Discussion Truth is Truth

Comparing soul-keeping to house-keeping.

This is a legal move. Matthew 12:43-44:

In the Bible, the metaphor of comparing a soul to a house has been done.

God is God of the whole man, not just the part the man chooses to offer at that moment. How many of us have public rooms and private rooms, clean living rooms and dirty closets?

In the upper room of the Last Supper, Jesus explains how someone gets clean. John 15:3:

Paul goes into more detail about this. Ephesians 5:25-27:

What do we know so far?
Your inner space could be compared to a house (or a Temple).
Your inner space could be clean or dirty.
Your inner space is cleaned through the Word of God (and baptism as a new Believer).

Good writing has to pass the 'So What?' test. Just because a fact happens to be accurate doesn't make it relevant. You might go back through past posts and look--I try to put my efforts to this test consistently. Here we go.

It matters to God whether or not we are clean or dirty.
You aren't effective in your life or ministry if your soul is dirty.
Being an example is sometimes the only testimony you have.
What else?
Children imitate you accurately for better or worse.
God gives grace to the humble but opposes the proud. If your house is stained by pride, you have less grace and more opposition from God.

Final thought: If you are aware that some of your inner space has 'issues', let the Word of God touch that. There is nothing that has happened that is beyond the power and the love of God.

What is a Disruptor?

Going to the official definition momentarily, a disruptor is a person who causes disorder or turmoil. You can also think of a person who destroys unity or interrupts the ongoing positive service of something.

It's bad enough to discover there's natural, everyday benefits being affected. When someone is assigned to disrupt KINGDOM BUSINESS, that's the topic today. As usual, an example helps.

My good friend proposed [as in marriage] to his girlfriend yesterday evening. A sliver of time before the question was about to be asked, as if his ex girlfriend knew, she rang his phone. Consciously, the ex-girlfriend didn't know that was a disruptive call. It was politely, but firmly handled. The proposal went on beautifully. This blessed event stayed blessed.

This illustration shows some of the spiritual aspects of the Cosmic Good vs. Evil conflict. Just like the game of chess, there are pawns. Pawns are oblivious to spiritual things. As such, they are susceptible to the influence of evil. Evil doesn't have to work too hard to get spiritually blind people to interfere with a Child of God. One instance of interruption should not alert red flags. Going back to the above example, this ex girlfriend consistently reacts to sacred moments. I can easily recall many, many interruptions of all kinds when sacred things were happening. She didn't consciously know. Yet, time and time again, here she is. That's what I'm talking about.

We don't just face pawns. We also have to deal with wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12 KJV

Many of Paul's trials are chronicled in the New Testament. As a gentile believer, we thank God for Paul's faithfulness. As a Jewish expert in the Law, Paul opened the Old Testament Scriptures for us under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We understand more about the festivals and the various types and shadows as they reveal the person and mission of Jesus Christ. In doing such, Paul was a huge target for the enemy.

There is a story in Acts of some Jewish priests who decided to do exorcisms using Jesus' name referencing Paul. The enemy answered "Jesus I know and Paul I've heard of.." Just stopping the account right there: This enemy angel had heard of Paul. Here's what we have to face as we grow in grace and truth and the power of the LIGHT. We are targets for the enemy who 'has heard of' us. We are urged to walk in wisdom. Let's talk a minute how to do that with people who are being used by the enemy.

Just because they are sinning, doesn't make them a target for revenge. If you understand that they are deceived, compassion urges you to pray for them. HOWEVER, DON'T take their foolishness lightly. Solomon's insight in Ecclesiastes 9:18 says this:

If we aren't on guard for this effect, the good that God is working through you might be destroyed. Let's take this topic into tomorrow rather than make this day's offering overly long. God bless you!

Disruption Part Two.

Deut. 30:15:

Beware. It is possible to choose death and destruction. Now in case you are confused, choose life.

We live in a world where there are many individuals who are not choosing well. I happen to be very good friends with someone who is self-destructing as we speak. It's been a long grind in hospitals and doctors and pain and discomfort. Yet, on the eve of his renewal, his morale and will gave out. He's dying.

There are a lot of different kinds of giving out and losses. Because this is such a good friend who is suffering, much thought has been given to this. Hopefully, these words bless.

Are you operating from your human capacity only? A source of disruption is losing heart. The love which is meant to sustain a person cannot just come from people. It has to originate from GOD who is LOVE. This abstraction bothers a lot of people who point out honestly that God is invisible and inaudible. If you are relying on just your five senses, you are missing the spiritual Kingdom of God. That absence includes experiencing the love of God and the provision and guidance He gives. When your life is full of trouble, how will you stand?

Logical people will counter that there are only five senses. I will promptly disagree. For the Child of God, there are new perceptions as part of the new creation. Paul references this in Ephesians 1;18.

Disruptions aren't just the entropy of love or goodness. Some people call light, dark and darkness, light. They honor mischief and sin. This portion would include crime and strong pride and greed and the other deadly sins. There have been many books written about crimes, etc. Most Mystery Novels have tragedy as its premise. There's something fascinating about what happens to a mind that commits crimes.. Think about how many movies feature this. We really wonder as a society, what's going on.

Disruptions happen from false priorities. My dying friend's father took a vacation to South Africa for three weeks while His son was lying in a hospital bed. It's shocking. How can he think that way? it's alien to me.

Lastly, disruptions happen from selfishness. As God's authenticated messengers, we are sent to serve other people. Like right now, that role is not any fun. I'm not having a good time, sitting with my friend who won't touch his food trays. I'm not enjoying watching the jerky movements as he tries to find a better position on the hospital bed. The long silences are disconcerting. That's not why I'm there. Having a firm grasp on what really matters starts to put order and light into dark places like this. I'm adding value to the experience simply by choosing to be there. For many people, the pay off has to be instantly there. When it's not, they're gone.

Much of life could be improved if we were had better strategies for disruptions.

Encountering Rage.

In answering Hezekiah about the threat of the King of Assyria, here is what God said about the Assyrian King's rage. 2 Kings 19:27-28.

This is a little window into how God views mankind's rage. Unfortunately, the people of our time have a lot of rage. Road rage, vending machine rage even grammar rage has been described. In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, the list of character defects of people in the last days includes 'without self-control'. That's a catch-all category which includes losing it to rage. Going to back to God's remarks in 2 Kings 19, you see first of all that the rage incident is witnessed by God. When we go and say the truth [in love] to our target audience, rage is one of the possible responses we could have.

Today's topic is not accidental. If you are feeling charitable, at 1:30 pm PST, please say a prayer for our family. My husband's mother, along with her two best friends and my husband are touring an assisted living facility. She's not going to like it. Since this is an anonymous environment, the truth can be said. She's going to rage against it. Primal screams, hysteria, maximum drama. If there's a way to launch into orbit spontaneously, my mother in law will find it. But the Alzheimer's has developed so far, we can't keep her safe at home. Oh, the stories I could tell. Telling stories isn't the point. Protecting her has become a higher priority than almost anything else. This about-to-happen rage fest illustrates some things about how to prepare when you know you are doing the right thing.

Sometimes, encountering rage isn't preventable. Sometimes, it's just there. As a side note, there are some individuals who are rage batteries. They store it up in case of offense. They walk around puffed up with this toxic goo on the inside waiting to vent on anyone who dares cross them. Back to the illustration of the day, knowing that she's going to be extremely angry that we dared to suggest that she should live anywhere other than her home does not, cannot stop us from our course of action. She's going, like it or not.

Which brings the discussion to the next point--what is God's response to someone's rage? God spoke against it as a general statement. Ephesians 4:30-31:

So when this epic reaction will happen at 1:32 pm PST, God has Paul write that .. Bitterness.. Rage... Anger.. Brawling and slander.. grieves WHO?.. the Holy Spirit of God. This agrees with the 2 Kings 19 passage where it states "because you rage against Me".

When you understand that adult who is making toddler rage look composed by comparison, is actually raging against God, that changes how the rage is experienced by the messenger.

Lastly, there is one point to make from 2 Kings 19. God has an answer for the King of Assyria and anyone else who rages against Him. "Because you raged against me.. I will...." The answer will vary situation by situation. Rely on it. God will not let the person who raged escape a heavenly response. In the case of my mother-in-law, eventually she will be moved into that facility. I don't know exactly how God will help us protect her from her condition. I simply feel it as a certainty. I know it in my knower. As His Servants, sometimes we need to let Him do what only God can do rather than try to fill up the space ourselves.

The Hidden Path.

Post 29 of this Discussion mentioned Ordered Steps as referenced in Psalm 37:23 KJV:
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.

The other scripture that will be consulted is Isaiah 30:21-22 NIV:
Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way;walk in it.”

The hidden path is the way out of perplexity to God's wise answer for your life. That means there exists a way out of the trap you feel you are in. You feel hemmed in, surrounded by overwhelming obstacles. That is not to say you are wrong in your assessment of the situation. How does one consider the Kingdom of God? The supernatural answer overwrites the day-to-day reality in which you find yourself.

It's at this point where a ton of questions pop up. The mind wants details. Before we address that, there are few prerequisites to tidy up. These are your identity, focus and awareness. Nothing small. Just who you are as a Child of God, what you are paying attention to and can you perceive the move of God?

Taking these one by one, we turn to John 3:5-8:
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

If you have been born of the Spirit, you have a new identity which is distinct from the natural one you were born with. It is because of this new identity that you are able to perceive the Presence of God and the things that are connected to Him.. such as from Isaiah 30:22 .. "your ears will hear a voice behind you..." No new birth... no awareness of this communication. Which brings us to ask what you are paying attention to? Are you measuring the waves and the wind speed of your storm? Are you fully versed on the difficulties which assail you? Or are you expecting the Lord to arrive in the fourth watch of the night?

Ah, not what you expected to read today I suppose. If you don't address these issues to lay them before God, you are expecting God to bless your efforts when God wants to show you His superlative answer.

The Hidden Path is an exception to the normal process of cause and effect OR it is a prepared set of experiences which acts like a holy conveyor belt to take you into your destiny. Either way, it's about God and not you.

Getting back to all those questions you undoubtedly have at this point. It's about chasing the signal from the LORD. That requires faith that there is a signal. Isaiah 30:21-22 insists that there is a message from the LORD. Psalm 37:23 insists there are prepared steps .. for his way. Faith starts from the position that there absolutely is a hidden path to find.

Ok.. if you accept that you are not on a snipe hunt, but honestly in search of a real, if hard-to-find set of choices, then you are onto the next step.

Surrender. No one likes this part. Your will.. your desires are going to make such a racket. Mine does too. We want comfort. We want the upper hand. We want to feel important. If you don't trust God at this point, hey you can go back to the mess and make another perimeter check. You are still stuck. Look again at all the things that aren't working. God is patient. It may take years before you really pass over the reins of your life or it could be right now.

Wow! You actually did it. Alright! Um, we'll have to step off to the side. Most people get stuck in that whole surrender thing and they don't get to this point.

Revelation. This is a download from God about your situation. It's classified information about how to respond to your life and it can come in thousands of ways. Not to worry, it also includes confirmation. God invented communication--He's good at it. You may not have enough evidence to convince anyone else of the authenticity of your message from God, but you will be sure of its origin.

Still with this process? Good. Now comes the really hard part. Faith. Yes, you used faith to believe you are new. Revelation includes directed activities. There are things to do that aren't what you expected. Do you take those steps? The reason why the visible church is not impacting our reality the way it should is that individual people by and large won't take these steps. Let's assume for a moment that you're different. What happens next?

The Glory of God is revealed in your life. God does what you can't. His incredible wisdom expressed in His power changes the scenario you were in and makes it a hymn of praise. The reason why you are in a current impossibility is to supply evidence of GOD's power. The observers of your life can't make sense of the resulting reality any other way but to acknowledge Him. Too often, we despair in an impossible situation when there is a hidden path to Glory.

Hello. What you posted was wholesome and helpful. I agree. Nice to meet you Michael! God bless!
Farine

Turning Never into Now.

Exodus 11;9

This is the most famous 'NEVER' probably in Pharaoh refusing to release the Hebrews. As Believers and as Servants, we encounter the 'NEVER' of people. This topic popped up today because there is one in my life. Fancy that! Here it is, just me and Jesus, and this other person is causing havoc and refusing to adjust course.

The traditional movie to be shown around Passover and Easter is the Ten Commandments. One of the best versions is Dreamworks' Prince of Egypt. The line 'I WILL NOT BE THE WEAK LINK." echoes today. As if on cue, the Christmas Production had an answer. The church choir, dressed in white portraying angels singing the praises of God declared, "Who can stand against the LORD?" Then they answered it.. "NO ONE." ... In my spirit, I knew my own situation was answered.

What changed Pharaoh's 'NEVER!"? God's wonders.

Pay attention. There's a crowd of people telling God 'NO WAY'. The person in my life saying 'NEVER' is not remarkable because it is so common. There is an old, old expression from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.. '
“Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small; Though with patience He stands waiting, with exactness grinds He all.”

God still tests people. The chapter and verse for that is Jeremiah 17:8-10.

And also Psalm 26:2-3:

We, as God's Servants, tend to get stuck in considering the scope of Free Will. If we are opposed by someone fully exercising their free will to deny us, it's easy to throw up our hands and think nothing can be done. This is what God declares about this situation from Isaiah 46:9-11:

There is a collision between the purposes of God and the fully expressed free will of mankind. Do you accept wagers? Who do you think will win?

Play Time Is Over.

The early modern Engligh in Shakespeare's time defined an 'actor' as a Player. The famous quote from "As You Like It" is:
The strongest words Jesus spoke against people addressed hypocrites. This is a Greek word for a Stage Actor. Players, Actors, Hypocrites. When it comes to God who searches the heart and mind, pretending to be Righteous combined with inner corruption is very likely the worst thing ever.

Rather than fill this topic with the terrible, strict warnings to not play at Christianity, let's explore the results for those who just have to see what happens if they test the warnings. Isn't this useful?

Little to No Inheritance of the Saints.
Why? As a hypocrite, you aren't a Saint. A Saint isn't someone who is without sin. A Saint is an Overcoming Christian with a renewed heart and mind. They put their pants on one leg at a time just like everyone else. Their inner life is lit up by the Holy Spirit. They have power over the forces of darkness to command and constrain them. This discussion has devoted many daily topics to this inheritance.

Prayers are not effective.
Ouch. With the world a more chaotic, unstable place, God's participation is more and more necessary. A hypocrite is still loved by God as God desires all to come to repentance. God responds to faith. A hypocrite does not believe / accept that the Word of God is synomymous with reality --actually a higher form of it as God's statements overwrite our circumstances.

Unaware of the Move of God.
Perception Deception was connected to Luke's account of Jesus' birth. The leading religious people correctly told Herod the baby would be born in Bethlehem, but did not go to worship. God could be raising up a mighty leader in someone close--a hypocrite would not understand this.

Subject to Correction.
Corruption in one's inner life has been likened in the Bible to impurities in metal ore which fire must drive out. Having seen this intensity first hand, I sincerely urge anyone who is playing at Christianity to give it up. When God comes to address this gap, there is no rationalization, distraction, amount of money or influence that will spring you out of that crucible.

In Danger of Missing Heaven.
Part of the warning is the eternal consequences for being 'two-faced'. The correction is actually love expressed to keep the soul from permanent regret. While there is life, there is hope. If this message has pinged on your conscience that your life needs an adjustment, please take this hand up.

Repentance will be honored. This is a holy grieving which God always responds to immediately. You may not detect the shift in His approach. Faith receives that the Love of God does not leave you as you were. Thanks be to GOD who sees us in our weakness, yet offers us His strength. Praise and Honor and Glory and Dominion to our Holy, Living God, who was and is and is to come. Amen!

Truth As Entertainment.

Proverbs 1:5 KJV
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.

As someone raised in the church, there are probably thousands of sermons that have been experienced. That experience qualifies me to address the value of a particular message. Let's test your wisdom as various quotes are provided.

"God is the only Employer who will fire you and leave you at your job." Bishop Harold Dawson.

"We manifest the Glory of God when we manifest our true identity. He is calling us back to what He originally planned.' Isaac Pitre. (Sermon: Divine DNA-Part 1)

"When Jesus is saying, 'Believe you have received it,' and the consequences are 'ye shall have it'. You cannot believe that you have received it though you haven't had it yet without an operation of the Holy Spirit." Bishop T.D. Jakes (Sermon: And Ye Shall Have It)

"If you read the church beginning in the book of Acts, you discover a problem in Acts Chapter 6 which is the blessing of growth. The Apostles recognized that there are more needs in the body than there are to meet those needs. The church has grown to thousands. The complaint was that the widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food." Bishop Kenneth Ulmer. (Sermon: Saved to Serve)

Five quotes. Five different men. A bibliography of sorts where four of the five men could be researched on YouTube and experienced in context. I apologize that you could not have experienced Bishop Dawson. He was from Peoria, Illinois and preached a generation ago. It shows the power of his truth that I still remember. Ah, so what's the test?

Is truth interesting or compelling? Do you understand the deeper implications of these remarks? Are you thinking these matters refer to someone else or yourself?

We live in one of the most complicated ages of history with some of the biggest decisions to be made. Past generations left us their unsolved issues as our inheritance. If we ever were going to absorb the wisdom of GOD, now is the time. Most people are spiritually asleep. The track record is not comforting. So what about you? Are you awake? Can you hear what the Spirit is saying to the Churches?

Learned or Discerned.

1 Corinthians 4:9 The Message

Another preacher tipped me off to the truth in this verse. If you are in ministry, you've had this experience. You bet. This happens. If you want to switch metaphors, it's like a chef cooking for someone with no appetite. But why?

Today's topic title answers that. Spiritual truth is discerned. It's truth learned through your spirit. Here's a clear example from the gospels. Matthew 16:15-17 NIV

Psalm 49:20 AMP

Ticking off the points off our fingers, one by one, if you are only learning through mental processes, your reaction to spiritual truth will be negative. It is like refusing God's Message because it's like a performance you don't care to see or a meal you don't wish to eat. If a person remains carnal, " a man is like the beasts that perish".

Discernment is like a download from God into your life. It bypasses your mind. I might add that your mind does not like this. Most of us have had the 'Aha!" experience. Moments of clarity, inspiration also fit in this category. Hearing a spiritual message and knowing which part of the sermon be it even a phrase was meant for you, that's part of spiritually learning or discernment. Being in a dangerous situation where God guides you through it involves discernment. This is what is meant when you read "He who has an ear, hear what the Spirit is saying.." Everyone has two human ears, but not everyone has discernment.

If church is boring, look no further. We can address that right now. The argument can easily be made that all you see is not all there is. Your mind is not perceiving all of reality. Post 81 of this discussion on page 5 has a great illustration of this, picture and all. If you understand there is more to be aware of, then the next step is prayer.

Paul prayed this in Ephesians 1:18-19a NIV

What is that all about? Your spiritual 'antenna' needs to be fixed by God so your spirit can pick up on God's signal. More to come in the next topic.

New Creation Part Two.

Asking God to regenerate you.. RE-GENE you.. puts His seed .. in your heart. This is illustrated in the Parable of the Sower. The seed is the Word of God.. and the soil is the heart. Seeds are alive.. a bundle of genetic information. All the inferences are there. The Fall sentenced mankind to be separated from Him. The New Creation reverses that.

What is the hang-up here? The cost. Specifically, your 'old man' or your original identity must be replaced with your CHild of God self. If you want to know why the harlots and tax collectors and riff-raff were entering into the Kingdom of God ahead of the Religious folks, they already knew they had crashed their life. The cost wasn't such a big deal. The appeal of new life was much stronger than for someone in love with their agenda and status and current options. You see it today. Prison ministry is impactful because inmates have an easier time letting go of who they were.

People generally don't have a problem believing that they will be much different once they arrive in Heaven. WIth no more sin in the pciture, they can visualize the 'new'. But it's important to realize that the 'new' is THIS life.. now. There's a verse for it. 1 John 4:17 KJV

It's important to stay with the literal meaning of the word 'is'. The NIV is wrong in this translation. It's not LIKE. it IS.

This also agrees with the statement for Jesus. John 14:11-13
Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing,and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

...'they will do even greater works.." HOW? They are new creation.

Coming to the close of this topic. Why aren't there more examples of new creation people to measure? THe appeal of staying as you are, is extremely strong. Being regenerated is a type of death. No one wants to die. It's personal. Your identity is your sense of being a person. This touches the inner core of a life intimately and profoundly. It's important to put the truth out there that we are meant to be new.

Believing in God's Goodness.

It always strikes me how stiffly entire groups of attending worshipers in Church say this phrase, "God is good all the time and all the time God is good." From a long time ago, it was urged to have people say truth. There was one topic from post 86 on page 5 of this discussion where creeds were discussed a bit more in depth. Just saying that phrase does not include heart participation. From God's point of view, if you aren't going to put your heart into it, what's the point? Isaiah 29:11-14 NIV



So can you see that if you use your mouth, but not your heart, God finds issue with your worship?

What happens if you don't have a profound [heartfelt] acceptance of God's goodness?
Such a person would judge (make a determination) that the experience was evil AND deeply doubt God's love.

There is someone reading this today who is struggling with the why's of life. How do I know this? Very early in the morning, the mandate was to write exactly on 'believing on God's goodness'. There may be twenty people who pass by with curiosity, but it's you who needs support. Hey, it really matters if you do or don't believe in His Goodness. It does no good to counsel you in what you should do. Why is that? True participation is something that you are. Ah, I have your attention now.

Belief is something deeper than mental agreement. God made a promise to finish your faith. Don't miss that. Since God always keeps His promises, life's circumstances are a gym for your faith. This is where most people enter into a state of contention with God over His administration. You want to maximize something other than your faith. I don't know what it is, but it's not faith. Again, there are many verses that insist on the importance of faith. If it's a bunch of logical presentations, the heart sighs and walks away. If we are going to discuss God's goodness from the place of how you feel, another approach is needed.

Let's take the practical approach first. Gaining good versus avoiding pain. 1 Corinthians 1:18-19 NIV:

Here we have the fulfillment of Isaiah 29: 11-14's prophecy. Drawing your attention to three things: (1) for many this belief in God's goodness is foolish as well as the preaching. (2) If you don't have faith, there is frustration and the perishing /destruction of human wisdom. (3) with Faith,you experience the power of God. How many frustrated people rail at God? If your heart isn't in it, how could you expect anything else? Jesus is the Finisher of your faith. Consider that and shudder. You've exited the process. What else was Jesus going to do? Honestly, those of us who have spent time near God have a deep respect for God. Believe in God's goodness. The circumstances you are looking at as a top priority aren't as important as how you are responding to these matters. Pass the test. Keep the faith.

Sticking to God's Plan.

This message is 'encouraging myself in the Lord'. It needs to exist if only for my benefit. If this is not you, tomorrow's topic may be better suited. There is a Muslim legend about horses. In this legend, when the prophet's horses were nearly dying of thirst and could smell water, he called to his horses and some returned to him over their deep need to drink. In my life, there is a parallel where I feel the deep needs and yet God is calling me to obey Him more.

If I didn't have a strong awareness of what God is requiring, that would be a failure. Yeah, needs would be pursued. Totally.
If I didn't have a faith resume that knows that obedience is rewarded, that would be a failure. Some of the things God asks are so extreme. The funny thing is, that there is no need to provide an illustration. Everyone has a story. Just put in your most recent encounter where you had to take the high road and off we go.

Yesterday, I had a heart-to-heart with my husband along the lines of "This is my best. Yes, yes. I know it is inadequate and frustrating. You and I have been in relationship over twenty years. This is the most I have EVER been quiet voluntarily. EVER. "

If you are the quiet sort, it may be reversed. You may be in a situation where you must speak and you don't want to. But silence? Unless spoken to? For about four days? Extreme.

When my father in law passed in the end of November, the whole mess he had been dealing with on every level tumbled out of his closets like storm surge during a hurricane. The last few days when he knew he was dying, there was some hurried last minute efforts to tidy up. A month later, we know more. The test is whether we will trust God to walk us through an overwhelming situation. The point where I realized that the best way to help my husband with his mother was revelation.

Taking the last paragraph or so to lift this out of reaction, there are more parts to God's plan than just not agitating his Mother. We have to go through two households worth of accumulation. Right now, there are boxes to sort that have followed us through three moves. A lot of contents will be released into the wild. If you are downwind of me and like craft things, this could be good. My love of beads and yarn and fabric is being compared to the sure knowledge that ministry is time consuming. The time to 'play' with these materials is evaporating. Your transition surely feels different. Different goals. Different purposes. If I stay in reaction, I lose sight of the Glory. There has been just enough Glory to convince me it was real.

I want to share a picture with you that is a holiday picture, yes.

Here is the Facebook text that goes with this:

The man who wrote this was homeless a year and a half ago. I'm only one of the people who participated in getting him and his three daughters into this place. Who gets the Glory? God. As it should be.

There was clicking sound in my spirit when this contribution from my life was happening. I can't deny that. So as much as it irritates me to not speak at ALL. As frustrating as it is to decide if I want to keep my daughter's third grade composition book or not, here it is: My spirit needs to flow with His Plan for my life. Whatever is obstructing the flow of your spirit in your life, you have a buddy in Los Angeles who is going through the same thing. Hang tight, Friend. We'll get through this!

The Problem of Place.

Colossians 3:1-4 NIV:
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God When Christ, who is your life,appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

This is one of THOSE verses which we blithely read and don't use properly. It's full of abstraction which doesn't connect until change happens. OH, like moving out of your house. Suddenly everything is sentimental. Oh, here are neighbors we won't see much now. Oh, here are toys that aren't used any more. Oh, look, one's heart is set on things here.

Home. The Sense of Being Home isn't always portable. If well constructed, it sits as solidly as the foundation the house rests on. How many hours were spent forming the sensation that here is where we belong? That wrenching, sinking pull in your core is real. It lights up your life's dashboard like an master alarm. Neither is it simple to fix or turn off.

Now that the illustration shows how solidly we are grounded on earth's domain, how do we view God's prescription? Hearts and minds naturally (no pun intended) are set on earthly things by default. To set your hearts and minds above is to consider the vast time we will spend past one human life here on earth. We can approach this topic another way. Consider what commercials and products would appeal to someone dying. A fancy new car isn't wonderful to someone in hospice. A new car is only exciting to a healthy person.

This concept echoes in Paul's statement 'For you died'. Since you are sitting down somewhere reading this, the faint echo from your spot reaches me .. "Um, no I didn't. I'm right here. " The quote starts with the qualification of 'being raised with Christ'. When you read Colossians understand the book was originally written addressed to a church straddling the boundary of spiritual maturity. Some of the supernatural experiences of God at work in their inner life were an every day reality for them. Even these spiritual 'teenagers' needed some coaching. How easy it is to feel that earth is home.

Heaven is your home. We are passing through. Let that truth pry you out of feeling dis-placed every time big change happens.

God's Looking Right At You.

When does this happen?

There is a car accident and you are the first one at the scene. Or, your phone rings in the middle of the night with the sure knowledge that no one else would care about this like you would. Or, you have unique information about the problem that secures your instant focus and dedication. God's looking right at you. This is your moment. You and God are going to handle this together.

It has been a long road to lead to this experience. So many smaller problems have been resolved with God's help. You've seen how God participated in your prayers. Looking back, these experiences prepared you to not run away. There are so many questions flooding that it's hard to take action.

Stop. If God picked you, it may very well be because you don't know what you are doing. It means you are more likely to listen to His out-of-left-field directions. You may feel disqualified because your past is peppered with disappointment. God's choice means God gets the glory. Using you will just insure that you know this was His strength doing the heavy lifting. Take a moment to dust off your left shoulder. Ignore that whisper from the enemy trying to get your attention.

There may not be time to pray a lot. Life sometimes requires action NOW. Believe that God guides you in real time. Here is the power that faith has. It releases power, wisdom, additional people to help and much more. Relaxing into that awareness helps too. You don't need to convince anyone else. Look at the confidence expressed in 2 Kings 1:9-10:


This is why James, The Apostle, picked Elijah as the example for effective prayer. James 5:17-18:

And Elijah often had to work without the support of other people. We find him in a cave telling God this. 1 Kings 19:9-10:


What made Elijah 'powerful' was his faith. There's nothing stopping you from having faith. It's not connected to fame, wealth, status, youth or anything else that the world measures. Interesting, isn't it. Other people may not realize you are God's agent. Don't sweat it. Just do what God says.

Happy Dependence.

C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity wrote this:

Jesus as recorded in John 15:1-5, said this:
This topic could be a book in itself. Some topics which are lightly treated in a few paragraphs in this discussion have such depth that weeks could be spent upon them to great profit. Nor would I need to personally write. The whole matter could be a series of quotes from the Saints through the ages. The antithesis could also be explored. What does rebelling against God produce? That is the great debate.

Paul provides a powerful view on happy dependence in 1 Corinthians 4:1 KJV.

The Greek word used in this verse for minister is from Strong's Greek # 5257 "hupéretés' . an 'Under-Rower'. If you need a picture of what role this servant did, here's a picture. The men at the oars are under the deck of the ship. They don't know which way the ship is directed. They aren't in charge of how fast they row. They aren't the captain. How can we be happy if we are not in command?

This is going to sound a little like God's speech to Job from the whirlwind from Job chapter 38.
Can you compute the vast data to discover the proper position you must take instantly in a crisis?
Where will you turn when your body ages and your senses start failing you?
When people senselessly oppose you, who will vindicate your righteousness?
With the chaos and disorder rising like a foul tide in various places, who will rise up like a champion to confront it?

Maybe the most telling question is the most personal. Who else but the One who made you can tell you who you are?

When God Rocks the Boat.

Matthew 14:22 NIV:

This account in Matthew 14 begins with the feeding of the 5,000 men. The response that Jesus had to the crowd's misplaced enthusiasm to make Him king was to offload his disciples into a boat. Look at one particular verb in Matthew 14:22. Jesus MADE them do it. Twelve men were ejected out of enjoying the afterglow of the miracle by the Son of God wielding His Authority to GET IN THE BOAT.

If you spend time in the church, you've heard this story many times with various emphasis. Have you considered God's Right to bring you into new situations? As the evening progressed for these twelve men, the Bible account tells us it wasn't easy for them. Matthew 14:24 NIV:

So far, most people would be extremely unhappy at this point. They were made to do something outside of their preferences and now as they are doing this new thing, circumstances are against them. Jesus didn't tell the disciples WHY He was having them in the boat. Nor, did Jesus conveniently arrive moments after the circumstances worsened. The people of our generation usually refuse to do things without explanation. God is the same, yesterday, today and forever. For His Own Reasons, God does not give provide generous details. Faith is an annoying requirement. Do it because He knows best. Do it because God is Faithful. Do it because He is God and God alone.

What are some of the boats that God makes us get into? Career shifts and residential moves come to mind. A calling into ministry really is a leap of faith because of the economic questions. A change of relationship whether it is to get married or an unexpected pregnancy will rock your boat. Some boats are smaller. Learn to be led by the Spirit. Learn to be more flexible in your agenda. Learn that if God calls you into something, it is blessed.

Verse 24 relates 'the boat was already a considerable distance from land'. These twelve men were way, way, way out of their safe feeling of two feet resting on firm ground. Yes, we know that a number of these men were professional sailors. Matthew wasn't. He was a tax collector. How do you think Matthew was feeling as Simon was instructing him as the boat was struggling with the waves?

We feel comfortable reading about this story like sitting on the sofa channel surfing. We'll watch tough things on TV or videos on YouTube without a second thought. God is like that coach where no one sits the bench. In our churches, you will find the Pareto principle or the (80/20) rule: 20 percent of the group will produce 80 percent of the activity. At some point Jesus, who is the Head of His Church, addresses the 80 percent who are spectators. This is your notice that God is involved in your life, helping you grow by putting you in new environments. You aren't consulted on this.

This story in Matthew 14 ends well. Jesus comes. He stills the waves and the wind. He gets in the boat with Peter. Where are you in this story? It's important to know that God still comes to us in our struggles or concerns.

How God Uses All Things For Good.

This is the famous verse from Romans 8:28 NIV:

There are verses before and after this that are connected. Let's look at a few things first. Paul begins with 'We know'. The Bible's own definition of faith---Hebrews 11:1 KJV:

How do we know? Our faith provides the evidence of things not seen. You see right from the start, this topic is supernatural. The mind is straining at this point for something it recognizes. We take things on authority all the time. That's not a shock to the system. There is an invisible force called gravity. The latest medical study on sugar consumption describes what our health is like. There is an ozone hole over Antarctica. Really? No one you know has gone to Antarctica to go check whether it is really there. The Bible is our Authority telling us truth---truth that you understand with the auspices of the Holy Spirit.

We have this problem that all kinds of things are happening to us. Paul writes that no matter what manner of event happens, God works this for good--for the category of those who love God AND who have been called. In order to discuss this further we have to put on our 'Holy-Vision' Goggles. Why is that? We mislabel events and people frequently. What we called terrible in natural light, the Holy Spirit calls growth. We hated having to expand our social circle past the ones we were used to, but our divine purpose lay with that stranger who was just introduced. A measure of understanding how God uses all things for good is the supernatural purpose. Example: Moses' life is threatened by Pharoah's decree, but the basket of reeds floats him into the palace.

Past the perception issue of events in our life, are the wounds from the cosmic war of good versus evil. You have your scars. I have mine. Trauma. Limitations. Loss. The list goes on and on. Here is where the enemy plays the tender string of victimhood. If you read Romans 8:28 again, the tone is victory, not victim. How does God's touch heal our wounds?

The wound hits the will hard. We would have exempted ourselves. This damage demonstrates our vulnerability and we hate that. The will has to be adjusted in order to accept the type of help God offers. The damage proves we need God as He is the only one who heals souls. Trusting God when we know He will get all up in our business is usually accomplished now. We give access. God responds. That's step one. We throw open the door to our heart from our side.

Then we have God's art in our soul. Here are some of the examples:
A four year old boy is drawing a picture of heaven with crayons. He chooses a black crayon to draw a thick dark hole. When questioned about his color choice, he responds.. "This is the hole where Jesus put all my sins in."

A middle aged woman, emotionally ruined by domestic violence, finally lets God help her out of depression. God's answer is to give her a new name. "Beloved of the Lord'. She accepts it. As time passes, the built-in value of being deeply loved of God imparts the new nature.

A man, having spent 23 years in prison, much of it in solitary confinement, has accepted God through prison ministry. Now released, he is a blessing. The hardness of his heart is gone. His love for others is truly amazing. His mind is clear and focused as he works in the community to provide for his family and also to reach troubled youth.

There is no cookie-cutter approach to healing the soul. Everyone is different. The intricate texture of our being is not just restored to what it once was. It is upgraded. It is new.