Alien Decisions

There was a loud smashing sound of a windscreen, and then all was still. The next thing I knew, two very strange uniformed aliens were leaning into the "now open" cockpit of my transport vehicle and were questioning me, "You all right?". I lifted my hand up to the right side of my head only to pull it away moistened by the oozing of blood flowing from a gash just above my right ear.

One of the aliens seeing this sat quickly to the ground with his head in his hands, the other tried his best to keep talking with me as if I was in grave danger of leaving the planet. (All I was trying to do was go for an interview at UnPaServices ... and this incident had to be some sort of cruel turn of events, some sort of crass experiment, a trial and a proving to stretch me beyond my experience.) I did fall back into the darkness only to awake in a small dimly lit room with my head bound in a strange turban-like wrap. And ... now there were three uniformed aliens speaking as if I wasn't there - trying to determine my fate: "What are we going to do with him?".

I was released the same evening into the custody of a friend. Although, I was leaving the WindSwept City ... I was jobless, near mortally wounded and my transport vehicle had to be left behind at the mercy of the uniformed Aliens. As for my future, I now had to face the music of those who were depending on my provision. Oh if only I could fly away... Today I can look back on this event and see how strategic it was to lead me to where I am today.

Psalm 139: 9,10 - "If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall Thy hand lead me and Thy right hand shall hold me."

Pain, loss, and sickness can be very isolating events. Did you ever notice that we try to avoid sharing in the pain of others? Why? Reflexively, we may not want others to be around us when we face traumatic events of life? Why? There is distance created with pain, loss and illness that seems to scatter broken love in so many directions the participants of the intersection don't quite know where to turn, what to say, or what to do. {Remember the followers of Christ during and after the Crucifixion? ... the dimensions of separation were devastatingly amazing}.

Listen to Psalm 139 verse 9 from THIS imagination vantage point: "Oh no, here comes the dawn! I will run as fast as I can to find the border of this blanket of light and pull it over me. If that doesn't hide my pain, I will race across the sea and dive into the depths of its darkness so no one sees me as I am" ... OR ... "If I could lift up the darkness long enough to slip under the edges of the dawn along the uttermost boarders of the bottomless and endless sea to hide my invalid existence while caught in this cruel experiment."

Verse 10 reveals the reality of GOD WITH US in the events that make us want to run and hide: "Still I would find your protective hand leading my every step, and the faithful strength of your right hand holding me secure." "God, You never leave Your kids, You never abandon them even when they seek their own abandonment."

The soul of man has the innate ability, because of the Fall, to imagine overwhelmingly negative and toxic things if given the chance. For so many times, in our moments of fear and pain, we want to escape in such a way that hopefully everyone one would search for us, but we seem to coddle the fear that no one would miss us or care that we are gone. Admit it ...if we have not had this moment of disappointment in our lives, we will. But in that moment ... that moment tempting us to give up ... we need strong truth from our God to sustain us.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (An expanded translation) "The temptation, the event that feels like a cruel experiment to prove and test us; though attempting to completely conquer us, this unnerving experience is common occurrence among all mankind. BUT GOD ... is complete in His faithfulness to us in those seemingly cruel experimental moments, HE WILL NOT PUSH US BEYOND OUR momentary POWER TO SUSTAIN ... because with the moment of testing HE WILL PROVIDE an egress, a way out, an exit that we will be strengthened to bear up under the event and carry it strategically into our future."

God loves us so much that our pain and suffering, though common to men, ... is a portal to our greater potential to know him more intimately and to be loved by Him more openly in the future. OH How He loves you and me. He is leading and holding ... He is our Egress (No matter what the Aliens in the dimly lit room decide to do with us.)

HLFA,

Jeff

Seve Minutes - Where is the Servant?

Seven minutes with the morning news ... was enough to send me surfing to find relief? Then it dawned on me, the power button works quite well. I leaned back and took a deep breath. What can one person do to change the tide of evil on this planet? Where can one voice be found to have its greatest advantage to do the most good? Where is the servant? What is the servants heart not treated with great valuation?
   
"Behold my SERVANT, whom I have chosen: my Beloved in whom my soul is well pleased; I will put my Spirit upon Him, and He shall show judgment to the Nations." Matthew 12:18

The Media is really good at depicting the leader as a "boisterous, take charge at the top" kind of individual; and we buy into this worldly picture of strong leadership. A man with the fortitude to stand out, and the courage to "shout out" is the one to follow (even if he doesn't really care about anyone other than himself), right? The one who makes the most noise gets the most camera time and therefore ... he must be an effective leader? Once again, Why is the servant pictured as the wimp and the loser?

"He shall not strive (engage in strife), nor cry (raise the volume of his opinion), neither shall any man hear (there is an inability to truly hear) his voice in the streets." Matthew 12:19

How many opportunities are there at the top? At the top there are very few peers, but plenty of critics. At the top there can be a multitude of pretend followers just waiting for "a fall" to be ready to snatch up the former leader's position. So many "so called" leaders seem way to eager to step on as many followers as they can to march their way up the ladder of success. One sided networking is owned by this type of leader, and many wounded informants are left to flounder and struggle along the way.

The Mantra of these leaders could have sound bites like this: "Get what you can from everyone you can." "Ignore, those who have nothing to offer." "Quarantine the lame, the maimed, the halt, and the blind they are in the way of true success." "Anyone that stumbles and falls move them and their personal embarrassment to the roadside where they can be cared for by the uniformed, servant, good Samaritan". Why is the servant labeled as uninformed, foolish, and a potential waste of resources?

"A bruised reed shall He not break, and a smoking flax shall He not quench, till He send forth judgment unto victory." Matthew 12:20

"We don't have time to train people, we are not a rehab, we just hire right!" was blurted out by a "Boss" who soon lost his position. "We are not in the business of coddling and comforting the feeble, we are here to raise up an army of Victorious Warriors." echoing off of the rafters of an almost empty church auditorium.

The secret to lasting success is found in the "Heart of The Servant". As a servant, upward will be the naturally rewarded direction for movement, though moving up is not his goal. His movement forward will be purposeful and will continue to be an endeavor of helping and building others. This servant drive will earn him influence and trust. Jesus' words ... "Greatest is the servant" were not just a flippant suggestion, but a royal mandate with growing temporal and eternal reward. Good servants build great trust.

"And in His Name shall the nations trust." Matthew 12:21

O the forward movement of our lives... when fashioned in servanthood: love becomes the ulterior motive, grace is the rule for response, and others are of greater value than our personal achievement. You may say ... "what good did servant-ship do for Jesus, He found Himself crucified on a cruel Roman cross!" BUT my friend, forget not that you are the reason for His sacrifice, AND that after the third day He also found himself outside of an empty tomb...Fully Alive with full power to redeem all who will call upon Him.

Trust the Sacrifice of God's SERVANT ... trust the pattern He left for us ... and live fully engaged in a life spent in service for Christ to others. Hear the voice of the Servant: "Not my will, but Thine be done!"

HLFA,

Jeff

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the LORD, and not unto men; Knowing that of the LORD ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the LORD Christ." Col. 3:23,24

Here Kitty-Kitty!

Those eyes staring at me were so mysteriously beautiful. The colors and texture of the fur appeared inviting and cozy; and patterned to catch the eye, no doubt. Maybe if I lovingly and quietly accept this beast into my life there will be peace? O the beauty of the Lion in the wild! "Here kitty kitty!", may invite the big cat to lunch, but in the process of the invitation fulfillment, we will probably be found on the menu.

I am sorry to have to state of the obvious, but I must -- there will always be an "us" and "them" until we feel the full affects of the angelic proclamation,  "that there should be time no longer!"
(Revelation 10:6). Until Eternity is ushered in, there will always be conflict not communion between light and darkness. They can't occupy the same space without the darkness being banned to the shadows or the light being challenged for more wattage.

 There is a continual tension between righteousness and unrighteousness, trying to agree to disagree will not "cut it" especially with such stark irreconcilable differences. There are rewards for obedience and penalties for disobedience; and they are not the same (Duh!) What peace is there between Christ and Satan? There is no peace pact with an enemy who will not settle for anything less than mankind's total annihilation.

Just wishing away the conflict, denying it or declaring it not there, coaching it away or reasoning it away is absurd. So many are still looking for the easy way out. If it is not enough to have truth and error standing toe to toe in opposition, we add pressure to the conflict by choosing convenient truth. The easy way out for believers may come in the form of embracing an easy to swallow, lopsided revelation that declares truth that the natural heart can find agreeable and feel good about. Although, this "feel good" fallacy may appear to ease the conflict here, subduing the inconvenient and uncomfortable truths will create a conflict with the Author of Truth.

Sin is man's malady, Death and Hell is Sin's penalty ... Sin must be confessed as oppressive to man, appalling to God, but paid for by Christ's blood via His death on the cross. Here comes the rub - "He that believes on the Son has everlasting life, but he that believes not on the Son God shall not see life but the wrath of God abides on him." John 3:36.

Man is a SINNER, UNGODLY, LOST, AN ENEMY, WITHOUT STRENGTH, at enmity with God ... and he remains that way without a faith reception of Jesus. We may believe what we want. We have the choice ... we stand in a decision ... we either are His by Faith or we are not. If we are not trusting Him for our eternity... we are the opposition. Choosing the Message of the Cross is not a convenient truth but it is the only way to Heaven.

"When I in stealth, crept unaware into the study of man ... I opened his book of faith and found blottings, missing pages, and holes. What I had found is that he had created his own faith and declared his own word. ... here Kitty, Kitty! ... guess who's becoming dinner.

Are we afraid that if everything is not OK that we are not OK? Hey wake up! We are not OK; and that is alright if we belong to Jesus. ... Resolve to make peace with God through faith in Christ; and live engaged in the conflict until the grace of God sees you through.

HLFA

Jeff

Psalm 139:10 - "Even there shall Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand shall hold me."

There Once Was A Man

"There once was a man"... does that catch your interest? Probably not, unless you are trusting there will be more to the story, bored to death, or just reading to read. BUT herein lies the problem with faith...because this is where our thinking is anchored. "In the beginning ... ME" .

We think, we taste, we touch, we smell, we see, we hear, we feel and therefore we must conquer, we must win! NEWSFLASH - Just like a tether ball attached to the top of its "cemented into the ground" pole, we will continue to be contented with the game until someone stronger and taller joins the game and/or the cord breaks. When this happens the game is out of our control --"out of control!"

"If only you had more faith you would have won the game!"--- this despicable lie always oozes out of the riffs of a damaged moment in the lives of so many of the faithful. Scriptural cliches start flying to back this lie, and the truth that could encourage very quickly becomes a "Cat o' nine tails" in the hands of those well meaning souls who have not been caught "yet" in an out of control moment (or feel their deliverance was exemplary of true Godliness.) Watch it!

"If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed you can move mountains". .... The mountain does not move.
"Without faith it is impossible for you to please God". .... God must not be pleased with me.
"Have faith, believe and your prayers will be answered." ... My prayers aren't being answered , my weak faith probably makes God not to care.
"Ask in faith and you shall receive". ... I pray for what? I never receive.
"God will answer the effectual fervent prayers of a righteous man (woman or child)." ... Maybe God doesn't hear me because I'm not His.
(Scarey responses but On the mountain top it is easy to say "amen" to these insufficient truths, but they seem so wrong and hollow when we are in the valley).

So much truth but unfinished, unqualified and thus potentially abusive. Hey "Instant Mashed potato faith" spiritual leaders ... get your head out of your instant cure, flesh motivational, easy fix suggestions and realize that relationships with men and God are a rewarding, but many times, are a painstaking task. The task on this side of Heaven will have us standing at times with no answers, no words, rolling tears .. BUT we will know Him more intimately in these times, because these are the moments we will find "HE IS NEAR!"

So why do the the kids of the King -- stay broken, sick, troubled, unstable, afflicted, addicted, bound, discouraged, and defeated? Why ..Even though many of us pray ... there seems to be little miraculous deliverance? Why in the midst of worldly and even great Kingdom success does a Godly leader choose sin instead of righteousness? Why ...Though many pour out their hearts ... the sin and suffering still takes its toll, and disgrace and death still whisk away loved ones?

Careful, do not respond too quickly to this ... This is where so many that are already wounded, are slain by their brothers and sisters. This is where so many are aborted and abandoned because their suffering does not fit the bill for someone elses definition of faith. Only God knows best the seasons and reasons for pain and for healing - "Wait on the Lord, be of good courage and He will strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord" Psalm 27:14

Micah 6:8 (The prophet's words stand in the midst of the Godly and unGodly efforts of men as a testament to a daily attitude to help us keep balance) "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee: but to do justly,and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" There is a strange little "?" at the end of this passage ...careful.

Here is the essence of victory over the controversy, the victory that overcomes the world: Faith in Christ - Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth." ... Revelation 22:21 "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." Faith that spoke worlds into existence: was born of a virgin, lived among men, died for our Sins, arose from the grave, is alive forevermore, and is coming again ... and because of Him and Him alone ... "Out of Control" is in His Control.

Therefore walk with Him, wait on Him, and grow in His love.

There once was a man ... who walked humbly with his God. Genesis 5:24 - "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." O the cliches that flew that day.

HLFA

Jeff