Miracle Crumbs

Can you picture this – An outcast, a potentially shady character, a “Lowland Lowlife” female ... approaches the King and says “My daughter needs a miracle!”. The King says nothing as his entourage urges the King to send her away, but he finally answers all... “I am here to seek out the Lost sheep of my Highland house.” She immediately falls before the King in Worship and then responds - “I need your help!”

What the King says next is disturbing BUT it was acceptable in the culture of the day ... Matthew 15:26 - “But He answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.”

Somehow I can almost sense the sleazy triumphant thoughts and stifled rude laughter of those nearby … carried by one under-girding insidious; “Boy, Jesus put her in her in place!” But He knew their biased thoughts, and He knew her longing heart, and He knew that she trusted Him.

So what seemed to be a very cold answer actually opened the avenue for faith's response. “And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table.” Matthew 15:27 … The attitude of the entourage was caught in the paralysis of this spiritual plea.

Jesus had used an abusive idiom of the day that declared that those outside of Kingdom were known as "dogs". He never once inferred that this woman was a “dog”. {The Crude and the Rude ... love to use so-called truth and absolute truth to abuse, instead of seeing it from love's vantage point}. The allegorical truth of the Word puts anyone that is not God's chosen with characteristics of "dogs on the outside". His words to this woman of Canaan (Lowlands) would reveal what had a stronger pull on her life .. public opinion and cultural barriers, or a needy and faith-filled connection to God. On top of this, her response showed "every hearing ear" that her heart was for the LORD, and she was not afraid to violate cultural barriers to get to Him.

Hear her words again ...“Yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table”. Crumbs are naturally, and in her case supernaturally, for the “dog” near or under the table. "Let some crumbs fall on me". When the Children of the King of King are sitting at their table of miracles, is it an unfair expectation for the crumbs of miracles to fall to the “dogs”? In this case (much like today) miracles were a little scarce on the table of the Children, and that meant this Woman of Faith needed to go to the Master of the table. Faith knows where to get a miracle and does not see that crumbs as a disability or a disadvantage.

Some may perceive that this woman had to beg Jesus to get a miracle... and this might seem out of character with some Bible verses that we think are instant promises to instant answers. If importunity is begging then we all need to be beggars. Importunity helps us to continue to focus on the One who can and will meet our need … in His Time. We are all beggars, at some point in our lives (actually most all of mine). With the distance that appears to be there between the seen and the unseen, we are very timid in our approach to the God of the unseen.

People piously say stupid things (Duh!) like "Be careful what you ask or wish for because you might just get it" ... Jesus said "Ask (continually) and it shall be given unto you, seek (continually) and ye shall find, knock (continually) and the door shall be opened unto you." He cares too much to be controlled, like a servant, to obey our selfish barking commands. God is sovereign and nothing in this universe threatens Him to act rashly or without purpose. He is in control...for our good and His glory. God wants us to pray expecting, but He will always answer "beyond" our expectations.

The passage of scripture, Matthew 15:21-28, is one more call to Know our God, know our culture and know that our connection to Him will transcend all cultural barriers and bias. "Yes I am a dog and a beggar, but I have my place too! Let me have access to the miracle crumbs!"

HLFA,

Jeff
"NOW Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

Powerless Waste Landfill

Wow! This was one of those week of weeks. Have you ever felt like you had been targeted by the universal township supervisors to be the next human “bad news” waste land fill? So many stories of oppression and discouragement that just seemed to be dumped right on the doorstep of our hearts this week. The “roar” of the little lion was doing its best to neutralize and paralyze so many kids of the King. Idiotic governmental decisions, destructive denominational announcements, Independent Church struggles for power, families divided by vindictiveness and a lack of forgiveness, “No thought for people” decisions made by “good” companies, battles with disease, sorrow and death, “stupid” and “grotesque” news media stories to highlight even more perversion and debauchery; and all we were trying do was to get the “my stuff” done under the duress of rumors about imminent war and the annihilation of life as we know it ... For me, after two days without the WORD … this third day I was famished. THERE IS A ROOT CAUSE... KIDS OF THE KING! Please read on and LISTEN UP! Please listen … up!

There is one thing we as humans are really good at - “Taking relationships for Granted.” This is not always a bad thing, because knowing that our relationships are firm and dependable keeps us from living in constant paranoia and fear of betrayal or abandonment. Good relationships are those with healthy nurturing and two-way communication. The problem is that in an eternal relationship that lacks a nurturing connection, there can be a mirroring of wickedness causing the relationship to just grow like “grass on a roof top” - Quick superficial groweth that withers away ever so quickly, and has no value for anyone touched by the relationship. (Take a moment, please, and read Psalm 129, it is a great quick read – you will get a better understanding for the plowing of the wicked, the righteousness of God and the wasted life of wickedness).

The next portion of this moment of deliberate verbal presupposition is based upon the observations of two needs of life on this planet. The observations have been performed by one of the uncountable grains of sand on the shore, one twinkle of light in the unending universe of sky, one blade of grass amidst the immeasurable earthly harvest, one of the many unnoticed hairs on the brushes of the masses, one of the many sparrows that could fall unnoticed by human eyes, a vapor that appears for a little and then vanishes away... but still a strategic entity of His desire and a saved soul that will spend eternity with Jesus because of His work on the Cross.

Observations:
1. We need to stop pointing out all the failures within the Kingdom and mandating the solutions... Be Quiet, Be Still !!
2. We need to begin truly nurturing the ONE relationship that affects all others...Be Real, Be Hungry, Be Passionate !!

We will find that when we have spent prime time with the King of Kings, daily, that our movements about the Kingdom will have greater consequence for good, and more lasting impact for encouragement in the lives of the discouraged. For those who are not seeking power, position, and possessions... but they are SEEKING HIM, they will soon discover that all “these things” will be added unto them.

The answer to the malady of this eroding life is not better leaders, harder preaching preachers, more Biblical Teaching, righteous living people, stronger statesmen, bolder proclaimers, more wholesome media, family friendly programing (on and on) … all these things are needed and good, BUT totally powerless without the individual personal accountability of each believer to be real, hungry and passionate in their unseen relationship nurturing with their God. Matthew 14:23 - “And when He had sent the multitude away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, He was there alone”. Jesus is calling us to an “alone” time with Him, and this is where real revival transformation begins.

Let God change your hearts when no one sees, and you will experience God changing your world right before your eyes. Grab your your Bible, ready your knees, open your heart … He is “All Things” that you need... Don't Take This relationship for granted, you were not made to be just another powerless waste landfill … He is waiting for you.

HLFA,
  
Jeff

"CLOSED"

Have you ever had a strong desire or hankering to do, to buy, to taste, to hear, to see, to know, to experience (on and on) ... something wonderful? This driving desire had you jump in the car, close the distance in record time, only to find that hanging on the door of your destination was a sign that said "CLOSED".

Months before our marriage and honeymoon, I had the privilege of traveling down beautiful New York RT. 3 on a 94.22 mile stretch between Watertown and Tupper Lake. The drive was filled with small quaint towns, antique shops, and beautiful eye candy everywhere. I was sold and that when Yolanda and I were married this stretch of country would be part of our honeymoon itinerary. Bonus in the trip, an awesome “Sub” Shop in Tupper Lake (Just like a man ... romance of the taste buds).

With the day of the wedding left behind in the dust of recent memories, we set set out “together as one” on our first of many memorable journeys of life. We were off on an evening drive to Buffalo, New York to see Niagara falls... in the dark? from the USA side?(can't remember much of the Hotel except it was dark and we crashed in much needed sleep)... Dawn arrived ; we had breakfast ... navigated to the Falls and silently wondered ... big water... not real pretty hmm-mm! Some one told us Canada had the better view of the Falls, so we hopped over to Canada.

There we saw the Falls … WOW! We took pictures next to horse drawn carriages - metal fences - light posts ..., looked at the falls, looked at each other, visited the Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum ???? looked at each other ... then hopped in the car to get to our next destination .... beautiful Watertown, New York. In the pouring rain, on a night time highway, right past the unseen Thousand Islands we experienced miles and miles of rain, frogs and fog, frogs on windshields, frogs in the fog ... until we finally arrived at our quaint Watertown Honeymoon Motel Cabin. What an adventure and test of the endurance limit of newly-wed-ness. I assured my beautiful bride that tomorrow would be an awesome sunny day with a beautiful drive, filled with heart's delights and treasures of the soul.
 
Well it was sunny, kinda . As you would have it, the best laid plans of fragile hearted men can be foiled by the unknown events that seem to hover so close to our dreamlike expectations. These subtle events can devastate us if we allow them or they can take us to places that confirm faith. The 94.22 miles of beautiful sights, shops and pleasure, care of New York’s finest road crews, had been reduced to ripped up roads, detours around tree stumps, unending mounds of trash, towns with quaint shops with "CLOSED" signs in the windows ... we never thought it would end. "Hang on! There is still hope!"... There was still that refreshing surprise awaiting for us in the heart of Tupper Lake at the end this irritating drive (Hope had kicked in even though the 2 hour drive had turned into 4).

We pulled into a parking space not far from the Sub Shop. We were tired, hungry, and bladder full … but all that was about to change because hope was becoming sight (I had bragged-up this place for quite a few miles in hopes of mending a disappointing day). We walked up to the door, and we were just about to turn the door knob when we noticed a sign on the window … “CLOSED ON TUESDAYS”. Go fish!

In a weird way we were not too disappointed. We were still tired, still thirsty, still hungry and still in need of a restroom … but something inside us told us that we had the Gift of God, the gift of each other, and opportunities ahead because we were in God's care. Years of collisions of tears and laughter, pain and healing, disappointments and new appointments, fear and faith have worked together to firm up our resolve for the Surprise ahead. The days are still providing the weird moments BUT from the day we trusted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we have a growing and enduring hope that cannot be disappointed because it is beyond any human dreamlike expectation. We will not be disappointed.

I Corinthians 2:9 – “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” In the economy of the Kingdom, there is no “Closed” sign on the eternal appointments and promises of God. Dream big, the extravagance of our God's love far exceeds all of our dreams.

Happy Father's Day!

HLFA,

Jeff

Retreating Waters and Dancing Hills

Psalm 114:5-6 "What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? Thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back? Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills, like lambs ?"

Standing under a moonlit sky and trying to strain to look unto the Heaven beyond the visible Heavens; is a pretty typical way to start a devotional thought so let's try another.

Awakened by the flashing light and sounds of the morning; I shook off the night and gazed through the slats of our wood-look bamboo blinds, I could already sense the day was getting well ahead of me. Running behind is aways an awkward and sometimes stressful place to be if we leave God out of the time equation. The clock is ticking for us all, and the path of time for each of us has us apprehended by the multitude of events that keep calling our name. At pertinent moments God gives us opportunities to recognize the entrance of His purpose-filled Hand into every aspect of our lives.

Every day we are offered options ... but let's focus on two that could potentially flow into one:
1. Chose to busy ourselves with our to-do-list, and acknowledge Him in all of our ways. OR
2. Chose to walk in the strategic - world shaping and world shaking power of Christ in us - The Hope of Glory!

As I sit here, wrestling with the next words that are being pecked out on a USB Keyboard and magically appearing on an iPad screen, my deepest desire is to - not waste this moment. My prayer behind the words in front of us is that something would stir in our soul that would change our days ahead. Please read the verse that started this "pecking production".

Psalm 114:5-6 "What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back? Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills, like lambs ?"

Wouldn't it be awesome to see a miraculous crossing of the unmanageable seas and impassible river moments because the fluid forces move back, and become part of God's victory moment in our lives. Wouldn't it be awesome if both mountainous and hill like obstructive moments actually created a joyfully dance of sort before our eyes as we navigate through His desires for us. With His Presense in our lives the world becomes a victory adventure... Don't miss it - live it!

In order to answer the questions of the Psalmist that was asked of the Sea, of the Jordan, of the mountains and of the hills ... we must look at the verses surrounding these questions in Psalm 114. Let me pointedly abbreviate and devotioanlly expound upon them for the sake of time: When God's people realize that He is taking them out of a "God Disconnected" culture, and He is calling their praises to be His Sanctuary and His prevailing to be their Dominion... the life around them will be in flux and trembling. God wants to move the obstacles in front of His followers for the sake of souls held captive by the world and its pervasive culture. BUT WILL HIS PEOPLE WALK DAILY WITHIN HIS KINGDOM CULTURE?

News alert: Worldly Culture, no matter what geographic location, is never an excuse to violate God's Word. God's Word must be so alive in His people that cultural opposition has no power to stand. Let God be true and every man a liar. Get out of your pity party days and connect with daily victory through the God of all Glory. Let Jesus be your praise, and let your life shout His victory... The Obstacles of the World will shake before His presence with and in you. Shake it up!!

HLFA,

Jeff

Happy Birthday - 3 Score - June 8, 2014

The Risky Connection

Who really cares?
Most of our investments in life's relationships are guided by our worldly reflexes, by our flesh, by our eyes, by our pride. These things actually set themselves up as a roadblock to knowing and experiencing God's full riches that can be bestowed on us in this life. "I don't like the way this feels!" "This just doesn't look like something for me!" "I am not getting anything out of this!" (Sound familiar). What we want must be safe, distant, planned and sure; we have a very hard time with the spontaneity of the Spirit's leading...The Spirit calls us into the vast unknown - that is unsafe, near, now, and unsure, but there is where we learn to trust and truly know Him.

"My God, my God, Why hast thou forsaken me?" was not only the prophetic words cried from scripture (in Psalm 22:1)that point to and came from the suffering lips of our Savior; but these are the words that the Spirit wants us to hear groaning from the heart of people we meet daily. Risk a scary thought for a moment: What if the poster child for God's compassion was us? Would the groaning and the pain of the invisibility of loneliness be quenched even for a moment by our hesitant efforts?

                                            "Sorrow, do they ever want to cry
                                                     Do they see us pass by
                                    Where do they come from (simple answers)
                                                     Do they come falling,
                                                Falling from the sky like rain
                                              Crawling up the basement drain
                                                     Misfits and black sheep
                       Former brothers, friends of mothers" - Todd Rundgren, from "Bag Lady"

There is a discouraging hiss from Hell that says,"You can't save them all!" ... but we dare to touch even one. "And let us not be weary(spiritless - exhausted) in well doing, for in due season we shall reap , if we faint not" Gal. 6:9. You will be worn out by the thought of the magnitude of the lost world around you, but you will be blessed as you reach out in compassion to touch others one by one. A Due season of glorious reaping has to be preceded by an opportune time of loss of self. (See Galatians 2:20)

We may even fearfully pray - "O Father, Shake my place in this world" ... BUT then the trembling begins...I am undone...don't get too close...we all search for a safe distance ... Let's take the first risk (This is where we find true safety)..."Come near, Lord". From there it must be our all or nothing at all.

Eternity is a breath away ...His breath is far reaching and our breath is near...the opportune time is near. ...now...the Kingdom of God is near ...within you. Don't stand paraplegic-ally powerless and hopelessly slain by your flesh, by your eyes and by your pride... risk ,,, reach ...touch/ look ... cry ... love/ ... then share openly: Jesus, your hope for today and forever.

                                     "There is no yesterday, there is no tomorrow
                                       There is only now and that hardly matters
                                              No one cares about sad old ladies
                                                      With bags full of tatters"

                                                 "One day it gets a bit too cold
                                    Maybe a little too wet, maybe a little too lonely
                                         Lifelessly she lies amidst her bag world
                           But maybe she's only sleeping" Todd Rundgren, from "Bag Lady"

Mt 25:45 - "Then shall He answer them, saying , Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me."

Lord, Awake your Love, within me.

HLFA,

Jeff