RECOMPENSE- A SECOND LOOK

Right: Joian and Wiggly little Noah

Yesterday in my readings….. It was Eby, I think, who…….helped change my thinking regarding recompense. He said, the only recompense we are looking for is Christ himself. Selah..........

Growing up I knew if I got hurt, enough to require a trip to the doctor's office, there was a perk. But only if I endured the pain without a fuss. My reward? A stop by the ice cream store on the way back home. It was my mother's way of making it up to me for the pain.

It was that picture I held, when in a moment everything changed………I realized I was still looking for people and things to be replaced or a least a very big dish of ice cream if God was going to make it up to me for what had been lost or stolen from my life. Childish ideas are hard to shake.........LOL

I wondered at my own blindness as the light dawned. Of course........CHRIST is my recompense/the pearl of great price…………….the only thing I want and the only thing that can never be taken, lost or stolen from me. So that is how Paul counted it all loss and considered what he suffered as not worthy to be mentioned he knew what I am just coming to understand………..how blind and deceived I have been……..how true that you remain blind until he removes the blinders.

This morning I read and copied an exchange between two brothers and wondered at the content....what they share is what I had been taught to look/hope for...............I knew and sat under the teachers referred to in this exchange......how long ago that was..................

Joian
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By MC
I went to a christian biker rally in Texas back in 96' at Kenneth Copeland's ministry grounds. I used to be a big follower of him and Jerry Savelle (another local prosperity guy) before I abandoned ET. They're both going to abandon ET pretty soon and then do what I've done combine UR with the holistic Gospel they've understood thus far. Then the prosperity's really going to come like a flood, along with the healings and people being raised from the dead on a much larger scale. It'll be pretty soon.

By K
I recently have seen Kenneth Copeland meeting with the Messianic rabbi that a guy at work keeps sending me info on. This rabbi Messner from Colorado says that the whole word of faith camp is embracing the next revival of joining Judah (born again Jews) with Israel (born again Christians). I have a clip of Copeland prophesying to this rabbi about this if anyone wants to see it.

By the way, a black Christian forum that I have frequented for a year recently posted Fred Price saying that a lot of people want to discount hell from the Bible, and that he does not know if it is true, but it is sure better than insisting on a God who does not want to bless his children.

Considering Fred studies the Word and would seem to be one to tear that down if he could, it seemed interesting. He, also, used to be great friends with Carlton Pearson before they had a falling out over racism. I feel like Paul saying that he had great concern for his brethren after the flesh who is Israel. Word of faith was my first move of God and I hope they do embrace the truth. It sure seems that their view of God as a good God, should make the transition an easy one though Oral and all sure did turn, on Carlton Person.(When he taught that all men would be saved)

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The men mentioned above were hero's of mine.........each in his turn has become a desert place for me as I occasionally hear them speak. The organized church no longer holds any answers for me. They no longer quench my thirst, no meat to eat, no presence of my Lord. I am not looking for another man, a teaching, a revival or the next move of God. I only want him and all that he enables me to understand and partake of from he, himself. No longer what he can give or save me from...........HIM ALONE.........HIM.

Joian


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Excerpt from Eby -
FROM THE CANDLESTICK TO THE THRONE-Part 69

Sooner or later, if our heart hungers and thirsts after God, we come to the point reached by the little boy with the red wagon. That is to discover that the toughest resistance to pressing into the depths of God is not from without, but from within. The little boy loved to play with his little red wagon. But one day it suddenly occurred to him that he could not recall ever seeing an adult playing with a little red wagon. The moment that thought struck him he burst into tears. His mother was finally able to get out of him what it was that was causing such terrible grief. He sobbed through his tears that he didn’t want to grow up because he was afraid that then he wouldn’t be able to play with his little red wagon. His mother encouraged him as best she could. She assured him that as far as she knew there was no reason why he should not play with his little red wagon after he grew up, if he wanted to. No one would prevent him. That cheered him a bit. But after a few minutes he burst out crying again. When she asked him what the trouble was this time, he sobbed, “I’m afraid I won’t want to!”

From within each one of us who have received the call to sonship there comes at last the decisive decision to give up the little red wagons of our childish religious past, and at costly consequences to grow up into the maturity of our glorious Head, the firstborn Son of God! We grow spiritually by hearing the voice of the Lord for ourselves and by following the Lord wherever He leads us, by releasing all He calls upon us to release, and doing all His perfect and holy will. Our Father is leading us beyond the Outer Court with its brazen altar of atonement and forgiveness of sins, and beyond the Holy Place with its lighted candlestick fueled by the oil of the indwelling Spirit. He is also leading us beyond the feast of Passover where we first met the Lamb of God who died for us, and beyond the feast of Pentecost where we received the firstfruits of the Spirit — yes, beyond the candlestick realm, beyond the church order! By the leading of His Spirit we are growing up into Christ, becoming mature adults in the kingdom of our Father. The call for this New Day is to “Come up hither!” The journey of this New Day is from the candlestick to the throne! The divine evidence that we are heeding that call is if we have truly begun to grow up and become a spiritual adult, we are done with the childish ways of the past and have put them all aside. A spiritual child delights in the childish ways of the past. He or she enjoys those childish ways, and continues to cling to the little red wagon — continues to romp and frolic in the entertaining programs of the old order church system. But when we grow up and become spiritual adults in the more glorious kingdom of our Father, we then put away the childish toys of the past, and with joy set our face toward the throne, ascending in the Spirit into that which is more perfect and complete — kingship with Christ!

A brother shared this experience some time ago. He said, “My eighteen-year-old son graduated from high school last spring. The ceremony was a great celebration for both the graduates and their parents, symbolizing the passage from childhood and dependency to greater freedom on the journey to becoming an independent, responsible adult. How ludicrous it would have been for the kindergarten teacher of these students to reappear, proclaiming that in order to keep their diplomas, all graduates must now report to her in September to review their ABC’s. You do not take young people who have matured and are ready to accept adult responsibility and treat them like children. Even the graduates would have said, ‘We are not going back!’” Oh, no! We who are growing up into Christ and have tasted the powers of the age to come are not going back to the kindergarten of our walk in God! Let the children play, let them sit Sunday after Sunday and hear the same salvation story, the same elementary teachings, observe the same forms, rituals, ceremonies, entertainment, and work and labor feverishly in the same tired old church programs and promotions. If they still want to play with the little red wagon they are not ready yet to leave it. And there is no condemnation in that! Children are supposed to play! BUT WE WILL NOT GO BACK

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I also echo, I will not go back!...............All that is behind has lost it's hold............no guilt, no condemnation, no accessing what I could have done differently.........all that, is now surrendered to the Lord, my past, present and future are in his hands.........I am at last abiding in peace and joy. His love surrounds and holds me.............SO THIS WIDE VALLEY, IS WHERE I WILL STAY. Is this not that same valley of the shadow of death? Would I have believed that in this valley is the place where the still waters are? Here is where the banquet table is set in the presence of my enemies, and where my cup runneth over. It exists..........I have found that pearl of great price!

Joian

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THE GIFT OF CHRIST By Chip Brogden
http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/articles/gift.html

"If you knew the gift of God, and Who I am, you would have asked Me for a drink, and I would have given you Living Water" (John 4:10).

We must know the Gift of God. The one who knows will not only be satisfied, but will have abundance of Life springing up from within. If we are mainly interested in being filled for ourselves then we will have little to offer anyone else. Yet when we know the Gift of God the Life will overflow. "You anoint my head with oil, and my cup overflows" (Psalms 23:5b).
Are you an overflowing Christian, with all of God you can hold, and much leftover? Sadly, this does not describe many of us. To drink is a beginning, but God's goal is an overflow. How we need clear revelation into the Son!

How we need to see just how precious and worthy He is!

THE NIGHT RESCUE

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I have been going through a period of melancholy and sought to maybe write a piece for the blog. Often as I write I will find myself lifted from the doldrums as God's grace fills me while in the midst of sharing Him. I had a positive theme for my message which I was going to entitle "A Place Called Give Up" and while searching for a particular story of Christ's rescue I came across this beautiful writing. I pray the content of this message will encourage you as it did me and also I hope you enjoy the beauty of language employed by this saint of yesteryear.

Jack


The Night Rescue by John MacDuff, 1818-1895


Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Matthew 14:22-27

It is night on the Sea of Galilee! a night of tempest—the Lord of the sea and the storm walks majestically on the waves. "He made darkness his secret place-his pavilion round about him are dark waters and thick clouds of the sky." We know of no subject in the inspired picture-gallery which exceeds this in sublimity and grandeur. If there be poetry in any part of the Gospel story, it is here. It forms an episode in a Life which itself was the grandest and most sublime of Epics . Let us approach the scene with sanctified imaginations; and as we contemplate the Creator of all worlds—His head wreathed with tempests—the restless surge his pathway, approaching the laboring vessel of the Apostle-fishermen, and revealing himself as their God and guide—be it ours with triumphant faith to exclaim, "This GOD is our God forever and ever, He will be OUR guide even unto death."

The miraculous feast to the crowd of five thousand being over, Jesus dispersed the multitudes to their several abodes. As the night-shadows were falling, they might be seen in straggling groups winding their way round the northern shore to their various hamlet-homes. We can think of the Passover pilgrims, too, accompanying them—their voices attuned to some of those psalms and sacred songs they were in the habit of singing by night on the occasion of this solemn anniversary! Would not the melody be all the sweeter on account of the gracious words they had heard proceeding a few hours before, from the lips of the wonder-working Prophet, whom the entire crowd, John tells us, had He permitted, were ready to hail at that moment as their Messiah-King "the hope of Israel and the Savior thereof?"

Before dismissing the multitude, however, He gives directions to His disciples to enter their vessel and re-cross the lake to Bethsaida. He gives no indication as to how or where He may rejoin them—whether He will follow next morning in the steps of the crowd, and meet them in the streets, or at the port of Capernaum—or whether He will avail himself of some other vessel crossing the lake at early dawn. On all this He maintains a mysterious silence.

From the words "He constrained them to get into the ship," (Matt. 14:22) we may almost gather that it was with fond reluctance the disciples assented to this separation. They may have attempted even a gentle remonstrance, pleading either that He would still accompany them, or else permit them again to drop anchor, and suspend their voyage until He was prepared to go. The sky may have already been wearing a threatening aspect; the hollow moanings familiar to the fishermen's ears may have been premonitory of a coming storm; lowering clouds may have been wreathing the brow of the Gadara heights and the headlands of Tiberias.

On a former occasion when the disciples encountered another storm on the lake, they felt that all was safe when their Master had said, "Let us pass over". Their adorable Lord—the Heavenly Pilot—was with them in the vessel. Now it was different. They had before them night on a tempestuous sea; and he, whose voice alone could hush its fury, was leaving them to brave it alone!

But His word and will were paramount. That great Lord, whose power and tenderness were so recently manifested to the fainting multitudes, commands them to depart. It is enough; they ask no more. Though the storm may have been already beating high-like brave soldiers, who, at the bidding of their Captain, rush on to the assault, determined to conquer or perish—they are in a moment launched on the deep, encountering the crested waves and the gathering darkness.
It was twilight (about six o'clock) when they set out. A fair breeze would soon have run them to the western side; but when midnight came, it found them little more than half way on their voyage. Owing to a furious head-wind, their sail was useless; and though for nine hours they toiled manfully at the oars, three o'clock (the fourth watch of the night) found them still pitching in the midst of that roaring sea the fitful lights (their only compass) glimmering distant as ever on the longed-for opposite shore. The former cry of faithless unbelief may now have been often on their lips as they thought of last evening's mysterious parting, "Master, master, care You not that we perish?" "If He had been with us," we may picture them saying to each other, "If He had been with us, asleep as He was before, in the hinder part of our ship, then we could have rushed to His side, invoked His aid, and, in a moment would the storm have been changed into a calm. But where He is now, we cannot tell; our cries are inaudible, our prayers are vain; they are drowned in the rage of that tempest." "Surely our way is hid from the Lord, and our judgment is passed over from our God!"

Let us pause here and learn a twofold lesson.

Viewing this scene as a picture of human life, learn, first, How sudden are the transitions in human experience, from sunshine to storm, and from storm to sunshine. A few hours before, the disciples had been dealing out the miraculous stores to the joyous groups on the green grass, partaking along with them of this mountain Feast—the Great Shepherd of Israel Himself tending them with loving interest. Never did sun seem to go down more happily, or promise a more auspicious rising. But now the sky is clouded– night has drawn its curtains gloomily around them—and, worse than all, the Lord of the Feast is gone. The Shepherd has left, and the sheep are scattered like broken reeds on the trough of the sea.

Let us not calculate too fondly or confidently on the permanency of any earthly good. Let us be "glad" for our gourds, but not "exceeding glad." When we may be saying, "Peace, peace, sudden destruction may come." Today God may be spreading for us a table in the wilderness; prodigal nature may be pouring her richest gifts into our lap—at evening; the sun of our earthly joys may go down in thick darkness, and the memory of our best blessings be all that remains.
Learn, as a second lesson, that God often sends trials to His own people, from which the world are exempt.

Who are these we here behold, tossed on that sea? Jesus had sent the multitudes quietly and peacefully away; no storm burst on them; no danger threatened them; no fear disquieted them. Of all the thousands who had a few hours before listened to His voice, His own beloved followers alone were called to contend with the tempest.

And it is often so still, with Christ's people; often do storms visit them, from which the world are free; oftimes, when the world is in sunshine; they are in darkness. The bands of ransomed voyagers, now lining the heavenly shore, give their united testimony–"We are they who have come out of great tribulation."

But God has always some wise end in view in sending His people into such a sea of troubles. In the case of the disciples, it was evidently to discipline their faith, and to prepare them for sterner moral storms, yet in reserve for them. That night at Tiberias would imprint on their inmost souls truths and lessons which never would be effaced in all their future apostleship, and serve to brace their spirits for many an hour of perplexity and danger.

It is worthy of note, too, the progression in these trials of faith. The severity of the test is increased as the spiritual life advances. Just as a child is by degrees, step by step, taught to walk, so are these disciples tutored in the higher walk of faith. The previous storm had doubtless the same end in view (the testing and strengthening of this great principle), but there was on that occasion a gracious tempering of the wind by the Good Shepherd to His little flock-His shorn lambs. When the tempest then burst around them, He was at their side, though fast asleep on a pillow; yet the very fact of His presence must have calmed fears that might otherwise have overmastered them. But they are to graduate still higher in the school of faith. A severer test, therefore, now comes. On the former occasion, Jesus was like the mother seated by her infant's cradle, rocking it asleep with the tones of her well-known voice, or dispelling its fears by imprinting, with her own lips, kisses on its brow. Now, with the increase of spiritual and apostolic experience, He would subject them to a severer ordeal—a further step in His gradual process of discipline. And how does He do so? It is in the very way that same mother disciplines her babe, at a more advanced period of its infancy, when teaching it to walk. She places it by itself on the opposite side of the room, to let it feel that it is alone. The little learner, conscious that it is left to its own resources, and that even at the peril of a fall it must risk the tiny adventure, with outstretched hands makes its way across the floor to bury its head in that bosom of safety, and clings there more closely and tenderly than ever! It is not the tender vine, supported by its trellis work, which is the type of strength, but the oak of a hundred years, standing alone on the mountain height, wrestling with the storm the very buffetings of the blast only making it moor its roots firmer and deeper in its ancestral soil.

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you, but rejoice." "If need be, you are in heaviness through manifold temptations, that the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold which perishes, though it be tried with fire, may be found unto praise, and honor, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ."

But to return to the narrative. As the disciples' dangers increase, so also do their fears. Sadder and stranger than ever seems their Master's absence. "Where is now our God?" mingles in thought, often and again, with the wild accents of the storm. It is unlike His kind heart thus to have deserted us, and consigned us to the mercy of this pitiless tempest.

But where in reality was their beloved Savior in the hour they most needed His presence, and most ardently longed for it? He seemed to have hid His face from them, but it was in appearance only, not in reality. Upon the heights of one of these mountains that girdled the north-east corner of the lake, the Redeemer of the world, in the silence of midnight, is alone with His God! That mountain summit is converted into an altar of Prayer. His eye is at one moment on the distant sea, at another uplifted to heaven; the breathings of His soul are ascending in behalf of His disciples; He is watching every billow that breaks on their tempest-tossed bark, every fear which disturbs their fainting hearts. The darkness cannot hide them from Him; their troubled thoughts "He knew afar off." Though not praying with them, He is praying FOR them, that "their faith fail not."

Oftimes are the people of God tempted, with repining Zion, to say, "My Lord has forsaken, and my God has forgotten me." But what says Zion's God, "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!" Isaiah 49:15. Storms and tumults may be raging without—temptations may be assailing within; besetting sins may now be disturbing the serenity of our spiritual joys; seasons of holy refreshment and peace may be gone; God may seem to be hiding His face, and we are troubled. But behind these temporary clouds there sits a Savior of unchanging faithfulness, who, though we may have forgotten Him, has not forgotten us. Yes! precious assurance! at the very moment when we may be thinking all to be lost– the vessel which bears in it our eternal destinies about to be foundered—when faith is beginning to fail, and hope to sink—all dark without, all trouble within—and worse than all, when our heavenly Pilot seems to have deserted us—there is above A PRAYING SAVIOR! He who watched the disciples' agitated vessel, from Galilee's mountain, and converted its lonely summit into a place of prayer, is now seated a great Intercessor on Mount Zion above, directing the roll of every billow that threatens His people's peace, and, though to them unseen, "praying that their faith fail not!"

And as it was with the disciples of old, He will not always deny His people the sensible comforts of His grace and presence. Generally in the darkest hour of their trial, when they least look for Him, and least expect Him, He reveals Himself. Coming, too, in the very pathway of their troubles; going "through the flood on foot," and causing them "THERE" in the very place and experience of tumultuous sorrow)—causing them there to "rejoice in Him!"

BUT, alas! in the narrative before us, we have a mournful testimony, how sad often is the contrast between the faithfulness of a Savior God, and the faithlessness and unbelief of man.
Jesus comes! walking majestically with His radiant form across the troubled waves. He is so near His disciples that they can hold converse with Him. Dark as was the night, they might well have guessed that it was their Lord's form as well as voice that was upon the waters. The joyous utterance might well have passed "from tongue to tongue"—"The Master has come!" We expect to hear every moment, as He nears the vessel's side, the word of joyous recognition, "My Lord and my God."

But strange! His appearance seems to trouble and agitate them more than that vexed and agitated sea. With those superstitious feelings so proverbially common among sailors and fishermen, they think they observe in the hazy darkness only some unwelcome messenger from the spirit-world—they imagine, possibly, in their dread, either that one of the spirits of darkness, roaming so lately the gorges of Gadara, is now evoked from the depths of the lake where it had plunged with the mountain herd; or else that the hour of their own death and destruction has arrived, and a premonitory herald from the regions of Hades—some terrible shape such as the Jewish fancy was wont to picture—has come from the world of the dead to give them warning, that that yawning sea is preparing their sepulcher, and these moaning night winds chanting their requiem! Faith is for a moment eclipsed by vain superstition. "They were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear."

How great the contrast; the heaving waters, the perturbed disciples, and the calm majestic tranquillity of the Great Lord!

And is not the experience here described often that of God's people still? When Jesus comes to them on some billowy night of trial—He comes radiant with beauty—His heart full of love—His hands full of blessing. But they can see nothing in the looming mist but a phantom spirit. Their eyes see of are dimmed with unbelief—the windows of the soul are darkened—they remember God, and are troubled. Or sometimes, it is even a sadder experience, when in the extremity of their unbelief all their former pledges of His faithfulness and loving-kindness seem to vanish, when for the moment the rush of despair comes over them. Religion is a lie; its comforts delusions—its fears tales of credulity and terror—its joys but phantoms—and the whole pillars of their belief seem to rock and tremble to their base. With others again, even when He is recognized, His dealings seem strange. As with the disciples in the text, He comes to their ship, but He makes "as if He would have passed them by." He walks, but it is towards the bow of the vessel. There is a strange delay in His intervention. He hears their cries, but He seems as if He heard them not. The sun is in the heavens, but there is no light in the sky—no break in the clouds.

Be assured there is some wise reason for such postponement—such apparent "passing by." You remember, how strange seemed His delay to the family of Bethany, when He lingered among the mountain glens of distant Gilead, instead of at once responding to their message and hastening to their relief. But in the end it was all "for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby", issuing in a glorious proof, that "the Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him." You remember in that memorable walk with the two disciples at Emmaus, when he reached the village, "He made" apparently, "as though He would have gone farther." Why? It was, as on the occasion before us, to draw forth the fervid invitation of burning hearts, "Abide with us. . . and they constrained Him." How often does He thus delay His succouring mercy—postpone deliverance—just in order to draw forth the music of importunate prayer?
Yes! not the least memorable lessons in this scene on the midnight sea, are those of PRAYER. We see our blessed Lord Himself, as the Man Christ Jesus, occupied in prayer. He Himself comes forth from the mount of Prayer to tread the waters. As the great ideal of Humanity—the Exemplar of His people, He would teach them, that if they would overcome the greatest difficulties, if they would tread triumphant on waves of trial and persecution, they must come from their bended knees. In walking thus majestically from His mountain oratory across the raging sea, He seems to speak this parable unto them and unto us, that "men ought always to pray and not to faint." The cry of the disciples, on the other hand, arresting as it did the ear of their Master, and evoking the word of support and love, tells us in the depths of our extremity never to despair. Each of these voyagers on GENNESARET was a witness to the truth of words which their great ancestor uttered in olden times, not far from the scene of their present terror "I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me. Through each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life." Psalm 42:7-8.

The earthquake, and the whirlwind, and the fire, being now past, there comes "the still small voice." Loud above the riot of the storm sounds the well-known, gentle, soothing, familiar tones, "Be of good cheer, It is I, be not afraid." Their Master's form they had mistaken in the lowering darkness, but the voice was well known to them. Just as the sailor, when owing to the dense fog, he is unable to find the beacon in the light-house; hears the sound of the bell, swung on its top, by the force of the tempest.

That brief but beautiful word of comfort is fenced on either side with "Be of good cheer," "Do not be afraid." But the ground of consolation is in the middle clause. That fear-dispelling, comfort-giving, "IT IS I," must have fallen on their ears like a strain of celestial music. "It is I." I your Lord and Master. I who have oftimes before spoken peace in your hours of trouble. I who have bidden the weary and the heavy laden come to have rest. I whose word has given light to the blind, and health to the diseased, and comfort to the mourner, and life to the dead. I who but a few brief hours ago had compassion on the multitudes, "because they were as sheep not having a shepherd." Do you think I will not much rather have compassion on you, My own sheep, who "follow me, and know My voice?" "Be of good cheer, It is I"—Fear not.

It is the same brief utterance with which He has calmed the storm-tossed in every age. When Paul, in an after year, was in imminent peril of his life, shut up in the Roman barracks in Jerusalem, in the Castle of Antonio, that same Lord, at the same midnight hour, stood by the bedside of His desponding servant, and repeated the same peace-giving word—"Be of good cheer, Paul." Again, at a subsequent period, one of those very disciples now in this vessel had a sublime vision vouchsafed to him of his Lord! It was so overpowering and glorious as to lead him to "fall at His feet as one dead." But the same right hand was extended, the same gentle voice was heard, saying, "Fear not."

And who has not felt in the storm-night of the soul the soothing power of that voice, and that presence, and that word? "IT IS I." Jesus lives. O! It is the felt presence, and power, and love of a Savior God which is the secret of the Christian's strength—not Jesus, a distant abstraction—Jesus, some mythical Being of superhuman might, soaring far beyond human conception and human sympathy—but Jesus, the personal Savior—the Living One—the Acting One—the Controlling One—(ay, and to as many as He loves,) the Rebuking One and the Chastening One! The hand of Jesus, and the will of Jesus, and the love of Jesus, is to him seen in everything. "It is I," is to him penciled on every flower, murmured in every breeze, waving on every forest branch. It is the superscription in every event in Providence. It gleams in gilded letters in prosperity. It stands brightly out in the dark and cloudy day. It is written on every sick pillow—on every death chamber—on every vacant chair, and vacant heart. Yes! that little word which rose from the bosom of Tiberias has gone forth to the end of the world, circling in undying echoes wherever there is a soul to comfort and a tear to dry. It gave peace to the chained Apostle in his Roman dungeon. "All men forsook me," says he, "Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me, and delivered me out of the mouth of the lion." And that same Divine Attraction that tuned the lips of those lonely tempest-tossed fishermen to songs in the night, is able still to allay every anxious fear—every trembling misgiving. "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?" "The floods have lifted up their voice, the floods have lifted up their waves; but the Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yes, than the mighty waves of the sea."

Let us learn from this entire passage, that we are always safe when following the will and directions of our Lord and Master.

Notwithstanding the momentary terror and lack of faith on the part of the disciples, it was, as we have seen, in obedience to the express command of Jesus, they had left the shore and braved the storm. "He CONSTRAINED them to get into the ship." With such a warrant as this, they had no cause for fear. Come darkness—come tempest—come ship-wreck—come death—come what may, they launched into the deep, "for the Lord had bidden them!" If they had left the shore unbidden by Him, they might have had good cause for alarm. The first breathings of the tempest would have disquieted them, but with this gracious encouragement, even though we are told that "the wind was contrary" they heeded it not. Their own doubting hearts might have prompted them to relinquish the voyage, and, since "all these things were against them," to return to shore. But the Lord had given the word! They pursued undaunted their onward course, and this was the helm by which they steered through the adverse waters" The Lord has bidden us."

If we, too, when seasons of trial overtake us, thus hold on amid all difficulties, cleaving faithfully to Christ, he will at last cause light to shine out of darkness, and bring us unto a quiet haven.
There is a very striking contrast between the case of the disciples in the narrative, and that of Jonah—the former obeying the directions of their Lord, the latter fleeing from His presence. How did it fare with each? For a time God seemed to prosper the journey of the disobedient prophet. Everything at first seemed to concur in his favor, and promised him a speedy and propitious voyage. He accomplished his land journey in safety, he found a vessel just ready to embark at the very time he needed it, and, with a serene sky and unruffled sea, he holds on his way. Look, again, to the disciples. They scarce have left the shores of Galilee, when the shadows of night begin to fall—a storm arises—opposing winds, and an adverse tide defy their seamanship, and seem to tell that obedience to their Lord's command is impossible. But how did the respective voyages terminate? The faithful disciples, struggling fearlessly on through winds and waves and buffeting elements, at last found, what we shall also find, an ample recompense for every storm we encounter, amid every trial we endure—they found the Lord. The other, in his guilty flight, was at first borne on by a propitious breeze, but speedily the calm was changed into a storm; and, engulfed in the raging elements he had madly braved, he was led to feel, in his sad experience, what "an evil thing it is to depart away from the living God."

Or, take another still older example: Look at Lot, at the bidding, not of his God, but of his own worldly ease and selfish ends, seeking the rich inheritance, while his more self-denying kinsman and uncle is content with the poorer portion. At first, all seems prosperous with him; the man of pleasure revels amid his well-watered plains and his luscious vintages; his cattle browse on richest pastures; the sun of heaven shines not on a fairer climate, on statelier dwellings—or nobler flocks. But, mark the end! Abraham, the unselfish, God-fearing, falls asleep full of years and faith. The noblest of epitaphs is to this day read by millions on the old cave of Machpelah—"The Father of the Faithful, THE FRIEND OF GOD!"But go to yonder height at Zoar, and note the contrast. See the proud home of Lot. The place that once knew it knows it no more! A canopy of fire is its winding-sheet; the depths of a bituminous lake its sepulcher—a calcified pillar, with a terrible history, stands overlooking the scene of perpetual desolation; and sadder far than that calcified pillar in front– and blacker far than the blackened ashes beneath—the Temple of his own Soul has been blasted and withered with infamy and shame! He who ("a righteous man") might have stood forth in these early ages as a glorious monument of primitive faith and virtue—a bright beacon-light to guide—became a glaring balefire, in the light of which the most distant ages may read the awful warning—"Let him that thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall."

Once more, THE CHURCH COLLECTIVELY, as well as believers individually, may find comfort and consolation in the narrative we have now been considering.

The two occasions of the stilling of the tempest, have been justly considered as typical of two great epochs in the Lord's administration of His Church on earth. The first (when He was with His disciples) symbolizing the period of His personal ministry—when, as God "manifest in the flesh," He was visibly among them, cheering them with His companionship. The second, when after His ascension, He no longer gladdened the Church with His personal presence; when He left it, apparently to battle its own way amid the storms of persecution; but yet, all the while continuing to watch it, as he does now, from the Heavenly Hill, controlling every billow which threatens its peace. As He appeared of old, at the fourth watch of the night, just the hour preceding day-dawn, and not only cheered the disciples with the joyful—"It is I" —but came up amid the toiling rowers, hushed the storm, and conducted them safe to shore;—so it will be, at the deepest hour of the world's midnight—the hour preceding the millennial-morn! He himself has forewarned us (as if He took the very symbol He employs from that night at Gennesaret), that when "the sea and the waves are roaring, and men's hearts are failing them for fear," then the sign of the Son of Man shall be seen,— "His way in the sea, and His path in the deep waters,"—and the trembling Church, cowering amid the darkness, will lift up its night-Song—"Let the sea roar and the fulness thereof . . . before the Lord, for He comes! He comes! to judge the earth."

Ah! we are apt in the midst of these environing {surrounding} storms, which threaten, and shall yet still more threaten, the existence of the Church of God—we are apt at times to wonder if its Great Head has forgotten His word, and forgotten His promise. There are ever craven hearts ready to echo the desponding cry— "Where is the promise of His coming?" but, fear not! Jesus has not left the foundering vessel to reel and plunge amid these moral tempests that are to close the great drama of time! No!—"in the fourth watch of the night"—when the darkness is thickest and the billows highest—"He that shall come, will come, and will not tarry." Just as the new creation is about to put on its full robe of morning light, He will hush every billow; and mooring His vessel on the heavenly shore, take His storm-tossed Church to be FOREVER WITH ITS LORD.

Let us seek to be in the position of men waiting for the dawn—standing on the deck with the cry on our lips—"Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly." And when we observe His presence on the waves, let it not be ours to exclaim in terror—He comes! but there is no pardon in His voice!—He comes! but there is no mercy in His footstep! Rather may we know the music of these words, which, to all that hear them, will be as the gate of heaven "IT IS I—IT IS I—DO NOT BE
AFRAID!"

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NONE IS GOOD, SAVE ONE

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And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. Luk 18:19


Some one asked the other day within a discussion, "What is your opinion of good and evil? What is good? What is evil?"

My response was that I believe for the saint of God, measuring between good and evil is almost irrelevant as we walk by the Spirit. I also shared an excerpt from a writing by Preston Eby which sums up and echoes my thoughts with regard to the subject of "good and evil."


The tree of the knowledge of good and evil, on the other hand, is not life, but death. The truth of this can be seen in the very ingredients of the fall! When Adam sinned, of which tree did he eat? Why, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Hear this! The elements of that tree were not only the element of evil; they were the elements producing a knowledge of both good and evil! The tree ministered to man a knowledge of good as truly as it ministered to him a knowledge of evil. Thus, the fall of man introduced him into a realm of duality, of admixture: good and evil. The fallen man is both good and evil! How prone we have been to declare the unregenerated man only evil! It is true that the element of evil in some men predominates, but it is also true that the element of good in other men predominates. The good in man has not been corrupted to the point of non-existence. It is for this reason that the philosophers and psychologists have discovered that within man are some illustrious virtues and innate goodness and have reached the mistaken conclusion that the nature of man is good. They have merely discovered that within fallen man there is still the principle of good which naturally causes us to want to do good.

The problem is that when man came into the knowledge of good and evil he did not come into a better condition. Man came to know good and evil but he didn’t come to KNOW GOD! He now possesses a knowledge of the good and of the evil, but he does not possess the KNOWLEDGE OF GOD! Man passed into the knowing of good and evil but he did not BECOME HOLY! He merely added evil to his good producing a mixture of the two, but in so doing he forfeited THE LIFE AND GLORY AVAILABLE TO HIM IN THE TREE OF LIFE! He chose good and evil but missed Life!


The knowledge of good and evil concerns itself only with external behavior, judging all things on the basis of whether they are good or evil. Man, as long as he walks in this consciousness of the fall, the knowledge of good and evil, can understand and judge only within this framework: is a thing good or is it evil? He then presumes that if a thing is good it must be acceptable and godly. Nothing could be farther from the truth! If good was acceptable with God then man could surely be justified by the works of the law. The law is good! But the good of man is the good of the creature not the good of the Creator! It is the good of the soul, but not the good of the Spirit!

In the garden of Eden we have two revelations from two kinds of trees. First, life is the nature of God, whereas good is the nature of man. Second, life is good, but not all good is life! The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil show us that on the highest level life and good are definitely different; life is neither good nor evil. Life, good, and evil ARE THREE DIFFERENT AND INDEPENDENT THINGS. The good of God can only be experienced through participation in the life of God. Evil mingled with good produced death. And even before man fell, all of his good, of itself, could not give him life. There was no life in good, just as there was no life in evil. Only the tree of life possessed the power of life! If man had been partaking of the tree of life he could not have fallen. Can we not see by this that good and life are things which pertain to two different worlds!

Just as evil is something other than life, so also is good something other than life. Just as evil is not life, so also good is not life. Evil and good, though different in nature, are really of the same world for they come from the same tree. Neither one contains life or is life! Thus in the scriptures, good and evil are not two trees, but one tree. Life is in another tree, being something of another realm, from another world, pertaining to another kingdom. This is how it is that a man, by his own determination and effort, can improve considerably in his character and actions and yet still be entirely VOID OF THE LIFE OF GOD! He can be upright, honest, truthful, caring, compassionate, influential for good in the world and yet have no more spiritual understanding or life than a dog or cat. This is because his goodness is completely apart from life! It is of his own good human effort, and not a product of indwelling life ............ (Eby)


The walk of a believer has everything to do with to learning to rest in our making decisions by the Spirit. Keeping with the subject at hand I read this exceptional metaphoric example (below) of how futile it is to measure "good and evil" which is an exercise of the carnal mind. This excerpt comes from a writing on prayer by L Hensley.

In the famous Classic Star Trek episode, "The City of the Edge of Forever," McCoy goes back in time and changes history for the worse by saving a street missionary named Edith Keeler from a violent death. She goes on and forms a peace movement that prevents the United States from entering World War II soon enough, so Germany invents the nuclear bomb first and wins the war. She was right about "peace being the way, but she was right at the wrong time." Kirk and Spock have to go back in time and prevent McCoy from saving Edith Keeler's life in order to set history straight again. Captain Kirk has to stop McCoy from saving her life even though he is deeply and profoundly in love with her. So Kirk grabs McCoy just as he is about to push Edith Keeler out of the way of a speeding automobile. Then he has to watch tearfully as she is impacted and thrown into the muddy street. Surely there must be times when God feels like Captain Kirk. He has to stand by and let the good die, and the evil live, and close his ears to the poignant prayers of the sick and suffering! We question God's love and integrity when He refuses to help the innocent and the sick and dying but He sees the alternate futures. We do not. Nevertheless it must be so hard to just stand by and do nothing, or even worse, to deliberately stop the McCoys of this world from saving the Edith Keelers of this world. I would not want to be God! (Hensley)

I pray this has helped you to see more clearly that there is only one "Good" and His Goodness came to this earth in the form a "servant king" named Jesus. May Christ's Spirit within you show forth His Goodness toward all mankind and the world.

Jack

PS. This is an added meditation appropriate for the subject along with a saying I copied from one of the old Christian mystics.

"Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:20)

We know we must leave sin because we can appreciate how horrible it is. We do not so quickly leave "our righteousness" because we think somehow it has been "purified". Mark well however that God does not fix the old man, but destroys it. He does not tell us to clean up our life, but to lay down our life. It is not enough to forsake the wrong: we must allow Him to crucify the right. That is, we must learn to hate our thoughts that we may have His mind. We must give up our "spiritual" desires in order to have Christ as All. (Brogden)

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"Even's God's worst evil is good, while man's best good is evil"

...................................................Unknown Christian Mystic

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DO YOU HAVE A BIG GOD OR A BIG DEVIL?

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"It is GOD which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." Phillipians 2:13

As we mature in Christ I believe we come to see that all that comes our way comes by the hand of God. All the events of our life are pre-destined and divinely appointed for our perfection. and the perfection of the corporate Christ. If God has raised you up to become a mature son and an overcomer (Romans 8 & Rev 2, 3 and 12) you will be overcome by the Spirit of Christ as you learn to surrender all that you have and all that you are to God. This is the method of our overcoming and where we find His rest.

Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led about by the Spirit in the Desert for forty days, Luke 4:1

Just as Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit to the wilderness to be tested so will all of God's sons. If it is good enough for Jesus it is good enough for us as He is the "Pattern Son." God tests our faith and then by the indwelling Christ we pass those tests. "I can do nothing of myself" is the purpose and the rightful conclusion of all His testings ........... and it is "His faith" that is tested. These may seem like deep things but they are true things that must be grasped before Christ be fully manifested in your life and mine.

I'll leave you with a short message by Paul Mueller, that I have probably had more cause to share than any other writing over the last year. This message points to a more mature understanding of our testing and the responsibility for such.

I have copied and pasted the conclusion of this message as a preamble that it might echo in the heart of any that God has prepared to receive it.




"We have grown spiritually beyond the doctrines of the old order. Now, we no longer see the devil in our lives. The Lord has taken the devil out of our minds, out of our doctrines, and out of our lives. Now we know the truth! Now we know "It is GOD which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." "

.................................................Paul Mueller


There is another rod of God that concerns us: it is the Lord’s rod of discipline and correction. Job referred to this rod when he said, ‘Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power? Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes. Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them (Job 21:7-9). As we look about us in the world today, we can see that the wicked live just as Job said they did, without the rod of God in their lives. The wicked enjoy wealth and the power which that wealth brings. They live the so-called ‘good life,’ for their lives are free of the Lord’s rod of discipline and correction. But it is not so with the chosen saints of the Lord! Our lives are wondrously and strangely predestined of our Father to attain to the fullness of sonship in Christ through the discipline of our trials.

Throughout our journey in this life, with every step we take, we will see the rod of God in our lives. At times, our lives will be interrupted by a strange set of circumstances that are unique and unexplainable. But we must know that our loving Father predestined us to the adoption of sons, and His rod is that set of disciplinary circumstances in our lives designed to lead us to the fullness of the life of Christ (Rom. 8:29). Others may live in abundant prosperity and health, enjoying the things of this world, but we are being disciplined by the rod of the Lord, and are separated unto Him for His holy purposes. If we are truly called and chosen of our Father to become manifest sons of God at this time, we must experience His strange and unique rods, including the rod of selection and separation as well as His rod of discipline.

The chastisement of Father’s rod is unique to true sons. All the sons of God are now going through some form of chastisement, or will soon experience it. The prophet declared, ‘The Lord’s voice crieth unto the city (the heavenly Jerusalem): hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it’ (Mic. 6:9). When the Lord applies His rod of correction to our lives, it is an indication that He wants to teach us something wonderful and important. The Lord’s rod brings a message to us, therefore we should hear the message of the rod. In every trial, He is doing something wonderful in our lives! When a strange form of discipline unto correction comes our way, we will then reply to our Father, ‘Abba, Father, what lesson do you want me to learn through this experience?’ Father has a rich, new message for us in every application of the rod, a message we could not receive in any other circumstance, so we are admonished to ‘hear ye the rod.’

Furthermore, we should not only hear the message of the rod, but we also should understand ‘who hath appointed it.’ The rod of correction, that must come into the life of every true son, is that experience that will perfect us and bring us into the fullness of the life of Christ. By the wisdom of the mind of Christ we will recognize the chastisements in our lives as the rod of God, and not Satan’s works. The devil would rather keep us living in constant ecstasy, and our minds thus dulled to the voice of the Lord. Satan does not want us to be perfected and would not send these tests and trials into our lives! But God is applying His rod to our lives to keep us alert and aware of His voice and leadings, and to perfect us and conform us to His image and likeness. We have grown spiritually beyond the doctrines of the old order. Now, we no longer see the devil in our lives. The Lord has taken the devil out of our minds, out of our doctrines, and out of our lives. Now we know the truth! Now we know "It is GOD which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." (Mueller)


God calls us and gives us His gift of salvation through Christ Jesus and a week later we want to earn that gift and our salvation. With our earnings we slowly "edge God out" (EGO). For about two weeks I was overjoyed with the gift of Christ and then for thirty years I tried to earn my keep in the Kingdom before I gave up.

Today I say, "Overcome me my Lord and reveal within me your rightful eternal throne where I can rejoin You as part of the Elohim. I acknowledge my absolute dependence on Your Grace."

Jack

Note: For further reading, a couple links

Paul and Emily Mueller writings
http://sigler.org/mueller/

"Where Did the Devil Come From?" by J Preston Eby
http://www.kingdombiblestudies.org/serpent/Serpent.htm



When that doctor slapped my little new born fanny the testing began and I cried ........ and today I am still crying.

How long O Lord, how long ..............

(that's a joke but not far from the truth. LOL)

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THE HOUR COMETH AND NOW IS ~ "The Dispersion of His Sons" (cont)

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But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:23,24


And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. And he said unto Abram, "know of a surety that thy seed shall be sojourners in a land that is not theirs; . . . they shall afflict them four hundred years; . . . and afterward they shall come out with great substance" (Gen. 15:12-14).

I was sharing from this set of scripture in Genesis with regard to the present dispersion of God's sons to the far corners of this world. Let me state that with regard to the "far corners of the world" I don't necessarily speak of geographical or physical scatterings and placements but more so of the spiritual plane of our existence. I believe when we wind up this "Hour Cometh and Now Is" series we will discover like wise that the "worshiping of God in spirit and truth" entails moving into the ethereal realms where our present physicality counts for little or better said, "nothing."

In the last message I made these two statements (in italics below) and the impetus should be on "God's calling" because without it the words I share have little meaning and may even seem absurd. Without God's calling there can be no hearing but with such there will, I believe, be a witness by the indwelling Holy Spirit that the things we discuss have import.

"I truly believe if God has called you out of this age as a son ............"

"If God seems to be calling you away from the camp and unto Himself, be encouraged."

I believe there is equity with God and that equity is divinely measured out through the ages and also on both sides of the grave. The biblical concepts of the "last becoming the first" and the "least being the greatest" give great credence to God's equitable plan and purpose where all men, each in his own order, shall find themselves filled with Christ that He be "All in All."

For any that do not understand the doctrine of "sonship" there is a message by George Hawtin (link below) that I read twenty five years ago and it thrilled my soul and bore witness with my spirit that there was more than just accepting Jesus, taking the title of Christian and getting on with life in a moral method that would be acceptable for heaven upon death. I laugh now because it seems so absurd that those were once my thoughts and the thoughts of most Christians even today. For any that feel in their spirit that there is more to the Christian walk than that which I just described above, I can only hope you would read this most amazing article entitled "According To The Purpose." I know it will thrill your heart to know something of the wondrous plan of our Father through Christ.

http://www.godfire.net/according.html

I am also aware that there are some that think the "sonship doctrine" promotes a mind set of "elitism". To this I say, that I recognize that there have been many that have perverted this teaching through their own vanity and missed it completely. Like all truths there is also a perversion and a counterfeit that rides aside it. Such is the way God veils and unveils Himself and it takes the Holy Spirit to discern truth from falsity. Allow me to emphasise that Christ walked this earth as a humble servant king and so shall those that follow Him in sonship.

Not to long ago I had a dream that so thrilled my soul as I experienced it. In this dream God's sons were being unveiled and displayed before all creation. Now, for any that aren't familiar with that which I refer to as far as the unveiling, these scriptures from the New Living Translation will hopefully give you some background.

Romans 8:15-24

You should behave instead like God's very own children, adopted into his family calling him "Father, dear Father." For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God's children. And since we are his children, we will share his treasures-for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours, too. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.


The Future Glory
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, everything on earth was subjected to God's curse. All creation anticipates the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us. Now that we are saved, we eagerly look forward to this freedom.

Also God's son's who are filled with the substance of Christ are written of within the seven addresses to the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3. These are those out of the church that "overcome."

Now,with this dream, I was experiencing a great celebration as you would when viewing a glorious parade where marching victors are the subject of everyone's attention and acclaim. The excitement I felt in my heart was tremendous as I was about to be part of the unveiling of "God's sons and overcomers," also described in the King James as the "manifested sons of God." When I awoke the feeling of exuberant joy was over whelming but as I tried to recall this dream I was perplexed. You see, I could not remember whether I was a witness to the manifestation of the God's sons or whether in this dream I was a manifested son.

With this idea, that I could not remember of which group I was part of, God spoke to me that it is His sovereign calling as to which age we shall be overcomers and totally filled with His substance. I don't know all that will transpire in this new dawning age and the ages to come but I do know it is all perfectly and sovereignly appointed as are our callings so that no flesh shall ever glory in His presence or His Kingdom which be Christ!

they shall afflict them four hundred years; . . . and afterward they shall come out with great substance" Gen. 15:14

God's sons will be afflicted for a time and "afterward they shall come out with great substance" ........... and that great substance is Christ, who rules and enjoys all of His creation. Can you say, Amen!

Jack

And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred. Mark 4:20

"the called" ......... 30 fold

"the chosen" ......... 60 fold

"the faithfull" ....... 100 fold

"Christ All in All" ....... 190 fold

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The Masey-Ferguson

By Howard Barnett

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. I Thessalonians 5:18


Shortly after acquiring my Putnam County farm, I began to canvas the local area for a tractor that would provide the necessary traction to work the steep (really steep) hillsides of our farm. I had noticed that the previous owner had a Massey Ferguson 135, so I figured if that model worked for him, that’s what I would watch for. I finally located one from a retired farmer who lived between Eleanor and Buffalo. It had with it some plows and extra farm equipment. I was confident, as I tried the tractor out by driving it around the gentleman’s yard, that the tractor and I would probably get along fine together. So after concluding the transaction and moving the tractor and equipment to my newly acquired farm, I was ready to venture forth. I had, in my mind’s eye, already seen what I hoped to accomplish among the briers and the brambles. After extending the wheels out as far as they would go and adjusting the seat as low as my long legs would allow, I hooked up the mower and set out. Man, those hills sure looked steep. My first day was spent in the lowest possible gear, while hanging onto the fender to keep from falling off the tractor. I had asked the previous owner how long it took him to mow the field I was working in. His response was "you can get it done in under a day." When my first day was over I hardly had made a dent in the mowing and my nerve wasn’t close to being ready for some of the really steep banks. On the second day I discovered 2nd gear and even began to consider 3rd. By the third day, 2nd gear was mostly for turning, but 3rd gear was ‘where it was at’. I finally finished mowing the field on the fourth day. The next time I was to tackle this field, I would finish it in less than a day!

Our Christian walk is much like my exposure to the Massey Ferguson 135. Our first ventures with any of God’s ‘equipment’ are sure to be slow and apprehensive. Wisdom dictates that we walk slowly and safely, measuring progress by progress. As our confidence grows, along with our abilities, we begin to accomplish more with less effort. We are learning how to work in the yoke. And his burden is easy.

My tractor and I became a team. We eventually got most of the farm cleaned up. But I was still praying my way around many of the hillsides.

One October morning my ‘buddy’ and I headed over the hill to some ‘bottom ground’ down on Eighteen Mile Creek, to clean up a remnant corn patch. After mowing for some time in the eight-acre field, I happened to notice the hub cap on the front wheel had fallen off somewhere in my rounds. The cap (smaller than a tennis ball) would be hard to locate, considering the mulching action of my brush blade. God, I know it’s a small item, but could you help? Almost immediately I spotted the cap right out in plain view. Thank you Jesus! I stopped the tractor and got off to retrieve the cap, thanking the Lord for his help. As I knelt to pick up the hubcap, I saw next to the cap, underneath some mulched corn, my wallet, which had worked out of my pocket beneath my coveralls. Oh My!! My thanking reached into a higher level! I would never have spotted the wallet without kneeling for the hubcap. A rejoicing farmer again knelt to replace the cap on the wheel of my ‘buddy’. As I was replacing the cap, I noticed a water leak coming from a small hole in a radiator hose. I began thanking and praising the Lord for showing the potentially damaging leak. I would not have seen it in time, without kneeling to replace the hubcap. As I headed my tractor homeward for repair, I continued to praise the Lord for his wonderful presence. As I pulled into the barn area, the old hose burst completely. I just praised the Lord through the rising steam. We really are peculiar people.

When I had purchased a new hose and was going over the routine maintenance checks on the Massey Ferguson, I discovered that the main drive had broken. It would function normally on level or uphill terrain, but would have completely become detached upon turning the tractor downhill. There would have been no way to stop on a downhill grade - and all my grades were very downhill. I don’t have command of the English language enough to adequately express my gratitude to my Lord and friend. But he knows my heart.

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I was so touched by this story. These are common experiences for those who walk with the lover of our souls. They are the flowers and cards from the one who loves to make his presence known...........How many never recognize his loving kindness toward us...........or that his mercy does follow us all the days of our lives...........my heart is full this day............just remembering............who needs anything else, but to know him and his love...??

Sometimes it seems like my life has a timeline of events...........everything leading up to my divorce in 91' and then a break.... and after divorce... it seems to me life really began...........During that time so many things happened that convinced me I was not alone......... I learned to look to him as there was no one else........

One night in 92' I heard the water running and stepped out on the deck to see if someone had left the hose on. The house was in foreclosure............and there was little money available for utilities. I was careful to keep the lights and gas and water use at a minimum. The water heater was leaking and the washer would only fill and spin so we were agitating the clothes ourselves, like washer women and then letting the spin action finish for us. You will have to imagine my desperation when I saw the backyard was flooded. As I stepped down into the yard in the dark I was able to find the problem. The main sprinkler line had broken and I needed to shut it off at the main, but I had no tools.

I tried to think who I might call for help.........at 11:00 o'clock at night. Who would get out of bed and come help me?.......I was too humiliated to call anyone. As I sat there crying the Lord spoke to me and said, " what do you have to repair the leak"..........now that was funny...........what difference did that make? If you don't have tools to shut off the water then whatever I had would not make any difference. I told the Lord what I needed was a man with some tools!! But then I remembered the woman with just one jar of oil and it seemed I was being asked to go get what I had..........So I got up and started down the driveway toward the garage at midnight. Just then a car drove up and caught me in the headlights. It was my neighbor who asked, "what are you doing walking around at this time of night?" I told him my plight and he said he'd help just give him a minute to change his clothes. Amazingly, God had done just that, sent a man......I continued to the garage to look for anything that might help and came up with PVC glue and some PVC tape.

When I returned to the backyard my neighbor had already turned off the main and was digging around the broken pipe. He showed me the problem. The elbow had come loose and would have to be reglued. Knowing we were without water he stated if he only had some pipe glue and tape he could fix it. I held up the two items and we both laughed...........A few hours later I was on my way to bed knowing that in the morning we could turn the water back on. In the quiet before I fell asleep the Lord spoke to me that I was safe in his keeping and that he was with me and my children. I felt the cares lift as I could tangibly feel his arms around me........"all is well," he said.......... it was and is......

Joian

THE HOUR COMETH AND NOW IS ~ "The Dispersion of His Sons"

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But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:23,24

As we work our way through this series to understand how we shall worship Him in spirit and truth in the dawning new age I felt led to share something of what I see happening in the Kingdom today. A few weeks ago God began to speak to me the word "dispersion." Dispersion is defined as spreading widely, scattering, breaking up and scattering and the process of distributing over a wide expanse of space. Within the last decade or so I believe we have been seeing a quiet dispersion of God's sons to the four corners of the earth, as in "one of a city and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion" (Jer 3:14). God is calling many of us unto Himself and out of our comfort zones made up of family, friends and church.

A few days ago, I sat down to write in the morning and it was not to be as my day ended up unexpectedly spent in prayer for Joian, Misheal and the rest of the family. I truly don't choose such ways of spending my days but I have learned over the last few years that prayer is my first most calling and a gift given to me by God. I truly find more purpose and fulfillment in prayer than with anything else I do in this walk and this seems ever more so with time. I was burdened for the Schroff ladies as I saw the beginnings of a separating and scattering of this most tight knit of families. I felt the hardship and sorrow as Misheal left her mom, sisters and friends to follow her husband across the country in search of new opportunity. However, more so, I thrilled to envisioned this separation as an exciting new venue for this family to come together in Christ within wondrous new realms of deeper spiritual fellowship not even imagined before.

As I prayed and meditated on this ongoing dispersion I was also reminded of another Word God gave me last week. I shared this with Joian the other night about how hard it was getting for me to write because it seemed my words were often so strong. I recounted to her how I was feeling very frustrated about writing when I woke up one morning and the Holy Spirit quickened me to speak truth no matter what and know that much of which Joian and I share during our walk is for remembrance in a coming day. Having said all that, please allow me to share some scripture that came to mind with regard to the subject of "our dispersion."

And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. And he said unto Abram, "know of a surety that thy seed shall be sojourners in a land that is not theirs; . . . they shall afflict them four hundred years; . . . and afterward they shall come out with great substance" (Gen. 15:12-14).

This is taken from the scene of God's covenant ceremony with Abraham and in it the "father of faith" hears from God out of his darkness. How often this is the way in which we hear and see God, as He gloriously reveals Himself and His plans for us in a new light while we suffer the gloom of trial. Here God shoots it straight with Abraham and tells him that there will be a suffering state of his seed for a period of time and then would come the promised "great substance." We must "first suffer then reign" and such is the pattern set for us through the lives of Abraham, the innumerable O.T. patriarchs and matriarchs, and Christ. In opposition the carnal man desires the immediate gratification of worldly honor and prosperity and for decades, if not centuries, the apostate church has shamelessly soft peddled the gospel promoting such rewards. The truth of the matter is that the blessed and the beloved of God are often sorely afflicted and if you have walked very long in a deep relationship with Christ, you know this as truth. Lettie Cowan, a missionary to China once wrote, "God's promises seem to wait for the pressure of pain to trample out their richest juice as in a wine-press. Only those who have sorrowed know how tender is the "Man of Sorrows."

I truly believe if God has called you out of this age as a son you you will eventually find your way to the place where you will cry out to the Father from the depth of your soul, "give me Christ, whatever else You deny me."

If God seems to be calling you away from the camp and unto Himself, be encouraged. It is that which we are called to place upon the altar, in pursuit of Him, that will come back later as treasured glory. Our joy will be immeasurable and His peace we can receive today.

"I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord" Phil. 3:8


Jack

(note: Lord willing, in the next few days
I will add more to this, of which I believe is
being revealed, as to "the dispersion of His sons."

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Abba, Father

Jeremy, Owen & Melody





Ever look at a picture like the one above and long to be the child. Well, then join the rest of us who have longed to be the center of their parents love. Many are tempted to grow bitter in envy, longing for what they never had. Or you can choose to go into denial and declare you don't need anyone, live a life rejecting before you are rejected. Detach from all loving relationships declaring you don't need anyone. Been there, done all of the above.

The better way was when I laid it all down and began to trust God for the recompense. Recompense, what a word. It means I will make it up to you......God is a God of recompense, he promises to make it up to us..........what a thought, what reality!

My mother became a widow during WWII.......her young husband was killed in a hit and run accident. As an adult she would describe to me, her life with her first husband the father of my three older brothers. It was not a fun time for her.

After his death, she would meet and have and affair with my father. My father was sixteen years older than my mother when they met and going through his second divorce. When they found out I was on the way, they lied to family telling them they had married. They lived that lie for three years. My dad had custody of his two children so they started out their life with a blended family of five. My younger brother would join the group when I was eighteen months old.

It's not hard to imagine that this was not a marriage made in heaven.............or was it?........LOL My older brothers remember some pretty horrific, verbal fights played out before them. As I grew up I was never sure of my earthly father's love or have any memory of him speaking the words, "I love you", to me. Still, I recall much of my childhood as idyllic. I spent summers roaming through open fields and climbing trees. There were always new puppies or kittens each spring. How I loved those times. I was unaware of the storms that brewed and childhood should be that way.

As I grew older, I have came to respect my parents struggle. I view them with an understanding born out of my own suffering.........That they stayed together.......says a great deal about who they were...and the grace of God toward our family.

It's just now I can thank God for my parents and my life with them.......... I know they loved their children.... not expressed in the way we all longed for perhaps, but I understand ...As broken as they were they tried to love us...........It will be but a moment and we we see each other again, we'll have lots to say regarding all the struggles we endured.........I expect we will even laugh about our journey together here in this place, I call hell. I understand the 23rd Psalm much more deeply when I recall his words, he will be with me in the valley of the shadow of death, and that he truly prepares a table for me in the presence of my enemies and leads me beside the still waters........and how goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.........

Today on TM a question was bought up about the word adoption. If we are truly just adopted by our heavenly father it leaves the idea that we didn't originally belong in his family. The following two articles helped clear some of my thinking on that question. I share them here for you to consider and possibly add to our understanding of who we actually are to our Father.

Joian
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Excerpt from TM-
I think one way a lot of believers in hell justify this contradiciton is the heresy that only Christians are our Heavenly Father's children through some legal contract established by them by believing the right doctrines. This is called the 'doctrine of adoption' which is really interesting when properly looked into.

The word adoption didn't mean back then what it means today. Back then they would take their own child at a certain age and confirm it as theirs. It was not about anothers child being adopted. So the word adoption is probably translated as 'sonship' or 'childship'. When we see that Creator is also the Father of Creation, then we will also understand that He is responsible for all of it and not just for those who belong to the right religion. But wasn't this also the trap into which the Jews fell until Jesus came and messed up their theology?

I can't remember where I got this information from. If I remember correctly it was more than one place. When I was more in contact with the 'Fatherheart Movement' I collected a lot of information on these things, but I don't know where you would find it on the Internet.

There are some good books though. I think George MacDonald talks about it in his book "Discovering The Character Of God" and talks about this 'doctrine of adoption' that was very common in the Calvinistic teachings of his time.

Interesting that Martin Luther did not translate it as the 'Spirit of adoption' either, but the 'Spirit of childship or sonship'. In the roman as well as the hebrew culture the term adoption meant something like 'sonplacing'. Interesting also, that one could never be de-adopted after this had taken place. If I can remember some good sources to back this up I will come back again and post you the links.

Another book just came to my mind which might discuss this subject. Its called 'From Orphans To Heirs' by a guy called Mark Stibe of something like this. Well, also if you search for "Fatherheart Ministries" and "Shiloh Place Ministries" you might find some information on this.

Floyd


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I do bear witness with the things Floyd shared and will be following hard after some of the new understanding it has brought. Below is another article by John Gavazzoni also posted by Floyd on TM............Reading about men who loved their families, always touches my heart...........What a legacy they leave when they are able express this kind of love to their children. How much more when our Father loves others through us...........

Joian
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My Dad, God
John R Gavazzoni
November, 1999

Whatever he may or may not have been, Luigi Gavazzoni was certainly my Dad. He died suddenly of a massive heart attack thirteen years ago, as of this writing, and his spirit has gone to be with the One who is Father to both of us; the greater Father "from whom every family in heaven and earth is named" (Eph. 3:15). Yet still, the memory of him can moisten my eyes with a mixture of joy and sorrow. Joy, because the thought of him still nurtures me, and sorrow, because I can no longer reach for the phone and hear the words, "Hi son, how are you?" There was always in the simple greeting the note of spontaneous delight.



As he grew older and especially after he surrendered to Christ, the treasure of his heart, after Christ Himself and my mother, was his children. As the oldest of the children, I had the privilege of being taken into his confidence at times when something moved him deeply.

One such time had to do with my younger brother who was going through a period of youthful rebellion. As Dad shared with me his concern and consternation, he suddenly stopped short and with a great surge of emotion that seemed to sweep aside all other considerations, he spoke exactly six words. I remember them as if it were yesterday, though it was over forty years ago: "God, how I love that boy!" Rebellious boy, stubborn boy, disrespectful boy, but a boy loved with a father's love. I wouldn't suggest that you ever speak a disparaging word about Dad in the presence of my brother Ron today, because you might get your clock cleaned. Love conquered and remains the sweet scent of memory. One thing Ron and I know and agree upon: we had a Dad.

I remember the day before Dad's funeral when my youngest brother, overcome with grief, but revealing the fruit of Dad's love in his heart, spoke almost identical words with tears coursing down his cheeks, "God how he loved me." I could go on about the relationship he had with our "baby" sister, the apple of his eye, but that would take a book in itself. I know I may not have avoided coming across as maudlin in this very personal introduction, for that is what I have written thus far; an introduction to a teaching on the fatherhood of God. One thing stands out clearly to me when I compare my father's relationship with his children to the way our Heavenly Father is presented in conventional orthodox theology. It is simply this: Lou Gavazzoni's relationship with me was paternal, not legal. Whatever factors came into play, all was built on a familial, not a forensic foundation. There may at times have been a friendship element, associate-in-business element, fellow-musician element, boss-employee element, even lord-servant element and yes, the element of judgment came up as well. But, I never stood before one who was essentially a judge, who might, after legal matters were settled, then allow himself to be fatherly.

I stood before my father who might, as necessary, act in a firm, unyielding and corrective judgment as part of his love for me. Yet, it seems clear to me, that most of Christianity assumes that a relationship with God is only possible after legal matters are settled. Our minds are so entangled with what we perceive to be legal, judicial and forensic necessities that we miss the Father-heart of God.

If we fully understand the implications of what is thought to be the soundest theology we will see that our religious teachers have led us to believe that God relates to us as in the courtroom rather than the family room. The great words in our English Bibles that have to do with the very foundation and structure of our relationship with God are made to convey cold, legal austerity and then a noble attempt is made to wring some warmth of kinship from them. Some of the words are; "advocate," "atonement," "justification," "redemption," "propitiation," "righteousness," etc. I hope, by the Spirit, to pull aside the veil over our minds, at least a little, concerning the first word in our list: "advocate." It is the Greek word, "parakletos," which conveys this range of meaning: "intercessor, consoler, comforter, counselor, helper, advocate, strengthener, standby." It is used at least in the following scriptures verses: Jn. 14:16,26; 15:26; 16:7, I Jn. 2:1.

In the King James Version, "parakletos" is translated "advocate," only once, in I Jn. 2:1. In all of the other verses listed above, it is translated "comforter." Any Bible teacher worth his salt knows that the word "parakletos" in the Gospel of John passages, deals with Jesus Christ ministering His riches in glory to His disciples through the Holy Spirit (the intercessor, consoler, helper, strengthener, advocate, standby). But most fundamentalists, evangelicals, Pentecostals, Charismatics and orthodox teachers change the whole meaning and direction of the word in explaining its use in the 1st Epistle of John (I Jn. 2:1). Here, it is taught to mean that Jesus Christ, our "parakletos," instead of ministering in concert with the Holy Spirit to the heart of the believer, is said to be acting as an advocate in the sense of a divine attorney pleading the case of the believer before the bar of God so that the Father, upon hearing Christ's defense of the believer, and the ultimate evidence of the shed blood of Christ on his behalf, will find the sinner/saint not guilty. Even as I must confess that I once believed and taught this perversion, now, I wonder how did we ever get this scenario so turned around and upside down? It goes back to certain church fathers, such as Augustine and Tertullian, who had an obsession with Romish law, and who lacked a full revelation of God's grace.

It does not make sense that John would suddenly take the Greek word which indicates an action of God toward and in the heart of man, (i.e., from heaven toward earth), where in effect, there is a pleading of God's case toward men, and change it to mean a pleading of man's case before God.

How can it be that John in one instance is said to use this word "parakletos" to convey the idea of the Son having to convince the Father to be merciful, when in every other instance, the word clearly means that God is commending His love to us in His Son by the Spirit (II Cor. 5:19). This kind of reasoning is stupid, perverse, nonsensical, idiotic and yes, demonic! I John 2:1 does not reveal Christ advocating before a recalcitrant Deity,but rather demonstrates that He is our advocate with the Father. That is to say, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all acting as one in the advocacy of us and for us. They are, together, helping us, consoling us, counseling us, strengthening us, in order to get us to receive and understand the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. The only sense in which Jesus makes a presentation before the Father is in the sense of presenting His redeeming work for the Father's approval. This, He has done once for all (Heb. 10:12). Then the Father, in effect, says to Jesus, "Yes, your blood is what they need. It was shed just as I commanded you for them. I am for them; you are for them; the Holy Spirit is for them."

We must become clear on this.
Jesus is NOT acting on our behalf in the legal sense of an advocate, but in the sense that He comes to us because He is for us and He is advocating God's cause in our lives. Several times, the blood is presented in scripture as that which our hearts need, not what an angry God needs in order to forgive. Heb. 9:14 speaks of the blood cleansing our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. According to I Pet. 1:2, we are the ones that need to be sprinkled with the blood of Christ. Again in Hebrews 10:22, it is our hearts that need the blood to sprinkle us clean from an evil conscience. In Luke 22, 19,20, Jesus tells the disciples, "This is my body, which is given for you, this cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood." This verse and the other ones just mentioned, indicate that the blood is for man rather than for God.

Since the Holy Spirit is the "parakletos" and Jesus is the "parakletos" with the Father, that means they are together, the triune God in perfect harmony coming to us to advocate, strengthen, console, comfort and help by transmitting to us by the Spirit the Father's love freely given in the grace of Christ. There is no courtroom scene here with one member of the trinity convicing another member not to be angry. There is only togetherness and singleness of purpose with Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, insuring that the work which He began, He will finish. "For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13). The believer may rest comfortably in the knowledge that "we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10). And finally, we take our stand in the sure knowledge that "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31).

John Gavazzoni

Here's the link to his website: http://greater-emmanuel.org./jg/jgindex.html