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.