the oils of my gladness

I've Begun a New Blog

2013-11-03T20:07:00.002-05:00

Greetings...

For those of you who used to follow The Oils of My Gladness, I've begun a new blog on Wordpress called Experiments in Prayer. The link to this new blog is...

www.experimentsinprayer.com.

God bless!!

Dave

Reclaiming the Image of God: The Beauty of Jesus...in His Humility

2012-09-07T16:01:00.000-04:00

Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man he will be what most people call "humble" nowadays: he will not be a sort of greasy, swarmy person, who is always telling you that, of course, he is a nobody. Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. If you do dislike him it will be because you feel a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily. He will not be thinking about humility; he will not be thinking about himself at all.—C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Have you ever thought about the humility of God? That not only is He the Most High but the Most Lowly, too? The more I think about it, the more it actually makes sense to me, you know? Especially when I consider that anything good (including humility) finds its origin and fullest expression in God; and, too, that God seems to take great pleasure in seeing humility spring forth from within His children. Because humility seems to be such an intimate and all encompassing part of God's Nature and Personality, I have this feeling that God is intensely pleased when He is invited to share such parts of Himself with us.

Marriam-Webster offers the following definitions for humility:

1. The state of being humble;

2. The absence of any feelings of being better than anyone else;

3. Having or showing a consciousness of one's shortcomings;

4. Modest;

5. Lowly; unpretentious; and

6. Abased.

Despite these multiple (and, I think, useful) articulations, I am not quite sure MW is really getting at the essence of true humility. As such, I'm wondering if humility is just one of those rare states of being that, in many ways, defies adequate description. In fact, I would venture that it is our indirect experience of humility that lets us know when we've encountered it. And it is this particular reality that, I think, hints at why humility may be so important to God.

When I look unto Jesus, "the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being" (Hebrews 1:3a), I think upon Philippians 2:5, which teaches that this Jesus, Who being God, "made himself nothing" when He came to earth as a man. Made Himself nothing. Are you as intrigued by those words as I am? Other translations of this verse read as follows:

1. "stripped himself of all privilege" (J.B. Phillips New Testament);

2. "made himself of no reputation" (New King James Version); and

3. "emptied himself" (New American Standard Bible).

I love these, and I believe that together they give us a glimpse into the humility of He Who is the Standard-Bearer of true humility. YHVH, The Name of Existence, emptied Himself, stripped Himself of all privilege and reputation, and made Himself nothing so that He might reconcile all things to himself.

Yes...these things are very intriguing to me. So...for the next little while, I'd like to delve into what I believe to be three key components of humility.

Becoming Nothing

For as long as I can remember, I have been drawn to The Beatitudes in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount—especially to His first beatific if-then statement: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3).

The older I get, the more convinced I am that, aside from the confession of sin (and the repentance from it as well!), there is nothing God lauds or asks of us that He Himself does not already possess or practice. A basic example of such a hypothesis would be God's command to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. The reason God asks this of us is because He Himself is Love by definition. For us to obey God in this manner is to, quite simply, be like Him in that respect. Take the act of laying down one's life for another. While such a virtuous deed is not overtly commanded by God, Jesus regards such a thing as the greatest act of love one man (or woman) could do for another (see John 15:13). The reason Jesus was able to make such a judgment was because He Himself was just days from laying His life down for the whole world.

But what of the condition of being poor in spirit? Was this true of Jesus when He walked the face of the planet? Having given this considerable thought, I have no doubt but that He was. Jesus did not just preach poverty of spirit, He embraced it—embodied it, even. Not only did He make Himself poor, but He adopted the posture of a lowly slave and opened Himself up willingly to the problems, neediness, and spiritual oppressions we all face to one degree or another. Throughout the gospels, one cannot help but notice how Jesus seemed to live from day to day on what His Father gave Him. Jesus, as a human, was limited; He knew He was in enemy territory, and He knew, too, that He had needs that could only be met external to Himself. In becoming nothing, Jesus enslaved Himself to a paradigm where He could do nothing but look to God to provide for Him, protect Him, and empower Him. Think about that for moment...Jesus, God Almighty, stripped Himself of the privilege, power, and majesty of His preexistent state and allowed Himself to be born into slavery so that He might in His humanness do that which only a human (the second or last Adam [see 1 Corinthians 14:45]) could do to redeem back humanity from the clutches of sin, death, and enemy control.

How willing are you to strip yourself of all that you are and have so that you might benefit another? The interesting thing is that only God has to power to do this. Jesus got His ability from God, and so can we, for that is how we are meant to live.

Surrender

Marriam-Webster defines surrender as such:

1. To yield to the power, control, or possession of another upon compulsion or demand;

2. To give up completely or agree to forgo especially in favor of another;

3. To give (oneself) up into the power of another especially as a prisoner; and

4. To give (oneself) over to something (as an influence).

In a nutshell, to surrender is to willfully accept and yield (as a slave or, even, as a prisoner) to the will of a dominating force or higher power. Jesus lived what I believe to be "the surrendered life". As a human being, He surrendered himself totally and completely to God; He also submitted to His parents (see Luke 2:51) and to the religious and civil authorities of His day (see Mark 12:17 and John 18:1-19:27). This is seen not just in His day to day life but also during the darkest times of His existence: While He anguished in the Garden of Gethsemane, and while He suffered on the cross at Golgotha. In my own prayer life, I have adopted and strung together two things Jesus prayed during these last two events of His life. The first is found in Luke 22:42, which Jesus said while in Gethsemane: "Not my will but thine"; the second is found one chapter later in Luke 23:46, which Jesus cried out to the father while He hung on the cross: "Into your hands, I commit my spirit". Combined together, these two prayers read as follows: "Not my will but Thine; into Your Hands I commit my spirit." For many years, this particular prayer has been my own personal anthem of surrender and consecration.

A surrendered person has not only been consecrated (made holy, set apart, branded) by God, but has embodied that consecration. What does a surrendered person's life look like? Drawing from the life of Jesus and from the many themes of surrendered living portrayed throughout both the Old and New Testaments, one is, I believe, on the narrow road of humility when he or she…

· Does not have to have a particular thing happen (for example, get THAT job or marry THAT person) to feel like his or her life will work out.

· Needs neither notoriety nor to be noticed, esteemed, or, even, recognized by others.

· Is genuinely happy for and rejoices with a peer when such a one does well on a difficult exam, is promoted, is blessed in ministry, lands a fabulous job, wins the heart of the prettiest girl in school, gets in to grad school, gets married, has a baby, etc.

· Prefers to serve rather than to be served and adopts such a posture unassumingly, without presumption and without announcement.

· Lends or gives to others without expecting anything in return, including repayment.

· Is committed to the local community of faith and values harmony as that community seeks to express the love of God toward each other and toward those outside their community.

· Has fun helping others to discover their dreams, to live-in to their own unique happiness, or just to enjoy themselves.

· Gives back to God far more than just "the tithe".

· Listens to the Whispers of God’s Spirit and is readily available to serve God whenever God says, "Now...".

· Does not have to be the best, the brightest, the most good looking, or the most talented.

· Has an almost unquenchable desire to please his or her Abba-Daddy.

· Speaks the truth in love, even when doing so is unpopular or feels incredibly uncomfortable.

· Would choose 100 out of 100 times to be the one stolen from as opposed to the one who steals from another…even if he or she were assured of never being caught.

· Actively embraces a heart of gratefulness in most situations, and complains rarely, if ever.

· Is not easily offended.

· Forgives without so much as a thought because such a one decided long ago to forgive before anything was said or done.

· Is not ashamed of Jesus or of His gospel.

· Is comfortable with silence and stillness.

· Is an expressive worshiper of God.

· Recognizes that everyone on earth is in the same boat: And that is, that we are all in desperate need for God to do for us that which we cannot do for ourselves.

· Loves purely for the joy of loving others and does not consider not being loved in return that big of a deal.

· Delights in inviting God to be a part of every thought, feeling, word, and action.

· Always has enough to share with another.

· Endeavors to do the right thing—especially, when he or she is alone.

· Has been thoroughly tamed by God and treats others with the utmost kindness, respect, dignity, and compassion.

· Sees himself or herself as nothing more than a conduit of God’s loving-kindness, joy, compassion, and blessing to those around him or her.

· Is happy…pretty much all the time…even when feeling sad or broken.

· Loves language and words and feels things intensely, but is, surprisingly, slow to speak and slow to become angry.

· Listens without interrupting (or without trying to think of what he or she would like to say) while another is speaking.

· Is frugal (yet extremely generous) with his or her time, money, and resources.

Emptying Oneself

Buddhist thought teaches that to enjoy peace of mind, once must live presently by emptying one's mind of all self-focused thought, meaning the "hooks" and "sticky feedback loops" within the mind (regrets, unfulfilled longings, resentments, judgments, the desire to impress, etc.) that distract one from living in the here and now. While I agree that empty-mindedness (aka mindfulness) is crucial to peace of mind, the concept of emptying one's mind and emptying oneself are not the same thing.

To empty one's mind is to let go of one's caressing attention to or fixation upon one's self-thoughts and to, instead, turn one's attention back to the physical aspects of existence—for example, to one's breath. To empty oneself, though, involves not just the emptying of one's self-thoughts, but also the laying down of one's rights, one's needs, one's privileges, and one's personal desires. There are two crucial elements to emptying oneself that I think point to things far beyond just the "emptying" exercise above; they are as follows:

1. When we empty ourselves, we create room wherein God can give us that which He longs to give us; more often than not, these are the very things we've been longing for our entire lives.

2. When we empty ourselves and then receive that which God has given us, we can, in turn, "empty ourselves" into those around us (and give away that which we cannot lose!).

Jesus set the example in all these things. Not only did He lay aside His powers, rights, and privileges as God, but He made Himself empty before His Father so that, paradoxically, His cup might be filled to overflowing with God's Touch and Presence. And it was out of that fullness, which He drank of daily, that He was able to pour Himself out into those around Him.

Prayer of Humility

Holy Father...

My need for you far exceeds my comprehension of that need. Help me, Lord, to walk in a manner that's surrendered before You...

...like someone who's made himself nothing...

...like someone who's been brought to a place of easy and continual emptying...

...so that I might be able to receive from You all that You have for me and then give it away to those around me.

I'm reminded, Lord, of something the missionary Jim Elliot wrote in his diary not long before he was martyred: "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." Lord...may my life be lived in such a manner.

Not my will but Thine; into Your Hands I commit my spirit...

Amen.

Reclaiming the Image of God—Part Two

2012-08-25T22:32:00.001-04:00

Jesus...in His Holiness

How great the power and charm of a holy life! The world is replete with beauty. There is beauty in nature, beauty in art, beauty in countless forms; but there is no beauty like “the beauty of holiness.” The brightness which gleams through a good man’s life outshines the sun in its meridian splendor.—Octavius Winslow

Holiness, or, quite simply, the state of being sanctified (or set-apart from the world) unto God, is, I believe, that one trait which I think distinguishes the follower of Jesus from any and every other person on the face of the planet. While we are to be known by our love (see John 13:35), the ever-present loving-kindness of God, when it is expressed in and through us as individuals, is enabled and channeled through the conduit of our own personal holiness.

God, Who is holy by definition, is set apart from all creation unto Himself. We, as redeemed children of God, are holy, too, by virtue of the declarative will of Him Who has chosen to set us apart. To be set-apart for service by God is an honor that is difficult to articulate adequately, let alone, well. God, in His wisdom, holiness, and loving-kindness, has chosen to use us to fulfill His holy purposes in creation. We have been "branded" by Him to live-in to His plan to bring about the reconciliation of all things. When I write of this branding, it is my desire to convey the following similar, and yet different, thoughts: (1) I believe we are branded by God for identification similar to the way in which a shepherd or rancher might brand livestock; and (2) I believe we are branded by God with His holy Name in a manner similar to the way a textile manufacturer might brand a line of clothing. The seal (or branding insignia) of God, however, is His Blood, which cleanses us, His Word, which He has written upon our hearts, and His Spirit, Whom He has sent to live within each of us.

Jesus, when He came to earth as a man, was branded by God for a very special purpose: Principally, to make a way for humanity to be reconciled to God and, as such, to become "fully" human again. Sin, as I wrote of in part one, has been cataclysmic to all of us. Its devastation is so systemic and far-reaching that, without the work of God, all of us will remain, hopelessly and forever, bound and chained to the continuous cycles of sin begetting death and death begetting more sin. Sin dehumanizes and kills us because, with each sin we commit, we become less and less like God, Who is by definition Life. In a manner, all of us in our sin have become like monsters and, as such, are in desperate need for God to do something for us that we cannot do for ourselves: And that is, to make us human again.

With respect to our branding, did you know that as followers of Jesus we have been branded with the very same branding with which Jesus was branded? All of us—and there are no exceptions—have been appointed (and anointed) to carry on Jesus' particular "brand" of ministry in the world, and that is, of reconciling creation and making things (especially people) whole again.

Holiness (set-apartness, brandedness) is neither a practice nor a set of practices. No. While it may (and, most-likely, should) affect our behavior, it is not the behaviors themselves. Rather, it is an identification and a declaration/proclamation. And it carries with it a sentence: The universal, take-up-your-cross-and-follow-Me (Jesus) sentence that calls each of us to die to ourselves and to the world so that we might be used by God to help redeem humanity and to infuse the abundant life of God back in to everyday living.

Try as you may, if you are a follower of Jesus, you cannot escape this sentence. Just as it was carried out in Jesus' life, so, too, will it be carried out in yours. And in mine. While the general term "sentence" may carry a negative connotation, the "sentence" that follows upon your set-apartness by God is anything but negative. In fact, living-in to this particular sentencing brings with it the greatest of all delights: The fullness that comes with identifying with Jesus through the surrendering of your life unto Him. There really is no greater honor, my friends. Or calling. Your branding, your set-apartness, God's declaration of holiness over you, will and should affect who you are and how you live-out the remainder of life here on earth.

Prayer of Holiness

Holy Father...

There is no one like You. You stand alone in Your uniqueness as all things are for You and find their existence and continuance in You. Thank you, Father, for setting me apart, for declaring me holy and consecrated unto You and for Your service. Dear God, I choose in this moment to take up my cross and to follow Jesus in His Ways of set-apart-ness. May I indeed be a conduit of your reconciling power in the world, and may my knowledge of all this affect everything I do and say throughout the course of my life.

I ask all of this in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth, my Lord and Savior, and the Author and Finisher of my life and faith,

Amen.

In the next post, I will, Lord-willing, continue writing of these things by exploring a few significant ways in which Jesus' set-apartness affected how He approached His own life as a human being. I want to do this because these things are what I believe made Jesus so beautiful. In my heart, I feel that these very things are the essential ways of living and being that can enable us to reclaim our rightful place as image-bearers of Elohiym.

Until then, may God's peace be with all of you...

Dave

Reclaiming the Image of God—Part One

2012-08-22T13:31:00.001-04:00

The path of reclaiming God's image is, I believe, found in following Jesus, and, through such a following, reconciling with our own humanity. As paradoxical as this might read, I am convinced that the more we become like Jesus in His humanity, the more truly God-like we become. Our humanness is intended to be one way in which God manifests Himself uniquely in the universe: Through the form of a human soul, or spirit-body, that adds a physical dimension to the divine that, until mankind was created, could not be grasped by any previously created beings (including the angels). As the scriptures read, "The angels long to look into such things." (see 1 Peter 1:12). We as humanity are a metaphoric expression of Who God is. Our love, creativity, and physical labor echo God's lovingly creative work and allows those who observe such things to have a finite example (one that they can wrap their minds around) of the infinite loving-kindness, creativity, and "work ethic" of Almighty God.

The greatest human ever to walk the earth was Jesus of Nazareth, the God-Man, Who created everything that exists and then submissively inserted Himself into the Story that He Himself authored. Many scriptures point to this very reality; a few, of which, are provided below:

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.—Isaiah 9:2, 6-7

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’” From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.—John 1:1-5, 14-17

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing, but taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!—Philippians 2:5-8

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.—Colossians 1:15-20

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.—Hebrews 1:1-3a

When asked to describe God's character and nature, many will use words like "loving", "just", "holy", "all powerful", "all knowing", and "everywhere present". When describing His positional loftiness, many of the same people will acknowledge that He is Lord and King over all, that He is the Master of the universe, and that He is the Shepherd and Husbandman of souls. How, I ask, are these things manifested in mankind? To answer this question, we must look at Jesus, for, as I wrote above, Jesus is our Prototype, and it is He, Who, in His humanness, models for all of us what it means to be an image-bearer of Elohiym.

In the scriptures, we read in Hebrews 12:2a, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith"; and, along the same lines, in 2 Corinthians 3:18, we read, " But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." To reclaim our true humanity as image-bearers, we must look unto Jesus intently and see Him as He is. As marvelous as it might seem, we become like that which we focus upon. Unlike any other machines or organisms on earth, we can service ourselves, evolve, and shape how and why we operate the way we do. Ultimately, the key to this shaping is found in Jesus, and, more specifically, in our "seeing" (or "beholding") Him as He is. For, as the verse above in 1 Corinthians 3 indicates, transformation within us occurs as we do this very thing. With all this in mind, I would like to spend the next little while looking a little closer at Jesus, the One Who is, I am convinced, the definitive representation of what God intended for all of us when He made us.

Stay tuned for Part 2!!

Peace...

Dave

3:16

2011-12-21T20:23:00.003-05:00

Greetings...

Recently, I was thinking about John 3:16, which is, probably, the most famous scripture verse in all the Bible. I mean, when was the last time you saw some dude, all dressed up at a football game on national TV, holding a sign that reads "Leviticus 3:16"? Never? That's what I thought. Anyway, as I was thinking about this very thing, I got to wondering about all the other 3:16s in the Bible. While I was at home sick, yesterday, I compiled all of them (from the NIV) and have provided them below. Below the verses, I share a few random, unfiltered thoughts that arose while I was doing this little exercise.

Grace and peace to all of you,

Dave

Genesis 3:16: To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

Exodus 3:16: Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.

Leviticus 3:16: The priest shall burn them on the altar as food, an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the Lord’s.

Numbers 3:16: So Moses counted them, as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.

Deuteronomy 3:16: But to the Reubenites and the Gadites I gave the territory extending from Gilead down to the Arnon Gorge (the middle of the gorge being the border) and out to the Jabbok River, which is the border of the Ammonites.

Joshua 3:16: the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.

Judges 3:16: Now Ehud had made a double-edged sword about a foot and a half long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing.

Ruth 3:16: When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did it go, my daughter?” Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her

1 Samuel 3:16: but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.” Samuel answered, “Here I am.”

2 Samuel 3:16: Her husband, however, went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back home!” So he went back.

1 Kings 3:16: Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.

2 Kings 3:16: and he said, “This is what the Lord says: Make this valley full of ditches.

1 Chronicles 3:16: The successors of Jehoiakim: Jehoiachin his son, and Zedekiah.

2 Chronicles 3:16: He made interwoven chains and put them on top of the pillars. He also made a hundred pomegranates and attached them to the chains.

Ezra 3:16 does not exist.

Nehemiah 3:16: Beyond him, Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of a half-district of Beth Zur, made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Heroes.

Esther 3:16 does not exist.

Job 3:16: Or why was I not hidden in the ground like a stillborn child, like an infant who never saw the light of day?

Psalm 3:16 does not exist.

Proverbs 3:16: Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.

Ecclesiastes 3:16: And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there.

Song of Songs 3:16 does not exist.

Isaiah 3:16: The Lord says, “The women of Zion are haughty, walking along with outstretched necks, flirting with their eyes, tripping along with mincing steps, with ornaments jingling on their ankles.

Jeremiah 3:16: In those days, when your numbers have increased greatly in the land,” declares the Lord, “men will no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord.’ It will never enter their minds or be remembered; it will not be missed, nor will another one be made.

Lamentations 3:16: He has broken my teeth with gravel; he has trampled me in the dust.

Ezekiel 3:16: At the end of seven days the word of the LORD came to me:

Daniel 3:16: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.

Hosea 3:16 does not exist.

Joel 3:16: The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of israel.

Amos 3:16 does not exist.

Obadiah 3:16 does not exist.

Jonah 3:16 does not exist.

Micah 3:16 does not exist.

Nahum 3:16: You have increased the number of your merchants till they are more than the stars of the sky, but like locusts they strip the land and then fly away.

Habakkuk 3:16: I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us.

Zephaniah 3:16: On that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands hang limp.

Haggai 3:16 does not exist.

Zechariah 3:16 does not exist.

Malachi 3:16: Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name.

Matthew 3:16: As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.

Mark 3:16: These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter);

Luke 3:16: John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

John 3:16 does not exist. (Just kidding.)

John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Acts 3:16: By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.

Romans 3:16: ruin and misery mark their ways,

1 Corinthians 3:16: Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?

2 Corinthians 3:16: But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

Galatians 3:16: The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.

Ephesians 3:16: I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

Philippians 3:16: Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

Colossians 3:16: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

1 Thessalonians 3:16 does not exist.

2 Thessalonians 3:16: Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

1 Timothy 3:16: Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.

2 Timothy 3:16: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

Titus 3:16 does not exist.

Philemon 3:16 does not exist.

Hebrews 3:16: Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?

James 3:16: For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

1 Peter 3:16: keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

2 Peter 3:16: He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

1 John 3:16: This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

2 John 3:16 does not exist.

3 John 3:16 does not exist.

Jude 3:16 does not exist.

Revelation 3:16: So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Some Unfiltered Thoughts on this Exercise

For some reason, the verse 2 Kings 3:16 keeps hitting my funny-bone (kind of like the Kenny G make it stop guy on "Psych"): and he said, “This is what the Lord says: Make this valley full of ditches.
The verse in 1 Kings 3:16 is also kind of funny: Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.
Isn't it interesting how the 45+ verses above, when taken together, give you a smattering of the histroy and flavor for the whole Bible as well as for each book within the Bible. I just find that kind of thing fascinating.
Chapter and verse references were not included with the original writing.
Don't build an argument or a theological view point around a single verse, and don't string two verses together to make an argument either (Believe me, I have heard this done in sermons before.). A wonderful example of such a thing would be the stringing together of 1 Kings 3:16 with 2 Kings 3:16: Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. And he said, "This is what the Lord says: 'Make this valley full of ditches.'"
What does John 3:15 say? that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him."
Okay...how'bout 3:17? For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Regarding the above, I had to look them up.
My favorite verse from the above (after John 3:16) is 1 John 3:16, which reads, This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
The only verse from the above, besides John 3:16, that I had memorized prior to doing this exercise is Colossians 3:16, which reads, Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
To me, the most disturbing of any of the above is Revelation 3:16, which reads, So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

The Practice of Sacramental Devotion -- Part IV

2011-12-21T06:49:00.002-05:00

From Part III…

And so Song of Songs ends (in 8:14) with the Beloved’s bid for her Lover to "come away" with her. As uncomfortable as it might feel to insert Jesus into such a passionately romantic context, it would be good to remember that it was Jesus, after all, Who thought up love, sex, and romance and that it was He Who created wine, poetry, and music. These very things came (and still come) from Him, my friends…from His Being…from Who He is as a Person.

And now (and in conclusion) Part IV…

Each of us, as image-bearers, are endowed with the ability to love so passionately that it can lead to a state of near insanity if it is not channeled ordinately. Similarly, our capacities to receive and to be loved can result in the same thing. God is the same way; but, unlike us, He always acts ordinately and fittingly, because that is Who He is, and it is impossible for Him to act in ways contrary to Who He is. The abilities to love and to adore and to worship are so very Godlike, my friends, for they come from God Himself.

Just as a husband and a wife invite each other to partake of each other, so also God invites us to come and partake of Him, and He waits for us to invite Him to come and partake of us. This, my friends, is the sacrament (or sacred mystery) of worship. And it extends so far beyond just the singing of songs, the playing of instruments, or the falling prostrate on our faces before God. This dance of adoration and worship between Jesus and us is divine love-making in its purest sense, and it is not just that which the human physical act of intercourse "images," for it includes the entire breadth of the enrapturing romance of God Almighty toward us and of us toward Him. Worship is the fire of our heart’s devotion to God and of His Heart’s adoration of us. It is what creates the music we play, the songs we sing, and the poems we write, and it is what brings about such delight in God’s Heart.

During this foreplay of mutual loving expression, God prepares us to receive the seed of His Word (which is just a greater unveiling to us of Who He is). And it is in this impartation—or impregnation—that God fertilizes the egg of His Image within us that His Life-giving Word might become incarnate within us (see Jeremiah 31:31-35, Hebrews 8:10, and Hebrews 10:16). This, too, my friends, is the sacrament of worship and is, I believe, the ultimate reason why Jesus came: So that we might be able to, as His Bride, become the corporate Thoughts, Feelings, and Ways of God. Just as the Eucharist (or the Lord’s Supper) is the sacrament of remembering the death of Jesus, worship (in Spirit and in Truth—see John 4:24) is the sacrament of celebrating the resurrection of Jesus (our Husband and Lover) and the resurrection of we the Church (His Bride and Eternal Beloved).

To be invited to such an intimate encounter with God—to be invited not just to honor Him, but to partake of Him (see Psalms 34:8 and 63:5) and to find all our delight and satisfaction in Him (see Psalm 16:11)—is a mysterious privilege, and it is one that changes us continually (as I have written previously) from the inside-out and from the outside-in.

So, you may very well be asking at this point, "And how does 'practice' fit into our adoration of God, Dave?" That’s a really good question. But, before I answer you, though, I want to preface what I write with a perspective that is often missed in our modern lives, and that’s this: That which is being experienced in our physical world is only a representation or a reflection of that which is happening in the spirit realm. (Reread that, and think upon that thought for a moment.)

Okay...so here’s my answer to the question...(the one I just put in your mouth)…

For those of you who are married, do you remember those initial months when you and your girlfriend or boyfriend were first dating? If you’re like most people, that particular season of life is not easily forgotten. In delving into such things, what I want to suggest (and strongly encourage) here is this: Many of the very things you did when you were dating, such as spending great amounts of time together, talking with each other, holding hands and snuggling close to each other, writing of your love for each other, etc., can be adapted and then adopted (almost readily) into your relationship (read, "courtship") with God. This can be done both individually and corporately as a community. A biblical example of God’s Heart on this very thing can be found in Revelation 2:4-5, which reads as follows: "Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first."

As foreign as it might sound or feel right now, date God, my friends. Seek Him out, make yourself available to Him, and ask Him to come and spend time with you. Talk with and open yourself up to Him, and let Him share a little of Himself with you. AND…(if you will!)…let Him romance you. Again, and I don’t think this can be overstated, that which is being experienced in this physical world is only a representation or a reflection of that which is happening in the spirit realm. Expressed differently, that which happens in the spirit realm is intended to be reflected or imaged (read, "brought to solid form") in this physical world. Viewing life in this way can begin to tear down the dividing wall between that which was heretofore deemed sacred and that which was viewed as secular. When living in such a manner, EVERYTHING becomes sacred (because it really is): Sharing the gospel, brushing your teeth, helping your wife out of a car, taking out the trash, going for a walk, going to church, returning a phone call, creating a budget, building a stone wall, etc. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul wrote, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." And THAT right there, my friends, is the practice: Doing EVERYTHING for the glory, honor, and love of God.

Even though I have written of this already, I think it bears repeating: "God is most glorified (read, “honored, magnified, hallowed, loved, and worshiped”) in us when we are most satisfied in Him." (Again, I wish to shout out a very special thank you to John Piper for illuminating these truths in his seminal book, Desiring God.)

So, to put it all together...worshiping God is doing everything you do as a way of enjoying Him and finding in Him the satisfaction of your deepest, most heart-felt longings. Court God, oh dear ones, love Him, and let Him come for you "like a wild stag on the spice mountains."

Those very things, my friends, comprise "the practice of sacred devotion."

Dave

The Practice of Sacramental Devotion -- Part III

2011-12-20T16:23:00.000-05:00

From Part II…

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their Message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You Are in Me and I AM in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We Are One: I in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me. Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I AM, and to see My glory, the glory You have given Me because You loved Me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, though the world does not know You, I know You, and they know that You have sent Me. I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known in order that the love You have for Me may be in them and that I Myself may be in them."—John 17:20-26

And now, Part III…

As mysterious as it might seem, God not only worships within the Loving Oneness of His Triuneness, but He expresses elements of worship (love and devotion) in a seemingly unlikely context: And that is, in creation; and, more specifically, in His relationship with mankind. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, likens a man’s love for and devotion to his wife to that of Jesus toward the Church (see Ephesians 5:25-33). In the Old Testament book, Song of Songs, The Lover (Jesus) feels a love and expresses a devotion toward His Beloved (The Church) in a manner that is nearly impossible to miss. Provided below are some excerpts from this surprisingly erotic work:

The Lover/Jesus (1:10): Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings, your neck with strings of jewels (NIV). You remind me of Pharaoh's well-groomed and satiny mares. Pendant earrings line the elegance of your cheeks; strands of jewels illumine the curve of your throat. I'm making jewelry for you, gold and silver jewelry that will mark and accent your beauty (The Message).

Lover (1:15): How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes are doves (NIV). Oh, my dear friend! You're so beautiful! And your eyes so beautiful—like doves (The Message)!

Lover (2:14): My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely (NIV). Oh, get up, dear friend, my fair and beautiful lover—come to me! Come, my shy and modest dove—leave your seclusion, come out in the open. Let me see your face, let me hear your voice. For your voice is soothing, and your face is ravishing (The Message).

Lover (6:4): You are beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, majestic as troops with banners (NIV). Dear, dear friend and lover, you're as beautiful as Tirzah, city of delights, lovely as Jerusalem, city of dreams, the ravishing visions of my ecstasy (The Message).

Lover (6:5): Turn your eyes from me; they overwhelm me (NIV). Your beauty is too much for me—I'm in over my head. I'm not used to this! I can't take it in (The Message).

Lover (6:9): My dove, my perfect one, is unique (NIV). There's no one like her on earth, never has been, never will be. She's a woman beyond compare. My dove is perfection, pure and innocent as the day she was born, and cradled in joy by her mother (The Message).

Lover (6:11): I went down to the grove of nut trees to look at the new growth in the valley, to see if the vines had budded or the pomegranates were in bloom (NIV). One day I went strolling through the orchard, looking for signs of spring, looking for buds about to burst into flower, anticipating readiness, ripeness (The Message).

Lover (6:12): Before I realized it, my desire set me among the royal chariots of my people (NIV). Before I knew it, my heart was raptured, carried away by lofty thoughts (The Message)!

Lover (7:5): Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel. Your hair is like royal tapestry; the King is held captive by its tresses (NIV). Shapely and graceful your sandaled feet, and queenly your movement—your limbs are lithe and elegant, the work of a master artist (The Message).

Lover (7:6): How beautiful you are and how pleasing, O love, with your delights (NIV)! Your body is a chalice, wine-filled. Your skin is silken and tawny, like a field of wheat touched by the breeze (The Message).

Lover (7:7): Your stature is like that of the palm, and your breasts like clusters of fruit (NIV). Your breasts are like fawns, twins of a gazelle. Your neck is carved ivory, curved and slender. Your eyes are wells of light, deep with mystery. Quintessentially feminine! Your profile turns all heads, commanding attention (The Message).

Lover (7:8): I said, "I will climb the palm tree; I will take hold of its fruit." May your breasts be like the clusters of the vine, the fragrance of your breath like apples, and your mouth like the best wine (NIV). The feelings I get when I see the high mountain ranges—stirrings of desire, longings for the heights—remind me of you, and I'm spoiled for anyone else! Your beauty, within and without, is absolute, dear lover, close companion. You are tall and supple, like the palm tree, and your full breasts are like sweet clusters of dates. I say, "I'm going to climb that palm tree! I'm going to caress its fruit!" Oh yes! Your breasts will be clusters of sweet fruit to me, your breath clean and cool like fresh mint, your tongue and lips like the best wine (The Message).

In response to her Lover's Words of adoration and passionately expressed Desires, the Lover’s Beloved reaches out to her Lover as seen in the passages provided below:

The Beloved/Church (7:9): May the wine go straight to my Lover, flowing gently over lips and teeth (NIV). Yes, and yours are, too—my Love's kisses flow from His lips to mine (The Message).

Beloved (7:10): I belong to my Lover, and His desire is for me (NIV). I am my Lover's. I'm all He wants. I'm all the world to Him (The Message)!

Beloved (7:11): Come, my Lover, let us go to the countryside, let us spend the night in the villages (NIV). Come, dear Lover—let's tramp through the countryside. Let's sleep at some wayside inn, then rise early and listen to bird-song (The Message).

Beloved (7:12): Let us go early to the vineyards to see if the vines have budded, if their blossoms have opened, and if the pomegranates are in bloom—there I will give You my love (NIV). Let's look for wildflowers in bloom, blackberry bushes blossoming white (The Message).

Beloved (7:13): The mandrakes send out their fragrance, and at our door is every delicacy, both new and old, that I have stored up for you, my Lover (NIV). Fruit trees festooned with cascading flowers. And there I'll give myself to You, my love to Your Love (The Message)!

Beloved (8:10): I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. Thus I have become in His Eyes like one bringing contentment (NIV). Dear brothers, I'm a walled-in virgin still, but my breasts are full—and when my Lover sees me, He knows He'll soon be satisfied (The Message).

Beloved (8:12): My own vineyard is mine to give (NIV). But my vineyard is all mine, and I'm keeping it to myself (The Message).

Beloved (8:14): Come away, my Lover, and be like a gazelle or like a young stag on the spice-laden mountains (NIV). Run to me, dear Lover. Come like a gazelle. Leap like a wild stag on the spice mountains (The Message).

And so Song of Songs ends (as we see in 8:14) with the Beloved’s bid for her Lover to “come away” with her. As uncomfortable as it might feel to insert Jesus into such a passionately romantic context, it would be good to remember that it was Jesus, after all, Who thought up love, sex, and romance and that it was He Who created wine, poetry, and music. These very things came (and still come) from Him, my friends…from His Being…from Who He is as a Person.

Peace,

Dave

The Practice of Sacramental Devotion -- Part II

2011-12-20T08:34:00.003-05:00

From the last time…

In the Old Testament, the principal way in which God reveals Himself is through the unveiling of His many Names (each, of which, represents a different facet [or, perhaps, several facets] of His Character and Nature). The loftiest of all the Names with which God identifies Himself is found in the four-lettered, Hebraic, Tetragammaton: Yud Heh Vav Heh. Pronounced Ye-veh or Shem Havayah, YHVH literally means "The Name of Existence." Most English versions of the scriptures interchangeably translate Shem Havayah as "I AM," "Yahweh," or “Jehovah.” Shem Havayah is the Name that is above all other Names, and it is reserved only for the Supremem God of the Hebrews: Jesus, the Almighty and the Creator of the heavens and the earth. It is more than just interesting to note, though, that, in Genesis 1:26, the word translated God or Lord is NOT Shem Havayeh, but, rather, the less specific (and plural) Elokim, which, in its most literal translation, means "Masters of Strength" or "Masters of Forces."

And now Part II…

As startling and as controversial as this might read, we, as human beings, are elokim (little e) created in the Image of the Elokim of elokim (see Psalm 82:6 and Jesus’ Words in John 10:34-38). If this is the case (and I believe it to be so), we human beings, in our capacities, powers, and endowments, so closely resemble Elokim that, by design, it is, at times, difficult to distinguish between Him and us. This, my friends, is what I believe God had in Mind when He made you and me. He desired a family (and an army, too) of loving, powerful beings who could think, feel, and act just the way He does and who could exercise dominion and mastery over the forces of nature and the spirit world. Now, of course (and quite obviously), there are significant differences between us and God (for we are not Shem Havayeh). God (big G!) alone is Shem Havayeh (The Name of Existence), He has always been Shem Havayeh, and He will always be Shem Havayeh, the Supreme Creator "of all that is, seen and unseen," as the Nicene Creed reads, the Everlasting Father and Breathe of Existence, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, and the ultimate Elokim of elokim. We, on the other hand, are not Shem Havayeh, and neither will we ever be so. For we are created elokim, and there was a time when we (mankind) were not. Even though God (as Shem Havayeh) is so far beyond us, it is my belief that, because we bear the Image and Likeness of Elokim, we resemble God about as much as any created beings can. And, as such—and in submission to Elokim, we do some of the things He does, and this includes our worship of Him.

Worship, because it is an endowment that was stamped in us at creation, is not just something we are commanded to do (see Matthew 4:10 and Deuteronomy 6:13), but something we cannot help but do. As controversial as this might seem, I think it bears repeating: We worship, because we are image-bearers of a worshiping God. If to worship is to adore or to devote oneself to another, well, God has been doing this very thing since before time began. The Godhead (Father, Son, and Spirit) exists in a state of eternal worship. The Father adores the Son, the Son is devoted to the Father, and the Spirit glorifies and hallows the Son and the Father. Provided below are several passages of scripture that allude to this very thing (Note: As you read through these passages, notice the love, adoration, and devotion expressed and demonstrated within the Godhead.):

"This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I find all My delight."—Matthew 4:8-10

Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I will give you," he said, "if You will bow down and worship me." Jesus said to him, "Away from Me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.'"—Matthew 4:8-10

...a light-radiant cloud enveloped them, and sounding from deep in the cloud a voice: "This is My Son, marked by My Love, focus of My Delight, Listen to Him."—Matthew 17:5

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was Life, and that Life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that Light, so that through Him all men might believe. He himself was not the Light; he came only as a witness to the Light. The true Light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was His Own, but His Own did not receive Him. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, Who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testifies concerning Him. He cries out, saying, "This was He of Whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.'" From the fullness of His grace, we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, Who is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.—John 1:1-18

When he was gone, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God is glorified in Him, God will glorify the Son in Himself, and will glorify Him at once."—John 13:31-32

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love."—John 15:9

"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not Speak on His Own; He will Speak only what He Hears, and He will Tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to Me by taking from what is Mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is Mine and make it known to you."—John 16:12-15

After Jesus said this, He looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify Your Son, that your Son may glorify You. For you granted Him authority over all people that He might give eternal life to all those You have given Him. Now this is eternal life: That they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom You have sent. I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave Me to do. And now, Father, glorify Me in Your Presence with the glory I had with You before the world began".—John 17:1-5

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their Message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You Are in Me and I AM in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We Are One: I in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me. Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I AM, and to see My glory, the glory You have given Me because You loved Me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, though the world does not know You, I know You, and they know that You have sent Me. I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known in order that the love You have for Me may be in them and that I Myself may be in them."—John 17:20-26

Okay…that’s all for now. Tune in tomorrow for Part III!

CU…

Dave

The Practice of Sacramental Devotion -- Part I

2011-12-19T09:31:00.004-05:00

Worship is as old as humanity itself.

Actually, it’s older.

In its most distilled form, worship is, quite simply, "the transpersonal adoration of one being for another and the transcendent devotion of one being to another." Even though there are many facets of worship that can be experienced in human relationships, such as being devoted to one's spouse or significant other, the adoration and devotion of worship is something that is to be reserved for God, and God alone (see Matthew 4:10). To worship anything or anyone other than God is idolatry (see Exodus 20:3-6, Exodus 20:23, Exodus 23:13, Deuteronomy 4:16-18, Deuteronomy 7:25-26, 2 Kings 17:35, and Isaiah 44:6-20).

Genesis 1:26 reads, "Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our Image, in Our Likeness...'" What do you think God meant when He used the words "Image" and "Likeness" in the Genesis account. To help with beginning to answer such things, I’ve always found it useful to try to return, as best as I can, to the original language and context in which such things were written…

The Hebrew word for image in this verse is tselem (Strong's #6754), which means "reflection" or "a shadow, which is the outline or representation of the original." The Hebrew word for likeness is demuth (Strong's #1823), which means "similar" and can be used interchangeably with image.

In John 4:24, Jesus said, "God is spirit…," meaning God is a Being without corporeal (bodily) existence. As such, for us to have been created in the Image of God, most likely, does not mean we were created to look like God in terms of our physical, bodily appearance (because, of course, God does not exist corporeally). Rather, I think it means that we were created in the likeness of God in our spirits. Meaning who we are in our spirits reflects Who God is, principally through the capacities, powers, and endowments we share in common with Him. By capacities, I mean our abilities to receive, to absorb, and to contain or retain; by powers, I mean our abilities to control forces and to exercise dominion (or mastery) over oneself, creation, and the principalities and powers in the heavenly realms; and by endowments, I mean our abilities to observe, to think, to dream, to feel, to desire (generatively), to love, to exercise judgment, to express ourselves creatively, to act above or outside of our instincts, and to worship (to adore/to be devoted to). These capacities, powers, and endowments come from God and are, in fact, of Him; and, by the Touch of His Finger and the Life in His Breath (see Genesis 2:7), they are of us, too.

In the Old Testament, the principal way in which God reveals Himself is through the unveiling of His many Names (each, of which, represents a different facet [or, perhaps, several facets] of His Character and Nature). The loftiest of all the Names with which God identifies Himself is found in the four-lettered, Hebraic, Tetragammaton: Yud Heh Vav Heh. Pronounced Ye-veh or Shem Havayah, YHVH literally means "The Name of Existence." Most English versions of the scriptures interchangeably translate Shem Havayah as "I AM," "Yahweh," or "Jehovah." Shem Havayah is the Name that is above all other Names, and it is reserved only for the Supreme God of the Hebrews: Jesus, the Almighty and the Creator of the heavens and the earth. It is more than just interesting to note, though, that, in Genesis 1:26, the word translated God is NOT Shem Havayeh, but, rather, the less specific (and plural) Elokim, which in its most literal translation, means "Masters of Strength" or "Masters of Forces."

Okay...that's all for now. Please stay tuned for Part II (of several more to come!) tomorrow…

May God’s peace be with all'y'all!

Dave

Child Sex Trafficking

2011-11-30T22:40:00.001-05:00

Hey, everyone…

This just aired tonight on WRAL TV in Raleigh, North Carolina. Please give it a watch, get the word out, and consider how you might be a part of concerted efforts to rescue child victims of sex trafficking right here in North Carolina.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/video/10448783/

God bless you,

Dave

Link to Transforming Hope Ministries: www.transforminghopeministries.com

Living a Life of Prayer

2011-11-28T11:25:00.001-05:00

In To Pray and to Love, Roberta Bondi writes, "Prayer is shared life with God over an entire lifetime." I love that! And I can think of no better way to characterize or distill the central core of what prayer really is. It is, just as Bondi puts it, a "shared life with God over an entire lifetime." In this shared life, we get to know God—some of what He thinks, a little of what He feels—and we get to invite Him to be a part of our lives as individuals and as a community of faith.

As members of a fallen race, we share a woundedness that, all too often, leads us from God. It is, unfortunately, a systemic sickness that inclines us not only to our own destruction but also to the destruction of those around us (even those we love the most). Prayer is THE ground zero for the healing and reviving of God’s original Image in us, the quickening of those endowments of creating, feeling, thinking, dreaming, and worshipping that were given us at creation. These endowments, and how they operate in our lives, affect who we are, which, in turn, affects what we do, and which, coming back around full circle, influences who we are. They comprise the substance of what make us human; for to be a human being is to be one who has been created in the very Image of a creating, feeling, thinking, dreaming, and, yes, worshipping God. Like many have believed throughout history, the monastics believe that the original implanting of God’s nature—His very ousia—can be awakened within us as we reacquaint ourselves with the Image of God within us and, with His help, embrace it once again as our own. And It is ours to embrace, for God gave It to us, and, as the scriptures read, "the gifts and callings of God are irrevocable" (see Romans 11:29).

Thousands of years ago, God conveyed through the prophet Isaiah the following Words: "My Thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My Ways" (see Isaiah 55:8). While it is true that, in our fallen state, our ways of thinking and doing are not God’s Ways of Thinking and Doing, it is my belief that, through scripture and God’s invitation to pray through and meditate on it, God has provided THE means for us to make His Thoughts our thoughts and to make His Ways our ways. For more than 1,600 years, the monastics have striven to live out this principle by making scripture and the praying of scripture central to their daily practice of living.
As I hope you will discover as you read some of the postings on this blog, I have a deep love for the Psalms. For me, they are, along with "The Our Father" prayer, the starting point for individual and corporate prayer. As millions, if not billions, have experienced down through the centuries, the Psalms embody almost completely the spectrum of the human condition. In beginning to pray the Psalms, the early monastic communities rediscovered what the ancients had learned more than a millennia before, and that’s this: that as they prayed the praises, laments, pleadings, confessions, and remembrances of the Psalms, the Holy Spirit began to bring the Words to life personally in their own particular situations. God’s Word (read, “His Thoughts”) began to dominate their thoughts, and His Ways began to become their ways.

Through all of this, the monastics were not trying to earn their way to God. No! On the contrary, they simply had a singular, life-long passion to know this God Who loved them intimately…this God Who accepted them already just as they were. And, it would seem, the more they learned of God, the more they wanted to know Him, and the more they wanted to know Him, the more God unveiled to them the many facets of His unlimited nature, character, and personality. Prayer provided the means for them to feel their hunger for God, and, as they did, they allowed it to evolve into what I might call “a deep starvation.” And it was a starvation that only God could satiate.

So I ask you, dear friend: Do you feel your hunger for God? If not (and even if you do!), I would like to urge you to venture forth, just as the monastics of the past 1,600 years have done, and allow yourself to get in touch with your own personal hunger for God. For, as I have written already, nothing in life will compare with the surpassing pleasure of having God satisfy you completely, continuously, and forever. I wish to close with one of my favorite verses from scripture. It’s found in the Psalms, of all places, and it reads as follows: “Thou wilt make known to me the Path of Life. Thy Countenance is Fullness of Joy; at Thy Right Hand are pleasures forevermore” (see Psalm 16:11). That, my friends, is the crux of life...and it turns on the axis of prayer and deep communion with Almighty God.

CU...

Dave

The Practice of Creating a Safe Practice Field

2011-11-20T21:31:00.001-05:00

In his translation of James 1:2-4, J. B. Phillips writes, “When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives my brothers, don’t resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends! Realize that they come to test your faith and to produce in you the quality of endurance. But let the process go on until that endurance is fully developed, and you will find you have become men of mature character with the right sort of independence.” This is and has been (for as long as I can remember) my favorite translation of James 1:2-4.

When facing trials and tribulations, welcoming them as friends is a pretty radical attitude, would you not agree? I once did a word study on the phrase “trials and temptations” used in vs. 2. These particular words come from the Greek word, PEIRASMOS, which, in Vines Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, is defined as such: Trials (plural); a making experience [e.g., that which creates something within you]; to receive or take; rendered “assaying” in the sense of having experience of (or of being tried). As I think upon the above, it would appear to me that the trials James writes of are those experiences that (in and of themselves) create something within us; the sense, too, is that they are special problems given to us from the very Hand and Heart of God. Not only are we to receive them, but we are to pursue (meaning, ask for) them as well. Much like friendships with others, such problems must be actively sought out (or pursued) and received (read, "welcomed!").

All of this has changed the way I think about James 1:2. The trials James writes of are those specific things created and sent by God to stretch us on a daily basis, with the ultimate objective of our becoming "...men [and women] of mature character with the right sort of independence." I liken such trials to the fundamental drills a basketball coach might give to his young players to help them not just in preparing for upcoming games but in being better prepared to practice effectively each time they come together as a whole team.

I can imagine God being very much like a really good coach and giving each of us specific and personal drills intended to transform how we approach life, how we view ourselves, how we work and play and learn and persevere, and how we relate to God and to each other. As with anything, though, “effective drilling” occurs within the context of a loving partnership. God provides us with things to work on (read, “practice”), and, in response, we choose to practice such things as God has prescribed. Can such drills become an intrusion? At times. Can they be fun and illuminating? Absolutely! Are they painful? Sometimes, but not usually.

As I think upon such things, I am reminded of three slogans I adopted into my own slogan-practice more than fifteen years ago. I am indebted to Dick Marcinko, a former Navy Seal, for opening up these truths to me. Provided below are the slogans as they were first presented in Dick Marcinko's book, Leadership Secrets of the Rogue Warrior, which he wrote with John Weisman in 1997:

Sometimes, one hast not to like it, one just hast to do it.

The more thou sweatest in training, the less thou bleedest in battle.

If thou hurtist in thine efforts and thou suffer painful dings, than thou art, most likely, doing it right.

In this essay, I want to encourage you to partner with God in creating your own training regimen. The reason I urge you to create such a program with God is two-fold: (1) It engages your heart and makes you an active participant in setting the course for your training; and (2) It ensures that God is the one Who ultimately decides on the course and pace of your training. Through such a partnership, a safe practice field is created on which you can begin to practice the drills God gives you to work on daily (see Philippians 2:12-13 and Ephesians 2:10).

To expand slightly upon what I wrote in The Practice of Practicing Everything, your training in life should not be separated from the doings of your life. No! In fact, your training should be integral to your doings and should be just as natural as breathing in and out and just as biologically ordered as going to sleep at night and waking up in the morning.

In the posts ahead, I will, Lord-willing, write about many of the practices and drills that God may wish for you to adopt into your own life-practice. I want to encourage you, though (as you read onward, I hope!), to take a prayerful, hands-off approach to the adopting of new practices into your life. In what’s ahead, you will read of some practices that will, quite literally make your head spin and your insides wretch. Please know that that is not only perfectly understandable but perfectly normal as well. All that I write of is to be absorbed over a life-time, and not over a period of just a few short months. Please pursue only those things you feel God desires you to pursue in the present moment. A tender-hearted warrior is dedicated to deescalating self-aggressiveness in his or her life. As such, a tender-hearted warrior neither steps out in front of God nor lags behind Him. To lag behind is to deteriorate; to step ahead is to push oneself too aggressively and, thus, create deterioration. Engaging in that which creates deterioration is self-aggressive, and, by fiat, is ungodly. More strongly stated, urging you to react to the lie of the benefits of self-aggression is a key strategy of the devil…that enemy of your soul and mine who wishes to do nothing but rob you of your life and destroy you where you stand (see John 10:10).

Ask God, my friends—plead with Him, actually, to enable you to stay right next to Him, to stay right where He is, and to practice only that which He desires you to practice as He creates and places such desires within your own heart. Just as an elementary math student will, typically, not be asked by his or her teacher to solve a college calculus problem, God will not ask you to work at something that is beyond you. No…it is His desire to tax your current skills just enough to keep you from getting bored but not too much so as to discourage you or to break your spirit in some manner. God is a master at pulling such things together; but you, my friend, must choose to stay right there with Him and willingly let Him do what He wishes to do. This is what creating a safe practice field is all about. One of the really neat things about all of this is that as you and God create such a field for yourself, God will begin to use you to help others to do the same in their lives. Now... how cool is that?

CU soon,

Dave

PS...Here are a few things that have been very inspirational to me in motivating me to create with God a safe place to practice. I hope you enjoy these...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9N0Q0ASRgE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZ-_3Ug3wqU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k08yxu57NA

The Practice of Practicing Everything

2011-11-16T22:10:00.001-05:00

How cool would it be if everything you did in life was just for practice? And not necessarily practice in preparation for some future performance or competition, but practice just for the sake of learning or improving in the execution of a particular skill—be it, tying your shoes, sinking a jump shot, or communicating kindly, gently, and yet also honestly with your spouse, with your son or daughter, or, even, with yourself?

While a key and hoped-for byproduct of practice is, of course, improved competence, what if seeking to improve was no longer the prime motive. What if instead, the principal motivation in practicing was simply to enjoy and become more of who you are already through your doing of something mindfully, meaning, with your heart, soul, and body devoted 100% to whatever it was you were doing? I know I’m asking a lot of questions here, but what if instead of just brushing your teeth before bed tonight, you "practiced" doing so? And did so in the manner I just described….where you stay completely present in the activity.

When one practices something, for example brushing one’s teeth, one’s attentions become focused intently on the various elements that comprise the activity: dispensing toothpaste onto your toothbrush; turning on the water and waiting for it to heat up; slipping your toothbrush under the water to wet and warm the toothpaste and bristles; turning off the water; lifting your toothbrush to your mouth; and then commencing with the process of moving your toothbrush back and forth rhythmically across your teeth, gums, and tongue.

To practice is to begin to pay attention, also, to how everything feels, looks, sounds, and tastes: the warmth of the water; the feel of the bristles on your gums; the taste of the toothpaste; etc. When was the last time you listened intently to the sound of running water in the faucet of your bathroom or even allowed yourself to slow down long enough to taste (and, perhaps, even enjoy the taste) of your toothpaste?

Close Encounters and the Way of the Tender-Hearted Warrior

2011-11-10T19:14:00.001-05:00

Close encounters with Jesus are life-changing and, at times, terrifying. They are, though, the most satisfying of anything you will ever experience. And I mean ever.

I love what C.S. Lewis once wrote of Aslan (a "type" of Jesus) in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe: “Safe? ‘Course, He’s not safe. But He’s good.” The psalmist in Psalm 101:1 declared, “I will sing of Your love and justice. To you, Lord, I will sing praise.” Jesus loves and accepts you completely, and—yes—JUST as you are in this moment…right here, right now. His love for you is so far beyond anything you could ever ask for or, even in your wildest of dreams, imagine. While He does accept you just as you are, His love for you is SO great that He will not stand idly by while you languish in the sin, destructive habits, and poor conditions of your soul and current life. While you may take the on-going and potential destructiveness of your life lightly, Jesus can’t. In fact, it’s quite impossible for Him to do so.

In reading this blog and (it is hoped!) by taking some initial steps in the ways of monastic warriorship (e.g., in the ways of living that are centered in and upon Jesus and the things he did and said), you will begin what I consider to be the journey of journeys. And it is a journey that I KNOW will challenge you to the core of who you are as a person. Coming into close contact with Jesus—and I'm talking about CLOSE and DEEPLY INTIMATE contact with Him—can be a terrifyingly comforting thing. Just being with Jesus will chase the darkness from within you as He works diligently, lovingly, and justly to recreate who you are from the inside out and from the outside in. In Jesus, there is no separating of the mind from the spirit or the spirit from the body or the body from the mind. You are a mind-spirit-body, and the changes that you will experience will be manifested in all arenas of your life and person hood.

If—and this is a huge IF—you will begin this day (in this moment, actually) to approach prayerfully that which lays before you and to do so by consciously inviting Jesus to be a part of every aspect of your life—even your thoughts, dreams, and imaginings—I guarantee that you will never be the same. Never. I write of this from personal experience (for that really is all I have to draw from). I promise you that NOTHING within this blog is second-hand; everything is drawn from my own personal, first-hand experiences. As you get into these things, though, I need to warn you, okay? (I feel that if I don't tell you these things, I will be lying to you in some way.) Okay…so here goes...

As you proceed with practicing that which is promulgated within these and other writings and as you seek Jesus through praying His Word and by inviting Him to be an Ever-Present-Companion—even to your most personal thoughts, there will be times of significant pain, struggle, distress, and outright anguish. This I promise. Please allow me, though, to reassure you that, just as the psalmist wrote in Psalm 30:5: "while weeping may last for a night, joy comes in the morning,” these things will pass. This, too, I promise, okay? As your brother in Christ, as a fellow human being, and as one who has walked such roads with Jesus, yes, you will be changed, you will be challenged, and, at times, it’s going to feel pretty crummy. BUT...through it all, you will experience a joy and a peace that far exceeds anything you’ve experienced thus far. This will happen. Make no mistake about it: this will happen.

THIS...WILL...HAPPEN!!

Today, in this very moment, I am the happiest person I know of (aside from Jesus, of course!). But the happiness I experience (and pretty much experience all the time) did not come without a price. And that price was my life. Or, rather, my life as I once knew it, experienced it, thought and dwelt upon it, felt it, and (at times!) lived it. In my thirty years of walking with Jesus, one of the greatest aspects of His redeeming work in my life personally has been His removing from my life that which I thought I wanted (but, upon my obtaining it, came to the discovery that I really didn’t) so that room might be created wherein He could give me what I’ve longed for my entire life: and that is more of Himsaelf directly or more of Who He is indirectly in other people or nested within an opportunity or an experience.

For me, walking in the way of the tender-hearted warrior (my definition) is the only way of living that feels entirely courageous, authentic, loving, and God-and-other-honoring. The core of such a way is the practice of daily and weekly prayer. As such, this way begins and ends in continuous communion with Jesus, the Master Warrior.

God's blessings on all'y'all,

Dave

Embracing My Belovedness

2011-11-07T11:50:00.002-05:00

Two Sundays ago, Pastor Benji Kelly (newhope church, Durham, NC, www.newhopenc.org) preached a short sermon on "The ABC's of Holy Communion." One of the three aspects that he spoke of concerning our coming to "The Table" was our enthusiastic (read bold) embracing of our corporate as well as individual belovedness (AGAPETO: the state of being delighted in and loved by God with an everlasting, unconditional love) as God's dear children.

I’ve been thinking about this very thing for some time now (for many years, actually). In fact, Henri Nouwen's book, Life of the Beloved, is, and will continue to be, an all time favorite of mine. In my heart, there are two things that I long to hear from my Father:

“Well done, My good and faithful servant. Enter in to your Master’s rest. ”
“This is My beloved Son, in Whom I AM well-pleased.”

Of course, #2 above is that which was Spoken to Jesus upon His emergence from the waters of baptism. But who among us does not want to hear God say something similar to us personally?

”You are My beloved son; in you I AM so very well-pleased!”

Or…

“You are My beloved daughter; in you I find all My delight!”

I, for one, long to hear God say such things to me and to my brothers and sisters around me. Don’t you?

Something happened yesterday…

Something happened to me yesterday during worship. But before I share what happened, I would like to share a dream I had more than twenty-five years ago. Today, that dream is still as vivid as it was the night I dreamt it.

Here’s what I dreamt (I shared this in my blog several months ago)…

My dream…

In August of 1986, I dreamt that I died and went to Heaven.

While I think it was a dream, I cannot be sure.

In my “dream,” I’m in the temple of the Most High. It’s an outdoor temple, with lots of stone and columns and green, viney plants, and before me is a set of steps leading up to God’s thrown. In the moment of my awareness, I notice that I'm seated on one of the bottom steps and just gazing up at Jesus. It's at this point that Jesus proceeds to come down to where I am and, with a touch of sadness, says to me: "Dave…if only you’d just followed Me, we could have done so much more together.” In that moment, I realize what a fool I’ve been and just lose it—and I mean lose it. In my anguish, I cry out to God (as He wraps His Arms around me): “Give me another chance, Lord! Oh God, please, just give me another chance! Please, please, please…give me another chance!” I can hardly get the words out as I am so overwhelmed with grief over how I’ve wasted my life.

And then I woke up.

Or arose.

Did I die? In a way, yes. (And it was a very good death!) For, you see, I had been struggling for so long against God over the direction of my life. I wanted to be in ministry, and He wanted me to study water biology and civil/environmental engineering. He heard me, though (just as I heard Him), because He granted me a second chance—OUR second chance...TOGETHER. And, now, nearly 25 years later, all I want to do is to be where He is, and, most recently, it would seem, He’s been hanging out a lot in third world countries where clean water and sanitation is a scarcity. Oh that my Lord might do much and just let me tag along with Him!

Okay…so that’s what I dreamt in 1986; here’s what happened yesterday...

My vision…

During worship, I had a vision. (Last night, when I was recounting all of this to my dearest friend, I couldn’t remember what song it was that we were singing when I had my experience. This morning, though, I remembered it: “The Wonderful Cross.” A link to the song is provided below.)

Anyway, as we were all singing this song yesterday during the third service at newhope, and as my arms were outstretched in worship of God, I experienced a vision:

In my vision (as we were all singing), I saw what appeared to be two angels take my arms and hold them up against the horizontal piece of an already erected cross. As they held my arms down, I willingly submitted as they wrapped my arms to the cross-bar with rope. I felt no pain, and, as I indicated above, I submitted willingly to all of this. At that point, Jesus appeared and proceeded to drive spikes through my wrists into the cross-bar and then to drive a spike through the upper portions of my feet into the vertical stand of the cross. Again, I felt no pain and submitted gladly to what was happening. A moment later, Jesus stepped back from His work, looked at me, and then threw His Arms around me. Though nothing was said, messages were conveyed. After this, Jesus then knelt at the foot of the cross and began to wash my bloody feet. Again, I felt no pain during any of this.

Yesterday, last night, and today, I have thought of almost nothing but this vision, the dream I had twenty-five years ago, the belovedness that I am invited to embrace at The Table of our Lord, the scriptures that recount where Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, and the scripture passage in Isaiah 52:7, which reads as follows: How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!”

Listening to the Whispers…

While I’m going to give myself some time to listen for the interpretation God brings to me of all of these things and of how they all tie together in my life, here are some of my initial thoughts and feelings…

I am my Father’s beloved, and I am Jesus’ baby brother. (By no means does this mean that I will become as Jesus and be God—NO!!)

The hug Jesus gave me in my dream twenty-five years ago, and the hug He gave me in my vision yesterday, while related, represent two very different things. The embrace from twenty-five years ago was one of comfort and was given to bring about repentance. The one yesterday, though, was one of great welcome, as though Jesus were saying to me, “Our work together has been exceedingly good. You are with Me, and I AM with you. I AM yours, and you are Mine. Welcome to Life as it's meant to be lived, Dave.”

The reason I felt no pain being nailed to the cross is because, it would seem, a dead man feels no such pain.

The significance of Jesus washing the blood off my feet is simply to affirm that He and I are together and that together we will bring good news, proclaim peace, bring good tidings, proclaim salvation, and shout out to Zion, “Our God reigns!”

In time, I will share more, my friends. Thanks for listening…

Dave

“The Wonderful Cross,” by Matt Redman and Chris Tomlin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sKcw9_PQYA

Dynamic Views

2011-11-05T16:18:00.001-04:00

Hello, everyone,

I am ALL about simple.

Blogger recently added a new feature called “Dynamic Views,” which allows you and me to view blog content in a manner that is much simpler than before. Any time you access this blog, while a default view will pop-up, the tool bar across the top will enable you to view this blog in other ways as well.

I hope you like it. :o)

Ummm…and if you don’t my apologies…

…as I haven’t the foggiest how to convert it back to the way that it was before.

As I learn more about this new format, you may see some minor changes in the format over the next couple of weeks.

God bless all of you, and happy reading!!

Dave

Kenya 2011 Picture Montage

2011-11-04T11:45:00.001-04:00

All...

Here's a picture montage (on vimeo) created by Molly Buckley, who was a part of the Kenya 2011 team. Thanks so much, Molly!!

God's peace,

Dave

http://vimeo.com/31356923

November 2011: A Month of Loving-kindness

2011-10-29T21:10:00.002-04:00

This year, I am setting apart November as a month of loving-kindness…a month dedicated to being and doing that which is kind toward others and toward myself...BASED ON LOVE.

Loving-kindness is tough, and it is neither flattering nor obsequious.

Loving-kindness speaks the truth, but does so always for the benefit of others.

Loving-kindness never does for another that which that one can (and, most certainly, should) do for himself or herself.

Loving-kindness is deferential, but in a meek (strength channeled lovingly) kind of way; it never lets another walk all over him or her.

Loving-kindness recognizes that everyone is sinful and is, as such, forgiving of everyone for everything. In fact, loving-kindness chooses to forgive others long before they act. This is how loving-kindness produces a slowness to anger, for loving-kindness is not easily offended.

Loving-kindness is gracious, and does whatever it can to make others feel preciously loved and welcomed...even if it's at 3:30 in the morning.

So…as I wrote above, during November (which is my birthday month), I wish to be lovingly-kind in every situation. And I mean EVERY situation. Is it possible to respond to life in such a way? Yep. The scriptures read that “the fruit of the Spirit is…kindness.” My prayer (my plea, in fact) in this moment is for God to incarnate (make flesh) His Word in me in this very special, and often overlooked, arena of life.

Peace and loving-kindness to all of you,

Dave

Pray for Me

2011-10-25T10:12:00.003-04:00

Greetings, everyone,

A few days ago, my dearest friend on earth asked me to write out specific prayers that I would like her to pray on my behalf. Provided below is what I gave her. She suggested also that I pass these on to other people in my life so that, to quote her, “[I] might have many people praying for [me].” I am so grateful for her desire to pray for me, and I would be most grateful to you if you would pray these things for me, too. :o)

Peace…

Dave

Father, I bring before You my dear friend and brother, Dave…

May he KNOW that You love Him, and may he experience the presence, power, and meaning of Your Son’s death and resurrection in every aspect of His life.

May he have Your Heart beating within His very own, and may he see and think about things the way You See and Think about them. Oh that he might feel Your Heart and live from the Deep Places of joy and sorrow that reside Therein, and, oh, too, that he might have the Mind of Your Son and live, serve, and give of Himself wisely and selflessly to all those who need him.

May he, as he has prayed so very often, walk before You in holiness, humility, and purity all the days of his life, and may he, indeed, live a simple, open, and ordinary life inspired by a great love for You and for others and by an insatiable enthusiasm for life and for everything that has life.

May he be a missional conduit of Your loving-kindness, joy, compassion, and equanimity to all those within the realm of his influence and existence.

Use Him, Lord, to extend Your kingdom; use him, also, to hallow Your Name. Listen, write, and express Who You Are through him, Lord, and enable Him, oh God, to inspire those around him to dream and to pursue their dreams. May he be used by You to bring physical and living water to those who thirst…wherever they might be.

Place a hedge of thorns around his heart, soul, mind, and body, and please protect him for the attacks and assaults of his enemies. Rise up, oh God, and defend him. Come quickly to his aid, and rescue him from the fowler’s snare, for Thou Art his Refuge and Ever-Present Help in times of difficulty and trouble.

May the both of you forever enjoy the times you get to spend together, and may each breath Dave takes be of, for, and all about You.

And, last but not least, oh God…may Dave continue to find in You his greatest pleasure and satisfaction in life, and may the peace and humble joy that arises from such things spill over liberally, gracefully, and unashamedly into me and into all those around Dave who love him so much.

For it is in the blessed and hallowed Name of Jesus that I ask of You these very things,

Amen.

On Behalf of Many, My Confession...

2011-10-22T13:19:00.001-04:00

From First John Chapter Four…

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is love: not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. If we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us. We love because He first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, Whom he has not seen. And He has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

From James Chapter One…

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

From James Chapter Five…

Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for each other that you might be healed.

MY CONFESSION

My dear friend, whom I may not yet know…

As a follower of Jesus, I wish, in this very moment, to express to you my deep sorrow over the ways in which people, JUST LIKE ME—and including me, have, at times, perpetrated great harm to you and to others just like you down through the centuries.

I am so sorry…

…for our arrogance and condemnation of anyone who does not live up to our own warped standards of what is right and what is good. (Even though we, ourselves, don’t live up to it.)

…for our hatred of those—even amongst our own family and community—who are different than us.

…for our great earnestness in the imperialist expansion of our political, social, and economic agendas instead of the expansion of God’s love in our hearts toward you and toward everyone around us.

…for the crimes we have committed in the Name of the Church and, through our silence, for our our support of the perpetration of abject evil against our fellow human beings.

…for our participation in the killing of innocents who did not believe or think the way we did

…for our ostracizing of those who did not hold to our narrow views of “the truth.”

…for our participation in the killing of “non-Christians” during The Crusades.

…for our participation in the burning of innocents at the stake during The Inquisition.

…for our inhumane treatment of native Americans, such as the Sioux, the Navaho, and the Cherokee.

…for enslaving Africans, that we might live lives of ease, and for labeling such practices as "biblical” and “godly.” (And they are neither.)

…for our stony silence during The Holocaust.

…for our love of money and wealth and of all that money can buy.

…for our hording of resources.

…for our waste…of time, resources, talents, and dreams.

…for placing our love of politics above our love for God, our love for you, and our love for every other neighbor of ours on this planet.

…for turning a blind-eye toward those in need and for our failure to feed those who are hungry, to clothe those who are naked, and to heal those who suffer illness.

…for our unhealthy commitment to narrow dogma that excludes those who don’t believe, feel, talk, or act the way we do.

...for telling lies about others to better our position or to help us feel better about ourselves.

…for being far more interested in converting someone to our narrow ways of thinking and believing than being interested in getting to know and to love that precious one just as he or she is, and right where he or she is.

…for our general teaching that sex is somehow bad or dirty and that our prejudice, rampant mistreatment of others, and unchecked pollution of our environment is somehow good and right.

…for our active participation in the destruction of other cultures.

…for attempting to ease our consciences and to bolster our own puffed-up views of ourselves by muscling our way in to do for others what they can and must do for themselves. (Contrary to no one's opinion, but that of we the arrogant, we DO NOT know what’s best.)

…for throwing money, machinery, and manpower at the problems we see here and abroad instead of giving of ourselves and our hearts to the selfless service of those in genuine need.

…for raping the world of its resources that our selfish and transient desires might be satisfied in the moments of our cravings.

…for imprisoning and marginalizing (in a multiplicity of ways) the poor and the innocent so as to silence their voices and to shield them from view.

…for our ungodly silence as children have been molested and trafficked sexually all over the world. (And for being a willing participant in such a trade.)

…for our silence as millions of children have been brutally murdered and millions of women have been traumatized through the genocide of abortion.

…for our treatment and degradation of women and children, especially, those who are poor and needy.

…for our love of money, power, and fame.

…for our love for the practice of controlling people through guilt, self-centered anger, and manipulation.

…for condemning those who do exactly what we do: drink excessively, rape and beat-up our wives, molest and beat-up our children, enslave the innocent, cheat on our spouses, lie on our tax returns, steal from the poor, kick people when they’re down, and stab our “friends” in their backs.

…for our gossip and biting sarcasm at the personal and professional expense of others.

…for the unfiltered expression of our “opinions” as though we were somehow speaking for God.

…for our arrogance and haughtiness at the thought that only we have the whole truth and that if you, stupid person, want to become smart like us, you better come listen to what we have to say and mentally adopt into your own plethora of beliefs whatever it is that we say.

…for setting ourselves up as judge, jury, and executioner of the length, width, and breadth of mankind.

…for our hatred and fear of those different from us…different in belief, different in history and custom, different in life-style.

…for our slander of the poor, the downcast, and the under-represented.

There is so much more than I could confess, but I think I would like to just stop there for now.

I am so sorry for all of these things, oh dear one, and I ask you, someone that I may not yet know even, for your forgiveness. I ask also, when you encounter or think of me or of someone like me, that you pray and ask God to heal us and to do for us that which we cannot do for ourselves, and that is, that He would change us and make us more like the passionate lover of people and humanity that He is.

"The Our Father." Of Jesus, from Matthew Chapter Six...

Our Father, Who Art in Heaven

Hallowed be Thy Name.

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

Please…be at peace, my friend.

Intercessory Prayer and the Rolls of Faith and Hope

2011-10-17T21:37:00.003-04:00

Greetings…

Provided below are nine scriptural passages that address the issues of faith and hope where prayer is concerned. As has been my custom for a long time, I love looking at the same passage as it is written and/or recorded in different translations. For the purposes of this exercise, I’ve chosen seven different translations.

The purpose of this exercise is to get me into God’s Word, for faith (in prayer) does indeed arise through my hearing of God’s Word prayerfully.

In the next few days, I’d like to do a word study on faith/belief and hope, and I'd like to do my study of those words just as they are used in the below passages.

Oh how I love God’s Word! It is the very manna of my existence! I can fast bread; but I cannot fast the scriptures.

So…with THAT in mind, I hope you enjoy the feast below!

Grace and peace,

Dave

1 Corinthians 13:13

New International Version (NIV), 1984: And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Amplified Bible (Amplified): And so faith, hope, love abide [faith--conviction and belief respecting man's relation to God and divine things; hope--joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love--true affection for God and man, growing out of God's love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love.

God’s Word Translation (GWT): So these three things remain: faith, hope, and love. But the best one of these is love.

J. B. Phillips New Testament (Phillips): In this life we have three great lasting qualities—faith, hope and love. But the greatest of them is love.

King James Version (KJV): And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

The Message (TM): But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

Young’s Literal Translation (Young’s): [A]nd now there doth remain faith, hope, love -- these three; and the greatest of these [is] love.

Hebrews 11:1-3

NIV: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s Command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

Amplified: NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. For by [faith—trust and holy fervor born of faith] the men of old had divine testimony borne to them and obtained a good report. By faith we understand that the worlds [during the successive ages] were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the Word of God, so that what we see was not made out of things which are visible.

GWT: Faith assures us of things we expect and convinces us of the existence of things we cannot see. God accepted our ancestors because of their faith. Faith convinces us that God created the world through His Word. This means what can be seen was made by something that could not be seen.

Phillips: Now faith means putting our full confidence in the things we hope for, it means being certain of things we cannot see. It was this kind of faith that won their reputation for the saints of old. And it is after all only by faith that our minds accept as fact that the whole scheme of time and space was created by God’s Command—that the world which we can see has come into being through Principles which are invisible.

KJV: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

TM: The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd. By faith, we see the world called into existence by God's Word, what we see created by what we don't see.

Young’s: And faith is of things hoped for a confidence, of matters not seen a conviction, for in this were the elders testified of; by faith we understand the ages to have been prepared by a Saying of God, in regard to the things seen not having come out of things appearing;

James 1:6-8

NIV: But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

Amplified: Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind. For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord, [For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides].

GWT: When you ask for something, don’t have any doubts. A person who has doubts is like a wave that is blown by the wind and tossed by the sea. A person who has doubts shouldn’t expect to receive anything from the Lord. A person who has doubts is thinking about two different things at the same time and can’t make up his mind about anything.

Phillips: But he must ask in sincere faith without secret doubts as to whether he really wants God’s help or not. The man who trusts God, but with inward reservations, is like a wave of the sea, carried forward by the wind one moment and driven back the next. That sort of man cannot hope to receive anything from God, and the life of a man of divided loyalty will reveal instability at every turn.

KJV: But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

TM: Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves. Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.

Young’s: [A]nd let him ask in faith, nothing doubting, for he who is doubting hath been like a wave of the sea, driven by wind and tossed, for let not that man suppose that he shall receive anything from the Lord—a two-souled man [is] unstable in all his ways.

Mark 11:22-26

NIV: “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Amplified: And Jesus, replying, said to them, “Have faith in God [constantly]. Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea!’ and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him. For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it]. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your failings and shortcomings.”

GWT: Jesus said to them, “Have faith in God! I can guarantee this truth: This is what will be done for someone who doesn’t doubt but believes what he says will happen: He can say to this mountain, ‘Be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it will be done for him. That’s why I tell you to have faith that you have already received whatever you pray for, and it will be yours. Whenever you pray, forgive anything you have against anyone. Then your Father in heaven will forgive your failures.”

Phillips: “Have faith in God,” replied Jesus to them. “I tell you that if anyone should say to this hill, ‘Get up and throw yourself into the sea’, and without any doubt in his heart believe that what he says will happen, then it will happen! That is why I tell you, whatever you pray about and ask for, believe that you have received it and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, you must forgive anything that you are holding against anyone else, and your Heavenly Father will forgive you your sins.”

KJV: And Jesus answering saith unto them, “Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, ‘Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea;’ and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

TM: Jesus was matter-of-fact: "Embrace this God-life. Really embrace it, and nothing will be too much for you. This mountain, for instance: Just say, 'Go jump in the lake'—no shuffling or shilly-shallying—and it's as good as done. That's why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you'll get God's everything. And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it's not all asking. If you have anything against someone, forgive—only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean of sins."

Young’s: And Jesus answering saith to them, “Have faith of God; for verily I say to you, that whoever may say to this mount, ‘Be taken up, and be cast into the sea,’ and may not doubt in his heart, but may believe that the things that he saith do come to pass, it shall be to him whatever he may say. Because of this I say to you, all whatever -- praying -- ye do ask, believe that ye receive, and it shall be to you. And whenever ye may stand praying, forgive, if ye have anything against any one, that your Father also who is in the heavens may forgive you your trespasses; and, if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in the heavens forgive your trespasses.”

Matthew 19:26

NIV: Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Amplified: But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men this is impossible, but all things are possible with God.”

GWT: Jesus looked at them and said, “It is impossible for people to save themselves, but everything is possible for God.”

Phillips: Jesus looked steadily at them and replied, “Humanly speaking it is impossible; but with God anything is possible!”

KJV: But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”

TM: Jesus looked hard at them and said, "No chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself.  Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it."

Young’s: And Jesus having earnestly beheld, said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Mark 9:20-24

NIV: So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”   “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

Amplified: So they brought [the boy] to Him, and when the spirit saw Him, at once it completely convulsed the boy, and he fell to the ground and kept rolling about, foaming [at the mouth]. And [Jesus] asked his father, “How long has he had this?” And he answered, “From the time he was a little boy. And it has often thrown him both into fire and into water, intending to kill him. But if You can do anything, do have pity on us and help us.” And Jesus said, “[You say to Me], ‘If You can do anything’? [Why,] all things can be (are possible) to him who believes!” At once the father of the boy gave [an eager, piercing, inarticulate] cry with tears, and he said, “Lord, I believe! [Constantly] help my weakness of faith!”

GWT: They brought the boy to him. As soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it threw the boy into convulsions. He fell on the ground, rolled around, and foamed at the mouth. Jesus asked his father, “How long has he been like this?” The father replied, “He has been this way since he was a child. The demon has often thrown him into fire or into water to destroy him. I f it’s possible for You, put Yourself in our place, and help us!” Jesus said to him, “As far as possibilities go, everything is possible for the person who believes.” The child’s father cried out at once, “I believe! Help my lack of faith.”

Phillips: So they brought the boy to him, and as soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it convulsed the boy, who fell to the ground and writhed there, foaming at the mouth. “How long has he been like this?” Jesus asked the father.  “Ever since he was a child,” he replied. “Again and again it has thrown him into the fire or into water to finish him off. But if You can do anything, please take pity on us and help us.” “If you can do anything!” retorted Jesus. “Everything is possible to the man who believes.” “I do believe,” the boy’s father burst out. “Help me to believe more!”

KJV: And they brought him unto Him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And He asked his father, “How long is it ago since this came unto him?” And he said, “Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if Thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.” Jesus said unto him, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.”

TM: They brought him. When the demon saw Jesus, it threw the boy into a seizure, causing him to writhe on the ground and foam at the mouth. He asked the boy's father, "How long has this been going on?" "Ever since he was a little boy. Many times it pitches him into fire or the river to do away with him. If You can do anything, do it. Have a heart and help us!" Jesus said, "If? There are no 'ifs' among believers. Anything can happen." No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the father cried, "Then I believe. Help me with my doubts!"

Young’s: [A]nd they brought him unto Him, and he having seen Him, immediately the spirit tare him, and he, having fallen upon the earth, was wallowing—foaming. And He questioned his father, “How long time is it since this came to him?” and he said, “From childhood, and many times also it cast him into fire, and into water, that it might destroy him; but if Thou art able to do anything, help us, having compassion on us.” And Jesus said to him, “If thou art able to believe!  All things are possible to the one that is believing;”and immediately the father of the child, having cried out, with tears said, “I believe, sir; be helping mine unbelief.”

Romans 5:1-5

NIV: Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, Whom He has given us.

Amplified: THEREFORE, SINCE we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God's favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God. Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.

GWT: Now that we have God’s approval because of faith, we have peace with God because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done. Through Christ we can approach God and stand in His favor. So we brag because of our confidence that we will receive glory from God. But that’s not all. We also brag when we are suffering. We know that suffering creates endurance, endurance creates character, and character creates confidence. We’re not ashamed to have this confidence, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, Who has been given to us.

Phillips: Since then it is by faith that we are justified, let us grasp the fact that we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have confidently entered into this new relationship of grace, and here we take our stand, in happy certainty of the glorious things He has for us in the future. This doesn’t mean, of course, that we have only a hope of future joys—we can be full of joy here and now even in our trials and troubles. Taken in the right spirit these very things will give us patient endurance; this in turn will develop a mature character, and a character of this sort produces a steady hope, a hope that will never disappoint us. Already we have some experience of the love of God flooding through our hearts by the Holy Spirit given to us.

KJV: Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by Whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost Which is given unto us.

TM: By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with Him, make us fit for Him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that's not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that He has already thrown open His door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise. There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!

Young’s: Having been declared righteous, then, by faith, we have peace toward God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom also we have the access by the faith into this grace in which we have stood, and we boast on the hope of the glory of God. And not only [so], but we also boast in the tribulations, knowing that the tribulation doth work endurance; and the endurance, experience; and the experience, hope; and the hope doth not make ashamed, because the love of God hath been poured forth in our hearts through the Holy Spirit That hath been given to us.

James 5: 13-16

NIV: Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the Name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Amplified: Is anyone among you afflicted (ill-treated, suffering evil)? He should pray. Is anyone glad at heart? He should sing praise [to God]. Is anyone among you sick? He should call in the church elders (the spiritual guides). And they should pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Lord's Name. And the prayer [that is] of faith will save him who is sick, and the Lord will restore him; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].

GWT: If any of you are having trouble, pray. If you are happy, sing Psalms. If you are sick, call for the church leaders. Have them pray for you and anoint you with olive oil in the Name of the Lord. (Prayers offered in faith will save those who are sick, and the Lord will cure them.) If you have sinned, you will be forgiven. So admit your sins to each other, and pray for each other so that you will be healed. Prayers offered by those who have God’s approval are effective.

Phillips: If any of you is in trouble let him pray. If anyone is flourishing let him sing praises to God. If anyone is ill he should send for the Church elders. They should pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Lord’s Name. Believing prayer will save the sick man; the Lord will restore him and any sins that he has committed will be forgiven. You should get into the habit of admitting your sins to each other, and praying for each other, so that if sickness comes to you, you may be healed. Tremendous power is made available through a good man’s earnest prayer.

KJV: Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

TM: Are you hurting? Pray. Do you feel great? Sing. Are you sick? Call the church leaders together to pray and anoint you with oil in the Name of the Master. Believing-prayer will heal you, and Jesus will put you on your feet. And if you've sinned, you'll be forgiven—healed inside and out. Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.

Young’s: Doth any one suffer evil among you? Let him pray; is any of good cheer? Let him sing Psalms; is any infirm among you? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, having anointed him with oil, in the Name of the Lord, and the prayer of the faith shall save the distressed one, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if sins he may have committed, they shall be forgiven to him. Be confessing to one another the trespasses, and be praying for one another, that ye may be healed; very strong is a working supplication of a righteous man;

Romans 10:17

NIV: Consequently, faith comes from hearing the Message, and the Message is heard through the Word of Christ.

Amplified: So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the Message that came from the Lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself).

GWT: So faith comes from hearing the Message, and the Message that is heard is what Christ Spoke.

Phillips: (Belief you see, can only come from hearing the Message, and the Message is the Word of Christ.)

KJV: So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

TM: The point is: before you trust, you have to listen. But unless Christ's Word is preached, there's nothing to listen to.

Young’s: [S]o then the faith [is] by a report, and the report through a Saying of God.

My Guiding Principles—Draft (90%) Version

2011-10-12T21:22:00.002-04:00

Note: I have been engaged in a Daniel fast for almost three weeks. During this time, God has been working in my heart and life in some very significant ways. One of those ways has been the gumption I’ve felt to prepare this document. Even though it is still in draft form, I consider this to be a 90 percenter and have begun already the long process of committing this entire document to memory. I am, from this point on, assimilating these, MY GUIDING PRINCIPLES, into the morning portion of my daily contemplative prayer practice. In time, these things will become consciously integral to how I approach and pursue God, life, work, family, play, self-care, ministry, and relationships with other people.

Peace…

Dave

MY GUIDING PRINCIPLES

October 2011

My Enduring Vision

I dream…

OF BEING an intimate friend of God and a faithful servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, THE Good Shepherd.

OF HAVING THE HEART OF THE FATHER and the Mind of Christ.

OF LIVING a simple, open, and ordinary life inspired by a great love for God and for others and by an insatiable enthusiasm for life and for everything that has life.

OF BEING a missional conduit of God’s loving-kindness, joy, compassion, and equanimity to everyone within the realm of my influence and existence.

OF SPILLING OUT MY LIFE into the lives of those around me.

OF BEING A PORTAL of prayer and worship through which God Almighty hallows His Name and extends His kingdom.

OF HEARING MY FATHER SAY one day, “Well, done, My good and faithful servant. Enter in to your Master’s rest.”

OF BEING a CO-creator with God of a child-like, and yet ever-expanding, life dedicated to living in and enjoying the moment and to serving selflessly God and everyone around me.

OF PLAYING AT LIFE and, when I’m 104, being the oldest 11-year-old walking the face of the planet.

OF BEING A CREATOR OF CULTURE by living holistically and by integrating art and science, pragmatism and vision into the creation of life-giving works of music, writing, and art, life-enhancing inventions, products, and devices, and life-sustaining environmental treatment and recycling systems.

OF BEING A TENDER-HEARTED WARRIOR … and that is, a man who’s transpersonally devoted to compassionately warring on behalf of God’s people and who’s dedicated to defending life, freedom, and dignity in all its many forms, tastes, shapes, and colors.

OF BEING A SENSUOUS LOVER…and that is, a man who lives from the deep places of his heart, a man who’s very much in love with life, and a man who’s unashamed to be romanced by God or to be touched intimately by the beauty and sensuousness of life.

OF BEING A MAGICIAN/SAGE…and that is, a man of genuine wisdom, fruitful counsel, compassion, self-awareness, self-control, and technical skill, a man who knows the contributions he’s been raised and trained by God to make in the world, and a man who’s adopted “the practice of practicing everything”…

How he eats.

How he sleeps.

How he writes.

How he brushes his teeth.

How he washes the dishes.

How he loves and respects and honors and makes love with the woman he loves, has married, and has committed himself to for life.

How he moves and trains and works the bag.

How he engages in his work.

How he gives to others.

And…

How he serves God.

And…

OF BEING A BENEFICENT KING…and that is, a man who’s been raised by God to rule well with a kingly heart, and a man who’s become like Jesus (the King of Kings) in his generous and generative spirit, life-giving nature, protective care, disciplined guidance, fearless leadership, and beneficent heart.

My purpose

My purpose in life is…

TO LIVE.

To LOVE, HONOR, AND GLORIFY God, principally through my unbridled enjoyment of Him and of all people.

And..

To love others by spilling my life into them, listening to them, praying for them, and serving them selflessly in whatever ways I can.

My MISSION

My mission in life is…

To extend the kingdom of God.

To create wealth and to secure resources that enhance my family’s quality of life and that fund and sustain my call to lead and engage in holistic missionary adventures and endeavors throughout central North Carolina, the United States, and the developing/rebuilding world.

TO INSPIRE those around me to dream and to pursue their dreams with great abandon.

To WRITE IN WAYs that encourage and challenge my readers to pursue deeper intimacy with God and with each other.

TO LIVE AND TO DO SO AS A LITTLE CHILD. For just as the purpose of riding a bike is the actual riding of it, so also, the purpose of life is found in the living of it. To live as a little child means…

To love with great abandon in the here and now.

To forgive quickly and easily.

To not have to own anything to be happy.

To feel that everyone is a friend, and to treat each person I encounter accordingly.

To rest securely in the protection and care of my Abba Daddy.

To never stop asking questions.

To never lose my delight in life as I am experiencing it right now.

And…

To never lose the wonder I am feeling right now toward even the most simplest of ideas, events, people, places, creatures, or things.

To support and aid others in their desire to live holistically and sustainably.

To protect and preserve the environment, and to provide real and lasting solutions to water quality and other environmental problems that plague our planet.

TO BRING WATER (both physical and spiritual) to the thirsty.

To engage in local watershed protection and restoration efforts.

To invent and develop products and devices that enhance the quality of life for others.

And…

To provide assistance and peace of mind to owners, operators, and regulators of environmental treatment and recycling systems.

I do all of the above…

By seeking God continuously, and by contemplating His Word, Will, and Ways day and night.

By engaging in monastic practice.

By pursuing deep and intimate community with others…here in central North Carolina and throughout the world.

By writing from a place of deep joy and satisfaction in God.

By setting an example in holistic and sustainable living patterns.

By creating environmental treatment and recycling systems that protect our environment and that enhance our individual and corporate enjoyment of life.

By developing and pioneering various inventions, devices, and products, assessment and evaluation methodologies, and cutting-edge implementation strategies that contribute to sustainable living initiatives and to the restoration of ecological function in our meadows, forests, streams, and water bodies.

By conducting thorough construction and regulatory compliance inspections, assessments, and evaluations.

By serving as an intermediary between governmental regulators and environmental treatment and recycling system owners.

By providing comprehensive—yet readable—environmental and functional assessment reports, user-friendly operational guides and planning tools, and cost-effective design solutions.

By supplying worry-free contractor selection and contract administration services.

By linking governmental regulators, community leaders, and environmental treatment and recycling system owners with innovative problem-solving products, methods, and technologies.

And…

By promoting ecological interest, aesthetic beauty, resource conservation, and environmental stewardship in the world.

My VALUES AND BELIEFS

I BELIEVE and affirm the words of The Nicene Creed , which read as follows:

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, Eternally Begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God, Begotten, not made, of One Being (“Ousia”) with the Father. Through Him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, He came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit, He became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake, He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered death and was buried. On the third day, He rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the Right Hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son, He is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

For me, this particular creed establishes what I know to be the fundamentals of my faith and those things which are, in my belief, understanding, and experience, decidedly true, normative, and worth staking my life upon. Discussions about theological matters, church organizational strategies, worship forms, customs, and practices, outreach methods, and life-style issues that exist outside of what is written within the above creed can and should be subject to open, honest, and respectful discourse and should be conducted within the light of the creed, the life and teachings of Jesus, the freedom Jesus imparts, The Holy Eucharist (The Great Thanksgiving), tested church tradition, and surrendered human reason.

I BELIEVE that the Old and New Testaments of the Bible comprise the Holy Written Word of God and that the life and teachings of Jesus provide the fullest and most complete interpretation of the Old Testament Scriptures.

I BELIEVE in the special gifting of the Holy Spirit, and I believe that such gifts are for today and that they are absolutely critical to the growth and health of Christian community and to the furthering of God’s kingdom.

I BELIEVE that God speaks to us (primarily) through His Holy Written word; I believe, also, that He speaks to us through The Holy Eucharist (The Great Thanksgiving), through tested church tradition, through the sacred (canonized and non-canonized) writings of the saints (both new and old), through pastors, prophets, and teachers, through parents, through lay ministers and believers in Jesus from all walks of life, through surrendered human reason, through creation, and directly within the privacy of our own souls. For any “word” from God to be deemed as such, it must be congruent with the creed, the teachings of Jesus, and “the whole” of God’s Holy Written Word; if such “a word” appears to fail such a test, it is to be rendered suspect as it is impossible for God to lie or to contradict Himself.

I BELIEVE that God is both imminent and transcendent, meaning, He is deeply personal and yet so far beyond anything we can see, hear, feel, taste, smell, or monitor with our “sensing” instruments.

I BELIEVE that God is sovereign and that He respects the endowment of freewill, which He has so thoroughly and wonderfully woven into the fabric of humanity. How the two are reconciled is a mystery to me. Within this mystery, though, I know that God’s intervention (or, at times, His seeming lack thereof) is intended ALWAYS to bring about ultimate good and His absolute best—as HE defines it.

I BELIEVE that God loves me intimately and that He continues, through the work of His Son and the Holy Spirit, to do in and for me that which I cannot do for myself.

I BELIEVE that God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in Him.

I BELIEVE that God hears me when I pray and that my prayers are a portal through which God intervenes in the affairs of mankind…both personally and corporately. How this is so is a mystery to me.

I BELIEVE that living a selfless life of devotion toward God and providing faithful and genuine service to others are the highest and most noble of all virtues.

I BELIEVE that the building of loving and life-giving relationships, founded upon a spirit of genuineness and mutual kindness, respect, dignity, and compassion, is central to the achieving of anything worthwhile.

I AM SUBMITTED to my pastors, to my friend Julie, to my Board of Spiritual Directors, to my entire family, to my life group (The Just His Team), to Hope Missions/International (HMI), to the community of Newhope Church in Durham, North Carolina, to my employers, to my employees, to my work colleagues, to my customers, to my acquaintances, to my civic and political leaders, and to all those with whom I interact during the day.

I CONDUCT MYSELF with the utmost integrity and respect.

I AM CONVINCED THAT A LOVING WIFE is one of God’s greatest gifts in life, and I ascribe to the belief and practice that the piercing pleasure and intimacy of sexual intercourse is a gift of God given to be enjoyed between a man and a woman solely within the context of a God-ordained marriage covenant.

I KNOW THAT CHILDREN are a great heritage from God and that their souls are to be cherished, encouraged, nourished, and protected in the Ways, Will, and Words of God and that all of this is to be divinely accomplished under the watchful care and discipline of two loving parents who have themselves submitted to God and to each other within the context and comfort of a local Christian community.

I AM COMMITTED to living in community with a few select brothers and sisters who love me and who are acquainted with the messy details of my life.

I NOURISH my body with healthy and tasty food and drink, weekly fasts, regular exercise, sufficient rest, relaxation, and recreation, exuberant laughter, honey in my food, tea, and coffee, and an occasional glass of wine or a piece of dark chocolate.

I DO NOT DO for others what they must do for themselves. In fact, in such instances where freedom of choice is available, I do only that which has been asked for, and then only after careful and prayerful consideration. To do otherwise is to engage in unhealthy giving, which creates dependence, stymies self-respect, human dignity, and the advancement of God’s kingdom, and hurts and devalues everyone involved.

I LEAD from the front, not the rear, and commit the full force of who I am to fulfilling my purpose and accomplishing my mission.

I SPEAK AND WRITE from the cutting edge of my own life, experience, and reason.

I KEEP ABREAST of emerging technologies, trends, and scientific discoveries.

I SEEK to recognize and honor God’s adaptive natural design in all my creative endeavors.

I CHOOSE the simple when the simple is all that is needed, for I have learned that, more often than not, real talent usually needs only the simplest of tools to accomplish its work.

I EMBRACE a war gaming approach to the critical evaluation of my theories, methods, solutions, and device proto-types.

I TAKE PRIDE and special delight in my never-ending cycle of self-stimulated improvement and investment in the future.

I WORK TO FOSTER a culture of continuous learning, exploration, spiritual hunger, development, and scientific playfulness.

I ENDEAVOR TO PROVIDE a safe and enjoyable playing field on which those around me can learn, practice, and train in anything that suits them.

I ENSURE a happy, safe, and energizing work environment.

I CONTRIBUTE to the well-being of myself and others through my relentless drive for progress and my unending quest to preserve the integrity of my ideals.

And, through my surrenderedness to God and my commitment to relationship-building, service, and selflessness…

I LIVE from my heart and seek always to reflect the magnificent glory of Almighty God as I work to build long-term friendships and partnerships with people from all walks of life.

MY CARD

The Oils of My Gladness, Inc.

Dave and Almighty God, Soul Proprietors

Specializing in (1) Warriorship and Holistic Living; (2) Faith, Mission, Work, and Monasticism; (3) Art and Science; (4) Service and Selflessness; (5) Humor, Paradox, and Change; (6) Creating Culture; and (7) Exercise and the Practice of Everything.

Blog: http://theoilsofmygladness.blogspot.com

E-mail: thatdaverbling@yahoo.com

ENGINEERING AND LEONARDO DA VINCI

“Leonardo [da Vinci] took an artist’s vision into science. He understood that science, as much as painting, has to find the design of nature in her detail. He gave science what is most needed: the artist's sense that the detail of nature is significant.” – Jacob Bronowski

“Problems cannot be solved at the same level of consciousness that created them.” – Albert Einstein

“[We are] struggling to draw right conclusions from observation of matter in motion, because we haven’t acquired the ability to translate dynamic effect back to cause.” – Jeff Tennant

“The pursuit of beauty and the pursuit of truth are not incompatible.” – George Sarton

It has been said that an engineer is one who seeks to solve a problem by tinkering with science to produce a functionally efficient solution, be it the harnessing of geothermal energy from thousands of feet below the earth’s surface to the placing of a human being on the moon. As engineers, we must first and foremost do well to observe the many natural phenomena and corresponding scientific explanations that inform our technical expertise. But as human beings, our observations should never end there. A sunset can be described mathematically, but does such a description capture the essence of a sunset?

To observe rightly, we must draw from both the scientist and the artist within us…from the mathematician and the poet...from the pragmatist and the visionary. For only then will our faculties and senses work together synergistically to observe the world around us more completely. Without such observations, we will never see the problems we encounter correctly or in the right context, nor will we conceive of real and lasting solutions that harmonize naturally with our environment.

The practice of engineering is and must be a conscious blending of both art and science (the da Vincian principle of “Arte/Scienza” [see Note]); and its principles must be exercised in the context of an entire system, where all elements are part of One Unified Whole, including the principles and practices themselves (the da Vincian principle of “Connessione” [also see Note]). Anything less is beneath us as human beings created in the image of a creating God...

...A God Who is still creating.

...Even in this moment.

Note: For an expanded discussion of these and other da Vincian principles, I recommend Michael Gelb’s book, How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day.

MY DESIDERATA

I WISH TO LIVE a simple, open, and ordinary life inspired by a great love for God and for others and by an insatiable enthusiasm for life and for everything that has life.

I WILL LOOK to see, listen to hear, and touch to feel.

I WILL TASTE my food and drink.

WHEN I SPEAK, IT WILL BE TO SHARE my thoughts, feelings, and dreams. And, at times, even my complaints—but not very often.

I WILL INDULGE my sense of smell. And humor.

I WILL BE OKAY with the unknown, but never stop asking questions.

I WILL REFRAIN from gossip, look for the good in other people and in other things, and count others as better than myself.

I WILL BE CREATIVE and allow the artist within to emerge.

I WILL BE GENUINE.

I WILL FEEL things deeply, but be slow to take offense.

I WILL EMBRACE paradox.

IN EVERY WAY, I WILL SEEK opportunity to lay my life down for others.

I WILL TAKE THINGS IN STRIDE and, like the willow, bend with the breeze and be at home in the presence of water.

I WILL MAKE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC my soul’s anthem.

I WILL BE GENEROUS to those who hurt me.

I WILL CLIMB. High.

I WILL TELL those I love how much I love them and what they’ve meant to me in my life.

I WILL ENJOY the quiet of my own thoughts.

AND WHEN I DREAM, IT WILL BE OF GREAT THINGS: convertibles, big waves, white rivers, and vertical rock faces. I will also dream of freedom.

I WILL FIND A WAY to enjoy the weather no matter how cold and rainy it might be.

I WILL ENJOY the sensation of breathing.

I WILL EMBRACE those things I’m afraid of and push myself beyond my perceived limits.

I WILL READ the letters of old friends.

I WILL LEARN.

I WILL SPEND LESS than I make and work in such a way as to ensure the success of those for whom I work.

I WILL TAKE TIME to write.

I WILL NO LONGER HIDE my vulnerabilities.

I WILL SET personal records.

I WILL EXPRESS myself in ways that children understand.

I WILL LOOK BACK to that from which I came.

I WILL CREATE shared memories with others.

I WILL THINK UPON the love God has for me personally and, when my cup is full, allow my heart to weep its deep waterfall of tears.

I WILL REFLECT on the hurt I’ve caused in others.

I WILL PLAY at life: at 104, I will be the oldest 11-year-old walking the face of the planet.

I WILL SHARE my heart with those nearest it and not just wait for things to happen.

I WILL NOT LET LIFE PASS me by—I will pursue it with great abandon.

I WILL SPEAK the truth in kindness and strive to make a difference in the lives of individual people.

I WILL ENJOY my mornings and be grateful for what God has given me, striving ever to thank Him even in the midst of great loss.

I WILL NOT FORCE myself upon others, but will invite and welcome their company.

WITH PATIENT ENDURANCE, I WILL RUN the race set before me—for it will be MY race. I will pace myself, forever remembering the good things, until at long last I draw my final breath.

Persistence in Prayer...Just Dropping a Few More Dots on the Table

2011-10-03T20:48:00.002-04:00

Desire—godly, inspired desire—is the key to being persistent in prayer.

The fuel for such desire is love, and the breeze that fans the flame of such desire is vision—the imagined future, yet to be brought to solid form, that you (and I), along with God, “see” in the lives of the beloved, those precious ones for whom you and I (as a “WE”) pray.

When SUCH desire is present, the ability to persevere in prayer becomes nearly limitless. That’s how Grandma can pray JOYFULLY, day-in and day-out, for thirty-five years until all her grandchildren have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. I had a Grandma like that, and what a legacy of prayer she left for me.

Perseverance shows you and God—and the beloved for whom you are praying—the full extent of your love and desire for that one. This is nothing but the jealousy of God (which is an often misunderstood trait of The Divine) finding expression in and through you.

Is there anyone in your life that you pray for jealously like that? I sure hope so.

Is there anyone like that in my life? Yep. And, while there are several, there is one in particular. And I am exceedingly jealous for that one to experience God’s absolute best for her in every nook and cranny of her life. If there’s anything in her life that is not God’s best, my jealousy over whatever that thing, condition, person, or circumstance might be knows no bounds until it is eliminated and replaced with God HIMSELF (or, if you come from where I was raised, "with God His very Self").

As I struggle with God over these things, and as He and I share in His jealousy, I become a little bit more like me than I was just prior. For, as I wrote about the other day, it is during these extended battles with God where I discover my true name…the name and identity God gave me…the man God, in His Imagination, destined for me to be long before the foundations of the earth were laid.

My name is, in many ways, representative of two things: endowment and skill learned or acquired over time. To have endowment with little skill is like having a dull saw. Will it cut wood? Sometimes, but not very well. To have great skill without the framework of endowment is like owning a bunch of razor blades that are just strewn across the garage floor. Are they sharp? Yep, but they’re dangerous (in a bad way) and pretty much useless.

BUT…what happens when you combine the two? Basically, the framework of a saw with the sharpness of razor blades?

Well, amazingly, you get a fabulous tool that will enable you to accomplish much if you’ll use it in the manner in which is was designed. That, my friends, is what it means to be endowed and trained by God and then to live ordinately from that place of skilled endowment.

Using a tool as it was designed (and letting it do the work necessary to its design) is like obeying the laws of God. A lawbreaker is simply one who is using oneself in a manner that is unfitting...much like using a spoon to clean-out your ears or using shoe laces to jump-start a dead car battery. To the Mind and Heart of God, our sin and rebellion makes about as much sense. That's one of the reasons God's so jealous for us, because our rebellion is so utterly REDICULOUS. It's also offensive to Him and to everyone and everything else in the whole of creation, and it's why some of us (the more Spirit-sensitive among us) feel so miserable a good part of the time. I don't want to get too much off the subject here, but, sometimes, baring chemical imbalance, those who are most depressed are the ones with the guts and attention span required to face the messiness inside them and in the world around them and want to do something (or have something done) about it. To those of you, my readers, who struggle with guilt, regret, anxiety, and depression, you're the kind of people I wish to hear from. For I believe you have some extremely valuable things to say to me about the human condition and our total and abject need for God to do for us that which we cannot possibly do on our own. Despite what Oprah or Depak Chopra or Eckart Tolle or, even, believers like Joel Osteen or Benny Hin might want (and try) to lead us to believe. The inane psychobabble they're spewing forth is worth about as much to me as used toilet paper. And that's about all I have to say about that.

Okay…

By sharing with you my name—my true name, which was given to me by God as one of His beloved—I'm going to take a risk here and let you in on a very private part of my life.

So here goes...(BTW, this is a part of what I tell myself during my morning walks and then several times throughout each day)...

Behold, I bear a new name…

My name is…

Jonathan-David, Gift and Friend of God, Tender-hearted Warrior, Catcher of Tears and Lifter of Hearts, Beloved Lionheart of God, Loyal Servant of the Good Shepherd, Samurai of the Most High.

I was fashioned and trained by God in the outback of creation. Beware! For my spirit is fierce. I will not run; I will not back down. In Christ, I will make my stand.

This is the name God gave me before I was born, and it took me 40+ years to learn it. Even though it’s comprised of many names, it’s really just many facets of one and the same Name, and that is, the Name of God as it is reflected in and through me...uniquely, presently, and situationally…

…as HIS beloved.

THAT, my friends, is who I am in God!

And THAT is who I am when I’m on my knees fighting like a man and jealously begging daily bread (God’s Rhema) for those who, in my life, comprise “The Prayer Scroll of the Beloved.”

I’m so looking forward to dropping a few more dots on the table.

May God bless all of you, my dear friends, in ways that exceed even your wildest of imaginations.

Peace-out, y'all, and good hunting!

Daver

Persistence with God: A Meditation on Genesis 32:22-31

2011-09-30T21:42:00.001-04:00

“I think he just wanted it more than I did,” the young man said to his coach after the match.

And he was probably right.

DESIRE.

True, gut-grabbing, put-it-all-on-the-line desire.

It’s what can turn a middle of the road shoot-fighter into a UFC champion. That’s one of the things I’ve always loved about mixed martial arts. On any given Sunday, it really is ANYONE’S game. And sometimes, just sometimes, something happens where a low-ranked fighter rises up and takes it all. If the spark of inspirational desire can pull something off like that (basically, a UFC championship) in one night, just think what the fire of inspirational desire can achieve over a long period of time. Look at the likes of say a Frank Shamrock (my grandpa in MMA) or a Royce Gracie or, even, an Anderson Silva. These gentlemen, time and time again, would just show up and take the whole thing. They had and still have the fire of inspirational desire. THAT, my friends is what makes a champion a capital “C” Champion.

How’bout you? Do you want to be a Champion? (Heck, yeah!!)

Me, too, man. I’m right there with ya. :o)

If you want to be a Champion, then you’re going to need to become a champion in heart first. And that, my friends, comes through time + training. For it is in attacking a self-and-other/coach-directed training regimen day-in and day-out where you begin to get to know yourself, to discover the real you, and to learn what it is you really want in life. It’s where you begin to approach the genuine spark of true desire to achieve or become that for which you are destined but haven't—YET!

Over time, as you continue to romance the spark of desire within, the kindling of lesser things and wants in life will ignite and slowly disappear in the flame of that desire. And It’s that very flame, my friends, that inspired William Wallace to take aim at the whole of England’s armies with no thought to the physical consequences to himself. And it’s that same flame that charged the heroes of September 11th up the stairs of Tower 1 at 0846 that fateful morning.

And it was that same desire that surfaced as Jacob wrestled with God at Peniel (see Genesis 32:22-31).

Jacob (who became Israel), the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham...

For most of his life, Jacob catered to the lesser desires of life…pursuing an easy life among the tents, gaining and acquiring (through all manner of trickery) what didn't really belong to him until, finally, tricking his father into giving him the blessing promised his elder twin brother Esau. Yeah, he got the blessing (by tripping up Esau and by deceiving Isaac), but it cost him dearly. In fact, Jacob basically ran for his life for the next many years, all the while continuing to “trick and cheat his way” toward whatever ends he wanted in the moment.

That is until he encountered God “face to face.”

For it was there that he fought for his life and then acquired the blessing (as opposed to stealing the blessing and then running for his life afterward). And this time, it was no ordinary blessing, either, was it? No. For it was THE blessing…the TRUE blessing…of a Father to His son: The bestowing of a new name. The Fathers name. For, you see, a man’s identity, character, and destiny are wrapped up inextricably in his name, for it is his name that defines WHO HE IS.

Throughout the scriptures, names are decreed and, with such decrees, destinies are bestowed. At birth, Jacob was named Jacob, which means he who grasps the heel. And that is EXACTLY who he was and what he did for most of his life: grabbed the heels of others. Seeking, almost without fail, to pull others back, to keep others down, so that he alone could win the prize—whatever the prize might be. And living such a life, put him in close contact with tricksters just like himself. If you ever find yourself interested in a little biblical entertainment, go read a little about Jacob’s time with Laban (Genesis 27:41-31:55). It's quite fascinating...and a bit humorous, as well. :o)

Anyway…

Trying to grasp the heel of another is such a wimpy way to fight for what you want, wouldn’t you agree? To get what you want, go after IT and face IT head on. No more of this namby-pamby “I’ll-just-make-things-hard-for-you-in-the-hopes-that-you’ll-fall-on-your-face-and-then-all-I’ll-need-to-do-is-just-waltz-in-and-take-what’s-mine” kind of crap. This is what God wanted Jacob to see…wanted him to absorb…wanted him to become….wanted him to begin to live-in to.

Read Genesis 32:22-31 through one more time.

Do you see it? Do you see that in wrestling with God Jacob becomes Israel? He fought God, and he was blessed for it. In it, in fact. Yes, there was the official blessing after the fight, but do you see the substance of the blessing that occurred during the fight? The place where Jacob changed into something that he was not previously?

After it was over, when Jacob persisted in asking God for a blessing, can you see that God Himself seemed to be a little befuddled, if not slightly flummoxed, by it?

“Why do you ask Me My Name?” God asks (italics mine). Reading between the lines, isn’t God really asking, “Why do you ask Me My Name, Jacob? Shouldn’t you be asking Me what yours really is? Is that not the point of our struggle here together? There's really no need to grab at my heel, Jacob. For the blessing is yours already.”

God’s pronouncement was not about how Jacob would someday become Israel. No! It was who he was...who he had become already (and prior to God’s pronouncement, btw). “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.”

And Jacob got it. In wrestling with God, he discovered what he really wanted in life, and that was to be Israel, he who struggles with God, and no longer he who grasps the heel.

But he got more than that, though. Did you see it? For how does the story conclude? It ends with Israel saying, “I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” He saw God face to face. He faced the scariest, most terrible force imaginable, and he didn’t just grasp at a heel. Way to go Israel.

The greatest blessing you could ever receive from God, my friends, is to discover your name…the name (identity, character, and destiny) God has ordained for you.

Pursue God, my friends. Wrestle with Him, because He wants to give you that for which you’ve longed your entire life: His name for you.

Okay, Dave…and how does all of this relate to persistence in prayer? Ah, what an excellent question. I guess you’re just going to have to wait until next time!!

Until then…God’s peace, y’all,

Dave

The Roll of Persistence in Prayer and Intercession

2011-09-29T10:01:00.002-04:00

Provided below are several passages that relate to being persistent in prayer. Before we start dropping more dots on prayer and intercession, please consider practicing a close reading (like you may have done last week) on one or more of the passages below. As before, I recommend that you read through all of the passages at normal speed at least once. After that, pick your passage/s and then read through it/them S L O W L Y at least twice

God’s peace on all’y’all.

Love in Him,

Dave

CLOSE READING EXERCISE #3

Genesis 32:22-31

That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. So Jacob was left alone, and a Man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the Man saw that He could not overpower him, He touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the Man. Then the Man said, “Let Me go, for it is daybreak.”

But Jacob replied, “I will not let You go unless You bless me.”

The Man asked him, “What is your name?”

“Jacob,” he answered.

Then the Man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.”

Jacob said, “Please tell me Your Name.”

But He replied, “Why do you ask My Name?” Then He blessed him there.

So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched near the tendon.

Daniel 10:1-14

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar). Its message was true and it concerned a great war. The understanding of the message came to him in a vision.

At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.

On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of the finest gold around his waist. His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.

I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; the men with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale, and I was helpless. Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground.

A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling.

Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.”

Matthew 7:7-12

“’Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

‘Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.’”

Mark 5:25-29

And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

Luke 18:1-8

Then Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’”

And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

James 4:1-10

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that He jealously longs for the Spirit He has caused to dwell in us? But He gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God, and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.