I was reading on Crossinthewilderness.blogspot.com and the author, Bonita, was talking about how the trials we go through can show us where our weaknesses are.
This got me thinking about the current difficulties in my life and what the Lord is showing me and how my weaknesses must be submitted to God for His enabling Grace to do its transforming work.
One of the things I have been asking the Lord about is 'how do you deal with difficult people?'
After having this thought in the back of my brain for a couple of months, I felt this thought coming to me:
"I deal with YOU, don't I? You can deal with others the same way I deal with you.'
Oh.... o.k....
I had been so focused on how OTHERS personalities are so difficult or trying and how they should try to change how THEY act, but I forgot about the plank in my own eye.
Then I thought about how we as people deal with young children. We are patient (for the most part) with their fumblings and mistakes; we deal compassionately with their little personalities.
I felt like the Lord was showing me that that is how he dealt with the disciples and how he also views us modern day disciples.
The Lord's flesh and soul were under His submission through the Spirit. People didn't 'rub him the wrong way' with their personalities because that type of reaction emanates from flesh and soul. He sees humanity with an eye of love and compassion, like a Father to his children.
This same spirit must be manifest in ME through the Spirit - die to flesh and submit my soul to the direction of the Holy Spirit within.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Consuming Fire of Love
"As you go through the history of the early church you will see
suffering, sacrifice, hardship, persecution and spiritual opposition,
mixed with joy, humor, hope, not a little determination and an almost
inconceivable commitment to the cause of Christ. And all of those
things taken together illustrate one all-important dynamic that I believe
has been mostly lost over these past two thousand years of practiced
religion - a true, life-changing reality of Christ in the hearts and lives of
believers!
And, I believe this reality can only be found in the atmosphere and
activity of His true church. It is a reality of Christ that can only be
found in a moment-by-moment relationship with Him, where He is the
first thing we think about when we wake up in the morning and the last
thing we think about before we go to sleep at night. It is a reality that
melts our hearts as we experience His love and a reality that makes us
eager to know His purposes and willing to obey His every word. A
reality that demonstrates the depths of His kindness and mercy, the
scope of which constantly amazes us. The reality of a Lord that is so
great that we know our constant praise of Him will never adequately
define His greatness! A reality that takes us from glory to glory
(actually from one personal experience to the next), transforming us
into His wonderful image and a reality of Christ that constrains and
consumes us. Then finally, it is a reality that causes us to know with
certainty that His church is not comprised of some group that meets
together on Sunday morning in the big building on the corner to enjoy
their multimedia presentation, promote their programs and perpetuate
their traditions and rituals. It is, instead, made up of people all over
the world who meet with Him continually and individually, striving to
maintain a personal relationship of intimacy with Him."
Oh, my goodness! This is the heartfelt expression of Ken Brown from the introduction of his
chronological arrangement of the New Testament.
Parts I REALLY like:
"It is a reality of Christ that can only be
found in a moment-by-moment relationship with Him, where He is the
first thing we think about when we wake up in the morning and the last
thing we think about before we go to sleep at night"
My heart is on fire with Love for you Lord and you
truly are on my mind from my first waking to my laying down of my head at night.
and:
"The reality of a Lord that is so
great that we know our constant praise of Him will never adequately
define His greatness!"
It is frustrating to be limited by my meager vocabulary in proclaiming my praises to my great God.
and finally:
The part that he put in italics at the end. How naive to think that our 'services' can ever substitute for the fullness of a life lived out on a moment by moment basis in the presence of the Father! The traditional, institutional mind frame has us viewing 'church attendance' as the 'main course' of our fellow shipping with the Father when in reality, he desires to make our whole daily existence a buffet that both us and Him are continually partaking of.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Gimme that old time religion-but not THEIR way
I was thinking earlier today about all the many, many churches that you can find on the street corners of our cities. Many of them have been there for years.
I started thinking about one church that I had heard about which recently celebrated their 100+ year anniversary. At the time, I thought 'wow, they've been around a long time' and didn't give it too much more thought.
But today, I started thinking, why would a 'church' boast about how long it's been in existence?
It seems that the Father was always on the move, in both the Old and New testaments. It appears that His notion of progress for His people was to initiate a project but after His purposes were fulfilled, He moved the individuals on, reorganized various people into different groupings and then began a new project for a season, after which he moved individuals on, reorganized various people into different groupings....
This pride we take in an assembly's (not 'church', WE as people are the church) longevity, I believe, is not good.
It speaks, at the least, to a lack of discerning the Father's will and at the worst to a rebellious and \hard heart.
The fluid, amoebic nature of the Body of Christ prevents it from being nailed down, boxed in, institutionalized. Each member must be free to move about this life as the Spirit gives expression - just like the Spirit Himself, This makes establishing some set-in-stone weekly, monthly, yearly programming difficult if not downright impossible.
For example, if one individual is being used of the Lord - during one season in their life- to tend to an elderly aunt's needs, however and whenever those needs arise; if another individual is led to walk among the homeless and serve them; if a family is led to take to the road and serve those the Lord brings across their path, If - on and on and on. How will these individuals (or think about even an assembly full of these type of Spirit led individuals) be able to maintain or even attend some type of set programming week in and week out?
Being tied to a weekly,monthly,yearly 'program' without allowing each individual/family the freedom to be used in this world the way the Father desires will produce a calcified, dead, powerless 'church' - isn't that what we are seeing? We make up for true 'life in Christ' by filling out ossified 'churches' with lots of activity giving the appearance of life ..."but denying the power thereof'. We become the tree Jesus cursed that had leaves but no fruit.
I started thinking about one church that I had heard about which recently celebrated their 100+ year anniversary. At the time, I thought 'wow, they've been around a long time' and didn't give it too much more thought.
But today, I started thinking, why would a 'church' boast about how long it's been in existence?
It seems that the Father was always on the move, in both the Old and New testaments. It appears that His notion of progress for His people was to initiate a project but after His purposes were fulfilled, He moved the individuals on, reorganized various people into different groupings and then began a new project for a season, after which he moved individuals on, reorganized various people into different groupings....
This pride we take in an assembly's (not 'church', WE as people are the church) longevity, I believe, is not good.
It speaks, at the least, to a lack of discerning the Father's will and at the worst to a rebellious and \hard heart.
The fluid, amoebic nature of the Body of Christ prevents it from being nailed down, boxed in, institutionalized. Each member must be free to move about this life as the Spirit gives expression - just like the Spirit Himself, This makes establishing some set-in-stone weekly, monthly, yearly programming difficult if not downright impossible.
For example, if one individual is being used of the Lord - during one season in their life- to tend to an elderly aunt's needs, however and whenever those needs arise; if another individual is led to walk among the homeless and serve them; if a family is led to take to the road and serve those the Lord brings across their path, If - on and on and on. How will these individuals (or think about even an assembly full of these type of Spirit led individuals) be able to maintain or even attend some type of set programming week in and week out?
Being tied to a weekly,monthly,yearly 'program' without allowing each individual/family the freedom to be used in this world the way the Father desires will produce a calcified, dead, powerless 'church' - isn't that what we are seeing? We make up for true 'life in Christ' by filling out ossified 'churches' with lots of activity giving the appearance of life ..."but denying the power thereof'. We become the tree Jesus cursed that had leaves but no fruit.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Clear - Part 2
The Father has a plan for removing the 'black velcro' from our lives.
It's called the Wilderness.
Egypt specializes in teaching us about hurt, rejection, mistrust, fear, loneliness and every other negative emotion.
I was talking with the kids and telling them that when we are freed from Eqypt, we leave that sphere of pain, only to be introduced to a different type of pain.
I asked them 'why do we have to be taken from one form of pain to this new type of pain?'
The next to the oldest said, 'so we can enter the Promised Land'
Good answer.
I told them that when we enter the wilderness, it's like we have entered in with a body riddled with cancer tumors.
We are unfit for immediate entrance into the Promised Land.
The wilderness serves as the surgeons's knife to begin to cut away the malignant tissue. It hurts but it is a healing pain.
If we cooperate.
I told them, 'can you imagine the patient wriggling around on the operating table, trying to keep the surgeon from doing what needs to be done "No! Stop! It hurts too much!" 'Yet that is what we often do as Dr. Jesus tries to remove the black velcro from our lives.'
Let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
It's called the Wilderness.
Egypt specializes in teaching us about hurt, rejection, mistrust, fear, loneliness and every other negative emotion.
I was talking with the kids and telling them that when we are freed from Eqypt, we leave that sphere of pain, only to be introduced to a different type of pain.
I asked them 'why do we have to be taken from one form of pain to this new type of pain?'
The next to the oldest said, 'so we can enter the Promised Land'
Good answer.
I told them that when we enter the wilderness, it's like we have entered in with a body riddled with cancer tumors.
We are unfit for immediate entrance into the Promised Land.
The wilderness serves as the surgeons's knife to begin to cut away the malignant tissue. It hurts but it is a healing pain.
If we cooperate.
I told them, 'can you imagine the patient wriggling around on the operating table, trying to keep the surgeon from doing what needs to be done "No! Stop! It hurts too much!" 'Yet that is what we often do as Dr. Jesus tries to remove the black velcro from our lives.'
Let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Clear
I want to be a 'Clear'
A Clear is not self consumed. A Clear walks through this earth with freedom and ease.
Children, young children, are Clears.
I think that is why Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven is made of such.
Jesus said the prince of this world is coming but has nothing in me - He was the ultimate Clear.
Not ruled by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye or the pride of life.
I often tell the kids that I imagine that the 'stuff'' the evil one finds in us is like velcro.
Black velcro.
And as we move through the world, the stuff of this world and of the
evil one is also made of velcro as well. Whatever our hangups, sinful dispositions, lusts,
fleshliness, etc ( black velcro strips) they get snagged on the worldly/evil stuff
around us.
I want the Father to take away those black velcro strips. Help me cooperate with you Lord
A Clear is not self consumed. A Clear walks through this earth with freedom and ease.
Children, young children, are Clears.
I think that is why Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven is made of such.
Jesus said the prince of this world is coming but has nothing in me - He was the ultimate Clear.
Not ruled by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye or the pride of life.
I often tell the kids that I imagine that the 'stuff'' the evil one finds in us is like velcro.
Black velcro.
And as we move through the world, the stuff of this world and of the
evil one is also made of velcro as well. Whatever our hangups, sinful dispositions, lusts,
fleshliness, etc ( black velcro strips) they get snagged on the worldly/evil stuff
around us.
I want the Father to take away those black velcro strips. Help me cooperate with you Lord
Friday, December 28, 2012
Good People, Bad Things
I was musing over the difficulties that so many people I know are experiencing: health problems, rebellious children, financial difficulties, relationship problems etc.
I thought of how we call out to the Father 'Help us! Change this situation!' Yet, many times it seems like things not only aren't changed but get worse.
Then I thought of these verses:
Luke 13:1-5, KJV:
There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things?
I tell you, Nay; but , except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay; but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
If you think about it, it seems like Jesus was being awfully callous regarding these tragedies.
As I write this, the U.S.A is just coming through the wake of the Northhampton, Ct tragedy where
a lone gunman killed 20 children and 6 adults. Can you imagine the public outrage if the media had
caught Jesus saying this?! "And you call yourself a Holy man? God's son?!"
Be that as it may, we innately know the answer to Jesus' question as to whether or not these slain people were the worst people, but that's kind of the point isn't it?
It's not that only the wicked will have bad things happen to them - how would we judge that anyway? We can't, really. Yes, we say that we would save the most heinous judgement for the Hitlers of the world, and we probably would, but when someone cuts us off on the highway, making us almost have an accident, if we had the power we would deem them wicked and immediately have them destroyed.
To sit down and rationally and meticulously go through a person's life, thought life included, and decide what degree of 'punishments' in the way of trials a person deserves according to how they are living (and how they will live in the future) is far beyond our flawed, human abilities.
The converse is true as well.
To hand out the blessings on the same type of sliding scale is too much for our limited insight.
The reality is, we ALL are going to perish in some manner. The reality is, we ALL will face the outworkings that the curse has on the world. And, the reality is we ALL need to repent - none righteous, no not one.
What about the innocent children? It's those that are left behind that are suffering. I believe those below the age of accountability will be with the Father. The families that are suffering are like those whom the tower fell on - are they worse than any other family?
I am unable to judge that but chances are, they probably aren't. But they ARE the run-of-the-mill, garden variety sinner, just like the rest of humanity.
The Word of God says they must repent (turn from their sins). Turning from sin and to the Father through Christ is the only way from 'perishing' and receiving eternal life.
I thought of how we call out to the Father 'Help us! Change this situation!' Yet, many times it seems like things not only aren't changed but get worse.
Then I thought of these verses:
Luke 13:1-5, KJV:
There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things?
I tell you, Nay; but , except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay; but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
If you think about it, it seems like Jesus was being awfully callous regarding these tragedies.
As I write this, the U.S.A is just coming through the wake of the Northhampton, Ct tragedy where
a lone gunman killed 20 children and 6 adults. Can you imagine the public outrage if the media had
caught Jesus saying this?! "And you call yourself a Holy man? God's son?!"
Be that as it may, we innately know the answer to Jesus' question as to whether or not these slain people were the worst people, but that's kind of the point isn't it?
It's not that only the wicked will have bad things happen to them - how would we judge that anyway? We can't, really. Yes, we say that we would save the most heinous judgement for the Hitlers of the world, and we probably would, but when someone cuts us off on the highway, making us almost have an accident, if we had the power we would deem them wicked and immediately have them destroyed.
To sit down and rationally and meticulously go through a person's life, thought life included, and decide what degree of 'punishments' in the way of trials a person deserves according to how they are living (and how they will live in the future) is far beyond our flawed, human abilities.
The converse is true as well.
To hand out the blessings on the same type of sliding scale is too much for our limited insight.
The reality is, we ALL are going to perish in some manner. The reality is, we ALL will face the outworkings that the curse has on the world. And, the reality is we ALL need to repent - none righteous, no not one.
What about the innocent children? It's those that are left behind that are suffering. I believe those below the age of accountability will be with the Father. The families that are suffering are like those whom the tower fell on - are they worse than any other family?
I am unable to judge that but chances are, they probably aren't. But they ARE the run-of-the-mill, garden variety sinner, just like the rest of humanity.
The Word of God says they must repent (turn from their sins). Turning from sin and to the Father through Christ is the only way from 'perishing' and receiving eternal life.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Birthing
The feelings at times are quite intense and my thoughts are constantly focued on the 'The Church' as I believe the Father desires it to function.
The Father has been so gracious in letting me come across authors who have already walked this way and are very capable of expressing themselves and what they believe the Father's heart is on this issue of the church.
It's amazing to me that I'm coming across believers who have been moving this direction even from the 1970's! (The Problem of Wineskins, Howard Snyder, copywrite 1975!) I suppose each generation has to enter into this truth for themselves. We all must move through the stages of spiritual growth. Being a part of a 'system' of 'religion' is one of the phases we all have to taste of.
I am being mindful that I need to be given the words by the Spirit to express what I feel going on inside so that whatever person I am talking to doesn't feel like I'm talking talking gibberish or that I am denigrating the 'actual' church.
I've found myself stating things like ' the Father desires to express himself through Christ by using US as His vehicle. The structure that we currently know as 'church' is a system that in essence quenches the life of Christ that desires to manifest itself to the world'. Or something like that.
One of the authors that the Lord has so graciously brought into my path is Chip Brogden. His website School of Christ is proving to be a very valuable resource from a pastor that has left the institutional setting of what is known as 'church'. Even though I have only just begun to read through his site, it is very helpful to see how he differentiates the C.A.W.K.I. (Church As We Know It as John Fenn from SuperNaturalHouseChurch.org - another helpful brother in the Lord who has been on this path for quite a while - calls it) form the real ekklesia that the Father is adding to daily.
Nothing needs to be 'built'. No 'movements' need to be started. No 'programs' need to be institued. What the Father started on the day of pentecost is still happening, even in spite of our feeble efforts to 'help' it along in the same manner our forefathers of Judaism tried to 'help' things along.
The living, breathing organism, living stones, branches-attached-to-the-Vine, is growing and thriving and moving along with the Rivers of Living Water that the Father is allowing to flow among the nations; moving as HE directs. No announcements required. No A & B selection needed. No 3 points and a closing.
Heart to heart, deep calling unto deep, iron sharpening iron, living our lives relationally, living my life for the rest of the Body by laying my life down, according to Yahshua's example, dying daily to the carnal Adamic nature that tries to drown out the life of Christ flowing in me, recogning mysefl dead to the things of this world but alive unto Christ. This is where my thoughts are. Consuming me; making my conversation redundant to my family and friends, lol! I love you Lord! Let that not be in words only but in a life lived to your glory! Be glorified in me!
I know this is probably a transitional thing as I leave the world of 'churchianity' to enter into this new phase of 'living relationship with belivers of like/Christ mindedness' - not even sure of how to call it but in a way that's good. I'm not interested in 'titles' -I just want to BE.
The Father has been so gracious in letting me come across authors who have already walked this way and are very capable of expressing themselves and what they believe the Father's heart is on this issue of the church.
It's amazing to me that I'm coming across believers who have been moving this direction even from the 1970's! (The Problem of Wineskins, Howard Snyder, copywrite 1975!) I suppose each generation has to enter into this truth for themselves. We all must move through the stages of spiritual growth. Being a part of a 'system' of 'religion' is one of the phases we all have to taste of.
I am being mindful that I need to be given the words by the Spirit to express what I feel going on inside so that whatever person I am talking to doesn't feel like I'm talking talking gibberish or that I am denigrating the 'actual' church.
I've found myself stating things like ' the Father desires to express himself through Christ by using US as His vehicle. The structure that we currently know as 'church' is a system that in essence quenches the life of Christ that desires to manifest itself to the world'. Or something like that.
One of the authors that the Lord has so graciously brought into my path is Chip Brogden. His website School of Christ is proving to be a very valuable resource from a pastor that has left the institutional setting of what is known as 'church'. Even though I have only just begun to read through his site, it is very helpful to see how he differentiates the C.A.W.K.I. (Church As We Know It as John Fenn from SuperNaturalHouseChurch.org - another helpful brother in the Lord who has been on this path for quite a while - calls it) form the real ekklesia that the Father is adding to daily.
Nothing needs to be 'built'. No 'movements' need to be started. No 'programs' need to be institued. What the Father started on the day of pentecost is still happening, even in spite of our feeble efforts to 'help' it along in the same manner our forefathers of Judaism tried to 'help' things along.
The living, breathing organism, living stones, branches-attached-to-the-Vine, is growing and thriving and moving along with the Rivers of Living Water that the Father is allowing to flow among the nations; moving as HE directs. No announcements required. No A & B selection needed. No 3 points and a closing.
Heart to heart, deep calling unto deep, iron sharpening iron, living our lives relationally, living my life for the rest of the Body by laying my life down, according to Yahshua's example, dying daily to the carnal Adamic nature that tries to drown out the life of Christ flowing in me, recogning mysefl dead to the things of this world but alive unto Christ. This is where my thoughts are. Consuming me; making my conversation redundant to my family and friends, lol! I love you Lord! Let that not be in words only but in a life lived to your glory! Be glorified in me!
I know this is probably a transitional thing as I leave the world of 'churchianity' to enter into this new phase of 'living relationship with belivers of like/Christ mindedness' - not even sure of how to call it but in a way that's good. I'm not interested in 'titles' -I just want to BE.
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