Welcome to Bethlehem

What a weird time in history! The world at large seems to be mentally deteriorating around us. So many were waiting on the end of the world based on the skewed calendar of an ancient and extinct people whose worship service included bowling with the severed heads of excommunicated worshipers. Though the Mayans may have been brilliant in their discoverable advancements, their genius was not enough to secure their existence. Even with these obvious facts, many were resting their security on this so-called doomsday calendar. However, the broken people of Newtown, CT have lost all sense of stupid clocks and calendars as they mourn their many losses.

These are disturbing times if we add up the tide of ignorance and lack of personal integrity that keeps threatening us with a tsunami of lost life and lost liberty. We need Hope! Merry Christmas? Yes … rejoice and remember The Hope that came to us on that very first Christmas.

“NOW unto Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20,21

Just for a moment, let's lay aside all the trash the world is trying to dump into our hearts. Let's leave the mad dash for the bargains. Let's move out from the masses rushing to the cash registers and office parties. Let's breathe in the Spirit of the Eternal Season to regain some sanity in the midst of this crazy world. Just for a moment!

Welcome to Bethlehem! The “House of Bread”, had become a den of thieves; but did the character of the city derail the plan of God for the World without End? Although there was no room in the Inn and the initial welcome party would be the local animals instead of family and friends, would this have God cease His plan to call out a people that would hold Him in their highest opinion? Who will look and take His Birth to heart? Shepherds were called near to witness ... that the God that held them in celestial wonder night after night, now lay helpless in a feed trough wrapped in the garments of those needing healing. The gaze of the local worshipers and magistrates that had turned to gain and greed, would not even remotely be distracted from the clutter that was blinding their vision. This worldly distraction would create the perfect protective canopy to allow for the events of this wondrous evening to unfold without threat.

“Now unto Him who is able”...God, this night, would become helpless. He literally committed His power and glory to the care of two individuals, that by worldly standards, were inconsequential and undeniably inexperienced to care for history's Game Changer. While the visible world was being conquered and enslaved by powerful rulers of darkness in high places, God had begun His unstoppable invasion. He would bring His Kingdom without End into the world of broken men by breaking along side of them. This breaking would begin by experiencing all the benefits and handicaps of needing to be cared for as the “babe of Bethlehem”. This breaking would be effectual.

“Now unto Him who is able”. This night in Bethlehem would begin the living illustration of the truth of Emmanuel, God with us. In the essence of its signature proof : “You shall find the babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger”. ...we find the tender hand of Mighty God becoming ... God with us. “Exceeding abundantly above all”...”above all that we ask or think”. Stand with me a see the truth unfold and you shall find:
The Babe – God, a baby, joining with us in the struggle of our beginnings, even from birth. Wrapped in swaddling clothes – He had no choice of status but like with our beginnings, He will be reminded daily of our ending. He was clothed in the most versatile cloth – for throughout life it would meet the basic needs for health and hygiene but also at the last would be the choice of cloth for His grave clothes. Can you not see the shadow of the cross already in the life of this child?
Lying in a Manger – The Bread of Life, the gift of God, lying in a feed trough, was and is absolutely no threat to those who choose to bow their brokenness before Him. Lying in this manger is everything that is “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think”.

- Can you see how even in His birth He has positioned Himself to under-gird our helplessness?
- Can you begin to trust differently so He can continue to unfold His exceedingly abundant care for you?
- Can you more deeply understand that His love for us goes above and beyond what we ask or could think to ask?

Once again we find that the evidence of His abundant care is to be housed in the lives of the inconsequential and the inexperienced of this world. Christ in You, the hope of Glory! Can you see the strategic nature of God choosing you? This has you positioned perfectly for the miracle of His revelation to you and through you … You are to be the evidence of “God with us”. You are the hope carriers and the praise makers. When you are living openly for Him you allow Christmas to come alive today... the song of angels can now be heard via the voice of men … “Glory to God in the Highest ...”

No doubt the world is going crazy …
possibly just trying to see …
that He lives in you,
and that He lives in me.

May Christmas 2012, be the Christmas where we continue to realize the gift of His abundant care!! The world around us is counting on it. “And on Earth Peace, good will toward men.”
HLFA,
Jeff

Shock Waves -- Go Crying!

Totally strange and disheartening times … Sometimes even dreams carry wonder for awhile until they collide with a catastrophic reality. The Events of Friday, December 14, 2012 in Newtown, CT, at Sandy Hook Elementary School, seem so surreal that we wish it were just another bad dream.  If so, then we would find the liberty to wake up unscathed. Not gonna happen unless we are comatose.

In a way this nation's courage and spirit is continually being disemboweled by incidents that throw great doubt into the arena of personal safety and security. Such horrendous events openly herald that the human race (with all of its advancements in communication and education) still continues to foster and unleash extreme darkness. This darkness is always lurking, always looking for the perfect inopportune moment to strike; and we are helpless to do anything about it.
 
We all have observed that just as seagulls will almost kill each other for an abandoned french fry, the fear mongers of this world stomp madly over each other to be the first to publish the sordid facts. Like tragedies before this, the facts will come out , will somewhat clarify, and possibly give us an opportunity to reassess the risks of living in our times. Those with deep political agendas will more than likely slither in and take advantage of the scared and uninformed public. Spiritual anarchists will heat up the situtuation by shouting harsh and critical doomsday prophesies from a safe distance (So as not to be directly involved). Survivors will be advised to embrace mantras that will get them further down the road where the pain and memory will begin to dissipate. But what of the Redeemed?

All of the Redeemed will have to face the questions of their soul and the Spirit will have us lift our hearts to cry “Tell me what You want from me!” Some will stand and wait for the reply while others will feel they have done their duty to pray and walk away.

If it is "the goodness of God that leads us to repentance" … what has happened this day? (Some may say “judgment” – but what of the children?) If "God is not the author of confusion" … then why are we confused? (Some will say – We are not confused, we had it coming – but what of the children?) If "God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" ...what are we doing? (What?) If all we do is grovel in the paths of worms to find the answers to tragedy or pull out all the stops to accurately place blame, we will continue to plague ourselves with a paralysis that will have us rotting in the comfort of our own educated sanctimony.

An old friend told me one time that I was “incoherent, disillusioned and mad” … I was so grateful for his frank honesty because so often this is an acurate accessment. Possibly at this point (in the sharing of my heart) you may be feeling that way of me also, but Please listen on --- (it may get a little more incoherent especially if you read the next grouping of words just to get it done).  

In Jeremiah 9: 1, 2 “Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people. Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! For they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.” , Jeremiah appears to be very much like us especially in the way we respond in our most desperate moments.

(Merry Christmas!) The world feels there is no Savior in the situation …
(Merry Christmas!)... in a world where we have all but given up hope.
(Merry Christmas! ) CRY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SLAIN IN THEIR INNOCENCE,
and if you must, RUN AWAY TO THE REMOTE SAFETY OF LIKEMINDED FELLOWSHIP – BECAUSE OF THE WICKEDNESS OF THIS GENERATION...  BUT then Go into the world and stand in the truth of “Merry Christmas!”

We could not continue this way and God knew it when He sent His Son … “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and THEY shalt call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with US.”  Who are THEY?
  
THEY are those who have believed and received the Christmas story.
THEY are those who are crushed by the pain of others.
THEY are those who choose to leave the safety of the fellowship to reach out.
THEY are those who SHALL CALL HIS NAME into a disheartened world around them.
THEY are those who proclaim that JESUS is GOD WITH US !

He was born to live among our breaking.
He walked among us to feel the depths of our brokenness.
He died to own every situation of human tragedy.
He bore His sacrifice to reconnect sinful men with a Holy God.
He arose again to break the bonds of our brokenness and bind up our broken hearts.
He fully satisfied the requirements of Holiness to secure eternity for the believing.
He fully secures and empowers us in our brokenness by His indwelling Spirit.
He now wants us to join Him to be there for the traumatized, the confused , the hurting ... and let those robbed of hope know that
JESUS IS HERE.
JESUS IS WITH US!
so GO in Love with Him!
 
Merry Christmas !

HLFA,

Jeff

Silence

Silence
God had given us a moment together. We earnestly prayed for a genuine need. There was no audience but God. (I guess as always, He is not about the business of embarrassing His kids.) We placed the situation in God's hands trusting He would deliver. In prayer we asked God for the obvious - “Lord, Please let the employer not fire the employee. Please allow ______ to keep his job. We will trust you with this situation knowing that You alone know what is ahead and what is best … in Jesus' Name, Amen!” And we both left the moment feeling God would take care of the situation.

My brother was worried that he would lose his job, and in the story of his tenure he had reason to feel this way due to past blemishes on his record. But this was a new day, he was trying to walk honestly before man and His God. Although in times past he was labeled negatively, the new crew he was working with thought of him as “the best.” Once he may have tried to cover up the incident, but this time he would be honest, report it, risk termination, and trust God's mercy to deliver Him. He was going to do right no matter what.

 I Peter 2:12 – “Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

I received a text mid-week that went something like this “Thanks for praying with me Sunday Night, they let me go but it is okay, I will be all right.” My heart sank and tears came for my brother. I felt a little bit disappointed that God had not done exactly what we had asked (… except for the reluctant, carefully chosen words that committed us to the thought of being "okay" with termination... if that was what God wanted). Although we know that better things are ahead, right now the silence of the moment is killing me.

 I Peter 2:19 – 20 “For this is thank worthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.”

Under the pressure of the church congregation, we do our best to appear spiritually content with the decisions made about us and our brethren. We try to keep a Godly "stiff upper lip," although our spirit is broken, scarred, and scared. This is the moment that we feared would come, and now it has. Are we to be quiet when there is so much noise and turbulence in our souls? Will we find Him patient with us while we do our best to try and work through this moment of human mess we call “I'm okay?!”

The facts are thrown in our face by our adversary “You prayed he would keep his job, and he lost it!”

“What power is there in prayer if it “always” goes this way?”

These seething words always seem to hiss from the depths of Hell trying to alienate us from God who truly loves us, from the God Who stands, waiting at an open door. If we stay close to Jesus, even in disappointment, we will find Him already opening the way before us. He is not silent … we are not fully listening. Listen and we will hear and be refreshed!

“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise Him for the help of his countenance.” Psalm 42:5

“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. “ Psalm 42:11

 My hope, His help, My health, My God! I shall yet praise Him! Silence... I'm listening.

 HLFA,

 Jeff

There is Gold in Them There Words

“There is Gold in them there hills!” … was the one liner I heard as a child while watching particular “westerns” on the black n' white television screen. Using the theme of the California Gold Rush that began in the Mid 1800s, the movie industry would capture the imaginations of its fans as cinematic “Cowboys” would gallivant across the “big screen” in conflicts created by the rumors and discovery of gold.

Even today, gold captures the heart of men and women. And with a gem enshrined within its setting, gold captures the eye of the beholder. Scripture, however, pulls us from the focus on gold by letting us know that the Word of the Lord is to be desired more than even fine gold. Gold may give us temporary comfort in the acquisition and accumulation of things, but the Word of God can give the believer lasting and eternal comfort when our temporal comfort is threatened.

Digging for Scripture's treasures is only as rewarding as the heart allows the Spirit to capture the wonder of His truth. Weekly, I go treasure hunting for Scriptural-taught-thoughts in hopes of finding a “gold nugget” that might cause seekers to be captured more securely by these truths.

Psalm 27:10 was in this week's dig. “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.” [Please hang with me for a moment as I share an awesome truth buried just below the surface of this passage.] The word “forsake” in this passage can literally speak directly to an orphan, a castaway, the bereaved, the lonely, and the spiritually abused or abandoned. It must be noted that captured in the action of the word “forsake” is a momentary event that has left one without an earthly parent or primary caregiver.

As a result of this life-challenging “moment...” “the LORD will take me up.” Where the “forsaking” was for a moment, the LORD brings in a season of active, personal and continual nurturing and care. Held within the golden setting of “take me up” are the following actions: holding us carefully with the eternal comfort of His love, gathering us into the company of others, taking care of loose ends (bringing up the rear), moving us from our loss to His hope (little by little), taking away the shame caused by the “forsaking,” and bringing value through us to others. ALL THIS FOUND WITHIN SUCH A SMALL PASSAGE? If you are saying “I don't get it” ...slow down. You may not need this but someone else near you may.

During the real California Gold Rush, many a man returned quite wealthy from his adventure, but many returned even poorer than when they had left. As with scriptural “treasure hunting,” the key is not to capture the Word for yourself, for with that selfish, pitiful purpose you could soon find yourself spiritually bankrupt. God is not a harsh, knuckle-rapping school teacher. He will bring truth to you with the hope that you start seeing the value of others around you. Try to hold on to this – “When my father and my mother forsake me ... (I may actually be abandoned and feel worthless at this moment) ...then the LORD will take me up” (but my Heavenly Father is actively involved in renewing that care for me, and bringing greater value to my life).

“My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation: He is my defense; I shall not be moved.” Psalm 62:5-6 Seek Him while He may be found,

Wow. There sure is gold in “them there Words.”
 
HLFA,
Jeff

Blessed Graciousness

Psalm 51:12 "Restore unto me the joy of THY salvation; and uphold me with THY free spirit."

There he was, so badly beaten by a gang of thieves that he couldn't move for the pain that tortured his body. He had seen incidents like this on TV shows, happening in a setting that possibly had numbed his sense of reality. It was so easy to watch the moment by moment , horrendous acts being performed against “acting” humanity, that it had never crossed his mind the curtain could role up, the stage could fade away, and he would be left standing there the vulnerable target of the merciless.
   
After all, wasn't it Thanksgiving? “Happy Thanksgiving!”… A time to be thankful, forgiving and offer acts of graciousness to anyone within the sound of our voice and beyond. That wasn't the case at this moment of his life. From the vantage point of a witness (had there been one); he was greeted kindly, and then physically beaten until he was a bloody, crumpled, naked mass of human rubbish. Thrown to the side of the road like the unwanted remains of the Thanksgiving dinner.

All form of emergency communication and identification had been stripped from his possession. Even if he had a cell phone, he was too badly beaten to use it. The phone wasn't the only thing missing...he had so alienated himself from his loved ones, that personally... he would not be missed by his family. He had severed ties long before this day, and to his dismay the family accepted this fact, counted him as dead, and washed their hands from any responsibility for his life. Thanksgiving was just another one of those really lonely depressing holidays … and this one was so lonely it could be the end of him. One other point to note, the neighborhood he was now abandoned in definitely was not a place for a man of his ethnic background to be in at all. He was definitely facing his last hour. He would close his eyes and accept his fate.

Although he had resigned himself to just die and be gone, Someone had other plans. He heard a voice that sounded so much like his attackers that he wanted to whimper and plead for his life, but he was too weak to make a sound. This individual who now invaded his dark hopeless space... just spoke and said “I am sure he is dead and to even touch him to check could be a violation of the law … disturbing a crime scene, I'm out of here!” And the stranger was gone.

A moment later a car slowed down to almost a stop just across from where he was strewn. The door opened and a voice was heard ...”Oh forget it, he does look dead from here, and to check him out I'd be late for our Thanksgiving get together … someone else will probably stop!” The car door shut and the vehicle raced on. All went black, this was what he had been waiting for, and just below the sound of his audible voice he whispered “Death ...thanks for coming and freeing me from this miserable end – oh, and Happy Thanksgiving!”

Wow what a morbid Thanksgiving story …but as reality would have it Death knows no holiday, and extending God's Grace to all we come in contact with should be the daily song of our hearts. Your life is so strategic when Christ has set up his abode in you.
 
I was looking over a list of famous folks who passed away on Thanksgivings past and I will only pick one of the many because his life in Christ still affects the lives of so many even today (although he went to Heaven 264 years ago): 1674-1748 - Isaac Watts was a famous British hymn writer , wrote about 750 hymns including "Joy to the World", "Oh God our Help in Ages Past" , "This is the Day the Lord Has Made" and "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross."
 
I will leave you with the words of the last Hymn mentioned for your Spiritual pleasure:
  
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Jesus, because of Who you are ...Bring me back, restore and refresh the joy filled gladness contained in Thy victorious salvation; and when I begin to falter, support my leaning with the noble wind of Thy Holy Spirit. (Psalm 51:12 prayed through).

 Happy Thanksgiving 2012!!
        HLFA,
            Jeff

Move - Limp No More

Limp no more!

Most of the time I wander through my days with loose random thoughts rolling through my head (Oh! You too?)As long as there is no challenge to my self-security system, I am OK living in a selfish pluralistic society. I am no different than the bulk of my fellow companion aliens that flesh-out our existence on this temporal planet. Here, because of our higher desire for righteousness, we can rise to the platitudes expected of us as long as our living doesn't create conflict. BUT HEREIN LIES THE RUB. You are the conflict whether you like it or not!! {before I get too far let's qualify this statement}

First things first … a few questions to answer, and if the answer is “Yes”, then please keep reading. If the answer is “No”, the following verbs will not apply to your life and you are dismissed (only kidding and please respond if you have difficulty with the following questions).
1. Have you at some point in your life realized that you are a sinner in need of forgiveness?
2. Did you also realize that there was a awful eternal consequence for your sin – a place called Hell? 3. Did you realize that Jesus Christ died for The Payment of Sins penalty (Hell) and rose again to secure Heaven for those who would trust Him?
4. Did you realize that you could act on that need to trust, and call on Him, and He would save you and secure you?
5. SO you called on Him, trusted Him and He is your Savior and Lord?

OK – WELCOME TO THE CONFLICT!! Say what??
No tricks, but when He saved you, His Spirit began His dwelling in you to secure you as you travel through this life. Now...parallel to His general ministry to the world to convince them of their Sin, His Righteousness, and of impending Judgment … He now carries on this same ministry “personally” through you. Your very presence with Christ in you (The Hope of Glory), will cause a bridge, an ache, a longing, a resistance, and even antagonism that will be vented toward you or aimed at you. Our Living Lord will not allow our existence to be unchallenged, and people around us to be unaffected when eternity is at stake.

I Kings chapter 18 contains the story of Elijah(“My God is Jehovah”), Obadiah (“Jehovah's Servant”), Wicked King Ahab (“Father's Brother”), the prophets of Baal (“lord”) and God's people in Samaria (“watch mountain”). This is an amazing story that most remember it as the story of the Contest between Elijah and the 850 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. (This is a great story to read and study with devotional reflection.)

This is the story that brings out the well known phrase “How long halt ye between two opinions?” [Devotionally translated –Upon what grounds do you limp around between two divided opinions... thus making the Lord appear as lame and as powerless as the dead idol lords of this world]. This eternal phrase uncovers the fulcrum of the conflict that shouts within the hearts of all the players.
 
OUR GOD IS ALIVE AND LIVING IN US … and this is why there is conflict... “GOD IS NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH” … Are you? Here and now we can become active as part of the solution in the conflict or we can limp through it causing even more confusion and conflict. AWAKE – ARISE – AND TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF OUR GLORIOUS POSITION. “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” Phil. 1:21 – I have nothing to lose by really living for Him!

There is always a drought and famine in the land where pluralism abounds and  where God's people see no need to be open and visible in their love for Jesus. We cry out pitifully ... “But God has to bring the rain, it is up to Him, and appears He doesn't care!”  Please, stop your limping … rise up and remember the Cross, the empty Tomb, and the promise of His Coming …then you will be able to look and see the small cloud of hope appearing on the horizon, TRUST, for the rain of revival is not far behind. Soon you will feel His healing shower!!

HLFA,

Jeff

Power Connected??

Is The Right Power Adapter Connected?  We live in an amazing day of technological craziness. Years ago to communicate in writing with as many people as we do daily, weekly or monthly ... would have cost an incredible amount of money and taken an incredible amount of time and energy. Now we copy, paste, drag and drop … then with a click of a mouse an immense amount of information can travel thousands of miles in a few seconds. To gain any type of written material ...books, magazines, and newspapers … I would have had to travel to go to a news stand, bookstore, library or drug store (and I best not have forgotten my wallet or I was heading back home to make the trip all over again). Now with the click of a mouse, tap of a finger or swipe of a hand I can pull in literature and visual media until the cows come home or until my battery needs recharging on my mobile devise. Even though there are now amazing “no wire connection” transfers of information (like “Kies Air” where via "Wi-Fi" I don't need cables to download or transfer certain information that I used to have to be tethered to do), I still have to make contact with a power source. OH THAT CRAZY POWER SOURCE, that battery must be charged or the disconnect begins. NO POWER – NO COMMUNICATION... NO COMMUNICATION … NO LIFE.

There has to be a receptive connection to the power source, and you better have the matching adapter. Each electronic device needs its specific power connector or the power will not flow, and the device will not function. Jesus spoke of the only matching adapter to connect us to lasting life in John 14:7 – “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes unto the Father but by me.” Not having the adapter will mean your battery will die, there will be no initiating charge for usage life, and there will be no way to bring life back to your device if you kill the battery. Refusing to attach the matching power adapter is sheer stupidity, and a tragic waste of a valuable device. John 1:12 – “But as many as received Him them gave He power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.”

Now, we could go all day discussing the ramifications of this parallel electronic universe, but at this juncture of this HLFA I will do something dangerous – I will assume those who have continued reading have a lasting living connection with Heaven because of and through Jesus Christ; and therefore the destructive power connection of sin will never be able to have its full effect on them. (Please though, if you have never trusted and received the Lord Jesus as your Savior from sin … receive Him now!)

What good is my life if I haven't figured out what it is for! Something happened to me when I was 18 years old, a few days before my 19th birthday. In the attic of our home at 169 West King Street, Chambersburg, PA; my dying power connection went from trusting Jeff to Trusting Jesus … He literally empowered me to be transformed from that energy sucking death life to an ever renewing eternal life. In so doing, He switched on “His focus” in my life. I realized, truly realized that in Christ, Heaven was my home; and without Him, a person would have to spend eternity in Hell. (Whether we like it or not … sin has to be paid for, and if we do not trust God's payment for sin then we are left to our own eternity of suffering for sins payment.) Hear this … I DID NOT DO THIS ALONE. My brother Joe took a Bible and pointed out the truths that heart needed hear in order to make that intimate lasting connection. Joe led me to Jesus and I received Him. Just as soon as I had received Jesus I wanted to get the message of the connection to my future wife, who was waiting downstairs for me … I could not bare the thought of losing her to sin's death connection and a Christ-less eternity. I wanted to share eternity with her, Heaven seemed incomplete without her. SHE DID NOT DO IT ALONE.

If you can Hear Jesus' words to his disciples (and by divine connection, His words to you), I think you will once again understand the obvious reason for your life in Christ: Acts 1:8 – “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.” The most awesome life to be lived in this world (when we are not of this world) … is to live a life that witnesses to others so they can make that eternal connection with Jesus also. THEY CAN'T DO IT ALONE.

Did you ever notice that when the device is charged by the proper power adapter it thrives with the vital and vivid information that it was created for? You and I were not created to be lost ... but to be found, rescued and loved so that you and I could find, rescue and love others also. His Focus – Our Focus: Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. He made the connection for us. Let's nurture that connection for the sake of others.

HLFA,

Jeff

Don't Drink That

The Bottom of the Cup

Isn't it just like human nature? We see God fight an amazing battle for us. He will take us from darkness into light; He will pass us from death unto life; and He will rescue us from Hell fire and secure Heaven for our eternity. To do this He will make an amazing costly sacrifice that evidenced His love to the fullest degree. Satan and his hordes have absolutely no power to change the eternal effects of this rescue. God gives us a NEW name, a NEW family, a NEW home and a NEW song. We even find ourselves joyfully singing along … and then we come to the bottom of the cup.
There on the bottom of the cup he sits … an indescribably ugly little creature, a creature with the full aptitude for robbing us of the joy of continued movement through this land. A little critter that is only happy with the full cup, the perfect day, the comforts of this life, and “my way”. This filthy imp
laughs when we hit bottom and loves to whisper the songs of discontentment in our ear.

Remember the story of the Israel's wilderness wanderings? … read the snapshot below. And I would like to make three observations to help stop the strengthening of the “bitter bug” at the bottom of the cup. Exodus 15:22-27

 “22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. 23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. 24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? 25 And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,”

First: Three days wandering in the Wilderness of the “Wall” (what a perfect name)– Time will always put a weight on the events of this life. It will create beginnings & endings, that will constantly challenge our living. We can either learn to make the most of this “wall” by praising Him, or we can succumb to its invisible pressure by whining & complaining. Cooperate with the delays. “They that wait upon the Lord” are those who take full opportunity of the direction and speed of His winds.

Second: Waiting for temporary needs many times will result in a bitter result. The answer to a prayer may not turn out the way you had envisioned it ...you will murmur within yourself, guaranteed. Don't stop there; it would be like drinking the “critter at the bottom of the cup”. Wash out the remains, the silt, the dirt, the dead bug ...Lift the murmuring to an upward cry, and He will bring the sweetness of the “Tree” into your bitter waters. The cruel cross brings God's sweet caress to our wounded souls.

Third: (Out of sight of the story above  in verses 26 -27 --- Try not to relate obedience to tangible blessings, and don't stake your claim to spirituality on the existence of a temporal blessing.) In verse 26 of this same chapter, Moses challenges Israel to give their all to God who is there Ultimate Healer AND WOULDN'T YOU KNOW IT --- (vs 27) they walk right into an oasis called Elim (“the Palm”... not much root there) … 12 wells (one for each family) 40 palm trees. They pitch there tents there like it is the promised land, trust me it was short lived.

While on this side of Heaven, temporal blessing will be either short lived whining experiences or will become part of a memory system that creates a reflex to praise when we are faced with whatever is on the bottom of the cup. Drink in life to the Glory of God. Godliness with contentment is great gain. Jesus has plenty of fresh cool water, to wash out the cup and fill it again and again with new blessings and more memories. TRUST, He is there for you.

HLFA,

Jeff

A city Called - Answers to Prayer

Story Time (Now sit up straight and pay close attention children, because the longer you listen the longer you get to stay up!!! O.K. - O.K. Settle down and quit jumping on the bed!!

There once was a man, who began speaking words because he had a Visitation. The Visitation caused him to realize the power that his words could have to extend life to others. His name was “God-Speaks-My-Appointment”; and he was the son of “God Is My Portion”, who just happened to be a member of the King-Priests who dwelt in a city called “Answers-To-Prayer” that was located in a territory known as “The Land of the Son of the Right Hand”.

This Visitation … that he had was from the “EXISTING ONE”, who he would be known to call on Him as LORD. The LORD would speak to him, and he would speak the WORDS OF THE LORD. Because of this new connection with the EXISTING ONE, he would be called away from his home in “Answers-To-Prayer” in the midst of the “Land of the Son of the Right Hand” in order to speak.

He was encouraged and empowered by the EXISTING ONE to take this SPOKEN WORD to be heard during the reign of three powerful earthly Kings (and the words would be recorded so that many Kings and peoples after could see the continuing revelation of the Visitation long after the man's last words spoken). Even though “God-Speaks- My-Appointment” felt much like a child in comparison to those he would speak to, he would have the opportunity to take the LORD'S SPOKEN WORD to “God Heals” (the son of “Master Workman”), “God Raise Up”, and “God is Righteous” … Now these three Kings ruled in a land called “Praised” and they had their palaces in this land's chief city called “The Teaching of Peace”.

Although this was an opportunity of a lifetime … the enjoyment would be short-lived because nothing in this foreign land was as it seemed … good was spoken of as evil and evil was spoken of as good. The Kings and the inhabitants of the land desperately needed the hear the voice of the LORD … they were powerless to live up to their names. Did the WORD bring them hope???

One major problem … when “God-Speaks-My-Appointment” would proclaim the LORD'S SPOKEN WORD – it would begin to uproot entrenched lies, it would pull down high and lofty rebellious looks and ideas, it would destroy the mirages of temporal pleasure and success, it would throw down abusive self destructive idols and habits; BUT for those who truly heard, the WORDS had the power to build up and establish an eternal connection to “THE EXISTING ONE”.

To the dismay of “God-Speaks-My-Appointment”, no one wanted that connection. They would not hear the WORDS of THE EXISTING ONE. It wasn't long, through tear-filled eyes, “God-Speaks-My-Appointment” watched the brutal capture of the land called “Praised” and the destruction of the city called “The Teaching of Peace”. And as the string of discouraged captives were led away to the land called “Confusion through Mixing” … he began to realize the LORD'S mercies are new every morning, and that the LORD'S faithfulness was great enough to allow him to be free among the captives, alive among the dead, and blessed to still continue to carry the message to his home... called “Answers-to-Prayer” in the “Land of the Son of the Right Hand” where his family of King-Priests were awaiting his return.

In these troubled times … more than ever we need the close intimate connection that the LORD wants to have with us … our Home is “Answers-To-Prayer” in the land of the Son of the Right Hand, Jesus. Do not get discouraged when you stand in the fury of the power of His Word's ability to shake things up. Keep Asking you will be given, Keep Seeking and you will find, Keep Knocking and the door will be opened.... you WILL FIND HIM THERE.(Story borrowed from the meaning of the names found in Jeremiah 1: 1-3 and the abbreviated story of Jeremiah and Lamentations). Great is His Faithfulness.

HLFA 
Jeff

This is an easy one to toss to the side but hidden in the story is a bundle to meditate on that draws a prophetic parallel to the day live in and the days we could be facing ahead. Think about it!!!

Master of My Darkness

In certain areas of my life, I have darkness down pat, or at least I think I do. (Fortunately, I am not talking about the darkness that is caused by the hypocritical coverup of habitual sin, or the darkness that is caused by loving God's blessings more than Him) Here's what I'm talking about! I can get up any time of the night and navigate through my bedroom to find my phone (which is my clock), to find the drawer with my back-scratch-er, and choose the right door knob to get to the hallway that leads to the living room, kitchen or to the bathroom. I am the master of my night time darkness.

Today though, my heart was broken as I walked into the sordid travesty of the lives of those who once had a great influence on my life for Jesus. I am not ashamed of them ... but it is hard to wrestle with the fact that my life was powerfully challenged and changed by their words, and all the while they were carrying some awful coverups of sin in their lives and the lives of their family. At first I questioned ... How could God use them so mightily? But now after a reflection that I will share with you ... The broken-heavyhearted question remains: How much more could they had done, had they allowed that same power they preached of to truly wash them from their sin, instead of catering and coddling it in the darkness of their homes.

Take a moment and read the following passages ... Remember, He is the Master of the Darkness, and He is found in that Darkness - He is there. His Darkness came between Israel and her enemies. God brings His rescue from the Darkness ... and when our darkness is surrendered to Him or we surrender to Him in the oppression of our darkness - We find treasure and riches there - because We will truly know Him. When we treasure that relationship above all else ... the Darkness holds no Limit!

Isaiah 45:3 "And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel."

Amazing promises are buried in this one but with conditions:
Isaiah 58:8-10 - "Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday."

1. Take away the "yoke" - any binding or agreement that causes oppression (no secret cover ups -confess and forsake sin).
2. Take away the finger pointing - don't blame or redirect, take responsibility for you actions and reactions.
3. Take away Speaking Vanity - don't give advice to sin, to serve self, or to oppress others.

THEN - draw out your soul to hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul ... This is the key to the life of Light: If you just take care of yourself you will end up "Taking Care of just Your Self" and soon you will be involved in a cover up, an oppression and an offensive lifestyle. Oh, how much more can come from our lives as we allow Him to be master of our Darkness.

Too many are falling,

too few even care,

surrender your darkness to Him,

and you will find Him there.

HLFA,

Jeff

The Imagination of Your Love

Where does your Love take you? Does it send you on whimsical cascading moments of refreshing day dreams? Does it cause tears of anguish because of moments of "good-bye" and parting for awhile: or does it make room for even more uncontrollable tears as parting may last even longer? Does it take you to incredible bursts of protective anger that would even give of its own life to protect the object of your Love? Does it have its breath ripped away in moments where fear senses an unknown threat that may sever you from the one you long for? Does it rest as it patiently waits for the rays of the morning sun to reveal that all is well and fear was unfounded?

Where does your Love take you when your brothers and sisters falter? Does it dole out unimaginable accusations and disappointments because of the impact of the breach that has disrupted your peaceful life? Does it have you weeping as you drop your stones of judgment? Does it leave you stranded and all alone with your confusion and shame for their situation? Is your Love able to carry you to the Throne of Grace where you cry out to find help in their time of need?

Where does your Love take you? Notice the word "Love" has been capitalized and emboldened.This was not only to draw your attention to the word, but it was to personify the word. We all need Love whether we admit it or not. The first step to knowing real Love is admitting our souls are bankrupt and lost in the midst of "forming and framing" Love in our own image. WE DON'T NEED ONE MORE BREATHLESS IDOL IN OUR LIFE. This "forming and framing" - the imagination of the heart - needs to cease . If you trust in the work of your own hands your love will soon reveal itself as dead and powerless because of your lack of resources. We can't save ourselves...we need a Saviour.

"Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God; therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not." I John 3:1 - WOW! An invitation to rob the world of an intimate knowledge of us, while we bask in the glory of this new found family of the Father. Focus your perceptions, your imagination, your framing and forming on learning of Him ... And you will be joyfully amazed at where your Love takes you.

Don't keep spinning your wheels while tolerating your idolatry until you are so set in it that you are an embarrassment to yourself and those around you ... look at the old men mentioned in Ezekiel and how pitiful there thinking had become:

Ezekiel 8:12 - "Then said He unto me, Son of Man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chamber of his imagery(idols)? For they say, the LORD seeth us not, the LORD hath forsaken the earth." (How shallow they look in their self made halos sporting their powerless hypocrisy). Is this where you want to be?

How about this for a promise to take advantage of ? "Thou wilt keep him in perfect (shalom) peace (shalom), whose mind (framing and forming - imagination) is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee". Isaiah 26:3 - "PERFECT PEACE" - this is an amazing concept within the promise...this is an expression of true, tangible, lasting, complete, holistic, satisfaction that can be totally renewable moment by moment. This is that satisfaction that is offered to those who continually lean and rest their imaginations in the business of trusting Him. WE NEED A LIVING LOVE THAT WILL GIVE US NEW BREATH EVERY DAY ... Don't tolerate any breathless love in your life ... BREATHE!!!

BUT WAIT! - Stop your rebellion - take inventory of your misery, write off the garbage that has no place in the heart of a Jesus lover, quit coddling your sin and cast it as a deadly contagion before the Great Physician. Now trust Him for His strength to move you in agreement with your Love: Jesus. Live Openly for Him.

HLFA,

Jeff

Tolerance or Cover Up

I was pounding out a technical bulletin in my office at work earlier this week, when one of my co-workers called me and said, "Come, you've got to see this. We are not quite sure what it is!" I had to move quickly because of the tone of his voice though I wanted to hesitate because of not knowing what I was going to find. Just outside the back door of our plant, on one of the small concrete walls that separates the grassy back space of the plant from the small set of concrete stairs that lead to the back door (from the outside) ... was the strangest "creature" I had ever seen making its way from out of the grass and across the top of the wall. First glance ... a baby snake or an immensely long and flat snail ... but that was what everyone that had gathered their had surmised at first. Challenged to look more closely, we found a small snaking army of maggot-like micro worms, all different sizes moving together as a slimy slithering unified force. While not distracted they would continue forward, if their ranks were broken they would pull together and then continue on. I took a picture and returned to my office ... later when I asked what happened to the creature, I was told that once they determined it to be an army of death munching worms it was destroyed. No funeral, no burial, no remorse ... just total annihilation.

As God woke me up this morning, He started me thinking about "wickedness" due to the remembrance of this miniature army of death. Words like sin, iniquity and wickedness carried the weight of God's foreboding judgment into my nocturnal thought patterns. And even though God is not standing around ready to "tromp" on anyone who chooses sin, the penalties or consequences still remain and there will be a personal "payday". "It is appointed unto men, once to die, but after this the judgment" ... "So then everyone of us shall give account of himself to God". "And the smoke of their torment rose up forever and ever". Hey folks ... WAKE UP!! "For the wages of sin is (still) death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD."

The history of Israel, during the time of "Moses" was so much like our wandering through this world, that it seems we best walk circumspectly keeping the words that God has told us about them, close to our heart. In Deuteronomy 9 ... Moses reminds the people of their rebellious choices that had God ready to destroy them at any moment, but Moses stood in the gap. Does that mean that no one died? Thousands died... a whole generation died wandering in the wilderness.

Deut. 9: 22, 23 - "And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibrothhattaavah, ye provoked the LORD to wrath. Likewise when the LORD sent you from Kadeshbarnea, saying, Go up and possess the land which I have given you; then ye rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God, and ye believed him not, nor hearkened to his voice." Moses reminded them throughout this Chapter of his intercession that kept them from total annihilation. Moses stood in the Gap.

The Church is suffering today from an army of sinful choices and forbidden pleasures that similar to an Army of Maggots will attach themselves to anything rotting in our lives. We have become tolerant of way too much wickedness, and the infection is spreading deep. We come across as tolerating sin because "we love" the sinner, and don't want to make him mad (he may turn from Jesus). We even use the battle cry "Love God, Hate Sin". BUT in reality...Will we let go of the garbage we coddle for the sake of the Kingdom? Will we annihilate the death army within our hearts instead of making excuses and keeping this monster growing within our hidden, wicked foster care? Are we tolerating sin in others because we don't want to Judge our own sin sickness? We spend too much time discussing, debating, studying, justifying, and putting on pious penitent airs in our beggarly Bible gatherings, when we should be confessing and forsaking our sin; so we can truly pray with power as we move ahead with Godly brokenness over the peril of our "brethren in bondage" and "the lost without Christ".

Tolerance, How far should I go? To the Cross ... Behold what manner of love!! Hate Sin because of where it took Jesus ... for us.

HLFA,

Jeff

What is Going on Up Ahead?

John 9: 10 - 12 "Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not."

No matter what you do in life you will sooner or later find yourself in the intersection of "Sent" (Siloam). You might be entering the intersection as a passer-by. You may be the one pulled into the intersection to be observed. You may be the scrutinizing observer. This intersection is unavoidable, but to allow the intersection to have the greatest impact ... we must not hinder the participants from seeing that Jesus was there.

In this day and age, there seems to be a magnificent pile-up in so many cross roads of life, where God's Spirit is highly charging the scenery (I hope you are getting the sense of urgency that He is planting in the hearts of those in these Last Days). These intersections are popping up everywhere. They are a hub-bub of tension in many cases because here Faith is colliding with unbelief. The prophets of "Perhaps" flock to these events by the droves to do everything in their power to help everyone find any answer other than "Jesus". If Jesus is the answer there is a fear that there will be one endless traffic jam ahead and nobody will get to where they wanted to, and get to do what they wanted to (At least this is what the voices of the day tell us). If you are going to believe the Bible and trust this Jesus... you are old fashioned and need to get out of the way ... you are thwarting evolutionary progress.

You have got to understand the one constant truth: If Jesus is truly discovered in this intersection LIVES WILL CHANGE. And there are some lives that may be violently opposed to that change. They are threatened by the fact the God's Love demands His attention, and His attention means we will be held by His accountability. His love moves Him to be accountable and responsible for us. He does not answer to us ... he answers for us. He does not do things to us ... He does things for us. He does not keep score to curse us ... He has won the victory Himself to bless us. BUT YOU MAY STILL GET CAUGHT IN THE CROSS FIRE.

As His Kids, this Cross Fire in the intersection of "Sent" will purify and will consume the things that are truly handicapping our lives. The Cross Fire will strengthen and satisfy our need to know Him, His Love, and the power of his Resurrection.

Yes, He took the power of creation, and focused it on my specific need. He spit in the dust to form what I was missing, and told me to go to the Pool of Sent and wash ... now I see, and am seen of others. Now my life has been given to me as a gift to challenge on-lookers, "Wasn't this the beggar (I hear them say)?" It is so good to know and experience His loving me.

Truly without Him I was a pitiful mess, and with Him in the intersection I am now a conundrum? What to do with me and ultimately, what to do with Him who has changed me?

In the intersection? Don't cop a "holier than thou" attitude, don't ignore the opportunity, and don't be ashamed to openly admit that it was Jesus that put you there. Everyone needs to know "Christ in you"... the Hope of Heaven. Caught in the Cross Fire? Burn Brightly, please... Jesus Loves You.

HLFA,

Jeff

There are Aliens among Us

The sky was pretty much a dud at the end of the day. Large, threatening clouds had crowded in like a massive herd of hairy mastodon blocking out any view of the sun that was trying to share its last moments of color exchange. Night seemed to just ... turn on, and it was dark. So like any grateful earth dweller, I decided that the early darkness was a gift for the sole purpose of rest. I had no idea that right on the heals of the clouds there were Aliens smuggling in there tools of "perhaps" and "mind altering leadership". They were coming in slowly and subtly under the cloak of the night, but also in a fashion that met my need to rest from the constraints of the Ruler. How oppressive it was day by day to have to say "no" to my desires, and turn my walk away from opportunities for advancement just because "they" said "He" said so. As I lay restless in the darkness, I had little idea that the Alien intruders had already crept into my domain and were already hard at work attaching unseen probes and stimulation devises that would soon persuade me to join their cause ... which really was my cause...wasn't it?

Sounds like the beginning of a science fiction ... "something" ... doesn't it? Trust me though, it is not ... it is literally a story-like briefing on the events that can happen in our lives if we are selfishly being caught unaware. The wisest man that ever lived, Solomon, was trapped because of disobedience that crept into his life via his "love desire" to satisfy his "strange" ...or alien wives - making them comfortable with their alien self-destructive beliefs.

I Kings 11:2,3 - "Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in unto them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned his away his heart."

Know this ... and hear this right now: if you just had an Ah-ha moment that blames someone else for your troubled life, you have already been infected by the two most subtle alien doctrines. You may think that you have found yourself in an impossible situation that no one else ever came out of unscathed ... and you are right. But to say that you cannot commit to doing right; and/or that something that appears "sinful" to others may be right for you ... PROVES that you have been listening to the teachings that are alienating you from the truth of God's Word. The probes and stimulation devises are already affecting you deep in your soul. Let's briefly but prayerfully look at two doctrines that keep trying to creep into our lives (We need to wholeheartedly cling to Jesus and overcome):

The Doctrine of "Perhaps" - this opens up the thought that we have the right in some cases to partake in the fruits and fellowship of idolatry, and that fornication is just fulfilling our created desires. We would not openly announce that we get comfort from idolatrous and adulterous situations but this is the end result of believing a teaching that allows us to think that "perhaps" God has another plan for us although it may appear sinful, perhaps it isn't sinful for me? CAREFUL THIS ALIEN THINKING IS TURNING OUR HEART AWAY.

The Doctrine of "My Way must be Accepted" - This is powerful because we actually think that if enough people agree with our "alien" position ... that it is right, OR that if enough people don't agree with our "alien" position then they just don't understand. (Please read the last statement carefully and to understand that pride has set in, and that "controlling the situation" is now the dominant attribute in charge ... we are no longer listening but for the need to gather information to prove that we are right.)

Listen Carefully - God's Word is final, Covenants should be honored, Commitment to Truth is the first step ... Jesus said " I am the Way ... the Truth ... and the Life, no man comes to the Father but by Me."

Why do you feel that His Word, as absolute truth, is oppressive? Remember He said "You shall know the truth and the Truth, shall set you free." Careful there are Aliens among us ... confess you alienation thinking and trust Him for the future.

HLFA,

Jeff

Revelation 2: 17 - He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches: To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Choose Life - Don't be Sorry!

I can see it still in their eyes ... A mentally challenged young man still being raised like a child, a cancer ridden husband toting his I-V and oxygen into other hospital patient's rooms, an elderly widow on her last breath wanting to encourage still, a brokenhearted husband trying desperately to keep his marriage together, a small child patting the hand of a parent in a hospital bed ... "What would you say to Jesus, if He was here, right now?"

"IF" ... the word seemed to fuel an energy that could not not be reckoned with ... and there seemed to be a powder-keg of that energy now rushing to the senses of each of these individuals. What would come from their lips would anger and baffle the skeptics, but would knock the socks off of a tenderhearted believer. There were no requests for their personal healing? There were no complaints about their current fragile situation? "What would I say ... to Jesus ... right now?"

"I LOVE YOU."

If your callous heart, right now, ... even remotely begins to chill away and your dull senses are already asleep at this HLFA ... there is something you need from Him, something that you are crying out for, but afraid to totally commit the results to Him. You are afraid you will be disappointed. You are afraid that you will be introduced to more pain and more disillusionment. In your perception, the introduction to the people above is a daunting fairy tail and even a cruel scandalous make believe story that is only meant to drive you further into depression over your situation ... because God doesn't even know you exist. (contrariwise - He is holding you close but you are afraid to admit it ... just like the pain that shouts "don't touch me, get away!").

Take a quick walk with me into God's Word ... Nehemiah 8:10 - Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

Israel had been in captivity for 70 years in Babylon, and a remnant was back in their land. Though their land was now torn to pieces, they were attempting to put back up the walls and rebuild the temple. Enemies were threatening them all around and would continue that threatening even until today. No wall is stronger than the one we allow the Lord to build inside us ... no temple is more joyful than the body occupied with the written and spoken Word of God flowing through its corridors.

The quote above came to the people after hours of standing and hearing the Word of God for first time in the lives of most of them. These were the spiritually maimed, lame, halt and blind... these were those found in the hedges, and alone the side of the highways and the by-ways. These were the abandoned and forgotten ... BUT GOD DOES NOT FORGET HIS PEOPLE, NOR DIOES HE FORSAKE THEM.

Let's break down the Word into bite size pieces and really hear it.

"Go your way" - go into the life He has given to you ... take ownership and stewardship of your life.
"Eat the fat" - receive the rich things prepared for you, take them gratefully into your life.
"And drink the sweet" - drink in the good and pleasant things via gratitude also. Remember.
"And send portions unto them whom nothing is prepared " - go into the world and share the good news;
"For this day" ... this day ... today ... "is Holy" (set apart as specially His) "unto the Lord."
"NEITHER BE SORRY"
"for the JOY" (gladness) "of the Lord" (the All sufficient lover of our souls) "is your strength" (stronghold, safety, protection and base station for victory)."

HLFA,

Jeff

Joy in the Lord is an intelligent and worthy choice that not only changes your attitude, but heals the hurting around you ... Be Glad!

He came unto His own and His own received Him not, but as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. And we beheld His Glory.

Don't be Left with Just You!

What to do when it is just you?

I know, here we go again ... a question that has so many answers ... depending on the details that have to be pulled out of the one doing the asking.

I always have a tendency to be like the child impatiently tugging at his parents, and all the while he keeps coaching them on with the phrase: "Hurry up or we are going to miss it!"

Funny thing, he has never been there before, and he has no idea what is around the corner, but every fiber of his being is expecting a surprise. I ache so many times when I realize that the child has been ripped from so many lives by life's inevitable but unexpected events. So many of these events would be easier to work through if there weren't so many "naysayers" throwing doubt in the mix (most of these were previously sucker punched by the "dream hater"). Satan is such a marketing master when comes to feeding God's highest creation (humans) false accusations about their loving Creator.

The Devil's billboard always throws a magnificent doubt into the face of those who God truly loves with an everlasting love. Satan boldly splashes on the brightest colors and the boldest lettering to push on the obvious bruised area of our deceitful hearts:

...If God really cared...

Then there would be no ______________: just fill in the blank with whatever has disappointed you about God or whatever you want to blame Him for ... add a good dose of anger and self-pity, and there you have it:

You have killed the little child in you and you stand there all by yourself.

And what do you do when it is just you?

Rest your next step confidently on the truth of God that never changes ... it can't because He doesn't lie.

1. There is no "IF" with God.
2. The "IF" is always with us.
3. God Really Cares.

Even when we have no ability to go any further, and we have come to the end of ourselves " He never turns His back on us.

What should I do if it is just me and I have bought into the doubt?

Psalm 97:12 - Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

Be Glad! - Give thanks and remember how sacred and set apart God's love is for you.
Jesus set aside all eternity to take care of yours ... He is definitely committed to you until you are safely with Him. Rest! No event whether expected or not can separate you from His love. BUT when the impact of the event takes place, You have a choice ... choose to trust Him and enjoy the journey with him (don’t be left with just you).

HLFA,

Jeff

"Res Judicata" - eternally; Rest.

The Fine Line Power - Choice

I couldn't believe how sick I really was; I could barely get out of bed to get to the bathroom when the viral activity would rack my shaking frame. I had no control over this situation and the bodily responses that came in vandalizing my life; but it seemed (for dignities sake) when the waves of nausea would begin, I would pull what strength was left in me to allow the uncontrolled responses to bring momentary relief. As the course of most viruses, the hope is that it is only a matter of time wrestling with the activity, and rest should come (maybe 24 hours and all might be well).

I had one interesting problem.  I had less than 4 hours to shake it so I could catch a flight home. To get home would require the following: 1. packing my bags. 2. Getting down three flights of stairs and a 300 yard walk to my rental car. 3. Drive the 15 minute ride to the rental car return. 4. Manage to ride an unusually long escalator up to the security/check in area of the airport. 5. Wait for the flight. 6. Endure the 5 hour flight. 7. Get from the terminal to ground transportation to the parking area. and 8. Take the 1 ½ hour drive home. Not so bad on a normally healthy day, but at this moment in my hotel room I would only enjoy minutes of relief (if you can call a spinning room relief) before I was driven unmercifully to the rest room. How in the world was I to accomplish "getting home" without a mobile bucket and toilet tied to me? I couldn't even stand up without the room spinning out of control.

Can't give you all the details but I made it home. As I look back on that event, I would not attribute it to being a strong stable individual, but I would tell you this ... "the motivation or determination to ‘get home' with God's gracious moments of strengthening intervention allowed me to prevail".

(My apology for taking your mind to embarrassing and disgusting places ... but this is what God has brought to my heart in these early morning hours).

Someone reading this is being pressed to the max and tempted with giving up on love ... your life is so miserable or complicated that you truly feel that your situation is unresolvable, and that no one truly can understand the gravity of the moment. Trust Jesus when I say this next statement, commit this moment to Him.  DESIRE to get back home!  I know it looks impossible right now ... but laying down and becoming invalid to what you know you should do is not the answer. NEVER GIVE UP ON LOVE, because real Love (He) will never give up on you.

I didn't care how awkward, uncomfortable or unsure the next steps would be in moving from that hotel room, I committed that moment to Him and pushed my strength home. There was an easier option for the body ... I could just lay there (get kicked out of a hotel room, default with penalties on my rental, miss my flight, disappoint those waiting for my safe arrival, and spend the rest of my life explaining the penalties) ... and then  work through any of the painful repercussions of my "give up" decision. BUT the best choice was to exert my strength to not giving up, rather than dealing with what I might cause in giving up. Don't sacrifice your future on the altar of the immediate.

Song of Solomon 8: 6-7 Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love; neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.

Set Jesus as the lock ... (the seal, not to be broken until the cargo is at home port and under the jurisdiction of the true owner of the cargo) ... upon you heart (seat of life giving and life taking emotions). Jesus is the Lord of your love ... commit to giving up to Him, He is committed to you and get home.

This is just a shot in the dark ... and it is being sent with tears and many miles and hours of prayer. There is a fine line of power to be given to you ... power to proceed or power to give up ... each will bring relief sooner or later. Surrender to none but the King! I would sooner be a ragged beggar walking with my God, than a rich man walking without Him.

Notice the last line of the passage above ... "if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned."    The house "it" would be despised but not the man.

Do right!

HLFA,

Jeff

Kicked to the Curb

You know what? I am a people person (but only by my new nature). Ever since May of 1973, my heart has been captured by the miracle of life and life everlasting. People seemed to appear out of nowhere and began to weigh in heavily on my heart and soul. (THIS IS VERY TOUGH TO SHARE WITH YOU BECAUSE THE RISK I TAKE IN TALKING ABOUT MYSELF, BUT IF YOU BUCKLE YOUR SEATBELT AND GO FOR THE RIDE WITH ME, WE MAY BOTH END UP RADICALLY CHANGED AT THE END OF THIS REFLECTION) I will focus on the eyes of the individual speaking to me: I will laugh along with their laughter and maybe even shed a tear or two when they open their hearts door and reveal a broken part of their life. I find myself as an intense student of human emotions. I study conditions of passions, frustrations and irritations that befall so many in this sin scorched life. I truly do this not to make something of myself, but with the hope that the people that I am gifted to come in contact with will realize their worth if connected to Jesus (and connected to His deep devotional desire for them).

For what is a person's life? It is like a vapor of breath on a cold morning, that appears for such a brief time as it moves into the surrounding air and then it is gone. What is the value of that vapor? God breathed it into the first man and he became a living entity. Sin entered the world of that first man as he missed the mark of his high calling to "Walk with God". Man's desire to breathe the way he wanted to, severed Eden's connection to that intimate walk. Man unknowingly shortened that breath and faced the consequences of his actions by now taking on the effects of his last breath. What is the value of that breath? Man's choice to breathe in the last breath was not where God wanted man ... He loved man so much that He sent His only begotten Son to sacrificially breath His last breath for a world of whosoevers. And if those whosoevers would believe and rely on Him to cover the consequences of their rebellious breathing ... they would not "breathe their last breath" but have eternal life. Jesus breathed His last breath for us and rose again to breathe His new life into us. DOES EVERYONE BELIEVE? DOES EVERYONE RECEIVE? God knew so many would not receive and have not received this immense payment for their sin but still loves them until their last breath.

Although Jesus may be "kicked to the curb" by an individual's rejection of His love, He continues to love them until the end of their days. GOD KICK'S NO BROKEN INDIVIDUAL TO THE CURB.

Here come's the other voice... the other cheerleader that preys on our natural desire to "throw people away". Here come's that influence of death's decree ...he lifts up his declaration that rings true at some point in time to all of us - "life is too short to put up with those kind of people". There is ugliness, grotesqueness and offensiveness built into people all around us. We live in a generation that mars, mangles, pierces, cuts, aborts, slanders, marks, maims and throws itself to the curb. This generation will do everything in its power to dare you to love them. It will appear that they could care less that you care at all, but if the truth would be known ... if you love Jesus, they are counting on you to care.

There was a cry, a scream; and a torn and wounded child crawled out into the daylight from a cruel dark alley. The child had been molested, abused, torn and thrown into the trash pile of useless humanity. As it struggled to pull its weeping bloodied form from the unseen recesses of the ally to the revealing light of the street, Jesus walked up to the child, stared at him, and walked away without so much as a moment of care.

Unbelievable ... you say "No Way!" "That's not my Jesus!" 

No it is not, but it might be me and it might be you when we decide not to care. If we say we love Jesus and choose to walk away - Jesus just walked away from someones life.

Jeremiah 9: 1-2a "Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men;"

Oh to Join Jesus in loving people ... He wants to join you in loving people. Do you want him with you? Or would you prefer just to "kick Him to the Curb"?

Start with those closest to you where the offense may be deepest ... Don't pass them by. 

HLFA,

Jeff

The Open Hole in the Sky

I had just heard the news, it wasn't good. I felt the tremor, although the news was not affecting me directly. Another hero (though not mine) tossed his character aside for a momentary forbidden pleasure. Another leader somehow felt that the influence of the Kingdom would not be forfeited if he would choose sin instead of righteousness. Although I no longer ran in his circles of influence, I was still historically connected and therefore emotionally connected.

Years ago, this hero (as a young man), scaled the respect and admiration of so many and rose above the position of many of his college peers. Such potential that he was able to "arrive" by many of the standards of the day. Yet in one fell swoop, in one tragic decisive moment ... he was headlines. In less than a week, he went from beloved to belittled. Where once he was merely criticized for articulate controversy now he was defrocked because of moral fallacy and justifiable condemnation.

Actually, this fallen hero was no different than so many of the men of his day, and not all that different from so many of his fallen predecessors. NOTE: So many of us think we have the padlock in place on the door of our wicked imaginations. So many of us think that we are strong enough to keep the volatile nature of our sinful (but secret) ambitions in check. So many of us have even been counseled into believing that it is just a "Man thing" or a "woman's prerogative" to lie a little, cheat a little, and steal a little. This type of thinking runs rampant when we have merely a religious walk with a god, instead of a Relevant Walk with Our God. Our futile selfish labors will feed the fire of the desire to be recompensed for our long-suffering while keeping our lusts in check.

What is a Relevant Walk with Our God? Two men are mentioned specifically in scripture to have walked with God or at least are connected to the phrase "walked with God" ... One of them (Enoch) started this walk after the birth of a Son that he named "The Man of the Dart" or "How long before I am Launched?" . The other(Noah) had a "walk with God" was so notable in his character that it differentiated him from those of his generation. This "walk with God" was the foundation for the amazing events that would surround the influence of the life of these men(though neither were without fault).

For just a moment, focus on the phrase "Walk with God" ... held within the treasure chest of the word "Walk" and its usage comes a description of "Relevant" walk...

1. It is a willing walk ... we walk ourselves ... by our choosing ... He has chosen us.
2. It is a shared walk ... we don't walk by ourselves ... we walk with another who walks with us.
3. It is a purposeful walk ... to walk with Him ... loving Him loving us.
4. It is a walk with the future understood and in view ... forever with Him, Who is forever with us.
5. It is a walk that focuses on the Quality of the actions and shared desires of both Walkers.

Actually it is not just "what would Jesus do?" ... it may be better to add some personal communication ... "What do I do, while walking with You, Jesus?"

While walking with the Love of my Life I may still mess up, but it is a lot harder to carelessly throw away the future of that relationship's influence for something that would immediately offend and hurt My Love, walking with me.

As I was hearing the news, I looked out the window into the cloud filled day to see a blue hole open in the clouds ... immediately I desired to fly through the clouds toward the open blue. I wanted to close the distance that seems to be there at times. Jesus, hold me close ... without you, how can I begin to stand?

Psalm 23:4
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

It appears my God has far more invested and vested in this walk with Him ... best trust Him fully. Let's walk with Jesus. And I saw the open hole in the sky. I Corinthians 10:13 ... check it out.

HLFA,

Jeff

When the Rainbow Fades

Stand by Me Maker of the Rainbow

(Be careful not to read too much into this HLFA – unless the mirror is staring back at you)

The toughest reality on this side of the Veil is that the world will create a mirage of loneliness that our flesh so quickly buys into. Within this loneliness "buy in" our soul can be crushed to the point that depression rules, hope is deferred and heart becomes strength-less or helpless to beat at a rate that signifies life. This "crushing" definitely can be on the tail end of the "forgive me - forgive me not" cycle that will be part of our working through a personal disastrous choice for sin (instead of choosing His Desire for us). ("There hath no temptation taken you but such is common to man")

Sometimes we will try to infuse life back into our being with a noble endeavors, that we may even risk to call God's Will. These endeavors may breathe momentary life back into our existence, but because they are fueled merely by the desperate need for worth and acceptance, the endeavors become an obsession that runs our soul deeper into disappointment. Fits of Rage and threatening may become our new tool to motivate others instead of love and prayerful encouragement as we cling to our endeavor like it was our only hope for existence. While we push forward at our endeavor we could even begin to alienate ourselves further by casting aside anybody who can't catch "our vision." Our heart may start rating people as "stupid" and "useless" (though we wouldn't say this openly) as they either fit or don't fit our direction of movement. ("but God is faithful")

Now with the onset of this "rating" of the worth of others ... through the filter of "Our Endeavor" ... we are thinning out the voices that could encourage us. Those who seem to make the connection to God without any difficulty "must be doing something wrong" or "are naive to reality." Our people connections are reducing, our position is becoming more awkward, and the growing hopelessness is now a daily occurring cloud over our life. We truly believe that "no one understands" and "this has never happened to anyone else" ... without any effort a new pride will set in that will usher us into further disappointment. WHAT WE REALLY WANT IS FADING INTO "NOT FOR ME." ("He will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able")

HOLD ON (this is not a disconnect and if you breathe it will be coherent) - I was thoroughly enjoying a meal at local Mexican restaurant with my Wife, Two of my Sons, one daughter n' law, and one Grandson. The enjoyment was caused mostly by my Grandson's fascination with a rainbow, which he could easily watch from the window of the restaurant. His two-year-old (plus) fascination had a ton of wisdom ... I mentioned that God made bow just for him as well as others. His face was all aglow as he blurted out, "I see God." His Dad mentioned that He sees God everywhere. I told my Grandson that it is almost like God took his finger and painted the rainbow in the sky. With a sweeping motion of his finger, the little guy spoke out "God loves me" and pointing to me "He loves you" ... more pointing followed ... "and Becky and Jeremy and Nana and Daddy and" ... as he looked around the room full of people, "and everyone." As the rainbow began fade the little guy was a little discouraged because he couldn't see the rainbow as clearly, BUT he assured me "I can still see God!" ("and will with the temptation make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it" I Corinthians 10:13).

Life will get a little messier as the little guy grows up but if his "heart to see God" can be nurtured and encouraged the "reality" will become a blessing and not a curse. We all are dealt different sets of blessing and heartaches... as the rainbow fades we have a choice to call out to the One who made the Bow - "Stand by Me" or to turn to depression and disappointment as we allow a moment to separate us from Him. Isaiah 8:17 - "And I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth His face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for Him." Isaiah 40:31 - "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall rise up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

In the midst of faults and failures, Stand by me (stand by me);
In the midst of faults and failures, Stand by me (stand by me);
When I do the best I can, And my friends misunderstand,
Thou Who knowest all about me, Stand by me (stand by me).

(Third section of the Hymn "Stand by Me" by Charles Albert Tindley)

Jesus desires to Stand by you ... let Him.

HLFA,

Jeff

Wrapped and Alone

Don’t Leave Me Wrapped and Alone

Psalm 83:1-2 Song or Psalm of Asaph. Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.

In our world of strange media events, it is almost expected that the "trash mongers" will be out there digging in the Devil’s Waste Landfill to find and expose any obscenities of life in an attempt to take our hearts away. They position their own rotting corpse right near the cesspool of human failure and tragedy, just waiting for some flaw to bubble to the surface. At which time they will scoop the mess out of the mire and race it to the spin doctors of shame to make it even more obnoxious (publishing discouragement has never been more profitable).

With a bundle of the "Spew News" in hand, Hell's Paper Boy arrives in the market place ready to do his barking to sell "the latest steamy edition." To his dismay on this particular day he finds a crowd of the strangest sort. (Get your imaginations on) As he enters the market place, his senses are assaulted by a crowd hopping and stumbling around - all, every single one of them, wound to the max, foot to head, wrapped tightly with the rags of the grave. Their Mummy-like appearances (flipping, flopping, weaving, wobbling ... every individual totally helpless to even try a defensive or an offensive maneuver) litter the grounds ... with so many appearing to be groping, to be unwound, to be loosed and to be set free. BUT HOLD ON, are my eyes deceiving me??? THE CROWD IS NOT WANTING TO BE SET FREE ... even the Paper Boy is dumbfounded by what he sees: THE CROWD DOES NOT WANT ANYONE TO DISTURB THEIR SITUATION - Listen closely to their pitiful pleas: "We like our captivity, we like our stink, we love our immobility, we don’t want a vision ... don’t touch us, please do not disturb our peaceful deathlike existence." With all the garbage news that they have had pumped into their lives, can you truly blame them for wanting to wrapped and left alone?

"Cease, cease my son to hear the instruction that causes thee to err from the words of knowledge." Some of the most horrendous tragedies in human character have come because of man’s insatiable desire to hear and listen to discouraging and disheartening news. The Enemy is real good at being loud and obnoxious forcing us not only to hear but also to listen. The enemy takes aim at our sore spots and scars as we openly expose them through our whining and complaining. Then, he will stoke the fire of restitution anger, snuff out any fragile coals of forgiveness, and make sure we are so numb with disappointment that there is absolutely no room for grace to be extended to an offender. At this point we will do our best to maintain a firm grip on our tightly wrapped grave clothes, so as not to have to face the Voice of God.

What to do? We live in a day when leadership is arrogant and abusive, servants are squandered or plundered, human life is devalued, the Bible is questioned, prayer is purported to be powerless, kindness is seen as weakness, mercy is for cowards, righteousness is old fashion, love and lust are synonymous, faith is scorned, and God is vilified. All the while God’s people are silent in the work place and the market place. Momentarily we may rise up against an enemy that threatens our temporal security. Momentarily we may cry out and stand up to defend life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

We may even raise enough backing and support to stop an enemy in his tracks, but what then?

Do we begin to examine the cause? MY SIN ... MY SORROW!

Do change the direction of our daily actions? HIS GRACE ... MY SALVATION!

Do we commit to a greater resolve? ALL THINGS ... TO THE GLORY OF GOD!

Do we now begin anew to undergird and nurture the key relationship that has the keys of death and Hell? LISTEN AND LEARN ... HE IS NOT SILENT!

Do we draw closer to the only One who can open and no man shuts, or shuts and no man opens? DRAW NEAR TO HIM ... HE HAS DRAWN NEAR TO YOU!

Do we remember from whence we are fallen and return to the courtship of our First Love? LOVE JESUS OPENLY!

Humble yourselves and allow the Grave Clothes to be removed so you can truly live, move and breathe!

HLFA,

Jeff