BeLOnGings

We found ourselves celebrating the New Year with our grandsons, Frederick and Winston, in New York City.

Hilary and I first visited New York on our honeymoon 43 years ago and have followed God’s wooing of this crazy city ever since. We have a classic “selfie” long before selfies became the rage, of the two of us in front of the World Trade Center…….as it reached up to touch the heavens – like the Tower of Babel 

The six of us sat down to watch “White Christmas” – Hilary and I for the first time ever. I connected Betty’s gift to Bob, of a knight mounted on his horse, with the gift Hilary had been prompted to bring for the boys……a mounted knight that our children had played with and was one of the few possessions that made it across the Atlantic with us when we all took the leap of faith 24 years ago.

Betty had told Bob, her knight in shining armor, that he had fallen off his horse but wouldn’t disclose the reason. In the end she realized the rumor she had believed about him being out for his own selfish ends was a lie, and acknowledged her error by giving him the gift of the mounted knight.

I realized it is as it was from the beginning in ‘the garden’ that our reaching for forbidden fruit is because we have believed a lie and doubted the absolute goodness of God our Father. It is this that keeps people ‘bound up’ in The Big Apple…….or anywhere else.

As we drove the next day and the  Manhattan skyline came into view Freddie exclaimed excitedly, “Look Papa –  the Freedom Tower! Let’s do the Freedom song!!”

How kind of our Dad to set up a prompt like this, so that we could proclaim together, where the Twin Towers once stood in the midst of Babylon, the truth that will set this city and the whole world free…….

Freedom! Freedom!

Freedom to dance and sing

When you know the love of the Father

When you know the love of the king.

“I run in the path of your commands for you have set my heart free.” 

It is the knowledge of the truth about the unconditional love of God our Father that sets us free to run in the way of his commands – which are that we love Him and that we love our neighbor as ourselves with this same love.

It is that word “unconditional” that we get stuck over because we have been raised to believe we only get what we deserve. While we may pay lip service to the New Covenant, deep down our hearts are not really “free” because this gospel is just “too good to be true”

But it is true!

In our FREEDOM! retreat we look at Ex.34:6.7. It is the first time God explains himself in answer to Moses request, “Show me your glory” i.e. his essential nature. We are then told God caused his ‘goodness’ to pass before Moses because  ‘goodness’ is the essence of God.

I put into modern parlance this list of qualities God then gives to Moses, contrasting them to their opposites.

It goes like this:

“He is NOT a hard, harsh, mean, fickle, bad tempered, begrudging bigot!…

RATHER….

He

….Welcomes me just the way I am

….Understands me.

….Affirms what I do.

….Forgives me when I get it wrong.

….Kindly helps me get it right.

He is 

….Always there for me

….Training me in love

….Embracing me as His child.

Because the human authority figures in our lives have all been imperfect we all need our ideas about God to be upgraded. “The Running Father” in the story about the two sons is the best image I can think of to help us with this. I believe it is time for the ‘land of our fathers’ to receive this revelation of The Father so that Patrick’s fire can be rekindled in the heart of Ireland.

In the November 21st blog I wrote about how the number 32. It is written with the letters lamed and beth. The Hebrew word formed by these two letters is leb which means heart. Another word for heart is lebab which means “heart of the father”

32 is the number of Covenant. For example the 32nd time Noah’s name appears in the bible we read, “Then God spoke to Noah…..I myself do establish my COVENANT with you.”

Covenant reveals the heart of the Father and brings about a Father-Son relationship.

In few minutes time, Hilary and I fly from the 32nd State in the USA to the 32 counties of Ireland for the birth of our youngest grandchild. It ‘just happens’ to co-incide with the first of the 32 marathons I spoke of that will happen in Ireland’s 32 counties over the next 9 months.

Verse 32 of Psalm 119 (quoted above) describes the goal – to cross that line where we all, falling into the arms of our running Father’s embrace, discover the meaning of a New Covenant relationship with “Abba” – “For by GRACE are you saved through faith; this is not of your own doing.”

Katey who has been given this vision has invited us to join her to share through songs, stories and prayer to help people connect with “The Running Father” in Counties Dublin, Meath and Kildare on Fridays 25th, January, 1st and 8th February, 2019.

If you are being lead to join us please get in touch and we will give you further details as they become available. We may also be returning to participate further in future ‘run’ week ends, through September 2019.  

P.S. The above video was taken as I trained running the local ‘trails.’  At the Trail Head below, the man with the skis walking past quipped when he saw my shorts, “Are you from California?”

P.P.S. The new Sauna Society nearby with the ‘burning bush‘ logo is called 612. Is. 61:2…“To proclaim the year of God’s favor/grace.”  

AMEN! May 2019 be that year!

I went for a walk the other night in our neighborhood. One of the differences between this season in the US and in Ireland is how folk decorate their homes. It seems here people are more focused on an outward show of lights – making an impression with a big, bright display (and electric bill : – )

It was a Misty evening more akin to autumn then winter and I began thinking about Myst- ery. The house below came into view, much simpler than the the rest. Just one light above the ‘ancient’ looking door, and then to the side, the golden glow of a single tree behind the curtain.

It intrigued me. It made me wonder. It drew me in. “What else is going on inside that home? Who are these people? I would love to meet them.” were the thoughts that ran through my mind.

In a world (and often church) preoccupied with making a good outward show we search for integrity, for ‘truth on the inward parts’

This year after a few years silence Hilary felt prompted to write a family letter, and somewhat inspired as the words flowed. When I read it I thought “Wow that’s a bit different! – But that’s Hilary -and it’s good!”

We were so encouraged to get a number of affirmative responses from friends who we respect. Here is what one brother wrote:

Hilary (and Paul)
I always approach “Christmas Letters” with wariness and even fear.  They are usually highlight reels of happy, successful families who float in joy and serenity above the world in which I live.  I am, therefore, extremely grateful for your honest and heart-warming letter.
God bless you all!!

I guess as we enter 2019 our deepest desire for ourselves and our loved ones is that the Mys-tery of the incarnation – the winsome inner glow which is “Christ in you” would win – some who tired of this ‘fake world’ long to encounter the one who came full of both “truth and grace.”

P.S. Our Christmas letter mailing list was somewhat random, so if you didn’t get it and know our family and would like to hear the latest, please let us know and we’ll send it to you : – )

 

 

My friend Brian sent me this link the other day with a note to forward it to our mutual friend Eugene in Ireland.

Eugene wrote back that the hilarious video proved quite prophetic for himself and his wife Oonagh, who had recently had dealings with two Claires, but it was Oonagh who had to point out to him the connection! He commented jokingly to me,

“Claire might be as thick as American snow…….but I’m not far behind her!”  

My repartee was,

“Does that mean that the Irish in America are like the snow…..thicker than they were in Ireland? God help us!”

Brian then wrote back,

“When I saw the Claire snow angel video, I was impressed with her humility.  Really, she could not make the angel on her own, she needed lots of help.  She did not give up, even after trying again  and again. She was not embarrassed or ashamed or defeated.  Even her response was how beautiful her angel was.  Certainly God works all things together for good, using all of us thick headed poor souls!”

I recalled how Brian, a contemporary of mine, on a recent missionary trip to India was used by the Lord as he acted out the part of a foolish clown provoking great laughter among the young people!

Paul’s word’s that we are “fools for Christ” came to mind. These are two men who are very ‘smart’ but very small in that they don’t easily take offense.

I was speaking to another friend who is finding it hard to assemble a reliable work crew for his business. His comment was, “People are so sensitive these days. When I want to bring an adjustment, they get offended!!” 

Psalm 119:165 says, “Great peace have those who love your law….nothing shall offend them.”

When the one who had most reason of all to take offense, bore the cross despising it’s shame is born in us, then we too like saints in the making Brian, Eugene and Claire, become the walking dead as our true identity emerges in unity with, “The Unoffendable One” 

The video subtitle, “Irish Woman Failing to Make a Snow Angel” couldn’t be more wrong. It is as we exhibit her humility that we are transformed not just into angels, but into mature ‘sons’ of God “clothed in fine linen, bright and clean.” (Rev. 19:7)….as illustrated by Claire’ s spontaneous and unconscious cries, “Lord help me!” and then as she looked at the end result – “Jesus!”  

The Real Mark of a Saint ?………the ability to laugh at ourselves : – ) 

P.S. I just watched this with our grand daughter Isla. Her comment was, “But she’s so old!”  I thought, “It’s never too late for anyone to begin this humble journey toward sainthood!”

 

 

 

“Well there’s Brewster and Bunyon 

There’s Luther and Lunyon

Some famous; some heroes unsung.”

Thus we sang, lauding these hero saints as crew members of the St Brendan’s Company.

St. Brendan’s Launch was a Sunday brunch gathering we hosted for 5 years in Kieran’s Irish Pub in downtown Minneapolis, just after we took our leap of faith and landed in Minneapolis! In this our theme song, we honored  those “in whose hearts are the highways to Zion.” (Ps.84:5) from many eras and backgrounds,

 

 

The summer before the nine of us moved to America we were on our way home from France, when we were directed to take an unusual ‘motorway-free’ route up through England. At one point Hilary noticed a signpost pointing to Bawtry Hall

“Look! That’s the place where Carol and Ivor have just become managers!” She exclaimed. So we decided we would venture yet further ‘off the beaten track’ to call in on these close friends from Belfast university days.

“Oh yes,.” said Ivor, explaining the significance of what we had just ‘stumbled on’ “This is the birth place of the Pilgrim Fathers.  A few minutes south is Scrooby where Brewster was born and a few minutes north is Austerfield where Bradford was born.” 

Thus ‘Providence’ sparked our interest in The Pilgrim Fathers; who these folk were, and how they had come to play such a seminal role in the birthing of the nation we were about to adopt as our own.

One commentator’s description particularly struck me, “Some came for gold, some came for land, but they came to pray, and their prayer was, “Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on this part of earth and then from this part of earth to the uttermost parts of the earth, as it is in heaven.”  We felt a kinship with these folks.

Now 25 years on, we are sitting around our long long table in America at a Thanksgiving feast with our children and their children and with our guests of honor, three generations of the Clouds, a Dakota family with whom we have become close friends. Lots of food and drink, talk and laughter and offerings of thanks.

 

 

“I want to thank Roy for saving my life.” Ivan announces to everyone’s surprise, including his parents, as he recalled an incident a few years before when he had leapt into a pool that was much deeper than he was tall…. thankfully big brother Roy had been there to save the day! Chuckles of gratitude all around!

Later we catch the last part of a documentary based on Bradford’s ‘hallowed’ journal, seeking to accurately reconstruct the origins of this wholesome American ‘family’ tradition.

The deep gratitude the Pilgrims and their Wampanoag friends felt in 1621 was borne out of the intense trials of the previous months when harsh conditions had claimed the lives of half their company! The journal described how the English speaking Wampanoag, Squanto, “a special instrument sent of God.” brought them wisdom from the ‘new world’ to enable the little colony to miraculously survive,

As Fern Cloud and I compared notes we realized how both our families had weathered some severe storms over these past years, but we too had survived and our children were beginning now to prosper….Thanks be to God!!

In the end, William Bradford’s hope for a tangible expression of the kingdom of God on earth in the Plymouth colony was deferred and his heart made sick. The company dissipated as the great wave followed them from across the Atlantic of many whose focus was more on seeking earthly riches than the heavenly treasure Bradford’s gaze had been set upon.

Looking at the USA today through the fallen eyes of man and mainstream media, that hope of heaven on earth may seem to have died almost completely. But I believe God has heard the prayer of this Pilgrim saint and of every other saintly soul who with a different set of eyes have been a part of  “St. Brendan’s fine company” living “by faith and not by sight.” (2 Cor:5:7)

Oswald Chambers who penned today’s thought above could surely be ranked in that number of those we are exhorted to imitate, “who through  faith and perseverance inherit the promises….” (Heb.6:12)

For as the song ends……

“….and it won’t be too long now until we cross over…..

And the land of promise at last we will see!”

 

 

P.S. BeLOnGings  is simply a continuation of “Gilbert’s Journal” begun back then. Gilbert means “Bright Hostage” for although we are still “Hostage” to death and decay, we are “Bright” with sure and certain hope as, “….we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” (Rm:8:23)   

P.P.S. Interestingly this is a photo of the last unopened copy of The Voyage of the Bright Hostage CD we possess : – )

 

 

 

I finished last week’s blog by quoting the chorus of “Born into a Battle” (Gillian in NI said she had been listening to it as part of her ‘battling prayer’ catalogue of songs just before opening the blog!)

I was pondering again how we do not war as the world does, we war as Jesus did.

The world, flesh and devil shout,

“RESIST (what you dislike) and FIGHT (the source of it).”

The Spirit whispers,

“ACCEPT (what God has allowed) and STAND (on the Word of Victory in Christ)”

Psalm 1 says, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the council of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinner, or sit in the seat of scoffers….but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night….he is like A Tree planted by streams of water that yields it’s fruit in its season and it’s leaf does not wither.”

…..in other words he will become one with The Tree of Life that is Jesus in ‘the garden’.

The ‘wicked‘ voice of the ‘sinner‘ and ‘scoffer’ that shouts in our ears as it did in ‘the garden’ would tempt us to doubt the goodness of our Father.

But in Christ everything is reversed……..

Now we no longer WALK, STAND and SIT with the world, but we SIT, WALK and STAND with Christ!

This of course is the title of the brief but brilliant commentary on Ephesians by Watchman Nee.

But, you might say, does Ephesians 6:12 not infer a resistance on our part?- “We wrestle (or struggle) not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

The Greek word used here ‘pale’ only occurs once in Scripture. I discovered it’s root meaning is ‘to vibrate’ Ah! I thought this is not about fighting back, but waring by ensuring we are consistently ‘vibrating’ with the Father’s frequency – of Covenant Love – the most powerful weapon!

The other night at our fellowship gathering I noticed the hat pictured above. M and N is the abbreviation for the State of Minnesota pictured at the top. It is the 32nd State in the Union.

Last week I wrote about the spiritual connection between the USA and in particular Minnesota, and Ireland – between the land of 10.000 lakes and the land of 100,000 welcomes!

A few days ago a friend of ours in Ireland wrote to us about a vision God had given her called “Running with the Father’s Heart.” The vision  was for 32 marathons…one in each of the 32 counties of Ireland – “32 Marathons because Every County Counts.” I realized MN was also the first and last letters of the word, MarathoN!

This number 32, common to Minnesota and Ireland, represents Covenant Love.

It is also the gematria for the Hebrew word for Heart. Lamed (30) + Beth (2) = 32

Whenever I sing “O Ireland” I always preface it by saying,

“The Heart of the Irish problem is the problem of the Irish Heart……but God is in the business of changing Hearts……..from ‘broken’ and ’empty’ to ‘burning’ with God’s love!!!”

The New Covenant is God’s promise to remove our Heart of stone and to give us a new Heart of flesh, on which is written His law – of love. (Ez.36:26, Jer.31:31-34)

This “Blessed”– ness comes as we take the Psalm 1 man stand, in the face of whatever fiery trials Father allows to come our way.

The young man wearing the hat has been living with us now for a year during which time we have gradually heard his whole story……..as sad a human story as you could imagine. But like the Psalm 1 man, as he has kept the right hat on/in his head and ‘meditated‘ in his Heart on what is REAL, on the Word of Victory in Christ, determining to always ‘vibrate’ with the frequency of love, this  tragic human story has become a transformative heavenly story as we have witnessed him being ‘conformed to the image of His Son’.

This New Covenant (which is also the first Covenant that God made – with Abraham….while he was asleep!!) depends not on our making a vow which we could never keep….. but on a vow God has already made which he will certainly keep!

So, in the FACE of such GRACE………….”Resistance is Futile!” ………and our battle song rings!

“We move INEVITABLY onwards

God’s weapons heard in our hands

In Him we shall do more than conquer

Before our Lord who can stand?

Man shall glorify his maker

God shall be enjoyed

And that one called the deceiver

His works shall be destroyed.”

 

 

 

 

 

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet Trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4)

After a very ‘people-intensive’ few days around the FREEDOM! retreat, this morning I got up early and went for a run on the trails around Theodore Wirth golf course and cross-country ski resort. It must be 6 months since I’ve done this. I knew they had been building a grand new clubhouse out front, but found in behind, a whole new network of broadened trails where 6 months ago there had only been narrow, tree lined, dirt paths. Obviously the woodland had gone through some difficult Trials in order to produce these beautiful new Trails!

I thought how our last retreat was about 6 months ago and once again last weekend we were inspired hearing the FREEDOM! family’s stories of how even over those months God had presented them with difficult Trials. As they had faced these trials honestly, with their brothers and sisters, utilizing the 5 keys or steps taught in Unbound prayer, they had not succumbed as victims but had overcome as victors. It was obvious they had grown stronger in faith and in love, and moving through these trials, were now able to share beautiful new Trails with those who had come to hear and who needed to make that same journey.

This is the advantage of doing FREEDOM! in a home with a committed spiritual family who know one another intimately. Having walked “in the light” together over many years, we are familiar with each other’s broken beginnings before we were first connected by the Lord, and have traced the real progress over many years in one another’s lives from that first ‘prayer time’, as layers of the onion have been peeled back to bring deeper and deeper levels of healing and deliverance.

These current and growing, not static historic testimonies, impact newcomers deeply. Hearing the team share so honestly, a story that began so sadly but is now obviously progressing to ever higher realms of joy and greater depths of peace, brings them hope!

As they pick up this rare atmosphere of absolute honesty, unconditional acceptance and longterm commitment of the group to one another, the nervous spectators on the first night are transformed and able to open their hearts in the prayer session the next day and finish liberated, literally free ‘to dance and sing’  in the closing session. A 27 hour miracle!

One of our prayer partners, Eugene in Ireland, had been prompted to send a short, funny, youtube video – Dad is always there

Raine who had moved back to the Rez a few months ago, had a ‘battle’ driving up from South Dakota. She had lost perspective and some of the old dark patterns of thinking and behaving arising from her father-wounds were looming up again. After that first session Raine shared with me through tears that she found it hard to watch the video and was struggling not to return to her experience of flawed human father figures rather than trusting that her heavenly father had always been there for her. She said, “If I get up to share, I think all I will do is cry!”

After a good night’s sleep and many, many hugs and smiles from her family she stepped to the front and gave her most powerful and confident testimony ever, affirming once more the truth that had set her free – that her heavenly Father had never rejected or abandoned her or ever let her down.

That evening through smiles, she recalled to me how just that past week she had found a troubled little Mni sitting on the outside doorstep with a black eye and scraps on her abdomen….and mumbling something about “a dog”. Raine realized the neighboring Rotweiller was the dog….. but that he must have just knocked her over….. had he attacked her – she would have literally lost her beautiful little face!!

“Yes, Dad has always been there for me and for Mni!” she affirmed.

Each person shared their own ‘highlight’ in the final talking circle.

For me it had been when I was about to start singing “Good Morning’ Dad.” and our eldest son, Robin walked into the room, guitar in hand.

“Good Mornin’ son!” I said, ‘Good Mornin’ Dad.’ he smiled back. and together we lead off with the song……

“I open my eyes, I see your smiling face, warming my heart – “Good Mornin’ Dad” 

This was something that a few years ago would not have been possible as he was going through his own difficult Trials – now becoming Trails for others

That evening I asked someone to read the story of the ‘running father‘ (better known as the ‘prodigal son’) That person couldn’t read the small print and said to the person sitting next to her, “Hey Robin could you read it for me?”  He did.

Later that night I smiled when my ‘getting healthier’ son, now beginning to coach others in how to become whole in spirit, soul and body, sent me another great youtube video, teaching on the “Carnivorous/Ketogenic” diet.

I laughed when it described why it was, that the father had killed

– the ‘fattened calf’

….. for his son’s homecoming party  : – )