Another key thought came to me in regards to what I wrote in the last posting that I thought was worth devoting another whole post to. The message that I felt God was speaking to me after the Panther's loss in the Super Bowl was, in a nutshell, "PREPARE!" It certainly would have been more exciting to have seen them win and expectantly look forward to the revival/awakening breaking out. That will happen soon enough. What's most critical and important now is to be prepared for that time. Much could be said about how to prepare. One book that I could recommend along these lines is Rick Joyner's recently published book, ARMY OF THE DAWN. Also, his book entitled, THE HARVEST I would highly recommend.
But the thought I would like to expand a bit on here has to do with how one responds properly to any command that God gives. If God is speaking to us at this time to "prepare for the coming harvest (which is now imminent)", what do we do? I would like to suggest that God's commands are themselves a form of prophecy. In one of the Gospels Jesus says, "the law and the prophets prophesied until John." Did you catch that? The law (i.e the commandments) are actually a prophecy! When God gave His people commandments to obey He knew good and well they were not capable of obeying them. So why did He give them?!!! First of all He wanted them to try and keep the commandments on their own so that they would learn that human flesh cannot do it. But once that became clear, those commands would become indicators that whenever they were observed as being obeyed/fulfilled, we would know that it was indeed God at work here, not merely human will. When we observe in someone else, or in one's self, the ability to truly and genuinely obey one of God's commands, it is an indicator that God is at work, He is present, He is fulfilling His
own word in us. When God commands us to love Him, or to love our neighbor (especially our enemy), it is a prophecy that when we find ourselves actually able to do that from our heart, it will be a clear indication that this is a "God thing" that is happening, not a human thing.
So, if God is speaking to us that we need to prepare for a coming move of His Spirit (call it what you will - revival, awakening, harvest), we need to increase our awareness (through prayer or any other means that will help us increase that awareness) of what God is actually doing within our own hearts and minds as well as in others around us. One of the most often repeated prayers of mine is, "Daddy, help me to be aware of what you are doing within me and around me. I want to be working with you and not against you!"
One last thought. Another way that one can prepare for revival/awakening is to learn about past moves of God in history. You will discover how unprepared God's people typically are! When God moves in new and dramatic ways it is invariably "outside of the box", not like what we would expect. In fact, this is so true that these moves of God stir up great controversy and divisions within the status quo Church. And there is probably a lot of that "status quo" within all of us that needs top get shook
up and disposed of before the Spirit will have the freedom to do His thing.
The following is a good illustration of how God both commands and enables us to obey his commands (an Old Testament professor in college put it this way: "God's commandments are His enablements"):
In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God...High above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire; and brilliant light surrounded him...This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD [YHWH]. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
He said to me, "Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you!" As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me... (Ezekiel 1:1,26b-2:2)
Prepare (be aware of how He is speaking and working in you)!
Sunday, February 14, 2016
super bowl prophecy
Those of you who have been reading my posts over the past year know that I highly value the prophetic. I agree with the teaching that Scripture is the standard by which all else is to be judged. But the prophetic gift is given to encourage and clue us in to what God is up to in the present. As Amos 3:7 tells us, "Surely the Sovereign LORD [YHWH] does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets." If you check out both Biblical prophecies as well as non-Biblical ones you will notice that some of them don't fit into any neat category of how we think God should speak (once a friend responded to my telling him about a prophetic word by saying, "God doesn't talk like that."). The following may seem that way to some of you, but it has served to stir up some helpful insights which I'd like to share.
About 20 or so years ago one of the most respected of modern day prophets, Bob Jones (not the founder of the university with that name), who is no longer with us, said that the Lord told him that when the Carolina Panthers won the Super Bowl it would be an indicator of the beginning of a new Great Awakening. So you can imagine my interest in the Big game between the Panthers and the Broncos was quite high. And my emotional state was quite low at the Panther's loss. As I mulled over what significance to put on all this, if any, I was pleased that the following insight(s) came to me.
First of all it must be noted that there have been many, many prophetic words given over the last quarter century about a coming great revival/awakening that will usher in the final harvest of souls before the Lord's return. It will eclipse every previous revival/awakening in church history, including the first century one. None of these previous moves of God fulfilled Jesus' own prophecy that those who believe in him will be able to do even greater works than he did. This last move will also fulfill the prophecy that Jesus' first miracle (changing water into wine at the wedding in Cana) spoke of - God is saving His best wine for last. Nothing has grabbed my attention or fueled my passion more than to read and hear about (and of course, want to participate in) this last and greatest move of God's Spirit.
So, if this long awaited and longed for event has been postponed for at least another year, what am I to do in the meantime? The answer to that question is "preparation!" My take on this super bowl prophecy about the Panthers and their loss is that it was a reminder that Jesus' prophecy that "the harvest is the end of the age" is very close and God wants us to be aware and prepared for that time. Both Biblical and contemporary prophecies are given, not to stir up our curiosity and prove how cool God is to foretell the future. No! God wants us to be ready, to be prepared for what He is about to do.
As disappointed as I was that the Panthers lost the Super Bowl, once I began to think more deeply about it and ask God the meaning of it, I actually began to feel not so bad about it because I saw that indeed I and most others are probably, indeed, not prepared for what is coming. We tend to think that we just need to be forewarned about bad things that are coming. But in actuality we need to be forewarned just as much about the blessings that are coming or we would be in the greatest of danger of either missing them altogether (because they probably will not look like what we were expecting), or of squandering those blessings - not treasuring and handling them in an appropriate way.
Years ago God spoke to me as I was working as a painter, spending a lot of time trying to get a door ready for varnishing that had some cat scratchings on it. I was rather peeved at the time that it was taking to get this part of the door smooth enough and looking just right so that when the coat(s) of varnish were finally put on it would look just right. Even though I didn't hear these exact words (it was more of an impression), in essence what God said to me was, "Bruce, just as you as a painter are wanting to do good work, taking however long is necessary in the preparation part, so that the finished product will be of the highest quality, so am I spending a long time in preparing my people to be able to receive my glory." Any painter worth his salt will tell you that most of his work is taken up in preparation. The actual putting on of the paint is relatively easy and quick. If the preparation part is done too quickly and not carefully enough, the danger increases that the paint will either peel or simply not look as nice as it could have. The lesson I learned was so clear and equally applicable in the spiritual realm as in the physical: if you want something to last, to have enduring qualities, as well as to truly shine (radiate glory), devote the time necessary to preparation. God wants us ready for the awesome move of His Spirit that is coming! We have no time to waste. We cannot get sidetracked by things that are not in the flow of His moving. Our focus must be on drawing closer to Him every day, hearing His voice, and being quick to obey. The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. If we lose our proper focus we are in danger of missing out (maybe not totally, but to some degree) on what will be the greatest move of God in history - the harvest, which is what will bring this present age to an end.
About 20 or so years ago one of the most respected of modern day prophets, Bob Jones (not the founder of the university with that name), who is no longer with us, said that the Lord told him that when the Carolina Panthers won the Super Bowl it would be an indicator of the beginning of a new Great Awakening. So you can imagine my interest in the Big game between the Panthers and the Broncos was quite high. And my emotional state was quite low at the Panther's loss. As I mulled over what significance to put on all this, if any, I was pleased that the following insight(s) came to me.
First of all it must be noted that there have been many, many prophetic words given over the last quarter century about a coming great revival/awakening that will usher in the final harvest of souls before the Lord's return. It will eclipse every previous revival/awakening in church history, including the first century one. None of these previous moves of God fulfilled Jesus' own prophecy that those who believe in him will be able to do even greater works than he did. This last move will also fulfill the prophecy that Jesus' first miracle (changing water into wine at the wedding in Cana) spoke of - God is saving His best wine for last. Nothing has grabbed my attention or fueled my passion more than to read and hear about (and of course, want to participate in) this last and greatest move of God's Spirit.
So, if this long awaited and longed for event has been postponed for at least another year, what am I to do in the meantime? The answer to that question is "preparation!" My take on this super bowl prophecy about the Panthers and their loss is that it was a reminder that Jesus' prophecy that "the harvest is the end of the age" is very close and God wants us to be aware and prepared for that time. Both Biblical and contemporary prophecies are given, not to stir up our curiosity and prove how cool God is to foretell the future. No! God wants us to be ready, to be prepared for what He is about to do.
As disappointed as I was that the Panthers lost the Super Bowl, once I began to think more deeply about it and ask God the meaning of it, I actually began to feel not so bad about it because I saw that indeed I and most others are probably, indeed, not prepared for what is coming. We tend to think that we just need to be forewarned about bad things that are coming. But in actuality we need to be forewarned just as much about the blessings that are coming or we would be in the greatest of danger of either missing them altogether (because they probably will not look like what we were expecting), or of squandering those blessings - not treasuring and handling them in an appropriate way.
Years ago God spoke to me as I was working as a painter, spending a lot of time trying to get a door ready for varnishing that had some cat scratchings on it. I was rather peeved at the time that it was taking to get this part of the door smooth enough and looking just right so that when the coat(s) of varnish were finally put on it would look just right. Even though I didn't hear these exact words (it was more of an impression), in essence what God said to me was, "Bruce, just as you as a painter are wanting to do good work, taking however long is necessary in the preparation part, so that the finished product will be of the highest quality, so am I spending a long time in preparing my people to be able to receive my glory." Any painter worth his salt will tell you that most of his work is taken up in preparation. The actual putting on of the paint is relatively easy and quick. If the preparation part is done too quickly and not carefully enough, the danger increases that the paint will either peel or simply not look as nice as it could have. The lesson I learned was so clear and equally applicable in the spiritual realm as in the physical: if you want something to last, to have enduring qualities, as well as to truly shine (radiate glory), devote the time necessary to preparation. God wants us ready for the awesome move of His Spirit that is coming! We have no time to waste. We cannot get sidetracked by things that are not in the flow of His moving. Our focus must be on drawing closer to Him every day, hearing His voice, and being quick to obey. The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. If we lose our proper focus we are in danger of missing out (maybe not totally, but to some degree) on what will be the greatest move of God in history - the harvest, which is what will bring this present age to an end.
Saturday, January 23, 2016
Creator's signature
Where is it that we find God doing His most amazing (creative) work? Is it with the really smart people, or those who are the best managers, or those who really have their act together"? Does God do His best work in the well lit halls of academia, or in those churches with such gifted leaders that many flock to hear their "annointed preaching"? God surely does work in all of these situations. But what I'm asking is, where does He do His best work? Where do you think He really enjoys doing His stuff the most? What really gets His creative juices flowing?
Consider the very first recorded work of God in Genesis 1:1-2. Most carpenters will tell you that they prefer to build a house from scratch. To have to remodel a ramshackle place that has fallen into disrepair is such a pain (depending, of course, on how bad the condition is) because before you can even start on the construction part you have to tear down and clear out the broken and decayed parts first. If God thought like us I'm sure He would have preferred to start creating from scratch too. But did God really create this world 'ex nihilo', out of nothing, as most theologians will tell us? Well, maybe He did in Gen. 1:1, but what's with the next verse? "Now the earth was formless and void, darkness was over the surface of the deep." I had always assumed (and was probably taught) that Gen. 1:1 ["In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."] was like a heading, or a summary, of what was to follow. But I know of one Bible teacher who believes that a catastrophic event occurred between verses 1 and 2 that Scripture simply omits. His basis for this interpretation are the adjectives used in verse 2 to describe the "materials", as it were, that God had to work with in the beginning. The words translated "formless and void" are words that typically would be used to describe the aftermath of a great battle where complete devastation has occurred. So this commentator has posited the idea that between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 something very traumatic, like a cosmic battle, has occurred, leaving God with an earth that was "formless and void" to begin this most amazing creation that we are presently a part of.
If this seems a bit far out, fast forward to an even more incredible, out of the box, work of this most amazing God. It's what we call the work of redemption, most eloquently prophesied of by Isaiah in chapter 53. This was so far out of the box that Jesus' own closest disciples didn't get it even though he told them straight up and had spent 3 years preparing them for it. When Jesus died all their hopes died with him. They were convinced it had all been for naught. They had no hope whatsoever that God could turn this greatest of catastrophes around. It was Genesis 1:2 all over again. "Formless and void" would be a good description of how they felt then.
Years later, in his letter to the Corinthians, Paul reminds them of this most creative way that God works. It was his signature in the beginning, at redemption, and continues to be in His dealings with humankind.
We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles . . . For the
foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's
strength . . .
Brethren, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish
things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the
strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are
not - to nullify the things that are . . . (I Cor. 1:23-28)
It is time for us to wake up to this most amazing truth. We have been lulled into a spiritual stupor by a religion that says all the right things but is devoid of the power that those words point to [The picture that comes to mind is the king of Rohan in The Lord of the Rings who has been stupified by his "counselor" who has been adding a poison to his drinks little by little.]. Like Robert the Bruce it is time to wake up to the devastation the enemy has wrought all around us and in us and say, "No more! I will stand up and do whatever it takes to take back my rightful inheritance, to be the king I was called to be!" It is time to follow the example of Francis of Assissi, who said, "Preach the Gospel at all times; when necessary, use words." Our leader, Jesus Christ - Yeshua Hamashiac - began his ministry with these following words, and he bids us to do the same:
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD [YHWH] is on me, because the LORD [YHWH] has
annointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenheartened, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the LORD's [YHWH's] favor . . . to comfort all who mourn, and to provide for those who grieve in
Zion - to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD [YHWH] for the display of His splendor."
(Isaiah 61:1-3)
Consider the very first recorded work of God in Genesis 1:1-2. Most carpenters will tell you that they prefer to build a house from scratch. To have to remodel a ramshackle place that has fallen into disrepair is such a pain (depending, of course, on how bad the condition is) because before you can even start on the construction part you have to tear down and clear out the broken and decayed parts first. If God thought like us I'm sure He would have preferred to start creating from scratch too. But did God really create this world 'ex nihilo', out of nothing, as most theologians will tell us? Well, maybe He did in Gen. 1:1, but what's with the next verse? "Now the earth was formless and void, darkness was over the surface of the deep." I had always assumed (and was probably taught) that Gen. 1:1 ["In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."] was like a heading, or a summary, of what was to follow. But I know of one Bible teacher who believes that a catastrophic event occurred between verses 1 and 2 that Scripture simply omits. His basis for this interpretation are the adjectives used in verse 2 to describe the "materials", as it were, that God had to work with in the beginning. The words translated "formless and void" are words that typically would be used to describe the aftermath of a great battle where complete devastation has occurred. So this commentator has posited the idea that between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 something very traumatic, like a cosmic battle, has occurred, leaving God with an earth that was "formless and void" to begin this most amazing creation that we are presently a part of.
If this seems a bit far out, fast forward to an even more incredible, out of the box, work of this most amazing God. It's what we call the work of redemption, most eloquently prophesied of by Isaiah in chapter 53. This was so far out of the box that Jesus' own closest disciples didn't get it even though he told them straight up and had spent 3 years preparing them for it. When Jesus died all their hopes died with him. They were convinced it had all been for naught. They had no hope whatsoever that God could turn this greatest of catastrophes around. It was Genesis 1:2 all over again. "Formless and void" would be a good description of how they felt then.
Years later, in his letter to the Corinthians, Paul reminds them of this most creative way that God works. It was his signature in the beginning, at redemption, and continues to be in His dealings with humankind.
We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles . . . For the
foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's
strength . . .
Brethren, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish
things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the
strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are
not - to nullify the things that are . . . (I Cor. 1:23-28)
It is time for us to wake up to this most amazing truth. We have been lulled into a spiritual stupor by a religion that says all the right things but is devoid of the power that those words point to [The picture that comes to mind is the king of Rohan in The Lord of the Rings who has been stupified by his "counselor" who has been adding a poison to his drinks little by little.]. Like Robert the Bruce it is time to wake up to the devastation the enemy has wrought all around us and in us and say, "No more! I will stand up and do whatever it takes to take back my rightful inheritance, to be the king I was called to be!" It is time to follow the example of Francis of Assissi, who said, "Preach the Gospel at all times; when necessary, use words." Our leader, Jesus Christ - Yeshua Hamashiac - began his ministry with these following words, and he bids us to do the same:
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD [YHWH] is on me, because the LORD [YHWH] has
annointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenheartened, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the LORD's [YHWH's] favor . . . to comfort all who mourn, and to provide for those who grieve in
Zion - to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD [YHWH] for the display of His splendor."
(Isaiah 61:1-3)
Saturday, January 16, 2016
the overcomer
I recently watched the movie Braveheart again and decided that this film is my all-time favorite. As compelling and moving as the main character William Wallace is, it is the subplot of that story, led by Robert the Bruce, that really grabs me. My mother named me after him because of the Scottish ancestry that I have. It's a shame that a sequel was never made to this movie showing how Robert the Bruce was able to finish the work of freeing Scotland from England's tyranny. Through most of Braveheart Robert the Bruce is seen as a weak and ineffective leader, unable to overcome the influence of his father and the other Scottish noblemen. These "noble"men had maintained their wealth, lands and status by compromising and acquiescing to the demands of the ruthless English king known as "Longshanks". Robert the Bruce was the recognized and rightful heir to Scotland's throne but was unable to assume that position because of the powerful grip that the English king had over his people, especially the landed nobility. When William Wallace led a successful grassroots, popular uprising against the English, Robert the Bruce greatly admired him and would have openly joined forces with Wallace. But his father and the the other "noble"men only saw Wallace as a threat to the cozy relationship they had with the English king and they succeeded in keeping Robert from following his heart. He was a tormented man. On the one hand he longed to follow the lead and the courage of this commoner, Wallace, and be the true king he knew he really was. But for so long he was unable to break free from the influence of his father and his peers.
The turning point finally came after a battle where he wanders amidst the corpses of his dead countrymen who had died trying to gain their freedom and he realizes how much he has contributed to that slaughter by his own cowardice and refusal to openly support Wallace. You can see the anguish on his face begin to change into a resolve, "Never again! Never again will I give in to my fears! I will fulfill my calling and my destiny!" He goes home to his father, who is near the end of his life which had become so perverted and twisted in the effort to maintain his position by any means possible (other than a truly noble means), and tells him, full of passion, that he is finally done with the sham that his father has tried to foist on him. He father responds, "Good! So you have finally learned to hate!" Robert turns to leave and his parting words to his father is, "My hate will die with you!" He had finally learned to love what a righteous and noble king is supposed to love - truth, justice, and freedom - and he could turn his back on fear and hatred.
In one of the final scenes of this film, the princess of Wales is in Wallace's prison cell begging him to give a show of loyalty to the English king so as to avert the certain torture and death that awaited him. In response, Wallace utters the most memorable lines of the whole movie, "All men die. Few men really live,"
Do you want to really live? Do you, do I, have the courage to really live? Are you aware that the first type of person on the list of those who are thrown into the lake of fire is not the sexually immoral or even the unbeliever, but rather the cowardly (Revelation 21:8)?!
Robert the Bruce is even more of a hero to me than William Wallace because he had to overcome even more than Wallace had to. Once Wallace had lost his bride to the English he had little else to lose. It didn't take that much for him to become a freedom fighter. Robert, on the other hand, had so much more to lose: his wealth, his status and his high calling to govern and lead his people as their king. It was no simple decision for him turn against the English king. To do that also meant turning against his own father and the lords and nobility who were his peers. He truly had become an overcomer. I want to be like him . . . and so can you.
"Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at
the door and knock. If anyone hear my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with
him, and he with me.
To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame
and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit
says to the churches."
(Revelation 3:19-22)
The turning point finally came after a battle where he wanders amidst the corpses of his dead countrymen who had died trying to gain their freedom and he realizes how much he has contributed to that slaughter by his own cowardice and refusal to openly support Wallace. You can see the anguish on his face begin to change into a resolve, "Never again! Never again will I give in to my fears! I will fulfill my calling and my destiny!" He goes home to his father, who is near the end of his life which had become so perverted and twisted in the effort to maintain his position by any means possible (other than a truly noble means), and tells him, full of passion, that he is finally done with the sham that his father has tried to foist on him. He father responds, "Good! So you have finally learned to hate!" Robert turns to leave and his parting words to his father is, "My hate will die with you!" He had finally learned to love what a righteous and noble king is supposed to love - truth, justice, and freedom - and he could turn his back on fear and hatred.
In one of the final scenes of this film, the princess of Wales is in Wallace's prison cell begging him to give a show of loyalty to the English king so as to avert the certain torture and death that awaited him. In response, Wallace utters the most memorable lines of the whole movie, "All men die. Few men really live,"
Do you want to really live? Do you, do I, have the courage to really live? Are you aware that the first type of person on the list of those who are thrown into the lake of fire is not the sexually immoral or even the unbeliever, but rather the cowardly (Revelation 21:8)?!
Robert the Bruce is even more of a hero to me than William Wallace because he had to overcome even more than Wallace had to. Once Wallace had lost his bride to the English he had little else to lose. It didn't take that much for him to become a freedom fighter. Robert, on the other hand, had so much more to lose: his wealth, his status and his high calling to govern and lead his people as their king. It was no simple decision for him turn against the English king. To do that also meant turning against his own father and the lords and nobility who were his peers. He truly had become an overcomer. I want to be like him . . . and so can you.
"Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at
the door and knock. If anyone hear my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with
him, and he with me.
To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame
and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit
says to the churches."
(Revelation 3:19-22)
Sunday, January 10, 2016
the joy of diversity
In politically correct thinking, diversity has been an important word to describe the need to include all types of people in the political process and in ensuring equal human rights for all, regardless of race, gender, creed, or (and here is where many of faith or conservative values take issue) sexual orientation. As a result, to many, "diversity" has become a kind of dirty word, a word with a negative connotation. I would like to retrieve it and give it the positive connotation it deserves, but for a better reason than to be politically correct.
What is the very first picture we are given of God in Scripture? Creator. In John 1 we are told that our Savior, Jesus, is in fact the Creator, the one who spoke all things into existence. Creativity is central, foundational, to who God is and our understanding of Him. And anyone who has a creative bone in their body will tell you that diversity and creativity go hand-in-hand. It doesn't take the mind of a brain surgeon to see and appreciate the incredible diversity that is evident in God's creation. It simply boggles the mind to think that of all the countless billions upon billions of snowflakes that have ever fallen, no two have ever been alike. In every realm and sphere of nature, of this universe (or "multiverse" as some are now calling it), one is met with mind-boggling creativity and diversity!
Just having the privilege of being the father of 9 children is enough to help me appreciate both the creativity and diversity of our Creator. Aren't you glad that God isn't into cloning? I couldn't imagine anything more boring than to live in a world filled with people just like me!
And yet, though we appreciate and celebrate creativity/diversity, there is a fear that can grip us when we encounter people or situations that are too different than what we are familiar with. At such times we need to remind ourselves of the Creator-God whom we worship, who loves diversity. He loves to do things differently than how He did it in the past. Have you noticed the many different ways in which Jesus healed people? No cookie-cutter approach there! Why did he appear to the two on the road to Emmaus "in a different form" than what they were familiar with (Mark 16:12)? Why did he choose Paul to be an apostle way after his choosing of the twelve (I'm sure Paul would have liked to have been in on the inner circle of the disciples while Jesus was still alive!)?
The reason this is such an important reality to me is because I've had to come to terms with the fact that God is working in me in a very different and unique way than He is in others. I used to want to be mentored by another more mature believer who could have helped me in my own spiritual maturation. But God never supplied such a mentor for me. I've searched for a church where I could grow and develop spiritually, but that has also eluded me. Where I do find comfort is in the examples of Moses and Paul, two men whom God was able to develop spiritually quite apart from the "normal" means. I can identify with the years that they both spent in the wilderness trying to figure what in the world God was up to in their lives. And I especially appreciate looking over the list of the heroes of faith listed in Hebrews 11 and noticing that the only thing they all had in common was that God did a unique work in each of them - there were no two experiences alike. That's why they ended up in the faith hall of fame!
So I want to encourage any of you out there who may be struggling, as I have been, in understanding what God is up to in our lives. His ways are certainly not our ways, that is a certainty! Instead of trying to look like others or fit in with the crowd (yes, even if it's a spiritual crowd), let's remind ourselves that we serve and worship a creative God who takes real delight in diversity. Let that stimulate our faith and drive away the fear that would rob us of His joy, which indeed, will be our strength.
"O afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted,
I will build you with stones of turquoise,
your foundations with sapphires.
I will make your battlements of rubies,
your gates of sparkling jewels,
and all your walls of precious stones . . .
"See, it is I who created the blacksmith
who fans the coals into flame
and forges a weapon fit for its work.
And it is I who have created the destroyer to work havoc;
no weapon forged against you will prevail,
and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD [YHWH],
and this is their vindication from me,"
declares the LORD [YHWH].
(Isaiah 54:16-17)
What is the very first picture we are given of God in Scripture? Creator. In John 1 we are told that our Savior, Jesus, is in fact the Creator, the one who spoke all things into existence. Creativity is central, foundational, to who God is and our understanding of Him. And anyone who has a creative bone in their body will tell you that diversity and creativity go hand-in-hand. It doesn't take the mind of a brain surgeon to see and appreciate the incredible diversity that is evident in God's creation. It simply boggles the mind to think that of all the countless billions upon billions of snowflakes that have ever fallen, no two have ever been alike. In every realm and sphere of nature, of this universe (or "multiverse" as some are now calling it), one is met with mind-boggling creativity and diversity!
Just having the privilege of being the father of 9 children is enough to help me appreciate both the creativity and diversity of our Creator. Aren't you glad that God isn't into cloning? I couldn't imagine anything more boring than to live in a world filled with people just like me!
And yet, though we appreciate and celebrate creativity/diversity, there is a fear that can grip us when we encounter people or situations that are too different than what we are familiar with. At such times we need to remind ourselves of the Creator-God whom we worship, who loves diversity. He loves to do things differently than how He did it in the past. Have you noticed the many different ways in which Jesus healed people? No cookie-cutter approach there! Why did he appear to the two on the road to Emmaus "in a different form" than what they were familiar with (Mark 16:12)? Why did he choose Paul to be an apostle way after his choosing of the twelve (I'm sure Paul would have liked to have been in on the inner circle of the disciples while Jesus was still alive!)?
The reason this is such an important reality to me is because I've had to come to terms with the fact that God is working in me in a very different and unique way than He is in others. I used to want to be mentored by another more mature believer who could have helped me in my own spiritual maturation. But God never supplied such a mentor for me. I've searched for a church where I could grow and develop spiritually, but that has also eluded me. Where I do find comfort is in the examples of Moses and Paul, two men whom God was able to develop spiritually quite apart from the "normal" means. I can identify with the years that they both spent in the wilderness trying to figure what in the world God was up to in their lives. And I especially appreciate looking over the list of the heroes of faith listed in Hebrews 11 and noticing that the only thing they all had in common was that God did a unique work in each of them - there were no two experiences alike. That's why they ended up in the faith hall of fame!
So I want to encourage any of you out there who may be struggling, as I have been, in understanding what God is up to in our lives. His ways are certainly not our ways, that is a certainty! Instead of trying to look like others or fit in with the crowd (yes, even if it's a spiritual crowd), let's remind ourselves that we serve and worship a creative God who takes real delight in diversity. Let that stimulate our faith and drive away the fear that would rob us of His joy, which indeed, will be our strength.
"O afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted,
I will build you with stones of turquoise,
your foundations with sapphires.
I will make your battlements of rubies,
your gates of sparkling jewels,
and all your walls of precious stones . . .
"See, it is I who created the blacksmith
who fans the coals into flame
and forges a weapon fit for its work.
And it is I who have created the destroyer to work havoc;
no weapon forged against you will prevail,
and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD [YHWH],
and this is their vindication from me,"
declares the LORD [YHWH].
(Isaiah 54:16-17)
kairos time
I can't remember if I've talked about the difference between "kronos" time and "kairos" time in this blog, but it's an important enough reality that it's worth repeating if I have. These are two Greek words used in the New Testament. Kronos refers to time as we normally think about it. It is the passage of time that can be measured by a clock or a calendar. Kairos, on the other hand, refers to a special time - the right time, a critical time, God's timing. You may be familiar with the Scripture, "at the right time (kairos) Christ died for the ungodly". But why is it important to know the difference between these two kinds of time? Here's one good reason. We will never develop patience if we are more focused on kronos time then kairos time, and without patience we will never see the fulfillment of God's promises to us. The author of Hebrews tells us that it takes both "faith and patience to inherit the promises (6:12)." Once we understand the importance of God's timing it becomes much easier to exercise patience. It is this awareness that has helped me so much over this past year as I have sought to draw near to God. At times I tend to doubt or get discouraged, thinking, "I've done my part to pray and seek Him out - why has He not responded and fulfilled His side of the bargain ('Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.")?" When these thoughts rise up within me I have to remind myself, " . . . in due time (kairos) He will raise you up (I Pet. 5:6)."
For those of you who have seen the film Braveheart, you may remember the scene at the beginning of one of the battles where William Wallace is instructing his men on the proper timing for raising the long, pointed stakes that are intended to impale the first onslaught of their enemy's cavalry. William's rag-tag army seemed desperately out-manned and out-gunned by the far superior, professional forces of the English. But William was depending on the element of surprise and proper timing to overcome those odds. If those spears or stakes were raised too soon, the English cavalry would simply veer off and come at them again from a different direction. But if William's men were patient enough to wait until the horses were almost upon them, and then raise those spears, the mounted knights would not be able to stop their momentum and their doom would be ensured. In the early days of the use of guns, when the guns could not shoot very far and were not very accurate, you may have heard the expression, "Don't shoot until you can see the whites of their eyes" - same idea as Wallace's with the spears. The tendency, in the heat of the battle when the adrenaline is flowing, is to jump the gun and thereby lose your advantage. It takes well-trained soldiers to wait until that critical moment (kairos) to spring the trap on the enemy. In Braveheart, as the heavily armed cavalry is gaining speed and quickly closing the gap, you hear Wallace shouting out to his men, "Not yet! Not yet!" Your own heart is racing as you observe this very tense scene, wondering and hoping if these men will get the timing right and be able to successfully halt this terrible onslaught.
I think this can give us a clue as to why it is so important to wait for God's timing. The most often used title for God in the Scriptures is not Savior or Redeemer, but rather "the Lord of Hosts (Armies)". He has a divine strategy for overcoming our enemy and it behooves us to develop a keen ear to his commands. If we fail to hear His voice at the critical (kairos) time we will lose our advantage over the enemy. It is one thing to know the will of God but it is just as critical to know when to carry out that act of obedience. Jesus knew that he had come into the world to die for our sins, but more than once he would say to his disciples, "my time (kairos) is not yet," and he would evade those who sought to kill him. But when the time was right, he submitted to his captors willingly. How did he know the right time? He lived his whole life doing that simple (but not easy) thing James tells all of us to do - "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." The closer you are to the Father the more clearly you will hear His voice and discern the right timing in the carrying out of His commands.
Because of a prophetic word I'd received years ago (see my July 14 and 29 blog) I was hoping this Fall would be a breakthrough time for me, because it was in the middle of the Jewish (sacred) calendar year, which begins in the Spring with Passover. But nothing noteworthy happened this Fall, so obviously I was not hearing the Father's voice clearly in that regard. I could pout about it and let discouragement get me down. Or I could continue to exercise patience and perseverance in my pursuit of God, knowing that no one who puts their trust in Him, and continues to seek Him, will ever be put to shame or let down. Did Jesus ever promise that following him would be easy, or that the Father would answer our prayers when we wanted them answered? It has been said that anything that comes too quickly or easily is either not worth very much or will not be properly valued. There are a few things that we will go through "hell and high water" for in the physical realm. Why should we be surprised if it's not the same in the spiritual realm? Are we willing to pursue Him, and wait on Him for the right (kairos) timing to carry out His will in our lives?
This is what the LORD [YHWH] says -
the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel -
to him who was despised and abhorred . . .
the servant of rulers . . .
"In the time of my favor [kairos time] I will answer you,
and in the day of salvation I will help you . . .
(Isaiah 49:7-8)
For those of you who have seen the film Braveheart, you may remember the scene at the beginning of one of the battles where William Wallace is instructing his men on the proper timing for raising the long, pointed stakes that are intended to impale the first onslaught of their enemy's cavalry. William's rag-tag army seemed desperately out-manned and out-gunned by the far superior, professional forces of the English. But William was depending on the element of surprise and proper timing to overcome those odds. If those spears or stakes were raised too soon, the English cavalry would simply veer off and come at them again from a different direction. But if William's men were patient enough to wait until the horses were almost upon them, and then raise those spears, the mounted knights would not be able to stop their momentum and their doom would be ensured. In the early days of the use of guns, when the guns could not shoot very far and were not very accurate, you may have heard the expression, "Don't shoot until you can see the whites of their eyes" - same idea as Wallace's with the spears. The tendency, in the heat of the battle when the adrenaline is flowing, is to jump the gun and thereby lose your advantage. It takes well-trained soldiers to wait until that critical moment (kairos) to spring the trap on the enemy. In Braveheart, as the heavily armed cavalry is gaining speed and quickly closing the gap, you hear Wallace shouting out to his men, "Not yet! Not yet!" Your own heart is racing as you observe this very tense scene, wondering and hoping if these men will get the timing right and be able to successfully halt this terrible onslaught.
I think this can give us a clue as to why it is so important to wait for God's timing. The most often used title for God in the Scriptures is not Savior or Redeemer, but rather "the Lord of Hosts (Armies)". He has a divine strategy for overcoming our enemy and it behooves us to develop a keen ear to his commands. If we fail to hear His voice at the critical (kairos) time we will lose our advantage over the enemy. It is one thing to know the will of God but it is just as critical to know when to carry out that act of obedience. Jesus knew that he had come into the world to die for our sins, but more than once he would say to his disciples, "my time (kairos) is not yet," and he would evade those who sought to kill him. But when the time was right, he submitted to his captors willingly. How did he know the right time? He lived his whole life doing that simple (but not easy) thing James tells all of us to do - "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." The closer you are to the Father the more clearly you will hear His voice and discern the right timing in the carrying out of His commands.
Because of a prophetic word I'd received years ago (see my July 14 and 29 blog) I was hoping this Fall would be a breakthrough time for me, because it was in the middle of the Jewish (sacred) calendar year, which begins in the Spring with Passover. But nothing noteworthy happened this Fall, so obviously I was not hearing the Father's voice clearly in that regard. I could pout about it and let discouragement get me down. Or I could continue to exercise patience and perseverance in my pursuit of God, knowing that no one who puts their trust in Him, and continues to seek Him, will ever be put to shame or let down. Did Jesus ever promise that following him would be easy, or that the Father would answer our prayers when we wanted them answered? It has been said that anything that comes too quickly or easily is either not worth very much or will not be properly valued. There are a few things that we will go through "hell and high water" for in the physical realm. Why should we be surprised if it's not the same in the spiritual realm? Are we willing to pursue Him, and wait on Him for the right (kairos) timing to carry out His will in our lives?
This is what the LORD [YHWH] says -
the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel -
to him who was despised and abhorred . . .
the servant of rulers . . .
"In the time of my favor [kairos time] I will answer you,
and in the day of salvation I will help you . . .
(Isaiah 49:7-8)
Friday, January 1, 2016
traumatized ducks
Life is difficult. Have you noticed? For some, it goes beyond difficult to traumatic. We've heard a lot about soldiers returning from combat who experience "post traumatic stress disorder", PTSD. A sister-in-law of mine recently went to a workshop to understand better how PTSD is a very real reality among the civilian population, not just in the military. That's because in the spiritual realm we are all soldiers in a life and death battle against an enemy who doesn't fight fair, who delights in turning families and churches into war zones. In the very places where there should be healing and restoration, all too often we find tension, distrust, criticism, even out and out attacks and tearing down of others. Some seem able to survive such conflict relatively unscathed, but many with more sensitive natures show all the same symptoms of a soldier who's been traumatized by the horrors of the battlefield.
Animals can also be traumatized. This Fall we were given 5 ducks to take care of. The only facility we had for them was with our chickens, so that's where they ended up. They had been raised in someone's backyard where I think there may have been a few chickens around as well. It's always somewhat traumatic, though, to move an animal (or a person) away from the familiar environment they grew up in to a new and unfamiliar place. But what made this transition even more traumatic for these ducks was that all of a sudden they were thrown together with 25 chickens who already had their pecking order figured out. So these newcomer ducks were forced to the bottom of this societal order, even if they were birds of a different feather. And yes, birds of a feather do indeed flock together, whether it's to pick on the new guys or if it's to flee from the persecution from the "higher uppers".These poor ducks would spend the whole day huddling together in a corner of the chicken coop, refusing to go outside unless I chased them out, which I did. Of course, when the chickens saw me chasing the ducks to get them to go outside, they were more then happy to join in the chase and would set up a gauntlet for the ducks to have to run through before they made their escape outside. And when it was dark, I would have to chase them back into the coop because if left to themselves they would have spent the night huddled in the corner of the chicken yard. I never saw them eat while the chickens were around the feeder (which was all the time), so I guess they scrounged food at night when the chickens went to bed.
Well, I thought that eventually things would settle down and everyone would learn to get along okay. But when weeks passed with no seeming improvement, I decided I'd better set up a different arrangement where these ducks could be on their own without having to live under the harassment of 25 chickens. So I moved them to the barn where they could share the pasture with 2 cows we recently got, which turned out to be the right move. The cows were inquisitive and curious at first with the ducks, but made their peace much quicker then the chickens had. But the ducks still haven't gotten over their nervousness and will run away as fast as they can, quacking all the while, if you try to get too close to them. Fortunately, they're finally getting used to the idea of going outside without having to be chased out. But one time when I did chase them out, they didn't stop running, and made a beeline for the fence which divides the pasture from the chicken yard. And then I witnessed a most amazing sight! Two of the ducks took to flight. Now I have seen some chickens fly a short distance, high enough to get over a five foot fence. One of these ducks did a chicken style flight. It was of short duration and not very high. But the other one - wow! - it just kept climbing higher and higher, about 20 feet up in the air, It easily flew over into the chicken yard where I guess it thought that maybe now it would be granted special privileges for showing such an awesome display of aerial skill.
There has only been one more display of this feat by the same duck, but it now seems to be content to stay more grounded. But I suspect Flying Ace has gotten a new lease on life, like those spent hens. She (or he, I don't know its gender) has discovered that she was created for more than just waddling along the ground. When the time is right I have no doubt that she will again take to flight with greater confidence and maybe even with a tinge of joy, don't you think?
Were we created for more than "waddling along the ground." nervously trying to keep our distance from everything that threatens us?
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD [YHWH] is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who wait on the LORD [YHWH]
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not faint.
(Isaiah 40:28-31)
Animals can also be traumatized. This Fall we were given 5 ducks to take care of. The only facility we had for them was with our chickens, so that's where they ended up. They had been raised in someone's backyard where I think there may have been a few chickens around as well. It's always somewhat traumatic, though, to move an animal (or a person) away from the familiar environment they grew up in to a new and unfamiliar place. But what made this transition even more traumatic for these ducks was that all of a sudden they were thrown together with 25 chickens who already had their pecking order figured out. So these newcomer ducks were forced to the bottom of this societal order, even if they were birds of a different feather. And yes, birds of a feather do indeed flock together, whether it's to pick on the new guys or if it's to flee from the persecution from the "higher uppers".These poor ducks would spend the whole day huddling together in a corner of the chicken coop, refusing to go outside unless I chased them out, which I did. Of course, when the chickens saw me chasing the ducks to get them to go outside, they were more then happy to join in the chase and would set up a gauntlet for the ducks to have to run through before they made their escape outside. And when it was dark, I would have to chase them back into the coop because if left to themselves they would have spent the night huddled in the corner of the chicken yard. I never saw them eat while the chickens were around the feeder (which was all the time), so I guess they scrounged food at night when the chickens went to bed.
Well, I thought that eventually things would settle down and everyone would learn to get along okay. But when weeks passed with no seeming improvement, I decided I'd better set up a different arrangement where these ducks could be on their own without having to live under the harassment of 25 chickens. So I moved them to the barn where they could share the pasture with 2 cows we recently got, which turned out to be the right move. The cows were inquisitive and curious at first with the ducks, but made their peace much quicker then the chickens had. But the ducks still haven't gotten over their nervousness and will run away as fast as they can, quacking all the while, if you try to get too close to them. Fortunately, they're finally getting used to the idea of going outside without having to be chased out. But one time when I did chase them out, they didn't stop running, and made a beeline for the fence which divides the pasture from the chicken yard. And then I witnessed a most amazing sight! Two of the ducks took to flight. Now I have seen some chickens fly a short distance, high enough to get over a five foot fence. One of these ducks did a chicken style flight. It was of short duration and not very high. But the other one - wow! - it just kept climbing higher and higher, about 20 feet up in the air, It easily flew over into the chicken yard where I guess it thought that maybe now it would be granted special privileges for showing such an awesome display of aerial skill.
There has only been one more display of this feat by the same duck, but it now seems to be content to stay more grounded. But I suspect Flying Ace has gotten a new lease on life, like those spent hens. She (or he, I don't know its gender) has discovered that she was created for more than just waddling along the ground. When the time is right I have no doubt that she will again take to flight with greater confidence and maybe even with a tinge of joy, don't you think?
Were we created for more than "waddling along the ground." nervously trying to keep our distance from everything that threatens us?
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD [YHWH] is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who wait on the LORD [YHWH]
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not faint.
(Isaiah 40:28-31)
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