GOD CLOSES DOORS AND HE OPENS DOORS!

And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. (Acts 16:6-10 ESV)

This text is perplexing indeed for those of us who take the Great Commission seriously. Paul was forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the Gospel in Asia at this time! This same Holy Spirit who sends us and confirms the Gospel with salvation and power is here forbidding his preachers to preach!

Obviously, the Holy Spirit knows something the apostles do not, but this is still quite amazing. What I take away from this text is the necessity of being attuned to the guidance of the Holy Spirit minute by minute. We must be very careful that our theology and Biblical presuppositions do not get in the way of our reliance upon the Holy Spirit in taking the Gospel to the nations.

The command is "GO", but as we are going let us remember to listen to that indwelling voice and obey Him. He knows the receptivity of the listeners and the best timing for the good news. Listen carefully.

PART 2

In my previous note I concentrated upon the forbidding voice of the Holy Spirit in verse 6. Here I just want to point out the obvious truth that when the Holy Spirit closes one door, He opens another. God had a people ripe and ready to reap in Macedonia. Once the apostles obeyed the "NO" of the Holy Spirit, they received the "GO" of the Holy Spirit.

However, let us never forget that even fulfilled visions and open doors can lead to hardship and suffering for the sake of the Gospel. Paul and Silas go to Philippi to a woman's prayer meeting and eventually end up beaten and in prison! All of these things lead to a jailer and his family coming to faith in Christ and a thriving new church being planted in Philippi. Who would have known? He closes doors and opens doors!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

ONLY GOD KNOWS OUR HEARTS!

Peter said to him, "Even though they all fall away, I will not." And Jesus said to him, "Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times." But he said emphatically, "If I must die with you, I will not deny you." And they all said the same... But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, "I do not know this man of whom you speak." And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times." And he broke down and wept. (Mark 14:29-31, 71, 72 ESV)

O' the horrible, bitter pain of denial! It is my observation after many years of working with this complex and nuanced creature called the human being that we do not know our own hearts. How many times have I heard the impassioned plea of a person as they tell me how pure their heart is in a given situation. I want to scream, "You don't know the motives of your heart, watch out!" Am I saying this because my heart is pure? Heck NO! If there is anything I know about me it is, I don't know about me. What we know about ourselves is only the proverbial "tip of the iceberg". There is much more under the surface of our own waves that we cannot see.

Here in this text, Peter is you, and Peter is me! Peter proclaims loyalty, courage and martyrdom. Jesus reveals denial, cowardice and brokenness. Peter sees his own intentions but Jesus sees the true state of the man. I have to go with Jesus on this one. Of course, hindsight is 20/20, but my own experience now confirms this narrative. I am no longer shocked or disappointed when a person reveals a character flaw or sin in the midst of a great test or time of pressure. I think I grasp the doctrine and reality of depravity and the "sin within". 

Jeremiah reminds us of the true state of the unregenerate heart here, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9 ESV). However, contrasted to this text is the New Covenant promise of Ezekiel, "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. "(Ezekiel 36:26 ESV). So, which is it, deceitful and sick, or new? Well, according to my understanding of the "heart" as it is Biblically defined, I must say both. The heart seems to be the intersection point within the human soul and spirit where the indwelling Spirit of God and the other influences of mind, will and emotion all interact. It is the center of our being from which we ultimately live out our lives. It is too complex and deep to understand completely. 

This is why it is so dangerous to judge another man's motives or intentions. We cannot even judge our own motives or intentions, so how can we possibly see into the depths of another man's heart? The apostle Paul confirms this idea here: "In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me." (1 Corinthians 4:3, 4 ESV). There are many other places in the Scripture where we are called to make righteous judgment and assess good and evil. Where the Bible clearly labels something to be sin or evil, we are called to declare those truths. However, we cannot judge the state of our own hearts or another man's heart.  Only God knows our hearts!

WORDS OF LIFE OR DEATH? WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?

There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing...Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment...Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. (Proverbs 12:18, 19, 25 ESV)

Sword thrusts or healing? Forever or just a moment? Weighed down or glad? The writer of Proverbs gives us several great contrasts to assess how we use our words. What kinds of words issue from your lips? Do people feel stabbed and thrust-through after spending time with you? Do people leave your presence feeling like healing virtue and medicine were just poured into their souls? Are you a truth-teller or exaggerator? Are you honest in your assessments or do you embellish a little to make yourself look good? Exaggerators and embellishers are quickly forgotten, but truth-tellers endure forever! 

Have you ever experienced the power that comes when your heavy, anxiety-laden heart gets suddenly lifted by a good word? Oh, that God would help us keep a watch over our tongues, mouths and lips. We are to be a people who fill our world with words of grace! Remember, whatever is filling your heart will issue out of your mouth. Let us keep our hearts filled with the grace, truth, love, justice and the holiness of God. Let us be Spirit-filled people who pour-forth words of life to all those around us. Declare LIFE!

SLAVES NOT YET READY FOR WAR!

SLAVES NOT YET READY FOR WAR!

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, "Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt." But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle... And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people. (Exodus 13:17, 18, 21, 22 ESV)

God knows our abilities and mental state of mind. God knows that newly delivered slaves are not prepared to be a mighty army. God led His people away from the Philistines because He knew that they lacked the mental toughness and preparation to do battle against a nation that would later become their arch-enemies. Though they went up "equipped for battle", it was mostly for show. They were brandishing swords and spears but could only handle trowels and slave implements. They marched like roosters, but were chickens at heart. God knew this about them and it was ok. It was the season of a pillar of cloud and fire to protect, guide and cover. God let them wear the armor so they could get used to it's weight and feel, though they were not yet ready to actually use it in battle. Like George Washington and the Continetal Army at Valley Forge, God had a place called the Wilderness to form a warriors heart within them.

Have you recently been delivered out of a life of spiritual slavery? Do you want to venture out into the enemy's territory and set captives free? Don't be surprised if God keeps you out of the heat of the battle for awhile and guides your life through some wilderness training. He wants you to become comfortable with your new armor and weaponry. God wants you to become confident in your new identity as a Son or Daughter of His! He wants you to be free from a slave's mentality so you can wage a good warfare for His Kingdom. Unfortunately, as we know, this particular generation with Moses could never cast off their yoke of slavery. However, their sons and daughters would march into the Promise Land and possess it. They would be led by a mighty warrior named Joshua who had encountered "The Captain of the Host of the Lord's Armies"!

THE SACRAMENTS OF FLYING EAGLES AND GOOD MUSIC

This is a post from around 5 years ago. After reading it again, I thought it might encourage and bless some of you.

A SACRAMENT in the Christian Faith is a rite that conveys or transmits the grace of God to the adherent.  As an Evangelical/Charismatic believer, I hold to the general tradition that Baptism, the Lord's Supper, and the Preaching of the Scripture are Sacraments that convey Divine grace into the life of the believer.

However, I have come to embrace a broader application of Sacramental living because I see and experience God conveying His grace to me and many others in a number of non-traditional ways.  Some specific examples would include the gifts of the Holy Spirit, music, the arts, touch, and the beauty and majesty of creation.

Yesterday, I experienced the grace of God being conveyed to me in a variety of ways as I walked along the lake in my community and drove down the highway in my car.

Mondays are often a day of recovery for me as I try to recharge myself from the intensity of the weekend.  As a pastor, I minister two services on Sunday and often spend large amounts of time in personal ministry with people in need.  For some reason, more than any other day of the week, when I am done, I am exhausted and spent. 

On Mondays, I often like to take walks, spend time being quiet and thinking about God. I enjoy connecting with Him through His big, beautiful creation.  Doing this helps me to get perspective, and remember why I got into this thing called pastoral ministry in the first place.  Yesterday, as I walked along the lake, I stopped and thanked God for the breeze on my face and arms, the warmth of the sun, the smells of grass and sagebrush, the sounds of the many varieties of birds, the cackling of geese, and the overall signs of Spring bursting out all around me.

As I was absorbing all of this, I noticed a commotion among the geese on the lake and looked up to see two magnificent bald eagles soaring on the thermal drafts above.  I watched them for a long time and thought about how they were created by God to soar, hunt, and inspire wonder in us.  It seemed that everywhere I looked, God's creation was conveying grace to me as I took it all in.

Later as I drove down the road in my car to an appointment 25 miles away, I listened to a couple of bands that I really appreciate and enjoy.  As I sang out and beat on my steering wheel to the rhythm, God conveyed His grace and Presence to me.  I joined U2 in declaring "YAHWEH, YAHWEH, always pain before a child is born, YAHWEH, YAHWEH, I'm still waiting for the dawn."  I was emotionally overcome as I realized that people all over the world were singing out the name of the ONE TRUE GOD as TIME MAGAZINE'S CO-PERSON OF THE YEAR, Bono, belted out some of the most powerful lyrics to ever go out over the airwaves! 

WALKS, DRIVES, GEESE, EAGLES, BREEZES, SUNSHINE, AND U2!  GOD WAS IMPARTING HIS LOVE, PROVISION, AND AMAZING GRACE TO THIS NEEDY MAN THROUGH THESE UNLIKELY SOURCES.  I praise Him for His SACRAMENTS OF EVERYDAY LIFE!  May He give all of us the ability to recognize how they subtly appear all around us every day.

Core Value #2 - Knowing God takes the "D" word!

"I Value seeking to know God intimately through prayer, the Scriptures, and other spiritual disciplines as a main goal of life."

Words and phrases like intimacy, knowing God, personal relationship etc... are really in vogue in a number of Christian circles these days, and I think that is a good thing.  The essence of theology after all is the study of God's Person as He has revealed Himself to us through creation, the Scriptures, personal experience, and most importantly, Jesus of Nazareth. Unfortunately, I have not met many people who truly know God very well, or take the time or energy needed to invest in that knowledge.

What theologians call the Doctrine of Revelation is based upon the idea from the Scriptures that God must reveal Himself to be known by humanity. All of the human initiative in the world doesn't make Him any less elusive and He will only be found by those He draws.  However, in this time of the gospel of Jesus Christ, God has demonstrated his goodwill toward us and summons us to come and believe in his Son.  We are called to seek Him while He may be found.

I still remember when the veil was torn away in my life and the revealed, self-existent God came crashing in on my world.  Oh what a day and season that was and is!  I was shocked that God was truly personal and knowable.  I couldn't keep my mouth shut.  GOD WAS REAL AND EVERYONE HAD TO KNOW!  As I soon discovered though, this knowledge of God was meant to be an ongoing process that required much seeking, knocking and asking.

This process of seeking God is often a hard and frustrating work just as my marriage relationship can be.  I know He is supposed to be the initiator, but I have to admit it often feels like it's all up to me in this strange and mysterious courtship of God.  God seems to love to play hide and seek while I fumble around in the darkness of this sin-fallen world listening for the faintest breath or rustling of His Presence to give His hiding place away.

This of course brings me to the big bad "D" word, DISCIPLINE.  Yes, it takes discipline and the spiritual disciplines to finely hone my senses to God.  Scripture reading, memorization, meditation, prayer, silence, solitude, service, fasting, night watches and various other methods employed throughout history by God's people have been effective tools in the seeking of God.  Unfortunately, I don't really enjoy doing some of these things because I am not a very disciplined person.  Not only that, but I am repelled by anything that feels like religious striving to earn God's favor.

Nevertheless, I have found that when I consecrate myself to God, not to earn anything, but to focus my faculties upon Him, He shows up and does some unveiling of Himself to my dull and dry soul.  This unveiling impresses God's Presence and character upon my soul, which changes me and influences the people around me as well.

To know God is the greatest treasure and value a human being can desire. Knowing Him is by far the most worthy pursuit of life.  God chased us down and caught us with His irresistible grace and love, so we must now join the chase and make the pursuit of God our life-long goal.  Who knows, if we chase Him long enough, He may just catch us!

Isaiah 55:6 - Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.

My Core Values - #1 - Relationship with God

Recently I found out that a ladies discipleship group in our church was using my Core Values as an example for the purpose of developing their own Core Values.  I was both surprised and challenged.  I was provoked to take them out once again, look them over, and make sure they are not only what I truly value, but what I am also endeavoring to practice in my daily living.

It is not my intention to be overly self-focused in my writing, but as I looked at my Core Values, I thought of how they provide a good starting point for regular posts and food for thought for those who read.   All of us have a set of Core Values that we possess and live from whether they are written or not.  Our lives are constantly telling on us and shouting to the world what our loves, hates, passions and gods actually are.  These are our Core Values.  With that said, here are the first of my Core Vaues with commentary following:


"I Value relationship with God and others as the source from which life and all true ministry will flow."

We are relational beings, this much cannot be denied.  Though I have met a number of so-called "Lone Rangers" in my time, my experience tells me that the primary reason most people become islands unto themselves is because of betrayal, disappointment, and dysfunction within their relationships.  The people that we love and value become the source of our pain.  This very reaction is nothing more than proof that we are indeed relational beings.

Every human being is conceived when two people relating in the most intimate terms, mingled their body fluids and cells to form a whole new entity.  This conception brought forth a new life that related to its host mother by a life-line known as an umbilical cord.  This life-line brought nourishment and connection until the day when this unique personality would be thrust upon its mother's breasts to suckle.  Thus begins the journey of life.  The journey of dependence, of relationship, of family and community.

This new person is just beginning to experience the human condition, the risky proposition known as relationship, with all of its love, acceptance, rejection, abuse, disappointment, competition etc...  It is precisely this experience which primes a person for the knowledge of God and a relationship with Him. 

After only a few short years on this planet, we begin to realize that things are not right down here.  We see the failure of our biggest heroes, face tragedy and personal difficulty, and learn the law of the jungle.  It is often when the props of human relationships have fallen all around us that God reveals Himself to us as Father and Friend.  We then begin a new relationship with One who relates to us on His terms alone.  These terms begin with the idea of the Fall, and the human need for salvation.  We see ourselves as we really are and God as He really is in the Person of Jesus Christ. This new relationship becomes the source of all true relationship, and the restorative power through which all other relationships will be made right again.

This new life, this new relationship, issues forth as the fountainhead of all ministry into the lives of others.  It is only within the context of this new relationship, that we can find what God truly intended for all human relationships.  This is why the Great Commandments begin with loving God with our whole being.  To love my neighbor as I love myself, I must experience the settled reality of God's first loving me. Only then am I able to return that love to Him.  I can try to love my neighbor, but until I have encountered being loved by God and then loving Him, my love for my neighbor will always fail and fall short.

So, this is my first Core Value.  This is an impossible proposition apart from God's love.  This love is most clearly demonstrated and embodied in the Person and life of Jesus Christ.  I have received love and relationship, so now I can give them.  This is the law of the kingdom of God.  This is what I value!

SOMETIMES IT'S GOOD TO BE SAD

I am reposting this little devotional thought on sadness to encourage anyone struggling with depression and sadness right now. Remember, Jesus is "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief."

Psalms 6:6-7 - 6 I'm tired of all this — so tired. My bed has been floating forty days and nights On the flood of my tears. My mattress is soaked, soggy with tears. 7 The sockets of my eyes are black holes; nearly blind, I squint and grope.  THE MESSAGE
Psalms 13 - O LORD, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? 2 How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day?  NLT

I am alive!!!  I know this because I hurt.  I know this because I sorrow, am disappointed, and feel the deep sadness that often goes with being a man on this fallen planet.  Yes, of course I hate the dark moods of life, but they testify to me that all is not right, and that sin and death are the reality of this groaning, cursed ground.  You may think I am crazy, but a few moments ago while sitting here feeling quite discouraged and heart-sick, this truth slipped through one of the cracks in my heart and brought me comfort.

We live in the age of the HAPPY CULT, of which I have often been a zealous adherent.  We are made to believe that being happy is our birthright and entitlement.  To feel bad is the ultimate no-no, and the perfect excuse for extramarital affairs, most divorces, and regular indulgences for our sinful nature.  Many Christians I know would rebuke me for these thoughts and accuse me of being negative, faithless, and oppressed by an evil spirit.  To these things, I must counter with the words of David and Solomon, men of much greater stature than I.  It seems God often has His servants in the school of suffering as they major in depression, discouragement, disappointment, and discontentment.

Please understand, I am not advocating some kind of sick, masochistic view of suffering that encourages the onslaughts of sorrow and pain as though they are blessings to be sought. I am not.  Rather, I am simply convinced that suffering is an amazing teacher, and a constant reminder that all is not well down here.  Our Utopian experiments are all failing, (thankfully) and we must look to embrace God's Redemption experiment, for, it is at work in the hearts of hurting and joyful sons and daughters.

Pain reminds me that I feel, and it serves as the emotional and spiritual counterpart to my physical nerve endings.  It teaches me to avoid evil and embrace God.  It is a beautiful thing that the God who could give me the capacity to laugh loudly from the belly, experience the ecstasy of sexual passion, and the beauty of art and music, could also equip me with the emotions of sadness, anger, and sorrow.  The pleasure, and the pain, teach me about the God of the Scriptures who sits in the heavens laughing, stands outside Lazarus tomb weeping, and cries out in the oil press of Gethsemane, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

Ecclesiastes 7:3-4 - 3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
For by a sad countenance the heart is made better. 4 The heart of the
wise is in the house of mourning, But the heart of fools is in the
house of mirth. NKJV

Mr. Promise and His Two Sons, Hope and Wish

I HAVE UPDATED THIS LITTLE ALLEGORY ABOUT HOPE AND WISH, TWO VERY DIFFERENT BROTHERS. CHECK IT OUT.

After reading some thoughts recently from Eugene Peterson on the difference between hoping and wishing, I came up with this little allegory about a Father named Mr. Promise, and his two sons, Hope and Wish. Enjoy.

“There was once a very good man named Mr. Promise. Mr. Promise had two sons named Hope and Wish. Mr. Promise often had to travel abroad because of his work. Whenever he would travel, he would purchase gifts to bring home to Hope and Wish. Often, while traveling Mr. Promise would phone home and tell his sons that he would be bringing them gifts upon his return. Mr. Promise never lied.

Now Mr. Promise’s son Wish would always get his heart set upon a certain gift that he wished his father would bring him. On this particular trip, Wish wanted an “Easy Wand”.  Now Mr. Promise had never even hinted that he would bring Wish an “Easy Wand”, but Wish was determined that the will of Mr. Promise was for him to have an “Easy Wand”. An "Easy Wand" is a magical wand (that Mr. Promise says does not even exist) that makes everything in life easy.  However, Mr. Promise had purchased a beautiful “Belt of Truth” for Wish, and was very excited about seeing the surprise on his son’s face. When Mr. Promise returned and gave the belt to Wish, Wish simply opened the package, threw it down upon the ground, and walked away disappointed.

On the other hand, Hope looked with great expectation to the return of Mr. Promise. Hope never had any preconceived ideas about what Mr. Promise would bring home. Hope knew that his father, Mr. Promise was a good man. Hope was always amazed with the ability Mr. Promise had to figure out the perfect gift for the day and the occasion. Hope was so full of excitement that he thought he would burst with joy. When Mr. Promise returned with the most wonderful gift, a “Book of Light”, Hope was thrilled, captivated, and surprised! Of course, the difference between Wish and Hope was simply that Wish always decided for himself what would make him happy. Hope however trusted that his father, Mr. Promise, always knew better than him what would make him happy.

After many years of this scenario playing out, Wish left the family, disowned them, changed his name to Disappointment, and joined himself to some rather dark companions. Wish, or rather Disappointment "hooked up" with Discontentment, and they had two children named Cynicism and Bitterness. They moved to the community of Ruin, and live there until the present.

Hope met a beautiful girl named Contentment. They married, and had two children named Faith and Love. They live modestly in a very nice tent city within the shadow of the walls of the great city of Paradise. They have been promised a wonderful dwelling in Paradise at a future date. Hope and Contentment have no doubt that they will receive their dwelling because the promissory note was signed by Mr. Promise’s father, Mr. Faithful.”

Hostages Freed! Good News!

So very happy today for the two American Hikers and their families after their release from an Iranian prison! I can only imagine the pain, fear and uncertainty their families and friends have gone through.

Click on this Wall Street Journal link and read the story. I have prayed for their release and am thanking God for His mercy. He still sets the captives free! Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

WHAT THINK YE?

This is my new blog, "What Think Ye?" In these tough economic times, I have decided to go budget and drop Typepad and adopt Blogger again. Every little bit counts, right? So, check it out and tell me what you think. Cheers!

Illuminate Day 2 - Bad Heart or Good Heart?

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. (Ezekiel 36:26-27 ESV)

Is the heart of a true heaven-born, Christ follower bad or good? Most of the believers I talk to reply with Jeremiah 17:9 - "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" ESV

This response is telling to say the least, and potentially fatal to living out and understanding Christ's saving work. Yes, the unredeemed man or woman is truly in this state before God.The heart is "deceitful" and "desperately sick" apart from the redeeming work of Christ. However, the promise of God prophesied through that great prophet Ezekiel tells a much different story. According to him, the New Covenant would usher in the day of a new kind of people with "new hearts" and "new spirits"!

The human "heart" as revealed in the Bible is that central place within us where our mind, will, emotion, spirit, intellect, passion, imagination and desire all intersect. I see it as that place where soul and spirit meet, and where all of our decisions are ultimately determined. Without Christ, our heart is a confused, selfish mess of intersecting and jumbled thoughts, feelings, and decisions all vying for preeminence. With Christ inhabiting the spirit of a man and governing the heart from within, we can finally begin to live out of our true center. We can finally be "good hearted" people who live out of the indwelling life of Christ from within.

I do realize of course that within popular society it is assumed that everyone has a "good heart" to begin with. However, if we are honest with ourselves, our nightly newscasts and private inward battles debunk that myth in short order . Without Christ the human heart is truly wicked, selfish, rebellious, murderous and without hope. Jesus made it clear that every evil deed we do issues from within the human heart and cannot be blamed on the old adage, "The Devil made me do it".

There is no doubt whatsoever that the heart can be deeply affected by what enters it, and can be altered even after the new birth. Solomon exhorts us in Proverbs 4:23 to "Keep your hearts with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life". He then goes on to warn us about what our mouths say, where we look, and where our feet take us. It is our sacred charge to be like a sentry and guard carefully whatever enters our hearts. Even so, the true Christ follower has been given a new heart with new desires and a new proclivity toward God and His kingdom! We must not forget that.

Jesus made it equally clear Matthew 5:8 that "The pure in heart will see God". Based upon my understanding of the Beatitudes, Jesus was not speaking of a future day after our death or at His second coming when He made that statement. He was showing us how to live in the kingdom of God now, while giving us great incentive for pursuing purity of heart. To "see God" is the yearning of every true God-lover and a pursuit worth giving our all for. We must believe that it is possible to see Him if it is to become an experiential reality.

We must be convinced that redemption includes receiving a "new heart" and a "new spirit", and that our inward nature is now God-possessed. Furthermore, we must believe that God is able to give us His desires and dreams for our lives. Receiving a new heart and living from that Spirit-filled heart gives me great hope that I can truly think and feel as God thinks and feels. It makes me confident that He will guide me by His Word and Spirit and help me to carry out His will and purpose for my life.

It all starts with BELIEVING IN HIM AND RECEIVING A NEW HEART!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Illuminate Day 1 - Idolatry or Jesus?

Yes, I am blogging again! I have stopped and started so many times, any skepticism on your part is justified! Go ahead...disbelieve!

I am going to make an effort to share some regular devotional-type thoughts that I will gather from my own daily journey with Jesus Christ. Hopefully they will feed something in your soul and encourage you to become more of a "Seeker of His Presence".

Ezekiel 14:3 - "Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them? ESV

Idolatry is primarily a thing of the heart and face. We were created by God to worship Him and no other. However, we have all fallen in and with Adam, and now worship idols of our own minds and making. And please don't think for a minute that we moderns and post-moderns have somehow evolved beyond idolatry!

Our idols may not be little golden or wooden figurines, but they have captivated our hearts with even greater power. We will and must worship something! The god's of money, sex, power, addictions, pleasure, self, religion, intellect and false religion have all been given beautiful little altars within our hearts! If you did not find yours, just insert it here___________.

Before our faces are those things we most love and worship. As much of the Scripture confirms, we become most like what we gaze upon. What are you gazing upon? What captivates your attention, thoughts, imagination and affection? What is almost impossible for you to turn away from? Behold, your god!

Our only hope and answer is the gaze upon the One who is the "the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature" (Hebrews 1:3). Jesus is the "exact imprint of his nature" and the perfect representation of all that He is. If you see him, you will see the Father.

Once the Holy Spirit has revealed Jesus to our idolatrous hearts and faces, we will have eyes for no other. The idols of this age are empty! Jesus is substance and fulfillment! Gaze intently upon Him within the pages of Scripture and the witness of creation! BEHOLD YOUR GOD!




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

I am an iPhone4 snob now!

 Well, I finally broke down and bought the iPhone4. So far, after about two weeks, I am a very happy man. The iPhone4 is the best smart phone I have ever owned. For the last three years, I have been a Blackberry man. My Blackberry Curve was a very good phone, and for the most part I was happy with it. However, it was an older model, and it did not have many of the functions of the newer smart phones.

The iPhone4 is an amazing piece of hardware. The software and hardware flow together effortlessly, and I find myself really enjoying spending time with my phone. However, I also see the temptation to become an iPhone junkie! I have already downloaded and installed more than 50 different apps! I find myself looking for apps almost continuously at the AppStore. Am I becoming an addict?

Even now, as I do this blog post, I am doing it on an app on my iPhone4. I am using the Dragon Dictation app to draft this post. Pretty cool stuff! After I'm done dictating it, I will simply copy and paste it into my blog. How good is that?

The combination of interface, hardware, apps, and many other intangibles truly make this the best smartphone on the market as far as I'm concerned. If you've been holding out on getting an iPhone4, quit listening to the negative press and take the plunge. You will not be sorry that you joined that elite fraternity known as the iPhone snobs.

Genesis 1 - ESV Online

1 In the abeginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was bwithout form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

via www.esvonline.org

Here is a link to another great Bible Study resource. ESV online has some great tools, and a very nice interface and page layout. Enjoy!