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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 4/29/2008 11:57:34 AM
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selahgirl
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From: God is with you, never forget that <3
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I have seen alot of manipulation and the cruelty of those that seek to control groups of people in the church and outside the church. Such strategies are everywhere that you find people in conflict, and Conflict is found every where that you find people....
It occurred to me this morning, simply based on rambling thoughts and my small exposure to the strategies of men. That if a person wanted to gain control of a group that had a strong core... oh I don't know, say a Christian nation. It would seem that an effective approach would be to study the most heated areas of conflict among the people at the core of that nation... perhaps, such an issue as racial tensions.
It would seem necessary to need a platform from which to speak so that you could orchestrate a place to stir the pot and to prey upon the weakness of that nation in order to divide it's core and influence so that it begins to escalate the stirring into a heated frenzy. And then you can sit back and watch the earthquake that your influence has ignited take down building after building, and everything that stood in the way of the agenda of tyrants and greedy men.
What is the most influential position, platform, that is given the attention of the largest percentage of our society (and most countries around the world)? ... being a presidential candidate.
It would not matter if you planned to win or if you were certain you would fail. It would be a matter solely on having the platform with the most influence around the world. A platform that would cause our nation to enter into debate that truly seeks a positive hope and future of a nation as a whole -- or a platform intended to infuse a society with the poison of it's own sins and cause it to close it's ears to anything other than it's side of the argument.
What if, you searched your ranks and found someone that would actually be a good candidate to make a run for it. What if you didn't expect them to win, their becoming president wasn't really the goal of your agenda? then what?
What if suddenly and unexpectedly that person realized that they actually had a chance at winning the office? What if the society/religion that your group's agenda wanted to remove was suddenly revealed as not being as racially polarized as you had thought? what if suddenly the teachings of the people that hired you to make a run for it proved to have some relevance, BUT their motives and what they declared to be truth proved to be grossly askew?
Would there be a way for you to change your mind? To remove the pebble that you threw into their lot? Or have you already sold your deed and your very soul, so that they hold the detonator in their hand?
Terrorism comes in many forms. It is an effective form of warfare.
And our nation is fighting many more wars than we realize, seen and unseen.
The best suicide bombers are those wolves wearing sheep's clothing.
And that sheep's clothing often takes the form of a suit and a tie... or the title of Christian or pastor... But they are neither -- they are wolves despite the color of their skin or expression of their worship. God created all cultures and skin colors, and Satan corrupts people among them all.
There are racial tensions and racial injustices in this nation. There are apologies due and a lack of empathy for much that has happened to several races of people in this nation. There is a way to work toward the goals and the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr (a true hero and man of God), but there is something else under a sheepskin that many need to take note of. You need to look into it's eyes and ask God what spirit is at the heart of it. There are dark days ahead. There are choices to be made. And there are consequences to live/die with -- not just for ourselves, but for our children and the society/world that they will inherit.
Yes, God has a plan and prophesies are being fulfilled. But at no point does God tell us to throw up our hands and just ride it out. Rather we are to occupy until he comes, and we are to work at peace with God and Man. I do not accept that we should do nothing and say nothing. I think we should seek God when to do both, and I think his answer would surprise many of us daily.
I'm not saying this is what's happening. I'm saying it's a valid possibility. But either way, we should all take a breath and seek God diligently in this hour of the Christian Church and in our nation. Racial tensions and racial injustices are fact, but we must not undo the ground that has been gained just because a certain group chooses to rise up with an uncertain agenda that breeds deeper and irreparable conflict.
"Come, let us reason together..."
.
< Message edited by selahgirl -- 4/29/2008 1:25:35 PM >
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 6/2/2008 1:53:45 PM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
Joined: 5/20/2005
From: God is with you, never forget that <3
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hmmm.... another crazy week. Let's look at this past weekend...
my daughter had her wisdom teeth out Friday and is needing lots of TLC during the recovery, pipe under kitchen sink breaks and floods, dishwasher breaks down (huge deal with a house full of teens and company always dropping by), some sweet little ol' lady (not much older than me, haha) rear ended me at a stoplight, hubby gets sick at a friends on his cycle late one night so I head out to pick him up just as a literal tornado blows right over the city, hmmmm... I guess that's enough for now.
but, let me tell you what God did....
My daughter had no complications and is recovering nicely and been in wonderful spirits despite it all. Still waiting on the landlord to get a plumber here to work on the sink and dishwasher, but I've been able to keep the dishes caught up in the meantime. And it flooded under the sink, but not the whole kitchen, so the mess was minimal. Little lady was really sweet, and there was no real damage to either vehicle, so we let it ride. Hubby is much better. Tornado blew over our city and hit the county beside us but damage was minor. Everyone is healthy and happy and my son got a new job that he's very excited about. On the heels of my husband doing the same...
so...
it just proves that while crazy stuff is endless in life, God sustains us and blesses us despite it all. My emotions have been a rollercoaster, but a crazy peace seemed to rest on me in the midst of the most challenging moments. God is truly with us, and that Truth will bring us thru anything we face in life. No matter if we're laughing or crying in the journey, things are gonna be okay. Just remember that. I know you've all got stories to tell as well. We all do. But God loves us all equally and just as precious. We're never alone, and life is never hopeless... because Christ is the author and finisher of our hope, of the future, and of the here and now.
Have a blessed week <3
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 6/3/2008 12:48:38 PM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
Joined: 5/20/2005
From: God is with you, never forget that <3
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RAWKIN THE WORLD
There is no one I know of that is speaking more under the anointing to this generation thru worship than David Crowder at the moment. It is not about the man or the band, it's about what God is speaking to all of us personally who make up the church and what voices around us are confirming that message. David Crowder's song NEVER LET GO is impacting a generation at the moment, as well as several other songs from his current cd. He is more than a musician. He is a minister, a teacher, a voice for this hour of the church... that is challenging people to walk closer to Christ, to be like him, to view the world and the chaos in it thru God's eyes and not their own, to keep their chin up, to look toward heaven for their redemption, watching, waiting and never giving up.
The moshing, the extreme expression, everything that seems outrageous on the outside is a release of the tensions swirling around this generation. Sometimes we just need to scream, like a pressure cooker, to let it all out. God has given us permission to express ourselves, he made us emotional creatures, with a keen ability to feel... not just love and flowers, but anger and frustration at the injustice around us. We all see the consequences of sin increasing exponentially from our parents generation to ours to this one. They face a much darker world than we did at their age, and there is connection of the internal and the outward expression.
What we need to do as God-ordained mentors is to be that gentle voice reminding them to keep Christ at the center of their being and their perspective. We live it, we make it available, but it is God that convicts and convinces them to embrace it and own it.
The biggest message/challenge I see for this generation is SELF-CONTROL. Not just teens but in every generation of the church merging in this hour. We have come from an era of prosperity and are entering an era of difficulty. The challenge is to maintain Godly character in the face of disappointment and loss. Satan may temporarily rob us in the physical, but the question is whether we allow him to rob us of our joy in the spiritual/in our hearts. Perspective.... how we view it... how this generation views it... if all of it is measured to the promises of God and the prophecies of his word, a peace and power emerges. But it still remains a choice, a need for self-discipline, restraint, a rejection of haste... to be constantly conversing with God in all that we do, big and small.
I see this generation hungry for that kind of relationship with Him.
And I see key voices in worship/music that are moving them in that direction. Not just music that sounds holy, but music that can seem abrasive. It is the violent that take the Kingdom by force, passivity and harp-playing churchiness stamped on something doesn't make it God's will. Jesus was a controversial speaker, a kind shepherd, emotional at times, angry at times, expressive at times... but always acting with self-control and never losing site of the will of God in everything he said and did.
That's the model for every generation.
And each person in every generation must make daily choices in the matter.
I love the teens of this generation. They are gutsier than any before.
As bad as some choose to be without Christ,
there are Godly teens that are outrageous in their commitment to Christ!
Talk about rawkin the world... this is the generation of the church that is doing it. The music is just a reflection of their worship and the challenge placed before them. God is talking thru many voices, and they are listening and ready to act on all that he is saying.
peace
^_^
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 6/5/2008 11:14:21 AM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
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Here's a word that seems to have dropped under the radar tho it is more intense than ever....
COUNTERFEIT
too many things these days are calling itself Christian, claiming to represent Christ, to reflect Jesus, but are nothing more than a cheap knock-off put on the market by greedy men, lacking any semblance of love, faith, hope, or Truth. We are so careful to examine merchandise with the right label that is offered from a shady source. Yet, so often we swallow the bait, hook line and sinker, when something says Christian... only to find out that it was all a lie, a counterfeit, that we've been duped... as that hook rips thru our innards and wounds us in those deep places.
be careful what you feed on.
not all shepherds are good ones.
not all flocks are part of his fold.
and not all fishermen have left all to follow Christ.
wise as serpents, gentle as doves
selah <3
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 6/19/2008 11:31:45 AM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
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Thoughts during a conversation with a college-age friend, who is searching out a church to attend... Thought this might be helpful to others as well. I know several ppl who are at a similar crossroads in their life. Luv and Hugs <3
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FACING A CROSSROADS
I was raised Roman Catholic. My husband was raised Pentecostal Holiness. Both of us were out of church when we met, but as our relationship became more serious, we began discussing God. It's an amazing story how God brought us together and back to him. But in the beginning we wondered how it would ever work with our church backgrounds the way they were. We began reading our Bibles together -- we weren't even in church at the time. And the church that seemed to fit our understanding best of what we were reading and what God was putting in our hearts at that time was the Assembly of God denomination.
We were there for 11 years and loved it, but felt God was calling us to a contemporary movement called the Vineyard. We were there for eight years, and have recently settled in a Nazarene church because our teens are challenged by the youth group and love it. They are also very community outreach minded, and are not just hearers but doers. Tons of opportunities are available and encouraged to get involved in practical community fellowship and service.
I was just thinking this week how refreshing it was to actually feel like a part of THE CHURCH rather than A CHURCH. I recently heard of a band called BRADDIGAN. They really stress having a heart for a global community. I think there is too much emphasis on our churches and not enough emphasis on THE CHURCH as a global force ministering to a global community.
anyway, sorry to ramble so... it's late and I'm very sleepy. I was just so moved by God lately. He is so real and active in our lives today. If a person just takes the time to believe that he is speaking to them, they will hear him saying so much to this generation of the church (young ones and old ppl). haha. (Amanda)
...
It gets complicated sometimes trying to find a church that is in tune with everything in our heart or that we feel Scripture teaches. I don't think I've ever found one that aligned perfectly. But the core of the Christian Faith, the standards of the Apostle's creed, Nicene Creed... is the heart of the Christian Faith for me, cuz it's laid out in the word of God from what I understand after reading the Bible and praying for Guidance.
Beyond that I feel like God tells us to work out our own salvation. That doesn't mean to find excuses for stuff we want to do... it means to let God fine tune your walk and make it personal. It's like being cookies made from the same doe, but shaped and decorated and flavored by the baker's own hand and preference. So there is a distinct beauty in every denomination that agrees with the fundamental teachings of the Christian Faith.
The Vineyard doesn't take a stand on several controversial issues... such as the Rapture. There were ppl that believed it and others that thought is was a ludicrous teaching. So the church taught that either could be true... but here is the catch. It was never boldly taught from the pulpit. It wasn't a big deal at first, but over time I missed hearing messages about the Blessed Hope of the Rapture. And my children weren't hearing it proclaimed and taught in the sanctuary (though they heard it at home).
So it's kind of a give and take when you step outside the fundamentals of the faith. I don't think denying the rapture will send you to hell. You might not go up when it occurs, but you just might. I don't know how God will judge or fulfill it. I'm just called to express to the people around me what I believe God wants of us and of me, and then I've gotta step aside and let them work out their own salvation with God. Our walk is so completely personal, yet so very global and community focused. I luv how it will never fit into a box!
Your heart is following desperately after what will please God. I am convinced that such motives will always lead to good things. Our heavenly Father loves us, and will not allow us to mis-step if our heart is sincere. Mastering that wrestling within our own heart is the most difficult part, but God will walk you thru it. Sometimes it's a process requiring much patience so we can be sure of what we believe, if it was always easy we would be tempted to doubt further down the road. (Amanda)
:o)
< Message edited by selahgirl -- 6/19/2008 11:43:05 AM >
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 6/19/2008 11:37:28 AM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
Joined: 5/20/2005
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Just got home from a recent trip and a teen friend was sharing a story of how she injured her foot while I was gone. It reminded me of a similar experience I blogged about several years ago. Thought I would repost it here. I pray someone is encouraged by it.
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CHANGING THE BLOODY BANDAGES
(from January 2004)
Had kind of a funny story to share.
I was moving my son's room around, and long story short I dropped a metal bed frame and mattress on my toe. It was the worst pain I've felt in a long time. Actually thought I was going to throw up, I crushed it pretty good. (It scared my daughter really bad. She told me later that she's never seen me cry when I was hurt).
Anyway, as I was holding my foot, tears pouring, the only thought in my head was "...when the toe is hurt, the entire body suffers..." Now why I would think such a thought when I was in so much pain that I couldn't tell you who was in the room or what day it was, I don't know. So later, I kind of wondered if the Lord was saying something (not that He caused it, but He manages to use every situation in my life as a learning lesson.
We bandaged my foot and rushed off to church for worship/video-production practice, so I didn't have alot of time to think more about it that night. But I have spent the past two days with those words ringing in my thoughts. Today I woke up at 3:00am still thinking about them. I felt that I had lived them.
My toe was purple and gashed and swollen, but it wasn't the one pounding the mattress, or screaming and crying, or shaking itself. To be the one hurt, it was rather calm :-)
But the rest of my body responded with great emotion and concern. My whole body screamed in pain. I hurt all over, even the hairs on my head I think.
I thought about all this before the Lord this afternoon, and realized how true those words are -- especially when you apply them to the Church as a body. If the church is operating scripturally as God intended, all of us should hurt when a toe is wounded (even if it's not the big one or the tiny one). You know, even if it's the most insignificant one, like the fourth one or something :-)
Two things crossed my mind:
1) If you think about it, sin is sickness. So sometimes that wounded toe in the body is someone that is in sin. That person may have inflicted that wound upon themselves by living a life of gossip or lies or something. And that person is walking around sick and crushed and wounded, causing the entire body to experience pain. In such a case, the body should respond. Before resorting to chopping off that toe, we need to offer healing by cleansing and bandaging that wound. Too often we're quick to just cut people off. (Though... the toe must be willing to yeild to change and ministry and transformation... it must be willing to participate in the healing process by trusting and setting down it's defenses. Healing requires courage from those ministering as well as from those recieving ministry).
2) And that was my second thought. Over the days that followed I had to gather the medical supplies and apply the medicine. My hands had to change the bloody bandages time and time again to keep it clean and ensure healing. What a picture of the church as a body, as a family, as people who love and care and need one another. (The healing of some members in the body is not a quick fix). But their pain remains our pain, their sickness our sickness, their sin our sin (just as Christ took our sins upon Himself). We are to be like Him, we are to bear the burdens of others. Though it seems difficult at times, we CAN do all things if we look to Him to strengthen us.
We find ourselves not wanting to trust again, not wanting to hurt anymore, not wanting to get our hands dirty, not wanting to take the time, but we have to, because it's the only way we can ALL get better, the only way the Body can get better. And as we keep changing those bloody bandages the pain becomes less and less, and the yuck slowly goes away, and God brings total and complete healing.
And soon we are able to walk and run and dance again, and we've completely forgotten that that bed ever fell <3
One last thought:
I was thinking about the woman caught in adultery, and Jesus' response of writing in the sand. I've heard people say that he might have been writing her accuser's sins in the sand which convicted them.
Along that thought, perhaps He was writing the Ten Commandments, the Law. And as those men were reminded of the Law and the fact that each of them falls short in some area of it, they were convicted.
I thought it was a good reminder to us as Christians to be careful not to insist on what we think is fair according to the Law, but rather to extend mercy in such matters. We have to be careful because if we insist on judging others according to the Law, we'll be judged by it.
The Mercy Jesus brought to us really is amazing.
I'm so thankful for it because I continually find myself falling short and needing Him.
Amanda
^_^
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 6/30/2008 5:04:18 PM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
Joined: 5/20/2005
From: God is with you, never forget that <3
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NOT EVERYONE CHOOSES LIFE
It has been a crazy busy summer.
So many amazing friends, so many great great memories made just hanging out and being random and goofy.
My favy. haha.
God has brought so much blessing and I am humbled and so very thankful.
It crushes a person to realize that things are not what they seem,
things and ppl that were so important to you and precious.
I have lived thru many things,
but only recently have I ever been truly crushed.
It only takes one time...
but the things learned from it
are priceless, precious, and permanent.
It is definitely worth the price paid,
though the evil involved was never God's plan.
He is faithful in bringing beauty from ashes,
to bring good things from what the enemy meant for evil.
It is in the consequences of the crushing
that the sweetest fragrance is released from the most fragile of flowers.
And it is in that fragrance of prayer and sacrificial praise,
that crying out with all sincerity and passion,
that broken place, that trampled place,
that God transforms us and lets us rise up into his presence and his favor and his grace.
Some people seek popularity and power
and they will gut anyone and anything to get it.
Such people can make you bleed and never blink.
It can rob you of your hope, of your confidence that there is some kind of good in every person.
But God is a restorer.
He blesses when those around you choose to curse.
He gives you strength and newness, and seven times seventy what the enemy took.
He gives you hope once again,
that there is good in the world,
confidence that some people do reflect his character,
the courage to intercede for those that choose to embrace evil, to forgive them, to let them go with God.
The evil remains for a time, but it will never rule and reign.
Though so many claim to labor for the Kingdom of God,
not all who wear his name actually do.
There is a separation
as heartbreaking and devastating as it is.
And you can see it like a black bold line
when you examine the fruit of a person's character,
what they value most
how they treat others to get it
there willingness to kill, to justify murder,
to make excuse for the sin of those whose favor they seek,
who supply them the popularity and the power that they crave...
to look the other way
as though that makes them innocent.
There are casualties in war.
Not all are healed, not all are rescued,
not all choose Life...
and Jesus weeps.
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 7/3/2008 11:35:56 AM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
Joined: 5/20/2005
From: God is with you, never forget that <3
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So I keep trying to write positive things but the negative just seems more prevalent and needing to be addressed... so does that make me a negative person?... maybe, but what can I do but write about the things that God speaks to me day to day. Should I shun the things he seems to be saying simply because it's not politically correct to talk of anything except puppies and flowers and sunshine... singing polly-waddle-doodle all the day?...
Would Lamentations have ever been written if political correctness dominated the day then, like it does in the modern day church?...
(and the parallels between the prophecies then and America's rebellion against God today are frightening btw).
so anyway, here's what came to mind as I sat with the Lord today and chatted over coffee...
HUMILITY STINKS
Life teaches that people are to be second. They are not to be first or third, they are to be second. It is a truth that God ordains, and yet so many so quickly manipulate that truth when their selfish desires are threatened.
Arrogance rises up so easily in us. We are in constant need of Christ. We walk in denial about so much, reading and hearing how we are to die daily. Yet, we fail to do it. We fail to do it because in our arrogance, we have convinced ourselves that we have died once and it is enough. We assume to be God, rather than to be like Christ...
We forget that the enemy leaves us and waits for a more opportune time. He knows that self will eventually rise up again, full of life and vigor. Scripture cautions us to be wise, to be ready to crawl up on that altar each day and to die. Instead, we remember that time in our past that we resisted temptation, and in our arrogance we deny our weakness and our sin. We convince ourselves that it was and is enough, causing self and arrogance to live on and to grow fat.
We become Pharisee.
We become full of Self, full of arrogance, manipulating all to keep from being made to die daily -- or more than we think is necessary (despite the wisdom and the word of God). We contradict what He has said without blinking an eye, we trump the will of God, thinking we have justified our rebellion with words of our own. We hear and we talk but we so seldom do the will of God. His will is for us to be ready and willing to die daily... not just in conversation or for a show... but in our heart and in our actions...
People talk of being humble as though it is a choice to be such. Humility is not a choice, it is a consequence of sacrifice and death. It is when someone strips you, robs you, violates you, and leaves you bloody on the ground for dead... because of their own selfishness. Humility is asking God to forgive them as you die. Only then is a person truly humble, only then does the fragrance of humility rise from us, from our dead and rotting flesh. Only then does self die on any particular day.
So many ppl today think that being humble is a walk thru a flower garden responding softly to anyone who speaks to you... never raising your voice and caressing the flowers as you float by them
*insert puking smilie*
Humility is a stench, not a cologne to be sprinkled over our weighty arrogance. We can write the word on a blinging badge and flash it around to make ourselves appear holy and sweet and yummier than those around us... but Walter could wear Shananay's tag just as easily.... He might fool strangers or ppl that just want their shoes shined, but the people that know him, that have to work with him... they're gonna know that he is Walter. And the nametag will become a tag of counterfeit, of an impostor, rather than an identity worth honoring. The result will be a stench of the vomit of God, rather than the stench of the rotting flesh of Self,
... the stench of hypocrisy, rather than humility.
We stink.
being humble will never change that fact
but being like Christ will make it a stench worthy of honor, pleasing to God, bringing him glory and not ourselves. We need to stop trying to be pretty, and we need to return to being people of Godly integrity <3
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 7/4/2008 3:37:10 PM
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selahgirl
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So I have learned this afternoon that I should not wander into just any thread on the forums, cuz I can't keep my big mouth shut try as I may. Frankly... there is so much garrrrrrbage that calls itself Christian that it makes me want to vomit... and when I see the remnants of that filth still clinging to my walk and my life... it makes me even sicker. It's like having lice or something... you can't kill it... it itches and itches and irritates and you scratch and scratch and cause your own infection...
I will never love this world or anything in it more than God!!!
We have no righteousness of our own... we can't even receive a right spirit from God without eventually screwing it up (am I allowed to say that... oh well) like I was saying... we are filthy creatures no matter how hard we try to be like Christ.... it just brings my recent post back to mind even more vividly...
we gotta die daily and it's not like that makes us prettier people, it just makes us consistently stinky.... consequences... reputation... a name for ourselves... that rotting piece of flesh over there is the lie I told yesterday... and the thing drawing maggots on the floor is the condescending look I gave to that cynical college boy last week... it just piles up around us as we keep cutting off pieces of our self trying to be free of the yuck...
what was God talking about cutting stuff off of ourselves? Can it possibly be healthy to sit in the midst of the decay around us that we have rejected but that remains a stench in our lives?... I'm thinking out loud again obviously... i don't know why... it just hits me some days....
... but as I sit here thinking it thru with you and with the Lord it occurs to me that cutting the yuck off isn't really what we are told to do... we are told to sacrifice it. Sacrifice involves the killing, the death, the stench, but it involves something more as well... it involves the fire. But what exactly does that mean... what does such a fire look like. That cleansing flame that takes what we cut off, our sin, our yuck, our rotting stinkiness... and it burns it up so that the filth and the stench is once and for all GONE. It is no longer in existence. There is no lasting haunting disease ridden remains surrounding us and tormenting us...
We always have the image of that sweet smelling sacrifice as being the smoke rising upward... but what is it really that is rising upward to heaven that pleases God so much?... perhaps it is cleanliness, holiness, the reversal of the evil created by the only creatures created in the image of God, the only creatures able to create anything at all, perhaps we are not only full of the capacity to create good... but also with the capacity to create evil...
could being made in his image and his likeness mean that we have the capacity to create both... and yet the restraint and power to turn from such evil... to understand the stench it causes, the suffering and pain, the ugliness, the torment... perhaps that is the sweet savor that the Lord is so moved by as he sees us undo the evil that rests in our hands to breathe life into...
choice...
choosing to burn that bag of drugs in the flame, to give up the power we hold to make everything and everyone around us bow down to our lusts, knowing the thrill of the high -- and yet the misery contained in it... perhaps climbing up on that altar, that sacrifice, that painful cutting off of something that we love and want and desire, that stench of death, the ugliness of it all... is actually worth the opportunity to create goodness... to discard the pleasure it would have brought us... to avoid the evil it would have created...
When we die to self, it is not enough to just climb on that altar and kill our flesh piece by piece. It is the fire that is the real key. It is the complete obliteration of sin and self and sickness and disease. And what is that fire symbolic of... the Holy Spirit. That is our power, that is the key to holiness and to living daily under the authority of the Goodness of God. He comes along side of us to help us... and as we sacrifice what belongs to us -- our SELF, he chucks it in the fire of God and burns it up. We offer our SELF to him piece by piece, chunk by chunk, day by day... and God removes the very existence of evil as well as it's power over us.
You thought putting a porn lock on your computer was a small thing, you thought deciding to not cheat on your spouse was only the right thing to do, you thought not stretching the truth to hide your own mistake was merely an inconvenience....
no.
It was so much more. It was the reversal of the tide, the handing over of SELF and SIN to God. You had the power and capacity to increase the evil in this world but you chose to guard what is good instead. It was no small thing. It is never a small thing to do what is right and good and Godly. People may never know about it, they may never see the test you passed, they may never understand the complexity of it all or the intensity of the heat you faced... but God does. He records it and will bring it up again one day. He is a rewarder, a proud papa. He will give honor to whom honor is due.
Humility does stink.
But God walks beside us and burns up the yuck as we hand it over to him on that altar.
As we lay there and die and we let the flames (as painful as they are) free us from our sin, as we make the choice to lay down our power and capacity to do evil, and we breathe life into what is good and full of blessing. That is the moment that we truly reflect our God, when we take on his image and we fill the heart of our Daddy with overwhelming Joy. Just imagine what it is like... to overwhelm the Almighty God with Joy... every time you have resisted the temptation to do evil, you have pleased Him, you have moved the heart of God.
It is a flame and a fire that will never be quenched. God (Holy Spirit) is there to aid us every step of the way thru this world full of yuck, thru the entire process of ridding ourselves of self daily. And it is the cross of Christ that fuels that flame. He is our source, our courage to face the pain, our strength to persevere and not grow weary in choosing to do good... He is our GREEN energy and power, the only One worthy enough or able to burn in the flame with us as our example, as our enabler, leading us to the holiness and wholeness that he has perfected and called us to. He came to be with us, to show us how to do what God's holiness requires of us, to show us what it looks like to die daily, to sacrifice our SELF, to die so that others may live, to fill the world with goodness and to rid it of evil. Christ became one of us to make a way for us to get back to what is Good... back to the throne of God...
a way out of the yuck -- and that way is thru the fire...
it's just a matter of following him into the flames to get there.
It can be scary, it can seem impossible, and there is some pain involved
but He will never leave your side, and there's no question that He will get you there
if ur willing to follow Him <3
Hope this makes sense. I just now sat down and typed it out just as it sits here on this screen, minus a few typos. haha.
Thanks for thinking it thru with me. I'm sure there is much that I have not addressed or even thought of, but perhaps it will inspire you to finish this conversation with the Lord one to one.
:o)
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 7/10/2008 10:23:45 AM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
Joined: 5/20/2005
From: God is with you, never forget that <3
Status: offline
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Hunker Down in the Foxhole!!!
Sometimes, life gets crazy. Things happen that make no sense, especially when things happen to innocent people or even children. I got news last night of a heartbreaking situation involving some people I know and it crushed me... I found myself in tears again this morning just thinking about the children involved and the hurt and the confusion that has ended up being so far reaching. They will never be the same. They are scarred and chaos consumes their lives at the moment.
I found myself somewhat discouraged in my heartache and asking God how such things happen among his people... in the midst of his children, the livingroom of his house. My thoughts wandered as to a reason why we should even care about trying to remain connected with Church per se'. I didn't mean any of it... I was thinking in my humanity and my weakness and my heartache... my lack of faith and my sin actually.
... because I know the God whom I serve. I know better... I wasn't really dwelling on it, but it was rolling around in the back of my thoughts. Perhaps it is the enemy that tempts us to embrace such thoughts, to allow discouragement to take up residence and to weigh us down so that we tire in doing good. I was scrolling thru unexplored territory of the myccm site and ran across the myRSS page. I was scanning the topics, which were numerous tho I didn't really feel like it. Suddenly I saw several passages of Scripture at the end of the page and passed over them to scroll all the way back up to the top.
This will sound strange but I felt convicted to go back to them... actually convicted. And I felt as though the Lord spoke so clearly to my heart to go back and read them because there was something he wanted to say to me. I don't know if you have conversations with the Lord like that, but we often talk just as casually as I'm discussing/debating with my teens or my husband.
So I scrolled all the way back down to the verses and told the Lord that I just spent the entire morning praying online, and didn't really want to read all of them. But he continued to press me, and even said there is something buried (not in the beginning) that I have put there for you today. So I gave him my attention, with little zeal I must admit, and commenced reading the three verses posted. (I know, I know, three verses is nothing...).
Even as I was reading them, he was speaking right in my ear saying... "go on read, keep reading, even though I know you got nothing from those two I like your obedience... but change your attitude for me..." so I read on and rebuked my flesh and laziness... and wonder of wonders... the third and final verse, the very last one jumped from the screen straight into my heart...
“As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.” Psalm 18:30
God knew it would take a walk thru those first two verses because I was dragging my feet and my heart and hearing only the *wah wah wah* of Charlie Brown's teacher. He knew it would take me until the third verse before I changed my attitude and was really paying attention and hearing what he was saying. He wasn't speaking the first or second verse to me at that moment. He placed it third, because he knows me better than I know myself, and he is patient with me despite my ugliness and imperfections. Soooo many lessons to be learned in that, but for now I gotta go back to that verse.
“As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.” Psalm 18:30
yes, there is yuck and junk in this world and in the church. Yes, people are going to sin and horrible things will happen to good people, but that is not who God is. His people, his church represent him, but we are not God. Our ways are influenced and led by him... but our ways are still flawed even in that... like dragging yourself along when God is trying to take you somewhere and to help you with something you are struggling with (... I can't imagine anyone doing that *whistles nervously*)
God remains God. He is consistent in his ways. Everything he does and everything he says in his Word remains Truth and remains Good and should remain our goal. It doesn't matter what evil things the person in the foxhole is doing next to us. We can't throw down our weapon, climb out of that place of protection, and march our little pouty self (tho sometimes justified in our pouting and our tears and our anger) off somewhere else.
God said fight from the foxhole. He said as long as you fight from that place, you will remain in his Truth, his command, his plan to get to that place of victory. You jump up in the heat of the battle and your gonna end up with a bullet thru your helmet and firery darts pin-cushioning your back. There are people in the foxhole, sometimes faithful, sometimes committed... and sometimes not. But God remains faithful and right and wise. Don't give up on the plan, don't label it as unreliable, just because some choose to not follow it or to try and corrupt it. God will deal with them. Pray. Intercede so that the evil committed will be undone and so that all things will work together for good to them that love the Lord.
He is our shield, our refuge... and he says that the church is our foxhole. So no matter how the war may rage, or how many mortars make their way into your position/domain remain faithful, remain committed, don't duck and run. Fight close quarters if necessary, but fight according to Ephesians 6, praying in the Spirit always... and don't give the enemy an inch. God says he can't have it. You've been called and assigned and empowered and placed there to tell him so.
Father hear our request and grant our prayers according to your wisdom and your mercy...
I bind every spirit of discouragement attacking the people of God in the name of Jesus. I render you powerless before God, in the midst of the congregation, and in every thing that God has given us authority over. All power belongs to Jesus Christ in heaven and in earth, and we have been sent to declare that Truth. We agree together that every spirit of hell must be silent among the strategic positions/domain of the true Church, we resist the chaos and sin and discouragement and every evil work that you are trying to plant. And we command you to flee from the people of God. In the name of Jesus.
We loose the Holy Spirit to work every good thing in our congregations, to restore holiness and the Truth of God, to convict the hearts and minds of every soul that enters into our midst, to draw all people to the love of God and to reflect his integrity and his character. Father, let holiness and kindness and boldness return to your church, in the name of Jesus. For your glory and none other. Thank you Father Son and Spirit. Amen.
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 7/21/2008 2:11:49 PM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
Joined: 5/20/2005
From: God is with you, never forget that <3
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So I went to an amazing conference with our youth group recently, BIG STUF. I had heard people try to describe it, and they always seemed to find themselves at a loss for words but it was always described as a spiritual encounter that changes your life. I'd heard similar descriptions of other events (having been involved with teens and youth ministry for 20 years now)... but the people explaining it -- all had a similar look in the their eyes, a Light, as they recalled the encounters from the past. It was evident that something was different about this one. Not just a one time, or one person experience, but a consistent STONE OF REMEMBRANCE for EVERY person that has attended it.
I'm not even going to try to describe it, you can check out their website, but it really is something that you must experience. Just arriving and setting foot on the conference grounds is like stepping into a pool of anointing. Everything around you looks very normal and the expected routine to the physical eye... but something in your spirit begins to stir. It's like your spirit is breathing different air, refreshing air, something it has craved and didn't know that it had craved... and yes, it was life-changing, it was truly a spiritual encounter. If you ever have the chance to go or to send a teen, you should do it without hesitation.
So I was given a BIG STUF devotion to read thru and to meditate on at one point of the week. It was written from the perspective as though God were speaking and he was describing what his church is not, and what it is. The line that jumped out at me is something that seemed so normal, and I had heard a million times, but this time I saw it in a new light, a deeper understanding...
"My church is excited about me and about each other," God.
We all work diligently to keep that excitement in our relationship with God, but do we truly work to keep that same excitement in our relationship with each other. We often over emphasize fellowship when we hang out, but is the focus of that fellowship how much it pets our SELF nature? We often rate those times according to how much fun we had, or how loud and full of activity it was, or how creative the program or the programmer was. That kind of excitement has a place, a measure of necessity... but those times of fellowship should be more about our excitement about each other. God is always first. I'm not suggesting that we put people before him... I'm saying our love and excitement for God FIRST is a given.
But the emphasis in Scripture is always LOVE GOD, LOVE PEOPLE.
We may be doing the first, but are we truly doing the second part of that? Sincerely? Not as an afterthought or as a trickle-down theory, thinking that as we love God and as we focus completely on OUR RELATIONSHIP with him that that will automatically drop crumbs of affection down on the people around us? Or are we truly making an effort to love them and be excited about them just as much as Christ has demonstrated such affection for us? That was his command after all, that we be like him, that we tell the world about him, not just with words but with action... demonstrating and owning God's love and excitement over every person, every soul, inside the church and outside the church. Here are the notes straight from my journal as I thought on these things...
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Are we as people, truly excited about God and each other? When we have opportunity to see one another or serve one another does our heart race? Not thinking about the attention we may get (thankful for the encouragement/affirmation they freely hand to us as they serve the same God, humbled by it)... but not motivated by the possibility of it?
Does our heart race just to sit in the same room with the people of God and to hang out, to talk, to work on projects together, to be bored together, WITH EACH OTHER? Afterall, isn't that the heart of the Good News... that GOD IS WITH US? If our desire is to be like him, are we full of excitement at every opportunity to be with those that he has sacrificed all to be with? Or are we basking in our comfort zone, mingling in fellowship to feed our self, complaining about what is or what isn't -- simply because our focus is how much fun we're having instead of being WITH EACH OTHER as Christ is with us...
Are we excited about each other so that we crave the company of each other, genuinely, so that we crave our next meeting together with God and with those around us that we call our family and our friends in Christ? Are we the center of our focus or is God and Family the center? Is how much fun we're having rooted in our love and excitement over God and people rather than our love of self?
It is a dangerous day in these last days of the church...
1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
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As I sat there on the beach meditating on these things, the Lord brought the gulls to my attention. They would soar thru the sky and suddenly fall straight down to the ground. There was a slight rise that blocked my view to the beach, so that I couldn't actually see them hit the ground. Some might think that there was something wrong with them, as though they were falling out of the sky after being shot or hit with a rock or injured in some way. But they were actually, dropping to the shoreline to feed, to hunt, to get to the source of food and nourishment that kept them alive.
from my journal...
Gulls fall. It appears that they are wounded/weak, but they are merely landing to be fed/watered. They choose to withhold their ability to fly for a moment, because God has shown them a place of refreshing and nourishment and strengthening. It appears a negative thing to see them suddenly fall in mid-flight, why not SOAR all the time, push yourself, demonstrate your ability, focus on fun and the high times?....
because it is Life, and they want to Live.
It is wisdom. Some times you have to give stuff up. Some times you have to not SOAR even though you could, some times it is not the time for SOARING, some times it is right to withhold what you could do, what you want to do, what isn't really sin, what is good... some times it is the moment, the timing, that makes some thing wrong. Some times good things must be sacrificed or delayed, so that GOODNESS can prevail and fully dominate. Dominion doesn't always mean being on top of the dog pile. Sometimes it means resting in the middle or the bottom until everything coming against you wears itself down, so that you can emerge strong enough to carry those around you to the top with you.
There will be times to fly -- to SOAR, but there will also be times to keep your feet on the ground. Times that seem mundane, even boring and pointless... times that you choose to walk in wisdom, to press on with what you know is right, to take dominion over your feelings and your selfish desires, and God will have a place prepared for you to land. It may be a low spot, not elevated, off the radar, and out of the spotlight all together. But it will be a place of preparation, of strength, of training and equipping and empowering that will launch you -- PROPEL YOU -- to fly another day, and not just to fly but to fly higher... an appointed day, a right time, a perfect time.
God's timing is perfect, and when we choose to walk in it no matter how difficult or challenging, it will always lead to those moments when we get to fly.
Courage and boldness coupled with self-control and restraint,
that's a wise combination when you submit yourself to God <3
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 7/24/2008 1:16:35 PM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
Joined: 5/20/2005
From: God is with you, never forget that <3
Status: offline
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one more time about fasting...
There is so much confusion and almost too much information about fasting out there. Simply put, fasting is an internal alarm clock that reminds us to pray consistently and wholeheartedly. I often fast from my favorite snacks or gum or sometimes food altogether. Cookies are my ultimate challenge cuz they are my favorite (much harder than skipping a meal). So that’s what I chose for my fast as I prayed for some teens that went on a youth encounter recently.
Fasting from cookies seems like such a small thing, but it is hugely effective for me. I crave them thru the day and they are mentioned by every voice speaking around me without fail. And every time I hear someone talk about them, the craving starts. I begin to pray for whatever I am focused on praying about… like the teens at Cornerstone. I begin by telling God that I want him to bless you guys way more than I want that cookie that I’m dreaming about and drooling over. Sounds goofy, but have you ever ripped your bedroom/kitchen apart in the middle of the night, trying to find some morsel of chocolate or some munchies. It kinda eats at your insides when you crave something like that, it effects your thoughts and your actions. It gets your complete attention. That’s the purpose of fasting. To get your full attention, body, mind, and spirit. Then it’s up to you to focus that complete attention on God and whatever you’re needing to talk to him about. It’s about self-discipline and taking control of our flesh and our cravings. Putting them in their place beneath that of our will, and putting our will beneath the will of God. It’s a power struggle with ourselves, our passion for God going up against the weak areas (the easily distracted areas) of our walk.
You give your full attention to someone that really cares about you, and they are gonna know it. Not only that, they are gonna return that same focus and attention back to you, and it will drive them to go beyond the norm to help you out. There’s a passage that talks about things being given back to you according to how you measure it out (Luke 6:38). I believe that that’s true even with our prayer life, and with our relationship with God as well. The Bible says that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him (Hebrews 11:6). Fasting helps us to seek him like that.
It adds a power to our prayer.
A skill to our warring in heavenly places.
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 7/25/2008 10:47:59 AM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
Joined: 5/20/2005
From: God is with you, never forget that <3
Status: offline
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Father, help us to understand your will concerning our relationships with the people in our lives. Specifically, how to approach parent/teen, friend/friend, and guy/girl relationships. You designed them all, you have a process in mind that will lead us to healthy relationships in each of these areas, guide us in it. Help us to not take any relationship for granted, help us to not put any relationship above our relationship with you.
Help us to not enter into flippant relationships that carry inevitable potential to cause harm and to leave everyone involved wounded in the end. Help us, teens and adults, to walk in the way that you have planned for each of us. Help us in that search to find that person to complete us, it is your design Lord that we be joined to a helpmate. Lead us in that search. Keep us from sin and temptation. Protect us from being distracted and from entering into wrong relationships based on anything other than the perfect will and plan of our God.
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
You can call it a million things… dating, courting, scoping out the prospects… whatever… but there is a transition that is necessary to go from that time of learning/growth (concerning purity) to that time of choosing a husband/wife. Purity isn’t just about virginity… it’s also about sex in a Godly marriage. That pure and holy relationship between only one man and one woman. Zero sex with anyone before. Zero sex with anyone else after. I wish it was as easy as saying, Mr. Right will suddenly appear, but that’s rarely the case. Wisdom involves measuring the cost of the materials needed to build a house before starting the project (Luke 14:28). That means you need to consider the things that make up a good spouse, a marriage that will last, a guy/girl bond that will forever thrill you (not one that will flash and burn you)… You need to know, really know, the things that God says make up Godly character… you know, stuff like honesty, communication, being quick to repent, being quick to forgive, all that stuff listed in I Corinthians 13.
It’s not about finding that perfect person, only Christ is perfect. But you should be looking for that person that has a right heart before God. Is their passion to hear from God and to obey to the best of their ability? To correct their behavior willingly when they fail in it (cause we all have our areas and we all fall flat on our face at times, see 1 John 1:5-10) -- to be and act and do whatever God teaches them as he transforms them into his image. Someone that will have a heart to see that same work performed in the lives of every person around them.
Skip looking at the outside appearance and behaviors, pay attention to the heart and the character of a person. What are they like in those down times, those personal moments, when no one is looking. Is their integrity consistent? What’s coming out of their mouth and out of their heart? Are they strong and courageous in setting boundaries for themselves? Are they concerned about protecting you and the people in their life, as much as they are concerned about protecting themselves? Do you see Christ in them? Do they reflect his standards, do you reflect his standards in your relationship with them? Do they spur you on to be more like Christ? Are they a truly good friend? The foundation of every relationship worth having is a solid friendship:
As iron sharpens iron, So a man (woman) sharpens the countenance of his friend.
(Proverbs 27:17)
Personally, I think that time of learning self-control/purity goes from birth thru 17 years of age for most people. I’m not gonna set a bold line in the sand, but I just think dating before that time is a bad idea. If a person can’t keep themselves in check physically and emotionally to that point, they are not mature enough to start searching out that helpmate. And that’s what the dating process is all about. For Christians, it’s not about sticking a label of ownership on someone just so you can say you have a boyfriend or a girlfriend. Relationships based on that will almost always end badly unless God intervenes. They’re fun, they serve you for a while, but there are messy things waiting down the road. I know you hate to hear that, but I’d rather tell you before than after. Even if it means making people that I love mad at me. It’s not about being popular, it’s about loving people. And I love you.
Be careful about entering a commitment, a contract, a relationship that gives your devotion and future away like a fast-food burger wrapper. A relationship that wraps your heart and your purity loosely, making you vulnerable to being dirtied. It slips off and falls opens so easily and unexpectedly in the hustle and bustle of life and interaction with people. That’s never the intention, you want clean food… but a cheap wrapper (a cheap relationship/investment) puts you at increased risk for food poisoning physically and spiritually. Stupid analogy I know, but you get what I’m saying.
Invest in something that’s gonna last, that has Godly potential, that will bless the future of everyone involved, that you don’t have to rush into, that you can build on a foundation based on Godly principles. Ur not just gonna jump from being a non-dating virgin, into a perfect marriage. But don’t let that transition time be an excuse for bad choices. Otherwise be ready to wind up in the porta-potty suffering the consequences of that gas-bomb you pigged out on. Relationships feed your spirit. It’s important to be educated, have a plan, and to dine according to the healthy standards that God has set in place. He’s a spiritual health inspector, but he’s not gonna cram it down your throat. You gotta decide what you’re gonna pick up and eat. If he says it’s gonna rot your guts, stay away from it. There are a lot of people that love you, and we’ll wait outside the porta potty door to help you back to camp and nurse you back to health… but the agony in that stinky box is your personal business. Don’t put yourself thru it.
Father, help us in our relationships. Lead us, and give us the courage to battle those desires inside of us that would try to move us away from your wisdom and the place of blessing that you have prepared for us and the people in our lives. Help us to keep our relationships clean and pure and healthy on every level, teens and adults alike, those that have never been in the potty, and those who have made their way out and need to clean up and be healed. Your kindness and gentleness leads us to repentance. Your loving discipline keeps us in that healthy place of blessing. Your mercy and acceptance keeps us from condemnation and shame and regret. Pour your goodness out upon each of us. Lead us, right now, in the next step we take, where ever we are and where ever we need to move to… get us to that place of peace and zeal and joy in our relationships.
Whether we are to walk in that place of transition, that process of being joined to someone that you have planned for us, or whether we are to wait and to grow stronger in self-control and in guarding our purity before entering that place of transition… confirm it to our hearts as only you can. Keep us from deception and temptation and error. We need you so desperately. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
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< Message edited by selahgirl -- 7/25/2008 10:56:10 AM >
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 8/1/2008 12:54:27 PM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
Joined: 5/20/2005
From: God is with you, never forget that <3
Status: offline
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Pray out loud, at all times, in all that you do... so that others may hear and agree and be saved and empowered. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
pray
PRAY
like never before, all day long, under your breath, in your heart, in your thoughts, out loud in the car, mumbling to yourself in the crowd, unafraid of who hears, unashamed of looking foolish, owning the title crazy and weird... pray.
if ever there was a time, an hour, a moment, an urgency... it is now.
pray over your families, your government, your community, your church, your friends, all that you have been given authority over to influence and protect and press and pull and lead into the image of Jesus Christ. If we are not praying and declaring things into this world, it remains unchanged. It remains empty and dark and full of luke warm pools of stagnant putrid water... is that a clear enough image...
speak
pray
declare
when we do... oh if you could only see into that other realm... if you could only see the power attached to your breath and the calories expended...
the Spirit of God lives in you... it attaches an anointing to every word... it goes forth as you pray, as you speak, as you think, as you do... and something begins to stir...
where are you aiming such power?
are the sights of your weapon set on what matters?
have you not even lifted the barrel, or even wondered how to pull the trigger?
are you shell-shocked and standing with your mouth gaping as you watch the enemy rape and ravage and rob all that you love and every person that you were to protect???
raise your weapon!
this is war...
PRAY.
without ceasing, in all things, about everything, about everyone, all day, and night, in your busyness, in your boredom, over your loved ones, into the lives of your enemy...
that stirring, that one small moment of breath... sets a whole world into motion.
you thought it was all about keeping you alive... that breathing that you do, that feeding of oxygen to your brain, to your body... no, it's about so much more....
you breathe without ceasing,
now pray without ceasing...
it is the breath of life.
so speak life...
pray <3
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(Ephesians 6:17-18)
17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And 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.
(Acts 12:5)
Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
(Romans 1:9)
For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;
(1 Thessalonians 5:17)
Pray without ceasing.
(2 Timothy 1:3)
I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;
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you don't know what the outcome will be... only God knows.
some will choose to go their own way, some will reject the good that God has planned and that you have claimed for them... do not be discouraged by the appearance of things.
do not be discouraged
do not think it hopeless
do not think it bigger than God says it is
be faithful, plant, water, pray, believe, and trust God to bring the increase.
the outcome isn't your concern, the laboring is... don't blame, don't find fault, don't look for excuses... God will let you find them just as surely as he will pass you over if you choose to remain enslaved to lukewarmness...
he is looking for the faithful, the committed, the diligent, the honest, the genuine, those seeking his heart and his will, those who are passionate to reflect his image and his love.
FAITH
faith
you gotta trust him with the outcome as you diligently plant and water and pray...
pray
without ceasing.
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6I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
8Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. (I Corinthians 3; KJV)
6I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. (NIV)
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< Message edited by selahgirl -- 8/1/2008 1:21:02 PM >
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 8/16/2008 3:32:29 PM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
Joined: 5/20/2005
From: God is with you, never forget that <3
Status: offline
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fearlessly, as I should
I have been overwhelmed by the presence of God among his people. There is a song by CeCe Winans that has just consumed my thoughts and my heart lately... WAGING WAR from her new album THY KINGDOM COME. There is such a cry among the people of God for Christ to come and fulfill all things. Evil runs so rampant in the earth... the war rages these days and the people of God are really fed up with the devil robbing them of so much... This song is offered as a free mp3 download online:
http://music.download.com/cecewinansthykingdomcome/3600-8437_32-101127335.html
It is truly a BATTLE CRY if I have ever heard one... but it is different from any other...
It is a PERSONAL battle cry, from and to the heart of the believer. And as each of us is under brutal attack, as those we love are walking thru such suffering, like never before... we are fed up and the cry is to ourselves and to hell... ENOUGH!
The church is finally standing up one by one. Kinda reminds me of that Mel Gibson movie the PATRIOT. It was so convincing to adopt a pacifist view, to speak gently and sit idly, avoiding confrontation, as the enemy attacks and torments everything precious to you and to those around you... but there comes a point when people of conscience must reach that point of LIVE or DIE -- screaming/shouting/declaring to death, hell, and the grave, "I will cast my lot for what is right and good and Godly!"
Look across the church, and there are scars and bloodstains and lack... but something is changing in the wind. And that wind is the wind of His Spirit that blows thru the core of who we are... one by one he is empowering us. As we make up our minds, as we become resolute that we will not fear pain and death and suffering, we become that tree planted by the water that generations of the church have sung about for so long... we have finally faced fires and floods of our own that have brought us to a place of understanding. We finally get the heart of what they were singing about... we're done with hugging trees with limp-wristed affection, now we want to be that solid oak -- unmovable, unshakable, towering and massive in our faith and in our doing.
There is a division in the church.
There is a line being drawn, cut, burned, thru the center of the sanctuary. The people of God must choose... the peace of the world or the peace of God... only one is a real peace. The peace of the world tells you that life is about comfort and lack of conflict and compromising the statutes of God for the unity of the body... hmmm....
The peace of God tells you that life on this earth will be difficult:
" 4Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 5For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. 6You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8All these are the beginning of birth pains.
9"Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24)"
"13"I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. (John 17)"
" 32And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched 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. 35Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37They 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— 38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
39These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. (Hebrews 11)"
" 7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.........
16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4)"
YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE!
Just because you are disappointed in someone that chose selfishness and sin, rather than what is right...
Just because the injustice of this world and the self-centeredness of people we love flares up in our face and we are angry that they are harming themselves and everyone that loves them...
Just because you chose for your spouse to stay home so that someone would be available to minister to the daily needs of your family, and you can't provide all the trappings that the world says you need...
Just because you're without health insurance tho you are working yourself in the ground to cover the basic necessities of your family...
Just because life is not easy and tensions flare and you are not popular or well-liked by everyone in your circle...
Just because your sickness or hardship or thorn in the flesh remains after much prayer and petition for healing...
Just because it is your heart to do what is right, to love God, to love people, to serve, to learn from your sin/mistakes and to be a better person -- and yet, somehow it's never enough, somehow the appearance of things and the voices around you try to convince you to abandon your hope and your joy...
YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE!
Hold on to your faith. Fight for your hope and your joy. Slap the hand and the face of the enemy every time he tries to reach into your life to redefine what God has said. This life is supposed to be messy. We're not supposed to be comfortable with living in a cesspool of decay, living in a world that is cursed and that is rotting away beneath us. It is stressful, it is difficult, it is painful, it is demanding, there is lack and want and sickness and loss and poverty...
this is not paradise, it is a battlefield.
For too long now the church has somehow entered the mindset that everything is supposed to run smoothly if you're doing the Christian thing right.. but that's not the reality, that's not Truth, and that's not what the word of God says. We live our lives daily seeking Christ to lead us thru the big and the small. Fires blaze on every level and we must manage them all at once the best we can, trusting God to make us able and thanking him for fighting the flames beside us. There are souls to rescue in the fire, and there are loved ones we must guard who war beside us. Sometimes the battle is in the trench. Sometimes the fault is theirs, sometimes it's ours, but God is present to lead each of us to repentance and to realign us... keeping all things in order and effective and winning the war.
We fight and obey, He fights and oversees. We submit and trust, He rules and reigns.
Almost always, our walk is not a pretty site... it's the hand of God upon us, his grace and mercy, that turns our bumbling attempts into something beautiful and leads us on to the victory he has promised. It's always about him, it's always our weakness and smallness and his greatness and omniscience. He is God, we are merely reflections... what a privilege. Made in his image... why would he bestow such an honor upon us, why would he choose mud and muck to breath himself into? We reflect him because he chose us for that honor... But we must choose to receive that commission, we must decide whether to covenant with him, to enter into adoption as his child, as his heir. We must choose to love him back.
Will you stand up and cast a vote?
In the movie, The Patriot, in that little church, the people had to choose where they stood. It cost them much. In that same little church, they were burned alive, leaving nothing but ashes and loss. But they left a legacy, a challenge to those that would come after them, something that was so much more than the precious handful that they were trying to protect. They fought for their families and their neighbors, they fought for a measure of lands and homes... but they won a nation and generations of people that knew freedom because of them. We too must stand and fight for the parcel of ground on which we stand in this moment, and the pocket of life that has been handed to us, the souls left to our charge to teach and to lead into battle. Yes, into battle. We are not preparing our children for paradise and ease, we are to prepare them to war. Paradise and peace are the promise, the prize when the battle has been fought well.
" 21"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' (Matthew 25)"
"45But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
47"That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
49"I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! 51Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. (Luke 12)"
NO COMPROMISE. The word of God is sure and true. It is time to wage war just as CeCe talks about in her song...
" 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For 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. 13Therefore 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. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And 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.
19Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. (Ephesians 6)"
... fearlessly, as I should.
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 8/16/2008 7:10:55 PM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
Joined: 5/20/2005
From: God is with you, never forget that <3
Status: offline
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with our weapons restored
one more thing to add to the post above...
I was praying yesterday and God put a couple things in my heart. The first was Ephesians 5:7-14,
"3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7Therefore do not be partners with them.
8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:
"Wake up, O sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you."
I felt like the Lord was saying to be discerning, to realize that not all that calls itself Christian is, and not all who claim to work for the Kingdom of God are working for Him. Consider the fruit, not the title that they have given themselves. I felt that he went on to say for his people to not be afraid, to not feel so small. It was as though he was saying that...
You are not going into battle alone.
Remember the vision I gave you long ago of the Shepherd as he walked. One sheep heard his voice and began to follow him as he led it along. Then other sheep, one by one, also heard him and began to follow as individual sheep. Suddenly the vision was a whole flock of sheep that followed him as individual sheep, but who became a body of sheep in the process. That is us. That is the church. That is the gathering process. Following the shepherd is the key for each sheep, as we follow him with our whole heart, he will form and fashion a body of believers committed to following him above all else. That is our common bond. That is unity, and the affection that causes us to love one another... our love for Him.
Follow the shepherd into battle. Go and there will be others there with you, walking beside you, meeting you along the path, appearing from within the flock though you were never even aware of their presence until the right and perfect moment.
You are not going into battle alone.
Then he took me to I Samuel 13:16-22, as I continued in prayer and worship...
" 16 Saul and his son Jonathan and the men with them were staying in Gibeah in Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Micmash. 17 Raiding parties went out from the Philistine camp in three detachments. One turned toward Ophrah in the vicinity of Shual, 18 another toward Beth Horon, and the third toward the borderland overlooking the Valley of Zeboim facing the desert.
19 Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, "Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!" 20 So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plowshares, mattocks, axes and sickles sharpened. 21 The price was two thirds of a shekel for sharpening plowshares and mattocks, and a third of a shekel for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads.
22 So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them."
It's as though the enemy has worked an intricate and clever plan to disarm the people of God. Our weapons are unprepared and we stand on the battlefield vulnerable and wondering how it happened. Let me make it clear.... prayer removed from school, the ten commandments outlawed and forgotten, the holiness of the marriage bed defiled, the blood of Christ removed from our hymnals and our politically correct pulpits, our hearts lusting after all the stuff the world says we should have, our eyes lusting after the flesh that surrounds us and seeps into our homes thru every form of media, the pastors and denominations that we have come to worship as though they are God, the word of our testimony silenced because of our guilt and our shame and our sin and our pacifism...
We finally stand and go to battle, only to try to face a deadly enemy, armies and armies that have organized and plotted against us, who have used our own weaknesses to set us up as easy prey... but the story of Jonathan goes on, just as I believe that our testimony will go on to bring God even greater glory. Faith pleases God always, in every situation. That's the key we must remember as we read the rest of the story. Israel remained stuck for a time and unsure what to do, sound familiar? But then we read I Samuel 14...
"1 One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man bearing his armor, "Come, let's go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side." But he did not tell his father.
2 Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron. With him were about six hundred men, 3 among whom was Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod's brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD's priest in Shiloh. No one was aware that Jonathan had left.
4 On each side of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost was a cliff; one was called Bozez, and the other Seneh. 5 One cliff stood to the north toward Micmash, the other to the south toward Geba.
6 Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, "Come, let's go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows.
Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few."
7 "Do all that you have in mind," his armor-bearer said. "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul."
8 Jonathan said, "Come, then; we will cross over toward the men and let them see us. 9 If they say to us, 'Wait there until we come to you,' we will stay where we are and not go up to them. 10 But if they say, 'Come up to us,' we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the LORD has given them into our hands."
11 So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. "Look!" said the Philistines. "The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in." 12 The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, "Come up to us and we'll teach you a lesson."
So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, "Climb up after me; the LORD has given them into the hand of Israel."
13 Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. 14 In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre.
15 Then panic struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God.
16 Saul's lookouts at Gibeah in Benjamin saw the army melting away in all directions. 17 Then Saul said to the men who were with him, "Muster the forces and see who has left us." When they did, it was Jonathan and his armor-bearer who were not there.
18 Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God." (At that time it was with the Israelites.) 19 While Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the Philistine camp increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand."
20 Then Saul and all his men assembled and went to the battle. They found the Philistines in total confusion, striking each other with their swords. 21 Those Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and had gone up with them to their camp went over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 When all the Israelites who had hidden in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were on the run, they joined the battle in hot pursuit.
23 So the LORD rescued Israel that day, and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven.
There were hundreds of men there that day ready to fight for Israel... but only one that put his faith in God. Jonathan's comment in verse 6 reminds me so much of a couple chapters later when David would meet Goliath on the battlefield.
" 45 David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands." (I Sam 17)
Faith. Confidence. Trust in God. Risk...
And God honored the faith of one man as Jonathan put his trust in who he knew God to be. The victory was granted to a nation, because one man trusted God and convinced another to trust God, and it was that Faith that led an army into battle despite their vulnerability, despite the intricate plans fashioned against them by their enemies.
Will we be a people of Faith?
We have allowed ourselves to sleep, we have allowed our weapons to grow dull, we have followed eccentric/arrogant/unskilled voices to the battlefield and arrived unprepared... depending on someone/anyone to step up and tell us what to do. We fail to think and to ready ourselves and we allow ourselves to be slaves and robots without purpose or passion or vision... that is not God's plan for us. That is not who he fashioned us to be... When we obey voices that tell us to let our guard down, rather than the voice of God that says to be diligent in guarding such things... we die.
But when we choose to be a people of faith, no matter what the enemy has schemed... when we choose to seek God despite our weaknesses and our failures, when we call upon him and look to him with contrite and repentant hearts, when we continue to fight for the good of the whole, for his people and for his perfect will... God is pleased. When we trust him and act with courage, with humble hearts, acknowledging our sin and our shortcomings and our need of Him... God will act on our behalf. He will not remain silent. He will forgive, and speak and guide and confirm and restore our strength. God will confuse our enemies and he will grant us victory by his grace and his mercy.
God will get us thru this battle. We will win this ground somehow as we put our trust in him. And then as the battle moves forward to the next territory that he leads us to reclaim... we will move forward with the Lord... wiser, and with our weapons restored.
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 8/20/2008 12:22:44 PM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
Joined: 5/20/2005
From: God is with you, never forget that <3
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THY KINGDOM COME timely worship
I just came thru a difficult three years, and how I wish this new cd by CeCe Winans had been out then. I'm listening to the samples on her myspace and I'm looking back over all that I have walked thru... and I can bear witness with the testimony in her worship. WAGING WAR... IT AINT OVER... these are things declared in the heat of the battle, in the midst of attack, at the start of the turning of the tide...
This is pay week and I will definitely be buying this cd for my personal prayer/worship time.
If you are going thru difficult times. If you are tired of so much, if you've lost hope in good people, or you're in a situation that has drained every last ounce of energy and joy from you... I encourage you to get this cd and let it restore that fire in your bones to let God bring a change. It's the midnight hour for so many, and we've prayed and wept bitterly and cried out. God has heard and the anointing has been and is being poured out. We enter the battlefield led by worship of our God. No matter our enemy, no matter how afraid, no matter how small and beaten we feel... we go in faith, trusting him to intervene as we step out.
Are your feet there? Does the blood run from fresh wounds that you've suffered? Are you looking down right now at the stream of blood and tears as they fill your shoes and soak the very ground that you're standing on? Are you carrying a friend or a loved one who is that tattered soul, who bleeds beyond your control?
Look up... our redemption is here.
There are several voices of worship that get it. They carry an anointing from the throne of God. Two of those voices are CeCe Winans and Charlie Hall. They have been key during my worship lately. The samples on their myspace pages have spoken to me... and I plan to buy their cds this week so I can really sit in that soaking place of prayer and worship. God is using them to lead me into his presence, and I truly believe that he is calling many others to that place as well. Perhaps the same worship will lead you there. If it's a different worship minister, great... but go there. Go to that place. The people of God must begin to declare and claim the will of God in all the earth. He is pouring out an anointing upon such declarations right now.
Worship is such a key thing right now. But it is worship with the right heart. There is a counterfeit that masks itself in false humility... so be careful. You will know it by the fruit... does it lead you to Christ... are you changed... does it cause you to reflect Him and no other... do your eyes (the windows of your soul) shine with a light that loves Christ above all else?
Also, you simply cannot pray without worshiping and you cannot worship without praying. They are two sides of the same coin, and to spend one requires the spending of the other. Both are the act of talking to God... so talk.
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 8/25/2008 11:06:24 AM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
Joined: 5/20/2005
From: God is with you, never forget that <3
Status: offline
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Wake up, O sleeper!
Lately God keeps speaking about Light shining into the darkness. It is an image I cannot get out of my thoughts and every time I turn around something else is happening to emphasize it. The depth of that darkness, the very face of evil, the removing of the mask and the bone chilling reality of how real and active our Enemy is. We are not warring against people... it is a spiritual creature that stalks us and reaches thru our weak places to wound and attack and devour one another.
... but then the Light shines into that darkness, revealing Truth and restoring Hope and bringing Healing on the wings of the morning. What beauty in the Word of God revealed... Jesus, Light of the World, our Hope, our Salvation.
Malachi 4
1For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
2But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
3And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.
4Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.
5Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
6And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
There is just too much to explain or express in that passage. A word for the future, a word for the past, a word for the here and now. God is unchanging and his word and character remain faithful to every generation.
Two weeks ago our Sunday School class was discussing how long Noah and his family were on the ark before he finally sent out the dove and the raven. I woke up the next morning and turned on the TV to watch the news with my coffee, and it was unbelievable what appeared on the screen the second that that TV clicked on. It was a show depicting the old testament, the scene where Noah first opens the window to send out the birds.
The light flooded thru the window and the eight passengers on board crowded around that little window in awe of something as simple as sunlight. The show went on to focus on the sending of the birds and exiting the ark, but that image seemed burned in my thoughts. I thought about it as I went thru my morning routine, talking to the Lord and pondering it all. And it occurred to me how long they had spent in the darkness... living by torches and firelight for a year or so or however long it was. Their hope lay in the promise that God would bring them thru that dark time. They knew the Light, they had seen it, and they waited in that place of darkness trusting God...
Then when that window opened for the first time after so very long... what must it have felt like. That Hope fulfilled, the simplicity of it all, the warmth on their skin, the chemicals that began to stir to minister to them physically.... the Light, how they missed it... how beautiful it was in stark comparison to the dull substitutes they lived with for so long... I can only imagine how real that moment will be for us when we see him with our own eyes and feel the warmth of his presence on our own skin. There will be a day and it will be overwhelming and truly awesome.
So much more happened in the weeks that followed, but I want to get to the other moment of that Light piercing the darkness that just shook me so deeply...
My teens have been listening to Showbread's new cd series Anorexia and Nervosa. Their music is already pretty edgey, but this new material seemed over the edge at first listen. But we love this band and really trust that they are sold out to Christ, so we made a great effort trying to understand what and why they were presenting such a dark piece of art. They are ministry minded artists, so what is it they were trying to say....
Musically the albums are incredible.
My teens went to a summer camp/festival for a week called Cornerstone. Showbread was performing this new material... and my daughter came back absolutely undone by the experience. She said they came out all in white with black gunk smeared all over themselves. The place was darkened and two large screens were flashing videos and pics thru the performance. It was pretty intense and caused her to feel somewhat uncertain... but suddenly, near the end, there was a video of a girl in a field. The lead singer began to sing a beautiful hymn, the girl looked up and a light shined down upon her. And that scene took the performance out.
She bought both cds, deeply moved, but still holding them at arms length because they seemed so dark in a sense... she was trying to understand what God was stirring in her heart concerning it all. It turns out that the albums are a story line. They are like an opera of sorts... you are instructed to sit in a darkened room and to read the story thru as you listen to the albums. The story is a tale of two sisters that live a very dark and evil life... along the feel of LORD OF THE FLIES or something worse. One sister embraces the evil and has relations with a pig and the story is intensely evil as she marries herself to the darkness. The other sister lives a similar life but in the end is changed and freed from the darkness.
This is a very very intense piece of artistic expression (parents need to be available if your teens have questions as they try to wrap their mind around the message presented)... but the impact is staggering.
Our family thought on it for some time. And just this Sunday, I felt I understood a new aspect of the effect of this story project. It came back to the Light shining in the darkness... I love what Showbread has done, whether this was their intent or not. This album is a must-experience experience for church kids. What is does is so affective. It shocks them but not in a way to entertain them or to feed some eccentric fetish... it shocks them and opens their eyes to the depth of the evil of a very real enemy. It effectively rips the mask off of the darkness that reaches out to them and taunts them.
It takes the listener on a journey thru the life of the unsaved as viewed spiritually... darkness, the evil, the absolute vileness... so that they almost smell the stench of the enemy's breath in their face... it exposes the lie... it allows them to see the loss, the utter emptiness and bondage and filth of sin... and yet it allows them to see the beauty of the Light of the world. Not just in words, not so that they must play in the filth of the world to taste it. But rather it reveals the Truth of the darkness and the power of the Light... of Jesus Christ, Saviour of the World, Prince of Peace, Giver of Hope.
what it is to be clean.
Just as the Light flooded thru that window and affected Noah and his family in the darkness of that ark... Light and understanding floods the mind and heart of the listener who is truly listening for the voice of God. The difference lies in the fact that Christians, the people of God, know that the Light is there as they persevere and wait for the revealing of it... as they live in this cursed and putrid world... telling everyone about the Light that is coming again, as they reflect him and testify of his beauty and his goodness.
On the other hand, the lost have no idea what they are missing. They are content in the misery of that darkness. They have never heard or seen or experienced that Light. The darkness is their reality, the filth, forever stained and married to the darkness. They live in such pain and suffering because they know no other way. They are seduced and deceived. Until someone tells them the Truth... until they encounter Jesus Christ... until they feel the warmth on their skin and the stirring in their heart...
and they are overwhelmed.
Acts 26
15"Then I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?'
" 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied. 16'Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. 17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
Matthew 4
16the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned."
17From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."
Ephesians 5
1Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7Therefore do not be partners with them.
8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:
"Wake up, O sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you."
15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
And even now as I write this and refer to that Light... it brings me unexpectedly back to the passage that God spoke to me during my prayer time recently in Ephesians 5. The word that jumps out at me is idolatry... that word also came up this past Sunday... perhaps that is something the Lord is wanting to address among the church in the current hour.
Perhaps that greed of so many who are currently corrupting the church and the people of God is about to be revealed for what it is... perhaps God is about to deal with those who walk in such idolatry. It is a time to pray for repentance and for the mercy of God. Once again God is dealing with the spots and wrinkles because he is preparing a bride... and the wedding day is approaching so quickly while so many continue to sleep.
Wake up, O sleeper!
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 9/12/2008 1:35:53 PM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
Joined: 5/20/2005
From: God is with you, never forget that <3
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From a discussion about the emerging church.
...I have only skimmed the last two pages of this thread, but it is speaking to so much that has been turning over in my heart recently. There is a strong move that has entered mainline Christianity that is really being shoved into the faces of believers... it's not really new... it just has new names and new denominations and new movements hiding it's face...
it's an attempt to demean/remove the power of the blood/sacrifice of Christ and his teachings, to redefine it, to rewrite it based upon a different truth, a different doctrine, and yet to call it by his name, still confessing him, but in reality -- still rejecting him.
4Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 5For many will come in my name, claiming, I am the Christ, and will deceive many. 6You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8All these are the beginning of birth pains. (Matt 24)
our weapons against spiritual forces are the word of our testimony and the blood of Christ. Remove the power and significance of the blood and we have no testimony. My current sunday school teacher spends week after week demeaning the Bible and elevating the positive culture of Islam... the philosophies of men and tossing of eccentric Greek and Hebrew words are used to present the Bible as a book of myths created by the error of well meaning men. Two of the four pastors are voting for liberal, pro-abortion candidates and have stated so. The other two may be as well, I just haven't asked.
something eerie is happening in the mainline church... the word of God is being denied and the work of the cross is being demeaned... and the ppl of God sit and scratch their heads, shrug their shoulders, and watch the clock until class is over. The Trade Center was bombed, our nation attacked by terrorists, years were spent in talks to politically approach the matter without violence... and while the wonderful Islamic nation chattered away feeding the egos of mild-mannered mediators and peace-seeking agendas... they plotted and attacked us on 9-11.
" 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace. "
(eccl 3)
We are not to initiate violence, but when attacked we can defend to stop the violence committed against us and our loves ones and the innocent. There is a line that we can defend with violence if necessary. The error comes when we fail to use restraint and to reel in our emotions so that we don't cross that line and enter into vengeance and revenge. That is when it requires sacrifice and loss and Godly character to refrain from lashing out in our anger to the point of becoming the aggressor driven by greed and selfishness rather than the sole desire to protect and stop the violence of injustice. Sometimes the ppl of God must be violent in order to quell violence and genuine injustice, just as David and Israel and the Allied Forces were against Hitler. We're not perfect at it... but we must try, we must do our best always remembering (Micah 6:8)
8 He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
I thought perhaps it was just the church I left several years ago... or perhaps it was this specific EMERGENT movement... but I think perhaps it is a smell that is drifting into every denomination and every form of organized religion everywhere. Here are some thoughts I wrote to a friend recently...
...so I luv them, just don't receive their yuck into my life. I know that sounds angry, and there are some elements of anger that remain, but I am at peace with God about it. I have asked him to hold nothing against them for the sins committed to me and my children... but that if they continue ripping ppl and families apart that God would stop them from committing further evil... according to His mercy and His wisdom. There is nothing that I can say that matters to them or their ppl... they serve their own little kingdom and I leave them with God until God tells me differently. Actually, I fear for them because they have closed their ears so tightly and refuse all accountability as they continue in their sins. Ppl track me down at the grocery and other places (as much as I try to avoid it all) and they begin to weep and share how their family has been bullied and manipulated and out of church for months now. It's heartbreaking. I have no answers for them, tho I cover them with prayer and with love.
Life goes on, and God is Good all the time and he has beautiful ppl every where. I feel like I am breathing fresh air now that I am outside the walls of Vineyard. There are so many wide open doors to minister for Christ, to reach out to the hurting, to share the love of Christ. These last days are full of deception and counterfeits. Every thing my family and I have walked thru has equipped us to recognize the fruit of everything that calls itself of God, as wool or wolves. We live in a scary hour for the ppl of God. I often wonder if the organized Church is not nearing the end of it's existence. There is a counterfeit that has emerged calling itself contemporary, and the new face of the church. But it is full of compromise and disdain for the word of God. It wears a mask of false-humility and calls itself a follower of Christ but it does not follow his teachings...
It seems to me that the true believers are scattered across the world. So much so that the face of it, isn't really visible yet. It feels as though she is so much closer to being that Acts church than ever before. The signs and wonders are soon to come and perhaps she will finally be without spot or wrinkle like she was when she was first handed the commission by Christ. As fulfillment of it nears completion, perhaps she will no longer dwell in the palaces and kingdoms built by men... perhaps she will be pilgrims, wanderers, actually watching and waiting for the return of her Lord to take her Home. Homelessness... that seems to be the emerging state of true believers...
(Phil 3)
" 17Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. 18For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. 20But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ..."
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 9/12/2008 3:34:45 PM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
Joined: 5/20/2005
From: God is with you, never forget that <3
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(and the conversation continues as do my wild and crazy thoughts. haha)
... ^_^ yes, I get the basic concept of prophetic/pastoral working hand in hand and the necessity of both. Pastoral being to build up, and prophetic being to tear down the stagnant. Call it whatever you want if you don't like those terms, but I agree that some elements of the church undergo change and adjustments to cultures and generations. And there are some that simply don't like change of any kind, so feathers often get ruffled with every time of necessary transition.
However, I believe there is a core that should not be touched. The fundamentals of the faith. Change the packaging or the language all you want, but changing the heart of the teachings of Christ is another matter. Feeling that the Scripture is a bad interpretation in spots and demeaning it... leaves a generation and future generations with no tangible guidance, no touch-stone to keep their balance and compass aligned.
God created us physical creatures and whether a torn page or a memorized passage or twenty copies of the Bible... there must be a consistency of Scripture for believers to hold onto when the world around them is shaking violently. I believe that the Bible is inspired by God and without error, no matter the translation that God puts in your hands or the language it's in... I believe he will put a version of the Bible (or a passage from one) in your hands that will guard the Truth that he wants you to live out. As to the other matter of violence...
Violence is to be avoided, sometimes with loss and with the need to suffer sacrifice. But there is a measure of necessary violence imo. Otherwise, why do we have police and army and other measures of defense in society. It keeps order and safety. Otherwise you end up with movements of ethnic cleansing that we see in history and currently around the world. People with no way to meet violence with violence to defend themselves, their children are becoming victims and orphans and being tortured right now while self-proclaimed peace keepers sit in posh surroundings and discuss sunshine and puppies.
It's happening today... children are being raped and murdered while ur typing ur response to this post... Convert to Islam or die *period* Convert to Buddhism or die *period* Both are realities today... and in the past during the crusades, Convert to Christianity or die *period*
It took violence meeting violence to stop injustice and the slaughter of the innocent. Not without attempts at diplomacy... but when all reasonable appeals were rejected and bodies were laying in the streets... good people had to take up arms to stop the violence.
I will not hold someone's hat while they rape my daughter, christian or not christian. I will not let a rapist sleep in her room to protect his rights in the name of keeping peace instead of providing a safe place for her and guarding the door. And I don't think God frowns on me picking up and using whatever I need to to stop someone from committing violence against my child. It's not my decision or desire to harm them -- they made the decision to risk their own life when they decided to bazooka my door down and attack my daughter's life.
Some men don't have sex and I respect their commitment.
Some men won't pull the trigger on a gun and I respect their commitment, but I wouldn't want them as a husband or running anything that guards what I hold precious.
And I don't think God calls me a sinner for that.
What's important to you? Are you driven by selfishness or by justice coupled with mercy? God judges the motives of the heart. He THREW tables over in the temple and made his own weapon to drive people out of the temple because he was zealous about what was important to him. Yet, he died on a cross and refused to call a legion of angels down upon people that sinned against him.
Violence is not the answer, it is to be avoided when possible, but it will be a part of reality for the saved and the unsaved as long as this cursed world continues. This is not paradise. One day it will be... but for now we live in a war zone and it will never be a pretty place.
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 10/31/2008 12:28:39 PM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
Joined: 5/20/2005
From: God is with you, never forget that <3
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BE BLESSED (part one)
Psalm 1:1-3
1Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
I read several versions of this passage, but none seem to capture the deeper message of it as well as the King James Version. I sat thinking about what it was saying and conversing with the Lord about a fuller understanding of his word, when suddenly a beauty emerged from the page like a sparkle of light, a flash of the sun thru the many branches hovering over a quiet road as you drive along. That’s why I so hunger for more time to just read and sit quietly before the Lord, recording every whisper he speaks to my thoughts. There is just never enough time in the day it seems to do that as often as I would like, especially since every verse seems to speak volumes. I think a hundred lifetimes would still not be enough to record all the richness and wisdom that flows from the Holy Bible. I feel starved for it lately.
Here are some notes from my prayer journal.
I will warn you that they are not a few. haha:
What exactly is it to be blessed?
… to be fortunate perhaps, the recipient of good things, creating an image of things bestowed or put upon someone. Such things as honor or favor or provision or privilege…
This passage goes on to say who will be blessed. The person who does not walk in the council of the ungodly. Our walk is our journey thru this life, our existence on this earth. The ungodly would be those who do not reflect God, who do not resemble him in character or in image, who are not Godly.
So to walk in the counsel of the ungodly would be to live your life based on the advice and values of those who are in contradiction and opposition to God and all that he values.
Why would someone who claims to be a follower/lover/disciple of Christ do such a thing? We immediately seem to think, “Oh, that’s not talking about me. “ But is it?
When we study what Hollywood says is good though the character of God is not reflected in it… are we following the example of the ungodly? When we want to dress and act and value what self-proclaimed atheists and pagans declare is good… are we living our life according to the advice and values of people in blatant opposition to God?
When sex outside of marriage and aborting unwanted babies, and approving of homosexuality have become acceptable values to people professing to be followers of Christ (aka: Christians)… something just doesn’t make sense. How do Godly people embrace ungodly values and think they are blessed? Why would they expect God to bless people that are not concerned about being blessed? Would it not make sense to conclude that “cursed is the man that walks in the counsel of the ungodly?”
The passage continues by saying that a person is also blessed when he does not stand in the way of sinners. To stand in the way of sinners means to hang around and be associated with people that embrace sin, to stand around with people that are willingly doing stuff that God told them not to do as tho it’s okay to do them anyway.
What good could possibly come from standing around and hanging out with people that lie and rape and violate all that is good and innocent and trusting? Not participating in it, but still putting your stamp of approval on it by endorsing such people rather than speaking against the harm they are bringing to themselves and to their victims? Would such a person find themselves blessed or suffering violence and injustice? Have they positioned themselves to be blessed?
It also says that the blessed person will not sit in the seat of the scornful. To sit in a seat is symbolic of sitting on a throne or in a position of authority, someone who rules or meets out judgment. To sit in the seat of the scornful would imply someone who dishes out scorning or shaming people. Someone sitting in and giving approval to or lending their name or empowering people that are arrogant and cruel, who lord their advantage over those who are beneath them or oppressed by their abuse of the authority entrusted to them.
We all want the blessing. We all like to assume that we are among the blessed… but are we? Are we walking in the counsel of the ungodly? Are we standing in the way of sinners? Are we sitting in the seat of the scornful? Are we oblivious to what we have done, never really making the connection of our actions to actual sin? Has our choice to do nothing, say nothing, coast along… identified us as followers of Christ or followers of the crowd?
Are we blessed or are we cursed? Do we walk and stand and sit in ways that reflect and honor God? Those actions meaning figurative actions, our heart, our motives, our attitudes, our doing of the big and of the small at school, at work, at home.
Or do we seek to please and resemble people and values that contradict all that is Godly and precious to him? Have we become part of the herd of the world, or are we a flock that continues listening individually for the voice of the shepherd? That is such a relevant question… key to correcting the alignment of the church of this generation…
Have we become part of the herd of the world, or are we a flock that continues listening individually for the voice of the shepherd?
Do we look like the world? Like Hollywood? Not in the sense that fashion and trends are a sin… cuz they’re not. But are we compromising and justifying that compromise even tho it has moved our heart and our focus off the path? Have the opinions of Hollywood and the Popular people in our lives (in the church and outside the church) become more important to us than the opinions of our Lord? Are we more concerned with being liked by people in power, than diligently seeking to please God with our inward and outward appearance of action and deed?
Do we look and smell and sound and walk and appear like the politically correct? Are we sitting in the bleachers on the side of people that are self proclaimed God-haters, peace-loving, earth-worshipping, atheists?
Has a generation become unable to see the contradictions between such things as earth-caring and earth-worshipping?
Do we preach a doctrine other than God’s Truth and gently say “I’m okay, you’re okay, whatever, let’s just all get along, and all truth is Truth cuz no one really knows the Truth?”
Not if we want to be Blessed by God.
A failure to believe in his word, the Holy Bible makes you a slave to the doctrines of men and of devils… a false doctrine is always masked as something good and holy and a beautiful idea, and often tries to align itself with Christ and with the title Christian. Think about the time someone betrayed you and crushed your heart, when someone lied to you… and the moment you realized that the one you completely trusted with important stuff was not the person you thought they were. This is not just words on a page from a book… this stuff is real, this stuff is deep. It is the stuff that life is really made of… as stinky as it is. We can’t live life in fear… but we gotta live it smart. And God is trying to tell us how to do that, if we’ll just listen to the stuff he left for us in a letter… in the Bible.
“9Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. 11Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work. (2 John 1:9-11)” NIV
KJV: “10If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”
To wish someone God speed means to wish them a good day, a blessed day. God says not to show them such courtesy. If a cult member comes to your door (or steps into your pulpit) and tries to convince you of a doctrine of devils, you are not to be puppies and sunshine wishing them a good day. You are to be kind but direct, or you will be judged for encouraging them in their sin... and their death.
“ 20 "Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. Since you did not warn him, he will die for his sin. The righteous things he did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 21 But if you do warn the righteous man not to sin and he does not sin, he will surely live because he took warning, and you will have saved yourself." (Ezekiel 3:20-21)
Discipline is not fun. Conflict is something we all would love to avoid. But this life is not heaven, it’s not time to live in peace and paradise. The Bible says we are working toward the perfecting of such things, but for now it says that we are living in a war zone. It will not always be this way, but it is the transition of the age that we have been born into. The clash of light and darkness, as Christ has sent us out with a commission, a message of Hope, and a warning of hardship in the book of John (see chap 17). We are to love all, to be kind, to be merciful. But… we are to never back down from the Truth of God, and never to compromise the integrity of the whole Bible as the teachings of Christ without error.
Deception is the sensual poison that drips from the lips of sin and death; but make no mistake about it, whether a quick kiss or a long lingering taste, both will prove the Truth of God… “you will surely die” if you join yourself to it.
Be smart.
Be blessed.
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 11/1/2008 1:37:14 AM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
Joined: 5/20/2005
From: God is with you, never forget that <3
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BE BLESSED (part two)
Psalm 1:1-3
1Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
God has set laws in the heavens and in the earth. Laws that we are expected to be aware of, to obey, and to study. We are not to just know them or memorize them or be acquainted with the knowledge that they are written down somewhere.
We are to delight in them, we are to take great joy in the law of God. His law includes all that he says will and will not be done. The NIV says ON his word does he meditate… but I like the KJV better, which reads IN his word does he meditate. ON implies a separation. IN implies an immersion, a plunging into like a baptism, becoming saturated, one with.
When we delight in something, it consumes us – our thoughts and the motives of all that we do. I love that it says that the follower of God will meditate on all that God says DAY AND NIGHT. It is being passionate about what God wants whether we are at work or school during the day, or whether we are running with friends at night… or home with our family… or in bed with our spouse. It is the goodness, the fullness of the blessings of God, permeating every aspect of our lives in the spirit and in the flesh. We are both.
God delights in both. He made us to be such dual-natured creatures. And both of our natures are able to delight in who he is. His will and his word never need to be set on a shelf for a moment. Even during those personal moments such as having sex with your spouse. The word of God says for a husband to delight in the breasts of his wife (proverbs 5). God wired husband’s for such an attraction and need. His blessing remains upon us, husband and wife, even in the marriage bed. And it is a woman’s passion to be desired.
18 May your fountain be blessed,
and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19 A loving doe, a graceful deer—
may her breasts satisfy you always,
may you ever be captivated by her love.
20 Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress?
Why embrace the bosom of another man's wife?
21 For a man's ways are in full view of the LORD,
and he examines all his paths.
On the job, dealing with ungodly people. Again, it is not a time to set aside Godly character – it is not a time to dish out the same attitude that everyone at work does. It’s not “just the way things are” or “just how things are done in the real world.”
We must continue to recall the word of God and to delight in it. Does that mean that we are to be door mats and syrupy sweet?… sometimes. But not always. We are to be patient, always led by the Spirit of God… wise as serpents but gentle as doves…
“16Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. (Matthew 10:16)”
We are to hold the people in our lives accountable, always with love, always as a friend who seeks their best interest over our own. Sacrificing self to demonstrate the love AND righteousness of God. Sometimes people that we love need syrup… and sometimes they need a rod of discipline. God decides, not us. But as his instruments, we must be praying consistently for discernment, and devouring his word until it becomes a part of who we are.
When we consume his word thru prayer (spirit) and Bible study (physical) we are consumed – self is consumed – and the word of God becomes the fragrance of our very breath as we speak. It will cause our breath to be sweet to some and a stench to others. We risk popularity and rejection every time we open our mouths in love. But to remain silent when God says to speak is sin… to leave people in darkness instead of speaking the word of God is murder. How else will they see the path that God has planned for them? How will they find their way out of darkness if we do not share his word, his truth, the light?
Otherwise, their blood stains our hands when we remain silent about their sin, when we care more about their feelings and their favor than that of God. Acceptance at all cost is not in the Bible. We fear rejection from people, of offending them, of rocking the boat, of being accused of bringing conflict rather than the appearance of peace… and so we compromise the will and word of God. We justify our walk with the ungodly as mercy and humility and peace-making.
But such compromise is a deception… and a sin.
Why is it that when we agree that a lie is true… it’s so easy to accept?
Why is it when our leaders or those with influence or authority speak as a chorus of liars… we see it as a beautiful sound, melodic, tasty and satisfying? How does a little sugar convince us to ignore the poison that lies within the thing?
Is the law of God desirable to us or not?
Do we find it beautiful and good, worth dying for, worth selling all to possess? Do we love our Lord or not? If so, doesn’t it stand to reason that a measure of the proof is in the fact that we are willing to stay up late into the night just to hear him breathing on the other end of that phone line? That we go without sleep, without thought of the sacrifice… that food is suddenly unimportant and our only craving is the next word that he speaks, the next moment we can finagle just to hear his voice, to feel his presence stir the air when he is standing in the room with us again… remember? Has love become so foreign to us that we’ve forgotten the excitement or the way it made us behave so foolishly?
Do we miss the Lord? Do we ache to see him, does our heart hurt at his absence… is his word, a letter in the mail, an occasional brief encounter of his presence barely enough to keep us from losing our mind?…
Do we love him?
If so, then why would we not delight in his word day and night?
Why is talking on that phone line in prayer a chore?
Why would we be content to let someone else read us his letter?
If we love him, wouldn’t we rip open the envelope or anything else that stood in the way of hearing what our lover wanted to say to us? We get it, we understand physical pleasure, when someone talks about those sensual and sexual cravings that “delight” our bodies… but what about the cravings of the spirit? As intense as the physical cravings can be … are we loving Christ with the same intensity body, mind and spirit?
Be Spiritually aroused.
Be Blessed.
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 11/1/2008 8:45:03 PM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
Joined: 5/20/2005
From: God is with you, never forget that <3
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BE BLESSED (conclusion)
Psalm 1:1-3
1Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
When we choose to reject the influence and advice of the ungodly…
When we choose rather to find our joy in the influence and advice of God…
We are blessed.
Here in this verse, there is a picture of what that blessedness looks like. A tree planted by the rivers of water is one that is tall and strong, with a root system that runs deep and drinks from not just one source, but several (RIVERS of water). Such a water system sets your mind at peace; knowing that should one encounter a problem or dry up, there are several others. Provision is sure.
A tree that brings forth its fruit in its season. Not one that has fruit hanging on it all the time, but one that uses wisdom to guard it’s health. It rests at the right times, it labors and grows and gathers at the right times. It is unashamed and unafraid to wait patiently to bring things to perfection – the timing of God. Putting on aires and appearances are not a factor, it seeks to impress no one but God. It’s not concerned about showing off it’s fruit for attention… it is more concerned with God’s timing… with producing healthy fruit as God ordains.
I love this tree!
I want to be such a tree.
It is not concerned with competing with other trees. It has no desire to produce apples and oranges and every other fruit, motivated by fear that someone will gain more attention than it. Rather, it is concerned with what it has been called to produce and nothing more. It spites no one of their success, but rather rejoices at the beauty of such a variety of fruit that blooms on all of those around it. It desires to serve well, to produce healthy and perfect fruit that God planned for it to produce. It does not envy the other trees or the fruit they produce. There is no murder in it’s heart. Such trees are hard to find or to witness in the church today.
Nor does it see itself as small and insignificant, comparing itself to the other trees planted near it and along the way. Demeaning itself and the blessings that God has poured upon it. Unthankful and discontent. Selfish and self-absorbed. Picking apart the good things God’s love has lavished on it. No.
It is secure in knowing that the blessing of God is upon it. And it is enough. His grace is sufficient. His grace is it’s joy. Like Christ on the cross, in such a state, stripped, robbed, betrayed, emptying himself of all rights and glory, he gave all in exchange for one thing… to please the Father… to bring salvation to others, to us.
How do we fathom that?
How do we say such a thing, realize such a miracle, behold such love and power and beauty as he hung on that cross in such ugliness?… in our place?
There is only one response in light of such a thing. And it is a revelation held in the leaves of that tree. The leaves of such a tree do not wither. Incredible! Leaves store food for a tree. They also produce food thru photosynthesis (absorbing sunlight)! It implies that the man that is blessed has many resources and provision stored up and at his disposal. The leaves wither when the supply of food dries up. But such a tree never runs out of food and provision.
23 If the LORD delights in a man's way,
he makes his steps firm;
24 though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
25 I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread. (psalm 37:23-25).
Leaves are also the place where breathing takes place, the exchange of air. Life.
Breathing is associated with PRAISE. So when the leaves do not wither, breathing does not cease… therefore, praise is always on his lips, and present upon all that he has stored up in himself. His leaf does not wither, his Thanks and Praise to God is without end! … wow.
Yes, I definitely love this tree!
No wonder that whatever he does prospers. In other words, he is successful. And every project he lays his hand to ends in success and increased good. The man who has rejected the way of the ungodly, who delights in the law and word of God, who is blessed… planted strong and securely in his faith, fed by several sources, is patient and wise in producing fruit and fulfilling his purpose in life as God ordained, who continually breathes out praise and thanks to God for the overflow and the abundance in his life… of course, whatever he does shall prosper? It’s just a matter of doing the math – it all adds up, it’s the perfection of God!
Be Thankful.
Be Blessed.
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 11/20/2008 2:02:03 PM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
Joined: 5/20/2005
From: God is with you, never forget that <3
Status: offline
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THE GREAT WHORE
I feel like the other day something occurred to me that brings some clarity concerning the endtimes and specifically the Great Whore spoken of in Revelation. I am still turning things over in the back of my mind about much of it, so I"m not like dug in about what I'm about to say. It was just an interesting thing that came to mind suddenly when I was pondering some things I have recently witnessed in the church as a whole.
For so long many people have labeled the Catholic Church as the end time woman riding on the back of the beast. But I don't think it is any one denomination (in light of recent observations over the past several years)... I think it is more an attitude, a cultural mindset, an emerging political correctness that is permeating the church as a whole across denominational lines and generations and races and nations.
The sin of the Pharisee, the sin of the Catholic church during the middle ages, the sin of the emerging church today as we approach the end times... I am convinced goes back to the day when Israel demanded a king. The people of God began looking to a man, rather than God. Leaders began to think of themselves as equal to God, carrying the same weight, answering to no one, above justice and all that is stated in Scripture as the will of God. As though they are allowed to reinterpret the word of God, and that all must obey whatever they say as though they are God.
I know this sounds so farfetched and as though it is fanatical ramblings... but there are many people of late who have been disillusioned by the current trends of church culture that seems to put more emphasis on the whims of it's leaders/pastors than the Word of God. There is a strong trend that is emerging across mainline denominations that is discounting the Bible as being untrustworthy. I have witnessed a generation of teen to thirty somethings that have emphasized accountability to a peer group or a leader/mentor above personal accountability to God.
Consider David's confession in Psalm 51:
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.
The church has moved the heart of the people away from a one to one relationship with Jesus Christ to a relationship based on go-betweens as though those go-betweens are equal to God.
Behold the Great Whore.
Priests and nuns and mentors and friends and pastors and leaders and teachers are all part of the body that ministers to one another. They are appointed by God and essential to the health of the church. BUT...
and here is what muddy's the water. There is a distinct and clear line that she must not cross. When suddenly people become dependent on the approval of their leaders for their salvation, for the big and the small in their lives, for direction and self-esteem and permission to function as part of the church as a whole... when they're banned from ministry or black-balled socially based on the personal preferences of a leader or leadership rather than based upon Scriptural guidelines... their God has become something other than the one true God.
The knowledge of good and evil, the ability to determine what is right and wrong, to judge what is allowed and not allowed, the power to be obeyed as to what people can and cannot do --- the sin in the garden was an attempt to become like God, thru means that were not God's means. This is nothing new. It's all very basic sin.
And it is a sin that is not just that of the leaders... it is more the sin of the people, the congregation, you and me, everyone that goes along with whatever the leadership says without measuring it to the Word of God and calling into question anything that reveals itself as contrary to it. At least ask a question about it. We have prostituted ourself out as the church because we have put men in the position of our god while we claim to be married to the One True God. That is the church that is emerging in these last days.
It's being taught in my church and so many don't know. And it's probably being taught in your church somewhere under the radar, with teachings by Claiborne and other thinkers that hate the christian foundations that our nation is built upon. The movement is called NEO-MONASTICISM and it is the fruit on the tree... tempting, edgy, new and different, making promises of greatness and holiness and passions, and it's being offered to the church as a whole.
People that fast devoutly, that have every appearance of holiness, that deprive themselves of certain worldly pleasures, who are lofty in their own minds, frustrated and cynical about those who don't put on a similar show, critical of those who fail to speak often of humility and their passion for everyone to have all things in common. Such people trade one sin for another and mask their error with self righteousness and false-humility... deceiving others as well as themselves (because they are addicted to FEELING holy rather than being like Christ).
27"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. 28In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. (Matt 23)
The great revival and the great falling away.
The true church is being ousted by the emerging church that has become the organized church.
Labels of Church and Christian are merely that... labels, cheap knock offs looking for customers, offered to hook the soul of the very elect.
Christ and his teachings and the Word of God are the defining factor. Those who teach any other gospel, and there are many, soooo many more than you realize across denominational lines. They are redefining the church just like so many new voices in our nation and among the leaders of the world are redefining so many things. The last days are upon us, the birth pains have become regular with only minutes between. The sorting has begun between sheep and goats and every single person must account for themselves, there are no excuses, lines are drawn and sides must be chosen. Whose side will you stand on? What will you call yourself? Which label will you wear and who is really the God that rules over that label?
The Great Whore is married to the one of righteousness, part of the church, called by his name, Christian... but she sleeps with and gives herself to another as well. Submitting to both, full of adulteries of the flesh of the heart and of the spirit. A large portion of the church is whoring herself out by not holding her leaders accountable when they demean or deter from the Word of the Almighty God as recorded in the Bible.
There is a place for right authority, for obeying our leadership, as with the early church... but EVERYTHING leadership said or did was measured to what Christ said and taught. The emerging church has moved away from that simple command and model. The Pharisee, the Catholic Church at a certain point in history, the modern day church (insert every denomination on the books), the end time church/bride of Christ -- each contained a portion that worshiped a man as though he was God.
Many will disagree with this... good. Hopefully it will mean that they are actually trying to THINK about what is real around them and what is not real according the the Bible. To question, to measure, to weigh... that is the freedom that Christ brings. When men sincerely begin to seek Truth... it will lead them to Christ every time. It is that Truth that sets us free to begin with.
so yeah, just thinking out loud about some things I've observed recently.
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RE: Did I just think that out loud?... - 12/1/2008 12:45:21 PM
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selahgirl
Posts: 834
Joined: 5/20/2005
From: God is with you, never forget that <3
Status: offline
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I wish I had more time to talk about the many things that run thru my mind, but with three teens my time seems to stay somewhat limited. Someday, perhaps, I will not have to comment on the fly so much. haha.
The enemy loves to spell blatant rebellion against God and blasphemy out for people, wrapping it in a pretty bow as though it is something of value.
17 Do not let your heart envy sinners,
but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD.
18 There is surely a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off.
19 Listen, my son, and be wise,
and keep your heart on the right path. (Proverbs 23)
Some people are just duped into the sense of power and control to just rip up everything around them -- calling it cutting-edge, new and exciting. Why is it we feel such a need to feel like we're so smart, like we know things that no one else has thought of.
8 All things are wearisome,
more than one can say.
The eye never has enough of seeing,
nor the ear its fill of hearing.
9 What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which one can say,
"Look! This is something new"?
It was here already, long ago;
it was here before our time. (Ecclesiates 1)
And there are plenty such people and movements out there. But it is actually the subtlety of the serpent displayed in the garden that is truly dangerous and that does the most damage. It is that subtlety that deceives even the very elect at times.
1 Now the serpent was more crafty (subtle: KJV) than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"
2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' "
4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. (Genesis 3)
Adam and Eve were such a pivotal prey, turning them would be a great challenge... so it makes sense that the enemy would use his most cunning attack.
3But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. (2 Corinthians 11)
It begins by subtly questioning the word of God, just a thought, wondering and rambling in our thoughts... by thinking we can do it better... by pride and selfishness... until it escalates without warning or expectancy into wanting to be like God in the sense of becoming a god ourselves... wanting control... it's interesting that such sin was in the heart of one of God's most trusted angels and now it is so easily passed to the heart of his beloved creation, mankind. We think we suffer heartbreak that is unbearable, betrayal that rips us open and leaves us bleeding on the ground... how much more has God suffered in an attempt to give us freedom, free-will, forgiveness and a second chance? How great is the love of God for us, for me, and for you.
12 How you have fallen from heaven,
O morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations!
13 You said in your heart,
"I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne
above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.
14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High."
15 But you are brought down to the grave,
to the depths of the pit. (Isaiah 14)
Subtlety... it is a venom.
Walking along this path of life, we're gonna get bit at some point. All of us. The temptation is gonna break the skin and run thru our veins... and that will be the true test... is there Life in our blood or not... is Christ really in us or just something we wear to look good.
15"If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (John 14)
If he is in us... Life prevails, the temptation is not lethal, and the struggle passes for a season. It leaves us stronger and wiser and less vulnerable to the next attack. The antibodies empower us to be more like Christ. We gain control over our self, over our own ambition gone awry... and we submit ourselves in every way to the heart and will of God our Father, our Savior and Lord, our Help and Confidence.
22Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. (2 Timothy 2)
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