Who Is On The Throne of Your JOY?

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“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Proverbs 17:22

Last week I took a “Narcissistic Personality Quiz.” http://psychcentral.com/quizzes/narcissistic.htm

The N.P.Q measures narcissistic mindsets and tendencies… in how one looks at authority, their own body, superiority, entitlement, manipulation, equality, self-sufficiency and vanity.

I did not score high enough to be a categorized as a narcissistic individual but I found the questions interesting and I remember when I had such “narcissistic tendencies” and once acted and thought upon them.

I then read 2013 article on new.discovery.com that reported that data has shown an increasing amount of Americans are becoming narcissists.     http://news.discovery.com/human/narcissism-epidemic-college-students.htm

This was not surprising considering how self-absorbed our society has become and in doing so has become a joyless society. 

We can point the finger at a lot of things… such as the baby boomers or our expectation and reliance on convenience.  But that's not it .... It's who's on the throne of our life.

What happens when life isn’t convenient? 
  

My youngest got a free ticket to a theme park as a reward so we went for the day and while we were patiently standing in line at the concession stand for a refill in our cup, a group of people walked up to the counter and demanded that they be served even though they could see everyone else was waiting in line.  And when the people at the concession stand wouldn’t serve them they got down right rude and disrespectful.  Where did they get that idea of entitlement over all those other people waiting in line?

Who was ruling on their throne? 

I guess you could say we saw a principle of God’s word come to life that day because the many who thought they would to be first ended up last and those considered last ended up the first.

Ever feel bad because you don’t get recognized for doing something?  Where does that come from? 

The N. P. Q is a simple man made test.  It does not adequately measure the accuracy of how God knows the thoughts and intents of the heart.  I may not be narcissistic in the world’s eyes but that doesn’t mean “I” or “me” doesn’t wants to crawl up on the throne and paint and color the circumstances of my day.   
  

We as Christians must remember we are children of our Heavenly Father.   God allows us to crawl up on the throne of our hearts to experience that we are not the source of our own joy.  Some learn this and some don't.   And He also allows us to sit on his lap to KNOW HE is the source of our JOY.  

Ever seen the LORD smile? When He smiles there is nothing like it and it fills you with so much goodness that there is no room for the negative symptoms you were experiencing. 
   

We must surrender the throne of our life to Him.  We also must be patient and wait upon the LORD and He will establish our hearts where they need to be set.  He is the good medicine for our heart.
 

“For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life; because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.” Ecc 5:20

To WHOM Do I Belong?

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There is a children’s book about a little bird that cracked open his egg and fell out of the nest and goes looking for his mother who he has never seen.   The little bird asks a cat, a dog, a cow, and even a car and a dirt scoop…. if they are his mother. 

We think this is silly and illogical but isn’t that precisely what people do with… God?

We can plainly see through history and artifacts of people worshipping the creation and not the living true God- the Creator.  The Egyptians worshipped the gods of Ra, Isis, Horus, and many more.  The Israelites made a golden calf to worship instead of worshiping the true living God who miraculously gave them freedom from slavery in Egypt.  We see and hear about ancient Greek and Roman gods like Apollo, Cupid, Hercules, Zeus, Hades, Diana, and Aphrodite.  We see in certain Catholic churches Mary and the saints are worshipped as gods.  We see in the Native American culture that creation is worshipped not the Creator.  In Mexico and sad to say, here in America there are shrines and statues to Satan, the one who seeks to destroy all those created in the image of God. 

People ask… sciences are you my God?

Money are you my God?

Circumstances are you my God?

Job is it my God?

Doctors, professors, clergy, therapist are they my God?

Husband, wife, girl friend, boy friend are you my God?

Me, my feelings, my thoughts are they my God?

How many people do you know who have been cursed/controlled by their lifestyle of tobacco, alcohol and/or drugs which is causing them not only to make bad decisions, but destroying their body and life? These substances have become a god to them. 

How many people do you know who have been cursed by divorce and adulterous relationships?  It’s not just the spouse that pays but the children as well.

How many people do you know who have been cursed by sexual sin? 

How many people do you know who have been cursed by trusting in money?

How many people do you know who have been cursed by hatred?

How many people do you know who trust in only what they see and they are cursed by it?  How many people do you see deeply hurt by the actions of others and they can’t get past those hurtful actions?

How many people do you see cursed and blinded because they don’t trust God?

These are examples of false gods/idols in people’s lives.  They are saying, “These are my gods.  I trust, use, follow, listen to these things more then God.  These things are what I allow to rule over my life… if they fail me I am without hope because I choose to trust in mere idols and circumstances then the true living God.”

Let’s read Romans 1.

“Yes they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks.  And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like.  The result was that their minds became dark and confused.  Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead.  And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols make to look like mere people, or birds and animals and snakes.  So God let them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desired.  As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies.  Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies.  So they worshipped the things God made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen.  That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires.  Even women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other.  And men, instead of having normal sexual relationships with women, burned with lust for each other.  Men did shameful things with other men and, as a result, suffered within themselves the penalty they so richly deserved.  When they refused to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their evil minds and let them do things that should never be done.  Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.  They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent proud, and boastful.  They are forever inventing new ways of sinning and are disobedient to their parents.  They refuse to understand, break promises, and are heartless and unforgiving.  They are fully aware of God’s death penalty for those who do these things, yet they go right ahead and do them anyway.  And worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.”  Romans 1:21-32

Look at the ROOT issue… The root issue is making other things gods instead of the living true God
be God of their life.

“A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” Proverbs 25:28

Ever been hurt by someone or a group of people?  Ever been greatly discouraged because of a situation?  What is your tendency to do when hurt or discouraged?  Is it finding a way to get even, quitting, withdrawing, indulging in ways of temporary escape and/or believing in the lies and so on and so forth?  God knows our tendencies so he says in His word….  

“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, and turn their hearts away from the LORD.  They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future.  They will live in the barren wilderness, on the salty flats where no one lives.”

Is this not true or what?  We allow hurt or loss or the betrayal of a situation to become our poison.  We become stunted, feel hopeless and feel justified to throw a little pity part.  We start living in this bleak mindset where it seems no one can help us.  But look at the contrast of these following these verses…

“But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence.  They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water.  Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought.  Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit.”  Jeremiah 17:5-8

So we must ask ourselves what do we allow to be above God in our life?  What is going to be our deep and growing and strengthening resolve in life? Are we going to allow circumstances and situations cause us to turn our hearts away from the LORD? And if we do turn our hearts away from the LORD, what are we saying is our god?  What God/or god is over this situation?” we must ask ourselves. 

Who am I going to turn to, turn the situation over to, and trust? 

Genesis 1:27 says, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God; He created him, male and female he created them.”

Three times in the same sentence it says is “God created”.  If you are created by God, then you belong to that HIM.   Knowing we belong to the LORD will make a big difference in our life.  We can turn our life over to Him our Creator and Savior Jesus Christ.  Instead of destructive ways of living, God will guide us to constructive ways of overcoming.  We will grow to know WHO is our strength and shield and He will bless us because we know we are in need of Him.

“Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.” Colossians 3:10

GOD of FIRE and LIVING WATER

While in prayer at a church board meeting recently I saw a vision of fire… fire that had no source.  It was floating in the air. It’s flames were neither reaching upward or downward. 

It could have possibly been what they saw in the book of Acts, “Then what looked like flames of tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.” Acts 2:3

I am also reminded by the Spirit of this passage, “Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.  Suddenly, the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush.  Moses was amazed because the bush was engulfed in flames, but it didn’t burn up.  “Amazing!” Moses said to himself.  “Why isn’t that bush burning up?  I must go over to see this.”  When the LORD saw that he had caught Moses’ attention, God called to him from the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

“Here I am!” Moses replied.

“Do not come any closer,” God told him.  Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.”  Exodus 3:1-5

We are living in a time where there is little respect for Living True God and His WORD.

“Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:28-29

God is a FIRE with no origin.  He has no creator or parent. He is GOD!

“By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.” Psalm 33:8

“To the Israelites the glory of the LORD looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain.” Exodus 24:17

“But be assured today that the LORD your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the LORD has promised you.” Deuteronomy 9:3

That last one (Deuteronomy 9:3) reminds me a bit of a picture we see in Revelation…

“His eyes were bright like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns.  A name was written on Him, and only He knew what it meant.   He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the WORD of God.  The armies of heaven, dressed in pure white linen, followed Him on white horses.  From His mouth came a sharp sword, and with he struck down the nations.   He ruled them with an iron rod, and he trod the winepress with the fierce wrath of almighty God.  On His robe and thigh was written this title: King of kings and Lord or lords.”  Revelation 19:12-16

God is a FIRE that destroys those who are rebellious and don’t submit to Him.   God is a FIRE that should be given respected and awe.  God is the FIRE who we must seek for HE alone encourages, and strengthens and gives us living inspiration by His word and Spirit to carry on in a dark world.

 A world that says what Isaiah writes,

“What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that the dark is light and light is dark, that the bitter is sweet and the sweet is bitter.  What sorrow for those who are wise in their own eyes and think themselves so clever.  What sorrow for those who are heroes at drinking wine and boast about all the alcohol they can hold.  They take bribes to let the wicked go free, and they punish the innocent.  Therefore, just as fire licks up stubble and dry grass shrivels in the flame, so their roots will rot and their flowers wither.  For they have rejected the law of the LORD of Heaven Armies; they have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 5:20-24

This world that will experience terrible sorrow when it’s Creator, the Lord, returns.  We are only seeing the birth pains of His coming with earthquakes, hail, floods, drought, fire, war, famine, hatred for what is good...
 

John the Baptist said about himself and Jesus, "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. "His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Matthew 3:11-12

Some have forgotten and act as if they are God when deciding what is good and right.  They have disregarded God’s word.   Some have lost hope and/or don’t know God’s goodness and have drowned in what they see in the world but God reminds us that though we live in the world we are not of the world and these circumstances that surround us are not to define us or our mindset.  We cannot spiritually eat of what the world gives or else we become spiritually sick minded and the sick minded trust in only what they see in the world, which makes them blind to God and benefits of God.

We must continually walk by faith- prayer- Spirit and truth.  Faith changes things and we see in Jesus Christ all things are possible in a upside down world.

Because we live in this world it can feel “spiritually” suffocating at times… but in those times we must push off the world’s oppressive thirsty surface and seek the ROCK who gives refreshment to our soul.

The rock of Horeb where water flowed like a river into the desert.

Remember the rock of Horeb.

“I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.” Exodus 17:6

“Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.” Numbers 20:11

“He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them water as abundant as the seas;” Psalm 78:15

“He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed like a river in the desert.”  Psalm 105:41

That rock is an illustration of Jesus Christ who was struck for us to give us life and life more abundantly.  He is the perpetual spring living in us (Holy Spirit) as we live in this parched wilderness of a world.

But let us take careful note as we read further...

“And all of them drank the same miraculous water that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ.  Yet after this, God was not pleased with most of them, and he destroyed them in the wilderness.  These events happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did or worship idols as some of them did.  For the Scriptures say, “The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged themselves in pagan revelry.”  And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day.  Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. And don’t grumble as some of them did, for that is why God sent his angel of death to destroy them.  All these events happened to them as examples for us.  They were written down to warn us, who live at the time when this age is drawing to a close.” 1 Corinthians 10:4-10   

We know we cannot hope in what the world puts hope in for those things are only temporary, shortsighted, false and empty but we are to put our hope in GOD who is everlasting and eternal.  He is full of goodness, love, grace, compassion and mercy to help us stay on the right path.  And because our Hope is “living” and “active” we know none of us can become sufficient in ourselves. We do not have the strength alone nor do we know what we need at the precise time we need it to overcome the daily obstacles in our life but God does. We all need in these times the constant yoke of Jesus who the author and finisher of our faith. 
 

“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you.  Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke fits perfectly, and my burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

The mountain of Horeb, is not just a historical story but an illustration of who GOD is.  For from the Mountain of GOD, where there is FIRE came Jesus Christ who gives us the Holy Spirit, spiritual water, for our born again soul.

"He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.  The world cannot receive Him, because it isn't looking for Him and doesn't Recognize Him.  But you know Him, because he lives with you now and later will be in in you." John 14:17

Remember this is LIBERATING SUSTAINING LIVING TRUTH THAT SATISFIES THE SOUL! The world is constantly thirsty because it looks to everything else but God to be satisfied.  It will collapse and be destroyed by it's own doing because it refuses to turn, repent, and submit to God.

Remember the dream I was given by God to share with you.

“Do not partake from the sea of humanity but take from the Mountain, the ROCK- that gives only good life sustaining water.  For the water that comes from the sea makes one sick and naked and fruitless.  I have seen the seawater do what is unnatural.  Instead of staying in the sea it is pouring onto the land stripping the trees of their bark leaving them unprotected and exposed.   There are no leaves in their canopies; all the fruit has been laid to waste.  The lands have been poisoned.  The way into these lands is fenced off to my companions and I, to only witness the shame.  It is a hopeless land.  It is a cursed place.  It has trusted and given into the ways of man instead of God, the GREAT MOUNTAIN and ROCK.”

GOD is the GOD of FIRE and LIVING WATER

You want this living water for your soul in this thirsty world?  How about going to heaven when you die? How about being able to understand God's word?

In book of John that is written to the us, Jesus said to Nicodemus, a devoted religious man,

"Very truly I tell you, no one can see the Kingdom of GOD unless they are born again." John 3:3

Jesus is saying no one can have the life giving spiritual benefits of God- the ones that nourish and encourage our soul, until we are born again.

Then in verse 5 & 6 Jesus says,

"Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to the flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit."

We cannot enter heaven without being born again in the Spirit.

Jesus Christ is the one in which we all must go and submit our life to be born again in the Spirit of God.

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me." John 14:6

So if you want to go to heaven and have your life transformed, genuinely do these things from your heart with me.  Pray to the Lord.  Know that he paid with his life for you and me.  Know Jesus rose from the dead and now sits with next to the Father interceding for you and I today.  

If you like can say these words with me.

JESUS, I have sinned and I have served the things of the world and I have become very thirsty and unsatisfied.   Please forgive me.  I want to give my life over you now, to be saved and for you to become LORD and Savior of my life.  That I can come to know you more intimately, that I will go to heaven when I Pass on from this life and I can have your life giving Spirit living in me so that I may understand and experience all that you have for me.  Thank you Jesus for all you have done and are going to do.  AMEN. AMEN. AMEN.