Sound, Quantum Physics, and Ephesians 4:14

Sound, Quantum Physics, and Ephesians 4:14

So much noise (ha!) in the Charismatic world these days about quantum physics and the importance of sound regarding the supernatural working of the Kingdom of God. I hear about it almost everywhere I go. I went to a three day Prophetic Round Table where the opening word, which set the stage for the three days, was a vision someone said they received. The vision was of circuits—circuits beyond what could be counted, laid out next to each other like a deck of cards prepared for the game of match. There wasn’t a power source, so they were all inactive. (This is a paraphrase, but closely encapsulates the vision.) The interpretation, though I thought it represented churches not being hooked up to each other and the power of God, went along the lines of sound waves and quantum physics. The “visionary” got out the white board, drew parallel sound waves—like a music staff. I spent the whole three days kind of in a blur, wondering how they could get from that vision to that interpretation, and somehow accuse God of it. That was the beginning of my adventure in what I believe to be a wind of doctrine.

 Since the Round Table experience I have heard quantum physics come up at conferences and in sermons. The correct terms would be variations of resonance anyway. (Thank you BL & SR.) Resonance phenomena occur with all types of vibrations or waves. With this in mind, let’s search out some of the scripture texts I have heard regarding the misused term, “quantum physics,” considering whether or not it would it matter anyway, if the terms were correct. As a side note, if you feel compelled to use these physics terms in the context of scripture, it would do a great service to your hearers to takes some advanced physics classes first, so as not to give Christianity a bad name through your ignorance. 

Following are some of the proof-text for messages I have heard on this subject. Using each of these Biblical accounts, people have focused on the importance of the sound in each one. As if the sound was the focus and not the act of God, Who used seemingly foolish means in each. As you read through these scriptures consider what the outcome would have been if everything was done as it was, though only through natural means, as if God was not involved. (Another side note [Thanks Bryson]: Sound is important to God—God spoke in creation, Jesus is the Word of God, instruments' sounds invoke emotions and communicate things like love and battle cries ["For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for battle?" 1 Corinthians 14:8].)

·      Gideon and the defeat of the Medians

·      Wall of Jericho falling down

·      1 Chronicles 25:1-7

·      Ezekiel and the Dry Bones

·      Pentecost

Gideon’s defeat of the Midians —Judges 7

Was it Gideon’s approach and the sound produced that conquered the Midianites or the power of God working through Gideon’s obedience to what God said? From Judges 7, “Then the LORD said to Gideon, “By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his place.”” The Lord said, “I [the Lord] will save you.” It was not the sound of the pitchers breaking or the sounding of the trumpets—it was God Who caused the chaos in the Midian camp by using Gideon and the 300 soldiers who did it His way.

* See Below

 Joshua and the Wall of Jericho --Joshua 6

What if Joshua had just decided to march around Jericho and blow trumpets without God’s direct involvement? Just wondering. Would the Wall of Jericho have still fallen down? If the Lord had not said, “And the LORD said to Joshua, “See! I have given Jericho into your hand...do this...”” (Joshua 6) would the sound of the marching, the trumpets blasting, and the shouting have caused the Wall to fall? Interestingly, Rahab’s house, which was on the wall, didn’t fall.

1 Chronicle 25:1-7

I have heard teaching that the instruments actually create things in the atmosphere as they prophesy. Were the instruments actually prophesying in 1 Chronicles 25, as stated in messages I have heard, or were the people prophesying while they play instruments?  The three main people mentioned in 1 Chromicles 25 are Asaph, Heman, and, Jeduthun (Ethan), and their sons. These men wrote some of the psalms—many psalms are prophetic in nature. 1 Chronicles 25:1, “Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy [<05012>: To prophesy under influence of divine spirit; <05030>: spokesman, speaker, prophet. Both words are written in the Hebrew text of 1 Chronicles 25:1. It reads prophesy prophet…] with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals. And the number of the skilled men performing their service was…” “[7]So the number of them, with their brethren who were instructed in the songs of the LORD, all who were skillful, was two hundred and eighty-eight” Notice verse 7 says, “…who were instructed in the songs of the LORD.” This brings clarity to any ambiguity verse 1 may have. 

Peter Paul Rubens [Public domain], 

via Wikimedia Commons

These sons of Asaph, Heman, and Juduthun were prophesying with their mouths, as they played musical instruments, singing the songs of the LORD. Furthermore, the word “prophesy <05012>” is used 102 times. Every time it is of someone speaking and not once is it said of an instrument.  Also, how would the players have known they were giving thanks and praise (1Ch 25:3) if it was the instruments prophesying? “Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied <05012> with a harp to give thanks and to praise the LORD.”

The interaction of the prophetic and music is easy to see from Scripture. Following are two examples. However, many of the Psalms are prophetic themselves, tying music and prophecy together.

1Sa 10:5-6 has parallel terminology with the Spirit of God coming upon people [Saul] when instruments played, leading to prophesying. “After that you shall come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying <05012>.Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you, and you will prophesy <05012> with them and be turned into another man.”

2 Kings 3:15-16 [Elisha speaking] “But now bring me a harpist.” While the harpist was playing, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha and he said, “This is what the LORD says: Make this valley full of ditches…””

The Valley of Dry Bones in Ezekiel 37 and Pentecost in Acts 2

Both of these were mentioned in passing, emphasizing the importance of the sound in each. “There was a noise, and suddenly a rattling” when Ezekiel began to prophesy to the dry bones. I actually love that when God moves there is often noise and rattling. Heaven seems to be a pretty noisy place—except that ½ hour in Revelation. But, this has nothing to do with the need for noise or sound, or quantum physics for that matter, and everything to do with God, His Word, and the reaction of the natural world to His Voice. Sound waves are a product of God, not a substitute for God.

Pentecost had a sound as of a rushing mighty wind. I kind of like that the Holy Spirit can be noisy. I am noisy. He is noisy too. I know that must sound juvenile, but come on people, does there have to be some extra quantum sound associated with the Holy Spirit being poured out? Think about it…Here it is at last—Pentecost’s fulfillment, I think God wanted to make a little noise. When Passover was fulfilled the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. I think that was noisy too.

* I, Svickova [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC-BY-SA-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Can You Hear the Trumpet Call to Prayer

Can You Hear the Trumpet Call to Prayer

With 9/11/14 less than a week away and the numerous warning the USA has received, it is time we hear the trumpet call to prayer.

"Gucastatue" by svickova - Own work (own picture). 

Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution

- Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - 

The Lord deposited a visual in my spirit of a trumpet being lifted up to sound an alarm. Over and over again the trumpet was lifted up and set to sound. The Lord has a message for His church from Nehemiah 4:19-20. 

“Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!” ” 

The “there” is prayer—join in prayer.

Like Nehemiah and the Jews we will probably hear voices telling us, “the task is too difficult” and “God will not hear us.” But, God is a big God, the task isn’t too difficult for Him, and we must pray for our nation concerning the threats against her.

Though the United States has a great army that we are most thankful for, it has been the Lord Who has protected and blessed us. [“No king is saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not delivered by great strength.” Psalm 33:16] God has been our Protector, our protection. But we, as a nation, have torn down our protective wall as we have turned away from the Lord and served other gods. Now, we hear the threats of our enemies. They want to destroy us. It is all over the media—chatter from ISIS planning large scale terror attacks on September 11, and the possibility of ISIS using the 11 missing jets from Libya as weapons against us. Our response must be prayer to the only One Who can help us.

When you read this, hear it as a trumpet sounding an alarm, not as judgment. An alarm that must be answered with prayer and repentance. We, like Israel of old, have sinned against God. If you can, get together with others to pray before Thursday, September 11, or pray by yourself—to pray for our nation.

From Nehemiah 4 we also see that Nehemiah [:13] “…stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows.” Lowest points and exposed places are the vulnerable areas on the wall and can relate to targets in the United States—the vulnerable places where the enemy could slip in for a terror attack. Pray especially for the vulnerable areas of our nation, like boarder states.

Verse 4:16 says from that day on the workers carried swords as they worked, while others stood guard with weapons—that is, everyone was engaged and equipped. We, as Christians, have weapons that are spiritual. And although ISIS’ threats are very real, it is ultimately a spiritual battle. God hears when His people pray. Prayer is the greatest weapon. The answer Nehemiah gave to the Jews was, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” We are not just praying for ourselves, we are fighting for the generations that will come after us. Let us not be like Hezekiah who said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good!” For he [Hezekiah] said, “Will there not be peace and truth at least in my days?” 2 Kings 20:19

God Bless America, 

Land that I love. 

Stand beside her 

and guide her, 

through the night, 

with Your Light, 

from Above! Amen!

Prayer is a Bulldozer

Prayer is a Bulldozer

Life is full of, let’s call it, “life’s junk.” We can feel overwhelmed with decisions we need to make or have made. Then there are people. Difficult people we deal with every day or maybe people we avoid due to pains or relationship problems—maybe we are the difficult one? Money troubles that awaken us at night—there just doesn't ever seem to be enough.  How about Fear? The list could go on and on and on.

For the Christian, God has provided a bulldozer. A bulldozer that will doze away all the “life’s junk.” It's called prayer. Am I saying, that prayer fixes things? Not necessarily. Prayer itself fixes nothing. But prayer connects us to a God Who does fix things. Being connected to God, not only as Savior but also as Lord and Friend, brings a “Yet none of these things move me” calming. 

Col 2:19 says there are those who have “lost connection with the Head.” Not that they have lost their salvation, what they have lost is their connection. The NASV and the NKJV both translate "connection" as “not holding fast" to the Head. In Psalm 73, Asaph—both choir director and prophet during David’s time, wrote [2] “But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped…[17] Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood…” Verse 17 is the pivot in this psalm. Asaph is wrapped up in his perspective until he goes into the sanctuary, then he understands and his whole perspective throughout the rest of the psalm is different.

Prayer is a means to an end, and not the goal in and of itself—it is not a duty, prayer is a privilege. Prayer connects us to God through relationship; there He shares His secrets with us; there He transforms our perspective to His; there live begins to make sense again. There, in His sanctuary, the “life’s junk” gets bulldozed. What is left reveals a path, our path, in the midst of what once looked impassable and daunting. 

Go into His sanctuary. Hear what He has to say. Allow His secrets to change your perspective. He is waiting.

Why I am Not a Preterist: Part 4

Why I am Not a Preterist: Part 4

Revelation 10:7 (NASV) “but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets.”

Let’s dissect Revelation 10:7.

Greek Lexicon: “Then”: 2532 και kai kahee “apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force.” (“Then” connects and thrusts forward.) This is during the days when the 7^th angel (one with the 7^th trumpet) is about to sound (literally “trumpet”), that—THE—mystery of God is finished. Look at this in view of 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17,

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”  

And, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed — in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”

This sounds like “during the days when the 7^th angel is about to sound” the end of the age has come, not the end of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Note in 1 Corinthians 15 the words “last trumpet.” This literally means “the last trumpet.” The 7^th angel blows the 7^th and last trumpet. At the last trumpet the Lord descends, the dead are raised, those alive are changed and caught up (or caught up and changed) to meet the Lord; Thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Another thought — what is “the mystery of God” that would be finished, which “He preached to His servants the prophets”? God has a number of mysteries, but my opinion is that it is speaking of the mystery found in Colossians 1:25-27 (tied also to 1 Corinthians 2 mystery),

“I have become its [the Gospel’s] servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness — the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

There are hints of this mystery even in the Garden of Eden. But to say that this mystery or any of God’s mysteries — mystery of the Kingdom: Mark 4:11, mystery of the church: Ephesians 3, mystery of Christ: Colossians 2, mystery of the Gospel: Colossians 4—were finished, as Revelation 10:7’s mystery was finished seems absurd if placed into Preterists’ time frame of 70 AD. But, if placed at the end of the age and the return of Jesus Christ, then it fits with the rest of scripture, and even with the above scriptures concerning the timing of the last trumpet.

Oil: The Commodity of the Kingdom

Oil

We should not overlook and think it a coincidence that oil is such a prominent commodity in the world system. Wars, nations, wealth, powers: civilization itself revolves around oil. Is this not the commodity of Heaven: the Kingdom? The Anointing of the Holy Spirit is likened to oil. His Anointing ought to be sought after, purchased with our time and devotion; after all It is what was the difference between the 5 wise virgins who went into the Wedding of the Lord and the 5 foolish who did not. See Matthew 25. Let’s be ablaze and burning with the Holy Spirit. Let’s keep out lamps filled. Let’s be like the olive trees in Zechariah with their branches dipping in the golden oil. Let’s pay the price for the Oil of God.

Why I am Not a Preterist: 3

Why I am Not a Preterist: 3

If the Book of Revelation was to be fulfilled, as proposed by Preterists, in 70 AD with the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome, namely Titus the son of Vespasian, why did Jesus only address churches in Asia Minor [present day Turkey] instead of Jerusalem? It just doesn't make sense to me. Think about it…If Jerusalem was about to be destroyed and the whole Book of Revelation was a prophecy about its destruction, why did Jesus address churches in Asia Minor instead of prophesying to churches in Jerusalem? Furthermore, if the Book of Revelation is only about Jerusalem’s fall to Rome, how do the Asia Minor churches fit into that theme?

Why I am Not a Preterist — Part 2

Why I am Not a Preterist: Part 2

Preterists often use Revelation 17:10 as a proof-text that Revelation was written during the reign of Nero (AD 54-68); Nero being the king that “now is” and  Galba who reigned only for six months: June AD 68-January AD 69, as “the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while.”

Revelation 17:10

“They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while.”

For context Revelation 17:7-10 7 “But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. 9 Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time.11 And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.””

Let’s look at this scripture in view of 1. History and 2. Does this fit?

1.   First of all, this only fits if Julius Caesar (49-44 BC) is the first king mentioned in Revelation 17:10.

“King” from Strong’s: 935. βασιλευς̀̀ basileus bas-il-yooce’; probably from 939 (through the notion of a foundation of power); a sovereign (abstractly, relatively, or figuratively): —  king (always translated as “king”).

Julius Caesar was never formally the emperor or king of Rome. He was Rome’s leader, but never in the definition of “basileus” above, ie “king”. There were actual Roman kings before Julius Caesar, and emperors after him.

If you so decided Julius Caesar can fit as the “king,” since he was the leader, then the five who had come 1^st is Julius Caesar, 2^nd Augustus, 3^rd Tiberius, 4^th Gaius, and 5^th Claudius. The one who “now was” in power—Nero, and one had not yet come—Galba, who only remained a little time (six months), fitting “he must continue a short time”.

2.   However, does this fit with the rest of the context?

The following scripture, Revelation 17:11 says, “And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.”

The 8^th in the list was Marcus Otho Caesar Augustus. Ortho, when compared to Nero or Titus or Domitian, would he be considered the "one going to perdition"? But, he is supposed to be the 8th (if flowing with the logic—“going to perdition” —Nero, who light up Christians as human torches for his garden, or Titus, who destroyed Jerusalem, or Domitian (brother of Titus), who was self-proclaimed “Lord and God,” ruthless, and the banisher of John to Patmos, assuming the authorship of Revelation is in the 90's A.D.

Perdition (Strong’s): 684. απωλειὰ̀ apoleia ap-o’-li-a; from a presumed derivative of 622; ruin or loss (physical, spiritual or eternal): — damnable(-nation), destruction, die, perdition, X perish, pernicious ways, waste.

Referring back to verse 8: “The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.”

Did Ortho have such a reputation--more than his predecessors--that would warrant such a definition as the man to have come out of the “bottomless pit” and cause the earth to marvel…when they see him? 

Also, historically, there were many many emperors of Rome, yet Revelation 17 only talks of 8. And remember, Julius Caesar was not king or emperor (he could not have been the 1^st). Any of the web searches I checked did not list Julius Caesar in this line of emperors or kings. He was always listed apart from the rest, yet Revelation says the 8^th is "of" (a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds)) the 7. 

The Preterist view of Revelation 17 just doesn’t seem to fit in history or context.

Poppies and The Emerald City

While I was praying, the Lord showed me a picture. It was the field of poppies from the Wizard of Oz with the Emerald City stately positioned just beyond the poppy field.

How many go to sleep before reaching their destination? There it is, the vision in view, but we are lured to sleep by any one of many schemes of the enemy.

As we know from the Wizard of Oz, the enemy was intricately involved in the plot—to lure those to sleep in order to keep them from reaching the Emerald City.

Could it be that the realization of your vision is just beyond the poppies?

Watch the youtube, there are so many parallels to our walk with the Lord. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG2keYgBiZc

~ Easter—Anticipation of the Father ~

~ Easter—Anticipation of the Father ~

Imagine what it was like for the Father as He watched in the moments leading up to the Resurrection of His Beloved Son.

In 2012 the Holy Spirit showed me a glimpse of the Father as He watched, as Heaven watched, in anticipation. God knowing full-well that the time had come to raise His Son from the dead. Can you imagine the emotion—the intensity of all Heaven—as the Father watched! His eyes penetrating, yet full of the most intense love I have ever seen. Victory, joy, love, all wrapped into the gazing eyes of the Father as He watched for the exact moment to come.

This is Easter!

Our Heart is Soil

~ Our Heart is Soil ~

Our heart is soil. Just what type of soil—we get to choose. 

Soil fertility makes all the difference. When dead things are tilled into soil, the soil becomes richer and more fertile. As we wandering through narrow canyons, deep dark places, or cavernous damp tunnels on our life's journey, when we acknowledge God and His sovereignty in our lives, it is as if a big tiller comes along tilling the death and darkness into the soil of our hearts. Faith arises. Hope springs to life. Fear meets its defeat. Vision again repeats its refrain.

Our heart is soil. Just what type of soil—we get to choose.

God is glorified when people acknowledge Him in their lives—this is evident throughout scripture. Today choose to believe God—that He loves you and cares for you and watches over your life.

The greats in the Bible took their everyday circumstances and turned them into prays and praises. They frequently they became poetic in nature: melodic.

Will we believe God is good? Will we believe He is directing our steps? That He has a bigger plan than what our brains can grasp? This is what the greats of faith did. They believed and acknowledged God, even against all circumstances.

"The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him." Nahum 1:7

Mark 4:20  "But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."

One Thing

~ One Thing ~

If you are like me then the first things which comes to mind when you see “One Thing” is Psalm 27:4 “One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek Him in His temple.” The “One Thing” of this story is not about Psalm 27:4, but let me back up a little while –back to 2003.

We were living in Humboldt County, CA in 2003—what a place Humboldt is—but that too is a different story. As a stay-at-home mom, I drove my kids to and from school daily (1 hour + round trip). What is to come next began on a certain day in the fall. I can’t really remember what day or how exactly it happened that I started noticing death everywhere, especially the death in the middle of the roads—dead animals were everywhere—so it seemed. It started to weigh on me like an iron cloak. Sometimes the dead animals were skunks, which putrefied the moist foggy air with their scent.

This is where I began to hate death.

Over the next few years, an alarm hit my conscience—death is the result of sin. I don’t know how exactly this revelation embraced my heart but it branded it forever—death is the end of sin— I know this is a major theme throughout the New Testament but when it hit me it branded me. I don’t know how else to say it.

I began to see sin and death everywhere in society and politics, in the schools, on the streets, in the nations, and in the churches. It was overwhelming and if I wasn’t careful, would lead to hopelessness. Do I start a church, run for office, move to another nation, or hide?

Continuously I asked God, “What can be done?”

Here’s the good part—don’t miss it because it is so simple—it is profound. This is the “One Thing”! There is only one thing, which brings life where there is death. Only One!! Even if the dead are raised unless this one thing is also present, then the end-result is still death.

This ONE THING is the Gospel—Jesus Christ!

You see, the Good News of Jesus Christ is the Only Thing that brings life where there is death. It alone has so much power that God will confirm it with signs following and preceding, and will save the soul who believes it.

The answer to the entire world, all society, all the immorality and violence, all the hopeless and fears and problems is—the Gospel—because when someone believes the Gospel they are changed, society is changed, a nation is changed—

The Kingdom of God is EXTRAVAGANT

The Kingdom of God is EXTRAVAGANT

John 2

1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2  Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3  And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine." 4  Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come." 5  His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it." 6  Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7  Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." And they filled them up to the brim. 8  And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." And they took it. 9  When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 10  And he said to him, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!" 11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.

Bring your imagination into the first of Jesus’ miracles; picture a wedding with all the festivities of the Jewish culture. The story itself is revealing where verses 3 and 10 both display the celebration’s dynamics involving the surplus of drinking wine. Verse 10 uses the word “methuo” meaning “to be drunk.” Along with that thought, verse 3 says they had already run out of wine.

Is the picture coming into view? They were celebrating a wedding and the expectation was there would be lots of wine and drinking, and that after all the expensive wine was gone the guests would be too drunk to care about the inferior taste of the wine served after the good was consumed (10). When the good wine was gone Jesus then creates 120 - 180 more gallons of wine, better than the good, which was served initially!

Prophetic analogy aside concerning the end of the age where God brings out the best wine at the end, this is a real account of a real wedding and the real first sign Jesus performed to manifest His glory resulting in the disciples believing in Him (verse 11).

Jesus Manifested the Kingdom of God through extravagance. He knew He was creating a potential for abuse of the grace and blessings of God (drunkenness is sin), but it didn't stop Him from manifesting the Kingdom of God through changing water into wine anyway. Is this the Jesus you're acquainted with?

Opening the Book of John is a declaration that Jesus is full of both grace and truth (verse 14). The grace of God is so extravagant that Romans 6:1 states, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” Of course followed by, “Certainly not!”

The point is that the grace and blessings of God through Jesus Christ are so extravagant that if not tended by a Kingdom mind-set and life-style, His grace and blessings can, and probably will, provide opportunity for abuse. However, this does not stop God from being an extravagant God. Proverbs 10:22 states, “The blessing of the LORD makes one rich [meaning riches, wealth], And He adds no sorrow with it.” He adds not sorrow with it, but do we by not tending the blessings that come our way through a Kingdom life-style? Money is a blessing. Wealth is a blessing. Wine is a blessing. If God allowed the extravagance of the Kingdom to come our way through wealth or another form of grace and blessing, would we use it for His purposes or would be become drunk on it? 

Just a thought.

Wake up

I believe the Lord spoke this to me this morning:

The Church keeps hitting the “snooze” button.  He has been sounding the alarm; we hear the sound and it alarms us but then we hit the “snooze” again thinking we have enough time to get ready even if awaken later.  It is time to wake up, get out of bed, and go to work for the night is coming. 

It is imperative we know Him deeply and experientially!

Surely the LORD is in this place

Genesis 28 says, Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it."

How much we need to have our eyes opened! The Lord said, “I will never you nor forsake you”. Yet, we find ourselves in situations where we wonder where He is. God is in your place with you! He sees you, your situation, what brought you here, who drove you here, all things surrounding where you are; He IS The God Who Sees – Jehovah El Roi! 

Will we view our life only one dimensionally from a natural mind-set or will we walk in and by the Holy Spirit, viewing life and situations, persecutions and potential distractions from a spiritual reality? Let us not be found unaware that God is indeed in this place with us, seeing us, watching over us and ready to bless us as we walk though our 1 Peter 1:6-7.

Let our testimony be "God You are in this place, I know You are with me even though I can't see You I see You, I believe You, I trust You!!

Judas & the First Communion

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Last week a friend of mine, Byron Kephart posted on his facebook page a story about a priest who would not serve communion to a lesbian during her mother’s funeral.  There is much to say about this story which in not what this blog is about… but it got me thinking about communion.  I stated I would not have served the communion to the lesbian either because I know the Bible says in 1 Cor 11:27-31

Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.  For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.  For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.  For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.

And I wouldn't want to be a partaker in that judgment. 

From this point on this has NOTHING to do with the article or the priest or the lesbian!

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As I considered my position before the Lord, the Lord revealed something to me – Let’s look at the very first communion:

Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.  2  And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, 3  Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4  rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5  After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6  Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, "Lord, are You washing my feet?" 7  Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this." 8  Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." 9  Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!" 10  Jesus said to him, "He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you." 11  For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, "You are not all clean." 12  So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? 13  "You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14  "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

15  "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16  "Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17  "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

18 "I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’ 19  "Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. 20  "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me." 21  When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me." 22  Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke. 23  Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24  Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke. 25  Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, "Lord, who is it?" 26  Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it." And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27  Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly." 28  But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. 29  For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, "Buy those things we need for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor. 30  Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.

31 So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.

I would not have given communion to someone who was not in right standing with the Lord before God showed this to me however this isn’t what Jesus did and I’ve had to readjust my position.  Jesus did give Judas the communion and it was at that point satan entered Judas - right there at communion when Jesus handed him the bread!!  Judas drank judgment upon himself and Jesus not only let him Jesus offered it to him. 

It’s interesting to note that at the very first communion satan was present, waiting for an opportunity – satan knew what he’d sown into the heart of Judas – now at communion, the very first one, Judas eating and drinking in an unworthy manner, ate and drank judgment upon himself and flung wide open the door which satan had prepared earlier in Judas’ heart. 

Communion is not just a ritual we go through it is a spiritual experience we have with the Lord whether we feel like it is or not; much more than eating a wafer and drinking something made from grapes is happening.

Leaders need to warn people when communion is being served then follow Jesus’ example and let everyone choose for themselves.

More about Judas:

·       He was a thief yet Jesus let him carry the money bag – I wonder if it was to give him every opportunity to repent (John 13:29)
·   Judas was called a devil by Jesus  (John 6:70)
·   Judas was an Apostle - ponder that one!

·       Jesus let this tare grow with the wheat (Mt 13:29)

·       Not one of the Apostles knew Jesus spoke about Judas being the betrayer; he must have looked and acted just like they did (John 13:25)

·       Judas went to hell (Mark 14:21)

Let me know what you think...

Saul, The Company of Prophets and The Gospel

I haven't been blogging lately because I've been working on a Prophetic Bible study
 

Soaring in the Prophetic

Here is an excerpt from Soaring:

Saul wasn’t known as a prophet or as one among their company. But, in 1 Samuel 10 we read that the Spirit of God would come upon Saul and he would prophesy when he met up with this group of prophets. We also read the prophets were known by Samuel to carry musical instruments.

1 Sa 10:5-6 "After that you shall come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying. "Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. 

Could it be that this is why Saul wanted David in his kingdom?  Because Saul remembered back in the beginning, when he first met the prophets how the Spirit of God would come when the music was played?  Was this why Saul called David to come play his harp when he was in torment, because he remembered the prophets, their music and the Holy Spirit? 

1 Sam 16:23 And so it was, whenever the spirit (evil) from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him. 

This also is probably a significant reason why people receive Jesus Christ when they come to church – The enemy can’t handle the worship and leaves the tormented unbeliever for a while – long enough for the person to encounter God and hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The Gospel – Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh, crucified in love, raised in power, calling every person to receive Him – this should be offered in every service.

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