Soaring, flying… breaking free

OK, so it’s pure cheese of the reprocessed nacho gloop variety, but I can’t help seeing the analogies in this song to our relationship with God….

Isaiah 61:7 (Amplified)

Instead of your [former] shame you shall have a twofold recompense; instead of dishonor and reproach [your people] shall rejoice in their portion.

Isaiah 55:12

For you shall go out [from the spiritual exile caused by sin and evil into the homeland] with joy and be led forth [by your Leader, the Lord Himself, and His word] with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Nahum 1:12-13

12Thus says the Lord: Though they be in full strength and likewise many, even so shall [the Assyrians] be cut down when [their evil counselor] shall pass away. Though I have afflicted you [Jerusalem], I will not cause you to be afflicted [for your past sins] any more.

13For now will I break his yoke from off you and will burst your bonds asunder.

The cord of three strands

When David stood before Goliath, he knew that God was going to bring deliverance not only for him but also for the people of Israel, and not only that God’s manifest destiny for Israel would be preserved and not destroyed.

What was it that David had that gave him such complete confidence that when he came out to challenge Goliath, he would prevail?

I believe that it was the strength of David’s relationship with God, that he had built up over the lonely years of shepherding, when he was overlooked by his family, as he learned to worship God and to serve Him only, he developed a strong bond with God the Father Almighty, the Lord God Almighty, the Lord of Hosts.

In Ecclesiastes 4:12 we read that a cord of three strands is not easily broken. I believe that there were three key aspects to David’s relationship with God that enabled him to stand fast in the face of death.

(1) Faith
(2) Preparation
(3) Keeping it real

Each of those strands is in turn made up of three components. So we have
Faith, the presence of God, the call of God. David not only believed God, he had also been set apart by God, anointed by God (the call of God) and he also had cultivated the presence of God by becoming a worshipper.
Likewise, we have no business standing before Goliath unless we likewise have faith: we believe God; we’ve been called: appointed, anointed; we have cultivated the presence of God around our lives through seeking Him in prayer, through the word, and through worship. If we do that, we have the first strand in our lives intact.

Which brings me to the second strand. We have preparation. This in turn requires the presence of God (the anointing, the call of God, worship), and it requires humility, and it requires us to show up having done the absolute best with what God has given us. Consider the parable of the talents. Jesus has given us gifts, He has given us talents. And we’re to use them. But not the things that He hasn’t given to us. David was not (at the time of facing Goliath) a battle-hardened warrior. That was the problem. He was a shepherd boy, with a lot of time on his hands. Did he sit around thinking “oh dear, poor me, I’m only a poor useless shepherd boy, what can God ever use me for, I’m not a warrior, I’m not particularly talented, I’m not especially clever, oh poor me”. No he did not. He practiced with his slingshot. In the hours and hours of boredom, watching over his “few sheep”, he did not waste what he had. He learned to be a crack shot. God used this to overcome Goliath.

So you’re thinking “Well, I have absolutely nothing, I’m not even any good with a slingshot, I’m a complete unco, God could never have used me”. Wrong. God will use whatever you have. That is where the humility component and the anointing component come in. If David truly had no skills in at all, he would have overcome Goliath with “just” the anointing on his life. Humility required of David that he recognize that Saul’s armour wasn’t going to work. He went in the strength he had, having learned the lessons from the stories of his ancestors, in particular Moses and Gideon. But the preparation strand means that effort was required, and time was required, and waiting on God was required. God knows the timing. Our times are in His hands.
In the meantime we don’t sit twiddling our thumbs, we put our hands to the plow whatever is in front of us and we use the time wisely to prepare.

Finally, we have the component of “keeping it real”. Which is similar to the strand of preparation, yet different. The emphasis of this strand is humility. We understand not just that we can do nothing apart from God but that we can do everything in Him. All things are ours. All things are possible, to those who believe. So this strand is combined with faith. In fact its faith, hope and love wrapped in a cloak of humility.

So we have the three strands of the cord that must tie us to God, and does tie us to God in Christ.

The faith strand, made up of faith, the presence of God and the call of God. In other words, the anointing.
The preparation strand, made up of our talents and effort (preparation), the presence of God and humility.
The “keeping it real” strand: faith, hope and love wrapped up in the cloak of humility.

Remember we are God’s workmanship, and we are created to do good works in Christ.

Colossians chapter 1, the Message:

“The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack, tightly tied as they are to your future in heaven, kept taut by hope.”

There is a hope laid up for us in heaven, that God wants to use us to bring to earth. Touching heaven, pulling down the blessing, and changing earth. All things are possible, if we believe.

A pebble becomes a rock

Matthew 16:18
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

Peter = “a rock or a stone”

1. one of the twelve disciples of Jesus

Rock = Petra
Definition

1. a rock, cliff or ledge
1. a projecting rock, crag, rocky ground
2. a rock, a large stone
3. metaph. a man like a rock, by reason of his firmness and strength of soul

In the days that are coming, the church is undergoing the same transformation that Peter himself underwent. Peter’s very name means “a rock” but not (at least initially) the “rock” upon which Jesus would build his church, and not the rock against which the gates of hell would not prevail. The rock that Peter’s name referred to was a small stone. An insignificant pebble, an outcast. For that is the very thing that Peter was at the time when he was called. Not an influential pillar of society but a mere fisherman.

Likewise, God is calling those who are insignificant, overlooked, “pebbles”, small stones whose purpose may be little more than to cause irritation inside the boots of others. But God, who calls the things that are not as though they were, God who knows the end from the beginning, God who calls us to the faith of Abraham, will cause us to change into the rock against which the gates of hell will not prevail, as we learn to trust in him.

We have nothing to fear in the days that are coming, and much to be excited about, for these are the very days when the promises of God about the church, about us, about our lives and most importantly about the true gospel, about Jesus, about the power of God, these promises are about to come to fruition, as we learn to trust. As we are transformed from a very small pebble into a rock—”a man like a rock, by reason of his firmness and strength of soul”

And let us not forget it was a very small pebble that slayed Goliath.

God says the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. That implies a proactive response from the church. We will stop being reactive, analyzing everything from a merely human perspective, and start being proactive, seeing the power of God so much greater than the power of he who is in the world, and so becoming conquerors and a kingdom of priests in the coming age.

Conquerors and Kings both now and in the age to come, as we are transformed from glory to glory. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Time after time

…we were by nature objects of wrath…but because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ^…

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that… he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us…For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

…we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

God’s kindness leads you toward repentance.

God’s mercies are new every morning.

Like the song, God says “If you fall, I will catch you, I’ll be waiting… time after time”

though a righteous man (or woman) may fall 7 times, he rises again.  Only make a choice.

Listen to Jesus: “Get up!”

Bruised not Broken

Isaiah 42 (New International Version)

The Servant of the Lord
“Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him
and he will bring justice to the nations.

He will not shout or cry out,
or raise his voice in the streets.

A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;

he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his law the islands will put their hope.”

Isaiah 54 (New American Standard)

the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake,
But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you,
And My covenant of peace will not be shaken,”
Says the LORD who has compassion on you.
“O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted,
Behold, I will set your stones in antimony,
And your foundations I will lay in sapphires.
“Moreover, I will make your battlements of rubies,
And your gates of crystal,
And your entire wall of precious stones.
“All your sons will be taught of the LORD;
And the well-being of your sons will be great.
“In righteousness you will be established;
You will be far from oppression, for you will not fear;
And from terror, for it will not come near you.

Hebrews 13:5 (Amplified Bible)

be satisfied with your present circumstances and with what you have; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let you down (relax My hold on you)! Assuredly not!

Faith

When the Son of Man comes will He find faith on the earth?

Or perhaps more directly, “When the Son of Man comes will he find faith in you?”

Remember when Jesus wept?

Well, many times, I’m sure but specifically we’re told that “Jesus wept” when He came to see Mary and Martha and their dead brother Lazarus.

“See how He loved him” said the mourning relatives.

Little did they know, perhaps, why Jesus wept.

I believe with all my heart He wept for the same reason He is weeping now, over the church and over us.  It’s because of the lack of faith.

I believe that John the Revelator got a taste for Jesus’ grief in heaven, when he “wept and wept” when no-one was found worthy of opening the scroll.  No-one, that is, except Jesus.

Jesus alone was worthy to open the scroll in heaven, and He alone is worthy to open the scroll of our hearts to speak FAITH therein.

I believe God want to speak “FAITH!!” to our hearts, thats “FAITH!!” with capital letters and impartation of “FAITH” like the “BE LOOSED!!!” impartation “BE HEALED!! RELEASE!!” of the evangelist.  Jesus wants to impart “FAITH!!” to the church.

When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?  Will he find faith in you?

Many years ago I was fortunate enough to travel to Toronto during the revival there, and I had John Arnott pray for me.  I remember it distinctly.  I was standing somewhat limply with my hands outstretched with minimum impartation.  John Arnott came around praying for everyone and when he got to me he slapped both of my outstretched hands—rather hard. “RECEIVE IT!!”, he rebuked.  I wasn’t particular impressed, but now I get it.

This is something we need to get hungry for, this is something we need expectation for, and God isn’t interested in half-hearted commitment, He wants all of us.  He wants to do an inside job in our hearts.

“Behold” spoke Jesus, “Nathaniel, a true Israelite, in whom there is no guile”

Is there guile in you?  Is there self deception?  Who are you trying to fake?

Jesus wants to impart “FAITH” but you’ve got to be “there” to receive it.  You’ve got to be present, engaged, not disaffected, disconnected an dissociated.

God, shake me to wake me, please.

Another story, which reminds me of what my spirit needs at times, was that of Smith’s Wigglesworth.

Apparently he was called to pray for someone, and he got there too late.  The man was dead.

Wigglesworth prayed…. nothing…. Prayed more earnestly… still nothing

After much useless prayer, Wigglesworth picked the man up, threw him against the wall, and proceeded (to the shock of those present) to punch the man (presently dead) in the stomach.

“BE HEALED!!! RELEASE!!! BE LOOSED!!! FAITH!!!” he prayed, each prayer accompanied with a voracious punch more severe and intense than the previous.

Needless to say, the man came to life, somewhat bruised and battered, but greatly relieved no doubt to find himself very much alive!!

Everything that could be shaken…

Hannah Whitall Smith writes, in “The God of All Comfort“, Chapter 11:

When everything in our lives and experience is shaken that can be shaken, and only that which cannot be shaken remains, we are brought to see that God only is our rock and our foundation, and we learn to have our expectation from Him alone.

Therefore will not we fear though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof … God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved.

God shall help her, and that right early. Shall not be moved —what an inspiring declaration! Can it be possible that we, who are so easily moved by the things of earth, can arrive at a place where nothing can upset our temper or disturb our calm? Yes, it is possible; and the apostle Paul knew it. When he was on his way to Jerusalem, where he foresaw that bonds and afflictions awaited him, he could say triumphantly, But none of these things move me. Everything in Paul’s life and experience that could be shaken had been shaken, and he no longer counted his life, or any of life’s possessions, dear unto him. And we, if we will but let God have His way with us, may come to the same place so that neither the fret and fear of the little things of life, nor its great and heavy trials, can have power to move us from the peace that passeth all understanding, which is declared to be the portion of those who have learned to rest only on God.

I am reminded also of Paul’s promise to the Romans:

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

And of Isaiah:

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.

And Peter:

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

love this song!

The Ministry of the Spirit

I wrote yesterday about asking (and keeping on asking), seeking (and keeping on seeking), and keeping on believing…

Today, I was thinking… well, that’s all well and good, but surely there is a human limit to asking, seeking and believing.

Surely there is a point at which the human spirit says “Enough”, like Elijah, and simply can’t take it any more.

I’ve written about “why, God, why” and “when, God, when”

But I’ve come to realize we’re not talking about human possibilities here. God is disciplining us as sons (and daughters), first of all, by bringing us to our knees, and second of all by keeping us on our knees for what seems like (and probably is) an inhuman length of time.

“Why, God, Why?”, we cry, “When, God, When!”

“To what possible end?” our soul cries out “Show me your glory”

And the glory is coming. It’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when. The big question is, when it comes, will you be ready? Jesus talks about the wise and foolish virgins. Just how much oil are you keeping in your lamp as you await the king? Are you getting tired? Fed up? Or are you keeping your lamps trimmed in time for the Master’s return, no matter what.

By the grace of God, and by grace alone, as we await the glory, through the “Dark night of the soul” (crying “When, God, When?”, and “Why, God, Why?”) we will remember to fill our lamps with oil. For what purpose, we don’t know, but we await the Masters return. Simply because he says he’s coming back. We trim the wicks, prepare our hearts, and we earnestly wait.

Yet there is a point at which it is humanly possible to wait no longer. That is where the ministry of the Spirit (2Cor 3,4) kicks in:

if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious… how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?

…we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.

…But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

…We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed …that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body…

Hard pressed, but not crushed. God knows our limits. He is sustaining is as we seek him, and remember it is not us who decides when the seasons of our lives begin, and when they end, it is him:

To everything there is a season,

A time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.

Oceans will Part (Part Two)… Hope Will Rise

Hope will Rise

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed. Paul prayed that the eyes of our heart would be opened, that we might know the hope of our calling… to the Romans (and to us) Paul writes:

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The thing about hope—true hope—the hope that we wear as a helmet, the helmet of salvation; this hope, which gives us strength to believe (against all hope), can not be crushed by circumstances.  This hope, which overflows by the power of the Holy Spirit, will not stop flowing. This hope will rise, against all odds, against all opposition.  Greater is He that is in you, the power that gives you hope, than He who is in the world. There truly is no devil in hell that can stop the power of hope.

It’s coming: a tsunami of reality, a tsunami of joy, a tsunami of peace, a tsunami of glory…

Glory Shown

“Show me Your glory”, Abraham prayed

Paul prayed “That you may know the glory of his inheritance in the saints”

The last prayer of David “Let the whole earth be filled with your glory.”

As you open my eyes to the work of your hand

It’s not up to us.  We pray; He hears.  We cry out; He answers. We ask; He freely gives.

Call upon the Name of the Lord, and be saved.

Call upon Him in trouble, Call upon Him when things are going well, Call upon him when things are going bad.  Call upon the Mighty Name of Jesus.

Call upon the Lord, and He will answer you and show you great and marvellous things that you do not know (Jer 33:3).

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously and without reproach (James 1), without favour, without preference.  He gives to all.  To as many as receive him, He gives the right to become children of God (John 1)

It is not the healthy who need a Doctor, but the sick.

O Lord heal! O Lord forgive! cries the Psalmist.

Jesus came to give sight to the blind.  Lord, open my eyes to the work of your hand.

Oceans will part at the whisper of Your call

Not the shout, the whisper.  God came to Elijah in the cave… not in the fire, not in the wind but as a still small voice.  God spoke into the darkness, and there was light.  God spoke to Moses, and the Red Sea parted.

God whispers and the Nations tremble.  God whispers through our prayers, and the demons flee.

Only, keep on believing.

A mustard seed of faith, and the mountains fall into the sea.

In my life, Your will be done.

That means my will takes a back seat.  That means seeking God until he shows us the way.  That means asking, seeking, knocking, believing, receiving.  The mustard seed of faith, the word, is the key.

Ask, and keep on asking…

Seek, and keep on seeking…

Knock and keep on knocking…

Have faith in God!  Only believe…

Let it be done, according to your faith.

The just shall live by faith.   Persevere!

Your will be done, O Lord, on earth, as it is in heaven…

Jesus, open my eyes to the work of your hands…

The Beginning and The End

Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega.  He is the Beginning and the End.  But as well as this, there is a beginning of His work in us and through us, and there is an end to His work in and through us.

In fact, there are many beginnings and there are many ends to our walk with Jesus, but they all start with Him and they all finish with Him.  The first is when we become Christians, the first time we call on His name, the first time we are saved.  But there are other beginnings.  Every time Jesus calls us to “Come up higher” is a new beginning in Him.

Let me share a picture that I had of one such beginning and one such end.

The beginning I’m envisioning is when Jesus calls us to step up higher in faith.  The picture, is the disciples, in a boat (picture that you and I are the disciples).  The waves are getting bigger.  The wind is getting squallier.  There’s an eerie chill in the air, and dark clouds brooding ferociously beyond the hills.  Soon there is a full blown storm.  Two things are immediately apparent.  This storm is a massive one.  In fact this storm is building in such a way that it looks as if it’s going to kill us.  The second thing is: where is Jesus? He’s not in the boat.

Immediately, panic and fear rise up.  “We’re gonna die,” and Jesus has abandoned us.  Great.

Except… what is that up in the distance, on one of the waves.  A branch? A twig? Some debris? Another abandoned ship, capsized, crew already drowned?  A face? No… it’s gone again.

There it is again, only closer.  What the…?  It’s a man? It’s a ghost?

“Take courage, it is I”

There it is. There’s the moment, the chance to come up higher.  The new beginning.  Jesus is with one breath commanding us to take courage, and in the same breath empowering us with courage. It is him!

“If it is you, Lord, then command me to step out onto the waves.”

Then the supernatural strength comes, the empowerment, the grace, and we’re walking on the water with Jesus.

That’s the beginning.  Thats the new level.   That’s when the faith comes.

Jesus is asking us “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith in the earth?”.  The answer is definitely “yes”, if we respond to his glorious command and impartation: “Take courage, it is I”

So what of the end? The end is in heaven.  The end is when we get to stand before God, before the angels, and before the saints, and we get to receive the reward of our faith.  I see a row of saints, battle-weary but full of the joy of the Lord, standing before the King, like at a medal ceremony, about to receive the Congressional medal of honor.  Jesus stops at each and every one of us, and at that moment all of heaven stops and savours the moment:  Well done, good and faithful servant.  Jesus looks at each one of us, individually in the eye, and for that moment His joy is complete.  At that moment we understand the infinite, eternal, value of all our trials and the opportunities that Jesus has given us, and we get to complete His joy.

Not just our joy, His joy.

The beginning, and the end.  The beginning is Jesus, the end is Jesus.  Every step of the way, but it requires faith.

But my righteous one will live by faith.
And if he shrinks back,
I will not be pleased with him.”

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.

And God is pleased with us, as we turn to Him in the midst of the storm, as we call upon the Name of the Lord, and as we are saved.