Relentless 4

How the Race Changes Us

The obstacles in our life helps bring the impurities "the slag" to the surface where they can be skimmed off. When we see these "imperfections or irritations" we can ask ourselves, "Are we really letting God empower us?"

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:2-5

WHO simplifies the matters of the Heart and Mind... is it not GOD?
  

A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.  Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.” Isaiah 40:3-4
   
He not only simplifies but tell us, He is with us.
 

“When you pass through the water, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you.” Isaiah 43:2

God  has already been through the race and yet He loves us SO MUCH, He is willing to go through the race with each us individually.  This is a wonderful thought?

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.  Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:15

Have you thought what Satan must of felt when he saw the relentlessness of Jesus taking up the cross?  He must of shook in fear.  Jesus is the picture of our Relentless.  He was beaten, whipped, chastised, tried, and tested, tortured but wanting to fulfill the will of the Father- nothing could stop Him. 

“I gave My back to those who strike Me, And My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting. For the Lord GOD helps Me, Therefore, I am not disgraced; Therefore, I have set My face like flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed.” Isaiah 50:7

That same relentless Spirit of Jesus is in us, Christians… that we too can set our face like flint on Jesus.   Our roots can go and surrender deep into God’s marvelous love that liberates.  

I hope this has encouraged you!

 “And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love.  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 really is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen.” Ephesians 3:17-21

Where Does The Spiritual House Sit? 2

--> My bride has a great aunt who used to have a house in the rural town of Robinson.   It had it’s own fishpond and several acres that she rented out to people who needed pasture space for a cow or a horse or goat. 

The house was a normal house but on several visits I noticed a particular situation with the floors of the house.   On one visit the floors seemed in unison and then on another visit some of the floors were in a discord of several inches.  

What was causing this sinking and rising of the floors? 

Come to find out part of the house sat on a fault line.  This fault line was not only causing problems to certain floors in the house, but cracking in the exterior brick, doors to drag or not close, windows to not open, cracks in the walls and ceiling, and so on….

I don’t know if the house is still there for when a house sits on a fault line there is no choosing of sides…  there is just separation.

House on Fault Line.

"If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. Mark 3:25

So where does your spiritual house sit?

Is your spiritual house sitting on a fault line where there is this occasional or continual rising and sinking of disharmony?  Do your spiritual doors drag or not close or maybe they don’t open at all? Doors that don’t open don’t allowing God to come in and have satisfying meal with us.  Doors that don’t close allow everything to come in and overwhelm the soul.  Is there cracking in your ceiling and walls?  Are you continuing to have to go back and repair damage?  Damage you have allowed by not trusting in God? Do your windows not open, not allowing God to refresh your soul during the day?   Is there bowing in your floor jousts? Causing you to trip and misplace your steps? Where there is no knowing of assurance or security.  Is there this continual unsettling and unrest?

Jesus said, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27

Every human being, being Christian or not have found his or her spiritual house on a fault line.  Some people continually live on a spiritual fault line never finding rest. 

Many Christians have come to a situation where they have found their spiritual house isn’t firmly sitting on God and His word but a little on this world or people of this world or even themselves.  

Why the illustration of a fault line?  Because a fault line symbolizes two rocks not one.  God is one rock not two. 

“The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Psalm 18:2

God does not share His glory with any other type of rock, gravel, sand or dust.  God does not share His glory that stabilizes us and keeps us unwavering and persistent in Him.  He alone needs to be our strength.

"I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.” Isaiah 42:8

Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24

Let’s look at that word, “mammon” for a moment.  A lot of bible translations translate “mammon” as money/riches but looking this up in the concordance and seeking the Lord I find it encompasses a lot more:

·      Idols (Can’t serve both God and idols/lifeless objects.)

·      Things done for personal gain such as lies, deceit, slander, falsehood…

·      Religious activity that seems devoted to God but is not true in our heart & Spirit. 

·      Things done in selfish pride.  

·       Deeds done to prove one’s own self-righteousness to God and others.

·      Thing done to receive human praise or acceptance (To fit in, or to fit into a people’s standards.  To  make self look good by actions, appearance or material wealth.) 

·      To find security in our human ability or in the things of this world instead of God.)

·      Putting people before God in our heart, mind and soul. 

·      To “serve” anything that is not of God.

These things are considered mammon.   When we find ourselves trusting more in them then God, it leads to “faulty” damaging and a dangerous reasoning.   

And if we look at the entire section of where “mammon” is found, we find this to be true in Jesus’ very own words.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6&version=NIV

People build on fault lines not realizing these things are not only faulty but are temporary and even dangerous.  

“The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” I John 2:17

Thus says the Lord, “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the Lord.” Jeremiah 17:5

When we allow people and the things of this world to have a greater emphasis in our heart over God -we have put our house on a fault line and if not realized and corrected will cause our spiritual house to crack and fall…   Hope in the things that are not lasting seems very irrational but yet people do this in a lack of real understanding of WHO is Life and what is not life.   Ever act irrationally, felt depressed, lost hope, feel deep wounds of hurt, live in only the mundane feelings of life- never inspired? Why?  Is the answer because we have trusted in our own feelings, others, and the things of this life more then God?  These things can have a powerful faulty effect on our life if we are not set firmly upon God who is to be our only ROCK.

For those who unintentionally find themselves in those situations, I hope they fall into the care and discipline of the LORD who is full of hope and mercy.  For I have seen and heard of many with resentful, hopeless hearts who have put their trust in people/things and when the things they trust give way they are broken, damaged and some even do the unthinkable in taking their own lives and the lives of others.   Some even blame the LORD.  They also lash out at innocent by standers and those who represent God.  It wasn’t God who told them to trust these faulty frailties but they did, giving over a trust that only God should have had.  I myself have been guilty of this more then a few times and it has been a hard lesson to learn and God has gracious helped me repair the damages.

Apostle Paul wrote, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” Romans 7:15

Why do we occasionally fall into this, “I do what we hate”?

·      We do what we hate because we fall into a faulty understanding of the flesh.  We find we haven’t secured our spiritual house as secure as we thought to God our immovable rock.  Instead we have slipped some on to faulty soil or ground.   If we find ourselves in this position we must repent/apologize to God and He (God/Jesus) is who just will forgive us of our sin.  But we can’t continue to return or practice that sin.

“Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.” Galatians 6:8

“No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.” 1 John 3:9

·      We do what we hate because we have not allowed the Carpenter (Jesus) to build and/or orchestrate His understanding in us through His life giving Word in that situation. 

·      We do what we hate because we take things in our own hands (even momentary)   not really comprehending the results and consequences of our actions.

 “Furthermore, it isn't good to be ignorant, and whoever rushes into things misses the mark.” Proverbs 19:2

·      We do what we hate because we don’t listen and obey the Spirit of God. 

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.…” Galatians 5:22-23

As we read last time, “Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor is in vain.  And unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards watch in vain.”  Psalm 127:1 

We are spiritual house that is being built and we must let the Carpenter of our life build our spiritual house and not be tempted to take things into our own hands and build on things that are unstable and even dangerous.

For man may build and may even build quickly, but if it isn’t built in Spirit and truth/ the resonating empowering foundation of Christ, a man’s desires will not last.

“Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.…” Psalm 37:4

Spirit and truth. 

A person may believe in the truth but they may act contrary to the way they believe because he/she is not living and submitted to the Spirit at that moment, time, and  understanding.

Have you ever done so?  Of course, we all have at several different points in our life.

Be glad God corrected you then instead of later for everyone’s work will be tested.

“By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. ¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ¹³ their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. ¹⁴ If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames. ¹⁶ Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? ¹⁷ If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.” 1 Corinthians 3:10-16

Our spiritual house and God

“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him, Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him.  Then you your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7

Just as the house of God (the people of the church) cannot stand and do what God wants and wills if it is not submitted to God’s Spirit so it with our spiritual house.  We must always be cognoscenti to see if we have allowed our spiritual house to slip and straddle that spiritual fault line between Jesus Christ and this world and the ways of the flesh.

We find ourselves in a cultural story, a family story, a story of circumstances and situations but though we may be in those stories that is not our story.  That is not our hope. 

This soon to be history and a future will come to an abrupt end but we are just passing through this experience- our story originates with our eternal God, our Heavenly Father and our LORD Jesus Christ who made us and transformed us as individuals in Christ and He will one day take us up into eternity in heaven where all is made right. That is our identity.  That is our hope.  That is our peace.  That is our assurance. That is our source of empowerment.  That is our story that lives in us if we allow it.  That is our life and our lasting foundation.  Anyone Christian who believes this experience is life is missing out.  They are missing the point that we died with Christ and our life is in God.  It is hidden from view to those in this life, those who only put an emphasis on the cares of this short experience or hold on too tightly to these days but one day our real life will be revealed to all those who were blind to this truth. God is the author of our life.   He breathes into the hallways and rooms of our life and transforms the mundane into something good, pleasing and perfect because our foundation is firmly standing upon Him.   

God alone brings stability to our Spiritual house.

“Just as it is written, "BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." Romans 9:33 

Friend, remember where your spiritual house is to sit.

Knowing You See Things Imperfectly

Paul wrote,  "When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child.  But when I grew up. I put away childish things.  Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.  All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me complete." 1 Corinthians 13:11-12

Can you trust your eyes? Can you trust your ears? Can you trust your understanding?

Was Jesus ever accused for things he was not? Can you think of when he might of been accused of being a cannibal, a liar, a false prophet, or being the prince of demons?  How about being guilty of something he was not guilty of because he spent time with Samaritans, drunks, and tax collectors?
People perceived him guilty by association, what they saw, what they heard and in how they understood?

Have your eyes and understanding ever let you presume something that was untrue? Have you ever jumped to conclusions?  Have you ever not heeded the Lord's warnings and did what you thought was right and/or justified? What fruit came of those actions?

Scripture says... "Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him."  Isaiah 64:4

 

.... Let me suggest a bit of caution to the idea of knowing enough of a situation or going it alone in your own understanding and suggest a bit of caution on any zealous acts - acts that come from any aspect of impatience, personal pride and prejudice.   Wait and be surrendered to God in thought and see how God directs and intercedes for you.

I remember before I was a Christian there were a couple Christians that didn't treat me with respect.  I didn't need their respect to  "agree" with me but I needed their  respect that I was a person no better then they were yet they acted as if they were better then me.   I saw pride and prejudice in their actions instead of the grace and love of Jesus Christ.  

Jesus said the flesh profits what...?

"It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." John 6:63

We should not claim to know all there is to know of God, His Word or a situation but seek God for discernment, wisdom, direction, and emotional stability in many of the opportunities presented to us in this life. Yet I feel this is not always taught or maybe it's not matured in our spiritual coverings.

"And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes." Galatians 3:27

We are to "put on Christ".  How did Jesus speak and interact with people?  

Yes let there be a confidence but not a confidence with ourselves but with God.
"Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God.  Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit.  For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."  2 Corinthians 3:4-6

We are to be as children, but not children of ignorance, but children of our Heavenly Father.

The Word of God is a double-edged sword- you want to use it and use it to heal then let the Spirit of God direct you in "how" to use through your actions.     
     
Some may say being "persecuted, hated, resented, bullied, disregarded, and called haters and worse" are causes and effects in walking in pretentious ways but that is not necessarily true.

We could just as easily receive the same treatment for doing right and living a wholesome lifestyle then doing wrong.  And why might this be a problem?  Why might this offend others?  Why do those in the world want to force us to agree with things that go against God's word?  Why do they want to change us?  It's odd how conviction of sin comes in many ways and forms.  

Just a comparison of lifestyle can make one envious and feel guilty.   If everyone agreed with their sinful behavior- then they would not feel guilty but as God's representatives living in truth - this makes them feel convicted.   Just the goodness of God's Spirit working in our lives is conviction enough.  It's like a little song bird chirping on a tree branch in the morning and because a few want to sleep, those who want to sleep despise the little song bird.  The song bird did nothing to deserve such resentment.  It was just doing what it was created to do by God.    Ever notice how guilty people have to justify themselves causing them to fall deeper into sin?  They live in the law of sin/ law of their understanding.  They are trapped and they will do anything in their power to try to feel not trapped resulting to childish things as put downs, lies, manipulations, violence, curses, and name calling.  And because the world works in the same faulty understanding, the world agrees with them and makes laws and regulations against those who choose to live by the word of God.            

No surprise there.... Jesus said we would be hated because for our allegiance to him. 

Mark 13:13 “And everyone will hate you because you are my followers. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

We must speak the truth but be careful however to be sure we speak and act according to the Spirit in love not in some stuck up fashion that is not humble and does not remember where he/she stands- for we all have sinned and come short to the glory of God.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 2:23

"Let your speech always be with grace as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person." Colossians 4:6

We must be "approachable" people that know what it means to have all the short comings of being human...  we have all had trouble, failed, hurt, won, lost, loved, been betrayed, doubted, been angered, fallen, not been understood, been enslaved and so on... but in these things we are to weave what it means to have Christ in those situations and share that with others in gracious speech.

 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

"... I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.  I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."  Note: 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves." Philippians 2:3
 
"For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas world grief produces death." 2 Corinthians 7:10

Let us not just look at grief but other aspects of life as well.

We have all grieved...
We have all been angered...
We have all loved...
we have all... fallen short of the glory of God....

But it is in "how" we do those things that ends in life or death and it's "in" who or WHO we turn to that leads to life or death.  When we look to ourselves and the world, grief can turn to prideful self-pity ... anger can turn to resentment and unforgiveness and... love to ignorant shallowness, empty lust.   All which are sin in God's eyes.

 We find reasons to stay away and reject God because we want to stay in sin.  These sins become like shards of glass in the veins of our blood stream and we stay away from the very ONE who can give us LIFE.... GOD.

But when we look to God, grief can become things like hope and a stronger dependence upon God.  Anger can turn to godly resolve, living justly and putting God above all things and people.    Love becomes unselfish and a want to build up and encourage those around us and to love our spouse more deeply.

Again.... If we turn to just ourselves and our understanding of grief, anger and love- these things turn to darkness and death.  If we turn to God in our grief, anger and understanding of what love really is, it leads to life.

GOD is the strong thread that keeps all our life from coming all unraveled.
       
Paul who wrote the majority of the New Testament said: "I do not claim that I have already succeeded or have already become perfect.  I keep striving to win the prize for which Christ Jesus has already won me to himself. Of course, my friends, I really do not think that I have already won it; the one thing I do, however, is to forget what is behind me and do my best to reach what is ahead. So I run straight toward the goal in order to win the prize, which is God's call through Christ Jesus to the life above."

We should always strive to live for and as Christ, as we have the opportunity to share the love of Christ with others.  You and I can't be all that God wants us to be without Jesus flowing through our spiritual veins. 

How imaginative and undisciplined our minds are and how our thoughts float in all different directions.  How presumptuous they can be and how these very thoughts fade to judgments. 

In life, I could easily fill up the pages of my thoughts but to leave the pages as simple humble surrendered prayers of mediation upon God, I find God filling them and I can easily find what he has written on them.

Ever heard the saying, "You are the only bible some people will ever read"?

I am not saying to become so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good but how can one do the kind of good that survives the testings of fire if you are not heavenly minded, clothed and directed?

 What will stand when our works are tested by God?  Our salvation will still be there but if our works are not done in a manner that honor God in Spirit and truth what will stand when the flames touch them?  How might your actions towards others honor God or dishonor God?

"If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire." 1 Corinthians 3:14-15

From where does your inner compass start?  From where is it drawn?  From where is it pointed?  From where might it go?

We come upon situations and circumstances that present themselves as bitter water.   And anyone who drinks and partakes of this bitter water comes down with side affects of that bitter water but those who drink from Jesus the living water can speak into that bitter situation and help people taste what it means to drink God's sweet water- by your graceful actions and words seasoned by salt.

Serenity Prayer "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
 
So yes there will be those who still want to drink from the bitter water but let God grant us the wisdom to see what we can change and not change and not be discouraged by.

For Jesus said, "... but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil." John 3:19

 

"But to you who are listening I say:
Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." Luke 6:27-28

Note: This doesn't mean to intentionally get walked all over but you turn the other cheek and not give pearls to swine because you know your value is not in your circumstances or in people but in God.

So do not cling onto these experiences too tightly but onto God who is your life of faith and allows you to give grace, have peace, know hope, be secured in love and have the mindset of Christ. 
  
Knowing all these things will help you become a better representative of Christ Jesus.

Ponder these things with the Lord as you watch this clip.

   

Does God Challenge You? 3

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SPIRITUAL CHECK-UP

I think in America and probably else we have come to think, "This is how it should be"... when it comes to things concerning God…  But is it?  What is “normal” with God?

This type of thinking “This is how it should be,” has only brought trouble… look at all the separated doctrine Christian churches!  Look how they have changed over time… I am not knocking the Methodist Church but I going to use them as an example.   Methodist Churches do MANY great works in their communities along with other churches but as the years have gone by they no longer work in or approve of the giftings of the Holy Spirit such a speaking in tongues and prophecy and interpretation of tongues.  What changed this?  It’s the understandings of man verse the reality of God.

 

Remember what Jesus says to the church of Ephesus?

“I know your industry and activities, laborious toil and trouble, and your patient endurance, and how you cannot tolerate wicked [men] and have tested and critically appraised those who call [themselves] apostles (special messengers of Christ) and yet are not, and have found them to be impostors and liars.

³ I know you are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name’s sake, and you have not fainted or become exhausted or grown weary.

⁴ But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love].

⁵ Remember then from what heights you have fallen. Repent (change the inner man to meet God’s will) and do the works you did previously [when first you knew the Lord], or else I will visit you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you change your mind and repent.”  Revelation 2:2-5 AMP

That can go for any church or any individual in the church.  Religious activity can be just a meaningless to God as unreligious activity because God wants a relationship with us -and His will to be done. 

If we “do” -not in “both” Spirit and truth then what “it” is to God?

When the experience is of burden and empty of joy we must ask ourselves… where is God?  When the experience is only for our own gain- where is God? 

Where have we positioned ourselves in regards to the experience and God? Is it more about us then it is about God?  

AND how has this routine, regimented, foolish, thinking got us closer with God?  Look back that Revelation again my friend.

When the winds and storms start to blow in this life and the driving rains become rushing floodwaters to sweep away all that grows- what will become of us?  Is it about works or a relationship with God?

I am being reminded of Martha and Mary…

“As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.  Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught.  But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10”38-42

Honestly ask yourself this question…  Do we just sit on the surface (roots and all)- knowing God has more but never seeking, never discovering and never anchoring our faith more deeply in HIM? 

What happens to our shallow understanding when troubles come?  God help us see our continual need in anchoring ourselves in relationship with HIM.  

We might be able to control and schedule our services and things in our lives but these things… what are they? These things are fragile things…  and these fragile things if not orchestrated by God are what?  Who really has control?  What are they really strengthening?

Was Jesus ever “routine” when he went about the Father’s business?  (Read it again.)  Who’s schedule and plans did Jesus go by?  What was Jesus addressing and strengthening and healing?  Did he not just challenge the unreligious but the religious as well?

I consider myself a pretty open minded Christian.  I was not always so.  Speaking in tongues would just "freak me out!"  Slain in the Spirit... I just thought that was fake....  And.... well anything else that fell along that side of the tracks was just STRANGE and SCARY....) 

In truth… I trusted in what I understood.  Anything that wasn't "traditional" just was WEIRD.....  Until GOD used the very things I wanted to stay FAR away from to touch and change my life.  

Speaking of which…let’s talk about the term “born again”