comes we will have practiced God's thoughts many times in preparation.
I have been deeply convicted this week. This clay pot has deep cracks. It isn't just cosmetic. My old man has incurable wounds. Situations just reveal that to be true but that is not my identity.
The believer is a new creature...
"For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them..." - Galatians 6:15-16a ESV
Let this peace and mercy be upon you today. It is finished. Jesus has done something objectively on the cross and the Spirit can take the veil off our eyes. We were blind but now we can see what God already sees if we walk by faith in what Jesus has done.
--
Friday, July 15, 2016
The Coal And The Cross
This morning I've been thinking about exclusive place like restaurants in airports or stadiums where you need a ticket to be in the area where the place is in order to go there. They don't stop you at the door because you have been prescreened.
In Isaiah chapter 6 Isaiah sat God enthroned in the temple but the angel cried, 'Holy, Holy, Holy' and used a name for God that revealed His command of angelic armies. Isaiah was filled with dread as smoke filled the temple. Isaiah verbally declared his own introspective disqualification and an angel took a coal from the altar and put it to Isaiah's lip.
Instead of burning him it healed him of his introspection. Suddenly he was inside instead of outside. He was privy to God speaking and overheard what He was saying.
The cross was painful but like that coal it isn't painful for us. It takes us from outside to inside. Now we can eat at God's table because we have been prescreened.
--
In Isaiah chapter 6 Isaiah sat God enthroned in the temple but the angel cried, 'Holy, Holy, Holy' and used a name for God that revealed His command of angelic armies. Isaiah was filled with dread as smoke filled the temple. Isaiah verbally declared his own introspective disqualification and an angel took a coal from the altar and put it to Isaiah's lip.
Instead of burning him it healed him of his introspection. Suddenly he was inside instead of outside. He was privy to God speaking and overheard what He was saying.
The cross was painful but like that coal it isn't painful for us. It takes us from outside to inside. Now we can eat at God's table because we have been prescreened.
--
Monday, June 13, 2016
The Order Of Grace
I was thinking this weekend about the little systems we develop to do things or cope with things. A way that we clean the dishes or an order that we have in certain drawers. If other people don't know the system or purpose of the system they try to fix it or put things out of order without realizing it.
"Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land. Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven." - Psalm 85:9-11 KJV
"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain." - John 12:24 NKJV
God has His systems. We see it in nature.
Truth that passes through the cross springs out of the Earth. This method may not seem convenient for us.
The cross is so necessary. But how can we communicate that truth?
Like our little drawer system we can show someone and then live it out in front of them. I have had God's grace explained to me but I have also seen it lived out in front of me.
Yes, The grain of wheat must fall into the ground and die in order for there to be multiplication. A stone was rolled in place in front of Jesus' tomb but in a few days that stone was rolled uphill and away.
"But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb," - Luke 24:1-2 ESV
Without the cross there is no empty tomb. Other arrangements work for other things but they don't work for this. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other and The Righteous King looks down from Heaven when truth springs up out of the Earth.
Try as you might to get His attention some other way. It isn't going to work unless it is in His order. When we find that order we are wise to pay close attention.
--
"Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land. Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven." - Psalm 85:9-11 KJV
"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain." - John 12:24 NKJV
God has His systems. We see it in nature.
Truth that passes through the cross springs out of the Earth. This method may not seem convenient for us.
The cross is so necessary. But how can we communicate that truth?
Like our little drawer system we can show someone and then live it out in front of them. I have had God's grace explained to me but I have also seen it lived out in front of me.
Yes, The grain of wheat must fall into the ground and die in order for there to be multiplication. A stone was rolled in place in front of Jesus' tomb but in a few days that stone was rolled uphill and away.
"But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb," - Luke 24:1-2 ESV
Without the cross there is no empty tomb. Other arrangements work for other things but they don't work for this. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other and The Righteous King looks down from Heaven when truth springs up out of the Earth.
Try as you might to get His attention some other way. It isn't going to work unless it is in His order. When we find that order we are wise to pay close attention.
--
Saturday, March 26, 2016
The Valley In Between
The Saturday before Easter is a very interesting day. Jesus died on Friday and rose on Sunday. This is the day in between. The disciples are in disarray and Jesus is preaching to demons in Tartarus and the old testament saints awaiting release.
"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water." - 1 Peter 3:18-20 ESV
The days in between are interesting days. The morning is coming but is not here yet. The trauma of yesterday is still fresh in our minds.
My study of burial this morning brought me to this passage...
"On that day I will give to Gog a place for burial in Israel, the Valley of the Travelers, east of the sea. It will block the travelers, for there Gog and all his multitude will be buried. It will be called the Valley of Hamon-gog. For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them, in order to cleanse the land." - Ezekiel 39:11-12 ESV
This hasn't happened yet. This is a valley between Jerusalem, a city set on seven hills (approximately 2,500 ft above sea level), and the Dead Sea (approximately 1,400 ft below sea level). Tour buses used to go down a treacherous road translated 'Old Jericho Road' to take people to the Dead Sea. It is my understanding that Palestinians presently occupy this land.
This valley is believed to be the 'Valley of the Shadow of Death' referred to in Psalm 23 because a great shadow was cast as the sun went down making it a dangerous place to be. The story of the good Samaritan may have been based on the accounts of robbery that occurred while passing through this valley.
In the future an army that comes against Israel will be buried there and it will inconvenience travelers. A mass grave between the Holy city and the Dead Sea.
This reminds me of this day between death and resurrection. Our life resembles this day at times. We have believed and God has saved us but our bodies are not raised from the dead yet. Large swaths of land next to our spiritual life is unpassable. We see through a glass darkly.
But then Sunday comes. Then life is reborn. Then hope is stirred within us.
Easter is a day to celebrate. God has won a victory for us on the cross and our travels may be inconvenienced at times but what a great victory it is. Sunday will soon be upon us.
I hope you all have a great Sunday tomorrow.
--
"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water." - 1 Peter 3:18-20 ESV
The days in between are interesting days. The morning is coming but is not here yet. The trauma of yesterday is still fresh in our minds.
My study of burial this morning brought me to this passage...
"On that day I will give to Gog a place for burial in Israel, the Valley of the Travelers, east of the sea. It will block the travelers, for there Gog and all his multitude will be buried. It will be called the Valley of Hamon-gog. For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them, in order to cleanse the land." - Ezekiel 39:11-12 ESV
This hasn't happened yet. This is a valley between Jerusalem, a city set on seven hills (approximately 2,500 ft above sea level), and the Dead Sea (approximately 1,400 ft below sea level). Tour buses used to go down a treacherous road translated 'Old Jericho Road' to take people to the Dead Sea. It is my understanding that Palestinians presently occupy this land.
This valley is believed to be the 'Valley of the Shadow of Death' referred to in Psalm 23 because a great shadow was cast as the sun went down making it a dangerous place to be. The story of the good Samaritan may have been based on the accounts of robbery that occurred while passing through this valley.
In the future an army that comes against Israel will be buried there and it will inconvenience travelers. A mass grave between the Holy city and the Dead Sea.
This reminds me of this day between death and resurrection. Our life resembles this day at times. We have believed and God has saved us but our bodies are not raised from the dead yet. Large swaths of land next to our spiritual life is unpassable. We see through a glass darkly.
But then Sunday comes. Then life is reborn. Then hope is stirred within us.
Easter is a day to celebrate. God has won a victory for us on the cross and our travels may be inconvenienced at times but what a great victory it is. Sunday will soon be upon us.
I hope you all have a great Sunday tomorrow.
--
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
The Dream State And The Cross
I had an interesting night with some very fun unique dreams I can't remember having before. I wrote down a few sentences of what they were about on a piece of paper knowing that what I was writing might not make sense to me later. Dreams are like that. They make sense to the sleeping mind but not the wakeful one.
It makes me think of this portion of scripture.
"Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and SPOKE OF HIS DEPARTURE, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, 'Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah' - not knowing what he said. As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, 'This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!' And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen. On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, 'Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him. And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.' Jesus answered, 'O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.' While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astonished at the majesty of God. But while they were all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, 'Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is ABOUT TO BE DELIVERED INTO THE HANDS OF MEN.' But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying." - Luke 9:28-45 ESV
The mountain must have seemed like dream to them and the valley was very much a reality. It was almost as if Peter spoke from the contents of his heart that was still in bondage and the dream state was broken.
I capitalized a couple of statements in the narrative above because they speak to me this morning. The content of what Jesus said to Moses and Elijah was the same as what he spoke to Peter and His disciples. The difference was that Moses and Elijah were in a different place and had a different vantage point. Jesus could have a real conversation with them about the cross but the conversation he had with them just made the disciples sleepy. Then when He talked to Peter and the rest of the disciples later they still did not understand and avoided the subject.
Knowledge of the cross was concealed from them like the dream is concealed from the mind that is awake to the pressures and harsh realities of life.
"But Jesus called them to him, saying, 'Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.' " - Luke 18:16-17 ESV
Jesus is innocent. He isn't naive. He is wise and deals with the harshest of realities in innocence.
Peter was an adult and spoke like an adult. He wanted something to do so that he could frame his identity by his actions and all it did was pull him out of Heaven's conversation.
Heaven's conversation involves the cross. He spoke on the mountain as if it was behind him. It was His point of departure. We can say that also if we have believed. We have passed from death into life because of it. We have traveled through it with Christ.
For those who haven't believed the cross is in front of them. Maybe it puts them to sleep or maybe they avoid it because it is a conversation they would rather postpone.
Either way... It must be our message.
"For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." - 1 Corinthians 1:17-18 ESV
One day we will be on Moses and Elijah's side of life. We will see Jesus aflame in all His glory and we won't want to take a nap. We won't need to sleep. We will live the waking dream of heroes and kings.
Thank you God. We have hope for a good awakening someday. Please let our mind reflect that glory now in the details of life we all have to face. You are so good to us.
--
It makes me think of this portion of scripture.
"Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and SPOKE OF HIS DEPARTURE, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, 'Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah' - not knowing what he said. As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, 'This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!' And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen. On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, 'Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him. And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.' Jesus answered, 'O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.' While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astonished at the majesty of God. But while they were all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, 'Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is ABOUT TO BE DELIVERED INTO THE HANDS OF MEN.' But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying." - Luke 9:28-45 ESV
The mountain must have seemed like dream to them and the valley was very much a reality. It was almost as if Peter spoke from the contents of his heart that was still in bondage and the dream state was broken.
I capitalized a couple of statements in the narrative above because they speak to me this morning. The content of what Jesus said to Moses and Elijah was the same as what he spoke to Peter and His disciples. The difference was that Moses and Elijah were in a different place and had a different vantage point. Jesus could have a real conversation with them about the cross but the conversation he had with them just made the disciples sleepy. Then when He talked to Peter and the rest of the disciples later they still did not understand and avoided the subject.
Knowledge of the cross was concealed from them like the dream is concealed from the mind that is awake to the pressures and harsh realities of life.
"But Jesus called them to him, saying, 'Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.' " - Luke 18:16-17 ESV
Jesus is innocent. He isn't naive. He is wise and deals with the harshest of realities in innocence.
Peter was an adult and spoke like an adult. He wanted something to do so that he could frame his identity by his actions and all it did was pull him out of Heaven's conversation.
Heaven's conversation involves the cross. He spoke on the mountain as if it was behind him. It was His point of departure. We can say that also if we have believed. We have passed from death into life because of it. We have traveled through it with Christ.
For those who haven't believed the cross is in front of them. Maybe it puts them to sleep or maybe they avoid it because it is a conversation they would rather postpone.
Either way... It must be our message.
"For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." - 1 Corinthians 1:17-18 ESV
One day we will be on Moses and Elijah's side of life. We will see Jesus aflame in all His glory and we won't want to take a nap. We won't need to sleep. We will live the waking dream of heroes and kings.
Thank you God. We have hope for a good awakening someday. Please let our mind reflect that glory now in the details of life we all have to face. You are so good to us.
--
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Gardens And More Gardens
God's precreation garden was a rock garden.
"You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared." - Ezekiel 28:13 ESV
He walked in a garden on Earth with Adam that had plants and animals.
"And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day..." - Genesis 3:8a ESV
Then Jesus sang with His disciples and prayed in a garden. He sang praise knowing He was about to be betrayed.
"And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives... Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, 'Sit here, while I go over there and pray.' " - Matthew 26:30, 36 ESV
Jesus has ascended but there are gardens waiting in the future. God seems to like them. Will you be there with him to see what comes next? I hope so.
You will only be there if you know Him. Do you know Him? Jesus died on a tree and rose again for you and for me. Don't let the fruit of what He has done be in vain for you. He died when you were an enemy with the hope that you and anyone else who would believe would become a friend.
He still wants to walk with you in the cool of the morning. God wants more than beauty and wildlife. His desires fellowship and company.
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." - Revelation 3:20 ESV
There is a knock at the door. Please answer it.
---
"You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared." - Ezekiel 28:13 ESV
He walked in a garden on Earth with Adam that had plants and animals.
"And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day..." - Genesis 3:8a ESV
Then Jesus sang with His disciples and prayed in a garden. He sang praise knowing He was about to be betrayed.
"And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives... Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, 'Sit here, while I go over there and pray.' " - Matthew 26:30, 36 ESV
Jesus has ascended but there are gardens waiting in the future. God seems to like them. Will you be there with him to see what comes next? I hope so.
You will only be there if you know Him. Do you know Him? Jesus died on a tree and rose again for you and for me. Don't let the fruit of what He has done be in vain for you. He died when you were an enemy with the hope that you and anyone else who would believe would become a friend.
He still wants to walk with you in the cool of the morning. God wants more than beauty and wildlife. His desires fellowship and company.
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." - Revelation 3:20 ESV
There is a knock at the door. Please answer it.
---
Today we went to a market on outreach and there was a booth there with all kinds of stones and minerals. The two people minding it were watching it for a friend. I quoted them the verse I used in the devotional thought above in Ezekiel.
I also talked to them about this one.
"Over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of an expanse, shining like awe-inspiring crystal, spread out above their heads. And under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another. And each creature had two wings covering its body. And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters, like the sound of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they let down their wings. And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads. When they stood still, they let down their wings. And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance." - Ezekiel 1:22-26 ESV
God sits on a sapphire throne. A huge sapphire throne not made on Earth. Precious stones can only be so large here because of gravity and the density of our planet. What makes a stone like that exist? A stone large enough to carve out a throne.
"And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass." - Revelation 21:21 ESV
Where can you get pearls like that I said and they just looked at me. A man who was standing there asked me what verse I was quoting so I told him.
"In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." - John 14:2-3 ESV
I asked them 'What will these mansions be like if God can make stone like the ones you have on this table? It's hard to imagine isn't it?'
Those who don't know Jesus are condemned already and they will never see those gates or that throne. Jesus died to remove that condemnation. Jesus wants to bring life where there is only death.
Only believe.
They were polite. After all they were watching their friends stand and it isn't good business to be rude to potential customers. I bought a green rock and we moved on.
I hope they heard what I said.
--
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Now Is The Hour
Jesus was and Is courageous.
"And Jesus answered them, 'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.' " - John 12:23-26 ESV
Jesus was not timid and careful. Passages like these challenge me to step out and not play it safe.
Different people have different 'safety margins'. For an introvert losing their life may mean one thing in practical application. Dying to self might resemble what an extrovert does... and vice versa.
Jesus knew that the moments to come would reveal the glory of God. Glorified here in this passage is the Greek word doxazo (Strong's G1392) and it means to magnify, celebrate and reveal.
Jesus didn't die to self to please the Father. The Father was already pleased with Him (see Matthew 3:17). He died to reveal the Father.
I don't know what this means to you personally. All of us struggle with different decisions at different times.
At one point going to Bible college was losing my life. Dorm life definitely was at times. {smile}
I lost my life when I handed a person a Gospel tract on the street. The only 'evangelists' I ever remember seeing growing up were a group of people in African dress in Times Square who had a big picture of Jesus drawn as a black man and wanted to argue with me that Jesus was black that white people had stolen their Bible from them. They were angry and violent men shouting through a megaphone who looked like they would happily hurt people if they could justify getting away with it. I didn't want to be associated with anything like that.
Can we walk into situations and say, 'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.' even if it means risking that people might misunderstand us?
I want to have this attitude for every hospital visit and each conversation with someone new. Jesus was going to the cross thinking this and I want to think this way as I go to His cross.
"If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing." - 1 Corinthians 13:3 ESV
This is the religious sacrifice. They do it to please someone who can't be pleased that way. They labor and hurt themselves and others in their labor because God's love isn't in it. God isn't motivating it. God isn't ultimate revealed in it.
Jesus can be revealed today. We don't have to say 'brother' a hundred times and end every sentence with 'Amen' to do it. We must however travel to the edge of our comfort zone and be willing to step into action by faith so that redemption can be manifested in the world.
Rest might be the thing at the edge of our comfort zone.
Can we rest saying, 'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.'... Yes... Resting in the storm glories God. Acting in faith obedience outside our personality glorifies God. Praise in the midst of chaos. Objectivity in the midst of the mob.
Thank You Jesus. Thank You for going to the cross. Thank You for coming to Earth and showing us what courage really is. You are our hero. Inspire us today. Send Your spirit to quicken our human spirit. We want to reveal the Father today. We want the invisible to become visible. Please make that happen and give us the backbone to go forward and not fall backwards. Thank You God.
--
"And Jesus answered them, 'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.' " - John 12:23-26 ESV
Jesus was not timid and careful. Passages like these challenge me to step out and not play it safe.
Different people have different 'safety margins'. For an introvert losing their life may mean one thing in practical application. Dying to self might resemble what an extrovert does... and vice versa.
Jesus knew that the moments to come would reveal the glory of God. Glorified here in this passage is the Greek word doxazo (Strong's G1392) and it means to magnify, celebrate and reveal.
Jesus didn't die to self to please the Father. The Father was already pleased with Him (see Matthew 3:17). He died to reveal the Father.
I don't know what this means to you personally. All of us struggle with different decisions at different times.
At one point going to Bible college was losing my life. Dorm life definitely was at times. {smile}
I lost my life when I handed a person a Gospel tract on the street. The only 'evangelists' I ever remember seeing growing up were a group of people in African dress in Times Square who had a big picture of Jesus drawn as a black man and wanted to argue with me that Jesus was black that white people had stolen their Bible from them. They were angry and violent men shouting through a megaphone who looked like they would happily hurt people if they could justify getting away with it. I didn't want to be associated with anything like that.
Can we walk into situations and say, 'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.' even if it means risking that people might misunderstand us?
I want to have this attitude for every hospital visit and each conversation with someone new. Jesus was going to the cross thinking this and I want to think this way as I go to His cross.
"If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing." - 1 Corinthians 13:3 ESV
This is the religious sacrifice. They do it to please someone who can't be pleased that way. They labor and hurt themselves and others in their labor because God's love isn't in it. God isn't motivating it. God isn't ultimate revealed in it.
Jesus can be revealed today. We don't have to say 'brother' a hundred times and end every sentence with 'Amen' to do it. We must however travel to the edge of our comfort zone and be willing to step into action by faith so that redemption can be manifested in the world.
Rest might be the thing at the edge of our comfort zone.
Can we rest saying, 'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.'... Yes... Resting in the storm glories God. Acting in faith obedience outside our personality glorifies God. Praise in the midst of chaos. Objectivity in the midst of the mob.
Thank You Jesus. Thank You for going to the cross. Thank You for coming to Earth and showing us what courage really is. You are our hero. Inspire us today. Send Your spirit to quicken our human spirit. We want to reveal the Father today. We want the invisible to become visible. Please make that happen and give us the backbone to go forward and not fall backwards. Thank You God.
--
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
The School Of Faith
Are you in the school of faith?
Angels can never enroll in this school. They are in the school of salvation.
"Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look." - 1 Peter 1:10-12 ESV
Angels peer in to look at salvation. It is a marvel to them even though they see God and move easily from Heaven to Earth.
So much is still invisible to us. Grace is still our teacher we just attend a different school.
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ," - Titus 2:11-13 ESV
We look to God and wait on someone we can't see with our eyes but He Is someone that we know with our hearts and minds.
School is in session. The cross is our frame of reference and by faith we take it up.
"And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?" - Luke 9:23-25 ESV
His cross is our cross. We take up what has been done and God teaches us.
The world has lessons for us also. Shame, guilt and fear are some of it's instructors. You learn to weigh this against that and trust only in yourself. It's lessons are hard and burdensome.
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30 ESV
We have the great privileged to take up our cross today and walk with God believing in what He has already done. There are lessons waiting for us today.
I am eager to see what wonders are about to unfold before my eyes.
--
Angels can never enroll in this school. They are in the school of salvation.
"Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look." - 1 Peter 1:10-12 ESV
Angels peer in to look at salvation. It is a marvel to them even though they see God and move easily from Heaven to Earth.
So much is still invisible to us. Grace is still our teacher we just attend a different school.
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ," - Titus 2:11-13 ESV
We look to God and wait on someone we can't see with our eyes but He Is someone that we know with our hearts and minds.
School is in session. The cross is our frame of reference and by faith we take it up.
"And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?" - Luke 9:23-25 ESV
His cross is our cross. We take up what has been done and God teaches us.
The world has lessons for us also. Shame, guilt and fear are some of it's instructors. You learn to weigh this against that and trust only in yourself. It's lessons are hard and burdensome.
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30 ESV
We have the great privileged to take up our cross today and walk with God believing in what He has already done. There are lessons waiting for us today.
I am eager to see what wonders are about to unfold before my eyes.
--
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Walking To The Car Alone
The human experience is varied and last night I was thinking of one very specific experience... walking to the car alone... the solitary traveler. Maybe some of us rarely do this because of companionship of some kind but for others it is a very common. People carry groceries alone. They leave work alone. They leave church alone.
For a few years in Bible college I went to night school and I hung out at security between classes and walked people to their cars. It was a ministry of sorts.
It is funny what can happen going from here to there isn't it. My longtime Pastor (who is now home with God) used to warn us about losing the message in the parking lot of the Church. It is a very real danger. It might get lost in idle chatter but you can lose it all by yourself also.
"But know that the LORD has set apart the godly man for Himself;The LORD hears when I call to Him. Tremble, and do not sin; Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah." - Psalm 4:3-4 NASB
Some folks can't be alone because they can't be with themselves. Introspection is to possible in those times. Others love to be alone. Then there is the group that is often alone but doesn't want to be.
"Then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel and all their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and he shall lay them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands in readiness. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a solitary land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness." - Leviticus 16:21-22 NASB
Jesus was the lamb who was brought to the wilderness to take a lonely journey. The sin bearer was a solitary experience. Those who carry sin today do it alone. Shame and guilt are solitary burdens.
"The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb." - Psalm 19:7-10 ESV
The fear of the Lord is clean. We can walk to the car in awe and there is a companionship that comes with that holy reverence. If we leave Church this way we won't lose what we received there. We can lay on our beds and not be consumed with self. God is with us.
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." - 1 Peter 5:6-8 ESV
There are burdens we are not meant to carry. Jesus has already traveled the lonely road to Calvary bearing our sin. We make a short trip to the cross and leave our burdens there.
"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?' Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." - Hebrews 13:5-8 ESV
God never leaves us. Once introduced we never walk alone. Truly we discover that we never really did. God was waiting all the while to be our life long companion.
--
For a few years in Bible college I went to night school and I hung out at security between classes and walked people to their cars. It was a ministry of sorts.
It is funny what can happen going from here to there isn't it. My longtime Pastor (who is now home with God) used to warn us about losing the message in the parking lot of the Church. It is a very real danger. It might get lost in idle chatter but you can lose it all by yourself also.
"But know that the LORD has set apart the godly man for Himself;The LORD hears when I call to Him. Tremble, and do not sin; Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah." - Psalm 4:3-4 NASB
Some folks can't be alone because they can't be with themselves. Introspection is to possible in those times. Others love to be alone. Then there is the group that is often alone but doesn't want to be.
"Then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel and all their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and he shall lay them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands in readiness. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a solitary land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness." - Leviticus 16:21-22 NASB
Jesus was the lamb who was brought to the wilderness to take a lonely journey. The sin bearer was a solitary experience. Those who carry sin today do it alone. Shame and guilt are solitary burdens.
"The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb." - Psalm 19:7-10 ESV
The fear of the Lord is clean. We can walk to the car in awe and there is a companionship that comes with that holy reverence. If we leave Church this way we won't lose what we received there. We can lay on our beds and not be consumed with self. God is with us.
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." - 1 Peter 5:6-8 ESV
There are burdens we are not meant to carry. Jesus has already traveled the lonely road to Calvary bearing our sin. We make a short trip to the cross and leave our burdens there.
"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?' Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." - Hebrews 13:5-8 ESV
God never leaves us. Once introduced we never walk alone. Truly we discover that we never really did. God was waiting all the while to be our life long companion.
--
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Meeting Him Or Missing Him In 2016
It's funny that if you read an autobiography and then a biography of the same person how different the accounts can be. Usually biographers interview people and have some special interest in telling a person's story. The may have an axe to grind with the person. They may idolize them. Perhaps it is a combination of both.
This time of year can make us retrospective. What really happened this year? No doubt God's account is different from our account but in what ways? What are His plans for this next year.
I want my vision for the future and my perception of the past to align with what God would say if I could sit and have a conversation with Him.
"And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." - 1 Corinthians 2:1-2 ESV
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose." - Galatians 2:20-21 ESV
"But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." - Galatians 6:14 ESV
Perhaps these verses sound like religious mumbo jumbo to you. Perhaps this focus on Christ and His cross seem morbid and disconnected but they are keys to understanding God's mind and view of our lives. We are not the main characters in our life story. Jesus Is. Our God Is holy and Jesus was sent into the world to include us in God's narrative.
"Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned - every one - to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth." - Isaiah 53:4-7 ESV
"Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors." - Isaiah 53:11-12 ESV
Meeting Jesus or missing Him will be the focus of God's account of this past year. It will also be the focus of the coming year. If any of you have spent a year with Christ as the focus you know what a relief that is. Years that are filled with Him are amazing years.
We know that when God talks about 2015 He will be gracious. He will reveal the mind of holiness. We can't know all the details. If we know Him now I'm sure He will reveal a great deal to us later about what actually transpired.
I have expectations for 2016. I also have reservations. As I'm sitting here writing and thinking my fervent hope is that I'll be on the same page with God and not at odds with His purposes.
--
This time of year can make us retrospective. What really happened this year? No doubt God's account is different from our account but in what ways? What are His plans for this next year.
I want my vision for the future and my perception of the past to align with what God would say if I could sit and have a conversation with Him.
"And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." - 1 Corinthians 2:1-2 ESV
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose." - Galatians 2:20-21 ESV
"But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." - Galatians 6:14 ESV
Perhaps these verses sound like religious mumbo jumbo to you. Perhaps this focus on Christ and His cross seem morbid and disconnected but they are keys to understanding God's mind and view of our lives. We are not the main characters in our life story. Jesus Is. Our God Is holy and Jesus was sent into the world to include us in God's narrative.
"Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned - every one - to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth." - Isaiah 53:4-7 ESV
"Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors." - Isaiah 53:11-12 ESV
Meeting Jesus or missing Him will be the focus of God's account of this past year. It will also be the focus of the coming year. If any of you have spent a year with Christ as the focus you know what a relief that is. Years that are filled with Him are amazing years.
We know that when God talks about 2015 He will be gracious. He will reveal the mind of holiness. We can't know all the details. If we know Him now I'm sure He will reveal a great deal to us later about what actually transpired.
I have expectations for 2016. I also have reservations. As I'm sitting here writing and thinking my fervent hope is that I'll be on the same page with God and not at odds with His purposes.
--
Monday, December 7, 2015
A Thought For Discouraging Times
There are times when I am discouraged and I just don't tell anyone but God.
I have learned that God has a way of quickening us. He really does.
"And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?' which means, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' And some of the bystanders hearing it said, 'Behold, he is calling Elijah.' And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, 'Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.' And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom." - Mark 15:33-38 ESV
I always thought it was interesting that Jesus cried out to God and it was like He was speaking another language. The bystanders heard Him but misunderstood Him. Still... even though they misunderstood what He said it filled them with expectation to see a miracle.
We aren't Jesus. We aren't saving the world with our sacrificial death. That work has already been done by the only one who could ever do it.
"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me." - Colossians 1:24-29 ESV
Wow. Somehow we live in the cycle of death, burial, resurrection and session (being seated in Heaven with Christ) now here on the Earth and it is a source of encouragement to the bystander who sees our circumstances.
I sat next to a couple last night and they peacefully worshiped God together but I know a little bit about their hardships. They are many and varied. Perhaps in their own heart language they were saying, 'Oh, God why have you forsaken me?' but what I saw was two people with upturned eyes gazing at Heaven in circumstances where that is not natural. I saw powerful miraculous possibilities because I was in the midst of a group of people that live in this upward spiral. Some of them are tasting the bitterness of death or are in the waiting period of burial and others are enjoying the uplifting sensation of ascension and the peaceful glory of session. In two years the table may turn entirely and the people suffering today will be in a peaceful settled place and those who are experiencing victorious living may face great hardship. That is how it works.
We fill up this moment of history as Christ's representative on the Earth. God makes us ministers of reconciliation in time as He sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. His affliction was more than enough to save all of mankind. We are filled with a taste of His range of experience so that we can communicate the hope of His glory.
The night of Jesus death he dealt with politics, pain and betrayal. He was tried unjustly and bribes were given to people to testify against Him. He had little sleep and little companionship. All these things can discourage us also. If we dwell on secular matters without rest we will get discouraged.
"Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer." - Psalm 19:12-14 ESV
Yes.
So we speak to God voicing our feelings but it doesn't end there. In death and burial we speak of resurrection, ascension and session. Then in victory we will not be forgetful of death and burial.
It is good to talk to people sometimes. We seek wise counsel and it makes all the difference because there may be logistical issues that we need wisdom to deal with. We may need someone to remind us that God is still God and that He has a plan.
God is the One who we can pour out our heart to and He understands completely. Jesus is our wonderful counselor.
--
I have learned that God has a way of quickening us. He really does.
"And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?' which means, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' And some of the bystanders hearing it said, 'Behold, he is calling Elijah.' And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, 'Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.' And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom." - Mark 15:33-38 ESV
I always thought it was interesting that Jesus cried out to God and it was like He was speaking another language. The bystanders heard Him but misunderstood Him. Still... even though they misunderstood what He said it filled them with expectation to see a miracle.
We aren't Jesus. We aren't saving the world with our sacrificial death. That work has already been done by the only one who could ever do it.
"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me." - Colossians 1:24-29 ESV
Wow. Somehow we live in the cycle of death, burial, resurrection and session (being seated in Heaven with Christ) now here on the Earth and it is a source of encouragement to the bystander who sees our circumstances.
I sat next to a couple last night and they peacefully worshiped God together but I know a little bit about their hardships. They are many and varied. Perhaps in their own heart language they were saying, 'Oh, God why have you forsaken me?' but what I saw was two people with upturned eyes gazing at Heaven in circumstances where that is not natural. I saw powerful miraculous possibilities because I was in the midst of a group of people that live in this upward spiral. Some of them are tasting the bitterness of death or are in the waiting period of burial and others are enjoying the uplifting sensation of ascension and the peaceful glory of session. In two years the table may turn entirely and the people suffering today will be in a peaceful settled place and those who are experiencing victorious living may face great hardship. That is how it works.
We fill up this moment of history as Christ's representative on the Earth. God makes us ministers of reconciliation in time as He sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. His affliction was more than enough to save all of mankind. We are filled with a taste of His range of experience so that we can communicate the hope of His glory.
The night of Jesus death he dealt with politics, pain and betrayal. He was tried unjustly and bribes were given to people to testify against Him. He had little sleep and little companionship. All these things can discourage us also. If we dwell on secular matters without rest we will get discouraged.
"Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer." - Psalm 19:12-14 ESV
Yes.
So we speak to God voicing our feelings but it doesn't end there. In death and burial we speak of resurrection, ascension and session. Then in victory we will not be forgetful of death and burial.
It is good to talk to people sometimes. We seek wise counsel and it makes all the difference because there may be logistical issues that we need wisdom to deal with. We may need someone to remind us that God is still God and that He has a plan.
God is the One who we can pour out our heart to and He understands completely. Jesus is our wonderful counselor.
--
Friday, November 27, 2015
Moving Through The Seasons Of Life
There are things to do in life but those things to only carry us through the season. We need more than what activities can offer.
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. What gain has the worker from his toil? I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end." - Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 ESV
There is a God shaped hole in each heart. Nothing can fill it but someone shaped like God. Children can't fill it. Romance can't fill it and neither can a career or fame and recognition.
We all know men who just march through seasons of life because they have an activity to keep them going. The job becomes their identity. Their children become what they live for But nothing, nothing, nothing can fill that hole but God.
"A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, 'It is finished,' and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." - John 19:29-30 ESV
The cross was the darkest time in human history. It was all the dying, tearing, hating and war wrapped up into one horrible day. Jesus drank the sour wine of all the worst of our seasons when He went to the cross but He went there to make things beautiful for us.
"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." - Ezekiel 36:26 ESV
Activity is a way of coping but relationships are what make things beautiful. If God takes the heart with a hole and replaces it with a new one then we can have relationships and do things for love's sake and we aren't trying to fill a space that can never be filled.
I see people putting on a brave face as they trudge onward and I wonder, 'Will they ever stop doing long enough to just be?' because we all need to just let God love us. Jesus already drank the bitter cup so we can live in the beauty of reconciliation.
--
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. What gain has the worker from his toil? I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end." - Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 ESV
There is a God shaped hole in each heart. Nothing can fill it but someone shaped like God. Children can't fill it. Romance can't fill it and neither can a career or fame and recognition.
We all know men who just march through seasons of life because they have an activity to keep them going. The job becomes their identity. Their children become what they live for But nothing, nothing, nothing can fill that hole but God.
"A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, 'It is finished,' and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." - John 19:29-30 ESV
The cross was the darkest time in human history. It was all the dying, tearing, hating and war wrapped up into one horrible day. Jesus drank the sour wine of all the worst of our seasons when He went to the cross but He went there to make things beautiful for us.
"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." - Ezekiel 36:26 ESV
Activity is a way of coping but relationships are what make things beautiful. If God takes the heart with a hole and replaces it with a new one then we can have relationships and do things for love's sake and we aren't trying to fill a space that can never be filled.
I see people putting on a brave face as they trudge onward and I wonder, 'Will they ever stop doing long enough to just be?' because we all need to just let God love us. Jesus already drank the bitter cup so we can live in the beauty of reconciliation.
--
Friday, November 6, 2015
Lies And Power
It is no wonder that many politicians are liars. Lying is an extension of power lust.
"Now Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. And after this Ahab said to Naboth, 'Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house, and I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its value in money.' But Naboth said to Ahab, 'The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.' And Ahab went into his house vexed and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him, for he had said, 'I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.' And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and would eat no food." - 1 Kings 21:1-4 ESV
This is where is starts. The King wants something he can't have. People lie to add things to themselves. Convenient things like power or false peace. Wine and grapes often represent happiness in the scriptures. More grapes meant more wine. Ahab wanted to add to his happiness. There was no honest means to do that.
"But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, 'Why is your spirit so vexed that you eat no food?' And he said to her, 'Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, 'Give me your vineyard for money, or else, if it please you, I will give you another vineyard for it.' And he answered, 'I will not give you my vineyard.'' And Jezebel his wife said to him, 'Do you now govern Israel? Arise and eat bread and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.' " - 1 Kings 21:5-7 ESV
Here we see the birth a the lie. Reason dances with power and devises a method.
This whole chapter is worth reading but if I quoted it all here this would be a very long post. Jezebel promotes Naboth but she is setting him up to knock him down. Once he is down Jezebel presents the vineyard to Ahab her husband.
"Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 'Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria; behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession. And you shall say to him, 'Thus says the LORD, 'Have you killed and also taken possession?'' And you shall say to him, 'Thus says the LORD: 'In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your own blood.'' Ahab said to Elijah, 'Have you found me, O my enemy?' " - 1 Kings 21:17-20a ESV
Ahab sees the prophet as his enemy that he must coexist with. For Ahab everything was a power struggle.
It is easy to detach ourselves from an account like this but we are kings also in our own circle of influence. Sweet little girls learn to lie. Timid young men do also. We all do. Some embrace the practice more than others but all human beings lie. All except One.
"I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living. I believed, even when I spoke: 'I am greatly afflicted'; I said in my alarm, 'All mankind are liars.' " - Psalm 116:9-11 ESV
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned - every one - to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." - Isaiah 53:6 ESV
Powerful people lie but it is also not strange to see that the ones most angry at lies are powerful people also. Power. Morality becomes just another way to enforce order.
God has laid every lie on Jesus Christ. All human lies are already paid for.
Still lies hurt people. They are illusions crafted for gain, protection and convenience.
There are individuals that I know and love who are just not honest with me much of the time. They feel the need to project a persona. I love them. I realize the situation and greatly value them. My desire is not to get them to come clean with me. My desire is that grace would build them up to a point where the persona would melt away and they would be free to live in the truth of what God has already done on their behalf.
There is a little phrase I like... 'I don't do fiction.' It isn't a moral thing. Grace has made fiction obsolete.
The lie creates a covering. It reshapes reality by skewing perception. If the lie is believed there is a false sense of power and acceptance. People lie to impress. They lie to avoid. They lie to get.
The cross throws a monkey wrench into all of that. Human cruelty and God's compassion meet there and burst all illusions. The cross breaks things while at the same time it was the place where the Son satisfied the Father's need for justice and holiness. The cross disassociates us from false identifications.
Grace causes us to connect with a pre-creation identity that is outside of time. It is eternal. New. It is better than fiction. It is higher.
1 John 1:9 is our provision to confess truth and be cleansed. God is faithful to connect us to cleansing and disconnect us from the past.
Grace is God's method with mankind. Grace coaxes us into the light. The cross kills the liar and the rules written against him with Christ on the cross. God adopts the person who used to thrive in misconception and elevates them because they have a new identity in what Christ has done.
God cares for us. I sometimes imagine Him looking at us living in our small world of limited perception with great care and a kind of pity. We jump to conclusions and don't even know it. We rationalize and misunderstand so much. He knows what we are thinking just won't work. He loves us too much to leave us where we are but respects our right to make our own decisions so much that He won't override our will.
That is why Jesus came. That is why (in part) that the Father sent His Son. The truth walked among us to free us from all falsehood. In Christ the need to alter the landscape to gain an advantage disappears. God prospers us in our own vineyard and multiples it's harvest.
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"Now Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. And after this Ahab said to Naboth, 'Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house, and I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its value in money.' But Naboth said to Ahab, 'The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.' And Ahab went into his house vexed and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him, for he had said, 'I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.' And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and would eat no food." - 1 Kings 21:1-4 ESV
This is where is starts. The King wants something he can't have. People lie to add things to themselves. Convenient things like power or false peace. Wine and grapes often represent happiness in the scriptures. More grapes meant more wine. Ahab wanted to add to his happiness. There was no honest means to do that.
"But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, 'Why is your spirit so vexed that you eat no food?' And he said to her, 'Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, 'Give me your vineyard for money, or else, if it please you, I will give you another vineyard for it.' And he answered, 'I will not give you my vineyard.'' And Jezebel his wife said to him, 'Do you now govern Israel? Arise and eat bread and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.' " - 1 Kings 21:5-7 ESV
Here we see the birth a the lie. Reason dances with power and devises a method.
This whole chapter is worth reading but if I quoted it all here this would be a very long post. Jezebel promotes Naboth but she is setting him up to knock him down. Once he is down Jezebel presents the vineyard to Ahab her husband.
"Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 'Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria; behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession. And you shall say to him, 'Thus says the LORD, 'Have you killed and also taken possession?'' And you shall say to him, 'Thus says the LORD: 'In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your own blood.'' Ahab said to Elijah, 'Have you found me, O my enemy?' " - 1 Kings 21:17-20a ESV
Ahab sees the prophet as his enemy that he must coexist with. For Ahab everything was a power struggle.
It is easy to detach ourselves from an account like this but we are kings also in our own circle of influence. Sweet little girls learn to lie. Timid young men do also. We all do. Some embrace the practice more than others but all human beings lie. All except One.
"I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living. I believed, even when I spoke: 'I am greatly afflicted'; I said in my alarm, 'All mankind are liars.' " - Psalm 116:9-11 ESV
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned - every one - to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." - Isaiah 53:6 ESV
Powerful people lie but it is also not strange to see that the ones most angry at lies are powerful people also. Power. Morality becomes just another way to enforce order.
God has laid every lie on Jesus Christ. All human lies are already paid for.
Still lies hurt people. They are illusions crafted for gain, protection and convenience.
There are individuals that I know and love who are just not honest with me much of the time. They feel the need to project a persona. I love them. I realize the situation and greatly value them. My desire is not to get them to come clean with me. My desire is that grace would build them up to a point where the persona would melt away and they would be free to live in the truth of what God has already done on their behalf.
There is a little phrase I like... 'I don't do fiction.' It isn't a moral thing. Grace has made fiction obsolete.
The lie creates a covering. It reshapes reality by skewing perception. If the lie is believed there is a false sense of power and acceptance. People lie to impress. They lie to avoid. They lie to get.
The cross throws a monkey wrench into all of that. Human cruelty and God's compassion meet there and burst all illusions. The cross breaks things while at the same time it was the place where the Son satisfied the Father's need for justice and holiness. The cross disassociates us from false identifications.
Grace causes us to connect with a pre-creation identity that is outside of time. It is eternal. New. It is better than fiction. It is higher.
1 John 1:9 is our provision to confess truth and be cleansed. God is faithful to connect us to cleansing and disconnect us from the past.
Grace is God's method with mankind. Grace coaxes us into the light. The cross kills the liar and the rules written against him with Christ on the cross. God adopts the person who used to thrive in misconception and elevates them because they have a new identity in what Christ has done.
God cares for us. I sometimes imagine Him looking at us living in our small world of limited perception with great care and a kind of pity. We jump to conclusions and don't even know it. We rationalize and misunderstand so much. He knows what we are thinking just won't work. He loves us too much to leave us where we are but respects our right to make our own decisions so much that He won't override our will.
That is why Jesus came. That is why (in part) that the Father sent His Son. The truth walked among us to free us from all falsehood. In Christ the need to alter the landscape to gain an advantage disappears. God prospers us in our own vineyard and multiples it's harvest.
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