Fit for Higher Kingdom Use

As I pray to be fit for greater, higher, more impactful use in the Kingdom of God, I increasingly realize just how much our words are often ‘stout against us’. Words are seeds, planted in the earth realm (a word planting field) in the spiritual medium or context of either faith or fear. Faith and fear are the exact same spiritual force expressed (moving) in opposite directions, and producing opposite results. God provided us His Word(s) to use to replace our word seeds, in order to achieve and receive His kind of results. It takes retraining (renewing) our minds and flesh (especially our carnal mind and tongue) to apply this. (Habakkuk 2:4)

Here’s the rub. Our minds and tongues are so well trained in the ways of the world, that it is our first nature to use our words against us, against what we are believing for, rather than towards what we are believing for. We do this because we are well trained to provide regular situational and circumstantial reports to anyone who will lend an ear to hear about what we are currently experiencing as we walk through the fog and clouds of time. We fail to realize the extent to which…

  Situations and circumstances are spiritually designed/allowed

to reveal what we really believe, exposing what’s going on inside.

(See Jeremiah 17:10 and many other verses on how God tests mankind.)

Each time we provide situational or circumstantial reports concerning ‘what currently is’, we help to reinforce and ensure the receipt of even more of what is rather than ‘what should be, or what we desire to be/have’.

Remember, words are seeds, and they produce, sometimes quickly, sometimes over time. They both produce and reflect our system of beliefs upon which we take corresponding actions.

What’s the answer? I believe it is watching carefully over our words (spoken, written and even sung). (Matthew 12:36) While it may be challenging not to provide running commentary on current situations and circumstances we are navigating, perhaps anytime we do so should be immediately followed up by clearly stating/communicating exactly what we believe, based on the Word of God, regarding these situations and circumstances. Why? I imagine our words provide spiritual instructions or authorizations to angels (both the good and evil ones). To do otherwise is effectively planting more of the circumstantial and situational seeds to produce more of what we are already experiencing. In other ‘words’, end situational reporting by saying (planting seed) what God says about such situations. In this manner, we:

• Reinforce… our knowledge of the contextual Word
• Release… the faith to change undesirable circumstances and situations
• Rearrange… the ‘spiritual deck’ of our lives to empower God’s angels to bring to pass ‘what we say and believe’ based on His promises to the righteous

Many Christians are stout against the word of faith approach to Christian living, but in rejecting it, they likely verify the truth of this approach. From Genesis-to-Revelation, The Bible is replete with example-after-example of people either correctly applying or mis-applying this approach. Since the Word is given to instruct us, why do so many fail to learn from these examples?

Jesus, our best example, regularly prompted people to speak what was in their hearts, what they really believed. In doing so, He was quietly leading them to apply God’s kind of faith’ – speaking faith. (Mark 11:23 – 26) When they caught on, He marveled at their great faith. When they failed, He marveled at their little or no faith.

Consider spending quality time meditating on the scenes of Mark 11, the context, and its application to your situations as they ebb and flow through time. Imagine yourself actually doing what Jesus says to do. Imagine yourself quickly recognizing circumstances as invitations to say what you believe. Guess what? One way or the other, you will say exactly what you believe, and if you’re carnally-minded, it will most likely be based on fear! Better to say something in faith based on God’s promises to the righteous in Christ.

Review:  Situations and circumstances really are spiritual invitation, structured or allowed to prompt us to say something. The world says ‘seeing is believing’. The Word essentially says:

‘SAYING is BELIEVING’

….because, saint and sinner alike, we are all created in God’s image to say what we believe. Out of the abundance of our heart, our mouth speaks! Don’t be fooled. Saying what you are experiencing circumstantially without saying what you believe essentially plants seeds to receive more of what you are experiencing rather than what you are desiring to receive, which is a change in problematic situations.

As we correctly and consistently apply this Kingdom principle, we become fit for higher, more impactful use in God’s plans and purposes for our lives and the world at large.

You’re invited to speak what you believe,

and spiritually receive what you speak.

So what will you speak? Heaven’s hosts are listening.

Desmond Tutu Prefers Hell Over This

Bishop Tutu suggests he would rather spend eternity in hell than in heaven if God is homophobic.*  He reportedly said, 

I would not worship a God who is homophobic and that is how deeply I feel about this … I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven.  No, I would say sorry, I mean I would much rather go to the other place.

In expressing his choice, is the Bishop likely to win the praise of God or condemnation to a God-less eternity in hell?  Is God homophobic, as many Christians seem to assert? 

In attempting to answer this question, we Christians generally fail to distinguish between (or outright confuse) moral laws and civil laws.  Rather, as I suspect Bishop Tutu may do, we need to embrace the dictates of established (passed/enacted) civil laws that give certain rights to homosexuals and lesbians, and do so in the same manner that we recognize civil laws as pertaining to any other people who break God’s moral laws (e.g., liars, cheats, thieves, etc.). It is one thing to fight and argue for or against a proposed civil law, and another thing to embrace a civil law, once passed and enacted. Moral laws, on the other hand, are solely in God’s domain to establish, judge and enforce. He has established, and will indeed judge and enforce His moral laws, without our help!

Back to the above question. Homophobia is defined as irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality/lesbianism or homosexuals/lesbians. The word, homophobia, has two root words:

• Homo, relating to mankind and also a slang for homosexual
• Phobia, relating to fear or anxiety

To answer the question requires us first to embrace the assertion in The Bible that God IS Love, and in Him there is no fear, darkness or evil. The admonitions, “fear not” and “do not fear”, appear many times throughout the Bible. It would be a great contradiction, therefore, for God, Himself to fear anything! So let’s put this point to rest – God is not nor can He ever be “phobic”. End of discussion.

As Love itself (Himself), God is “homo-loving”, or loving of mankind. While we are able to hate people (e.g., see Psalm 139:19 – 22 and Psalm 15:4), it is impossible for Love to hate people.  God does not hate people whom He created out of Love. Some may challenge this assertion in light of the scripture, “Jacob I have loved and Esau I have hated…” (Malachi 1:2-3). Contextual analysis of this scripture is treated in many on-line references (e.g., Why did God love Jacob and hate Esau?). While we humans have considerable difficulty segregating the person from the person’s motives and actions, God has no such conflict.  It is not a conundrum for Him to “love a sinner and hate his/her sin”. He both regards and judges the heart-rooted motives, words and actions of us all because He is just as much a Judge who loves Justice, as He is Love. He perfectly blends Love and Justice, something that is difficult for us to grasp.

Given this, Bishop Tutu’s assertion is spot-on! I, too, would rather not spend an eternity with a people-hating God, or even hateful people, for that matter! I would, and I suspect Bishop Tutu might also welcome spending an eternity with an all-loving God who has both the right and responsibility to judge sin and wickedness, none of which can enter into His Heaven, whether it be the so-called ‘little white lie’, homosexuality, lesbianism or any other sin against God’s moral laws.  The only way into God’s Heaven is to have all our sins washed away forever by the Blood of Jesus Christ, which is accomplished by embracing Him as our personal Savior, then growing in His Grace and spiritual strength. Point blank, there is no other way, and that’s His assertion, not something I made up.

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* Desmond Tutu Would Prefer Hell Over A Homophobic Heaven

Seeds of the Fruit of Obedience

I am anchored in the belief that anything, everything The Lord commands me to do, all I can do is to:

·      Acknowledge it as His will for me.

·      Remind Him (and me) that in my flesh, I cannot do it to His satisfaction.

·      Remind Him I am HIS workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.

·      Ask Him, by His Spirit and my faith, to allow the seed of His Word to ‘just do it’ through me, to His glory and my satisfaction.

Whenever I strike out and try to ‘just do it’ in my own strength and ability, I mess up,  creating a greater mess than there was before! Man, I hate that with a passion. So He is teaching me some deeper lessons about waiting patiently for Him to align the circumstances in such a way that He can ‘just do it’ through me, and get His glory, to boot! That's remarkable~~~

In hearing from God, we often hear the right message, but then get out ahead of Him, and try to bring it to pass, frequently in the wrong timing and manner- our timing and manner. I’ve been there. Have you??

My new approach is to acknowledge the message, then start looking for, and being alert to how the Hand of God may be aligning circumstances, so He, Himself, can ‘just do it!’  If I meddle, I will, likely in pride, be tempted to steal His glory - a big NO-NO! When the devil suggests I have disobeyed big time, I am learning to ignore him. God knows my heart, there where the seed of His Word is growing a desire and ability for real obedience. Life now is less about my doing, and more about my being steadfastly patient to recognize I am His workmanship, not my own.

This is not an easy lesson to learn nor convey, as we all have crammed into us the ‘Just do it!’ mentality of secular humanism. It really takes retraining my entire mental framework to start looking for what The Lord is doing through me, as His Spirit quickens or brings to life the seed of His Word hidden within me, rather than pridefully looking upon what 'I have done!'. Often, when He is ready to perform His will through me, I hardly recognize when or how He has moved, until after the fact. Frequently, others recognize it well before I do. wOw~ I love it! All I have to do is to learn to relax, to not be anxious about obeying (which my spiritual enemy would love for me to do), and to just recognize Father God is reading the love language of my ready heart - my increasing recognition that I am His workmanship, not my own. My job is to feed, meditate His  Word, and allow His Spirit to produce His fruit of willing and acceptable obedience within me. Hey, there is no amount of stressing and straining fruit trees can do ...to produce fruit!

Remember how Abraham and Sarah tried to finagle God’s promise of a son? Twenty-five years after giving the Promise, God was ready to ‘just do it’, Himself, through them, by the Power of His Spirit. That way, only He could get the Glory! What a God and Savior, and what a lesson.

So whatever to-do’s you may come across in your study and meditation of/on the Word, hey, r-e-l-a-x, cultivate a heart of patiently waiting for God, Himself, to do that through you, in His manner and timing; and be on the look-out for His ‘Hand@work’ in circumstances, because you, too, are His handiwork. In this manner, you also become His ‘Hand@work’ in the lives of others.

This reinforces the lesson expressed in From Lists to Loving.

NEWS FLASH: Real-time Intelligence Data Collection

Much of the world is shocked at the leaked revelations of the US intelligence community collecting hoards of telephone and Internet data for later farming in the event of potential national security threats. But why so much fuss and angst over this while being oblivious to the extensive, real-time data being collected by Higher Intelligence for guaranteed (not potential) use for or against every human who will have ever lived? Seriously, our priorities need to be realigned to focus on the data collection that really matters …for all eternity! 

Consider these corroborated prophecies:

I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; a fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books were opened. (Daniel 7: 9-10)

Then I saw a great white Throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things written in the books. (Revelation 20:11-12)

So don’t sweat the small stuff. Rather, realize you’re already in the books that really matter, eternally. Spend your energy influencing what’s recorded therein.