Truth...

This was Pilate's question of Jesus.
It is an interesting question and I don't plan necessarily to answer it here.
I just want to share something that has been on my mind.

Often when I ask God something He answers me with a question. You know how it is, we feel like we need to 'know' everything especially about things we don't really need to know!

Anyway, when I ask my questions His question is often the same, "Who do you think I AM? Am I God, or not?"

"Who do you think I AM? AM I GOD, or not?"

It's a good question. It often comes when I am asking, 'how, when, why, what' questions. Come to think of it He always answers those questions in the same way too. His answer to those is this, "Those are not your questions to ask. They are Mine to answer."

"Those are not your questions to ask. They are Mine to answer." 

Lately, He has been saying something else to me, quite a lot.
The background is this.
We often apply either what we choose to believe, or our feelings, to what God says. It's true. What we choose to believe often comes from our knowledge, which comes from our study, which is our academia, and our feelings often come from our opinion on a thing. Neither our academia or our opinion are necessarily truth, but that is another subject I don't want to discuss.

Now, one other thing I need to clear up here is this. What God says is truth. Hands up all who agree. Many hands go up, but, some maybe don't. It does not matter for it has no bearing on truth. Truth is still truth, no matter what we believe. And Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." [John 14: 6]
So, this is what God has been saying to me lately, "It doesn't matter what you believe or how you feel, truth is still truth; and I AM still truth, and My word is truth. You don't decide truth, truth is truth." [See John 17: 17]

"It doesn't matter what you believe or how you feel, truth is still truth; and I AM still truth, and My word is truth. You don't decide truth, TRUTH IS TRUTH."

I guess we sometimes think that whether we believe it or not makes it truth. For example, if we choose to believe, or not believe, in Jesus Christ as our Saviour it makes no difference it is still true He is the Saviour. Our response doesn't change truth.
And the same applies to everything else He says in His word.
It is truth. That's all.

I will finish with this.
My daughter is doing her final exams, the Higher School Certificate. It is a stressful time. I pray for my daughter constantly, and others do as well, thank you so much for your great blessing, you know who you are, God bless you. Lately I have just felt lead to just speak the following over her, and forget my idea of good prayers for her.

'The Lord bless you, and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine on you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.' [Numbers 6: 24 - 25]

Many will know this is the Aaronic priestly blessing. I have a greater right than Aaron to declare it because I am a priest of the Most High God, according to the order of Melchisedec. I could talk at great length about shalom, and His countenance, and His grace, and the shining of His face upon you, and His blessing and keeping but I won't. When I speak this out whoever I may speak it over can either receive it, or reject it, they can give assent to it but not for them, they can do whatever they like with it. They can believe it, or they may feel they can't believe it. But does that change it? No.

This morning I spoke it out as I came to talk with my Father about my daughter's exam this morning and He had me read the next verse, Numbers 6: 26. We often hear the blessing spoken but we don't read the next verse.
It says, God speaking...

"So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and then I will bless them."

Israel, the name, means 'triumphant with God.' Wow! I love that! So when I declare the blessing over my daughter God says I am invoking His Name on the sons of Israel, and she is a child of THE Father and so she is 'triumphant with God, and so she is blessed. Immense. Thank you Father.
She may not believe it, she may not 'feel it', I may not have a lot of confidence when I say it, the whole world may decry it as foolishness but IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE. It is STILL TRUTH for God said it.

It doesn't matter what you believe or how you feel, truth is still truth; and I AM still truth, and My word is truth. You don't decide truth, truth is truth. And I AM truth, just rest in Me.

Aaah! Let me just lay my head down there and sleep.

Have a great day.

Billowing glory...

If you have a lit room and you open the door to the dark outside light billows out, darkness doesn't come in.

As Jesus Christ gave up His life on the cross for us all the heavy veil that covered the Most Holy place in the temple in Jerusalem was torn in two. It was torn as Jesus entered in to the presence of God on our account, and in His entering made us who believe acceptable, righteous and holy, by His blood.
With the way open and the destination acceptable - we are the acceptable destination - the presence of God - GLORY - billowed out.
It cannot be otherwise - how can God be contained when the way is open? We might hesitate at an open door but Light does not, it just billows out and darkness flees away!

(Now, I am certain that man hastily repaired the torn veil for it satisfied his pride (that old problem that first reared its head in the garden of Eden) to be the means of gaining favour with God, and Pharisees and scribes were very proud of their law keeping, and so the actions of the veil repairer meant that even though grace had come in the finished work of Jesus - "It is finished" - mankind determined that for 40 or so years an interim period prevailed where law and grace co-existed. This was ended when the perilous times of Matthew 24 was unleashed and the Romans tore the temple down and burnt it in 70 AD. As the temple burnt the old covenant ceased and the new covenant dawned in all its glory.)
I believe it is true that as glory billowed out heaven - where God dwells- and earth - where man is - became one. New heaven and new earth. Revelation 21.
Now, it is not my intention to dramatically and drastically challenge your belief. I do not ask you to believe me, just consider the glory. That's all. Please receive that.
But I have to say this, because my thoughts and meditations sit around this today; I cannot believe that glory that billowed out as the veil was destroyed now must wait 2000+ years for the Lord to come to impact lives, and my life in particular.
I see the glory of the Lord (God is Love) as the essential, underlying bedrock that enables us to be all we are called to be. It is the only way, in fact. If we try to apply our effort to this task it is just law - it can only be that a face to face meeting with the Lord will bring the transformation that answers the John 17: 22 - 26 prayer of Jesus. Face to face.
2 Corinthians 3 : 14 says this - '...for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted.' Moses' face radiated glory as he came down from meeting with God, such was the glory he encountered, and he only saw God's back. But his glory filled face was a fading glory, and the writer asks, 'how shall the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? For if the ministry of condemnation (the law - 'letters engraved on stones' [2 Corinthians 3: 7]) has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory. For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory on account of the glory that surpasses it.' [2 Corinthians 3: 8 - 10] The glory of the new covenant is of such glory that the glory of the old has no glory at all! And receive this - as the veil was torn and then removed, in Christ glory could emerge because the new dwelling place was acceptable, and more glorious, because the glory was more glorious. And the emerging glory met us, not to see His back, but face to face. Understand?
What am I saying? The temple fell and God moved into His new dwelling place as He met with us, He met us face to face. Jacob met with God face to face in Genesis 32 and emerged with a new name, and a new walk!
And then we go on in 2 Corinthians 3: 15 - 18 and read this, '...to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a man turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.' But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.' (Now don't misunderstand - this was being written to the Corinthians before the temple was destroyed and we must apply that. Moses was still being read - and that veil was lifted when the temple fell. But also today that veil remains when we seek our own effort rather than resting in grace.)
A lifted veil equals an obsolete covenant of law, and face to face is receiving the new, face to face. A face to face with God will certainly transform you, how can it not? Moses radiated glory, and the glory that billowed out through the removed veil transcends the glory of Moses to such an extent that it makes his glory nothing.
Now this is my thought and the challenge to me. The disciples observed the ascension of Jesus, and two men in white asked them why they were looking into the sky, saying, 'this Jesus will come as you have seen Him go.' My thought is that today many are looking into the sky, seeking the glory of His coming as the moment of transformation when He has already come for a face to face, but to see Him we need to take our eyes from the sky and look into His face.
You know, forgive me, but I see little point in debating the future, the truth is our future is set and certain for we are in Christ - our boat will not sink with Jesus in our boat so we may as well just rest our head down on the cushion with Jesus [Mark 4: 35 - 41] - just rest in His glory for we have been caught up to the air - the heavenly places - and are already seated with Him [Ephesians 2: 6], the problem is many of us are too busy looking at the sky to take our seat in our rightful place.
The clouds have cleared as the altar of incense was destroyed and He has emerged in all His glory and we need to look into His face, unveiled (law gone), as we would look into a mirror - face to face - and the transformation to glory will be now. We can be transfigured, as He was, now by a face to face with billowing glory. A meeting with the come Messiah.
Our transformation will be from an obsolete glory to an infinitely more glorious glory, as we look into the 'radiance of His glory' [Hebrews 1: 3] and looking there it will not be possible for us to not radiate His glory, and radiating glory will have an impact that will transform this world.
I'm not waiting any longer for glory from the sky, I want His glory now, and billowing glory in me (my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit; Christ is in me, the hope of glory) will mean all that the Lord has shown me will be. It cannot be otherwise. In His glory, to His glory, by His glory, for His glory.
It is only by His glory that WTL will have a ministry van; it is only by His glory that we will have our land and build the grace gospel launching pad - the WTL Grace House. It is only by His glory that we will take this world with the gospel of Grace; it is only by His glory that we will 'stand up, and go our way, made whole' [Luke 17: 19]; it is only by His glory that we will see 'more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women,...constantly added to (our) number' [Acts 5: 14]; it is only by His glory that we will preach His glory - 'For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son...' [John 3: 16] I don't want to debate comings, all I want is to preach the love of God, His glory, because that is the only thing that will transform this world, a face to face with the billowing glory - the love of God.
That's all.
He has billowed out to you. Turn from sky looking and believe He has come already - 'where the Spirit is there is LIBERTY' - and have a face to face - renew your mind by right believing which brings right living, and be transformed by a face to face with a come Messiah - 'He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high' [Hebrews 1: 3] - and He sat you right there with Him. [Ephesians 2: 6].
Blessings to you.

Clouds...

Recently a brother directed my attention to Acts 1. In verses 9 - 11 we have the ascension of our Lord into glory. It says He was 'lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.'

It then recounts two men in white clothing standing by who ask, 'Why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.'
That's what it says.
Now, it could be said, that today many continue to 'look into the sky.' We look to see His coming. We consider ourselves to be 'those who eagerly await Him.' [Hebrews 9: 28]
Let's look at that verse,

'...so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.'

Acts 1: 11 and Hebrews 9: 28 both speak of a second coming and the teaching of the church has, for centuries, been that this is future. So we spend our lives looking into the sky looking for this coming and anticipating that this will be the day we receive His glory. His first coming was a sin bearing coming, we understand that, but, I ask you, can it really make sense that this 'second coming'  that brings the fullness, the wholeness of 'sozo' salvation, without reference to sin because the sin question has been dealt with, really takes 2000 + years to be? Really?

As I have thought on these things my meditation has gone to the tabernacle. I love to consider the tabernacle, it is such a beautiful picture of Christ concealed. When I say tabernacle, I also think temple, because effectively the temple is just a static tabernacle. The tabernacle was the mobile version, the temple the static version.

Now, the tabernacle has many things but I just want to see this. In the Holy place, at the entrance to the Holy of holies stood an altar, the Altar of Incense. On this altar incense was burnt perpetually. It was one of the priest's jobs to burn incense there perpetually. It would have put up quite a cloud of smoke. Before this altar was the veil, through the veil was the Holy of holies and the Ark of the Covenant, which was beneath the mercy seat and over the mercy seat were two cherubim and between their outstretched wings dwelt God. Glory dwelt here.

Now I have a lot to say about the veil but maybe I'll do that another day.
This is about clouds.

Jesus was taken up, and a cloud received Him.
The two men in white asked, 'Why are you looking into the sky?'
They said, 'He will come again as you have seen Him go.'
That is, He will be revealed coming through the cloud. The cloud will part, move aside, whatever, and He will come.
At the crucifixion of Jesus the veil got torn in two. I am certain it was hastily repaired but too late. Glory had come out.
You see, I believe, that while it is true that the torn veil gave us Hebrews 4: 16 access it is eminently more impactful and wonderful that the torn veil released glory.
Glory could now come out and be seen because the sin question had been dealt with. Glory came out to the Holy place, came out to where the priest's served and we are all priests if we believe in Jesus.
It is really interesting that in Revelation 21: 1 as John sees the new heaven and earth there is no sea. You see the tabernacle and temple was basically three sections, outer court, Holy place and Holy of holies. The outer court was also called the Gentiles court.
Glory was released at the torn veil and came out, there is no sea because there is no need for an outer court in the new temple, for in Christ all who believe, Jew and Gentile, become one, 'a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession...' [1 Peter 2: 9]
So as glory came out a new heaven and new earth was created.

Now what about clouds?
The veil was repaired. But forty years on all was destroyed. The Romans burnt the temple down. The altar of incense cloud of smoke was removed by fire and intense heat, despite the legal eagles of the day being determined to retain it.

What am I saying? It is this. We spend our days looking into the sky, looking for His coming but I believe great things lie in this truth - He has already come. He has already come as His glory has come through the clouds. As the altar of incense burnt the last vestige of law was made obsolete [Hebrews 8: 13] and He has come to His new dwelling place, no temple required for YOU are His dwelling place, heaven and earth are united perfectly (read John 17: 22 - 26) in YOU.

'Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?' [1 Corinthians 6: 19]

There is one other thing that we need to just consider here. In Matthew 24 Jesus is speaking about things that concern the destruction of the temple. We read these words and apply Jesus' day and future day almost willy nilly. Some parts we place in the future in our teaching, and some we give to the day in which Jesus was speaking but how can that be? Jesus was answering a question from His disciples about the temple as they looked upon it. The things He was saying referred to the temple, and its destruction in AD 70. And remember Jesus Himself said, 'Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.' [Matthew 24: 34] Wow! Interesting, don't you think?

But what is the practical application?

Can you imagine the change if we stopped looking so fervently into the sky for our salvation to come but instead walked in the truth of the glory of Christ in us. What change would this make in our lives? As a more knowledgeable man than me said recently, 'Right believing produces right living.' So, how would our 'living' change if we believed that we already have His glory.

You see, I am convinced that His glory is not some future aspiration but a present possession that we haven't appropriated, so we don't live in its truth.

As I contemplated these immense things I asked the Holy Spirit to show me something that I could see of this and He showed me two things.

'And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number; to such an extent that they even carried the sick out into the streets, and laid them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on any one of these. And also the people in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing people who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits; and they were all being healed.' [Acts 5: 14 - 16]

'And God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.' [Acts 19: 11 - 12]

I don't ask you to believe me, convincing you isn't me job, that is the Holy Spirit's job.
But think, and ask Him to show you, glory came out through the cloud.
Imagine that glory appropriated by right believing producing right living...
Oh, what LIVING that would be!
I think I might call that 'abundant life.'

Common sense?

What do you think? Is 'common sense' a pathway to Holy Spirit revelation? Does God deal in 'common sense'? I was reading something the other day and I sensed the Lord say to me, "It's just common sense."
I better give a little bit of context. I am a revelation seeker. There is no greater joy for me than to do a 'Mary', sit at the Lord's feet to hear His words. When we sit my experience is He is more than happy to speak. So lately He has been speaking to me about glory, and new heavens and new earth, but I'm not able to yet share that fully with you.  In fact, I think that it may be that you will have to come to me for that, rather than me go to you. That may not make any sense but that is what I feel.
So, as I meditate on these 'new' things, that are actually old, the Lord says to me, 'It's just common sense...think about it, your thinking doesn't make sense...and right believing leads to right living.'
So...common sense...
Okay, think on this.
In 2 Peter 3: 9 we read a statement that is often used in Gospel preaching. It says this, '...not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.' The old King James Version says it like this, '...not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.' There is much that could be said about the context and audience surrounding Peter's writing but maybe another day.

For now, I am reading this passage and I recognise this statement because I have heard it countless times before, and probably quoted it nearly as many! But my meditation has been about glory and new heavens and new earth, as I already said, and in my meditation the Spirit communes with me as follows, 'All the teaching you have had tells you that you are looking for glory as something you aspire to in your future. And here you have a statement that says that I am not willing that any should perish, an outcome that requires My glory (His glory is the love of God) and yet you believe that you are deficient in glory and that glory is something future.'
'Think about it - I have called you to be emissaries of My Grace - why would I call you to that but not give you the means to accomplish it? It doesn't make sense! If My word is true that I am not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance, and it is true, then it only makes sense that I have already given you all that you need - I have poured out My glory upon you. Your body is the dwelling place of My glory - Christ in you, the hope of glory - do you believe it?'

I feel that it is true that we have been like the disciples standing looking into the sky in Acts 1. For 2000 years we have been looking into the sky waiting for a coming Lord who will give us glory, and in the looking we have missed His coming. I believe there was a significant event in AD 70 that we overlook. The temple was destroyed; the last vestige of law removed and the veil which was undoubtedly repaired following the crucifixion of Jesus completely destroyed. Oh, don't think that the work of Jesus was somehow diminished by the repair of the veil, but the point is that glory came out. Glory came out and heaven, where God dwells, and earth, where man is priest, were united - heaven and earth became one as God's dwelling place was destroyed, and so He came out to dwell in you, and me - our bodies became the temple of the Holy Spirit.
So why do we continue to look into the sky? Glory has already come but we just fail to believe it. Now, I'm not asking you to believe me, you believe what you like but as I meditate the discloser of Jesus suggests to me common sense does not allow for our teaching that glory is future; common sense must say that we already have His glory - and the only hindrance is we fail to believe it. We are called to make disciples of all nations - common sense must say that God has given us everything we require to achieve His desire that none perish but that all come to repentance, and yet we operate believing that our glory is a future aspiration.
Let me close with a question - let's just say that you are filled with His glory and you believe it, how would that transform your life?
I believe Peter, and Paul, carried His glory and Peter's shadow fell on people and they were healed, and Paul sent his hankerchief to someone far away and they were healed!
You carry His glory too. It is a life transforming truth. Let's stop looking into the sky and live in the truth of Christ in us - wow! - life will never be the same.

Do you want fullness of God?

‘For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them… “I do not receive glory from men; but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the only God? ” [John 5: 18 – 19, 41 – 44]

Often when we pray we ask the Lord to bless our endeavour, or our ministry, or our service, that God may be glorified in it. I am not saying that such a prayer is not worthy because I am sure our God understands our intent for He sees our heart. However, here Jesus, speaking to Pharisees who prided themselves in their ‘service’, says that He does not receive glory from men so, in light of that, our prayer, perhaps, misses the mark. I have been contemplating this for two or three days because I have many times prayed that prayer.

For months now I have been meditating on glory. If you have followed my ramblings then you will know that. In Mark 4: 35 - 41 Jesus suggests to the disciples that they go over to the other side and they invite Jesus into their boat to cross over. A storm rises up and Jesus sleeps; they awaken Him and He calms the storm and they fear greatly. In Luke 17: 11 – 19 ten lepers are cleansed but one returns to give glory to God and is made whole. What is God’s glory? What was it that compelled the cleansed leper to return to give glory? Why did he do so? The Holy Spirit’s answer was simple, “Because He saw the glory of God.” But, what is His glory? What did the leper see?

I have shared this before. In the boat, in the storm, Jesus slept. How was it that He could sleep in the middle of a raging storm? The Holy Spirit gave the answer, “Because His head rested on the cushion.” What was the cushion? It was His Father’s love for Him. The Holy Spirit then said to me, “You, too, can rest your head there.”

Is His glory His love? This was my question. He then brings me to the scripture I have quoted above. Jesus said, ‘I do not receive glory from men.’ Wow! And we all thought that our effort on behalf of the kingdom was the thing that brought Him glory! But, not so. I contemplated this. The fact is He has inestimable glory, how can my feeble endeavours add anything to it? So how can I give Him glory? By seeing and receiving His glory. But what is it? And then came His confirmation; He said to the Jews, ‘…but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves.’ His glory is His love.

Our God has glory that we cannot comprehend. At best we can scratch its surface to release just an aroma of its wonder, like scratching the surface of a tree to release the beautiful perfume. Walk into the bush and take a breath; you will know what I mean.

What does God desire of me? How does He want to be glorified in me? Oh, yes He loves our response to Him in ministry but is it this that brings Him glory? No, I don’t think so. So, then, how does He want us to bring Him glory? Jesus tells us, ‘I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the only God?’ We receive glory from one another willingly but we do not seek the glory that is from the only God. We fail to see and fail to pursue and fail to receive the fullness of the glory that is expressed in the coming of Jesus, who came in the Father’s name. It is important that I see that it is in the Father’s name that He came, not in God’s name. Why is this important? It is essentially important because the introduction of God as Father is the realisation of the absolute truth that ‘God is love.’

Mary, of Bethany, is recorded at the feet of Jesus three times in scripture. Once in Luke 10: 39 as she ‘was listening to the Lord’s word, seated at His feet’; once in John 11: 32 as she ‘fell at His feet’ to receive His love and consolation, and the miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus, Mary’s brother; and finally in John 12: 1 – 8 when Mary ‘took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.’ Mary was criticised for her anointing and it was said that the perfume could have been sold and the proceeds given to the poor but the one who said this failed to smell the perfume of the anointed One, as the perfume filled the whole house. It makes me laugh that we bother ourselves with the gathering of the cost of a pound of pure nard, costly though it undoubtedly was, but miss the fact, and miss the aroma, of the One who is seated there – who is this One? He is the declaration of the love of God. He is ‘God is love’ in the flesh. He is fullness, He is the riches of God, He is God manifest in flesh.

Let me ask a question? Do you want fullness of God? Can I answer for myself? There is nothing I want more. I want fullness of God. Fullness of God is His glory. I want His glory!

How am I filled up to all the fullness of God? The answer; by being rooted and grounded in love…by comprehending what is the breadth and length and height and depth…of what?...to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge. [Ephesians 3: 14 – 21]

I am in such a quandary at present. How do I attain? How do I declare? What is there to say?

In John 6: 15 - 21 the disciples get into a boat and a storm rises up. Jesus comes walking by on the water and they fear. When He says, “It is I, do not be afraid” they invite Him into the boat and they are immediately at the other side. They received Him into their boat! Think about it. They received the expression of the Father’s love and they are immediately at the other side. He didn’t calm the storm, they just arrived immediately.

Think about the Mark 4 story of the boat and the storm. Jesus was in the boat and was sleeping in His Father’s love. The Holy Spirit says that we can also rest our head there. Do you think they boat was going down with Jesus in the boat? No way! Yes, when the disciples cried out to Him He was gracious and calmed the storm but consider this; if they had all laid their heads of the cushion they would have immediately arrived at the other side. We ask the Lord to calm our storms constantly but what He most desires is for us to lay our heads on the cushion of the Father’s bosom.

I’ve written enough. My only purpose in writing is because I like to do it but also that it might lead you into your own place of revelation because your God wants to show His glory to you also. Do you want fullness of God? I sure do. I want to ‘know’ His glory, His fullness, His love – just a scratch of the surface will do but the whole house filled with His aroma would be better! And it comes with a great promise…

'…we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ [Romans 8: 37 – 39]

Storms and tents...

There was a day when I went to the front of a church and said to God that I was available.
I don't regret that walk, but it has not been easy. Storms abound.
I have been wondering if the storms get bigger and more intense the closer you get to the other side?
Personally, I am at present, greatly challenged by the storm.

For months now I have been contemplating the story of Jesus, the disciples, and the storm in Mark 4. It is also found in Matthew 8.
This morning I have been reminded again by this event and the question I feel that I have been asked is this?
As the storm raged...

What did Jesus do?...and what did the disciples do?...and which one am I?

What did Jesus do? He was sleeping on 'the cushion.' I have often said that there is no misplaced word in the Bible. Even allowing for 'difficulties' in translation, no word is misplaced, and my attention is drawn to the small fact that it wasn't 'a cushion' that Jesus slept on but it was 'the cushion.'
Some weeks ago I was contemplating this story and I felt the Holy Spirit speak to me and ask me about this cushion. He said to me, "Do you remember when Jesus was in the boat and He was asleep on the cushion? How could He sleep when the storm was raging? On what did He sleep?" I did not comprehend the answer and so He said, "His cushion was the love of His Father. He rested in the truth of Jeremiah 31: 3. You, too, can rest your head there and sleep, even while the storm rages."
The cushion - not just a cushion but the resting place in the Father's bosom [John 1: 18] and this was what Jesus did as the storm raged.

What did the disciples do?
They, I guess, battled the storm for a time and when their efforts were not enough they then came to Jesus and asked Him if He cared. The bottom line, I assume, was that they wanted the storm to stop. Jesus rebuked the wind and He hushed the sea and they were amazed and afraid. I wonder of which they were more afraid, the storm or of the Storm Calmer? I think they were more afraid of the Storm Calmer because it says 'they became very much afraid.' [Mark 4: 41] It begs the question, which do we 'fear' more? The storm, or the Storm Calmer?

Now, what about me?
Here's a couple more questions to consider. If Jesus didn't calm the storm would they have made it to the other side? Was the boat going to go down with Jesus on board? And, do I want the storm calmed or can I rest my head where Jesus rested His? What do you think?

I could talk a lot around those questions but not today.

Now something about tents.
I am greatly challenged at present. The thought crosses my mind to give this Christian thing away. It's just too hard! Recently someone said to me that for some time the Lord has been driving me deeper in Him and now it is time to go wider. I have thought about this and my mind goes to tents. In Isaiah 54: 2 - 3 it says, 'Enlarge the place of your tent; stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, spare not; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your pegs. For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left, and your descendants will possess nations, and they will resettle the desolate cities.'
Which is easier? Going deeper in Him? Or going wider? It reminds me of the cross, an up and down bit - vertical - going deeper in Him, and a side to side bit - horizontal - going wider.
Enlarge the place; stretch out the curtains, spare not, lengthen your cords, strengthen your pegs...what does it all mean?

I'm sure He has more to say on this but I'll leave it there. If you take the time to read this I hope it might help you.

Graeme.

What about Benjamin?...

Benjamin was the second son of Jacob and Rachel. His older brother was Joseph. Benjamin's mother died in childbirth and 'as her soul was departing' [Genesis 35: 18] she named him Ben-oni, which means 'the son of my sorrow' but Jacob named him Benjamin, which means 'the son of the right hand.' Rachel's name means 'lamb.' Benjamin was one of the twelve sons of Jacob, with only he and Joseph being born to Rachel. The remaining ten were either born to Leah, Rachel's older sister, or to Bilhah or Zilpah, the hand-maiden's of Rachel and Leah. Leah's name means 'weary.' The story of Benjamin as a person is very interesting, as is the story of Benjamin, the tribe.

Many avoid the Old Testament believing a different God is seen there to the one seen in the New Testament. This is not true, our God is 'the same yesterday and today and forever.' [Hebrews 13: 8]
When you read the Old Testament you must read it searching for one thing, JESUS. The Old Testament is Jesus concealed, the New Testament is Jesus revealed. You must ask the revealing Holy Spirit to show you Jesus, and to show you the truth about Jesus, found in the Old Testament. He is everywhere because He is, always has been, and always will be the complete centre of the expression of God. He came to 'explain God.' [John 1: 18]

So what about Benjamin?

Firstly, we all have the same Father, you know who He is!
But we don't all have the same mother.
Some have Leah as their mother. Leah is a type of the Law. Leah worked hard to impress Jacob, but was never able to achieve it. Her name means 'weary' and it is a wearying path to try to impress our Father by keeping the Law, but many try to do it. Sadly, many are 'saved by grace' and then try to live by Law - what a sad alloy! Lukewarmness! An impossible and frustrating path that makes God sick! [Revelation 3: 16]

Rachel is a type of Grace. Her name means 'lamb.' She represents the truth that Jesus, our Lamb of God, is everything. He is fullness, and in Him alone are we complete. [Colossians 2: 9 - 10] She died giving life to Benjamin; Grace died giving life to you! She named Benjamin 'the son of her sorrow' but his father named him Benjamin, 'the son of the right hand.' Our 'man of sorrows' died, He was 'acquainted with grief', he was 'despised and forsaken' but in Him, our Father, names us 'the sons of THE right hand.'

Maybe we should briefly define 'Grace.' Grace is the unmerited, undeserved favour of God. Jesus announced it in Luke 4: 18 - 19. He said that 'today this Scripture has been fulfilled...' [Luke 4: 21] He was meaning that He is Grace. Grace here is not a theory, or a doctrine, not a theology, not even a fruit of the Spirit but a person - His name is JESUS. He is fulfillment of the anointing, preaching, releasing, sight recovering, liberty giving, favourable year of the Lord.

We have a choice about our mother. Unlike your natural birth where you had no choice, in your spiritual birth you have a choice, you get to choose who your mother is. Choose Grace!

I said earlier that many have an apprehension about the Old Testament, believing that a God of wrath lives there, not a God of grace. Let me show His grace, even in the Old Testament.  Leah, a type of law, had sons hoping to please Jacob. But Jacob loved Rachel, he was tricked into having Leah! Leah was never going to make Jacob happy. But even Leah found grace! I love these wonderful gems hidden away waiting to be found out! Leah gave birth to Reuben, to Simeon, to Levi hoping that Jacob would love her and become attached to her, see Genesis 29: 32 - 34. But it didn't work. How sad. Following Law will never curry favour with God either, favour is found in Jesus alone, He is our favour. But then Leah had Judah. She said, "This time I will praise the Lord," as she bore Judah. A change! She received and praised rather than worked for acceptance. And do you know what? Jesus is of the tribe of Judah! Isn't that amazing? God blessed Leah in giving His Favour from the tribe of Judah. I am encouraged! We might be enveloped in Law, but even the most bound can be set free in Grace. I think this is amazing - a picture of the boundless grace of God, Jesus expressed.

Back to Benjamin.

Benjamin had an older brother. His name was Joseph. Joseph is a complete subject in himself but he is a type of Jesus. He went down into Egypt and was the means of our salvation. I can't get started on Joseph or this blog will be very long! We have any older brother. His name is Jesus. If we believe in Him then God is our Father. If we choose Grace as mother then we truly have Jesus as brother. We are heirs with Him, we are sons as He is the Son. Another complete subject in itself.

So what of Benjamin?
With Joseph gone, Jacob loved Benjamin like no other. And Joseph loved him too. If you read the story of the brothers coming to Egypt to buy food and their interaction with the all-powerful 2IC to Pharoah, who they didn't know was their brother Joseph, then you will see an amazing thing. You will see Grace. He was grace to all but to the one who was the son of Grace, special favour fell. There is much I could say but can I just point you to one verse?

'And he (that is Joseph) took portions to them (that is the sons of Jacob, and Benjamin) from his own table; but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they feasted and drank freely with him.' [Genesis 43: 34]

Are you astounded?

These are last days and we see evidence everywhere. I see many posts on Facebook bemoaning the decision's of today's decision makers as the things of 'holiness' are set aside. I don't disagree with the sentiments expressed but I have no intention of discussing any of them because that is not our role in this world. Why are we worrying? Jesus said all these things would come to pass. They have not come for us to worry about then, discuss them at great length, even think about them. Worrying will not add one day to our lives, our stature is not increased by worrying; in fact the reverse applies! Set these things aside.
How can I explain it? When I am in my hometown of Dorrigo I love to walk outside in the darkness before the dawn on a clear, moonless night and look at the sky. The darkness is tangible, but what is the result? The morning star just shines that much brighter! That is what I see! We can look and see the darkness but the darker it gets the brighter our Light shines! Do you get it?

What has this got to do with Benjamin?
Today is the day of Benjamin. We have the same Father and we can choose the same mother. We can choose to receive Grace. We can turn back and see the glory of our Father, expressed in the person of Jesus; His glory is HIS LOVE, and we can give Him glory and, just like the one leper of Luke 17, we will receive wholeness; not just cleansing; all the other nine lepers where cleansed but only one received wholeness. As we turn back we take our seat at the right hand as we are seated with Jesus [Ephesians 2: 6] to receive His lovingkindness; as we turn back we sent on into wholeness; as we turn back we step into our generation, the Benjamin generation. The Benjamin generation receives the LOVE of their Father and as we receive His love then blessing chases us, five times more than our brothers.

I have expressed in this blog deep, great and marvellous truths. There is so much more to share but I probably have written enough now.

Who is your mother? Of what generation are you? You might be of Reuben wondering whether the Father loves you [Genesis 29: 32]; you might be of Simeon believing you are unloved [Genesis 29: 33]; you might be of Levi desiring that your Father becomes attached to you [Genesis 29: 34] but today you can 'praise the Lord' and choose the lion of the tribe of Judah, JESUS and He will become your brother and you can take your place in the generation of Benjamin, the generation of favour, the generation of the Loved, the generation who are chased by blessing, five times more than your brothers.

The Benjamin generation.

Blessings.

Graeme Shephard
www.cambodiawtl.org.au
graemeshephard@cambodiawtl.org.au

The Grace House

I want to share something with you all.

I first began this blog post some months ago, but only wrote the first line, but the Lord has goaded me today to remind me that it is time to write for He is removing the obstacles .

This morning I shared in my (almost) daily Facebook post this scripture.

' "...But he who takes refuge in Me will inherit the land and will possess My holy mountain." And it will be said, "Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstacle out of the way of My people." For thus says the high and exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy...' [Isaiah 57: 13 -15]

The Lord is removing the obstacles and one of those obstacles has been me!
This is very important and I respectfully request that you read and then pray.

What I share is something that has sat in me for a long time and I believe the time is right to loudly proclaim it.
I believe that the Lord requires me to open my mouth and proclaim the things He has promised.
He desires that His promise be lifted up because lifted up all men will be drawn to Him. [John 12: 32]
Jesus is the promise and 'He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.' [Colossians 1: 17] Another version says that all things consist in Him, things that have no substance, yet, already CONSIST in Him.

What I want to share with you is the Grace House.
It was the 29th April 2005; ten years ago.
I was in Cambodia. It was night and I was sleeping.
As I slept the Lord showed me something.
When I awoke I recorded it in my journal as follows.
It came like a bullet-point presentation from God.
This is what I wrote in 2005.

'The Lord gave me a vision. A parcel of land. An orphanage. An old people's home. A hospital. A school. A church. The gospel is preached. People are gathered in. The connections are being prepared. My role? To administer Jesus.'

The next night the Lord showed me the building. In plan view as it lay on the ground it was in the shape of a cross; a crucifix lying on the ground. It was surrounded by a wall. The main gate had an arch over the gateway. Written on the arch were the words of Jesus, 'Upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.' Within the walls were gardens where people walked and children played. The gardens had the beautiful sugar palm, so indicative of Cambodia, but also flowers and trees, with places to sit in the shade.The elderly shared their wisdom with the children, the sick recovered and were ministered to, children received education and the place was a haven of rest. The sick were ministered to in the hospital. The elderly with no-where to go had a place to live and meet together. Disadvantaged and abandoned children, some orphans, lived and played. A school provided education and future for the residents but also for the street children who came to receive the goodness of the Lord. The centre of the crucifix was a church, not a place of religion but a place dispensing grace. All will gather there, released prisoners will come, members of the armed forces will come, families will come, the elderly and the children, the rich and the poor, the important and the humble - all will come and all will be welcome. All will find the only answer worth finding, and they will find ministry to their needs and desire. Everybody who comes to the Grace House will receive good news of Life - His name is JESUS. Please understand this - WTL have no interest in establishing religion in Cambodia, our only interest is to bring LIFE and the Grace House is a kingdom-building, life-giving, grace-providing place that will be seen not only in Cambodia but will be a beacon of Hope to the world for from this place Jesus will be administered to the world. A flag will be raised here that respects Cambodia and her people but declares that 'JESUS is LORD.'

The building itself showed respect to the tradition of Cambodian buildings in its design. I was in Cambodia in 2006 and I drove past a building and my heart skipped a beat because it was much as I had seen, even the colouring was the same. I had to take a photo of it. Here it is.

And then, a year or two ago I was driving in Phnom Penh and I saw a wall and over the wall was a tree. The wall enclosed a large block of vacant land in Phnom Penh. I have no idea who owns the land, or what it is for, but it is unusual to see large vacant land in PP and I felt my spirit quicken as I saw it because I thought 'here is our land.' I mentioned a tree; I could see a tree over the wall. WTL has a logo, it is the tree of Life. It is watered by the spring of the Holy Spirit, that never-ending flow of God - LIFE. WTL means 'Way, Truth, Life' for the centre of all we are is Him, the Way, the Truth and the Life, Jesus Christ our Lord. [John 14: 6]

I could write at great length for I have 'seen' this building in my heart for ten years now. When I received the vision I asked the Lord what my role would be and His reply was, "YOU WILL ADMINISTER JESUS."
The Mission Statement of WTL is to 'show the love of Christ in word and deed' - www.cambodiawtl.org.au and to 'Bring freedom to the people through radical Grace.' - www.wtlcambodia.com and this building will be the 'doing' of those things but if you want a 'reason' for this building then the only one I can give you here is just this - to 'administer JESUS.' From this place Jesus will be administered to the world. They said of Jesus 'can any good thing come out of Nazareth?' They may say of Cambodia 'can any good thing come out of Cambodia' but the Lord has shown us that this little Asian country, that has seen so much death, from it will come LIFE, real life and it will be a light to the world in the darkness of last days before the Lord comes. He is the answer.

So how will this happen? I do not know but the Lord tells me that this is not my question to ask. That question is His. The cost to build this building is beyond me but it is not beyond the 'riches in glory in Christ Jesus [Philippians 4: 19] so I place that question there for I do know this that He has already provided all that is required and it is out there...it is provided in you.
If you would like to chat more about this I am always ready to hear from you. My contact is via the website or you can email me at graemeshephard@cambodiawtl.org.au.

Blessings,
Graeme Shephard
14th May, 2015

Glory...

It is said that the Old Testament is Jesus concealed and the New Testament is Jesus revealed. Either way, Old and New, it is Jesus. Wherever we look He is there.

Moses was raised in the palace of the Pharaoh and taught the ways of Egypt and when he was called to lead he tried to do it in his own strength. The result was that he found himself in the desert and he was there for forty years. Why was he there for forty years? Because it took forty years for him to be turned aside; it took forty years for him to be turned aside by the burning bush, the bush that burnt but was not consumed. [Exodus 3: 2 – 4] The bush that burnt but was not consumed, what is that?  Jesus endured the fire of the wrath of God against our sin even to death but He was not consumed. He bore it even to death and He rose again. Jesus was forty days in the wilderness in Luke 4 and at the end ‘He became hungry.’ [Luke 4: 2] For Moses it took forty years for the hunger to come and for him to be turned aside by the burning bush. It took a long time for Moses.

I think it is obvious that the leadership call upon Moses came much earlier than the call that he received from the Lord in the burning bush. Moses knew the burn of his call (it revealed itself as his zeal took the life of the Egyptian [Exodus 2: 11 – 12]) but as he pursued it in his own strength it very nearly consumed him and he ended up in the Midian desert for forty years. Finally, he was turned aside from himself to see the ‘marvelous sight’ of the burning bush which was not consumed. Here was a power other than himself and it took Moses forty years to see it. It sometimes takes us a long time to turn aside. But turn aside we must.

If you then come to Exodus 33 we find Moses outside the camp. He took his tent and he pitched it outside the camp, ‘a good distance from the camp.’ This was where he met with God. He called it the ‘tent of meeting.’ If anyone wanted to ‘meet’ God they must go outside the camp to the tent of meeting. Having turned aside to the burning bush that is not consumed it is then necessary that we go outside the camp. This is the ‘let us go over to the other side’ of Mark 4: 35. The meeting place with God was outside the camp. Do not forget that Hebrews 13: 12 – 13 says, ‘Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.’ There He is again, Jesus, our meeting place, outside the camp. Whenever Moses went to the tent of meeting outside the camp the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the door of the tent and the Lord would speak with Moses and ‘the Lord used to speak with Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.’ [Exodus 33: 11] The Lord is willing to speak if we are willing to go outside the camp to meet with Him, and He will speak to us face to face. Hold that glorious thought.

Yesterday, in my Facebook post, I shared a scripture from Exodus 33: 12 – 23.  Think of all that Moses had seen. He had seen the mighty hand of God and yet he is asking the Lord to show him His ways and that he might see the glory of the Lord. The Lord says that you can’t see My face and live but He says to Moses to come stand ‘in a place by Me’ on the rock. And as God passed by Moses was hidden in the cleft of the rock and he was covered with the hand of God. There He is again – Jesus, our Rock; Jesus, the Hand of God who covers us and in whom we can declare in truth that we are the righteousness of God. [2 Corinthians 5: 21]. Moses was to stand on the rock which, God said, was ‘in a place by Me.’ [Exodus 33: 21] God passed by and Moses saw His back only. Moses could only see His back and yet he came down so aglow with glory that the people could not look upon him. He covered his face; why? So the people could not see the glory passing away, for it was passing to give way to a greater glory.

There is so much to receive here and I can only touch it.

Let me ask us some questions.

Do you desire to see the glory of the Lord? Do you desire His ways? I desire these things without doubt! We must turn aside to the Burning Bush that is not consumed. We must go outside the camp to the Meeting Place with God. We must stand on the Rock. He will hide us in the cleft of the Rock. He will show us His ways and He will show us His glory.

Now the Bible is clear that a greater than Moses is here. Moses was only able to see the back of the Lord, but what of you and I? Can we only see His back? Is our view of His glory just His back? I learnt from my pastor, John Woolhouse at Dorrigo Life Springs Church, just last weekend that the word in the Hebrew for ‘presence’ is the same word as for ‘face.’ There is no separate Hebrew word for presence and so the presence of the Lord is to see His face.  My goodness!  Our advantage is that whereas Moses had Christ concealed we have Christ revealed. (I hope I am making sense!)

More questions. What is His glory? A friend asked me that question this very morning. Wow! What a question! I feel that it is impossible to declare and even after eternity has run its course (which is impossible) we will still be amazed at His glory. The only description I have is the four living creatures of Revelation 1 who declare’ Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty’ perpetually for all eternity. Each time they look up they see more glory, more revelation of Him, more, and more, and more for all eternity. That is His glory, so how can I describe it? But it is a good question, despite the difficulty of the answer. For Moses it could be suggested that the glory of the Lord was His goodness and His name because as the Lord passed by he saw the back of God and He revealed to him ‘all His goodness’ and He proclaimed ‘His name.’ But for us is His glory limited (if that could be described as limit!) to His goodness or does God want us to see more?

Another question.  Is it possible for us to see His face? Well, certainly it isn’t possible to see His face and live, God’s word never changes! So, then it must be possible to see His face if we die. In Christ, and it is declared in our baptism, we died and we no longer live to ourselves but Christ lives in us. [Galatians 2: 20] So to see His glory we must die. I do not speak of physical death, although if we die in Christ we will certainly see His glory! But I speak of death to ourselves. Someone said to me recently that ‘it is hard to receive Jesus 100%; what do I think?’ My response was that it isn’t hard to receive Jesus 100% (because He is more than willing to reveal Himself, by His Spirit) but it is hard for us to die 100%. So are we to work hard at dying 100%? No. It is pointless because the harder you try the more of you rises. What did the Lord say to Moses in Exodus 33? He said, ‘My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’ [Exodus 33: 14] Wow! Glory is to see His face and His presence went with Moses, so how much more for us? And for Moses it wasn’t in his striving to die but more in his resting to receive.

So what do we see when we see His glory? What does He want to show us of His glory? Yes, we see His glory in His goodness as He calms our storms. [Mark 4: 39 – 41] We see His glory in His greatness as He brings liberty from the legion of enemies that seek to bring us into bondage. [Mark 5: 15] But He wants us to see His face. His face, His presence, this is His glory. There He is again - Jesus, the revealed face of God declaring His glory. Read on with me. Certainly His character and His nature as described in Galatians 5: 22 – 23 are glorious and are a declaration of Hisglory but these things are fruit of the Spirit, they are fall-out of us seeing His glory. And as we see His face, His presence, they are by-products that we cannot contain as we fix our eyes on Him. But, how can we see His face and live? We must die to ourselves and live to Him.

Listen to this. ‘For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I am fully known.’ [1 Corinthians 13: 12] We are fully known but it is also possible to fully know. Many would say this is only a heavenly experience but I disagree. The Lord wants us to see His glory and I want to see it. It is in His face, His presence – same word. As a child we seek our own way and we live on milk but when we feed on meat [Hebrews 5: 13 – 14] then the veil is lifted and our dim view becomes a face to face view and face to face then I will fully know. If you read 2 Corinthians 3 carefully you will see clearly the veil, it is the Law. What is revealed when the veil is lifted? Grace. Read on in 1 Corinthians 13 and you will see the glory of His face to face presence. Listen. ‘But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.’ [1 Corinthians 13: 13] Hear this also, ‘After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.’ [1 Peter 5: 10] It is His grace, His love that calls us to perfection and strength, in His grace are we confirmed and established. Why? Because we are sons.

We have a Father. He wants to be our Dad. He wants us to see His glory. It is His love. He wants us to pitch our tent there. Pitched there we will lack for nothing. In fact pitched there we will have five times more than our brethren. But that isn’t the point either. There we see His Love. That is the point. He wants us to live in His glory, His glory is His LOVE.

How can we perceive the magnitude of living in this place but as we see His face can even logic say that there is any limit? Does lack live in the face of God? No way! I don’t know what to say now. Maybe the Lord will show more another day but for me now I must just get up and move forward into His Love, move forward into His presence, move forward into His call and move forward into His provision. Obviously His greatest Love expression is Love, the person, Jesus Christ spared not and in Him how is it conceivable that with Him freely given all things could not be ours? [Romans 8: 32] But even that, for me, is not the point. I just want to see His glory and to walk in His ways. To see His glory is to walk in His ways. Walking in His ways suggests something I do but totally absorbed by His glory the walk is guaranteed.

For me, for my family, for WTL and the families of WTL it is time to stand up and walk in His glory, His LOVE for us. This is the key that opens the lock.

If you are reading this it is no different for you.

Have a great day.

The modus operandi of Love...who is our mother?

These are just thoughts...not a definitive document, just beginning thoughts. I can see a sunrise, the first rays of a new day have crested the horizon of my life. I am excited. I need to write because that provides me with an outlet. I have no other, no one I can unload on, so writing is my only pressure release. I say pressure release, not a bad pressure but a pressure like something immense that cannot be contained; I can identify with Jeremiah when he said,

'But if I say, "I will not remember Him or speak anymore in His name," then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire shut up in my bones: and I am weary of holding it in and I cannot endure it.' [Jeremiah 20: 9]

 I wrote in my journal this morning...

'God is the source of love but its essence is the love of the Father. A father’s love is God’s love in operation.'

God is love but the modus operandi of His love is the love of a father. He is our Dad. Jesus came to introduce Him and when He did He said, "Let me introduce your Father." Not God, but yes God, but the Father. He is God but He wants you to know Him as Father. The immensity, and it is incredibly immense, of this is just dawning. It's something I have known but I am only just beginning to 'see' it - like the dawning of a new day. Days have dawned before but no day like this day. It's funny but only a few days ago I was think of Aragorn. My family loves the 'Lord of the Rings', the great books of  J. R. R. Tolkein and the movies that have been made directed by Peter Jackson - great stories full of meaning. Lord of the Rings people will know some of the great quotes but recently, for some reason, I was thinking of one from Aragorn. Aragorn has led his armies to the black gates and as the enemy comes full of bluff Aragorn says,

"Hold your ground, hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!"

This is the day. This day we fight. This day I bid you stand. This day we stand in the immensity of truth - the Father's love. We have a father and His name is GOD.

I am sure the revealing Spirit has much more to say about our Father but just now I feel constrained to speak about our mother. As I contemplated these things over the last twenty-four hours the Lord reminded me of a scripture in Luke 13.

Jesus speaking, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under wings, and you would not have it!" [Luke 13: 34]

We speak of the Father's love but what of our mother? Who is she?
We could think much on the love of mother's and as I observe my wife there is no love like that of a mother for her children. I will not begin to analyse it because I would fail dismally to even touch its magnitude or scope! The Bible shows a small picture of it in the gathering hen, gathering her chicks under her wings.
But if God is our father, who is our mother?
Jacob had two wives and many sons. One wife he was tricked into having, her name was Leah. She was very productive, she produced a great multitude. Leah's name means 'weary.' But Jacob loved Rachel. She only had two sons, Joseph and Benjamin, in fact, Rachel lost her life to produce Benjamin - wow! Can you see it?  Rachel's name means 'lamb.' Joseph saved the world, Benjamin received five times as much as his brothers. I could give you Bible references for all of this but better if you search it out for yourself. What does all this mean? How does it help us to see our mother?
Leah is Law. It is wearying to seek God via the 'doing' of the Law but many, a great multitude, pursue it - even Christians! Law demands! In Mark 4 when Jesus invited the disciples to go over to the other side, and when they got there they found freedom from the legion of demons of bondage, they left the multitude behind. To cross over from Law means leaving the multitude behind.
Rachel means 'lamb' and that is Jesus and He is Grace. Grace is our mother. Not grace, the spiritual fruit, but Grace the person of Jesus, the expression of the boundless, limitless favour of God. In our mother we have one brother, His name is Jesus, our Saviour (sozo salvation) and in Him, and Him alone, we are Benjamin who enjoys the five times more favour, this is the favour available to us when we have of Grace as our mother.

God is our Father but Grace is our mother.
Jacob was father to both Leah and Rachel's children and so it is possible to have God as our father but still have Law as our mother but our Father, through our brother, Jesus, is calling us to go over to the other side and meet with freedom and see our true mother, Grace.

'On that day, when evening came, He said to them, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in their boat, just as He was...' [Mark 4: 35 - 36]

You make the choice to take Him along with you in your boat; He doesn't force you. You invite Him in and He comes 'just as He is.' How is He? He is Grace.

Jesus came and introduced you to His Father. He said in so many places, "Let Me introduce you to your Father..." We will undoubtedly see more of this as the sun of the new day rises.

But, I, also, have a role to play and this is the high calling of WTL. (I say that for the family members of WTL - your call is immense.)
So, today and tomorrow, I say to you through the words of this blog, and my Facebook posts, "Let me introduce you to your Mother, her name is Grace."

How you respond is up to you.

I know them...

Can I tell you a couple of true stories?
Years ago I was preaching the gospel in a place called Memot. I thought my sermon was pretty good because I used the preaching of one of the world's greatest preachers, the Apostle Paul, as my guide. I was using Paul's sermon at the Areopagus in Athens in Acts 17. I preached from it but I didn't realise it at the time that this wasn't the most successful of Paul's sermons. Years later the Lord showed me that very few people actually received Jesus that day and that as Paul travelled from Athens to Corinth the Lord taught him and when he arrived in Corinth he could later write,

'For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.' [1 Corinthians 2: 2 - 5]

Paul, that day in Areopagus, debated Jesus on the basis of his not inconsiderable intellect with a bunch of intellectuals but the Lord showed him a better way as he walked towards Corinth. No condemnation, just the gentle staff of the Good Shepherd.
So I used Paul's ineffective sermon on Mars Hill as my guide that day at Memot and it got to a point where I felt the Holy Spirit prompt me to ask the people to respond to Him. So I asked them if they would receive Jesus. Not one person moved! Nothing! If someone had dropped a pin, except for the fact the floor was the ground outside, it would have sounded like someone had rung the Big Ben bell!
What happened then felt like it took hours but was in fact only a few seconds.
I said to God, "Thanks very much! You bring me here to make me look like a fool!" His response? "Graeme, you can preach all you like but one thing I want you to know is that you do the preaching, but I DO THE SAVING. Now ask them again." So I asked again and hundreds rose up to receive Jesus. The time that had elapsed between the first asking and the second was only a few seconds at most (although it seemed like an eternity to me) and only the Holy Spirit could have effected that shift in that time. I do the preaching but He does the saving.

You know the name of Jesus is enough. It isn't based in our carefully crafted sermon. I was asked to preach to 205 prisoners in a prison in Cambodia. I was given a very difficult restriction of two minutes to speak - very difficult for me! I have many words! I said that I felt I had many things I needed to say but all I had time for is this and I raised up my hand and I said, "JESUS, JESUS, JESUS, JESUS, JESUS, JESUS, JESUS. If you will receive this Jesus raise up your hand." Two hundred and five prisoners raised their hand to receive Jesus!

More recently I was in Cambodia and I was speaking with some children. You can see a picture of the day I speak of as the cover photo on my Facebook page. As I shared Jesus with the children they willingly received the gift of God. As they did the Holy Spirit was speaking to me. I was preaching here and having a conversation with God there, at the same time. He said to me, "You ask them to receive Me but I want you to know that I RECEIVE THEM." I was stunned with the beautiful simplicity of the truth. He is the faithful One, not us. If our salvation rested in the quality of our faith then we are doomed! But it doesn't. It rests in His faithfulness. Hallelujah! I was reminded of this again when I was asked to share with a bunch of children at my old primary school in Dorrigo. I showed the children a picture of me blessing children in Cambodia. I asked them if I could pray with them in the same way and they readily agreed. I was praying and the Lord stopped me and said, "Now ask them to receive Me." I was hesitant but I obeyed. I said something like this, "If I hold out a gift to you what must you do?" One girl answered that they must take it. Good answer! I went on, "God is holding out a gift today, His name is Jesus Christ, and if you will receive Him then put up your hand." A number of children did so and we prayed. As I prayed with them the Lord reminded me of that day in Cambodia. Those Dorrigo child may not walk in that moment for much of their life but who are we to say that their response was meaningless when He is the faithful One. Does He forget? Not a chance! Later I was meditating in John 10 and here it says this,

Jesus speaking, '"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand."' [John 10: 27 - 28]

I could say much but what impacted me were these two statements - there are no misplaced and inadvertent words in the Bible!

• I KNOW THEM.
• No one will snatch them FROM MY HAND.

I see nothing there to say their security rests in the voracity of their faith or in their faithfulness to Him. I only see Him, the faithful One.

I can hear Him speak even now, "You can preach all you like but I DO THE SAVING."
And, "You ask them to receive Me but I RECEIVE THEM."

My sheep they hear My voice and I know them...and no one will snatch them out of My hand.

I know them.

Acknowledge Him...

‘…acknowledge Him…’ [Proverbs 3: 6]

‘His beloved Son – all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.’ [Colossians 1: 13, 16 – 17]

'“Now gird up your loins like a man, and I will ask you, and you instruct Me!

Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?

Who set its measurements?...who stretched the line on it? On what were its bases sunk?...who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?...who enclosed the sea with doors, when, bursting forth, it went out from the womb; when I made a cloud its garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band, and I placed boundaries on it, and I set a bolt and doors, and I said, ‘Thus far you shall come, but no farther; and here shall your proud waves stop’?

Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, and caused the dawn to know its place…?... Have you entered into the springs of the sea?...have you walked in the recesses of the deep? Have the gates of death been revealed to you?...have you seen the gates of deep darkness? Have you understood the expanse of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this?

Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place?...

You know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!

Have you entered the storehouses of the snow…have you seen the storehouses of the hail…? Where is way that the light divided, or the east wind scattered on the earth?

Who has cleft a channel for the flood, or a way for the thunderbolt;

to bring rain on a land without people, on a desert without a man in it, to satisfy the waste and desolate land, and to make the seeds of grass to sprout? Has the rain a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew? From whose womb has come the ice? And the frost from heaven, who has given it birth?

Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades, or loose the cords of Orion?

Can you lead forth a constellation in its season, and guide the Bear with her satellites? Do you know the ordinances of the heavens, or fix their rule over the earth?

Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that the abundance of water may cover you? Can you send forth lightnings that they may go and say to you, ‘Here we are’? Who has put wisdom in the innermost being, or has given understanding to the mind? Who can count the clouds by wisdom or tip the jars of the heavens, when the dust hardens into a mass, and the clods stick together?

Can you hunt the prey for the lion, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions…? Who prepares for the raven its nourishment…?

Do you know the time the mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the deer? Can you count the time they give birth?...Who sent out the wild donkey free? And who loosed the bonds of the swift donkey…Will the wild ox consent to serve you? Or will he spend the night at your manger? Can you bind the wild ox in a furrow with ropes? Or will he harrow the valley after you? Will you trust him…and leave your labour to him? Will you have faith in him that he will return your grain and gather it from your threshing floor?...Do you give the horse his might? Do you clothe his neck with a mane? Do you make him leap like a locust?...Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars, stretching its wings towards the south? Is it by your command that the eagle mounts us, and makes his nest on high?...”

Then Job answered the Lord and said, “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply…?”

Then the Lord answered,…“Now gird up your loins like a man; I will ask you, and you may instruct Me.

Will you really annul My judgement? Will you condemn Me that you may be justified? Or do you have an arm like God? And can you thunder with a voice like His?

Adorn yourself with eminence and dignity; and clothe yourself with honour and majesty. Pour out the overflowings of your anger; and look on everyone who is proud and make him low…

Behold now, Behemoth, which I made as well as you…

Can you draw out Leviathan with a fish hook?...Can you put a rope in his jaw?...Will he make supplications to you?...Will he make a covenant with you?...Will you play with him as with a bird?...Can you fill his skin with harpoons?...Lay your hand on him; remember the battle; you will not do it again! Behold your expectation is false; will you be laid low even at the sight of Him? No one is so fierce that he dares to arouse him…

WHO THEN IS HE THAT CAN STAND BEFORE ME?

WHO HAS GIVEN TO ME THAT I SHOULD REPAY HIM?

WHATEVER IS UNDER THE WHOLE HEAVEN IS MINE.

I will not keep silence…”

Then Job answered the Lord, and said, “I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear now, and I will speak; I will ask You, and You instruct me.’

I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; BUT NOW MY EYE SEES YOU…”

And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job…and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold…And Job died, an old man and full of days.’ 

A note to the world...

Yesterday I stumbled on a YouTube video of a Jewish academic speaking at a university somewhere in the USA. Question time came and a young woman of obvious Middle Eastern origin stood to challenge the Jewish academic and his response was to ask her to condemn Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation. She refused to do so and, in fact, she agreed that it was a good thing that the Jewish people were gathering in Israel because then it will be easy to track them down for annihilation. The irony was not lost on me that this young woman was living in America, and obviously enjoyed the freedom and benefits of the 'land of plenty'. But that's not what this is about.

This week we have heard of more beheadings by ISIS and a Jordanian pilot who has been burned alive, and I could talk much about the horror of this horrendous movement, organisation, whatever it is, and I could make the observation that these people aren't people at all and are, in fact, less than animals because even animals do not treat their own kind in such a fashion but that's not what this is about either. (Oh, by the way, no one has put their bat out for these slaughtered people...just an observation!)

Last night I had a dream. I don't often dream but in my dream a member of the New Zealand armed forces (not sure why he was from New Zealand, but there you go!) was shot down behind enemy lines somewhere in the Middle East. This pilot was a Jew but he was safe but could not return to his family. He was isolated, alone, but safe. I have no idea what this means but the enemy wanted him and used a word like 'wellard' about him but his response was to give an English turn on what was a foreign word by saying that by the time he gets home he will be 'well hard' because they were unable to get to him.

I have no idea what this all means but my dreaming then went to what the academics refer to as the Arab-Israeli conflict. My daughter has been studying it at school. There is no subject that results in more posturing and opinion-sharing than this conflict but while I have a very simple response to it I have nothing to add to it here because that is not what this is about either.

But as I dreamed God spoke into my dreaming over the whole thing.

What He said to me in my dreaming is the only thing to say. God has already spoken and it has been recorded in His word. No, I speak not of anything but God's word, the Bible. Despite what you may think and despite what other writings may have been written there is only one authority on this subject and that is Yahweh, God Almighty, the One true God, maker of heaven and earth, upholder and sustainer of all things. GOD.
He made a promise to a people that He would be their God and they would be His people. This isn't what this is about but I have been to Israel, and I have known some Jewish people, and I have to stand and say that these are a remarkable people. I know a lot of people don't like them, and many have tried throughout history to bring about their destruction, but these people are the Jews, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - Israel and God does not go back on His promises.

To the Jewish people this promise was made to you and to those that seek the destruction of the Jewish people there is nothing you can do about it. You can send as many bombs and terrorists and even young female university students living in the USA and you can posture all you like but you will never even make a dent in the unassailable spoken word of Yahweh. He has spoken and nothing you can do will change it.

As I dreamed the Lord showed me a second thing. Israel is surrounded. The armies of the world are gathered to bring annihilation to these people once and for all. God's word has been ignored and the armies are gathered under the leadership of Gog and Magog to bring final and complete annihilation to the people of Israel. Destruction looks inevitable. All the remarkable features of this race finally count for nothing and they are at an end with the whole world surrounding them. Then from the sky comes glory itself. No matter how I try I cannot describe that view. The people are surrounded, the enemy bay for blood. They are gathered in the valley of Armageddon.
Glory touches down on earth.
How can I describe the scene?
As Glory descends everything stops. It is impossible to describe the calm, like the calm before the storm. The calamity of the gathering armies stops; the grief of the surrounded people ceases. Everything stops, mouths drop open as realisation in every individual comes with the descending indescribable glory.

Then Glory touches down on earth...that's all. He does nothing but touch down on earth.

Faithful and True comes.
His eyes are like a flame of fire.
He rides a white horse.
Out of His mouth comes a sword.
He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, glowing brighter than the noon day sun,and is followed by the armies of heaven, clothed in white, riding white horses.
His name is called the Word of God.
Written on His thigh are the words, 'KING OF KINGS, LORD OF LORDS.'
His glory is beyond the capacity of language to describe.
I cannot describe it.
He touches down on earth and Jerusalem becomes a sea port. The armies of the world have gathered to make war and their destruction is complete. The blood of the world's armies flows to the horse's bridles. Nothing stands in the way of this One. The sharp sword from His mouth strikes down the nations.

The people of Israel look and see their King.

But they know Him already. He hung on a cross outside their city. He comes to gather them again to Himself. He is the fulfillment of promise that so many had sought to destroy but they could not. In Him victory is complete. They see Him and know Him and He knows them.

His name?

LORD JESUS CHRIST

To the Jewish people, despite your rejection of Him; He's the One.
To those that seek the annihilation of Israel, you can't do it and besides He is for you to.
That's Grace - for everyone.
Nothing else to say.