BeLOnGings

This is the final blog in a two part series of 7 each, “Cleansing the Heart of the Beast” and then “Claiming the Heart of the Best” We come full circle, to end where it began, in our home. The number 14 (two perfect sevens) represents Salvation.

You might remember how Ben and Kim, Ana, Roy, Ivan, Isla and Asher had to leave their home next door because of mold, and move in to live with us for a year. Their house happened to stand on Lot 14. Leviticus 14 is to do with the laws concerning being healed from leprosy and mildew/mold which represent mortality.

Currently “…..we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:13) and live in anticipation of the manifestation of this final aspect of our salvation, the redemption of our bodies at the resurrection when “we will put off mortality and put on immortality”  (1 Cor. 15:54)

Then we will no longer be limited by these mortal bodies but will have the capacity to move freely and fully between the natural and the spiritual realms even as Jesus, our head, demonstrated after His resurrection.(Jn.20)

You may remember how Father sent a kind old gentleman who was a ‘dead ringer’ for God (named Paul El-ringer) to help us identify the root of the mold problem that had then also surfaced in our home.

He said it would be remedied with a new air exchanger; a unit that would make it possible to move air (breath/spirit) between one realm (indoors) and another (outdoors). Does that sound like a resurrection sign?

Father’s next designated actor on the scene was His namesake George (“My Father is the (Gk.) “georgios”) who I wrote about in the initial blog in the series “Cleansing the Heart of the Beast. Part 1 The Fiery Trial”

Well subsequently George’s workman arrived to fit the new unit. He was appropriately named Adam as Jesus is called “the last Adam” whose work was to undo the mortal damage done by our forefather “the first Adam.” (1 Cor. 15: 22.45)

When I saw Adam’s van pull up. (first photo) again it left no doubt about who was writing, directing and casting this play! You might recall Ben’s beautifully simple yet profound song: Please play and share it often.

Give Your Heart a Shelter – YouTube

In this song I believe Ben speak’s incidentally about the resurrection when we cease from ‘our own work’ and enter into that ‘Sabbath rest’ of God.(Heb.4:9-11)

The two parts of this series find each other perfectly in the line,

“In the heartache we find that’s when the heart breaks through.”

I noticed when George gave me his quote for the work, he appeared to have made a mistake and wrote the model of the number of the unit, 130, two times. The price of the job was $2200. 22 is the number for the Sons of Light.

Ben and Kim had been looking for another ‘clean’ home. Here’s the entrance to their new temporary ‘shelter’:

Beside the Light, and the number 130 is a bird with a red breast.

Ben and Kim continue to live out Psalm 130 on behalf of so many of us:

“Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.

In Lev. 14 the second bird offered for the healing of mortality was to be ‘dipped’ in the blood (red breast) of the first before being released into the world. It represents those who on the basis of the first ‘dying’ work of Christ are entering into the overlap of these two realms even now as this current ‘age’ gets wrapped up and we enter the great Sabbath Millennium participating in this second ‘living’ work of Christ, manifesting as mature Sons of Light the good news of the kingdom of God. So,

“Arise and shine for your light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen on you. For behold darkness covers the land deep darkness on the minds of the people. But the Lord will rise upon you and his glory will be upon you and all nations will come to your light and kings to the brightness of your rising.” (Is.60:1-3)

P.S. This morning as I went to listen to Ben’s song once more, I realized it had 318 views. Then I went to send the blog and noticed there are 318 people who have requested to be notified about the blogs. The number 318 represents ‘The Remnant” To begin to understand where I got this connection, read Genesis 14.

A few years ago my daughter-in-law felt she should give me a copy of The ALCHEMIST. I was the more eager to read it since the author’s name was not unlike my own, Paulo Coelho.

Indeed I discovered his story was a fractal of my story, even as all our stories are fractals of the One True Story.

It told of a shepherd boy in a western island who left his more secure profession to become shepherd just as I had left medical practice to shepherd a community in Ireland. He then traveled abroad on a journey in search of a great treasure – just as we have traveled to America!

After many exotic adventures the boy arrived all the way back where he started, only to discover that the great treasure he has been searching for was in fact buried at the foot of the tree where he had slept as a shepherd boy.

“We HAVE this treasure….” Paul writes to the Corinthians…….no need to go to the ends of the earth searching for it….We already HAVE this treasure.

“Ah!” you say, “….. you mean “Christ in me”?

Well, yes and no.

The scripture actually says, “….Christ in YOU the hope of glory” So while I do need to discover more fully the Christ in me, this scripture points us not inward but outward – to the other. The context speaks of God’s glory then being revealed through Christ in US. (Col.1:24-27)

The greatest treasure in my backyard is called Hilary….or maybe more fully Christ in Hilary – my closest friend.

Thank you for this friend who lies – a side of me

A stake to make me die to what is fake in me.

A staff to make me true to what’s inside of me

To confirm and to offend

Until we both have been set free 

Inside of Thee

Next to ‘love’, ‘friend’ must be the most cheapened word in our modern language.

Jesus said,”Greater love has no man than this than he lay down his life for his friends.” (Jn.15:12) At the end of his earthly ministry he only called  twelve who had been with him day and night for three years his ‘friends’ (Jn, 15:13) Eleven of these twelve ended up expressing their friendship by dying for the one who had died for them.

Proverbs says that “A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity” (Prov.17:17) True Friendship is a step beyond brotherhood, it knows, shows, grows ….and goes the distance. Time is given us to yield two fruits, wisdom and true friendship.

The photo above is very special to me.

The cushion describes the voyage of Saint Brendan. Like Brendan, Hilary and I left everything familiar to us in the natural to follow our friend Jesus to this new land. He used the story of the only man to be called God’s friend, Abraham, to guide us here. When we arrived and asked Him what we were to do, he said very simply. “Make friends and be friends.” and “Always sing for friends and never ask for money.”

A friend is a gift from God. We can only offer friendship, it will be reciprocated by those He has given to us as true friends.

The carved staff was a gift from my friend Warren just before he died. He was a native Ojibwe elder, as is my friend Kevin who gifted me the model horse.

The model horse has special meaning for me because the Ojibwe name I was given at ceremony, “bebezhigooganzhii” means ‘wild horse’  in the sense of being natural or free. The inscription below the model horse kneeling in respect to his fallen master reads, “Blood Brothers”

“If we walk in the light as he is in the light then we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin.” (1 Jn.1:7)

In order to experience this depth of friendship/fellowship our lives must be an open book to one another. We must also be on the same page – a “blank page” of availability on which God can write His story as we die to self in order to live a common life of integrity which like our rider is, “Faithful and True” (Rev.:19)

……..until “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”(Phil.2:10,11)

It is true friends that make us truly wealthy…. a wealth that keeps growing.

P.S. Next week the shepherd boy and his wife fly back to the Ol’ sod where we ventured out from 23 years ago. For 5 weeks we will reconnect with family and with treasured friends old and new. We’ll see if we get some more good stories to blog about over those weeks.

One of those friends is currently broadcasting freely his latest docu-series called, “Live Longer Feel Better’. I would encourage you to register by going to this link:

Share – Live Longer Feel Better!

Are you ready to go a little deeper with the Big Dipper?

We’ve considered two of “these three (that) remain.” – the Secret of Faith and the Mystery of Hope.  Now we come to the greatest of the three, the Treasure of Love.

In Eph. 1:17-19. this threesome is described as “….the Hope to which he has called you, the riches (Treasure) of his inheritance (of Love) in the saints and the power that is at work in those who believe (Faith)” 

Access to these, Paul says, is a result of “the eyes of your heart being enlightened”. The context of this statement is his prayer for the Ephesian believers, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.” 

So this ‘enlightenment’ is apprehended not by soulish reason, but by spiritual revelation in the wake of our human experience.

A few years ago we had the experience of being expelled from a circle of dear friends because they believed we were in theological error. I went to my Father about this and He spoke to me through Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 1:12;

^“For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.”

I was deeply reassured as this revelation came in my spirit, “I know my Father’s voice, I know my Father’s smile, I know my Father’s embrace.”

Last night this incident came to my mind again. I went outside. Looking up into the 3am sky, I saw the Plough, directly overhead, standing erect. It hung there (pictured above) like the Cleaver that had fallen several years ago severing my soul.

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword,it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Heb.12:4)

The words came,“Ploughmen have ploughed my back, they have made their furrows long.” …….and then the promise, “They that sow in tears will reap with songs of joy!”  (Ps.129:4, 126:6)

We are now on the ‘reaping’ side of that time.

Here is one of those ‘songs of joy’ that can come out of our spirit when we have such experiences;

Paul the apostle cried out, “That I might know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made like unto him in his death.” (Phil 3:17)

Paul says he counts everything else in his life as ‘dung’ compared to knowing Him.

Entering into ‘his death’ involves the severing of soul from spirit, no longer putting confidence in my inherited beliefs, my reasonable assumptions, my strong emotions, my perceived abilities or my human achievements but trusting solely in the work of the Spirit of Christ within me – that leads to life.

“And this is Life…..that they may know you.” (Jn 17:1. 1)

This then is the road to knowing Him, who is life, and to finding – The Treasure of Love

P.S. On listening to the recording I realized that the only musical accompaniment was a barley audible drone of the wind in the background as I recorded this song by the window in our bedroom on a stormy day. This is the voice of the Spirit that we now hear….. that brings us peace.

P.P.S. On re-reading the P.S. I realized the ‘accidental’ misspelling of the word barely as barley denotes the ‘first resurrection’ company of overcomers or  ‘barley’ harvest which Father is even now sensitizing to hear His ‘still small voice’ at all times and in all situations. (Rev.20:6)

At the end of “The Book” we read the end of “The Story.”

All creation is gathered “AROUND the throne”;

“And they sang a new song, saying: ‘Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were slain, and by Your blood ransomed people for God from every TRIBE and language and people and nation.'” (Rev.5:9) 

This pictures “the Mystery” of God’s plan to reconcile all things in Christ, and therefore to align ourselves with this plan as I wrote last week we must be freed from partisanship and come into line with God’s impartial application of His Law. (e.g. Acts 10:34,35)

The corollary of this Tribalism Renounced is THE TRIBE REVEALED

Benjamin Franklin lamented that English settlers were constantly fleeing over to the Indians, but Indians never did the same! This gravitational pull of tribal society on ‘Westerners’ is because that’s the way God planned it. From the first a man would leave his mother and father and be joined to his wife and the two would become one, not to be absorbed in their own little world, but to create that extended family or ‘household’ which is what everyone longs to be a part of, and which should be the most fundamental expression of the people of God. This earthly reflection of the Trinitarian community is something much more expansive, inclusive and biblical than our standard ‘Western’ ‘nuclear’ family.

Sebastian Junger’s book “TRIBE – on Homecoming and Belonging” says. “The most recent example of this attraction is combat veterans who come home to find themselves missing the incredible intimate binds of platoon life. The loss of closeness that comes at the end of deployment may explain the high rates of post traumatic stress disorder suffered by military veterans today.” 

Another positively stated observation among the same demographic is described in the following video which proves how the answer to the heroin addiction of Vietnam vets proved not to be sobriety but connection with the tribe – the family community!

Addiction – YouTube

Someone said, “In the beginning the church was a fellowship of men and women centering on the living Christ. Then the church moved to Greece where it became a philosophy. Then it moved to Rome where it became an institution. Next, it moved to Europe, where it became a culture. And finally it moved to America where it became an enterprise.”

The scene in heaven described above in Revelation 5 is a Creator’s Circle familiar to our Native friends. It is not the stadium or platform of Western culture where the ‘rich and famous’ are center stage and up front. As more ‘leaders’ in this culture are exposed, this fake ‘reality’ continues to unravel. For example just this morning this story came across my desk(top)

Meet the Sacklers: The Family That’s Killing Millions

At the end of our last FREEDOM! retreat all 40 participants sat in a circle around The Table holding the body and blood of the only One who had true wealth and fame – and forfeited it all, that we might become part of, and participants in, His Body. Then looking one another in the eye all took their turn to speak truthfully from their hearts to their newly revealed family community.

“This is The Kingdom of heaven!” One sister said. Several repeated it in their own words, Some who had been burnt by religion said, “This is the way church is supposed to be!” or “This is REAL church!”   

As we move into a new Kingdom age I think things are going to be very different from the religious culture we have known.

In heaven, “individualism” bows to this fundamental unit in God’s creation, the family community, healthy and intact, joining with other similar but unique families circled around God’s throne –  the whole of creation worshiping.

I believe we are entering into what is depicted in Micah 4:4 and Zechariah.3:10

“In the last days…..Every man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the Lord almighty has spoken.”

“In that day each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree,” declares the Lord Almighty.”

Redeemed nations, tribes, clans and families circled in order and in harmony.…….on earth as it is in heaven.”

As I was writing this blog my friend Mike, one of the FREEDOM! prayer team, ‘just happened’ to send me the following email. Father’s confirmatory wink through brother and bird!

Hi Paul
As my trusted local interpreter of signs and wonders, what do you know about eagles? I’ve seen a preponderance of them this week, in diverse places. Today one circled directly overhead. Is there significance to this or do I just look particularly delicious? Feel free to say “I don’t know.”  But if you DO know, I’m not opposed to you weighing in with an opinion, unless the answer is ‘imminent death,’ in which case I prefer to be surprised. At your leisure of course…Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving! (That Godly export to America from the British Isles…of course, so are the Kyles…on the Northern Ireland technicality)
McCabe!

A few years ago we had a couple of friends from Sweden come to stay with us for a week. They are journalists and by the end of a week of getting to know us better, they asked if they could write an article about our interesting life. I told them we weren’t looking for publicity but if they felt lead they could certainly go ahead with the story for Charisma magazine. It was a nice article, but a few months later I was asking Father, “What was that all about?” He had me go and pick up the complimentary copy I’d received and as I looked at the front cover I heard the encouraging words, “On the front for all the world to see is Lakewood’s Big Secret, but hidden inside….is my little Secret.”

This past weekend we had a wonderful party at Rivendell!! 46 people found their way here from all over the country  – 22 of them sleeping over!! Some of the party goers had been ‘straying’ sons, some had been ‘staying’ sons, but they all came in through the same door….the door of humility. For the first group of  ‘pushers’ and ‘addicts’ the password they needed to confess was “pride and independence”. For the second group of pastors and church workers the password was  ‘pride and self righteousness’. But both groups of ‘younger sons’ and ‘older sons’ had to bow to come through that lowly door to be part of the party! (Luke 15: 11-32)

On the first night I sang

“I hear some of those plates you’ve been spinning’ are fallin’ ; crackin’ up, breakin’ down, cavin’ in. 

O we’re so glad to see you’ve decided to call in. We’ll put you together my friend.” 

Laughter and tears, song and dance, food and drink, prayer and healing, honest conversation all flowed freely and in abundance amongst the freshly formed Freedom! family!

At the final talking circle, every single person chose to speak in their turn, adding their light to the multifaceted 27 hour miracle we had all been part of.  A common starting point was. “I came not knowing what to expect. I knew I was broken….but then as I listened to the stories I realized – We’re all broken!!!”

Sarah, for example, had been nervous about coming. Her anxiety had been compounded by a series of car mishaps that almost prevented her from getting here. At the time of introductions, the lady in front of her turned around and exclaimed, “It’s YOU!!” Sarah was equally shocked to recognize the kind lady who serves her lunch every day in the cafeteria of the small College she attends in a town 165 miles away!! Sarah began to relax, assured, ‘I must be in the right place!’

By the end of the retreat she’d had a ‘God’ paradigm shift. It was confirmed to her in a dream she was given on the second night. She wrote,

Having spent seven weeks considering how God is cleansing our BE(A)ST heart, I now turn to how we can claim the heart of the BEST  – a heart of “FAITH, HOPE and LOVE” for when all we have inherited from the first Adam has been cleansed away, these are the three, from the last Adam, that will remain. (1 Cor.13:13)

It was at the end of his life that the apostle Paul disclosed the fact that he had learned ‘The Secret’ (Phil.4:12) The Greek word ‘mueo’ used means “to be initiated into the mysteries.”

Sensing he only had a few years to live he shares The Secret in chapter 4 of his letter from prison to the Philippians. I believe it is hidden in the earlier phrase, “Rejoice in the Lord ALL-ways: and again I say Rejoice!”(v.4). Apparently the Greek word Kurios had not been used to describe a god as “THE Lord” before apostolic times. I sensed therein lay The Secret: Paul had become convinced through his life long experience that ‘his’ God (v.19) as the Supreme Sovereign over ALL things, was indeed able to supply “ALL your need” (v.19) and beyond this to affirm that,

“ALL that comes to you”, as determined by “The Lord” is not only good or acceptable but – is perfect.“ (Rm.12:2)

In this sense we already live in ‘a perfect world’ for while to our eyes there seems to be much amiss around and within, the sovereign Lord is working out His plan for every person and situation down to the smallest detail. I like to think of Him as my personal trainer. He knows exactly what challenges I need to reach His perfection and has divised the perfect personalized ‘training program” for me and for every single person.

Many of you have been waiting patiently for out next CD which has been several years in the making. Our intention was to record a number of unrecorded songs which people have told me over the years are the ‘BEST’ of the songs that have been given me.

I remember on one occasion talking with Ben in the studio about how the album was progressing. We had settled on the title “The Whole of Creation” Behind him I noticed a digital display that kept changing but continually returned to the number 1188. Father reminded me that Psalm 118:8 is the middle verse  (The Heart), of the entire bible. It reads, “It is better to trust in the Lord ….than to put confidence in man.”

Father then whispered to me, “This is the Heart of the Whole….to learn in this life – TO TRUST ME”

Ben and I talked yesterday standing outside that recording studio where over the last year he and Kim have been storing their possessions since having to let go their moldy home next door to The Big Green House (pictured above) because both got sick there. They were disposing of all but a few items as they continue to yield to the ‘cleansing’ process and to heal.

Ben recounted how the other night little Asher had got locked in their van. He gradually became more and more aware of what was going on and disturbed at being separated from his dad. Outside the van, Dad too began feeling the pain! He knew that at any moment he could break a window and end the suffering for both, but in his spirit he knew he was to wait… until eventually the right man with the right tool arrived. In a matter of seconds the door was popped open, the suffering was over, and the two, reunited.

Ben realized that on his healing journey he is being given the opportunity like a trapped, “Asher” to trust that their all knowing, all powerful, all wise, loving Father knows best what He is doing!

Paul continues by giving the flip side of “Rejoice ALL-ways…. Be anxious for nothing” (v.6) I believe no-thing means no-thing just as all-ways means all-ways. The command which is really a promise is  – NO fretting – ever!!!

I believe this is not only meant to apply to major earthquakes like having a serious illness, (or your best songs being canned for the moment : – ) but to the many slight tremors that are unforeseen and come to disrupt our plans from day to day such as your wife interrupting your blog muse to help her fold a sheet or that sunny day you’d hoped for, bringing the first snow of winter!

This is what it means to consistently “be content” (v.12) as we learn to “dwell in The Secret place of the most High” (Ps.91:1) This is The Secret Father waits for us to discover, the reality he waits for us to embrace.

“But how is this possible?” you might ask. Paul goes on to say, “I can do ALL things through CHRIST who strengthens me.”(v.13)

The secret to The Secret is found in, Gal.2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but CHRIST LIVETH IN ME: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (KJV)

It is not faith IN the Son of God, but the faith OF the Son of God. It is “Christ in you.”

That is our “hope of glory” (Col.1:17)

More about hope next week.

P.S. stands for PleaSe pray for our FREEDOM! retreat this weekend November 3rd-4th. We will have a full house! Thanks.