How many passionately holy things have you ever seen? I have seen plenty of passionate things, and I have seen holy things, but they seem to be fewer. The Cross comes to mind. Look at how The Lord has created us to have babies. It's filled with passion, but we have made it very unholy for the most part. Not that we are supposed to see it, but all that we see of it, is almost always unholy. It's filled with passion, but we've made it into something that is not holy. And so many other things follow suit.
I am really into movies. The closest thing I've seen to a holy and passionate movie is Facing The Giants or Fireproof, but Amazing Grace, Ultimate Gift, Chariots of Fire and especially The Hiding Place is the very best we've had to offer as a Church. The Passion, from Mel Gibson comes close, but has so much that isn't holy in it, I just can't even recommend it, and would instead have people see Matthew or John as far as "passion" movies go. Passion (from the Ancient Greek verb πάσχω (paskho) meaning to suffer) is a term applied to a very strong feeling about a person or thing. Looking over the further definitions of passion below I was confused because of the "real" meaning of the word from its origin; To suffer. Then my wife said I can imagine someone doing that about music, loving it so much that they're willing to suffer to make it happen. So that's where passion can come into music, and if we've heard good music, there's passion behind it.
Most movies are very hard to make, it often takes passion to see it through to the end. The greatest of athletes must have intense passion for what they do. Christ must have had the most incredible passion to have suffered greater than any man ever will for anything, but He suffered for us, He was that passionate about saving us, He literally gave everything. In fact, He gave more than we ever could. He, being God, became a man. He left His heavenly kingdom to come down and live to show us how we should live, and then suffer and die the most horrible death imaginable, the horror and cruelty He suffered, the mocking & beatings. Being left on the cross with everyone having deserting Him, and then to have God leave Him at that last moment; "Why have You forsaken Me?" No one has ever, or will ever be as passionate about anything as he was, and is, about us.
But what if we were to do things that are only holy passionate? What if I only spoke with holiness and passion? I have spoken that way, but what if I only spoke that way, about everything? If I get to produce movies like I've always dreamed of, what if I only produced holy and passionate movies, what would that even look like? A Star Wars or Casablanca that's saved?
Eric Liddell's story, told partly in Chariots of Fire, would be an example of someone who ran with passion. It's funny, as he really gets going when he ran, his head fly's back and he seems to be running with reckless abandon. Maybe that's how we should run.
"Run and not grow weary, walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, . . . honest, . . . just, . . . pure, . . . lovely, . . . of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8)
n.
A powerful emotion, such as love, joy, hatred, or anger.
Ardent love.
Strong sexual desire; lust.
The object of such love or desire.
Boundless enthusiasm: His skills as a player don't quite match his passion for the game.
The object of such enthusiasm: Soccer is her passion.
An abandoned display of emotion, especially of anger: He's been known to fly into a passion without warning.
Passion
The sufferings of Jesus in the period following the Last Supper and including the Crucifixion, as related in the New Testament.
A narrative, musical setting, or pictorial representation of Jesus's sufferings.
Archaic. Martyrdom.
Archaic. Passivity.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin passiō, passiōn-, sufferings of Jesus or a martyr, from Late Latin, physical suffering, martyrdom, sinful desire, from Latin, an undergoing, from passus, past participle of patī, to suffer.]
SYNONYMS passion, fervor, fire, zeal, ardor. These nouns denote powerful, intense emotion. Passion is a deep, overwhelming emotion: "There is not a passion so strongly rooted in the human heart as envy" (Richard Brinsley Sheridan). Fervor is great warmth and intensity of feeling: "The union of the mathematician with the poet, fervor with measure, passion with correctness, this surely is the ideal" (William James). Fire is burning passion: "In our youth our hearts were touched with fire" (Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.). Zeal is strong, enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal and tireless diligence in its furtherance: "Laurie [resolved], with a glow of philanthropic zeal, to found and endow an institution for ... women with artistic tendencies" (Louisa May Alcott). Ardor is fiery intensity of feeling: "the furious ardor of my zeal repressed" (Charles Churchill).
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Jesus The Healer
Acts 4: 28b ..."grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”
31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness."
"Lord, let this be our prayer, let this be our desire, the desire that is in You, to reach the lost, the hurting, and to bring them to You, The Healer, in Jesus Name, Your mighty name, the Name above all names. Amen. "
31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness."
"Lord, let this be our prayer, let this be our desire, the desire that is in You, to reach the lost, the hurting, and to bring them to You, The Healer, in Jesus Name, Your mighty name, the Name above all names. Amen. "
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
The Armor of God is meant for the intercession of others.
Eph 6:10-18. I have always looked at the armor of God as personal amor meant for my protection, until today when I read the entire context. Verses 10 & 11 are very personal. "Be strong in The Lord and in the power of His might. Be empowered to put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Verse 12 tells us what the armor is for, yes it's personal, but we find in verse 18 that it's not just for us. (praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful FOR ALL THE SAINTS!) Verse 12; For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
This is what the armor of God is fighting against. Not against people, flesh and blood, but against the real enemy, principalities, powers, rulers of darkness in THIS AGE, and against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. That is what we're fighting against, not each other, or man made things.
Verse 13 is having us take up that armor which we are empowered to do, like we are commissioned in His army, so His armor comes standard issue. Then it says; that you may be able to withstand, (That you're able to make it.) in the evil day. We cannot make it unless we have this armor on, it's His and He's given it to us, for our protection.
Gird your waist (Or loins) with truth. What are your loins made for, what is its purpose; seek truth, not the lie of the enemy in this evil time, when everything around you says that your loins were created for something else! Like everything else, it's for purity, which needs to be based in the truth of what we were created for, for holiness, set apart for the things of God, we were created in a certain way, a design for His purpose.
The Breastplate of righteousness. This is not from us, our righteousness, it's His, because ours is useless, ours is like filthy rags, it won't do us any good in battle. Walk righteous, be righteous, for that is what He is in you.
Shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Interesting, amor for peace! What are your feet for, walking in places, standing, bringing you to places you're supposed to go; "Your word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path." (Psalm 119:105) Are we prepared, have we given ourselves over to His gospel of peace, there is no other, so that we can be brought to the places we're supposed to go?
ABOVE ALL, taking the Shield of Faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. This is amazing, all the fiery darts, man do we need this. Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1) And faith comes by hearing and hearing The Word of God. (Romans 10:17) If we're not hearing, where is our shield of faith. Do we believe based on what we see?
Look at two previous verses; 6b and 7 doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to The Lord, and not to men. If we aren't serving God, by His will, from our heart, not our mind, and doing it to The Lord and not to men, then we are missing the Armor of God right there. We're putting on something else, or mis using His Holy Armor.
We need the helmet of salvation, without it we are not saved. It also provides His vision, with His clarity. And oh do we need the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. This is the Rema, (Original Greek word) the spoken Word of God, living in your heart, guiding your every step, your every swing of that sword. But this is amor of peace, meant for prayer and supplication of the saints. The word supplication at its root means begging, and praying as if it's necessary, like food, or water, because it is necessary. So this armor is as much about prayer as anything, and it's meant for; being watchful to this end, with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. To what end? Verse 18; praying always with all prayer and supplication (Begging, praying as a necessity) IN THE SPIRIT. If we are not Spirit filled, we can't accomplish this; Now, being watchful FOR ALL THE SAINTS!
We are born the first time in the flesh, in our mommy. Then Jesus in John 3 talks about being born a second time, being "Born Again" and this birth is by The Spirit. If we are not born again, we can't pray in the Spirit, and if we can't do this, we are without armor, and we can't intercede for each other, and we are left without protection, in this evil day, with all the wiles of the devil, wrestling against principalities, powers and and rulers of the darkness and against spiritual hosts of wickedness...how do we expect to survive, we can't. It's all connected, we need it all, without a piece missing, or we are caught unaware, unprotected, and without any hope.
That's why we live in a hopeless world, because without Christ, trying to survive on our filthy rags, we just can't make it, there literally is no hope without Him in our lives.
This is what the armor of God is fighting against. Not against people, flesh and blood, but against the real enemy, principalities, powers, rulers of darkness in THIS AGE, and against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. That is what we're fighting against, not each other, or man made things.
Verse 13 is having us take up that armor which we are empowered to do, like we are commissioned in His army, so His armor comes standard issue. Then it says; that you may be able to withstand, (That you're able to make it.) in the evil day. We cannot make it unless we have this armor on, it's His and He's given it to us, for our protection.
Gird your waist (Or loins) with truth. What are your loins made for, what is its purpose; seek truth, not the lie of the enemy in this evil time, when everything around you says that your loins were created for something else! Like everything else, it's for purity, which needs to be based in the truth of what we were created for, for holiness, set apart for the things of God, we were created in a certain way, a design for His purpose.
The Breastplate of righteousness. This is not from us, our righteousness, it's His, because ours is useless, ours is like filthy rags, it won't do us any good in battle. Walk righteous, be righteous, for that is what He is in you.
Shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Interesting, amor for peace! What are your feet for, walking in places, standing, bringing you to places you're supposed to go; "Your word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path." (Psalm 119:105) Are we prepared, have we given ourselves over to His gospel of peace, there is no other, so that we can be brought to the places we're supposed to go?
ABOVE ALL, taking the Shield of Faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. This is amazing, all the fiery darts, man do we need this. Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1) And faith comes by hearing and hearing The Word of God. (Romans 10:17) If we're not hearing, where is our shield of faith. Do we believe based on what we see?
Look at two previous verses; 6b and 7 doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to The Lord, and not to men. If we aren't serving God, by His will, from our heart, not our mind, and doing it to The Lord and not to men, then we are missing the Armor of God right there. We're putting on something else, or mis using His Holy Armor.
We need the helmet of salvation, without it we are not saved. It also provides His vision, with His clarity. And oh do we need the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. This is the Rema, (Original Greek word) the spoken Word of God, living in your heart, guiding your every step, your every swing of that sword. But this is amor of peace, meant for prayer and supplication of the saints. The word supplication at its root means begging, and praying as if it's necessary, like food, or water, because it is necessary. So this armor is as much about prayer as anything, and it's meant for; being watchful to this end, with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. To what end? Verse 18; praying always with all prayer and supplication (Begging, praying as a necessity) IN THE SPIRIT. If we are not Spirit filled, we can't accomplish this; Now, being watchful FOR ALL THE SAINTS!
We are born the first time in the flesh, in our mommy. Then Jesus in John 3 talks about being born a second time, being "Born Again" and this birth is by The Spirit. If we are not born again, we can't pray in the Spirit, and if we can't do this, we are without armor, and we can't intercede for each other, and we are left without protection, in this evil day, with all the wiles of the devil, wrestling against principalities, powers and and rulers of the darkness and against spiritual hosts of wickedness...how do we expect to survive, we can't. It's all connected, we need it all, without a piece missing, or we are caught unaware, unprotected, and without any hope.
That's why we live in a hopeless world, because without Christ, trying to survive on our filthy rags, we just can't make it, there literally is no hope without Him in our lives.
Friday, March 2, 2012
The New Year, a new fast.
Well it's the new year. The Lord woke me up this morning with a request; fast and pray. I have been praying and fasting of and on for the past 3-4 week, but I have been "cheating." Coffee, an extra meal before I begin my fast again. I have been eating roughly one meal per day with few exceptions, but when I am eating my one meal, it has often been extending into later "one meals." Now I feel like He's asking me to go all the way.
I actually can't wait to see what this will look like. I love it when the Lord speaks so clearly. Most of us long for a time when The Lord speaks, we hear, and then are able to obey. He is so good, He is such a good Father. What a wonderful Go we serve, wow.
Thank You Lord, You are so faithful to me.
I actually can't wait to see what this will look like. I love it when the Lord speaks so clearly. Most of us long for a time when The Lord speaks, we hear, and then are able to obey. He is so good, He is such a good Father. What a wonderful Go we serve, wow.
Thank You Lord, You are so faithful to me.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
New Things Verses Old Things.
I woke up this morning with the thought of how much I appreciate beautiful things. Like mountains, oceans, my wife, our children. It always turns me to the Creator, to give credit where credit is due. I hate it when I take credit for something I literally had either nothing to do with, or very little to do with. Like the creation of a child, how little do we actually have to do with it. Like a farmer planting a seed. All the growth is The Lords. yes, we have to be faithful to always do what is right, but the shaping and forming is ultimately left to God. He alone gives breath, and life to substance, as well as the substance itself! It's always amazed me that all the plants come from tiny seeds, to me it is the miracle of creation. A corn stalk from a tiny seed, produces over 600 kernels! (University of OK, 1 seed can produce 600 kernels; http://oklahoma4h.okstate.edu/aitc/lessons/upper/cornmath.pdf) What can we produced when endued with the Holy Spirit. Imagine God "invested" (Literal meaning of endued) in us His power from on high (Luke 24:49) So after all, what is impossible with God?
Romans 8: 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,[a] who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
"Lord, please help us to not walk in the flesh this year, this year of our Lord 2012. For we want to please You, and if we want to, we MSUT walk in The Spirit, in Jesus Name, amen."
Romans 8: 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,[a] who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
"Lord, please help us to not walk in the flesh this year, this year of our Lord 2012. For we want to please You, and if we want to, we MSUT walk in The Spirit, in Jesus Name, amen."
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Never live in the too much.
"Lord please let me stop living in the too much. Too much food, too much money, too many clothes. too much stuff. Let these things not choke out Your words, You ways, Your life you'd have for me. Let me not go astray to find my own lusts, only to be trapped by it's demonic stronghold, in Jesus name, the mighty name to be praised, and honored, and glorified in every way, in everyday of the life that He made for me to live unto Him. Lord, let me live for you."
It's se strange. I was just outside for a little walk, and I could see no stars because of how over cast it was. Then about 20 minutes later, I went outside and I could see a sky full of the most beautiful stars you could imagine. 20 minutes change change a sky. 20 minutes can change a life too. When faced with death, or an abrupt change, like losing someone. Your entire perspective can alter forever. "Lord, let me life change forever. In Jesus Name, amen. "
It's se strange. I was just outside for a little walk, and I could see no stars because of how over cast it was. Then about 20 minutes later, I went outside and I could see a sky full of the most beautiful stars you could imagine. 20 minutes change change a sky. 20 minutes can change a life too. When faced with death, or an abrupt change, like losing someone. Your entire perspective can alter forever. "Lord, let me life change forever. In Jesus Name, amen. "
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Why don't we hear.
Why don't we hear may well be titled why don't we listen.
First, what we should hear.
John 8:47 John 10:27 18:37b
John 8:29b Jesus speaking, "...for I always do those things that please Him." I think we get so lost in the have to do's that we forget it's not about commandments, it's about a covenant that He made with us, like marriage is supposed to be a covenant, not a contract, and we enter into this covenant with God because we love Him, because he first loved us. So we do what we do not out of obligation, but out of love we want to do everything to please Him. So if we're not starting out with that, we're off on the wrong foot already.
8:31b & 32 " If you abide (Literal meaning to continue in a permanent state, because He doesn't want us up and down, in and out He wants us by His side at all times, because He knows the enemy) in My word, you are my disciples indeed. "And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
Jesus states it pretty plainly, there's no way to hear what the Father has for each of us unless we're abiding, listening, and believing, all through Jesus and what He did for us, and "If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow after Me." (Luke 9:23)
Reasons we don't hear?
John 8:34b "...whoever commits a sin is a slave of sin." And notice He doesn't say is a slave to that sin, but simply a slave to sin. Sin wants to take root and grow, sin isn't happy to just take a little and be settled, it must have more and more until it gets all of us, and then we find ourselves hardening our hearts and not hearing Him any more, but it usually happens a little bit at a time, compromise by compromise.
There's two fathers, if Christ abides in us, He is our Father, if He does not abide in us, the devil is our father. John 8:37-58
Good news in verse 36; " Therefore if the Son makes you free you shall be free indeed." Then Jesus in verse 37b says of those who want to kill Him, they that don't know Him "because My word has no place in you." Then 38 defines the different voices, and who's father we are; " I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father." And in 41; "You do the deeds of your father." They claim their father is God, but Jesus replies in verse 42; "If God were your father you would love me." In 43; " Why do you not understand My speech" Because you are not able to listen to My word." 44: "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do." 45; "Because I tell you the truth you do not believe me." 47; "He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God."
That's it, if we're not of Him, we won't hear Him, and if we are abiding in Him, we will hear Him, because we are His sheep, and we will not listen to the voice of a stranger. (John 10)
John 10:1-5 The good shepherd comes in and leads His sheep and the sheep hear His voice; and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. And when He brings out His own sheep, He goes before them; and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.
Verse 9 says; "I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved..."
The devil only comes to kill, steal and destroy, but He has come to give life, and that they might have it more abundantly! Which father do we want to serve?
I love verse 16b of chapter 10, "and there will be one flock and one shepherd."
That's what I want to see, One Shepherd, the Good Shepherd, and one flock, that wonderful Body of Christ, that one that only listens to the voice of the Father! Wouldn't that be wonderful to see!
First, what we should hear.
John 8:47 John 10:27 18:37b
John 8:29b Jesus speaking, "...for I always do those things that please Him." I think we get so lost in the have to do's that we forget it's not about commandments, it's about a covenant that He made with us, like marriage is supposed to be a covenant, not a contract, and we enter into this covenant with God because we love Him, because he first loved us. So we do what we do not out of obligation, but out of love we want to do everything to please Him. So if we're not starting out with that, we're off on the wrong foot already.
8:31b & 32 " If you abide (Literal meaning to continue in a permanent state, because He doesn't want us up and down, in and out He wants us by His side at all times, because He knows the enemy) in My word, you are my disciples indeed. "And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
Jesus states it pretty plainly, there's no way to hear what the Father has for each of us unless we're abiding, listening, and believing, all through Jesus and what He did for us, and "If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow after Me." (Luke 9:23)
Reasons we don't hear?
John 8:34b "...whoever commits a sin is a slave of sin." And notice He doesn't say is a slave to that sin, but simply a slave to sin. Sin wants to take root and grow, sin isn't happy to just take a little and be settled, it must have more and more until it gets all of us, and then we find ourselves hardening our hearts and not hearing Him any more, but it usually happens a little bit at a time, compromise by compromise.
There's two fathers, if Christ abides in us, He is our Father, if He does not abide in us, the devil is our father. John 8:37-58
Good news in verse 36; " Therefore if the Son makes you free you shall be free indeed." Then Jesus in verse 37b says of those who want to kill Him, they that don't know Him "because My word has no place in you." Then 38 defines the different voices, and who's father we are; " I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father." And in 41; "You do the deeds of your father." They claim their father is God, but Jesus replies in verse 42; "If God were your father you would love me." In 43; " Why do you not understand My speech" Because you are not able to listen to My word." 44: "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do." 45; "Because I tell you the truth you do not believe me." 47; "He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God."
That's it, if we're not of Him, we won't hear Him, and if we are abiding in Him, we will hear Him, because we are His sheep, and we will not listen to the voice of a stranger. (John 10)
John 10:1-5 The good shepherd comes in and leads His sheep and the sheep hear His voice; and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. And when He brings out His own sheep, He goes before them; and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.
Verse 9 says; "I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved..."
The devil only comes to kill, steal and destroy, but He has come to give life, and that they might have it more abundantly! Which father do we want to serve?
I love verse 16b of chapter 10, "and there will be one flock and one shepherd."
That's what I want to see, One Shepherd, the Good Shepherd, and one flock, that wonderful Body of Christ, that one that only listens to the voice of the Father! Wouldn't that be wonderful to see!
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