Running to the Stronghold

Psalms 9:9-10, “The Lord is a refuge for the opressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you,  for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”

This verse really hit me tonight as I read it. I don’t feel opressed or in trouble, but trust is a difficult issue for me. I have trust issues, not with people I know and who are my friends or family, but with God…and new people, but that’s another story.  It’s the dumbest thing to me, I know He has always provided for me. I’m happily married, have a good job, amazing friends and family and more than I need. But when it comes to decisions that I need to make I have a hard time trusting that Papa is going to take care of me. I guess that’s the reason this verse stuck out to me, it’s a rhema strike on trust for me. A reminder of Duetoronomy 31:6, that He has never left me and never forsaken me. I needed to hear this, thank You Papa.

Father, my only source of sustanance and provision, I’m so sorry for not trusting you wholeheartedly and unconditionally. I confess my lack of trust, I see how it has weakened me in my walk. I ask that You would come in and inhabit every last inch of my mind and thoughts. Forgive me, O God, forgive me and hold me close or I won’t make it past these words. I need You, take care of me I’m not capable. I love You, You are my stronghold, I run to You.

Abundance of good treasure

Romans 10:8-10 (ESV)

8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Lots of words with much deeper meanings that we describe in their English translations here.

heart – the word kardia – means “inner self, never the literal body part called the “heart,” this is a reference to the areas of the inner self, including: the volition, the mind, the desires, etc., though the facility of the intellect make be slightly more emphasized.”  The volition (will), the mind (mind), the desires (emotions) all make up the soul… that battleground between the spirit and the flesh.  This is where we store up good treasure OR we store up bad treasure according to Jesus in Luke 6:45.

Luke 6:45 (ESV) 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

It is the same word used in Luke as is used in this Romans passage.  The interesting part to me in these passages is that heart (kardia) and mouth (stoma) are both used together in the same sentences.  Stoma (the mouth) literally means the fleshly mouth that utters sounds.  So, in a way, it could very well represent the flesh.  That would mean to me that the condition of my soul is reflected in what comes out of my mouth and my flesh.

Back to the Romans passage…

near – can mean “be close to a place“, but can also mean “be close to a time.“  Which changes everything in the context of this verse.

proclaim – means “to proclaim with the goal to persuade, urge, warn to comply”, “to announce publicly”.

word of faith – doctrine, trustworthiness, Christian faith, what can be believed

confesses - According to Strongs (homologeo) – “1 to say the same thing as another, i.e. to agree with, assent. 2 to concede. 2a not to refuse, to promise. 2b not to deny. 2b1 to confess. 2b2 declare. 2b3 to confess, i.e. to admit or declare one’s self guilty of what one is accused of. 3 to profess. 3a to declare openly, speak out freely. 3b to profess one’s self the worshiper of one. 4 to praise, celebrate.“

OK.  THAT is a drastically different meaning than to “utter” something.  I think we’re too quick to assume someone is a follower of Jesus based on our Western definition of “confess.”  I’ve always struggled with this verse because only God can know if a person truly believes in his heart.  The heart and someone’s belief is hidden.  All we look for is someone to say “Jesus is Lord,” and that’s good enough.

What we need to be looking for now is the NEW definition of “confess.”  When someone truly believes and understands the grace Christ afforded them, they cannot help but “confess” Jesus is Lord with praise and celebration and declaring themselves both by word and action to be a worshiper of Christ.  This worship comes from adoration and thankfulness, not out of duty or because someone said so.  Everything about salvation is about relationship, not religion.

I’ll try to tie it all together.  First – His Word is near me- near in location and near in timing.  He wants to use me at any place, at any time to proclaim publicly that which is trustworthy, with the goal of persuading and urging others to the Truth.  However, there is something that can influence my vocal utterances – my heart (my soul, if you remember our definition).  In my heart I can store up good treasure or bad treasure.  That is my choice.  What I store up, is what will come out.

How can I persuade others of the truth, if I’ve stored up bad treasure?

I can’t just put “enough” good treasure in either.  Jesus was very specific in the word “abundance” and it means exactly what it says, “in excess”, “scraps left over”, “overflow”, “plenty.”

So today’s exercise for me is “How do I store up an abundance of good treasure in my soul (mind, will, and emotions)?”

Church Study #7…..Apostles

The meaning of the word apostles are the sent forth ones. It comes from the Greek I send and from and is essentially the same word apostolos as we use in English. The original twelve disciples are the foundation apostles that stand as the pillars of the church. They were to “be with Jesus” and were called to cast out demons. There are pillars of the church called to be apostles today with the definite higher calling of the apostolic gift but the word apostle also includes anyone who has been sent by God for a special calling like missionaries or special emissaries. Paul, Barnabas and Silas all held the office of apostles “sent” by the Lord, as well as the disciples and many other New Testament persons. An apostle in any age is one that has been sent by God to bring the church to maturity.

Today’s apostles are still being sent out from Jesus to carry His message. Apostles are numbered with the five-fold ministry with the prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers until “we all come in the unity of the faith.” When you are sent, you go in the name of the One who sent you. When Jesus said to His disciples, “As my Father has sent me, even so I send you,” in Matthew 10:16, He was using the Greek word apostle. He used the same word apostle when He sent out the seventy in Luke 10. Our last day apostles will dwell in the holy of holies to bring others in with them behind Jesus in order to perfect the church and prepare us as the spotless bride of Christ.

Basically, an apostle will set standards for the church according to divine mandate. Apostles have been limited by some to being church planters but we cannot limit anything that God has for us in the role of an apostle. They will establish ministries, which includes church planting but it could also be other things, a traveling missionary could be an apostle, you could have an apostolic calling on the internet, many do. Especially in these last days, apostles are given to bring churches together more than establishing new ones. The time is short, we do not need new churches, we need perfected ones and the apostolic ministry is given that task.

Since the recognition of apostles is found in the prophetic spirit, the existence of modern day apostles cannot be denied except by those that deny the spirit in full measure. It is a collective spirit that is not subject to the leadership of any one man or one church but to the Holy Ghost and each other as we all submit to the Lord.

In the everyday life of Greco-Roman world, an apostle was one sent to arrange a marriage or divorce or to deliver a legal decision. The Jewish Sanhedrin had its apostles also and sent messengers with information to the various outlining communities. Paul was at first an emissary of the Sanhedrin, an apostolos, he later became an apostle for Jesus. The seventy disciples that Jesus sent out door to door were apostles.

Billy Graham uses the word apostle in three senses. First, apostleship is used in a general sense that all of us are sent into the world by Christ. The second uses are the messengers sent on particular errands. The third is the gift of apostleship.

Jesus is the One gathering the apostles together in these last days, saints included, to a unity that cannot be of any one ministry or of any one man or of any one group or one sex or denomination or church in any way except in the sense that we are the Body of Christ with Jesus as the Head and with us as members of His body. The Head does the thinking and we follow that direction. Jesus will be the true shepherd and will gather us to Him by His spirit. There is, of course, opposition from the conservative, traditional, doctrines of men.

This is a perfect question with a perfect answer. Am I an apostle? God knows and I don’t really care. If there is truly an apostolic anointing on your life, I mean a true apostolic anointing, it makes no difference if you called an apostle or even think that you are one. If it is true, then the perfect will of the Father will be done, no matter what the calling is called. God’s will be done, not mine, not yours, just His; no titles, no delineation, just obedience. What does it matter what others say or do or call you? Just do His will and care not about what others say.

There are numerous references to apostles in the New Testament besides the original twelve. The original Greek must be consulted in several of these examples.

 

• The Seventy (Luke 10:1, 3) Matthias (Acts 1:26)
• James, the Lord’s brother (Gal. 1:19)
• Paul (Acts 14:14)
• Barnabas (Acts 14:4, 14; 1 Cor. 9:5 & 6)
• Apollos (1 Cor. 4:6-9)
• Andronicus (Rom. 16:7)
• Junia (Rom. 16:7)
• Epaphroditus (Phil. 2:25, {messenger is apostle in the Greek}
• Titus (2 Cor. 8:23 {also messenger)
• Unamed brother with Titus (2 Cor. 8:18, 23)
• Timothy (1 Thess. 1:1, 2:6)
• Silas/Silvanus (1 Thess. 1:1, 2:6)

Feed MY sheep

I woke up this morning with the Dave Busby running through my head, pecticularly the phrase, ” Faithfull stewards spend time with the cook.”  That phrase has always caught my attention and this morning I ask Pappa why bring it up now.  HE again reminded me of the fact that it not about me.  And of course I felt like I knew that but I don’t know how well I have been walking that.  In John 21 Jesus is talking with Peter and asks him, “Do you love me”  Peter says” Yes LORD I love you” and Jesus says, “Then feed My sheep.” 

I have noticed that the past couple of weeks most of my posts have been dealing with something God is trying to work out of me or change in me, ie: my gifts, contentment, my age, etc.  but HE hasnt’ been doing just for me.  He showed me this morning that HE not just working on me to work on me, but to get me to the place where I can be effective in feeding HIS sheep.  It has been hard for me to feed HIS sheep because I have either lacked in confidence, knowlegde, desire…. but it has come to my attention that this year is going to be different, and even though that unknown is a little scary to me I am looking forward to it.  I have gotten pretty tired of the way it is know.  HE said “if you love ME then feed My sheep”  Well I know that I love HIM but, how good is the food I have been giving to HIS sheep? 
Busby said it well when he said, “Faithfull stewards spend time with the cook”   because I can’t feed someone something that I don’t have.  And I am only going to get what they need from HIM. 
So my question to HIM is, “What do YOU have for hungry people.”

Godly Leadership

2 Chronicles 30 is about Hezekiah gathering everyone back to Jerusalem to observe Passover.

What is interesting to me is how Hezekiah lead all around him.  He sent messengers out to all of the neighboring countries to try and and gather all of the tribes of Israel back to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover.  While some mocked, many from other regions listened and came to Jerusalem.  What is more, because of Hezekiah, God came upon Judah and all of Judah obeyed the word of the Lord.

Hezekiah understood what God called Him to as a Jewish man as a king.  He dedicated himself to follow God and then began to lead his people back towards the heart of God.  To often, unless we are in vocational ministry, we fall into the trap of believing that our job is to get our hearts right.  While this is true, we have another purpose and that is to lead those around us to a deeper relationship with God as well; whether friends, coworkers, employees, or family, we all have people we lead.

What is paricularly interesting to me is what God did on behalf of the people because of Hezekiah’s faithfulness.  In verses 18 – 21, we find that many of the people had not cleansed themselves yet they ate the Passover “contrary to what was written.”  Hezekiah then prayed that God would provie atonement anyway “And the Lord listened to Hezekiah and healed the people.”  I find that to be pretty cool.  As a leader, he prayed for the people (without them even knowing it) and God brought about their healing.  This is true Godly leadership.  Hezekiah was not looking for any glory.  He only wanted to do what was right in the eyes of the Lord and to take his people with him.

Isn’t this what God expects of us, too?  That our lives are so committed to following and serving Him that we naturally lead others in that direction.  Our families and friends are drawn to God because of our example and the Lord touches them because of our prayers.  That sounds like a great life to live.  I’m in.