Dry His tears . . . and ours too . . .

 41When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it,42saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! Luke 19:41-42

This passage caught my attention today. There was only one word that popped into my mind.

Weak.

See the Christ I want to believe in would be a Christ which took names and kicked butt. I want a Christ that notices that someone is doing wrong and then makes sure that person stops. I want a Christ that does not accept people ignoring Him. I hate to be ignored, especially when I know that I am right. I hate it when people do not listen to what I have to say. I hate it when they do not agree to simply obey me. I hate it when people do not pay attention to just how important I am. If it were me, and I had the power to do something, I would. The “something” that I would do would definitely NOT be to cry!

So in my opinion . . . Christ . . . what a WEAK response! Why didn't you simply send down some lightening and wipe them away! Why did you not start glowing or rise up in the air? Why did you not call a thousand angels to sing to you? Why did you not do . . .

You get the picture.

I guess the reason that Christ did not do any of these things might have been that they had already realized who he was. If you read a couple of verses before this the Jesus has just entered into Jerusalem and the people were crying out:  “BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

They had recognized Him. They had stated that He was the king. They DID know who he was.

So why the tears?

Perhaps the reason that Jesus cried was because they had only accepted Him to a very limited extent. They knew He was God. They acknowledged that He was the king. They knew He was coming in the name of the Lord. But they limited to the peace which he was bringing to the heavens . . . no peace for them.

So Jesus wept. He came that they might have peace NOW. He came that they might have life abundant NOW. He came that they would accept Him into their lives to transform them right there and then. To call 10,000 angels to sing His praises, well that still left the peace in heaven, His glory in heaven. To call lightening down to destroy them did not bring peace to them at all. It would only confirm His power, not His peace for them. His rising up in the air and glowing like the sun, . . . well again that does nothing to get them to accept the peace that He had to offer.

So He wept. His action was not weak but appropriate. It was all that He could do. It was indeed in hope that they might understand He had more for them then they understood.

Is Jesus weeping for you and I? Have we limited His peace and power to the heavens? Have we with our lips claimed that He is God, that He is the son, but have not accepted His peace within us? Have we left Him glowing in the sky, with the angels singing His glory but not accepting His peace in our lives right now?

The strength of Christ is in His power to transform us and to give us peace, His peace if we just accept Him in. Accept Him in today. Accept Him in now. Accept His peace here. Let's dry His tears. . . . and ours too.

Got Word?

Love yah,

Secar sus lágrimas. . . . y la nuestra también

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41Cuando Se acercó a Jerusalén, Jesús vio la ciudad, lloró sobre ella, 42 diciendo: "Si hubiera sabido en este día, incluso usted, lo que contribuye a la paz! Lucas 19:41-42

Este pasaje me llamó la atención hoy en día. Sólo había una palabra que me vino a la mente:

Débil.

Véase el Cristo y quiero creer en Sería un Cristo que tomaron nombres y pateó el trasero. Quiero un Cristo que se da cuenta de que alguien está haciendo mal y luego se asegura de que las paradas persona. Quiero un Cristo que no acepta la gente lo ignora. No me gusta ser ignorado, especialmente cuando sé que tengo la repuesta. Odio cuando la gente no escucha lo que tengo que decir. Odio cuando no están de acuerdo simplemente me obedecen. Odio cuando la gente no presta atención a lo importante que soy. Si se tratara de mí, y yo tenía el poder de hacer algo, lo haría. El "algo" que haría sin duda no ser que llorar!

Así que en mi opinión. . . Cristo. . . lo que es una respuesta débil! ¿Por qué no sólo tiene que enviar por algunos relámpagos y limpiar a la basura! ¿Por qué no empiezan a brillar o levantarse en el aire? ¿Por qué no llamar a mil ángeles para cantar para ti? ¿Por qué no hacer. . .

Usted entiende.

Supongo que la razón por la que Cristo no hizo ninguna de estas cosas podría haber sido que ya se había dado cuenta de quién era. Si usted lee un par de versículos antes de este, Jesús acaba de entrar en Jerusalén y la gente estaba gritando: "¡Bendito el rey que viene en el nombre del Señor; paz en el cielo y gloria en las alturas!"

Lo habían reconocido. Se había declarado que él era el rey. Ellos sabían quién era.

¿Por qué las lágrimas?

Tal vez la razón por la que Jesús lloró fue porque sólo lo había aceptado en un grado muy limitado. Ellos sabían que Él era Dios. Reconocieron que era el rey. Ellos sabían que venía en el nombre del Señor. Pero se limita a la paz que traía a los cielos. . . no hay paz para ellos.

Así que Jesús lloró. Él vino para que tengan paz ahora. Él vino para que tengan vida en abundancia AHORA. Él vino para que ellos lo acepten en sus vidas para transformar allí mismo. Para llamar a 10.000 ángeles para cantar sus alabanzas, así que aún queda de la paz en el cielo, su gloria en el cielo. Para llamar a aligerar hasta destruirlos no trajo la paz a ellos en todo. Sólo sería confirmar su poder, no su paz para ellos. Su elevándose en el aire y brillando como el sol,. . . así una vez más que no hace nada para conseguir que acepten la paz que Él tenía que ofrecer.

Así que Él lloró. Su acción no era débil pero apropiada. Era todo lo que podía hacer. Fue precisamente en la esperanza de que pudieran entender Tenía más para ellos, entonces ellos entendieron.

¿Está Jesús llora por usted y yo? ¿Nos hemos limitado su paz y el poder de los cielos? ¿Tenemos con nuestros labios afirmó que Él es Dios, que Él es el hijo, pero no han aceptado su paz en nuestro interior? ¿Hemos dejado lo que brilla intensamente en el cielo, con los ángeles cantando Su gloria, pero no aceptar su paz en nuestras vidas en este momento?

La fuerza de Cristo está en su poder para transformarnos y darnos la paz, su paz si simplemente lo aceptan pulg. Acéptalo hoy. Acéptalo ahora. Acepte su paz aquí. Vamos a secar sus lágrimas. . . . y la nuestra también.

Tienes LA Palabra?

Te amo,

All is all only in Him . . .

²⁰ This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God.

²¹ In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered. 

2 Chronicles 31:20-21

I would like these words to be said about me.  I would like that at the end of my life it would be said that:

“Everything that Murphy did, wherever he went, was good, right and faithful to the Lord his God.  In everything that he undertook to do in service to God’s church AND in obedience to God’s law and commands, Murphy sought the Lord and worked with all of his heart.  And so Murphy prospered.”

Unfortunately everything that I have done in the places that I have been has not been good, right and faithful to the Lord.   In addition I cannot say that even in the work for the church I have always sought God’s direction and worked wholeheartedly.  And as for following all of his law and commands . . . I can not say that I have always done that in everything.

Everything is a big word.

I cannot apply that word to me.  So how can I expect to receive the result:  “And so he prospered.”

So if I am not prospering, . . . well, I guess you can see why.  It’s that little word . . . “everything.”

It almost seems rather wrong of God to require me to do “everything.”  Don’t you agree?  He knows that I cannot.  So why require me to do “everything?”  And yet He does.  Is there a key to this problem?

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart

    and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Hmm.  If I trust in Him, and do not trust in myself, in my own understanding AND if I submit all that I do, myself completely to Him THEN he will make my path straight.  God will do through me what is good and right and faithful to Him.  God will make my actions conform to His word!  Awesome! Right?

Well, if you are like me you must have noticed that word “all” scattered all through Proverbs 3:5-6.  It sounds a lot like the word “everything.”  It does because it is.

The standard that God sets is too high for anyone to reach, but one.  Christ.  As we come to Him and allow Him to work through us; as we strive to relax in His word, well then He steps in.  He not only steps in to empower us to do His will, but He actually does it through us.  And where we fail, He forgives us, He makes us clean.  So when the Father sees us, God sees “everything” is done.

I don’t know if you understood what is really being said here as to” “And so he prospered.”  What I am saying is that the prosperity that we experience is directly related to the forgiveness of God, of His grace given freely to us.  We do not earn any blessing; He gives it as He chooses, as we trust in Him.  See our perfection is tied directly to Him.  We have done “everything” because He has done “everything.”  

As Paul wrote:

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

Ok, I know this has been a little rough today.  Just know that our prosperity is only the result of Christ having done everything in and through us as I we have given our lives to Him. It is only in Him that God sees us having done “everything.”

Got it?

Got Word?

Love yah,

Todo es Todo solamente en El . . . .

20 Esto es lo que hizo Ezequías en todo Judá, haciendo lo bueno y lo recto y fiel delante de Jehová su Dios. 21 En todo cuanto emprendió en el servicio del templo de Dios y en la obediencia a la ley y los mandamientos, buscó a su Dios y trabajó con entusiasmo. Y así prosperó.
 
2 Crónicas 31:20-21

Me gustaría que estas palabras que decir sobre mí. Me gustaría que al final de mi vida, se diría que:

"Todo lo que Murphy hizo, donde quiera que fuera, era bueno, justo y fiel al Señor su Dios. En todo lo que se comprometió a hacer en el servicio a la Iglesia de Dios y en la obediencia a la ley de Dios y los comandos, Murphy buscó al Señor y trabajó con todo su corazón. Y así, Murphy prosperó ".

Por desgracia, todo lo que he hecho en los lugares que he estado no ha sido bueno, justo y fiel al Señor. Además no puedo decir que incluso en el trabajo por la iglesia a la que siempre han buscado la dirección de Dios y trabajó con entusiasmo. Y como para el seguimiento de todos los de su ley y mandamientos. . . No puedo decir que siempre he hecho eso en todo.

"Todo" es una gran palabra.

No puedo aplicar esa palabra a mí. Entonces, ¿cómo puedo esperar para recibir el resultado: "Y así lo prosperaba."

Así que si no estoy prosperando. . . bueno, supongo que usted puede ver por qué. Es esa pequeña palabra. . . "Todo".

Casi parece más bien mal de Dios para requerir que haga "todo". ¿No le parece? Él sabe que yo no puedo. ¿Entonces por qué me exigen hacer "todas las cosas?" Y sin embargo lo hace. ¿Existe una clave para este problema?

5 Fíate de Jehová de todo tu corazón
    y no te apoyes en tu propia inteligencia;
6 en todos tus caminos someterse a él,
    y él allanará tus sendas.
Proverbios 3:5-6

Hmm. Si confío en Él, y no confían en mí mismo, en mi propio entendimiento y si presento todo lo que hago, yo mismo por completo a él, entonces él hará que mi camino recto. Dios va a hacer por mí lo que es bueno y correcto y fiel a él. Dios hará que mis acciones se ajustan a su palabra! Tremendo! ¿Cierto?

Bueno, si usted es como yo, usted debe haber notado que la palabra "todos" dispersos por todo los versos de Proverbios 3:5-6. Suena muy parecido a la palabra "todo". Lo hace porque lo es.

La norma establece que Dios es demasiado alto para que cualquiera pueda alcanzar, sino uno solo. Cristo. Cuando venimos a Él y dejar que Él obre a través de nosotros, ya que nos esforzamos para relajarse en su palabra, pues bien Da un paso pulg Él no sólo interviene para darnos poder para hacer su voluntad, sino que en realidad lo hace a través de nosotros. ¿Y dónde fallamos, nos perdona, nos hace limpiar. Así que cuando el Padre nos ve, Dios ve "todo" lo que se hace.

No sé si usted entiende lo que realmente está diciendo aquí como en " Y así lo prosperaba."Lo que estoy diciendo es que la prosperidad que experimentamos está directamente relacionado con el perdón de Dios, de su gracia dada libremente a nosotros. No ganamos ninguna bendición, Él lo da como Él quiere, ya que confían en él. Vea nuestra perfección está ligado directamente a él. Lo hemos hecho "todo" porque ha hecho "todo".

Como Pablo escribió:

"He sido crucificado con Cristo y ya no vivo yo, sino que Cristo vive en mí. Y lo que ahora vivo en la carne, lo vivo en la fe del Hijo de Dios, que me amó y se entregó a sí mismo por mí. "Gálatas 2:20

Pues, ya sé que hoy ha sido un poco duro. Sólo sé que nuestra prosperidad es sólo el resultado de haber hecho todo lo que Cristo en ya través de nosotros, ya que nos hemos dado nuestras vidas a él. Sólo en Él que Dios nos ve de haber hecho "todo".

¿Lo tienes?

Tienes La Palabra?

Te Amo,

A breath that passes away and does not come again . . . (spanish translation second posting)

34 When He slew them, then they sought Him;

And they returned and sought earnestly for God.
³⁵ Then they remembered that God was their rock,
And the Most High God their Redeemer.
³⁶ Nevertheless they flattered Him with their mouth,
And they lied to Him with their tongue;
³⁷ For their heart was not steadfast with Him,
Nor were they faithful in His covenant.
³⁸ But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity,
And did not destroy them.
Yes, many a time He turned His anger away,
And did not stir up all His wrath;
³⁹ For He remembered that they were but flesh,
A breath that passes away and does not come again.

Psalm 78:34-39

Some passages just disturb me from the start.  This is one of them.  Not because I do not understand or relate to it, but because I so well relate to it.  In many ways it has been the story of my relationship with God.  See if you too find yourself in the psalmist’s words.

When we are hurting, when we feel that we are receiving the just discipline for our wrongs we run to God.  We earnestly seek him as it says in verse 34.  We cry out to God for salvation!  We run towards Him.  We call Him our father, . . . oh even better, . . . we do as Christ did and uses a most intimate reference to Him,  we call Him “Dad”, “Poppa,” or even “Poppy.”  We run to His word.  We return to Him and we earnestly seek Him.  If we have been looking at stuff we are not supposed to, we stop.  We remove bookmarks, we cancel subscriptions to magazines, services, etc.  We don’t return the calls from that one we know that we would fall for, indeed may have just been in bed with the week before.  We work diligently for our bosses.  We watch our finances closely, we may even give a gift to the church or feed a minister (fried chicken is not that expensive, right? . . . LOL).  We don’t speed; we don’t run lights, and we turn off the TV before all those soft porn movies come on late at night.  In short we earnestly seek God.  We do this with the confidence that He does not lie and He has side that if we draw close to Him He will draw close to us.  So we draw close. 

We remember that “God was our rock, and the Most High our Redeemer!” 

Awesome!! Right?  A TRUE revival in our hearts!

No.

“. . . Nevertheless they flattered Him with their mouth, and they lied to Him with their tongue; For the heart was not steadfast with Him, Nor were they faithful in His covenant.”

Flattering words, lies with the tongue and a heart that is not steadfast . . . a heart that is not TRULY settled on the course.  Obedience  . . . continuing the same ordered direction consistently, without changing – being steadfast to the course.  And they, us, were not faithful to HIS covenant.  Who cares?  Right?  Its HIS covenant to me, not mine to Him.  No.  HIS covenant is a two way street.  It is a mutual covenant.  God cares.  Our part, spoken by Jesus: 

²⁷ So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’”  Luke 10:27

And obviously if we can flatter, lie and not be steadfast to His word, well we must not be doing our part of the Covenant.  And what does God do . .  He forgives.  He does not destroy us.  He turns His wrath away. 

We do a dance of joy, knowing or at least thinking . . . I got away with it again!

The whole purpose of this writing today is to get to the last verse above.  It is that verse that disturbs me the most.  It states the reason God forgives, does not destroy us, and turns His wrath away.

³⁹ For He remembered that they were but flesh,

A breath that passes away and does not come again.

Did you see it?  Did you see just how temporal our joy in the midst of doing the wrong thing is?  Did you see that we “passes away” and “does not come again.”  Are we really getting away with the wrong?  Have we really fooled God?  Have we fooled ourselves?  Have we escaped judgment?  God lives on.  His word survives.  Our deeds die.  Our lives are quick to be extinguished.  No life.

There is also a certain amount of finality in our choices.  We do not have the chance to walk this way again.  We do not have the ability to change the past.  We simply have to live with the consequences in the future.  And if you think that there are none, and that I may simply be whistling Dixie, well if you read on you will see that God pulled from them the blessing originally intended for them.

Did the love of God change for them.  No.  And it doesn’t for us either.  What may change is the intended blessing.  Note that I said it may change.  That is truly up to Him.  What is up to us is how we respond to the prompting of the Lord through His word, to His spirit.  See if we are so weak, we need to rely on the one who is so strong.  If we are but the wind, a breath that passes away, and does not come again, we need to lean on the one who is the rock.  We need to turn and grab hold of the one who is and ever will be, the Christ who lives and lives forever.  Continue to earnestly seek God.  Keep reminding yourself that He is our Redeemer.  Stand true, steadfast and faithful to His covenant.

Got it?

Got Word?

Love yah,

Un soplo que pasa y no vuelve . . .

34 Cuando él los mató, entonces le buscaban;
Y vueltas y buscaba fervientemente a Dios.
35 Y se acordaban de que Dios era su roca,
Y el Dios Altísimo su Redentor.
36 Con todo, ellos le halaga con su boca,
Y ellos le mintió a él con su lengua;
37 Pues sus corazones no eran firmes con Él,
Tampoco fueron fieles a su pacto.
38 Pero Esteban, lleno de compasión, perdonó su iniquidad,
Y no los destruyó.
Sí, más de una vez se volvió su ira,
Y no despertó todo su furor;
39 Porque se acordó de que eran carne,
Un soplo que pasa y no vuelve.

Salmo 78:34-39

Algunos pasajes me acaba de molestar desde el principio. Esta es una. No es porque no entiendo una relacionan con esta, sino porque tan bien se relacionan con ella. En muchos sentidos, ha sido la historia de mi relación con Dios. A ver si también se encuentra en las palabras del salmista.

Cuando estamos heridos, cuando sentimos que estamos recibiendo la disciplina sólo por nuestras faltas nos encontramos a Dios. Nosotros le buscan, como dice en el versículo 34. Clamamos a Dios por la salvación! Corremos hacia él. Lo llamamos nuestro padre. . . oh aún mejor,. . . lo hacemos como lo hizo Cristo y utiliza una referencia más íntima con Él, le llamamos "papá", "papá", o incluso "Poppy". Corremos a Su palabra. Volvemos a Él y que le buscan. Si hemos estado viendo cosas que no se supone que son, nos detenemos. Quitamos los marcadores, cancelamos las suscripciones a revistas, servicios, etc No se devolverán las llamadas de ese que conocemos que íbamos a caer porque, en realidad puede haber sido en la cama con la semana anterior. Trabajamos diligentemente para nuestros jefes. Vemos nuestras finanzas de cerca, podemos incluso dar un regalo a la iglesia o alimentar a un ministro (pollo frito no es tan caro, ¿no? ... LOL). No acelerar, no corremos luces, y apagar el televisor antes de todas esas películas porno suaves vienen en altas horas de la noche. En fin que sinceramente buscan a Dios. Esto lo hacemos con la confianza de que Él no miente y él tiene un lado que si nos acercamos a Él, Él se acercará a nosotros. Así que nos acercamos.

Recordemos que "Dios estaba nuestra roca, nuestro Redentor y el Altísimo!"
¡Increíble! ¿Cierto? Un verdadero avivamiento en nuestros corazones!
No.

". . . Sin embargo ellos le obsequió con su boca, y le mentían con su lengua, porque el corazón no fue firme con él, ni eran fieles a su pacto ".

Lisonjeros en la palabra, se encuentra con la lengua y un corazón que no es firme. . . un corazón que no es verdaderamente resuelta en el curso. Obediencia. . . continuando la misma dirección ordenada sistemáticamente, sin modificar - ser firme al curso. Y ellos, nosotros, no eran fieles a su pacto. A quién le importa? ¿Cierto? Su Su pacto a mí, no a la mía para él. No. Su pacto es una calle de dos vías. Es un pacto mutuo. Dios le importa. Nuestra parte, hablado por Jesús:

27 Y respondiendo él, dijo: "Amarás al Señor tu Dios con todo tu corazón, con toda tu alma, con todas tus fuerzas, y con toda tu mente, ya tu prójimo como a ti mismo." Lucas 10: 27

Y, obviamente, si podemos halagar, mentir y no ser firme a su palabra, así que no hay que hacer nuestra parte del Pacto. ¿Y qué hace Dios. . Él perdona. Él no nos destruirá. Se vuelve su ira lejos.

Hacemos una danza de alegría, sabiendo o pensando en por lo menos. . . Me salió con la suya otra vez!

El propósito de este escrito hoy es llegar al último verso anterior. Es ese verso que me perturba la mayoría. Establece los perdona la razón de Dios, no nos destruye, y se vuelve su ira lejos.

39 Porque se acordó de que eran carne,
Un soplo que pasa y no vuelve.

¿Lo ves? ¿Viste qué tan temporal nuestro gozo en medio de hacer lo malo es? ¿Has visto que "muere" y "no viene de nuevo." ¿Estamos realmente saliendo con el mal? ¿Realmente hemos engañado a Dios? ¿Nos hemos engañado? ¿Hemos escapado a juicio? Dios vive. Su palabra sobrevive. Nuestras obras morir. Nuestras vidas se apresuran a extinguirse. No hay vida.

También hay un cierto grado de firmeza en nuestras decisiones. No tenemos la oportunidad de caminar por este camino otra vez. No tenemos la capacidad de cambiar el pasado. Simplemente tenemos que vivir con las consecuencias en el futuro. Y si usted piensa que no hay ninguno, y que yo estoy simplemente silbando una canción, ley mas y verá que Dios sacó de la bendición originalmente destinado para ellos.

¿El amor de Dios cambia para ellos. No. Y no lo hace para nosotros tampoco. Lo que puede cambiar es la bendición deseada para ti. Tenga en cuenta que me dijo que podría cambiar. Eso es una posibilidad realmente hasta él. Es mas importante qué nos toca a nosotros es cómo respondemos al llamado del Señor a través de su Palabra, a su espíritu. A ver si somos tan débiles, tenemos que confiar en la persona que es tan fuerte. Si no somos más que el viento, un soplo que pasa y no vuelve, hay que apoyarse en aquel que es la roca. Tenemos que dar la vuelta y agarrar el que es y siempre será, el Cristo que vive y permanece para siempre. Seguir buscando sinceramente a Dios. Siga recordándose a sí mismo que Él es nuestro Redentor. Párese verdadero, firme y fiel a su pacto.

¿Lo tienes?

Tienes Palabra?

Te Amo,

 

Sensual, but not too far from innocence . . .

. . . Resist the devil and he will flee from you.8Draw 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

When I was growing up there was a comedian named Flip Wilson who made famous a character he created called “Geraldine.”  Geraldine would get into all sorts of trouble always ending the skit with the statement when asked why she did whatever, “the devil made me do it.”  The crowds would laugh and howl in response.  And deep down inside we came to quietly embrace this misstatement of the truth. 

I punch my brother.  The devil made me do it.  I lie to the teacher.  It’s not my fault, the devil made me do it.  I cheat in a game, purposefully hurt another, and slander someone’s good name.  It’s all his fault.  Blame the devil.  Remember, I am a creature born in sin.  Formed in iniquity (said with deep reverberating voice). It’s his fault not mine.

But here James comes around and gives us a solution with a sure result

Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

I like that all three of these verses are put together, however, I must admit that I think that I would like to have them in a slightly different order.  I think I would have written them like this:

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

See absent the power of God working within me, I do not think I can truly resist the devil.  It is comforting to have the formula as to how to tap into that power to resist . . . Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  See when we draw near to God, spend time in His word, seek His face and direction, lean upon His truths, trust Him at what He says, follow in obedience to Him, . . . then HE draws near to us.  When He is near I then have the power to stand, to obey and to do what I would have written next: 

Cleanse your hands, . . . purify your hearts . . . from what? Being double minded of course.

See how often do we vacillate between whether we want to do the right thing or not.  We toy with the idea of doing the wrong.  We “taste” just a little of the wrong, too not get too burned.  We flirt with the idea of, the thought of, the imagined feeling of, . .

A number of years ago the makers of Channel#5 perfume had a commercial on television that was quite successful and memorable.  The would show a barefooted beautiful lithe woman dressed in a very free flowing and very sheer, layered gown riding a stunning white stallion across an open meadow along the side of a gorgeous dreamy mountainside covered ever so slightly in a light mist.  The announcer would come on and be heard to say . . .”Channel #5 . . . Sensual, but not too far from innocence. . .”

I love that phrase, “Sensual, but not too far from innocence. . .”  I have spent many whimsical hours trying to determine exactly what that means.  To this day I cannot tell you.  I just have a vague notion that it somehow may be interpreted as you get to taste the sin but get away from the consequence.  A truly double-minded thought, one which must be purified from your mind.

So you have drawn near to God, you have cleansed your hands, and you have purified your thoughts in accordance with His word. . . Well surely you can resist the devil at that point.

Or perhaps, James put it in the order that he did because he knew that it took first our willingness and choice to resist the devil before we could draw near to God.  That he understood that when we have drawn near to God, God will then draw near to us showing us how to clean our hands, and leading us in purification of our thoughts.  Perhaps James knew that once our thoughts were purified we would no longer be double-minded.  Perhaps . . .

Well I will leave the interpretation up to the Holy Spirit and you.  I have no doubt the Spirit will make it clear to you.  Ask.

Got Word?

Love yah, 

PS:  Sorry about yesterday, fighting a cold.  Thanks for your patience.

A possible headache cure . . .

 2Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.3For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth.4I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth. 

3 John 1:2-4

My head is hurting right now and I am thinking about what may be the cause.  It could be that my glucose is down.  It could be that I did not get enough sleep last night.  Perhaps my blood pressure is up?  Maybe I am trying to get sick.  Perhaps it is because I accidentally hit it getting out of the car.  Maybe its  . . .

Maybe its because there is something wrong in my spirit.

Wait.  In my spirit?  Yes, in my spirit. 

Oftentimes we spend a lot of time examining all the possible symptoms for an illness by looking at other symptoms.  We then guess at the cause which in actuality may just be another symptom.  See if the writer could say that he prayed that his friend would be in good health even as his soul prospers, what happens if his soul is not prospering?

Well probably the opposite of health – dis-health or illness.

Now before you go out there saying that everyone who is sick has something spiritually wrong, slow it down.  This was not a prayer of action consequence or no action bad consequence – instead it is a prayer of a request based upon knowledge of the condition of his friend’s soul.  See his soul was solidly based upon truth, remember?:

3For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth.

When we are walking and living in the truth of God then our soul will prosper and it is not contrary to the will of God to ask that everything else mirror the condition of our soul.  There are many prayers that you can say over yourself and for others.  This is one which is grounded in an understanding of the solid condition of the heart of the individual.  I would not say this prayer for myself or another if either myself or them were really off the beaten path of God’s will, of His truth in and for their life. 

Examine yourself.  You want to pray to ask God for a blessing, examine yourself.  See whether you are standing in His truth.  Are you living it?  Is it the hallmark of your character and your being?  Do your actions serve as evidence of the presence of God working through you, living out His love for you and others?  Examine yourself in comparison to His Word.

If you are doing the examination according to His Word, and you come up short, . . . well follow what the Word says for you to do to get in line with His truth.

Then pray:  Lord I pray that you may prosper me and keep me in good health even as my soul prospers.

Hmm . . . I think my headache is gone.

Got Word?

Love yah,

One weapon . . . when you don't know what to pray starting out

¹⁷ I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit^[f] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

¹⁸ I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, ¹⁹ and his incomparably great power for us who believe.  Ephesians 1:17

You might not have much time today, so I will get straight to the point.

There are times that I do not know how to pray.  It is then that I will go to a prayer that is straight from the bible.  I plug in my name, or the person that I am praying for, and pray the pray.  Here Paul tells us what he prays for the Ephesian church which had shown great faith and love for God’s people. 

Let’s try it:

God I pray that you give to ___________ the Spirit of wisdom and revelation that __________ may know you better.  I pray that the eyes of ____________’s  heart may be enlightened that __________ may know the hope to which Christ has called me/them, the riches of your glorious inheritance in me/them your holy people, and your incomparably great power for us/them who believe.

The beginning of the prayer starts with the foundation of all knowledge, understanding and life – a better knowledge of Christ.  Here the word “know” is not a head knowledge but an in depth, intimate and fully embracing relationship based knowledge.  It is knowing Him as He would be known.  It is seeing and fully receiving the full comprehension of His love towards us who believe.  It is being known by Him and yet being fully accepted as we are to completion into what we are destined to become.  It is knowing that in Him all things move, live and have their being and that apart from Him there is no life.  It is abundance, fulfillment, joy, peace.  None of this can be known fully absent the spirit of wisdom and revelation.  Or perhaps it would better be read, revelation and wisdom.  Revelation absent wisdom does not take us where we need to go, just like wisdom without the substance of revelation does not get us there either.  So the prayer starts with a basic requirement for life.

It moves on to request that we know the hope of our calling, the riches of our inheritance deposited within us, and the great incomparable power to accomplish both.  How often do we wonder for what purpose we are here?  Absent hope in a true purpose why is life worth living?  And so Paul would pray that we are enlightened to that hope. 

Most recently the Lord has reminded me of pronouncements that have been made over my life.  Things that others have shared with me that God said would happen, and which to date have not.  He has also reminded me of the things that were said that have happened.  These reminders have come at a time when I needed them most.  When I have been flailing around like a fish out of water – alive but outside of my medium, destined to die unless returned to the life giving water.  He has taken the time to remind me of the hope of my calling in Him.  And because of that, I have renewed my strength and started a fresh to seek His word, direction and order . . . in the present for the SURE future which is to come!  Enlightenment of your heart to the hope of your calling will do that for you.  It has a present effect; a present transformation affecting a future reality.

In being reminded of the hope, I became immediately aware of my limited resources  in making it happen.  To this Paul would pray that we would be aware of the riches of our inheritance deposited within us . . . and may I say PRESENTLY deposited within us.  This is an inheritance which we can pull from today, not after we are dead and gone.  He wants us to understand that our Father owns a cattle on a thousand hills . . . He has given you talents, abilities, experiences, friends, supporters.  He has so much more at HIS disposal to bless you to accomplish HIS will in your life.  See if it is Him leading it is HIS responsibility to support.  And the support does not stop with the “stuff”  it moves forward to the POWER to accomplish the hope.

I may have dreams.  I may have the resources to accomplish the dreams.  But if I cannot get up out of the bed to do them . . . well the hope will die.  God says that He will give us the power to accomplish the hope – HIS power!  As the power is of HIM it is not limited by us!  It is appropriate to the task. It is an ever present resource that never runs out!  He supplies our need.  He opens the windows of heaven.  He pours out a blessing that we do not have room enough to receive.  We have all the energy to accomplish His will in us, in our lives.

So . . .

Pray the prayer from Ephesians.  Indeed, perhaps we should be praying this daily even if we think we know what to pray.  It is powerful . . . Right?!

Yes it is.

Got Word?

Love yah

Use what you got and hold on to what you're getting . . .

⁵⁴ And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent. 1 Samuel 17:54

When this verse leaped off the page, I wasn’t quite sure what the Lord wanted to say.  See I have seen a theme with Him these last couple of weeks.  He seems to have been focusing on lessons needed to success in going forward in a new life, . . . after being given a new heart. So I was not sure at first what was going on here. To gain an understanding of the pericope (big word for passage – for you seminarians, LOL) you have to look back at the context.  What has happened up to this point.

This comes at the end of the story of David killing the giant Goliath.  Most of us know the story.  But perhaps we have not taken a look at the detail which this verse is dealing with.  In particular what armour is it speaking about?  And why is he storing it?

³⁸ Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head.
³⁹ David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. ⁴⁰ Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.  I Samuel 17:38 – 40
The armour is what Saul, the king had given David to fight in, but which David chose not to use because he had not used them before.  Instead David decided to use what he had used before.  Take a moment and note Saul’s concern and David’s answer:

³³ Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”
³⁴ But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock,
³⁵ I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. ³⁶ Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. ³⁷ The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” 1 Samuel 17:34-37
When I went to look back at these verses I see a pattern.  He uses the rock or sling to strike the animal, the enemy, and then takes them on “mano a mano” or hand’s on.  But his focus is not on his expertise, his prowess or his great skill but on the God.  It is on the relationship that God has with His people; God’s desire and intent to protect His people.  It is the Lord which rescued David and it will be the Lord which rescues Israel from the Philistine.

David knew that the Lord had used this means to rescue him, these tools – the rock and sling.  He knew the method that God had worked through him before.  David had never fought a battle in the armour.  So he did not want to at that time.  He had not trained in it. Built up to such a battle.  See he had fought a lion and a bear and now he would fight a giant!  A progression of challenges.

What is God’s point to us:

1.       Look to see what God has used in your life to win battles through you in the past and start with those tools first.  You know a particular prayer cycle.  Use it.  He has blessed you with a skilled tongue . . . then use it to further His purpose for you.  If it is writing, then write.  Do what God has given you success in in the past;

2.      Keep an eye out for the NEW skills and tools that he is preparing you to use.  Don’t be afraid of the introduction; and,

3.      REMEMBER IT IS GOD WHO GIVES YOU THE VICTORY!!!

David took the lessons from his past victories and used them to fell a larger enemy . . . a real giant of a problem (forgive me I just couldn’t resist, lol).  You and I can do the same when starting out again.  But don’t forget the final point. . .

4.      Don’t throw away the new weapons.

⁵⁴ And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent. 1 Samuel 17:54

The Word of God says:

³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,

⁵ casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, ⁶ and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

AWESOME!! God is building up our arsenal!!  Don’t throw the weapons away! 

Oh, you are not sure what they are?  Well, perhaps we need to spend some time on this armour the King of kings, and Lord of lords has given us to use.

Keep reading . . .

Got Word?

Love yah,

Let's stop shaking . . .

¹ Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent?
    Who may live on your holy mountain?

² The one whose walk is blameless,

    who does what is righteous,
    who speaks the truth from their heart;
³ whose tongue utters no slander,
    who does no wrong to a neighbor,
    and casts no slur on others;
⁴ who despises a vile person
    but honors those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath even when it hurts,
    and does not change their mind;
⁵ who lends money to the poor without interest;
    who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.

Whoever does these things
    will never be shaken.        Psalm 15

Every day a person should read one chapter in Proverbs and one chapter in Psalms.  With Proverbs you quickly will be repeating yourself, as there are 31 chapters.  However, you will see that different things leap out to you.  Here, if I had started reading at the beginning of the month, I would be at Psalm 15 today.  A question, an answer, and a promise.

As Christians we are almost always told about heaven.  Being in the sacred tent of the Lord sounds like it.  As well as living on His holy mountain.  However, if you will note, taking the psalm in its entirety it appears that this is not talking about the here after, but the present.  All of the actions were required are present day actions:

“ . . . whose walk is blameless,

. . . does what is righteous,

. . . speaks the truth from their heart;

. . .tongue utters no slander,

. . . does no wrong to a neighbor,

. . . casts no slur on others . . .

You can read on, but ALL of the actions are present day, now “in the land of the living” actions.  From this I come to understand that by doing this I can dwell NOW in the Lord’s sacred tent!  I can live NOW on His holy mountain!  Thus in my present circumstances, in my present state of affairs, in the battles that I am in NOW I may dwell and live where He dwells and lives!

Remember Adam?  He walked and talked with the Lord.  He was in His garden, His presence, His place of abode. Nothing could endanger or hurt him.  He had the confidence of knowing God was right there by His side.  He had the knowledge that no weapon formed against him could prosper because he was with the Lord.  Is this not the same thing?  Is the psalmist not telling each of us that we can be in that place also?  That we can live in the consciousness, mental and spiritual, that we are presently in His presence right now, whenever we do as is written.  Indeed, I believe that is what he is saying.  We can now know such a confidence as was Adam’s  and Christ’s when we live NOW as is written here.  And if we have any doubt, the psalmist ends with the promise.

“Whoever does these things
    will never be shaken.”

Never shaken because of where we are.  Never shaken because of in whose presence we are welcomed into.  It is hard to loose footing when you are dwelling in the tent of the Almighty.  When you are standing on the holy mountain of the King of kings and Lord of lords! 

Let’s stop shaking . . .

Got Word?

Love yah,

A loving choice for Valentine's Day . . .

¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. . . .

²¹ Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”   . . .

²³ Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.
²⁴ Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching.John 14: 15-17, 21, 23-24

When our children were growing up we used to note that the true test of their love for us as their parents was if they obeyed us. 

Ouch!  I know that it is a heavy statement.  However, the reality is as it says.  Of course this is a hard thing to hear, and much harder to do -- especially if you don’t know what I would have you to do.  If you do not know His heart; if you do not know His commands, His teachings it is difficult, if not impossible to do them. 

Point 1:  We cannot love God unless we obey Him. 
Point 2:  We cannot obey him unless we know what His commands are, what His teaching is.
Point 3:  You cannot truly say that we love God if we are not willing to study His word.

Now if you are like me, right of the bat, this sounds like a command.  I do not like being told what to do.  Momma P always says that I am a “control freak.”  In many ways she is right.  So allow me to note that you still have some level of control.  You can study His word, learn of Him and then know what is to do, His teachings, His commands.  Or, you can choose not to.  What you can not choose is the consequences, good or bad, of your choice to study or not.

See in the passage it clearly notes that the IF you choose to study and obey THEN you will be given an advocate, one who will fight for you and with you; that will never leave you or forsake you; one who will lead you into all truth.  IF you choose to study and obey THEN you will be loved by the Father and Christ will love you too AND He will show Himself to you; i.e., you will become intimately acquainted with His heart.  IF you choose to study and obey THEN you will be loved by the Father and God, Christ and the Holy Spirit (we in the text) will come and make their home with you. 

But if you do not . . .

Well, I will leave you to look that up . . . Just a note:  Hell is not limited to after you die.  There is such a thing as a living hell.  Some of you know what I mean.  But you do not have to live there.  You do have a choice.

And why would you want to know His words?  His teachings?

Recently I was speaking with a young businessman who gives a significantly valued product out from his business as a ministry, hoping that people will be blessed from it.  He has been burned by many Christians over the years, who take his product, do not use it as it is intended and then sees his continual provision as a right not a gift.  The need is great for His product, and many will benefit from it.  But when he is giving it to one, it prevents him from giving it to another.  And if that one receiving it is abusing it, not doing right by it, they are in effect stopping the blessing to themselves and to others. He has struggled with continuing to give so openly and freely.

The word of Jesus freed him this morning. 

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.” Matthew 7:6

He will be requiring them to commit to doing right by the product or be cut off.  A simple solution in accordance with the teachings and commands of Christ. 

Point:  Christ’s commands and teachings are life giving.

Do we truly want abundant life?  Do we truly love life?  Do we truly love Christ?  Then we should study His word and obey.  It’s a choice we will love to have made.

Got Word?

Love yah,