A friend of mine posted a challenging question on Facebook inviting us to ponder what identity God wants to birth in us this Christmas. After meditating on that in light of what we've been learning on Bible Quiz Team this year (John 1 - 10 so far), I wrote this poem.
Light
Magi in the east, intrigued
By messages in the sky,
Discerned a sign, a star so bright
That they journeyed west
By day and night
And couldn’t help, try as they might,
But pursue and follow
That radical, surprising light.
The Son of God, enfleshed,
Sent unto his own to die,
Stirred the Jews, provoked a fight.
He played, forgave,
Did what was right,
And caused dissension by restoring sight
To each one who followed
The radical, surprising light.
Now I see that Star and Son,
And hear my own call from on high.
Upon my couch this Christmas night,
I long to grow
By His own might
To “show God’s love aright,”
To be to my own world
A radical, surprising light.
Rebecca Brist
Christmas, 2010
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
Signs of Christmas
Is it wrong to ask God for a sign? I always used to think it was because of Jesus’ words in Matthew 12:39: “He answered, ‘A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign!’”
But Isaiah 7 gives the background for Jesus’ frustration with the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees who were asking him for a sign. In those days King Ahaz was king of Judah. Ahaz was “shaken [with fear] as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind” because of an alliance that had been made two nations that were about to march against Judah. God told Ahaz not to worry, that He had it under control, and that the defeat he feared “will not take place; it will not happen.”
So God invited Ahaz to ask him for a sign, “whether in the deepest depths or the highest heights.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.”
God was evidently frustrated with Ahaz’ false piety. Through Isaiah He replied to Ahaz, “Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
Fast forward 700-some years and now the leaders of God’s people have decided to take God up on his offer of a sign. But the maddening irony of it was that the very sign that God had given to the closed-fisted Ahaz was now standing before the Jewish leaders, and they had the audacity to ask Him for a sign! He was the sign: Immanuel.
The sign that our destruction “will not happen.” The sign that our loving God has us in the palm of His hand.
God’s not opposed to giving us signs. He wants to give us signs. He gives us signs every day of our lives. The question is, do we recognize those signs?
Open our eyes, Lord. Especially during this season when we remember that You provided us salvation by sending us Your Son.
But Isaiah 7 gives the background for Jesus’ frustration with the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees who were asking him for a sign. In those days King Ahaz was king of Judah. Ahaz was “shaken [with fear] as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind” because of an alliance that had been made two nations that were about to march against Judah. God told Ahaz not to worry, that He had it under control, and that the defeat he feared “will not take place; it will not happen.”
So God invited Ahaz to ask him for a sign, “whether in the deepest depths or the highest heights.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.”
God was evidently frustrated with Ahaz’ false piety. Through Isaiah He replied to Ahaz, “Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
Fast forward 700-some years and now the leaders of God’s people have decided to take God up on his offer of a sign. But the maddening irony of it was that the very sign that God had given to the closed-fisted Ahaz was now standing before the Jewish leaders, and they had the audacity to ask Him for a sign! He was the sign: Immanuel.
The sign that our destruction “will not happen.” The sign that our loving God has us in the palm of His hand.
God’s not opposed to giving us signs. He wants to give us signs. He gives us signs every day of our lives. The question is, do we recognize those signs?
Open our eyes, Lord. Especially during this season when we remember that You provided us salvation by sending us Your Son.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
John 2: Thoughts, Meditations, and Speculations
(Just some speculation about how it might have really “gone down.”)
On the third day. Hmmm. Jesus had only known his disciples for three days prior to this wedding feast. So, imagine the conversation that probably happened just two days before.
Jesus to Mary: Dear Woman, you know that wedding that we’re going to the day after tomorrow?
Mary: Yes?
Jesus: Do you think it would be okay for me to bring my new friends with us? Could you get them an invitation?
Mary: Oh, probably! You know how the Goldsteins love you! How many invites do you want me to ask for?
Jesus: Eleven.
Mary: Eleven?
Jesus: Yes.
Mary: Okay! I’ll see what I can do! Hannah owes me anyway; I’ve been helping her plan this feast for weeks now!
So, with that as backdrop, cut to the day of the feast. Mary finds out the wine is gone, and her first thought is to bring it up to Jesus.
He utters the famous words, “Dear woman, why do you involve me? My time has not yet come.”
Mary doesn’t say a word. She glances across the room toward a table where 11 boisterous men sit, all drinking their wine with gusto. Her look says it all. The 11 recently added guests may have a lot to do with the wine being gone! With a raise of her eyebrow that only a mother can master, she turns from Jesus toward the servants and says, “Do whatever he tells you.” She doesn’t know what Jesus will do, but she knows He won’t let her down. Especially after the strings she had to pull to get his buddies there!
Did the servants observe the undercurrent of the conversation? No doubt, and they were loving the subplot!
Jesus had envisioned a different way of introducing himself and his ministry to Israel. Ever since he was 12 years old and had visited the temple with his parents, the scene of the greedy moneychangers in the temple courts had haunted him. Every year when He returned to celebrate Passover, it seemed to have gotten worse. He knew that His first public act as the Messiah would be to clear away the moneychangers and merchants.
Now He reconsidered. Should not His first public act as Messiah be to bless the woman who had given Him birth, sacrificed her reputation and indeed her whole life to provide him with love and nurture? Mary’s lot hadn’t been easy. Yes, this was a better idea. Mercy triumphs over judgment. Here was a way to illustrate that the merciful shall obtain mercy before holding the unmerciful merchants and moneychangers accountable.
Jesus spied six stone water jugs, the kind the Jews use for ceremonial washing. Ah! Here was a brilliant symbol, indeed! A way to illustrate that the old religious system was being replaced with a new order. The Bridegroom is here, and the time for joyous celebration in freedom is about to replace the somber sacrificial rituals. The jugs were empty—they had no power to take away sins. But the wine of the new covenant—his own blood—would make perfect forever those who are being made holy.
Jesus ordered the jugs to be filled with water and taken to the master of the banquet. What had been amusing to the servants up until now suddenly took on a rather risky feel. They didn’t feel too happy about serving water to the master when he was expecting wine. How thrilled and relieved they were to see the delighted smile on the master’s face upon tasting the water that had been turned into wine! They glanced at each other in utter amazement, and at the first opportunity began spreading the word about what had happened. One ecstatic servant told the disciple named John, and John made him slow down and tell the whole story in detail from beginning to end.
When Jesus heard the master of the banquet give his opinion on the matter, His spirit rejoiced in the prophetic and symbolic meaning of the comment. “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”
Yes, the new covenant Jesus was about to offer was the best. And it had been a long time coming. Those who were willing to receive it would savor it and appreciate it with awe.
This was the first of His miraculous signs. In this way He revealed His glory, and His disciples put their faith in Him. And His mom was happy, too.
On the third day. Hmmm. Jesus had only known his disciples for three days prior to this wedding feast. So, imagine the conversation that probably happened just two days before.
Jesus to Mary: Dear Woman, you know that wedding that we’re going to the day after tomorrow?
Mary: Yes?
Jesus: Do you think it would be okay for me to bring my new friends with us? Could you get them an invitation?
Mary: Oh, probably! You know how the Goldsteins love you! How many invites do you want me to ask for?
Jesus: Eleven.
Mary: Eleven?
Jesus: Yes.
Mary: Okay! I’ll see what I can do! Hannah owes me anyway; I’ve been helping her plan this feast for weeks now!
So, with that as backdrop, cut to the day of the feast. Mary finds out the wine is gone, and her first thought is to bring it up to Jesus.
He utters the famous words, “Dear woman, why do you involve me? My time has not yet come.”
Mary doesn’t say a word. She glances across the room toward a table where 11 boisterous men sit, all drinking their wine with gusto. Her look says it all. The 11 recently added guests may have a lot to do with the wine being gone! With a raise of her eyebrow that only a mother can master, she turns from Jesus toward the servants and says, “Do whatever he tells you.” She doesn’t know what Jesus will do, but she knows He won’t let her down. Especially after the strings she had to pull to get his buddies there!
Did the servants observe the undercurrent of the conversation? No doubt, and they were loving the subplot!
Jesus had envisioned a different way of introducing himself and his ministry to Israel. Ever since he was 12 years old and had visited the temple with his parents, the scene of the greedy moneychangers in the temple courts had haunted him. Every year when He returned to celebrate Passover, it seemed to have gotten worse. He knew that His first public act as the Messiah would be to clear away the moneychangers and merchants.
Now He reconsidered. Should not His first public act as Messiah be to bless the woman who had given Him birth, sacrificed her reputation and indeed her whole life to provide him with love and nurture? Mary’s lot hadn’t been easy. Yes, this was a better idea. Mercy triumphs over judgment. Here was a way to illustrate that the merciful shall obtain mercy before holding the unmerciful merchants and moneychangers accountable.
Jesus spied six stone water jugs, the kind the Jews use for ceremonial washing. Ah! Here was a brilliant symbol, indeed! A way to illustrate that the old religious system was being replaced with a new order. The Bridegroom is here, and the time for joyous celebration in freedom is about to replace the somber sacrificial rituals. The jugs were empty—they had no power to take away sins. But the wine of the new covenant—his own blood—would make perfect forever those who are being made holy.
Jesus ordered the jugs to be filled with water and taken to the master of the banquet. What had been amusing to the servants up until now suddenly took on a rather risky feel. They didn’t feel too happy about serving water to the master when he was expecting wine. How thrilled and relieved they were to see the delighted smile on the master’s face upon tasting the water that had been turned into wine! They glanced at each other in utter amazement, and at the first opportunity began spreading the word about what had happened. One ecstatic servant told the disciple named John, and John made him slow down and tell the whole story in detail from beginning to end.
When Jesus heard the master of the banquet give his opinion on the matter, His spirit rejoiced in the prophetic and symbolic meaning of the comment. “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”
Yes, the new covenant Jesus was about to offer was the best. And it had been a long time coming. Those who were willing to receive it would savor it and appreciate it with awe.
This was the first of His miraculous signs. In this way He revealed His glory, and His disciples put their faith in Him. And His mom was happy, too.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
The Green Tree
Recently as I was waking up these words popped into my mind: “If they do these things in the green tree, what shall they do in the dry?”
I recognized them as the words of Christ, but I didn’t recall the context. I lay there pondering what the import of the words could be. When I looked up the context of the quote, I found it came from Luke 23:26 – 48. Jesus actually spoke these words as he was carrying the cross to Calvary! I had had no idea.
He spoke the words to the women who were weeping and mourning for him. He told them not to weep for Him, but to weep for themselves and for their children because of the judgments that would befall them. If people will commit such atrocities and injustices when the Prince of Righteousness walks among them, what will they do when His godly influence and example are removed?
By rejecting their true King, Israel set itself up for the judgments of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and the tribulation period. Injustices and atrocities were and will be exponentially multiplied upon those who wrongly treated Jesus and their offspring.
A teaching I had participated in the day before with Paul Singh asked us to consider the questions: How have I been betrayed? How do I betray others? How do I betray myself? How do I betray God? In our fallen condition, we usually sin against others, ourselves, and God when someone sins against us.
As I read this passage, I was overcome with Jesus’ response to “How have I been betrayed?” He did not betray others, himself, or God. He looked past His own suffering and foresaw the judgment that would come to those who were committing the sin—and to their descendants. He didn’t delight in that judgment. Within three verses, He is pleading, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”
Incredible! Astounding! Amazing!
If anyone had the right to be angry or enraged by how people were treating him, it was Jesus on His way to the cross and on the cross. He was fully human. As humans, we often interpret other’s actions as disrespect toward us, when in fact those actions may just be irresponsibility on their part. Evidently from this passage, Jesus was able to see that “IT’S NOT ABOUT ME” but “IT’S ABOUT THEM.”
Talk about disrespect. Jesus could have viewed this episode as being disrespected BIG TIME. But He viewed it as irresponsibility. They didn’t know what they were doing. And because they didn’t know, He paid the price, set an example, and showed leadership without condemning. Not merely without condemning, but actually providing the means of restoration. Amazing. Wow.
Here’s how Jesus was betrayed:
·Rulers sneered.
·Soldiers mocked.
·People stood looking on.
·A criminal blasphemed Him.
·Romans crucified Him between two criminals.
What did He do with His pain? He:
·focused on others (“weep for yourselves and your children”).
·asked God to forgive them.
·accepted the request of one criminal—granted salvation.
·committed His spirit into the hands of the Father.
As I was meditating on these ideas, I kept hearing the verse: “Consider him who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself.” I didn’t remember the context of that, either. It is Hebrews 12:13.
“For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.”
When I feel betrayed by someone, God wants me to consider this event in Jesus’ life. His example keeps me from growing weary and discouraged.
Thanks, Holy Spirit, for directing me to this passage to solidify the teaching I had heard. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it now!
I recognized them as the words of Christ, but I didn’t recall the context. I lay there pondering what the import of the words could be. When I looked up the context of the quote, I found it came from Luke 23:26 – 48. Jesus actually spoke these words as he was carrying the cross to Calvary! I had had no idea.
He spoke the words to the women who were weeping and mourning for him. He told them not to weep for Him, but to weep for themselves and for their children because of the judgments that would befall them. If people will commit such atrocities and injustices when the Prince of Righteousness walks among them, what will they do when His godly influence and example are removed?
By rejecting their true King, Israel set itself up for the judgments of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and the tribulation period. Injustices and atrocities were and will be exponentially multiplied upon those who wrongly treated Jesus and their offspring.
A teaching I had participated in the day before with Paul Singh asked us to consider the questions: How have I been betrayed? How do I betray others? How do I betray myself? How do I betray God? In our fallen condition, we usually sin against others, ourselves, and God when someone sins against us.
As I read this passage, I was overcome with Jesus’ response to “How have I been betrayed?” He did not betray others, himself, or God. He looked past His own suffering and foresaw the judgment that would come to those who were committing the sin—and to their descendants. He didn’t delight in that judgment. Within three verses, He is pleading, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”
Incredible! Astounding! Amazing!
If anyone had the right to be angry or enraged by how people were treating him, it was Jesus on His way to the cross and on the cross. He was fully human. As humans, we often interpret other’s actions as disrespect toward us, when in fact those actions may just be irresponsibility on their part. Evidently from this passage, Jesus was able to see that “IT’S NOT ABOUT ME” but “IT’S ABOUT THEM.”
Talk about disrespect. Jesus could have viewed this episode as being disrespected BIG TIME. But He viewed it as irresponsibility. They didn’t know what they were doing. And because they didn’t know, He paid the price, set an example, and showed leadership without condemning. Not merely without condemning, but actually providing the means of restoration. Amazing. Wow.
Here’s how Jesus was betrayed:
·Rulers sneered.
·Soldiers mocked.
·People stood looking on.
·A criminal blasphemed Him.
·Romans crucified Him between two criminals.
What did He do with His pain? He:
·focused on others (“weep for yourselves and your children”).
·asked God to forgive them.
·accepted the request of one criminal—granted salvation.
·committed His spirit into the hands of the Father.
As I was meditating on these ideas, I kept hearing the verse: “Consider him who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself.” I didn’t remember the context of that, either. It is Hebrews 12:13.
“For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.”
When I feel betrayed by someone, God wants me to consider this event in Jesus’ life. His example keeps me from growing weary and discouraged.
Thanks, Holy Spirit, for directing me to this passage to solidify the teaching I had heard. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it now!
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Playing with Father
God asked me to come out and play.
Naomi and I went to the Earth Exchange thrift store to look for a costume for her for the Fall Frolic Halloween alternative at our church. As I was scanning the clothing racks for something for her, I ran across a black shirt jacket with the head of a leopard painted on it and leopard pattern trim on the sleeves and collar. I showed it to Naomi. “You could be a leopard tamer,” I said. Naomi dismissed the idea, so I put the shirt back. I kept suggesting other ideas to Naomi, and she kept suggesting other ideas for me. When we had exhausted every possibility for Naomi, she insisted that I find a costume for myself. I went back to the leopard shirt. “I could be a leopard tamer,” I said.
We proceeded to look for other pieces to complete the leopard tamer outfit. There were some long pants that I had ruled out because they were size 2, but Naomi encouraged me to try them on. Naomi found a black t-shirt with the appliqué of Mickey Mouse in a leopard pattern. I said, “That’s great! It means I can turn a leopard into a mouse!” The pants fit (surprise!) except they were way too long. That’s when Naomi presented me with some amazing black platform shoes. They were a little too large, but they added three inches to my height! Naomi then found some black clip-on earrings, and I found a black stocking cap and a black water bottle holder in which I could place Isaac’s whip. To my surprise and delight, I was outfitted in a costume that was so unlike my “real” persona that it was sure to make anyone who knew me smile at the irony.
At the beginning of the evening, I had the opportunity to have my nails painted, something I seldom do. One of the junior high girls who was volunteering at the nail-painting station was wearing orange nail polish with black spots. I asked her to paint mine the same way. Now with my earrings, heels, and nail polish, I was fully accessorized.
Wearing the outfit for four hours affected me. I felt unusually tall, feminine, confident, and capable. Whenever I met a little kitten or leopard, I asked if she wanted to be tamed by me. They all refused! Nevertheless, I knew that if I were a real leopard tamer and they were real leopards, it wouldn’t be up to them. The leopard tamer is the one who calls the shots.
At the end of the evening, I had a new appreciation of my own strength and femininity. I understood that strength and femininity need not be in opposition. In fact, they complement and enhance each other. It was a healing revelation I desperately needed right now. How mischievous for God to teach me so playfully! Thanks, Father. I’ll play with you any time!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
The Father's Lament
My kids don’t appreciate what I provide for them.
They don’t acknowledge the hardship I went through to be able to provide for them.
They want to take advantage of everything I’ve provided for them by having fun, playing, and pursuing their own goals and interests.
My kids tread on me and squander my provision.
They don’t recognize the sacrifices I’ve made.
They treat me like a second-class citizen.
My kids don’t like what I like.
They don’t spend time with me.
They are lazy and selfish.
My kids don’t include me in their plans.
They don’t seek my counsel.
They don’t listen to me.
My kids don’t honor or respect me.
They won’t make the sacrifice to do something they don’t like to do just to show me how much they love me.
They don’t try to build a relationship with me.
Thanks for listening to my complaints.
Signed,
God the Father
They don’t acknowledge the hardship I went through to be able to provide for them.
They want to take advantage of everything I’ve provided for them by having fun, playing, and pursuing their own goals and interests.
My kids tread on me and squander my provision.
They don’t recognize the sacrifices I’ve made.
They treat me like a second-class citizen.
My kids don’t like what I like.
They don’t spend time with me.
They are lazy and selfish.
My kids don’t include me in their plans.
They don’t seek my counsel.
They don’t listen to me.
My kids don’t honor or respect me.
They won’t make the sacrifice to do something they don’t like to do just to show me how much they love me.
They don’t try to build a relationship with me.
Thanks for listening to my complaints.
Signed,
God the Father
Sunday, August 9, 2009
“Favor? What’s Favor, Precious?”
One of my favorite Bible teachers talks frequently about the concept of “favor.” And one of my favorite brothers-in-law greets me by telling me that I’m “blessed and highly favored.”
I’ve been thinking more about favor this summer because I’ve experienced it in a way that I never have before, or at least in a way I never noticed before. On three occasions this summer, I have made a mistake, and God has used it to produce something good. I imagine that my mistakes give my guardian angel(s) some fun by challenging them to make something good out of something “stupid.” Or maybe they have a hand in helping me make those “mistakes” so that God’s purposes can be served. That may sound weird or heretical, but consider this instance.
In June, I was administering standardized tests to two of my home-schooled children. The first test I administered was the vocabulary test to my sixth grade daughter. Nothing unusual. I’ve been doing it for years, and I knew the routine well. My daughter completed the test with no problem, finishing early. But when the time came to administer the second test, I found that my daughter’s answer sheet was inside my ninth grade son’s test booklet. How did that happen? It turns out I had administered the ninth grade vocabulary test to my sixth grade daughter! Oops! I had never done that before. And I wasn’t relishing my daughter’s reaction to having to take the vocabulary test again.
Curiously, however, I recalled that my daughter had not complained about the test, and that she had finished early. When I told her she had taken the ninth grade test, she assured me that it really hadn’t been that hard. She asked me to score it. I was amazed at how well she had done, getting only a few answers wrong. As I relayed to her how well she had done on a test that was three years ahead of her, she beamed. And I realized what God was up to. My daughter suffers from a needless lack of confidence, and now she had proof that she was smart. She approached the rest of her tests with greater confidence than she would have otherwise, and she scored higher on everything than she has for the last couple of years.
I’m left wondering: Did my angel (or my daughter’s angel) distract me at a key moment when I was selecting her test, or did one of them slip the ninth grade test into my hand while the other one clouded my eyes? Or did God simply take a natural mistake of mine (that I’ve never made in ten years of administering such tests) and make it better?
However it happened, it represents God’s favor toward me and my daughter in action.
“Remember me, O Lord, with the favor You have toward Your people. Oh visit me with Your salvation, that I may see the benefit of Your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, that I may glory with Your inheritance” (Psalm 106:4-5).
Oh yeah. It’s good to be His.
I’ve been thinking more about favor this summer because I’ve experienced it in a way that I never have before, or at least in a way I never noticed before. On three occasions this summer, I have made a mistake, and God has used it to produce something good. I imagine that my mistakes give my guardian angel(s) some fun by challenging them to make something good out of something “stupid.” Or maybe they have a hand in helping me make those “mistakes” so that God’s purposes can be served. That may sound weird or heretical, but consider this instance.
In June, I was administering standardized tests to two of my home-schooled children. The first test I administered was the vocabulary test to my sixth grade daughter. Nothing unusual. I’ve been doing it for years, and I knew the routine well. My daughter completed the test with no problem, finishing early. But when the time came to administer the second test, I found that my daughter’s answer sheet was inside my ninth grade son’s test booklet. How did that happen? It turns out I had administered the ninth grade vocabulary test to my sixth grade daughter! Oops! I had never done that before. And I wasn’t relishing my daughter’s reaction to having to take the vocabulary test again.
Curiously, however, I recalled that my daughter had not complained about the test, and that she had finished early. When I told her she had taken the ninth grade test, she assured me that it really hadn’t been that hard. She asked me to score it. I was amazed at how well she had done, getting only a few answers wrong. As I relayed to her how well she had done on a test that was three years ahead of her, she beamed. And I realized what God was up to. My daughter suffers from a needless lack of confidence, and now she had proof that she was smart. She approached the rest of her tests with greater confidence than she would have otherwise, and she scored higher on everything than she has for the last couple of years.
I’m left wondering: Did my angel (or my daughter’s angel) distract me at a key moment when I was selecting her test, or did one of them slip the ninth grade test into my hand while the other one clouded my eyes? Or did God simply take a natural mistake of mine (that I’ve never made in ten years of administering such tests) and make it better?
However it happened, it represents God’s favor toward me and my daughter in action.
“Remember me, O Lord, with the favor You have toward Your people. Oh visit me with Your salvation, that I may see the benefit of Your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, that I may glory with Your inheritance” (Psalm 106:4-5).
Oh yeah. It’s good to be His.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
More Thoughts on Re-Parenting
Speaking of re-parenting, I was surprised to find the concept expressed in a book my sister recently gave me, Flight from Intimacy, by Janae and Barry Weinhold. Before reading this book, everything I knew about re-parenting I had learned from Arthur Burk of Plumbline Ministries; I hadn’t really encountered the concept elsewhere. I was surprised to learn more about it from a book that is not written from a Christian perspective. Like so many Christians who understand inner healing, the Weinholds believe that emotional trauma in the womb and during the first three years of life produce most of the wounding that we carry into adulthood.
The authors provide a list of “developmental affirmations” that represent the emotional foundation we all needed to receive during our first three years of life. Reading through them, I knew immediately that I had never received some of these assurances. Numbers 5, 6, and 7 seemed to really strike a chord in my spirit. The affirmations:
1. I’m glad you were born.
2. You belong here.
3. I love you just the way you are.
4. You are loveable and capable.
5. You can think for yourself.
6. You can trust your inner knowing.
7. You can ask for what you want and need.
8. I will not abandon you.
Which of these do you believe? Which do you feel strike a chord in your spirit, something that says, “I wish my parents had convinced me of that”?
If you have some holes (and the Weinholds believe 98% of us do), you can ask your parents, if they are still alive, to tell you these things. Or you can have someone you feel close to “stand in” for your parents and read the affirmations to you in their place. Or you can tell them to yourself. In these ways, the Weinholds suggest, you can begin re-parenting yourself.
I appreciate the Weinholds and the great contribution they have made to emotional healing in writing this book and recommending ways to re-parent oneself. It occurred to me, though, that as Christians, we have a superior option. We can take these affirmations to the Lord and ask Him to plant these assurances into our spirits. It’s as simple as making a quiet time (or preferably several) in which you can bring each of these before the Lord and ask Him about them.
“Father, are you glad I was born?”
“Father, do I belong here?”
“Father, do You love me just the way I am?”
And so on. And then listen with your spirit to His response. If you doubt, I don’t think He would mind if you asked Him to prove it to you. Scripture is replete with the answers to these questions, as well. So, have fun with these. I’d love to hear about your insights or the answers you receive from the Father related to these affirmations.
The authors provide a list of “developmental affirmations” that represent the emotional foundation we all needed to receive during our first three years of life. Reading through them, I knew immediately that I had never received some of these assurances. Numbers 5, 6, and 7 seemed to really strike a chord in my spirit. The affirmations:
1. I’m glad you were born.
2. You belong here.
3. I love you just the way you are.
4. You are loveable and capable.
5. You can think for yourself.
6. You can trust your inner knowing.
7. You can ask for what you want and need.
8. I will not abandon you.
Which of these do you believe? Which do you feel strike a chord in your spirit, something that says, “I wish my parents had convinced me of that”?
If you have some holes (and the Weinholds believe 98% of us do), you can ask your parents, if they are still alive, to tell you these things. Or you can have someone you feel close to “stand in” for your parents and read the affirmations to you in their place. Or you can tell them to yourself. In these ways, the Weinholds suggest, you can begin re-parenting yourself.
I appreciate the Weinholds and the great contribution they have made to emotional healing in writing this book and recommending ways to re-parent oneself. It occurred to me, though, that as Christians, we have a superior option. We can take these affirmations to the Lord and ask Him to plant these assurances into our spirits. It’s as simple as making a quiet time (or preferably several) in which you can bring each of these before the Lord and ask Him about them.
“Father, are you glad I was born?”
“Father, do I belong here?”
“Father, do You love me just the way I am?”
And so on. And then listen with your spirit to His response. If you doubt, I don’t think He would mind if you asked Him to prove it to you. Scripture is replete with the answers to these questions, as well. So, have fun with these. I’d love to hear about your insights or the answers you receive from the Father related to these affirmations.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Re-parenting and Seal Nazis, Part II
(Continued from Part I, below)
As we reached the beach, I saw that the area was roped off with a single yellow nylon cord. A city ordinance sign served as one of the posts holding the cord. The sign said something like: “San Diego city ordinance designates this area as a beach open to the public. Please respect the natural wildlife of the area. This beach does not meet water quality safety standards.”
Seeing the sign, I saw that Gunter’s interpretation was correct, so I began to slowly and cautiously approach the seals. I ducked under the yellow nylon cord. As soon as I did so, I heard catcalls from up above saying, “Get away from the seals! Ma’am! Get away from the seals!” Having been forewarned, I ignored the harassment.
To see the seals up close with their cute little pups was a treat, but the annoying calls continued from above as I inched slowly toward them. Now the seals started looking at me, and started inching backward. I saw they would not let me move any closer. One seal entered the water, and I headed back toward Gunter. The other seals followed the first one, and I felt the disapproval of the onlookers as their observation opportunity swam away.
Gunter and I walked back up the stairs, and I confess, I was slightly embarrassed. No one really paid any attention to me, however; I wasn’t approached by an angry mob at all. We continued our stroll, and a few yards beyond the steps we saw a booth set up by the “Save Our Seals” group. We were cutting a wide swath around the booth, but the young woman who was selling t-shirts and stuffed seals there had her eye on me. “Ma’am! Ma’am! Could I talk to you?”
Reluctantly I approached the booth, and the young activist proceeded to lecture me. “Ma’am, did you hear me telling you to stay away from the seals?”
“Yes, but the sign says it’s a public beach.”
“I had to report you because you didn’t listen to me. Flushing seals is against the law.”
Gunter and the woman then entered into a debate about who has the right to the beach, and after a few exchanges, we walked on. We joked about how my husband would feel about having to come to San Diego to bail me out of jail for seal flushing. And how I would feel returning to Minnesota branded as an ignominious seal-flusher.
It wasn’t until I was back in Minnesota about a week later and I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t get back to sleep. That doesn’t happen often, but when it does, I find the Lord may want to “do business” with me. So I began praying about an issue that had come up for me in something I’d been reading. I knew I had shame issues to bring to the Lord. As soon as I started talking to Him about my shame, He turned the light on. That’s what the seal Nazi incident had been all about.
Jesus warned us that the enemy comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. Even for the believer, he attempts to steal our identity, kill our confidence, and thereby destroy our effectiveness for Kingdom work. The Bible is very clear about who I am in Christ. The sign is plainly posted in Colossians 2:13-14: “Having forgiven you all trespasses, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.”
We have complete freedom, but our shame holds us back. Our shame is nothing but a single yellow nylon cord, easily crossed, but we dare not do so. Why? Because as soon as we do, the catcalls from the enemy, the world’s most experienced “activist,” begin. “That’s not allowed! You can’t do that! You will be reported!” Predictably, we believe the empty threats of the enemy rather than the clear Word that has been posted for us. Crowds of people hold themselves back for every one who breaks through. And territory designated for the Kingdom remains unclaimed.
How good of the Father to guide me along my own personal field trip on the shore of the Pacific Ocean (“ocean of peace”) to teach me this lesson! My Father must really love me.
As we reached the beach, I saw that the area was roped off with a single yellow nylon cord. A city ordinance sign served as one of the posts holding the cord. The sign said something like: “San Diego city ordinance designates this area as a beach open to the public. Please respect the natural wildlife of the area. This beach does not meet water quality safety standards.”
Seeing the sign, I saw that Gunter’s interpretation was correct, so I began to slowly and cautiously approach the seals. I ducked under the yellow nylon cord. As soon as I did so, I heard catcalls from up above saying, “Get away from the seals! Ma’am! Get away from the seals!” Having been forewarned, I ignored the harassment.
To see the seals up close with their cute little pups was a treat, but the annoying calls continued from above as I inched slowly toward them. Now the seals started looking at me, and started inching backward. I saw they would not let me move any closer. One seal entered the water, and I headed back toward Gunter. The other seals followed the first one, and I felt the disapproval of the onlookers as their observation opportunity swam away.
Gunter and I walked back up the stairs, and I confess, I was slightly embarrassed. No one really paid any attention to me, however; I wasn’t approached by an angry mob at all. We continued our stroll, and a few yards beyond the steps we saw a booth set up by the “Save Our Seals” group. We were cutting a wide swath around the booth, but the young woman who was selling t-shirts and stuffed seals there had her eye on me. “Ma’am! Ma’am! Could I talk to you?”
Reluctantly I approached the booth, and the young activist proceeded to lecture me. “Ma’am, did you hear me telling you to stay away from the seals?”
“Yes, but the sign says it’s a public beach.”
“I had to report you because you didn’t listen to me. Flushing seals is against the law.”
Gunter and the woman then entered into a debate about who has the right to the beach, and after a few exchanges, we walked on. We joked about how my husband would feel about having to come to San Diego to bail me out of jail for seal flushing. And how I would feel returning to Minnesota branded as an ignominious seal-flusher.
It wasn’t until I was back in Minnesota about a week later and I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t get back to sleep. That doesn’t happen often, but when it does, I find the Lord may want to “do business” with me. So I began praying about an issue that had come up for me in something I’d been reading. I knew I had shame issues to bring to the Lord. As soon as I started talking to Him about my shame, He turned the light on. That’s what the seal Nazi incident had been all about.
Jesus warned us that the enemy comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. Even for the believer, he attempts to steal our identity, kill our confidence, and thereby destroy our effectiveness for Kingdom work. The Bible is very clear about who I am in Christ. The sign is plainly posted in Colossians 2:13-14: “Having forgiven you all trespasses, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.”
We have complete freedom, but our shame holds us back. Our shame is nothing but a single yellow nylon cord, easily crossed, but we dare not do so. Why? Because as soon as we do, the catcalls from the enemy, the world’s most experienced “activist,” begin. “That’s not allowed! You can’t do that! You will be reported!” Predictably, we believe the empty threats of the enemy rather than the clear Word that has been posted for us. Crowds of people hold themselves back for every one who breaks through. And territory designated for the Kingdom remains unclaimed.
How good of the Father to guide me along my own personal field trip on the shore of the Pacific Ocean (“ocean of peace”) to teach me this lesson! My Father must really love me.
Re-parenting and Seal Nazis, Part I
Last March I traveled to San Diego to visit with my two sisters. It turned out to be a weekend in which I experienced God’s gentle re-parenting in a way I seldom have before.
From the moment my two sisters and brother-in-law Gunter met me at the airport, the tone was set. Gunter greeted me with, “You are in such good shape! You looked like a little girl coming down the escalator.” From then on, Gunter, who is about 20 years older than I, assumed a fatherly role toward me, introducing me at restaurants and elsewhere as his “daughter” (while at the same time trying to obtain “senior discounts” for me!).
My own dad has been in Heaven for more than eight years. He wasn’t the easiest person to get along with, but there was never a doubt in my mind that I occupied a very special place in his heart. When he looked at me and spoke to me, I could sense that he liked me for who I am and that he was glad I was in the world. In recent years as I have seen the devastating effects produced when fathers don’t communicate those feelings to their children, I appreciate my dad more.
Gunter continued to stand in for my dad that weekend. He took us to an arboretum, causing me to recall the many outings my dad and I took to the Como Park conservatory and, after he moved to Texas, to southern public gardens. I can hardly look at a flower or read a placard of the name of a tree or bush without recalling my dad’s love of botany.
Later he led us on a guided tour along the rough, rocky shore of the Pacific at La Jolla. Picking our way around the tide pools, I felt like I was following my dad along the North Shore of Lake Superior, one of his favorite getaway spots.
As we approached a small inlet, Gunter warned, “Watch out for the ‘Seal Nazis.’” He gave us the background of the local controversy over whether seal or human offspring should have the right to use this little bay: A wealthy heiress donated the beachfront property to the city of San Diego, constructing a breaker to protect the area, and designating it for use as a children’s swimming beach. Environmental activists, however, seeing that seals liked the area, too, particularly during pupping season, lobbied to keep humans away. The latest court battle found in favor of humans since it is hard to deny the explicit purpose for which the land was donated to the city. The “Seal Nazis,” however, had no intention of giving up their cause so easily.
Now, as we overlooked the beach from an observation area above, we saw no little humans frolicking in the surf. Instead, about a dozen seals with their pups crowded the shore, basking in the sun next to the water. It was an amazing sight. People were lined up along a guardrail next to us watching the seals, and across the way the top of the breakwater was full of observers, as well. There were steps going down to the beach, and I asked Gunter if we could go down there. He said that, yes, it was allowed and perfectly legal. So I said, “Let’s go.” Gunter and I started walking down; my sisters stayed behind.
(continued: see Part II above!)
From the moment my two sisters and brother-in-law Gunter met me at the airport, the tone was set. Gunter greeted me with, “You are in such good shape! You looked like a little girl coming down the escalator.” From then on, Gunter, who is about 20 years older than I, assumed a fatherly role toward me, introducing me at restaurants and elsewhere as his “daughter” (while at the same time trying to obtain “senior discounts” for me!).
My own dad has been in Heaven for more than eight years. He wasn’t the easiest person to get along with, but there was never a doubt in my mind that I occupied a very special place in his heart. When he looked at me and spoke to me, I could sense that he liked me for who I am and that he was glad I was in the world. In recent years as I have seen the devastating effects produced when fathers don’t communicate those feelings to their children, I appreciate my dad more.
Gunter continued to stand in for my dad that weekend. He took us to an arboretum, causing me to recall the many outings my dad and I took to the Como Park conservatory and, after he moved to Texas, to southern public gardens. I can hardly look at a flower or read a placard of the name of a tree or bush without recalling my dad’s love of botany.
Later he led us on a guided tour along the rough, rocky shore of the Pacific at La Jolla. Picking our way around the tide pools, I felt like I was following my dad along the North Shore of Lake Superior, one of his favorite getaway spots.
As we approached a small inlet, Gunter warned, “Watch out for the ‘Seal Nazis.’” He gave us the background of the local controversy over whether seal or human offspring should have the right to use this little bay: A wealthy heiress donated the beachfront property to the city of San Diego, constructing a breaker to protect the area, and designating it for use as a children’s swimming beach. Environmental activists, however, seeing that seals liked the area, too, particularly during pupping season, lobbied to keep humans away. The latest court battle found in favor of humans since it is hard to deny the explicit purpose for which the land was donated to the city. The “Seal Nazis,” however, had no intention of giving up their cause so easily.
Now, as we overlooked the beach from an observation area above, we saw no little humans frolicking in the surf. Instead, about a dozen seals with their pups crowded the shore, basking in the sun next to the water. It was an amazing sight. People were lined up along a guardrail next to us watching the seals, and across the way the top of the breakwater was full of observers, as well. There were steps going down to the beach, and I asked Gunter if we could go down there. He said that, yes, it was allowed and perfectly legal. So I said, “Let’s go.” Gunter and I started walking down; my sisters stayed behind.
(continued: see Part II above!)
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
A Redemptive Gifts Perspective on the Recent Election
(Note: Before reading this post, please read "The Mercy Season" post under the Redemptive Gifts topic.)
The astounding outcome of the national election is not so astounding when viewed in the context of Redemptive Gifts. After having a few hours to digest the election results, I've come up with a few preliminary observations:
1. Change won. This was the first presidential election of the Mercy Season. Because of that, radical change was inevitable. Obama's campaign sensed this far sooner than the Republicans did. The Republicans chose as their candidate someone who was old school and represented the past. Obama said McCain represented the failed policies of the past, but it's my belief that voters in this election cared very little about policies. They just felt the need to put the past behind them, for good or for ill. The need for change was the driving force, and, in true "Mercy" form, the electorate acted on feelings and intuition rather than facts and logic. (No offense to those precious Mercy gift people among us!)
2. The Prophet Party received an unequivocal message. Arthur Burk has said that the Redemptive Gift of the Republican party is Prophet. That makes sense, because Republicans stand for principles to the exclusion of relationship if necessary. In this way, the Prophet gift is the antithesis of the Mercy gift. Prophets are known to need direct, hard chastening in order to "get the message." Thus the electoral blowout. Thanks, God! If the election had been close, Republicans could have consoled themselves that they just needed to work a little harder and get their message out a little better. Because of the lopsided results of the election, Republicans must face the fact that they need to totally revamp their message and/or approach.
3. Mercy triumphed over judgment. Notice how the "judgmental" claims against Obama's ties to unsavory characters seemed to hold no sway over the voters. Even the label of "socialist" did not have an impact. People were willing to suspend judgment and show mercy to this man, forgiving him "without preconditions" for his lack of experience, misstatments, checkered past, etc. Michele Bachman, Republican of Minnesota, has held onto her seat in the House of Representatives. Most of her radio ads had been attack ads against her opponent, who certainly gave plenty of fodder for them. Her tone was strident and even combative. However, after appearing on Hardball and being grilled by Chris Matthews, Michele saw her chances for victory narrowing. In the last week of her campaign, she came out with a new radio ad in her own voice in which she used a pleasant, even soothing tone. She talked about the values of life, family, and security in a positive, hearts-and-flowers way. She even injected humility into her campaign by saying, "I may not always get my words right, but my heart is in the right place." I have no data to support this thought, but this change in approach may have saved Michele the election. At any rate, it was a good example of how Republicans now need to lead with their hearts, not with their heads or with their fists. Republicans can remain true to their principles but wrap it in a compassionate approach.
4. Mega-structures are out; grassroots are in. The Ruler Season was all about building institutions. In the 20th century God's people built mega-churches, colleges, radio stations, mission boards, huge ecumenical evangelistic campaigns, and other "institutions" to help advance Christ's kingdom. But in the Mercy season, intimacy is the by-word. So it's not surprising that the new President of the United States is not a representative of America's so-called military-industrial complex, but rather a "community organizer." Hmmm. It's a hint that our progress in the Church is not going to be accomplished in the Mercy season by huge programs, but by thoughtful, personal, one-on-one contacts with the people who live in our own community. And, from a political perspective, Republicans can no longer depend on institutions (media, direct mail, even talk radio) to get their message out. They are going to need to invest in thousands of small, intimate outreach efforts to change hearts and minds to their side. It's going to be tough for the Republicans, but they are going to need to start investing in the urban settings that they have believed they could get along without. People are not going to care how much Republicans know about what's right for the country until they know how much Republicans care about them personally. And that involves a real investment in the "grassroots" that is lifegiving, not merely pragmatic.
Arthur Burk says repeatedly that one of the hardest types of change is changing from God's old order to God's new order. Those of us who have known about the advent of the Mercy Season are better prepared to understand what has happened in this election and to accept it as a sign of God's revealing a new era to us. God doesn't need presidents, senators, and representatives to accomplish his purposes. He doesn't even need righteous or Bible-honoring governments. The church was born and grew in a corrupt system. America has been blessed that our road has been easy up until now. That may change. But He has many options, and they will succeed. It's our job to figure out where He is going and catch the wave!
The astounding outcome of the national election is not so astounding when viewed in the context of Redemptive Gifts. After having a few hours to digest the election results, I've come up with a few preliminary observations:
1. Change won. This was the first presidential election of the Mercy Season. Because of that, radical change was inevitable. Obama's campaign sensed this far sooner than the Republicans did. The Republicans chose as their candidate someone who was old school and represented the past. Obama said McCain represented the failed policies of the past, but it's my belief that voters in this election cared very little about policies. They just felt the need to put the past behind them, for good or for ill. The need for change was the driving force, and, in true "Mercy" form, the electorate acted on feelings and intuition rather than facts and logic. (No offense to those precious Mercy gift people among us!)
2. The Prophet Party received an unequivocal message. Arthur Burk has said that the Redemptive Gift of the Republican party is Prophet. That makes sense, because Republicans stand for principles to the exclusion of relationship if necessary. In this way, the Prophet gift is the antithesis of the Mercy gift. Prophets are known to need direct, hard chastening in order to "get the message." Thus the electoral blowout. Thanks, God! If the election had been close, Republicans could have consoled themselves that they just needed to work a little harder and get their message out a little better. Because of the lopsided results of the election, Republicans must face the fact that they need to totally revamp their message and/or approach.
3. Mercy triumphed over judgment. Notice how the "judgmental" claims against Obama's ties to unsavory characters seemed to hold no sway over the voters. Even the label of "socialist" did not have an impact. People were willing to suspend judgment and show mercy to this man, forgiving him "without preconditions" for his lack of experience, misstatments, checkered past, etc. Michele Bachman, Republican of Minnesota, has held onto her seat in the House of Representatives. Most of her radio ads had been attack ads against her opponent, who certainly gave plenty of fodder for them. Her tone was strident and even combative. However, after appearing on Hardball and being grilled by Chris Matthews, Michele saw her chances for victory narrowing. In the last week of her campaign, she came out with a new radio ad in her own voice in which she used a pleasant, even soothing tone. She talked about the values of life, family, and security in a positive, hearts-and-flowers way. She even injected humility into her campaign by saying, "I may not always get my words right, but my heart is in the right place." I have no data to support this thought, but this change in approach may have saved Michele the election. At any rate, it was a good example of how Republicans now need to lead with their hearts, not with their heads or with their fists. Republicans can remain true to their principles but wrap it in a compassionate approach.
4. Mega-structures are out; grassroots are in. The Ruler Season was all about building institutions. In the 20th century God's people built mega-churches, colleges, radio stations, mission boards, huge ecumenical evangelistic campaigns, and other "institutions" to help advance Christ's kingdom. But in the Mercy season, intimacy is the by-word. So it's not surprising that the new President of the United States is not a representative of America's so-called military-industrial complex, but rather a "community organizer." Hmmm. It's a hint that our progress in the Church is not going to be accomplished in the Mercy season by huge programs, but by thoughtful, personal, one-on-one contacts with the people who live in our own community. And, from a political perspective, Republicans can no longer depend on institutions (media, direct mail, even talk radio) to get their message out. They are going to need to invest in thousands of small, intimate outreach efforts to change hearts and minds to their side. It's going to be tough for the Republicans, but they are going to need to start investing in the urban settings that they have believed they could get along without. People are not going to care how much Republicans know about what's right for the country until they know how much Republicans care about them personally. And that involves a real investment in the "grassroots" that is lifegiving, not merely pragmatic.
Arthur Burk says repeatedly that one of the hardest types of change is changing from God's old order to God's new order. Those of us who have known about the advent of the Mercy Season are better prepared to understand what has happened in this election and to accept it as a sign of God's revealing a new era to us. God doesn't need presidents, senators, and representatives to accomplish his purposes. He doesn't even need righteous or Bible-honoring governments. The church was born and grew in a corrupt system. America has been blessed that our road has been easy up until now. That may change. But He has many options, and they will succeed. It's our job to figure out where He is going and catch the wave!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Dreams: Your Spirit's Dais
My son has been studying dreams in his psychology class. Not only has he learned that sleep is "periodic, natural, reversible loss of consciousness," (I love that definition!), but he has also read that dreams represent our brains' attempts to make sense of random neural firings. Yes, we have heard that before from the character Graham in Mel Gibson's Signs, a naturalistic, hope-deprived view that he outgrows by the end of the movie.
Any Christian who has ever received a revelation, understanding, or encouragement from a dream must wonder, "Was God speaking to me through that dream?" We have multiple examples in Scripture of God doing just that. Was that only something God did during Bible times, or does He still communicate with His people that way?
The prophet Joel and the Apostle Peter predicted that God speaking through dreams would be a sign of the last days (Acts 2:17), although perhaps only if you are one of the "old men." We've been in "the last days" since Peter's time, but perhaps these signs will be getting more and more common as we get closer and closer to Christ's return.
Sometimes you might wake up from a dream with a clearer understanding of yourself and some emotional issue you have been dealing with. You may not even recall the events of the dream very fully, but you suddenly have a grasp on the emotional reality of the situation you've been involved with that you didn't have before. As I've thought about these instances, I've wrestled with whether they were direct revelations from the Lord, or whether they were something else.
It has occurred to me that my dreams may be the playground, the stage, or the dais for my spirit. During sleep, my body is somewhat inactive, and my conscious mind is out of the way. All the distractions that usually keep my spirit under wraps and stifled have been removed. My spirit, however, is awake and as active as ever. Perhaps my spirit broods over my brain cells, causing some of them to fire in a way that can send a message to my mind. Or perhaps there is a random physiological process that my spirit strings together creatively to send the particular message it wants to relay to my mind.
Either way, whether a dream is from the Lord or the creative declamation of my spirit, it is certainly worth my attention.
Not all dreams are the same. Some you wake up and brush off like so much lint or cat hair. But some stay with you and touch something deep inside. Those I like to ponder. Whether they represent a word from the Lord, or a word from my spirit (which, after all, is created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness, according to Ephesians 4:24), I can use them to improve my relationships, my understanding, and my service for the Lord.
Any Christian who has ever received a revelation, understanding, or encouragement from a dream must wonder, "Was God speaking to me through that dream?" We have multiple examples in Scripture of God doing just that. Was that only something God did during Bible times, or does He still communicate with His people that way?
The prophet Joel and the Apostle Peter predicted that God speaking through dreams would be a sign of the last days (Acts 2:17), although perhaps only if you are one of the "old men." We've been in "the last days" since Peter's time, but perhaps these signs will be getting more and more common as we get closer and closer to Christ's return.
Sometimes you might wake up from a dream with a clearer understanding of yourself and some emotional issue you have been dealing with. You may not even recall the events of the dream very fully, but you suddenly have a grasp on the emotional reality of the situation you've been involved with that you didn't have before. As I've thought about these instances, I've wrestled with whether they were direct revelations from the Lord, or whether they were something else.
It has occurred to me that my dreams may be the playground, the stage, or the dais for my spirit. During sleep, my body is somewhat inactive, and my conscious mind is out of the way. All the distractions that usually keep my spirit under wraps and stifled have been removed. My spirit, however, is awake and as active as ever. Perhaps my spirit broods over my brain cells, causing some of them to fire in a way that can send a message to my mind. Or perhaps there is a random physiological process that my spirit strings together creatively to send the particular message it wants to relay to my mind.
Either way, whether a dream is from the Lord or the creative declamation of my spirit, it is certainly worth my attention.
Not all dreams are the same. Some you wake up and brush off like so much lint or cat hair. But some stay with you and touch something deep inside. Those I like to ponder. Whether they represent a word from the Lord, or a word from my spirit (which, after all, is created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness, according to Ephesians 4:24), I can use them to improve my relationships, my understanding, and my service for the Lord.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Authorities in Action--A Dramatization
(For a theological framework of the following dramatization, see the previous post. The earthly elements of this tale are true, although the names have been changed to protect the innocent!)
Last month a godly spiritual Authority over the region of Michigan was given an assignment from the throne of God to provide a Class C blessing to the Simonson family. Immediately the Authority started doing his homework. Class C is a pretty big blessing, requiring several days of planning and encompassing several days of implementation and oversight. The Authority consulted with Mr. and Mrs. Simonson's guardian angels to find out what was on the couple's agenda for the next couple of weeks. Learning that the family was about to take a trip to Texas to search for a new home, the Authority got on his spiritual cell phone to the Houston Regional Authority, who put him in touch with the Northwest Suburban Houston Authority, who put him in touch with the Authority over Spring, TX.
Michigan Authority: Yeah, I need your help. I'm working on a Class C blessing for one of my families, the Simonsons. They're arriving in your area next week.
Spring Authority: Class C? Sweet! I love those! Why are they coming to Spring?
Michigan Authority: Looking for housing.
Spring Authority: Really? That's perfect! I've got a realtor on my team who we can put into service. Just make sure the Simonsons get connected with her, and I'll take it from there. I'll keep you posted.
The realtor's name is relayed to the Simonsons' guardian angels, who do some fancy footwork to make sure the Simonsons connect with her. In the meantime, the Spring Authority contacts the realtor's guardian angel to let him know the Simonsons will be calling and that he should do everything he can do to make sure they meet. The Simonsons "just happen" to get the realtor's name and give her a call. They feel an immediate connection with her in their spirits, thanks to some prompting from their guardian angels. The realtor feels a strong connection to the Simonsons, thanks to some prompting from hers. They set a time to meet, and the realtor goes so far as to offer to let the Simonsons stay in her garage apartment at no charge. She offers to show them around the area for two days. The Simonsons are amazed that everything is falling into place.
Everything is working like clockwork. The only trouble is, the Evil Authorities in Michigan and Spring have eavesdropped on everything. They also have an assignment: to prevent the blessings from reaching the Simonsons, and if possible, to administer a curse instead.
Northwest Suburban Houston Evil Authority (NWSHEA): You need to prevent the Simonsons from staying with the realtor.
Spring Evil Authority (SEA): Right. I'm on it. I'll persuade her it's a stupid idea.
NWSHEA: I hear she's a pretty reliable agent for the other side.
SEA: Oh, one of those? Then I'll go in the back door.
SEA proceeds to pay a visit, not to the realtor, but to her husband. As the realtor explains to her husband that a couple from Michigan will be staying in the garage apartment at no charge, SEA starts whispering fears and doubts galore to her husband. Her husband vocalizes these fears to his wife.
Husband: What? Have you really thought this through? We don't know these people from Adam. They could be scoping us out, and they could rob us and all our neighbors. Why should they stay there rent free, anyway? I don't like this idea.
Realtor: I know what you're saying, but I have a really good feeling about them. They sound like an awesome Christian family. I just really felt like I should do this. I can't explain why, but I feel like this is what God wants me to do.
Husband: Like I said, I really don't like the idea.
Realtor: I'm sure it's going to be fine.
SEA reports to his superior that the back door approach was unsuccessful. As the Simonsons enter the Northwest Suburban Houston area, NWSHEA sends a lower level evil authority into their car. Suddenly Mr. Simonson begins to have doubts about their arrangements.
Mr. Simonson: You know, I think we should just go to a hotel. We don't know this realtor, and she was probably just trying to get us off the phone. Why would she want to put us up at her place? It doesn't make sense.
Mrs. Simonson: I think she really wants to help us. I had such a good feeling about her. I trust her.
Mr. Simonson: Well, I'm not going to stop at her place and find out she really didn't mean it. We'd better call her. Remember all the other times people have promised to do things for us and they never followed through.
Mr. Simonson calls the realtor, and she has one more chance to listen to the SEA or the Spring Authority. They are both prompting her, but she sticks by her original feeling and tells them to come over. The two couples spend the evening together and have a wonderful time. The realtor shows the couple around the neighborhood, going above and beyond what one would normally expect from a realtor. They return to Michigan and tell everyone how God blessed their trip and how many things worked out just perfectly. They have an improved understanding of who God is and of the gifts of the body of Christ.
Spring Authority: Everything went well. The Simonsons were blessed, and I made sure some blessings spilled over to the realtor and her husband, too.
Michigan Authority: Mission accomplished. The Simonsons were blessed, and God was glorified. If I ever have another relocation situation, I'll remember your realtor.
Spring Authority: Yep, I'm moving her up on my list. She came through despite some dirty back-door tactics from the enemy. I'm going to use her more often.
Makes me proud to know this realtor, and makes me wonder if I'm on the list of the Dayton/Champlin Authority. If so, how high up on the list am I?
Last month a godly spiritual Authority over the region of Michigan was given an assignment from the throne of God to provide a Class C blessing to the Simonson family. Immediately the Authority started doing his homework. Class C is a pretty big blessing, requiring several days of planning and encompassing several days of implementation and oversight. The Authority consulted with Mr. and Mrs. Simonson's guardian angels to find out what was on the couple's agenda for the next couple of weeks. Learning that the family was about to take a trip to Texas to search for a new home, the Authority got on his spiritual cell phone to the Houston Regional Authority, who put him in touch with the Northwest Suburban Houston Authority, who put him in touch with the Authority over Spring, TX.
Michigan Authority: Yeah, I need your help. I'm working on a Class C blessing for one of my families, the Simonsons. They're arriving in your area next week.
Spring Authority: Class C? Sweet! I love those! Why are they coming to Spring?
Michigan Authority: Looking for housing.
Spring Authority: Really? That's perfect! I've got a realtor on my team who we can put into service. Just make sure the Simonsons get connected with her, and I'll take it from there. I'll keep you posted.
The realtor's name is relayed to the Simonsons' guardian angels, who do some fancy footwork to make sure the Simonsons connect with her. In the meantime, the Spring Authority contacts the realtor's guardian angel to let him know the Simonsons will be calling and that he should do everything he can do to make sure they meet. The Simonsons "just happen" to get the realtor's name and give her a call. They feel an immediate connection with her in their spirits, thanks to some prompting from their guardian angels. The realtor feels a strong connection to the Simonsons, thanks to some prompting from hers. They set a time to meet, and the realtor goes so far as to offer to let the Simonsons stay in her garage apartment at no charge. She offers to show them around the area for two days. The Simonsons are amazed that everything is falling into place.
Everything is working like clockwork. The only trouble is, the Evil Authorities in Michigan and Spring have eavesdropped on everything. They also have an assignment: to prevent the blessings from reaching the Simonsons, and if possible, to administer a curse instead.
Northwest Suburban Houston Evil Authority (NWSHEA): You need to prevent the Simonsons from staying with the realtor.
Spring Evil Authority (SEA): Right. I'm on it. I'll persuade her it's a stupid idea.
NWSHEA: I hear she's a pretty reliable agent for the other side.
SEA: Oh, one of those? Then I'll go in the back door.
SEA proceeds to pay a visit, not to the realtor, but to her husband. As the realtor explains to her husband that a couple from Michigan will be staying in the garage apartment at no charge, SEA starts whispering fears and doubts galore to her husband. Her husband vocalizes these fears to his wife.
Husband: What? Have you really thought this through? We don't know these people from Adam. They could be scoping us out, and they could rob us and all our neighbors. Why should they stay there rent free, anyway? I don't like this idea.
Realtor: I know what you're saying, but I have a really good feeling about them. They sound like an awesome Christian family. I just really felt like I should do this. I can't explain why, but I feel like this is what God wants me to do.
Husband: Like I said, I really don't like the idea.
Realtor: I'm sure it's going to be fine.
SEA reports to his superior that the back door approach was unsuccessful. As the Simonsons enter the Northwest Suburban Houston area, NWSHEA sends a lower level evil authority into their car. Suddenly Mr. Simonson begins to have doubts about their arrangements.
Mr. Simonson: You know, I think we should just go to a hotel. We don't know this realtor, and she was probably just trying to get us off the phone. Why would she want to put us up at her place? It doesn't make sense.
Mrs. Simonson: I think she really wants to help us. I had such a good feeling about her. I trust her.
Mr. Simonson: Well, I'm not going to stop at her place and find out she really didn't mean it. We'd better call her. Remember all the other times people have promised to do things for us and they never followed through.
Mr. Simonson calls the realtor, and she has one more chance to listen to the SEA or the Spring Authority. They are both prompting her, but she sticks by her original feeling and tells them to come over. The two couples spend the evening together and have a wonderful time. The realtor shows the couple around the neighborhood, going above and beyond what one would normally expect from a realtor. They return to Michigan and tell everyone how God blessed their trip and how many things worked out just perfectly. They have an improved understanding of who God is and of the gifts of the body of Christ.
Spring Authority: Everything went well. The Simonsons were blessed, and I made sure some blessings spilled over to the realtor and her husband, too.
Michigan Authority: Mission accomplished. The Simonsons were blessed, and God was glorified. If I ever have another relocation situation, I'll remember your realtor.
Spring Authority: Yep, I'm moving her up on my list. She came through despite some dirty back-door tactics from the enemy. I'm going to use her more often.
Makes me proud to know this realtor, and makes me wonder if I'm on the list of the Dayton/Champlin Authority. If so, how high up on the list am I?
Friday, August 1, 2008
How Do Blessings and Curses Work?
Have you ever wondered how blessings and curses work? From a study of Scripture, it's obvious that both blessings and curses can have powerful effects on our lives. Is that effect merely psychological? When someone blesses us, does that enhance our self-image, thereby enabling us to accomplish more? Or does God release some sort of cosmic buzz into us to give us a little extra oomph?
I was recently listening to a teaching by Paul Cox of Aslan's Place in which he mentioned that there is a specific type of spiritual being that has the role of carrying out blessings (if they are on God's side) or curses (if they work for the enemy). These beings are called authorities, and they are mentioned in several passages in the New Testament, including I Corinthians 15:24, Ephesians 1:21, Colossians 2:15, and I Peter 3:22.
When I heard this teaching, it occurred to me (for the first time, I think) that angelic beings are more than spiritual robots. I guess I always thought that an angel was sent from God right to earth with a very specific task to carry out. He performed the specified task and then went back to Heaven for the next assignment. For instance, God might say, "Go bless George with a good night's sleep." The angel would go and minister a peaceful sleep for George and then fly back to Heaven.
Now I'm thinking that the angelic beings ("authorities") may actually have a certain amount of creative freedom in how they administer blessings. They may have an assignment to bless George. It is left almost that vague. The authority then needs to decide how to bless and needs to orchestrate a lot of little events to implement that blessing.
Did you ever have a day where everything just went smoothly? You got in the shortest line at the grocery store, all the lights were green on your way to work, and several people complimented you? You got an encouraging e-mail, your kids were obedient, and you seemed to accomplish more tasks in less time than usual. Maybe some authorities were intervening in your life that day, kind of staying one step ahead of you like a personal valet making sure that everything functioned like clockwork. Those authorities may have had fun that day figuring out how to show you an extra measure of God's love. If you acknowledged your easy day as a gift from God, that surely made the authorities feel that their work was worthwhile. If you barely noticed their work, however, or if you suggested it was coincidence, they may have felt their work was all in vain. Their real object is not just to make your day go more smoothly, but ultimately to bring praise and glory to God.
I like to think about these spiritual beings who are creatively working on our behalf to implement blessings in our lives. It would be a fun job, but only if the blessee noticed the blessings and praised God because of them.
One of the highest compliments Jesus paid anyone when He was on earth was when he said of the centurion, "I have not found such great faith even in Israel" (Luke 7:9) What was so special about this man's faith? I believe that, by extrapolating from what he knew of the physical world that he was able to see to the invisible spiritual world, he demonstrated the type of faith that pleases Jesus. His reasoning was simple. "For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." I think he had discerned the activity of spiritual authorities even without seeing them or having been taught about them. If humans have ranks of soldiers, then certainly God does, as well. Just as those soldiers must at times exercise creative problem solving ability, so the angelic authorities must do so in carrying out their assignments for the Lord.
Believing in the unseen realm carries with it a blessing of its own. As Jesus said, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29). I'm going to have my spiritual eyes open from now on to detect the workings of authorities in my life. And I'm going to praise God when I notice their work!
I was recently listening to a teaching by Paul Cox of Aslan's Place in which he mentioned that there is a specific type of spiritual being that has the role of carrying out blessings (if they are on God's side) or curses (if they work for the enemy). These beings are called authorities, and they are mentioned in several passages in the New Testament, including I Corinthians 15:24, Ephesians 1:21, Colossians 2:15, and I Peter 3:22.
When I heard this teaching, it occurred to me (for the first time, I think) that angelic beings are more than spiritual robots. I guess I always thought that an angel was sent from God right to earth with a very specific task to carry out. He performed the specified task and then went back to Heaven for the next assignment. For instance, God might say, "Go bless George with a good night's sleep." The angel would go and minister a peaceful sleep for George and then fly back to Heaven.
Now I'm thinking that the angelic beings ("authorities") may actually have a certain amount of creative freedom in how they administer blessings. They may have an assignment to bless George. It is left almost that vague. The authority then needs to decide how to bless and needs to orchestrate a lot of little events to implement that blessing.
Did you ever have a day where everything just went smoothly? You got in the shortest line at the grocery store, all the lights were green on your way to work, and several people complimented you? You got an encouraging e-mail, your kids were obedient, and you seemed to accomplish more tasks in less time than usual. Maybe some authorities were intervening in your life that day, kind of staying one step ahead of you like a personal valet making sure that everything functioned like clockwork. Those authorities may have had fun that day figuring out how to show you an extra measure of God's love. If you acknowledged your easy day as a gift from God, that surely made the authorities feel that their work was worthwhile. If you barely noticed their work, however, or if you suggested it was coincidence, they may have felt their work was all in vain. Their real object is not just to make your day go more smoothly, but ultimately to bring praise and glory to God.
I like to think about these spiritual beings who are creatively working on our behalf to implement blessings in our lives. It would be a fun job, but only if the blessee noticed the blessings and praised God because of them.
One of the highest compliments Jesus paid anyone when He was on earth was when he said of the centurion, "I have not found such great faith even in Israel" (Luke 7:9) What was so special about this man's faith? I believe that, by extrapolating from what he knew of the physical world that he was able to see to the invisible spiritual world, he demonstrated the type of faith that pleases Jesus. His reasoning was simple. "For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." I think he had discerned the activity of spiritual authorities even without seeing them or having been taught about them. If humans have ranks of soldiers, then certainly God does, as well. Just as those soldiers must at times exercise creative problem solving ability, so the angelic authorities must do so in carrying out their assignments for the Lord.
Believing in the unseen realm carries with it a blessing of its own. As Jesus said, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29). I'm going to have my spiritual eyes open from now on to detect the workings of authorities in my life. And I'm going to praise God when I notice their work!
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Real-Life Parables
About a year ago I became aware that God was communicating to me through real-life incidents that had symbolic meaning. I was so excited about this novel concept that I started keeping a log of these incidents and their meanings, hoping to write a book someday.
Then, wouldn't you know it, I was hanging out on the Aslan's Place website and saw that the book has already been written! It's called, If This Were a Dream, What Would It Mean? The author, Murray Dueck, explains how everyday events can have spiritual meaning. The examples he gives, especially of symbolic events involving England's royal family and India's Parliament, are fascinating. Even though it meant my idea was not original, I enjoyed the confirmation the book provided that God does, indeed, communicate through symbolic incidents which I like to call real-life parables.
Here's an example of one of the first ones I noticed.
It was about 2 a.m. and my husband jumped out of bed in alarm. He was certain he had heard someone come in the front door. He called warnings down the stairs. After checking to make sure our children were accounted for, he made his way downstairs, weapon in hand. In my state of grogginess, I refused to acknowledge that there was any real threat. I knew I had locked the front door before going to bed, and anyone coming in that way would have set off the security system. Eventually he came back to bed, confident that no one had entered the house after all. I remember thinking, as I fell back to sleep, that it was a very strange incident, particularly because my husband was so convinced he had heard someone at the front door.
The next night my daughter had a sleep-over birthday party with about eight of her elementary aged girlfriends. They all slept in the living room, and I went to bed long before they did. That's why I was surprised when, at 5:30, which was my usual rising time, I came downstairs to find several of the girls already awake. It seems they hadn't slept much all night. First a couple of them had seen what they thought was a coyote prowling right by the house. Then some of the girls heard the door knob on the front door turn. They thought they may have seen the form of someone on the front step. Although mass hallucinations at 10-year-old girls' slumber parties are probably not unusual, the girls seemed unusually staunch in their beliefs of what they saw. Even when I grilled one-on-one some of the girls who I felt were more reliable, they did not back down on their story or admit that it could have been their imaginations. Even so, I wouldn't have given it too much thought. But the fact that it happened the very next night after my husband's mysterious nocturnal hallucination gave me pause.
After the girls had all been picked up by their parents, I settled into a quiet morning. In fact, it was too quiet. The phone hadn't rung all day. Sure enough, I found out that the phones were not working. My first thought was that a sinister prowler had cut our phone lines like always happens in the movies. But I learned from the phone company that about ten homes in the area were affected. Another odd situation. We had never lost phone service randomly like that before, and we never have since.
On my prayer walk that day, I pondered these events. I thought it could be a picture of spiritual warfare. The devil was trying to gain access to our family, but he was not succeeding. I felt that the Lord was telling me that our boundaries were secure.
Then about 4 p.m. I received a phone call from my bank. A banker advised me that all my bank accounts, including my checking, savings, and credit card accounts needed to be closed. It turns out that someone from Kazakstan had tapped into the bank's computers and had viewed my account. Although he hadn't accessed any funds, the bank expected that his plan would be to return to withdraw money from my account very soon.
So that's what the odd events of the last two nights were about! They were warnings that someone was trying to access our financial accounts. And the telephone outage was to show that it was an electronic attack, so to speak.
But did that mean my original interpretation that I felt God had given me (about the spiritual warfare) wasn't accurate? Actually, I felt both interpretations could co-exist. They weren't contradictory. In fact, the Kazakstan incident was consistent with the front door incidents. The hacker had rattled the door knob and peeked in the window, but hadn't taken anything. The bank had caught the problem in time; our electronic boundaries had held.
That picture of spiritual warfare has been very comforting to me over the past year. I have felt under attack by the enemy at times. And while I can say he hasn't taken anything of true value from me, he has caused a great deal of stress and hassle. Having to close all my accounts and re-open them turned out to be a much bigger job than I had anticipated. I had to set up all my auto drafts again, and some of them became problematic, taking months to actually resolve. So, while the devil hasn't won any true spiritual victory over me, he has probably wasted my time and made me less effective than I could have been without his interference!
I am so glad Jesus is praying for me. According to I John 2:1, Jesus speaks to the Father in my defense. I suppose it is similar to what he said to Simon Peter in Luke 22:31-32: "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."
And I'm thankful that God gave me those interesting pictures that helped clarify the spiritual realm for me.
Then, wouldn't you know it, I was hanging out on the Aslan's Place website and saw that the book has already been written! It's called, If This Were a Dream, What Would It Mean? The author, Murray Dueck, explains how everyday events can have spiritual meaning. The examples he gives, especially of symbolic events involving England's royal family and India's Parliament, are fascinating. Even though it meant my idea was not original, I enjoyed the confirmation the book provided that God does, indeed, communicate through symbolic incidents which I like to call real-life parables.
Here's an example of one of the first ones I noticed.
It was about 2 a.m. and my husband jumped out of bed in alarm. He was certain he had heard someone come in the front door. He called warnings down the stairs. After checking to make sure our children were accounted for, he made his way downstairs, weapon in hand. In my state of grogginess, I refused to acknowledge that there was any real threat. I knew I had locked the front door before going to bed, and anyone coming in that way would have set off the security system. Eventually he came back to bed, confident that no one had entered the house after all. I remember thinking, as I fell back to sleep, that it was a very strange incident, particularly because my husband was so convinced he had heard someone at the front door.
The next night my daughter had a sleep-over birthday party with about eight of her elementary aged girlfriends. They all slept in the living room, and I went to bed long before they did. That's why I was surprised when, at 5:30, which was my usual rising time, I came downstairs to find several of the girls already awake. It seems they hadn't slept much all night. First a couple of them had seen what they thought was a coyote prowling right by the house. Then some of the girls heard the door knob on the front door turn. They thought they may have seen the form of someone on the front step. Although mass hallucinations at 10-year-old girls' slumber parties are probably not unusual, the girls seemed unusually staunch in their beliefs of what they saw. Even when I grilled one-on-one some of the girls who I felt were more reliable, they did not back down on their story or admit that it could have been their imaginations. Even so, I wouldn't have given it too much thought. But the fact that it happened the very next night after my husband's mysterious nocturnal hallucination gave me pause.
After the girls had all been picked up by their parents, I settled into a quiet morning. In fact, it was too quiet. The phone hadn't rung all day. Sure enough, I found out that the phones were not working. My first thought was that a sinister prowler had cut our phone lines like always happens in the movies. But I learned from the phone company that about ten homes in the area were affected. Another odd situation. We had never lost phone service randomly like that before, and we never have since.
On my prayer walk that day, I pondered these events. I thought it could be a picture of spiritual warfare. The devil was trying to gain access to our family, but he was not succeeding. I felt that the Lord was telling me that our boundaries were secure.
Then about 4 p.m. I received a phone call from my bank. A banker advised me that all my bank accounts, including my checking, savings, and credit card accounts needed to be closed. It turns out that someone from Kazakstan had tapped into the bank's computers and had viewed my account. Although he hadn't accessed any funds, the bank expected that his plan would be to return to withdraw money from my account very soon.
So that's what the odd events of the last two nights were about! They were warnings that someone was trying to access our financial accounts. And the telephone outage was to show that it was an electronic attack, so to speak.
But did that mean my original interpretation that I felt God had given me (about the spiritual warfare) wasn't accurate? Actually, I felt both interpretations could co-exist. They weren't contradictory. In fact, the Kazakstan incident was consistent with the front door incidents. The hacker had rattled the door knob and peeked in the window, but hadn't taken anything. The bank had caught the problem in time; our electronic boundaries had held.
That picture of spiritual warfare has been very comforting to me over the past year. I have felt under attack by the enemy at times. And while I can say he hasn't taken anything of true value from me, he has caused a great deal of stress and hassle. Having to close all my accounts and re-open them turned out to be a much bigger job than I had anticipated. I had to set up all my auto drafts again, and some of them became problematic, taking months to actually resolve. So, while the devil hasn't won any true spiritual victory over me, he has probably wasted my time and made me less effective than I could have been without his interference!
I am so glad Jesus is praying for me. According to I John 2:1, Jesus speaks to the Father in my defense. I suppose it is similar to what he said to Simon Peter in Luke 22:31-32: "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."
And I'm thankful that God gave me those interesting pictures that helped clarify the spiritual realm for me.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Five or Ten Cities?
"'Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. 'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.'" (Luke 19:17)
For most of my Christian life, that verse didn't excite me. I knew that, as a believer, I will "rule and reign with Christ for a thousand years." But, frankly, the thought of sitting on some throne in some remote city in Africa or India for a thousand years didn't sound like too much fun to me.
About a year and a half ago, however, I was introduced to the concept of city reaching, and my whole view of the Millennial Kingdom changed. The idea that we as Christians today, not just in the Millennium, have the chance to transform the cities in which we live was new to me. I've always been involved with the stream of Christianity that puts tremendous focus on the local church. Growing our church seemed to be the goal, not transforming society by being salt and light "out there."
One of Arthur Burk's statements that has affected me the most is that sometimes our prayers aren't being answered because we are not praying big enough. Praying for our friends and family and church is good, but God wants us to have a larger vision. Arthur also helped me see Acts 17:26 - 27 in a new light. "From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us."
For the first time, I realized that "exact" means "exact." Did God put me in the exact spot in Dayton that He wanted me to live? And did He put our business in the exact location in Champlin where it is? Looking back on how we acquired our home and business properties, I can see that both were presented to us; we didn't actually search either of them out on our own. Timing and circumstances worked together to bring us to these exact spots. The question is, "Why?" Paul answers that, too: So that men would find God.
In other words, God has placed me in strategic locations in Dayton and Champlin so that I can point the people around me to Him. Suddenly, God gave me a heart to pray for these two communities to see them transformed by His power to come into the calling and fullness God means for them to have. As I was gaining this insight, God took me to Jesus' parable of the ten minas. Now when I read about the reward the faithful servant received, it jumped off the page! Wow! He got ten cities! And I had only been praying for two! I could see I needed to broaden my vision even more.
Then I realized that the cities God will probably give to us to rule over during the Millennium will not be cities that we don't know anything about. They will most likely be the same cities that we prayed for, worked for, loved and cared for in this life. Now, that excited me. And it gave me a goal beyond "retirement." If I want to get a head start on my job during the thousand-year reign, I should do everything I can in this life to bring my cities into alignment with God's plan now.
I made a list of "my" five cities:
- Dayton
- Champlin
- Anoka
- Osseo
- Maple Grove
Then I asked myself why I would want to shoot for second place! I added five more, to make up my ten target cities:
- Brooklyn Park
- Corcoran
- Hassan
- Rogers
- Coon Rapids
At this point I have no idea what strategies God will use to bring His transforming touch to these communities, nor what role I will play. For now, I am learning what I can about city reaching and meeting regularly for prayer with some women in my neighborhood. I'm asking God to release me, my family, and my business into our role in His plan for Dayton and Champlin. He has been working, that's for sure, and not necessarily in the ways I thought He would.
Like many Christian leaders today, I'm convinced that city reaching is what God wants to do today. And I want to be a partner in that. I agree with what Rich Marshall states in his book, God @ Work, Volume II: "If you're not involved in some form of initiative to transform cities or nations, you are missing the point of your calling and destiny in Christ."
Friday, July 11, 2008
Inner and Outer Healing
Two years ago I had no idea that I needed inner healing; indeed, I had never even heard the term. Since then God has transformed me from the inside out using some gifted and caring people who shared these concepts with me. The people and resources that were most helpful to me were Marjorie Cole at Life Recovery Center, Layen and Shirley Adelmann with Family Foundations International, and the Transformation Series CD Set by John and Paula Sandford.
One of the catalysts that directed me toward inner healing was losing my sight in my left eye. In the fall of 2005 I contracted a rare parasite that infected my left cornea. After several months of severe pain, I was left with no sight in that eye. The first corneal transplant I had failed after six weeks, and I was again blind in my left eye for six more months until I could have the procedure repeated.
At my husband's chiropractic clinic, the doctor and staff had been performing emotional release techniques to help patients find more complete physical healing. One of the resources we use is the book Feelings Buried Alive Never Die by Karol Truman, which lists the common emotional roots of many physical complaints. Since I wanted to give my new cornea every possible chance of success, I determined to search for and resolve every possible emotional and spiritual root that might affect it. That "opened my eyes" to the world of inner healing and how it can affect our physical health. I discovered there were indeed many spiritual roots behind the loss of my sight, and as I dealt with those in prayer, I grew closer to the Lord and found healing for many past hurts and lies that I had believed.
By the way, my new cornea is doing great; the doctor is amazed at how healthy it is every time she checks it. Thank you, God!
He Loves Us, Warts and All
As another example of how physical symptoms, illnesses, or dysfunction can point us to areas in our lives that need emotional and spiritual healing, I offer the story of the wart on my index finger. I had this unsightly wart right on the knuckle of my right index finger. It developed a couple of years ago, I guess, and with all my eye problems, I never paid much attention to it. But after making a great deal of progress with issues concerning my eye, I felt like it might be time to address this relatively minor but still aggravating condition.
I started by asking myself what symbolism relates to the afflicted body part. In other words, what does the index finger stand for? The first thing that came to mind was "pointing the finger," or judging. I was disappointed at that consideration, because I felt that I had been quite judgmental in the past, but that I had let go of that. As I prayed about it, however, God showed me some significant ways in which I was still judging others rather than taking responsibility myself. After working through that for a few days, I checked the wart to see if any changes were apparent. I thought it might be a little smaller, but I attributed that to my imagination.
Next I considered what other symbolic meaning the index finger has, and I realized that we stroke the right index finger with the left index finger when we say, "Shame on you!" Shame was certainly an issue for me, I knew. I had grown up in a very poor family. My parents were anything but "normal," and I was often ashamed of them. My father was bipolar and had horrific manners; my mother, although very sweet and kind, was schizophrenic. So I prayed about these issues again, although I had addressed them to some extent already.
As I was going through this process, the Lord put together some events and words that were spoken to me in close conjunction so that I found myself experiencing an uncharacteristic level of anger. Although I first assumed it was my husband's fault (who else?), upon closer reflection I realized that my anger at the small thing my husband had said was completely out of proportion. I was also experiencing a crazy headache brought on by exposure to rubber, which I have been sensitive to for as long as I can remember. It turned out the anger, the thing my husband had said, and the rubber were all related. As I was praying, God gave me a memory that was key to all three, and it was related to childhood sexual abuse I had experienced. Again, I thought I had already dealt with this issue, but the shame was still there. I struggled in prayer with the Lord that day, and He met me in a powerful way, giving me the grace to fully forgive the perpetrator while gently showing me my own sinfulness and His forgiveness and grace toward me.
Within a couple of days I noticed that the wart on my finger had shrunk by about half. It was not my imagination this time. Over the next week, it continued to shrink. I also prayed about feelings of being unattractive and gave those to the Lord.
Now that the wart was hardly noticeable, I wondered if I needed to do anything else. One day on a prayer walk I began to ask what other symbolism resides with the index finger. I thought about pointing out problems and directing (as one might point to someone and say, "You stand over there.") It occurred to me that those are actions that might represent the redemptive gifts of Prophet and Ruler, respectively. I considered all the Prophets with whom I had had difficult relationships and the Rulers toward whom I might feel animosity. Some friends and relatives came to mind, and I prayed to release judgment, forgive, and bless each of them.
The ones who seemed to be more significant were my two sisters, and I remembered a few of the more significant hurt feelings and prayed about those situations. When that was done, I felt that there was still something else. I remembered Arthur Burk's (Plumbline Ministries) teaching of reconciling the parts of your own spirit with each other. Having been raised with schizophrenia, I just didn't like Arthur's concept of speaking to the different portions of my own spirit in order to encourage them to get along with each other. Let's not foster multiple personalities, was my view!
Nevertheless, I felt that I had squelched in some way my own spirit's redemptive gifts of Prophet and Ruler. I'm a Teacher, but everyone's spirit contains some of each gift, and we become more well-rounded individuals when we can nurture the best qualities of all seven gifts. I could see that as a child when my feelings were hurt by my Prophet or Ruler sisters, I probably made an inner vow of "I'm never going to be like her." That judgment I made subdued the portions of my spirit that would be good at spotting and solving problems (Prophet) and organizing, directing, and administering (Ruler). So, feeling rather odd, I spoke to my own spirit and told my Prophet and Ruler portions that I released judgment toward them, I forgave them, and I blessed them, giving them permission to perform their functions in my life. I did have the feeling that I was a more complete person after that time of self-reconciliaton.
Well, you guessed it. After a week passed, there was no sign whatsoever of my former wart. I had never taken a single vitamin for getting rid of warts or applied a single topical agent to the wart during the time it was disappearing. God healed the inside, the soul and spirit, and the outer, physical healing followed.
Now Paul's statement in II Corinthians 12:9b - 10 takes on a new meaning: "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknessess, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
If we viewed each physical problem as a hint from the Lord that He wants to heal something emotional and spiritual inside of us, how would our lives change? And how much healthier would our physical bodies be?
I'm thinking more and more that the physical is a picture of the emotional and spiritual, just like the physical tabernacle on earth represented the Heavenly tabernacle.
One of the catalysts that directed me toward inner healing was losing my sight in my left eye. In the fall of 2005 I contracted a rare parasite that infected my left cornea. After several months of severe pain, I was left with no sight in that eye. The first corneal transplant I had failed after six weeks, and I was again blind in my left eye for six more months until I could have the procedure repeated.
At my husband's chiropractic clinic, the doctor and staff had been performing emotional release techniques to help patients find more complete physical healing. One of the resources we use is the book Feelings Buried Alive Never Die by Karol Truman, which lists the common emotional roots of many physical complaints. Since I wanted to give my new cornea every possible chance of success, I determined to search for and resolve every possible emotional and spiritual root that might affect it. That "opened my eyes" to the world of inner healing and how it can affect our physical health. I discovered there were indeed many spiritual roots behind the loss of my sight, and as I dealt with those in prayer, I grew closer to the Lord and found healing for many past hurts and lies that I had believed.
By the way, my new cornea is doing great; the doctor is amazed at how healthy it is every time she checks it. Thank you, God!
He Loves Us, Warts and All
As another example of how physical symptoms, illnesses, or dysfunction can point us to areas in our lives that need emotional and spiritual healing, I offer the story of the wart on my index finger. I had this unsightly wart right on the knuckle of my right index finger. It developed a couple of years ago, I guess, and with all my eye problems, I never paid much attention to it. But after making a great deal of progress with issues concerning my eye, I felt like it might be time to address this relatively minor but still aggravating condition.
I started by asking myself what symbolism relates to the afflicted body part. In other words, what does the index finger stand for? The first thing that came to mind was "pointing the finger," or judging. I was disappointed at that consideration, because I felt that I had been quite judgmental in the past, but that I had let go of that. As I prayed about it, however, God showed me some significant ways in which I was still judging others rather than taking responsibility myself. After working through that for a few days, I checked the wart to see if any changes were apparent. I thought it might be a little smaller, but I attributed that to my imagination.
Next I considered what other symbolic meaning the index finger has, and I realized that we stroke the right index finger with the left index finger when we say, "Shame on you!" Shame was certainly an issue for me, I knew. I had grown up in a very poor family. My parents were anything but "normal," and I was often ashamed of them. My father was bipolar and had horrific manners; my mother, although very sweet and kind, was schizophrenic. So I prayed about these issues again, although I had addressed them to some extent already.
As I was going through this process, the Lord put together some events and words that were spoken to me in close conjunction so that I found myself experiencing an uncharacteristic level of anger. Although I first assumed it was my husband's fault (who else?), upon closer reflection I realized that my anger at the small thing my husband had said was completely out of proportion. I was also experiencing a crazy headache brought on by exposure to rubber, which I have been sensitive to for as long as I can remember. It turned out the anger, the thing my husband had said, and the rubber were all related. As I was praying, God gave me a memory that was key to all three, and it was related to childhood sexual abuse I had experienced. Again, I thought I had already dealt with this issue, but the shame was still there. I struggled in prayer with the Lord that day, and He met me in a powerful way, giving me the grace to fully forgive the perpetrator while gently showing me my own sinfulness and His forgiveness and grace toward me.
Within a couple of days I noticed that the wart on my finger had shrunk by about half. It was not my imagination this time. Over the next week, it continued to shrink. I also prayed about feelings of being unattractive and gave those to the Lord.
Now that the wart was hardly noticeable, I wondered if I needed to do anything else. One day on a prayer walk I began to ask what other symbolism resides with the index finger. I thought about pointing out problems and directing (as one might point to someone and say, "You stand over there.") It occurred to me that those are actions that might represent the redemptive gifts of Prophet and Ruler, respectively. I considered all the Prophets with whom I had had difficult relationships and the Rulers toward whom I might feel animosity. Some friends and relatives came to mind, and I prayed to release judgment, forgive, and bless each of them.
The ones who seemed to be more significant were my two sisters, and I remembered a few of the more significant hurt feelings and prayed about those situations. When that was done, I felt that there was still something else. I remembered Arthur Burk's (Plumbline Ministries) teaching of reconciling the parts of your own spirit with each other. Having been raised with schizophrenia, I just didn't like Arthur's concept of speaking to the different portions of my own spirit in order to encourage them to get along with each other. Let's not foster multiple personalities, was my view!
Nevertheless, I felt that I had squelched in some way my own spirit's redemptive gifts of Prophet and Ruler. I'm a Teacher, but everyone's spirit contains some of each gift, and we become more well-rounded individuals when we can nurture the best qualities of all seven gifts. I could see that as a child when my feelings were hurt by my Prophet or Ruler sisters, I probably made an inner vow of "I'm never going to be like her." That judgment I made subdued the portions of my spirit that would be good at spotting and solving problems (Prophet) and organizing, directing, and administering (Ruler). So, feeling rather odd, I spoke to my own spirit and told my Prophet and Ruler portions that I released judgment toward them, I forgave them, and I blessed them, giving them permission to perform their functions in my life. I did have the feeling that I was a more complete person after that time of self-reconciliaton.
Well, you guessed it. After a week passed, there was no sign whatsoever of my former wart. I had never taken a single vitamin for getting rid of warts or applied a single topical agent to the wart during the time it was disappearing. God healed the inside, the soul and spirit, and the outer, physical healing followed.
Now Paul's statement in II Corinthians 12:9b - 10 takes on a new meaning: "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknessess, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
If we viewed each physical problem as a hint from the Lord that He wants to heal something emotional and spiritual inside of us, how would our lives change? And how much healthier would our physical bodies be?
I'm thinking more and more that the physical is a picture of the emotional and spiritual, just like the physical tabernacle on earth represented the Heavenly tabernacle.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
The Mercy Season
If you know me very well, you've probably heard me talk about the Redemptive Gifts as enumerated in Romans 12:6 - 8. The teaching on the gifts has been extremely meaningful to me, and I love trying to figure out what gift a person has. I've even gone so far as to create a questionnaire to use to determine people's gifts. Why are these gifts so important to understand? "Identity is central." If you know who you are and who you were designed to be, you will be better able to make decisions about what you should be doing in your life and how you should be doing it.
As I understand the gifts, each person is designed with one primary gift in which to operate. We do well to cultivate the strengths of all the gifts, but one of them will feel like "home" to each of us. Here's a brief description of the gifts (in order, which is important, as we'll see later).
Prophet: designed to solve problems based on understanding and application of God's principles
Servant: designed to create an atmosphere in which everyone else can thrive
Teacher: designed to heal those who have been spiritually or emotionally wounded by applying God's truth to their lives
Exhorter: designed to reveal the nature of God through encouraging others
Giver: designed to provide resources for people and programs
Ruler: designed to pull together a team of people to accomplish complicated tasks
Mercy: designed to bring the spiritual climate into right alignment through the blessing of presence
Bill Gothard (of the Institute of Basic Life Principles) was the one who first recognized these seven gifts as a different category of gifts from the "manifestation gifts" of I Corinthians 12. Arthur Burk of Plumbline Ministries has fleshed out the concept by coordinating the redemptive gifts with other lists of sevens in Scripture. For example, a Prophet may gain special understanding of himself and his design by studying the first day of creation, the first words of Christ spoken from the cross, and the first letter to the churches in Revelation.
Arthur Burk went on to apply the redemptive gifts to land. As part of a city-reaching strategy, he encourages believers to determine the redemptive gift of their city and to pray and act with that design in mind. When I first heard this teaching, I was quite skeptical. How can cities have redemptive gifts? Yet each of us knows intuitively that one city "feels" different from another. Cities do seem to have a personality of their own; could this be the redemptive gift coming through? After listening to Arthur Burk's "Redemptive Gifts of Cities" CD set, I'm now comfortable with that concept.
In fact, I've tried my hand at determining the redemptive gifts of some cities in my area. I may give more details in a future post about how I have arrived at these designations.
Champlin: Servant
Dayton: Mercy
Anoka: Teacher
Brooklyn Park: Giver
Maple Grove: Giver
Osseo: Mercy
I had lots of fun applying this teaching to cities; it helped me view my mission field in a different way. I was pleased that I had been able to wrap my mind around this concept and gain fresh insight because of it that I hope to be able to use to advance Christ's kingdom.
The next time I turned around, however, Arthur Burk was applying the redemptive gifts to time and history. This was indeed a stretch! I was starting to question whether my favorite Bible teacher had gone off the deep end, but I decided to hear him out. After listening to his "Mercy Season" CD set, I was easily able to see how the redemptive gifts can be applied to the seasons of the New Testament era. Having been raised in a fundamentalist Baptist church and Bible College, I had heard many sermons and teachings about how the seven letters to the churches recorded in the book of Revelation parallel the time periods of the Christian era. Since Arthur Burk believes the letters parallel the redemptive gifts, this is another way of expressing the same concept. Here are the eras that Arthur Burk suggests:
Prophet: Jesus through the apostles
Servant: the persecuted church from 100 - 300 A.D.
Teacher: the dark and middle ages; the monastic era
Exhorter: the Renaissance and Reformation
Giver: the century of missions (the 1800s)
Ruler: the 20th century in which institutions and programs were built
Mercy: the current era, beginning in 2004
Arthur gives reasons for placing the conception of the Mercy Season in 2004. His primary rationale is that at that point leaders in many different streams of the body of Christ began to notice that the things they had been doing weren't working anymore. Have you noticed a change in the way the time "feels" now compared to four or five years ago? You may feel slightly out of place, or restless, or unfulfilled. A major hallmark of the Mercy Season seems to be that institutions pale in importance compared to intimacy and relationships.
Does the Mercy Season have eschatological significance? Well, we know that the Bible says that the end times will have something in common with the days of Noah. Genesis 5:28 says, "He (Lamech) named him Noah and said, 'He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.'" Sounds like mercy, right? The mercy gift parallels the seventh day of creation in which God "rested from all his work."
Arthur believes that we are entering only the second Mercy Season since the beginning of time. He suggests that the seasons look like a wave: Time began with Adam in a Prophet Season and the curve descended through Seth, Enoch, and Methuselah until it reached its nadir at Noah; it then began to rise throughout the Old Testament period, revisiting the gifts in reverse order. Here's my suggestion for how the time periods might have lined up.
Mercy: Noah
Ruler: Abraham through Moses
Giver: Joshua and Judges
Exhorter: Israel's united kingdom
Teacher: Israel's divided kingdom and the Exile
Servant: 400 years of silence
Prophet: Jesus' first coming
The wave then continued with the seasons coming in one through seven order. This could mean that we are in the final season before Christ's return--we are nearing the second nadir of the wave. Then again, there could be another cycle--who knows?
It seemed funny to me that time would end at the nadir of the wave, but then I considered that the seasons could go backwards again through the millenium, reaching a zenith with another Prophet period at which time God would create a New Heaven and a New Earth. Time ceases at that point (I think).
What should we do about the Mercy Season? The mercy gift is all about relationship, spiritual intimacy, and worship. I have observed that the youth of today have no tolerance for facades; they value transparency. Of course, there is no true intimacy without transparency. I believe God will (and already is) working differently in the Mercy Season than He did during the Ruler Season. It was easy to focus on performance in the Ruler Season, and we were probably able to get away with it. But now God is more than ever calling us to BE the church, not just DO church. Our faith must permeate all facets of our lives, from our employment, to our friendships, to our community involvement, to our family relationships.
Now more than ever I believe God is calling us to have relationships with our family members that represent who He is. To reach our communities during the Mercy Season, we need to have our act together. We need to be able to be transparent. Reconciliation within our families and then within the body of Christ is "Job One," at least for me for now. I don't believe we as individuals will be released to impact the culture until we have done the hard work necessary to be reconciled to everyone in our lives. Jesus said, "If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift" (Matthew 5:23-24).
For those who have already passed this milestone, I think it's time to connect with people on a very real and intimate level. I don't think people are going to be reached primarily through church outreach programs. They will be reached by the Church in the marketplace: everyday Christians exerting their influence on society and in one-on-one relationships. I believe the prayer evangelism approach planted during the latter years of the Ruler Season will mature and bear its best fruit during the Mercy Season.
But, when it comes down to it, I'm just as much a learner in this Mercy Season as everyone else is. We are waiting on God to see what He will reveal in this new season. I just know it's going to be exciting, and I want to be in the middle of it getting my hands dirty!
As I understand the gifts, each person is designed with one primary gift in which to operate. We do well to cultivate the strengths of all the gifts, but one of them will feel like "home" to each of us. Here's a brief description of the gifts (in order, which is important, as we'll see later).
Prophet: designed to solve problems based on understanding and application of God's principles
Servant: designed to create an atmosphere in which everyone else can thrive
Teacher: designed to heal those who have been spiritually or emotionally wounded by applying God's truth to their lives
Exhorter: designed to reveal the nature of God through encouraging others
Giver: designed to provide resources for people and programs
Ruler: designed to pull together a team of people to accomplish complicated tasks
Mercy: designed to bring the spiritual climate into right alignment through the blessing of presence
Bill Gothard (of the Institute of Basic Life Principles) was the one who first recognized these seven gifts as a different category of gifts from the "manifestation gifts" of I Corinthians 12. Arthur Burk of Plumbline Ministries has fleshed out the concept by coordinating the redemptive gifts with other lists of sevens in Scripture. For example, a Prophet may gain special understanding of himself and his design by studying the first day of creation, the first words of Christ spoken from the cross, and the first letter to the churches in Revelation.
Arthur Burk went on to apply the redemptive gifts to land. As part of a city-reaching strategy, he encourages believers to determine the redemptive gift of their city and to pray and act with that design in mind. When I first heard this teaching, I was quite skeptical. How can cities have redemptive gifts? Yet each of us knows intuitively that one city "feels" different from another. Cities do seem to have a personality of their own; could this be the redemptive gift coming through? After listening to Arthur Burk's "Redemptive Gifts of Cities" CD set, I'm now comfortable with that concept.
In fact, I've tried my hand at determining the redemptive gifts of some cities in my area. I may give more details in a future post about how I have arrived at these designations.
Champlin: Servant
Dayton: Mercy
Anoka: Teacher
Brooklyn Park: Giver
Maple Grove: Giver
Osseo: Mercy
I had lots of fun applying this teaching to cities; it helped me view my mission field in a different way. I was pleased that I had been able to wrap my mind around this concept and gain fresh insight because of it that I hope to be able to use to advance Christ's kingdom.
The next time I turned around, however, Arthur Burk was applying the redemptive gifts to time and history. This was indeed a stretch! I was starting to question whether my favorite Bible teacher had gone off the deep end, but I decided to hear him out. After listening to his "Mercy Season" CD set, I was easily able to see how the redemptive gifts can be applied to the seasons of the New Testament era. Having been raised in a fundamentalist Baptist church and Bible College, I had heard many sermons and teachings about how the seven letters to the churches recorded in the book of Revelation parallel the time periods of the Christian era. Since Arthur Burk believes the letters parallel the redemptive gifts, this is another way of expressing the same concept. Here are the eras that Arthur Burk suggests:
Prophet: Jesus through the apostles
Servant: the persecuted church from 100 - 300 A.D.
Teacher: the dark and middle ages; the monastic era
Exhorter: the Renaissance and Reformation
Giver: the century of missions (the 1800s)
Ruler: the 20th century in which institutions and programs were built
Mercy: the current era, beginning in 2004
Arthur gives reasons for placing the conception of the Mercy Season in 2004. His primary rationale is that at that point leaders in many different streams of the body of Christ began to notice that the things they had been doing weren't working anymore. Have you noticed a change in the way the time "feels" now compared to four or five years ago? You may feel slightly out of place, or restless, or unfulfilled. A major hallmark of the Mercy Season seems to be that institutions pale in importance compared to intimacy and relationships.
Does the Mercy Season have eschatological significance? Well, we know that the Bible says that the end times will have something in common with the days of Noah. Genesis 5:28 says, "He (Lamech) named him Noah and said, 'He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.'" Sounds like mercy, right? The mercy gift parallels the seventh day of creation in which God "rested from all his work."
Arthur believes that we are entering only the second Mercy Season since the beginning of time. He suggests that the seasons look like a wave: Time began with Adam in a Prophet Season and the curve descended through Seth, Enoch, and Methuselah until it reached its nadir at Noah; it then began to rise throughout the Old Testament period, revisiting the gifts in reverse order. Here's my suggestion for how the time periods might have lined up.
Mercy: Noah
Ruler: Abraham through Moses
Giver: Joshua and Judges
Exhorter: Israel's united kingdom
Teacher: Israel's divided kingdom and the Exile
Servant: 400 years of silence
Prophet: Jesus' first coming
The wave then continued with the seasons coming in one through seven order. This could mean that we are in the final season before Christ's return--we are nearing the second nadir of the wave. Then again, there could be another cycle--who knows?
It seemed funny to me that time would end at the nadir of the wave, but then I considered that the seasons could go backwards again through the millenium, reaching a zenith with another Prophet period at which time God would create a New Heaven and a New Earth. Time ceases at that point (I think).
What should we do about the Mercy Season? The mercy gift is all about relationship, spiritual intimacy, and worship. I have observed that the youth of today have no tolerance for facades; they value transparency. Of course, there is no true intimacy without transparency. I believe God will (and already is) working differently in the Mercy Season than He did during the Ruler Season. It was easy to focus on performance in the Ruler Season, and we were probably able to get away with it. But now God is more than ever calling us to BE the church, not just DO church. Our faith must permeate all facets of our lives, from our employment, to our friendships, to our community involvement, to our family relationships.
Now more than ever I believe God is calling us to have relationships with our family members that represent who He is. To reach our communities during the Mercy Season, we need to have our act together. We need to be able to be transparent. Reconciliation within our families and then within the body of Christ is "Job One," at least for me for now. I don't believe we as individuals will be released to impact the culture until we have done the hard work necessary to be reconciled to everyone in our lives. Jesus said, "If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift" (Matthew 5:23-24).
For those who have already passed this milestone, I think it's time to connect with people on a very real and intimate level. I don't think people are going to be reached primarily through church outreach programs. They will be reached by the Church in the marketplace: everyday Christians exerting their influence on society and in one-on-one relationships. I believe the prayer evangelism approach planted during the latter years of the Ruler Season will mature and bear its best fruit during the Mercy Season.
But, when it comes down to it, I'm just as much a learner in this Mercy Season as everyone else is. We are waiting on God to see what He will reveal in this new season. I just know it's going to be exciting, and I want to be in the middle of it getting my hands dirty!
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