Author: niroja

What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?  James 4:1

It is a GREAT QUESTION with a great answer… Is it not????

And this is a GREAT TIME to ask and answer! Not only because it is Yom Kippur (a time to consider the last year, make amends for those times, people and things that have not been our best moments, and a time to offer up **AGAIN** your vow to God to BE HIS… 2 Chronicles 7:14 and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.)

Yom Kippur… a yearly high holy day to take inventory and assess your sins (of commission and omission) and offer atonement. Back in the day it was two goats… He (Aaron) shall take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting. Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the scapegoat. Then Aaron shall offer the goat on which the lot for the Lord fell, and make it a sin offering. But the goat on which the lot for the scapegoat fell shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make atonement upon it, to send it into the wilderness as the scapegoat.  Leviticus 16:7-10 

Today, Jesus is our atonement and the final sacrifice for the remission and forgiveness of our sins. Though we no longer offer animal sacrifice, we are indeed called to come before God to confess our sins and vow before Him that we do indeed NEED forgiveness, CANNOT make the payment (Atonement).  We therefore, confess with our mouth Jesus as Lord and believe with our heart that God raised Him form the dead. Jesus is both our scapegoat (our sins were place on Him and He died on the cross to fully pay our debt (the wages of sin is death).

Today, and everyday is the BEST TIME to take inventory, assess our ways, and humble ourselves before the throne of our Lord and Savior. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

But some of us like to wander around in the wilderness looking for another “scapegoat” we can attach our sins to. Someone or something that cannot or won’t say to us, “You need Jesus for that!”

We are so used to scapegoating… “He/she/they made me angry, violent, confused, depressed, sick!” We are so used to claiming our innocence, our naïveté, and even the unfairness of the consequences of our own actions. The question, what is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you?

We find the answer, “It is I!” MY pleasures that wage war in my members is uncomfortable and embarrassing 

But true… We lust and do not have; so we commit murder. We are envious and cannot obtain; so we fight and quarrel. We do not have because we do not ask. We ask and do not receive, because we ask with wrong motives, so that we may spend it  on our pleasures.  James 4:2-3

Therefore, there is a more important question, “What is the solution to the source of our quarrels and conflicts? 

We must turn form this wickedness – If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.  1 John 1:10 – we must speak the truth, ESPECIALLY to ourselves!

Confession of sin is necessary but ASSESSMENT of our participation in it is the ACCOUNTABILITY and the OPPORTUNITY to HUMBLE ourselves and LIVE THE CLEANSING of all unrighteousness as we PRAY for our complete healing and the healing of our land.

We DESPERATELY NEED someone other than ourselves. We NEED The RIGHTeous person!

Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  James 4:8

Most of us think, or at least act like it’s all a game we ourselves create. We play by the rules as we make up as we go!

But it’s a real struggle, not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 A danger from the pit of hell… Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

When we confess, and assess, and hold ourselves accountable, and take the Holy Spirit’s opportunity to live in righteousness, we have the ONE chance, the ONE answer, the ONE solution to the source of our quarrels and conflicts… 

Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.James 4:10

He IS the GREATEST ANSWER to our great question!

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

“Sticks and Stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me.”

Remember saying this in the heat of playground gang fights? Back in the day, words were our preferred weapon, with sticks and stones as the last resort to gain the number ONE position! Today it seems we are still playing the game! Still playing the same characters, positions, vying for the same outcomes as the children we once were.

Sticks and stones were used to beat into submission, and now we add destruction of property, fire, guns, and group intimidation to ensure the message is not only heard but seen. Words are still used, in fact they have become the torch that leads the parade and fires the evil passion to kill and destroy. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  1 Peter 5:8 

Words can never hurt me? Wanna bet? EVERY word has the power to build or destroy, especially IF this earthly life is all we have. If the outer man is the only vessel, and it is decaying, then we are vulnerable to being eradicated or “canceled” (and then there was nothing) at the whim of those who wish to rid themselves of all they cannot tolerate (including themselves).

It is certainly true… our outer man is decaying! We see it in ourselves and those around us. We become obsessed with every detail, in order to believe we are doing fine, but then are compelled by reality to live the lie!

But God… Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. Genesis 2:7

What is this living being? A body, formed from the earth, to house the spirit of life, breathed into this body by God. We became the being, the only being, set apart to bear the image (the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) of God. (Let Us make man into Our image, according to Our likeness;) We are a “living being” whose life does not end in dust.  Therefore… “I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do.  But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!  Luke 12:4-5 

When all is said and done… it is not our outer body we should be consumed with, it is our inner body that should be our focus. More specifically, where this inner body (our spirit) will dwell for eternity and WHO ultimately decides.

Instead of compulsively viewing ourselves and others as the sum total of the details of the temporary, we need to seek God’s eternal view of each of us and follow His plan/path for getting us to eternity with Him in Heaven.

We should…  look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen;

Knowing… the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal,

Trusting that… He is renewing our inner man day by day and that the temporary is only momentary, light affliction that is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.

After all is said and done, where will you spend eternity? The wages of sin is death – eternal death. If you look for the temporal – this earthly body – to keep you debt free or you hope there is no debt collection or debtor’s prison, you leave your eternal spirit in for a very rude awakening upon passing from earth into eternity. 

It is our choice to believe in God or not.  But, may I remind each of us that our choice NEVER changes  the truth. You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. It is also our choice what we do with our belief or unbelief. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works (becoming like Jesus) is useless?  James 2:19-20 

Scripture says, “ Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.”  Romans 10:11 We have an eternal choice to make… for “ Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  Romans 10:13

When all is said and done… without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.  Hebrews 11:6 When all is said and done… choose you this day whom you will serve!

When all is said and done… forget the temporary, pursue the eternal!

Because… When All Is Said and Done… 

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.

Matthew 7:15-18 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 

We are told that we must learn to love ourselves before we can love others. Of course, this idea of love, must be defined as that which makes the unholy tree (me, myself, and I) happy… healthy… wise… and most importantly, independent of all outside forces to accomplish.

In the past, I totally agreed with this form of encouragement. In fact I evangelized it, thinking it would cure all the personal ills, I would strongly advise those in depression, those with anger issues, those with image problems, those with, any and everything that failed to make their life happy/healthy/wise/ and independent, to, “Love yourself with your whole heart, your whole soul, and you whole strength!”

Of course, that was when, not only wasn’t a believer in God, I totally hated Him for being God. (I wonder how many acclaimed atheists today, are just like I was? Claiming to NOT BELIEVE, they hate Him with all their might.)

Today, I have changed my tune. My hypothesis today is, we ALREADY love ourselves… mostly with “bad fruit” from the poisonous tree of our sin nature.

I believe,  what we truly need to learn is,  what true love is! What good fruit from the good tree is.

It’s NOT the fruit determined by our unholy tree (me, myself & I), or the unholy tree of those who have been enthroned as an expert grower of fruit trees of love. We love conditionally. We love when the fruit produces the profit margin we demand. We love in the good times and hate in the bad times. Our nature (bad tree) sends out false prophets, who dress in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. Because of sin we have become the bad tree that only bears bad fruit and cannot produce good fruit from the union of our unholy trinity.

Who is the good tree that only bears good fruit and can only produce good fruit?What is the good fruit of love? What does it really look like?

You will know them by their fruits.

Does it prove itself in taste and sight and nutrition, or become the tasteless goo to cover the meaningless communion wafer? 

Does the fruit of love encourage us to give the energy and work necessary to maintain the quality of the fruit, or does it discourage any effort as being unnecessary or useless?

Does the love offered save from being alone and or forsaken? Does the fruit fill the body with peace… and joy… and wonder? 

Does the fruit of the tree cause within, the desire to return the love with the same intensity and passion it continually gives?  Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  1 Corinthians 13:4-7

If the love we offer, or the love that is given is not even close to this kind of fruit, it is NOT the 1 Corinthians good fruit of love, from the good tree. It is the bad fruit from the bad tree of the false prophets.

God is what the good fruit of love looks like! Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  1 John 4:7

He made us with love…  For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.Psalm 139:13-14

He knows us through love…  You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all.  Psalm 139:2-4

He surrounds us with love…  You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me.  Psalm 139:5

His love never leaves us nor forsakes us…  Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me.  Psalm 139:7-10

His love is in control…  My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.  Psalm 139:15-16

His love fills us with joy, encouragement, and security…  How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.  Psalm 139:17-18

His love saves us from the false prophets of our natures…  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  John 3:16

His love is the reason there is love at all! We love, because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.

John 8:31-32 “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

IF… the truth be told

And… you know it and continue to know it

THEN… you will be free

Not just “any” truth…  The WHOLE truth – NOTHNG BUT THE TRUTH – so help you God!

But if… something other than the truth, is the foundation of your world, this “other” has not/can not/will not set you free because it only has the power to enslave you to the task of proving (or yelling it loudly which proves nothing) IT IS right! Your life will be consumed with explaining the man/woman (the wizard of your life) behind the curtain. Granted, he/she has all the bells and whistles to intimidate, impress, and/or distract from the real deal! But when life comes down to bottom line, what can a human wizard do when the storm of truth CANCELS/DESTROYS all the lies, half truths, wishes, imaginations?

He/she is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”  Luke 6:49

Whether you believe it or not, truth – the whole truth, WILL burst against the foundation of your life, and it WILL destroy that which neither sits upon nor is attached to that which CAN NOT BE shaken.

What foundation are you building upon? I’m sure your building is beautiful and shows your neighbors how successful you are because you know the true wizard. Money? Powerful position? The right friends? The wisdom of all the great thinkers? All hidden behind your curtain of certainty which is never certain, until it (and you) meet The Truth.

Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life;” John 14:6

If you don’t know Jesus, you do not KNOW the Way… The Truth… or The Life!

He came to us once as Immanuel – God Himself, with us.

He came to provide us the way out of our certain ending – the wages of sin is death (eternal death).

He came to tell set us free from eternal death with the truth of His kingdom to come. He came to build His church (His nation, His people, His family); and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. Matthew 16:18 

He came to be our Rock! Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. Luke 6:47-48

But… we have to tear down our curtain, clean out all the bells and whistles of our FAKE security blankets and pacifiers , and place the Truth the center of out foundation. THE TRUTH that has not changed since the beginning of time. THE TRUTH that was not shaken or defeated when He stormed hell and rose in victory. THE TRUTH whom will judge the living and the dead. THE TRUTH for whom it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me ,and every tongue shall give praise to God .”  Romans 14:11

The Truth does not depend upon your agreement, your belief, or your choice of wizards.

Truth, to be truth, is not a matter of opinion, or guesswork, or statistics, or imagination, or even, your belief or unbelief in it. It just and totally, IS!

GOD IS… God said to Moses, “ I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘ I AM has sent me to you.’” Exodus 3:14 

IF… the TRUTH Be Told!

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.

And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, “You have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and all his servants and all his land; the great trials which your eyes have seen, those great signs and wonders. I have led you forty years in the wilderness; your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandal has not worn out on your foot. You have not eaten bread, nor have you drunk wine or strong drink, in order that you might know that I am the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 29:2-3,5-6

• Yet to this day the Lord has not given you a heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear.  Deuteronomy 29:4    

Why is it… that we can, and will remember all the events, things, people, promises, which leave us with the taste of bitterness? 

Why is it???… that we can, but won’t remember the moments of the miraculous that we certainly never deserved but desperately needed.

I wonder if it is because, both take an act of (freely) chosen will and we all (everyone of us!) greedily demand our way or the highway.

Our thank you’s (our gratitude) are all boxed and wrapped in happy, healthy, wealthy and wise pretty papers of judgement, and any that don’t measure up are deleted and thrown in the could’ve, would’ve should’ve trash bin.

You have seen… Yet to this day you have no idea of the great signs’ and wonders done JUST FOR YOU. And… yet… Lord has not given you – MADE YOU – know that He is the Lord your God and force you to CHOOSE to honor Him for your very life.

Why is it?

WHY, does the God of the Universe, not only allow these petulant creatures to continue in our selfish splendor, but continue to pursue us?

I gotta tell you, I personally don’t do well with ingratitude! If someone (even those closest to me) speak to me and of me with disdain for all I do, then judges me as worth little or no value to them, I would definitely react fast and furiously! I may do whatever, passively aggressively, but I can honestly say it would not be for their good nor would it be out of love for them (love for myself and protection for my heart, maybe). 

So, for God to love and want me for His child, even in the midst of my multiple daily hissy fits, He truly is the God of the miraculous. He truly is my Father who will never abandon nor forsake me!

Why is it?

Because God IS love!

Not our brand of love which always seeks conditional payment.

God is UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. Love that is not founded on what He desires (though His every desire for His children is perfect in every way) but on WHO HE IS.

As parents, we sometimes threaten our children with the wrath of Dad (or yes, even the wrath of Mom). “Wait until your father gets home!”  or “Keep it up and I’ll give you something to cry about!” Ours is a fear-based brand of love… make me happy, healthy, wealthy and wise… OR ELSE!

Maybe this is why we approach God in the way we do. Maybe we attempt to make Him more like us, so that we do not have to change our brand of love. Or maybe it’s the childishness inside of us that refuses to submit to anyone outside of ourselves.

Maybe this is fear-based also. Maybe we KNOW we should not be left to our own devices. Maybe we KNOW our selfishness is a deadly weapon!

There is no fear in love; but PERFECT LOVE casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.  1 John 4:18

We don’t know love because we refuse to submit to God’s perfect love.

We (can only) love, because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19 

For God so loved us all, He gave!

He had to… because of who He is… and… because of who we are not!

“ Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, (you do know, right, we are grafted into Israel if we are in covenant through Jesus)  not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “ I will put My law within them and on their heart (with the words of Jesus, abiding there) I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.  Jeremiah 31:31-33

And such we are… if we have made the covenant with God!

And if we have, then WHY IS IT we still remember the negative of not getting when we are breathing the breath of God as we live today.

WHY IS IT we refuse to know in our Savior redeemed heart…  refuse to see with our spiritual unblinded eyes… we refuse to hear with our ears filled with the songs of the Holy Spirit?

Why is it?

We still have God’s gift, given to us at creation – free will. And we still have within our OLD nature, the whisper of sin, which is consistently tempted, by our enemy to revert. We have both the ability and responsibility to… “Choose you this day whom you will serve.” 

“You stand today, all of you, before the Lord your God: your chiefs, your tribes, your elders and your officers, even all the men of Israel, your little ones, your wives, and the alien who is within your camps, from the one who chops your wood to the one who draws your water, that you may enter into the covenant with the Lord your God, and into His oath which the Lord your God is making with you today, in order that He may establish you today as His people and that He may be your God, just as He spoke to you and as He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Deuteronomy 29:10-13

“You have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes – those great signs and wonders” 

You KNOW!

And if you don’t… O taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!  Psalm 34:8

Why? Because THIS IS THE DAY the Lord has made; 

Let us rejoice and be glad in it!!!!

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 2 Peter 1:2-7

I was thinking the other day, as I was playing in my craft room with my new found love of 3-D art, that this technique and the beautiful results, are a great parallel to our sanctification (God’s amazing artistry), from newborn Jesus Freak to a mature, abundant and fruitful living Jesus Freak.

What begins as just a one piece cut out, a flat and wishful design of what I might become, the first cutout will be the original prayer to join the party, to commit my trust and confidence, and belief in, and pursuit of my Lord and Savior, with all my heart. Over time, with the Master Designer in control and me attempting too proactively add depth my original becomes, with the Art of Layering, a multidimensional, light to the world, that stands out and proclaims my testimony of BECOMING a child of and an heir to the Kingdom of God.

In my craft room I use my magical “Cricut” cutting machine and the patterns loaned to me from way better crafters, to cut layers and layers of an original design with just a tweak of the same design on each layer. The layer is then laid on top of the layer before and becomes an offset that allows the original design to be recognized, but also adds another element to enhance the original. As the layers build, the original design goes from flat, to full, to popping off the page, while still showing the depth and beauty of the design.

In 3-D picture making, the first layer of cut out design is laid upon an uncut colored sheet, so that the design, cut from a sheet of a neutral or coordinating color, will stand out. (It is not the cutout that is placed on the colored sheet but the sheet from which the cutout is taken.) In other words, in our parallel, it is not a cutout of little ole me on my knees in prayer, but God’s page with His design of me, cut out and ready to be layered with all the pages that He will intricately design, to add dimension and fruit and abundant light and life to His original me.

When I first prayed I thought I was drawing and presenting the necessary fully filled and ready to mount picture of me. But God…  Knowing that my rendition would neither receive His design nor reflect the breadth – depth – length – width of His great love for me, He gently asked that I give my rendition (myself) over to Him and His Will for His picture of my testimony.

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.  Romans 12:1-2

So I did! Although I must admit, over the 30 plus years of the Art of His Layering, I have inadvertently interfered with His tweaking of my layers or tried to replace one or two of His design layers with my own version. Not recommended… 

God does not use a wonderful, magical Cricut which, without struggle (unless I set the page up wrong) simply cuts. Don’t like the result? Discard and cut again. Though, I am sure I would not enjoy a blade cutting in, on, or around me, it would possibly be quick and under anesthetic, of knowing it’s JUST a paper page, not at all painful.

God’s cutting tools on the other hand, are never quick and cannot be used under anesthetic, because sanctification ALWAYS requires our full participation in understanding and receiving God’s design. His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence!

Sanctification is life and godliness… For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature.  Did you get that? We become PARTAKERS! Not just recipients but willing partners who take – and eat – and digest – and become fueled, and therefor powered, to live the abundant life God desires for us. God uses all the tools (sometimes He even uses living tools which He integrates into our life) necessary to cut and form and accomplish the picture He created when He blew into us His breath of life.

When I read the verse above, it is all about LAYERING. Applying all diligence, in your faith… supply moral excellence… and in your moral excellence… knowledge… and in your knowledge… self-control… and in your self-control… perseverance… and in your perseverance… godliness… and in your godliness… brotherly kindness… and in your brotherly kindness… love.

Just a note here, it says applying all DILIGENCE…  not design demands. And Supply… not create I believe this means get ready, clean out the room, prepare to receive the divine nature of God.

You have a throne of faith in your heart, is it overflowing with junk that was put there to hide it from company? Get this throne cleaned off and ready for moral excellence – God’s standard of morality not our own to rule your heart.

How about your mind? Filled to the brim or organized and ready for true knowledge?  Waiting and praying for all kinds of wishes and dream? Get ready to add self-control so that you may value with praise and thanksgiving that which is necessary and already provided.

Perseverance when life doesn’t do what you think it should, godliness so you might stand out like a candle in this dark world, brotherly kindness, especially when he/she hasn’t deserved it? And the top of the top layer? LOVE!

Not our brand of “likey likey”, get prepared to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ and love your neighbor as yourself.’Matthew 22:37-39

Prepare to love as God loves…  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  John 3:16

I can only imagine the multi-dimensional perfect picture of me when God is finished layering me. In the meantime I know that the preparation, pursuit of, and the layers beginning to form, will plant me in the community of partakers of the divine nature and allow me to escape the corruption that is in the world by lust.

The promise is…  For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.2 Peter 1:8 – along with the other side of the promise…  For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his  purification from his former sins.  2 Peter 1:9

THEREFORE… brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.  2 Peter 1:10-11

Let us all become the art of God through His Layering – A Testimony Picture of…

Who I was… Who I am… and… Who I will Be!

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.

And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, and saying, “ Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.” Jesus *said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion said, “ Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.  Matthew 8:5-10 

Did this guy believe in Jesus, or what!

This wasn’t just a test to show if his faith was placed correctly. No, this was ALL IN – MAKE IT OR BREAK IT – NO OTHER OPTION faith.

I’m not sure there are many of us, in our world today who have even a mustard seed of this kind of faith. I’m talking faith in Jesus. A Person the centurion was neither associated with by race, religion, nor relationship. In fact, a Person whom being seen with, probably would’ve ruined his career as a Roman commander of a hundred military men, should he be tagged as a follower or something of equal scandal in the day.

Where as one of us might SECRETLY believe, one of us might even take an opportunity or two, to cautiously test the Man while taking care to have an escape plan should our belief be questioned because of results. Jesus called this soldier a true man of faith… “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. “Not just faith but, but great faith! The kind of faith Jesus hadn’t found in anyone in Israel (those who did have an association by way of race, religion, and for many, relationship).

But Mary, that was “back in the day”! Israel? Our “Christian Religion” has replaced Israel as God’s favorite! Ummm… no… WE ARE ONE with Israel.  Remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. Ephesians 2:12-16 The kind of faith Jesus found in this centurion would not have been found in us, either!

What kind of faith? The kind that cared for (loved) those who were in his “household”. “ Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.” LOVE DRIVEN FAITH!

The kind of faith that asked with passion, the kind that came to Him, imploring Him, PASSION DRIVEN FAITH!

The kind of faith that knows its weakness. Jesus *said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion said, “ Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”HUMILITY DRIVEN FAITH!

The kind of faith that bows to the authority of God, knows the power of God, and trusts the Will of God will be done. “I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”  SUBMISSION DRIVEN FAITH!

By now, y’all know I have a favorite line from the movie God’s Not Dead! It has become my mantra for those times I question “Why me, Lord?” For those times I feel God is remiss in answering my prayers. For those times I strongly feel I know best and God just doesn’t “understand”. For all those times I choose to be His bratty child…

“God is good, ALL THE TIME! And all the time, GOD IS GOOD!”

This is the foundation for love/passion/humility/submission driven faith.

I bring my loved one before the One I love and I say, “Please Lord, the one I love is paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented (isn’t that all of us who need intercessory prayer?) and I KNOW You, the One I love, knows and loves this one I love.

“Lord God, We KNOW You respond ALL THE TIME with, “I will come and heal the one we love.” 

Like the centurion, we can easily proclaim, “Lord We are not worthy to receive You, but only say Your Word, and we will be healed.”

Through Your Word and our own life experience, we TRUST and therefor SUBMIT to You, because Your PERFECT WILL, will be done all the time, and all the time, it will be PERFECT IN EVERY WAY!

We don’t have to become a Roman Centurion, we can put on the armor of God and become His army of children, growing in Prayer Warrior faith.

A love driven faith, loving God with our whole heart and soul and mind.

A passionate faith, pursuing God’s will as the only will to pursue.

A humble faith, realizing that with us life is impossible at best, but with God all things are possible.

And a submissive faith that gives God the glory for every detail of our life.

With faith the even the size of a mustard seed, we can grow up to become God’s Intercessory Prayer Warriors. (if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.  Matthew 17:20)

Let’s.Be.An Intercessory Prayer Warrior!

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.

A day…

For some blog learning/updating/ and maybe even a surprise or two… been putting it off (also known as procrastinating – my “specialty”) for far too long!

Talk with you next week!

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4

Just as with all exercise, when you DO IT with a wholeness that both expects and patiently participates and waits for the desired results, our brain sends a glass full of gladness made up of the your sweat and tears. A baptism so to speak of “YES! It is WELL with my soul!” 

I’m not an exercise fan, I procrastinate until I have made up a reasonable  excuse to NOT DO IT. I love the long term results and I love the after-effects of peace and contentment and satisfaction, but — I also love the sigh of relief my body and brain give with the immediate gratification of “No, no, not today!” 

So… I am one of those children of God that first, wails and throws tantrums when I am confronted with the various trials of life. Even with the promised results (perfect and complete, lacking in nothing), I refuse to consider them “all joy” (the glass full fo gladness that tells me it is well with my soul). 

But God, knowing what I DESPERATELY need, is willing to “Train up this child in the way I should go”, even while I’m stamping my feet and having my hissy fit, simply because I am His daughter and He loves me, inspire of me.

It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons (and daughters); for what son (or daughter) is there whom his/her father does not discipline?  Hebrews 12:7… or this…  He who withholds his rod hates his son or his daughter, but he who loves him/her disciplines him/her diligently.  Proverbs 13:24

(***We certainly are seeing the results of parental “hate” in our world today!***)

Without Father God, in me and with me and for me, I definitely would be one of those hated children. I am the parent of my earthly self who tends to withholds the rod of faith testing (much like the furnace that is necessary to make the finest/strongest steel), that keeps my inner child safe and provides the perfect – complete, lacking in nothing.

In my childishness, I complain to Abba that, “IF HE REALLY LOVED ME, He could just make it happen WITHOUT making me suffer (or sweat).” Surely a “good parent” would provide my every wish, my every desire, my every request. SURELY!

You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.  Deuteronomy 8:2… He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.  Deuteronomy 8:3… He led you through the great and terrible wilderness, with its  fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water; He brought water for you out of the rock of flint. In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good for you in the end.  Deuteronomy 8:15-16

In my childishness… When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child;

I know there must come the day… when I become a woman, and do away with childish things.  1 Corinthians 13:11

It is tempting to remain childish even as I PRETEND to be “old enough”, to not depart from the way I should go (Proverbs 22:6), but God sees through the FAKE ME (unlike some of us on the playground), and looks at my heart.

When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”  1 Samuel 16:6-7

God rejects the FAKE ME!

Therefore… even though… All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.  Hebrews 12:11

And even though I hate exercise… I thank my Abba because He believes in me. He loves me enough to see me as the one He made me to be… perfect and complete, lacking in nothing!

I PRAISE GOD and bless His Holy Name because… He won’t stop until He has His way!!!!

This one thing I know — God is good, all the time! And all the time, God is good!

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.

Psalm 139:16  Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your Book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.

We have this tendency to summarize our life and the lives of those around us, in a series of events.

We choose the major events, discard any events we do not see the relevance of, and write our opinion as an overall summary of the life lived (kind of a “living” obituary).

Then, we summarize the summary, so that we can attach our judgement as to the importance, the goodness/badness, the blessing/suffering cost, and the success/failure of the management team for such a life as this, and of course express our sympathy and/or celebration of the life we are viewing.

We tend to ignore the details that brought our life, or the life we are viewing, to the event that has our attention now. Details of all the days are seen as unspectacular and therefor unimportant to the narrative of the life story (unless, of course, the details culminate to prove the judgement I put forth).

Depending upon my overall emotions toward the events, I will either bless or curse (probably both) those who MADE this happen.

To me, THIS casual disregard for the details of a life lived, is our greatest failure. By disregarding the details we miss the momentous moments and focus on the minutia of the so called big moments that come and go and are quickly forgotten for the next big moment.

We miss the momentous moments that have all been ordained to culminate in God’s vision of the fearfully and wonderful made life He blew His breath into.

This habit of summarizing is certainly expedient when we do not have the time, nor the desire to take the time, to know ourselves and others as God knows and loves every creature He makes. However, this habit also gives a false narrative (a narrative missing the whole truth and nothing but the truth).

A false narrative that leads to a false conclusion and ultimately leads to a false response from the viewer. For example, we CAN’T love our enemy because we summarily KNOW he/she hates us. We CAN’T love a God who summarily ALLOWS our enemy to hurt us in terrible ways. We CAN’T love ourselves until we can summarily PROVE we are perfect.

Without the details of life, major events cannot showcase the unconditional love necessary to bring each and every player to an event. Unconditional love that is the life-blood an abundant life!

Joseph is a good example. Events (see Genesis 37-50)… spoiled youngest (at the time) child, brothers jealous and bitter, sold brat to traders & reported him dead to his father, household slave to Potiphar (and his wife who wanted what Joseph wouldn’t give), unfairly put in prison for years, released and made 2nd in command to save the world from famine.  

How could a “good” God allow such injustice… such suffering… such grief?!  Check, out what Joseph had to say…  But Joseph said to them (the brothers who initiated the mess), “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” Genesis 50:19-20

God knew what He was doing! And… He was doing it from the time His eyes saw Joseph’s unformed substance!

We think in event mode and wonder why. God plans in life mode and knows every moment the life He gives breath too, must have to live abundantly.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. 

And here is the REAL CLITCH for us humans.

We define EVERYTHING GOOD on a scale of happy, healthy, and wise. We define EVERYTHING BAD on a scale of sadness, suffering, and unwanted. We may be grateful (for a minute anyway) for a life of “goodness” but we will hatefully declare unfair (til the end of time) for a life of “bad things happening”.

If we judge God (or anyone else) with our event mode mindset, every story told (in the Bible and in life) can be seen as God not caring enough, God not gracious enough, God not involved enough. The tales of war, and slaughter, and slavery, and famine, seen only in the dimension of THIS IS HAPPENING NOW, leave out the very important facts of who, what, when, where, why and how did we get to this HAPPENING NOW that would indeed give us an inkling of the truth, the whole truth.

God lives in LIFE MODE! He is the God of details.

From the moment we were created (Let Us make man) to be His children (in Our image), He prepared to live with us and prepared us to live with Him. In order to give us TRUE & UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, He gave us the gift of free will, the ability and responsibility to CHOOSE to love Him, others, and ourselves, with the love we inherit from Him.

Even when we broke His heart by desiring AND taking what we shouldn’t have and thus opening a position for evil in God’s Kingdom which cannot allow the presence of evil.  

We gave evil access to our lives and he (Satan) demanded a price that would take us from God… the wages of sin is death! Immediately, God put into place His plan to destroy death and return us to life – ETERNALLY!

Every story, every event, every chosen person, place, and happening, became the DETAILS of God’s Will for His entire creation. EVERY detail is the fight to win the war against therulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12) for the abundant, eternal life with Him that He desires for all of His creation.

God’s plan is written in every detail and every detail is written in every story until His plan is accomplished. When you see God’s Story (the Bible) from this point of view, the details of God are so much more important than the events we wrap our lives around.

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.  Isaiah 55:10-11

God is the God of Details!

Whether we understand, or approve of, or give gratitude for, EVERY DETAIL is important to God’s plan for the whole of this life and the opportunity for eternal life.

If the detail weren’t important or useful, it would not be. 

WE KNOW that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become  conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. Romans 8:28-30

WE KNOW that God is GOOD ALL THE TIME… and all the time GOD IS GOOD! If there is a detail in your life, please don’t doubt that God is in the midst, fighting the enemy who means evil against you and turning Satan’s attempts to destroy you into His plan for your salvation, redemption, and resurrection.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Romans 8:31,33-35

Trust God to plan His work and work His plan in your life and in the lives of those we love (which should be all of our neighbors).  

in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:37-39

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.