Dried Fruit

 

The cells in our body are miraculous little creations.  Each is like a manufacturing plant; taking in raw materials and producing an essential product that sustains a high quality of life.  Cells run primarily on water.  Water powers, cleans and drives the primary throughput of these amazing little manufacturing plants. 

If you weigh 160 pounds, you need to drink 80 ounces of water each day.  When you sleep, you can lose almost 2 pounds of water weight.  When you wake up, it is essential to drink 16 to 20 ounces of water, (pure water - not coffee, not orange juice, not tea and certainly not a soft drink).

The Bible relates God's Word to water.  It is essential to read His Word EVERY DAY.  When you wake up and drink water, you can feel the morning life flow into you as your body absorbs exactly what it needs.  When you are dragging at mid-afternoon and your energy is spent, there's nothing like knocking down a big glass of water to bring you back.  His mercies are new every morning.  There's nothing better than to spend time absorbing His eternal Word.  When you are having a day full of defeat and disappointment, there's nothing like drinking in a healthy dose of His Word.

You know the world and it's influence is EXACTLY like being in a hot desert.  Don't turn into dried fruit.

Confidence (4)

 

Believe [in Him and you will be righteous] *
Remember [that He has helped you this far] ** 
Wait [for His plan concerning you to develop] ***
...and the Lord will perfect that which concerns you.****

*      Ref. Acts 16:31..."Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved."
**    Ref. 1 Samuel 17:12..."Hitherto hath the Lord helped us." and
        Psalm 106: 13a..."But they hastily forgot His works..."
***  Ref. Psalm 106:13b...They did not [earnestly] wait for His plans [to develop] regarding them,"
****Ref. Psalm 138:8a..."The Lord will perfect that which concerns me;"

Snatching Defeat, (From the Jaws of Victory)

 

Since we are human; we have an innate ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory: 

A well-loved young man with a young family had many certain years of triumph in Christ ahead of him.  He was used of the Lord to lead younger men to stay on the path that the Lord had for them.  They are thankful and will never forget.  Some years later, as a husband and father, caught in despair and in the throes of some difficulty, he commits suicide.  Those that knew him are shocked.  His family is devastated.  He was a precious brother in the Lord.

A Christ-like young lady, beautiful inside and out, because of the love of Christ pouring out of her heart and life decides, (because of the pressures of the world, the flesh and Satan), that she needs to take matters into her own hands and step ahead of the Lord's plan.  She contemplates bringing tragedy on herself and her family.

Two stories out of hundreds of thousands.  We would reach out and cling to defeat, stabbing ourselves in the back when our Savior had our back the whole way and we could have triumphed in Christ.  The strength of the urge to self destruct is tied directly to how close you are to triumphing in Christ.  When you feel that evil urge, that tractor-beam pull of the world, know in your heart that you are close to another victory and let it motivate you to turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Read your Bible.  Pray every day.  Cling to Him.  BELIEVE. Have 100% total confidence that He will perfect that which concerns you at exactly the correct time.

Gateway to Life

We all know there is a very prominent religion that has shown itself to successfully operate using the wrath of man.  Manifested for everyone to see is the fear, hatred, anger and resulting merciless death by those who are zealous to follow this religion and who wantonly kill those that choose not to follow.

We also know that there are not a few countries dominated by this religion.  Observers say there are MANY in those countries whose hearts tire of the fear, hatred and anger.  These dear souls are seeking peace, truth and a truly loving, kind and merciful God; a God not requiring His followers to be angry, hateful and treacherous murderers.  A God not CALLED "merciful", but a God who IS merciful, and actually defines selfless love.  Though it doesn't make the news, observation and actual statistics show they are finding HIM in significant numbers.  Probably more so, because of the terrible evil that has actually driven their hearts away from this darkness to look for light.

What an encouragement to know that this very evil is what actually drives new believers to search for the gateway to eternal life in Christ.

In light of these facts, the meaning of this mysterious verse becomes entirely understandable:
"Surely the wrath of man shall praise You; the remainder of wrath shall You restrain and gird and arm Yourself with it."  Psalm 76:10

How can a false and dark religion and the doctrines of demons be the gateway to life? 
Psalm 76:10 explains it.

Error

I have seen believers excluding themselves because they feel they are not "worthy".

I understand.  They aren't worthy.  Nobody is. That doesn't make it right though.

It is correct to understand that you are not worthy, but it is INCORRECT to allow your feelings to lead you into the ERROR that the complete work of Christ is not sufficient to supply all of your missing worthiness. 

This form of self-oppression has no place in the life of a follower of Christ. Just like the self-oppression and blind error that says you might lose your salvation.  Why do we question the effectiveness of His perfect work and His holy love?  He is either God, or He isn't.  Why do we have the compulsion to make Him something "in-between".

The best quote I've heard recently is this:  "What God's holiness required, God's love supplied."

Our worthiness and holiness are complete in Him.

The Helpers

At a recent college reunion, I was reminded of the dear brothers-in-the-Lord that helped me while in college.  With limited funds, limited possessions and limited knowledge, I would not have been able to execute certain necessary tasks without their kind help. 

While talking with one of them, I gained more needed knowledge to help guide my family in an immediate circumstance.  Another freely offered of his possessions to help my son learn another important life-skill while we were there.  There we were again.  Just like the old days.  They haven't changed.  Still valuable friends, brothers and my helpers after 28 years apart.

Working While You Sleep

There's nothing spiritual about sleep deprivation.
There is no profit in the statement, "the early bird gets the worm".
There is no wisdom in beating your head against the wall until it finally breaks through from your own perserverance.

Having been in sales for 28 years now, I noticed that a lot of time can be lost trying to get new business.  Time spent during years of effort trying to win a particular customer goes wasted.  Then, suddenly something big drops into my lap through no effort of my own. 

When I get sick, unable to get up and go, I pine away about missing time and exposure in my sales territory.  My competitors are out there making progress and I'm in bed. But, sales grow anyway.

The verse below says all of this and more.  It says it better than I just tried to above; and I believe it wholeheartedly from rock-solid experience.

"It is vain for you to rise up early, to take rest late, to eat the bread of [anxious] toil--for He gives [blessings] to His beloved in sleep."  Psalm 127:2

Don't let the world push you into it's mold.

Confidence (3) - Anxiety

Anxiety is born out of a lack of confidence in our God.

The phrase from the Amplified™ Bible in Psalm 106 keeps repeating itself as I see my festering anxieties and the anxieties of believers around me:  "...they did not [earnestly] wait for His plans [to develop] regarding them."

-Dad has anxiety over the concern that his job really won't pay the bills anymore and he's going to have to do something...
-Mom has anxiety over the concern that her kids are really not getting what they need in homeschooling and she's going to have to do something...
-One kid has anxiety over concerns that his natural tendency toward unproductive behavior is an impossible obstacle to overcome and he he's going to have to do something...
-Another kid has anxiety that his "sure" future won't wait any longer for him and he's going to have to do something...

Hitherto, the Lord has helped us all.  We lose confidence.  We get anxious. We are "going to have to do something", (on our own).  WE DO NOT EARNESTLY WAIT FOR HIS  PLANS TO DEVELOP REGARDING US.

We do need to do something.  We need to earnestly wait for His plans to develop.

He Has Done It

Buddha
Joseph Smith
Sun Myung Moon
Muhammad
Anton LaVay
L. Ron Hubbard
Charles Taze Russell
Confucius
et al.*

These men developed or recycled a religion based on some being(s) or a force that is more powerful that a human:  Beings or forces ranging from the universe itself to aliens from outer space. Adherents are to follow an organized behavior or set of rules to attain a higher state of existence and to reverence some feared higher power, or reverence some material object - like our environment or the universe.

Special behavior and rule-following to make ourselves better appeals to all of us.  Even an atheist seeks self-improvement.  What is religion without self-improvement and attainment of a higher state of being?  When I hear a comedian saying that religion is "(foul expletive)", politicians say that the religious are bitter-clingers and Hollywood's finest say that religion is a crutch, I have to think they might have something right, (although the foul expletive is not necessary to make the point). The word "religion", as it is used today, is just an adherence to a behavior designed to make people feel better about themselves and their future.  Those misguided entertainers and politicians appear to understand that, though they usually have their own religion of fame, power and ideology, (making hypocrites of themselves).

How about dropping the "religion" and going free?

Perfect freedom has only ONE requirement:  BELIEVE.

There is only one Man that has made the way to heaven available.  That way does not require organized behavior or some man-made system. There is NO SELF EFFORT here. This One is the only Man who had the following words written about Him a thousand years before He walked the earth, (unlike the men listed above):

"I will thank You and confide in You forever, because You have done it, [delivered me and kept me safe]. I will wait on, hope in and expect in Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your saints (Your kind and pious ones)."  Psalm 52:9

"All the mighty ones upon earth shall eat [in thanksgiving] and worship; all they that go down to the dust shall bow before Him, even he who cannot keep himself alive.
Posterity shall serve Him; they shall tell of the Lord to the next generation.
They shall come and shall declare His righteousness to a people yet to be born--that He has done it, [that it is finished]!"  Psalm 22:29-31

It is finished!  Your attainment of a higher state has been accomplished through no effort of your own.  You don't need religion, a crutch, an opiate, a rigid set of rules or organized behavior.  Why make your life more burdensome than it already is?  This is between you and God.  No need to "farm it out" to a clergyman or anyone else.  Just BELIEVE!

*These men didn't do it. Yes, the name of Jesus Christ is missing on purpose.  He doesn't belong on this list.  He is God; not only a man and HE HAS DONE IT.  His bones were not laid to rest somewhere on earth.  Don't you think His followers would protect and reverence His remains if He were only a great human being, prophet or founder of a religion?

Peace Box

For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand [anywhere else]; I would rather be a doorkeeper and stand at the threshold in the house of my God than to dwell [at ease] in the tents of wickedness.  Psalm 84:10

Men compartmentalize.  We have "boxes" for storing thoughts and information.  Yes, the "nothing box" is an all-time favorite, but there's one even better:  It's called the "doorkeeper box". As aware as I am of what this world has to offer, the chaos, treachery, brutality, deceit, the decay and darkness; that doorkeeper-in-the-house-of-my-God gig seems like the best form of eternal employment possible.  It's that peaceful state that the New Age movement is always trying to pursue.  It's what people turn to mind-bending drugs to try to find.  It is really service to Him, (being His bondman), in His own beautiful, safe place - but only as we trust Him in everything.

There's peace beyond my understanding in that verse and in that box.  The real truth is, we that believe are looking forward to something much better than a peaceful doorkeeper job.  We are sons of God and will be enjoying the unfathomable privileges of that.  Peace is one of the great rewards of trusting Him.

Insistent Desires

 

When we are self-focused, more interested in our own plans and want to get it now, we become the ones described in some verses in Psalm 106.  When we say, "Lord, how come I can't hear you, aren't you with me to help lead the way?" we are probably in the middle of the throes of our insistent desires.

"But they hastily forgot His works; they did not [earnestly] WAIT for His plans [to develop] regarding them,
But LUSTED exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted and tried to RESTRAIN GOD [with their insistent desires] in the desert."

If this becomes true, watch out for what comes next:

"And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their souls..."

We have this tendency to forget, lust and insist on our own way.  We can also evaluate ourselves in the mirror of God's Word and are able to recover because we tap into His all-sufficiency by way of that precious book that He gave us.

Purple Attraction

I noticed that the state troopers have gone from blue to an indigo flashing light set on their vehicles.  The result is an increased attraction of the eye to their vehicle when the lights are on.  Out of the large field-of-vision on the highway, the eye is drawn to the first tiny revelation of that indigo light, even miles away.

There's something about the attractiveness of something that is almost off the end of the visible light spectrum:  Almost beyond perception, but it hooks your attention more powerfully that something in the middle of the light spectrum.

There is an association here:

"...so that what we see was not made out of things which are visible."  Hebrews 11:3

"...while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Cor. 4:18

So it is that the human mind and soul is attracted to spiritual things.  Spiritual things are just beyond our senses, but the subject matter hooks our attention.  Thus the success of Buddhism. Catholicism and other religions that tap into the spriritual realm, but require human effort rather than simply believing in the all sufficiency of the great I AM.

The purple lights are attractive, but watch out for that last-second fork in the road as the world, the flesh and Satan would derail from the path to true eternal unseen things.

What is a "Believer"?

The application form asked what I would answer if God asked me why I should be permitted to enter Heaven.  After I kicked back at that question in my mind, (because the first thought was, "that's absurd"), I realized that it was an effective way to extract the desired information from someone.

The answer that came to mind is actually a good tool to simply explain to someone who is unaware of God's ways with man:  God says that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses me from ALL sin. I believe that, and He accounts or credits it to me for righteousness.

That's simple.  I believe Him and I'm righteous. 

Are you a believer?

The Gas Cloud of Human Thinking

(This is a modification of an older post)...

It is increasingly sad that so many are drawn aside into the false religion of environmentalism. As it turns out, the news is no longer that we are trying to avoid a 2 degree rise in global temperature. Now we are to be frightening ourselves with the prospect of dropping temperatures because the earth is making a correction for our terrible misbehaviour in regard to the environment.  My, what a difference a few months makes!

We might as well be an ancient isolated tribe, living in fear, darkness and treachery on the Dark Continent somewhere. We've been looking for a witch doctor that is bold enough to claim he has power to change the climate because the gods are angry with our behavior.  We did just elect leaders that promised action to address this very fear.

As it turns out, we are not being deceived by our fear as much as by our own arrogance. Little humans actually think that we are big enough to change the weather in this world that God has made. If we cannot change the weather in the next few minutes, why do we think that our activity, or lack of it, can change it in 10 years? God would not be God if He would allow His creation to be manipulated by man's normal activities. We destroyed all that we could thousands of years ago.  That was back when history was being recorded, but the prevailing wisdom doesn't want to acknowledge it because they would have to deal with the true I AM.

The leaders don't care whether climate change is real or not. They are using our arrogance for their own gain while we wring our hands. We think we are such a sophisticated, advanced, evolved society.  Look what "hundreds of thousands of years of evolution" have done for the human race in particular.  Why, we really haven't improved have we?

"The arrogance of your heart has deceived you" Obadiah 1:3
 
It's really sad to see the gas cloud of human thinking being blown about by destructive-shepherd-wind-bags.  However, it's God's way to reveal the futility of human thinking apart from Him; for those who are paying attention.  Pray that there are many who will see the bankrupt nature of our thinking and turn to the One who wants all men to come to Him.

Area Representative

My business card says I'm an Area Representative for my company.  Thankfully, the company is run by a man, (man of God), who actually cares about the employees and the customers.  I've never known us to allow a situation to go unresolved and not take care of the customer in a fair way.  Knowing this gives me confidence as I represent them.

"You cannot represent someone you don't know."

A simple quote from a brother who was expressing the importance of a close walk with God by prayer and thoughtful reading of His Word.  As believers, we are His area representatives.  We can have complete confidence that we are representing perfect lovingkindness, holiness, goodness and unchangeable power that meets EVERY need.  There never will be shortcoming, corruption, crime, deceit, back-stabbing, unholiness of any sort, abandonment or injustice with the unseen One who rules over all.

Mine Field

My longtime friend and brother in the Lord has just gone through a tragic end to his marriage.  Since it is a divorce situation, it is even harder than the death of a spouse.  He has been struggling with it for about a year, but is starting to come to terms with the changes caused by his former unfaithful spouse.

Although some things are settling down, there are new things are now haunting him.  He finds himself in a minefield full of aggressive single women.  Things aren't the way he remembered them when he was young and single.  He is considered sheltered and rigid by other "christian" divorced women because his standards remain what they were in the 1980's.  Some of the comments made to him by these women around his age, (who are evidently observing that he no longer wears a wedding ring), are like something from a horror story of seduction.

I know it's a dark world out there and this is very instructive.  He made a comment that illustrates his dire situation, and ours too:
He said, "You know, before, I never had to live every day in such dependence on Him.  Now I do..."
This was followed by a statement meant to communicate how uncomfortable he is with that situation.  When it comes down to it, we are all too uncomfortable with living every day in dependence on Him.  It comes down to complete trust first.

My friend will be an "A" student soon, I suspect.  The Lord will preserve him as He clearly builds up my brother to be something he could not have been before.  May the Lord help us to see what a dire situation we are in every day and learn what it means practically to trust and depend on Him.  It needs to be like breathing instead of an occasional reaction doesn't it?

Someday

Someday we will know:

• How the allowed ugliness was masterfully woven into His awesome grand design
• What He was doing for us when we were bitterly disappointed
• What He wonderfully accomplished in us when we were driven to realize our nothingness
• How a dear believer was actually rescued by Him when all we saw was a sudden tragic death
• The pure gold that He was making while His dear ones were being tried by extreme difficulty
• How deeply His heart was broken while on the cross
• What He wrote on the ground when He was questioned about the woman caught in adultery
• Our own special name that He only knows, and has written on the white stone that He will give us

This list could, and will, go on forever.  It's really not hard to understand that being with Him for eternity will be better than the best exploring we can imagine.  There will be a continuous stream of new reasons to praise Him forevermore.

Allowed Ugliness

We live in a world where there is much ugliness.  We spend time talking to one another about it and live in the experience of terrible things that are not fair, horrifying and just plain ugly.

However, not one of those things is not allowed by God.  Sometimes you have to shake your head and remind yourself, "this is allowed ugliness."  Read the book of Job for large doses of ugliness.  See also that it was truly all allowed, and the read about the end result.

Then, think about how much allowed ugliness was purposefully visited on our Lord Jesus Christ.  Man's full hatred and brutal torture, one who is HOLY bearing the burden of all ugliness and the full, beyond impossible weight of a righteous, holy God's judgement!

The brutality of life drives us headlong to His tender, loving side.  It causes us to be more conformed to Him, be His disciples and gives us more reason to praise Him for eternity.

"In everything, give thanks"

Open Conduit

People push you for performance:  "You know, at your age, you should be doing..."  "We need you to be more..."  Why can't you just...?"

Over the years, I am coming to the conclusion that you perform for Him exactly what He has prepared you to do.  To do more would bring trouble on yourself and those around you.  To do less would be a terrible waste.  He prepares, He gives talent, He gives confidence for you to perform what He needs you to do.

So, it's not what we really do for Him, (as others would wish), it's HOW LITTLE WE HINDERED HIM DOING THROUGH US.  Make His path straight!

"The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God."  Isaiah 40:3

Mark of a Pastor

Talking with certain individuals and remembering past visits with them have brought to mind that time spent with them was precious and very helpful. There are some that you can speak with that can drill right in to some difficulty you are having, (or were unaware of), and in a very un-intrusive way, bring positive thoughts, actions and a more excellent way to light.

You leave the visit with the knowledge that your time was spent wisely. When we have had the kids along on these visits, they express appreciation for the visit, even though it was an "adult talk" time. Everyone knows that they would like to do it again sometime soon.

This is the way the Lord Jesus Christ expresses Himself to us: Through others who have been gifted by Him to help reveal Himself to us and point us to Himself with words of grace, truth and peace.

If you met with someone, it was entirely good, you feel like you have been in the Lord's presence and heard things that you know are from HIM, that would be the mark of a true pastor.

Advice of a King

"Let not him who girds on his armor boast like him who takes it off." 1 Kings 20:11

40 years ago, my mom had me sign up and play about every sport that was available.  I suppose it was to make me "well-rounded."  I got used to doing whatever I was signed up for without getting emotionally involved.  I'll never forget the tennis lessons, that turned into a tournament, (I had no clue until the last set of games).  A boastful kid made the biggest deal out of the fact that he was going to beat me.  I figured he probably would.  After he lost, (because the Lord was clearly teaching me something), I played others and it came down to the last set of games.  I finally got the idea that it was important because I noticed that ALL of the instructors were gathered around watching and they were rooting for the girl that I was playing against.  Come to find out, it was the championship game.

Afterward, I never heard from the unbalanced boy that played against me, but he had made such a scene with his misplaced confidence that I've never forgotten.  I think of it every time I see a football player make a tackle as if it's the first tackle he has ever accomplished - slapping his helmet, beating his chest, pumping biceps.  The next play usually reverses any chest-beating effort anyway which illustrates the emptiness of it all.

After we win we shouldn't boast either, even though the advice in the above verse seems to allow that.  Instead, apply Jeremiah 9:23 and 24:

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.

God is...God!

What does "God" mean?

God means a being who is all-powerful, all-knowing, unchangeable, all-good, all-holy, and is present everywhere.  He is without limit, so there is no limit to His ability to track absolutely every human, animal, insect, grain of sand, particle of dust and molecule. He holds everything together, down to the structure of the atom, by the word of His power.  Since we are not like that, we tend to mold Him into something finite, limited and corrupt, like us.  But, if He is truly God, then...

Why would anyone need to burn a Koran?

If God needed it to be burned, He would do it.  He doesn't need our help.

On the other hand, Allah is supposed to mean God.  If God is God, (and Allah is Allah), then, if someone needs to be killed for the sake of God, He would do it Himself.  He doesn't have some sort of weakness where He needs someone to do it for Him.

I serve a God who is God, not someone who is limited in some way.  He needs nobody to kill for Him nor burn a Koran for Him.

What an insult to Him for me to think otherwise.  I'm glad that He is a God of love and mercy, not fear and hatred.

Positive Speculation

How many conflicts have you seen between brothers and sisters in Christ? 

How often is it that one avoids another or just won't communicate at all because of an offense?

How about two believers, previously married, but were bitterly divorced?

What if the Lord comes to take us home and it's unresolved?

What would happen when two saints in unresolved conflict saw each other in Heaven?

A brother who thinks about these practical things in dependence on the Lord for answers pointed out recently that the Judgement Seat of Christ, among other things, is for issues just like this:
 The cleansing FOR HEAVEN from unresolved relationship tragedy.

Soul Mate

                              

The State Governor must have been quite ready to give up his marriage and the integrity of his family when he announced to everyone that he had found his soul mate, (in another country).

The famous christian singer announced that she had left her husband, (and the integrity of her family), because she was now with her soul mate.

Is this something that we, in our pride, expect that we deserve? So, hopefully, whoever we are "stuck" with is our soul mate? If not, it's OK to leave if we find our true soul mate a little bit later? The two mentioned above must have thought that they were stuck with the wrong person for some period of time.

Drilling down to the bottom of the meaning of the term "soul mate" ends with this statement, "This kind of relationship is so important to the soul that many have said there is nothing more precious in life."  The "soul mate" experience as it plays out in today's culture looks more like another chance to deify yourself.

It seems that we'd better wait patiently for our one and only true Soul Mate.  To those of us who believe in His saving grace, there is nothing more precious in life than our Lord Jesus Christ.

For those that marry, He will put us with someone who is His choice to serve His best interests, to be helpers of His glory, to help His saints and to help bring more sons to glory.  Maybe if we were with who we feel is our "soul mate", we would be absolutely useless to Him whom we are here to serve; because there would be someone more precious to us than Him.

"So kill (deaden, deprive of power) the evil desire lurking in your members [those animal impulses and all that is earthly in you that is employed in sin]: sexual vice, impurity, sensual appetites, unholy desires, and all greed and covetousness, for that is idolatry (the deifying of self and other created things instead of God)."
Colossians 3:5 Amp

Safety

I saw a sign at the plywood plant the other day.  It said:  "If you are not confronting unsafe behavior you are reinforcing it."

That reminded me of these verses:  "Deliver those who are drawn away to death, and those who totter to the slaughter, hold them back [from their doom]. If you [profess ignorance and] say, Behold, we did not know this, does not He Who weighs and ponders the heart perceive and consider it? And He Who guards your life, does not He know it? And shall not He render to [you and] every man according to his works?"  Proverbs 24:11, 12

When the Lord opens the door of opportunity, walk through it.