What's God Doing?

What has God done in your life? I mean yes He saved us from Hell. He is ever faithful in sanctifying us day by day as His new mercy comes again and again. He has given us an abundant life, full to the brim—though not necessarily easy. God give us day by day, what ever we need. The Bible tells us, His Word has everything we need for life and godliness. So, what does that mean? Everything? That can't mean everything can it? Yes, it does.

Still what does that mean, “...Everything for life and godliness.”? The Bible in direct directives (commands) tell us how to do life. And at other times it just gives examples—good and bad—to learn from. First Moses laid out the rules. Later generations tried to make those rules work practically in daily life. Those spiritual/civil rulers came up a bunch of other rules. By Jesus day the Pharisees were part of the ruling class that made up all the new rules. Wow! They had rules for their rules. Do we need a bunch, a whole bunch of extra rules just to explain what God wanted?

I know God knew what He was doing, just giving 10 main things, the 10 commandments. Jesus simplified it down to just two—loving God and people completely. So what might I do to explain a few things about the rules? The rules in modern computer talk it would be like this. The game or program has a set of rules and boundaries. Why! Why can't I just do what I want? Because the programmer did not write it just for you. He wrote it in such a way that it would run smoothly for everyone without glitches. God made life to be lived a certain way. He didn't even hide from us the things He wanted us to do. He tells us directly what He programmed. God gave us the directions to life.

The directions for life, however, look different on different people. Coming to Christ points us to look at Jesus. But we also look at those around us; the ones that grow us up in the Lord and we kind of become like them too—for good or bad. This add to our personality, then we add few areas we fail in and walla! Christ in me pops out! Not looking like you! Our ideals of the life in Christ look different. Different than even those of our spiritual parents; we place more or less weight on certain parts of Christ nature and His body. That gets some people all twisted. They can't understand why you have trouble fitting into a cookie cutter mold of Christianity. They want you to use the mold. It worked on themselves and maybe their children, so why doesn't it fit you? Yet even if their mold doesn't fit. Christ will mold us into Himself.

I like cookies that come out of this process of  the cookie cutters, ah the Christmas sugar cookies! The are buttery and mouth watering. However, I also like the ones that start out as blobs too! Peanut-butter cookies, cookies in perfection! They are heavenly—if cooked right.

God is the same way. He loves the variety of His people. No two are alike. Just as no two Bible characters were ever the same. God uniquely guides and molds His children. He tells them where He wants them to go and how He wants them to look. He has a certain purpose and job just for you, no one else!

Take rebellious Jonah for example. God used Jonahs' appearance in persuading the people of Nineveh to repent. Imagine a bleached naked prophet being puked up onto the beach in Nineveh. First off, he was alive! I'm sure that caused a stir. It was instantly on all the news stands. The Internet was flooded with news and gossips. Well it would be today. Instead words flowed mouth to mouth and filled the city.

Jonahs appearance and words scare the whole town into repentance! How different is that. God used the results of Jonahs' sin to aid in bringing others to Christ. Remember the verse that applies? “All things work together for good... .” Good and bad things mold us. And we can avoid a rough road by following the Makers design. The Bile tells us how. As we go about life, God tells us how to act. He warns us about who to avoid. He tells the whys too;  though He doesn't always explain Himself, but most of the time He does. It is usually is a simple answer that explains the "why" questions. What is it you ask? The answer is God didn't design it to work that way; it won't work well that way, if at all and it will eventually destroy you. This is the end of  the questions or questioning God's methods of designing His program of the life.

So the Old Testament wasn't just a bunch of rules and stories. We know the Old Testament way wasn't going to fix anybody. The old way just explained what godliness looked like. It showed us good examples and bad. It shows us the ones who went along with Gods' plan and the ones who shook their first at the Heavens. Beyond that old law was filled with a certain frustration. Because we always break one of those rules. The frustration comes as you break God's' law. Because then one of two things happen. The first is going along with the Creators instructions on how to fix the problem. It's under known issues in the Bible (not really). It is under the section how to fix the known bugs.

Depending on the offense committed, those severe enough require an extreme solution. One would go to the High Priest with an unblemished lamb. If you didn't have one of those laying around, you had to buy one. It is expensive to sin and fix it right. What's worse, you have to watch that lamb die. You watch the blood leave the body and make a huge mess, while life slips away from the lamb, you know it is your fault. It imprints on your conscience the true cost of fixing those buggy issues of sin. Sin drains our life, whether it is your sin or mine.

You can simply choose to hide your sin. If you do this, first you should know Proverbs says if you hide your sin, you will not prosper. Something always goes wrong and you just can't get ahead. Also, if no one sees the sin, don't think it is just hidden away safe and secret. God sees. In the Law He promised to place the “botch” on one whose sin is hidden away. I don't even know what that means, but I know it is the wages of sin brought to fruition.

Knowing that, know also that Jesus is faithful and just to forgive those sin. Also, James says we should confess those sins one to another—personally, I know that sharing your burden lifts a heavy load. All of a sudden you find His yoke (His way of doing things.) really is easier on the soul.

So what is God doing in your life?

Do you have a clue? Sometimes I don't. I find my path in Him goes where I don't expect. I find doors open I didn't even knock on. I find Jesus really is with me and He is able to complete His work in me. Jesus on me won't look like you. It won't look like your spiritual mentor or disciple r. If you look at the Word and listen real close, you may hear the Holy Spirit guiding you. Oh, God guides in noisy ways too! God is loud and quiet and may speak in either way. Elijah heard the voice of God in the quiet after the storm. Job heard the voice of God coming out of the storm. Also, Moses heard God face to face on a shaking mountain. God was loud enough to address a million plus people and speaking out of the flame in a bush that is not consumed. God uses variety.

In all those things and ways God speaks. Remember He speaks clearest through Jesus, the Son of God.

so, what's God doing in your life?    

Echoes From Patmos

I wonder what is was like to watch the New Jerusalem come down and settle on the New Earth?

I wonder what is was like to walk with Jesus and hear His words?

I wonder how much John loved hearing his best friend Jesus talk once again?

What? The end was near and the churches weren't doing well.

Going where we go, doing what we do we should know that same message holds true. The end is near and the churches aren't doing well.

Being who we are and seeing what we do.

Remember, the end is near and the churches aren't doing well.

Still, I wonder what it is like to watch the New Jerusalem come down and settle on the New Earth. I don't know, yet someday I will see. Oh, will see it for myself!

Until then know, the end is near and the churches aren't doing well.

“Wait a minute Lord! I want to do well!” pray.

“Buy the white one, buy refined gold.” I hear Him whisper.

“What do you mean LORD? Didn't you buy that for me?” I cry?

I hear in a still subtle voice, “Why don't you act like you believe that?”

“Refiners fire. My hearts one desire. Is to be holy...” So the song knew it all along. The holy God wants children set apart from the world, while they live in that same place. The place that taint our soul is not the world, it is our own soul. It is our own heart. The wicked deceitful thing wants me to either go along with the world or ignore the dying world. Yet, our Father loves that same world enough to sacrifice Jesus for its redemption.

I hear that still subtle voice once more. “ Act like you believe me.”

As the New Heaven settles in, belief will be a thing of the past. I hear an angel in the corner chatting, “Once a special group had the chance to witness to all Creation. They did it by believing.”

The Wisest Hypocrite

Fine faker y?

Flimsy foolishness?

Found out, are you?

Why, why, why we ask wishing events had gone another way. With a fist full of excuses we try and explain away or justify our guilty drenched actions. With wisdom we could avoid these actions, yet even the wisest man to ever live, Solomon, BROKE every principal of every Proverb he ever wrote.

How could this happen? How could the wisest man to ever live, who devoted whole chapters in Proverbs to preparing us for the immoral woman, be caught in her sweet trap? I can't say. It's easy to judge another man. And, it's just as easy to justify ones own actions. I would simply like to avoid both.

I wish never to be the hypocrite, touting my own piety. I also wish never to be the judge of another soul. Ultimately, God knows why we do the things we do, in sin or in righteous deed. So God is the final judge. And God has also made it quite clear what He expects and He has set the boundaries as to what is right and wrong. Yet, the wisest man to ever live couldn't stay in those boundaries. 

Why?!

Feelings Whoa Oh

I can't write what I'm thinking, someone may actually read this someday. Instead I will write about how I am feeling. Granted, a life led by feelings will be a life of heartache and misery. Still this doesn't discount those emotions. Just know the moments of elation, will be wiped over and erased with sad discontent. The passion of one season of life will be a wind swept desert in another. A life led by emotion only is a life of trouble (my opinion of course).

Hold on! Didn't I say I was going to write about how I'm feeling? See? Do you see? No! I know I haven't made this clear enough. Moments ago, a deep sigh of depression weighed heavily down. Whilst I was raring and ready to go into the pit of disparaging emotions, those emotions disappeared just as fast as I wrote these few words. Go figure?

That is the nature of human emotions: they change! Over and over, back and forth, up and down our emotions go all over. Sure some seem to ride the stable seas with unflinching stability built right into that persons makeup. Other people seem to ride waves that crash over and over. Of course, there are those who seem to have no emotions, or at least don't seem to know how to express them.

I won't tell you which category I fall into, though I'm sure you could guess. You know what. I feel better.

God grants us emotions, because they are an expression of who He is. We may or may not understand this. And if you only read a verse here and a verse there in the Bible, you may never see this. Rather than spoil or sway your opinion of this notion of God, our God and Heavenly Father having emotions, I'll ask that you read the Bible for yourself. Find out on your own if this is true. I know it is.

Lies And Light

Lies I denied, float through my mind.

Lies, I can't hide; they fight to make me think they’re true.

Lies, they're all lies and they're floating through my head.

Why does this spiritual war never rest?

Why does it never die down?

Why?

I know why, still it's hard to take.

I know why, still it's hard leather ya can't chew.

I know why, still some pretend it's not there, but we fight it don't you?

Through our heartache and through our tears our war rages.

Through the years and fears where were you?

Through my doubts and all my bouts, what do I do?

Nonsense and lies waste away in my mind.

Oh God! What's it this time?

Junior high games?

Camels squeezing through needles?

Forests falling in silence?

“Silly little boy!” I hear the enemy snicker.

“You know nothing!” he says.

Still I know too much.

Bible stories run through my mind.

They correct that waste of time.

Second guess?

NO! NO MORE LIES!

Father forgive me, I pray!

I in doubt I left Your way.

My mind ran out in the street and began to play!

Thoughts, my thoughts were then ran over by a bus.

Wounded, I wandered, wishing Lord that I had kept Your way.

Numb, I walked away.

I know my heart is hard Lord.

I know those deeds done are written in stone everyday.

Silicone and bits.
Bytes by the day.
Little piece of paper all show our way.

Now the rocks witness against me.

The trees could tell my ways.

True! So true!

But day the light of Light erased it all away!

Delighted and dismayed, all I had ever done is undone!
Dumbfounded, I have nothing to say, it's all been put away. 

Deleted forever!

“I saw the dead, great and small, standing in front of the throne. Books were opened. Then another book was opened. It was the Book of Life. The dead were judged by what they had done. The things they had done were written in the books.” Revelation 20:12 NIRV

Through Jesus' blood my sins are washed away. My confusion and doubt may or may not be interesting reading. I just know it's a tool to share my passion: Jesus. One way or another, I hope you come to the knowledge and wisdom of God made flesh: Jesus. He died voluntarily for the things I did, the things I do and the things I will do. Our Savior, Jesus, died once for all.

Look back at the verse above. Do you see what I see? There is an encyclopedia set written just about you. They contain your deeds and will be used for the judge to decide your guilt or innocence regarding sin. There is only one problem. Everyone has sin. And, it takes just one misguided deed to make us guilty. WOW! NO ONE SUCCEEDS in keeping themselves pure from sin.

Rather than rejecting our Holy Gods' grace, I choose life. That life is only in Jesus the Christ. Jesus wrote my name in the Lambs' Book of Life. He did it with His blood. Jesus choose to keep us from being judged by the books and He place us in the Book. Notice the plural and singularity of the highlighted words. The difference is important. Jesus placed those that believe on His work at Calvary in The Book of Life! That is if you choose to let Him.

Determined

I am determined to be faithful.

I am determined.

I am determined?

Yes. Yes indeed!

Why?

Because my Savior and LORD has determined it to be.

Shall man thwart the plan of God?

I don't think so!

It's not possible to change the mind of God.

Or is it?

Perhaps prayer changes His mind?

Does prayer change our will or His?

Does it readjust our mind or His?

What do you think?

God is.

He does not change.

However, Elijah prayed and shut the rain down for three and one half years.

Even then, Elijah pray according to God's will.

So what do you think?

Can a man or woman stay faithful to God?

Can we be faithful to our Lord?

Or, do we just develop faithfulness?

Is faithfulness simply a fruit of the Holy Spirit that comes to bear?

In due time, we'll grow if

The big if.

If we stay connected to the vine—Jesus—we will grow.

That's the determining factor: Jesus.

Tell Me

Tell me when to give something up LORD, for I hang too tight and it doesn't seem right. Clarify my hearing, for my senses are so dull. Refine me Lord, help me to regrow that willing heart that once listen in so clear. Increase my desire to know you. To know you from Your Word. To know You from our communion. To know You through the fellowship of suffering. I can' say I want to suffer. Yet, I know that is the path to further growth.

May our loving Father give us level paths to meet Him through Jesus Christ our Lord.

"I instruct you in the way of wisdom
    and lead you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
    when you run, you will not stumble."

Proverbs 4:11-12 NIV

Give Me Your Change

Credibility, infidelity?

Sustainability?

What's happening with me?

My insincerity?

It is, it is that, killing me?

Is hypocrisy?

Is that, is what, is it simply killing me?

I say that prayer?

I say my mind?

If I do, in fact “I do!” you'll do and we'll unravel our time.

I see, I see just what we need.

But no one listens, not even me.

Funny how we see.

Look back and then you'll see.

You'll see just what is killing me.

My credibility lost, my pride all but spilled.

Lost eyes?

Jesus sees, oh my Lord?

Is He Lord?\

The LORD of me!

Infidelity in my eye?

Please don't look or you'll be took.

Don't get lost or you'll do the time.

Is lost hypocrisy?

Is that what is killing me?

Doing time in my mind,

No time for therapy,

It's just a waste of time.

Stories, blames, then give me your change.

See you later, you'll change!

No one listens, unless they are paid.

No one cares, unless they are paid.

No! Never mind then, I'll just take it to the grave,

No! They'll never see.

No! No one cares!

If I lie. Then I'll sigh.

Jesus, will I speak the truth?

Will I lie and say, “Nope, nothings' bothering me!”

Then to the mercy seat I go,

Lord, help us speak the truth.

Help us speak with love.

Help us please!

Bring us to our knees.

Lord help us please!

Whispers In The Wind

Thoughts came rushing is as I finished reading about Elijah in 1 Kings. Elijah was talking to Obadiah. He was another prophet of God who served in King Ahab's court. Obadiah hide 100 of Gods' prophets. Why? It was because Ahab was evil. He was killing Gods' prophets. In this seen, Ahab was angry and trying to find and kill Elijah. Why? Because Elijah's prayer stopped the rain for 3 1/2 years.

Imagine just how much Ahab wanted to do away with Elijah. Yet, God had other plans. God had plans to show King Ahab and all of Isreal that He is and was the one true God. God had plans to showoff. He want to remind Isreal He is God. And He used Obadiah to inform Ahab Elijah was here. Elijah came to the King of Isreal and confronted him to put him in his place.

Elijah stepped into the most dangerous situation ever, because God told him to. WOW!

"So Obadiah went to tell Ahab that Elijah had come, and Ahab went out to meet Elijah. When Ahab saw him, he exclaimed, “So, is it really you, you troublemaker of Israel?”

“I have made no trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “You and your family are the troublemakers, for you have refused to obey the commands of the Lord and have worshiped the images of Baal instead. Now summon all Israel to join me at Mount Carmel, along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah who are supported by Jezebel.”1 Kings 18:16-19 NLT

God made fun of a false god!

After this invitation to gather Baals' prophets, Elijah had a showdown! I've said enough. Read the final outcome for yourself in 1Kings 18.

Here are my thoughts. And is it all because Elijah knew in whose presence he stood. It is Gods!
________________________________________________________________

In whose presence do you stand?

Elijah knew His God.

Do you?

Do you know? Are you tuned in and …?

Do you hear it?

Do you hear it?

Do you hear the voice of God all around you?

Do you hear Him in the wind?

Do you see His beauty all around?

Our Fathers' Majesty surrounds us everyday.

Life screams out, “Listen!”

Listen for the voice of God.

“If you are willing you will hear Me.

I'm calling you out of the world.

I'm calling you to see my Son.

I'm asking for your love.

I'm reaching out, don't you hear Me?

Please accept My Son, Jesus.

I'm pleading for a relationship.

I miss our talks.

I miss our fellowship.

I miss you.

Please hear Me.

Hear Me in the wind.

Hear Me in sunset.

Hear Me in the thunder and the rain.

Hear Me, I'm calling you.

I'm calling YOU!

Listen, I loved you enough to give My all, My Son.

I've wrote all down, please read it.

Please get know me as I know you.

I know you flaws, and I will forgive you, please ask.

Ask my Son about Me, He will tell you what I'm really like.

Jesus knocks on your heart, are you listening?"

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.  Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne. Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.” Rev 3:20-23

God Given

Unlocking a door once shut, one finds new doors bolted down. I tear off my mental metal mask, only to find others hidden beneath. Who? What, when where and why we call? But to whom are we crying? Is it not the LORD? If not, those door we beat so hard upon, will remain shut forever. Jesus has the keys to all my doors and though He could forcible open all my doors, He waits patiently. Kindly He waits to get into each and every closet I have hidden away. Switching the light on in a darkened closet reveals old messes that where never cleaned up. Roaches scurry, mice run and hide and there sits the mess. It's everything I cut the corners on. It's all the projects I start and never finish.  It is a place devoid of grace or anything good. It is a place where hatred meets pride. It is a place where I remember just how undone I am.

Humbly I come with Christ by my side. Here I'm at a lose for words. Jesus just waits and listens. Even there in the dirty dusty closet of regret, Christ turns the light I on. Hidden things are revealed. Dirty things are cleansed.

If only we would realize that our Father knows that fools oft' return to their folly. O the majesty of a God willing to love the unlovable! What joy we have as Christ has removed out decay! What love but Gods' goes this deep?

I rummage around pick over what is useful and trash the rest. Unwholesome thoughts and attitudes have to go. Hidden anger had ingrown mold on it, I forgot it was there, out with it! I find a few treasured memories there too, it is those good true and righteous things worthy to clinging on to. The thoughts and memories flow by the thousands and are sifted through to see those worth saving. Over and over again I seek an outlet for the memories worth keeping. In song, words or direct witness my soul expresses who God made me to be. I find words to express these thoughts here, there or every once in a while. All of a sudden these expressions allude my grip. It is as if I were trying to grasp the wind in my hand. It is as if I reached out to grab the proverbial greased pig. Ah! Pig indeed. I'm but mere swine in my eyes. I am unworthy of the very breath I breathe—not that any of us are worthy of breath or life. No, I am not high in my eyes at all. In picking up the pen or keys once again, I know that it is time to express and express well the grace that is given to me.

I am but a lowly man, yet I breath with God-given lungs the air gifted to humanity. I am but a man, yet I can grasp eternity forward forever, for God has fixed this in my soul. I am but a man and yet God trusts me with the knowledge of Himself. God is and we are. Is anything more wondrous? Yes there is one thing more wondrous than even this. It is that God seeks a relationship with His creation.

So let all Creation Give Glory!

Meaningless Words

I will ware and war until my day is done.

Query quirks quicken quail?

Teasing Terry turned timid?

Earnings eerily eat estates?

Sizzling summer soaked in sin?

Turn tipsy?

The meaningless words above are just that, meaningless. However silly things can be useful too. I just used them to dust of the cobwebs off the words. Words to me are just one thing: tools for communication. I see things differently than most people, I know it's true. Am I something special? No, I'm just connected in the right way. I am a believer and follower of Jesus the Christ. I knew Jesus before I was even in kindergarten. Yet, Jesus knew me before the foundation of the world. I am and always have been called to conform to the image of Christ. Not the physical image, of which there is no record. No, I am—and you are too—called to mold to the character of Christ.

Back to the words, what is it I'm talking about? I'm saying that words are the tools used to shape human communication into a mutually understandable end result. With words, God spoke material life into being. The communique of God to humanity came across with words. Could anything be as important as words from God? We are fortunate enough to live in time and place where we have all of civilizations knowledge just waiting at out finger tips. So use it wisely. Access to the worlds' memory bank filled with treasure and trash. Use your God giving wisdom and avoid the pitfall of the web