Posts

Reorienting to God

/in /by

In 1977 the entire Chesapeake Bay froze over. The U.S. Coast Guard sent vessels to break up the ice in certain places. In an article from the Chesapeake Bay Magazine, titled: Ice Heroes – A Maryland Pilot’s Firsthand Account of the Historic 1977 Bay Freeze, states: The news reported that the Chesapeake Bay was shut down. Except it wasn’t. Not for the Bay Pilots. From Dec. 24, 1976, through Feb. 28, 1977, there were hundreds of ship movements, and cold was the order of the day. From the Bay Bridges south 100 nautical miles…navigational aids were nonexistent or useless. The weight of the ice, plus wind and tidal currents, pushed the buoys underwater or moved them markedly off station…..There was no GPS in 1977. Without buoys, pilots used radar range and bearing off specific points to navigate their ships. Just as importantly, the pilots employed their own ice marks, such as lining up a flagpole with the corner of a house, or a stand of trees with a dip in the land behind. This “old School” method was very effective in enabling the pilots to move ships when other mariners wouldn’t consider it.

The NLT states in Isaiah 40:12 Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale? In other words, our Father – God Almighty, is so big that He holds the oceans in His hands and has measured off the heavens (outer space)…WITH HIS FINGERS?! Scripture clearly states He is Omnipresent. In other words, He is everywhere. Yet, Scripture teaches that all who call on Jesus’ Name to be saved, have the Godhead come to reside within them.

Presently our church has partnered with the Way Church to fast and pray this week. Why do we fast and pray? It’s the same reason that the Bible has over forty different Scripture referencing seeking God to find Him. You fast to position yourself before Him to seek His Presence – to reorient your life to Him. Like the Chesapeake Bay pilots you position yourself to find your bearing, or your mark, in order to navigate the icy waters of this life. But here is a profound question: Since God is everywhere, and He is so enormous, and He lives within us – How big does our ego, pride, and self-centeredness have to be in order to not be connected to Him? How big does our lofty impression of ourselves have to be that we don’t think we need to seek God? It’s an interesting fact that demons long to live life through humans. What is it about living in us that makes them comfortable? What is it about our nature that feels like home? Have the icy mountains of our self-sufficient pride cast such a shadow, and is so immense, that it eclipses the enormity of God?

Acts 17:27 in the AMPC translation states: So that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after Him and find Him, although He is not far from each one of us. This passage is referring to pagans. People who haven’t even seen their need to trust in Jesus. Yet, American Christians are quite content with ignoring Him. We won’t take the time to seek after Him to find Him failing to recognize we have drifted off course. We have failed to see the landmarks because of the icy bay of our heart.

Revelation 3:19 records the rebuke and exhortation of Jesus to the Laodiceans. Jesus reminds us: Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]. So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude].

Where is the “ship” of your life really? Is it frozen in religious traditions, and spiritual routines, divorced and void of connecting to the Living God? We pray, we fast, we seek – to bring the “Mountain of Me” to bow before the Most High God; to humble ourselves before Him by positioning ourselves to be reoriented, and re-centered in Him. We seek to find Him – not us. We are the generation of Jacob – that seeks His face. (Unless you are not of His born-again generation). The Jacob generation seeks to draw near to God in order to obtain the blessing of knowing Him.

Hungry!?

/in /by

You can imagine the meager rations of those exiles on the Isle of Patmos. Whether it’s coincidental, or because of the meager rations, the theme of food comes up often enough to warrant attention. Consider the following passages: Revelation 2:14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols…NKJV

Revelation 2:17 To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. NKJV

Revelation 2:20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. NKJV

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. NKJV

If I had been hearing these words from the Lord I would have been tempted to ask the Lord for mercy. I would have asked Him to possibly choose other analogies and references. But Jesus didn’t stop there. He “hid” a food reference in plain sight – yet it’s hard to see. Several months ago I noted a distinction in translating Revelation 3:18. The AMPC translation reads: Therefore I counsel you to purchase from Me gold refined and tested by fire, that you may be [truly] wealthy, and white clothes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nudity from being seen, and salve to put on your eyes, that you may see. Take note of this last boldened, phrase:…and salve to put on your eyes, that you may see.

Now take note of how the NKJV translates the same passage: I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

The first thing to notice is that in the AMPC translation they were to purchase refined and tested gold, white clothes, and eye salve. But the NKJV separates the gold, and clothes from the eye salve. In fact the NKJV states that they should purchase the first two, but anoint their eyes with eye salve. In the NKJV translation, anointing the eyes appears to be a separate topic. Why are there two different verbs: purchase and anoint?

When you study the original meaning of the word for salve you discover something that is quite startling. You discover that it was an extremely small, “coarse bread roll.”  Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words states: Hence an “eye-salve,” shaped like a roll….The word is doubtless an allusion to the Phrygian powder used by oculists in the famous medical school at Laodicea. Which led me to ask another question, What was considered coarse bread to John’s readers? Basically there were two sources of grain used for making bread, wheat and barley. What does this have to do with our eye salve? Bread made from barley was considered the poor man’s bread, while bread made from wheat was for those who were wealthy. Now keep in mind Jesus is addressing the wealthy, self-sufficient Laodiceans. They have no need, or lack. Yet, Jesus is stating that the cure for their spiritual blindness is salve shaped like a roll or loaf of barley bread. What does this remind you of? Matthew 5:3,6 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.“…Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

What’s the interpretation? Those that are spiritually poor – are spiritually hungry. Those who are spiritually poor will ENTER through the DOOR of Jesus; the DOOR of Revelation 4. Those that recognize their spiritual poverty and blindness will be moved to make room for Jesus; will be moved to overcome the Laodiceans, do-it-yourself righteousness; will be moved to open their spiritual senses: sight, hearing, and feeling. The spiritually hungry will be moved to be zealous; to be on FIRE with the FIRE from the Man whose legs and eyes burn with HOLY FUEL.

Bread throughout Scripture has typically been a symbol for the Word of God. Those who are aware of their spiritual blindness will seek to “anoint” their spiritual “vision” with the revelational, living, out of the Mouth of God – Word of God. This is the Spiritual Manna that comes down out of Heaven and feeds the spiritually hungry. Are you hungry for more of Jesus? Are you hungry to be closer to Him? Are you hungry to see more of Jesus? Are you hungry to be hot, on FIRE, in love with Jesus? Are you hungry to hear His Voice? Hungry to fellowship, commune and have a daily, intimate love relationship with Him? Then cry out for the poor man’s “bread” to “rub” in the way you see.

Come Up Here!

/in /by

Revelation 4:1-2 After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice which I had heard addressing me like [the calling of] a war trumpet said, Come up here, and I will show you what must take place in the future. 2 At once I came under the [Holy] Spirit’s power, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with One seated on the throne!

During this season we have learned we are to prepare for the return of Jesus, watching, listening and praying regarding what He has to say regarding this new year. But there is another clue imbedded in this passage the Lord has left for its reality to manifest in our lives: Come up here, and I will show you what must take place in the future. 2 At once I came under the [Holy] Spirit’s power, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with One seated on the throne!

The Apostle John was invited to ascend through the Door, Jesus entering the Throne Room of God. Now as mind bending as that seems its easy to overlook the promise at the end of Revelation 3:21 He who overcomes (is victorious), I will grant him to sit beside Me on My throne, as I Myself overcame (was victorious) and sat down beside My Father on His throne. Now we can apply this promise to the culmination of our salvation – seeing Jesus face-to-face, or we can use this passage as a guide to begin experiencing the spiritual dimensions of this promise in the present. Colossians 3:1-3 reminds us: If then you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, thus sharing His resurrection from the dead], aim at and seek the [rich, eternal treasures] that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.2 And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth. 3 For [as far as this world is concerned] you have died, and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God. AMPC

According to this passage your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ… Where is Jesus according to this passage? Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Part of the key to unlocking aspects of the Revelation 3:21 promise is found in the exhortation: set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things),…

Your mind is one of the keys to ascending into the Throne of God. What are the other keys? Revelation 3:21 He who overcomes (is victorious),…Overcomes what? The spiritual condition of the Laodiceans. A careful reading of Revelation 3:14-20 reveals what we are to overcome. First, they were spiritually blind to the fact that Jesus was not in their church service (they weren’t looking for Jesus). Second, they were spiritually deaf to His Voice (they weren’t listening for Jesus). Third, they were unfeeling regarding their spiritual condition and the Manifest Presence of Jesus (they were only lukewarm – not hot or cold). Fourth, they expected nothing to happen because they were self-assured they needed nothing spiritually. Fifth, they were spiritually poor and naked and weren’t even conscious that the poor in spirit see God; those who are hungry for more of Him.

Ephesians 1:17-18 Paul prays: [For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him, 18 By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones),…

Paul prayed the eyes of their heart would be flooded with light so they could know. Hebrews 5:11,14 makes reference to using our spiritual senses to see, hear and know spiritual things: Concerning this we have much to say which is hard to explain, since you have become dull in your [spiritual] hearing and sluggish [even slothful in achieving spiritual insight].…14 But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law. AMPC

The writer of Hebrews was rebuking its recipients of being like the Laodiceans: blind, deaf, and spiritually dull in their spiritual senses. Without going into a long explanation let’s reword this concept by using the phrase “divine imagination.” 1 Corinthians 2:16 states that we have the Mind of Christ. For those of you uncomfortable with this concept let me ask you a question. When you read the Bible do you imagine what certain things were like? If you have the Mind of Christ can you tap into His mind, praying that He would open your spiritual eyes and ears to the Throne room of Heaven? Why would Jesus exhort the Laodiceans to be zealous and change their thinking regarding all of that which is mentioned above? Surely His exhortation included the Grace to quit being spiritually blind and spiritually deaf.

He exhorts the Laodiceans to purchase, or pay a price for these things spiritually. During this holy time are you paying the price to sit with Jesus in Heaven? This may be too much for you to take in so let me provide another key to entering into the manifestation of this reality. Psalm 22:3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. KJV

We can enter into the Throne Room of God simply through thanksgiving, praise, and worship. God inhabits these things. When we acknowledge the Omniscient Lord seeking His Manifested Presence – He meets us there enthroning Himself on our praises. During the Ten Days of Awe seek to enter into His Throne Room by enthroning Him on your thanksgiving, praise, and worship. And while you are practicing these things ask Him to open your mind so you can fix your imagination on things above – not on things of the earth. Pray He will give you salve to heal your spiritual vision and seek Him to open your spiritual eyes to see and be flooded with the Light of His Presence.