Game of Thrones

Welcome back to Unseen. I have been overcoming obstacles both personal and technological. Read on to see what I have learned about Lordship.


                                                              Game of Thrones
     Keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶ who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. 1 Timothy 6:14-16






Fourth of July is  a time for picnics, parades and fireworks. It is also a time for gratitude for what we have as a nation. The first settlers came here for freedom from an oppressive king, as did many who came here later. Even with the challenges we have in our country right  now, from violence to an uncertain election outcome, we have so much to be grateful for. Today we have very little knowledge about the reality of monarchy. Our information comes from watching the lavish British royal weddings and the birth of royal cuties. It is supplemented by movies such as Princess Diaries, leaving us with a somewhat off kilter view. The reality is that in a monarchy which does not have the balancing effects of democracy, the king's power is absolute. He has control of religion, politics and money. A king rules for life and the rule is passed down to his heir, which gives birth to the saying, "The king is dead. Long live the king."a king can be deposed and overthrown, but it usually involves bloodshed.


The same is true in our spiritual life. In a perfect world, God is on the throne of our  hearts, but it is not a perfect world. It is a world polluted and corrupted by sin and dark forces. The throne of our heart is often occupied by self, by money , by power, by intelligence or by pleasure. These are not benevolent dictators and will wreak havoc in our lives. The only way to depose these tyrants is to accept the rule of God in our lives. He has earned the right because of Jesus blood that was shed. Unlike these false gods, He is a loving and compassionate king.


God deserves our loyalty because of who he is. Paul tells Timothy to "keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶ who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen" 1 timothy 6:14-16.


God himself describes it this way.
“This is what the Lord says—
    Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last;
    apart from me there is no God.
⁷ Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it.
    Let him declare and lay out before me
what has happened since I established my ancient people,
    and what is yet to come—
    yes, let them foretell what will come. Isaiah 44:5-7


Just as the king's authority is passed down to his heir. Revelation 1:5 says


To the seven churches in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits^[a] before his throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, ⁶ and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

Even though we have limited understanding of kingship, God does not. He is not a tyrant, but a merciful master who in exchange for our loyalty gives us his unlimited protection and provision.

Baby steps

Welcome back to Unseen. It has been a busy couple of weeks. Today's post goes out especially to the new graduates and to anyone leaning to walk a new path.


Baby Steps


Do not rejoice over me, my enemy, for though I fall I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness the Lord will be my light. Micah 7:8

I was watching a little girl try to learn to walk the other day. She pulled up on the coffee table and let go. She stood for a minute wobbling. She took one shaky step, then another and then a third. Mom was cheering her on and beaming. As she looked up to get a better glimpse of mom, the baby lost her footing. Boom. Down she went. She sat for a minute and then pulled up again. This time she made a few more shaky steps before falling. The third time she reached mom, who scooped her up, laughing and kissing her. Before long she will be walking everywhere and mom will wonder why she was so anxious for this day. Babies are much easier to catch on all fours.

What if the scene were a little different? What if the baby fell down and instead of getting up she sat and looked at mom. What if she thought,  “Well, if I can’t do it right, I’m not going to do it at all.” What if she thought, “I guess it’s just not meant for me to walk.” Maybe she thought, “I wish I could walk as well as Billy, but I can’t so I’ll just sit here and resent him for it.” Worse yet, what it mom looked at the baby when she fell and said,  “What’s wrong with you? You’re supposed to be a walker. I got you a new pair of shoes and everything.”

We would never dream of doing that to a baby, would we? Unfortunately we do it to new Christians all the time. Change the words to this. “What’s wrong with you? You’re supposed to be a Christian. You got baptized and everything.”  We also are prone to react the same way the baby did, when we are learning to walk with God. Have you heard these words,or said them?

“I should help teach a class or tell someone about Jesus, but I don’t know enough. If I can’t do it right (or perfect) I’m not going to do it at all.”

“I guess it’s just not meant for me to pray for people’s healing.”

“I know God wants me to write, but since I can’t write like Rick Warren, I’ll just sit here and resent him.”

Your objections are different than mine, I’m sure but no less destructive.  Falling down is a part of learning to walk physically and of learning to walk with God. Fortunately God is a patient and helpful father. When we fall, the enemy swoops in to make the very most of it. He will whisper, "see you did it again. Your out of luck this time.  You might as well not even try. One of my life verses is Micah 7:8. Do not rejoice over me, my enemy, for though I fall I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness the Lord will be my light. We need to "gird our loins with truth" (Eph 6:12) to stand up to that kind of talk. Roman s 8:1 and 2 is a beautiful verse that we too often forget. It tellds us, There is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ has set me free from the law of sin and death. Not only do we  have God's assurance, but also the help of the Savior. 1 john 2:1 says
    My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have    
    an  advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. ² He is the atoning sacrifice for      
    our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Can you think of a better reason to get back up after falling?
         
One place we as Christians often fall short is in dealing with others who fall. We can act like the mother in the story, and not like the Heavenly Father. Romans 14 talks about dealing with weaker brothers. He says that we must accept them and try not to put a stumbling block in their way. Galations 6:1-2 gives us this advice. "Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. ² Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."


We will fall we are learning to walk with God for the first time or  learning to walk with him into a new place in life or ministry. Put on your belt of truth and lets walk together.
 

Turtles

God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in times of trouble. Psalms 46:10.








Turtles are one of God's most interesting creations.  I knew lots of facts about them.  Their shells are beautiful works of art  and each as individual as human finger prints. In addition to being beautiful, they protect the turtle's vulnerable body. Without a shell, the turtle would be easy game to predators. but with it, only the most aggressive and resourceful enemies can harm it. 


Nothing I learned in books prepared me for the reality of having a turtle at our house. One day while driving through the middle of nowhere in West Texas, I saw a box turtle crossing the  road. I picked it up and took it to the babysitter, thinking that it would be fun for the little boys there. The first lesson we learned was that while we hear that turtles are slow, they can really put a move on when exposed to two year olds.  The turtle came home with us after a couple of days of  torture at the babysitter's. This gave rise to a series of utterances that I never dreamed would ever come out of my mouth. For instance, I never dreamed I would have to tell a child, "Don't give that turtle coke." or "Don't chase the turtle." One sentence that was uttered just a little too late was, "Don't kiss the turtle.!" His reply was "I kiss Spike" Spike's response was to clamp down on his lip. My child let out a blood curdling scream and let go of the turtle, who hung off of his lip. As I stared, Spike let go of his lip and fell from 2 year old height. I put him in the cage, where he was very still for 2 days. I was unreasonably pleased when I heard scratching in the cage. Apparently the shell can protect turtles from the most ruthless of danger.






Jesus tells in Matthew 6 about how God cares for his creation but says that we are of much more value. We serve a God who cares deeply about our well being. Matthew 10:29-30 tell us this.


    Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your      Father’s care. ³⁰ And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.


We need to be assured of God's care and protection for us. In a difficult time or when beginning a new stage in life, we need to know that God will protect us from fear, from physical danger, and from the attacks of the enemy. One of the most beautiful verses I know of is Psalms 46:10-14. God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in times of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, thought the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. The Lord Almighty's with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress.


When Abraham was afraid, God told him in Genesis 15, I am your shield and your very great reward. He says the same thing to us today. One thing he gives us is his presence. He told Jeremiah in Jer. 1:9
"Be strong and courageous. Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with your wherever you may go. In Ephesians 6, he tells us about a resource we often ignore - our spiritual armor. This includes the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.

 We may feel weak and ineffective, and on our own we are. However with God we can be assured of protection and can face our lives and our enemy with faith and confidence.

Blooming

Bloom
²⁷ “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ²⁸ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!


OK, boys and girls. Today we are going to have science class. What does it take for flowers to grow. You all know the answer to this. Soil, water, sunlight, and food. Flowers that have plenty of all of these things will be healthy and beautiful. Unfortunately, there are lots of places that do not have plenty of these things. Here in West Texas, we have lots of sunshine, but usually not enough rain. We still get flowers, though. The ones that grow here send deep roots to find the water that is available, or they grow on cacti or succulents that store water. In the rain forest, the tree canopy is so thick that the flowers cannot always get the sunlight they need. The flowers that grow there are sun seekers, even turning on their stems to follow the light. While soil is necessary for flowers, they can adapt. We have all seen flowers growing out of the cracks in the sidewalk or a rocky crevasse, and water lilies can grow with no soil at all. It amazes me when I think about how God has enabled the flowers to flourish in less than ideal circumstances.
You know, God has done the same thing for us. Like the hardy flowers, we exist in less than ideal circumstances. You may be in a job that you would rather not do but you have the integrity to go every day and do your best.  You may have people in your home that are difficult. Maybe, like me, you read those facebook posts about how people are married to their best friend and they are so happy. While you are happy for them, your spouse is being a royal patoot today. Maybe you are still waiting for your royal patoot to show up. Maybe the child that you adore  has broken your heart.  Whatever your inhospitable environment, by the grace of God you can bloom.
Just like flowers need certain conditions to bloom, so do we. First we need contact with God. This comes through prayer and meditation and through the hard work of being still. (Psalms 46:10) We can be so busy (even busy doing God's work) that we don't stop to come into the presence of God. Being still is hard for Western Christians because we don't practice. Second we need the food of the word. (Hebrews 5:12-13) We need gratitude and praise in our lives, which are also not in our nature.  Psalms 35:10 and so many other verses make this clear. Finally we need to let God use the difficult circumstances in our lives as fertilizer, taking the negative things and using them for our good.( Genesis 48, Romans 8:28) 
If we do these things we can be an encouragement to others and a sweet smelling aroma to our Father who adores us.

Resurrection

Resurrection

And the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel and he said, “Son of man, can these bones live?” Ezekiel answered and said, “You alone  know, Oh sovereign Lord.” Ezekiel 37:3

It was a spring day, the kind where it is warm enough to wear sandals, but the grass feels cool under your feet. My sister was doing her nails on the couch. My brother was playing video games on the floor in front of the TV, and I was curled up in the chair reading. Duke our old collie was lying on the floor beside the TV. Our quiet Saturday afternoon was about to be turned upside down. I finished my chapter and went over to pet Duke. He didn’t move so I called his name and petted him some more. When he still didn’t move, I pulled up his eyelid. Underneath I saw milky white membrane. “Mom,” I called there’s something wrong with Duke!” Mom came in from the kitchen. She also tried to pet Duke and called his name. “Come on, Dukey, wake up.” There was still no response from the collie. Mom straightened up and said, “Kids, I’m afraid Duke is dead.” We immediately started crying and went out in the front yard. Mom called Dad at the office and he told her he was in the middle of a meeting with clients and couldn’t come. She didn’t insist very often, but this time she did. The three of us kids were outside, crying and hugging each other. Duke had been in the family longer than Stephen and I and was the poster dog for good natured and docile collies. We would really miss him. Dad showed up and he went into the house with Mom. “Poor old Duke.” He said. “Stella, you get his back legs and I’ll get his front legs and we’ll put him out in the back yard until we can bury him.” On the count of three they lifted him up. He promptly opened his eyes and tried to bite Dad. He was not dead at all, but just mostly deaf and blind. His breathing was too shallow to be detected under his thick coat, and unknown to us at the time, collies have an extra eyelid for protection, which is milky white. Once he had been so rudely awakened, Duke came trotting out the front door. Once Dad came out he was happy that the dog was okay, but really put out about having to postpone his important meeting. “Don’t you people know when a dog is dead or not!” he shouted. As for us, we nearly smothered the poor resurrected dog.” He lived another 2 years, until the ripe old age of 18.

Do you feel that there are things in your life that are dead? Maybe it is dreams or visions that you had. Maybe it is people that have passed on ahead of you and you feel lonesome or hurt. It might be your joy in the Lord or your peace. Many of us have concerns for the state of our nation. Can these things be restored to life? You are not the first to wonder. In Ezekiel 37 God took Ezekiel to a valley where there were huge piles of dry bones. He asked Ezekiel, "Son of man, can these bones live?" Ezekiel gave a great answer. He must have looked out at the bones stretched before him and thought, What kind of a question is that? Instead he said, "You alone know, oh sovereign Lord." God told him to prophecy to the bones, and miraculously they came together, forming skeletons. Tendons, muscles and skin covered them. I saw a video of what this might have been like with one skeleton and to be honest it made my hair stand on end. When God was done, a vast army stood on its feet. This is what he said to Ezekiel.
Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ ¹² Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. ¹³ Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. ¹⁴ I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.


Looking back from our perspective we know that he did it, too. Not only that, but that restoration was not a one shot deal. He desires to restore our lives and our hearts. He says in  Joel 2 that he will restore the years that the locusts have eaten  if we return to him with all our heart. I have seen him restore health, families, marriages, peace and joy in my life and the lives of those around me. He also desires to restore our nation, which we need so desperately. 2 Chronicles 7:14 tells us

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Finally in Revelation 20 and 21 we read a small piece of what it will be like in the restoration of all things. These verses don't explain completely, but enough to give us a taste and create a desire in us for these things to come. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

The rest of the story

The Rest of the Story


For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;   we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18

 There is a lot of malarkey on TV these days. One offender is the series Survivor. So they are on a deserted island, huh? I looked up the series on the internet and it turns out there is a 300 person crew, including cameramen and set builders, 2 doctors and 3 nurses. Many of these stay in air-conditioned inflatable cabins. Contestants are probably not in as desperate a situation as they would have us believe.

TV is not the only place we are missing pieces of the puzzle, though.  Our picture of life can be distorted as well. When I was about 12 or 13, I went to the thriving metropolis of Spearman, TX to spend a week with my aunt and uncle. One night as I was lying in bed, I heard a quiet jingling sound. I figured it was Bandit, their border collie. I called him, expecting 25 pounds of black and white fluff.  The missing piece of information was that the jingling sound was not coming from Bandit. I realized my mistake when seconds after I called him I was confronted with 200 pounds of Hoss, the Saint Bernard who was usually outside. He managed to pin my shoulders and knees with his massive paws and was grinning down at me and drooling. Jackie soon encouraged him to get back outside, but my going to sleep was postponed that night.

Many times our spiritual and emotional life suffers due to missing information. When I was talking to my sister a couple of weeks ago, we were talking about how I had always felt inferior to her because in so many areas she was the star. She said, “I wish I had the power to go back and reframe that for you.” God showed me that what I needed in that situation was to literally re-frame that memory, using a wider camera angle. I was able to understand for the first time that there was a lot of pressure in always being the star and that she was having struggles I couldn’t see.  After way too many years, a barrier is gone between us.

Move the camera out again and look at other area in our life, such as our marriages. I asked God the other night why marriage was so difficult. He reframed that image for me too. Yes marriage is difficult in the best of circumstances. The rest of the story is that we are in a battle. If you are trying to follow Jesus, the enemy is not happy. One of his names is “the accuser of the brethren”. He will accuse us, but he will also accuse our spouse, tempting us to focus on their shortcomings and the things that annoy us. We can choose to change our focus to notice the things that they do right. By attacking our marriages, the enemy can destroy one of our greatest assets. Let’s don’t stop there though. The camera moves back further and we can see heavenly hosts fighting for us.

 In 1 Kings 6 there is a story where Elisha and his servant find themselves surrounded by the Syrians. The servant is afraid, but Elisha tells him "Do not fear, for those that are with us are greater than those who are against us. ' He prays that God will open the servants eyes. When he does, the servant sees a vast army of angels with chariots and horses of fire. The Syrians are struck blind and completely routed.
The apostle Paul puts things in perspective in 2 Corinthians 4:18.
 
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;   we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.


This should give us real hope in dealing with our struggles.
Finally, speaking of hope, this is resurrection week and we need to remember the most important truth that Jesus defeated death and hell by his death and resurrection. While we are in a battle, the war has already been won. Happy Easter.

Fruit


But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23


Walking into the room, I felt awed. Everything was shiny and well put together. I was actually a little intimidated. I could work for hours and still not achieve this kind of perfection.  In the center of the room was the table which looked as perfect as the rest of the room. No spots on the dishes marred the scene. Colored napkins fanned out elegantly and treats were spread on sparkling silver. Looking at the other people in the room I noticed that most of them were daintily nibbling crackers, without spilling any crumbs on their dresses. I really wanted on of the decadent looking chocolate bites, but didn’t want to be judged by people I didn’t know. Instead I reached for the bowl of fruit, convincing myself that what I really wanted was a nice juicy orange. I just hoped the juice didn’t squirt on my blouse. I chose an orange that was perfect in color and texture and picked it up. Then I realized with a surprise that it was plastic. In aggravation I picked up the chocolate after all.

Plastic fruit may look pretty but it doesn’t satisfy. There is no good juicy flavor and no refreshment. It can’t provide any nutrients or any benefits that real fruit provides.  It doesn’t have any of the flaws that real fruit can but except for looks, no one would choose it over a good tasting nutritious piece of the real thing.

The Bible uses things that are familiar to teach us things that are unfamiliar. Paul was trying to teach the believers about the Holy Spirit. He had told them that we were born of the Spirit. Then he explained that there are fruits of the spirit. These fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) I want all of these things. Some of them are fairly easy for me. It is not too hard for me to be gentle, because that is my personality.  Some of them are harder. Peace is not in my list of things that is easy. I find it much easier to be anxious, and while I strive for peace, my toes are curled up inside my shoes and my teeth are clenched.  I don’t feel loving a lot of days, especially when things are not going my way. Here is my problem. I can decide that I am going to be joyful and smile till my teeth hurt, praise Jesus. I am very likely to decide I am going to have self-control. For a while I can do it, but then something trips my trigger and I want to run for coffee, chocolate or a tantrum. Maybe a good cry.  My results look good but they are plastic fruit.
So what doe we know about fruit? It grows on a plant, not out by itself. In John 15:5, Jesus told his disciples, I am the vine and you are the branches. If you abide in me and my words abide in you will bear much fruit, but apart from me you can do nothing.
Plants need water to bloom and produce fruit.  Psalms 1 says this.
  Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
² but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
³ That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.
Our nourishment is the word of God.


Finally, the soil must be good. In the parable of the sower (Matthew 13), Jesus described a farmer sowing seed in different types of soil, including shallow, rocky, thorny and good soil. The rocky soil did not provide depth for the roots and the plants withered quickly. The thorny soil choked the plants and the seed in the good soil grew and produced fruit. I had always thought of this parable as talking about salvation, which is a logical thing. It also applies to believers who are bearing fruit. No matter what the conditions, the fruit of the Spirit is from the spirit. It is a natural outpouring of his power and his work, not ours. This week let's try to abide in Jesus. It is not easy but it is worth it.