Content in the Lord. 1

I don’t want to write some blah picture of what contentment is in the Lord so I ask that you ask the Lord to bring this message alive in you.

The soul can become a very restless if it’s eyes, mind, and heart are not on the Lord.

"But those who still reject me are like the restless sea, which is never still but continually churns up mud and dirt.” Isaiah 57:20

If you and I were to settle for anything other then the Lord for our contentment, we are putting that thing, whatever it might be, above the Lord.

Furthermore when we settle for anything less then the Lord- that is not life and life more abundantly.

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have [it] more abundantly.” John 10:10

For the Lord is the what?

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6

You settle for what life gives you, that is what you are going to get. You settle for religion, you are going to get religion but when one finds contentment in the Lord he/she finds what life is really about.

Contentment in the Lord is “knowing” in your “Knower” that whatever may happen in this life, God has your back. It’s knowing he has made a way for you and that knowing brings assurance, confidence in Him and peace to our souls.

A peace… that those who depend on anything other then the Lord, cannot have.

"I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27

Because Jesus gives us that peace and that peace allows us to work and live in the Spirit but if we try to find contentment in anything other then the Lord we give up the peace that Jesus gives and we make it difficult for the Holy Spirit to work in us.

Obviously the effectiveness of the Holy Spirit working in our lives is dependent upon our submission to Him- which is connected to contentment in the Lord.

A child with loving, caring, affectionate parents can’t feel contentment in their parents until they accept, trust and submit themselves to that love that is given to them.

It is true for us. We have been saved by our submission and surrender to the Lord.

I remember surrendering my life to the Lord and God answering my surrender by having someone who was content in the Lord and filled with the Holy Spirit to speak to me. They were a stranger, knew nothing about me yet as the Spirit of God directed and flowed through them – they spoke what God wanted them to say through tongues and interpretation. They spoke of things they could not have known except God. And as they had their hand on me I was freed from my empty life full of hate, anger, frustration, resentment and prideful tendencies and filled with Spirit of God. A new life flowed in me and I felt brand new. I was a new person but I could not have become a new person in Christ if I did not submit myself to the trusting love of God.

There in the (trusting love of God) is where we find contentment and stay contented.

We must continue to renew our mind and stir our heart by coming and asking God to make his word and power come alive in our lives. Know he is the only one to satisfy your soul. And in that living satisfaction you will shine in the love of Jesus Christ.

Not Meant to Suffer Ourselves

It seems to me that we suffer most when we suffer ourselves. We actually cause us to suffer. We commit to things and allow ourselves to trust in things or people or ideals, or understandings or imaginations more then God.

Let’s take temptation. Temptation is like a “piece” of bubble gum that you can blow into this giant bubble but this enormous bubble is inside your head. You blow it up with captured mental pictures, imaginations, senses, understandings and if not captivated and spit out it will grow and grow and pop and make a big mess but unlike bubble gum with just all this sticky goo to clean up- falling into temptation can have long carrying messy consequences. One thought leads to another thought. That thought leads to a decision, which results in an action. It can be a pretty slippery slope if your focus isn’t on God and can start pretty innocently. The enemy works best in subtlety.

We can do the same with our own perceptions; worry, fear, doubt, depression and we might as well make our own personal painful wipe-out course when we listen to the enemy and ourselves.

Temptation, imaginations, suggestions, whispers, will come as if they have been read from your personal little black book. The enemy of your soul knows what you like, dislike, fear, stumble and struggle with and he knows there is nothing better then a discouraged, non-active, doubting, troubled, enticed, Christian soul.

But you know what he is scared of most? He scared of that same individual actually coming to God’s throne of grace and mercy for his help. No hole is deep enough- trust me.

A person who’s willing to be second in their lives allows the Spirit of God to work within them. When I say be second- means allowing God to be first and submitting to him.

It is to be FREE from ourselves and others, who so easily let us down and trust in God who fills our life with an everlasting love, pure heart, clear conscious and sincere faith.

Again I say- you can’t be free if our mindset is set upon our own understandings, perceptions, ideals, and trusting in ourselves.

We must put emphasis in our mind and heart on Jesus and the Father. We must remember, we are a new creature in Christ.

The old nature crawls back inside its cage if we whole heartily trust God in our life. The old nature becomes captive to the crack of the whip of light and righteousness.

And just as our body needs physical exercise to stay strong so does our spirit-man needs spiritual fitness in God’s word everyday. We need our mind and heart to be spiritually renewed each day, which not only brings contentment to our soul but also stirs our soul and steers us away from the things that try to take importance above God.

Spiritual fitness helps our focus and the more we see it’s importance in our lives the more our faith, love, perseverance, gentleness, kindness grows deeper. We don’t so easily suffer ourselves- or the things that come our way.

We live in the verse: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity but of power, love and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7

Let’s make God our focus in all things in our life.

Oh, Happiness by David Crowder Band

If God Made Peace Why a Cursed World?

If God made peace with everything in heaven and on earth, why do we live in a cursed world?

I was asked this by a spirit this week- along with assortment of other questions such as:

“Why do some Christians die before a ripe old age?”

“Why do bad things happen to good people?”

“Can God speak light into non-believer’s light?”

“How has the reality in the Spirit helped me?

These questions were all good and made me think more deeply into the truths and wisdom of God.

So if God made peace with everything in heaven and on earth, why do we live in a cursed world?

The short deep answer: Choice.

We instinctively know it is wrong to lie, cheat, and kill just as we instinctively know there is a God. It is has been inserted inside our very fiber and make up by our Creator himself- God. (Romans 1:18)

We as his choice creation have been given a choice to do what is right or not do what is right. People have a choice to accept God and his peace or wage war against God and others. (Romans 11:30)

The best way to say this is: People have a choice to trust God and do what is right or... deny/ turn from Him and do what their sinful nature/ flesh craves. (Galatians 5:19-21)

Choices have consequences and the consequences don’t just affect themselves but others as well. (Proverbs 18:21, Galatians 6:7-9, James 3:18)

Let say you and your family and friends were all standing around in a closed in space in your bare feet and you or someone else dropped a platter of glasses onto the floor and they shattered into tiny pieces. You and your friends would get some tiny shards of glass in your bare feet from the incident. Sin can work the same way.

When you or someone else has a rough morning or day and you or they don’t brush it off by giving it to God but instead carry it around in frustration, anger, anxiety, fear and dread you or they are not just affecting yourself or themselves but others around you as well.

Governments go to war out of greed, power, wealth, pride, fear- causing men and women to go to war.

You light a match and stick it under some paper and kindle wood and it will make a fire.

You knowing this must see how we bring curses upon the earth by our choices and actions.

It is our lack of focus on God, which always brings our soul to suffer and sorrow to the Holy Spirit.

The Law of Sin

You sin and you will reap the consequences of that sin.

You say a harsh word -not out of love- what is reaped from that action?

Sin can be like a rock thrown into a lake. It will make ripples and sink into darkness.

The Choice

God has made peace with the world and just as you make peace with someone in your mind and heart doesn’t mean that person has made peace with you.

God didn’t make peace with us to lower his standards so we could continue to sin – His standards were never lowered but I would say lifted higher. Remember his own blood paid for our sins on the cross and without it none of us could come to Him freely.

Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (Johns 14:6)

Remember God himself replaced the priesthood that was to illustrate the true sacrifice and priesthood. The Son (Jesus Christ) who glorifies God the Father is the priesthood. For Jesus Christ was not just the Holy sacrifice for our sins but is our High Priest. He intercedes on our behalf to the Father, without Jesus there is no forgiveness of our sins.

God through Jesus Christ made peace with everything in heaven and on earth so we could freely come to Him. So when we finally did come to God and surrender our lives to him we could become children of God. Understanding what Jesus has done, God put us in the care of his Son, Jesus Christ.

Then he said, "That is why I said that people can't come to me unless the Father gives them to me." John 6:65

“However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.” John 6:37

“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father's hand.” Johns 10:28-29

You are only a child of God through Jesus Christ who is Lord and Savior.

Jesus is the narrow gate. "You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

So though we might experience the cursed actions of others, we don’t have to live as the rest of the cursed world does - for by the work of the Holy Spirit in us who gives us God's peace, we can not only live physically in world but be at peace with it. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Peace doesn't mean we have to agree with the cursed ways and understandings of this world but in not agreeing we (by our humble dependence and trust and peace in God) the Holy Spirit can enable us by His grace to give respect, peace, love, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control to those we disagree with.

Understand a Christian is called to be a vessel of light and peace for God.

"But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for you will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time." (Galatians 6:9)

Jesus’ Baptism/ Holy Spirit

Some believe Jesus was not filled with the Holy Spirit until John baptized him but this is false. Jesus was born holy.

Luke 1:35 “The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.”

Some may argue this by saying Jesus didn’t start his “public” ministry until after John baptized him but the baptism was to show the priesthood of John being replaced by the always faithful, never ending priesthood that could not be destroyed by man or evil. It could not be blemished by the sinful actions of men but fulfilled only by all righteous. God himself would replace the old priesthood. (Hebrews 7:15-8:13)

After Jesus baptism, Jesus came up out of the water, the heaven were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased by him.” (Matthew 3:16-17)

All three of the Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is represented.

John 3:26-36

“So John's disciples came to him and said, "Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us."

John replied, "No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven.
You yourselves know how plainly I told you, 'I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.' It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the best man is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. "He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true.

For he is sent by God. He speaks God's words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. And anyone who believes in God's Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn't obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God's angry judgment."

The Jewish priesthood was an image to the real priesthood to come in Jesus Christ (which is now in place.) The Jewish priesthood was to pave a picture pathway for us. What was a priest? What did a priest do? If there were no priests what could God use to help us understand Jesus as our high priest?

Jesus Christ is our high priest who intercedes for you and I. He is not only our high priest but was our Holy sacrifice for our sins. Without Jesus there is no remission or forgiveness for our sins. Jesus is the only way. He is the only high priest and sacrifice that is acceptable. He is the only way into heaven. You want forgiveness for your sins and go to heaven? You go to Jesus. You want a life empowered by the Holy Spirit? You go to Jesus. Praise God! We can come freely to God for these things because of Jesus Christ.

“For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and by him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and earth by means of his blood on the cross. This includes you who were once so far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions, yet now he has brought you back as his friends. He has done this through his death on the cross in his own human body. As a result, he has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. “ Colossians 1:19-22

Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus was and is eternal life and to say Jesus needed the baptism of the Holy Spirit would say he wasn’t eternal life to begin with.

Jesus said “No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded." John 10:18

Some may say Jesus didn’t know who he was until he read the scriptures about himself but that is false as well. Jesus knew who he was. It would be impossible for God to not know He was God would it not?

If you being human need the Holy Spirit’s help to make sense of the word of God and led you to all truth then how would Jesus be able to make sense of the word of God and teach religious teachers on what the word meant if he didn’t know who he was and hadn’t been baptized by the Spirit yet?

Answer: Jesus was already filled with the Holy Spirit without limit or measure. (John 3:34) The Spirit conceived him in Mary. Jesus knew what the word of God meant because he knew who he was which was the WORD. (John 1:1)

Here’s the account of Jesus when he was 12 years old: “Three days later they finally discovered him. He was in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, discussing deep questions with them. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.” Luke 2:46-47

Remember what John said? “We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them!”

Why is this so important? Why does this need to be addressed? Though anointed and Holy Spirit filled baptism works for people it does not work for Jesus.

We must carefully look at people’s interpretation and words. We need to understand that though Jesus came to us in the flesh- born as a baby through the virgin named Mary, we also need to understand the fullness of the God lived within him. We need to understand that Jesus’ lineage is eternal and he created everything there is. He is life. He is God who is and was always righteous in Spirit.

Jesus is God and our priest who came down from heaven and became a human being. He did not have to earn eternal life for he is eternal and his lineage is eternal.

1 John 4:1-

“Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. This is the way to find out if they have the Spirit of God: If a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ became a human being, that person has the Spirit of God. If a prophet does not acknowledge Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist.”

May the Spirit of God guide and direct your actions.

Thoughts of Application

There are two things the Lord has been having me meditate on as he has been teaching me on what to teach. One is to not commit to our own understanding or perception of things. The second is our benefit of being committed to the Lord. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn your back on evil. Then you will gain renewed health and vitality” (Proverbs 3:5-8)

These things sound very elementary on the surface but not so much when we try to apply them to our life at times. When trial and struggle and challenge or unguarded word or action comes upon us what do you tend to listen to - the flesh or the Spirit of God?

Lately I am constantly reminded of Psalm 91. We will see and experience some difficult things in this life that can affect our heart if we don’t keep our focus on the Lord. Our thinking can become a plague to our lives.

How many times to do you allow what you see and hear and/or perceive to affect you? That doesn’t even include the memories that want to linger and nag at us.

What does this say about our level of commitment and obedience in our lives to the Lord?

Some might excuse themselves and say: “Well we are just human and that is what humans do” or “we are all sinners” or “There are just some things a person can’t overcome.”

Excuse me if this may seem harsh but I say this gently and in love. How stubborn, arrogant, ignorant, prideful and away from Lord in thought are we going to be? How can anyone glorify the Lord with that type of thinking? How about salt and light? (Matthew 5:13-16)

We stifle and quench the Holy Spirit when we think these ways. And the ways we think affect the heart. That is why God says to “guard your heart for it affects
everything you do.” (Proverbs 4:23)

Another version of the NLT says: “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”

Work of the Holy Spirit can’t be done in our own understanding or will power. The noise from our focus not on the Lord makes us deaf to the will and direction of God. And God knows what resorts from that type of thinking.

Our continual foundational focus must be on the Lord. There is the strength. As a foundation of a large building goes down way underground- same must be the roots of our faith that stabilize us as we go more deeply and intimately into our Father’s love.

“Wickedness never brings stability, but the godly have deep roots.” Proverbs 12:3

Our physical/ spiritual choice is directed by what is fed into the heart. Is the heart receptive to the Lord? Is it humble and contrite? Is it grateful to God? Is it reverent towards God? Is it surrendered and obedient to God? Does it know God’s love and know God is love? What perception and understanding is the heart living and swimming in? Is the heart quiet and still? Is the heart constantly meditating on the Lord and the things of the Lord? Is the heart’s home here or with the Lord? Where is the heart’s joy and hope in?

Men and women have done many regretful things because of their lack of commitment to the Lord and instead of bringing glory to God brought shame on themselves and hurt to others.

Think about this: just a man commits adultery by having lustful thoughts towards another woman that is not his wife and a person is a murderer at heart if they hate another person -what does that say about how important our commitment and focus on God should be?

What do you commit emotionally to -through your perception, circumstances, and understandings? Do you acknowledge God in all your ways?

What is God’s perception of you?

I believe where we perceive limitation God sees limitlessly more then we can even dare or hope for.

What do we really believe from God?

“Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was absolutely convinced that God was able to do anything he promised. And because of Abraham’s faith, God declared him to be righteous. Now this wonderful truth- that God declared him to be righteous- wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was for us, too, assuring us that God will also declare us to be righteous if we believe in God, who brought Jesus our Lord back from the dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised from the dead to make us right with God.” Romans 4:20-25

Hope faith and love.

Is your hope in God?
Is your faith in God?
Do you believe and live in God’s love?

“All who proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in him. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we are like Christ here in this world. Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that his love has not been perfected in us. We love each other as a result of his loving us first.” 1 John 15-18

Remember perfect love is childlike faith knowing in what Jesus has done for us and trusting in the Heavenly Father’s love for us.

This must be known not just in the head but also continually live in heart for it to empower the Christian soul.

Again it sounds elementary but who do we really let sit upon that throne in our heart at all times? Are you giving God the power to work in your life OR your "own" understanding and flesh, which enslave your life and don’t allow you to live out the potential in the freedom God has for you?

A choice in the mind and heart is more powerful then actions that follow it.

To the Hearts of Light

We will definitely see and experience and even feel difficult things in our life but those things will not conquer those who trust in the Lord and remember to live in childlike faith.

One of those most difficult things to experience is this “sense” of separation from God. Our connection with God seems slower then the slowest setting on an intravenous drip. You pray, read the word of God but there is no pitocin affect. No birth of direction or insight, you wonder if you have done something wrong so you repent for anything you might have done. The lessons you have taught have been assured by two or three sources but still you feel discouraged and even some desperation. You feel like a hypocrite because suddenly you have gone from the Roman officer to ask Jesus for healing for his servant and mother asking for a cure for her daughter’s demon possession – two examples of great faith- to a doubting disciple such as Thomas. You have seen first hand and experienced the power and miracles of Jesus yet now feel let down, rejected, put in a corner because of a personal feeling or understanding that is sending a choking intoxicant into your blood stream which is aimed at your heart. The purpose of this intoxicant is to keep the Holy Spirit from shining in your life. If the enemy of your soul can persuade you to use your own understanding like a closed flask that chokes out the source of light in your life - he will. He loves to undermine the pillars and scholars of the church.

You know it's not what you do that counts with God but what drives your heart. You know you love Jesus not for what He does but for who He is.

You have seen others fall- you remember the glory of God on them and how far away they are now from the Lord. You remember their understanding causing them stumble, fall and then go silent.

You feel weak but you remember the Lord telling you to persevere (Rev 3:10). You don’t want to fall or stumble yet you know the dangers if you stop walking forward. You don’t know if you could handle one more test in your life for it seems you are always tested and tested to a higher degree on what you teach and speak.

You have taught all these wonderful secrets and insights and powerful truths from the Lord. You know it’s not always about feelings but you are no robot – for the Jesus you know is full of compassion, love, mercy and grace.

Knowing full well you can write a book or a reference of pages for others to openly read in your life you address your focus and in whom you really trust. (Psalm 91)

You ask yourself does the truth live only in your mind, in your heart or both? It should live in both.

Meditating on Jesus and what he has done - the dark plaguing your understanding and troubling our heart is taken away. The present circumstances go away. The light of truth (Holy Spirit) begins to breath mightily in your life again.

Relief…. for the quiet and humble heart.

(NIV) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30

(NLT) And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30

"You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.
No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.” Matthew 5:14-15

"Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is bad, your body is filled with darkness.” Luke 11:34

“If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light." Luke 11:36

"Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! Luke 12:35-37

Living Out Wisdom

I know I haven’t written and I thank you for your faithfulness in coming back to read my notes. I have been mediating on the things God has been sharing with us more thoroughly. It is wonderful to receive new insights but the insights mean little if we don’t allow them to sink in more deeply.

A few weeks ago I had a vision of wisdom being a little girl about 5 or 6 or 7. In the vision I was also a little child as well about 4, 5, or 6 years of age when I entered through this gate.

This vision has really changed my outlook on what Wisdom is and should be … at least me.

If Wisdom is illustrated as a child, how does wisdom see things like love, justice, grace, mercy, faithfulness, hope, and joy?

How does she perceive life differently then what we may consider an adult or mature Christian?

What happens to the mind and heart that is given words of wisdom from God and combine them with childlike faith?

If those two things live in the heart – the process that we consider “life” is or should be done with heart. There is living with heart, playing with heart, working with heart, worshiping and praying with heart, and even dying with heart. There is where the Holy Spirit can truly take the wisdom that he has planted in our heart and use it to aid and direct and counsel us.

There a tree grows; it is not set back from correction but takes and accepts that correction in the best possible way. He/she doesn’t run from God but sees their need for God’s help and responds to it in a gracious manner.

Think of the law of love and the teachings the Lord provides us. Proverbs 6:23 says “For these commands and this teaching are a lamp to light the way ahead of you. The correction of discipline is the way to life.”

“For the Lord disciplines and corrects those he loves. Just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.” Proverbs 3:11

The way we see things greatly affects how we look and perceive life. Our faith is greatly influenced and affected by how we see and understand things. What maybe considered understood may not be quiet as understood as we thought. And sometimes what might seem not logical to us makes perfect sense to God. Yes our understanding greatly affects our faith and life.

Jesus says, “Wherever you treasure is there your heart and thoughts will also be. Your eye is a lamp for your body. A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul but an evil eye shuts out the light and plunges you into darkness. If the light you think you have is really darkness, how deep that darkness will be!” Matthew 6:21-23

For “The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like complete darkness. Those who follow it have no idea what they are stumbling over.” Proverbs 4:18

Just this week I was taking my daughter to school and from the east there was this crest of brilliant light at the edge of this flat blanket of grey clouds that covered the sky ceiling. The morning gleam of light was so strong I could feel my pupils quickly shrinking. It was beautiful.

Just think: “the way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.”

King David anointed with the Holy Spirit told his son Solomon, “Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her and she will guard you. Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do! And whatever else you do, get good judgment. If you prize wisdom, she will exalt you. Embrace her and she will honor you. She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown.” Proverbs 4:6-9

“Love wisdom like a sister; make insight a beloved member of your family.” Proverbs 7:4

Proverbs 8:10-21 “Choose my instruction rather then silver, and knowledge over pure gold. For wisdom is far more valuable then rubies. Nothing you desire can be compared with it. I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment. All who fear the LORD will hate evil. That is why I hate pride, arrogance, corruption and perverted speech. Good advice and success belong to me. Insight and strength are mine. Because of me, kings reign, and rulers make just laws. Rulers lead with my help, and nobles make righteous judgments. I love all who love me. Those who search for me will surely find me. Unending riches, honor, wealth and justice are mine to distribute. My gifts are better then the purest gold, my wages better than sterling silver! I walk in righteousness, in paths of justice. Those who love me inherit wealth, for I fill their treasuries.”

I believe these treasuries are in the heart.

Rubies, gold, silver… are worthless to a child of God. The things that matter most to a child of God are in the heart and mind.

Think about what a child desires in ideals like justice, love, dreams, possibilities, faithfulness etc. Think about a child’s ability to have joy in the little things and be merciful, forgiving, gracious, hopeful, trusting, etc. Now think on Childlike Faith.

Think on where your true treasures are to be stored -for there is wisdom. Reference: Matthew 6:19-21

David and Solomon knew how important wisdom is but her beauty and friendship is worthless if she has no place in your heart and you don’t appreciate her company.

Maybe if we understand wisdom as a child like illustration and are ourselves as children- we would to see things in a more childlike manner and live in childlike faith. Sometimes we see things in such an “adult” understanding that we are really far off in scope but when we start to understand we see maturity in God’s way is really seeing life in all the pure childlike nuances.

A Christmas Message

“I see him, but not in the present time. I perceive him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel….” Numbers 24:17

A scepter is an emblem or sign for authority and when the word scepter was magnified from the other words in this scripture verse, I was reminded of the story Esther in the bible.

Examine these verses with me from Esther:

“The whole world knows that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his golden scepter….” Esther 4:11

“When he saw Queen Esther standing there in the inner court, he welcomed her, holding out the gold scepter to her. So Esther approached and touched its tip.” Esther 5:2

“Now once more Esther came before the king, falling down at his feet and begging him with tears to stop Haman’s evil plot against the Jews. Again the king held out his golden scepter to Esther. So she rose and stood before him and said, ‘If Your Majesty is pleased with me and if he thinks it is right, send out a decree reversing Haman’s orders to destroy the Jews through out the provinces of the king. For how can I endure to see my people and my family slaughtered and destroyed’” Esther 8:3-6

Anyone who appeared before King Xerxes uninvited was doomed to die unless the king held out his golden scepter, which is a great illustration of what it was like with God’s presence in the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34) and the Most Holy Place in the temple (Hebrews 9:7-8). Only priests could enter these places. The “scepter” and “inner court” of the king are great illustrations or parallels of Jesus holding out his life and sacrifice as a scepter so we can have favor with and approach God.

“Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.” Ephesians 2:18

Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

“A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel.”

Jesus is the authority to receive life and receive eternal life in heaven.

The star represents the star that rose above Bethlehem. The scepter is Jesus that “emerged” from Israel. The scepter held out to us was Jesus who offers us life instead of death.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it but to save it.” John 3:16-17

We as common folk cannot get to heaven by own our deeds or accomplishments but only in relying, submitting, trusting, believing and living “in” Christ - a priesthood in God where we can enter into his inner courts. (Very powerful stuff)

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9

For Jesus, transforms all who come, believe and trust him. Where the ordinary are empowered by God’s love, power, mercy, grace, peace, hope and truth, which grow and live in us as we heed the Holy Spirit.

BUT those who do not want to receive this emblem of the Father’s authority will receive a life of decay, death and eternity in hell.

For just Esther had to make a choice to come to King, her husband, to save her and her people from the plot of Haman- we all have to make a choice to come to the King, Savor and Lord Jesus Christ to be saved.

Like Haman, Satan the accuser wants to destroy you and make your eternal destination hell by encouraging your ignorance of God’s gracious gift. He doesn’t want you to trust, believe, submit to Jesus- for you to be counted innocent of all your sins and find out what true peace, mercy, grace, hope, joy and truth is.

Satan, the same as Haman, hates when Christians don’t bow down to his tricks and strategies of fear, intimidation, love for wealth, money, popularity, lust, power etc and like Haman he will see it is not enough to lay hands on you and seek in all his ways to destroy you but he cannot destroy your soul or faith unless you let him.

Does God allow Satan to have permission to tempt and test his people?

Did Jesus get tempted and tested and didn’t Jesus say when it comes to Satan, the student is no different then the Master? We are not to fret when tempted and tested for when these things come they not only keep us living in the truth. For in our submission to the truth we have the opportunity and gift to see God work in our life. We have the opportunity to see God’s power to work in and through us as simple vessels of his love as we trust and know in the scepter that has been freely given to us daily.

Satan’s plot will backfire just as Haman’s plot did against the Jews.

The bride of Christ, the Christian church, does not just have God’s favor and affection but has been given the king’s signet ring as his representative to speak and share in the Lord’s name. He has given his bride authority “in” his name.

To share the Good News and celebration of the gift of salvation in the birth of the God’s royal scepter, His Son.

We celebrate this gift in the same fashion as the Jews celebrated victory over their enemies and Haman in Esther’s day to today- with rejoicing and giving of gifts to one another. Jesus is the true gift of the season.

These spiritual truths and how they relate to the story of Esther are not new but let them became fresh and new with the prophecy the wise men knew about as they came to Jerusalem asking “Where is the newborn king of the Jews?”

“A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel.” This fact and truth of favor should encourage us.

It should tighten the pieces of this empowering message together even more. It should make your net have smaller and smaller openings where the pieces of God’s truth don’t fall through the holes but the pieces of these tasty messages and truths are gathered and shared and eaten by those who are hungry.

Merry Christmas in all its fullness to you and yours.

Jeff

Celebrating the Merciful Scepter of Christmas

I have heard that there are “Christian” churches that have cancelled church on Christmas morning. I am dumb founded. I am in disbelief. This is actually happening on Christmas day? IT is CHRISTMAS. IT is the day in which we celebrate JESUS’ birthday.

How can we celebrate Christmas without celebrating the reason for Christmas? What is the reasoning? You would be going to church on Sunday anyway and what would be even better Sunday is the day in which we Jesus' birth- the entire reason for Christmas. It is his birthday and you are going to celebrate Jesus' birthday without even taking time to worship and praise him in God’s house? It doesn’t make sense.

Christmas is a day to celebrate the true gift of Christmas. It is a day to honor Jesus who came on our behalf to be God’s merciful scepter to give us life and eternal life. Jesus is King, Lord, and Savior. Favor with God came from Him. He is the one who gave us new life and encourages us and gives us strength in his mercy, grace, peace, hope and love.

Celebrate and honor his birth together as his body this Sunday at the church.

“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

“I see him, but not in the present time. I perceive him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel. It will crush the foreheads of Moab’s people, cracking the skull of the people of Sheth. Edom will be taken over and Seir, it’s enemy will be conquered, while Israel continues on in triumph.” Numbers 24:17

“But you, O Bethlehem, Ephrathah, are only a small village in Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past. The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies until the time when the woman in labor gives birth to her son. Then at last his fellow countrymen will return from exile to their own land. And he will stand to lead his flock with the LORD’s strength, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. Then his people will live there undisturbed, for he will be highly honored all around the world. And he will be the source of our peace.” Micah 5:2-5

Merry Christmas in all it’s fullness to you and yours.

Don’t Make it Complicated. “God Loves You.”

No I haven’t become lax or negligent on the Good News of Jesus Christ but there is a time to share the Good News in more detail and depth as the Spirit gives and there are other times when we need to feed the people of God’s affection in actions of love and in the simple but powerful truth that God loves them.

We at times would all love to beat people over the head that they need Jesus but in what motive are we doing that in? We want to set people free but the Spirit must guide our actions as well as our words. If not done in love it is worthless. Zeal is great but is the zeal in the humility of God’s love or something else?

I remember my grandmother saying to us grand-kids when we were teenagers, “God loves you.” Our response not really understanding this truth would say, “I know Gram.”

Sometimes loving actions and the simple truth make a bigger impact then trying to stuff the Spiritual steak and potatoes of the message of the Good News through people’s ears. I think we also make “God loves You” into the mentality of a bummer sticker on some old grandma’s car but it is NOT. Think about it. “God loves you” is probably the most powerful statement in thought. And if said in the sincere humble love that has been nurtured and matured and delivered by the Holy Spirit, it is the finest aged wine ever tasted.

I know from personal experience that I often put up walls when I felt preached to and people who already feel like outcasts- feel like greater outcasts because the message isn’t delivered in a real genuine loving manner or their heart has not been prepared to receive the message. Instead of hands helping to them out of the ditch of their robbers throw them in, they are given a swinging banter of religious verbiages instead which are not help at all- good intentioned or not.

Live in God’s love and when God wants you to speak he will guide the your words and the length and depth of the words you will speak.

How did you come to Christ? Think about it. Did God make you feel like you had to jump through hoops to be loved by him or did he make himself approachable to you? Why? How? How did the God make himself approachable to his chosen creation? What made it so you could freely come to him and give your life to him?

Remember Colossians 1:19-

“For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in the Christ, and by him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his blood on the cross. This includes you who were once so far away from God. You were his enemies separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions, yet now he has brought you back as his friends. He has done this through his death on the cross in his own body. He has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. But you must continue to stand in it firmly. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News…”

God made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his blood on the cross. Man will never have peace apart from God. Man will fight and wage war against man and cause other men to go to war for them and against them because they don’t have God’s peace in them, which is only born and matured in and from God’s love.

Just because God reconciled everything to himself does not mean men reconciled themselves to him. Humanity will always separate themselves from God by their thoughts and actions… innocent or not… ignorant or not.

God’s heart is for his creation- he is available to the lowest of the low. He made it possible with his love and the evidence of that love was signified in the blood on the cross so it could be seeded and grown in the hearts of men. He healed you and birthed you of his Holy Spirit who now empowers and calls you to live according to his love.

When people’s hearts are stubborn and hardened and far from God -throwing seed on the ground does nothing if loving actions don’t come with or before it. The Holy Spirit guided actions and words that come forth out of the vessel of man are like the warmth of the sun thawing the frozen ground. People may know God by the little measure that he has planted inside them but that little measure of a seed will only grow when they allow God’s love to grow in them. (Know not just “of” God but “know” him and know him more intimately.)

I did not know Christ even though I had a religious tradition of celebrating his birth every Christmas. I would pray to God and still knowing how far I was from him he answered but I did as the bible said, I did not even thank him and continued on my path of ignorance and stupidity.

The Father drew me in by his love and faithfulness and when his cleansing light came into my life with my choice of surrender and submission to him I became a changed man and the realization of my debt to Jesus Christ became very real.

That is way Jesus says, “For people can’t come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them from the dead. As it is written in the Scriptures, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who hears and learns from the Father comes to me.” John 6:44-46

The Father gives the Son (Jesus Christ). The Son becomes the Shepherd and the Shepherd gives the Holy Spirit who gives all who trust and believe in the Son (Jesus Christ) have eternal life.

Human effort accomplishes nothing. I have found only by submission, a humility that allows God’s peace to find a seat in our soul, and the growing understanding of God’s love in the depths of our heart- does many powerful things despite the hardness of circumstances, situations, actions and words in this life.

May you as well as I know God’s love greater in our hearts and live in his love so we may have peace, and the power to act graciously and mercifully. May we live and endure spiritually and mindfully in Christ while we are here on this earth. May we let go of ourselves and or own ways of thinking and doing in order for God to able and secure us in his ways of doing things. May we become less and he more. Let us not become arrogant, or blind, or complacent. Let us not become doers by our own means and understanding where the rules of men emerge and God’s love becomes absent in our ways. Let us honor God with our lips and our heart. Let us worship God in Spirit and Truth. –In Jesus Name Amen.

Remember God welcomes the lost. Don’t make it complicated. You and those around you are better off if you remember the simple but powerful message that “God is Love.” Those who trust and believe in this simple message will be productive in the Spirit of the Lord.

Scriptures: Colossians 1:19-23, Romans 1: 19-22, 2 Peter 1:5-9, John 6:44-46, 1 John 4:7

The Message in the Fog

The few mornings ago I was feeling overwhelmed with life as I was driving home when suddenly I drove into this white dense fog. The white fog reminded me of a heavy white snow that blankets everything and gives you that snuggled in feeling. I suddenly imagined the fog in the timbered mountain hills where a modest cabin stands. There, through two of the cabin’s simple grid windows a warm glow was coming from the stone surround fireplace inside. I imagined a warm meal scenting the air and a worn wood rocking chair sitting leg length away from the fire and my journal resting on it waiting for me to scribble down what the Lord would speak to me about.

I drove up my real drive way and came inside and sat and looked outside with appreciation. All the surrounding hills and trees and neighbors were either blanked out or muted of their hardness. The fog quieted my soul. The condensation, the fog had created, dropped off the roof making the metronome inside of me slow to its rhythm. I thanked God for the fog. It was just what I needed to remind me that God is the one who mutes the hardness of life. He quiets my soul, mind and heart.

My "Refuge" had created a temporary refuge for me that morning.

God can take the natural to speak to us in the spiritual.

Listen, Obey, Trust

Recently I had a vision…. And I have got to say sometimes I am just slow at times with what God is showing me.

In the vision I am in a place where it is quiet and still. I am humbled, surrendered and submitted on the floor on my arms and knees - when a person appears before me. This person is wearing a shimmering yellow robe -and with every step a fog like haze perforates from the bottom of this rob. The haze is so thick that I cannot see the person’s feet. The robe mimics one of those essence lanterns you see Catholics holding during their different ceremonies, - that puts out smoke when they wave it back and forth. (I am not a Catholic so I don’t know what the lantern is called but I believe it is supposed to man made way to represent the Holy Spirit.) I look up at the person wearing the rob and it’s a man. He has long white shoulder length hair that is brushed out of his face and a perfectly trimmed white goatee and mustache. He looked as if he was waiting to speak. I call him Father. He looks into my eyes. His eyes are deeper then the depths of space. The man’s face then turns to a sphere of fire and shoots into the sky. A voice says, “He illuminates all the pages.” Then as quickly as the vision began- it ended.

The days following the Holy Spirit led me to the books John, Luke, and Matthew in the bible.

John 12:43 “For they loved human praise more then the praise of God.”

John 5:44 “No wonder you can’t believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from God alone.”

Next verses

Luke 8:15 “But the good soil represents honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s message, cling to it, and steadily produce a huge harvest.”

Luke 8:18 “So be sure to pay attention to what you hear. To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But to those who are not listening, even what they think they have will be taken away from them.”

Next verse

Matthew 15:8 “The people honor me with their lips but their hearts are far away.”

Later the Holy Spirit urged me to go and read those verses again and that is when I discovered that the root of Matthew 15:8 came from Isaiah 29:13-14.

So like uncovering a great secret I turned there:

“These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away. And their worship of me amounts to nothing more then human laws learned by rote. Because of this, I will show that human wisdom is foolish and even the most brilliant people lack understanding.”

I was then lead to Isaiah 6: Where it talks about the Lord wearing a rob that had a train that filled the temple and their were seraphim angels that covered their faces and feet and they sang, “Holy, holy holy is the LORD Almighty! The whole earth is filled with his glory!” The glorious singing shook the Temple to its foundation and the entire sanctuary was filled with smoke. After Isaiah’s guilt was removed and his sins were forgiven the Lord asked, “Whom should I send as a messenger to my people? Who will go for us?” Isaiah then answers “Lord, I’ll go! Send me.”

There were not seraphim angels/ or beings in my vision and I did not see the Lord’s train fill the temple but I did see a robe and I did see smoke which is sometimes the evidence of the Holy Spirit. Not just in the spiritual realm but also in how he manifests himself in the realty in which we physically live at this moment.

I have been asking the Lord to send me for sometime. Sometimes we are afraid to ask God to send us because of “where” he might send us. Others ask to be sent hoping to be sent to some foreign land but he sends us to a relative, a neighbor and even the church we attend instead.

Messages to your own church can be difficult especially if the messages doesn’t seem all that encouraging or uplifting but corrective in nature. I have found more often then not a message from the Lord even if it is a corrective one is better received then receiving no message from the Lord at all plus a corrective message given in the Spirit of love in Jesus Christ roots deeper in the mind and heart then not spoken in the Spirit of love in Jesus Christ. And even if they reject what you say by the Spirit- they aren’t rejecting you but God who had you speak it. I find sometimes it’s better if the majority “stays away” after a message I give from the Lord because then I don’t get lured in by human praise and my neutrality stays intact and rooted in the Lord where the Lord esteems me/ not man esteems me. I feel very uneasy when people want to give me praise and not God who gave it to me to say. This last time I even started to quiver after I gave it realizing the mighty source in which it came.

When a message is given usually there are also two or more people to confirm what you say is true. Example: God gave me a message, I obeyed God and spoke it and he confirmed the message was on track because the sermon our pastor followed with had to do with what I shared and then a brother in Christ had gotten the same message as well from the Holy Spirit.

The message had to do with being still and quiet and submitted and surrendered before the Lord and making a greater effort to spend with the Lord because he loves us. We should put no one or anything in front of the Lord in all occasions- good or bad. God puts no one in front of us so we should not allow or put anyone in front of him. Give honor to God. Keep your eyes on the Lord’s love for you and you will be able to love each other, as you should in the unity of Christ's body but if you fail to keep your eyes on the Lord then it will be impossible to have unity in the church body.

Of course this led to our young adult bible study about letting God use us as willing receptacles. God knows if our heart is receptive and willing or not. He knows if we are just giving lip service or if we truly trust him and want him to work his mercy, grace and love through us. For Jesus says “This is what God wants you to do: Believe in the one he sent.” John 6:29

There is where the fullness of Christ is woven into our soul. Believe the Lord is Lord of your life.

Believing in the one he sent (Jesus Christ) not just in your mind but your heart as well helps us to not just listen to the Holy Spirit but to obey and trust him with the task he is going to “partner” with us in doing. Believing is doing. Maturity happens when we begin to understand in our heart. This kind of knowing of Jesus as Lord of our life will surpass even our heart knowledge because God’s love, wisdom and power surpasses anything we could know. And yet this is only possible in Jesus Christ- where can we live and experience God’s love, wisdom, and power that is beyond anything we could understand or imagine as we live in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Paul says the same thing here:

"I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:16-21

For we are just the vessels and he does the work through us so we learn to not to depend on ourselves but depend on Him who enables us to do what we thought at first as not possible for us to do or experience.

God (Father, Son -Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit) is our ultimate source of love, encouragement, praise, refuge, strength and certainty. We must listen, obey and trust him in all things.