BeLOnGings

 

We had a special connection with the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, through The Flame song that was given to me to pass on for that event. Subsequently, the wind of the Spirit blew the message far and wide both in Australia and to other countries.

On our return from ‘Down Under’, I remember watching that Olympic opening ceremony live on a TV in Colorado and seeing Cathy Freeman, pictured above, the Aboriginal runner and final torch carrier, standing on the platform that was supposed to rise up through the fire and through the water for her to complete the lighting of the Olympic flame. Due to a technical hitch, nothing happened initially, but eventually to everyone’s relief, the platform did begin to ascend, the ceremony reached it’s climax – and the Games could commence!

Afterwards I was lead to Psalm 66

For you, O God, have tested us;
you have tried us as silver is tried.
You brought us into the net;
you laid a crushing burden on our backs;
you let men ride over our heads;
we went through fire and through water;

How appropriate for this representative of a people group who have so experienced these fiery and watery trials. I realized Cathy could have panicked with fear or with shame and embarrassment and run, but as she simply stood her ground, she was lifted up…….and ultimately, awarded a gold medal!

When we too are able to face down the shame from our past and the fears for our future, then ‘having done all to stand’ – firm on the finished work of Christ, we too will ascend, cleansed and purified (CATHERINE) as mature Sons of God (FREE MAN). Passing through our own fires of affliction and waters of trouble, is what prepares us to receive ‘the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.’ (Phil.3:14)

Our Adamic ‘Beast’ nature first surfaced after the fall. “I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself” Adam confessed. (Gen. 3:10) Now in Christ we can draw near, without shame or fear. In contrast to the tormenting human emotion of fear, (1 Jn.4:18) ‘the fear of the Lord’ – submissive wonder, awe inspired reverence, profound respect, brings us peace. I love meditating on Proverbs 19:23;

“The fear of the Lord leads to life. Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.” What a wonderful promise for these troubled times!

One of the people who picked up on The Flame song all those year ago was a lady who lead a meeting at the Massachustes State Capital in Boston of leaders interceding for the rekindling of the flame of faith in New England. This was where the Pilgrim Fathers emerging from the fire and water of opposition in Old England, carried the torch of the gospel message to this New World.

Our friends Collins and Cheryl Lein have pastored faithfully for many years in that North East corner of “Amel reich” (heavenly kingdom)  At the site where they meet is an ancient graveyard where the local Indians requested to be buried in a  circle facing the white pastor who brought them the good news. Their hope was that at the resurrection, the first face they should see was the that of their beloved pastor.

Sadly however there was much that was flawed about other bearers of the gospel and the baggage that came with it to this New World. Tragically the arrogance and greed of the newcomers culture meant the Native Fathers here were not properly honored.

Interestingly, just yesterday there ended a conference organized by a diverse group of believers in that New England area, called “Revive and Restore”  I like the word Restoration as it denotes not just a temporary stirring up of fire, but a returning to the way things were meant to be, or as I say in The Bridge song,

“He is our way BEYOND Eden………For He’s King of this heavenly realm.”

This gospel of ‘the kingdom of heaven’ lifts us to a higher plane beyond the limitations of any particular culture and time. “Of the increase of His kingdom and peace there will be no end…. until.… the knowledge of the glory of the Lord covers the earth as the waters cover the sea.” (Is.9:7, Hab. 2:14)

This we know is the glorious end of His-story….. as hinted at in the next line of Psalm 66:12,

“…..yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance….saturated and soaked, satiated and satisfied……  filled to overflowing!”

In searching the internet for a photo of Cathy at that pivotal point in the ceremony I found the one above as part of an article that described how after the opening ceremony the soaked garment Cathy was wearing mysteriously disappeared from the dressing room. This too speaks of how when we ascend with Christ we will together be “filled with all the fulness of God’ (Eph.3:19) exchanging our earthly apparel for spiritual garments enabling us to ‘follow the Lamb wherever he goes’  on earth and in heaven. ( 2 Cor. 5:1-3, Rev. 14:3)

P.S.  By way of confirmation of the timeliness of this blog I had two unsolicited conversations with two local Native American leaders today….both telling the story of how they recently rose above flooded basements!!

 

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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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) ——– > – ) >

 

 

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

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 : – )