Grace for His Life

Giving Honor Where Honor Is Due

2011-02-04T09:51:00.000-08:00

Titus 2:11-14

11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope — the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
NIV

Giving Honor Where Honor is Due

I met the Williams' only months after my born-again experience. I received salvation on the floor of my bathroom, but felt I needed to go to church to learn more about my new life and meet others who'd made the same commitment. I began (logically) at the church just down the road from me. It was a small Assembly of God church out in the country. The congregation was small—as in maybe 10-20 people small. Most of the people were sweet and welcoming, though many of them never learned my name and one insisted on calling me "sister Bobby's wife." But the thing was they were not kind to their Pastors. They found ways of starving out the ones they didn't like and they split the church four times in the months my family and I were there.

My husband got so frustrated he quit going to church at all. My kids wanted to quit too. But I'd had this experience with Christ that would not let me quit just because some Christians didn't behave the way I (and my family) thought they should. I suggested to my family that we go on an adventure to find a church where we "fit." My husband said to me, "You go. When you find the right place, I'll join you." My kids said it wasn't fair that dad didn't have to go and they did—and so, on my own, I went in search of the family of God that could love me and my crew.

I was only months old in the Christian faith—in fact—I didn't have much faith. I felt fairly sure I wasn't going to hell when I died, but that was about as far as it went. I knew little or nothing about God because I'd only been reading the Bible for a few months. But I knew the one scripture that said not to give up gathering with other believers so we could encourage one another. I knew that one because the first Pastor at the country church spoke it each time we gathered. What little Bible I knew, I grabbed onto, because I wanted this relationship with God.

So—being the baby Christian I was—I prayed. I asked God to direct my course so I found the place for me and my family to know Him. I prayed as I drove through the country roads and onto the highway. I prayed as I came into Poteau. "Where Lord? Where do I belong?"

I was shy then, as timid as timid can be. I came into the city limits of Poteau and saw a steeple. To me, that steeple was a beacon. It beckoned me to enter. I pulled into the parking lot of Calvary Assembly of God and watched all the people go in the glass double doors. I noticed they dressed in nicer clothes than I was wearing, and they all seemed to know one another, but I forced myself to enter that sanctuary. I was—after all—on a mission.

I sat in the back and sang the songs during song service. Then the Pastor, Kenneth Williams, stood up to minister and I knew I belonged. He preached about Bible prophesy and I heard every word with rapt attention. Fascinated, that God's word talked about this century—let alone the hour I was living in. After the service was over the Pastor stood at the door to shake every hand of the people as they left. His handshake was warm and his smile friendly—and I carried the fragrance of Polo cologne home with me to tell my family I'd found the place we belonged.

Pastor Ken's wife, Alice is a Bible teacher that kept me digging deeper into God's truth. Her teaching grounded me and Pastor's prophetic ministry encouraged me. I rarely missed a service. And I did get my kids to go with me. My husband decided not to go back to church. He didn't see the evidence of love among the faithful like he thought he should and decided that it wasn't worth the effort to go. It wasn't easy to go alone—to grow alone—but I wanted this relationship with God.

The Williams' teachings, watchful care and knowledgeable prayers anchored me in a deeply enduring association with God. If they hadn't been the Pastors they were—true shepherds—I may not have flourished and stayed plugged in as I did. I may not have been as trusting as I've been. They strengthened me for hard times to come and taught me that no matter what I see around me, God is with me and He cares. I can hold onto that when things get bumpy.

Pastors Ken and Alice Williams, I honor you today. I thank you for being the shepherds so faithful to what God called you to do. I celebrate with you the rewards He has for you, because you have been faithful. I bless you and pray for you. You are precious to me and few days go by that I don't think of you with gratitude in my heart. I love you.

Balancing Grace, Faith and Love

2010-10-11T10:07:00.001-07:00

Before I became a born-again Christian, there were people praying for me. I am grateful for their prayers. I believe their prayers brought the person into my life that could share the gospel with me so I understood it and received it. I wasn't an instant success, this guy needed persistence and stamina. It took two years of him telling me stories of Jesus before I received Christ, but when I did—I did.

Though there were Christians who tried to witness to me before Stanley, most showed me church, not Christ. Most showed me judgment and told me about the wrath of God rather than showing me His goodness. Paul says it is God's goodness that draws people to repentance (change of mind) (Rom 2:4). It was when I saw the goodness of Jesus that I chose to follow Him. That is the gospel Stanley preached. He told me about the good God who so loved me that He sent His only begotten Son to live the example of life He wanted for me. He revealed God's Son laid His perfect down as a sacrifice for me so I could have the life He demonstrated. Stanley did not berate me with my sin, he didn't try to show me where I missed the mark—He showed me Jesus—and without a word spoken about my sin, I knew I was a sinner. I knew without Jesus I had no hope of being otherwise. I knew that I had repeatedly missed the mark God fixed for me and would continue to do so without Him killing me to stop the cycle. But Jesus . . .

Jesus saw my condition too, and chose to do what only He could do about it—He took my place on the cross of judgment. Though my sin invited sickness to enter my body, He bore the stripes that paid for everlasting healing for me. The seeds I'd sown throughout my life reaped a life of poverty, but He bore the judgment for my wrong ways and delivered me from poverty. My words and actions wrought for me shame and humiliation, but Jesus bore that too, and placed His robe of virtue around me. Jesus became a shield around me, my glory and lifted my head. Each time I read the Bible, I realized there was something I was free of or something I had gained through my relationship with God through Christ. That is the power of grace. That is the grace that brought me to faith.

I believe this is where the first century church began—at this place of grace—through faith because of the word spoken to them. I believe our words should bring faith to people. I believe we should speak in such a way to bring faith to people so they can access the grace God freely offers all of us. As I learned last week, "the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men." (Titus 2:11). But I think sometimes we fall into the same category as the Christians who tried to get me saved before Stanley came with the good news. I think we want to scare people into salvation. I've known some people scared into salvation, and those people didn't hold on when times got tough. They decided it was too hard to live for a God that never seemed pleased and with so many rules. I don't know any person scared into salvation that hasn't given up on being a Christian. Why? Because of the God we revealed to them.

I believe it has something to do with repentance. The word used in Romans 2:4, and translated as "repentance" means "to change the mind." That definition is from The Complete Word Study Dictionary for the New Testament. When people receive salvation to avoid hell, most of the time they don't change their minds about their life of sin, they just want to change their destination. But when we witness the goodness of God, we want to be like Him. We want to let Him change us from what we were to what He is. We change our mind about what is good and pleasant and acceptable. Many of us have not witnessed goodness until we've seen God. Jesus said even good fathers on earth are evil in comparison to God (Mt 7:9-11). I believe if we can show people God's goodness, then they will be healthier and happier Christians from the start.

I also believe if we can reveal God's love for people, they will have more faith to hold on during hard times. If we really believe He is love, we won't believe He put illness in our bodies, or allows the devil to put illness in our bodies. I don't know any parent who puts illness on their child. When our kids get sick, we take them to the doctor and get them all the help we can get. Yet, some are willing to believe that God has allowed them to be sick to teach them something, or to give them a "cross to bear." But that's not what the Bible says. The Bible says in comparison to God's goodness, we are evil. The Bible says God so loved us that He sent Jesus to pay the price for our healing (Is 53:4-6 & 1Pet 2:24). If He sent Jesus to pay such a ghastly price, would He then cancel that and put sickness on us? No. No. No. He didn't put it there and He didn't allow it. The devil is the one who tries to steal, kill and destroy—not God. If we are battling an illness in our body, it isn't because God sent it or allowed it. It is there because we haven't learned to access what God gave us the moment Jesus bore the stripes that paid for our healing. Healing is part of salvation—per the dictionaries, and per Jesus' actions and words while He was here on the earth. We need to hear this all the time. We need to hear it until we can't believe anything else—until we refuse to accept anything else.

I believe if Christians would spend their time knowing their God and what His love purchased for them, then we wouldn't have so many in the world angry with our judgment of them. Instead we might see more people clamoring to know this good God who is love.

Grace's Influence Part Two

2010-10-07T13:04:00.000-07:00

Titus 2:11-12
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
NIV

Wow. Did you see that? The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared (become obvious, become visible or known) to all men (humanity). This blows me away. First, the grace of God is what brings salvation, and second that it has appeared to all people. Let's focus, for now, on the first part of this verse: The grace of God that brings salvation—

We discussed what salvation means—it is what Jesus carried out for all who will accept and receive—deliverance, preservation, health and well-being. Jesus accomplished our deliverance from sin and all the results of sin in the earth. If we believe Jesus is who He said He was, and did what He said God sent Him to do—we have received salvation through faith because of grace. By grace we're saved through faith (Ephesians 2:8).

James Strong (Strong's Concordance and Dictionary) defines grace as "…especially the divine influence on the heart (of humankind) and (that influence) reflected in the life." That's what grace is, and we see in Titus 2:11 that said influence in our heart is what brings salvation.

The dictionary defines "influence" as "an emanation (springing up, source) of spiritual or moral force, the act or power of producing an effect without apparent exertion or force or direct exercise of command. The power or capacity of causing an effect in indirect or intangible ways. One that exerts influence. To have an effect on the condition or development of: modify, affect."

So—God influenced our heart to affect us for change—from sinner to saved and from cursed to blessed, from rebellious sinner to obedient child. When we allow grace to mix with faith in what God has said about us, then that influence begins to display and reflect the changes to those who knew us before. The people who knew me in my twenties, knew a different person. Grace has changed me. I know I am not all God intends me to be yet, but I also know He is faithful to complete the work He began in me. The point is, His influence in my heart has changed me and I reflect that change in my life. It is reflected in the words I choose (to bring life instead of devastation), it is reflected in how I treat people, it is reflected in the work I do and how I live. Life is so much better now than then!

Knowing that grace is influence, makes me want to go through all the Bible says about grace again. I counted it once; seems like that word is used more than 125 times in the New Testament. I am convinced God wants us to know His grace and all it brings to our lives.

Grace's Influence

2010-10-05T10:27:00.000-07:00

I've been meditating on grace a lot lately. Grace is a deep subject. Paul, in his letter to the church at Ephesus, said we are saved by grace.

The Greek word translated "saved" here is sozo. It is used more than one hundred times in the New Testament. Jesus used the term often: "Daughter, your faith has made you whole." (Mt 9:22). The word "whole" is the Greek word, sozo. "The Son of man came to save that which was lost." (Mt 18:11). "The Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." (Luke 9:56). He told the blind beggar, "Receive your sight, your faith has "saved" you." (Luke 18:42). Luke tells us that the man who was possessed of devils was "healed," using the same word, sozo. We know by these examples that the word saved (sozo) means more than just saved from going to hell. We know by the examples that the health, and wholeness that this word represents is not a "someday when I get to heaven" experience. Health occurred for the blind beggar when he believed. Wholeness came to the woman with the issue of blood the moment she reached out in faith. Salvation is deliverance, preservation, health, well-being and to be made whole—and if we are to assume it works as it did when Jesus walked the earth—all that sozo is should occur when we believe.

It is by grace we are saved, through faith, says Paul (Ephesians 2:8). That tells me that grace is a major key to my salvation, so I think I should meditate on grace frequently and deeply. But do we really know what grace is? Do we really know what it means that grace has come into our lives? Do we know how to access grace? Admittedly, I still have more questions than answers, but I continue to meditate because I know God reveals to those who diligently seek. Questions don't bother God, it is indifference that bothers God.

The word Paul uses in the letter to the Ephesians, translated "grace" is the Greek word, charis. My friend, Robert Shankle, the best teacher on the effects of grace in a believer's life, taught me about grace when I was a young Christian. He taught me to use a Bible dictionary to study deeper and to get a fuller meaning of what God says. The Strong's dictionary says this about grace: charis is from a word meaning graciousness (as gratifying),
of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude). Strong's says it is especially the influence of God (divine) on/in the heart of mankind and the reflection of that influence in the life of said mankind.

This is not what I learn in church. This is not the message of grace that I hear from the pulpit. I hear that grace is a free gift from God, and I hear that because of this free gift I am forgiven of all my sins (past, present, and future). I hear that grace is God's unmerited favor—which many Christians have translated to mean they are God's favorite. Favor is one way the translators of the King James version of the Bible translated the Greek word, charis. That translation was done in the early 1600's. The point I'm trying to make is we may understand the words differently in this age than those who gave us the words.

Take, for instance, the word favor. My Merriam Webster dictionary defines favor as: Friendly regard shown toward another, esp. a superior toward an inferior. "Approving consideration or attention." But when I look at the definition for favor in my American Dictionary of the English Language composed in 1828, I see a definition for the word, favor that is almost a page long and details favor as "kind regard, support, defense, vindication, lenity, (to pardon the guilty is a favor, to punish them is an act of justice.) mildness or litigation of punishment. A gift or present." I've summarized.

So, what does it mean that we are saved by grace, through faith? What did it mean that those who experienced Jesus' favor while He walked the earth received immediate "salvation" and not a promise for a future deliverance from whatever they were suffering from? Why did grace look different then than it does now? Or have we just perceived it differently? And if we have perceived it differently, how should we understand that we are saved by grace through faith?

Robert Shankle has started a new blog where he promises to teach us about grace. This is the link to his blog: http://robertshankle.blogspot.com/

Next blog, I will go into more detail about what it means that God influences our heart.

What On Earth Would This World Think?

2010-05-30T15:42:00.000-07:00

Luke 15:11-12, 17-20

11 Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.
17 "When the younger son came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20 So he got up and went to his father.

"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
NIV

Today I went to church at The Way, in Fort Smith. I love the inter-active format there. We had time for praise and worship interspersed with testimony. Then Todd (Pastor) opened the discussion from the word of God. Today's discussion was about love. God is love, God has love for us and God wants us to love as He loves.

At one point, someone brought up the night Judas betrayed Jesus. In John 13:1, we read, "Jesus, knowing that his hour was come that he should leave out of this world to his Father, having loved his own that were in the world, he loved them to the end." One version says, "He showed them the full extent of His love."

Todd brought out how Jesus must have felt, to wash the feet of Judas, knowing Judas was going to betray Him, yet He bowed before him and washed his feet. The superior bowed before the inferior and washed him. It is a powerful thought—so powerful I haven't been able to forget it. In fact, it has caused my mind to roll continually with thoughts of God's generous love for us.

Jesus has the Father's heart. He said more than once, "The Father does the works." And, "I only speak what I hear from my Father." The writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus was the perfect reflection of His Father, God (Hebrews 1:3).

So, while I know God and Jesus magnify all we think is love, I think, while knelt before Judas, Jesus must have loved him just as surely as we love our children—even when they don't love us back. Even when they choose a way that is so different from what we have taught them. Even when they go against every bit of wisdom we've offered them. Even when they not only don't honor us, but in fact, dishonor us with their choices, words and actions. Even then, we love them. We kneel down (humble ourselves) and love them even in their dirty places—because that is what love does—that's what love looks like. Heidi Baker says, "Love looks like something." Yeah—love looks like Jesus on the night Judas betrayed Him.

And that was the beginning of the avalanche of thoughts. Because, if that is what love looks like, that is how He wants us to be with one another, isn't it? And if this is what love looks like, this is how we should be with the world around us, shouldn't we?

What would the world think if they saw us love one another this way? What would the world think if they witnessed Christians loving one another even in the dirty places? What would the world think—and how would they respond to love such as that? What depth could the Church grow to if we loved one another like Jesus loved Judas? What would the world think if we loved them enough to wash their dirty places—even while knowing they could betray us and not repent for it?

What on earth would this world think if we loved like Jesus loved?

Thoughts and Prayers for Isabella Joy

2009-12-24T10:04:00.000-08:00

Less than one month—and you will depart the warmth and comfort of your mama's womb and enter the world rich with activity and noise and love. You will leave the place where you began in love and where most of what you heard was your mama's heartbeat and voice –to hands clamoring to hold you and everyone's different idea of what you want, need or – yes – what you should do and be. Pressure. Such pressure for a tiny one!

So, my prayer for you, little girl of my Little Girl, is that you enjoy the time remaining in the peace of your mama's womb. God has said He knit you together while there. Beginning with—did you know—your hearing muscle? That is the first part of the human body that forms in the womb after conception—the hearing muscle. Isn't that interesting, Isabella? (I wonder if you, dear child, will enjoy my many bits of trivial information or if I will bore you with it? Time will tell.) The hearing muscle is the first thing to form and usually the last thing to stop living when the body dies. God intends us to hear. So, I pray for you, my baby girl, to have ears to hear what God says and the heart to follow fully after Him when you do—unafraid and unashamed. Not everyone will appreciate that prayer, but I pray it nonetheless.

Science also tells us that if we could take a mold of the shape of our inner ear, it is the exact same shape we are while in the second trimester while growing in our mother's womb. We are born to hear. Samuel's name means to hear with the intent to follow. I pray this same thing for him.

God says in His word, "before I formed you in your mother's womb, I knew you." I also pray that you never forget His voice and that you remain forever in tune with Him, just as you will be with your mama and daddy. May He speak mysteries to you, Isabella. May He speak mysteries and allow you to share His wisdom with the world around you — that the world around you may know Him too. God has said, "It is the glory (character and nature) of God to hide a matter and it is the glory (character and nature) of royalty to find it." He built us to find the mysteries He has hidden, Isabella. How exciting our God is! How fun!

I believe one of the mysteries He has hidden (but I found it!) is that the first thing He knits together while we are in the womb is the hearing muscle—so that we continue to hear Him as we did when He knew us before He placed us in our mother's womb.

God bless you little one. I love you.
Nina

Why I See Christmas in Numbers 21 (Part 2)

2009-12-17T07:37:00.001-08:00

We are talking about how we can see the purpose of Christmas in the Old Testament story of Israel's rejection of the manna God rained down from heaven for them to eat. I would like to note that the manna came early in the morning, while the people still slept. The dew came first so the manna did not connect with the earth that was cursed because of the fall of mankind. The dew came down and then the manna rested on the dew. Biblically speaking, dew is representative of God's favor and blessing. So, instead of food from the earth which is cursed, the manna rested on the opposite of cursed—favor and blessing.

But Israel complained about the manna. They called it light bread and said their souls loathed it. Then poisonous serpents—common to the area—began to bite them. The serpents had never bitten anyone before, so apparently a door was opened—a shield came down through the complaining—and allowed the venomous snakes to do what snakes naturally do.

When people began to drop dead from the serpents' bite, they asked Moses to intercede for them. He did, and God gave him the cure. Now pay attention, we are about to celebrate Christmas.

When we spell out the word serpent in the Hebrew we can see a picture developing. The Hebrew alphabet is amazing in that it also contains their numerical system and each letter paints a prophetic picture.

From right to left the first letter in the word serpent is nun. The ancient Hebrew pictograph of the letter nun is a seed. It has the meaning of continuation, progeny, and heirship. The modern Hebrew picture of nun is a fish—which is where the Christian fish symbol comes from. This fish symbol connotes the meaning of believer. This makes perfect sense because those who believe on Jesus become sons (children, progeny) of God (John 1:12). Before the fall—before Adam took the word of the serpent over the word of God—God called Adam a son (Lk 1:38).

The letter nun has the numerical value of fifty, which has a theme of freedom. The year of Jubilee is the fiftieth year and slaves are set free, debts canceled and property returns to its original owners.

The second letter of the word serpent is chet. The ancient Hebrew pictograph of this letter is a tent wall. It is what separated the female side of the tent from the male side. It was a wall of division. The modern picture of the letter chet is a fence. Both signify separation and/or division.

It is significant to me that the doorposts in Goshen (believers) had to have blood applied to the lintel (above the door) and each doorpost, which forms the letter chet if you write it out. I haven't figured out how to do that in the blog world yet. Only the doorways with the blood applied were protected from the death angel. That is why most modern Jews consider the chet the sign of life and often wear it as jewelry. The blood of the lamb on those doorposts left all Israel alive. The picture of the door or fence brought the realization of separation to a new light.

The numerical value for chet is eight, which has a theme of new beginnings. Eight people were in Noah's ark to begin new life in the earth after the flood. On the eighth day after birth, a male child (Hebrew) enters into covenant with God and is given his Hebrew name—which is kept secret until that time (tradition).

The last letter of the word serpent is the shin. Interestingly, the ancient and modern picture of shin is tooth/teeth. It is drawn as two front teeth in the ancient pictographs, representing peace and protection from the devourer. Shin represents the Guardian of Peace and one of the names God chose to reveal Himself to Abraham—Shaddai—the provider and sustainer of life. Starting to see a theme here? If you look at the shin it seems to signify a flame as it looks like flames leaping upward. The Jewish mystical tradition of the spiritual essence of shin is fire and flames. Though the two pictures seem diverse, they aren't. Teeth are used to devour and fire devours too.

The numerical value of shin is three hundred. Gideon attacked the Midianites with only three hundred men armed with flaming torches in one hand and swords in another. Samson burned the fields of his enemies by releasing three hundred foxes with torches tied to their tails. And I am reminded of the story of the Holy Spirit coming to reside with believers and people saw tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.

I see vividly the story of the fall in the Hebrew writing of the word serpent. The serpent is the fence between the believer and God—the source of separation and division.

But God gave Moses the solution to the serpent problem. He told Moses to make a serpent of bronze. In the biblical world, bronze is representative of judgment. God told Moses to place the bronze serpent on the rod and lift it up so all could see it. Those who were bitten by the serpent need only to look upon the bronze serpent to live. The serpent was judged and the people were healed and regained the life the serpent stole.

Now I want you to know that in Hebrew writing that the word bronze is the exact same word as the word serpent except one letter has been added to the word. The letter tav is added to the word serpent to make it a bronze serpent. The ancient Hebrew pictograph of the tav is a cross. When the cross is added to the serpent it represents the serpent has been judged. The serpent is rendered powerless. To all who look upon the cross in belief—the serpent cannot harm.

Jesus said, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so the Son of Man must be lifted up. Whoever believes in Him (Son of Man) will have eternal life. God loves all humanity in the world so much that He sent His only Son to liberate them from the curse in the world because of sin. Whoever believes in this Son that God has sent is no longer cursed or condemned, but set free (John 3:14-18).

Can you see the purpose of Christmas in this story? Can you see, like the manna, coming quietly and in a manner unexpected (what is it?), the Savior of the world came as a child in the wee hours? Jesus said, "I am the bread sent from Heaven, for the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. (John 6:33-41). Jesus came to give us the life God intended for us to have. We cannot attain that life any other way. All the health food in the store will not give us that quality of life. All the organic supplements and all the prescription meds and all the physicians of the world—are lacking compared to what Jesus accomplished by coming to the earth and being lifted up to take the judgment and curse that was in the world because of sin. Now that is a Christmas story!

To sum up a few points I gained from this study:

Believers are considered (by God) to be children of God—with all the rights and privileges of heirship. (John 1:12-13).
Slaves are set free, debts are released and property is returned to the original owners. Jesus represented to us how mankind was intended to live—far above principalities and powers, sickness and disease, evil of every kind—and as He was leaving, He said, "As my Father sent me, so I send you." (John 20:21).
Christmas is about family. God called Adam His son. When Adam turned away from what God said as truth and honorable—like the prodigal son in the parable Jesus told—God did not write him off, but rather waited for him to realize his "missing the mark," (which is what sin is) and sent Jesus to show us all the way back to being the family of God. We all descend from Adam. The Bible calls Jesus the last Adam, because He came to show us the way back home—to the heart of God.

The Angels said it best, "Peace on earth and (God's) goodwill toward mankind." Merry Christmas to all and may the light of the world shine brightly in each heart.

Why I See Christmas in Numbers 21 (Part 1)

2009-12-16T12:18:00.000-08:00

During their wilderness travels, Israel became discouraged and they began to complain about God and Moses. They said, "Why have you brought us from Egypt to die in this wilderness? There is no bread. There is no water. And our soul loathes this light bread (speaking of the manna God provided for them each day)."

And this story makes me think of Christmas. "What?" You say. "How can this story remind you of Christmas? There is no manger. There is no star. There is no Savior of the world." Oh contraire. It has everything to do with the reason of Christmas and gives us a tremendous visual of our Savior. Will you allow me minutes of a few days before Christmas to share with you this version of the Christmas story?

The people are complaining. The economy is tough. They want steak and ale and all they have is water that comes from a rock when Moses talks to it and a food they don't recognize and call "what is it?" That's what the word manna means, "what is it?". They said their soul (mind, will, emotions—intellect) loathed the manna. So, let's talk about Manna for a few moments.

In Psalm 78, Asaph highlights the 40 year trek Israel took in the wilderness. He says, "He (God) split the rocks in the desert and gave them water as abundant as the seas." And, "He (God) rained down manna for them to eat and gave them the grain of heaven. Men ate the bread of angels." (Ps 78:15, 24-25). Psalm 105 states that there was none feeble among them (Israel). Moses, talking for the Lord, states, "In these forty years He has led you, your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell. He fed you on manna to teach you that man does not live by bread alone, but from every word that proceeds from God's mouth you may live (implied)." (Dt 8:3-4). And then Jesus, Himself, said to those who would hear, "I am the bread come down from Heaven." (Jn 6:41).

This is the bread—the light (something light in value or position) bread—their soul loathed was a picture of Jesus as provider and sustainer of life. But the story gets better, stay with me.

When they said, "Our soul loathes this light bread.", fiery snakes—which by the way are common in the wilderness—began to bite the complainers. The snakes were always there—but until the people complained, they didn't bite anyone. They were poisonous snakes whose venom was like fire.—but they didn't touch Israel until they spoke against God. Complaining opens a door for serpents to attack. Brings a new realization of that verse that says, "Life and death are in the power of the tongue," doesn't it? There are serpents in the world around us, but we are protected as long as we remain in agreement with God's word and way.

Tomorrow we will examine the Hebrew word for serpent to understand this story and the story of Christmas better. Hope to see you here.

Portraits of God

2009-11-09T10:37:00.000-08:00

My latest painting work in progress, titled simply, "I AM," immerses me in worship each time I pick up a paint brush and draw crude pictographs (hieroglyphics) representing the ancient Hebrew perception of the entity we call God. Though we have manuscripts more ancient than the writings of Moses—few have given us the visual the ancient Hebrews did through their writings of a God—a Supreme Being that cares for people so deeply and passionately that He would come and take the suffering, shame and horror that humanity had coming because our father, Adam, brought sin into the earth.

This is the God I worship. He is the God I cling to in adoration. No other God died for humanity—no other God/prophet/leader took what sin required—all the way to the grave reserved for sinners and then rose again from that grave to prove there is more and that more is given to those who believe. The only requirement left for us is to believe. Once we believe, we receive the right to become the children of God (Jn 1:12). After we receive the right to become children of God, we want to know what that means. I did/do.

Ergo, my search in the ancient Hebrew Scriptures. God chose to reveal Himself to and through the ancient Hebrew people, so I consider it wisdom to find what He revealed. I still study the names by which He revealed many aspects of his nature and character. That is what the "I AM" painting is about. He said about Himself—"I Am the Lord who heals you." That name is Jehovah Rapha. He says He is the Lord who makes us holy (Ex 31:13)—it is by nothing we do on our own—He makes us holy. That name is Jehovah Qadash. There are others—many others—and by these names, we begin to know Him—the nature and character of the one true God. And so I want to know Him more by those names.

The most interesting thing about "I AM" to me, is that when He reveals to Moses, "I AM that I AM (Ex 3:14), He says, "This is my name forever." The most literal translation from the ancient Hebrew text is: I Am He Who will be—the Coming One (Bullinger).

And so today, as I put away my paints and brushes and pick up my routine work—my Monday through Friday activities—I first pick up my source for strength and encouragement (Bible) and look again at what God says about my life and the world I live in.

In Zechariah 1:7-17, the first vision comes to Zechariah the prophet. In the vision it is night. Nighttime is more frightening than the day because there is so much we can't see. In this vision, the prophet sees a man who rode a red horse and stood among the myrtle trees. Later (verse 11), the prophet describes this man as the Angel of the Lord—a designation given for the One who would come and carry the sins of the world.

This One stands among the myrtle trees in the bottom—or more literally—in the deep. It is generally agreed that the myrtles represent Israel—not the proud cedar or spreading oak—but the low growing and yet fragrant myrtle. For the most part, growing in the valleys—the myrtle is out of the world's gaze. And yet, it is with the lowly that the One true God seems most at home with and certainly drawn to. The myrtles, which the Angel of the Lord is seen with are growing in the bottom—literally sinking in the water. It would seem this state of Israel could not go lower or be less esteemed.

A remnant returned to Jerusalem after the seventy year Babylonian captivity. Not many desired to return to the burned out mess that Jerusalem was after the Babylonians razed it and then burned it so that there was no hint of the brilliant city of the great king left in it. Those straggling few who returned fell into depression and inactivity because of persecution. The vision given to Zechariah symbolized the Lord's attention—He knew where they were, how they were and what they needed. And more importantly to me—He was there. The Angel of Jehovah, the second Person in the Trinity, in His love redeemed and carried them (Is 63:9)—and now, He is among them, in fulfillment of His word, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you and the rivers shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, they will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior (Is 43:2-3)." And didn't He prove it? When Daniel's friends were in the fire—He was there with them—and the fire did not set them ablaze.

And so as I read about Him—I realize how much He deserves our praise and adoration. His faithfulness surpasses anything we've seen or understood before. His love is everlasting—this is not just something He has said, but it is what His character has revealed.

The desire of my heart is to paint His portrait so beautifully, that you will leave encouraged and strengthened. The reality is—He never leaves us nor forsakes us. He is our constant companion and help. He understands where we are and is not satisfied leaving us there. Oh yes, He is beautiful, and He is worthy of all our worship. Blessed are all who know Him—who really know Him.

Aiyn

2009-10-22T10:55:00.001-07:00

About a month ago, it became year 5770 (Hebrew calendar). It is the year Aiyn—which is the Hebrew letter representing 70. Let me tell you a little something about Aiyn.

Ayin is formed from two Hebrew letters—the zayin on the left which is attached to an enlarged yod on the right. The ancient Hebrew people wrote this letter as an eye, which is significant for this year. The zayin—drawn in ancient Hebrew as a mattock—now represents a weapon—represents the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. The yod—the Hebrew letter that hovers above the line—represents the Spirit of God. Combined, they allow us to see as God wants us to see. This is the year of the open eyes that see as we have not seen before.

Zayin has the numeric value of 7 and yod has the numeric value of 10—when multiplied they equal the numeric value of 70 which is the numeric value of aiyn. This is a new season—a new decade. The prophets say this is the decade of the eyes opened by God's Word and focused by His Spirit. We will see people differently. We will see circumstances differently. We will see as God designed us to see—finally. Amen. May it be so to me.

What Will Our Prayers Accomplish?

2009-09-04T12:38:00.000-07:00

One day, a young Peter Joshua decided not to go to school, but to go fishing instead. He sneaked off the road to the school onto a familiar and well-worn path to his favorite fishing hole. While leaned back waiting for fish to take his bait, Peter heard his father, Seth Joshua, praying as he came down the path Peter had taken to the fishing spot. Peter ran and hid behind some bushes and watched his father plead with God. Seth's prayer was simple, but heartfelt, "Give me Wales, God. Please give me Wales."

Later, Peter confided to his mother, "I heard father praying one morning and he cried and begged God, 'Give me Wales, God. Give me Wales.' What does that mean, mother?" His mother replied that one day he would understand.

Of course, that was one hundred years ago, and now we know the importance of those prayers. In 1909 the Welsh Revival came and thousands were saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit. It doesn't take great intelligence to reach God. It doesn't take muscle or grandeur or anything special to connect with God in prayer. It only requires a heart connection—your heart to His heart and a true desire for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

As I meditate on the prayers I've prayed for the twenty years I've known the Lord, I realize how wonderfully God has affected my life because of my prayers. I began praying for the sons my daughters would give me through their marriages almost twenty years ago—long before either of my daughters met and married their husbands. I prayed for them like they were my own sons—because in my heart they were and are.

The first son God gave me was Jason. What a son! Jason brought us faithfulness and constancy. He is still teaching us that love never stops. What a joy to have him as my son! Then God gave us Thomas. He has brought so much peace to our family. He has given us structure and calm. My son Thomas is a gift straight from the heart of God. Recently, God gave us Giuseppe. He has brought to our family animation and energy. He gives us spontaneity and affection that is beautiful. God gifts brought by simple prayers.

Would God have given us these sons if I had not prayed? Probably. But the fact that I did pray for them, makes me aware of God's presence and working in their lives and in the lives of their families. Whether we see the manifest presence of God there or not—we know—because we prayed.

In the last two or three years, I've heard a lot of the prophets speaking about more angelic interaction on the earth. Interesting. Because for years I have prayed that God would give His angels charge concerning my family and me—listing all of us name by name. And I know He does. I know there will come a day—if that day has not already come—that my children and their children will encounter angels and those angels will have been sent by God—because of my prayers.

God is not a respecter of people (Acts 10:34). If He will give Wales to Seth Joshua and those who prayed with him—He gives angels to my beloved. Because that is who God is. Aren't we glad?

Thoughts on St. Patrick

2009-03-17T13:38:00.000-07:00

Perhaps because I am Irish—or at least partly so—I have been thinking of St. Patrick today. Not the pinching and the need for green—as most have made of it, but the spirit of St. Patrick.

Patrick was born in the late 300's. His dad was a deacon in the church where he grew up in Scotland. When he was sixteen, Ireland invaded Scotland and Patrick was taken as a slave to Ireland. Can you imagine the grief of his parents? Can you imagine his own despair?

He'd not really followed God in his growing up years. I think of how that knowledge affected his parents when he was dragged off. If only they could have had the solace that he walked with God no matter where he went or what he experienced. While a slave in Ireland, Patrick was assigned duty as a shepherd. His many hours alone in the field with the sheep gave him time to reflect on his upbringing and time to seek the God of his father, which he did.

One day an angel of the Lord appeared to him and he gave his life to Jesus. Later, God gave him a series of supernatural dreams. One such dream gave him the strategy to escape Ireland—which he followed successfully. He escaped to Britain and began studies for the priesthood. During that time, the Lord met him in another dream. He said, "I want you to return to Ireland—not as a slave—but as My minister to take Jesus to them." Patrick obeyed.

We can attribute the three leaf clover as Ireland's national emblem to Patrick. He used it to teach people about the Trinity.

I think again of his parents. How delighted they would be to know that their son not only came to know God but that he served him well all the days of his adult life. It proves to me that no matter what, we parents who love God and pray for our children have nothing to worry about. God can reach them no matter how far or by what means they leave our nest. God is good. St. Patrick reminds us of that goodness.

Choosing to Honor

2009-02-10T12:37:00.000-08:00

Matthew 26:53-54—"Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? How then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen this way?"

During the hours before this, Jesus was in the garden praying. He repeatedly told God He didn't want to "drink the cup" that the world deserved to drink. Yet, each prayer ended with, "Nonetheless, Your will be done." Jesus submitted His will fully to the Father He trusts. He laid His life down not only because God so loved the world, but also because Jesus so loved and honored His Father. Up to the moment He breathed His last breath, Jesus had the opportunity and the right to change His mind—to change His will—and God would have sent legions of angels to minister to Him.

That makes me think about every moment of my every day—how I must understand that every decision is about whether or not I want to honor God or myself. Do my words fulfill what He has said? Do my motives reflect His love for mankind? Do my actions, attitude and speech declare to the world around me God's intended peace on earth and good will toward humanity? Because that is what Jesus accomplished when He submitted His will to the Father.

We are told that God's purpose for each of us is that we be conformed (patterned after) the image and likeness of His dear Son (Jesus). Seems to me, that conformation would begin with honor. We honor God because He is worthy of all honor. And yet—do we? Do we honor God? I am learning something about honor that I didn't know until today.

We see honor displayed in many ways in today's society. We honor movie stars with their posed pictures all over the newsstand and airways. We honor heroes with parades and salutes. We honor our country with songs of allegiance. But is that what God means for us to do when He says we must honor Him above all and honor our mother and father? I have been asking God about this for a few years now. "What do you mean by honor your father and mother? How is an adult child supposed to honor their father and mother?" It seems easy for me to honor God—because He is wonderful—the perfect parent—but as an adult how do I honor my parents? I read in one book that said the best way for an adult child to honor their parents was to live a life that brought them honor. I have tried to do that. I have tried to live my life so that it brings God honor—if He is honored, I think my parents would be too.

God gave Israel the ten commandments on two tablets of stone. The first stone has the five commandments concerning man's relationship with God. The second stone and correspondent set of five commands pertain to relationships among people. The first commandment on the first stone has to do with honoring God—the first commandment on the second stone has to do with honoring parents. The two correspond. He says to Israel: "I Am the Lord your God. I brought you out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. Because of that, I Am the only God you must honor and serve. There is no other." Likewise, we are to honor our parents—they are the only parents we will ever have. They are the parents He has given us. We should honor them as such.

Whether we understand their ways or not—we are to honor them. There are no loop holes to slip through here. The text is explicit. Even if our parents are not by definition "honorable," the command is there—He gives us no excuse not to honor our parents. The reason is clear to me. If we can't honor the parents we see, how can we honor the God we cannot see? Often we may not understand all of God's ways (Isaiah 55:9), but because He is God and because we are not—we must honor Him. In doing so, we eventually grow to understand more of His ways and are blessed in the process.

God has said that He placed each of us into our mother's womb. That means He chose the mother we have. Whether she was a good mother or not. Whether she chose to keep you or give you away—God chose her womb to knit you together (Psalm 139). God has said He knew us before He placed us in our mother's womb (Jeremiah 1:5). It sounds like it was a deliberate action on God's part in choosing our mother (by implication—parents). I can name several reasons this makes sense to me. Perhaps the DNA mix is what he wanted to accomplish. Perhaps he saw what those parents could and would be with His influence in their hearts—and that would have been the optimal experience for the child He designed in that womb. I don't believe He placed anyone in a womb with the intent to see that person suffer abuse and neglect. I don't believe cruelty was God's intention for anyone. But because we have a will—we all choose from moment to moment to either honor God with our attitudes and actions or we can choose not to. Some got parents who chose not to do things God's way—and sometimes that resulted in cruelty to the child. But that does not mean it was God's intent for that child.

What we do with the precious child God placed in our womb—is an act of honoring God or not. Period. How we value that little life He has given us depends on how we value Him and His influence in our lives. I believe one reason the religious Jewish people are the most prosperous and successful people on the earth (per capita) is because they are taught to honor God. Because of that supreme honor—they honor His gift of children and so they bless their children and teach their children with love and grace to honor the gift of life God has given them. And yet, if they were not good parents—there is no stipulation given that excuses not honoring our parents. The command is the same for all.

Jesus lives out that example vividly. Let me show you some things about Jesus' Father He chose to honor:

"It was the Lord's will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer . . . " (Isaiah 53:10).
"For they have persecuted Him whom You Yourself has smitten, and they tell of the pain of those whom You have wounded." (Ps 69:26)
"He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?" (Rom 8:32)

Jesus honored His Father because He knew the Father's heart well enough to know why it was His will to crush Him. He understood why it pleased God for Him to suffer—because it would spare the multitude. Jesus' life was the price to pay for the ransom of our souls. This is why God wanted Him crushed. The wrath because of sin was poured out on that perfect sinless being who laid down His life to honor the Father He adored.

I have not honored my parents so vividly. Quite the contrary; in comparison to Jesus, I have not honored my parents at all. Today I repented to God for not honoring my parents in the way I should. Perhaps my parents can forgive me as well.

Grace Reigns

2009-01-08T10:06:00.000-08:00

Grace Reigns

Before the elections, I heard it, you heard it, we all heard it. Christians all over the U.S. received the emails threatening that Obama is the Anti-Christ. He is evil. Wicked. He will lead our country down a dark and dreary path to a fiery hell. I don't know if these emails were started by Christians or not, but they were certainly promulgated by them. Some of them were so far-fetched it was embarrassing to me that someone calling themselves "Christian" could send it. Do you know, they are still going around?

I chose not to vote for Obama as president, not because of the email threats, but because of his voting record in several issues. I didn't prefer the other candidate—I settled for the other candidate--because his voting record on the issues that most concerned me was more reflective of my conscience.

But now Obama is the new President Elect. He will begin serving the U. S. in a few days. So, what are Christians to do? How are we supposed to react to and think about this new leader of our country? Pray. The Bible is explicit—we are to pray for those in authority over us that we may lead quiet and tranquil lives (1 Timothy 2:2) . That is God's word, not mine, but I certainly agree with and submit to it. We need to pray for the President on down to our local government officials.

I suggest we pray for grace to reign over our leaders and over us as a nation. Paul said, in Romans 5:21, that grace reigns in righteousness. I know some would claim that sloppy grace is the reason we have the mess we have now, but I would argue that point. Grace is not favor as some believe favor to be. We have been told for so many years that grace means "favor". In today's language, favor means one getting preferential treatment. But that is not what the biblical meaning of grace is. The biblical meaning of grace is hundreds of years old as was the definiton of "favor". What grace means is influence to the point of changing the life of the individual grace reigns in. Particularly, God's influence in our heart so our lives are changed, and that change is evident to people who knew us before. That is the biblical grace mentioned more than one hundred times in the Bible.

So, instead of bad-mouthing our leaders, I suggest—no, I plead—we pray for them. I suggest we pray for grace to reign over them and our nation. I will be praying that way. I pray grace affects the hearts of each of our leaders from President Obama, his family and cabinet, to all our Congress and Senate to our local governments from Governor to mayor to police and fire departments. I pray that God come in and influence each heart so that the changes He wants to make in our nation be effected and reflected to the world what God can and will do when people pray. I pray for God to give our leaders His wisdom to lead our nation out of this mess and into the goodness of God for each family. I pray that through this intervention the world will witness the goodness of God and in seeing that will come to repentance and draw near to Him.

We can send out destructive and useless hate mail—condemning a man who has been elected to lead us. Or we can pray for this man and choose to honor him as the one God has allowed to be in this place at this time. That is what Daniel did. Daniel chose to honor God and in honoring God, he honored the King ruling over him. Look what God did for Daniel. Look what God did for the kings Daniel served.

Governments change, but God remains the same yesterday, today and forever. If we will pray—and if we will honor those God has put in the position they are in (John 19:11) because God said to, then we can again enjoy quiet and tranquil lives. Wouldn't that be nice? Wouldn't it be good to not be in a war? Wouldn't it be nice not to see so much destruction in our nation as we do now?

Pray, Church, pray! Pray for grace to reign.

A Serpent's Bite or Bread of LIfe?

2008-04-25T10:13:00.000-07:00

Num 21:4-6
4 Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way.
5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses: "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread."
6 So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.
(NKJ)

I am using the NKJ version of the Bible to reflect that it is the souls of the people that loathe the manna. The impatient (discouraged) people of Israel called the food God sent from Heaven, "miserable food." This miserable food they called it--the KJV translates it as "this light bread" and the NASB translates it as "miserable food". The meaning is the bread from heaven was lightly esteemed, contemptible, worthless, little valued and unsatisfactory. In other words, Israel didn't see the bread from Heaven as providing all they needed or wanted. They didn't see the bread from Heaven as giving them the life they thought God was supposed to give them. It did not satisfy them. It wasn't enough. They saw it as the bread that was unsatisfactory or worthless.

When studying this, I am mindful that during the 40 years Israel ate this "miserable food" their feet did not swell and there was none feeble (sick) among them (Ps 105:37). The word feeble here signifies weakness, or failing (falling) because of weakness--lack of strength. We know it doesn't mean failing here because Israel failed over and again, so it signifies a physical weakness or lack of strength.

This "miserable food" kept them free from sickness and disease. It was food that descended daily from Heaven and is a type of Christ (John 6:48-50). Jesus said, "I am the bread of life … This is the bread which comes from Heaven that you may eat of it and not die."

It is recorded in this passage of numbers that because the people loathed the gift of God--the form of provision--serpents began to attack them and many died. They loathed--or lightly esteemed--the bread sent to keep them healthy and their healthy bodies died in the wilderness (place of unbelief and trial) because of the serpent's venom. Now, I want to note, that the serpents were not foreign to the wilderness, they were a normal part of it. Serpents are native to the wilderness and dessert. However, prior to the souls of Israel loathing the bread from heaven--they either were not bitten or if they were it did not affect their health. This is important for us to understand and believe for us to receive all Jesus came to do for us.

The cure for the serpent's bite was for Moses to lift a bronze serpent on a pole and for the people to look on it. The bronze of the serpent represents judgment. The serpent itself represents something cursed, and the pole signifies the cross of Christ. Viewing the cursed on the pole would give (or give back) life. Do we view Jesus as being the cursed for us? Do we view Him as taking all that brought the curse of sickness, disease, poverty, or any other curse? Do we view Him as He viewed Himself—as the Bread which came down from Heaven? Can we see ourselves as He paid for us to be—whole, healthy and delivered from all sin brought into the world?

Jesus said, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him shall have eternal life. (John 3:14-15). Do we see ourselves as having the kind of life Jesus has? Or do we merely exist, hoping for a better day in the sweet by and by? Israel did not have shoes that did not wear out in heaven—they had them while here on the earth. They didn't have "none feeble among them" in the sweet by and by but in the here and now on the earth—in the wilderness, no less.

Why did Jesus typify Himself with a serpent on a pole? The pole represents the tree--the cross beam--that all who hang on a tree were accursed (Genesis 21:22-23). The serpent represents one who is cursed. Jesus hung on the cross absorbing all our sins and all the curses that came upon mankind because of sin. Jesus bore all our curses so we could be as He is (1Jn 4:17). Jesus became a picture of a cursed creature so we could become the picture of a child (beloved) of God.

All we believe about ourselves (inner man—mind, will, intellect, heart) that is representative of the cursed, Jesus took on the cross. Because of His work on the cross we can see ourselves differently. Remember, it was the "soul of the people" that loathed the manna. It was the soul (inner person-mind, will, intellect, heart) of the people who longed for something else--more specifically what they'd had while in bondage. It was the soul of the people that led them to speak evil against Moses and God. They saw themselves (inner man--mind, will, intellect, heart) as deprived--lacking. They saw not the health and vitality God had provided for them but they saw lack of substance (meat). And that inner view gave entrance for the serpents to attack them. The serpents were already in the wilderness, just as Satan is already here in the earth we dwell in, but the serpents had no power over them until they allowed their souls to become impatient/discouraged and then their mouths followed their souls--speaking what was abundant in their heart (inner man). See Matthew 12:34 and Matthew 15:18. I see a definite connection with what is in our hearts coming out of our mouth—and even more—what comes out of our mouth influencing the life we live in the earth.

The depiction of a bronze serpent was significant because it was an "image" or "likeness" of the cursed. Jesus became the image or likeness of the cursed to pay the way for us to become the image or likeness of God's dear Son! Bronze represents judgment. Jesus took the judgment of guilt we had coming to us so we are free from judgment. All of the wrath of God toward sinful mankind was poured out on Jesus (Isaiah 53:10). Will we allow our souls to be renewed to believe that? Or will we, as Israel did, grow impatient and discouraged and want what substance the world understands? The glory of having a will is we can choose this day (and every day) blessing or cursing—life or death. I choose life. I choose the life Jesus died for me to have. What will you choose?

Overcoming the Shame of Nakedness

2008-01-05T09:05:00.000-08:00

Before the fall, Adam and Eve enjoyed constant face to face communion and unification with God, Creator of all. The more they communed with God, the more they saw themselves as being like God. They were naked before the fall, but they did not experience shame. Why? I believe it is because they didn’t recognize their nakedness because they were covered (crowned – Psalm eight) with God’s glory. God’s glory, being God’s nature, the essence of who and how God is. The more God spoke to them, they more they identified with God’s image and nature and the more God’s glory came into the Garden, the more it covered them. Only when they turned away from God by inclining their ear toward the serpent, did they realize their nakedness. Their shame was not in being naked – they’d always been naked – their shame was in SEEING their nakedness (recognizing, comprehending, being exposed as mere creations of God rather than children of Him). God’s glory no longer covered them. His nature (essence) came with His presence. Their shame was they didn’t anticipate losing their covering when they turned away from God.

The more we are in His presence, the more He covers us. The more He covers us, the more we see His influence in and around us (grace and favor). The more we experience Him face to face, the less we see of us and the less we realize our nakedness. It only makes sense to me that the more we are in His presence by communion and unification by relationship, the less we will see our nakedness and all that nakedness brings. Inferiority. Lack. Inadequacy. The more we are in His presence, the more we will experience and live out of His glory. His nature and essence will cover and surround us (wings and pinions- Psalm 91). Sickness and disease came along with death as a result of sin. But in the presence of God, sickness and disease have no power. Everything bows to God. Everything. Because of the work Jesus did in taking our sin and shame, and giving us His blood to not just cover, but to redeem, reconcile and restore us to the position and relationship Adam and Eve had before the fall, our nakedness can again be covered (crowned) with His glory and the world (those without the understanding and relationship Jesus paid the price for us to have) that so desperately needs to see God’s glory will be able to see it in and on us.

The Church celebrates your goodness, O God! Your Church gratefully comes into Your presence and celebrates Your goodness to allow – even invite us here. And Your Bride adores her Bridegroom. Amen.

World Hunger Satisfied

2008-01-04T12:09:00.000-08:00

I told my husband recently that I was so hungry for more of God and what He has promised the Church would be and do. I actually ache to experience the ability to go about doing good and healing all who are oppressed by the devil either in sickness or in other ways. My husband always looks scared when I say things like that. I think he is afraid I am going to go off the deep end and not ever surface again as the sweet, cheery and serving wife he likes having around. He wasn’t ever fond of the super religious person he was afraid I could become. He doesn’t like her because she disrupts his life. She spends more time talking to God than to him and spontaneously does what she “hears” God saying without asking if it seems right to her husband. That person – that religious person – spends money in ways he doesn’t understand or appreciate. She serves the church more and the home less. She wants to study and pray rather than watch tv. So, when I told him I wanted to go deeper and that I hungered for a richer relationship with God, his eyes got big and his mouth tightened. Tension moved into the room to stay that day. It is getting better though.

But I hunger. Whether or not I tell anyone about it, God knows the hunger in my heart for more of Him. Communion, relationship, unification. Those are the promises for those who are His. A few months ago, He called me to spend a month of taking communion as I studied it. It did deepen my relationship with Him. It made me so aware of what He has done to restore me. It made me grateful for His grace in ways I hadn’t understood before His call to meditate on what His blood and body purchased for me. But still, there was more. I know there is more, and I hunger for it.

The Passover communion – taken on that first Passing over of the death angel in Egypt, spoke loudly of God’s desire for people. The lamb, to be without blemish, a male of the first year, was to be slain for each “house” (family). If the family was too small to be able to eat the whole lamb, they were to share it with another family so that none was wasted. The blood, drained from the perfect lamb was to be painted on the doorposts and lintel of each house. When the angel of death saw the blood, it could not enter the home and could not destroy that family. What a thing to meditate on! Immediately the words of Paul to the Philippian jailer came to mind, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:31). The angel sent to Cornelius, a Roman Centurian, also made this claim to him when he said for him to send for Peter to give him the gospel, “and he shall speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.” (Acts 11:14). The blood saves whole households of those who believe.

After putting the blood of the lamb on the doorposts and lintel of the home, Israel was then to eat the meat of the lamb. H. Clay Trumball wrote in “The Blood Covenant” that “the flesh of the chosen lamb was to be eaten by the Israelites, reverently, as an indication of that inter-communion {with God}.” The eating of the sacrifice became a way to show unification and communion with God. It was as if God Himself had been slain and mankind was allowed to partake of His nature by eating His flesh. Doesn’t that make what Jesus said so much more understandable to us?

John 6:53
53 Jesus therefore said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.
(NAS)

The life Jesus is referring to here is the life God breathed into Adam and made him the image and likeness of God. It is the life that went away (you shall surely die) when Adam sinned by eating the fruit God told him not to eat. This is the life that Jesus offered to those who eat His flesh and drink His blood. Only those who do so can have the life He offered. Only those who understand and partake of His flesh and His blood can partake of His nature. Do you hunger for His nature? I do. I want the more, or the greater He promised to those who believes (Jn 14:12). I believe. I believe. To the world and the worldly, it is silly, but I believe. But will it be silly to them when I am filled and I spill out this life onto them? They are hungry, do you see it as I do? They are so hungry for something or someone bigger and better than themselves to hope in. They are starving for God, they just don’t know what to call it. I feel it is my responsibility to fill up on Him and then take Him to the world around me. How can I do less, if I am of His nature? How can I not feed the world if I am of His kind of Spirit (Jn 9:54-55). If I am of His kind of Spirit, I will want to call down love, and all love is and does instead of the fires of judgment and condemnation. I hunger. Oh how I hunger! And I desire to feed the world that I know hungers too. Then I will be in relationship to Him and all He is. Then I will be unified to His Spirit and life.

John 15:4-84 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me.5 "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.8 "By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.(NAS)

I abide in Jesus, Father, fill me. No matter what it looks like to the people around me. No matter how odd I look, sound or seem – fill me. I hunger for the greater. Amen, so be it to me according to Your word of truth. Amen.

The Thing about Faithfulness

2007-05-29T11:39:00.000-07:00

John 20:2-4
2 And so she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him."
3 Peter therefore went forth, and the other disciple, and they were going to the tomb.
4 And the two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter, and came to the tomb first;
(NAS)

I woke early one morning with this thought, “Why was it important for John to note he won the race with Peter to the tomb?”

Was it the competitive spirit that drove both he and Peter? Was it a dig at Peter that he was better? Or, was it, as I suppose it is a spiritual point John wants to make.

He calls himself the disciple Jesus loved. That is important to note. Later, in one of his letters to the church, he says of God, “We love because He first loved us.” During his walk with Jesus, John learned about love. And he got it. He understood the message. That is why he called himself the disciple Jesus loved. He isn’t saying Jesus loved him more than the others. He wasn’t laying claim to being better or special. He was saying what he had revelation of. Jesus loved this disciple. And because He first loved John, John was able to love Jesus.

I find it incredible that the Apostle who was given the privilege in revealing Jesus, the risen Warrior King, was first the disciple Jesus loved. I also notice John was the only one who made it to the cross. All others had scattered when Judas brought officers to arrest Jesus. Peter made it as far as the court of the high priest and then ran away after denying Him. But John followed Jesus all the way to the cross with the women who followed Jesus. And when one of those women came and told him and Peter that Jesus had raised, they raced to the one they both loved. John ran faster. Why?

Could it be that he was not laden with guilt and shame to slow him down? Could it be that his faithfulness put wings on his feet? Is it possible his understanding of God’s love would have allowed him to run that much faster to a forgiving Master even if he had sinned?

When we sin, it is harder to face the one we have sinned against. When we have given our best friend our back, it is hard to give him our face again. We cower away from him. Adam and Eve hid from God who had done nothing less than love them, because of the shame of sin. They would not have had to do that if they’d been faithful. John did not carry shame. The disciple Jesus loved got to the tomb first.

Church Planting - to do or not to do?

2007-01-16T18:29:00.000-08:00

When you think of planting a church, what do you picture?

I have a desire to teach people to love God, love one another and to unite to love the world to Jesus. Sound like many other churches already out there? Who needs another, right?

Well, I think we do need another one. I still see generations who have not heard the gospel or seen it lived before them. I see young adults who are like me when I was their age, never been to church and those that have weren't taught how to have a relationship with God. I want to affect those as I have been affected by people who had relationship with Him who is Love.

Planting a church is not easy. To gather leaders to help you, you have to pull from other churches. That is an idea not easily received by many.

I am praying about this. I want to do what God desires.