"We are Beggars, This is True"

Jealous love

2011-01-21T14:07:00.000-08:00

"You shall have no other God's before me, You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below." Ex. 20:3-4

The bible says that God is Love (1 John 4:8). Another way it translates is "God defines love" by who he is. This quality is inseparably linked to 'who' God is. Everything God does, says, commands, and performs is laced in love. It is the force behind all he does.

In love he has given us boundaries and commandments to lead us to life. One of the earliest recorded of these was the book known as Exodus. God tells man that he is not to put anything or anyone in the place where God should be. The reason being that no one or thing is like God, thus no one other than him can do ask good as a job as their master. Idols will only break our hearts, so God commands us to put him on the throne and be able to experience life with him as King. The Abundant life he designed us for

The bible also says he is a Jealous God (Ex. 34:14), he won't let an idol have his place among his people. His love is to strong to allow his people to endure an god who is not good. (As only he is). God knows that putting anything on the throne where only God should be will destroy the worshipper and what is being worshipped. Divine love will do whatever is necessary to destroy the idols of his people. Thus, he will destroy a job, a title, a unhealthy form of relationship, a bank account, or anything that he has to do to rescue his people from worshipping what will hurt them. His relentless love is too great to stand by and let us drink the poison we so often desire...

Music

2011-01-17T22:04:00.000-08:00

After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.

—Aldous Huxley

Music. There is something deeply stirring about music. It contains something that grips the inside of us, and brings forth a subtle reminiscence of familiar yet unknown beauty. I am not sure exactly what this is. Perhaps music reminds the soul of the rhythm and melody of a universe that was lost long ago. There are songs that the tune of which draw out emotions and pull our hearts to them even if there words are shallow or inapplicable to us. They carry us away to moments from our past, or longings for our future. Longings that we cannot even put into words. At times it feels as though they synchronize the pangs of the world and draw harmony to the chaos around us.

Imagine a world without music today. What a world that would be. Then imagine in this music less world what it would be like if someone introduced you to it for the first time. What a price we would pay to have music fill our existence. Millions of dollars would undoubtedly be paid just to hear something break the silence of our souls...but because music is everywhere I can so often grow numb to the life and wonder it breaths. Martin Luther said well: "the riches of music are so excellent and so precious that words fail me whenever I attempt to discuss and describe them.... next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world. It controls our thoughts, minds, hearts, and spirits...A person who... does not regard music as a marvelous creation of God, must be a clodhopper indeed and does not deserve to be called a human being; he should be permitted to hear nothing but the braying of asses and the grunting of hogs."

I have heard it said that music is the language of the Angels... I don't know if this is true... but it is certainly a taste of something divine, something beyond this world... and yet strangely present in it. Perhaps creation was sung into existence as one author put it... and every time a note is played it reminds us of the beauty that began our world.

Tears...

2010-12-07T15:44:00.000-08:00

Below is a republished older post that I was encouraged and reminded of today... A true story retold and a glorious hope in Jesus we anxiously await...

I ate dinner with a woman who works for Salvation army tonight. She has never met her father, and her mother died 7 years ago from HIV. Her mother was a prostitute, addicted to cocaine and forced by her own doing into a life that fed her addiction and sorrow. This woman never saw all of her children and she never raised them. She was not educated at a private school and was abused her whole life until she was 30 years old when Aids took her life... But that was not the story that haunts me.

This womans daughter, told me not of her broken life brought on by her mothers addiction, she told me of another woman. A 16 year old girl. The girl was 16 years old, and was originally from Arizona. She was deaf, and had been molested by her father her whole life. Finally she ran away at a gas station and pleaded for the help of a couple after serious abuse. The couple took her in, it was a pastor of a church in Dallas, his wife and their child. They took her back to Dallas in safety of what seemed like safety. This soon ended, and the man who had appeared as a savior, took this deaf and abused girl and locked her away in his basement. He opened a Sex business with her as the attraction. He set up video cameras and a website where for a fee one could go and type in what you wanted to see done to the girl and he would do it (including at one point set her on FIRE! For some sick bastard whose condemnation is just). He would do whatever act his paying viewers would type into the computer and say they want to see her to. For 2 years she was beaten and raped repeatedly. ALL BY A PASTOR IN DALLAS, TEXAS. This continued until Fall of 2009. She thought she would be saved only to be Tortured

The girl was eventually rescued by the police, but she came out with all of her body mutilated and her genital region completely destroyed... Oh God have mercy on Her, she needs you. I know you say that 'shall not the God of all the earth do what is just? (Gen 18:25) But Lord have mercy on her, Yahweh God of all creation save her soul...God help us... This is what Porn Addicts are watching!!! God let it stop, come quickly Lord Jesus I know you are enthroned on high, Adonai

"I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And Behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them...And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the son." Eccl. 4:3

You shall call his name Jesus for he will save his people from their Sins...for someday soon awaiting us

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." Revelation 21:4...

We your "bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” -Revelation 22:17

Hunger

2010-10-13T16:40:00.001-07:00

"And we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation but we ourselves...groan inwardly." Romans 8

The bible speaks of the groaning that all our world is currently expressing. Groaning that is seen in every place by all people. There is a mysterious thirst just to feel something that I am convinced takes place inside of all of us. Unquenchable however, strangely whether we drink from fire hose or dinner glass it is impossible to remove the burning and aching of our world.

I am convinced that whether you believe in God or Jesus is irrelevant to sharing in the experience of discontentedness no matter what life brings. We can not hide it, only numb it briefly with some vessel of pleasure or distraction. Even then, though it may grow dull for a season it never ceases. It almost seems like a longing for a friendship I once knew or someday hope to have, a city I vaguely remember or hope to one day live in. A longing for a fragrance i have never smelled, a woman I have yet to embrace...or have wrongly attribute to one that I have. A desire for some season ahead of me, or one from my past. Oddly clothed inside of my 5 senses I find an insatiable thirst the deepest well of this world will not seem to quench. With all my fury I am unable to extinguish this curious hunger for something inside of me.

I believe I am expressing something that we all at some point in our life...(if we are lucky) understand. It is imageless, unknown, undefined, uncanny, and yet deeply and unexplainably Desired. Many may grow numb to its calling by losing themselves in a drug, or job, a lifestyle, a marriage, a woman or a man...but when the ground shifts and when day turns to night the echo returns and we remember its melody. Hungry we fumble around through the darkness in search for bread...

how can we allow this?

2010-07-16T13:07:00.000-07:00

there are thousands that will die between the time i write this blog and the time you read it. in a world where 30,000 young children die everyday from starvation, 1 billion people do not have access to clean water and the majority of our world lives on less money in a year than i will pay in rent this month.

it is not hard to see there is a problem... i have found that this leads many to a frustration with God. a frustration that often ends in the abandonment of their 'belief' in a God who could allow such. putting our maker on trial saying 'how could you allow this?'.

however what is horrifying about this question is that it is one all men should ask themselves. 'how can we allow this?'. perhaps the change of the world to come will be mainly in ourselves. we will no longer be content to fatten our savings and cushion our beds while billions literally billions go their whole lives without simple necessities such as water, food, and shelter. without protection, medicine, and safety.

i fear the question may one day be turned around and no longer will we judge our maker and ask 'how could you allow this?'. but he will ask man 'how in a world that had more than enough for all who lived in in, how could YOU allow this?'

he shall ask us again

“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness,

to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free,

and to break every yoke?

Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house;

when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily;

if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,

then shall your light rise in the darkness...And the LORD will guide you continually" Is. 58 6-11

Love.

2010-07-12T15:54:00.000-07:00

Context is what allows us to understand almost any aspect of life. Context is responsible for creating hopes, fear, relationships, literature, history, and all of life. In order for me to step into a book or a circumstance and understand everything I see I must know at least a broad context of what is going on. Because man is by nature very observational and recognizes the context of the world around him, this is often taken for granted.

But we have all stepped into a story many chapters from its beginning. We are all in a story, and this story has a context. I believe that our not often "misunderstanding of the story" is the why so many wrestle to find their purpose, their role, and their Maker.

Any reading of our "story" or any understanding of who we are must center upon its beginning. I believe that the bible is true and I believe it gives the context for the story we find ourselves in. It is one about God. But this does little unless we know who God is. It is not enough to simply read, memorize, or meditate on what sentences in the Bible says, if we do not understand the Character of the author and centerpiece of the story. He is love. All Christian study and further I believe all life only makes sense when it is understood in light of the Character and nature of God. If we miss the fact the our father is a Good father, and a loving father we will make his instructions and guidance to us (revealed in scripture) as a attempt to simply exercise authority and not an expression of His great care for us. The bible says God is Love. All that he does is done in Love and because of love.

But this needs clarifying"Love" is everywhere. And it is something that being defined wrongly. It is more that infatuation, sex, attraction, or companionship. It is not simply romance, though all the virtue and wonder of romance is part of Love. No one denies love, it is referenced in the books we read, the relationships we have and often wrongly ascribed to the emotions we feel. But this is not Love. It is more.

'Love is patient and kind, selfless and humble. Love seeks not its own good, but the good of the one Loved'. 'This is Love, not that we loved God but that he loved us'. So deeply that he was willing to come and die and lay down his life... for us.

In bodies filled with Sin and hormones this type of love seems bland to us. We crave romance, eros, and ecstasy and I think we should. Yet, we still see only half the story, but one day 'we will see in full' and we will find our burning for love was never for a woman or for a man. But for God. This is why young men and young women crave beauty and sex rather than compassion and faithfulness. I see it is my own heart that is 'deceitful above all else'. But I don't wish simply sex and beauty for others. For those who I care about most I wish more, much more. And when the dust settles I wish more for myself. I wish care, companionship, purity, strength, laughter, joy, and peace. I wish faithfulness, trust, and love.

Money, sex, pleasure, they eventually give way and will always be just beyond our grasp. But if we are brave, strong and courageous, and broken we may drink from a cup that overflows with the greatest love we could ever know... and if this cup fills our mouths we shall dance like few ever dream of... Strong and courageous.

"But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,

Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,

Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.

Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.

Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;

For love is sufficient unto love."- The Prophet (1923)

the beauty of pain

2010-06-20T12:55:00.000-07:00

the beauty of pain...

Pain. It is an inescapable reality, and to suggest that their is beauty in it is almost blasphemous. But indeed there is. A man once wrote that we should take joy in our pain because it produces a longing. That it increases our hope in what lies ahead (Rom. 5). The every time our lips burn from the bitter cup of life, be it by the death of a loved one, the ache of sickness, the failure of our circumstances, or of ourselves, those who have hope must remember this hope will not fail us. We long for a distant and yet strangely present reality that will erase all that has gone wrong and restore our broken world.

Almost absurdly, this tells us that those who taste the greatest sorrows of this life from divorce, depression, death, heart ache, and loneliness are considered those who may most eagerly drink from the cup of hope. They are the ones who most clearly see the slits and tears in the fabric of creation and thus are able (if they make good use of these pains) to be filled with a joy in what is too come.

I have suffered very little compared to most, however the suffering and aching I have experienced has pulled back the curtains of how I see life and allowed for a brief moment my eyes to see a deep longing in all of us... and it is that same pain and hurt that allow me to realize the things we hope in so often are only an echo of a song we strangely remember but could never compose or reproduce.

This peculiar longing may grow dull for a season if I drown it out with enough clutter, but never ceases. It almost seems like a longing for a friendship I once knew or someday hope to have, a city I vaguely remember or hope to one day live in. A longing for a fragrance i have never smelled, a woman I have yet to embrace...or have wrongly attribute to one that I have. A desire for some season ahead of me, or one from my past. Oddly clothed inside of my 5 senses I find an insatiable thirst the deepest well of this world will not seem to quench. With all my fury I am unable to extinguish this curious hunger for something inside of me.

Call it nostalgia, being a "romantic", a pain of youth or of death, beauty, or love... this will only send you searching for what you cannot find... The truth of the matter is, it has already found you. He has already found you.

Solomon once said "the purpose of a man's heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding draws it out." Perhaps I don't have the understanding he is talking about. Or maybe, just maybe the purpose that this 'understanding' draws out is this... 'nothing in this world with quench the eternal echoes that call out inside of all men for their eternal God...nothing'.

And each time we finally reach the job, the relationship, the experience that we think will we find this they never live up to all we "hoped for". Only when I cease to try and make the world satisfy these longings can I begin to no longer grow hurt, hardened, or heart broken over its failures to do so. My heart remembers my God's love and His presence and as long as I am away from Him, I long for it again...

How you can be 100% certain you are doing what God wants you to do.

2010-06-02T12:15:00.000-07:00

“What does God want me to do with my life?” or “What is God’s will for me?”

Being young, I hear these questions often and have even wondered them myself. I have found a way that YOU and I can discover exactly what God wants to do with our unique life.

Here is a way to find THE ANSWER for YOU…

Open your bible. Read it. God has spoken. He has not left us to wonder, but has given very clear instruction on what he wants you to do. God wants you and me and every Saint to do the same thing. He is not silent; he still speaks forth with every page of scripture. Here are just a few:

*Make Disciples and teach other people to obey God. (Matt. 28)

*Give reason for the Hope you have in Jesus to those who don't have such hope. (1Pt 3:15)

*Live in transparent community (Hebrews 3:13)

*Look after those less fortunate than you...the least of people. (Matt 25)

*Outdo one another showing honor to each other. (Romans 12:10)

*Rejoice always or always be joy filled (Phil. 4:4)

· *And on and on…

-His will for you, for President Bush, Brittney Spears, me and everyone else is this -Be reconciled to Him and help others to the same- or in other words “Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love you neighbor as yourself.”

It is out right stupid to ask for God’s “special will” for your life if you are not listening and currently doing His already “already revealed will” for your life. He has already spoken clearly saying "here is what I want you to do with your life...No matter where you are or where you go or what job your paying bills with DO THESE THINGS”. Why would God give someone more things to do with his life, if they are not right now doing the things he has told them to do?

Once you are doing what he has told you to do… you can do whatever you want. Like Augustine said “Love God and Live as you please”. In the end everything else is tent making…

DECLARATIONS

2010-05-20T07:35:00.000-07:00

Declarations:

Declaration #1: I declare to aim with the best of my ability to perform at all times in a manner that: could and should others see my actions, they would give praise to my father who is in Heaven. Matt 5:16

Declaration #2: I declare to honor the temple of my body and withhold the utmost moderation, sobriety, temperance, and control. Recognizing the self-control is a fruit of the regenerated spirit (Gal 5:23) and that though all things are lawful to the one who is free in Christ, not all things are beneficial and I am not to be enslaved to any matter other than the Lord, his holiness, and goodness. (1 Corinthians 6:12)

Declaration #3: I declare to maintain a habit of and hunger for the study of the word of God so long as the habit of study provides the blessing of savoring him more and proclaiming his majesty to all the peoples of the earth.

Declaration #4: I declare to always maintain the practice of hiding his word in my heart (Deut 6:6, Colossians 3:16), and in this practice find the power to have victory over sin; “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you”-Ps. 119:11, as well as confidence in my witness the world around me.

Declaration#5: I declare to aim and toil to fulfill these declarations to the best of my ability, to look upon them often, and repent often of the ways that I have failed to honor them and dually my Lord and Savior who sits at the right hand of the throne of God.

Declaration #6: I declare to treat all men and women, from every tribe and tongue as though they themselves were Jesus, who is the Christ. Knowing that God loves them… loves all men and so honoring both the imago Dei, as well as Christ’s decree that “whatever you did for the least of these you did unto me” Matt 25:45

Declaration #7: To clothe myself in humility in all things, recognizing the reformers words that all of us “are beggars this is true”.

Declaration#8: To meditate often upon the doctrine of depravity, seeing not only that of Calvin’s followers who maintained the doctrine of Total Depravity. But also a doctrine of “Personal depravity” knowing that all have fallen and are saved by grace, but I am deeply and totally fallen, wicked at my core, and it is only the grace of God working in me that produces supernaturally things not of the flesh but of the Spirit who is holy. And may the depravity and confessions of others stir my heart not towards disdain but compassion on them as I empathize with their condition and confession towards the Lord as I am confronted all the more with my own wickedness.

Declaration#9: I declare to think often upon my death asking the Lord to remind me that I am but a breath,(Psalm 39) and “it is better to go to the house of mourning than the house of feasting for this is the end of all mankind” (Ecclesiastes 6:2).

Declaration#10: I declare to fight for immense and intense happiness regardless of the situation and to transform even to darkest of circumstance into one of a more exciting experience.

Declaration#11: I declare to pursue with all my strength new forms of pleasure, excitement, exhilaration, and life for as long as air fills my lungs.

Declaration #12: I declare to receive instruction and wise counsel from young and old, knowing wisdom has many cupbearers and to apply any wise counsel to my life that in so doing would further manifest Christ’s power and Holiness here and to the world.

Declaration#13: I declare to Pursue fun, boundless amounts of fun and joy in every facet of my existence knowing that to live is to serve the author of Life, and to die is to gain his presence all the more.

Declaration#14: I declare to Love my family with all that I have, knowing that if one does not provide for the needs of his family he is worse than an unbeliever. (1 Tim 5:8).And should God see fit to bless me with a wife and/or Children to love them with all my might. Fighting for their joy, happiness, and pleasure as long as I shall live and to make provision for them as best I can even when I no longer live.

Declaration#15: I declare to until that time fight to regard all older men as fathers, older women as mothers, and all other men and women as sisters and brothers. Loving and respecting the elders, and protecting and providing for my brothers and sisters.

Declaration #16: I declare to lay down my life for the sake of Jesus Christ, dying daily for the greatest cause of all, and should the Lord see me worthy to give my earthly life know that there is “no greater love that of him who lays down his life”, and to count myself as blessed for being considered worthy to share in momentary sufferings for the sake of Christ.

Declarations#17: I declare to never see myself as above another, but make myself a slave to all men.

Declaration#18: I declare to become whatever I must (within my conscience) “that I might win some” 1 Cor. 9. Forsaking the disdain of the religious even if my actions should cause indignant feelings among the hyper-religious, and fight with all my heart for the lost and dying world.

Declaration#19: I declare to season my life and interactions in the most gracious way imaginable, erring on the side of grace with those who are young in faith, or ignorant of it. And take no measure of Judgment on others that I would not be delighted to turn and take on myself. (Matt. 7)

Declaration#20: I declare to warm every person I meet with love and to attempt to reflect the very face of Christ to every man or women, no matter their demographic or stage of life.

Declaration#21: I declare to pursue friendships, new and old. To deeply invest in those of the closest ring, but to seek every moment and interaction with strangers and new faces as an opportunity to make a new friend. And that by that new friendship our walks would be strengthened and encouraged or that the new relationship would initiate opportunity for some unfamiliar with the good news of Christ to become familiar with it.

Declaration#22: I declare to Fast, Pray, Rest, pursue silence and solitude, as well as the rest of the disciplines often and feverishly.

Declaration#23: I declare to give generously, to give of my time, my soul, myself, and my belongings knowing that it is far better to “be rich in good deeds”; and to remember that I brought nothing into this world and can take nothing out of it. (1 Tim 6)

Declaration#24: To be the best friend that I can, and to never avoid conflict, if its resolution would draw one of those involved (including myself ) to look more like Jesus. All of us desire to look like him and I have far to many blind spots to do this alone.

Declaration#25: To be faithful, to make all my ambitions, dreams, and desires be rooted in this. Better to be poor, unknown, dying, having nothing, foolish, and faithful, than to be handsome, wealthy, famous, successful in gain, status ,or possession, and to be “a wave tossed about by the sea…”

By His wounds we are healed...

2010-04-29T20:59:00.000-07:00

Salvation in the Old Testament and the New Testament is centered on the idea of “healing”, the healing of not only our souls, but also our bodies and our world. Hell is a real place and an inescapable reality taught in the bible. But hell is not the focus of the bible, nor should it be of the believer and his Salvation. The focus of salvation must also shift away from the Platonic notion that by simply checking a box you will escape some day to a spiritual realm where you will “exist” in a manner far different than we do today. Rather that when a person receives salvation they are ushered into the Kingdom and they begin "healing". They receive the first fruits of the recreation and in their reception they also experience the first fruit of the recreation. Biblical teaching is that Salvation is immediate in initiation, but continuous all the way until final redemption. It is not a day experience, but a daily experience where man is saved over and over and over from the bondage of sin, Satan, and death. This has enormous implications. That though salvation or healing is begun in an instant, it does not ever stop. Redemption takes both a moment and a lifetime. As a believer though I have the ability to resist and quench the spirit, but not to extinguish him (if I am truly a believer). But in so doing I rob myself of joy, freedom, life, and healing. An illustration might give clarity here. It would be as though someone wanted smoking due to a spot that has appeared on their lung. This spot and more so this habit was robbing them of life, the ability to breathe, exercise and live. So the quitting of this habit was in every way beneficial. But lets say it was initiated by an anecdote their doctor given them to free me from my addiction and begin healing their lung. Their doctor explained that the medicine he gave them was perfect. It will not let them pass away by smoking, although they (should they continue smoking) will suffer many physical ailments due to smoking, the medicine is guaranteed to save them from the death and cancer it always brings. Now should they go back to smoking because of this promise of security, they would still incur all kinds of painful, and troublesome consequences because of it. For example being incapable of running, maybe lose their ability to speak, they would be a slave to addiction, and a number of other caused difficulties. Even though they had a guarantee that smoking could not take their life away entirely, it could destroy my existence. This is like Salvation. Once saved by grace through faith the healing will surely begin, but I am able to grieve and quench the spirit of Holiness working inside of me and serve myself rather than my maker. But by doing so I will also receive every ounce of pain and sorrow that comes with “encumbering” the healing process the Spirit performs in us. All of the created order is right now in a state of longing for healing, and the good news is that the "rumors of another world existing" are far truer than anything we know. Our world is not all that it was intended to be, things are beginning to change and they will only continue to do so. Thus the story of the believer in Christ, or better yet all creation is that there is more! The Creation groans to be set free and it is almost time, “Salvation” is coming, indeed it has come! It is a healing, and the emancipation from the bondage of corruption that has echoed inside of man’s heart since the fall. It has begun to and will continue to burn away the dross, and heal its participants. It cannot be stopped; and all who cry out for healing will be saved-- but they will also be healed. Sometimes this healing hurts, as the molding of the hammer and the heat from the fire are painful, but the lump is hardly as worthy as the vessel. All who fell with Adam, but are now raised with Christ; are being daily raised and healed and brought to new life by faith in Jesus. Salvation or “the healing” of men individually, the church corporately, and the universe entirely, has begun and we may either join in and fight for it or we may work against it, but must remember “he who began the good work will be faithful to complete it” and our “God is a consuming fire” his word will prevail and nothing can stand against His purpose. He will Heal His world and His people.

Heal us God, Savior King come and heal us!

Fairytales

2010-04-15T12:32:00.000-07:00

There is something inside of man that longs for the enchanted. Every age has always created fairy tales. Something inside of us believes or at least longs to believe that this isn't all...there is more to the story. A longing for greatness, for fantasy, and for life just to be beyond what we know. We yearn for transformation. For mermaids to walk on land, servant girls to attend the ball, frogs to turn into princes, beasts to become nobleman. We long for change in our world and often we picture its coming by love. True love expressed with a kiss or a rescuing... This Love is Powerful enough to change things, to change everything. It Alters not only the story but the people in the story and often the World in which they live. Reread any childhood story (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, Shrek, Cinderalla, The Magic Swan...they all have the same theme. Some one is trapped in some sort of bondage or death and it is LOVE that brings about an incredible change)

It is simply an inescapable reality that deep within us we long for enchantment. We know their has got to be more to the story. Well there is! The world as we know it is not all, there is far more to the story there is another world. But it is not distant, in fact it is much closer than we ever thought.

It is here among us now, like Bell's Beast waiting to be unlocked fully but beginning to show the first signs of freedom. True Love has come but this time it wasn't a The Prince's kiss that brought his Sleeping Beauty to Life; it was his Death. By the wounds of the Great and Courageous Prince his Beautiful Bride came to life. All the people in the land heard saw it had happen but disagreed on whether or not he was truly the rightful King "the King would never do something like that; he is a fierce Warrior". So another man rose, he claimed to be the true King and he had enough soldiers to put himself into power. He decreed the so called "Prince" to be a fool and punished his bride who had miraculously come to life. He tried to kill her again but all his efforts failed. So he had her punished and then throw into the street. He set up his rule and promised peace but it never seemed to come. The beauty was clothed in rags, but she was like nothing the people of the kingdom had ever seen. She began talking about her Prince and people began to remember him. She said He was still alive, and there were many who said he was the rightful King if he was truly alive. They started to believe her, saying not only that he was the rightful King, but they too said he was Alive, even though the whole kingdom saw him Killed for his Beautiful Bride. They believed her. More than that they began saying with his bride that he went away to gather his troops and prepare for war...They said that he had told them he was coming back to make war and establish his reign once and for all and claim his now awakened Sleeping Beauty that his Death had brought to life (his bride) and all with her.

They say he said that his army will be greater than anything we have ever seen, and no power will be able to Stand against it. He has with him the mightiest of Warriors and he is coming to take his place as the rightful King. He once gave up everything for his Beloved Bride, but Now he rides again not to the grave but to the throne..he will rid the Kingdom of all who do not say he is the Rightful King, but he will reward all who took heed of his coming. Never before has there been anyone like him. And He Shall make all things New! All of the Kingdom shall be like never before.

You see the Enchantment we crave is hear. We know there is more yet we cannot quite put it into words. And there is... more than we could imagine. The world was set to bondage but soon it shall be set free and dark will turn to light, and the children of God will be revealed. The Beautiful Bride will be given he proper adorning. As the wife of the King she shall be clothed like she should have been since long ago, but because of the wicked ruler in place she was made a servant and punished for her love for the True King... but winter shall soon end, the first buds of spring are showing and

The King is coming for LOVE and WAR. The Fairy Tale is coming to Life...

(If you don't know this King, you need to. The Night will soon be over and its Nightmares with it. The Sun shall soon appear and the Light always casts out the darkness... Leave your email address and we'll chat if you want to know more)

Yeshua

2010-03-29T20:42:00.000-07:00

JESUS CHRIST

The english name "Jesus" is a beautiful one. Arguably the Sweetest word in the English language (or in any language for that matter). But the etymology or meaning behind the name carries far more than a quick glance could give it. "Jesus" is a transliteration of the Hebrew "Yeshua". Yeshua is a name that is a combination of "YHWH" the Hebrew word for God and 'shua' a word that means "to cry out for saving" or combined "cry to YHWH when in need". It is related to the word Hosanna, which is the word that welcomed "Yeshua" or Jesus into the city of Jerusalem in the first century. History tells us that palm branches were thrown at the feet of the colt carrying Yehsua and the people began to joyfully shout "Hosanna in the Highest" (or "God will deliver us in the mightiest way"), "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.".

The Jewish men and women flooded to the streets with the arrival of the well known man known as "Yeshua" all throughout their province. After hundreds of years of oppression the Israeli people were ready to be set free and regain their statehood as a nation once again. They cried out to the one who they though most assuredly would bring them the freedom from the oppressive force of the Romans and lead them out of bondage into power, strength, and sweet sweet redemption. "God save us in the highest way"...

Well ironically they got not what they were wanting, but what they "asked" for and they were offered saving in the highest way. But not only the Hebrews were given this offer, so were the Romans, the Greeks, the Spanish, the Americans, and ALL people of the earth. Hosanna in the Highest has come true. Saving in the highest way, but not from the oppression of Rome, but from that of Sin, Satan, and Death. Victory was accomplished in the Mightiest and Highest Way. Yeshua- "God saves when we cry out to him"- is true. His name, his life, and his death all tell of his tremendous love for you and for me. Love so great he is not content to settle for anything less like freedom from Rome, or from poverty, or sickness, or hardship but freedom from Death, Eternal and a much deserved eternal dying. Hosanna has come, and while there is still time cling to him. He loves you and cares for you!

If you do not know how to have eternal life, leave a remark, time is wasting and I would love to talk to you! You are Loved and Cared for by the God and King of all creation. Yeshua and "He shall save his people from their Sins".

In the Words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:

"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men."

The Desire of our Souls.

2010-03-20T20:30:00.000-07:00

Oh LORD, We have waited for You eagerly;
Your name, even Your memory, is the desire of our souls.
At night my soul longs for You,
Indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently... Isaiah 26:8-9

Everything in my life is broken. All is lost, in words of William Butler Yeats:

"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold...the best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity."

I have learned that my life is hardly what I wish it was, and this will to some extent, always be true. I am incapable of fixing myself or being entirely fixed this side of heaven. The worst part is I am constantly pretending that this is not so. I create walls and barriers that disable the infiltration of others into my life. Like a fortress that fiercely denies access of those who pass by should they come with blessings not burdens. I will gladly clothe, care for, and love the traveler who comes by looking for rest. He shall find it, but should he wish to bestow on my fortress some sort of 'traveling mercy' and provide comfort and rest to myself, the drawbridge shall scarcely be opened. Come thirsty to my doors or do not come at all.

I am praying that God will break me of this and am by his strength doing significant efforts to burn down the Castle walls. God is gracious to give us programs of recovery and people who help recover. My past is littered with pain and betrayal. These wounds have may my heart ache and yearn for healing (a healing that one day I will receive in full), but it is also these wounds that make me afraid of abandonment, afraid of intimacy, afraid of being let down, afraid to believe that I can trust another. I have a slew of carnage behind me in past relationships that have had to suffer because of it. Romance doesn't survive in Camelot. If the King of a Castle shows the brilliance of his inherited lands but not the hideous trail of tears he also inherited; he will never acquire a true Queen or any trusted allies. He will be pretending and protecting, but this preserving will not preserve him or his lot it will destroy them both

The verse above is not only how I understand the aching in my soul, but where I find the remedy to these cravings. God is the desire of all of my heart, and the thing I pant for. Thus because he is this I am free to express openly that often I mistake or attempt to fill these desires with other things (success, security, sexual longings, supremacy, strength, status etc...). But these never succeed, they only leave myself and all who drink from them ever more thirsty. All that I am, all that I yearn for, every echo of loneliness and sorrow deeply imbedded within me is for the presence of God. A presence that was removed at the fall in that sacred Garden. He is and always has been the fullness of all I desire, the fullness of every desire. Things have fallen apart and the centre cannot hold. All of creation has been subjected to futility. And the scriptures tell us that this desire when it is allured to the lie that something else will satisfied it gives birth to all of our sins (James 1). This is a common occurrence, and so none of us are quite what we were meant to be. All of us, whether we have numbed ourselves to the monotony of life, with some vice (or virtue become vice) or simply ignored it so long it seems to be 'just the way things are', are really seldom satisfied with the cold reflection we see in life's stained mirror should we be brave enough to look upon it. There is something inside of us that yearns for more. Our souls remember, they cry out in a vague memory that something has gone awry. We miss our maker, he is the desire of our souls, and we thirst for living water whether we choose to drink from its fountain or not.

Help us Lord, your Name, even your Memory is the desire of our souls. Give us strength to Wait upon you...

beloved,

I am Yours and You are mine.

Tears...

2010-02-25T21:33:00.001-08:00

You shall call his name Jesus for he will save his people from their Sins...

Lord I pray right now for this deaf and abused girl, her pour heart and soul, save them both. I pray for the Pastor of this Church and the deacon who are only miles from me right now, their pour souls, GOD SAVE YOUR PEOPLE

How to Save a Life...

2010-02-16T14:21:00.000-08:00

Can you fathom the Weight of a Soul in light of Eternity?-Spurgeon

Can you? Can you even begin to understand, imagine, know the incredible weight of a soul, a living soul? With eternity in the balance, think about that. The most infinitely important thing about or in us is our SOUL. The immortal soul is nothing new to us. Plato and Aristotle wrote often and openly about the apparent soul that gave all of us consciousness. A consciousness distinctly different than any other animal there is. We are awake (in a sense, but many are very much asleep in another).

With the eternal state of the men and women you interact with daily, get hair cuts from, kiss, laugh with, cry for, and labor creeping into the very fabric of their existence. How can you not open your mouth? Think about this...If they were able to see you at the end of the Age as they awaited their Judge (the same one who will judge you), and they saw that you knew, you knew the truth and you had never told them. What would they say? "How could you not open your mouth?" "You knew?, You knew this whole time and you never said anything? Because you were worried about how you would look? How could you not say anything you knew? How could you keep silent? I don't understand...HOW??? Your reputation, your job, your image??? These were worth more to you than My Eternal Destination???"

Oh Lord make us bold, remind us "How to save a life".

"Chosen that you may proclaim the Excellencies of him who called you out of Darkness into his marvelous light."- 1 Peter 2:9

Citizens of Heaven or Hell

2010-02-11T11:46:00.001-08:00

What we are becoming TODAY is what we will be tomorrow. Citizens of Heaven, are those who as Christ would say ‘bear good fruits’ (Matthew 7)they do this by the presence of the Holy Spirit which Paul tells us in Ephesians 1 is how we know we are a believer, and the ‘guarentee of our souls’ salvation. The presence of the Spirit creates these fruits, it does this by what Peter says is called ‘sanctification for the obedience to Jesus Christ’ (1Peter 1:2). Point being those who accept God’s grace and receive eternal life are in that moment ‘created new’ (2cor. 5:17) and so for the rest of their life they go are continually are transformed day by day from one degree of glory to the next into a citizen of Heaven. This is most clearly seen not in what they do ‘externally’ but on the inward transition that takes place in their heart.

Conversely this is also true for those who are citizens of this world. Who, like the citizens of heaven also await an inheritance. However, this inheritance is not one that resembles in any way the that which awaits those whose ‘Souls desire’ is found in God. You see the distinguishing mark or ‘seed’ within the heart of Christ Followers is a ‘love for God’. This seed may be weak or strong but it is always implanted upon receiving grace and repentance. Thus Heaven will be the fulfillment of their hearts affection and the magnification of it as well. So in those who do not love God, Heaven would not be a place they would be satisfied anyways, but one where they are not able to Worship the idols of this world or the god they have made of themselves, they would be miserable.

And as well without this ‘seed’ of love, they are not able to grow over there life into anything resembling a Citizen of Heaven. So they grow in their love for self, or whatever else they desire. Suppose for example that a man became so addicted to cocaine that what began as a fix from time to time, soon began to rule his life so strongly that he was no longer able to live a normal life at all, if the addiction continued it would take over himself so greatly that we might say ‘his life is hell’. Well that is a close resemblance to the Christian doctrine of hell. A man will grow either in his affection for himself (pride), sex (lust), mankind (humanism- let me say I do not think affection for man kind is a bad thing. I actually feel quite the opposite, man is to love his neighbor as himself. But the minute that Civility and Social Justice efforts become the God we worship we find that we have also slain the foundation of our god and any purpose we had in helping our brother man, any more than we would have in helping our ‘brother ox’) or any other idol from birth until death until it makes him so focused upon it that ‘his life is hell’. This idol becomes quickly a ruthless dictator who demands an ever conforming heart and soul. It demands we lay down all we have. A close parallel to the brutish gods of the greeks.

We are always serving something, and further always conforming to one world or the next…Which is left to our own choosing, but to not choose is simply not an option. You are born a servant to self and sin, thus you may change the ‘Lord’ you choose to serve, but you will never stop serving. Who will you serve?

Image Bearers

2010-02-03T20:01:00.000-08:00

‘Image Bearers’

I believe we are far more powerful than we know. One day we shall shine like the son, and be restored to the rightful place in the created order of things, but for now we are a depraved people, who deprive ourselves by our own unrighteousness of any and all possible life. We do this by worshipping ourselves or other things and in our disobedient rebellious action we seek only the exaltation of ourselves. At the end of time we shall be no longer enslaved. But shall be set free from sin, and restored to power. Power that will be rooted in its outsourcing from God alone. Power that finds itself in its source not its face… This is something that Satan hates, scorns, and despises. He hates us, the ‘image bearers’ because he has nothing to do but hate. If ‘God is Love’, then it is not a stretch to assume that ‘Satan is Evil’. And that Satan and all of the demons hate Man, because we, simply known as the ‘Image Bearers’, though rebels, ignorant, blinded, foolish, and stupid are loved by him. Loved by the One whose image we bear, so much that he would lay down his life for us. Someday we shall be restored, we shall be made new, we shall Shine like the sun, and be in an existence that is ‘much better’. We shall be whiter than Snow, healed, and whole. But we shall also be powerful, powerful beyond measure.

Exercising enormous control over other domains of our creation. As a Prince who helps rule and Judge for his father, so it will be for those who love him. We shall be no longer Weak. No longer we under the slavery of sin… We shall more than ever before ‘bear His image’, and through his strength, and for his name bear it well…

Love...

2010-01-29T11:40:00.000-08:00

"Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident." -Captain Corelli's Mandolin

The above is a quote from a Novel that takes place during World War II. It is hardly as good a book as this is a quote. It is spoken by a character in the book known as Dr. Iannis. He a meager philosopher and ever worse theologian, but his quote here speaks wonders to the truth of exactly what Love is.

Today love is used to express a fascination for everything from pickles, to a husband, to Sexual intercourse (ie making love). It would be unfair to limit this truth to simply our country, language, or even era. Greek Poetry from the 4th, 5th, and 6th centuries BC failed to categorize the usage of the words (they had 4 words...debatebly more) for love with any firm boundaries that made clear when and where each term for love was to be used. They are not the only ones either, in truth the human expression regardless of time period is prone to speak in a superfluous manner (we are humans and we exaggerate). Even the bible fails to truly separate quite as concretely as we would like, and sometimes the Apostles use one word for God and love and sometime another. (Point being the idea that 'agape' is a word that is reserved for God's love for us, or our love for him, and that alone is well... not biblical.)

But i think nonetheless it is necessary that we explain and define love; and allow the boundaries that we can establish distinguish it from the 'false loves' that so many things that are better to be known as 'patior' or the greek word for 'passion'. (I think it is better to address what 'love' is, rather than spend an infinite amount of time addressing the limitless things it is not).

Love is a transcendent expression and faculty, it is in some ways unexplainable, but in every way undeniable. It is the sole force within the universe that history affirms has been present in every civilized state on record. It is the driving force behind a million actions that do not always service the individual good and ease of him who is performing the verbal action in their 'loving' of another. It is the most pure form of goodness, and beauty in all the universe. It contains within it both the power to create and destroy. It is unlike anything else in all the world. It turns night to day, winter to spring, dark to light, tedious labor to effortless service, burden to blessing, slavery to liberty, pain to pleasure, it is the driving force of ALL there is.

It is not sex, it is not passion, it is, what Dr. Iannis said rightly, 'would be left if all else could burn away', it is not mercy though this is certainly Love child. Love is patient, it is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. it is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it does not delight in evil but rejoices when right it done to all. It always protects even at the price of its own life, always believe even when things look hopeless, always hopes for Peace and goodness, always perseveres even the fiercest storm.

GODisLOVE : He is the Truest and most sincere expression of Love we have. On our souls we have imprinted an ability to love. But True love is not found in the Ancient Aphrodite. If you remember Greek mythology, she was the greek goddess of love and Romance. At her height the goddess (or perhaps the demon) 'aphrodite' demands full obedience from her worshippers. But this demand is a hollow one, and though in this so called 'love' she demands her worshipper to sacrifice their all for their 'lover' (husband, wife, girlfriend, or boyfriend). This is a futile demand and is really but an imprint within in crying out that we were meant to love something with all we are. In a way that Science could never explain by observation, and words could hardly capture in writing. Romance is by no means wrong, it is beautiful and created by and for God. But Erotica is not Love, Eros is not Agape, and Aphrodite is not Immanuel.

We have only but a taste of how vast his love is, God is LOVE. Aphrodite is a whore, and her demands from a broken world to be infatuated with one another and to look at Sex and rather than their Savior,will soon be repaid with eternal and indescribable punishment. All we need is LOVE

Free Will

2010-01-20T16:05:00.000-08:00

I recently sat down with a friend who believe neither in Jesus as the Son of God, nor in the God of any sort of non-eastern deity. He posed the following dilemma:

"If God is good, and knows all things, why would he create Satan with the free will that would allow him to Turn against Him. If God knew Satan would do evil, then he must be in some way evil."

I responded with the following:

"What you are suggesting is that God should have made Satan not free, but a slave or servant to God. He should have essentially made some sort of robotic creation that would serve him and be obedient without fail, right?"

He then said "yeh, exactly".

And this was my response, "What you are suggesting is that it is much better to be a slave who has no capacity to act on its own, no ability to love, no ability to do any thing outside of its being directly in line with serving its creator." (sidenote: this is the way I believe Heaven will be, but we will no longer have any desire to rebel, only to serve.)

I then asked him "Have you ever been to a homeless shelter?";

"yes" he replied.

"Well in that homeless shelter have you ever seen an African American man?";

"of course" he then replied.

I then said "What you are suggesting is that the American government is in fact evil for giving freedom to 'African Americans', because it landed some of them in worse circumstances. Previously they had a warm bed, a Job, 3 meals, a day, and a home. Now there freedom has landed them without any of these. The American government should have kept them as slaves for their own good and not only that those who fought for slavery are evil people. We should make all the poor slaves."

He expressed a peculiar sense of Satisfaction at the answer, and quickly we segwayed into the "Pat Robertson dilemma"... Freedom

God forgive us today, we distort you, your world, and your name. Forgive us...

Time...

2010-01-03T16:49:00.000-08:00

It is 6 o’clock on the evening of the 3^rd day of the New Calendar year, 2010 years from the estimated birth of Jesus Christ, God with us. Time is my subject here and the reason for my elaborate expression of the date and Time.

It is often said that God preexisted time, I feel as though the teaching around this is true. But I also feel that such a quality must be explained further than it often is. Science measures time and “elapse time since” also known has “age” based on the amount of decay that has taken place in atomic particles, this generally occurs at a precise and exponentially increasing rate. This process is known as “Carbon Dating”. By measuring the stage of the Carbon and comparing it science is able to determine age. Thus time is inextricably linked to decay.

However, the original intent of the universe was not one bent towards decay. But it is no surprise that the world we live in is one where decay and death are undeniable realities. And so according to the scientific explanation and recording of “Time”, Adam, Eve, and the entire Garden existed before there was “Time”. As they all existed in a state that had no decay. Science is insufficient to explain or define a proper understanding of time, as we know it.

Time, age, and any term within the realm of dating are simply made up terms that we designate to help us distinguish from one moment to the next. They are like the address on your house, or more accurately the page numbers we attribute to a book we have not written. They may not have any influence from the author of the book, but they allow the “reader” to identify more precisely where he is in the story. It would then help us to take a more philosophical and transcendent definition to the label of “time”. As not so much a measurement of age, but rather a chronological succession of moments. In our current existence decay is related directly to time, however in the paradise lost and in the one to come this will not be the case. Time will no longer be needed, decay no longer existent (save for within the bounds of hell, however this “decay” will as well no longer be related to time, as for all of eternity there will be eternal decay but not disappearance) and we will simply be left with a wondrous chronology of successive moments that pass by in a fleeting ecstasy, but they will flee to nowhere. So as the proverbial saying goes “time flies when you are having fun” heaven will likely a simultaneous passing of rapidly blissful moments as well as deliciously savored experiences treasured for all that they are.

So, it is an accurate statement to suggest that God preexisted time or our present definition of decay, but so did Adam. But he certainly did exist in time prior to our decay in another sense. My point being that if God has always existed he has enjoyed a chronological succession of events prior to the creation of our universe. By definition to exist would indicate you are at one moment “existing” and have “existed” prior, thus there were moments in between that took place to bring about the current state. So God has always existed but by this definition so has time, but he also exists beyond time, as he is not limited in his knowledge of anything past, present, or future, but that would deal more with his omniscience, nor is he limited in his ability to alter, change, or affect time, which would deal with his omnipotence. He is by his nature inside and outside of this chronology in everyway and thus he is beyond time and yet within it is everyway… He truly is the great “I AM that I AM”…

He is both Good and Great

2009-12-11T13:51:00.000-08:00

Common questions for those within the Church and those outside of it often revolve around the problem of evil. Below is a look at one of many...

If Satan at some point rebelled against God and this is the most "original Sin" that we know of, then why did God allow him to live? He could have squashed him and destroyed both he and sin. Why would he allow Satan to "deceive the Nations", instead of simply ending him right in that moment. Doing away with all evil.

The question is oddly enough a doubt that Satan might even use himself to attack and accuse the character of God, just like he did with Eve in the Garden. "Why would God allow such a thing? Could he really be all powerful and all good if he did not crush this act of Rebellion?"

The answer is Yes. Satan along with all of the Hosts of heaven (angels) lived in the very presence of God and his magnificence. However, these being are not all knowing, they are created and thus have room within them for experience and understanding (knowing something by watching and observing). 1 Peter speaks on this when he tells us that the unfolding of history and God's restoration of all creation is something "on which angels long to look". Thus Angels are capable of knowing God and seeing him work, by virtue of the fact that they exist, are able to be amazed, and they are not all knowing.

So when Satan rebelled, God could have crushed this rebellion under him with one fatal sweep. In doing this he would have answered, beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is Great. He is powerful, and not one to rebel against. Thus he would have answered the question "Is he Great?" But one question would have remained..."Is he Good?" Had he done this, it would not have been as clear. He could have appeared as a ruler who is one to be feared, but perhaps not loved.

But not only is he Great, he is Good. He did not crush Satan in that moment and put Sin to death. He came to the earth he created and was put to death for sin. In this magnificent act, he answered once and for all not only am I great, I am good. One day he will powerfully remove the presence of Sin from all who love him. But for those who choose to worship themselves, rather than God (just like Satan did, and we all do, apart from Christ working in us), he will honor their decision for ALL of Eternity in eternal suffering. All people and angels will one day bow before him, and all of us, will know by experience not only is he GREAT, but HE is GOOD...

God you are good...

There's no chocolate in Heaven?

2009-11-28T23:12:00.000-08:00

"The letter and spirit of Scripture, and of all Christianity, forbid us to suppose that life in the New Creation will be a sexual life; and this reduces our imagination to the withering alternative either of bodies which are hardly recognizable as human bodies at all or else of a perpetual fast. As regards the fast, I think our present outlook might be like that of a small boy who, on being told that the sexual act was the highest bodily pleasure, should immediately ask whether you ate chocolates at the same time. On receiving the answer no, he might regard absence of chocolates as the chief characteristic of sexuality. In vain would you tell him that the reason why lovers in their carnal raptures don't bother about chocolates is that they have something better to think of. The boy knows chocolate: he does not know the positive thing that excludes it. We are in the same position. We know the sexual life; we do not know, except in glimpses, the other thing which, in Heaven, will leave no room for it."-C.S. Lewis "Miracles"...

The highest pleasure we currently can imagine is not even worth comparing to the incomprehensible Pleasure, Joy, Peace, Life that "no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined,". And oh to taste, to know much more than a page, to feel your embrace...

Prayer with thanksgiving...

2009-11-19T11:36:00.000-08:00

Matthew Henry is a well-known bible commentator who lived during the 17th century in England. He one day was robbed and that evening made the following Entry in his diary:

"Let me be thankful- First because I was never robbed before; second because although they took my wallet they did not take my life; third because although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed." - Matthew Henry

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything with prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding with guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

-The scriptures would tell us that when we pray, we are to have an understanding that we own nothing, are entitled to nothing, and ourselves own nothing. All we have, even our own lives are a gift from God and are to be counted as such. So when we pray, we do it knowing that everything we have is a gift. God rightfully sits over all of life and so we pray knowing that, thus we are thankful for what we have, seeing everything... EVERY THING as a gift. Every day, every good experience, every single thing is not ours but God's. So we pray knowing that we are not entitled to anything, and we brought nothing into this world and will take nothing away from it. He is good and in control, and we trust this. Nothing is ours and we are to remember this... Even as we pray. So we trust his goodness and his sovereignty that he is in control and working together all things for his glory and our good... Oh to pray the way that Matthew Henry did...

"In my distress I cried to him, and he answered me."-Psalm 120:1

2009-11-17T12:02:00.001-08:00

Distress, brokenness, death, sickness, pain, sin, our world is filled with them. All around us we see clearly that creation that has fallen under sin. It is no secret or debate that things in this life are not perfect. Man whether he believes in God or not rarely deny this. In fact, the problem of “evil” or “sin” is often present as one of the primary arguments against the existence of the "all loving, and all powerful God" the bible portrays. However, C.S. Lewis brilliantly defends that the very fact that mankind has moral understanding inside of them that declares things are not as they should be, is more of an argument for the existence of a bestower of this “sense of morality” rather than for his nonexistence. More simply, the fact that mankind perceives that there is something wrong in the world, demonstrates that some thing at some point implanted a sense of right and wrong within us. The bible tells us that this come from man being made in the "image of God" (Gen 1:26-27), and because of this "the work of the law is written on our hearts"(Romans 2:15). But God doesn't leave us with just a understanding of the “death” around us, but provides us a “way” into “life”, Through the the death of his son, Jesus, who is called both"the way" and "the life" (John:14:6). It further says that Jesus is currently reconciling all things to himself(Col 1:20); and some day he who rode into Jerusalem atop a donkey who was "put to death for sin", will come again this time riding on a "white horse" and will "put all sin to death"(Rev. 19:11). So God has “answered us in our distress”, his answer was the death of his Son. God has made "him who knew no sin, be sin so that, we might become the righteousness of God." (2Cor. 5:21). He did not answer the cries of his son to "take this cup from him" (Luke 22:42), or his cries "My God my God why have you abandoned me?”(Psalm 22), so that he may answer our need for a savior. He has heard our cries…

If grace is an Ocean we're all sinking...

2009-11-10T21:01:00.000-08:00

When the Lord [brought us back to him]
we were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,

“The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us;
we are glad. Psalm 126:1-3

The story of the Gospel is one beyond words... all of us like sheep have gone astray. But God being rich in mercy demonstrates his Love for us in this that while we profaned his name, spit in his face, murdered, perverted, and destroyed his creation, while mocking his power and glory...he died for us. He is both Good and Great, but those words fail to describe the anointed and blessed redeemer whose name is Jesus. We all have hurts, problems, aches, and habits that lead us to death and destruction. But God is rich in mercy, he loved us even in our rebellion and continues to love even as we rebel. Could he have destroyed Satan and Man immediately upon Satan's Rebellion against God, or destroyed man in his initial "fall" in the Garden of eden. Yes! Yes he could have wiped out all who betray him, responding in a way that clearly depicts he is great, powerful, mighty, and a King who is not to be questioned. Answering the question "is this God great?". But one question would have remained..."Is he good?" So God, in his goodness withheld his annihilation of sin and rebellion and came into the world and died on a cross for us. Living the life we could not live and dying the death that we were to die. "He made him who knew know sin, to be sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God". God made Jesus sin, and he put him to death. In this sin lost its power and was put to death, and death was died. He left all to see that not only is he GREAT, but he is GOOD. This is the God of the bible, this is the story of our existence. We all are so infested and infected with sin that we are incapable of eradicating the sinful habits, hang-ups, and issues that plague us and lead us to destruction. But he did not leave us alone. He offers hope for our ways, life for our death, and loves us amidst all our rebellion. He is unquestionably and emphatically Good, and he offers life. He is our Great and Good King. And So we who know Jesus are like those who dream, we are filled with joy and laughter. You have done great things for us. You are our healer...

Oh My God we are unworthy of you... we are unworthy...

"What are we that you are mindful of us?"

"Not to us Oh Lord, But to your name be Glory" for what you have done.

He fell asleep...

2009-11-03T21:15:00.000-08:00

"For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep" Acts 13:36

All of life comes down to just one thing, thats to know you owe Jesus and to make you known. The cross of Christ brings incredible freedom to believers. He died that we to may crucify our flesh and in dying truly live. After all he came that we may have life and have it abundantly. Thus, while on this earth his grace and mercy reign in us, in that though we outwardly are perishing we are being prepared for an eternal glory beyond all comparison. But if one has a small view of heaven he will miss out on the glorious end/beginning to which he has been ultimately destined. The bible is clear, the glorious existence of heaven will far outweigh anything that this life has ever had to offer. All sin and death will be eradicated and man will be restored from his body of death into one of everlasting life. Paul continually harped on the idea that this life is but a shadow of the one to come, (Heb 9), that it is far better to be away from this body and at home with Christ, (2cor5), and that to die is nothing less to gain (the opposite for unbelievers of course, where to die is loss, the ultimate, immeasurable, and unceasing loss). The immeasurable riches that are to be revealed are beyond us (who hope in Jesus), truly "no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him (1 cor 6). David also declared this idea in stating that "one thing I ask, and all that I seek, is that I may gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and behold him in his temple"(Ps. 27:4). The eternal glory of heaven far surpasses all understanding that one could possibly imagine and makes every thing, even that which are good things, pale in such a way that Paul proclaims they are not even worth comparing (2cor4). Thus Jim Elliot was right "he is no fool who gives that which he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot lose." The idea of offering our bodies as a living sacrifice is such a minute and miniscule sacrifice when compared to the eternal blessing that Christ has gone to prepare for those who love him. In view of this God who became poor so that in his poverty we might become rich beyond all comparison is a moving, motivating, humbling, and beautiful thing. There is nothing foolish about giving the life that all of us will soon lose, to gain that which can never be lost. Paul knew that to live is Christ and to die is to gain...to gain. That word hardly begins to describe that which awaits us who place our hope in him. But words of any demeanor and in any earthly tongue will never begin to encapsulate that which he has given us. For this reason it is not foolish to lose your life that you may gain it. "But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." (Acts 20:24). The entire purpose of man, why you remain alive is that you may know God and make him known, and in doing so bring praise and glory to his name. My life is of no value and has no reason apart from me finishing the race he has set before me and declaring his name with every breath and fiber of my being. This is the entire purpose of mankind. No matter if you believe the gospel or not, and with this in mind, I long for heaven to put off this earthly body and put on the heavenly one. I long for that as Luke recorded of King David in Acts 13, for that day, when I have served the purpose of God in my life, I may fall asleep and awaken to the marvelous light he has destined me for...oh what a glorious Day. But for now, with all my might I will strive with all my might "that he powerfully work within me" to make the end of all that I do exemplify that to "Live is Christ". Until he calls me home...

Quoth the Raven "Nevermore"

2009-11-02T21:17:00.000-08:00

The Raven

"Nevermore". The most famous poem that Edgar Allen Poe would leave behind speaks quite accurately of the state of things. It depicts of a student mourning the loss of a loved one. The raven that appears perched outside his home, startles him and as he confides to this bird the painful loss of never seeing his loved one again, he finds that the ravens only response is a cold "nevermore". This only amplifies his pain, as his is only further confronted with his loss.

This is true for many... but for those in Christ it is not true. "We want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died...Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words." 1 Thess 4

We have this treasure in Jars of clay...though we die, behold we shall live. But for many this is not the case, there is not a hope, this is not their case. God deliver your children, from ourselves...Quoth the Raven, Nevermore...

Declarations...

2009-10-29T20:17:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the resolutions created by the young Jonathan Edwards... my own "declarations" may God be gracious to let me pursue them...

Declarations:

Declaration #7: To clothe myself in humility in all things, recognizing the reformers words that all of us “are beggars this is true”.

Declaration#8: To meditate often upon the doctrine of depravity, seeing not only that of Calvin’s followers who maintained the doctrine of Total Depravity. But also a doctrine of “Personal depravity”, knowing that all have fallen and are saved by grace, but I am deeply and totally fallen, wicked at my core, and it is only the grace of God working in me that produces supernaturally things not of the flesh but of the Spirit who is holy. And may the depravity and confessions of others stir my heart not towards disdain but compassion on them as I empathize with their condition and confession towards the Lord as I am confronted all the more with my own wickedness.

Declaration#10: I declare to fight for immense and intense happiness regardless of the situation and to transform even to darkest of circumstance into one of a more exciting experience.

Declaration#11: I declare to pursue with all my strength new forms of pleasure, excitement, exhilaration, and life for as long as air fills my lungs.

Declarations#17: I declare to never see myself as above another, but make myself a slave to all men.

Declaration#20: I declare to warm every person I meet with love and to attempt to reflect the very face of Christ to every man or women, no matter their demographic or stage of life.

Declaration#22: I declare to Fast, Pray, Rest, pursue silence and solitude, as well as the rest of the disciplines often and feverishly.

Declaration#24: To be the best friend that I can, and to never avoid conflict, if its resolution would draw one of those involved (including myself ) to look more like Jesus. Many of us desire to look like him and I have far to many blind spots to do this alone.

A recent inquiry...

2009-10-29T07:30:00.000-07:00

I have a friend who recently asked me this question in email, I think it is a good one, and one that deserves an answer:

His question..."I have been having this thought lately. Question 1:Do you think someone can love Jesus without knowing it? Question 2:And do you think Jesus is bigger than religions and can bring us together?"

My friend, forgive me for my the two days that have passed unanswered, good questions need good answers and seminary provides little time to suffice for such. Along with a job at a church...time is seldom. But I love you and miss you come to Dallas and let me buy you a meal. Hope my answers suffice

Question #2: Yes, I believe Jesus is far bigger than all religions. Religion I believe in a universal sense is a cultural expression. Christ is far greater than any cultural expression and calls his people not into begrudging obedience but freedom. He is greater than every system of religion, and for that matter greater than every system of culture, politics, race, nationality, all are cultural expressions transient in their nature and lack much of anything other than a sense of creativity. Christ calls us to relationship not religion. He invites us to come and know truth. It is not us expressing our moral laws, but rather Christianity is meant to be Christ expressing the truth of how things are at the deepest level of the universe and us accepting his beautiful and gracious invitation to walk in this truth. But I think the nature of the question is more aimed at can one be saved apart from faith in Jesus. No, I would side with Peter who said of Jesus that “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12. He is the only way, the only truth, and the only real “life”. He will unite men from every tribe and tongue under his name, but it will be men and women who are saved only by the sacrifice he made, saving them by his grace through faith. He is supremely and enormously greater than all religions…

Question #1: Plato and Socrates both held to the idea that this world is but an expression of another one; a deeper and more true existence. They believed in a sovereign transcendant being who governed the universe, and the immortality of the soul. However I don’t know that they will be in heaven. Romans 1 says that man is a fool to claim that there is not such a being simply by looking around and within one sees this. It says “God has made it (his existence)plain to them, for his invisible attributes, namely eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world in the things that have been made”, it continues that “although they knew God they did not honor him as God nor give thanks to him, but became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened”. So it is not simply being able to notice philosophically speaking there must be something behind the brilliant and magnificent workmanship we see in creation...With that said I believe that a “Rose called by any other name is still a rose, and doth smell just as sweet” (Shakespeare). And so through some sort of special revelation God may and could reveal himself to a person. But all are only saved by a saving faith in the God of the universe (this is the trinity…not saved by simply belief in "a God", but "the God" of the bible and all things. This does not mean one has to have read the bible, but has to worship the God of the universe as he has revealed himself…feel free to reply if I am not clear on this point), and that faith is justified as righteousness only by the blood of Jesus. But this leaves us with a plethora of questions for people throughout history and in isolated pockets of the world throughout time. In answer to this I find solstice in Genesis 18:25 “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” He will and does. Not what feels right, after all “there is a way that seems right to man that in the end leads to death” Proverbs 16:25. So it is not what seems right that will come into being, but what the scriptures tell us .We are by nature children of wrath and deserving of death. But God being rich in mercy entered into his own creation, bore the reproach of the cross, and paid for our sins that he might be both just and the justifier of those who have faith in Jesus. He is loving, but he is also holy. Thus only cross we see both his immense love for man in that he would die for me, and the incredible cost of my sin, in that it required the life of Jesus the son of God. Simply put it is at the cross we see the intersection of God's incredible love and his incredible holiness. Remember we all like sheep have gone astray and are justified only by his grace as a gift…Hope this helps...

"And they sang a new song:

"You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:

"To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

be praise and honor and glory and power,

for ever and ever!" They said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped."- Revelation 5

The Law fulfilled...

2009-10-27T20:14:00.000-07:00

"Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" ²⁷And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself." Luke 24:26-27

The 39 books of the Old Testament are a baffling subject for most who are under the new covenant that Jesus established. Due to a lack of teaching in the church most of us are either unfamiliar with the purpose of the laws and rituals established in the Old Testament or at best disenchanted with them. But this must not be the case. The purpose of the law was given that Israel would have established rules and boundaries that would lead them into a deeper reality of life.

No one, Christian or not would say that “adultery” is a good idea. Thus all of the laws were given so that they would have a clearer understanding of the order of how things are, and the fact that they were articulated so clearly gave understanding to the fact that although man knows at some level that there are certain things man knows are wrong (gentiles…. show the work of the law is written on there hearts, even though they do not have the law”-Romans 2:15), he still given to his own devices will trespass these laws. That being said what do you do with the hundreds of rituals that exist and are commanded but are not celebrated in the new covenant. Why???

It would give the appearance that we have simply done the proverbial “thrown the baby out with the bath water”. But this is not the case. In the 24^th chapter of the Gospel of Luke Jesus teaches his disciples that all of the Old Testament was given to point to him.

Now we take this along with Jesus’ teaching that “I did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it.” So Jesus does not abandon the law but fulfills it and furthermore he explains it. To ask the question well then “Should we celebrate the traditions of the Old Testament?”

Well…maybe but understand that the 613 laws given in the old testament were given with a purpose. Primarily to point the fact that man is incapable of keeping the law and was in need of a savior. The New Testament states that Jesus has “offered for all time one sacrifice for sins”-Hebrews 10:!2. So all people are justified before God through faith, but by the grace extended in God’s mercy through Jesus Christ. Old Testament Jew of New Testament Gentile. All saved are saved through faith and saved by Jesus. Ok so the Old Testament Law, throw it all out if it was accomplished in Jesus right???

Well…no. The purpose of the law was to help man find life, and point to Jesus. That does not negate the truth that they contain. Many of them no longer apply since they have been fulfilled in Jesus but many of them were true then and still prove true today. It is comparable to me graduating from high school. While I was still in high school I was given certain rules that applied to my conduct as a student. That by following these rule I would be led to a life free from “detention, failed tests, etc… I was told not to hit other people because I would get in trouble and cause disruption, as well as told to make a point to close my locker because leaving it open was untidy, irresponsible, and left me subject to having my things stolen.

So when I graduated from high school I also graduated from all of the rules that of high school right? Well kind of… but not entirely. You see many of them apply not only then but now. It is still a bad idea to hit people, or run around with scissors, even if I have graduated from High school. But I no longer have a locker and am not bound to buy one and make sure I keep it closed in my apartment, but rather am to look at the principle of why I was told to “keep it closed” while in High school. I have graduated from the rules of High school, but some of them remain true today, while others are to be understood in light of the principle they were meant to convey while I was under the “law of high school”.

This is the story we see in the Old Testament, although we have graduated and “moved to a new covenant”, this does not abolish the old rules. But allows us to look at those that clearly still apply. For example we are not bound to keep Yom Kippur (The day our sins are atoned for where a sacrifice was made for God’s people), but to look at why we were told to keep this command. In this example the day of atonement is fulfilled in Jesus who has made everyday a “day of atonement”, he provide a sacrifice for all days where God’s peoples sins are forgiven.. But just as it is still a bad idea for me to run with scissors and hit people now and in high school, so there are still laws in the Old Testament that apply today. Look at the Ten Commandments, all of them are still applicable, and to be observed not out of a bond of slavery, but because they lead us to life. (Not murdering, Not committing adultery, worshipping $$, lying, stealing…etc, no one debates these things as less than “ideal”. But we also see other laws that no longer are to be observed but understood. I.e. the sacrificial system is not to be practiced but understood in light of the principle it was meant to convey. Jesus was the sacrifice.

The Moon and the Stars declare who you are...

2009-10-20T21:08:00.000-07:00

ManKind was made as an "image bearer" of God. Those who have been reconciled to Christ are called to do this in a number of ways. One of the ways this is done is to testify proclaim the "Truth" of God to a deceived world. We are to reflect and declares God's image, (God is Truth..."I am the way, the Truth, and the Life") by proclaiming his Truth (God) to the world around us. (Just as a Prince would declare the image and representation of the King for whom he travels and does battle).

The best depiction of this has been painted onto the canvas of creation in the Sun and moon. The Sun is infinitely greater than the moon, the Sun creates light and brings life, while the moon neither creates nor brings about anything apart from the sun. The moon simply testifies to the existence of something infinitely greater, that which is its source. Simply put the Moon is meant to "bear the image" or "Reflect the image" of the sun and Testify even when it appears as though the sun if no longer visible (ie. At Night). If the moon could fail to do this(I realize it does not have much of a choice), it would not mean that the sun does not exist. For example in a lunar eclipse the moon does not reflect the radiance of the Sun, but the Sun is still every bit as illuminating and brilliant.

We were created to bear his image and reflect his light, just as the moon reflects the light of the Sun. We are in darkness without the Light of God. So it is with the moon, who is unable to illumine anything apart from the Sun's light shining on it.

Today we have the choice to either be "image bearers" of God and shine HIS light, to be the "light of the world" or to not. Our participation his little to do with whether he will continue to shine, it will only affect whether or not we "enlighten" the world and testify that something greater gives us our source of Light. Or we will simply continue to tolerate the darkness, and fail "to proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness and into his marvelous light".

Will we declare today? Will you be an "image bearer" and reflect his marvelous light or be content with dwelling in the darkness?

-Give us your Grace oh God, we need you...

Eternity

2009-10-15T20:56:00.001-07:00

"Can you fathom the weight of a soul in light of Eternity?"- Charles Spurgeon

The interesting thing about humanity is that each distinct person bears the eternal weight of glory within the fabric of its makeup. Every man, woman, and child you interact with is made in the image of God. And a crucial component of being an image bearer is that we are composed with a soul.

Although most people will recognize that to some extent their is an ever longing echo inside of them that depicts there is something more than mere existentialism or simple existence. Thus if enough time, thought, and contemplation takes place, with the grace and mercy of God allowing them to see, all eventually find that the life they longingly fill their energy, money, and time pursuing is simply hollow dream that is a fleeting myth. A vacant and empty passage from one moment to the next. Where hope for more is all that sustains them.

They may for a season numb themselves to this truth, but somewhere, if given enough time they will see that "what does it profit a man if he gain the whole world, but forfeit his soul."

But their is more. There is life that is wonderfully contained in that grace of a God who is both good and great, wonderful and mighty, beautiful and terrifying. The King of Kings who nobly laid down his life for the life of the subjects of his kingdom. A God who longs breathe truth into the lies that fill the world around us. He is both great and good, just and the justifier. He is reconciling all things to himself in Christ Jesus and he will be victorious. He who provided peace through the cross will provide Justice unsparingly. Rendering either Glory, honor, and peace...or wrath and fury.

But for now, we who know the truth, are called to open our mouths. Bearing in mind that "faith comes through hearing", and that those who are justified by the blood of the name that is above all names are "a chosen race", called that me may "proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness and into his marvelous light."

We are not mere mortals, food, movies, television, cars, homes, status, trinkets... these are mere mortals. All of humanity created in the likeness of the invisible God are not mortals, we are immortals. And so is everyone we come into contact with. Friends, neighbors, teachers, classmates, teammates, rich, poor, white, black, asian, all are image bearers. All will stand before the throne and give an account. Man is immortal, our eternal destinies may differentiate. But there is nothing mortal about us. (Save our outward flesh that is wasting away, but make no mistake our soul will live on).

Truth

2009-10-05T04:36:00.000-07:00

"He (the devil) was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies."-John 8:44

"The very essence of your words is truth;
all your just regulations will stand forever."-Psalm 119:160

"Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth." John 17:17

For a majority of my life I fell for a lie. I chased fleeting pleasure after fleeting pleasure and was left in ruin and misery. I have no idea why his grace called me out of darkness and into his marvelous light, but it did. My sin was the same as the worlds. I had "exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the creator." This lie is a very subtle one, it creeps into the hearts of followers by taking what are seemingly good desires and bringing them to despotic and destructive enslavement. Taking good things and making them "god" things...this exchange leaves us empty longing for more to satisfy longings or simply numb our existence. The mysteriously interesting thing of the gospel is that it is the essence and reality of all truth. Thus the lie that life will and can be found apart from it is just that; a lie. This deception will suffocate those who venture down its path, and what appeared to be pleasure filled, easy, fun, and enticing, turns out to be in truth a place of death, despair, depression, and enslaving.

But God is good, and he desires that all men and women would come to a saving knowledge of him. Of his goodness, his love, and his mercy. The thoughts of which cripple the inside of me, when I think on the benevolent mercy of the God who rescued me from myself. It is interesting that in losing yourself to something so magnificent you become the most "you" that you could possibly ever be. In other words in losing your life you find it, and in trying to preserve your "life" you lose it. The Human capacity for emotion is incredible. As image bearers of God we have within the fabric of our souls the incredible ability to "feel", and "feel" immensely. However, often the feelings we entertain are not explored for the truth behind them or the lie that is really beneath them. These emotional false prophets that come from the father of lies must be rebuked, destroyed, brought into the light and called for what they are; Lies.

God is good, he is grace, he is love, he is power, he is strength, he is immeasurably wonderful, irresistibly beautiful, overwhelming pleasure filled. He is truth. He is indescribable. He is the only hope we have, I don't have the words to give him the praise he is due, nor the power to release those captive to the lies that this world claims of him. Taste and see... the author of life longs to give it to you.

Call for truth, dig deeply into the realm of philosophical rhetoric, science, psychology, discover that there is more. Close your eyes and breath deeply feel the world around you. There is a truth that melts away all falsity. Love that breaks through all tragedy. Grace that wipes away all duplicitous self-indulgency. Mercy for all your iniquity...

Come to him, all you who search and thirst for more, you who are tired, and lonely, broken and have fallen into deceit. Find mercy from a God who is able to sympathize with you in your weakness and give you strength to find life.

C.S. Lewis speaks of the unseen longing that rings in the chaotic desperation of our souls:

"We...desire for something that has never actually appeared in our experience. We cannot hide it because our experience is constantly suggesting it, and we betray ourselves like lovers at the mention of a name. Our commonest expedient is to call it beauty and behave as if that had settled the matter. Wordsworth’s expedient was to identify it with certain moments in his own past. But all this is a cheat. If Wordsworth had gone back to those moments in the past, he would not have found the thing itself, but only the reminder of it; what he remembered would turn out to be itself a remembering. The books or the music in which we thought the beauty was located will betray us if we trust to them; it was not in them, it only came through them, and what came through them was longing. These things—the beauty, the memory of our own past—are good images of what we really desire; but if they are mistaken for the thing itself they turn into dumb idols, breaking the hearts of their worshippers. For they are not the thing itself; they are only the scent of a flower we have not found, the echo of a tune we have not heard, news from a country we have never yet visited."

-Let your mourning turn to dancing, and be consumed today with hope of what is to come.

The Words of the Teacher of Israel...

2009-09-27T08:16:00.000-07:00

A Time for Everything

~For everything there is a season,
A time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.~

What do people really get for all their hard work? I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

-Ecclesiastes 3:1-13

"gravity...has taken better man than me..."

2009-09-24T16:49:00.000-07:00

"You can be so interested in great theological and intellectual and philosophical problems that you tend to forget that you are going to die." -Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

-keep me where the light is-

Declarations...

2009-09-13T12:23:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the resolutions created by the young Jonathan Edwards... my own "declarations" may God be gracious to let me pursue them...

Declarations:

Declaration #7: To clothe myself in humility in all things, recognizing the reformers words that all of us “are beggars this is true”.

Declaration#8: To meditate often upon the doctrine of depravity, seeing not only that of Calvin’s followers who maintained the doctrine of Total Depravity. But also a doctrine of “Personal depravity”, knowing that all have fallen and are saved by grace, but I am deeply and totally fallen, wicked at my core, and it is only the grace of God working in me that produces supernaturally things not of the flesh but of the Spirit who is holy. And may the depravity and confessions of others stir my heart not towards disdain but compassion on them as I empathize with their condition and confession towards the Lord as I am confronted all the more with my own wickedness.

Declaration#10: I declare to fight for immense and intense happiness regardless of the situation and to transform even to darkest of circumstance into one of a more exciting experience.

Declaration#11: I declare to pursue with all my strength new forms of pleasure, excitement, exhilaration, and life for as long as air fills my lungs.

Declarations#17: I declare to never see myself as above another, but make myself a slave to all men.

Declaration#20: I declare to warm every person I meet with love and to attempt to reflect the very face of Christ to every man or women, no matter their demographic or stage of life.

Declaration#22: I declare to Fast, Pray, Rest, pursue silence and solitude, as well as the rest of the disciplines often and feverishly.

2009-09-10T18:02:00.000-07:00

2 Roads:

Born once, die twice.

Born twice, die once.

-Unless a man is born again he cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven...John3

scripture is clear all are dying and wasting away, its just a matter of whether you are:

living and dying...

or dying and truly living...

Which are you?

Death to the Atheists...

2009-08-29T12:48:00.000-07:00

Smyrna... (Reveation 2, speaks of the Church in Smyrna)

We know of the events in Smyrna (smyrna was a city in the roman empire located in Asia Minor) through a writer who claims to have witnessed them. It all began when a group of Christians were brought before the authorities (around 150 AD) and all of them refused to worship the roman "gods". Under the cruelest tortures they remained firm, they claimed that 'resting in Christ they scorned the pains of the world." When Germanicus, an elderly christian, was brought to trial, he was told that he should take into account his old age and recant, rather than submit to torture and death. To this he repsonded that he had no desire to keep living in a world where the injustices he had just seen could take place. And to show how deeply he meant his words, he called the beasts (wild animals hungry for his blood...lions, dogs, hyenas) to come to him and kill him. This act of courage enraged the angry mob, who began to shout: "death to the atheists!" (that is, those who had no visible gods) and "Bring Polycarp!" (The leader of the church in Smyrna).

When Polycarp learned that he was being sought he followed the advice of his flock (he was the pastor of smyrna) and hid for several days. But after having changed to another hiding place, and still having been discovered, he decided that his arrest was the will of God and refused to hide any longer and calmly awaited those who came after him.

The proconsul who presided at his trial attempted to persuade him, urgin him to think about his advancing age and consent to worship the emperor. When Polycarp refused, the judge cried out "out with the atheists!" To this Polycarp responded by pointing at the angry mob exclaiming "Yes out with the atheists!" Again the judge insisted, promising that if he would swear by the emperor and curse Christ he would be free to go. But Polycarp replied "For eighty-six years I have served him, and he has done me no evil. How could I curse my king, who saved me?"

The judge then threatened to have him burnt alive, Polycarp simply answered that the fire that the judge could light would last only a minute, whereas the eternal fire would never go out. He was taken outside and tied to a post. Here he looked up and prayed aloud "Lord, Sovereign, I thank you that you have deemed me worthy of this moment, so that, jointly with your martyrs, I may have a share in the cup of Christ. For this I bless and glorify you. Amen". He was burnt alive...

The stories of the sufferings of the saints of old only make one wonder if it is not they who should be pitied, but those of us who in our world of comforts, ease, and pleasures have tasted so little of the majesty of Christ. That in our lives saturated with little suffering we may not be in danger for our lives but for our souls. Polycarp, John Huss, the Apostles, and so many more lived lives that reflected so clearly that they were in love with God. He was enough, and all other pleasures paled in comparison to him. Could it be that the removal of all suffering and the infiltration of much evangelicalism into our culture has begun to produce generations that know about Jesus but have never experienced him. That know the story but have never been apart of it. Simply content to live our lives of ease, be culturally relevant and pursue our own desires often behind a veneer of Christian principles that simply cover the fact that in the end most of us care more about our stuff, our dreams, our future than we do about God. God help us... deepen our love for you, in ways that we are insufficient to accomplish.

Jesus help us to let our lights shine so brightly and so distinctly in a culture that seems to have so much knowledge of you but little love and sacrifice that seems to declare, we are yours...

Indescribable

2009-08-19T15:14:00.000-07:00

The design of the universe...is very magnificent and shouldn't be taken for granted. In fact, I believe that is why Einstein had so little use for organized religion, although he strikes me as a basically very religious man. He must have looked at what the preachers said about God and felt that they were blaspheming. He had seen much more majesty that they had ever imagined, and they were just not talking about the real thing. My guess is that he simply felt that religions he run across did not have proper respect...for the AUTHOR of the universe"- Charles Misner (scientific specialist in general relativity theory).

Scientist know that light travels at the speed of 5.87 trillion miles a year. They also know that the galaxy our solar system is a part of is 100,000 light years or 587,000 trillion miles in diameter. It is one of about a million galaxies in the optical range of our most powerful telescopes. It has been estimated that in our galaxy alone there are more than 200 billion stars. The sun is just one of them and a modest one at best. The sun travels at 135 miles per second!! And even at this speed (a vehicle moving this speed would circle the globe in just over one minute), it takes the sun 250 million years to complete one revolution around our galaxy. The infinite magnitude of this sovereign power is devastating to attempt to contemplate. In the mundane of our everyday life we are quick to not even grasp the grandeur of the massive creation that exists around us. And even more so, forgetting the God of existence, who eclipses all of these. That “ Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.”- Isaiah 40:17.

Every time the bible mentions man encountering God it is always quick to record the incredible reverence that is paid to his presence. Even consider the priest who had a rope tied around his foot so that in case he should be killed in God’s presence he could be dragged out. The name of the Lord brought such reverence that it was often not even spoken in Israel for the powerful presence it evoked.

This reverence seems to be a thing of the past. Mankind seems to operate in a fashion that belittles Gods power or even denies his existence. Attempt to contemplate the greatness of God, the author of all good, and how for an endless succession of moments those who believe will be ever increasingly exposed to the goodness, and greatness of the God of all things, the creator of the universe. His qualities are infinitely beyond our finite cognition and thus ever attempt to ponder the things of our God pales in comparison to his infinite goodness. It will not be a feat to fall in worship and live in reverence for all eternity. It the same way we drink deeply the beauty of a sunset over the mountains, or the magnificence of the differing topographies and geographies in our world, or the wonder of a lightning storm. All captivate our attention and yet, none is even worth comparing to the greatness unknown of the Lord our God.

In a recent debate in TIME Magazine, two scientists went head to head. Richard Dawkins the author of the “God Delusion” and leading spokesman for the scientific atheist community. A strong advocate of evolutionary processes taking place without the presence of a God, paired off against Francis Collins the Director of the National Human Genome Research Institute since 1993, he headed a multinational 2,400-scientist team that co-mapped the 3 billion biochemical letters of our genetic blueprint. He is a forthright Christian a convert from Atheism at age 27. Both are well-respected and influential figures in the scientific community. The two squared off back and forth, both providing reasonable and succinct answers for their personal opinions and conclusions on the existence of God. But the most awe-inspiring statement and terrifying one at that did not come from the mouth of Collin’s the outspoken Christian. But from Dawkins. He concluded that although he is a self-proclaimed atheist. He is certain of one thing we all have an idea of him that is too small, and he is far more wonderful than we could conceive.

Dawkins: If there is a God, it's going to be a whole lot bigger and a whole lot more incomprehensible than anything that any theologian of any religion has ever proposed.

(Here is the link should you be inclined to read it yourself. http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1555132,00.html)

It wasn’t the words of the Christian but the recognition of Dawkins that seems so incredible. (Collins did a wonderful job)… Simply his own belief, that If there is a God, it's going to be a whole lot bigger and a whole lot more incomprehensible than anything that anything we can even imagine…

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” Romans 1:20

INDESCRIBABLE...

Predestination

2009-08-01T04:56:00.000-07:00

I believe that nothing happens apart from divine determination and decree. We shall never be able to escape from the doctrine of divine predestination - the doctrine that God has foreordained certain people unto eternal life. - Charles Spurgeon

The topic of predestination seems to be a widely debated one. Not so much historically. For bible believing Christian’s predestination is not only true it is apparent in scripture. The word "predestined" is not only clear from scripture; it is literally referenced within it. (Ephesians 1:11, Romans 8:29-30). For bible believing Christians the idea of predestination is up for debate with regards to interpretation but not with regards to its existence.

Jacob Arminius the founder and of what is known as Armenian theology, known for its strong endorsement of free will, was a believer in predestination...So were his followers. It was simply they believed that God's foreknowledge operated in that he knew who his followers would be and thus chosen them based on what they would choose. He was an advocate of Synergistic salvation. Meaning a double-sided salvation. God opens the door and it is the sheep who walk through that are saved.

His view of salvation differed greatly from John Calvin's (his predecessor). Calvin and his followers held to the idea that it is God alone who saves; this is theologically referred to as monergistic salvation. God opens the door, is the door, and is the shepherd that guides his sheep through the door, without Gods moving them they would never move that way.

Church views held by leaders throughout history

-Origen: 185-254 AD: held to the view that God looked down the corridor of time and saw who would and would not choose him.
-John Chrystrom 347-407 AD: Held the to the same view as Origen

-Augustine 354-430 AD: Believed that none of would choose God, all of us would choose sin every time and it is God who chooses us based on nothing we have done or would do, but his grace.

-John Calvin: would attest to Augustine’s views

-Jacob Arminius: educated at Calvin's school, and refuted his teaching, aligning not only with Calvin’s teaching but also with Augustine.

In 1610: Arminius's followers came up with the 5 points of Armenian theology:

A. Free will/ Partial Depravity

B. Conditional Election

C. Universal Atonement

D. Resistible Grace

E. Perseverance of Some Saints]

In 1618 in response to these points Calvin’s followers came up with the canons of Dort. These conveyed the 5 points of Calvinistic theology

A. Total Depravity

B. Unconditional Election

C. Limited Atonement

D. Irresistible Grace

E. Perseverance of Saints

Now both groups are clearly saved, how the bible is clear that it teaches one method of salvation.

· But first we must see that God loves people, he is good, he defines goodness and love, and he is love and he desires that all would be saved

o 1 Tim 2: 3-4 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our savior, who desires all to be saved and to come to the knowledge.

o 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord…is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish, but is patient toward all.

o John 3:16 For God so Loved the World that he gave his one and only son.

o Jesus said “come to me, all you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”

· God loves all, yet there are many who wont be saved. John 5:40 “You refuse to come me that you may have life” Romans 10:21 “All day long I have held out my hands to you.

So God is good, he desires that all would be saved. But we are wicked, our will, desire, conscience, and existence is totally depraved. We are not utterly depraved (meaning we could do more evil), but we are in bondage to sin, ruled by our sinful nature.

· John 8:34- Everyone who sins is a slave to sin

· 1 Cor.1:14 Things of God are folly to the natural man

· Romans 8 Mind set on the flesh is hostile towards God, it cannot submit to God.

· Eph 2: You were dead in your trespasses…by nature children of wrath.

God is love, we are in bondage. Left to our own wills we would choose sin, Satan, and hell every time. But God “demonstrates his love for us in this, that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us”.

· Free Will??

o Luther wrote a book named “The Bondage of the Will” in response to a fellow contemporary of his named Erasmus. Luther’s point was that our will is in chains. The reason it could only be single-handed salvation is that our free will is in bondage to sin. The depth of our depravity is so strong that we must be first emancipated from our sin in order to worship God.

o Ezekiel 36 puts it this way “I will give you a new heart and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

So…
In love God predestined us, despite of all of our inadequacies and insufficiencies. He loved us, died for us, and ransomed us. Why? For the praise of his glorious grace. Beyond that we cannot be certain. But scripture is Clear, through his inexplicable love, Christ predestined those who would love him...

Worldliness

2009-07-25T10:17:00.000-07:00

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world the love of the father is not in him". 1 John 2:15

Thomas Jefferson famously created a bible that was unlike any other created. He went through the scriptures and carefully removed all teachings he did not agree with. He created the "Jefferson Bible". A book that complimented and accorded with his personal worldview. Thus he removed any supernatural interventions, anything pertaining to God's wrath against sin, hell, and any other teaching that contradicted his views. Such an action brings a wincing response from most Christians. But in all truth we all to some degree are guilty of the same mistake that Jefferson made. Making the bible out to say what we would like it to say rather than what it truly proclaims.

After all our generation (named generation Y) more than any other is influenced by this notion of individual truth. And although within Christendom many would stand poingnantly on the fact that truth is Christ and we are his. The daily manner in which we live does little to indicate that we are a people who have been liberated from the bondage of the world. We are quick to justify and acculturate many of the teachings of the bible as pertinent only to the 1st century or simply to not investigate our actions closely to examine if we have fallen prey to worldliness.

I can't help but think that in our desire to be relevant we have lost sight of much of the cross and our call to live in such a manner that our example draws others to proclaim that there must be something so much greater that explains such behavior. A simple look at your own life will likely draw out that for many of us this this is not the case. Like when was the last time you abstained from a movie because you felt it was not honoring to God, a TV show, ejected a CD whose language profaned God or his creation, gave up something or downsized for something that worked just as well, simply so that you would be able to bless something or someone other than yourself. Abstained from reading fashion magazines simply to refrain from the trashiness that many bring?

I can't help but think that in our efforts to right the wrongs of our parents and not be fundamentalist we have loosed our moral compasses and have become innoculated to a world that beckons to make us impotent and destroy us. I don't think that worldliness is something that suddenly rips us from the bosom of Christ. Rather it is subtle and insiduious. It creeps in and over a period of slow drifting. Drifting that doesn't take place in a way that is always easy to identify. Drifters may still be there on sunday, still sing the worship songs, and still seem ok. But inside are drifting, drifting away from the cross and further towards the world. Sin no longer convicts them as it once did, no longer seems as big of a deal, and slowly their affection for Jesus grows dim and passion for his kingdom begans to placate.

Charles Spurgeon put well 150 years ago he stated " The more the Church in her acts and her maxims, the more true is her testimony for Christ." Spurgeon emboldens his congregation to live in a manner that displayed the awesomeness of Christ and his desire for holiness. But this thinking has been removed. We seem to desire just enough of the world to tolerate it without become intoxicated from its power. The world has permeated almost every facet of our culture. Love for this world looks radically different than the love for God that the bible commands. Joel Bleeke define the goal of worldly people this way. He said their goal "is to move forward rather than upward, to live horizontally rather than vertically. They seek after outward prosperity rather than holiness. They burst with selfish desires rather than heartfelt supplications. If they do not deny God, they ignore Him, or else they use him only for their selfish ends..." How often is this the case, how many have fallen in love with the creation of the world and its inhabitants rather than truly fallen in love with the creator of the universe. Like what are our goals? What drives us? Financil security? More friends? Successful children? Spouse? or are our goals more upward? To obey and glorify God above all other aspects of life. Is this the pinnacle of our existence?

Make no mistake it is neither the person who abstains from the world entirely, nor the person who engages it who has mastered the art of being in the world and not of it. It is a matter of the heart. External indicators are not always as accurate as we like to think and can be incredibly misleading. Worldliness is internal. It is the inner cravings of a man that lead him into worldliness, aqquiring what John Owen said was " living affections for dying things".

But praise Christ that through the cross we have imputed righteousness through the cross to cleanse us of sin and imparted righteousness to allow us to walk in freedom from the lusts of this world. May we do well to listen to Spurgeons plea that as Christians we "Dwell where the cries of Calvary can be heard" and in doing this the things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. May we press to eradicate our lives of love for this world, but realize and meditate on the cross, its power, the ramifications of the cross and our Lord.

Mature Masculinity

2009-07-23T14:19:00.001-07:00

At the Heart of Mature Masculinity is a sense of Benevolent responsibility to lead, to provide for, and to protect women in ways appropriate to a man's differing relationships, which in fulfillment of their roles give glory to God...

This is not an exhaustive definition of Masculinity, there is much more to masculinity, but there is not less. And make no mistake it is possible for a man embody many traits that socially are associated with masculinity (i.e. hunting, fishing, fighting, sportsmanship, be an outdoorsman) while at the same time remain "immature" with regards to true and biblical manhood. If there does not exist this "sense of responsibility" to lead, provide, and protect, his masculinity is at best incomplete and may even be distorted...

The word sense here is most appropriate because it does not merit the necessity of a woman or the interaction with women for a man to develop or to have maturity with regards to his masculinity. For example if he is single in the mission field working with indigenous groups, he is at combat, in a monestary, imprisoned, these circumstances do little to negate ones maturity. Neither does this sense need to be actualized in order to meet the criterion for mature masculinty. The man can remain single and celibate and still have a mature sense of responsiblilty that permeates and influences the way he interacts with women, talks to women, relates to pornography or sexually illicit material found in cultural media of all kinds, and even the way he interacts with the marriages of men around him. It also does not mean that he in all situations is enabled to fulfill this burning desire within him. For example a man who has contracted a life crippling disease that leaves him bed ridden and unable to provide for and protect his wife is still capable of recognizing and sensing this desire to provide for and protect for his wife and children even if the wife has now assumed the responsibility as breadwinner.

The term "benevolent" is meant to express the manner of this responsibility and indicate how it is to be served to the women around him. Men are meant to lead biblically as Christ demonstrated becoming the servant in all relationships around them, not lording their leadership in a self-aggrandizing or dictatorial way. But rather they are to fully relay the expression of the golden rule with regards to their female relationships. (Matt 6)

It is a "responsibility", it is a God-given trust for the good of all his creation, it is a duty, one for which men will give an account. Clearly illustrated in Genesis 3:9 when God says first to Adam "where are you?" even may have sinned before Adam but he was the first called to give an account. This does not belittle the responsibility of women, it simply signifies mans unique responsibility.

To "lead" this is perhaps the most often misunderstood trait of masculinity. The term "lead" is somewhat nebulous pending the context in which it is used. Biblical and masculine leadership expresses itself not in the demand to be served but in the strength and conviction to serve and sacrifice for the good of those he is leading and in this case specifically for the good of woman. It imitates and embodies the model laid out by the teachings of Jesus and his moving sacrifice on the cross for his bride. It does this by serving and leading in ways that attempt to draw out the strengths of those on whom their leadership falls. Simply put a good leader does not aim to demonstrate his superiority over others but rather to bring out all of the strengths that will move them in their desired direction. The man must do this not by assuming and enforcing his leadership but advocating for it.

To "provide" is not to belittle or inhibit a woman's role in maintaining support for the family or for society but that his benevolent and loving desire to provide practically unfolds in that when their is no bread on the table it is the man who should feel a responsibility to get it there. This does not mean that the women can't help. This is clearly seen from Gen. 3 when the man receives his curse to work the land.

To "protect", at the core of mature manhood is the desire to protect. The mature masculinty produces a desire to suffer for the safety of other, to step forth into harms way in hopes of protecting his wife, family, loved ones, life, or truth. Few would contend that this is without virtue, just as few would lable it the women's job to play this role of protection in the place of her husband or for his protection. Such an opinion would be a distorted and perverted one that across cultures does not seem to align.

All of these actions and virtues lie deeply rooted in a regenerated heart that has been transformed, it is only through this that man is able to truly love like Christ loved the Church. But manhood has little to do with being married, just as it has little to do with much of what society would deem "manly". It is mans God-given responsibility to lead, provide for, and protect the women no matter the nature of their relationship. The clearest example of mature masculine leadership took place on the cross, and we as men are now charged to glorify God by behaving, leading, protecting, and providing for those around them, especially the women in their lives.

True Wealth

2009-07-21T04:57:00.000-07:00

"I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich)" Rev 2:9
"We are treated as poor...yet making many rich" 2 Cor 6:10

The teachings of Christ heavily include the topic of wealth, money, and spending. This man who did not own a home, have a savings account, and was socially speaking a 1st century Jewish peasant, he would however defy all previously held notions towards finances. Christ would speak almost 25% of the time on the topic of money. The teachings all centered on the fact that "you cannot serve two masters" and if you treasure the things of this world your heart will be here and fixed on more filling your life wiuth things rather than filling the kingdom with souls.

It seems that perhaps we have missed it. In a country where everything is accesible and right at our fingertips it seems as though most of us have fallen for the lie. That it is simply not our calling to deny ourselves, perhaps downsize our house, trade in our luxury SUV or sedan for something more affordable in light of the fact that over a billion people do not have water, over thirty thousand children will starve to death today, and a majority of the world lives off of what we spend in a week.
The bible recognizes that we have an innate sinful ability to withhold our lives from God, as though portions of it were ours, but the epistles constantly command us to aknowledge that Gods heart breaks for the hungry, the tired, the lonely, the widow, the abandoned. I see camper after camper up here. So many of which come from homes that operate in a manner of wealth that I do not even think one could quantify. But they are either spoiled, distasteful, or lazy, or lonely, angry, and just not led. I don't know where the fathers of so many began to justify and move in the direction that we need more, I need to work more and the mothers agreed... That it would be better if there was less Dad around but more things in the house...

But the problem continues not only in our greed for more but in our self consumption. We are an adulterous people who desire far too often God's creation rather than him. Its as though all of us have become heavily addicted to material possesions and justify these addictions by looking at the person above us and saying well its not like I have "..." and thus its ok. It is confusing. Our comforts tend to far outweigh our pursuit of God. Most of us would probably admit that what we want is a comfortable life in a beautiful suburban home, with a beatiful spouse and children, a good job that allows us to give 10% (a number well below the givings of God's people in the OT) a long life, die in our sleep, and no hell.

I am not sure how I would explain so much to so many of the saints at the feast in heaven, or how I would explain my life to God if my life fell in this pattern...

Christ give us the passion and understanding of your incredible sacrifice, how you who created everything became a man possesing nothing and that your actions further allow us to worship you by giving up some things and through you possessing everything...

New York New York

2009-07-12T21:45:00.000-07:00

I am sitting on a bus on the corner of 33rd and seventh avenue in New York city. Leaving the epicenter of world culture, capitalism, and cultural diversity is something of bittersweet this evening. On the one hand I am beginning my journey back towards my home, family, and life, but I am leaving behind a friend whose loyalty, love, commitment, patience, and wisdom have punctured into my heart and soul. The past days have brought into my life moments of intense joy in the fellowship of my closest of friends along with those of whom these friends live most intimately. But they also have enlightened my heart to a world I had previously only been able to imagine. This educational experience has left me deeply challenged on a number of levels.

NYC is unlike any other, a empire of extremely where poor meet rich, young meet old, religions foster the zealous and the careless, where you find the hungry and the full, men and women of every age, size, shape color, sexual orientation, social stratification, and race.

The city quickly revealed my own prejudices, pride, and sense of entitlement. I don't see the world like God does, I see things from a very homogenous, elitist, suburban perspective. But what made New York so beautiful is that it truly is a shadow of things yet to come...New York mirrors so much the heavenly city Augustine wrote of 1600 years ago in his famous work "City of God". Both the to be "New" City of heaven and New York City seem to share so much in common. Both are both enormous cities filled with people of every tribe and tongue gathered together in harmony. Though in no way is New York redeemed and thus its citizens pursuit is very unlike the holistic pursuit of the Citizens of the New Heaven who pursue God and his glory, where as the citizens of New York wholehearted pursuiis the dollar bill. But similiarly people from every walk of life come together and dwell together. There is even a large Garden in the middle. How close a resemblance does this city hold to our soon and future "City of God".

May the God of Power, strength, love, passion, and compassion have mercy on this City and bring revival to its gates. Jesus you see all mankind as image bearers, forgive us my God, forgive me...

-revelation 5:1-14

Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."

Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song:
"You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased men for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth."

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang:
"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!"

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:
"To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!" The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Amen

Fear

2009-07-10T09:17:00.000-07:00

"The only thing we have to fear is fear it'self - nameless, unreasoning, unjustified, terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance." Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Karl Marx reasoned that the greatest human motivation was fear. By using intimidation and fear you are able to force individuals into a paralysis that incapacitates them from being able to function, and conditions them to behave in a manner that is not only beneath their capabilities but also fail to even see their own potential.

The Christian is not to fall prey to this folly. Make no mistake fear is a good and Godly thing when its faculties are directed in reverence to the Lord. Scripture is clear that one cannot love God, be a Christian, or even have any wisdom if they do not fear God. There are millions and millions of very brilliant people who have been educated very well and regarded as intelligent by the world around them, who are also fools. The absence of Christ is the absence of wisdom, not practical or theoretical wisdom but true biblical wisdom. Thus fear is a good thing and a godly thing, but only when this fear is in the Lord.

We all fall prey to a number of other "sinful" fears that shroud themselves behind a veneer of humility, which in reality is truly the result of Pride and sin. Fears of failure, fears of inadequacy, fears of the future, fear of death, fear of being alone, fear of letting others down, all of these scream out our deeply ingrained pridefulness. We afraid to soil our name instead of consumed with bringing glory to God's name. We neglect to hold onto his promises, that he will give us the desires of our Heart, when we delight in him, and fail to trust that our heavenly father is working not only for his glory but our good. Often our fear is from a supposed inadequacy as if God made a mistake or could possibly need us to be just a little bit more intelligent, attractive, talented, or gifted to accomplish his good and perfect will. We replace the God of the bible and make others around us god by seeking their approval and acceptance this is called "peer pressure" in middle school and "people pleasing" in adulthood . We place God behind our own desires and wish to accomplish his will as long as it coincides with our will (ie finding our spouse, having children, living in the suburbs, and having a great church). And fail to trust him(the opposite of fear) and instead surrender over our lives to a number of other idols that were good things but when made god replacing things they became bad things.

Fear is among the greatest tools that satan uses the inhibit the gospel. But as a Christian you have not been given a spirit of Timidity (lit gk word cowardice), but of power, love and discipline-2 Tim 1:7. Therefore let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.-Hebrews 12:1-3

The sin of Fear is a subtle and incredibly disguised one. It provokes mercy from others around us, which is good. But we must also recognize that much of our sin is rooted in the fact that we are worried more about what people will think of us, than what they do think of God. Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom... fear of others, our embarrassment, our failure, our life not being as good as we hope, all of these are sin and have no place in the Kingdom.

Thus in a sense FDR was right but in a sense very wrong. His words were meant to foster courage and encourage other not to fear, and the only thing they have to fear is being affected and influenced by fear. We are to follow a similar pattern knowing that we have nothing to fear but only to trust in our God who will provide for all our needs.

Father you are worthy of Honor, glory, respect, reverence, admiration, love, and all of our fear. Teach us to trust you knowing we walk by faith not by sight. Forgive us our trespasses of the fear of man, loneliness, and failing. You are good Jesus and we trust you...

Truth

2009-07-02T07:22:00.000-07:00

When The Times invited several eminent authors to write essays on the theme "What's Wrong with the World?" Chesterton's contribution took the form of a letter:

Dear Sirs,
I am.
Sincerely yours,
G. K. Chesterton
It doesn't take long to recognize that something has gone terribly wrong in the world. Famine, disease, rape, death, destruction, and on and on and on. But from a macro level and a micro level the infiltration of sin has tainted every aspect of our world. Everything has fallen under the control (all under God's ultimate control) of Satan (1 John 5). Since the fall in Genesis 3 man has lived under the powerful grip of sin. Being born continuously into sin. This took place in the Garden of Eden when Eve listened to Satan's manipulative lies and was deceived, while her husband sat in sinful silence. These two sins of omission and commission embark our race into a world that has since been clearly under the power of the evil one.
But truth shines through in a timeless way amidst an everchanging world. Since Satan's lies to our first parents we have all fallen prey to deceit and deception. Satan's lie to Eve in the garden was not one of rediculous proportions but a subtle and slight manipulation of God's words and command.
"Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" He then goes on to assure that she will not die, but rather will be like God being able to distinguish good from evil. She falls for this lie and in her efforts to make herself more like God. (Clearly from scripture we find an interesting teaching because on the one hand a desire to be like God in virtue, humility, purity, holiness, all are good things, but to desire to be like God in power, authority, and dominion is clearly satanic.) But the lie, Jesus calls Satan the Father of lies John 8:44. And this is the problem we face. Christ will say that when Satan speaks he speaks only lies, which are his native tongue. So sin which is a quality of Satan not God, is always a distortion and a deception of true and abundant life.

The sins of Lust, Doubt, despair, materialism, etc... All revolve highly around lies.

The sins of self deprecation (eating disorders, unhealthy thinking habits, self hate) all of these are highly centered around the notion that you are not enough. Heavily influenced by the culture around you men and women began to feel inadequate amidst what they believe to be the standards of beauty. This is a direct violation of the Imago Dei and you belittle the image of God, listening to a lie of our world (a world under the control of the devil).

The sins of physical lust and sexual desire outside of a marriage bed, all sacrifice what was meant to be a gift that was a component of true intimacy (simply a small component not the fullness of it)and trade them for immediate gratification. Often these desires for intimacy trace back to a number of issues and complexes but in the end what we find is men and women falling for the lie that this false intimacy will fill the vacant and hollow cavity inside their chest and it only further empties it out.

Materialism, again we fall victim to the lie that things, positions, wealth, jobs, prestige, homes, cars, etc... that all of these will in some way improve our quality of life and Jesus taught openly against this, saying that there is no connection between life and wealth (Luke 12, Matt 5). We are in danger of falling for the lie that something new will entreat us, that we need this, that we deserve this, that life is too short and we have worked hard. Oh God help us, let us not fall to Satan's lies, and end up worshipping the temporal with our lives rather than the eternal.

But again it is the lie... Satan constantly toils to deceive and destroy us, his every desire is your demise. He longs to destruct your life, steal, kill, and remove all hopes of life, true abundant life from your soul.

But we have acres of hopes in the midst of such deceit. His name is Jesus he is the way, the TRUTH, and the life. He is our remedy for such lies, he is our rock in times of trial, he is our anthem of praise when the storms of life, lies, and sin come upon us. Praise God that he is beyond deception, he breathes truth into the most unlikely of places for the glory of his name and he is our Truth. He has provided a way out (1 cor 10) and he will be faithful to show us the way that leads to life, not death. Our King of Glory and truth

Lead us in the way everlasting Lord...

In him was life and the life was the light of Men...

2009-06-28T22:22:00.000-07:00

"He Made Him who knew no sin, to be sin, so that in him we might become the Righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21

Oh to behold the wonder of the cross. That in one central moment God crucified his only begotten son. To even meditate on this and see not as something routine or cursory but as new, fresh, brilliant, and gripping.

It was in this moment that we see the pinnacle both of God's love for man (his willingness to sacrifice his son) and his justice (with his disdain for sin being so strong that only the life of one who knew no sin, being slaughtered for the many and reconciling us back to God). Oh the mystery of the cross.

"My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!"

Verse from "It is well with My Soul"-Horatio G. Spafford. 1873

This hymn was written after several traumatic events in Spafford’s life. The first was the death of his only son in 1871, shortly followed by the Great Chicago Fire which ruined him financially (he had been a successful lawyer). Then in 1873, he had planned to travel to Europe with his family on the S.S. Ville De Havre, but sent the family ahead while he was delayed on business concerning zoning problems following the Great Chicago Fire. While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with a sailing ship the Loch Earne, and all four of Spafford's daughters died. His wife Anna survived and sent him the now famous telegram, "Saved alone." Shortly afterwards, as Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write these words as his ship passed near where his daughters had died.

In this midst of intense pain these were the words he read. Oh to meditate on the power of the cross, which has broken the power of sin and death. Freeing us to the Lord.

Captivate our hearts Lord Jesus we are so quick to miss your truth, compassion, mercy, and justice. Oh the wonder of the cross...

The Triune God

2009-06-20T07:47:00.000-07:00

"If you deny the trinity you lose your soul, if your try to explain the trinity you shall lose your mind"- Augustine

The term the "Trinity" was first used by the early church Father Tertulian, who attempted to provide a succinct term for the tri-unity that existed in God. Simply put this is a term that articulates there is one God, who exists as three distinct persons: the Father, THE Son, and the Holy spirit. Each are fully God and equally God.

The Bible is clear from beginning to end there is one God. Deut 32:39- "There is no God besides me". (etc...Isa 43:1, 45:5, 1 Tim 1:17, 1 Tim 2:5). This notion has always existed as countercultural in our polytheistic world. It is today, it was on the Day that Abraham left Mesapotamian Ur, and on the day that Paul showed up in Athens in Acts 17. There has always existed a plethora of false "gods" that are worshipped by our world. Regardless Christendom has alwasy heralded that there is but one God, the God of the Bible. Now the doctrine of the Trinity is historically what theologians have use to articulate two truths, the first being that there is one God. And the Second being that this God is comprised of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The 3 Persons each as God:

-God the father is God: no need to be belabored simply because few would deny this point. (But John 6:27, 1 Cor. 8:6 "There is one God the father")

-Jesus is God: more debated. John 1 "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the Word was God...and the Word became flesh and came to dwell among us", John 8:58 "Before Abraham was I am" (etc... John 20:28, Romans 9:5, Titus 2:13, 1 John 5:20.)

Holy Spirit is God. The spirit is a person not a force. He is personal not impersonal. He is responsible for convicting, instructing, teaching, guiding, and enlightening us. He can be grieved and resisted (to an extent). 2 cor 3: The Lord is the spirit and where the spirit of the Lord is there is freedom...this comes form the Lord who is the Spirit." (etc...John 4, Acts 5).

1 John 4:8- "God is love", in the very essence and Nature of God there exists a triplicate relation of Love. The trinity brilliantly manifests this truth. Trinitarian Doctrine clearly denies the idea that God could have possibly fashioned the universe out a desire for company. The God of the bible has never had any needs that finite man could possibly meet (Acts 17). But rather the universe was spun into motion by what Jonathan Edwards coined "an overflow of love" pouring out into creation magnificently.

Old Testament evidence for the Trinity.

"In the Beginning God created the heavens and the earth...and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the deep."Genesis 1:1-2 (In the first 2 lines of the scripture we see distinct doctrine of parts of the trinity, i.e. the word for God here is Elohim and plural word for the Hebrew God "El". We also see the presents of the Holy spirit working his part in creation).

Further evidence from Old Testament Jewish beliefs of the trinity. The Targum Neofiti- 200BC. (A targum is an accepted interpretation of the Scriptures from a Rabbi-- similar to a modernday commentary.) This specific Targum states that "In the beginning by the firstborn, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and void and the spirit of God was hovering over the face of the Deep." - This was 200 years prior to the birth of Christ! There existed at least to a certain extent Jews who were waiting for the coming messiah they believed to be God the son. Now not all Jews may have bought into this but clearly it was by no means a revolutionarily new idea from the 1st century AD Church.

Now why this is so important? Because it is a central tenet of not only Christian orthodoxy, but of the Nature of God. To deny such a principle is to deny a portion of God. It is the beauty and mystery of the trinity that magnifies that sacrifice of the Cross. Had Jesus simply been a creation of God (And not God, like Jehovah's witness, Islam, and Mormonism would all claim) then his sacrifice would be no more noble than that of any other altruistic sacrifice that have taken place throughout the history. (Men dying to save their country, families, faith. Or women dying to save their children...etc All are noteworthy but not monumentally and profoundly altering to the fabric of life, like Christ's sacrifice on the cross was.)

This is why the term used by members of Islam "people of the book", which they use to unify all Jews, Musilm's, and Christians together because we all worship the same God and trace our beliefs back to Father Abraham is faulty. We as believers in Christ believe neither in the God of the Muslims nor the God of the Jews. Because both of these sects fail to recognize Jesus as both our savior and our God. There is one God to deny that Christ is God is to deny God.

This Triune existence does not however operate in a fashion that resembles that of the metamorphic phases of Water. (i.e. liquid, ice, steam). God fully exists (well beyond human comprehension) in 3 distinct persons as one distinct God head. We see them working together throughout and within creation. Thus the economic trinity works in history for the redemptive plan of Salvation, but not in some limited Modalism that would require him to act in one mode discontinuous from the other two modes. Simply put God plays all 3 roles in a simultaneous fashion(Modalism is a teaching in the modern-day Pentacostal church that teaches God works in one mode at a time not in all three at all times, although this is perhaps not quite heretical it is without question not biblical. Matt:3: clearly portrays at Jesus's baptism that all three persons were present and evident).

The Trinity is a crucial belief that all of Christianity rises and falls upon. To deny this belief is to deny the faith in its totality. But it is important to remind ourselves that the "Trinity" is in no way a new idea, and not a creation of man. Rather man is a creation of the "Trinity" and its beautiful overflow of love in the creation of the Universe. The doctrine of the Trinity is an incredibly important component of our faith. We live in a world that is constantly attempting to pervert Biblical Christianity and tempt it to conform to the more unitarian beliefs of the dying world around it. If this doctrine is not understood, defended, and proclaimed Christendom will only move further towards impotency and heresy.

---God preserve your bride, and cause her to flourish for the Glory of your name.

Mature Masculinity

2009-06-18T08:17:00.000-07:00

The Life and Teachings of Jesus

2009-06-11T07:47:00.000-07:00

"I have come that they may have life and have it to the full." John 10:10

Throughout the life of Christ we see a wide variety of teachings that for the most part countered the sentiments and standards that were previously in place. But his actions did not negate the old testament but rather fulfilled them. I commonly come across men and women who in justifying their reasons for why something took place in the Old Testament they say in a somewhat deragatory manner "...yeah but that was the Old Testament". I fear that we may find ourselves in danger of misunderstanding the Law, the prophets, and the entire purpose of the old laws.

The summation of the Old Testament and Gods law is found in Christ's words to a local lawyer who had entreated Jesus to provide the law which was the greatest and foremost. "Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” So Christ establishes a Chief law the supercedes all other lawful words expressed in the Old Testament. This is the greatest diliemma presented from the Pharisees.

The Pharisees were a devoutly religious people. The were not the "Religious Leaders" (i.e. Chief priests, high priests etc... these were wealthy men, put in place to rule, but maintained very little piety. Generally speaking they had purchased their positions or inherited them. These men tended to be syncretists of the culture abstaining from very little. They were not admired for their religious behaviors), nor were they the Sadduccees (a syncretist strand of believers who denied of forms of Supernatural belief: including the ressurection, the miracles, they too were not admired but the public for their religious order). They were a group of men, many of which were Scribes, (lawyers, legal documentors) who had not pursued their positions for anything other than devotion. To put it another way, they had abandoned and sacrificed much of life simply for love of the game. They recieved no pay for what they were doing, simply the compensation that they were maintaining the Law. This lack of material gain likely only further increased the elitist feelings towards everyone around them who had failed to do this. They were men who maintained not only the Teachings of the OT, but added further instruction to God's word that would allow one to maintain even a more holy standard of life.

These included the idea that it is not lawful to even spit on the ground on the sabbath, (because such an action would when the saliva mixed with the dirt below produce mortar and leave you guilty of "construction" on the holy day) or that a tailor should be careful to insert the needle into a item of clothing they were making well before the sun fell on friday (the jewish sabbath began on friday night at sundown and ended saturday at sundown.) because if you had left the needle out you would have to insert it back into the clothes and thus would be guilty of sewing on the sabbath.

With this in mind it is easy to understand how the Disciples walking through the grainfields on a sabbath caught quite a bit of flack for plucking a couple of heads of wheat and snacking on the way home. Jesus defense of his disciples actions teaches yet again that these men had a improper understanding of the Law and its purpose. The law was meant to lead one to life not bondage. This was not something new, but he reminds them of David and his men eating the bread in the Temple that was reserved for only the priests. His refining of their misunderstanding of the laws is seen clearly throughout the rest of his teachings in the gospels.

Jesus makes it clear that it was not enough to simply to the right thing, but he fulfills the law requiring that one must further do the right thing for the right reason. All of his teachings seem to go beyond the criteria previously thought was neccessary. His rebuke that it is not enough to not commit adulterly but one must be careful to not commit adultery with his eyes. Jesus standards raise the bar again. For example the Jewish practices of the day were at least above those of the pagans of the day (i.e. Tooth for a tooth= Jewish law, tooth for a broken jaw could equal the pagan standard, but Jesus simply declares that his followers are to turn the cheek and give to any who ask of you.) He completely deconstructs the moral paradigm of the culture and and recreates one that instructs us that it is not enough to maintain the letter of the law and forsake the principle of it. Almost every teaching he gives in his Sermon on the mount declares a greater standard. In this way he fulfills the law, reminding the people of Israel that if one maintains the minimum of the law and does so simply for the purpose of producing a self-reliant salvation he decieves himself. Their are principles behind the laws of Old and they all culminate equisitely in this "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind."

I love Marks depiction of the Rich Young Ruler. This man comes to Jesus and proudly proclaims he devoted attention to the law his has upheld from his youth. And in hearing this Mark says Jesus "looking at him, loved him", he then asked him to sell everything he had. And to remove the god of money from his life. But it wasn't for any reason other than love, he simply wanted to rescue him from his bondage to things and self-sufficiency. I can imagine the same eyes that looked penetratingly at this man in love, also released sorrow in watching this man walk away disappointed.

Father give me discernment to excavate the depths of my heart and remove the areas where I have gone astray and turned to my own way while upholding the letter not the principle. May your name be given glory, allow us to be a people who loves you selflessly. You are better than life...

For We are his workmanship...

2009-06-03T09:32:00.000-07:00

Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths. Psalm 25:4

The existence of God having two distinct wills seems to be clearly portrayed throughout the scriptures. Time and again we see that there appears to be a will of decree and command. (Examples include his desire for all to be saved, yet the election of only some. His desire for Pharoah to let Israel go and his hardening of their hearts. His hardening and blinding of certain Jews that the Gentiles may be grafted in (Romans 11)...etc. So within God's redemptive plan for mankind we see within the fabric the foreordination of sin and its ramifications being used by God to establish his will and good purpose even though his decree stands against sin, the tapestry over which he reigns sovereigns utilizes the means of sin to accomplish the furtherance of his glory.

Clearly the scriptures teach that God is not tempted by sin, nor does he tempt man. But painted beautifully onto our cosmic canvas appears to be the allowance and sovereign commission of sin to accomplish the greater over all purpose of our majestic creator. We see this all throughout the Old and New Testaments beginning with Adam and his fall being ordained by God, to the deceit of Jacob and his mother stealing Esau's birthright, to Joseph's brother selling him into slavery an act that would later save the nation of Israel. But the stories don't stop here, God uses the Persians, the Babylonians, the dispersion of Israel, the Romans destruction of the temple, the Tower of Babel, and dozens of other stories orquestrated by the triune God to fulfill his plan for history. Joseph declared this when his brothers came to him and pleaded for mercy for what they had done. He clearly recognized that God had used their sinful actions to bring about his greater plan stating:"You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today". Gen. 50:20.

But the apex of sinful foreordination in history, centers entirely around the cross and the brutal murder of the Holy one of God, Jesus the Christ. God foreordained that he was to die, the scriptures even proclaim that it was Gods will to crush him (Isa. 53). And ironically in one fatal swoop the Cross of Christ accomplished the very death of death. The actions of Satan taken to incite the murder of the Messiah would prove to be suicidal on every level. Sin is always irrational, it is the rebellion against a sovereign who by his nature is the pinnacle of life, love, beauty, strength, goodness, and power. Thus Satan an irrational being committed an irrational act and murdered the Son of the Living God, thus rendering him powerless and setting us free from the law of sin and death. By his (Christ's) stripes we are healed and set free. Satan's suicidal and sinful actions were ordained by God and released us from the bondage we have endured since the fall that took place in Genesis 3.

This topic could be elaborated on much more extensively, but scripture is certainly clear, God has, is, and will continue to permit certain things to transpire in order to fulfill his greater purpose within creation. That purpose being the ever increasing proclamation and propagation of his Glory.

Father teach us to trust in your divine and exquisite plan for our lives, trusting as Clyde Kilby did in his resolutions where he resolved as we must that we "shall not fall into the falsehood that this day, or any day, is merely another ambiguous and plodding twenty-four hours, but rather a unique event, filled, if we so wish, with worthy potentialities. We shall not be fool enough to suppose that trouble and pain are wholly evil parentheses in our existence but just as likely, ladders to be climbed toward moral and spiritual maturation". Lord blessed be your name in all things, help me to trust you amidst immense pain, sorrow, and brokenness rejoicing in anything that produces perseverance, character, and a hope that will not put me to shame.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Eph 3:19-20.

Lord may we not fall prey to the assumption that this world is idiotic, but that today, this very day, some stroke is being added to the great canvas and that in due course I shall understand with joy this as a stroke made by the exuberant Architect who calls himself the Alpha and Omega.

"For we are his workmanship" Ephesians 2...

And so Fulfill the Law of Christ...

2009-05-27T08:32:00.000-07:00

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

Proverbs 16:25

In C.J. Mahaney's recent work "Humility" he likens his personal perception and his understanding of how he operates under the power of Christ to be as accurate as that of a Circus mirror. His point being that, he has an incredibly distorted and limited perspective on his spiritual life and the fruit that it produces. There exists within the fabric of his personality, demeanor, and temperament certain components that he has grown blind to over the years and no longer (if they ever did) strike him as so detrimental to his life, his ministry, and his faith. Thus ushers in his effectual understanding that he desperately needs men around him who will help, labor, and toil with him to root out these deeply ingrained habits, which are producing certain symptoms that reflect his flesh, not his master.

But "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!" (Romans 11:33), that in his infinite and indescribable wisdom God foreordained the circuitry within us to operate in such a manner that through the assistance of our brothers and sisters we are able to more aptly approach the throne of God. We see this referenced specifically all throughout scripture as well as frequently alluded to through the indications that the "analogy of scripture" as a whole presents to us.

But before getting into the scriptural indicators perhaps I should preface all of this we the clear indictment scripture provides, that we are by our very nature in opposition to the law of the Lord (Eph. 2). The way of the cross is folly to us (1 cor. 1) and is by no means something that comes naturally. All throughout the proverbs we see clearly that "All the ways of man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs his spirit"(Proverbs 16:25)(16:2), and that there is a way that seems right to him that inevitably leads to his death. Thus immediately we must acknowledge that we have a deep propensity imbedded inside our hearts that would incapacitate us from in humility pursuing or inviting the examination of our lives from our brothers or sisters, such an idea even seems wrong, or just not their place, or if nothing else just simply unnecessary. We are a complex race that is content watching our house burn down because we are afraid to confess to our neighbor that the magnificent marble well in our front yard has run dry, while at the same time our neighbor forgoes lending us the water from his well in order to avoid the insult that such an extension (in hopes preserving our life) would present. It is a dangerous and deathly game that we are found in, one that is deeply woven into the tapestry of our nationally American Self-reliance. The American dream is built upon it. But the echo Jesus in his sermon of the mount to his followers is clear: "Not so with you"

"Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself." (Gal. 6:1-3.) Paul plainly spoke out against the idea of allowing things to "work themselves out", after displaying that in love holding one another accountable fulfills the law of Christ. He even speaks to the fact that the person who thinks he doesn't need the help of his brother "deceives himself". Christ gave the same teaching in Matthew chapter 18 when he gave instruction for how to approach a brother in sin, the scriptures constantly call us to "Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed." (James 5:16, Psalm 32). Here James tells us to pray and confess in hopes that the sickness of our depraved nature would move towards healing not further down a path of destruction. The scriptures tell us to "exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." (Heb 3:13). Here the author of Hebrews commands us that it is our duty not our right to "exhort" (gk. literally παρακαλεῖτε: def. to intreat, to summon, desire, to call, to instruct) and so help our brothers and sisters escape the hardening process of sin. To not do so is a sin of omission and defies the law of Christ and Love.

We are called to not be slaves to anything (1 cor 6), and one way we pursue holiness is through community and accountability. Paul told us that “through speaking the truth in love, we grow up in every way into him” (Eph 4:15), we are to let our love be genuine, continue with affectionate brotherhood (Rom. 12:9).Solomon stated it plainly thousands of years ago when he said: “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!”, the first thing that God declared “not good” was man being alone (Gen 2:18). The scriptures have always infallibly taught that man needs and is wired for relationship, friendship, community, love, and accountability.

Sin desires to have its way with us (Gen 4:7, 1 Peter 5:8), its seeks to kill and destroy and among its most effective tools is that of isolation and pride. May we learn the way of the Cross and by his grace wage war against the flesh through the power of Christ and his gift of fellow workers in his kingdom.

Theology of Loneliness

2009-05-10T15:34:00.001-07:00

"The Voice of Life in Me, cannot reach the ear of life in you; but let us talk that we may not feel lonely."-Khalil Gibran, Sand and Foam

~Loneliness~

I am convinced that no experience or emotion more closely resembles hell. C.S. Lewis described the existence of darkness, as attributed to the removal of all light, such an analogy would trickle into a proper understanding of hell. Being as the removal of God and his mercy leaving behind his flawless justice. But this would lead us further to speculate that his removal along with all forms of his Goodness (save his justice) would also remove any all forms of uplifting and hope fostering community. Thus a certainty it is safe to attribute to God's wrath is the prescence of loneliness.

Now loneliness must be distinguished from isolation. These are in no way related. Perhaps the clearest indication of this is Western Civilization. Thomas Friedman wrote a work named "The World is Flat" , in this book Friedman discusses at length the globalization that continues to take place within our world. Simply put our world becomes more and more connected by ever increasing technological developments, yet within a simply national context suicide rates are higher in the USA than any other nation on the globe, ambien and sleep medicines are higher in the states than they are in any other nation in the world. Amidst the cell phones, parties, internet networking (Facebook), television shows, movies, ipods, and densely populated metroplexes americans are lonely.

"the soul of man...hath in it a raging and inextinguishable thirst!"- Henry Scougal 17th century theologian

Inside of man is a longing that cries out to be answered. There is a violent and reoccurring need to be known, to be apart of, and most importantly to be fulfilled. However, sin has crept in and impaired our vision of God as the supreme fulfillment of this need, incapacitating us from seeing and savoring him as beautiful (2 Cor. 3), or has simply placated our thirst for him by the hardening our hearts.(Heb. 3:13)

Loneliness is the inability to experience the presence and nearness of God. This often takes place by the hand of doubt fostered by the presence of a sinful nature. This nature, by virtue of itself hinders you from beholding the Lamb in all his beauty. Thus this nature gives birth to sin, sin birth to doubt, and doubt produces a lack of trust in the promise of God's nearness, his proximity to his people, and his grace that sustains us and comforts us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16,Isaiah 41, 45) . It is not however, to say that "distrust" would then be the ultimate grounds for loneliness. Meaning that there exists no scale where distrust would prove the pinnacle location of loneliness and great trust as beyond the grips of loneliness.

We must clarify that the ignorance of faith and its purposes would not be "distrust"(an extreme inability to trust God), but "no trust" (no faith, one outside of the Lords covenant). This "no trust" however, does not necessarily breed a more intense form of loneliness, but does well to produce a loneliness that generally plays itself out in a form of worship of some idea, ambition, dream, or desire for worldly gain. And so the premise still stands that loneliness is birthed from the cataract that sin provides, disabling our vision of God and his presence in a world where his attributes have been clearly portrayed. (Romans 1)

The Weight of Glory...

2009-05-05T18:24:00.000-07:00

We are far too easily pleased...

Perhaps the most famous legacy Henry David Thoreau left us was a work described as "Walden". The name of the book comes from a pond near his makeshift home, which was fixed aptly on the property of the well known author and life long companion, Ralph Waldo Emerson. Thoreau utilized the home as an escape for the less than ideal world he found himself in. In "Walden" Thoreau rebukes and mourns over the dreariness that has befallen upon our existence. The biblical parallels that he addresses would likely astound and comfort these pains of dissastification. He pities the fact that all over our world men and women have devoted themselves to works and toils that numb themselves to truly living.

Come, everyone who thirsts,

come to the waters;

and he who has no money,

come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

without money and without price.

Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,

and your labor for that which does not satisfy?

Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,

and delight yourselves in rich food.

Incline your ear, and come to me;

hear, that your soul may live... -Isaiah 55:1-3

Thoreau missed it, he called out for the people to reconcile with nature, not with their maker. He simply took one numbing fixation and replaced it with another. This as 18th century Puritan minister Solomon Stoddard nobly proclaimed doing so "does them little good, for it simply draws them from the snare and leads them to the pit".

The only fixation of which the objects fixed upon it shall find any rest, peace, or satisfaction would have to be one that has not fallen victim to the depravity that the aforementioned objects have. Reasonably there is only one infatuation, passion, and compulsion that is worth having. The infinitely sovereign maker and sustainer of all things.

Such a reality aligns wonderfully with C.S. lewis take on the discontent of man in his work "The Weight of Glory":

"If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, then I submit that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is no part of the Christian faith..."

Lewis attacks the idea that joy, hope, pleasure is a terrible thing, pointing out that our joy in truth is not only

the desire of God for his people, but his commands (Phillipians 3)

Lewis continues: "it would seem that our Lord finds our desires (for joy, pleasure, happiness) not to strong,

but to weak. We are half-hearted creatures fooling around with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is

offered to us, like an ignorant child who want to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine

what is meant by the offer of a holiday at sea. We are far too easily pleased".

But the human condition is not familiar with such an idea. We are quick to declare our disgust and discontent

with the creator of all things, expressing aggravation for not being satisfied with the trivial gifts that are mere expressions of his presence.

Often times this disgust and aggravation leads to the remission and denial of even an existence of a sovereign

presence in the universe.

The Gospel of Luke chapter 19 tells a story where Jesus is drawing near to the city and begins weeping

over it, weeping over their inability to understand and their satisfaction with religion and the idolatry it has brought.

Perhaps such weeping continues as mankind continues to be content and satisfied with creation rather than

the creator.

We continue to savor dreams, selfish ambitions, wealth, comfort, 2 kids, a wife, and a two story home

with a labrador, money, fame, prowess... Oh Lord help us, even in our purest desires we idolize treasures that

are transient in the scope of true and abundant life...

Forgive us Lord, We really are Far too Easily Pleased...

We are beggars, this is True.

2009-05-04T18:10:00.001-07:00

Luther's last written words

Throughout history there have been men and women whose devotion to the preservation and proclamation of truth have echoed from century to century. Martin Luther was such a man. By no stretch of the mind was he perfect but this formerly Augustinian monk would shake the foundations of organized religion, and cry out that the bride of Christ be reformed and purified. Luther would live 62 years, he would initiate protestantism, translate the bible, call for change within the Church, and help ignite a flame that continues to burn brilliantly to this day.

His last written words came two days before his death. They are a clear summation of the protestant humility which he hoped to portray. Lying on his death bed he asked for a slip of paper, on it he wrote the words "Wir sind bettler. Hoc est verum": a mixture of tongues the first part written in German meaning "We are beggars" and the second written in Latin "this is true". Luther understood, that the greatest of man is as nothing before the throne of him who dwells in unapproachable light. That no matter the accomplishment or the prestige all of us are under his sovereign and merciful grace. Rescued and transferred from one kingdom to the next, made alive in Christ Jesus by no doings of our own. We are beggars, its true. But our begging has turned into dancing, laughing, and rejoicing. He has rescued us from sin and breaking the chains it held upon us.

There is no more fitting title for this blog, the two of us proudly proclaim that "We are Beggars, This is True".