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Sunday, December 30, 2018

Dirt...Lamb...Behold His love

Jesus the imperishable seed, touched by the living water of the Holy Spirit flowing through us, with God the Father shining His Light, what is our part? 


Just be dirt!


We need a safe place in the midst of temptations and slings and arrows and subtle wiles of the enemy leading to pride, bitterness, etc.


That safe place is looking with gratitude at the amazing, sacrificial love of our Messiah. 
 (Christ and Him crucified.)  Start out there, stay there, and when you wander, repent and return there.


We follow the Lamb.  He has a servant heart, lovingly goes lower still, willingly lays down all His rights for love sake.


Happily, I am becoming more simple as I get older.

Friday, December 21, 2018

Resting and Trusting and Staying

Resting in the completed work of salvation that Yeshua accomplished.

Trusting that His path is good, no matter how it looks or feels.

Staying with the people God has you with, loving and staying.

Staying allows time to pass, and since we are all in process, staying
allows us to see the hand of God doing His good work in the lives
around us. 

As I get older, I see that the years are a preparation, a school to
let you know it is okay to ask for help.  Being vulnerable and broken
allows in so much love and wisdom from others.  I need you, and that
is okay, that is in fact how He designed us.

We are in need of mercy, and He is willing to dispense unending mercy.

Saturday, December 15, 2018

I wish...

I wish every follower of the Messiah would set aside time to listen to this and allow the Lord to speak to them of this "chief distinction in the heavenly kingdom." 
He that is least among you all shall be great. 
Whoever will be chief among you will be your servant. 
The lowliest is the nearest to God.  He that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 
For whoever exalts himself shall be abased and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
 If I then the Lord and Master have washed your feet, you should also wash one another's feet. 
I am among you as He that serves. 

Only got 2 minutes then go to 1:47:03 and listen for 2 minutes.

Humility by Andrew Murray

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLuWJc_VR8c&t=1866s

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Greed/Covetousness Not So Fast

Continuing through Ephesians 5 Paul mentions greed/covetousness twice and puts it on equal footing with sexual immorality.  In other places in the scripture (1 Thes. and 2 Peter) this same Greek word is spoken of as tainting the motive of ministry.  Money and ministry do not mix. 
It is such a privilege to be light and to be in union with the Messiah, that we must not be distracted by acquiring things.  Our culture is geared to drive us in this direction, but the life of Messiah will resist it if we let Him have control.
Lastly for this study the power of speaking words of life to others and to ourselves was emphasized.  The giving of thanks keeps us from sinking into self-pity, it realigns us with the truth and the goodness of God.
I am truly grateful for all of the people who come out to our Bible Study, each one brings a portion and the whole is therefore a reflection of His heart.

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Ephesians 4 (and a smidgen of 5)

It is so key, as we begin to look at the "walk it out" part of Ephesians that we remember the tremendous effort Paul gave to lay out very clearly our identity in the Messiah.  Only when we know the height, width, depth, breadth of His love for us can we proceed from that place of ultimate rest and trust to walking out love.
Paul assumed the communities that he was writing to would be living in close fellowship, rubbing up against each other daily which would require humility and patience and a putting up with each other.  Maintaining unity in the one Body in each locality was the high calling that he expected of them, verses 4-6.  There is no expectation in the Bible for separate groups meeting in separate buildings that I can see, repentance is needed.  This one body in each locality would be gifted with apostles, prophets, shepherds, teachers and evangelists.  This close knit community with functioning gifts of the Spirit is the soil in which true followers of the Messiah are grown.  They are not blown about by every wind of teaching.  The speak into each others life and the growth process of the believer continues.  The laying aside of corruption that is called for is really only possible in this soil, on our own, falling and drifting away is almost guaranteed. 
Be angry and yet do not sin.  The anger is directed toward sin and the spiritual powers that bring death and destruction.  Anger directed towards people almost always has its root in self-centered thinking that is disappointed that other people are not centering their thoughts and actions on my happiness.  Since self and pride are the favorite area's Satan moves in, wallowing in anger directed at people opens the door for him to come in.  From there like a snowball rolling down hill he will encourage bitterness then outbursts of rage, then a consistent anger, then open quarreling, then intentionally speaking to hurt someone (slander) then actually working in tandem with the one who has come to steal, kill and destroy by acting with malice toward another person or group. 
The solution that is meant to bring us back to our Messiah is to remember His tenderhearted, quickly forgiving, sacrificial love for us who he calls in 5:1 dearly loved children.  Our prayer for each other is to spend time in the arms of our Father, as much time as it takes, to come to the revelation that we are right now, dearly loved children, with a tenderhearted Father and a Holy Spirit who we can grieve if we forget our high calling and instead of being a touch point for people to see the love of God we begin to bring harm to the people He loves.

Saturday, November 24, 2018

Go Out and Wait

1 Chronicles 14:8,9  "The minute the Philistines heard that David had been made king over a united Israel, they went out in force to capture David. When David got the report, he..."

How would you finish this sentence?

How you would finish it without looking will tell a lot about how you approach the enemy.

A community of Messiah, filled to all the fullness of the Messiah is hot on the offensive when they see the work of the enemy.


"...marched out to confront them."  But when we march out to meet them, we realize we cannot be, must not be, dependent on our own strength.

10" and David asketh of God, saying, `Do I go up against the Philistines -- and hast Thou given them into my hand?'"
 
We pause, we selah, we wait on the direction that the Lord gives, and we do not move until He speaks.


Thursday, November 22, 2018

Steal, kill and destroy.

When we see the footprints, the fingerprints, the tire tracks of the perpetrator, we can reach out in prayer and take the authority purchased by Yeshua over the enemy and his schemes.

A friend would come out into the light and seem to be walking in truth and understanding the revelation of God's forgiveness and then it would all just disappear and he would fall back into condemnation and feeling worthless because of his past. 

What was happening?

The thief had come to steal.  The truth had come to set him free, and the enemy who had gained a foot hold long ago as a result of child abuse was busy doing his destructive work of stealing.

The love and compassion of the Messiah is placed in His body, so that, at times like this, it will flow out of us in the full authority of the victorious warrior, and Satan and his hold will be bound up and cast out. 

A new day will dawn, a day of revelation, light and truth that cannot be stolen!

Monday, November 19, 2018

You Had One Job!

Praying with a friend on Thursday and I could feel the smile of God with even a twinkle in His eye, but with a very serious message to get across.  (I picture Him the same way when telling about taking the speck out of someone's eye while you have a plank in your own.)

The message was, "YOU HAD ONE JOB!"

The Holy Spirit is to convict of sin, righteousness and judgement.

Our job is to love.

The Father is busy drawing people to His Son.

Our job is to love.

Salvation is of God, that is what Yeshuah/Jesus means, so there is no situation where we could come in have someone pray the sinner's prayer and put another notch on our evangelist belt.

Our job is to love.

We are sent out by His love and compassion, filling us with all the fullness of God.  Together as members of the Messiah's community, He speaks, He sends and the laborer's go forth and they have

ONLY ONE JOB!

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Dispensational Theology and Humility

 The word translated dispensation occurs 6 times in the Greek scriptures.  We should look at how it is used to get a correct understanding of what it means.  Luke 16:3,4 
 1 Cor. 9:17, Eph. 1:10 and 3:2 and Colossians 1:25. It has been used as a word that divides but when you look at the context you see that it is actually a word that explains that Paul was given a stewardship of the mystery of God that the Gentiles, (us) were going to be included in the Messiah's ever expanding loved family, under one Father.
Looking at the word stewardship/dispensation and seeing
that it seems to mean, something that you are given from someone
else and you are assigned to dispense it.
So, Paul was shown a mystery (which is something God has
always known but reveals to man at a set time) that the Gentiles
were going to be fully included in God's family because of the Messiah.
We looked at Acts 13:46-49 to see how incredibly happy the Gentiles
were when they heard that the Messiah's death and resurrection totally
brought them into the family of God. We are 2,000 years removed from
this being ground breaking, earth shaking news, but as we read Eph. 2 and 3
we can see how truly far away the Gentiles were and how absolutely
amazing it was for the Messiah to gather them into the Father's one family.
 God's love expanded to include
the Gentiles, this is what we read Paul saying when he speaks of his
dispensation, but some people (probably 90% of the Christian church) has
used the word dispensation to exclude the Jew and set apart the church
as God's new chosen people.  There is nothing in the text to indicate this.

That kind of thinking stems all the way back from this verse in Genesis 9:27
"May God enlarge Japheth, may he dwell in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his slave.”
It is key to remember we are descended from Ham(Canaan), Shem, or Japheth.
Most of European descent are from Japheth.  Japheth is always looking to
enlarge, or take over, so when Rome got a hold of the gospel, they tried to
take over and make the church the new chosen people, but the only way we
are to be blessed is if we (Gentiles) bow to enter the tents of Shem (Jewish)
people.  The key to understanding the gospel and coming into the "fullness of God"
is humility.  For Japheth to agree with God that the Jew is His chosen people, but
that we are being allowed to "dwell in the tents of Shem" is to express
humility.  "Thank you God for including me" is our attitude, not "look at me I'm the center."
Paul in Romans 11 makes it clear that Gentiles need a strong warning not
to become arrogant, that has not changed.

The Gentiles being included was foretold in Isaiah and Hosea and other places and
Simeon included it in his blessing in Luke.  Also it is key to see that Satan in Luke 4:5-8
was offering the Gentiles to Jesus if He would bow to him, but Jesus says, No I
am only worshipping God, but He would have had a little "twinkle" in His eye at
that moment, because as a result of worshipping God and going to the cross, He would
come to rule over more Gentiles from every tribe and tongue than a man could number. (Revelation)
All this was a mystery because if God had fully revealed it at the time Satan would
not have followed through with His plan to crucify Jesus.  (1 Corin. 2:8)

Once we (Gentiles) see and accept this with humility, then the way is opened for
us to truly see the love of God for us and to enter into what Eph. 3:19 calls
"all the fullness of God."  Wow!

Friday, November 9, 2018

And Jesus Got in the Boat and They Were at Their Destination

When we give up, when we cry out to God from a place of "I can't do this."
He hears our cry.
He gets into our boat.
And we reach our destination with absolutely no idea
how
we got there.


And once again.
It is truly not how,
but


Who!

Friday, November 2, 2018

Dispensation

"That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:"  Eph. 1:10


Some teachers use the word dispensation to divide.
Division is not from the Lord.  The Messiah has come to gather all into one body.
Eph. 1:10 makes this apparent, all you have to do is read the whole thought.


"For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:" Eph. 3:1-6


Eph. 3:2 in its proper context is just as clear, verse 6 standing in stark contrast to any attempt to pry the word out of context and make it a cause for division.




Now I could see where this verse could trip someone up if they only listened to one teacher, and if they did not know that Christ is more properly translated, Messiah, (anointed King of Israel).
 "Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;"
Col. 1:24,25


So the anointed King of Israel, their long awaited Messiah, through the power of the Holy Spirit now has a body on earth, His ekklesia, His gathering, His community to display His love and power for the glory of the Father.  There is nothing new about this, Acts 7:38  "This is he, that was in the church (ekklesia) in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him (Moses) in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:"  What is new, is now we know the identity of the Messiah and the purpose of the Holy Spirit, and all of it is a work of sacrificial love to gather all into one family under one Father.


Once you see this you cannot un-see it and the false division of a false understanding of the term dispensation fades away.  In its place comes the beauty of humility as you are amazed as Paul was at the end of Romans 11 as the plan of God and the wisdom of God is revealed.


"For God has shut up all in disobedience, so that He might show mercy to all.
33 O the depth of the riches,
    both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are His judgments
    and how incomprehensible His ways!
34 For “who has known the mind of Adonai,
    or who has been His counselor?”
35 Or “who has first given to Him,
    that it shall be repaid to him?”[
36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen."



Sunday, October 28, 2018

The Heritage We are Given

I read old books because those who have gone before have wisdom from above.

Spurgeon commenting on this verse Psalm 61:5  "For You have heard my vows, O God; You have given me the inheritance of those who fear Your name."

" Thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name. We are made heirs, joint heirs with all the saints, partakers of the same portion. With this we ought to be delighted. If we suffer, it is the heritage of the saints; if we are persecuted, are in poverty, or in temptation, all this is contained in the title deeds of the heritage of the chosen."

The heritage, the inheritance has stuff in it that I would not normally think of when I think of inheritance, but if the glory of God was the focus of my life then yes, suffering, persecution, and poverty would all be part of the path to His life being lived out in me.

So Lord, thank You for the heritage of the saints in all of its forms. 

Saturday, October 27, 2018

Ahithophel and Me

Ahithophel was able to give counsel as if from the Lord. 

But do you see how destructive it could be if Ahithophel heard a person saying that about him.  Pride is our enemy, humility is our trusted friend.  We must be careful that we are not using words that point to a gifted or talented person, but to the God who freely dispenses gifts and talents.

Ahithophel's name means brother of folly, and since some people say Nabal, whose name means worthless and who lived up (or down) to his name, is the brother of Ahithophel, maybe he began to think of himself as wise in comparison to his brother.  But wait there is a severe grave danger in comparing ourselves with ourselves.

David trusted Ahithophel and Ahithophel knew that David was the anointed king and yet he turned on David and sided with Absalom, so it turned out Ahithophel was actually the brother of folly to David.  It is a truly great and truly freeing day, when we own the name that God has given us.  Jacob owned Jacob and became Israel.  I agree with God that I am a sinner and that lining up with truth gives me access to His life.  If Ahithophel had seen himself as the brother of folly, God could have protected him and kept him from this betrayal.

David speaks of this betrayal in Psalm 55 and pronounces a curse that his life would be cut in half.  Jesus took that curse too, dying at 33 years old.  He is our wonderful Savior, Messiah and King.


Saturday, October 20, 2018

It's Not How, But Who!

Abraham, Zechariah, Mary, many beloved saints of God upon hearing of God's plan were struck to ask How?


Beautiful revelation from God today as I was seeking for what actions, strategy, or deeds are the next step in seeing God fulfill His word to release a dear friend from prison.


It is not "How?" but "Who!"


The lesson is simple keep your eye on Yeshua as the Father works out His plan and receives all the glory for the fulfillment of the word He spoke. 


Our job is to wait on Him, asking for and relying totally on Him for help.  May our eyes be opened to see the beautiful reaction of the heart of God as He sees His children, doing nothing, choosing to wait for Him, resting and trusting in His faithfulness.


No plan.


No program.


No flesh!

Sunday, October 14, 2018

One Test of a False Prophet

My wife made this reply to me when I was asking her opinion on a $40 purchase of a man's teaching on DVD, "If it was real it would be free."

That was witnessed by my spirit, because years ago reading Jude, I came to this verse, "Woe to them! For they have gone the (defiant) way of Cain, and for profit they have run headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of (mutinous) Korah."  Jude 11

Balaam knew he was not to go with the people from the king who wanted him to curse Israel, but the more the riches increased the more willing he became to disobey God.  The story shows that he ended up speaking words of blessing over Israel, but he was not supposed to go with them at all, and now that he was in their territory he was susceptible to their influence. The story later on states that he gave a strategy to the king to lure in the Israelite men with the king's women.

Bottom line, the gifts are freely given to us, and are therefore to be freely given by us.  God said, "Do not go with these men."  Balaam saw the money being offered and he went with them.  Money clouds and blocks our ability to hear from and obey God. 

"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give."
Matthew 10:8

Friday, October 12, 2018

The Body of Christ (Messiah)

Post-tribulation is true because the body of the Messiah went to and through the cross to display the invisible attributes of God, and the current body of Christ (Messiah) on this earth is called to do the exact same thing.  The cross of tribulation is ours to cling to as it is His good pleasure to carry us through incredible difficulty in order to reach those who are lost.  (Isaiah 53:10 "Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief;"  )


If only we could see it is a high calling. 
It gives purpose and meaning to our current struggles
and it releases us to have the proper attitude toward God and man,
as we see the unseen principalities and powers begin to rise up and speed up.

Thursday, October 11, 2018

Hi I'm Chuck and I'm an Addict, but I am also a New Creation

Many thanks to my wife for this insight.

There is a debate in "recovery circles" on how to
introduce yourself. 
Do you say, "I am an addict..."
or
do you say
"I am a new creation"

My wife said something like this..."In my flesh, and
anytime I walk away from His presence, I am very
much still an addict, but the truth is I am a new creation
and that new creation is not an addict."
I think it lines up with Jesus when He said,

"Apart from Me you can do nothing."  so apart from
Him, if we are not in the vine, in the flow of His life
our reality is we are an addict, but in Him, the addict
is gone gone gone and we are a new creation.

So it is my favorite answer in Bible Study

"yes and yes"!

Monday, October 8, 2018

How a Leader Responds to Criticism

One of the lessons from a beautiful visit with friends, "How does Moses respond to insubordination, murmuring, complaints directed against his leadership, disparaging remarks about his qualifications, and his wife?"


He falls on his face before the Lord. 


He does not defend himself. 


He lets the Lord be his defense.

Sunday, October 7, 2018

Israel Will Become Teachers of the Gentiles of the Mercy of God

From the Treasury of David by Spurgeon, specifically Psalm 51 comes this quote.


  " I cannot doubt the prophetic bearing of this Psalm upon the nation of Israel. In the latter day they shall consider their ways: repentance and self loathing will be the result. Blood guiltiness heavier than that of David has to be removed from that nation. They will become the teachers of the Gentiles, when first the iniquity of their own transgressions has been purged away." Arthur Pridham.


Wow. 


This guy gets it.


He has read Zechariah 12-14 and takes it literally.


Psalm 51 applied to the Jewish nation in its entirety!


All Glory to the Mercy and Faithfulness of our God.  One God, One family, One plan of salvation through One Messiah by the Holy Spirit.

Saturday, October 6, 2018

Our Reaction to the Partial Hardening of Israel Reveals Either Arrogance or Humility

"17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; 21 for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. 22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?
25 For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;"  Romans 11:17-25 


Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit was deeply burdened for Israel.  His hope was that the gentiles who the Lord called him to, would understand and be humbled by the deep cost that Israel is and now has been paying for 2,000 years.  There is no room for arrogance, there is no room for a gentile to feel that in any way they have replaced or super seeded Israel.  The second we leave their root we are cut off.  Paul had the humility of God to see this mystery and to stand before it trusting in the wisdom of our great God.
On the other hand, Luther, had great expectations that his reformation would be welcomed and embraced by the Jews and when they did not turn and repent in the way he expected, he looked at Jewish writings and saw that they disparaged Jesus and he went off, way off!  He wrote a hate-filled book that in a very real sense opened the door for Nazi anti-Semitism. 
Oh God save us from ourselves!  Help us to look with humility at the terrifying cost of the partial hardening, and break us till we are crying out to you for them in priestly intercession!

Sunday, September 30, 2018

Preterism Roots

"Preterism is a Christian eschatological view that interprets some or all prophecies of the Bible as events which have already happened. This school of thought interprets the Book of Daniel as referring to events that happened from the 7th century BC until the first century AD, while seeing the prophecies of Revelation as events that happened in the first century AD. Preterism holds that Ancient Israel finds its continuation or fulfillment in the Christian church at the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70."  Wikipedia


Preterism is gentile envy of God's choosing of Israel. 


 It is rebellion against His covenant faithfulness.


It paints a picture of a God who is weak and unable to keep His promises.
 
It calls into question the ultimate faithfulness of Israel's Messiah to fulfill the prophecies associated with His calling.


It refuses the God ordained position of Ham and Japheth, which is to serve the chosen people and bow to enter the tent of the chosen people. 


It reeks of the very arrogance that Paul warned about in Romans 11.

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Boast No More

1 Corinthians 4:7  "After all, what makes you so special? What do you have that you didn’t receive as a gift? And if in fact it was a gift, why do you boast as if it weren’t?"

This scripture was brought to my mind a couple days ago.  It is so easy to fall into a terrible place where you begin to feel that your "goodness" elevates you above another.

Then, by the grace of God, mercy reminds you that it was mercy that gave you a loving mother, and a stable up-bringing, with clear moral boundaries.  Mercy only mercy.  Each time you can hold your tongue, or reach down to help someone is a result of the mercy you received.

When you see other people struggling to get through life, the proper response is, "Lord please show them the same mercy you lavished on me."

Boasting comes out in many forms, grumbling about a co-worker, being exasperated over another person's behavior, mocking, etc.  Each one is a sin, a stench in the nostrils of the Holy God, who extends mercy to your heart.  Repent and be grateful.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq5gr6GD5DA

Monday, September 17, 2018

AA and NA Wisdom from Above

Step One We admitted we were powerless....

And so starts the AA and NA way to breaking the power of addiction.

They obtained this wisdom from above, because this
is the beginning of our being drawn to the Messiah.

More and more I am convinced that, "I got this." may be
the three most useless words in the English language.

The first step in healing, in repentance and rest is,
"I definitely do not have this, in fact I am powerless."

Truth be told, this first step continues as the underlying
theme through all the other steps, we are powerless all the
way out to step 12 carrying the message.

Being brought to a place where the reality of the lack of power
that you possess is made very real to you is ultimate mercy
from the heart of God.

Let's live and rest and trust in the God of Step One today.


Friday, September 14, 2018

Long Leash on a Powerful Spring

Some of my best lessons are learned while walking dog(s).

We have a puppy, I take him for walks and his leash is
fairly short, he has bitten it and chewed on it and spent the
vast majority of some walks, fighting against that leash.

My wife had mercy on him and tied a long rope to the leash
giving him more freedom, but he still got tugged on quite
frequently, just because he is a puppy and everything he
explores requires it be done at 110% of his top speed.
He has 4 legs but I have often seen him fall head over
heels as he somehow outruns his legs.

So on this walk, we came to a place where I could let the
old dog, off of his leash that is at least  a 10 foot spring
loaded, very nice contraption.  So now in a moment of
wisdom and mercy I added this 10 foot to the already
longer than he was used to leash, and that little puppy
forgot about the leash, he could run and rip and tear and
never be pulled back, the leash was still there but it was
long.

I usually go with "yes and yes" when asked about
free will and the sovereign predestination of God, just
because God is outside of time entirely so even the "pre"
in predestination proves we are too limited to discuss
the matter, but the puppy gave me a pretty satisfying conclusion

I don't really want total freedom.  (Sorry after 57 years on
this planet, free will no longer has the attraction for me that
it once did.)  What I want is a long leash, with a powerful
spring loaded component that is in the hands of infinite
Love and Mercy and Wisdom.

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Love Closer

The faithfulness of God is indeed a two-edged sword.

When you fall, His mercy is the Way back, but there
are consequences that are meant to be the incentive
to pursue the Way.

So, say, I allow words to be spoken by my tongue, or not spoken,
when words should have been spoken... basically, my tongue
gets ruled by self and not the Way.

To protect me from the repercussions of those actions, would
appear to be mercy, but what if real mercy is letting me see
and live with the horrible results of the failure as a reminder
to stay in the place of abiding, and be under the control of
the Way.

Love Closer.  Love that will not let there be any distance,
between the action and the consequences, because the longer
the consequences take to arrive the more disconnected they
are from the events that caused them.  So true mercy allows
the consequences to descend rapidly and stay around for a long
time, because true mercy is looking for true repentance and
true change.

This is only good news, if the glory of God is the ultimate goal.

Isaiah 2:17 "So human pride will be brought low,
and the loftiness of men will be humbled;
the Lord alone will be exalted on that day."

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdzIxVQ29oU

Saturday, September 1, 2018

the veil

Grateful for anything that pulls back the veil to reveal that only one thing matters.


Hope in God


So much of what we do and busy ourselves with down here is painfully temporary and unimportant.


Love, His Love, that brings and renews His life in us.  Resting and trusting in that.


Hope in God


Psalm 42...so good


For the leader. A maskil of the descendants of Korach:
(1) Just as a deer longs for running streams,
God, I long for you.
(2) I am thirsty for God, for the living God!
When can I come and appear before God?
(3) My tears are my food, day and night,
while all day people ask me, “Where is your God?”
(4) I recall, as my feelings well up within me,
how I’d go with the crowd to the house of God,
with sounds of joy and praise from the throngs
observing the festival.
(5) My soul, why are you so downcast?
Why are you groaning inside me?
Hope in God, since I will praise him again
for the salvation that comes from his presence.
(6) My God, when I feel so downcast,
I remind myself of you
from the land of Yarden, from the peaks of Hermon,
from the hill Mizar.
(7) Deep is calling to deep
at the thunder of your waterfalls;
all your surging rapids and waves
are sweeping over me.
(8) By day Adonai commands his grace,
and at night his song is with me
as a prayer to the God of my life.
10 (9) I say to God my Rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
under pressure by the enemy?
11 (10) My adversaries’ taunts make me feel
as if my bones were crushed,
as they ask me all day long,
‘Where is your God?’ ”
12 (11) My soul, why are you so downcast?
Why are you groaning inside me?
Hope in God, since I will praise him again
for being my Savior and God.(CJB)

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Frustration

Turns out you can't turn around something
 that has been going downhill
and picking up speed
for 10 years.


You can try.


Go ahead and try.


And learn the definition of frustration
in all of its glory!

Saturday, August 25, 2018

Such Love!

"And the LORD said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins.”  Hosea 3:1


"How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
         How can I surrender you, O Israel?
         How can I make you like Admah?
         How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
         My heart is turned over within Me,
         All My compassions are kindled."  Hosea 11:8


“I will heal their backsliding,
I will love them freely,
For My anger has turned away from him."  Hosea 14:4


"Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will assuredly plant them in this land, with all My heart and with all My soul.’"  Jer.  32:41





21 "But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went.22 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.
23 And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.
24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God."  Ezekiel 36:21-28



"whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time."  Acts 3:21


If only we will see the absolute, resolute, unchanging faithfulness of a covenant making God to Israel as proof of His absolute, resolute, unchanging faithfulness to the gentiles whom He mercifully grafts in to His chosen people.


Such Love!


Thursday, August 2, 2018

True Love True Humilty

Only in His light do we see light.
Natural light, natural seeing, natural perception is all wrong.
Better to be a people in darkness, awaiting the dawning
of the True Light, than to be a people walking in the light
of their own sparks.

Up till now, I have not acted in True Love, with True Humility.

This journey, this moving toward a place of death to self, a place
where His light, His love, His humility rule and reign is completely
dependent on His faithfulness.

Every revealing of the falseness, the lies, the cover-up, the desperate
attempts to appear to have something I do not have...
Every revealing brought sorrow, but it should have
brought joy.
Rightly understood the uncovering of the lie is the death of the lie.
And then truth can begin to arise.

I am not, but I AM is!

Monday, July 30, 2018

Heart Exchange

I offer Him my cold, dead heart
I offer Him my good deeds done with false motives
I offer Him cold, dead obedience


Only His life is life
Only His life has pure motives
Only His life is mercy


"Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a spring of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!"  Jeremiah 9:1


His heart carries a burden
His heart is compassion


My heart must go down in death and
His heart must arise in resurrection


Nothing else will do
Nothing else will do
Nothing else will do

Saturday, July 14, 2018

God is angry with the wicked every day. Probably not!

I don't know Hebrew, I'm not as smart as John MacArthur, I could be wrong, but I think the annoying monk who put verse numbers in our Bible really really screwed this up.
"God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day."  Psalm 7:11

I think, that this is not an accurate translation and there should have been a division where the "and" is, and the "el" as it is translated other places is the word "god" not "God."

More on this later, lets look at it, talk about it, and compare it to the volumes of scripture that contradict it.

Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord

Isaiah 40:1-5 1“Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God.
      2“Speak kindly to Jerusalem;
            And call out to her, that her warfare has ended,
            That her iniquity has been removed,
            That she has received of the LORD’S hand
            Double for all her sins.”      3A voice is calling,
            “Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness;
            Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.      4“Let every valley be lifted up,
            And every mountain and hill be made low;
            And let the rough ground become a plain,
            And the rugged terrain a broad valley;      5Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
            And all flesh will see it together;
            For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”


Perspective, it really does change how you receive and react to events in your life if you can, by the grace of God, have the perspective of God.
This end time generation has a call on their lives.  The call is to be a people who have been brought through the wilderness and have lived with no visible means of support, nothing to fall back on, just the faith of God.  The call is to live as a people who have allowed/received the deep dealings of the Lord, that root out self, pride, independence, and leave only a new heart, a servant heart, a willing heart, that truly does walk by the Spirit.
Every time self is uncovered and exposed, every episode where pride is brought out and revealed for the ugly thing that it is, every breaking of independence is a cause for rejoicing.  The way within us as individuals is being prepared and as we gather with others who are being prepared a people are being prepared who can truly, "Comfort, O comfort My people."


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvlRHcr-oPA

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Do You Have 8 Minutes?

8 minutes into this you will have heard, and by the grace of God I pray it gets revealed to your heart the true nature of our God and King!

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/115876449

(PS  use the commercial time to pray for God to reveal to you His truth)


update 7/30/18  I think the ustream stopped working but the podcast is at the bottom
of this page,   https://cmicommentaryandconferences.podbean.com/


and the youtube is  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxMG7rKj_v0&list=PLrfRzxrlxbjcolqiZ6Hmcj-VlQh1mfTiT&t=0s&index=2&app=desktop

Friday, July 6, 2018

Walk By The Spirit

"I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh."  Galatians 5:16
"so that the righteous standard of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."  Romans 8:4
"Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh."  Romans 13:14
"Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit."  Galatians 5:25


I don't know how to walk by the Spirit.
Self is in control as evidenced by the fruit around me.


Time for my favorite two-word prayer... "Help, Lord!"




Friday, June 29, 2018

Tears Poured From My Eyes and Into His Heart

"In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old."
Isaiah 63:9

          Tears Poured From My Eyes and Into His Heart

Tears poured from my eyes and into His heart

Hurts from a world caught up in the contracting spasm of death, of destruction.

A world stolen from its rightful Creator.

But the storm has a Master who walks on the white caps.

Hope and Peace have a name, Yeshuwah!

Look to the One who willingly, lovingly, sacrificially took your punishment.

Look to Him and be made whole.

Resting, trusting, looking - the work that is not work.

The work that trusts in the work that He did.

Look into ultimate faithfulness and kindness.

Look into the heart that shoves every fear away.

Look into Love.

Become Love.

Saturday, June 23, 2018

Humility And The Crumbs From The Table

Just offering for thoughtful, humble consideration or discussion my slightly different perspective. As Hebrews 11 clearly brings out, "Faith is the ultimate Hebrew root." Since it is the letter to the Hebrews it should be clear there is no intention in what is being written to discount Jesus words that "Salvation is of the Jews." The Mosaic law is fulfilled and Gentiles are not under obligation to keep it, but as Acts 15 clearly shows there is a necessity to give us gentiles instruction as to how we are to fit into this Jewish sect that believes that Yeshua is the Messiah. The New Covenant clearly made with Israel and Judah is extended freely to Gentiles through our faith in their Messiah. We are grafted in to their vine, made a part of their fellowship, still rejoicing humbly to be a people who welcome the scraps from their table. Humility is the thing most lacking in most things labeled Christian. Humility is most evident in a people who understand that God has one people, of one faith, with one baptism and He is currently working to gather us into the one already existent body. I see tremendous benefits to the understanding that we are gentile members of a flourishing Jewish sect. It eliminates the "two people of God" thing that is key to the lie of pre-trib, replacement, preterism, amillenialism, and who knows what else. It stops the arrogance that Paul warned about numerous times in Romans 9-11. It gloriously displays the faithfulness of God, never changing, never wavering, in tandem with the sovereignty of God that never has to revert to a plan B to accomplish His purposes. This is all revealed in a reading of Romans 9-11 that is not encumbered with man's opinion. Acts makes it clear also. Pentecost, a Jewish feast day, that is celebrated by the many Jews in the upper room and results in a fulfilling of it's intention by gathering into the new sect 3,000 more Jews first fruits of the Messiah's sacrifice, there is nothing in the text that would make us call this the "birthday of the church" but we do that, Why? If there is not reason in the text, maybe we should call a halt to this "tradition of men." Guess that's all for now.

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Pentecost the Birth of the Church, Uhhh, No!

Let me share a little parable.
Once upon a time a poor man was
sitting on a curb.
Another man came by who had
been working most of the day in
the sun, hard work that wore his
body down.  His employer paid
him and gave him a $100 bonus.


The working man gave that
$100 to the poor man.


As the working man was walking
away, he heard the poor man
exclaim.  Look everyone, "The birth
of a $100 bill."


With absolutely no appreciation
for where the money had come from
the poor man began to spin a false story
where the $100 had been given
directly to him by the employer.


He began to celebrate this day
as the "birthday of his $100 bill."


The poor man wondered why the
working man was not interested
in his story of the $100 bill!


So the Hebrew festival of Pentecost, first fruits, resulted in the first fruits of the Messiah's mission.
Many Jewish followers of God, came to believe in the Messiah.  A remnant from the chosen people
began the journey of becoming the sect of the Nazarene within Judaism.  All the way up in chapter 15 of the book of Acts this Jewish sect is still in the process of adjusting to the presence of the Gentiles and trying to show them the way to be gathered into the Father's chosen people.  He is faithful and true, His gifts and calling are irrevocable, there is no need for a new body, the mission of the Messiah of the God of Israel was not to reject Israel, isn't that obvious?  Go back and read Mary's excited proclamation when she realized she was carrying the Messiah.  Go back and read how Zechariah the father of John the Baptist exploded in praise and prophecy when his tongue was loosed.  This Messiah is the long awaited Redeemer of Israel.  Our privilege is to be included in their blessing.  We are grafted in to their vine, supported by their root, and this is meant to keep us gentiles in a place of humility and service, but alas, we have made up a story about our $100 bill and at this point we have begun to believe our own lie, and the result is arrogance that stinks to high heaven!

Saturday, June 9, 2018

Frustrated Instead of Prostrated

Sharing some thoughts that my wife received.
It is not our job to put people down for how they are not measuring up or abjectly failing.
It is our job undergird and lift them us so that they can be what they need to be in the body. 
This is the posture of humility.  This is what we see the suffering Messiah doing, coming down to help those who cannot help themselves.

Forgive us Lord, for the times when we vented instead of lamented.

Forgive us Lord, for the times when we are frustrated instead of prostrated.

Cause us Lord to Selah, and to truly consider You and what You would have us to do in every situation.  

Saturday, May 26, 2018

Humility or Error

Psalm 62:2 "God alone is the mighty rock that keeps me safe and the fortress where I am secure." (CEV)
Pride is the most subtle enemy that we have.
It is patently ridiculous to think that you are immune to its wiles.
Loudly protesting that God alone is directing your life while choosing to ignore, down play, or even ridicule, a humbly presented caution against continuing in the path that you are on, is pride.
The faithfulness of God to His imperishable seed will bring destruction to the works of pride, but at what cost?

When giving a teaching on a certain understanding of scripture, I first seek out all the sections of scripture that seem to contradict or under cut what I feel I am being led to share.  It is the opposing view, the scriptures that don't seem to agree, that often bring me around to the truth.

We need each other.  
God totally designed the Body that way.  The voice of caution, the voice that says, "Let's put this on hold and pray about it." is a royal pain in the ass.  I've already talked to, bought, made the announcement, put it out there...pulling it all back now will make it look like I was running ahead of God and His will.

EXACTLY!  Humility would have us be open to that possibility.

And one of the only reasons you would totally ignore the word of caution is pride.

Later on in this beautiful song, verse 9 reminds us that we are all truly a vapor or actually lighter than a breath.  Anything that puffs us up to think of ourselves more highly than that is a lie.  Then verse 10 has the strange warning that we are not to be trusting in violence, oppression, robbery or wealth, wait a minute, why do we need that warning?  Because pride is so stinking subtle.  The dove is a bird that is easily scared away, when we push forward despite the humble warning not to, we are headed for a merciful destruction, brought about 100% by covenant love.  Oppression occurs when one assumes the position of authority and then runs things in a way that does not benefit those who are subject to that authority.  

Oh Father, have mercy and save us from such error.

Robbery is mentioned, because the Lamb will not resist those who run ahead of His leading and steal His glory.  He is in a state of rest, secure in His ability to redeem and gather back, but at what cost?

Wealth is the last of the subtle devices that this portion of scriptures warns us about.  How much can we take away from having the financial doors wide open to make a thing happen?

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

The warning is simple about riches, do not set your heart upon them.  The god of this world is 100% capable of providing 100% of the funds pride needs to do its thing!

Humility is our utmost need, and the body is one of the means to that end.  Mercy, Lord! 

Sunday, May 20, 2018

Those who are empowered by the life of the Lamb reflect His nature

Laura and I discussing how the servant of the Lord is to bring forth the word of the Lord.  It is to be presented with an open hand as a word for consideration since we are all aware of our humanness.  It can be posed as more of a question than a proclamation.  (Of course there are times for proclaiming, but they are far more rare than we make them to be.)


The word could be rejected simply because the presentation of it is from a place of arrogance and pride. 


I always wonder about tone of voice in scripture, knowing that Jeremiah had the heart of God and wept for the people he spoke to, I tend to think the voice is gentle that says, "you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.”



God's wisdom is diplayed in one who is broken by the word of the Lord.


Humility that receives the word of the Lord even though it means a change in plans or a great inconvenience is a God-given key to growing into the likeness of the Lamb.


James 3:17 "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without favoritism and hypocrisy." The King James says, easily entreated, in place of compliant, it is a gentle way of living, of being willing to yield to the voice of the Lord. It is a true and beautiful safe guard placed within the Body if only we will have ears to hear.

  Even when a truth is being proclaimed there will be a sense of brokeness on the part of the one doing the proclaiming. The message is presented as a part of the over all picture/perspective of God, it is given with an open hand, not delivered in a way that implies "I am the sole possessor of this and you need to come to my side."

  Matthew 21:44, "And the one having fallen on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder." Isaiah 8:14,15 "Then He shall become a sanctuary; But to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over, And a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Isaiah 8:15 "Many will stumble over them, Then they will fall and be broken; They will even be snared and caught."

But what if one does not receive the word of the prophet?  They miss out on the prophet's reward, but from the perspective of God they could still be right in the center of His will and their life could be being used as a demonstration of the cost and effects of the stiff-neck response. 

This should give us pause and press us into the mercy of God, a living sacrifice is on this earth to give glory to God.

Saturday, May 5, 2018

Broken First, Truth Second

I guess every post from now on will be a combination of Laura and I, this one sure is.


Listening to a teaching recently and it was clearly a repeating of things that the speaker had heard, but he wasn't really just reading the text of the Bible and letting the Spirit speak to him.  Things were spoken that were wrong, just plain, not the truth.  The blind was leading the blind, and my thoughts were along the line of, what is my responsibility here.  I am a teacher, these passages contain key truths that are being missed and or twisted.  I was feeling that I needed to address these things directly with the person and then the wisdom of Laura entered into the situation.


I needed to come to a place of brokenness and even weeping over the person, and only then would I be released to speak a word to them. 


Love is not just correcting, it is lamenting and identifying with your brother or sister.  I get it now.

Thursday, April 26, 2018

Why do I pick bad boys? Part 2

Further listening to my wife, brings further insight into the heart of God.


The main concern of the heart of God is the heart of His people.
He knows the things that are driving you into the arms of bad boys and His
main concern is for healing the heart that is being driven to make these choices.


It is so important to see His heart for you accurately. 


He is not condemning you
for these choices,


He is broken with you and coming to you with healing and insight
to help you turn your life around.


At no time is God saying, "Straighten up and then I will love you."
His love, His healing, His acceptance and understanding is the safe place
from which we can begin to experience the healing that will eventually allow
a person to walk away from hurt-filled relationships, with peace, deep
God-given peace that harbors no bitterness.  It is possible, only in the Messiah, who
said, "Father forgive them, they know not what they do."



Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Why Do I Pick Bad Boys?

Wisdom and insight from the woman I love.


Is this a key to the mystery of why some women pick bad boys over and over?


Is there a tape playing in your head that says, "You are worthless, no good,
you don't deserve a good guy."?


When you meet a guy who shows you love and kindness and values you, it
seems they are an idiot, because if they knew the real you , they would know
you have no value.  Then when a bad boy comes along and treats you like
dirt, he is in total alignment with the way you view yourself.


Is it possible also that in seeing a dad at times show love, but at times be
filled with hatred and physically abusive, a decision is made deep inside, "I
can't trust someone who says they love me." ?

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

But Doesn't He Need My Help?

I am done trying
I am done striving
Dead people
I want to see and be
Dead people
God works through
Dead people
Be
Dead people

Friday, March 23, 2018

All I have ever shown to you is mercy!

Went for a long walk with the dog on Friday, seeking for direction and a specific answer.
2 hours and 57  minutes later the dog and I returned, no direction, no specific answer, but
with this golden nugget from the heart of God...

I felt He said to me...

All I have ever shown to you is mercy!

Praise God, I stopped, wrote it down and felt the overwhelming beauty of that truth.
Oh to let that merciful life flow through me to others!

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

YOU!

TEACH US
SHOW US
MAKE US
INTO A PEOPLE
WHO ARE
MOMENT
BY MOMENT
DEPENDENT
ON
YOU!!

(all of our pride lying in the dust)
(everything that is in us that is
depending on self, that believes
there is even a millionth of a millionth
of a fraction of a part of me that is good
MAKE IT gone)
(the prince of this world comes... he has
nothing in Me, the Father is my life,
my strength, my all)
(everything that God is doing in my life
is a loving, jealous effort to root out of me
anything that acts independently of His
moment by moment life, love, and power)
(everything that happens is an effort on His
part to break me of the mindset that, right at
this moment, "I got this.")
(God's life, which includes His wisdom,
peace, hope, love, and power is what His
death on the cross has made available to us)
(The cost is simple, be a moment by moment
living sacrifice, be dead!)
(be dead to your own life, peace, hope, love
or power, just simply be dead)
(the more dead you are, the more in Messiah
you are)
(simple)
(that simple)

"Who is blind but My servant,
Or deaf as My messenger whom I send?
Who is blind as he who is perfect,
And blind as the Lord’s servant?"
Isaiah 42:19