Side by Side Hand in Hand

Luke 19:5 When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”

We may not be in a tree when Jesus finds us but I believe He says the same thing to us when He finally catches our attention… HURRY… COME… TODAY… I must stay at your house.

I was not in a tree. I was digging a hole. I thought I was so smart – and powerful –  I could “make” people bend to my will. I had the powerful tool of manipulation and like Zaccheus (he was a tax collector who collected a “small” portion for himself from the people he called his neighbors), I was going to use it on the people from my community for the benefit of ME.

My story is a story about as long as 32 years. A story where I was my own heroine, I made up my own game (and the rules) and I determined that I wouldn’t stop, even to the point of death, until I WON!

Luke 19:2 And there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich. 

Zach didn’t “look” wrong, however he probably knew he was doing wrong somewhere in his deepest part. At least, that day, there indeed was a desire to find Jesus, so strong he climbed a tree to see Him.

God’s desire exploding in man’s heart!

God created us and placed within us the evidence of Himself and the temple He wants He wants to build for Himself. Until that place is filled with His presence, whether we admit it or not, we KNOW there is an empty spot within and we strive to fill it (usually with all the wrong things).

When Zach heard Jesus coming, the empty space within Him demanded to SEE Him.

I was digging my grave… I was “ready” to fight to my death (boy, wouldn’t they be sorry) for my right to live as I wanted to! When a friend who wouldn’t play my game by my rules, told me Jesus was coming… “You need Jesus!”… the empty space within me demanded to SEE Him.

Just call me Zach! Jesus found me in my self dug grave and said… “hurry and come down up, for today I must stay at your house”

Just like Zaccheus, I’m sure, though some might say “she’s a good person”, most would begin to grumble, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a woman who is a sinner.” (Luke 19:7) 

Just like Zaccheus, I wasn’t alone – the table is FULL!

Mark 2:15 And it *happened that He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many of them, and they were following Him. 

And the church “fathers” ask…

Mark 2:16 When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they said to His disciples, “Why is He eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?” 

I have to admit… I asked the same question! “Why me?”

Then you look into His eyes and everything but Him becomes sooooooooo unimportant… You want the money? “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.” (Luke 19:8) You want my life? (As a disclaimer, I wasn’t as quick to give to Jesus, it took me a FEW days of having Him at my table.) I don’t have riches, all I have is this hole I have been digging.

Luke 19:9-10 And Jesus says… “Today salvation has come to this house… For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” 

#metoo? EVEN me???????

Mark 2:17 And hearing this, Jesus says, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Yep, if I were listed in the dictionary, right next to me would be the label “sinner”! The perfect definition of my life! Just throw me in the LOST pile…

But God…

Luke 19:10 The Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost. 

Make that the LOST and FOUND pile…

Why me?

And Jesus says… “Because God, Our Father, told me to!”… And I am JUST LIKE HIM! We are on the same page! “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. (John 5:30)

Thank God, Jesus lives in my house!

He is not done with me yet, He is building a temple within me that will be worthy of God, Himself. Building such a temple takes time and masterful attention to every detail. But God… with me trembling in awesome fear of His power and might… it is God who is at work in me, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13)

How about you?

Has your empty space, designed to be God’s temple, DEMANDED to see Jesus yet?

Have you climbed a tree, or dug a hole, or swam the deepest waters, to catch just a glimpse of Him?

Jesus is calling!

“Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”

Be.Like.Zach.

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

 

 

 

Revelation 7:9, 11-12 After these things I looked, and behold, a vast multitude that no one could count (definitely not alone in this… just sayin!) —from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues—was standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands and all the angels were standing around the throne, along with the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might belong to our God forever and ever. Amen!”

Yesterday I was called “spoiled”… and… I AM! I am showered with gifts (thoughts and things and bling) and blessings (grace and forgiveness and love) that I don’t deserve, I haven’t earned, and I couldn’t buy even if I had the funds to do so. I am loved… WELL!

I am loved so well that my heart sometimes swells to the point of pain – treasured pain.

I am spoiled by my God – I am spoiled by my lovey (husband) – I am spoiled by my children, my friends, my extended family… I AM SPOILED!

Normally this would have a negative connotation (i.e. rotten) but I choose to proudly wear it as a Badge of Wonderful, because with my badge I am boldly proclaiming my HEARTFELT GRATITUDE.

And soooo…

I was contemplating the word (words) of thanks/thanksgiving…

It seems to me that, like love, there are degrees of sincerity – the amount of covenant reciprocal investment embedded in the words thank you.

One can “like” something &/or someone and mean only that they have an affectionate response to… some Bible Dictionaries use the Greek word phileo. Or, we can “love”, placing a deliberate attachment for and a covenant promise to place and hold the person, place or thing in a position of honor. A place that includes use of and benefits from all my worldly goods… this greek word is agapaō… a word that describes a willingness to sacrifice to or for the loved one.

Thank you and/or all other verbiage used to express gratitude, can (and I believe does) express the same degrees sincerity/amount of covenant reciprocal investment.

I can (and often do) say thank you from my head not my heart. As a spoiled child, I still have the nature to make everything about ME, which in turn causes me to “like” anyone or anything that satisfies MY desires and or affections. Sorry to say, when my heart is filled with myself I can really only squeeze in a small space for covenant investment toward someone or something else.

But…

When the eyes of my heart look outward and SEE THE SPOILER, I can begin to prepare a place for him/her. A place of honor – a place of willingness to invest myself. A place that is not shallow pond of “liking what I see”, but a “deep, unending, growing realization of WHO I see. A place that inspires AWE of “Why me?” A place that is pressed down, shaken, full, and overflowing of GRATITUDE of the HEART!

A place that DEMANDS a little more than words of thanks.

To God, who is The Spoiler (my Spoiler) above every spoiler, the place in my heart demands… falling on my face before the throne and worshiping My God, saying, “Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might belong to my God forever and ever!

To my other spoilers, who give from God’s provision (whether they know it or not) in their lives, my heart demands all except the worshipping. My heart demands an amen… me proclaiming the truth of you… with blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor… giving you the power and might to touch my life in ways that fill my heart with the essence of you.

This is HEARTFELT GRATITUDE which NO WORDS can adequately express!

When I am wearing my Badge of Wonderful called “Spoiled” and not adding “rotten” to it (eyes on me), I am being changed. God is… taking the heart of stone out of my flesh and giving me a heart flesh (Ezekiel 11:19)

I am spoiled!

Psalm 139:13-18 God formed my inward parts; God wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to God, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are God’s works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from God, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; God’s eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in God’s book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.

How precious also are God’s thoughts to me, O God!… He gives me all my other spoilers… How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand.

To my Spoiler and all His fearfully and wonderfully made assistant spoilers He has put into my life, I place you in my heart with the deepest covenant reciprocal investment of thanks and love I can give!

1 Timothy 4:4 For everything created by God is good and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.

You are received with all of my HEARTFELT GRATITUDE!

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

 

Genesis 50:20 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.

Joseph had a dream… his brothers had a plan… but God determined the outcome.

Thank You Father!

What a mess we would be if we truly and totally suffered the consequences of our sinful nature. If God truly was a remote and passive viewer of this world, would we even have survived one generation much less thousands of generations? Consider Cain and Abel (the first sibling rivalry – Genesis 4). Cain killed Abel in the heat of jealousy and anger, THEN realized he just might need God’s intervention. He begged God for mercy after blaming Him for the punishment he brought on himself. He KILLED someone (never mind it was his own brother whom he grew up with and shared parents with)!

Even way back in the day, before the “civil law”, he would have had to “run away’ from his crime of murder. Like the natural law of gravity, the law of reciprocity – the law of creation – the law of motion, demanded an equal and opposite reaction to every action. I call it the “Do unto others as you want them to do unto you” law of human nature.

Throughout history, we have had our share of Abels, who quietly did their business and lived a life of love, gratitude and worship for their Creator God. And, throughout history, we have had the equal and reactive Cain’s who had no other thought except love of self.

Two siblings with two different hearts of love. Love of God and His plan to create and fill this world with all of His wondrous creation for all of His wondrous creation. Love of self, Satan’s twisted version of love – the equal and opposite reaction (hatred) to God, who IS Love – the enemy’s plan to destroy God’s creation and His plan. 

I’m telling you, if God had stepped away in disgust and/or boredom for what His creation had become, and left us with only our version of “brotherly love”, we would have been done for! Scripture and History is filled with “Man Plans/God Fixes.

Take the famine of circa 1700 BC or so… where the fix, God’s intervention, began twenty plus years in advance

Genesis 37:2 These are the records of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, when seventeen years of age, was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was still a youth, along with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father. 

Oh, oh… tattletale!

Genesis 37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a varicolored tunic. 

Spoiled brat!

Genesis 37:4 His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms. 

Alone in the playground.

Genesis 37:5 Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. 

Ok, we’re done… When they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them, they plotted against him to put him to death… now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and we will say, ‘A wild beast devoured him.’ Then let us see what will become of his dreams!”(Genesis 37:18-20) We must love our brother to death!

Reuben intervened (for his own sake with Dad) on the irrevocable piece of the plan (let’s not kill him) so they threw him in a pit and sold him to the traders passing by for twenty shekels of silver. (it’s how Joseph, a seventeen year old sheep herder, got to Egypt in case you were wondering)

Act I Scene 6: “Now we show and tell Papa, the truth according to the evidence. Convince him we are innocent and we have overcome our only hurdle to a better life. Life without the brother who tormented us with his “wicked” ways. Things can only be better!”

Life did go on. Normal, if not pleasant/happy for the boys. Sad and lonely for Dad. Joseph? From slave to prison to second in command over all of Egypt in thirteen year! Now he isn’t just the dreamer, he’s the interpreter of Pharoah’s dreams and along with the interpretation, Joseph is given a plan to save the people from famine.

What are the odds?

His brother’s had a plan to rid themselves of a thorn in the flesh, God determined to save His people from death and annihilation. The people of all the earth came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because of the famine was severe in all the earth. (Genesis 41:57)

Hey boys, what do you think of the spoiled brat now?

We want to pretend that mankind – man and all his siblings –  is the author and creator of any and all success! WE are in control… WE determine who is for us and who is against us… If you are not FOR us then you are AGAINST us and you must BE GONE!

Including God. If God does not follow our rules – our wishes – our commands, then He must go! We sacrifice Him (or believe we do) on the altar of our imagination, or as some call it, our perception. We declare God to be a myth created by an overactive imagination. Our perception convinces us God is no more real than a genie in a bottle. We live as if PERCEPTION IS REALITY. Of course, both, imagination and perception, are equally susceptible to the EYE OF THE BEHOLDER… We waffle back and forth depending upon what my eyes want to see today. I can “imagine” you love me (how can you not?) and at the same time “perceive” that you are not showing love to me, all based upon the reality that love means never making me unhappy.

Joseph’s brothers believed they had created the reality that life was better without Joseph. Their perception was they were “thankfully” rid of him forever. They thought, as they ate their cake of making their life so much happier, that they would always have their cake of self-love to keep their life happy. What they didn’t know, 27 years earlier, was a tsunami of famine was headed their way and JOSEPH would be needed for them to even have a life… oops… who knew?

Once again God intervened…

I can only imagine what the brotherhood thought when they discovered that THE MAN in control of whether they could feed their family or not was the brother they failed to love.

Genesis 45:1-3 He (Joseph) could not control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried… he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard of it (possibly ready to attack the people making their beloved so unhappy?)… “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?”… but his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.

SPEECHLESS!

If anyone says, “I love God,” (you know they claimed this – they were raised in the family of Jacob/Israel) yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.” — 1 John 4:20-21

We call a lot of things love. We do a lot of things for the good of our fellow siblings. We would never purposely harm our “brother/sister”, especially if we knew how SPECIAL they were, we would love them like God loves us!

Probably not! Probably more like Joseph’s gang of brothers… you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.

Oh by the way… Joseph’s original dream was that his brothers and all of his family would bow to him. THEY DID! A dream come true! Thank God! He does indeed have the whole world in His hands and He plans to keep it that way!

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. (By the way; may not look like Our Big Brother Plan – just sayin!)

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

 

 

 

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.

Scripture says that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; (Romans 10:9)

However… without TRUST there would be no fruit (active participation – OBEDIENCE) on our tree – no “food” to sustain us in the seasons of famine. The house may be built on our belief in Jesus Christ, but I’d venture to say there would be no insulation in our walls, no stability when the wolf comes (and he will come) to blow the house down, and definitely it will not be turn-key ready for abundant life!

Proverbs 24:3-4 By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; And by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches… 

Man says… “Fake it until you make it” (or something like that), but Scripture says… You will know them by their fruits. (Matthew 7:16)

Fruit… the produce of the tree.

The fruit of the tree of faith is the active/ready-willing-and able participation to DO what the Word of God declares (not suggests) needs to be done. The ready – willing – and able comes from the fertilizer of trust.

Yes, for some, maybe even most “trees” it takes years to produce fruit, but anything less or none at all is… wait for it… hypocrisy!

A hypocrite, just a decorative tree, maybe pleasing to the eye but useless for sustenance. A bunch of logs! Matthew 7:3-5 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log (useless tree) that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log (useless tree) is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log (useless tree) out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

First just let me say that I don’t really consider it possible to separate  FAITH from TRUST, however for the sake of discussion some would say that salvation only requires BELIEF and of course confession of said belief.

I agree (see Romans 10:9 above)! However…

Believe in your heart is NOT the same as telling someone what they want to hear.

And, what is it that you believe?  That God raised Him from the dead? Really? Then “SHOW ME THE MONEY”!

Show me your fruit…

Romans 3:20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

But, what use is it , my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works (James 2:14) Faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. (James 2:17).

Before we get into a yelling match… Mary, YOU CAN’T have it both ways! Yes I can!

Works of the Law in Romans, are tasks done out of, and only for, a sense of obligation… not cheerfully given (2 Corinthians 9:7), because the HEART declares it a MUST, without grudge or under compulsion to do so.

Unlike works of the Law, done for meeting unspoken expectations (which are similar to meaningless repetition or the religiosity Jesus speaks against in Matthew 6:7), works of Faith are done because the heart of a born-again believer BURNS with passion TO LIVE what it KNOWS to be TRUE.

*** Works of the Law done by the heart possessed by God Himself, are equally works of Faith by the heart born-again as a Child of God and grafted in to the family (Israel)/possession of God***

That fire in our heart is fueled by… TRUST!

I can believe words. I can believe someone is who they say they are. I can believe a promise made… for a while. But when tested? Will I believe with all my heart?

Good question!

An even better question is, “Will you test (actively prove your own confession of belief) what you believe about God and His Word, knowing He will not fail?” Or are we so afraid of being embarrassed that we build a fake fire of “religion” fueled by the logs of fear? No wonder we are sometimes thought of as hypocrites, rather than putting the fire of embarrassment out, we build it bigger, and brighter, and hotter, with the logs of fakery, the “Do as I say, not as I do” logs.

The passionate fire of TRUST, built with the logs of wisdom and understanding or the passionate fire of FEAR built with the logs of our own understanding. What’s in your house of faith built with?

the room of our house are filled by knowledge or filled with pretentious idols?.

Knowledge comes by testing the truth to be true, not by putting a pretty but false face our own storybook.

Testing is accomplished by TRUST, the active proof of my own confession of belief. Not the smoke and mirrors of accusation and slight of hand of a wanna be magician.

John 8:31-32 … “If you continue in My word, then your are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” TRUTH, not an opinion – mine or your!

DO NOT lean on your own understanding… I think the greatest mistake made in our world today is the trust in “EL NATURAL” Plant the seed and whatever comes up is wonderful (organic and original) and meant to be. If any tweaking is needed we turn to the expert Google to give us the perfect fix, recipe or truth.

Even our churches are caving to the idea that we don’t have to do anything but say the word and God will (or at least He BETTER!) give us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37).

Without  knowing Him or reading His Word for ourselves, we CLAIM our position as son/daughter WORTHY to inherit God’s Kingdom.

Childishly we believe we KNOW all we NEED TO know and therefore God is obligated (if He wants us to continue believing in Him)…

As I said in the title, trust does not come naturally! But childishness DOES! 1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, reason like a child; immediate gratification of all that is, was, and will be! When I became (an adult) I did away with my childish things. Well, some of us haven’t.

Truth is not a child’s toy, it can not be molded into whatever hot mess the eye of the beholder imagines.

Belief without faith, is not a safe and secure environment for training up a child (or anyone else).

Faith without trust is an unknown stability of a foundation, ripe for the enemy’s weapons of mass destruction.

Trust without obedience (actively putting our WHOLE self, body, soul, and spirit on the high-wire of life), does not produce the passion fruit of faith.

I’m not trying to take a spec out of your eye, brother/sister, I’m simply identifying the fruit of a Jesus Freak tree…

Faith without trust (proof of our confession/word) and obedience (proof of our trust)… without demand for God’s obligation to our wishes and plans… does not yield the peaceful fruit of righteousness (the RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with God – Hebrews 12:7-11).

FAITH… Psalm 23:1-3 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 

TRUST… Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me;

OBEDIENCE… Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 

Trust does not come naturally and it doesn’t always make me happy – healthy – wealthy – wise! But it will ALWAYS be… healing to our body And refreshment to our bones. (Proverbs 3:8)

“Trust and Obey,  for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus,  but to trust and obey.” (song by John H. Sammis 1846-1919)

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

 

Job 1:6-7 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.”

Anytime Satan is at the party, WE LOOSE!

He approaches in innocence (just roaming and walking).

Job 1:8 The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.”

Proudly God (the bragging rights of Daddy) points out the character of His child (His DNA), shining so brightly that none seeing him could miss who he belongs to.

Satan, who has heard so many of these “My Child” stories, mumbles from his evil heart… “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. (Job 1:9-10)… not DNA – SPOILED BRAT more likely!

Such a negative opinion!

And it/he hasn’t changed! The accuser of the brethren (night and day – Revelations 12:10), because he knows he is on his last hurrah, he is even more hell-bent on destroying the creation God loves. Today he stands before God’s throne saying the same things about us that he said about Job.

In our hung over state of celebrating THE END of the year or anything begging to be TWEAKED, we begin to imagine something even better – a PERFECT year, or person, or feeling, or world. If only…

We begin to hear and consider a view of truth that is separated from God. We begin to hear the accusations spoken before the throne of heaven by our expert accuser and we begin to repeat them to ourselves and others. Instead of reminding the accuser that his time is short, we panic and allow his opinion of us to DECLARE our guilt and enter his SLAVERY – Egypt style.

Exodus 1:9 Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we.

Exodus 1:10 Come, let us deal wisely with them, (or else)…

Exodus 1:11 So they appointed taskmasters (FYI these were fellow Hebrews) over them to afflict them with hard labor.

This, my beloved bros and sisters, is reenacted every New Year’s Day with each and every New Year’s Resolution! We VOW to become (in the NEW YEAR) everything we are not now. WE  BECOME the taskmasters of ourselves and others in the family of God.

It’s all in the Art of Temptation… 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) Make “them” think they “Better Watch Out”…

Court is in session and the Judge is ready to bang the gavel!

He KNOWS (sleeping, awake) – He KNOWS!

So… BE GOOD FOR GOODNESS SAKE!!!!

Every year, my enemy offers me the apple of taking the law into my own hands to avoid THE Judge who will surely make me SUFFER a life sentence of HARD SLAVE LABOR. Every New Year, I start to fall into temptation and every New Year, (I know I will) sooner rather than later, I will FAIL at being the perfect defendant with no need for mercy and grace.

And EVERY year (New or otherwise), God saves me and leads me out of the Egypt I keep trying to return to.

Yep, Satan is still the accuser and is still accusing the brethren before the throne night and day… his end is coming but only God determines the date and time (Mark 13:32).

Yep, it’s still and imperfect and groaning world! Until we are finally “revealed” as God’s sons and daughters, we look like (and sometimes act like) useful slaves who manage, like taskmasters of old, the hard labor of ourselves and others.

But God… is with us! Yes, He is the Judge but He is also the One who LOVES us and CLAIMS us as His own!

When the accuser steps to the podium… Jesus RISES (He sits at the right hand of God) and DECLARES us FREE! Because of His victory over all that stands between God and us, God ORDERS Satan to shut his mouth and get the hell out of heaven (he falls like lightning – Jesus watches – Luke 10:18).

What should we do (New Year’s or ANY other day) in return?

Observe and Remember!

Observe that God is NOT in agreement with the accuser… he was not asking Satan for a tattle-tale report of Job’s lifestyle. In fact He was bragging about and in love with His boy! Observe that God is NOT worried that He will be embarrassed by His creature/creation’s failure to be PERFECT. Observe that God is in control and Satan will not be allowed to devour and/or destroy.

Observe that in the end it is NOT about Job (or me – or you)… but about God and His life in us (God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life – Genesis 2:7).

And then… REMEMBER… it was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)

In MEMORY of all that you have observed and been blessed with… become His child – who races to Him rather than back to Egypt… become His child – who seeks Him rather than a child’s childish way… become His child – who does not fall for the temptation but turns to ABBA for every need… Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. Who better than the One who knows every cell, every fearful and wonderful thing about you (Psalm 139)?

This year, instead of New Year’s resolution, I will be lifting my New Year’s Life resolution Banner… for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13).

I am a Child of God!

No more listening to or giving attention to the whispers of a future has-been accuser – I declare the Word of My Father… “Not by might  nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6)

There Was a Day…

This IS THE day… which the Lord has made;

After all… EVERY DAY… Father Knows Best!

Let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)

Happy New Year!!!

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isaiah 9:6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

On Tuesday, December 26, 2017, I’m thinking I’m in the throes of a Christmas Hangover! Too much food – too much sugar – too much holiday cheer… I REALLY SHOULD stop all this celebrating!! And then… God spoke to me.

First the prophecy from Isaiah in the eighth century BC… then the confirmation to Joseph of the same prophecy…

Matthew 1:23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”

And then, in the midst of the remnants of the 2017 Merry Christmas, the angels came.

Luke 2:10-11 the angel said to me, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 

He’s HERE! God with us…

I heard angels!

Luke 2:13-14 Suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of heavenly host praising God. 

“Glory to God in the highest,

Good News of Great Joy indeed!

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. No wonder I was glitter bombed by a multitude of heavenly host!

Where God is – heaven is… the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” (Exodus 3:5)

I SANG!!! “Glory to God in the highest

Have you sung with the choir this Christmas? Glory to God in the highest!

Have you opened your heart to the gift of God? His name is Immanuel!

Have you considered going to see for yourself? Luke 2:15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the lord has made known to us.”

You can come to Him as Wonderful Counselor.

You can be rescued by Him because He is Mighty God.

You can be adopted by our Eternal Father.

You can rest for eternity in the Prince of Peace.

Need I say more?

Just one more thing… these are God’s Words, not mine…

Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 

There is NEVER TOO MUCH of God!!!!

Merry Christmas, INDEED!

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

 

Luke 2:19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 

#MeToo… This Mary has been PONDERING the treasure chest of my heart.

From joy, to ho-hum, to ok – NO!, my days have been a mess of feelings. FEELINGS… you know those things that have you laughing and dancing one minute and in the fetal position the next. The pendulum swinging (like pendulums do) from pure bliss to deepest of grief.

At the beginning of the week (that would be Sunday to those of us who try to honor the Sabbath – day 7 – on Saturday), I understood and delighted in the “wrestling” match Abba was taking me through. With great wisdom, I sat at His feet and PONDERED. I TREASURED the training! But on Monday… I was on overload, heading toward burnout. With a great deal of SELF-PITY, I threw the “turn out the lights the party is over” switch. I did what all NORMAL children do when they’ve over dosed on sugar! I threw a hissy fit for God’s eyes only.

“Daddy, don’t you care that I’m upset? Don’t you see I NEED You to FIX those who are causing me great distress? I know, I KNOW, feelings are childish and not at all acceptable for MATURE people! But… Have YOU no feelings… is everything just blah, blah, blah, blah, blah?”

Somewhere along my way, I got the idea that God – even PAPA GOD – was a single layer of personality. All work and no play… nothing ever good enough… untouched by our human ever-changing dramatic repertoire. In fact, before I allowed God’s pursuit of me to change me, while I was His enemy, I could not fathom EVER giving my heart to a Judging Father who could not/would not be satisfied!

Only through Jesus (If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” John 14:7) could I meet and greet and fall in love with DADDY!

To this day, I fight the lies that are stored in my OLD natural heart. I have knock down, drag out arguments with myself when circumstances bring out my tendency to JUDGE GOD based solely upon how I “feel” about my day (and each and every event of said day). Love means… never allowing me to suffer nor live with unmet desires. Classic case of Transference! Judging Father God by MY STANDARD of insatiable demands!

1 Corinthians 13:13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

As I was PONDERING this week, I realized that I had set aside one important truth. Well, maybe two… OBSERVE and REMEMBER. You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall be careful to observe these statutes (these ways of the One who brought you out). (Deuteronomy 16:12) 

But to Mary, the mother of Jesus, the person in the above Scripture,  observing and remembering isn’t JUST a task. Not just a feeling either. Observing and remembering – the foundation of Faith Hope and Love – is the FULL ON, HITCH YOUR WAGON to this star, SELLING ALL having found one pearl of great value (Matthew 13:46) and CHOOSING God and His Way, Truth and Life!

So, when Mary treasured all these things, she was FULLY present and sold out. Task and feelings, in perfect harmony, singing… “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” (Luke 2:14)

The “wrestling match” God GIFTED me with, was training in the same treasure hunting/storage. FYI… our version of wrestling is fighting to WIN. God’s version is being fully invested (fully trained in and practicing), fully present and fully participating in LOVE TRAINING!

Unlike our version, which seems to be mostly feelings of aggressive fighting for the right to rule, God’s version IS complete, perfect and unconditional love.

I can have Faith that God is perfect in every way. I can have Hope that He fulfills His word. But I cannot claim Love (the greatest of these) if I reject that He cares for me in every moment, every event, every circumstance of my life.

Love isn’t just the words we say (1 Corinthians 13:1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal). Love isn’t should’ve, would’ve, could’ve, but never does (1 John 4:8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love). Love is REAL LIFE (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)!

In my pondering this week, I realized…

There is love in the eyes and arms of those who receive my hugs and give them right back (remember when the babies wanted to snuggle so close they would’ve crawled into your skin if they could’ve). Do I love God like the babies loved me?

There is love in standing in the gap when my gifted friends and family are a little low on independent living (remember when you stood next to those who had a heavy load of life and they leaned just a little and gave you the honor of sharing the fragile moment). Do I lean in when God is always next to me?

There is love in sharing the intimacy of laughter… of tears… of whispering… of silence (remember when you gathered together in true fellowship, hiding nothing). Do I stand before my Daddy, wanting with all my heart to KNOW Him and BE KNOWN by Him?

Deuteronomy 6:4 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. JUST LIKE HE LOVES US!!!!!

In the pondering of all the treasures I have stored in my heart, love is the greatest gift of all. And God… is The Author – The Perfecter – The Giver of all that is, was, or will be love. Without God, His creature would never have known love, nor would we have been able to invent it ourselves. He might have given us the “instinct” to do necessary task like the other creatures, which certainly is a loving thing to give and a loving thing to receive. But without giving us His image, the ability/nature to comprehend and choose the action and direction of our life, we would neither know nor care to know “The Reason for the Season”. 

We are created in His image… He IS love!

“Daddy, don’t you care that I’m upset? Don’t you see I NEED You to FIX those who are causing me great distress? I know, I KNOW, feelings are childish and not at all acceptable for MATURE people! But… Have YOU no feelings… is everything just blah, blah, blah, blah, blah?”

Needless to say I REPENT and I …

Turn my eyes upon Jesus.

I look full in His wonderful face.

And the things of this earth, grow strangely dim –

in the light of His glory and grace!

THIS Mary now treasures all these things, pondering them in her heart. 

No more one-dimensional view of the Love of God for me!

John 3:16-17 “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. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 

God’s choice to LOVE and feelings of LOVE and tasks of LOVE, unite in perfect unity to explode in  SALVATION… ours and our world’s! 

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

 

 

Genesis 28:16-17 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

How awesome indeed!

Genesis 28:12-13 He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. 

This was not JUST a dream as we would define a dream. This was much more a VISION – an event rather than an imaginary image made up by a mind in a dream world.

When he arrived at this place he did not see – feel – hear – touch anything like this. I believe God purposely waited until the day of travel was over, camp was quiet, and Jacob was in his plan to fulfill the birthright he had stolen from his brother Esau. Yes, he was running away from a twin brother who was a little angry, but he was also intent upon receiving all that his father’s blessing (which the brothers would have heard about their entire life) entitled the receiver to get.

Genesis 17:7-8 (God says) I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant  – I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojourning, all the land of Canaan

Jacob was going for the WHOLE TAMALE. However, just like us, (at least me), he was focused on his plan. I don’t think he personally, ran his plan by the Covenant Maker.

This dream/vision, with his head on a rock for a pillow, is the first time we hear of Jacob one on one with God. He was afraid… and impressed – “how awesome is this place!”

It’s church! None other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!

Yes, Jacob, God is speaking to you!

“I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. 

NOW begins the REAL DEAL… God’s plan done God’s way!

Twenty years later he returns to this same spot having been schooled (both by life and inspiration).  In Covenant Relationship with the Master, now he PRAYS, and WRESTLES, and SUBMITS to the touch of God in his life.(Genesis 32:1-32)

This time Jacob named the place Peniel – which in Hebrew means “face of God”.

The place where he REFUSED to release God until He (God) blessed him – even after God exploded his hip socket (can we say PAINFUL!).

No longer a cocky young man, enthralled by the BLING of a place where he received his certificate of membership from God, now a trained believer in a very intimate relationship with his God.

Have you found your house of God – your gate of heaven –  your ladder – your Peniel, the place where you are face to face with God?

It’s not a place reserved only for Jacob. “I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me. I said, ‘Here am I, here am I,’ to a nation which did not call on My name. (Isaiah 65:1)

ANY person (ESPECIALLY THE REBELLIOUS among us) is invited. “I have spread out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in the way which is not good, following their own thoughts, (Isaiah 65:2)

Like Jacob, we are presented with God’s covenant to us. Not OUR plan but God’s… Coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:4-5)

Like Jacob, some of us come with the cockiness of youth, thinking (and sometimes being taught) that we OWN THE COVENANT with all the rights, riches and privileges of land barons.

1 Peter 2:9 You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, 

But God… NEVER leaves out the training! So that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

He never leaves out His sanctification! For you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:10)

THEN we may enter our Peniel with confident willingness (we know Him), and wrestling mania (we trust Him), and our breathless determination to be blessed (we believe Him).

NOW… we are at church!

No… now we are the church… Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

I do declare… “How awesome is this place!”

You are… none other than the house of God AND the gate of heaven… Ready to wrestle?

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

 

 

 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

An EVERYDAY holiday!

It’s that time of year (cue music) – the holiDAYS begin! But… do they begin OR is this just a dim mirror view of heaven’s everyDay?

God’s lesson plan for me this week has been a crash course in the difference between my version of our famous holiday and His.

Mine (our’s) is a once-a-year – family gathering – eating – sharing – eating – serving – eating – did I say eating…

His is Rock Solid endless event, with a foundation poured & built upon by our Redeemer, Savior, Messiah, King.

You know, the kind of Gift that changes lives!

John 3:16 “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. 

But I thought we were talking about Thanksgiving – NOT Christmas!

Have you ever received or given a gift so extraordinary that the response of the receiver was unforgettable and exactly what you knew was needed/planned/hoped/waited for, WITH ALL YOUR HEART?

This… our response to God’s extraordinary gift… is God’s version of Thanksgiving! Rejoicing ALWAYS – praying WITHOUT CEASING – giving thanks IN EVERYTHING.

In hindsight, this Thanksgiving Day, was ANOTHER extraordinary (though dimly seen this side of His mirror) gift! God’s gift to me this Thanksgiving was to SEE His Heart!

His knowledge of our need at the same moment of His grief in separating us from Himself and the problem of eternal consequences of sin (Genesis).

His plan of salvation not judgement (For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. John 3:17) so that He would not remain separated from us, His fearfully and wonderfully made sheeple (sheep/people – Psalm 100:3/Psalm 139:14).

His hope that we would receive – believe – confess and be saved. Romans 10:9-11 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes , resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 

His patient waiting, not wanting ANY to perish (2 Peter 3:9).

I remember those gifts I have given that literally GLOWED because of  the receiver’s response. Precious memories that forever impact my heart as if it happened just a minute ago.

For the gifts that I received, did my response create similar memories in my giver? I pray so! All I can say is, I’m in training!”

Having seen Abba’s heart, Thanksgiving will never be the same again. The one-day meal has become an everyday feast!

Colossians 3:17 Whatever I do in word or deed,  I will do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father because I now know this will make God’s heart delight with joy and He will dance for joy and sing over me (Zephaniah 3:17 TLV Adonai your God is in your midst— a mighty Savior! He will delight over you with joy. He will quiet you with His love. He will dance for joy over you with singing.’)

Knowing I can make God HAPPY, I will enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 100:4-5) What son/daughter does not want to give their parent the gift that will eternally fill their heart?

I’m not talking Christmas here, sheeple!

Thanksgiving… thankfulness… is the fruit of love.

An endless circle for both giver and receiver of heart filling love.

THIS is God’s will… Love and Being Loved…without end!

Can I get an Amen?!

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks!

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