 
A Moment With God – Year 2

Samuel R. Hall

Copyright 2014 By Samuel R. Hall

Smashwords Edition

**ISBN:** 9781310384783

**Title:** A Moment With God - Year 2

**Author:** Samuel Hall

**Publisher:** Smashwords, Inc.
All Scripture Quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the NIV (New International Version)

**THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.**

Dedication: To my family, my friends and most importantly my Lord, with whom

all these conversations occurred. May these encourage you all in your own walk and relationship with our loving Savior.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

# Introduction – Establishing a Moment With God in Your Life

# January

The Things of God and Our Actions 2013-01-02

The Faithfulness of God 2013-01-03

Cleansing a Home of Sickness 2013-01-04

Dead to the Law, In Christ 2013-01-05

Loving In All We Do.. 2013-01-07

Life is in the Blood 2013-01-08

Hearing More From God 2013-01-09

Offended at God? 2013-01-11

A Tongue Of Fire 2013-01-12

The Unchanging One 2013-01-13

Come and Listen 2013-01-19

Baptizo With The Holy Spirit 2013-01-20

Unity In The Spirit 2013-01-21

The Lord's Correction 2013-01-22

Deeper in Love 2013-01-25

Faith, Free-Will and Salvation 2013-01-26

Of Fear And Anxiety 2013-01-27

The Simple Call 2013-01-28

Ever Increasing Glory 2013-01-29

Sin and Responsibility 2013-01-30

Marvelously Wonderful 2013-01-31

# February

You Died, Live Your New Life! 2013-02-01

Cleanse the Temple, Healing Begins 2013-02-03

In His Arms 2013-02-04

Welcoming The Holy Spirit 2013-02-06

Responsible Leaders 2013-02-07

Faith - Accessing Eternity 2013-02-08

Our Call 2013-02-10

God Is Speaking 2013-02-11

Eyes on the Lord 2013-02-12

Our Family Inheritance 2013-02-13

Love and Perseverance 2013-02-14

Times in the Desert 2013-02-15

The View From The Desert 2013-02-18

Chosen, Called and Sent 2013-02-19

Remember the Lord's Love 2013-02-20

Of Mercy and Judgment 2013-02-21

Reflection on Psalm 141:1-4 2013-02-23

Mining the Introduction 2013-02-24

Grace, Truth and Freedom 2013-02-25

Welcoming Trials - Yikes! 2013-02-26

Yada, Yada, Yada 2013-02-27

Sorrow and Joy 2013-02-28

# March

Clothed in Virtue 2013-03-01

Released Into Our Destiny 2013-03-03

The Word That Brings Faith 2013-03-04

Biblical Understatement 2013-03-05

Our Choice 2013-03-06

The Apple of God's Eye! 2013-03-08

A New Song 2013-03-11

A Prisoner of Hope? 2013-03-12

Wealth and True Riches 2013-03-13

Joy and Endurance 2013-03-14

Open Eyes, Mind, and Spirit 2013-03-15

When Under Attack 2013-03-16

Praying For Our Enemies 2013-03-17

The Shining Church 2013-03-19

Our Life's Pursuit 2013-03-21

The Church, the Bride 2013-03-23

The Blood of Jesus Opened the Way 2013-03-24

His Account of Forgiveness 2013-03-25

Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus 2013-03-26

The Atoning Blood of Jesus 2013-03-27

The Blood of the New Covenant 2013-03-28

His Precious Blood 2013-03-29

For Love... 2013-03-30

An Easter Meditation 2013-03-31

April

Post Resurrection - Important Things 2013-04-01

Our Marching Orders 2013-04-02

Confirming His Words 2013-04-03

Three Critical Truths 2013-04-04

Morning Praise and Remembrance 2013-04-06

True Love Isn't Blind 2013-04-07

His Heart Beats For Me 2013-04-09

Of Sinners and New Wine 2013-04-10

Spring Storms 2013-04-11

Weakness and Power 2013-04-12

On Giving and Blessing 2013-04-14

The Light of Love 2013-04-15

Working Out Our Salvation? 2013-04-16

God is Able 2013-04-17

Choosing God's Plan 2013-04-18

Our Rock of Refuge 2013-04-19

The Great Treasure 2013-04-21

A New Thing 2013-04-22

Faith and Action 2013-04-23

Love and Mercy Towards All 2013-04-24

Blessing and Submission 2013-04-25

Action and Passion 2013-04-28

Love Is Core 2013-04-30

# May

Religion vs. Relationship 2013-05-01

Children and The Kingdom 2013-05-02

God Reigns Over All 2013-05-03

A Basic Prescription 2013-05-12

Revelation of the Father 2013-05-13

God Knows Our Thoughts and Still Loves Us 2013-05-14

Reality Check 2013-05-15

God's Patience 2013-05-16

Choked vs. Fruitfulness 2013-05-17

Integrity On Display 2013-05-18

My Experience of God 2013-05-19

Sharing In His Glory 2013-05-20

A Distorted Gospel 2013-05-21

Looking at the Old with New Perspective 2013-05-22

Mercy Trumps Judgment 2013-05-23

Signs That Point To Him 2013-05-29

Sowing Wind or Sowing Seed? 2013-05-30

Rags to Riches 2013-05-31

# June

God Blesses, Provides and Restores 2013-06-02

Jesus Our Mediator 2013-06-04

Pursuing Our Dreams 2013-06-06

People of the New Covenant 2013-06-07

Natural Actions, Spiritual Reactions 2013-06-08

Devoted to Prayer 2013-06-09

When Waiting On God 2013-06-10

Do Unto Others With a Twist 2013-06-11

Our True Source of Hope 2013-06-12

Thieves & Brawlers In The Church 2013-06-13

Committed Marriage 2013-06-14

Freedom vs. Religion 2013-06-16

Of Fathers... 2013-06-17

Seeking Judgment? 2013-06-19

Humility in Ministry 2013-06-20

Paul's Preaching of the Gospel 2013-06-21

Compassion at Our Core 2013-06-23

God's Intimate Love For Us 2013-06-24

Built Up In Love 2013-06-25

Humility In Relationship 2013-06-27

The Father's Love 2013-06-28

# July

A 'How Much More' Father 2013-07-01

Sent To The Sinners 2013-07-03

Testifying To The Gospel 2013-07-07

"And All Were Healed..." 2013-07-08

Unconcerned Worship 2013-07-09

Salvation, Forgiveness AND Healing 2013-07-10

Power Flowed Out of Him 2013-07-11

God's Counsel and Protection 2013-07-12

A Fount of Life, Healing and Salvation 2013-07-14

Increasing Glory 2013-07-15

The Invitation to Know Him 2013-07-17

A Testimony of Experience and the Word 2013-07-17

Judgment and Favoritism 2013-07-21

Our Awesome God 2013-07-22

A Mystery Revealed 2013-07-23

Born Anew 2013-07-24

Come Follow Me 2013-07-25

Pursuing More 2013-07-30

# August

Jesus Protects His Own 2013-08-01

Intro to Eternal Life 2013-08-02

Set Faith To Flight 2013-08-04

Eternal Life - Part 2 2013-08-06

Delighting in the Lord 2013-08-08

Asking the Right Question 2013-08-09

Relationships: The Proper Foundation 2013-08-10

Be Silent and Listen 2013-08-11

Heaven and Eternal Life Pt. 3 2013-08-12

Accepting God's Help 2013-08-15

Memories of Harmony Youth Camp 2013-08-16

Four Character Traits to Pursue 2013-08-18

Overcoming Labels, Discovering Our Significance 2013-08-18

Unswayed by Opinions 2013-08-20

A Beginning Study on Covenant 2013-08-23

Covenant Study - Part 2 2013-08-23

Covenants - Part 3 2013-08-26

Covenants 4 - The New Covenant 2013-08-27

How to Respond to Celebrations of Indecency 2013-08-28

A New Day, New Compassion 2013-08-29

Shepherding the Church 2013-08-30

# September

Hymn of Praise 2013-09-06

One Body 2013-09-09

Thoughts on the Good News, Sin and Punishment 2013-09-10

Beliefs Affect Our Actions 2013-09-11

He Welcomed Them All 2013-09-12

Basics of the Kingdom 2013-09-13

Basics of the Kingdom - Part 2 2013-09-15

The Church and Judgment 2013-09-16

Basics of the Kingdom - Part 3 2013-09-17

Reflections on John 3:34-36 2013-09-19

Praying For Unity 2013-09-22

Gifts Reflect The Giver 2013-09-23

The Gospel and Doctrine 2013-09-26

Jesus and Sinners 2013-09-26

We Are A New Creation In Christ 2013-09-30

# October

Eternity And Doing Good 2013-10-01

He Rended The Heavens And Came Down 2013-10-03

Feasting On Romans 12 2013-10-06

We Are Foreigners Whose Citizenship Is In Heaven! 2013-10-07

The War In Our Minds 2013-10-08

A Prophetic Dream and Related Word - Restoration and Acceleration 2013-10-10

A Song of Restoration – Zeph. 3 2013-10-11

Unity and Dying to Ourselves 2013-10-12

Spiritual Fruit Stands 2013-10-13

Faith and Love, Not Works 2013-10-14

God Speaks, Are We Hearing? 2013-10-15

A Faith Question 2013-10-17

A Day of Judgment and Eternal Destiny 2013-10-18

Work AND Minister 2013-10-21

God's Heart for the Lonely and Bound-up 2013-10-22

Amazing Realities 2013-10-27

Love and Forgiveness 2013-10-28

Of Sin and Sickness 2013-10-29

Suffering and God's Will 2013-10-31

# November

The Trees Sing 2013-11-01

The Law Set Aside By Jesus 2013-11-03

Pursuing God's Promises 2013-11-04

The Benefit of Good Role Models 2013-11-05

Seed Principle - Growing in the Lord 2013-11-07

Old Ways of Thinking 2013-11-08

Promises, Permissions and Provisions 2013-11-11

He Finishes the Good Work in Us 2013-11-12

God Is A Genius 2013-11-14

Our True Identities 2013-11-15

Participating In God's Nature 2013-11-16

Meditation on Psalm 97 2013-11-17

Speaking the Truth in Love 2013-11-18

Be Like God... 2013-11-21

Right Pursuits 2013-11-24

A Simple Blessing Has A Profound Effect 2013-11-24

Life That Is Truly Life 2013-11-25

Holy Spirit - Fill Me Up 2013-11-27

Ministering the Truth in Kindness 2013-11-30

# December

Submission...? 2013-12-01

Listen, Forgive and Act 2013-12-02

Restoration and Blessing 2013-12-03

Merciful and Kind to All 2013-12-05

Living Like Sons and Daughters 2013-12-06

Reflections on the Lion's Den 2013-12-08

Build Ourselves Up...Extend Mercy 2013-12-09

Knowing and Glorifying the Father 2013-12-11

Grace for the Call 2013-12-16

Living to Please God 2013-12-19

Relationship Versus Religion 2013-12-20

The Vine and Relationships 2013-12-22

Jesus the Shepherd 2013-12-23

The Wonder of Christmas 2013-12-24

Peace Instead of Anxiety 2013-12-29

Being Found In Him 2013-12-31

Author's Note:

I am so blessed that you have taken time to even dip your toe into this book, my second in what I hope is a long series. These come directly from my time before the Lord and are excerpts from my prayer journal. I pray they are encouraging, possibly enlightening, and hopefully they draw you deeper into relationship with Him.

I will take a moment to say that I am not a theologian, nor have I been formally trained in pastoral ministry. I am a husband and father and I work in the telecommunications industry. I have been journaling and taking personal prayer, for the most part daily, since the early 1980s and have stacks of journals. I am so grateful for the ability to electronically journal, as it allows me to search and review themes with ease. These journals reflect the daily interaction and conversations I have with the Lord. I have left the original dates of the entries, as sometimes the date is important to the body of the entry.

As I normally take my prayer time early in the morning (5:15am is the rule these days) my mind is often not fully functioning, so my writing suffers, but hopefully it is understandable. Also, as this is a prayer journal, often times my expressions to the Lord do not flow out in perfect English, but rather in heart felt language. So I ask that you forgive my lapses of correct English and occasional fragment or run-on sentence. I decided to leave them in, for I know the Lord doesn't mind. He is after my heart not my writing.

Finally I ask your pardon for another slight of proper English. Throughout my journals I always try to capitalize You or He, or their variants when referring to the Lord. It is a form of respect I started many years ago when journaling by hand, and I find it a habit I choose not to break.

May God Bless you and reveal to you His intimate love for you and your significance to Him!

If you are interested in following the next nook in the series as it is being written, my blog can be found at: http://amomentwithgod-srh.blogspot.com/.

Sam

# Introduction – Establishing a Moment With God in Your Life

It is God's desire that we each have an intimate relationship with Him. John 17:21 I know it's amazing to think that God would want a relationship with you, but it is VERY true.

So the question is whether it is possible to have a real relationship with God? By real relationship, I mean talking, sharing, communicating - the same things that make up a normal human to human relationship. For a relationship to work there must be two-way communication, and time together. I like to think that if God wants us to do something, He will provide the way.

History is full of people who talk about prayer time, prayer, quiet time, and their conversations with God. It is here that we find examples of how to have a relationship with God! For all of these people, you will generally find four things in common:

  1. They know how to quiet themselves

  2. They talk to God in their own words

  3. They read the Bible (God's written Word)

  4. They know how to listen and discern God's voice speaking into their lives at that moment

So how does one start all this? Simply develop these same four things in your life. Start simple, dedicate a little chunk of time and try these steps. Establish a moment with God in your daily life.

  1. Learn how to quiet yourself - turn off the TV, Computer, Cell-Phone, etc. Try to stop the constant flow of thoughts for just a few moments. It takes a little practice - but is worth it!

  2. Some people feel awkward praying to God in their own words, having been taught to pray in church by reciting rote prayers. Others feel weird talking to God at all. I like to think the conversation internally - imaging the words I would say. God can hear our thoughts, so that is just fine with Him. Whatever you do, God is not worried about how you might sound, or the words you might say - He wants to know what is on your heart!

  3. Start reading the Bible even a few minutes every day. When I started reading the Bible, I was in 9th grade and would read maybe a paragraph a night, right before going to bed. I would recommend starting with the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). One other technique I use is to just open the Bible and start reading. I am amazed at how often what I read is directly related to something I just prayed to God about!

  4. Finally, learning how to discern God's voice, as He is speaking to you, is probably the most difficult. The good news is that God REALLY wants you to learn, and will help you. When I first started, I found God's voice pretty easy to pick out - it was almost like He was shouting. I would read from the Bible and a sentence would almost jump off the page, or I would silently pray something, and within a short period of time I would hear someone repeat my thoughts with an answer. God is very capable of speaking, we just need to be aware that He is speaking. The more we practice the better we get. The Bible is full of God speaking to people, sometimes in dreams, sometimes visions, other times with an audible voice (I haven't had that experience yet), sometimes through other people, or through His written Word. One thing that is very constant \- God is always speaking!

A couple of encouragements:

  * Start simple and easy - maybe 5 Minutes a day

  * Don't give up, try to develop this into a habit

  * Don't think it has to be all spiritual, candles lit, darkened room, etc. I take my time with God in the morning, with a cup of coffee, sitting on the couch

  * The more time you take, the more you will want to spend - a relationship with God is live changing and life giving!

God does want a real relationship with you!

Blessings! Sam

# The Things of God and Our Actions

2013-01-02

This morning I am reading from the book of Joshua, and specifically the story of Achan, and the defeat of Israel at the hands of the people of Ai. The defeat was the result of disobedience to the Word of the Lord, and Achan had claimed things for himself, that were devoted to the Lord. Here are a couple of the verses that are most critical:

Joshua 7:1, 10-12 NIV  
But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things ; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord's anger burned against Israel.  
[10] The Lord said to Joshua, "Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? [11] Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. [12] That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.

I think there are important points here that we must not miss. First, those things devoted to God are His alone and we dare not try to hold onto them or own them. This also relates to praise and worship, glory and honor, His people, His words, everything that God has specifically accomplished by His own hand. How quickly do we want to personally profit from our relationship to God, or grab onto things that are His for our own pleasure or benefit.

Our approach must be to recognize the source of all we have, everything good, and give proper honor to God in all. He is the source of all provision, and Life. He should receive all the praise, adoration, worship, glory and honor, for all the awesome things we see! We are merely administrators of His grace and mercy, compassion, healing and signs and wonders. It all originates with Him, it all comes from Him.

Secondly, one person's actions within the body of believers can have impact on all the members of the body! In this case, the sin of one man caused the death of 36 of his people. Thankfully, under the new covenant of Jesus' Blood, all our sins are already paid for, and we are forgiven, as we come to Jesus. He has already born the punishment for our sins, so we do not experience the Lord's punishment in our lives, yet our sins can still affect others. There is often fruit born out of decisions we make that are not in line with what God desires.

As Paul writes in Galatians 6:7-8 NIV: "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. [8] Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life."

So, as we are in relationship with others in the Body of Christ, they will be impacted by our sowing and reaping, because they are connected in relationship. When one suffers in the Body, all are affected. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:26 NIV: "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it."

Let us be mindful of those things that belong to God, and give to Him all the is due Him, and let us be aware of our actions and how they impact those we love, or families, and those we are connected to in the Body of Christ. Let us sow into the things of God that we, and those we love, might be honored, blessed and reap eternal life.

# The Faithfulness of God

## 2013-01-03

This morning I am reading out of Romans 3:3-4 NIV:  
"What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God's faithfulness? [4] Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: "So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge."

As I read this first verse, I thought of the reality that God's real character is unaffected by our actions. As the church, we present God's character imperfectly to those around us, but His real character is unaffected by our mistakes, misunderstandings and wrong beliefs. Thank God that is the case! For how else could He be the rock on which we stand?

I am also mindful of a flow of secular humanistic thinking that God is not needed in our lives, and is somehow even a affected by our unbelief. There are people that boldly proclaim their unbelief, as if in some way they are laughing at the idiocy of believing in a God that is greater than us, and that somehow their defiance of God weakens Him. The belief was that the Greek gods required praise from the people to have strength and power, and the reduction in worship for an particular god would affect their ability to act in the world. This reminds me of the story of Peter Pan and Tinkerbell, where she needed people to believe in Neverland, so that she could regain her strength.

God is gloriously not like this! He loves our affections, our faith, our praises and our worship, but He doesn't need them to maintain His throne and His power! His Word and His Power are eternal, and unchanging. I am reminded of an early creed statement found in 2 Timothy 2:11-13 NIV:

"Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; [12] if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; [13] if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself."

I am so grateful that His promises are true and I can depend completely on Him, always. His gifts to us are always available, the righteousness bought for us by Jesus sacrifice is always available. The payment or atonement for our sins has already been made and is always available to us! It is our faith that opens our lives to these irrevocable gifts and blessings available in Him. Regardless of our faith, or faithfulness God is faithful.

Lord, help us to turn to You, and return to You if necessary, our Rock, and let us embrace and experience Your faithfulness!

# Cleansing a Home of Sickness

## 2013-01-04

This morning my meditation went a very different way than normal. Hopefully this in encouraging to those that are experiencing sickness and disease this flu season. The following is a direct extract from my journal...

It seems like a lot of sickness is going around, and people are under it. Lord, we pray that You would bring healing and health to our friends and families.

It's interesting that I was just thinking about the homes, and people sick within them, and I sat down to read scripture. I thought I heard 1444, and spent a bit of time looking to see if there was a book with a 14:44, and Leviticus seems like the only one. Anyway, this particular section has to do with the cleansing of a house from disease, mold or mildew. The original Hebrew word is the same as what is translated leprosy in the body, but for the home it can mean mold, mildew, or some other plague of sickness.

Leviticus 14:48-53 NIV  
"But if the priest comes to examine it and the mold has not spread after the house has been plastered, he shall pronounce the house clean, because the defiling mold is gone. [49] To purify the house he is to take two birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop. [50] He shall kill one of the birds over fresh water in a clay pot. [51] Then he is to take the cedar wood, the hyssop, the scarlet yarn and the live bird, dip them into the blood of the dead bird and the fresh water, and sprinkle the house seven times. [52] He shall purify the house with the bird's blood, the fresh water, the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop and the scarlet yarn. [53] Then he is to release the live bird in the open fields outside the town. In this way he will make atonement for the house, and it will be clean. "

I was reading the Matthew Henry commentary about this and was interested in the symbolism of the birds, the cedar, the yarn and the hyssop. The blood of the first bird, is as one would expect, a prophetic symbol pointing towards Jesus death and atoning sacrifice. God said the life was in the blood, so this is bringing life into the house. The cedar wood is very resistant to any rot or molding, and is symbolic of a new wholeness and resistance to disease that is long lasting and even permanent. The hyssop produced a fresh fragrance that rid the house of even the scent of sickness or disease. The scarlet yarn is indicative of life and wholeness returning, as leprosy turned the affected areas white, the yarn signifies the return of wholeness and wellness (think rosy cheeks). Finally the second bird is released into the air, and this is symbolic of the new life and freedom that is evident once sickness is lifted and purged from the house.

This whole process was one of temporary atonement. Jesus provides for us the only permanent and everlasting atonement. Romans 3:24-25 NIV ..."and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. [25] God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood---to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness,...". Concerning the permanence of Jesus' atonement, the author of Hebrews writes: Hebrews 7:27 NIV " Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself."

So, if cleansing and purification is available under the old covenant, how much more is it available under the new covenant, with Jesus as the perfect sacrifice. The old testament provides insight into the fullness of God's promises that are available through Jesus, and clearly that which He accomplished is better and eternal.

I believe that Lord wants to encourage those of us who are experiencing sickness and disease in our homes to look to Him and to lay hold of the promise of a purified, sickness-free home. Lord, come and cleanse and purify our homes, our families and our lives.

# Dead to the Law, In Christ

## 2013-01-05

I felt like reading from Romans 7 this morning.

Romans 7:1-2, 4-6 NIV  
"Do you not know, brothers and sisters---for I am speaking to those who know the law---that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? [2] For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him."

[4] "So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. [5] For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. [6] But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code."

I guess that I have read these verses before, but there was something about the simplicity of verses 1 & 2 that caught my attention today. Paul is talking about a spiritual reality here that we have a hard time grasping and appropriating in our lives. The fact that in Christ, through His death and resurrection, we are set free from the law and its requirements because we have died and risen in Him, is simple to write, and nearly impossible to fully grasp. The grace, favor, life and power that is actually available to us because of this reality is far beyond what we generally experience.

This is a spiritual reality that should have affect in the realms of our body and mind as well. Our problem is that we are so in tune to our mind and body, we often miss the spiritual reality available to us. My prayer is that I will learn to live as much in the spiritual reality, as I do the others. I want to learn to serve in the new way of the Spirit, learning to appropriate into my life all that is available to me, through Jesus my Savior.

# Loving In All We Do..

## 2013-01-07

This morning I felt that thinking about love would be good. I was reading Paul's famous chapter on love ad thought that he should have swapped the order of the verses, because he gives the definition of love after talking about operating in love. Here are the same verses, just in a different order, to help us logical thinkers follow his thought:

1 Corinthians 13:1-8 [changed order]

[4] Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. [5] It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. [6] Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. [7] It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. [8] Love never fails... [1] If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. [2] If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. [3] If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

In verses 1-3, if I replace love, with the definition of love given in verses 4-8, I find a very interesting meditation on our call to be loving in all we do. Verse one would read something like this:

If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but am not patient, kind, humble, honoring, seeking the best for others, peaceful, unwilling to hold a grudge, rejoicing in the truth and speaking only good things, protecting, trusting, hoping and persevering, then I am only a resounding gong or clanging cymbal. Etc.

Oh Lord, help us to be truly loving in all we do, at all times.

# Life is in the Blood

## 2013-01-08

Yesterday Tina and I were talking about Kosher meats and the command to drain all the blood from the meat, due to the fact that the hamburger I used recently had been weird, when I defrosted it all the blood drained out. Anyway, last night I opened up my bible to read, turned right to Leviticus 17, the particular chapter where God forbids the eating of meat with the blood still in it. So I figure there must be something about this that the Lord wants to impart.

Leviticus 17:10-11 NIV  
" 'I will set my face against any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them who eats blood, and I will cut them off from the people. [11] For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life.

Burton Coffman writes this in his commentary:

"The reason for Israel's avoidance of eating blood is set out here more fully than anywhere else in the O.T." F8 It is clearly the religious significance of blood as being the device by which God procured atonement for sinners, not only under the O.T., but under the N.T. as well, that lay back of the prohibition. It should be remembered that this prohibition PRECEDED the Law of Moses (Genesis 9:4-6), and also that it was not relaxed even under the liberty and freedom of the New Covenant (Acts 15:20). The fact that a great many Christian people are not aware of this, coupled with the light esteem that some have for Divine regulations, makes it appropriate to explore the reasons back of this remarkable commandment a little more fully.

ON EATING BLOOD

Right here in this short paragraph lies the basis for the Jews' insistence upon eating only that which is "kosher," even to this day. The reasons for God's requirement in this particular are easy to see.

(1) It created and cultivated in the people of Israel a reverence and respect for their sacrifices, many of which required the shedding of blood.

(2) It was a perpetual reminder to them of the means of forgiveness and salvation. Even under the law, "Without the shedding of blood, there was no remission of sins" (Hebrews 9:22).

(3) It was designed to direct their attention to the Holy One, even Christ, who in the fullness of time would make an atonement for the sins of all people by the shedding of his blood.

(4) It was to provide a wall of separation between the Israel of God and the pagan world of unbelievers whose sacrifices included the eating, even the drinking, of blood.

(5) Also, "By refraining from eating flesh with blood in it, a man is honoring life." F9

Invariably, the loss of the blood is loss of the life, and it appears here that by the prohibition of eating blood God inculcated a respect for all life. Life is indeed a unique gift from God, and the sacredness of life is recognized and honored by this Divine regulation.

In the light of this, God intended that every man, upon seeing the blood of an animal, even slain for his food, should behold a reminder of the cost at which he himself had been cleansed. It was not a light thing in those ages for a man to "despise the blood." Therefore, mankind was instructed to honor it, even the blood of an animal, because that animal's blood was typical of the blood of Christ himself, the only means of human redemption.

Note, in the verses above, that all blood was considered sacred. Even the blood of a creature unfit for sacrifice was to be covered with dust, as a symbol of the inherent respect due to all blood. Even under the current dispensation of the grace of God, the ultimate sin is that of despising the blood of Christ:

"A man that set at naught Moses' law died without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, think ye, shall he be judged worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:28-29).

I was just thinking about this all, in light of the fact that Jesus' blood was poured out for us. In the O.T. understanding, the life of all creatures is a gift of God and His to give and His to claim. Upon the sacrifice, the blood, symbolic of the creatures life is returned to God, by pouring it onto the altar. It is also in this act that atonement for sins is extended to the one who offers the sacrifice. So in this model, the blood of every creature is God's and given back to God, by the people. With Jesus its God's blood that is given to us. Jesus himself gave the cup of His blood to us to drink (Matt 26:27-28). He is literally giving us His blood, His life.

That will take a while to unpack and understand.

Lord, I pray that You will help me to understand the full significance of Your Blood, given for me!

# Hearing More From God

## 2013-01-09

This morning I am reading from Mark's Gospel, chapter 4.

Mark 4:21-25 NIV  
He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand? [22] For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. [23] If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear." [24] "Consider carefully what you hear," he continued. "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you---and even more. [25] Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them."

My focus was drawn to verse 23 and 24. Verse 23 is the operative focus of the remaining verses, and here Jesus is speaking about hearing. In verse 24 the Greek is even more specific. Jesus says that we should pay careful attention to what and who we hear. He also says that with the same measure we use to measure, more will be measured out and added to us (speaking about what we are hearing).

I think sometimes we read things like this and just pass on by without grasping the significance of the statement. Jesus is saying that its by our measurement, that we hear more.

I think an analogy is in order - if you walk into a QuikTrip or 7-11 with a tiny cup and get a refill, you will only walk out with a tiny cup full of your choice of beverage. If you walk in with a 5 gallon container, you will receive a 5 gallon refill. With the measure we choose and bring, it will be measured out to us.

Putting it into the hearing context, if we are satisfied with one new word a month, that will be the measurement of what is given to us, in addition to what we have now, one new word a month. Jesus says to pay close attention to what and who we are hearing or listening to, for this is significant and important for our lives.

I believe that He is encouraging us to look at our lives, and consider who and what we listen to throughout the day. The level of our desire (measure) to hear more will determine how much we receive from Him. If we are satisfied with little, we will be given a little more. If we are only satisfied by gallons, then gallons will be given. It is our choice what measure is used to fill us up, and He is talking about His words.

At one time in my walk with the Lord, I did not take much time to listen and when I did I was easily distracted, and did not really remember what I heard. I was always happy when I heard something, but just did not have an understanding of the principle lined out in these verses. At one point I distinctly heard the Lord say to me that if I wasn't going to listen, He was going to stop talking. His encouragement to me was to take my time with Him seriously, and to write down what He said, so that I would remember. That one encouragement completely changed my relationship with the Lord, one could say that I chose a new cup to have filled with hearing His word that day. Throughout my life, since that time, I have been constantly trading out my old cup, with a new bigger cup, for my desire to hear more from Him keeps increasing.

Lord, I pray that You will increase our desire for You and Your Word. That we might be constantly desiring and hearing more!

# Offended at God?

## 2013-01-11

This morning I am reading from Luke 4-5. I am reading Luke 4:14-29 NIV:

[4] Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. [15] He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. [16] He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, [17] and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

[18] "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, [19] to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

[20] Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. [21] He began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." [22] All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. "Isn't this Joseph's son?" they asked.

[23] Jesus said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: 'Physician, heal yourself!' And you will tell me, 'Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.' " [24] "Truly I tell you," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown. [25] I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. [26] Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. [27] And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed---only Naaman the Syrian."

[28] All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. [29] They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff.

I had a couple of reflections as I was reading through this:

1. Jesus is experiencing wide-spread favor in the region, and appears to be welcomed home, yet by the end of His sermon there, they wanted to kill Him. I think this is important to note how quickly people will reject God if they don't like what they hear.

2. If you look closely at Jesus statements to the people of Nazareth, He was telling them He wasn't really sent to them, nor was He going to do much there. Other Gospel writers talk about how Jesus was amazed at their lack of faith. I think that this was driven by a sense of offense. They were offended that He could do all these wonderful things, yet He had never done them in His own home town, and now was telling them that was part of the plan. Being offended at God definitely affects our belief, because at the very core of that offense is a judgment about God and how He acts and thinks toward us. I believe they thought that He was rejecting them and withholding something from them, that was rightfully theirs, or at least something they were due for welcoming Him into their community for all those years.

So my reflection this morning is whether or not I am offended with God? Has he said something I don't like or agree with? Have I turned away or limited Him access to my life based on unfulfilled expectations or disappointments? Have we seen or heard God working in other's lives, and had expectations we would see the same thing in our own lives, only to be disappointed or frustrated by God's apparent lack of interest or concern for us? In our woundedness, hurt or disappointment we can become angry and turn away from God.

The truth of it all is that God does love us incredibly much. He is concerned about every situation, every circumstance and every bit of pain we experience. He is also so aware of everything that is happening in our lives and the lives of all around us that His perspective is completely different than ours. In our place of need, we can only see ourselves and our immediate source of pain. He sees everything, including our future, and our potential and acts in perfect coordination with everything.

We need to learn to trust God, to trust His love and His faithfulness. I am reminded of what it was like when my children were young and I had to tell them no about something they wanted, but that was ultimately bad for them. They felt like I didn't understand their need, so they kept expressing their need. When that wouldn't work, they might express their belief that I didn't love them. The truth was simply that I had a different perspective and a better plan, they just couldn't see it in the place of their need. I loved them, and wanted the best for them always.

God is like that, just billions of times better.

So, let us choose to believe that God loves us and has our best in mind for us always, regardless of how it might look. Let us not reject God because of something He said that we don't like. His love for us is beyond compare and sometimes beyond comprehension.

# A Tongue Of Fire

## 2013-01-12

I was just reading James 3, where he is talking about the tongue. It's quite an interesting section of scripture.

James 3:5-10 NIV  
Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. [6] The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. [7] All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, [8] but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. [9] With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. [10] Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

Verse 6 is actually a bit startling - "The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell." The significance of our words, brought to life by our tongue, and these days email and text, is huge. Our words truly can affect our whole lives. I think of the fact that jobs are often won or lost based on the verbal interview. Our words reveal out thoughts and what is in our hearts. As Jesus says in Matthew 15:18 NIV "But the things that come out of a person's mouth come from the heart, and these defile them."

Clearly the encouragement today is to be very careful of what we speak, guarding our tongue. I am reminded of a funny DQ commercial for a very spicy burger, where the man takes a bite, then wipes his mouth with a paper napkin. The napkin starts on fire, and gets worse when he blows on it, because fire is coming out of his mouth. I think this describes perfectly what James is writing about - our mouth, our words can enflame, can start fires, can cause pain and destruction to ourselves and those around us. We would be wise to closely guard our words, in all there forms, and make sure that which is coming forth from us is life giving.

Lord help us!

# The Unchanging One

## 2013-01-13

This morning I am reading from Daniel 10:4-9 NIV:

"On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, [5] I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. [6] His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude. [7] I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. [8] So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless. [9] Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground."

As I read this verse I was reminded of John's vision at the beginning of the Book of Revelations - Revelation 1:10-17 NIV

"On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, [11] which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea." [12] I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, [13] and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. [14] The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. [15] His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. [16] In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. [17] When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.

The parallels between the two passages are remarkable and in my mind, very encouraging. Just yesterday I was talking to a friend about when the Presence of the Lord comes into a place and all fall face down. This response is a very appropriate response to the presence of God!

I also am encouraged the Jesus appears basically the same in both encounters, especially since the vision Daniel had occurred about 550 years before Jesus came in human form, and John's vision occurred after Jesus resurrection, when He was glorified. One can conclude that there is an eternal and consistent character and nature to Jesus. I am also encouraged that He is unchanging, so that whether a revelation of who He is occurred 500 years ago, two years ago, or two thousand years ago, we can depend on it being accurate to who He is today. His eyes still blaze with fire, His legs still appear as bronze glowing in the furnace, and His voice still sounds like a great multitude or many rushing waters.

Oh Lord that we might experience the awesomeness of Your Presence, and Your unchanging character!

# Come and Listen

## 2013-01-19

First a quick apology to those that read this blog regularly. I was out of the country with limited internet access and even less time. I know it's been several days since I wrote. My prayer is that you have been well blessed.

This morning I am reading from Isaiah:

Isaiah 55:1-3 NIV  
"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. [2] Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. [3] Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.

The two main operative words for us in these three verses are come and listen. I was just thinking about how dry and disconnected, and hungry for the Lord I feel after three very busy days where I wasn't able to spend much time with the Lord in prayer. I opened my Bible right to these verses.

The directions are simple, come and listen. If I am feeling thirsty and dry, if I am feeling hungry for more, if I need encouragement, love or more life, the prescription for change is the same, come and listen. It is in listening that we will be fed the richest of fare. It's in listening that we will be filled with life.

He calls us to come near, so that we can get beyond the distractions that are surrounding us. He calls us near because He loves us and enjoys our presence. He calls near so that we might receive from Him directly the very best. I am reminded of the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42 NIV:

"As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. [39] She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. [40] But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" [41] "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, [42] but few things are needed---or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Mary chose to go to Jesus and listen to Him. Jesus said this was really the only thing that was needed!

The invitation has been given - "come and listen!"

Lord help us to make the time to do exactly that! Amen!

# Baptizo With The Holy Spirit

## 2013-01-20

I felt led to read from Acts 1 this morning:

Acts 1:4-9 NIV  
[4] "On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. [5] For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."  
[6] Then they gathered around him and asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" [7] He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. [8] But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."  
[9] After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight."

As I was reading back through these verses I was reminded of how important the Holy Spirit is to us. This was the last thing Jesus talked about while still on earth in bodily form. We tend to believe that if a person knows they are leaving they will make sure to say that which is most important, that which they want people to remember more than anything else.

In this situation the disciples are asking about the restoration of the kingdom to Israel, in other words the end of the Roman occupation, which was at the forefront in their minds, and Jesus redirects their focus to that which is the most important - the Holy Spirit, specifically as He says in verse 5, being baptized with the Holy Spirit.

In my study of this verse I came across this definition of the Greek word used by Luke:

Baptizo: Definition 1. to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of vessels sunk) 2. to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one's self, bathe 3. to overwhelm

"Not to be confused with bapto. The clearest example that shows the meaning of baptizo is a text from the Greek poet and physician Nicander, who lived about 200 B.C. It is a recipe for making pickles and is helpful because it uses both words. Nicander says that in order to make a pickle, the vegetable should first be 'dipped' (bapto) into boiling water and then 'baptised' (baptizo) in the vinegar solution. Both verbs concern the immersing of vegetables in a solution. But the first is temporary. The second, the act of baptising the vegetable, produces a permanent change. When used in the New Testament, this word more often refers to our union and identification with Christ than to our water baptism. e.g. Mark 16:16. 'He that believes and is baptized shall be saved'. Christ is saying that mere intellectual assent is not enough. There must be a union with him, a real change, like the vegetable to the pickle!" Bible Study Magazine, James Montgomery Boice, May 1989.

So, this baptism with the Holy Spirit is meant to change us, inside and out, and is absolutely critical in our lives as Christ's followers. So much so that this is the last thing that Jesus talked about while on earth.

Lord, that I might know this baptism with the Holy Spirit in its fullest form!

# Unity In The Spirit

## 2013-01-21

This morning I opened my bible to Psalm 133.

Psalm 133:1-3 NIV  
[1] "How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity! [2] It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down on the collar of his robe. [3] It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore."

In other words, there is an abundant anointing released in the place of unity. There is a heavenly blessing released through unity that refreshes and brings life. This is the place where the Lord bestows blessing, other translations call it the commanded blessing, a place where there is no doubt about the blessing to come.

Some of the commentators speak of the oil representing the Holy Spirit, and this represents an abundant, overflowing outpouring. This reminds me of Jesus speaking of living water flowing out of those who believe: John 7:37-39 NIV

[37] "On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. [38] Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." [39] By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified."

I am also reminded of this passage from 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 NIV:  
[12] "Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. [13] For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body---whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free---and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. [14] Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many."

Lord, we pray that we will see a great outpouring of unity and love for each other in this nation. We confess that we have become a nation of people that thinks of themselves first, full of selfishness. We pray for true unity and for Your blessing Lord. We pray that this unity would start in Your church, Lord.

# The Lord's Correction

## 2013-01-22

This morning I felt called to read from Job 5:17-18 NIV (page 431 to be exact):  
"Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. [18] For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal."

These verses continue on with some awesome promises - Job 5:19-26 NIV:  
[19] "From six calamities he will rescue you; in seven no harm will touch you. [20] In famine he will deliver you from death, and in battle from the stroke of the sword. [21] You will be protected from the lash of the tongue, and need not fear when destruction comes. [22] You will laugh at destruction and famine, and need not fear the wild animals. [23] For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field, and the wild animals will be at peace with you. [24] You will know that your tent is secure; you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing. [25] You will know that your children will be many, and your descendants like the grass of the earth. [26] You will come to the grave in full vigor, like sheaves gathered in season."

These verses speak of a victorious life in God, not that there won't be struggles and battles, but that Lord will preserve us through them all. I really like the last verse - coming to the grave in full vigor, like sheaves gathered in season. This speaks of a fullness and fruitfulness of one's life! Amen Lord, that is how I want to go to the grave - having achieved the maximum fruitfulness possible for Your Kingdom!

I felt led to turn to page 672 which in my Bible is Jeremiah 33:1-16 NIV:  
[1] While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him a second time: [2] "This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it---the Lord is his name: [3] 'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'

[4] For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siege ramps and the sword [5] in the fight with the Babylonians : 'They will be filled with the dead bodies of the people I will slay in my anger and wrath. I will hide my face from this city because of all its wickedness.

[6] " 'Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. [7] I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. [8] I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. [9] Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.'  
[10] "This is what the Lord says: 'You say about this place, "It is a desolate waste, without people or animals." Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted, inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more [11] the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord, saying, "Give thanks to the Lord Almighty, for the Lord is good; his love endures forever." For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before, ' says the Lord. [12] "This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'In this place, desolate and without people or animals---in all its towns there will again be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks. [13] In the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev, in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hand of the one who counts them,' says the Lord.

[14] " 'The days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah.  
[15] " 'In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line; he will do what is just and right in the land. [16] In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.'

In verses 4 & 5 the Lord speaks of judgment on Israel, and prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem - things we don't like to read or hear. However, it is out of that place that the Lord works, never forgetting His 'good promise'. We must not lose site of the fact that discipline and correction are followed by blessing, health, healing and bounty. In the case of Jerusalem, it took more than 70 years to see these promises of restoration fulfilled. The work of the Lord is faithful and complete, and thorough beyond comprehension.

Lord, help me to welcome Your discipline, cleansing and purifying with open arms, complete humility, and a willingness to help.

# Deeper in Love

## 2013-01-25

This morning I was praying about loving Him more and more and I was reminded of a few verses in Philippians.

Philippians 1:9-11 NIV  
"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, [10] so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, [11] filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ---to the glory and praise of God."

I see in this prayer, my own prayer as well. I have been praying that my love for God would drive me deeper into His word, and there find a deeper insight and knowledge of Him, not head knowledge but knowledge and insight based on relationship. It's in this place of deep intimacy and pursuit, that I will be changed to become more and more like Him. It's also in this place of intimacy that we begin to see what is best for us, what is His good and perfect will. Lord, I want to love You more and more.

# Faith, Free-Will and Salvation

## 2013-01-26

I am reading from Colossians this morning:

Colossians 2:9-15 NIV  
[9] "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, [10] and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. [11] In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, [12] having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. [13] When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, [14] having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. [15] And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."

I started reading at verse 13, and if read alone, it sounds like all the salvation and forgiveness in God is all done by Him, and done for us before we were saved, and even aware it has happened. This is absolutely true, for nothing we have done, or can do will bring us salvation and complete forgiveness of all our sins. However, the application of this gift into our life is through faith- see verse 12. Without our faith, which is also a gift from God, this glorious reality is not appropriated into our lives. God pours out faith to us, but we must willfully engage this faith and belief. It is this freedom of our will (free-will) that is critical in our walk with God. He has paid the price, has sacrificed himself for our salvation, but it is our willingness to accept this and believe it that determines our experience.

This also demonstrates the danger of reading verses out of context, or setting one verse as primary theological statement, that overrides or contradicts other verses. We must be careful and balanced in our approach, recognizing that the Bible is to be read and understood, and studied as a whole. It is not to picked apart and only certain parts kept or held to be true, which is something that Marcion, one of the first heretical teachers, did in wanting to throw out most of the Old Testament, and everything but Luke and the writings of Paul in the New Testament. We can study verse by verse, but must apply what we learn to the overall truth of scripture.

A nice analogy I just thought of is the restoration of a large painting. The restorer works on one small section of a time, analyzing and restoring the correct hues and colors exactly as they were meant to be by the original painter, buts its only in the context of the complete painting that the full effect of that little section, which is being restored, is fully appreciated. And it is always within the context of the complete work that decisions about how to restore the tiny section are made. I hope that makes sense.

Lord, we pray that You will guide us and teach us as You promised in John 16:12-13 NIV: "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. [13] But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."

# Of Fear And Anxiety

## 2013-01-27

This morning I am reading from Paul's letter to the Philippians.

Philippians 4:4-9 NIV  
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! [5] Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. [6] Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. [7] And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

[8] Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable---if anything is excellent or praiseworthy---think about such things. [9] Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me---put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

I am primarily focused on verses 6 & 7- and the ability of the Lord to reach into our situations and bring us peace. It's interesting to note that in addition to feeling peace, this peace will actually guard our hearts and minds. I know much of our anxiety comes from the gyrations of our mind, thinking of all the possible things that could happen. In the place of anxiety, we don't think well or make good decisions, for they are based on fear. These fearful thoughts can become a whirlpool that draws us in. It's in this place that we need God's peace, and we need our mind guarded.

In a place of fear and anxiety our hearts are not reliable guides either, for we will give our hearts to the things that make the fear and anxiety stop in the shortest period of time. Often the shortest path is not the best path. I can think of many examples of these types of fear and anxiety inducing situations, such as teen pregnancy, volatile home situations, etc. In these times, we are likely to jump at the first opportunity to escape the fear and anxiety. It's in this place that we need to turn to God in prayer and seek His wisdom and peace, and let His peace guard our hearts.

Finally, we need to learn to focus our thoughts on positive things \- "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable---if anything is excellent or praiseworthy", for we are what we think!

Lord, help us to turn to You in prayer, a place of personal communication and communion, and help us to hear what You have to say. Your words and Your love do bring peace, which extinguishes fear and anxiety!

# The Simple Call

## 2013-01-28

This morning I am reading from Zechariah 7:8-10 NIV:

[8] "And the word of the Lord came again to Zechariah: [9] "This is what the Lord Almighty said: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. [10] Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.'

-and -

Zechariah 8:16-17 NIV:  
These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; [17] do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this," declares the Lord.

Immediately before the first verses, the people had been inquiring of God, exactly what religious observances, fasts, festivals, and such, they should do. These verses were God's reply - basically to love one another, especially those in hardship and difficult circumstances.

The verses from chapter 8, are God telling them how He plans to bless them, and these are His main requirements on them as a people \- to treat each other fairly and speak the truth to one another.

I am reminded of a few verses in the New Testament that parallel these verses:

John 13:34 NIV  
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

Matthew 7:12 NIV  
"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."

In both of these verses, Jesus was speaking, and bringing our focus to a simple call to follow His example in loving and caring for others. So often people get caught up in the outward observances of going to church, or saying certain prayers, or keeping certain observances, and they forget about these most important things. I've heard it said in the restaurant business that the one shift no one wants to work is the Sunday, after church shift, because of the way the church people treat them. I've heard others, who are Christian friends say they don't want to do work for other Christians because of the way they are treated.

Our love for others is supposed to be a light to others, one that draws them in to the Kingdom and allows them to be filled with life.

Lord, help me to embrace this simple call to love others, and treat them the way I would want to be treated, paying special attention to those who are in difficult situations or downtrodden.

# Ever Increasing Glory

## 2013-01-29

This morning I am reading from Haggai.

Haggai 2:6-9 NIV  
"This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. [7] I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, ' says the Lord Almighty. [8] 'The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the Lord Almighty. [9] 'The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the Lord Almighty. 'And in this place I will grant peace, ' declares the Lord Almighty."

I love this verse because it reminds me of three truths:

1) God is capable of shaking everything, every system, every nation, every person. He is God over everything, and everything is under His authority.

2) All the silver and all the gold are His. He is our true source of all provision and blessing. If we are lacking, we should turn to Him.

3) His Kingdom is increasingly glorious. He is not defeated or being beaten. The future in God is always better than the present.

I am reminded of a few verses in 2 Corinthians 3:7-11, 17-18 NIV:

[7] "Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, [8] will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? [9] If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! [10] For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. [11] And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!

[17] Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. [18] And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

We are, despite how things look to us with our limited sight and understanding, being transformed into His image with EVER INCREASING glory!

Hallelujah!

# Sin and Responsibility

## 2013-01-30

I was reading out of Mark today.

Mark 7:21-23 NIV  
[21] "For it is from within, out of a person's heart, that evil thoughts come---sexual immorality, theft, murder, [22] adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. [23] All these evils come from inside and defile a person."

I was thinking about how this reality is so different than what we sometimes choose to believe. We would blame external forces, even temptation for our sin, but the reality is that it comes out of us, out of our heart and out of our mind. We need to take personal responsibility for that which we allow to remain in us.

If our house is full of junk, we would like to blame someone else, but in reality, we brought it all into our house in the first place, and have not chosen to remove it, thus it remains. In the same way, I think we must recognize our own duplicity in our sin.

It is this sense of personal responsibility for our sin that will bring us to God. Jesus is our redeemer and the one who died for all our sins. The Holy Spirit has been given to live within us and enable us to renew our minds and give us new hearts. Our call is to have living water flowing out of us, rather than sin flowing out of us. As James 3:11 says: "Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?"

# Marvelously Wonderful

## 2013-01-31

This morning I am reading from Isaiah 29:13-14 NIV:

[13] "The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught. [14] Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish. "

This verse always makes me think about my own heart engagement, my own focus on the Lord, and whether my words and my heart are in alignment. Saying it another way, are the things I profess actually things that are in my heart?

Am I just going through the motions, but my heart is somewhere else? As an example - do I really mean it when I tell my wife that I love her, or are they empty words?

Is my faith based on my experience of God's love for me, or is it something that that I learned from my parents or someone else?

I see in these verses God's desire and intention, that our worship of Him would be infused with passion, stirring our hearts! He wants to be loved and worshipped, known intimately by each of us. He wants us to be engaged not because someone taught us, but because we know through experience. This gives me great hope when crying out for God to move -I know He wants people to experience Him that way.

Verse 14 is a perfect answer, because of our condition, He will astound us with wonders. I like the NASB translation of this verse: Isaiah 29:14 NASB  
Therefore behold, I will once again deal marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous; And the wisdom of their wise men will perish, And the discernment of their discerning men will be concealed."

The Hebrew for wondrously marvelous is actually the same word twice \- pala pala. In other words, not just marvelous, but for those who have regular experiences of things they can't do (those we would consider wonder workers), this would be even beyond their comprehension, or even their thoughts.

It's actually kind of funny, we want a God we can understand, and He wants to completely blow us away with wonder. Lord, I know I want to know You this way. I want my worship of you and my faith in You to be, in part, based on experiences of your marvelous wonders. Come Lord!

# You Died, Live Your New Life!

2013-02-01

This morning I felt led to read from Colossians.

Colossians 3:1-3, 5-10 NIV  
[1] "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [2] Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. [3] For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God."

[5] "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. [6] Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. [7] You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. [8] But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. [9] Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices [10] and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator."

As I read through these verses, verse 3 really grabbed my attention. How could it not - "I have died"?

This is true in Christ, yet so very difficult to grasp. We have been united with Christ, made part of His Body and, as such, welcomed into His reality, and made beneficiaries of His atonement. He died - we died. He rose from the dead - we rose from the dead. He lives eternally - we will live eternally. All because we said yes to His invitation to believe in Him, and accept His sacrifice into our life. This is true. This is reality.

Our struggle is to grasp this and live this reality. Walking this out in our lives takes effort on our part, for it requires us to allow the spiritual reality to take precedence over our flesh and mind. This reality is true in our spirits, but our minds and bodies take some convincing. This is especially true for those who grew up in the non-spiritual western mind-set.

We must put to death whatever belongs to our earthly nature - those things that feed the flesh, but wound the spirit. Putting to death (which in the Greek could be translated kill, or deprive the strength of...) those things that we once walked in.

I like how Paul says it in verse 7 - "You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived." For example, if you used to be in the military, but now are a civilian, you can stop living like you are in the military, for that is a life you once lived, but no longer. You don't need to salute, you don't have guard duty, you don't have to fold your clothes a certain way, or shine your shoes, or any number of military life requirements. The same example could be used if you used to live in another country and culture. Those cultural norms, and ways of acting and living applied to the life you used to live, not your 'new' life.

We can choose to live within our new 'life' or reality, or we can choose to live like nothing has changed. In this case, Paul reminds us that it is our choice to rid ourselves of, or throw away those things from our 'old' life. If we can grasp the reality that we have died (if we are united to Christ) and these things no longer have hold of us, we can freely choose to live differently. We can walk away from our old life.

I recently saw "Les Miserables" and this is what Jean Valjean did, he walked away from his 'old' life and chose to become someone new. His changed his whole attitude, thoughts and actions. He was no longer a prisoner who hated, and stole, and barely survived. He chose to love, do good, forgive and live for others.

This is our invitation, to walk away from our 'old life', to become the new person we are in Christ. Amen! Help us Lord to live our 'new' lives fully.

# Cleanse the Temple, Healing Begins

## 2013-02-03

This morning I am reading from Matthew.

Matthew 21:12-15 NIV  
[12] "Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. [13] "It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it 'a den of robbers.' " [14] The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. [15] But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant."

What caught my attention was verse 14, which immediately followed the cleansing of the temple. As soon as Jesus drove out of the temple those that were doing business, and selling and changing money, both ways of making a profit, the healing began. I guess previously I always stopped reading this account as Jesus finished the statement of true purpose of His house, being a house of prayer.

I think this is a sort of precedent - in the focusing of the church on God and relationship with Him, rather than money, profit and the trappings of religion, the way is opened up for the true work of the Lord, namely healing, deliverance, miracles, true praise and worship and prayer where we truly encounter God.

It's also interesting to note how once Jesus cleanses the temple, He starts ministering there. He actually makes His presence known, and people are drawn to Him. Oh, that this would be what draws people to the Church, the in-dwelling presence of Jesus. That when we enter church, we encounter the presence of God and He heals us and delivers us! That the joyful shouting would rise up in our churches because God has visited us, that healing and miracles were breaking out!

Lord, I pray that You would breathe on the Church and cleanse it once again, that we might make room for true worship and relationship with You (prayer). That You would come and fill the Church with Your presence and we would experience Your touch in healings, signs and wonders, miracles, and deliverance.

# In His Arms

## 2013-02-04

I was reading out of Matt 8 this morning. However, every time I closed my eyes for a second to meditate on the verses, I was falling back to sleep. So this morning I have spent most of my time resting in His presence. I was feeling a bit guilty, but then I remembered holding my kids when they were babies, and how much I liked it when they would nap in my arms. That is what I felt I was doing all morning, napping in the Lords arms, and He enjoyed it!

Lord, I am grateful that You enjoy the fact that we can come into Your presence and just be, nothing required, just resting in Your presence.

# Welcoming The Holy Spirit

## 2013-02-06

This morning I was reading from Acts 7, which is the story of Stephen, the first martyr. These particular verses caught my attention - Acts 7:51-53 NIV:

[51] "You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! [52] Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him--- [53] you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it."

Specifically, the end of verse 51, where he says "you always resist the Holy Spirit." This is such an important message for us. The danger for us all is that we resist the Holy Spirit, choosing instead to follow our own ways, our own thoughts, our own laws. Stephen's speech reminded them of all the things that God had done to guide them as a people, to bring them into relationship with Him. The people's response to this was consistent throughout history, they would ultimately reject God, kill or persecute the prophets that He sent, and instead choose to follow their own hearts.

Recently I have had a few longtime friends comment to me about how so many of the people that we know, who once were on fire for God, have walked away or lost any real passion for Him. That just breaks my heart, knowing that good friends have apparently walked away from God, and are choosing their own ways over His. I don't want to judge anyone's lives, for I don't know their circumstances nor their hearts. However, I think in general its quite clear that as a nation, many are walking away from God and choosing to give themselves to whatever they like, and this saddens me greatly. I don't think this happens in anyone's life quickly, but is rather a slow process brought about through little choices made daily, that result in slowly walking away from the things of God.

These thoughts cause me to reflect on my own life and evaluate if there are areas or things that the Holy Spirit has spoken to me that I am resisting? I am challenged to guard my life, and guard the treasure that is God's word in my life, making sure that I do not slowly slide away. I want to constantly be repositioning my feet to be squarely where God wants me, doing what God wants me to be doing. The good news is that the Lord helps me, and as the Holy Spirit reminds me of all that He has said to me, I only need to listen and obey.

That is the problem though - hearing and obeying. Stephen tells them they have uncircumcised hearts and ears. In other words they don't listen, nor do they allow the words that are spoken to change their hearts, and thus their actions. This is how they resist the Holy Spirit. As a parent I used to call this behavior selective hearing. When I would be telling one of my children to do something they didn't want to do, they would just stand there completely ignoring me, pretending they didn't even hear me.

Lord, help me to hear AND obey. Open my ears and my heart, and remind me of all that You have said to me, so that I might not resist. I want to welcome the Holy Spirit ever moment of every day! I am thankful that somehow, by Your mercy and grace, I am still following You. I am grateful that in spite of the hurt, and wounding and difficult circumstances, I have never thrown in the towel and walked away from You.

# Responsible Leaders

## 2013-02-07

This morning I am reading briefly from Ezra, as I don't have my usual amount of time to pray. I am in Ezra 9 and the following verses caught my eye:

Ezra 9:1-4 NIV

After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, "The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. [2] They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness." [3] When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. [4] Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice.

What really caught my eye was how the leaders and officials led the way in the unfaithfulness - the disobedience to God's law (verse 2). I think this shows two things:

1. The leaders felt they were above the rules that God had laid out for them.  
2. The people followed the leaders.

This is such a critical truth, and why we need to hold our leaders to a higher standard. I see this is also true in the ways of parenting, that where we lead, our children will follow. This is not true of everyone, as it wasn't true of everyone in this case, but the basic principle is accurate.

This is also why we need to pray for our nation's leaders and our church leaders, as where they go personally, many will follow. If they think the laws don't apply to them, so will the people. If they think they are entitled to special treatment and a life-long support from the government, so will the people. If they think their sinful lifestyles don't affect others they are wrong.

Lord, help us to discern clearly Your will and Your commands and live by them, not blindly following leaders who are not following You. We pray that You will break in and convict us of our unfaithful ways and lead us back to the path of truth. We pray especially for those that are leaders, that You will speak to them and show them the right path to life and obedience. We pray that all our leaders will recognize the responsibility they have to lead. That they will pursue righteousness, faithfulness and true justice.

# Faith - Accessing Eternity

## 2013-02-08

This morning I am reading out of John.

John 11:21-26 NIV  
"Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. [22] But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask." [23] Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." [24] Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." [25] Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; [26] and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

My focus on reading these verses was drawn to two statements. First, Martha's comment to Jesus that she knew that anything He asked of God, God would do - verse 22. What an incredible statement of faith, in her place of loss. I can almost see her starting to think that maybe Jesus was capable of raising her brother, but not quite sure yet, so she is feeling her way forward. Graham Cook calls this exploring the favor of God. She is encouraged by Jesus reply, and so is seeking clarification, and pressing further. I know that the Lord brings us all to these places of our need coupled with His favor. We need God to move and He is favoring us with His attention and willingness to move, so that our faith might be enlarged. I can see Martha's faith was starting to grow, even beyond where she presently believed.

Now that I think a about it, after this conversation with Jesus, Martha heads back to town to get her sister. I wonder if she was already convinced that Jesus was going to raise Lazarus, and wanted to make sure Mary was there. Regardless, in response to her growing faith she invites her sister to join her. When we start to encounter the Lord in the place of our pain, let us not forget those around us who are also hurting around us.

Lastly, Jesus statement, "I am the resurrection and the life." is mind blowing. He was still operating as fully man, and He hadn't yet been raised from the dead. He was reaching outside of time, into the eternal reality of who He is, and doing so as a man. In other words, this is something that any of us are capable of doing, reaching into the eternal reality from where we exist in time. Jesus came to demonstrate to us all what a human, who walks in obedience, is capable of doing. All His miracles, all the glorious experiences were done as a human, for He had laid aside His divinity. He was demonstrating our ability to reach into the heavenly realm and bring that reality here.

None of us are the resurrection or the life, but in the eternal reality of heaven we are all sons and daughters of God, whom He loves and cares for with infinite passion and zeal. There is an eternal reality that is accessible to us, through faith in Jesus and obedience to the Father. I believe this is what the gift of faith is about, for a moment we understand who we are, and what the Father wants to do through us and we step into that place of authority that we possess in the eternal reality and speak into the present. I believe that as we grow in faith and understanding, this type of experience can become more normal, for the Father wants us to emulate Jesus. Jesus himself said we will do these things and even greater.

John 14:12-14 NIV  
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. [13] And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14] You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Amen Lord!

# Our Call

## 2013-02-10

This morning I am reading from Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-16 NIV:

[1] "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. [2] Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. [3] Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. [4] There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; [5] one Lord, one faith, one baptism; [6] one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. [7] But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.

[11] So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, [12] to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up [13] until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. [14] Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. [15] Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. [16] From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."

A couple of things stand out:

1) We were called. Paul says this a few times in the course of the first few verses. It is so important to remember that we are called. The important point is that this call was initiated by God. In other words, He wants us. This was not a call we received by accident, but a call that was planned and initiated by God.

2) This 'call' is something that we all have received. This is not just a call to professional ministers, or the five-fold ministry listed later. It is, instead a call that we all receive to join the Body of Christ, and to take our place. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12, we are all part of one body, and although we don't all perform the same function, we are all important, and worthy of honor.

3) Paul's opening encouragement is that we live our lives worthy of the calling we have received. The NASB translates this statement as "... implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling..." The Greek could be translated to make the most of the opportunities to become the person you were called to be!

So in summary, we are ALL called by God, with a particular purpose and place, and we should endeavor to make the most of every opportunity to become the person we were meant to be, in God.

Amen Lord - helps us to hear and respond to Your call.

# God Is Speaking

## 2013-02-11

This morning I am reading from Isaiah 66:1-2, 4 NIV:

[1] This is what the Lord says: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? [2] Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?" declares the Lord. "These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.

[4] so I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring on them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me."

These verses are such a good reminder to me of a few things:

1. God reigns over all the earth, and created all things.  
2. God is looking with favor on those who are humble, have a correctable heart and spirit, and who look to the Lord for direction and guidance, basically those who listen and obey.  
3. God desires our interaction with Him, our attention and more than anything our love.

As I look at much of society around me, I am saddened that so many live unaware of God's love for them, His constant communication, and His calling out to them daily. As I was reading and writing yesterday, we are all called and there is a place in the Body of Christ for all. Lord we pray that You would open all our eyes and ears, that we might recognize Your amazing love and desire for us, and that You are speaking to us every day.

# Eyes on the Lord

## 2013-02-12

I was reading out of John this morning:

John 7:16-18 NIV  
Jesus answered, "My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. [17] Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. [18] Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.

How important it is to make sure that which we teach, that which we share is from the Lord. There are so many other voices out there, each vying for our attention, each trying to bring focus on other things. The message that glorifies the Lord, that points to Jesus, who points to the Father, is what we should be listening too, what we should hear.

I think of how often our approach in ministry is to build up the ministry so that more people can be touched, which although noble, is not the right focus. A focus on the ministry, for the sake of the people, pulls our eyes off the Lord and onto the people. A focus on anything else ultimately pulls our eyes off the Lord, and can cause us to lose our way. A ministry focused on the Lord, will impact the people, which will ultimately grow the ministry, but the focus must always be on bringing glory to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Amen Lord, help us to remain focused on You always.

# Our Family Inheritance

## 2013-02-13

I was just reading through Neh. 7, where they are listing the people who came back to Jerusalem. It is amazing how they kept their identities and roles in the temple straight by family. There is something very significant in family membership, in the Lord. I don't know that we fully grasp this, but it is clear that especially with the temple ministry, there was a handing down of ministry within family groups. The Levites, the Priests, the singers, etc., all were family groups. It is clear there are anointings that are given to families.

We don't really see this family delineation in the New Testament, but rather a joining into the Body of Christ, and a sense of wiping away all that differentiates, no Greek, no Jew, no slave, all one family, all one Body. However, the family groupings of the OT, were a foreshadowing of that which was to come. Lord, help me to understand.

As I was thinking more about this - I believe there is much to be said about understanding our identity and family relationship. In the Body of Christ we all are related directly to the Father, through Jesus. ( Romans 8:15, Eph. 1:5). We are adopted sons and daughters given authority and identify based on our new Father. I was reminded of the sorry of Moses and Joseph, both who were welcomed into different Pharaoh's households, one through adoption, one as a servant. In both cases they had the authority and identity of their family or household to back them.

I think we really need to understand even more than we know our identity as sons and daughters of the King. Especially since in the old testament model, anointing and calling were passed down within the family. If our Father is The Father then what gets passed down to us? For a hint, look to Jesus as the first fruits, and us as those that follow. His walk is an example to us, as to what we can experience, and expect in our lives.

Lord, help us to understand exactly who we are really - Your sons and daughters!

# Love and Perseverance

## 2013-02-14

I was just reading from Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians and one of his sentences caught my attention: 2 Thessalonians 3:5 NIV  
[5] "May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance."

I just really like the idea of God directing my heart into His love. What a perfect place to be found - in the love of God. His love is such a place of refuge for who would be found there. It is better than in our mother's arms, or behind our dad's legs. It is a place we can find rest and peace in the midst of everything being in a swirl around us. Whole books have been written about God's love.

The second phrase takes a bit more unpacking for me. Having my heart directed into the perseverance of Christ is not a common statement. There are not any bumper-stickers with this phrase written on them. The definition of perseverance is: continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition: the action or condition or an instance of persevering: steadfastness [Webster's definition].

As I read that definition I am reminded of that which Christ endured on my behalf. He endured the torture of being flogged, beaten, betrayed, stuck, humiliated and finally crucified. He took on himself all the punishment for my sins, He made a perfect sacrifice of His own Body and Blood that I might have eternal life. He did this all as a man, in the face of opposition from his family and even his friends. He set His eyes on the prize and that prize was me, that prize was you.

The perseverance of Christ is all about love. However, this is no flowery love or romantic expression, but rather a love demonstrated through sweat of blood, bruising and tearing of flesh, love unto death. This is love that we can count on in the worst moments of our life, for it is a love that endured through all pain and suffering. It is a love that was rock solid even in the face of all our sin.

Now that is a love that I can celebrate on this day when we celebrate love. I pray that the Lord continues to direct our hearts into His love and into Christ's perseverance.

# Times in the Desert

## 2013-02-15

Time in the Desert.

I have heard Graham Cooke talk about how he loves the times the Lord takes him into the desert and that has just never resonated with me. I've been in dry times before, desert experiences with the Lord, and I just wanted to go back to the sweet times of intimacy, communication and grace.

This morning I was reading through a few chapters in the Book of Joshua, and I saw something I hadn't really seen before - that the Israelites that were entering the promised land were a different people than those that had escaped Egypt 40 years earlier. Instead of a nation of slaves, they were a warring nation that was skilled in warfare and armed for warfare. Somewhere in the midst of the desert they had acquired swords and javelins, and learned how to use them. Somewhere in the desert they had lost the slave mentality, actually I think that identity died with the people who died in the desert.

As I was thinking about this, I realized that there is much to welcome about this experience in the desert, if I have the right attitude. I sometimes think that most of those 40 years were spent on changing the attitude and culture of the people. So, in the desert, the people were changed from slaves to free people who were able to fight for their freedom and possessions, they were given new identities. In the desert, they learned how to fight and how to wield weapons for warfare. Following their time in the desert they were able to move into their promise and occupy that place. They had a new attitude, a new identity, and new skills.

I now see the desert as a time of maturing, forming and forging of new identity and impartation of gifts and skills needed in my next season of blessing and increased territory. I think I understand more why Graham says he enjoys the desert times. They aren't really times of punishment but rather formation, preparing us for something greater in God, preparing us to step into and occupy the promises of God.

# The View From The Desert

## 2013-02-18

Continuing the theme of the desert, I am reading Psalm 63, which was written by David when he was in the desert of Judah. Read from the point of view of being in the desert, one gets a different perspective on this Psalm. I am just looking at the first six verses this morning.

Psalm 63:1-6 NIV  
You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. [2] I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. [3] Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. [4] I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. [5] I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. [6] On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.

First verse: He really was writing from a parched and dry land. This lack of water, this dryness reminded him of what he was missing, namely the presence of the Lord. Being in the Lord's presence, experiencing His touch refreshes more than any drink of water! Being in a place of lack, causes us to turn our hearts to what we need and be thankful for what we had previously. It's so easy to take the daily blessings, with which we are surrounded, for granted.

Second verse: In the desert there is a different type of power, that of oppressive heat, unrelenting sun, and lack of life. He is reminded of having been the opposite, and remembers again the life he has experienced in God. There is the shadow of God's wings, there is the banquet of God's blessing and there is the power of God's anointing. There is life in God!

Third and fourth verse: He is at a place where he is getting a good look at his life, and probably even wondering if he will survive, and I this place of thought and reflection He is seeing that which is truly important, God's love. There is nothing like hardship to help re-evaluate one's life and priorities. He sees this and sets the course for his life. He is committed to praising God, to living out the remainder of His life with a single focus, with an unchanging priority.

Fifth verse: He recognizes once again that the promises of God are true, that if He seeks God, if He turns to God, if He makes the Lord his shepherd, He will feast abundantly on God's presence. He is likely without sufficient food and water, but I that place of physical longing, his spiritual longing is even stronger. I think at this point he has remembered the promises of God, and has grabbed hold of them, for now he is not just remembering, but grabbing hold and claiming the promises.

Sixth verse: When he was living at home, he didn't have to keep watch in the night, so being awake at night might have been a new experience. Depending on the desert, the night could be the time where you can actually move about and travel because the heat is not so oppressive. There is much that goes on in the night, and being alert and awake can be a requirement. As one sits alone in the dark, our minds wander and reflect and his thoughts are drawn again and again to the Lord, probably in response to the Lord calling his name.

Desert places are designed to help us to refocus, to review our lives, and gain a new perspective on the blessings we already experience, and provide the opportunity to change. If we turn our eyes to the Lord, turn our mind and thoughts towards Him, we will gain understanding of His love for us, and His awesome provision and blessing.

# Chosen, Called and Sent

## 2013-02-19

Last night I was reading from Acts 13, about the early ministry of Paul.

Acts 13:1-5, 44-52 NIV  
Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. [2] While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." [3] So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. [4] The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. [5] When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.

[44] On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. [45] When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him. [46] Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: "We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. [47] For this is what the Lord has commanded us: " 'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.' " [48] When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed. [49] The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. [50] But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. [51] So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. [52] And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

I was most encouraged by the direction and encouragement of the Holy Spirit, and also the sense of that which Paul and Barnabas must have ministered. There was the calling out, the sending off, the moving in power and authority and finally in the face of persecution, the infilling of Holy Spirit and joy. There appears to be great assurance available in the Lord.

My heart wonders how many people in the church today have this sense of purpose, this assurance of their role and calling? Now I know there are hundreds if not thousands of Christians in the regions mentioned here in Acts and we never hear about many of their callings or ministries, but that does not mean that they didn't have them, or operate in them.

I believe that we have, in large part, lost our sense of ministry, our understanding of our missions, and the purpose to our calls at the individual level. I think that so often the focus of the church is to grow and gather as many people as possible, in part to build their ability to operate ministries, and influence areas, which is not all bad. What I think is missing is the focus on personal calls and missions. I think this is lost in the model we have operating in most churches with professional ministers, whose job it is to minister. Often the idea is that the rest of the people are in their (the senior pastor's) churches to serve their vision of ministry.

I am reminded of a verses from 1 Peter 2:9 NIV:  
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

This is true of all of us, every single member of the Body of Christ. We were chosen. We are royal priests (just think on that for a while). We are set apart, holy. We are God's special possession that He purchased with His own blood. Each of us, individually! We have been called out with a specific purpose.

My prayer is that we all recognize our call, our purpose and the ministry we have been called into by God. For the vast majority of us that does not mean a job as a minister, but rather ministry in our daily walks, within the place of employment, or our families, or some other sphere of influence. In no way is this any less significant than the ministry of Paul and Barnabas. We have all been called, we have all been chosen, we have all been set apart, we all are priests/ministers, and the Holy Spirit wants to encourage us in this and send us out!

Lord, I pray that You would speak to us all, and show us this truth.

# Remember the Lord's Love

## 2013-02-20

This morning I am reading from Psalm 77. I love this psalm as it is such an accurate record of where my heart has been, and it reminds me what to do when I am waiting for the Lord. It starts out with a cry for God's help, and waiting for Him. So often, in our place of need, we forget about the goodness of God, and can only see the difficulties that surround us. This psalm reminds me to change the way I am thinking.

Psalm 77:1, 7-14 NIV  
[1] I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me.

[7] "Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? [8] Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? [9] Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion? "

[10] Then I thought, "To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. [11] I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. [12] I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds." [13] Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? [14] You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.

Reminding ourselves of the truth, remembering the ways the Lord has moved, thinking on these things, stirs our faith. God is faithful and trustworthy. As we meditate on these things we learn to see from God's perspective, and see how He moves. God does not forget us. His love is unfailing. He is merciful and full of compassion. He will come. He will move!

It is good to remember how quickly we forget. We need to learn to remind ourselves of what God has done in our lives and draw on these thoughts when we are confronted with difficulty. God called Israel to construct altars and memorials to remind them of times when He intervened. We should each have our list of times when God answered prayers, or moved on our behalf, that we can turn to when we are struggling or feeling forgotten by God.

# Of Mercy and Judgment

## 2013-02-21

I am reading from James this morning.

James 2:12-13 NIV  
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, [13] because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

This is an interesting verse for it speaks about the law that gives 'freedom', or in other translations 'liberty'. It's interesting to think of a law that gives freedom, as most laws in some way restrict freedom. The original Greek could be translated freed from slavery, which we can understand as something similar to the emancipation proclamation of this country. Jesus death purchased for us freedom from judgment under the law. He paid the debt, and released us from any obligation. In the same way that some people continued to live as if slavery was still legal, after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, we can find ourselves still living as if under the old law. We are called to live under the new law, and the best way to tell if we are is if we are operating in mercy or judgment.

Mercy is defined as compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one's power; also : lenient or compassionate treatment (Webster's). So, how we treat others who sin either against us, or are caught in sin, would be a good point of examination in our lives. Are we quick to judge someone's actions? Are we mistrustful or even jaded in our response to people? Do we give people a second chance, a third or even a forth?

I am reminded of one of the parables Jesus told about the man who had been forgiven much as follows: Matthew 18:21-35 NIV  
[21] "Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?" [22] Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."  
[23] "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. [24] As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. [25] Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. [26] "At this the servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' [27] The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. [28] "But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. [29] "His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.' [30] "But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. [31] When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. [32] "Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. [33] Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' [34] In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. [35] "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart."

So, let us examine our lives and see if we operate out of mercy or judgment, for are called to be merciful. We need to live our lives as under the law that brings freedom and liberty, and extend what we have been given to all those around us, whether in the Body of Christ or not. Let our lives be filled with mercy, not judgment.

# Reflection on Psalm 141:1-4

## 2013-02-23

Psalm 141:1-4 NIV  
I call to you, Lord, come quickly to me; hear me when I call to you. [2] May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice. [3] Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. [4] Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deeds along with those who are evildoers; do not let me eat their delicacies.

As I read these verses, they are each a prayer of mine. Lord that You would come quickly when I call to you, for You are my source for life and light. That my prayers may be full of thanksgiving, and praise to Your Holy Name. That I might be careful of my words. That my witness in my words would be consistent with my heart and my pursuit of You. Finally, that my heart and mind would not be drawn in by the deceptive allurement of evil, which never appears evil at the onset. Help me to see the end result of all, and choose life and obedience to You in every opportunity. Lord, I want my heart to be drawn to You and You alone. Amen Lord.

# Mining the Introduction

## 2013-02-24

This morning I am reading from Peter's Second Letter:

2 Peter 1:1-3 NIV  
[1] "Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: [2] Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. [3] His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."

So often I just skip past the introduction statement in the different letters in the Bible, thinking that they are just greetings and such. I want to get to the meat of the message. As I stopped myself from doing that this morning, I looked closer at the statement's Peter makes and was encouraged.

His first line - "To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours" has such an important point, namely that it is through the righteousness of God and Jesus that we even can have a faith, that we receive it (faith). It is a gift, made possible by God. Faith is not something we work up, but something we receive. If we don't have enough faith, we need to ask for more! I am reminded of the story in Mark 9:24 where the father of the boy who suffered seizures cried out, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Amen Lord, I need more faith.

His second line is equally loaded - "Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord." I know many times I have asked for peace and prayed for grace. Peter is saying that these two things are accessible in abundance through our knowledge of God. The Greek word Peter uses is Epignosis, which means precise and correct knowledge. This type of knowledge, when speaking about another person, can only be acquired through intimacy and conversation. So the more we really know God, the more peace and grace we will experience, and this will come through times of intimacy and conversation - which I call prayer. We can't just yell serenity now, and expect it to happen! :-)

His third line starts with - "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life...". What an awesome reminder of God's all sufficient Love. He calls us to follow Him, but He also gives us everything we need to be able to follow Him. If following Him meant climbing a mountain, He would be providing us all the mountain climbing gear, clothing and knowledge we needed to follow Him. Again, He HAS provided this for us, so if we don't have anything, we just need to ask. I like to think that the store is open, and everything has already been paid for, all I need to do is ask for what I need.

What an awesome set of verses, packed full of good things and encouragement! I am glad I stopped to read His introduction statements.

# Grace, Truth and Freedom

## 2013-02-25

This morning I was reading through the first chapter of John, which is one very deep chapter. One statement, verse 17, realty grabbed my attention:

John 1:17 NIV  
"For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.". Another translation says grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. The Greek word translated either came or realized is 'Ginomai'

Definition  
1. to become, i.e. to come into existence, begin to be, receive being  
2. to become, i.e. to come to pass, happen a. of events  
3. to arise, appear in history, come upon the stage a. of men appearing in public  
4. to be made, finished a. of miracles, to be performed, wrought  
5. to become, be made

So in other words, grace and truth really were birthed into our experience by Jesus. This doesn't mean that grace and truth didn't exist before Jesus, came to earth, but rather is pointing back to Jesus' pre-existence and His superiority over the law. All truth is found in Jesus, for all things were made through Him. All grace is found in Jesus, for only He came and paid the price for all our sins, and took the punishment we all deserve upon Himself. This grace and truth that was revealed in Jesus surpassed the Law, and established a new revelation or dispensation. Paul writes much about this in his letter to the Romans.

It's important to remember that John was writing this many years after Jesus death, and there was a group of Jewish believers who were trying to force the law onto the Gentiles. Additionally, John is addressing several of the heretical ideas that were abounding early on, and was setting things straight. Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus existed in Heaven before the world was created. Jesus came to earth as a man. Jesus was the Son of God, and was uniquely able to reveal the Father to us. Jesus is the one and only savior.

Ultimately Jesus came to set us free. The grace and truth that He established, that came into being through Him, set us free from the requirements of the law. [31] To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. [32] Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32 NIV

Amen Lord, we want to be set free and experience the fullness of Your grace and truth.

# Welcoming Trials - Yikes!

## 2013-02-26

This morning I am reading from James - one of those personally challenging verses.

James 1:2-4 NIV  
[2] "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, [3] because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. [4] Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

When I read a verse like this, I tend to quickly move on without wanting to really meditate on it, as it clearly is talking about personal discomfort. I don't like thinking about, or even worse, experiencing personal discomfort. I think of the saying - no pain, no gain - and I think I prefer the latter of the two statements. :-)

Embracing difficulty, welcoming it, and considering it pure joy, is not a normal response. My natural flesh crawls at the suggestion of difficulty, or lack, or anything other than what I want. Not only do I want things that comfort me, I want them now!

How different the mentality that James is speaking of here. We are encouraged to look beyond our present circumstances, and see the end result, and know that the end result is far better. Far-sightedness is not something we cultivate in our present culture. This is thinking like a great chess player, seeing that good which will come about through near-term sacrifice. Having an eternal mindset, or kingdom mindset is so important for us to cultivate, for that is our ultimate destiny.

Jesus spoke numerous times about eternal life, as the reward. He spoke constantly about the Kingdom of God, here and present and as the great treasure. We are called to something much greater than just going through life, going to school, working, relaxing on weekends, etc. We are called to be part of the single greatest thing in all the universe - eternal life with God.

I am reminded of a few verses in Matthew 13:44-46 NIV:  
[44] "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. [45] "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. [46] When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it."

I would probably go through quite a bit of hardship to secure a great treasure. We have TV shows where all the contestants are competing in difficult challenges to win the huge cash prize. We can understand these things, yet remain mostly disconnected or unconcerned about the opportunity to experience the greatest treasure. James was speaking as one who had already discovered this great treasure and was encouraging others into that place of maturity in their faith in God, and participation in the Kingdom of God.

Lord, help me to develop an eternal mindset, and help me to see the great treasure before me, so that I am willing to pursue this joyfully at any cost!

# Yada, Yada, Yada

## 2013-02-27

This morning I am reading from Hosea, by way of Matthew 12:7. The sixth verse from Hosea 6 was quoted by Jesus as a rebuke to the Pharisee's when they were questioning the disciples gleaning of a few heads of grain on the Sabbath. The point that Jesus was making is that they missed the point of the law, that of knowing God and His ways. Here are the verses from Hosea:

Hosea 6:3-4, 6 NIV  
Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. " [4] "What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears. [6] For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

Three times in these verses we see the word acknowledgement, which is translated from the Hebrew word - yada (thus my title). Although translated in the NIV acknowledgement, the word yada might be better translated to know. Here are excerpts from the definition:

b. to know, learn to know  
1a c. to perceive  
1a d. to perceive and see, find out and discern  
1a e. to discriminate, distinguish  
1a f. to know by experience  
1a g. to recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess  
1a h. to consider  
1. to know, be acquainted with  
2. to know (a person carnally)  
3. to know how, be skillful in  
4. to have knowledge, be wise

\- so much more than just acknowledgement.

In the verses from Hosea, if we replace acknowledgement with know ( in the full sense above) it would read:

Let us know the Lord; let us press on to know him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. " [6] For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowing of God rather than burnt offerings.

That is my encouragement this morning, to know God. I do not want to be satisfied with how much I know Him now, but want to press on to know Him more. I want to have the knowing of God to be my great pursuit. Religion and the Law were meant to point us to God. He is the great treasure, not the rules or way of life. Let us make sure we love the Lord more than church!

Let us know (yada) the Lord and His ways, let us press on to know (yada) Him more, let us make this pursuit of knowing (yada) Him our life goal! It gives new meaning to yada, yada, yada! (Sorry Jerry)

# Sorrow and Joy

## 2013-02-28

This morning I was reminded of a verse, 2 Corinthians 7:10 NIV: "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." I was thinking of how the point of sorrow (for our sins) is to bring us to God, through a changing of our heart and mind (repentance). It is in that place that we recognize the great gift we have been given, and there is thankfulness and even joy. I pray that we would learn to see this in our own lives and in how we treat others, extending to them what we receive from the Lord. Really it's an amazing trade - we bring our sorrow, our sins, our guilt and bring them to the Lord, and He gives us forgiveness, salvation and joy. I am reminded of a great song by Darrell Evans called "Trading My Sorrows" whose opening lines are as follows:

I'm trading my sorrow  
I'm trading my shame  
I'm laying it down for the joy of the Lord

I'm trading my sickness  
I'm trading my pain  
I'm laying it down for the joy of the Lord

What a great a great message of hope and joy. Our God has already paid the price for our sin, and extends mercy and has compassion for us all. Rather than reject us, He invites us into relationship. Help us to recognize this reality and turn towards You Lord!

# Clothed in Virtue

2013-03-01

This morning I am reading out of Colossians 3:12-14 NIV:  
[12] "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. [13] Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. [14] And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

This is such a beautiful set of verses. The Greek word here translated 'clothe' means to sink into, to be enveloped by, and the root of the word is used to describe the setting sun. So if we were writing the expanded version of this verse, it would read something like this:

Therefore... be enveloped and covered, to the point where your former self is obscured from view, in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Allow yourself to sink into these virtues, so that you are completely covered, and that is what people encounter when they meet you.

Amen Lord, help me to walk this out in my life daily.

# Released Into Our Destiny

## 2013-03-03

This morning I am thinking through the story, found in Mark's Gospel, of the crazy man from The Gerasenes.

Mark 5:1-5 NIV  
They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. [2] When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. [3] This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. [4] For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. [5] Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

This is how the man was when he encountered Jesus. The following verses describe how he was after meeting Jesus.

Mark 5:18-20 NIV  
As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. [19] Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." [20] So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

What I was thinking through this morning was the radical change, and new destiny that Jesus had released in this man. His life previously was one of insanity, violence, self-loathing, self-hatred, loneliness, rejection, and demonic torment. Once Jesus cleansed him of all that was affecting him, in this case it was spiritual, he was a completely transformed man. Even more important was the direction the Lord gave him, to go home and tell his own people about what the Lord had done, effectively releasing him as one of the first evangelists. Not content to just share with his family and friends this men went to the decapolis - 10 cities - and shared with them all as well.

So a man goes from certifiable, and beyond institutional care, crazy to being an evangelist ministering in 10 cities because of one significant encounter with Jesus. Wow!

Jesus saw the man beneath the chains and insanity. Jesus, through the help of the Father and Holy Spirit, saw the man as he was created to be and called him into that place.

This is what the Lord wants to do in each of our lives! He wants to free us from the chains of unbelief, wrong thinking, our past hurts and wounds, our rejection our bitterness, our past and release us, not to just live normal lives, but to have impact on all those around us! He sees us as we really are, as we were created to be, and longs to call us into that reality! He loves us enough to walk into the graveyard, where all our hopes and dreams have died or are chained up, and set us free! He won't stop there, for once we are free He will call us into our eternal destiny, that which we were created to be.

Come Lord Jesus and release Your sons and daughters from all that holds us back from our eternal destiny!

# The Word That Brings Faith

## 2013-03-04

This morning I am reading from Mark 5:22-24, 35-43 NIV:  
Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. [23] He pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." [24] So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him.

[35] While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher anymore?" [36] Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, "Don't be afraid; just believe."

[37] He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. [38] When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. [39] He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." [40] But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. [41] He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"). [42] Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. [43] He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

I love this story for the hope it gives those in great need. This morning as I was reading my eyes were drawn to the words of Jesus in verse 36, "Don't be afraid; just believe."

Five simple words (or in the Greek - four), spoken from the Lord can radically change our life. This wasn't some statement from Peter Pan, to believe in magic, but rather the strong encouragement to believe in Jesus and the reality of the Kingdom He was proclaiming and demonstrating. The man had just seen a woman healed by touching Jesus clothes (verses 25-34 excluded here for brevity), and he had clearly heard about Jesus' abilities to heal, and had sought him out. He was moving in faith, but then he received the pronouncement that his daughter was dead, and that growing faith died quickly and was replaced by fear. Fear of death, fear of loss, fear of pain, sorrow and grief started washing over the man.

Jesus is not afraid of these and so stood and commanded the man, 'deny the fear its hold over you, and believe and put your trust in Me!' (My paraphrase of the Greek)

This command wasn't to convince himself in his mind, it wasn't to change the way he was thinking, it was both a command and an impartation of the Holy Spirit, for faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit, not a mental belief. The word of Jesus, destroyed the fear and doubt and buoyed the man up out of his grief. His heart was filled with an unshakable belief in the Lord.

If we are in need, let us pursue the Lord. Let us trust in Him! Let us pray for faith! Let us look to Him and listen to Him, not those around us with their own opinions of what is happening. The Lord was not swayed by the pronouncements of the people, nor their derision. He knew what would happen, what was destined to happen, so believing what He said was the right thing. In the same way let us seek the Lord and hear what He has to say - for His word brings faith.

# Biblical Understatement

## 2013-03-05

Continuing my meditation on Mark 5, I was just rereading the final few verses of the chapter and thought it was funny how understated the translation sometimes is, compared to the reality of the situation, and even compared to the original Greek. Here are the last three verses:

Mark 5:41-43 NIV  
He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"). [42] Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. [43] He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

I was focused specifically on the end of verse 42 - "at this they were completely astonished". Maybe it's just me, but I think those words just do not convey what was going on in the room. I think of astonishment as mild to significant surprise, kind of like you got an awesome birthday gift. It's pretty good, even awesome, but still probably not life changing.

The Greek words describing this scene are "Ekstasis megas". It doesn't even take a knowledge of Greek to figure out the meaning, but I will include here a couple of the translations:

Ekstasis:

A throwing of the mind out of its normal state, alienation of mind, whether such as makes a lunatic or that of a man who by some sudden emotion is transported as it were out of himself, so that in this rapt condition, although he is awake, his mind is drawn off from all surrounding objects and wholly fixed on things divine that he sees nothing but the forms and images lying within, and thinks that he perceives with his bodily eyes and ears realities shown him by God.

Megas:

Used of intensity and its degrees: with great effort, of the affections and emotions of the mind, of natural events powerfully affecting the senses: violent, mighty, strong.

So, applying the translation - the people in the room, upon seeing their dead daughter stand up and walk around were filled with great, violent, and strong ecstasy. So great was there amazement that they were like people who had lost their minds, celebrating and weeping and just overwhelmed in amazement.

Now that sounds more like what I would do if my son or daughter, who was dead for hours, stood up and walked around. His daughter had been dead long enough that the professional mourners, and friends and family had already gathered. She had been dead long enough, that the man's servants had left his home to tell him she was died, and the man was still a ways off and walking toward them with Jesus. She was dead, not breathing, not moving, probably even starting to stiffen by the time they arrived. Yet when Jesus took her hand and spoke two words to her, she sat up, got out of bed and started walking around. I think it was complete bedlam in that room, screaming, crying , hugging, weeping, laughing, yelling, more hugging, more screaming, falling on their faces before Jesus, jumping up to hug their daughter again, on and on! It was carrying on so long, finally Jesus had to break in and tell them to get her something to eat! Now that sounds like Ekstasis Megas!

Lord, that's what I want to see! I want to see You do things through Your church that causes all heaven to break loose in the room! I want to see people seem to lose their minds out of complete amazement and joy! Lord, I don't want the calm, understated experiences that sometimes are our experience of church and the decorum we think we need to maintain. I want to see You release, in our midst, such awesomeness that we can't contain our emotions, and everyone rejoices violently (in a good way)!!!

# Our Choice

## 2013-03-06

This morning I am reading out of Gen 45, where Joseph reveals himself to his brothers, after they come to him for food when he is the Lord over Egypt.

Genesis 45:4-8 NIV  
[4] "Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! [5] And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. [6] For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. [7] But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. [8] "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt."

As I was reading through this, I was thinking about Joseph and his heart. Rather than harbor resentment and bitterness toward his brothers, he saw the bigger picture. He recognized the hand of God, and the way the Lord had provided through Joseph, for his entire family. Clearly it did not look anything like what he had thought when he first had the dreams. The path to the fulfillment of the word, was full of difficulty and struggle, but God's purpose had not been thwarted.

When I think deeper on his life, it was quite the journey. He went from being the cherished son, to being a slave. Although he experienced much favor as a slave he ultimately ended up as a prisoner. He had experienced major setbacks along the way, gone from bad to worse and back again, and in the midst of it all, he didn't lose his faith or his perspective. He knew that God had spoken a promise to him, and he held onto it, probably as the only shred of hope during his darkest days.

Rather than pay his brothers back, or exact any revenge, other than playing some mind games on them, his heart was full of love and mercy. I like to think that his life is an example of how we can choose forgiveness over bitterness, mercy over judgment, belief over unbelief, love over hate. He didn't give up, he didn't give in, he held onto that which God had spoken. He was a man who did not let the bad things that happened to him define him, but allowed them to refine his character.

I am encouraged by all this and know that if I hold onto the promises of God, and choose God's path every day, regardless of the struggles or difficulty I encounter, God's promise will be fulfilled and I will be a man who has been refined to look like my Savior.

As Peter says in 1 Peter 4:12 NIV: [12]. "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.". For difficulty and trouble are likely to come our way, it's how we choose to live in the midst of them that is important. Amen Lord, help me!

The Apple of God's Eye!

## 2013-03-08

Psalm 17:6-8 NIV  
[6] "I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. [7] Show me the wonders of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes. [8] Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings..."

I have always loved these versus from Psalm 17, as there is a confidence in David's prayer, an expectation of God's intervention and love. He knew that when he prayed to God, God would hear! He knew that God would save him, if he needed saving. He knew the place of God's favor, understanding God's special love and affection for him.

The thing that I really like is the fact that this is all true for me as well, and true for all of us! I am the apple of God's eye! I am sheltered beneath the shadow of His wings. I am the one that He listens to when I pray! This is true for each of us. God loves each of us as much as He loved David. Lord, help us to know the reality of this in our lives!

# A New Song

## 2013-03-11

This morning I am reading out of Psalm 98:1-3 NIV:

[1] "Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. [2] The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. [3] He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God."

Such a good verse to start the week with, as I am reminded of the goodness of God and the fact that He has done marvelous things. We were talking yesterday in church about remembering the good things He has done in our life, not the things we wish He would do. Focusing on the good things He has done establishes gratitude in our hearts and cultivates a harvest of joy and peace in our lives. Lord, help me to live a grateful life. Help me to focus on the things I have already received, rather than the things I would like to receive. Lord, put a new song of gratitude in my heart today! Amen Lord!

# A Prisoner of Hope?

## 2013-03-12

This morning I felt I should read Zechariah 9:9-12, 14-17 NIV:

[9] Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. [10] I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. [11] As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit. [12] Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.

[14] Then the Lord will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning. The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet; he will march in the storms of the south, [15] and the Lord Almighty will shield them. They will destroy and overcome with slingstones. They will drink and roar as with wine; they will be full like a bowl used for sprinkling the corners of the altar. [16] The Lord their God will save his people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. [17] How attractive and beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women.

As I was reading these verses, verse 12 caught my attention - "Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you." - specifically the phrase "you prisoners of hope"! What an interesting phrase and thought. Are there people who are prisoners of hope? A strange thought, as normally I would think most prisoners have lost hope, or trying to hold onto hope, at least they are not imprisoned by it.

However, I think there are people who are trapped in situations, who got there because they had hope that things would change. I think of people trapped in bad marriages, bad jobs, bad circumstances, all of which didn't start that way. I think of people who find themselves hoping and praying for a way out, yet believing things might get better. I think of people who find themselves thinking - " I didn't sign up for this!". I think of people who are loyal to a fault, hopeful to a fault and not wanting to give up their hope.

The word for those who find themselves in this situation is to return to your fortress - to Your God. In Psalms the Lord is called 'my fortress' seventeen different times. He intends to be a fortress for each of us. A place we can run to, a place we can take refuge, a place where we are safe and secure in the midst of the battle. Another word for fortress is stronghold. I like that word, because I separate it and think about God having a strong hold on me. God doesn't lose His grip, ever.

Finally, the promise of God is that He will restore twice as much to you! The time frame is immediate in the original language. Rather than even now, it could easily be translated "this very day, this very moment". Although this prophecy was speaking of the day of the Lord, when Jesus came to earth, and established His Kingdom, it is true this day as well. Jesus is King! He has come! He does reign from His throne! He is the giver of good things, the restorer of our relationship to the Father. He won't just give us what we lost, but twice as much. What an encouragement - Thank You Lord.

# Wealth and True Riches

## 2013-03-13

I was reading Luke 18 last evening and was thinking about the following verses this morning:

Luke 18:24-30 NIV  
[24]. Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! [25] Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."

[26] Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?" [27] Jesus replied, "What is impossible with man is possible with God."

[28] Peter said to him, "We have left all we had to follow you!" [29] "Truly I tell you," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God [30] will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life."

I was thinking about and researching Jesus' reply to Peter's statement, as this is often misquoted or misunderstood. It is claimed as a promise by the proponents of the prosperity gospel, as a way to lay claim to greater, or manifold blessings in this age. It is also, at times, focused on by those who believe Jesus wouldn't have said anything about material blessings, and could only mean spiritual blessings now, and maybe material blessings in heaven.

If I look at the verses and their progression carefully, I get a slightly different perspective. First of all, Jesus was speaking about the Kingdom of God, and how hard it is for someone whose sole focus is money to enter the Kingdom of God. They are unwilling to leave or let go all they have to pursue Him. The context was the rich young man who couldn't lay down his riches to follow Christ, and it was clearly being discussed from that context.

Second, most of what Jesus lists, other than the person's house, are all relationships, and even the word used for house means much more than just physical things, but includes relationships. So most of what was left by the apostles was relationships.

Third, He was addressing the apostles, and other followers who had left all to follow Him and be a part of the Kingdom of God, many at His personal invitation. This was a very specific answer to a very specific question, for a specific group, in a specific context.

Fourth, what they receive back is going to be the same sort of things they left behind, treasure in relationships both in this present age or time and in heaven. There is no doubt that the apostles found this to be true, as many people opened their homes to them, they had many rich and deep relationships, and they were blessed to see the Kingdom expanded beyond what they could even imagine.

This was not about ownership of new stuff, that was the rich young man's problem. He couldn't give up control, or ownership of all his stuff. That was what Jesus was addressing. That is what we are called to do in the Kingdom, to put that which we have stewardship over, under the King's dominion and control. If we are able to walk in that, we will receive the blessings of open homes and hearts, deep relationships and friendships.

In the Kingdom, everything revolves around our relationships, and the great treasure is our relationship with Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit, and each other. We must be willing to lay down our stuff to receive what really matters, namely relationships. This doesn't mean that God won't bless us financially, or materially, but the focus is clearly on relationships.

Amen Lord, help me to focus on that which really matters, that which really makes me rich - relationships! Help me to put everything else under Your dominion.

# Joy and Endurance

## 2013-03-14

This morning in opening my Bible, I turned to Luke 18:31-34 NIV:

[31] "Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. [32] He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; [33] they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again." [34] The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about."

As I read those words, I thought about the great courage Jesus had in His obedience. Jesus knew full well what He was walking into, yet chose freely to continue forward. I was reminded of Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV:

[1] "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, [2] fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. [3] Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

The author of the letter to the Hebrews ascribes joy as the motivation of Jesus as He went to the cross and experienced His passion and death, the mocking, insults, beating and flogging. I was listening to someone recently describing the joy of the Lord as something very powerful, and something that we in the western church often overlook or view with disdain in our efforts toward piety. It was for the joy set before Him that Jesus endured the cross. Joy was His anchor in the midst of the suffering and beating He endured. Joy was something the enemy could not steal, could not destroy and could not kill. Joy is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, and with it comes courage and endurance.

Finally as I was looking through some of the verses where Jesus speaks of joy, I saw these from John 16:22-24 NIV:

[22] "So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. [23] In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. [24] Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."

Joy is the natural response to understanding and experiencing the redemption and salvation of Jesus, and walking in intimacy with Him. Joy is the natural response to answered prayer, and seeing God working in our lives, and the lives of those around us. Let us ask the Lord for more joy in our lives, for it is found in very good company, namely endurance and courage, and it strengthens our souls.

# Open Eyes, Mind, and Spirit

## 2013-03-15

This morning I have been reading a few verses speaking about our eyes being opened:

Luke 24:45 NIV  
Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.

Luke 24:31 NIV  
Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.

John 4:35 NIV  
Don't you have a saying, 'It's still four months until harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.

This morning I am meditating on the need to have my mind and spiritual eyes opened to the reality that exists in God. So often in my daily life I am completely unaware of the things that are happening around me in the spiritual realm. I want my eyes to be opened that I might recognize the movement of the Holy Spirit, that I might recognize Christ in those around me, and the opportunity to advance the Kingdom of God that is all around me. I want Jesus to open my mind, that I might perceive Him, and His word, and understand.

Lord, You call us to follow You, to be like You, to be Your representatives. To do so effectively we need to operate in the same levels of perception and discernment. I pray that You will touch me and open my eyes, my spirit and my mind.

# When Under Attack

## 2013-03-16

Psalm 54:1-2, 4 NIV  
[1] "Save me , O God, by your name; vindicate me by your might. [2] Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth. [4] Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me."

This morning I opened my Bible to Psalm 54, which David wrote while being pursued by Saul, and was experiencing a betrayal by the Ziphites, who he thought would shelter him. Although some of the rest of the Psalm is focused on David's prayers against those who are attacking him, I am focused on his reliance on God. He recognized that his only real help was in God. By depending on God, he would be saved and vindicated.

Interestingly, both times after the Ziphites betrayed David to Saul, David was given the opportunity to slay Saul, the first time in the cave, the second time in Saul's tent while he slept. ( 1 Sam 23:19 - Chapter 24 & 1 Sam 26 ). However, David, understanding that God would vindicate him and fight for him, did not raise his hand against Saul. This is such a hard thing to do, but especially important when the ones who are attacking are friends or brothers or sisters. David recognized that it was not his place to judge and convict, but God's. Jesus calls us to love our enemies, to pray for those who persecute us (Matt 5:44) and David's example here is quite instructional.

Lord help me to look to You and trust You to sustain me and vindicate me when I am following Your will and being judged or misunderstood because of that.

Amen Lord!

# Praying For Our Enemies

## 2013-03-17

Continuing the theme from yesterday - dealing with attacks and enemies.

Psalm 17:14 NIV  
By your hand save me from such people, Lord, from those of this world whose reward is in this life. May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies; may their children gorge themselves on it, and may there be leftovers for their little ones.

I was thinking about this verse and how I would likely understand this as God bringing punishment upon these people, and I think maybe David, in writing this, had some thought along those lines. However, when we look at the perfect example Jesus presented of the Father's heart, we don't see this type of heart. Jesus, when He was beaten, bruised and crucified, prayed for those that did that to Him.

I am reminded of Jonah, who was angry that God relented in His judgment against Ninevah, because the people repented after Jonah warned them. Jonah 4:1-2 NIV: "But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. [2] He prayed to the Lord, "Isn't this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.". We think that God should punish bad people, but God's heart is too bless and forgive.

I was listening to Graham Cooke and he described how the Lord had him give money anonymously to one of the ministers who was personally attacking Graham on a weekly basis. On top of the giving money, the Lord asked Graham to pray blessing over this man that was attacking him. What a radical departure from our normal way of dealing with our enemies.

So in following this line of thinking, as I pray Psalm 17:14, I will be asking God to pour forth what He has stored for those who attack me - blessings, love, forgiveness and mercy!

# The Shining Church

## 2013-03-19

This morning I am revisiting one of my favorite verses in Isaiah 60:1-5 NIV:

[1] "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.  
[2] See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.  
[3] Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.  
[4] "Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the hip.  
[5] Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.

I love these verses because I think they convey so clearly the Lord's heart and call for the Church, the Body of Christ. We are called to rise up and shine with the Glory of God. We are called to be a light to a darkened world. The only way to be a light, is to be full of light. Jesus called himself the light of the world (John 8:12) and we are called to walk in His Light, to be filled with Him. We aren't just supposed to have better programs, or more beautiful buildings, although those are fine. We are supposed to have Him, shining out so brightly that world sees and is drawn to this light. When those in the world see Jesus shining out of the Church, they will bring their sons and daughters, the real wealth and riches of the nations.

Lord, we pray that the Church will learn to shine, learn to be filled with You, with Your light, with Your life and with Your Love. Lord, we pray that Your Glory would rise over the Church and she would shine brighter and brighter in these dark days.

# Our Life's Pursuit

## 2013-03-21

This morning I am reading from Philippians 3:7-16 NIV  
[7] "But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. [8] What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ [9] and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ---the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. [10] I want to know Christ---yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, [11] and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

[12] Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. [13] Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

[15] All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. [16] Only let us live up to what we have already attained."

What an awesome set of verses. Here is Paul, essentially throwing away all he had previously attained because he has discovered the all surpassing greatness of Christ Jesus. His prayer is to be found in Christ, and know him. He is not just choosing the best parts (the resurrection) and leaving the things that seem less lovely (His sufferings) but rather embracing all that is to be found in Christ Jesus. He is not settling for one experience, but pressing on daily, pursuing God with purpose. He understands that there is much more to be discovered, understood and experienced and he is going for it. He is not limiting himself by what he has experienced in the past, or his previous achievements, but rather is each day running this race, fighting this fight, pursuing Christ and working to attain that which Jesus called him to do.

I like his statement in verse 15 - "All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things". Not just some of us, but all of us. This is not the call for some few, specially chosen holy people, but rather the upward call for us all.

Lord, let us recognize the call that there is more, and pursue You, who are more worthy than anything else we have ever seen, experienced or accomplished. You are worthy of being our life's pursuit.

# The Church, the Bride

## 2013-03-23

This morning I felt led to read from Hosea 2:14-23 NIV:

[14]. "Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. [15] There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will respond as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt. [16] "In that day," declares the Lord, "you will call me 'my husband'; you will no longer call me 'my master. ' [17] I will remove the names of the Baals from her lips; no longer will their names be invoked. [18] In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the creatures that move along the ground. Bow and sword and battle I will abolish from the land, so that all may lie down in safety. [19] I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. [20] I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord. [21] "In that day I will respond," declares the Lord---"I will respond to the skies, and they will respond to the earth; [22] and the earth will respond to the grain, the new wine and the olive oil, and they will respond to Jezreel. [23] I will plant her for myself in the land; I will show my love to the one I called 'Not my loved one. ' I will say to those called 'Not my people, ' 'You are my people'; and they will say, 'You are my God. ' "

I love the book of Hosea because of the marriage language and imagery that is used to describe the relationship between God and the chosen people Israel. This language and God's heart, as it is expressed here, gives us a glimpse of what He is talking about when He calls the Church the Bride of Christ.

In these verses the Lord talks of protection and provision, commitment, love, compassion, faithfulness and action towards His betrothed. There is new identity and relationship opened up before them and available to them. All this is available to them (Israel) through their choice of obedience and returned relationship.

It's important for us to remember that the Church is the Bride of Christ, and ultimately we exist to be in relationship with Him. We are not called to the Church for some organizational purpose, ministerial purpose or to gain an identity, although those are all good. We are called to the Church to be in relationship with the Lord! We are called into a loving, faithful, protecting, compassionate, active sort of relationship with our God.

This is not meant to be some marriage from afar, where we gave at a distance at the object of our affection. It's not meant to be some sort of legal relationship that has no passion. Rather, the Lord desires our relationship to be founded in intimacy, in constant communication and in active demonstrations of love. It is meant to be a two-way relationship, like all marriages.

Lord, Thank You for Your words that help us to grasp ideas, and more importantly that help us to draw closer to You in relationship.

# The Blood of Jesus Opened the Way

## 2013-03-24

This morning I was cruising through a few chapters of Hebrews, and was reminded about these great verses:

Hebrews 10:19-25 NIV:  
[19] "Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, [20] by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, [21] and since we have a great priest over the house of God, [22] let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. [23] Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. [24] And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, [25] not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another---and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

What a great scripture to be meditating on during this final week of lent, the week where we remember the pains that Jesus went through that He might establish this new covenant in His blood. He forever opened the way for us into the Holy of Holies, into His presence, where He is now seated on the throne. It was His blood that cleanses us and washes us clean of all sin.

Let us hold fast to our faith! Let us encourage those who have lost interest or passion in their faith. Let us spur one another on in pursuit of the perfect one. Let us not give up meeting together, but continue to press forward together. Let us make our lives examples to the world of love, good deeds and faith in the one who set us free.

The Blood of Jesus made our life in God possible. It is His blood, that was freely poured out for all men that paid the price for all our sins. It is because of this that Jesus is the only way to the Father. Let us remember and celebrate that which Jesus did for our sake this coming week.

# His Account of Forgiveness

## 2013-03-25

This morning I am reading out of the First Letter of John. This verse out of the second chapter is so significant - 1 John 2:12 NIV:  
[12] "I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name."

This simple message expresses concisely one of the core beliefs of our faith. It is through Jesus Name, the sacrificial Lamb of God, that our sins are taken away. The Greek here literally means they are sent away through His Name.

I was thinking about this verse and the word 'account' stood out to me. I was thinking about how it's like Jesus has this bank 'account' of forgiveness that all of my sin draws against and always gets paid. It is interesting that the verb tense here is past tense, in other words it already happened. It's almost like before the sin even can register on my account, its already been forgiven by His 'account'.

This is what we call to mind this week, as we approach the remembrance of Jesus passion and death and resurrection, for it was the blood of Jesus that made this forgiveness possible. It was His blood that was shed for me and you. This was not a debt (our sin) that easily cancelled, but rather took great courage, great faith and infinite pain and suffering, for He took ALL our sins upon Himself. He paid the price for ALL our sins, every single one of them. His blood washes the ledgers of sin clean, and not a one is counted against us, for His blood has been applied to them ALL!

This is available to all who believe in Him, who believe in His Name, and accept Him as their savior. I remember the moment I stepped under His Lordship and accepted Jesus as my Savior, how I felt as if a weight was lifted from my shoulders. I felt full of life and light. I believe I was experiencing the cancellation of the debt of my sin.

Yes, our sins have been forgiven on account of His Name. Hallelujah!

# Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus

## 2013-03-26

This morning I woke up with the song "Nothing But The Blood of Jesus" running through my mind, not my normal way of waking up. The last few days I have been focusing on the Blood of Jesus, and the price He paid for us all, which is quite appropriate since it is Holy Week. Here are the lyrics to the song:

What can wash away my sin?  
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;  
What can make me whole again?  
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain

Oh! precious is the flow  
That makes me white as snow;  
No other fount I know,  
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

For my pardon, this I see,  
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;  
For my cleansing this my plea,  
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain

Nothing can for sin atone,  
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;  
Naught of good that I have done,  
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain

This is all my hope and peace,  
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;  
This is all my righteousness,  
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain

Now by this I'll overcome—  
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,  
Now by this I'll reach my home—  
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain

Glory! Glory! This I sing—  
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,  
All my praise for this I bring—  
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Words & Music: Robert Lowry, in Gospel Music, by William Doane and Robert Lowry (New York: Biglow & Main, 1876)

I've heard a couple of guys say that we would be good if we just sang and preached the old hymns, as they have so much of the Gospel in their lyrics. This song is a great example, speaking of the forgiveness available to us through Jesus blood. It's not our good works, not our own righteousness, but only the Blood of Jesus that opens the way to our eternal home, heaven.

Thank You Lord for paying the price for me!

# The Atoning Blood of Jesus

## 2013-03-27

Continuing my Holy Week meditation on the Blood of Jesus, I was just thinking about the two old testament statements about blood:

1. Leviticus 17:11 NIV "For the life of a creature is in the blood..."

2. Exodus 30:10 NIV "Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering for the generations to come. It is most holy to the Lord."

If we combine these two foundational scriptures, we see that what is happening is that the life of the animal, in the temple it was a bull and a goat, was poured out to make atonement for the sins of the people. This is the precedent for forgiveness that God set up in the temple, and a picture of the future reality that was fulfilled by Jesus. He gave His life, represented by His Blood, for the forgiveness, or atonement of all the people's sins, for all generations to come.

Atonement speaks of covering, literally to come between two things and hide one from the other's sight. The Hebrew word is Kaphar and it means 1. to cover, purge, make an atonement, make reconciliation, cover over with pitch. So the blood of Jesus, in being offered as an atonement covers over our sins, purges or cleanses these sins from our lives, reconciles us in our relationship with God, and hides them forever from His view.

I was reminded of two verses concerning our wins and God's forgiveness of them:

Isaiah 1:18 NIV:  
"Come now, let us settle the matter," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."

Psalm 103:11-12 NIV:  
"For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; [12] as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."

This is why we hear the phrases washed in the Blood of Jesus or covered by the Blood of Jesus, for both are accurate statements concerning the atonement by blood.

Finally, the author to the Letter of Hebrews discusses this whole topic in chapters 9 & 10, as the Hebrew people fully understood practices of the old testament worship in the temple. Here is a short excerpt that explains it best:

Hebrews 9:11-15 NIV  
But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. [12] He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. [13] The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. [14] How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! [15] For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance---now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

It is right to consider what Jesus did for us, and to celebrate and remember this every day. For this is not a gift idly given, or easily paid for, but required Jesus life. I am so thankful Lord for what You did for us all!

# The Blood of the New Covenant

## 2013-03-28

Today being Holy Thursday, the day the church commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus, it only makes sense to meditate on the Blood of Jesus, as the blood of the New Covenant. We find several verses that speak of this, the first being in Matthew 26, echoed in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 11. The second verse I want to think about is from John 6.

Matthew 26:26-28 NIV:  
[26] "While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." [27] Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. [28] This is my blood of the [new] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."

John 6:53-58 NIV:  
[53] Jesus said to them, "Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. [54] Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. [55] For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. [56] Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. [57] Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. [58] This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever."

In these two verses we again find the themes of forgiveness of sins and life being in the blood, both pointing back to the understanding God had established through the old testament. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus speaks of establishing a new covenant with His Blood. The Hebrew word translated covenant, meant to come into agreement, the root of the word, meant to eat together as in cutting. So here they are eating together and Jesus is preparing to be cut and have His blood poured out for the forgiveness of sins. I am not sure if the apostles really grasped the significance of what they were experiencing, but in this moment God was establishing a new covenant that superseded the old covenant. No longer will sacrifice for sins be required every year, no longer will the requirements of the law need to be kept to be righteous, this new covenant would open a new way of relating to God.

In the second set of verses from John, we see Jesus alluding to the fact that His Body and Blood would bring eternal life. Ultimately this is because of the sacrifice His Body and Blood became for our forgiveness, and our restoration of relationship with the Father.

I can imagine the confusion the people experienced when Jesus spoke those words. We understand them now in the context of what we know happened, and the fullness of the Gospel. They, however, had not yet grasped the fact that Jesus would become the Lamb of God, so for them hearing Jesus speak about eating his flesh and drinking his blood, must have been unnerving, to say the least.

Regardless of their confusion, as we look at Jesus words, it's clear He is speaking of the coming new covenant, as there is a new level of relationship and intimacy with the Father and Jesus. It is clear also, that through this partaking in this new covenant, this eating together, we enter into eternal life. This is not just a covenant that affects our present experience of life, but has eternal consequences. This is something new!

So, although this meal that is described in Matt 26, is known as the Last Supper, it is in reality the First Supper of the New Covenant. It is in this eating together, that God established a new covenant with us all, where the Blood of Jesus would be poured out as an eternal atonement for all our sins, and the way would be opened for us to enter into an eternal relationship with Him. What an awesome deal!

Thank You Lord for making a way for me to participate in this New Covenant! Thank You for Your Blood which was poured out for me, and through which I have eternal life!

# His Precious Blood

## 2013-03-29

Good Friday Meditation

I was thinking back over this week, and the many meditations I have had about the Blood of Jesus and realized so often I am just not conscious of the great gift His Blood is to me. I know it's a bit gruesome to think of, but it also amazing to see the way the Lord has made a way, and provided forgiveness for my sins, through His own Body and Blood.

Having grown up Catholic, there was a great emphasis on communion, the receiving of Jesus Body and Blood, and I think this is right. Often times our experience of church, especially in a more evangelistic stream is all about making a decision for Christ, or asking Christ into our life, or coming forward at the invitation, to make Him our Lord and Savior. These are all very good, but they all are possible because of what Jesus went through, and because He freely offered up His Body and Blood for us, for our sins. Other times our focus is on teaching and precepts and learning to walk our Christian life out, and these are all really good, and yet they are all possible because of what Jesus went through for us.

I was reminded of the movie "The Passion of Christ" and how it did such a good job of portraying the incredible suffering that Jesus went through for us. We must not be quick to pass over these thoughts or images, because they help us understand the depth of Jesus love for us. We were the object of His affection, the joy set before Him for which He endured the beating, flogging, insults, abuse, and crucifixion. His blood was poured out for our sins, as an atonement. His blood was not lightly poured out, but flowed from the whip marks on His back and shoulders, the wounds on His head from the thorns, and the nail holes in His feet and His hands. I am reminded in the movie how Mary, His mother and Mary of Magdalene soaked up his blood after His flogging. I thought that was such an appropriate scene, for they seemed to recognize the value of His Blood. I am so grateful Jesus for what You suffered for me. Thank You!

Ephesians 2:13: "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ." Thank You Lord!

# For Love...

## 2013-03-30

I was thinking of the most appropriate verse for today and although not sure this is it, it seems pretty good to me.

Romans 8:31-39 NIV  
[31] "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? [32] He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all---how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? [33] Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. [34] Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died---more than that, who was raised to life---is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

[35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? [36] As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." [37] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. [38] For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, [39] neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It is all motivated by LOVE. Thank You Lord!

# An Easter Meditation

## 2013-03-31

This Easter morning, I thought I would read from John this morning, His personal account of the Resurrection. It's found in John 20:1-18 NIV:

[1] "Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. [2] So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!"  
[3] So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. [4] Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. [5] He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. [6] Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, [7] as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus' head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. [8] Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. [9] (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) [10] Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.  
[11] Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb [12] and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. [13] They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" "They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him."  
[14] At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. [15] He asked her, "Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?"  
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."  
[16] Jesus said to her, "Mary."  
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means "Teacher").  
[17] Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' "  
[18] Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her."

...And continuing on, later that day.

John 20:19-23 NIV  
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" [20] After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. [21] Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." [22] And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. [23] If you forgive anyone's sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

I was thinking about how confused they must have been initially, for they did not, and had not understood what Jesus had told them about rising again. Death through crucifixion is not one that people mistake, or make mistakes about concerning whether a person died or not. In their minds, Jesus was gone, beaten bloody, and dead in the most horrifying way possible. They weren't expecting this Resurrection. Even when confronted with the reality of the situation, they were unable to grasp the reality.

When reading verse 20, I am thinking that they were afraid of the Jews, because they figured they would get blamed for rolling the stone back and stealing Jesus body, which ultimately did happen (Matt 28:11-15), and were just plain out of their minds. They didn't spend much time at the tomb, just enough to verify Jesus body wasn't there. They were running in damage containment mode, panicked, afraid and unable to do anything that related to ministry. They were letting their emotions override everything.

In the same way that the Jews didn't recognize Jesus as the Messiah, when He honestly answered their question during His trial, they didn't recognize His resurrection when confronted with the reality. They were expecting something different, some other outcome to all that Jesus had told them. They completely missed the point and missed the angelic experiences because they were too quick to panic, or try to contain the situation.

I appreciate Mary's heart, she desperately missed the Lord, and so she went back to the place she last saw Him, even though she knew He was dead, just being close to a dead Jesus was better than the alternative. She wasn't willing to run away in panic, but rather lingered and waited. I think there is great wisdom here, if we desperately need Jesus we should maybe go back to the last place we experienced Him, and linger for the reality is this - Jesus is alive! He does love us! He cares about our situation! He will come! He is faithful! He bled and died for us, and we are precious to Him.

# Post Resurrection - Important Things

2013-04-01

This being the day after Easter, celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus, I thought to read some of the accounts of the first things He did and said, which to me would seem very significant, as they probably relate to the most important things that either remained to be said, or needed to be repeated. Anyway, I was reading John's Gospel yesterday, so I will start there and work my way backwards.

John 20:21-23 NIV  
Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." [22] And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. [23] If you forgive anyone's sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

As I read these two verses, I see four specific things that Jesus addressed:

1. Peace - Jesus comes to minister peace to them, for they are fearful. Fear can cause us to think and react wrongly. Jesus needed them to be focused and fearless.

2. Mission - Jesus laid His ministry and call on them. This would be the equivalent of passing His mantle of authority and ministry over to the Apostles. This was not to be a passive ministry, but they were being sent with a specific purpose, fulfilling Jesus' ministry.

3. Holy Spirit - Jesus breathed on them and they received, in part, the Holy Spirit. This is one of the times they received an infilling, prior to Pentecost. They need His guidance, His peace, and His encouragement, just to make it through the next few days. Sometimes as I read this type of statement about a natural thing like breathing, I tend to not associate great significance, because it is so natural - Jesus breathed. But this is very significant, so important that John felt lead by the Holy Spirit some 50 years later to put this in his account. We must not take lightly these seemingly normal things. The apostles must have felts something shift, must have seen something different after Jesus breathed on them, must have felt as deposit being made in their spirits when He breathed on them.

4. The ministry of forgiveness - Jesus is establishing them a ministers of forgiveness, which previously was only something God could do, and something that had very stringent guidelines under the law requiring sacrifices and priests. Jesus makes it very simple if they (disciples) forgive then the person is forgiven, if not, then they are not forgiven. This is a not a new command, but based on what He taught them previously - see Matthew 6:14-15 NIV: "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. [15] But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

I think for myself it's important to focus on all of these, and to walk in them, recognizing the significance they have personally and in the church. If I don't have peace, to ask the Lord for it. If I am wondering about my ministry or purpose, to see myself as continuing Jesus ministry, and to ask Him to guide me to do that which He would do. If I am feeling powerless, to ask Him for the Holy Spirit. Finally, to recognize that I have been called as a minister of reconciliation and forgiveness.

Amen Lord, help me!

# Our Marching Orders

## 2013-04-02

Continuing my reading of the accounts of the days after Jesus rose from the dead, I am reading out of Luke 24:36-49 NIV:

[36] "While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." [37] They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. [38] He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? [39] Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."

[40] When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. [41] And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" [42] They gave him a piece of broiled fish, [43] and he took it and ate it in their presence.

[44] He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." [45] Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. [46] He told them, "This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, [47] and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. [48] You are witnesses of these things. [49] I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

Again, first things first, Jesus dealt with their fear! I like the way Bill Johnson says it, when you are gathered together afraid that the same thing that happened to your master will happen to you, having someone walk through the walls into your midst doesn't help with the fear. :-)

Secondly, Jesus proceeds to prove that He really was raised from the dead, body, soul and spirit. They understood ghosts and such, and He knew that He must prove beyond any doubt that he was actually alive again. Touching his body, which still bore the wounds, watching him eat real food, both were proofs that it was really Jesus, alive again. This point is critical, for their witness of this fact was what gave them rock solid belief that Jesus was who He said He was, the Messiah.

Thirdly, Jesus opens their minds to understand what was said about Him in scripture and reminded them of what He said as well. The clear understanding of the scriptural basis for what had occurred, was necessary for their ministry of the Word, and their ability to be representatives of the Kingdom.

Fourth, the ministry of repentance and forgiveness of sins is a key message, and must be preached in Jesus' Name to all nations. This message is absolutely essential to the Good News, and one the church cannot live without.

Finally the Holy Spirit has been promised and He will be sent. He will bring power when He comes. I think it's so important to remember that sometimes it takes time for the Lord to release His gifts to us. In our society today, instant is in, and if we don't see results in minutes we lose interest and focus. We need to learn to wait on the Lord. Also, when the Holy Spirit comes, His power is evident. This also is so important for the church to remember - the Holy Spirit brings power, and it's not something we should be afraid of, but rather something we need desperately.

Thank You Lord for reminding me of these important things, these essential things today. Help me to be courageous, to be a witness to the fact that You are alive, to understand You Word, to be an ambassador of reconciliation and forgiveness, and to be clothed in the Holy Spirit. These are my marching orders.  
Amen!

# Confirming His Words

## 2013-04-03

Continuing on with my post-Easter reading, Mark's Gospel is interesting.

Mark 16:14-20 NIV:  
[14] "Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. [15] He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. [16] Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. [17] And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; [18] they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." [19] After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. [20] Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it."

In my first quick read of these verses, the things that stood out were the lines about snakes and poison, neither of which are common in our Christian experience. It was like I wanted to disbelieve the whole section because of the unusual topic. However as I thought about it, I remembered how Paul was bitten by a deadly snake and was unaffected (Acts 28:4-5). I also remembered several stories of early saints who did drank poison and were unaffected, there are also stories of many other miraculous escapes or savings from sure death, all of which confirm Jesus' words here. (There are many stories of miracles associated with the Early Christian martyrs available to read on the internet or in books like Foxes Book of Martyrs)

After I got over my first bit of unbelief, I reread the verses and saw the common themes of being sent out to the world to preach the Gospel, baptism, and a ministry filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. All of these are awesome, but my favorite verse is the last verse - Mark 16:20 "Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it."

I love the encouragement of the fact that the "Lord worked with them and confirmed His word by the signs that accompanied it." Can we expect anything different in our experience in following Him and speaking His words. I think not! These signs, as described by Jesus , and the many others we see listed in Acts and the rest of the New Testament, should be normal in our experience. I think we must demand of ourselves an expectation and pursuit of seeing these signs, as they confirm the truth of that which we are called to speak, namely the Kingdom of God. Anything less will be marginally effective at best, for then it just sounds like the teachings of another man. We must settle for nothing less than Jesus working with us and confirming His words through signs and wonders.

Lord, I pray that You will work with us, and confirm Your Words, that the world may know that You are not just a man, but are truly God, and that You have power over sin and death, and all authority.

# Three Critical Truths

## 2013-04-04

My final post-Easter reading of the words of Jesus after His resurrection is from Matthew 28:16-20 NIV:

[16] "Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. [17] When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. [18] Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Matthew's Gospel is slightly different than the others in that his quote of Jesus' commissioning of the apostles focuses on Jesus authority as the basis of their mission, and focuses on discipleship. Also, these verses are really the first real indication of the equality of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and as such were foundational verses for our understanding of the Trinity.

Personally I am most encouraged by His first and last statements. First, He has been given ALL power and authority in heaven and on earth. That statement by itself could take years to unpack and fully understand. The Greek language is very clear, He said exactly that - All, Everything, anything we can imagine, He has power and Authority over it, the ability to enact laws to set rules, to constrain or set free, He has complete control!

Second, He is with us always! This is His promise, not based on what we feel or think, but based on His Word. Whether we believe this is true or not, it is still a reality. He is with us.

So in summary, these few verses are part of our foundational understanding of three critical truths, that He is Omnipotent (all powerful), Omnipresent (always present), and the reality of the Trinity. Wow, those are significant verses.

Finally, because these are true, the command is to then go and change the world! Amen Lord! Help us to learn to live in full understanding of these awesome truths.

# Morning Praise and Remembrance

## 2013-04-06

This morning I am reading from Psalm 9:1-2, 7-11 NIV:

[1] "I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. [2] I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.  
[7] The Lord reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment. [8] He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity. [9] The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. [10] Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. [11] Sing the praises of the Lord, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what he has done."

What a wonderful set of verses, encouraging me to praise God, to tell of His great wonders and many blessings. I know I am conscious of His blessing, far more than I speak about them, and this should not be so. So many people are in need of the Good News - that God loves them, that He wants to be in relationship, and He wants to interact with them daily.

I love what it says in verse 10 - "those who know Your name trust in You, for You, Lord have never forsaken those who seek You.". The idea of knowing God's name(s) is so significant, because as God reveals His name(s), He reveals parts of His character. Here David is focusing on God's faithfulness and constancy. He will never abandon us, leave us, reject us or walk away from us, if we seek Him. If we are far from God, it's because we have stopped seeking Him.

Let us return to the Lord, if we are far off. Let us praise His name and tell of His wonders and blessings. Let us start our day, remembering the good things that He has done in our lives. What a great way to get ourselves going in the morning.

# True Love Isn't Blind

## 2013-04-07

This morning I am reading from Philemon and Philippians.

Philemon 1:5-7 NIV  
[5] "...because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. [6] I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. [7] Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord's people."

Philippians 1:9-11 NIV  
[9] "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, [10] so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, [11] filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ---to the glory and praise of God."

The theme is clearly love and affection for each other, and for the Lord. Love is the vehicle the Lord uses to deepen our understanding, our connection to one another and Him. Although book knowledge is great, Love is the bond, and that which draws us deeper into relationship.

There is a saying that 'love is blind', but in reality, true Christian love is anything but blind. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul talks about love growing in knowledge and depth of insight, opening our minds to be able discern (see clearly). True Christian love sees all and chooses to love, chooses to join in fellowship, chooses to pursue that which is best for the other, chooses to lay down one's own life. True Christian love brings joy, encouragement, intimacy and refreshment.

Let us echo Paul's prayer and pray that our love for each other would abound, would grow and draw us deeper into relationship with each other and the Lord.

# His Heart Beats For Me

## 2013-04-09

Song of Solomon 4:9 NIV  
"You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride; you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace."

I felt like I should read from the Song of Solomon this morning, not my typical choice of scripture. However, I feel like the Lord wants me to understand His emotion towards me, and really each of us. The common thought is that Song of Solomon is an allegory illustrating how the Lord feels about His Bride, the Church, and as such, about each of us that makes up the Church.

Anyway, my meditation this morning is how God's eyes are on me, waiting for me to glance His way. He longs to be in relationship with me. He has sacrificed greatly to make a way for me to come to Him. How could we expect anything other than His waiting expectantly for us to look His way. The original Hebrew word here translated 'stolen my heart', is Labab which literally translated means the 'heart beats faster'. I think that is so amazing, thinking of the Lord waiting for me to glance His way with affection, and when I do, His heart beats faster with emotion!

He is not some cold and far removed God. He is not an angry God, waiting to judge me. He is a God who loves me, and is waiting for me to notice Him and come to Him, and when I do, His heart beats faster. I could even say His heart beats for me! Amazing! Thank You Lord for loving me!

# Of Sinners and New Wine

## 2013-04-10

Last night I was reading from Mark 2:15-17, 21-22 NIV:  
[15] "While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. [16] When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" [17] On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

[21] "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. [22] And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins."

I was thinking about how Jesus really didn't have a problem with upsetting the religious people and traditions. As a representation of the Father, He was showing us how The Father 's heart is for people not rules, not ceremony, not religion. I think it is partly due to our desire for control of our lives that attracts us to ceremonies, rules and religion. With those guidelines we know where we stand, how much effort we need to put in, even what the outcome should be. We like consistency and order, minimal messes, etc. The problem is that we become static, and unmoving, and unwilling to change, even if it's for the better.

Jesus shows us that we must be willing to see the people, to get involved, to be willing to step out of our comfort zone and change. New wine causes expansion and stretching. New cloth shrinks or contracts. People have sin in their lives, and when dealing with sin, things can get 'messy'. Yet that is exactly what we are called to do, to be witnesses of the Father's love to all those around us, especially to the 'sinners'.

Lord, help me to get outside my comfort zone and be willing to be stretched and affected, for the sake of the lost and wandering.

# Spring Storms

## 2013-04-11

This morning, as I was thinking about the rain we had yesterday, I was reminded of two verses:

Psalm 63:1 NIV  
"You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water."

\- and -

Joel 2:23-24 NIV  
"Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains because he is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. [24] The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil."

We have had such a drought here and the ground, even though recently covered with snow and moisture, so quickly dried again, the only way to describe it was parched. I think in many ways, this is like many of our spiritual conditions. We get little times of refreshment, but quickly lose what little life we felt and return to just feeling parched and dry and lost.

The rain we had yesterday just kept falling, most of the times steady, penetrating rain, and puddles were formed, streams were full, ponds overflowing, rivers beginning to flood. It was an abundance of rain, more than the land could drink in, so it overflowed. Also, this is what God's outpouring of His Spirit and His faithfulness is like, more than we need, more than we can contain, and meant to overflow to those around us.

A few verses later in the book of Joel, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is prophesied:

Joel 2:28-32 NIV  
"And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. [29] Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. [30] I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. [31] The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. [32] And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls.

As we have these spring storms, let us pray for an equal outpouring of the Holy Spirit! Let us pray for fresh prophesy, dreams, visions, wonders and signs, resulting in a great release of salvation!

# Weakness and Power

## 2013-04-12

This morning I have been reading through the Psalms 80 through 86. They are such beautiful prayers and filled with some of my favorite verses. I am grabbed by Psalm 86 this morning though, and have been spending extra time just thinking about this verse and praying it for myself. This psalm is a feast for my soul.

Psalm 86:1-7, 10-12 NIV  
[1] "Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. [2] Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God; [3] have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. [4] Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in you. [5] You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you. [6] Hear my prayer, Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. [7] When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me."

[10] For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God. [11] Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. [12] I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever."

As I am looking at these verses, I am conscious of the relational transactions that are talked about in each line. David prays something, asks the Lord for something and the Lord responds, or David asks Him to respond as He always has responded. This Psalm comes out of David's knowledge of how God has interacted with him in the past. He clearly has a rich history of interacting with God, and has learned what God is like.

This is encouraging to me, in that even in the midst of his rich history with God, David still fears, struggles, needs help, and is distressed. I guess I see his unashamed human condition, and in seeing that I am not so worried that I am often in the same condition. I think of how often I have been afraid to reveal my own internal struggles, thinking that somehow that means I have lost my faith, or don't believe correctly. I am grateful for the humanity expressed here. I am also reminded of Paul's 2nd letter to the Church at Corinth:

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV  
[9] "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. " Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. [10] That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Clearly, there is a place in our struggles and weakness where we discover more about God and His faithfulness and goodness. In that place, God's 'power is made perfect' in our weakness. I haven't reached Paul's level of delighting in my weakness or hardships, but I am starting to discover that rather than hide these things, if I turn to the Lord in them, He will be faithful and answer me, and Christ's power will rest on me! In this place, I can echo David's song (Psalm 86:10-12 NIV) "For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God. [11] Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. [12] I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever!"

# On Giving and Blessing

## 2013-04-14

This morning I felt led to read from 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 NIV:

[6] "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. [7] Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. [8] And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

[9] As it is written: "They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever." [10] Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. [11] You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

[12] This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. [13] Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. [14] And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. [15] Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

These verses from Paul, I think, are all that really needs to be said about our response to God's faithfulness in our lives, as our provider. There is a spiritual principle of reaping and sowing that is important to grasp. The Lord is looking for hearts that are like His, and He gave us everything. In our giving we release control of that which we have been given, looking to the giver rather than the gift, and choosing to hold onto the former rather than the latter.

Ultimately for me it's become an issue of belief about the heart of the Father. Do I believe that He is stingy and has given me only enough to survive, or does He delight in blessing me with greater abundance? There are times that I don't want to give, out of a spirit of either greed or fear, and at those times, I have found myself choosing to give more, sometimes even double, what I was initially thinking just to fight those unbelieving thoughts and feelings.

I think Jesus described The Father's heart well in Matthew 7:7-12 NIV:

[7] "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [8] For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. [9] "Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? [10] Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? [11] If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! [12] So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Looking at verse 12 in context of giving, Jesus says "in EVERYTHING, do to others as you would have them do to you" and giving is included in the everything. My heart is to do exactly that; to give as I would hope others would give, to love as I would hope others would love, to care for others as I hope others would care, to forgive as I would hope others would forgive, and in all to make the life of Jesus my example. Ultimately I believe that The Father loves me as His son, and will treat me like one. I believe He is pleased when I emulate His heart through giving freely and loving freely and is pleased to bless me even more. So to sum it up, giving (love, care, mercy forgiveness, money, etc.) leads to blessing, which enables more giving which leads to more blessing.

# The Light of Love

## 2013-04-15

This morning I am reading 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 NIV:

[1] "Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. [2] Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. [3] And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. [4] The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. [5] For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. [6] For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ."

Such an interesting verse about the reality of ministry, and how the enemy tries to veil the minds of people so they don't recognize the Good News. It interesting how some churches veil the light of Christ, so as to draw unbelievers to their services, seems a bit backwards to me. However, there is much to be said about going to where people live, to be a light in their present circumstances and situations. I am confident of the message of the Good News of Jesus Christ, and His ability to enlighten even the darkest hearts and minds. We should be ready in all circumstances to let the light of Christ, that is in us, shine out that the world might see.

I am reminded of three other verses:

Ephesians 5:15-16: "Be very careful, then, how you live---not as unwise but as wise, [16] making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."

Matthew 5:14-16: "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. [15] Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. [16] In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

John 13:34-35: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. [35] By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

So let us unveil our hearts and let love shine out to the world. For it is by this love, not our righteousness, or our judgments, but by love that they will know we are Jesus' followers. This light will set us apart, and will draw those the Lord is drawing.

# Working Out Our Salvation?

## 2013-04-16

This morning I am reading from Philippians 2:9-13 NIV:

[9] "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, [10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

[12] Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed---not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence---continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, [13] for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."

As I was reading through these verses, I was intrigued by verse 12, which is really unparalleled in the rest of the New Testament. This is one of the scriptures that can be easily taken out of context, and quoted without understanding or communicating the whole rest of Paul's writings, and his theme of grace. As David Guzik comments on this verse:

b. Work out your own salvation: We know that Paul does not mean "work so as to earn your own salvation." Such a statement would contradict the whole of Paul's gospel.

c. Work out your own salvation: What Paul does mean is he calls the Philippians to put forth real effort into their Christians lives. This is not to work their salvation in the sense of accomplishing it, but to work out their salvation - to see it evident in every area of their lives, to activate this salvation God freely gave them.

I like the idea of activation of salvation. This implies application into all facets of our lives. This implies conscious seeking out areas of our thought or actions that do not line up with the reality that we have been given salvation. However, the next verse also makes it clear that God is working in us to will and act, which for me conveys, not so much my own rooting out and applying salvation in every area of my life, as it does going along with God as He accomplishes this within me. My work in this scenario is more about agreement and obedience, than it is about bootstrapping effort on my part.

It reminds me of when we were getting our house ready to sell, and walking around our house with our Realtors, looking at things that needed to change to make our house more appealing to buyers. We took note as they pointed out things that we should change, and we could either agree or disagree, and choose to do the work or not. As I read these verses, I imagine the Lord guiding me through the areas of my life and identifying things and areas that need to come into alignment with the truth of His gift of salvation, and His purpose for me. As He identifies these things, He also provides the strength of will, but I have to decide to make the change. That is the activation of salvation - my choosing to agree and make the change.

Finally - why fear and trembling? I believe Paul is conveying two things here. First, he was just talking about how Jesus has been enthroned in Heaven to the highest place, and an appropriate response to the King is reverent fear and trembling. Second, as with anything we are asked to do by the King, there is a seriousness that we should apply to our effort. This is not a fear that we will lose our salvation by wrong action, but rather a fear of displeasing our Savior who has given everything to set us free, and who we love and want to please.

It's really all about love and intimate relationship. When I am doing something special for my wife, I think about whether she will be pleased, worry over details, make sure everything is as nice as I can make it, because I want to express my love for her and please her. This is what imagine when I read verse 12, but with a deeper sense of gratitude and reverence. Obedience to the Lord, is not so much duty and work as a response of love, gratitude and recognition of what He has given me.

Amen Lord, help me to activate my salvation in every area of my life, for I am wanting to fulfill Your purpose for me and to please You.

# God is Able

## 2013-04-17

This morning I am reading from Jude 1:17-25 NIV:

[17]. "But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. [18] They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires." [19] These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. [20] But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, [21] keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. [22] Be merciful to those who doubt; [23] save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear---hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

[24] To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy--- [25] to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen."

I specifically like verse 24 and the idea that God can keep us from stumbling. As I looked into the original Greek, I liked it even better! What is here translated - "able to keep you from stumbling" could be better translated - "who has the power and strength to guard and protect you from stumbling or falling"! The original language is much more expressive than the plain vanilla English we are left with. The word here translated able is the Greek word Dunamai - a variation of dunamis or power - where we get the word dynamite.

Definition  
1. to be able, have power whether by virtue of one's own ability and resources, or of a state of mind, or through favorable circumstances, or by permission of law or custom  
2. to be able to do something  
3. to be capable, strong and powerful

The word that was translated keep, in the original Greek is Phulasso.

Definition  
1. to guard  
a. to watch, keep watch  
b. to guard or watch, have an eye upon: lest he escape  
c. to guard a person (or thing) that he may remain safe  
2. to protect one from a person or thing  
3. to keep from being snatched away, preserve safe and unimpaired  
4. to guard from being lost or perishing

There is clearly a level of divine protection and help that is available to us, that is much more than just the ability to keep us from stumbling. The Lord is exerting His power and strength on our behalf! He is protecting us, guarding us, keeping watch over us. He definitely is able!

# Choosing God's Plan

## 2013-04-18

This morning I was reading through James 4, which is a great chapter talking about turning our hearts and minds fully toward the Lord, submitting ourselves to Him, and rejecting the things of the world that draw us. It was the last verse of the chapter that grabbed my attention though - James 4:17 NIV:  
[17] "If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them."

This is such a simple statement, and such a challenging one. As always, it's easy to take this statement out of context, and in this instance the sentence does stand on its own, even if you do. However, there is a richness of understanding that is gained if we keep it in context. The preceding sentences are speaking about following God's plan for one's life, or the opposite of that - trying to take control of one's own life, and speaking as if we have control over our own lives. James is really speaking about selfishness and self-focus, and self-promotion in contrast to following that which is right in the Lord. This is not a moral principle, where we must always do 'good' or we suffer an immediate judgment, but rather speaking about our perspective as Christians who are endeavoring to follow the Lord.

It's probably helpful to look at the original Greek here as it also is much richer than the plain vanilla English translated here. The word that was translated 'good' is the Greek word Kalos. The definition is:

1. beautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable, admirable  
a. beautiful to look at, shapely, magnificent  
b. good, excellent in its nature and characteristics, and therefore well adapted to its ends 1. genuine, approved 2. precious 3. joined to names of men designated by their office, competent, able, such as one ought to be 4. praiseworthy, noble  
c. beautiful by reason of purity of heart and life, and hence praiseworthy 1. morally good, noble  
d. honourable, conferring honour  
e. affecting the mind agreeably, comforting and confirming

So , the call of James is to pursue the higher, excellent, beautiful plan that God has for us. If we know what that is, but choose to follow our own ideas, or selfish desires, then that is sin. The word used for sin, really means missing the mark, missing the path, not fulfilling God's plan - which is exactly appropriate here.

Ultimately, I think James is addressing our base perspective in life as Christians. Are we Christians in name only, who do not really follow Christ, but rather live and do exactly as we want and we decide, or do we pursue the higher purposes, the greater good, that which the Lord has planned for us, and called us to do? This is about our heart's focus - either it's on us or Him.

Finally, we should be encouraged that God has a higher call, a greater purpose for us. We should be encouraged to pursue this in our life, for He desires us to step into that place, and will show us and guide us. However, in pursuing this, we must also be ready to lay aside our own selfish focus, and recognize that we are called to something better than just our own plan. As I wrote yesterday, God is able to guide us and keep us from stumbling and losing our way, and is able to deliver us to The Father without fault and with great joy (Jude 1:24).

Amen, let us choose His plan over our plan.

# Our Rock of Refuge

## 2013-04-19

This morning I am reading from Psalm 71:1-3, 5-8 NIV:  
[1] "In you, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. [2] In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me; turn your ear to me and save me. [3] Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

[5] For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. [6] From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother's womb. I will ever praise you. [7] I have become a sign to many; you are my strong refuge. [8] My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.

What a beautiful song by David focusing on the saving, protecting and constant love of God. It is right to sing Your praises all day long, to acknowledge Your goodness and faithfulness, Lord.

Later in the psalm David writes about how he has seen many troubles, yet he was confident in the Lord's love, and knew that he would be restored, refreshed, and comforted again. In verse 3 he calls God his rock of refuge, and although I like the sound of that, the Hebrew word translated refuge, is better translated habitation or dwelling, a place where one lives. What a great image of stability and protection, a dwelling within the rock.

If we are in a place of trouble, stress, fear, doubt, pressure, under attack, feeling the heat, then let us return to our Rock of Refuge, our home of Rock, the Lord, who will always welcome us and protect us, restore us and comfort us. Amen!

# The Great Treasure

## 2013-04-21

As I sat down this morning, I had a little bit of a 'taking my time with you lightly' attitude about taking time with You Lord, and ask Your forgiveness that I would ever think lightly of my ability to come before You and have intimate conversation! I am so grateful for Your love, mercy, guidance, and interaction! You are truly the greatest treasure of my life.

As I was writing the note above, I was reminded of the parable of the great treasure, in Matthew 13:44-46 NIV:  
[44] "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. [45] "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. [46] When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it."

Lord, this is how I want to live my life, like You are the greatest treasure. I want to be a Kingdom representative. I want to know the fullness of what You are calling me to do, in Your service. There should be a sense of eager anticipation when I come before the Lord, that He will speak, that He will pour out more of His Spirit, that He will guide me and give me clarity. I should be looking forward to the intimacy or being known at the depth of my soul, spirit and body.

The reality is that we are also His great treasure. He gave up all that He might bring us freedom and life, and relationship with Him!

# A New Thing

## 2013-04-22

This morning I am reading out of Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV:  
[18]. "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. [19] See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."

What a great passage of hope and new life to start the week. God will make a way, where there was no way through before. He will bring refreshment into places that have long been dry, even devastated. He means to be a source of life and freedom for us all.

Our part is forgetting the former things, setting our minds on no longer dwelling on past hurts, difficulties, slights, wounds, angry words, judgments, or sin. In Jesus we have one who has set us free from all that binds us. He is the source of everlasting life.

He is doing a new thing! Let us open our eyes and perceive it. Let us lift up our eyes from our own struggles or difficulties and see (perceive) Him at work.

# Faith and Action

## 2013-04-23

This morning I am reading and thinking about a familiar passage from James 2:14-17 NIV:

[14] "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? [15] Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. [16] If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? [17] In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

When I read these verses, my personal meditation is whether someone could tell I am a Christian by my actions? I find it interesting that James wrote this immediately following a section on judging other peoples clothing, and treating them differently, a very un-Christ-like behavior. I think James's main point is that if we are truly Christians, we will act like Jesus acted, and His actions were in one with the Truth He espoused. In James' mind, it was impossible for a person to have experienced salvation, forgiveness of sins, freedom from the requirements of the law, and in-filling of the Holy Spirit, and have no outward expression.

James was addressing a group who were proposing that if salvation was through faith alone, it was possible to believe the truth, and be saved and have no outward expression. Early in the church, there were many different streams of thought, and in particular, there was a group of Jewish believers pushing for an intellectual affirmation of faith as the only requirement of salvation, most likely because of the challenge of living the life and actions demonstrated by Christ. He laid down His life for others, demonstrated a servant leadership, worked and ministered among the sinners and downtrodden, and did not enjoy the luxuries of wealth or status. He pushed the boundaries of many of the thoughts of the Jews, and demonstrated the fallacy of others. Jesus called us to follow his example of life, and clearly there were those who didn't want to change their lifestyles.

In our day, it is apparent that our world has, in large part, a wrong perspective of what a follower of Christ should look like. This is unfortunately the result of religion, which causes judgment, separation from the world, and pride. None of these existed in Jesus' example, but in many places the church has embraced them. Jesus said that they would know that we are His followers by our love, not by our observance of religious rules, our speech, or our separation from those around us who are sinners. Our love, like His, will be evident to all, in other words, visible through external actions.

So my question this morning is whether people can tell I am following Christ's example through my actions? Is my primary motivation love? Am I allowing Christ's example to penetrate every area of my life? Am I willing to do more than say words, and actually take action? Will I reach out to the lowly, the downtrodden, the sinner, those in need and love them. Can people tell, just by observing my interactions in public, that I am a follower of Jesus?

Lord, I want to be full of faith and full of action!

# Love and Mercy Towards All

## 2013-04-24

This morning I started my Bible reading with Paul's letter to Philemon, a short little letter, mostly personal in nature. There were two lines that caught my attention - Philemon 1:17-18 NIV: "So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. [18] If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me."

I was thinking about how unusual an attitude this is today, taking on someone else's debt, voluntarily. :-) As I was thinking about this verse, I was reminded of a couple other verses as well; Jesus' parable about the good Samaritan, and His other teaching about "doing unto others".

Luke 10:30-37 NIV  
"In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. [31] A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. [32] So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. [33] But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. [34] He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. [35] The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.' [36] "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" [37] The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

-and-

Luke 6:27-31, 35-36 NIV  
"But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, [28] bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. [29] If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. [30] Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. [31] Do to others as you would have them do to you.

[35] But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. [36] Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."

Talk about three challenging verses for this morning. Each of them encourages us to go far beyond normal in our care, love, and treatment of others, even those we don't know, don't care for, or are even our enemies. The end of Luke 6:35 and verse 36 are the most challenging - ..."He (God) is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." That goes so much against our natural tendency. I don't want to be kind to those that are ungrateful, or wicked. I don't want to do good to those that have set themselves against me, or hurt me, or wounded me. I want to punish them some way, not treat them with love and mercy.

We, however, are called to lay down our lives for others (Jn 15:13), to treat others as we would have them treat us (Lk 6:31) to love all (Jn 15:17), to take on others burdens (Gal 6:2), and to be a light (Matt 5:16)! Lord, help me to walk in love and mercy towards all I meet and know.

# Blessing and Submission

## 2013-04-25

This morning I have a short meditation from Psalm 81, to start my time with the Lord.

Psalm 81:10-12 NIV:  
[10] "I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. [11] "But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. [12] So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices."

These three verses have much packed in them. First, the recognition of who God is to us. It's a sad thing that the Lord sometimes needs to remind me that He is in fact my Lord and God! I can still, at times, think I have the ability to control my own life, and know better than the Lord, what I need or should do.

Second, the Lord is where my provision comes from, not my job. His desire is to 'fill my mouth' an image of abundant provision. Sometimes the path the Lord asks me to take is illogical, but from His perspective it makes perfect sense. I need to learn to trust His perspective, over my own thoughts.

Third, we have made submission a bad word in our society. However, submission to God is recognizing that He has a better plan for my life than I could come up with, and that He is motivated by His love for me. God will not force His plan upon us, but He has a plan which He will show us if we ask Him. Listening is the first step. He wants to help us so He will speak to us!

Fourth, if we don't follow God's plan, we are left with our own plans and devices. I like to call this the school of hard knocks. This usually doesn't work out well, and ultimately has eternal consequences. If we do listen and follow His directions, He will provide abundance and blessing - Psalm 81:16 NIV: "But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you."

Submission to God is a good thing! Let us trust the one who created us, who died for us, and who loves us and wants to bless us!

# Action and Passion

## 2013-04-28

For morning meditation - Revelation 3:15-18 NIV  
[15] "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! [16] So, because you are lukewarm---neither hot nor cold---I am about to spit you out of my mouth. [17] You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. [18] I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see."

I am aware of two things in these verses:

1) It is by their deeds that the Lord sees what is in their heart, and its condition. Our deeds speak loudly of what is in our hearts. Our actions reveal our passions.

2) In their affluence, they lost their understanding of their need for God. Externally they looked like they had everything, but the condition of their heart and soul was pathetic. They had become blind to their own condition, sliding into a spiritual slumber of passionless existence in the Lord.

Let us awaken ourselves, open our eyes and pursue the Lord with everything we have in us. Let us see that He is the source of life, of all good, of everything we need. Let our faith and love be evident in our actions! Let us be passion in action!

# Love Is Core

## 2013-04-30

I was reading these verses yesterday morning - John 13:34-35 NIV: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. [35] By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

I was meditating specifically on verse 35. I find it so encouraging that it's our love for one another that will distinguish us as Jesus' followers. It's not our religious fervor, our efforts at making ourselves righteous or pure, nor will it be our worship, our buildings, or meetings that distinguishes us from others. (Not that those things aren't good). It will be our love for each other!

We all have some idea what love for each other looks like, and it's based on relationships. So often our church experience is focused on sermons, services, and meetings to learn more about our faith, which are all good, but not the single thing that will distinguish us. If our love for each other is the one thing that Jesus said will set us apart and cause us to look different than all the rest of the people, why are we not spending most of our time focused on that? Why are we not focused on building loving, strong, merciful, gracious, intimate, helpful and serving relationships?

I know this is boiling everything down to a simple perspective, but sometimes it's helpful to just stop and ask oneself wants most important. Paul clearly understood the focus on love for each other as the "most excellent way" (1 Cor 12:31). John said that this was the core message, the message we have heard from the very beginning, that "we should love one another"(1 John 3:11). Peter said we should "love one another deeply, from the heart" (1 Peter 1:22). James called it the royal law found in Scripture, that we love our neighbors as ourselves (James 2:8).

My encouragement this morning is to focus on the single most distinguishing feature of my faith, my love for others. Like the exercise mindset of focusing on the core, focusing on love affects everything else. Lord, help me to love like You loved, for that is the command, that is the core of our walk as Your followers!

# Religion vs. Relationship

2013-05-01

Matthew 19:16-22 NIV  
Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" [17] "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments." [18] "Which ones?" he inquired. Jesus replied, " 'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, [19] honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.' " [20] "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?" [21] Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." [22] When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

I was thinking this morning about how we so often try to boil down our faith and religion into a list of do(s) and don't(s), basically a list of prescribed religious activities. We tend to be task orientated, and just want to know what we should do. The problem for us is that in the Lord's eyes it is all about relationship. I think the focus of those verses is not so much the wealth of the ruler, but the invitation that Jesus gave the man to come and follow Him, in other words to come and be in relationship with Jesus.

I often read through these verses and immediately think about the stuff I would need to sell, etc., and the real point is that the invitation is to be in relationship. Relationships, even with the Lord, take time and communication. Relationships are not about things we can do, lists we can check, etc. Relationships require heart to heart communication, time to just be, learning how one another thinks, acts, and feels. You can't get that in any great depth through just working down a list of things. Relationships require heart engagement.

Lord, help us to leave behind our lists and our do(s) and don't(s), our religious activity, and help us to enter fully into relationship with You.

# Children and The Kingdom

## 2013-05-02

This morning I opened my Bible to these verses out of Matthew 19:13-15 NIV:  
[13] "Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. [14] Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." [15] When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there."

I have always liked the fact that Jesus loved children, and took time to interact with them personally. I was interested in verse 14 this morning, as the Kingdom of Heaven was the main focus of Jesus' ministry and message. The NIV translation takes a slightly different track than the literal translation of the Greek - here quoted from Greens Literal Translation: "But Jesus said, Allow the little children and do not prevent them to come to Me, for of such is the kingdom of Heaven."

Without getting all theological, the differences between "the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these", and "of such is the kingdom of Heaven" appears to be an issue of timing and ownership. When I read the NIV translation I get the feeling that Jesus is referring to their future inheritance, although it's not explicit. When I read the original Greek, and Green's translation, it seems like Jesus says the Kingdom already includes these children. This present versus future participation is significant, especially in the eyes of the church.

Jesus says they are part of the Kingdom of Heaven already, so why do we treat children as Christians in training, but not full members of the church? At the time Jesus lived, children really were the lowest level socially, and I have heard many say that Jesus was addressing this issue here. In some ways many of our churches do the same very same thing, in separating the children out, not allowing them to experience the fullness of life of the church. Of course the fact that for many the life of the church consists of lengthy sermons, or worship that is lifeless, certainly doesn't make it attractive to children. However, I think that part of the message we send the children, when we separate them from the adults is that they aren't really a part of what God is doing, but some day they will be. I think we are too worried about the messiness and noise that occurs when the children are present, but Jesus didn't seem to mind.

I think we should take Jesus words seriously - "do not prevent them to come to Me". Let us work to include all, and encourage all to fully experience the fullness of our life as members of the Kingdom of God. Let us welcome the children and encourage the children, and see them as members. I go back in my mind to the daughters of Philip - Acts 21:8-9: "Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied." The actual word, here translated unmarried, means virgin - of marriageable age. I understand that marriageable age could mean very early teens, and here were four, all separated by at least a year in age, so doing basic math, the youngest could have been younger than 12. They were all recognized within the church as prophets, and as such must have had time to develop their gift, meaning the church recognized them, recognized their gifts at an early age and encouraged them as full members. I say Amen - let the church do the same, for the church is supposed to represent the Kingdom of Heaven.

# God Reigns Over All

## 2013-05-03

This morning I felt led to read from Daniel 7:9-10, 13-18 NIV:  
[9] "As I looked, "thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. [10] A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.

[13] "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. [14] He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

[15] "I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me. [16] I approached one of those standing there and asked him the meaning of all this. "So he told me and gave me the interpretation of these things: [17] 'The four great beasts are four kings that will rise from the earth. [18] But the holy people of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever---yes, for ever and ever.'

I love the Book of Daniel. I guess I love any book in the Old Testament that provides a good prophetic view of Jesus. Daniel, along with Isaiah, are two of my favorites. Daniel was written around 600BC. He effectively and accurately prophesied about reveal of the kingdom changes that would affect that world, the times of the Persian, Greek, and Roman domination. More importantly he also accurately prophesied about the coming of the 'Son of Man' who was given all authority and power - clearly looking forward to Jesus.

To put this in perspective, 600 years earlier than now would be 1513. Spain was a power, all Europe was ruled by Kings, America had just been discovered a few years earlier, England and Scotland were fighting each other, etc. Daniel's prophecy named the next four major powers and changes in authority, even the number of days each would stay in power, and the number of kings. Imagine having been given a prophetic picture in 1513 that would accurately foretell the major changes in power coming upon Europe. That is effectively what Daniel did, and his culminating vision was the coming of Jesus, which occurred 600 years later.

Also, not to be forgotten, is his vision of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is, and will always be victorious over the kingdoms of the earth. Jesus does reign in power and His Kingdom is established, and we (the holy people - made so by Jesus' sacrifice) will possess the Kingdom with Him (see above verse 18). It is good to be reminded that God does reign and He has been controlling the destiny of the world forever, and continues to control its destiny. He causes nations to rise and fall, kingdoms to be established and torn down, and through all of that He reigns supreme! All nations will worship Him, all peoples will bend their knee, He has all authority, glory and sovereignty. God reigns over all!

It's good to reminded of this on snowy days in May, when things seem all mixed up. :-)

# A Basic Prescription

## 2013-05-12

This morning I am reading from Colossians 1:9-14 NIV:  
[9] "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, [10] so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, [11] being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, [12] and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. [13] For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, [14] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

I love Paul's writings for He distills the message at times into basic truths, which he encloses in long sentences that you could think about for days, if not weeks. As an example, from the second half of verse 9 through the end of verse 12, Paul writes one sentence that could be the foundation for a life following Christ. His key points being:

1) Being filled with the knowledge of God's will through wisdom and understanding  
2) After understanding God's will, living out our life in obedience to that will, because we love Him and want to please Him (God)  
3) Which leads to a life that bears fruit in good works  
4) Which leads to growing in our knowledge of the Lord - (back to point 1)  
5) And being strengthened through His might that we might have great endurance and patience  
6) And in all things, giving thanks to the Lord, for we have been welcomed into His Kingdom of Light and Life

Yep, a basic prescription for following the Lord every day in our life. If I could walk these basic points out, I would be a long ways down the road in my desire to be like Jesus. Sometimes it's nice to be reminded of the simplicity of our call to be His disciples. Lord, help me to remember the simple things, the basics of my life with You.

Revelation of the Father

## 2013-05-13

This morning I was reading from Luke 10:21-24 NIV:  
[21] "At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. [22] "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." [23] Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. [24] For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."

My heart is focused on the end of verse 22, speaking about knowing the Father. One of my favorite authors, Bill Johnson, says that the primary purpose Jesus came to earth was to reveal the Father, and that is exactly what Jesus is speaking about here. He came to reveal what the Father is like, and men (even Kings and Prophets) have sought this type of understanding for centuries before His arrival. What is amazing to me is how many people still do not know what the Father is like, when we have Jesus' example available for us to reflect on and learn from.

I know in my life I am often apt to take on someone's (a friend or trusted acquaintance) opinion on somebody else, especially if it concerns a person I don't know. If they have an opinion of a person, I will often embrace that opinion, without ever knowing or trying to know that person. I have found that often times, I have a very different experience when I get to know someone personally, and often really like someone that friend doesn't like. My point being that its only in our direct experience that we can really get to know someone, and so often we let others, besides Jesus tell us what the Father is like. We must pursue understanding the Father ourselves, through the revelation of Jesus - for He and the Father are one.

That is why 'religion' is so troubling, for people come to think of the Father as the enforcer of rules, or code of conduct, and miss the fact that He is a loving, personable, merciful and giving Father. That is also why our witness is so critical, for others will look to us and make judgments about the Father and Jesus based on how we, as Christians, act and respond.

Lord, help me to know You more, and really understand You, so that I might faithfully represent You to those around me. Help me to meditate on the revelation of the Father in Jesus' life, and help me to choose to become like You!

# God Knows Our Thoughts and Still Loves Us

## 2013-05-14

This morning I am reading from Jeremiah 17, which has several significant passages and verses. I am looking specifically at the following this morning:

Jeremiah 17:9-10 NIV  
[9] "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jeremiah's thought)  
[10] "I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve." (The Lord's Answer)

I added my own notes as I think the conversation occurred when Jeremiah was writing. In addition to the context of the conversation, I find that the Lord often works this way with me as well. I will have a thought or be thinking about a theme, and when I open my Bible, or sit in prayer, the Lord will directly respond to that which I had been thinking. The Lord not only knows our hearts and minds, but He knows our thoughts and is aware of them constantly. He wants us to understand the intimate knowledge He has of us, and His love for us, regardless of our sinful state.

I am reminded of Psalm 139:1-4, 23-24 NIV  
[1] "You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. [2] You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. [3] You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. [4] Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely."

[23] "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. [24] See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

I love how aware David was of God's knowledge of him, and his ways. He also understood that God, although He could judge, chooses mercy time and time again. God understands that we are all sinners, that we all fail (Rom 3:23), that we don't understand His ways (Is 55:8-9) and He still loves us and calls us into relationship with Him (John 3:16-17).

If we pay attention, we will find that the Lord is constantly desiring to interact with us in our daily life, responding to our thoughts and prayers, leading us and guiding us. He really does know our hearts and minds, our thoughts and feelings, and He really does care. God is not just some judge sitting on a throne, waiting to judge us on a day of reckoning, but rather, as Jesus demonstrated, a Father whose love is beyond our comprehension, and a Father who knows us intimately and still chooses to love us and reach out to us constantly. Finally as Jesus said in John 14:23b: "...My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them."

# Reality Check

## 2013-05-15

This morning I am reading from Psalm 73:1-3, 16-18, 23-26 NIV:

[1] "Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. [2] But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. [3] For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked."

[16] "When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply [17] till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. [18] Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin."

[23] "Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. [24] You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. [25] Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. [26] My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever".

This psalm is always such a good reminder of the eternal reality that exists. There are many times in my life when I have wondered if following the Lord is worth the effort, worth the struggle, and ultimately fulfilling. I look around at people with newer cars, nicer houses, seemingly better lives, and I think to myself that somehow I am missing out.

I remember it the first time I read this psalm. It was early in my walk with the Lord, and I was feeling particularly sorry for myself, thinking I should just chuck all this Christianity stuff and be like everyone else. I was reading through my Bible and read this verse, and immediately saw the fallacy of my thoughts. The eternal reality, as well as the life of blessing, and intimacy with the Lord, was much better than the alternative, I was just being blinded by my greed and desire.

Lord, thank You for Your blessing, love, life, faithfulness, mercy, compassion, provision, and guidance. Life with You is so much better than the alternative! Ultimately we inherit eternal life with You, which is far better than the other eternal reality.

# God's Patience

## 2013-05-16

This morning I am reflecting on some verses from Peter's second letter.

2 Peter 3:3-4, 8-9 NIV  
[3] "Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. [4] They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."

[8] "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. [9] The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

I have always liked these verses from Peter, for they describe the Father's heart towards all. He is a loving Father, who wants to see all people come to repentance, who wants to see all enter into relationship with His Son, who wants to save all. This does not negate His final plan of Jesus' second coming and final judgment. We, who are short-sighted, can't fully understand this mercy and patience, so God in His mercy inspired Peter to write this, that we might understand.

The Father thinks generationally, throughout the ages. He thinks of nations and empires and great movements upon the earth, and has a plan that encompasses it all. We think the fullness of His words apply and will be fulfilled in our lifetimes, and in that we are greatly mistaken. His words certainly apply to our lives now, and there will be some level of fulfillment in our present days, but God's plans are perfect, and He has in His heart all people (billions and counting).

We need to stop trying to understand God's actions from our perspective and start praying to understand His actions from His perspective. We need to trust His words, look for His mercy, and apply His words to our lives daily. There will be a fullness of time when His plan reaches completion and there will be a day when Jesus comes again, and until that day occurs, no one will know what day it will be, no matter their level of knowledge or relationship with the Lord. We should look forward to that day, but embrace the days we have in His mercy, and pursue Him. As Peter says to end his second letter: "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen." ( 2 Peter 3:18 NIV)

# Choked vs. Fruitfulness

## 2013-05-17

This morning I opened my Bible to Mark 4:13-20 NIV:

[13] "Then Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? [14] The farmer sows the word. [15] Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. [16] Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. [17] But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. [18] Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; [19] but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. [20] Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop---some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown."

This morning I am aware of how often I am like the seed sown among thorns. The issue for this seed is not that it doesn't find root and grow, but that its unfruitful. The stalk of grain grows to maturity, but has almost no fruit to show for it. I think about how many things I am distracted by in my life, and my life is relatively simple, that cause my focus on the Lord to stray.

Jesus said these things 'choke the word', and I think that is a very appropriate image. A plant is choked, or stunted, by lack of light, or lack of water. The light is God's word and presence in our lives. The water is the ministry and power of the Holy Spirit. When I get distracted by other things, I spend less time in His word, and am less aware of the moving of the Spirit in my life. We can't expect that we will be fruitful if we are not being fed and watered constantly.

Looking at my yard, I am amazed at how quickly the ground dries and cracks, when I know that just a few days ago there was rain. I think my spirit is similar, in that it doesn't take very long for me to feel dry and parched, just a few days.

Lord, I want to be like the seed sown in good soil, plenty of sun, plenty of rain, and bearing much fruit. Help me to stay focused and keep pouring Your light and water into my life! I don't want to be choked, stunted or distracted. Help me to recognize those things in my life that are causing me to be choked or stunted, and help me to get rid of them so that I can bear much fruit.

# Integrity On Display

## 2013-05-18

This morning I am reading from Paul's letter to the Philippians, and it's a single verse that took great courage and humility to write - Philippians 4:9 NIV: "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me---put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."

I was just thinking about the phrase "or seen in me" as it pertains to my life. I was wondering what others might see in my life and whether what they would see was worthy of imitation? Paul was able to look at his life and know that he had been a faithful witness not just in words, and active ministry, but when he was being observed in public or private, whether he knew it or not. His life had a single pursuit, and he was always pointing to Jesus, both in words and actions.

I know I am conscious of my witness, but I am certainly not to the point of being able to say - 'whatever you may have seen in me, put it into practice'. Lord, I pray that You will help me to have integrity in my words and actions, in public and in private, that my witness would be consistent, and pointing to You. I want to be the same man, whether at home, in public, in ministry, or out to eat with my family. I want to constantly give glory to You, to have integrity in all my ways.

# My Experience of God

## 2013-05-19

This morning I started reading from Jeremiah 25, which is where God announces the 70 year of captivity, and where Jeremiah says he has been personally warning the people of Judah for 23 years. Turning the page, there is Jeremiah 28 where the false prophet Hananiah is proclaiming a completely different message, of hope and restoration, and one the people chose to listen too, despite Jeremiah's prophecy.

This got me thinking of the almost dueling nature of so many doom and judgment voices in the Body of Christ today, compared to the voices of Bill Johnson, Randy Clark, Chris Vallaton, Graham Cooke, and others, who see God moving in awesome ways, and focusing on the expansion of the Kingdom, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the coming worldwide outpouring.

It seems similar to the time of Jeremiah, in that you wonder who you should listen too? I find myself looking internally to the experience I have with the Lord, and how he deals with me. I think that has been one of the reasons I have never gone in big for the holiness or shepherding movements, as my own walk with the Lord, has been full of love and mercy, compassion and forgiveness, increasing intimacy and revelation, never the harsh judge or punishment I would deserve or experience if God was requiring me to walk in purity and perfect righteousness on my own.

I think of scripture as a continual revelation, and the culminating revelation of the nature of God is Jesus. He shows us personally what the Father is truly like, for He is doing and saying what the Father is saying. He has seen the Father and shown Him to us - Matthew 11:27 NIV: "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him".

I see Jesus loving sinners, calling sinners to repentance and relationship, working healing and miracles, signs and wonders, and extending mercy to those that are lost. I see Him fulfilling the harsh requirements of the law, and setting people free from the judgment of the law. I see Him confronting the 'religious' of His day who were leading people astray and not representing God (Matt 23 is a great example).

So the question for me, is what is the true message of God to me and our world today? What version of the Father should I be representing? My own thoughts are that I should show the world the Father that I know, and I see revealed by Jesus in the Gospels. I want the world to know the Love of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the mercy and grace available in Jesus sacrifice, the application of His righteousness to our lives, the opportunity to have a deep and intimate relationship with the One who loves you more than anyone else, the power of the Holy Spirit working through us to heal, and break the power of the enemy.

I don't experience my relationship with the Lord as requiring me to be pure and righteous before He will show me His love. Rather, I have experienced His love and mercy while still a sinner. I find myself motivated to be like Jesus, because I have relationship with Him already, and I love Him and want to be like Him. It's not purity and righteousness first, so I can have relationship, but rather purity and righteousness because I have relationship and am motivated by love. Sin does not remove me from relationship, nor does it require punishment. Jesus chooses to correct me, lovingly, showing me the better path, that which helps me grow to be like Him. His correction is not harsh punishment, or severe discipline, the silent treatment, or time-out. When I have fallen short He is always there waiting with open arms, like the Father in the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:20)!

Lord, help me to be like You! Help me to share You with those around me. Help me to be a witness of Your love, mercy, compassion and grace.

# Sharing In His Glory

## 2013-05-20

This morning I felt like reading Paul's second letter to Thessalonia - 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 NIV:

[11] "With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. [12] We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."

I like these verses for a couple of reasons. First, it's interesting to note who is doing the majority of work in the first sentence. God is making us worthy of His calling, and applying His power to our lives, to help us fulfill our desire for goodness, and make our deeds fruitful. Our activity is desiring to be good, and acting in faith. He is bringing the power to enable us to bear lasting fruit and has already made us worthy by Jesus' Body and Blood. This is good news, as He is doing the things we can't do on our own. Second, there is a glorification resulting from God's work in us, Jesus being glorified in us, and us in Him, because of Him, and through Him. It is all because of Jesus, but we get to participate in the Glory!

Going back to the story of the prodigal son I was reading yesterday, one of the things the older son didn't understand was this principle of sharing in the Glory of the Father (the celebration of goodness and access to the Father's treasures of food and wine, etc.). He thought by slaving away in obedience and hard work he would earn some little bit of recognition that he could share with his friends. The Father in love corrected him and said "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours." Luke 15:31. It's not because of our hard work or obedience, or anything else that we receive good things from God, but simply because we are in relationship with Him. That doesn't mean we don't serve the Lord, or work, or obey His word, but it's out of thankfulness for what He has already given us, rather than to get something we want. The heart motivations are completely different.

Lord, I pray that Your power, You may bring to fruition all my desires for goodness and make my deeds, done in faith, bear fruit that lasts. Help me to understand Your desire to share Your abundance and Glory with me, because You love me.

# A Distorted Gospel

## 2013-05-21

This morning I am reading out of 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 NIV:

[1] "Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. [2] Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. [3] And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. [4] The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. [5] For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. [6] For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ."

\- and -

1 John 4:9-10, 16-18 NIV  
[9] "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. [10] This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

[16] And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. [17] This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. [18] There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."

My meditation is on the distorted Gospel that is often preached today - one of fear of God's punishment for the sins of our country, our community. Paul spoke of making sure they did not distort the Gospel, but rather set it forth plainly, so that it displayed the light, the glory that is in Christ Jesus, who is the very image of God. John said it so very clearly - God is love, and proved it by sending His son, not to condemn and punish the world that was in sin, but rather as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment." Our Gospel is supposed to be a Gospel (Good News) of God's love, not God's impending punishment for our sins. Jesus paid for our sins with His life - is there no value in His sacrifice anymore?

The light of the Gospel must shine out from the church, and this light is the truth that God is love, and He has paid for our sins, and made a way for us to enter into relationship with Him as sons and daughters. There is life, power, freedom, hope and light available to us in Christ. He took the punishment for our sins upon Himself (Is 53:4-5). Let us not preach fear of punishment, for there is no fear in Love, and God's love is supposed to drive out fear, not create it. Let us be beacons of love in this dark and veiled world, preaching God's love, forgiveness of sins that have already been paid for, and hope.

# Looking at the Old with New Perspective

## 2013-05-22

This morning I was briefly reading through Joshua chapters 7 & 8. In Chapter 7, God confronts the disobedience of Achan and in chapter 8 they deal with the city of Ai, and destroy it following God's directions. As I was reading this, I felt like the Lord gave me some perspective on how to interpret these chapters and put them in proper perspective.

1) These events took place under the old covenant, which was pointing towards the new covenant. The events and dealings of God with these people are not directly applicable to us, who live under the new covenant, but we learn from them.  
2) Israel was in the process of learning to be a nation, they had spent 40 years in the desert, and were now entering the land that had been promised to them, and they were going to need to follow God's directions, for they weren't a warring nation, but had been slaves.  
3) Obedience in all things was critical to their survival.  
4) After Jericho, they thought they were the ones fighting and assumed God would bless them without actively listening to His counsel. God taught them their need for His direction.  
5) Sin and disobedience affects the nation, but it's the individual who bears responsibility. They were learning to be a nation who depended on one another, and individual weakness could affect them all.  
6) They had been given a specific territory to extend their rule over - and they had to defeat the present inhabitants to take possession of the land.

The new covenant application of these truths follows:  
1) We have in Jesus the fulfillment of the old covenant and the law, and the establishment of the new covenant (Matt 26:28)- His life and example are the basis of this new covenant.  
2) The establishment of the church, the Body of Christ was the new and continuing work. We need to learn to be a Body, and we need to follow the Holy Spirit's direction, to become one (John 16 -17)  
3) Obedience to God is out of love and relationship (John 14:23), and still critical for our survival and growth, but there is now an internalization of the this new covenant, written on our hearts (Jer 31:33) and witnessed by our spirits, being united with the Holy Spirit dwelling within us (John 14:25-26)  
4) Our battle is not against mortal men, but against spirits and powers - and as such we must learn to put on His (Jesus') armor and stand in the truth. (Eph 6)  
5) We are all one body and we are all affected by each other (1 Cor 12:26) but we are not judged or punished for the sins others (Acts 5) for the perfect sacrifice has already been made for the sins of all (Heb 10). We need each other in the Body of Christ, the way our bodies need every cell.  
6) We have been given the whole world, to extend the Kingdom of Heaven into it, and bring all nations to Jesus (Matt 28:18-20) and our battle to do this is against the rulers and principalities of this present age (Eph 6:10), not each other.

Lord, Thank You for new perspectives and understanding. Help me to apply that which You show me into my daily life. Help me to understand the fullness of the Gospel, the Good News of salvation and life available to me.

# Mercy Trumps Judgment

## 2013-05-23

This morning I am reading from James 2 a couple of verses that are so important for us to remember.

James 2:12-13 NIV  
[12] "Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, [13] because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment."

The two sentences and verses really need to be read together, and understood together. The phrase 'not been merciful' from verse 13, is demonstrated by our speech and actions in verse 12. In other words when we are not merciful in our actions or words towards others, when we are quick to judge them by some set of rules other than the example of love shown us by Jesus, then we are not being merciful, and we set ourselves up to be judged by the Lord. This principle can be seen in Matt 18:21-35, Jesus parable about the unmerciful servant. We are called to treat each other the way the Lord treated us when we were still sinners, loving us, inviting us into relationship, forgiving our sins, etc. If Jesus calls us to love our enemies, to do good to those who hate us, how much more should we be treating those around us in love and mercy.

I think there is an attitude in the church at times, that once a person gets saved they should now be following a set of Christian principles (laws) and their lives should be free of sin, right now. I don't see this modeled by Jesus, rather He was incredibly patient with the Apostles, who though they were making strides, were constantly demonstrating their own pride or misunderstanding of the ministry or mission of Jesus. He didn't judge them harshly, but rather corrected them in love, showed them a better way and continued in relationship with them. He was about creating a new paradigm of life and perspective and He realized that it takes time to change and see things in a new way. Even after He ascended the Apostles were still making mistakes, Peter was corrected by Paul for trying to apply the old law to new Christians (which is exactly what James is writing about here). Let us remember what we were once like, and give each other mercy and grace, and trust the Lord to complete the good work He is doing in each of us.

So let us consider our words and actions towards those in the Body of Christ, and those who haven't yet found their way home. Let us act and speak towards each other in the same way Jesus speaks and acts towards us. Let us extend mercy, compassion, forgiveness, relationship, love and peace to all we meet. A merciful church will always succeed over a judgmental church.

Finally, Paul said in his letter to the Romans, as he was addressing judgment in the church "..Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?" Rom 2:4. God is kind, tolerant (another word for forbearance) and patient so that we might be lead to repentance. This is true for those outside the church as well as those inside the church. Let mercy trump judgment in our lives, in our example, and in our dealings with others.

# Signs That Point To Him

## 2013-05-29

This morning I decided to read some of Luke's Gospel and opened up to chapter 7, which is a great chapter, it includes the Centurion's servant, raising the widow's son, questions from John's disciples, and the women anointing Jesus feet with her tears. The verses that grabbed my attention were Luke 7:20-23:

[20] "When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?' " [21] At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. [22] So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. [23] Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me."

I think this verse grabbed my attention because I think we need to understand that these signs that Jesus produced were the signs that indicated that He was the Messiah. They are also the signs of His Kingdom among us - see Matt 10:7-8. These signs are meant to be present on the earth as signs that point us towards Jesus as our Savior and King. The Kingdom of Jesus is supposed to be represented by power not just mere words - 1 Corinthians 4:20 NIV: "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power."

If we are to properly represent the Kingdom of Jesus, we must learn to operate in the same signs and wonders that Jesus gave as evidence of His identity. There are many good sounding ideas, and theories, and other religions, but there is only One who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, who has all authority and power. If that is who we serve, than His power and authority should be evident when we represent Him. That is how the world will know the difference between those who follow Jesus and all the other 'religions'.

Lord help us to open our minds and hearts to Your truth, that we are called to do the same works. You said, "Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. [12] Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." John 14:11-12!

Amen!

# Sowing Wind or Sowing Seed?

## 2013-05-30

This morning I was reading from Hosea and this verse caught my attention:  
Hosea 8:7 NIV. "They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no head; it will produce no flour...".

As I read that verse I was reminded of two verses from the New Testament:

2 Corinthians 9:6 NIV  
'Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously."

Galatians 6:7-8 NIV  
"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. [8] Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life."

I did a quick search on all the times sowing and reaping were mentioned in the New Testament and they were mentioned 30+ times combined. Clearly sowing and reaping are important and apply to both the natural and to the spiritual as well. What one sows, is what one reaps. Period!

All around us are advertisements for products that try to take shortcuts on this well-defined natural principle. I think the diet advertisements are the worst - 'lose weight without trying', 'eat all the same foods and still lose weight', etc. Results without action, or much action... and it's just not true.

If I think about the original verse from Hosea, they were sowing wind...or in modern day language, 'all words but no action'. They said one thing and did another. The Lord however was calling them to account on that, and their empty words (wind) were going to reap a whirlwind.

Without getting into a discussion on judgment, I want to take this principle and apply it to my walk with the Lord. If I want to experience the fruit of intimacy with the Lord and healing and miracles as I represent His Kingdom authority around me, then I need to sow the correct 'seed' in my life.

I won't grow closer to the Lord, if I don't spend time with Him. Good intentions are not sufficient. This relationship, like all relationships takes time and effort. It takes times of communication, and interaction. It takes exposure to how one another thinks, etc. Thinking back on the early days of my relationship to my sweetheart, we spent countless hours just talking, getting to know how one another thought, etc. It is the same with the Lord, we need to spend time alone with Him to get to know Him for ourselves. If we only ever talk about getting close to God, but never spend any time with Him, we are sowing wind only.

If I want to see God work through me in healing and miracles, than I need to be sowing the proper things in my life. I heard one pastor describe the process they used as developing the theology of healing, then developing the practice of praying for people regularly, then finally experiencing the fruit of seeing people healed when they prayed. They sowed the proper seed, and reaped accordingly. If we only ever talk about healing, but are not praying for people, we are sowing wind.

Lord, I pray that You will help us to move beyond sowing wind, or only words. Help us to start sowing actions (seed) that will result in real fruit in our lives. Help me to be willing to put in the effort required to see fruitfulness in my life.

# Rags to Riches

## 2013-05-31

I read several different areas of the bible this morning, none of which really resonated with my spirit. Finally I turned to Paul's letter to Titus and saw these verses:

Titus 3:3-8 NIV

[3] "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. [4] But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, [5] he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, [6] whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, [7] so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. [8] This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone."

It is so good to be reminded of the mercy of God in my own life. For the reality is that I have been saved out of my former way of life and thinking, and set free by His mercy. It was His kindness and love that drew me to Him. He did wash me and cleanse me of my sins, and filled me with His life through the Holy Spirit. I have been justified by His grace, not through anything I have done, but rather through the application of His righteousness to my life. I have become an heir, through His invitation, which means I have access to the inheritance, the fortune of my Father.

What an awesome reality - we are saved from slavery and deep darkness, and invited into relationship and even become heirs! This is the stuff they write books about, make into movies, and we all share this experience. As Christians, we all have a 'rags to riches' story.

Our lives, as Christians, are not meant to be drab and boring lives of passionless obedience. Rather we are called to live our lives full of gratitude, sharing the joy and love we experience, the wealth of our Father, and drawing others into the family, the Body of Christ. We are called to be lights in the darkness, full of hope and shining with God's glory.

Amen Lord!

# God Blesses, Provides and Restores

2013-06-02

This morning as I was praying and asking the Lord what I should read, and I felt led to these different verses:

2 Chronicles 31:4-10 NIV  
He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion due the priests and Levites so they could devote themselves to the Law of the Lord. [5] As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits of their grain, new wine, olive oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything. [6] The people of Israel and Judah who lived in the towns of Judah also brought a tithe of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things dedicated to the Lord their God, and they piled them in heaps. [7] They began doing this in the third month and finished in the seventh month. [8] When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the Lord and blessed his people Israel. [9] Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps; [10] and Azariah the chief priest, from the family of Zadok, answered, "Since the people began to bring their contributions to the temple of the Lord, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare, because the Lord has blessed his people, and this great amount is left over."

Genesis 31:4-9 NIV  
So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah to come out to the fields where his flocks were. [5] He said to them, "I see that your father's attitude toward me is not what it was before, but the God of my father has been with me. [6] You know that I've worked for your father with all my strength, [7] yet your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times. However, God has not allowed him to harm me. [8] If he said, 'The speckled ones will be your wages,' then all the flocks gave birth to speckled young; and if he said, 'The streaked ones will be your wages,' then all the flocks bore streaked young. [9] So God has taken away your father's livestock and has given them to me.

2 Kings 8:1-6 NIV  
Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, "Go away with your family and stay for a while wherever you can, because the Lord has decreed a famine in the land that will last seven years." [2] The woman proceeded to do as the man of God said. She and her family went away and stayed in the land of the Philistines seven years. [3] At the end of the seven years she came back from the land of the Philistines and went to appeal to the king for her house and land. [4] The king was talking to Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, and had said, "Tell me about all the great things Elisha has done." [5] Just as Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had restored the dead to life, the woman whose son Elisha had brought back to life came to appeal to the king for her house and land. Gehazi said, "This is the woman, my lord the king, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life." [6] The king asked the woman about it, and she told him. Then he assigned an official to her case and said to him, "Give back everything that belonged to her, including all the income from her land from the day she left the country until now."

I would say the common theme is the Lord's ability to bless and provide, even in difficult circumstances, or times when one is being treated unjustly. The Lord can and will provide for us, regardless of the circumstances. He can and will arrange circumstances to favor us, to bless us and to restore us. He desires to be our refuge and place of rest. He guides us and directs us. He is a God who delights in blessing His sons and daughters.

David knew God's character and so he prayed in Psalm 31:1-5 NIV  
"In you, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. [2] Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. [3] Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. [4] Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. [5] Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God."

# Jesus Our Mediator

## 2013-06-04

This morning I am reading from Hebrews 9:12-15 NIV:

"He (Jesus) did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. [13] The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. [14] How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

[15] For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance---now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant."

I know I have read this before, about Jesus being the mediator of the new covenant, but this morning a new thought struck me. Namely that Jesus is the mediator, because it's His blood that was used to establish this NEW covenant. It's His blood that cleanses us and purchases forgiveness of sins. That is why He is the mediator, without Him, without His blood we don't have this new covenant. That is also why we are called to come to Jesus, to ask forgiveness, and have Him apply His blood to us, that we might join ourselves to this new covenant. We don't need to fear approaching Jesus, for He has paid for all sin, bit we DO need to approach Him, for it was His sacrifice alone that set us free. He is the mediator, the one who came to earth and becomes the way to the Father.

Thank You Lord, once again for Your sacrifice, and the invitation You extend to us all, to join in this new covenant of forgiveness of sins, freedom, and eternal life.

# Pursuing Our Dreams

## 2013-06-06

This morning I have thinking about fulfilling dreams, and as I turned to the Bible, I thought I should read from James 2:14-17 NIV:

'What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? [15] Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. [16] If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? [17] In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

This morning as I was reading these verses, I thought about how the Lord gives us dreams, callings in our life. He has a plan for us, and usually these dreams and callings are meant to lead us toward the fulfillment of His plans and purposes for us! He is good and has good plans. The problem for many of us is that our dreams remain unfulfilled out of fear, or inaction.

Taking a bold step, I have replaced the word 'faith' with 'dreams', and 'deeds' with 'action' where necessary, in a few of the verses from above, as I think it also communicates the Lords heart for us!

My paraphrase would read like this - What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have dreams but takes no action... In the same way, a dream by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

So my encouragement this morning is to take action to fulfill my dreams, to not just sit and wonder what life might be like, to not quake in fear at the unknown that might occur, but to take action and pursue that which lies deep in my heart and mind. I mean to press into those dreams, and pursue them with action.  
Lord, give me hope and the courage to pursue those dreams, those callings You have placed in my life. Help us all to take action and follow our dreams.

# People of the New Covenant

## 2013-06-07

This morning I am reading from the Prophet Zephaniah. It's always interesting to me how the Lord guides my reading of His Word. I have been reading a book by Kris Vallaton and one of the statements he made, which I have heard before, is that under the new covenant, initiated by Christ Jesus, that there is no punishment. Here in Zephaniah we find reference to that very move of God.

Zephaniah 3:12-20 NIV  
"But I will leave within you the meek and humble. The remnant of Israel will trust in the name of the Lord. [13] They will do no wrong; they will tell no lies. A deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouths. They will eat and lie down and no one will make them afraid. " [14] Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! [15] The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. [16] On that day they will say to Jerusalem, "Do not fear, Zion; do not let your hands hang limp. [17] The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing." [18] "I will remove from you all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals, which is a burden and reproach for you. [19] At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you. I will rescue the lame; I will gather the exiles. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they have suffered shame. [20] At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes," says the Lord."

In verse 15, he says "The Lord has taken away your punishment" and this whole section is clearly pointing to the time of Jesus visitation, and establishment of His Kingdom. In verse 17, he prophesies that the Lord, "in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing." I find it interesting that He also prophesies about how the Lord will remove those who are caught up in a spirit of religion, caring more about rules and regulations and appointed feasts, then they do about their relationship with the Father.

The new covenant is the ultimate culmination of the Lord's desire to free us from our sins, to deal with us in mercy and compassion, and to enable us to shine forth with His Glory. He has taken our punishment upon Himself, paid the price for all our sins, set us free to be in relationship with the Father, as sons and daughters, and given us the Holy Spirit to live in us, empowering us and filling us with His Glory. We, the people of the new covenant, are meant to be a people who are blessed beyond all other people! We are supposed to be full of mercy and grace, at peace and at home in His Presence. He takes great delight in us!

# Natural Actions, Spiritual Reactions

## 2013-06-08

I was reading out of 1 Peter 3:7-9 NIV  
[7] "Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. [8] Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. [9] Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."

There were two things that I saw that made me stop and think.

1) At the end of verse 7, Peter says that our prayers can be hindered by our relationship with our spouses. The word Greek word here translated hindered, means cut in on, as in time or effectiveness. In other words, if we are not treating our wives (or husbands) with respect or kind consideration, our prayers could be ineffective. At the very least this could cause us to have less time to pray. Either way, it's an interesting principle, and one we should be aware of, as we need to be aware that our personal relationships do affect our spiritual relationships.

2) According to Peter, there is a blessing we were meant to inherit that is related to how we treat those who are evil towards us. We are called to "repay evil with blessing". That sure doesn't sit well with my normal sense of pride or self-protectiveness, but there is a spiritual component to everything we do, and Peter is showing us one of them.

So in summary, treating our spouses with kindness and respect and consideration makes our prayers more effective, and repaying evil with blessing, opens the way for us to inherit a blessing. We are called in all situations to love, and this affects the spiritual reality, and opens the way for the Lord to bless us. So our natural actions bring about spiritual reactions.

# Devoted to Prayer

## 2013-06-09

This morning I am reading from Colossians 4:2-6 NIV:

[2] "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. [3] And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. [4] Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. [5] Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. [6] Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

I really like the simplicity of verse 2 - "devote yourself to prayer, being watchful and thankful." What a simple yet significant sentence. The Greek word, here translated devote, is Proskartereo.

Definition  
1. to adhere to one, be his adherent, to be devoted or constant to one  
2. to be steadfastly attentive unto, to give unremitting care to a thing  
3. to continue all the time in a place  
4. to persevere and not to faint  
5. to show one's self courageous for  
6. to be in constant readiness for one, wait on constantly

It has a rich meaning, all which point to a constant focus and activity. Elsewhere Paul encourages us to pray constantly (1 Thess 5:17). I think this is one of the great struggles we have in America - praying. I was raised Catholic, which was a great blessing, and one of the things I was taught was to pray. However, most of our prayers were pre-constructed prayers. I don't think that is what Paul is calling people to do here, reciting prayers all day long. Paul is addressing a group of Christians, who were citizens of the city of Colossae, not fellow priests or ministers, or monks or nuns, just normal citizens. So the question is how we can devote ourselves to prayer? Or maybe more realistically, how do we even start working prayer into our busy lives.

First we need to understand that prayer is important, that prayer is beneficial, and that prayer is something we are all called to do, regardless of our occupation, age or status. Paul put no qualifiers on this statement, so he was addressing everyone in the church. Second, prayer is conversation with God, not just saying words to God, but actual conversation. Jesus said He only did what He saw the Father do, and only said what the Father wanted Him to say. To have this level of intimacy with the Father required constant communication. Jesus was demonstrating to us the life had relationship we are all called to have. I like to say that if Jesus did it, we are called to do that too. In fact Jesus said we are called to do even greater things. (John 14:12). So if Jesus prayed constantly, had a constant conversation with the Father, then we should too.

So, how do we start, or get better at prayer. I think the next two things Paul says here can help us - be watchful and thankful. All around us are people in need, and it's a simple thing to ask the Lord to bless those we see in need. Next we can bring the person in need to mind and ask God how we should pray for them. This starts the conversation with Him. Like all conversations, it's not one, if the other person never speaks, so expect the Lord to speak to you through ideas and thoughts that pop into you mind.

Next, by being thankful, we can also engage in a sort of running conversation with the Lord. Everything we see that is good in our life, just say Thank You to the Lord. For example, I thank the Lord pretty much every time I get in my car and it starts and works like it should. Prayer doesn't need to be a long drawn out dissertation. Simple thoughts, quick impressions, quick words work just fine. Often times when I am with my wife, I can just call her name and with a nod of my head in a certain direction, draw her into what I am seeing, and thinking, for we know each other so well. It can be like this with the Lord, just call His name when you see something awesome. Look around and see all the beautiful and awesome things we are surrounded by and start saying thank You. I am amazed how quickly my heart's affections are turned towards the Lord when I am thankful.

Finally prayer just takes practice, and constancy. It shouldn't be reserved for Sunday or meal times, but should be something that flows freely all day long, every day, as we are watchful and thankful. Let us be a people that pray. As we grow in prayer, we begin to learn what the Lord thinks about, how He speaks, and what He wants to do, the very things that Jesus showed us.

# When Waiting On God

## 2013-06-10

This morning I had an interesting reflection based on Psalm 77:

Psalm 77:6-15 NIV  
[6] "I remembered my songs in the night. My heart meditated and my spirit asked: [7] "Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? [8] Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? [9] Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion? "

[10] Then I thought, "To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. [11] I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. [12] I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds." [13] Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? [14] You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. [15] With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph."

The first four verses are dealing with the issue that God has not come, and not visited them with His power, and seems to have forgotten about them. I know this feeling and thinking well, as whenever difficult things happen, I am tempted to go down the path of believing that God doesn't love me, has forgotten about me or just doesn't care. I find myself thinking all the time about the thing that God hasn't done. It is a negative place that gets more painful with each passing day of unanswered prayer.

I believe the psalmist has it correct here. When he finds himself going down that path, He changes the way he thinks. Instead of thinking about what God hasn't done yet, he focuses instead on all the things that God HAS done. God apparently likes it when His people remember all the things that He has done, because he commanded Is people to remember and recite those things, over and over. Knowing what God did in the past gives us hope and faith that He will once again act on our behalf.

The key take-away for me that I need to change the way I think when I start down the woe-is-me path. I need to start remembering those things God HAS already accomplished in my life. I need to become thankful, rather than give into disappointment, and frustration. The truth is that the Lord does love me, has good things planned for me, and is faithful to finish His work in me.

# Do Unto Others With a Twist

## 2013-06-11

This morning I felt encouraged to read Matthew 7:7-12 NIV:

[7] "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [8] For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. [9] "Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? [10] Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? [11] If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! [12] So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."

Yesterday, we were talking about how the Lord wants to touch people through us, whether through a kind word, a timely gift, encouragement, or even a word of knowledge or prayer for healing. We were discussing how sometimes it's hard to get outside ourselves, and just connect with those around us. We discussed how operating in the presence of the Holy Spirit was so different than just stepping out in random evangelism. If we learn to operate in the Spirit, the Lord can allow us to have a significant impact on those we meet. I liken it to giving away the riches of the richest father on earth.

As I was reading the verses above, I was interested in how the verse in Matthew about doing unto others, follows the verses on a asking the Father for good things. I am convinced that we can and should read them together, as what we should be asking the Father for are things to give away to others, rather than always for ourselves. There is clearly a promise from the Father that if we ask, seek and knock, He will provide. So Lord, I ask that You would open up our lives with opportunities to minister Your goodness, mercy and compassion to those around us, loving people the way we would like to be loved. Bringing mercy, compassion, forgiveness and life to those we meet.

Yes, Lord use us to break into this world with Your love.

# Our True Source of Hope

## 2013-06-12

I was reading Psalm 33:16-22 this morning,

[16] "No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. [17] A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. [18] But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, [19] to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. [20] We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. [21] In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. [22] May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you."

I like these verses because they remind me where to place my hope. My hope is not in the things I surround myself with, not in my job, not in my abilities, not in the government, not in my family lineage, and not in my friends. Rather, my hope is in the Lord, the one who is my provider of all good things. I love the fact that He says that His eyes are on those that trust in Him for their hope, relying on His direction to steer them through life. I am grateful that He does not leave us to our own devices.

Lord, I thank You that You are our true source of hope!

# Thieves & Brawlers In The Church

## 2013-06-13

This morning I was reading in Paul's letter to the Church in Ephesus, and I had an interesting insight. Here are the verses:

Ephesians 4:28-32 NIV  
[28] "Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need."

[29] "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. [30] And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. [31] Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. [32] Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV  
[1] "Follow God's example, therefore, as dearly loved children [2] and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

As I was reading theses verses, especially 4:28, I realized that the reason Paul was writing this was because there were actually thieves who had become part of the church. There were people given to brawling, rage and anger too. This doesn't sound like the membership of most of our churches today, and I would dare say that if we knew that someone in our church was conducting themselves this way, we might be tempted to ask them to go someplace else.

Clearly, Paul is giving encouragement and direction to change and encouraging them to love each other, forgive each other, and grow together as the Body of Christ. But what I find interesting is the seeming lack of outrage and judgment towards these people. I believe that Paul had a healthy understanding of how to grow the church, and that was to invite the unchurched, unredeemed, and unholy to meet Jesus. He recognized that they would bring some of their previous lifestyles with them, and while encouraging them to lay that aside (Eph 4:22) and put on their new self, he knew that there would be issues to deal with, and he was fine with that.

I pray that we learn how to reach beyond the walls of our churches to the very people that Jesus died to save, the sinners, and invite them to meet their Savior. I pray that we get past our revulsion to our former ways of life, for we were all sinners too, and we welcome other sinners with open arms. I pray that churches all over would start to grow, not through the shifting of congregations, but through the lost becoming found, the sinners experiencing forgiveness, the sick becoming well, the hopeless being filled with hope, and the sorrowful being filled with joy. Amen Lord, grow Your Church!

# Committed Marriage

## 2013-06-14

We are doing our part to uphold the sacredness of Marriage. 27 years ago today, I married the love of my life, surrounded by friends and family. It was an awesome start to an awesome life of togetherness!

# Freedom vs. Religion

## 2013-06-16

This morning I have been thinking about two important verses from John 8:32, 36 NIV:  
[32] "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." [36] "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

These are such important verses about our freedom! We are set free from the law by the Truth, and by the Son, from our service to the law and all its requirements. We are called to a place of freedom, why then do we take back the slavery of religion? As Paul discusses in His letter to the Galatians, we must not submit ourselves once again to the law, which was the basis of their religion.

Galatians 5:1, 4 NIV  
[1] "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (The law)  
[4] "You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace."

What an important reflection for us. We must look at our lives and see if we are embracing Jesus, and the grace that is available in Him. Are we walking in the grace, or are we trying to be justified, or righteous through our own works, in accordance with some set of rules? We have been set free from all the requirements by Jesus. He died so that we didn't have to submit ourselves to the bonds of slavery, the requirements of the law. We must stand firm in our freedom!

We must not buy the lie that through some set of actions and right living we will be able to earn our way into relationship with God, or even into better relationship with God. We are His sons and daughters, beloved and free, from the moment we accept Jesus' sacrifice for our sins, and enter into relationship with Him. Our pursuit of Holy lives, becoming like Him, must be rooted in relationship and love for Him, not out of some set of rules we ascribe to according to the church of which we are members. We are not joining some religious army of holy people, but are joining a family, committed to loving one another. Let us spur one another on towards freedom and love!

Amen!

# Of Fathers...

## 2013-06-17

This morning I am reading from 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 NIV:  
[11] "For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, [12] encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory."

I like these verses, especially in light of the celebration of Father's day yesterday. Although Paul is writing to the church, his points about how a father should care for his children is valid. As fathers, we should be encouraging our children, building them up in their gifts and abilities. We should be comforting them when they experience difficulty or struggle or anxiousness. Finally, we should be urging them on in the Lord. We should be speaking into their lives, calling them forward into the purposes of God, calling them forward to live their lives in a manner worthy of God, by helping them set priorities, and make decisions to pursue relationship with the Lord. Let us lead by example in all these ways.

Additionally, for those entrusted with pastoral responsibilities, let us pursue the same heart towards those in our care as we are encouraged by Paul. Let our words be encouraging, comforting, and strengthening. Let us lead by example, and urge one another forward in our calling.

# Seeking Judgment?

## 2013-06-19

This morning I thought I should read out of Jonah.

Jonah 3:10 - 4:2  
[10] "When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened."

[1] "But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. [2] He prayed to the Lord, "Isn't this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity."

When I read this, I think of the tendency of some Christian's, who are talking about God's judgment of America, to believe that God's judgment will somehow prove they are right. There is almost an eager anticipation of God's judgment, so that the people will turn back to the Lord. I think at times this type of thinking also invades the teaching about end-times we find in our churches.

My personal belief is that we should be crying out for mercy, and compassion, asking the Lord to relent, rather than judge. I am also so grateful that we live under the New Covenant, where Jesus paid the price for sin, and took the punishment upon himself. Rather than focusing on the last days and the judgments of God, we should instead be asking for more time, for more souls, for God to relent and have mercy and compassion on all those around us who are not yet saved. We shouldn't be angry with God when He doesn't judge, like Jonah was, but should rather rejoice that we have more time and a chance to reach more of the Lost.

Rather than praying for judgment to come and turn us back to God, we should be praying for God-fearing leaders who will stand by their beliefs and direct our laws and legislation back to the founding principles and values, which were based on a Christian mindset. We need to pray for a change of heart for those in the media who are so anti-Christian. Let us pray for a change of heart and true repentance to come upon our nation that is the result of God's kindness and mercy.

# Humility in Ministry

## 2013-06-20

I am reading from 2 Corinthians 12:6-7 NIV  
[6] "Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, [7] or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me."

As I was reading these verses, I was reminded of why it's so important to minimize the preaching of glorious experiences, especially spiritual ones. The danger, which Paul identifies, is that people begin to think more of someone than is warranted by what they do or say. I think this is so important for us to understand, that when someone is always talking about their spiritual experiences, there may be an effort on their part to puff up their image in our minds.

I find it interesting that Paul, although discussing the miracles and signs and wonders that he worked, never lists them or goes into detail. He simply says - "I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles." 2 Corinthians 12:12

I am certainly not against the recounting of healings and miracles, to build up our faith, and help us to recognize that God is active and present today. I think the true test of a ministry is the willingness to impart and share and give away that which they walk in. I think a ministry that is about the building up of the Body of Christ, wants nothing more than to see all those they come into contact with raised up and equipped to do the very same things. The question is whether the ministry or minister is trying to raise the water level of the church, or trying to demonstrate the fact that they are above the water level, and thus superior in some way.

Let us pray for humility and transparency in the church. Let us pray that the furthering of the Body of Christ would be the first and foremost goal for every minister and ministry.

# Paul's Preaching of the Gospel

## 2013-06-21

This morning I have been reading from several sections of the Bible, Ezekiel, Acts, etc. I was interested in the primacy of Jesus in Paul's teaching - seen a bit in Acts 17.

Acts 17:1-4, 11-12 NIV  
[1] "When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. [2] As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, [3] explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah," he said. [4] Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women."

[11] "Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. [12] As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men."

What Paul preached was Jesus, the Messiah, who rose from the dead. This was his key message, wherever he went. In his early ministry he was primarily speaking to the Jews, and reasoning from the scriptures, they knew. But later in Athens, Paul had to change his message so that people unfamiliar with scripture could understand the good news as well. He still preached about Jesus, but had to build a foundation of understanding common to all.

In all locations, one of the things that Paul understood was that words were necessary to form the foundation of understanding, but the power of the Holy Spirit confirmed his words to the people. He writes of his short visit to Thessalonica in his letter to them:

1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 NIV  
[4] "For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, [5] because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake."

He also wrote of a similar perspective in his letter to the Corinthians:  
1 Corinthians 2:4 NIV  
[4] "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power,..."

I guess this morning I am reminded of the simplicity of the Gospel message, and the delivery system God planned. Preach about Jesus, as our savior and demonstrate this reality through words and power. Lord, I pray that you would refresh Your gospel in our lives and help us to walk in Your power, to prove the validity of the Your Good News. You are our savior, and You can and will demonstrate this through Your power.

# Compassion at Our Core

## 2013-06-23

This morning I am focusing on Compassion as a character of God, and as a need in the Body of Christ. The Greek word that is translated Compassion is Splagchnizomai:

Definition 1. to be moved as to one's bowels, hence to be moved with compassion, have compassion (for the bowels were thought to be the seat of love and pity)

So in other words, being moved at the very core of one's body, deep down, unavoidable, and even gut-wrenching would be an appropriate term. This is not some light or casual observance, but something that literally causes your guts to move, or be deeply moved.

A few verses with short meditations:

Matthew 9:35-38 NIV  
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. [36] When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. [37] Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. [38] Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Here Jesus is deeply moved when He saw the crowds of people following Him, desiring to know more about God, to be touched by Him. It caused Him to cry out for more co-laborers.

Luke 15:17-18, 20 NIV  
"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! [18] I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. [20] So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

The father's deep love for his son, overcomes any need to punish, or chastise, but rather the father forgives him and welcomes him back with open arms. This a clear representation of how the Father looks at us.

Ephesians 4:32 NIV  
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Another linking of forgiveness and compassion. We must allow ourselves to love deeply, to embrace one another at a deep level, because that is where true forgiveness comes out of.

Colossians 3:12-14 NIV  
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. [13] Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. [14] And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Finally, we are called to walk in compassion, wearing compassion like clothes, something is always present and part of me that people always encounter. We must learn to pursue these deep connections and learn to trust one another, so that our lives can be filled with a compassion and love. Compassion should lead us and guide us in our walking out our purpose and calling. Compassion should fuel our ministry. We are called to love each other like Jesus loved us.

Jesus, I pray that You would stir up deep compassion in Your church. I pray that like the Father, we can extend open arms of love and compassion to all we meet.

# God's Intimate Love For Us

## 2013-06-24

Continuing my reading on love and compassion, I am reading out Paul's letter to the Ephesians.

Ephesians 3:14-19 NIV  
For this reason I kneel before the Father, [15] from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. [16] I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, [17] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, [18] may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, [19] and to know this love that surpasses knowledge---that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Yesterday in church we were discussing the reality of God's love for each of us, and the need for a deep revelation of His love for us at a personal level. We were singing a song during worship about how amazed we are by God's love. I think at times these are words we sing, but not really our experience. I think many of us walk around wondering if God really loves us, beyond the universal love that He has for all people. We have a hard time connecting to God on a very personal level. I am sure that few people could answer affirmatively that they know that God really likes them and just likes being around them.

I love listening too and reading the writings of Graham Cooke, as he is one of the best examples of someone who seems to walk in this intimate relationship with God, where he seems to know God's character, not because he read about it, but because he has encountered it. I love listening to him share, as it gives me hope that the same thing could be available to me.

Here Paul is writing about grasping how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. He talks about a love that surpasses all knowledge. That is what I am after. I don't want to experience a love of God that is based on my knowledge of God, but rather want to know deep in my heart His love for me. I want a deep revelation of God's amazing love. I want to be able to share about God's love for me with the same authenticity authority that I can share about my wife's love for me. I want the deep sense of relationship where I can anticipate His thinking and actions, in the same way that I can my sweetheart. I want to know that the Lord loves me, and that He likes me and loves to be around me. I believe this is the type of intimacy that Jesus had with the Father while He ministered on the Earth, and because He demonstrated this it's possible for me to walk in it too.

Lord, like Paul, I pray that You might give us the power and revelation to understand Your incredible love for us, at a personal level. That we might fully grasp just how madly in love with us You are, and how much You like us. Lord, that this revelation would go far beyond knowledge and words, and strike to the very core of our hearts. It is because of love that You came to Earth (Jn 3:16-17) and I want to experience that reality fully in my life.

# Built Up In Love

## 2013-06-25

This morning I am continuing my reading of Paul's letter to the Ephesians. What a great letter! Anyway, I am struck anew by the way the Lord builds His church, and brings it to maturity:

Ephesians 4:11-16 NIV  
[11] "So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, [12] to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up [13] until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

[14] Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. [15] Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. [16] From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."

We are meant to be equipped by Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to do works of service to aid in the building of the church. Maturity in the church looks like unity in the faith, knowledge of Jesus, and being like Him. Maturity allows us to be stable in our thinking, not tossed back and forth by the newest 'teaching' or 'revelation' or 'idea' that flows through the Body of Christ. Instead, we should be known for speaking the truth IN LOVE, because love is what helps the Body grow and build itself up.

I find it interesting that speaking the truth in love is provided as a counter-point to being tossed back and forth by new teaching. It seems that the core message of love, and a motivation of love are some of the key distinguishing factors in determining what is good to listen too. Truth, coupled with love is what we need. So often we like to delivery truth coupled with judgment or warnings of dire consequences if teachings aren't followed. We call harshness hard-love. We preach messages that inspire fear of the coming judgment, yet John wrote that perfect love casts out fear (1 Jn 4:18).

We need to be known for our love for each other - that is what Jesus said (Jn 13:35} and commanded of us to do (Jn 15:17). Let us examine our lives and see whether we are building the Body up in love, whether we are loving one another, whether we are speaking truth in love, and whether we are secure in Jesus' love for us. I want to be mature in my walk, and see the Body of Christ attain to whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Amen!

# Humility In Relationship

## 2013-06-27

Last evening I was reading from James and when I woke up, my thoughts went back to these verses.

James 4:6-10 NIV:  
[6] "But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble." [7] Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. [9] Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. [10] Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."

As I was meditating on these verses, I realized that they must be put into context of relationship to be properly understood. In the verses previous to these, James is warning the people about being adulterous in their relationship towards God, by also loving or being friends with the world.

For me, if I read these verses, especially verses 8 and 9, and put them in context of my relationship with my wife, they are easier to understand. If I somehow have missed the mark in my relating to my sweetheart, somehow causing her pain, sorrow or grief, I am distraught rather than joyful or happy. I want to restore our relationship to its previous state, or to an even better state of intimacy and affection. If I come to her in humility, recognizing my fault or failure and asking forgiveness, I am received much differently than if I were to approach her believing myself to be right. It's humility to recognize that I need her in my life more than I need to be right.

In the same way, we should approach our relationship with the Lord. The Father loves us just as He loved Jesus (JN 17;23). We should be reading these verses with a sense of how our actions can hurt the one that we love (Jesus). We should be constantly monitoring our relationship and working to increase our level of intimacy and affection. We should be willing to lay down those things in our life that get in the way of our relationship. Ultimately we need to recognize that our need for God in our lives, outweighs our desire to be right or in control.

Continuing my meditation, I recognize that washing our hands is a sign or our desire to purify ourselves of all the things that have happened or gone on in the past. We need to lay down past hurts, things that we did, said or thought, and pursue God. We need to put our past in the past, was our hands of it, and embrace God. I also find it interesting that James addresses people's hearts when they are double minded. This is because it is a heart issue, it's about relationship. Double-mindedness means that someone is having equal thoughts and affections towards someone or something else. James encourages them to change the way they think and act (repentance), so that they might restore their relationships with the Lord.

Finally this is not something we should be doing out of duty or religious expression, but rather because we have genuine affection. We must open our hearts, and see our need for God outweighs our need to be right or in control. We need to understand that in humbling ourselves before God, we are bowing before one who loved us so much that He died for us. We can be confident that as we approach the Lord, He will draw near to us as well, for He desires relationship too.

# The Father's Love

## 2013-06-28

Last night I was reading from the book New Wineskins and he was quoting out of 1 John. I started reading that letter and saw a few excellent verses:

1 John 2:1-2 NIV  
[1] "My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father---Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. [2] He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world."

1 John 3:1 NIV  
[1] "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him."

These three verses are so foundational.

Working in reverse order, the Father loves us, lavishes His love upon us and calls us His children! So, God is not angry with us. He doesn't hate us. He doesn't do bad things to us. He is not just waiting for us to sin that He might punish us. We are His dearly loved children and He delights in loving us. If we could hold onto this truth daily, our lives and thinking could be transformed. He desires for us to learn to walk in the truth of this statement.

Secondly, the most extreme and complete example of God's love us is the fact that He sent Jesus to be an atonement for us all. He has paid the price for our redemption, and sits at the Father's right hand speaking on our behalf as our advocate. As I write that, I am aware of the seemingly contradictory thinking when compared against my thoughts on 1 John 3:1, described above. The image of Jesus pleading our case before God the Father as a judge, who is waiting to strike us with judgment does not align with the revelation of the Father that Jesus showed us. It was the will of the Father that Jesus came to earth, and His perfect plan that set us all free, so why would he now be judging us? Instead of defending us, I imagine that Jesus and the Father are speaking of our purpose and potential and our forgiveness, which has already been extended to cover all our sins.

Yes Lord, help me to grasp the truth of these verses. I want to fully understand the reality of You love for me. I want to rest securely in these truths, and help others to understand them as well.

# A 'How Much More' Father

2013-07-01

This morning I was reading out of 1 Samuel 1:11, 17-20 NIV:

[11]..."And she made a vow, saying, "Lord Almighty , if you will only look on your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head."

[17] Eli answered, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him." [18] She said, "May your servant find favor in your eyes." Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast. [19] Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. [20] So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, "Because I asked the Lord for him."

I was thinking about how interesting this move of God was in the course of Israel's history, and how it was initiated because of a deep personal need of Hannah. The birth of Samuel, and the resultant prophetic ministry, and leadership of Israel all came about because Hannah was being harassed by her husband's other wife, because she was barren. Hannah wasn't being all spiritual in her prayer, wasn't contemplating the coming spiritual revival her son would bring, or really anything more significant than she wanted a baby.

This encourages me, in that Hannah was just praying for her personal need. Sometimes I think we feel that prayers need to have some sort of Kingdom significance to really be heard. We think that the Lord answered her prayer, and our prayers because of what we commit to Him, in her case she offered her son to God's service. I believe that God was just as interested in meeting Hannah's need as He was in the deal she had made. He is a Father who love to bless His children. Jesus constantly revealed to us His Father's heart, and it was to bless and love and care for His children.

I may be weird, but I love it when my children come to me with requests for help. It gives me an opportunity to reveal my love for them in practical ways. I have an opportunity for outward expression of my love for them. I am reminded of a verse from Matthew: "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" Matthew 7:11

Let us learn to turn to God, as we would our earthly father (assuming your earthly father was good). Let us not shy away from asking for personal needs as we come to Him. He is more than capable of answering our prayers, and He can work the answer of any of those prayers into great moves of God on the earth. Everything God does has significance, we just need to ask Him to move. I heard someone describe the Lord as a "how much more" God, based on the verse above. He is not a God of 'just enough', but rather a God of "how much more"! God not only answered Hannah's prayer for a son, but added on so much more than she had prayed for, her son became one of the greatest leaders of Israel.

Let God demonstrate his "how much more" ability in your life!

# Sent To The Sinners

## 2013-07-03

This morning I felt lead to read from Matthew 9:9-13 NIV:

[9] "As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. [10] While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. [11] When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" [12] On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. [13] But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

I absolutely love these passages because they show the Father's heart towards sinners. There is no requirement to clean up his act put on Matthew. Jesus sees the potential in Matthew while he is still a sinner, and engaged in shameful (to a Jew) activity. The Lord is not bothered by this at all.

Sometimes I think if Jesus came again physically for a short bit, he would turn much of the church on her ear. His heart, as He clearly states in verse 13, is towards the sinners. What a radical position for Him to take, and what a radical position for the church to be challenged to take up. So often the church only welcomes those that are already cleaned up, those that are pursuing righteousness. We don't really know what to do with sinners, other than to try to get them to act like us. We are uncomfortable with sinners, and even uncomfortable interacting with them. I can imagine at the dinner at Matthew's house, all the Pharisees were probably huddled together in a corner, trying not to be defiled by the sinners around them. Jesus, however, was right in the midst of the sinners. We in the church need to open our hearts and minds to the lost, to see them as the Lord sees them. Jesus wasn't interested in Matthew's money, but rather in his apostolic gifting. Let us pray for the same heart as the Father, to see the value and purpose in everyone we meet, whether they are a sinner or saint.

# Testifying To The Gospel

## 2013-07-07

A couple evenings ago, I was reading from Hebrews 2:1-4 NIV:

[1] "We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. [2] For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, [3] how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. [4] God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will."

I specifically was drawn to the first and fourth verses. The author of Hebrews is talking about the basic Gospel message here, the gift of salvation available to us through Jesus Christ. He says that we must pay careful attention to what we have heard so that we don't drift away. I think this is so important for us all. We can get caught up in the newest teaching, different ideas or streams, or so many other things, and actually lose sight of the message of the Gospel of grace and salvation. (For a good summary see Eph 2:1-10). Let us examine our lives and see if we are paying careful attention to the truth of the Gospel. Is this what we believe, is this what we share, is this truth the foundation of our thinking about ourselves and others?

In the fourth verse, the author describes how God testified to the truth and reality of this message of salvation through signs, wonders, various miracles and gifts from the Holy Spirit. The message of the Gospel is meant be accompanied by works of the power of God manifested through His church. How else are we to know the Truth? There are many different theories and teaching about how to find fulfillment, self-awareness, enlightenment, etc. The difference between all these and the Gospel is meant to visible to all through the signs and wonders and miracles. Self-improvement can be a good thing. Positive thinking and self-fulfillment teachings can have some benefits. However, in terms of both our eternal life and ability to deal with the underlying spiritual realities these all have no answer. It is only through Christ Jesus that we have access to eternal life (1 John 5:11-12) . It is only through Christ Jesus that the power of satan is defeated and broken for He has been given all authority in Heaven and on earth (Matt 28:18). It is through the demonstration of these realities, and the love of God for all, that people will recognize the truth of the gospel.

I was listening to one of my favorite pastors and teachers recently and he said something to like this - I am unwilling to settle for a Gospel that does not include healing, miracles, signs and wonders. If this was how God testified to the truth of the Gospel in the past, why would we expect or settle for anything else in our day? Lord, we pray that You will continue to testify to the Truth of Your gospel in our day, just as You did during the early days of the church.

Amen Lord!

# "And All Were Healed..."

## 2013-07-08

Last night I was reading in Acts 5:12-16 NIV:

[12] "The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade. [13] No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. [14] Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. [15] As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. [16] Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed."

I love these verses because they show a couple of things. First, they show the increase of ministerial effectiveness and increasing faith. There was never a time where it was recorded that people were healed by Jesus' shadow, yet that is the clear implication of verse 15, so we see the Church expanding beyond what Jesus did, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This would be a fulfillment of John 14:12, where Jesus promises those that believe will do even greater things.

In addition to this verse, there were an abundance of signs and wonders and miracles, and because of them the Church was held in high regard. It's funny, now days if a Church was experiencing an abundance of signs and wonders, they would likely be under suspicion and attack. Regardless, it shows the power of God working to increase the Body of Christ, as I believe He continues to want to do in our day.

Finally, my main focus was on the final phrase of verse 16 - "and all of them were healed." This phrase has not been associated with any of the great healing ministries that I am aware of from the past 100 years. All of them saw effectiveness to a degree, but none could say that everyone who was brought to them was healed. This phrase gives me great hope that we will see this level of effectiveness again, for the Church will shine brightly with the Glory of God in dark days (Is 60:1-3), and we will see even greater things (Jn 14:12) than what Jesus demonstrated. I look forward to the day when miracles, signs and wonders and healing break forth in abundance in the whole Church.

Amen, come Holy Spirit!

# Unconcerned Worship

## 2013-07-09

This morning I am reading from Luke 7:36-38, 44-48, 50 NIV:

[36] "When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. [37] A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. [38] As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

[44] Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. [45] You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. [46] You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. [47] Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven---as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little." [48] Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

[50] Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

As I was reading these verses this morning, I found myself wondering what it was about Jesus that gave this woman the courage to enter the Pharisee's house and express such humility and devotion to Jesus? If Jesus was the guest of honor, then this whole exchange would have been noticed by everyone in that place. I can imagine that everyone was embarrassed by this display of humility, yet the woman seemed oblivious to them all and was focused solely on Jesus. This is such a great picture of worship, offering all of oneself unashamedly to bestow honor on the Lord.

At times when I read stories like this, I have difficulty remembering that this all occurred before Jesus died and was glorified. We see things like this and they make sense, because we know who Jesus is, and would expect this type of honor to be given Him. However, this was not the perspective of all the people in the room, except for Jesus. The rest of them knew He had done great works, signs and wonders, but were still unconvinced about whether He was the Messiah.

My personal meditation this morning is three-fold. First, am I convinced of Jesus as my Lord and savior? Secondly, do I act on my beliefs? Finally, am I willing to lay aside my own pride, unconcerned about how I might be perceived, and give glory and honor to Jesus, worshipping Him with everything that is in me?

# Salvation, Forgiveness AND Healing

## 2013-07-10

This morning I was reading the following verses where Peter references Isaiah 53 in 1 Peter 2:23-25 NIV:

[23] "When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. [24] "He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed." [25] For "you were like sheep going astray," but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls."

I had forgotten that Peter quoted these verses. They are so essential in our faith walk, for they are three solid realities. First, we have all sinned, we are all sheep going astray. Jesus bore our sins on the cross, each and every one of us, and all our sins. He did this that we might be set free of the penalty and made able to live for righteousness sake. Finally, by His wounds we have been healed. The Greek word here means literally that - healed, cured, made whole. So often we miss the point that Jesus died for our salvation AND our healing.

Lord, we pray that we will experience the fullness of what you purchased for us!

# Power Flowed Out of Him

## 2013-07-11

This morning I felt like I should read out of Luke. I opened my Bible to Luke 6:17-19 NIV:

[17] "He (Jesus) went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon, [18] who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, [19] and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all."

Verse 19, is what I am focused on this morning. I don't have any idea how to actually imagine what the healing ministry of Jesus actually looked like, because it's so different, as described here, than anything I have ever seen. For the people to know that healing power was flowing out of Jesus, they must have been able to see some physical manifestations on the people who had touched Him previously. It is like healing was available to all, they just needed to touch Him. Interestingly, there is no mention of getting right with God, forgiveness for sins, faith (although there was clearly faith in their actions that was based on observed results) or anything else. These were just sick people desperate for healing, reaching out to touch Him and being healed. Granted, they had traveled to find Jesus, in response to the marvelous stories that were flooding the countryside, but we are not told of anything else that was required.

I also find it interesting to note that other times, we see Jesus walking through crowds and no mention is made of all the people touching Him and being healed, so apparently there were times of great healing anointing, where power was flowing out like a river, and other times where it wasn't. There is no single time mentioned where Jesus didn't heal a sick person who came to Him, so we know He was always willing to heal, but it is also clear that the manifestation of the healing gift on Jesus ebbed and flowed. I would imagine that in this case there were people who had traveled for days, who were around Jesus, but who hadn't been healed yet, but when healing power started flowing out of Him, they pressed forward and were healed. That is just my conjecture, but logistically it makes sense.

Anyway, my take away this morning is this, Jesus demonstrated a healing ministry unlike anything I have ever seen, but in demonstrating it was showing us what is possible by the power of the Holy Spirit, so this is possible to see in our day. Secondly, there are seasons or times when the healing anointing is more present and powerful to heal, and those are times to press into God for healing. In between those times, it's important to persevere, and still press in, for its always the Lord's will to heal. Finally, there is no religious requirement to receive healing, just need.

Lord, I desire to see healing like this breakout, to see everyone who is sick or oppressed healed and set free. Thank You for showing us what is possible, and inviting us into that group that follows You waiting for the anointing to flow again like a river, but knowing that healing is always available.

# God's Counsel and Protection

## 2013-07-12

I was reading from Psalms this morning and came across these verses, which I have always enjoyed:

Psalm 32:6-9 NIV  
[6] "Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them. [7] You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. [8] I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. [9] Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you."

I love these verses particularly because they offer hope to those who don't know what to do, or where to turn. The Lord speaks the promise of meeting us in our need, protecting us and guiding us. When unsettled or anxious, confused or lacking direction, that. Is what we need - someone to meet with us, someone to make sure we will be fine, and someone who will direct us in our next steps.

God will give us understanding, if we seek Him. He will give us His protection, if we turn to Him. He will direct us, if we listen! He does all this because He loves us! I am so grateful for the Lord's counsel and protection!

Those are good promises to start any day!

# A Fount of Life, Healing and Salvation

## 2013-07-14

This morning I felt I should read from Jeremiah 17:12-14 NIV:

[12] "A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary. [13] Lord, you are the hope of Israel; all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the Lord, the spring of living water. [14] Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise."

There are a couple of significant things in these three verses. First the description of God as the spring of living water - Jesus used this same description when talking to the Samaritan women at the well in John 4:10, 13-14 NIV:

[10] "Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." [13] Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, [14] but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

The Lord desires to be our source for refreshment, cleansing and life. Earlier in this chapter of Jeremiah, the prophet is talking about those that rely on man rather than God. It is so easy for us to turn away, rather than turn towards the Lord. Especially when things are going well, we can forget who our provider really is, namely the Lord. He desires to dwell within us, as the Holy Spirit, taking up residence in us, and becoming for us, and those around us, our source of life.

Secondly, of equal importance, we find in the verse 14 where healing AND salvation are described as being available in the Lord. This has been a consistent theme for me over the last few months - healing and salvation are both found in the Lord, are both available to us, and were both paid for through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. The original words in Hebrew for healing and saving, mean exactly that, healing and saving. There is no ambiguous language in this sentence, and there can be no misunderstanding. God wants us to understand that both are available from Him.

Lord, thank You that You are our source of living water, of life, of healing, of salvation. Lord, you truly are our hope in all things!

# Increasing Glory

## 2013-07-15

This morning I felt I should read from the minor prophet Haggai. I have always enjoyed reading the old testament prophets, and besides Amos, Haggai would be my favorite of the minor prophets.

Haggai 2:6-9 NIV:  
[6] "This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. [7] I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, ' says the Lord Almighty. [8] 'The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the Lord Almighty. [9] 'The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the Lord Almighty. 'And in this place I will grant peace, ' declares the Lord Almighty."

I like the verses because they remind me of who is really in power, namely God. He has all authority, in every nation and every people. He has the ability to shake everything that can be shaken. All money, everything having to do with wealth is His. He is in control.

We often times live like this is not the case, wondering, worrying, striving on our own. Not that had work, and such, is wrong, but we tend to think of ourselves as our provider, and this is just not true. It is the Lord who is our provider, and He has proved His ability in this throughout the Bible, and throughout history. There are many people who have been invited by the Lord to depend solely on Him for their daily provision, and it's amazing the stories they have of God's miraculous provision, every single day. People like George Mueller, David DuPlessis, Rees Howells, Graham Cooke, Smith Wigglesworth, are just some examples. God is fully capable of being our provider.

I also like these verses because they speak of one of the spiritual principles of God's plan, that His Kingdom is ever increasing. It is simply not possible for His Glory to decrease over time. Here Haggai is speaking about the Temple, but this is also prophetic, looking to the future when the Church, the Body of Christ, becomes the resting place for the Presence of God. It is also looking prophetically forward to the Church as the end-times approach. The Church will shine brighter and brighter and God's Kingdom will continue to advance.

Sometimes those of us in the U.S. think that because in America we seem to be moving away from God and our Godly foundations, that God's Kingdom is in some sort of decline. But that is simply not true! Worldwide there is a major increase in the Body of Christ, and revival is rampant. If we look at global ministries, we can understand the breadth of the move of God upon the earth. Ministries like Global Awakening - founded by Randy Clark are a great example. He is connected to many of the Apostolic moves of God on the earth, and it's amazing to hear all the things that God is doing. The glory of this present house is certainly greater than any former time, and in the future the glory will be even greater! We have much to look forward to in the Body of Christ, and His Kingdom will ever be increasing!

Amen Lord! We look forward with eager anticipation to Your continued increase and greater glory. We look forward to the day, seen by John in his vision recorded in the Book of Revelation: "Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" Revelation 5:13

# The Invitation to Know Him

## 2013-07-17

Last evening I was reading some Pete, as Graham Cooke would say:

2 Peter 1:3 NIV  
'His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."

Lord, that is such an awesome promise - that you have given us everything we need for a Godly life. This is found in our knowledge of Him, which is gained through relationship with Him, not head knowledge, but heart knowledge. The Greek word is Epignosis, which means thoroughly acquainted with someone or something, a deep knowing. The only way to become thoroughly acquainted with the Lord is to spend time together - or as most people would say - in prayer. The invitation to prayer is an awesome invitation into eternal life, where we become like Him.

# A Testimony of Experience and the Word

## 2013-07-17

This morning I opened up my Bible to Peter's second letter.

2 Peter 1:16-21 NIV:  
[16] "For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. [17] He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." [18] We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain."

[19]" We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. [20] Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation of things. [21] For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."

As I read these verse a few things stand out to me. First, the experience Peter had on the Mount of Transfiguration was an absolute truth that was an anchor for Peter later in life. This experience was one of the unshakable rocks of Peter's faith. It is good for us to have experiences with God that are part of our unshakable testimony in our life of who God is.

Second Peter uses a strange description of God the Father speaking, he says the voice came from the Majestic Glory. In the gospels this is described as a cloud, but it was clearly something much more than just a cloud. The Greek Words Peter used are Megaloprepes Doxa which can be translated Majestic Glory, or more simply - full of power, authority, dignity and awesome presence that stood out beyond every other thing he had ever experienced. It's clear it was an overwhelming experience and one that words cannot properly describe. Even after years of meditating and being guided and taught by the Holy Spirit, Peter was still unsure how to describe it except that it was more majestic than anything he had ever encountered.

Finally, after describing this fantastic experience, Peter shift gears and starts speaking about the sure foundation we have in the words of the Prophets - namely the old testament prophesies concerning Jesus. Peter says that these are completely reliable, and clearly had life experience to back this up. Christian commentator David Guzick comments on this verse 19-21 - in the section titled "The evidence of fulfilled prophecy"'

a. And so we have the prophetic word confirmed: Peter's experience at the transfiguration was amazing. But even more sure than Peter's personal experience is the testimony of God's word about who Jesus is. The fulfillment of the prophetic word confirmed is a certain, reliable testimony of the truth of the Scriptures.

b. Which you do well to heed: When we consider the prophetic testimony to Jesus, we do well to heed it. There are at least 332 distinct Old Testament predictions regarding the Messiah that Jesus fulfilled perfectly. The combination of this evidence together, from a simple statistical perspective, is absolutely overwhelming.

c. Professor Peter Stoner has calculated that the probability of any one man fulfilling eight of these prophesies is one in 100,000,000,000,000,000 (10 to the 17th power). That number of silver dollars would cover the state of Texas two feet deep. Stoner says that if you consider 48 of the prophecies, the odds become one in 10 to the 157th power.

Peter's faith and witness was based on two unshakable foundations, his own experience, and the unerringly accurate testimony of prophecy concerning Jesus. It would be good to follow Peter's encouragements and remember those times we have experienced the presence of God, and come to know the written Word as it pertains to Jesus.

# Judgment and Favoritism

## 2013-07-21

Recently I have been doing quite a bit if thinking about judgment and mercy, and James has a nice section discussing this topic. Here are the verses - James 2:8-13 NIV:

[8] "If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. [9] But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. [10] For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. [11] For he who said, "You shall not commit adultery," also said, "You shall not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. [12] Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, [13] because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

These verses are actually pretty amazing. James is basically saying that if we have a judgmental attitude, which is really what favoritism is, towards others, we are sinning. We are breaking the law just as much as if we murderers and adulterers. It is a very good thing that Jesus met all the requirements of the law, and paid for all our sins.

Here James says the opposite of favoritism and judgmentalism, as alluded to in verses 12 and 13, is being merciful. I think James' point of reference for this, is that his focus is not on the one being shown favoritism, but the one who is not! Webster's has this as one of the definitions of mercy: compassionate treatment of those in distress. In other words looking on the less fortunate, the undesirable, the hurting, the sick, the poor, the broken, the handicapped and seeing them through the eyes of compassion. Those who are in such straits, who are treated poorly, experience a judgment about their situation that is sin, according to James. Often in the eyes of religious judgment, they are assumed to have brought their situation on themselves, through their sin or bad behavior.

James makes it very clear, judgment without mercy will be shown to those who have not been merciful, so let us pray for eyes of compassion, and hearts for the hurting. Let us recognize that sin and sickness, poverty and all things not of God are the result of a fallen world, and the vast majority of time, having little to nothing to do with the person's actions. Even if we know for sure that a person's actions caused their situations, we should treat them with mercy and compassion, not judge them. I am reminded of Jesus treatment for the women caught in adultery, and His unwillingness to judge her. Let us, as a church extend mercy to those we meet, and show no favoritism in our dealings with people.

# Our Awesome God

## 2013-07-22

This morning I am continuing a meditation on Psalm 89:1-2, 5-8, 11, 13-18 NIV:

[1] "I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. [2] I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

[5] The heavens praise your wonders, Lord, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. [6] For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings? [7] In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him. [8] Who is like you, Lord God Almighty? You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.

[11] The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it.

[13] Your arm is endowed with power; your hand is strong, your right hand exalted. [14] Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. [15] Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord. [16] They rejoice in your name all day long; they celebrate your righteousness. [17] For you are their glory and strength, and by your favor you exalt our horn. [18] Indeed, our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.

What a great meditation on the Lord!

1. His love is eternal, never ending, it goes on and on, never decreasing only increasing!  
2. His faithfulness is established in Heaven which is eternal, never ending, always established. His faithfulness is not based in this world which is ever changing and ultimately passing away.  
3. There is no one, anywhere, that even comes close to comparing to God. Even if you took the combined power and majesty of all the heavenly creatures that surround Him, all the angels included, this wouldn't even compare to God's awesomeness.  
4. Heaven AND earth are His! He rules over all, He has supreme authority and power.  
5. He is a God who acts with awesome power. Righteousness and justice are the foundations of His rule - and love and faithfulness are the banners He flies in front of Himself, and that is what people experience first, His love and faithfulness.  
6. Those that are in His company, that rely on Him are blessed with His favor, His protection, and His righteousness!

Lord, we do well to put our trust in You! You desire to reveal Yourself to us as you are described in PS 89. We long to gaze on Your Glory, experience Your righteousness and justice, and see You move in love and faithfulness.

# A Mystery Revealed

## 2013-07-23

This morning I am reading from Paul's letter to the Ephesians 3:4-6 NIV:

[4] "In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, [5] which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. [6] This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus."

I was thinking about the reality of the gentiles being joined to the people of Israel, and how amazing that is. Israel was a people group, all who were members through birth, as drawing their ancestry from Abraham. It was blood-line based, and of all the people on the earth, God chose them to be His people! You couldn't just become a member of Israel, of your own choosing.

I can imagine how foreign the whole concept of salvation through faith, and grace was to them, as previously their understanding of God's selection was rooted in their ancestry. Paul is correct in calling this a mystery, for it had been hidden, even though alluded to throughout scripture. It was hidden in the fact that their experience was the opposite. Israel was God's chosen people, they were in His favor because He chose them, through Abraham.

Now, through Paul and Peter's revelations, the Gospel is open to the gentiles, and they have the same opportunity to know God and His blessings the people of Israel. In fact, they are joined together as one Body of Christ, in Him. Paul writes in his letter to the Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Now we can all be joined to the Body of Christ, through our faith and belief in Him. People from every walk of life, every nation on earth, every occupation, and every type of character are called by God to join themselves to the Body of Christ. There is both great freedom and responsibility in this new paradigm. For the doors are open to all, but it is now our choice whether to acknowledge Christ's sacrifice, and seek forgiveness for our sins. This is no longer a birthright, but rather the result of our own choosing.

As I was writing that I was aware of how the people of Israel bore within them the Truth about God for so many years. In Jesus, we find that this truth is now available to us all. It's like the purpose of God suddenly explodes out of Israel's and now the whole world is covered by the grace of God, with people joining themselves to the Body of Christ in every nation and people group.

Today, I am thankful that this mystery was revealed and for the chance I had to join myself to the Body of Christ. Lord, we pray that this Good is spread to the whole world! That every nation would be Your Body!

# Born Anew

## 2013-07-24

This morning I have been looking at John 3, where Jesus has his famous discussion with Nicodemus. I am particularly interested in verses 3 and 5:

John 3:3, 5-6 NIV  
[3] Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. "  
[5] Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. [6] Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit."

It's interesting looking at these statements in parallel, and understanding that Jesus was speaking to one who knew the Word of God, as Nicodemus was a one of the Jewish council leaders and a Pharisee. He was asking if Jesus was from the Father, for they had observed all the signs and wonders Jesus was doing. Rather than answer his question directly, Jesus replies with these two statements.

In the first, Jesus talks about one's ability to even perceive the Kingdom, or rule of God. He says the person must be born anew, or from above, really both. This ability to see and perceive the Kingdom is so critical in our daily lives. We often can be so focused on the world and business surrounding us that we miss what God is doing right in front of us. The very ability to start to see comes from the Father, and requires an internal renewing, even birth of a whole new way of viewing things. When our sight starts to change our perspective changes too.

I remember when I strongly encountered God's touch, it was like I could all of a sudden see His purpose in everything, and my understanding of the Word, and His ways became clear. It was as if I had been given a new set of glasses, and I could see clearly the first time in my life. I remember thinking that everything made sense suddenly.

In the second statement, Jesus says that for us to enter into the Kingdom of God it must be through water and the Spirit. The Spirit is clearly referring to the Holy Spirit, and must be understood that the Holy Spirit is the initiator, and the one who makes this entrance into the Kingdom possible. The reference to the water, although it would seem to be referring to baptism is not as simple as that. David Guzick makes the following statements concerning that phrase:

b. What does it mean to be born of water? We know from John 3:10 that whatever being born of water is, it should have been familiar to Nicodemus from the Old Testament.

i. Some have thought born of water means to be baptized. Water here may represent baptism, but there is no real Old Testament foundation for this. ( I think this is likely the case as we know Nicodemus and others were recently observing Jesus' ministry, and might have either seen or heard about Jesus interaction with John.)

ii. Some have thought that born of water refers to our physical birth, since we come forth from a sack of water. This approach is more attractive, but doesn't it simply state the obvious? However, it does make a good parallel with the idea of that which is born of the flesh in John 3:6.

iii. Some have thought that born of water means to be born again by the Word of God. In other passages of Scripture, water represents the Word, as we are washed by the water of the word (Ephesians 5:26).

iv. Some have thought that born of water means to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit, the living water of John 7:38-39.

v. Some have thought that born of water means to receive the water of cleansing prophesied in Ezekiel 36:25-28 as part of the New Covenant. This is the approach has the most weight (though it is a tough call), because of its firm connections to Old Testament prophecy - which Jesus says Nicodemus should have known to understand these things.

Regardless of the exact meaning Jesus had in mind, one thing is clear, there is an invitation being given by Jesus. He came proclaiming the Kingdom of God, and we are invited to come into this experience. Jesus came to bring salvation to all, so this invitation is available to us all. Holy Spirit we pray that You will birth in us this ability to see and enter fully into Your Kingdom.

# Come Follow Me

## 2013-07-25

This morning I am being focused on having a relationship with the Lord. The verse that popped into my mind is Matthew 4:19 NIV: "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people." I think that often we think this invitation was special for the apostles, the invitation to follow Jesus and learn from Him and be in relationship with Him. As I have been reading the Gospels I have noticed that Jesus gave this same invitation to many other people, sometimes to whole groups, other times to individuals, like here where He is addressing Peter and Andrew.

The reality is that this is the same invitation we are all given, to be in relationship with Jesus. The original Greek could be translated "come away to me" and I think this is the piece that most of us miss. The invitation that was extended by Jesus was to daily personal interaction, and learning to think and look at things differently. That same invitation is extended to all of us. If we will allow ourselves the time and attention to the Lord, He will interact with us daily.

Last night I was talking with two good friends about the many people that we know who have lost interest in church. As I reflect in that conversation, I think the issue is really lack of relationship to the Lord. So many of us attend church but never really get to the point of having anything more than a casual Sunday relationship with Jesus, and even that is often times third-person, as we relate to the Lord through our priest or pastor. The invitation that Jesus extended and still extends is to personal, daily relationship. Like all relationships, this relationship requires regular communication and interaction.

The Gospels also talk of the many people that followed Jesus for a season (Matt 14:13-21) but then either lost interest, didn't like something they heard (John 6:66), or were too focused on other things to enter into that deeper relationship (Matt 19:16-23). At the end of it all, after He was crucified, and rose and ascended, there remained 120 who gathered in the upper room (Acts 1:15), these represent those whose faith and belief ran deep, and, I think, those that had a deep personal relationship with the Lord.

So, the big question is how to establish a real relationship with Jesus? If we look at any in depth relationship, they all have the same components, time and interaction and communication, one on one. It is the same with Jesus. Call it what you want - prayer, quiet time, meditation - but having a relationship with Jesus requires that we spend time with Him. Many struggle with finding time in their days to talk with their spouse or significant other, so how to find time to spend with the Lord?

I started about 40 years ago, taking a few minutes every day to read my Bible. Over time I learned to hear His voice, speaking through scripture, and directly to my spirit, but it all started by committing to a few minutes every day. Now days it's more like 2 1/2 hours, but that is not because I had tons of time were I was doing nothing, but because I continued to desire more and more time in relationship with Him, and made it a priority. For me, mornings work best, before my family gets up for the day and I am distracted by work, etc.

So, I guess my encouragement today is to continue to pursue relationship with Jesus. I am encouraged in my relationship by people like Graham Cooke, who has the most amazing personal relationship with the Lord. He can tell when the Lord is speaking to him about himself, by how the Lord addresses him. When it's just about himself, the Lord calls him Gray. When the Lord is talking to him about others, or the church He calls him Graham. That level of intimacy is what I want. I want to know how the Lord speaks to me when He is addressing me affectionately. I want to know the difference in His voice, in how He addresses me, just like I know these things as they relate to my sweetheart, so also can I know them about the Lord.

My prayer for you is that you also will choose to follow Jesus, by taking time to "come away to Him", and that You will discover the treasure that is your relationship to Jesus.

# Pursuing More

## 2013-07-30

I was reading from Acts 19:1-7 NIV, last evening and was reminded of the importance of the baptism and the Holy Spirit:

[1] "While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples [2] and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"  
They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."  
[3] So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?"  
"John's baptism," they replied.  
[4] Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." [5] On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. [6] When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. [7] There were about twelve men in all.

So here is an interesting verse, where people were actually baptized three times, if I can take a little license with the term used for the infilling of the Holy Spirit. They we're originally baptized for repentance from their sins. Then after receiving additional teaching by Paul, they were baptized in the name of Jesus, and in so doing were united with His crucifixion and resurrection (Romans 6:1-14). Finally, they were baptized in the Holy Spirit when Paul laid hands on them.

I know there are some that don't believe in baptizing more than once, and there are some who don't believe in the in-filling of the Holy Spirit, and here we have Paul showing the importance of both. There is clearly a significance to baptism into Christ. Paul wrote extensively about this in his letter to the Romans. Paul wasn't satisfied that the disciples he met believed in God, but he pressed on so that they might experience the fullness of faith. That they might know Jesus and believe fully in Him, and they might be filled with the Holy Spirit, which Jesus spoke of in John's Gospel - chapters 14-16. This is the Lord's desire for us all, to walk in the fullness of what we can receive and experience in Him.

Let us examine ourselves, our lives and let us press into the Lord for all that He has for us. There is so much in Christ that we can never attain a full understanding, or all fullness of experience. There is always more! Let us continually press forward. I am reminded of one of the phrases that C.S. Lewis used in his final book of the Chronicles of Narnia, where all the people are called to come "further in and higher up". Let us pursue the higher calling in Christ.

# Jesus Protects His Own

2013-08-01

This morning I felt like I should read from Acts 9:1-6, 17-20, 28-31 NIV:

[1] "Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest [2] and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. [3] As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. [4] He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" [5] "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. [6] "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

[17] Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord---Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here---has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." [18] Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, [19] and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. [20] At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

[28] So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. [29] He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. [30] When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. [31] Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.

The verses above describe the quick succession of events that radically changed the church early in its life. Jesus converted one of His biggest threats and attackers of the church. There was a significant persecution that had resulted in the death or imprisonment of many people, and Saul was one of the leaders of that persecution. I am so encouraged by this example of the Lord's authority and power and ability to change hearts in an instant.

If there was ever a time when the church was feeling especially vulnerable and at risk, I am sure this ranks up there. The church was still in its infancy and was especially vulnerable to a concerted attack, as it hadn't spread widely yet. The persecution had resulted in a dispersion of the church from Jerusalem, but it was still tenuous, at best.

Jesus was actively engaged in the direction and protection of His church then, and is today. He was able to turn one of His main attackers into one of His strongest proponents with one interaction. He is still just as capable today to change people's hearts and minds in one encounter. He can and does convert strong opponents into strong proponents, all around the world. If you read much about what is happening in supposedly closed nations (closed to Christianity), you will hear how Jesus is personally converting millions of former Muslims, and others who also have previously actively attacked the church.

We in the western church, because of the decline of Christianity in our cultures, can sometimes assume that the church is failing, or falling in its influence worldwide, because we think we are the most Christian nations. This may no longer be true, as there are great waves of revival spreading across many other nations, and some of them have very active Christian churches, and a great percentage of Christians. Jesus is continuing to direct and protect His church even in our day. For some great examples go to http://globalawakening.com and check out affiliated ministries like Iris Ministries or go to http://us.cfan.org/ the ministry of Reinhart Bonnke, or finally the web page for Voice of the Martyrs, a ministry that focuses on the church in restricted nations at http://www.persecution.com/

So my encouragement today is to pray for our church, to pray for those that are attacking the church, to pray that Jesus would intervene and quickly change hearts and minds so that they become His followers. I am also encouraged that any issue of resistance or attack in my own life can be quickly resolved by Jesus, for He has all authority and power.

# Intro to Eternal Life

## 2013-08-02

Last night we were talking about eternal life, and the fact that this was one of the revelations that Jesus came to bring. I was just doing some research this morning and there are only two verses in the old testament that talk about eternal or everlasting life:

Psalm 16:11 NIV  
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Daniel 12:2 NIV  
Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.

Yet, this was clearly a thought that was already in discussion at the time Jesus appeared, for the rich young man asks Jesus about eternal life as described in these verses from Matthew's Gospel:

Matthew 19:16-21 NIV  
[16] "Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life ?"  
[17] "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments."  
[18] "Which ones?" he inquired.  
Jesus replied, " 'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, [19] honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.' "  
[20] "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"  
[21] Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

According to some research I did, it was in the first century Rabbinical thought that the whole concept of eternal life was first seen. I find it interesting that this topic would start being discussed, and developed right before the coming of Jesus. It's almost like The Father was setting the stage for Jesus to come and bring deeper revelation. The two verses in the Old Testament are bolstered by 40+ verses in the New Testament where Jesus reveals this, and Paul and others expound the topic further.

I think this is similar to the topic and thought that gentiles were included in salvation. Something that was alluded to in the Old Testament, but then brought to full revelation in the New Testament, and specifically by Peter and Paul. Paul writes about it in Ephesians 3:6 NIV: "This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.". Peter's revelation is recorded in Acts 10:9-48.

Anyway, back to Eternal Life, using the exegetical tool of first mention, we can learn some very important points about this eternal life that Jesus reveals. If we go back to the verse in Psalms, David has a prophetic vision of what was to be made available through Jesus, this eternal relationship that is filled with joy and exists in God's presence. Daniel receives a revelation that this concerns life after death. So we have an idea that there is life after death that can be filled with joy in God's presence, but there is no mention of how to enter into this eternal or everlasting life.

The rich young man in asking Jesus about this eternal life reveals two things that were evident in the teaching of the day. First, they did not know how to achieve eternal life. Secondly, they figured it must be something related to the commandments God gave them, but it was works based. The young asks what thing must I do?

Jesus, in His response, sets the stage for His further revelations. In verse 21, at the very end, Jesus gives us the first key of understanding, that this life is entered into through relationship with Him. I think that many people miss this key point, and have mentioned it before. It wasn't so much the selling of his possessions that was required, but rather the following Jesus - being in relationship with Him. The possessions were just in the young rich man's way, and Jesus was encouraging him to clear the way so that he might be able to enter into relationship. Jesus also did not discount the commandments, but rather used them as the jumping off point. They are important, as is a moral, obedient life for us all, but they cannot replace a relationship with the Lord. It is only through coming into relationship with Jesus that we enter into life eternal.

This topic is much too broad to cover in a single day, but I leave with these verses from 1 John 5:11-12 NIV:

[11] "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. [12] Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life."

Amen

# Set Faith To Flight

## 2013-08-04

Last night I was reading from Mark 5:24-34 NIV:

[24] So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him. [25] And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. [26] She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. [27] When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, [28] because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." [29] Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.  
[30] At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"  
[31] "You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?' "  
[32] But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. [33] Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth.  
[34] He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

I was reading this and reflecting on the woman's faith, which Jesus referred to in verse 34. Faith is a gift from God, and she surely had received this gift fully. The question is where did this gift of faith come from. If we read earlier in Mark's Gospel we see that Jesus is working many miracles and healing many people, as well as specific individuals (Mark 1:29-34, Mark 1:40-42, Mark 2:1-5, Mark 3:1-12, Mark 5:1-11). There was clearly enough evidence of His healing power, and word was spreading around the region. There were so many sick people trying to touch Him at one point that he had to get into a boat to avoid the crush of the crowd.

Mark 3:8-10 NIV:  
[8] "When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. [9] Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. [10] For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him."

These people were trying to touch Jesus for one of two reasons. Either they were trying to direct Jesus attention to them, or they had seen others get healed simply by touching Him, or both. Either way, they were being healed, and I think they were spreading this testimony about Jesus - that all you have to do is touch His clothes and you will be healed.

I think this is likely where this gift of faith was imparted to her \- when she heard the testimony. God is awesome that way, in that when people share their testimony of their experiences with God, faith is spread. One could say the gift of faith is borne on the wings of the testimony. I can just imagine how her heart must have caught fire when she heard that people were being healed by this man Jesus, some just by touching His clothes.

Also of note, a woman who was bleeding, or suffering from a flowing issue, was considered socially and ceremonially unclean. She wasn't supposed to be in a tightly packed crowd, let alone touching anyone, for whoever she touched became ceremonially unclean - Lev 15:19. She was risking much in pursuing Jesus, but it was all possible because that gift of faith was overriding her normal religious reluctance, her shame, and her fear of discovery. I think this is also why she didn't want to expose her problem publicly, or come to Jesus directly.

Finally, I find it very interesting that Jesus, although wanting to identify who was healed, never revealed the source of her issue, or the fact that she was ceremonially clean. Jesus would not reveal the particular issue, for He knew that the Father does not embarrass his children.

So my encouragement today, from all this, is to share my testimonies, to help set to flight the gift of faith. It is in that place of faith rising, that we want to listen to what the Lord is saying so that we become blessed by God. He will not embarrass us, or cause us to be rejected, but will rather enable us to see awesome things!

# Eternal Life - Part 2

## 2013-08-06

The other day I was thinking about eternal life and I think I will focus on that again, because it was so integral to the message Jesus brought. The synoptic Gospels only cover this topic briefly, in the story about the rich young man, or ruler, asking what he needed to do to inherit eternal life, or in the discussion about the judgment that will happen at the end of the ages, a total of 8 times in all three Gospels combined. In the Gospel of John, however, Jesus is quoted as speaking about Eternal life 16 times.

Starting with the basics in the synoptic Gospels, we already briefly discussed the concept of eternal life. In the following verse, Jesus adds some more insight.

Matthew 19:28-30 NIV:  
[28] "Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. [29] And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. [30] But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first."

The very clear expectation from this verse is that eternal life follows the renewal of all things and happens after Jesus is enthroned in Heaven. Secondly, our experience of eternal life is in some way impacted by our life here. The impact will be caused by our motivation, those things that we did for His sake, will impact our life. As one of my favorite authors says, "You get one pass at life. That's all. Only one. And the lasting measure of that life is Jesus Christ." ― John Piper, Don't Waste Your Life. He quoted his father in one book as saying the only thing that will last into eternal life are those things we do for Jesus sake, which is rooted in this scripture.

So my encouragement today is to make my life and this day count, making it eternally impactful. I can do this by aligning my life with His purpose, and doing all for Him. Lord, help me, help all of us to have an eternally significant day.

# Delighting in the Lord

## 2013-08-08

This morning I opened my Bible to Psalm 37:1-13, 16-19, 23-24 NIV:

[1] "Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; [2] for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.

[3] Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. [4] Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

[5] Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: [6] He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.

[7] Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

[8] Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret---it leads only to evil. [9] For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.

[10] A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. [11] But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.

[12] The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; [13] but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.

[16] Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; [17] for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.

[18] The blameless spend their days under the Lord's care, and their inheritance will endure forever. [19] In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

[23] The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; [24] though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand."

I am always encouraged when I read these verses for they talk about the constant care the Lord gives to those who put their trust in Him. I broke out the verses, as they do in my Bible, because they are so rich, one could just sit and meditate on any one of them for hours.

For instance, I love verse 4 - "Take delight in the Lord, and He will give You the desires of your heart." The whole concept of delighting in the Lord is foreign to many of us. Many of us were raised with God and church in some peripheral role, a once a week interaction, or maybe 2-3 times a week if your family was active in the church. The Hebrew word translated delight is 'anag and it has a couple of meanings that are interesting. It can be translated to be dainty, or soft, and for me this speaks of vulnerability. The second translation, used here, means to take great pleasure, to be happy about, or take exquisite delight in something. Either definition speaks of a very different interaction or experience than what many of us grew up with, or maybe still experience.

The more time I spend in prayer, or reading my Bible, the more I am convinced of God's awesome love for me and care for me at a personal level. Christian author and Pastor John Piper wrote several books and one of His primary tenets is that God wants us to be happy. One quote from him says - "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him". He draws a deep correlation between our experience of God, and our attitude and pleasure in Him. When he wrote this book he received plenty of criticism from people who just couldn't think of God as a happy God, who wanted us to be happy. They had been raised with an authoritarian model of God, and only saw Him as someone who was waiting to punish them. We see the flow of this thought still today when someone has a bad experience or gets sick, we can find ourselves thinking that God is punishing them for something. This is bad theology, and at best, a very early old-testament mindset, and not a full revelation of the nature of God. Jesus provides for us the perfect revelation of the Father and in which Gospel do we ever see Jesus punishing someone for sinning, or inflicting sickness on someone? If Jesus never did it, it's because He never saw the Father do that, because He only did what He saw the Father doing (John 5:19). This is not the heart of the Father, nor the way He acts, yet much of the church remains mired in this type of thinking.

God's invitation is for us to get to know Him, to learn who He is, and to ultimately take delight in Him. This is all about relationship. When I first met my wife, I didn't know what a wonderful person she was, I didn't know her character, her heart, the way she thought. It was only through times of interactions and conversation that I came to know her, and the more I discovered about her the more I took delight in knowing her, and wanted to know her more. The more I got to know her, the more I wanted to make her happy, which in itself made me happy. Relationships are two-way, and what flows in one direction also is supposed to flow in the other. The more I knew about her the more I was able to do the things that were the desire of her heart.

One could argue that since God knows each of us perfectly, He could just give us the desire of our hearts without all this relationship stuff. But that is not how God is - He wants relationship with us! That is the invitation and the way to life for each of us. Because He knows us so well, He is most able to provide the deep desires of our hearts, because He knows us perfectly. As I read other authors and saints, and see their interactions with God, it's clear that God consistently takes delight in blessing them in little as well as big ways. I think the little blessings are ways that God reminds us throughout the day that He loves us and cares about our happiness! It's interesting to note that its only when we know someone knows us that we can correctly ascribe their affection and gifts and desire to make us happy, as a desire to fulfill our desires. When I bring my wife home a gift, she knows it's not because I want something, but because I really know her and know that this will make her happy. She knows my heart and affection for her, and so she knows my motivation. That is the exact same type of relationship God wants with each of us, and what David was talking about in verse 4.

So let us learn to take delight in the Lord, opening our lives to Him, and experiencing Him, and let us discover how He will give us the desires of our heart.

# Asking the Right Question

## 2013-08-09

Yesterday morning after my morning prayer I was thinking some more about the story of the rich young man, and his questioning Jesus on what he needed to do to receive eternal life. I realized that he was asking the wrong question, and so do many people today. Here is Mark's version:

Mark 10:17-22 NIV  
[17] "As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

[18] "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good---except God alone. [19] You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.' "

[20] "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."

[21] Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

[22] At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth."

The question the man asks, found in verse 17, is simply, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" As I mentioned before, the question was pertinent and timely, and unanswered by the rabbinical teachers of the day. They had figured out there was this opportunity to experience eternal life, but the old testament was mostly quiet on this subject, so people were talking, but didn't have good answers. There were even opposing sides of perspective on this topic, the Pharisees and Sadducees held different views on whether there was life after death (Acts 23:6-8).

Looking closely at Jesus' response, it almost appears that He doesn't answer at first, but focuses on the fact that he called him a good teacher. Then he gets around to several of the commandments. In His next statement it's interesting to note that Jesus doesn't ask about the first four commandments which are focused on relationship with God, and putting Him first before all things. I think Jesus already knew what was in the man's heart.

One critical point that is often overlooked is Jesus response to the condition of the young man. This can be found in verse 21. "Jesus looked at him and loved him." This is such an important fact \- Jesus loved Him, and it was clear to those around Him. Jesus, knowing the condition of the man's heart, knowing that his heart was enamored with wealth, and had come to put his trust in his wealth, rather than in God, still loved him. In fact, Jesus invites the man into relationship, because He loved him. There is no judgment or condemnation, just love in Jesus heart.

Finally, Jesus gives him the answer to his question. Jesus says the young man needs to enter into relationship with Himself and become one of His followers. That is what the young man needs to do to inherit eternal life. In reality, the right question is not - what must I do, but rather, who must I know?

So often in the church today, we have built up the same mindset of doing something rather than knowing someone. We have programs and projects, meetings and teachings, and a whole list of things we can do. We feel that by doing these things, getting involved in the church activities, we can ultimately find our way to heaven. If you ask a random person how you can get to heaven, more often than not their answer will be, 'by being good'. This is such a common perspective, yet it is just as flawed as the question the young man asked. And although much of the church might answer that its through belief in Jesus, and through His death and resurrection that we get to heaven, they have also missed the point that it's about relationship. We can believe in Jesus, that He died and was raised to life, and did all this for forgiveness of our sins, and never get to know Jesus. We need to learn to ask ourselves the right question, so that we are directed to the right answer.

The right question is "who do I need to know that I might receive eternal life", and the right answer is "by knowing and following Jesus".

So that is my meditation today - am I asking myself the right question? Do I have a relational mindset rather than a task mindset? Am I actually growing in relationship with Jesus?

# Relationships: The Proper Foundation

## 2013-08-10

Recently, I have been locked in on theme of relationships as the foundation of the Kingdom. The more I spend time in this topic, the more I look at the ministry of Jesus, and His invitation and call, the more I am convinced that this is really the most important thing we can pursue and foster. First and foremost our personal relationship with the Lord, then our relationships with each other.

Jesus came as a representative of the Father, and His primary message was love. Love is the language of relationships, not activity or duty or religion. Love requires an object of affection, and the Love that Jesus speaks of is the love between people, brotherly love, or the Greek word Agape. Thus, in all of the verses copied below, the object of affection for each of the instances is a person, whether each other or God.

John probably spends more time on the subject of love than any of the other writers. I think these verses from his first letter are very apropos:

1 John 4:7-12 NIV:

[7] "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. [8] Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. [9] This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. [10] This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. [11] Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. [12] No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

The new and final commandment issued by Jesus is simply, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. [35] By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35.

And finally Paul in his famous verses from his first letter to the Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 13:1-7, 13 NIV  
[1] "If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. [2] If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. [3] If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

[4] Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. [5] It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. [6] Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. [7] It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

[13] And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

So, let us build the foundations correctly. It's not upon deeds or activities, accomplishments or service programs, but upon relationships of love that the Kingdom of God rests. It's our relationships with each other, the way we treat one another that is supposed to be the sign of our following Jesus. Not a T-shirt, not a sticker on our car, not a pin on our lapel, but how we care for each other, how we love one another, how we treat those we meet, and those we already know, that our representation of Jesus is supposed to be seen and experienced. This is the foundation that will last, loving relationships.

# Be Silent and Listen

## 2013-08-11

This morning I opened my Bible to Psalm 62:5-8 NIV:  
[5] "Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. [6] Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. [7] My salvation and my honor depend on God ; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. [8] Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge."

It interesting reading this verse 5, and then looking at the original Hebrew, they read quite differently. Here is a better translation - Young's literal translation.

Psalm 62:5 "Only -- for God, be silent, O my soul, For from Him [is] my hope.

6 Only -- He [is] my rock and my salvation, My tower, I am not moved.

7 On God [is] my salvation, and my honour, The rock of my strength, my refuge [is] in God.

8 Trust in Him at all times, O people, Pour forth before Him your heart, God [is] a refuge for us."

As I read these, the first translation seems to be talking about rest and peace, and comfort. But when you look to the original language, Young's translation is more in line with the meaning. The author was basically telling His soul, his inner place of being to be silent before God.

I think this is so important. So often when I come to prayer, my mind and soul are in a swirl of thoughts, concerns, requests, etc. What I really need is to just stop the noise and get to a place where I can silence my own voice, thoughts and worries, so I can hear the Lord's voice.

Later in verse 8, the author says we should pour forth our heart before God, but that should be after we have quieted our heart, so we can hear Him. I usually seem to get the order mixed up. I think one of the reasons that David suggests this is that it's important for us to get our perspective right before looking at our issues and problems. So often we are overwhelmed by things, but when we gain a different perspective, we see the reality of the situation and see that the Lord is there helping us and guiding us out of the situation. In Matt 19:26 Jesus said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

David, after stilling his heart and soul, and telling them to be quiet, recounts who God has revealed Himself to be: his hope, his rock, his salvation, his refuge, his honor. Once remembered, these facts of God's character, and nature, help to put things into perspective. If David was feeling threatened, he knew that God was a refuge, and rock. God would provide a safe place to rest until the storm clouds passed. If the world around David was shaking, God was perfectly still, unmoved by the pressures and disappointments, etc. If David felt under attack and behind enemy lines, God had revealed himself as his salvation - as one who would rescue and redeem him. If David was under attack and his character was being questioned, he knew that his honor ultimately came from God, not from man.

In light of God's revealed character and nature, all the concerns and cares of David's heart were quenched and relieved. As I was just thinking about this I saw the image of a person on fire diving into cool lake. I think that image is perfect - for that is sometimes how I feel - on fire with anxiety and worry. I am reminded of Psalm 23:1-3 NIV:

[1] "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. [2] He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, [3] he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake."

Yes Lord, quench my fires and anxiety in the quiet waters, let me lay down and be refreshed in Your presence. In Your eyes, all these things are simple and small. You are not surprised, or overwhelmed by our situations. You are firmly in control, as You always have been. In You is peace, hope, joy, salvation and freedom. Amen Lord! If I will just learn to be silent and listen to God, I will gain the proper perspective and peace.

# Heaven and Eternal Life Pt. 3

## 2013-08-12

I am heading back into my study on eternal life this morning. As I was thinking through the Biblical history of eternal life, I thinks it's important to distinguish between two things - heaven and eternal life. Heaven was a very old concept, and from Genesis 1:1, it was understood to refer to both the expanse of the heavens (stars and universe) and to the place God dwelled. Heaven is a place where God rules and reigns. Scripture speaks of God calling down from heaven, looking down from heaven, and dwelling there. There was communication from heaven, often angels, and the occasional prophet saw heaven in a vision. Heaven was the place where God stored all His provisions and blessings, where He lived in abundance. This verse from Malachi describes the common thought:

Malachi 3:10 NIV  
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 there will not be room enough to store it.

Heaven, however, was not the place where most people were able to go. If you were extremely holy, and called of God, you might be brought to heaven like Elijah, but Moses and Abraham, and all the other fathers died and were buried. Other than a strange set of verses where Saul seeks the wisdom of Samuel who was dead, by contracting a medium in 1 Samuel 28, I am not aware of any other verses indicating life after death. Even in this case, Samuel's ghost came up from the earth, not down from heaven.

The first real sense that there might be an opportunity to experience the reality of heaven is announced by John the Baptist in Matt 3:2 - when he says, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." He is announcing what appears to me be a monumental change in theology, described by Jesus in Matt 5, during His sermon on the mount, namely that we could experience the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth, and not just in the form of blessing being rained down from heaven - Matthew 5:3 - "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Not only that, but they even could experience rewards in Heaven - Matthew 5:12 "Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven..." Jesus continued teaching that they should work to store up treasures in heaven - Matt 6:19-21.

I am no expert on rabbinical teaching or what the prevalent thought was of that day, but the way Jesus is talking about experiencing the Kingdom of Heaven and the way its described in the old testament seems to me to be significantly different. I try to imagine the people of the time, hearing what Jesus is saying and having no real grasp, because it's so different. I believe that is one of the primary reasons Jesus started His ministry with signs and wonders, healing, miracles, etc. He was demonstrating the reality that the Kingdom of Heaven was real, and was invading the earth. In fact ,Jesus said we should pray for exactly that - Matthew 6:9-10 "This, then, is how you should pray: " 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, [10] your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." In other words, we want to see the same things here on earth, as happen in heaven.

Now, eternal life is not referring to a place, but rather an experience or character of life. When it is first introduced in Matt 19:16, in the question of the rich young man, the Greek literally translated means never ending life. This concept is also introduced at the very beginning of the Bible in Gen 1:1, for it speaks of God existing before the heavens and earth are created. He lives in heaven, but existed before He created it, and from this they were able to understand that God was outside of time, and eternal, having no beginning or end. When Jesus comes announcing that whoever believes in Him would have eternal life - John 3:15, this is a radical new thought, that everyone could have eternal life. This is the type of life that God lives! Wow - that should blow our minds.

# Accepting God's Help

## 2013-08-15

Yesterday I started reading from Titus, and I think I will continue that reflection this morning, as I wasn't able to finish my time of meditation. Titus 2:7-8, 11-14 NIV:

[7] "In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness [8] and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us."

[11] "For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. [12] It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, [13] while we wait for the blessed hope---the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, [14] who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good."

Paul, in his letter to Titus uses an interesting phrase in verse 11, speaking of the grace of God having appeared and offering salvation to all. He goes on in verse 12 to say this same grace of God teaches us as well. I am filled with hope when reading verses 11 & 12 as they speak of the very real help that the Lord gives us in our effort to live godly lives in this present age. God knows we need help, and He sends it. God sends us 'grace'.

Webster's dictionary defines grace as: 1 a : unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification b : a virtue coming from God c : a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine grace.

So God gives us assistance that is unmerited, and unearned, to help us. This grace comes from God and is real help as we pursue godly lives (sanctification). Not only is this help real, it is the person of the Holy Spirit.

As I was thinking about this I just had the following analogy pop into my mind: It is like me buying a new house, my first house, and having no knowledge of the things I can do to make it my own, to my liking. A friend stops by and in conversation mentions that I could paint the rooms to colors that I prefer, and colors that match my belongings. I have never thought of painting before and am intrigued. The next day, this same friend shows up with paint and all the equipment and proceeds to show me how to paint, and even helps me to paint. I am amazed after a single day of work and education how we transformed my new house.

This grace God sends is real help, just like the friend in this analogy. He leads us when we don't even know we need to be led. He shows us the path to life and salvation and then helps us to walk the path He has shown us. We can turn down the help, tune out the help, or even do the opposite of what He is showing us - it's our choice.

Our decision, or choice, is often dependent on our view of God, and our perspective of what He wants from us. Many of us live with a fear of God's call, like He will lead us into something we don't want to do. Many of us have a belief that if we follow God, we will have to give up all the fun things in our lives, or certain things that are dear to us. What we don't realize is that the Lord loves us for no reason other than He loves us! That is what unmerited favor and help is alluding to. He doesn't love us because of how we act, of what we might do, or because of who our parents are, He just loves us. He wants the best for us, and anything He leads us into is filled with life and joy and goodness. We often can't see that because we are limited in our view of all things by our humanness, but God sees all things, including the future.

Ultimately, if the Lord is teaching us to "say 'no' to ungodliness and worldly passions" (Titus 2:12), it is because He knows such things will not bear good fruit in our lives. Our actions do bring results, and He knows that certain actions will result in unfavorable results and is willing to help us to see those things and choose to do otherwise. The question that is pertinent to us all, is whether we will accept His help? Will we trust in Him, who died for us? Will we accept the help He sends us, to say no to the things that are not of Him? Will we become a part of His people, redeemed out of all the wickedness that surrounds us?

God does want to raise up a people, redeemed out of this world, who set the world on fire with love for Him. He wants a people who are passionately in love with Him, as He is passionately in love with us! We are called to be a light in this present dark age.

I am reminded of the following verses from 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 NIV: [4] "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. [5] For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. [6] For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ."

Amen Lord, I know I need all the help I can get! I want the light of the gospel to shine out of my life!

# Memories of Harmony Youth Camp

## 2013-08-16

I was just reading from Isaiah 44:3-5 NIV  
[3] "For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. [4] They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams. [5] Some will say, 'I belong to the Lord'; others will call themselves by the name of Jacob; still others will write on their hand, 'The Lord's,' and will take the name Israel."

I am reminded of the time we had camp at Harmony, and this was the verse of focus for the week. I am reminded of all the young people who wrote on their hands 'The Lord's' and the heart they had for You in that place. Lord, I remind You of Your promise to pour out Your Spirit, and blessings on these, many of whom are no longer kids, but now young adults. Lord, I ask You to refresh them all with fresh rain, a fresh outpouring of Your Holy Spirit.

Lord, we pray that You would refresh us all, and breathe life into us today!

# Four Character Traits to Pursue

## 2013-08-18

This morning I am reading from Colossians 3:12-14 NIV:

[12] "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. [13] Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. [14] And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

This is another set of famous verses from Paul's letter to the church in Colossae. What an excellent list of characteristics we are called to clothe ourselves in. As I was reading this list I was reminded of the list of the fruits of the Spirit that Paul gives us in Galatians 5:22-23 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

Paul expands the Galatians list by adding compassion, patience, humility and forgiveness. When I think of these four characteristics, I can't help but think of the example of Jesus. He constantly demonstrated great compassion for the people. He was moved by their pain, their circumstances, and their need. His heart and whole being were affected. He broke cultural norms, because He felt for the people so deeply. Whether it was touching a man with leprosy, allowing a sinful woman to touch him, even washing his feet with her tears, or feeding thousands of hungry people, Jesus was constantly operating in compassion. The Lord still operates in compassion today, so when He looks at me, His heart is stirred and He desires to touch me, heal me, or provide for me, whatever I need most.

In the area of patience, I think of the 30 years of quiet, prior to His public ministry. I can't imagine Jesus, knowing who He was, not asking the Father every day if He would allow Him to begin His active ministry. He was the Son of God, under cover so effectively that no one suspected who He was. What a great example to me, knowing that sometimes hiddenness is the perfect will of the Father. Jesus also developed an incredible patience for His disciples. They were constantly not understanding Him, screwing things up, yet He continue to trust them, and entrust His ministry to them.

As for humility, I can't imagine a more pure example than the Son of God, becoming a man. He purposefully laid down His divinity, was born a helpless little baby, and submitted himself to His own creation, even unto death. When you really sit down and think about Jesus, and what He did, it is almost incomprehensible. The Word made flesh, the Creator becoming part of His creation, the Eternal one submitting to time, the Omniscient, Omnipresent one, choosing to be limited in time, place, and knowledge, so that He might redeem us. It is impossible to fully understand, but it is an incredible example of His passionate love for us all.

Finally, giving definition to forgiveness, Jesus demonstrated this both in life and death. One of His very last acts was to ask the Father to forgive those that were killing Him. He demonstrated a willingness to speak forgiveness to many people He met and whose lives He touched, the paralyzed young man, the adulterous woman, the woman who washed His feet with her tears, etc. He spoke regularly of our need to forgive others, and how our heart in this area needs to reflect God's heart towards us. He told several parables to give life examples, and call people into the place of extending forgiveness to one another. It is forgiveness that cleanses and washes away the pain of betrayal, the agony of hurts and ugly words that ultimately sets us free from so many chains that bind us.

What great characteristics to meditate on and sow into our lives and the lives of those we encounter. Lord, help me to grow in each of these areas, that I might faithfully represent You to those around me.

# Overcoming Labels, Discovering Our Significance

## 2013-08-18

I realize I have posted two entries in the same day, but this was too significant to me to delay posting it.

I had an interesting dream last night. In my dream, which was about something completely different (helping save a newly discovered primitive society, but that is another story) I was walking through the back streets of this town. It was late at night and we were trying to get to an important meeting. As we were walking along this young, slender woman came out of a doorway and approached us. Our first inclination was to just ignore her and keep pressing onward. Something she said stopped me though, and cause me turn around. I don't remember her exact words, but she couldn't look us in the eyes, and was clearly ashamed of her need for money, and thought of herself as almost completely worthless, but she cried out to at least be considered, or just noticed, as if that was her greatest need. I stopped and went back to her and asked her what her price was for an evening, which took her by surprise, that anyone would even consider her for more than a few minutes. I told her I would pay her three times that amount to come with us and join in our conversations and give us her advice and thoughts. I told her that her significance was in who she was, not in being used or sold, and that she was significant. At that point I woke up.

I am reminded of Jesus' interaction with a woman, and how significantly He impacted her. We are told the story of a sinful woman who, in the first three Gospel stories about her, is unnamed. She is the sinful women who washed Jesus feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. This story is recounted in all four Gospels - Luke 7, Matt 26, Mark 14 and John 12, but it is only in John's Gospel that she is named. Many believe this is because by the time John's Gospel was written that she was no longer alive and it would not embarrass her. Some authors believe the stories in the synoptic Gospels and John are about different women. Regardless, in these stories found in the first three Gospels, she was someone who most of the town knew and discounted as a sinful women. Here is the description from Luke 7:37-39 NIV:

[37] "A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. [38] As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.  
[39] When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is---that she is a sinner."

I imagine this event, and the public display this was. Jesus was the guest of honor, therefore there were many people clamoring for His attention, and into this all walks this woman, whom everyone knows about. I can just imagine her downcast eyes, the disdain with which others treat her, the wide berth people give her, so as not to be seen as having associated with her previously. The scriptures don't say what her sinful past is, but it's assumed that she was a prostitute (David Guzman commentary). The Greek word used is defined as someone devoted to sin, guilt of specific vices. In other words, she was more than an accidentally sinful person, but someone whose identity was wrapped up in her sin.

She was identified by her status as a sinner - see verse 37 and 39 above. What a terrible thing, to be labeled by one's sin. It is as if her significance as a person was so diminished that she was now only known by her sin. She was someone's daughter, likely someone's sister, and had significance and a place of belonging in those contexts, but apparently they all were forgotten, or overlooked, probably whispered behind her back. She was desperate for forgiveness, and healing, and something inside her gave her the courage to push past everything and everyone that would hold her back.

It's interesting that in Matthew's and Mark's Gospels the biggest thing that people were focused on was the waste of the expensive perfume. Even in her extravagance of love and devotion, people were sniping about her. This poor woman couldn't catch a break. I think this is so true of the way we judge one another. We label people and see everything they do through the label we place on them, the labels color our perceptions. She was considered worthless, and when she does something of great worth, people call it wasteful.

We have many sources of labels for people, - what they do, or don't do, how they act, their sins, their sickness, their possessions, or lack of possessions, the way the dress, the way they smell, the way they interact with others, the way they laugh, the list is almost endless. We are quick to categorize based on these labels and then treat them according to the label we have affixed.

Additionally, in our interaction with others, we sometimes allow their labels for us to become our identity. We identify ourselves as losers, unattractive, geeks, nerds, ugly, worthless, unwanted, unworthy, or lame and those terms never start inside of us. We lay claim to identities that are thrust upon us by others. I remember times where I felt labeled, and limited by those labels. Inside I was screaming, "That is not who I am!" It was with great difficulty that I was able to break off those labels. Some people never do break free, and instead take the labels on as their identity, and limit themselves in how they think of themselves.

Jesus refused to label her, or let her embrace their label for her! He even called everyone's attention to the woman, which must have been incredibly uncomfortable for her, and lifted her up in everyone's eyes. He gave her value and significance, He recognized who she was, and what she had done, and praised her in front of everyone!

Here is what He said, as quoted in Matthew 26:10-13 NIV: [10] "Aware of this, Jesus said to them, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. [11] The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. [12] When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. [13] Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."

Here is the exchange from Luke's recounting: Luke 7:44-46 NIV: [44] "Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. [45] You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. [46] You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet."

My reflection on this all is that I need to change the way I treat others and look at others. I know that I am quick to label and categorize, and I must learn to look at others through the eyes of the Lord, seeing them for who they are and their significance in His eyes. I need to stop and look past the labels I have for them or those they might have embraced, and see the person. As Heidi Baker says, "stop for the one!" I need to learn to stop walking past people, and instead learn to engage them, see their value and significance and speak that which I see and hear to them and those around me, just as Jesus did for this woman.

Finally, I want to see myself as Jesus sees me, and believe it all. I know that I still have a hard time grasping my own worth and significance. I would rather believe in my own limitations and hiddenness, than take a chance in living out some of the things I think the Lord sees in me. I tend to listen to others more than I listen to the Lord, and as such my perspective of my life and my value is colored by the wrong voice(s). I should be listening to the Lord's voice as the sole source of authority about who I am and what value I have in His view. Lord, I want Your perspective of me to be the only one that defines me. I want to explore all the depths and width and fullness of who You say I am. I want to overcome the labels I have for myself and that others have affixed on me, and see myself as beloved and worthy of the Lord's affections.

# Unswayed by Opinions

## 2013-08-20

This morning I felt like I should read John, chapter 7. There are several things of interest, but I was really intrigued by John 7:3-5 NIV:

[3] "Jesus' brothers said to him, "Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. [4] No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world." [5] For even his own brothers did not believe in him."

I found myself imagining the interaction between Jesus and His brothers. What would it be like to have grown up with Jesus and seen him live a relatively unremarkable 30 years, and then one day start performing miracles and preaching great messages? I was thinking also of Jesus, and the courage and strength it took to step into the spotlight of the whole nation and countryside, especially when His family was unconvinced.

On one hand, I can almost hear them saying verse 4, and it probably wasn't meant as real encouragement, but rather said with a certain spiteful tone, similar to the way Joseph's brother's responded to him when he told them his dreams. It sounds like they thought he was a bit of a glory grabber, and was trying to self-promote. Clearly that wasn't Jesus' heart nor motivation. He was going because the Father was sending Him. I would imagine even that would have made His brothers a bit crazy, because it's likely that Joseph was dead by this point, since we do not hear anything about him during Jesus active ministry years. So here is Jesus talking about being sent by His Father (John 5:17-35), and His brothers know that Joseph is dead and buried. No wonder there were those that Jesus was crazy or demon possessed (John 7:20).

On the other hand, His brother's might have been unconvinced about Jesus being the messiah, but might have been trying to help Him out of their human wisdom. If they thought that Jesus was trying to make a name for Himself, similar to a politician running for office, their comments about going to the Feast would make perfect sense, because the number of people who were gathered was significant. What better way to become a public figure, than to go where everyone is and start doing miracles in their midst. They were thinking like normal people, encouraging Jesus to do what made sense to them. Jesus, however, was listening to the Father and doing what He told Him to do (John 5:19).

Regardless of all the swirl surrounding Him, or however you interpret these verses, Jesus was faithful to fulfill the Father's will. He was locked onto the Father's will and timing and would not allow himself to misstep. He was unswayed by people's opinions or thoughts. He held to the Father's timing and direction and ultimately set into motion the plan to kill Him, but He was faithful. Let us learn from His example and set our hearts and minds on the Lord, doing what He says. Let us step beyond our fear, or familiar territory and pursue the Lord with passion and focus. The Lord might be calling to us, calling us into something that is beyond us, or outside of who we see ourselves, but He knows what it takes and how to step into the fulfillment of the Father's will. Let us look to Him rather than leaning on our own understanding (Prov 3:5)! Let us listen to the Lord, first and foremost, and be unconcerned about what others or even ourselves think.

As a side note, there are some who believe Jesus was an only child, and that belief could be possible, as the Greek word used is adelphos, which has several meanings: 1. a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother 2. having the same national ancestor, belonging to the same people, or countryman 3. any fellow or man 4. a fellow believer, united to another by the bond of affection 5. an associate in employment or office 6. brethren in Christ. This same word is used to describe Peter and Andrew in Matt 4:18, so its use can indeed mean blood brothers, or any range of the definition, and is generally inconclusive.

# A Beginning Study on Covenant

## 2013-08-23

Wednesday, we had a good conversation about the Law, the old covenant and such, and recently I felt like I should read from Galatians Chapter 3, where Paul is speaking about the Law, and the original covenant with Abraham.

Galatians 3:17-19, 23-25 NIV  
[17] "What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. [18] For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise. [19] Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator."

[23] "Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. [24] So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. [25] Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian."

Paul's message is clear, there was a covenant of blessing that pre-existed prior to the law being put into place. The Covenant was between God and Abraham, and was a promise of God sending help. As I was reading these verses and thinking through some of the things we have been reading concerning Covenant, I think this particular author was very minimalistic in his perspective of covenant. The word translated covenant in the old testament, is defined as follows:

covenant, alliance, pledge  
a. between men  
1. treaty, alliance, league (man to man)  
2. constitution, ordinance (monarch to subjects)  
3. agreement, pledge (man to man)  
4. alliance (of friendship)  
5. alliance (of marriage)  
b. between God and man  
1. alliance (of friendship)  
2. covenant (divine ordinance with signs or pledges)

The author was saying how an covenant was an agreement that if broken resulted in the death of the person who broke it, but that is clearly not the definition of the word, or how it was often used.

I think the issue is more that Jesus established a new covenant and met the requirements of the Law, and His blood was shed for forgiveness of all our sins. If we look at Genesis there were several covenants that God made with people. The first was with Noah and his descendants to never destroy the world again by flood. The second was with Abram and his descendants to give him the Promised Land. The third was with Abram to bless him and multiply him, and was the first to really require any action on man's part, namely that all the males would be circumcised. Again, this covenant was to bless, and the requirement was cutting (the root of the word covenant) but not death if broken.

The Law was clearly another covenant, or agreement between God and man. The beginning of establishing the Law, was a covenant between God and the nation of Israel- Exodus 19:5-6 NIV: [5] "Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, [6] you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites."

The Law was part of the covenant - see Exodus 25:16 NIV: "Then put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law, which I will give you."

More to come -

# Covenant Study - Part 2

## 2013-08-23

Continuing on with my study of covenant - I left off with stating that the Law was another covenant - Exodus 24:3, 6-8 NIV  
[3] "When Moses went and told the people all the Lord's words and laws, they responded with one voice, "Everything the Lord has said we will do." [6] Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed against the altar.

[7] Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, "We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey." [8] Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, "This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words."

The people were called to fulfill the law, to follow the law in their actions and for different lapses there were different sacrifices. For example - Leviticus 5:5-7, 11 NIV: ..."when anyone becomes aware that they are guilty in any of these matters, they must confess in what way they have sinned. [6] As a penalty for the sin they have committed, they must bring to the Lord a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering ; and the priest shall make atonement for them for their sin. [7] " 'Anyone who cannot afford a lamb is to bring two doves or two young pigeons to the Lord as a penalty for their sin---one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.  
[11] " 'If, however, they cannot afford two doves or two young pigeons, they are to bring as an offering for their sin a tenth of an ephah of the finest flour for a sin offering. They must not put olive oil or incense on it, because it is a sin offering."

Breaking this covenant through disobedience was a sin, and required sacrifice to bring forgiveness, but it did not require death of the person. It did require blood, unless the person couldn't afford to purchase an lamb, goat or dove, in which case they could bring flour. The writer of the letter to the Hebrews sums up the importance of blood as it pertains to forgiveness - Hebrews 9:22 NIV: "In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."

Part of any covenant is a promise on both sides - in this case God's promise to the people of the Covenant, was to help them. Exodus 34:10 NIV: "Then the Lord said: "I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you."

Then following verses from Leviticus sum up the responsibilities and results of breaking the covenant -

Leviticus 26:14-17, 40-46 NIV:  
[14]" 'But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, [15] and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant, [16] then I will do this to you: I will bring on you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and sap your strength. You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it. [17] I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you.

[40] " 'But if they will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors---their unfaithfulness and their hostility toward me, [41] which made me hostile toward them so that I sent them into the land of their enemies---then when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled and they pay for their sin, [42] I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land. [43] For the land will be deserted by them and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them. They will pay for their sins because they rejected my laws and abhorred my decrees. [44] Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or abhor them so as to destroy them completely, breaking my covenant with them. I am the Lord their God. [45] But for their sake I will remember the covenant with their ancestors whom I brought out of Egypt in the sight of the nations to be their God. I am the Lord.' " [46] These are the decrees, the laws and the regulations that the Lord established at Mount Sinai between himself and the Israelites through Moses."

There was clearly punishment for breaking the laws, disobedience and failing to carry out the law. However, this did not require death of the offending party, nor did the breaking of the covenant cancel the covenant. The covenant, described above, continued to be in effect, waiting for the people to repent and turn back to God that He could bless them.

Continuing on with my study of the different covenants, the Sabbath was established as a covenant - Exodus 31:16-17 NIV: "The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. [17] It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed. ' "

This is one covenant that God originally said the penalty for breaking was death - Exodus 31:14-15 NIV: " 'Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people. [15] For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death." That seems quite harsh to me, but it's God's covenant. It appeared to have softened over time, as when Jesus was here there were concerns about breaking the Sabbath, but I don't remember anyone talking about putting the offenders to death.

Moving on, there is something called a salt covenant, and although obscure scripturally, it was another covenant of the people and God \- Leviticus 2:13 NIV: "Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.". I made a thorough study of the salt covenant a few years ago which can be found in my Blog archive.

# Covenants - Part 3

## 2013-08-26

Continuing my investigation into the Covenants the Lord made with us, and with Israel - I am continuing in Deuteronomy 29:1-4, 9-15 NIV: Renewal of the Covenant

'These are the terms of the covenant the Lord commanded Moses to make with the Israelites in Moab, in addition to the covenant he had made with them at Horeb. [2] Moses summoned all the Israelites and said to them: Your eyes have seen all that the Lord did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials and to all his land. [3] With your own eyes you saw those great trials, those signs and great wonders. [4] But to this day the Lord has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear."

[9] "Carefully follow the terms of this covenant, so that you may prosper in everything you do. [10] All of you are standing today in the presence of the Lord your God---your leaders and chief men, your elders and officials, and all the other men of Israel, [11] together with your children and your wives, and the foreigners living in your camps who chop your wood and carry your water. [12] You are standing here in order to enter into a covenant with the Lord your God, a covenant the Lord is making with you this day and sealing with an oath, [13] to confirm you this day as his people, that he may be your God as he promised you and as he swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. [14] I am making this covenant, with its oath, not only with you [15] who are standing here with us today in the presence of the Lord our God but also with those who are not here today."

This whole chapter is titled Renewal of the Covenant. It is interesting that Moses refers to the two covenants, one made in Moab, the other at Horeb. They were essentially the same Covenant, made years apart, with refined terms, and now they were being asked to renew the Covenant, because they had broken the covenant. The Covenant was not, in God's eyes, a one chance agreement, but rather an agreement He entered into with the nation and the people of Israel, and one He was willing to see renewed. Most of the commentary authors think this renewal of the Covenant was due to the fact that most all the people who had made the first covenant with God had died in the desert, and this new generation was being given the opportunity to say yes as well. This is important in that God sees the covenant both as a generational agreement and an individual agreement. One can clearly see that defined as both in verse 14 and 15, where He addresses not only those standing present, but those "who are not here today" an inference of the generations to come.

Another important point is the ability to renew a covenant. It had been broken, but by renewing the people were able to step back into the conditions of the covenant. We see an example of this in our own lives, where married couples renew their vows. This is the renewal of the covenant of marriage. It can be done purely for symbolism of continued commitment, or in a very real sense renewing the covenant that had previously been established, but which had been broken by one or both people. Renewing a covenant makes the terms fresh and new, and as is seen in the old testament, sometimes the terms of the covenant are modified slightly.

It is a significant deal that God welcomes renewal of His covenant- for this indicates His willingness to forgive, and have mercy. This is the core understanding behind God's desire to send Jesus to establish a new covenant. God was essentially renewing His promise to have a people who were His own, and was willing to forgive all the past transgressions and enter into relationship with generations and people and individuals again.

Continuing on, we see God and the people reaffirming the covenant through Joshua at the end of the Book of Joshua - Joshua 24:24-26 NIV:  
[24] "And the people said to Joshua, "We will serve the Lord our God and obey him." [25] On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws. [26] And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the Lord."

We see the convent renewed again in 2 Kings 11:17 NIV: "Jehoiada then made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people that they would be the Lord's people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people."

And again renewed by Josiah in 2 Kings 23:1-3 NIV: "Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. [2] He went up to the temple of the Lord with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets---all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord. [3] The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord---to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant."

God also made other covenants with individuals - here we see the covenant the God made with David referenced in 2 Chronicles 21:7 NIV: "Nevertheless, because of the covenant the Lord had made with David, the Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David. He had promised to maintain a lamp for him and his descendants forever."

The covenant God made with David is interesting because other than David and an occasional King down through his lineage, most of the other Kings did not abide by the terms of the covenant God established with David, yet God was true to his side of the agreement. The reality is God never breaks covenant, nor the agreement. He is always willing to maintain His side of the agreement. God is faithful, always. He is true to His word, and will never break His promise or oath.

So clearly covenants, although they can be broken, can be renewed. God was willing to continually extend to the people the same terms of the original covenant, willing to bless them, prosper them and protect them. He didn't reduce the terms of the agreement, giving the people less, or punishing them for their unfaithfulness. God, in the same way, continues to offer to us the same promise of relationship, no matter how many times we fail. This is such Great News! He has infinite patience, and an unchanging heart towards us, and is willing to renew the covenant over and over.

# Covenants 4 - The New Covenant

## 2013-08-27

Continuing my study of Covenant - I think it's time to look at the new covenant that Jesus established. The prophetic message concerning a new covenant is first found in Jeremiah 31:31-33 NIV:

[31] "The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. [32] It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the Lord. [33] "This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time," declares the Lord. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people."

Clearly God has a different plan for the new Covenant, and it is supposed to be better and will involve internalization in the people He covenants Himself to.

The second time we see the term New Covenant is when Jesus speaks the words at the Last Supper, as recorded in Luke's account - Luke 22:19-20 NIV  
[19] "And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." [20] In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you."

If we go back to the significance of blood, there is life in the blood (Lev 17:11), and there is no forgiveness of sins without blood (Heb 9:22). We see both of these facts echoed in Jesus word. The first is seen in John 6:53-54 NIV: "Jesus said to them, "Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. [54] Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day."

The second - forgiveness of sins is seen in Matthew 26:27-28 NIV: "Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. [28] This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."

So part of the agreement, the covenant that God offers us is that we can receive forgiveness of all our sins and eternal life. This is significantly better than the old Covenants we have already looked at from the Old Testament. The author of the letter to the Hebrews covers this extensively in chapters 8-10, and is writing to the people who were under the old covenant. Two verses from Chapter 8, are significant - verse 7 & 13.

Hebrews 8:7 NIV: "For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another."

Hebrews 8:13 NIV: "By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear."

When the author says the old covenant was made obsolete, the Greek word he used is defined as the following: 1. to make ancient or old a. to become old, to be worn out b. of things worn out by time and use 2. to declare a thing to be old and so about to be abrogated ( to abolish by authoritative action : annul). He is basically arguing to the Hebrew people that this new covenant has replaced the old, which will soon be abolished, so if they want to continue to be people covenanted with God, they need to step into this new covenant, established by Jesus. The new covenant was better and was based on better promises (Heb 8:6) and was already fulfilled in the death and resurrection of Jesus. He gave His blood for all, the only thing now required is faith and belief in Jesus.

Hebrews 10:19-25 NIV: "Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, [20] by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, [21] and since we have a great priest over the house of God, [22] let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. [23] Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. [24] And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, [25] not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another---and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Finally, the most surprising thing about the new covenant is that all were invited, gentiles and Jews alike. This was a significant departure from the earlier covenants. They did cover people that were not Jewish, but lived among the Jews, but they did not apply, nor were they offered to the rest of the nations. The New Covenant is available to all who believe. As Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans - Romans 3:21-26 NIV:

[21] "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. [22] This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, [23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. [25] God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood---to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished--- [26] he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus."

So, "let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and the full assurance that faith brings" (Heb 10:22) Let us enter fully into this New Covenant, receiving the blessings of God, available in Jesus - the forgiveness of all our sins and eternal life. Let us embrace this Covenant with love and obedience to the One who set us free.

# How to Respond to Celebrations of Indecency

## 2013-08-28

This morning I felt like I should read from Paul's letter to the Ephesians. As I was reflecting on some of the sad displays of sexuality we have seen in the last few days, I was asking the Lord for perspective, and this is where I felt led.

Ephesians 4:17-24 NIV:  
[17] "So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. [18] They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. [19] Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

[20] That, however, is not the way of life you learned [21] when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. [22] You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; [23] to be made new in the attitude of your minds; [24] and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

Really it's quite simple and clear. As one drifts away, or chooses to follow a different path than following Christ, especially when one previously followed Him, their understanding is darkened, and their hearts become hardened. In other words, what was once seen as inappropriate and improper, sinful or just plain wrong, now starts to make sense, or become even desirable. Thinking changes and rationalization begins to break down previously held beliefs.

What once would have caused sadness or revulsion or pain in one's heart, is now accepted, soon welcomed and finally embraced as the hardening of one's heart increases. In his letter, James writes about this downward path. James 1:14-15 NIV: ..."but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. [15] Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."

Make no mistake, this path does not lead to freedom, as it advertised, but rather to pain, shame and death. Death of self-esteem, death of innocence, death of relationships. The GOOD NEWS is that regardless of how far down the path of heart hardening and thought darkening one has traveled, there is always hope and a simple path back to the light and life. Repentance and forgiveness of sins is available to us all, and the Lord will welcome us back with open arms (Luke 15:20).

As the Body of Christ, the Church, we must guard our own steps, lovingly encourage others to begin to follow Jesus, and welcome back with open arms those that have pursued the wrong path, but have turned back to the Lord. We should not judge, or attack, or condemn individuals, "for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12. Let us be recognized as representatives of God's mercy and compassion, and above all, His love. We are called to be ambassadors of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:18-21 NIV:  
"All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: [19] that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. [20] We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. [21] God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

Amen! Let us pray for those whose thinking is darkened, whose hearts are hardened, and let us extend arms of love and reconciliation.

# A New Day, New Compassion

## 2013-08-29

I asked the Lord for the word for the day and I remembered these verses from Lamentations 3:21-24 NIV:

[21] "Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:  
[22] Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  
[23] They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  
[24] I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."

What a great word for the day. We can hope in the Lord, because He loves us, has unfailing compassion for us, which are renewed every morning. In other words, yesterday is gone, and we have a fresh start with the Lord this day, full of His compassion and mercy. He will not hold our yesterday against us, but renews His compassion for us each day. He is faithful to all who trust in Him. He wants to be our portion, that which we choose, for He has chosen us.

I just saw a simple picture of what this final verse is like. God reaches down from heaven, extending His hand to us, selecting us. We need to turn toward Him and extend our hand to Him, and then wait for Him to make contact. That is what "The Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for Him" looks like in my life.

Let us wait for the Lord, with our hand, heart and mind, knowing that He has chosen us and will make contact. He will guide us, will direct us and will bless us! It's a new day, forget about yesterday and press into the Lord's love and compassion for you today.

# Shepherding the Church

## 2013-08-30

This morning I am reading from Acts 20:28-31 NIV:  
[28]. "Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. [29] I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. [30] Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. [31] So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears."

This is an excerpt from David Guzik's commentary:  
a. Paul's counsel to the elders is plain: Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock. The godly leader knows that effective leadership flows from a life, not just knowledge.

i. Also important to leaders is the principle that the church belongs to God, because He purchased [it] with His own blood. The people don't belong to the pastor; they belong to the Lord. As long as they choose to remain under the care and leadership of that pastor, he has a responsibility before God to feed and lead them; but they never belong to him.

b. Take heed . . . to all the flock . . . to shepherd the church of God . . . therefore watch: Taking care of God's people basically amounts to two things. First, being a shepherd to the flock; secondly, watching over them, protecting them from danger.

i. The first idea behind being a shepherd is feeding God's people. "They are to be shepherds of God's church, poimanino meaning in general to tend a flock and in particular to lead a flock to pasture and so to feed it. This is the first duty of shepherds." (Stott)

ii. But it isn't enough to feed; the shepherd must also protect the sheep. Watch applies both to savage wolves that come in from the outside and to those who rise up from among yourselves.

iii. It is often easier for pastors to deal with the wolves that come from the outside - obviously false teachings and goofy winds of doctrine. But it is very difficult to deal with those who rise up from among yourselves, because you don't want to believe that they are in fact speaking perverse things and trying to draw away the disciples after themselves. But Paul insisted that such people were real, and that pastors would have to deal with them!

That is such a good perspective and great advice. Paul, in speaking a last message to the Ephesian leaders is once again calling to mind the basics and examining the foundation of the Church. Leadership of a church is instituted by the Holy Spirit, and should be a great sense of responsibility, for the Lord has entrusted the care and feeding and protecting of a certain group to those He calls as shepherds. The people are His, the church is His, we are purely stewards of His flocks. Historically, most shepherds, didn't own the sheep they shepherded, rather they cared for sheep that were owned by someone else. The quality of the job they did was evident in the condition of the flock that was in their care. If they all present and were healthy strong and reproducing, then the owner knew the shepherd was doing a good job.

Lord, help those who are in shepherding positions to listen to Paul's encouragement and charge and look at their ministry and make adjustments as they need. We want to raise up a healthy and strong church for Your Glory.

# Hymn of Praise

2013-09-06

Psalm 150:1-6 NIV  
[1] "Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.  
[2] Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.  
[3] Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre,  
[4] praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe,  
[5] praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.  
[6] Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.

I am reminded of all the blessings in my life, the incredible things the God has done, and His endless mercy and compassion. I think of the wonders of Your creation, the minute details at the micro-cellular level, to the intricacies of the universe. I am amazed at the order and infinite interconnectedness that exists in our world. I am conscious of the awesome gift Your forgiveness is to each of us. Beyond forgiveness, You care for us intimately, knowing our innermost thoughts and meet us at the place of our deepest needs. You answer prayers even when they are still on our lips. Your timing and provision is perfect. You see and know all things, and still desire relationship with each of us. You are an amazing God.

Lord, I am so grateful for all that You have provided, all that You have showered down upon me. There is truly no one, or no other god like You! Thank You for Your love and mercy.

# One Body

## 2013-09-09

This morning I am reading from 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 NIV"  
'Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. [13] For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body---whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free---and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. [14] Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many."

I love this verse because its simplicity in explaining a very complex thing, our unity as a body of believers. At this point in history the church had not yet spilt into different denominations, but it would not have changed Paul's understanding. He wrote in the first three chapters of this same letter arguing against any alignment of men, 'some who followed Apollos', some himself, etc. We are, every Christian denomination, and every Christian, part of one body. This is the reality, not something to be achieved, but rather how God sees us. There are not multiple bodies of Christ aligned by denomination. There is no one group who perfectly encompasses all truth, and doesn't need the rest. We are all, by God's design and working, part of the same body.

We have all received the same Holy Spirit, Paul writes that "we were all given the one Spirit to drink." This is such an interesting phrase. We understand being baptized in the Holy Spirit, from the Gospels, which is the picture of being immersed in a liquid. In John's Gospel, Jesus speaks of God making His home in us - John 14:23. Now Paul is saying we drink this same liquid, the Spirit, and receive into ourselves, like we do water. The Greek word means 1. to give to drink, to furnish drink 2. to water, irrigate (plants, fields etc.) 3. metaph. to imbue, saturate one's mind. I think all three definitions work in this case.

First we are refreshed by the Holy Spirit, and His presence brings us life. Secondly, the Spirit is sent to lead and guide us grow us into mature Christians. This seems very similar to watering crops. Thirdly, it can be understood to be discussing ones renewed mind, and way of thinking, which is also described by Jesus as one of the roles of the Holy Spirit - John 14:26. It is this new way of thinking that should include the reality of our membership into one single body. We have congregations and denominations to give some order and function, but truly have membership in only one body. Let us pray for an understanding of this truth to saturate all our lives, and understanding. We need to start understanding our calling and our abilities in light of this reality. Amen.

Let us stop attacking ourselves, stop any thinking we are better on our own, and stop the judgments. We are all, in His eyes, one body, and we need to learn to think and act that way!

# Thoughts on the Good News, Sin and Punishment

## 2013-09-10

It is essential to establish the core beliefs, and here is a list of things I think are foundational, as they refer to God's amazing Good News and Salvation, and our thinking about punishment, sin and death.

1. God cares about relationships, relationships where choice is available. It is what He desires most, and why He created us.

2. Because relationships require choice, free will and the ability to choose not to be in relationship must be available. So, even though God is all knowing, all powerful and able to do anything, He allows us to choose to go against His will - this is the root cause of evil and sin. Angels and humans have free choice.

3. Sin causes separation and death - that is the punishment that is related to sin, separation in our relationship with God and death. All men sin and have sinned. (Rom 5:12) (Rom 6:23)

4. The Bible represents an ongoing revelation about God, with the culmination of revelation in the person Jesus. He is perfect theology - He reveals the Father, and is a perfect representation of Him. (Heb 1:3) All other revelation about God in the Old Testament was shaded and shaped by human limitations of thought and understanding, it was all true, just limited.

5. Jesus came to reveal the Father and restore relationship with the Father, and pay the price and purchase forgiveness for our sins, and establish the Kingdom of God on earth. This is the heart of the Good News!

6. Jesus paid for all our sins, for every sin (Is 53:4,5) (Rom 5). This is either true or not.

7. If we receive Jesus as our Lord, and accept His salvation, His sacrifice is applied to our lives, and our sins are forgiven.

8. If Jesus paid for all our sins, then we don't need to. This isn't meant to be a free ticket to do whatever we want, but is meant to lead us to relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. If God requires us to pay for our sins, after .Jesus paid, than He is saying that Jesus' sacrifice was not sufficient.

9. Punishment for sins, is the same as paying for sins, and since Jesus paid with His life, He took the punishment for our sins, separation from the Father and death, upon Himself. Thus, God does not need, nor will He punish us for our sins.

10. Punishment is not the same as consequences. We reap want we sow, and if we choose poorly, there will be consequences to our choices. If I choose to step into oncoming traffic there will be a consequence to that choice, but it is not punishment. (Gal 6:7-8)

11. Punishment is not the same as discipline. Discipline is about building character, and endurance and strength, and passing on core values. Sometimes discipline feels like punishment, but it is not. (Heb 12)

12. Punishment and judgment are not the same thing. Jesus made it clear there would be a judgment day, and that would be followed by just rewards. Those that chose God will be rewarded with eternal relationship with Him, those that did not choose God, will be rewarded with their choice eternally - separation from God, and all that He created (Matt 25) (Rev 20:11-15)

13. Jesus said He didn't come to judge, but to save the world, (Jn 3:16-17) and as such will reserve judgment until the final day of judgment.

14. God does not cause sickness, calamity or destruction, those are the result of a fallen world, and sin. We know this is the case because Jesus, the perfect representation of the Father, never caused sickness, calamity or destruction (other than purifying the temple).

15. God doesn't need calamity or destruction to draw all men to Himself. Most of the greatest revivals in history had nothing to do with calamity, or destruction, but were the result of fervent prayers and intercession, and God's sovereign choice. God's glory is enough to draw people to Him. He wants lovers, not those fearing punishment.

16. God can use everything to bring about His Glory, but sin, sickness, death and destruction are not His choice for us. God can redeem us from any bad circumstance or situation, but He did not cause them.

17. God is good, loving, merciful, full of compassion, faithful, forgiving, and desires relationship with each of us. He longs to call each of us His son or daughter.

I could keep going and will probably do so another day, as I want focus on the basics of kingdom life and God's amazing plan for our lives here on the earth.

# Beliefs Affect Our Actions

## 2013-09-11

I spent yesterday morning outlining some of the basic truths concerning the Good News, sin and punishment. Hopefully it was helpful to some, it was certainly helpful to me to think through and write down in a concise manner. I think for me that is all in place, and I need to continue to focus on the kingdom lifestyle that such thoughts and beliefs demand. It's not enough to belief these things in our hearts and minds, but they must show themselves in our lives.

James has it right in his letter, stating - [14] "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith (belief} but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? [15] Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. [16] If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? [17] In the same way, faith (belief) by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2:14-17 NIV. I inserted belief in the text in parentheses because the original Greek word 'pistis', here translated faith can also be translated belief. The definition of the word is given as follows: n 1. conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things.

So, what we believe must influence our actions and be seen in our actions. A.W. Tozer says the most important thing is what we believe deep in our heart about God. Thus, it's not just important to get these basic truths into our mind, but they must penetrate to our very souls, deep into our hearts and become the motivation for our actions. It is essential that I think about my beliefs, and choose to act upon them. In our world today, we spend too little time thinking about our actions, as we are too busy to even stop for a moment. We have a huge deficit of integrity of belief and action in the church - for we say we believe things, but our actions say otherwise, and as James says, that means those beliefs are actually dead.

So for me, this leads me to reflect on my life and what I show I believe by my actions, for those are the beliefs that are actually alive in my life. I must look at my life and take a real inventory of my actions, and choose to change my actions if they do not align with my core beliefs. This is the heart of repentance, changing the way we think, and then changing our actions to line up with this new way of thinking. It's not enough to think about turning around (one definition of repentance), we must actually do so.

As I reflect on my life as a follower of Christ, an adopted son of God, and a representative of Him in His Kingdom, I should see that my belief and actions are in line with His beliefs and actions, as demonstrated by Jesus. The bracelets that were in style in the church a few years back had WWJD on them - which was supposed to cause us to reflect on what Jesus would do, and then endeavor to do the same thing. This is exactly right. We are called to be His representatives, so we should be representing Him to those we meet. We have, through Jesus, been restored to right relationship with the Father, and have been clothed in His (Jesus) righteousness. We are God's adopted sons and daughters and Jesus showed us what the Son of God acted like and valued when He was on the earth.

# He Welcomed Them All

## 2013-09-12

This morning I am reading from Luke 9:10-11 NIV:

[10] "When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, [11] but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing."

I was reading through this chapter in Luke, looking for something else, when these verses caught my eye. The context is that Apostles, those sent by Jesus, came back from their ministry trips. Jesus wanted to take some time them privately to hear more about their experiences, (at least that is how it seems to me). Anyway, crowds find out where He is, and flock to him.

I love the Lord's response, it says He welcomed them.

He had a different agenda which they interrupted, but He welcomed them!

He needed time alone with His Apostles, yet He welcomed them!

He was probably tired and needed some down time, yet He welcomed them!

They demanded His attention, yet He welcomed them!

They were very inconvenient, yet He welcomed them!

Finally after speaking to them about the kingdom of God, he demonstrated this reality by healing the sick, all the sick. From the next few verses, we know that the crowd was huge, so this no small undertaking. Jesus didn't hold back, didn't give them less than His best, and He met their needs.

I am encouraged and called on by this all. I am encouraged, because I know that He has the same heart for me, if I come to Him, He will welcome me. Secondly, I am called on to be more like Him. I don't like interruptions, inconvenience or having my agenda changed, especially if I am tired. I need to change my heart and learn to welcome all that come, needing Jesus. I know that the Holy Spirit will fill up in me anything I am lacking. Lord, please help me to be more like You!

# Basics of the Kingdom

## 2013-09-13

I was just thinking back over the last few days, and was thinking it might be good to look briefly at the Kingdom realities, as Jesus demonstrated them. He came to establish His Kingdom on earth and it is expanding to this day. We are called to become members of this Kingdom, and His representatives as we go out into the world. So some basic truths about the Kingdom of God are good to meditate on. They are relatively simple, yet rich in deep meaning and purpose:

1. If a Kingdom has been established then there is a King - Acts 17:7

2. King..dom means the Kings dominion, or the area over which He has authority, and power - Eph 1:20-23

3. In a Kingdom, the King lays down the laws of the Kingdom, the rules flow out of His character - Prov 29:2,4,14

4. Jesus is our King, He sits on the throne in Heaven, but His Kingdom exists on the earth as it does in Heaven - Matt 6:10

5. The Church, the Body of Christ is the physical representative of the King, here on the earth, and as such is able to walk in His authority and power, as we faithfully represent Him - 1 Cor 12:12-14,27

6. Jesus told His disciples to proclaim the Kingdom, then to demonstrate the Kingdom - Matt 10:7-8

7. Healing, miracles, signs and wonders, authority over demons, raising people from the dead, restoring people to wholeness, authority over nature, are all signs of the Kingdom of God present \- Matt 10:7-8, Matt 11:4-6, Luke 10:18-20, Mark 16:15-18

We are all called to be active members of this Kingdom, and our lives demonstrating the reality of the Kingdom to those around us. Let us pursue God, represent His kingdom, and live our lives in such a way that we are giving all the glory to the King. If nothing is impossible for the King, than nothing is impossible for us, His body here on earth.

# Basics of the Kingdom - Part 2

## 2013-09-15

I was rereading my last entry, and in it I was looking at the basics of the Kingdom of God, and some of the foundational principles concerning the kingdom. Today I wanted to look at some of the things Jesus said about the Kingdom He established.

1. Matthew 4:17, 23 NIV: [17] "From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." [23] "Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people."

The Kingdom reality was the core of Jesus message. It is Good News, and its reality is demonstrable. Jesus didn't just preach about it coming soon, like John the Baptist did, but He demonstrated it.

2. Matthew 6:9-10 NIV: "This, then, is how you should pray: " 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, [10] your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

The Kingdom on earth is an extension of the Kingdom in Heaven, and the same basic rules apply here as there in Heaven. Jesus is teaching us to pray for this unity of domains, that what happens in Heaven is what happens here in earth. For example, if there is no sickness in Heaven, then we can expect God to deal with sickness here, and as He extends His dominion here, people, when they come in contact with it, are healed - which is exactly what Jesus demonstrated.

3. Matthew 6:33 NIV: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Our participation in the Kingdom of God is more important than anything, and should be the primary goal of our lives. If we come into His Kingdom, then God, as our King will provide everything we need.

4. Matthew 7:21-23 NIV: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. [22] Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' [23] Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

There is an obedience required in the Kingdom of God, and it is related to the will of the Father. We are supposed to be in active relationship with the Lord, that we might understand His will, and do it. This is not some religious requirement, it is rather an obedience that comes out of a loving relationship. I has to do with knowing and being known - in other words - relationship.

5. Matthew 10:1, 7-8 NIV: [1] "Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. [7] As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' [8] Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give."

We are called to both proclaim the Kingdom, but to demonstrate the Kingdom realities as well. These are the same works that Jesus did, so He is calling us to continue His ministry. The Kingdom of God is in expansion mode, and it expanded by our witness and representation.

6. Matthew 12:28 NIV: "But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you."

When the Kingdom of God is proclaimed and demonstrated and established, it drives out the present kingdom of the enemy, or Satan. Jesus came to destroy the works of the enemy (1 John 3:8), and He did this by establishing His new Kingdom.

7. Matthew 13:11-12 NIV: "He replied, "Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. [12] Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them."

These verses followed the parable of the sower and the seed and Jesus is talking about listening and understanding. The Kingdom of God is established in our lives and entered into through our choices, and our decisions. If we reject the Kingdom, when it is demonstrated in our midst, it is not established in our life. The Kingdom of God will not be forced upon us, as in all things with God, we have a free-will to choose what to listen to, and want to follow. If we choose to follow Him, and enter the Kingdom, there will be blessing and provision and we will expand the Kingdom.

8. Matthew 13:31-33 NIV: "He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. [32] Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches." [33] He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough."

The Kingdom of God, is expanding, is growing, and though unseen, or given significant notice by world, it is fulfilling its purpose. Both yeast and the mustard seed are very small, almost unnoticed, yet both can expand greatly. It's not through grand pomp and circumstance that the Kingdom is expanded, but rather through individual conversion and transformation, as shown by the yeast example. Although each person may seem to have little effect in the Kingdom, our actions and obedience can cause our effect to be great.

9. Matthew 16:19 NIV: "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

There is some disagreement about this passage, as Jesus appeared to be addressing Peter specifically, but many commentators believe the original Greek indicates a broader audience than just Peter. Regardless, the earlier verses where Jesus sent out the apostles to preach the good news of the Kingdom, and demonstrate the Kingdom realities includes the command to cast out demons, etc. and the passing of authority, which is what this verse makes very clear. We are commissioned to do the same works as Jesus, and here says that we can extend Heaven's reality here on earth, and we have real authority!

10. Matthew 24:14 NIV:..."And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."

The proclamation of the Kingdom is one of the cores expectations of the Lord, and the timeline of the last days is interwoven with the proclamation of the Kingdom. The Gospel, or good news of the Kingdom, is simply that there is new King, who is all powerful, all knowing, compassionate, merciful, faithful and good, and He wants to demonstrate His love and reality to us all, and we all have access through Jesus Christ.

Amen Lord, such fundamental and helpful truths. Help me to live as a representative of Your enduring love, and Kingdom.

# The Church and Judgment

## 2013-09-16

This morning I have been reading through Paul's first letter to the Church in Corinth. I am interested in his perspective on the churches role in judgment. In chapter four he is writing about not wanting to judge himself. Here are the verses:

1 Corinthians 4:1-5 NIV:  
[1] "This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. [2] Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. [3] I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. [4] My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. [5] Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God."

I think the key statement is in verse 5, where he talks about the Lord judging and exposing the motive of our hearts. He says to judge nothing before the appointed time, that time being the day of judgment when the Lord comes. Then in the next chapter he talks about the church judging its members.

1 Corinthians 5:2-5, 9-13 NIV  
[2] "And you are proud! Shouldn't you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? [3] For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this. [4] So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, [5] hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.

[9] I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people--- [10] not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. [11] But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. [12] What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? [13] God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked person from among you."

Here is an interesting case concerning the body, knowing about the sin of one of the members, and doing nothing about it. He calls the church to judge those inside the church, having nothing to do with those who say they are brothers, but remain in sinful lifestyles. As we were talking yesterday in church, it clearly has to do with the heart attitude, the pursuit of God, the working in our lives of God's mercy and grace, helping us to get free of sin in our lives. If there are those that are in the Church, who are not repentant, not pursuing God, than its clear they are not pursuing a relationship with the Lord, and becoming more like Him.

This is where we step onto a slippery slope of judgment, or trying to judge others motives of their hearts, trying to give people grace to grow in holiness, without casting them out of the church for their sins. If a person comes out of the world, into the church, often times they have many sinful lifestyles. I have seen the Lord graciously lead these people to wholeness and purity, gently walking them away from their previous choices, and enabling them to step free. I have seen Him work this way in my life as well, not requiring purity and perfect obedience from day one, but rather guiding me through areas, one at a time, sometimes two, and helping me to recognize my sin, repent of it, and choosing to follow Him. I am also aware of others who the Lord, changes radically in a day - those who were addicted to drugs who are set free in a moment, never even going through withdrawal.

It seems to me that Lord leads each of us individually, and that we need to give the Lord room to do so. At the same time we need to encourage all to purity and holiness in relationship with Jesus. We need to preach Godliness, identify sin as sin, recognize that we are all sinners, and encourage all to move forward in the Lord. When there are those who are clearly not pursuing the Lord, not living lives that embrace repentance, and doing so while maintaining that they are part of the Body of Christ, and then we need address those situations, and encourage them to step into right relationship with Jesus. It is apparent that in these situations they are not really walking in relationship, or do not have a right attitude about their relationship with God. We are supposed to be transformed through the renewing of our mind, becoming like Him, in all ways.

As the church, we must represent Christ, preaching the Gospel of salvation and forgiveness of sins. We must call people out of the world into the Kingdom of God, and help them to grow in holiness and Christ-likeness. We must accurately preach the Gospel, and correctly demonstrate and guard the fundamental truths of our faith and beliefs. We must remain balanced in our pursuit of God and our message, not giving way to 'religion' and a works mentality, at the same time not preaching some sort of free grace message that lacks any conversation of repentance and pursuit of relationship with the Lord. We must hold out the message of life to those that are deceived and on the path of destruction.

Amen Lord! Help Your Church to grasp the truth, and accurately communicate this to the world.

# Basics of the Kingdom - Part 3

## 2013-09-17

I felt like I should continue my review of the Kingdom, and the look at the parables that Jesus told to explain what the Kingdom is like. He speaks about it so many times, it is clearly one of His most significant messages. In Matthew, the phrase is translated the Kingdom of Heaven, in the other Gospels, we find the same parables using the term the Kingdom of God. The two terms are equivalent, and I use the Kingdom of God - as it avoids confusion over the location of the Kingdom.

1. Matthew 13:24-26 NIV: "Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. [25] But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. [26] When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared."

This parable makes it very clear that the Kingdom of Heaven (God) is on the earth, and is made up of people. Jesus explanation of the parable in verse 37-43, He says that the grain is people, and the enemy is Satan. He also describes clearly that there will be a day of judgment for all people. Jesus often compared life following Him to grain, how our response to the Word, would determine our fruitfulness. He likened our following Him to grain that must die to its present form, to bear fruit. In the me way we are called to respond to the Gospel, and to change our lives, that we might bear fruit - namely the multiplication of the Kingdom into other's lives around us.

2. Matthew 13:44-46 NIV: "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. [45] "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. [46] When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it."

In case anyone missed the value of the Kingdom of God to them personally, Jesus told these two parables. The Kingdom of God is not something we can take lightly, it is more valuable than anything we have ever encountered, and requires all that we have and are. The reward is beyond understanding. The Kingdom is something that we look for, and something we all long for, whether we know it or not. We have a deep longing for God, for His ways, for relationship with Him, and to see Him work in and through us. Being found in the Kingdom, has eternal consequences, and rewards even here on earth.

3. Matthew 13:47-50 NIV: "Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. [48] When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. [49] This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous [50] and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Once again Jesus is speaking about a day of judgment that will affect all people. We will all be judged, between the righteous and the wicked. The good news for those of us that follow Jesus, and have faith, is that Jesus righteousness is applied to us, and we will be judged righteous because of Him (Romans 3 & 4).

4. Matthew 18:1-4 NIV: "At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" [2] He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. [3] And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. [4] Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

The Kingdom of God is unlike any other kingdom. All other kingdoms have greatness and position based on authority and power as their structure. In the Kingdom of God, it is based on humility and service, lowliness over pride. Children were the lowest level of the social strata during Jesus time, and He is making a significant statement here. He said they must change, and become like a child, clearly not indicating in thought or action, but rather in position. Jesus demonstrated this truth again at the Last Supper, where He washed the feet of His disciples, which was one of the responsibilities of the lowliest servants. If we want to be great in the Kingdom, than we must become servants to all. This never changes, we don't serve in this role for so many years and then get moved higher up so we don't have to serve any more. We don't put in our time as servants in the hopes of getting promoted, this IS the position of the greatest.

5. Matthew 18:21-27 NIV: "Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?" [22] Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. [23] "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. [24] As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. [25] Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. [26] "At this the servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' [27] The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go."

In these verses Jesus is describing the forgiveness as it relates to the Kingdom of God. He uses numbers that are beyond reason to describe the reality of the situation. When asked how often we should forgive, He says seventy-seven times, in other Gospels its conveyed as 70 x 7 times, regardless its more than most of us would ever have the heart or patience to go to. He is describing His heart towards us as well, for the rules in the Kingdom flow from the King. He then describes man's debt of sin, in using the 10,000 bags or talents of gold. A talent was equal to 20 years wags for a laborer, so He was saying the man owed him 200,000 years of labor to pay off the debt. In other words, something that was absolutely unpayable. Yet, when asked for mercy, the King extended mercy and completely forgave the debt, completely cancelling it. The story continued on with the servant then going out and collecting debt from another, but treating him harshly. The King heard about it and threw the original man into prison, to be tortured, for his refusal to forgive others, and extend mercy. Clearly forgiveness and mercy are key components of the Kingdom of God. As members of the Kingdom, we are called to represent the heart of the King in all our ways, and forgiveness and mercy are at the top of the list.

Lord, help us to understand how to walk in the fullness of our position in Your Kingdom!

# Reflections on John 3:34-36

## 2013-09-19

Last night I read John 3, and was just thinking about the wonder of God's love in sending His Son. As Graham Cooke says, the Good News, is almost too good to be true, but it is!

I was struck by the three last verses of the third chapter of John: John 3:34-36 NIV  
'For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. [35] The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. [36] Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them."

Breaking these three verses down - in verse 34, we see the focus is on the words that Jesus speaks, being the very words of the Father, and the Father pouring forth the Spirit without limit, or more accurately - no end to the measure He uses in pouring out the Spirit. This really looks forward to several topics that are covered in much greater detail within John's Gospel, the obedience of Jesus to His Father's will, saying and doing only what the Father is saying and doing (John 5:19, John 8:28) and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, given to guide, direct, be our advocate, and teacher (John 14-16).

Verse 35 speaks of the authority that is given to Jesus by the Father. In Matt 28:18, Jesus says, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me..."  
In Paul's letter to the Ephesians, he writes - ..."he (the Father) exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, [21] far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. [22] And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, [23] which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." (Eph 1:21-23). We have in Jesus one who is capable, powerful, loving and forgiving. God sent Jesus for our salvation, and really did place this whole plan of salvation into His hands. It took His constant choice to follow the Father perfectly, to become that sinless, perfect sacrifice, that He might meet the requirements of the law, and fulfill it perfectly, setting us free.

Finally in verse 36, the simplicity of the Gospel, and our choice. We choose to believe or not, and our choice brings with it consequences. If we choose to believe in Jesus, we inherit eternal life. If we choose to deny Him, rejecting the Gospel, we remain under the wrath, or previously existing judgment of God. The choice is ours, for our debts and sins have already been paid for, it's just whether or not we apply the payment to our lives, which we do by believing in Jesus, as our savior and Lord. This is not based on our good works, our being nice, friendly, or good, but simply by the choice we make to believe, or have faith in Jesus. Once we step into that place of belief, we restore ourselves to relationship with God, and He invites us into His Eternal life. What an awesome deal!

Lord, that the fullness of Your promises and the reality of the Gospel might firmly be established in all our lives. We thank You for Your amazing love, and the good news, that is indeed good, beyond our wildest imaginations.

# Praying For Unity

## 2013-09-22

This morning I felt like I should read John 17. This chapter is the record of Jesus last words at the Last Supper, where He is praying for His followers, disciples and apostles. I was especially taken by the prayer for unity, that we all might be one. He repeated that same basic prayer three times in the last 7 verses.

John 17:20-26 NIV  
[20] "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, [21] that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. [22] I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one--- [23] I in them and you in me---so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

[24] "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

[25] "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. [26] I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

Jesus prayed the same basic phrase in verse 21, 23 and with a slight change again in verse 26 - that we might be in God and God would be in us, with the same type of unity the Godhead experiences. This is an incredible prayer! This is something we could never accomplish through our own efforts to establish unity, but rather must come from God, be established by God, and protected by God.

In bible studies and commentaries, they talk about the significance of something being mentioned three times, and how that adds extreme significance. Here Jesus is praying three times, about unity for the Body of Christ, so it's very important because it was mentioned these three times, and also because Jesus prayed it!

Matthew Henry has this to say about these prayers for unity, believing there are three dimensions to this prayer:

1. "That they might all be incorporated in one body. "Father, look upon them all as one, and ratify that great charter by which they are embodied as one church. Though they live in distant places, from one end of heaven to the other, and in several ages, from the beginning to the close of time, and so cannot have any personal acquaintance or correspondence with each other, yet let them be united in me their common head." As Christ died, so he prayed, to gather them all in one, John 11:52,Eph+1:10.

2. That they might all be animated by one Spirit. This is plainly implied in this--that they may be one in us. Union with the Father and Son is obtained and kept up only by the Holy Ghost. He that is joined to the Lord in one spirit, 1 Corinthians 6:17. Let them all be stamped with the same image and superscription, and influenced by the same power.

3. That they might all be knit together in the bond of love and charity, all of one heart. That they all may be one, (1.) In judgment and sentiment; not in every little thing--this is neither possible nor needful, but in the great things of God, and in them, by the virtue of this prayer, they are all agreed--that God's favour is better than life--that sin is the worst of evils, Christ the best of friends--that there is another life after this, and the like. (2.) In disposition and inclination. All that are sanctified have the same divine nature and image; they have all a new heart, and it is one heart. (3.) They are all one in their designs and aims. Every true Christian, as far as he is so, eyes the glory of God as his highest end, and the glory of heaven as his chief good. (4.) They are all one in their desires and prayers; though they differ in words and the manner of expressions, yet, having received the same spirit of adoption, and observing the same rule, they pray for the same things in effect. (5.) All one in love and affection. Every true Christian has that in him which inclines him to love all true Christians as such. That which Christ here prays for is that communion of saints which we profess to believe; the fellowship which all believers have with God, and their intimate union with all the saints in heaven and earth, 1 John 1:3."

I think the final focus is that this is possible, because it is in the Father's heart, He had Jesus pray it, which means it is His will. He plans on causing this unity in the Body of Christ. We should join ourselves to praying the prayer, and look in eager anticipation for the coming day, when this will be our reality! That God will be in us, and we in Him, that we will be joined into the Trinity! That will blow our minds!

Amen, Jesus, we join You in praying this prayer.

# Gifts Reflect The Giver

## 2013-09-23

This morning I am reading out of Matthew 7:7-11 NIV:

[7] "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [8] For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. [9] "Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? [10] Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? [11] If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

Yesterday, at church and in my prayer time I was thinking about how the things that Jesus said, came directly from the Father (John 12:49), and how we can understand the Father's heart by listening to Jesus words. As I apply this reality to the promises Jesus spoke about, I encouraged, for these are not just the Words of Jesus, but they originate in the heart of the Father as well.

So looking at these verses, we see the promise of answered prayers, the promise of found answers and opened doors. This verse can sometimes be focused on by those who preach the prosperity Gospel, and I think other than the motive of the people's hearts, they do correctly portray the Heart of the Father. He is so good, so faithful, so merciful, so compassionate, so loving, and so perfect compared to us. I know that I love to bless my children and my wife with good gifts. In comparison to God, I am pathetic and evil, yet the comparison Jesus speaks of here, indicates that the enjoyment I get out of giving good gifts to my children is similar to God's heart for me. God the Father loves to give good gifts to us. He is waiting for our heart cries, waiting to answer prayers, waiting to provide open doors, waiting to help us find answers.

In the last verse quoted above, the word that is translated ask, is the Greek word - Aiteo - whose definition is as follows: to ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require. The word generally does not relate to our wants, but our needs. This does not negate the gift, but again speaks of the motivation of the one who receives. We are often times unaware of our real needs, and focused on the things we want. God is totally aware of all things. He gives us good things - here the Greek word translated good is Agathos and the definition is as follows: 1. of good constitution or nature 2. useful, salutary 3. good, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy 4. excellent, distinguished 5. upright, honourable. In other words, good! Things that are useful, pleasant and agreeable to us, bring us joy and happiness, are excellent, and honourable, things that reflect the heart of the giver.

Sometimes we are so focused on our need we are willing to accept anything more than what we have presently. God won't give us a stone if we really need bread, or a snake if we really need a fish, but sometimes we would settle for these things, just because they are different than our present situation. I believe the Lord desires us to learn to look deeper, to ask rightly, to see our lives as He sees them, and to pursue and ask for the things that are the best for us, and those things He wants to give us. He wants us to learn what He is like, to learn to ask and trust that when He answers it will be good, very good, for the Father is perfectly good, and His gifts will reflect His nature and character.

So let us be encouraged by this promise of the Father, through Jesus' words, to ask, to seek, to knock. "For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."

# The Gospel and Doctrine

## 2013-09-26

Recently I have been thinking about the Gospel. I came across those verses from Paul's first letter to Timothy - 1 Timothy 1:12-17 NIV:

[12] "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. [13] Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. [14] The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. [15] Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners---of whom I am the worst. [16] But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. [17] Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen."

I think sometimes we forget the reality of the Gospel, and get all caught up in discussions of doctrine and belief. What we think about God is so important. We still need to understand doctrine, and the truths about the Lord, but our first call is to introduce people to the Lord. The Gospel is first and foremost about relationship with the Lord.

Continuing on with this thought, doctrine arises out of our understanding of who God is, from our interactions with Him, and those that are described in the Bible. Pastor Bill Johnson says it well, "Jesus is perfect theology". In other words as we come to know Him, our understanding of who He is, how He thinks, and how He acts is clarified. Our doctrine needs to flow out of and agree with the revelation of God, and this needs to come within relationship.

Josh McDowell said that rules without relationship leads to rebellion. He was talking about parenting, but that same thought applies here. If we confront people with doctrine, before they have a relationship with the Lord, they will misunderstand the motivation of the doctrine, and often times be driven away. It is important to have doctrine, and it establishes how to think correctly, but it must flow out of, and be communicated through the Gospel, the good news that God loved us so much that He sent His Son to pay for our sins, so that we might be forgiven and able to enter fully into relationship as adopted sons and daughters. Paul was very much on that page when he wrote the following verses, speaking of doctrine that conforms to the Gospel and is used properly:

1 Timothy 1:8-11 NIV  
We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. [9] We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, [10] for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers---and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine [11] that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.

The other morning when I woke up, I had this thought - we must preach the Gospel and teach doctrine, not the other way around. I think that summarizes the issue nicely. Lord, help us to hold onto the truth, proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth, and teach those that desire discipleship the doctrine of the Church. Help us to be balanced and appropriate, and above all, loving.

# Jesus and Sinners

## 2013-09-26

This morning I am reading out of John's Gospel. Here is an excerpt from the 4th chapter, dealing with Jesus and the women at the well:

John 4:15-26, 39-41 NIV  
[15] The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."  
[16] He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back."  
[17] "I have no husband," she replied.  
Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. [18] The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."  
[19] "Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. [20] Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem."  
[21] "Woman," Jesus replied, "believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. [22] You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. [23] Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. [24] God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth."  
[25] The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."  
[26] Then Jesus declared, "I, the one speaking to you---I am he."

[39] Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." [40] So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. [41] And because of his words many more became believers.

I am always amazed when I read this story, and I think sometimes we overlook some pretty astounding things. First Jews and Samaritans did not interact. The Samaritans were a foreign people who were planted in the land, and told to worship the God of the land (2 Kings 17:24-28) - the same God as the Jews, but were not of Jewish decent. The whole land was generally off limits, and all good Jews knew this, yet Jesus is walking right through with His disciples, and I am sure many of them were more than uncomfortable with the idea.

Secondly, Jesus was having along conversation with an adulteress! He knew her living situation, knew the kind of women that she was, yet had a long conversation with her - one of the longest described in the Gospels - and at the end revealed He was the Messiah to her, a full blown sinner! Wow!

If we ever think we are too far immersed in sin for the Lord to be able to break into our lives, or care for us, this story is a great example of Him doing just that! The women had a bad reputation. The town people didn't want to interact with her, which is why she was out in the heat of the day. We could say she had made her own bed and was now having to sleep in it - in other words her reputation was the result of her bad choices and sin, and she had no real way to change either. Jesus seemed unconcerned with her sin, and her sin did not keep Jesus from breaking in. We have been taught that sin separates us from God, but that is clearly not the case here, as Jesus, even after telling her He knows about her sin continues the conversation. What a great truth - Jesus is not afraid of our sin, is not repulsed by our confession, does not see us as our sin, but as people whom He was sent to love and save. It was AFTER she confessed her sin that He told her He was the messiah.

I am reminded of Paul's statement in 1 Timothy 1:15: ..."Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners---of whom I am the worst.". In this story of the women at the well, we see Jesus doing exactly that, saving a sinner. This is the heart of the Gospel, and true for us all. We must not lose touch with this fact, and separate ourselves from those the Lord came to save.

My final reflection this morning is that Jesus stayed two full days in that town - a Samaritan village - and many were saved. This woman, a confessed sinner, became one of the first Christian evangelists to her own people, and many came to know Jesus because of her testimony, and their desire to hear more from this man. We have heard how sin can open a door, and in this case Jesus walked through that door, and into the lives of all the people in that village. Talk about poetic justice. Taking a little literary license - the woman was trying to find a love that would fulfill her, and had swung wide the door and all sorts of bad things had happened, yet in walks the only One who could love her perfectly, and He redeems her from her life of shame, guilt and separation! Not only that but He walks into the life of all her neighbors and family and friends, and redeems them as well! It was clearly a great few days for the Kingdom of God!

So as we encounter sinners in our lives, walking as Jesus' representatives, let us be aware that any one of them could become the doorway to all their people, who are equally needy of the Lord's salvation! Let us lean on the Lord and let Him lead us to those He came to save.

# We Are A New Creation In Christ

## 2013-09-30

One of the things that Bill Johnson was speaking about on one of the teachings I was listening to, was that we are a new creation in Christ, literally a new race, or new species. I was familiar with some of that idea, but not to the depth that he was expressing, so I wanted to do some research this morning. The formative verse comes from 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!". The New King James Version reads, " Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." Which conveys the message a bit better.

David Guzman has a helpful commentary on this verse:

Jesus resurrection life gives us new life.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

a. If anyone: This is a promise for anyone. Anyone! It doesn't matter what class, what race, what nationality, what language, or what level of intelligence. Anyone can be a new creation in Jesus Christ!

b. Is in Christ: This is a promise for anyone who is in Christ. This is not a promise for those who are in themselves, or in the religion of men, or in someone or something else. This is for those in Christ!

c. He is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Paul here teaches the great principle of regeneration. Jesus Christ changes those who come to Him by faith, and who are in Christ. The saved are not "just forgiven." They are changed into a new creation.

This is an incredible thought, and one that is hard to fully comprehend. We are, according to Paul who was inspired by the Holy Spirit, made into new creatures when we unite ourselves to Jesus through repentance and confession of faith. We become like Christ, after His resurrection and like Christ, are something new, that only is possible in God. Guzman continues:

i. It is unfair for us to expect those who are not in Christ to live as if they were a new creation. However, it is not unfair to expect a changed life from people who say they are Christians! "I know no language, I believe there is none, that can express a greater or more thorough and more radical renewal, than that which is expressed in the term, 'a new creature.'" (Spurgeon)

ii. However, being a new creation doesn't mean that we are perfect. It means that we are changed, and that we are being changed.

d. Who makes us a new creation? This is something God alone can do in us. This isn't just "turning over a new leaf" or "getting your act together." But the life of a new creation is not something God does for us, but in us. So, we are told to put off . . . the old man, and to put on the new man which was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24).

i. Being a new creation is a gift from God received by faith. "God is surely the author of the second creation as he was of the first." (Harris) "A phrase which argueth the greatest change imaginable and such a one as can be wrought in the soul by no other power than the power of God." (Poole)

Lord, help us to comprehend and embrace this incredible truth in our lives. We desire to experience the fullness of all that You have for us. Help us to change and become like You, constantly deciding to put off the old, and put on the new, embracing the regeneration that You made possible.

# Eternity And Doing Good

2013-10-01

This morning I am reading from Paul's letter to the Galatians.

Galatians 6:7-10, 14-16 NIV

[7] "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. [8] Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. [9] Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. [10] Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

[14] May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. [15] Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. [16] Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule---to the Israel of God.

Two very different themes from the final chapter. The first set of verses having to do with the consequences of our actions. Sowing and reaping is the simplest way to explain how our actions result in consequences. The ultimate end to the two different paths, the flesh or the Spirit, are the opposite with one leading ultimately to destruction the other to eternal life.

In a very real way, those two results are easily discerned, for flesh is of this world, and will pass away with our death. Anything that is Spiritual will benefit us in eternity. This is the perspective that the early church lived under, and one we would be well served to cultivate in our own lives. This focus would help us prioritize our actions and what we were sowing into with our lives. Do we want to invest in things that will pass away, or things that benefit us eternally? Those of us in the western church have limited understanding or focus on things eternal, yet that is what should have the most importance in our lives. We have a hard time looking past the here and now, and so much of the culture all around us is hyper-focused on that as well. We need to cultivate a culture that puts value on eternal life, and those Spiritual things that benefit us in this eternal reality.

The second set of verses also address similar things, but from a slightly different angle - namely external versus internal conversion. Paul is once again talking about the new creation - this being the understanding that in Christ we are born again into a new creation. This is an internal work at present, which will have eternal expression, but which is for more important than any external change. Paul speaks of being crucified to the world through the Cross, and that is precisely the idea - when we unite ourselves to Christ, our old man is put to death with Him, and a new man is created. It is this new man that must be seen and embraced by us. This requires us to sow into this new life, feeding and nourishing ourselves with Spiritual food, which brings us back to the first verses. If we are sowing into the Spiritual, or in other words our new creation in Christ, we will reap eternal benefits.

Finally, we are encouraged to do good to those around us, especially those who are members of the Body of Christ. This also flies in the face of the prevalent culture which is focused on ourselves and what we get. Rather than worrying about ourselves, let us not grow weary in blessing, building up, encouraging, supporting, and helping all those around us. As Jesus said, we are to love one another, and by this over set ourselves apart (John 13:343-35). If we follow the logic of Paul's writing this "doing good" is exactly the type of sowing into the Spiritual which has eternal rewards. Let us learn to love and do good, and see our lives as much more than this temporary existence.

Amen, Lord. Help us to change the way we think, and see things from Your perspective. Help us to value the eternal, the Spiritual, and doing good.

# He Rended The Heavens And Came Down

## 2013-10-03

This morning I am reading out of a couple of places, that at first blush don't seem connected, but there seems to be some parallels. The first set of verses is from

Isaiah 64:1-5 NIV

[1] "Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! [2] As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you! [3] For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you. [4] Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry. How then can we be saved?"

\- And -

Jeremiah 5:30-31 NIV:  
[30] "A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land: [31] The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?"

\- And finally -

John 3:16-17 NIV:  
[16] "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

I was meditating on the first two verses - seemingly unrelated but they both have to do with the number 643 in my bible - for the first verse that is the chapter and verse and for the second verse it is the page number. I asked the Lord where I should read this morning and I thought I heard 643 - this is one of the ways the Lord directs me. Anyway, as I was meditating it was apparent to me that both verses have to do with a falling away from God, a leaving of God's ways and embracing something other than Him, in spite of God's awesome works on Israel's behalf.

Both verses end with a question of God - what will You do in the end? How then can we be saved? It would seem from reading the old testament that God's answer is continued judgment and punishment of Israel, and although they reap the consequences of their infidelity, God's ultimate answer to these questions and to the nation of Israel was seen in the person of Jesus Christ! It was never God's desire to smite His people, rather to save them, love them and bless them. God did rend the heavens and come down, in the form of a man, and did mighty things. His enemies were defeated and despoiled. He has established an everlasting Kingdom that is both present here and now and in the age to come. Our choice in all this is whether or not we will live in agreement with God, and under His Kingdom, or reject Him and operate in our own power, listening to empty words of empty men.

Make no mistake, God will not allow His name to be maligned and rejected. However, He is also present to save, redeem and forgive. He chooses to extend mercy, postponing His judgments that all might be saved (2 Peter 3:9). His judgments will be perfect, and He will have a day where He judges all, according to Jesus - Matt 25:31-46.

Let us pray that the Lord would call all, show His Glory to all and win all to Him, for that is His desire. Let us examine our lives, and throw off false teaching or false gods, and pursue Him, the only God who has loved us, given Himself for us, and made a way for us all to be in relationship with Him. "He himself bore our sins" in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed." For "you were like sheep going astray," but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." 1 Peter 2:24-25.

Amen!

# Feasting On Romans 12

## 2013-10-06

I opened up my Bible this morning and started reading from Romans 12:1-16 NIV:

[[1] "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God---this is your true and proper worship. [2] Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is---his good, pleasing and perfect will."

[3] "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. [4] For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, [5] so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. [6] We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; [7] if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; [8] if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully."

[9] "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. [10] Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. [11] Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. [12] Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. [13] Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. [14] Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. [15] Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. [16] Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited."

What a good word for this day!

A reminder to worship, with our lives,  
Called to be renewed in the way we think,  
Encouraged to fulfill our calling within the Body of Christ,  
Finally a quick checklist of actions and attitudes we should cultivate:

Love people sincerely  
Hate evil  
Cling to goodness  
Love and honor others  
Be zealous in your pursuit of the Lord  
Be joyful  
Be patient  
Pray faithfully  
Be hospitable  
Be there for one another  
Rid yourself of pride and conceit  
Love and accept all

That is some serious spiritual food, and encouragement. Lord, help me to feast on Your word this day, enjoying and meditating on what You are saying to me with this word.

# We Are Foreigners Whose Citizenship Is In Heaven!

## 2013-10-07

This morning I have been reading Peter's first letter. A couple of related verses caught my eye, here they are:

1 Peter 1:17 NIV  
'Since you call on a Father who judges each person's work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear."

1 Peter 2:11-12 NIV  
[11] "Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. [12] Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."

This idea that Peter expresses in these two verses, is that as Christians, we are foreigners on the earth. The reason this is the case is that our home, our nation is not found on earth, but rather in Heaven. As Peter says, [9] "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. [10] Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." 1 Pete 2:9-10

Paul says, "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,..." Phil 3:20

This is such an interesting concept and idea, and something we must embrace. So many of us just want to fit in, be like everyone else, but we are encouraged to consider ourselves foreigners, understanding we have a different home, a different culture, a different nation. We are not supposed to embrace the culture of those around us, but rather the culture of our home. We should think and act differently than those around us who are in the world, not in pride, but as Peter says, "...in reverent fear". We should "live such good lives among the pagans", that our lives become a light that guides them to the Lord. As Jesus said, "In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matt 5:16

Yes Lord, help us to embrace our citizenship in Heaven, and live our lives here based on this fact.

# The War In Our Minds

## 2013-10-08

Last night I was reading through Paul's second letter to the church in Corinth, and ran across these verses, which are directly related to what the Lord has been speaking in my life lately:

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NIV:  
[3] "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. [4] The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. [5] We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

The context of these verses, is a conversation Paul is having with the Corinthians because they are judging his ministry by outward appearances, and his unwillingness to appear to them as one of the "super-apostles". He was talking about the way we can establish in our minds and communities, strongholds of thought and ideas that are wrong. His statement about waging war not as the world wages war, appears to relate to his unwillingness to attack other ministries and ministers openly, criticizing them, their methods, or any such thing, which is so different than the norm.

That being said, what He is also talking about is the internal struggle of our thought life. Taking thoughts captive and making them obedient to Christ is absolutely a critical skill we must learn, in our life with Christ. In Revelations 12:10, it speaks of the enemy as the accuser of our brothers and sisters. Jesus calls satan "a liar and the father of all lies." (John 8:44). God does not accuse us, does not condemn us, does not think negatively about us, those are all from the enemy. We all must learn to distinguish our thought origins, and identify those that are in alignment with what God says about us, and those that do not, and reject those that are not from God.

Pastor Bill Johnson says that he can't afford to have any thought in His mind that is not in God's mind first. He is expressing this idea of owning one's thoughts, discerning their origin and rejecting any that do not originate with God, or are in line with His will. This is the same thing Paul is speaking about - taking thoughts captive and making them obedient to Christ.

The issue for many of us is that we have strongholds of belief and thought about ourselves, about others and about God. How we think about ourselves, others and God will significantly impact who we are and what we do with our lives. A common saying these days is that "you are what you eat", but it's even more true that "we are what we think".

Here is an excerpt from a sports journal speaking about self-thought: ( http://www.theextragear.com/self-talk-and-thought-control-strategies )

What we think has an effect on how we feel, which, in turn, has an effect on what we do. In sports, negative thinking has been shown to have a negative effect on performance. When self-talk is negative, it produces both negative feelings, like anxiety, as well as physical tension, which leads to decreased motor coordination and speed. It also takes your focus away from what you should be doing, which makes it more likely that you will miss something important or make a mistake. So, when we talk negatively to ourselves, it affects other important mental skills such as intensity regulation, confidence, and concentration. When these mental skills deteriorate, performance is likely to suffer, which serves to reinforce the self-talk, (e.g., you prove to yourself that, "I really do stink at this") creating a vicious cycle.

Many times we are unaware of our self-talk; therefore, it can sabotage our performance without our even realizing it. At its worst, our self-fulfilling prophesies of poor performances in certain situations lead us to label ourselves negatively (e.g., "loser") which makes it even more difficult to break the negative cycle.

What I find amazing is that many of us, apply these types of techniques to other areas of our life, but not to our walk with Christ. There are many voices out there that influence what we think, and how we think. Companies spend Billions of dollars marketing, which is all about gaining mind-share, or getting people to think about their products. The media works ever day to try and influence the way we think, spinning stories to reflect their opinions, while ignoring other opinions or stories that would provide an alternative perspective. There is a stronghold of thought developing in America these days that is against Christianity, and that stronghold has been carefully nurtured and cultivated by the media over many years.

In the same way, the enemy is constantly bombarding us with thoughts and ideas that are against the will of God. They are thoughts related to temptation and sin, thoughts related to those we are in relationship with, trying to cause distrust, division and separation. The enemy is trying to undermine our identity in God, for we are God's adopted Sons and Daughters, whom He loved so much that He sent His Son to save, but the enemy wants us to think that God is angry with us, thinks we are sinners and is just waiting to punish us. The enemy has been at work in all our lives for many years trying to develop strongholds of thought about ourselves and others and especially God.

Make no mistake, there is a war being waged, and this is what Paul was speaking about in his letter. We MUST learn to hear God! We must learn to listen to our thoughts and reject those that are not from God. We must learn to hear and believe what God says about us, what He thinks about us. We must learn what God thinks about others too. As we learn to listen to God, we will find that He will destroy the strongholds of thought and ideas in our lives, that do not line up with His word and will. As we start to speak the thoughts that are from God, we will help those around us do the same, destroying the strongholds and arguments that set themselves against God. As we learn to do all this we will see a transformation of our lives. Paul speaks about this in Romans 12:2 NIV: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is---his good, pleasing and perfect will.". We must allow our minds to be renewed, and our lives transformed. This how we fight this war!

In John 10:3-4, Jesus says that we know and can follow His voice. We need to learn to hear it. For many of us that means stopping the noise around us, and learning to listen to God. That is one of the reasons I take time to sit quietly before Him in the mornings, I am actively listening. I read my Bible, listen to Christian teachers through the day, listen to Christian music, anything that helps me to sensitize myself to God's voice. I read scripture and identify areas where how I think does not line up with God's revelation in His Word, and change the way I think. I am learning to take my thoughts captive throughout the day and rejecting those that are not from Him. As I do so, I find myself thinking differently about myself and others. My heart is filled with compassion and mercy for the downtrodden and poor, rather than judgment. I find myself thinking more positively about those around me, at home and at work, seeing them as God sees them, and recognizing the gift that they are in my life.

Lord help me to continue to wage war in my mind, and see myself transformed as my mind is renewed and I listen to Your voice.

# A Prophetic Dream and Related Word \- Restoration and Acceleration

## 2013-10-10

Yesterday I had a dream, which seemed to last much of the night, it was a multiple phase dream that had to do with renovating a building and then we were preparing for a wedding there. Everything went faster than we planned and grew bigger than we planned. In one day all the major work on this building, which was an old service station was completed, including reworking plumbing, sewer, electricity, cement, etc. The guy I was working with was amazingly fast. I would be looking at something, talking about it, turn around and come back and he had finished it already, better than I would have imagined. As we built the building we decided to have a small wedding there. We gathered the people for a rehearsal, and there were at least twice as many people as I anticipated. Next we gathered for the final planning session and we separated out the children, so the adults could talk about the final plans. When I went to the back room where we were gathering, what should have been 1/3 full was completely full, and there were several young people, as in 10-11 year old, but after thinking about it, I thought it was appropriate to have them there too. We bought some BBQ for food and by the time we got back the numbers had at least tripled. We went to the back room to finish preparations, and someone said the wedding was starting. We went back to the main area, and it had grown in size to a giant auditorium that was packed with people, and a huge stage where the whole wedding party was gathered and they were just about to start. The funny thing was that I knew I was supposed to officiate, so I was running hard to get ready, and that is when I woke up.

I think in general this has to do with times of increase and acceleration happening all around us. There will be a quickening in the Spirit, where things that should take days and weeks are taking hours, deep works, and restorative works almost immediately. The thoughts we have about how big, or what our role will be are not big enough, we need to expand our visions, expand our thinking. The will be plenty for us to do, and we will be working with the Lord, for our efforts will have far more effectiveness than planned - we will be filled with grace, the power of God

Word:

This morning I woke up at 4:02 wide awake, thinking my alarm had just gone off. I was all ready to roll out of bed when I looked at the clock - and realized my mistake. I was able to go back to sleep. However, after I woke up for the day, I realized that the Lord might have been speaking to me and gave me 402 as a number to guide me in His word.

A quick survey of my Bible for page 402 and chapter 40:2 has some awesome things.

Page 402 is Ezra 5:2 where Zerrubabel and Jeshua start to work on rebuilding the house of God in Jerusalem!

Ezra 5:2 NIV  
Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jozadak set to work to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.

Exodus 40:1-5, 33-35 NIV  
'Then the Lord said to Moses: [2] "Set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, on the first day of the first month. [3] Place the ark of the covenant law in it and shield the ark with the curtain. [4] Bring in the table and set out what belongs on it. Then bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. [5] Place the gold altar of incense in front of the ark of the covenant law and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

[33] Then Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work. [34] Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. [35] Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle."

Psalm 40 has the following verses:

Psalm 40:1-11 NIV  
I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. [2] He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. [3] He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him. [4] Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. [5] Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare. [6] Sacrifice and offering you did not desire---but my ears you have opened---burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. [7] Then I said, "Here I am, I have come---it is written about me in the scroll. [8] I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart." [9] I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, Lord, as you know. [10] I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help. I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness from the great assembly. [11] Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord; may your love and faithfulness always protect me.

Isaiah 40:1-5 NIV  
"Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. [2] Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. [3] A voice of one calling: "In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord ; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. [4] Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. [5] And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."

Jeremiah 40:2-4 NIV  
"When the commander of the guard found Jeremiah, he said to him, "The Lord your God decreed this disaster for this place. [3] And now the Lord has brought it about; he has done just as he said he would. All this happened because you people sinned against the Lord and did not obey him. [4] But today I am freeing you from the chains on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to, then don't come. Look, the whole country lies before you; go wherever you please."

Ezekiel 40:1-4 NIV  
"In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the fall of the city---on that very day the hand of the Lord was on me and he took me there. [2] In visions of God he took me to the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, on whose south side were some buildings that looked like a city. [3] He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze; he was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand. [4] The man said to me, "Son of man, look carefully and listen closely and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for that is why you have been brought here. Tell the people of Israel everything you see. "

So if I fit these verses together - there is a prophetic theme of restoration and building of the temple starting. The first set of verses from Exodus 40, are the setting up of the tabernacle, the very first place God chose to inhabit. The verses from Ezra are the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, and Ezekiel is the vision of the future temple. If we look at the verses from Jeremiah and Ps 40 and Isaiah, we are being released, given a new song, and we are to prepare for the coming of the Glory of the Lord.

I feel that we are being invited to join with the Lord in rebuilding, restoring and renewing His House - the Body of Christ, the Church. If I combine this with my recent dream, I would say it will happen much faster than we can imagine, and with much greater effect, and better results than we could ever imagine.

Amen Lord! Let this future begin!

# A Song of Restoration – Zeph. 3

## 2013-10-11

This morning I am reading from the prophet Zephaniah, not one of my normal choices. However at the end of the book is this great set of verses, where the Lord promises restoration to Israel:

Zephaniah 3:14-20 NIV  
[14] "Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem!  
[15] The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. [16] On that day they will say to Jerusalem, "Do not fear, Zion; do not let your hands hang limp.  
[17] The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing."  
[18] "I will remove from you all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals, which is a burden and reproach for you.  
[19] At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you. I will rescue the lame; I will gather the exiles. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they have suffered shame.  
[20] At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes," says the Lord.  
-  
These are awesome promises for some day in the future for Israel, but the reality is that we live in that day now.

He has taken away our punishment, by Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.  
Jesus rose from the dead and is alive and present to those that believe. The Holy Spirit lives within us.  
Fear is driven away by perfect love, and the Lord has expressed that perfect love in our lives.  
The Lord is present and able to save all that come to Him.  
The Lord rejoices over us!  
He sings over us - His Body, His Bride, His sons, His daughters.

As I wrote that sentence I saw a picture of a father singing lullabies over his baby, that he was holding in His arms. That is how the Lord feels about us, totally in love, totally protective!

He does fight for us, as He has already destroyed the power of the enemy, sin and death.  
He does gather us! He calls us by our names!  
He is releasing healing and restoration in our midst!  
He is restoring His Glory to us, His presence which is our real fortune, our real treasure!

Amen Lord, open my eyes to Your working all around me, and that which You are already doing in my life!

# Unity and Dying to Ourselves

## 2013-10-12

Last evening I was reading from Philippians 2:1-5 NIV:

[1] "Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, [2] then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. [3] Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, [4] not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. [5] In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:.."

As I was rereading through these same verses this morning I was immediately struck by how counter-cultural these encouragements are for those that live in this western culture. We value independence, individualism, pride, and pursuing the American dream. At first blush these encouragements from Paul seem the opposite - be like-minded, humble, putting others first, etc. I believe Paul is talking about one of the great challenges for any Christian, namely the dying to oneself.

The idea that we become a new creation in Christ, have an old self that we must put-off and a new-self, that we must choose to put on, is quite radical. This is not just another club we join with some new rules, but a literal transformation of our whole being. Our thought process, how we see ourselves, the value of our relationships, how e interact with others are all supposed to be changing, as we become more and more like Christ, and join ourselves to the Body of Christ.

Living our lives for the purpose of fulfilling someone else's (the Lord Jesus) will, is counter to our normal mode of thought and perspective. Understanding the importance and value of unity within the Body of Christ, and how unity trumps individualism without taking away the unique value we all have, is a fine balance. We really are part of something new, and each of us are absolutely essential, but we cannot attain our destiny as a spotless Bride of Christ, if we can't learn to think and act as one.

Learning to look at someone else's interests before our own, seems self-defeating, and that is the point. There is room for each of us, and who we are is of supreme value to the Lord, but He calls to lay down our will (our self-interest), and find our place within His. He loves us and created each of us uniquely, and is not asking for a bunch of vanilla Christians, who all look and act alike, but rather a rich and diverse people who willingly lay down their will, not their personality, to join themselves to His Body.

As I was thinking about this, I had two images pop into my mind, the first being blended wine, the second a rich and awesome mix of spices. In both scenarios, the flavors and uniqueness of each is added to the whole, and affect the flavor of the whole mixture. It seems that there would be a loss of value for the individual flavor, but in reality, when blended, the other flavors enhance each other, as they work together in unison. When you sip a great blended wine, you can still pick out all the original flavors, if you pay attention, but the experience of this great blended wine is far better than anyone wine that is used in the blend. In the same way, when you taste a spice mixture, you can pick out the individual spices, but it is the mixture that brings greater experience.

In the same way, we are all great and unique, but without the uniqueness of all the other members of the Body of Christ, we are just a single person, a single good flavor. The Lord calls us to learn how to join ourselves to others in a way that enhances everyone, seeing the value is each other and calling it forth. Allowing someone else to be the 'flavor of the month' requires us to be willing to put them before ourselves. He is the master blender and is calling us to join ourselves to Him, to allow Him to exert His will in our lives, to call out the uniqueness in each of us, at just the right moment to enhance all. As an example, as much as like garlic, there are just times that I need to leave the garlic in the spice rack - banana-cream pie would be ruined by garlic.

Lord, help us to learn to become this new creation, dying to our own will and joining ourselves to You and allowing Your will to become ours. We desire to fulfill our purpose as critical members in the Body of Christ.

# Spiritual Fruit Stands

## 2013-10-13

This morning I am reading from Galatians 5:22-26 NIV:

[22] "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. [24] Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. [25] Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. [26] Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."

I love these verses, as they are so rich in meaning and encouragement. I really like what David Guzick writes about the first two verses here:

5. (22-23) Examples of the fruit of the Spirit that walking in the Spirit produces in our lives.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

a. But the fruit of the Spirit: The works of the flesh seem overwhelming – both in us and around us. God is good enough, and big enough, to change everything with but (only) the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit can always conquer the works of the flesh.

i. Significantly, it is the fruit of the Spirit set across from the works of the flesh. Works are works, and fruit is fruit. Fruit has several important characteristics.  
· Fruit isn't achieved by working, but is birthed by abiding.

· Fruit is fragile.

· Fruit reproduces itself.

· Fruit is attractive.

· Fruit nourishes.

b. Fruit of the Spirit: Paul used the plural is describing life after the flesh (works of the flesh), but he uses the singular (fruit, not fruits, of the Spirit). In the big picture, the Spirit has one work to do in all of us. These aren't the gifts of the Spirit, which are distributed on an individual basis by the will of the Spirit; this is something for every Christian.

i. "It may be significant that the word fruit is singular; Paul is not speaking of a series of fruits that would be shared around, so that one believer has one, another another. Rather he is referring to a cluster, such that all the qualities are to be manifested in each believer." (Morris)

As Paul continues the discourse, he speaks of those who walk in the Spirit as having crucified the flesh. That is a very severe image, but in reality it is true, as we have been crucified with Christ, our old man and sin, nailed to the cross with Jesus (Romans 6:6). On this side of the cross, we are set free from those things, becoming a new creation.

Paul then encourages us to stay in step with the Spirit, to walk in unison with Him. Walking this way requires a continual connection and listening and seeing. When I used to march with a marching band, we were supposed to stay in step with our line, and one did this by adapting ones walk to match the steps of the others. We listened to the cadence, and watched the line making sure our steps matched the steps of others. In the same way, we need to stay in step, listening, looking at what the Spirit is doing and adjusting our steps, our walk to stay in step with Him.

Finally we should not become conceited if we have fruit present in our lives. We all should have fruit, as it comes from abiding in Him. We are not the source, we merely reflect externally what He is establishing internally. We are not to be envious of other's fruit, but rather encouraged that other levels of fruitfulness are available.

Let us learn to abide in the Spirit, allowing our lives to resonate with what the Spirit brings, namely, His fruit. As David Guzick says, fruit is attractive, and meant to be one of things that draw others to Christ. As I was thinking about that, I had the image of a road-side fruit stand pop into my mind. What a great image, we are supposed to live in such a way that the Spirit's fruit in us is visible to all, and attracts people to him. We are called to be Spiritual Fruit Stands.

# Faith and Love, Not Works

## 2013-10-14

This morning I am continuing my reading of Paul's letter to the Galatians 5:1-6 NIV:

[1] "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. [2] Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. [3] Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. [4] You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. [5] For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. [6] For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

As I read through these verses, verse 4 really stood out as a significant truth. Those who are trying to be justified by the law, is the same as having a works mentality. It has to do with adhering to set of rules that are supposed to make us righteous and justified to stand before God. This is such an attractive message to us, because we like things in black and white. We like a simple plan with a list of do's and don'ts. If you do this its wrong and sinning, but if you do this then you are righteous. It is simple for us to track our own progress against a set of rules, and easy to judge others as well.

Paul says that if we give ourselves over to that (justified by our own works) mindset, we have been alienated from Christ! That is a hugely significant message! The word Paul uses, that is translated in the NIV as alienated, actually has a much more significant meaning. Alienated, speaks to me of a separation in relationship, but the Greek word is Katargeo and the definition follows:

1. to render idle, unemployed, inactivate, inoperative  
a. to cause a person or thing to have no further efficiency  
b. to deprive of force, influence, power

2. to cause to cease, put an end to, do away with, annul, abolish  
a. to cease, to pass away, be done away  
b. to be severed from, separated from, discharged from, loosed from any one  
c. to terminate all communication with one

Pretty much any of the definitions or sub-definitions above seems to me to be more significant and permanent than alienated. We must look very closely at the message we follow and the way it is worked out in our lives, as we want to remain in loving relationship with Jesus.

Paul goes on to say that these people, who are pursuing righteousness through their own works, have fallen away from Grace, which certainly makes sense. Grace is not necessary, if works can attain the same result, for it is the Grace of God that is applied through faith that brings us to salvation. It is the works of Jesus, His sacrifice alone that makes us righteous. Nothing we do, nothing we say, can justify us enough to enter into relationship with God or our own, nor keep us in that place. It is the unmerited favor of God - His grace that brings us to Him. Unmerited means that there are no actions we can do to earn this favor.

Paul speaks of all this in his letter to the Romans 3:21-25, 28 NIV:

[21] "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. [22] This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, [23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. [25] God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood---to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, ...

[28] For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law."

Paul is clearly speaking about the very same issue in these verses. It is not our works, not our activity, not our purity that brings us to salvation, but rather the grace of God. As Paul says at the end of the verses I quoted from Galatians, " The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." We are called to relationship with God, and there is no simple list of things to do, or not to do that will enable us to grow in relationship and love. We are called to interact, to spend time, to get to know, to listen, and to embrace the Lord. For each of us, this can look different, for we are all unique and treasured by the Lord. God doesn't want us to be pursuing works apart from relationship, for that is what can happen when we create our list of actions and behaviors that will justify us, we can accomplish them in a relationship vacuum. However, we will, out of affection and interaction with Jesus, desire to please Him and become more like Him, but that comes after relationship is established and is not the way to get into relationship with the Lord.

Let us examine our lives, and live a life of faith expressing itself through love. We want to remain connected with the Lord, fully receiving all the grace that He has for us.

# God Speaks, Are We Hearing?

## 2013-10-15

This morning I fumbled around a bit in the scriptures, and finally settled on reading from Ezekiel 12:21-28 NIV:

[21] "The word of the Lord came to me: [22] "Son of man, what is this proverb you have in the land of Israel: 'The days go by and every vision comes to nothing'? [23] Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to put an end to this proverb, and they will no longer quote it in Israel.' Say to them, 'The days are near when every vision will be fulfilled. [24] For there will be no more false visions or flattering divinations among the people of Israel. [25] But I the Lord will speak what I will, and it shall be fulfilled without delay. For in your days, you rebellious people, I will fulfill whatever I say, declares the Sovereign Lord. ' " [26] The word of the Lord came to me: [27] "Son of man, the Israelites are saying, 'The vision he sees is for many years from now, and he prophesies about the distant future.' [28] "Therefore say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: None of my words will be delayed any longer; whatever I say will be fulfilled, declares the Sovereign Lord.' "

I find this warning of the Lord to the people of Israel very interesting. In essence they had stopped listening to the Word of the Lord, given to them through prophetic visions, because they said it was always for some future date, and didn't really concern them. The Lord then promised a day when visions and prophecy would be fulfilled without delay. I believe Ezekiel was seeing the last days and the new dispensation that we are all living under. Peter said that we entered the last days on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:14-41). Later in the book of Acts we see the Word come forth from Peter concerning Ananias and Sapphira and it is fulfilled immediately (Acts 5) and both fall dead at his feet. There is clearly a prophetic quickening and new effectiveness that was demonstrated in the early church, and the same holds true for us today, as we are still in those "last days" and the Lord is constantly speaking to those that will hear.

That being said, I think there is still a common thought among people, that the Word of the Lord is not for them, or not concerned with them. Many of us do not believe the Lord would speak to us individually, or concern Himself with our lives. We think that the Lord might speak to those holy special people, but not to us. We live our lives unconcerned and unaware of the Word of the Lord going forth to all in His Body. The truth is that the Lord wants to speak to each of us, wants to communicate with us all. An author I am reading presently, Kris Vallaton, says that God is always speaking, but His first language is not English. He continues on saying that we need to learn to hear how the Lord speaks in our lives. Citing scripture, Kris speaks of dreams, visions, words of knowledge, prophecy, discernment and trances as some of the ways the Lord speaks, in addition to using His Word - the scriptures. What we need to cultivate in our own lives is a desire to hear God and a sensitivity to His speaking. We need to learn to expect that He will speak to us individually, for He promised that His sheep (we are all His flock) hear and know His voice (John 10:1-18).

Finally Jesus speaks about our hearing in Mark 4:23-25, "If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear." [24] "Consider carefully what you hear," he continued. "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you---and even more. [25] Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them."

Jesus is speaking of hearing, active listening in the last two verses. It could be rewritten as follows - With the measure we use to listen, His word will be spoken to us. Whoever has heard, has listened attentively, will be given more to hear....

Lord, help us to hear Your voice in our lives, believing that You will speak, and act. You desire to impart more and more to us, but require a people willing to listen and obey. Help us to be such a people!

# A Faith Question

## 2013-10-17

Recently I was listening to a couple of gentlemen, that I don't agree with, who were speaking about the heretical messages coming out of Bill Johnson and Mike Bickle regarding miracles, and the nature of Jesus. Without getting into the whole thing, they are talking about how these two teachers were teaching wrongly about Christ's divinity. They said they (Bill and Mike) were misinterpreting the passage from Philippians where Paul speaks about Jesus emptying himself to become like man. The speakers indicted that they (Bill and Mike) were wrong in how they said that passage relates to our lives as Christians, being called to do the same things as Jesus, because He was ministering not out of his divinity, but as a man, filled with the Holy Spirit. Quoting the verses here:

Philippians 2:5-11 NIV  
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: [6] Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; [7] rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. [8] And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death---even death on a cross! [9] Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, [10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The NASB reads a bit different:

Philippians 2:5-8 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

5 Have this attitude [a] in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be [b] grasped, 7 but [c] emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death [d] on a cross.

As one reads all the commentaries, and looks at so much of the scriptural foundation that relies on an understanding that these verses do clearly mean exactly what Bill and Mike say, there can be no other way of translating this that makes sense to the greater witness of our faith. Christ had to come as a man, to fulfill the requirements of the law, as a man. To do so as God, would have not satisfied the requirements set in place by God. To do all the things He did by relying on His own divine nature would have made it impossible for the apostles to do the same things, for they possessed no divine nature, yet they healed the sick, cast out demons, raised the dead, and cured lepers, as Jesus commanded them to do.

Paul, under the unction of the Holy Spirit, wrote that Jesus emptied Himself, speaking of His existing in the form of God. It was this form of God that He emptied himself of, not His divinity. He became a man, which required that He take on a new lesser nature than His form as God. This was a choice that Jesus made and the Father allowed. Paul speaks of Jesus being obedient, and that also requires the nature of a man, for Jesus in His Godly form, is an equal in the Trinity, and thus never subservient, but in unity with the Father. Obedience requires a higher entity or authority. In this case Paul says He was obedient unto death, which we know was under God, so Jesus was clearly operating as a man, in His obedience.

Finally, I believe that Jesus spoke quite clearly on the manner and called us do what He did, and even greater still. John 14:10-12 NIV: "Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. [11] Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. [12] Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."

I always find it interesting to see how the Word gets interpreted by others. Other are so many who believe they have the truth, and yet are in significant disagreement with others. I know I don't know the truth fully, nor would I ever say I did, but I do know what I believe and what makes sense to me. I think it is healthy for us to be challenged in our beliefs, for this causes us to think things through, and hopefully understand why we believe as we do.

Lord we pray for clarity and unity to be poured out to Your Body here on earth. Let the truth of who You are be known to the whole world, for we know that one day every knee in Heaven and Earth will bow to Your name.

# A Day of Judgment and Eternal Destiny

## 2013-10-18

This morning besides taking some time in worship, I felt I should read from Paul's second letter to the church in Thessoloniaka.

2 Thessalonians 1:5-10 NIV:  
[5] "All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. [6] God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you [7] and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. [8] He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. [9] They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might [10] on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you."

Sometimes we forget that there is an eternal destiny waiting for each of us, for all of us. Paul is quite clear in his understanding that there will be a day of judgment, a day of reckoning, when the Lord will come and judge rightly. God is full of compassion, mercy and grace. He desires that no one should be lost (2 Peter 3:9) and no one perish, but that is not the reality. There will be those who have chosen to not know God, nor to put their faith in Jesus. They may not be the ones we expect, but judgment will be given. Jesus first spoke of this reality, (Matt 25:31-46) and Paul continues that theme here.

My friend was talking about the importance of knowing there is an eternal destiny, heaven, and that this should fill us with hope and encouragement as believers. It is one of the truths that was very present in the minds of the early church, and something that helped them to endure difficult times and struggles. Paul directs their thoughts in this direction in these verses, and we should spend some time thinking about this well. We, or I should say I, spend very little time thinking about eternal destiny, as our society is so focused on the here and now. We have difficulty thinking beyond tomorrow, or next week, let alone our eternal destiny, yet this something that Jesus came to tell us about. Jesus comforted His apostles by saying He was going to the Father to prepare a place for them (John 14:2-3). We should heed His words, considering this reality of eternal destiny, and allow our lives to be impacted, and changed. Viewing life from an eternal perspective should give us a new appreciation for that which is important and that that which will pass away.

# Work AND Minister

## 2013-10-21

This morning I read through both of Paul's letters to the Thessalonians. I don't think I have ever read through both of them at the same time. I thought it would be interesting to see what his follow-up letter was like, and whether he addressed similar issues, acknowledged growth, etc. The one message that was clear in both was Paul's encouragement to the people to follow his model of working hard to provide for himself and his companions. He brings this up early in the first letter with this and ends the second with the same admonition. Here are the two sections:

1 Thessalonians 2:6-12 NIV  
We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. [7] Instead, we were like young children among you.

Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, [8] so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. [9] Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. [10] You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. [11] For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, [12] encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

2 Thessalonians 3:6-10 NIV  
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. [7] For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, [8] nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. [9] We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. [10] For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat."

The second letter is clearly a follow up to the first in this regard, as Paul makes sure to point out that his lifestyle was meant as an example, one they could imitate. I don't know anything about Thessoloniaka at that time, but Paul is definitely calling them to a similar model of working while sharing the Gospel. I think of the modern day ministries that focus in marketplace ministry and see here a similar model, one that is very effective and easy to replicate.

The interesting thing is that in so many of our minds the call to ministry would require us leaving the marketplace, or our jobs, to focus solely on ministry, yet Paul, arguably the most effective evangelist and apostle, called people to a model of ministry and proclamation of the gospel woven into a life in the marketplace. I think of all such people who feel in some was that their call to ministry is in some way inferior, and I would point them to Paul.

It is funny because even in Paul's time, he had to defend his ministry and its effectiveness because he did not require the churches to support him. In both his second letter to the Corinthians and his letter to the Galatians, he was defending his calling, partly due to the fact that he ministered to the gentiles and worked while doing so. Granted the Jewish faith had full-time priests, and the worship in the temple was setup with rules to provide for the Levites, and others who ministered there, but Paul was working with the gentiles. He was having to defend his ministry, as many thought because he worked to support himself, he was in some way inferior to the other apostles. How mistaken they were, and history certainly proves Paul's case.

His model of ministry was easy to copy and at the end of the day one that provided for a growing church that could support itself. One of the little know issues of the church in Jerusalem is that part of the reason it did not survive was that it could not support itself, and we see plenty of scriptures where Paul and others are raising support for that church, and bringing back the offerings.

So my encouragement today is to view my call to ministry, as is true for the vast majority of us all, to minister in the place of our employment, as every bit equal to the call of any minister who is working in full-time ministry. We ARE the church, and we share responsibility for ministry in our sphere of influence, those we work with, interact with, and see daily. We are called to live lives that are examples that can be imitated, as people find the Lord, and step into a life of following Him. They must understand they are capable of following after the Lord and making a significant difference in the lives of those around them, and they need real world examples of others whom are following Christ, and breathing life to those around them.

# God's Heart for the Lonely and Bound-up

## 2013-10-22

This morning I was reading Psalm 68, which a grand psalm about the greatness of God. I was caught by one verse in particular though... Psalm 68:6 NIV: "God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land."

Young's Literal Translation says it slightly differently, which is more in line with the original Hebrew: "God -- causing the lonely to dwell at home, Bringing out bound ones into prosperity, Only \--the 'rebellious' have inhabited a dry place." They actually use refractory instead of rebellious, but the word means the same.

Anyway, breaking it down, God cares for the lonely. He desires to place them in families, in a home, where they are no longer lonely.

As I read the first part of the verse, I thought of all the troubled children, foster children, the orphans, especially the older children who are looking for a home, and I see God's heart for them. I thought of all the people who are single, not of their choice, who long for husbands or wives, for children, and I see God's heart for them. God is all about relationships, and we are meant to be in them and have a place of belonging and purpose. Lord, I cry out to you for all the people who are lonely, that You would cause them to dwell in a home of love and significance.

The second part, on first read in the NIV, doesn't seem to get to the real point. The original language, again more clear in YLT, is speaking of those who are bound, who are captive to something. God sets them free, He redeems them, and leads them out. Whether its financial burdens, emotional chains, scars and wounds from one's past, God is capable of setting all free, and bringing them to a place of prosperity, promise or plenty. In this context, the picture of the prisoners being led out with singing does say it all, they are free and their hearts must sing. Lord, I pray that You might set people free and release them from their captivity, that they might be led to a place of promise, plenty and prosperity.

Finally the verse ends with an admonition to heed the Lord, to listen to His direction and follow it. Those that don't, those that rebel against the Lord, end up living in a barren waste land, of self-imposed lack. God's desire for us is blessing and relationship, and He is not the cause of their presence-less existence. When we do not trust the Lord, we choose a path that does not lead to life, for that is always the direction He leads us along.

Finishing these thoughts with Psalm 23 - this is how the Lord desires to operate in our lives!

Psalm 23:1-6 NIV  
[1] The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.  
[2] He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,  
[3] he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake.  
[4] Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.  
[5] You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  
[6] Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Amen!

# Amazing Realities

## 2013-10-27

Last night I was reading from Paul's letters to the Colossians 2:9-15 NIV:

[10] "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, [10] and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. [11] In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self-ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, [12] having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead."

[13] "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, [14] having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. [15] And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."

As I am reading these verses I am aware of several things. I am amazed at the reality of verse 10, that Jesus came to earth and took on bodily form, becoming a man.

I am amazed that in Christ, every one of my sins is forgiven.

I am amazed that in Christ, He did everything required for me, and I only have to have faith in Him, and accept His sacrifice. There is nothing I can add, nothing required of me, except to accept Him and believe.

Finally, I am amazed at the power and authority we are invited into, in Christ, for we were raised with Him, through our faith. He is now seated in power, and we with Him, for we are hidden in Christ. Colossians 3:3 NIV: "For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God."

Lord, help me to more fully grasp these truths. I want to understand and be brought to fullness in Jesus. I want to walk in that fullness, authority and power that are available to me. I want to live a life of thankfulness and appreciation, and bring You glory through my life.

# Love and Forgiveness

## 2013-10-28

I was reading through the Gospel of Matthew this morning and two sections stood out to me.

Matthew 5:44-48 NIV  
[44] "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, [45] that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. [46] If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? [47] And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? [48] Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Matthew 6:14-15 NIV:  
[14] "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. [15] But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

I was thinking about how challenging these two sections of verses are to live out. The call is to go beyond our normal human nature and treat others, all others, the way we have been treated by the Lord. These really challenge our thinking about the way God deals with us as well. The picture of the Father, as it was often understood in the Old Testament, was that He was vengeful, unforgiving, and punished sinners. Here Jesus is laying out a different picture of the Father as someone who blesses both the righteous and unrighteous, who loves those who don't love Him, who is perfect in His love and mercy. All the challenges He makes to our ways of thinking are originating in the Father.

Secondly, there is an expectation that we understand forgiveness and extend it toward others. This is one of the few places that I know of where there is a direct command to do something to get something in return. There is much to be said about forgiveness towards others, but I think of primary importance, it opens us up to forgiveness by the Father. Jesus focuses on forgiveness several times in His discourses, so we should not read this as the only word on forgiveness.

Forgiveness speaks much about the nature of our heart, and our willingness to love in spite of hurt, rejection, slights, etc. Have we understood the incredible gift of forgiveness we have been given by Jesus taking all our sins to the cross? Have we embraced Him, and received His love into our hearts, and as such become a fount of love and life? Are we holding onto to unforgiveness so that we can extract some sort of payment from the offending party? Let us look to the Lord, who requires no payment for cancelling or sins, but who invites us into relationship.

Let us extend to others that which has been extended to us, namely God's mercy, love and forgiveness. Let us treat all as the Lord treats us. Let us learn to love as the Father loves!

# Of Sin and Sickness

## 2013-10-29

This morning I am reading from Matthew 9:2-8 NIV:

[2] "Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."

[3] At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!"

[4] Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? [5] Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? [6] But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." So he said to the paralyzed man, "Get up, take your mat and go home." [7] Then the man got up and went home. [8] When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man."

And contrasting this verse with John 9:1-7 NIV:

[1] "As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. [2] His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

[3] "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. [4] As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. [5] While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

[6] After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. [7] "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means "Sent"). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing."

As I read these two sections, the question of whether sin causes sickness rises up. In both texts, we do not see this correlation. It was a common thought among the Jews that sin caused sickness, hence the questions from the disciples in John 9. Jesus clearly states that in this situation, that is not the case, neither the man, nor his parents had sin that caused his blindness.

In the first story from Matthew, we often times assume that the forgiveness of sins was tied directly to the healing, but all the commentators I have read make a point of saying this is not the case. Rather, the healing proved the validity of the earlier statement of Jesus, that He had authority to forgive sins. This situation had nothing to do with a correlation between the man's sin and sickness, but was rather a point of Jesus authority, given Him by the Father, to do both, forgive sins and heal and work miracles. The focus of this section was not the man, but rather Jesus.

In neither section is there a clear statement that sin causes sickness, or the opposite. There is clearly a case for sin causing sickness, for example in the case of sexual immorality being the cause of a sexually transmitted disease, or of the sin of gluttony being a potential cause of type 2 diabetes, or the case where persistent drunkenness causes liver failure, but this is not the rule by any means.

The truth that sin opened the door for sickness and disease to enter the world is conveyed to us in the book of Genesis, and as such it is proper to draw some correlation, but not of the personal level of responsibility, that many are quick to draw. If you were to read the teachings of men who had great healing ministries, like John G. Lake or Smith Wigglesworth, you would find that both of them believed the majority of sickness had to do with the work of the evil one and not people's sinfulness. We find ample scriptural basis for this perspective, and their experiences gave them reason to believe this was the case. We also have plenty of scriptural examples of healing that mention nothing other than the healing of the person or people who are sick. Developing a theological perspective that is heavily weighted around sin as the cause of sickness would be very short sighted and unbalanced.

Rather than trying to affix blame, let us instead pursue the glorification of God in healing and miracles, and let Him be the judge of people hearts and lives. Let us point to, and run to Jesus who has authority to forgive sins and bring healing of all diseases.

# Suffering and God's Will

## 2013-10-31

This morning I am reading through Peter's first letter. He brings up suffering, and I think it's important to understand his context, and more important to understand the Father's heart. Here are some verses:

1 Peter 3:14, 17 NIV  
[14]"But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened."

[17] For it is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."

1 Peter 4:13-16, 19 NIV  
[13] "But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. [14] If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. [15] If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. [16] However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.

[19] So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good."

In all of these verses, Peter is speaking of suffering under persecution, not sickness or disease. There is a mindset, which wrongly applies these verses as pointing to God somehow desiring us to suffer sickness and pain or difficult times as a part of His will. If we look every closely at verse 19, from the 4th chapter, we see that they are not suffering because it's God's will that they suffer, but rather they are suffering persecution for doing God's will. The context of the suffering is persecution and hardship for obedience to God, which is why Jesus suffered. God knows that by obedience we will endure hardships, trials, persecutions, and the like, and those will come upon us, as they came upon Jesus.

It might be helpful to look at the original Greek of verse 19.

The word translated 'according to' is Kata - Definition 1. down from, through out 2. according to, toward, along.

The word translated 'will' is Thelema - Definition 1. what one wishes or has determined shall be done a. of the purpose of God to bless mankind through Christ b. of what God wishes to be done by us 1. commands, precepts 2. will, choice, inclination, desire, pleasure

The structure of Greek is different as well - literally is would be written - therefore those who suffer Kata Thelma Theos - suffer because of or according to what we are commanded to do by God.

So we could write verse 19 this way - therefore, since Christ suffered persecutions and hardships, as you pursue God's will for You, which comes down from heaven and bears His blessings in obedience to His Word, you will experience suffering as Christ suffered, (persecutions and hardship) but in the face of this you should commit yourselves to God, who is faithful, and choose to continue to do good.

The point Peter is making is that we will suffer persecution for doing good, we will suffer hardship for obedience to God, not that God afflicts us with suffering just because He wants us to suffer. I like Bill Johnson's comments concerning this, he says that if he were to treat his own kids the way some people think the Father treats us (willing us to suffer, or causing us to suffer) he would be charged with child-abuse. God does not take pleasure in our suffering, or desire us to suffer, any more than any normal dad takes pleasure in his child's suffering or wants to see his child suffer for their own good. Jesus came as a perfect representation of the Father, and he did not afflict people with sickness or hardship, rather He healed them and set them free.

Hopefully this is helpful.

# The Trees Sing

2013-11-01

This morning after a time of worship, I was sitting in the quiet, and felt like I should read PS 96. I immediately remembered that there is a verse speaking about the trees singing for joy, and as I look at the bright colors of fall, it does seem the trees are giving glory to God. Here are the verses I was thinking of:

Psalm 96:11-13 NIV  
[11] "Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. [12] Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. [13] Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness."

I love fall for this very reason...it seems the like most glorious time to me. I am encouraged by God's beautiful creation!

# The Law Set Aside By Jesus

## 2013-11-03

This morning I am reading from Ephesians 2:11-22 NIV:

[11] "Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (which is done in the body by human hands)--- [12] remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. [13] But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

[14] For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, [15] by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, [16] and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. [17] He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. [18] For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

[19] Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, [20] built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. [21] In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. [22] And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

As one who would be classified a gentile, I so appreciate these verses, as they lay out so clearly the understanding of two things, first our being joined together with the Jews to become a new humanity, in Christ, citizens of God's household. Secondly, that the law has been set aside for us (see verse 15).

These were not givens in the early church, and it was revelation first given to Peter (Acts 10) that opened the door of the Church to the gentiles (everyone not Jewish). The early church struggled mightily with the question of whether the gentiles who joined the church should have to live under the requirements of the law, and this question was at the heart of the disagreement between Paul and Peter described in Galatians 2. Since all the earliest converts were Jews, they were assuming that the law, and their religious practices were in some way required, and Paul argued multiple times that it was faith through grace that saves us, not some work, or physical act that allows us entry into relationship with the Lord. We all have equal access to the Lord, through Him.

In addition, the covenant of the law and commandments was set aside by Jesus, as He completely fulfilled its requirements. As such, we are no longer under it. What I find so amazing is how quickly we want to go back to that works based mentality. Paul, was equally surprised by many of the early churches abandonment of the gospel of grace and reclaiming some sort of works, or law based gospel (Gal 1, Eph 2, Phil 3, Col 2). I know it's so easy to create this list of things we can't do, which are almost always based on the old covenant of the law and commandments, which were set aside by Jesus. In Roman's 10:4, Paul says that Christ is the end of the Law. Paul speaks about the actual freedom we have in Romans 14, 1 Corinthians 8 & 10, Galatians 5, Colossians 2, to name a few.

Now, this clearly doesn't mean we don't have rules for Christian living, as Paul also clearly outlines in his writings. Some, who embrace the grace message in the extreme, saying that all that matters is faith, and our actions have no real affect, have obviously thrown out much of the rest of Paul's writings. We must be balanced in our approach, as Paul said, making sure the Gospel that is being preached is unadulterated, and unchanged by human regulations and false doctrine and hollow philosophies.

All relationships have rules for healthy living, and in this our relationship with the Lord is the same. In marriage I don't just think about my own needs, my own desires, and do anything I please without considering the effects of my actions on my sweetheart, so too is our relationship with the Lord guided by concern for someone other than our self. However, we must be clear these rules apply within relationship. For us to tell someone they need to follow these rules to be able enter into relationship, is the exact thing Paul was addressing as the wrong approach.

Let us examine our faith, our relationship with the lord, and see if we are walking in freedom, and loving relationship. The Lord desires us to know His grace, mercy, love and faithfulness. He calls us to a place of personal relationship first. It is from this place of relationship that He draws us forward into a life that is filled more and more with His life, and less and less with the things of this world, and our flesh. Let us learn to introduce people to the person Jesus, NOT the rules for our relationship.

# Pursuing God's Promises

## 2013-11-04

Yesterday we talked about the promises of God at church, and this morning my heart continues to be focused on God's promises. We were discussing dreams, visions, prophetic words and such and how they are often God's promises of something He desires to bring about in our lives, or the lives of others. We had a good conversation about our need to participate, our need to adjust to His word, as co-laborers. We talked about how these promises are meant to allow us to see beyond our present situation or circumstances, and see things from God's perspective. These promises are meant to encourage us on, give us hunger for some new reality and help must align ourselves with the Lord's will.

I love these verses from the Letter to the Hebrews, particularly as they relate to the promises of God:

Hebrews 10:19-25 NIV  
[19] "Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, [20] by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, [21] and since we have a great priest over the house of God, [22] let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. [23] Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. [24] And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, [25] not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another---and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

These verses speak of our assurance, our confidence, and our ability to draw near to God. We can rely on Him, rely on His promises, for He is faithful! We can spur one another onward, each understanding that we, like all our brothers and sisters have, as of yet, unfulfilled promises and destinies in Christ. We are all called to encourage one another, love each other, and spur each other forward to grab hold of that which God has planned for us.

In my mind's eye, I see us all participating in a race, but rather than competing to win, we are focused on everyone else finishing the race, and running their best. It's a completely different motivation and focus. Our call is to encourage everyone to achieve that which they are called to do and be. We are all better for each of our brother's and sister's successes. As Paul said, "Not that I (we) have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my (our) goal, but I (we) press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me (us)." Philippians 3:12

# The Benefit of Good Role Models

## 2013-11-05

This morning I am spending some time in Paul's letter to the Philippians, specifically 3:17-21 NIV:

[17] "Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. [18] For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.

[19] Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. [20] But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, [21] who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

As I was reading through these verses, I was thinking about how helpful Paul's counsel and perspective is here. Verse 17 really is the key verse, Paul encourages them to keep their eyes on those who live as they (Paul and his companions) did. In other words, find yourselves some great Christian role-models and keep your eyes on them. Don't be distracted by the other models of depravity and worldliness that are out there, but maintain your focus, follow their example, and keep your mind set on the Lord and our eternal destiny. Such good advice.

I know I have found people to read about who help inspire me and encourage me in my pursuit of the Lord. I spend most of my reading time in scripture, and as such consider the Lord my prime example. I love Acts and the epistles and letters. However, there is something refreshing in reading about someone's life in Christ in these more modern times. I have several favorites like John G. Lake, A.W.Tozer, Smith Wigglesworth, Graham Cooke, Bill Johnson, Rees Howells, C. Peter Wagner, Randy Clark, and John Piper. These men have been great examples to me of living their lives pursuing the Lord, and I am always encouraged in my own walk when I read their books.

Usually, if I am actively working through one of their books, I find I am much more conscious of my walk, my desire for the Lord, and my desire to grow. I find the converse to be true as well. The less time I spend reading, and soaking in the Word, or stories of men and women pursuing the Lord, the more likely I am to become distracted by the other role models that the world holds up, and their vain pursuits, and depravity.

I find myself coming back to Paul's advice - literally keep my eyes on those who live their lives as Jesus did by reading. Focus on Jesus, then Paul and the apostles, and those other solid examples of Christian life in our modern world. I need to remember to keep a proper perspective - this world is only a preparation for our eternal destiny.

# Seed Principle - Growing in the Lord

## 2013-11-07

This past Sunday we were talking about understanding God's plans for us, and our need to participate in them to see them come to fruition. As we were talking, I was reminded of a dream I had a few years back. In my dream I met this older women who was bent over, shriveled and just really bitter. I asked the Lord what was wrong with her, and he said she was angry at Him, and full of bitterness. Many years earlier she had received a prophetic word about her life, and she had immediately set about trying to see it come to pass. She had spent her whole life trying to see this word fulfilled and ended up exhausted frustrated and bitter. The Lord told me she had misunderstood the purpose of a seed prophetic word. These words are meant to give us perspective about who we will become in time, not something that will be fulfilled the next day. Seed words, like all seeds, take time to produce fruit, and it is only by tending them and nurturing them that they become really fruitful.

This morning I happened upon a link to a related word from Dutch Sheets - which is so over helpful and encouraging.

Dutch Sheets: Seeds For Becoming Who You Are

As a father to this generation, I thrive on helping others realize and fulfill God's dreams for them. When imparting life lessons to emerging world changers, I always emphasize that we can fully embrace our identity in Christ only when we willingly participate in the process God has designed for our success. It is good to desire growth, change, maturity, and results, but we frequently want results without embracing "the process" that will yield them. In the same way that we long for the "finished product," we also need to undertake and embrace a passion for the path – the journey – to our completion. We cannot expect to be overnight legends in the faith. A life of obedience necessitates conforming to God's means (His process) just as much as to His ends (the finished product). If we continue abiding and abiding and abiding, it will happen. The truth will make you free. So shall My Word be which goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11

Seeking Permanent Change Several years ago the Lord spoke something to me that was one of the greatest revelations I've ever received. I was talking to Him about why the Word wasn't working in me. Truth be told, I was complaining about seeing a lack of fruit in my life. I'd sat under countless great teachers, listened to all the right tapes, read all the classic books, and all I heard was how I was supposed to be victorious in every area of my life. With pure heart motives for being greatly used by God, I aimed to be the best Christian I could possibly be. Oftentimes, along this quest, I would leave powerful church services and prayer meetings high on hope that I now had what I needed to finally see permanent change. But a few days later and – you guessed it – I was the same. "God, why isn't this working for me?" I cried out. I was pretty upset, feeling like a complete failure. And then He spoke to me what without a doubt has been one of the most important things I've ever learned. "Because all truth comes to you in seed form." Huh? He continued: "For those people who are teaching you – the ones who are giving you all these testimonies of what worked for them – that truth is fruit in them now. But it isn't transferred to you as fruit. It comes to you as seed. Whether it bears the same fruit in you depends on what you do with it, because all truth comes in seed form. If you do what they did and abide in My Word, that seed will grow in you also, and the truth will make you free, just as it has for them." I chewed on this for a while. I began to think of all those I knew who were clearly bearing fruit in certain areas of their lives. A former drug addict whose mind was "fried" immediately began to immerse himself in God's Word after giving his life to Christ. For hours each day he would read, meditate upon, memorize, and speak Scripture. After only a few months, not only was this young man completely free of any temptation toward drugs, his mind was completely healed. I recalled another young man who was set free from a poverty mentality, having only known extreme poverty up until that point in his life. Seeds of revelation were planted while hearing a man speak on true prosperity, being blessed by God to be a blessing. The transformation of his mind came about as he spent months identifying and meditating upon Scriptures on God's provision, sowing and reaping, etc. Before long that stronghold was broken and in its place was an incredible faith for finances. He became one of the most prosperous men I know...and one of the best givers.

The Seed Principle I could see the thread. It became what I call "the seed principle": a process of growth until fruition. Suddenly, I knew I couldn't expect freedom in problem areas of my life if I had not spent time in God's Word regarding those areas. You have to work the process. Information seeds must become fruit-producing revelation. And for that to happen, you have to tend the seed. Matthew 13, Mark 4, and Luke 8 all recount the parable of the sower in which Jesus talks in detail about this seed principle. He indicates that the maturity of the seed – His Word in us – is a growing process. And if that seed is nurtured, just like a natural seed, it will grow to fruition. Jesus summarized the process of tending the seeds of His Word as follows:

1. Hear: Receive the written or spoken Word of God (Matthew 13:23). 2. Understand: Put these new pieces of God's Word together with the knowledge of God we already have for greater revelation (Matthew 13:23). 3. Accept: Receive and embrace with assent and obedience (Mark 4:20). 4. Hold Fast: In our tending to the seed (Luke 8:15).

Aborting The Process Jesus also mentions a valuable truth of which we all need to be acutely aware as we tend to our seed: whether through fear, financial stress, lust...satan's primary goal is to get us to abort the process so he can steal the seed. His attacks will no doubt be well-timed, sneaking in at our most vulnerable moments in life. Despite the storms that will come to disrupt and challenge our maturation, we must strengthen ourselves in the Lord and "hold fast [to] the confession of our hope" (1 Samuel 30:6; Hebrews 10:23). If you continuously yield to the work of the Master Potter, He will give grace to help us in our time of need and bring to completion the good work that He's begun in you (see Hebrews 4:16; Philippians 1:6).

Nurturing the Word In summary, when we persist in nurturing the Word of God, revelation will come to enlighten and bring truth to us (see Ephesians 1:17-18). If attended to (see Proverbs 4:20), guarded (see Proverbs 4:23), continued in (see John 15; James 1:25), and meditated upon (see Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-3), the Word of God will bear the fruit He has promised. Galatians 6:9 offers the perfect encouragement: "Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary." Anchor yourself in God's Word. Surround yourself with life-givers who will pray with you, for you, and hold you accountable to the standard God's called you to. Continue to abide in Him, abide in His Word, and you will be set free to become whom God has made you to be, and experience the power of your identity in Christ.

Dutch Sheets  
Dutch Sheets Ministries  
Website: www.dutchsheets.org

# Old Ways of Thinking

## 2013-11-08

This morning I find myself meditating on two sets of verses from Paul.

Philippians 3:12-14 NIV  
[12] "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. [13] Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Romans 12:2 NIV  
'Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is---his good, pleasing and perfect will."

My meditation is drawn to these two sets of verses, as I was recently thinking about my own thought patterns, and how easy it was for me to slide back into old ways of thinking. I know as the Lord draws me onward, there is often a required change in the way I think. This is the heart of repentance, changing the way we think, and then acting in line with this new way of thinking. I don't regard repentance as something I only do after recognizing my sin, but rather a continuous process of lining my life and thinking up with God's purpose and will.

Paul, in the verse from Romans, speaks exactly to this issue, calling us to step out of the pattern of this world, the way the world thinks and the way the world acts, and renew our minds, or change the way we think. This has transforming power in our lives. This is one of the areas the Holy Spirit leads us and guides us. We need to allow the Lord access and then follow His guidance and direction.

I know that for my mind this includes freeing myself from things of this world that affect the way we think. For me it is TV and non-Christian music. I find myself affected by both. I grew up listening to what is now classic rock, and enjoy that music. However, I find that if I start listening to it, my way of thinking begins to change, maybe revert is a better word, and I find myself thinking in a more worldly manner. Watching television has the same effect. So in my own walk, I have chosen to minimize both of these influences.

In the verse from his letter to the Philippians, Paul again nails it right on nose. He says we need to press onward, forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead. He is right, this is a struggle that takes effort on our part. Oh how I wish that wasn't the case, but it does require my active participation, and constant vigilance. His encouragement is that there is purpose in each of our lives, significant purpose, and he calls onward and upward. He calls us to forget what is in the past, and this would include thoughts and ways of thinking, things that anchor us to the past. He calls us to forget them and set our sights on Jesus.

Ultimately if I find myself struggling with sinful thoughts or mindsets, I can trace it back to some old patterns of thinking that I have slid back into without my recognition. Once I recognize this, I call to mind the new realities I have experienced in the Lord, realities of my true identity in Christ as chosen and loved son, my call in Him to step into leadership roles within the Body of Christ, and my position in Christ. From these new, real points of reference, I am able to free myself from my old ways of thinking and press onward and upward.

I like the way Bill Johnson says it - "I can't afford to have a single thought in my mind that isn't in God's". In other words, the pursuit of the Lord requires us to stop thinking in our old ways, the ways of the world, and start thinking like the Lord. Seeing ourselves the way He sees us is a big first step. That is what Paul calls us toward. So let us forget what is in the past, let us recognize what God has taken hold of us for a purpose, and let us press onward towards fulfilling that purpose. We need to embrace the process of change, so that we can bear all the fruit the Lord knows we can produce. Amen Lord, please help me!

# Promises, Permissions and Provisions

## 2013-11-11

I was listening to Graham Cooke this weekend and one of the things that I thought was so important was his statement about the way God governs us. He said God doesn't use rules and regulations, but rather uses promises, permissions and provision. He always deals with us as He sees us, which is from the perspective of who we are in Heaven, rather than who we are presently in time. God is outside of time, so He sees our future as easily as our present. He calls us forward, calls into our purpose and persona (who He sees us as) and always deals with us in that way. The story of the prodigal is a great example:

Luke 15:17-24 NIV  
[17] "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! [18] I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. [19] I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.'

[20] So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

[21] "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

[22] "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. [23] Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. [24] For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate."

This is such an awesome story of the Father's love, mercy and compassion. The son recognizes his mistake comes back to Father and confesses all, expecting to have to regain his trust or at the very least take some subservient role. Interestingly, the Father never even acknowledges the son's statement, instead he immediately reinstates him to his full rights (permissions) and identity. The Father doesn't see the lost son, as this complete disappointment, now worthless and damaged son, but rather sees him as he always did \- his beloved son. There was no time of re-earning the Fathers trust, no new rules or regulations to guide their interaction, just the restoration of all that once was available to the son. It is not mentioned, but I'm sure this included a new inheritance. The Father holds nothing back, but calls us all into a place of identity and promise, permissions and provision. Jesus closes this story with the profound statement to the older son, who completely misunderstood the Father's heart, "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.". Luke 15:31.

Lord, help us to grasp how good You really are and how much You really love us. Help us to embrace our identity in You, listening to who You say we are, rather than the voice of world. Help must to step into the promises, permissions and provision You have for us, for we are with You always and everything You have is ours!

# He Finishes the Good Work in Us

## 2013-11-12

My meditation this morning is out of - Philippians 1:3-6, 9-11 NIV  
[3] "I thank my God every time I remember you. [4] In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy [5] because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, [6] being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

[9] "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, [10] so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, [11] filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ---to the glory and praise of God."

What an encouraging word verse 6 is - that we can be "confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.". In other words, our purpose and God's plan for us is God's weight that He is carrying. He began a good work in us, and will carry it out to completion. We need to cooperate, but the primary weight and responsibility is on Him. As long as our heart is right, we won't be able to screw it up, because He will see it through to completion.

I think of a dad teaching a child to ride a bike. When he takes the training wheels off, the father doesn't just shove the child off and sit and watch, but rather runs right alongside the child, often lending a guiding hand, and keeps running alongside until its clear the child can ride. This is the image I get as I read these verses. God wouldn't call us to ride a bike and the make us figure out how to do it, and give us no help in the process, and punish us if we get it wrong. He is faithful to complete the work in us, to help us to attain our purpose and the fulfillment of His plan in us! He will complete the 'good work He began in us!'

# God Is A Genius

## 2013-11-14

This morning I was continuing my reading from Paul's letter to the Philippians and he is talking about Christ being preached, as follows:

Philippians 1:15-18 NIV  
[15] "It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. [16] The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. [17] The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. [18] But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice."

Recently I was listening to Graham Cooke speak about the Lord, how He just isn't that worried about our mistakes. He doesn't get real upset about pretty much anything, as He is God and He will always find a way. I was brought back to that line of thinking by Paul's writing above, which is really quite interesting. He is talking about the heart motives of people who are out there preaching about Jesus, and how it didn't really matter to him whether they were doing so out of some selfish ambition or not. I would think that as one with pure motives, and who constantly was preaching ad instructing and living the example of a pure Christian life, Paul would be upset by those that were looking to profit by the Gospel, but he puts that issue in its proper place behind the preaching of the Gospel, which is right.

So often we are quick to judge a person for an area where we disagree, being quick to pass judgment on their theology or area of life where they are not in alignment with the will of the Lord, and overlook the vast importance of their works in furthering the Kingdom. That doesn't mean we ignore the issues, but it does mean that we need to keep a proper perspective. Paul put the advancement of the Kingdom before heart issues of the ones preaching.

It is quite clear that God can use sinners to do His will, as we are all sinners, and He doesn't have a choice. Secondly, He can always turn bad and difficult situations to bring Him glory and advance His Kingdom. As it says in Isaiah 14:27 NIV "For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?"

Paul understood this simple reality - God is God and can work with anything! Bill Johnson likes to say that "God can win with any hand", and that is so true. He doesn't get upset with us if we mess up. He perfect plans are not ruined by our disobedience. It is never too late for God to act and bring redemption. None of our sins are so big that God can't come in and use us for His purposes. I feel like God is always looking over our shoulder waiting to be given the chance to step in and help us clean up the mess we have created. God does not limit Himself to our failings and misconceptions or mistakes, but is able to transcend them all, that is part of what makes Him God. As Graham likes to say, "He is a genius!"

So my encouragement is to let God be God and not worry so much about what others are doing or saying but have faith that God is fully capable of taking care of Himself. I am encouraged to keep things in proper perspective and recognize the genius of the Lord, for His purposes will come to pass, regardless of what we do and how messed up we are presently. I am not saying I don't believe in free will, but rather am saying I believe in the infinite power of God and that He is a genius!

# Our True Identities

## 2013-11-15

I have been listening to Graham Cooke and watching some of his Youtubes recently, and he is so helpful in helping me to dive deeper in my understanding of God's character, as well as who I am in Christ. I never get tired of his perspective and understanding, and more importantly, his relationship with the Lord. It is so refreshing to hear someone who really knows the Lord, and can share from a place of experience. This video is a great example of his teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYNVH-cR9lQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I highly recommend listening to Graham, if you have never heard him teach or read any of his books. He is both highly enjoyable, and so helpful in our faith-walk.

# Participating In God's Nature

## 2013-11-16

This morning I read through Peter's second letter to the Church's. The following verses really grabbed my attention:

2 Peter 1:3-11 NIV  
[3] "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. [4] Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

[5] For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; [6] and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; [7] and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. [8] For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. [9] But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins."

[10] "Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, [11] and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

I think verses 3 and 4 are so incredible, if one thinks about the real significance of what Peter is saying. We have been given everything we need to be able to live a godly life - everything, as in nothing is lacking in any of us. We access this through our knowledge of Him, in other words, through relationship. As we get to know His goodness and glory, we start to understand the promises He has made to us. Understanding the relationship and commitment that carries is essential in moving forward in the Lord. These are not idle promises, made off the cuff, or promises that are quickly forgotten, but rather these are promises that open the door to experiencing and participating in the divine nature, the very nature of God. Wow!

This marks sense to me, as it is in the place of committed relationship that I have made the greatest promise of my life, the promise I made to my wife. It is within the context of that promise, that I have known her, and continue to get to know her. I know what she is thinking, often just by looking at her, I know how she will react, and I often times say the say same thing at the same time. It is in the knowing, that I understand and experience her nature, all made possible by the promises exchanged.

My desire is to know the Lord, His goodness and glory so intimately that I will access everything He has for me, uncover every promise and see its fulfillment in my life. My desire is to be as much like Him as possible, reflecting His nature in all I do.

# Meditation on Psalm 97

## 2013-11-17

This morning I turned to Psalm 97 for my meditation:

Psalm 97:9-12 NIV  
[9] "For you, Lord, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.  
[10] Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.  
[11] Light shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart.  
[12] Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name."

I love the assurances we receive as we look at these verses. God is over everything, over every being, firmly established on His throne. No one, and nothing has the power to change that. Thus, He is able to be faithful always, for He is always in His place of power. He is always capable of delivering those He calls His own, because nothing and no one can stand in His way. He shines (the Hebrew word means sows, as in grain} His light, His favor, His grace on the righteous, (those have come into relationship with Jesus and accepted His Lordship). He gives or sows joy to the upright in heart (another way of saying righteous). We are called to rejoice, to enjoy, to celebrate our lives in the Lord, for He is worthy of celebration.

# Speaking the Truth in Love

## 2013-11-18

This morning I am reading from Ephesians 4:11-16 NIV:

[11] "So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, [12] to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up [13] until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."

[14] "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. [15] Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. [16] From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."

I am focused specifically on verse 15, and the right application of that verse, and correct context. It's always funny how certain verses are taken completely out of context, and applied to many non-contextual situations. I can't tell how many different ways I have heard the phrase "Speaking the truth in love", and most of the time I hear that verse, it has nothing to do with correct teaching, and growth and maturity in the context of the body of Christ, which is the very clear context of Paul's writing.

Paul is writing about the roles of the different ministry offices in the growing of the church, and how one of their important roles is bringing truth, holding onto the truth, and establishing a strong and steady foundation of knowledge and understanding within the church, that will withstand the constant barrage of deception, wrong teaching and worldly perspectives that try to infiltrate the church. Speaking the truth in love, has to do with freeing people from these deceptions, their wrong thinking, and wrong ideas in a loving manner, not punishing them, or being harsh with them for wrong ideas they have believed or espoused. It means conveying to people their true identities, who they are in Christ, how God sees them, what He purposes for their lives.

Paul is not talking about correcting personal character traits, or holding people accountable to certain standards of behavior. He is not talking about the spiritualization of a critical nature, where you pick someone apart, but tell them it's because You love them, and thus think this behavior is OK. He is not talking about constantly correcting someone you love, because you love them and what the best for them. This is not a 'carte blanche ' for a critical spirit, nor is it permission to taking on the Lord's role as Lord over someone's life, thinking that if you see something out of line in their life it's you responsibility to point this issue out and tell them to change, all because you say you love them so much.

Instead, Paul is calling the body to growth and maturity. He is calling the offices of the church to step into their roles and effectively lead the church in growth. He is saying that they will need to bring forth truth, help people to establish relationships of trust and true identity, and begin doing the work they are called to do. He is calling the church to recognize their role in bringing the "Truth" to the world, holding onto the truth, and guarding the truth, and in all things doing so in love.

Lord, help me to walk in this, the right understanding and right application of this excellent word from Paul. Help me to rid myself of any critical spirit, and be a true representative of Your love and mercy. Help me to fully mature in my walk with You, holding fast to the truth of who You are, and who I am in you.

# Be Like God...

## 2013-11-21

This morning I continue to work my way through Paul's letter to the Ephesians.

Ephesians 4:17-24 NIV  
[17] "So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. [18] They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. [19] Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed."

[20] "That, however, is not the way of life you learned [21] when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. [22] You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; [23] to be made new in the attitude of your minds; [24] and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

As I was studying a few days ago, my old man is dead, crucified on the cross with Jesus. Much of the battle for all Christians is learning to live in this reality, and that battle is waged mostly in our minds. As Paul describes in verses 22-24, we need to learn to put off our old self, and be made new in the attitude of our minds. He is describing patterns of thought, ways of thinking that need to change. We need a new attitude that comes from our knowledge and understanding of what He has accomplished for us.

We can put on this new self-attitude, this new way of thinking, and need to do so every day. I know for me it is a daily struggle of remembering who I am in Christ, and seeing areas in my life and in my thinking that do not line up with God's word and purpose for me, and choosing to change. I am grateful that I have moved on in many areas, and seen much growth. However, I am also convinced of the long way I have to go to be like Christ.

I also recognize the effect of the world, and how it does affect my thinking and reasoning, causing a darkening of thought or hardening of my heart. For this reason, I choose to minimize the input into my life from the world. I need to get better at this as well, for the influence of the world is all around us and I need to recognize when my mind and heart are being affected. Sometimes the change is so slight that I don't notice the change for a while. I look back and discover I am quite a ways off the path on which I should be walking, and need to change my direction. This is the heart of repentance, changing the way we think, and then changing our actions accordingly.

The awesome reality is that this new self is made to "be like God in true righteousness and holiness". As I learn to put it on daily, taking on the attitude of Christ, and His mind, I will become like Him. Amen Lord Jesus, help me.

# Right Pursuits

## 2013-11-24

This morning I felt lead to these verses from Paul's first letter to Timothy - 1 Timothy 6:11-12 NIV  
[11] "But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. [12] Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses."

I was thinking about what great examples we would be if we all pursued righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. The context of this was Paul urging Timothy not to pursue money and wealth, because of the dangers associated with that path, but to focus on those things listed. Additionally, his encouragement is to take hold of the eternal life to which he is called, and to fight the good fight of faith.

I find the phrase "take hold of the eternal life" interesting, and looked at the original Greek, and it means exactly that - to grab hold of this eternal life. I find this interesting because there is little we could do to actually lay hold of eternal life, aside from coming into relationship with Jesus, whose gift of eternal life is His to give.

I think Paul's encouragement has more to do with his previous contextual comments, namely settling one's mind and heart after what one will pursue in life, money and fame, of eternal life with Christ. Not that the two are mutually exclusive, but Paul is giving direct guidance to Timothy. In the very next paragraph Paul gives Timothy guidance on how to encourage those who are wealthy, so these verses should not be construed to mean that this is the only path, but they are directly focused on Timothy. Is it possible Timothy had a proclivity to lean towards the pursuit of wealth and money?

Regardless, the encouragement and call to righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness is good for us all. The call to remember and hold onto the call we all have heavenward, to hold onto our faith with significant effort - is equally important. I think we can see here the value of these treasures - our faith and relationship with Jesus. We should hold into them as the most precious possessions. We should struggle daily increase our hold, never slacking in our grasp or pursuit.

I just had an image pop into my mind, one of those crazy competitions for radio stations where they used to give away a car, and do so by having people keep their hand in the car. The last person to remove their hand won the car. I was thinking about the things we do, camping outside stores or ticket booths to make sure we have a sure opportunity to grab hold of those things we greatly desire, whether it's the new iPhone, or tickets to the Superbowl. In the same way, we are encouraged to persevere and hold onto our faith and life in Christ. We should make sure our lives are seasoned with the fruit of the Spirit, and fruit of our relationship with Jesus - these are so much better to pursue than wealth and money. I am encouraged to grab hold of the life that is available in Christ.

# A Simple Blessing Has A Profound Effect

## 2013-11-24

I was just reading an article about a man who had abandoned his Christian beliefs to pursue paganism, and was brought back through a simple encounter as described here:

In that post, Mr. Bishop told of an encounter with a woman, probably homeless, sitting next to her shopping cart. He gave her some food. "God bless you," she said to him. That exchange stayed with him, and he soon felt himself called back to God — to a Christian conception of God.

He earlier said, "I'm overwhelmed with thoughts of Jesus and God and Christianity and the Lord's Prayer and compassion and forgiveness and hope. ... I don't know what to do with all of this."

I am so encouraged by the fruit of the simple phrase, "God Bless You!" Let us never underestimate the effect our words can have on others. Let us sow generously blessing to all those we meet.

For the whole article follow this link:http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/23/us/an-ex-mouseketeers-journey-back-to-christianity-from-paganism.html?_r=0

# Life That Is Truly Life

## 2013-11-25

Continuing my reading in Paul's first letter to Timothy - 1 Timothy 6:17-19 NIV:  
[17] "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. [18] Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. [19] In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."

Once again Paul points to eternal life, as the primary focus for our life. It is so easy to get caught up in the here and now, but the encouragement from Paul is to keep our eyes fixed on the eternal, which is true life. I like what Bill Johnson says - that heaven is the real reality. This life is just a preparation for the life to come, and it is with faith and hope that we are called to turn our eyes heavenward, towards eternal life, and make decisions based on what is really real, the life that is truly life.

Paul, again is not negative towards wealth, even stating clearly that it is "God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment". This is import ant to understand as well - God wants us to enjoy the blessings we received, enjoy this life, and recognize that everything good comes from Him. When God revealed Himself to Moses, he had to cover Moses when His goodness passed in front of him, (Exodus 3:19). In other words, His goodness is so good its blinding and even able to kill due to the raw power associated with it. However, we are not to focus on the good stuff God blesses us with, but rather on Him, the source of all goodness. It is Eternal life with God, who is the source of all goodness, that is our goal, we just receive a foretaste of that goodness here. That is the life that will truly be life!

# Holy Spirit - Fill Me Up

## 2013-11-27

This morning I am continuing my reading of Paul's letters to Timothy. This one verse grabbed my attention this morning - 2 Timothy 1:7 NIV: "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline."

Amen Lord, I need all of that! Paul is speaking in the context of the gifts that God gave Timothy, and He has given all of us gifts. He expects us to step into those gifts with courage, hence, the encouragement. He expects us to operate out of His power, filled with His love, and increased in our own self-discipline. The good news is that the Holy Spirit empowers all that, and we can rely on His continual empowering. the Holy Spirit does not fill us one time, and then expect us to manage that power over our life-time, conserving the power that is in us, so we don't run out. Rather, He provides daily refreshing, daily in-filling, daily encouragement.

I know there are times I feel powerless and worn down, and this verse should remind us to return to the true source of all life. It's like we drive around on empty, and don't think about pulling into the gas station to be refilled. If we need courage, power, love or self-discipline, then we should go to our source and be refilled. The admonition that Paul gives Timothy in the preceding verse, is for Timothy to fan into flame those gifts he has received. In other words its Tim's responsibility to recognize he is running on empty and to get himself connected to the source of his life.

In my life, if I am feeling disconnected, weak or powerless, lacking in love or self-discipline, I start listening to a few of my favorite teachers, Bill Johnson, Randy Clark, Heidi Baker, or Graham Cooke. I might pull out a book by Smith Wigglesworth, or John G. Lake. Most likely, I pull out my Bible and start reading. I am immediately encouraged, and I find that I have fanned myself back into being on fire, filled with courage, love, power and more self-discipline.

So my encouragement today is to pull into the refueling station, and get filled. Holy Spirit - fill me up!

# Ministering the Truth in Kindness

## 2013-11-30

This morning I am continuing my read of Paul's second letter to Timothy.

2 Timothy 2:24-26 NIV:  
[24] "And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. [25] Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, [26] and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will."

This is such an interesting set of verses, as Paul is instructing Timothy on the spirit to minister out of, especially as it regards those who are opponents. Kindness is the first, and thus primary characteristic, kindness, rather than quarreling. In other words, putting people's significance before the need to be right. I think kindness and humility go hand in hand. How different would our world be if those who followed the Christian faith were first and foremost kind and humble?

Paul isn't telling Timothy to roll over on his believes, or weaken what he teaches, but is instructing him to gently (verse 25) deliver the message and let the Lord bring conviction followed by repentance, and salvation. There are those who have stopped preaching the truth in the effort to never offend anyone, and that would be a misreading of these verses. The Truth must be proclaimed, and the spirit in which it is delivered can make a huge difference in how it's received. That is Paul's point here.

The opposition, the devil and his forces, will rise up and oppose the truth, but our call is to look past the opposition to the significance of the people, who are being used by the enemy, and to treat them kindly, gently sharing the truth, but never watering down the truth. This is really quite a challenging charge, for I know my flesh wants to fight, wants to prove the correctness of my thinking and beliefs, wants to grind the opposition's nose in it, good and hard, wants to battle the person who is being used to bring opposition. That is why Paul wrote these verses in his letter to the Ephesians 6:10-20 NIV:

[10] "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. [11] Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. [12] For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. [13] Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. [14] Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, [15] and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. [16] In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. [17] Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

[18] And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. [19] Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, [20] for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should."

Let s fearlessly proclaim the Gospel with kindness, gentleness and humility towards all. Let us remember who it is we are battling, and see the significance of all people. Let us learn to stand firm in our faith, covered in the armor of God, and proclaim the Truth and the Truth will set them free (John 8:32)!

# Submission...?

2013-12-01

This morning I opened up my Bible to Paul's letter to the Ephesians and started reading in the fifth chapter. These verses grabbed my attention and required additional study:

Ephesians 5:21-22 NIV  
[21] "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. [22] Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord."

The Greek word translated submit (hupotasso), means so much more than that - here is the definition: Hupotasso

Definition  
1. to arrange under, to subordinate  
2. to subject, put in subjection  
3. to subject one's self, obey  
4. to submit to one's control  
5. to yield to one's admonition or advice  
6. to obey, be subject

A Greek military term meaning "to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader".  
In non-military use, it was "a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden".

In other words, Paul is talking about a learning to work together, cooperating and giving up our own wants for the greater good of the Body of Christ. This is often times read with the military mindset, but in the Body of Christ this wouldn't be accurate.

The second verse, while it appears to say similar things about husbands and wives, uses a completely different Greek expression, and nowhere does Paul use 'hupotasso'. He simply says the wife should relate to her husband as one who has authority. The word he uses is Kurios:

Definition  
1. he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord  
a. the possessor and disposer of a thing  
1. the owner; one who has control of the person, the master  
2. in the state: the sovereign, prince, chief, the Roman emperor  
b. is a title of honour expressive of respect and reverence, with which servants greet their master  
c. this title is given to: God, the Messiah

Now when I read this definition, I am tempted to think that Paul had some sort of hardcore idea about wives, submitting to their husbands like they were her master, or owner, and women were some sort of property That is why we can never just look at a verse out of context, nor accept a meaning that completely goes against all the other teaching and scriptural precedence.

Paul, in verses 25 and 28 says that husbands must love their wives like they love their own bodies, and like Christ loved the church, giving His life for it. Elsewhere it talks about how the husband and wife become one flesh when they are married. In the Old Testament we have the stories of Abraham and Sarah, and Jacob and Rachel, as examples of how husbands loved their wives and protected them and desired to provide for them. Jesus had many women friends and followers, and even went out of His way to rescue and save women who were living sinful lives (woman at the well and woman caught in adultery) and he wasn't afraid of having His own reputation affected by His dealings with them. He recognized them, gave them significance, and welcomed them into the body of His followers. Nowhere else does scripture say that its right for a husband to act like he owns his wife, and that the wife has to be in total submission to her husband. So we cannot take Paul's statement out of context, or remove from it the greater witness of the whole scriptures and teach some aberrant teaching on how wives must obey their husbands like he was their master.

At the end of the Book of Revelation, John writes the following: "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. [19] And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll." Revelation 22:18-19. It interesting that he mentions both the adding to the words, or taking words away from the scroll. That is exactly what taking a verse out of context and out of the witness of all the scriptures does, it takes words away, and thus gives a less than whole understanding of the truth, as it is set forth in the complete witness of scripture.

# Listen, Forgive and Act

## 2013-12-02

This morning I thought I would read a bit in the book of Daniel. In Chapter nine is one of the great instances of intercession described in the Bible, as Daniel was reading the book of Jeremiah, and realized that all that God had said through Jeremiah had been fulfilled. He realized there was also a promise that the time in Babylon would only last 70 years, and he realized those 70 years had elapsed. At that realization he started praying, asking God to fulfill the rest of His word, that of restoration to Jerusalem. The verse that caught my attention are from then end of his prayer as follows: Daniel 9:17-19 NIV:

[17]"Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. [18] Give ear, our 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] Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name."

Daniel has the correct perspective, recognizing that God is merciful, and that although they were not righteous, that God could still choose to act for the sake if His name, and the fulfillment of His promises. His plea was not that God look at the good things and penance that the people had done, but rather that He look at His word and promises and the state of His people.

The reality is that none of us is righteous, nor can we attain the righteousness required by God. None of us is worthy of God's intervention, yet He intervened and made a way for us, just like He did for the Jewish people in captivity. He made us all righteous through Jesus death, and welcomed us into relationship with Him through Jesus' sacrifice, death and resurrection. We have been restored and redeemed. God did listen, forgive and act on our behalf.

Thank You Lord for the great gift of salvation! Thank You Lord for Your mercy and forgiveness! Thank You Lord for acting on our behalf, for making a way for us all to be in relationship with You!

# Restoration and Blessing

## 2013-12-03

This morning I am reading from the Book of Nehemiah, and came across some interesting facts.

Nehemiah 7:70-72 NIV  
[70] "Some of the heads of the families contributed to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics of gold, 50 bowls and 530 garments for priests. [71] Some of the heads of the families gave to the treasury for the work 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 minas of silver. [72] The total given by the rest of the people was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas of silver and 67 garments for priests."

What I find interesting about the amount of money that was donated, is that they were coming out of a place of exile, from Babylon. When they were carried away, they didn't bring family wealth with them. They had been in Babylon for 70+ years, which is not much time, yet were bearing significant wealth. In today's value the Gold and Silver given by the people would have been greater than 550 million dollars, figured by weight. I haven't been able to find a good valuation of these numbers in that day, but suffice it to say that it was a bunch, enough to pay the wages of thousands for years.

I remembered God's command to the people who were being went into exile - as written in Jeremiah 29:4-7, 10 NIV:

[4] "This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: [5] "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. [6] Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. [7] Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."

[10] This is what the Lord says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place."

And the promises of God to restore them, one which is found in Jeremiah 32:42-44 NIV:

[42] "This is what the Lord says: As I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised them. [43] Once more fields will be bought in this land of which you say, 'It is a desolate waste, without people or animals, for it has been given into the hands of the Babylonians.' [44] Fields will be bought for silver, and deeds will be signed, sealed and witnessed in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem, in the towns of Judah and in the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev, because I will restore their fortunes, declares the Lord."

I was just thinking about the merciful heart of God. He sends the Jewish people into exile, but rather than punish them with harsh treatment, He decides to bless them, and prosper them, even in the land of their exile. That is the character of God always choosing to bless, always choosing to prosper his people, always choosing to restore, often times more than was taken away or lost. God will be faithful to His promises, even when it seems like there is no way possible for Him to bring them to fulfillment.

He sent the Jews into exile as slaves, and when He brings them back to Jerusalem 70+ years later, they bring with them vast amounts of wealth. He plundered Egypt when He set them free from their slavery there. He means to bless and prosper us always, regardless of how bad our situation seems. If we embrace God wherever we find ourselves, seeking Him, letting Him lead and guide us, His blessing will be poured out on us, for that is His nature, His character, shown over and over again.

My encouragement this morning is to entrust myself to God, regardless of my circumstances. He will be true to His nature because He is faithful! He will pour forth blessing, mercy, grace and forgiveness!

Amen!

# Merciful and Kind to All

## 2013-12-05

This morning I felt I should read from Luke 6:35-36 NIV:

[35] "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. [36] Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."

As I was reading these verses, I thought of the fact that these verses explain one of the significant ways God is different than us. We often like to ascribe human character and thinking to God, but these verses demonstrate a very non-typical behavior, that of treating enemies and ungrateful people kindly. In fact if we take the thought a bit further, God is kind and merciful to people who hate Him, who deny Him, who are completely ignorant of His existence, and those that have been deceived and are worshipping some other god. God is merciful to all and He paid for the sin of all people whether good or bad.

God is also eternally optimistic. We might, in our humanness, give someone the benefit of a doubt if they are confronted with love or the correct path and make a bad choice. We might even try to love them, or extend them mercy and forgiveness for a few months, maybe even a few years before we give up on them and cut them out of our lives. But God is merciful every day of our lives. He extends His love to us every day, and is never willing to give up on a person. He treats all of us with kindness, those that love Him and those that are ungrateful and wicked.

Finally to be merciful, literally means to be full of mercy. Here is the common translation of mercy, from Webster's dictionary:

1 a : compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one's power; also : lenient or compassionate treatment b : imprisonment rather than death imposed as penalty for first-degree murder  
2 a : a blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion b : a fortunate circumstance  
3 : compassionate treatment of those in distress

The operative word in all three definitions is compassion - which according to Webster is a "sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it." In these verses, Jesus is talking about the wicked and ungrateful, those we don't like, and our enemies, and a call to us to extend compassion to them. We are called to treat them as we would a loved one, to have compassion for them, to be sympathetic towards their difficulties and to do what we can to help! Wow - that stretches me outside my comfort zone!

Oh Lord, I will need Your help to walk in this. The good news is that You are this way every day, and so You have plenty of practice and can offer plenty of help!

# Living Like Sons and Daughters

## 2013-12-06

This morning I felt encouraged to read from Paul's letter to the Galatians. My focus is on the following verses \- Galatians 4:4-7 NIV:

[4] "But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, [5] to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. [6] Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." [7] So you are no longer a slave, but God's child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir."

These are amazing verses concerning our identity and how God sees us. Starting in verse 6, Paul refers to our relationship to God as his children three times. It is because we are His children that He has called us and sent His Holy Spirit to live in us. We are not servants, not slaves, but His child. Because we are His child, we have been given access to the inheritance from our Father.

I know I don't fully comprehend this statement, nor do I think anyone this side of Heaven can, for we don't fully grasp the reality of God, how great He is, what He has available at His beck and call. We don't fully grasp the concept of an inheritance so vast. Baker's Evangelical Dictionary states: "In the theological sense, to inherit means to "receive an irrevocable gift" with an emphasis on the special relationship between the benefactor and the recipients. Unlike legal inheritance, the benefactor, God, does not die, yet he provides material and spiritual blessings for his people." So in common terms, God's gift of an inheritance to us is good forever, and is an indication of His love and affection for us!

In the New Testament sense, Paul writes about our inheritance many times. Usually he was talking about eternal life, and the Kingdom of God present here on earth. Additionally, Baker's dictionary continues: "Generally, the promise refers to the possession of salvation (Heb 1:14). The believer's inheritance is described more specifically as eternal and joyful existence with God. Believers are promised "an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you" (1 Peter 1:4). Inheriting the "world to come" is a guarantee for all those who belong to God's family."

The important point of all this is that the inheritance is supposed to exist for us in heaven, but is also present here on earth, which Paul is specifically addressing. The inheritance of Abraham, which was experienced here on earth, was the context out of which Paul was speaking in these verses. Our inheritance is meant to be experienced now, today, while we live on the earth. In addition there is a heavenly inheritance, which really is just a continuation of our inheritance here on earth, living as God's children. We are meant to experience the fullness of the Kingdom of God here, for we are heirs of the Kingdom, or using royal terms, princes and princesses, who are directly related to the King.

None of us, once called and saved, are relegated to servanthood, but rather we are all full sons and daughters. We are not some lesser son or daughter, one who does not receive the full blessing the full inheritance. God is not an unfair Father, who favors one child over another. God is not a distracted Father, who has so many children that He barely knows our name. God is not an angry Father who expresses His disappointment in our failures by punishing us or taking away our inheritance. We were not in competition for a bigger piece of the inheritance, for God has more than enough for us all, and then some, because He is infinitely powerful and has ALL good things.

Finally, in the next verse Paul encouraged the Galatians to remember who they were, sons and daughters of God, not living like they used to live in ignorance and as slaves to other things. I think that is a worthy reminder for us all. We are sons and daughters, princes and princesses, and we should live like we are every day. The fullness of the Kingdom is ours for the asking. As Jesus recounted in the story of the prodigal son, the Father replied to the elder son, " 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours." Luke 15:31

Amen Lord!

# Reflections on the Lion's Den

## 2013-12-08

This morning I am reading out of Daniel once again, and in Chapter 6 is the story of Daniel in the Lion's den (Daniel 6:1-28). Without recounting the whole story, Daniel was living a life above reproach, and was highly successful because of the blessing of God. Others were jealous of his success and favor, and they tried to set him up, knowing there was no other fault they could exploit to cause him harm. They figured the one area that he would never compromise in was his worship of God. They were right, and because of Daniel's integrity before God, he was thrown into the Lion's den.

So a couple of observations:

1) Daniel was above reproach in his life. His witness was consistent and his character unimpeachable. This says much about the man, and the life that he lived in the eyes of those around him, and in private. It was because of this that He rose to authority and influence. Oh that we would learn, and choose to walk in this way before man and God, that our witness would be unimpeachable.

2) Even though Daniel was faithful in all things, the enemy was still able to cause him trouble. There are two incorrect attitudes that exist in the Body of Christ. The first being that God's blessing in our lives will never result in difficulty. The second is closely related, namely that if the first thought is true, than anyone who is experiencing difficulty must be outside of God's will somehow. This story shows that both of those assumptions are incorrect. I know in my life, when I experience trouble, I am quick to wonder how could this happen to me (first incorrect attitude) followed closely by wondering if I have down something wrong (an indication that I have embraced the second incorrect attitude to some degree). In addition to seeing this in me, I also ran into these same attitudes in the people around me. When I was unemployed the last time, I had several well-meaning but wrong people tell me, or insinuate that it was probably due to some rebellious attitude in my heart or life, that I was unemployed.

3). In the midst of difficulty, God will rescue His chosen servant and often bring vengeance on the enemy. I find this story very encouraging, as Daniel didn't worry about defending himself, or battle his accusers, but rather rested in God, trusting in His protection. He went through a hellacious night, but was redeemed and restored and avenged in the morning. God was glorified in a way that was impossible to deny, and Daniel was prospered. His integrity and character, and belief in God, not to mention the Angelic help, got him through this experience. I wonder how many times he was tempted to think that God didn't love him, or didn't care for him throughout the night? I wonder how many different ways he thought of defending himself, or exacting his own vengeance. These are the things the enemy wants us to focus on, rather than worshipping God in the midst of our difficulty.

4). Although it probably didn't seem like it at midnight, God had a plan to prosper and bless Daniel through this whole experience. He also had a plan to glorify His own Name. One of my favorite Catholic authors, St. Alphonsus De Ligouri said that in all things God will be glorified and we will be further sancitified, if we turn to God. Often times in the midst of the struggle I don't see either happening, or I have some human idea that doesn't align with God's character or will, usually involving my reaping revenge. If I can turn my eyes to the Lord and entrust myself to Him, my eyes are opened and I can see His provision in the moment, and the unveiling of His greater plan and purpose.

So, if we find ourselves in the midst of the Lion's den, let us be encouraged, God has a plan, and it's good!

# Build Ourselves Up...Extend Mercy

## 2013-12-09

This morning I have been reading a couple of the shorter letters in the New Testament, and a few verses caught my eye in Jude's letter.

Jude 1:20-25 NIV:

[20] "But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, [21] keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. [22] Be merciful to those who doubt; [23] save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear---hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

[24] To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy--- [25] to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Three things stood out to me as I read these verses.

1) We have a personal responsibility to build ourselves up in our faith. We cannot and would not rely on someone else to build us up, feed us and teach us. The scriptures are available to us, there are tins of good books, CDs and videos of awesome men and some of God expounding the realities of our faith. By growing and building ourselves up, in our faith and through the Holy Spirit, we will learn to recognize truth, and hold to it. The church has been under attack and the truth has been perverted by those that would lead the church astray since the earliest days, and that same thing happens today. We need to learn the truth, learn how to spot those who out of line with truth and reject their teaching. We need to stay anchored in God's love, in the truth He revealed to us, and it is by this building ourselves up that we do this.

As I was just rereading these last few sentences I wrote, I thought of this as an analogy to weight lifting. As a person grows in strength and has the ability to lift more, they cannot stop lifting and maintain their abilities. If they can lift 400 lbs., they must continue to work out to maintain that ability. This is not a once achieved then always able situation. In the same way our faith must be constantly being built up and strengthened, and that is why Jude encourages us to be continuously building ourselves up.

2) We are called to deal with unbelievers and those who are full of doubt with mercy! It is through love and compassion, kindness that we will draw those who are unaware of the truth into the Body of Christ. While we must learn to defend our faith and grow in our understanding, that does not mean we use this to speak judgment over people. Rather we are called to express mercy, to extend mercy, to love, encourage, understand and help those who have not embraced the Lord.

3) There is a reality in the Lord, where He keeps us from stumbling, and is able to bring us to the throne of God without fault! The Greek word translated without fault, means - 1. without blemish a. as a sacrifice without spot or blemish 2. morally: without blemish, faultless, unblameable. That is an amazing truth, but does not negate our responsibility to build ourselves up in our faith. It is through Jesus blood, His sacrifice, that we can come to the throne without blemish, without spot, blameless. Our responsibility is to be the examples of God's love and mercy extended to those who are not yet in the Body, and to not fall into deception. Jesus is able, literally meaning He has the power and authority, to present us all before the throne without blemish, with great joy.

As I was just writing that last sentence, I started thinking about the joy that the Lord must feel. It is like the last few minutes of a football game, where His team knows they are going to win, and everyone on the sidelines is starting to celebrate already. The game isn't over, but the outcome is assured. That is a small picture of the joy that He has knowing that He will bring us all before His throne without fault or blemish, because He has already paid the price. He has already won!!!!

# Knowing and Glorifying the Father

## 2013-12-11

This morning I read through the 17th chapter of John, which is such an awesome chapter. You could probably meditate on the truths contained in this chapter for years. I was especially impressed by the first few verses this morning:

John 17:1-5 NIV:  
[1] "After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. [2] For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. [3] Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. [4] I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. [5] And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began."

A couple of quick thoughts:

1) Jesus is given authority over all people, whether they recognize His Lordship or not. He primarily uses this authority to give eternal life to those He has been given by the Father. Some people He needs to set free from the chains of the enemy, patterns of thinking or behaving, but it always to draw them deeper into relationship. The invitation should always be to enter relationship with God, heaven is just where He lives.

2) Eternal life, as Jesus defines it here, is relationship with the Father, and the Son, and as implied earlier, the Holy Spirit. The key is knowing God. The Greek word translated 'know' is Ginosko

Definition  
1. to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel a. to become known  
2. to know, understand, perceive, have knowledge of a. to understand b. to know  
3. Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse between a man and a woman  
4. to become acquainted with, to know

The same word is translated into several others in the New American Standard - - ascertaining, 1; aware, 7; certainty, 1; come to know, 1; comprehend, 1; felt, 1; find, 3; found, 2; kept...a virgin, 1; knew, 13; know, 104; know how, 1; knowing, 3; known, 25; knows, 14; learn, 1; learned, 1; perceived, 1; perceiving, 2; put, 1; realize, 3; recognize, 7; recognized, 1; recognizing, 1; sure, 4; take notice, 1; unaware, 2; understand, 11; understood, 6

So do not take this use of the word to mean just intellectual knowledge, but rather an full understanding, having learned how the individual thinks, acts, moves, etc. In other words, relationship, our entering into and growing in our relationship with God IS the entrance to eternal life. This relationship, like all relationships grows and becomes deeper. I guess we could say it's like becoming married and then moving in with your spouse. It's within the confines of this living together that we come to know even more the person we are married too, understanding their thinking, the way they will act in any given situation.

As I was writing this I thought of Heaven as just the final stage, when we get to move in with the Lord permanently, living in His residence.

3). Jesus glorified the Father by completing the work He had been given. That work was settling the debt of the law for us all, forever, and destroying the works and the power of the evil one. This has already been accomplished, the work is completed. It is for us to learn to live in this reality, and by doing so, giving Glory to Jesus and the Father.

Amen Lord! Help us to bring Glory to Your Name.

# Grace for the Call

## 2013-12-16

This morning I am reading from Paul's letter to the Galatians.

Galatians 2:7-8 NIV  
[7] "On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised. [8] For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles."

As I was reading through this chapter where Paul is dealing with the law, grace and an early rift in the Church between Jew's and gentiles, I was drawn to these two verses. I think they identity a very important point, that God does call us for specific tasks, and gives us grace to accomplish these tasks.

There was, recognized in Paul's life, a certain grace, where it was evident that God was at work in His life to help him minister to the gentiles. This grace was present and evident in how God did miraculous works through Paul, in the strengthening and encouragement He gave to Paul, and in the fruit of Paul's ministry. I believe that we all have calling to specific people, to specific tasks, to specific purposes.

Many of us have many spheres of influence in which we operate and live, and I believe that we are called to be representatives of the Lord in those spheres. As Paul was called as an apostle to the gentiles, others were called to be prophets, pastors, teachers, administrators, servers, deacons, and such to the same groups, and so are we called. In general, I believe that we are called to be the Lord's representative to those closest to us, first, then to those who we relate to in our daily lives, before we are called to the larger people groups. However, none of us should think less of our calling than any other. Paul said in verse 6 of this same chapter, "God does not show favoritism". He is just as interested and engaged in our own little ministry spheres as He is with those called to the nations.

In summary, God has called us and has purposes for us all, and will give us grace, help, encouragement and ultimately the power we need to fulfill those calls and purposes. He will make this evident in our lives, and will produce the fruit that provides the evidence of these calls and purposes. Finally, no individual call or purpose is any less important than any other. God does not show favoritism, in other words He favors us all equally and makes the same resources available to us all! Let us press into the Lord, and ask Him to show us His purposes for our lives, and embrace the opportunities we have to represent Him to those we meet daily.

# Living to Please God

## 2013-12-19

Lately I was reading from Paul's First letter to the Thessalonians. As I read the following verses and .looked at the original Greek, it was apparent the NASB translation was more accurate - and that is what follows:

1 Thessalonians 4:1-7 NASB  
[1] "Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.

[2] For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. [3] For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; [4] that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, [5] not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; [6] and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. [7] For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.

My reflections are two-fold, first the encouragement to live to please God is such a simple request, but yet so important. Our lives are not our own (Col 3:3), and as such, we should live our lives in attempt to please the Lord, in whom we now live. This is like saying to someone who just got married, to live like they are married now. Our lives have changed and we have joined ourselves to someone (The Lord), and we should live that way now. Living that way includes trying to please the person we have joined ourselves to - simple to understand but sometimes requiring us to die to our own desires and inclinations, in order to please the other person.

This leads me to my second reflection; if we have now joined ourselves to the Lord then we need to live that way in the area of our physical affections as well. Once again the marriage analogy is helpful, as in marriage we are called to limit our affections to the one we have joined yourself to, so here Paul makes the same statement. Sanctification literally means to separate oneself, and that is Paul's encouragement - that we sanctify ourselves, separate ourselves from the way we used to live, as one does when they marry. We are no longer free to seek affections from anyone else other than our spouse. We live our lives and limit ourselves in our affections, and that is the heart of what Paul is saying. If we have joined ourselves to the Lord, than He is the one who is offended when we stray, or cause others to stray, and why He will avenge that wrong.

As I have said many times, the core of Christianity is relationship. Where we could apply a very religious and rule orientated view of these passages, I find it much easier to understand in the relationship context. In the first verse, Paul talks about the instructions they gave to help people understand how to live out their faith, in this marriage analogy that would be like receiving pre and post marriage counseling on how to learn to live as a married couple. Although this joining oneself to another seems self-evident, not everything is easy, nor has it been modeled correctly for us all. Instruction is very helpful in all phases of a marriage, and something that even couples married for decades can benefit from in their lives.

So let us live our lives in such a way as they please the one that we have joined our lives to - the Lord.

# Relationship Versus Religion

## 2013-12-20

Yesterday, after my prayer time, I was thinking more about relationships versus religion and rules and so convinced that the Lord is after relationship with us, not religion, which is basically following a bunch of rules. We like rules because we can follow them and feel like we have achieved something, we can keep track of how we are doing by using a checklist. What real relationship works that way? Every real relationship between two loving people, involves a unique interconnection that is based on their personalities and ways they think and act. Every person is unique and a relationship with each person will have some uniqueness about it. The great news is the Lord created us unique and loves and embraces our uniqueness, and doesn't want us to all look and act the same, but wants to be in relationship with us, as we are now.

Since God is interested in relationship with us, we need to know what He is like. That is the primary reason Jesus came to earth, to reveal the Father (Matt 11:27, Heb 1:3, John 1:18 and pretty much the whole Gospel of John) Secondly, we need to have access to the person we want a relationship with and that is the second reason Jesus came to earth, to establish a way to the Father (John 14:6, Heb 3-10). Finally, we need to understand how to live out that relationship in our daily lives and that is what Jesus showed us as He lived on the earth, and generally what the writers of the epistles were writing about in their letters.

Jesus spent much of His time speaking about the Father, what the Father is like and what living in relationship with Him is like. He spoke of the Kingdom of God constantly, and that would mean under the dominion of the King, under His rule and reign, or one could say 'in relationship'. Although Jesus spoke of the Kingdom, His relational reference was always to the "Father" not to a king. His speaking about the Kingdom was to help us understand authority and power, and the rightful use and representation of these in the Father's house. His constant reference to the Father was to give us insight into what The Father is really like, and establish a relational understanding among His followers. His actions were demonstrations of what someone's life would look like when they were living in right relationship with the Father. Our call to be like Jesus is to learn to follow in His footsteps of a loving, super intimate relationship with the Lord.

This is what our Christian walk is supposed to be about, not following a certain set of rules, in the absence of a real relationship. Sometimes it feels like churches are just clubs with a set of rules, made up by the founder (Jesus) and that if we follow the rules we think we are in the club. Being in the club is not the same as being in relationship with the Lord. We could go to the club every Sunday, follow all the rules and never know or meet the founder. We could sit and listen to hundreds of talks about the rules, even about the founder, but if we never meet him we don't have a real relationship. Jesus didn't come to earth to establish a new religious organization, He came to save us all (1 Tim 1:15) and establish relationship with us. He wants us all to step into our rightful relationships as sons and daughters (Gal 3:26, Gal 4:6-7), not club membership.

My thoughts this morning are just the tip of the iceberg concerning this topic of relationships versus religion. We are called to a rich and intimate relationship with God, we must not settle for something less. Lord, help me to explore the fullness of relationship with You.

# The Vine and Relationships

## 2013-12-22

On Friday night I had an encouragement for some friends out of John 15, and I think they are also great verses that highlight the Lord's focus on relationship with us.

John 15:1-8 NIV  
[1] "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. [2] He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. [3] You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. [4] Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."

[5] "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. [6] If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. [7] If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. [8] This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."

I think it's relatively impossible to read these verses and not understand that Jesus is talking about relationships. Remaining in, being connected to, drawing life from, speaking of connectedness. It is a great analogy and so true for us, that it is in connectedness, in relationship with the Lord that we receive life and bear fruit.

Jesus also speaks of the deposit of His word, remaining in us. He says in John 6:63b... "The words I have spoken to you---they are full of the Spirit and life." His words bring us Spirit and life, and when they remain in us they will bear much fruit, and they will bring an alignment of our wills with His.

If we go back to the vine analogy, in a vine the life essence flows in the sap. The sap, which contains the nutrients and sugars to fuel growth of the vine and the fruit, is what Jesus is saying is the word He speaks to us, which brings life. As the sap flows, the fruit gets larger, the vine grows and develops more fruit, etc. This is only possible if relationship, or connectedness to the vine, is established and maintained. The flow of sap in a vine must be constant, and ultimately must increase as the vine grows.

I like that Jesus used a vine for this analogy, for there is really no limit to how big a vine can get. If we were talking about a corn stalk, they only get so big and only produce one ear of corn, and then die. A vine continue to grow, produces fruit season after season, and only needs some small amount of external support (structure) to continue to grow and expand. A vine can produce tons of fruit, and the fruit can grow in unlikely places. This is such a great picture of the potential for our relationship with the Lord.

All of this is possible if we remain in Him, remain in relationship with Him, and allow His word to remain in us and bear fruit.

# Jesus the Shepherd

## 2013-12-23

Yesterday, during church we were reading the story of Jesus' birth from a children's bible and it spent a bit of time talking about the importance of shepherds. As we were reading and thinking I was reminded of a verse from Ezekiel that spoke about God coming as a shepherd.

Ezekiel 34:23-24 NIV:

[23] "I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. [24] I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken."

These verses are an interesting prophetic picture of Jesus. He will be a shepherd, from the house of David. He will be their prince, and he will restore relationship to their God. He will have a servant's attitude.

As you read the Gospels you can see each of these fulfilled in Jesus' life, and they start being fulfilled when the first people that see the new-born child are shepherds, who visit him in a manger, a place for the care and feeding of sheep and other animals. The second part is fulfilled when the kings visit and bring him gifts worthy of a prince. This is in some ways a prophetic picture of His life, for his ministry starts with His shepherding, and is followed by His taking His seat of the throne following His resurrection and ascension. I don't think it's any coincidence that the Father chose the first moments of His life to identify His Son with shepherds.

Jesus clearly understood his role as a shepherd, and was basically responding to Ezk 34:1-16 when he spoke of being a shepherd in John 10. Her a few of the verses from Ezekiel, 34:2-5 NIV:  
[2] "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? [3] You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. [4] You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. [5] So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals."

And Jesus response from John 10:11-16 NIV:  
[11] "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. [12] The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. [13] The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. [14] "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--- [15] just as the Father knows me and I know the Father---and I lay down my life for the sheep. [16] I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd."

Yes, Jesus as shepherd is a very appropriate identification. Let us be grateful that He came as a shepherd, showed himself to shepherds and lived the life of a servant. This shows us that the Father's heart toward us is to protect us, feed us, rescue the lost and heal us, and have mercy on us. This is how the Lord wants us to experience Him first, for this is how he revealed Himself to us first. Who would ever have expected that our God would come and embrace such a humble attitude, and pastoral role, when He is the ruler of all? That is one of the great surprises and mysteries of our faith, and one of the reasons Christmas is so important, for it reminds us of the incredible steps God took to show the love He has for us.

# The Wonder of Christmas

## 2013-12-24

This morning I am reflecting on the wonder of Christmas.

Jesus we are so grateful for Your life, for Your humility in coming to earth and offering Yourself as the eternal sacrifice that paid for our sins and redeemed us all. We are reminded of the mystery of it all, how You became fully man, born of a woman, and yet were the creator of all. We celebrate Your love, affection and mercy, Your humanness and divinity. We celebrate the establishment of Your Kingdom, which has no end, and is ever increasing! Oh the wonder of it all!

Here are the words to a song by Charles Junkin which are quite appropriate:

O the wonder of the story Of the night so long ago, In the glimmer of the starlight And the whiteness of the snow, When the little Prince of Judah In His beauty came to birth, While the angels sang His glory And His sweetness filled the earth!

O the wonder of the story, Of the gladness none can tell, When the shepherds saw the rising Of the Star of Israel, And a light from out the manger, Reaching far and waxing strong Till it touched the darkened shadows And the world was wrapped in song!

O the wonder of the story, Of the tender joy supreme! O the mystery of loving And the sweetness of the dream! For the little head was pillowed On a mother's loving breast, And the Father's little children They shall find the perfect rest!

Merry Christmas! May the light of Christ fill your life with joy and peace!

# Peace Instead of Anxiety

## 2013-12-29

Sorry for the break in flow of entries, I have been severely under the weather the last four days. Hopefully, I am on the mend. - Blessings, Sam

This morning I am reading from Paul's letter to the Philippians 4:6-7 NIV:

[6] "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. [7] And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

This is such an excellent verse to sow into our lives. There is a place where we can live anxiety free and it is found within Christ Jesus, not in a bottle of Xanax. Paul is describing the same principle that Jesus spoke of Matt 11:28-32. If we give Him what we carry, He gives us what He has in return. In this case, if we are carrying anxiety, when we give it to Him, we will receive peace in return.

More importantly this peace will guard our hearts and minds from the onslaught of other things that cause anxiety. As we learn to trust in His peace and presence, we are strengthened in our ability to withstand other sources of anxiety. This has to do with our heart and mind coming to understand the Lord, His ways and how He relates to us. Its ultimately about identity! If we believe that God loves us, has only good planned for us, and is capable of overcoming any difficulty or hardship to bring us blessing we would have no reason to be anxious. If we know that He has already accepted us, has paid with His own life for us, and that nothing can separate us from His love, we should not worry about our salvation. If we know that we are His adopted children, heirs to everything and that all we need to do is ask, we would not worry about our needs being met.

This doesn't mean we won't experience difficult times, but as my honey says it's all about our attitude. If we believe all the stuff I mentioned earlier, then when we encounter difficulty, we see opportunities for God to show Himself as our God, bringing Him glory, and blessing us in the process. As we grow in our ability to trust Him, He in turn can trust us with greater things as well.

My encouragement today is to learn to turn to Him constantly, releasing the things that I am carrying that I don't need to carry, so that I can receive from Him the peace, rest and comfort I need. These are the types of heavenly transactions He wants us to learn about and grow in, as we walk out our relationship with Him.

# Being Found In Him

## 2013-12-31

I was just thinking over the last year and looking forward to next year, and praying about a focus for 2014 and the Lord reminded me of Paul's statement in his letter to the Philippians 3:8-9 NIV:

[8] "What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ [9] and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ---the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith."

Not that we literally have to lose all things, but rather that in the light of Christ Jesus, they become as nothing, as so much garbage, quoting Paul. To know Jesus is of such significance that Paul considered everything else worthless. My desire this year is to move closer to Paul's statement in my own life. I want to grow in my knowledge of Jesus, not my head knowledge, but rather my heart knowledge. I want to be found in Him. The Greek word, here translated found is worth a quick look, for its definition is rich and helpful. The word is Heurisko:

Definition

1. to come upon, hit upon, to meet with  
a. after searching, to find a thing sought  
b. without previous search, to find (by chance), to fall in with  
c. those who come or return to a place

2. to find by enquiry, thought, examination, scrutiny, observation, to find out by practice and experience  
a. to see, learn, discover, understand  
b. to be found i.e. to be seen, be present  
c. to be discovered, recognised, detected, to show one's self out, of one's character or state as found out by others (men, God, or both)  
d. to get knowledge of, come to know, God

3. to find out for one's self, to acquire, get, obtain, procure

Such a simple statement -wanting to be found in Him - but the meaning is so much more. Yes, Lord I want to be found in You, I want to meet with You. I want to discover myself through You. I want come to understand You through inquiry, examination, exploration, observation and experience.

Yes Lord, this is what I want for my New Year's resolution - to be found in You.
