Silence

Silence
God had given us a moment together. We earnestly prayed for a genuine need. There was no audience but God. (I guess as always, He is not about the business of embarrassing His kids.) We placed the situation in God's hands trusting He would deliver. In prayer we asked God for the obvious - “Lord, Please let the employer not fire the employee. Please allow ______ to keep his job. We will trust you with this situation knowing that You alone know what is ahead and what is best … in Jesus' Name, Amen!” And we both left the moment feeling God would take care of the situation.

My brother was worried that he would lose his job, and in the story of his tenure he had reason to feel this way due to past blemishes on his record. But this was a new day, he was trying to walk honestly before man and His God. Although in times past he was labeled negatively, the new crew he was working with thought of him as “the best.” Once he may have tried to cover up the incident, but this time he would be honest, report it, risk termination, and trust God's mercy to deliver Him. He was going to do right no matter what.

 I Peter 2:12 – “Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

I received a text mid-week that went something like this “Thanks for praying with me Sunday Night, they let me go but it is okay, I will be all right.” My heart sank and tears came for my brother. I felt a little bit disappointed that God had not done exactly what we had asked (… except for the reluctant, carefully chosen words that committed us to the thought of being "okay" with termination... if that was what God wanted). Although we know that better things are ahead, right now the silence of the moment is killing me.

 I Peter 2:19 – 20 “For this is thank worthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.”

Under the pressure of the church congregation, we do our best to appear spiritually content with the decisions made about us and our brethren. We try to keep a Godly "stiff upper lip," although our spirit is broken, scarred, and scared. This is the moment that we feared would come, and now it has. Are we to be quiet when there is so much noise and turbulence in our souls? Will we find Him patient with us while we do our best to try and work through this moment of human mess we call “I'm okay?!”

The facts are thrown in our face by our adversary “You prayed he would keep his job, and he lost it!”

“What power is there in prayer if it “always” goes this way?”

These seething words always seem to hiss from the depths of Hell trying to alienate us from God who truly loves us, from the God Who stands, waiting at an open door. If we stay close to Jesus, even in disappointment, we will find Him already opening the way before us. He is not silent … we are not fully listening. Listen and we will hear and be refreshed!

“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise Him for the help of his countenance.” Psalm 42:5

“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. “ Psalm 42:11

 My hope, His help, My health, My God! I shall yet praise Him! Silence... I'm listening.

 HLFA,

 Jeff

There is Gold in Them There Words

“There is Gold in them there hills!” … was the one liner I heard as a child while watching particular “westerns” on the black n' white television screen. Using the theme of the California Gold Rush that began in the Mid 1800s, the movie industry would capture the imaginations of its fans as cinematic “Cowboys” would gallivant across the “big screen” in conflicts created by the rumors and discovery of gold.

Even today, gold captures the heart of men and women. And with a gem enshrined within its setting, gold captures the eye of the beholder. Scripture, however, pulls us from the focus on gold by letting us know that the Word of the Lord is to be desired more than even fine gold. Gold may give us temporary comfort in the acquisition and accumulation of things, but the Word of God can give the believer lasting and eternal comfort when our temporal comfort is threatened.

Digging for Scripture's treasures is only as rewarding as the heart allows the Spirit to capture the wonder of His truth. Weekly, I go treasure hunting for Scriptural-taught-thoughts in hopes of finding a “gold nugget” that might cause seekers to be captured more securely by these truths.

Psalm 27:10 was in this week's dig. “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.” [Please hang with me for a moment as I share an awesome truth buried just below the surface of this passage.] The word “forsake” in this passage can literally speak directly to an orphan, a castaway, the bereaved, the lonely, and the spiritually abused or abandoned. It must be noted that captured in the action of the word “forsake” is a momentary event that has left one without an earthly parent or primary caregiver.

As a result of this life-challenging “moment...” “the LORD will take me up.” Where the “forsaking” was for a moment, the LORD brings in a season of active, personal and continual nurturing and care. Held within the golden setting of “take me up” are the following actions: holding us carefully with the eternal comfort of His love, gathering us into the company of others, taking care of loose ends (bringing up the rear), moving us from our loss to His hope (little by little), taking away the shame caused by the “forsaking,” and bringing value through us to others. ALL THIS FOUND WITHIN SUCH A SMALL PASSAGE? If you are saying “I don't get it” ...slow down. You may not need this but someone else near you may.

During the real California Gold Rush, many a man returned quite wealthy from his adventure, but many returned even poorer than when they had left. As with scriptural “treasure hunting,” the key is not to capture the Word for yourself, for with that selfish, pitiful purpose you could soon find yourself spiritually bankrupt. God is not a harsh, knuckle-rapping school teacher. He will bring truth to you with the hope that you start seeing the value of others around you. Try to hold on to this – “When my father and my mother forsake me ... (I may actually be abandoned and feel worthless at this moment) ...then the LORD will take me up” (but my Heavenly Father is actively involved in renewing that care for me, and bringing greater value to my life).

“My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation: He is my defense; I shall not be moved.” Psalm 62:5-6 Seek Him while He may be found,

Wow. There sure is gold in “them there Words.”
 
HLFA,
Jeff

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

The Imagination of Your Love

Where does your Love take you? Does it send you on whimsical cascading moments of refreshing day dreams? Does it cause tears of anguish because of moments of "good-bye" and parting for awhile: or does it make room for even more uncontrollable tears as parting may last even longer? Does it take you to incredible bursts of protective anger that would even give of its own life to protect the object of your Love? Does it have its breath ripped away in moments where fear senses an unknown threat that may sever you from the one you long for? Does it rest as it patiently waits for the rays of the morning sun to reveal that all is well and fear was unfounded?

Where does your Love take you when your brothers and sisters falter? Does it dole out unimaginable accusations and disappointments because of the impact of the breach that has disrupted your peaceful life? Does it have you weeping as you drop your stones of judgment? Does it leave you stranded and all alone with your confusion and shame for their situation? Is your Love able to carry you to the Throne of Grace where you cry out to find help in their time of need?

Where does your Love take you? Notice the word "Love" has been capitalized and emboldened.This was not only to draw your attention to the word, but it was to personify the word. We all need Love whether we admit it or not. The first step to knowing real Love is admitting our souls are bankrupt and lost in the midst of "forming and framing" Love in our own image. WE DON'T NEED ONE MORE BREATHLESS IDOL IN OUR LIFE. This "forming and framing" - the imagination of the heart - needs to cease . If you trust in the work of your own hands your love will soon reveal itself as dead and powerless because of your lack of resources. We can't save ourselves...we need a Saviour.

"Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God; therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not." I John 3:1 - WOW! An invitation to rob the world of an intimate knowledge of us, while we bask in the glory of this new found family of the Father. Focus your perceptions, your imagination, your framing and forming on learning of Him ... And you will be joyfully amazed at where your Love takes you.

Don't keep spinning your wheels while tolerating your idolatry until you are so set in it that you are an embarrassment to yourself and those around you ... look at the old men mentioned in Ezekiel and how pitiful there thinking had become:

Ezekiel 8:12 - "Then said He unto me, Son of Man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chamber of his imagery(idols)? For they say, the LORD seeth us not, the LORD hath forsaken the earth." (How shallow they look in their self made halos sporting their powerless hypocrisy). Is this where you want to be?

How about this for a promise to take advantage of ? "Thou wilt keep him in perfect (shalom) peace (shalom), whose mind (framing and forming - imagination) is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee". Isaiah 26:3 - "PERFECT PEACE" - this is an amazing concept within the promise...this is an expression of true, tangible, lasting, complete, holistic, satisfaction that can be totally renewable moment by moment. This is that satisfaction that is offered to those who continually lean and rest their imaginations in the business of trusting Him. WE NEED A LIVING LOVE THAT WILL GIVE US NEW BREATH EVERY DAY ... Don't tolerate any breathless love in your life ... BREATHE!!!

BUT WAIT! - Stop your rebellion - take inventory of your misery, write off the garbage that has no place in the heart of a Jesus lover, quit coddling your sin and cast it as a deadly contagion before the Great Physician. Now trust Him for His strength to move you in agreement with your Love: Jesus. Live Openly for Him.

HLFA,

Jeff

Tolerance or Cover Up

I was pounding out a technical bulletin in my office at work earlier this week, when one of my co-workers called me and said, "Come, you've got to see this. We are not quite sure what it is!" I had to move quickly because of the tone of his voice though I wanted to hesitate because of not knowing what I was going to find. Just outside the back door of our plant, on one of the small concrete walls that separates the grassy back space of the plant from the small set of concrete stairs that lead to the back door (from the outside) ... was the strangest "creature" I had ever seen making its way from out of the grass and across the top of the wall. First glance ... a baby snake or an immensely long and flat snail ... but that was what everyone that had gathered their had surmised at first. Challenged to look more closely, we found a small snaking army of maggot-like micro worms, all different sizes moving together as a slimy slithering unified force. While not distracted they would continue forward, if their ranks were broken they would pull together and then continue on. I took a picture and returned to my office ... later when I asked what happened to the creature, I was told that once they determined it to be an army of death munching worms it was destroyed. No funeral, no burial, no remorse ... just total annihilation.

As God woke me up this morning, He started me thinking about "wickedness" due to the remembrance of this miniature army of death. Words like sin, iniquity and wickedness carried the weight of God's foreboding judgment into my nocturnal thought patterns. And even though God is not standing around ready to "tromp" on anyone who chooses sin, the penalties or consequences still remain and there will be a personal "payday". "It is appointed unto men, once to die, but after this the judgment" ... "So then everyone of us shall give account of himself to God". "And the smoke of their torment rose up forever and ever". Hey folks ... WAKE UP!! "For the wages of sin is (still) death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD."

The history of Israel, during the time of "Moses" was so much like our wandering through this world, that it seems we best walk circumspectly keeping the words that God has told us about them, close to our heart. In Deuteronomy 9 ... Moses reminds the people of their rebellious choices that had God ready to destroy them at any moment, but Moses stood in the gap. Does that mean that no one died? Thousands died... a whole generation died wandering in the wilderness.

Deut. 9: 22, 23 - "And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibrothhattaavah, ye provoked the LORD to wrath. Likewise when the LORD sent you from Kadeshbarnea, saying, Go up and possess the land which I have given you; then ye rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God, and ye believed him not, nor hearkened to his voice." Moses reminded them throughout this Chapter of his intercession that kept them from total annihilation. Moses stood in the Gap.

The Church is suffering today from an army of sinful choices and forbidden pleasures that similar to an Army of Maggots will attach themselves to anything rotting in our lives. We have become tolerant of way too much wickedness, and the infection is spreading deep. We come across as tolerating sin because "we love" the sinner, and don't want to make him mad (he may turn from Jesus). We even use the battle cry "Love God, Hate Sin". BUT in reality...Will we let go of the garbage we coddle for the sake of the Kingdom? Will we annihilate the death army within our hearts instead of making excuses and keeping this monster growing within our hidden, wicked foster care? Are we tolerating sin in others because we don't want to Judge our own sin sickness? We spend too much time discussing, debating, studying, justifying, and putting on pious penitent airs in our beggarly Bible gatherings, when we should be confessing and forsaking our sin; so we can truly pray with power as we move ahead with Godly brokenness over the peril of our "brethren in bondage" and "the lost without Christ".

Tolerance, How far should I go? To the Cross ... Behold what manner of love!! Hate Sin because of where it took Jesus ... for us.

HLFA,

Jeff