Charles Darwin

He rode the HMS Beagle to the Galapagos Islands as a naturalist. He made brilliant observations finding 13 species of finch of varying phenotype. In 1859, Charles Darwin published his findings in the famous On the Origin of Species. He expounded on his theory of natural selection, extrapolating his evidence into unmerited territories. His unfounded conclusions would shock not only the scientific community, but every sphere of the modern world.

Unfortunately, the Church of the day fell for the bait and responded aggressively and angrily. In the process, I believe that we lost much credibility as we reacted outside of an anointing of love. Eventually, we too adapted to the social implications of his discoveries.

In churches today, we have a survival of the fittest mentality. The weak - children and elders - are seldom found with middle aged and young adults. While they are celebrated in the Bible, they are separated and disrepected today. We have followed a pattern of the world. As soon as we find a more gifted speaker or worship leader, we move to elect the old out of his/her position or change churches. Not having evolved from animals, we have certainly acted as such. I repent. 

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind..." (Romans 12:2)

"Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God." (Luke 18:16)

"Honor your father and mother." (Exodus 20:12)

Promised Land Geography

We spend ample time speaking about climbing mountains and expend loads of energy getting to the top. This process is wonderful and exciting, full of learning and experience; but this glory is fleeting. We forget that we have to descend. Life is a promised land, not a mountaintop. Learning how to come down from a mountaintop and continue on the jouney is just as important as knowing how to climb.

The sun is always brilliantly blazing. Its energy is self-sustaining. It shines even when you cannot see it. The moon runs in phases. It reflects the brilliance of the sun in accordance with how much it is exposed. Phases are normal.

However, let's keep in mind that God is an expert in the abnormal/impossible. God is known to teleport His children. And the moon can always be full if one has faith.

Invasion

While the sacred remains isolated from the common, the sacred can never affect the common.

"What God has made clean,  do not call common." (Acts 10:15)

"...Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." (1 Timothy 1:15)

"...what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the Living God..." (2 Corinthians 6:14-16)

"And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh..." (Acts 2:17)

"From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh." (2 Corinthians 5:16)

We are called to invade the kingdoms of the earth. The sacred does not become the common. It affects the common. We are called to get dirty. Jesus will purify and sustain us as we go. He will wash our feet.

"Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox." (Proverbs 14:4)

The Parable of the Rich Kid

Once upon a time, the King of the Universe adopted a child. The child was seated on the throne with the King's One and Only Son. He was given an unshakable kingdom. He inherited the earth. The child had inexhaustible resources because his father owned everything. He could ask anything from His father, and it would be given. He never complained ever again. In fact, he rejoiced always. The end. 

Pride

Pride opposes God's good design. Pride insists on its own way. It claims liberties. It takes what is not its own and manipulates it. Pride takes God's good design and superimposes its own passions. It is not only a distortion, but an active rebellious effort against the Creator. 

Walls and Gates

The walls of the Church are broken down. Our gates are destroyed by fire.

I confess my sins and the sins of my people. We call ourselves poor sinners, belittling the work and power of the cross, and call it humility. We encourage division because of disagreement, forskaing love for personal interpretation, and call it conviction and integrity. We oppress our women, building cases against their authority they have in Christ with few verses, (an argument built on sand) and we call it protection and divine order. We confess supremacy of Scripture and at the same time devour commentaries and philosophies devoid of the Spirit, and we call it the pursuit of wisdom. We easily become frustrated with the world and retreat behind closed doors frequently calling it piety and quiet, alone time with the Lord. We employ evangelistic strategies and an orderly assembly and we call it prudence. Being first called by the Spirit, we have reverted to the Law and the old flesh in hopes of being perfected. Lord, I take full responsiblity for these things and I repent. I repent for past generations, for my family and my friends.

O Lord, you guard covenant and honor those who love you. Honor us once again. Rebuild the walls and gates. Gather your people. 

The Spirit's Method

I saw good vision, a distant flag marking the end of a journey. Before me lay a multitude of paths, of summer and winter, of desert and lake, of forest and wasteland, of swamp and tundra, of gold streets and cobblestone. A wisp of wind pushes me forward. Like an unbridled horse, I lunge forward. Hunger arrives and the wind is gone. The flag begins waving in the distance. My knees kiss the earth, hands embraced in sweat and tears. 

Aaronic Blessing

We often superimpose our Western culture upon Scripture. But, Scripture was written in a Near East cultural setting. It is therefore better understood with a Near East context. In Hebrew culture, most of the abstract words that we use today, like faith and bless, had concrete meanings. This is the Aaronic Blessing from Numbers 6:24-26. First it is abstractly written in ESV. Then it is written using the Hebrew meanings of the words, which have concrete definitions.

The Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;

the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. 

YWHW (he who exists) will kneel before you presenting gifts and will guard you with a hedge of protection;

YHWH (he who exists) will illuminate the wholeness of his being toward you bringing order and he will provide you with love, sustenance and friendship;

YWHW (he who exists) will lift up and carry his wholeness of being toward you and he will set in place all you need to be whole and complete. 

http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/27_home.html

The Bible

The Bible alone is not true. It was not true in the hands of the devil when he tempted Jesus. The letter kills but the Spirit gives life. It is the Bible plus the Spirit that is actually true. Truth is a person. His name is Jesus Christ.

Perversion is the truth taken out of context. Out of the covenant of God. We take Jesus and attempt to manipulate him.

The Bible doesn't always tell us what God thinks, rather how God thinks. All the Bible is in God, but not all of God is in the Bible. The Bible cannot always tell you what to do in your life; but, it can tell you how.

Jesus said, "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life."

The goal of the Bible is that it takes you into relationship with God. The Bible is purposefully written in paradox so that when you read it, you have to have the Spirit leading you. Having a relationship with God is a requirement for receiving Life from the Bible.

http://www.kvministries.com/podcast/2011/12/05/truth-about-truth-part-1

Unity of the Spirit

All who follow Christ compose His body. A body at a very basic level is composed of cells. Each cell is self-governing but submitted to nerves which connect eventually to the brain/head. Each cell interacts with its surrounding neighbors and even at times with distant messengers, but it is not ransacked and manipulated, nor should it assume the role of another cell lest it should leave its post. Cells functioning in a group are identified as a tissue. Tissues group together to form organs. Organs group together to allow a full body to function. For all to function together, it is not necessary that each cell is direclty in unison with one another, but rather that each is in perfect unison with the head. Maintain the unity of the Spirit. 

From Abstract to Concrete

Reality is a house. We intellectually know that a modern house is built with beams and cross beams. Now I want to hang a heavy painting. I know (thoughts) about the beams. I can feel by knocking for a hollow or non-hollow sound where the beams are. By physically gathering evidence with my sense of hearing and touch, comfort and assurance fill me (emotions). That alone does not hang a painting. Now, I am a nail. I decide to drive myself into where I think and feel the beam is. If it holds firm, then my thoughts and emotions led to the voluntary action (will by faith) of pounding into truth. Everywhere else there are no beams. To drive myself into any other part would be to exercise my faith upon a lie. The fruit comes when the painting is successfully hung on the nail. Faith is not emotional or intellectual ascent, but rather action. Faith operates on truth, and lies likewise. 

Wounds

A wound draws attention. It demands attention. Overwhelming pain is felt. The mind is overloaded with thoughts and feelings. The soul is immediately and powerfully prompted into action. If one is cut, one isolates the cut, stops the bleeding, cleans the area to help prevent infection, and seals it. Careful and conscience care is taken to ensure healing and complete restoration. To do nothing is to ask for death. And not just death, but a painfully slow and gruesome decline.

Wounds of the body are obvious. We respond with our 5 physical senses. The spirit is different. One cannot visibly see the wounds and thus, they continue living ignorantly while the wounds vary in size and number, infection enters, and the inner person rots. Even though symptoms are present, (anger, depression, cowardice, lust, etc.) one chooses to suppress them because it is a bloody and wicked scene to peer into one's rotting self. We choose to walk by sight rather than faith and remain ignorant to our slow demise.

We must be awakened to our spirits and the Spirit by faith. We must be born again. This body of infection and death is beyond repair. There is no turning back. We must die. Who will resurrect us and bore us anew? Jesus Christ bids us come and die. Life begins with death on the cross. 

Friends share secrets

"that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,  in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Colossians 2:2-3)




"that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.  Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us..." (Ephesians 3:16-20)


"No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you." (John 15:15)


When I read verses like these, my heart aches to know God more deeply. God wants to reveal so much to His Bride. Friends share secrets about each other. But, we are hard of hearing and would rather play religion. We are satisfied with half truths and word play, "philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ." (Colossians 2:8) But I am not satisfied. I repent of these things. I desire to press forward, in maturity, "forgetting what lies behind; I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us hold true to what we have attained." (Philippians 3:13-14,16)

God: Gentleman

You are a gentleman. You knock at the door. You don't barge in and kidnap anyone. You're a lover, a romancer. You are looking for marriage. One of your commandments is, "Thou shall not steal." When we teach that You alone choose people and we have no decision in the relationship, we portray You as some kind of Needy Thief. Not true. Jesus says, "Come to me. Follow me."

Inheritance and Labor

"And they captured fortified cities and a rich land, and took possession of houses full of all good things, cisterns already hewn, vineyards, olive orchards and trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled and became fat and delighted themselves in your great goodness." (Nehemiah 9:25)

Those who enter the Kingdom of God enter immediately into a feast and a Promised Land flowing with milk and honey. All is present. All belongs to God. No matter who labored, it belongs to Him. By His strength, He makes all of Creation grow. He is righteous to distribute it to whoever He pleases.

"I have sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor:" (John 4:38)

Other times we step into somebody's started work.

"You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you." (Psalm 128:2)

Other times, we will have to begin and finish a labor. God's children are always blessed to enjoy the fruit of that labor.

In all cases, the child of God needs the guidance of the Holy Spirit to judge the seasons. We must know if we are stepping into already worked, rich land; into tilled and planted soil that needs watering; or into a wild, untamed plot of land. One should not attempt to sow where one should rather reap, and vice-versa.


American culture offers a dangerous pitfall for the children of God because we are prone to believe that we must make a name for ourselves before we step into glory (concerning a ministry), that we must labor where we have never labored before. However, we are all laboring under the same Name. In reality, it all belongs to the Father. We must learn how to inherit, as well as labor. Know the seasons.    

Baptism

John the Baptist's water baptism was for the forgiveness of sins. It was to prepare the way for Christ who declared that He would baptize with water and fire. The water is a representation of the Flood. The Flood was destructive. It removed all wickedness from the earth during the days of Noah. We are to have the Flood wash all our sin and wickedness into the watery grave and be resurrected with Christ. It is also to wash our consciences clean from the corruptive effects of sin.

Baptism with fire is supposed to follow. The Holy Spirit is fire. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit indwelled each believer in the Upper Room by touching them with tongues of fire. If water baptism was an engagement ring, this is the wedding ceremony. This is also a foreshadowing of Christ's return, when he will judge the earth in fire. The Holy Spirit will be poured out and all will be consumed that is not by nature, fire. Believers have a nature of fire since the Holy Spirit is indwelling. Reunion with Christ after everyting else is burnt up will be the Consummation. And we will be united with Christ forever.

There are several baptisms, as suggested by the 6 elementary doctrines of Christ found in Hebrews 6. This is a dense subject. 

Functioning in Totality

The person is designed to function in totality just as the body is designed to work in totality. All parts must be functional, connected and unhindered. The spirit must direct the soul. The mind and heart must agree and the will of each must conform. The flesh must obey and create change in the physical world. It must fire words like arrows to soften hearts and work diligently to express a belief in Christ. 

Love Functioning

Love binds all things together. God is Love. The Holy Spirit is Love. Love has a quality of unity. It brings incomplete truths to light and pieces them together to make a whole. It is not enough that every piece of a broken cup be present to piece the cup back together, to restore it. Love must bind it. God is Love. Anything else is just an idol. It has no power, no correct funciton with which to bind brokenness.

 Love bears all things. It endures forever. It overpowers pain and deceit and hatred. These will pass away in the lake of fire with their administers. But love will only intensify in power. It is what miraculously removes the power of pain and suffering in a mother who has just given birth. When we are birthed forth into life beyond, all that has transpired here on earth will grow dim and dull in light of the indescribable glory to be further unveiled in and by love.

Cup Prayer

I am an empty cup. Only when I am empty am I fit for use, fit to be filled by You the Living Water. And when I am overflowing, I am thrilled. But what completes me is that I am in Your Hand. Your grasp is much greater than my spirit to fall away. I will trust in You. Mold me and make me fit for use and fit in Your hand.

Spiritual Healing

Spiritual healing is a lot like physical healing. It is meticulous and step-wise. And often it takes time. When God performs spiritual healing on one of His children, he does it perfectly. He wastes nothing and does not overdo anything. God alone sees hearts. He has a clear view on what needs to be done. If God ever invites you along to participate in the healing process of another, you must obey. You could cut out too much with your words or harden one's heart if operating outside of the Holy Spirit. God does not need us to accomplish His purposes. However, he does want us to join in on His work. It is His ideal will to involve His children. Always walk in the Spirit.