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