Re: Eavesdropping (Ed. VII)

Once again it's impossible to miss the themes of all these prayers. When these men seeking God prayed, they seem to have incredibly common aspects to them! This is of Hezekiah... how does it apply to our lives today in a spiritual way?

Isaiah 37:15-20

15 And Hezekiah prayed this prayer before the Lord: 16 “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, God of Israel, you are enthroned between the mighty cherubim! You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You alone created the heavens and the earth. 17 Bend down, O Lord, and listen! Open your eyes, O Lord, and see! Listen to Sennacherib’s words of defiance against the living God.

18 “It is true, Lord, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all these nations. 19 And they have thrown the gods of these nations into the fire and burned them. But of course the Assyrians could destroy them! They were not gods at all—only idols of wood and stone shaped by human hands. 20 Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power; then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you alone, O Lord, are God.”

Amen...

Re: Wisdom

What is wisdom? What does wisdom pertain to? Have you ever thought about it? Where is scripture is wisdom accounted for? What is considered, "wise?" Who are the "wise" men, and what makes them so? I really don't know. I'm not here to shed any light on that issue either, more, I've been reconsidering the "wisdom" I once saw in a man of the New Testament: Gamaliel. He is considered a mentor to Paul and understood to be a pharisee and teacher of the law in Jerusalem. You can find references to him in the book of Acts, but the portion of scripture I am referring to is in chapter 5. You can read the backstory for yourself in detail if you want, but the context in a nutshell is this: Peter and some apostles were facing a Sanhedrin that intended to have them killed, Gamaliel presents a position of neutrality towards them, speaking these widely known words:

Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.

Pretty profound, eh? I've thought so for a long time, mainly because it's true! But as I am now one hearing these words from a different point of view, from some of my friends that is, I tend to see something a bit differently. Let me explain, the Lord has worked in my life over the past year or so in ways I have never imagined or expected. It seems that at every turn something changes about what I had planned, now I have no plans whatsoever (go figure). I'm fully convinced that our God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth for the purpose of declaring His glory through sacrificing His own life in place of all humanity. This act revoked His enemy, Lucifer's, authority in the lives of those who would put their trust and faith in Him for redemption and salvation. His death is a testimony to the Truth of the nature and love of God and brings freedom from the oppression of sin and death in a REAL and IMMEDIATE way to those who abandon their lives in exchange for His. My friends, His FREEDOM is a real one, a true one, a healing and complete one where this world no longer means anything but opportunity and the future is seen in light of eternity's hope. His intention is as plain as nature, all things reproduce after their own kind. The apples to apples, the bees to bees, the dust to dust, and the Spirit to spirit all reflect His intention. He gave a command in the garden, a physical understanding to physical beings of His origin, "Be fruitful and multiply." He presented this same command to the disciples, His own spiritual offspring in a spiritual context, "Go and make disciples." Both the Old and New Testaments are full of the language of FRUIT, and as I am beginning to see this more and more and more in the context of freedom, and as I share of the movement I have seen here and in other areas of this country, where disciples are made and the bound are freed for real, and as the invitation to be near this blessing is extended; I hear the words of Gamaliel returned to me, "That's really neat, but I don't think I'm ready for that kind of movement. I don't feel like that's where God is leading me. I don't know right now, I'd kinda like to watch and see how God does things with you guys first." and I cringe. You see, Gamaliel was a wise man, yet in His wisdom He missed the profound truth that was spoken to Him perhaps minutes earlier than His words were.

Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."

You see, Gamaliel's wisdom that brought neutrality kept him from falling under a curse or guilt for killing men who were innocent, but in the same way he missed out on the blessing of the Spirit and the glory of God that the men before him were testifying to. He had no valid reason to doubt, for they were witnesses to it all and plainly spoke to them the fruit of their obedience. Was this so wise? I suppose it depends on what you prioritize... in terms of human caution and safety, yes, it was wise. He did the safe thing and stayed back from a risky work of the Lord taking place all around his town. Yet in the terms of the Kingdom, where everything is upside down and safety has nothing to do with physical well-being, well, he was a fool now, wasn't he? The language of love is risk and obedience... love for God is no different. What is faith if it is not risky and what is wisdom if not placing the glory of God at the foremost place of our motivation? I do not know, but as I am met with people who wish to remain neutral in a battle for the soul and life of my own generation, I cannot help but think of Gamaliel and weep.

The freedom Christ died for you to have is a real one. The road is narrow, yet worth every heartache and right you will give up to travel it. His strength is real and immense, and His joy is in no way hidden. For you who choose to stand by and watch, no that you will miss the blessing of the obedient. For you who contemplate His call, know that obedience can only happen right now, you cannot obey tomorrow any more than you can yesterday, obedience is now. For you who walk the road in weariness and with a burden for His people, press on, my brothers and sister, press on in His strength and by His grace, you are of the chosen, called to His glory and bound together by His love, press on, press on, press on. For you who fear and tremble at the sight of the road, come, lay your burden down, it is not worth carrying, accept His freedom from the lies that have no place in your life and live anew.

Neutrality is not an option, nor is it wisdom. It is caution bred of fear, and fear by it's nature is not faith, therefore it cannot glorify God.

Let's go.
..............................
Hebrews
1 John
James
Acts 5
Galatians

Re: Eavesdropping (Ed. VI)

Once again the prophetic prayer centers around a return to obedience to the Lord as He has commanded and expects. Such a wonderful theme that continues from Ezra and into Daniel and Habakkuk is this call to a people who are either far away from where they belong physically (exile) or spiritually. At any rate, the covenant faithfulness aspect is called upon in the view and expressed perspective of obedience, that is, the people's end of that sacred agreement.

Nehemiah 1:5-11 (NLT)

5 Then I said,

“O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, 6 listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! 7 We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses.
8 “Please remember what you told your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. 9 But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.’
10 “The people you rescued by your great power and strong hand are your servants. 11 O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.”

Amen...

CompassionArt

So I found this as I was looking up some random info about the band delirious?, as it's something the lead vocalist/songwriter, Martin Smith, will be devoting much of his time to after the band ends, and I think it's pretty amazing. Check it out!




Check out the homepage here, and the incredible vision here!

Re: Eavesdropping (Ed. V)

What characterizes most of our societal understanding of prayers today? Generally the words, "me" and "I." Look at this prayer by King David. It comes just after the Lord has promised an everlasting covenant with him- that one of his line would always be in rule over Israel. It begins with a simple declaration, "WHO AM I..." and goes on to proclaim who the LORD is over and over and over again. Does this characterize my prayers? Yours? Do we continuously ask and ask and make prayer about ourselves rather than praise God for what He's already done! I challenge you to look at the proportion of times David talks about himself to the number h makes direct references to God and His works. It's stunning and quite convicting for sure, but wow is it freeing.

2 Samuel 7:18-29 (NLT)

18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed,

“Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 19 And now, Sovereign Lord, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! Do you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign Lord?
20 “What more can I say to you? You know what your servant is really like, Sovereign Lord. 21 Because of your promise and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known to your servant.
22 “How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you! 23 What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? What other nation, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people? You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations and gods that stood in their way.[b] 24 You made Israel your very own people forever, and you, O Lord, became their God.
25 “And now, O Lord God, I am your servant; do as you have promised concerning me and my family. Confirm it as a promise that will last forever. 26 And may your name be honored forever so that everyone will say, ‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is God over Israel!’ And may the house of your servant David continue before you forever.
27 “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, God of Israel, I have been bold enough to pray this prayer to you because you have revealed all this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you—a dynasty of kings!’ 28 For you are God, O Sovereign Lord. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant. 29 Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, O Sovereign LORD, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever."

Amen!

Re: Beauty vs. Value

It’s been said, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” and many have believed it. At a recent session of, “The Truth Project,” (a weekly group organized by Jamie Silveus based on the DVD “tour” series from Focus on the Family) we were presented with many views, scriptures, and lifestyle references suggesting the contrary, that beauty is not in the eye of the beholder. I tended to agree, as it’s easy to note the standards around us of good and evil, of things wholesome and things that are deceptive, of truth and lies, but I also was a bit uneasy. What then of the human capacity to love? What of our right to express preference and declare worthiness? We know good things as “beautiful,” and it really does make sense that beauty rests in the sight of God and depends His standard, but that I still know many who would disagree. I’m not trying to prove anything here, but I would like to make a suggestion, as, at first glance, most of us would agree that beauty is in the eye of the onlooker and would impulsively argue against the notion that it’s not.

As so often in our American culture (though perhaps this extends beyond just America) we like to use different words interchangeably. We have several implications behind the word, “love” and I think beauty itself has become synonymous with “value,” and unjustly so. I think beauty is not in the eye of the beholder, but value is. If you’re not following, perhaps a little illustration would help, bear with me…

…
A man carried an old watch in his pocket, he’d purchased it several years earlier for the sum total of $20.00, though lately he’d been given a new watch, making this one irrelevant to his life. He considered the watch beautiful, but just unnecessary to life anymore. He decided he’d take the watch into a pawn shop and see if he might gain some of his money back, deciding beforehand that $5.00 would be an acceptable parting total. When he showed the man behind the counter his item, the man responded quickly, “Two dollars.” Now as bartering goes in the art of pawning, the man new his part of the dance. “Eight dollars,” he said. This routine was repeated until finally the broker offered the man his intended five dollars. Pocketing the money, the man left the pawn shop content.

Now the pawn broker was a somewhat understanding man, but regarding the smaller items of his business he often neglected proper organizational skills. He saw beauty in the watch, knowing partially the time and effort put into making it. But in his forgetfulness he tossed the watch purchased for $5.00 behind his glass case and went back to his usual work. As days passed, his business went well and the watch was far from his mind. Then one day a customer came in, looking at best, unintentional. The customer poked around here and there, eyeing items on the wall and even inquiring once or twice. Finally he selected a small item and came to the counter to make his purchase. As the exchange was taking place, the customer looked down nonchalantly and noticed a beautiful pocket watch sitting on the shelf. His demeanor changed immediately and he set his previously intended item to the side, speaking directly to the owner, “I’ll give you two-hundred dollars for that watch.” The shop owner, somewhat bewildered, agreed, knowing the profit he was about to make in the transaction, and the customer walked out of the store with the watch.

The question of the watch's beauty has been answered, each person saw beauty in the watch and could not disregard its style or allurement. However, perhaps a more revealing question would be: what is the watch worth?
…


When it comes to beauty, we have a standard. It is goodness and truth as the life of Christ depict and uphold. Peter declares that beauty in the eyes of God has nothing to do with the outside, but pertains to the nature of the inward spirit of a person (1 Peter 3). What of value though? When it comes to value, honestly it seems to me that it’s entirely relative. The question becomes, “Well, what are you willing to pay?” I think we’ve intermixed these two concepts and we really shouldn’t. Right and wrong are not relative, beauty is not either, but value truly is.

(Tangent) The value of life has been declared by the highest authority. When the question is posed to you regarding the worth of your neighbor, of your coworker, of your boss, of your spouse, or any other person you’ve ever come in contact with you must keep in mind the ultimate price Jesus Christ was willing to pay for that life as well as yours- it was His own. He gave up His life for the freedom and healing and salvation of the world. Never forget that the value of human life is not relative, it is set. The question in that case, “What are you willing to pay,” but “What has been paid,” and the answer is that your life itself is worth the very death of God, as is your neighbor and fellow student. What would happen if we suddenly lived like that were true?

(Back on topic) Honestly, in thinking through this (which is my preferred way of understanding something troubling me) and writing it down (which tends to be where I am most able to continue learning) my mind has been eased a bit. I’m glad there’s a standard for beauty, for goodness, righteousness, and truth. That these things aren’t relative and open for argument and debate. I’m also glad for the relativity of value, that we are given the chance to pay for what we know holds worth in our lives. That we all have the same amount of time at any given moment (that is, right now) and that in spending it with each other we can truly show value. That in communicating we can reveal love and worth, respect and depth of relationship. I’m glad we have this ability, that we can know how to love one another and how to see that we are loved, what in your live would you give for? What would you suffer for? What would you wait for?

I’m not done processing this… in fact, I’m rarely finished thinking through anything. I’d love to hear your thoughts? Does this make sense? Do you disagree? Do you understand something for the first time? What do you think about beauty or value?


N.B.: "Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the Church..." that is (to me) pray, suffer, bleed, wait, cherish, protect, call, lead, encourage, praise, uplift, help, and rejoice. What is she worth to you?

Two Kinds of Discipleship

This is an excerpt from the Craig Carter’s book, Rethinking Christ and Culture: a post Christendom perspective (a response writing to Niebuhr’s Christ and Culture) which the Church History class has been reading this semester. The final chapter presents a comparison/contrast of several aspects of Christian lifestyle as understood from the point of Constantine as the proponent of Christendom and Jesus as the author of Christianity. This final comparison caught my interest and Carter’s presentation is, in my opinion, a very accurate depiction of perspectives within the American church today. What do you think?

Two Kinds of Discipleship

Finally, we need to consider that there are two different kinds of discipleship, depending on whether one follows Jesus or Constantine. To follow Constantine, the primary issue relates to being a good and loyal citizen of the state. To be a good Roman is to be a good Christian [or to be a good American is to be a good Christian, eh?]. One simply lives up to one’s birth.

But in order to be a good follower of Jesus Christ, one has to make a deliberate choice to acknowledge Jesus as Lord. To be a good Christian is to be something less than totally devoted to serving the state and obeying the political authorities, for one’s obedience to the state must always take a second place to one’s baptism [that is, one’s Rebirth], something that is possible only in the power of the Holy Spirit.

The kind of church we need is one that facilitates such discipleship and takes it up into its very heart, rather than rejecting it or marginalizing it, as the Constantinian church does. In the Constantinian, a devotion to Jesus Christ that leads to literal and serious discipleship is possible, but it is channeled in the so-called religious life, where it does not threaten the so-called secular life lived by most people. The life of discipleship is seen as heroic, worthy of admiration by all, but not possible for all. Those who call the entire church to the path of discipleship are rejected as fanatics and persecuted in Christendom.

Carter, Craig A.Rethinking Christ and Culture...Brazos Press, Grand Rapids: 2006, p. 211 [emphases mine]

Re: Eavesdropping (Ed. IV)

EZRA! This prayer nearly made me cry and I'm not even joking. What humility and repentance this man is pouring out to God on behalf of His people... what do you see?

Ezra 9:6-15 (NLT)

6 I prayed,

“O my God, I am utterly ashamed; I blush to lift up my face to you. For our sins are piled higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached to the heavens. 7 From the days of our ancestors until now, we have been steeped in sin. That is why we and our kings and our priests have been at the mercy of the pagan kings of the land. We have been killed, captured, robbed, and disgraced, just as we are today.

8 “But now we have been given a brief moment of grace, for the Lord our God has allowed a few of us to survive as a remnant. He has given us security in this holy place. Our God has brightened our eyes and granted us some relief from our slavery. 9 For we were slaves, but in his unfailing love our God did not abandon us in our slavery. Instead, he caused the kings of Persia to treat us favorably. He revived us so we could rebuild the Temple of our God and repair its ruins. He has given us a protective wall in Judah and Jerusalem.

10 “And now, O our God, what can we say after all of this? For once again we have abandoned your commands! 11 Your servants the prophets warned us when they said, ‘The land you are entering to possess is totally defiled by the detestable practices of the people living there. From one end to the other, the land is filled with corruption. 12 Don’t let your daughters marry their sons! Don’t take their daughters as wives for your sons. Don’t ever promote the peace and prosperity of those nations. If you follow these instructions, you will be strong and will enjoy the good things the land produces, and you will leave this prosperity to your children forever.’

13 “Now we are being punished because of our wickedness and our great guilt. But we have actually been punished far less than we deserve, for you, our God, have allowed some of us to survive as a remnant. 14 But even so, we are again breaking your commands and intermarrying with people who do these detestable things. Won’t your anger be enough to destroy us, so that even this little remnant no longer survives? 15 O Lord, God of Israel, you are just. We come before you in our guilt as nothing but an escaped remnant, though in such a condition none of us can stand in your presence.”

Amen.

...............................................

Re: Eavesdropping (Ed. III)

The third installment of who knows how long a series on prayer. This is the prayer of Daniel, an Israelite in exile. His service to the Babylonian empire are famous and his God given ability to interpret dreams can be understood as nothing less than incredible. Do his words sound much like ours today? Do his words echo in your spirit? Do his thoughts and hopes and dreams connect and reverborate in your life at all? I hope so...

Daniel 9:1-19

1 In the first year of Darius son of Ahasuerus (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom- 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.

4 I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed:
"O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, 5 we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

7 "Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the men of Judah and people of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. 8 O LORD, we and our kings, our princes and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against you. 9 The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; 10 we have not obeyed the LORD our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. 11 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.
"Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. 12 You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. 13 Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. 14 The LORD did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.

15 "Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. 16 O Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our fathers have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.

17 "Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. 18 Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. 19 O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name."

Amen...

Re: Eavesdropping (Ed. II)

So this is the second installment of a little reflection I'm undertaking on different prayers in scripture. Habakkuk was first and as it completely blew me away, I really want to see how other portions of scriptural prayers echo in my life. The passage below is from the dedication of the temple in the day of Solomon. We recently looked at it in my Old Testament class and there really is SO MUCH here. What do you see?

1 Kings 8:22-61

22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven 23 and said:
"O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. 24 You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it—as it is today.

25 "Now LORD, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises you made to him when you said, 'You shall never fail to have a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons are careful in all they do to walk before me as you have done.' 26 And now, O God of Israel, let your word that you promised your servant David my father come true.

27 "But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! 28 Yet give attention to your servant's prayer and his plea for mercy, O LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. 29 May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, 'My Name shall be there,' so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. 30 Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.

31 "When a man wrongs his neighbor and is required to take an oath and he comes and swears the oath before your altar in this temple, 32 then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning the guilty and bringing down on his own head what he has done. Declare the innocent not guilty, and so establish his innocence.

33 "When your people Israel have been defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you, and when they turn back to you and confess your name, praying and making supplication to you in this temple, 34 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to their fathers.

35 "When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and confess your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, 36 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people for an inheritance.

37 "When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, 38 and when a prayer or plea is made by any of your people Israel—each one aware of the afflictions of his own heart, and spreading out his hands toward this temple- 39 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of all men), 40 so that they will fear you all the time they live in the land you gave our fathers.

41 "As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name- 42 for men will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when he comes and prays toward this temple, 43 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.

44 "When your people go to war against their enemies, wherever you send them, and when they pray to the LORD toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name, 45 then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause.

46 "When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to his own land, far away or near; 47 and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their conquerors and say, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly'; 48 and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name; 49 then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause. 50 And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, and cause their conquerors to show them mercy; 51 for they are your people and your inheritance, whom you brought out of Egypt, out of that iron-smelting furnace.

52 "May your eyes be open to your servant's plea and to the plea of your people Israel, and may you listen to them whenever they cry out to you. 53 For you singled them out from all the nations of the world to be your own inheritance, just as you declared through your servant Moses when you, O Sovereign LORD, brought our fathers out of Egypt."

54 When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the LORD, he rose from before the altar of the LORD, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven. 55 He stood and blessed the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying:

56 "Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses. 57 May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our fathers; may he never leave us nor forsake us. 58 May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep the commands, decrees and regulations he gave our fathers. 59 And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each day's need, 60 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God and that there is no other. 61 But your hearts must be fully committed to the LORD our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time."

WOW.

Amen... and AMEN again.

Re: Scar Tissue

Why is it we so often settle for scar tissue instead of healing? I’m not speaking of physical wounds or abrasions here, I’m speaking of emotional and spiritual wounds that, at least in my own self reflection, I’d much rather be buried under dead tissue than healed properly. It’s easier learning to live with a scar than accept the thorough work of healing. The lies we have heard throughout our lives… why do we not let them die for real? Why is it after we are wounded we choose to let that tough, lifeless skin cover the gap and create scars instead of allowing God to truly heal again?

I think it’s because we know the risk of healed, living tissue being broken again and we’re afraid to risk that pain. We’d much rather have the scar to remind us how tender that area of our lives is and thus keep us from being hurt once more. The problem is, scars aren’t intended. You know? Healing is… I find it hard to believe that a God known as the great physician, capable of healing and redeeming any wound and situation would find His perfect remedy for wounds covering them with deadness. Moreover, the issue at hand is that for those of us who indeed have scars, who have dead skin covering a past pain. What does healing imply for us?

That area in our lives must be made vulnerable again.

That’s no fun… it really isn’t, yet so much of our redemption and our reconciliation, of our healing and our FREEDOM must come through allowing His HEALING to take place even in the old pains. That scar tissue must be removed and He must be allowed to heal and regenerate life in that area of our lives. Vulnerability sucks… it really does. I’m not good at it. In fact, much of my life can be characterized by protective measures taken to not be hurt again as I’m sure most of yours can as well. Vulnerability is our release of the right to control. It’s our letting go of the right to protect what is no longer ours. Part of the pain is in addressing our wounders… for some of us that instigator of pain is ourselves, others it is past friends, current parents, etc. I’m not speaking of going to them and showing them the wound; I am speaking of exposing our scars to our Lord and allowing Him to remove the deadness that keeps us in the same place (death does not grow, it is static- life however, is changing and progressive) and bring about new life in that place, of forgiving them and learning the truth of redemption, and of letting our rights go and trust Him to heal.

For many of us our wounds are at the core of our hearts. Whose job is it to guard this very important part of our being? I’m not speaking of the muscle- you know that. I’m speaking of the place we store treasures, dream dreams, hope for the impossible, keep faith, and truly love. We tritely declare, "Lord, you have my heart," and in our weakness and fear take it back over and over again. Many pains and scars are there and we are not walking in true life with them present. Our love cannot grow, our dreams cannot be longed for, etc. It is the Lord’s desire to guard our heart. It is our fear and unbelief that won’t allow Him. Many scars in my life reside in my heart, and now in this time of life I find Him wanting more and more to HEAL rather than just let me cope with old scars. Even yesterday something NEW came up and took me completely off guard... what then? When we're confronted with a scar and we realize we haven't healed as we hoped the truth was- do we yield? Do we SUBMIT? There are things I didn’t even realize were there, and now as He moves, some tissue is being ripped from its place to expose the wound He longs to restore. Will I let Him? Will you let Him for you too? If we truly desire freedom and truly trust His word in our lives, we really must. Though it may be the hardest thing we’ve faced yet.

I believe in a God of true healing… One who does not patch skin and wounds… One who does not glue the severed feelings… One who does not need to cover the pain, but has the power to redeem it and bring about life. One who intends His people love without strings and the reminders of wounds. One whose people are characterized by the celebration of true restoration. One whose people live in a healing altogether foreign and yet desperately desired to/by the lost around them.

He makes all things new.

Can it be this is true even for are scarred hearts? Can it be that this is true even for our hidden hurts? I believe it is. What do you think? What are the scars you long to keep protected? What callous does He intend to remove? Where is the vulnerability we are to learn? Where does the Body of Christ fit in with this healing process? Again, I’m not talking about burying anything, not about letting any deadness or ignorance bring numbness or capabilities to cope- I’m talking about HEALING… RESTORATION… and FREEDOM. I want it. Do you?

.......................
Philippians 4
John 17
Isaiah 61
1 John
John 8
Romans 5-9

Re: Eavesdropping (Ed. I)

Well, kinda...

Basically, I read Habakkuk earlier today and found myself completely awed by the final chapter, which also happens to be Habakkuk's prayer. Any time I read a prayer in the Bible I feel like I'm eavesdropping on a personal conversation and wonder if these things were really intended to be read. Then again, I read them through and am usually so blown away that I can't help but be thankful that such thoughts and words towards God have been recorded for me to learn and grow from. At any rate, check this out:

Habakkuk 3- New International Version

1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. On shigionoth .
2 LORD, I have heard of your fame;
I stand in awe of your deeds, O LORD.
Renew them in our day,
in our time make them known;
in wrath remember mercy.
3 God came from Teman,
the Holy One from Mount Paran.
Selah
His glory covered the heavens
and his praise filled the earth.
4 His splendor was like the sunrise;
rays flashed from his hand,
where his power was hidden.
5 Plague went before him;
pestilence followed his steps.
6 He stood, and shook the earth;
he looked, and made the nations tremble.
The ancient mountains crumbled
and the age-old hills collapsed.
His ways are eternal.
7 I saw the tents of Cushan in distress,
the dwellings of Midian in anguish.
8 Were you angry with the rivers, O LORD ?
Was your wrath against the streams?
Did you rage against the sea
when you rode with your horses
and your victorious chariots?
9 You uncovered your bow,
you called for many arrows.
Selah
You split the earth with rivers;
10 the mountains saw you and writhed.
Torrents of water swept by;
the deep roared
and lifted its waves on high.
11 Sun and moon stood still in the heavens
at the glint of your flying arrows,
at the lightning of your flashing spear.
12 In wrath you strode through the earth
and in anger you threshed the nations.
13 You came out to deliver your people,
to save your anointed one.
You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness,
you stripped him from head to foot.
Selah
14 With his own spear you pierced his head
when his warriors stormed out to scatter us,
gloating as though about to devour
the wretched who were in hiding.
15 You trampled the sea with your horses,
churning the great waters.
16 I heard and my heart pounded,
my lips quivered at the sound;
decay crept into my bones,
and my legs trembled.
Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity
to come on the nation invading us.
17 Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to go on the heights.
For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.

I don't know about you but... amen and AMEN again.

December 4, 2008: Because I Love You

Dear You,

Why? Why do you look at this with such eyes? I fear your misunderstanding and yet don’t see how I can help clarify anything. I’ve got to confess I’m tired of being misunderstood in everything whether word, deed, thought, prayer, or look. I’m tired of being undermined. I’m tired of being refused a defense, of having no trial, of not even being aware of the charges. Could you listen for yourself for a minute? I have no defense as He must defend all this, yet I ask- won’t you at least listen to Him? I’m so confused, you are eager yet fearful at the exact same moment, (that circumstance does not confuse me as I am in it as well), what confuses me is why you choose to listen to the fear rather than trust Him to reveal the motivation behind your eagerness, perhaps even show you the shadow behind your fear and bring upon you even more eagerness once you know there’s no true resistance?

I pray for your faith. I pray for your unbelief. I pray for your pain. I pray for your fear. I pray for your wounds… there is so much healing I long to see in your life. Perhaps you will learn to trust again, yet the means is itself the end. I don’t know the how; I wish I could show you a plan. I can’t. You just… go. Reject the lie that you go alone, for you do not. Nevertheless, the how is in going, there’s no other way. It takes risk, don’t think it won’t. That’s what trust is. That’s the nature of faith itself. That is real action. Until you go it’s really just words. Action proceeds from belief- can’t you see that? I fear you believe lies that will not allow you to trust, moreover, they lock you in fear and taint every word I have to say as if it’s somehow said with a harsh tone or with uncompassionate eyes. The worst is that I cannot combat those lies in any other way than this: I really do love you and really wish you’d come. There is nothing but tenderness in this voice, for there is nothing but love I have for you and nothing but blessing I wish for your life.

This has held you so long. I don’t know the root. I don’t know the origin. Who spoke to you these lies? I see the fruit of it. I see the fear. Why can’t you see it’s a distortion? Why won’t you find out for yourself instead of ignoring it all, throwing the whole thing out, and trying to run away? This is our nature in bondage to fear- we act in extreme caution and declare it discernment. It isn’t. We guard our hearts without right and call that healthy protection. It isn’t. We avoid real conversation in the name of wisdom. It isn’t. We want to be ready on our terms and I’m sorry, but in real freedom we don’t have that option anymore. I just don’t understand. You push and pull at the same time. Why? You cry for help, yet in my response I meet eyes that ask, “Why are you here?” All I can dare respond is, “Because I love you.” You know something? It’s true, and it’s not that I choose to, or that I want to, or that I should, but that I just can’t not. Hear this- if this fear does not kill you, it will certainly prohibit you from truly feeling the joy you long for. I guarantee it, and it’s not out of frustration that I speak. It is out of the sincerest desire for you to know exactly the joy that God desires for you in freedom and honest, pure love… because I love you too.


Love,
Me

Re: Chiastic Nonsense

I'd thought
It would be better
If I just leave
Because I wanted to stop
watching and
praying and
waiting
for your
waiting
and praying
and watching
But He won't let me stop
So I won't leave
It wouldn't be better
I now know

WV: Proof

"Show me."
"Prove it."
"Let me see."
"Oh yeah? Do it."
"Put your money where your mouth is."

Yeah... about that. I mean, regarding your hope and dreams for assurance, right qualifications, evidence, security in your decision, or proof. I have good news...
I have none.

The end... almost.

"I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD Almighty.
"But you ask, 'How are we to return?'

"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.
"But you ask, 'How do we rob you?'
"In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty. Malachi 3:6-11

Let it be known: I am not here for exegesis, contextual argument, or any other discussion. I am here to point out a principle. That's all.

Obedience comes BEFORE the blessing.

The Lord says, "Test me in this... ." How is "this?" Look prior to His statement- "how" is in obeying His word. IE- by BRINGING the WHOLE tithe back. Do not suppose that the test is not by any rule we hold against Him. It is not by any proof we hold out for in assurance that He will indeed act. There is no standard by which we ask God to move, as if we can even ask for assurance. That is not love (John 15). That is not faith (Hebrews 11). You have HIS word. Is that no longer good enough? The beginning of the passage is a declaration, "I the LORD do not change." Belief before blessing... that's the truth. Belief cannot be separated from obedience. Get used to it. God is not an American businessman, He's not out to win you with a guarantee, stop treating Him like one. What? You think there should be some sort of demonstration of good faith from Him? Okay...

"But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

He has made His move again and again and again. Is it not enough for you? I'm not speaking to anyone other than the church here... this is not about the faith of the world. This is about the faith of the Church. Get over yourselves! You who claim belief in "Jehovah Jireh" yet cower when your bank account declines. You who say, "I want God to write my love story," yet reject His leading and hold your stipulations on His anointed. You who say, "My life is in You, Lord," but fight to maintain control of your family and social life. You who declare the eternal riches found in godliness while investing in gold. Yes... the Church. Can you point out one place where the blessing was given before obedience was shown? Hebrews 11 makes no such claim, these faithful people had NOTHING to go on except the word of the LORD (BTW- if you want to know if there's any power behind His word, see Genesis 1 or any Gospel ). Scripture says they even died before they saw the promise fulfilled. Are we so special to be given any different opportunity? I think not.

It's time to get over yourselves and go. Stop looking for proof and evidence that will simply put your faith back in yourself. Stop asking for assurance when He's given His word. Stop asking for the blessing before you're willing to move.

I haven't had a good rant in awhile... but in all honesty, this one's been a long time in coming. The American church is not a negotiator between any commercial parties. God is not diplomatic... He's not even democratic (Yes, that means that even if the whole body were to decide they wanted proof before moving, He would not be obliged to give it). His reputation is firmly established. His word is altogether true. He has never failed. Stop acting like that's a possibility and GO.

There's still no proof. There's still no security in your initial move. There's no assurance that your bank account will remain stable or that you'll even get out alive. None of that has changed. Isn't that good news?

The end.

November 26, 2008: My Apologies

Dear You,

It's so hard to watch you struggle. I know you see the way things are going, but why you resist still and hold back in this fear I do not know. Love will cast out fear... when will you trust me on this? Honestly, the time has come for me to be silent, you watch... I wait. He is moving and the time to go is near, will you come along? I see resistance in your eyes, I know it's not the way you'd prefer. In all honesty, it's not the way I'd prefer either. It'd be so much easier to simply sit down somewhere and share with you everything He's told me... I'm certain you'd feel confident in this move afterward, but such would not be to the benefit of your faith. We are all called to obey, we are all given that chance to step out in total abandonment of what we hoped for and simply know He will work it all for His glory. I do not know when, but I see you struggle and don't think for a moment it's not giving my heart an indescribable ache. It does. There is a blessing waiting for you in this freedom that you have never known or expected, but it cannot be spoken of or mapped out before your move. I know it's hard... it has been for all of us. I know it's scary... this is only the beginning. I know it's unnerving and entirely too inconvenient... whose priorities do you live for, anyway?

It is one thing to take the chains off, and quite another to leave the prison. You've come so far, you're at the doorway as we speak. Why not simply RUN through? You cannot lead others to a freedom you have not embraced. He will not let me come in for you and my mouth has been closed from calling your name. Listen for His word.... there will be no other voice worth hearing and no other word as powerful. Listen for His word and then obey. I've seen you close your eyes... did that make the voice go away? I've seen you cover your ears... did that ease His whisper in your heart? I've seen you run to the safer place... did that escape the tremble in your spirit? I know it did not, for I have been in all those places as well. I will continue praying for you, I simply can't stop. The time is getting shorter... but that has never been untrue. I suppose you can drag it out till the last second, but I know the pain that will be and I implore you, don't take it that far. Don't test His patience to that extreme... simply trust the word and direction you know you don't want to go but must because it is His and let's go. In all of this, I'm either insane or right on. Be assured this word and way is not my own; I'd much rather have things some other way as well, but as they are of His plans I cannot contradict/oppose them. At this time, you are watching... I am waiting... all I can say to you is, "Do not be afraid. He is good." I cannot pray for your strength to continue resisting, indeed I must pray you would be found weak before His call. I pray you would hear clearly and distinctly, by name and even face to face. I cannot pray for anything else than His will be done. Will you taste freedom yet? I believe it, the question is how long will you hold on to something destined to fall? It's entirely up to you. Either way, I love you and will wait either for your complete retreat or your approach. It is all I can do at this point. Listen for Him.


Love,
Me

Re: Holiness

There is no holy thing. There are no holy people. There is no holy action. There is no holy word. There is no holy faith. There is no holy hope. There is no holy tradition. There is no holy model. There is no holy order. There is no holy calling. There is no holy statement. There is no holy music. There is no holy love. There is no holy movement. There is no holy history. There is no holy future.

Right?

Holiness is not a self supporting concept. It does not sustain itself and cannot originate itself within something, it is granted and imparted. There is only a holy God, and all things may participate in HIS holiness by His invitation only. Holiness by definition must rely on a relationship to the nature of holiness, to a holy One, a standard which nothing is more holy, but is itself the bestower of holiness. If there is a holy word, it is holy only in its relation to the holy God. If there are holy people, they are so only as they are found in the holy God. If there are holy actions, they are so only by being taken through Him. There is no holiness outside of Him, and there is nothing unholy within Him.

We have been given that invitation to take part in His holiness. If this is true, no longer should we regard ourselves, as those found in Him, as things unholy in identity- if we are in Him, we are therefore holy by His holiness. Rather, we ought strive to act and speak through Him and thereby act and speak in holiness, not as if our nature or intention brought about the holiness of that action or word, but as it is simply in being acted or spoken from and by Him. Faith is holy only as it is put in Him who is holy, there is no hope that is holy for the sake of simply being committed or well intended, but there is a hope that is holy because it is hoping in the One who is holy. There can be nothing holy outside of Him who is holiness. There is no self originated holiness and no holiness that can be attained through works or straining in goodness, but only holiness as far as it is related to the holy One. In this, there is no holy people, no holy action, no holy word, no holy tradition, no holy calling, no holy love, no holy anything without a relationship to the very identity of holiness, that is our Lord. If we are to chase holiness, it can only be in the sense that we pursue Christ and hope to be found in Him. To chase holiness without accepting Christ is self consumed and impossible at best while at worst simply devilish. If we are a holy people, it is only because we serve a holy God and by His grace He has covered us in His holiness. Let us NEVER forget that.

I get the sense more and more lately that some things are protected without due as "holy" things. Our concept and tradition of church, for example... a personal "calling," to ministry for another example. This or that style or form of music and worship, or perhaps the teaching from one student of the Word instead of another. In reality these things are not holy unless they are directly related to the author and identity of holiness! If GOD has not established it as so, can we dare demand He declare what our hands have formed, "holy?" If we are doing things in His name, yet without His blessing, I think we're kidding ourselves in expecting that. Just because we put His name on it does not mean He has. Holiness is of the Lord, consecration is to the Lord, sanctification is by the Lord, and none of it is of us. We submit, we follow, we comply, we move, we act, we speak, we hope, we believe- but all these things only as long as they are in Him. Perhaps we out to look at what we defend in the name of holiness and ask how related they are to the author of holiness? Perhaps we ought look at what we're really protecting, is it our preferences... our dreams... our words... our convenience... our stability... our good... or is it His Word and His kingdom? If it is the former, beware the nature of your opposition, you may find yourself fighting against He who seeks purity and holiness for all as they are consumed by His love and found in Him. If it is the latter, why spend your time defending what is His? His nature and holiness declare He will indeed protect what is His, it is not our obligation nor calling to defend Him. It is our obligation and calling to obey and pursue the holy One and declare the glory of His life in us.

Re: Jesus Questions

1) Why did Jesus not ask His disciples to contribute to a building fund?
2) Why didn’t Jesus ask His disciples to go into the towns and gather bring people back to Him so He could minister to them?
3) Why didn’t Jesus have “a place to lay His head?”
4) Why didn’t Jesus let Peter kill the guard?
5) Why didn’t Jesus attract people by appealing to their flesh?
6) Why didn’t Jesus allow options?
7) Why didn’t Jesus simply make laws that demanded people follow Him?
8) Why didn’t Jesus set up programs for the crowds to better understand what He was trying to say?
9) Why didn’t Jesus ask for money?
10) Why did Jesus tell the disciples to give the crowds something to eat?
11) Why did Jesus send the man who wanted to follow away (Luke 8)?
Why did Jesus have to die?
12) Why did Jesus curse the tree (Mark 11)?
13) Why did Jesus demand everything?
14) Why did Jesus speak more of freedom than salvation?
15) Why did Jesus seemingly make it so hard to follow Him?
16) Why did Jesus let Lazarus die?
17) Why did Jesus tell the blind man not to return to his town (Mark 2)?
18) Why did Jesus submit to the political authorities of His day, but not the spiritual ones?
19) Why did Jesus tell the rich man to give everything he had to the poor instead of the temple?
20) Why did Jesus say, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these…?”
21) Did Jesus ever define truth?
22) Did Jesus ever declare a standard for those who would be His disciples to live by?
23) Did Jesus ever define His ministry?
24) Did Jesus ever define His mission?
25) Did Jesus ever contradict scripture?
26) Did Jesus ever trick anyone?
27) Did Jesus ever lie?
28) Did Jesus ever make a distinction between disciples and followers?

Re: Heroes

L'Adonai (To the Lord),
Is this the, "Once more" You've been waiting for?
Is this the top before the drop of our final tour?
Can we see the bottom from where we've been?
Can we see the sky's not that far from the floor?

"Once more," until we know You're truly there.
"Once more," before we're breathing Your air.
"Once more," with the acts and heroics of men.
"Once more," to reveal just HOW You really care.

So much time You've given to make up our mind.
How long before we realize we're still so blind?
That Old Man walks in every door we leave open.
We no longer look for the life of a peculiar kind.

L'Dodo (To His Beloved),
When all has shaken down, nothing keeps its place,
No hero holds their own, and no one can save face-
Perhaps that time will present a cleaner lens to see,
The change we all desire, comes only through His grace.

Perhaps you might have figured out He is not over you.
The paid price has never changed- He cannot be through.
Will you once more turn to men and let His anger burn?
Or will you finally turn to Him and heroes not pursue?

Are you ready to be let down again- reaping what you sow?
The curiosity of infatuation is not what true lovers know.
Agendas and the hope of "us" will less and less be true.
You'll wake up in the empty bed- where did your hero go?

Written and waiting in silence is the truth of His own Word.
This Word of silence He will soon turn into a righteous sword.
Heroes take their stand, but will never hold their ground.
"One to fall and two will follow," let all know, "He is the Lord."

"The hill is steep," you say, "We will surely reach new height!"
"Work with us harder, better, longer- we will need your might!"
Heroes work you in the wrong direction, how can you not see?
Perhaps because in all his wisdom- he's forgotten to use a light?

Once more with the heroes- once more with their charades.
Once more for the mighty men- once more for their parades.
Once more before it all falls down and everything is gone.
"Once more and then the end," no man's splendors arrayed.

Where are they who in their heart place Him upon the throne?
Where is the people those life He gave to make His very own?
Where are those with severed ties and openly broken lives?
Where are those who surely proclaim, "He is the Lord ALONE?"

Re: The Devil's Folly

I've never written any narrative style before, so bear with me. All I get are images and scenes and am told to put to words that which I see- so here goes!

............................
He stormed around the room in confidence and a sense of victory. He knew this one was his. He had an airtight case, completely waterproof- there was no escape for the vermin he’d take down today. This was his field, his game, his mantra- there was no one sneakier and more deceitful in getting the information he needed to put these foul creatures away and reveal how there was no one better than he.

“What are your charges?” asks the Judge, seated high as ever bearing the indestructible understanding of perfect justice and holding a wrath more dreadful than any could dare imagine. He could play with that justice bent this time- he knew it would be the downfall of these things the Judge Himself had confessed a love for. Why He loved them it the accuser did not know, what he knew was that the sense of perfect justice carried by the Judge would certainly be the end of that love- He could not go against His nature.

“I bring against this man the most heinous acts imaginable, sir,” he responded, “There is nothing this man is innocent of- as you will see from the record kept since his birth.”

Indeed it seemed true. Here was the evidence, the proof needed to seal the weak man’s doom. Adultery, slander, malice, rage, hatred, anger, pride, disobedience of every kind was strewn around the room with perfect recollection by this accuser as if he’d been there himself.

“There is nothing which he may claim innocence of,” he chimed with a smirk, “By your law he is unpardonable. There is no hope for him! He is putrid and filthy! The stench of evil is on his breath! I know you see the evidence is more than satisfactory for a verdict of ‘guilty.’”

As the Judge looks on at the accuser, knowing full well all things were possible, a new question comes from his lips, “Where is the defendant now?”

“The defendant?” the accuser wonders aloud, “He is still down there now pretending to be something new and something different! I’ve seen him with my own eyes. He wants to change his identity, but we know the truth- you have the evidence before your very eyes! That man is guilty and you know it!”

The Judge stands with a smile, “Call the defendant in.”

Silence.

All is still once again.

Silence still.

Why?

What has happened.

No one enters.

There is nothing spoken in lieu of such an odd circumstance.

The accuser looks around with a look of wonder… the Judge looks to the door with a look of understanding; He’s seen this before.

The silence breaks- a messenger arrives.
He carries an envelope and delivers it to the defense gathered on behalf of an absent man.

“What nonsense is this!” cries the accuser, “There is no man alive allowed to dismiss himself from his own trial! It is time to face justice!”

The judge calmly accepts the envelope from the defense and opens it.
He reads to Himself.

The accuser awaits the fruit of his labor, how long had he been snaring and trapping this man? Too long it seemed, now it was time to claim his prize and send another of these ignorant and weak fools to their true death by his hand. He would claim his glory yet…

The Judge stands abruptly and declares, “What I hold in my hand is a Death Certificate in the name of the accused. There is no doubt that there indeed once lived a man by the name accused. His life and deeds are most well known among his own family and indeed there he claimed no identity of innocence. However, the truth of the matter is that the accused has been dead for a number of years and no longer bears judgment under his own name. The proof of justice lies in this document, signed by his own hand with the truest knowledge that he would live a new life, a life neither of his own making nor standard. He has traded his very life for the life of righteousness and faith. His life is hidden in Jesus, whom you well know as too already died. There is therefore no condemnation or accusation for the dead and redeemed! Their life is of no concern to you, oh accuser, at this time, the man you bring these charges against is already dead. All charges are hereby dismissed- to be destroyed for all time, for justice declares that there can be no accusation brought against a dead man!”

He addresses the accuser finally, “It would do you well to bring charges against one legally chargeable, Lucifer, these things are foolish and laughable at best- who ever heard of accusing or even condemning a dead man?”

…………………………..
Romans 6-9
Colossians
Galatians 2

October 8: Hold On

Dear you,

Sometimes I can’t believe we’ve come this far… you are so close. I can see it coming, but I’m afraid at what it’s going to be like for you. I pray for the ease of it all… I don’t want it to hurt, but I just know it’s going to. I want to hold your hand through it- but that is what He is for. I miss you and really it’s coming on soon. It’s going to be messy- I just know it.

He won’t give up easily… that’s why, no matter what he keeps lying and deceiving and telling you all the crap that still isn’t true no matter how many times he says it. Do you realize that? He could speak a lie to you one million times and that still wouldn’t make it true- don’t let him use that trick on you, please. So many are rallying for this fight for you… so many that I can hardly believe my eyes. My heart is blessed at the sight of an army on the rise… rallying to set you free. Dad is behind this one. His hand is all over it- if you don’t believe me, just look at who He’s sending.

We’re nothing special, not charismatic or popular, more often we’re unnoticed and very quiet, introspective and self-condemning. We know we’re nothing on our own and we’re out only for His glory. We’ve got nothing to offer but what has been given to us. We’re nothing attractive or inspiring, but we love you as He does and that’s why He’s given us the weapons and the message. So we’re coming because He called us. That’s who He’s sending. That’s His army. We are His people. We look just like Him. We’re going to fight, pray, bleed, scream, weep, love, and preach just like Him and perhaps one day we’ll die like Him too. We do this to glorify Him and bring you freedom.

The time is coming on and it’s coming fast. It’s closer than ever and you know it. How do you know it? Because the lies are coming on harder and harder and harder. The chains are being thrown on in greater strength- he’s tightening his grip, isn’t he? Doesn’t that tell you something?

He’s scared. He knows we’re coming and he can’t harm the already dead.

Look for us on the horizon, brother.
Listen for talk of our approach, sister.
The banner has already been raised and our weapons already forged.
We march soon.
Do not give up.
You are loved.
By me.
By us.
My Him.
It’s true.
No matter what he says- it’s true.

Hold on.

Love,
Me

Re: Belief

To the Redeemed,

I find that truth is indeed powerful and amazing and I’m finally beginning to believe God when He says things. The problem that He has revealed to me though, is this- I have to believe everything He says, not just what I agree with already. Isn’t that difficult?

I feel like I can believe God very readily when He claims a truth about Himself. It’s easy, natural even, to read scripture and simply say, “Absolutely God! YOU ARE GOOD!” or, “DEFINITELY GOD! YOU ARE JUST! I LOVE YOU!” I believe Him when He claims truth about Him.

The issue is that I don’t believe Him when He claims truth about me. When He tells me what is true of me. As sinner, I argued that I was clean. Now as one redeemed, I argue that I am unclean! How confounded are the ways of the human mind and how convincing the lies of the Devil! WE MUST BELIEVE GOD!

Do not read this with the wrong perspective- there has been a redemptive work in my life that has really changed what is true of me. The conviction of God is a revelation of truth, but the empowering of God is just as much the same revelation. Conviction brings repentance which brings redemption that demands consecration which paves the way for empowerment- all are based on the same Truth of Jesus.

Scripture tells us of our own natures everywhere! Of the nature we have prior to being renewed by His blood and life and of the nature we have after that reality is new as well. Do we let ourselves be defined by who we USED to be? Disagreeing with God in the ideas and claims that He has made regarding what we are like now? Obviously repentance, redemption, and consecration are necessary to come from the truth that tears down what does not belong to the truth that builds up what does. But how often have we let our growth or walk stop after who we used to be has been put to death? There is a resurrection that must take place! That resurrection is a new person, the life of Christ in us and it brings with it new truth claims for God to make about us! He says to His people that we have authority, that there is a baptism of His Holy Spirit to be encountered, and that we are light, salt, aliens, strangers, and warriors. Do I believe Him when He makes truth claims about me, or just about Him? Do I know myself better than He does? I think not.

This has been hitting me pretty hard and I want to know- how are we living? We believe what God says about Himself… but there is no One who knows us better than He does. He knows what He’s talking about when He makes claims about us. I have to believe those too… and the hardest part is that fact that belief requires action. So not only must I believe what He has told me about Himself and about me, but I must live that truth.

Does this makes any sense to anyone else?

..........
Romans 6-8
1 John 5
Galatians 3-5

The Son of God was revealed to...

"You are a king then!" said Pilate.
Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."
-John 18:37

He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.
-1 John 3:8 (emphasis mine)

Seems pretty cut and dry, doesn't it? Jesus says He came to testify to the truth. John testifies that He came to destroy the devil's work, which according to John 8, is lies. What then are we preaching to a lost and dying world? More often then not, they don't understand Jesus' or your faith because they don't understand why He came anyway!

1. If He came simply to carry our burdens, guilt, and shame and nothing else then He's still carrying them and is a burdened, guilty, shamed God. Yes, that is the implications, He did take upon Himself those things, but something had to be done with them if He were to declare victory!

2. Eternal life is the benefit of His work, but I don't think it was the work itself.

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
-Romans 6:22

Re: Reconciliation

So I this has been weighing me down for some time because more and more I see this word, "reconciliation" being thrown around and I get the feeling we're letting the world define it and give us our mission rather than letting Jesus declare it and send us with it.
Here goes...

Dear you,
Your passion for reconciliation is good, but you have missed the point. Our Lord did not come to reconcile the world to itself. He did not come to bring peace between the gentiles and Jews, create political stability for Palestine and Israel, harmony between sexual orientations, union to Republicans and Democrats, familiarity for races, neutrality to genders, equality for the rich and poor, or agreement between any other differing ideals! Our Lord Jesus Christ did NOT die on a cross so the world would have peace with itself as if all sin were now abolished (by Him, not through Him) and the enemy no longer has rights to create havoc. The ministry of reconciliation that Jesus came to demonstrate is NOT the reconciliation of the world to itself. Indeed it is entirely the opposite.

• Rom 5:10-11: For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
• Rom 11:15: For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?
• 2 Cor 5:18: All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation…
• 2 Cor 5:19: that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
• 2 Cor 5:20: Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
• Col 1:20-22: …and through Him God was pleased to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His Cross. And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, He has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, as as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before Him…

The concept and nature of this word does connote the idea of some restoration taking place or the exchange of some substance for something else and I think that the Theological implications are greater still. First, I think that the implication made is that a prerequisite for reconciliation is a fall. In order for something to be reconciled, a prior, somehow greater connection between the two things must have been lost. The implications are this, that we were at one time in right relation with God, but through our own choices, we broke the connection between us, offending God, and losing the original greatness of our bond. In order to regain that relationship, reconcile it, that is, payment, or an exchange of some kind must be made. Knowing that the result of sin (that is, the offense of God) is death, the only possible payment for sin (wages, that is) is death itself; therefore, restitution to God is made only in death. However, considering that all humanity has chosen this offense, and that it is impossible for that which is impure to purify itself, it is therefore impossible from humanity’s standpoint to reconcile itself to God. But if the pure were to die, fulfilling the just price of the offense, reconciliation might be had through the pure. That is what happened, the Pure, God himself, chose to reconcile us to Himself by paying the price Himself. The debt was not cancelled as if it never happened- it was paid in full by the indebted! The exchange of His life for each of ours is what defines the reconciliation of humanity back to right relationship with God. In this light reconciliation is in fact, payment, replacement, exchange, and substitution- all combined to identify the act of restoration carried out for debtors to God by God to God (not a redundancy, read it carefully).


The goal of Christ is the reconciliation of the world TO HIMSELF, all things come FROM THIS POINT FIRST, for it only THROUGH HIM that all things are made new. It is not the agreement of holiness and sin, it is the removal of sin to reveal what is holy! It is IN HIM that there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, etc.- why are we attempting to reconcile that which cannot be reconciled without the work of Christ taking place first? There can be no reconcilation of the Church and the world outside of Jesus, and even then it is no longer the world, but an expansion and addition to the Church! To have friendship with the world is to be the enemy of God- have we forgotten this? Neither the Jew and Greek nor the Church and the world will be or can be reconciled without FIRST being made new in Jesus, for it is at that point that national origins, political preferences, personal rights and ideals SUBMIT THEMSELVES TO HIS WILL and are thus CONFORMED to the likeness of the SAME IMAGE- Jesus Christ. It is when we seek conforming to the same standard that unity is created, but for the saved, the Church, our standard is Jesus Christ Alone, Who is our Head and Author, can we then submit to the standard of the world which we have been alienated from and estranged to?

I cannot help but let this go from here. As more and more throw this word around as if somehow it is our mission to reconcile others to others I will continue to cringe, for the reconciliation of Christ can only be done as we bring others to HIM and NOT to each other. Reconciliation is not about tolerance and false unity, the bringing together of light and darkness as if that were possible anyway. Rather, it is about being recreated in the same image as the ONLY reconciler, Jesus Christ, Who has paid our debt by His death on a cursed piece of wood. It is about the rebirth of our life, the renewal of our relationships, the restoration of our purpose, and the reduction of what is not of Him. Let us press on in the ministry of reconciliation as it is intended, not by what the world would rather it be.

In Him,
Me

Re: Declaration

So...

Today's chapel really has me thinking. I'm generally not one for legacies as motivation for doing anything, honestly, what you think of me makes no difference one way or the other. I try not to care what people have said about me in any way, I do not find it my prerogative to defend myself anymore; the Lord has promised such to His own. However, regarding this, "Life Sentence," I feel impressed on my heart and soul a mission. A statement I desire to accurately sum up the whole of my life. I here declare it my goal and intention in the hope of being held accountable to the Spirit's prompting by you and the Word. In the publishing of this, I cannot hide or nor deny it, but I feel it being branded on in my chest even as I type. I wrestled with many callings and purposes... but this one thing the LORD has burned into me and I cannot escape it. I want to leave this place and have it readily said of me:

"Greg believed God."

I care not for anything else save the notion that I remained faithful to the Word of my Lord. Is this shallow? Perhaps... it is indeed not lofty or noble or influential or powerful... I just want to believe and have that belief define everything I do and every part of who I am- that in my belief I may declare His glory and reveal the truth of Who He is. Belief cannot be separated from action and obedience... it's all the same, to love Him, believe Him, and obey Him are all the same... but oh my God, help my unbelief! I pray humbly and scared... help my unbelief! I just want to believe Him.


In Him,
Greg

Re: One Liners

So... I was reading through the books regarding Israel and Judah's history. Those books that tell of wars and mighty men and righteousness and God's provision, protection, sovereignty, and glory- I have come to love them. Anyway, I came across this ONE VERSE. I realized that this is beautiful story and it's all just one verse; it blew me away. I don't remember the last time I heard a sermon or discussion or anything of that nature devoted to it, thought it's entirely worthy! Anyway, I'm going to share it with you because it's pretty self-explanatory and amazing:

2 Kings 13:21

Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man's body into Elisha's tomb. When the body touched Elisha's bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.

Dang.
I pray to see this happen in our times!

Re: Essentials of Community

So... today I was impressed with the knowledge that there is something greatly lacking in my life. Something that is so fulfilling and coveted in life that as it has been without immediate access for some time now many have nearly died of starvation. Honestly, to hear of its return and the response of the general public around me would make me think this thing were absolutely essential to life as we know it! Does anyone know what I'm talking about? I'll give you a hint- it's not Jesus or His Word. It's television...

*Gasp!*

Honestly, I can't believe how many people today I either talked with personally or understood through secondary means of communication (IE- Facebook statuses, friends of friends, class banter, etc.) had planned their evening around their television program airing tonight. Indeed my life must be empty, for I know not the joy of "The Office," or of any other television production. I suppose I should apologize to my friends whose enthusiasm I cannot share and whose conversations I will not be able to take part for the next week as reflections of so and so's new role/greatest line of the night create unity where nothing else can.

Okay... all cynicism aside. Is this really the case? Do we define our community and our lives by a television show? I asked five people if they were willing to do differing things this evening and the response of all five was, "I can't, the Office premier is on," in one aspect or another. Maybe this is coming down a little hard on something that seems so trivial in your minds, but I guess I'm more than just a little offended. Perhaps I see something that's not there, but that thing terrifies me nonetheless. What has happened to the Word of God? What has happened to His work in our lives?! Why is it that we need television to give us topics of conversation/ways to fill our time? What thing is this entering our mind? Is it TRUTH? Is it good, noble, pure, or lovely? When was the last time we talked about JESUS and everything that He did? I don't get it, perhaps I'm simply fanatical and obsessed with my Lord and what He's done... I don't hear talk of healing in television, I don't hear talks of miracles and extraordinary events and the fact that they can't be explained beyond saying, "GOD IS SO GOOD," as I watch most shows, in fact, as I watch ANY shows. I don't see anything other than what is common, and the common is precisely what we have been called to recognize and keep in an appropriate place!

What am I getting at? You tell me. I doubt I'll get a response to this, probably I'll just get more dirty looks. But I'd REALLY LOVE TO KNOW what you call your priorities and more than that I'd love to know if your actions reflect what you say!

Action reflects belief.
........................
Philippians 4
2 Timothy 2-3
Titus
Colossians
1 Peter
Ezekiel 44
Isaiah 6
Galatians 5
Ephesians 4

Re: Love and Temples

The following is an excerpt from George MacDonald's sermon, "The Consuming Fire," and I do believe it speaks plainly into the necessity of consecration and purity in our lives.

Nothing is inexorable but love. Love which will yield to prayer is imperfect and poor.... For love loves unto purity. Love has ever in view the absolute loveliness of that which it beholds. Where loveliness is incomplete, and love cannot love its fill of loving, it spends itself to make more lovely, that it may love more; it strives for perfection, even that itself may be perfected-not in itself, but in the object. As it was love that first created humanity, so even human love, in proportion to its divinity, will go on creating the beautiful for its own outpouring. There is nothing eternal but that which loves and can be loved, and love is ever climbing towards the consummation when such shall be the universe, imperishable, divine.

Therefore all that is not beautiful in the beloved, all that comes between and is not of love's kind, must be destroyed.

And our God is a consuming fire.

If this be hard to understand, it is as the simple, absolute truth is hard to understand. It may be centuries of ages before a man comes to see a truth-ages of strife, of effort, of aspiration. But when once he does see it, it is so plain that he wonders he could have lived without seeing it. That he did not understand it sooner was simply and only that he did not see it. To see a truth, to know what it is, to understand it, and to love it, are all one. There is many a motion towards it, many a misery for want of it, many a cry of the conscience against the neglect of it, many a dim longing for it as an unknown need before at length the eyes come awake, and the darkness of the dreamful night yields to the light of the sun of truth. But once beheld it is for ever. To see one divine fact is to stand face to face with essential eternal life.

For this vision of truth God has been working for ages of ages. For this simple condition, this apex of life, upon which a man wonders like a child that he cannot make other men see as he sees, the whole labour of God's science, history, poetry-from the time when the earth gathered itself into a lonely drop of fire from the red rim of the driving sun-wheel to the time when Alexander John Scott worshipped him from its face-was evolving truth upon truth in lovely vision, in torturing law, never lying, never repenting; and for this will the patience of God labour while there is yet a human soul whose eyes have not been opened, whose child-heart has not yet been born in him. For this one condition of humanity, this simple beholding, has all the outthinking of God flowed in forms innumerable and changeful from the foundation of the world; and for this, too, has the divine destruction been going forth; that his life might be our life, that in us, too, might dwell that same consuming fire which is essential love.

Let us look at the utterance of the apostle which is crowned with this lovely terror: "Our God is a consuming fire."

"Wherefore, we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, for our God is a consuming fire."-We have received a kingdom that cannot be moved-whose nature is immovable: let us have grace to serve the Consuming Fire, our God, with divine fear; not with the fear that cringes and craves, but with the bowing down of all thoughts, all delights, all loves before him who is the life of them all, and will have them all pure. The kingdom he has given us cannot be moved, because it has nothing weak in it: it is of the eternal world, the world of being, of truth. We, therefore, must worship him with a fear pure as the kingdom is unshakeable. He will shake heaven and earth, that only the unshakeable may remain, (verse 27): he is a consuming fire, that only that which cannot be consumed may stand forth eternal. It is the nature of God, so terribly pure that it destroys all that is not pure as fire, which demands like purity in our worship. He will have purity. It is not that the fire will burn us if we do not worship thus; but that the fire will burn us until we worship thus; yea, will go on burning within us after all that is foreign to it has yielded to its force, no longer with pain and consuming, but as the highest consciousness of life, the presence of God. When evil, which alone is consumable, shall have passed away in his fire from the dwellers in the immovable kingdom, the nature of man shall look the nature of God in the face, and his fear shall then be pure; for an eternal, that is a holy fear, must spring from a knowledge of the nature, not from a sense of the power. But that which cannot be consumed must be one within itself, a simple existence; therefore in such a soul the fear towards God will be one with the homeliest love. Yea, the fear of God will cause a man to flee, not from him, but from himself; not from him, but to him, the Father of himself, in terror lest he should do Him wrong or his neighbour wrong. And the first words which follow for the setting forth of that grace whereby we may serve God acceptably are these-"Let brotherly love continue." To love our brother is to worship the Consuming Fire.

Often we idealize the love of God as something filled with compassion and tolerance, gentleness and meekness- we love the love of God as it is Jesus picking up children and responding to the thief on the cross next to His own. What of the nature of His love that loves to purity? What of the love that drove men from His Father's house? What of the love that called the pharisees white-washed tombs? Do we desire that nature of His love in our own lives? We have been called to be holy as He is holy. To not be taken captive or succumbing once more to a yoke of slavery once having been set free. We love referring to our lives as God's new temple- the place His Spirit dwells and resides, filling us with His joyous presence and overwhelming love. Have we yielded to the love that will ransack our very lives and drive out all that cannot be in His presence? Do we ask Him to love us in that way? To receive the love that makes it possible for us to be near Him is to ask for and seek out a love that is far more umcomfortable and irritating than the love that we picture so often, yet that is HIS love- can we deny Him His nature? God is love... but God is not tolerant of sin. The definition of grace is not the ability to live in sin, but the idea that we are alive at all. To ask and accept the love of God is to submit to His purification... to allow/invite His removing of all that is not of Him. It is a consecrating love... a purifying love... a sanctifying love... but no doubt a terrifying one at times! Let us press on in His love, all of it, the nature of it wholly, not partially- for the same love that drove Him to purify a temple built with human hands, that which falls away in its temporality, must drive Him to purify that which is built of His blood and Holy Spirit. Are we submitting to that work? Are we counting the cost? Are we asking for the purification that hurts and burns away what cannot be near Him?

We ought to be.

"For our God IS a consuming fire," not that He MIGHT be... He IS. What has He left to consume and what keeps us from offering it to Him RIGHT NOW?

Ref:
Matthew 21
Mark 11
Luke 19
John 2
1 Corinthians 3
2 Timothy 2
Titus
Hebrews 12
James 4
1 Peter 1-2

A Word

Four weeks… two weeks it has been since this all started and it’s still there. I’ve been going about my business for four weeks and this word lingers in my mind, surprising me in my prayers, haunting me in worship, and it demands that I prepare.

“FLOOD.”

Do you know it?

I feel as if we’ve somehow in speaking “Christianese” with it we’ve tamed it… but I’d like to remind us that it’s not meant to be a comforting word! It is not a slow movement of water gently rolling over the hills, reminding us of butterflies and pretty fish… it is the definition of devastation in the unstoppable total form and I cannot escape this word that has come at me from all sides. A storm is coming… rains, quakes, flashes of light and electricity in the air… the Holy Spirit has a work to do and nothing is going to stand in His way. I don’t know if we stop to think of the words we sing and pray so often… “flood this land,” “rain down,” “pour out your Spirit,” etc… do we realize that we are asking God to devastate and RUIN these lives? I see two accounts of “flood” in Scripture (Genesis 6, Luke 6). I’m not about to get into an exegetical argument of any kind, I simply have one observation to make- the things that floods destroyed in each of these accounts are the things that were not of God. Are we ready to pray that prayer? “Lord, destroy in my life every thing that is not of You”- because ready or not, that’s what we’ve been asking for, and I believe the Lord has heard! Do we realize that in asking God to bring us closer to Him we are asking Him to purge us of everything that CANNOT be in His holy presence (not that He chooses what is bad and what is good and there are excused things and pardoned refuse, but that by HIS NATURE it CANNOT exist near Him)? We have uttered some dangerous prayers in these past days, will be bless God when He works them or will we stand and question His cleansing work?

Floods bring messes… mud, silt, river waste, all that nasty stuff we’ve dumped into it for so long- all of it comes rushing right up into plain sight when that water rises…

Do you follow?

This is going to be messy, yet with the flood comes such a new opportunity. Spiritually speaking, all that remains is what has been anchored in something solid- the foundation that cannot be anything else (1 Corinthians 3:11), Jesus Christ. So I suppose this small note is meant as both an encouragement and a warning- let us continue to pray for the flood, but let us also expect and not despise the WORK of the flood- the cleansing and the removal of what cannot stand up to the movement of the Spirit/the presence of God. Let us look solely to the author and perfecter of our faith and seek His face only, yes, a flood is coming, and no boat is going to save us- this time we learn how to walk on water.

What think you? Are you ready?

Curious

I recently posed a question regarding the possibility of living a pure/sinless life after coming to salvation through Christ. I now open that same discussion to this blog- do you think it is possible to live in Christ without sinning? Why or why not? I know you're out there...

Verse 4

Something God gave earlier tonight- to say the least it shook me.

Generation with new hope,
Go to war with truth in hand.
By the King who's called your name,
You are/Set them free from sin and shame!

(To) Shout to the North and the South!
(And) Sing to the East and the West!
(That) Jesus is Savior of all,
(He's) Lord of Heaven and Earth!

The Lowdown

The proportion of lies to Truth in the world: ∞/1, haha.

However, there is no amount of lies that can in their number or combined strength overpower the Truth and there is no amount of darkness that can snuff out the tiniest speck of light! This is not new, in fact, it’s becoming somewhat of an anthem in my life. What God showed me today is this- that though there is an infinite amount of lies possible for us to fall into, there are (in my understanding at this time) three roots that all of those lies come out of. Three things the devil lies about most often and that all other lies come out of:

1. Who he (the devil) is.
2. Who God is.
3. Who we (humanity) are.

Each of these lies are a direct attack on identity and compromise the way the other two parties are seen/understood. If Satan can deceive us to the point that we do not know who he is, that is, accept his masquerade as an angel of light or a being capable of speaking truth- then we do not know who we are warring against. Here are some truths about Satan:

1. He is NOT omniscient.
2. He is NOT omnipresent.
3. He is NOT omnipotent.
4. His authority is limited to the subjection of will, therefore his most effective weapon is deceit.
5. He has no glory outside being a creature (a glory he has rejected).

These lies that he attempts to make us believe are the lies that give him what he wants most- the place/glory of God. They are not true, the devil does not know all things, cannot be in all places, and does not possess unlimited authority. I think you can see how believing these lies would increase his bondage on our lives. I think you can see how accepting his false identity would be giving him much more credit than he deserves!

If Satan can deceive us to the point that we do not know who God is, that is, mask the identiy of God from our understanding/relationship, then we are at a loss of where truth comes from/what light is in any way. Many people do not want anything to do with God and are choosing not to pursue Him because they have an false understanding of what they would find in Him. GOD IS NOT A LEMON. GOD IS GOOD. HE IS ALL GOOD. There is nothing about Him that we should not want to pursue with everything we have and there is nothing about who He is that will drive us away from Him as see know Him in Truth. Some truths about God:

1. GOD is good.
2. GOD is light and there is no darkness in Him- pure.
3. GOD is just.
4. GOD is love.
5. GOD is perfect/lacks nothing.
6. GOD is necessary (He is not dependent on anything, but all things depend on Him).
7. GOD is True.

The lies that Satan comes against us with often are those that will confuse God’s identity with the his. If you hear someone say, “I can’t follow God because He is a harsh taskmaster who has no grace,” or “God seems to be all about death and killing those that don’t agree with Him,” then you’re hearing a description about the devil masquerading as God. The truth is, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…” (John 10:10). This is to me the very definition of blasphemy- when something that is not God is given His title and rejected on that basis alone. That is the work of the devil. How will you recognize lies about God if you don’t know Him? Get to know Him! Also within this issue is the one regarding the truth found in scripture. For as God has chosen to reveal Himself through word, if the devil can taint/distort the word itself as a source of truth, he can control the Truth you receive from It. Yes? So also in this question of God's identity is that referring to what role/authority does the Word of God have in your life? Is it authoritative and absolute, something that you must conform to instead of it conforming to anything else? I believe that if you can't trust scripture as holy/pure then your understanding of God cannot be accurate. What do you think? Can scripture be relative? Do we have a right to pick/choose what applies to us and what does not? Is the Bible literature that can be analyzed and broken down scientifically, or is it alive and spiritual in nature?

Finally, if Satan can deceive us to the point that we do not understand who we are, he can remove the very thought/drive to find God. I think that as the devil comes against us as humans, his lies will often focus on distorting our value- whether increasing or decreasing it. If he can decrease us, we fall into despair and depression; if he can increase us, we fall into pride and arrogance (that is, the belief that we can oppose God with success, an attitude that reflects his nature, not ours). Some truths about us:

1. We are created in God’s image (that is, as a reflection of who He is and possessing innate characteristics from Him) and given life by His will, and this cannot be denied or reversed.
2. We are created to be with Him/live in His holy presence.
3. We are created to declare His glory through obedience/love for Him.

There are no “accidents” when it comes to people. All have value and all reflect Him. In life that image that we bear can either be sharpened in chasing down the perfect representation of Himself, Jesus Christ, or distorted by chasing anything else. We are clearly created to need purpose, but that purpose is not a mystery- it is evident. It is evident and it is GOOD, for our purpose is found in Him. However, we cannot accept lies about ourselves and still see God as He is. There is only one way to find out who we truly are- and that is by getting to Know Him. We are copies, unique, yet still reproductions. If you want to know yourself- know your Maker as if you want to better appreciate a Rembrandt copy, look at the original!

I believe we are often closer to God than we realize, for He has given us passions that reflect His own. I recently was able to encourage a friend, simply by discovering that a passion of His was justice- “Congratulations!” I said, “Justice is a passion of God’s as well, in pursuing justice you are near God’s heart.” Do we realize this about ourselves? That the passions and desires He gives us are reflections of Him and meant to draw us closer to Him? We should, in recognizing this we will know better how to defeat lies in our and our friends lives and we will know better how to encourage in truth.

What do you think? What passions has God instilled in your life- those things that calls you nearer to Himself? What are your friends? Do they realize those things are God's DNA in them? Calling them to Him? Do they see Him as He is or through a tainted filter?