The Tablet: Writing For the Heart

Archive Page 3

Dec

Being More, Not Just Doing Less

By couch 1 Comment

Categories: Resting

The Bible says “they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength….” (Isa. 40:31) and I was struck by the word “renew”. We often think that we need to obtain new strength, of which we certainly need, but what I think this passage indicates is that we already have strength in God, the bright righteousness of Jesus Christ, and we merely need to look unto Him anew to renew it! He is our strength as believers, an unending resource of power of which we alone in the earth have unlimited access to! Are we tapping into that, or looking for more strength through the “power bars” of this life? I want the real strength! And much like charging your batteries, the practical effort of waiting on the Lord actually renews our strength.

This is very timely for me (and surely for many) who are about to enter the “Christmas Break”. The purpose of a break is to provide rest, strengthening, and vision for the next semester - but as I have definitely experienced before, many squander this time. How do they squander it? By doing nothing. Hopefully you and I realize that doing nothing isn’t the key to new strength. Doing less certainly may be, but not doing nothing. Doing nothing actually is very exhausting! Have you ever had a day where you really did nothing, and you are so tired you just want to go back to bed, though you slept many many hours the night before? You are tired from doing nothing.

We are created to be. Then we were created to do. This means that our doing flows out of our being, and not the other way around. However, some, in process of trying to get rid of so much “doing”, go to the other extreme of “not doing” so that they can then “be”, which to them, equals rest. Actually, rest is found in doing the act of being. Yes, I said doing the act of being. This may sound like mincing words, but I don’t believe it is. When we make a determination to sit before the Lord, believing His promises and actively waiting on Him, we are “doing” something very powerful. We are not “sitting idly by”, but we are actively engaging our Spirit to believe God and listen to God. We may feel nothing, but the Word of God is true forever, and this active act of “being” is in fact the most restful and re-strengthening “doing” we could ever do. Then, our strength is renewed, and we return to a vibrant place of vision and purpose.

So, you say, you want me to sit in a room and just wait there, hoping something will happen? Not necessarily! Open your bible, put on some good devotional music , and let a “Yes” arise from your spirit to the Lord’s. Begin to praise Him, and let Him guide you to the scriptures, or to prayer, or to read, write, paint, or whatever flows natural. It can be long, it can be short, it really doesn’t matter. It’s the engagement of your spirit with the eternal God that counts, a waiting that believes to the utmost that He DESIRES to fill us with Him and renew our strength for the days ahead.

All of that to say - during this break, let your strength truly be renewed, not by “doing nothing”, but by “doing being before the Lord”, or in other words, actively waiting on the Lord. Most likely, you will in fact “do less things” than you naturally do during a busy semester, but this isn’t the goal of a break. The goal is to “be more” before the Lord, not just do less. Being more, rather that doing less, will be that which renews and strengthens you and I this Christmas Break.

Aug

A Terrible Thievery

By couch 1 Comment

Categories: Articles

I sense something deceptively sneaky is going on. I can smell a rat, a thief, and a plunderer is in the midst of us as the Western Christian Church. It’s hardly done by anyone on purpose, almost never maliciously, but leaves a dastardly effect, and a terrible thievery.

The Power of Discovery
All of us love the joy of discovery, the process of searching something out for ourselves and enjoying the richness of the revelation it brings to our inner man. To be ignited with passion to search out a question, mystery, definition, or insight for ourselves - whether or not its a deep revelation of Jesus or an everyday curiosity. We want to be fascinated!

Case in point, millions of people all around the world (including me!) have lined up at their local theatre to see one of about 6 tri-quels that have come out this summer. Hollywood is banking off of the God-given desire within each of us to discover. What is going to happen to Jason Bourne? Will Spiderman keep Mary Jane? Danny Ocean, and Jack Sparrow! The list goes on.

God-Given Desires
Our first hurdle to tackle as Western Christians is to realize God Himself is the author of this desire-for-quest within us. It’s a God-given longing, one that can’t be repented away or killed off. Sure, we must purify our hunger for discovery, especially as there is no greater, more satisfying treasure hunt than that for the knowledge of God and His eternal ways. But, it isn’t going to go away on its’ own - unless some one comes along and steals it right under our noses!

Since God created every man and woman with a longing to discover, it is therefore true that He desires each man and woman to discover things for themselves. Proverbs clearly says that “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings to search it out.” (Prov. 25:2) Jesus teaching that we should “Ask, seek, and knock” on the Sermon on the Mount shows us the progressive degrees He desires us to take to keep pressing in to “diligently seek Him”, something He greatly rewards (Heb. 11:6).

Hidden Treasures
Colossians 2:3 says something incredible for the “great discoverer” within all of us. It says “In Him (Jesus Christ) are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” All of the richest treasures, that which we are to “store up for ourselves in heaven”, are found in searching out the depths of the God-man Jesus Christ. Seeking Him, knowing Him, and asking Him questions about who He is and His ways - these things ARE our very inheritance! That is, the inheritance of those who diligently seek Him as David did in Psalm 24.

David, the king of Israel, and the “man after God’s own heart” - didn’t hesitate to ask God seemingly obvious questions. He asks “Who is this King of Glory”? several times in Psalm 24. He didn’t allow his fear of man to keep Him from letting this heart cry come out, nor did he think that God only honored those who “knew the answers backwards and forwards”. In fact, he believed the very opposite, that God was looking for those whose deep cried out to God’s deep saying “Who are you? I know you, but I don’t know you! I want to know you.”

This deep desire for true spiritual knowledge, not a heady-academic understanding, but an intimate friendship with the God who is love - this is what Jesus called “eternal life” in John 17:3. And it is this knowledge, the personal discovery of the things of God that is being stolen away!

Grand Theft

In Luke 11, Jesus is asked to join a dinner-party of Pharisees and teachers of the law. Little did they know what they were getting themselves into! From what the passage speaks, Jesus spent much of the time rebuking them for their pride, hypocritical nature, and inner wickedness. But there was one final rebuke that Jesus laid against them that grabs at the crux of what I’m saying here - “Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves and you hindered those who were entering.” Luke 11:52

Jesus claimed that a terrible theivery was occuring in His day, one that kept people from entering into the Kingdom of Heaven. What a terrible theivery! Even worse, it was done by those teaching “the law of God”! How was it happening? They took away what Jesus calls the “Key of Knowledge”. Keys are used to unlock doors, or to provide personal access for someone into someplace special. Jesus said the key was knowledge, a living knowledge of Him and His ways. This key was meant to be given by the people teaching the law of God, as Jesus rebuked them for withholding this key from the people.

Therefore, we can see that the Key of knowledge, that permits one to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, is provided in the teaching of the Word, or law, of God. However, it is also clear that the Word can be taught in a way that removes or steals this key of knowledge. John Wesley commentates on this verse: “Ye have obscured and destroyed the knowledge of the Messiah, which is the key of both the present and the future kingdom of heaven; the kingdom of grace and glory”. This points to the very crux of the issue.

The Law of God —> Always Pointing to Christ

When the Bible is taught, is it centered on knowing and understanding the person and work of Christ? The Bible is clear that Jesus Himself is the Living Word of God (John 1:1) and that the written word of the Law, Prophets, and Writings are summed up in Christ. He is the point! He is the reason! He is the revelation, and He is the teaching!

If we teach the Word of God without teaching the Living Word of God, we are stealing the key of knowledge away from the people.

Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and teachers again in John 5:37-39 - “You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have life, and it is they who bear witness of me! Yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” There are many reflections from this verse, but it is clear that the teachers of the law didn’t go “far enough” in their teaching to come to that which gives life, namely the teaching of Christ, nor did they themselves approach the person of Jesus in their searching of the Word of God.

Again, I’m sensing a problem in our Western Christianity, one that heaps up books and teachings and seminars and conferences, doctrines and missiologies, church structures and growth-patterns, cycles and programs, approaches and mindsets! Where is the person of Christ!? Who is leading people into the knowledge of God by revealing Christ through the Scriptures!?

Our studies, theology, and church life are bankrupt and vanity without the Living Word of Christ. If we have not Him, what do we have? And if we teach the Word of God without the Living Word shining through, what do we teach? We teach a form of the law, but deny the very power thereof. Another way to look at it - are people entering the Kingdom of Heaven? Do people even know that heaven is opening and coming down to earth (Rev. 21, Luke 11:3)? Do we teach “the gospel of the kingdom” which must be preached to all nations (Matt. 24:14) and scatter “the word of the Kingdom” as a farmer scatters seed (John 4). If they are entering in by revelation and understanding, then they are because the “key of knowledge” has opened the “door of eternity” into the Living Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. Glory!

Blessed be His name! Because in these last days, He has seen fit to raise up shepherds after His own heart, who will lead His people on the living knowledge of God (Jer. 3:15) Those who will feed His sheep on His heart and His ways, and the understanding of His love, kingdom, and authority. He is raising up a company of David’s and John the Baptists’ to rejoice at the sound of the Bridegroom and prepare the way for His return!

No more stealing of the key of knowledge! “Let not the wise man boast in His wisdom, nor the mighty man in His strength, nor the rich man in His riches, but let Him who boasts boast in this, that He knows and understands Me says the Lord, who practices steadfast love, righteousness, and justice in the earth. For in these I delight!” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

Jul

Simplicity: The Power to do Good

By couch 0 Comments

Categories: Simplicity

Lately I’ve felt the Lord trying to simplify my Christian life. Bringing things back the original, most necessary, main and plain things that must be the horse before I can ever get to the cart. We, especially in the West, have made the Christian life so complicated, that I’m searching the Scriptures to find simplicity. That word is taken from 2 Cor. 11:3, where Paul talks about the simplicity of the gospel, which is devotion to Christ. Devotion to Christ seems to be the vehicle of the entirety of the rest of the Christian life. This blog series, entitled “A Terrible Thievery”, is mostly my journey in understanding all that distracts and steals from me the simplicity of devotion to Christ. If you haven’t already, please read the first post below before this one.

Now, some brief thoughts this morning on what else is missing when Christ isn’t the head, or isn’t given first place or preeminence in our focus as the people of God. Since I have no ability to obtain righteousness by the law, then I also have no ability to obtain sanctification merely by the outward practices of God’s Word (Galatians 5). However, Christ in me is more than sufficient to will and to work according to His good pleasure (Phil 2:13) the inward and outward deeds that are pleasing to Him. He in me, is my only hope of Christ-likeness, or “being spiritual”, or “having God’s heart”, or “not being an American Christian”, or “being Godly”.

Jesus said “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” (Matt 5) We hunger and thirst for righteousness by hungering and thirsting for Christ, who is righteousness. However, He isn’t just a stagnant righteousness, but an active righteousness that empowers, frees, and strengthens according to its’ own kind. Therefore the more I know Christ, the more I am inspired to understand His power to work through me the “Godly life” He desires, and therefore walk in it! The “Godly life” that we all desire and preach, is only obtained through personally knowing Christ. Even Jesus’ said that He spoke and did nothing apart from what He saw the Father speaking and doing (John 5, 8). Even Christ’s outward perfection was empowered by His living, abiding relationship with the Father, and His understanding of who He is!

How crucial is it therefore that we understand who He is! Peter says it this way -

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” 2 Pet. 1:3

What an incredible statement! Knowing Christ is accessing the very power we need for life and godliness. Beloved of God, let’s get to know Him, for that is our eternal life! (John 17:3; John 6:36; John 7:37-39)

Jun

Right in Their Own Eyes: Wisdom of a Theif

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Categories: Right In Their Own Eyes

What is it about a people without a king that robs them of their moral understanding? Why do people without a ruler become driven to and fro from standard to standard by their own whims? “Without vision, the people perish”, the Bible clues in Proverbs. That same verse is translated “Where there is no widespread revelation, the people cast off restraint.”

I want to continue this blog series this week with these questions, and with my typical “I’m thinking into the keyboard so follow me along” style. As I continue to get thoughts, I will flesh them out, and feel free to add your own in the comments below.

People cast off moral restraint, lose their senses, and fall into major sin when there is no king and no widespread revelation of what is true, just, and right. These may seem like two entirely separate things, but in reality, the greatest revelation we can have is that of the King and His kingdom. Neither can be separated from the other, they are intricately woven together. The Kingdom is what Jesus first preached, and died speaking of. And yet talk of Jesus as King is sparse, as we mostly speak of Him as Savior, which He is. But widespread revelation of the King and His kingdom will surely inaugurate the blessings of vision, restraint, and justice.

That revelation is the goal, for then and only then can we be “Right in God’s Own Eyes”. We want to see as He sees, not be deluded with our own misguided notions, as the people of Israel were without a King. The more we recognize Jesus as King and learn of His kingdom ways, the more wisdom we will understand, and then be able to walk in. Even our sense of justice will be greater, as is demonstrated by the remarkable wisdom of the dying thief on the cross. Consider!

After the man on one side of Jesus remarks, ”Are you not the Christ, save yourself!”, the thief on the other side rebukes Him (Luke 23:40-42) saying “Don’t you fear God even as you are dying? We deserve to die for our evil deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” And then, in faith and revelation of one of the main purposes of Jesus death he turns to Jesus and says “Jesus, remember me when you come into your KINGDOM.”

Amazing! An amazing clarity about justice (we deserve our punishment but Jesus does not) and an amazing clarity about eternity! And as we all know, Jesus rewards His faith by saying “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in Paradise.” What blessed peace fell on this crucified thief as He heard those words of Life coming out of the Bread from Heaven! All else faded away, all pain seemed small, all joy illuminated as He was guaranteed not only forgiveness, cleansing, but honor and glory to be with the King in Paradise that very day.

Why? He asked Jesus to rememeber Him in His kingdom. Notice he didn’t say “Lord, forgive me of my sins”, for he realized that the Kingdom of God was open to the humble and broken, ready to receive those who looked to the nature of the King for not only their rescue from sin, but for their purpose in existence, to fellowship with the King. And this thief who stole was given freely the greatest gift, eternal life.

In the next few posts I want to illustrate how a vision of the King and His kingdom removes our man-centered thinking to a God-centered reality.

Jun

Right in Their Own Eyes: No King, Will Sin

By couch 0 Comments

Categories: Right In Their Own Eyes

“In those days Israel had no King…” that’s for sure! I’m so thankful for that last verse in Judges. If it was taken out, we would have quite the puzzle to solve as to what the problem was with Israel during those years, and why God even allowed those maniacal chapters in the Word.

I thank God for these chapters, as I believe they show part of the depths of what can happen when man is given over to “what is right in His own eyes”. I hope to flesh that out more fully over the next few days. Obviously, the lack of a King left Israel in major sin. But what is it about a King that is so necessary? And what can we as the church glean from these chapters of the Bible? Lord, guide our thoughts here!

Let’s start by examining this a little closer. What were the specific problems Israel encountered without a King?

1) Idolatry “in the name of the Lord” - Judges 17 talks about a mother who creates an idol in honor of her son, and “dedicates it all to the Lord”. How foolish does this seem? That someone would make an idol out of something created, and then say - well, I’m doing it to honor the Lord? Actually might sound a bit more familiar than we might care to admit! Our “key” last verse of Judges is repeated in this chapter in verse 6.

2) Division among the People of God - Massive infighting, division, and downright attacking of each other. They burned down each others towns, and killed each other’s women and children. Surely God’s very own people wouldn’t attack each other with swords? Would they?

3) Sexual Immorality - Unfortunately, enough of this to go around throughout the chapters. The most horrible thing is, the one mentioned most is a Levite - a man who was supposed to be consecrated to the Lord in ministry. Surely God’s very own ministers would not dealing with such perversion? Would they?

4) Lack of the Knowledge of God’s Heart and Ways - The people would go up and “worship”, and then make vows that they would kill anyone who didn’t worship with them. Then, they felt it was “just” to give the young girls of a different town to the left-over men that they had just killed in battle. Is this what God desired? Surely not - but without revelation of God’s heart - the people just “assumed” they thought they knew what God wanted. Interesting.

These are just a few examples of what happens to the people of Israel without a King. Did God want them to have a King? Didn’t He not want them to have a King, because He wanted to be their King?

Jun

Right in Their Own Eyes: Introduction

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Categories: Right In Their Own Eyes

Warning: The following post comes straight from the Bible, but contains explicit content! Don’t believe me? Read on…!

Massive war, brother against brother. Thousands die as entire cities are wiped out. Idolatry is regularly practiced. Homosexuality, with men beating down a door trying to fulfill their own lusts. An entire group of people raids a city, kidnaps all the virgins, and then gives them to another tribe as wives.

Think that’s enough? How about a man cutting his dead concubine into twelve pieces and sending them express-mail to the 12 tribes of Israel? And most of this (here’s the worst part) is done after supposedly “seeking the Lord” about it. Is this a gnostic Gospel? The new hollywood blockbuster? No! It’s the last few chapters of the book of Judges! Old Testament!

Completely inspired of the Holy Spirit Old Testament. Why would God record such amazing brutality, idolatry, and immorality? Surely He didn’t approve of such behavior, much less want to condone it in the Bible. I was reading these chapters last week and was astonished again and again after reading through them. Until….

I came across the very last verse of Judges.

And through this verse everything about this madness made sense.

And since then - my thoughts have been going wild. And I’m going to write them here if you care to read them this week. Oh yeah - what’s the verse?

“In those days Israel had no king; and all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.” - Judges 21:25

Jun

Thoughts from Colorado #7 - Up to Transfigure

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Categories: Colorado

And after six days, Jesus took James, Peter, and John with him by themselves, and led them up a high mountain. And He was transfigured before them….- Mark 9:2

We ourselves heard this very voice borne of heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. - 2 Peter 1:18

It is on the mountain that we learn how to see Jesus. It is on the mountain that we learn how to worship Jesus. It is on the mountain that we learn how to listen to Jesus. Surely we can do these other places, but God calls us who draw near to Him up higher so that we can experience Him in fresh and new ways.

I haven’t been necessarily speaking of the physical mountain, but of the inner season and journey it represents. In the Old Testament, the “high places” were established for worship in various locations. Either false gods and idols were worshipped, or the Lord himself on these “high places”.

However, when the Temple was established, God desired the high places to be done away with, so that all people would come “up to Mount Zion” to worship the King of Glory. Unfortunately, many still set up high places to worship Baal and other false Gods. (2 Kings 14:4) Going up to the high places, and now, the long journey to Jerusalem was to be an act of humility, sacrifice, and dedication to go and worship on God’s holy hill, Mount Zion.

Then, when Jesus came, he spoke to the Samaritan woman in this way: “Believe me dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or [at the temple] in Jerusalem….For God is Spirit, and He is seeking worshippers who will worship in Spirit and Truth.” (John 4:24) What an amazing transition!

Look! He turns the worship from an outward requirement to an inward position! Notice that he did NOT say “worship by the spirit and by the truth”. We often try to acquire these things that we might “use them as tools” to worship God. On the contrary, worshipping “IN spirit and IN truth” are actual positions to God, just as the mountain was previously in the natural.

Instead of striving to obtain more “spirit” and more “truth”, the veil on God’s holy mountain has been torn asunder, that we might enter in to the spiritual reality of “spirit and truth” by His blood! By bold confidence and humble faith, we ask the Holy Spirit to guide us “into” spirit and truth! By that inward positional reality, unattainable by even the most “self-righteous” individual, we are ministering to the Lord - becoming the exact worshippers “the Father is looking for”. No flesh can gain access there, it is by the Spirit in faith!

Who will come up to the mountain to see Jesus transfigured, hear His voice, and worship Him in His presence, which is “spirit and truth”? God is Spirit, and Jesus is the Way, Truth, and the Life. Unlike here in Colorado, the journey is an inward sacrifice, for we must believe in order to see. We can not see and then believe, but by believing we have access to be positionally “in spirit and in truth” we are worshipping as the Father desires.

Therefore, let us lay hold of this place we have been granted, this free access to the mountain of God by His grace! Let us minister to God without fear, without striving, but with humble faith, true humility, and passionate joy out of His great love and provision for us to be the very thing He desires.

May

Thoughts from Colorado #6 - Up to Pray

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Categories: Colorado

“In these days Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.” - Luke 6:12

Going up to the mountain isn’t easy. The air is thinner in the high altitude, the climb is steep, and the way rocky. The path isn’t often smooth ahead, and you must often have the proper gear to climb on up. A trip up the mountain isn’t demanded of anyone, but it is required for those who long to experience the breath-taking views and feeling of victory that accompanies the summit!

The Lord doesn’t demand that we go up the mountain. He will meet with us wherever we are, but He invites us to go higher, deeper, onward, and upward! His presence is always both satisfying and instigating. It’s satiating and hunger-inducing. To taste and see that He is good is to invite us higher. So, in counting the cost of climbing, how do we do it?

1) The Gifts of Righteousness and Purity: We can not approach the Holy place of the Lord without being washed in the blood of the Lamb. This is a free gift, but unattainable for the self-righteous. Secondly, continually going to the Lord and asking for a fresh spirit of purity “washes our feet” as we journey through this life.

2) Hunger and Thirst: In the natural, a person must eat and drink to have the strength to climb a mountain. As he goes, he must continually feed himself to make it. In the spiritual, it is the reverse: we are hungry on the bottom and filled at the top. Hunger, the inner feeling of desire for God - His presence, His power, more of Him!

3) A Roadmap: Taking the scriptures before the Lord, and asking, seeking, and knocking. Jesus said “to you [meaning those who followed after him asking questions] it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 13:11) What is the Spirit of God igniting in your heart? Ask Him about it. Whatever topic, desire, character, aspect of God and His ways, all is open for us to ask, seek, and knock concerning. We can also do this by writing, reading, and praying these thoughts into greater revelational development.

4) The Tour Guide: The Holy Spirit: Pray that the Holy Spirit will fill you and take you higher and deeper into Jesus. Worshipping Jesus (Eph 5) and reading the Word outloud even when we don’t feel it, stirs Him within us and then trust His leadership and walk forward!

5) Group Climbing: True Fellowship: Let the Lord deepen (or lessen certain) relationships so that you may go higher and higher into Him. As we get weary, fall, or become apathetic, we have others who inspire and encourage us onwards towards all that is truly life!

Those are just a few helps that have helped me as I climb. Sometimes, the great huge mountain before us is intimidating, but the biggest help of all is that God Himself has invited us! Without this sure promise, and the pleasure set before us in His love, we would not have the confidence to climb. Praise God for His steadfast, encouraging, and inviting love!

May

Thoughts from Colorado #5 - Mountain of Friendship

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Categories: Colorado

Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may be stand in His holy place?
Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols or swear by falsehood. - Psalm 24:1

The mountain is the place of true instruction and the giving of the pure Word of God. Moses was given the Law on the mountain, but not outside of encounter. It was in the midst of feasting in the glory of the Lord at the table of the Lord, seeing glimpses of His glory alongside the taking of the bread of God, the Word of God. (Exodus 32-34)

Friendship was experienced, and the heart (Word) was shared. Can we expect to partake of the same if friendship with God isn’t developed in our own lives? Thank the Lord, He is the pursuer of this friendship, this intimate partnership, the invitation of the Beloved is ever before us.

We, now, have the Word of God, the Bible, written before us. Can we then take it, making interpretation and application of it simply because it is complete before us in a canon? Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for taking the scriptures alone without engaging Him with and through them. (John 5:38-39)

Just as Moses was given the Bread or Word of God on the mountain, we too are invited to partake of the Word of God, the Bread of Life, Jesus the Christ on the mountain. He pursues us in our lowliness that we might seek Him in His exaltedness. He cleanses us by giving Himself unto death and burial in the earth, that He might enable us to climb up the mountain and experience Him ultimately in heaven. Oh, this humble servant, this lovesick King!

We can limit salvation’s purpose and dishonor Jesus’ passion by not taking advantage of His gifts, righteousness and purity, the tools necessary to scale the mountain. Why yet abide in the valley of decision when we have, in Him, what is necessary to taste the fruit of glory on the mountain? Why walk by what we can see with our own eyes and understanding when we are invited to come up higher and see what and how He sees?

“Come up here! And I will show you….” (Rev. 4:1-2) Lord have mercy on theology based outside encounter. Lord have mercy on vision from lower than Your Holy mountain. “Get up to the mountain!”, says the Lord!

“Everyone who asks receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks.” (Matt. 7:8)

May

Thoughts from Colorado #4 - Look Up

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Categories: Colorado

“I lift my eyes up, unto the mountains. Where does my help come from? My help comes from You, Maker of Heaven and Earth.” - Psalm 121:1-2

The mountain first and foremost is the place of encounter. To find the Lord as He is and be utterly shocked by Him. To be brought to trembling before His awesome majesty and shudder before the whisper of His power. To feel the energizing fear of the Lord tantalizing you as your soul cries out for the eternal life you’ve spoke of a million times more than you’ve ever really tasted.

It is an encounter with Life itself. To be before the Lord on the mountain is to have your insides rent and your outsides feel like insides. It both satiates and invites your longing, creating within you a desire to cry out in ways you can’t fathom how. Fire, power, thunder, and gentleness all in the same feeling. Your core treads carefully as it jumps in and out of itself toward what it was created for.

All fades away. All melts away as much as we let it. We draw near, utterly unworthy but daring not to think on that or anything less than what is above, terrible, and beautiful. It is on that place of earth, between earth and sky, on that mountain, where everything comes into unbelievable clarity. It is this God, utterly indescribable and impossibly kind, that brings humility in His wisdom, and leaves us undone yet unashamed in our naivete.

Words like love, power, glory, and salvation take on new meaning and fuller definition, making the previous meanings seem like shadows.

Being closer to heaven physically and spiritually, on the earth and yet above it - we realize that it is this God, Jesus, who has created all things. The mountain is a pivotal place of revelation concerning the relationship between heavenly and earthly things, giving perspective, vision, and focus. All issuing forth from the God-Man Jesus, in whom God has purposed to join heaven and earth together.

Lord have mercy on theology based outside encounter. Lord have mercy on vision from lower than Your Holy mountain. “Get up to the mountain!”, says the Lord!

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