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.....and being with you nothing else I desire.

Cleansing the Heart of the Beast Part 4. The Watery Beast 2

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We read in Hebrews that “Christ is faithful as a son in God’s house.” (Heb.3:4) – I think that must include the toilet!!

I remember a young man who has journeyed with us closely in community saying one day that the experience had changed his naive aspiration to ‘be a leader’ “I have come to realize it is often an unpleasant and uncomfortable, task – this Christ-like leadership!” he confessed.

Last week the Big Green House basement was flooded with Big Brown Water – or ‘poop water’ as the grandkids laughingly called it! It was no laughing matter cleaning up (helped by Aaron, pictured above) but I did smile as I recalled an early experience as a ‘leader’ in the early days of community in Belfast, getting an emergency call to one of our women’s households.

“It’s a blocked toilet!” declared the damsels in distress. Having tried every other option I realized the only thing to do was to roll up my sleeve and literally reach through the brown matter to remedy the situation.

I smiled again as I then recalled one of the first jobs I took when we moved to the U.S., somewhat disorientated. I’d left a career in medicine, our family, friends and homeland. All we knew was that each morning we should “pray and obey” (nothing has really changed!). I was lead to take a job cleaning toilets at night in a local store. Again I recalled how with my hand down another toilet in the ladies restroom I had the epiphany, “There is nowhere I would rather be and nothing I would rather be doing than this ….knowing I am a faithful son seeking to be about my Father’s business – no matter what that might be!”

I exploded spontaneously in exultant praise right there and then!

Human dung represents the Adamic turd-itions that Jesus said make void the living word of God….man’s way of figuring things and fixing things. (Mk.7:13) When this Beast nature is our operating system we rely on our soul, i.e. what I think, what I feel and what I want. The basic motivation of a Beast however is fear based, self preservation which distorts our perception.

When we come alive in the Spirit  and reconnect with our Father God, the “SEA of our being” ceases to be fear and becomes the nature of God – love.

Our soul then begins to be subservient to our/His Spirit, as what matters is no longer my opinions or emotions or desires but what Father thinks, feels, and wants.

This transformational journey is beautifully expressed by the 18th century hymn of Gerhard Tersteegan.

“Thou who fillest all things in Thee living moving, evermore are we

Shoreless sea unsounded, mystery and wonder, sinks my soul in Thee

I in Thee, no longer bound in self’s dark prison

And the life that moves me fills me – Christ arisen!” 

…..or in the words of a more recent songwriter;

“In my Father’s house rivals long forgotten

In my Father’s house Him alone to know

In my Father’s house wonder without ceasing 

As loves endless sea breaks upon my soul

Jesus You alone are my holy passion

Blood and fire and water ravishing my heart

In my Father’s house I’ll be always singing

Of this fairest one, how He took my part.”

Blood represents what Jesus, “this fairest one”  did as the quintessential servant King who gave his life….

TO CLEAN UP OUR MESS!

This becomes our inspiration as we follow our bridegroom through the testings of  fire and water to become as He is.

I wrote last week about our friend Lois going to serve with the Hurricane Harvey mess clean up. She laughingly told us yesterday that her colleagues give her the nickname, “Lois Lane” !!!  (If you haven’t made the connection  – check out last week’s blog!)

As I finished off this blog, and walked out of my study, Hilary exclaimed,

“Oh no Paul! I forgot to clean the toilet for our guest coming this evening!’

“No problem Dear…… I’ll get it”  I said immediately……….well, after a very brief pause  : -)

 

 

 

 

 

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Cleansing the Heart of the Beast. Part 3. The Watery Beast 1

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When Father gave me the name for this series, “Cleansing the Heart of the Beast” I knew the word “Beast” would require some clarification. Last week this came in the form of a dream.

In the dream I found myself cast in a very ‘real’ horror movie. I was one of a terrified multitude trying to escape a ferocious Beast. Unlike the fiery figure on last weeks ‘Burning Man’ blog photo this Beast would suddenly appear out of water to destroy it’s next victim. (Not an altogether original story line : – )

At one point there was a flying machine that offered 4 seats. I wasn’t selected but I had my doubts, as the pilot fumbled his way through the instruction manual. A few minutes after the ‘star wars’ type vehicle lifted off, a distraught lady ran in with the news that it had just crashed!

At this point in the movie/dream a peace came over me and as I awoke Father interpreted it for me.

The beast He showed me was  the sea beast, “Leviathan” revealed to Job in chapter 42. 23 years ago I had my own “Job training”.

Ha!! I have just noticed I typed 42.23 – this was our address at that time of my training in our first US home on aptly named WASH-BURN Avenue!

The last two blogs have focused on the cleansing action of Fire. (BURN) This week and next we turn to the cleansing of Water. (WASH)

I learned during that time of training at 4223 Washburn how this ‘Beast’ is in fact our ‘old’ nature from ADAM. I realized this was why I need not fear, because “in Christ” this old ‘SELF’ has already been destroyed ‘legally’ even though the time is yet to come for us to enter into the full experience of it.

We all continue to drown in images of flooding as the current series of hurricanes sweeps through. I saw one photo of ‘a looter’….and then on a parallel screen in my mind Father showed me our friend Lois, the helper, who caters for our FREEDOM! retreats. She has been in Houston as a volunteer helper there.

“Out of this water has come both the BEAST and the BEST!” Father said to me.  Then he continued, “When the A for ADAM is taken out of the BeAst – what remains will be the Best”  Mathematically;

BEAST – A(DAM) = BEST

Last week. I wrote about the error of NO SIN and SELF GOD.  God’s plan destroys the old ‘SELF’  – ‘in ADAM’ that aspires to be GOD, and replaces him with a new ‘SELF‘ – ‘in CHRIST.’

Father then showed me another play on words expressing the same truth. I is at the center of SIN. When I is taken out there is zero (O) of the ‘old self’  left. Again mathematically;

SIN – I (SELF) = SON

This transformation for which we are destined comes not by imagining sin does not exist or by imagining ourselves to already be ‘gods” but it comes as we by faith choose for our new ‘in Christ’ identity until God’s chosen time to complete this work of bringing us to full maturity as the BEST – His SONs.

This is something we can take no credit for – it is by grace.  As Paul writes at the start of 1 Corinthians, ‘It is because OF HIM that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is our righteousness, holiness and redemption.”(1 Cor.2:22)

At the end of 1 Corinthians we read, “For as in ADAM all die so in CHRIST all will be made alive. But each in his own turn.” (1 Cor. 15:22) and so we know that at the very end of our story which is actually His-story, …ALL will, having passed through fire and water, be freed from the tyranny of their former Adamic nature to experience the resurrection life of Christ.

This is why we need have NO FEAR, and why our response to “the grace of God which brings salvation to ALL men” (Titus 2:11) can only be to FEAR GOD – bowing in submissive wonder, awe inspired reverence, profound respect.

How blessed are those who realize now their calling to be a corporate Lois, (Lane :- ) partnering as the loving bride of the Helper/Savior of the whole world

The true SUPERMAN(God)  HE RO(se) ——– > – ) >

 

Cleansing the Heart of the Beast. Part 2 Burning Man or Man Burning?

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The annual Burning Man festival has just ended. Set in the grueling heat of the Nevada desert, each year it attracts thousands of people who are searching for something outside ‘the establishment’ The festival climaxes with the burning of a mammoth effigy. This year it made the headlines because tragically one man ran into the fiery figure and was physically destroyed in the flames.

I follow the event with interest each year because a friend of ours leads a group who bring a different sort of fire to the gathering. In the midst of the desert heat they offer free water to thirsty ‘Burners’ then invite them to their tent for a p(s)alm reading or a dream interpretation. Their desire is that these spiritual seekers should encounter the ‘One’ they have been “LOnGing to Be” in connection with.

My friend Rob is a huge bear of a man with a voice so deep he would be a cert for a Holywood voiceover for Almighty God! When he sends us his report after the event giving a picture of a little  broken sparrow encompassed in the healing embrace of this flesh and blood manifestation of our loving heavenly Father, it brings a tear to the eye. (This year one of the broken sparrows he encompassed was not so little – an f#*!-mouthed seven foot Scandinavian hulk!)

Rob is the true “Burning Man” – a human being consumed by another fire – the fire of  God – the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the ‘one’ who was and is the perfect expression of the “perfect love” that everyone longs for.

I recalled the story of Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s sons.(Lev.10:1-3) Sadly they like the young man last week met an early death by fire.  The reason given was that they offered “unauthorized” fire to God.  Although our God is a playful God, it is unwise to play with the fire that He is, on our terms! As Mr Beaver from Narnia said, “…he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

Many of those attending Burning Man are ‘burning’ with an anger against authority, often because they have suffered abuse from authority figures in their lives. The answer to abuse however is not disuse but rather proper use.

The commonest command in scripture is “Fear Not”. But this goes hand in hand with the second most common command which is “Fear God”. The fear of God is quite different from tormenting human angst. The Amplified bible describes it as “submissive wonder” “awe inspired reverence” “profound respect”.

The popular ‘spirituality’ that has been spawned in recent years is described by Paul 2000 years ago in 2 Tim.4:3  The Message version appropriate for the desert gathering puts it like this,

“You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They’ll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages”.

Instead of No Fear – Fear God, the mantra becomes No Sin – Self God

When we reject God’s authority and his ‘spiritual’ law (Rm.7:14) and set Self up as ‘god’…the ultimate authority, we tragically miss the mark.

There were two men in the New Testament narrative who were also seekers.

As ‘army officers’ in the occupying Roman force, they were clearly outside the cultural/religious/political establishment of that time and place. Both soldiers however, shared one thing which got God’s attention and approval; the first received Jesus affirmation on earth when he was told, “I have not found such great faith in all Israel!” (Matt.8:10), the second  received Jesus affirmation from heaven when He received the outpoured Holy Spirit!(Acts 10)

The first Centurion told Jesus it would be no problem for Him to heal from a distance because he knew Jesus power was not to do with physical proximity but with the spiritual authority that He exercised as a submissive son of God. He simply described the principle of authority that as a Roman soldier he operated on, day in and day out! This man got the healing he was looking for.

Peter was sent to the second Centurion to preach a gospel that was far better news than even he could have imagined, because it was good news for ALL people. We are told what set this other ‘outsider’ apart was that he too understood the authority issue and “feared God.” This man got the connection with God he was looking for.

Both these searchers approached God with ‘submissive wonder’ ‘awe inspired reverence’, ‘profound respect’……..and were both powerfully found, by Him!

It is when like Moses, with this healthy fear, we in humility ‘take off our shoes’ as we approach the ‘burning bush’ that is God, that we then begin experiencing authentic spiritual transformation from ‘glory to glory’ (2 Cor.3:16-18) until one day we discover that “old Self” is gone,”it’s love alone that’s left behind’* and like our Father we too as mature sons are ‘burning but not consumed!” (Gen.3)

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.” (1 Jn.3:1-3)

* From “Easy Solutions” The Ascent of the Bright Hostage

Cleansing the Heart of the Beast. Part 1 The Fiery Trial

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Everything is prophetic and I know that our journey with the Big Green House this summer has been another parable through which we are being taught about the ‘more real’ world to which we will return after our training in this ‘real’ world of time and space is completed.

When I first spoke to George from the HVAC company on the phone I sensed  this was to be another messenger sent by George, our heavenly Father! (Gk. “georgios” Jn15:1)  A few days later he knocked on our door and introduced himself with a warm handshake and a quip, that confirmed it. I recognized “Dad’s” sense of humor!

A few months earlier we had been sent a first messenger. Paul, the mold consultant, had the last name Ellringer so we weren’t surprised when this grandfatherly old man arrived he joined us for lunch and then spent the whole day trying to help us with our house problems….he had also proved a ‘dead ringer’ for El! Paul had said the air to air exchanger was the root cause of Ben’s illness – it’s failure to help the building ‘breath’ had lead to excessive moisture and  the build up of toxic mold

George and I descended into “the heart of the beast”…..the furnace room buried in the depths of the Big Green House basement. This was where the air to air exchanger was housed.

“There’s another problem!” said George immediately pointing out the lint, weblike over the open ceiling. “The ductwork from one of your dryers is spilling this stuff out. That would account for the dangerously high CO2 levels Paul had measured in the house.” He explained.

The next day I clambered up to see if I could spot the leak. There was only a narrow space to squeeze through. I had a flashback to my obstetrics training as I manipulated my head and then shoulders to get through the tiny opening in the photo above. Pulling out the insulation I noticed at the far end a final piece of paper. Printed on it were the words, “Valley Forge”

I recalled our assignment at historic Valley Forge, Pennsylvania many years ago. It had been named after an iron forge and we learned of how the ragtag Revolutionary army had persevered through the ‘fiery trial’ of a cold harsh winter with inadequate housing, clothing and food. Under the servant leadership of George Washington the compassionate attendance of caring women, the prevailing advocacy of a few congressmen and the morale boosting influence of a Prussian military trainer an army was forged at the “Forge” – that would ultimately prove a match for the military might of the British Empire.

You could say this “Valley” was the pressurized ‘birth canal’ through which the United States of America was born.

These were the thoughts that followed my discovering ‘Valley Forge’ at the end of our basement ‘birth canal’

Hurricane Harvey has plunged America into another ‘fiery trial’. Many believe that there will be further shakings maybe through a literal physical quake, the looming financial debt crisis or a war with North Korea. Might Harvey mark the ‘breaking of the waters’ in a re-birthing of America along with the birthing of ‘the sons of God’ as described in Rm.8?

“For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.”(v. 22,23)

……..that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God (v.21)”

P.S. As I typed these last few words of this blog, suddenly ‘out of nowhere’ the wind picked up. I dashed round the house closing windows and arrived back at the front to see our ‘seedlings’ scattered on the ground.

A groaning Creation knowing it is about to be set free?

…..with the writing of these words……. a mighty crash of thunder!!!

 

P.S. I just realized I was given this ‘birthing’ blog on Labor Day : – )

 

 

 

 

Dad is in the Details

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Contrary to the common idiom, “The devil is in the details” I believe it is our Dad who is in the details.

The other day I was standing on our back deck. Although we live in a city suburb, at this time of the year the back yard is surrounded with leafy trees and you could imagine yourself in the middle of the BWCA (A 1 million acre “Wilderness” area “Up North” for non-Minnesotan readers)

I was reading about Jacob’s encounter with God at Bethel. I knew Father was reiterating the same promise to me and paused, bowing in worship. As I then looked upwards I saw the cloud formation above. It struck me as the face of God with his long white hair flowing out behind. (Daniel 7:9) The clarity of the profile had faded somewhat by the time I gathered myself and thought of a photo!

Does this mean I am special?

No, I don’t think I am any more special than any other person, but I think I am rather simple – hopefully not naive!

Jesus said, “I praise you Father, Lord off heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to little children.” (Matt.11:22) and later, “Unless you change and become like little children you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt.18:3)

I have never been much of a philosopher, and am not really a concepts person. I like how Jesus asked simple questions, told real life stories, and just talked about His Abba! Now that is something anyone can imitate!

We’re told that God knows our every thought and action. (Psalm 139) Is this knowledge for knowledge’s sake to be stored as cold facts in the mammoth computer called God’s memory? I don’t think so. I believe this is the sort of knowledge that ‘puffs up” in contrast to the love which “builds up.”( 1 Cor.8:1) ) God who is love and is relationship uses this intimate knowledge of us to build His love relationship with each of His children……enhancing our knowing of Him not just about Him, through His wonderfully unique personal interactions and communications with us.

As some of these thoughts were passing through my mind I suddenly heard a thump behind me. I turned and there on the ground was a stunned little bird lying on the deck! He must have flown into our bedroom window and then plummeted to the ground below. I picked him up, held him in my hand and began to sing to him. After a few minutes he seemed to settle and then took off, only to land a few feet away on the deck surround.

We had a few more moments together,………….and then he was gone!

Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? yet not even one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matt. 10:29-31) 

Let Oswald have the last word:

“The things that make God so dear to us are not so much His great big blessings as the tiny things, because they show His amazing intimacy with us.”

May He help you to increasingly connect the dots in your everyday life that spell out His intimate knowledge and love for you, today and always.

 

Your Wound is Your Gift

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“Oooooooh The Lord is good to me
And so I thank the Lord
For giving me the food I need
The sun and the rain and the appleseed
The Lord is good to me
Amen Amen Amen Amen Aaaaaamen”

The Johnny Appleseed song is a favorite at our table. John Chapman became an American legend in his own lifetime traveling west planting apple trees, preaching and living a radical gospel as he went. a special friend to the Indians and to the animals.

I remember years ago walking down the street to a neighbor’s house to give him a CD. I was finishing off an apple and as I tossed the core with it’s seeds onto the ground. Father said to me, “You’re a Johnny Appleseed’ I realized I was to sow the seed of God’s word in the form of the  songs He had given me.

Even this week I got a couple of emails one from a brother in Australia saying, “We still sing your songs in our community” and another from a lady in Arizona saying she’d worn out my CDs! What a privilege and honor!

Father also showed me that the even more than my songs, my sons (and daughters) were seeds He would sow in this new world.

Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” (Jn.12:24)

Job was a religious man at the beginning of the book by his name, but  God did a job on Job and he ended up a spiritual man with a first hand experience of his Dad’s smiling face. “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.” (Job 42:5)

God allowed Job to be wounded in his body, in his pocket book and in his closest human relationships. It was the inevitable journey for all of us, through humility, to intimacy with our Father.  At the end of the story Job was doubly fruitful!!

One of Robin’s permaculture apple tree plants, on the boarder between our house and Ben and Kim’s, surprised us all this year by bearing in it’s third year 9 little Minnesotan originated Honeycrisp apples! (pictured above)

As I pondered this I realized these nine apples represented our family of nine. I recounted how each one of us have been given a unique wound and as we have embraced that wound it has become a gift. Firstly a gift to us shaping who we are and are becoming as children of God and then a gift through us, just as Job at the end of the story, became the gift of an effective intercessor for his friends.

Biting through the hard wounded skin comes the crispness….then the sweetness!

My wound? To see the suffering of my children and so to know our Father’s broken heart for His creation.

As I was running and ruminating over these things this morning, I came across another golf ball message from the Father, Son and Spirit about how through these hard experiences the law of God is being written on our hearts as the new covenant reality – just as was promised in Jeremiah 33:31-34.

 

 

Reinhart means “hardy advice” : – )

Of Widows and Windows

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“To every thing there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven.” (Eccl.3:1)

About four months ago Father spoke to us concerning the Fellowship at Rivendell, “Release and Re-set”

We continued to gather for a few weeks to review what we had learned about the foundation of our fellowship in Christ, and then had a last supper together where I took the loaf of bread representing our local body, gave thanks for it, broke it, and offered it back to the Lord before we shared it with one another and had a lingering time of prayer and blessing before going our separate ways for 7 weeks.

I have a friend who has recently had a life changing encounter with the Lord and brings a fresh ‘unreligious’ mind to his new found faith. When I told him what we had just done he said, “ You did what! – threw the budget out the window! I don’t believe it – but I like it!!”

This isn’t the first time we have been lead to “Let it all go!” Jesus said that we were to seek first the kingdom and that He would build his church. This can difficult for us humans who like to see ‘big’ tangible results. but this kingdom we are to seek, and this love we are to aim for, while being intensely practical are not neccessarily measurable or quantifiable.

The week we were to reassemble our son Robin, who cares for our garden, arrived in with a pile of stones, and then carefully began arranging them to ‘fit together’ into a beautiful garden border. You can see above the subsequent fruitfulness!

The scripture came to mind, “….a time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones together” (Eccl.3:5)

That weekend we had  the first gathering of the new set of “living stones” Father had gathered – some were familiar faces from the former fellowship, some were new faces, but all shared a common heart to, on the unchanging foundation of Christ, go the next stage of the journey together.

It is important for us to understand God’s time cycles and to discern and joyfully embrace each new season of life as we let  go the last.

For us, the season we are now in is characterized by caring for widows. Father sent us 8 ladies who had all recently lost their partners. At the same time he has given us responsibility of caring for windows. After 15 years in this Big Green House there are some major physical restoration projects, including the 88 windows!

Last Saturday a man arrived to give us an estimate for some work. At one point he asked how we had come to move to America.

“God asked us to come.” I replied. His countenance immediately changed and he began sharing his story….a dramatic conversion and a life now dedicated to God.

“I was almost not going o come to this appointment” he said. “I had a difficult morning after my wife and I had a quarrel because I want to be out on the streets doing ministry and she says I need to be more at home with her and the children. I left home crying out to God for an answer…….. Do you have a word for me?”

“Yes” I replied, “You once were THE man. Now your are GOD’s Man…and in this season of life you need to be HER man.” (His name happened to be Mann : – )

I told him how when we first arrived in the US everyone asked us, “What is your ministry?” I didn’t know how to answer that and so I called a friend in Ireland. He and his wife had spent the first year of their married life living with us, having their first child at the same time we were having our fifth!

“What is your ministry?” repeated Keith, “O that’s easy! – YOU are your ministry. It’s who you are in your relationship with God with your wife and with your children. Everything else God does through you flows out of that!”

I suggested to our new friend we pray. The four of us held hands and the Spirit sealed this divine encounter with a kiss!”

“Can I give you a hug brother?” said the burly contractor :- )

I realized caring for the windows had simply given us another opportunity to care for another potential (ministry) widow : – )

Yesterday Robin brought some more stones and added a herb spiral  to our garden.

I recently wrote this poem:

With every passing year,

Each Spring is more hopeful

Each Summer more joyful

Each Autumn more fruitful

Each Winter more truthful.

May we continue to spiral upwards singing as we ascend toward Zion through each new season and cycle.

Profit or Prophet?

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Jesus warns, “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and looses his own soul.” (Matt.16:26)

Clearly our priority in life should not be to accumulate material stuff but to invest in the invisible kingdom by following the invincible King.

In 1993 we received His call like Abram to, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.” (Gen. 12:1) Likely he was, as we were, very comfortable in UlsteR of the Chaldees, but like St. Brendan 1500 years before us, we 9 set sail in our little coracle westward from the Emerald Isle trusting in the God of the winds and the waves to direct us too in our seeking ‘the land of promise’. It was around that time we discovered that the name America may be derived from the Old Gothic meaning ‘kingdom of heaven.’

We had been blessed by my earthly and heavenly fathers with a house in Ireland, so when we sold it we were able to buy one in Minneapolis (which incidentally we had never seen!) and also a van to accommodate the 9 of us. We were left with $40,000.

“Phew” I thought, “A little cushion until we secure a source of income in this new world!”

“Give it away” Father replied. “I want you to trust in me, not in your money.”

Since we gave it away we have managed to pay our bills at the end of every month for the last 23+ years. God has proven true to his promise that if we seek first the kingdom of God all these things (necessary for living) will be added unto us. (Matt.5:33) He has provided in many wonderful and unexpected ways.

Just this week we received the gift of a golden dollar. I had not seen much less stewarded one before! This happened  immediately after (unknown to the giver) we were lead to empty our bank account again to meet another person’s need.

Then there was the ‘gift’ of the dress Hilary found in a thrift store for $5 and “took in” to fit perfectly the unwitting model above : – ) I snapped her as she came into the study while I was writing this blog! God anoints Ulster Scot thriftiness too!

This journey of trusting that God pays for what he orders, and provides where he guides has been a bit of a roller coaster of a learning curve not without it’s hairy moments! I remember when we announced at the end of a conference soon after we arrived that we wanted to give the gift God had given us away for free, a group of ‘vultures’ swopped on our stall and grabbed every last thing, including the display model tee shirts!

It does cost money to record and manufacture CDs and to maintain The Big Green House, however we have been lead to not charge for our services, and to seek to make our music freely available. In this sense we have not personally profited from the songs God has given us or from the retreats we host regularly at our home or from the people we have invited to live with us as part of our household. Like St. Paul I think we can safely say we have “preached the gospel free of charge’ (2 Cor.11:7)

Now wanting to make the music available digitally we’ve realized the simplest thing is to go with the systems that are set up and there is therefore an unavoidable charge, but from day to day we continue to seek to model an approach to Kingdom Economics which believes in a giving and receiving that honors the Christ in one another rather than a buying and selling for self aggrandizement. Inasmuch as we understand this is the nature of our King and His Kingdom we continue to seek to come to this ‘land of promise’ to prophet rather than to profit.

We were beautifully confirmed in these recent steps when a lady from Australia requested our sheet music. I wrote back to say in a few weeks it would be freely available on the website. I said  she could make a donation if she would like to. I thought  she might give $20. She donated $200. I was able to write and encourage her that the $200 gift had exactly covered the cost of the new web site. (Stephen and Abby generously donated their time and expertise as an honoring gift)

We deeply appreciate everyone who over the years has been moved by love and prompted by faith as Father’s channels of provision whether with gifts of money, time, energy or skills to enable us to continue to go wherever we are sent and to receive whomever we are sent with Father’s love in the name of Christ.

P.S. As I was writing this blog I was also on the line with United Airways trying to change Gilbert’s flight to the UK where he will be studying in Glasgow for a semester. As usual there was a lot of, “Sorry for the delay Dr. Kyle. Please stay on the line.” Just as I completed the blog the pleasant Korean sounding lady came back a final time to tell me that the flights would now have one stop instead of two and she would waive the change fee as a one time good will gesture. She then informed me I would also be getting $140 refunded to my credit card for taxes that were now no longer due.

What a Dad we have !!!

“The Stool, the whole Stool and nothing but the Stool…so help us God.”

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A few weeks ago when our daughter Abby and husband Stephen were over from Ireland vacationing with us they said they would like to project us into the twenty first century…..and so the new web site that they put together, with the news that our music is now “on Spotify”, has just gone live!

I have to admit I’m a little nervous of a higher profile. The reason is because of the crab in the pot of water phenomena. You remember the story of the crab  put into a pot of room temperature water, which is slowly brought to the boil so that the crab oblivious to the creeping danger, ends up – as DINNER!

When we first arrived in America it hit me like a ton of bricks (or should that be ‘ice’…to continue the crab analogy?) that a principle spirit at work in the culture here (and engulfing the rest of the world) is the spirit of “Show Business” i.e. It’s all about “image” – looking good….. in order to “turn a profit.” I remember a few months later a young man in Holland I was talking to making the off hand comment, “Americans seem so fake”

Sadly we in Christ’s church are not immune from this “Show Business” culture which is why some end up leaving when they see through “the act”.

The opposite of this spirit is “Authentic Love” which Jesus said would charcterise his true disciples. (Jn. 13:34,35) What does that look like? Unsolicited Kindness? Unheralded Helpfulness? (un)Common Decency? Unpretentious brotherhood?

The story in Genesis 24 illustrates it beautifully when Eliezer (the Holy Spirit) on behalf of Abraham (The Father) goes in search of a wife (The bride of Christ- the church) for his son Issac (Jesus). Rebecca demonstrates true altruism as she gives Eliezer a drink and then spontaneously ‘runs’ to draw water for all his camels, totally unaware that there would be any ‘profit’ in it for her. Eliezer concluded he had found “the real deal’

I was in a church service recently when by mistake a commercial for parental software came on the screen. It said, “Parents can track all the ‘devices’ their kids are on” I smiled. Our Father is fully aware of our ‘devices’ and sees through all our religious posturing and pretense which many of us crabs in the pews or at the front are oblivious too, while others who feel “Something’s just not right here!” jump ship, afraid of becoming part of a “religious” stew.

When Jesus was pursued by two of John’s disciples he said, “Come and see where I live!” not “Come and join me on my stage.” He invites us to walk with Him in scrutiny at the most fundamental level of life……come and see what my most intimate relationships are like, how I handle my finances, how I respond when trouble hits, who I am when the crowds have gone home. I ‘m sure Jesus’ three years of this 24/7 open life together with His ragtag bunch of 12 regular blokes made for some honest and amusing dinner conversation! Consider, “When the ten heard about this they were indignant (with the other two)” (Matt.20:24)

We have been clearing out our son’s house because of a bad case of mold. Mold corresponds to Mortality in Leviticus 14. I was ‘cleansing’ one of the stools, thought I had finished and then realized there was a whole other ‘hidden underbelly’ of the stool that also needed  attention. There, attached to the bottom along with the mold, was a piece of paper with some scribbled words in my son’s handwriting ……the forgotten beginnings of another song.

 

“There Goes the Heart of Another Believer”

I was relieved to discover, 

that Christians had only uncovered

half of the truth.

I awoke in a fever

And told the church I couldn’t believe her

And that was the truth

I guess disillusionment is good if it leads to us seeking the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth – a thoroughly clean stool that we can confidently rest the full weight of our faith on!

Hilary and I sometimes listen to an album called “A Perfect World” In the title track there is a line, “transparent, weightless, luminous”

I suppose that is the journey we each need to go on to become part of that perfect world. Firstly to be transparent by coming out from behind our false coverings. I don’t mean letting it all hang out on Facebook…I mean “truthing it in love”(Eph.4:13) with a few others we are genuinely accountable to, who are committed to going with us on the same journey of integrity.

Becoming  transparent with some true friends gives us the help we need to do the real ‘ heart work’. “Let us strip off every weight(less) that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.”  (Heb.12:1 NLT)

As we do this then our hope is that God’s luminous glory will be revealed at His appointed time through TRUTHFUL and TRUE Sons. (2 Cor. 3:18)

Our website describes this desire as the basis of our “Fellowship at Rivendell.”…..the desire to be thoroughly cleansed, ready when the time comes, to put off Mortality and put on Immortality

Maybe the Beatles were more prophetic than they realized when they sang, “I get high with a little help from my friends”

…….so help US God!

P.S. I came across this confirmatory scripture this week from the Message, “I’m doing the very best I can, and I’m doing it at home, where it counts.” (Ps.101:2)

P.P.S. Oh yes the website address is https://www.paulkyle.org

 

 

 

 

 

Givers or Takers?

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THE GREAT SATAN is a name that has been coined by some in the Islamic world to describe America. I was pondering if there might be some underlying  truth giving traction to this damming description and was directed to Jesus strong rebuke to Peter, “Get thee behind me Satan”

Peter had just been affirmed by Jesus that he had indeed received a revelation of the Spirit from the Father stating, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matt.16:16)

Peter’s mistake was that he did not realize that this revelation had come to him entirely as a gift, and so with some confidence in his own ‘brightness’ or ‘rightness’ he immediately steps up to rebuke the Lord when He disclosed that His way would be one of Restriction – suffering and death.

“Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never Lord” he said. This shall never happen to you!”

Jesus turned and said to Peter, ‘Out of my sight Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, you do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men.'” (Matt.16:22,23)

Peter had quickly become an instrument of “Satan”.

Could we say that Jesus is here identifying Satan with a spirit of Expansionism?

Later, on the Mount of Transfiguration Peter in the same spirit says in effect, “Lord it’s a good job we are here….we can stake a claim and build three houses for you!”  Once again he is rebuked for his cocky idea, this time by the Father! (Matt.17:5)

This spirit is so much part of our history as Europeans both on this continent and throughout the world that we think there is nothing wrong with this “expansionist” spirit when as believers we talk about TAKING cities or nations “for God” Have we forgotten the earth is already the Lord’s and the fulness thereof? This spirit becomes “a stumbling block” in the presentation of an authentic gospel.

We’ve been thinning out our books recently and I came across an eye opening one that a Native American friend had given me and had a deep impact years ago. It talks about their forgotten legacy in nutrition and healing, government and architecture. The title says it all:

INDIAN GIVERS: How The Indians of the Americas Transformed the World.

This seems much more akin to the spirit of Jesus, God’s gift to the world, who, as it says in Philippians 2, was in the form of God,  but DID NOT GRASP, GRAB or TAKE equality with God,  but emptied himself taking the form of a servant ……humbling himself to become obedient unto death on a cross.”  Jesus was a GIVER not a TAKER.

As we receive this gift of Jesus (Jn.1:12) and embrace with gratitude rather than resisting in fear His way of personal restriction, the promise is indeed, that His resurrection life will then flow through us.

As our hearts are captured by Him  we are changed from those who have been duped by Satan’s ABILITY to LIE to us  – filling us with that fear of lack that causes us to grab – to those who  know who they are, AS SET forth in the true Word – sons of a giving Father (1 Jn 3:1) and servants of a humble King.(Phil.2)

Thus we are changed from LIE-ABILITIES to AS-SETS in GOD’s work of Transforming, not Taking our world.