The Power of Proceeding Possibilities

~ The Nexus of Nexts…

Faith is independent of what we can see or discern with our physical senses. Praying for things that are easily discernible physically can often block our faith as the ‘temporal reality’ of ‘what is’ blocks our vision of ‘what could be’ or ‘what is, by faith.’

A more excellent way, or a ‘purer form of faith’, therefore, is to pray for things that are totally unseen or not discernible physically.

God has invited me to intercede for the ‘next’ in a series of important events or things in my life, including:

1.    The ‘next generation’ of my unborn descendants.

It seems that the current generation is so rapture oriented that we assume we are likely the last generation. Thus, we miss a major opportunity to sow powerful spiritual seeds into the next generation. According to Jeremiah 1:5, God knows these individuals, their personalities, giftings, purposes, etc. He knows when and under which circumstances they will be born, will live, and will die, and, eventually whether they will embrace His salvation gift. The prayer of faith enables me to sow spiritual seeds into their lives before they are born, with prayers that will remain before God, like incense, for a long time. God honors faith, and I can think of no better way to exercise pure faith than to pray for those who are yet to cross the threshold into this life. If you have offspring, you may likely have yet unborn generations to come from your loins. 

2.    The ‘next need’ I will experience, reflecting/mirroring a greater need in the life of someone for whom God is nudging me to pray. (See: Putting a Face on Faith) Needs we have may very well be mere faint mirror reflections of much deeper needs being felt by someone else on planet earth. In this manner, needs could be regarded as God’s invitations and reminders to us to intercede. In the spirit of exercising purer faith, praying for needs that have yet to manifest is ‘getting ahead of the 8 ball’, so to speak. Again, our needs may not be solely our own, but possibly God’s excellent way to encourage us to progress in the walk of love by interceding for others with similar needs. This way, we don’t have to wonder what to pray for…just let your needs point the way!

3.    The ‘next desire’ I will experience, reflecting a greater, more intense desire in the life of someone for whom God is nudging me to pray for, based on #2 above.

4. The ‘next person’ I will have an opportunity to get to know. The past, present and future are ever before God. He knows the nitty-gritty details of the life of the next person you are about to meet. In the spirit of ‘purer faith’ based totally on things yet unseen (not yet manifested), praying for this person, your meeting, and potential relationship sows powerful seeds in advance, and sets you up to be able to say, ‘Hey, I’ve been praying for you specifically!’ when you first meet the person. Great conversation starter this is!

5. The ‘next step’ to take during a current of future trial. Whenever we encounter a trial or test, the natural inclination is to look for the way out! While God promises to provide a way out (plus, He always is/becomes the way), He usually leads us out one step, one insight at a time. Praying in advance for this single, crucial ‘next step’, as opposed to the way out, exercises and increases our faith that we will eventually and successfully exit the trial or test in His grace.

I extend to you God’s invitation to me, to tap into the power of proceeding possibilities by engaging in intercessory prayer en avance for your own ‘nexus of nexts’ that will shape and define the you that you are becoming.

The Love Walk vs. Strife?

Strife is diametrically opposite to love.

Strife and striving manifest themselves in hate, anger, bitterness, irritation, disagreement, disagreeableness, wrath, perversity, transgression, contentions, deceit, divisions, quarreling, evil suspicions, disputes, reviling, backbiting, envy, murder, gossip, frustration, angst, selfishness, etc.

Strife, in a nutshell, is an evil spirit destined to sow discord and distance between human beings – pushing them apart physically, emotionally, psychologically, financially, socially, economically, conceptually, etc. Like offense, strife is a temptation from satan and his crew of demons, but it is one we don’t have to accept, but one we so easily accept and digest simply because our spirits and minds are not sharply tuned into the frequency to know when we are operating in strife.

Strife is ushered in by pride, the mother sin.

By pride comes nothing but strife,

but with the well-advised is wisdom. (Proverbs 13:10)

God hates pride and any of its fruit. The wisdom that is with the well-advised is spiritual insight to recognize strife, know when you are operating in its devilish clutches, know how to get out post haste, and know how to help others recognize what this critical lesson so they, too, can get and stay out of its icy cold grip!

Love, on the other hand, seeks to draw human beings together through cooperation, collaboration, joint planning, consideration, forgiveness, generosity, giving, mutually honoring/esteeming/preferring each other, helping, guiding, encouraging, caring for each other, admonishing, building up each other, teaching, instructing, supervising, correcting in love, etc.

Getting off of the love walk and into any situation of strife automatically means getting temporarily off the path of righteousness (Psalm 23), and temporarily getting out of The Secret Place of the Most High and from under His Wing. (Psalm 91)  The big, fat risk of getting out of love is how quickly the curse of the law (Deuteronomy 28, which we voluntarily embrace whenever we turn our backs on walking in love) quickly compounds and widens the gulf between people and us, and God and us.

Key: Faith works through and by love

In order for our faith to work effectively, efficiently and unhindered, we must stay in love and on the well-lit pathway of doing what is right (righteousness). Faith can be hindered, blocked or rendered ineffective when we walk in strife in any area of life. Imagine entering into relationships (personal, business, social, etc.) with people who are inclined to slip easily into, and remain for long periods of time in strife. The bitterness of strife that has engulfed these people will eventually embitter every facet of their life, and will eventually spill over to ruin your life, too.

Strife is a rapidly spreading, metastasizing, spiritual cancer. Treat it like a venomous snake and you’ll have no problem with it.

In Galatians 5:19-23, Paul includes strife in a long list of the works of the flesh. He then he contrasts all of these works with the Fruit of the Spirit. Clearly, strife is positioned as the fruit of the anti-Christ, not the Fruit of the Spirit:

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, reveling, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

According to this scripture, operating in strife, to God, is just like practicing witchcraft! Being married to someone who regularly and easily/helplessly falls into and remains for extended periods in strife is, therefore, like being married to a witch or wizard. Prettttttty heavy, but there it is in black and white. This is written to show us the gravity of these things, and how diligently we need to lean on God’s grace power to stay out of it, and to help others to get and stay out of it. 

James 3:16 confirms strife literally opens the flood-gates of hell to allow into our lives every evil thing the devil can throw at us because we are on his territory when operating in strife:

For where envying and strife is, there is

confusion and every evil work.

Solomon and Paul give us the anti-dote for the cancer of strife:

·      A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1)

·      Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than themselves. (Philippians 2:3)

Marriage: A Threesome Experience

Marriage can only work as a “threesome experience.” 

OK, please hear me out for a minute.

Single women in Muslim countries often express an interest to become the “third person” in an established marriage, e.g., a second wife, perhaps believing that the right concept is to be honorable and responsible, and bring all desired intimate relationships within the institution of marriage. 

Satan, the author of all lies and deception, inverts God’s right concept about marriage as a threesome experience.  Rather, what is needed is to have the concept right and to understand God’s original intention.

Marriage was created by God and, like everything else He established, can ONLY work the right way if it's HIS way.  The reason for the high divorce rates in the world is that we are all trying it "My Way!" -- OUR way.  This high rate is evidence of the failure of our way.  His way is that marriage be a threesome experience:  man + woman + God. 

Only as man and woman are "married" to God

first and continually, through Christ,

can they be "effectively" married to each other.

Bottom line:  The Holy Scripture advises, "Whatever you do, do it as unto Christ/God."  (Eph. 6:6-7).  This includes marriage.  Two imperfect people with imperfect, wounded hearts can only love imperfectly, yet we expect perfection and fairness.  One repeatedly steps on the others' toes to the point that the other begins to pull his/her feet out of the way!  Fear, hurt, resentment, anxiety, anger set in.  Alone-ness follows, leading to adultery and idolatry of the mind and heart, and eventually to sin and its deathly cold, lingering wages. 

The answer is a three-way marriage in which both persons are initially married to God/Christ, then to each other, and committed to loving each other so as, not to please each other, but to please God - putting a smile on HIS face.  It is tough to do this and, at the same time, expect fairness and to be loved perfectly in a marriage.  Indeed, these concepts may not be applicable in a three-way marriage. 

Before getting engaged to be married, practice being married to Christ!  Accept the Spirit of Christ as your “wife and husband,” and through that relationship, allow Him to TEACH you how to be married and how to live in a marriage "as unto Him."  Then allow Him to find you a partner who is also comfortable with the idea of such a three-way marriage!  DON'T let sin – in any form, motivate, push or pull you into a marriage.  You'll regret it forever!!!  Would you deliberately plant a weed seed while planting a rose garden, knowing that weed will out-grow and eventually choke the roses?!

When I was a boy growing up, my widowed God-Mother used to testify frequently during church services, "I am married to Jesus!"  Admittedly, as a young lad, I had problems understanding this concept.....until I personally became divorced.  wOw!, what a revelation. 

While the concept of a three-way marriage may sound strange at first glance, I invite you to re-read and reflect on the above insights … prayerfully.  If you are already married, consider how you might expand and engage the Spirit of Christ in the “tent of your marriage.”

Hey, You Already Have Everything

The Bible says that God has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness (2Pet. 1: 2-3), and that God would give to us the desires of our hearts as we delight ourselves in Him (Ps 37).  It also admonishes us, when we ask for something of God, to believe that we have already received it, and we shall have it (Mark 11).  This may sound like circuitous thinking, and it is definitely not the way of the world.  Rather, it is the fundamental principle of faith on which the Kingdom of God operates.  Faith calls those things that are not yet physically here as though they are here already. 

We can do that because all things have been created already and, as far as we are concerned, they fit into three categories:

1. Things created and already given to us in this life: those that pertain to life and godliness
2. Things already created and that will be given to us in this life: the desires of our heart, receipt of which is conditional upon our delighting ourselves in Him
3. Things already created that will be given to us in eternity:  these things do not pertain to life and godliness on this plane, but are only pertinent to life after physical death and resurrection.  They include a new, immortal body, heavenly mansions, and other things that pertain to living on a new plane.

We can assume that everything in the third category is already created, because (a) according to Genesis, God has completed His creational works and (b) Jesus said He was going to “prepare” a place for us, not to create it (from scratch).

But where are and how do we “receive” those things that have been already given and that will be given to us in this life?  And if they are or will be given, by what route will they take to get to us physically?  What tools, techniques, concepts and approaches can we effectively and consistently apply to improve the “efficiency” by which we regularly receive and manifest these things?

Two revelations address this set of questions.  First, God is Spirit and He deals with us by and through our spirits, which reflect His image.  Second, God works through the “seed principle” – or the Law of Seeds by which we understand that everything physical emanated from a seed (which, at the most rudimentary level, is a thought or idea expressed, typically in word form) and that seeds reproduce after their own kind, following a period of planting/sowing, germination/gestation/growing, and harvesting.  Thus, God provides to us all things in the form of “spiritual seed” within our spirits which we are responsible for perceiving, planting, growing and harvesting.

The nature of “spirit,” relative to the physical universe, is unlimited, immeasurable, omni-present, whereas all things in the physical universe are marked by the nature of being limited, measurable and positioned according to “locational coordinates.”  Further, science believes that the physical universe continues to expand in all directions at the speed of light.  This is substantiated Biblically in that the Bible only records God as commanding light (physical or enlightenment or both?) to “be” or to “be let” (e.g., let out of Himself) into physical manifestation.  I like to imagine that, at the time of that command, physical light exploded on the scene from the “seed of His Words,” originating from a single point, penetrating the darkness in all (3 dimensional) directions, and has continued in the same manner since then, since the Bible does not suggest that God ever said “Ok, that’s far enough!” Thus, the physical universe, while pretty big, is finite and expanding, but still and will forever remain finite but growing, as compared to our spirits which are infinite, in the image of God Himself.  

Since our spirits are “bigger” than the physical universe, I imagine that, spiritually (and mentally, since there is no limit to our imaginations), we can “escape” the confines of the physical universe to the point that we can see the universal, creational light expanding like a 3-dimensional ball of light.  In this vein, one of my favorite relaxation meditations is to “collapse” the physical universe down to the size of a grain of sand, and see it resting safely in the Hands of God, with me either right beside Him or inside (co-existing in the same non-physical space with) Him.  Can you grasp this incredible picture? 

Somehow, this meditative picture helps to “shrink” the size of whatever problems confronting me at the time, and assures me not only that God has all things under His control, but also that, in Him, I am bigger than any problem that comes against me, physically or spiritually.  Further, seeing the universe from this perspective, and then reentering it “en route” back to my physical location (and seeing the grandeur of the universe on the way!) is a healthy reminder that “all this grew or manifested from God’s faith in His spoken Word, and that He has given to me “a measure of that same faith” (Romans 12:3) and both a command and promise that “the just/righteous person shall live by His faith!” (Habakkuk 2:4) 

Have you noticed that God has made us so that we think in pictures.  Since we are made in His image, I presume that He also may think in pictures.  The Bible is chock full of incredible word pictures that produce faith or fear!

God commands us to live by faith and to believe we have already received what we need and ask for in faith.  Since we think in pictures, we must receive by faith by effectively sharpening in our minds the “word pictures” of what we need or desire to the point that, somehow, these pictures become “more real” than the current, temporary reality – or actuality -- in which we exist.  When activated by our corresponding faith-filled actions, God transforms into physical matter our “words and word picture seeds,” planted into the “soil of faith,” into the physical substance of our needs and desires. 

This point is hinted and vividly demonstrated in Christ’s words, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.” (Matt. 5:35)  So we see that we do indeed have spiritual (unseen) “treasures” in our hearts, as stated above!!  So now that the location of the treasures is re-confirmed, what exactly is the treasure and how do we excavate it?  The next two verses in Jesus’ discourse reveals the answer: “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matt. 5:36-37)  So this clearly confirms that the treasures within our hearts are both revealed and brought forth by the words of our mouths – words spoken in full belief or faith, be they good or evil.  Words are the spiritual seeds to our physical reality.    

What’s really real anyway?  What we call “reality” is constantly changing and evolving, so doesn’t that make it somewhat “less real?”  What you knew as reality yesterday is no longer real today.  In effect, the Christian will know that the only solid, unchangeable reality is the Word of God.  God, therefore, represents “the multi-dimensional base coordinates” from which all temporal reality – or actuality -- is established.

So we see that God has already created and given to us whatever we need, and promises to give more (our desires) on a conditional basis of our delighting ourselves in Him.  (Psalms 37:4) He has given us these things in our spirits – spiritual seeds.  The thoughts of our minds (which the Words says He establishes as we commit our way unto the Lord – Proverbs 16:3), the desires of our regenerated hearts (which conform to His Will), and the unctions or notions of our spirits (which are likely His ploddings) are simply His way of nudging us to focus in on and crystallize the word pictures to start the transformation process.  In this regard, the word, “desire” can be broken down into “de” (of) and “sire” (father).

Like dipping punch, we use the “ladle” of our tongues (words) and corresponding actions, in faith, to dip deeply into our spirits and commence the process of transforming the spiritual “seed of our needs/desires” into physical substance.  Clearly then, faith IS the spiritual substance (spiritual seed) of physical things hoped for, and the evidence of physical things not yet manifested on this plane.  

Our limited minds tend to focus only on one or a few things at a time, as we strain like a severely constipated person or birthing mother to “birth forth” the idea or thing that we need or desire from within our spirits.  How inefficient, limiting and sad.  Rather, God would prefer us to embrace life as a whole in the abundance in which He has already provided, and simply consider that “all things have:

§  already been given: by God to us as spiritual seed matter

§  already been received: by us within our spirits, and

§  already been done: as we, in faith, see them as “done,” i.e., transformed from spiritual seed into physical matter in the form of our needs and desires

As we embrace this construct, we embrace God’s abundant life for us, rather than struggling with trying to get one thing at a time from God.  We struggle and typically fall short on the third point of being able to focus clearly and crystallize the word pictures in our minds to the point that they are more real than the temporary reality in which we live. 

For those of you struggling with this, Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, wrote in Ecclesiastes 3:15, “That which is has already been, and what is to be has already been, and God requires an account of what is past.” (NKJ)  This suggests the existence of a form of spiritual “déjà vu.”  Those who embrace it will have little difficulty believing and creatively envisioning that we already have what we ask and desire. 

In fact, Hollywood, which seemingly gets many of its movie ideas from Biblical principles (e.g., Star Wars), has created several excellent aids to facilitate our imaging job, namely several outstanding movies based on the déjà vu (time travel) principle (e.g., Back to the Future, Déjà Vu, Star Trek and many others).  Hey, if it works to make beau coup money in Hollywood, why not let it work for you to achieve God’s purpose for your life??

One of my favorite Hollywood imaginations, which is, in fact, based on clear Bible principles, is the concept of your “future self” leaving a critical message for “your past or current self” as when Captain Kirk of the star ship, Enterprise, would travel backwards or forwards in the not-to-distant past or future to leave a message for his past or current self about avoiding a critical, erroneous decision he’s about the make.  This tidbit of information is just what is needed to save the day and the current or future mission.

Similarly, God reveals that, in Him, the past, present and future are all NOW – simultaneously.  There is no time, space or distance in the world of spirit.  God says believers who live by faith already have the victory in Him, and are already “seated with Him in heavenly places.”  In effect, your “current self” needs only to realize that your “future self” is already there, and that you are merely walking a path of which the details have already been walked…by you!  The needs and desires of your life have already been met, and your future self, standing there at God’s finish line, already knows this!  Instinctively, you should, too! 

Profession:  I have the “all things” kind of power.  If it’s a “thing,” I can do it; I can call it; and I have dominion over it!  In Faith which works by Love, I call things that are not as though they are and they BECOME.  All things are mine in service to others and in satisfaction of my needs and desires because I seek first God’s Kingdom and my right-standing with Him, and ALL THINGS follow and fall in their places.

Our Very Personal God

Here is an interesting idea for meditation...

Think about just how closely and intimately our God is involved with our lives.  The Bible paints a vivid and colorful picture of just how much His personal "body" (so to speak) is literally wrapped up in YOU~~~

• His seed spawned you
• His hand is upon you
• You are  the apple of His eye
• Your prayers are sweet incense to His nose
• He shares His mind with you
• His hand is open to supply you
• His ear is open to your cries and prayers
• His personal rainbow light and glory are upon you
• His eye is fixed upon you
• He carries your burdens on His shoulder
• His voice is easily perceptible to your spirit’s ear
• His back is never turned to you
• He guides you by His eye
• His shoulder is always available and strong enough for you to lean upon
• His arm is always long enough to save and keep you
• Your name is inscribed on His palm
• Wounds on His body are for you personally
• Words of His tongue are your source and supply
• His brow, feet, hands and side were pierced for you
• His back was ripped to bloody shreds for you personally
• His heart was broken for you personally
• Members of His body are your new family
• His fist will never come against you
• He will trample your enemies under His feet
• He will judge your enemies with the sharp, two edged sword in His mouth
• He will carry the government of your future world upon His shoulder

Now think … with such an incredible personal and intimate investment in you, don’t dare think the situational challenges facing you today are unnoticed. 

They are merely His “set-ups”

to demonstrate to you and others just how vested He is in you.

Wrong Foundations of Marriage > Broken Home

In The Mouths of Two or Three Witnesses

The Word of God says to let every thing be established in the mouths of two or three witnesses. Have you ever noticed that any and all important pointers in Scripture are echoed more than once and often at least THREE times! In other words, The Lord TAKES/FOLLOWS HIS OWN ADVICE! It’s like He is ‘triangulating’ coordinates to plant specific spiritual seeds, to produce a specific physical result, at a specific location, and at a specific time.

Similarly, have you ever noticed that bad news often comes in 'two’s or three’s'?  Again, satan can only mimic and invert what he has seen and sees The Lord doing, but in the reverse direction and for the inverse effect(s).

  

As The Lord established the principle of assured reliance on three coordinates, have you ever notice how important 'three' is in'life:

--Past, present and future

--Good (and bad?) things often come in 3s

--The Holy Trinity

--Triangulation is critical to achieving clear focus and targeting

--Triage (which has its French origins in “three”)

--Jesus said “…that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.”

--Physical space is 3 dimensional, so locational coordinates for physically locating things and places are also in THREES (3s):

--Time locations (e.g., birthdays and dates) in general are expressed in 3 parts (M/D/Y)

--Geographical locations are expressed as longitude, latitude and altitude (or depth)

Spiritual 'coordinates' are also in 3s:

--Scriptures quoted in book, chapter and verse

--Events occur in Heaven, across the heavens, and/or on Earth

--Key players are The Trinity, holy angels and fallen angels

Yet, there is neither time nor distance (physical coordinates) in the world of spirit.  There, the past, present and future are collapsed into the NOW, the ALWAYS IS, or the ETERNAL.

 

'Whatever happens in the physical world has its spiritual coordinates...

Everything man is, does, handles, projects, and interacts with

is interpenetrated with the spiritual.'

^{Steyne, Philip M., Gods of Power. p. 39, 1989}

How the Mighty Have Fallen

Little Jack was working himself into a bit of a frenzy. He simply could not wait for his dad to wrap up what seemed like a never-ending phone. After he had awakened early, did all of his assigned household chores and eaten breakfast, he watched a few Saturday morning cartoons on TV for a while. His mom was out shopping, and the time for movie theaters to open was fast approaching, yet his dad was locked into this unending phone conversation with some guy. Had it slipped his mind that this was the first Saturday for the new movie craze, “The Simpsons,” to be out? His dad had promised a few days earlier to take Jack to the first showing of this movie of the family’s favored cartoon characters. 

Jack paced the hall by his dad’s spacious home office, peering anxiously at his new watch as he crossed the doorway, trying to catch his dad’s eye, but without any success. Should he just to interrupt the conversation? Nope. Jack remembered his dad’s last few reactions when he interrupted important business calls, not to mention the punishments he got. He needed his dad to be in a good mood, at least this morning. So back to watching cartoons he went, keeping an ear tuned in for an end to this incredibly long phone call.

Finally, the call ended and his dad strode into the kitchen to eat breakfast. “Breakfast?!,” Jack yelled out? “What about seeing “The Simpsons” movie like you promised?” “Agrhhhh, I completely forgot all about that, son,” his dad sighed. “Let’s go, we still have time to make it to the first showing, like I promised…” 

So out the door they dashed to see “America’s favored family,” like millions of other kids…and adults all over the world that week…yes, the world, thanks to the movie industry’s new, worldwide simultaneous release technology. Gone are the days when audiences overseas must await the slow arrival of hundreds of pounds of reels from the US to enjoy what would have too quickly become “old hat” or “stale news” from fast-paced Hollywood releases.

With the release of this movie, I earnestly pray that America has now reached its lowest possible point, and are now unable to sink any further. America was founded on solid Biblical principles, though flawed in their interpretation and application in many areas. We can now only ponder, “how the mighty have fallen,” when one of the best icons of American culture and values and our “most beloved” role model family …The Simpsons – a dysfunctional cartoon family headed by an irreverent, donut-crazed Homer Simpson.

Is there any life remaining in our “founding roots” as a nation? The sponsors of this movie reportedly only agreed to support the venture if it would succeed in “making the audience forget that it is watching a cartoon.” (Quote by sponsor on “Entertainment Tonight”). This may be the clearest indication of how far we indeed have fallen…of how much we may see ourselves … in the Simpsons.

Kept In All My Ways (Psalm 91)

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty

        He who dwells in the shelter … will rest in the shadow …

…dwells in the shelter …. rest in the shadow…

He who dwells … will rest …

Dwells …rest …

As I sat there, motionless with anticipation in the court waiting room, I heard what sounded like the voices of hundreds of people, quietly repeating the above refrain. My quick scan of the room revealed no speakers that might be connected to a public address or stereo system, but this steady stream of sound was unbroken. Overlapping, as in a round … on the order of ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat’ Different voices, some deep, others high pitched, and every pitch or tenor in between. I was the only witness awaiting the trial, and there was no receptionist nearby. It literally felt as if the voices were strangely projecting from the very stones of the building.

He who dwells in… the Most High… will rest… He who dwells in the shelter… 

rest in the shadow… dwells in the shadow…   
He who… He who…

Countless voices softly echoing these words.

As I sat there contemplating this curiosity, I found myself gently breathing almost to the rhythm of the refrain, relaxing, letting go of tensions of the week. And were there tensions. That week, I found myself knee deep in tensions at work, at home, in social relationships, and even at church where I typically find some degree of relief from life’s strains and stresses. Not this week. I wasn’t sure if I was going through a trial of my faith, or temptation to let my guard down and delve head-on into strife-ridden situations in order to forge acceptable solutions.

But those voices. Who, where, why, how? My mind flooded with a truck load of questions, with no one in site to ask.

He who…who dwells…shall….he….rest….

The unwavering rounds continued.

The time for my hearing drew close. I could hear the echo of footsteps of someone coming towards me from down a long hall. As this person drew closer, I discerned he was walking to the rhythm of the voices which also echoed down the hall. He motioned me to join him, returning in the direction from which he had come. I clumsily gathered my personal effects, and walked briskly towards him. As I approached him, I was struck by the brilliance of his face and hands, the only parts of his body that were exposed. ‘Light white’ is all I could think of. He quickly turned his back to me and I followed silently, yet not in silence. As we walked, I quickly noticed the volume and intensity of the voices increased every so gradually, maintaining the steady rhythm of the rounds. My attempts to get the attention of my escort were futile. His strides were much greater than mine, because though I am over 6 feet tall, I am sure this person was well over 7 feet tall; reminding me of the tall, lanky Masai tribe warriors I visited in Kenya. It was all I could do to keep up with him as he strode to the rhythm of the voices. I felt like a little child struggling to keep up with an adult walking at a normal pace.

As we neared the end of the hall, I saw a door with several small windows arranged in an indecipherable design, through which streamed the brightest light I can imagine. Some of the panes of the door must have been stained glass or prisms, because it appeared as if the light coming through them was changing colors, reflecting all the colors of a rainbow. ‘How curiously beautiful’, I thought.

My escort extended his long arm to open the door, and motioned for me to enter the court. As he did, the volume of the voices suddenly increased, literally flooding every fiber of my being. Bass voices deeper than deep can imagine. Rich tenor and soprano voices reflecting an incredible strength and conviction. Voices, voices, seemingly thousands of voices flooding my being as I entered the court.

Scanning the room, I quickly saw hundreds of persons resembling my escort, but I was taken aback as I realized they were not the sources of the voices. As my escort guided me to the witness stand, I looked around and saw no discernible evidence of a public address or sound system. I saw only The Judge and one Attorney standing before the Judge’s bench, which was exceptionally high, and from which light emanated that filled the room and the faces of everyone therein.

As soon as I was seated, I was startled by the reverberating BANG of the gavel, and a rich, deep voice saying, ‘This court is now in session’.

A split second before the second syllable of the word, ‘ses-sion’ was spoken, all of the voices suddenly stopped! For a brief moment, there was total silence, with all eyes on me. A sole voice broke the silence. Deep baritone in tenor, speaking slowly, and sounding as if echoing from a mountain peak across a long, deep valley, it said,

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty…

This is the policy of The High Court.

Almost as if speaking on cue, I felt an incredible surge of energy and faith swelling inside of me, bubbling up my chest, into my throat and out of my mouth. These words shot past of my lips with a level of faith heretofore unknown,‘I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust!’’

‘Where did that come from’, I wondered? I could feel all eyes in the room fixed intently and approvingly upon me, signaling I was somehow not out of order. I released a great sigh of relief, and noticed movement in the court. The sole Attorney who was present was approaching me. With a confident stride, a strong, bright face and calming eyes that seemed to peer right through me, He started his discourse…

Looking at me and pointing to the Judge, He belted out,

Surely He will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.

I struggled unsuccessfully to decipher the meaning of these words that pierced through my consciousness. He continued, pacing across the courtroom.

A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. As you make the Most High your dwelling - even the LORD, who is My refuge - then no harm will befall you; no disaster will come near your dwelling.

I sat there taking in all of this. The splendor of the court, the brightness of the light, with no obvious electrical source. ‘Why only one Attorney’, I wondered? ‘What a magnificent Judge’s desk’, I thought. ‘When will I be questioned’, I pondered as I tried to refocus on the marvelous words and affirmations streaming out of the soul of this Attorney who spoke so convincingly.

Speaking to me but facing and motioning with His hand to those bright faces in the audience, He continued,

For He will command His angels concerning you to guard and keep you in all your ways.  They will lift you up in their hands, so you will not strike your foot against a stone.

‘Angels?!’, I gasped quietly. ‘Then that means the He must be….’ ‘Even if you tread upon the lion and the cobra’, He continued, interrupting my thought, ‘…or trample upon the great lion and the serpent, they will not hurt you!’

I sat there motionless and in awe of what I was seeing and hearing. Though I was the witness, in reality, He was witnessing to me rather than poking me with dozens of lawyerly questions as in any normal trial or court hearing. Once again, I gasped.

As if cutting off this Lawyer’s fine discourse in mid-stream, for the second time, I heard the overpowering voice of The Judge. ‘Because he loves Me’, he thundered, ‘I, even I will rescue him; I will protect him, because he acknowledges My Name!’

With mouths open agasp, all of the angels fixed their gaze upon The Judge sitting on His splendid and lofty bench, and robed in indescribable majesty and brilliance. He continued,‘He will call upon Me, and I, even I will answer him.’

Then He turned and stared intently at me in a brief moment of silence, which felt like an eternity. My mind raced to review everything I had witnessed thus far. I recalled just about every TV show and movie I had ever seen about holding court, and tried to sift and sort what might happen next. ‘Is it now my turn to be interrogated? What does all of this mean?’, I wondered

My heart thumped irregularly as if in my throat, and I could feel large beads of sweat begin to form on my brow. The palms of my hands became moist as He continued, addressing me personally for the first time. ‘I will be with you in trouble, to deliver you and honor you.’

‘What manner of speech is this for a Judge of such magnificence to address a wretch like me?’, I thought. ‘Is this a dream or what?’ The words, ‘I …will … honor … you…’ reverberated in my ears. I felt a large drop of perspiration roll down my brow into my eye, triggering a tear from the stinging saltiness. I gasped to catch my breath as He continued.‘With  l-o-n-g  life will I satisfy you and show you My salvation.’

By now, a flood of tears had washed the salty sweat from my eyes as I was overcome with emotion at the gracious words I had just heard from this Judge. Looking around the courtroom in repose, to take it all in, all I could see was exceedingly bright and broad smiles …from my Attorney and his attending angels. I was shocked out of my brief repose by the thunderous sound of the Judge’s gavel being struck, signaling adjournment of this High Court.

Simultaneous with the sound of the gavel, the now thousands of voices I heard from the beginning, once again began their refrain. But this time, they were not soft, nor were they repeating in rounds. Rather, as in one incredibly united, confident voice, they continually repeated,

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty!

As I sat there still trying to discern the sources of these melodious voices, my escort angel quickly ushered me out of the courtroom, back into and down the hall. He remained silent, yet radiated a great sense of satisfaction and peace. This time, I managed to keep up with his long strides. I decided to respect his silence. After all, I didn’t know what words I could say in response to all that we had just witnessed.

We approached the entry door, which he graciously opened for me. With a wide smile, he turned and said to me, ‘Praise The Lord our God, we all now have our (marching) orders concerning you!’    

For He will command His angels concerning me,

to keep me in all my ways…