“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."
Luke 9:23 NIV
Now by the words above, does Jesus mean you can't "be yourself" and be his follower at the same time?
Does he mean that you must deny your "personality?"
Or does he like some "personality types" better than others?
In fact, what was Jesus' "personality type?"
The impression I get when I read the Bible is that there were many a variety of personalities in Biblical history. But it didn't seem to be focused upon them Not really. In other words, the Bible doesn't seem to make a very big deal about "being yourself," being "true to yourself," "finding yourself," "loving yourself," "self-esteem/worth/value," etc.
For sure, we are to "love our neighbors as ourselves," so it ASSUMES that we love ourselves, and that we know how to love ourselves. It also assumes that there is nothing wrong with basic self-love.
But as C.S. Lewis pointed out in his essay, "Christian Literature," the Christian focus is not on "being yourself," but rather being like Christ, and in being like Christ, one's individuality comes naturally and unexpectedly. Christ put it this way,
"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it."
As C.S. Lewis points out once again, when a person forgets about being "unique," or "making an impression," they actually stumble upon uniqueness and make a good impression. Christ commanded his followers to deny themselves in the sense of self-centeredness, or living according to and for their own will, honor, and pleasure ALONE. In other words, the will, honor, and pleasure of Christ were to be supreme; and the will, honor, and pleasure of one's neighbor were to be seen as equal to one's own, even considered ABOVE one's own.
So the issue is not self-love or even self-hatred. It is not about being ourselves, or not being ourselves. It's about a kind of self-forgetfulness that comes from a greater purpose: God's knowledge and likeness.
Think of like this.
When you are really into someone, totally absorbed in how wonderful he or she is, you forget about yourself for the time being because you are so focused on how wonderful the person is.
This is how it should be in our love for God, and how it will be when we really encounter Him. God is so beyond beautiful that we forget about ourselves when we are with Him.
Now in seeing Him, we want to be like Him, and in wanting to be like Him we are actually truly ourselves. Even in imitating Him we find uniqueness without seeking it, losing self-consciousness and gaining the liberation of selfless self-expression.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Does GOD need to give us SIGNS? (Part 2)
"Truly you are a God who hides himself, O God and Savior of Israel." Isaiah 45:15
Jesus refused to teach without parables, stories concealing mysteries of the kingdom. He warned his followers not to "cast their pearls before swine," meaning they should not give what is valuable to those who would devalue and despise their treasures of truth.
The distance of God is because of our DESIRE for his distance. It is written,
"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you."
"The LORD is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will let you find him, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you."
We can be as close to God as we WANT to be.
We can hear him as clearly as we WANT to hear him.
Do you share your innermost thoughts with those who constantly interrupt you, or don't listen to you AT ALL? Haven't you experienced the regret of sharing your heart with someone, only to have them use that very secret AGAINST YOU!? Did you continue to share with the one who BETRAYED YOU!?
Of course not.
Yet God is all knowing. He knows before hand whom he can trust with his inner most thoughts.
So he hides them.
Veils them.
Conceals them.
Yet God's "eternal power and divine nature, though invisible, are clearly seen through the things he has made, so that we are without excuse."
Indeed, "the heavens declare the glory of God...day after day they pour forth speech."
Yes, God speaks to us all through creation and conscience. If we refuse to hear him even in these, then how can he reveal his deepest thoughts to those who hate his speech in general?
Do you WANT to hear from God clearly?
I'm not asking if you BELIEVE it possible.
I'm asking, if it WERE possible in your mind, would you WANT to?
Jesus refused to teach without parables, stories concealing mysteries of the kingdom. He warned his followers not to "cast their pearls before swine," meaning they should not give what is valuable to those who would devalue and despise their treasures of truth.
The distance of God is because of our DESIRE for his distance. It is written,
"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you."
"The LORD is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will let you find him, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you."
We can be as close to God as we WANT to be.
We can hear him as clearly as we WANT to hear him.
Do you share your innermost thoughts with those who constantly interrupt you, or don't listen to you AT ALL? Haven't you experienced the regret of sharing your heart with someone, only to have them use that very secret AGAINST YOU!? Did you continue to share with the one who BETRAYED YOU!?
Of course not.
Yet God is all knowing. He knows before hand whom he can trust with his inner most thoughts.
So he hides them.
Veils them.
Conceals them.
Yet God's "eternal power and divine nature, though invisible, are clearly seen through the things he has made, so that we are without excuse."
Indeed, "the heavens declare the glory of God...day after day they pour forth speech."
Yes, God speaks to us all through creation and conscience. If we refuse to hear him even in these, then how can he reveal his deepest thoughts to those who hate his speech in general?
Do you WANT to hear from God clearly?
I'm not asking if you BELIEVE it possible.
I'm asking, if it WERE possible in your mind, would you WANT to?
Does GOD need to give us SIGNS? (Part 1)
"God, if you are there, give me some kind of sign."
Peter Pevensie: You're lucky you know.
Lucy Pevensie: What do you mean?
Peter Pevensie: You've seen him. I wish he'd just given me some sort of proof.
Lucy Pevensie: Maybe we're the ones that need to prove ourselves to him.
From "Prince Caspian," Lucy and Peter speaking of Aslan
A sign.
From God.
IF He's there.
IF.
Why a "sign?"
Because of the assumption of the cryptic distance between the spiritual and physical, between the temporal and eternal, between heaven and earth.
Signs.
But did God speak to Adam and Eve in sign language?
Cain?
Noah and his sons?
Abraham and his sons?
Moses and the entire nation of Israel?
Joshua?
The judges?
Samson?
David and Solomon?
The prophets?
The 12 Apostles, the 70 Apostles, the 120 Apostles, the 500 at once?
To Saul, who became Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles?
Whenever God spoke in the examples above, it was plain enough.
True, He spoke primarily through prophets, dreams, and visions, as it says in the book of Hebrews, and as He Himself said to Moses' sister and brother when they challenged Moses' divine authority. But even through prophets, dreams, and visions there was given and interpretation for signs and symbols. Interpretations were the assumption of divinely given signs and visions.
So God is not distant. As it is written, "He is not far from each of us," and "The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth."
He also does not have a divine speech impediment. By His words all of creation came into being. Jesus is The Word who was with God and the Word who was and is God.
God speaks.
God speaks clearly.
The issue is whether WE WANT to hear Him.
Peter Pevensie: You're lucky you know.
Lucy Pevensie: What do you mean?
Peter Pevensie: You've seen him. I wish he'd just given me some sort of proof.
Lucy Pevensie: Maybe we're the ones that need to prove ourselves to him.
From "Prince Caspian," Lucy and Peter speaking of Aslan
A sign.
From God.
IF He's there.
IF.
Why a "sign?"
Because of the assumption of the cryptic distance between the spiritual and physical, between the temporal and eternal, between heaven and earth.
Signs.
But did God speak to Adam and Eve in sign language?
Cain?
Noah and his sons?
Abraham and his sons?
Moses and the entire nation of Israel?
Joshua?
The judges?
Samson?
David and Solomon?
The prophets?
The 12 Apostles, the 70 Apostles, the 120 Apostles, the 500 at once?
To Saul, who became Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles?
Whenever God spoke in the examples above, it was plain enough.
True, He spoke primarily through prophets, dreams, and visions, as it says in the book of Hebrews, and as He Himself said to Moses' sister and brother when they challenged Moses' divine authority. But even through prophets, dreams, and visions there was given and interpretation for signs and symbols. Interpretations were the assumption of divinely given signs and visions.
So God is not distant. As it is written, "He is not far from each of us," and "The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth."
He also does not have a divine speech impediment. By His words all of creation came into being. Jesus is The Word who was with God and the Word who was and is God.
God speaks.
God speaks clearly.
The issue is whether WE WANT to hear Him.
Monday, August 27, 2012
When we CAN'T be in a "PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP" with JESUS
Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. I John 3:4-6 NASB
We can't be in a "personal relationship" with Jesus WHILE WE ARE SINNING!
This should be obvious.
Why?
Look at the verses above.
Those who practice sin or lawlessness practice that which is the opposite of Jesus' purpose and personality, as opposite and non coexistent as light and darkness. Light and darkness can't be in the same place at the same time, because one, darkness, is actually THE ABSENCE of the other, light. Darkness is when light IS NOT THERE.
GOD IS LIGHT. SINLESS.
IN GOD THERE IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL. NO SIN.
SIN AND SINLESSNESS CANNOT COEXIST AS LIGHT AND DARKNESS CANNOT COEXIST.
Again, this should be obvious.
No one who ABIDES in Him sins.
The "Him" in the verse is Christ.
To abide means to be intimately attached, intimate connection, intimate relation.
A "personal relationship" implies intimacy.
Think of someone who is your intimate friend, or someone you would WANT to be your intimate friend.
Now think of someone you wouldn't DARE be intimate with.
Notice the two persons are in opposition.
The one who is intimate with you knows you, and thus knows what you love and what repulses you. He would ONLY do what you love, and NEVER purposely do what repulses you.
But the one with whom you wouldn't dare be intimate devalues what you value most, and loves what you most hate. She refuses to listen to you when you feel most loved when you are listened to. She enjoys irritating people while you enjoy showing kindness as often as you can.
So, we could put the verse this way,
"No one who is BEING intimate with Jesus does what He hates. No one who does what He hates has been focusing on Him or experiencing Him WHILE THEY DO WHAT HE HATES!"
Some of us complicate verses like this by introducing issues of salvation, "sinless perfection," or "habitual sin," when it is far simpler than all of this. Is it really just all about us? Is the only focus whether WE go to heaven, whether WE can live without sin, whether WE can sin occasionally or habitually?
Can I commit adultery and experience marital intimacy AT THE SAME TIME AND IN THE SAME PLACE? Let's make it worse. Let's say the adultery is with my wife's enemy! Can I do this OCCASIONALLY, and expect to STAY MARRIED?
You tell me.
Can we experience AT THE SAME TIME both intimacy and enmity?
We can't be in a "personal relationship" with Jesus WHILE WE ARE SINNING!
This should be obvious.
Why?
Look at the verses above.
Those who practice sin or lawlessness practice that which is the opposite of Jesus' purpose and personality, as opposite and non coexistent as light and darkness. Light and darkness can't be in the same place at the same time, because one, darkness, is actually THE ABSENCE of the other, light. Darkness is when light IS NOT THERE.
GOD IS LIGHT. SINLESS.
IN GOD THERE IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL. NO SIN.
SIN AND SINLESSNESS CANNOT COEXIST AS LIGHT AND DARKNESS CANNOT COEXIST.
Again, this should be obvious.
No one who ABIDES in Him sins.
The "Him" in the verse is Christ.
To abide means to be intimately attached, intimate connection, intimate relation.
A "personal relationship" implies intimacy.
Think of someone who is your intimate friend, or someone you would WANT to be your intimate friend.
Now think of someone you wouldn't DARE be intimate with.
Notice the two persons are in opposition.
The one who is intimate with you knows you, and thus knows what you love and what repulses you. He would ONLY do what you love, and NEVER purposely do what repulses you.
But the one with whom you wouldn't dare be intimate devalues what you value most, and loves what you most hate. She refuses to listen to you when you feel most loved when you are listened to. She enjoys irritating people while you enjoy showing kindness as often as you can.
So, we could put the verse this way,
"No one who is BEING intimate with Jesus does what He hates. No one who does what He hates has been focusing on Him or experiencing Him WHILE THEY DO WHAT HE HATES!"
Some of us complicate verses like this by introducing issues of salvation, "sinless perfection," or "habitual sin," when it is far simpler than all of this. Is it really just all about us? Is the only focus whether WE go to heaven, whether WE can live without sin, whether WE can sin occasionally or habitually?
Can I commit adultery and experience marital intimacy AT THE SAME TIME AND IN THE SAME PLACE? Let's make it worse. Let's say the adultery is with my wife's enemy! Can I do this OCCASIONALLY, and expect to STAY MARRIED?
You tell me.
Can we experience AT THE SAME TIME both intimacy and enmity?
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Why we don't do what we believe
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. James 1:22-25 NIV
We don't do what we believe because we are deceived.
Self-deceived.
We experience truth, but don't act according to it, yet we tell ourselves that we want the truth.
Perhaps we don't even do that!
Bruce Lee said, "Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do."
I never learned this. Not truly.
I learned to study, study, study.
Read, read, read.
Think, debate, argue. But not to do.
Who can argue with what we do?
Jesus IS the word of God literally personified.
He IS the truth.
We should personify the truth of God's words, hearing them and immediately doing them upon hearing them.
No delay!
Some of us like hearing the truth.
Some of us find it entertaining.
But who loves to DO what is true!?
What do your actions prove about what you REALLY believe?
What do you KNOW is true? Is this seen in what you do?
We don't do what we believe because we are deceived.
Self-deceived.
We experience truth, but don't act according to it, yet we tell ourselves that we want the truth.
Perhaps we don't even do that!
Bruce Lee said, "Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do."
I never learned this. Not truly.
I learned to study, study, study.
Read, read, read.
Think, debate, argue. But not to do.
Who can argue with what we do?
Jesus IS the word of God literally personified.
He IS the truth.
We should personify the truth of God's words, hearing them and immediately doing them upon hearing them.
No delay!
Some of us like hearing the truth.
Some of us find it entertaining.
But who loves to DO what is true!?
What do your actions prove about what you REALLY believe?
What do you KNOW is true? Is this seen in what you do?
How to NOT be ANXIOUS about ANYTHING!
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
How, you ask, can you not be anxious about anything?
First, realize that God commands those who believe in Christ not to be anxious. So anxiety is a choice to worry instead of trusting God. And that is a sin.
Now I'm not speaking of anxious feelings. I'm not speaking of anything physical, chemical. I'm speaking of a mindset that focuses on situations outside of our control, situations of uncertainty. In times like these, we have a choice:
That is what God commands.
Worrying is chosing to distrust and disobey God.
Second, realize that God has given a way out of worry, an activity, something to do instead that solves the problem.
PRAY!
That's right. Good ole prayer! As someone somewhere at sometime said, "Prayer changes things!"
It really does! Really! It changes the state of anxiety to one of tranquility.
How and why?
This is how. This is why.
When we pray, thanking God for what we already have, and asking Him for what we don't have, God assures us that He will provide for us or give us the ability to be content with what we have. In other words, a supernatural assurance will be given to the one who prays until God answers. God promises us peace of mind and emotion when we trust Him. He gives us this certainty, which destroys our every anxiety.
Is it really that simple?
Look at the alternative.
What if we don't pray or trust God or ask God for help. We refuse to ask Him to be what cannot be and to do what we cannot do. We instead place all of our trust in ourselves. We solely trust in our own minds and will power. Yet everything outside of ourselves is outside of our control. Everything!
So...we worry...and rightly so!
But if we REALLY see the Almighty as the one who is in control, the one who cares, the one who provides and sustains, we can simply ask Him for what we need. We can request that which will relieve our anxieties.
I love the word of God because it is so practical, so simple, so beautiful!
Pray instead of worrying.
Pray.
How, you ask, can you not be anxious about anything?
First, realize that God commands those who believe in Christ not to be anxious. So anxiety is a choice to worry instead of trusting God. And that is a sin.
Now I'm not speaking of anxious feelings. I'm not speaking of anything physical, chemical. I'm speaking of a mindset that focuses on situations outside of our control, situations of uncertainty. In times like these, we have a choice:
Focus on our lack of control, or focus on God's complete control.
That is what God commands.
Worrying is chosing to distrust and disobey God.
Second, realize that God has given a way out of worry, an activity, something to do instead that solves the problem.
PRAY!
That's right. Good ole prayer! As someone somewhere at sometime said, "Prayer changes things!"
It really does! Really! It changes the state of anxiety to one of tranquility.
How and why?
This is how. This is why.
When we pray, thanking God for what we already have, and asking Him for what we don't have, God assures us that He will provide for us or give us the ability to be content with what we have. In other words, a supernatural assurance will be given to the one who prays until God answers. God promises us peace of mind and emotion when we trust Him. He gives us this certainty, which destroys our every anxiety.
Is it really that simple?
Look at the alternative.
What if we don't pray or trust God or ask God for help. We refuse to ask Him to be what cannot be and to do what we cannot do. We instead place all of our trust in ourselves. We solely trust in our own minds and will power. Yet everything outside of ourselves is outside of our control. Everything!
So...we worry...and rightly so!
But if we REALLY see the Almighty as the one who is in control, the one who cares, the one who provides and sustains, we can simply ask Him for what we need. We can request that which will relieve our anxieties.
I love the word of God because it is so practical, so simple, so beautiful!
Pray instead of worrying.
Pray.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
The Beauty of GOD and SATAN (part 3)
i believe we communicate with and without words.
i believe we broadcast our thoughts and feelings, intentionally and unintentionally.
where we agree, we attract. where we strongly agree, we strongly attract.
i believe attraction, but definition, is mutual.
now the interpretation of attraction bears variations.
a man is drawn to a woman.
either he ALONE is drawn to her, or many see her beauty and desirability.
a woman is drawn to a man.
but she feels he draws too many.
one drawn to one.
or one drawing many.
it depends on volition.
my wife felt like i was "committed" when she saw me before we married. i "came across" as one who was not "available" to many.
this was (and is) true for me.
now we come to my theory of the way of God and satan's beauty.
a beautiful man can determine how his beauty is seen and experienced. he determines whether he or God will receive glory for his beauty.
a beautiful woman determines who sees and receives glory for her beauty, spiritually giving her being to whom she chooses, discreetly or indiscreetly; discriminating or undiscriminating.
will her pearls be cast before swine?
will his pearls be for all girls, both theirs and mine?
the beauty of God can be adored or ignored. this is His way.
the beauty of satan seems insatiable and irresistible. this is his way.
so what do i say about the beauty of the woman the man saw in the story?
this is my theory.
she didn't come to draw him.
he didn't come to be drawn by her.
but there they were.
drawn.
in agreement.
attraction.
she wanted to be impossible to be ignored by simply being.
he found her impossible to be ignored while she was simply being.
he told her.
she heard him, seeing herself through his eyes.
her un-ignorable beauty a reality.
satisfied, she continued to read.
satisfied, he left.
but was her "un-ignorable beauty" God's or satan's?
it depends on her intentions, the man's intentions, God's intentions, and satan's intentions.
as far as her beauty, did she intend God's glory or her own?
did the man seek to worship God, himself, or her?
did satan see an opportunity with her beauty?
this is my theory.
she wanted her beauty to be an objectivity. a reality. an un-deniability.
why? she felt ignored. unappreciated. insignificant. she felt like her beauty in this world was not "enough," though she wanted it to be. her inner vulnerability was an objectivity, a reality, which could be felt by all who WANTED to see.
so, in the sense that she wanted reality, she wanted God's glory.
the man's desires were not sensual or sexual at all. they were strong, but resistible, yet irresistible. how so?
lightning is seen by those who can see, whether they want to see it or not. in that sense it is un-ignorable. her beauty was like lightning.
yet one can close a window and close himself off from the sight of lightning. indeed, one almost HAS to do this to ignore lightning. when he moved so he couldn't see the woman, he closed the window of his mind to the lightning of her desire. it worked.
God's voice thunders. it is not only "the still small voice."
in heaven, God CANNOT be ignored.
on earth, He can be.
yet those in heaven DO NOT WANT to ignore God, which is why they are there.
in hell are those who ignored God while on earth, and rejected Him once and for all and forever. in hell their wish is granted. now they CANNOT experience him, even if they WANTED TO. but they do not want to. and God accepts this desire.
those who want to ignore God's beauty can and will, now and forever.
but satan's beauty is forced upon us and used against us.
like a hideously strong cologne or perfume, even if seductively sweet, they obnoxiously arrest our sense of smell.
the fragrance of hell.
glaringly loud colors and sounds!
abrasive textures and touches!
if you feel you cannot look away, ask yourself why.
it is a lie.
look away and think.
find true beauty in your liberty. this is God's glory.
i believe we broadcast our thoughts and feelings, intentionally and unintentionally.
where we agree, we attract. where we strongly agree, we strongly attract.
i believe attraction, but definition, is mutual.
now the interpretation of attraction bears variations.
a man is drawn to a woman.
either he ALONE is drawn to her, or many see her beauty and desirability.
a woman is drawn to a man.
but she feels he draws too many.
one drawn to one.
or one drawing many.
it depends on volition.
my wife felt like i was "committed" when she saw me before we married. i "came across" as one who was not "available" to many.
this was (and is) true for me.
now we come to my theory of the way of God and satan's beauty.
a beautiful man can determine how his beauty is seen and experienced. he determines whether he or God will receive glory for his beauty.
a beautiful woman determines who sees and receives glory for her beauty, spiritually giving her being to whom she chooses, discreetly or indiscreetly; discriminating or undiscriminating.
will her pearls be cast before swine?
will his pearls be for all girls, both theirs and mine?
the beauty of God can be adored or ignored. this is His way.
the beauty of satan seems insatiable and irresistible. this is his way.
so what do i say about the beauty of the woman the man saw in the story?
this is my theory.
she didn't come to draw him.
he didn't come to be drawn by her.
but there they were.
drawn.
in agreement.
attraction.
she wanted to be impossible to be ignored by simply being.
he found her impossible to be ignored while she was simply being.
he told her.
she heard him, seeing herself through his eyes.
her un-ignorable beauty a reality.
satisfied, she continued to read.
satisfied, he left.
but was her "un-ignorable beauty" God's or satan's?
it depends on her intentions, the man's intentions, God's intentions, and satan's intentions.
as far as her beauty, did she intend God's glory or her own?
did the man seek to worship God, himself, or her?
did satan see an opportunity with her beauty?
this is my theory.
she wanted her beauty to be an objectivity. a reality. an un-deniability.
why? she felt ignored. unappreciated. insignificant. she felt like her beauty in this world was not "enough," though she wanted it to be. her inner vulnerability was an objectivity, a reality, which could be felt by all who WANTED to see.
so, in the sense that she wanted reality, she wanted God's glory.
the man's desires were not sensual or sexual at all. they were strong, but resistible, yet irresistible. how so?
lightning is seen by those who can see, whether they want to see it or not. in that sense it is un-ignorable. her beauty was like lightning.
yet one can close a window and close himself off from the sight of lightning. indeed, one almost HAS to do this to ignore lightning. when he moved so he couldn't see the woman, he closed the window of his mind to the lightning of her desire. it worked.
God's voice thunders. it is not only "the still small voice."
in heaven, God CANNOT be ignored.
on earth, He can be.
yet those in heaven DO NOT WANT to ignore God, which is why they are there.
in hell are those who ignored God while on earth, and rejected Him once and for all and forever. in hell their wish is granted. now they CANNOT experience him, even if they WANTED TO. but they do not want to. and God accepts this desire.
those who want to ignore God's beauty can and will, now and forever.
but satan's beauty is forced upon us and used against us.
like a hideously strong cologne or perfume, even if seductively sweet, they obnoxiously arrest our sense of smell.
the fragrance of hell.
glaringly loud colors and sounds!
abrasive textures and touches!
if you feel you cannot look away, ask yourself why.
it is a lie.
look away and think.
find true beauty in your liberty. this is God's glory.
The Beauty of GOD and SATAN (part 2)
he saw her.
she sat, tossed her hair, began to read.
he attempted to keep reading, but found his eyes drawn to this woman.
her clothes were neither tight nor revealing, yet appealing.
she seemed focused, but her face was turned towards his, while her eyes were focused on pages. turned towards his, exactly. if she looked up, they would be looking directly at each other. yet he "felt" like they were looking at each other...he at her with his eyes, she at him, with her spirit....
he felt...drawn...to look...to approach...to pursue.
what was he to do?
no one watching would know how he felt, or what she did, if she did anything.
it was in the air and in their minds...or was it just in his mind?
he must find out.
he wrote a short poem, a gift, giving her his impression of her.
the gift we all want at times: to know how others perceive and experience us.
he sat in front of her and said, "pardon me."
she looked up, seeming slightly surprised, but not offended or bothered.
he passed the words to her.
she smiled.
"that's very sweet.....that's very sweet." she said as she smiled.
"thank you," he said, and then left.
no introduction.
no seduction.
no preparation for future connection or relation. he planned to never see her again.
he found his intuition seemed true. he felt drawn and responded, and her response seemed to confirm his inner witness. there was "something" in the air, something there...between her and him.
but what was it?
why did he feel he could not look away?
why did he feel he HAD to break away from her power?
she just...sat there...
but he "felt" a pull...and try as he might, he kept looking, then looking away
even the sun does not persuade as she did. it blinds, but does not force or coerce.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
possibilities
1. it was all in his head. he WANTED to THINK she drew him, but really she did NOTHING but sit and read and think.
2. it was not all in his head. she expressed in her demeanor and dress an openness...a connectedness to those who would see her beauty attentively...but there was only one...only him, who COULD see her as she was at that time...him, and her, her face towards his, her in view of him and only him at that time...of all the places she could have sat, why there...anywhere but there. he left abruptly and sat where he could not see...and the pull ceased. when he first sat to read, she was not there yet....on the contrary, there were three who sat in her place, three men. his mind was on his books, not on looks or impressions or women...then she came in.
3. neither he nor she created this reality. she did not intend to draw him, he did not intend to be drawn to her...but they were.
4. it was in her head and not his head instead...she saw him when she walked in and sat where it was an impossibility to NOT see her beauty. she did what some women skillfully can...draw a man without a word or deed that could proven in a court of law! he saw her as she intended him to.
but the key is liberty verses irresistibility, God or satan's beauty......
(click here to read part 3....)
she sat, tossed her hair, began to read.
he attempted to keep reading, but found his eyes drawn to this woman.
her clothes were neither tight nor revealing, yet appealing.
she seemed focused, but her face was turned towards his, while her eyes were focused on pages. turned towards his, exactly. if she looked up, they would be looking directly at each other. yet he "felt" like they were looking at each other...he at her with his eyes, she at him, with her spirit....
he felt...drawn...to look...to approach...to pursue.
what was he to do?
no one watching would know how he felt, or what she did, if she did anything.
it was in the air and in their minds...or was it just in his mind?
he must find out.
he wrote a short poem, a gift, giving her his impression of her.
the gift we all want at times: to know how others perceive and experience us.
he sat in front of her and said, "pardon me."
she looked up, seeming slightly surprised, but not offended or bothered.
he passed the words to her.
she smiled.
"that's very sweet.....that's very sweet." she said as she smiled.
"thank you," he said, and then left.
no introduction.
no seduction.
no preparation for future connection or relation. he planned to never see her again.
he found his intuition seemed true. he felt drawn and responded, and her response seemed to confirm his inner witness. there was "something" in the air, something there...between her and him.
but what was it?
why did he feel he could not look away?
why did he feel he HAD to break away from her power?
she just...sat there...
but he "felt" a pull...and try as he might, he kept looking, then looking away
even the sun does not persuade as she did. it blinds, but does not force or coerce.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
possibilities
1. it was all in his head. he WANTED to THINK she drew him, but really she did NOTHING but sit and read and think.
2. it was not all in his head. she expressed in her demeanor and dress an openness...a connectedness to those who would see her beauty attentively...but there was only one...only him, who COULD see her as she was at that time...him, and her, her face towards his, her in view of him and only him at that time...of all the places she could have sat, why there...anywhere but there. he left abruptly and sat where he could not see...and the pull ceased. when he first sat to read, she was not there yet....on the contrary, there were three who sat in her place, three men. his mind was on his books, not on looks or impressions or women...then she came in.
3. neither he nor she created this reality. she did not intend to draw him, he did not intend to be drawn to her...but they were.
4. it was in her head and not his head instead...she saw him when she walked in and sat where it was an impossibility to NOT see her beauty. she did what some women skillfully can...draw a man without a word or deed that could proven in a court of law! he saw her as she intended him to.
but the key is liberty verses irresistibility, God or satan's beauty......
(click here to read part 3....)
The Beauty of GOD and SATAN (part 1)
the beauty of GOD and SATAN is the difference between distraction and liberation, between hell and heaven.
make no mistake.
all beauty, and every beauty is from GOD and NEVER SATAN, in EVERY situation!
truth.
but satan's exploitation of God's beauty is the power of iniquity.
think it through with me.
a sunset and a seductress are beautiful. this is undeniable, irresistible, and irrefutable.
but if one chose, one feels one can ignore a sunset.
yet with the seductress this SEEMS impossible. she seems irresistible and un-ignorable.
a lie.
her beauty is from God, as the sunset's beauty is His as well.
but satan's deception is the oppression of free volition.
"you CANNOT resist me," she says.
"you CANNOT ignore me," she taunts.
"you KNOW you want me," she insists.
and those who resist almost believe her.
yet in this sense they feel repulsed by her.
if there is beauty in slavery, it is still slavery!
but as it is written, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."
the difference between God and satan's beauty is liberty instead of slavery.
so when you see beauty, do you feel free?
this is how you know who presents the beauty to you.
submit to God.
resist the devil and he will flee.
true beauty sets you free.
untrue beauty brings slavery.
make no mistake.
all beauty, and every beauty is from GOD and NEVER SATAN, in EVERY situation!
truth.
but satan's exploitation of God's beauty is the power of iniquity.
think it through with me.
a sunset and a seductress are beautiful. this is undeniable, irresistible, and irrefutable.
but if one chose, one feels one can ignore a sunset.
yet with the seductress this SEEMS impossible. she seems irresistible and un-ignorable.
a lie.
her beauty is from God, as the sunset's beauty is His as well.
but satan's deception is the oppression of free volition.
"you CANNOT resist me," she says.
"you CANNOT ignore me," she taunts.
"you KNOW you want me," she insists.
and those who resist almost believe her.
yet in this sense they feel repulsed by her.
if there is beauty in slavery, it is still slavery!
but as it is written, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."
the difference between God and satan's beauty is liberty instead of slavery.
so when you see beauty, do you feel free?
this is how you know who presents the beauty to you.
submit to God.
resist the devil and he will flee.
true beauty sets you free.
untrue beauty brings slavery.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
A beautiful way to enter the direct presence of God (part 2)
(Hear is part one, if you missed it.)
His name.
Call His name.
Expect Him to turn His attention towards you and respond to you, as anyone else would do, assuming you call Him by His true name, and that you call His name with respect.
Simple.
But some don't believe this.
Why?
As it is written, "Those who come to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."
So, some people don't call His name because they don't believe He exists.
Or they don't call His name because they are not earnest, or diligent, or sincere.
Yet again, they don't call His name because they don't believe He will answer even if they are earnest, or sincere, or diligent.
Now would you answer someone who negated your very existence, even though you sat in the very same room with him? Would you respond to someone if she refused to accept you for who you are?
What if someone considered you completely untrustworthy?
What if someone came to you with utter insincerity?
So it is with God, the Supreme Person, the Ultimate Personality.
Perhaps you ask the question asked long ago by Moses at the burning bush. Perhaps you want to know what His name is.
This was God's answer to Moses, when Moses asked for the name of God:
His name.
Call His name.
Expect Him to turn His attention towards you and respond to you, as anyone else would do, assuming you call Him by His true name, and that you call His name with respect.
Simple.
But some don't believe this.
Why?
As it is written, "Those who come to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."
So, some people don't call His name because they don't believe He exists.
Or they don't call His name because they are not earnest, or diligent, or sincere.
Yet again, they don't call His name because they don't believe He will answer even if they are earnest, or sincere, or diligent.
Now would you answer someone who negated your very existence, even though you sat in the very same room with him? Would you respond to someone if she refused to accept you for who you are?
What if someone considered you completely untrustworthy?
What if someone came to you with utter insincerity?
So it is with God, the Supreme Person, the Ultimate Personality.
Perhaps you ask the question asked long ago by Moses at the burning bush. Perhaps you want to know what His name is.
This was God's answer to Moses, when Moses asked for the name of God:
I am who I am.
Tell the children of Israel "I am" sent me to you.
He is.
He is who He is.
So when you approach Him, in this way you may address Him:
To The One Who Is,
The One Who Is Who He is
I come to You accepting You for Who and What You are.
First and foremost, He is our Creator and Maker. Address Him as the One who made you. As it is written,
"You are worthy Oh Lord to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by your will they exist and were created."
This includes you. By God's will you exist. For God's will you were created.
Yet we rejected God's will in exchange for our will, separating ourselves from the very source of our life. And like a leaf plucked from a tree, when we rejected God's will, we died. We may be young, green leaves, old brown leaves, or dying crinkled leaves. But dead we are. As a leaf plucked from a branch is dead, we who separated our selves from God's will are dead.
So we must come to God not only as our Creator, but also as our Savior, as the only one who can raise us from the dead, the only one that can reattach a leaf to its branch. The penalty for disobedience to God is death. Yet God Himself paid the penalty for us by becoming one of us and dying for us. Upon accepting what God did as our Savior, we now call Him by the name "Lord and Master." We give our lives to Him and exchange our wills for His.
And having took the death penalty for all humanity, He rose from the dead, so that the next name we may call our Creator, Lord, and Master is now God our Father!
Yes!
Father!
If you trust in God, and accept that He took the death penalty for you and me, then at that moment of trust you become a child of God, and from that moment forth you may address Him as children address a perfectly loving Father.
This is the beautiful way to enter the direct presence of God.
Enter it now!
Wait no longer!
Call the name of the One who Is Who He Is:
Creator
Savior
Lord and Master
Father
"You are worthy Oh Lord to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by your will they exist and were created."
This includes you. By God's will you exist. For God's will you were created.
Yet we rejected God's will in exchange for our will, separating ourselves from the very source of our life. And like a leaf plucked from a tree, when we rejected God's will, we died. We may be young, green leaves, old brown leaves, or dying crinkled leaves. But dead we are. As a leaf plucked from a branch is dead, we who separated our selves from God's will are dead.
So we must come to God not only as our Creator, but also as our Savior, as the only one who can raise us from the dead, the only one that can reattach a leaf to its branch. The penalty for disobedience to God is death. Yet God Himself paid the penalty for us by becoming one of us and dying for us. Upon accepting what God did as our Savior, we now call Him by the name "Lord and Master." We give our lives to Him and exchange our wills for His.
And having took the death penalty for all humanity, He rose from the dead, so that the next name we may call our Creator, Lord, and Master is now God our Father!
Yes!
Father!
If you trust in God, and accept that He took the death penalty for you and me, then at that moment of trust you become a child of God, and from that moment forth you may address Him as children address a perfectly loving Father.
This is the beautiful way to enter the direct presence of God.
Enter it now!
Wait no longer!
Call the name of the One who Is Who He Is:
Creator
Savior
Lord and Master
Father
Thursday, August 16, 2012
The TRUTH is NOT ALWAYS in the MIDDLE (part 3)
Paul also wrote the Corinthians concernings spiritual gifts, and showed the equality of the members of "the body," comparing each believer to a member of the human body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
I Corinthians 12:21-26 NIV, emphasis mine.
So with truth there is justice and thus equity and fairness. The truth does sometimes bring about balance and moderation.
But not always.
Our commitment is to the truth, whether it is extreme or moderate, whether it causes unions or separations, for sometimes truth unites, and at other times truth divides.
Christ was and is the Prince of Peace who blessed peacemakers. The death and resurrection of Christ brings peace between God and people, and between people and each other WHEN HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTED ARE ACCEPTED!
But if Christ is rejected, then He does not bring peace. He brings a sword that divides families and friends. The Scriptures declare these absolute truths:
Friends of this world are enemies of God.
Those who are not for Christ are against Christ.
No one can serve two masters. One master will be loved and the other hated.
God is light. In God there is NO darkness AT ALL.
These truths are not "in the middle." Truth, by definition, excludes falsehood or that which contradicts it. This does not mean we should strive to be as obnoxious, abrasive, and blunt as possible, "in the name of the Lord!" It does not mean we should see how many people trust in Christ, NO THANKS TO HOW RUDE AND STUPID WE ACT!!!
No. We should speak the truth in love always, being as gentle as possible. Yet at times, no matter how gentle we try to be, and no matter how loving we say it, the truth will indeed offend some who hear it! Who is more gentle and meek than Christ? Who has EVER been more loving and wise than the Lord Jesus? Yet He was hated and called demon possessed! He was accused of blasphemy and crucified as a result. Therefore, as Christ warned His followeres, if we are as committed to truth as Jesus was, then we will experience the same responses He did. The Lord Jesus said:
"For this cause I was born and for this cause I have come into the world: to bear witness to the truth. All who are of the truth hear my voice."
Our cause is His cause. Those who hear Him will hear us. Those who reject and hate Him will reject and hate us.
Followers of Christ are His witnesses, as well as witnesses of the truth. They cannot, do not, and will not tolerate contradiction or compromise. If a truth is "moderate," they will proclaim it. If a truth is "extreme," they will proclaim it. They live for and are willing to die for the truth.
Are you?
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
I Corinthians 12:21-26 NIV, emphasis mine.
So with truth there is justice and thus equity and fairness. The truth does sometimes bring about balance and moderation.
But not always.
Our commitment is to the truth, whether it is extreme or moderate, whether it causes unions or separations, for sometimes truth unites, and at other times truth divides.
Christ was and is the Prince of Peace who blessed peacemakers. The death and resurrection of Christ brings peace between God and people, and between people and each other WHEN HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTED ARE ACCEPTED!
But if Christ is rejected, then He does not bring peace. He brings a sword that divides families and friends. The Scriptures declare these absolute truths:
Friends of this world are enemies of God.
Those who are not for Christ are against Christ.
No one can serve two masters. One master will be loved and the other hated.
God is light. In God there is NO darkness AT ALL.
These truths are not "in the middle." Truth, by definition, excludes falsehood or that which contradicts it. This does not mean we should strive to be as obnoxious, abrasive, and blunt as possible, "in the name of the Lord!" It does not mean we should see how many people trust in Christ, NO THANKS TO HOW RUDE AND STUPID WE ACT!!!
No. We should speak the truth in love always, being as gentle as possible. Yet at times, no matter how gentle we try to be, and no matter how loving we say it, the truth will indeed offend some who hear it! Who is more gentle and meek than Christ? Who has EVER been more loving and wise than the Lord Jesus? Yet He was hated and called demon possessed! He was accused of blasphemy and crucified as a result. Therefore, as Christ warned His followeres, if we are as committed to truth as Jesus was, then we will experience the same responses He did. The Lord Jesus said:
"For this cause I was born and for this cause I have come into the world: to bear witness to the truth. All who are of the truth hear my voice."
Our cause is His cause. Those who hear Him will hear us. Those who reject and hate Him will reject and hate us.
Followers of Christ are His witnesses, as well as witnesses of the truth. They cannot, do not, and will not tolerate contradiction or compromise. If a truth is "moderate," they will proclaim it. If a truth is "extreme," they will proclaim it. They live for and are willing to die for the truth.
Are you?
The TRUTH is NOT ALWAYS in the MIDDLE (part 2)
Put it another way. I have a phone number that
you must dial PERFECTLY. If you get ONE number wrong, you will NOT call my
phone. My phone number is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE EXPERIENCE OF CALLING ME
BY TELEPHONE. No one can call me except by dialing my telephone number.
One address
One phone number
The truth about my address and my phone number is not "in the middle."
Now let's define truth and what it means for it to "be in the middle."
By "truth" I mean absolute fact or reality, that which exists whether we know it or not, like it or not, believe it or not.
Now when I say "the truth is always in the middle," I mean a belief that some have about reality or statements concerning reality. Those who say "the truth is always in the middle" or even "the truth is somewhere in the middle" or "the truth is usually in the middle" speak of balance or moderation, verses imbalance or extremism.
Take what I said about my address and phone number and apply it to what Christ said about Himself and His Father, or where His Father is.
Did Christ give a middle ground for reaching the Father, a way that we can consider "balanced;" a way that is not "extreme?"
What about "the mind of Christ" spoken of by Paul, the mindset that Paul told the Philippians to take as their own mindset?
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross! Philippians 2:5-8
Does the kind of obedience Christ gave to God sound "in the middle" or extreme?
And what about the call to discipleship given by Christ, the call to "deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me?" Christ made it clear that anyone who refused to do those three things COULD NOT be one of His followers?
Sometimes the truth is extreme. Sometimes the truth is "in the middle," meaning "moderate" or "balanced." For example, the scriptural principle given by Paul concerning equality in the body in 2 Corinthians 8:15:
"Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”
One address
One phone number
The truth about my address and my phone number is not "in the middle."
Now let's define truth and what it means for it to "be in the middle."
By "truth" I mean absolute fact or reality, that which exists whether we know it or not, like it or not, believe it or not.
Now when I say "the truth is always in the middle," I mean a belief that some have about reality or statements concerning reality. Those who say "the truth is always in the middle" or even "the truth is somewhere in the middle" or "the truth is usually in the middle" speak of balance or moderation, verses imbalance or extremism.
Take what I said about my address and phone number and apply it to what Christ said about Himself and His Father, or where His Father is.
Did Christ give a middle ground for reaching the Father, a way that we can consider "balanced;" a way that is not "extreme?"
What about "the mind of Christ" spoken of by Paul, the mindset that Paul told the Philippians to take as their own mindset?
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross! Philippians 2:5-8
Does the kind of obedience Christ gave to God sound "in the middle" or extreme?
And what about the call to discipleship given by Christ, the call to "deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me?" Christ made it clear that anyone who refused to do those three things COULD NOT be one of His followers?
Sometimes the truth is extreme. Sometimes the truth is "in the middle," meaning "moderate" or "balanced." For example, the scriptural principle given by Paul concerning equality in the body in 2 Corinthians 8:15:
"Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”
The TRUTH is NOT ALWAYS in the MIDDLE (part 1)
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
To be mistaken about the truth is to be deceived by definition, and is the foundation of spreading deception. I write to resist the deceiver, deception, and deceiving.
Jesus spoke the words quoted at the top of the page on the night in which Judas Iscariot planned to betray Him, the night in which He would be sentenced to crucifixion. The subject of discussion was where Jesus was going. The purpose of this discussion was the encouragement of the 11 remaining apostles. He told them they knew the way to the place where he was going.
Notice He said, "the way to the place," not "a way to a place." From the beginning He speaks of an exclusive place reached an exclusive way. Key word: exclusive.
If I gave you directions to my apartment in Key West, Florida, depending on where you were coming from, you would approach following those directions differently than someone coming from a different location than you were. For example, if you were at Denny's on Roosevelt Boulevard, and someone else was at Denny's on Duval Street, you both would come to me from opposite directions. You both would be at the same restaurant located at different addresses. You both would be coming to my apartment.
Here is the key. No matter what direction or address you and the other person came from, once you both reach Roosevelt Gardens, you must BOTH come THE EXACT SAME WAY to my apartment.
My address is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE EXPERIENCE of my apartment. No one can come to my apartment except by that address.
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
To be mistaken about the truth is to be deceived by definition, and is the foundation of spreading deception. I write to resist the deceiver, deception, and deceiving.
Jesus spoke the words quoted at the top of the page on the night in which Judas Iscariot planned to betray Him, the night in which He would be sentenced to crucifixion. The subject of discussion was where Jesus was going. The purpose of this discussion was the encouragement of the 11 remaining apostles. He told them they knew the way to the place where he was going.
Notice He said, "the way to the place," not "a way to a place." From the beginning He speaks of an exclusive place reached an exclusive way. Key word: exclusive.
If I gave you directions to my apartment in Key West, Florida, depending on where you were coming from, you would approach following those directions differently than someone coming from a different location than you were. For example, if you were at Denny's on Roosevelt Boulevard, and someone else was at Denny's on Duval Street, you both would come to me from opposite directions. You both would be at the same restaurant located at different addresses. You both would be coming to my apartment.
Here is the key. No matter what direction or address you and the other person came from, once you both reach Roosevelt Gardens, you must BOTH come THE EXACT SAME WAY to my apartment.
My address is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE EXPERIENCE of my apartment. No one can come to my apartment except by that address.
Monday, August 13, 2012
A beautiful way to come into the direct presence of God (part 1)
It is written,
"The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth."
It is also written,
"Do not take the LORD's name in vain."
Now connect these two verses. And think of what you do when you here your name called.
Think of all the different names you go by, depending on the relation.
Some are titles. Some are terms of endearment.
Dad
Mom
Bro
Sis
Baby
Sweetie
Mr. So and So
Mrs. Such and Such
Each name evokes a different feeling and response when you are called one or the other.
So it is with God.
When you call Him by His name, He answers...that is, if you are calling Him according to His REAL name.
What if someone calls you by a name that is not yours, or by a name you don't like? What if your name is "Michael," and you don't like being called "Mike?"
What if your name is "Rebecca," and you don't like being called "Becky?"
Or what if you received a nickname that you LOATHED, and that you REFUSE to answer to?
When you are present, and you hear your name called, you answer.
When you are present, and you are called by a name that you despise, you refuse to answer.
So it is with God, who is everywhere....
"The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth."
It is also written,
"Do not take the LORD's name in vain."
Now connect these two verses. And think of what you do when you here your name called.
Think of all the different names you go by, depending on the relation.
Some are titles. Some are terms of endearment.
Dad
Mom
Bro
Sis
Baby
Sweetie
Mr. So and So
Mrs. Such and Such
Each name evokes a different feeling and response when you are called one or the other.
So it is with God.
When you call Him by His name, He answers...that is, if you are calling Him according to His REAL name.
What if someone calls you by a name that is not yours, or by a name you don't like? What if your name is "Michael," and you don't like being called "Mike?"
What if your name is "Rebecca," and you don't like being called "Becky?"
Or what if you received a nickname that you LOATHED, and that you REFUSE to answer to?
When you are present, and you hear your name called, you answer.
When you are present, and you are called by a name that you despise, you refuse to answer.
So it is with God, who is everywhere....
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
how much faith is enough?
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” He replied, “If
you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry
tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you. Luke 17:5-6
it seems like they had enough faith, as far as the Lord was concerned. yes, he at times marveled at the "great faith" of some who trusted him, and rebuked the "little faith" of those who didn't; he even outright denounced the "faithless generation" that sought signs and wonders instead of trusting the signs he already performed.
yet he said that the smallest amount of faith could move mountains.
how much faith is enough, and how do we know we have it?
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1
so, do i have the smallest sureness of what i hope for, and the smallest certainty of what i do not see? i want my children to be healed of sickness, for example. this is what i hope for: healing. this is what i do not yet see: perfect health. how can i be sure that my children will be healed, and certain of their healing before i see it?
the verse assumes a promise, a surety, a legal guarantee from God. like when i paid first and last months rent, and gave the land lord a security deposit, so God gives us a "security deposit," the Holy Spirit, as Paul said to the Ephesian Christians. So, as Paul said, if God would not spare His Son, or His Spirit, and if God would give us His Son while we were His enemies, will He spare us anything else that is good and of far less value?
Of this I am sure and certain: God is love, and God is good. I know that God is full of compassion and great in mercy. Jesus promised this: Ask, and it will be given. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened. He said if evil human fathers can give good gifts to their children when they ask, how much more will the perfectly good heavenly Father give good gifts, and His Holy Spirit, to His children when they ask? now that i am a father, i have a deeper understanding of this verse. i know without doubt i am an imperfect father, yet i can say with all honesty that i have not knowingly withheld ANYTHING good from my children when they've asked. i give them whatever they need or want that is good when they ask. if i can comfort them or help them, i do it without hesitation. i am certain that God is infinitely better and has more power than i do.
Therefore, I am sure of what I hope for and certain of what I do not see: That God will heal my family, and that the devil will flee from me.
how much faith is enough, and how do i know i have enough faith?
the smallest amount of sureness in God's goodness is enough. i know that i have it, because i can't live without it.
the verse assumes a promise, a surety, a legal guarantee from God. like when i paid first and last months rent, and gave the land lord a security deposit, so God gives us a "security deposit," the Holy Spirit, as Paul said to the Ephesian Christians. So, as Paul said, if God would not spare His Son, or His Spirit, and if God would give us His Son while we were His enemies, will He spare us anything else that is good and of far less value?
Of this I am sure and certain: God is love, and God is good. I know that God is full of compassion and great in mercy. Jesus promised this: Ask, and it will be given. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened. He said if evil human fathers can give good gifts to their children when they ask, how much more will the perfectly good heavenly Father give good gifts, and His Holy Spirit, to His children when they ask? now that i am a father, i have a deeper understanding of this verse. i know without doubt i am an imperfect father, yet i can say with all honesty that i have not knowingly withheld ANYTHING good from my children when they've asked. i give them whatever they need or want that is good when they ask. if i can comfort them or help them, i do it without hesitation. i am certain that God is infinitely better and has more power than i do.
Therefore, I am sure of what I hope for and certain of what I do not see: That God will heal my family, and that the devil will flee from me.
how much faith is enough, and how do i know i have enough faith?
the smallest amount of sureness in God's goodness is enough. i know that i have it, because i can't live without it.
Friday, August 3, 2012
What Jesus Wants Me TO DO (PART 3)
standards.
by what standards can i know i am indeed following the Spirit, the real Spirit of the real God?
personality and ability
an ambassador of the Lord Jesus named paul said the Spirit's personality is loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. paul said you can't be too much of any of these. it is written in the scriptures, and was said by the Lord Jesus, "let everything be established by two or three witnesses."
two or three.
so i feel that i don't necessarily have to focus on all 9 personality traits of the Spirit. i can focus on two...or three. so i focus on self-control manifest in gentleness. i focus on this because i struggle with harshness, which is not a personality trait of the Spirit. i know from paul that to live in agreement with the Spirit, or to follow the Spirit, i must focus my mind on what the Spirit desires. i know he desires gentleness. and i can know that if i focus my mind on this, on gentleness, then the Spirit is focusing on this with me; that we agree. as it is written, "how can two walk together unless they agree?" so, if i agree with the Spirit, He agrees with me and will walk with me.
by the Spirit's personality expressed in me and through me, i can know that i am indeed with Him.
i also know by the Spirit's abilities in me that he is with me. in a word: POWER!
by definition, supernatural power. going back to personality, the scriptures speak of God's "eternal power and diving nature." so His personality is a divine personality. he's not just a nice person, he is a divinely nice person. in other words the nine personality traits must be DIVINELY experienced and expressed. it's not just love, joy, and peace, but GOD'S love, joy, and peace.
and it's not just power, but ETERNAL power! supernatural power.
something behind my words should be powerful, supernaturally powerful. it shouldn't just be intelligence, or emotionally compelling tones, or a strong relentless human will. i should know things that only God can reveal, i should create feelings that are beyond what you see, hear, taste, touch, and smell. and my words should be as irresistible and irrefutable as the very words of God would be if he were writing this blog.
divine personality and supernatural ability
these two prove to you that God is in me, that you are ENCOUNTERING GOD IN ME.
nothing less than these two
settle for nothing less if i claim to speak from God.
settle for nothing less if anyone else makes the same claim.
by what standards can i know i am indeed following the Spirit, the real Spirit of the real God?
personality and ability
an ambassador of the Lord Jesus named paul said the Spirit's personality is loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. paul said you can't be too much of any of these. it is written in the scriptures, and was said by the Lord Jesus, "let everything be established by two or three witnesses."
two or three.
so i feel that i don't necessarily have to focus on all 9 personality traits of the Spirit. i can focus on two...or three. so i focus on self-control manifest in gentleness. i focus on this because i struggle with harshness, which is not a personality trait of the Spirit. i know from paul that to live in agreement with the Spirit, or to follow the Spirit, i must focus my mind on what the Spirit desires. i know he desires gentleness. and i can know that if i focus my mind on this, on gentleness, then the Spirit is focusing on this with me; that we agree. as it is written, "how can two walk together unless they agree?" so, if i agree with the Spirit, He agrees with me and will walk with me.
by the Spirit's personality expressed in me and through me, i can know that i am indeed with Him.
i also know by the Spirit's abilities in me that he is with me. in a word: POWER!
by definition, supernatural power. going back to personality, the scriptures speak of God's "eternal power and diving nature." so His personality is a divine personality. he's not just a nice person, he is a divinely nice person. in other words the nine personality traits must be DIVINELY experienced and expressed. it's not just love, joy, and peace, but GOD'S love, joy, and peace.
and it's not just power, but ETERNAL power! supernatural power.
something behind my words should be powerful, supernaturally powerful. it shouldn't just be intelligence, or emotionally compelling tones, or a strong relentless human will. i should know things that only God can reveal, i should create feelings that are beyond what you see, hear, taste, touch, and smell. and my words should be as irresistible and irrefutable as the very words of God would be if he were writing this blog.
divine personality and supernatural ability
these two prove to you that God is in me, that you are ENCOUNTERING GOD IN ME.
nothing less than these two
settle for nothing less if i claim to speak from God.
settle for nothing less if anyone else makes the same claim.
What Jesus Wants Me TO DO (PART 2)
i sometimes feel overwhelmed by the bible and churches and denominations and debates and arguments and comments and posts and blogs and life...until i think about what Jesus wants me to do AND FOCUS ONLY ON THAT.
i want to see people healed just like when Jesus healed them...no "waiting for healing to 'manifest.'" no "naming and claiming" healing and prosperity. i want to see people saved...from demons, deception, disease, debt, and directionlessness.
what can i do but trust the Spirit in all of this?
all i can do is lay hands on my sick children and command sicknesses to leave just like Jesus did, believing that He is still alive and doing the same things He did in the past. because he doesn't change...because "Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever." all i can do is what he did by faith in him.
when i tell people about Jesus, am i responsible for whether they accept him or not?
i am only responsible to do what He did--to tell people the good news: that the Kingdom Of God is near!
so i'll do that, no matter what happens.
i believe i have enough faith...Jesus said if we had faith the size of the smallest seed of all, that would be enough to move mountains with a command.
i have enough faith to say, "in the name of Jesus, be healed."
"in the name of Jesus, come out of them."
i have enough faith to pray to God in the name of Jesus and expect the will of God to be done.
so.
i'll simply do that.
i'll do things in such a way that God and God only receives all glory.
what if my children continue to cough?
well, what if they continued to do whatever they wanted after i told them and demonstrated to them the will of God? am i any less responsible to do those two things?
i feel the same way about healing them.
who alone has the power to save and heal? Jesus. not me.
so i'll do what i'm responsible to do, naturally and supernaturally, physically and spiritually.
i will rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
that's all i can do.
if i lay hands, and the sick person remains sick, then i'll love them and comfort them with all of my ability, spiritually and physically, naturally and supernaturally. the least i can do is pray for miracles and the supernatural. what other hope do i have except in the one who is all powerful and all loving?
i believe this is what Jesus wants me to do.
so i'll do it.
period.
i want to see people healed just like when Jesus healed them...no "waiting for healing to 'manifest.'" no "naming and claiming" healing and prosperity. i want to see people saved...from demons, deception, disease, debt, and directionlessness.
what can i do but trust the Spirit in all of this?
all i can do is lay hands on my sick children and command sicknesses to leave just like Jesus did, believing that He is still alive and doing the same things He did in the past. because he doesn't change...because "Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever." all i can do is what he did by faith in him.
when i tell people about Jesus, am i responsible for whether they accept him or not?
i am only responsible to do what He did--to tell people the good news: that the Kingdom Of God is near!
so i'll do that, no matter what happens.
i believe i have enough faith...Jesus said if we had faith the size of the smallest seed of all, that would be enough to move mountains with a command.
i have enough faith to say, "in the name of Jesus, be healed."
"in the name of Jesus, come out of them."
i have enough faith to pray to God in the name of Jesus and expect the will of God to be done.
so.
i'll simply do that.
i'll do things in such a way that God and God only receives all glory.
what if my children continue to cough?
well, what if they continued to do whatever they wanted after i told them and demonstrated to them the will of God? am i any less responsible to do those two things?
i feel the same way about healing them.
who alone has the power to save and heal? Jesus. not me.
so i'll do what i'm responsible to do, naturally and supernaturally, physically and spiritually.
i will rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
that's all i can do.
if i lay hands, and the sick person remains sick, then i'll love them and comfort them with all of my ability, spiritually and physically, naturally and supernaturally. the least i can do is pray for miracles and the supernatural. what other hope do i have except in the one who is all powerful and all loving?
i believe this is what Jesus wants me to do.
so i'll do it.
period.
What Jesus Wants Me TO DO (part 1)
Jesus wants me to follow His Spirit. That's it.
If I do that, I do everything I'm supposed to do in this life and for the next.
How do I know this.
Jesus.
How did the Word who was with God and who was God become flesh?
By the Spirit.
He was "conceived of the Holy Spirit," and born of a virgin named Mary.
When his time came, at around the age of 30, the Spirit came upon him, and by this John the Baptizer knew Him. By this John identified Him and revealed Him as "the One upon whom the Spirit came and remained;" "the One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire."
From that time on, the Spirit filled Jesus, led him, and empowered Him.
By the Spirit He cast out demons, demonstrating the coming of the kingdom.
By the Spirit He rose from the dead, and before He ascended into heaven, He gave instructions to His followers by the Spirit, instructing them to do NOTHING until they received the Holy Spirit.
Now.
According to Paul, the ambassador of Christ, the Spirit of God testifies with the spirit of every believer in Christ that he is a son of God and she is a daughter of God. And those who are led by the Spirit are God's children, according to Paul, to such an extent that if they don't have the Spirit, they don't belong to Christ.
"Those who live in accordance with the Spirit set their minds on what the Spirit desires," says Paul.
the Spirit, the Spirit, The Spirit
how can i know Jesus without the Spirit, who declares Jesus is Lord come in the flesh?
how can i know the scriptures apart from the Spirit who inspired them?
by the Spirit i am a witness of the Lord Jesus.
by the Spirit i overcome the sinful desires of my body.
by the Spirit i cast out demons.
by the Spirit i overcome this world, because greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.
by following the Spirit, i know where i am and where i am going.
i do things that are visible and bring God glory.
i can't think of anything in the Christian life that does happen, can happen, or should happen, without the Spirit.
So if i follow the Spirit, i will have it all.
i will be like Jesus.
I will do what Jesus did.
isn't that what Jesus wants me to do?
isn't that what God the Father wants me do?
If I do that, I do everything I'm supposed to do in this life and for the next.
How do I know this.
Jesus.
How did the Word who was with God and who was God become flesh?
By the Spirit.
He was "conceived of the Holy Spirit," and born of a virgin named Mary.
When his time came, at around the age of 30, the Spirit came upon him, and by this John the Baptizer knew Him. By this John identified Him and revealed Him as "the One upon whom the Spirit came and remained;" "the One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire."
From that time on, the Spirit filled Jesus, led him, and empowered Him.
By the Spirit He cast out demons, demonstrating the coming of the kingdom.
By the Spirit He rose from the dead, and before He ascended into heaven, He gave instructions to His followers by the Spirit, instructing them to do NOTHING until they received the Holy Spirit.
Now.
According to Paul, the ambassador of Christ, the Spirit of God testifies with the spirit of every believer in Christ that he is a son of God and she is a daughter of God. And those who are led by the Spirit are God's children, according to Paul, to such an extent that if they don't have the Spirit, they don't belong to Christ.
"Those who live in accordance with the Spirit set their minds on what the Spirit desires," says Paul.
the Spirit, the Spirit, The Spirit
how can i know Jesus without the Spirit, who declares Jesus is Lord come in the flesh?
how can i know the scriptures apart from the Spirit who inspired them?
by the Spirit i am a witness of the Lord Jesus.
by the Spirit i overcome the sinful desires of my body.
by the Spirit i cast out demons.
by the Spirit i overcome this world, because greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.
by following the Spirit, i know where i am and where i am going.
i do things that are visible and bring God glory.
i can't think of anything in the Christian life that does happen, can happen, or should happen, without the Spirit.
So if i follow the Spirit, i will have it all.
i will be like Jesus.
I will do what Jesus did.
isn't that what Jesus wants me to do?
isn't that what God the Father wants me do?
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)