With all of the wild water that has flowed through Georgia in the past week, I became acutely aware of the power of water. The damage that we have witnessed and the people that we know personally whose lives have been forever altered is beyond description. However this same scenario also caused me to reflect on the power of the Living Water in our lives. There is similarity in the power of the Living Water to forever alter the lives through which it flows. It is truly a force to be respected just as the physical power of water needed to be respected by those in its path. Sadly there were those who were caught unaware by this power and lost much including life itself, but the force of the Living Water is not one we should fear but embrace.
The flood waters that covered much of the metro Atlanta area were not controlled by floodgates. In fact much of the damage came from once quiet streams and creeks that were overwhelmed by the 21 inches of water in 24 hours. The channels meant to send this water onward were unable to manage such an abundance. In our lives though we control the floodgates for the Living Water. We control the channels through which we will allow the power of Holy Spirit to flow or be blocked. Unlike the physical flood waters of this past storm, the abundant flow of the Living Water in our lives brings blessing and positive change, not destruction.
Have you ever considered how you are managing the Living Water floodgates in your life? Are they wide open to encourage the free flowing river of healing waters in your life or are you controlling the release, believing that you know best when you need a "fresh anointing" from Holy Spirit? In some cases, it may be that the floodgates have even rusted shut from lack of use. Remember that Holy Spirit in fact all the members of the Trinity are gentlemen and will not force their way into your life. Unlike the muddy turbulent waters of this past week that respected nothing - roads, bridges, river banks, walls, doors or windows shut to them, our loving God respects our right to choose to allow Him into our lives or not.
We have the choice to accept the priceless sacrifice of Jesus Christ's death for our salvation. We have the choice to invite the anointing and power of Holy Spirit to operate in our lives. We have the choice to obey or disobey the commands Abba Father gave us to guide us in correct living. The victims of the flood waters had no choice about the destruction that pushed through their lives. Yet here we have an incredible force that can change the channels of our lives forever in a beneficial way if we will only choose to open the flood gates.
Are you in need of a fresh flow of Living Water in your life? As I reflect on all of the events that are happening in my life, I have realized that I daily need the fresh flow of healing waters. I am blessed that this has not been a season of drought although I have certainly experienced those in the past. However I am now understanding that the droughts of our lives may well be the result of our control of the floodgates. Jesus made us a promise while He walked this earth. Luke 11:9-10 "And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks." Why would Jesus make us this promise if He did not intend to keep it? Notice that there is no timeline in this promise; we are to continue to believe that the fulfillment will be manifested - in His perfect time for our lives.
I encourage you to examine the floodgates that control the Living Water in your lives. Whatever condition in which you find them, make a decision that today you will fling them wide open and invite the power of these waters to literally flood your life. Ask and you will be given; seek and you will find. Open wide the door that permits the full power of God to alter your life.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
How's Your Wedding Attire?
Most of us identify immediately when we hear that we are the Bride of Christ and that we are awaiting the marriage ceremony and wedding feast. We know that the only way we can be dressed for the upcoming wedding is with the robe of righteousness that comes with our sincere repentance and accepting the blood of Jesus Christ as our garment. My question for you is how long ago did you don your wedding garment and what condition is it in? Sadly many of us accepted Christ many years ago and dressed in our brilliant white, spotless garments on that day, but since that day our choices have soiled our garment. Are we really ready for the wedding? I wonder.....
In my studies I came across the following scripture from Revelation 16:15 "Take note: I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their robes ready so they will not need to walk naked and ashamed." Suddenly I visualized the wedding garment that was now somewhat soiled because I had slipped here and there and while I got up again, perhaps I had not truly repented and turned from that which caused me to fall. Without true repentance my garment is no longer the robe of righteousness.
Unfortunately I am keenly aware of many Christians who would argue with me that once forgiven always forgiven and there is no way that one can lose the white garment of righteousness, our robe for the marriage ceremony and wedding feast. However, as I read this scripture above, I paid particular attention to the phrase keep their robes ready. Why would Jesus in talking with John about all things relevant to the future use a present tense verb and imply that this is an ongoing state? I believe that this is to warn us that it is easy to not have our robes ready. As I look back on the past twenty years since I accepted Jesus as my Savior, I can recall decisions that I have made that absolutely were not the right ones. Did I think so at the time? Of course! I would have not made them otherwise, but now as a more mature believer, I can see through my rationalizations and immediately recognize how I was deceived by my arch enemy into disregarding my wedding attire.
We all should know that when it comes to the standard the Lord will use during judgement it is Himself. We will not be compared to any other human being because none of us are worthy to enter into His presence on our own merit. So if we are making decisions that we justify by comparing ourselves to someone else, we will surely miss the mark. The only way to be chosen for Jesus' bride is to make sure we have exchanged our soiled garments for the white robe of righteousness.
Why is this of such importance? Because we know that He will come as unexpectedly as a thief. We never expect a thief to come - that is always something that catches the victim by surprise. The historic parallel to this is in the ancient Hebrew wedding traditions. The final two stages of this covenant between bride and groom are Kiddushin (The Betrothal) and Nissuin (The Nuptials). In Kiddushin, the cup of acceptance is shared by the potential Bride and Groom. This was done for us by Jesus with His blood. Then the groom goes to prepare the Huppah while the bride is to begin her preparations through purification (Mikveh), undistracted devotion and anticipation. That is what we are to be doing daily. In Nissuin, only the Father of the Groom (Abba Father) can decide when the groom may return for His bride. The groom's arrival is unexpected by the bride. He then abducts the bride who is finely dressed and crowned. That is the time of the marriage feast and future happiness is declared for the bride and groom to dwell together. (If you would like to learn more about the parallels between Hebrew wedding tradition and Scripture, visit http://focusonjerusalem.com/jewishwedtrad2.html.)
In my studies I came across the following scripture from Revelation 16:15 "Take note: I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their robes ready so they will not need to walk naked and ashamed." Suddenly I visualized the wedding garment that was now somewhat soiled because I had slipped here and there and while I got up again, perhaps I had not truly repented and turned from that which caused me to fall. Without true repentance my garment is no longer the robe of righteousness.
Unfortunately I am keenly aware of many Christians who would argue with me that once forgiven always forgiven and there is no way that one can lose the white garment of righteousness, our robe for the marriage ceremony and wedding feast. However, as I read this scripture above, I paid particular attention to the phrase keep their robes ready. Why would Jesus in talking with John about all things relevant to the future use a present tense verb and imply that this is an ongoing state? I believe that this is to warn us that it is easy to not have our robes ready. As I look back on the past twenty years since I accepted Jesus as my Savior, I can recall decisions that I have made that absolutely were not the right ones. Did I think so at the time? Of course! I would have not made them otherwise, but now as a more mature believer, I can see through my rationalizations and immediately recognize how I was deceived by my arch enemy into disregarding my wedding attire.
We all should know that when it comes to the standard the Lord will use during judgement it is Himself. We will not be compared to any other human being because none of us are worthy to enter into His presence on our own merit. So if we are making decisions that we justify by comparing ourselves to someone else, we will surely miss the mark. The only way to be chosen for Jesus' bride is to make sure we have exchanged our soiled garments for the white robe of righteousness.
Why is this of such importance? Because we know that He will come as unexpectedly as a thief. We never expect a thief to come - that is always something that catches the victim by surprise. The historic parallel to this is in the ancient Hebrew wedding traditions. The final two stages of this covenant between bride and groom are Kiddushin (The Betrothal) and Nissuin (The Nuptials). In Kiddushin, the cup of acceptance is shared by the potential Bride and Groom. This was done for us by Jesus with His blood. Then the groom goes to prepare the Huppah while the bride is to begin her preparations through purification (Mikveh), undistracted devotion and anticipation. That is what we are to be doing daily. In Nissuin, only the Father of the Groom (Abba Father) can decide when the groom may return for His bride. The groom's arrival is unexpected by the bride. He then abducts the bride who is finely dressed and crowned. That is the time of the marriage feast and future happiness is declared for the bride and groom to dwell together. (If you would like to learn more about the parallels between Hebrew wedding tradition and Scripture, visit http://focusonjerusalem.com/jewishwedtrad2.html.)
Back then to my original question, are we ready for the wedding? Are we daily in the process of purification, undistracted devotion and anticipation of our wedding day? Personally I know that I must check my wedding garment everyday to make sure that the "soil" of the previous day has not prohibited my being clothed and ready for the abduction. Although Jesus said He would come like a thief, we also know from Scripture (Mark 13:29, Matthew 24:33) Just so, when you see the events I've described beginning to happen, you can be sure that his return is very near, right at the door. The events of these past few years, especially this year, should have us all eagerly anticipating His return anytime. Are you ready, clothed in His righteousness, or will He find you naked and ashamed? We have no excuses.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
The Legacy of Former Generations
Have you ever been told you have a generational curse on your life? I have heard this expression many times and in fact have struggled with it myself. However, I have recently come to a fresh and deeper interpretation of what this means and the power that the Lord gives us to deal with these historical aspects of our lives. My prayer is that what has been revealed to me will provide a new perspective for you on your past and that of your ancestors.
In studying Ezekiel I was led to explore the power of chapter 18. Within this chapter, the Lord is declaring to Ezekiel that a certain proverb dealing with fathers and children shall no longer be used. He then explains in depth to Ezekiel the actual status of the individual soul stating in verse 4 "Behold all souls are Mine; The soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die." He goes on to describe specific behaviors that either bring life or death, moving from one generation to the next. When we reach verse 17,the Lord is concluding His description of a just son whose father is unjust. Ezekiel 18:17 - 18 ...helps the poor, does not lend money at interest, and obeys all my regulations and laws. Such a person will not die because of his father's sins; he will surely live. But the father will die for the many sins he committed – for being cruel and robbing close relatives, doing what was clearly wrong among his people. The Lord recognizes the obedience of the son in living the will of God, and punishes the father for his disobedience.
So how do we reconcile that scripture with the following from Exodus 20:5 You must never worship or bow down to them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not share your affection with any other god! I do not leave unpunished the sins of those who hate me, but I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations.? We know that the Word never contradicts itself. We must seek to hear the voice of the Living Word to help us understand what is being taught to us. As I have sought the intimacy of the relationship that I cherish with my Lord, I have been blessed to have gained a deeper understanding of His sacred romance with us. Through the work of John Eldredge and Brent Curtis in their book by the same name Sacred Romance I have learned that there are generational interpretations of life which heavily influenced how we view life and how we react to what happens to us. Let me explain further.
We all see life through a filter that colors how we interpret what is happening in our lives, whether we are considering emotional, physical, environmental or any other kind of circumstance. Many times we have tunnel vision. The sad part is that this tunnel vision has been handed down to us through the generations. The Lord opened my eyes during my time of personal study with Sacred Romance to understand that the way I was raised by my parents was heavily influenced by how they were raised. If that sounds too simplistic, please consider this. If a parent was raised in an extremely structured environment in which affection was not shown, and imperfection was not allowed, then the role model that exists is black and white and non-dimensional. There are no other patterns in which to explore how to parent. This must be how it is done because that is how "I" was raised. Even if one is astute enough to sense that there must be a different way, it is very difficult to break those patterns that have been laid in your brain for decades.
I see this relating to the scriptures that I have just shared with you because we truly "suffer" when our home environment is anything less than the prefect harmony God desired when He created His children. For example, abuse is clearly documented as being generational. The majority of abusers in the world suffered abuse as a child. Did they determine early on that they would abuse someone in their future lives because of how they were treated? I don't believe so. In fact my spirit aches for them because I believe the opposite was true. Early on their lives they determined they would not be like that parent. However, life was interpreted in a very ugly way to them, and they don't have any other interpretation to use. Hence when circumstances in their lives begin to pattern their early experiences, without recognizing what is happening, they fall back on "known" behavior patterns.
Let me establish right now that I am not a clinical psychologist and I am also not justifying abuse. What I do want to do is introduce to you the concept that the choices our prior generations make have consequences that God is going to allow because they originated in free will. God will not interfere with free will. He is also a just God and will not allow disobedience to go without punishment. Our bad choices will impact our children. We cannot prevent that. We can make better choices though and that can alter the outcome.
God clearly recognizes obedience. Therefore even if someone has suffered at the hands of their elders, and even if that has come down through the generations, each individual can through the power of Holy Spirit alter the outcomes for future generations. We can recognize the limited interpretation of life which we were given and seek the rich full interpretation of life provided by God. We can choose life over death and we can stop the "generational curse" from continuing. We do this through the incredible power of Holy Spirit living within us. It begins with forgiving those that have hurt you so that you may also receive total forgiveness through the blood of Jesus.
I have made many mistakes in my life and I suffer as I watch the impact of those decisions on the ones that I love so dearly. Through the power of Holy Spirit I am seeking to change, to be transformed, so that the interpretations of life with which I grew up can also change and have a positive impact on those that I love. I cannot do this alone. I cannot do this through my determination and my power. I can only do this through His power and His love operating in me. I am humbled by what He has shown me that needs to change and by His ever present encouragement and unconditional love. I know that if I want "generational curses" to be broken in my life and for my children and grandchildren, then I must do more than proclaim it. I must walk it out. I am so grateful that I do not have to walk it out alone; He is always with me. Blessings to each of you as you explore this journey called life.
In studying Ezekiel I was led to explore the power of chapter 18. Within this chapter, the Lord is declaring to Ezekiel that a certain proverb dealing with fathers and children shall no longer be used. He then explains in depth to Ezekiel the actual status of the individual soul stating in verse 4 "Behold all souls are Mine; The soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die." He goes on to describe specific behaviors that either bring life or death, moving from one generation to the next. When we reach verse 17,the Lord is concluding His description of a just son whose father is unjust. Ezekiel 18:17 - 18 ...helps the poor, does not lend money at interest, and obeys all my regulations and laws. Such a person will not die because of his father's sins; he will surely live. But the father will die for the many sins he committed – for being cruel and robbing close relatives, doing what was clearly wrong among his people. The Lord recognizes the obedience of the son in living the will of God, and punishes the father for his disobedience.
So how do we reconcile that scripture with the following from Exodus 20:5 You must never worship or bow down to them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not share your affection with any other god! I do not leave unpunished the sins of those who hate me, but I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations.? We know that the Word never contradicts itself. We must seek to hear the voice of the Living Word to help us understand what is being taught to us. As I have sought the intimacy of the relationship that I cherish with my Lord, I have been blessed to have gained a deeper understanding of His sacred romance with us. Through the work of John Eldredge and Brent Curtis in their book by the same name Sacred Romance I have learned that there are generational interpretations of life which heavily influenced how we view life and how we react to what happens to us. Let me explain further.
We all see life through a filter that colors how we interpret what is happening in our lives, whether we are considering emotional, physical, environmental or any other kind of circumstance. Many times we have tunnel vision. The sad part is that this tunnel vision has been handed down to us through the generations. The Lord opened my eyes during my time of personal study with Sacred Romance to understand that the way I was raised by my parents was heavily influenced by how they were raised. If that sounds too simplistic, please consider this. If a parent was raised in an extremely structured environment in which affection was not shown, and imperfection was not allowed, then the role model that exists is black and white and non-dimensional. There are no other patterns in which to explore how to parent. This must be how it is done because that is how "I" was raised. Even if one is astute enough to sense that there must be a different way, it is very difficult to break those patterns that have been laid in your brain for decades.
I see this relating to the scriptures that I have just shared with you because we truly "suffer" when our home environment is anything less than the prefect harmony God desired when He created His children. For example, abuse is clearly documented as being generational. The majority of abusers in the world suffered abuse as a child. Did they determine early on that they would abuse someone in their future lives because of how they were treated? I don't believe so. In fact my spirit aches for them because I believe the opposite was true. Early on their lives they determined they would not be like that parent. However, life was interpreted in a very ugly way to them, and they don't have any other interpretation to use. Hence when circumstances in their lives begin to pattern their early experiences, without recognizing what is happening, they fall back on "known" behavior patterns.
Let me establish right now that I am not a clinical psychologist and I am also not justifying abuse. What I do want to do is introduce to you the concept that the choices our prior generations make have consequences that God is going to allow because they originated in free will. God will not interfere with free will. He is also a just God and will not allow disobedience to go without punishment. Our bad choices will impact our children. We cannot prevent that. We can make better choices though and that can alter the outcome.
God clearly recognizes obedience. Therefore even if someone has suffered at the hands of their elders, and even if that has come down through the generations, each individual can through the power of Holy Spirit alter the outcomes for future generations. We can recognize the limited interpretation of life which we were given and seek the rich full interpretation of life provided by God. We can choose life over death and we can stop the "generational curse" from continuing. We do this through the incredible power of Holy Spirit living within us. It begins with forgiving those that have hurt you so that you may also receive total forgiveness through the blood of Jesus.
I have made many mistakes in my life and I suffer as I watch the impact of those decisions on the ones that I love so dearly. Through the power of Holy Spirit I am seeking to change, to be transformed, so that the interpretations of life with which I grew up can also change and have a positive impact on those that I love. I cannot do this alone. I cannot do this through my determination and my power. I can only do this through His power and His love operating in me. I am humbled by what He has shown me that needs to change and by His ever present encouragement and unconditional love. I know that if I want "generational curses" to be broken in my life and for my children and grandchildren, then I must do more than proclaim it. I must walk it out. I am so grateful that I do not have to walk it out alone; He is always with me. Blessings to each of you as you explore this journey called life.
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