I’m reading Samuel now and I just can’t get over how patient David is, Samuel has anointed him but Saul is still king. Instead of acting or claiming the throne, David waits for God to deal with Saul.

Today we did most of our Christmas shopping and I tried to figure out all my gifts like I do every year. I told my oldest daughter it was because I just don’t like surprises and she countered that the real reason is that I don’t have any patience. She’s right. I need to pray about it. I can’t wait for God to start working on it.  (humor intended)

December 9, 2009

Dear Friends,

 I’m still rejoicing in the good news from last week! Thank you so much for your prayers and encouraging words.

Christmas is so exciting this year. I finished my shopping before the time at Duke last week, just in case. So, we were able to enjoy the snow Saturday and not stress over any need to start shopping. My strength is really good now and I was able to sleigh ride and throw snowballs with Shayley and Charlie. We also listened to Christmas music and put up the tree Saturday as the snow was coming down!

 The great thing about playing in the snow Saturday is I also felt no overwhelming urge to get pictures of us. We were able to enjoy it entirely in the moment without thoughts pressing on me about the need to capture it in case it were the last time.

 Sunday morning our pastor had emailed that we should feel free to have service at home if we were worried in the least about the safety of getting out. He also said that if anyone in the house plays the piano, to ask them to play! SO, we decided to do that. Shayley thought I was making that part up about the piano, so I had to show it to her! So, she sounded out a couple hymns for us on the piano. She also caught us up on what her Sunday School class has been studying recently. They are studying Acts and had just finished reading about Stephen (Acts 6 and 7). What incredibly rich chapters! Stephen was a person of great faith in Christ, but people spread lies about him, saying that he had cursed God and Moses. In the end, they stoned him to death, based on the lies of others. Stephen’s final words were to God on behalf of the people murdering him with words and stones, asking that He “not blame them for this sin.” What incredible faith, what amazing grace.

 We talked about how his words echoed Jesus’ words on the cross, both dying words from men probably bleeding to death. We also talked about how Stephen was a martyr that spurred the spreading of Good News. We talked about how it reminded us of Joseph and how his brothers lied about him, but he ended up rising up to help his brothers; and Joseph noted in the end that what other people intend for evil, God used for good.

 Saul of Tarsus was watching on as Stephen was murdered. Saul was the master prosecutor of Christians.  But he was struck down one day, and woke up with a different vision. Being knocked down was terrifying at first, I’m sure, but it changed his life forever as he came to know Christ himself. And he went on, now called Paul, to pen much of the New Testament.

 It was a good study for us. We seldom understand why bad things happen, but we can trust that God can use it for good.

 Yesterday I was back at Duke for the day so they could get two skin biopsies and 10 vials of blood for their research purposes for the clinical trial I just completed. Another patient and I are the last two in the study—done on 72 people at 5 cancer centers around the country. The doctor told me that they may not have final stats on the study for another year or two, but that it looks encouraging that the vaccines may delay cancer recurrences for some people. I was chatting with the phlebotomist who was drawing my blood and she mentioned that she had donated blood cells a while back for a clinical trial. She had to lay still for 4 hours as they withdraw her blood, she said. The more we talked, I began to realize that it was my clinical trial that she had donated blood for. It was a great moment, being face to face with the person who had voluntarily shed 4 hours of blood to help other people she didn’t even know.

 It reminded me of Stephen, and, moreover, Jesus.

 Christmas is so exciting.

 Thank you all for your prayers.

 Love,

Lydeana

God’s Servants Depend Upon God

Prayer And Praise In Times Of Trouble

David’s Troubles
In the Old Testament, King Saul was jealous of David’s military victories and his popularity. Jealousy developed into hatred, and Saul pursued David to kill him. During this period before he became king, David lived as a fugitive, seeking refuge in various places and moving around to avoid Saul and his men (1 Sam. 18-30). He feared for his life.

Saul tried to kill him at least three times with a spear, and then he attempted to have him killed in a battle with the Philistines. After these attempts failed, Saul “remained his enemy for the rest of his days” (1 Sam. 18:29 NIV).

Saul then asked his son Jonathan and all his attendants to kill David, and even sent men to his house to kill him, but David escaped. David told Jonathan, “there is only a step between me and death” and Jonathan knew for certain that “his father intended to kill David” (1 Sam. 20:3,33).

David kept moving from place to place, as Saul and 3,000 men searched for him. He fled to Nob and then to Gath; he hid in the cave of Adullam and then in Moab, Judah and in the desert. Finally, he settled among the Philistines in Gath.

David’s Response
David prayed for guidance and God answered and protected him. He consulted with men of God such as Samuel, Ahimelech and the prophet Gad. He “found strength in the Lord” in difficult circumstances (1 Sam. 30:6).

David’s experiences as he fled from Saul are described in Psalms 7, 18, 34, 52, 54, 56, 57, 59 and 142. These are characterized by both earnest prayers for God’s help and songs of praise recognizing God’s goodness. Consider these examples.

After pleading “save and deliver me from all who pursue me,” David said, “I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.” In distress he cried for help; when he was rescued he praised God (Ps. 7:1,17;
18:6,49).

David was always ready to praise the Lord, and sought to be delivered from his fears (Ps. 34:1,4). After criticizing a traitor, he said he would praise God forever (Ps. 52:2,9). After seeking God’s mercy, he praised God’s promises (Ps. 56:1,10).

David prayed for protection in times of danger, and was ready to sing hymns of praise for God’s love and loyalty (Ps. 57:1,9-10). He asked to be protected from his enemies, yet he sang of God’s strength and love (Ps. 59:1,16). When he laid all his worries and troubles before the Lord, he looked forward to being able to praise God for His goodness (Ps. 142:2,7).

Paul’s Troubles
As a Jewish leader in the New Testament, Paul persecuted the early Church by punishing its members, trying to get them to give up their faith, putting them in prison and even supporting their execution (Acts 26:9-11).

After his conversion to Christianity, Paul faced all sorts of persecution: expulsion from Pisidian Antioch; ill-treatment and stoning in Iconium; stoning and being left for dead in Lystra; arrest, flogging and imprisonment in Philippi; a riot in Thessalonica; abuse in Corinth; being publicly maligned in Ephesus; plotted against in Greece; and being arrested, flogged, struck in the face, and having more than forty men plot to kill him in Jerusalem (Acts 13-23).

Paul said of his hardships and sufferings, that he had “been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers … from bandits … from my own countrymen … from Gentiles … in the city … in the country … at sea and … from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked” (2 Cor. 11:23-27).

His sufferings in Asia were so horrible and unbearable that death seemed certain (2 Cor. 1:8-9). He also experienced a “thorn in the flesh” that tormented him (2 Cor. 12:7-9).

Paul’s Response
Paul persevered with the mission to which God called him despite his hardships. For example, when he faced opposition from the Jews in Corinth he protested to them and moved on to preach to the Gentiles (Acts 18:6-8). Like David, under God’s guidance he was courageous and was able to escape many threatening situations.

Paul’s response to difficulties is illustrated by his time in jail at Philippi. Having been severely flogged, placed in the inner cell and fastened in stocks, Paul and Silas were “praying and singing hymns to God” in the middle of the night (Acts 16:25). So, like David, prayer and songs of praise characterized his life. This would have included prayers for those who persecuted him (Mt. 5:44; Rom. 12:14).

Our Response
Although we may not face life-threatening situations as often as David and Paul did, we can learn from their experiences. We will all face hardship, trials, troubles and difficulties while serving God in this sinful world. On such occasions it is important to realize our dependence on God and express it through prayer and praise.

In difficult times and at critical moments in life we should bring our needs to God in prayer. Then as we realize God’s power, love and goodness this should lead to praise and thanksgiving. Only those who see the big picture, God at work even in our trying times, can suffer gladly (Rom. 5:3).

By George Hawke

With permission to publish by: Sam Hadley, Grace & Truth, 210 Chestnut St., Danville, IL., USA.

Website: www.gtpress.org

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“When he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple” (Acts 9:26).

The apostle Paul knew the question, “where to start?” better than most. On the other hand, he knew the answer just as well as anyone today. Where to start? There are so many lessons to learn from the conversion account of Paul! He was a Hebrew of Hebrews. He was a zealous Pharisee who persecuted the church with clean conscience. The risen savior Jesus appears to Paul while on his way to Damascus to arrest more of Christ’s followers. Paul is struck blind and told to wait for someone to tell him what he must do. Ananias comes to Paul and tells him to arise and be baptized, washing away his sins after healing his blindness. It is truly an amazing account! What I want to focus your attention on are the problems Paul encounters being a new convert and youthful preacher. As well I want to focus your attention to the leadership position Barnabas fills when the opportunity arises.

Youthful Preaching:
Paul, being a newly converted preacher is not going to be the most eloquent speaker. While he has a leg up on us, receiving revelation (Gal 1:12), he still had his insufficiencies in preaching (2 Cor 10:10; 11:6). Even as we grow in our skill and ability to proclaim the word of God there is one crucial truth to tattoo on our hearts: God will supply the power where we are insufficient (2 Cor 3:5; Romans 1:16; 1 Cor 3:6). If you will notice, Paul is not necessarily a young man when begins preaching. He is probably somewhere around the age of 30 when he begins his ministry. Youthful preaching is not merely being a young preacher. Youthful preaching is preaching with the curiosity of a youth. There’s surprise around every corner! We can read over and over Paul’s excitement about proclaiming the mystery of the gospel (Romans 16:25; Ephesians 5:32; Ephesians 6:19). Even in imprisonment Paul was excited about preaching the mystery (Colossians 4:3). Youthful preaching is preaching with a love for surprise and the wonder of God’s word.

Leadership:
May I now turn your attention to the role Barnabas takes in Acts 9:26-27. Saul (Paul) has just come into Jerusalem to finally consult with the other apostles (Acts 9:26; Galatians 1:16-18). He meets opposition in the form of disbelief of his discipleship. Then comes the hero of the hour, Barnabas! Verse 27 says Barnabas “took hold of him.” Barnabas was not only the encourager but he was forceful when he needed to be. He wore the hat he needed to when the time arose. He then “described” all that had taken place with Saul’s conversion, which in the original language has the force of ‘related in full.’ So he left nothing out of the account. Let us take a look at some principles of leadership Barnabas displayed:
1. He noticed the problem.
2. He took initiative.
3. He disarmed both parties by showing that Saul could be taken hold of.
3. Barnabas took a great responsibility upon himself.
4. He showed respect not only to a brother in Christ, but he showed respect to Christ for His decision.
5. Finally, he set forth a plan of action in relating in full all that occurred.

These are going to be our two main focuses with this blog; youthful preaching and leadership. While these two topics may seem like polar opposites, they truly fit together! Youthful preaching without leadership skills on the part of the youth or the more experienced will prove to be detrimental. We will search out materials to practically apply to our ministries and grow in our knowledge and application of leadership. It is sure to be an informative and life changing ride.

Keep me informed as to what you would like to discuss or perhaps would like to explore in your youthful preaching and leadership.

WE WAIT AND WE WAIT

NOTE TO READER: There are a lot of NUGGETS scattered in this essay. As per usual I go all over the place, and there is a lot that I believe you will love. You may even say, WO! A couple of times! Some may even say Blasphemor! LOL, Regardless, try and stick with this essay because I talk about everything from the virgin birth, the barren womb, religion, to what the new heaven and earth is, the list goes on an on. Many of these mysteries we have all wondered about… So enjoy and please let me know what you think. Peace out PEEPS!

“THE BARREN WOMB OF SCRIPTURE”

My wife and I are working on making babies “church”. We want child number four right now. I know for many this can be a painful and difficult process, when after months, or years of trying and failing, the joy is replaced by the remorse of not having that Promise Child you have dreamed about and prayed about. Well the same is true spiritually. We each have a God given purpose and dream that needs to be birthed, but most importantly it is CHRIST IN US, the hope of Glory that must be delivered from our SOULISH WOMB.

However, the barren womb bring so much pain to the woman and man who desire to have a child of their own. As much, if not more pain, than not seeing your destiny fulfilled.

Years ago I wrote a song about infertility, sang by my friend Eddie Coronado, http://payplay.fm/eddiecoronado2 , and produced by Joseph Ninowski.

The song represented the pain one couple felt after years or trying to have a baby, praying for a baby and still having none. This is a pain not all of us have felt physically, but one I’ sure we can relate to spiritually and emotionally.

Like my wife waiting and waiting for the line to turn blue on her little pee pee stick, the wait, the anticipation, the hope that today, this day, all our dreams would come true… But, then after five minutes or so reality sets in, “Not Pregnant” AGAIN!

Today’s paper is going to take this heart wrenching experience and bring it into the spiritual, to show us, that many of us have barren wombs crying out for the TRUE LIFE of CHRIST to grow inside them AND TAKE OVER. When I mean LIFE, I mean the, Truth, The Way, The, C to the H to the R to the I to the S to the T. The Big Kahuna! THE SON OF GOD within.

So before you begin to read this essay, which I hope to inspire you and lift you up to new heights in understanding. We will learn that these “children” the many women of scripture desire to have, are symbols of dreams/hopes/destinies/ and wisdom that is ONLY found in CHRIST. And to become pregnant with the TRUTH, we will also learn, it is up to us, to return to God and casting aside every idol (false belief) in our heart.

But first, please enjoy this short song, “We wait and We Wait”. It is not for sale, just for your enjoyment and while listening to this song I wrote, imagine the child the couple is waiting for, is the full REVELATION OF CHRIST within!

To write this song I drew on the emotional pains of my past. And I used the empty feeling of not seeing the dreams of my heart come true, as a way to express the anguish of not being able to bring life into this world.

First I want to express my heart felt sorrow for those who have such difficulty, and my heart felt thanks for those that reach out to the unwanted children of the world and make them their own. A family is not one of flesh and blood, but of love and unity.

Mark 3:35
For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

Indeed, God does heal the hearts of so many who have broken hopes, through institutions such as adoption, and without the ability to have a child there would be no one to help those who are not equip to parent such.

God is going to heal us all “Church” that is not me itching your ears, this is fact. He will turn even your enemies to our supporters when we learn the lessons of reaping what we have sown, and sowing for tomorrow only the good that we want done unto ourselves. For what we do to one, we do to ourselves. The more we hate, the more we will be hated, the more we love, the more love we will know.

1 John 4:11
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

If we say we love God and hate our brother, we are liars, because even our “adversaries for our good” are as much a part of God as we are. At this moment their treatment as sucky as it seems is for our benefit and learning. So, take these chastening with patience and rejoice, for the sooner we turn to God, the sooner he will bring peace and the CHRIST CHILD TO OUR BARREN WOMB.

Let’s get all ALLEGORICAL NOW, you know how I love to “break it down!” And I don’t mean DX style from the WWE, like my son’s say.

Conception in a literal womb is what happens when MAN makes MAN in the IMAGE OF MAN… So, conception in the spiritual womb of our HEART (SOUL) IS God making a God In His Image. — Too much? (Ha!) Chew on it then.

When a dog has a baby it is a dog, When a mouse has a baby it is a mouse, When a Human has a baby it is a Human…. SO, when GOD has a baby, what do you think God’s son would be, a Giraffe?

Ps 82 6I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.

That’s right, that is the PROMISE OF God, THE PROMISE CHILD we are all to give birth to… IN OUR BODY!

Life, Birth, a Child in the womb in the natural is a symbol of CHRIST being birthed within!

John 6:63
The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are LIFE.

These words are TRUTH. And the Truth of God has been lying dormant for many years inside the whole of mankind. KILLED AT GOLGATHA (the place of the skull) – our thinking. This is why the Holy Spirit overshadows us, so we REMEMBER who we are!

John 14:26
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

So, today is about getting some spiritual nooky so the BARREN WOMB produces the FRUIT OF GOD’S LOINS (The spirit of TRUTH, LIFE, LIGHT, THE WAY) – CHRIST

And these stories of the BARREN WOMB are everywhere.

Genesis 11:30
But Sarai was barren; she had no child.
Genesis 25:21
And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
Genesis 29:31
And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.
Luke 1:7
And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

Judges 13:3
And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.

But this could only happen when Man returns to the Lord, and begins to trust in the Lord and NOT on his own ways.

Romans 7:5
For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

Oh, and just to be clear the FLESH is not YOUR SKIN. The FLESH is your CARNAL/IGNORANT THINKING. Which is why it produces DEATH! Because in ADAM (dead man) we are a bunch of meat-heads walking around trying to work our way to heaven. The FLESH is YUCKY! As my daughter would say.

Paul said, he knew that there was NO GOOD THING in his Flesh (Soulish, carnal mind)

Think about it. How can IGNORANCE ever produce TRUTH? … A spring cannot produce both fresh and salt water, can it? … I mean really, can it? I was never good at science.

The BARREN WOMAN is an allegory of the state of MANKINDS SOUL. And it is not just the BARREN WOMB, the scriptures speak of the BARREN VESSELS used for ritual washing that Jesus had to FILL with WATER (Truth) so it could be turned to SPIRIT (LIFE)

We are the VESSELS that are BARREN. OUR BARREN soul need to be fill. The vessels Jesus filled at the MARRIAGE (when soul and spirit) become one were bone dry (barren) And there were SIX of them. More symbolism to give the mystery away. The NUMBER of vessels was 6 (THE NUMBER OF MAN) — We have this TREASURE, CHRIST hidden in our EARTHEN (SOULISH) VESSELS… So the WATER (word of God) needs to be poured into us and then the SEED inside GROWS and becomes a LIVING SPIRIT (pictured in this story as WINE)…

Then the Master of the Marriage declares, GOD saves the BEST FOR LAST. Meaning the 1st Man (adam) is not the Best, CHRIST ROCKS PEOPLE! This is why the 1st shall be Last and the LAST (Christ) shall be first in our thoughts and in the Kingdom of God.

We see the word Barren used in many places, the Barren womb, the Barren Vessels, the Barren Land… The womb, the Vessels, the Land, all symbols of us… And it is time that we, that were barren will be barren no more.

Luke 1:48
For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

Remember, how MARY got pregnant again… The HOLY SPIRIT OVERSHADOWED HER.

35And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

Many say this is literal but miss the whole point of what it means to have the HOLY SPIRIT OVERSHADOW you.

Ever try hard to be the best at something, but there was that one person that always OVERSHADOWED YOU? This is what it means in a nutshell.

To be Overshadowed by the Holy Spirit. Means the TRUTH of GOD taking precedence over your life, as God did with MARY, and when this happens… The HOLY THING BIRTHED inside is called the SON OF GOD.

Many say this only happes to the VIRGIN MARY. But I assure Mary, is also a symbol of us all. And the VIRGIN, is an allegory as well. A VIRGIN is one who has not had relations (become one) with another. A VIRGIN is allegorical of humanity when it no longer commits adultery with false beliefs and vanity and READIES themselves for God. ONLY when we return to God with a PURE HEART (undefiled soul) as a VIRGIN can God germinate the holy seed Christ within. And there are multiple scriptures that prove this does not ONLY happen to Mary.

Galatians 4:19
My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

Look’s like CHRIST is formed in US as well. And what is that HOPE OF GLORY AGAIN?

Colossians 1:27
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

You see, this is the GREAT MYSTERY, the one that has been hidden from the ages now revealed to you, if you can receive it… You are Mary, Rachel, Sarah, you are the Barren vessels, the Barren Land that soon produces fruit.

There is only ONE SON of GOD… and that is HUMANITY. ADAM actually means HUMANITY. And you are either DEAD IN CARNAL ADAM (your ignorant ego) or ALIVE AND RESURRECTED IN CHRIST (your TRUE SPIRIT AND NATURE) – the express image of GOD.

But now, we cry out, WHEN LORD, WHEN? Like the song, We wait and We wait for the child to come. We wail for Christ is to be BIRTHED INSIDE US ALL. And then of course DELIVERED TO THE WORLD!

But, the ONLY way for this to happen is when the TRUTH OF GOD (Holy Spirit) = “my words are truth and spirit” OVERSHADOWS your carnal nature (man’s thoughts).

Because “TO BE CARNALLY MINDED IS DEATH” and death cannot produce life. Which is why we see so many PEOPLE living unfulfilled. They have believed they were who and what they are not. It’s like we’ve all been tricked into believing we are these bankrupt, insecure, weak, greedy, arrogant, prideful fools. Our carnal experiences in this world have defined us, to ourselves. THIS SHOULD NOT BE. We need to wake out of this ignorant slumber and let CHRIST (The Truth of who we are in Christ) Shine (be known to us and the world)

Matthew 17:5
While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

When we are OVERSHADOWED with the TRUTH. We understand, that we are GOD’S CHILD. And that GOD is pleased with us. No matter what we have done, and we have all done wrong. That does not mean we will not have to pay the price for our mistake. When you drop the cookie jar you have to clean up the mess. So too, our mistakes we will reap, so we learn never to make the same again.

And just as a woman in the literal, physical world cries and laments over not being able to bring life into this world. So we too cry and lament over our present sufferings, which never seem to end. We weep because the dreams that have been place in our heart have not been brought forth as was the case with Abraham.

God had placed a dream in his heart, he said
Genesis 17:16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”

This is what Abraham always wanted. Sort of like what all of us want, a TRUE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. To walk in the DESTINY GOD HAS FOR US ALL. And we can, and we WILL! Whether in this world or the next. That goes for our seking God or turning from him. Whatever we do now, decides what is to come.

Matthew 12:32
And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

But in the end, when God plants a promise in your heart, GOD BRINGS IT TO PASS. Even if you feel like giving up, even if you believe you have made a mistake. Ultimately, God is in control. SO HAVE FAITH, but not faith in yourself, Faith in God, so his promise can be BIRTHED WITHIN and then expressed without.

For Abraham, the dream to have a child, always lingered in the back of his mind, “when lord, when?” he cried as we cry. And after “waiting and waiting” and not seeing this come to pass. His WIFE comes up with a great idea. Once again, a symbol of our soulish nature, convincing us, we don’t need to wait on God, we need to ACT NOW! (That philosophy didn’t work so well with King Saul, he lost the Kingdom, did he not… Oh and God sent a TORMENTING SPIRIT to trouble him. (But of course, God wouldn’t really do that would he, HA!)

So Abraham finally listens to his carnal wife. And He takes her slave/maidservant to make a child with, he commits adultery, symbolic of cheating on GOD with IDOLATRY. Trying to bring about God’s promise for your life, with WORKS. Going to MAN instead of God.

But what does God do? He speaks to Abraham, he promises him, but after years of not seeing a child, Abraham does not believe it. (Like we don’t believe after years of not seeing out promise come to pass)

Genesis 17:17
Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”

How many of us do the exact same? God places a desire in our heart. We don’t trust God can do it so we set out to bring it to pass with our strength, with our hands and thoughts (carnal soulish ways) and we fail miserably. We do as Abraham did, we rely on our WORKS and WITS… We use the FLESH where God’s spirit gives Life.

Jacob was the King at this. God promised Jacob the kingdom, but he manipulated, twisted, and even LITERALLY put on the flesh of his OLDER BROTHER (THE CARNAL MAN) to bring his promise to pass. I, Myself can relate. The irony is Jacob prevailed when it came to God and Man, but at a great price. And boy can I relate.

There are many times, I don’t trust God, I act like those in this world, I play their games and I can play them with the best of them, and I may even win the day, but when all is said and done… I am not left with the promise of Rachel, but the ugly near sighted Leah. ( No offence Leah, but the Jacob wanted his true bride, and he was tricked into marrying someone who could see (understand) — So he had to WORK, WORK, AND WORK until he was finally set free from the shackles of LABAN (sheep shearers) – (Religious men and women and their ways)

Like Jacob I wanted the promise and wen’t after it. But I wen’t to my MOTHERS (SOULS) – remember the SOUL is what gives birth to everything WITHIN. This is why EVE was called MOTHER of all living. But to find God’s kingdom I didn’t trust God, I wen’t to LABAN, the soul’s brother (religious thinking). I went to “Religion” and I found they had ALOT OF IDOLS (false beliefs). But I wanted RACHEL so bad that I stayed there and continued to rely on my WORKS, which is what religious man teaches you. “YOU HAVE TO DO THIS OR THAT” — But in the end, like Jacob I left and I took everything I was blessed with there with me. And now I am here writing to all of you.

Like me, Abraham didn’t trust God would give them HIS PROMISE child (an allegory of CHRIST IN YOU revealed). So he went about bringing this child into the world, through his FLESH, through ADULTERY, through his WORKS. Which is exactly what many of us are doing today?

How do we do this? You ask…

You go to your churches, sing in your choirs, tithe, sacrifice your time for your church, you hand out your flyers and your tapes, working, working, working your way into the KINGDOM OF SAUL (carnality) not the Kingdom of God.

Remember what God promised would happen to the people of Israel when they demanded to have a MAN as a KING, instead of God as KING. Just like Israel, ignorantly, few of us want God to be our King, we want our Pastors, Priests, Imans, Rabbis. Gurus, to teach us… But watch what we receive when we demand a MAN to be King where God is meant to rule.

1 Samuel 8:6 But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.

Most today do not go to God to learn or be ruled. He wants a KING, He wants a Carnal man to itch their ears and allow them to continue on in pride, judgment, hate, and idolatry.

God said, Man has REJECTED ME as their King… So, God gave them over to the REPROBATE MIND, and he allowed SAUL to be their King. But look at the price… And remember there is nothing NEW UNDER THE SUN.

God warned them, the INSTANT Mankind, placed a CARNAL MAN in the position of spiritual leadership, they would lose everything and become slaves TO A CORRUPT SYSTEM. (Babylon anyone?)

He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.

Churches today, manipulate the young men and women, brainwash the children at daycare and raise them up to be good supporters of whatever particular man made church they attend. They raise them up to FIGHT AND RECRUIT for their ministry. Some are so cruel, they make them wear white short sleeve button down shirt, black slacks, and goofy helmets, and lame bikes… (Just kidding Mormons, we’re all a mess, but seriously, change the duds dudes! I think Joseph Smith had better fashion sense than that… Just saying)

12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.

Churches today, act more like major corporations, and even act and sound like a military organizations. And of course for thousands of years, differents faces and woman have been prejudiced against and put down. Some have gone so far as to say, “a woman cant even speka in church” — Meanwhile those knuckleheads haven;t the slightest idea of what the scripture means, The “woman” is a symbol of man’s soul… as stated earlier. And it is the SPIRIT of God that should lead, not man’s soul… But back to what God promised. Put a Carnal Man over you as King, Pastor whatever and your woman will take over your bake sales, house meetings, and coffee shops, choir etc. Of course not all churches do this, but God warned them, Man cannot rule you spiritually, Mankind CARNAL IN ADAM is corrupt

He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.

This is what Carnal man does..

14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants.

Some churches today even convince their blind flock to give everything to their religious organization. To leave behind their property to the church when they die. The Catholics wrote the book on that one. This is why they forbid Priests to Marry, that way all of the money made by these poor misled men, reverts back to the church… But didn’t God say, it was FORBIDDEN to not let a MAN MARRY?

1 Timothy 4:3
Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

The Catholic church must have missed that one, and the whole abstaining from meat (which is really an allegory for deeper revelation) but in the natural… I mean come on GOOD FRIDAY! I’d rather take a quarter pounder with cheese than some fish! YUCK!

Now, look, I don’t want to be picking on the Catholics either. WE ARE ALL GONE ASTRAY.

Isaiah 53:6
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

And allowing CARNAL MANKING to rule over us spiritually is not making things any easier. the WOMB IS STILL BARREN. But let’s see what else God promised would happen if we mad CARNAL MANKIND to be our KING (rule over us spiritually)

15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle [b] and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.

Is it not irony, that every church teaches that you should give “god” TEN PERCENT of everything you have! God warned them, Man would only take and destroy, where God wants to add to your life, Man only steals.

Hosea 7:1
When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.

The TITHE — PHEWY! Give to those who need it, and sure if you love your church and they are doing good, bless them, but don’t do it, because SAUL TELLS YOU!

But today, the PROMISE IS AT HAND, as it always is. The BARREN WOMB may become a thing of the past. If we can hold onto this great hope, and high calling that is found in returning to the Lord.

Genesis 15:3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir

The PROMISED SON, comes from WITHIN. THIS IS THE KING that is to RULE US SPIRITUALLY. It is Christ we are talking about here. We aren’t talking about a literal child. The SON comes from his OWN BODY(HEART/SOUL) who will be the HEIR. – We are talking about birthing CHRIST IN US people… THE SON who is HEIR over our HOUSE. (HEART)

Hebrews 3:6
But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

But this promise of salvation eludes us because so many are brainwashed and even petrified to simply pray, GOD TEACH ME THE TRUTH NO MATTER WHAT THE COSTS!

This is why we still suffer, worry and fear. Because we have not HELD FAST THE CONFIDENCE and the COVENANT of God. We don’t trust God, we don’t rely on God, we rely on our own wits and works. We don’t go to God, we go a Pastor, or Priest, or so called Profit (spelling intended)

Myself included people, Jacob isn’t walking that straight and narrow. “Out of the abundance of revelation given to me, I gots me this THORN in my flesh.” I am humbled still by how little I truly trust God, and how much I really cant stand some people… This is why you MUST NEVER mistake the messenger for the message.

I’m a big old CHOOCH, I don’t know why these things are put on my heart the way they are, but writing them, helping others, sharing with others, is about the closet thing I have ever felt to TRUE PEACE. — Well that and an extended stay in one of those massage chairs at Brookstone.

But I digress,
As Abraham did, when we go off and commit adultery with a slave to give birth to an Ishmael. Which is really what we are doing by going to a man made church. We have relations (believe their beliefs) to try and bring about this CHILD (Christ) on our own.

And then WE OWN THE J-MAN. Every year our traditions allow us to control him. We give birth to him, we kill him, and we ressurect him. Every single year. With man’s holidays like Christmas and Easter, etc.

(Now look, I LOVE the holidays, and I think it is even a good thing that God has permitted such. But we need to remember the ONLY PLACE CHRIST IS BORN is WITHIN US)

The Christ child, birthed right there AMONG THE ANIMALS (MAN’S CARNAL THOUGHTS)

You see the Barren womb (our soul) is hungry to be filled, and if we are not careful, we will give birth to the exact opposite of what God had promised to begin with.

ABRAHAM impregnating Hagar is a symbol of Mankind, giving birth to the FALSE CHRIST, ANTI-CHRIST, CARNAL RELIGIOUS MAN… ISHMAEL

This 1st born man is NOT SPIRITUAL but Natural – We create this Ishmael, because we are so desperate to be free from our affliction (which is where Ishmael gets his name, from affliction/suffering. We would rather commit adultery with man’s god and become a slave to Man’s tradition and vile teachings and ways, than to simply wait on the Lord.

Genesis 16:11
And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.

And for awhile we rejoice in this for a moment. But this Ishmael (first born carnal religious) man ends up threatening the TRUE CHILD of CHRIST within which will manifest one day.

This is why, just like Abraham, we must rid ourselves of the CARNAL FIRST BORN EGO MAN – so our TRUE LIFE (Christ) can be born and rule.

In that day. The ELDER (CARNAL) will serve the younger (Christ)

We can look at ISHMAEL AND ISAAC another way. Look at Ishmael as our conscious temporal mind, the mind that has to conquer and kill with its bare hands (Ishmael was a hunter) – Ishmael is our waking mind, our Ego, the man that lack true faith in God… Now look at Isaac, the CHRIST WITHIN, in whom ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE… If we don’t allow CHRIST TO INCREASE and our CARNAL EGO to decrease, our purpose will never become full.

We must in fact, get rid of ISHMAEL, we must cast away our carnal thoughts, and the thoughts that we are in control, we have to KICK THIS OLD MAN OUT, and let CHRIST RULE AND REIGN.

For that is who we are, TRAPPED INSIDE the prison of this FLESH (CARNAL/SOULISH) THINKING.

We see stories of the Barren womb all over scripture. I really want to hammer this point home. The reason in the physical there are abortion, infertility, rapes, and other horrendous acts, is because in the spiritual these are happening as well.

Matthew 16:19
And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Whatever we think, carnal or spiritual, becomes. WHATEVER SOMEONE BELIEVES IN THEIR HEART THAT THEY ARE! … WITH FAITH ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE! (shall I go on) It’s all about our beliefs and where they are coming from.

And what is HEAVEN and what is EARTH?

Well there was a time, I looked into the stars and prayed to God as if he was out there afar. I looked beneath at my feet and said this is the earth isn’t it neat? But then the 1st Heaven and 1ST Earth passed away.

I no longer saw HEAVEN and EARTH carnally. I DID NOT SEE IT AS OUTSIDE MYSELF. I did not see God as an angry lightning bolt thrower sitting on a throne past the milky way… The 1st Heaven and Earth passed away.

Because I know that what I see, IS NOT REAL or INFINITE. So I understood there was a SECOND HEAVEN AND EARTH.

I saw a SECOND HEAVEN AND EARTH open up to me. And I realized that HEAVEN and EARTH are both WITHIN. Heaven is GOD’S TRUTH AND WAYS… Earth is Man’s understanding and ways.

“As the Heavens are above the Earth, so are God’s ways above Man’s”

The 2nd Heaven and Earth, is the union of God’s ways in Man’s heart. But until that day, our carnal sick thoughts produce the sick things in the world today. The physical is an expression of the spiritual state of things. And WE CAN CHANGE THIS! We are the miracle makers, because we are THE CHRIST, when we send OUR ISHMAEL away.

You want to know the mystery of the new heaven and earth. Here.

Isaiah 65:17
For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

2 Peter 3:13
Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

In the New Heaven and Earth DWELLS righteousness… It boggles my mind, how people will make up fairy tales and explain what the new heaven and earth is WITHOUT EVER CONSIDERING what scripture says it to be.

2 Peter 3:13
Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

In the NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH – Dwells RIGHTEOUSNESS … let’s see where else, Righteousness dwells, as it dwells IN US, in the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (which is Righteousness, peace, and joy)

Proverbs 12:17
He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.

The NEW HEAVEN and the NEW EARTH, is when the TWO become one. When Man’s soul and God’s spirit unite and CREATE CHRIST IN US!

1 Corinthians 15:47
The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.

Now when Abraham was promised a Child, first God gave his a key to unlock this great potential that was dormant in his loins (soul/heart) — God said.

Genesis 17:9And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. 10This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. 11And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

This is the point, God promised that he would give Abraham the desire of his heart, only if he FIRST, kept God’s covenant. Which was to circumcise the Flesh.

Romans 7:18
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

This has NOTHING to do with literal circumcision, but has everything to do with PUTTING OFF THE CORRUPT WORKS OF THE FLESH.

There are dreams God has placed in our hearts, there are the CHILDREN (purpose, destiny, with CHRIST IN YOU) that are waiting to be birthed within us all. BUT FIRST WE MUST, put off the works of the Flesh. To have these “children (God’s promise)” we must return to the Lord.
This is why we see so many PACKAGES TRIMMED back. I mean, really, people, to take this literally is just down right nasty. But it is a sign of being separated from the world.

And what is the WORLD, (It is not the literal world that comes to an end) it is ALL THAT IS IN THE WORLD, The lust of the Flesh, The Lust of the eyes, the pride of Life.

Colossians 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

So we see that to give BIRTH to our DESTINY which is CHRIST REVEALED IN US, AS US, THROUGH US, FOR US. We must do as Abraham did. WE MUST put off that former conversation, we must become BORN AGAIN in our THINKING!
So you want your purpose to be fulfilled, you want to find peace, you want CHRIST, and I mean the REAL SON OF GOD, that is WITHIN YOU, not returning… Because if you wait and wait for something or someone to return, who is already YOUR LIFE FORCE to begin with, you will NEVER FILL THAT BARREN OLD WOMB (ego/soul) of yours. So RETURN TO THE LORD PEOPLE, put off your false beliefs, leave your man made shadow lodges and come into the LIGHT. FLEE BABYLON ALREADY and God will give you your promise.

Exudos 23:25 Worship the LORD your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, 26 and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span.

When you do this…. Guess what happens? It’s time for Karaoke! (singing)

Isaiah 54:1
Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.

Hope any of this made a lick of sense for you, and I have one whopped one its way. So rest up, because THE DAY OF THE LORD IS A SCARY ONE, and I got some hard hitting truth that might make most of you run for the mountains and scream, LET THE ROCKS FALL UPON US!

Love you all, don’t be a stranger, write Jacob make a comment or two. Peace

Jacob

12 videos to see.  Turin Brakes is my personal favorite.

http://www.sulkybunny.com/

I preached on the coming Messiah in prophecy in the Old Testament and their fulfillment in the New Testament. I have articles coming from this sermon starting tomorrow. I also spoke on Saul’s refusal to kill King Agag and its relation to our postmodern age.

Whats the mood everyone, I’m Saul (wes) Ellison. I’m the creator for the site; drummer and percussionist for the band Black Vendetta. Like Tony, our lead guitarist, I’m the other original member. I’ve been playing for more than 5 years now. I love all types of music and enjoy the grooves and melodies that are created over lyrics any day. I listen to many drummers such as Tony Royster, Jojo Mayers, Steve Gadd, Steve Smith, Thomas Lang and a wealth of others. I’ve also worked and practices with many proffessionals including Darrell Green, Napoleaon Revels-Bey, Winard Harper and Anthony Pino.

If any questions or suggestions, feel free to ask, and I suggest for a subscription, we won’t dissapoint.

Saul Kaplan of the Business Innovation Factory, published what he calls a ‘rant’ in the Mass High Tech, the journal of technology in New England. You can also read it on his blog.

And it’s a nice rant.  It really is.

It is time to move beyond public policy debates and institutional rugby scrums to try new solutions. What we are doing now isn’t working, and far too much of the federal stimulus investment in education is being spent to sustain the current system.

Isn’t that nice? I love it.  New solutions all around!

But what Kaplan (and so many others) are saying and writing and politicizing is the same old, tired polemic.

We need actionable platforms to enable real world experimentation for new education systems and solutions. We need to bring the voice of the student and student experience directly into the education innovation conversation. And we must create a purposeful network of innovators motivated to explore and test new system solutions. Join the conversation. The water is fine.

This is the language of business.  “We need to bring the voice of the student directly into the education innovation conversation.”  A network of innovators has to be created.  We need “actionable platforms” and “real world experimentation.”

Some of these things exist, actually, Saul.  That network of educational innovators you wanted?  They’re teachers using these odd social media services called Twitter and Facebook and Ning and WordPress.  We got tired of waiting around for educational authorities to give us access to these tools, so a lot of teachers went out and started up conversations online with each other (This blog has readers, though unfortunately not yet commentators, on every inhabited continent).

Chances are, though, that the teachers are using their home Internet services to use these tools, because the tools are blocked by filtering services from school.  And those student voices in the educational debate you wanted?  Those students are blocked from participating in the conversation in two ways — one, those self-same filters. And two, most of them don’t care about the education they’re getting in school. The majority of students have one, maybe two ‘good’ teachers, and the rest are “boring”, “mean”, or just plain “stupid.”

And this mirrors your own educational experience, so you believe the teens in your life when they say stuff like this: “School is boring.” “All my teachers hate me.”

Yet when you ASK kids to design as school — and I do this a LOT — the first thing they do is design the building.  Because kids think school=building.  When you dig deeper, though, and probe them with more questions, they imagine a school that operates much like today’s hybridized monsters.

What every solution I’ve ever read in a newspaper or on a website or a blog has failed to do… completely!… is tell us teachers what it is that all you non-teachers would like us to do during the eight or nine hours we have your children in our care and tutelage. When we ask, we get lists like this:

1. Explore real-world problems
2. Implement 21st century learning
3. Implement student-centered learning
4. Stop giving pointless worksheets
5. Stop teaching to the test
6. Make it relevant to the kids’ lives

Starting with #5., first — we’ll stop teaching to the test when you stop basing our salaries and likelihood of future employment on The Test.  And related to that, #4., half the pointless worksheets we give are related to “teaching to the test.”

Which brings us to this list:

1. Explore real-world problems
2. Implement 21st century learning
3. Implement student-centered learning
4. Make it relevant to the kids’ lives

Real-world problems require real-world data and real-world tools.  If you want chemists, America, you have to put top-notch chemists into your high school and middle school classrooms, you have to give them instruments and equipment and raw ingredients, and you have to convince the parents to sign liability waivers in case their kid blows himself or others up, or poisons them with toxic fumes, or wrecks the science wing of the school.  If you want architects and designers, you have to give them access to working designers, architects, and landscapers.  And you have to shell out money for gardens and plants and koi ponds and things like rakes and shovels and dirt.  If you want nuclear physicists or astronomers, you need to consider building a reactor pile in the school gymnasium, and a planetarium or an observatory on the baseball field.  And you need to hire a physicist and an astronomer who will take on some students as apprentices and teach them the ropes.  A climatologist needs a dozen weather stations all over town and an Internet link for the data she and her students collect.

But here’s the trouble.  What you’ve currently got are schools built around five core subjects, plus sometimes-art and sometimes-music, and sometimes-sports.  Your school’s payroll includes a huge number of English, History and Education majors plus some football and basketball coaches, a physics teacher and a biology teacher, and some administrators.  Your school’s budget includes line items for mice for the class snake and cage litter for the hamster.  There isn’t a line item for a used gene sequencer, or a 9″ refracting telescope or its observatory, or a plastics-moulding laboratory, or a digital recording studio with a green screen and a sound booth anywhere on the list.

Or the budget to hire personnel to operate, maintain, and upgrade these kinds of facilities.  So anyone who is going to do those kinds of 21st-century skills trainings in the classroom, Mr. Kaplan, is going to be a teacher who happens to already be interested in the tools. As a hobby. Not someone trained in their use, who uses them professionally.

And your current incentive system says

• No money for failing schools
• Only money for schools at the top
• more testing
• more testing
• more testing
• better discipline

and, oh, yeah:

• more computer use in the classroom if you can swing it
• NO Actual, health-oriented, real sex education. Ever.

I read somewhere that there’s like 144,000 schools in the United States, and that we’ve just allocated $4.6 billion for school ‘reform’.  So if you want Reform, and not ‘reform’, I suggest a Marshall Plan for schools.  Take that $4.6 billion, and give every school in America … $31,944.44.

Oh.

Better figure out your priorities, America.  Apparently you can send thousands of soldiers to Afghanistan, but you’re not interested in giving one more teacher to every school in America.

NPR Pressures Liasson to Leave Fox News.National Public Radio executives appear to be pressuring one of their top political correspondents to reconsider her regular appearances on Fox News because of what they’ve told her is the network’s right-wing political bias, Politico reports.

According to two unidentified sources, correspondent Mara Liasson was summoned in early October by NPR’s executive editor for news, Dick Meyer, and a Washington editor to a meeting to discuss quitting Fox. They reportedly told Liasson that Fox’s programming had grown more partisan.Rehm added, “There’s no relationship between the White House’s criticism of Fox and any discussions about Fox that we’re having.”

A Fox spokesperson declined to comment on specific questions about Liasson. However, the spokesperson, who asked not to be named, said in an email to Politico: “With the ratings we have, NPR should be paying us to even be mentioned on our air.”

So I’ve only written 1,000 words since Thanksgiving.  Not so inspiring, is it? But God’s got my back.  He seems to want me to finish this thing.

I went to my Christian Writer’s Association meeting last night, annoyed with myself that I can’t find time to write, when last month, I managed to do it.  Partly, I think I put a lot off that month for the sake of writing, and now, I’ve got a lot of catching up to do.  But honestly, Christmas shopping doesn’t take that long.

I ran into another member of the organization, one I’ve met before, who happened to mention she did NaNoWriMo last month.  I wasn’t aware that anyone else from the group was doing it, so it was a thrill to meet someone else who not only did the NaNoWriMo but completed it.  And to top that off, she’s been working on 1,000 words a day since the end, to finish her novel.

Okay, two emotions here.  First, pride.  I felt part of an elite “in” club.  I was one of the people who could say, “I finished too!”  I wanted to tell everyone what I’d accomplished.  Second, jealousy and a little self denigration.  Why in the world could she keep at it, when I was failing in that task?

But, thankfully, after chatting for awhile, God convicted me that I had the wrong attitude.  Instead, I asked her if she’d be interested in holding each other accountable to finishing our books.  She seems like the one to drag me along, since I’m not doing so well.  But she loved the idea.

I’m thankful for the conviction I received. It opened me up to the blessing of having a writing accountability partner.  If I was so stuck in my pride and shame (odd to have those two at the same time, but that’s me), I wouldn’t have recognized the amazing gift God was giving me.

Right now, I’m reading I Samuel, the story of David and Saul.  Saul is busy going crazy, chasing after David in once scene and declaring him his beloved son in the next.  And I used to read these scenes only through the lens of David, trying to be like David, comparing myself to David.  Not that it’s a bad thing to do, but there’s a lot more going on than just David’s story here.

This time around, I’m seeing myself more as a Saul.  Someone who can hold some pretty irrational beliefs one minute, then get amazing Grace from God to see the truth, repent, and act well for awhile.  But like Saul, I’m prone to returning to my…um…vomit.

I’m praising God for the ability to see through my sin, to recognize his grace.  Here’s hoping that I, like Saul, don’t continue acting schizophrenic in my sins.  I miss out on so much!

Abraham Blue

Abraham Henry Cole

Abraham Everett Steven

Abraham Frank Thomas

Abraham Gus

Abraham Jasper Eli

Abraham Thomas Jude

Abraham James

Abraham Knox

Abraham Linus Grey

Abraham Lev

Abraham Miles

Abraham Saul

Abraham Toby

Abraham North

Abraham Baxter James

Abraham Harvey Steven

Abraham Elliot George

Meditations in Romans : 12 :  Obligations

Rom  1:14-15 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.

“I owe you one!” is a phrase that is not unknown to us. We know what it means to owe a favour to someone else. Some people feel they owe no favours to anyone; they are just self-concerned and life is all about pleasing them. The apostle Paul comes to us with a completely different take on life. Paul feels he owes something to everyone! Now that must almost be a unique outlook on life, for that isn’t how most of us feel about the rest of the world. Now what is slightly frustrating is that he doesn’t explain why he feels like this, only what its outcome is.

We are left to speculate why Paul felt obligated to the world. Our starting point might be to look at what he felt about his own salvation. To Timothy he wrote, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.” (1 Tim 1:15,16) Now there has been much dispute over what Paul meant there but the most obvious interpretation is that Paul has come to realise the magnitude of Sin in him. He was a very bright man and had risen in the ranks of the learned but that hadn’t stopped him acting arrogantly and powerfully against the church and against God by persecuting the Christians.

To the Corinthians he wrote, “For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect.” (1 Cor 15:9,10). He didn’t rate himself as an apostle because he knew he was what he was only because God had stepped in and apprehended him on the road to Damascus. If God hadn’t of done that, then Paul would probably be continuing in that self-driven way, still in darkness. Later in the letter to Rome he explains about the power of sin in us in a way that reveals much self-revelation: “For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God–through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Rom 7:22-25) He knew that without Christ he was utterly hopeless.

In all these ways we see Paul putting himself down. To the church at Ephesus he wrote, “I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph 3:7,8) On that terrible day on the road to Damascus he had heard that awful voice from heaven ask him, “Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4) He had thought he was being zealous for God (see Acts 22:3), but in fact he was actively opposing God. How wrong could you be! Thus the fact that the Lord bothered to speak into the material world and apprehend him, was an act of pure grace. He deserved judgment and received mercy and grace instead. Perhaps, therefore, we might say Paul’s sense of obligation is first and foremost one towards the Lord, but knowing the Lord’s love for His world, that obligation is then turned outwards to the rest of the world.

Paul sees himself in such a lowly position that he feels he is blessed by any and all people. When he says “to the Greeks and non-Greeks” he means to civilized society of the day, and the not civilized parts of society; they are all the same to him now for he is a servant of them all. It doesn’t matter if they are wise or foolish, all men are equal in Paul’s eyes; he has a calling to serve them all by bringing to good news of Jesus to them. They are lost like he was lost and so he has a message to pass on to them all. He makes no distinctions between peoples and that is why he wants to come to Rome to preach there. He’s heard there are Christians there and he wants to come and encourage them by preaching the Gospel in that city so that there will be MORE Christians there!

Presumably, by the nature of the content of this letter he has heard that the Christians in Rome are very young and have not had much teaching for the first parts of this letter are pure, basic Gospel and is the only letter that spells it out in such detail. It is an amazing letter and perhaps Paul puts so much detail in because, deep in his heart, he realises he’s not going to get to see them for some years (it was in fact at least nearly three years) despite his expressions of desire to come to them that we have considered already. He has a deep burden to share the good news with as many people as possible and, once they have surrendered to Jesus, to build them up in the faith with good teaching. This burden comes out of the realisation of his own state together with the amazing calling that he has received. This is why he feels so obliged to come to them and bless them. He is just so grateful at what has happened to him he wants everyone else to know and experience it as well!

In Acts Chapter 22 the Apostle Paul is telling the story of how he went from being the lost, hell-bound Saul of Tarsus, to being the saved, Heaven-bound man of God. Having been struck blind on the road to the Damascus by the overwhelming glory of Christ Jesus Himself, Paul is taken to a devout Jewish man named Ananias. We pick up the story in Verse 13:

…Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.

Acts 22:13-15 (emphasis added)

In these three verses there are five references to the gift of sight. Saul had received a great gift from the Lord – the ability to see again. However, that gift was not given just for the purpose of being a gift. It was a gift given for a reason. The reason was so that Saul could see the Just One, Jesus Christ, and then tell others about Him, and so that others might see Him, too.

Eyesight is one of the greatest earthly gifts of God there is. However, we have an amazing ability to receive earthly gifts from God, and then make those gifts, rather the Giver of those gifts, the objects of our attention, affection, and even adoration.

The same can be said of spiritual gifts. Have you been given the gift of being able to be forgiving? Then, rejoice! But do not think of yourself as an expert on forgiveness, and revel in pride over how forgiving you can be. Think of forgiveness as a gift given to help you understand how much it cost God, and how much He must have loved you, to forgive you. Forgiveness is a gift that removes a barrier so that you can see God better!

Have you been given the gift of victory over sin to the extent where you are able to live a more pure and holy life? Then, rejoice! But do not think of yourself as an authority on personal purity and holy living. Think of purity and holiness as a gift which allows you into the intimate presence of the Pure and Holy God, so that you may see Him better! (Matthew 5:8)

Have you been given the gift of spiritual insight? Then, rejoice! But do not rejoice that you have become the person that people seek out when they have spiritual questions or problems, and do not expect the praise or compensation of men, when you are able to help them. Instead, think of spiritual insight as a way to better know God!

Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

Jeremiah 9:23-24

2 Samuel 1:1-16

After the death of Saul, David returned from defeating the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days.  On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and with dust on his head.  When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him honor.

“Where have you come from?” David asked him.  He answered, “I have escaped from the Israelite camp.”

“What happened?” David asked.  ”Tell me.”  He said, “The men fled from the battle.  Many of them fell and died.  And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.”

Then David said to the young man who brought him the report, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

“I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” the young man said, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and riders almost upon him.  When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, and I said, ‘What can I do?’

“He asked me, ‘Who are you?’  An Amalekite, I answered.  Then he said to me, ‘Stand over me and kill me!  I am in the throes of death, but I’m still alive.’  So I stood over him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive.  And I took the crown that was on his head and the band on his arm and have brought them here to my lord.”

Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them.  They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

David said to the young man who brought him the report, “Where are you from?”  “I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite,” he answered.

David asked him, “Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?”  Then David called one of his men and said, “Go, strike him down!”  So he struck him down, and he died.  For David had said to him, “Your blood be on your own head.  Your own mouth testified against you when you said, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’ “

I am thankful for David’s respect and honor for Saul, God’s Anointed.

Saul hated David and hunted him mercilessly and it would have been natural for David to let that hatred seep into his own heart.

It would have been understandable for David to kill Saul in the wilderness when he was able to sneak up on him in his sleep.  It would have been appropriate for David to celebrate when he learned of Saul’s death.  It would have been expected for David to breathe a sigh of relief when he was told his life wasn’t in danger anymore.

It would have been unthinkable for David to mourn for his enemy.  It would have been unfathomable for David to enforce justice on the man who essentially ended the death sentence on his head.  But that’s just what he did.

David’s respect for the man God had chosen was more powerful than his need for revenge and vindication.

I can say with relative surety that that wouldn’t have been me.  If I’d been running for my life and a man came and showed me proof that my pursuer was dead, I would have thrown a party and rewarded him with whatever he wanted.

David knew something I struggle to realize.  David knew that when God enters the equation, you can’t solve it with human answers.

What divine equations are you trying to solve with human answers?

^{The only verse in the bible that mentions the name of a street.}

¹¹And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,

Three thoughts on today’s reading…

1 Samuel 16:7 — “The Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.  The Lord does not look at the things human beings look at.  People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’”

No matter how many times I read it, I love this verse.  In the middle of a world where much is decided based upon your social status or last name, I love the reminder that God looks at the heart.  We get so wrapped up in keeping “key people” happy that we forget who the “key people” are in God’s eyes…

Through Scripture, God seems to bless people who are humble, compassionate, committed and motivated by love.  So why do we tend to “honor and respect” people who are wealthy, influential, outspoken and motivated by politics?  It’s time for our actions to reflect God’s vision.

1 Samuel 19:11-13 — “Saul sent men to David’s house to watch it and to kill him in the morning.  But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, ‘If you don’t run for your life tonight, tomorrow you’ll be killed.’  So Michal let David down through a window, and he fled and escaped.  Then Michal took an idol and laid it on the bed, covering it with a garment and putting some goats’ hair at the head.”

As I’ve been reading through Scripture, I’ve seen a lot that reaffirms what I already “knew.”  But I’ve also had moments when I’ve had to stop, think, flip back a page or two and re-read just to wrap my mind around a tough thought.  1 Samuel 19 was one of those moments…

I about choked when I read the “the man after God’s own heart” owned an idol.  And I was reminded again that no one is perfect.

1 Ssmuel 28:6-7 — “[Saul] inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.  Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.”

We’re all searching for something.  God turned against Saul but Saul was still looking for something.  He couldn’t find it in Yahweh so he turned to a medium to bring Samuel back to talk to him.

Remember this:  Your neighbor is looking for something.  Your friend is looking for something.  Your teacher is looking for something.  Your boss is looking for something.

Give them God or they’ll search somewhere else.

Paul, an apostle

Charity suffereth long, is kind;  Charity envieth not;  Charity vaunteth not itself,  is not puffed up – “Love chapter,” BIBLE, recorded by Paul (1Co 13.4).

(Paul, born “Saul,” Tarsus, Cilicia-modern Turkey – died at Rome)

Married ____ (if member of Sanhedrin, had to be married)

Converted to Christ, Road to Damascus (modern Syria)

Sanctified, three days later, Straight Street, Damascus

We well know how Saul had persecuted the church of God because he was a most zealous follower of the laws and traditions of his fathers. He said of himself:

Gal.1:13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.

14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

Their traditions said it was a service to God to perse­cute and kill those whom they considered heretics. Jesus had foretold this:

John 16:2,3  “They will put you out of the synagogues; yes the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. “And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.”

After his encounter with Jesus, Paul turned from the religious traditions of men. He was baptized and began to preach Jesus and the kingdom of God to the Jews and then to the Gentiles. (Acts 9)

Another example is of some men whom Paul met at Ephesus. He asked if they had received the Holy Spirit when they believed. When they said they had not heard of the Holy Spirit, he asked, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” (Acts 19:3) Paul told them that John had taught the people to believe on Him who would come, that is on Christ Jesus.

Acts 19:5 When they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

Many may disapprove of this second baptism, but God showed His approval by giving the men the Holy Spirit with the gift of tongues and prophecy as on the day of Pentecost.