You Will Find Him There

IN CHRIST

What an intense week!!! How much more can people take ...?
- A friend, a brother, a dad, a son "passes" unexpectedly... alone, away from family and friends with no chance for a "good-bye".
- A mom, a wife, a grandma grows weaker as cancer continues to have the upper hand diminishing the life that once was so vibrant.
- Families ravaged by floods of personal troubles as well as waters.
- Rumors of threatening legal and financial struggles bruising the present morale and quenching future hopes.
Things and events that are supposed to be so wonderful are overshadowed by the specter of death.

Where does your heart run?
Where do you find refuge?
What keeps you from growing apathetic or numb?

In all the turnings of our way of life,
in the shining of our personal character,
in the pattern of our daily walk,
let our lives be without a love of gain that devalues the worth of others;
and be filled with the unfailing protective strength of contentment,
contentment that is elevated and lifted or offered "up",
Contentment with what the things that are near, at hand and ready;
BECAUSE HE HAS ETERNALLY ESTABLISHED US BY SAYING:
"I will never, no not ever...
leave you, never send you back or away, or loosen my distance from you.
I will never, no not ever... neither will I ever abandon, desert or leave you helpless or utterly forsaken."

Heb 13:5
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

In the midst of these things that shake our world...
1. Remember Him.
2. You will find Him there.

IN CHRIST

Be there for others,

HLFA,

 Jeff

Abandoned House

What fascinates your eyes when you travel throughout the countryside? Is it the beautiful foliage? Maybe it is the majestic hills or the cascading streams that set your mind aglow. Could it be the city skylines or quaint little artsy villages you pass through that excites your senses?

I may be a little strange (please no snide comments from the peanut gallery), but I am immensely fascinated by the tattered, broken down, abandoned structures that are scattered across the miles of the back roads of America. My mind has to ask the questions, and of course the questions will turn on the lights of the imagination...and if my imagination runs to God's Word then the story could turn upward, inside out and easily up-side-down.

Song of Solomon 8:7 Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would be utterly contemned.
This is an awesome picture of the power of love to burn brightly through many torrential troubles, to resist dilution caused by many discouraging floods of separation, and to utterly abandon even sacred shelter for its singular focus...to love.

When I see the abandoned homes collapsing because of neglect and poor maintenance, at first I am irritated and then fascinated. What happened to cause such a sorrowful scene? After a few temporal and typical thought scenarios...my mind turns...

The Creator, embodied in flesh, stepped out of His heavenly dwelling place to offer an irresistible proposal of love to a race of...
ungrateful,
unloving,
unknowing,
in-seeking,
uncaring,
self-centered,
sex intoxicated,
violence proliferated,
vision eliminated,
hate elated,
and idols elevated beings...who could care less about His love offer.
Did Heaven start to feel the neglect of love focused man-ward? Did the streets of gold begin to tarnish due to the lack of Godly foot contact and the heaven sent tears of Jesus? Did the single pearl gates of the city begin to be clouded over by the dust of his departure? Was the celestial wonder beginning to collapse under the weight of Love's abandon? Did the winds of resistance to His love offer begin to ravage the beauty of holiness. Was Heaven all but boarded up for eternity when the Savior was "forsaken" on the cross by His Heavenly Father...for you and for me?
Jesus knew the cost...He knew that He would give it all up for the opportunity to offer enduring, everlasting love. Hmmm ...approximately thirty-three and a half years of potential neglect of Heaven.
3 days and 3 nights of total disappointing foreclosure and eviction. LOVE..
Trust His sacrifice for us and we LIVE.
Turn our backs on the cost of His love and we are abandoned forever.

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life;
but he that believeth not the Son shall not see life,
but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3:36

He abandoned Glory for us,
Now because He Arose from the dead, He Lives,
He prepares a place for us...Be Glad.

HLFA,
Jeff

And the King turned to His beloved with...(continued),

And the King turned to His beloved with...(continued),

The wild thing about authoring a fairy tale, is that I may or may not know where the story is heading. Huh?? Really, It has to affect me to affect you or at least that is the hope (so once again hang on until the end).

What would you do if you found the enemy hanging so close that you could feel the very breath of Hell hissing its way into your course of life. That sinister breathing voice with its oppressive fury tries to draw you and me into agreeing to stand with "it" against the wants and desires of God. If we could feel "it" or know "it" for what "it" really is, we would be stunned with the subtlety; for sure Satan doesn't work like "Hellywood" portrays him. Sorry!!! He is far more cunningly common than that.

Far more cunningly common???(sorry no pitch fork, ectoplasmic spew, no 360 head spinning)

The Adversary just wants to travel or to journey with you in order to sway your walk in his direction. He loves it when your character bends toward opposing God's desire for your life. Satan is awesome at accusing God ... with you. He will jump right in and back up every one of your disappointments with a roaring chorus of complaints to help you justify the way you feel...against God. He will do his best to throw a shadow of doubt over your choices of life, especially the ones that have a higher level of added responsibility. The "Accuser" becomes your closest adviser and "yes man" as long as you are willing to blame God. ( "...As a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" ...I Peter 5:8) {a roaring lion walking???}

And the King turned to His beloved with a look that spoke "love without end". He began to speak with a voice that calmed the storm and warmed the winter that had so quickly had set into her heart. The King's Beloved suddenly realized that the beautiful woman was there only to encourage her to go with her disappointments, instead of trusting her Love through the disappointment. The tentacles that seemed to wrap around the King were a mirage to convince the King's Beloved that He may not be faithful and true. The King now stood firmly in all of His glory as He continued to look at His Beloved.


She thought, "Had the King not seen her rags and poverty. Had the King not sensed her heart of hopeless stone. Didn't the King realize the past that now plagued their future?" There was no way this would work...Death had entered her life and she was for all intents and purposes dead. Her case was different from all others, surely she was outside of the power of His grace.

Suddenly the King's piercing flame-like eyes turned toward "Pethee Keseelooth"...(foolish, foolish, simply stupid but so intoxicating); and just as quickly as she had chilled her way into the scene, the look in the eyes of the King put to flight the beautiful stranger. 

Almost like waking from the longest dream, the King's Beloved found herself back in the safety of the Arms of the King. The chapter closes with a glimpse of the powerful prophecy that will carry the King's Beloved through her days ahead:
(Isaiah 25:8 - "He will swallow up death in victory, (I Cor. 15:54)
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off of all faces; (Rev. 7:17; 21:4)
and the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off of all the earth: (Rom. 10:11)
for the LORD hath spoken it.) AMEN!

When I see myself as His beloved, and see Him as my beloved ... then I will respond differently to His words: "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away!" (Song of Solomon 2:10)

Come away with Him, He will strengthen you. Come away with Jesus.

HLFA,

Jeff

On My Knees - Will You Be My Eternal Beloved?

Woe...can't hold back the tears (now remember this is always written with somewhat of a incoherent vantage point, so do not ever jump to conclusions until you have taken the whole ride).
He is on His knees asking his beloved "will you marry me?" (shouldn't she be begging Him to marry her, He is...the King!) His garments glistening with Gold, Silver and Precious Stones while she remains poised looking so frail in her filthy rags. However, the look in His eyes(full of joyful tears) send Love's message deep into her soul as she melts into His open arms crying "Yes, I will marry you" (she'd be stupid not to, He is the King...Duh!). Then with His powerful but gentle hands He tenderly lifts her face to His and......

A scream rips through the airlock, and a cry comes that chills this beautiful love scene until all the decor drips with the frost and ice of the deepest darkest winter that you could possibly imagine...And the scream like a tempestuous wind rips at the core of there souls like a merciless flailing flesh hook, devastating the King's composure and His beloved's security:

"Now the Battle Will Rage!"...

"Now will be the death of love!"...

"Watch as trust diminishes and hatred arises!

I strained my eyes to see where these lethally poisoned words were spewing from, and to my utter horror they were coming from an extremely beautiful woman who had now wrapped her arms like an octopus' tentacles around the heart of the King. Her name was "Pethee Keseelooth"...(foolish, foolish, simply stupid but so intoxicating). She continued, "Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant"...

"Come the master will be away on a long journey

and will not even have a clue as to what we do

with our illegitimate but exciting love...

And look! Your beloved is looking the other way".

When we back away from the fairy tale for a moment there is a very real battle that rages within the support system of marital love.
Stage one: The battle starts when "Submission one to another" (the under girding empowerment of love) is demanded and/or expected; instead of being wholly given, tenderly guarded, and actively appreciated.
Stage two: The battle moves things backwards when love is seen as an "option" motivated by feelings; instead of an imperative that creates the ever growing summer that keeps the marriage together.


At this point winter-ravished love may think that a new direction could be the ticket to real life.

A re-newed direction maybe... but let's not throw caution to the wind unless we know for sure that we have heard his voice.

"And be not drunk with wine (intoxicated with the momentary release of Love's responsibilities) wherein is excess (absolutely NO LIFE), BUT be filled (completely full of the focus of loving as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for it) with the Spirit (as He indwells and is given more of our life by acceptance of His loving support ,we truly live)." (Eph. 5:18 - expanded with the hope your heart will reach to love, where love seems to have grown cold).

And the King turned to his beloved with...(To be continued),

HLFA,

Jeff

PS: Be slow to judge but quick to deliver.

One Eye, One Horn, Flying Purple People Eater

"We finally found people we were comfortable with and that were comfortable with us". REPENT!
"When the church became too worldly we decided to do like they did in the early church, and start kind of a communal type of community of folks that believed the same way we do". REPENT!!
"I love Gospel Music" ...where do you go to church? "Oh I don't but there are enough churches in our town to suit just about anyone's taste". (but not his). REPENT!!!
How about we get together on Sunday for a simple time of Song and Bible sharing? "We have so much to do, it is just not part of our schedule". REPENT!!!!
How about we just do church like we always have and not be concerned about our inability to connect with people on a level that makes God's Love... make sense? REPENT!!!!!!!
ONE EYED -- limited peripheral and circumspect vision - focused on self want and need.
ONE HORNED -- Self is our king -- "ME" reign forever!
FLYING -- no time for others.
PURPLE -- Crowned and robed King!
PEOPLE EATER -- devouring and excreting people (fairly disgusting but if you get the picture you
may catch the rest of this week's thought). - they are only part of our lives until we have no use for them.

Revelation 2: 12-17
And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, (Ms..."perhaps"- for love of reward) who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, (Victor's over people - People Conquerors) which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, a and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

There are hidden treasures within this passage in Revelation - describing not only the historical Church,a Church age, but also "church/personal" characteristics that can can devastate our walk with Christ and the lives of others:
Balaam --- this is related to a belief that "perhaps" God doesn't really mean what He says and this hinges on our comfort.
Nicolaitans --- an attitude that values people with no consideration for their value to Christ ( use an abuse).
Repenting of these (repent means that that we turn from the "perhaps" and the "abuse" and allow our minds to be subject to His Word... Agree with God!

This agreement --brings the following:
1. He provides "New" strengthening (Manna) "what is it" from Him...His mercies are new every morning ... sustaining food for the Soul.
2. He gives you a White Stone --- this is the stone that establishes his Choice for YOU.
3. In this Choosing -- He provides a fresh Name that out of His love for you ... He calls you.

PEOPLE called by His Name ... let your hearts and minds rise up to His desire for you.
Love God, love people ... hate sin.
Don't become a purple people eater ... please.
You are called for better things!

HLFA
Jeff

check the youtube below.
http://youtu.be/X9H_cI_WCnE

Christian Car???? Christ's Care for You.

I wonder if my car is a Christian Car? It doesn't curse or swear, It doesn't drink booze or do drugs, it never has entered a bar or seen an x-rated movie, It is kind to all its passengers, it has a 5 star crash rating - ready to protect me, It plays Christian CDs and Christian Radio Stations, and is always willing to take me to church (even carries my Bibles)...So far this is fairly typical stupid thinking, but even more stupid than this is for me to drag Jesus' Name through the mud of my disappointment with the way He is "Supposed" to take care of me...

I am pretty good at whining and complaining and rarely good at asking, I'm even better at blaming instead of truly seeking, and when I do FIND... I lack gratitude because I deserve it, because I was knocking, wasn't I???

Troubled to the max? Life got you to the place that you are ready to explode? Cry out to Him ... really cry out... and expect his answer through His Word.

This was a rough week for me. I was carrying a burden for my wife that was about to kill me (I was even feeling it physically). While driving in my car (the best way to drive) early Friday morning alone (no other passengers) --- I screamed (yep, a full bodied, blood curdling roar) out to Jesus for help (kind of shocked myself) and then went on with my drive and day without much thought for the incident.

However; Friday night He began to open the Word to me and Saturday A.M. was "bucket dumper".

What about His care for me, my wife , for you, for those who he ransomed with His blood?
Hang on, and before you read on,
PRAY .... PRAY (stop -- don't pass over this part) ... PRAY.
In Ephesians 5:27 - Paul describes the love of a Husband for his Wife by Looking at the love of Christ Jesus for His Church (Those called out to be His) this Love that He actively bestows on us day by day. Moment by moment - breath by breath care:

"That He might present it (his Wife the Church) to Himself"
     He presents us to Himself, He pulls us near, He supports and stands beside us;
"a glorious church, "
     He holds us in His highest esteem
"not having spot, "
     He provides advocacy so that "no spot", no fault, no moral blemish will be levied to our account.
"or wrinkle",
     And when He rescues us, His gentle hand doesn't cause damage, wrinkle or bruising.
"or any such thing;"
"but that it (she) should be holy"
     We are set apart with as "cherished"; with full "life purpose" because of His eternal desire is for us.
"and without blemish".
     From Him, we will never receive disgrace, insult or censure because He jealously defends our reputation.

Sorry this may be heavy to read, but if we understand these things we will begin to truly live in Him in all His fullness. Truly live that abundant life He offers... HE IS OUR EVERYTHING!

HLFA,

Jeff

Flash Forward for Others

Several years ago, after a time of prayer for many of the folks that we were ministering to, and searching His Word, we wrote a scripture song to the passage below. Every time I sing this song it seems to allow me to identify with a deeper understanding of the suffering of others as well as the my own suffering. In studying the Psalm in its entirety, we realize that David's submission to His own suffering, and offering his suffering as a sacrifice for others ("for my sake") allowed Him to walk prophetically in the sufferings of Jesus. Hundreds of years before the Cross of Christ, David would identify so closely with that suffering that God would allow a "flash forward" inspiration to flow through David's thought and words. Take a little time and read the entire Psalm and see the foreshadows and striking beams of light that flow through the passage.

For now ... with out the Musical accompaniment this is the way the Words flow in the song:

Psalm 69:1-3
Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.
Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.
I sink in deep mire,
where there is no standing:
I am come into deep waters,
where the floods overflow me.
Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.
Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.
I am weary of my crying:
my throat is dried:
mine eyes fail
while I wait for my God.
Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.
Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.

Here comes the right heart attitude towards our own suffering (soak on the next verse):

Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake:
let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.

When you are reaching out in prayer for His help in your suffering ... stop ... pray for others. Allow the "flash forward" inspiration of His goodness to flow through your thoughts, your words, and your actions. Let his life - live through you.

Others.
HLFA,

Jeff

The "Be" Should Have Been --- "Been"

Did you find the BE that should have been a BEEN in last week's HLFA?
(go back and read it so you can say yes).

Here comes a reflection because of it.

In A Shattered Visage, a book-length emotional rant against atheism, Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias puts forth the following assertion:
The words of Augustine are most appropriate: "You have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee." Or, as Pascal(1623-1662) put it, "There is a god-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man, and only God can fill it." [p.89],..

The Song writer Plumb, made this phrase of a "God Shaped Hole" a fairly popular buzz phrase.

Nothing wrong with the "God Shaped Hole" in a devotional sense for the one who is already quickened, but it may lose its accuracy when it is trying to straddle the lost and the saved and the backslider and all the ramifications of the life and world we live in.

The statement below is a speculative devotional thought based on the reversal of this philosophy of the "God Shaped Hole in the heart of men".

Since the Fall of man there has been a "man shaped hole" in the Broken Heart of the God that created him. "Adam where art thou?" God was heard to say in the garden. Sin totally kept that hole disappointingly empty(actually both holes) ... But Jesus removed the sin situation preparing the way back into God's heart.

There is enough scripture between these two philosophies to keep discussions heated and hearts on fire long enough to bond them and become more fully devoted to our Lord and Savior.

Key this week ... Jesus suffered enough ("It is finished") ... quit wasting time in eternity beating yourself for things He took the beating for and rest in His Grace and trust in His Love.

Isaiah 40:27-31
Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest,
          --- "Why do I talk like this?"
O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD,
          --- God doesn't have time to care about me, I'm too insignificant.
and my judgment is passed over from my God?
          --- When it comes to my deliverance, God somehow misses me.
Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard,
          --- Did God repeat himself? ... I better listen intently here are the facts:
that the everlasting God, the LORD,
          --- He is our never-ending help.
the Creator of the ends of the earth,
          --- He created and set us within the boundaries.
fainteth not, neither is weary?
          --- Our neediness doesn't wear Him out (though our fake "I'm OK" may).
there is no searching of his understanding.
          --- The depth of His understanding goes beyond our comprehension.
He giveth power to the faint;
          --- He gives Himself to support our frail efforts ti live.
and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
          --- He is our Strength even when we have none.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary ,
          --- Our youthfulness doesn't guaranty stability of strength
and the young men shall utterly fall:
          --- The young have pressure limits too.
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

When trust our delays, setbacks, movements ahead, plans, hopes, fears, stresses, joys, past failures, present stumbles, and future unknowns to the focused powerful care of our Loving God .... we will revive, we will stand ready, we will run, we will walk ... in His Strength. Rise up!!!

HLFA,

Jeff

"Hey let's do lunch some time!" (we've all heard this phrase ...it has almost become as lame as "how you doing!").
The human race continues to come up with expressions that send out messages of hopeful connection to each other. It is not that we have no intentions of fulfilling that hope, but in the rushing of our days we become powerless so many times to guaranty the connection. "Twenty years later, and we still have not hooked up for lunch".

If our security for eternity with our God was dependent upon our faithfulness to fulfill the expressions we send His way...we would all be hopelessly lost. Many of our songs reflect this desire to raise these expressions to Him: "O God you are my God and I will ever praise you, I will seek you in the morning and I will learn to walk in you ways, step by step you'll lead me and I will follow you all of my days." Great song...and He doesn't fault us for our hopeful expressions but for our sake it doesn't depend on us. He doesn't depend on us.

I Corinthians 2:4- 9 -14
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew : for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
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.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received , not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak , not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth ; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

God has PREPARED ...He made all the necessary adjustments so He could fit us into His life. We were enemies, sinful, already condemned, unprofitable, unworthy, unholy, unlovely, ...no room for Him. But while we were all this "Christ died for us" ... "He arose for us" ... making room for us... Before leaving in John 14...He said " I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am, you may be also."

The only thing He leaves in our hands ... is to call out for the rescue. Romans 10:13 Since the Fall of man there has be a Man Shaped Hole in the Broken Heart of the God that created him. Sin totally kept that hole disappointingly empty ... But Jesus removed the sin situation preparing the way back into God's heart.

Come, you won't be disappointed, He really does want you.

One parting thought ... If God so loved you that He prepared the Way for you, why would you feel He is not interested or loses interest in you?

HLFA,

Jeff

Somethings missing! Somethings almost gone. The fervor has no fire, the delivery has no urgency.
Finger-stopped ears and tightened lips that lead to a fearful heart. Itching ears and loose lips that spring
forth from a wounded heart that oozes with infection. Not the observation that encourages, and not the
perception we want to have of our brothers and sisters in the Lord. BUT it may be reality ... and can end
up being our reality. 
I WANT A FULL AND VIBRANT LIFE ...
I want to breathe ... really breathe!
I want to feel alive ... I'm tired of being numb!
I don't want to just be alright ... I want to live His Life.

Here is a simple outline of a life "after his Passion" ....

Acts 1:3

To whom also he shewed himself alive
after his passion
by many infallible proofs,
being seen of them forty days,
and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

1. SHOW YOURSELF ALIVE  ... Some of us live with the memory of the cross but forget the resurrection..
        We live because He Lives.
2. PROVE YOURSELF LIVING ... Do you read, memorize and meditate on His Word (fellowship with Him)? Do you pray fervently and Continually?
        Do you long to gather with your Brothers and sisters in Christ? (this is a direct result of our fellowship with Him).
        We love because He Loves.
3. TURN YOUR SUFFERING TO VICTORIOUS LIVING ... "seen for 40 days" ... did you ever wonder (think of the 40s in the Bible and you'll
       see that Christ has flipped testing and suffering UPSIDE DOWN ... 40 years in the wilderness, 40 days in the desert ...)
       We conquer because He conquered.
4. SPEAK ABOUT KINGDOM THINGS ... We will talk about what interests us and we will grow in interest for the things we talk about.
       Let your conversation be from above. The more time we spend with Him the more time is redeemed for Him.
      We speak because He has spoken to us and still speaks through us.

Our passion for His life is a result of our loving, daily acceptance of His Passion
(The Sin Shattering Event that struck a blow from and for eternity
to change our reality forever ...
the Cross, The Grave, The Sky ...
I Corinthians 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.)

Live with The Passion from Him!

HLFA,

Jeff