This struck me as funny.
The powers that be sent men to arrest Jesus and He mocks them like it is a game of hide and seek.
"So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, 'You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.' So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, 'When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?' The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him. Jesus then said, 'I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.' The Jews said to one another, 'Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?" - John 7:28-35 ESV
How could they know He was talking about the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension?
These days Jesus is found by faith. The natural skeptic can't find him to argue with Him. He Is in Heaven. If we seek to arrest Him through accusation He Is beyond us. He Is far beyond that.
He Is found by faith. He lives in a place only accessible by faith.
"But from there you will seek the LORD your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul." - Deuteronomy 4:29 ESV
"And he did evil, for he did not set his heart to seek the LORD." - 2 Chronicles 12:14 ESV
"You have said, 'Seek my face.' My heart says to you, 'Your face, LORD, do I seek.' " - Psalm 27:8 ESV
We don't just look with our mind. We must look with our heart and that is a different process. Our heart sees the cross and understands. The cross shows us a love that is undeniable. When we understand that Jesus went to the cross. He wasn't dragged there. He gave His life there. The Father's heart found Jesus in the grave and infused life into Him. Jesus died to satisfy God's mind but rose to satisfy God's heart.
When we speak to people we must appeal to both heart and mind. A person can find reasons to reject love but the heart makes different calculations.
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Showing posts with label Heart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heart. Show all posts
Monday, June 25, 2018
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
Heart And Soul - Part 4
In the last 'Heart and Soul' post we spoke a little about God's word opening us up to reveal to us our need to enter into rest. There is much more to be said about joints and marrow.
Joints speak of a person's life up until now (because their condition is affected by life) and marrow speaks of future vitality because blood is made in the marrow of our bones.
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." - Hebrews 4:12-13 ESV
"Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips." - Psalm 63:3-5 NKJV
"In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones." - Proverbs 3:6-8 KJV
Joints also speak of individual relationships...
"Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love." - Ephesians 4:15-16 ESV
Each joint works a little differently. One limb bends this way and another rotates that way. Every 'relationship' supplies a certain type of movement. Speaking the truth in love is good for every relationship.
"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones." - Proverbs 17:22 KJV
Meditating on God, looking to Him for direction and discovering His heart of love gives us good bone marrow. We laugh with people and respecting the way the bones meet so that they are not pulled out of joint. Some toes wiggle and some don't. We can respect the boundaries while still exercising movement but our intention for each relationship is growth in grace. We speak the truth to reveal the Saviour and grow upwards into the Saviour's headship.
I thought of a few people this morning that I haven't spoken to in a while and prayed for them. I want to build them up when I see them and let them know they are loved. I want for them to have 'future vitality'. I want the 'bend' or 'turn' of our relationship to be one of honor and respect otherwise things may get pulled out of joint.
God please bless our joints and marrow today. Teach us to live. Fill us with joy and cause us to enter into Your rest. Give us wisdom for our dealings with one another and please organize laughter therapy sessions we can have with people this week. We praise You and worship You in the holiness that You have given by grace. Thank You Lord.
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Joints speak of a person's life up until now (because their condition is affected by life) and marrow speaks of future vitality because blood is made in the marrow of our bones.
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." - Hebrews 4:12-13 ESV
"Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips." - Psalm 63:3-5 NKJV
"In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones." - Proverbs 3:6-8 KJV
Joints also speak of individual relationships...
"Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love." - Ephesians 4:15-16 ESV
Each joint works a little differently. One limb bends this way and another rotates that way. Every 'relationship' supplies a certain type of movement. Speaking the truth in love is good for every relationship.
"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones." - Proverbs 17:22 KJV
Meditating on God, looking to Him for direction and discovering His heart of love gives us good bone marrow. We laugh with people and respecting the way the bones meet so that they are not pulled out of joint. Some toes wiggle and some don't. We can respect the boundaries while still exercising movement but our intention for each relationship is growth in grace. We speak the truth to reveal the Saviour and grow upwards into the Saviour's headship.
I thought of a few people this morning that I haven't spoken to in a while and prayed for them. I want to build them up when I see them and let them know they are loved. I want for them to have 'future vitality'. I want the 'bend' or 'turn' of our relationship to be one of honor and respect otherwise things may get pulled out of joint.
God please bless our joints and marrow today. Teach us to live. Fill us with joy and cause us to enter into Your rest. Give us wisdom for our dealings with one another and please organize laughter therapy sessions we can have with people this week. We praise You and worship You in the holiness that You have given by grace. Thank You Lord.
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Thursday, October 5, 2017
Heart And Soul - Part 3
The next passage is truly amazing and it is given in the context of Sabbath rest.
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." - Hebrews 4:12-13 ESV
Ceremonial rest. Purposeful rest. Ceasing from labor. Enter in. It isn't the sleep we get because we are exhausted. It is purposeful ceasing from labor. The Bible will give you and I discernment about many things. The joint is the hinge. Muscles pull. They can only pull or rest. The Bible is going to show us how we are using our muscles. God already sees but the Bible cuts it all open for us.
"So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God," - Hebrews 4:9 ESV
"The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all his innermost parts." - Proverbs 20:27 ESV
Divisions must be made. What is God's light and what is our personality? Our soul will strive to survive and eclipse out the light of the spirit. Without the Bible that is sure to happen. We will filter everything through ourselves. We will have an intellectual, social or emotional faith. No. The Bible must cut away soul from Spirit and say, 'This is who you are. Look at those joints. You can't pull now. Your power has been cut. Now look at the spirit and rest.'
"The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God..." - 1 Corinthians 2:14a ESV
The word 'natural' there is psychikos (Strong's G5591) in the Greek and it would be better translated 'soulish'. Here is more context for the passage...
"And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 'For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?' But we have the mind of Christ." - 1 Corinthians 2:13-16 ESV
Yes. Light. Grace. Rest. Jesus' mind given in a book. Not everyone who quotes the book has God's mind. That is for sure. Maybe even most don't. Jesus' mind opens things up and frees us from striving. God's mind says, 'Look. The work is done. Stop striving to please me. Jesus has already pleased me. Rest in my love.'
The soul is who we are. The Spirit shines light into who we are. Truth is that light. The Bible is God's book of light.
We may say. I don't want to be cut open and seen like that. God already sees everything. He lays it open for us to see because He Is gracious and loving.
Your soul is like a perfect beautiful crystal. Let God hang it in the sunlight so it can shine forth God's glory. Enter into the rest of Christ's finished work. He strove to get to the cross and die in our place. Now God wants us to rest in everything we do.
Shabbat shalom everyone. Have a good Sabbath today and every day.
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"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." - Hebrews 4:12-13 ESV
Ceremonial rest. Purposeful rest. Ceasing from labor. Enter in. It isn't the sleep we get because we are exhausted. It is purposeful ceasing from labor. The Bible will give you and I discernment about many things. The joint is the hinge. Muscles pull. They can only pull or rest. The Bible is going to show us how we are using our muscles. God already sees but the Bible cuts it all open for us.
"So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God," - Hebrews 4:9 ESV
"The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all his innermost parts." - Proverbs 20:27 ESV
Divisions must be made. What is God's light and what is our personality? Our soul will strive to survive and eclipse out the light of the spirit. Without the Bible that is sure to happen. We will filter everything through ourselves. We will have an intellectual, social or emotional faith. No. The Bible must cut away soul from Spirit and say, 'This is who you are. Look at those joints. You can't pull now. Your power has been cut. Now look at the spirit and rest.'
"The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God..." - 1 Corinthians 2:14a ESV
The word 'natural' there is psychikos (Strong's G5591) in the Greek and it would be better translated 'soulish'. Here is more context for the passage...
"And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 'For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?' But we have the mind of Christ." - 1 Corinthians 2:13-16 ESV
Yes. Light. Grace. Rest. Jesus' mind given in a book. Not everyone who quotes the book has God's mind. That is for sure. Maybe even most don't. Jesus' mind opens things up and frees us from striving. God's mind says, 'Look. The work is done. Stop striving to please me. Jesus has already pleased me. Rest in my love.'
The soul is who we are. The Spirit shines light into who we are. Truth is that light. The Bible is God's book of light.
We may say. I don't want to be cut open and seen like that. God already sees everything. He lays it open for us to see because He Is gracious and loving.
Your soul is like a perfect beautiful crystal. Let God hang it in the sunlight so it can shine forth God's glory. Enter into the rest of Christ's finished work. He strove to get to the cross and die in our place. Now God wants us to rest in everything we do.
Shabbat shalom everyone. Have a good Sabbath today and every day.
--
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Heart And Soul - Part 2
I have said a few times before that 'first mention' is an important tool. We learn a great deal from the first mention of a word or concept in the scriptures.
Here is the first mention for the word 'heart.'
"The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the LORD said, 'I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.' But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God." - Genesis 6:5-9 ESV
The Hebrew word here is leb (Strong's H3820). It is a noun referring to our central blood-pumping organ. Like in English, it also means 'central'. In Genisis 6 we see man's heart and God's heart. All of mankind has a heart problem but Noah finds grace and we get clues to why much later.
"By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith." - Hebrews 11:7 ESV
Noah believed.
The heart is an organ pumping blood in one direction. It is an organ installed in a body but a soul is different. It touchs a body and a body gives it form but it is not an organ. The first mention of this word is here.
"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." - Genesis 2:7 KJV
Our soul is 'God breathed'. God holiest name is YAHWEH. It is translated in all uppercase in most places in the KJV of the Bible. It is so holy that the vowel markers were all but lost over time. Men who kept the scriptures would not say it out loud. Some translate it JEHOVAH substituting the vowels from another word. Either way this name is unique because in order to say YAHWEH you must exhale in a unique way. The word is a full exhale. The infinite God only exhales, gives, He never inhales, needs anything from anyone. He spoke words to create the universe but He exhaled His life in us.
Nephesh (Strong's H5315) is the word translated soul here and it is the substance of the mind. It is flowing air. It is God's continual outward flow flowing into us. Our body is like a glove. Our DNA gives our soul form. Decisions are like a mold for what we will be forever. This air has form that will exist when our body returns to dust.
You have a heart. You and I are a soul.
Without going too long I just want to give one last passage.
"I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 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 36:25-26 ESV
The wicked heart God saw that grieved Him so much was this stony heart. (You may find it helpful to go back and look at the definition given in Part 1). Noah believed and his center shifted. When we believe once in Christ we get, at that moment, a heart transplant. Love is circulating. We come alive.
--
Here is the first mention for the word 'heart.'
"The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the LORD said, 'I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.' But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God." - Genesis 6:5-9 ESV
The Hebrew word here is leb (Strong's H3820). It is a noun referring to our central blood-pumping organ. Like in English, it also means 'central'. In Genisis 6 we see man's heart and God's heart. All of mankind has a heart problem but Noah finds grace and we get clues to why much later.
"By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith." - Hebrews 11:7 ESV
Noah believed.
The heart is an organ pumping blood in one direction. It is an organ installed in a body but a soul is different. It touchs a body and a body gives it form but it is not an organ. The first mention of this word is here.
"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." - Genesis 2:7 KJV
Our soul is 'God breathed'. God holiest name is YAHWEH. It is translated in all uppercase in most places in the KJV of the Bible. It is so holy that the vowel markers were all but lost over time. Men who kept the scriptures would not say it out loud. Some translate it JEHOVAH substituting the vowels from another word. Either way this name is unique because in order to say YAHWEH you must exhale in a unique way. The word is a full exhale. The infinite God only exhales, gives, He never inhales, needs anything from anyone. He spoke words to create the universe but He exhaled His life in us.
Nephesh (Strong's H5315) is the word translated soul here and it is the substance of the mind. It is flowing air. It is God's continual outward flow flowing into us. Our body is like a glove. Our DNA gives our soul form. Decisions are like a mold for what we will be forever. This air has form that will exist when our body returns to dust.
You have a heart. You and I are a soul.
Without going too long I just want to give one last passage.
"I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 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 36:25-26 ESV
The wicked heart God saw that grieved Him so much was this stony heart. (You may find it helpful to go back and look at the definition given in Part 1). Noah believed and his center shifted. When we believe once in Christ we get, at that moment, a heart transplant. Love is circulating. We come alive.
--
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Heart And Soul - Part 1
Heart and soul. The Bible uses both of these terms extensively. We really don't want to draw our understanding from popular culture for these terms. The Bible gives definition and if we look carefully we can put the 'puzzle pieces' together and get some deep understanding about ourselves and others.
My Pastor of many years gave this definition for the heart and it is still the best I have found...
'The heart is the premise of all motivation. It is the basis for all my operational behavior. It is the communication center of all my thoughts, feeling and decisions.' -P Carl H Stevens
Our soul is all we are. Our mind, emotions, feelings, sense of self identity. Our value system and even our memory, to a certain extent, fall into the category of the soul. It is who we are if we had no body. It isn't a mystical jelly fish of light that can be sold to the devil. It is us. We are not bodies with souls. We are souls with bodies.
"For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?" - Matthew 16:25-26 ESV
Wow. Great questions.
This post is an introduction to a series of posts where we will search out the heart and soul. I have an expectation that what we discover will be transforming.
You are very welcome to join me on this journey. Only the scriptures can reveal what is invisible to the naked eye. Our souls are eternal and our heart determines the quality of our life. Let's look at them and see what God has done.
--
My Pastor of many years gave this definition for the heart and it is still the best I have found...
'The heart is the premise of all motivation. It is the basis for all my operational behavior. It is the communication center of all my thoughts, feeling and decisions.' -P Carl H Stevens
Our soul is all we are. Our mind, emotions, feelings, sense of self identity. Our value system and even our memory, to a certain extent, fall into the category of the soul. It is who we are if we had no body. It isn't a mystical jelly fish of light that can be sold to the devil. It is us. We are not bodies with souls. We are souls with bodies.
"For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?" - Matthew 16:25-26 ESV
Wow. Great questions.
This post is an introduction to a series of posts where we will search out the heart and soul. I have an expectation that what we discover will be transforming.
You are very welcome to join me on this journey. Only the scriptures can reveal what is invisible to the naked eye. Our souls are eternal and our heart determines the quality of our life. Let's look at them and see what God has done.
--
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
The Perfect Provision
God has a perfect provision for every person. He does what no one else can do. In the midst of darkness He says, 'Let there be light' and there is light.
These verses speak of an operation that God did in the history of a nation that He wants to do in each human heart.
"The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy, and have extorted from the sojourner without justice. And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none." - Ezekiel 22:29-30 ESV
"But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you." - 1 Samuel 13:14 ESV
"And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, 'I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.' Of this man's offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised." - Acts 13:22-23 ESV
The heart that is like Adam must be replaced with a heart like Jesus. God has to do it. Only He can reach deep inside and change the engine of a person while the vehicle is still running.
"So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." - 1 John 4:16-18 ESV
Love is perfected, or brought to it's completion, when it is expressed through a certain kind of heart. That heart knows it belongs to God. That heart is salt and light in the world. A person with that kind of heart creates a supernatural hedge when they stand in the gap. God sees what is happening in the world and is looking for people who will stand in the right place with a particular brand of heart attitude.
Some are willing but not able and others are able but not willing. But, There is also a third category of people.
"Thus it is written, 'The first man Adam became a living being'; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit." - 1 Corinthians 15:45 ESV
The perfect provision for us is Jesus and the perfect provision for the situation is Christ in us. The perfect provision for a community is a group of people united in faith that have Christ in their midst. The perfect provision is perfected love.
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These verses speak of an operation that God did in the history of a nation that He wants to do in each human heart.
"The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy, and have extorted from the sojourner without justice. And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none." - Ezekiel 22:29-30 ESV
"But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you." - 1 Samuel 13:14 ESV
"And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, 'I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.' Of this man's offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised." - Acts 13:22-23 ESV
The heart that is like Adam must be replaced with a heart like Jesus. God has to do it. Only He can reach deep inside and change the engine of a person while the vehicle is still running.
"So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." - 1 John 4:16-18 ESV
Love is perfected, or brought to it's completion, when it is expressed through a certain kind of heart. That heart knows it belongs to God. That heart is salt and light in the world. A person with that kind of heart creates a supernatural hedge when they stand in the gap. God sees what is happening in the world and is looking for people who will stand in the right place with a particular brand of heart attitude.
Some are willing but not able and others are able but not willing. But, There is also a third category of people.
"Thus it is written, 'The first man Adam became a living being'; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit." - 1 Corinthians 15:45 ESV
The perfect provision for us is Jesus and the perfect provision for the situation is Christ in us. The perfect provision for a community is a group of people united in faith that have Christ in their midst. The perfect provision is perfected love.
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