The Middle Again

6:26 AM - Coffee is made and the deck has no clue that it is 42 degrees, but my feet are sensing the chill. Between the branches of the trees the songs are ringing out to the field below. The Alpaca couple is stirring because of the different array of songs being flung into the air by every bird that chooses to rejoice in the light of another day. They have no clue that much of the Western Human world has set this day apart and called it Easter or Resurrection Morning.

Did you know that the first message of Easter Morn was one of potential further despair? THEY WATCHED JESUS DIE AN EXTREMELY GRUESOME DEATH... IT WAS HORRIBLE .... "I have been to the sepulcher and they have taken his body away!" so said Mary. The disciples had raced to the tomb to find it just as she said - John got there first and peeked in, Peter finally arrived and stepped in -- they saw the empty grave clothes, the linen that was wrapped AROUND HIS HEAD... then when John went in "he saw, and believed." John 20:8. They did not believe that Jesus had risen, because that concept was not yet mentioned, realized or known because they were "caught in the middle." They believed someone had taken the body of Jesus.

Several days prior in the garden of betrayal, they had experienced a strange phenomenon. All Jesus said was "I AM he", when the guards came asking for him prior to Judas kissing him in betrayal. That "I AM" from the vantage point of the observers of the moment was a blur. It actually was more than just a few guards falling backwards at the sound of Jesus' word.

The power unveiled at that moment, literally took every listener from where they were and pushed them backward placing them helplessly right in the "middle". Between night and day, between darkness and light, between right and wrong, between now and then, between the present and the past, between going forward and falling backward, between error and truth, between evil and good, between unclean and clean ...(this "middle" could go on forever) ...between death and life, between Heaven and Hell.

The next events in the history of mankind literally would hold things in the middle. Jesus, the unveiled great "I AM", had the power at this juncture to stop the on- coming circus of suffering and sorrow, call the multitude of Heavenly Warriors in waiting, and throw all mankind completely into eternal destruction. Our Savior moved forward into the events that we still study as "through a glass darkly". Until that day come when we, His beloved, will know Him as we are known ... face to face, we will continue to revisit these events in awe and wonder.

The scriptures kind of leave us in the dark as to "doings" and full whereabouts of the disciples in the "sealed tomb" days. But we know they were together, and we know that they all ran to the tomb early on the first day of the week (Sunday), and we know that they all believed that His body had been taken. Later that morning the rumors started coming of "Why seek ye the living among the dead?" and "He is Risen!"

Gathered in that room of great grief, immense sorrow, confusion via rumors, and tragedy forced disappointment, the disciples were the perfect picture of the heart of a man without the hope of a Risen Savior. There is no doubt that in that moment that the followers were numb with emotion ... THEN HE APPEARED ... and stood right in the Middle. Now it was day, now it was light, now all was right, now, the present had purpose, now moving forward, truth to proclaim, righteousness reigns, cleansed by His blood, life secured by His life and Heaven now is won and Heaven now is home.

It is now 48 degrees, the sun it trying to burn off the clouds ... my feet are still chilled, but the joy of forever has been secured ... Hallelujah He is Risen!!!

Let's Keep Loving Jesus Openly!!

HLFA,

Jeff

A Brook and A Garden

Matthew 26:25 -"Then Judas, which betrayed Him, answered and said, Master is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said."

Wow, that was a very different Passover ... And what was up with that tense moment with Jude... Well in due time all things will be revealed, I guess?

There was a garden, in the beginning, where the creator of all the universe would cross over the brook of eternity, and "chill", "kick back", relax, and fellowship with His Image Bearers. He would often retreat from eternity to this garden for these moments of sharing and caring. Man was God's desire and pleasure; and the hope of the moments would be that God would become Man's desire and pleasure.

Then the day came when the Creator walked over the brook of eternity and into the garden only to expose man hiding because of the betrayal and Fall. God could not leave mankind lost, but would provide a rescue: O the tears of all creation were held back as an innocent lamb was taken from creation and sacrificed to provide a covering for Man's willful and sinful nakedness. And the ache and groaning of the creature began as Man was forcefully escorted to the gates of the Garden, and expelled as Eden became an evanescent memory as the curse closed in on all mankind. All that remained was a fading memory of the garden and a bloody, dimly lit promise that God would become salvation.

Centuries later, "in the fullness of time", the promise began to flicker. There was also a garden in the valley named after the dark brook that flowed through it, the brook Cedron. This garden would carry with it the times that the Savior would retreat from the pressing needs of the masses to "chill", to "kick back", to relax, and to fellowship with the small band of followers who were catching the flicker of the unfolding of the fulfillment of the Creator's promise to rescue. If we could read between the love lines -- John 18:1, 2 - "When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into which He entered, and His disciples. And Judas, which betrayed Him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted there with His disciples." - We could imagine those moments that the Savior desired.

This particular night, this garden would be the scene for the betrayal and arrest of Jesus. The events stemming from the garden would ultimately lead to the Cross and the Empty Tomb. Isn't it strange that the these two Gardens of Sweet Desired Fellowship would both be the setting for a Betrayal. One garden would end in the expulsion of man and the broken heart of God; and the other garden would begin with the expulsion of the Savior and the open heart of God offering a full rescue.

"My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" --

"It is finished!"

He who knew no sin, became Sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

Be careful to note that there is a risk in the places set aside for sweet fellowship: for until the Day Breaks and the Shadows fully flee away - the only relationship that can last, will be forged in forgiveness by the One that holds us secure in that everlasting love. Many will carry scars from the betrayal of those they offered love and trust at the most intimate level... But coddle not bitterness in the betrayal, rush to the Throne of Grace to find Help in time of need: Forgive.

Garden Beautiful, crystal clear crossing, lost in a moment.

Garden shadow, darkened by time, betrayed in a moment.

Both held the promise, both poised in time... Water and Blood, dark deep royal wine.

One Garden held betrayal's horror that was mine all mine,

One Garden held betrayal's breath but rescued to design.

Desire from the promise, held in Eternal love - Water and Blood, dark deep royal wine.

He is beyond the clear brook, in the garden of time, come rest in the moment.

He conquered the darkness, in this heart of mine, come lean on the moment.

We can be held by His promise, live in His desire - Water and Blood, dark deep royal wine.

Rest daily in the garden of His Resurrection love.

HLFA,

Jeff

Beloved

David(Beloved) - This morning, the Lord woke me up (via a cat crying at my door to be fed) - I went to bed last night, kinda knowing the direction that I was to search the Word (that's where it really starts each week). My intentions were to make breakfast for the family while popping open "Studylight" to look at the Word ... The iPad opens and here you are. I love you brother.

My emotions had to handle three deaths this week and one was a funeral that I officiated. Andrew Larson, Kenneth High, Keith Emerson -- A son, a Dad and a Star ---Two were sadly rumored as suicide(the Son and the Star) and one was old (the Dad and the funeral). These interjections of grief played heavily upon my heart and the hearts of many others of tender spirit. {O there are some dark places that men should not have to go, too often!}

Maybe I am wrong to presume that God truly speaks to us, but I will not deny my illusion for it draws me so close to the God of the human condition that I desire and long for Him daily. There is a trip switch in my life though, that quenches my joy ever so quickly ... My anger with doctrinal error is intense; and my brokenness and love for the "Church at large" is a constant breaking.

Why is it that those who will march against the murder of innocent babies, with the same lifestyle, drive the fallen to self murder. They may not have intended this end for the fallen brother or sister, but by robbing the offender of true hope and shackling them with unbearable guilt and shame, and then shunning them from a "center" of love's redemption, what were thy thinking? What did they think would happen?... O I could scream!!! All in the name of church discipline??? Sounds like an ego trip for those who long to Lord over God's heritage...

I must write, though it may only settle in the dust of the archives of the wind. BUT the wind blows where it desires and we know not -- such is the Spirit. God gave our family an amazing gift at the onset of each of our walks with Christ - the undeniable truth of the eternal security of the believer based on the New Birth from Above (and if that wasn't enough He adopts us also). This truth is universal in scripture and truly liberates the sin oppressed soul; but there are those who feel the need to regulate grace, strengthen grace by mandating additional effort and proclaiming additional penalty, possibly with the intentions of controlling and protecting the existence of purity in the faith community?

These "Leaders of Righteousness" will constantly throw away the keys that unlock old shackles and develop more emotionally motivated means of dragging the souls of men into despair. Their intentions may appear to be noble to those who prefer not to be bothered with the growth pains of the "outcast"; but if there would happen be a visit from Jesus at their woeful gatherings it might result in over turned tables and teachers fleeing from the scourging of the Master.

If the truth will set us free ... What are these doctrines that bind, depress, cast-away, and leave us with a "Death choice"? These doctrines are not of my God. If a man will sing "I once was found but now am lost, from sight to now I can't see" --- he has been taught a song from Hell, not from the Savior.

Psalm 18:1-19 " I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. 2.The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. 3. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. 4. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. 5. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. 6. In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. 7. Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. 8. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. 9. He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. 10. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. 11. He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. 12. At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire. 13. The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. 14. Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them. 15. Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. 16. He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. 17. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. 18. They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. 19. He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me." (Read on for even more encouragement --- You are the object of His Rescue!)

My God rescues ... What about you?

HLFA,

Jeff

PS - Quit trying to convince men of Sin, Righteousness and Judgment --that is the Spirit's work and it is perfect. Do your part believer - LIVE LOVING JESUS AND OTHERS ...OPENLY!

PSS - oh by the way -- forgiveness is not a sincere spouting of words to make us all feel better -- it is a support system that we commit to for the sake of the fallen and offended; Support that is offered until the "Day breaks and the shadows flee away".

PSSS - Forgiveness for the forgiven is not an option.

The Imperative Wait

Wait -- It is so imperative that Family learn to "wait" ...What an opening statement!!! Wait! "Sorry, but we can't do something that we do not understand." Wait is not in the vocabulary of the afflicted and impatient. As the world becomes more and more knowledgeable and congruently fearful, the concept of "Waiting on God" has become more of a guilt additive and a depression encourager than the stress reliever and life giver that it truly is.

There are big problems in the Kingdom because of all of the philosophical rhetoric about building up our self worth, and thinking positively to bolster an attitude that will eventually create success. We all know the value of a positive outlook and how it can carry us through difficult situations, but a vaporous belief fades quickly when the pain increases and the minutes click away. Man!! On our best days, if we face the mirror, the face in the mirror will tell us that our self-creativity will eventually lead us to a denial, that will have us in a deeper mess than we are in at that moment.

Why Wait, and for what, and for whom? What would it do for our lives if we put all of the pressure, pain, delays, derailing, disappointments and blackouts in the hands of God, who always has our best interests in mind? Check out the truth of the meaning of word "wait" found in scripture (Qavah - Kawvah):

- to wait, look for, hope, expect fully hoping -- (not idly or grudgingly standing)

- to wait or look eagerly for -- (Eager expectation not threatening exasperation)

- to lie in wait for -- (placing our lives in a joyous suspense)

- to wait for, linger for -- (don't give in and don't give up)

- to collect, bind together -- (While waiting, fortify our hearts with His Truth)

- to be collected -- (gathered for strengthening)

Let's put it like this - Waiting on God is like hiding ourselves like an excited child who waiting for a surprise to be sprung on them --- waiting, looking for, longing for, eagerly expecting, lingering and collecting all of our emotional expectations and focus on being gathered into a deeper fulfilling confidence of God's Extravagant Love for us.

"They that wait upon the Lord SHALL renew their strength", - Isaiah 40:31a "Wait on the LORD, be of good courage, and He SHALL strengthen thine heart, wait, I say, on the LORD." - Psalm 27:14

"Wait on the LORD, keep His way, and He SHALL cause thee to inherit the land" - Psalm 37: 34a

"Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and He SHALL save you." Proverbs 20:22

Why Wait? -- He said to, and at the end of our strength HE SAYS WAIT!

For What? -- His totally fulfilling love surprise.

For Whom? -- The Lord, and Him alone.

For years Daddy had been gone over the torrential seas of time. The little ones were left with the aches of life but holding expectantly to the enduring promise of His soon return. The windows of waiting were filled with eager expectation on the inside, though the seasons of change threatened disappointment from the outside. The encourager would speak softly as they lay waiting - "just a little longer, O linger in the promise of His love"; while the adversary whispered "in the end you will find it was all a tragic joke of a lie." Just as the world could not get any darker and faith could potentially falter - "surprise" --- there was a voice like the cry of a trumpet from the Skies, "Come up Hither", and faith became sight as the Children began to rise."

Wait, I say, on the LORD!

HLFA,

Jeff

Romans 10:11 - "For the scripture saith, Whosoever believes on His shall not be ashamed (left ashamed or disgraced)" -- God is never in the business of disappointing His kids.

Be Not Silent

It was the first morning that I was set loose to explore a strange hotel in a strange city; coming out the door of our hotel room I almost bumped right into a maid. Immediately she began furiously and fearfully apologizing for being in the way (her speech was foreign and her English a little difficult to understand); I stopped her, calmed her obvious fear, and accepted her apology. Her sigh of relief could have echoed down the hallway and with that sound of her sigh, I was urged by the Spirit to bless her, I said -"You have no need to fear, The servant is the Greatest. You have a position in this hotel that, out of all of the other positions, Jesus would be honored to do yours; so do it with joy and worship the King in all that you do!".

I smiled and turned to walk away, but she was quickened by what I had said and, she called out "You are a Christian? Oh to hear the words of Christ coming from one not afraid to be as a Christian. This world, this town ... has Christians but they are so sad, so dark and so quiet... You are an unafraid Christian?" Tears began to flow from her eyes and a cry came from her heart because (unknown to me) she had been praying for her son who had to be left behind in Egypt.

"You, as a Christian, may I ask you to pray for my son whom we were forced to leave behind in Egypt, for he did not want to come?" I let her know that I would carry her and him with me as I moved forward through my days.

I turned once again to go go but she held onto my arms with tears in her eyes ..."but I am Coptic Orthodox" (like that would kill the deal) so I replied, "Let's strip away the religious barriers that could divide us, and stand as brother and sister before the cross of Jesus and cry out together for the needs that are closest to your heart... Because that is where Jesus is...closest to our hearts." In tears she said "Thanks be to God!"

"When I Cry unto Thee - Be not silent - for you are my cliff." Psalm 28:1 If God's silence has been intensively devised, meticulously cut, skillfully carved or plowed by design against me, there is no hope. I will be like those lowered into the Pit, an eternal dungeon of despair. If my God is silent like an idol I am done for....He is my cliff; and when I am on the edge I must find Him "alive" for me.

God's voice through His scripture has been intensively devised, meticulously cut, skillfully carved and plowed by design for the life that is the fullest for the believer and lover of its sound. God loves to love us in and through the seemingly most desperate situations of  our lives. He arrives where no  hope is and springs into a loving response that creates a refreshingly new Hope where otherwise none would grow. O the beauty of the tender plant that shoots up and grows out of dry barren ground.

The flip side: The futile and pitiful nature of one that worships an idol is that the worshipper has carved out his own hopelessness and devastatingly lost future. The demonic connection with idols seems to be lodged in misting a mirage that mirrors this "hope" attribute of God - "when His children cry He is not silent". When the idol is finally called upon for hope, there is deadly silence, during that silence the idol worshipper has two choices:

1. Turn away from God, turn to the silent idol - Pretend and die.

Or

2. Turn away from the idol, turn to the voice of God - Hear and live.

His written Word is key..."He is not silent"...He will change you.

Exodus 3:7-10 - He always hears the cry of His people... Both sides of the Cross. There is continual connection as His Word pours in and through our lives. It is not just a matter of our understanding, it is the larger matter of our trust.

1 Peter 1:23 - Eternity's birth begins with the Word, growth continues with His Word.

Hebrews 4:12 - The Word is living and active. It reaches into the complexity of who we are and divides with discernment who we are becoming in Him.

I didn't see "Marrall (Maryl)" the next two mornings early, but God put her in the Hallway at the time we were getting ready to leave the hotel - She caught my wife, Yolanda, first ... to tell me she was looking for me, and then she found me.

She wanted to make sure that I had heard her correctly. Somehow she felt that she could not pray for what she truly wanted because it was being presumptuous of God. God at that moment let me see how we are all like "Marrall" -- afraid to ask for exactly what we want for fear that God will not answer if we presume on His goodness.

I broke inside because both her and I needed to connect with His love for us - "O Mary, He knows what we truly want, let's not be ashamed or afraid to ask Him for what we truly want! HE LOVES US!"

Oh people of God - Ask anything in His Name!!! God is more interested in the cry of our hearts than in the phrasing of our verbs. He doesn't play games with "bruised reeds" and "smoking flax". --- He is closest ... to where we are the most broken; just break down, worship Him and trust His tender care for us. He will be there.

HLFA,

Jeff

Pray for Marrall and her estranged son, Fredy - O that God would capture them both in His Extravagant Love.