I heard a quote a while back and thought it to be profound. Speaking of Jesus, it said, “He must be everything to you or He is nothing to you." That prompted me to begin thinking about my own life. I know God loves me with all of His heart and I thought I loved Him with all of mine. To my chagrin, I was mistaken; not about God’s love for me, but of my own love for Him. Let me explain.
I have always wanted to do something for God to further His kingdom. Therefore, when He gave me a writing mandate, I was elated. Given that mandate, I wanted to do the best I could for Him, so I dove into that job with everything I had. The trouble was I put everything into the ministry.
I did, however, consult with God about the job He gave me and I sought Him in prayer, loved Him, thanked Him, and, and, and, but most of the time, it was concerning my writing ministry. I wasn't putting EVERYTHING into just loving Him. Although my heart was in the right place, my focus was all wrong. I wasn’t walking with God; I was running after Him trying to catch up and pick His brain for my next anecdote or Scripture!
In the Valley
When we are in trouble, we should praise God [1], lift Him up [2], worship Him [3], pray without ceasing [4], and stand in the knowledge of His protection from the enemy. We literally can hide in the Lord [5]. God can and does protect us from the wiles of the Devil [6] and He inhabits the praises of His people [7].
This is okay and we should recognize these things but until we can get to the place where we can just praise and worship Him for who He is and disregard the enemy, we will not get to the mountaintop. However, we will be safe and under His wings [8] in the valley [9]. . .but we’ll still be in the valley.
Good News
The Bible says, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me [10].” While you are in the valley, hang onto that. Do not be afraid of what the enemy can do to us. Satan has no power over us; only the power that we give him. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ [11].
Help My Unbelief
In Matthew 17:17 we hear Christ telling His disciples, “How long must I stay with you? How long must I suffer you?” The one thing that stops the flow of all blessing is our unbelief [12], the unbelief that we harbor in our hearts that nobody else sees. Sometimes we do not even see it ourselves. In other words, I can make all the positive declarations that I want but my declarations will only postpone what I believe. God will protect us in the interim but…
Whatever I believe in my heart to be true—is true to me. God says in His Word that He looks on the heart [13] but He says further on that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks [14]. In other words, we can hide what we believe fairly well with our declarations but eventually what we believe, will come out, normally during a time of stress or when we are in that proverbial valley.
Understand, however, that it is okay to make those positive declarations in the faith because faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen [15]. We need Christ to interpose on our behalf but if we offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name [16], we won’t have to worry about what the enemy is doing, we’ll be walking with God.
Christ Won the Victory
Christ distinguished and removed Satan’s power on the Cross. Granted, we must fight the good fight but why not make the good fight the one with praise. Forget about the enemy. . .period. Just enter into God’s gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise [17].
When we journey to the Holy of Holies [18] to see God, let’s all go there for a visit, not just to run away from the enemy. We are safe in God’s presence, but let’s not worry about whether the enemy is nipping at our heels [19].
God tore the veil when Christ died on the Cross [20] and gave us access to God in the throne room. We can even be in His presence outside [21] the compound. Because of the Cross, we have the capacity to live our lives just like Satan doesn’t exist. Remember, Satan is not a threat, he’s just an annoyance.
We can stand on God’s truth all day but until we can stand in God’s presence, for no other reason than we love Him and not His protection, we’ll take another lap around the mountain. His truth is wisdom, His truth is great and all knowing, and His truth is all-powerful and will not return to Him void [22].
However, His truth will only hold and protect us until we can walk with Him seeking His face instead of His hands. At the risk of speaking from a healing, to walk with God, to seek His face, and have total disregard for the enemy, is a journey; a tough journey sometimes. It’s all about intimacy with God.
Walking With God
Healing is a process and it takes time to walk through the valley of the shadow of death [23]. However, the quicker we get to the mountaintop, the quicker we can take in the view because it’s peaceful and beautiful up there. With the right focus, we can all attain the mountaintop.
In the valley is where we see the footprints in the sand, for it is where Christ carries us. However, as Christians, we long for the day that we not only see one set of footprints but two sets of footprints, as we walk along side of Christ instead of Him carrying us [24]. This is victory and walking with God.
_________________________________________________________
[1] Psalms 150:6
[2] Psalms 7:17
[3] Exodus 34:14
[4] 1 Thessalonians 5:17
[5] Psalms 18:2; 28:7; 91:2, 9; and more
[6] Ephesians 6:11
[7] Psalms 22:3
[8] Isaiah 40:31
[9] Psalms 23:4
[10] Psalms 23:4
[11] 2 Corinthians 10:5
[12] Mark 9:24
[13] 1 Samuel 16:7
[14] Luke 6:45
[15] Hebrews 11:1
[16] Hebrew 13:15
[17] Psalms 100:4
[18] Talking here about praying through the Tabernacle
[19] 1 Peter 5:8
[20] Matthew 27:51
[21] Psalms 139:7-13
[22] Isaiah 55:11
[23] Psalms 23:4
[24] Luke 9:23
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
SEEKING GOD
PART 7 OF 8
Seeking God Through Daily Prayer
In chapter four I shared with you an encounter I had in my front room with the Lord while praying. I was recently divorced and felt that God knew that I needed some validation, comfort, and love. However, I believe that there was a second reason why He allowed the experience.
I had committed to pray with Him for one hour each morning and had forgotten about what Jesus said to His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane when He caught them sleeping and asked them, “What, could ye not watch with me one hour [1]?” He was about to die for them and they couldn’t even watch and pray with Him for one hour [2].
Access to God
When Christ died on the Cross [3], the Father tore the veil of the Tabernacle leading to the Holy of Holies, in two [4]. This gave us unfettered access to God. However, up until that point the only person allowed into the Holy of Holies was the high priest, and then only once a year. They tied a rope and bell on him in case he was not clean enough, either physically or spiritually, to go in. If he wasn’t, he died on the spot. If they did not hear the bell ring, they’d have to drag him out.
Christ’s death not only delivered us from the curse but God now had an open door policy; or should I say, He had an open veil policy to His throne room? It still takes the high priest to gain access but we have just such an advocate with the Father [5]. He takes us by the hand and leads us in. His name is Jesus.
Christ calls each and every one of us into deep intimacy and relationship with Him [6]. We are one with Him “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely [7].”
Communicating With God
God communicates with each of us in many ways: through prayer, the Bible, our circumstances, other people, and even His audible voice. Christ has said, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me [8]. If I was to hear what God was saying, I would have to get closer to Him by moving to the other side of the gully as in my earlier story. In other words, back then, the reason I did not know the will of God for my life and whether the voice I heard was Gods or not, was because I was not relationally close enough to Him.
When we talk with God, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a formal prayer each and every time as 1 Thessalonians 5:17 might suggest when it says, Pray without ceasing. We can chat with God anywhere, anytime, no matter what the reason, whether we are in our house, car, church, sidewalk, field, or lake; it’s possible too casually talk with him all day long by involving Him in everything that we do, just like you would with any friend who was visiting. He is always there [9] to listen. This way, pray without ceasing becomes valid and true. (God is right again. . .Go figure.)
Prayer is a dialogue with God not a monologue to Him. Give the Holy Spirit a chance to interject something. Many times, I have left God standing there stuttering, “But. . .but I wanted to give you an answer and tell you that I love you. Oh well, I still love you Jim [10].”
I am wondering how many edifying and blessed moments I have lost because I prayed to God, said amen, and then went about my business. I did not give the Holy Spirit a chance at reciprocity. I am also wondering how many times I have neglected to thank Him for answered prayer and for what I had already received before asking Him for something else. Please forgive me Father.
Types of prayers
God gives us many opportunities to communicate with Him. There are prayers of salvation, petition, and supplication. There are personal prayers, conversational prayers, and prayers of fasting and worship. There are devotional prayers, formula prayers, and intercessory prayers. When we get into intercession, there will be prayers of birthing and travail as well. We do not lack any situation where we can’t converse with God and build that relationship.
Expounding on each and every type of prayer is beyond the scope of this book and is not a how-to writing but just an overview on prayer. It is my desire to share with you a couple types that may benefit your relationship with God. Daily prayer is an individual and subjective process, but mostly, it’s a heart process [11].
Formula Prayers
There is nothing wrong with prayer formulas but after a while, if we let them, they can become mechanical, meaningless, and just repetitive words. Like the Pharisees, they had their rewards [12]. Formula prayers are good for teaching aids for new converts just learning to pray. The Lord’s Prayer [13] is just such a prayer. Each stanza of the prayer is a topic for the believer to pray through.
In Luke 11:1 the disciples asked Jesus, “. . .Lord, teach us to pray. . .” Jesus taught the Lord’s Prayer completely in Matthew 6:9-13. This prayer was just a guideline and not supposed to be a regimen of mechanical prayer by itself. It is edifying to self but there is no power in it.
Before Jesus came to Earth, the Israelites learned how to fellowship with God through the Tabernacle. Each of the tools, doors, altars, instruments, and the gate, had significance and were symbolic of the Lord. Even the colors, ropes, and poles were symbolic.
Fasting
In chapter one, an assailant pointed a gun at our victim and the man cried out to God. When we fast, our physiological body cries out to God in the same way. We are desperate for nourishment and our body aches but the Lord says “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst [14].”
The idea behind fasting is to get closer to God by shedding all earthly needs so that all we rely and focus on is God and for Him to sustain us. When I go to Him in prayer and fasting, the pain disappears and He refreshes me. After I connect with God, I am renewed and He magnifies His presence. I no longer need physical sustenance and I bask in the sustaining power of His love. From this position, things happen: healing, power, deliverance, revelation, and much more.
Word of God
The most effectual prayer we can pray is when we do so according to God’s will, as I intimated in chapter two. The best way to know of God’s will is to read His Word. The Bible is replete with verses on prayer with copious ways to pray them. We just need to emulate those who are doing the praying.
A reassuring verse regarding the power of His spoken Word is Isaiah 55 verse 11: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. That sounds adamant enough for me.
The catch is, we not only need to pray the word of God, but we also have to take into consideration His will. Knowing God’s Word is tantamount to effectual prayer. An ever-present help to the Scriptures is a topical Bible. This will give you many topics with which to pray for any given subject covered in the Bible.
If you want to learn how to pray, get around someone with a prayer spirit but when you offer up your daily prayer to the Father, get by yourself [15] . . .and then give Him your heart [16]. God says there is no wrong way to pray [17]. Man on the other hand. . . [18]
_________________________________________________
[1] Matthew 26:40 - Verse
[2] Matthew 26:41
[3] Matthew 27:50
[4] Matthew 27:51
[5] 1 John 2:1
[6] John 17:10; John 17:21-23; John 4:23
[7] Revelation 22:17
[8] John 10:27
[9] Psalms 139:7-10
[10] I was just projecting a perception of how I felt God might have felt when I didn’t allow Him to respond back to me.
[11] 1 Samuel 16:7
[12] Matthew 6:2, 5, 16
[13] Matthew 6:9-13 The Lord’s complete teaching on prayer is contained in this verse. He gives a partial in Luke 11:2-4.
[14] John 6:35
[15] Matthew 6:5, 6
[16] 1 Samuel 16:7
[17] 1 Samuel 16:7
[18] And I refer to chapter eight’s anecdote and my own perceived inability.
Seeking God Through Daily Prayer
In chapter four I shared with you an encounter I had in my front room with the Lord while praying. I was recently divorced and felt that God knew that I needed some validation, comfort, and love. However, I believe that there was a second reason why He allowed the experience.
I had committed to pray with Him for one hour each morning and had forgotten about what Jesus said to His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane when He caught them sleeping and asked them, “What, could ye not watch with me one hour [1]?” He was about to die for them and they couldn’t even watch and pray with Him for one hour [2].
Access to God
When Christ died on the Cross [3], the Father tore the veil of the Tabernacle leading to the Holy of Holies, in two [4]. This gave us unfettered access to God. However, up until that point the only person allowed into the Holy of Holies was the high priest, and then only once a year. They tied a rope and bell on him in case he was not clean enough, either physically or spiritually, to go in. If he wasn’t, he died on the spot. If they did not hear the bell ring, they’d have to drag him out.
Christ’s death not only delivered us from the curse but God now had an open door policy; or should I say, He had an open veil policy to His throne room? It still takes the high priest to gain access but we have just such an advocate with the Father [5]. He takes us by the hand and leads us in. His name is Jesus.
Christ calls each and every one of us into deep intimacy and relationship with Him [6]. We are one with Him “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely [7].”
Communicating With God
God communicates with each of us in many ways: through prayer, the Bible, our circumstances, other people, and even His audible voice. Christ has said, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me [8]. If I was to hear what God was saying, I would have to get closer to Him by moving to the other side of the gully as in my earlier story. In other words, back then, the reason I did not know the will of God for my life and whether the voice I heard was Gods or not, was because I was not relationally close enough to Him.
When we talk with God, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a formal prayer each and every time as 1 Thessalonians 5:17 might suggest when it says, Pray without ceasing. We can chat with God anywhere, anytime, no matter what the reason, whether we are in our house, car, church, sidewalk, field, or lake; it’s possible too casually talk with him all day long by involving Him in everything that we do, just like you would with any friend who was visiting. He is always there [9] to listen. This way, pray without ceasing becomes valid and true. (God is right again. . .Go figure.)
Prayer is a dialogue with God not a monologue to Him. Give the Holy Spirit a chance to interject something. Many times, I have left God standing there stuttering, “But. . .but I wanted to give you an answer and tell you that I love you. Oh well, I still love you Jim [10].”
I am wondering how many edifying and blessed moments I have lost because I prayed to God, said amen, and then went about my business. I did not give the Holy Spirit a chance at reciprocity. I am also wondering how many times I have neglected to thank Him for answered prayer and for what I had already received before asking Him for something else. Please forgive me Father.
Types of prayers
God gives us many opportunities to communicate with Him. There are prayers of salvation, petition, and supplication. There are personal prayers, conversational prayers, and prayers of fasting and worship. There are devotional prayers, formula prayers, and intercessory prayers. When we get into intercession, there will be prayers of birthing and travail as well. We do not lack any situation where we can’t converse with God and build that relationship.
Expounding on each and every type of prayer is beyond the scope of this book and is not a how-to writing but just an overview on prayer. It is my desire to share with you a couple types that may benefit your relationship with God. Daily prayer is an individual and subjective process, but mostly, it’s a heart process [11].
Formula Prayers
There is nothing wrong with prayer formulas but after a while, if we let them, they can become mechanical, meaningless, and just repetitive words. Like the Pharisees, they had their rewards [12]. Formula prayers are good for teaching aids for new converts just learning to pray. The Lord’s Prayer [13] is just such a prayer. Each stanza of the prayer is a topic for the believer to pray through.
In Luke 11:1 the disciples asked Jesus, “. . .Lord, teach us to pray. . .” Jesus taught the Lord’s Prayer completely in Matthew 6:9-13. This prayer was just a guideline and not supposed to be a regimen of mechanical prayer by itself. It is edifying to self but there is no power in it.
Before Jesus came to Earth, the Israelites learned how to fellowship with God through the Tabernacle. Each of the tools, doors, altars, instruments, and the gate, had significance and were symbolic of the Lord. Even the colors, ropes, and poles were symbolic.
Fasting
In chapter one, an assailant pointed a gun at our victim and the man cried out to God. When we fast, our physiological body cries out to God in the same way. We are desperate for nourishment and our body aches but the Lord says “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst [14].”
The idea behind fasting is to get closer to God by shedding all earthly needs so that all we rely and focus on is God and for Him to sustain us. When I go to Him in prayer and fasting, the pain disappears and He refreshes me. After I connect with God, I am renewed and He magnifies His presence. I no longer need physical sustenance and I bask in the sustaining power of His love. From this position, things happen: healing, power, deliverance, revelation, and much more.
Word of God
The most effectual prayer we can pray is when we do so according to God’s will, as I intimated in chapter two. The best way to know of God’s will is to read His Word. The Bible is replete with verses on prayer with copious ways to pray them. We just need to emulate those who are doing the praying.
A reassuring verse regarding the power of His spoken Word is Isaiah 55 verse 11: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. That sounds adamant enough for me.
The catch is, we not only need to pray the word of God, but we also have to take into consideration His will. Knowing God’s Word is tantamount to effectual prayer. An ever-present help to the Scriptures is a topical Bible. This will give you many topics with which to pray for any given subject covered in the Bible.
If you want to learn how to pray, get around someone with a prayer spirit but when you offer up your daily prayer to the Father, get by yourself [15] . . .and then give Him your heart [16]. God says there is no wrong way to pray [17]. Man on the other hand. . . [18]
_________________________________________________
[1] Matthew 26:40 - Verse
[2] Matthew 26:41
[3] Matthew 27:50
[4] Matthew 27:51
[5] 1 John 2:1
[6] John 17:10; John 17:21-23; John 4:23
[7] Revelation 22:17
[8] John 10:27
[9] Psalms 139:7-10
[10] I was just projecting a perception of how I felt God might have felt when I didn’t allow Him to respond back to me.
[11] 1 Samuel 16:7
[12] Matthew 6:2, 5, 16
[13] Matthew 6:9-13 The Lord’s complete teaching on prayer is contained in this verse. He gives a partial in Luke 11:2-4.
[14] John 6:35
[15] Matthew 6:5, 6
[16] 1 Samuel 16:7
[17] 1 Samuel 16:7
[18] And I refer to chapter eight’s anecdote and my own perceived inability.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
SEEKING GOD
PART 2 of 8
SEEKING GOD’S WILL: Hearing God
When I first sat down to write Seeking God’s Will, before I had even committed one word to paper, God gave me a vision. I was on this side of a large gully and a man was standing on the other side. I could faintly hear his mumbling echo, but I couldn’t understand a word he was saying.
I thought, Lord, what is this? What does this mean? I heard in my spirit, “If you want to hear what he is saying, you need to get closer to hear him. I had an a-ha moment. Since all truth is parallel [1], it’s the same in the spirit world. If I wanted to hear what God was saying, I needed to get closer to Him as well.
When we develop a close relationship with God, we will close that gap between us. I have heard many believers ask, “What is God’s will for my life?” If we will just seek God and endeavor to get close to Him through an intimate relationship, we will hear what He is saying and will understand what His will is for our lives. This is the intent of this series.
GOD'S SOVEREIGN WILL
“What is God’s will for my life?” This question seems to be straight forward and simple enough when we first ask, but it goes just a little deeper than that. First, we must distinguish the different aspects of God’s will, which most agree that there are three: sovereign [2], revealed [3], and perfect [4] will.
The sovereign will of God says that nothing happens outside of God’s purview. In other words, God’s sovereign will is the ultimate will of God and He ordains everything that has and will come to pass [5].
God has decided to hide much of His sovereign will from us until that thing comes to pass. Therefore, we need not speculate on God’s hidden and sovereign will [6] for it is a futile quest and journey. God does call us, however, to seek and obey the revealed will of God as it pertains to the Scriptures.
GOD'S REVEALED WILL
Scriptures abound that tell us what we should and shouldn’t do to live righteous lives and to be holy because God is holy. In fact, you can define the revealed will of God as just that, what we should and shouldn’t do.
God’s Word says not to lie [7], steal [8], or covet [9]. It also says to repent of our sins, to love our enemies, and to be holy because He is holy. God says that we should live in His grace [10], be obedient [11], to give graciously [12], pray unceasingly [13], make continual progress [14], and much, much more [15].
The Bible is replete with God’s revealed will for our lives. God gave us the Law in Exodus 20:3-17 and should be the backbone of our behavior. In Deuteronomy 30:19 He says, “. . .I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” The Bible says to trust in Him [16], acknowledge Him [17], seek Him [18], believe in Him [19], and many more assurances of His revealed will for our lives.
We could spend a lifetime learning and applying God’s Word as it pertains to His revealed will for our lives. That works for me and I am sure that it works for God. (However, please forgive me Lord, because I fail daily in this endeavor.)
GOD'S PERFECT WILL
Romans 12:2, the ideal explanation of what is the perfect will of God.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Everything that pleases God is His perfect will. God’s Word teaches us how to live righteous lives according to His will and to be holy because He is holy [20] but what it doesn’t teach (directly) is what the will of God is specifically for each one of us.
GOD'S WILL FOR INDIVIDUAL LIVES
It is my contention that you can find your God given purpose through your passions. With God as understood, whatever you are passionate or excited about, above all else, should be the will of God for your life. This is providing that you are living in the perfect will of God.
Psalms 37:4 tells us that God gave us those passions in the first place, “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”
Therefore, answer yourself this question, “I am passionate about insert passion here?” Again, with God as understood, does this passion get you up in the morning just thinking about it? Is this what you are excited about? If you couldn’t do this one thing, would it make you curl up and die inside?
TYPES OF PASSIONS
Does your passion involve any number of talents or skills? Could you use them to help the church, conduct services, or minister to people? Are you a musician, thespian, or have construction knowledge? Are you an author like me or maybe you’re an artist, nanny, driver, accountant, or have some other talent or skill that you could administer and serve the church or body. The church needs many and all services and skills that the body can provide from within.
Does your passion lay within one of the 18 spiritual gifts designations [21]? Or maybe you feel that God has sent you out on a special mission or given you revelatory words and you feel compelled to tell others? Do the souls of men burn inside of you or maybe you have a desire to shepherd or lead other people? When you learn something, is the first thing you want to do is teach or tell somebody else? Well, maybe God has called you to the five-fold ministry as an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher.
I would exhort you to take a spiritual gifts class, to see in which area you are gifted. Every six months or so, as a follow up, you could take another class to see how you have grown in the Lord or to see in what area God is now leading you.
EDUCATION
Once you discover your passions, where they lie, and a direction in which you really want to serve God, another question you might want to ask yourself is, “Do I need training or do I need teaching in this area?” I know, for myself, I wanted to go to school to learn how to write right.
Writing is my passion and I write from the time I get up in the morning until the time I go to bed at night. I needed some teaching to perfect my craft or at least have the capacity to do my best and feel good about myself, that I was doing the best I could for God. Education is something that you might want to check into. Education is never wasted.
STILL SEEKING THE WILL OF GOD
We can seek His will by learning from His Word, how to live righteous lives, and by being a good example for others as we carry our own cross down the Via Dolorosa [22]. This is why it is so important to know the Word of God, to know the difference between pizza and what God is saying to us.
In everything we are to give thanks to the Lord [23]. When doing things for others we should do them like we are doing them for Christ [24]. Our sanctification is the will of God, which is the act of setting ourselves apart as being holy unto God and not prostitute ourselves with other gods/idols, which is anything that we put above God [25]. Much is common sense because God has written the moral Law on the hearts of men [26].
Seeking God’s perfect will for our lives should be our number one quest. Anything we can do to close the gap between us, as in my vision, the better off our walk with Him will be. It is a door to a higher level of knowing Him. Let’s go through that door now by Seeking God’s Hands.
____________________________________________________
[1] For every natural truth, there is an equal and corresponding spiritual truth.
[2] Hebrews 1:3; Lamentations 3:37; 1 Samuel 2:6; Amos: 3:6-13; Matthew 5:45; Psalms 115:3
[3] Exodus 20:3-17; Mark 3:35; Romans 8:27, 28, 14:23; Ephesians 5:3, 6:5, 6; 1 Peter 1:15, 16, 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 5:15, 16
[4] John 6:40; Romans 12:2; 1 Timothy 2:4; 1 Peter 1:15, 16
[5] Ephesians 1:11, John 1:3
[6] I speak especially as it pertains to eschatology in these end days. We should know the sign of the times but only as God reveals them to us through the Holy Spirit..
[7] Exodus 20:16; Romans 3:4; 1 John 1:6
[8] Exodus 20:15
[9] Exodus 20:17
[10] Ephesians 5:1-20
[11] Ephesians 6:5-8
[12] 2 Corinthians 8:1-7
[13] 1 Thessalonians 5:11-18
[14] 1 Peter 2:15
[15] Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21
[16] Proverbs 3:5
[17] Proverbs 3:6
[18] Matthew 6:33
[19] John 3:16
[20] 1 Peter 1:15, 16
[21] Words of wisdom, words of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of the spirits, tongues, and interpretations of tongues, administration, giving, leadership, mercy, service/helps, hospitality, exhortation, intercession, and missions
[22] We must bear our own Cross, Luke 14:27. The Via Dolorosa is the road in which Christ carried His Cross to Golgotha, or the hill where He they crucified Him.
[23] 1 Thessalonians 5:18
[24] Colossians 3:23
[25] 1 Thessalonians 4:3
[26] Acts 4:27, 28. Also, men is a generic term for mankind, meaning men AND women.
SEEKING GOD’S WILL: Hearing God
When I first sat down to write Seeking God’s Will, before I had even committed one word to paper, God gave me a vision. I was on this side of a large gully and a man was standing on the other side. I could faintly hear his mumbling echo, but I couldn’t understand a word he was saying.
I thought, Lord, what is this? What does this mean? I heard in my spirit, “If you want to hear what he is saying, you need to get closer to hear him. I had an a-ha moment. Since all truth is parallel [1], it’s the same in the spirit world. If I wanted to hear what God was saying, I needed to get closer to Him as well.
When we develop a close relationship with God, we will close that gap between us. I have heard many believers ask, “What is God’s will for my life?” If we will just seek God and endeavor to get close to Him through an intimate relationship, we will hear what He is saying and will understand what His will is for our lives. This is the intent of this series.
GOD'S SOVEREIGN WILL
“What is God’s will for my life?” This question seems to be straight forward and simple enough when we first ask, but it goes just a little deeper than that. First, we must distinguish the different aspects of God’s will, which most agree that there are three: sovereign [2], revealed [3], and perfect [4] will.
The sovereign will of God says that nothing happens outside of God’s purview. In other words, God’s sovereign will is the ultimate will of God and He ordains everything that has and will come to pass [5].
God has decided to hide much of His sovereign will from us until that thing comes to pass. Therefore, we need not speculate on God’s hidden and sovereign will [6] for it is a futile quest and journey. God does call us, however, to seek and obey the revealed will of God as it pertains to the Scriptures.
GOD'S REVEALED WILL
Scriptures abound that tell us what we should and shouldn’t do to live righteous lives and to be holy because God is holy. In fact, you can define the revealed will of God as just that, what we should and shouldn’t do.
God’s Word says not to lie [7], steal [8], or covet [9]. It also says to repent of our sins, to love our enemies, and to be holy because He is holy. God says that we should live in His grace [10], be obedient [11], to give graciously [12], pray unceasingly [13], make continual progress [14], and much, much more [15].
The Bible is replete with God’s revealed will for our lives. God gave us the Law in Exodus 20:3-17 and should be the backbone of our behavior. In Deuteronomy 30:19 He says, “. . .I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” The Bible says to trust in Him [16], acknowledge Him [17], seek Him [18], believe in Him [19], and many more assurances of His revealed will for our lives.
We could spend a lifetime learning and applying God’s Word as it pertains to His revealed will for our lives. That works for me and I am sure that it works for God. (However, please forgive me Lord, because I fail daily in this endeavor.)
GOD'S PERFECT WILL
Romans 12:2, the ideal explanation of what is the perfect will of God.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Everything that pleases God is His perfect will. God’s Word teaches us how to live righteous lives according to His will and to be holy because He is holy [20] but what it doesn’t teach (directly) is what the will of God is specifically for each one of us.
GOD'S WILL FOR INDIVIDUAL LIVES
It is my contention that you can find your God given purpose through your passions. With God as understood, whatever you are passionate or excited about, above all else, should be the will of God for your life. This is providing that you are living in the perfect will of God.
Psalms 37:4 tells us that God gave us those passions in the first place, “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”
Therefore, answer yourself this question, “I am passionate about insert passion here?” Again, with God as understood, does this passion get you up in the morning just thinking about it? Is this what you are excited about? If you couldn’t do this one thing, would it make you curl up and die inside?
TYPES OF PASSIONS
Does your passion involve any number of talents or skills? Could you use them to help the church, conduct services, or minister to people? Are you a musician, thespian, or have construction knowledge? Are you an author like me or maybe you’re an artist, nanny, driver, accountant, or have some other talent or skill that you could administer and serve the church or body. The church needs many and all services and skills that the body can provide from within.
Does your passion lay within one of the 18 spiritual gifts designations [21]? Or maybe you feel that God has sent you out on a special mission or given you revelatory words and you feel compelled to tell others? Do the souls of men burn inside of you or maybe you have a desire to shepherd or lead other people? When you learn something, is the first thing you want to do is teach or tell somebody else? Well, maybe God has called you to the five-fold ministry as an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher.
I would exhort you to take a spiritual gifts class, to see in which area you are gifted. Every six months or so, as a follow up, you could take another class to see how you have grown in the Lord or to see in what area God is now leading you.
EDUCATION
Once you discover your passions, where they lie, and a direction in which you really want to serve God, another question you might want to ask yourself is, “Do I need training or do I need teaching in this area?” I know, for myself, I wanted to go to school to learn how to write right.
Writing is my passion and I write from the time I get up in the morning until the time I go to bed at night. I needed some teaching to perfect my craft or at least have the capacity to do my best and feel good about myself, that I was doing the best I could for God. Education is something that you might want to check into. Education is never wasted.
STILL SEEKING THE WILL OF GOD
We can seek His will by learning from His Word, how to live righteous lives, and by being a good example for others as we carry our own cross down the Via Dolorosa [22]. This is why it is so important to know the Word of God, to know the difference between pizza and what God is saying to us.
In everything we are to give thanks to the Lord [23]. When doing things for others we should do them like we are doing them for Christ [24]. Our sanctification is the will of God, which is the act of setting ourselves apart as being holy unto God and not prostitute ourselves with other gods/idols, which is anything that we put above God [25]. Much is common sense because God has written the moral Law on the hearts of men [26].
Seeking God’s perfect will for our lives should be our number one quest. Anything we can do to close the gap between us, as in my vision, the better off our walk with Him will be. It is a door to a higher level of knowing Him. Let’s go through that door now by Seeking God’s Hands.
____________________________________________________
[1] For every natural truth, there is an equal and corresponding spiritual truth.
[2] Hebrews 1:3; Lamentations 3:37; 1 Samuel 2:6; Amos: 3:6-13; Matthew 5:45; Psalms 115:3
[3] Exodus 20:3-17; Mark 3:35; Romans 8:27, 28, 14:23; Ephesians 5:3, 6:5, 6; 1 Peter 1:15, 16, 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 5:15, 16
[4] John 6:40; Romans 12:2; 1 Timothy 2:4; 1 Peter 1:15, 16
[5] Ephesians 1:11, John 1:3
[6] I speak especially as it pertains to eschatology in these end days. We should know the sign of the times but only as God reveals them to us through the Holy Spirit..
[7] Exodus 20:16; Romans 3:4; 1 John 1:6
[8] Exodus 20:15
[9] Exodus 20:17
[10] Ephesians 5:1-20
[11] Ephesians 6:5-8
[12] 2 Corinthians 8:1-7
[13] 1 Thessalonians 5:11-18
[14] 1 Peter 2:15
[15] Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21
[16] Proverbs 3:5
[17] Proverbs 3:6
[18] Matthew 6:33
[19] John 3:16
[20] 1 Peter 1:15, 16
[21] Words of wisdom, words of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of the spirits, tongues, and interpretations of tongues, administration, giving, leadership, mercy, service/helps, hospitality, exhortation, intercession, and missions
[22] We must bear our own Cross, Luke 14:27. The Via Dolorosa is the road in which Christ carried His Cross to Golgotha, or the hill where He they crucified Him.
[23] 1 Thessalonians 5:18
[24] Colossians 3:23
[25] 1 Thessalonians 4:3
[26] Acts 4:27, 28. Also, men is a generic term for mankind, meaning men AND women.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
SEEKING GOD
PART 1 of 8
SEEKING GOD: Calling out to God
The footsteps behind him were unrelenting but he was running as fast as he could. His lungs felt like they would explode at any moment, yet the swish of footsteps in the grass that followed him, didn’t lose a beat. In fact, they seemed to be closing the gap. Mere exhaustion would soon force him to stop and face his stalker no matter what the outcome. His heart raced and threatened to give up on him.
How much longer he could keep up this pace he didn’t know. His legs were getting tired and sore and he could feel his shoulders beginning to sag and lean forward. He looked from side to side hoping to see someone to help and to know which way he could run. To his dismay, nobody was around that could help or intervene. Just when he felt that his heart would burst through his chest, his body conceded and he collapsed.
First his lungs, then his heart, and now the tremendous pressure of anxiety filled what was left of his body as he looked up at the man and down the barrel of a 45 cal handgun. A triumphant smirk adorned the attackers face.
With no help, there wasn’t any way he could fend for himself against his attacker in this position or condition especially against a guy with a gun. He watched as the attacker raised the weapon and aimed it at his head as his eyes enlarged and the smirk turned into a full-fledged smile.
As if his arms and hands would stop a bullet, he raised them and cried out, “Oh God, no. . . God. . . help me! Don’t!”
Why do we Seek God
Deep within the soul of every man lies the knowledge that there is a God in heaven, whether they want to admit that fact or not. Many a person has cried out to God in any number of situations, even as our unsaved man did in the above story of desperation and fear. If anything, the desperate act of crying out to God is a condition reflex stemming from a hidden inherent knowledge that all men have embedded in them. God placed that knowledge in man when He first created him in the Garden of Eden.
Because of predestination [1], God calls us first and for one reason, He loves us [2]. However, because of free will [3], we seek god first and for many reasons and it usually takes a while to build our love and trust in Him.
Man seeks God for many reasons, not the least of which is peace, comfort, healing, deliverance, financial help, or any number of benefits derived from knowing Christ. Maybe He even saved us from someone who pointed a loaded gun at us.
More times than not the reason we seek God is because we have watched somebody else and witnessed how their life has changed after accepting Christ. Maybe that person even led us to Christ. In any event, this prompted us to want the same life, no matter what it was about them that we coveted.
Seeking God: The Beginning
When God gave this series to me, I received seven words from Him: seek, will, hands, face, heart, purpose, and prayer. At the time I was reading 2 Chronicles 7:14, which says,
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
It has always been important for man to seek and know God, but in this day and age [4], it is imperative because His Word also says that God will not always strive with man [5]. This says that salvation will not always be available. That is a scary thought, or it should be, to those who are unsaved.
With the emanate rapture of the church [6] getting closer, remember that life is but a vapor [7] and eternity is. . .well. . .forever. We get one chance at salvation and then the judgment [8]. After the judgment, man will die in his sin and spend eternity in hell with no possibility of escape. The way world events are shaping up nowadays, the judgment and eternity seem to be looming on the horizon.
God is love
First John 4:8b tells us that, “. . .God is love.” Can you imagine what it would be like to be Love and not have anyone to love - or love you back? We can only speculate as to how God felt before He created the heavens, the earth, and then man. We have to assume that since He created us, He needed somebody on which to lavish that love.
Christ also needed a Bride with which to lavish His love. This, however, presented two problems: Number 1, Jesus was Spirit and therefore needed a spirit for a bride. Since God [9] was the only entity in the universe at the time, He would have to create a spirit. Number 2, He needed the spirit to love Him with its own volition because without choice, you render love meaningless. The new spirit needed choice.
Whether it is a natural or spiritual relationship, love drives us to seek out the other person and to know what they are about. It is a constant quest to learn what we can about them. You call that relationship. . . bonding. . .love.
You might say, “It's impossible to know God, just because of that, ‘He is God.’”
Knowing God?
Since God’s ways and thoughts are far above man’s ways and thoughts [10], some will have a hard time understanding the concept of knowing God. I understand this thinking but we have to remember that God is Spirit and He created us in His image, which makes us spirit beings as well [11].
In the natural it is incomprehensible to understand God, for after all. . .He is God, the creator of the universe. Actually, in the natural, we can never really know God to His fullest because He is infinite. Since God is Spirit though, we must seek Him in spirit and in truth [12]. In addition, the Bible says that the Spirit will lead us to all truth [13]; not to some truth, but to all truth.
However, if one side of a relationship contributes more than the other side, is that a prerequisite to whether we can love and aspire to know that person, or whether both sides couldn’t benefit from the relationship, either in the natural or in the spiritual? I wouldn't think so.
Christianity is not a religion but a relationship with God and if we do not seek to know God, to that man [14], it is just religion.
What follows are the six remaining words that God gave to me that day and what I perceived them to have meant. There will be two levels of prayer bringing the total to eight complete levels. This will not be an all-inclusive study on seeking God but prayerfully we can learn together what we can somewhat expect at each level. God bless you all as you read.
Ever wonder what the will of God was for your life? Seeking God's Will may give us an answer.
__________________________________________________________
[1] Romans 8:29, 30
[2] 1 John 4:19
[3] Deuteronomy 30:19, Joshua 24:15, Proverbs 3:31, Acts 13:48, James 4:17
[4] Emanate rapture
[5] Genesis 6:3
[6] 1 Thessalonians 4:17
[7] James 4:14
[8] Hebrews 9:27
[9] Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
[10] Isaiah 55:8
[11] Since God created us in His image, we are a triune being as well. God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and we are Spirit, soul, and Body.
[12] John 4:24
[13] John 16:13
[14] Generic term for mankind, meaning man or woman.
.
SEEKING GOD: Calling out to God
The footsteps behind him were unrelenting but he was running as fast as he could. His lungs felt like they would explode at any moment, yet the swish of footsteps in the grass that followed him, didn’t lose a beat. In fact, they seemed to be closing the gap. Mere exhaustion would soon force him to stop and face his stalker no matter what the outcome. His heart raced and threatened to give up on him.
How much longer he could keep up this pace he didn’t know. His legs were getting tired and sore and he could feel his shoulders beginning to sag and lean forward. He looked from side to side hoping to see someone to help and to know which way he could run. To his dismay, nobody was around that could help or intervene. Just when he felt that his heart would burst through his chest, his body conceded and he collapsed.
First his lungs, then his heart, and now the tremendous pressure of anxiety filled what was left of his body as he looked up at the man and down the barrel of a 45 cal handgun. A triumphant smirk adorned the attackers face.
With no help, there wasn’t any way he could fend for himself against his attacker in this position or condition especially against a guy with a gun. He watched as the attacker raised the weapon and aimed it at his head as his eyes enlarged and the smirk turned into a full-fledged smile.
As if his arms and hands would stop a bullet, he raised them and cried out, “Oh God, no. . . God. . . help me! Don’t!”
Why do we Seek God
Deep within the soul of every man lies the knowledge that there is a God in heaven, whether they want to admit that fact or not. Many a person has cried out to God in any number of situations, even as our unsaved man did in the above story of desperation and fear. If anything, the desperate act of crying out to God is a condition reflex stemming from a hidden inherent knowledge that all men have embedded in them. God placed that knowledge in man when He first created him in the Garden of Eden.
Because of predestination [1], God calls us first and for one reason, He loves us [2]. However, because of free will [3], we seek god first and for many reasons and it usually takes a while to build our love and trust in Him.
Man seeks God for many reasons, not the least of which is peace, comfort, healing, deliverance, financial help, or any number of benefits derived from knowing Christ. Maybe He even saved us from someone who pointed a loaded gun at us.
More times than not the reason we seek God is because we have watched somebody else and witnessed how their life has changed after accepting Christ. Maybe that person even led us to Christ. In any event, this prompted us to want the same life, no matter what it was about them that we coveted.
Seeking God: The Beginning
When God gave this series to me, I received seven words from Him: seek, will, hands, face, heart, purpose, and prayer. At the time I was reading 2 Chronicles 7:14, which says,
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
It has always been important for man to seek and know God, but in this day and age [4], it is imperative because His Word also says that God will not always strive with man [5]. This says that salvation will not always be available. That is a scary thought, or it should be, to those who are unsaved.
With the emanate rapture of the church [6] getting closer, remember that life is but a vapor [7] and eternity is. . .well. . .forever. We get one chance at salvation and then the judgment [8]. After the judgment, man will die in his sin and spend eternity in hell with no possibility of escape. The way world events are shaping up nowadays, the judgment and eternity seem to be looming on the horizon.
God is love
First John 4:8b tells us that, “. . .God is love.” Can you imagine what it would be like to be Love and not have anyone to love - or love you back? We can only speculate as to how God felt before He created the heavens, the earth, and then man. We have to assume that since He created us, He needed somebody on which to lavish that love.
Christ also needed a Bride with which to lavish His love. This, however, presented two problems: Number 1, Jesus was Spirit and therefore needed a spirit for a bride. Since God [9] was the only entity in the universe at the time, He would have to create a spirit. Number 2, He needed the spirit to love Him with its own volition because without choice, you render love meaningless. The new spirit needed choice.
Whether it is a natural or spiritual relationship, love drives us to seek out the other person and to know what they are about. It is a constant quest to learn what we can about them. You call that relationship. . . bonding. . .love.
You might say, “It's impossible to know God, just because of that, ‘He is God.’”
Knowing God?
Since God’s ways and thoughts are far above man’s ways and thoughts [10], some will have a hard time understanding the concept of knowing God. I understand this thinking but we have to remember that God is Spirit and He created us in His image, which makes us spirit beings as well [11].
In the natural it is incomprehensible to understand God, for after all. . .He is God, the creator of the universe. Actually, in the natural, we can never really know God to His fullest because He is infinite. Since God is Spirit though, we must seek Him in spirit and in truth [12]. In addition, the Bible says that the Spirit will lead us to all truth [13]; not to some truth, but to all truth.
However, if one side of a relationship contributes more than the other side, is that a prerequisite to whether we can love and aspire to know that person, or whether both sides couldn’t benefit from the relationship, either in the natural or in the spiritual? I wouldn't think so.
Christianity is not a religion but a relationship with God and if we do not seek to know God, to that man [14], it is just religion.
What follows are the six remaining words that God gave to me that day and what I perceived them to have meant. There will be two levels of prayer bringing the total to eight complete levels. This will not be an all-inclusive study on seeking God but prayerfully we can learn together what we can somewhat expect at each level. God bless you all as you read.
Ever wonder what the will of God was for your life? Seeking God's Will may give us an answer.
__________________________________________________________
[1] Romans 8:29, 30
[2] 1 John 4:19
[3] Deuteronomy 30:19, Joshua 24:15, Proverbs 3:31, Acts 13:48, James 4:17
[4] Emanate rapture
[5] Genesis 6:3
[6] 1 Thessalonians 4:17
[7] James 4:14
[8] Hebrews 9:27
[9] Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
[10] Isaiah 55:8
[11] Since God created us in His image, we are a triune being as well. God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and we are Spirit, soul, and Body.
[12] John 4:24
[13] John 16:13
[14] Generic term for mankind, meaning man or woman.
.
Monday, October 26, 2009
SEEKING GOD
PART 6 of 8
SEEKING GOD’S PURPOSE: Treasure Hunters
The sky was a little overcast as he walked down the road, a road that was more like a small path winding itself through the countryside. At least he had a heavy tunic that shielded him from the evening air. As long as he made it to Jericho before the Sabbath [1], he’d be alright, for this wasn’t the safest stretch of road in the land.
From out of nowhere, three men pounced on him hitting his face and chest with their fists and cutting him with their knives. They kicked him while he was down, stripped him of his cloths, and left him on the side of the road to die. It all happened very quickly and was over in seconds.
He laid there naked, dazed, cold, and could barely move as he tried to stand but fell back to the ground slamming his face on a bed of rocks. Still struggling to breathe, he gasped for air trying to suck in the life saving oxygen. From where, he did not know, but he found the strength to mutter, “Hhhhel-p. . .me?” He coughed, spraying blood on the rocks.
He could no longer talk and was on the verge of losing consciousness. Everything around him was becoming blurry and the bleeding from his side was not stopping. Not only was the pain excruciating but he began to worry whether each subsequent breath would be his last. His whole body started to go numb.
If it was at all possible, his heart began to fill with even more anxiety, as a stranger approached. The hazy figure was hard to make out through all the blood. Did his attackers return to finish him off or did God send some help his way.
He tried to lift his arm as far as he could to signal for help, but it was difficult at best. He opened his mouth to ask for help but he gurgled on his own blood. He finally managed to moan, “Pleeeaze, hhhelp me.”
The approaching man moved to the opposite side of the road and disappeared out of his peripheral vision. The half-dead man dropped his arm and gasped. His body went limp. It hurt, even to think. It is God’s will, I am going to die. He lost consciousness.
The Good Samaritan
All of us have either read or know about this parable and know how it ends [2]. The Good Samaritan, stopped, went above and beyond the call of duty, and saved the injured man but only after a priest and a Levite had gone by and not helped.
Many preachers have told the story of the Good Samaritan countless times, as well that they should have because it was a great act of kindness, mercy, compassion, and unselfish behavior. That Samaritan deserved a place in God’s Word and like Jesus, his story is one, after which, we should all model our own existence.
The Israelite Traveler
However, throughout history and the teaching of this parable, we seemed to have forgotten about the poor Israelite traveler who was beaten, robbed, stripped of his clothes, and left for dead on the side of the road. God never forgot about him and neither should we.
There is another lesson to learn from the Good Samaritan parable: how many people are lying on the side of the road reaching out to us gurgling in their sin and despair crying out for help and, as in the case of our traveler, crying out to God? Will we pass them by?
God’s Number One Purpose
The number one purpose and desire of God’s heart is that we know Him and make Him known.
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
“And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” [3]
Christ could not have been any clearer than that.
In verse 31, God has called us all to be Good Samaritans. Are we going to be like the priest and the Levite and walk around the dying and hurting people or are we going to be like the Good Samaritan and help our fellow man?
When Christ’s heart births in us we will not only find opportunities to take Christ's heart to others but we will look for them. There is a buried treasure of beauty in every person. Wouldn’t it be great if we could all be treasure hunters and find the good in all people? What we look for, we will find.
People are dying all around us and the fields are white unto salvation [4]. They all need the saving knowledge and grace of Jesus Christ. It is amazing what God can do for others through us. God birthed His heart in the Good Samaritan.
That they may be one
Christ is not only coming for His Bride, but He is coming for a Bride without spot, blemish, or wrinkle [5]. It is why God created man in the first place.
In 1993 I flew down to the Morris Cerullo’s Twenty-Third World Conference in San Diego, California. Believers from all over the world attended and although there have been bigger Christian gatherings, close to seven thousand believers showed up to worship God and hear from Him.
Unless you have been in a big crowd like this it will be hard to fathom the atmosphere that hovered over the auditorium while 7000 Christians worshiped, prayed, and sang to God. The spirit was so thick; it was hard even to stand. I will never forget the feeling and awesome time that I had that year with the Lord.
Now, can you further imagine the heavenly sound as millions of Christians raise their voice to God in song; millions of Christian spirits filled with the Holy Ghost and raising their praises to Him? This must be a beautiful sound to God, especially for Jesus, because we are His Bride.
Christ prayed to His Father that we’d all be one as He and the Father are one [6]. We are all many parts of the body but we are all baptized into one spirit [7], with Christ as the head. With the spirit that filled the atmosphere at that Conference with only 7000 Christians, I can see why God is not willing that one person should perish [8]. When millions of spirit-filled Christians become one spirit, we will become the Bride of Christ.
Each person is a facet of God’s love and beauty for God created us in His own image [9]. A part of God is in every individual that He longs to express Himself through, to show the different personalities and heart of God. He wanted people to love one another and to show mercy as He’s shown mercy. When the focus is on self, Christ-centeredness goes out the window. The goal is singleness of heart, where He’s the number one priority. This is the heart and the purpose of God.
Let’s go a little further and not only seek God, but talk to Him. When Christ died on the Cross, His death rent the veil in twain [10], which allowed us access to the throne room of God and His presence.
________________________________________________________
[1] The Jewish day starts at 6:00PM (1800 hrs)
[2] Luke 10:30-37
[3] Mark 12:30, 31 KJV
[4] John 4:35
[5] Ephesians 5:27
[6] John 17:21, 22
[7] 1 Corinthians 12:13
[8] 2 Peter 3:9
[9] Genesis 1:27
[10] Matthew 27:51 This means that the veil that covered the entrance to the Holy of Holies in the Tent of the Meeting (Tabernacle), God ripped it in two upon Christ’s death.
SEEKING GOD’S PURPOSE: Treasure Hunters
The sky was a little overcast as he walked down the road, a road that was more like a small path winding itself through the countryside. At least he had a heavy tunic that shielded him from the evening air. As long as he made it to Jericho before the Sabbath [1], he’d be alright, for this wasn’t the safest stretch of road in the land.
From out of nowhere, three men pounced on him hitting his face and chest with their fists and cutting him with their knives. They kicked him while he was down, stripped him of his cloths, and left him on the side of the road to die. It all happened very quickly and was over in seconds.
He laid there naked, dazed, cold, and could barely move as he tried to stand but fell back to the ground slamming his face on a bed of rocks. Still struggling to breathe, he gasped for air trying to suck in the life saving oxygen. From where, he did not know, but he found the strength to mutter, “Hhhhel-p. . .me?” He coughed, spraying blood on the rocks.
He could no longer talk and was on the verge of losing consciousness. Everything around him was becoming blurry and the bleeding from his side was not stopping. Not only was the pain excruciating but he began to worry whether each subsequent breath would be his last. His whole body started to go numb.
If it was at all possible, his heart began to fill with even more anxiety, as a stranger approached. The hazy figure was hard to make out through all the blood. Did his attackers return to finish him off or did God send some help his way.
He tried to lift his arm as far as he could to signal for help, but it was difficult at best. He opened his mouth to ask for help but he gurgled on his own blood. He finally managed to moan, “Pleeeaze, hhhelp me.”
The approaching man moved to the opposite side of the road and disappeared out of his peripheral vision. The half-dead man dropped his arm and gasped. His body went limp. It hurt, even to think. It is God’s will, I am going to die. He lost consciousness.
The Good Samaritan
All of us have either read or know about this parable and know how it ends [2]. The Good Samaritan, stopped, went above and beyond the call of duty, and saved the injured man but only after a priest and a Levite had gone by and not helped.
Many preachers have told the story of the Good Samaritan countless times, as well that they should have because it was a great act of kindness, mercy, compassion, and unselfish behavior. That Samaritan deserved a place in God’s Word and like Jesus, his story is one, after which, we should all model our own existence.
The Israelite Traveler
However, throughout history and the teaching of this parable, we seemed to have forgotten about the poor Israelite traveler who was beaten, robbed, stripped of his clothes, and left for dead on the side of the road. God never forgot about him and neither should we.
There is another lesson to learn from the Good Samaritan parable: how many people are lying on the side of the road reaching out to us gurgling in their sin and despair crying out for help and, as in the case of our traveler, crying out to God? Will we pass them by?
God’s Number One Purpose
The number one purpose and desire of God’s heart is that we know Him and make Him known.
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
“And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” [3]
Christ could not have been any clearer than that.
In verse 31, God has called us all to be Good Samaritans. Are we going to be like the priest and the Levite and walk around the dying and hurting people or are we going to be like the Good Samaritan and help our fellow man?
When Christ’s heart births in us we will not only find opportunities to take Christ's heart to others but we will look for them. There is a buried treasure of beauty in every person. Wouldn’t it be great if we could all be treasure hunters and find the good in all people? What we look for, we will find.
People are dying all around us and the fields are white unto salvation [4]. They all need the saving knowledge and grace of Jesus Christ. It is amazing what God can do for others through us. God birthed His heart in the Good Samaritan.
That they may be one
Christ is not only coming for His Bride, but He is coming for a Bride without spot, blemish, or wrinkle [5]. It is why God created man in the first place.
In 1993 I flew down to the Morris Cerullo’s Twenty-Third World Conference in San Diego, California. Believers from all over the world attended and although there have been bigger Christian gatherings, close to seven thousand believers showed up to worship God and hear from Him.
Unless you have been in a big crowd like this it will be hard to fathom the atmosphere that hovered over the auditorium while 7000 Christians worshiped, prayed, and sang to God. The spirit was so thick; it was hard even to stand. I will never forget the feeling and awesome time that I had that year with the Lord.
Now, can you further imagine the heavenly sound as millions of Christians raise their voice to God in song; millions of Christian spirits filled with the Holy Ghost and raising their praises to Him? This must be a beautiful sound to God, especially for Jesus, because we are His Bride.
Christ prayed to His Father that we’d all be one as He and the Father are one [6]. We are all many parts of the body but we are all baptized into one spirit [7], with Christ as the head. With the spirit that filled the atmosphere at that Conference with only 7000 Christians, I can see why God is not willing that one person should perish [8]. When millions of spirit-filled Christians become one spirit, we will become the Bride of Christ.
Each person is a facet of God’s love and beauty for God created us in His own image [9]. A part of God is in every individual that He longs to express Himself through, to show the different personalities and heart of God. He wanted people to love one another and to show mercy as He’s shown mercy. When the focus is on self, Christ-centeredness goes out the window. The goal is singleness of heart, where He’s the number one priority. This is the heart and the purpose of God.
Let’s go a little further and not only seek God, but talk to Him. When Christ died on the Cross, His death rent the veil in twain [10], which allowed us access to the throne room of God and His presence.
________________________________________________________
[1] The Jewish day starts at 6:00PM (1800 hrs)
[2] Luke 10:30-37
[3] Mark 12:30, 31 KJV
[4] John 4:35
[5] Ephesians 5:27
[6] John 17:21, 22
[7] 1 Corinthians 12:13
[8] 2 Peter 3:9
[9] Genesis 1:27
[10] Matthew 27:51 This means that the veil that covered the entrance to the Holy of Holies in the Tent of the Meeting (Tabernacle), God ripped it in two upon Christ’s death.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Fighting Off Invaders
In today's world amongst the N1H1 flu and health care reform and misdirection of politicians, I submit to you an attempt to keep us all on track in our daily lives. God is still in control!
Praise God in all things [1]. Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. . .Yes, even when we’re sick and down, give praise unto Jesus.
Praise God when we're sick? You bet. Being physically sick is good. Temperature is the body’s way of fighting off the invaders of our body. Thank you Jesus because you have fearfully and wonderfully made us [2]. Our bodies work exactly like you have programmed them to work.
Since all truth is parallel, it is the same thing spiritually for when we are tempted, tried, and exposed to suffering; it is still Christ fighting off the invaders of our soul. Things go wrong naturally so we can fight the bad things in our spiritual system through Christ [3]. As long as we keep Jesus in focus and in charge, Christ will fight off the invaders of our spirit.
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. [4]
Therefore, the next time we are physically sick, rejoice and praise God because we know that Christ is fighting on our behalf on the inside of us. When we are spiritually sick and down, rejoice and praise God, because we know that there are battles going on inside of us. We can and should pray, but the battle needs to rage on inside of us until Christ expels those invaders.
When we are physically sick, we go to the pharmacist and get an aspirin pill, and then rest in bed. When we are spiritually sick, we go to the Great Physician, take the Gos-pill, and then rest in Jesus.
Hallelujah!
-------------------------------------
[1] Eph 5:20 KJV
[2] Psalms 139:14
[3] (Hebrews 4:14-16)
[4] 2 Corinthians 12:9, 10 KJV
Praise God in all things [1]. Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. . .Yes, even when we’re sick and down, give praise unto Jesus.
Praise God when we're sick? You bet. Being physically sick is good. Temperature is the body’s way of fighting off the invaders of our body. Thank you Jesus because you have fearfully and wonderfully made us [2]. Our bodies work exactly like you have programmed them to work.
Since all truth is parallel, it is the same thing spiritually for when we are tempted, tried, and exposed to suffering; it is still Christ fighting off the invaders of our soul. Things go wrong naturally so we can fight the bad things in our spiritual system through Christ [3]. As long as we keep Jesus in focus and in charge, Christ will fight off the invaders of our spirit.
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. [4]
Therefore, the next time we are physically sick, rejoice and praise God because we know that Christ is fighting on our behalf on the inside of us. When we are spiritually sick and down, rejoice and praise God, because we know that there are battles going on inside of us. We can and should pray, but the battle needs to rage on inside of us until Christ expels those invaders.
When we are physically sick, we go to the pharmacist and get an aspirin pill, and then rest in bed. When we are spiritually sick, we go to the Great Physician, take the Gos-pill, and then rest in Jesus.
Hallelujah!
-------------------------------------
[1] Eph 5:20 KJV
[2] Psalms 139:14
[3] (Hebrews 4:14-16)
[4] 2 Corinthians 12:9, 10 KJV
Monday, September 28, 2009
SEEKING GOD
PART 5 of 8
SEEKING GOD’S HEART: The Courtship of God
The evening was a typically beautiful and peaceful night. A small breeze was blowing and seemed to be chasing a previous gust that had already passed through. David sat leaning against a tree trunk playing his harp and singing psalms to God and to his father’s sleeping sheep. His eyelids were getting a little heavy in the tranquility of the moment and he could probably drift off himself if not for the fact that the sheep were in his charge.
As David sang and played, he kept a vigorous lookout toward the surrounding area. Besides his playing and the sounds of the night, the only other thing he could hear was an occasional bleating from either side of the flock by a few sheep that struggled to sleep but nonetheless were quietly confirming the contentment of their status.
Minutes passed, when amid song, a lone lamb raised its head and began checking his periphery. David stopped playing. He could no longer hear the sounds of the night and it was like someone had turned off the switch to his hearing.
Something was wrong.
He put down his harp and looked about him. There was a rustling in the nearby brush. David stood and reached for his sling.
By this time, all the sheep were standing and huddling together waiting for someone to lead them to safety. The bleating was deafening. David prepared himself for any eventuality.
Then David saw him: a lion crouching low and stalking the perimeter. Should I do anything? he thought. The lion would only take one animal. Should I risk my own life for one lamb?
The Holy Spirit brought David to his spiritual senses and told him that David’s father was not willing that one of his sheep should perish[1] and that He would deliver the lamb out of the lion’s mouth. Hearing that and without a second thought, David loaded a good size rock into the leather pouch and prepared for an open and clear shot.
Without any warning, the lion sprung and as quickly as he had leapt, he had a lamb in his mouth and was confidently trotting toward the thickets. David would only have one try and he’d have to be quick and accurate, otherwise, a lamb would die, either from the jaws of death or by a misplaced stone. He began to twirl and at the precise moment, known only to him, he released the rock. It found its mark and the lion dropped to the ground. David removed the terrified lamb from the jaws of certain death and released it back to the flock.
Shaken and recomposed, the lion arose to recapture his dinner and perhaps an extra tid-bit for dessert by killing David. However, the Lord delivered David out of the paw of the lion and allowed him to grab the lion by the beard and slay him[2].
Like David, when we are in the center of God’s will and His presence, we too can slay the lions in our lives.
David Slays Goliath
Not only did David slay the lion and the bear but he slew Goliath as well[3]. Although God delivered him from Goliath and the Philistines, David only acted after he heard from the Lord[4]. (This is very important.)
It seems a little foolhardy that David would so quickly step up to fight the 9ft tall giant laden down with impenetrable armor and he with none[5], until we read 1 Samuel 17:36. This passage tells us that for David to boast as he did (in the natural), would not have been prudent. It is evident that the Lord had already told him what he should do. The will of God had sanctioned this battle and guaranteed David’s victory[6]. David immediately acted upon it and ran toward Goliath. Yes. . .ran. This was the proper response.
At one time or the other, waiting on the Lord is where most of us fall short because we all deal from presumption instead of hearing directly from the Lord before any of our battles, prayers, and supplications. We try and get ahead of God by speaking His Word and then expecting Him to jump and honor it. This is backward.
The Word of God is logos to us ‘all,' but the rhema word is to us ‘individually’ according to the will of God. As soon as we learn this truth, the easier, and the more victorious our lives will be. Although His Word will not return to Him void[7], God is not called to do our will but we are called to do His.
David, a man after god’s own heart
The secret to David’s[8] longevity and success was because he was in the center of God’s will. He had an intimate relationship with the Lord and he did nothing without the leading of the Holy Spirit. He knew that it could possibly mean his death if he did otherwise, as witnessed by the previous stories. David was, indeed, a man after God’s own heart[9], which begs the question, “How was he ‘a man after God’s own heart?’”
One only has to read the Psalms to know the answer to that question. David did not only love the Lord and depend upon Him solely but in every way he was agreeable to the will of God. He paid strict attention to, and never tried to change, any part of the Law. As David led Israel in the public arena, he acted according to God’s righteous mind, and fulfilled the will of God.
When David slew the lion, the bear, and Goliath, he was more than confident in his immediate actions because he had the leading of the Holy Spirit. He acted out of a condition response and there was no hesitation when the Lord told him to. . .go, that He would deliver him.
Today, when I look back on David’s harrowing exploits, I shudder. I shudder because I know the lineage from where Jesus came. What if the lion, the bear, or Goliath had killed David? There would be no Jesus. This may have been the last ditch effort by Satan to stop the lineage of Christ.
Therefore, as long as we have the faith and Spirit of God in us, and be men and women after His heart, nothing will be impossible[10] for us to accomplish. We too will act without hesitation. . .as long as we wait on the Spirit of God[11] and not act presumptuously.
Peter acted presumptuously when, just before Christ’s Crucifixion, he told Jesus that He would surely not die[12]. I am wondering how many of us would have probably told Jesus the same thing. I fear that I would have said something similar. However, as the Bible indicates, the Lord’s physical survival was not in God’s plan[13]. Christ came to pay for His Bride with His own Blood.
This is why it is so important to be in the center of God’s will and to know His Word, so we don’t get ahead of the Holy Spirit. In the natural, I can understand why Peter said what he did but knowing what we know today aren’t we glad that Jesus saw through Satan’s charade.
Courtship of God’s Heart
When we seek the heart of God, we are in a “courtship” phase of relationship. Our wooing leads to romance and that creates a relationship. In turn, this produces intimacy and puts us right in the center of God’s will.
When we are in the center of God’s will and desires, we are looking to fulfill the desires of God’s heart, not ours.
During our courtship, we reciprocate God’s love by giving Him our devotion, our obedience, our worship, and our love. Just the simple act alone of giving to God and others benefit us because those acts themselves automatically bounce blessing back to us and builds our character. We (should) do this with a personal decision and without any prompting of the Holy Spirit. Then God blesses us again because we unselfishly gave unsolicited help to Him and to others.
Seeking God’s Heart
When we seek the heart of God, it is going to Him and asking, “What can I do for you today Lord? What’s on your heart today? You know where I am going and who I am going to run across today Lord, so is there something that you want to do in my life today to touch and reach those who will cross my path? Is there something that you’d like to say Lord? What would you like Father, or do you just want me to sit with you today God?”
Approaching God like this we become a man[14] after God’s own heart and depending on our relationship with Him, we will go into His presence. Getting into the center of God’s will and in His presence provides revelation, healing, deliverance, sanctification, victory, and supernatural power. Going into His presence with any pretense and the pretense will find you out.
Seeking God’s heart is when we live for God’s purpose and is where we exchange all of our plans, our hopes, and our dreams for the dreams, the heart, and the longing of God. He so saturates us that we will become the heart of God. His heart will so birth in us that we will literally cry when traveling down the street wondering how many of these people do not have the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
If people called by His name will not only seek His face[15] but seek His heart, our hearts will come together and beat as one. This will be the heart of the Bride and it will be beating loudly for all to hear.
The Bride’s heart will beat so loudly that our relationship with God will emanate from out of us and begin to change the atmosphere one heart at a time. People around us will sense and feel our commingled heart and the power of the Holy Spirit and will say, “I want some of that.”
In essence and in the final analysis, seeking God’s heart is the simple act of literally giving Him ours!
The number one purpose and desire of God’s heart is that we know Him and make Him known to others. It is what He longs for us to do. Let’s go a little deeper still by Seeking God’s Purpose.
___________________________________________________________________________________
[1] Matthew 18:14 Obviously, I took some license here with this Scripture but is not God the same yesterday, today, and forever. It is just my interpretation of the event.
[2] 1 Samuel 17:37; David, the lion, and bear story 1 Samuel 17:34-37
[3] 1 Samuel 17:49, 50
[4] 1 Samuel 17:36; 1Samuel 17:45
[5] David removed the armor that Saul gave him because he knew that the battle was the Lords and that Saul’s armor (unbelief) would not defeat the giant. David had the armor of the God of Israel, which were His Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit. David didn’t need any armor protection because the Lord had told him that He would deliver him from Goliath and the Philistines. If all David had in his pouch was 5 olives, he still would have gone mano a mano with Goliath and God would have still delivered him. David was so sure of the outcome that he ran toward Goliath and the Philistines.
[6] 1 Samuel 17:37
[7] Isaiah 55:11
[8] Other than Jesus, the longest biography in the Bible is that of King David. 1 Samuel 16:13b all the way through 1 Kings 2:10. 1 Chronicles 12-29. David even wrote at least eighty-five of the one hundred and fifty songs in the Psalms.
[9] 1 Samuel 13:14
[10] Luke 1:37
[11] Psalms 27:14; Psalms 37:34; Proverb 3:5, 6
[12] Matthew 16:22
[13] Mark 15:25
[14] Man is a generic term for mankind and means man AND woman.
[15] 2Chronicles 7:14
SEEKING GOD’S HEART: The Courtship of God
The evening was a typically beautiful and peaceful night. A small breeze was blowing and seemed to be chasing a previous gust that had already passed through. David sat leaning against a tree trunk playing his harp and singing psalms to God and to his father’s sleeping sheep. His eyelids were getting a little heavy in the tranquility of the moment and he could probably drift off himself if not for the fact that the sheep were in his charge.
As David sang and played, he kept a vigorous lookout toward the surrounding area. Besides his playing and the sounds of the night, the only other thing he could hear was an occasional bleating from either side of the flock by a few sheep that struggled to sleep but nonetheless were quietly confirming the contentment of their status.
Minutes passed, when amid song, a lone lamb raised its head and began checking his periphery. David stopped playing. He could no longer hear the sounds of the night and it was like someone had turned off the switch to his hearing.
Something was wrong.
He put down his harp and looked about him. There was a rustling in the nearby brush. David stood and reached for his sling.
By this time, all the sheep were standing and huddling together waiting for someone to lead them to safety. The bleating was deafening. David prepared himself for any eventuality.
Then David saw him: a lion crouching low and stalking the perimeter. Should I do anything? he thought. The lion would only take one animal. Should I risk my own life for one lamb?
The Holy Spirit brought David to his spiritual senses and told him that David’s father was not willing that one of his sheep should perish[1] and that He would deliver the lamb out of the lion’s mouth. Hearing that and without a second thought, David loaded a good size rock into the leather pouch and prepared for an open and clear shot.
Without any warning, the lion sprung and as quickly as he had leapt, he had a lamb in his mouth and was confidently trotting toward the thickets. David would only have one try and he’d have to be quick and accurate, otherwise, a lamb would die, either from the jaws of death or by a misplaced stone. He began to twirl and at the precise moment, known only to him, he released the rock. It found its mark and the lion dropped to the ground. David removed the terrified lamb from the jaws of certain death and released it back to the flock.
Shaken and recomposed, the lion arose to recapture his dinner and perhaps an extra tid-bit for dessert by killing David. However, the Lord delivered David out of the paw of the lion and allowed him to grab the lion by the beard and slay him[2].
Like David, when we are in the center of God’s will and His presence, we too can slay the lions in our lives.
David Slays Goliath
Not only did David slay the lion and the bear but he slew Goliath as well[3]. Although God delivered him from Goliath and the Philistines, David only acted after he heard from the Lord[4]. (This is very important.)
It seems a little foolhardy that David would so quickly step up to fight the 9ft tall giant laden down with impenetrable armor and he with none[5], until we read 1 Samuel 17:36. This passage tells us that for David to boast as he did (in the natural), would not have been prudent. It is evident that the Lord had already told him what he should do. The will of God had sanctioned this battle and guaranteed David’s victory[6]. David immediately acted upon it and ran toward Goliath. Yes. . .ran. This was the proper response.
At one time or the other, waiting on the Lord is where most of us fall short because we all deal from presumption instead of hearing directly from the Lord before any of our battles, prayers, and supplications. We try and get ahead of God by speaking His Word and then expecting Him to jump and honor it. This is backward.
The Word of God is logos to us ‘all,' but the rhema word is to us ‘individually’ according to the will of God. As soon as we learn this truth, the easier, and the more victorious our lives will be. Although His Word will not return to Him void[7], God is not called to do our will but we are called to do His.
David, a man after god’s own heart
The secret to David’s[8] longevity and success was because he was in the center of God’s will. He had an intimate relationship with the Lord and he did nothing without the leading of the Holy Spirit. He knew that it could possibly mean his death if he did otherwise, as witnessed by the previous stories. David was, indeed, a man after God’s own heart[9], which begs the question, “How was he ‘a man after God’s own heart?’”
One only has to read the Psalms to know the answer to that question. David did not only love the Lord and depend upon Him solely but in every way he was agreeable to the will of God. He paid strict attention to, and never tried to change, any part of the Law. As David led Israel in the public arena, he acted according to God’s righteous mind, and fulfilled the will of God.
When David slew the lion, the bear, and Goliath, he was more than confident in his immediate actions because he had the leading of the Holy Spirit. He acted out of a condition response and there was no hesitation when the Lord told him to. . .go, that He would deliver him.
Today, when I look back on David’s harrowing exploits, I shudder. I shudder because I know the lineage from where Jesus came. What if the lion, the bear, or Goliath had killed David? There would be no Jesus. This may have been the last ditch effort by Satan to stop the lineage of Christ.
Therefore, as long as we have the faith and Spirit of God in us, and be men and women after His heart, nothing will be impossible[10] for us to accomplish. We too will act without hesitation. . .as long as we wait on the Spirit of God[11] and not act presumptuously.
Peter acted presumptuously when, just before Christ’s Crucifixion, he told Jesus that He would surely not die[12]. I am wondering how many of us would have probably told Jesus the same thing. I fear that I would have said something similar. However, as the Bible indicates, the Lord’s physical survival was not in God’s plan[13]. Christ came to pay for His Bride with His own Blood.
This is why it is so important to be in the center of God’s will and to know His Word, so we don’t get ahead of the Holy Spirit. In the natural, I can understand why Peter said what he did but knowing what we know today aren’t we glad that Jesus saw through Satan’s charade.
Courtship of God’s Heart
When we seek the heart of God, we are in a “courtship” phase of relationship. Our wooing leads to romance and that creates a relationship. In turn, this produces intimacy and puts us right in the center of God’s will.
When we are in the center of God’s will and desires, we are looking to fulfill the desires of God’s heart, not ours.
During our courtship, we reciprocate God’s love by giving Him our devotion, our obedience, our worship, and our love. Just the simple act alone of giving to God and others benefit us because those acts themselves automatically bounce blessing back to us and builds our character. We (should) do this with a personal decision and without any prompting of the Holy Spirit. Then God blesses us again because we unselfishly gave unsolicited help to Him and to others.
Seeking God’s Heart
When we seek the heart of God, it is going to Him and asking, “What can I do for you today Lord? What’s on your heart today? You know where I am going and who I am going to run across today Lord, so is there something that you want to do in my life today to touch and reach those who will cross my path? Is there something that you’d like to say Lord? What would you like Father, or do you just want me to sit with you today God?”
Approaching God like this we become a man[14] after God’s own heart and depending on our relationship with Him, we will go into His presence. Getting into the center of God’s will and in His presence provides revelation, healing, deliverance, sanctification, victory, and supernatural power. Going into His presence with any pretense and the pretense will find you out.
Seeking God’s heart is when we live for God’s purpose and is where we exchange all of our plans, our hopes, and our dreams for the dreams, the heart, and the longing of God. He so saturates us that we will become the heart of God. His heart will so birth in us that we will literally cry when traveling down the street wondering how many of these people do not have the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
If people called by His name will not only seek His face[15] but seek His heart, our hearts will come together and beat as one. This will be the heart of the Bride and it will be beating loudly for all to hear.
The Bride’s heart will beat so loudly that our relationship with God will emanate from out of us and begin to change the atmosphere one heart at a time. People around us will sense and feel our commingled heart and the power of the Holy Spirit and will say, “I want some of that.”
In essence and in the final analysis, seeking God’s heart is the simple act of literally giving Him ours!
The number one purpose and desire of God’s heart is that we know Him and make Him known to others. It is what He longs for us to do. Let’s go a little deeper still by Seeking God’s Purpose.
___________________________________________________________________________________
[1] Matthew 18:14 Obviously, I took some license here with this Scripture but is not God the same yesterday, today, and forever. It is just my interpretation of the event.
[2] 1 Samuel 17:37; David, the lion, and bear story 1 Samuel 17:34-37
[3] 1 Samuel 17:49, 50
[4] 1 Samuel 17:36; 1Samuel 17:45
[5] David removed the armor that Saul gave him because he knew that the battle was the Lords and that Saul’s armor (unbelief) would not defeat the giant. David had the armor of the God of Israel, which were His Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit. David didn’t need any armor protection because the Lord had told him that He would deliver him from Goliath and the Philistines. If all David had in his pouch was 5 olives, he still would have gone mano a mano with Goliath and God would have still delivered him. David was so sure of the outcome that he ran toward Goliath and the Philistines.
[6] 1 Samuel 17:37
[7] Isaiah 55:11
[8] Other than Jesus, the longest biography in the Bible is that of King David. 1 Samuel 16:13b all the way through 1 Kings 2:10. 1 Chronicles 12-29. David even wrote at least eighty-five of the one hundred and fifty songs in the Psalms.
[9] 1 Samuel 13:14
[10] Luke 1:37
[11] Psalms 27:14; Psalms 37:34; Proverb 3:5, 6
[12] Matthew 16:22
[13] Mark 15:25
[14] Man is a generic term for mankind and means man AND woman.
[15] 2Chronicles 7:14
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
SEEKING GOD
PART 4 of 8
SEEKING GOD'S FACE: The Characteristics of God
My divorce was an extremely hard time in my life and if I ever needed God, it was then. At that time I was living in a one-bedroom apartment and I’d just made a new commitment to pray with God for one hour each day. Therefore, at 4:00 AM, I crawled out of bed, got dressed, and went to the front room to fellowship with the Lord.
I was praying the Lord’s Prayer and had just hallowed His name. I stood there waiting on His response. When in the distance, a small speck materialized in my mind’s eye. It was like looking at a movie scene filled with theatrical smoke, only in suspended animation.
Suddenly, in one fluid motion, the whole scene seemed to come at me until I could finally distinguish what it was. Although it was still fuzzy in appearance, it continued to grow until there was no question as to its identity, it was the Cross.
The next thing I could see was the face of Christ. He was looking toward heaven. His face was not in the distance, but up close and personal. He was all I could see. Then something happened that I will never forget. It changed my life.
In slow motion, Jesus turned and pivoted His head until He was looking me straight in the eyes. He said, “I love you, Jim.” The presence of God was vibrating in me as I stood there with my eyes closed and looking straight into the eyes of Jesus Christ. Jesus was touching my spirit and His voice reverberated in my soul as I stood there basking in His presence.
As quickly as He’d come, His image began to fade. Then. . .He disappeared. I do not know how long I stood there; I only know that Cecil B. DeMille could not have made this scene any more real than the one that I had just witnessed. How could a face so covered with blood and pain, shine with so much love and compassion? You call it love, love as only God can give.
When we seek God’s face, we are at a “personal” level of relationship. To seek God’s face is not so much to seek what He can do for us but to look at His character and attributes to know who He is on the inside. We are beginning to go into a deeper relationship with Him
After my divorce, I felt lost, alone, and unloved. I knew of only one place where I could get unconditional love: I needed to seek God’s face and tap into His essence; I did not need any provision. All I needed was some understanding and compassion, and maybe a little validation, to know that I was okay and that I was worth loving.
I needed the love of God to cover me, manifest in me, and engulf my being. That morning in my front room, Christ had revealed His face to me big time by telling me something that I really needed to hear amidst my situation – “I love you Jim.”
Although God is understanding, compassionate, and validating, when we seek His face, we really begin to see who God is. When you start seeking the essence of somebody, this is where the relationship really begins to grow. Seeking the essence of God is no different. In retrospect, it is okay to seek God's hands because when we aspire to seek God’s face, we realize that much of who God is. . .IS what He wants to do for us. However, He is so much more.
Not only is God understanding and all those things, but He is our righteousness, our sanctification, and our peace. He is our healer, our provider, our banner, our shepherd, and one who is always there. He is the creator of Earth and the universe; He is the all mighty and powerful God, and the all-sufficient one. Yet, this is still not all of who God is.
He is our resurrection, our savior, our advocate, and the Alpha and Omega. He is the author and finisher of our faith. He is the Door for the sheep. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is a Father of mercies and God of all comfort, the Prince of Peace, The Bright Morning Star, The King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is our Lord and our God, He is our life, He is faithful and true, our Maker, and our heavenly Father. He is our hope of glory, our redemption, our foundation, and our Bridegroom. This is still not the full essence of almighty God.
However, in essence, God is Love. Can you imagine not only being a God of love, but actually to be Love? Now, imagine further that you have nobody to love. This is the reason why God created man in the first place, so that Christ could have a bride and the Godhead could have someone on which to lavish their love. You could write a book about who God is. Oops, thirty-nine people already did that. It’s called the Bible.
God’s Word says, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
When God comes to heal our land, He does not necessarily mean geographically, although it could mean just that. More times than not it means anywhere you happen to be at that moment, either spiritually, emotionally, physically, or socially. So, when you make yourself available to God’s will (humble yourselves), and pray, He will come and heal you no matter what your status or location, albeit, according to His will.
Remember that God appearing to you in a vision is not necessarily a prerequisite to seeking or knowing who God is. God just blessed me with that experience during a hard time in my life. However, and who knows, if you seek that blessing, He may bless you in the same way. God is no respecter of persons.
If we don’t seek His face and tap into whom God is and not just His provision, then we will lose out on the fullness of God and everything that He has to offer us. Therefore, now that we not only know that God can provide for us and that we can also minister to Him through our works, but we also know part of who God is. Let’s go deeper into our relationship with Him by seeking His heart. This is where true intimacy with God begins.
SEEKING GOD'S FACE: The Characteristics of God
My divorce was an extremely hard time in my life and if I ever needed God, it was then. At that time I was living in a one-bedroom apartment and I’d just made a new commitment to pray with God for one hour each day. Therefore, at 4:00 AM, I crawled out of bed, got dressed, and went to the front room to fellowship with the Lord.
I was praying the Lord’s Prayer and had just hallowed His name. I stood there waiting on His response. When in the distance, a small speck materialized in my mind’s eye. It was like looking at a movie scene filled with theatrical smoke, only in suspended animation.
Suddenly, in one fluid motion, the whole scene seemed to come at me until I could finally distinguish what it was. Although it was still fuzzy in appearance, it continued to grow until there was no question as to its identity, it was the Cross.
The next thing I could see was the face of Christ. He was looking toward heaven. His face was not in the distance, but up close and personal. He was all I could see. Then something happened that I will never forget. It changed my life.
In slow motion, Jesus turned and pivoted His head until He was looking me straight in the eyes. He said, “I love you, Jim.” The presence of God was vibrating in me as I stood there with my eyes closed and looking straight into the eyes of Jesus Christ. Jesus was touching my spirit and His voice reverberated in my soul as I stood there basking in His presence.
As quickly as He’d come, His image began to fade. Then. . .He disappeared. I do not know how long I stood there; I only know that Cecil B. DeMille could not have made this scene any more real than the one that I had just witnessed. How could a face so covered with blood and pain, shine with so much love and compassion? You call it love, love as only God can give.
When we seek God’s face, we are at a “personal” level of relationship. To seek God’s face is not so much to seek what He can do for us but to look at His character and attributes to know who He is on the inside. We are beginning to go into a deeper relationship with Him
After my divorce, I felt lost, alone, and unloved. I knew of only one place where I could get unconditional love: I needed to seek God’s face and tap into His essence; I did not need any provision. All I needed was some understanding and compassion, and maybe a little validation, to know that I was okay and that I was worth loving.
I needed the love of God to cover me, manifest in me, and engulf my being. That morning in my front room, Christ had revealed His face to me big time by telling me something that I really needed to hear amidst my situation – “I love you Jim.”
Although God is understanding, compassionate, and validating, when we seek His face, we really begin to see who God is. When you start seeking the essence of somebody, this is where the relationship really begins to grow. Seeking the essence of God is no different. In retrospect, it is okay to seek God's hands because when we aspire to seek God’s face, we realize that much of who God is. . .IS what He wants to do for us. However, He is so much more.
Not only is God understanding and all those things, but He is our righteousness, our sanctification, and our peace. He is our healer, our provider, our banner, our shepherd, and one who is always there. He is the creator of Earth and the universe; He is the all mighty and powerful God, and the all-sufficient one. Yet, this is still not all of who God is.
He is our resurrection, our savior, our advocate, and the Alpha and Omega. He is the author and finisher of our faith. He is the Door for the sheep. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is a Father of mercies and God of all comfort, the Prince of Peace, The Bright Morning Star, The King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is our Lord and our God, He is our life, He is faithful and true, our Maker, and our heavenly Father. He is our hope of glory, our redemption, our foundation, and our Bridegroom. This is still not the full essence of almighty God.
However, in essence, God is Love. Can you imagine not only being a God of love, but actually to be Love? Now, imagine further that you have nobody to love. This is the reason why God created man in the first place, so that Christ could have a bride and the Godhead could have someone on which to lavish their love. You could write a book about who God is. Oops, thirty-nine people already did that. It’s called the Bible.
God’s Word says, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
When God comes to heal our land, He does not necessarily mean geographically, although it could mean just that. More times than not it means anywhere you happen to be at that moment, either spiritually, emotionally, physically, or socially. So, when you make yourself available to God’s will (humble yourselves), and pray, He will come and heal you no matter what your status or location, albeit, according to His will.
Remember that God appearing to you in a vision is not necessarily a prerequisite to seeking or knowing who God is. God just blessed me with that experience during a hard time in my life. However, and who knows, if you seek that blessing, He may bless you in the same way. God is no respecter of persons.
If we don’t seek His face and tap into whom God is and not just His provision, then we will lose out on the fullness of God and everything that He has to offer us. Therefore, now that we not only know that God can provide for us and that we can also minister to Him through our works, but we also know part of who God is. Let’s go deeper into our relationship with Him by seeking His heart. This is where true intimacy with God begins.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
SEEKING GOD
PART 3 of 8
SEEKING GOD'S HANDS: God's Provision
Not long ago, I went to the beach for some much-needed R&R. I checked into The Proposal Rock Inn at Neskowin, Oregon, unpacked, and immediately headed for the wet hard sand.
I stood there in awe and overlooked the ocean as the tide slowly but surely encroached on the land, devouring it inch by inch only to recede leaving the shoreline looking as though there was never an invasion of water.
For centuries, the sea has drawn many men to her bosom, beckoning them to “Come...come to me.” How many dreamers have stood on her shores and asked, “What lies beyond the horizon?” Only the brave have dared to venture out leaving the comfort and safety of land behind to see what lay ahead and out of the grasp of civilization.
I had come here spiritually to rest. I wanted to be alone with God and write; no housework, no TV, no stereo, and no computer...just God.
I didn’t have a place at home in which I could write that was conducive to the creativity bottled up inside of me. The ocean provides that environment and atmosphere for me.
I’d never dedicated four days just to be with Him. I said, “Father, it’s just you and me for the next four days. I want my writing to make a difference, so I need the words to be from you Lord, whatever you have for me, I’ll receive.
Although the cool evening breeze continued to blow in from the ocean, I felt warmth in my Spirit. The Lord had just confirmed His presence. My sandals scooped up the sand with one-step and deposited it with the next as I walked and waited on the Lord to speak.
After about ten paces, I stopped and closed my eyes, trying to shut out every semblance of the world. I wanted to be totally alone with God. I must have stood there motionless and quiet for what seemed like twenty minutes--but was probably only a minute or so--waiting on a response from the Lord.
Then it hit me. Even though I’d made this trip to be with Him for fellowship, the first thing I did was to seek His provision. Was my trip a pretense? I didn’t think so because my trip had a two-fold agenda. Is this why God wasn't answering me right away? Did He want me to figure that out by myself. Or was it even a problem.
I said, “I’m sorry Father. I’ve come to fellowship with you and get closer and the first thing I do is ask you for something. Please forgive me. I love you Father but I want to do right by you with the mandate that you have given me.” What I had just said sounded like an excuse, but without thinking, I spoke it from my heart and mind.
Deep from within my spirit I heard, “I know you love Me son for I look on the heart. It's okay to ask Me for things, for it is My good pleasure to give you the desires of your heart.”
I slowly opened my eyes and looked out over the water. I couldn’t help but thinking how the ocean was a perfect representation of God: the vastness, the greatness, the power, the deepness--all perfect examples of the awesomeness of God--and He’d just called me son!
Like the wayfarer answers the call of the sea and sets sail toward the horizon, so do we answer the call of the Spirit and set sail on the boat of faith to begin and develop a relationship with God.
As we embark on that relationship, we learn that He is no respecter of persons. What He does for one person, He’ll do for someone else. If we have the faith to believe that, we will please Him, for it is impossible to please God without faith.
In the early stages of developing a relationship with God, probably ninety percent of our prayers involve soliciting His provision for our lives or to put it more direct, we need something from Him. However, like the Father personally told me earlier, “...It’s okay to ask Me for things...” His Word says, “...ye have not, because ye ask not (James 4:2),” and to Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32)
When I first asked Christ into my heart, I knew that I needed a savior. As a new believer and coming from a messed up past, I was a needy person with a new found caretaker for my life, and I quickly learned that He loved me. In fact, He died for me, and nothing is impossible with Him.
Mark 11:24 declares, “. . .what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” So as I grew, I prayed for guidance, protection, deliverance, healing, financial matters, and a host of other needs. Here I was, treating God like my own personal butler instead of treating Him like my personal Savior. I sounded like an opera star warming up: mememememe.
When we seek God’s hands, we are at an ‘I need’ level of relationship. When we pray for His provision, we are praying for what He and His hands can do for us. What we need is to become like a little child and wean ourselves from milk to meat.
I came to the realization that all I was doing was just ‘taking’ of His provision. God gave me the desires of my heart but I was not giving Him the desires of His heart. Although I tried doing things for Him through the church and for people, I was like Martha with her many works. I did not seek the good part. There is a give and take in any relationship or marriage, without which, it cannot last long. God understands this but He does expect us to grow. Relationship is a process.
Is God’s provision all that there is in a relationship with God? To have a relationship with another person, in the natural, it is prudent to find out who that person is and who they are representing themselves to be. Seeking a relationship with God is no different because natural relationships release insights into our spiritual relationship with Christ. It goes full circle because Christ is the one who teaches us how to have a relationship with others in the first place.
Seeking God’s hands can be a one-sided relationship if that is all we seek of Him. However, by seeking God’s hands, we learn that what He wants to do for us is much of who He is. It pleases God when we ask for His provision instead of seeking the world's provision for our lives. . .but the goal here is to go deeper.
Let's go to a deeper level of relationship and find out who God is by Seeking God's Face.
SEEKING GOD'S HANDS: God's Provision
Not long ago, I went to the beach for some much-needed R&R. I checked into The Proposal Rock Inn at Neskowin, Oregon, unpacked, and immediately headed for the wet hard sand.
I stood there in awe and overlooked the ocean as the tide slowly but surely encroached on the land, devouring it inch by inch only to recede leaving the shoreline looking as though there was never an invasion of water.
For centuries, the sea has drawn many men to her bosom, beckoning them to “Come...come to me.” How many dreamers have stood on her shores and asked, “What lies beyond the horizon?” Only the brave have dared to venture out leaving the comfort and safety of land behind to see what lay ahead and out of the grasp of civilization.
I had come here spiritually to rest. I wanted to be alone with God and write; no housework, no TV, no stereo, and no computer...just God.
I didn’t have a place at home in which I could write that was conducive to the creativity bottled up inside of me. The ocean provides that environment and atmosphere for me.
I’d never dedicated four days just to be with Him. I said, “Father, it’s just you and me for the next four days. I want my writing to make a difference, so I need the words to be from you Lord, whatever you have for me, I’ll receive.
Although the cool evening breeze continued to blow in from the ocean, I felt warmth in my Spirit. The Lord had just confirmed His presence. My sandals scooped up the sand with one-step and deposited it with the next as I walked and waited on the Lord to speak.
After about ten paces, I stopped and closed my eyes, trying to shut out every semblance of the world. I wanted to be totally alone with God. I must have stood there motionless and quiet for what seemed like twenty minutes--but was probably only a minute or so--waiting on a response from the Lord.
Then it hit me. Even though I’d made this trip to be with Him for fellowship, the first thing I did was to seek His provision. Was my trip a pretense? I didn’t think so because my trip had a two-fold agenda. Is this why God wasn't answering me right away? Did He want me to figure that out by myself. Or was it even a problem.
I said, “I’m sorry Father. I’ve come to fellowship with you and get closer and the first thing I do is ask you for something. Please forgive me. I love you Father but I want to do right by you with the mandate that you have given me.” What I had just said sounded like an excuse, but without thinking, I spoke it from my heart and mind.
Deep from within my spirit I heard, “I know you love Me son for I look on the heart. It's okay to ask Me for things, for it is My good pleasure to give you the desires of your heart.”
I slowly opened my eyes and looked out over the water. I couldn’t help but thinking how the ocean was a perfect representation of God: the vastness, the greatness, the power, the deepness--all perfect examples of the awesomeness of God--and He’d just called me son!
Like the wayfarer answers the call of the sea and sets sail toward the horizon, so do we answer the call of the Spirit and set sail on the boat of faith to begin and develop a relationship with God.
As we embark on that relationship, we learn that He is no respecter of persons. What He does for one person, He’ll do for someone else. If we have the faith to believe that, we will please Him, for it is impossible to please God without faith.
In the early stages of developing a relationship with God, probably ninety percent of our prayers involve soliciting His provision for our lives or to put it more direct, we need something from Him. However, like the Father personally told me earlier, “...It’s okay to ask Me for things...” His Word says, “...ye have not, because ye ask not (James 4:2),” and to Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32)
When I first asked Christ into my heart, I knew that I needed a savior. As a new believer and coming from a messed up past, I was a needy person with a new found caretaker for my life, and I quickly learned that He loved me. In fact, He died for me, and nothing is impossible with Him.
Mark 11:24 declares, “. . .what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” So as I grew, I prayed for guidance, protection, deliverance, healing, financial matters, and a host of other needs. Here I was, treating God like my own personal butler instead of treating Him like my personal Savior. I sounded like an opera star warming up: mememememe.
When we seek God’s hands, we are at an ‘I need’ level of relationship. When we pray for His provision, we are praying for what He and His hands can do for us. What we need is to become like a little child and wean ourselves from milk to meat.
I came to the realization that all I was doing was just ‘taking’ of His provision. God gave me the desires of my heart but I was not giving Him the desires of His heart. Although I tried doing things for Him through the church and for people, I was like Martha with her many works. I did not seek the good part. There is a give and take in any relationship or marriage, without which, it cannot last long. God understands this but He does expect us to grow. Relationship is a process.
Is God’s provision all that there is in a relationship with God? To have a relationship with another person, in the natural, it is prudent to find out who that person is and who they are representing themselves to be. Seeking a relationship with God is no different because natural relationships release insights into our spiritual relationship with Christ. It goes full circle because Christ is the one who teaches us how to have a relationship with others in the first place.
Seeking God’s hands can be a one-sided relationship if that is all we seek of Him. However, by seeking God’s hands, we learn that what He wants to do for us is much of who He is. It pleases God when we ask for His provision instead of seeking the world's provision for our lives. . .but the goal here is to go deeper.
Let's go to a deeper level of relationship and find out who God is by Seeking God's Face.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
The Antioch and Alexandria Bibles
The poetic prose of the King James Bible, although a little hard to understand sometimes, has always felt comfortable to me in that I was hearing from God when I read its pages. If ever we needed to hear from God, it is now.
This is not, nor will it be, a crusade I just want to report what I have learned. The only way you can persuade yourself that you are really reading the Word of God is to do the research for yourself. You be the judge. I have already made my decision. I will also give you some sites to use as references. You could write a book on the differences - so, I will barely scratch the surface with this information.
Recently on social Christian network, I started a discussion based on a movie I’d seen many years ago (Planet of the Apes). Although I really didn’t believe in the concept I presented (and said as much)[1], I just thought it might be fun. I had some very interesting comments put forth and I enjoyed reading them tremendously. I even learned a few things in the process.
The concept came from Genesis 1:28 and the word “replenish.” Someone made the comment that the KJV was the only version that used that word. Now I knew of some of the existing alleged discrepancies in other modern day translations but the comments prompted me to do some personal research. Although I have talked to many other people about this, I wanted God to lead me to my answer and conclusion – not man. I think that’s prudent.
Don’t take my word for it, however, do the research yourself. The only trouble is, you’ll need a copy of the AVKJV to make the comparison. I have learned that the KJV is the standard by which we judge all others. It is the original Bible and version.
I love the Word of God and love researching it, so I thank those who participated in my discussion and prompted me to study this. I had a ball with the discussion and the research. There is not enough room to do this topic justice and will only be a few examples out of hundreds of examples that I could present. This will only be a comparison. You decide.
However, what I learned solidified my belief. So, out of love for my brothers and sisters in the Lord, please allow me to exhort you to, minimum, do the research for yourself. I did, and here is what I have learned.
Formal/Dynamic Equivalency
Translators use two basic approaches to creating a Bible translation: formal equivalency and dynamic equivalency. Bibles translated by formal equivalency will take careful reading. At times, you will have to study history to learn the cultural background before you can fully understand the text.
The translator is simply rendering the text in your language...nothing more. . .nothing less. Nevertheless, you will have the confidence of knowing that you do not have to trust another man's understanding, or theology, but can make up your own mind as to what God has said. In the English language, the King James Bible is the only available translation using this approach.
On the other hand, Bibles translated by dynamic equivalency will read as easily as a novel. When a story seems difficult to understand without a little history, the author may even change it to a form he believes you will better understand! You will never know for sure what God said, but must trust the translator's theology to lead you into truth. The translator here is acting as a teacher, not just telling you what God said, but he is adding his understanding of what God meant! All present day versions use this approach.
Antioch and Alexandria Bibles
We hear much talk these days about "older" and "more authoritative" manuscripts, but we aren't hearing much about the origin of these manuscripts. It is an established fact that there are only two lines of Bibles: one coming from Antioch, Syria (known as the Syrian or Byzantine type text), and one coming from Alexandria, Egypt (known as the Egyptian or Hesycnian type text).
The Syrian text from Antioch is the Majority text from which our King James 1611 Bible comes, and the Egyptian text is the minority text from which the new translations come. (As a side note), in the Bible, notice how the Holy Spirit casts Egypt and Alexandria in a negative light, while His comments on Antioch tend to be very positive.
Deleted Verses
You might be shocked to know that the NIV deletes over forty verses from the Bible. Here are just a couple: Mathew 18:11. What are the NIV readers missing? "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost." (KJV) Sort of important, don’t you think? How about this one: 1 John 5:7. What are the NIV readers missing? "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." (KJV)
1 John 5:7 is one of the greatest verses in THE Bible that testifies to the trinity. This is why the Jehovah’s Witnesses leave it out of their bible. They don't believe in the Trinity. So. . .why does the NIV leave it out? If we believe in the Trinity, then this deletion should greatly offend us. I know I am tremendously offended. The NIV removes these two major verses.
How about a couple more?
The NIV completely removes Mark 11:26. What are the NIV readers missing? "But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses." (KJV) How about Acts 8:37, which the NIV completely removes, "And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." (KJV) Its deletion makes one think that people do not need baptism or saved to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. This goes against our faith, in that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and The Life and is the only way to the Father. Rather important Scripture I think.
“If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? [3]” (KJV)
Contradiction
One of the most famous and recognizable verses in the Bible is John 3:16. The KJV says, “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son. . .” Here is the NIV: “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son. . .” This change causes a contradiction in the word of God because God has more than one son according to both the King James (Genesis 6:2, Job 1:6, John 1:12) and the NIV (Genesis 6:2). The NIV even contradicts itself. If there is one contradiction, then the rest loses credibility and needs rejecting.
Deleted Words
The NIV removes 64,576 words from their bible. In other words, don’t look for the word “mercyseat,” its gone; don’t look for the word “Jehovah,” it is gone, and don’t look for the word “Godhead,” it is gone. The word “sodomy” is also gone. (The deletion of the word sodomy sounds suspiciously PC to me.) Are you sitting down? Sixty-four and a half thousand words are like removing thirty books from the Bible. THIRTY!!! The NIV removes words like, remission, regeneration, impute, propitiation, New Testament and many, many others. All this despite the Bible’s warning about “taking away” from His words (Prov 30:5, 6; Rev 22:19).
Jesus is Lucifer?
For me, here is the capper: the NIV bible calls Jesus, Lucifer. Don’t believe me? Check it out for yourself. We first have to look at Isaiah 14:12. This is what THE Bible (KJV) says: "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations." Here is the NIV: “How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations.” This Isaiah passage is all about Lucifer. . .remember that. Also remember now, while continuing to read, who is the Morning Star.
Is there anywhere else in the NIV that mentions the Morning Star? Check out Revelation 22:16, which says, “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” What about 2 Peter 1:19? “And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, 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.” The NIV has Jesus and Lucifer as the same person by its own words. This is in black and white and irrefutable. This is highly offensive to me. Lord Jesus, please have mercy on us.
I offer this series only because I love the body of Christ and want to help and warn you in your walk. Time for us is running out. I don’t want to keep silent on a truth that I have learned. This would be a lie of omission[2].
As a comparison, what if I was consistently prone to not telling the truth, how much credibility would I have with you? Would you come back to me to seek the truth? I doubt it. You would consider me a poor and unsuitable character reference with zero credibility. We seek the Bible for truth so if one verse is wrong or missing, that bible has zero credibility.
The Holy Spirit convicts us but He also convicts us through the Word of God. His Word is where we reference our convictions and learn from them. If the Bible we are reading has mistakes, lies of omissions, and deletions, then how can we be sure that any of the passages are correct and with which we can base our convictions?
God has given us all free will and we now have a choice. I want to make sure that I am hearing from God because of the times that are ahead of us and not from man’s interpretation of what he thinks God may have said. I don’t have any titles next to my name for I am just His humble servant. However, I do, as we all do, have the Holy Spirit to guide us.
First and foremost, you should test everything that you read on these four pages, as well as elsewhere, against THE Word of God. He is the definitive answer. Therefore, I leave you in His hands and offer these few pages for your testing.
I pray that this information is useful in your walk.
GBY all
Much information taken from:
Jesus-is-Lord
Bible Study Resource
The King James Bible Page
Bible versions F.A.Q
Lie of Omission
.
This is not, nor will it be, a crusade I just want to report what I have learned. The only way you can persuade yourself that you are really reading the Word of God is to do the research for yourself. You be the judge. I have already made my decision. I will also give you some sites to use as references. You could write a book on the differences - so, I will barely scratch the surface with this information.
Recently on social Christian network, I started a discussion based on a movie I’d seen many years ago (Planet of the Apes). Although I really didn’t believe in the concept I presented (and said as much)[1], I just thought it might be fun. I had some very interesting comments put forth and I enjoyed reading them tremendously. I even learned a few things in the process.
The concept came from Genesis 1:28 and the word “replenish.” Someone made the comment that the KJV was the only version that used that word. Now I knew of some of the existing alleged discrepancies in other modern day translations but the comments prompted me to do some personal research. Although I have talked to many other people about this, I wanted God to lead me to my answer and conclusion – not man. I think that’s prudent.
Don’t take my word for it, however, do the research yourself. The only trouble is, you’ll need a copy of the AVKJV to make the comparison. I have learned that the KJV is the standard by which we judge all others. It is the original Bible and version.
I love the Word of God and love researching it, so I thank those who participated in my discussion and prompted me to study this. I had a ball with the discussion and the research. There is not enough room to do this topic justice and will only be a few examples out of hundreds of examples that I could present. This will only be a comparison. You decide.
However, what I learned solidified my belief. So, out of love for my brothers and sisters in the Lord, please allow me to exhort you to, minimum, do the research for yourself. I did, and here is what I have learned.
Formal/Dynamic Equivalency
Translators use two basic approaches to creating a Bible translation: formal equivalency and dynamic equivalency. Bibles translated by formal equivalency will take careful reading. At times, you will have to study history to learn the cultural background before you can fully understand the text.
The translator is simply rendering the text in your language...nothing more. . .nothing less. Nevertheless, you will have the confidence of knowing that you do not have to trust another man's understanding, or theology, but can make up your own mind as to what God has said. In the English language, the King James Bible is the only available translation using this approach.
On the other hand, Bibles translated by dynamic equivalency will read as easily as a novel. When a story seems difficult to understand without a little history, the author may even change it to a form he believes you will better understand! You will never know for sure what God said, but must trust the translator's theology to lead you into truth. The translator here is acting as a teacher, not just telling you what God said, but he is adding his understanding of what God meant! All present day versions use this approach.
Antioch and Alexandria Bibles
We hear much talk these days about "older" and "more authoritative" manuscripts, but we aren't hearing much about the origin of these manuscripts. It is an established fact that there are only two lines of Bibles: one coming from Antioch, Syria (known as the Syrian or Byzantine type text), and one coming from Alexandria, Egypt (known as the Egyptian or Hesycnian type text).
The Syrian text from Antioch is the Majority text from which our King James 1611 Bible comes, and the Egyptian text is the minority text from which the new translations come. (As a side note), in the Bible, notice how the Holy Spirit casts Egypt and Alexandria in a negative light, while His comments on Antioch tend to be very positive.
Deleted Verses
You might be shocked to know that the NIV deletes over forty verses from the Bible. Here are just a couple: Mathew 18:11. What are the NIV readers missing? "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost." (KJV) Sort of important, don’t you think? How about this one: 1 John 5:7. What are the NIV readers missing? "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." (KJV)
1 John 5:7 is one of the greatest verses in THE Bible that testifies to the trinity. This is why the Jehovah’s Witnesses leave it out of their bible. They don't believe in the Trinity. So. . .why does the NIV leave it out? If we believe in the Trinity, then this deletion should greatly offend us. I know I am tremendously offended. The NIV removes these two major verses.
How about a couple more?
The NIV completely removes Mark 11:26. What are the NIV readers missing? "But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses." (KJV) How about Acts 8:37, which the NIV completely removes, "And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." (KJV) Its deletion makes one think that people do not need baptism or saved to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. This goes against our faith, in that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and The Life and is the only way to the Father. Rather important Scripture I think.
“If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? [3]” (KJV)
Contradiction
One of the most famous and recognizable verses in the Bible is John 3:16. The KJV says, “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son. . .” Here is the NIV: “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son. . .” This change causes a contradiction in the word of God because God has more than one son according to both the King James (Genesis 6:2, Job 1:6, John 1:12) and the NIV (Genesis 6:2). The NIV even contradicts itself. If there is one contradiction, then the rest loses credibility and needs rejecting.
Deleted Words
The NIV removes 64,576 words from their bible. In other words, don’t look for the word “mercyseat,” its gone; don’t look for the word “Jehovah,” it is gone, and don’t look for the word “Godhead,” it is gone. The word “sodomy” is also gone. (The deletion of the word sodomy sounds suspiciously PC to me.) Are you sitting down? Sixty-four and a half thousand words are like removing thirty books from the Bible. THIRTY!!! The NIV removes words like, remission, regeneration, impute, propitiation, New Testament and many, many others. All this despite the Bible’s warning about “taking away” from His words (Prov 30:5, 6; Rev 22:19).
Jesus is Lucifer?
For me, here is the capper: the NIV bible calls Jesus, Lucifer. Don’t believe me? Check it out for yourself. We first have to look at Isaiah 14:12. This is what THE Bible (KJV) says: "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations." Here is the NIV: “How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations.” This Isaiah passage is all about Lucifer. . .remember that. Also remember now, while continuing to read, who is the Morning Star.
Is there anywhere else in the NIV that mentions the Morning Star? Check out Revelation 22:16, which says, “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” What about 2 Peter 1:19? “And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, 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.” The NIV has Jesus and Lucifer as the same person by its own words. This is in black and white and irrefutable. This is highly offensive to me. Lord Jesus, please have mercy on us.
I offer this series only because I love the body of Christ and want to help and warn you in your walk. Time for us is running out. I don’t want to keep silent on a truth that I have learned. This would be a lie of omission[2].
As a comparison, what if I was consistently prone to not telling the truth, how much credibility would I have with you? Would you come back to me to seek the truth? I doubt it. You would consider me a poor and unsuitable character reference with zero credibility. We seek the Bible for truth so if one verse is wrong or missing, that bible has zero credibility.
The Holy Spirit convicts us but He also convicts us through the Word of God. His Word is where we reference our convictions and learn from them. If the Bible we are reading has mistakes, lies of omissions, and deletions, then how can we be sure that any of the passages are correct and with which we can base our convictions?
God has given us all free will and we now have a choice. I want to make sure that I am hearing from God because of the times that are ahead of us and not from man’s interpretation of what he thinks God may have said. I don’t have any titles next to my name for I am just His humble servant. However, I do, as we all do, have the Holy Spirit to guide us.
First and foremost, you should test everything that you read on these four pages, as well as elsewhere, against THE Word of God. He is the definitive answer. Therefore, I leave you in His hands and offer these few pages for your testing.
I pray that this information is useful in your walk.
GBY all
Much information taken from:
Jesus-is-Lord
Bible Study Resource
The King James Bible Page
Bible versions F.A.Q
Lie of Omission
.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
WHY DID JESUS FOLD HIS BURIAL NAPKIN?
NOTE: I did not write this but knew of the custom. To understand the Bible, It would be prudent to study Jewish customs and traditions of the day. It would be advantageous to study Jewish marriage customs especially in these last days. I plan to post a blog covering this in a series of blogs starting next week.
Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection?
The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes.
The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed at the head of that stony coffin.
Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying to the side.
Was that important? Absolutely!
Is it really significant? Yes!
In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day.
The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition.
When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished.
Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, 'I'm done'. But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table,
because..........
The folded napkin meant, 'I'm coming back!'
HALLELUJAH!!!
Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection?
The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes.
The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed at the head of that stony coffin.
Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying to the side.
Was that important? Absolutely!
Is it really significant? Yes!
In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day.
The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition.
When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished.
Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, 'I'm done'. But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table,
because..........
The folded napkin meant, 'I'm coming back!'
HALLELUJAH!!!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
The Little Brown Cardboard Box
Recently, I settled back into my recliner with TV dinner and milk in hand, to watch a movie on the tube. The blurb for The Skeleton Key was innocent enough so I clicked on the appropriate channel, squirming to get comfortable and dive into my meal.
The storyline was about a young woman who, disenfranchised by a common apathy toward patients at a hospice ward, leaves to take a position as a caretaker at a private residence in the Louisiana Bayou.
The movie opens with the lead, Kate Hudson, a nurse, sitting at the bedside of a male patient reading a book to him. One minute his eyes are open. The next minute, they shut. She closes the book, puts it on the chair, then reaches down, and checks the man’s vitals. Another nurse stops at the open door.
“He’s gone,” Kate says, shaking her head.
Later, Kate leaves the building with a little brown cardboard box in her arms, a label identifying the box as belonging to the man who passed away. Near the back door sits a large top-loaded trash container. Kate lifts the lid and prepares to throw away the box, but first she looks inside the bin and notices half a dozen other boxes with a label on each one identifying its owner. Following that scene, I don’t remember anything that happened.
I sat there in my recliner thinking about the old man’s box. The sum total of this man’s life was able to fit inside of a small box. There were no family members at his side when he passed, just a nurse who cared enough to perform a simple act of kindness by reading to him as he slipped away.
I couldn’t help wondering about what keepsakes were in the box. Perhaps some pictures or a few personal letters, a cross at the end of a chain, or maybe a woman’s wedding band. Now they sat in a trash bin in an alley.
FIRE HAZARDS
Just like the trash container consumed the man’s box, so will the refiner’s fire consume all hay, grass, and straw on that Day of Judgment. Everything that is not pure will burn in that fire just as the dross rises to the top and discarded when refining Gold.
That little brown cardboard box is a metaphor for our lives and as such is a gift from God. The contents of our life, or what we do with our lives, are a gift back to Him. What will Christ find in our little brown cardboard box before He throws it into the refiner’s fire? What in our lives is pure enough that will survive the fire?
A FIRE RESISTANT STRUCTURE
1 Corinthians 3:11-16 says that Christ is the foundation. It also says that some men will build on that foundation with a pure Christian life, which is gold, silver, and costly stones, while others will build on it with hay, grass, and straw and is symbolic of a weak and impure life.
In that Day, the Bible says, “If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames[1].”
That scene at the trash bin had a huge impact on my spiritual life. I thought to myself, Lord, what will be the sum total of my spiritual life when you come to collect my spirit? Will there be anything in my little brown cardboard box after the fire?
BLUEPRINTS FOR A FIRE RESISTANT STRUCTURE
I asked the Lord, “How do you define gold, silver, and costly stones? With what do I fill up my little brown cardboard box?”
The Lord said to me, Son, “These are things that are likened unto gold, silver, and costly stones: ‘. . .Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, love your neighbor as yourself[2].’”
God put many verses on my heart that day as He defined those things likened unto gold, silver, and costly stones. I learned that Luke 10:27 was, and still is, the most important to Him. (For your own personal study, you can find the rest of the Scriptures that the Lord gave to me, in the endnotes[3].)
MOVING IN
Then the Holy Spirit put everything into perspective for me, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory[4].”
When I read, “When Christ, who is (y)our life. . .” that hit me. How many times have I read that passage and just skimmed over it? We are His body and Christ is the head of that body[5]. He is the foundation of the temple and we are the temple of God[6]. Hallelujah!
The Lord was telling me that we should constantly be aware that we are an extension of Him and because the body connects to the head, it can only do what the head tells it. When people interact with us. . .will they see Christ in us? What will be in our little brown cardboard boxes when Christ requires our Spirits? Will we just squeak into heaven like the thief on the Cross?
By filling our little brown cardboard boxes with a pure Christian life, by encouraging others, and by representing Christ here on Earth we will garner our rewards for a job well done, thou good and faithful servants[7], and will appear with Him in glory[8].
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[1] 1 Corinthians 3:14, 15
[2] Luke 10:27
[3] Deuteronomy 11:27; Exodus 20:2-17;Mark 11:25; Philippians 4:8; Galatians 5:22, 23; 1 Peter 1:16; Mark 16:15; Proverbs 6:17-19; Colossians 3:2-17
[4] Colossians 3:1-4
[5] Colossians 1:18
[6] 1 Corinthians 3:16
[7] Mathew 25:21
[8] Colossians 3:4
The storyline was about a young woman who, disenfranchised by a common apathy toward patients at a hospice ward, leaves to take a position as a caretaker at a private residence in the Louisiana Bayou.
The movie opens with the lead, Kate Hudson, a nurse, sitting at the bedside of a male patient reading a book to him. One minute his eyes are open. The next minute, they shut. She closes the book, puts it on the chair, then reaches down, and checks the man’s vitals. Another nurse stops at the open door.
“He’s gone,” Kate says, shaking her head.
Later, Kate leaves the building with a little brown cardboard box in her arms, a label identifying the box as belonging to the man who passed away. Near the back door sits a large top-loaded trash container. Kate lifts the lid and prepares to throw away the box, but first she looks inside the bin and notices half a dozen other boxes with a label on each one identifying its owner. Following that scene, I don’t remember anything that happened.
I sat there in my recliner thinking about the old man’s box. The sum total of this man’s life was able to fit inside of a small box. There were no family members at his side when he passed, just a nurse who cared enough to perform a simple act of kindness by reading to him as he slipped away.
I couldn’t help wondering about what keepsakes were in the box. Perhaps some pictures or a few personal letters, a cross at the end of a chain, or maybe a woman’s wedding band. Now they sat in a trash bin in an alley.
FIRE HAZARDS
Just like the trash container consumed the man’s box, so will the refiner’s fire consume all hay, grass, and straw on that Day of Judgment. Everything that is not pure will burn in that fire just as the dross rises to the top and discarded when refining Gold.
That little brown cardboard box is a metaphor for our lives and as such is a gift from God. The contents of our life, or what we do with our lives, are a gift back to Him. What will Christ find in our little brown cardboard box before He throws it into the refiner’s fire? What in our lives is pure enough that will survive the fire?
A FIRE RESISTANT STRUCTURE
1 Corinthians 3:11-16 says that Christ is the foundation. It also says that some men will build on that foundation with a pure Christian life, which is gold, silver, and costly stones, while others will build on it with hay, grass, and straw and is symbolic of a weak and impure life.
In that Day, the Bible says, “If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames[1].”
That scene at the trash bin had a huge impact on my spiritual life. I thought to myself, Lord, what will be the sum total of my spiritual life when you come to collect my spirit? Will there be anything in my little brown cardboard box after the fire?
BLUEPRINTS FOR A FIRE RESISTANT STRUCTURE
I asked the Lord, “How do you define gold, silver, and costly stones? With what do I fill up my little brown cardboard box?”
The Lord said to me, Son, “These are things that are likened unto gold, silver, and costly stones: ‘. . .Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, love your neighbor as yourself[2].’”
God put many verses on my heart that day as He defined those things likened unto gold, silver, and costly stones. I learned that Luke 10:27 was, and still is, the most important to Him. (For your own personal study, you can find the rest of the Scriptures that the Lord gave to me, in the endnotes[3].)
MOVING IN
Then the Holy Spirit put everything into perspective for me, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory[4].”
When I read, “When Christ, who is (y)our life. . .” that hit me. How many times have I read that passage and just skimmed over it? We are His body and Christ is the head of that body[5]. He is the foundation of the temple and we are the temple of God[6]. Hallelujah!
The Lord was telling me that we should constantly be aware that we are an extension of Him and because the body connects to the head, it can only do what the head tells it. When people interact with us. . .will they see Christ in us? What will be in our little brown cardboard boxes when Christ requires our Spirits? Will we just squeak into heaven like the thief on the Cross?
By filling our little brown cardboard boxes with a pure Christian life, by encouraging others, and by representing Christ here on Earth we will garner our rewards for a job well done, thou good and faithful servants[7], and will appear with Him in glory[8].
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[1] 1 Corinthians 3:14, 15
[2] Luke 10:27
[3] Deuteronomy 11:27; Exodus 20:2-17;Mark 11:25; Philippians 4:8; Galatians 5:22, 23; 1 Peter 1:16; Mark 16:15; Proverbs 6:17-19; Colossians 3:2-17
[4] Colossians 3:1-4
[5] Colossians 1:18
[6] 1 Corinthians 3:16
[7] Mathew 25:21
[8] Colossians 3:4
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Who We Are In Christ
Late one evening, when I was a young man, my sister and I were walking home from a dance late at night. We frequented this weekly event every Saturday night because sis loved to dance. At the time, I had just turned sixteen and Judy was only thirteen and in the eighth grade. She was very mature and beautiful for her age. We were (and still are) the best of friends, and she is still very beautiful.
Suddenly, from the shadows, a young man in uniform materialized, which startled us. Judging solely by his looks, I figured him to be about nineteen or twenty. His catcalls and childish demeanor brought that down to about eleven. However, because of the uniform, I knew this not to be true.
His whistles and remarks, most of which I can’t even remember, were innocent at first, like, "Hey babe. . .how about you and I go out. . ." Soon his comments began to escalate to a more confrontational demeanor. Remarks like, “Hey sweet thing, what are you doing with that dork? Let a real man walk you home.” He closed the distance between us. I finally asked the guy to back off. He didn’t. By the time we got to our front yard, the soldier and I were in full hand-to-hand combat.
Dad must have heard my sister screaming because he ran outside, grabbed the soldier with one hand and me with the other, and held us both out at arm’s length. It was all over.
I thought to myself, I can take this guy dad. I was winning the battle but maybe dad was a little uncertain as to whether I could have won the war especially with a trained soldier. (He didn't feel trained in my head lock.) Nonetheless, dad loved me enough to jump into the middle of things thinking I was in danger no matter the consequences to his own safety. I am proud to have called him Dad and to be a part of his family.
BORN INTO GOD'S FAMILY
Through faith in Christ we are all brothers and sisters in God’s family [1]. Every person saved in the past, present, and future will be in Christ by what He did on the Cross. Christ loved us enough to come down out of His home, not worrying about His safety, and jumped into the middle of our troubles to die for us.
When I was just a kid and one of my siblings or I had a tough challenge ahead, I’d always ask them, “What’s your last name?” I was proud of my last name and wanted to pass it on to my sons in as good as shape as when I received it. If Dad taught me one thing, he taught me perseverance and that I could do anything if I put my mind to it. He’d always say, “What’s your last name, boy?”
When we are in Christ, what is there that we cannot do through Christ? His Word says that we can do all things through Him that strengthens us [2]. So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir [3]. This proclaims that all of the privileges that belong to Christ now belong to us, as well. God is our Abba Father or as a term of endearment, our daddy [4].
Who are we in Christ? We are sons and daughters of God and heirs to His Kingdom. The same Spirit that is in Jesus is in us. Therefore, I ask you, "What's your last name?" In whose family do you belong?
LIVING IN GOD'S FAMILY
My dad not only taught me to be a man but he also taught me to be a father. My family did everything together while growing up. We went camping, fishing, to the beach together and even played games at home like, 500 Rummy, Monopoly, and picture puzzles. We always had food on the table, a roof over our head, and much love and affection to go around. We wanted for nothing.
It is God the Father’s good pleasure to give us everything. As a point of fact, God's Word says that it is the Father's good pleasure to give us His Kingdom [5]. If we give our kids good gifts, how much more will God in heaven give better gifts to us [6]. However, there is one catch: we need to have faith “In Christ.” We need to belong to His family.
I remember when I first asked Christ into my heart. I was in a little Baptist Church two blocks from our house. I can close my eyes and still see the pastor leading me in the prayer of salvation. I was now in Christ and redeemed. That was 54 years ago.
We can see people healed and even rise from the dead, but the biggest miracle and gift of all is salvation. We are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus [7]. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law when He hung on the Cross.
ETERNAL REWARDS IN GOD'S FAMILY
Although both my parents are with Jesus now, I am still proud to be in their family and to have their last name. So, what are the benefits of being in God's family?
In Christ, we have redemption [8], sanctification [9], wisdom, and righteousness [10]. In Christ, we are wise, strong, and honorable [11]. In Christ, we have eternal life [12] and can always be triumphant [13]. There is an anointing [14] in Christ and we are all a new creature [15]. In Christ, we have liberty [16] and have justification through faith [17]. We are children of the living God [18] in Christ. We have hope [19], grace [20], and salvation [21] in Christ. In Christ, we have reconciliation [22] and are partakers of the promise [23].
Dad is reaping those benefits first hand now with the Lord in glory. Even in Dad’s last days, he was still protecting us kids with his prayers. His physical body gave out and he could no longer pick up two men at arm’s length but his prayers protected us all just the same.
To acquire the grace of God [24], His love for us [25], and all the privileges of “In Christ”[26] here on earth, we first need to come to faith in Christ [27]. Once we join God’s family through the prayer of salvation, then faith in Christ is nothing more than trusting in God’s Word [28] and not wavering, as James warns us in chapter 1:2-8. I am proud to be in God's family.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. [29]
In Christ footnotes
[1] Galatians 3:24 [2] Philippians 4:13 [3] Galatians 4:7
[4] Galatians 4:6 [5] Luke 12:32 [6] Matthew 7:11
[7] Romans 3:24 [8] Romans 3:24 [9 ] 1 Corinthians 1:2
[10] 1 Corinthians 1:20 [11] 1 Corinthians 4:10
[12] 1 Corinthians 15:22 [13] 2 Corinthians 2:14
[14] 2 Corinthians 1:21 [15] 2 Corinthians 5:17
[16] Galatians 2:4 [17] Romans 5:1 [18 ] Galatians 3:26
[19] 1 Corinthians 15:19 [20] 2 Timothy 2:1 [21] 2 Timothy 2:10
[22] 2 Corinthians 5:19 [23] Ephesians 3:6
[24] Titus 2:11; 1 Peter 4:10 [25] Romans 8:35-39
[26] Galatians 4:7 [27] Galatians 2:16, 20; Galatians 3:26;
Ephesians 3:17; Ephesians 4:13; Philippians 3:9
[28] Proverbs 3:5, 6 [29] 2 Corinthians 13:14
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Next week: We the Jury. The Spirit of Guilt is one of the most devastating spirits in the arsenal of Satan. It can bring us down quicker than anything. Satan has spiritually indicted and prosecuted everybody that has ever lived, but the verdict is in. . .“Not guilty – on all counts.”
God bless you all and we’ll see you next Monday.
Thanks for stopping by,
Your Host: James Warren
Christian Author: James Lindquist
http://www.jameslindquist.net
Check my first blog “Welcome” for explanation of my names.
http://www.jameslindquist.net/htmfiles/biograph.htm
Suddenly, from the shadows, a young man in uniform materialized, which startled us. Judging solely by his looks, I figured him to be about nineteen or twenty. His catcalls and childish demeanor brought that down to about eleven. However, because of the uniform, I knew this not to be true.
His whistles and remarks, most of which I can’t even remember, were innocent at first, like, "Hey babe. . .how about you and I go out. . ." Soon his comments began to escalate to a more confrontational demeanor. Remarks like, “Hey sweet thing, what are you doing with that dork? Let a real man walk you home.” He closed the distance between us. I finally asked the guy to back off. He didn’t. By the time we got to our front yard, the soldier and I were in full hand-to-hand combat.
Dad must have heard my sister screaming because he ran outside, grabbed the soldier with one hand and me with the other, and held us both out at arm’s length. It was all over.
I thought to myself, I can take this guy dad. I was winning the battle but maybe dad was a little uncertain as to whether I could have won the war especially with a trained soldier. (He didn't feel trained in my head lock.) Nonetheless, dad loved me enough to jump into the middle of things thinking I was in danger no matter the consequences to his own safety. I am proud to have called him Dad and to be a part of his family.
BORN INTO GOD'S FAMILY
Through faith in Christ we are all brothers and sisters in God’s family [1]. Every person saved in the past, present, and future will be in Christ by what He did on the Cross. Christ loved us enough to come down out of His home, not worrying about His safety, and jumped into the middle of our troubles to die for us.
When I was just a kid and one of my siblings or I had a tough challenge ahead, I’d always ask them, “What’s your last name?” I was proud of my last name and wanted to pass it on to my sons in as good as shape as when I received it. If Dad taught me one thing, he taught me perseverance and that I could do anything if I put my mind to it. He’d always say, “What’s your last name, boy?”
When we are in Christ, what is there that we cannot do through Christ? His Word says that we can do all things through Him that strengthens us [2]. So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir [3]. This proclaims that all of the privileges that belong to Christ now belong to us, as well. God is our Abba Father or as a term of endearment, our daddy [4].
Who are we in Christ? We are sons and daughters of God and heirs to His Kingdom. The same Spirit that is in Jesus is in us. Therefore, I ask you, "What's your last name?" In whose family do you belong?
LIVING IN GOD'S FAMILY
My dad not only taught me to be a man but he also taught me to be a father. My family did everything together while growing up. We went camping, fishing, to the beach together and even played games at home like, 500 Rummy, Monopoly, and picture puzzles. We always had food on the table, a roof over our head, and much love and affection to go around. We wanted for nothing.
It is God the Father’s good pleasure to give us everything. As a point of fact, God's Word says that it is the Father's good pleasure to give us His Kingdom [5]. If we give our kids good gifts, how much more will God in heaven give better gifts to us [6]. However, there is one catch: we need to have faith “In Christ.” We need to belong to His family.
I remember when I first asked Christ into my heart. I was in a little Baptist Church two blocks from our house. I can close my eyes and still see the pastor leading me in the prayer of salvation. I was now in Christ and redeemed. That was 54 years ago.
We can see people healed and even rise from the dead, but the biggest miracle and gift of all is salvation. We are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus [7]. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law when He hung on the Cross.
ETERNAL REWARDS IN GOD'S FAMILY
Although both my parents are with Jesus now, I am still proud to be in their family and to have their last name. So, what are the benefits of being in God's family?
In Christ, we have redemption [8], sanctification [9], wisdom, and righteousness [10]. In Christ, we are wise, strong, and honorable [11]. In Christ, we have eternal life [12] and can always be triumphant [13]. There is an anointing [14] in Christ and we are all a new creature [15]. In Christ, we have liberty [16] and have justification through faith [17]. We are children of the living God [18] in Christ. We have hope [19], grace [20], and salvation [21] in Christ. In Christ, we have reconciliation [22] and are partakers of the promise [23].
Dad is reaping those benefits first hand now with the Lord in glory. Even in Dad’s last days, he was still protecting us kids with his prayers. His physical body gave out and he could no longer pick up two men at arm’s length but his prayers protected us all just the same.
To acquire the grace of God [24], His love for us [25], and all the privileges of “In Christ”[26] here on earth, we first need to come to faith in Christ [27]. Once we join God’s family through the prayer of salvation, then faith in Christ is nothing more than trusting in God’s Word [28] and not wavering, as James warns us in chapter 1:2-8. I am proud to be in God's family.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. [29]
In Christ footnotes
[1] Galatians 3:24 [2] Philippians 4:13 [3] Galatians 4:7
[4] Galatians 4:6 [5] Luke 12:32 [6] Matthew 7:11
[7] Romans 3:24 [8] Romans 3:24 [9 ] 1 Corinthians 1:2
[10] 1 Corinthians 1:20 [11] 1 Corinthians 4:10
[12] 1 Corinthians 15:22 [13] 2 Corinthians 2:14
[14] 2 Corinthians 1:21 [15] 2 Corinthians 5:17
[16] Galatians 2:4 [17] Romans 5:1 [18 ] Galatians 3:26
[19] 1 Corinthians 15:19 [20] 2 Timothy 2:1 [21] 2 Timothy 2:10
[22] 2 Corinthians 5:19 [23] Ephesians 3:6
[24] Titus 2:11; 1 Peter 4:10 [25] Romans 8:35-39
[26] Galatians 4:7 [27] Galatians 2:16, 20; Galatians 3:26;
Ephesians 3:17; Ephesians 4:13; Philippians 3:9
[28] Proverbs 3:5, 6 [29] 2 Corinthians 13:14
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Next week: We the Jury. The Spirit of Guilt is one of the most devastating spirits in the arsenal of Satan. It can bring us down quicker than anything. Satan has spiritually indicted and prosecuted everybody that has ever lived, but the verdict is in. . .“Not guilty – on all counts.”
God bless you all and we’ll see you next Monday.
Thanks for stopping by,
Your Host: James Warren
Christian Author: James Lindquist
http://www.jameslindquist.net
Check my first blog “Welcome” for explanation of my names.
http://www.jameslindquist.net/htmfiles/biograph.htm
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Christian - Twelve Step Program
There is probably a 99% chance that your spouse has verbally attacked you at some point in your relationship. As you stand there looking at them in their rage, the veins popping out of their neck, their face as red as a beet, you can know in your spirit what the driving force is behind them.
Knowing from where the outburst is coming permits you to have compassion on them and keeps you from acting in an un-scriptural manner because we know that we do not wrestle with flesh and blood but with principalities, powers, and spiritual wickedness in high places.
How many times have you reacted with a defensive posture and retaliated, quip for quip? I confess to you that I have retaliated many times in just such a fashion. The enemy influenced my thought process and I fell for it. The sooner that we can stop reacting to them, but instead, respond, the quicker and better things will be in our marriage and all other relationships.
Satan uses our values, our needs, and our expectations to create emotions during heated marital (and relational) discussions. When we do not get our own way, he uses those emotions to create dissension among us. If this trend continues and we do not remedy the situation, Satan will have succeeded in, minimum, putting another relationship at odds and quite possibly on the rocks. His ultimate goal, however, is separation and divorce. Are we going to let Satan manipulate us? It is imperative that we know who the enemy is.
However, during those discussions, there are rules of engagement. Here are some rules that you can use but are not all necessarily inclusive.
1. Discuss and define the problem, but work on the solution. Before starting the discussion wait for the heat of the moment to pass.
2. Do not at any time; attack your spouse’s character or integrity. Do not personalize the attack. Instead, attack the problem.
3. Unless you have a good memory, you might take some notes when it is your turn to speak. An old counselor's trick is to use an inanimate object (it matters not what it is) for your discussions and whom ever is holding it is the only one allowed to talk.
4. Watch your pronouns. The quickest way to build an immediate wall is to use “you” statements. When you use “you” statements people’s receiving mechanism will shut down. It is a wall that you can physically see manifest right before your eyes. They will go into a defensive mode and any constructive conversation, for all intent and purposes, will be over.
5. Try not to spend more than twenty minutes discussing a hot button issue. Agree to disagree and go have a sundae. . .together.
6. Lastly, but by no means lesser in value, if you are angry, don’t sin by nursing a grudge. Don’t let the sun go down with you still angry – get over it quickly; for when you are angry, you give a mighty foothold to the enemy.
Again, don’t go to bed angry at each other. Men, this is where we need to step up to the plate. As the spiritual leader of the home sometimes we just need to bite the bullet and acquiesce. God calls us to peace. The bottom line is. . .know who the enemy is.
If there are problems in your marriage, I can guarantee you that the Lord was not at the center of that relationship or at least during those times of unrest and trouble. Therefore, with all due respect, before we start playing the blame game with God or with each other for our problems, we need to ask ourselves some very important questions. I wonder how many Christian’s homes are in trouble today because they have answered “no” to any of the following questions:
1. Are you praying for each other daily?
2. Are you praying together, daily?
3. Do you go to a local church and worship God, together?
4. Do you read God’s Word together, daily?
5. Have you made it a daily practice to participate in a devotional reading, together?
6. Is the day started and finished with Jesus Christ alone, and when possible, together. Because of jobs, this is the hard one.
The operative word in this list is “together.” There is something very edifying about hearing someone you love, lifting your name up to the Lord. Remember that a threefold cord is not quickly broken (Ec 4:12).
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Next week: In Christ. No less than 64 times does the New Testament mention the phrase, “In Christ.” What does it mean to be “In Christ?” I’ll touch on this subject next week. The limited space on this blog hinders me from a thorough and complete study of what it means to be, "In Christ." This posting is not an all inclusive study. However, I'll give you plenty of Scriptures to start you out and take off on the study of "In Christ" yourself. Have fun and be blessed by God and His Word.
God bless you all and we’ll see you next Monday.
Thanks for stopping by,
Your Host: James Warren
Christian Author
http://www.jameslindquist.net
Check my archive or my Web page for explanation of my names.
http://www.jameslindquist.net/htmfiles/biograph.htm
Knowing from where the outburst is coming permits you to have compassion on them and keeps you from acting in an un-scriptural manner because we know that we do not wrestle with flesh and blood but with principalities, powers, and spiritual wickedness in high places.
How many times have you reacted with a defensive posture and retaliated, quip for quip? I confess to you that I have retaliated many times in just such a fashion. The enemy influenced my thought process and I fell for it. The sooner that we can stop reacting to them, but instead, respond, the quicker and better things will be in our marriage and all other relationships.
Satan uses our values, our needs, and our expectations to create emotions during heated marital (and relational) discussions. When we do not get our own way, he uses those emotions to create dissension among us. If this trend continues and we do not remedy the situation, Satan will have succeeded in, minimum, putting another relationship at odds and quite possibly on the rocks. His ultimate goal, however, is separation and divorce. Are we going to let Satan manipulate us? It is imperative that we know who the enemy is.
However, during those discussions, there are rules of engagement. Here are some rules that you can use but are not all necessarily inclusive.
1. Discuss and define the problem, but work on the solution. Before starting the discussion wait for the heat of the moment to pass.
2. Do not at any time; attack your spouse’s character or integrity. Do not personalize the attack. Instead, attack the problem.
3. Unless you have a good memory, you might take some notes when it is your turn to speak. An old counselor's trick is to use an inanimate object (it matters not what it is) for your discussions and whom ever is holding it is the only one allowed to talk.
4. Watch your pronouns. The quickest way to build an immediate wall is to use “you” statements. When you use “you” statements people’s receiving mechanism will shut down. It is a wall that you can physically see manifest right before your eyes. They will go into a defensive mode and any constructive conversation, for all intent and purposes, will be over.
5. Try not to spend more than twenty minutes discussing a hot button issue. Agree to disagree and go have a sundae. . .together.
6. Lastly, but by no means lesser in value, if you are angry, don’t sin by nursing a grudge. Don’t let the sun go down with you still angry – get over it quickly; for when you are angry, you give a mighty foothold to the enemy.
Again, don’t go to bed angry at each other. Men, this is where we need to step up to the plate. As the spiritual leader of the home sometimes we just need to bite the bullet and acquiesce. God calls us to peace. The bottom line is. . .know who the enemy is.
If there are problems in your marriage, I can guarantee you that the Lord was not at the center of that relationship or at least during those times of unrest and trouble. Therefore, with all due respect, before we start playing the blame game with God or with each other for our problems, we need to ask ourselves some very important questions. I wonder how many Christian’s homes are in trouble today because they have answered “no” to any of the following questions:
1. Are you praying for each other daily?
2. Are you praying together, daily?
3. Do you go to a local church and worship God, together?
4. Do you read God’s Word together, daily?
5. Have you made it a daily practice to participate in a devotional reading, together?
6. Is the day started and finished with Jesus Christ alone, and when possible, together. Because of jobs, this is the hard one.
The operative word in this list is “together.” There is something very edifying about hearing someone you love, lifting your name up to the Lord. Remember that a threefold cord is not quickly broken (Ec 4:12).
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Next week: In Christ. No less than 64 times does the New Testament mention the phrase, “In Christ.” What does it mean to be “In Christ?” I’ll touch on this subject next week. The limited space on this blog hinders me from a thorough and complete study of what it means to be, "In Christ." This posting is not an all inclusive study. However, I'll give you plenty of Scriptures to start you out and take off on the study of "In Christ" yourself. Have fun and be blessed by God and His Word.
God bless you all and we’ll see you next Monday.
Thanks for stopping by,
Your Host: James Warren
Christian Author
http://www.jameslindquist.net
Check my archive or my Web page for explanation of my names.
http://www.jameslindquist.net/htmfiles/biograph.htm
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