So You Wanna Dance

"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness...." (Psalm 30:11)

This can only happen when the New Birth produces conversion, which means, "to turn to another or a particular...purpose...."  

Bob Mumford recently wrote, "Many are miserable simply because they cannot control God and make Him do what they think is reasonable....Our certitude, both religious and philosophical, forms strongholds that are mental pre-suppositions that prevent us from knowing God."  I have met many in my lifetime who reflect Mumford's statement.  One thing for us all to remember is that "reasonable" and presuppositional strongholds infect us all.  Those who walk in victory over such strongholds, however, are those who accept, "The Word of God," as their source, suppositions, reason.  Again, this can only happen through Biblical conversion.

The main result of conversion is acceptance of the Bible as our guide, and not just the saying or nodding of this.  Rather, when we surrender our lives to Jesus Christ, we "turn to another... particular... purpose."  Tolstoy said, "I ceased desiring for what I had wished for before."  Jesus in His Words changes our life style, our purpose, direction. "Mourning" is usually the result of living a life of the "certitude [of our] mental presuppositions."  They just seem to follow us wherever we go, competing with, "the Words of God."  Whom and what we choose to obey and live by determines how we can "dance."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I have no qualms about agreeing with the psalmist.  My, "mourning," my, "sackcloth," were only, "put off," by You.  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

I Saw A River Full Of Debris--But The River Ruled

"All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You, for the kingdom is the Lord's, and He rules over the nations....The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein." (Psalm 22:27, 28; 24:1)

"....the kingdom..., He rules....The earth is the Lord Jesus Christ's."  This means, Jesus reigns in the earth.  Kingdom is government, and no matter what is happening, "Jesus rules....The earth... and everything in it, the world and all who live in it."  Man just thinks he's in control.

I had sort of a vision last Sunday during our church service.  I saw a large river cluttered with debris, sort of like film we have all seen of floods or tsunamis.  What impressed me, however, was the fact that the river was still flowing, and in the same direction it had been flowing.  As the river flowed, it kept accumulating debris, but the course never changed.  The river, not the debris, was in charge.  This is human history.  Man's sin has cluttered and destroyed so much, yet the direction of history has not changed.  As Graham once put it, "History is headed toward a dramatic climax."  History is a great river, yes, with currents, eddies and backwashes, but nothing you, nor I, nor any human, nor force in history can change the course of His-story.

For most, Christianity is a very "personal thing," nothing to be shared with others, just me, my, mine, bless me, prosper me, take care of me.  Now The Blessed Trinity gave Himself for me in the Blood of His Cross, He blesses me, prospers me, takes care of me.  But while this means to so many, "I'll take it from here," the reality is that Jesus, "rules over the nations," more literally, Jesus is, "the governor among the nations."  Perhaps what frightened Pilate most is what frightens most today, "This is Jesus, King of [the nations]".  Savior, Provider is one thing, "rules over," is quite another.

The moment I surrendered my life to Jesus I became a citizen of The Kingdom of God/Heaven.  I cannot claim Jesus as my Savior if Jesus does not, "rule over," me.  If you and I stop and think about it today, our problems, failures in life occurred when we have ruled our lives.  Nothing good comes of self-will.  When Jesus rules me, however, nothing but good comes of it.  Your life, my life, the lives of all humanity, now and throughout history, have resembled the debris-filled river I saw.  We have made a mess of so much, but the river keeps flowing, because Jesus Who, "rules over the nations," rules throughout history.    

Father, in Jesus' Name, I know this, but I want You to rule "this."  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

Psalm 22:27, 28; 24:1; 25:14-- "Kingdom" mentioned 104 times in the Gospels and "Church" mentioned 3 times.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

"....Senses Exercised"

"But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." (Hebrews 5:14)

The only, "solid food," is the, "words of God," not my devotional, not that great preacher's words.

The only way to "have...senses exercised to discern both good and evil," is to be full of the, "solid food," which is, "The Word of God," Jesus Christ and His Words.  "....To discern both good and evil," is not a natural trait.  It is only the product of, "solid food."  A person who "operates in the gifts of the spirit" yet is not totally committed to the, "God-Breathed," Words is a false prophet.

My latter New Testament reading for today had me in Hebrews 5.  I decided, however, to read the whole book at one sitting.  My Dear Lord Jesus Christ, what a powerful experience; nothing like it.  I read the words and listened to a reading of the words at the same time, "Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it...." (Revelation 1:3, NIV)  I cannot recommend it too highly.  I heard a missionary once say that when God puts "something on your heart, no matter what Scripture you start with, you always end up at the same place"-------- got me.  I love, "the Words of God," because Jesus, Word of Father, and His Words saved my soul, not just in the New Birth, but my whole life.  Too many of the days of my life I did not realize it; 45 years ago, however, I did.

What about you today?  If, "Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside" are not founded, rooted in His Words, one is in danger of false "blessings."  And no matter what seems to be one's "natural ability to read people," if he/she does not, "have their senses exercised," in, "solid food," they are headed for catastrophe.  Just look at the American population, religious and non religious alike.  America is becoming more and more a nation of stupid people, and when you read the Bible, you see the definition of "stupid."  In the Bible we see a biography of those individuals and people groups who reject, "solid food."  They are as those who advised a leader of old, "The advice of [his] wisest advisers has become stupid...."  We can feed the hungry, give to the poor, spend billions on "relief," but if people will not eat the, "solid food," they will die.

"But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil." (ESV) 

Father, in Jesus Name, thank You for, "solid food."  Amen.
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Article which addresses the event of the recent policeman/student confrontation:  jhs58.blogspot.com

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2