Thursday, October 4, 2012

Politics and Religion


Numbers 14:21 (NASB)

but indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the LORD.

Psalm 72:19 (NASB)

And blessed be His glorious name forever;
And may the whole earth be filled with His glory.
Amen, and Amen.

Habakkuk 2:14 (NASB)

“For the earth will be filled
With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD,
As the waters cover the sea.

Deuteronomy 4:24 (NASB)

For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

Genesis 1:28 (NASB)

God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Genesis 6:1-6

Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them,
that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.

Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years."

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

Genesis 8:20-21

Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

The LORD smelled the soothing aroma; and the LORD said to Himself, "I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man's heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done.

Genesis 9:1 (NASB)

And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.

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Why is God a jealous God?  Why does He want the earth filled with His glory?

Because He is perfect.  Because He is the only source of good, peace, patience, joy, love, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control and faith.

It is found no where else.

Only when He is famous, when everyone knows Him, when the world is aligned under Him, is there peace.

God told Adam to go and fill the earth.

What happened?

The Nephilim – the fallen angels? – came and made a mess.    … Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

They abandoned their job to make His glory known throughout the earth.

After God restored order after the flood, He told Noah much the same thing.

He gave man the mission to rule, reign, spread out and fill the earth.  Fill the earth with His glory.

What happened?

They decided to stick together and settle in one place…

Genesis 11:1-9

Universal Language, Babel, Confusion

1Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words.
 2It came about as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there.
 3They said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly." And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar.
 4They said, "Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth."
 5The LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.
 6The LORD said, "Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them.
 7"Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another's speech."
 8So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city.
 9Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth.

What did God do?  He made them spreadout.  Why?

So that His name might be famous throughout the earth.

He is not a needy egomaniac, but good is only found in Him.  The more His glory shines, the more there is peace.  God very much wants peace for us.

This takes me to my theory.  Look at the political map.

What do you notice geographically about the difference?

The large concentrated urban centers. Boston, New England, New York, Washington, Chicago, L.A., Southern Florida, where people are pushed together there is greater focus on how government can solve our issues.  We can do it, through legislation, organization and society.

Before you scoff at legislation, remember that man’s heart is on evil from his youth.  Why do we have door locks, home security alarms, monitoring services, pin codes, key fobs, identity theft protection, security cameras, guns, guard dogs, TSA, prisons, jails, prosecution, safety training, community watch committees, police, sheriffs, homeland security, FBI, CIA, NSA, Postal inspectors, FDA meat inspectors, Red light cameras, SOX, COBIT, ITIL, GLB, NPPI, firewalls, web proxy filters, spam filters, virus filters and on and on…because evil is everywhere.

Before you join the Tea party and ask for the removal of government and legislation, remember where you live.

What is the other group?  We can do better with less government, less inefficient bureaucracy, taxes, debt, control, legislation, regulation.

Yes the economy thrives when there is less, but more people are taken advantage of.  See also S&L crisis, Mortgage crisis, Enron, WorldCom, Bernie Madoff….

Do we want less, because we want more reliance on God or because we want more reliance on ourselves?

The answer:

Exodus 25:8

 "Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.

Exodus 29:45

"I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their God.

Leviticus 26:12

 'I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people.

Jeremiah 31

 "At that time," declares the LORD, "I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people."

Ezekiel 37:27

"My dwelling place also will be with them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people.

John 14:23

Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

2 Corinthians 6:16-18

Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said,
         "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM;
         AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
       "Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord.
         "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN;
         And I will welcome you.
        "And I will be a father to you,
         And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,"
         Says the Lord Almighty.

1 Samuel 8

Israel Demands a King

 1And it came about when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons judges over Israel.
 2Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in Beersheba.

 3His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice.

 4Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah;
 5and they said to him, "Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations."

 6But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us " And Samuel prayed to the LORD.

 7The LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.

 8"Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day--in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods--so they are doing to you also.
 9"Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them."

Warning concerning a King

 10So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to the people who had asked of him a king.

 11He said, "This will be the procedure of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and place them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen and they will run before his chariots.

 12"He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and some to do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.

 13"He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers.

 14"He will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his servants.

 15"He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give to his officers and to his servants.

 16"He will also take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys and use them for his work.

 17"He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants.

 18"Then you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day."

 19Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, "No, but there shall be a king over us,

 20that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles."

 21Now after Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the LORD'S hearing.

 22The LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to their voice and appoint them a king." So Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Go every man to his city."

Deuteronomy 17:18-20

 18"Now it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests.

 19"It shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes,
 20that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel.

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"I believe in political equality. But there are two opposite reasons for being a democrat. You may think all men so good that they deserve a share in the government of the commonwealth, and so wise that the commonwealth needs their advice. That is, in my opinion, the false, romantic doctrine of democracy. On the other hand, you may believe fallen men to be so wicked that not one of them can be trusted with any irresponsible power over his fellows.

That I believe to be the true ground of democracy. I do not believe that God created an egalitarian world. I believe the authority of parent over child, husband over wife, learned over simple to have been as much a part of the original plan as the authority of man over beast. I believe that if we had not fallen, …patriarchal monarchy would be the sole lawful government. But since we have learned sin, we have found, as Lord Acton says, that “all power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” The only remedy has been to take away the powers and substitute a legal fiction of equality. The authority of father and husband has been rightly abolished on the legal plane, not because this authority is in itself bad (on the contrary, it is, I hold, divine in origin), but because fathers and husbands are bad. Theocracy has been rightly abolished not because it is bad that learned priests should govern ignorant laymen, but because priests are wicked men like the rest of us. Even the authority of man over beast has had to be interfered with because it is constantly abused."

— C.S. Lewis (The Weight of Glory)

Revelation 19:11-16

The Coming of Christ

 11And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.
 12His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself.
 13He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
 14And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.
 15From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.
 16And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."

Revelation 20

Satan Bound

 1Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.
 2And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
 3and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.
 4Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
 5The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection.
 6Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

Satan Freed, Doomed

 7When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison,
 8and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore.
 9And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them.
 10And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Judgment at the Throne of God
 11Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.
 12And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.
 13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.
 14Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire This is the second death, the lake of fire.
 15And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 21:1-9

The New Heaven and Earth

 1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
 2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
 4and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain;the first things have passed away."
 5And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new " And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."
 6Then He said to me, "It is done I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.
 7"He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.
 8"But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
 9Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb."







 

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Where is God when disaster strikes

Spend a minute with me thinking about an animated loud exuberant Red Faced Monkey. Jake is busy as a 2 year old. Active. Boundless. Perpetually inquisitive and endlessly in search of a new discovery, especially if food is involved. Please keep Jake firmly in mind as we move along and make certain not to forget him. The Problem of Pain Why am I here He Knew The Weight of Glory There is a King. Actually Three Kings. Unique. There are three, but they are so completely perfect, kind, knowing, present, powerful and loving that they are really completely one. Three, but one. They can finish each other’s sentences. They are everywhere, all powerful, know everything and are everywhere. They have always been this way. There was never a time when they were not. They are drenched inside and out in beauty, harmony, peace, joy, kindness, faithfulness, mercy, patience, provision, power, purpose, comfort and love. There is nothing they don’t have and absolutely nothing they need. Their existence is completely perfect and they are completely Holy. In fact you can’t even speak about their perfection in terms we can grasp. Their holiness is overwhelming and cannot be measured. The three in one is HOLY, HOLY, HOLY. Their love is boundless. This too is beyond measure. It is higher than the highest heaven and deeper than the deepest ocean. They are both completely HOLY and completely LOVING. However their infinite holiness cannot entertain or tolerate the least imperfection. This is completely incompatible with their nature. It is like trying to keep a room dark when the bright light is turned on or trying to keep ice cold when the laser is on and burning. They are perfect and they will not stop until everything is perfect in purpose and holiness. Anything less is completely foreign to their nature. While they need nothing and are completely perfectly content and at peace in themselves, their love overflows in kindness and generosity to us. The three and one elected to created humans and made them in their image. Meaning they chose those who could love, could reason, could choose, could rule and could enter into relationship. They would make us fearfully and wonderfully and put us in the finest accommodations. They simply wanted to share the love, relationship, community, joy, peace and purpose that they enjoyed so fully. Requirement. They did not want to create creatures that would be forced to love them back. If we are really to have a seat at their table, to have a place and purpose, to be a part, to share the love and relationship, it must be our choice. This choice is absolutely essential, otherwise what is the point. The idea was to extend the love of the three-in-one to others. To widen the circle of relationship. To allow others to participate in the divine glory. To commune with God. It is a BIG BIG STORY!!! Their creative power is limitless. They don’t need a Project Manager, a Designer, Architect, Logistics Planner, Design Specialist, Graphic Artist, Public Relations, Time Line, GANTT chart or any of the rest. No CAD/CAM, just their word. Literally, they speak and entire universes come into existence with a simple word from their mouth. There is nothing they can’t do. If the creation is not able to choose, to have free will, to choose to love or reject, then there is no point. If I could speak a universe into existence and speak it out of existence with just a word then what is the point. It is like turning on and off a light switch. It has no meaning or purpose. Like playing Solitaire, but God is not bored and in need of something to do, to fulfill His meaningless existence. God is purposeful. Everything He creates is beautiful, has meaning and purpose. Everything. Especially You. The problem of free will and God’s knowledge. The word tells us that God knows the end from the beginning. Meaning he knows what will happen in the end before He ever begins. Genesis 6:1-6 Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years." The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. Isaiah 14:12-14 "How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! "But you said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. 'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' Revelation 12:4 And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child. Luke 10:18 He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Genesis 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." Sweet Deal. Adam and Eve excellent deal. To rule, to have a purpose, to live in perfection, a place. I think they had been there long enough to get bored. God created you to rule. They didn’t take that to God. He created the whole earth and the universe. There is much more ruling available. Genesis 8:21 The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done. Even in perfection we fall. Do we need the pain to learn to follow and trust? Contentment – Keeping your eyes on Him – Adam & Eve and others He knew we would be at home with Him for a while content in our relationship with Him. Each evening He came to His creation and like little children the created were enamored with all that they had discovered that day. Of course the Three-in-One already knew what they had discovered, He made it and he of course knew what they would discover before they discovered it. During this blissful time there was beautiful relationship. He had created a perfect universe, a place, a purpose and the created were given all of this to rule. I suppose that the creation ran out of things to discover and rule over in this little garden after a time and frankly got bored. Rather than ask the King for more to rule over or for more purpose they lazily began to entertain thoughts of reaching into the one thing the King told them not to do. They took their eyes off of Him and did not find their contentment, purpose, meaning, joy and love solely in Him. Not unlike Peter who attempted to walk on the water. Doing fine, eyes on Jesus, living in the moment, enjoying the relationship, then he jumped ahead worrying about what will happen next. Relationship with God is only in the moment. The past is forgiven and gone. When you take your eyes off of Him you fall. If you look around even for a moment you fail. Prison, Addiction, broken Relationships, Abuse, Divorce, Neglect, Loneliness, Boredom, Longing, Hunger, Economy, Disease, Death, Tyrants, Destruction and on it goes. There was a time much earlier when a third of the King’s helpers , the Angels, decided they had had enough. They were not content. There it is again. Contentment. Satan and a third of the angels had a good deal. Adam and Eve had a good deal. To be in relationship with the self-existent, holy, perfect, patient, loving creator, who is completely powerful, knows everything and present everywhere at the same time. To be cared for by Him. To have all of your needs met in Him. To be created in His image, to live in His garden or in His holy heaven. To be known. To be acknowledged by Him and to touch His divine glory. To have Him find joy in relationship with you. To have the Holy One say to you “well done good and faithful servant”. Too good for any amount of words you can imagine, constructed by the most elegant wordsmith. But for these it wasn’t enough. Too simply be in the moment to love Him and to be loved by Him. To simply trust and obey was too much. To break covenant. To adulterously run after something else. To leave your first love and try to find joy, purpose, knowledge, rule, dominion, love in another. 1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Matthew 14:28-31 Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Luke 11:24-26 “When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.” Philippians 4:4-9 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. We’re in a fight You don’t push out sin and fear by sheer determination and grit, you empty yourself of yourself and you continually fill yourself with Him. See Romans 12:1 Realize you are hungry for Him. You are starving to death. Most of you won’t miss the opportunity to take advantage of mealtime, even if the food quality is poor. You know you are hungry. You are in a fight. If you knew there would be a fight later today you would be ready. If you knew someone was coming after you, you would do your best to be ready. If you knew you had an appointment with the parole board tomorrow you would be ready. It is amazing how many people don’t know they are in a fight. 1 Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Ephesians 6:10-18 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Romans 12:1-2 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Purpose He loves you. He is not oblivious to your pain. He hurts with you. Deeply, but he must keep the door open longer for others. Wouldn’t you love for Him to come back right now? What if He came back 50 years ago. You’re out. There were others suffering death, disease, prison, slavery, abuse, poverty so that you would have an opportunity. Can you imagine the gratitude that millions will have for you that God did not stop this world sooner and allowed them to join in the story. Endure, find joy, peace, kindness, love, patience, gratitude, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control in the midst of suffering. When we doubt because of our pain and the pain all around us, we are asking the wrong question and looking through the wrong end of the telescope. The question is now where is God and how can He be good, but how is that He has been so patient in our rebellion. In fact, given that He knew in advance what would happen, why did He create and why does He love like that? Unfathomable. Isaiah 46:8-11 "Think about this. Wrap your minds around it. This is serious business, rebels. Take it to heart. Remember your history, your long and rich history. I am God, the only God you've had or ever will have— incomparable, irreplaceable— From the very beginning telling you what the ending will be, All along letting you in on what is going to happen, Assuring you, 'I'm in this for the long haul, I'll do exactly what I set out to do,' Calling that eagle, Cyrus, out of the east, from a far country the man I chose to help me. I've said it, and I'll most certainly do it. I've planned it, so it's as good as done. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. Job Job lost his family, his possessions, his health and was left with some sorry friends and a negative wife. Job thought God hated him and was unjust. Job is likely the first book written in the Bible. God knew about our questions about pain. He wanted to give us a story, so that we would know that life is hard. He didn’t create it, but he knows we need it. Job thought he was alone, but he was center stage in the largest of drama’s as all of heaven and hell were looking on as an epic battle ensued as Job fought Satan and God was glorified. If Job knew that he was asked to glorify God and to be an example for billions who would suffer after him and he would be famous forever what would his attitude have been. Sons of Korah Numbers 16:1-3 Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—became insolent and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council. They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the LORD's assembly?" Numbers 16:8 Moses also said to Korah, "Now listen, you Levites! Satan, Adam and Eve share something in common. They had it good. Perfect in fact and it wasn’t good enough. They weren’t content. They didn’t keep themselves focused on Him. To simply Trust and Obey. To find joy and contentment in Him. Numbers 16:31-33 As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, with their households and all Korah's men and all their possessions. 33 They went down alive into the grave, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community. Numbers 16:40 as the LORD directed him through Moses. This was to remind the Israelites that no one except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense before the LORD, or he would become like Korah and his followers. Numbers 26:11 The line of Korah, however, did not die out. Note: The sons of Korah were Levites served in the temple, and they could no longer serve in the temple. Now what? Psalm 84 For the director of music. According to gittith. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. 1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! 2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. 3 Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young— a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God. 4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Selah 5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. 6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. [b] 7 They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion. 8 Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty; listen to me, O God of Jacob. Selah 9 Look upon our shield, [c] O God; look with favor on your anointed one. 10 Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. 11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. 12 O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you. Matt Redman Better is One Day – 1995. Millions of Christians worshipping. How lovely is Your dwelling place, Oh Lord Almighty My soul longs and even faints for You For here my heart is satisfied, within Your presence I sing beneath the shadow of Your wings Better is one day in Your courts Better is one day in Your house Better is one day in Your courts Than thousands elsewhere (repeat) One thing I ask, and I would seek, to see Your beauty, To find You in the place Your glory dwells My heart and flesh cry out, For You the living God Your Spirit's water for my soul I've tasted and I've seen, Come once again to me. I will draw near to You. I will draw near to You How lovely is Your dwelling place O'Lord Almighty My soul longs and even faints for You For here my heart is satisfied within Your presence I sing beneath the shadow of Your wings Better is one day in Your courts Better is one day in Your house Better is one day in Your courts Than thousands elsewhere One thing I ask and I would seek to see Your beauty To find You in the place Your glory dwells One thing I ask and I would seek to see Your beauty To find You in the place Your glory dwells My heart and flesh cry out for You the living God Your spirits water to my soul I've tasted and I've seen come once again to me I will draw near to You, I will draw near to You Paul and John Paul was in prison and desperately wanted freedom to go and preach. God had him right where He wanted him. God made him stay put so that he could write a large portion of the New Testament. John was imprisoned on the Island called Patmos and wrote for us the Book of Revelation. Joseph Joseph was badly treated and spent 13 years away from his family and largely in prison, but brought salvation to the world and his own family. Abraham and Moses Never saw their promises. Babylon and others The Israelites were in Egyptian Slavery and Abuse. They spent 40 years wandering around the desert. They were in Egyptian bondage, Babylonian captivity, Roman occupation and many other trials. Millions of Israelites in hundreds of generations never saw the hope and promise. Had they known that through God using circumstances to hold them together as a group for thousands of years to bring the world the Christ what would their attitude have been? Some never saw much but misery. There part was to trust, obey, be patient and do their part in the larger story. Hebrews 11:32-40 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Attitude You see we are far from holy, in fact when you get right down to it our best if filth, full of twisted motives and selfish ambition. Isaiah 64:6 All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. When God tells us not to be anxious that’s just what He means. NOTHING. Absolutely NOTHING. Not prison, the system, the judge, the jury, your family, the future, restitution or your accusers. Live in the moment with Him. He has got you. He has got you completely. Every morning before you allow one thought in your mind about your circumstances allow Him in and nothing else. He is in charge. He has got you. You can trust Him and have peace and joy. Will you choose Him? Will you choose pain? Will you choose discipline? Will you choose to be strong? Will you choose to trust? Or will you rebel? Duck the pain? Find an escape? Bury yourself in a drug? Steal from someone else? Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. James 1:2-4 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces (E)endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be (G)perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If I told you that in exchange for a life time of extreme pain and difficulty you could experience an eternity of Utopian Perfection beyond all you could ask or imagine. An eternity of love, relationship, peace, joy, kindness, purpose, dominion, provision and so much more compared to a fleeting list of pain and trouble you would choose the pain every time and so would He. He chose pain, because He chose you over His own tranquility and comfort. Will you chose Him over the pain. Will you hold the line, defend the defenseless, serve your family, deny yourself, empty yourself? If someone told you that the Taliban had planned a sleeper cell in Dallas and they were preparing to detonate a nuke in downtown, who wouldn’t do everything they could to find it. Everyone wants to be a hero. The question is will you do the really hard work. Daily denying yourself, taking up your cross and following Him (Mark 8:34-35, Luke 9:23). When you do, you will find that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Matthew 11:30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Hope Where is your Hope? Are you hoping in your release date? Credit for your time served? Getting a letter? Finding a job? Getting reestablished? Restoring relationships? The next election? I have no hope in the present on the grand scale. The economy, prison, war, disease, earthquakes, abuse, divorce, anger, selfishness, slavery, Iran, Nukes, WMD’s, terrorism, Russia, Hamas, Taliban, Al Qaeda and on and on. The church is Plan A for this world and there is no Plan B. The church is largely dead, inactive and self-absorbed. It often has to get worse before it gets better. God will let us come to the end of ourselves. We have tried Kings, Marxism, Socialism, Communism and even Democracy. Notice how all of Islam is rebelling against oppression. Islam has failed too. The selfish and greedy have abused others and nearly sunk the whole country. God quietly waits while we fall on our face and look to Him. Get a vision for Heaven We have a home. It is beautiful. Jesus went to prepare a place for us. Not a 2’x2’ place to stand in with a choir on a cloud, but a place to rule. He is building the place and growing us into the role. He is giving us dominion. We will judge angels. We will be like Him (1 John 3:1-3). Romans 8:29-30 (predestined to be conformed to the image of the son). Trust Him. Surrender to Him. Find a smile. Choose joy. No Surprises God knew. He knew before He created. He knew completely. No surprises. No improvise, adapt and overcome. He chose. Just stop and contemplate that. He chose. He knew and He chose you. I mean that He chose you. 7 billion people or just one. All the same. He chose relationship. Out of His overwhelming love and grace. He chose. Ephesians 2:4-10 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing (I)riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. John 3:16-17 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. God was not surprised. He chose. He has done everything. He created a universe that is magnificent beyond measure. He cut covenant with us. He kept His word completely as we were completely wretchedly unfaithful. He intentionally chose, knowing the cost. He chose to enter the story to let each of us break His heart. He chose to allow His creation to bring Him pain. He chose to commit to us no matter what. To enter into the most sacred covenant with us. He came to our wretched world. Contrast Imagine that for a while. The God of the universe, left His throne and came to our world. Think about it some more. Can you begin to even fathom what a vast step, what a huge gift it was that He came. Creator became a part of His creation! Imagine Jerry Jones, Ross Perot, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet or the Sultan of Brunei used all of their considerable influence and liberated you from your situation, gave you everything you could imagine, were patient, kind and generous to you and then you attacked them, were convicted and sent right back here. But not in Dawson, Hutchins or Polunsky’s Death Row, but to the most torturous bloody abuse you can imagine and then took your place. The fact that we are even created is breathtaking, that we can know of Him, His existence, His divinity and stunningly that we are able to speak His name. We are unworthy to even look on His kingdom, breath His air, dirty up His creation and certainly to revile against His will. When you combine a true understanding of how very far from who He is with an understanding of what He has done, praise comes gushing out of you. Out of every thought, every motive, every opportunity, and every resource at your command. You can’t keep from singing His praise. How can you ever say thank you enough, do enough or work to make Him more famous on this Earth. That is where life is lived, not in checking off the rules or giving the right amount. Not in trying not to lie, manipulate, abuse substances, steal or be kind to your families. It is wreckless abandonment to denying yourself and doing what He commands. His yoke is easy. Take every thought captive and surrender to Him. Live in the moment. What does He want? Do it. It is seeing a need and rushing to meet it. It is fervent prayer (just communicating fully, freely, intently with the one you love passionately and with all of your being). He continues to love you this way. It is without fear. He does not want relationship out of your fear or reluctant dutiful acceptance. He wants you heart soul mind body in relationship and love with Him. He knew it wouldn’t be that way. That we would be far from it. That we would break covenant, early, often and in the most vile and abusive self-centered ways imaginable. Today we look on the “problem of pain” and can’t believe a loving holy God could be real when so much pain, heartbreak, cancer, disease, slavery, abuse, war, terror, disaster and calamity are allowed to be so pervasive. Unfortunately it is the wrong question. If God created. If He chose us, this would be the outcome. Create or not create. That is the question. He knew the pain. Adam, Eve and Satan tried relationship without pain and it was a complete failure. Our pain is the only thing that draws us to Him. Unfortunately proven time and again without a reason to be drawn to Him we will rebel every time. God knew it would be hard. He knew the cost for each of us and He certainly knew the cost to himself. He knew and He chose YES!! You see our pain is not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Generations Each generation has wanted Christ to return. We owe a big thank you to those who have gone before us and had to suffer so that we would live and have an opportunity to meet Christ and be saved. When thousands and millions come up to and tell you stories of redeemed lives and thank you for enduring, so that the door might have been left open for them, what will you say? God knew. He knew what would happen. He knew what it would cost. He knew and yet He created. He knew and yet He fully lived in each moment, experienced each heartache. He knew it would break His heart. He knew the cost to His son. He chose you anyway. God hates sin. He hates to see you hurt. He hates it. He hates it. Weighed against eternity in relationship with Him, there is no comparison. Eternity in beauty, perfection, provision, purpose, personality and peace is worth any price this world exacts. When you combine a healthy understanding of how completely unworthy you are. Isaiah 64:6 All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. With a strong understanding of how holy righteous loving and gracious God is, praise just comes flowing out. When you allow this joy to fill you, by constantly renewing your mind (Romans 12:1-2) to your own sinfulness and His amazing grace you can’t do enough, you can’t love enough, you can’t tell enough people. A river of life comes pouring out of you. Keep your eyes on Him. Imagine you were on the Titanic, a ship in the North Atlantic during late winter. The ship sank and you and others are in row boats just trying to survive. Some are in the water and some have died, for other death is imminent. Most people have nice row boats and are oblivious to the danger. These people are constantly remodeling and improving their position. In the distance you see your rescue. Help each other, encourage one another, hold on, endure. Don’t focus on your circumstances. Focus on helping others get to home. It matters greatly and God certainly doesn’t take this fallen world lightly. He grieves with you, but we are leaving. Endurance I have largely spoken about focusing on Him and enduring. I am not saying to resign and give up. Fight for your freedom. Fight for justice. Fight for your relationships. Fight for a world made right. Fight for Christ to be made more famous. Fight for God’s Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. Love people well. God’s deep desire is for your joy and peace. He is alive and well, working diligently to make the world right. Philippians 4:11-12 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. Ephesians 3:14-21 14For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20Now 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, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Romans 8 Did you remember the red faced monkey? Where did he go? You pushed him out and replaced him with something else. You must wake up every morning and before you can think a thought, get on your knees and be grateful. Before you can lay there and let all of the struggles come flooding into your mind, give Him control. Satan is ready to take over. To bring fear, discouragement, anger, hatred, addiction, hopelessness. Give it all to Him. You forgot the monkey, because you filled with something else. It is a choice. C.S. Lewis - The Weight of Glory In the end that Face which is the delight or the terror of the universe must be turned upon each of us either with one expression or with the other, either conferring glory inexpressible or inflicting shame that can never be cured or disguised. I read in a periodical the other day that the fundamental thing is how we think of God. By God Himself, it is not! How God thinks of us is not only more important, but infinitely more important. Indeed, how we think of Him is of no importance except in so far as it is related to how He thinks of us. It is written that we shall “stand before” Him, shall appear, shall be inspected. The promise of glory is the promise, almost incredible and only possible by the work of Christ, that some of us, that any of us who really chooses, shall actually survive that examination, shall find approval, shall please God. To please God...to be a real ingredient in the divine happiness...to be loved by God, not merely pitied, but delighted in as an artist delights in his work or a father in a son—it seems impossible, a weight or burden of glory which our thoughts can hardly sustain. But so it is. More Like Falling In Love – Jason Gray Chords and Lyrics Give me rules, I will break them Show me lines, I will cross them I need more than a truth to believe I need a truth that lives, moves, and breathes To sweep me off my feet, it’s gotta be More like falling in love than something to believe in More like losing my heart than giving my allegiance Caught up, called out, come take a look at me now It’s like I’m falling, oh It’s like I’m falling in love Give me words, I’ll misuse them Obligations, I’ll misplace them ‘Cause all religion ever made of me Was just a sinner with a stone tied to my feet It never set me free, it’s gotta be Deeper and deeper It was love that made me a believer In more than a name, a faith, a creed Falling in love with Jesus brought the change in me, it’s gotta be Songwriter: Jason Gray Do you really want God to control your actions? To limit what you can do and think? It's easy to want Him to control the guy in Aurora, Colorado, but do you want Him to control you? Every thought? Every action? Every motive? He is coming back and it won't be pretty. He came as a lamb. He will return as a Lion. The question is not where is God? It is, why is He so amazingly patient and why didn't He answer the the billions of prayers for His return and wait patiently for your turn. You owe an amazing debt to Him and another to billions who have suffered through this fallen mess before you. What will you do with that? Will you break in repentance, humility, joy and gratitude? Will you tell someone about the joy you have found?

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Changed Life Ministry

My friend Roderick is a man who has had some hard times. He grew up in poverty and abuse.

He ended up an addict and a thief.

Bad choices.

27 years in prison, over several stretches.

He was feeling defeated and rejected, with no place in this world.

I noticed that (the Spirit told me that) Roderick has a gift for speaking truth to young people who are in trouble with the law.

After some repeated prodding, he wrote out his story and with a few clicks some of us put a website around him. He has some business cards and now he's getting more and more calls from parents of troubled kids.

Roderick is able to speak truth to these kids and is seeing the fruit of changed hearts and changed lives.

If you know someone in need, have them give him a shout.

Changed Life Ministry

Monday, January 23, 2012

War in Heaven

I have a question and have sent it to End Times Ministry (Irvin Baxter) and to The Word for Today (Chuck Smith and Don Stewart). We'll see what response I receive:

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I have a few questions, please.

Revelation 12 is commonly used to describe a future time when Satan and a 1/3rd of the angels are taken out of heaven.

From the following verses it appears Satan was cast out a long time ago.

Thoughts?

Also Revelation 12:6 describes a time when “she” was kept in the desert for 3 ½ years. Would you take from this that Jesus was in Egypt for 3 ½ years?

It seems at least some of these verses are describing both events from long ago and events from the future.

I would appreciate your insight – please.

Job 1:6-7 (NASB)
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.”

Isaiah 14:12 (NIV)
12 How you have fallen from heaven,
morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations!

Luke 10:18 (NIV)
18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

Revelation 12:3-8 (NASB)
The Red Dragon, Satan
3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. 4 And his tail *swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.

The Male Child, Christ
5 And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne. 6 Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she *had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.

The Angel, Michael
7 And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, 8and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven.

Friday, January 13, 2012

The Heavens Declare your glory - Watching the Clouds



Genesis 1:14 (NASB)

14 And God said, "Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years,

Psalm 8:1-4 (NASB)

1 LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory
in the heavens.
2 Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?

Psalm 19:1-6 (NASB)

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is deprived of its warmth.

Matthew 17:5 (NASB)

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!”

Matthew 24:30 (NASB)

30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory.

Matthew 26:64 (NASB)

64 Jesus *said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.”

Luke 19:40 (NASB)

40 "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."

Luke 21:28 (NASB)

28 But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

Romans 1:20 (NASB)

20 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 people are without excuse.

Revelation 1:7 (NASB)

7 BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.











Perseid meteor shower, with the Milky way in the background, as viewed from the California desert (note the Joshua tree in the background