Burning Questions

"These are burning questions that every disciple must answer in total candor. Do you hunger for Jesus Christ? Do you yearn to spend time alone with Him in prayer? Is He the most important person in your life? Does He fill your soul like a song of joy? Is He on your lips as a shout of praise? Do you eagerly turn to His memoirs, His personal testament, His gospels to learn more of Him? Are you making the effort to die to anything and everything that would inhibit, diminish or threaten your friendship?

"To discern where you really are with the Lord, recall what has saddened you recently. Was it the realization that you don't love Jesus enough? That you do not seek His face in prayer often enough? That you can't honestly say that the greatest thing that happened in your life was the Jesus came into your life and you heard His voice? That you do not regard finding Jesus as your supreme happiness? That you have denied His last commandment by loving His people enough?

"Or have you been saddened and depressed over a lack of human respect, criticism from an authority figure, financial problems, lack of friends, your bulging waistline?

"On the other hand, what has gladdened you recently? Reflection on your election to the Christian community? The joy of praying, 'Abba, I belong to you'? The afternoon you stole away with the gospel as your only companion? The thrilling awareness that God loves you unconditionally just as you are and not as you should be? A small victory over the selfishness? Or were the sources of your gladness and joy a new car, a Brooks Brothers suit, a movie and pizza, a trip to Paris or Peoria? Are you worshiping idols?"

Brennan Manning, Lion and Lamb

Three Gifts

While in prayer the other night I was thinking about the birth of Jesus. This is something I wouldn't normally do, except maybe once a year when others are celebrating Christmas. I, for one, am truly thankful for the birth of Jesus. I marvel over God's incredible Gift to mankind. There are so many lessons that can be learned about Jesus' entrance into the world. The circumstances in which He was born should make someone hesitate before complaining about difficult childhood experiences. (One's childhood experiences should not become an excuse to limit his or her future.)

If we take a step back from Jesus' cave and manger scene, we can see that all humanity was involved—from the poor to the rich, from the good to the very bad. Even spiritual forces were involved—from the host of angels announcing the Good News, to the demons of hell attempting to destroy God's Son through Herod's evil decree. I have heard messages preached on the three gifts that were given to Baby Jesus by the Magi; gold, frankincense and myrrh. These gifts were probably never touched by Jesus, yet were useful in providing for Mary and Joseph's family on their travels, including living in Egypt. These Gifts were very symbolic of Jesus' life. Gold represented His royalty as King of heaven and earth. Frankincense denotes his High Priestly call in service to God for mankind. And the Myrrh represented his death and burial.

The night I was praying, God shared something new to me about the three Gifts. The gifts, I repeat, were doubtfully ever even touched by Jesus. Yet they symbolically represented something on a larger scale. They also represent something for all of God's precious sons and daughters! Just as the three gifts benefited the needs of Jesus' physical family, so too these same gifts prophetically benefit the needs (ALL the needs!) of God's spiritual family.

Gold, represented the faithfulness of God—His total provision, both physical and spiritual—for His Son Jesus. God desires to meet all the needs of His spiritual sons and daughters. (Note, the needs, not the wants.) This includes protection, health of our bodies, provision, and all other needs (II Sam 22:31, Eph 6:16, Is 53:5). The Bible never indicated that Jesus was ever sick or ever went to a doctor to cure Him. (So why should we? If we walk in faith and don't indulge in man-made foods or depend on the world-system for protection, we will never lack for anything in this life or in the next.) In the area of provision, we should always have the desire and the ability to help others and give. Everything that Jesus ever needed was provided for. Even after the event of the cross, Jesus' burial site was provided by Joseph of Arimathea. (Yet, praise the Lord, He didn't remain in the grave!) From the beginning of His life to His ascension, all Jesus' needs were met. Similarly, He served and helped provide for others' needs; He gave and gave and gave (even His own body as a sacrifice)—right to the end of His time on the earth. Now He still is giving, helping and interceding for us in heavenly places. When we have been obedient and faithful within the areas of giving and sacrifice, God is always faithful. That is why He reminds us, "Do not worry about your life, what you will eat, drink or wear..." (Mt 6:25). By obeying Him, He will always take care of us—today, tomorrow and forever. The Father's promise and blessing for His sons and daughters is far-reaching: "Don't you realize that everything I have is yours!" (Lk 15:31).

Frankincense, represents the fragrance, the sweet aroma of Jesus and His High Priesthood. Everywhere Jesus Christ went, He walked in humility, love and spiritual authority; this was the anointing of God. We, too, have the ability to walk in the same anointed priesthood as Jesus, the divine Order of Melchizedek. Everywhere Jesus went He preached the Good News, healed the sick, cast out demons, and comforted the broken-hearted (and sometimes raised the dead); so we as disciples need to do the same. He had compassion for all humanity. Jesus loved people and desired to see them set free from their fears. He assured people of the Father's love for them; He set an example for His disciples and others to follow. He expected them to love God with all their hearts and love others as themselves, always doing the will of the Father. He desired to see people living the abundant life that God had intended for them. As High Priest, Jesus gave and gave, and never stopped giving. Establishing the Kingdom of Heaven upon the earth was Jesus' mission. In that mission, He served people and broke the deceptive power of Satan over them.

Satan has no authority over humanity except through fears, unbelief, and false mindsets. Jesus delegated His authority to His disciples saying, "Just as the Father has sent me, so I am sending you." (John 20:21). He gave them authority over all the demonic realm, and over all sickness and disease; He also commissioned them to preach the Kingdom of God. Jesus' final commandment was, "... love one another, even as I have loved you..." (John 13:34). Such is our commission as kings and priests in Christ, serving others (humanity and the church) by the power of the great love of God that enters into our lives through humility and sacrifice. Jesus said, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:35)

Myrrh, is oil that represents the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus, that was given and applied to the Body of Christ. It pleases God when we have chosen to crucify the flesh nature by denying our selfish nature, by carrying the cross and following Christ (read Isaiah 53:10). We certainly don't like suffering—it is painful to the soul-life, including the emotions—but is necessary for sonship. Referring to Jesus, Hebrews 5:8 reads, "... he learned obedience from what he suffered." God's Word invites us into the GIFT of Christ's sufferings, "...because you are participating in the sufferings of the Messiah, keep on rejoicing, so that you may be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed." (1 Pet 4:13). It is true that suffering is not pleasant, and sometimes it lasts a long time, but it is meant as the TRUEST TEST OF OUR LOVE. Jesus suffered loneliness, grief and pain—physically, mentally, and emotionally (especially on the cross). As followers of Christ, we should not be surprised when we experience some of the same things. (Sometimes people confuse the sufferings of Jesus with the consequences of sin. I assure you, the two are not the same.) Jesus also felt abandoned by God, yet the Heavenly Father was with Him every agonizing moment, feeling the same pain—unimaginable pain. (Pain and suffering for a lost world.) Likewise, in our trials—the valley of the shadow of death—when we feel abandoned by God, that's when we need to fully place our trust in His faithfulness and Word. The Lord knows how much suffering we can bear, even when we may cry out, "I can't take any more" or, "that's enough!" or, "You've gone too far!" But God has something He wants to achieve, because He knows better than us. And when the pain is over with, there is a blessing attached. In the end, when we all see His smiling face, we will say with all others who have passed through Christ's sufferings, " It's been worth it all." We should remember, we can count on all His promises, such as: "I will never leave you or abandon you." (Heb 13:5); "And remember that I am always with you until the end of time." (Mt 28:20). Never forget, YOU ARE NOT ALONE!


There are three gifts available to all God's sons and daughters:

1) The gift of provision
2) The gift of serving
3) The gift of suffering

These three make up the Ultimate Gift:
JESUS CHRIST in you, the hope of glory.

Patience Takes Time

When I was an artist, doing paintings like the one you see at the head of this Blog, I also taught art classes. Sometimes I would teach between five to fifteen students for two eight hour sessions. People wanted to learn to paint like me. As they painted I would demonstrate at my easel and then go around and help each person individually. Often a student would be frustrated, but they trusted me to help them. And as they watched me fix their painting, they would often say, "You make it look so easy; why can't I do that? I would reply, "It takes time, practice, perseverance, and patience. You won't improve, unless you work at it regularly; it doesn't just happen."

The same goes for most things in life, including writing. I make many mistakes. I don't always see them or recognize that there are grammar errors, until someone edits them. And sometimes when I'm shown the mistakes, I feel stupid (yes, even adults feel this way); adults often think we should know better. When pride gets in the way we often wonder why we should even keep trying. Sometimes we say, "I'll never learn." But, when we choose to humble ourselves and listen to the one helping or teaching, we can learn if we make the effort and keep trying.

Another unique benefit to my teaching of others, is that God has used it to help me become a better artist. I believe this principle also applies to writing and the rest of my life. I'm not giving up just because I make a few mistakes, or because things get difficult, or just because I don't like the problems I might be facing. I will continue to trust God because He knows how to help me, and what is best for me.

In the past, people often looked up to me or admired me as an artist. Now I prefer that people would just look to Jesus, and maybe I can be of help to them along the way. In my spiritual walk of life, it has taken much practice, patience, perseverance and prayer (lots of prayer!). I believe this is true of us all.

We are all the students of Christ; He is the Great Teacher and Master Artist. This reveals itself when we see an adorable baby, a beautiful person, or an incredible sunset. (You know what I mean.) We are all part of God's creation, and it is His desire to instruct us, help us, and mold us into His image and become a part of the beautiful Body and Bride of Christ. That is, if we let Him.

First Love

"YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH."

Don't Give Up

" To fully understand the scope of power that is coming to the church in our day, it is important to consider the times in which we live. Society itself is on the verge of sweeping transformation, as we move into the postmodern era. The church is on the brink of spiritual renaissance and revolutionary structural change, to be set as the gem in the midst of a fallen world. Amid darkness and defeat at the end of the age, the church will shine like a beacon, displaying the power and the glory of God's Kingdom as she arises as the spotless Bride. The Lord's intent is to bring the 'restoration of all things' (Acts 3:21) first through His people. No matter what state the church appears to be today, no matter the depth of apathy or traditionalism, we cannot give up on her. A cornerstone of the Kingdom is God's heart for redemption and restoration."

John Crowder, The New Mystics

For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of talk, but of power

( I Cor.4:20)

Humble In Spirit

This past month the Lord has been dealing with me about my attitudes, and my need to be humble and poor in spirit. Along these same thoughts I would like to share a quote from Brennan Manning, an author I highly recommend. It would do all of us well to remember his advice. "The majority of hurts in our lives, the endless massaging of the latest bruise to our wounded ego, feelings of anger, grudges, resentment, and bitterness comes from our refusal to embrace our abject poverty, our obsession with our rights, our need for esteem in the eyes of others. If I followed the counsel of Jesus and take the last place, I won't be shocked when others put me there too."


"For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

Mt. 23:12

Prayer - Father, forgive me for my pride and forgive me of my offenses as I forgive others. Help me to follow the example of your Son, Jesus Christ, and my Master. Amen

A Letter To God's Servants

" Shout for joy ...

" Fear not, for you will not be put to shame, and do not feel humiliated for you will not be disgraced; but you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more. For your Husband is your Maker, whose name is the Lord of hosts; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, Who is called the God of all the earth. For the Lord has called you...and My loving kindness will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken...

"O afflicted one, stormed tossed, and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in antimony, and your foundations I will lay in sapphires. Moreover , I will make your battlements of sparkling rubies, and your gates of crystal, and your entire wall of precious stones. All your sons will be taught of the Lord, and their well-being will be great.

"In righteousness you will be established, You will be far from oppression, for you will not fear... No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; and every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. These are the benefits enjoyed by the servants of the Lord, and their vindication is from Me."

The Lord (Isaiah 54)

P.S. My servants will prosper, they will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.

Attitude

How often have we complained about rules and regulations? And yet, we should know these mandates are necessary in order for things to be accomplished in society, in life and in following God.

After I had written the last entry in my Blog, "Where Is Your Heart?" I felt that God wanted me to wait on writing anything else. I was upset because I had just begun and now God was asking me to wait. Sadly and with tears I obeyed. During this three week period God began showing me things, things I'm ready to share. And last night, God spoke some things to me, one of which was, "I release you to speak." So with that I begin.

During this time the question, Where is your heart? kept coming back to mind. What was my motive for writing? I believed God wanted me to have this Blog, even though I didn't fully understand why. I'm not a great writer like Brennan Manning, nor do I have the spiritual knowledge of humble men like Sheldon David. But God had His reason for the blog, and He wants me to do it right. So, what was my motive behind writing? Was what I had to say coming from a heart of love, or a desire to impress or correct people? (as if I've got my own act together at this time). Truth can be shared, but how it is done is another story. I'm still learning and dealing with my emotions and circumstances daily. Sometimes I don't feel like or look like a shining example. Sometimes the enemy attacks me with fears, doubts and accusations, like, "Who do you think you are?" Yet, I know who I am and that I hear God's voice. And, so I speak.

As I was waiting on God, I asked Him to reveal things that need to be changed in me. Then I began to wake up in the middle of the night; but, I would just roll over and go back to sleep. Finally, one night I was awoken by someone shaking my leg. I looked and there was no one visible. Yet I knew it was God, or one of His angels. God had done this before, when He wanted to get my attention about something important. While laying there, I asked Him what He wanted of me, but there was no response. I was very tired, so I mumbled a prayer and fell back to sleep. Then, I was awakened by a beep going off in my ear, and again I asked, but received no reply. I fell asleep again, only to be awakened by the Lord saying, "Beatitudes" in my ear. I turned the light on and read Matthew 5:1-16 again and again, meditating upon it - especially versus 3-5. I slowly realized that the Lord wanted me to change my attitude - to realize my own desperate need, to be poor in spirit, to be broken and humble, and to do what is right from a pure heart.

The next few days I talked with my friend Sheldon about what God was doing, because God was still shaking me in the middle of the night like a parent trying to get his child up for school. However, I didn't stay in bed longer, but got up and prayed in my living room for an hour or longer. I really liked the personal attention the shaking was giving me, but after the fourth day I realized I wasn't a child any more, that God wasn't going to keep shaking me. I needed to learn to get up on my own when God was beckoning me (even when I'm tired), to seek His will for my life, also to pray for others. These are desperate times, calling for desperate measures; we need to be on our faces pursuing God, and not only when it's convenient. We need to be asking God for mercy and grace, and we need to be saying, "Lord , here am I, send me." On the fifth night, I woke up just after 1 PM without God shaking me, yet I was tired and went back to sleep (old habits are hard to break). I woke up an hour later and said, "next time," thinking I would get just a little more sleep before getting out of bed. While laying there thinking about what I had just said, I became saddened and grieved over my apathy; so I got up.

What does it take for God to get our attention and for us to respond? I see apathy in so many people especially within the Church. Too often many of us think or hope everything will improve with little or no effort on our part. How would it make us feel if we needed help from a friend, neighbor, or from God, and the response was, "next time" or "I'm too tired"? Human nature has a tendency to put off until later what needs to be done today. It's called procrastination! As sons of God, we have the responsibility to not sit back, but to act. Our words and faith must be followed by actions.

And so I have seen the need to change my heart. Therefore, I have asked God to forgive me. My desire is to do everything His way.

Matthew 26:41 says, "The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak," therefore, we must make every effort to keep our flesh, attitudes and actions subject to the will of the Holy Spirit within us. By subjecting our flesh daily, we will see Christ's plan fulfilled in our lives and in others' lives. When operating within Christ's humble nature, God gives all his sons and daughters all His power and authority. Jesus first demonstrated love and compassion by what He said and did. He met the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of others - this was His passion. Revealing the Father's love was His mission. But, He also spoke harsh words, rebukes and turned over the tables of the religious system. He exposed the hearts of men and the lies of religious people (those who chose to ignore His words), yet His rebukes still came from a heart of love. It is my desire to follow His example. And so the journey begins...

The below song is a song I identify with. Let it bless you...

You Raise Me Up