The Beginning and The End

 

FROM MY RECENT PONDERINGS ABOUT THE END AND THE BEGINNING

A friend posed the following question a little while ago that started me thinking.

The question, “Why did Jesus choose Peter?”  My immediate reaction was, ‘Is that is the right question? Is there a better question?’ I’ll reveal this in a bit. These are some of my thoughts that followed.

Let me take you a journey. Consider: no one builds or creates anything without a purpose, goal, or the desired result in mind.  Take an architect who has the task to build a house. First, he collects ideas and requirements. Then he starts considering alternatives, different styles and many options.  After much thinking and weighing choices, the architect starts sketching what the house will look like on all sides. The next part of the process is to start laying out the floor plans, the arrangement of different living spaces. As floor plans are adjusted, the exterior is updated. Next the framing, plumbing, electrical, heating and air conditioning are added. Pages and pages of plans are created. The final page, by necessity, is the foundation plan.  The foundation cannot be completed until it is fully determined what it will have to support. How big is the house? How much does it weigh? Were do the utilities enter and exit the house? Where is the chimney(s)?  You can not complete the foundation drawing until all these, and other questions are answered.

When the foundation plan is finished, the architect can sign the drawings because its finished, and when it is finished, the building can start. It starts where it ended, by building the foundation as the architect designed it. The foundation is the first thing built, but the last thing designed. The principle is simply what the word says, “.. He knew the end from the beginning ..” Isaiah 46:10.

God had a plan for a Holy City coming out of heaven as described at the end of the Book of Revelation (Rev 21:12). His plan includes a building. So, like the architect, that He is God started to create a plan going over option after option, plan after plan. He considered lots of alternatives, all the choices when He would give input check on the progress. He considered which people of what character would be born when.  When He was completely satisfied, He would begin the process to build the City using the plans He signed by declaring, “Let there be Light!”

Like the word says, “ .. before the foundations of the earth I knew you (Eph 4).”

So that is my answer to the better question, “When did Jesus choose Peter?” Before the foundation of the earth Jesus chose what was the nature and character of Peter. On the Sea of Galilee Jesus was on is way to get Peter.  Peter did not know His creator was coming to get Him to complete the reason Peter was created, but Jesus knew.

Questions remain, “Why did Peter choose Jesus?” Yet the better questions are, “Why did I choose Jesus?” What was God’s plan for my future when He declared, Let there be Fred, Victoria, John, Lee, …..

The Bible, the Plan has the answers to our questions.

A Sword, a Swowd, Sharoened and Polished

EZE 21:8 The word of the LORD came to me: [9] "Son of man, prophesy and say, `This is what the Lord says:    " `A sword, a sword,    sharpened and polished.....

 

There is polishing beyond just being sharp.  The act of polishing does 4 things:

1)     Removes the residue of use ( flesh, dirt, )  sounds like feet washing

2)     Help it cut through easily             1TH 5:12 Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. [13] Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. [14] And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. [15] Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

3)     Look good 1 Cor 14:3

4)     Reflect light (reflect the Lord) 2 Cor 4:6  For God, who commanded light to shine out of darkness, hath shined into our hearts, to reflect the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

So, should it be among us. We are not to hammer or beat each other in the shape we choose.  We are not to grind others down until they are useless in the Kingdom.

One of the many things David obtained for the kingdom of Israel was blacksmiths, not to make swords but to build the temple.

The incredible thing is that most victories of David were won without swords, spears, or javelins.   They were lost in the battles with the Philistines when Eli was Judge (see 1 Samuel 4)

David was able to obtain swords only as booty as he routed the Philistines battle by battle.

And swords obtained in battle could not be brought to the blacksmiths for sharpening.

This leads to the parallel conclusion all the victories in your life are from the hand of GOD.

You do not need another or second blacksmith to have total victory.

Grace my Companion

       Grace is a word that seems to require, demand or shout for superlatives such as amazing, abounding, outrageous.  Do the superlatives draw you in or just embellish, elevate or inflate Grace?

 

       The thought came to me that Grace is relational. I wonder if we use different prepositions, could it deepen the meaning and intent.  Instead of “The Grace of God” would the meaning be more accurate if we said, “The Grace with God” or The Grace from God” or The Grace of being in Christ.”  And if Grace is relational this supposes it is going somewhere or we are going somewhere with Grace. Where we are going? Might it be the new person Grace has designed us to be?  We have heard the text from the scriptures Romans 12:2 “Transformation is by the renewing of your mind.” Grace is the power needed and maybe required for transformation. But it is also our companion that walks with and directs the transformation. I wonder if there is no transformation if there is a relationship with Grace.

So here is my ONE-LINER:

Grace, my Companion, who is my Helper along the Way to perfecting His image in me.

What is the Nature of God

 

 

 

Long ago the people of Israel were lead out of Egypt by Moses. After leaving, their attitude and faith were tested. Over and over again, you can read that they were slow to grow in faith and their attitude needed lots ofwork.

But God had a plan. He wanted to meet them on the Mountain.  They did all the preparation as instructed by God through Moses. But when the lightning, earth quakes and fire came, they ran. They ran back to the camp and made the famous “Golden Calf” while Moses was up on the top of the Mountain and the Lord gave him the 10 commandments in stone.

Shortly after the Moses came down, he had a conversation with God where (I believe) He tested Moses by asking Moses if he (God) should wipe out the people of Israel and start over creating a New People, beginning with Moses.  Moses asked God, “But what will the Nations of the World think of You if you destroy them after saving them, delivering them from bondage? And then Moses says to God, “I’m (we) are not going anywhere without You”. God was pleased.

Moses presses God for more; he basically says, “Okay, I continue to lead the people of Israel but show me your Glory First!” and God agrees. Here is God doing that (Exodus 34: 6-7):

The Lord came down in a cloud, stood with him there, and proclaimed his name, “the Lord.” The Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed:

The Lord ​— ​the Lord is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth, maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin.

God declared His nature, His Identity. Declaring He ABOUNDS in Love and Forgiveness.  God told Moses Who He is. And He is who is says He is in ABOUNDING MEASURE (Hebrew meaning: much, many, abounding in, more numerous than (can be counted or measured), abundant (easy to find, everywhere), enough, great, strong, greater than, exceedingly, captain, chief).

No matter what we have done, do or will do, we can’t change who HE is. And He is who is HE is beyond measure. The Chief of Compassion. The Chief of Faithfulness. The Chief of Love. The Chief Truth. The Chief of Forgiveness. And He will NEVER DENY HIMSELF that JOY of being who He is (2 Tim 2:13).

With God

Matt 10:27 Jesus said, “For men it is impossible, but not by God, because all things are possible by God.

”NOT! ??

It is "WITH",  side by side with ... Jesus said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God, because all things are possible with God.”

From heaven's point of view it may be stated, "With My Partner, My Bride, My Son beside Me all things are possible!"

And, "BY God" alone may just be impossible now that Holy Spirit was sent, poured out!

Good - Very Good; Light - Reflection.

Light all by itself has no use or purpose. It is ONLY useful when it  has something to reflect off.

 

Before the foundations of the earth God had an idea, a dream, a vision, a day dream and part of that vision was you, me.

 

On the first day, God said " ... let US manifest ourselves, let there be light, let Jesus, "The Light of the World", be manifest!" And the scripture says He said " .. it was good .."

 

Fast forward to the 6th day God created man. I believe that was the first time God said my name or your name. And God said "... it was Very good.

 

I was created, you were created to be the reflection, the mirror of Jesus on earth. That is what it means when it says, "Let us make man in our image ..."

 

God does not change his mind about you. God's opinion of me is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. "I am still very good."

 

As a mirror, a reflector of light, a reflection of God. My purpose is ... "I am what God looks at to see Himself." I am, and you are very good!

That brings me to think about worship. Worship is not singing though you can sing and worship. Worship is not meditation though you can meditate and worship. Worship is positioning yourself to look at Daddy face to face, letting the "Eyes of Your Heart" center on the eyes of Daddy. In the Bible, in the Old Testament there is a phrase, "The Apple of His Eye" it literally means to see ones own reflection in pupil of another's eye ( extreme face to face ). Worship is simply that.

Messes

When I hear this song

 

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CqybaIesbuA
please listen before reading on

 

This is what I think ...
 

When a baby is first born and makes​ his first mess a father does not throw out the his son (I say son because I am a son). No, He picks up the boy takes the mess away and baths his son and anoits him in oil (or baby lotion) and dresses him in new clothes and picks his son up and hugs him and kisses him and tells him he is loved.

The Daddy's Love doesn't change after a Day, Week, Month or even y\Years.  Daddy's Love never changes, BECAUSE DADDY IS THE SAME YESTERDAY TODAY AND FOREVER, just get over it or used to it.
 

There is a saying, "The difference between a boy and a man is the price of his toys!" But my paraphrase is, "The difference between a boy and a man is the size of the mess!"
 

God has never worryed about the size of my messes. He Loves me. He Loved me before Creation when he was Dreaming about who he wanted to create and name it ME. News flash Daddy doesn't change, HE still Loves Me and you.

Messes are part of GROWTH, proof of LIFE and signs of Prosperity.

Proverbs 14:4 Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough (the stall, the barn, the field, the house, your space) is empty (clean and tidy), but an abundant harvest (more cattle, provision) comes through the strength of an ox. (CSB).

When I understood messes are not a bad thing but evidence of good Growth, Life and Prosperity it help me to see messes from Daddy's prospective.

Daddy is still helping me with my messes because he still loves me. Daddy wants me to Grow, Live and Prosper.

Faith and unbelief

Or should it be faith and lack of faith. Here is my perspective. First here is a picture of “What is it”.  And second image of the Same “What is it”.

This is just to say it is not about right or wrong but perspective, meaning what I have observed is only different.

 

An old saying comes to mind that was on a box of donuts when I was a boy, “No matter what your dream in life, no matter what your goal, as you ramble on through life, keep your eye upon the doughnut and not upon the hole.”

Stated differently, “If I have an empty pail and tell you to take all you want from it, how much can you take? In other words, I can’t give you nothing and you can’t take or receive nothing.

Years ago, in reading the verse, “… these signs shall follow ...” I got an unforgettable lesson by Holy Spirit. As I read these words HE asked simply, “Where are the signs? And are the signs the works of the hands?” After considering these questions I figured out the riddle. The signs are in the hands of Jesus and they are behind us if we embrace Jesus standing face to face looking Eye to Eye. This is confirmed in 1 Jn. 3:22 ‘whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.’ (Keeping his commandments in the New Testament I believe is better understood as words of promise or prophecy) But isn’t keeping his commandments pleasing to him so the key ingredient is “Pleasing in his sight” there is an Old Testament phrase that is equal to this, “the apple of his eye” which literally means, “To see the reflection of oneself in the pupil of another”.

Doubt or lack of faith is like focusing on the things that are behind us or as in the case of the donut the nothing; the part that is NOT there.  This is the same the lie in the garden, “God is holding out on you.”

Also, consider bone and muscle as an example of faith and works. You are born with bone and muscles but they need growth, development and training. These things all are ingredients of what is called process.  Even with growth, development and training, there is still a missing element: ‘focus or passion’. An Olympic athlete is born with bone and muscle but they achieve their goals (according to the internet) between 28-36 years old. It is not the bone or the muscle or the growth or the development or the training; it is all that plus passion, focus.

In the case of faith, we are all given ‘a measure’ but winning the prize, like an Olympic Marathon runner does not happen my “Magic” but by process and passion. In the case of faith, the passion is LOVE, Gal. 5:6. But what matters is a faith that expresses itself through (or by) love. So is there doubt because there is little love (just wondering)? But we have the answer to that 1 Cor 13:2, “If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing.” You can have faith without Love but it has no value it is NOTHING! You can walk in mighty works of faith without love if you want, but you end up with NOTHING, the hole.  This is like so many in life that are successful in their endeavors but fail at life.  Sports stars come to mind Tiger Woods, Aaron Hernández, Mike Tyson, and many, many more.

I feel God is more interested in us succeeding at Life rather than at “Doing” even signs and wonders, believing rather than signs. BUT also, I believe Faith is believing what we haven’t experienced yet in God and it is like bone and muscle it grows and matures and strengthens on the last experience or the knowledge of Him, the last sign the last wonder the last miracle.

What if? .....

 

What if humility is you beginning to understand the difference between how The Father sees you, how He Loves, how He thinks of you and how you think of yourself? Or the difference between the identity The Father uniquely, and intentionally engineered and Named it YOU before the foundations and the image the world tries to imposes on you.





"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think," said Christopher Robin, and "beloved you more beautiful and more powerful and just more." says Daddy!

Eph. 3:14-21  "For This Reason I Pray For You To Know The Love of Christ And The Fullness of God,  from Whom the whole family in the heavens and on earth is named,  asking that He might grant to you in accordance with the riches of His glory that you be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner person so-that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith,  in-order-that you, having been rooted and founded in love, might be strong-enough to grasp together-with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth,  and to know the love of Christ surpassing knowledge, in-order-that you might be filled to all the fullness of God.

Now to the One being able to do super-abundantly beyond all of the things which we ask or think according to the power being at-work in us to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all generations forever and ever, amen."

Clouds

“I’ve looked at life from both sides now, from up and down and still somehow, it’s cloud illusions I recall, I really don’t know clouds at all.”¹

Who gets to say there are only 2 sides?  The conversation starts with looking out the window at 35,000 feet; looking down on the ever changing beauty of the clouds.  Looking out, now, at a sea of flat rippled white, when a few moments ago, the clouds were a vast collection of solo outbursts of joy.  Yet, there is always a horizon where blue sky meets the landscape below.  There is always the horizon never obtainable, yet always the guide.  Was that in the mind of Ole St. Nick when he cried out, “On Dasher…!” Was he not setting out for a new horizon, a new infinity, a new discovery, a new challenge, a new victory or the next new thing?

But alas, the horizon moves on though we chase it. We may watch the sunset, yet we gaze at the horizon in wonder and awe.  Even if we sit and watch, there is a calling, “Come, come, come…!”  It is destiny ever calling, “Come, COME ON! Come on you can make it!  You can make it!” It is the cloud; the cloud of witness not only having lead the way before, but clearing the way for the current warriors, runners, teachers and leaders now. “We made it! You can make it! Come on we want you with us!”

Some clouds provide rain, yet others provide needed shade and still others seem to hold back a large crowd on the edge of the dance floor so that bursts of joy can celebrate on an open canvas above the plains, or above cobalt lakes that reflect pure light.  Each cloud has purpose; not jealous of another, all adding their whispers to the ever building roar, “Come, Come on!”

As I look down far below me, no house, no car, no person can be identified. Yet, when I am there (below) things seem to shout, “See me, notice me and acknowledge me.  Give me significance!” Is that the wrong side? Or is it the side we need to see clearly and own, so it can truly be laid down to reach the next horizon, the next new version of self?  Then that version can be made full so it too, can be laid down for the ever newer, greater, fuller version of a new you and me?

And what if I can join the whispering voices and cheer someone else on as well to see the sky?  Can I lift another’s chin up so their eyes will meet the sky instead of the floor? Maybe that is how life was meant to be lived.

(as always comments are greatly appreciated)

1.       Both Sides by Joni Mitchell,   http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jonimitchell/bothsidesnow.html

Is there Crap in your Life ?

Have you ever felt like your life was wasted, without purpose or fruitless?? Or maybe it just seems like everything in your life was being turned upside down??

Recently I was reading Luke 13:6-9 and saw it in a new light:

He (Jesus) spoke this parable, “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none. So he said to his gardener, ‘Behold, for these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down therefore. Why waste the ground for it?’ But he answering his master, said to him, ‘Lord, let it alone this year also, until I dig about it, and dung it. And if happily it bears fruit: but if not, then after that I shalt cut it down.”

The vine-dresser asked for ‘3’ things: 'a year' (waiting) ‘a digging' (over turning), and ‘fertilizing’ (adding nutrients).

But before that, there is the ‘digging about’ where everything that we think is established, settled and comfortable in life gets turned upside down and shaken.  If you have ever broken ground for a new garden that is what happens.  The soil gets turned upside down.  We often do it with machinery a plow or a rototiller. It is hard and violent work.  Nothing remains in place.  Everything is shaken. The digging is not shallow but deep. Often times it can be over a foot deep; deep enough to include all the top soil.  All during this “digging about”, unwanted rock, sticks, stumps and old roots are discarded. 

Then, to paraphrase a cultural expression, “Poop Happens”.  The dung is piled, NOT sparingly but generously. In my youth I worked a lot in the family garden and it was a regular spring time event to either make several trips to a local farmers’ bull pen (the only thing missing was the bull) or a local farmer would be summoned by with his manure spreader freshly filled from cleaning out his barn.  When it was time to manure, it was never done sparingly and we were not allowed in the house with those clothes on.

At this point the ground is turned again.  All the manure is worked deeply into the ground until it is uniform.

The ground is ready to be processed by worms, bugs and bacteria converting the soil to food for the tree roots to absorb.  

The final stage is waiting.  The waiting takes TIME; not a day, week, month or season but a whole year for the fruit. We need to understand that The Father is NOT a magician, HE does not do magic. He does process or growth or maturing.  There is no instant fruit, freeze dried (just add water) fruit, micro-wave fruit or even store bought. The Father only has one kind of fruit; it is 100% home grown, natural, organic fruit.  The principle is the Father did not go down to the hardware store or garden center get some Miracle Grow, He used the Poop that already exists in life to produce the fruit he wants.

Note in this parable, the solution to the problem was not to change the Fig tree but change the environment and the food for the tree.  We can produce fruit if we let Holy Spirit work out the things in our lives we are comfortable with and start consuming the right nutrition. 

Deuteronomy 8:3 “He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna… to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.”

AS IRON SHARPENS IRON (HOW AND WHY)

From Proverbs 27:17

As iron sharpens iron,

so one man sharpens another.

A quick study of how iron us used to sharpen Iron during the period the proverb was written revealed the iron that was used to sharpen an iron tool is much the same as the common sharpening rod we find today in a cutlery set.

These rods were used to maintain the edge of a tool like a plow or sickle or and ax as well as maintain the edge on a weapon like a sword.

The rod when used properly kept the edge straight because of use the edge would start to lean with use. The rod would help straight up the edge to keep the tool's from leaning more and eventually breaking off leaving the tool dull. The rod when used frequently and properly would not remove much metal. This is not the case with modern grinding sharpening where the edge is filed or ground to get it sharp.

In the time of the period the rod was used to keep the tool or the weapon functional and looking good (Also, look at Eze 21:9).

A paraphrase of the verse could be.

As the rod maintains the tool,
so one man make another to look good.

God is a GIVER

There is a song,  "Blessed Be the Name of the Lord".

The line in the chorus, "The Lord giveth, He taketh away, Blessed be the name of the Lord..."
Some people do not agree with the term ‘He taketh away’ (I am one of these myself).  The principle is the Lord gives, gives and gives some more freely and does not take or require payments from people for anything. “God is no man's debtor, but a very good provider!”  God is not mean but kind He does not give us good things and then take them away for any reason.  Romans 11:29 states, “For God's gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.” Also, James 1:17, “All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change.” God is not human and does not cruelly take back anything that HE has given.

It is important to consider the context of this verse from scripture, Job 1:21; And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”  In context, the scripture is talking about life; not things or our stuff. Job was mourning the loss of his children, like the parents of the children in Newtown, CT. Job was not talking about the loss of his stuff as this song suggests.

Satan is the thief and robber.  Another point about the context is, it was the chief robber that did the taking. It was not the Lord at all that took from Job.  It was Satan (Job 1:6-12). The Lord does not take BUT accepts our offerings and accepts our pains and exchanges these for His benefits (Rev 3:17 and Is 61:1-7). It is the Lord that is the Provider. In fact he calls Himself Provider. A provider cannot be a taker.
I find it interesting that in the end of Satan's troubling Job, and his discussions with his friends, Job had changed his mind about ALL that he said.

In Job 42 Job Responds to the Lord:

1Then Job replied to the Lord: 2 “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. 3 You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. 4 You said, ‘Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.’ 5  I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. 6 I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”

At the end Job is saying two things: first, he didn't know GOD based on what he had heard from his friends (or even from himself).  And second, he repented for / from what he said. In reading and using verses from the book of Job, we must always remember that which is written before God spoke  in Job 38 was mere human understanding / ideas (including Job 1:21).  (Job 38:1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm. He said: 2“Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?)
Taking way is not pruning either.  An examination of pruning as laid out in John 15:2 " He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."

I decided to lookup what the meaning of ‘prunes’ is: to cleanse, of filth impurity, etc; to prune trees and vines from useless shoots; metaph. from guilt, to expiate

This verse could (should?) read, "He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he beautifies so that it will be even more fruitful."

The concept suggested that God takes away impurity is like the concept that he takes away what is missing. You cannot take something from nothing.  I was wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. And the LORD gave me comfort, peace, provision for all my need, opened my eyes to see him and clothed me.  You don’t take away darkness with a vacuum or a broom you add LIGHT. As Albert Einstein said, “Darkness does not exist. Darkness is merely the absence of LIGHT.”  More goodness is the answer to everything missing, lacking in our experience. 

 Also: http://escapetoreality.org/2010/08/02/does-god-give-and-take-away/#comment-51614

 

AS ALWAYS COMMENTS ENCOURAGED

Is there really MORE?

 Many times in the Christian circles I am exposed to, or involved with, I hear people, preachers and speakers calling out for MORE!  But is there really anymore?

I believe as the Michael W Smith song says, that God has given all that he has to give. (http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/michaelwsmith/thestand.html)

“I'll stand with arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the ONE who gave it ALL
I'll stand
My soul, Lord, to you surrendered
All I am is yours”

Is God holding out on us?  Did he not give us the life and blood of His only begotten Son? Didn’t he give us and fill us with His entire, complete Spirit?

It seems to me that to cry out for, call for, ask for or beg for MORE is to imply that God is holding back.  This is the same suggestion (lie) that the serpent used in the garden (Genesis 3:4&5) that God was holding back, holding out that man’s eyes would be open. That God was withholding information about the nature and character of good and implying that there was good he was also withholding. And not only good but evil. Adam and Eve surely had no information about what evil was.

In my search of the Bible I can only find a Generous, a Good, and a Giving God.  THERE IS NO MORE FOR GOD TO GIVE (that I can find).  But some may quote the Gospel of Luke 2:52, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”  But a close look at the word increase is the Greek word prokoptō, which means:

1.      to beat forward

1.      to lengthen out by hammering (as a smith forges metals)

2.      metaph. to promote, forward, further

2.      to go forward, advance, proceed

1.      of time: the night is far spent

2.      metaph. to increase, make progress

The word increase is not to get more but to lengthen and advance.  As an engineer I like the analogy of blacksmith hammering out a piece of metal to form something useful.  Victoria prefers the analogy of a lump of pizza dough. Pizza dough needs to be pressed out and formed into shape gradually.  As you press it out, it wants to spring back so you need to keep working one small area at a time. And if you work too much in one area, you can break through and if you do you can gently press the dough to fill in the hole.

The builder in me came up with a different analogy.  Imagine you are given all the materials and tools you need to build a mansion.  Everything in piles but you need to get the plans. But you still need the skills (you need to learn how to do framing, plumbing, wiring, concrete, etc ).  It is our good fortune that the Holy Spirit is committed to teach us all things and be our helper in all things. (Again God has already given us all things.)

But I can also suggest there is MORE, MORE surrender, MORE growth, intimacy with Jesus and, MORE like Jesus.  So, I suggest MORE is from me (us) 'NOT' the Lord. To paraphrase a friend, "We often have the perspective that it is God who needs to act when it is US the whole time that needs to respond to God.

James helps us understand how MORE works. (My paraphrase) Take as big a step towards Daddy as you can and Daddy will take a BIG step towards you! [James 4:8 Approach ye to God, and he shall approach to you. WYC]

Are you Alive or Dead?

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Colossians 3:5 Therefore, consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.

Romans 6:8 But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.

Yet a friend asked me, "Then why am I still tempted by sin, by immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed?"

I consider this friend very wise, since most never recognize what the real question is.

As I persued the answer, it came to me. Thank you, Holy Spirit.

Did you ever hear of a woman who lost a child tragically at a young age, and kept the child's room as it was the day the child was lost? She's keeping the memory of the child alive. She has built memorials, shrines to the child with reminders in every room.

When we died with Christ, we died to sin, but we still have to change the furniture in the chambers of our hearts; the shrines, the memorials and memories that remind us of the old man.

The old man is dead but the memory of him needs to be eradicated.

If not, this is where our enemy has an easy job. He only has to remind us of the old memories of the dead man. Many believe these lies.

But I have discovered once the truth is made real to me, it becomes unshakeable. This happens as I identify a lie and say, "That is just a memory of the dead man not Me, alive in Christ." The lie is instantly powerless in my life. The more this happens, the less ability the enemy has to get me to act, think or desire the things of the old man.

Joy was at the Cross

NO Joy … NO Forgiveness

In Hebrews we find, “Having our eyes fixed on Jesus, the guide and end of our faith, who went through the pains of the cross, not caring for the shame, because of the joy which was before him, and who has now taken his place at the right hand of God's seat of power.”

I was at the cross in the heart of Jesus. You were at the cross in the heart of Jesus. The potential of a restored relationship between Daddy and me and you is the source of Jesus' Joy.

The prayer of Jesus on the cross was, “Father forgive them...”, (remember Jesus only said what the Father was saying). It is life of Jesus upon the cross that is our source of forgiveness. Forgiveness should be accompanied with Joy. The example of forgiveness on the cross is we should have Joy before we can say, “Father forgive them.” Joy was at the cross.

NO Joy … NO Forgiveness … NO Love.

It is not forgiveness if there is no Joy. Joy came first before the cross in the garden for Jesus and we need to find it in a garden like place before we can forgive.

Joy is not the result of forgiving, forgiving is the result of Joy.

There was an exchange in the garden, pain and shame were exchanged for Joy. So much Joy was given that the agony that resulted in the sweating of blood was as nothing. The pain and shame suffered by Jesus for the next several hours were considered also as nothing.

Paul had this same attitude and expressed it in his letter to the Philippians 3:8, ‘Yes truly, and I am ready to give up all things for the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, which is more than all: for whom I have undergone the loss of all things, and to me they are less than nothing, so that I may have Christ as my reward.’

Not just Paul but Jimmy had the same attitude. James 1:2 My brothers and sisters, you will face all kinds of trouble. When you do, think of it as pure joy. Is not a hurt, an injury, a slanderous comment temptations of anger opportunities to choose JOY?

An Abandoned Child

Vision / Dream:

While in prayer one day for the church I attend, I saw a young child (4-5 years of age) in a dark room. (It was as a stage set with the front wall and ceiling removed.) The room was sparsely furnished and I was not sure if it was a living room or dining room, the colors were all dark. The child was the focus of the vision, but in the room, nearly hidden in the darkness, were the child’s parents. They paid no attention to the child as they argued. The atmosphere was filled with chaos, confusion, anger and fear that the parents were creating.

The Lord was by my side and He instructed me to watch the child. I watched as fear overwhelmed the child. Surrounded and trapped, the child was forced to surrender to the fear. Abandonment, rejection replaced joy in the child’s heart.

The Lord’s heart was crying in torrents.

End

Prayer:

For many days I prayed about this vision and I was impressed that chaos, confusion and fear were a regular part of life for the child for the next 12 – 15 years. The child had no security and had no one to rely on. The child never learned to trust.

I prayed Lord, “Why? Why, could you not help?”
He told me, “Nobody wanted me to help!”

During days of prayer I got the profound sense that the Lord wanted me to know in my heart what His heart was for this abandoned child and feel how He feels about the child still imprisoned in an older body. The devil had stolen the child’s humanity. Instead of a human-being what remained was a human-doer.

Release of the vision:

One evening as I was running an errand, I drove along School House Road I heard, sensed the Lord saying it is time to release the vision. I drove a little bit further down the hill and passed someone whose car was broken down beside the road. It was across the street from the beaver pond. There was a friend in a pickup truck trying to help.

It seemed as if the Lord was there in the car with me. The Lord seemed to speak in the voice of Bob Jones, “And, you know what that means.”

I do know what it means when I hear that phrase. It meant I had to pray for the meaning for what I had just observed. So I prayed. Here is what the Lord showed me the objects meant.

1. Holy Spirit will be the teacher and show how to rescue the child and set it free.
2. The life and ministry is stalled out but if they call, they will be rescued by someone who is willing to be their friend and pick them up.
3. Being busy like a beaver will lead to loss, destroy many trees (people) and damage the surrounding fields (crops, fruit). In this particular case, the beaver has built a dam that is higher than the road and dam needs to be regularly opened up using heavy equipment to keep the pond from flooding the road. If flooding were to happen, then the way would be lost.
4. At schools there are play grounds where joy is experienced daily. Freedom exists in abundance. The laughter that fills a school yard it is good medicine.

I was lead to 3 scriptures (NIV):

Isaiah 49:15
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you!
Deuteronomy 4:31
For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.
2 Corinthians 4:7-9
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.