I found this article excerpt extremely interesting. He has drawn some lines that I have never seen before. Ponder:
Below by Jonathan Cahn:
* America was born in 1789, when its constitution was instituted, congress and the first President.
* On that day, Washington's inaugural speech included a warning that God's blessing would be removed if the government did not remain faithful to God.
* The next day, Washington and the cabinet went to a chapel to pray for two hours, to commit America to God's hand.
* In ancient Israel, judgment came to the place of dedication, the Temple.
* Where is America's ground of consecration? The first inauguration took place in NYC. It was there the warning of judgment took place in NYC, in lower Manhattan.
* After he gave his warning, Washington brought his cabinet to a little chapel, at the corner of the plot of ground known as Ground Zero. It is the mystery place of America's history. The terrorists had no idea they were touching the place where God's protection was prayed for. The spiritual birthplace of the nation is Ground Zero.
* The nation departs from God. Then comes initial judgment. Then comes defiance. Then comes a warning of a second, greater judgment.
* The ultimate purpose of judgment is to call the nation back. The purpose is not to destroy, but to save. Revival often comes with the coming of judgment.* God cannot bless America unless America blesses God.
* 9/11 is a shadow of a greater judgment. The shorter awakening is a shadow of a greater awakening.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
A Great Facade
At the heart of my non-spiritual spiritual walk was a desire to be thought-of as a spiritual man. I wanted people to think I had it going on, even when I did not. Or, perhaps I had a few things going on, but for the most part, it was an intellectual exercise. The intellectual side of Christianity has some merit, after all. We are to study to show ourselves approved unto God, right?
Discussing the differences between eastern and western thinking with a friend yesterday, it reminded me that we often miss it here 'in the west'. We've been taught that it is good - no, great - to know what the teacher knows. But in the east, it's great to be like the teacher. I've had success at learning what most bible teachers know, but I've had only limited success in being like Jesus - the great Teacher.
I hang out with a group of Christian men who can see through the intellectual side of it all. Knowing a few more bible verses than they do (not that I do, personally) really does not impress them. Carrying a worn-out bible does not impress them, either. I've found that leaving your bible in the trunk of your car over time creates a nice, well-worn effect. In fact... they are God-seekers, and they are used to seeing God work. As a result, they simply aren't that impressed with 'anything' I do. Who would be, after seeing God work?
But these guys totally dig seeing God work in me. They know me... and they know God... they can darn-sure tell the difference. Having said all that, I encourage everyone to seek the Lord in new and greater ways this year. If you haven't gone to a place of service or worship where you are out of your comfort zone, do it. For those who are plugged in to Him, facades aren't worth much. None of us think anyone really has it all together. The more we know, the more we realize it's all Him or bust. There is nothing with the stamp of this world on it that is worth having.
Discussing the differences between eastern and western thinking with a friend yesterday, it reminded me that we often miss it here 'in the west'. We've been taught that it is good - no, great - to know what the teacher knows. But in the east, it's great to be like the teacher. I've had success at learning what most bible teachers know, but I've had only limited success in being like Jesus - the great Teacher.
I hang out with a group of Christian men who can see through the intellectual side of it all. Knowing a few more bible verses than they do (not that I do, personally) really does not impress them. Carrying a worn-out bible does not impress them, either. I've found that leaving your bible in the trunk of your car over time creates a nice, well-worn effect. In fact... they are God-seekers, and they are used to seeing God work. As a result, they simply aren't that impressed with 'anything' I do. Who would be, after seeing God work?
But these guys totally dig seeing God work in me. They know me... and they know God... they can darn-sure tell the difference. Having said all that, I encourage everyone to seek the Lord in new and greater ways this year. If you haven't gone to a place of service or worship where you are out of your comfort zone, do it. For those who are plugged in to Him, facades aren't worth much. None of us think anyone really has it all together. The more we know, the more we realize it's all Him or bust. There is nothing with the stamp of this world on it that is worth having.
Friday, March 27, 2009
If No God
If there is no God, then why are so many called to live by a higher standard?
Some aren't.
If some aren't, why are some?
People are just different.
Why are people different?
They just are - rocks are different. Trees are different. They just are.
Who made the rocks and trees?
They've always been. Nobody 'made' them.
So the sandwich you ate for lunch has always been?
That sandwich was made. Not all things are made.
That is a speculative statement. If something is - and is made - the implication is that all things that are - are made.
Creation then is the answer? If something was made then there must be God?
If something was made, who else made it?
So there's God. So what? Why should He care about us?
He made us.
He made the rocks and trees, yet they are destroyed every day to make kitty litter and toilet paper.
Maybe He delegated the rocks and trees to our care, to make things with - like your sandwich.
There's still no proof He cares about us. We die, just as trees die.
So that's it? We are created - we die - the end?
It seems so.
What a shallow creation for an awesomely powerful God.
I think so, too.
What about spirits? What are they?
Figments of the imagination.
Oh come now. Figments? How can you say that with all that has been reported?
Do you believe in UFO's?
I believe there are unidentified phenomenon. Whether it be extra-terrestrial is irrelevant.
Do you believe in life after death?
Yes - do you?
Once again, figments of the imagination. The mind is a powerful thing.
Again, it seems an amazingly huge achievement for God to invent the mind, to fill it over a lifetime, and then kill it in the end.
Agreed. We seem to agree on much of this.
But I don't agree.
But you just said...
You assume that what you see is the whole truth.
And you assume that what you see is not the whole truth.
Scientific evidence points in my favor. There are things unseen that are nevertheless true.
Give an example.
Microbes.
Microbes can be seen - with a microscope.
Okay, wind.
Wind can be seen. Just throw a feather in the air.
No, you are only seeing the effects of wind upon the feather. You aren't seeing the wind.
But I can feel the wind, I do not need to see it.
Oh, as long as you can verify something with one of your senses then it must be so?
That's correct.
What if you are deaf? Does that mean there is no such thing as sound?
I'm not deaf.
But some people are.
There's no such thing as sound to them.
You're being blaze' - and dodging the point.
Okay, I'll conceded that there are some things that are not verifiable with my senses, yet they are still true.
What if God is that way? What if He only appeals to a sense you have not yet employed?
Then He must not care if I really know Him or not.
That is another assumption.
Oh? What have I assumed?
You have assumed that the reason it's not 'easy' to sense God with your senses is that He does not care if you ever sense Him.
That does seem clear.
What if God wants desperately for you to take a step into something uncomfortable so that you will sense Him and He can relate to you?
That seems like a long shot.
What if?
Okay. Like what... stepping off a building? Would that be uncomfortable enough?
No, not like that. But on the other hand - yes - similar. Faith.
Faith?
Yes. Faith.
Faith in what? That if I die I will meet Him?
No. Much sooner. Faith that as soon as you believe in Him, you will see Him.
Once again - that seems a bit backwards. Seeing is believing.
Isn't it possible to see something that you don't believe?
Yes, I supposed it is. Figments...
Right. So seeing isn't necessarily believing, then.
Believing first still seems backwards.
What if that was all that were required of God to reveal Himself to you?
A creator with a stipulation. Does that seem right?
If He created you, don't you owe Him something?
Some aren't.
If some aren't, why are some?
People are just different.
Why are people different?
They just are - rocks are different. Trees are different. They just are.
Who made the rocks and trees?
They've always been. Nobody 'made' them.
So the sandwich you ate for lunch has always been?
That sandwich was made. Not all things are made.
That is a speculative statement. If something is - and is made - the implication is that all things that are - are made.
Creation then is the answer? If something was made then there must be God?
If something was made, who else made it?
So there's God. So what? Why should He care about us?
He made us.
He made the rocks and trees, yet they are destroyed every day to make kitty litter and toilet paper.
Maybe He delegated the rocks and trees to our care, to make things with - like your sandwich.
There's still no proof He cares about us. We die, just as trees die.
So that's it? We are created - we die - the end?
It seems so.
What a shallow creation for an awesomely powerful God.
I think so, too.
What about spirits? What are they?
Figments of the imagination.
Oh come now. Figments? How can you say that with all that has been reported?
Do you believe in UFO's?
I believe there are unidentified phenomenon. Whether it be extra-terrestrial is irrelevant.
Do you believe in life after death?
Yes - do you?
Once again, figments of the imagination. The mind is a powerful thing.
Again, it seems an amazingly huge achievement for God to invent the mind, to fill it over a lifetime, and then kill it in the end.
Agreed. We seem to agree on much of this.
But I don't agree.
But you just said...
You assume that what you see is the whole truth.
And you assume that what you see is not the whole truth.
Scientific evidence points in my favor. There are things unseen that are nevertheless true.
Give an example.
Microbes.
Microbes can be seen - with a microscope.
Okay, wind.
Wind can be seen. Just throw a feather in the air.
No, you are only seeing the effects of wind upon the feather. You aren't seeing the wind.
But I can feel the wind, I do not need to see it.
Oh, as long as you can verify something with one of your senses then it must be so?
That's correct.
What if you are deaf? Does that mean there is no such thing as sound?
I'm not deaf.
But some people are.
There's no such thing as sound to them.
You're being blaze' - and dodging the point.
Okay, I'll conceded that there are some things that are not verifiable with my senses, yet they are still true.
What if God is that way? What if He only appeals to a sense you have not yet employed?
Then He must not care if I really know Him or not.
That is another assumption.
Oh? What have I assumed?
You have assumed that the reason it's not 'easy' to sense God with your senses is that He does not care if you ever sense Him.
That does seem clear.
What if God wants desperately for you to take a step into something uncomfortable so that you will sense Him and He can relate to you?
That seems like a long shot.
What if?
Okay. Like what... stepping off a building? Would that be uncomfortable enough?
No, not like that. But on the other hand - yes - similar. Faith.
Faith?
Yes. Faith.
Faith in what? That if I die I will meet Him?
No. Much sooner. Faith that as soon as you believe in Him, you will see Him.
Once again - that seems a bit backwards. Seeing is believing.
Isn't it possible to see something that you don't believe?
Yes, I supposed it is. Figments...
Right. So seeing isn't necessarily believing, then.
Believing first still seems backwards.
What if that was all that were required of God to reveal Himself to you?
A creator with a stipulation. Does that seem right?
If He created you, don't you owe Him something?
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
In The News
Headline News
Thursday, March 19, 2009 Israel Today Staff
Obama about to betray Israel, says former intel official
A former top US intelligence official warns that the Obama Administration is about to break America's long ties of friendship with Israel, and maybe even take steps toward the dissolution of the Jewish state.
Speaking on condition of anonymity to Douglas Hagmann of the Northeast Intelligence Network, the source said:
"I have every reason to believe, based on what I’ve seen at my level of [security] clearance especially over the last several years, that Israel will soon be completely on their own… or worse."
He went on to note that the betrayal likely won't happen in one dramatic moment, but rather subtly, behind the scenes, and over the course of several years.
The Obama Administration is preparing to "provide more support to Arab countries [with] financial and military aid, undercutting Israel’s defense efforts all while pushing Israel to succumb to the pressure of unreasonable demands designed to end with their political annihilation as a nation," said the source.
Israeli officials have of late noted a marked increase in the pressure from Washington to more rapidly acquiesce to Arab land-for-peace demands, and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has clarified that Washington is none to pleased with incoming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's refusal to commit to the creation of a sovereign Palestinian Arab state with Jerusalem as its capital.
It seems that sometimes our government is totally against God. I'm reminded daily that Elijah, too, was living in a time when his government abandoned God. In fact, he thought he was the only one in all of Israel that cared about God and His laws. That was not so. Paul said,
Rom 11:1-5
(1) I say then, Did not God put away His people? Let it not be said! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
(2) God did not thrust out His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture said in Elijah, how he pleaded with God against Israel, saying,
(3) "Lord, they killed Your prophets and dug down Your altars, and I am left alone, and they seek my life."
(4) But what does the Divine answer say to him? "I have reserved to Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal."
(5) Even so then, also in this present time a remnant according to the election of grace has come into being.
And even so, there is still a remnant according to the election of grace that is standing with Israel, with life, with morality, and with the name of Jesus. Although we may feel alone in our faith, God assures us we are not alone.
Thursday, March 19, 2009 Israel Today Staff
Obama about to betray Israel, says former intel official
A former top US intelligence official warns that the Obama Administration is about to break America's long ties of friendship with Israel, and maybe even take steps toward the dissolution of the Jewish state.
Speaking on condition of anonymity to Douglas Hagmann of the Northeast Intelligence Network, the source said:
"I have every reason to believe, based on what I’ve seen at my level of [security] clearance especially over the last several years, that Israel will soon be completely on their own… or worse."
He went on to note that the betrayal likely won't happen in one dramatic moment, but rather subtly, behind the scenes, and over the course of several years.
The Obama Administration is preparing to "provide more support to Arab countries [with] financial and military aid, undercutting Israel’s defense efforts all while pushing Israel to succumb to the pressure of unreasonable demands designed to end with their political annihilation as a nation," said the source.
Israeli officials have of late noted a marked increase in the pressure from Washington to more rapidly acquiesce to Arab land-for-peace demands, and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has clarified that Washington is none to pleased with incoming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's refusal to commit to the creation of a sovereign Palestinian Arab state with Jerusalem as its capital.
It seems that sometimes our government is totally against God. I'm reminded daily that Elijah, too, was living in a time when his government abandoned God. In fact, he thought he was the only one in all of Israel that cared about God and His laws. That was not so. Paul said,
Rom 11:1-5
(1) I say then, Did not God put away His people? Let it not be said! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
(2) God did not thrust out His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture said in Elijah, how he pleaded with God against Israel, saying,
(3) "Lord, they killed Your prophets and dug down Your altars, and I am left alone, and they seek my life."
(4) But what does the Divine answer say to him? "I have reserved to Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal."
(5) Even so then, also in this present time a remnant according to the election of grace has come into being.
And even so, there is still a remnant according to the election of grace that is standing with Israel, with life, with morality, and with the name of Jesus. Although we may feel alone in our faith, God assures us we are not alone.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The Harvest of the End-time
The bible speaks of the end-time when God says He will pour His Spirit out upon all flesh. This is happening, and it's an incredible thing to watch. Christians who are truly watching and discerning the signs of the times are excited. Just today, this article came to my attention from a buddy: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/130501
Soon, by all appearances, Israel will stand alone. Of course, she is never alone.
Many believe that a rapture of the church will occur - a harvest of barley - before the time of tribulation on earth begins. By that viewpoint, soon thereafter another great harvest will begin - a harvest of wheat. Finally, during the worst of that time of 'great' tribulation, there will also be a final harvest - the grape harvest.
There are Christians that simply sit back and wait for the sky to fall, content to take their salvation to the bank when the time comes. Meanwhile, they lounge at home and flip channels, not caring that people are dying lost every day. For so many, the end is today.
It would do us all well to note that during the harvest, God instructed the reapers to leave the corners of the field for the poor (Lev 23:22). That is a very troubling prospect when we are dealing with a harvest of souls. The implication is that... all are not harvested at the same time. Good-times theologeans have a hard time with that.
My own observation is that the corners of the fields are the parts closest to the rest of the world. That begs the question: what part of the field do I hang out in? The part closest to the edge or well-into the center?
Soon, by all appearances, Israel will stand alone. Of course, she is never alone.
Many believe that a rapture of the church will occur - a harvest of barley - before the time of tribulation on earth begins. By that viewpoint, soon thereafter another great harvest will begin - a harvest of wheat. Finally, during the worst of that time of 'great' tribulation, there will also be a final harvest - the grape harvest.
There are Christians that simply sit back and wait for the sky to fall, content to take their salvation to the bank when the time comes. Meanwhile, they lounge at home and flip channels, not caring that people are dying lost every day. For so many, the end is today.
It would do us all well to note that during the harvest, God instructed the reapers to leave the corners of the field for the poor (Lev 23:22). That is a very troubling prospect when we are dealing with a harvest of souls. The implication is that... all are not harvested at the same time. Good-times theologeans have a hard time with that.
My own observation is that the corners of the fields are the parts closest to the rest of the world. That begs the question: what part of the field do I hang out in? The part closest to the edge or well-into the center?
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Shaken and Stirred
Note the words of verse Acts 4:30, “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken.” There are many churches where they never pray the kind of prayer that you read of here. A church that does not know how to pray and to shout will never lie shaken. If you live in a place like that you may as well write “Ichabod - the glory of the Lord has departed” - over the threshold. It is only when men have learned the secret of prayer, of power, and of praise, that God comes forth. Some people say, “Well, I praise God inwardly,” but if there is an abundance of praise in your heart, your mouth cannot help speaking it. -- Smith Wigglesworth
Wouldn't it be great to experience this? Physically - the worship building shaken by the Presence of God? In these last days as the Spirit is being poured out, I fully expect this to happen. I'm waiting on it.
Wouldn't it be great to experience this? Physically - the worship building shaken by the Presence of God? In these last days as the Spirit is being poured out, I fully expect this to happen. I'm waiting on it.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Don't Represent a New Creature
Be a New Creature!
The night before the Israelites left Egypt, they were commanded to prepare bread for the journey. It was to be without leaven, for leavened bread took time to rise. Their instructions were to wait for the time to leave, and then leave 'in a hurry'. For that reason, they left their leaven - in Egypt.
Once in the desert, Israel became a symbol of redeemed mankind - free of bondage and the old self. They were a new creature! But, sadly they were only a symbol of a new creature. They still carried their Egyptian desires, ways, habits... They never separated from their flesh to walk in the spirit, and their flesh died in the desert.
We all have the same choice to make. Are we simply going to be Christian by name? By denomination? Is being a Christian simply a call to keep our hands clean? Or are we a New Creature, fully transformed by the Spirit of the Living God, enabled, victorious, positive, proactive, and zealous? Many of us Christians have never seen the gates of hell, and we pat ourselves on the back for our ability to steer clear.
Missed it... didn't we.
The night before the Israelites left Egypt, they were commanded to prepare bread for the journey. It was to be without leaven, for leavened bread took time to rise. Their instructions were to wait for the time to leave, and then leave 'in a hurry'. For that reason, they left their leaven - in Egypt.
Once in the desert, Israel became a symbol of redeemed mankind - free of bondage and the old self. They were a new creature! But, sadly they were only a symbol of a new creature. They still carried their Egyptian desires, ways, habits... They never separated from their flesh to walk in the spirit, and their flesh died in the desert.
We all have the same choice to make. Are we simply going to be Christian by name? By denomination? Is being a Christian simply a call to keep our hands clean? Or are we a New Creature, fully transformed by the Spirit of the Living God, enabled, victorious, positive, proactive, and zealous? Many of us Christians have never seen the gates of hell, and we pat ourselves on the back for our ability to steer clear.
Missed it... didn't we.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Observances of a Father
Many times when my girls are eating dinner, they will sit in my lap to eat. Sometimes they just sit there and play. Being still under a year old, there is much they still cannot do, physically. The funny thing is, most of those limitations they do not realize.
For instance, as one is sitting in my lap, she will look down and see a toy on the couch. She lunges for it - headfirst. Without my intervention, she face-plants on the arm of the couch, or gets a rug-burn on the forehead. But she is yet to get a rug-burn and has not crashed-n-burned yet. For that reason, she still has no idea that 'she cannot lunge for what she desires'. EVERY time she goes for something, she gets it (assuming I haven't made the mistake of leaving the TV remote out...).
Why do I not live this way? I don't go for things because in my own ability, I know I cannot obtain them. I'd see more miracles in my life if I'd just go for the things that are impossible. My little girls live in the miraculous. Nothing is possible for them. Yet... they don't seem to lack for much.
At some point, maturing has really debilitated the Church.
For instance, as one is sitting in my lap, she will look down and see a toy on the couch. She lunges for it - headfirst. Without my intervention, she face-plants on the arm of the couch, or gets a rug-burn on the forehead. But she is yet to get a rug-burn and has not crashed-n-burned yet. For that reason, she still has no idea that 'she cannot lunge for what she desires'. EVERY time she goes for something, she gets it (assuming I haven't made the mistake of leaving the TV remote out...).
Why do I not live this way? I don't go for things because in my own ability, I know I cannot obtain them. I'd see more miracles in my life if I'd just go for the things that are impossible. My little girls live in the miraculous. Nothing is possible for them. Yet... they don't seem to lack for much.
At some point, maturing has really debilitated the Church.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Where Has Our Gold Gone?
**Eze 41:22
(22) The altar of wood was three cubits high, and its length two cubits. And its corners, and its length, and its walls were wood. And he said to me, This is the table that is before Jehovah.
Exo 25:23-24
(23) And you shall make a table of acacia wood, its length two cubits, and its width a cubit, and its height a cubit and a half.
(24) And you shall overlay it with pure gold, and you shall make on it a wreath of gold all around.
We have talked before about the Ark of the Covenant. It was made of wood and covered - inside and out - in pure GOLD. Gold is beautiful, so it is easy to understand why one would cover the outside of something in gold. But why the inside? Because INTEGRITY is vitally important to God. We are to not only be golden on the outside, but we are to be golden on the inside. If we are not, we are hypocrites.
The 'table' spoken of in Ezekiel 41 is the table for the incense. It's the same one spoken of in Exodus 25. So what happened to the gold? Israel had turned from God, and God's glory left His 'former' dwelling place amongst them. When God left, the glory left. When the glory left, the gold disappeared. God explained this two chapters later:
Eze 43:10-11
(10) You, son of man, declare to the house of Israel, the temple house, and they will blush from their iniquities. And let them measure its size.
(11) And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, the form of the house, and its arrangement, and its exits, and its entrances, and all its forms, and all its statutes, and all its forms, and all its laws, make them known to them. And write them in their sight, so that they may observe all its form, and all its statutes, and do them.
The Temple was a picture of them, their heart (laid bare to the wood), and their sad state.
America is no different. When we were yet a Christian nation, claiming God and holding Him high on our standards, we had gold. Now, we are - as a nation - spiritually and physically bankrupt. We've lost our gold.
But God always makes a way for us to come back to Him. It's time to do just that.
***Yechezkel / Ezekiel Commentary, Mesorah Publications, pp. 650, 651. This Jewish source rightly explains why v. 41:22 refers to the Altar of Incense, not the Showbread Table.
(22) The altar of wood was three cubits high, and its length two cubits. And its corners, and its length, and its walls were wood. And he said to me, This is the table that is before Jehovah.
Exo 25:23-24
(23) And you shall make a table of acacia wood, its length two cubits, and its width a cubit, and its height a cubit and a half.
(24) And you shall overlay it with pure gold, and you shall make on it a wreath of gold all around.
We have talked before about the Ark of the Covenant. It was made of wood and covered - inside and out - in pure GOLD. Gold is beautiful, so it is easy to understand why one would cover the outside of something in gold. But why the inside? Because INTEGRITY is vitally important to God. We are to not only be golden on the outside, but we are to be golden on the inside. If we are not, we are hypocrites.
The 'table' spoken of in Ezekiel 41 is the table for the incense. It's the same one spoken of in Exodus 25. So what happened to the gold? Israel had turned from God, and God's glory left His 'former' dwelling place amongst them. When God left, the glory left. When the glory left, the gold disappeared. God explained this two chapters later:
Eze 43:10-11
(10) You, son of man, declare to the house of Israel, the temple house, and they will blush from their iniquities. And let them measure its size.
(11) And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, the form of the house, and its arrangement, and its exits, and its entrances, and all its forms, and all its statutes, and all its forms, and all its laws, make them known to them. And write them in their sight, so that they may observe all its form, and all its statutes, and do them.
The Temple was a picture of them, their heart (laid bare to the wood), and their sad state.
America is no different. When we were yet a Christian nation, claiming God and holding Him high on our standards, we had gold. Now, we are - as a nation - spiritually and physically bankrupt. We've lost our gold.
But God always makes a way for us to come back to Him. It's time to do just that.
***Yechezkel / Ezekiel Commentary, Mesorah Publications, pp. 650, 651. This Jewish source rightly explains why v. 41:22 refers to the Altar of Incense, not the Showbread Table.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The Great Commission in Torah
Gen 2:18
(18) And Jehovah God said, It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.
Gen 1:28
(28) And God blessed them. And God said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply and fill the earth, and subdue it. And have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the heavens, and all animals that move upon the earth.
God created the world to be ruled, ordered, and guarded by man. But in itself the commission was too great for only Adam. The animals were going to multiply.
Mar 16:15
(15) And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation.
"Go forth and multiply."
Luk 10:1-2
(1) After this, the Lord appointed 70 other disciples to go ahead of him to every city and place that he intended to go. They were to travel in pairs.
(2) He told them, "The harvest is large, but the workers are few. So ask the Lord who gives this harvest to send workers to harvest his crops.
Although we may have a ministry partner, it's not our union with that partner that is bringing forth this fruit. That has already been accomplished with our union to Jesus. It is our relationship with Him that brings forth the fruit of the kingdom. That is why we must abide in Him, and co-labor with Him, for it is not good that we are alone.
"I will make a helper suitable for him."
Joh 14:26
(26) "But the Counselor [or, Helper], the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, that One will teach you* all [things] and will cause you* to remember all [things] which I said to you*.
(18) And Jehovah God said, It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.
Gen 1:28
(28) And God blessed them. And God said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply and fill the earth, and subdue it. And have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the heavens, and all animals that move upon the earth.
God created the world to be ruled, ordered, and guarded by man. But in itself the commission was too great for only Adam. The animals were going to multiply.
Mar 16:15
(15) And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation.
"Go forth and multiply."
Luk 10:1-2
(1) After this, the Lord appointed 70 other disciples to go ahead of him to every city and place that he intended to go. They were to travel in pairs.
(2) He told them, "The harvest is large, but the workers are few. So ask the Lord who gives this harvest to send workers to harvest his crops.
Although we may have a ministry partner, it's not our union with that partner that is bringing forth this fruit. That has already been accomplished with our union to Jesus. It is our relationship with Him that brings forth the fruit of the kingdom. That is why we must abide in Him, and co-labor with Him, for it is not good that we are alone.
"I will make a helper suitable for him."
Joh 14:26
(26) "But the Counselor [or, Helper], the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, that One will teach you* all [things] and will cause you* to remember all [things] which I said to you*.
Monday, March 09, 2009
Why Title the Enemy?
I've often wondered about the names that are given Satan. They are so close to the ones given our Savior. For instance below...the first verse in each pair speaks of the devil, the second, of Messiah:
*******
Prince
Eph 2:2
(2) Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Rev 1:5
(5) And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
*******
Lion
1Pe 5:8
(8) Be sensible and vigilant, because your adversary the Devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking someone he may devour;
Hos 5:14
(14) For I will be to Ephraim as a lion, and as a strong lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear and go away. I will take away, and none shall rescue him.
*******
Star
Isa 14:12
(12) How you are fallen from the heavens, O shining star, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!
Rev 22:16
(16) I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify these things to you over the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright and Morning Star.
*******
King
Eze 28:12
(12) Son of man, lift up a lament over the king of Tyre, and say to him, So says the Lord Jehovah: You seal the measure, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
Rev 19:17
(17) And I saw one angel standing in the sun. And he cried with a great voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid-heaven, Come and gather together to the supper of the great God,
*******
Ruler
Joh 14:30
(30) I shall no longer speak many things with you, for the ruler of this world comes, and he has nothing in Me.
Act 5:31
(31) This One God has exalted to be a Ruler and Savior to His right hand in order to give repentance and remission of sins to Israel.
But all that said, now I understand the whys and wherefores. There must be a comparison drawn for the sake of those who wonder if there is still a competition between the Light and the dark. There isn't.
Messiah is:
Prince of princes
Lion of lions
Star of stars
King of kings
and
Ruler of rulers
*******
Prince
Eph 2:2
(2) Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Rev 1:5
(5) And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
*******
Lion
1Pe 5:8
(8) Be sensible and vigilant, because your adversary the Devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking someone he may devour;
Hos 5:14
(14) For I will be to Ephraim as a lion, and as a strong lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear and go away. I will take away, and none shall rescue him.
*******
Star
Isa 14:12
(12) How you are fallen from the heavens, O shining star, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!
Rev 22:16
(16) I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify these things to you over the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright and Morning Star.
*******
King
Eze 28:12
(12) Son of man, lift up a lament over the king of Tyre, and say to him, So says the Lord Jehovah: You seal the measure, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
Rev 19:17
(17) And I saw one angel standing in the sun. And he cried with a great voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid-heaven, Come and gather together to the supper of the great God,
*******
Ruler
Joh 14:30
(30) I shall no longer speak many things with you, for the ruler of this world comes, and he has nothing in Me.
Act 5:31
(31) This One God has exalted to be a Ruler and Savior to His right hand in order to give repentance and remission of sins to Israel.
But all that said, now I understand the whys and wherefores. There must be a comparison drawn for the sake of those who wonder if there is still a competition between the Light and the dark. There isn't.
Messiah is:
Prince of princes
Lion of lions
Star of stars
King of kings
and
Ruler of rulers
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Need to Rest
People warn me - and others - not to do too much ministry at once because we might 'burn out'. That's an interesting topic, I think - burnout. I know that I've seen people burn out. First they fade and then they disappear, sometimes never to return.
God had a plan to avoid it. He called it 'Sabbath'. It's the 7th day - a day of rest. If we would just do it, we wouldn't burn out. So, should we spend that time reading or studying or... meditating? If you can rest while you do it, then yes. I'd argue that if meditation is work for you, you're probably not doing it right anyways.
For me, studying is fun, but it's work, too. I'd have to 'not' study on the Sabbath. The same goes for reading. I love to read but it tires me.
Beyond that, the premise of Sabbath is deeper than what appears on the surface. He told Israel to rest their land. Every seventh year, let the land rest. If we will do that, He will give us more than enough on the 6th day/year to last us through until the 8th day/year.
But we don't. And we burn out.
God had a plan to avoid it. He called it 'Sabbath'. It's the 7th day - a day of rest. If we would just do it, we wouldn't burn out. So, should we spend that time reading or studying or... meditating? If you can rest while you do it, then yes. I'd argue that if meditation is work for you, you're probably not doing it right anyways.
For me, studying is fun, but it's work, too. I'd have to 'not' study on the Sabbath. The same goes for reading. I love to read but it tires me.
Beyond that, the premise of Sabbath is deeper than what appears on the surface. He told Israel to rest their land. Every seventh year, let the land rest. If we will do that, He will give us more than enough on the 6th day/year to last us through until the 8th day/year.
But we don't. And we burn out.
Monday, March 02, 2009
The Price of Gold
Bazalel was given the gifts of craftsmenship - by God - to create the furniture of the tabernacle. He was not the only one, but he was the master of the bunch.
Exo 36:1-2
(1) And Bezaleel and Aholiab shall work with everyone wise of heart to whom Jehovah has given wisdom and intelligence, to know how to do every work of the service of the sanctuary, concerning all which Jehovah had commanded.
(2) And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise-hearted man in whose heart Jehovah had put wisdom, even everyone whose heart stirred him up to come, to do the work.
One thing we can plainly see from the passage above is that these people were willing. As a result, God equipped them. That's a sermon, I'm sure, but that's not what I want to address.
Exo 37:24
(24) He made it of a talent of pure gold, and all the vessels of it.
While making just the lampstand, Bazalel (Bazaleel in the MKJV) used a 75lb block of pure gold. Today, gold is sitting at $925/ounce. Utilizing my meager math skills... Bazalel was working with a chunk of gold worth approximately 1.1 million dollars. But you see... he was doing God's work. When we do God's work, we are always dealing with the most precious materials in the universe. It doesn't always seem that way, does it?
Naturally, we know of the people who clean toilets for missionaries... and the Sister Teresa's of the world who give all they have to reach those who are destitute. What about them?
They lay up their treasures in Heaven where neither moth nor rust corrupt and where thieves do not steal. And since the very pavement is made of gold, we can bet their payment will not be in pavement, but rather something a million times more wonderful.
Exo 36:1-2
(1) And Bezaleel and Aholiab shall work with everyone wise of heart to whom Jehovah has given wisdom and intelligence, to know how to do every work of the service of the sanctuary, concerning all which Jehovah had commanded.
(2) And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise-hearted man in whose heart Jehovah had put wisdom, even everyone whose heart stirred him up to come, to do the work.
One thing we can plainly see from the passage above is that these people were willing. As a result, God equipped them. That's a sermon, I'm sure, but that's not what I want to address.
Exo 37:24
(24) He made it of a talent of pure gold, and all the vessels of it.
While making just the lampstand, Bazalel (Bazaleel in the MKJV) used a 75lb block of pure gold. Today, gold is sitting at $925/ounce. Utilizing my meager math skills... Bazalel was working with a chunk of gold worth approximately 1.1 million dollars. But you see... he was doing God's work. When we do God's work, we are always dealing with the most precious materials in the universe. It doesn't always seem that way, does it?
Naturally, we know of the people who clean toilets for missionaries... and the Sister Teresa's of the world who give all they have to reach those who are destitute. What about them?
They lay up their treasures in Heaven where neither moth nor rust corrupt and where thieves do not steal. And since the very pavement is made of gold, we can bet their payment will not be in pavement, but rather something a million times more wonderful.
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Not Belonging
Ever feel like you don't belong? Totally out of place?
Maybe you've seen Rambo - any of them. Remember his beef with society? He goes through the harsh realities of war and then comes back to the states and tries to fit in. He can't. He's not accepted.
Or.. there was a Lord of the Rings trilogy on TV tonight. At the end, the hobbits go back to the Shire and they find themselves just staring at each other in the pub. They used to fit in, but after all that had transpired, they no longer did.
In both cases, the 'people' involved had lived through a reality that the rest of their peers had not. They'd been somewhere different - somewhere that had changed them.
When you have a God-encounter, just going through the motions of church-as-usual is just a waste. It's worse than a come-down. It's just so religious... isn't it?
Lest anyone think I'm speaking from atop a high horse... don't. It's not about that at all... it's not about me. Really, I'm just trying to make clear what it feels like to pretend because I've been there done that. I'd save others the trouble, if I could. If anyone reading this ever feels like it's just 'church as usual', drop me a line and we can chat about what it might mean to feel different. Are there churches you can go to where they aren't pretending? Naturally, I can't speak for everyone in the pews, but yes - there are churches who have leadership that care more about Jesus and His Kingdom than they do about themselves. Don't give up on all the disciples just because one went bad. And don't give up on one because 11 went bad...
Maybe you've seen Rambo - any of them. Remember his beef with society? He goes through the harsh realities of war and then comes back to the states and tries to fit in. He can't. He's not accepted.
Or.. there was a Lord of the Rings trilogy on TV tonight. At the end, the hobbits go back to the Shire and they find themselves just staring at each other in the pub. They used to fit in, but after all that had transpired, they no longer did.
In both cases, the 'people' involved had lived through a reality that the rest of their peers had not. They'd been somewhere different - somewhere that had changed them.
When you have a God-encounter, just going through the motions of church-as-usual is just a waste. It's worse than a come-down. It's just so religious... isn't it?
Lest anyone think I'm speaking from atop a high horse... don't. It's not about that at all... it's not about me. Really, I'm just trying to make clear what it feels like to pretend because I've been there done that. I'd save others the trouble, if I could. If anyone reading this ever feels like it's just 'church as usual', drop me a line and we can chat about what it might mean to feel different. Are there churches you can go to where they aren't pretending? Naturally, I can't speak for everyone in the pews, but yes - there are churches who have leadership that care more about Jesus and His Kingdom than they do about themselves. Don't give up on all the disciples just because one went bad. And don't give up on one because 11 went bad...
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