GOD FIGHTS

"The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name."

Exodus 15:3 NIV

Those who fight God, God fights.  

God wins!

Conquering all opposition.

God alone invincible.

As it is written, "Do not be deceived:  God cannot be mocked.  A man reaps what he sows.." Galations 6:7

No one opposes God and comes out unscathed or unharmed.

Those who refuse to change their ways, Jesus fights with the sword of His mouth! This double edged sword pierces so sharply that it divides the spirit from the soul.  This is the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, words of truth.

Truth cuts, stabs, pierces, and dissects.  For those who lie, the truth hurts.  For those who need healing, the surgery of truth removes cancers of falsehood. 

According to the scriptures, God enjoys exercising lovingkindness, justice, judgement, and righteousness in all of the earth.  He is indeed the just judge, angry with the wicked every day, as it is written. 



Can man and woman enjoy rebellion and think the LORD does nothing?

As it is written, "Vengeance is mine.  I will repay," says the LORD.

THE GUARANTEE OF INTIMACY (PART 3)

The guarantee of intimacy assumes honesty, transparency, and vulnerability.

Only one who speaks the truth can be counted on to keep a promise.
Only one with nothing to hide can be trusted.
Only one who risks his heart can receive a heart.

From whence comes the power to keep a promise?  To never lie or change one's mind, speaking and then acting, promising and then fulfilling?

First, the power to speak is assumed, the  power to will words with meaning.  Next, the power to act, to choose activities based upon abilities. 

Now, I notice that God spoke in the beginning, and what He said happened IMMEDIATELY. 

"Let there be light."  And there was light.
"Let there be sky."  And there was sky.

IMMEDIATELY.

This word, IMMEDIATELY, occurs repeatedly in the gospel according to Mark. 

Perhaps there is a clue.
I should mostly speak or promise that which I can perform IMMEDIATELY.
But what about marriage, or salvation, more importantly?

With marriage, once the "I do's" are said, and once the man and woman are pronounced man and wife, they kiss, an immediate act that is a prelude to the physical consummation.  But what of the permanent commitment or promise?  I believer here is where the ring shows the nature of promise. 

The marriage ring, usually gold, is put on IMMEDIATELY;  representing lasting commitment because gold lasts, even when it is put through fire.  The circle of gold represents endlessness in purity, gold being purified by fire.  Yes, the ring is a symbol, but a symbol of speech in action.  They said they do, and the ring shows this to all.  Unless they say, I no longer do...in divorce or adultery, the "I do" stands until death.  The same seems true for salvation.

The believer says, "I believe," and until he or she says or shows in action, "I no longer believe," their belief stands. 

BEHOLD, THE POWER OF WORDS!!

I see why in times past, in even in the present, persecutors of the church sought renunciation from Christians.  And the contract of marriage is broken by a contract of divorce...words of commitment and acceptance replaced by words of broken commitment and rejection.  The act of adultery is a breach in the words "forsaking all others."  And the acts of sin, of idolatry and adultery, are a breach in the self-denial of Christ's disciples.

What kind of man keeps promises?

What kind of woman maintains faithfulness?

I believe it is the man or woman who makes a habit of truthfulness in every utterance, even in very little things.

What hurts worst than betrayal!? 

How did you feel when you trusted someone and she poisoned your heart with a rotten promise forgotten?

Or what is more refreshing than one who makes real effort to keep his word?

THE GUARANTEE OF INTIMACY (PART 2)

Salvation is a promise.
Marriage is a promise.
Both are connected.

Christ, the husband redeemer, calls the church a bride, as God called Israel in times past.
Idolatry is compared to adultery.

Promises.
Faithfulness

It is written:
"God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should change his mind.  When He speaks He acts, when He PROMISES, He fulfills."

The marriage ceremony primarily focus on words:

"I do." or "I will." 
"With this ring, I thee wed..."
"I, the husband/wife, take this man/woman to be my lawfully wedded husband/wife...to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer or for poor, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others...UNTIL DEATH DOES US PART."

Promises of faithfulness

Guarantees of intimacy

Creator and creation
Wives and husbands

To no else does man or woman make a life long promise...no one but God and each other.

THE GUARANTEE OF INTIMACY

I remember hearing my pastor say, "Did you know that if you believe in Jesus, you have a guarantee of heaven?" 

I liked the word guarantee.

Heaven for me is the guarantee of intimacy!

I have this by God's faithfulness in keeping this promise:

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.

The guarantee that God gives to me is that we can be as close as I want to be!!!

He gave Himself in His Son and His Spirit.

Now it's up to me!

The faithfulness of a promise is the power of intimate bliss.

God gave me this.

My wife gave me this.

Think of it.

Parents bring children into the world...in love, with love, and to love.  The promise of faithfulness carries from marriage to the fruit of marriage; but it is not made directly. 

Yet with God one denies self, even if it means death, and commits to following Him.

And with a wife or husband, another commitment is made until death does them part.

At this moment I know nothing more precious than the promise of faithfulness!!



To my dearest God and Father and Creator

Dearest God,

Thank you for creating me.  You thought of me in past eternities, honoring me in your infinite memory with the purpose of our intimacy.  I love you.  I love you.  I love you.

If this wasn't enough, you gave me a body in which you would dwell eternally, honoring me as your temple to fill and fulfill.  I have you as Father, Brother, and Master.  I know you as my best and only friend.

And if this wasn't enough...

You gave me Lucy, my wife, my sister, my lover, my best friend on earth.  This dearest sweetest and kindness,  this most beautiful witness of light brings me the delight of friendship in a world of loneliness and shallowness.  I love her with a love that is love.  For 11  years you blessed me with my one and only earthly love.  She is your precious and priceless gift to me.  My Lucy.

And yet you keep blessing me!

With six wonders of oneness, each a different reflection of you and me and my Lucy.  I am unworthy.  Forgive me for every pain or heartache caused to you or them.  May I please you, and them, from now on  and forever.

May all who read know the blessing of God on my life. 

Just as HE IS

I love the song, "Just as I am."  But I love even more the God who is who He is.  Meaning this.

Is Jesus enough?

Is it enough to see Jesus, and thus see the Father in Him?

Is the Holy Spirit enough?  Or did Jesus indeed leave us orphans and lacking? 

Did He lie when He told the apostles that it was good for Him to leave and send the Spirit?

Is the Spirit another comforter sent in His name, to be with us as Jesus Himself was with His disciples.

I'm thinking about my life, my brothers in sisters in Christ, the church, "ministry," and bearing witness to who Jesus is.

I don't like "marketing" Jesus, or myself as His brother and servant. 

I am His witness, simply telling people what He is to me by His Spirit, how very good He is to me. 

I love God because He loves me. 

To the Lord only, for the Lord only

Dearest Father Creator,

Where is Your glory?

May it be seen in me.

May I be your glory.

Let it be wherever I am.

I dedicate my words and presence to your Spirit, so that I can humbly say as Christ said,

"If you have seen me, you have seen The Father."

"I and the Father are one."