What God is doing in Ireland, & beyond the distant shores.... Stories, Legends, Tales, & Trails of Glory, Wonder, & Joy :)
Monday, August 29, 2011
"By just being with Me"
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
The King or the Crowd?
But Ittai answered the king and said, “As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be.” 2 Samuel 15:21
The Backdrop:
Israel is beginning to unravel politically as David's son Absalom instigates a rebellion against his father's kingdom and throne. Earlier in this narrative you see Absalom drawing a following unto himself and promoting himself to the place of king, judge, and leader to the people of Israel. Look at this- It says of Absalom, in verse 6-
"So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel." The crowds begin to follow Absalom and cheer and shout and declare their allegiance to this self appointed king. I can hear the words of the Emperor of Rome in the movie the Gladiator, "the crowds are fickle brother." The crowds were also there when Jesus was put on trial, beaten to a bloody pulp, mocked, and falsely accused. The same crowds that just a few days before were shouting His praises in the streets of Jerusalem, Hosanna in the Highest! You see the crowd will always be there, and the crowd will always go after the popular opinion, the new trend, or what looks celebrity. But then there is someone like Ittai. Someone who has the heart to follow the King and ignore the crowd. Even David is telling him to turn around and throw in with the crowd, but Ittai says, no, "even in death or life I am going to follow my King!" The meaning of Ittai is "the Lord is with me." This is so prophetic, because those who know the Lord is with them, are completely secure in themselves and thus, have no need to run with the crowd to seek their identity or security in the Kingdom. They know that the Lord is with them, and that because the Lord is with them, their allegiance and loyalty are centered on the right authority, because their lives are lived from a place of love and devotion to the right King. The authority that the Lord Himself has ordained and put in place. In this case, it was not Absalom that the Lord had established on the throne of Israel as King, but David- a man after God's own heart. Not a man after the heart of the people.
The crowds always go after outward appearance, the celebrity status, and the person who always has the coolest hair due. Check out Absalom's MO-
Now in all Israel there was no one who was praised as much as Absalom for his good looks. From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. 26 And when he cut the hair of his head—at the end of every year he cut it because it was heavy on him—when he cut it, he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels according to the king’s standard.
The Punch Line:
Absalom looked the part. He even appeared to have what we would call dreadlocks, but I doubt he was rastafari! :) He had a deep sense of justice, and appeared to have the right heart, but he did not have the heart of Ittai. I love Ittai because he is one of those unknown characters in the bible that you don't know on a first name basis, and probably forget about because you have a hard time even pronouncing his name to begin with. But he is mentioned. And I believe he is mentioned in the story because the God of the scriptures wanted to honor this loyal, devoted, faithful man. He wanted to show the contrast between the heart of an Absalom, and the heart of an Ittai. The heart of one who loves the cheer of the crowds or loves the command of the King. The crowd or the king?
Prayer:
Lord, form in me a heart like Ittai's. A heart that will not go after the fickle crowds, but that will follow my King. I declare to you my King Yeshua, as Ittai declared to King David "whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be.”
The Backdrop:
Israel is beginning to unravel politically as David's son Absalom instigates a rebellion against his father's kingdom and throne. Earlier in this narrative you see Absalom drawing a following unto himself and promoting himself to the place of king, judge, and leader to the people of Israel. Look at this- It says of Absalom, in verse 6-
"So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel." The crowds begin to follow Absalom and cheer and shout and declare their allegiance to this self appointed king. I can hear the words of the Emperor of Rome in the movie the Gladiator, "the crowds are fickle brother." The crowds were also there when Jesus was put on trial, beaten to a bloody pulp, mocked, and falsely accused. The same crowds that just a few days before were shouting His praises in the streets of Jerusalem, Hosanna in the Highest! You see the crowd will always be there, and the crowd will always go after the popular opinion, the new trend, or what looks celebrity. But then there is someone like Ittai. Someone who has the heart to follow the King and ignore the crowd. Even David is telling him to turn around and throw in with the crowd, but Ittai says, no, "even in death or life I am going to follow my King!" The meaning of Ittai is "the Lord is with me." This is so prophetic, because those who know the Lord is with them, are completely secure in themselves and thus, have no need to run with the crowd to seek their identity or security in the Kingdom. They know that the Lord is with them, and that because the Lord is with them, their allegiance and loyalty are centered on the right authority, because their lives are lived from a place of love and devotion to the right King. The authority that the Lord Himself has ordained and put in place. In this case, it was not Absalom that the Lord had established on the throne of Israel as King, but David- a man after God's own heart. Not a man after the heart of the people.
The crowds always go after outward appearance, the celebrity status, and the person who always has the coolest hair due. Check out Absalom's MO-
Now in all Israel there was no one who was praised as much as Absalom for his good looks. From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. 26 And when he cut the hair of his head—at the end of every year he cut it because it was heavy on him—when he cut it, he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels according to the king’s standard.
The Punch Line:
Absalom looked the part. He even appeared to have what we would call dreadlocks, but I doubt he was rastafari! :) He had a deep sense of justice, and appeared to have the right heart, but he did not have the heart of Ittai. I love Ittai because he is one of those unknown characters in the bible that you don't know on a first name basis, and probably forget about because you have a hard time even pronouncing his name to begin with. But he is mentioned. And I believe he is mentioned in the story because the God of the scriptures wanted to honor this loyal, devoted, faithful man. He wanted to show the contrast between the heart of an Absalom, and the heart of an Ittai. The heart of one who loves the cheer of the crowds or loves the command of the King. The crowd or the king?
Prayer:
Lord, form in me a heart like Ittai's. A heart that will not go after the fickle crowds, but that will follow my King. I declare to you my King Yeshua, as Ittai declared to King David "whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be.”
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Giants defy, God defends-
Saturday, August 6, 2011
The Lord chooses imperfect you, to do the perfect.
" The Lord chooses imperfect me, to do the perfect."
This phrase hit my spirit this morning as I was digging through Romans chapter 8. This chapter is filled with famous verses like, "There is therefore now no condemnation to the those who are in Christ Jesus." One of my favorite and I believe personally transforming truths found in the cannon of scriptura. Adoption, by Abba Father, Sonship, setting our minds on the things of the Spirit, and not on the filth of the flesh. Creation groaning, God's people groaning.The Spirit's intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Man, that's a lot of groaning. But groaning is not grumbling. Remember that! And then knowing that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Culminating in the powerful reality that nothing can separate us from this Abba's Father God's love. So much revelation, wisdom, and truth packed into just one chapter. As I mull over this sacred text, I hear again, "the Lord chooses imperfect me, to do the perfect" And then I think of what the word "Perfect" invokes in me. And it inevitably stirs up the sense of being imperfect. A place or state of being that is impossible to attain. Just hearing the word makes me feel imperfect. Performance, striving to an impossible standard that once I get even close to, I will fail to grasp or fully know. I start thinking of all of my flaws, weakness and shortcomings. Or, the instant need to justify myself every time I touch on the imperfect in me with, "Yea Yea, well, I'm not perfect!" How many times have I had to tell my wife that she didn't marry Mr. Perfect. Like she needed me to remind her.
But then something shifts in me, as I hear this word in light of the Holy Spirit's illumination and love, and do a little further mining into what this word "Perfect" really means. Because you see, to God the word "Perfect" is very different altogether. This is good, listen to the way that biblical scholar Dennis Bratcher breaks down the real meaning of the word Perfect as it pertains to use in the scripture.
The Hebrew word (tam or tamim) does not carry the meaning of "without flaw" as does the term "perfect" in English. It normally means complete or mature or healthy (for example, Lev 22:21). That meaning of mature dominates most use of the equivalent Greek term in the New Testament (telos). Something, or someone, can be complete or mature yet not be "without flaw." In fact, it is much easier to be mature and still have flaws, than it is to be without error or without flaw. Many people are mature, but few if any are "without flaw." A six year old can be mature, and still have a lot of growing to do, just like a person can be "holy" and have a lot to learn about spiritual maturity.
It takes me back to Adam, the first man to ever walk the earth, made in the very image and likeness of God. And because of that pure DNA running through his veins he actually was a perfect being or as we read above, he was a complete, healthy, and mature being. Of course we know though that something really bad happened that changed perfection to imperfection. Adam listened to his wife! No, just kidding. I just wanted to see if you were still tracking with me.
Fast forward a few thousand years and you hear Jesus saying, " Be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect." AHHHHHHHH! Jesus, how do I do perfect!" How can I be held to the same standard that God Himself holds Himself to? How could the Apostle Paul say, "I am the chief of sinners!" After writing Romans 8? Do you want to know? It's because Jesus showed up in Paul's weakness, or imperfections- And perfected His own power in the very places where Paul still had to mature, grow in health, and come into completion. He knew that The Perfect One, who had a begun a good work in his life, would complete it, or bring it to perfection, full maturity, and health. Paul knew that God would do the Perfect in His life, because Christ in me the hope of glory was at work. The perfection of Beauty, the Sinless, Flawless One was doing a perfect work in his imperfect life! This wasn't just a receive Jesus into your heart and everything will be okay, and you will never have to resist temptation ever again, or you will always be strong, or some name it and claim it type of message. This was a "God who is the most Perfect Person in the Universe, the most complete, mature, healthy person in the world, is doing something perfect in your life message! That Christ in you, who is Perfect, is perfecting that which concerns you. Perfecting His power in your imperfections. The Perfect one is not intimidated by your imperfections, but rather sees your imperfections as an opportunity to make you a complete, healthy, mature individual. So next time you see or notice your imperfections, or have to remind your wife that she did not marry Mr. Perfect, take a deep breathe, and simply say, Come Lord Jesus! Let your perfection's reflection be revealed in me. Let your perfect love which casts out fear, fill me, and cause me to love perfectly. Say to yourself, imperfection.. The Perfect One is here, and the Perfect One will complete me, mature me, and make me healthy. "He is the Rock, His work is perfect." And I am His workmanship in Christ Jesus, so do your perfect in me Lord! The End- Or just the Beginning.. :)
This phrase hit my spirit this morning as I was digging through Romans chapter 8. This chapter is filled with famous verses like, "There is therefore now no condemnation to the those who are in Christ Jesus." One of my favorite and I believe personally transforming truths found in the cannon of scriptura. Adoption, by Abba Father, Sonship, setting our minds on the things of the Spirit, and not on the filth of the flesh. Creation groaning, God's people groaning.The Spirit's intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Man, that's a lot of groaning. But groaning is not grumbling. Remember that! And then knowing that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Culminating in the powerful reality that nothing can separate us from this Abba's Father God's love. So much revelation, wisdom, and truth packed into just one chapter. As I mull over this sacred text, I hear again, "the Lord chooses imperfect me, to do the perfect" And then I think of what the word "Perfect" invokes in me. And it inevitably stirs up the sense of being imperfect. A place or state of being that is impossible to attain. Just hearing the word makes me feel imperfect. Performance, striving to an impossible standard that once I get even close to, I will fail to grasp or fully know. I start thinking of all of my flaws, weakness and shortcomings. Or, the instant need to justify myself every time I touch on the imperfect in me with, "Yea Yea, well, I'm not perfect!" How many times have I had to tell my wife that she didn't marry Mr. Perfect. Like she needed me to remind her.
But then something shifts in me, as I hear this word in light of the Holy Spirit's illumination and love, and do a little further mining into what this word "Perfect" really means. Because you see, to God the word "Perfect" is very different altogether. This is good, listen to the way that biblical scholar Dennis Bratcher breaks down the real meaning of the word Perfect as it pertains to use in the scripture.
The Hebrew word (tam or tamim) does not carry the meaning of "without flaw" as does the term "perfect" in English. It normally means complete or mature or healthy (for example, Lev 22:21). That meaning of mature dominates most use of the equivalent Greek term in the New Testament (telos). Something, or someone, can be complete or mature yet not be "without flaw." In fact, it is much easier to be mature and still have flaws, than it is to be without error or without flaw. Many people are mature, but few if any are "without flaw." A six year old can be mature, and still have a lot of growing to do, just like a person can be "holy" and have a lot to learn about spiritual maturity.
It takes me back to Adam, the first man to ever walk the earth, made in the very image and likeness of God. And because of that pure DNA running through his veins he actually was a perfect being or as we read above, he was a complete, healthy, and mature being. Of course we know though that something really bad happened that changed perfection to imperfection. Adam listened to his wife! No, just kidding. I just wanted to see if you were still tracking with me.
Fast forward a few thousand years and you hear Jesus saying, " Be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect." AHHHHHHHH! Jesus, how do I do perfect!" How can I be held to the same standard that God Himself holds Himself to? How could the Apostle Paul say, "I am the chief of sinners!" After writing Romans 8? Do you want to know? It's because Jesus showed up in Paul's weakness, or imperfections- And perfected His own power in the very places where Paul still had to mature, grow in health, and come into completion. He knew that The Perfect One, who had a begun a good work in his life, would complete it, or bring it to perfection, full maturity, and health. Paul knew that God would do the Perfect in His life, because Christ in me the hope of glory was at work. The perfection of Beauty, the Sinless, Flawless One was doing a perfect work in his imperfect life! This wasn't just a receive Jesus into your heart and everything will be okay, and you will never have to resist temptation ever again, or you will always be strong, or some name it and claim it type of message. This was a "God who is the most Perfect Person in the Universe, the most complete, mature, healthy person in the world, is doing something perfect in your life message! That Christ in you, who is Perfect, is perfecting that which concerns you. Perfecting His power in your imperfections. The Perfect one is not intimidated by your imperfections, but rather sees your imperfections as an opportunity to make you a complete, healthy, mature individual. So next time you see or notice your imperfections, or have to remind your wife that she did not marry Mr. Perfect, take a deep breathe, and simply say, Come Lord Jesus! Let your perfection's reflection be revealed in me. Let your perfect love which casts out fear, fill me, and cause me to love perfectly. Say to yourself, imperfection.. The Perfect One is here, and the Perfect One will complete me, mature me, and make me healthy. "He is the Rock, His work is perfect." And I am His workmanship in Christ Jesus, so do your perfect in me Lord! The End- Or just the Beginning.. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)