WHOLENESS OF HEART REALIZED

Wholeness means nothing broken

1 Thessalonians 5:23   “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”.

The world is often a noisy place. So many homes have a TV or radio blaring most of the time. Many restaurants have multiple TVs, sometimes so loud it’s hard to carry on a conversation. Many people just can’t function without some background noise. The image of teens doing their homework with loud music in their room or headphones has been common for a long time. For most it’s just habit, something they are used to; for many I suspect such an atmosphere is an escape from whatever is going on in their hearts and minds. I wonder if this need for noise is for some to drown out loneliness, fear of something or even guilt. Sometimes it’s the enemy’s tactic to try to drown out the still small voice of God.

I’m not saying there is anything wrong with watching wholesome things on TV, listening to music, talk radio or things like that. I’ve always been a musician and love to listen to great music in many genres. Any noise distracts me from the task at hand. It’s so much easier to experience His Presence when our environment, or brains and our hearts get quiet. Shutting out the noise of the world helps us to quiet down our hearts and increase our sensitivity to Holy Spirit speaking, or just being there, in the depths of our hearts. Just His Presence is so wonderful and stress relieving .We receive an inner strength, a greater capability to reflect His love even in the midst of turmoil and strife. As we Practice the Presence we progress in the process described in these verses:

2 Corinthians 5:17   Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

John 15: 4   Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

5   “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

Many of you spend time alone with God every day and understand the necessity of that time. Be encouraged to continue and not allow the things of the world, or the distractions the enemy or even other people, to deter you of that habit. Some years ago I read something about prayer that stuck in my heart. The greatest flaw in church leadership is prayerlessness. It’s so easy to get too busy, even when you are doing what you do in service to the King, to do the most important thing you can do in life, which is to spend time with our Father. How long do marriages last without times of intimacy? My wife and I have always had a house rule that one we don’t leave the house without a good kiss. Now that I’m retired we’ve added a good morning kiss once mouths are rinsed.

Psalm 2:12   Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

http://www.relatably.com/m/touchy-memes

How often to I say something with a bark?

The effectiveness of our times alone with God should be reflected in how we act in various situations. Life and people close to us test us without even trying. People get so offended these days, touchy, have too many buttons for people to push that cause us to act in a way that doesn’t reflect Jesus. I struggle with tone of voice. How often, when someone, especially a spouse, says something to us in what we perceive to be a harsh tone of voice do we respond likewise? How often to I say something with a bark? It’s human nature to do so but never the best thing to do. Even when they were about to stone Him, or when they arrested Him and were to crucify Him, Jesus never lost His cool. There was only 1 time when Jesus seemed to lose his cool and it is repeated in Matthew, Mark and John.

John 2: 14   And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business.

15   When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables.

16   And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!”

17   Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”

Psalm 69:9   because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.

 Just this week something came up that got my blood boiling. My wife said my face was dark red and my ears purple. I was hot about something personal and confidential that could happen that I am opposed to, that demanded my action the next day. There was no way I could just go to sleep that night without praying through, calming down. It took a while but I pressed through into God’s Presence. A wonderful peace overwhelmed all the agitation and stress in my soul and I had a great night’s sleep.

When I woke up the next morning, I had to pray through again. I spoke to people I look up to and trust then took appropriate action, leaving it all in God’s hands. The freedom that comes from surrendering our situations to Jesus is just beyond words. This wasn’t the first time in life I’ve gone through drama like this; sure it won’t be the last. I am so thankful the Lord is our burden bearer. My wife is sure that had I not been able to exchange the burden for God’s peace I would have had a stroke. I’m a husband, a Dad, A Grandpa, a Pastor, and when I see something broken I want to fix it.

All this explains the process we can go through to be made whole, to get our brokenness fixed. People often have areas of their lives that are broken. There’s a choice when you first realize something in your life is broken. Unfortunately too many choose the Humpty Dumpty approach. That can become a horrible downward spiral to the gates of hell. Over the past couple of weeks I heard of 4 suicides and met a young man who had flat lined in a suicide attempt before the EMTs brought him back. Pity parties lead to depression, hopelessness and a despair that can get so bad that drug abuse and suicide all too often seem like the only way out. The opiod crisis isn’t new, just on a bigger scale. When I grew up in Brooklyn, gang violence was minimized because heroin use among the gangs took the fight out of them. I knew of junkies that OD’ed, Acid freaks (LSD) that flipped out so bad they landed in mental hospitals, speed freaks (now referred to a meth) that got so emaciated they couldn’t eat and suffered horribly from malnutrition and other things that come along with drug abuse. I would say that, except in some rare circumstances, suicide is an instant trip to the fires of hell; there was no opportunity for repentance from that sin. It is eternal separation from God.

https://www.wattpad.com/user/Whimsicaland

There’s a much better way to deal with our brokenness – LET JESUS MAKE YOU WHOLE. One of those suicides was a good friend’s brother who was addicted to meth for many years and intentionally overdosed. Another was this same friend’s ex-wife who rejected the Lord and fell down the pit of loneliness and despair. She had an extraordinary experience with the Lord at a Church, experienced joy like she had never had in life during a service, joyfully dancing and singing as the Lord moved in many hearts. Then we never saw her again. It wasn’t long after she rejected the Lord that she rejected her husband and just went down and down.

At this point I have to ask, “What does Oneness with God look like? The Word gives a picture of it right in the beginning of the creation story,

Throughout the Scriptures we see marriage as a type for man’s relationship to God. Leave and cleave, separate and join to. We separate ourselves from the sinful life we had before coming to Christ and become part of the Church, the Bride of Christ. OK, these are nice sounding analogies but let’s talk about what they mean relative to life in the here and now, where the rubber meets the road.

Isaiah 54:5   For your Creator will be your husband; the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is his name! He is your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of all the earth.

How different would have been the outcome of this lonely woman I just mentioned who killed herself, if she had this kind of relationship with Jesus? So how does that relationship happen? - Leave and cleave, separate and join to. As we take steps of repentance, steps away from a lifestyle that is a death trip, and take steps towards God who gives us life, we grow in this oneness. Your mind can’t grasp how close God can be to you. Relationship with Him is one of faith, acceptance of what the Bible says in our hearts.

Deuteronomy 30:14   But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.

Romans 10:8   But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach):

Let me challenge you to act on this message repeating Paul’s prayer:

1 Thessalonians 5:23   “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”.

The move of Holy Spirit in our hearts becomes a motivation for something. The Grace of God is the enabling power to follow through with that motivation. That motivation in our hearts often starts with the realization in our heart of that brokenness I spoke of. The grace of God then becomes amazing to us and we know what to do and know we can do it. Are you ready to leave your brokenness behind and cleave to Jesus?

v Perhaps it’s to come to a church altar and kneel as a public act, with no fear of what anyone might think or say. You just want to get right with God, regretful of the things you did to break that relationship with Him and ready for a new start.

v Do you need to intensify your commitment to God, to this love affair with Jesus? How long has it been since you experienced Him ever so close because you took down all your barriers to where He can go in your life?

v Maybe He’s speaking to your heart about somebody you need to go to and apologize, ask them to forgive you for something stupid you did.

Come now, stop fighting with God, find a place of prayer and make that surrender you know you need to make.

        WHOLENESS MEANS NOTHING BROKEN

DWELLING WITH GOD, PART 2

A study on the Tabernacle in the Wilderness,

IT'A ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

Special thanks to Daniel Brooks for a great picture 

Things to learn from What the Scripture Doesn’t Say

It is easy to get side tracked, the enemy would love to see you so busy with what doesn’t matter that you miss the things the Lord has for you. There are many specifics not mentioned in the description of the tabernacle. As an engineer, my carnal mind finds this irritating. I want more detail. The Lord wonderfully gives us all we need, so let’s not make an argument out of what manna was.

Exodus 25:3-7 list some things, but no quantities are mentioned. Nothing is said as to how to gather it, how to store it. They didn’t know if they would be in 1 place long enough to complete the project, or if they might have to be transporting all this stuff before the project was completed. The scripture didn’t have to say any more for us to get the message to give what the Lord puts on your heart to give, give willingly, give generously, give specifically.

https://www.369universe.com

Ex. 25:10-12 describes the ark, but my engineering brain wants to know how were the sides joined? How was the bottom held in place? How thick were the boards that it was made of? How thick was the overlay? What was the diameter of the rings to hold the staves?– Who cares? The fact that these scriptures don’t mention these details is that they don’t matter. Those details won’t help you win the lost or become more like Jesus.

V13-15 – How long were these sticks? What was their diameter? Did they stick out past the Ark, like we see in pictures, or where they same length as the Ark, so it was carried like a coffin? After all, the Lord did say not to remove the sticks from the rings. Can you just do what the Lord asks you to do without knowing all the details? Do you really need to know all the long term implications of obedience? Isn’t God trustworthy? He will give us all we need so let’s not complain or get hung up on tangents that don’t profit.

The Tabernacle symbolizes the unity of the Church

Exodus 26 contains considerable detail about the construction of the tabernacle. The walls are curtains, and boards, support pieces and connectors. The roof is made of several layers of different cloth and skins. There is significance in the typology of all the detail, however, lets look at it from above, as the eagle looks down and sees it.

http://www.livingbeishamikdash.com/posts/the-most-private-space

First of all, this is no ordinary tent. It is extremely beautiful and ornate. It is built 1^st class. From above, however, the most ornate is hidden under a roof and covered with animal skins. It takes a deeper look, at ground level. We have to get to the heart level to see the most precious.

In some Hebrew texts, the Holy of Hollies is compared to the bedroom of a married couple. It expresses the exclusive relationship between a husband and wife, between God and His people.

This shows the nature of God and also how the Father sees the heart of His kids. We can be comfortable in such beauty and splendor, in such extravagance, because we are children of the King of Kings. This is a beautiful place and God sees you as so beautiful, so lovely. He loves you enough to have given His life for your redemption. The Holy of Hollies is such an awesome place, so much gold, so much amazing craftsmanship, such a beautiful veil to pass through to get inside. It is in this place that the Father wants to meet with us, at the Mercy Seat, at the heart of everything that the Tabernacle is all about.

Another amazing thing about this tent is that it all fits together. There are lots and lots of pieces. There are big pieces, little pieces, heavy stuff and small lightweights, wood, gold brass, silver, cloth, animal skins. Each piece has prophetic significance, has practical functions and some life application of scripture. For example:

Ex. 26:2   These ten curtains must all be exactly the same size—42 feet long and 6 feet wide.

3   Join five of these curtains together to make one long curtain, then join the other five into a second long curtain.

4   Put loops of blue yarn along the edge of the last curtain in each set.

5   The fifty loops along the edge of one curtain are to match the fifty loops along the edge of the other curtain.

6   Then make fifty gold clasps and fasten the long curtains together with the clasps. In this way, the Tabernacle will be made of one continuous piece.

All this stuff can only be put together “according to the pattern shown thee on the mount.” Can you see the analogy to the church, to the Body of Christ?

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/479483

What would happen if the blue loop on the edge of the curtain told the gold ring to stay away, “leave me alone, I don’t want to be connected to that other blue loop.”? (Ex. 26:6). There wouldn’t “be one tabernacle.” What about that big wood board (Ex 26:16), covered in gold? It is happy to be between 2 other boards just like itself, but Oh No, it refused to be put into that socket, thinking it is too good to be put into inferior silver. It would fall down! I believe the Lord sheds tears over the disunity within churches and between churches and denominations. Psalm 133 becomes more important in this light.

Psalm 133:1   Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!

2   It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments.

3   It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing— Life forevermore.

God’s Presence Goes With Us:

https://www.369universe.com

The first piece of furniture listed is the Ark of the Covenant. Just the name of this item indicates that a relationship with God is a place of safety. Noah built the ark that God used to save life from the flood. A covenant with God is more binding than a legal contract so entering into God’s covenant is a safe thing to do.

http://www.livingbeishamikdash.com/posts/
the-most-private-space

Exodus 25:22   I will meet with you there and talk to you from above the atonement cover between the gold cherubim that hover over the Ark of the Covenant. From there I will give you my commands for the people of Israel.

Here is the place to hang out, at the Mercy Seat.

The Ark of the covenant played a very significant role in the Exodus, and at other times in ancient Jewish history. This verse sets the Biblical precedent,

http://godbricks.blogspot.com/2015/06/
ark-of-covenant.html

Num 10:33 They marched for three days after leaving the mountain of the Lord, with the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant moving ahead of them to show them where to stop and rest.

It is symbolic of God’s omnipresence, you take Him with you wherever you go. The whole tabernacle was designed for mobility, for frequent set-up, tear dawn and transport. From wherever you were when you 1^st got saved, until you get to heaven, your life is an exodus and the Lord is with you throughout the trip. The following promise to Moses is something we can cling to today:

Exod 33:14   The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.”

15   Then Moses said, “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place.

16   How will anyone know that you look favorably on me—on me and on your people—if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth.”

Indeed, the Presence of God must always be the calling card of the church.

It was work to take the ark with them. It was heavy. It takes some work to carry His presence with us wherever we go. It involves staying prayed up and walking in the Spirit. It requires understanding and bearing the weight of His glory, not just in church, but in the world. Jesus is our example, remember what happened when He showed up at the wedding party. He didn’t steal the show but He sure made a difference.

Challenge:

http://www.kathleendeggelman.com/2012/07/09/

five-strategies-for-how-to-manage-time-like-a-millionaire/

I read an article that challenged me, and I put this out to you, to look at things that have become habits, especially concerning cell phones and technology in general, to determine if those habits are beneficial. Do they help cultivate His Presence and love in my life? Do I spend time in face to face communication with people on a regular basis – no phone allowed? Do we use technology as a tool or does it just captivate our time and attention feeding us dribble and junk? How much precious time do we waste on things that don't matter, things that are of no benefit to the call to love people like God does and make disciples as we support our families? Time spent can never be retrieved.

LOST IN THE CHURCH PEW

One of my pastor’s daughters, a young woman in her early twenties, wrote the following. It is self explanatory and I pray that this message will get deep in your inner man.

Just climbed into bed & I'm remembering the special time I had today with my family in the Presence of God. And I can't stop smiling. What a privilege.

The thought occurred to me that so many people don't know what God's presence

feels like. Some Christians have never heard Him speak nor have they been overwhelmed by Him. They have never been so moved by Him so they are trembling and gushing with emotion. Today & many days I have encountered the sweet tangible presence of God, yet I often take it for granted. The literal God who created the universe...He hung the stars and He moves the sea and still He wants to spend time with me. He WANTS me. He LOVES me. That's priceless.

I pray tonight for so many of my friends who may know who Jesus is, but have never really encountered Him. God is very real. And He actually talks to us. And He will change you from the inside out if you'll let Him.

I pray for God's Holy Spirit to saturate you wherever you are. That you will experience the wonderful and sweet intimacy that comes once your heart is open to receive it. I pray for a deep desire to be ignited in you- a hunger to know who He is...drawing you closer & closer to Him. I pray that you'll feel what I've felt. And you'll know what I know- you'll hear God speak His promises over your life and you'll understand who you are.

You are a child of the God of all creation. He calls you His.

                                                         —Feeling thankful, Alanna White, Nov. 2014

The young lady who wrote it has a wonderful walk with The Lord, knowing Him intimately, experiencing His closeness and unfathomable love. She experiences the reality of the old Merle Haggard song, “In the Garden”:

I come to the garden alone

While the dew is still on the roses

And the voice I hear falling on my ear

The son of God discloses.

Chorus

And he walks with me and he talks with me

And he tells me I am his own

And the joy we share as we tarry there

None other has ever known

He speaks and the sound of his voice is so sweet

The birds hush their singing

And the melody that he gave to me

Within my heart is ringing.

Chorus

I'd stay in the garden with him

Though the night around me is falling

But He bids me go through the voice of woe

His voice to me is calling...

Chorus

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/merlehaggard/hewalkswithmeinthegarden.html

Alanna’s post immediately stirred my heart. I long for the inexplicable wonder of the Manifest Presence of God. Such experiences produce a burden in the heart for other believers in the Lord Jesus to know Him like this; even more so, a desperate cry for the salvation of the lost. How many people go through the religious motions, show up for church often but don’t know the Lord Jesus personally? How many have prayed a sinner’s prayer but never come to grips with the Lordship of Christ and true repentance? OH WHAT THEY ARE MISSING!! These are the ones I refer to as “Lost in the Pew.”

I posted a FB note just a few days before her word expressing this concern. A “witness of” has direct, personal knowledge of what they speak of. I define a “Witnesser” as one just speaking what they heard, spitting out words they may have been taught but no firsthand knowledge of what they speak.

ARE YOU A WITNESSER OR                                                 A WITNESS OF?

What is the difference between evangelizing and becoming a witness of who Jesus is? It is good to do the correct things we have been instructed to do BUT when our actions flows out of a transformed heart it is a whole other story. One is never fulfilled living by the law, following lists of do's and don'ts. Jesus is the Word made flesh and His desire is for us to experience the Word becoming such a part of who we are too. Thus we see the difference between a witnesser who speaks about what Jesus does and a witness of who Jesus is. No doubt that this a lifelong process, a progression that the Lover of our soul draws us through. The prayer of the Shulamite in the Song of Solomon, "Draw me and I will run after you" becomes the longing of our hearts as we allow Jesus to take us through this process. As you read the Song of Solomon you see that her prayers started out much more “I” centric and gradually became centered on her lover. It is a lifelong thru all the nice, and not so nice, places and phases of this temporary life in this house of flesh. One day we are released from the temporal to the celestial, "then shall we ever be with The Lord." Until then may our lives become that witness of the person of Jesus, ever showing His characteristics, His eternal love as described in 1Cor. 13. Doing so requires the empowerment that the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is all about and that facilitates continual surrender of the self will to God's will.

Allow me to express this same concept from another perspective that drives home the importance of every believer “getting it,” allowing Jesus to reveal Himself to us by taking us through the process. Think of the Church as an orchestra. Each instrument needs to be tuned so that the Lord will hear the symphonies he is listening for. The tuning process can be rough as the strings get tighter than they are comfortable being. The cumulative sound of untuned instruments is offensive to a skilled musician's ears but He knows how beautiful a sound will result from the tuning process. The Master musician will bring out the sounds of those often rough looking instruments more beautiful and effective than anyone ever imagined. This Divinely inspired and directed music will resound globally and bring transformation to hearts.

It has often been said, to know Him is to Love Him." As believers in the Risen Lord Jesus we live a life of joyful obedience. We can experience His joy and peace even in the toughest trials of life. His love is expressed so abundantly when we are doing right AND when we need His corrections. Repentance quickly becomes a lifestyle. Loving the Manifest Presence of God in a church service, in the prayer closet or anywhere else is a passionate pursuit. May all who know of what I speak share it with those who do not.