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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During Prayer...

I believe the Lord spoke this to me while in prayer this morning:

Many of you are drained of energy and there doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day for you to do all you need to get done. The Lord says, Consider your ways! As I put holes in the wage bags in Haggai so I put holes in your time bags. Return to Me says the Lord. I have dried up your time as I dried up the dew in Haggai. The noose of the world has been strangling you – break free of it by returning to Me with all your heart. I will break it off you as you return to Me.  You say, “I serve the Lord”, but you worship Me while you serve your idols (2 Kings 17:41). There is much work to be done in this hour. There is much Anointing to be poured out for those who have the wisdom to purchase it (Matthew 25).  Don’t be found wanting in this day – it is an hour like none other on the face of the earth.  There is a cloud on the horizon the storm is coming, get ready.  What do we do you ask? Return to Me with all your heart, in prayer and fasting and the wisdom you need will be given to you. It is not hard but it is costly. The flow of evil is at the door of the nations. Be strong and resist the flow in your lives and the lives of your family and friends. Stand in the gap and exhort one another today while it is still called day.

The Time of John – The Time of the Messenger

The Time of John – The Time of the Messenger

When God is about to do something new there is a time between the old and the new called “The Time of the Messenger” or “The Time of John”.  It is a time of intense ardent pursuit of the Kingdom of God, a violent pursuit to usher in and be a part of the new. We are in such a time.

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When Herod started killing babies the Jews ought to have realized something was stirring in the Kingdom of God; the enemy always tries to hinder what God is up to.  The Jews should have paused and remembered Moses, the slaughter of the babies by Pharaoh and their deliverance from Egypt. 

It had been nearly 400 years since the prophets and now this crazy man named John showed up on the scene and was telling the people to repent and be baptized.  Something was stirring.  The people asked John if he was the Prophet, Elijah or the Christ; “Who are you so we can tell those who sent us?” John’s response was startling, “"I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’" Some liked John and came to the baptism waters others scoffed. Had the echo of Herod’s slaughter already been wiped from their memory?  Some understood some didn’t.

Are we any different? Do we realize the time in which we live?  The unborn are being murdered before their first breath. Why is satan so outraged at this generation?  Could it be he knows his time is short and the generation which will resist his kingdom out of loving obedience to the Lord Jesus is upon the face of the earth?  

When God is about to move dynamically upon the Earth He sends out His messengers (like John), some people hear and respond to the call and some people don’t. The message is still ringing “prepare the way for the Lord” will we respond and rise to the occasion to seek His Face and advance with Him in His Kingdom?  Will we hear the sound and respond?

I believe this is a unique time on the earth.  Like the scripture below in Matthew 11 – The flute has been piping and the dirge has been sung. We have heard it, have we responded?  God has spoken and has been calling to this generation through many means: the prophets, signs in the earth, disasters, wars, world leaders rising and falling, the economy, the ability to plant chips in people and many others.  The end is not here but the sun is definitely setting upon this age!  Are we ready for what is coming?  The birth pains are here, the olive tree has sent out its tender shoot – 

How will you respond in the Time of the Message?

Hear this scripture from Matthew 11:

Matthew 11

As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: "What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: "’I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’

I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. He who has ears, let him hear.

"To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: "’We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."’ But wisdom is proved right by her actions."

Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.  "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.  But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."

At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

What will you response be?

Hearing God Lesson #3

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Hearing God Lesson #3

God Uses Everyday Life to Reveal Spiritual Truth

Saturday George and I went rock hunting up in the mountains near Boise, Idaho; I love rocks.  As we drove up highway 55 toward McCall we noticed a large pile of rocks probably from a landslide which at one time covered the highway; it was filled with dried mud, wood and rock.  I of course couldn’t pass up the opportunity to check it for some beauties. 

As I scaled the pile of debris I saw a beautiful rock whose tip was just peeking out the top. As I continued to look more and more tips were visible but they were hard to find because their beauty was nearly completely covered in mud.

They were my favorite colors, deep camel, crystals, and black shiny stuff.  I found myself brushing off mud from rocks which I thought could be what I was looking for but it was difficult because of all the mud.  Some of the rocks cut my hands as I brushed off the ugliness from them. 

But then something awesome happened – it began to rain!  The water from the rain washed the mud off the rocks revealing their beauty.  As I observed this The Lord whispered something like, “This is much like the washing of water through the Word of God in your own life”.  As I thought about this a few places in scripture came to mind, one is: 

Ephesians 5 says, Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

God reminded me of a spiritual truth through an everyday activity.  In the Bible we can see Jesus did exactly the same thing; He would take everyday life things and reveal spiritual truth through them - For example the parable of the Sower and the Seeds found in the Gospels or the Lost Coin.  God does this because when we have something to attach a spiritual truth to it is easier to remember it...I doubt I will ever look for rocks again without thinking about the water washing off the mud to reveal the beauty again.  

The principle truth God is getting at here is - The Word of God is so important; It has dynamic power in our lives and can pierce though our thoughts and transform our thinking.  It cleanses us as we read and as we hear God speaks - It is like taking a spiritual shower! 

This is another example of how God speaks to us but it is easy to miss if we don’t know His Word or His languages.  When something catches your attention ask the Lord, “Are You trying to speak to me through this?” And keep reading the Bible since in it we find the principles of God’s communication to us. 

Remember: He who comes to God…must believe He rewards those who seek Him!

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