Hard Bits

There are areas of the Christ-like life that are not all that hard for me to do (I will think of one in a minute here... well... lets move on... I will get back to this in a minute).  Then there are those that require a slight bit of effort.  Depending on the situation... ahhh... here is one that can be easy, I knew there was an easy one (I think it may be to early to really think)... -don't commit murder- (most of the time anyway, sometimes a little harder, there has been A time or two when I wanted to get very violent towards someone and it was an option I really entertained... like when a guy came at me with a shovel... I also did put my foot through a pickup topper one time because I was so angery.  Don't worry... it wasn't my topper).  Okay back to the topic at hand... a moderate one... ohhh!  I just got another easy one, for me anyway - not to worry about tomorrow- I can handle this one a vast majority of the time maybe even 99+% of the time, a real yawner, no problem...  oh yeah, moderately hard - love your neighbor as yourself, which is closely related to the thought "what credit is it to you to love those that love you".  This one may vary depending how big your sphere of neighbor goes or who qualifies for your list of  being neighbor.  (To ease your wondering and wandering mind, I didn't hurt my foot on the topper.)  Now for a little bit of a harder one (at least for me, I think we all have weaknesses that vary, so one that is easier for me to live out may be harder for you) It comes out of 1Cor 6 and verse 7.  Here Paul is talking about law suits, but it goes along with 1Cor 13 that "love bears all things",  he wrote "Why do ye not rather take wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?".  It is keeping a right attitude and forgiving even though you may never bring the incident up to the other person.  Lets say, someone does or says something wrong to you, my inclination is to avoid withdraw myself from them, internally and/or externally (I think it is a natural self preservation reaction... just staying away from danger).  There are people that we or in this instance I have to deal with that makes forgiving and completely moving on an absolutely necessary thing, like someone you deal with at work constantly or even a spouse (whether they ever know of the offense or not). Then there are those that you go through the same process of forgiveness, but they are "toxic".  They are the type that can "go off" at anytime. (BTW <by the way> the topper was on the ground and not on the pickup.  Although I can physically do a lot, kung fuishness is not one of them.)  This is one area that I am dealing with.  Do I keep my distance to avoid conflict or withdraw only when I see the timer ticking down to avoid the explosion? Or am I required to stay and always work through the coming conflict?  Do I stay away so the explosion goes off with me not there and it is then not my problem?  Do I keep myself back and keep just a less than casual relationship with them?  Again this is one I am working through.  (The topper had been left by the previous owner, so technically it was mine to do as I wanted to and at the time it was a lawn ornament.)  What is it that makes things hard?  Probably the number one issue would be the level of your flesh at the moment.  What to do for the hard bits?  Call on the grace of God!  "Father, HELP! I need your ability NOW!...I take yours and give you mine (see I'll give you $100 U.S. for your $100 of Monopoly money blog).   In the end, with a big hole in it,  the topper was removed and the grass grew better, don't worry about this incident...I was wearing boots at the time and probably happened 20 years ago.... and God has dealt with that anger issue, Hiii YAAAAA!

Just try me...

Psalms 26:2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.
Examine = investigate
Prove=assay, to test like silver and gold to determine the purity level
try= cast, melt, purge away
reins and heart=mind and soul, every bit of me
What David is expressing is for God to do a complete and thorough examination and anything that does not meet up with His standard (Jesus) is to be burned away in a hot fire so that there would be no flaw within himself..  In this day of self worth and if someone were to criticize a flaw it is viewed as an attack on your very self.  You are made special and you are valuable (look at the price paid for you)  I am not in my last few posts and I think one more to come trying to advocate everyone to become exactly like each other but instead lets just get the shovels and sometimes picks (depending on how thick and hard it is) and get the manure out of the stalls.  You and I are being watched more than we know.  I know this may upset a few people  but each one of us has ares that can use some tweaking or even complete destruction (are you ready for the shocking part?) even.............(can I say it) even........me.  I had an incident the other morning in a Lowes parking lot. A man came from the side cutting across the parking rows without looking back to see if anyone (in particular me)was there.
Now this is something I practice when the lot is empty (often early in the morning) but I usually go slower and check a bit more than he did.  He came very close to hitting me and I laid on my horn pretty good (which he did need and deserve).  He parked his truck at one end and I proceeded to park closer to the middle to the other end .  I noticed that he was walking my way as I approached the store.  I got a little concerned but kept going as he was a smaller guy.  As he got near he said, "You didn't have to lay on your horn at me as much as you did."  I was a little shocked... even though there was a slight admission to his guilt he was criticizing my hornmanship.  I remained quiet while I quickly analyzed this...God quietly said "He is right"... "But he cut me off!"...  By this time we were entering the store... I lightly put my hand on the back of his shoulder and said "Your right"  and then we parted going our separate ways.  What was God doing? Grabbing another shovel full or two and cleaning out. Was he wrong in his driving? YES.  Was I right to honk? YES.  Was my attitude right?  No.  This incident was no big deal, but it made an adjustmnet in an attitude that was developed or developing within me.  Three days later an SUV tried to t-bone me (to hit a vehicle on the side with the front of their vehicle) within 50 feet of the last incident.  My reaction?... To swerve and no horn (not even a polite honk).   I was protected and today that is good enough for me.

Tales from the woods

On a different hunting trip to the U.P. of Michigan, than the previously discussed excursion (this time with my two "other brothers", Jon and Dave), we found ourselves a bit bored...  Being bored on a hunting trip is a dangerous thing.  Boredom often requires several elements, when combined can produce an undesirable effect that can impact the course of mankind.  The main ingredients of boredom on an hunting trip are: extra time, cold weather, sharply pointed weapons, bad food and no bagged game (any of which by themselves is not good for the average person but being the quality person that I am ,<we are> the pressure built to effect even me ...<us>).  After one morning of successfully freezing my feet and rear end off and downing a less than adequate breakfast (to restore the frozen bits) I retired to catch up on the missed sleep from the night before during which it had snowed and my small tent was worse than cold.  Upon waking from my nap I decided to take some target practice, as up to that point I had nothing of note to shoot at,  I had passed up shots at several June Bugs (hopelessly lost due to the cold) and the occasional snowflake (basically because I was concerned that the release of the bowstring would snap my frozen fingers off).  By the time I woke up and decided to take some target practice the sun was shining and warming up the air to a balmy10 degrees.  My stirring had apparently woke up Jon and Dave who were also trying to recover (apparently the screaming of others moving frost bitten limbs causes sleeplessness)  and seeing me demonstrate my accurately placed shots at a clump of grass they decided to try and show me up.  Unable to match my marksmanship, as my target would often change clumps according to where my arrow had landed, Dave grew increasingly agitated.  He decided, in his elderly wisdom, to add an equalizer to maybe get back some of his machismo.  He proposed to shoot the arrow upwards to see who could get the closest to the target that was 30-40 yards in front of us.  It was a wonderful twist (with the added benefit of learning to shoot accurately over trees and other hunters to get at the deer) with the arrow almost disappearing before coming back down.  Our accuracy was quickly improving as we shot, so to keep it competitive Dave would move the target closer, 5-10 yards at a time (which would enable us to shoot those wily deer, which would often stand behind a tree in an obvious infraction of true sportsmanship). As the target got closer our ability to follow the arrow near its apex diminished.  On one almost fatal shot Dave lost sight of his arrow... we panicked and scattered, obviously we all still had frozen limbs because there was also no lack of screaming... only to find the arrow about 20 feet behind where we were shooting from!  Needless to say we quit practicing and left that shot for use under real and ideal circumstances (fewer people around and equipped with our army helmets).
A lot of us live lives as close to sinning that we can get... losing our temper repetitively, demanding our own ways, looking at and "considering" the opposite sex, letting our thoughts wander and so on and so on....
"What, I need to change and go in the opposite direction?"...  "You mean I need to live a life of blessing and caring for others instead of cursing them? You don't understand... they are jerks!"
Why do we try to keep as many of our bad habits and attitudes as we can and still get into heaven? Living a life with God is one of change and it is not on His part.  Selfishness is at the center of the old man, keeping your habits and attitudes is an act of selfishness to keep the old man ways.  Blindly shooting and hoping you make it is a surefire way to lose your life... the wrong way!

Getting down to the nitty gritty

Toe stepping time...  Being a christian is not going to church services,  it is not "praying",  reading the Word on a regular basis or even saying "the prayer".   It is the invitation to have God actually come into your life and you partaking His life and Him partaking yours.  There will be change and probably a lot of it.  The longer you claim to be a christian (a little Christ, or Christ like one) the more smooth your "edges" and actions and reactions  should become.  To put it more simple for you all to understand...  if you claim to be a believer and are acting like a bitch and either have not changed out of that mindset or have not pleaded with God to change you or or at a minimum asked Him to show you when you are, so you can apologize to those you were a "B" to, or at least gone to someone close that you can trust, like a spouse and say  "Okay I recognize my short comings and need help.  When I get that way, say the word 'lavender' ." (and may I add. when they say 'lavender' don't take it out on them),  I don't believe that you can be a true believer  (because you are not changing or morphing into the image of Jesus).  You are are still sitting in your poopy pants, sucking on your thumb and looking ridiculous.
Here is a good (really its bad) one,  ever been around someone that gets mad or bitchy for not having things their own way and then in a matter of minutes start talking about Jesus?  Later they complain about how hard you are and wonder why you haven't gotten saved and/or become like them?  You are not required to be perfect in the flesh but transitioning toward perfection  and accepting correction is.  We all have our faults, you may be lazy, obnoxious, bossy, irritable, a perfectionist and expecting everyone else to be just like you, you may demanding and expecting everyone to behave up to your standards and there is more... ( you may be manifesting every sin of the flesh but a true believer will be changing and accepting change.) Are you in the process or still in your diaper not wanting change? I heard recently that our elected office holders are like diapers... if we don't change them frequently, they tend to stink.  If you aren't changed regularly your witness (or representation of God) will stink too.

IMPORTANT ADDENDUM
If you think that I am pointing this at you, you are right! Although this is not "at" any one individual, it is toward everyone!   I have heard a recent stat that showed that 80% of the youth in the "church" never come back and/or some find other religions that "meet their needs".  I believe that there are two things going on...
First, there is the hypocrisy that you and I portray for them (as shown above), without the proper repentance toward God and man (people really can look past our faults if we can be real enough to admit them), because we have not truly met the Master (with the meeting comes change.  See also the prior post on meeting angels).  Secondly, we give them the history and info about God, but not the reality of relationship or lead them to have their own meeting with Him.  DO NOT BE THE STUMBLING BLOCK THAT KEEPS OTHERS OUT OF THE KINGDOM.  YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE IN THIS LIFETIME.  (No, I did not accidentally hit the cap lock....) I AM SHOUTING!!!

What you may not know...

A few years ago... okay, probably 30 by now. My brothers, who shall remain unnamed (and not Jon and Dave), and I spent several falls in a row hunting deer with bow and arrow in the U.P. (upper peninsula of Michigan).  It was a strange place mostly trees and deer and just about as many bars and very few people (probably had more bars than people).  In our quest to disguise ourselves, so that the deer would not recognize us as hunters and thus behave normally and be much easier to get, we all cross-dressed (I chose to look like a tree and my unnamed brothers,  not Jon and Dave, chose dresses, nylons and three inch heels).  I had to set them straight and finally convinced them that a nice pants suit with nylons underneath would be much  more practical, warmer and easier to walk through brush or climb a tree in the case of a wild animal attack (bears, skunks,wolverines etc...  They also chose a nice Chanel #5 to smell less like a man, I chose a two part synthetic that once combined smelled like a skunk.  In their (the unnamed bothers) instructions it said to apply liberally in multiple spots, my instructions were to apply on a rag and drag behind, attached by a string if walking, or hang on a bush or tree several yards away if sitting still.  After several days my unnamed brothers,  not Jon and Dave, both stopped wearing the Chanel #5 and instead used Obsession,  I was having trouble with the whole drag thing as it would get caught on brush or I would have to go and pick up the pieces expertly on the nearby bush or tree in the dark. Whereas, they thought theirs would not only disguise but also be an attractant, I changed my technique and started applying the "skunk" to the heel of my boots and later on the bottom of my tree/camo suit.  By the end of the week Dave's wife Carol came out to the camp to check out what was happening.  My other brothers, who incidentally ARE NOT Jon and Dave, (and shall still remain nameless) told tales of strange looks given them by other hunters, I only had accounts of trying this new masking odor that seemed to have lost its potency once opened. Carol started making comments like "Whew! What's that smell?"  I offered her the remainder that was still in the bottle but she refused insisting she had her own perfume  "...and besides... is that... also a... skunk I smell?"  What had happened was that over the week  my nose had gotten used to the "skunk" to the point where it no longer had the edge that it once had.  To this day real skunk odors do not offend me and I breath in a little deeper and almost enjoy  it because it is really not all that bad you know (note this is not the fresh overpowering odor but one that had been let loose a while ago or a ways away).  What's my point you ask?  You never really know someone till you go hunting with them...   No not really, but I will bet you have smiled or laughed at some point along the way and have learned that I actually have four brothers...  really my point is that you can get used to something over a period of time and you will make adjustments to tolerate a condition or habit that would at one time repel or be totally unacceptable to you.  We get used to physical maladies, abuse by leaders, habits and sins that taint and hinder us.  Ask for the Light of God to shine on you and expose the work of the enemy that has made its way into your life. Next will be to get free... and the truth shall make you free!

P.S. In retrospect using an odor that  in nature is used as an alarm or a defense against an attack may actually repel or make deer go around to avoid an area where an enemy may be.  Today I actually think Chanel #5 may be the better choice.

Looking for a change?

  This morning as I got up and was compelled (probably too strong a word) I was inclined to read the Word.  I did the Holy flip (just opening up the Bible, not knowing the upside down-right side up orientation).  I ended up in Galatians (a book I had once memorized and can sometime quote along with someone reading, especially if they are using the NASB). 
Ga 4:19  My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
   The word  formed  in the Greek is morphoo, sound familiar?  Yes, I think most of us recognize it as morphed.  Better put, it could be said that Paul was going to pray until they "morphed into Christ". Selah (click all-cracked-up-stop-and-think-about if you don't understand "Selah").
  For the last month or three I have been reading my  Bevington book which mentions how they used to pray and/or travail for "sanctification".  Sometimes the people would pray and sit before God for days, if not a week plus, till they "got" what they were after (I know that it was mostly an infilling or baptism of the Holy Spirit), but the way they talk about it makes me think more happened and we have missed out. (I think, in our quick and get lives, we perceive all things are attainable in minutes if not seconds, (Microwave Complex Thinking, MCT, yes this is my theory).   Perhaps there was a little morphing going on. 
  When I was in my teens I would go to a camp in northern  Minnesota (well, well north of us anyway).  Being the youngest I had been preceded by my other siblings.  I would hear several times a day "Are you Jon's brother?" or people would sometimes address me as "Jon",  so much so I started to disliked him and finally (for awhile) would answer, "No!" or "No, he is my brother!".  What was going on (other than Jon was probably paying them, in an attempt to drive me nuts) was that they recognized  family physical and mental traits as well as mannerisms and habits that become similar because of being around each other so often.  Selah...  (you become like, morph into, those you hang around with)... True interaction or communion with Him causes change (morphing).
  Can you imagine if we all not only did a little morphing, but as the caterpillar does when it changes into a completely different creature, would do a complete morph into Jesus?  I am not saying to become another Son of God, but so alike people would see Him and we would truly be a son of God, just like Him.
 

What do you know, anyway?

I have watched, studied and made notes (yes, for you people that were or are a little strange, I may have a spiral notebook or two with your name on it...and they are full! Actually, just general mental notes is all) on people through the years.  For example, I know a pastor that thinks he is "free" but rules the church, he is supposed to be watching over, like his father ruled and absolutely dominated him. A friend and I reviewed the people our own age and generally found that the ones that grew up in a household DOMINATED by the wife/mother had a hard time with God through the late teens and at least through the twenties (please note I didn't say a strong mother, but one that ruled over the father/husband)  Anyway... without seeing and getting free. a lot of us feel and relate to God the Father as we see or perceive Him through our parentage, more specifically our fathers.

Daniel 11:32 ... but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.

The key words in this partial verse for us is "know their God".  What do you really know of Him?  What is your perception?  Is He a hard task master?  Unloving?  Unforgiving?  Do you have to continually work to get His approval?  Getting past our Book knowledge may be harder for some  (which I find is most of us) and realize what it is that we really think, act and respond to.  If we think He is unforgiving we may frequently deal we past sins by repenting over and over for them even if they are in the past.  Is your worth to Him what you can do for Him and it's only as you keep busy that you feel loved or accepted or worthy?  We all for the most part have an incorrect perception of Him and act or think accordingly toward Him and others.
God recently took me to this verse:


Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

The part that He was after me to see and understand was "He ever liveth to make intercession".  A drug addicted person ever liveth for the next fix.  Anyone addicted to anything is consumed for the "fulfillment or acquisition" of the act or substance and will do about anything to get it.  This verse says that Jesus ever lives to make intercession for us!  Who cares if we have a praying mother (not diminishing or discouraging any of you to pray) we also have Jesus doing it for us and He gets His prayers answered, if any of us do.  It is His passion! And He has the Fathers ear!  Selah (stop and think about that, shall we?  Yes, we shall!)
Why or how could you fail on your next God thing that you do because Jesus is interceding for you while you do it!  You talk about a new found boldness and confidence!  If you don't know this you may just wimp out and not even try because you really don't know how passionate and motivated He is about you.  Again in Hebrews 12 it says ..."for the joy set before Him endured the cross"   What is that joy?  It was the reward of having you and I with Him forever and seeing us be with the Father that drove Him to endure.
So, I ask again what do you know...anyway?

Are you ready… ?(the rest is not… for some football, if you don’t get that, just move on)

I have been working on renovating my future son-in-law’s house for the last couple weeks.  On the way, to and from the house, I pass by the Fox Creek Christian Church.  They, in their infinite wisdom, bought one of those signs that lights up their catch phrase of the week.  To say that it is prominent is an understatement, domineering to totally obnoxious would be getting closer (especially at night).  I have had four eye surgeries in the last 18 days or so because my retinas have been burned out by the overly bright and blinding bulbs that make up the individual parts of each letter (I now have to wear special “sun” glasses to shield my eyes during the night hours as I drive by that thing).  The brightness and coloration of the sign makes you want to stop and… beat the hell out of whoever is responsible (because no one in heaven would have had anything to do with making it therefore you would beat the hell out).  Anyway……..

Past signs have been “Been to church lately”, like I said to do what?  kick some #$@? (for the overly bright sign) and “God answers knee mail” isn’t that cute? Their sign for this week has been, “Are you ready to meet God?”.

Now, I know that they mean “If you were to die today…” .  What is in most “Christians” thinking is that when they die they will be meeting God, but they don’t realize the joy and experience that they can have with Him now.

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Please note,  in this verse Jesus is not even bringing up the Holy Spirit, He is talking of the Father and Himself making a home in you!  Yes, we have the Holy Spirit and He resides in us, but don’t realize the potential of relationship or, as the sign says, “meet God” time that is available.  So often we limit the “relationship” to church time, prayer and reading time and the comfort it can provide, but we can have a continual communion with all three members of the Trinity.  We see such phrasing in the Bible such as “Abraham was a friend of God” or “Job walked with God” or “Moses talked with God face to face” and skim over it or put them in a “special men of God” category.  Look again at the part where He says “we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” this is talking of you and me and seems not something that is an automatic, this comes to someone that “loves me and keeps My words”, it speaks of a growth in relationship first then comes the live in relationship, almost like a marriage.  You thought you knew them before… just wait when you live with someone... you will find things out… (you discover things that you did not know  or even conceive about them) the good news is God has no down or weird sides, only goodness! Our relationship with God is often so restricted to our upbringing that we often limit it to that prior experience.  It is not until we hear of or see someone else’s relationship (and are challenged by it) or see a verse like John 14:23 that we can conceive what we have been missing and are awakened to a potential.  We must be careful and not get defensive because we have “missed out” or dismissive because of our traditions, but realize that “iron does sharpen iron”  (others will challenge the status quo in our life so that we can experience more of God). 

It really all starts with seeking Him.  It is not all that hard, but will involve time.  Look at it the same as  someone you are or were dating… there is a lot of just hold hands and walk time, without a lot of talking going on.  It will happen.

Stepping on Toes ...follow-up

Things to consider when accusing or condemning others with borderline (grey area) "sin".
Mt 7:3 And why behold thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but consider not the beam that is in thine own eye?
 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
or
Rom 14:4 Who art thou that judges another man's servant? to his own master he stands or falls. Yea, he shall be held up: for God is able to make him stand.
  I remember hearing something from a few years back it went something like this: "If God is able to catch a fish (the act of our salvation) He is also able to clean them." Again just to make myself clear, sin is sin and we need to help those who are caught up in it, but condemnation and belittling them does not help.  Just because others may not live up to your standards (note I did not say God's) doesn't mean they are in the wrong.
 Today, while I was working, I was pondering today's blog and how the church (the organization) makes grey areas more defined.  My conclusion is that many in the church (organization, some not believing in the power of God unto salvation) are not saved and in communion with the Father thus out from under the ability or the desire to follow His voice.  So in order to get an appearance of the working of God they invoke rules and regulations that have the appearance of godliness.  Other church groups thus picked up their rules (not to be left behind in what others considered sin) and adopted  their traditions.
  In my own life there have been areas that I could correct, but the other ones that were too hard for me.   God took care of when I discovered how to really draw near and submit myself to Him.  He was and still is faithful.

Stepping on Toes

Warning:  what follows will upset some, disappoint others, but I will receive and consider all comments and/or criticisms that are worded politely and you show me scripture to back up your point of view.
Before we get into it lets establish a few things:
To live a Godly life  we have three main sources that guide us.
1. The written Word of God (first the principles of the New Testament or covenant then that of the Old Testament)
2. The voice of the Holy Spirit (which will not contradict #1)
3.The voice of our conscience (which is closely tied to #2)

The church often gets confused here and has it's own rules regulations and standards that it adopts (usually because it likes to establish black and white lines and also likes to be in control).
In the matter of "defining sins", if the Word does not directly identify a particular activity as a sin then as individuals we must earnestly seek out answers by using the #2 and #3 methods as stated above. Usually  the voice of your conscience makes the correct call the first time, if we will honestly listen, (our conscience is faulty here  when we overrule it with thoughts and excuses so that we can justify our actions and desires and that voice is silenced and we think "It is okay, my conscience is not condemning me"). The problem arises when, as an individual, my conscience condemns an activity for me and I set that as a standard for everyone else.  Just so you know...I don't like sin...it has nasty side effects... It gets in the way of your relationship with God and other people (even to the point of destroying that relationship), your sins can kill you and others, they can have physical and mental effects and can destroy a society.  (Am I perfect? Just ask my wife...on second thought she would not be a good judge on that matter because she would probably say "Yes!".  Maybe my kids would give a more realistic opinion.)  Okay before this gets too long lets get on to the "controversial bits".
   I have recently listened to a couple of well meaning individuals, speaking in their messages, they isolated "smoking and/or drinking" as sins. Can you give me Word on it?  The Bible is clear that being "drunk" is wrong... no problem there.
Look at John 2 where Jesus turns the water into wine.
John 2:9  When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,
 10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
  When I hear someone using this they usually say its "grape juice" not alcohol.  If verse 10 weren't there I would have no problem, but it is clear that there is something happening with the first "good wine" that later makes the "worse" passable.  What is it?  I am suggesting a dulling of the senses, as of this morning grape juice doesn't do this. The phrase used here is "well drunk" in other words "they have had a few" and now their taste buds are a little less discriminating.  I think if you are honest you can conclude through this and other study that Jesus did make that "evil , devil drink" (by the way the word used for wine here is taken from another Greek word that is translated "fermented or intoxicated").  "Don't you know what drinking can do to you? It is abusing the body, which is the temple of the Holy Ghost!," some will say (after downing their third Twinkie and  large Frosty).  So is the sugar that is starting to deteriorate your body and giving it diabetes is not effecting your body?  How about all the sugar substitutes that have all their side effects... maybe overeating... how about being a couch potato that destroys your body with inactivity?  How about the overeating and stuffing ourselves at the buffet?  If you have a problem with a substance (or buffet) you may want to seek God about staying away from it and if you have a problem with something you may want to get a deliverance from the controlling or habitual thing or activity, complete abstinence from the offending item may not be the answer, for example: food.  It is the abuse and overuse of things that usually make these things wrong for us.  Things like alcohol, smoking, sugars, fats, sex, talking (the Bible calls it gossip)... how about romance novels. When it comes down to it almost anything  or activity on this planet taken to an extreme or excess is bad and wrong for us. Do you know that there are groups of Christians around the world that are appalled at the way that we in the western church use and abuse drugs?  Yes, ladies and gentlemen... we call it... caffeine and we not only do it at home but often inside the church walls! 
My rant here is not to condemn or condone the use of any substance or activity but rather say, look guys there is a lot of things to talk about in the scriptures and how we should live and conduct ourselves in this life, but why condemn people over something that is not even mentioned. Getting drunk...not right, having a beer or a glass or two of wine... go with your own conscience. How big is your God (and their God)?  Is He not able to let them know and convict them if that is what He wants?   Are you their god or is He? What needs to be stressed more than the dos and don'ts (and your opinion on things not mentioned) is how to have that dynamic relationship with the Father so that they can live a full and satisfying relationship with Him and be able to hear for themselves. 
Again, I am more than willing to discuss this in person or on the web.   Feel free.

Locating Your Hope

It's easy to say that your hope is in God.  It's harder to prove it, even to yourself.  If you think that your hope is in Him for your health, what do you do... For me I had a test when a greyish growth about the size of a nickel appeared on the back of my head.  How would you feel if you had a blood exchange, of some kind, with someone infected with AIDS?  Would your heart rate go up?  Would you start to worry? Would you constantly wonder when you'ld start to develop HIV?  Would you lose sleep?
  I used to have exchanges with someone who "didn't worry", they were "just quite concerned" about things.  Worry (or concern and thinking about something frequently) can invade your life subtly (def: So slight as to be difficult to detect or describe) a thought here or there and WAMM it has a stronghold of "concern" in you.  It's a Christian thing not to worry because the Word says not to, but we still can be very concerned about something ...that okay...(NOT).   Worry can be over anything, health, money, relationships, death, poverty, wealth or even something so trivial as trillions of dollars. When "concern" is present, hope in God is nowhere around...at least in that area.  You can have all the hope in God in one area and be a mess in another.  Worry or "concern" has a twin sister.  Her name is Fear.  They look so much alike you can almost say they are identical twins.  One is just a little more intense than the other... both will destroy your life and are a conduit for illness (physical and mental).  Check out one of my previous wrestling sessions with "concern" posted May 7  "Why it's Important"  http://urthechurch.blogspot.com/2011/05/why-its-important.html 
The process to beat worry is the same as I took that night, sometimes the process of ridding your soul of the worry takes longer or may be shorter (depending just how long you've been thinking on the matter).  It's just like a tree, the longer it has to take root, the harder it is to get rid of..
  "Casting all your cares (concerns) upon Him"  Casting involves the throwing of something away from you and like fishing... you can reel it back to you... if you choose to.

I hope so!

Do you ever find yourself saying things like..."I hope those politicians get their act together!" or "I hope the economy turns around soon!"?  For some "hope" may just be an expression,  similar to the one we all hear way too much... "Oh my god!" ( I did not capitalize that because most people that say this probably don't have a god that is worth capitalizing.  I often wonder when I hear those words, if that will not be a judgement point for them... "You knew I existed by your proclamation, why did you not do what I said?")  
On what or whom (including yourself in the possibility you may be a control freak) is your hope based?  For some it is the American way, for others their spouse, job, their own abilities or even their political party.  I have been in organizations where the pastor or the church (the structure, people, the style or organization becomes the answer and thus hope for the people.  Is your main way of "getting" people is to invite them to "your" church [In reality it is not yours, well the organization, style, beliefs and structure may be, but it is Jesus that died and rose from the dead for it, it belongs to Him!]  The Church is not a building or man made denomination or any 401c entity... and while we are on this subject... the "incorporated" status of most church organizations makes it, in the eyes of the courts, a State institution, because it is given the status and power of incorporation by the State and is under partial control by the rules and laws of the State... I thought this nation was started to get away from that...An incorporated entity protects the organization and its officers and makes them less vulnerable in law suits and matters of money.  So by the incorporated status the State, in which the papers were drawn up in, becomes their protector, shield and hope...this is a SELAH moment... Does the organization that you belong to preach reliance on God and is incorporated?  If so, they are lying to you through their actions, whether by deceit or ignorance!) [sorry, I will now get back down from my soap box]...If your main way of "getting" people is to invite them to "your" church is to tell them about the meetings or brag on the pastor or maybe what you do there, and we have all done it, your hope, trust and reliance may just be in that thing or pastor and not in your relationship with the Almighty!  If you find yourself in that position my recommendation is for you to develop your relationship with Him...Jesus talked about, in at least one of the gospels, people facing the Father and His dispute with them was not what they did, but rather "I never knew you". That speaks of relationship!  When you have one with Him it displaces all other things and gives you a confidence like no other thing or person can. Here is the verse that got all this started today...
Ps 33:22 Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.
To get the mercy you must first locate your hope.  After you locate where all your hope lies then to whatever portion of mercy you desire from God you want you may want to learn to put and equivalent amount of hope in Him. To have hope there must be trust and relationship. Make a decision today and watch where or in what  you put you hope. I sure do hope so anyway!

A Psalm 84 Attitude

Life will not be measured so much by what you encountered (or didn’t encounter) but how you reacted to it.  Let’s take a quick look how to be a success in God’s eyes not only when times are good and easy, but also in harder times.

Ps 84:3 Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.      

 4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah. (there's a SELAH moment, don’t just pass over it)

Vs 3 and 4: Sparrows will nest anywhere and aren’t intimated.  We can come in boldly into God’s presence just like the sparrow (the old “worm am I” mentality is for Satan’s bunch).  God’s presence is your strength and  dwelling   (where you stay and yes, it is possible).   It is a place of stability, refreshing and calmness.

Ps 84:5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.

Vs 5:  when troubled or hard times come and you are used to operating only in your abilities/strengths you are in trouble (see Sun June 26^th post).  You’ll be struggling to find answers and the ability to not only survive but to come out ahead.  It will be twice as hard because you are not only facing your current issue(with all its pressures and voices, you know like the ones that taunt you with the “You’re going to die” or “fail” routine), but also trying to stretch out of yourself and trying to reach and develop a deeper relationship with God (which is possible, but remember you’re also fighting your problem with this selfish my way attitude and abilities and the “voices”). It’s like heading for a cliff in a car and you haven’t even learned how to operate it yet (the learning curve is intensely quick…can you say pressure?)   For those who are already trained in operating in His strengths  (or yours that have been retrained and cultivated by Him) you are also led by a heart that is established and will follow after Him.   (Quick note:  I have seen couples and pastors go through hard and/or stressful  times (including building projects) only to fall, leave or divorce and have come to realize that they probably survived in their own strength and when it is over they are beat physically ,mentally and spiritually and have nothing left to give to their spouse or congregation, so they leave.)

Ps 84:6 Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.

Baca =weeping.  These people have already been established by practicing  vs 3-5 so that when the hard time came instead of going inward and mourning and questioning they instead called up their strength (their relationship with the Father) and have now turned the place of weeping into refreshing (the well).  Not only are they able to thrive in hard times they have captured God’s rain and have a place of refreshing for others even though they themselves are in a hard place.  (note:  that in the verse it says going through Baca not residing!   HINT! HINT! HINT! Mark and celebrate the good times not the tragic and/or bad times.  If you mourn a certain day for what hard or tragic thing happened in the past you are living in Baca and have yet to go through it!

Ps 84:7 They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appears before God.

Strength to strength (see Sun June 26^th post)see they are becoming stronger and not bogged down by what they have been through.  Why? The rest of the verse repeats the answer… they are often if not continually in His presence.

Don’t wait for trouble to come to be closer to the Father practice now …maybe even today!

All Cracked Up, Stop and Think About That!

SELAH – Sometimes we get in such a hurry to do what we think we ought to… like read the Word, that we  skim over or feel so familiar with it that we don’t think about what it is says.  This is what the “SELAH” is for, that is in the Psalms, the brakes of the Word, the “Slow down! There is something important here for you if you’ll just ponder on this for a while!” It is a point of deeper meaning, if you’ll look.

While listening to Milea read a Psalm, on a recent road trip,  I did a little SELAH moment.  So now, I get to give you my rendition of the Ps 143:6 Selah…

Ps 143:6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.

  …“as a thirst land”  Thirsty land is first of all land that hasn’t been getting its share of water, for one reason or another,  so unless you live where its sandy the ground gets hard and starts to shrink and crack.  Now as a gardener that is not a good condition to be in.  (In Minnesota we used to describe potholes on highways which were so big a VW Bug would disappear into them,  in some of the ground shrinking and cracking dry times we get in KY if a skinny girl were to fall into one of these chasms  she would disappear- unless her arms were out to stop her from going all the way down and visiting China.)  Secondly, dry ground doesn’t absorb water well.  I have come home after a huge rain and looked at my yard expecting those cracks to be gone, only to see them still there!  What happens is the ground gets so hard and dry that it cannot absorb the moisture easily and expand back, a lot of the water has either run off or gone down into the cracks and wetted the earth down deep but the surface still looks the same and is still in need of more rain to fully recover.  That is why, if we’ve been dry around our house before a rain comes,  I will water the areas around plants and trees to get the soil ready to drink in the rain instead of letting all the rain just run off.  Think of a dry hard sponge… when you first start to use the sponge, it needs a little work and lots of water to get it to the place of getting ready to absorb and hold more water.  It is the same with the ground.

We too are like the earth and that sponge; we call out for the rain of God, but then not see or perceive any result.  Don’t give up!  He did send some, it just ran in deep to heal your ground.  Call for more.  Soak yourself under His spicket.  You will start to see the gashes in your body or soul start to heal and become whole.

How do we get dry like that in the first place?  Sometimes its sin, sometimes it is just getting too busy and we forget or put off the drink for a later time.  When I get dehydrated my eyes fell low on fluids and they can get a little blurry.  Not getting a regular wetting from God will warp your vision and how you perceive things.  Let all that go along with any condemnation and just start fresh today with a shower, to wash, absorb and refresh (we will all appreciate it if you would :) ) Repeat as needed…  Daily showers are a good thing… SELAH!!!

I'll give you $100 U.S. for your $100 of Monopoly money

"No I won't! I like my Monopoly $ too much!"  Can you say, "idiot"?  (Well maybe in these days the Monopoly $ would buy more, but for now lets not go there.)  Yet we often have that response to God.  We will keep what we have and refuse the real stuff!
John 1:16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
My previous interputation of this verse and I think some versions actually say "grace upon grace".  The word "for" between the graces in verse 16 is, in the Greek, "anti" -opposite,  i.e.  instead  or  because of (rarely in addition to):--for, in the room of. Often used in composition to denote contrast, requital, substitution.
 So I feel pretty good about saying..."And we get His fulness if we would just exchange what we can do in the natural (habits, thinking, strengths and talents) and in it's place take His ability".  Why do you think that it says in  2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my(God's) strength is made perfect in(Paul's) weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Our habit is to do what we can until we reach our limit and then call out to Him, but if we realize that we just can't do something we are  usually more apt to first call out for His help. 
Would you rather have your wisdom or His?  His healing or yours? His power or yours?
Do we need to think about this for awhile?
.

Just what does God require of us?

Just what does God require of us? 
 Mt 22:37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
 38 This is the first and great commandment.
 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.  
 We tend to make the demands of God more complicated than this simple formula. (I think because it makes us feel better because the more we do, the better we feel).   If we were to concentrate on these verses to do them, we could pretty much forget what the rest of the Bible has to say.  The rest of the Word is there to help us in our stupidity and selfishness (which stops us from just doing these two commandments).  Please note: to do the second commandment you must do it out of understanding and the doing of the first.  Everything must operate out of love and not duty.  Love-compels us to do, which is the opposite of how we normally act: doing-which causes us to feel loved.

Ro 4:4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
(Whoa, upon editing and rereading this I finally understood something, if you are working as this verse states, you are doing it under the understanding it is a debt, to which there is absolutely no reward-because it is a debt.  So you are working to get, but the result is you get... nothing)
Instead of being first... (love) we first try to do... (work).  The work of GOD changes us to be and act love.  Love gives... "For God so loved..."  (selah...stop and think about that shall we?)
Are you trying to get approval (love) from God (the key here is to find out that you already have it) then you must work for that approval (love). If you are trying, you are working. You are thus denying that the work that Jesus did for you as not good enough.  The end of it is you have just put yourself out from under the power of  grace, that  Jesus provided by fulfilling all the requirements of the law, and into the bondage of the Law of doing (read Galatians).  So now you must DO (WORK) ALL the law. 
If you are able to do it all and have a large supply of livestock, go for it! (My recommendation is to rely on the work of Jesus and do it that way)  If you must work, work on developing your love life.  It will become that fountain of love that will spring up from that core of life that is in you.
  If you are looking for a current day example of someone that seems to be love... check out Heidi Baker  (I am sure she is not perfect, but love seems to ooze from her).

On the Lighter Side

John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men

             5  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

To get fuller meaning of these two verses we have to first look at the end and in particular the word “comprehend”, so we can get a glimpse into the power of darkness compared to the Light.  The Greek word that we see translated comprehend also could be: “apprehend, attain, come upon, find, obtain, perceive (over-)take”.   

1.       Darkness cannot understand the Light or God, (you could say he is a little dim compared to the Light… he is dark after all!) Also he cannot really conceive or perceive how God operates or why He does what He does or what God is doing in you other than creating light and thus dispelling the darkness.  You could say he is ignorant of the things pertaining to God or the Light.

2.       Darkness cannot overtake the Light.  There is Light in you, guard that Light, maintain that Light and you’ll be untouchable.

It’s up to you to keep an inroad of darkness out.  

 Let me give you an example of something that happened in a church body that gave an inroad to that body and pastors for sin and much darkness (some of you will understand more clearly than others because you were there).  Years ago a fairly well liked pastor was kicked out of serving a body by the boards.  Bitterness and /or offense came in (you could tell because even after 15 years the topic of the ouster seemed to always work into his special meeting messages that he preached, during the denominational gatherings).  He left with quite a few people (I am not saying what the boards or what he did was right).   Instead of being subject to one another he decided to make the pastor and pastoral control a priority, an ungodly reaction to an ungodly action.  (You’ll note that the NT verse actually says… “Be subject to one another except pastors, who are above it all”.)  Then came all the doctrine and twists of interpretation to support this and years later came the abuse, control and manipulation by the pastors he raised up (along with the hundreds to even thousands of hurt people).  A road (or inroad) for darkness, created by an offense, followed by a sin that has affected and infected others.  Maybe some can relate to this:  a glance, a thought, a look, a thought, a desire, a lust, a decision, an action, more thoughts and then the affair.  You may say it is not that simple, but if you were to look at it at the core it really is, sin always starts small and builds. “Keep or guard your heart with all diligence for out of it issues life (or are the issues of life) Prov 4:23.”   Look up blindness or darkness in the NT and you can see how darkness comes to limit a person to the Light.  **Please note it is only by the person’s consent (through sin action or thought) that Satan can bring darkness in.

I think I will close with this verse.

2Pe 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot(or darkness), and blameless