Burned

Once upon a time there was a powerful judge who was very unhappy at home. One day he was on official business out of town and decided to make a stop at the home of a prostitute, even though prostitution was illegal. The prostitute's price was not a sum of money, but rather a small used car. The judge was unprepared to pay the price, naturally, but promised that in return for her services he would have the car sent. She agreed only if the judge would leave some colateral, for which he left his driver's license and credit card (judges aren't always that smart). The judge tries to have the car sent to the prostitute in order to retrieve his driver's license and credit card, but the prostitute is gone.

A few weeks later, the very same unwed woman shows up in the judge's court, pregnant, being accused of prostitution. The judge does not recognize the woman at all but sentences her to death. At this point, the woman produces the credit card and drivers license and announces that the owner is also the father.

Burned.

This exact scenario took place in scripture. It happened to Judah, the son of Israel from whom the Messiah would emerge. The story is in Genesis 38 and it describes Judah being framed by his daughter-in-law, Tamar, whom he should be giving to his son in marriage. However, Judah doesn't like her at all and wont give her the go-ahead to marry. So Tamar sees Judah preparing to go out of town and she dresses up like a prostitute, seduces him for the price of a goat (there's a joke there, I know it...) and takes his signet, cord, and staff as colateral. When Tamar showed up pregnant, Judah very quickly suggests she be burned to death - which solves his marriage problem. But, Tamar produces the staff and signet...

Judah was not smart. He trades one form of immorality (unlawfully denying Tamar the right to his son) with another kind of immorality (sleeping with her) with yet another - extreme hypocrisy. It's called sin management, and it doesn't work.

God said this: Luk 12:2-3(2) For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, nor anything hidden that shall not be known.(3) Therefore whatever you have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light. And that which you have spoken in the ear in secret rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.

Despising Your Birthright

Gen 25:34(34) Then Jacob gave Esau bread and soup of lentils. And he ate and drank, and rose up and went his way. And Esau despised his birthright.

Most of us know the story. If you are fuzzy on it, read Genesis 25. Esau traded what was rightly his for the immediate satisfaction of a perceived need.

Gen 25:32(32) And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point of dying, and what profit shall this birthright be to me?

If Esau had really been on his deathbed, there would have been no argument over food. Jacob would have given him something to eat. But the fact of the matter was, Esau wasn't dying, as tired and hungry as he was. Impatient, however - he was. To that end, he really did not esteem what his father had to give with any regard at all.

A birthright, by definition, is the right to possess something (unearned) passed down by your father. It could be land, material wealth, governmental position.

Our Father has adopted us as heirs, agreeing to pass on ALL that is his. Yet we sometimes forfeit what He has to give, qualifying our decision by chasing a perceived 'need'. For instance:
My wife hasn't been paying me much attention, so I had to go sow a few wild oats for my own well-being. It's lentils.

Or...

I've been so tired lately, I just haven't had the energy to go to church. Saturday is the family day and I've just got to have some down-time.

Beans.

Scripture also records the average 'Christian' response, too.
Gen 27:36(36) And he said, It is because his name is called Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing. And he said, Have you not reserved a blessing for me?

Victimized. That didn't get very far with Esau's father. How far will it get us with ours?

Little Mermaid Bathmats

I'm in my bathroom today and notice a Little Mermaid (copyright Walt Disney 19xx) Bathmat. Yes... my life has changed. Now there was a day when I would have looked upon something like that with TOTAL disdain. Maybe a sneer... maybe a grimace, but at the very best - indifference. But now I look upon that silly object with fondness because my daughters like the Little Mermaid (copyright Walt Disney 19xx). I don't want it to get dirty, I don't want it torn, I don't want it moved or stolen or misplaced. I want it there - for their enjoyment.

I'm serious, serious, dead serious, too.

So when I take a step back and look at that, I think of all the things that I get pleasure from that my Father in Heaven protects. Maybe it's the late-night walk in the neighborhood. Maybe it's that old truck I drive, or the bike trail, or chocolate chip cookies, or... you name it. It's entirely possible that the ONLY reason certain parts of Beaver Lake haven't been blown away by the enemy is that my Father knows I love to go there.

Do you know what you Father protects for you? Do you know what He has preserved simply because He knows how much you delight in... whatever it is? It's like this... you plant a little tiny tree in your yard. You hire a lawn service to come in and mow, but you give them specific instructions to mow AROUND that tree, or there will be hell toupe'. I hear the enemy mowing, but I strongly suspect my tree is safe.

Testing - Who Benefits?

When God wishes to teach us a lesson, He may test us. That seems backwards because typically (or hopefully) we've learned the lesson before the test. Humanity is a stiff-necked group, however, and sometimes the test is the means of the lesson.

But what about Job? He walked carefully so as to avoid that kind of testing, and he was tested like none other! It seems unavoidable, doesn't it. Walk carelessly, invite testing... walk carefully, invite testing.

But God is really into one thing - faith building. He wants to build our faith.

The Message says this:1Pe 1:7 Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.

I've heard many use this passage to say that God tests us so He can find out if our faith is genuine. That's really a silly notion. God already knows if our faith is genuine. God tests us in order to prove to ourselves that our faith is genuine. After all, it's our own faith that moves the mountain. It's faith in who we are in God that permits the miraculous.

The Unimagined Promises of God

My daughters LOVE to sit in my lap when they play. They are just over 1 year old but when given an opportunity, they would rather look at a book than to play with toys.

This gives me so much joy. It's hard to describe why... but their curiosity is so attractive, and they receive much happiness from looking at pictures. My spirit rejoices within me because I know this is the start of a love affair between my daughters and the word of God.

As a result, I have promised to them in my own heart to give them all the books they wish to consume, and that they should never be without a word to feed their spirits. It's a promise from me to them that they have no concept of. It's unimagined by them.

How many promises has our Heavenly Father made us because He takes joy in what (or whom) we are pursuing?

John 16:22-24(22) And therefore you now have sorrow. But I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.(23) And in that day you shall ask Me nothing. Truly, truly, I say to you, Whatever you shall ask the Father in My name, He will give you.(24) Before now you have asked nothing in My name; ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be full.

So Jesus says that the more we sit in the lap of the Father, and the more we read His face, it will be so that we ask those things that we know He delights to give us - just as my own daughters are learning to do.

This scripture says that God gives us the answers to our prayers in order to make our joy 'full'. When we ask Him to give us things we already possess... we rob ourselves of the joy of receiving. Instead, we replace this miraculous, joyful experience with the boring task of grocery-list prayer... and perceive we've received nothing. That's a different blog... or a past one... or something...

I want my girls to be full of joy when they are in my presence. I wish to give them all they long for... yet I don't concentrate too much on providing more of what they are already holding in their hands. Nor are they asking.

A New Thing

Mar 6:45-50(45) And straightway he constrained his disciples to enter into the boat, and to go before him unto the other side to Bethsaida, while he himself sendeth the multitude away.(46) And after he had taken leave of them, he departed into the mountain to pray.(47) And when even was come, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.(48) And seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them, about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking on the sea; and he would have passed by them:(49) but they, when they saw him walking on the sea, supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out;(50) for they all saw him, and were troubled. But he straightway spake with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.

It's really not news anymore that Jesus is willing to do a new thing. It's not only about what He has done, it's what He is doing and what He will do. Viewed in that light, does it not seem silly to only celebrate past moves of God?

The disciples were perhaps the greatest Christians to ever live - by our standards. They walked with him, literally. They knew His teachings, they watched the miracles, and they were used to many of His ways. Then Jesus shows up walking on the water - doing a new thing. They freaked. They were not used to it, and they were highly uncomfortable.

There's the lesson. It was His voice, though, that rang out reassurance. They knew His voice. Jesus said, "My sheep know my voice." Even if God decides to do something different in our midst, we can still be reassured by His voice. Maybe that's why so many congregations refuse a new thing. They aren't His sheep, and they do not recognize the voice.

Letting Yourself Go

So you finally meet the girl of your dreams. (I'm a guy, this will be from my perspective.) She is gorgeous. Perfect features, great smile, charming, witty, good natured, and just dumb enough to fall for you. Life is great! Then something happens. She shaves her head, stops brushing her teeth, stops eating veggies and adopts cake, and you discover the charm and wit have been replaced with a vile attitude. Apparently, she used all of these things to get to a place of comfort - her goal all along - and then just let it all go.
That strikes a scary chord with many Christians and their 'faith'. They've found faith useful for getting into the family of God and checking salvation off of their list of life's to-do's. The scripture does speak of this.
1Co 3:12-15
(12) And if anyone builds on this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, grass, straw,
(13) the work of each will be revealed; for the Day will make it known, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire will prove the work of each, what sort it is.
(14) If the work of anyone which he built remains, he will receive a reward.
(15) If the work of anyone shall be consumed, he shall suffer loss; but he will be saved, but so as through fire.

I dare say that this is good enough for many. They want to secure their spot in eternity but would rather live like the world until then. What a sad and dangerous place to be. Faith is the key to eternal life, yes, but it is also the water our physical boat floats on. We are to live by faith. It is impossible to please God without faith. Why do we spend so much time and energy trying to take the 'risk' of faith out of our daily lives? The answer is not polite.

Certain Inalienable Rights

There comes a point in the Christian walk when it is helpful to do a 'state of the union address', or a personal assessment of exactly what it means to be a child of the King. Very few Christians do this, and I know it's true because if they did their behaviors and attitudes would be completely different. A child of the King... what would anyone think of anyone else whose father was the king? Spoiled? Rich? Power-hungry perhaps? Out of touch?
Being a child of the King of Kings, I have certain inalienable rights. To be honest, I've never done such an assessment, so I may miss a few that haven't even occurred to me.

I have the right to be joyful despite any circumstance. Watch the news at 6:00 and tell me that right isn't worth much.
I have the right to healing that the most gifted physicians in the world can only dream of, AND, I have the right to share it.
I have the right to speak to mountains and move them if they're in my way. That's silly, you say. Ignorance is everywhere, just watch out for moving mountains.
I have the right to the cattle on your hill. I am content to let you keep them until it's my turn.
I have the right to speak to a short list of storms. That list is growing.
I have the right to command powers and dignitaries in high places. They greatly fear my lineage.
I have a right to a certain white horse, in a certain stable, attached to a certain house that is prepared for me.
I have a right to speak life or death to others - I always speak life.

So am I spoiled? I wouldn't disagree. Rich? Without a doubt. Power-hungry? Probably not in a way that would satisfy Merriam-Webster. Out of touch? Only with certain things. I'm trying to change the way I think. It's not to create an air of loftiness, but it's to foster what God has intended for me all along. Know who I am. Know who you are. Why give the enemy ground for free?

Beating the Spiritual Dead Horse

Most boredom in the Christian life where it pertains to prayer comes from praying for things we already possess.

It is really true. How much time have I spent asking for necessities... health, home, food, money, etc...?

My daughters still cannot talk. Yet to this point, they still have not gone without food in their bellies or a roof over their head. In fact, they have more toys than they can play with in a day. When they are able to talk, I'm fairly certain I do NOT want them asking me daily to 'please give me food today'. Or 'dad, please do not let anyone come in a hurt us today!' I'm their dad... and that stuff is a given. I'd be a bit hurt if I thought they had so little faith in me that they continually had to ask that.

How much time do I spend in prayer going down my 'list' of the same old stuff that God has already ordained for me as 'a given'? It's time to change the way we think about prayer. It's time to bring 'all kinds of requests and petitions' to Him.

Dried Up From The Roots

Mar 11:12-14
(12) And on the next day, they going out of Bethany, He was hungry.
(13) And seeing a fig-tree with leaves afar off, He went to it, if perhaps He might find anything on it. And when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season of figs.
(14) And Jesus answered and said to it, No one shall eat fruit of you forever. And His disciples heard.

This is somewhat a puzzling story on the surface. Why would Jesus curse something for not producing out of season? The answer lies in appearances. The tree had leaves - which drew Jesus from a distance. The leaves were a clue that the tree was bearing - only it bore no fruit.

Interjected in this count is the story of Jesus entering the temple, only to find money-changers at work greedily making a profit for themselves. Once again, the temple appeared to be a place of God... only it was not. In the case of the temple, it was cleansed by Jesus as He chased out the profiteers. On the way out, however, the disciples noticed the tree had whithered from the roots up.

What appearances do we give when Christ passes by? Do we acknowledge we don't have it all together? Are we so used to the ditch that we accept it as normality and just don't realize we are sadly lacking? If we cannot find a place in our lives to be honest - to show our real vulnerabilities, ineptitudes, failures - emptiness... then how do we reach a spot where we can cry out to God? If Christ comes in, He can cleanse us - with whips made of cords if need be. But if He doesn't come in, we whither away from the roots up.

The Third Day

"After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight" (Hos. 6:2).

Hosea was speaking of millennial days. We are now in that third day. That third day is very interesting.

"Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
"Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
"But he spake of the temple of his body" (Jn. 2:19-21).

God has ordained some neat things for the third day - patterned, I believe, after the resurrection of Jesus Himself. I think Jesus' resurrection wasn't the event (as phenomenally important as it was) but the pattern!

By the way, the temple IS about to be rebuilt... in the third day...

So what happened on the third day of literal creation? Two things: God divided the earth - the land from the sea, and he created seed which sprouted... all in one day. God spoke seed into being, and it was, then it sprouted, then it bore fruit bearing more seed... all in one day. That's productivity. That's the prosperity of the unadulterated word of God.

Jesus was the seed of Life, which when planted in the ground for three days bore the Fruit of Spirit and the seed of the Church - a million times more than Satan thought he'd killed. The third day was a good day. But I'm telling you... it's only a pattern of what is still to come! He was the First Fruits! He was the down payment! Watch out... we are in THE THIRD DAY. We don't have a CLUE what is about to transpire!

A Second Touch

Mar 8:22-25
(22) They came to Bethsaida, where some people brought a blind man to Jesus and begged him to touch him.
(23) Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. After spitting on the man's eyes, Jesus placed his hands on him and asked him, "Can you see anything?"
(24) The man looked up and said, "Yes, I can see people, but they look like trees walking around."
(25) Jesus again placed his hands on the man's eyes. This time the man looked intently, his eyesight returned, and he saw everything clearly.

We go to a place every year that we refer to as 'the Mountain'. It's a special place where guys can be real, honest, and open to the working of the Holy Spirit. Every year we see miracles happen in the lives of men. They get set free of horrible things - some which they've been carrying their entire lives. We have seen men freed from depression, rage, physical ailments, self-worth issues... you name it. But some guys, as much as they want to be free, still leave with needs that have not been addressed. Perhaps they got free of lust, but remain entangled in unforgiveness. They need a second touch.

The Christian walk is one where God continually calls us to the next level - the next click. There is no 'arrival', as we've discussed before. Holiness is a process that we walk in - as God molds us into the likeness of His Son. So, too, is being freed of bondage. Sometimes God touches us and we are free. But sometimes we need that second touch to see clearly. Once you are freed by the Son, however, you are free. Indeed. Keep going to the mountain. Keep striving for holiness. Abide in Him and He will not let you leave half-healed.

Past the Point of No Return

Mar 8:1-3
(1) Not long afterward another large crowd came together. When the people had nothing left to eat, Jesus called the disciples to him and said,
(2) "I feel sorry for these people, because they have been with me for three days and now have nothing to eat.
(3) If I send them home without feeding them, they will faint as they go, because some of them have come a long way."

These people literally followed Jesus beyond a point of safety. Some had come from long distances and had not brought enough food. Perhaps they were expecting to be able to buy food. Perhaps they had heard how He had fed the 5,000 and had hope that He would again provide.

He did.

Do we follow Jesus past the point of safety? Past the point of 'good judgment'? Jesus took a special notice of these who had come from a long distance. He had no intention of leaving to their own devices to get back home.

I wonder what became of the ones who left early because their bread had run out? I wonder if they heard the story of the miracle He did 'right after' they left. I wonder how often I left early and missed the miracle in my own life.

Peace and Safety

From an article posted yesterday, Netanyahu made this statement to President Obama:

Obama, Netanyahu Agree on Peace, Differ on Priorities

"We're ready to do our share. We hope the Palestinians will do their share as well. If we resume negotiations, as we plan to do, then I think that the Palestinians will have to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, will have to also enable Israel to have the means to defend itself. If those conditions are met -- Israel's security conditions are met, and there's recognition of Israel's legitimacy -- its permanent legitimacy, then I think we can envision an arrangement where Palestinians and Israelis live side by side in dignity, security and in peace," he said.

I picked that up off the live news broadcast and it gave me a bit of a chill. When the news anchorwoman broke away from that story, the first thing she said was, "Security and peace, indeed."

1Th 5:1-4
(1) But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that ye should be written to,
(2) for ye know perfectly well yourselves, that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief by night.
(3) When they may say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upon her that is with child; and they shall in no wise escape.
(4) But *ye*, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you as a thief:

This is a last days prophecy. We don't know who 'they' are, but we know the cry is 'peace and safety'. We are to be watching while we are about our Kingdom business, that we would not be ignorant, but would have understanding of the times and a motivation to warn a lost world.

Falling Fire

In the Old Testament, how did they know that the sacrifices were accepted? History says that fire actually fell from heaven and consumed the sacrifices - totally - and that was the indication of acceptance. Our clearest picture of that is when Elijah offered the bulls on Mt Carmel. The fire of God came down in a violent display, leaving no question as to whether or not the sacrifice was acceptable.

As Christians, many of us want to see the fire of God in our lives. We want it to fall on us, personally! Whenever I see a man who literally has the fire of God upon him, I refocus my own passions upon God. There is only one way to obtain the fire of God in your life.

Rom 12:1-2
(1) Therefore, brothers, I call on you through the compassions of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service.
(2) And be not conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, in order to prove by you what is the good and pleasing and perfect will of God.

If there is no fire falling in your life, look to see if there has been any sacrifice.

Depth of Earth

Jesus said this in the parable of the sower:
Mar 4:5(5) And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:

As if to say, if you have no depth, you may rise too fast. Or... without proper training, preparation, education, maturity, or patience, you develop no roots and you spring up because you have no other direction to go. And yet... you cannot stand.

Compare to Jesus. When He died He was buried. How far down did He go? All the way! Scripture says this:
Eph 4:8-10(8) Because of this, He says, "Having gone up on high, He led captivity captive," and gave "gifts to men." But that He went up, what is it except that He also first came down into the lower parts of the earth?(10) He that came down is the same who also went up above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.

The Lord is the master gardener. He will plant you where He wants you, water you, feed you, PRUNE you, and you will spring up at just the right time.

Point of Acceptance

Sometimes as believers we just need to realize that God is God, He is Holy, and He does not have to share His glory with us at any point. I know I dwell, often, on the state of our nation and the world at large. It seems like such a downward spiral - it can easily grab your focus.

But my focus should be on Him. He's the reason. He sets up kings and brings them down. He promotes His children, and demotes them, as He sees fit to mold us.

He has a plan. None of this is happenstance, or out of control - as chaotic as it looks. I do believe He allows us to coast for extended periods of time upon His wave of grace, and I do believe we can prolong - or avoid altogether - judgment by simply repenting. Yet most of the time we as a culture do not. We push Him further and further away.

Godlessness shows up in our beauty pageants. In our legislation. In our foreign policy. In our churches. In our TV shows.

God, on the other hand, has no choice but to show up in everything else. If we'd honor Him with TV, He might not have to show up in the earthquake. If we'd honor him in our foreign policy, He might not have to show up in a hurricane.

God told Elijah that He was not in the violent shaking of the earth, the fire, or the wind... but rather a still small voice - to Elijah. Elijah belonged to God. Elijah honored God. For a world that does not know Him, or honor Him, I believe very often the only way He can grab attention is through quakes, fires, and floods.

Prophecy Unfolding

Below is from Pastor Mark Biltz. Highly interesting stuff... It reminds me that if we are not watching, we are not in obedience. If we are not praying for the Peace of Jerusalem, we are not in obedience.

Blair: New Mideast Peace Plan Unveiled in Weeks

An interesting quote from it is this:
President Barack Obama is holding separate meetings at the White House this month with the Israeli, Palestinian and Egyptian leaders to hear their views. Once those meetings are over, the Quartet is to convene in Washington to discuss and present the new strategy, Blair said. The Quartet includes the U.S., the United Nations, the European Union and Russia. "I think that within the next five to six weeks, you will have a very clear picture of what the plan is," Blair said.

The haftarah portion from the prophets that is read around the world by Jews coming up June 6th is very significantly related. It is Zech 2-4. Here is the preface to it from Zech 1:

Zec 1:17-21 Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem. Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns. And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. And the LORD showed me four carpenters. Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to bring terror to them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.

In Zechariah 2 we find Jerusalem is being measured. And then we find:

Zec 2:8-10 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD.

They Knew Him

Mar 1:34
(34) And He healed many who had illness of various diseases. And he cast out many demons, and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.

Jesus, being the creator of the Universe, had a small problem once He came to walk amongst us. He came to set the captives free, give sight to the blind, heal the lame, cleanse the lepers, but most of all - to give Himself to judgment for the sake of all mankind. To accept such a wonderful gift, man must have faith in who Jesus was and is, and here is the problem. Much of creation knew who Jesus was. Jesus even said the stones would cry out in praise if nobody else did. The wind listened to Him. The waves obeyed Him. Creation knows its maker (Creation also knows His children, but that's another blog). Jesus had to take the necessary steps of making certain the faith-element was never removed. For truly, God does have the ability to remove all doubt that Jesus is who He said He is - He just has not chosen to convince us so.

A humiliating truth: humanity will believe in the demonic far sooner than heeding the voice of the Creator. Why? Perhaps we are more familiar with the demonic voice. Jesus did not allow the demons to speak.

When looking at the Greek for the word used here 'knew', the word is eido. It doesn't mean to know like we know our neighbor. It means 'perceive', or 'see'. The demons could SEE who He was. They could tell. Do you think the demons ever huddled up and tiffed about whether or not Jesus was the Son of God? Maybe they still argue that the Buddha is the threat, or perhaps Mohammed is the bane of their existence. Not.

They know because they see His works and they know His authority. They fear Him. We stand to learn a few things - even from the enemy.

Leaven

In the scriptures, leaven represents sin. In the spring before the Feast of Unleaven Bread commences, all Israelites are commanded to remove all leaven from their homes. It's a time of scrubbing, sweeping, and dusting. It's where we get the term 'spring cleaning'. Upon the Passover when Jesus was crucified, the Jews had until sundown to get all of the bodies off of the crosses and into the graves - they were unclean and could not be present during the feast week. Jesus also had to be removed - HE BECAME SIN. To expedite the process, the soldiers were to break the legs of those crucified so that they would die and 'get it over with' - so they could be buried and out of sight. Jesus had already given up His spirit, however, and not one of His bones was broken.

So leaven represents sin.

Mat 16:6
(6) And Jesus said to them, Watch and take heed from the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

What a strange warning. What is the purpose of such a seemingly cryptic statement? Leaven is yeast - or bacteria. It causes bread to rise. A little bit of leaven will spread into the entire lump of dough. In actuality, even an unleavened lump of dough will soon become leavened if left out in the open because leavening bacteria are in the air. Leaven spreads.
The Pharisees were a smart bunch. Very smart. They knew the scriptures. They practiced them - religiously. They were very religious. The Sadducees were government appointed officials - people of importance. They lorded their positions over the common folk, very often. The spirit of religion makes us feel as though knowledge trumps all else. The spirit of superiority makes us feel divinely elevated above others. Both of these are prideful spirits that work hand in hand to entrap us into a false sense of security. But Jesus never said knowledge was the key, nor position. He said to watch out for the sin that comes from these things.

I know some incredibly smart people, and some very elevated people, and they have no relationship with the God of Heaven. Leaven has done its work. They must now be rescued - and they don't even know they're perishing. That's the trap. They just don't know.

Meanwhile, the rest of us can be on guard against the leaven in our 'houses'. Work to keep it swept out.

Trading It All In

John 3:34 LITV
(34) For the One whom God sent speaks the Words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.

Our pastor tells us that if we have a measure of the Holy Spirit, it is us who set the measure, not God. He also says that we can have all the Holy Spirit we want. It's really true. The precept applies to many aspects of our lives.

We hear the fabled love stories of men and women who wait to kiss until they are married. That wedding night, for them, is magical. But we trade that in for premarital sex, unfaithfulness, or other types of quick gratification.

Many of us want very much to carry the anointing of a great bible teacher or evangelist but we trade study and preparation in on TV.

Prayer is traded for sleep. Dedication is traded for recreation. Love is traded for apathy. Hot is traded for luke-warm. We end up making peace with mediocrity in everything. That junky mindset grows like mold and pretty soon we have a stale existence that shuns change and classifies anything more as fanaticism.

I need more than that. I've tried much of the above - and it's lousy. It's empty. It's lifeless. I've traded the eternal for the temporal (birthright for beans, basically) more times than I care to recall and I reject that now in the name of Jesus. What I need is more of Him.

Prepare the way of the Lord!

Ezekiel wrote of the Glory of God departing from Israel and the description bears out that His Glory departed towards the east, through this gate.

Interesting. Remember which way man was driven from the Garden of Eden because of sin?

Gen 3:24
(24) And He drove the man out. And He lodged the cherubs at the east of the Garden of Eden, and the flaming sword whirling around to guard the way of the Tree of Life.

Eze 11:1-2
(1) And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the eastern gate of the house of Jehovah, the gate which faces eastward. And, behold, at the opening of the gate were twenty five men. And I saw among them Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah, the son of Benaiah, leaders of the people.
(2) And He said to me, Son of man, these are the men who plot evil and advise wicked advice in this city,


It's the judges that sit at the gates. Corrupt judges bring the judgment of God. Does that scare anyone else? Thank you GOD for the judges YOU have placed in our nation!

God tends to shut down that which refuses to operate within His guidelines.

Eze 44:1-2
(1) And he brought me back the way of the gate of the outer sanctuary, facing east. And it was shut.
(2) And Jehovah said to me, This gate shall be shut; it will not be opened. And a man shall not enter by it, because Jehovah, the God of Israel, has entered by it; so it shall be shut.

Then Ezekiel sees another vision of this gate, only the Glory of God is returning! This, by the way, has not yet happened. Hence... the shut gate.



Eze 43:1-4
(1) And he made me go to the gate, the gate that faces eastward.
(2) And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. And His voice was like the voice of many waters. And the earth shone from His glory.
(3) And the appearance of the vision which I saw was as the appearance which I saw when I came to destroy the city, and as the appearance that I saw by the river Chebar. And I fell on my face.
(4) And the glory of Jehovah came into the house, the way of the gate facing eastward.


There is a Spirit of Antichrist that John talks about that denies the Deity of Jesus Christ. YET, this hypocritical spirit takes such precautions as to lead men to create a cemetery in front of the Eastern Gate - for one reason and one reason only - to prevent the High Priest from returning through it (for it would make Him unclean, according to Jewish law). I will be there when those tomb stones dissolve and the ground heaves violently - creating a 'clear path' for the Lord to travel.

Not For The Squeamish

There is so much joy in Kingdom work. Lives change and people find what really matters in life - peace through Jesus. It's work though. I really never knew how much work it could be until this past weekend. With our mountain-top experience, we battled fatigue, storms, and sleeplessness on top of the usual spiritual warefare that goes on. Never before in my limited ministry experience have I seen the enemy so intent on ruining the atmosphere of worship. The enemy just couldn't contain what the Lord wanted to do, however. He didn't have the resources to see it done.

A couple of days later, I'm back to the drudgery of damage control at work, grocery shopping, and chores. What I feel has to be kin to post partum syndrome. The Lord really did birth much on that mountain. I feel a tremendous weight of answered prayer off of my shoulders. On the other hand, I feel new burdens and I'm glad to take them on knowing that just as God delighted to show His might last weekend, He will do it again.

Chrysler Files for Bankruptcy

Don't you hate that? Not that I'm a Chrysler guy, and I'm sure the name isn't going to vanish, but it just seems as though some of our 'icons' are crumbling in this country. That's sad for several reasons. I was a child in the 70's, which weren't the greatest economically. But about the time I started to pay attention in the 80's we were entering a time of unparalleled prosperity in the US. I was proud to be an American, for sure. As I grew a bit older yet, I started to realize that God does this from time to time - setting up world powers and bringing them back down. It's all up to Him. Why does He do it?

For one, it will create a marked difference between our meager empires and the one He will set up on earth. We will see that sans corruption, a nation does not have to disolve or atrophy from within over time. His regime will not be subject to corruption. His power will not peak and wane. His sovereignty will be undeniable to every leader on earth, and there will be no freedom to protest Him publically at all - until the end. The Bible says He will rule with an iron scepter - that means He will be unmoved in His policy. It will be a great time to be 'all in' as a Christ-follower. It will be a horrid time to be an enemy of the Lord.

Unlike some, I do not think that technology will disappear during the Millennium. It will be in use during the entirety of the Tribulation. For those who survive it, it won't simply disappear. Jesus will most-likely reign over a modern society - proving that technology is not the cause of our sin. If my speculation is accurate, then that is good, good news for the car companies of the future.

Flu

Have you seen the pictures of Mexico lately? Not only of the earthquake today, but of all the people wearing masks to protect from the swine flu. Scary stuff. Is it a sign?

You bet.

Things happen on earth often as a picture of what is happening spiritually. We have already talked about the bees disappearing.

People are wearing masks to keep from breathing in a virus - something in the air - that has the potential to make them extremely sick.

Poison air is not only a physical truth these days. There's so much garbage being taught - even in the church.

2Tim 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Tim 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

People are breathing poison air - and the people that Timothy was speaking of will NOT be willing to change their minds. So for all my friends and family that - despite their occupation - have given themselves to the ministry of God, remember this:

2Ti 4:5
(5) But you be clear-minded in all, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fully carry out your ministry.

Peace.

Treasures

If you can put it in a stack or amass it in piles, then it's not truly treasure.

"Priests"

Back in the apostle John's time, there were a group of people called the Nicolaitans. These guys did not get rave reviews from Jesus.

(Rev 2:6) But you have this, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

(Rev 2:15) So you also have those who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

Here are two very strong sentences from the Lord. Why would He have such a hatred for the teachings of these people? Most scholars on the subject believe that this was a group who were interested in profiting from religion. Nico - means 'control', and 'laitan' from the word we get 'laity' - or church folk. So, a group who wanted to control the church members. They did it by telling them that only they (the 'priests') were able to translate the text properly. Therefore, the common folk were to come to them for all matters spiritual - including forgiveness. No wonder Jesus had nothing good to say about that. It's exactly what He died to remove - the need for an intermediary between us and Him!

I was watching TV this weekend - the History Channel. There is some good stuff on the History Channel... it's never on when I'm watching. Actually some of this was good. It was a bunch of scientists talking about the validity of end-time prophecies: could they happen... could they be imagined...

Basically they were asking a bunch of scientists if there was a chance the Bible could be true (or any other apocalyptic books). As you might think - some said yay, some nay. They all had these highly scientific reasons why or why not.

It struck me. Science has its own priesthood. If some high-educated person is telling me that the depletion of the earth's magnetic field could in fact draw in more sunlight, thus warming the globe, thus creating dangerous fungal blooms in the oceans, thus creating red-tide, thus granting credence to the biblical promise that the oceans will turn to blood, who am I to argue? What do I know about that level of science?

What does anyone know about that level of science? Only a scientific priesthood, of sorts. What a dangerous thing - seeing as a good portion of the world puts much more faith in science than they do the word of God. Why be sheep to a scientific shepherd? Be a sheep of the Good Shepherd - who has shared His plan with you and wants to educate us all! But beyond that - know that it's a safe place. God is never wrong - nor does He abandon His sheep. If we are His - He takes care of the details.

Going Deeper

God is bigger than we think. He does things for our benefit, whether we ever take advantage of them or not.

Have you noticed that He creates things like supernovas and binary stars, knowing full-well that most of us will never see more than an artist's rendition or a computer simulation.

He creates Mt. Everest, knowing that most of us will never get within a thousand miles of it.

He creates tube worms and vampire squid that live miles below the surface of the sea - far out of sight, reach, and in most cases... knowledge.

But all of that is there - part of His creation - done for our benefit to declare His glory.

His Word is much the same. It is a deep as one cares to explore. The Word is boundless, just like Him. How far do we wish to go with Him? Enoch went further than most of us. He walked with God - then he was not, because God took him. Why would God take him? Did he know that was coming? Were they so tight that God offered the prospect to Enoch and Enoch said, "Wow Lord, that sounds fun. Let's do it!" Just imagine what Enoch got in on. He went up - with God - to God - like Elijah did. Up. Now, back then, most went 'down' - into Abraham's bosom. So Enoch went where others did not go. He observed from an entirely different perspective, in all liklihood. He still is!

If we really want change, it's available to us. Most of us, however, have no real desire to change. We've made peace with the rut we are in. We are content to watch Everest on TV and look through our telescope at the heavenlies.

Enoch scoffs.

Not For The Curious

1Ki 6:4
(4) And for the house he made windows of narrow frames.


When Solomon built the temple, he placed on it narrow windows near the top, most likely. They were functional for allowing light in, and possibly allowing smoke out. They were not created to allow the curious to peer in, nor for the servants to look out.

The temple is a picture of our body.

1Co 6:19
(19) Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit in you, whom you have of God? And you are not your own

What goes on within the confines of your spirit is really not for outsiders to know. There were certain people who were not allowed within the temple - namely 'gentiles'. The gentiles among us are those who do not belong to the Body of Christ. Even though we were all lost at one time, there is a difference between those who are searching for the Lord and those who are only curious - or perhaps 'dabbling' in 'religion'. Certain things were hidden from those who sought Jesus to satisfy their worldly curiosity.

Mar 4:33-34
(33) And with many such parables He spoke the Word to them (the curious onlookers), as they were able to hear it.
(34) But he did not speak to them without a parable. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.

If interested, also read Joh 12:36-40.

Jesus told us not to 'cast our pearls before swine'. That means that the treasures we hold within us should not be shared with those who have no appreciation (or use) of them. Why? What can the enemy do?

Isaiah asked the question to Hezekiah:
2Ki 20:15
(15) And he said, What have they seen in your house? And Hezekiah answered, They have seen all that is in my house. There is nothing among my treasures which I have not shown to them.

Then the king of Babylon came, beseiged the city and carried all of the treasures off to his own country.

When we are not careful with what we treasure in our hearts, the enemy will beseige us and convince us - eventually - that what we once thought was treasure is in fact worthless. He has hauled our treasure off to Babylon.

Maintain your narrow windows. The enemy constantly tries to destroy what we hold dear - our testimonies, and our joy. Be watchful for that. Concentrate on showing only the love of Jesus and His good news to the unbelieving world.

A Bunch of Broke, Wealthy People

I just took a look at my bank statement. Not pretty. For the most part, I just don't seem to be in any danger of getting rich. Work is work... success is always 'right around the corner'. The current market-place mood is 'hey, you've got a job - be happy with it'. Success at this point is a cost-of-living raise, right? Wow...

But even the rich folks are worried these days. Economic stability is extremely rare. They are rioting in London - attacking banks and throwing eggs at financiers.

Church sure is good, though, isn't it? I mean... isn't it? I'm here to tell you, I'm living for the weekends and prayer night. The Holy Spirit is alive and well and moving and doing the miraculous and sustaining people and surprising people right and left! People with no health are getting healed. People with no money are paying bills. People with no furniture are having it dropped on their doorstep (I, myself, have experienced this within the last month).

What a bunch of broke, wealthy people! There is NOTHING like being a child of the Most High. He does provide. He does care. He does intervene. He does repay. He does notice faithfulness and loyalty! Stay encouraged! Stay faithful! He doesn't want us to WASTE 10 seconds of our short lives feeling safe because of our bank account. Maybe THAT is why we're still driving the Kia. Maybe THAT is why Applebee's only comes along once a month (*sobs*). Maybe THAT is the reason I have to scalp my own lawn this year.

Ahh... do you know HIM?

Shadow of Greater Things

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.

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.

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?

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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*.

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

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.

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.

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...

To Be His

Isa 26:19-21
(19) Thy dead shall live; my dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust; for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast forth the dead.
(20) Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
(21) For, behold, Jehovah cometh forth out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

The passage above talks about a last days event that is still to come. Some refer to this event as the rapture - it doesn't matter what it's called. Whenever God is trying to convey a point in His Word, it will be found in more than one spot, because from the testimony of two or more witnesses shall a matter be decided. (Deut 19:15). Most Christians are familiar with this passage:

1Co 15:51-52
(51) Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed,
(52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Notice, both passages are speaking of the same event.

Looking at Isaiah's message, the Lord is telling us two things:
The Lord will be indignate in the last days because of the iniquity of mankind.
He will call those that are His to Himself: "Come my people, enter thou into thy chambers"

Mat 24:36-39
(36) But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only.
(37) And as were the days of Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son of man.
(38) For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,
(39) and they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall be the coming of the Son of man.

We know this event is coming. We know that the day the event does come - the world will be 'business as usual'. The world is not looking for the event, for 'they knew not until the flood came...'

So, do you belong to Him? When He pours out His indignation upon the earth, do you desire to be hidden? I do. I'm out. Escapism if you like... there will be much to escape from in the end. It's all about Him and what He said He would do - not about me and what I'd do. Our job is to be ready and the let others know that the good news is - All Are Invited!

Wisdom's Demise

1Co 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God

There's much to deduce from this statement. One, apart from God, there is no real wisdom. That would really tick off a lot of 'wise men' if they heard that said. Monks, sages, rabbis, teachers, philosophers, professors, students, disciples... many who claim to be wise - yet unless they are plugged in to God through Jesus they are simply fooling themselves.

Pro 4:7
(7) Wisdom is the main thing; get wisdom, and with all your getting, get understanding.

Pro 8:11
(11) For wisdom is better than jewels, and all delights cannot be compared to it.

Pro 16:16
(16) How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.

Jas 1:5
(5) But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask from God, who gives to all freely and with no reproach, and it will be given to him.

So if God is the giver of wisdom, and wisdom is more valuable than jewels, or gold, then maybe it is time to evaluate who or what we are seeking. The stock market is not going to win in the end. The big picture doesn't really include our 401k (which is becoming more obvious every day). And even if we make a million... will it buy us the security we are searching for? Wisdom tells me that God has a plan in action right now, and a government bailout probably isn't going to effect it much, long-term.

His Presence

Every time I enter the Presence of God, I feel such a love for Him that I wish I could share or convey. I cannot get enough of Him.

People that are hooked on addictive things like drugs, money, sex, or fame... they are hooked because they hunger for something and cannot get satiated. It's easy to see why God had very bad things to say about sexual immorality, pleasures of the eyes, and the pride of life. They are gods that take His place.

The difference is that His Presence is Life, while these other things lead only to death. Does it make sense to nurture the very disease that kills you? Seek life!

Waiting For Rain

1Ki 18:42-45
(42) And Ahab went up to eat, and to drink; and Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, and he stretched himself out on the earth, and he put his face between his knees;
(43) and said to his young man, Now go up, look closely to the way of the sea. And he went up and looked closely, and said, There is nothing; and he said, Go back seven times.
(44) And it happened at the seventh time, he said, Behold, a little cloud like the hand of a man is coming up out of the sea. And he said, Go up and say to Ahab, Bind up and go down, that the rain may not stop you.
(45) And until this and this, it happened that the heavens became black with thick clouds and wind, and the rain was heavy; and Ahab rode and went to Jezreel;

There is a spiritual principle about praise that can be gleaned from a word-study on the word "Judah". Hosea 10 says, "Judah shall plow". We all know that plows are used on earth to make it plantable - to break it up so 'water' and 'seed' can penetrate. Jesus used earth as an example of the heart of man. Some hearts are hard, as the earth along the roadside. Others are fertile, as is earth with dark soil. Judah means praise, so we can imagine that praise will plow up the hardened ground of our heart so that the water of the Holy Spirit and the seed of the Word can penetrate.

When we have a fantastic worship service - I mean - truly fantastic - we all get plowed up... broken... ready to be 'productive'. That's when we screw up. We quit... and we go home... right before the rain comes. I've heard some very wise men teach on this, and they all say that the key is to wait... wait... wait... It may not be the first prayer, or the second, or the third, but pretty soon, the cloud is on the horizon. When the rain does come, it comes in torrents and the miraculous is released. What might that look like?

1Ki 18:46
(46) and the hand of Jehovah was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins and ran before Ahab until [the place where] you enter Jezreel.

Elijah outran Ahab's horse-drawn chariots from Carmel to Jezreel. What will it look like when it happens to us? We may be outrunning a Crown Victoria back to the house.

Losing Control

Last night's services were amazing. God showed up and ministered to everyone there, I believe. It's such a strange observance - when God shows up. I use that term in reference to when the Holy Spirit is present in such a Power that He can be tangibly felt. Many would deny that ever happens... but... there weren't many there last night, either.

Can you imagine jumping naked into the arctic ocean in the middle of winter? I can only imagine that one loses all control of their body when placed in such a medium. The body can no longer heat itself, and it's attempt to go into overdrive in order to do so shuts everything else down.

Or how about bungee cording off a 2000 ft bridge? I've seen videos where the frightened individual loses all bladder control, or worse... Yes, it's an odd post, but my point is that the flesh can only handle so much before unusual phenomenon take place.

It has always been my contention that the Presence of God has the same effect on the flesh. God says that nobody can see His face and live. That is extreme. He told Moses to watch His back as He passed by, so that he might have the honor of seeing God in the flesh and surviving the experience.

When God's Presence manafests in such a power here on earth, is it any wonder people fall down? Or cry? Or sing (even if they can't)? It's a delightful experience.

Is it also any wonder that shepherds who try to control their flock's spiritual experience rarely if ever experience a move of the Spirit? That is a sad thing, and especially when the people have never had a God-encounter.

State of the Union

The posts have died off a little this week. It's not that I'm out of things to write down. It's nearly the opposite - there's so much stuff to talk about it's overwhelming.

The news is abysmal. This nation moves further from God's ways and wishes. As a result, demonic activity is skyrocketing here. Strangely, as this nation goes, so too goes many others. The Taliban is gaining power and popularity again. Many civilized countries are adopting Shia Law... an Islamic belief system of ruling.

I'm sure you heard about the Muslim man in New York (I believe) who beheaded his wife because she was divorcing him. He'd started a Muslim TV station with the purpose of showing America that the Muslim way is modern, sensible, civil, and tolerant despite how it is portrayed by much of the media. He cut her head off in the TV station. So much for sensibility, I guess. We are charging him with 2nd degree murder. Now... I'm not lawyer, but what constitutes 1st degree murder? Did she need to wear a badge?

Our churches struggle to keep people interested. That is largely because there is nothing special about most churches. Nothing is offered that can't be found at a mall or a country club... or at home on the couch watching it on TV. It's boring, cold, and dead. That doesn't mean they aren't trying - although some truly aren't. Shepherds of congregations everywhere are looking for answers and trying everything in their power to maintain their flock. That's the problem. Their power is never going to be good enough.

Where true, life-changing worship is concerned, there are some rules we should all follow:
IF YOU WANT TO CONTROL IT, GIVE UP. GO HOME. YOU WILL NEVER CHANGE ANYONE. ONLY GOD CAN AND YOU CAN'T CONTROL HIM!
IF WHAT YOU ARE DOING CAN BE SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT, DO SOMETHING ELSE!
IF YOU AREN'T MOVED BY THE PRESENCE OF GOD WHERE YOU GO TO CHURCH, HE ISN'T THERE. GOD WILL ALWAYS MOVE YOU OR MAKE YOU SO UNCOMFORTABLE YOU WILL MOVE YOURSELF.

And if I insist on going to a dead church where I always leave feeling hunky-dory and the world is my oyster and I'm always comfy and I don't want anything to change... then please yell at me for wasting gasoline and contributing to global warming because I should be able to find a more eco-friendly hobby at home - even if it's listening to my Al Gore tapes. I realize that was a horribly long, awkward sentence.

Things are winding up in the world. The darkness is getting darker, and as a result, the light is getting brighter. It's time to put away childish things, childish pursuits, and childish dreams. Dial into someone BIG.

Salvation In Esther

The ladies of the church are studying Esther. As a result, I've done a little delving into the book, myself. Esther's name given to her by her parents was Hadassah. The name given to her by the Gentiles when she became queen was Esther. The Gentiles called her some form of 'Ishtar' or 'Astarte', but in Hebrew and Aramaic it came out as Ester. (In English, for some reason, it is spelled Esther.)

The Talmud finds Esther's name alluded to in the Tanach (Jewish Bible) in the verse "astir panai," which means, "I will hide My face...." (Deuteronomy 31:18). So many would say her name means 'hide' or 'hidden' as opposed to 'star'.

Hadassah, on the other hand, means 'myrtle', which is a rather plain-looking plant, but when its leaves are bruised and crushed they give forth a very sweet fragrance. Can you see where this is headed?

Very often, Salvation lies hidden. Seek, and you shall find it. With Esther, Hadassah was 'hidden'. As we study Esther, we realize that she hid her identity in order to allow God's 'salvation' to come to the Jews.

Our Savior, Yeshua, was bruised and crushed for our sake so that we, too, could find the sweet and savory - Salvation.

You are such a 'donkey'

Exo 13:13
(13) You can save the life of a first-born donkey by sacrificing a lamb; if you don't, you must break the donkey's neck. You must save every first-born son.


As descendants of Adam, we are all born 'unclean', like a donkey. Even the donkeys belong to God, but see - they are not acceptable to God, because they are unclean. Something has to be sacrificed in its stead.

How many pictures does God have to bury in the Old Testament to prove to us that it's all about Jesus?

I'm the donkey... Jesus was the Lamb substituted for me. Wow... otherwise... I'm as good as dead.

I'll take that!

Maturing Into The Supernatural

The other day I was watching my two little girls. I was holding one, while the other was playing in the floor with a little stuffed black sheep. She loves that little toy. It's stuffed, but it's stuffed tight, so if she drops it, it will roll.

She dropped it, and it rolled away from her. She stretched to get it but couldn't reach it.

Standing next to her, I took my foot and flipped the sheep back into her lap. It surprised her. It happened so fast I don't even think she saw what happened. All of a sudden, her sheep was back in her grasp.

As I thought about the reality of that, a few things occurred to me.

What I had just done was a total impossibility for her. She didn't get it, understand it, or visualize it. Therefore she couldn't even begin to try to emulate it. Had she tried it - she would have failed miserably. She is 10 months old. There are milestones she must achieve before the possibility even becomes real.

For me, on the other hand, it was a simple act. I could have done it with red shoes, blue shoes, green shoes, no shoes, socks, no socks, or with either foot - every time - no failures.

At some point, my little girl will begin to understand what I did - even if she can't yet emulate it. Soon enough, she will be able to do those little acts with limited success - and then... she'll be able to do them without fail.

How much of the miraculous are we destined to mature into? I'm NOT saying we are heading for God-hood. But certainly, we are heading for greater measures of faith as we mature. With greater faith will come greater understanding and greater works.

I'll continue to seek the miraculous in my life. As I mature, I'm betting my success rate goes up in some areas. But I've got to quit swatting at that darned mobile and seek something new for a change.

Peace and Safety

1Th 5:3
(3) For when they say, Peace and safety! Then suddenly destruction comes upon them, like the travail to the one having babe in womb, and not at all shall they escape.

Interesting blurb from Foxnews today concerning the plight of Israel:

"Israelis are overwhelmed by security pressures, by fear of the future, by a sense of unworthy leadership. Israelis look at the Middle East and feel the walls coming in, there are terrorist enclaves on our borders and we don't seem to have answers," he said.

"We just fought a war that we won and even that war has not stopped the missiles from falling. So Israelis look around and say, 'No one can deliver peace, no one can deliver security, who can we depend on?'"

That was from

Some commentaries (most) on the verse above say that the world will be in a secure state - of 'peace and safety', and then the end will come. I tend to think that the cry of the world will be for peace and safety - something much sought after. That would be the current state of the world. We have work to do.

What about... Isaac?

Remember in John when all the people were arguing with Jesus about their lineage?

Joh 8:39
(39) They answered and said to Him, Abraham is our father. Jesus said to them, If you were children of Abraham, you would do the works of Abraham.


Notice how the people were enamored with being the 'seed' of Abraham. If we go back to Genesis and read, Abraham had multiple children, including Ishmael. You would think that if the people really cared about being heir to the Promise, they would clarify. "We are children of Abraham and Isaac!"

Do you know why they didn't? Because although they thought they knew and understood the father, they forgot the son. Does this have a familiar ring?

Rom 9:6-8
(6) Not, however, that God's Word has failed. For not all those of Israel are Israel,
(7) nor because they are Abraham's seed are all children, but "In Isaac a Seed shall be called to you." Gen. 21:12
(8) That is: Not the children of flesh are children of God, but the children of the promise are counted for a seed.

You know... Isaac was so important. He was the child of promise. Without promise, there is no need for faith. I can sit around all day and hope the house next door becomes a huge piece of chocolate, but believing that is moronic because it hasn't been promised by God. In what or whom do we have faith?

If Abraham was a picture of God the Father, and Isaac a picture of the Son (in that the Father was willing to sacrifice the Son), is it really any wonder they never mentioned the Son?

Recent Torah Portions

Every year the Jews read through Torah - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Each week a 'portion' is read. These are significant to the season in which they are read, and they do not change from year to year. For instance, we can often tell which Jewish holiday or season was approaching by what Jesus taught in the synagogue. Recently, Mark Biltz had this to say about the recent portions:

Remember the Israeli elections in prayer coming up on Tuesday of next week
Feb. 10th.

Those of you following along with the audio torah portions will be aware
of this but in Judaism they always say history follows the torah portions.
Jan 17th began the portion on the Book of Exodus where there is a new
Pharaoh and one of the first things he does is sign a decree to allow the
killing of the newborns. Then on Jan 20th we have a new leader and one of
the first thing Congress does is pass the freedom of choice act. The next
Sabbath was on the beginning of the plagues and we find this article about
the [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/129565 ] bubonic
plague hitting an Al Qaeda cell in the news.

This last Shabbat the reading is on the last 3 plagues of locusts, well
here is a link to an [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7865240.stm ]
unidentifiable insect plague in Africa that is destroying the crops.

This next weekend’s torah portion covers the Red Sea crossing, the manna
falling and the complaints for food and over the bitter water ending with
the story of Amalek attacking Israel. With the elections this next week it
could be interesting!

Is Heaven For You?

"If we don't want to experience God's closeness here on earth, why would we want to go to heaven anyway? He is the center of everything there. If we don't enjoy being in his presence here and now, the heaven would not be heaven for us. Why would he send anyone there who doesn't long for him passionately here on earth?

I am not suggesting that we are justified by works of prayer or any other acts of devotion. I am not a legalist. But let us not dodge the issue of what heaven will be like: enjoying the presence of God, taking time to love him, listening to him, and giving him praise.

Thanks Mike E for sending this great quote from Jim Cymbala!

Dreams

I've got a few friends that dream dreams - not regular ones but head-scratchers. Sometimes they are scary, sometimes simply interesting. In some cases, the dreams seem very significant. Here is a rule of thumb about dreams taken right out of scripture.

If the dream is from God and you only dream it once, it is a warning or a special insight to something that 'might' happen.

If the dream is dreamed twice (and is from God), it is established by God. Why? Remember the rule that from the testimony of two or more a matter is established?

This is made clear from the dreamer himself, Joseph, who said this about Pharaoh's dream:
Gen 41:32
(32) And as to the dream being repeated to Pharaoh twice, the thing is settled because it is from God, and God is hastening to do it.

Non-trivial Trivia

Most of us know the story of Joseph, the boy who was sold into slavery by his loving brothers. Joseph had a hard time of it at first, and was purchased by Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. We also know that Potiphar's wife lusted after Joseph and when he resisted her advances, she trapped him with false accusations. Potiphar had Joseph thrown into jail.

One wonders... was this girl so desperate for attention that she simply couldn't keep her mind off Joseph?

Here is an interesting tidbit:
Gen 39:1
(1) And Joseph was brought down to Egypt. And Potiphar, a eunuch of Pharaoh, the chief of the executioners, an Egyptian man, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.

Notice the word? Eunuch
The Hebrew word is:
sârîys sâris
saw-reece', saw-reece'
From an unused root meaning to castrate; a eunuch; by implication valet (especially of the female apartments), and thus a minister of state: - chamberlain, eunuch, officer.

Might that explain what kind of damage an unsatisfied spouse can do?