Overcoming Eyes

As I walked in the door, there she was off in the distance scampering to come my way. Her exquisite delight that was always poured out on me, that was always so delicately shown, pulled and tugged at my heart in a way that was irresistible. The problem at this interlude, others were in the way and my attention was divided between people and communication at hand that she was momentarily lost in the crowd.

Moments later, as the meeting was proceeding with much passionate exchange, there she was ... Those eyes that were drawing me in like a powerful retractor beam. Those in the meeting could see my distraction, but could not totally capture the reason because she was so subtle in the way she positioned herself to catch my attention. Those eyes!!

I can't totally pull together the perfectly placed words to describe what was happening ... But I can tell you this: she was relentless in her approach to not only get my attention but to get into my arms. She had that childlike fear of certain characters whose mannerisms were not as approachable as others. This did create an anxiousness to her movements in the background. 

Finally I strongly and purposely motioned for her to come to me; oh yes it interrupted the meeting a bit ... But when she finally rested in the comfort of my arms, she turned on the beauty of innocence and began that tender delicate whispering of her desires. And again I was completely oblivious to my surroundings - there was nothing but me and her tender relentless pleas for my attention, my care, my time, for me.

"Delight Thyself also in the LORD, and He shall give thee the desired of thine heart." Psalm 37:4 

Don't be afraid to develop that tender, delicate, extravagant relationship with your God that reflexively grows from a grateful heart, that longs for nothing more than Him. Even more intense is this: His desire for this with you; because this "Delight", that grows in us, is a product of His desire for Us. And our knowledge, what to fearlessly ask, is the result of our growing New Kingdom nature that was gifted to us at Salvation.

Wouldn't it be awesome if our walk with Him had that childlike courageous desire to be near to Him in every moment and advent of our life? Delighting ourselves in totally Him... As He will constantly be giving us the knowledge and courage of the plea-full desires that we seek of Him.

Today, this powerful relationship is ours 

- see His purposeful and tender gestures, 

and overwhelming words of love drawing us to Him...

 As more and more He becomes all that we want.

HLFA,

Jeff

The eyes of His children overcome Him. Song of Solomon 4:9

Signify-Identify-Commit

Commitment... "I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded ... That HE IS ABLE to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day." All is good in this statement, with the exception that the spirit of antichrist, who is already at work in this age within our culture of disobedience, and actively influencing the lukewarm sons and daughters of the Kingdom by defining commitment. Commitment .... Commitment must carry with it the self fulfilling prophesy of a strong "comfort clause". Example: "I will and am committed as long as it fits my dreams and my schedule... And always only to the advantage of my comfort." … or so they say!

The story begins:

Yes, the origin of his nationality and social occupation was sketchy at best due to the condition of his savagely ravished countenance... But there lies the open door for the touch of eternity. Though his groans of anguish had all but ceased, the presence of his suffering lay wide open to that scrutinizing gaze of all who passed by. 

Was he a ... "Tinker, trailer, soldier, sailor, rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief. Doctor, baker, fine shoe maker, wise man, madman, taxman, please ... Who's gonna tell me what to do? (to borrow a phase of scrutiny for future persona choices) then they will say that I am true... Maybe, maybe, perhaps I'll come to great success, or possible a dreadful mess." (Yardbirds - 1967)

The need for compassion and mercy was hanging over him like an unavoidable obnoxious bill board; and the silence of his unavoidable suffering was screaming like an angry madman threatening for help. This is where those in touch with eternity had opportunity for an undeniable moment to do the "God Thing". 

Note to self: 

The Pastor passed by because the handling of this individual, no doubt, would cause stains to his "dress for success" clothing, and that would raise eye brows during the timely board meeting. Too many questions must be avoided at all cost. And to take on the responsibility of caring for an individual with a potentially shady past or despicable addiction could come back to embarrass him and the church... Walk on!

The worship leader stopped, gazed for a moment, but he saw no potential for talent for his worship team. Even if he decided to carry him to safety and help the derelict, this suffering lump of humanity could turn out to be a more talented musician than he (once healed); and we wouldn't want any upstaging would we? ... Walk on!

Then came a despised guardian, an obvious stranger, definitely an outsider to the politics of the religious bureaucracy, but no stranger to compassion. In a hauntingly Eternal fashion ... He saw the man, and moved instinctively toward him. He cared immediately but gently for the wounded one and bound up the putrefying mess made by his assailants. Transporting him in the backseat of his vehicle to the nearest Emergency room, He stayed with the man until he knew he was no longer in critical condition. He made arrangements for his care in the days ahead with full surety of additional payment for any and all services rendered to help the man.

"And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence and gave it to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more when I come again, I will repay thee." Luke 10:35 [Let this soak your soul through and through- until you are willing to take the risk, spend to redeem the lost, until He comes again ... HE WILL REPAY THEE.]

O Church of Jesus Christ

Why are we so quick to turn a blind eye?

Why are we so quick to turn away from the need?

Why are we so quick to shun and shame?

Why are we not willing to move as our Coming King would move?

... Risk public opinion

... Risk comfort

... Risk embarrassment 

... Risk disappointment 

... Risk your name and take on His

Identify yourself with the halt, the maimed, the lame and the blind,

Knowing what you have done unto the least of His brethren...You've done unto Him.

HLFA,

Jeff

Signify - Praise Him openly! Identify - with His compassion! Commit - and He will bring it to pass!

The Groaning Home

Five amazing days of incredible miraculous Creator Power displayed by the Word ... And the stage was set for Love. The lush décor was chosen and all the marvels of Love's comfort was in place. Now the curtain was to be drawn back on the mystery, revealing the reason for all of this intricate detail; and all looking on would to be held in awe.

The crowd of creation hushed as the creator stepped into the garden scene, gently dropped to His knees, and carefully reached, kneaded, and formed the pliable warm soil of Eden with His masterful hands to create the beginning of something that seemed to come into focus with the song filled voice of the Bright and Morning Star.

As Creation watched ... They knew that this was the Image of The Habitation, this was His Home created in His likeness, this was the beginning of the Ones that would live in Him, and He in them. Then the hush grew stronger, the Smile of the Creator widened as His Life giving Breath streamed purposely into the nostrils of His Home.

But the Fall, oh the groaning began, the pain arrived, the transgression scarred the beautiful love song of Eden ...

O Creation's shattered soul, brought on by the Hater of Glory's Dream,

Though Eden's home was ransacked sore, this cannot dissuade the Creator's Theme:

Redeemed How Thy song would proclaim it, redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb,

Redeemed by His most tender mercies, His Home ... Our Home, forever ..."I AM."

The story would move forward as glimpses of glory would shine through the groaning and the afflictions of those who would be the guardian lovers of the truth, and follow after God with that groaning desire to provide a habitation for Him and carried forward with a Longing for a Home forever with Him.David was known as a "man after God's own Heart" ... And it may have been because of that Groaning House that he lived in ... Read the following:

Psalm 132: 1-5 - " LORD, remember David, and all of his afflictions: How he sware unto the LORD, and vowed unto the Mighty God of Jacob; Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed; I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids, until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the Mighty God of Jacob."

Read the entire Psalm ... And open your eyes to the blessing that David brought on the people of Mighty God of Jacob {Jacob, the one who wrestled for a blessing, and got a new walk and a new name} because of this desire to provide a Him a habitation. There was no doubt that David had been given glimpses of God's Glorious Home, as the provisions for this Home were prophetically on the way ... Jesus would have His habitation, as the veil of the temple, torn from the top to the bottom to make full payment to openly redeem this Groaning Home of ours and make it His own.

2 Corinthians 5:17 - "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (habitation): old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

As we begin to be saturated with the desires of taking full advantage of this NEW HABITATION prepared for Him ... All the old "stuff" that caused us groaning and distance from Him -- begins to pass us right by (Like scenes out of a moving train window).

And as we give His Spirit and His Word a full and royal reception into the fabric of our "every day", we can begin to watch all things beginning to be filled with the newness of the future. He is our Refuge, our Eternal Habitation and by the miracle of redemption we are His.

Step over the threshold and enter in!

HLFA,

Jeff

Ps... John 17:20-26

Reset - God Prevails

"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 ... What an amazing passage that levels the playing field for "God Prevails!"

My head and heart are spinning with a spiritual conundrum ... After spending a little time this morning bathing in Romans for the sake of my spirit, I walked out of the water of His word realizing some basic truths, and being challenged by a meditation of intimacy that I had never gazed at before. Yes, it was driven by my broken heart for the state of many seekers who are being swayed away from the safety of God's Word and His Desire (read Genesis 32 - and just study the events that led to Jacob's name change - honestly, I am still captivated).

"Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life." Proverbs 4:23

As Kids of the King...Here are the truth's that we must keep as walls for our souls:

1. We are all under the full weight of Sin and its consequences.
2. With or without the written law ... God has written the Law on the hearts of men so no one is without excuse.
3. The Law is the school master empowered by the Spirit that teaches us:

• of God's Holiness and our sin because ... we don't believe,
• of God's righteousness because ... Jesus is with the Father,
• of our need for a Savior to deliver us from judgment and the eternal consequences of sin ... because the Prince of this world is already judged.

Jesus was delivered our offenses, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:25)

WE MUST BELIEVE - Repentance is when our opinions align with His.

Today we live in a world where there is dualistic and pluralistic beliefs and lifestyles that are wrestled with and touted as truth by some because ... "We don't want to offend anyone!" . Take Note: A believer, with a single heart and a single mind... holding evident that the Bible, the Word of God, is the final authority and absolute truth... This believer is thought to be naïve, out of step, and not enlightened by more recent enlightened revelations. Wow ... How arrogance for self proclamation can replace love for the words of our God!

I don't know how often that I have heard this phrase from church leaders (but it is almost becoming viral) "I used to believe like you ... But after deeper study, I now believe differently." (And it is spouted in my direction in a very condescending manner.)

What I am finding as I push the envelope of the conversation, these "shape shifters" are vanquishing passages of scripture that rub their "present generation" perspective the wrong way. They share this teaching with their followers in the context of "grace" ... Teaching that an individual has a God given Liberty to pick and choose passages from the "good book"(not "God's Word") what to believe, and even deem passages as "God said" or "God didn't" as the spirit leads them(What spirit?).

They argue that Jesus is the Word of God, not the Bible, so the words of the book need to be rightly divided to know His truth...Wake up people of God! This is nothing more than a self styled, self serving idolatry ... Where we create a God in the image of our likes and dislikes while separating our selves from the truths of His Word.

Did it ever dawn on us that the Father may deliver change mandates that may discomfort until we align our hearts with His? ... Especially since "there is none that understand nor seek after God." Could there be things that God knows... that we do not, that He is trying to teach us? ... Until we learn, it might not fit our current mode of living... We might be a little uncomfortable until we fit!

If we are resisting harmonizing with "things above" and not becoming more and more like Jesus, and less and less like the world, and not putting behind us ... our selfish ambitions and sacrificial-less living ... something has happened to disconnect us from our "first love"... Jesus.

* There are God-following leaders who constantly challenge the body of Christ to look up, rise up, live up - read, study, meditate, believe and live what God says.

BUT ... Many modern pulpits ring out with passionate but powerless messages of faux understanding, because the voice of purported leadership attempts to negate the validity of scripture by picking it apart and assigning the "offensive" portions to an archaic limbo of sorts. And there is confusion in the congregation, confusion in the community, and an animosity toward the things of God in general... BUT God will prevail!

- "Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope." Isaiah 5:18

- "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil, that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter." Isaiah 5:20

- "Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight." Isaiah 5:21

- "Woe unto you, lawyers (interpreters of the Law)! For ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered." Luke 11:52

"Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are that keep His testimonies, and that seek Him with their whole heart." Psalm 119: 1,2

Hear His Word.

Study His Word.

Trust in His Word.

Rest in His Word.

Thrive in His Word!

Be blessed by His Word.

HLFA,

Jeff

Don't give your time to those who negate the trustworthiness and truthfulness of the Word of God ... His Time with us on this side of eternity is of the essence. Redeem the time. God Prevails!