Merlin's Mustache

Gaining His Strength PS/K – Beyond PhD Post Docs

I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being. Ephesians 3:16

From one end of the Bible to the other, we read of God strengthening His people. When the Israelites passed through the Red Sea, they praised the Lord, saying: “The Lord is my strength and my song.” (Exodus15:2 NIV).

Deuteronomy 33:25 says: “As your days so shall your strength be.” Nehemiah 8:10 says, “Do not sorrow for the Joy of the Lord is your strength.” Psalm 27: 1 declares, “The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”  Psalm 46: 1 avows, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Isaiah said, “Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength” (26:4). Isaiah 40:31 promises that “those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

The apostle Paul told us to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10). “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” he said in Phillipians 4:13.

BOTTOM LINE:

Throughout the Bible, we find a very simple formula. When the Word goes in, praise goes up, faith goes out, and God goes forth to strengthen His people.   

David Jeremiah “Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Truth In The Presence Of God.” July 28

For Further Reflection with merlin: Truth be told personally, I’ve less problems with desiring or longing for more of the Word coming in; (sometimes I think I’m off the scale too positive on that one, nearly cloistered as a monk in an academic ivory tower separated from reality) or even with my praise going up, for it just flows! However, this bit about my faith doing anything uniquely confirmingly positive for Him some days, as characterized by that overwhelming sense of His presence within me, or it being all about me, and particularly in this going before me, rather than merely going out, can be very cloudy at best!

Doesn’t “going before me” imply a greater internalization of our faith and trust going forward effectively in our daily living, more than merely “spewing out” out noise about our faith as in I Cor 13:1, as a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal? Especially since we’ve heard so many Biblical examples of exemplary faith since our childhood literally imprinted in our psyche? My two cents on why I struggle with faith is self contained, in other words, it’s my fault for not applying His abundant ever-flowing resources.

But now, if/when I hear that you’re struggling, I am more apt to place the blame corporately; in the way we structure and function within our church communities; perhaps because we’re not being new testamently real, do as I say, not as I do, all form with no substance, and stiflingly boring . It is my belief that for generations, our children and young adults have not witnessed a Holy Spirit inspired cultivating anchored community body of believers living continually, seven days each week and not just for an hour Sunday mornings, in an authentic loving sacrificial transparent culture that absolutely gives witness to His Spirit’s transformed living, compellingly attracting both those disconnected within our walls and the cultural heathen outside, to the New Testament’s three premier texts; the book of John, especially the Olivet Discourse, the Sermon on the Mount, and the Acts of the Apostles.

This is simply where I’m at and how I see it this morning, and where I find I’m most apt to struggle at times, seeking authenticity. And for myself over the past months, if not year, the Spirit is continually circling me back to the realization that perhaps my growing in faith, be it internalized individually, or corporately in & about our worshiping community, is not going to gain me a practical vibrant invitational observable perspective, either within me, or for sure, not from me to those in our spheres of influence whom we encounter in the often “scummy” ponds of living while we’re dog-paddling about the lily pads.

Somehow I’ve been gifted to have internalized the understanding that it is difficult, or nigh impossible, to have faith unless our minds embrace that information which comprises the gospel message from the three bodies of texts mentioned above, because there are specific facts while seeking His transformation we must embrace, such as Christian in Paul Bunyan’s Pilgrims Progress so amply demonstrates. And I’m compelled to realize one of those first such specifics, is being given His gift of peace.

Looking back now in similar fashion to an NDE’s life review of my journey where I was literally carried thru those devastatingly tough times, but then after those times of crisis, I realize now I too often did not continue on that path of enjoying the depth of peace that God desired for me as spoken of in Roman 5:1, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God.” What does that mean? Is God my enemy? Have I been at war with God? I do know God is holy and we humans are sinful. We are on opposite sides of the Sin void crevice and as creatures thus separated from God, we are at enmity with God, and only the cross of Jesus can provide the bridge to eternal life and that illusive satisfying peace.

The Bible’s good news is that God provided Jesus Christ that we might have peace with God. The Cross beautifully illustrates that Jesus Christ , the God / Man, reached up and took the hand of the Father, and with His other hand, reached down and took hold of we fallen human beings, and being the only unique personality who was both God and man, brought the Holy God and sinful humans together and made peace between God and man. He is our peace. He is the Prince of Peace because He is the One who resolved the enmity separating us from a Holy Almighty God. Accept His forgiveness for your sin and your ensuing obedience to His Spirits promptings provides His deeply satisfying “In His Sanctuary” pervading peace with God.

I speak frequently of our perceptions. People today are often too uptight & frazzled from being manipulated on their chaotic life’s treadmills to ever fathom a perception of living in peace. Simply impossible they say as they continue their addictive behaviors! So, perhaps God by shutting down this flow of mindless trivia to the deceived, is one of His first miracles He performs for we humans to begin the awareness process of being “called” to gain His perspective, so we can begin receiving His gift of salvation. And that “awareness” is transformed to facts of the gospel message in our lives – objective, quantifiable, expressible information.

The Bible does speak of false gospels, which means someone has the facts wrong, purposefully or accidentally. So literally, the TRUTH is what has to be perceived and received as “Step One” in gaining faith. And that truth comes by hearing the Word of God.

Have you YET heard the Word of God, whether read, been told, invited, prompted, compelled, perhaps literally felt you received a digital “download from the His Cloud,” were encouraged, even lovingly disciplined, synchronized, etc., with His Truth? Step One: Ask Him for His Awareness, and then listen. That begins the process towards His peace….

Learning About His (Revolutionary Out of the Box) Ways My Utmost For His Highest August 01. (Strange how this Utmost reading follows so closely on the heels of yesterday’s post! It’s been good for me at least. Hopefully, for you as well!)

When Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples…He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. —Matthew 11:1

He comes where He commands us to leave. If you stayed home when God told you to go because you were so concerned about your own people there, then you actually robbed them of the teaching of Jesus Christ Himself. When you obeyed and left all the consequences to God, the Lord went into your city to teach, but as long as you were disobedient, you blocked His way. Watch where you begin to debate with Him and put what you call your duty into competition with His commands. If you say, “I know that He told me to go, but my duty is here,” it simply means that you do not believe that Jesus means what He says.

He teaches where He instructs us not to teach. “Master…let us make three tabernacles…” (Luke 9:33).

Are we playing the part of an amateur providence, trying to play God’s role in the lives of others? Are we so noisy in our instruction of other people that God cannot get near them? We must learn to keep our mouths shut and our spirits alert.(Whew! That was written just for me!) God wants to instruct us regarding His Son, and He wants to turn our times of prayer into mounts of transfiguration. (if so enlightened, email me your three point sermon on that text!) When we become certain that God is going to work in a particular way, He will never work in that way again.

BOTTOM LINE:

He works where He sends us to wait. “…tarry…until…” (Luke 24:49). “Wait on the Lord” and He will work (Psalm 37:34). But don’t wait sulking spiritually and feeling sorry for yourself, just because you can’t see one inch in front of you! Are we detached enough from our own spiritual fits of emotion to “wait patiently for Him”? (Psalm 37:7). Waiting is not sitting with folded hands doing nothing, but it is learning to do what we are told.

These are some of the facets of His ways that we rarely recognize. (perhaps the rough draft of the sermon title for your “out of the box” three point sermon…, or for your SS class )

FURTHER WISDOM FROM OSWALD:
To those who have had no agony Jesus says, “I have nothing for you; stand on your own feet, square your own shoulders. I have come for the man who knows he has a bigger handful than he can cope with, who knows there are forces he cannot touch; I will do everything for him if he will let Me. Only let a man grant he needs it, and I will do it for him.”
The Shadow of an Agony

The whole assembly fell silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul describing all the signs and wonders God had done through them. Acts 15:12

After World War I, Lawrence of Arabia visited Paris accompanied by friends who had never been outside the desert. Lawrence showed them City of Lights, (just think how they would react if they were there today for the summer Olympics?) but he was amused to find they were most fascinated by the faucets in their rooms. They constantly turned them off and on, marveling at the instant supply of water. While packing to leave, Lawrence found them in the bathroom trying to detach the faucets. “It’s very dry in Arabia,” they explained. “What we need are faucets.”

They didn’t realize they also needed the plumbing that went with them. (what a good analogy to the Church today? Faucets everywhere, though only a few are hooked up!)

When we labor for Christ, it’s encouraging to see ourselves as faucets. It’s not what we do for Jesus, but what He Himself does through us by His Spirit. (Amen)

Jesus said, “If anyone is thirsty, he should come to me and drink! The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him” (John 7:37-38). Notice that we drink from Jesus (“come to Me and drink”), but from that drink comes a stream (streams of living water flow from deep within him”). In response to simple faith, the Lord does far more through us than we can ever imagine.

BOTTOM LINE:

It doesn’t depend on our personalities, gifts, skills, or looks. Any old faucet will convey water so long as it’s connected with the source. Don’t think about what you can do for Christ, but never underestimate what He can do through you.

Thanks again to Robert J Morgan’s “All to Jesus: A Year of Devotions. Day 57 2008

FOR FURTHER REFLECTION by merlin:  

After reading Acts 15:12, my continually questioning mind asks me, just when exactly was the last time I witnessed that “the assembly fell silent and listened to anyone describe all the signs and wonders that God had done.” OR, even much more pertinent, is now doing. Give me an example. I pray you can, especially, from within the last week.

Truth be told though, our worship today is not geared for that interchange, even if examples or pertinent material were present. Might I include our SS classes also? I have in fact at times removed myself from the “assembly” to escape the worship on stage…., which quite frankly reminds me more of the Baal worship Elijah observed on Mt Carmel than the “falling silent and listening” in Acts 15. Just saying.

Or consider, the other extreme, being lulled to sleep by professionals who may have the knowledge but have not yet fully experienced His streams of living water in their faith community, or perhaps even more likely, have an inhibiting audience that will not tolerate such capers. This clip, as well as yesterday’s, on truth and grace, really cut to the chase with me.

As a child, I personally witnessed a few churches with members possessing and displaying spiritual knowledge and a few with startling transformations. Today unfortunately, we have made a “profession of faith” the goal of evangelism and there too often, we end the process. Contrary to popular belief, this professing belief in Jesus does not make one a Christian, biblically speaking.

We must consider these words of Jesus, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). Anyone can mouth the words, but that’s not the same as actually believing it, and then, acting on it.

So, given the trends, pressures, & chaos, too often our churches are filled more by the “professors,” rather than disciples – and Jesus never commissioned us to gather in professions of faith; rather, didn’t He commission us to make disciples of the “called,” not the “coerced.” That is exactly why I so much appreciate books like Wendell Martins Go Now, & Jamie Winship’s “Fearless Living: Exchanging the Lies of the World for the Liberating Truth of God.” I just happen to believe in today’s twisted church cultures, there are those aspiring vibrant Christ-Followers that would benefit from reading & implementing the scriptural truths in these two books, and perhaps, even have copies to loan out “for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.” Truly a different perspective.

Understand, although I could have written and I sorta did in last Friday and Saturday’s posts, the last two paragraphs are from another brothers position paper titled “Shifting Our Evangelism Paradigm: A Deeper Look at a New Re-Formation” sprouting from Galatians 4:19, “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,” might I add via discipleship, not merely professions of faith. Sorta reminds me today why the Ninety-Five Theses on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences were written and posted on their blog door in 1517 that caused the first Reformation, doesn’t it?

I just searched the internet with the above title and was inundated with screens of evangelism paradigm shifts. Just wait up searching now until I get permission to post this brother’s succinctly abbreviated paper as I much appreciate his wisdom, interpretation, and approach to the challenge.

In the meantime, review the BOTTOM LINE once more from above. It is absolutely not the faucet; it’s all about being connected, transformed, transparent, and obedient! Consider today how vital the authentic vibrancy of our “assembling” speaks volumes to both the “seekers” and the “planted in our midst each Sunday morning , whether they be “disconnected from the vine, or a disconnected faucet.”

Again, as I’ve said before, we do live in exciting times to disciple effectively by:

1.) remodeling the disconnected faucets within our walls, Or

2.) if you prefer only plumbing new construction as I see in the Help Wanted ads, stay outside the walls and the dry dusty church culture crowd and run new lines to the dry faucets out and about your centers of influence whom were never yet in a church or certainly vowed they’d never return…

In parting, I Peter 1:22 “Seeing that you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.”

These are powerful words folks. Think on them.

Day 57

“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

Truth, by itself, is quick to post warning signs and guardrails at the top of the cliff. Yet it fails to empower people to drive safely – and neglects to help them when they crash.

Grace, by itself, is quick to post ambulances and paramedics at the bottom of the cliff. But it fails to post warning signs and build guardrails. In so doing, it encourages the very self-destruction it attempts to heal.

Truth without grace degenerates into judgmental legalism. Grace without truth degenerates into deceitful tolerance of sin.         

BOTTOM LINE:

Christ’s heart is equally grieved by grace-suppression and truth-suppression, by grace-twisting and truth-twisting. Grace and truth are both necessary. Neither by itself is sufficient.

FOR FURTHER REFLECTION:

If needed for your quick reference during the next days to fully comprehend & apply truth & grace, take a picture of this post on your phone. Consider our use of our Father’s gifts of truth & grace when we’re struggling with gravity near our life’s cliffs…. Actually, gravity is God’s gift to us also, for in this example, it too is a merely a symptom of the fact we’ve gotten off His path for us… and therefore, gravity is His gift to interject the reality of His love into our sin shattered lives.

Thanks to Randy Alcorns Truth: A Bigger View of God’s Word Day 57

II Corinthians 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

I once heard someone say that of all men who ever lived, Barabbas should have the best understanding of vicarious substitution. Somebody died in his place. This murderer and thief walked out a free man, the crowds cheering his release. At the same time, an innocent Jesus was sentenced to die.

But Barabbas isn’t the only one who can say that Jesus died in his place. We all can say that Jesus died on that Cross for us, just as He did for Barabbas. In the words of II Corinthians 5:21, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Jesus simply died that we might live. He was bound, that we who are in bondage to sin might indeed be set free; though too often, we’re not even aware of how bound we actually are.

BOTTOM LINE:

When word of his freedom came, he only had to walk out of that cell to be truly free. Through Christ, our cell door has sprung open. All we have to do is say, “I accept what Christ did for me, and I will now live in the light of that truth.”

David Jeremiah’s Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God July 17

FOR FURTHER REFLECTION:

Our problem as man, is that we desire hope and transcendence without our surrendering, to God and His inconvenient Truths… yesterday’s post lead sentence…

I’ve had an interesting day. I awoke this morning that four airlines were shut down because of computer problems and a few minutes ago a friend called saying some banks are closed because of similar problems.

Earlier this afternoon, I overheard a longtime Christian trucker friend, Mike who possesses an astute open and savvy political mind who is a modern-day Benjamin Franklin, (Ben’s type are unusually scarce today even though their soapboxes are everywhere) whom loves America waxing lovingly eloquent with a newbie fellow trucker much as the Apostle Paul did on Mars Hill, who my heart really ached for, because this newbies demeanor, I thought, even screamed “help!” I had introduced myself to him earlier in the week but had not uncovered all this, but Mike had evidently done his homework with the lad because I quickly learned from their engaging conversation that he was a rather beaten man, without a spiritual compass or identity, an emotionally broken husband in a contractual marriage whence he was the pawn, or a belittled gopher. Their conversation was focused on his wife’s extreme hatred of Trump, such that she would have shot him in Butler herself had she the opportunity.

I know Mike is more an independent voter type avoiding the hype, for his conversational thrust was that we are we all at fault, especially the church, big business, and corrupt politicians for not merely allowing this polarization in America, but actually outright promoting it. This poor lad was so distraught at his wife’s hatred of Trump that he’d been victimized by it as well. He appeared unable to engage in any meaningful conversation about any of the issues facing our nation. I excused myself as Mike was more knowledgeable of the lad and skilled than I, and for sure, I was out of time.

While driving home, I reflected on the lad’s brokenness, his wife’s extreme hatred of anything Republican, and Mike’s simple assessment of America’s decline having been caused by spiritually dead churches, selfish big business and selfish politicians. Yes, indeed. If it were just that simple. I concluded with thinking that this posts main character, Barabbas, perhaps is our answer. For example, we’re all victims of sin as we struggle for freedom in our self-imposed emotional & psychological  prisons, (that we’ve all been prepared or equipped, as was Barabbas, to simply walk out of or away from) and it is also quite evident, we are not ready to Exchange the Lies of the World, for the Liberating Truth Of  Almighty God and Jesus Christ, as the Jamie Winship book’s title proclaims, and all of Scripture reveals! I’m done. merlin