My Animoto Video

My Animoto Video

God's Questions

When did I stop being enough?
Obedience without love
quickly becomes disgruntled compliance
You wanted to hear Heaven's conversations
It's my mantle of authority.
My perception that many fear- not you

Holy Ghost boldness does that
not brashness

You and others are my hands and feet
I am who I am

Why am I not enough?
I have not had to see others
I have been hidden away with you

Banqueting Table

In Rev 3:20, Jesus declares, “'Behold , I stand at the door and [knock]; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me’." What a great invitation. When our hearts are truly hungry, we desire God’s presence and His mind (Proverbs 2:1-6). We want his wisdom.

God encourages us some 700 years before Christ, "Ho! Ever one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost. "Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance” (Isa 55:1-11).

We are actually blessed when we faint with hunger for God, his righteousness, and his kingdom: Matthew 5:6 and Luke 6:21 proclaim, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. In truth, “The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; But they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil”  (Psalm 34:10).

Psa 22:26 gives us great hope because in our great pain, we will experience release, “The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; Those who seek Him will praise the LORD. Let your heart live forever!”

When we try to fill ourselves with things, people, and ourselves, we feel even more empty.

God my make a decision  to humble “ you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD. (Deut.8:3).

In fact, Y’Shua removes our hunger alone for His is "For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world." Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (John 6:33-35).

I saw  spiritually hungry people in Nicaragua. People would stop us on the road for a Bible and for their family members.  Multiple families lived in one house often, and each family household wanted their own Bible.  God gave me Amos 8:11-13 to describe this phenomena: "Behold, days are coming," declares the Lord GOD, "When I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, But rather for hearing the words of the LORD. ” Their hunger reminds of the psalmist’s cry, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for Thee, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?”( Psalm 42:1-2)

Does that describe us? Can we not wait to enter His presence?

Hope to see you at the party,
M.J.

Judas: A Betrayer in Our Midst

When did Judas' heart turn toward hatred? Was it hatred? Was it a love grown cold? How does one become apostate?  Psalm 41:19  foreshadows Judas' betrayal in the Psalmist David's words, "Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me." What does betrayal mean? Does it mean to abandon, to turn my back on someone when he needs me most?

Matthew 6:61, Jesus asks the penetrating question: "So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?”  “Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the Twelve, was going to betray him."     Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him, but He loved him anyway. Can I love my Judas?  

  

Even while sharing the Passover meal with His Messiah, breaking bread which signifies covenant and solidarity, "During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him" (John 12:32). He betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (Matt. 26:14-16). How many times does money separate friends?  "He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it" (John 12:6).

Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss, a sign of  affection. How many times do I betray with a kiss, with a seeming sign of affection, but my heart is full of anger and murder: "And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” And he kissed him." (Mark 14:43-45).

After his betrayal, he wanted to redeem his choice. He tried to return the money to the priests:

“I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” So they took counsel and bought with them the potter's field as a burial place for strangers " (Matt. 27:3-10).

Unfortunately, Judas had ungodly, rather than godly sorrow, "For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death" (2 Corinthians 12:7).In the death of that betrayal friendship, God has a new one:  "May his days be few; may another take his office!" (Psalm 109:8).

When we betray God, no place is found for us in the kingdom. If we are ashamed of Christ, He declares that He will not acknowledge before His father. Ouch.

Betrayal Stinks,
MJ

My Kingdom for a Horse... or in other words

“My kingdom for a horse” is a famous line from Shakespeare’s Richard III play (Act V, Scene IV) in which the king, in desperate straits, is willing to trade his kingdom for a means of speedy escape from his present predicament... namely defeat. We are often like this historical figure/theatrical character; we look for quick remedies to long-created problems. King Richard reminds me of Esau of the Bible who is described as godless because he sold his birthright for a pot of stew. The immediate need of filling his gullet outweighed the longstanding benefits of his inheritance as firstborn: "See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son" (Hebrews 12:16). <

In Middle Eastern culture in Biblical times, the firstborn son inherited the land, the name, and the blessing of his father, but he also inherited the responsibilities of being a kinsman redeemer and working the land. Esau likely wanted the benefits, but none of the responsibilities. Does this description sound like us? As the older son, he received a double portion of inheritance; in addition, he inherited the role of father and protector of his family. As the first-born of his father's loins, he was a type of first-fruits given to God. He was responsible for his mother until her death and any unmarried sisters until they married. In the same way, God gives a promise- a bright future and hope- all of which we want, but the hard work, the responsibility, the struggles, the difficulties, those we would just as soon do without. How shortsighted of us! We, in essence like Esau, sell our birthright for the temporal satisfaction of ease. Y’Shua warns that we should let no man take our crown. His statement clearly points out that if we do not fulfill the commission that is for our lives, someone else very well may, and that person will receive the reward, not us. Rev. 3:11 states, "I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown." Ouch.

Sometimes, we sell our inheritance by taking a symbolic bowl of stew in the form of a person who looks good on the outside and promises to fill our hearts. Another person does not thrill us in the same way- sure the person may be godly and full of the fruit of the Spirit, but that interests little. Like Esau we saddle ourselves, we settle for a bowl of stew which we costs us more than we could know at the time; "for we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10). We can't fulfill the call on our lives because that person does not share the same vision. Not that Hungry, MJ

The Color Green

The righteous are like the palm tree, erect, stately, unchanged by seasons or nature's whims. Listen to this poetic description given by a theologian no less, Dr. Thompson,"The palm grows slowly, but steadily, from century to century, uninfluenced by those alternations of the seasons which affect other trees. It does not rejoice overmuch in winter's copious rain, nor does it droop under the drought and the burning sun of summer. Neither heavy weights which people place upon its head, nor the importunate urgency of the wind, can sway it aside from perfect uprightness. There it stands, looking calmly down upon the world below, and patiently yielding its large clusters of golden fruit from generation to generation." Like the righteous, they 'bring forth fruit in old age'' (Psalm 92:12).

It was typical of the Biblical period to plant these trees in courtyards of homes, king palaces, and even the Holy Temple. Just as the palm grew in the midst of this protected shade, so do the righteous. The righteous grow in the center of God's presence as they rest under the wings of the Most High God (Psalm 91). As the righteous dwell in the presence of Adonai, he grows like a cedar in Lebanon (Isaiah 2:13). Lebanon cedars typically stood on a platform over 6,000 feet above the Mediterranean Sea. Similarly, a true person of integrity stands above the fray of the masses.

These trees tend to live for over a thousand years.  these old hoary heads surround the much younger trees although they are few in number. Under a canopy of their lush leaves, an almost holy silence can be felt. Interestingly, young trees spring forth not only from the old ones' roots but also from the seeds of their ripened cones. These cedars seem to leap from the earth. This imagery matches the mentoring legacy of the righteous who through their very life-blood infuse energy and nutrients into the souls of young leaders. These pioneers and teachers pour their knowledge and wisdom into young pioneers.

From these trees came the wood that furnished Solomon's Temple and thousands of homes. Even though it was planted on a lofty terrace, its wood was used for both holy and common purposes. So, the lives of the righteous; those who yield to the hand of the Master Carpenter, Y'shua, allow him to shape their lives into something holy for G-d's glory. Y'shua removes pride from these trees of righteousness, many times taking them from lofty positions to break them and carve their lives into something more useful and beneficial. He usesthem as serving bowls and implements to pour His grace into the lives of common people. Their lives become the simple utensils of spooning life-giving substance to souls; the basins where dusty-with-life feet are washed.

Every bit of the tree is useful:"The fruit of the palm-tree makes a great part of the diet of the people of Arabia, part of Persia, and Upper Egypt. The stones are ground down for the camels; the leaves are made into baskets; the hard boughs, or rather strong leaves, some being six or eight feet in length, make fences; the juice makes arrack, the threads of the web-like integument between the leaves make ropes, and the rigging of small vessels; and the wood serves for slighter buildings and fire-wood. In short, the palm or date tree, and the olive, are two of the most excellent and useful productions of the forest or the field" (Maundrell).

The lives of the righteous continue for generations. These trees are known to split into two and three parts, but continue to grow. So, the righteous and their offspring. The cedar gives us the idea of majesty, endurance, and stability. The righteous is compared to this green tree which gives off a strong  smell, and a fruit that resembles an apple, but sweeter. It causes others to desire to grow to its height as it looks down from its lofty perch.  The cedar achieves its height despite crippling weather conditions; it reaches to the heavens towards its Maker. Like the righteous who grow into the head which is Christ, despite whatever circumstances, they achieve maturity (Ephesians 4).

 No matter the adversity, the righteous thrive like the cedar who submits to the mountain's snow and cold, to blast of the winds fury, unprotected, it braces itself against nature's onslaught. They are resplendent in green, full of sap, and luxurious clothed in sheaves. Y'Shua issues a warning to the barren tree: the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire (Matt 23:13). But, such an end is not the destination of the righteous. Staying Green, MJ

"O Naomi, O Naomi"

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A Hydrant or a Fountain?

"Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.” These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the Lord and where he showed himself holy among them" (Numbers 20:11-13).

When Moses struck the rock in frustration, the waters gushed forth rather than merely flowed. God's waters were meant to be restorative- gentle and healing. Remember, He leads us beside the still waters for His namesake (Psalm 23). But the gushing of the waters, although it satisfied the people's thirst, it did not heal their spirits. I feel that all too often leaders become frustrated like Moses, and they hit the rock- they do not honor God as holy. By striking the  Rock, who is Jesus, with frustration, they disrespect God: " He is "'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.'(Acts 4:11). God's provision is present, is living, and  is active. 

Something else is worth noting in this story: the people's position before the rock. As the people lined up for water, they had to extend their hands to catch the living spring. Each individual had to open his hands and lift the live-giving substance to his lips. He had to take the living source inside himself. Each one had to drink, but to remain alive, one has to continue to drink.

I pray that we teachers will continue to walk with the Shepherd daily and drink from the living waters of His Spirit. As we rest with Christ, the waters flow that then fill and refresh us and then others, including teachers, staff, and students. When we try to teach out of  a parched spirit, we are literally forcing waters forth as we try to perform. Can one really drink from a fire hydrant better than a water fountain?

 

Sometimes, we give our lessons and opinions becasue they are demanded of us, not because we truly feel an unction or prompting to share. This coerced ministry does not truly restore anyone.

In John 7:38, Y'Shua declares, "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." Let the waters flow, not gush, through force. Pastors can also learn this lesson. They often through force and manipulation push the waters out to the people. This practice is absolutely wrong. Waiting and reverencing God and His Spirit are paramount.

 

My prayer is that the time in the desert and the years of wandering in  education will cause teachers to thirst for the living water of Christ, for we can do nothing without Him (John 15:5). Remember, teaching is one of the five-fold ministry gifts; it flows from Holy Spirit, not our own flesh.  Rest in Him.

 

Respecting the Rock,

MJ