Top

BeLOnGings

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

The King of Grace and the Robbinsdale Queens. Part 2. Three Queens of Robbinsdale

by on in The House (Rivendell), The King of Grace and the Queens of Robbinsdale

Early on in the movie Braveheart, Wallace watches his wife’s throat being cut by the oppressor. This lights a fire under him which becomes his motivating force right up until his agonizing execution as the sacrificial liberator. Just as he is about to die he sees his beloved bride pass through the crowd. (Caution: This scene may be disturbing to some)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAZEZfkM2YQ

This is a profound depiction of Christ. “Likewise husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” As the Bride of Christ we are exhorted to become like our Bridgroom King in his submissiveness to his Father in order to be a fitting Queen. (Ephesians.5)

Revelation 18 depicts the antithesis of the Bride of Christ, the Whore of Babylon, whose nature reflects the one she is wed to, Satan, also depicted as the Red Dragon in Revelation 12. She is consumed with self interest, seeking to consume  the weak and the vulnerable…..like the child not yet born! The revelations that are now coming about the extent to which children have been sexually abused is shocking ordinary folk. Women ‘as the more fragile vessel’ (1 Pt.3:7) have also been historically on the receiving end of this exploitation  being overtly treated as “second class citizens” or more subtly manipulated by current social pressures to behave and compete as men, denying the nobility of their femininity and the calling of many as mothers and homemakers

As I pondered what I should say to the Council, this is the first part of what I was given:

“Mayor Murphy, members of the Council…..Thank you for this opportunity to speak. and for all the good work you do on behalf of our City.

I think Mayor Murphy you may have heard our son Ben’s song,

“Daddy was a preacher in a shipbuilding town.

Momma rocked the cradle and wore a crown;

Because of you, Yes Lord because of you.”

Well, meet the preacher!…but I will try to be brief.

I would like to tell you about one of my heroes……This little girl grew up in a wealthy family…..but it was not a happy home. One day, when she was 15 years old she put two ice cubes instead of one into her father’s drinking buddy’s whiskey and her father said to her, “Get out of this house, and never come back”

That day she made a decision, albeit subconsciously. She decided she would not live for money, seeing it did not bring happiness, but she would live – for love. And so she got married and they moved into a small two bedroom house in Robbinsdale where she lovingly and responsibly raised their 7 children.

Then one day she heard that the little girl across the street had run into the same problems that she’d had growing up. “Sure dear.”She said, “Come and live with us. You can be part of our family.”

That caring mother is Mary Lou Clarkin, 58 years resident of Robbinsdale, sitting over there…… She told me her ‘adopted’ daughter turned out pretty well..…she became a Robbinsdale Queen in the City’s beauty pageant!

I think that is why my Hilary and Mary Lou get on so well together….As we’d say in Ireland, ”They’re cut from the same cloth.” Hilary is an incredible lover too.

Early on in our marriage she left her career in Education, and after defeating England at Wembley stadium on TV, as the song intimates, left her Irish international hockey career….because she felt her first call in life was to create a stable, loving and happy home. And so again as the song says she “rocked the cradle” – 7 times… but that was only the beginning!

I was talking to Ben the other night and he said, “Dad the lyrics are actually Momma cooked the meals and wore a crown.” And I said, “That’ll work too.”…because since we got married 43 years ago Hilary has cooked thousands of meals, made up thousands of beds, spent thousands of hours listening, counseling, coaching and praying for all sorts of people who have come to our home needing help and healing.

For money? Not a penny…. For the love of God, because like Mary Lou, by the grace of God, Hilary’s heart is no longer captive to fear and self interest, but her heart has been set free by love, to reach out and welcome many others in to our family……This, is our way of life.

We don’t consider ourselves religious. We just follow Jesus. When asked by his followers, “When did we see you hungry and feed you or thirsty and give you drink. When did we see you with no place to stay and invite you in? When did we see you sick and tenderly care for you?” Jesus answered, “Don’t you know? When you cared for one of the least important of these my little ones, my true brothers and sisters, you demonstrated love for me.”

At our first appeal we were told we were guilty of overcrowding. You see each person in our home has only 800 sq.ft.!! Please forgive my sarcasm, but Jesus used it once too, when he told the community leaders “You are obsessed with peripheral issues. You strain out a gnat… and swallow a camel! You should be concerned with the weightier matters of justice, faithfulness, and mercy, which means a readiness to help those in need.”

So we were informed if we told guests 3 and 4 to move out we would be forgiven the fine. These people are not numbers to us. This is our sister Shiela, a courageous Lakota mother seeking to responsibly raise her teenage daughters, in the midst of a hurting indigenous culture. Their names are Amber Sky and Hopa.

When this proposal was made to us, Hilary and I just looked at one another and smiled. We were both thinking, “Tell Jesus to move out? No; not for any amount of money.”

You see, my son Ben was right when he wrote “Mamma rocked the cradle and wore a crown. Because of you Yes Lord because of you”, because according to Jesus’ Code Book, it is Marylou Clarkin, Shiela Zephyr and Hilary Kyle who are the Real Robbinsdale Queens – in heaven’s beauty pageant.”

This message was confirmed to me in a dream the night before the Council meeting. As I woke, I sensed when I opened my eyes the digital display on the clock would confirm the dream. The clock said 3.33. When I rose later that morning and went downstairs I found someone had left a check on my study desk made out for $333. It was on the next evening as we were reflecting together after the Council meeting that someone discovered the Hebrew word for Queen has a gematria of 333. Then I realized the dream had been given on the third day of the ninth month 3.3.3. Hence the Three Queens of Robbinsdale.

P.S. Tomorrow, Monday 10th, Hilary and I will be leading a time of worship and sharing in a friend’s home in Belfast. Those of you in Northern Ireland who read the blog are welcome to come! The address is 6 Waterside View, Waterman’s point. Shore Road. Opposite Belfast High school. We’ll begin at 6pm with a meal. Please bring a side.

P.P.S. Because we go to the wilds of Donegal next week, I aim to complete this series reporting on recent events at The Big Green House before we leave wi fi behind and go silent for a few weeks!

The King of Grace and the Queens of Robbinsdale. Part 1. Spears into Ploughshares

by on in The House (Rivendell), The King of Grace and the Queens of Robbinsdale

 

The accusations against us had come from House number 2725. Strong’s # 2725 (Gk.) is reproduced above.

Consistent with the type in Acts 18 I referenced a few weeks ago where Paul was attacked in Corinth, (Gallio) The (pro) Council has ruled in our favor, and the complaint (accusation) has been “ejected from the court” (Acts 18:14)

The Council decided to halt any further citations being issued while they consider how the City zoning code might be amended so that we are able to continue what we are doing which the Council recognized was for the welfare of the City.

Again consistent with the story in Acts 18, God’s “many people in the city” were instrumental in this victory ……of ‘the people’

Over the last 5 months of warfare at the Big Green House the movie Braveheart has been brought to my mind. Particularly the decisive Stirling battle scene when the rag tag Scottish army face the seemingly invincible English. William Wallace makes his classic FREEDOM speech.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEOOZDbMrgE

The arrogant English Lord is provoked to toss caution to the wind and preemptively send his heavy cavalry at the ‘rebellious’ Scots. As they face the thunderous charge, Wallace repeats to his nervous men, “Hold! Hold!! Hold!!! Hold!!!!” until at precisely the right moment…. “NOW!” – The tree trunks sharpened into deadly spears are hoisted up and the charging tide destroyed, routed by their own momentum leading to the unthinkable – an English defeat!!

Early on we asked former Riven-dwellers to send us short testimonies of their time at Rivendell. We were so heartened to read 25 stories of healing and transformation. I sensed these were like 25 sharpened Scottish stakes and were to be held back… for precisely the right time. During the first and second appeals we brought out a few of them to give the officials an understanding of our calling…. But not until the documents for the final Council meeting were being compiled did I submit all 25 for inclusion. These were swelled by the testimonies of 16 (love) neighbors at the Public Hearing and a neighbor initiated petition with 38 signatures. (38 is the number for calling, for I believe we have been fulfilling our calling at Rivendell over these last 16 (love) years) There were also several strongly supportive phone calls and letters from neighbors as well as Dr. Tim Behrens letter providing the scientific proof for our definition of “family” substantiating the words of scripture.

I also anticipated I would have another opportunity to speak at the Council meeting before they made their ruling and so for days I mulled over this final piece of ‘testimony’. It turned out not only was I allowed to speak at some length, but when I asked the Mayor if I might sing, he chuckled and said, “I’m always game for a first….go ahead!”

Of course death in the old (covenant) is life in the new (covenant) as the physical sword (or sharpened Scottish stake) which kills the body is replaced by “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” that kills the soul, only to free the spirit. We know too that, “They overcame him (the accuser) by the blood of the lamb (what God has done for us) and the word of their testimony (what we do for him, in response)..and they loved not their lives unto death.” (Rev.12:11)

I believe we are experiencing in these days what is written of in Isaiah 2:4

” He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war any more.”

The evening of September 4th was when our Father shouted “NOW!”…. and we witnessed the routing of the enemy. I believe ‘the sword of the spirit’  like a ploughshare, ploughed  the hearts of  the Council as, through the testimony of many, they received the word of God, and then gave their godly ruling.

More next week.

Appendices 1 and 2

by on in Uncategorized

 

I couldn’t help but slip in an extra post this week when this photo came through on Hilary’s Instagram feed the night after I posted the last blog..

As you can see it takes the images I posted of the Bank Building and the rainbow and fuses them into one. Posted by bestofBelfast….I agree the best is yet to come, for Belfast and us all, as God has promised!!

My second appendix is to share a ‘gag’ with you (Irish for a laugh). One of our American friends wrote, concerned that I had made an embarrassing typo writing ‘fag’ instead of ‘fire’. One of the definitions at dictionary.com for ‘fag’ is “a contemptuous term for a male homosexual” Thank you dear sister for your caring sensitivity. I ended up writing about Belfast with my Belfast readers (terms and spelling) in mind. Growing up there, ‘having a fag’ simply meant smoking a cigarette! (I think it was Winston Churchill who said that the British and the Americans where two nations separated by a common language. : – )

However as I further pondered the comment of this very prophetic lady I realized God was using her to point to something else…..the recent shocking exposure of sexual abuse in the Catholic church… another example of God’s shining the light on the ‘works of darkness’ ….such as ‘having a fag’.  Even the most supposedly ‘trustworthy’ of institutions will be shaken, and only that which cannot be shaken, Christ and his unshakable kingdom, will remain.

 

 

 

 

 

Does the Flame Burn Brighter?

by on in Uncategorized

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A week from today Hilary and I fly back to Belfast. (D.V.)

Yesterday our daughter Abby sent us this photo of an iconic building in the centre of Belfast, ablaze. I couldn’t help but line it up with The Flame picture that hangs in our hallway. Painted by our Australian friend Paul Newton, co-inciding with the 2000 Sydney Olympics, it illustrates The Flame song I was given at that time.

The painting is based on two photos Paul took of his father’s hands and his daughter’s hands with the flame of faith being passed through the three generations. Interestingly when Abby found and married her Belfast flame, Stephen, she moved from Minneapolis to live in a little house literally 50 yards from where her godly grandfather had his furniture shop! Stephen and Abby’s joint flame now burns bright as they serve together in leading a thriving Belfast city centre church!

I have been pondering the significance of this fire because although there is a purely ‘natural’ reason (someone having a fag? ) and response, (relief there were no casualties. sadness at the loss of an historic building etc.) for these things, there is another greater ‘reality’ manifesting in this time/space continuum that we are being given eyes to see. So may I offer a couple of ‘insights’

I believe we are living in Verse 4 of the Flame song

…..When this age shall end and the time has come, for the Trump to sound.

When I was given those lyrics back in 2000 no one was thinking of Donald Trump as a political candidate much less as a future President of the United States! So the next phrase should have us on high alert:

….and our Lord to come.

When Hilary was showing the photo to someone here, she made a throw away comment I picked up on, “It’s famous as The Bank Building.”

In Revelation 18 we read about Mystery Babylon and her fall. The power of this entity has lain in her ability to remain secretive. However because ‘the time has come’  I believe God is now exposing as never before “The works of darkness.” 

One expression of the ‘kingdom of darkness’ based in the world of banking, is the Federal Reserve, which is not Federal at all but a group of private bankers that has welded enormous power over the last century. It’s origins are well documented in the book “The Creature from Jeckel Island” by G Edward Griffin. More and more people are now waking up to the manipulating narrative of the money manipulated, mainstream media. I have mentioned this before as described in the old BBC documentary “The Century of the Self” available on Youtube.

So to understand what is really going on requires an understanding of history and a more accurate knowledge of current events, but most important of all an insight given by the Spirit into Scripture.

These blogs are not a teaching platform but mere morsels to whet the appetite for this deeper study and understanding that is possible for those with a hunger for truth.

A second observation to do with these two photos I was lead to lay alongside each others is this….

You will notice that above the flame atop The Bank Building is an ominous black cloud of smoke. News of troubling events in today’s world can fill us with foreboding!

However if you look above the other Flame, the Flame of God’s love, you will see a rainbow. The rainbow was given in Genesis 9 as a sign of God’s covenant with the whole of creation. This was a reaffirmation and elaboration of the first covenant given to Abraham, the covenant fulfilled in Christ, based on grace through faith. This new covenant stood in contrast to the old covenant. The old covenant was to do with man’s vow to God, which he could never keep, the New Covenant is to do with God’s vow to man which he will most certainly keep.

This is the incredibly good news of the God of hope who fills our hearts with joy and peace, as we put our trust in Him…..to do all that he has said he would do for you, me and the whole of creation that lies under that rainbow of His promise.

Babylon is bound to fall and as Jesus taught his disciples to pray…..the unshakable Kingdom of God will come, and his will, be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

 

P.S.We are looking forward to carrying this hope to our family and friends in Ireland from September 6th – October 10th. If any of you Irish blog readers would like to connect with us during that time, please do contact us……and we’ll see what adventure our Father has in store for us together as we worship and wait on Him in this Tabernacles season.

P.P.S. We fly out the day after the Robbinsdale City Council meeting. We have been greatly encouraged by the many expressions of love and faith we have received on this journey, and will hopefully have a report to share with you on the next blog. For those who live  locally and would like to attend, the meeting is at Robbinsdale City Hall at 7pm on Tuesday 4th September

WE are more than CONKERS

by on in The House (Rivendell)

 

As a boy growing up in suburban Belfast, we used to look forward every Autumn (Fall, to my American readers) to gathering horse chestnuts. The game of “Conkers” would give us endless hours of good, clean, EMF free fun. We would dry the nuts and then bore a hole through which we would thread and knot a string. The two contestants would then take turns to swing their conker in an attempt to hit and ultimately shatter the opponents nut. With every win the conker would move a notch higher in prestige. If you beat a ‘winner’ you then gleaned it’s accumulated victories.

In those days there were relatively few horse chestnut trees in Northern Ireland, and the location of these was a closely guarded secret. the trick each year was to visit and secure the hidden treasure at just the right time…after the ripe fruit had fallen, before the other searching schoolboys arrived.

The other day I was running down PARKVIEW and suddenly realized the central island was lined with horse chestnut trees, weighed down with a bountiful conker harvest. “Wow!!” I exclaimed with schoolboy glee….”PARKVIEW is heaven!”

I was recounting the experience to Hilary… ending with, “We’re living on PARKVIEW heaven!!!”

The grandkids has just left, so her spontaneous response was, “Not if there’s no one to play with!”

It was a bit of a downer, but as I pondered further I realized , “She’s right. There’s no such thing as heaven on your own….on your own without anyone to play with…..it’s hell! I thought about our isolating neighbor who has taken offense at all the people coming and going at our home, and of another dear lady we get to visit occasionally who languishes immobilized in a ‘care facility’, having lost her sight her beloved ‘seeing eye’ dog and most of her human connections.

We are made for loving connection, primarily with our Creator, our Father and then with our fellow human beings.

That day I had my men’s sharing group in the morning and that evening some other brothers who came over to process the PARKVIEW citation developments with me. At the end of the day my heart was full, buoyed up with the wisdom and support of true friends who I have journeyed with – deep and long.

I thought of Psalm 16.“You give marvelous comrades to me the faithful who dwell in the land.”

…and then Paul’s words in Romans with a renewed emphasis on, “WE are more than conquerors THROUGH CHRIST who loved US.”  This truth flies in the face of the “I’m my own man.” and ” I did it my way” spirit that our pride based nature and culture would nurture. But those who follow this lie end up the most disconnected, defeated and miserable of all men and women.

Hilary was right – WE are more than CONKERS

……. cause without anyone to play with, what looked like heaven, can prove to be  hell.

 

2721 Parkview

by on in The House (Rivendell)

 

 

At the back of my KeyWord study bible is a Dictionary with the Strong’s numbers. The Greek number 2721 occurs only once in scripture. Interestingly it is in the story in Acts 18 where “the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul.” (KJV). The Lord had however already appeared to Paul in a vision saying, “ Do not be afraid, keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no-one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”

At the Public Hearing at the Robbinsdale City Hall last Thursday we saw some of these “many people”, step up to speak one after another. The youngest was Raina Marsh pictured above giving testimony into the microphone : – )

Then,

A social historian, who lives three doors down from us painted the picture of how our society has changed  over the years, and warned that if the old codes regulating housing are not updated, the City is ‘headed for a train wreck’

The head of the law enforcement agency, the chief of police, who lives next door stepped forward to eloquently explain how “the letter of the law” must be applied in harmony with “the spirit of the law” in order that peace might prevail.

A young couple, baby in arms, came forward. Both are engineers. Andy helped design the retractable dome on the new stadium in Minneapolis. Kelly designs bridges. They offered a very straightforward… mathematical solution.

Since moving to Park-View 16 years ago the promise, “Stand still (Park) and see(View) the salvation of your God.” (2 Chron.20:17) has always lived in us. As we stood still and saw these and other Parkview residents step forward, not to force their opinions, but to make their unique contributions, we realized we were hearing the wisdom of God and actually seeing “the kingdom of righteous peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rm.14:17) manifesting in downtown Robbinsdale!

Jesus said, “‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive.” (Matt.13:13)..…for not everyone hears and sees “truth”.… YET that is!

However, this is the genius of God’s wise love.

In Ex. 4:11, he tells us that he is the one who has the power to open and shut eyes and ears and mouths. He therefore takes responsibility for blinding people to the truth. In the law, if a man blinds his slave he is obligated to then free that slave.“If a man strikes the eye of his male or female slave, and destroys it, he shall let him go free on account of his eye.”(Ex. 21:26) God has created us so we are all his property (slaves) by virtue of creator’s rights. So if he has blinded us, he has also obligated himself to set us free.

Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (Jn.8:32). So effectively God has promised, to in the end, open the eyes and ears of everyone, so that all can see and hear “the truth” that sets us free.

As well as peace and joy there was a large measure of “fear” in the room on Thursday evening. “Blinded by fear.” is a phrase we are all familiar with. In Shakespeare’s play Troilus and Cressida, Troilus warns, “Fears make devils of cherubim; they never see truly.”  The antidote to this blinding and binding “fear” is a knowledge of, that is a personal experience of, “the truth” that God loves us, for “perfect love drives out fear.”(1 Jn.4:18)

Our grandchildren acted recently in the school Shakespeare play. When the play finished, all the actors came on stage and bowed, no matter how they were cast – heros and villains alike.

We are confident then,  that as the scripture says, in the end, ‘when the lights go on’, every knee will choose to bow and every tongue choose to confess that Jesus Christ the author and director of our story, is Lord….and it will be… to the glory of God, our “perfect love” Father. (Phil.2:10,11)

If we believe our eyes and ears have been opened to a degree, it gives us no cause for pride, because this is an unmerited gift from God. Instead, it gives us the opportunity to grow in patient love with those we deem to have not YET received this grace – the personal experience of His “perfect love.”

P.S.  A final ruling is expected to be given at the City Council meeting at Robbinsdale City Hall at 7pm on September 4th. It is a public meeting, so anyone is welcome to attend.

Thank you again for praying with us that as this divinely orchestrated drama continues to unfold, and we seek to faithfully play our part that all the actors might come into the liberating experiential knowledge of this “perfect love.”

The Number of Love

by on in The House (Rivendell)

 

Saturday morning and still no still, small, blogging whisper. “Ah! after last week’s long one, Father is giving my readers a break” I thought.

So I sat down at the computer and instead of going to my blog site I turned to of all places the Hennepin County site to look at property information following up on a notion I’d had a few days ago.

It occurred to me that “The Big Green House.” (which we don’t view as ‘our’ property, but which we simply steward for our Father and in which we serve at his bidding) had cost substantially more to buy than the average house in this neighborhood. Again as we determined to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” the “all these things” including the purchase price has been provided for, by Him!

That amount was substantially more than the average house in this neighborhood sells for, because of course the house is substantially bigger than the average house!

The question that occurred to me was whether consequently the property taxes we pay every year are also more than our neighbors pay. If this were so, would it be not be reasonable if the code allowance for the average home was 2 ‘guests’ we should be allowed more?

We have been so heartened to see the two oldest neighbors on the block – one resident of 58 years, another couple, 51 years resident have been the leading ‘Activists’ on our behalf : – )

Last night I saw Mary clipboard in hand working the street for signatures on a petition to request we be allowed to continue our family way of life here, while Mary Lou sent out an email to the neighbors encouraging them to let their voices be heard at City Hall.

Last week at the Block Party on National Night Out we were able to share with some neighbors not only a slice of our trademark avocado cake, but part of our story through our Rivendell Live CD. We met, Lena a young woman, who works in mental health and has just moved into the neighborhood. She subsequently wrote to the City:

“Most people only talk about making the world a better place, but this is how we make the world a better place. Hillary and Paul are actually doing it. By being of service to those in need, by opening their home to those who need shelter and by creating solutions in areas where city, county, state and national governments are failing. “

She also wrote,

“I am new to the neighborhood, and in the short time I have been here I have already begun to understand that Hillary and Paul are exceptional people.” 

I agree that we are “exceptional people” not in the sense that we are any better than anyone else but in the sense that we are not average. This house is also exceptional in this same sense. In the light of this should we also not be grated an exemption from the code?

Should not also the antiquated City code be changed in order,

1. To catch up with modern science that in the last 15 years through DNA studies has affirmed we share 99.9% of our DNA. As our long time friend Tim, a leading geneticist wrote,”We are all “blood relatives” in the original sense of the word, related by birth due to common ancestors.  The data is incontrovertible.” (and in accord with the scripture, Acts 27:26,27)

2. To be made compatible with the lifestyle of those who seek to follow the Jesus who said,

Then the godly will, answer him, “Lord when did we see you hungry or thirsty and give you food and something to drink? When did we see you with no place to stay and invite you in? When did we see you poorly clothed and cover you? When did we see you sick and tenderly care for you, or in prison and visit you?”

“And the King will answer them, Don’t you know? When you cared for one of the least important of these my little ones, my true brothers and sisters, you demonstrated love for me.” (Matt.25: 37-39) ?

Hilary and I have been doing some ‘soul searching’ recently. The other night she said to me, “My only concern is that we may have turned away someone who we were meant to have said ‘Yes’ to”. We may not be an “average” household, but oh that her heart might become the new “normal”.

So….to return to this week’s title.

I looked up the property taxes which are on the public record. I then added the property taxes of the two house on either side of us, divided by two to get an average and then divided this amount into the amount of property tax we pay.

The answer was 3.14

Excitedly I showed the figure to Hilary. As the penny dropped (pun intended) she chuckled “Again!”

Let me explain, if you haven’t ‘got it’. 3.14 is the mathematical value (to two decimal places) of the infinite number Pie which is 22/7. As I have written before. Pie is the 16th letter in the Greek alphabet and there are 16 characteristics of love recorded in 1 Corinthians 13. So pie represents God’s infinite love.

Once again Father was letting us know that we are simply paying the price of love…… and it is even written into our property taxes!!!

And the date of our hearing this week?

The 16th of course : – )

P.S. I just checked the word count for this week’s blog – 901 = Ps.90:1. “Lord, YOU have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.” : – )

 

What is a Family?

by on in The House (Rivendell)

 

Daddy was a preacher in a shipbuilding town
Mummy rocked the cradle and wore the crown
Because of you. Oh Lord because of you.

(The National Side. Ben Kyle)

Well mummy rocked the cradle 7 times, but that was only the beginning of our family life in Belfast. Just a few years into marriage we discovered that Angela, one of our fellowship, was in a dangerous living situation in a very rough part of the City.

Angela was the eldest of 7 siblings. Raised in a small terraced house she was the first of the family to make it to college. She choose of all things to study Engineering and found herself to be the only female in a  class of 200 male students!

We knew we should offer her the spare room in our home and experienced for the first time the mutual blessing of living together with brothers and sisters who are of the same ‘spiritual’ family. I still remember her teaching 2 year old Robin from drawings the workings of the internal combustion engine! She had gifts and a message of love to bring to us just as we had a shelter with a message of love to offer her. Angela went on to become a professor of engineering at Edinburgh University, Scotland.

It was a few years after she moved out that one day her full name Angela Martin came up in conversation. Robin with a puzzled expression asked, “Do you mean Angela Kyle?” He had assumed “Auntie Angela” who was a  part of our family obviously would have the same surname as us. He was shocked to discover she was called Martin – not Kyle!

What is a Family? ……That says it all.

Recently we’ve been thinking a lot about the verse, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” (Heb.13:2)

Then the Lord reminded me of ANGEL – A  

The simplest definition of an angel is “one sent with a message”. Father then showed me that the dozens of people he has subsequently sent to live with us over the years have also each come with a message and in this sense had been ANGELS B, C, D, E, F……. and so on !!

This week we were blessed to have had 24 Kyles (one in utero) come to The Big Green House for a family reunion. It so happens that 3 of our current 4 “angel/guests”, Shiela and her two daughters, Hopa and Amber Sky, are away at camp. So in a week’s time when the long distance Kyles leave and Shiela and the girls return, our resident numbers in the house will drop from 15 (14 Kyles + “angel” David) back to 8, and we will once again move from being law abiding citizens to criminals because we have again two more than the two “permitted” guests.

Our first citation appeal was turned down. In a back room, we were told if we “kicked out” (my words) the two “illegal” guests, we would be forgiven the citation. In the official report this was the reason given.

“The additional residents in the house of the Appellants may be perceived to bring additional noise to the neighborhood, unnecessary wear and tear on the public infrastructure, and other potential issues that affect the health, safety and general welfare of other residents within the neighborhood not living on Appelants property.” 

So are we to believe that a household of 8, because it includes 2 “illegal” guests who are not named Kyle, has a greater adverse impact on the neighborhood than the 14 Kyles who have been legally resident this week – or than the 24 Kyles, should they all decide to move back in??

Charles Dickens was credited with the expression “The Law is an Ass”  Years earlier however Jesus illustrated this humorously when he chastised the community leaders, “You blind guides! You strain out a gnat and swallow a camel…….you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, but have neglected the weightier matters of the law –  (divine) justice, mercy (readiness to help those in trouble) and faith (in God).” (Matt.23)

There is a bible story in Genesis 19 where two “angels” were given shelter in a home. That city also demanded, “Kick them out! (We want to further abuse them!)” Such was the honor accorded to hospitality, the host effectively said “I would rather give you my family to abuse (gang rape) than my guests!” Subsequently the angels helped the host and his family escape the angry crowd. The host’s name was Lot. The city – Sodom and Gomorrah. The city was subsequently disciplined by God for failing to be hospitable! The “burning sulphur” represented the purifying fire of God’s love that all of us as beloved members of his human family are destined to pass through sooner or later….”til it’s love alone that’s left behind”

The Hebrew word used in the story, ‘overthrew’, (v.29) only occurs once in scripture, and is number 2018 in Strong’s concordance!  Could this be a crucial year in the overthrow of “Sodom and Gomorrah”, also known in scripture as “Mystery Babylon” whose character is trading in “the bodies and souls of men.” ? (Rev. 18)  We will see.

On Wednesday we took the above family photo. Then that evening we happened to watch again our all time favorite family movie, the Australian classic “The Castle” which we have laughed our way through many times. It’s about the big guy trying to “kick out” the little guy! “It’s not just a house – it’s a home – that’s been built with love!” is the line that wins the day.

Father said to me…..”Now, you are actually living the movie!” With a little wink he pointed out this connection to me; the movie lasts 1:24 and the photo above is of Grace (Joel’s girlfriend and the only non Kyle) on the extreme left. Then beside that 1…..24 Kyles!  I then turned to a third 124, Psalm 124 which concludes,

“Praise be to the Lord, who has not let us be torn by their teeth.We have escaped like a bird out of the fowlers snare; the snare has been broken and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

In the margins of my old bible I had noted that this was the psalm we were given by this 1…..24 years ago when we had faced and been delivered  from this same “fowler” in Belfast.

……..for we all know who is the King of The Castle  –  the Coming King!

 

P.S. Our second appeal will have a public hearing at Robbinsdale City Hall on 16th August when the issue being examined will be the definition of the word, “Family”. Please email or call me at 612 6365146 for details if you feel lead to attend.

I Will Speak To You………..Part 10. Finally Pulling It All Together

by on in I Will Speak To You

 

A few nights ago I woke, as often happens, after about three hours of sleep.

Like Samuel I’ve learned when this occurs to say, “Speak Lord for your servant is listening.”

My attention was then directed to the Father’s day card pictured above that I had spotted on my rather cluttered bedside table. Someone (likely Hilary) had just put it there.

All five ‘Ss” of this series are mediated by the Spirit of God whose “still small voice” alerts us to our Father’s words coming to us continuously in the midst of life, Simply, Specifically, Sovereignly, Scripturally and Symphonically.

The Symphonic voice was that of our daughter who picked the card and mailed it across the ocean to her Dad. It was a Simple message. It was sent Specifically to me. The repositioning of the card to my bedside that day was Sovereign as my heavenly Dad then whispered in the night from the truth of Scripture;

“You ARE LOVELY…… because you know you ARE LOVED.”…………..“..and we who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory are being changed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor. 3:17) 

At our FREEDOM! retreats here at Rivendell at one point we play the following clip from Lord of the Rings:

 

“Liar! Thief!! Murderer!!!”  You can fill in the blanks for yourself…..”Rebel! Heretic! Lawbreaker!” are some of the other accusations we have fielded over the years.

This is the voice of the “accuser of the brethren”, the ‘father of lies’  He works on the basis that we are still living with an Old Covenant mentality feeding off “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil”, and so the accusation is always

“You are wrong!”

The way to answer is not to protest, “I am right!” but to move the dialogue to the foot of a different tree, “the tree of life” who is JESUS, and reply,

“I AM LOVED!……..and every wrong, true or imagined, has been covered by the blood of Christ.”

That is the key (better than the ring) that Smeagol discovers….. that sets him free to recover his lost innocence. “Master looks after us now!” (Notice what is standing behind Smeagol in this dialogue when he has this revelation!)

For us it is even better, “Our Father looks after us now! He is our loving Creator, our merciful Redeemer and Sovereign Lord over all things!”

Each one of us too then breaks free “to dance and sing” with Smeagol, “Free! Free!  __________ ‘s free at last”  as we learn to identify the true voice of God speaking in our hearts.

I started this blog just before Hilary and I drove north to our friends near Duluth. Kevin has just finished a series about how the seed of the gospel can grow and flourish within the culture that Creator gave the Ojibwe people. It is said this was the genius of Patrick in winning the Irish. He understood the Celtic culture that God had given in order that the gospel message might be received into it –  “As a hand into a glove”

It is Jesus Christ who Redeems and Full-fills every culture

As we were leaving, Carol said, “I have made something for you, and disappeared inside.” She reemerged with this.

 

The Dreamcatcher traditionally in Native culture was hung above a bed to catch bad dreams allowing only good dreams through.

Carol received from the Holy Spirit that she should put the tree of life in the centre of the circle. Beneath the circle she had hung a cross enfolded in eagle feathers.“…how I carried you on eagle’s wings and brought you to myself” (Ex.19:4)

The circle of course also appears in the Celtic Cross – acknowledging God’s work both of creation and of redemption.

Carol knew nothing of my writing that morning about ‘the tree of life’, nor of the question I had wanted to ask them that day, “Is the Dreamcatcher – good or evil?”

I reckon our Father who knows all things also knows what we need to know and when we need to know it!!!

This is the scripture and prayer she had also been given:

 

Once more a lesson not to feed off “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil”… but off “the tree of life”.

 

I remember Esther de Waal once making the comment the Celtic Church was not creation centered, it was Christ centered and creation filled. As I placed our new gift in my study, Izzy our cat seemed to give both the Indian and Irish Christ centered cultures her nod of approval : – )

 

I Will Speak to You…..Part 9. Father’s K.I.S.S.

by on in I Will Speak To You

“And Jesus went about doing good and healing all those those who were oppressed by the devil.” ( Matt. 4:23,24)

It’s a joy and privilege to join with Jesus in his work and this description of his life is a good summary of the emphasis of our service since Father moved us into Rivendell in 2002.

The first half of our 24 years in America involved much traveling nationally and internationally, but the second half has been shaped by “The Big Green House” on Parkview Blvd., where we have been able to offer many people a home and the family experience they have never had, and to host regular Freedom! retreats where we have seen dozens of folk get “Unbound”

Jesus said, “If they persecuted me they will persecute you also.” (Jn.15:20) Jesus was crucified for ‘doing good’ and so it should be no surprise, and our joy and privilege, when we encounter opposition in simply following his example.

As we move through  judicial process with the local City I have read again the accounts of Jesus’ trial in the 4 gospels and have been pondering Jesus’ few chosen words;

“You would have no power over me if it were not given you from above.” .….affiriming the sovereignty of our Father in all things,

“My kingdom is not of this world, if it were my servants would fight.” …..affirming the radically different way we are called to live and respond when under attack in ‘this world’

“……for this reason I came into the world, to bear witness to the truth.”

This did not mean asserting ‘facts’ in a courtroom. but continuing to conduct Himself there in the same way he had privately and publicly over the previous 33 years as a true son authentically reflecting the nature of His Father.

One of the scriptures that describes this nature is, “A father to the fatherless a defender of widows” (Ps.68:5). James tells us genuine religion in the sight of God the Father is to care for the orphans and widows. (Jm.1:27)

Again this rings true to the direction we have been lead over the last years……wakening up to “Good Morning’ Dad!”  is the foundation of our life together and the retreats we host  The blog from August 17 2017  “Of Widows and Windows” describes the outworking of the second part of the verse.

So what has the blog title got to do with all this?

Well K.I.S.S. stands for Keep It Simple Stupid. It brings us to the fifth S in this series.

“I Will Speak to You – SIMPLY.”

Jesus said, “I thank you Father, that you have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to babes.” (Matt.11:25)

I believe to better hear God speak we need to not be smarter...but to be simpler…more childlike. 

Let me give one recent personal experience of this ‘Simple’ communication;

As I lay in bed ‘listening’ a few nights ago, Father drew my attention to one of a number of you who have been standing with us in this current skirmish. This particular sister we have never met in person but through our music and blogs we have connected in the Spirit, and she will frequently now respond to my blogs with little email encouragements! Last night it dawned on me the significance of her names. Her given name – is Sarah

This name of course brings to mind the story of the miraculous birth of Issac, the child of promise…. but this happened only after  Abram had tried to help God along through Hagar birthing Ishmael. Well God always gives the flesh opportunity first before confirming as Jesus said, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh accomplishes nothing.” (Jn.6;63) That’s why both Abram and Sarai both needed to have a name/nature change! The Hebrew letter ‘hey’ that was added to both their names signifies ‘the breath of God’ for it is “not by might nor by power but by my Spirit” that God’s will is then accomplished through Abraham and Sarah (Zeph.4:6)

Our current address on PARK-VIEW continually reminds us that God doesn’t need our help….all we need do here is simply “STAND STILL and SEE the salvation of our God.” (Ex.14:13 and 2 Chron.20:17)

Then I realized our friend’s last name was…….

Hadad……or should that be Ha! – Dad.

Isaac means “He (God) laughs”. This then is the laughably good news of the New Covenant…..that we will NEVER succeed in our own strength, and our Father laughingly affirms – He will ALWAYS succeed in what he purposes – by His Spirit!

This is why we read “Jesus held his peace” as he trusted completely and surrendered utterly to his Father’s will at his trial. Our prayer is that we too will not ‘fight’ as the world does, but simply stand with Jesus who “entrusted himself to him who judges justly”….. thus bringing life through his “obedience unto death….even death on the cross.” (1 Pt.2:23, Phil 2:8 )

Thank you Sarah Hadad for bearing “witness to the truth”………Simply by your name : – )

And one final chuckle…..I first time I heard the K.I.S.S. technique defined this way by my friend “Fanta” Clark, a retired bishop in the Anglican church in Ireland. Recalling this I wondered which diocese he was responsible for, and discovered…. he was Bishop of ARDAGH : – )

Do you recall the August 27th blog?

Boy does Our Da have a quare sense of humor?!