Side by Side Hand in Hand

Genesis 4:6 the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?

Genesis 4:7 If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”

We do indeed have an enemy. We do indeed have a powerful enemy. We do indeed have a persistent enemy. We do indeed have an ingenious enemy who not only sends FLAMING arrows – weapons of mass destruction, he uses our own lusts, our own lives and our own friends and family to plant bombs – ticking time bombs – set to trigger at times we are unaware and unprepared for an attack. Set to trigger at those times we are most pleased with the life we have planned, created, and enjoying… the life we KNOW is God-given because we tell Him so.

As I wrote last week, I am not a fan of suffering the first degree burns the  enemy sends into our life. I hate him for the devastation and destruction he gleefully heaps upon us and our world. His weapons do have power and ability to cause tremendous pain and suffering (to the point of death), I don’t pretend nor demand anyone else to pretend it doesn’t hurt! IT HURTS!

But… worse than any weapon our enemy can and does create… using our own bodies – our own ways – our own loved ones as both the bomb and the trigger (what I call Friendly Fire) is the ultimate victory for him.

If we are aware of who he is and how he operates, we can spot his weapons and war tactics. We cannot always stop them from hitting and wounding but we can SEE his future demise. We can SEE WHO WINS

When he is crouching at our door and disguising himself as a friend, it is more difficult to identify the enemy and way more difficult to call for the hand to hand combat when it might be ourselves and/or our loved ones we must battle.

It’s one thing to watch Satan fall like lightning (Luke 10:18), it’s quite another when we must watch (and help) the Holy Spirit destroy the carefully erected strongholds of lust and pride.

Just as with the enemy, we must recognize and identify… If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? Then we must master it – allow me to use a word we might understand better… we must STOP it!

In my experience – with myself – I have found that I need simpler directions. In my younger days, when I perceived myself as a WARRIOR in training, I imagined that I was becoming the ultimate fighting machine with the power and authority to COMMAND/SEND/KILL … so…  I did. I was becoming a Jedi Master… by the grace of God – of course! Not only did I not STOP my occasional friendly fire, I continued to build stronger strongholds of lust and pride.

I have learned since, I must STOP being the WARRIOR and DROP in submission to my Lord and my God. I am a warrior IN TRAINING.

Philippians 2:13 for it is God who is at work in me, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. 

We must STOP helping our enemy… We must DROP to our knees in submission to God’s Will and His Work.

Finally, to fight both the flaming missiles of our enemy and the “friendly”fire from our natural man, we must… hears these words God (the ROCK) and act on them (roll WITH THEM)… we must ROCK ‘N ROLL

Matthew 7:24-27 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 

We have an enemy and his name is evil! No matter what your status or lifestyle, or spiritual maturity, the rain does fall – the floods do come – and the wind does slam against the house.

Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

Wise or foolish… you decide.  

Whether it is flaming missiles directly from our enemy, or friendly fire from those (including self) we love… our enemy is crouching at the door; and his desire is for you…

Will you lift up your shield of faith showing him WHO you believe and WHAT you will do in His name?

Or will hear but think YOU can mitigate the damage and still hoard the sinking/stinking sand of your old nature – lust of the eye – lust of the flesh – the pride of life?

Just so you know… our enemy knows the difference… maybe even better than we do!

Stop… Drop… and… Rock ‘n Roll!

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

 

1 Peter 5:8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Yesterday I was having some “girl time” with my favorite author – Priscilla Shirer. She does not know me (yet) but it seems as if she writes directly into my soul. One such book, “Fervent” (I HIGHLY recommend it… read it… NOW!), met up with my spirit yesterday and I “soared with wings as eagles” (Isaiah 40:31)…

This book is (as she states on the cover), “A Woman’s Battle Plan for serious, specific, and strategic PRAYER”, but don’t let gender identity deter you from its real message for our world today. We have an enemy… he hates us – whether we fight him or not… he has declared WAR! A Battle Plan would be good! “Fervent” (I HIGHLY recommend it… read it… NOW!)

Yesterday… as I was flying high… Priscilla says, “If I were your enemy…”

And that began my wrestling match with the Holy Spirit… a little Daddy/daughter Warrior Training time.

We all have seen and been the recipient of the enemy’s fiery arrows. Sickness, tragedy, suffering of every kind, weapons formed to disable and destroy us and/or our faith and hope in God. We see evil all over our world today, laughing at our inability to prevent or even retaliate against its evil intent. It’s easy to spot evil (unless you are lied to by the lipstick on the pig) when there is an outward show of violence. (If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck…)

But what of the bombs placed strategically in the hidden places of our lives. The ones that are timed and triggered by… wait for it… our own lack of awareness AND our foolish provision of huge closets in which to hoard all the toys. Toys I would rather play with, than be practicing the fine art of Shield Lifting – in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16).

“If I were your enemy”… I wouldn’t want you to be aware of the real danger (until it was too late).

“If I were your enemy”… I would hide the danger in sweetness and light (he is known as the angel of light).

“If I were your enemy”… I wouldn’t create a new weapon if I could get access to those you have already created to sabotage yourself.

“If I were your enemy”… I would keep you SO BUSY with the mundane things of your life that you would NEVER SEE your Shield of Faith such less lift it to extinguish/disable my weapons.

“If I were your enemy”… I would celebrate FRIENDLY FIRE!

Friendly Fire… the weapons of mass destruction that, not only do I personally invent, I hoard, and polish, and practice using.

Things like… if only I had__________.

Things like… I need ____________.

Things like… I wish I were ________.

We recognize pain and grief and suffering as opportunities for an enemy to take advantage of our weakness. For those who have been trained in warfare, they will immediately lift their shield of faith, knowing from where their help comes from… 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 8:38-39)

But will we lift our shield of faith against ourselves? ESPECIALLY if we are enjoying (dysfunction!) our self being on the center stage.

Ecclesiastes 2:10 All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor.

So what if it has kept me from time with my Father/Son/Holy Spirit. After all… God wants me to be happy – healthy – wise, right?! God wouldn’t want me to be disappointed in His provision, right?!

Ecclesiastes 2:11 Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun. 

So what…

This was my reward… no profit under the sun!

No profit… except to our enemy… we’ve done the dirty work for him. We have made ourselves vulnerable and unprepared for war.

Remember… THIS IS WAR!

Matthew 16:26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Don’t have time for a conversation with God? Don’t have a need for God’s instruction right now? Don’t want to upset those depending on me to, “Shhh, not wake the sleeping giant”?

Will God tell His prophet once again… “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.’ “Render the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim, otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed.” (Isaiah 6:9-10)

In my Warrior Training session I learned (and began to practice) to lift my shield of faith up against myself, because sometimes, I am my own worst enemy.

The Friendly Fire (this time) is my hatred of DISCIPLINE!

Hebrews 12:11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; I sabotage discipline – I set up bombs to stop all attempts to be trained by it… yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. 

Yesterday… I LIFTED my shield… Proverbs 23:12 Apply your heart to discipline And your ears to words of knowledge. 

I wrestled… and then submitted to God… Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (James 4:7-8)

I practiced… Hebrews 12:12-13 strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. 

I benefitted… I am changed because I walked wrestled on Holy Ground with my Father/Son/Holy Spirit… I see with my eyes, hear with my ears, understand with my heart, and I have returned and been healed.”

Will there be no more friendly fire from me?

Unfortunately I suspect my storage bins are still somewhat full of bombs (some may even be ticking as we speak) but I know… from where my help comes from… 1 Peter 5:10 After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. 

And now my friends… it’s your turn to become a soaring eagle…

Isaiah 40:31 Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. 

I want to encourage you to lift your shield of faith to extinguish the flaming arrows of your Friendly Fire!

Ephesians 1:18-19 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe… this is our SHIELD OF FAITH!

Do a little wrestling with your Father/Son/Holy Spirit… afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. 

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

Luke 12:25-26 And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life’s span? If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters?

It’s a great question!

Why… DO… You… Worry…

I don’t think there is a great ANSWER but nonetheless I guarantee we ALL do it anyway!

One dictionary defined worry as “giving way to anxiety and unease” – “allowing one’s mind to dwell on difficulties &/or troubles”.

Matthew 6:34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. 

For sure there is MORE THAN ENOUGH trouble to occupy our day. Day in and day out, there is always something vying for our attention. Unfortunately, difficulties and trouble dress themselves in DANGER… URGENCY… HORROR… and therefore manage to always be in the center ring of our circus. Then they hire the marketing manager, called worry, to add drama and intrigue so that we will be glad to pay the price of admission. The currency?… FOCUS! Every thought, desire, plan, action must be brought to SERVE this possible/probable/might be the death of me, event.

What do we get out of this (sometimes entertainment – IF you can view it with humor) circus act?

Do we SAVE time? Do we GAIN strength? Will we BECOME rich and famous?

Not so much!

Other than a HIGHLY DEVELOPED imagination, we end up with the opposite… less time to accomplish good, better, best stuff – exhausted and weak – poor and lonely with no one willing to hear our sadness over and over again.

So, WHY. do. I. worry?

Some would say that worry is “planning”… or being proactive… or being prepared…

In my case, if I were honest with myself, “as I always try to be” (The Boy in the Striped Pajamas), I would have to admit that the thing I worry about the most is ________________.

The blank above is not because there are so many things I worry about. It is my hesitation to type the not so pretty truth, or the temptation to put it into a costume of ministry to my minions, and if I can’t, to leave it blank for you to guess. It’s taken me YEARS to admit… but the thing I worry about the most is… my own disappointment in and about my life.

My worst enemy is, most times, myself. My worst fear is my own reaction and response to the anger and vengeance that will be unleashed upon all things making Mary unhappy &/or uncomfortable.

So I worry… about ME!

Thank God this is my OLD nature! But this old woman will be with me until I cross over into God’s Promised Land. She is becoming less as Jesus becomes more, and her tantrums yield less and less fruit as the Holy Spirit prunes her DEADwood away.

The cure for my worry was not JUST to stop worrying… Jesus gave me my cure in Matthew 6:21 “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”.

Like I said… YEARS – not so much in the giving (from Jesus) but in the receiving. Receiving the truth – to KNOW the CAUSE of the worry… hint… it’s our treasure!… to LOOK and SEE (assess our profit) it’s value and it’s cost!

Matthew 6:22-23 “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

Upon receiving the truth – CONFESSING the reality of my status in the deal… I was the slave NOT the master!

I thought I was the Master because I was worrying about me. Doesn’t that make me the one in control? Nope! Sin (lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, the pride of life) was in control!

Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

I was the slave in charge of SATISFYING my master, SIN. I remember the unlimited opportunity for worry because sin (rebellion against our Creator) is NEVER and WILL NEVER be satisfied and the result WILL ALWAYS be hatred of the worthless slave who CANNOT provide the wealth.

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first His kingdom ad His righteousness, and all these things (the NECESSARY STUFF) will be added to you.”

And finally, after receiving and confessing – REPENTING – changing the treasure of my heart. I changed my heavy heavy HEAVY purse of the worry of disappointing my ever insatiable me, to the coin purse of my portion of daily bread for today, FROM THE HANDS OF MY DADDY!

Yes, I still have moments of worry (will I “enjoy” my portion?)… the old lady doesn’t die easily! But I remember the slavery and then I observe (follow) the path (know – confess – repent) to freedom from the slavery.

Worry didn’t/doesn’t add even 1 hour to my life… THE TRUTH (Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life) set me free and I gained… ETERNITY!

Hallelujuh! Worry is UNDONE!

Just as the dictionary defines worry as “allowing one’s mind to dwell on difficulties &/or troubles”…

I now define “Worry Undone” as “allowing one’s mind to dwell on the Way the Truth and the Life”

I hope, when people view my life and the way I walk it today, the question will no longer be “Why do YOU worry?” but will be…

Why DON”T you worry?

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

 

 

John 14:16-17 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

The Son asks!

The Father gives!

The Holy Spirit comes!

Helper… FOREVER resident… Spirit of Truth… Believers only… ABIDING… not just with you but BEING Himself in you…

Enough said?

Just one more thing… Romans 8:26-27 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 

Oh yeah… and this… Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 

Pressed down, shaken full and overflowing… gifts – ministries – effects… 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 …each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good …one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. 

Father… Son… Holy Spirit… equals FAMILY!

1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 

Today, is the feast of Shavuot – First Fruits (Deuteronomy 16:9-10). It is also the time that the Torah was given and Israel accepted as their banner. They became the FIRST members of the FAMILY of God. Not so coincidentally, it is also the time the Holy Spirit was given by our Messiah  “…He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Matthew 3:11)

Houston we have UNITY!

Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!… and so must His family be.

Deuteronomy 7:6  For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 

Israel is God’s holy people? But I thought the “CHURCH” was God’s people! Now HOW is this going to work?

Romans 11:17-18 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.  We are branches – not Jew or Greek but branches – PARTAKERS of the ROOT –  God, who supports us all

And the good news of great joy… the BEST NEWS of all…

you also… (Fill in your name below)

Ephesians 1:13-14 In Him, ___________ after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. 

Enough said?

Psalm 118:24 This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it. 

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit…

THIS IS THE DAY – SHAVUOT – THE LORD HAS MADE!

ENOUGH SAID!

Let us pray… the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.”

I dare to say not many of us has had the opportunity to be tested like our friend Job (thank you God!). Though I do not wish to judge anyone’s response to grief and suffering, I have witnessed more of us being like Job’s friends than being like Job. In fact, our smug counsel to those suffering is a sure sign our faith and love for God, has not been tested with true fire.

Satan knows us so well…

Job 1:9-11 Then Satan answered the Lord, “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. But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.”

Before anyone screams, “Unfair! God sets Job upon a game of bragging rights!”

Let us review who is who here…

God blesses… Satan destroys.

God loves… Satan covets and lusts after His power and position.

God was willing to put His love on the line knowing the heart of the man He had a covenant with. Satan only wished to use this “HUMAN” (dripping with sarcasm and condescension) to humiliate God and separate Him from His favorite possession.

Was it a game? No, indeed it was WAR!

As shortsighted beings, we have the tendency to make everything about our feelings, and thus, about our happiness and comfort. When either, or both, of these are compromised, we declare, “FOUL BALL!!” and we judge the umpire rather than the pitcher.

Like Satan, we question God… should we fear God for nothing?

We demand God’s protection… hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side.

We take for granted all that God has indeed given and done for us… You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.

Here’s the rub. Satan dared God to curse Job in order to prove he would not handle things well… But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.” But, God does not curse – He blesses, Satan curses. Yes, He did give Satan the opportunity and permission to destroy Job’s bounty… and Satan did…

Job 1:13-19 Now on the day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God (eye-witness belief of what happened, not necessarily what DID happen)  fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

A Job kind of day!

No, it did not make Job “happy”…Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head… he grieved and suffered!

But he also… fell to the ground and worshiped. 

And spoke the truth about the things of this earth…

Job 1:21 He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

In other words, the blessings I receive from my Lord DO NOT prove God’s love for me… the FACT of my creation (birth) is proof of God’s love.

Job 2:3 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. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.” Job 2:4-5 Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. However, put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face.” (sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head)

Once again God does not curse, He blesses, Satan curses… yes, God did give permission and opportunity, BUT NOT to take Job’s life…

Like Job, sometimes, we do not believe that our life is WORTH LIVING (never is this God’s belief)… sometimes we do not want to LIVE our life! Job 3:1 Afterward Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.  Please note… he cursed the day of his birth… NOT God!

And then… on top of the physical grief and pain… Jobs friends (who should have kept their “opinions” to themselves) opened their mouth after SEVEN nights… and cursed Job!

Much like Satan, they couldn’t wait to blame this on God’s weak creation. They never actually cursed God (much like Satan), but they certainly indicated that Job SHOULD NOT expect God’s blessing since he COULD NOT live up to God’s expectations, nor WOULD NOT confess his sins, which surely caused this breech of God’s “loving” provision.

The one thing that Satan does not get (or maybe he knows it too well and it infuriates him), and I admit we do not always remember, God loves His creation! And God’s love is NEVER conditional – always UNCONDITIONAL!

We look with eyes full of lust (for all that looks wonderful), we live for the lust to please our flesh, and we declare ourselves THE authority with pride of the life we have made for ourselves. We MEASURE our “value” based upon an earthly view.

God measure our “VALUE” of us by His LOVE!

At the end of Satan’s test, God didn’t declare Job free of wrong thinking and speaking silliness about confronting God, instead God told him to “gird up your loins like a man, and I will ask you, and you will instruct Me!” A far cry from turning His back on him and forsaking him because he didn’t/doesn’t measure up.

God did declare that Job was in relationship with Him… a relationship that Job never ceased to put proclaim… a relationship with his God.

After a “big boy” conversation with Daddy… Job declared…

Job 42: 2-6 “I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted… Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know… “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You; therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes.’ I see You!

Job’s friends were telling him that God’s focus is on his (Job’s) ways and means… in their rush to straighten Job out and get him back on track, they lied about God.

Job 42:7 “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has.”

Just a side note… God’s wrath, unlike Satan’s lie about Him, is to give multiple opportunities to repent and know the truth and be set free from our slavery to ignorance… Verse 8 “go to My servant Job, and offer up burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you.“

Having a Job kind of day?

This is not the end… “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

What IS and ALWAYS has been and always WILL BE important to God is life with us!…“lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20) 

There is a life beyond this… the REAL life and it’s all about God! Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven…

This one thing I know… Observe and Remember…

Whether it be a Job kind of day or any kind of day…

God is good ALL THE TIME… and all the time GOD IS GOOD…this day IS FOR SURE a God blessed day!

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

 

 

 

Zephaniah 3:17 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. (from the Tree of Life Version of the Bible)

Can you see it?

Are you in Abba’s arms… whirling and twirling… with Daddy’s eyes only on you!

He’s looking at you… YOU, His son – His daughter… perfectly created from His spoken vision of you before there ever was a world to play you in (Psalm 139).

He’s delighting in you with the joy of a parent who is madly… MADLY in love with you – you are the gift He gave to Himself.

Can you hear His song? The music is beyond “foot tapping”, It is WORLD CHANGING and you… YOU, dancing with Daddy… is the reason for all of creation rejoicing.

Isaiah 55:12 “For you will go out with joy And be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field will clap their hands. 

How do you get on God’s dance card? Or more accurate, how do you get God on YOUR dance card?

Step into His arms.

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.

His arms are open… Jesus’ arms were nailed to the cross so that Abba’s arms could freely receive YOU as His prince/princess – the stars of love in His eyes.

Our triune God, Father – Son – Holy Spirit, stand together with arms outstretched and inviting you to… “Come and dance with the Great I AM!”

Will you turn and reach your arms out to be picked up and held?

Will you submit to being wrapped in the arms of God and held tight for the dance that will last into eternity?

When the Holy Spirit quickened my mind (and then my soul… and finally my heart) with the Words of God above, and gave me a version of His word that would not let me keep it on the peripheral of “Bible Study”, I realized I knew so very little about WHO my God, my Abba, my Daddy, IS!

I was raised with the view that put God on THE throne. True, but remote.

I was raised with the fear that I WOULD NEVER be good enough. True, but impossible to overcome.

I was raised with a vision that God was ALWAYS READY to smack my hands. Definitely deserved, but it only inspired me to run – not to submit to His discipline.

I was raised with just enough truth to cause me to RUN AWAY AND HIDE!!!!

It wasn’t until Jesus showed me the real VIEW of the Father, that I could even begin to WANT TO BE or choose to become a child of God.

My view of God, the one a church unknowingly taught me, was a view of a  monster who couldn’t wait to torture me in mind, body and spirit, only to judge me as a sinner deserving of hell and damnation. A “parent” who wanted me to believe it was all and only for “my own good”.

The church taught me about Jesus but never introduced me. They (sinners just like me) brought me right up next to the hideous and horrendous event, even made me “kiss” the feet on a plastic crucifix to insure I would always KNOW… and, bless their hearts,  that I would always be enslaved to my identity as a MURDERER OF JESUS.

Perfect love casts out fear?

God so loved the world?

My view… if He would do this to Jesus, His Son, who WAS/IS/ALWAYS WILL BE sinless… what will He do to me?

Yep, brought me right up to the cross and “forgot” to teach me what to do with it! (Maybe they taught but I was done listening by the time they got to THAT lesson)

But God…

Jesus sought me… and taught me… and bought me… He told me THE TRUE STORY! He came and got my attention. He spoke and I began to listen to Him.

John 14:7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also;

John 14:11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me;

It took awhile… but then came my AHA moment…

Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. 

From beginning of time God, our triune God, loved us soooo much that He (no air space between the three He(s)) knowingly and in spite of knowing every event between creation and eternity, said… “Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;”… God blessed them… God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. (Genesis 1)

God had has a plan for us…

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 NOTHING… will stand in the way of God’s plan!

Well maybe one thing…

You… me… someone not wanting to DANCE!

Can you see it?

God saying to His angels… Luke 15:22-24 ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate. 

There will be some… who, for all the wrong reasons… the little boy (or girl) who will turn and walk away from Daddy’s open arms.

Can you hear him/her mumbling… “I NEVER get to dance!”

And God, with tears in His eyes (Jesus wept – John 11:35) says…

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him (Revelations 3:20)

But… even if when we refuse Him…

Our God doesn’t stop delighting over us with joy…

Our God doesn’t stop quieting us with His love…

Our God doesn’t stop dancing for joy over us with singing…

Our God doesn’t stop preparing for His child to come home…

1 Corinthians 2:9 but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”

Listen to the music of heaven… Daddy is dancing… AGAIN and FOREVER!

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

 

 

Luke 5:31 And Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick.

“But I NEED!” This use to be the wail of my great (and they are great!) nephews when they wanted to MAKE ME UNDERSTAND how serious they would SUFFER if I failed to GIVE THEM what they desired.

They have since grown up (some) and are becoming like most of us – everything seems like “We’ve got to have!”… We may not WAIL, but if anyone tries to talk us out of it, we MAY STILL emphasize the possible consequences of denying ourselves… death – starvation – depression – “worst event of my ENTIRE life”…

There are needs. We are a creation that has BODY needs – SOUL needs – and SPIRIT needs.  Serious needs! Needs that are good – and necessary – and right to seek!

Our body needs food and water. Our soul needs love and a sense of security. Our spirit needs to be known and connected to our world community.

When these needs are not met or are lacking true sustenance, we become “sick” – not well, due to our body/soul/spirit”s lack of necessary nutrients.

Our problem/mistake is that WE try to satisfy our true and righteous needs with false and unsatisfying solutions.

We have been taught, both by well-meaning family and not so well-meaning enemies that WE SHOULD BE able to take care of ourselves (the goal of SELF sufficiency), we should be able to provide everything we need for a healthy, wealthy, and rich life. We set our goal for perfection, with life teaching us over and over that it is impossible to obtain. We long for and strive to PROVE “The Power of One” is our only hope… as long as the “One” is me. Some of us even strive to be the “Power of One” for everyone else!

As long as we have ourself… as long as we have each other…

But what if THE “One” is not you?

The question becomes… when your “sick”… when you are in need and you or your world cannot fill the need… WHO you going to call?

WHO WILL COME to your rescue?

What if the one you call has no sense of obligation or desire for YOUR good?

What if the one to whom you’ve given power, seeks destruction of all that God-given?

What if the one who comes, seeks to kill and destroy you

Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now

We are needy! Our world is needy!

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…

We are all sick – we are all in need of SOMEONE to care for us.

When Mama calls the doctor… WHO shows up?

 

1 Peter 5:8-10 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

If our enemy comes, WHO WILL we cry out to SAVE US?

For God so loved the world…

Our enemy wants to enslave us for the purpose of our destruction.

Our Creator wishes to adopt us… to take us for His children – His heirs… For (we) have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but (we) have received a spirit of adoption as sons… and daughters… by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, (Romans 8:15-17)

Our Abba wants only the best for His own!

Romans 8:28-30 Now we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose. For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those who He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified; and those whom He justified, He also glorified.

If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31) 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 created 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)

Christ Jesus… the GREATEST PHYSICIAN… who saves us and heals us with the love of God!

WHEN (not if) Mama calls the doctor… JUST SAY JESUS!

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

 

 

Deuteronomy 32:7 “Remember the days of old, Consider the years of all generations. Ask your father, and he will inform you, your elders, and they will tell you – and this one too –  Leviticus 19:37 You shall thus observe all My statutes and all My ordinances and do them; I am the Lord.” 

Days of Old… FOR SURE! My father is no longer with us but my ELDERS sure are! And they love to TELL me… mostly what they tell me their memories of the days when I “was” the spoiled baby.

And I was… (maybe still am)

But I don’t remember those days! And it is possible that my siblings don’t remember them correctly, age (with a touch of dementia) colors and clouds and rewrites our memory. Fortunately we don’t remember for the purpose of observing… keeping – celebrating – preserving – performing – protecting (just some of the descriptive definitions “Strong’s Concordance” records for this word observe). We remember for the purpose of putting everyone in their place… for positive and negative purposes! It would be disastrous if our family remembering was the lasting judgement over any of our lives or if we took those judgements seriously and set about becoming everything these people say about us.

For the most part, in my family, we tell the family stories with the motives of a comedian. Whether or not there is an underlying motive or a tone of judgement, we take it all in and spit out those parts that feel and taste like sand. In all probability there will be no pearls produced during this sibling reunion… but … then again… there would be no pearls produced in clams if everything COULD BE or WOULD BE digested and used for the body’s good.

Pearls are produced because the clams are protecting themselves (something humans do) from the hurt and damage of a foreign object. They surround it with a substance that builds and forms (walls?) a smooth surface. This process eventually creates something that we consider beautiful and useful to adorn ourselves. To us, jewels. To the clam… it’s just an aggravation!

Remember the days of old… like Joseph…

As the baby of the family, I have a special connection with Joseph and his siblings. From Genesis 30:22 we see his very special conception and birth (“God has taken away my reproach”), his childhood (Genesis 37:3 now Jacob Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age;), his relationship with his siblings (Genesis 37:4 so they hated him), his ability to aggravate (Genesis 37:5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.), and the healthy sibling relationships he failed to have (Genesis 37:20 They said to one another… come and let us kill him).

Joseph was “protected” by his older brother, Reuben, who agreed to throw him into a pit in the wilderness – not out of love – but out of a sense of concern for his father. Reuben’s plan was to rescue him when tempers calmed down. Before he could do it, Judah saw a way to at least make a profit from the kid instead of killing him… “Come let us sell him – former he is our brother, our own flesh”… When Reuben returned to rescue his brother he was gone. So much for caring about his father’s love of his younger son, it was time to create an alternative memory! Genesis 37:31-33 So they took Joseph’s tunic (a gift from his father), dipped it in the blood of a slaughtered goat, and presented it to their father for his identification. “It is my son’s tunic. A wild beast has devoured him; Joseph was surely torn to pieces!”

Now this is a story worthy of a sibling reunion!

I wonder if my siblings ever considered killing me… or selling me. I didn’t ask at our reunion this last week. Maybe because there is a small (very small) part of me that really does remember the times I was a grain of sand in their craw growing up. I probably would have just laughed at their reasoning and told them to be glad for my pearl making abilities.

But really… aren’t all families like Jacob’s Israel’s?

God wants us to remember… But God wants us to remember the TRUTH…

Unlike our purpose which is usually to promote ourselves and demote others, God’s desire is for us to keep – celebrate – preserve – perform – protect the truth… His truth.

We should… we could… we would… but… WHAT IF?????

(Genesis 50:15-16) What if Joseph bears a grudge against us (human nature) and pays us back (what they deserved) for all the wrong which we did (and caused) to him! So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, Dad told us to tell you to forgive us!

Observe and Remember!

The truth is we would be nothing and no where without God…

Genesis 50:19-20 But Joseph said to them, Do not be afraid, for I am in God’s place? As for you, you meant evil against me, (or at least not good) but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive (Joseph was given the skill, know how, and resources to stave off starvation in the midst of a great famine countrywide).

But God…

Every creature, every person, every family, every sibling owes it’s/our existence – its/our history – its/our ultimate place in creation to God.

Whether or not we believe in Him…

Whether or not we obey Him…

Whether or not we ask Him…

Exodus 2:24-25 So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice of them.

Remember Him…

Whom you were told about… whom you believe in… whom you wished for… Whom you try to imagine…

Remember Him… He IS the Great I AM… “I AM WHO I AM” Exodus 3:14

Remember all that has come before you, all that has come with you, and all that will come after you!

You could not have made even one second of your life happen, much less all the events you have taken part in.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 “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. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for me with all your heart”

We should remember… the plans that God has for us

Then, we should observe the path God sets before us… “you will seek Me and find Me when you search for me with all your heart”

My sibling reunion was absolutely fabulous! I got to spend time with fantastic people with whom I share DNA (that is if none of the rumors of adoption are true) and a history. I got to BE WITH FAMILY!

Family that ONLY GOD could (and would have!) have imagined and created!

For this reason…  I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant to every one of us, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith; and that each of us, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that each of us may be filled up to all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:14-19)

I look forward to THIS sibling reunion… our forever reunion… an appointed time in the presence of God to OBSERVE and REMEMBER!

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Hebrews 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Run away… Run with… Run to!

Run with ENDURANCE…

This last week I had a “Blast from the Past“… “Hit Me With It’s Best Shot” … and … for a moment, I was transported back to the days where panic was my middle name. Jesus Christ IS my “Superstar” and I am His “Freak (Out)“, but something (probably the sibling reunion scheduled this week) punched my button and the tapes in my head blared all my “Oldies But Goodies BADDIES“.

I admit I wasn’t prepared! I had ALMOST forgotten the things my head USED TO scream to my heart and and my heart USED TO hang on my wall of truth. I forgot that the Holy Spirit spent days years working with me to remove the Art of Lies in my life, put them on God’s holy altar, and watch them burn and His holy breath blow them away.

For a moment, I was whirling in the dance of doubt and despair that was a favorite “It’s My Party” tune.

Every encumbrance of my life before Jesus came, SEEMED to flood in with the doubt that I had changed (or been changed) AT ALL! Every sin I am so easily tempted by, SEEMED to entangle me to the point of despair!

I was SHOCKED! Who knew the tape recorder still existed? I figured it went the way of the lies… (ashes in the wind). It still worked! Not only the player/recorder, but my heart evidently hoarded a secret stash of the tapes. The button that was pushed and the trigger that pushed it, was remarkably able to “Turn the Radio On“.

Galatians 3:1 You foolish Galatian, who (or what) has bewitched you?

I was bewitched by the idea I no longer needed to discipline my thoughts and heart. I was bewitched, thinking that I had no part to play in my cardio fitness – God would DO all of that FOR ME! I had long ago LEARNED the lessons of Doubt Management… one and done… on to the next exciting lesson.

“Aha!” moment…

Doubt, and its destructive fruit, despair, is a continual and consistent weapon of our enemy who prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

1 Peter 5:8 Be on the alert. 

I had become complacent lazy in my overall spiritual fitness,

But God… Who is never finished disciplining (holy making) His favorite child… disciplines us for our good (NOT punishment), so that we may share His holiness (Hebrews 12:10)… For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines (Hebrews 12:6).

I have NEVER been a runner! So, running the race set before us, WITH ENDURANCE, seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful.

Yet to those who have been trained by it… ALL discipline… yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. (Hebrews 12:11)

This week I got a refresher course in mind and body health care… I joined the great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us.

I laid aside every encumbrance… MY Party – both pity and pleasure!… and the sin which so easily entangles us… listening and obeying the false gods and their master, Satan.

I fixed my eyes on Jesus… the author and perfecter of faith.

I watched and learned… Who for the joy set before Him… endured the cross,  despising the shame… and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

I turned OFF the recorder! I ran AWAY…

I focused my eyes on my Personal Trainer! I ran WITH…

I went back to the Altar of God with those doubting tapes! Faithfully, the Holy Spirit burned them and blew them away! I ran TO…

I could say I won’t forget (barring any senior moments) this discipline again… but that is probably the same lie the enemy used to hide his weapon for future use in my life.

I will say… running is good…

For the sake of my mental and cardio spiritual health… I will say… I AM A RUNNER!

Still building up to ENDURANCE!

Run, Baby Run!

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Corinthians 13:8 Love never fails…

NEVER!

Mmmmmmm… really!????… Do you believe this? Do I?…

Do I set the foundations of my life (the testimony of my belief) upon it, claiming it as TRUTH, claiming it as OBJECTIVE TRUTH… a law of the universe that is not changed by a person’s actions and/or random events seemingly contrary to the evidence?

Do I testify in the Court of Reality that Love never fails?

Does my life produce the evidence that, “IT IS A FACT, JACK!”?

There is a meme going around that there is no such thing as “Objective Truth”.

I might agree that reality can be manipulated to look a desired way (like putting lipstick on a pig). BUT… does look determine truth, or does truth exist regardless of the desire(s) surrounding it?

It certainly would be convenient if I could determine that I, and everything about me, was indeed right – perfect in every way – and in need of no one to counsel me otherwise. It certainly would be the favorable position, to be the judge of all other opinion/beliefs, especially those that dare to argue with mine.

It certainly would be a great life… IF I was in control… IF I knew THE TRUTH (always and in everything)… IF I DO RIGHT ALL THE TIME…

If there is no such thing as objective truth – only subjective (subject to the whims of the speaker/believer) truth – we would have a world (a reality) that is built upon a non-sustaining foundation of constant change and therefore chaos.

If we were able to change facts/truth into what we believe, or want to believe them to be, we would continually be at the mercy of the nature and properties of matter and energy… and the consequences – both immediate and longterm.

In other words – we would also have to be able to change/control physics or be in constant turmoil, dealing with it’s  unimaginative/uncompromising character.

Love never fails! 

Love… never… fails…  

Just as objective/subjective truth has the boundary of existence, Love either exists or it doesn’t. Our definition of love can include all kinds of imagination and thus requirements, BUT does it exist without us or without meeting our expectations? The boundaries of Love never fails requires knowing the dimensions of what TRUE LOVE is.

Love is… HANDLING WITH CARE… patient, kind, is not jealous;

Love is… NOT ABOUT ME… 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, 

Love is… ABOUT ALL THAT IS RIGHT… 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)

Love is… Philippians 4:8… whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise… Love is these things. 

Love… never fails!

If the success or failure of love is dependent upon the giver and/or receiver then NEVER would never happen, except (and only except) with the PERFECT Giver/Receiver. The boundaries of Love never fails requires knowing the land mass of TRUE LOVE and the care and maintenance needed from it’s inhabitants.

1 John 4:15-18 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. 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. 

We, on the other hand, are IMPERFECT both in our giving and receiving. Few of us KNOW HOW to love well, much less without the perfection of doing so unconditionally. We somehow believe one must “earn” love or “deserve” love. Impossible to be sure!

Even with imperfect lovers…miraculously love exists. And where love exists… failure does not. Failure (the fact that something did not succeed) only happens when there is no opportunity for the happening! Therefore, objective failure – can only be assessed – when there is no life…

Or when… as some of us look forward to – in the life after life… where love never fails — God is love — perfect love casts out fear!

THIS is my foundation… the basis for the testimony of my life… like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; the pillars of the OBJECTIVE TRUTH equals God and His Word!… and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.

If peace and joy and happiness solely depends on my own view (heaven forbid) or on your view (OhMyGod) of REAL LOVE then we live in the scariest of horror films!… 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 6:46-49)

If I am not yet perfected (and I am NOT)… or if my/our subjective version (the imaginings of a mind set on ME, MYSELF & I) fails, so what? THANK GOD it only fails in our “imagination”!

Love NEVER fails!!!!!!!!

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