5-21-2022 Sharing My Heart

I was at a quandary for this entry.

Father has been so good to me over the years and I have to admit that I haven’t always been the ‘appreciative child’.  Just like when I was a kid, by the time I was nine, my mother was raising my sister and me alone.  I didn’t like a lot of the things that mom did, but I learned later that she was doing the best that she could.  I wish I could say mom was a great spiritual influence in my life, but she didn’t come to know the Lord until late in her life.  Instead, in my youth, a neighbor took me to church with her kids.

Over the years, Father has taught me a lot about His timing and His timing is still being played out in my life.

Father’s plan for me really started unfolding in September 2014.  Don’t get me wrong.  Father has been patiently growing me all my life, He didn’t start just in September 2014.  Yet that IS when He started unfolding His plan in my life to me.

Paul reminds the church at Thessalonica that before Jesus returns for us there will first be a falling away of the church (2 Thess. 2:3).  In other words, the church (as a whole) won’t be actin’ like the church no mo’!  Look at the church today.  Do you think it has been falling away from the fundamentals Jesus taught the early disciples?  Father has protected me from a lot of what is going on with the church.  Yet I’ve seen and heard a lot where sin abounds, even in the leadership (Lord have mercy).  Yes, we are all human and are subject to sin, but we don’t have to listen to it or abide in it.  In today’s permissive society, when everyone else does ‘it’, it’s horrible but when it satisfies my desires, it must be okay.  Right?  And too many churches like the numbers. (success?)

Father gave me two scriptures in 2014.  Jeremiah chapter one which is the calling of Jeremiah and the other is Ezekiel chapter thirty-seven which is in the valley of ‘dry bones’.  Later Father added Ezekiel chapter thirty-three which is the task of the watchman.

He said that this is for what He has been preparing me.  Please, I’m not tooting my own horn.  Some who read this may still remember the old TV show “Dragnet”.  Sergeant Friday would always say “The facts, just the facts ma’am.”  (then the tell-tale music would play ‘dum de dum dum …)

In the past several months, Father has opened the bible up to me in such depth that I couldn’t (didn’t) imagine.  The reality of the words of the New Testament have taken on a new life for me.  It’s like, suddenly, now I am understanding.  Not just what it says or what it means, but what it actually involves.

Recently Father has shown me that we experience Him in three levels.  Four, if you consider ‘not knowing’ Him at all a level. 

One: We know about God.  Yes the world knows ‘about’ God but we come to realize that He IS for us through asking Him into our heart (salvation).  This is the beginning of our relationship with Him.  Then, from that time on, we continue to learn about God.  We begin reading the bible, maybe even memorizing scripture, but our relationship remains on an ‘intellectual’ level.  We’ve learned more about God, but we have not yet developed a true relationship.  Think back to the old school days.  How many of the kids did you know?  How many did you really hang out with?  I mean the boys and girls you actually played games with and spent non-school hours with.  You knew the other kids, but you really didn’t know much about them.  Even though you associated names with faces, you truly didn’t know them. (or should I say ‘we’?)

Two: God’s love starts becoming ‘real’ to us.  I mean those words start to take on real meaning.  This brings our relationship with Father into a closer, more personal perspective.  Back to school or even friends in our adult life.  Who did we really hang out with?  Who did we feel comfortable sharing things with – other than just enjoying their company?  Now, I’m not talking about ‘best friend’ here but friends whom we knew very well and who knew us.  Father already knows us but He still wants us to walk closer with Him.  To get to know Him a whole lot better than where we have been.  (Just a closer walk with thee, grant it Jesus is my plea)

Three:  NOW we have developed a real relationship with our heavenly Father.  We know we can share anything with Him and He won’t condemn us.  He will gladly give us direction and help where we need it, but we do have to ask.  Think about our ‘best friend’ here.  Have any of us had a friend with whom we would share anything?  Everything?  Who won’t condemn us for what we did?   Even if we have done something stupid (even to that friend) they would still be our friend?   Someone who we would do just about anything for us or who we would do just about anything for?  That’s close!  (take my hand and lead me on …, arms around shoulders).

But, Father wants to go even deeper than this.  Another dimension of “best friends”.  Our best friend we truly get to know and they get to know us.  We come to know all about each other, likes, dislikes, hobbies, favorite past times, etc. so how do we get to know our best friend so well?

We spend time with them.  At first, a lot of time, but as we grow (get older) different things minimize that time.  But that’s okay.  Usually, we still make time, later in life to stay connected.

Throughout my life, I have one whom I would truly call my best friend.  There was a bunch of us who literally grew up together.  There were six houses, on both sides of the street (12 in all) with children in one of two age brackets and often both, mine and my sister’s, who is four years older than me.  We all grew up together!  Those, my age, all graduated from the same High School.  My one friend & I started hanging out together after High School and reconnected after we both fulfilled military obligations.  My friend married and moved out of the immediate area and then I married.  We did eventually lose connections altogether as we both continued to move, he farther out from where we had grown up and into different areas.

We did reconnect years later and are still in regular contact.

I mention my best friend because this is how my relationship has grown with our Lord.  Yes, I did drift away from God after High School, but reconnected with Him when I married my wife.  Since that time Father has been growing me.

Ever so slowly, on my part, Father has not let me stop from (even from) inching ahead in my life.  I’ve discovered that Father has really been patient (longsuffering) with me over the years, waiting for me to get to a point in my life so I could grow more in Him. 

In my life, Father has shown me the difference of ’just’ asking Him into my life and being baptized in water and being baptized in the Holy Ghost. 

The day I received Jesus Christ into my life, I literally felt a huge burden (weight) being lifted from my being.  I truly “felt” lighter!  I was baptized in water a couple of months later (after there were enough candidates).  To be honest, though I hoped the pastor wouldn’t hold me under tooooo long (we were told that the more sins that were washed away, the longer he would hold you under), all I got was wet.  Others have told me they felt that weight loss during water baptism (PTL).  Six year later, I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:1-13, Acts 19:1-7).  This is where my eyes were opened up to a new dimension with my relationship with Father.  My experiences have continued to grow since that time as Father has continued to inch me closer to Him. 

The baptism in the Holy Ghost is the key.  Jesus told the disciples that when the Holy Ghost is come, we shall have power (Acts 1:8).  I stop, for a moment here, because the passage goes on to say and to be witnesses for Me …  Until I received the “Baptism” for myself, I thought that ‘power’ was to be a witness and this is true.  But the passage says “and” to be witness.  So what power?  To do the things Jesus did and greater (John 14:9-18, read it all).  Peter and John healed the lame man at the temple gates (Acts 3:1-8).  Peter heals the man sick of palsy (Acts 9:32-34) and raises Dorcas from the dead (Acts 9:36-41).  Paul healed the sick (Acts 19:11-12) and even cast out devils (Acts 16:16-18).  All this happened after Jesus’ ascension and the receiving of the Holy Thost.

Father has impressed upon me that these works were not just for the early church, but were to continue until Jesus returns.  Father has given us the Holy Ghost so we can do His works, but also live this life for which Jesus gave us for an example, that is to live in His love.  He has given us the Holy Ghost as a propitiation (1 John, 2:2, 1 John 4:10) for our sins.  That is He shows us our sins have been atoned because Jesus, who through the Holy Ghost spans the gap between God (the Father) and man.  Allowing the Holy Ghost to be active in our lives strengthens our relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ because the Holy Ghost connects us all.  In the beginning, God is and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.  Then God said … (Gen. 1:1-3).  In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God (John 1:1).  God said what?  “Words”!  The opening words of the bible and John 1:1 explain the Godhead – Father, Son and Holy Ghost!  Get the relationship?  Jesus brings us into this relationship in the gospel of John (John 17:14-21).

Don’t quench the Spirit (1 Thess. 5:19)!  Don’t tie his hands through our unbelief but give Him free reign in our lives.  Believe and trust that He can and will do all that Father says – in us!  After all, the Holy Ghost is that part of God that dwells in believers!

With the growth in experiences, I’ve also discovered my relationship with the Lord has also grown deeper. 

A deeper relationship with God has encouraged me to get a deeper meaning in my reading the bible and which has increased my understanding of my relationship with God.  All of this has impacted my prayer life which has brought a deeper level of my understanding of scripture and my relationship with the Lord.  It is a growing circle – prayer, understanding, relationship, prayer, understanding relationship ...  One feeds off the other as it helps the others to grow.

We need it all in our relationship with the Lord so we can do whatever, whenever, however He calls.  Not everyone is called to be a great evangelist but everyone needs someone to share the life-giving gospel with Him.  How did we get ‘saved’? 

And as certain prophets, priests and scribes in the Old Testament discovered, the church needs someone to come by and say “Hey!  No wonder we are in such a mess.  We need to get back on track!”  Get back to doing what God has told us to do!  We need to get back into His proper alignment!

Father is raising an army, even now, to bring His church back into that proper alignment.  These next seven years are a time of “Spiritual explosion”!  Just as Father tried to get our attention with the Protestant Reformation, the “awakenings” of the 1700’s and 1800’s, The Pentecostal and Charismatic movements of the 1900’s, Father is trying to get our attention again, now as He impresses upon us about having a closer (very close) relationship with Him.  How many calls, how many chances are we going to get before the curtain falls?  He IS longsuffering (I know), but He will eventually give man over to his own desires (Rom 1:21-32).

God’s desire is that none should perish but that all come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

It has been on my heart that God does love us and wants us to be with Him throughout eternity.

Do we recognize His call?

 

5-10-2022        Words for Life

 

Father has been showing me, for some time now, to take a step back and keep the broader (bigger) picture in mind.  Not just in life, but in the bible as well.

In the book of Genesis, Father creates all that is and He establishes Israel as the vehicle He had chosen to deliver His love to the world.  Exodus through Deuteronomy He gives us standards by which to live.  The ‘historical’ books, Psalm, Proverbs and the books of the prophets bring a clearer understanding of how God’s love interacts with us and that includes the coming of the Messiah!

The gospels of Matthew and Mark bring us a spiritual account of Jesus’ life while built around an historical undertone. Luke (our historian) relates the life of Jesus in an historical perspective with a spiritual undertone.  And John?  John shows us how the love of Jesus Christ interfaces (or should)  interface with our lives as weaved around the life of Christ.

The book of Acts relates the building of the church from an historical perspective (thank you Dr. Luke) while interlacing with spiritual truths helping us to see how Christ’s love can operate through our lives.

Never thought about all this too much until these past few days (started thinking about all this past May 1^st) as I started going through the book of Romans (not the 1^st time!).  I’m already up to chapter three (as of the beginning of this entry – lol).  Father is showing me how Paul’s letter to the Romans is about establishing the church – spiritually.  Of course, the whole bible is intended to help us grow spiritually, but I have never noticed before how these first six books of the New Testament are put together for purpose.  The basis for our faith (Jesus), establishing the church (physically) and establishing the church (spiritually).

For today, Father says “Let’s take a look at Romans chapter 2.

A quick look at chapter one first.  Paul identifies who he is, who Jesus is and that he desires to see he Romans in person.  He also establishes that God is God (I AM that I AM – Exod. 3:13-14) and man is man and if it were up to man, the two would most likely never meet.  Father explains, because man insists on refusing Him, He gives them over to their own desires (Rom. 1:24-32) and continues in Romans chapter two.  

So, let’s take a look at Romans 2:1-29

1          Therefore you have no excuse, O man, for you condemn yourself when you condemn another man for you do the same things yourself.

2          We are sure that God judges according to truth in dealing with man.

3          so when you judge another, yet do the same things they do, do really think you will escape God’s judgment?

4          Do you despise the rewards of God’s goodness, forbearance and longsuffering because you don’t know that His goodness leads to repentance?

 

We see the presence of God in all creation, around us!  So, just because we don’t believe in God or don’t want to be obedient to His ‘game plan’, do we expect to escape judgment because of our ignorance? (Hah!  Don’t think so)

 

5          Yet, because of the hardness and ‘bullheadedness’ of our heart, we gather things unto ourselves even though the day of wrath is pending and so is God’s judgment.

6          And He will mete out His judgment to every man according to that man’s works.  (we will reap what we sow! Gal. 6:7-9)

7          Those who are patient and continue in well doing (His will) seek glory, honor and immortality and that leads to eternal life.

8          But to those who are contrary and don’t obey the truth, rather follow unrighteousness, indignation and anger

9          Shall receive tribulation and anguish because of the evil they have done, to the Jew first, then the Gentile (everybody else).

10        But glory, honor and peace to every person who works ‘good’, again, to the Jew first, then to everybody else.

 

That means everybody will receive his just rewards or punishment according as to how they have lived this life.  Because the Jews were intended to be God’s ‘spearhead’ (banner carrier [Isa. 49:6) unto this world, all things (good or bad) are dealt out to the Jews first, then to the rest of us (everybody else).

 

11        God does not respect who we are!

 

God does not consider how much money and possessions we have, how important we are in ‘man’s eyes’, or even what wonderful things we may have done.  What He does consider is what is our relationship with Him.  For with that relationship comes trust and obedience.  Do we believe and trust the Father?

 

12        For though we sin (go against God’s law) even without realizing what we have done, we will perish in our ignorance of His law.  And those who know His law and still sin, shall be judged by that law.

13        For even though it’s nice that we ‘hear’ the law and know all about it, we are justified in being obedient (doing) that law.

14        For when people who don’t know the law do those things contained in the law, those things (in themselves) become a law to that person.

 

For, when we have no clue about the law, yet do those things contained in the law, Father honors our ‘ignorance because we are doing His will anyway.

 

15        For then, our obedience shows that the law is written in our hearts and our conscience bears witness with ours that we are doing what is right and lets us know when we get off track.

16        God judged the secrets of men the day Jesus Christ came into this world according to the gospel.

17        The Jews rest in the law and boast of God.

 

Do we boast the fact that we are Christian?  We’ve confessed Jesus with our mouths and been baptized with water so we’re good to go, right?  Consider the parable of the sower (Matt. 13:1-23).  The seed by the wayside never lets Jesus into their heart.  They are ‘lost’.  The seed on stony ground, amongst the thorns as well as on good ground are all ‘church members’.  They all have professed faith in Jesus.  Yet, the seed on stony ground and among the thorns are suspect, for they have become like the five foolish virgins who weren’t ready for the bridegroom when He came (Matt. 25:1-13).  Some lost their faith and walked away from God while others became more concerned with things of this world and drifted away.   That’s why ‘doing the law’ justifies, not just ‘knowing it’!  Don’t forget Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-10) or Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8:9-24).  The all confessed a belief in Jesus, yet go back and look at their end.  Two lied and the other had ‘no clue’ about the relationship.

 

18        The Jews know the law and attest that it is the way things should be because they have been taught the law (Gen. thru Deut.). 

 

Father intended the Jews to be the light unto this world, but that torch has been passed on to Christians as we have received that light in spirit and in truth (not just in the letter) and we should have the life, thke love  (Spirit) of Jesus Christ abiding in us.  Do we?

 

19        Are we confident that we, ourselves, are a guide to the blind?  We are (should be) yet a lights to those who are still in darkness (lost without hope).

20        (the Jews) were to instruct the foolish and teach babes for they have the form of knowledge of the truth (the Law was given to them).

21        When we teach another, don’t we teach ourselves as well?  When we preach to others ‘not to steal’, do we steal?

22        When we say “don’t commit adultery’, do we commit adultery?  We say we hate idols, but do we commit sacrilege (rob the church – not just money but truth, as well)?

23        (Let’s bring it on home) Do we boast of our Christianity but don’t keep God’s commandment (to love)? (not loving another is to kill that person for we don’t love him enough to share God’s life-giving love!)

24        Do our words and action cause ‘unbelievers to blaspheme God (attribute His works to something or anything else)?

25        The Jews were circumcised as an external expression of their obedience to God’s Law, but disobedience negates that action (for it is our heart needs circumcision.

26        (Paul speaking to the Jews) If the uncircumcised (us Gentiles) keep the righteousness of the law, won’t that be counted as circumcision (of the heart)?  (Yes)           

27        So if those who didn’t have the law (us Gentiles) keep the law, why do you (the Jews) judge us by the law even though you don’t keep the law yourselves?

28        So, one is not a Jew simply because he has been circumcised (in the flesh, born a Jew) for that is just an outward sign

 29       But we become Jews because our hearts are circumcised, circumcised in the spirit, not in the flesh.  Therefore we don’t seek the praise of men because of our outward circumcision but rather the praise of God because our spirits are circumcised.

 

In short, Are we living for God, through Christ Jesus, because the Holy Ghost is alive and well within our hearts?  Or are we just going through the motions, pretending to be what we actually are not?

God is a God of the heart.  Yes our heart is part of our body, an integral part, so our heart and body come as a total package.  Father desires our hear,t for where our heart is, is reflected in our words and deeds. 

Jesus ‘slammed’ the hypocrites of His time for being other than what they wanted people to think.  As Christians today, are we truly (inwardly) what we portray ourselves to be?  Or are we like the Jewish hypocrites of 2000 years ago – all ‘show’ and ‘no go’?

Christians are not perfect.  Paul describes the battle we face in Romans chapter eight, but thank God we have a propitiation (go between, One who stands the gap – 1 John 2:1-2) for us.  And when we are faithful to confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us those sins (1 John 1:9).  Father then puts those sins behind His back (Isa. 38:17) and casts them into the sea (of forgetfulness – Micah 7:19).  In other words, Father not only forgives them but He forgets our sins - completely. 

Therefore, we live in, for and through Jesus Christ and because Jesus stands the gap (for us) we are kept clean as we confess our sins before God.  Jesus is the first of many brothers (our ‘older brother’ and shows us the way (Rom. 8:29) – is our example!  Our profession of faith (John 3:16) and living in that faith gives us our confidence of eternity (1 John 5:13) with the Father, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, because He has given us the Holy Ghost until He returns for us (Eph. 1:13-14, 1 Thess. 4:17).

So!  Are these words for life?

Amen