Faithfulness

It would be a mistake to look at the few things out of a lifetime of a person, that they were credited with, and think that the rest of their days were more or less idle. 


I think guys like Moses weren't just idly milling about tending sheep when one day God broke in on their lives and everything changed.    Or think about Gideon.  What was he doing before God spoke to him in the barn?  Was he evil?  I don't think so . I think he was faithful, and pursuing to know God.  


His story is different than, say Boaz, who was a successful, God-honoring and beloved landowner, who paid attention to his workers' families and concerns. With a guy like Boaz, you could imagine he was a faithful man. 


Why wouldn't we think the same about these other men before their lives were used to change the course of history for a nation?  Why wouldn't we think the same about ourselves before our lives were used to change a culture, or disciple a nation?  

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What I'm getting at is that I do believe God chooses the foolish things of this world- the nobodies- to accomplish His will in their day. And I do believe He draws them out of obscurity to do it. That's a big part of just Who He is.  


But I do not believe He chooses men who have settled into a mediocre life, who haven't dared to rock the boat with their questions. They end up with little thought of God, and are fairly unmoved by the things of God.  That kind of man will die in his obscurity, and never change the world he occupies.  They are like sticks in a streambed- the water ripples, passes around them, and continues on its way, unchanged. 


But a man who has something churning inside him- some urgency, some discontent, some vision- that man, who pursues God for what is stirring inside Him, will find God break in on his life, and see everything change.  Because that man is responding to the thing inside him that God put there to be answered. And as he finds answers for that path- which God is leading him on, by the way- he will not be able to help but breach the bank of that stream and redirect its waters.  His place in the world will be changed. And we will all be better for it.

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So, maybe my idea of faithfulness is different.  I say ask your questions.  This IS a journey of Discovery. God made the earth and mankind to express every aspect of His true nature- in response (yes, in response) to that fallen angel Lucifer's questionings of Him.  Who, by the way, started out as a worshiper of God, and who God now calls footstool.  I personally love that pet-name for God's enemy.


What is God wanting to express through you? I believe it has more to do with what unsettles you, than what gives you peace. Pursue your discontent with God, your indignance, your doubts. You will discover a real life God, and the answers you find will be a real expression of Himself- revealed to you, and to the world through you.  It's a daring, off-road journey. You'll be a discoverer. And the world will be changed.

Colossians 3 revisited

Everything about God's intentions for mankind, and for your own life have now come to pass.  Now that you have invited the architect of all time and humanity to take over your life, you now have access to a whole new life.  You get to live for things you couldn't have even hoped for before.  You were stuck like a dog on a short chain, without any chance of chasing anything you really wanted. 

Now you've discovered that what you really wanted all along was to be connected to Jesus Christ.  You've been feeding an obsession, but you didn't realize that what you were really obsessing for was Jesus.  You've secretly longed for a day when you could have something better than your harsh responses and sinful choices that were your only options.  Well, your day has come.  With Christ in you, a new world has just opened up, and you're not that stuck person anymore.  In Christ you are now freed to go after the things that are only found in the kingdom of Heaven.  Things that give life real meaning, and hope, and joy.


So set your sights on the realities of heaven- where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand, where He has all authority, and where His ways and His will just happen all the time.  You've had a whole wasted lifetime of dwelling in the limited, optionless world of disappointing outcomes.  Now you have been freed to dwell on the things of heaven, so start dwelling there, and not here in this mess!  This world and its old ways have nothing for you anymore- you discovered your real life when you invited Jesus Christ into it.

Now you get to leave behind all that junk that was your only option before.  Now you get to start walking into what you were made for. 

Now you can put to death the sinful things lurking in you that were destroying you.  Now you can put on a whole new nature... and be renewed... and learn to know your Creator... and become like Him!  Woohoo!


You know why? Because God chose you. Yes, He really chose you. And what He chose you for is His outstanding, feedom-filled, joy-filled, holy life.  Now you can clothe yourself, not with the rags of sexual immorality, impurity, and lust; but instead with the robes of tender-hearted mercy, kindness, and humility.  


Now you can exchange things you were stuck doing when you had no other options- like your angry responses, rage, and maliciousness- for things of the kingdom like gentleness, and patience.  Isn't that what you really want, if only there was a way?  What I'm telling you is that it's not too much to hope for!  


Instead of your old knee-jerk responses of slander and cursing and lies, in your new life in Christ you have access to new responses.  Now you can make allowances for faults instead of judging them. That's freedom, dear one.  Now you can forgive those who offend you , instead of wishing they were dead.  


Don't laugh, you used to want that. And maybe you still do, but now you have access to Heaven, where Jesus is, where grace is, and you can have that, and find things like forgiveness for others.  By dwelling on the realities of heaven, when these things come up, bring them to the Lord in prayer.   He will answer you, and be strong for you, and you can start walking in the blessed, loving responses you secretly long to have. This is what you were made for.  To be like Him in these things.

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Now above all, brethren, clothe yourselves with Love, which binds us together in perfect harmony.  And let peace - that comes from Jesus - that you never knew before - that you now have access to - just completey, totally rule in your heart!


Here in the kingdom life... where Jesus is... Jesus is all that matters!  Huh... where Jesus is, He's all that matters... So how "here" do you want Him to be?  And it doesn't matter where you're coming from.  Whether you  think you're important or think you're nobody. Whether you're classy or a redneck. Whether you're slaving for the man, or you ARE the man... Jesus is all that matters.


So let this message about the new life in Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Talk about these things all the time with eachother, in the wisdom He gives.  Sing psalms, hymns and songs in the Spirit, with words from the Holy Spirit welling up from inside you. This is beautiful worship and praise to the Lord we love.  And in everything, give thanks through the Lord Jesus to God the Father.

I believe in God

Are we saying we stand against atheism- that there is a God that exists? 

No. We are not. It is more than that.

Some say "What first comes into your mind when you think about God is what most defines you."


I say unless you are believing in the true God, then it doesn't matter what you think about when you think about God.  So go ahead and try this.  Close your eyes.  And picture God.  I'll wait for two minutes while you do this...  What do you see?  Where is He?  And where are you?


If you're not seeing the Father of us all, who directs history, holds kingdoms and nations in His hand, chooses His worshipers, rescues and restores crushed spirits, revives courage, and Who lives and dwells with His people who He loves... unless you're seeing THAT God, then it doesn't matter what you think about when you think about God.  


Because anything but the living God Who reveals Himself to you, will not make a difference in your life or in the world.  Only the true God, and not something contrived in our minds, can change the world, and can change you.  


If you aren't being changed like that, then you have yet to meet the true living God.  But knowing this God, as He reveals Himself, and responding in open, contrite, welcome and hunger, THAT is the pure unadulterated calling of your life!

"I live in a high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble,

I restore the crushed spirits of the humble, 

and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts."  

Is 57:15

"Do you not know? Have you not heard from the beginning?

The Lord sits enthroned above the circle of the earth...

He brings princes to naught, and reduces rulers of this world to nothing.

No sooner are they planted

No sooner are they sown

No sooner do they take root in the ground,

than He blows on them and they whither,

and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff."

Is 40:12-14

God's Plan for Your Life

 How much does God have a plan for your life 

and how much is your own free will?

I actually have a thought about that. 

If you understand God's plan for mankind... the way you interpret THAT will directly influence the decisions you make about HOW you do what you do, and I think eventually, as you make those decisions, you'll eventually have a plan that emerges. It will be your own plan probably but it will be directly influenced and shaped by the way you interpreted and implemented your understanding of God's plan for mankind.

If you don't have any idea about what God is doing on the earth, and throughout the history of mankind on the planet, even in a broad way, how can you have any idea what He would specifically want for your individual life?  And if you did have an idea for your individual life, how would you know if you were right?

My belief is that getting a handle on what His bigger plan is, His biggest plan- which spans from before the earth was formed, to long after the earth is done away with; which takes in all of the strife and suffering of this present darkness, and more significantly, His dominion over it as Jesus expressed it- understanding THAT, is what you need in order to have the right context in which to even ask such a question as what is His plan for your life.

How much does God care about what job you take, or whether you become a doctor or a coffee roaster or a nurse or a missionary.  In fact, just plan on being a missionary right now. OK, now that that's settled, what do you think God's plan is for your life as a missionary?  How do you even begin to answer that?  Well here's my first question. Do you think it has something to do with 

• Who He is?
• What He's about?
• His plan for someone other than you?
• How about His plan for everyone other than you?
• How about His plan for every person who has ever been and who ever will be born?
• How about His plan for Himself?

• Could it be related to what Jesus did when He walked the earth?
• How about His plan to reconcile the conflict that still rages in Heaven between Himself and Satan?
• How about His plan for Satan and all his fallen angels?

Now what do you think His plan for your life might include?  Could it have something to do with His bigger plans?  Are you  a part of His plan for all of mankind?  I think you are, if you're a mankind :-)   Are you a part of His plan for Himself?  I think you are if He made you...

I think if you have an idea of what He's doing in the big picture, then you can start to ask what He might think of what you do with YOUR life.  But without a bigger picture, I think your question will be unmanageable, I mean, you will never have any way of knowing if you were right or not. That's part of the problem in the first place- how can you even know?  


I believe the question will answer itself when you see what He's done in making mankind, and understanding what that makes you...  


Thus, this blog...

           

Not a Servant

I want to write about the place of rest we have in our Father's house.  What a place of welcome and pleasant acceptance it is to be supping with our Father in His house.  He makes His house your very own heart when you open it to Him.  This was shared recently at my church- what awaits the one who will open the door when he hears that knock.  Its Jesus at the door. He and the Father want to come in and sup with you.

It is a wonder that the one who is self sufficient, happy and healthy, can so easily miss the gentle knock.  And the one who is so aware of his poverty, blindness, nakedness, wretchedness... hears His knock so clearly.  

"But I don't want to be poor in spirit. I'm happy and healthy, and I want to be strong."  

You just don't know.  The one who is poor in spirit can fall in love with a Savior who comes in gentleness, and with love and power and joy.  Its OK if you're strong. He loves you too. You'll just never really know that He was right there to catch you all along, if you had only let go.

At first, we were scared to let Him in because of what He might say to us.  We were afraid to let Him see our stuff, or we were just holding on to it, unwilling to let it go.  But the day we did, we found that He was really a good God, and in a good mood, and He liked us. Wow, that was cool.  

Today He comes knocking again.  And to those who respond, who aren't too happy and healthy to have no need of what this door-knocker has to sell... they will sit at the table with their God.  These will be the overcomers.  They are the ones who are called up to join Him- to sit with their Savior in His throne.

I want you hungry

I'm telling you about your state. How I made you. I want you hungry. ...not to live in poverty, not to be frustrated or filled with angst, but to set you on the adventure of finding Me!


See the injustice, see the lack. Every need for change, is the call to find Me! This is motivation. Discover that I'm the answer. The need isn't the mountain to climb.  I am.  See the need, and discover Me.


I'm the Mountain to climb
I'm the gold to mine
I'm the cliff to dive
I'm the depth to plumb


Its not a walk in the park
Not a day at the beach
Not a pleasant peaceful path in the woods
Not a pretty flower


Those things you'll find on the way, but the way itself is discovery, the way is adventure, the way is following the hunger, and if you recognize it as My way, it is the hunger to reveal the things of Heaven. Your task, your role, what you're made for, is to seek those things out and bring them to earth. The kingdom of God is near to you. Grasp it, grasp Me.

"C'mon and ask Me! Ask me!
C'mon, and knock down the doors!
My kingdom's yours! My kingom's yours!"




I'm the Joy

God is Love II

I have to lay this out. I was in total error in my last post. Reading it back now, I seemed earnest and intense about wanting the Love of God that I bring to have gravity.  Just want to say, I'm completely embarrassed by that right now.  


It's total error.  Its soulish and moody and heavy because it's centered on me and what I have.
It's self-serving and self-conscious, not God-centered.  By the end, it barely acknowledges Him!

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I truly struggled with the strong impression I got that day on Jesus Street that the darkness is so great and pervasive, and what it would take to overcome it is so great, and I don't have anything like enough. I have these three fish, but there are thousands who need to be fed.  I completely lost sight of Who is bringing the Love in the first place.


In a devotional I read by Witness Lee, he says, "Whenever we intend to fight against the powers of darkness, Satan, through his accusations, causes our conscience to become very sensitive. These feelings actually are not the sensitivity of the conscience, but the result of Satan's accusations.  Our immediate response should be, “I overcome Satan, the accuser, not by my perfection, and not even by a conscience void of offense, but by the blood of the Lamb. ...Christ is the breastplate of righteousness that covers my conscience and guards me from Satan's accusations.”"


Revelation 12:10 "the accuser of our brothers has been cast down, who accuses them before our God day and night."


God is good and He wants to prove it. God is Love and He wants to show it. God's presence is overcoming every darkness, and losing sight of that is losing hold to what anchors and holds us. It's not about me, not even about man- except as recipients of God's purposes to display His lovingkindness- it's everlasting.

God is Love

God is Love. That's the word Jude and I felt was from the Lord as we prayed before heading to Jesus Street. That God IS Love. And He loves loving, and He loves it when we love. And the more we love the more He loves it... hehe...  Off we went to bring it.


But His Love is a consuming fire. And as someone famous once said, "I'm the fool for thinking, that You would only warm me."


The more I heard of Miss Bessy and all she did to hold down the neighborhood- a godly woman of a strong spirit- how she went and got Jackie out of the house across the street, and made her sit with her on the porch until she straightened out from the drugs she was high on... How when she came out to sit on that porch, things on the block settled down, and boys stopped cursing, she just held down the neighborhood.  I couldn't help but see how committed she was. 


The more I heard of her strength and love for the people there, the weaker and weaker I felt. Until I realized I had nothing to offer this neighborhood.  If God is Love, and He is a powerful Love, then I am nothing like that.  I was broken by how much Love it takes and how little I have. 


"God is Love." All I could see was "I am not! Not even close!" And I almost crumbled under that knowledge. This was the gripping reality of my insufficiency to represent God's Love or carry out His will.  I'm still grappling with how to respond to this.


I know WHAT the textbook answer is. His Spirit in me will bring it to pass. Its the HOW to get there that will be the difference between busy religion and wielding the weight of the Love of God. 


I used to think (one year ago) if I could only hear or see, or just recognize what the Spirit was doing, then I could do it. Watchman Nee says, even if you recognized it, YOU are still in the way. Its you that prevents you from releasing the Spirit of God. 


I have no answers today.

Jesus' Purpose and Passion

Resurrection Day - 2011

Jesus is passionate about revealing the Father. He was that way every day of His life on earth. And He didn't suffer an unjust, bloody death in public shame just to make things OK with us. He did it to reveal the truth about a Heavenly Father who loves with a vengeance- who loves to death. And He did it to bust out the way into an intimate relationship with Himself and with God the Father- inviting us to enter into the intimate, private relationship THEY share as Father and Son. THAT is the relationship He invites us into. Not just to help us through the struggle- Oh, you get that for sure- absolutely for sure! But WAY more than that! 

You are invited into the very secret place of intimacy that Jesus shares with the Father today in Heaven. Its not just the Father and Son, its the Father the Son and you!  Jesus is passionate about that.  The passionate, purposeful path to death that Jesus took was the rescue of mankind FROM the sin that chained him, and INTO a loving, intimate, unafraid, one on one, everything you ever wanted, or dared to believe, relationship with our Heavenly Dad.

Give Jesus what he is most passionate for. Let His words, His impressions, His whispers, His affections, His kisses, let them soak... deeply... into... your very spirit...  And let your spirit spring alive; welling up in tears of beautiful joy, in laughter... giddy, wide open cries of laughter, and sloppy, snorting, deep, deep joy- because you are knowing the One, The One who loves you in your deepest places, and always has, and always will.

Zep 3:15,17  "The LORD has taken away His judgments against you, He has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; You will fear disaster no more.  He is mighty to save. He exults over you with joy, He rests in His love, He rejoices over you with shouts of joy."

Psa 18:31-35 "For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God, who girds me with strength and makes my way blameless? 

He makes my feet like hinds' feet, And sets me upon my high places. 

He trains my hands for battle, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 

You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your right hand upholds me; And Your gentleness makes me great."

Friday a Thief... Sunday a King

It's Good Friday- Death is about to die

Greater love no one could ever show
Mercy so undeserved, freedom I should not know
All my sin, all of my hidden shame
Died with Him on the cross, eternity won for us

This is Jesus in His glory

King of Heaven dying for me

It is finished, He has done it

Death is beaten, Heaven beckons me

-today's blog title is a lyric from John Mark McMillan's song "Death in his grave"