Those that
don't learn
from history
are destined
to repeat it!
You see
things that
are spiritually
TRUE,
tend to repeat
and to ring
throughout
history,
like a bell
getting ever
louder!
RECENT BLOG POSTINGS
MAY 6, 2024: IMAGE, THE WORD Okay, I didn’t find a clear, simply, definition of God’s “image” in the New Testament. “Like Christ” comes close but isn’t a definition, and it certainly doesn’t work for before Jesus. So, if this is not obvious and we have to go hunting, let me stop first and give you several definitions of just the word “image.” It might help to narrow down what we are looking for.
A fancy dictionary definition might read something like this: When a beam of light passes around or through an object or transparency of interest, said beam is then modified by that object or transparency so that when projected on a screen or surface the information of interest is apparent or perceivable as an “image” on that screen or surface.
Or here is a description: When clay is formed, cast, carver, molded, modeled, whatever, so as to look like, “image,” or carry information about some person, god, or thing, the “image” is the information portrayed – NOT THE CLAY or material used to form the model or image. Hmmm. Stop and think for a moment. Does that mean that what is of prime importance IS NOT THE SCREEN OR THE CLAY? BUT THE INFORMATION ON IT? And gasp! Are we just the screen or clay, not the all-important information????
I mean it! Stop and think!
If that is true, then we really can’t do justice to looking at “us in God’s image” until
What was that first important IMAGE about?
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APR 29, 2024: IMAGE The Lord seems to have given me one main message in my life, and that is the simple truth that His Image is about what He wanted right from the beginning to show us about
I consistently hear Pastors of many flavors emphasize that
Romans 8:29 the image of his Son
1 Corinthians 11:7 a man… is the image and glory of God,
but woman is the glory of man.
1 Corinthians 15:49 we shall also bear the image of the man in heaven
2 Corinthians 3:18 are being transformed into the same image
2 Corinthians 4:4 Christ, who is the image of God
Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God
Colossians 3:10 new self, is being renewed after the image of its creator
It looks like a consistent definition is NOT there! Some even conflict. “Like Christ” gets close, but still does not define Image! Definitely not for those before Jesus. Especially not for those that misunderstand who the Christ is with respect to the Father! And for the other scriptures: How exactly is a man the glory of God? Or: we are now? versus not yet? versus are becoming? versus will be? Is it Man, all men, not women? I dare you, give me from these scriptures one consistent definition of “image.” If it is that important to God and you can’t...
Could our theologians be encouraging us to look in the wrong place?
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APR 22, 2024: FORGIVENESS - WALKING CLEAN It has been said that unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. So, for this last post on Forgiveness (unless you have some questions for me) what suggestion should I leave you with?
A decade or so ago I decided that I wanted to "walk clean," keeping short accounts with not just the Lord, but with EVERYBODY! (Have I succeeded? Not as much as I would like, but I keep aiming at it.) I declared, out loud, for the universe to hear, "Lord, nobody owes me anything, I forgive all debts real or imagined against everybody. I give them to You. And Lord, help me to wrong none, and bring to mind anything I need to fix."
See why I don't always succeed? That is a ridiculously huge request. Much bigger than I can handle. BUT not too big for the Lord. So, I challenge you also to ask! If you don't have someting to aim at how will you ever hit anything? And if you miss, remember that being a "quick confessor" is what made David "a man after God's own heart". Just as being a "quick forgiver" can make you more like the Lord. And it isn't being a "doormat"; re-read my previous post about POWER.
Walking Clean, a nice "Lord Sized" request!
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APR 15, 2024: FORGIVENESS - A PROGRESSION We have now touched on some rather heavy stuff, even about spending the hurt wisely! But how does the average person get to that level of forgiveness? Glad you asked!
You start small. And I think this is important to share because it seems to apply to every one of the "Lord, you want me to do WHAT?" things of life. As near as I can tell, the Lord NEVER asks you to step out onto absolutely nothing, be it forgiveness, faith, healing, teaching, teaching, or any of the necessities of Christianity or even the gifts of the Spirit.
Before writing a book I (who almost flunked English Grammar) was prompted to write a small Diary of a trip to Israel back in 1985. Hmmm. Not bad. I didn't know I could do that. Before forgiving a con man (or a step Dad who made a deal to keep my natural father out of my life) the Lord had me work on forgiving that idiot who cut me off in traffic. And another one, and another, and another. Before becoming the teacher the Lord told me back in 1980 that I WILL BE, there was a ten year Lord administered apprenticeship program! This was in addition to the two year teacher training course I took back in 1969 and 1970 (head knowledge preparation for what the Lord had in mind for later on). Oh, and that apprenticeship period contained some absolutely AMAZING failures! Failures
Speaking of failure, I am presently hassling with the Lord about the gift of healing, which I desire but do not presently seem to have or show any proclivity for. But hey, I'm a King's kid and at least have the guts to ask.
Are you getting the picture? From your past, from little things you practiced without much thought, from seemingly unrelated talents, from dozens of little acts of obedience, even from areas you really struggle with, God uses the pieces-parts to strengthen your ability to leap, and progressively create something within you greater than you could imagine.
After all, you are a child of the King!
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APR 8, 2024: FORGIVENESS – THE POWER This is a subtle one that most of you have never thought of, requiring an understanding of both Blood Covenant, AND that the Spirit is a gentleman. He is limited by humans to the extent they refuse His interaction in their lives.
Many of you have heard me tell of being conned out of a significant amount of money. It took a number of days before I stopped seething, feeling raped, violated, and ripped off (my wife tearing into me didn't exactly help either). I wanted to tear the guy apart, but. But I knew I had to forgive him. So here comes the part you need to focus on.
I didn't JUST forgive; I intentionally took all the hurt, loss, shame, emotional turmoil, EVERYTHING, and carefully listed it and put it ALL into the Lord's hands. All that debt against me now legally belonged to the Lord. It was owed to Him NOT to me; and I could legally do that with the Lord because I am in Covenant with Him! So, to the very degree of that debt I legally increased the Lord's RIGHT to have the Holy Spirit (who is a gentleman and normally limited on how much He can interfere in the lives of those not yielded to the Lord) step into the life of that con man. I made it as if the con man messed directly with God. YOU CAN DO THE SAME with those that wrongly hurt you!
I fully expect to see that guy in heaven because he messed with a child of the King! One who knows who he is and how to –
"Spend Hurt Wisely"
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APR 1, 2024: UNFORGIVENESS - DEEPLY HIDDEN I know of one person who was talked into "How can you ever forgive THAT." It led to a divorce, and became a sore spot buried so deep and so hidden that it was sealed off. On the one hand that was perhaps good because it didn't seem to poison anything else (unforgiveness typically DOES creep into other areas AND into relationships with other people); but on the other hand this one sat there like a bomb that four decades later got bumped, went off, and was still devastating.
So, you will need the Lord to help you with this. Do you have any deeply hidden depth-charges, land-mines, or pools of puss hidden away? The wounds caused by the "biggies" like adultery, divorce, rape, abuse, abandonment, loss of a child or mate? You see, these can be so bad and so deep that you think Matthew 6:14,15 somehow doesn't apply! These are not the little cuts and scratches you can throw a Band-Aid on. But these are the exact things a very compassionate Lord wants to slowly work through with you. You want to avoid them, but He wants you WHOLE!
Any wound nurse will tell you "whole" means any major infected wound MUST be opened, cleaned, disinfected, and then heal from the inside. It must regrow properly. Do you trust the Lord to do that with you? Even if it hurts at first? Remember He was there with you, feeling it with you as it happened.
Hidden BOOM! things tend to get more dangerous with age.
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MAR 25, 2024: FORGIVENESS - BLOCKED In Matthew 6:14,15 Jesus says, "For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions." Man! That is SCARY! These verses should be figuratively tattooed on the inside of every Christian eyelids. Forgiveness is mandatory!
Unforgiveness is the biggest block to having peace in your life that I know of, and much of the time here is how it works. We normally have to justify unforgiveness by holding on to being wronged (which may indeed be very real and huge), and we thereby claim a certain "self-rightness". Then holding on to what actually belongs to God:
1. Binds it firmly around YOUR heart;
2. Entrenches it firmly in the neurons of your brain (including ALL the feelings and agitation that go with it), it actually changes your wiring;
3. Desensitizes you to your own neediness, their "sin" seems so big you forget about how dirty your feet get each day;
4. Unforgiveness is an antidote to the humble, yielding attitude necessary for you to ask for and receive forgiveness. You are effectively saying, "God leave me alone, this is MINE to hold on to." SO HE DOES. And you have blocked you from receiving forgiveness.
Those are some serious stumbling blocks you have just put in front of YOU! This is not about anybody being repentant or not. It isn't even about anybody deserving anything! This is about you! You really do NOT want to block within you what God has already paid for.
You can block YOU from forgiveness!
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MAR 18, 2024: FORGIVENESS - OTHERS I now start with you forgiving others. This type of forgiveness looks deceptively easy. Somebody comes to you and says, "I'm sorry, forgive me". Simple. You have to, and not just seven times but 70 times seven! So, what's the problem?
It's your heart, you sneaky little critter you! Do you keep count? Do you forgive grudgingly? Do they have to come crawling to you first? Do you feel superior? Do you think, "Man, it sure took you long enough!" Do you doubt their sincerity? Are you going to make them pay? Come on now, let's be honest!
There are so many ways to screw forgiveness up that I can't fit the answers into one short little post. Let me instead try to sum them up this way; I am convinced that to the Lord us forgiving is more about getting
YOU also are a sinner in need of grace.
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MAR 11, 2024: FORGIVENESS - YOU 2 This is an add-on to the previous post. There are some things that God says zero about, but the society you are embedded in has pounded into you - this is wrong, you are guilty. And Satan sure wants to help you feel that shame. There are other things God is real clear about, there ARE wrong, you ARE guilty, but this time society has so ignored God for so long that almost everyone's conscience is hardened over to feel absolutely zero guilt. Satan likes that too!
Now, as humans we are stupid enough to not always know which is which, or even recognize some of the other rather weird possibilities. So, remember that under covenant you can take the whole mess to the Lord and let Him sort it out! Lord, if I'm guilty and don't know it, forgive me and show me. Lord, if I'm not guilty but feel guilt anyways (perhaps like a young woman feeling the guilt or shame of being raped or even at being molested as a child) I still hand it over to You to forgive, cover, and heal!
He has big shoulders and can handle the junk and the "feelings" no matter where they are coming from! He paid! They ARE His and He knows all about all of them (even the deeply hidden ones you haven't been honest about yet), AND ONES YOU HAVEN'T EVEN DONE YET! He didn't die to have you mope!
It is Satan who rubs your nose in anything he can, guilty or not. Satan wants double jeopardy, triple even; he wants you to keeeeeeep trying to pay in remorse for what is already paid for. Oy vey, what a sleazy con-man. Do not argue with him. Tell him to go talk to your boss! I'm serious, tell him! Out loud!
"GO TALK TO JESUS!"
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MAR 4, 2024: FORGIVENESS - WHY YOU? There are at least three things I need to cover about the danger of you as a Christian not forgiving yourself. The First is that you are robbing God of something He now owns and has personally paid for in blood! And if you have been around a while you should now know that robbing God is a really bad idea; so I will jump to the other two.
Second, Christ needs you to not be crippled up by guilt so that He can work with you on the things that are really more important. Guilt blocks that! The requirements in Leviticus that lead to "you will be forgiven"; His death and resurrection; and even 1 John are all there so "that you may know" you are forgiven and have eternal life. He does not want you to wallow in either guilt or in denial of weak spots that need work. This is subtle, the ideal is a humble realization of your weakness that draws you to His strength, not prompts you to hide from Him or be shamed by Satan. That clean forgiven humility invites God in to work.
Third, people seem to have no idea just how much God Almighty is on our side and longs for us to succeed! I can't fully explain it here, but His very Image in Genesis projected onto Adam included that: it was not good for Him to be alone; that there were things in the heavens that did not "fit" Him; that He wants a special companion who will be a "second perspective" for Him; and that He would build that companion on and around a portion, part, side, of Him we call the Christ. He is one VERY motivated God, who really desires us to succeed!!!
I asked God once how many people were saved. His answer surprised me, but it shouldn't have. It was, and I quote,
"More than you think, less than I want."
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FEB 26, 2024: FORGIVENESS - INTRO Forgiveness is one very huge subject. It is going to require perhaps ten separate Blogs to cover. It is: inextricably tied to Blood Covenant; is a reason for Christ's coming; and is the under current behind most of the Levitical laws (agree with God by bringing exactly what He says and you will be forgiven). It sets a huge 70 times seven hurtle in front of you; contains amazing power; and when
I would like to start with you forgiving YOU, but I need to first explain at least a bit about Blood Covenant. I will jump right to the punch line. ALL those scriptures about joint heirs, brother, first of many, faith in Jesus, right to be called sons, adoption, my body, my blood, yes and Amen, etc., ALL point to one truth! When you accepted Jesus as your savior and Lord, when you put YOU into His hands out of need and sin, and trust Him - you entered into a Blood Covenant with the Lord Jesus Christ! Exactly like Abraham with the Father!
So, guess what!?! Every single thing you have or are, good AND bad, now legally belongs to Him; and every single thing He has is now available to you.
It is indeed like a marriage, including all the nitty gritty details you and He will need to work through together. But, He loves you, YOU ARE FORGIVEN, and He will not let go! Period! Until my next BLOG, chew on this. Your sin, every bit of it, especially the one Satan tries to beat you over the head with -
- legally belongs to the LORD!
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FEB 19, 2024: WHAT'S NEXT? Over the decades, while attending various churches across the denominational spectrum, and even teaching series in a various of them, I have observed that there are a number of subjects that seem to generally be be given a certain "lack of emphasis." I have just finished a series of BLOGs covering being BROKEN before the Lord (part of one of the subjects lacking), and am wondering what to cover next.
So, what I think I am going to try is to give you all a voice. What basic teaching is lacking in the church that YOU would like me to cover??? Tell you what, I will even give you a list. It might help encourage you to speak up, but don't be limited by it. What are Christians missing?
Blood Covenant, the root of Christianity and every God-Man interaction.
Jewish concrete thinking, how the Bible was really written.
God's Image, what He really wanted to show us from the beginning.
What is almost never taught about you consuming part of the Tithe.
Salvation is not the MAIN thing for why we are here.
Fear of God, an aspect of being broken before Him.
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
There is more, but you get the idea....
So, What Is Nex!?!
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FEB 12, 2024: BROKEN - A HILL TO CLIMB This last post on brokenness (unless there are questions, which I will certainly try to answer) is going to take a lot of maturity to grasp; especially if you are in the midst of something nasty or abusive. And I admit this is at times more than I can comprehend. Let's start with something like what Hitler did to Jews and to Christians who hid or supported the Jews. It was so revoltingly evil, twisted, satanic, and inhumane that nobody in their right mind can label it as anything but the atrocity that it was.
But yet! Even in the midst of Ravensbrück there were people like Betsie and Corrie Ten Boom who would tell you there were lessons learned about God that could be learned in no other place. Unreal! Could I do that? Maybe not, and I do NOT want to find out.
Should you escape the atrocity situations if you can? ABSOLUTELY! But yet, there are these people who have the guts to tell us that if we can't escape but give the whole thing to God, live or die, He will take responsibility for using even the very worst that Satan can dish out for our eternal good. That is a lot to chew on, and probably is more easily understood by Christians in North Korea, Nigeria, Sudan, or Syria than here in the USA.
But I think it is coming.
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