Relentless 2

In the movie, Tomorrowland, there was a quote I appreciated but without changing the meaning, I am going to exchange the word "wolves" with "spirits".

There are two spirits who are always fighting. One is darkness and despair. The other is light and hope. The question is… which spirit wins?
 
... The one you feed.

 

What would the difference be, in our life, if we continually laid aside the things that weigh us down and entangle us? What would it show the world, about WHO is your Lord?

Hebrews 12:1-3 says:

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

What kinds of things can we lay aside?

·      We can lay aside this perverse world- all it approves, all it encourages, all it hates, all it denies, all it strikes at, resorts to, conspires, fights for and tries to hide.

“We do not fight flesh and blood but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” 

·      We can lay aside the enemy.  Satan hates God and those who represent God and those formed in the image of God.  Satan often uses what he hates to destroy what he hates.   Satan is a thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy.   He is the father of all lies and deception.  He has an enchanted tongue -manipulative, slippery and dangerous.  He loves to draw us in for a fight but when he comes soliciting a response ask Jesus “Will you get that?”  

But if you take the bait, and find yourself down on the mat of this life and Satan starts counting down… remember he is not the refereeing official of your life but God is.  And by God’s amazing mercy and grace, get up because He who is in you is greater then he who is the world.  

Remember Jesus has won the fight for us- now we just have to finish the race and we aren’t even to do that alone.

·      We can lay aside circumstances of life, the false illusions of what the world calls life, and the burdens of this life that so easily tires us.

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

·      We can lay aside the subtle things that cause us to inadvertently step down from the ROCK that gave us LIFE and LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY.  Stay alert of precarious rickety ladders of consciousness that set the mind in motion to themes of bleak, mundane, barren, hopeless outlooks. Watch out for fears, anxieties, imaginations, ideals of productivity, human philosophy, and unsatisfying self-filling prophecy that gets the best of us.

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Jeremiah 1:9

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" 2 Corinthians 10:5

"But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:37-39
 
  ·   And finally lay aside the sin.  Don’t travel down sins tempting highway, seek Jesus who was tempted by never sinned.  Ask God to show you a way out.  

“This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.” Hebrews 4:15

“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

“Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Sin leads to death… Sin steals our joy, peace, hope… it separates us from living in the power of God, which gives us life.  Shame and guilt of sin keeps us from speaking the truth to others and if we do speak it, it feels false because of conviction of sin.  When we sin our mindset is tarnish and our reputation is hurt and even destroyed.
 

“If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” 1 John 1:9

But undeservedly, there is renewal and strengthening of one’s soul when one genuinely confesses their sin to God and seeks Him for forgiveness because Jesus, who is paid for our unrighteous, separates us from the burdens of our sinfulness that we may learn from our mistakes, remain hopeful and finish the race.

“He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.” Psalm 103:12

So let me ask again ... What would the difference be, in our life, if we let go of these things that weigh us down and entangle us?  What would say about the LORD of our life? Would they aid in helping you remain in God's relentless Spirit?

Relentless 1

The “Way” was the name for the Christians before they were called  “Christians”.  They were called the “Way” because they followed Jesus Christ who is the “Way”.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

Peter, John, Paul, Philip, Thomas, Luke and so on… lived in the “Way” which empowered them to think outside the confines of the fleshly understanding.  Their reality, birthed by the Holy Spirit, expounded into the reality of God.  They lived in the world but knew they were no longer of the world system of understanding.  So when they found themselves in physical restraints and circumstances they endured and accomplished many great and mighty things in God/ Jesus Christ.   

Has the name Christian, however good, somehow caused us to forget the “Way”?  Has it become like the word “Faith”, used but absent of relationship with God and guidance from God?

Some say action is faith but is it? We can do many “well-meaning” actions that are not spearheaded by God but of out of human traditions and understandings.  And I have seen the bed ridden have more faith in their eyes and heart then those using their mouths and hands.

The first church body had to deal with a great many entanglements including persecution from the world in which it lived but it was fueled and living by God’s RELENTLESS Spirit.

Jesus said,

"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
  

The Way is living outside mirror maze of ourselves,our ideology of faith and of course the world.  It shatters those mirrors so we can see outside the box that has kept us captive and a stranger to reality of God.    

We are start to see each day, hour, minute are from God - and that we are to live and learn to live in the relentlessness Spirit of God.  He pulls down all the strongholds that try to exalt themselves over God. 

I am reminded of the words of Gamaliel as he strongly warned the Sanhedrin…

“I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go!  For if their purpose or activity is of human origin it will fail.  But if is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” Acts 5:38-39

In a manner of speaking, we don't want to be fighting against God in our life- we want to live in the "Way" which God intends for us... That not men, circumstance, day, month, year or evil can stop us from living the relentless life He prepared for us, planned for us, paved for us and wants for us. 

Lord give us fresh eyes as we read these verses… eyes that no only see the words but what is being revealed behind the words, and allow what we see to be set alive by your Spirit in our soul- that it will do what it was intended to do in this time forward. 

There is A Sun Rising Up

When I awoke, the lyrics from one of Dave Crowder's songs were being said in my head.  They were:

"There's a sun rising up in my soul. Lord in my soul."

I then read the word for the day...

"For the LORD God is our sun and our shield.  He gives us grace and glory.  The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.  O LORD of Heaven's Armies, what joy for those who trust in you."  Psalm 84:11-12

So what are the chances of the word "sun" being mentioned twice in a short amount of time?   

I decided to see what the Hebrew word for "sun" meant in this scripture. I figured if the Hebrew word for "love" encompasses more then one word and meaning so might the word "sun".

Sun

1. Sun
2. sunrise, sun-rising, east, sun-setting, west ) of direction
3. Sun (as object of illicit worship) Object not sanctioned by custom or law; improper or unlawful to worship.
4. Openly, publicly (in other phrases)
5. Pinnacles, battlements, shields (as glittering or shining) 

 Here are a few things that came to mind as I read these translations. 

1. God is our beginning and our end.  

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.…" Revelation 22:13-14

Strangely I must note I had a dream early this morning of a white city.  It is under the tab labeled "Personal Notes".

2. He is the author and finisher of our faith.

"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2

3. God is the light of His people that cause them to grow and grow spiritually.

"The LORD [is] my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD [is] the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1

4. In a paradox, God being God is for some reason becoming more and more unacceptable to nations around the world.  His ways are seen to them as improper and unlawful even.  It is even improper to pray and worship him in some public places.  Though the evil things of this world are embraced, celebrated, and are encouraged.

"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death. Proverbs 14:12 

"Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. ²⁹ They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, ³⁰ slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; ³¹ they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. ³² Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them." Romans 1: 28-32

"Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers." Matthew 24:9 

5. The "public" evidence of God is all around us.

^"For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.   For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools  and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles." Romans 1:20-23

6. Jesus, who is God, will soon come back in a brilliant light.

"For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes." Matthew 24:27

Wow! May not go with rising and setting of the sun but goes right along with the "east" and the "west" part.
 
7. God is our glittering and shining fortress.  He is our high tower.  A pinnacle in which our soul is secure from all that comes against it.  For those things are nothing at the feet of God.

"My loving kindness and my fortress, My stronghold and my deliverer, My shield and He in whom I take refuge, Who subdues my people under me. O LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?" Psalm 144:2

The Lord is coming....

David Crowder Band - My Beloved (Live Performance from Passion) from david-crowder-band on GodTube.

 



 

Is Praying For Yourself Selfish?

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I find it odd- this philosophy that it is selfish to pray for one’s self.  In fact last night as I put my head down on my pillow this philosophy was still on my mind.   It did not sit right in my soul.   In my mind I saw it as thorny stem.

I could be misunderstanding the perspective of such teaching but prayer- is it not communication with the LORD who is to be the source of our LIFE?   To deny communication and help from the LORD is to deny LIFE itself from living within us.

As I write this word comes:

“Don't let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.”  Colossians 2:8   

The Lord is my strength and that is why I pray for myself, for without Him I am lost within myself and the things of this world can easily overwhelm me.

I am reminded of the Lord’s Prayer.

Jesus says: “This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

God is gives me the daily spiritual bread to sustain my faith- like I said before- a living word not a religious word.

In what manner is one praying for one's self- selfish? I am not praying to be materially rich however I am praying to be spiritually rich in Him.  For the things of this life never satisfy but God who is boundless never ceases to amaze me and He will BE forever as those things of this life will disappear and vanish. 

I pray for myself on a daily -sometimes even on an hourly basis.  I pray that God transform my thinking that I may live as God intended.   I pray for God's liberating will to work in my life.   Is this selfish or is this surrendering to God to allow Spirit and truth to live in me?

I do not think praying for yourself in this manner is selfish.   For if one strives only in the flesh and prays in the flesh and lives accordingly to flesh...  can they see their obvious need for God?  Where is the Spirit working in our life if we do not pray for ourselves to be refreshed, encouraged, inspired by God?  I believe to pray in this manner (for refreshing, encouragement, inspiration, guidance, etc) is to deny our fleshly understanding and agree and consent with God’s will for our life.  In deed how refreshing it is just to think about prayer in this life giving way.  Now think about how a refreshed, encouraged, inspired soul behaves?  It is a light that is put on a stand.  It is a city on a hill.   It is salty.  It is a soul of beatitudes living in us!

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5&version=NLT 

Thank you Lord that you are doing all these things in my soul this day! In Jesus Name Amen.

Prayer does changes things but it first starts with the one who prays.

Abound in Hope

I seldom wake all bright eyed and bushy tailed...  Before I move my body it seems to remind me it is
still there with these aches and pains.  Then with a little heave I lift my body and let my feet greet the cool tile floor.  Then somewhere between the bed and the bathroom, I am reminded of my need.

"Lord give me a living a word...  A word that will wake my soul." 

I don't want a word that is tasteless that I have to drag out of my head like not finding a clean shirt and having to resort to pulling on a dirty shirt from the laundry basket and trying to ignore the stench as I pull it over my head...  No, I want something "refreshing" that only God knows will touch the very root need of my soul.  Not a religious word but a "living" word that God puts power in... that is what I need.  Something that quenches the thirst and puts oil in my lamp. 

A living word that answers the:

Lord revive...
Lord refresh...
Lord energize...
Lord strengthen...
Lord enlighten...
Lord inspire...
Lord... I don't know what I need but I need you to touch my soul this morning.

The Spirit just said, "Seek first the kingdom of God...."

"For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:33-34

Seek His kingdom and His righteousness...

His kingdom that is supernatural.  His righteousness takes us beyond our understanding so we might live righteously in the real hope that has been revealed to us and empowers us as we genuinely seek Him in our most basic but important spiritual need as we live in these temporary bodies.  Remember God is looking for those who will worship/seek/abide in Him in Spirit and truth.

"God blesses those who realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of heaven is given to them."  Matthew 5:3

God is our daily hope to live beyond the confines of ourselves, to be let loose. 

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

Joy and peace in believing...

It find the joy and peace often doesn't "carry" with us if we aren't mindful of Him, we slip into this mode where life in general can creep up on us.   We get lost in our own thoughts and tasks and fellowship ceases and we get bogged down.  When you think about it, how could anyone be renewed in their own thoughts?

"But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31
 
 The word of God says, "Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17

It's this continual fellowship which allows us to live in joy and peace and abound in hope.   It's this exchange of giving up what is burdening and taxing on our minds which allows our lamp to burn and burn more brightly.   

Do you see your need? 

I see mine daily. Lord for those who see their need fill us with your joy and peace in believing, that we will abound in your hope through your Holy Spirit.  In Jesus name Amen.

Drizzled Light...

I can still hear the sounds of the riggers chiming in the soft breeze against their metal mast, the wet clapping kiss of the docks and the seagulls singing their hinging warble.  I remember looking down into the dark water.  The big reflections didn't catch my attention as much as the smaller ones that seemed like drizzled colors of light.  Thin ribbons of fragile light drawn momentarily on the dark moving canvas-

These spontaneous patterns coming from perfectly ordinary and even still objects were made beautiful by the undulating flow of salt water and sunlight.


"Be still and know I am God."

These reflections did not strive to make something beautiful or be something they were not but in the sunlight and water they became something they could not even imagine.

Think how that is also true in our life as we trust in God.

"Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world. " Psalm 46:10 





   
   

Morning Thoughts

Thoughts of the day.

“For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13

Both to "will" the soul
Both to "work" the soul

To empower the soul in another mindset besides it's own.

For his good pleasure....

'Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread." Matthew 6:10-11

That we might know his will... which is what?

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2

The sweet liberating spot in God not the influencing factors of ourselves (the understanding of flesh) or the world.

Your Spiritual House, A Palace for Whom? 4

About a year ago my youngest brother was living on his own.  A friend came over with an acquaintance (a person my brother did not know) to play video games.  My brother played video games for a while with them but then told them he was going to bed.  

Sometime later that night my brother awoke to a knock on his bedroom door.  My brother asked who was it and his friend answered.   Come to find out the friend’s friend was acting strangely.   My brother got up and indeed something was very wrong.   The young man was talking with a different voice and his behavior was anything but ordinary.  After several times of asking the young man to leave and him not doing so my brother called the police.   

When the police arrived they too asked the young man to leave.   The young man grabbed a knife from the kitchen.  The police seeing the threat drew their guns and ordered the young man to put the knife down.  He said, “ok” but resumed coming towards the officers with knife in hand.  Again the officers told him to put down the knife.   The young man rushed the officers and shots rang out in the night.
 

The young man incurred several serious gunshots was rushed to a nearby hospital.  I don’t know what came of him... if he survived his injuries he is probably in some mental hospital somewhere.

Knowing some law enforcement officers and being related to several these aren’t unfamiliar stories.                    

Jesus says, “For when a strong man like Satan is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe— until someone even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings. Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.

When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and in order.  Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before.” Luke 11:21-26
 

This scripture has repeatedly come to my mind often these past few weeks as we have discussed our spiritual house.

Jesus refers to a person influenced by evil as a “palace for Satan".

Only by the power and name of Jesus can one cast out and over power Satan and strip him of his weapons and free the people in bondage to Satan.

Jesus says "These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

Jesus then says the evil spirit leaves the person to seek rest in the desert.  Interesting is the word “desert.”

A desert in most cases is a dry place almost entirely void of water. 

But water is also an illustration of the Holy Spirit, Who is the Living Water.

Jesus says the evil spirit goes to the desert to get away from God but can’t because God is everywhere.

“Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?" declares the LORD. "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the LORD.” Jeremiah 23:24

David said, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” Psalm 139:7

So finding no place to hid from God, it returns to the person it left.  Interesting it goes back to the person from in which it came.   It goes back to the person who can deny God as LORD of their life. It’s like a person can be a stronghold for an evil spirit and they, blinded by the evil spirit, aren’t even aware of it.  They are blind to what is real and God who is not only real but life giving.  

“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:3-4

A human, created by God, is given the ability to choose to love God or not love God, to accept God or deny God, to trust God or not trust God, to obey God or not obey God, to find life or stay lost to life.  He is either a vessel for God or a vessel against God.

When I gave my life to the Lord I remember looking for those dark influencing “feelings” I once had before but they were gone.   They were instantly gone but what had come of them?  I didn’t know at the time but the living power of the Spirit of God chased them away and kept them from coming back.  He then supernaturally put a seal on me telling evil I was now a child, possession and temple of the living God.

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation.  When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promise of the Holy Spirit.” Ephesians 1:3

^“Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

When the Holy Spirit comes into us, who believe Jesus as Lord and Savior, He fills us up like a glass of water to the top so nothing else can be poured in and He, being Living Water, continues to keep that glass full. 

Jesus says “but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." John 4:14

This is not true of someone who doesn’t give his or her life God.   

I have often wondered about those who hear the life saving news of Jesus Christ and they seem to accept it with joy in their hearts.  There is this moment of clarity in their life and they seem relieved of their spiritual pains but after a short time they go back to their old way of life and live more rebelliously then they had before.  So even though they had their spiritual house “swept and put in order” there was no genuine acceptance in their heart- so no seal was given by God and the seven more evil spirits then the first come in to their lives and they are worse off then before.  They live as the rest of the world or worse.

So a word of caution here... when praying over those burdened by evil.  Are they "only" wanting relief from the burden of evil or are they wanting Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior over their life?  If they are only wanting relief from the burden of evil then you are doing them no favor but could be be making their situation worse off then before.      

Jesus continues his thought with:

“But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” Luke 11:28

I find “putting the word of God into practice” is not just reading the word of God and trying to orchestrate those things on our own but us seeking and surrendering God to make those things become a reality in our life.  Where our spiritual house is His palace.   

Cosmetic Fixes to Our Spiritual House 3

We bought some deck paint to fill in the cracks in our aging sun baked deck.  It did a great job filling in the cracks.  But... after that year it started to show signs of cracking and peeling.  Now I am thinking we will probably have to start investing in some new decking material.

Painting with cosmetic paint is not all that different to what we try to do in our lives to cover up problems and issues in our life.

In our spiritual house we try to cover up the imperfections in some cosmetic manner but this fact remains the same… unless those underlying issues are dealt with, repaired and resolved they are bound to pop up and be exposed... again.

So what do people do to cosmetically to paint over the deteriorating or problematic underlying conditions in their life? 
      

Well each person is different so they deal with their underlying problems differently but here are some general ones.

•  Some avoid and deny there is a problem in their spiritual house. 
• Others pick up other habits that avoid the issues in their spiritual house. 
• Then there are others who prefer to numb their senses to the troubles.
• While there are others who see the issues in their life but place blame on everyone and everything else.
• Then we have those who like to rationalize things away... (Like everyone else does it.) 

The cosmetic “cover ups” might be gambling, excessive shopping, using antidepressants, engaging in risky behavior such as drinking, drugs, and engaging in adulterous and premarital sex, getting lost in work or working in excess to reach some financial pinnacle where they will feel secure and successful but the fact is the things of this world will never make us feel secure, then there are those who have “cosmetic surgery” done- they are not happy in the image God created them in so they change it, then there those who start having eating disorders, some withdraw, some hurt themselves, others bully, others lie and lie and lie, some become stubborn, … and we could make a list that goes on and on.  The fact is they are not dealing directly with the underlying issues in their life.

When we choose to cosmetically “cover up” something up in our lives we deny God from working in our life.  We are actually running from God or act like He doesn’t even exist.   We choose to sin and we choose to keep sin in our lives.
 

This is the scripture God gave me for this section.

"This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.  For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God." John 3:19-21

You know some even become religious to cover up their imperfections and we see this with Jesus talking to the Pharisees.

Jesus seeing right through them said, "You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. "So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” Matthew 23:26-28

Isaiah 29:13 “Then the Lord said, ‘Because this people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote,”

One might go to church to look good to others or to appease people but that is just cosmetic if you are going for those reasons.  God wants you to be with God’s people and that you maybe continually be built up in Him.  Don't go to church to get people off your back go to know what it means to be part of the body of Christ!

  

One might even go through the outward signs of giving their life to Jesus Christ to “fit in” but God is not some club.  He is an inward change and outward expression of His love working in you and I.
 

Restoration.

I find in all matters of life nothing is too small or big for God to fix.  If there is something wrong in our life that we want fixed, God can fix it, He knows every square inch under the roof of our spiritual house. 
 

How do we know this? Because those who have truly surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ and continually do so have experienced this first hand with dramatic results His unclogging and restoration efforts in our life.

Ezekiel 11:19-20 says "And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God.”  

This means we may know the will of God that is good, pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2) We can find the green refreshing pastures that Jesus speaks about in John 10:9 in the mist of this “cosmetic fix” world.   But you see we can’t have what is truly good, pleasing and perfect without Jesus Christ being LORD of our life.

It seems impossible to experience such a reality but what is impossible with us is possible with God. (Matthew 19:26)

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.