A new heart . . . "Part B" . . a personal testimony . . .

26“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  Ezekiel 36:26

Sometimes you may wonder what is going on behind the scenes and why the Lord may say a particular passage to me.  If you have not read the previous post please stop and read it and then this one.  This passage I wrote about today is extremely personal to me.  See this was the passage He showed me Tuesday morning this week, before I headed to the hospital for a heart and leg catherization. 

I was very concerned about the procedure as I had been having a significant amount of chest and leg pain and my health history in this regards was not too well.  Indeed, with 3 stents already in the same artery (the widow maker), blood clots behind my right knee and a blood clot in my left ventricle I was not excited about the prospects.  I figured that I was going to find myself headed to John Hopkins to have a coronary bypass.

For a number of weeks, even before the pain, God had been showing me the following passage:

1In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’”2Then he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, saying,3“Remember now, O LORD, I beseech You, how I have walked before You in truth and with a whole heart and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.4Before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him, saying,5“Return and say to Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of your father David, “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD.6“I will add fifteen years to your life . . .   2 Kings 20:1-6

Point:  God had been assuring me that I would live.  However, it concerned me that He had to keep assuring me.  Kinda like a child who has to constantly be assured that it will go well.  Why? Because what they would have to go through, for a while it would not look that way.

So . . I thought that I was going to have to go through a rough ride.  Things were not going to be easy.  Yes I was going to live but only after having to hold on to God’s promise that I would live with everything within me.  It was my "call into the night . . ."(see previous post).

But then Tuesday morning came . . . and His word to me at 3AM:  

26“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  Ezekiel 36:26

Peace came over me.  I was ready, but still, "in my limited understanding" (see previous post) I believed that the result from the surgery, the ultimate open heart surgery, would be “a new heart.”

But God does not have such a “limited understanding.”

When the technician doing the echo cardiogram before the surgery could not find the blood clot in my left ventricle that has been there for over 3 years, I should have taken notice.

When she told me my ejection fraction (the measure of the strength and volume being pumped through the heart) was 55 . . . normal for a man my age, when the last time I had such pain it was below 26, I should have started shouting.

When the nurse came in and quickly found my pulse in both feet quite easily, I should have done more than simply marvel quizzing him, while noting that they ALWAYS have to get the doplar devices to find them for they are so weak due to the blockage.

When my surgeon came in and told me that my artieries in my heart are COMPLETELY CLEAR with NO Plaque, no build up or blockage of ANY degree.  When he said that although the major artery running done my left leg was 100% blocked, the body had created NEW arteries around the blockage so that there was a bypass already in place and NO impediment of flow to my foot.  When he said that it was completely clear all the way done to my right foot, with NO thrombosis (clots) impeding the flow.

Well, when I stood up to walk to the car . . . Well . . . I should have realized . . . I should have been SHOUTING, SCREAMING, RUNNING ALL THROW THE PARKING LOT!  I should have been Crying, Praising the LORD with ALL of my heart!  I should have been laid prostrate out on the ground crying out His name!  HALLELUJAH!  WOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! YESSSSS GOD!!!!

I did not write this at first because I did not want this word to be about me.  I also have interviews and other professional work, and I didn’t want to put all this out there in fear of what may happen. 

43And a woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone,44came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped.45And Jesus said, “Who is the one who touched Me?” And while they were all denying it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing in on You.”46But Jesus said, “Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had gone out of Me.”47When the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling and fell down before Him, and declared in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed.  Luke 8: 43-47

I now understand how that woman felt.  She didn’t want anyone to know of the illness she had been suffering from.  She knew that the law could come down hard on her for being in the midst of the crowd while bleeding.  She knew she could be ostracized.  She knew she could pay a price.  BUT she knew also that the change, the healing was too much, that she had to bear witness in the presence of all the people.  That she had to give the reason for her praise, for her tears, for her new life, her new way, her fullness.  Today I was that woman, . . till now.

And Jesus’s response:

48And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”  Luke 8:48

Do you understand? 

He, my Lord has healed me and I cannot keep silent.  I must speak.  I must praise Him. 

I thought I was going to need open heart surgery.  In my "limited understanding" . . .

God simply opened up my heart . . . and so much more!

Now, . . . if you don’t mind . . . I have to get my dance, shout, and tears on!!!!!  It’s long overdue!!!!

PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!!!!

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I did.  Pray you did too.

Love yah.

A new heart . . . (Part A)

26“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.27“I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.  Ezekiel 36:26-27

What do you do when you have been given a new heart?  What do you do when you have been given a new lease on life?  There have been times in my life that I have wanted to hit a “restart” button.  When I have messed things up so bad that in my opinion they can not be fixed.  You know those times, we all have them.  I feel like the old Robert Frost poem:

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”

When you reach my age you realize that each of the decisions you have been making along your journey truly has “made the difference.”  Unfortunately, you oftentimes do not realize the consequence of the decisions – long term; how they lead to others, limit some and set-up new ones.  You do not realize the shape that your life is taking, or how that little decision you made as you turned a bind in the road would really impact your life and those around you.  The word spoken or held in. The act done or not done.  The prayer prayed or not prayed.  They all affect where you are, and where you will be.

Here God gives the Israelites a “restart.”  When the Lord shows you this verse, and speaks it loud and clear to you . . . well . . . you get rather excited!  A “restart” is just what I needed!  And praise the Lord, the “restart” begins with a new heart!  From the heart all organs are nourished.  If the heart is sick, the whole body is ill.  If the heart stops, everything else dies.  The heart is the center.  I want to wax on about the heart.  I want to write something really deep.  But in all actuality After realizing that God was going to give a new heart, a heart of flesh (which can feel and live) from a heart of stone (which is dead), I wanted most to know HOW do I restart.

“I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.” 

Well like all things Godly it starts with Him.  Not surprised, for He says He is the one who gave you a new heart! So now He fills it!  Of COURSE! 

Oh Lord we magnify YOUR NAME! 

It starts and ends with HIM!  He fills us with HIS spirit and to what purpose?  To CAUSE us to walk in His statutes and to be careful to observe His ordinances.  A statute is the overall law.  An ordinance brings the law down to the individual in actions to do in fulfillment of the statute. 

Now before you start running around thinking that you will become little “Holy Spirit zombies” with God working all through you without you doing anything . . . stop.  The “cause” He is referring to is the overwhelming, impelling desire that rises up within you to do nothing BUT what God desires.  You cannot begin to imagine doing anything, going any direction other than the direction He sends you in!  Your desire is fulfilled by your doing JUST what HIS word says.  You stay in tune with Him.  You desire to read and understand His word.  You WANT to be in prayer.  You feed on His love for you.  You do what He does because being bathed in HIS Spirit is your continual desire and experience.  You are submitted to God.  You resist doing evil.  You are drawing near to Him and as such you experience what James writes about:

7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you . . .  James 4:7-8

Awesome!  A new heart! A new walk! A new life! All in the presence of the one true living God, Creator of the Universe!  In personal relationship with you and I!

In Christ all things are new.  Hear His word to you this day.  Accept His new heart.  It is a gift you and I cannot afford to reject. 

Got it?

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The flower is the flower . . . the gospel, the gospel

¹⁴ But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.

¹⁵ For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. ¹⁶ To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. . .

2 Corinthians 2:14-16

Oftentimes I get disturbed at the response to the God’s word and His son’s sacrifice.  I feel like if everyone heard and understood, truly understood the love that the Father showed to us through Christ, and how believing in Him what an abundant life we would have, well. . . they would be so happy and embrace Him with all their heart, soul and might.  But that is not the response I sometimes get.  But I should not be surprised.  Why? Because God forewarns us through Paul’s writing to the Corinthian church.

The persons reading this letter of Paul understood what was being said.  For me, it took a little more digging. See Paul was painting a picture of the return of the Roman army from a victorious battle.  Something they all had seen, with some having actually been standing there in the number he spoke of . . . the ones chosen to live.

When the Romans returned from conquering a land they would have two groups of slaves walking  in the parade back into Rome.  The first group carried flowers, and all manner of sweet smelling petals and blossoms.  Behind them came a second group bearing nothing.  The first group were the prisoners who the Romans had decided would live and be sold into slavery to masters that very day.  The second group were those prisoners who would be executed that very day.  They had been chosen to die.  The smell of the flowers meant life to the first group of slaves.  The same smell of the flowers meant death for the second group of slaves. The same smell, but different meanings.

Look back at the passage now with this understanding:

¹⁴ But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.

¹⁵ For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. ¹⁶ To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. . . Do you get it.  Well, just to make sure:

"us as captives"  --- the first group of slaves

"and uses us to spread the aroma of knowledge of him everywhere" --- the flowers and blossoms

"the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing" -- the message of Christ is the same for both groups.  It's character is pleasing.  A flower, is a flower, is a flower.  It matters not if we veiw attach a meaning to it.  The attached meaning does not change its character.  It is still a flower.  So it is with the Gospel of Christ, it is still a pleasing aroma.

"To the one we are an aroma that brings death. . . " --- those persons who by their choice decide to reject the gospel and die.

"to the other, an aroma that brings life. . . "  --- those persons who accept the gospel and its life giving force.

Hope it makes a little more sense now.  And now my question is answered.  See the gospel calls force a response.  To know that Christ, the son of God, was borne of a virgin, lived a sinless life, was crucified for my sins, died and rose again that I too might have life by accepting His sacrifice and believing in Him; that I might be reunited with God as my father . . . well . . . such knowledge requires a decision.  People don't like having to make decisions, especially if you know the consequences of your decision and you decide to reject His love.  No surprise as to the response.

The flower is the flower.  The choice is ours. . . the consequence is pre-determined by our choice.

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It's just not that hard . . .

⁹ So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house.
¹⁰ Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”¹¹ But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. ¹² Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.
¹³ Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” ¹⁴ So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.

2 Kings 5:11-14

I have always related to Naaman on at least two levels:  1) his disease; and, 2) how he attempted to overcome its effects in his life.  Let’s start with his disease. He had leprosy.

In that time, if you were a leper you lived outside of the gate and away from everyone.  Indeed, in Jerusalem you lived in the city dump.  You were an outcast.  Even your own did not want to be around you.  You could touch only those who were like yourself.  You had to go around crying out loud “Leper! Leper! Leper!” all just to warn people to stay away. 

One of my major issues in my life has been that I like Naaman lived a large portion of my life feeling like I was outside of acceptance by most everyone. Even when I felt like I was leading people, I still felt apart from them.  I still felt terribly defective.  And for those who did not seem to notice, I wondered how long it would be that they would notice my defects and kick me out of their lives.  I lived in fear of being exposed.  Much like Naaman  I survived by coming up with a way to compensate for my defects.

If you go back to the top of the chapter you will read the following about Naaman:

 “Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.”   2 Kings 5:1

Naaman worked hard to be highly regarded by people.  With leprosy and all its stigma he still managed to be a valiant soldier.  He had found value in winning on the battle field for his king.  He overcame being shunned and set apart by victory over others.  However, whether he realized it or not, it clearly states that his victories were because of the Lord.    

I can relate.  I did likewise.  I overcame my loneliness and isolation by becoming successful in whatever I would take on.   See I want to win; and win I do.   I have taken on challenges which no one else will.  I take on the impossible and make it happen.  I am that valiant soldier! I bring home the prize!  I get the cheers.  I get the praise.  And like Naaman whether I realize it or not my victories have been allowed by Him, just like yours are. 

Naaman had a simple solution to his problem, but he wanted to have a hand in making it happen.  He wanted to get some of the glory.  But that was not to be, for the solution was not in any great act he had to do.  It was simple:

Follow directions in the word given him.  And when he did, he was made whole.

We have the word given to us too.  It’s called the Bible.  And all we have to do is read it and follow its instructions.  I would encourage you to open it.  I don’t know what your major issue may be but you might want to start reading in Proverbs and Psalms.  Proverbs will give you some wisdom as to how to deal with yourself and your “fellow man” (or everybody else, LOL).  Psalms will help you in your relationship with God.  Add to your reading the gospel of Luke and start getting an understanding of the love Christ has for us.  In reading them I came to peace with myself.  With respect to my big issue, well, I began to feel accepted by living the wisdom I was reading.  I can’t explain more right now, however, I do know if you do it you will find the answers to many of your questions and issues. 

If you need help getting started just look back to the Proverbs posts in this blog.  They might help.

You may want to think that it is a very complicated path, but it isn’t.  Just read, receive, believe and live.  It works.

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Love yah,

Follow the call into the night . . .

¹⁰ After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. ¹¹ Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”
¹² When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. ¹³ Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” ¹⁴ When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”    Acts 21:10-14

There are times that we are told by the Lord that there is a path that we must take, and although we know it will not be something we would choose of our own, we follow God into the lion's den.  See all that we experience by the hand of God is not always something we want to shout about, and say "Praise the Lord!"  Instead, it is sometimes something that we, and others would prefer to walk away from.

Here the people were told that Paul was going to be put into prison for the gospel's sake if he went to Jerusalem.  They were all very upset about the word.  What is interesting is that they all knew it was from the Lord, although it was NOT what they would have wanted to hear.  Oftentimes when we hear a word from the Lord that is not a "happy" word; one which we would NOT say is a "blessing;" . . . if the word we hear is one which will cost us something to follow, if it is a word from Him that will give us pain, . . . AND we share it with others, the first thing many are ready to say is that must not be from God.  Unfortunately there is this belief that God would not require His children to go through any suffering. 

Wrong.

See suffering IS part of the journey.  To believe otherwise is unbiblical.  It is also unbiblical to believe that all suffering is the result of that person's sin, or screw ups.  Paul had not screwed up and even Jesus pointed out that one man who was blind was not the result of his sin or the sin of his parents - but instead that God might be glorified.  So yes, there is a time that God calls us to a sacrifice, to bear our cross - HIS cross.  To walk into the night knowing that He is the one sending us.  And so it was for Paul.  And what was his answer to their pleading him not to go?

"Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

May I take a moment and point out something . . . Paul hurt when they pleaded with him not to follow God's will.  It hurts when someone close to you misunderstands and tells you you are really off to believe that God would call you to walk through such hurt and pain.  It hurts to have someone tell you that God's way is only from glory to glory -- where the limited understanding being followed is that glory to glory does not include a process which requires pain.  So a bit of advice:  perhaps it would be best for us to hold our tongue from pleading, judging or finding fault with such a call to sacrifice and pain. Just a thought. 

Now the rest of his response I would like to say would be mine too, and I would like to think it would be a true response from my heart.  But I am not really sure if I could say the same, and yet each day we are called to be bound to His sacrifice, to die to ourselves and live through and for him.  Such is the case each day.  For Paul it was nothing new for it was nothing different from the call he was already living.

See Paul knew that Christ would not give him more than he, Paul could bear with Christ. That is a truth that we should hold on to also.  We should realise that the impossible is more than possible when He is in the midst of it.  That in Christ we can withstand anything, pain, suffering, fearful circumstances, humiliation, hurt, despair, heartache, etc.  It is then possible to answer as Paul did.

As I wrote this today I thought about such times, one of which I am having to go through even as I write.  Does it feel good.  No.  Do I know that it is His will that I go through it.  Yes.  Will He get the glory for it.
Yes. Could I do it alone.  No.  . . . but thanks be to God I am NOT alone!  Christ is here for me and for you.

Point:  When you believe that the message from the Lord is to go into the lion's den, don't immediately dismiss it or think it impossible.  Don't be discouraged if others desire you not to, and don't turn away from the direction because of them.  Don't run away.  Instead embrace it, asking God to go with you into it for He undoubtedly knows that you can not do it by yourself.  See His directions are almost always to do the impossible.  Accept the call into the night . . .

May the Lord's will be done.

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Love yah,

In my limited understanding . . .

¹⁴ “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
¹⁵ He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”
Psalm 91:14-16

"Because he love me . . .  I will rescue him"

The "him" being you and I. 

I don;'t know about you, but I would prefer not to be in the need of rescuing.  However, I must admit that I often find myself in the need of rescuing.  Sometimes it is because of what I have done, and sometimes it is simply the result of other forces which are acting on me.  In either case I do find myself in need of being rescued. 

Now in my limited sense of understanding, I like what he is saying.  God will protect me because I acknowledge His name (acknowledge being more than just saying He is God, but following in obedience under Him).  When I call on Him, He, God will answer.  God will be with me when I am in trouble.  God will deliver me and God will honor me.  God will give me long life and will show me His salvation. 

Awesome!  I like all of this!  But didn't I say in my "limited" understanding. 

See in my "limited" understanding to rescue me means to pull me out of the problem, the issue - to save me from the consequences of some of my stupid mistakes.  In my "limited" understanding protecting me means I will not get hurt, I will experience no pain.  To answer me would mean that I understand what He is saying.  When God says he will be with me when I am in trouble, well nn my "limited" understanding that means that He is right there, will answer for me, will be my attorney, my advocate -- that He will defend my cause.  And, in my "limited" understanding, when God says that He will deliver me . . . well deliverance means all the hurt, pain, trouble, enemies, etc. of the same likeness, . . . well all of that stuff is taken away, is gone.  I am taken out of that mess victorious.  And as for honoring me . . . well I get to live to see my enemies eat my . . . ___________  and kiss my _________ (I"ll leave you to fill in the blanks!).  Long life . . . well that means I will see at least 120 years old with all of my faculties working, in my right mind.  In all of this, I truly will have seen His salvation.

Hmm . . . but look at Paul's confession in 2 Corinthians 11:23-29

²³ Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. ²⁴ Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶ I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. ²⁷ I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. ²⁸ Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. ²⁹ Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?

The apostle Paul!  Wow! Is the word not true for Him??!??  Its the same word.  So how could this word be true for Paul?  And if it were not for Paul how in the world would it be true for me?!!!  I am NO Paul!!  What a pitiful state I must be in!!

 . . . .in my "limited" understanding . . .

See my understanding is limited.  God sees rescue differently.  He must see it as His presence living within us, empowering us to withstand the impossible. He must see being with me in times of trouble not as protecting me from it but walking me through it.  He, God, must see deliverance as maybe my being delivered from my limited understanding of His love with transcends any ill which can ever be done to me by man.  He must see honoring me in that I wam written in His book of life.  He must see long life as a fullness of the life I am given to live,  all the days of it, in Him.  God must see salvation in my understanding of the love He is living in and through Him.

I think that today, to get through it . . . I must embrace a little more of His understanding. . .

You may need to too . . .  Makes more sense out of life . . .

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Love yah,

1 million bucks . . .

5Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,”
6so that we confidently say,
  “THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID.
  WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?”
Hebrews 13:5-6

I started out this evening looking up the words which popped in my head, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."  I thought that I knew the context.  And indeed I did, but there was another context, this one, which I was not that familiar with.  It caught my eye.  It leaped off the pages.

I guess just because of its context.  In a discussion of money, in particular the LOVE of money, and being content with what we have, Paul throws this phrase in.  It at first seemed a little odd.  But then I started to break it down.

He gives an order:  "Make sure that your character is free from the love of money . . ."

Character is defined as "the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing." in websters.  So let's plug it in:

"Make sure that "the aggregate of features and traits that form your individual nature" is free from the love of money. . . ."  If we look at all that we do, all that we desire, all that we think about, plan, expend time and energy on, prioritize as number one,. . . all of this collectively . . . does our nature seem to be free from loving money?  What are we willing to do for money?  

My mechanic asked me the other day if I would be willing to do almost anything for 1 million dollars.  I wanted to protest, but realized that if I honestly thought about it, short of killing someone, I just might . . . although I would like to think that I wouldn't . . . I just might.  This clearly would show a love for money.  But sin does not normally come to us in such a bold fashion.  Its in the little things.  The time we do not spend with love ones to make that extra buck.  The working 3 jobs just to pay for that new car.  The constant discontent with what we have after striving so long to get it.  Yes, discontent.  See Paul makes it clear that a mark of not loving money is being content with what we have. 

It is interesting how what Paul uses as the means to impower us to do this.

He gives the motivation:  "for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,”

We can be content with what we have, we do not have to chase after and love money because we have the love of God who will ALWAYS be there for us!  He will not walk away or disown us.  We are His.  And because we are His we can confidently proclaim:

“THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID.
  WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?”

If the Lord is helping me what do I have to fear?!  There is NOTHING that man can do to me.  I can be content in Him and content with what I have. 

Over the last couple of months I have found myself walking right up to the brink of financial ruin sometimes daily.  I do not know how the bills will be met.  I spend every cent and pray for the next.  But I have not run out.  Instead, every need has been met, and I have found a new appreciation for my Volvo of 278,000 miles!  LOL.

God is my helper.  He is my million bucks.  Is He yours?

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Are you "taken", "staggering" or holdem . . .

11Deliver those who are being taken away to death,
  And those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back.
12If you say, “See, we did not know this,”
  Does He not consider it who weighs the hearts?
  And does He not know it who keeps your soul?
  And will He not render to man according to his work?

Proverbs 24:11-12

I find these two verses rather interesting.  When we were in seminary our professor would tell us to start the analysis of the pericope (big sounding word which just means passage) with asking questions.  First, who is present.

Well I see at least three persons:  the one dragging the person (victim 1) to his death, the person being dragged, and those who are "staggering" on their own (victim 2) to their own destruction.  

Of Victim 1, I say dragging but the passage says "being taken" to their death.  How is one taken?  Do you really think that if someone knew they were heading to their death they would voluntarily allowed themselves to be "taken?"  We like to think of ourselves as being in control of ourselves, our own destiny.  Does it make any sense that we would allow someone to "take" us to our own death?  No unless . . . unless we really do not think or know that we are heading there.  Perhaps the way seems so well tread.  There are so many with us.  If there are so many that believe it, it MUST be right.  Right?  It makes me feel so good, it just can't be wrong.  It makes sense.  How would God be so mean to so many people, letting so many perish, so he must have meant that we can all choose a way.  He made us like Him right?


13“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.14“For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. 
Matthew 7:13-14

Okay, so just because every one is believing it doesn't mean it is right.  In fact we may be "taken" by a system and belief that is completely false, simply because there are SO MANY who agree.  We may like the fact that it seems so easy to believe, so little to do, no sacrifice to give.  Its MY life!  I can not miss this opportunity to do as I feel, as I want to!

33“Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.  
Luke 17:33

Well, I guess that living for myself is not the way.  But doesn't all the pleasures which we can do outside of him, you know the forbidden women or men, excessive drink, "dirty" dancing (LOL), forbidden sex - straight, gay or other wise, . . . we are only young for a short while . . . can't we just . . . can't we even just take a little . . . a little look . . . a peak?

Its interesting that Luke 17:33 immediately follows a warning:

Remember Lot's wife.
Luke 17:32

Yeah, its almost like Jesus was saying, yeah that was a type of life, hey but remember the woman who looked back at where she had been called out of, the place and life that she had been living, and turned into a pillar of salt!  

I guess even a peek isn't advisable.  Don't want to be "taken."

I love the description of the Victim 2 . . . "those who are staggering to slaughter."
Well after reading the first part of today's writing you and I both may both feel like we may just be staggering.  Beaten up by all that comes our way.  Vacillating between two opinions but still headed down one path.  See when we have not made a decision to fully follow Christ in His leading, then we are not standing still.  We are actually staggering to our distruction.  Its like we are standing on an escalator headed down, straight to hell.

Wow, but wait.   Wait, there are at least two others in the passage right?  How observant you are.  Yes there are, two more:  You (or Me) and God.  We are the ones watching this, and God is watching us.

The writer makes it clear that it is our job who know the truth to hold those heading to death, Victims 1 and 2, to hold them from it.  It is our responsibility to do all that we can to prevent them from their destruction.  

God lets us know that we can not say that we did not know they were heading there.  He sees our hearts.  He knows our souls.  And yes, He knows that it will be work to do it.  It will not be easy.  It may cost you something.  See part of the plan of God in the prevention of all those being destroyed is that we, you and I would step in and "hold them."  We are charged to tell them the truth and to be willing to "touch" them.  That means we may get dirty.  That means we have to be willing to get close enough to be hurt.

Now, up to now I have been writing like you and I are the ones charged to hold em.  But it may be that we are the ones being taken or staggering.  If so, we must open our eyes and look around us to the truth all around.  Run to the word and grab hold.  Do the right thing.  Make a stand and choose Christ NOW!  

See there is no one left out of this Proverb.  We are either being taken or staggering or we are charged to hold them that are.  Which one are you?  

Well once you realize who you are, . . . do the right thing.  He knows our hearts.  He knows our souls.  As it says:

"And will He not render to man according to his work?"

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See there 

See God as God . . .

8At Lystra a man was sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from his mother’s womb, who had never walked.9This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, who, when he had fixed his gaze on him and had seen that he had faith to be made well,10said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he leaped up and began to walk.11When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us.”12And they began calling Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.13The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out15and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men of the same nature as you, and preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the seand and all that in in them. 
Acts 14:5-8

Oftentimes we find ourselves in the presence of some very charismatic leaders.  We clearly see God's hand in their lives.  In fact, we see them do miracles of their own.

I must pause for a moment and point out that the miracles were not for the believers but for the unbelievers.  God did such so that those who did not believe might believe.  If you start reading at the top of the chapter you will see that Paul and Barnabas had been in the area and that many miracles were being done resulting in many persons believing.  

In my life I have had the opportunity to experience God's miraculous power on numerous occasions.  I have shared some of those stories to many over the years . . . proposal to a woman I never dated per the word of the Lord, her acceptance and our marriage of now over 26 years . . . twins when the doctor said we could not have any kids . . . money provided at the last moment from a source I had no knowledge of, just to name a few.  In addition God has used me to pray His prayer, speak His word and see His miracles in others lives.  So some might come to believe that I have a greater connection, a secret handshake or covenant with the Almighty.  I myself would raise the question as to whether instead I needed to have a deeper belief in Christ, if God was not trying to draw me closer.  

Hmmm.  But that can be the subject of a different day . . . .

For today though let's focus on why we would think another is more spiritual.  Our pastors, our evangelists, our deacons, teachers, parents, mentors and even friends.  We believe that some have a closer connection with God.  That even though we may know that the word says if you draw closer to God He will draw closer to you.  But for a moment, think about who that person may be in your life.  How do you know who that is in your life, . . . just think who do you run to to ask for prayer when you are in trouble. . . yeah . . . that's the one.  But there is a message found in these verses.

First, it was not just the person speaking, Paul, it was the faith of the individual in the living word of God, that made the difference - that made the crippled man stand and walk.  But we run to the Paul's in our lives normally not because we believe they have the power but because we believe they know the one who does and that one will hear their prayers.  But the source of the power is as it has always been God, Christ, the Holy Spirit. We who approach God must believe that He is able and willing to show forth His love in addressing our need.  We bring our brokenness to Him the one and only one who can put us back together.  That is the first thing we must learn from this passage.

Second, We must recognize that the man is just a man, not God.  See God may speak through Him but it is only through Him.  The man remains a vessel.  And if the vessel is not willing to allow Christ to fully flow through him, well the message may come out a little perverted.  This is the reason you should pray and seek the Lord as to what is said to you, prayed for and over you.  You should study the word for yourself . . . you and I should each wrestle with the truth.  It is not enough to simply sit at the feet of a good teacher, preacher, leader or otherwise . . . you must know Christ and His Spirit for yourself.  Put their words before His word.  Remember, the man of God is still, just a man with like passions as yourself. Lesson two.

Third, it is always the desire of a true man of God that the focus be on the God not the man.  If that is not true in the one you are following, then you need to question is it really from God that the words are coming.  See I hope that when I tell the story of my life, of God's intervention and integrated workings within it that you do not hear or see me as the power, wisdom or understanding, but Him.  He directed the proposal.  He directed the answer.  He healed my wife's body and blessed us with twins.  He touched another to call and give $3000 without my seeking the person, only the Lord.  God, not me.  My desire is not that one sees me as the source of anything good but instead that they see Him.  I am only the canvas He chooses to paint His masterpiece. Lesson three.

Over the years I have happily shared what God has done with numeorus examples.  What I have found is that sometimes the person walks away thinking "that is so good for him, but God would not do that for me."  And to be honest they may be right . . . Because God will do for them what THEY need, in HIS unique way, designed specifically for them to know His love for them!  But love them . . . YES undoubtedly Christ will show HIS overwhelming love for them . . . for me . . . for you.

See the people in Lystra got it wrong and Paul and them had to correct them.  Paul paid a high price for setting them straight . . . read on in the book and you will see.

Like all pastors I am nothing but a man.  Others can do what I do better than I.  What is important is that you and I bring our needs to the Lord, trusting and believing in Him that HE will act on our behalf.  That we see even the man of God as a man, and God . . .  Well that we always see God as God.

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Causing Jesus to cry . . .missing the peace we seek

"As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace--but now it is hidden from your eyes."  Luke 19:41-42

I wonder how many times Jesus weeps over us. 

Earlier today I heard that a very dear family member of mine is planning on moving.  My eyes immediately filled with tears.  I will miss them very much.  But more importantly I believe with all my heart that this is the wrong time for their moving.  I wept.

They are looking for peace.  They are looking for joy.  They think by rejecting the hard road ahead of them, the uncomfortable that they will find it in the familiar.  I know that I have done that before.  I have decided not to do the difficult, face myself and my fears, and do what seemed so much easier.

The Israrelites, Jesus's people were doing that then.  His way seemed so much harder.  How?  In that He was calling them to "true" religion.  Remember what He said to the woman at the well, the Samaritain woman:

"You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jew . . ." John 4:22

The Jews would have been happy if He stopped there, but no, no, He had to go on:

"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks." John 4:23

"Yet" . . . implies that even the Jews did not have it right and yet the time was then . . . then to worship the Father in a character that required more and was infinitely more intimate than the worship of the time; a complete change!  This was no mechanical tune-up this was a complete engine overhaul!  This was more than they were willing to do!

And yet it was EXACTLY what they were seeking.  And Jesus therefore wept.

 "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace--"

What would bring you peace . . .

My relative is trying to flee what it is He is seeking.  He is fleeing what is required of Him thinking that in doing so he will find it elsewhere.  Like the Israelites, he is wrong.

And Jesus weeps.

He has done so over me many a time, I am sorry to say.  However, there is good news . . . well, . . . somewhat . . .

The transformation was still required.  The peace still came, but at a much higher cost.  They still had to accept it.  The Father still required that true worshipers worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.  Jesus still is our peace.  What is required to grow and live is still what is required to grow and live.  We can not run from it no matter how hard we try.

My blood will find this out.  I hope and pray before he packs the first bag.  But whether it is before or after, he will still find it out.  The truth will still remain.

Until then, Jesus will weep.  He will be waiting to welcome Him.  When he is willing to come home.

Let's not be the cause of Jesus's tears . . .  Let's not miss out on the peace we seek.

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Its my prerogative . . . .

²³ “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. ²⁴ No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.  
1 Corinthians 10:23

"It's my prerogative . . ." sang Bobby Brown

And in Christ, with my freedom in Him . . . It's my prerogative!  

But WAIT ONE MINUTE!  What exactly does this freedom in Him mean?  What exactly can I do?  What can I not do?  Most people note Christianity as a religion of do's and don't s and in some ways it does appear to be . . . and then I run across this verse, nesetled in the midst of a discussion of food -- whether to eat or not and about our conscience in doing so.  Go back and read 1 Corinthians 10:18-31.

It is important in understanding a passage that you know its background.  See the Corinthian church had a little problem.  A lot of them had been converted from worshiping foreign gods and refused to eat meat any more, in particular because the meat was sacrificed to those gods.  Others had been converted and still ate.  Ufortunately the best meat restaurant in town was at the temple.  On one side was the temple and the other the best little steak house in town -- with ONE door which you entered in from the street.  From the street you could not tell which way the person going in went, whether to the temple or to the restaurant.  So came the rub . . .
  
Since a believer could not tell which side you went into from the outside, other believers were thinking those going to the restaurant were going to the temple.  Backsliding christians!  And how could they eat meat which was sacrificed to an alien god!  

So Paul writes about the freedom in Christ.  I can be a vegetarian or a carnivore.  I can drink wine or abstain from it (notice I did NOT say I can get drunk . . unless I am perishing of course .... "give strong drink to him who is perishing and about to die" -- look it up!).  I can go to the movies or I could not.  I can dance or I can abstain from dancing.  I can do . . . so many things or NOT do so many things.  I have freedom!

Yes I have freedom.  Freedom which is supposed to be ruled by wisdom.  Beyond asking yourself if the matter you are considering is blatantly prohibited by scripture . . . ask yourself the following:

Is it beneficial?  Is it constructive?  Does it meet the test of seeking the good of others?

Beneficial to who?  Constructive to who?

Trained in the law I hate it when an instruction is ambiguous.  Your honor it was beneficial to me to dance the night away.  I got much needed exercise.  It was constructive to me as it helped my heart grow strong.  Never mind that I was staying at friends house where his parents view dancing as being straight from the pit of HELL!  It was beneficial to me!  It was constructive to me!
  
If the only test were those two -- beneficial or constructive, I would be doing the two step to heaven . . . but it is not.  Does what I am doing in line with seeking the good of others?
A qualitative examination which puts others before me.  Would my dancing the night away prevent me from ministering to the family where I am staying?  

Yuck!  Where this is going . . . well it kinda sucks!  Yeah, to be quite honest it does . . . and then  . . . it doesn't.

See God is not about Murphy having a good time in life.  He is, however, about me having fullness of life . . . abundance of life . . . a completely, and fully holy life, integrated in His will.  It is like we are a part of a greater classic art piece or painting than ourselves.  If the colors are not right the whole picture sucks.  If the cut is not precise, well the whole statute fails to take form.  But when they are right . . . well a masterpiece is borne and all benefit from its beauty.

It may be my prerogative to do . . . but it may not be beneficial or constructive . . . And in seeking the good of others . . .  we find it being beneficial and constructive to me and others.

Read the whole passage, to the end of the chapter.  I know it will take a few times to read it to get the understanding.  It is God who is in control and He desires that we exercise our prerogative to follow His direction, His spirit.  

Its my prerogative.  Its my choice to follow HIS prerogative.

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Sit, smile and cry . . . .

 23For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread;24and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”25In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”26For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Whenever I read or hear these words I find myself immediately transported back to being a kid and watching my dad, then Pastor, of Quiocassin Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia administering communion to all the deacons lined up up front.  See these are the words read at almost every communion service, and when I hear them I also hear the songs being played . . . "Let us break bread together on our knees," . . ."The blood that Jesus shed for me, way back on calvary."  When this happens, I am immediately transported back to what for me was and still remains one of the most wonderful, awesome feelings of worship. .

See,  I guess in the communion service I really feel close to God.  In remembering his brokenness for me I am reminded of mine before him.  Meeting me in His broken state He sees me in mine.  He bearing my sin in front of me.  Me knowing He didn't have to.

In remembrance of Him, of the Christ.  In remembrance of Him.  

In remembrance of the sacrifice of His body for me.  In remembrance of the call to the sacrifice of my own for Him.  In remembrance of the shedding of His blood for my sins.  In remembrance of the giving of my own life in obedience to Him.  

Strange at these times I do not ponder on the beatings that He took, or the gruesome spectical it must have been.  I donot find myself smiling thinking back on that scene.  Instead I find myself thinking of all that I have been blessed with because of it.  I guess it is like when you win a race, or accomplish a task which was very painful to reach.  It is not the pain that brings the smile to your face it is the victory won through and because of it.  It is what was gained, that brings joy to you. 

I guess that is how I feel, when transported back to that moment.  It is the comfort in knowing that I am His.  The comfort in knowing that I am so loved.  That God would so care about me, just as I was and am, to take such pain for me to transport me to victory, from my sorry state of self.

I am overwhelmed with emotion and simply just want to sit, smile and cry. 

"He is no fool, who gives up what he can not keep, to gain what he can not loose."  

Jesus was not a fool and neither am I.  I am willing to give up what I can not keep, which indeed was not my own to begin with, my life, to gain what I can not loose - true life, eternal life. Jesus said that He came that we might have abundant life.  Interesting thing is that it is a present abundance.  I smile at the words read so often in communion not because of simply the sacrifice but the victory which is mine in fellowship with Him --  that no one can take and I can not loose.  I give up me to gain me PLUS!  

Excuse me, but for a moment I need to simply sit, smile and cry.  

Don't have much more to say.  I hope you get it . . .

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