Luke 24:45 And [Jesus] opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
I realize that I altered the verse above by replacing "He" with His name. I did that to make a point. While it's true that Jesus spoke directly to the two on the road and indeed explained how the scriptures foretold of all the things that had happened in the past week, the very person of Jesus is what unlocks all the meaning of scripture.
We tell many new Christians to read the New Testament first for a reason. Delving into the Old Testament without first knowing the gospel is a bad idea. The picture of Almighty God revealed in the Old Testament is incomplete. He hinted to it Himself many times:
Isaiah 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things that are not yet done,
Saying, 'My counsel shall stand,
And I will do all My pleasure, '
Isaiah 46 is only one place where He hints at the fact that the Bible is not written in what men would consider linear order. Throughout scripture, God makes the statement that He is not limited by time. Jesus is referred to as "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" and yet that statement doesn't appear until the very last book of the Bible (Revelation 13:8). That's a key piece of information.
God declares time and again that the wisdom of the world is not enough for us to understand Him. Here's a very interesting way He put it:
Isaiah 29:11 The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, " Read this, please."
And he says, "I cannot, for it is sealed."
He speaks at the end of the Bible about another sealed bit of information. This time it's a scroll in God's hand with 7 seals. All the elders at the throne make a big fuss about the fact that there is no one worthy of opening the seals....until the Lamb that was slain shows up:
Revelation 5:8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty- four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:
"You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation
Now go back to Isaiah 29:11 where it shows how men cannot read what God has written because it is "sealed". Jump forward to Revelation 5:8 and you see that "The Lamb that was slain" is able to unseal what God has sealed. Only Jesus can open the seal. Only Jesus can open our understanding of what God wrote.
Here's another way of looking at it. To seal something is to hide it. In modern times we hide information using cryptography. We encrypt things like documents and messages and passwords. Every single method of encryption requires a key. So, suppose I have a letter that I want to encrypt so nobody can read it. I could use simple method like transposing letters. I just write my letter but instead of using the alphabet the way a normal person would, I substitute each character for the one 5 spaces down the alphabet. Then whenever I want someone to read it I tell them to replace each character with the one 5 spaces before it. That 5 spaces is the "key" to unlock my letter. The document appears to be nonsense unless you read it with my 5-space-transposition cypher in mind. All of scripture is exactly the same except Jesus is the key that unlocks it!
God encrypted the scriptures and then put the key at the end! Quite literally, He put the beginning or prologue of the Bible (Jesus being our redeemer and the ultimate revelation of The Father) at the end! But why?
Isaiah 29:13 Therefore the Lord said:
" Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths
And honor Me with their lips,
But have removed their hearts far from Me,
And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,
He did not want men to pay lip service to Him. He did not want to empower men with heavenly knowledge and then be forgotten. Israel was teaching God's words to each other but without any meaning or true purpose. Jesus talked about how they obeyed the letter of the law but not the spirit. The Bible is encrypted by God, sealed, to hide it's true wisdom from the understanding of men who would seek power but not relationship.
Always faithful, Jesus makes it very clear:
Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
While I realize that Jesus was speaking about why we have no need to seek for basic needs like food and clothing and shelter, I believe the principle holds with regard to wisdom. We cannot seek anything for its own sake. That's what Jesus is saying. If we seek The Kingdom, we will seek The King.
Bill Johnson likes to say, "Jesus is perfect theology." That boils this whole thing down so simply. He answers every question, provides every need. He reveals The Father so completely in the New Testament that we are able to see Jesus operating and interacting with Israel in the Old. It was Jesus who created Adam. It was Jesus who forged a close relationship with Abraham. It was Jesus who David sang love songs to. It was Jesus who Israel left standing alone on Mt. Sinai. It was always Him and He always wanted to gather us all, Jew and Gentile, under Him like a mother hen does her chicks.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
The Promise
Crushed under the weight of my circumstances, I cried out, "I NEVER ASKED TO BE BORN!!!"
Is there a time in your life when you could relate to that? Either you couldn't measure up to life or life couldn't measure up to you. All that was left to do was find blame somewhere, anywhere, other than your own hands.
I sometimes find it odd that my first real connection, my first honest words with God, were angry questions that He never seemed to want to answer. I didn't remember a time before birth where I tossed up my hand during some great assembly in heaven and asked, "Here I am, God! Send me!!" So why was I put on the earth? In times of great turmoil I would almost instinctively turn to God even if I wasn't sure He existed. Maybe I believed He did. Maybe we all do. But I certainly didn't believe He cared. Believers or not, we all have this inner understanding that our existence was not initiated by our own will. At the very least, our parents agreed in deed to bring us into this world. But again, a deeper truth of His existence is revealed in all of us when we have been pushed beyond our breaking point.
My understanding of Him shaped my fox-hole prayer. When circumstances force us to lay down all pretense, social conventions, and manners, we cry out to the God we know. If we see Him as a cosmic overseer, we relate to Him like a run-away slave. If we see Him as an irresponsible parent, we relate to Him like an angry child. If we see Him as a predator, we relate to Him like a victim. Too often we see God like a super-powered human being: selfish, fickle, irresponsible. Like some omnipotent two-year-old in the sky who focuses sunlight on us through some giant magnifying glass in order to satisfy some perverse pleasure. If that's the God you know, you have every right to be angry with Him. Without some kind of external knowledge or experience of God, who could say you're wrong?
So I called God out on the carpet one day and demanded that He justify my placement on this earth, with this mind, in this body, and these parents, in this time. I got the vague sense I wasn't being very smart. I mean, He's God, He can squash me like a bug. But I was too exhausted to care. In fact, I wanted to die. It would be better if my death, just like my life, were caused by Him. I wanted nothing to do with it anymore. I wanted Him to show up or squash me. And nothing happened... Or so I thought.
What if the statement, "I never asked to be born", is a valid and acceptable statement to God? What if He would say, "You're right." What if He did and does take responsibility for all of His children? What if there is a force underwriting every human being? What if He sent us into this world with not only a purpose but also a promise:
Is there a time in your life when you could relate to that? Either you couldn't measure up to life or life couldn't measure up to you. All that was left to do was find blame somewhere, anywhere, other than your own hands.
I sometimes find it odd that my first real connection, my first honest words with God, were angry questions that He never seemed to want to answer. I didn't remember a time before birth where I tossed up my hand during some great assembly in heaven and asked, "Here I am, God! Send me!!" So why was I put on the earth? In times of great turmoil I would almost instinctively turn to God even if I wasn't sure He existed. Maybe I believed He did. Maybe we all do. But I certainly didn't believe He cared. Believers or not, we all have this inner understanding that our existence was not initiated by our own will. At the very least, our parents agreed in deed to bring us into this world. But again, a deeper truth of His existence is revealed in all of us when we have been pushed beyond our breaking point.
My understanding of Him shaped my fox-hole prayer. When circumstances force us to lay down all pretense, social conventions, and manners, we cry out to the God we know. If we see Him as a cosmic overseer, we relate to Him like a run-away slave. If we see Him as an irresponsible parent, we relate to Him like an angry child. If we see Him as a predator, we relate to Him like a victim. Too often we see God like a super-powered human being: selfish, fickle, irresponsible. Like some omnipotent two-year-old in the sky who focuses sunlight on us through some giant magnifying glass in order to satisfy some perverse pleasure. If that's the God you know, you have every right to be angry with Him. Without some kind of external knowledge or experience of God, who could say you're wrong?
So I called God out on the carpet one day and demanded that He justify my placement on this earth, with this mind, in this body, and these parents, in this time. I got the vague sense I wasn't being very smart. I mean, He's God, He can squash me like a bug. But I was too exhausted to care. In fact, I wanted to die. It would be better if my death, just like my life, were caused by Him. I wanted nothing to do with it anymore. I wanted Him to show up or squash me. And nothing happened... Or so I thought.
What if the statement, "I never asked to be born", is a valid and acceptable statement to God? What if He would say, "You're right." What if He did and does take responsibility for all of His children? What if there is a force underwriting every human being? What if He sent us into this world with not only a purpose but also a promise:
Deuteronomy 31:6
English Standard Version (ESV)
6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5
English Standard Version (ESV)
5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Joshua 1:9
English Standard Version (ESV)
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Matthew 28:20
English Standard Version (ESV)
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Joshua 1:5
English Standard Version (ESV)
5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.
1 Chronicles 28:20
English Standard Version (ESV)
20 Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the LordGod, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished.
Isaiah 41:10
English Standard Version (ESV)
10 fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Haggai 1:13
English Standard Version (ESV)
13 Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, spoke to the people with the Lord's message, “I am with you, declares the Lord.”
Genesis 28:15
English Standard Version (ESV)
15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
Genesis 31:3
English Standard Version (ESV)
3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”
He says it over and over and over in scripture: "I am with you." "I will never leave you." This sounds like what a good father would say to a child who is scared about entering a dark room. "It's OK. Don't be afraid. Daddy is coming with you. I won't leave you. I'll be right here." And when I look back on the times when my life was falling apart, I can see Him so clearly by my side.
So, no, none of us asked to be born into this world. But our Father made us a promise that still stands today: "You are not alone. I care for you and I will be with you wherever you go." How do I respond to a God like that? How does a loving, perfect father shape my response in times of crisis? How sweet and tender of Him to reassure us so many times. Even when it was previously written for all to read, He said it again: "I will not leave you. I will not abandon you. I am with you even now."
Thursday, April 17, 2014
I will surpass The Apostle Paul
So will you. Oh, I know, it seems like heresy. But what did Paul teach us about the nature of The Kingdom? What did Jesus say about it?
John 14:12 " Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
Paul actually reveals the intended outcome of doing greater things than Jesus:
Ephesians 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
The Kingdom is progressive. It is always moving forward; always gaining momentum. What Jesus began, He made sure to tell us that we would continue:
Mark 16:15 And He said to them, " Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."
In Acts we see thousands converted during Peter's very first sermon. Then later we see thousands more. Each time, the numbers grew by orders of magnitude. The Kingdom grew. Each spiritual child lead to Christ by a spiritual father would build upon all their spiritual father had to teach them. What the 12 learned during their 3.5 years with Jesus, the first converts after Pentecost benefited from. The Kingdom builds, life upon life, person upon person until we all come together in the unity of the faith.
Didn't Paul exhort Timothy about the heritage of faith he came from?
2 Timothy 1:5 when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.
In the very next verse Paul tells Timothy to "stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands." He's saying, "Look, kid, you have been loaded up with all the gifts your family and I could impart to you. There is no reason for you to fight the battles we have already won."
If a man could live forever in this physical realm, there would be no need for him to entrust his highest goals to another generation. Yet even Jesus passed from this earthly realm and entrusted His highest goal, reconciliation with The Father, to 12 knuckleheads. He told them they would surpass what He did on this earth and they did just that. Then they handed over to those who came after them all they had learned in the hope that the next generation would surpass them. Always looking forward to the next glory, one generation surpassed the previous.
So when I say that I will surpass Paul, I agree not only with Paul himself, but Jesus. Christ is within me and He is the hope of glory. When I stir up within me all that those who came before me fought for, I am well equipped to manifest His glory.
John 14:12 " Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
Paul actually reveals the intended outcome of doing greater things than Jesus:
Ephesians 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
The Kingdom is progressive. It is always moving forward; always gaining momentum. What Jesus began, He made sure to tell us that we would continue:
Mark 16:15 And He said to them, " Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."
In Acts we see thousands converted during Peter's very first sermon. Then later we see thousands more. Each time, the numbers grew by orders of magnitude. The Kingdom grew. Each spiritual child lead to Christ by a spiritual father would build upon all their spiritual father had to teach them. What the 12 learned during their 3.5 years with Jesus, the first converts after Pentecost benefited from. The Kingdom builds, life upon life, person upon person until we all come together in the unity of the faith.
Didn't Paul exhort Timothy about the heritage of faith he came from?
2 Timothy 1:5 when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.
In the very next verse Paul tells Timothy to "stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands." He's saying, "Look, kid, you have been loaded up with all the gifts your family and I could impart to you. There is no reason for you to fight the battles we have already won."
If a man could live forever in this physical realm, there would be no need for him to entrust his highest goals to another generation. Yet even Jesus passed from this earthly realm and entrusted His highest goal, reconciliation with The Father, to 12 knuckleheads. He told them they would surpass what He did on this earth and they did just that. Then they handed over to those who came after them all they had learned in the hope that the next generation would surpass them. Always looking forward to the next glory, one generation surpassed the previous.
So when I say that I will surpass Paul, I agree not only with Paul himself, but Jesus. Christ is within me and He is the hope of glory. When I stir up within me all that those who came before me fought for, I am well equipped to manifest His glory.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Holiness
The church has missed the mark in days past regarding holiness. Hear me out. Many will read what I'm about to say and reply, "My church isn't like that." Tell that to unbelievers out there. Many hear the gospel and say, "I can't live up to that."
Live up to what?
How is it that the good news that angels heralded as "good tidings of great joy" could be viewed as something to live up to? Maybe it's due to passages like:
1 Peter 1:16 because it is written, " Be holy, for I am holy."
God told us to be holy. And Peter himself recognized in a prior part of his first epistle that holiness is tied to good behavior:
1 Peter 1:13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
Paul does a masterful job of explaining in greater detail what holiness looks like, or what it doesn't:
Ephesians 4:17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. 26 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Let me put that in a bulleted list so it's easier to grasp the DON'Ts of holiness:
Live up to what?
How is it that the good news that angels heralded as "good tidings of great joy" could be viewed as something to live up to? Maybe it's due to passages like:
1 Peter 1:16 because it is written, " Be holy, for I am holy."
God told us to be holy. And Peter himself recognized in a prior part of his first epistle that holiness is tied to good behavior:
1 Peter 1:13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
Paul does a masterful job of explaining in greater detail what holiness looks like, or what it doesn't:
Ephesians 4:17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. 26 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Let me put that in a bulleted list so it's easier to grasp the DON'Ts of holiness:
- Don't live your life (walk) like unbelievers.
- Don't be lewd, unclean, or greedy.
- Do not identify with the corrupt, lying, lustful person you used to be.
- Do identify with the new person God created who is righteous and holy.
- Don't lie.
- Don't stay angry.
- Don't allow the devil to influence you in any way.
- Don't steal.
- Don't speak ill of anyone.
- Don't hurt Holy Spirit.
- Stay away from bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking, and all intent to harm.
- Be kind, tender, and forgiving of each other just like God did to you with Jesus.
Granted, there are other places in the New Testament, let a lone the entire Bible, where do's and don'ts are expounded upon. But as they relate to holiness, you can't beat Ephesians 4's list of don'ts. And I believe that if you were to view the message of the church as a whole over the past 2,000 years, you'd find that this list pretty accurately shows part 2 of our conversion process. Part 1, of course, has always been "Jesus died for your sins. Say this prayer so you can be saved from hell." Essentially, the church boiled down the discipleship Jesus offered us and ended up with just another religion.
We ended up knowing that we needed to be holy because our God is holy but then found that we forgot how we were supposed to become holy. We missed the point. This is where probably the absolute most often criticism of the church by unbelievers comes in: hypocrisy. There was a point in time where the church preached holiness, fell short, and kept on preaching it anyway. The more we fell, the more we clutched the DO's and DON'Ts we found we had the power to actually achieve on our own while keeping completely silent about the ones we could not. What did we miss? Where did we go wrong?
Grace. Grace is the answer. Let me ask you this question: would a God who of necessity sacrificed His only Son to redeem us then turn around and expect us to be holy under the very strength that had failed us since the foundation of the world? That's ridiculous, right? Let me ask the same question another way: does grace end at the cross? Did God pour out all of His grace when Jesus died and then commanded us to be holy to pay Him back? Again, that sounds like nonsense. But isn't living by a set of DO's and DON'Ts exactly that kind of life?
Now, let me reiterate, we surly are called to be holy. There is no dispute there. While believing in the name of Jesus gets our names written in the Book of Life, holiness gets us closer to God. All the rich inheritance available to us in this realm, during this lifetime, can only be released by living a holy life. But again, every believer will come up against the exhortation of Ephesians 4:17 "that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk". They will read the rest of that chapter and perhaps end up afraid. Were they strong in the first place, they'd likely never have received Jesus. The Bible itself says that no man walked out the law perfectly, not one. Only Jesus did that. So...holiness.... how?
Paul sums it up nicely juuuuuust after the long list of DO's and DON'Ts:
Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet- smelling aroma.
That "Therefore" is there for a very good reason. It means, "In summary". Imitate God, just as a dear child would. That's the aim. That's the goal. That's the focus. At some point God will ask you, "Do you believe love is powerful enough to inspire obedience?" Let me help you with the answer.
Consider a child who is loved dearly by his parents. They raised him with unconditional love, attention, instruction. The child was never harshly dealt with and always praised for doing good. Would you expect this child to obey his parents? Why? A child who is loved lavishly naturally wants to please his father. My son Dean was born just prior to my being born again. He has 2 much older brothers. I did not love them with Christ in my heart, as a result I sometimes struggle to get them to trust my judgement. With Dean it's not that way. I have loved him with Jesus inside me from the time he was 3 months old. This child, while spirited and courageous, lives to please his father. At almost 2 years old, he will respond to my "No" or my "Come here" sooner than he will anyone else in the house. It was not so with his older brothers. A revelation of a loving father inspired obedience in Dean.
The same is true of those who truly see God, The Father, and how He loves us. This is what Peter meant when he prefaced his exhortation to clean living in 1 Peter 1:13 "rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children". We are to hope we can be holy because of the grace we get when we see what Jesus revealed to us about The Father. Holiness does not come by being aware of what is right and what is wrong (although that's necessary) but from being sure of the fact that we are dear children of a holy and loving God. This is what Paul speaks of in Romans 7. No matter what a man does or how hard he tries he cannot be fully moral all the time. But with Christ he is able to attain holiness because Jesus reveals the love of a Father that inspires obedience in His dear children.
So we live in a world, and sometimes in a local church, where there appears to be a lack of holiness. We are indeed commanded to expose sin. We are indeed commanded to be holy and to hold each other accountable. And holiness is just as much a part of The Kingdom as grace. But the method by which we expose sin and the way in which we press the agenda of holiness will be the difference between winning and losing.
Paul hints at how we can address a lack of holiness in others and ourselves in Ephesians 4:18 where he says that the Gentiles act unholy because "having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart". People live poorly when they are ignorant and their heart is blind. But ignorant of what? Truth. Blind to what? Jesus. He's basically saying that they act that way because they have never encountered a Father who would inspire them to live as He lives. So perhaps the problem we have isn't a lack of holiness. Maybe the problem we have is a lack of understanding.
I submit to you that if you truly seek The Father, realizing that He already sees you as righteous and holy, you will be so overcome and so touched by His love for you and all the world that you would give up all rights to act as you please. You would be like my toddler son is with me: ready to do anything to make Daddy smile.
That "Therefore" is there for a very good reason. It means, "In summary". Imitate God, just as a dear child would. That's the aim. That's the goal. That's the focus. At some point God will ask you, "Do you believe love is powerful enough to inspire obedience?" Let me help you with the answer.
Consider a child who is loved dearly by his parents. They raised him with unconditional love, attention, instruction. The child was never harshly dealt with and always praised for doing good. Would you expect this child to obey his parents? Why? A child who is loved lavishly naturally wants to please his father. My son Dean was born just prior to my being born again. He has 2 much older brothers. I did not love them with Christ in my heart, as a result I sometimes struggle to get them to trust my judgement. With Dean it's not that way. I have loved him with Jesus inside me from the time he was 3 months old. This child, while spirited and courageous, lives to please his father. At almost 2 years old, he will respond to my "No" or my "Come here" sooner than he will anyone else in the house. It was not so with his older brothers. A revelation of a loving father inspired obedience in Dean.
The same is true of those who truly see God, The Father, and how He loves us. This is what Peter meant when he prefaced his exhortation to clean living in 1 Peter 1:13 "rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children". We are to hope we can be holy because of the grace we get when we see what Jesus revealed to us about The Father. Holiness does not come by being aware of what is right and what is wrong (although that's necessary) but from being sure of the fact that we are dear children of a holy and loving God. This is what Paul speaks of in Romans 7. No matter what a man does or how hard he tries he cannot be fully moral all the time. But with Christ he is able to attain holiness because Jesus reveals the love of a Father that inspires obedience in His dear children.
So we live in a world, and sometimes in a local church, where there appears to be a lack of holiness. We are indeed commanded to expose sin. We are indeed commanded to be holy and to hold each other accountable. And holiness is just as much a part of The Kingdom as grace. But the method by which we expose sin and the way in which we press the agenda of holiness will be the difference between winning and losing.
Paul hints at how we can address a lack of holiness in others and ourselves in Ephesians 4:18 where he says that the Gentiles act unholy because "having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart". People live poorly when they are ignorant and their heart is blind. But ignorant of what? Truth. Blind to what? Jesus. He's basically saying that they act that way because they have never encountered a Father who would inspire them to live as He lives. So perhaps the problem we have isn't a lack of holiness. Maybe the problem we have is a lack of understanding.
I submit to you that if you truly seek The Father, realizing that He already sees you as righteous and holy, you will be so overcome and so touched by His love for you and all the world that you would give up all rights to act as you please. You would be like my toddler son is with me: ready to do anything to make Daddy smile.
Kingdom Causality: Where does joy come from?
Jesus says, as recorded in Matthew 6:22-23:
" The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"
I believe this is where He opens up a grand topic about focus and attention that does not end until Matthew 8. It's one of the most important and foundational principles of The Kingdom. Your eye is considered your primary sense. All information gathered by you comes through your eye. This is true both in the physical and the spiritual. The eye is the gateway to the soul. Our body, or our very being, is flooded by what comes through our eye gate. The vast majority of The Sermon on the Mount is about how and what we choose to see.
If you don't understand that where you point your eye determines your experience of things, you will miss The Kingdom. He makes this plain in Matthew 7:13-14 where He says:
13 " Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
I believe He's pointing out here that we have the freedom to choose where we put our focus. Our focus determines our existence, as He already pointed out in Mat 6:22-23. But our focus must be singular. We live in 2 realms. There's a LOT to look at in both realms. Jesus would have us keep our focus on Him and The Father as revealed in the life of Jesus. As Jesus said, focusing on an invisible God when you are used to focusing on things that are visible is "difficult". Our focus must be narrowed specifically on Him and Him alone. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
So, what does this have to do with joy? And what is causality? Let me first explain causality. It is defined as "The relationship between cause and effect". It's my belief that joy is an expression of Him through us as we keep our focus narrowly upon Him. Our joy comes from Him. He never changes, therefore our joy shouldn't either. Jesus put it like this:
John 15:9 " As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. 11 " These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
This is perhaps the most specific statement Jesus makes during His earthly ministry about His goal for our lives: "that your joy may be full". He came to save us, to heal us, to reveal The Father to us, but rarely do we comment on what He wanted for us. He even goes so far as to explain in the simplest terms how we can remain within His joy and have our joy be full: to abide in His love. How do we do that? He answers that one too: love each other like He loved us.
So, He wants us to be full of joy because we love one another. That seems hard. I'm not sure I can do that. In fact, my life experience pretty much makes it clear that I can't. Good thing He foresaw that issue and spoke about how we can do it: keep your eye single.
This is why Jesus came to reveal The Father. God knew that unless we had Him revealed in an obvious way, we could never see fit to trust Him. Without trusting Him, we certainly couldn't keep our eye upon Him. So Jesus walks us through the biggest problems humans have with their focus:
He systematically refutes the biggest motivations for being double minded. Every reason to take your eyes off of Him is therein. He not only lists each motivation but also provides the Kingdom antidote for each: the love of The Father. That's the wisdom of it. We are able to keep our focus on Him because of how He loves us. The narrow gate, when seen for what it truly is, is not only the one way to life but it is also the most appealing of ways. God provides so lovingly and with such abundance that we cannot help but WANT Him.
That's the cause, at least at first. When we encounter Him and His love, we are caused to be drawn toward Him and away from everything else. Our eye becomes single as a response to amazing romance and tender care. Every single thing we can come up with that seems to excuse our wandering eye Jesus easily swats down by saying, "Look at how much Our Father loves you."
John explains this cause and effect quite simply in 1 John 4:19 when he says, "We love Him because He first loved us."
God goes first. He always goes first. He has been described in times past as one demanding of sacrifice and perfection. But it's He who sacrifices of Himself and is alone perfect. What He wants from us is to see this about Him. He is the cause and love is our response. It could be no other way. He is love and we were made in His image. When we focus on perfect love, sacrificial love, unconditional love, Jesus Himself, we find ourselves like an echo of His voice. We find ourselves suddenly able to fulfill Jesus' great command to love each other as He loves us. As we keep our focus on the myriad ways in which He loves us, we echo that love all around. John explains it like this:
1 John 5:12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
The question is, where is your eye? If you believe it's on Him and yet you cannot love as you believe you should, maybe do not see God clearly. I believe that's what John was talking about here:
1 John 4:20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him:that he who loves God must love his brother also.
Please also be aware that "his brother" also refers to ones self. If you hate yourself, you are experiencing a lack of love.
And it's not that God doesn't love you. It's that maybe you don't see it. Maybe it's harder to find that narrow gate than you first realized. Maybe God has more mercy for you than you expect. Maybe you have paid attention to things other than Jesus. Maybe you were afraid to hear His voice and settled for rules when He offered you a relationship. Maybe religion is easier than relationship.
Don't worry. You can taste, then see. His terms are not difficult. He just loves you. Just be honest with Him about everything, out loud. He sees your heart and it does not shock Him. Trust that He will nurture you into what you thought He wanted you to be in the first place. Stop measuring and making lists and just look at Him. Do the one thing Jesus asked of you: focus.
What amazing freedom there is in The Kingdom. If all I have to do is believe Him and then just respond to His love, I find that life is amazing. Rejoice isn't the word for it. I can't even come up with a word for this kind of awe. I need worry for nothing and can ask for anything. I'm not defined by the judgements of others, have no need to acquire, and only need strive to be present with God! I get to know the creator of the universe in an intimate way! I'm completely free from fear! He has excluded all possibilities but joy. He has caused, through love, this joyous effect upon my life! All I have to do is continue to seek this amazing Kingdom that I can't help but seek anyway.
" The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"
I believe this is where He opens up a grand topic about focus and attention that does not end until Matthew 8. It's one of the most important and foundational principles of The Kingdom. Your eye is considered your primary sense. All information gathered by you comes through your eye. This is true both in the physical and the spiritual. The eye is the gateway to the soul. Our body, or our very being, is flooded by what comes through our eye gate. The vast majority of The Sermon on the Mount is about how and what we choose to see.
If you don't understand that where you point your eye determines your experience of things, you will miss The Kingdom. He makes this plain in Matthew 7:13-14 where He says:
13 " Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
I believe He's pointing out here that we have the freedom to choose where we put our focus. Our focus determines our existence, as He already pointed out in Mat 6:22-23. But our focus must be singular. We live in 2 realms. There's a LOT to look at in both realms. Jesus would have us keep our focus on Him and The Father as revealed in the life of Jesus. As Jesus said, focusing on an invisible God when you are used to focusing on things that are visible is "difficult". Our focus must be narrowed specifically on Him and Him alone. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
So, what does this have to do with joy? And what is causality? Let me first explain causality. It is defined as "The relationship between cause and effect". It's my belief that joy is an expression of Him through us as we keep our focus narrowly upon Him. Our joy comes from Him. He never changes, therefore our joy shouldn't either. Jesus put it like this:
John 15:9 " As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. 11 " These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
This is perhaps the most specific statement Jesus makes during His earthly ministry about His goal for our lives: "that your joy may be full". He came to save us, to heal us, to reveal The Father to us, but rarely do we comment on what He wanted for us. He even goes so far as to explain in the simplest terms how we can remain within His joy and have our joy be full: to abide in His love. How do we do that? He answers that one too: love each other like He loved us.
So, He wants us to be full of joy because we love one another. That seems hard. I'm not sure I can do that. In fact, my life experience pretty much makes it clear that I can't. Good thing He foresaw that issue and spoke about how we can do it: keep your eye single.
This is why Jesus came to reveal The Father. God knew that unless we had Him revealed in an obvious way, we could never see fit to trust Him. Without trusting Him, we certainly couldn't keep our eye upon Him. So Jesus walks us through the biggest problems humans have with their focus:
- Don't focus on acquiring. You cannot serve God and money. Matt 6:24
- Don't focus on lack. Your Father in Heaven loves you above all creation and yet look how well He cares for creation! He must really really love you guys. So don't worry about anything. Matt 6:25-34
- Don't focus on other people's behavior. You are not equipped to judge anyone. Matt 7:1-6
- Don't focus on wants. Just ask Him and leave it at that. He's your Father, you should be able to ask. Matt 7:7-12
- Don't focus on more than one thing. The only way is a narrow and singular way. Matt 7:13-14
- Don't focus on finding bad guys. Jesus reveals the way in which you will know who is good and who is not. There is no guess work and therefore no reason to be always on the look out. Don't focus on finding wolves in sheep's clothing. They will be obviously betrayed by their fruit. Matt 7:15-20
- Do focus on Jesus. You can do a billion things in Jesus' name but He will only receive those who kept their focus on Him in order to know Him. Matt 7:21-27
He systematically refutes the biggest motivations for being double minded. Every reason to take your eyes off of Him is therein. He not only lists each motivation but also provides the Kingdom antidote for each: the love of The Father. That's the wisdom of it. We are able to keep our focus on Him because of how He loves us. The narrow gate, when seen for what it truly is, is not only the one way to life but it is also the most appealing of ways. God provides so lovingly and with such abundance that we cannot help but WANT Him.
That's the cause, at least at first. When we encounter Him and His love, we are caused to be drawn toward Him and away from everything else. Our eye becomes single as a response to amazing romance and tender care. Every single thing we can come up with that seems to excuse our wandering eye Jesus easily swats down by saying, "Look at how much Our Father loves you."
John explains this cause and effect quite simply in 1 John 4:19 when he says, "We love Him because He first loved us."
God goes first. He always goes first. He has been described in times past as one demanding of sacrifice and perfection. But it's He who sacrifices of Himself and is alone perfect. What He wants from us is to see this about Him. He is the cause and love is our response. It could be no other way. He is love and we were made in His image. When we focus on perfect love, sacrificial love, unconditional love, Jesus Himself, we find ourselves like an echo of His voice. We find ourselves suddenly able to fulfill Jesus' great command to love each other as He loves us. As we keep our focus on the myriad ways in which He loves us, we echo that love all around. John explains it like this:
1 John 5:12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
The question is, where is your eye? If you believe it's on Him and yet you cannot love as you believe you should, maybe do not see God clearly. I believe that's what John was talking about here:
1 John 4:20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him:that he who loves God must love his brother also.
Please also be aware that "his brother" also refers to ones self. If you hate yourself, you are experiencing a lack of love.
And it's not that God doesn't love you. It's that maybe you don't see it. Maybe it's harder to find that narrow gate than you first realized. Maybe God has more mercy for you than you expect. Maybe you have paid attention to things other than Jesus. Maybe you were afraid to hear His voice and settled for rules when He offered you a relationship. Maybe religion is easier than relationship.
Don't worry. You can taste, then see. His terms are not difficult. He just loves you. Just be honest with Him about everything, out loud. He sees your heart and it does not shock Him. Trust that He will nurture you into what you thought He wanted you to be in the first place. Stop measuring and making lists and just look at Him. Do the one thing Jesus asked of you: focus.
What amazing freedom there is in The Kingdom. If all I have to do is believe Him and then just respond to His love, I find that life is amazing. Rejoice isn't the word for it. I can't even come up with a word for this kind of awe. I need worry for nothing and can ask for anything. I'm not defined by the judgements of others, have no need to acquire, and only need strive to be present with God! I get to know the creator of the universe in an intimate way! I'm completely free from fear! He has excluded all possibilities but joy. He has caused, through love, this joyous effect upon my life! All I have to do is continue to seek this amazing Kingdom that I can't help but seek anyway.
Sunday, April 13, 2014
The Outpouring
Last week God started talking to me in my car about something He said He was about to do. Here's what He said:
"Gifts of the Spirit are not the point, son. I AM the point. You have known this but many do not. It's for this reason that I'm about to unlock the gifts of My Spirit that people were born with. Not only for those who know and love Me but especially for those who do not know Me or do not love Me.
There will be new gifts. I want everyone to know that this is an entirely new move of Mine. The new gifts will be a sign of that. Some will move at the speed of thought and some will fly. All will know I'm here.
An earthly father may remove something being used improperly by his children, but I'm not that way. The gifts were meant to be used in love and NOT meant to be put above Me. They were always signs that point to Me yet My children have sought them instead of Me. And so I am unlocking them in both the righteous and the wicked. The lost and the found will have them. All will have them in great abundance. When everyone is moving in powerful signs and wonders, nobody will see a need to chase them.
For believers, gifts will grow in power and scope. Walking in power and authority will be like breathing for The Body of Christ. For unbelievers, they will be shocked by sudden encounters caused by their gifts. They will have questions for you and your siblings. Welcome them with open arms.
The gifts of My Spirit will be as silver in the days of Solomon; so plentiful that it will no longer be sought. You will all be freed to seek the gold that is My love, My presence, a relationship with your Father."
The closest thing I can find to match it in scripture is this:
Joel 2:28 "And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.
I think the key in that passage is "all flesh". I say this because He goes further in Joel 2:29:
And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
Those are the church. Verse 28 is in reference to humanity as a whole but specifically non believers. Verse 29 is about believers or those who serve God.
God doesn't usually "speak" to me. Now, I didn't hear and audible voice but I surely got a bunch of obvious text. I heard Him quite clearly in my spirit and was overcome with His presence. I don't say that to convince you. I say that to show why I was convinced it was Him and why I felt the need to share it. He normally talks to me through images or vivid daydreams, impressions, ideas, etc... I've learned to know when He's entered into a conversation with me. But this was different somehow.
After He gave me this word, I said to Him, "Father, I'm not sure it's a good idea I tell people that they're going to fly. I mean, I like the idea and I can believe it but c'mon."
He replied, "Test Me on this. I've told you that gifting will be easy for you. Go to Rutters and prove Me to the people working there."
I was like, "Oh, now you're talking! So, I'm going to go prophesy over them and you're saying it will be like I'm totally in the zone and I'll totally blow their minds?"
He replied, "Yes."
Off I went to Rutters in Stewartstown, PA, at 3:00 am.
So I walk into Rutters. There's a cashier and one other employee. I was already overcome with His presence, so I was kind of walking funny with a dazed look on my face. I was totally drunk on Him. The cashier says, "Um, are you OK?"
I said, "Yes, I was just talking with God."
She leaned away from me, her eyes widening. She smirked and said, "Ooook."
"You don't believe me?" I said.
She puts her hands on her hips and says, "Well, I'll believe in God when I see some proof."
HAHA! Game on.
I proceeded to tell her all about herself. Her past, her current struggles, her dreams, her long-term desires. I must have been talking to her for about 30 minutes, totally locked in on her with prophetic tunnel vision. I'm not sure exactly when but at some point her eyes got real wide and were just locked on me. She served several customers during our talk but almost never looked away from me. Finally she says, "What's going on? I feel dizzy. Like, my whole body is tingling."
I replied, "That's the Spirit of God. I told you He loves you. He's just confirming that."
She yells out, "That's awesome!" Then she calls over to her coworker and says, "You gotta come listen to this guy, he's amazing!"
I had nearly the same experience with the other employee. Only hearing God for him was even easier. I knew things about him that he has never told anyone, including what he wants to do with his life. I told him about his grandiose dreams that people have always told him were too big. I told him that God put those dreams in him and would back him all the way. I told him don't ever give up, God loves him amazingly and wants him to be happy and successful. He yells over to his coworker afterward, "This guy just nailed me. He got me to a T."
We have been given permission to love people radically with supernatural abilities. Now it's going to be even easier. Get out there and love in ways you always hoped were possible but have never seen.
"Gifts of the Spirit are not the point, son. I AM the point. You have known this but many do not. It's for this reason that I'm about to unlock the gifts of My Spirit that people were born with. Not only for those who know and love Me but especially for those who do not know Me or do not love Me.
There will be new gifts. I want everyone to know that this is an entirely new move of Mine. The new gifts will be a sign of that. Some will move at the speed of thought and some will fly. All will know I'm here.
An earthly father may remove something being used improperly by his children, but I'm not that way. The gifts were meant to be used in love and NOT meant to be put above Me. They were always signs that point to Me yet My children have sought them instead of Me. And so I am unlocking them in both the righteous and the wicked. The lost and the found will have them. All will have them in great abundance. When everyone is moving in powerful signs and wonders, nobody will see a need to chase them.
For believers, gifts will grow in power and scope. Walking in power and authority will be like breathing for The Body of Christ. For unbelievers, they will be shocked by sudden encounters caused by their gifts. They will have questions for you and your siblings. Welcome them with open arms.
The gifts of My Spirit will be as silver in the days of Solomon; so plentiful that it will no longer be sought. You will all be freed to seek the gold that is My love, My presence, a relationship with your Father."
The closest thing I can find to match it in scripture is this:
Joel 2:28 "And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.
I think the key in that passage is "all flesh". I say this because He goes further in Joel 2:29:
And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
Those are the church. Verse 28 is in reference to humanity as a whole but specifically non believers. Verse 29 is about believers or those who serve God.
God doesn't usually "speak" to me. Now, I didn't hear and audible voice but I surely got a bunch of obvious text. I heard Him quite clearly in my spirit and was overcome with His presence. I don't say that to convince you. I say that to show why I was convinced it was Him and why I felt the need to share it. He normally talks to me through images or vivid daydreams, impressions, ideas, etc... I've learned to know when He's entered into a conversation with me. But this was different somehow.
After He gave me this word, I said to Him, "Father, I'm not sure it's a good idea I tell people that they're going to fly. I mean, I like the idea and I can believe it but c'mon."
He replied, "Test Me on this. I've told you that gifting will be easy for you. Go to Rutters and prove Me to the people working there."
I was like, "Oh, now you're talking! So, I'm going to go prophesy over them and you're saying it will be like I'm totally in the zone and I'll totally blow their minds?"
He replied, "Yes."
Off I went to Rutters in Stewartstown, PA, at 3:00 am.
So I walk into Rutters. There's a cashier and one other employee. I was already overcome with His presence, so I was kind of walking funny with a dazed look on my face. I was totally drunk on Him. The cashier says, "Um, are you OK?"
I said, "Yes, I was just talking with God."
She leaned away from me, her eyes widening. She smirked and said, "Ooook."
"You don't believe me?" I said.
She puts her hands on her hips and says, "Well, I'll believe in God when I see some proof."
HAHA! Game on.
I proceeded to tell her all about herself. Her past, her current struggles, her dreams, her long-term desires. I must have been talking to her for about 30 minutes, totally locked in on her with prophetic tunnel vision. I'm not sure exactly when but at some point her eyes got real wide and were just locked on me. She served several customers during our talk but almost never looked away from me. Finally she says, "What's going on? I feel dizzy. Like, my whole body is tingling."
I replied, "That's the Spirit of God. I told you He loves you. He's just confirming that."
She yells out, "That's awesome!" Then she calls over to her coworker and says, "You gotta come listen to this guy, he's amazing!"
I had nearly the same experience with the other employee. Only hearing God for him was even easier. I knew things about him that he has never told anyone, including what he wants to do with his life. I told him about his grandiose dreams that people have always told him were too big. I told him that God put those dreams in him and would back him all the way. I told him don't ever give up, God loves him amazingly and wants him to be happy and successful. He yells over to his coworker afterward, "This guy just nailed me. He got me to a T."
We have been given permission to love people radically with supernatural abilities. Now it's going to be even easier. Get out there and love in ways you always hoped were possible but have never seen.
Friday, April 11, 2014
Signs, Seasons, and Parties
There has been much talk lately about the upcoming blood moon tetrad (4 blood moons in a row). Let me start by saying that the tetrad is significant, in my opinion. Here's why:
Gen 1:14 (Amplified) And God said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be signs and tokens [of God's provident care], and [to mark] seasons, days, and years,
Read that part in bold again. It's important. The creation account given by Moses from God is very very lean on detail. That means that whatever God saw fit to tell Moses about the beginning is very important. God chose His words well.
That said, there are currently 2 widely held views on the upcoming tetrad:
Gen 1:14 (Amplified) And God said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be signs and tokens [of God's provident care], and [to mark] seasons, days, and years,
Read that part in bold again. It's important. The creation account given by Moses from God is very very lean on detail. That means that whatever God saw fit to tell Moses about the beginning is very important. God chose His words well.
That said, there are currently 2 widely held views on the upcoming tetrad:
- Dispensationalist: the 4 blood moons are a sign of the end times or apocalypse. The rapture is upon us or soon will be.
- Preterist: the 4 blood moons are a sign of absolutely nothing.
I have come to rest mostly on the preterist side of eschatology but I think that sometimes the preterists react to the views of dispensationalists instead of actually looking at what God may be doing. In short, I believe both camps are wrong. Genesis clearly states that God put the lights in the sky to serve both as "signs" and to "mark seasons". Essentially, they are part of creation that testifies to what God is doing. That doesn't mean that the sign itself will tell you what He is doing; you have to seek Him to find that out. But the signs are important. It would be foolish to simply ignore them outright. The blood moons alone tell us nothing. But when viewed in the light of prayer, experience, prophesy, and scripture, I believe the tetrad is simply a confirmation in the natural of what God is already doing in the supernatural.
So, here's what I believe about the blood moon tetrad:
- They are a sign. Like a mile marker or a speed limit sign, they serve the purpose of causing awareness. I believe the intended effect of this type of sign is to get people curious. Simple. Effective. God is saying, "Hey, head's up, guys!" He wants us looking, watching, anticipating Him.
- This is a rather elaborate sign. God only does that kind of thing for big moves. Consider the star the magi followed to find baby Jesus. The bigger the sign, the bigger the whammy.
- They do not foretell the end of the world. Jesus was quite clear that none of us can possibly know when that will happen. I agree with the preterists on this one. It's not biblical for us to look up in the sky and say, "He's coming back for us this week."
- They do not foretell of destruction. God is not angry. We do not live under the Old Covenant. Please stop making God out to be some angry orphanage director. He loves us all. Yes, even the Taliban and gays. Remember what spirit you are of before you start talking about smiting things.
- They do not tie into the fate of modern-day Israel. Under the New Covenant, we are all His children. The scope of signs and wonders are no longer limited to Israel.
- They DO mark the end of one thing and the beginning of another. As has been prophesied recently, this year will begin a new chapter for all of creation. God is moving.
- There is poetic symbolism in this sign. I've been asking God for clarity on the significance of blood moons for some time. He answered me today.
Whether you agree or disagree with me, please just read on.
Here is what I believe God showed me about the meaning or message within the sign: threshold. Our God is a God of the threshold covenant. You can see it in Genesis when Lot took responsibility for the angels who came to rescue him from the destruction of Sodom. He offered his own daughters to the angry mob in order to protect the two "men" who had crossed his threshold. It was understood from the beginning of civilization that when you cross a threshold, you are then under the responsibility of the person whose house you just entered. This is further seen in Exodus when God told the Israelites to coat the lintel and door posts of their homes with the blood of the lamb. They were essentially told to mark their threshold with the blood of a spotless lamb. Anyone who crossed over that threshold would be spared the plague of the death of first born's. A threshold is a significant demarcation in the spirit. Finally in the New Testament we see Jesus hanging on a vertical wooden structure, stricken, bleeding on it. He said it Himself:
John 10:9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
Jesus on the cross was a threshold. What Passover prophesied, Calvary fulfilled. This brings me to the symbolism in the blood moon tetrad. The first of the blood moons actually falls on the first day of passover (in fact, every blood moon of this tetrad falls on a Jewish high holiday). I believe God is saying here that we are entering a new season that cannot compare to any other season. It's important, special. The blood moons fall on holidays because He wants us to make a connection between the original Jewish holidays and why they were instituted. Each holiday was instituted to honor some move of God. It was either His sovereign command to hold a holiday or Israel instituted it to honor Him moving on their behalf. I believe He's saying, "I'm about to move on your behalf in a sovereign way." Now, the fact that they begin on passover is also significant because of the two-fold meaning of passover:
All 4 blood moons represent the door posts, the lentil, and the threshold (the bottom beam below your feet) all covered in blood. We are entering into a season that He has ordained and planned. Once inside, we can rest easy because He will keep the threshold covenant. This is His way of saying, "It's all on me for this season, guys. Drink up!"
During the most significant passover to-date, Jesus instituted The Lord's Supper, also known as Holy Communion. This is huge. He is inviting us to a dinner this year, at His expense once again. It's been prophesied that we will "see His face" during this move. I believe it. I believe the signs point to it. I believe the tetrad is a love note in the sky inviting us into a type of communion that not even Moses was allowed to take part in.
It is a love party. He's going to pour out His fiery, passionate love on all flesh. We will come alive in ways that we could only previously dream about. This is the bachelor party of The Lamb and we have all been born to take part in it.
Jesus on the cross was a threshold. What Passover prophesied, Calvary fulfilled. This brings me to the symbolism in the blood moon tetrad. The first of the blood moons actually falls on the first day of passover (in fact, every blood moon of this tetrad falls on a Jewish high holiday). I believe God is saying here that we are entering a new season that cannot compare to any other season. It's important, special. The blood moons fall on holidays because He wants us to make a connection between the original Jewish holidays and why they were instituted. Each holiday was instituted to honor some move of God. It was either His sovereign command to hold a holiday or Israel instituted it to honor Him moving on their behalf. I believe He's saying, "I'm about to move on your behalf in a sovereign way." Now, the fact that they begin on passover is also significant because of the two-fold meaning of passover:
- Threshold
All 4 blood moons represent the door posts, the lentil, and the threshold (the bottom beam below your feet) all covered in blood. We are entering into a season that He has ordained and planned. Once inside, we can rest easy because He will keep the threshold covenant. This is His way of saying, "It's all on me for this season, guys. Drink up!"
- Communion
During the most significant passover to-date, Jesus instituted The Lord's Supper, also known as Holy Communion. This is huge. He is inviting us to a dinner this year, at His expense once again. It's been prophesied that we will "see His face" during this move. I believe it. I believe the signs point to it. I believe the tetrad is a love note in the sky inviting us into a type of communion that not even Moses was allowed to take part in.
It is a love party. He's going to pour out His fiery, passionate love on all flesh. We will come alive in ways that we could only previously dream about. This is the bachelor party of The Lamb and we have all been born to take part in it.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Commandments and Motive
Love one another. Jesus commanded a bunch of stuff, but this one was to have top priority. Don't believe me? Listen to what He said:
Matt 22:36 " Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" 37 Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. ' 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it:'You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ' 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
Wow. Jesus just summed up the entire basis of Judaism. You may want to disagree but I think what Jesus said is pretty clear. Let's take a look at the word translated here as "hang": kremannymi. It translates as "to suspend from" or "to sum up". So Jesus was saying that loving God with all of you and loving your neighbor as yourself sums up the entire Mosaic tradition? The 10 Commandments were not about do's and don'ts but were about love?
OK, but how do we get from being fallen and wicked to being able to love God and our neighbor? It still seems like I have to strive for something or work hard at something in order to "love" God. I mean, how do you love something you can't see? This is where John comes in pretty handy. The apostle John clears it all up quite nicely, I believe:
1 John 5:19 We love Him because He first loved us.
God is not some harsh taskmaster who is deeply disgruntled at how naughty His wayward children are. He is merciful and kind. The irony of Jesus' commandment to love one another was that He was the very model of that love. He made it abundantly clear that He was the express image of The Father. He even said,
John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
He provided the model of love. His entire life and ministry had a single purpose: to reveal the love of The Father. His death and resurrection had a purpose of rescue and reconciliation but His life and ministry served only to show us that God loves us and just how we ought to love.
Now, back to the 10 Commandments. While I realize that The Law and Prophets goes far beyond the 10 Commandments, they are a good place to see the Love Is Everything commandment in action. If God never changes (He said so) then LOVE must have been His motive in everything He commanded before Christ. Let's take a look at that.
1. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
This one is obvious. If we see how He loves us, loving Him will be a natural response.
2. Thou shalt not worship idols.
This one is less obvious. He knows that only He can fill the need we all have deep within us. Only His love can sustain us.
3. Thou shalt not take the LORD's Name in vain.
When you love someone, you never use their name or speak of them in any manner other than love.
4. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Spend time with Him. When you love someone, you set aside time just to spend with them.
5. Honor thy father and thy mother.
If you love your parents, honor will be a natural part of how you interact with them.
6. Thou shalt not kill.
God made each of us in His image. If you love God, you can't help but love His children. Murder isn't even on your radar if you love God.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
The love and intimacy you can get from another human being pales in comparison to what you get from love and intimacy with God. Adultery is an expression of the lack of God in your heart. When we love God, we no longer seek fulfillment from people.
8. Thou shalt not steal.
The love of God fills us. When we know that love, we lack nothing. There is no desire to steal when you lack nothing.
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Lies are one of the purest expressions of selfishness. Selfishness is driven by lack. When we love God, we lack nothing because having His love is everything. There is no reason to lie when you have love.
10. Thou shalt not covet.
The love of God leaves no empty spaces in us. Our eyes can go across our neighbor and all his stuff and see only joy for what our neighbor has. When love from a filled heart is our primary perspective, we have need of nothing and therefore covet nothing.
The Israelites had a chance for direct relationship with God when He invited them up on the mountain to commune with Him. They were too afraid and said (this is a bit of a cheeky paraphrase), "Uh, no thanks, LORD. Can we just have you talk to Moses and then Moses can give us laws or something?" After Moses talked God out of some serious smiting, God said (another bad paraphrase incoming): "You want laws? You asked for it!" Yet the Israelites, even after 2,000 years with the laws didn't get their true meaning and purpose: love.
Jesus makes this point plain when correcting those who mocked Him for choosing Matthew as a disciple:
Matt 9:13 But go and learn what this means:'I desire mercy and not sacrifice. ' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."
The quote in bold is from Hosea 6:6 where God is telling Israel that He would rather they know Him than sacrifice animals to Him.
Over and over again in scripture, both new and old testament, we see God, a Father, who longs to "gather His people to Him likes a mother hen would her chicks". His motive was love from the very first millisecond of creation and has never changed. What if we were to be bold enough to set aside everything but love? What would that look like? What if we saw so keenly the way He loves us that we were suddenly so driven by love that we found ourselves without sinning? What if lack of sin was never the goal? What if love was always the goal? What if...
Matt 22:36 " Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" 37 Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. ' 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it:'You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ' 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
Wow. Jesus just summed up the entire basis of Judaism. You may want to disagree but I think what Jesus said is pretty clear. Let's take a look at the word translated here as "hang": kremannymi. It translates as "to suspend from" or "to sum up". So Jesus was saying that loving God with all of you and loving your neighbor as yourself sums up the entire Mosaic tradition? The 10 Commandments were not about do's and don'ts but were about love?
OK, but how do we get from being fallen and wicked to being able to love God and our neighbor? It still seems like I have to strive for something or work hard at something in order to "love" God. I mean, how do you love something you can't see? This is where John comes in pretty handy. The apostle John clears it all up quite nicely, I believe:
1 John 5:19 We love Him because He first loved us.
God is not some harsh taskmaster who is deeply disgruntled at how naughty His wayward children are. He is merciful and kind. The irony of Jesus' commandment to love one another was that He was the very model of that love. He made it abundantly clear that He was the express image of The Father. He even said,
John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
He provided the model of love. His entire life and ministry had a single purpose: to reveal the love of The Father. His death and resurrection had a purpose of rescue and reconciliation but His life and ministry served only to show us that God loves us and just how we ought to love.
Now, back to the 10 Commandments. While I realize that The Law and Prophets goes far beyond the 10 Commandments, they are a good place to see the Love Is Everything commandment in action. If God never changes (He said so) then LOVE must have been His motive in everything He commanded before Christ. Let's take a look at that.
1. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
This one is obvious. If we see how He loves us, loving Him will be a natural response.
2. Thou shalt not worship idols.
This one is less obvious. He knows that only He can fill the need we all have deep within us. Only His love can sustain us.
3. Thou shalt not take the LORD's Name in vain.
When you love someone, you never use their name or speak of them in any manner other than love.
4. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Spend time with Him. When you love someone, you set aside time just to spend with them.
5. Honor thy father and thy mother.
If you love your parents, honor will be a natural part of how you interact with them.
6. Thou shalt not kill.
God made each of us in His image. If you love God, you can't help but love His children. Murder isn't even on your radar if you love God.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
The love and intimacy you can get from another human being pales in comparison to what you get from love and intimacy with God. Adultery is an expression of the lack of God in your heart. When we love God, we no longer seek fulfillment from people.
8. Thou shalt not steal.
The love of God fills us. When we know that love, we lack nothing. There is no desire to steal when you lack nothing.
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Lies are one of the purest expressions of selfishness. Selfishness is driven by lack. When we love God, we lack nothing because having His love is everything. There is no reason to lie when you have love.
10. Thou shalt not covet.
The love of God leaves no empty spaces in us. Our eyes can go across our neighbor and all his stuff and see only joy for what our neighbor has. When love from a filled heart is our primary perspective, we have need of nothing and therefore covet nothing.
The Israelites had a chance for direct relationship with God when He invited them up on the mountain to commune with Him. They were too afraid and said (this is a bit of a cheeky paraphrase), "Uh, no thanks, LORD. Can we just have you talk to Moses and then Moses can give us laws or something?" After Moses talked God out of some serious smiting, God said (another bad paraphrase incoming): "You want laws? You asked for it!" Yet the Israelites, even after 2,000 years with the laws didn't get their true meaning and purpose: love.
Jesus makes this point plain when correcting those who mocked Him for choosing Matthew as a disciple:
Matt 9:13 But go and learn what this means:'I desire mercy and not sacrifice. ' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."
The quote in bold is from Hosea 6:6 where God is telling Israel that He would rather they know Him than sacrifice animals to Him.
Over and over again in scripture, both new and old testament, we see God, a Father, who longs to "gather His people to Him likes a mother hen would her chicks". His motive was love from the very first millisecond of creation and has never changed. What if we were to be bold enough to set aside everything but love? What would that look like? What if we saw so keenly the way He loves us that we were suddenly so driven by love that we found ourselves without sinning? What if lack of sin was never the goal? What if love was always the goal? What if...
On Leaving A Church
I've heard of people leaving a particular church because of something about the church itself. Either the worship isn't right or the people are stiff-necked or some other such complaint.
I realize I'll be tested in this, but I believe it's truth. What if during Jesus' ministry He just got sick of us and decided to leave?
I realize I'll be tested in this, but I believe it's truth. What if during Jesus' ministry He just got sick of us and decided to leave?
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