Well….

It has been a very interesting few years expressing my thoughts and feelings with you, engaging in sometimes pleasant and sometimes not so pleasant conversation.

All and all, it comes down to, as I have stated in many times and places, that there is only so much time in the day, and I know that I need to be spending it in other ways.

I have never had such a peace about this decision as I do right now, and so I depart from the blogiverse.

Those of you in my blogroll, please know that even though I only really know a few of you, I do love you all with the Love of Jesus Christ and I truly appreciate you all for the  parts that you have or may continue to play in my life.

Upon my departure I would like to offer up this prayer for us all:

That we would truly desire, in the deepest part of our own hearts, to truly know Him and to continue to grow up into all that He would have us to become.

Not the God that our own imaginations might conceive, not the God that the imaginations of others might conceive, but Him, the One True God as expressed in His Son Jesus Christ.

May the True Phoenix continue to rise in our own hearts.

As I live and breathe in His Name,

Amen.

“Much study and the writing of many blogposts can become a wearisome and deceptive work of the flesh….the end of the matter is to have a holy reverence for the One True God, and to keep His commandments (and His commandments are not burdensome)”.

(my paraphrase).

~Brother Johnny

Is God unknowable?

Absolutely not.

Is there more of Him to know?

Absolutely.

Does Yashua Messiah change?

Absolutely not.

Can we?

Absolutely.

“You shall     _know_    *the truth * , and    *the truth *    shall set you free.”

Why build again the walls which keep outside the Light?

Why yoke yourself with darkness and the children of the night?

Why lift yourself so high as to sit upon My throne?

Why join in on the party where everyone is all alone?

Why frolic with the devils and those who cannot see?

Why lead me to that cross, why must you see me bleed?

Why call evil good and confuse my children’s minds?

Why break your lovers heart for the sake of your good times?

Why trade Me in for silver, why kiss Me on the cheek?

Why choose to wear the millstone, why sow this seed to reap?

Not my will, but Fathers

Not my way, but His own

Not my plans or methods

But His will be done alone

Not my imagination, to run a selfish course

But a mind completely yielded to the One who does not force

The shining one has fallen, his jealousy enraged

he promises the world, and puts you in a cage

he enslaves you to the desires of your belly and your lust

this is exactly where he wants you with your treasures and their rust

But I have overcome it all, being God and man as One

You put me once upon the cross, the Father in the Son

I tasted death, went to the grave, as your reproaches fell on me

On your behalf I did lie dead so that you would be set free

In three days I got back up and rolled away the stone

I visited with many, and began to build My home

Just as Eve came forth from Adam, so came forth My precious wife

Stand with me, my lover true, as I breathe into you New Life

I give you a faithful nature, which is the same as Mine

I don’t patch up old wineskins, I fill you with My New Wine

Now follow Me, as I lead you on, as an eagle you shall soar

through the mountains and the valleys as in the days before

Within My walls are windows which shine forth My precious Light

I AM separate from darkness, and the evil of the night

I AM lifted up and in first place, seated upon the throne

I have my precious wife, never to be alone

All things are revealed to you, in My presence you do see

The answer of the mystery which was purposed throughout eternity

There is no more confusion, but wonder to behold

Eternal Life in glory, which was declared in days of old

…so…, all of that bad stuff going on in our hearts, the bad stuff that we find ourselves doing?….It’s wrong.

And the good that we want to do, but can’t seem to find the way to perform?…., It’s right.

So….Through Jesus Christ, and only through Jesus Christ, we can walk after the Spirit and at the same time not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.

In this place there is peace …not condemnation.

Not only is this possible, but this is the “normal” Christian life.

Derek Webb talks about how to engage culture 100%.

Amen.

Lover

I’m not really here.
But this video is.
By the way…he and his wife, Sandra, are playing @ Eddies Attic on 4/11/08.
I hope to be there.

Peace to you all.

Yep.

It’s that time……again.

I’ve been traipsing all around bloggyworld, throwing my two cents in here and there….catching up with friends, peering into the minds and hearts, and sometimes just the imaginations of various people around the world.

I’ve also tuned in a bit to the latest buzz of all the crap going on, especially between what many refer to as the “fundies” and the “Emergent Church”.

(Hey. if Paul,…or the King James translators, can say ‘dung’, then I can say “crap”, because it’s the same stinkin’ thing)

Where do I stand? I stand with with Jesus. How I relate to you, depends on how you relate to Him.
You may hate Him, and want to kill Him, …but He absolves your sins.

I want to be more like Him.

I am a believer in Christ Jesus. His faithfulness is where I put my faith, not in any religion, denomination, church, movement, organization, ‘anti-organization’, ministry, method, practice, prayer, bible, etc…….

If you have this same faith, then I consider you to be my brother or sister in Christ. If not, I DO NOT HATE YOU OR CONSIDER YOU TO BE LESS THAN ME.

I DO NOT CONSIDER MYSELF TO BE BETTER THAN YOU.

YOU AND I ARE THE SAME.

THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE AS ALL FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD.

BUT I CANNOT AND HAVE NO REASON TO DENY THE REALITY OF EXPERIENCING THE TOUCH OF JESUS CHRIST IN MY SPIRIT, AND THE FELLOWSHIP THAT I ENJOY WITH GOD IN CHRIST, NOR THE CHANGES THAT ACTUALLY HAVE TAKEN PLACE AND CONTINUE TO TAKE PLACE IN MY HEART AND MIND, NOR THE LOVE OF GOD IN MY HEART THAT IS GROWING MORE AND MORE AS TIME GOES ON, NOR THE DISPLEASURE I TAKE IN DARKNESS, INCLUDING THE SIN WITHIN MY OWN SELF.

I HAVE NOTHING TO BOAST IN, AS I DID NOTHING TO GAIN THIS GREAT SALVATION. I ONLY BELIEVED THE TRUTH. GOD RECONCILED MAN TO HIMSELF IN JESUS THE MESSIAH AT THE CROSS. THERE HE DIED FOR OUR SINS AND THEN ROSE AGAIN ON THE THIRD DAY AS THE FIRSTBORN OF NEW CREATION.

IT IS TRUE!!!

IT IS TRUE!!!

To me, this is the core of the authentic Christian faith. I think it is pretty much self explanatory.

I seriously don’t have a problem saying that.

My parting words…?

Whomever the Father calls, they go to Jesus, as He is the Door.

Those whom the Father calls know Jesus for who He is and they go ‘through’ Him to fellowship with the Father, and consequently fellowship with one another.

The Spirit is nudging me to depart from this electronic realm, so off I go.

Who knows what comes next?

Whichever way the Wind blows….

JESUS IS LORD!

I have spent a good amount of time dialogging within circles where we all share a common language.
One theme in which this language is often used could be called the theme of the two trees.
And it’s a great theme.

In general, it goes something like this:

As we all know, in the garden, Adam and Eve had many choices when it came to food and participation.

Trees good for food, trees that were beautiful to look upon, the tree of Life and that confounded, forbidden tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The Lord told them both not to eat of that one because the result would surely be death.
It was that wily serpent who convinced Eve that if she would only take a bite, that she would become like God. Being deceived, she partook, and like any true rebel, suckered Adam into taking a bite himself.

So out of the garden they go (cast out, in fact), and the rest is, …well, history.

With this as the base of the ‘two tree’ theme, the idea goes that the two trees are kind of like an allegory for the two testaments; The old and the New.

More specifically the idea is that ‘law’ or ‘right and wrong’ is the forbidden tree which brings death, and then Christ is the tree which we are to partake of which brings Life.

So far I follow.
And it is a great metaphor.
The problem is, as with all metaphors, they breakdown at some point. They have to, otherwise, they wouldn’t be simply metaphors, they would actually be the Real thing. One obvious breaking point is in the improper view of the law as being something “confounded” or “troublesome”. While it may seem that way to us, it is only because the law, or TORAH brings to light our own sinfulness without providing a means, in itself, to help us to overcome that sinfulness. As Paul says, “The law is holy…” The problem is, apart from Christ, we are not. But enough of that for now. Let’s continue….

Here is the logic (although that word might very well be ‘labeled’ as “wrong tree” itself):

It’s not about right and wrong, it’s about Life.

True. But… only until someone does something wrong.

What happens when someone commits adultery?
What happens when someone lies to your face?
What happens when a brother gets caught sleeping with his own stepmother?

Do we ever call things out for what they are, or do we just go along pretending that there has never been an offence?

I ask you sincerely: How on earth are we to forgive one another as Christ has forgiven us, if there is never a recognition of wrong being done?

Well, we take it to the cross.

Again, AMEN! But,…would it be wrong not to? Would it be good to take it to the cross. Maybe it’s just not all that black and white (or is it?). Furthermore, is ‘taking it to the cross’ the same as ’sweeping it under the rug’?

Now some would say,

It’s not a matter of right and wrong, but rather it is a matter of Life and death.

Isn’t it, at this point, just a matter of semantics?

Isn’t good right and bad evil?

Isn’t Life good and death bad?

Just the fact that you ask these anxious questions prove that you aren’t partaking of life.

Maybe, but maybe not. Maybe there is a legitimate place for the discernment of good and evil. Maybe we shouldn’t just throw out ‘good and evil’ as if they are dirty words which are uttered only by the  unenlightened heathen.

If “good and evil” or “right and wrong” were no longer part of the Divine Equation, then why, in the new testament, would we have such statements as these? :

Hebrews 5

11About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.12For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,13for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.14But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Romans 7

21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.22For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,23but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.24Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?25Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Romans 12

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.10Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.11Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.12Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.13Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Romans 12

21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 13

3For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval,4for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.

Romans 16

19For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.

I Corinthians 13

4Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant5or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;6it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.7Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8Love never ends.

II Corinthians 13

5Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!6I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test.7But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed.8For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.

Ephesians 4

25Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.26Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,27and give no opportunity to the devil.28Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.29Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.31Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.32Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

I Thessalonians 5

20Do not despise prophecies,21but test everything; hold fast what is good.22Abstain from every form of evil.

II Corinthian 5

(10, 11) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.

Galatians 6

7Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.8For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.9And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.10So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Ephesians 5

4Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.5For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.7Therefore do not associate with them;8for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light9(for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),10and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.11Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

And there are many more such statements scattered through out both the old and new tesataments.

What all of this means is that those who violate the law of love are not partaking of Divine Life, and the result is behavior which leads to death. And it is wrong behavior.
You see the problem isn’t in having a discernment between good and evil, the problem is when we try to nourish ourselves on that knowledge.

The result of that type of “eating” is ‘death’ (which in fact is the prerequisite for Life)!

By now, if your mind works anything at all the way mine used to, your brain is screaming “WRONG TREE, WRONG TREE!!!!”.

Take a deep breath. Relax.

Do partake of the Tree of Life….

but do not fear as every faculty of your human existence is being transformed from faith to faith, and from glory to glory, including the faculty of a God given discernment between good and evil.

(Almost all scripture quotations here are from the ESV translation…)

(I forget which one isn’t.)

(Please forgive my wrong  :-)   )

Well, spring has sprung and we are off into the beginning of a new year (yes, I know it’s not January).

For me, this time of year means many things, first and foremost it is the time of new life and new beginnings.

Flowers are blooming everywhere, leaves are sprouting and grass is beginning to grow.

For me this translates as, “It’s time to get busy”. At work and home, there is suddenly a whole lot more to do than there was during the dead of Winter.

Which brings me to a thought I have been mildly entertaining in the back of my mind. It has to do with seasons…and rhythm.

Particularly death and life and rest and work.

I haven’t developed this thought much other than this…

There is no work involved in the part of a fetus in being born.

It is created when the male and female join together, creating a new life.

Now let me fast forward a bit.

The child grows up, and if he/she has been raised correctly, there will be a certain kind of ‘work ethic’ instilled in him/her by his or her parents (and then there is also the genetic factor).

Some of this by example, some by practice and some by instruction.

“Work” is a part of life.

This work varies across a very broad spectrum, but nonetheless, work is work.

And it is meant to do something.

No one works just simply for works sake (okay, no sane person does this), but rather we work to reap some kind of wage, some kind of reward.

This reward is not only for ourselves, but it is also to share with others (if you are a husband or father, you know what I mean).

“Rest” is also a part of life.

If we may consider the human body for a moment and realize that it is during periods of deep rest (sleep to be precise) that our bodies are repaired, and renewed, and therefore strengthened.

Body builders and athletes are well aware that hard workouts actually break muscle tissue down, tearing the very fibers which make up the muscle mass in our bodies. But without proper rest, our hard workouts will be in vain.

There is another element: Nutrition. Different subject but deeply related nonetheless.

Hmmm.

Rhythm.

Seasons.

But they are all simply different aspects of one thing:

LIFE

Right now it is spring.

It’s time for me to get busy.

I’d better get some rest tonight.

Well, I don’t do this very often, but I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Here is brother Phil Mcalmond with some insightful commentary on a message from the ‘original’ Brother Johnny.

Be blessed!