A Glorious Cover-Up

Proverbs 25:2 – It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.
Daniel 2:37 – Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of Heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
Revelations 1:6 – And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

I know it is the dream of Godly parents, to somehow pass on a life to their children that will be blessed of God. We want our kids saved and serving God in whatever capacity He sees best for them. This was such an intense desire for my Mother, that she prayed (while my siblings and I were still forming in her womb) that God would take us before birth if there was any chance we would reject Him in life and end up it Hell.

I have watched Pastors trying to prep their sons and daughters for the ministry, and have seen many brokenhearted and discouraged in their later days when their children didn't measure up to the necessary attributes needed to fill the office. It was as if the Pastor was failing because his kids didn't follow his footsteps. The tension that this has put in some families is just not right, it is not of God.

The Biblical account of Elijah and Elisha oven the centuries has been held out as a case study in the “passing of the Mantle”. This phrase “passing the mantle” has become a buzz word in some fellowships. Some groups will use other terms such as “God's calling” or a “call to the ministry” or “God's Will”. And we love throwing around titles such as Prophet and Apostle to designate God's hand on someone. Very dangerous.

Passing a mantle ... picking up a mantle ... I have observed this within the Kingdom since my new birth in 1973. Those with a thirst and passion to serve Jesus want the mantle to fall on them. Kingdom seekers would love to be part of the next big movement or to be near the next anointed leader. As God allows it ...it is beautiful no matter what it is called; but as we force it, flaunt it, religious-size it and institutionalize it, literally, the mantle gets lost in the shuffle. The Elijah and Elisha mantle is only spoken of in the Old Testament 12 times and the word seems to get lost in our studies of the New Testament (maybe because we miss the obvious). The mantle was the outward “symbol covering” that identified the splendor and glory of the prophet's relationship and connection to God.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld His Glory, the Glory as of the only begotten of the Father; full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

When Jesus, through the Power of His Holy Spirit, has the hearts, minds, wills, strength and ears of His Kids ... the Mantle , the Glory, the Splendor is given in abundance to all who desire. The key to this glory is found in Jesus' words in John 13:35 "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if YOU HAVE LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER". What an outward mark, sign, symbol, covering … this is the New Testament Mantle which we should desire for it is the “better way”, it is the “greatest of these”. This is the Mantle that shows the splendor and glory of our relationship and our connection with Jesus in this age and in the next. The struggle for discernment and authority is abated when we realize His glory is found in His love for the Father, for us, through us, to each other, and to others. Let the power of His Love fall on us.

HLFA,

Jeff

Cloakers Beware!

In my tender awkward years as a toddler, when the lights went out, there always seemed to be an invisible, formidable adversary lurking in the darkness. My fear taught me to believe, that pulling the blanket over my head kept me safe and invisible from the threatening monsters of the night. And to my relief, I made it through every dark terrifying night. Now as a driver-license-carrying-adult, I really thought that I had left this cloak of invisibility to my dissolving childhood memories, and would only find it reappearing from time to time in fictitious literary and cinematic fantasies.

But to my dismay, I have found it reappearing as a defensive weapon (used possibly without cruel intent but used just the same) to make “the undesirables” ... disappear from close knit circles of fellowship. Now hold on, there is outreach found within these circles, but it seems to be under the scrutiny and analysis of a self appointed “faithful few”. And from out of their scrutiny, there is an undetermined quota for a token few “differentiated” and “detached” individuals, who will be deemed acceptable to be blessed with being part of this close knit fellowship. ALL OTHERS MAY END UP INVISIBLE … finding they have been covered by a cloak of invisibility which was not of their choosing (discouraged, unwelcome, and ignored how many times before they are no more).

Is there a bigger monster from the darkness that seems to be dragged into the very “welcome centers” of our fellowships of encouragement? Are there folks out there who are so spiritually mature, that they have Heaven-sent authority and “other-worldly” intuition to throw the cloak on whom they choose to make disappear? Do these “Self appointed bigots” have the spiritual discernment to send away souls with out the security of a “body” covering? Do these biblical actors have the authority to withhold desperately needed spiritual nourishment from labeled beggars(unwanted pilgrims) of their choosing? OH THEY THINK SO!! .........that's not my Jesus.

They point to James 2:14 -17 and proclaim “Faith without works is dead” ... “See, we have the (chosen) impoverished among us, so our faith has made us safe, our faith is alive”. It is so amazing, that we can be so close to the mirror and yet not see the truth of the vision. We are so concerned about being on the right side of the theological arguments about what “saving faith is” that we can't even read the truth of this passage. Please take a moment and open to this passage of scripture and read it out loud ... read it loud enough to shake apart all the “biased” teaching associated with it. Then truly listen.

Listen to the intent of the Spirit in this passage: “What advantage do you have in the Kingdom to say you have conviction but you do not let that conviction permeate your occupying the Kingdom? This type of conviction has no intimate connection to a real body ministry that nourishes and clothes all who are spiritually destitute. This type of conviction actually connects the needy to death instead of life. Conviction that refuses to choose all to love is not the conviction from the Author of life. There is no room in the Kingdom of Life for spiritual snobbery. In fact, this differentiating faith has no breath of life and hangs precariously on the brink of the Kingdom of death. Show your faith openly, occupy.”

We need a revival today of genuine “Occupying Faith” ... Oh, beloved, it is not in our fallen nature to love the unlovely, it is the aching of your Jesus indwelling heart to break out, to reach out ... to love and to be loved. Can't you see that the misery you carry inside is the ignored cry of your brothers and sisters needing you to love them. Do not “cloak them”.We have all felt the shame of this invisibility. You are not invisible ... you are loved by Jesus ... love others openly for the sake of His love.

Live HLFA,

Jeff

Roar Upward, Not Inward

I traveled to MN this week. (I am not fond of leaving the family, but usually if the Lord ordains a time alone in travels, He has plans beyond mine). {He allowed me to stand between the stories of two Husbands/ Daddy's that personally shared with me on my trip} ... “If you are wrestling with tough personal situations don't put this down until you have heard it out”. I will not share all the details but I thought you might be interested in the similarities and differences. Taken to heart, their stories could be life changing:

SIMILARITIES of both men: Believers, husbands with marriages in jeopardy, 3 children, related to preachers, alcohol abuse for a time, job stress, God is seeking both of them.

DIFFERENCES – One is pulling the marriage together; and the other just finalized the divorce. One is growing in a deeper devotion to the Lord; and the other may or may not take the challenge to start a new relationship with his God. (Key to remember: Security through life is found in our Faith in Jesus).

Psalm 9:16 - The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth : the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.

Higgaion. -to moan, growl, utter, muse, mutter, meditate, devise, plot, speak , roar, groan, imagine, murmur, and whisper.

Selah. - to lift up, exalt, (a technical musical term probably showing accentuation, pause, interruption).

Both of these men felt devastation at one time or another in their lives. One was devastated as a teen; and the other was devastated in his marriage. Both had a choice to repent (draw close in agreement with God and His Word) and continue experiencing a walk with Christ. One turned his complaints inward, while walking away from God; and the other opened his complaints upward, while walking toward his God. I will continue to pray for both families because I know the effective deliverance that God can carry out if our hearts will allow Him in to the devastation.

Psalm 9:16 is a verse that has us standing at a cross road. At this crossroad there is an Effectual Deliverance from the Lord; or a trap we create for ourselves in a time of destitution. Two strange but very appropriate words appear at the end of the verse --- “Higgaion” and “Selah” (defined above). WE WILL ALL MAKE BAD CHOICES. What we do when we are facing the consequences of those choices is extremely critical. The consequences of our bad choices will make us (Higgaion)moan, utter, mutter, meditate, devise, plot, speak, roar, growl, grown, murmur, and whisper ….at this point Selah) PAUSE and EXALT. Stop and lift your heart to Jesus. He has never left us and will never forsake us. Even when we think we have abandoned Him, He stays right there with us.(Read the entire Psalm 9 and rest in the promises).

Any delay in deliverance is always on our part. He has shouted through eternity “Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation”. Why do we allow ourselves to be deceived into thinking that His love for us will not overcome our devastating situation? He will deliver you.

“The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.”Psalm 9:9

He desires to be our High Place when we are crushed, and our High Place when devastated. Give in to His desire for you … Moan and Roar/ Pause and Exalt ...Trust His rescue.

HLFA,

Jeff

Someone Loved is Gone 2-4-2012

The air of sorrowful anticipation was extremely thick as a team of broken hearts assembled. Almost every chair circling the perimeter of their conference room and around their large conference table was occupied; except for one ... one "out-of-place" empty, wooden, kitchen chair. Empty and so awkward amidst the plush conference room chairs. Before the meeting was through, other chairs in the tear stained room would become empty as brokenhearted members would follow their personal paths of grief; but that chair would ever be etched into my memory of broken dreams. I began by not liking “that empty chair”, but each day to follow, that empty chair would speak a message of brokenness deeper and deeper into my soul. That empty chair would challenge me to live more aware of others and to love them more deeply. That awkwardly empty chair would whisper to my soul the significance of others in the eyes of their Creator and Savior: Jesus Christ and cause me to openly appreciate them.

Bear with me as I draw some parallels from the tremors caused in my heart to the testimony and comfort of God's Word found in Mark 14:3-9...

"And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? She hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her."

• Jesus was in Bethany (the House of Misery, the house of a Leper) – "A man of sorrows, acquainted with grief" Isaiah 53:3 … He positions Himself (in our deepest darkest irrational moments) to love us.
• The woman knew she could break and pour out precious ointment ... “on Him”.
Dreadfully inconsiderate criticism would be murmured and she would be verbally beaten. - If you don't understand someone's brokenness, "shut up", and quietly break with them.
• Jesus defends the brokenhearted - “Let her alone!” she has broken “on Me”.
• "She hath done what she could" ... it made no sense to the onlookers, but it made sense to Jesus. Oh if only we could leave it there; if only we could trust him with the deepest, darkest secret wounds, fears, and pain we carry. No strength left, the fight was over...rest in Him.
• Jesus takes ownership of our brokenness ... somehow He mystically mingles our suffering with His own. That is why we can cast all our “cares” on him, because He truly cares for us.

The disconnected cried, "Who was this waste of ointment for?" and continued the suffering.
Jesus said "It was poured out on Me" ... to mingle with His suffering.
The Broken will cry "pour it with me" ... that we may trust you, Jesus, with our suffering too.

I will be OK with the empty chair, Jesus, as long as I remember that You were there. Though the chair will bring tears to my eyes, I will trust that you will hold my tears as precious until with you I reside.

HLFA,

Jeff