Newness of Life

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not overcome it.” In his book, Prayer, Richard Foster points out that God waits and longs to be loved. He goes on to make the bold claim that God is more tender hearted than anyone, though we do not often see him this way. And yet, how could he be less tender than the most tender human heart? Foster emphasizes how easily moved is this Tender-Hearted One, moved by our tears, and moved by our loving gestures towards him, weak as they may be. He surrounds us with tender mercies. Foster’s reflections on the character of God caused me to consider, once again, the consequences of that fateful day in the garden, when we chose to eat from the wrong tree. I am familiar with the idea that our shame and sense of condemnation caused us to hide from God. However, this morning, I saw that there is more involved in the reason why our ancestral parents hid from God, and why we still dive for the nearest thorn bush when have missed the...

This morning in prayer I was meditating on Jesus’ words in Mark 13:35, “Watch ye therefore; for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning; lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.” I found two definitions for this word in the Greek. Together, both words basically mean to be sleepless, keep awake, be vigilant, watchful, awake. But what does it mean to be sleepless in the spiritual sense of the word? In the garden Jesus warned Peter to “watch and pray so that you do not give in to temptation.” But Peter didn’t listen to Jesus and allowed slumber to overtake him. Why? Peter slumbered because he did not discern the hour. Even it he could have discerned it, he was so full of self-confidence and spiritual pride that he failed to see his need of God. It is the awareness of our own weakness and inability that drives us to seek God. As it was, Peter was unaware that he ...

"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit..." Ephesians 6: 16 "The flesh profits nothing. But my words are Spirit, and they are life." "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man noweth the things of a man, save the spirt of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God." "The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." It is intruiging to me that the word of God is called the sword of the Spirit. Not just the sword of the Lord, but the sword of the Spir...

This is a beautiful and profound truth that fills my heart with adoration and worship. God has made a covenant with man, and He is wholly faithful to that covenant, even when we are not. (2Tim 2). In Christ, God removed the curse of the law and washed us, giving us his very nature and Spirit to live in us forever. God has given himself so completely to us, that though we may turn our affections and worship away from him for a time, He will not forsake or abandon us. In fact, it is because He is bound to us in faithful love that He is subject to grief when we depart from him. If He were not so committed to us, He could forsake us and spare himself the grief that comes from unrequited love. But he does not forsake us, and therefore he remains, bound to us, and to grief when we depart from him, even as we grieve for a lost love. (Yet it is more because his love is so much stronger and true than ours.) He longs for faithful lovers who will worship Him in Spirit and in truth. Isaiah says...

Warp and Woof: The underlying structure or foundation of something, as in "He foresaw great changes in the warp and woof of the nation's economy." This expression, used figuratively since the second half of the 1500s, alludes to the threads that run lengthwise (warp) and crosswise (woof) in a woven fabric. (Wikipedia 8/10/09) The Lord is looking into the warp and woof of our hearts, examining the underlying structure of our lives in order that He may fill us to overflowing with Himself. He is seeking to pour out new wine, but preparation must be made. In response to accusations that Jesus’s disciples were not as pious as John’s disciples, who fasted regularly, Jesus had this to say: "You cannot mend old fabric with a new piece of fabric, nor can you put old wine into new wine skins." It is unwise because the violent fermentation process would burst the old, hard, dry, wineskins, spilling the precious wine and destroying the skins (Dake Study Bible). New wine ...

All of thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia…” Psalm 45: 8-9 “Come onto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, learn of me: for I am meek and lowly in heart.” (Matthew 11:28) He is meek, merciful, kind. He will not turn away from the weary soul in it’s imperfection. He is lowly, recieving the broken hearted and the weak into his presence. In His presence, we need not grovel for attention. We already have His full attention. “How precious are thy thoughts towards unto me, Oh God! How great is the sum of them!“(Ps 139:17). In His meek presence there is no need for vigilance in an effort to win his love. It is too late for that, for He has already lavished His love upon us! God so loved the world that He gave his only son. While hanging on the cross, grasping for each slight breath, Jesus had one request for his executioners: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." He is merciful. In th...

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." John 14:26 It is so important that we approach scripture as children, expecting the Holy Spirit to open our minds to Truth. As “churched” believers, (I so dislike that term, it sounds like something that is pickled), we are in danger of approaching the word as if we fully understand it. This attitude shuts off revelation, dulling our spiritual vision and curbing our knowledge of God. We are called to be spiritually quickened, not to pickle in the stagnant pools of familiar church doctrine. This is not to say that church doctrine is a not good and helpful. No, the problem comes when doctrine becomes a wall that shuts us out from Spirit led revelation. But when viewed as a door, doctrine can serve as an invitation, beckoning the hungry heart to come in and explore. It is interesting to note...