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Tag: God

Be My Valentine – What Love Is Not
Not Alone

The Lord reminds me in solitude and in silence: we are not alone; for he is always with us and never will leave us. So much passing talk of love, yet what is love? Who loves me? Truly, who do I love?

I may have known love, you may think. Or love has never found me, you may lament.

Rare time of silence pours in all the questions of life, thoughts of love: lost love, unrequited love, lovers, would-be lovers so you had hoped. Love of your mom or a father not even yours as you see a man pouring out joy into the life of his child at a nearby dinner table may invade your thoughts.

I have remembered a friend, oh so close, who once filled our days together with shared love of life. What ever happened to my best friend I see no more?

Love defined

Love’s imagery in seasons such as this often paints pictures so distant from the touch of our real love life. We question what meaning love truly holds. For love is more than a mere valentine card, candy, flowers, a romantic date. Even a honeymoon to Eden would not fully satisfy love’s desires of unconditional oneness. A brief moment of life now and before may have embraced something more like love, but we can no more define love than the blurry-eyed poem of a love struck teen.

Of course our first definition of love is eros, but eros quickly comes far short of love’s fullest meaning. [ctt title=”Truly the storyline of eros proves to be myth in our romantic lives from first love to last.” tweet=”The arrows of true love pierce a heart irreparably.” coverup=”mM232″]

אָהַב ‘ahab – to love

Human love for one for another includes much more than just sexual love, a true binding of souls between two living complex beings of flesh and bones… even a oneness between ‘broken hearts.’ It includes family, father and mother and dear friends. Love of another, plain and not-so-simple.

Real life beyond the myths of love greatly challenges our sensibilities of meaningful relationships with others. Who do I trust? Who has not wounded the tenderness of my very being?

I will love my child over all others, a parent may say. Or I will love no friend like the one who hurt me. Love, true love of another may be a many splendored thing, but to love another risks all by trusting vulnerability of my soul.

A Higher Love

Do you know this one?

Deuteronomy 6:5 וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶֽךָ׃

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

In Hebrew, the same word to love is applied first to the LORD! ‘ahab Yĕhovah ‘elohiym – You shall love the Lord your God.

Jesus calls this the greatest Commandment” in Matthew 22:36-40.

[ctt title=”Love God. Love cannot exclude love of the LORD our God!” tweet=”“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart…” coverup=”1l94c”]

The challenge of love

Who can I love beyond my self? Who can I trust with my tender wounded heart?

Love of God is a challenge for many. Fortunately the Lord exceeds every man and every woman in love by reaching down to our delicate depths with overflowing love, mercy, forgiveness and grace.

Love of a parent or child or dear friend, a mentor, a confidant, a leader or teacher: all become part of the loves of our life. All fall short except the love of God.

Yet how shall we love those we love as unsparingly as the Lord our God?

A true love of others cannot seek to love for our own benefit only, but in humble unconditional service to one also beloved of the Lord. I cannot love as well as God, but in all humility I can try to love another in a way that is better than the selfishness of man.

What love is not

You may have heard love preached at an altar of bride and groom. Or you may have read on a card the great wisdom of God’s love from a letter to the church in Corinth, a city of excess worship of gods of myth and tradition.

Yet Paul did not write the love chapter of 1 Corinthians 13 for a ceremony or only for advice to a husband and wife. This love, as we mentioned before, is so much more.

In Greek, ἀγάπη, agapē love points upward to God’s love as we embrace other souls in this temporary place. The love chapter’s forgotten definition of love is ‘charity’”

Aside from the definitions and niceties, however, let us briefly examine our own hearts for the leaven of what love is not:
- love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.
- It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing…
A valentine greeting

Think of the valentine message you send to loved ones every day and consider from above what love does not do?
- Does your heart’s greeting to God even approach His love for us?
- Does your gospel for parent or progeny ever appear arrogant or rude? I’m convicted.
- Do you boast to your friend or envy another?
- Worse, at the failings of another do you also ‘rejoice in iniquity?’
Beloved,

Love one another as Christ Jesus loves us.
February 14, 2017
Balaam – Inauguration of a Politician’s Prophet – 3

Journey to an Inauguration Interrupted

[In case you missed Part 1 or Part 2 of our long journey] We heard Balaam’s inaugural address in part in Numbers 24:3-9, first introduced in Part 1. Now we return to his journey toward the ceremonies of that momentous occasion.

[ctt title=”Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face.” tweet=”Numbers 22:31 after an ass had to tell a prophet to see the angel of the Lord.” coverup=”8dHCr”]

Numbers 22:

32 And the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me. 33 The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times.

How about this: your way is ‘perverse’ יָרַט [yarat] before the Lord! Your self-driven actions precipitate, push headlong and drive recklessly. You oppose the LORD! In fact, even your ass [אָתוֹן] saw the Angel of the Lord, but you did not.

Can you imagine the reaction of the prophet Balaam? First, his ass rebukes him, and now he finally sees the Angel of the Lord with a drawn sword asking why he struck his faithful donkey.

“… If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.”

³⁴Then Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.”

Awoken from Sin

35 And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.” So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak.

[At the end of their long 400 mile journey a King prepares for the Inauguration of a new era with the great prophet of God on his side, so he thinks.]

³⁸Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you! Have I now any power of my own to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that must I speak.”

[Indeed, what can a man or woman belonging to the Lord say, except the word of the Lord?]

41 And in the morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal, and from there he saw a fraction of the people.

Numbers 23:

Next, we see ceremonies of the high event planned by Balaak. Seven altars become the focus of Inauguration events. But Balaam does the unexpected and blesses Israel.

“From Aram Balak has brought me,
the king of Moab from the eastern mountains:
‘Come, curse Jacob for me,
and come, denounce Israel!’
8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed?
How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?

… 11 And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.” …

18 And Balaam took up his discourse and said,

“Rise, Balak, and hear;
give ear to me, O son of Zippor:

19 [ctt title=”God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. ” tweet=”Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? – Numbers 23:19″ coverup=”97P9C”]

Balak objects once more and desperately takes Balaam to a third place to worship and proclaim the ‘good omen’ of inauguration of a new era where Israel will not prevail. If you recall Balaam’s inaugural address from the beginning of our story, the speech follows from the third mountain ahead.

Numbers 24:

When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, 3 and he took up his discourse and said,

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eye is opened…

… 14 And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.”

Prophesy of the latter days

15 And he took up his discourse and said,

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
16 the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
and knows the knowledge of the Most High,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
falling down with his eyes uncovered:

Balaam will now speak of things to come.

I would like to turn to the King James translation, revealing from the original Hebrew much more than a clashing of kings. My conclusion and image from the wilderness of this parable may challenge your perspective of this inauguration. Here I will share links to the scripture for your further Bible study.

and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab

I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star [ כּוֹכָב ] out of Jacob [יַעֲקֹב], and a Sceptre [שֵׁבֶט] shall rise [קוּם] out of Israel [יִשְׂרָאֵל], and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.

An apocalypse spoken for the land of Moab and all the descendants of Sheth [שֵׁת ]. The land of Moab destroyed; but who are these ‘children of Sheth?’

Let those with ears to hear hear the parable of Balaam, a parable of veiled meaning. שֵׁת [pronounced, shāth] means, “compensation,” but you will recognize the proper Hebrew name for which שֵׁת is used, “Seth,” third son of Adam.

Consider the destruction of all the sons of Seth!

[ctt title=”Could another inauguration of evil in the high places bring about completion of these last days? For even brash sons of perdition and a prophet turned from God would not heed the warnings of an ass.” tweet=”Hear the parable of Balaam for another unexpected inauguration.” coverup=”Fos4Z”]

Let us pray that leaders of powerful countries heed the Word of the Lord.

“I am the Son of David, the Lion of Judah, Redeemer of Israel, Savior of the nations.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. Amen.

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January 20, 2017
Tribulation? Cheer up.
2017: Keep on for Christ’s sake.

I’m not invoking a phrase of cursing here, rather I call on the saints who hold fast to Jesus Christ to continue in faith. This is no new calling out in times of difficulty or anticipated times of trouble. We anticipate tribulation in the world.

Solomon may have come up with this calming wisdom for some new year [about 2900 years ago]:

History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. – Ecclesiastes 1:9 NLT

We begin this new year of expectant change by those with troubling temperaments leading us into the unknown. Certainly Rome ruled with a harsh hand. When the Messiah Jesus knew that His drama of suffering was imminent, the Lord offered true hope to His followers.

John 16:

“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away…

Jesus is not speaking to non-believers here, but to those followers, saints of the church. In fact, our Lord adds a vaguely familiar motive for these troubles ahead.

“… Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.

The world sees and overlooks routine persecution in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and in the slums of our rich cities. (Nothing new under the sun.)

[ctt title=”The world remotely headlines the very sufferings, persecution, expulsion and genocide of many who refuse to bow down to idol false gods and violent dead prophets.” tweet=”We pray for persecuted Christians, Jews and Muslims of the wrong sect in places controlled by hopeless men.” coverup=”2IbK7″]

Tribulation Defined

South Sudan Nov. 2015

Oxford defines tribulation (usually tribulations) as: 1 A cause of great trouble or suffering or 1.1 A state of great trouble or suffering.

A look into the Greek root of Jesus’ word used here is more revealing.
θλῖψις [thlipsis] –
1. a pressing, pressing together, pressure
2. metaph. oppression, affliction, tribulation, distress, straits
refugees driven from their cities in Syria & Iraq

Photos of war and refugees define our present pressing in of evil. Distant news reveals affliction all too well, therefore the world’s loss of hope leads us to believe we cannot have peace – ever.

Think about it: Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, offends those who deny God and perpetrate evil.

[ctt title=”Followers of causes opposed to the LORD most often claim false gods, false traditions and false men offering false hope.” tweet=”GOD offends the godless!” coverup=”IbtST”]

Life’s evils do and will again repeat themselves.

“But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.

– John 16:4”

Tribulations define a pressing in of sin by a fallen world opposed to God.
- When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the LORD your God and obey his voice. – Deuteronomy 4:20
- “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. – Matthew 24:9
Yes, Jesus, the incarnate Messiah of the LORD God, is hated by all nations, because the world hates the LORD. Tribulations for Christians and others will continue in the 21st century, as in the 20th and the first centuries. History of the church reveals the truth of Jesus’ warnings to followers. We do not have to look far to see those who refuse the Holy Spirit of the LORD God.

Acts 14:19-22

… they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city… they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples.

… encouraging them to continue in the faith,

and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

The Pressing In

As we anticipate the inevitable tribulation of this upcoming year, Christians would do well to heed the cheery advice of our Lord. Jesus has overcome the world and its troubles; therefore in Him we can have peace in our hearts.

We have Gospel good news! God came to man in His own Perfect Image as a living perfect sacrifice for our sins. After Jesus returned to God the Father He sent the Holy Spirit of God to be with those who love the LORD.

8 And when he [the Helper] comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

Christians and non-christians alike experience sin pressing in. Judgment, therefore, awaits every living soul and each deceased failed body of mortal flesh.

20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy…

… but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

29 His disciples said… “Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.”

31 Jesus answered them..

[And the Lord answers us as we anticipate with some trepidation of the year to come.]

“Do you now believe?

32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered…

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.

In the world you will have tribulation.

But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Welcome 2017

2 Corinthians 1: NKJV

To the church of God… with all the saints…

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

4 who comforts us in all our tribulation,

that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble,

with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

Beloved believer, cheer up; for Christ our saving hope from tribulation, from death and from judgment returns for those who love the Lord – for the chosen ones, saints for all time, this year and forever.

Amen.
January 2, 2017