Words In Sand

I was thinking about a story in scripture today. It always resonated with me, because of the profound message which the Lord was trying to convey. And when I see people trying to act ‘all religious,’ I immediately think of the woman caught in adultery.

I absolutely loath many portrayals of Jesus, since they take away from His most human side. Yes, He was God in the flesh, but the flesh, is the part that intrigues me most. He was the example. And if He didn’t go around acting superior and holier than anyone, why should we?

Today, someone was telling me about a teenager’s phone calling him, accidentally. This is a person, who goes to church all the time and loves to talk about the misdeeds of everyone else.  They said, “he had such a potty mouth. His friend and him, were talking and I could hear them cursing. I just thought it was terrible. Meanwhile, I know this person is just as bad. Him and the other person, had recorded the call and played it to each other, and talked about the whole episode, as if it was an unforgivable offense. Now he thought, I would agree, that this was just horrible.

I looked at him and said, “You know, it’s not the outside of a cup that makes it clean.” Reading the discourse in Matthew 23, is a picture of the anger, which Christ had at this hypocrisy. He speaks to the blind leaders. The inside is what needs to be clean. Then the outside will follow.

This guy, just didn’t get it. He stared at me with a blank look. I was pointing out that this is not significant, since none of us are perfect. Without calling him out too much, I hoped he understood, that I wasn’t saying, “Oh who care’s if the kid was cursing?” But  my bigger question was, “Why were you listening? Isn’t that an invasion of his privacy? And then you recorded and played it for someone else?”

Then the natural story that came to my mind was, the woman in found in the Book of John 8. When I read, there are always certain words that seem to pop out at me. For example; v3 standing the woman before a group, was humilitating enough. But being caught, in the act of adultery, even more. Imagine this woman’s circumstances. The punishment for this sin was, death by stoning.

But isn’t this what these men wanted to do to her? Flaunt their superiority and decimate her character. And in the end, have the grounds to end her life. But it begs the question, how did they actually catch her in the act? If, they had not been spying on her first?

Ah yes, the argument today would be for the sake of having the proof to accuse her. But now, look at what the Lord does with this information. H bends down and starts to write on the ground with his finger. How odd. Yes, most people would ask, “Why was He doing this?” But to some of us, we wondering, what was He writing?”

I think that He may have outed,  some of those people, without giving names. Perhaps He wrote their, secret sins, in the sand. But the most obvious, was His calm demeanor, during this whole situation. I am impressed with the time He took to respond. It seems, a great deal of time. And He took a break from His writing. He straightened up,  to utter the famous words; Let any one of you who is without sin, be the first to cast the stone.” This is when He stooped down again.

So, it seems He began His preliminary message, and He stood at eye level to the people He was addressing. And this also allowed the best vantage point, along with the group, read His writing. But then he gave them more time and it may be, to include more of the members. He stooped down to write again, which seemed to give the maximum amount of impact.

Now in verse 8;  At this those who heard, began to go away, one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.” This is when He asked her, “Has no one condemned you?” She answers, “No one sir.”  “Then neither do I condemn you.” But the last words to her were, “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

I think about the message of redemption in this story. Condemned to die, because of her sin. The enemy of our soul, is called, “The Accuser.” One of his many titles. And he works through humans to constantly remind us of where we screwed up. What we’ve done wrong. How far we’ve missed the mark.

But Christ came to shed His blood as an offering on our behalf. This sacrifice is the greatest gift of love. His blood has, “cleansed us from all sin.

Our sins are like those words, written in the sand. The Wind of Truth, had blown and the sand shifts. It fills in all those areas of darkness and words that condemn.

He cannot lie. He has already told us, “That as far as the east is from the west, I will remember your sins no more.” This always fascinates me. We are human, and although we try to forgive, we can’t really ever forget. It’s not possible. But for God, it is. So, as I’ve heard it said, “if He’s forgotten, why do we keep reminding Him?”

This is the time of the year to reflect on the awesomeness of His sacrifice and what it really means. Passover, Resurrection Day. It is all about Redemption.

Thank you Lord for your great mercy!

A Whitewashed Tomb

The Whitewashed tombs

As often as I speak to people about the Lord, I’m still amazed that so many just don’t get it. I will still be asked the question, “So what religion are you?

I explain, once again. None! I don’t follow a religion and I sure don’t claim to be holy.

Yesterday, I was working with a woman, who was telling me about some woman in her life, Her friend sounded much like a friend of mine. But this woman, seemed disgusted by her and made all kinds of moral judgments about her. Then she told me about her niece. Who happened to get pregnant. “I just don’t understand it. I’ve talked to her about sex and my sister and brother-in-law have gone to church with her every Sunday!” As if any of this was the secret cure. If any of that really works, then our society would be a reflection of this. The whole issue, of passing out condoms, going to religious ceremonies. Etc. It’s all so exhausting, and in the end, we’re worse than we ever were.

The woman told me another story of someone she had worked with, that ‘claimed to be a good Christian, yet she had cursed.” This is when I began to laugh. I realized that she didn’t really have a grasp on what makes someone a Christian.

Then she looked at me in shock, as we were talking about the shows which are on television. I said, “I absolutely hate the show, Jersey Shore. My daughter enjoys watching it though.” “Oh, I know, what is that junk?” I said, I told my daughter, “If  being promiscuous, and getting drunk was celebrity material, me and my friends should have all been famous, years ago!” “You told your daughter that?”The woman’s eyes, opened wide. “Of course, I did. I share my past with my daughter so she knows, that I realize what a mess I am.” I told her, but I could discern, that this woman, was still hiding her own.  She had already shared that she had the same boyfriend all through college, and thought she was going to stay with him, after she did the deed.  But she didn’t. So, to her, she had the moral, high ground. 

“I use this as a powerful tool for educating my daughter.” I told her. I want her to understand that I’m in no way perfect, and never was.How can I expect my daughter to share with me, if I’m pretending that I never sinned? Who can live up to this?”

When we try to act perfect, it’s too heavy a burden and line, for other’s to tow. And it is for us, as well.We set ourselves up as the judge and the jury. I told this woman that there was a guy my daughter had been involved with. I didn’t care for him, and I saw things right after my first meeting which disturbed me about the relationship. My daughter told me, “Mom, I have to learn things by experience, just like you did.” Ok, that’s a valid point, but I would say this is only when it’s a positive lesson. I responded, “A wise person, will learn from people who have gone down that road. And they avoid the painful consequences.”

Later, when she did, indeed, have trouble, I reminded her of this conversation. “Yes, I wish I would have listened,” she said. And for me, it was difficult to watch her suffer. But knowing the Lord, makes it easier to deal with. He has promised that He will make everything work out for her good. I told her this. He does this, in spite of ourselves.

Now, when I was sharing with this woman, I told her, “Look, when it comes to being bad, I was really good at it. But I am a Christian. And Christian’s aren’t different from anyone, in the sin department. In fact, Christ had pointed this out, just in case, the religious zealots, got it wrong. “We all have sinned and fallen short, of the glory of God. “Yes, I told her, every one of us.

The most difficult time that Christ had been with the religious people. Blinded by pride. We cannot even begin to see out need for Him, until we’re ready to acknowledge that we are hopeless. The sin, disease has infected ever one of us. I was beginning to ‘chip away at her own religious pride, as I spoke. Using my own examples, I could see her searching herself, as I spoke.

I had been in Jerusalem, just recently. And I was so impressed with the words of Christ which came to life. “At one point I stood on the huge steps of Solomon’s Temple, and the guide told us, “look to your left. You see all those tombstones? This is exactly where Jesus stood when he cried out against the Pharisees.” “Look at those tombs!” He said. “You are just like them. Whitewashed tombs, full of dead men’s bones and corruption!” This was such a powerful word picture, as I saw thousands upon thousands, of these tombs. And I had learned from teachers many years before, that they would painstakingly, paint these white. So that they had a clean, pristine look.

Yes, this is what Christ was pointing out about these teachers. They thought they were hiding, because they were covered in this white paint. But how far from the mark, they really were. They were masking the truth. And the truth was, that they, were desperately in need of a savior. But by pretending, they were without sin, negated the sacrifice, which Christ made, with His own blood.

How many of us, still believe, that our salvation is found in some religious ritual, or the pretense of, “I’m better than you. Because I didn’t do that!” No, when I found out the truth, I had to look at myself, and say, I’m a disgusting mess in need of you, Lord!” He said, that, “Although your sins are as scarlet, I will make you white as snow!”

His blood, cleansed me and it is only in the recognition of this, that I’m saved. And this is by His grace. Nothing that I’ve earned, not that I ever could earn it.

Paul told us, “It is by grace that we’re saved. And where sin, abounds, grace abounds, much more. But he was also quick to point out, “Does this mean, that I should continue to sin, so that His grace abounds even more? Heaven forbid!” So, he wanted to show us that this understanding in itself, would lead to religious rituals, that man created, to reduce feelings of guilt. This is exactly what man does. We always want to believe that God needs our help.

Christ did this for us and His powerful point to His disciples was to allow Him to wash their feet. At first the pride in Peter, was appalled, that Christ would stoop down to wash his feet. But Jesus was making another picture for us to follow. “Unless you allow me to do this, you have no part in me.” He said. This is what we do, when we come to Him. We accept His sacrifice, which He made for us. Our pride must be broken, to allow Him, to wash us. He started with the part of the body, which was so symbolic of the dirt of this earth. But in reality, it is our hearts, which He cleanses and heals.

I reminded this woman that there isn’t any program that really works when the goal is rehabilitation. It doesn’t involve the heart of a person. It only involves works. But when we accept this salvation, it becomes a regeneration, which means, a new heart. It is a known fact that only, ‘faith based ministries,’ are successful in these dark places. The statistics have proven this.

So, sex education, passing out condoms, and these programs don’t change a person’s lifestyle. And the Lord pointed out that knowledge, in and of itself, is useless, and can only lead to puffing someone up with pride. But, wisdom, is the truth that can bring change. Yes, it is the only way possible. And we know that “The fear of the Lord, is the beginning of wisdom.

I shared many things, with this woman, who was searching and I felt the Lord tugging at her heart. At one point, as I told her about my life and the Lord’s touch, she said, “You gave me goosebumps!” I could see the Lord doing His work. It certainly wasn’t me. I am only the vessel, and I love to watch the Lord answering the questions of a person, who is searching.

I look back at my life, and wonder how He could use someone like me, and He reminds me that, it is all of this junk that has made me fit for His use. He shows us this picture with His disciples. They were ordinary, sinful men, with short patience, bad tempers, and all kinds of junk. Just like me. This is why He chose them. Because we were to see the contrast between, these men, who had recognized Him, because of their need, versus the religious teachers and their pride. They never knew it was their own deliverer, standing before them.

In the end, I said, “It is only the need, which we’ve recognized, which makes us, Christian’s. When I was leaving, she gave me a big hug, and said, “it was so nice to work with you.” I told her, Yes, it was nice.” But I know, that today, the Lord had set an appointment for her. I feel blessed to be a part of the process.

The “Days of Lawlessness” Has Arrived!

Listening to a news story on this violent group called, Sovereign Citizen’s, has made me very aware that we are indeed, living in the ‘times of the end.’

One of the signs that our Lord spoke of, was lawlessness being the temperature of the people and the nations. What has happened as a result of the corrupt practices from those whom we are to trust? People decide for themselves, that those in authority are no longer worthy of trust, so they take the laws into their own hands. Vigilantism, and total anarchy is the road we are on. The sad thing is that there are some in authority whom, we can trust, however, taking the laws and throwing them away is rebellion, and as you know our God has already told us that, “rebellion is as witchcraft,” and this is an abomination to Him.

Yes, we have seen many men and women in government and law enforcement, who have done terrible things to dishonor these positions. However, it is not our place to ‘overthrow,’ the system.

We must recognize that our God is the one who has placed these people in these positions, and whether it be to test them or to use them to fulfill His plans, we are not to come against them. He will deal with those in authority in His own time. He “hardened the heart of Pharoah, in order to bring the deliverance which He had planned. But our Lord always has mult-purpose plans, which we cannot always understand.

I watched in horror, as the news clip showed the murder of police officers, by the members of this group, and they felt completely justified in doing this. In scripture the Lord is very clear about His followers and our place.

“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate,  and to show true humility to all men. (Titus 3:1,2)

Of course this doesn’t mean that you do whatever someone in authority tells you to do. If you know it is wrong or if you know this person is using his/her authority in an abusive manner, it is absolutely your right to speak up. However, it is not your right to take revenge. This is why Titus reminds us that our heart must be one of humility. It is pride, the opposite of humility, which makes us take the laws into our own hands.

It was the same rebellion that began in the Garden of Eden. This is why witchcraft is such an abomination to God. Once people begin to understand, that witchcraft and Satanism, is not someone casting spells. It is exercising self-will, over God’s will. And we must understand that by our own desires to dictate the rules, and turn away from God, we are all practicing evil. Anton Levy, the man who stared the Satanic Church i San Francisco, and also authored the Satanic Bible, stated it very clearly, and it is the only truth he speaks, “Do As Thou Wilt, It Is the Whole of the Law.” This is the creed of the Satanist, but it is the creed of anyone who has turned away from God. So you see? You don’t have to have horns and a pitchfork, or a pointy hat with a caldron to be considered, a Satanist. Now combine this with a government of rulers, who have turned away and tried to abolish Him from our laws. Well, you get the picture and it isn’t good.

In the Garden, the question the serpent posed to Eve was, “did God really say that? He was planting the seed of doubt about God’s word and thereby implying that she was the final authority. She should exercise her own will, and of course we know from scripture, Adam followed. Since, He was given authority over the woman, all of creation fell into rebellion.

Now, we see, the link of that corruption and its devastating spiral downward. And if man refuses to submit to God, it will continue to degrade. A man who believes he has no authority but himself is lost. As the Lord says, “a man who is wise in his own eyes, is a fool!”

Yes, there is an order. A perfect order. But the ruling authorities have forgotten this principle when trying to remove the Ruler of All, from the game plan. If they cannot submit to Him, corruption will be seated on the throne. And it is at this point that all of mankind will, go their own way.

If anarchy is to be avoided, God must be the Head. His word is the final authority and we would understand that to submit to our rulers and authorities is not a burden, for they represent Him!

This is how our nation began. Sadly, it is a far cry from its beginning. The bright light for me, as a believer, is the Lord’s promise….”And when you see all of these things, Look up! Your redemption is near!”

Choose Life!

Look what we've done!

So many people are crying out in anger and hurt, at what’s been done to our environment and this is just the latest catastrophe caused by man. Yes, the Lord spoke of all of these things, and this not being of His hands, but our own. However, it all links back to the ‘corruptible.’ In man’s heart and in the whole earth. Remember He told us that things would go from bad to worse, and man, being corrupted with greed and malice, would not be able to end this curse. 

Jesus Christ came to redeem the whole earth. That’s right, all of creation.He tells us in Romans 8:19, “The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 

As I have reminded those who have never understood childbirth, the pains become more intense with labor, and the groaning becomes just as intense as a woman suffers each contraction. The baby does not go back into the womb and the labor subside. No, a beautiful creation is brought forth after the suffering and the mother’s joy is complete. All the pain of labor is forgotten. 

For those who have spiritual eyes, the oil spill, and mans latest attempts at fixing what they have destroyed, are in vain. What happens to the wildlife and the persons livelihoods dependent on this body of water, is part of creation’s groaning. At each attempt we see people groaning in fear and remorse. 

These men should be seeking counsel from the Lord, the one who created heaven and earth. As I have said many times, all wisdom comes from Him. The first error, was the massive coverup, as usual. Adam, once again, running from his own deeds and believing our heavenly Father could not see. The one who had created mans eyes, cannot see? The one who had created his ears and heart, cannot hear or understand that it was by his own evil inclinations, we have this disaster? Now they go about trying to solve the problems, void of HIM. 

This is the reason our whole world is in turmoil. Now my only prayer is that something more catastrophic doesn’t happen. I remember the oil fields under Saddam Hussein’s direction, and the fires that ensued. Horribly evil was this man’s heart. inherently evil and murderous, yet mans greed and this deception is all the same in God’s eyes. 

As I read Revelation 18, I am reminded of the smoke and fire and the destruction of Babylon. Merchants and civilians alike, sobbing in the loss of this ‘great city.’  Crying out, “Woe! Woe! O great city, O Babylon, city of power! In one hour your doom has come!” 

Yet, no one to this day, has any idea, where the United States, places in prophetic accounts, as it doesn’t seem to be mentioned. I’ve always wondered at this. What city(or nation)could this be? I’m praying it is not our own, but the scene is being staged for greater catastrophe. The way out, is to turn to the Lord. 

To look at the two most powerful nations, Britain and the United States, we can see how blessed they have been, yet how the Lord speaks of the dispersion of the ten lost tribes, the inherent blessings they received, and judgement for the lack of gratefulness to His obvious blessings. As I’ve  pointed out many times, all prophecy has its beginnings and endings with the nation of Israel  and the manner in which she is treated. 

I would suggest to you that it would be prudent to understand, who you may be first.Watching the migration of the ten tribes and the promises attached to Israel, would indicate its importance to your own life. How would one know if they have descended from one of these tribes? This should put an end to any animosity you may have toward Israel. 

Next it would be imperative that you understand, all the blessings and curses involved with the treatment of God’s chosen people. He didn’t make this conditional. God Himself grew weary with her unfaithfulness and laid a heavy judgment upon her. Yet, you may indeed be part of this dispersion. Now as you read the judgment toward the nations who exhibit hatred for Israel and her people, this would imply we are headed toward, perilous events. A nation who had always embraced this nation is slowly turning, and in this you will also see the Lord turning, against those who cast her aside. 

The poem written by Rudyard Kipling speaks of this. It is extremely prophetic and it is worth contemplating in these days. Lest we forget, the biblical account of all who turned a cold heart toward the Lord and His people. 

http://www.web-books.com/Classics/Poetry/Anthology/Kipling/Recessional.htm 

It is going to play out as the Lord has ordained, however, you have the personal choice. To be blessed or cursed. The Lord said, “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him!” 

Every time I’ve read this scripture, I have thought of a loving Father, playing the game, ‘guess the correct hand.’ Which, when chosen correctly, holds a special treasure for His child. The difference in this word, is that this isn’t a game, and our loving Father even tells us which hand to choose! He tells us what incredible blessings are in store for us when we choose correctly, and yet some people still choose, death. It is extremely sad when the instructions are clear and concise, that some will turn away. 

Our Father has made it simple to understand, lest we claim ignorance. He’s told us that “my laws have been written upon mans hearts, so the we are without excuse.” 

So knowing this, “Choose this day, whom you shall serve, as for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)