"...one of my brethren came with men from Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem." Nehemiah 1:2
Nehemiah was God's man for a difficult time and situation. Up until the time of this visit from the men of Judah Nehemiah's life was one of worldly success. He enjoyed prestige and power. There was nothing that he could not have at his disposal, and yet he had not answered his name.
This situation was changed by the visit from the delegation of Judah. Their visit would change Nehemiah's life forever.
Notice carefully that it is Nehemiah who asked the question that contained his destiny. Their answer contained compelling dialectical tension that burdened the heart of the king's cup-bearer. Nehemiah would now see that his life as he knew it was under divine suspension.
The position that he had enjoyed, and the power that he had enjoyed was for this new season in his life. Yahweh had embedded him in the king's palace, and in the king's presence for the coming strategic movement of Salvation-History regarding the walls of Jerusalem. God had embedded his man in Persian culture and when the time came for divine action to set in motion powerful political forces to do his will, Nehemiah was raised up.
The words of the group fastened upon the soul of Nehemiah, and would not release him until he was stirred into action. The report of the condition of Jerusalem and its walls were not mere social gossip. They did not travel 800 miles for a little chit chat. Their journey was burdened with a message of dire purpose, and it was specifically for Nehemiah.
They brought a message to Nehemiah that when spoken unleashed a powerful vision. The word of God was given to the man of God who intrincically knew what to do. Nehemiah grieved over the message that he heard. He wept, and mourned, and he fasted, and prayed. This word was 'dabar' for Nehemiah. Dabar is a Hebrew word that means event or creative action. When Nehemiah said yes to God he answered his name which means 'Yahweh Comforts.'
When an individual is overtaken by a dabar event his/her 'ordinary' life is collasped or set aside. For instance these words are found in Jeremiah: "The words (dabar) of Jeremiah..." Jer.1:1
In Jeremiah the dabar denotes an event that happened to the prophet or it can mean a series of events that places the individual in a unique situation of unparalleled power or intensity.
Has Yahweh called you for a remarkable work? Are you fearful of stepping into the milieu of divine will? Are you hesitating because Yahweh has not revealed his complete plan to you? Are you convicted by the condition of those around you and are troubled by the broken down lives (walls) in ruin? Perhaps you are Yahweh's change agent for such persons. Has Yahweh called you to be his change agent in your community?
Blessings to you.
For more information about Dr. Rich and his teaching ministry, please follow this blog and visit his website.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Hold Fast
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." Col. 2:8
In the 1960's a theological movement in western culture claimed that 'God is Dead.' The Time cover story of April, 1966 was entitled "Is God Dead?" and featured these words in crimson red against a black back-ground. The theologians behind this movement echoed Nietzsche's eulogy of hubris in the 'Gay Science' and proceeded to create, as it were, a theology without God. They wanted to create a post-christian theology for a post-christian world.
As I looked up some information on two of the three theologians who were at the epicenter of this movement I found that two had passed into history one of which as recently as (March 2012), and one is still alive. What is significant to me is that they caused an incredible amount of controversy in the time, and shook the faith of many, many people.
Think about all of the violence and social upheaval during that time, and how our country was at war both abroad and at home. We as a country was in the midst of an identity crisis, and we were rent asunder as a nation. We were in the midst of a cultural civil 'war' and in need of a word from on high. Instead of a word from on high the words 'God is Dead' created an epic spiritual tsunami.
During the time of Paul there were men who equally sought to overthrow the faith of others by teaching seductive lies that tantalized the soul, but did not edify or build up the latter. Paul told the saints at Colosse that they must beware of the Gnostic philosophy that taught asceticism, the worship of angels, and initiation into various levels of spiritual insight, and ultimately spiritual perfection.
Paul wanted the saints to know that not only were these teachings seductive, but they were also empty and filled with delusion. I have learned over the years that trendy theologies come and go, and those who follow them are ultimately left betrayed by the experience. Beloved believe not every spirit, but test the spirit to see if it is of God.
Paul also warned that we are to test everything, and not just some things. Watch your emotions and do not allow your emotions to lead you astray form the Iesous. Hold fast to the Iesous, and he will hold fast to you.
Your soul-life is precious, and there are those who want to steal your hope by telling you that God is Dead.
God is not dead. Mark Twain once said, "The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated" and let me say that the rumors of God's death have been greatly exaggerated. The Iesous said, "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forever more, Amen; and have the keys of hell (hades) and of death." Rev.1:18
Hold fast to the Iesous, and stand off from the empty philosophy of those who want to manipulate and control you for evil ends. The Iesous has given all for you when he died on the cross. It is to our eternal benefit that we hold fast to Him. If you find that you do not have the strength to hold fast to Him ask and He will grant to you the faith to remain faithful.
Blessings to you.
For more information about Dr. Rich and his teaching ministry, please follow his blog and visit his website.
In the 1960's a theological movement in western culture claimed that 'God is Dead.' The Time cover story of April, 1966 was entitled "Is God Dead?" and featured these words in crimson red against a black back-ground. The theologians behind this movement echoed Nietzsche's eulogy of hubris in the 'Gay Science' and proceeded to create, as it were, a theology without God. They wanted to create a post-christian theology for a post-christian world.
As I looked up some information on two of the three theologians who were at the epicenter of this movement I found that two had passed into history one of which as recently as (March 2012), and one is still alive. What is significant to me is that they caused an incredible amount of controversy in the time, and shook the faith of many, many people.
Think about all of the violence and social upheaval during that time, and how our country was at war both abroad and at home. We as a country was in the midst of an identity crisis, and we were rent asunder as a nation. We were in the midst of a cultural civil 'war' and in need of a word from on high. Instead of a word from on high the words 'God is Dead' created an epic spiritual tsunami.
During the time of Paul there were men who equally sought to overthrow the faith of others by teaching seductive lies that tantalized the soul, but did not edify or build up the latter. Paul told the saints at Colosse that they must beware of the Gnostic philosophy that taught asceticism, the worship of angels, and initiation into various levels of spiritual insight, and ultimately spiritual perfection.
Paul wanted the saints to know that not only were these teachings seductive, but they were also empty and filled with delusion. I have learned over the years that trendy theologies come and go, and those who follow them are ultimately left betrayed by the experience. Beloved believe not every spirit, but test the spirit to see if it is of God.
Paul also warned that we are to test everything, and not just some things. Watch your emotions and do not allow your emotions to lead you astray form the Iesous. Hold fast to the Iesous, and he will hold fast to you.
Your soul-life is precious, and there are those who want to steal your hope by telling you that God is Dead.
God is not dead. Mark Twain once said, "The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated" and let me say that the rumors of God's death have been greatly exaggerated. The Iesous said, "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forever more, Amen; and have the keys of hell (hades) and of death." Rev.1:18
Hold fast to the Iesous, and stand off from the empty philosophy of those who want to manipulate and control you for evil ends. The Iesous has given all for you when he died on the cross. It is to our eternal benefit that we hold fast to Him. If you find that you do not have the strength to hold fast to Him ask and He will grant to you the faith to remain faithful.
Blessings to you.
For more information about Dr. Rich and his teaching ministry, please follow his blog and visit his website.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
God's Rest
"For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God from his." Hebrews 4:10
The writer of Hebrews has a profound knowledge of ancient Jewish history. He knew that the original Exodus generation suffered from self-induced misery because of failure to trust in the character of Yahweh in spite of incredible concrete evidence.
Yahweh provided concrete evidence through persuasive events, and situations that would allow his people to conclude that they were valued and loved. However, for some reason they were unable to consistently place trust in the character of Yahweh. Their collective 'trust' in Yahweh proved to be tenaciously anemic and distressingly episodic.
This collective attitude of unbelief in spite of the immediate support of Yahweh revealed a deeper reality at work within the community. Their action of consistent unbelief toward the Grace-action of Yahweh reveals a shallowness and arrogance that opens for us a powerful window into the psychology of groups. There was a settled and self-destructive attitude of unbelief.
Unbelief is bankrupt of hope, and without hope the soul-life is consigned to agonizing self-molestation. The people of Yahweh would not allow themselves to enter into his rest because that would not give up symbiotic idolatry.
Their symbiotic idolatry was unbelief in the character of Yahweh. Symbiotic idolatry invaded their minds and hearts, but it did not benefit them in any manner. Therefore Grace-action was lost upon them as a community. Unbelief blinded them unto death. Although, it did not appear to them that this was the case.
Their unbelief had a cumulative price. They struggled against their unbelief and did not see it. Yahweh's provisions were never enough to convincingly win them away from the silent and inward terrorism of unbelief. Their dismal practical atheism wore them out. They wallowed in self-defeat, and it culminated in radical spiritual indifference. They sacrificed appropriate obedience to Yahweh and became emotional basket-cases.
Their emotional excess was the end result of a process that germinated as suspicion and matured into the bitter fruit of unbelief. Their works (practical atheism) exhausted and demeaned them as a community. Yes, they had the Ark, the Tent of Meeting, the Furniture of the Tent of Meeting, the Priesthood, the system of Sacrifice, the Torah, etc., but their hardness of heart undermined the spiritual content of Yahweh's provisions.
They could not enter into His rest because of unbelief. The one, however, who enters into Yahweh's rest has ceased from his own works. That is, he has stopped the madness of struggling to find rest in his efforts. Success has never been enough to satisfy the thirsty soul. There has to be more than 'success.' What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and lose (ruin) his soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
The Exodus generation failed to enter into the rest of Yahweh because "...the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." Hebrews 4:2
The rest that Yahweh gives is sufficient for our needs. His rest sets me apart from the exhausting struggle of sinful unbelief. His rest takes up my soul fragmented by the abuses of this life, and gives me purpose (telos), and makes me whole, or a compete person.
There is rest in God that heals the sin sick whole. There is rest in God that makes me whole. The rest of God is available to you today.
Blessings to you.
For more information about Dr. Rich and his teaching ministry, please follow his blog and visit his website.
The writer of Hebrews has a profound knowledge of ancient Jewish history. He knew that the original Exodus generation suffered from self-induced misery because of failure to trust in the character of Yahweh in spite of incredible concrete evidence.
Yahweh provided concrete evidence through persuasive events, and situations that would allow his people to conclude that they were valued and loved. However, for some reason they were unable to consistently place trust in the character of Yahweh. Their collective 'trust' in Yahweh proved to be tenaciously anemic and distressingly episodic.
This collective attitude of unbelief in spite of the immediate support of Yahweh revealed a deeper reality at work within the community. Their action of consistent unbelief toward the Grace-action of Yahweh reveals a shallowness and arrogance that opens for us a powerful window into the psychology of groups. There was a settled and self-destructive attitude of unbelief.
Unbelief is bankrupt of hope, and without hope the soul-life is consigned to agonizing self-molestation. The people of Yahweh would not allow themselves to enter into his rest because that would not give up symbiotic idolatry.
Their symbiotic idolatry was unbelief in the character of Yahweh. Symbiotic idolatry invaded their minds and hearts, but it did not benefit them in any manner. Therefore Grace-action was lost upon them as a community. Unbelief blinded them unto death. Although, it did not appear to them that this was the case.
Their unbelief had a cumulative price. They struggled against their unbelief and did not see it. Yahweh's provisions were never enough to convincingly win them away from the silent and inward terrorism of unbelief. Their dismal practical atheism wore them out. They wallowed in self-defeat, and it culminated in radical spiritual indifference. They sacrificed appropriate obedience to Yahweh and became emotional basket-cases.
Their emotional excess was the end result of a process that germinated as suspicion and matured into the bitter fruit of unbelief. Their works (practical atheism) exhausted and demeaned them as a community. Yes, they had the Ark, the Tent of Meeting, the Furniture of the Tent of Meeting, the Priesthood, the system of Sacrifice, the Torah, etc., but their hardness of heart undermined the spiritual content of Yahweh's provisions.
They could not enter into His rest because of unbelief. The one, however, who enters into Yahweh's rest has ceased from his own works. That is, he has stopped the madness of struggling to find rest in his efforts. Success has never been enough to satisfy the thirsty soul. There has to be more than 'success.' What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and lose (ruin) his soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
The Exodus generation failed to enter into the rest of Yahweh because "...the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." Hebrews 4:2
The rest that Yahweh gives is sufficient for our needs. His rest sets me apart from the exhausting struggle of sinful unbelief. His rest takes up my soul fragmented by the abuses of this life, and gives me purpose (telos), and makes me whole, or a compete person.
There is rest in God that heals the sin sick whole. There is rest in God that makes me whole. The rest of God is available to you today.
Blessings to you.
For more information about Dr. Rich and his teaching ministry, please follow his blog and visit his website.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Do Not Repay Evil for Evil
"Alexander the copper-smith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: of whom be thou aware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words." 2 Tim. 4:14-15
Paul's words in this verse need to be carefully considered. They are much more than an acknowledgement of some vague, and ill-defined action of someone against his person from the past. These are words of confession. The individual is named and identified, and so is his rancid behavior. Paul is not one to minimize the hurtful and demeaning power of sinful actions, and neither should we.
Alexander, whoever he was, had sinned against the person of Paul. In fact, Paul said that "Alexander did me much evil" without feeling the need to add an a pseudo-empty statement that Alexander was a nice guy. Paul was not one for torturous self-victimization. Paul knew that Alexander's actions defined who he was. There was no ambiguity here or an attempt to rationalize, or explain away the tenacious reality of Alexander's actions.
In fact, Paul's word for evil that Paul uses is 'kaka' in the Greek Text, and it is an extraordinary word that means one who is evil, or engages in malicious actions, and as such seeks to harm others. The word evil is general, and therefore subject to ambiguity, but 'kaka' both exposes the character of the individual, and the nature of the actions that are a result of the inherent nature.
Paul could have become embittered by the actions of Alexander, and allowed him to drain the energy from his powerful and prolific life, but he chose otherwise. Paul chose to name the sinful action. Naming the sinful action that someone has done to you is the beginning of healing. Naming the sinful action as confession does not turn it into inward aggression or self-destructive hostility.
Naming the sinful action whether done to you in the ancient past, or recent past, or today releases you from pent up rage and resentment. Paul has identified for us appropriate self-care, and appropriate self-therapy. In other words, Paul knew who had done what to him, and he decided not to sacrifice his spiritual balance upon the altar of unforgiveness.
Paul did not want Alexander's spiritual plague to infect his spiritual progress, and power. Paul knew that he could have allowed Alexander's actions to create a wound within his heart but he said 'No' to slavery of the spirit. If Paul had repaid Alexander 'evil for evil' he would have surrendered himself to sinful actions and behavior. Remember how King Saul treated David? Do you remember that Saul threw spears at David and tried to pin him to the wall? But David never threw a spear at Saul. David put Saul's actions toward him into the hands of God.
Paul is following David's example by saying of Alexander 'the Lord reward him according to his deeds.' This is not nonsense this is good sense. Are you being very productive and prosperous where you are? I f so, you will have an Alexander somewhere to harass you. Can I get an Amen?! Let me explain that releasing your Alexander's behavior toward you to God is not passive. It is a spiritually mature action. You have decided to choose life.
Today, beloved, if you have an Alexander seeking to undermine you choose life. This is a great mantra. "I choose life" and Alexander's action's will be upon his on head. He who digs a hole will fall into it. Choose life today. Go do something positive for God, others, and yourself today.
Pneumatikos is read throughout the world will you join us and become a member of our community?
For more information about Dr. Josiah Rich and his teaching ministry, please visit his website.
Paul's words in this verse need to be carefully considered. They are much more than an acknowledgement of some vague, and ill-defined action of someone against his person from the past. These are words of confession. The individual is named and identified, and so is his rancid behavior. Paul is not one to minimize the hurtful and demeaning power of sinful actions, and neither should we.
Alexander, whoever he was, had sinned against the person of Paul. In fact, Paul said that "Alexander did me much evil" without feeling the need to add an a pseudo-empty statement that Alexander was a nice guy. Paul was not one for torturous self-victimization. Paul knew that Alexander's actions defined who he was. There was no ambiguity here or an attempt to rationalize, or explain away the tenacious reality of Alexander's actions.
In fact, Paul's word for evil that Paul uses is 'kaka' in the Greek Text, and it is an extraordinary word that means one who is evil, or engages in malicious actions, and as such seeks to harm others. The word evil is general, and therefore subject to ambiguity, but 'kaka' both exposes the character of the individual, and the nature of the actions that are a result of the inherent nature.
Paul could have become embittered by the actions of Alexander, and allowed him to drain the energy from his powerful and prolific life, but he chose otherwise. Paul chose to name the sinful action. Naming the sinful action that someone has done to you is the beginning of healing. Naming the sinful action as confession does not turn it into inward aggression or self-destructive hostility.
Naming the sinful action whether done to you in the ancient past, or recent past, or today releases you from pent up rage and resentment. Paul has identified for us appropriate self-care, and appropriate self-therapy. In other words, Paul knew who had done what to him, and he decided not to sacrifice his spiritual balance upon the altar of unforgiveness.
Paul did not want Alexander's spiritual plague to infect his spiritual progress, and power. Paul knew that he could have allowed Alexander's actions to create a wound within his heart but he said 'No' to slavery of the spirit. If Paul had repaid Alexander 'evil for evil' he would have surrendered himself to sinful actions and behavior. Remember how King Saul treated David? Do you remember that Saul threw spears at David and tried to pin him to the wall? But David never threw a spear at Saul. David put Saul's actions toward him into the hands of God.
Paul is following David's example by saying of Alexander 'the Lord reward him according to his deeds.' This is not nonsense this is good sense. Are you being very productive and prosperous where you are? I f so, you will have an Alexander somewhere to harass you. Can I get an Amen?! Let me explain that releasing your Alexander's behavior toward you to God is not passive. It is a spiritually mature action. You have decided to choose life.
Today, beloved, if you have an Alexander seeking to undermine you choose life. This is a great mantra. "I choose life" and Alexander's action's will be upon his on head. He who digs a hole will fall into it. Choose life today. Go do something positive for God, others, and yourself today.
Pneumatikos is read throughout the world will you join us and become a member of our community?
For more information about Dr. Josiah Rich and his teaching ministry, please visit his website.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Character Crisis
The prophet Hosea wrote these words during a time of erosion of the national character: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” Hosea 4:6
Character is a very interesting word. There is a Latin form of the word [L. character], and a Greek form of the word [charakter, from charassein, engrave]. Character is a description of the traits or qualities of a person.
I seem to remember a bellicose voice in recent political history stating that ‘character’ doesn’t matter. That was indeed a fascinating attempt to deflect and disarm the warrant of a tenacious situation. Moreover it was a specious attempt to introduce a dialectic of moral relativism into a vacuous moral dualism.
We live in a time when the national character is ‘at risk.’ The most outrageous behavior is vaporized by explanatory word formulas obnoxious with fetid compromise. We are still, however, Americans, and while our country is not perfect, it is still our country. Shadowy creatures point out our flaws as a nation, but do not consider that perhaps there might be character flaws within their own person.
What does it mean when a mirror is only held up for me to critique who I am? I believe that mirrors should be universal, and two-sided so that the one holding it up could also look at himself or herself as the case may be. Characters, mock and harangue our freedoms while seeking entrance into the body politic. They are chagrined by our collective dissent to mockery coupled with sonorous demands.
George K. Simon Jr., Ph.D., in his book entitled “In Sheep’s Clothing: Understanding and Dealing with Manipulative People” believes that we are in a ‘character crisis.’ He wrote these poignant and disturbing words:
“The drive for power, self-advancement, and dominance is in all of us to a greater or lesser degree. Unfortunately, in this land of virtually unlimited opportunity, there are growing numbers of character-distorted individuals trying to achieve these ends without doing the hard work necessary to secure them in a socially responsible and productive manner. So, we have individuals who instead of educating themselves and “fighting” fairly for a niche in the competitive marketplace, settle for violently competing with their brothers for control of the streets in their neighborhood. We also have individuals who, failing to prosper to the degree they desire in the established “system, ” ally with others in counter-culture groups, which, under the guise of commitment to some lofty ideals, wage war on the establishment…The biggest reason that our country as a whole is losing its once outstanding character is because there are fewer and fewer people of sound character inhabiting it.”
Years ago, in my community an oak tree of substantial size had fallen on the grounds of a school yard. Of course, this event took everyone by surprise, and fortunately there was no one on the school grounds at the time. Some investigation was done on the oak tree and it was discovered that while the oak tree appeared healthy on the outside, it was filled with decay on the inside.
And so it goes…, “The integrity of our society cannot be maintained if this trend continues much longer. The greatness of our nation’s character can only be determined by the degree to which its citizens develop, maintain, and display character in their daily affairs.” We must once again, as Americans, dare to standby, stand firm, and boldly proclaim the intrinsic value and power of character. Character has always been the gold standard of the American people. It has always been from the foundation of our character that we have been the universal role model for the world.
Beware of the mediocrity that heralds our stinginess while enjoying our freedoms. Let’s fight the good fight for the integrity of character together for our country. America that has given so much to all of us.
The Kiss of Betrayal
"...Iesous said unto him, 'Iouda (Judas), betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss?" Luke 22:48
The Iesous has continued the upper room experience on the Mount of Olives. There is an unbroken continuity between the events of the upper room and the agonizing prayer vigil. Here in the garden, his impeccable and sinless person enters into the terror of the unspeakable. Indeed, the text clearly expresses the intensity of his mindset. He was in 'agony' a word that means combat. He was in an intense spiritual battle that claimed his entire being.
The reality of the cross could be explained to no one. His prefect neurons, his soul that did not know the intrinsic power of sin-missing the mark of righteousness had produced the physiological reaction of sweat and blood as powerful witness of the internal struggle that consumed his being. After he concluded his great prayer vigil the passion door is swung open wide, and the feet of treachery step forth emboldened by the temple police and the purse of mammon at his side.
Judas drew near to the Iesous and kissed him. Betrayal is always filled with contradiction. Both the act of betrayal and the actions subsequent the discovery of betrayal are convoluted. Betrayal is a lie with a thin cloak. At some point in the past, someone said yes to a sinister design to solicit ruin for an unsuspecting individual or party. As with Judas the one who decided to become a companion to barbarous intent was seemingly close to you or intimate in some manner.
Judas walked with the Iesous for over two years, and he had heard his words, and had witnessed his deeds of power. But the mind forged shackles of betrayal that forged upon the silent anvil of acrimony and selfishness. It is the kiss that seals the completeness of treachery. The kiss of betrayal reveals the split in the heart of the betrayer. The betrayer keeps up the outer form of the relationship while knowing that he or she has destroyed the soul thereof.
It is their own self-deception and self-dissolved ways that renders them unaware that their behavior before the actual discovery of the act of betrayal had already exposed their malevolence.
Have you, perhaps, been victimized by betrayal? Are you still trying to make sense of the kiss of the betrayal? You wanted to believe that the betrayal was not so bad because after all there was the kiss. But the kiss was merely formal. It was icy because it was devoid of real love. Iesous knew that the kiss of Judas was empty, and that it was used to point him out to the temple authorities.
To this day you believe that the loved ones who betrayed you loved you. They used you in some manner, but kissed you, for your sacrifice. But you find that when they could no longer use you they abandoned you, and you could not move on in life.
Beloved do not let the kiss of betrayal cut off your life any longer. Bring all of your cares to God, for he does love you and will never abandon you. The love of God can and will heal the wounds left by the kiss of betrayal.
Blessings to you.
For more information about Dr. Rich and his teaching ministry, please follow his blog and visit his website.
The Iesous has continued the upper room experience on the Mount of Olives. There is an unbroken continuity between the events of the upper room and the agonizing prayer vigil. Here in the garden, his impeccable and sinless person enters into the terror of the unspeakable. Indeed, the text clearly expresses the intensity of his mindset. He was in 'agony' a word that means combat. He was in an intense spiritual battle that claimed his entire being.
The reality of the cross could be explained to no one. His prefect neurons, his soul that did not know the intrinsic power of sin-missing the mark of righteousness had produced the physiological reaction of sweat and blood as powerful witness of the internal struggle that consumed his being. After he concluded his great prayer vigil the passion door is swung open wide, and the feet of treachery step forth emboldened by the temple police and the purse of mammon at his side.
Judas drew near to the Iesous and kissed him. Betrayal is always filled with contradiction. Both the act of betrayal and the actions subsequent the discovery of betrayal are convoluted. Betrayal is a lie with a thin cloak. At some point in the past, someone said yes to a sinister design to solicit ruin for an unsuspecting individual or party. As with Judas the one who decided to become a companion to barbarous intent was seemingly close to you or intimate in some manner.
Judas walked with the Iesous for over two years, and he had heard his words, and had witnessed his deeds of power. But the mind forged shackles of betrayal that forged upon the silent anvil of acrimony and selfishness. It is the kiss that seals the completeness of treachery. The kiss of betrayal reveals the split in the heart of the betrayer. The betrayer keeps up the outer form of the relationship while knowing that he or she has destroyed the soul thereof.
It is their own self-deception and self-dissolved ways that renders them unaware that their behavior before the actual discovery of the act of betrayal had already exposed their malevolence.
Have you, perhaps, been victimized by betrayal? Are you still trying to make sense of the kiss of the betrayal? You wanted to believe that the betrayal was not so bad because after all there was the kiss. But the kiss was merely formal. It was icy because it was devoid of real love. Iesous knew that the kiss of Judas was empty, and that it was used to point him out to the temple authorities.
To this day you believe that the loved ones who betrayed you loved you. They used you in some manner, but kissed you, for your sacrifice. But you find that when they could no longer use you they abandoned you, and you could not move on in life.
Beloved do not let the kiss of betrayal cut off your life any longer. Bring all of your cares to God, for he does love you and will never abandon you. The love of God can and will heal the wounds left by the kiss of betrayal.
Blessings to you.
For more information about Dr. Rich and his teaching ministry, please follow his blog and visit his website.
Monday, October 15, 2012
An Intense Spiritual Enemy
"Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." I Peter 5:8
There are official or sanctioned realities that are proscribed by others as necessary or vital for our lives. However, experience and time have a way of playing at the edges of official beliefs, and even perhaps fraying our theological, and or our philosophical superstructure.
Usually when this happens it is time for us to grow up, and move on to a new level of spiritual maturity. The great theologian Abraham moved out of Ur of the Chaldees because Yahweh summoned him elsewhere. Yahweh offered him no physical map, but he led him by the spiritual map of faith. The greatest theological insights are given in this manner.
In II Kings 6:17 the prophet Elisha prays that the servant whose eyes are only limited to seeing the physical phenomena of "an army with horses and chariots... surrounded the city" may see anew with spiritual perception. "And Elisha prayed, O Lord, open his eyes so that he may see the Lord's Army" and the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and he saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha." The servant was granted spiritual perception by the Lord through the prayer of Elisha. The servant could then see that God's presence was greater than the presence of the enemy.
And so it is with us today because we live in a time that has banished the real enemy to the outer boundaries of the faith. The Diabolos is less real or not real at all to our narcissistic culture. Some may not think that he is not real because they do not believe in immaterial realities. For them only what is visible is real. The enemy of our souls does not care whether or not he is seen as real because unbelief in his existence does not diminish his power to havoc the souls of people.
Peter, the wise and spiritually mature under-shepherd, tells the constantly believing ones that spiritual discretion is mandatory in the life of faith. We must also watch or be ever on guard because the Antidikos which is another name for the Diabolos is very real. As the Antidikos the Diabolos is our tenacious adversary in a lawsuit, or one who seeks to overthrow our testimony of faith. He is looking for grounds of impeachment against us. He follows us as a devoted companion gathering information for a case against us.
He desires to swallow down whole the spiritually unwary. His intent against us is cunning and sinister. Therefore we must counter his activity with a radical devotion to the appropriation of the Word of God. The intake and metabolism of the truth is the consummate weapon of our warfare. On the other hand, those who do not will find themselves causalities in the war for our souls. Their lives will be characterized by passive mediocrity. They will have little or no strength to fight the good fight of faith. They will depend upon mere shallow outward conformity while inside their souls they are in a state of present conflict.
I say these things in love and truth because the Diabolos is not seeking to take prisoners of war. He is walking about as a roaring lion seeking those who he may swallow down whole. Get serious about your spiritual life. Be on guard for our intense spiritual enemy-Diabolos.
Blessings to you.
For more information about Dr. Rich and his teaching ministry please follow his blog and visit his website.
There are official or sanctioned realities that are proscribed by others as necessary or vital for our lives. However, experience and time have a way of playing at the edges of official beliefs, and even perhaps fraying our theological, and or our philosophical superstructure.
Usually when this happens it is time for us to grow up, and move on to a new level of spiritual maturity. The great theologian Abraham moved out of Ur of the Chaldees because Yahweh summoned him elsewhere. Yahweh offered him no physical map, but he led him by the spiritual map of faith. The greatest theological insights are given in this manner.
In II Kings 6:17 the prophet Elisha prays that the servant whose eyes are only limited to seeing the physical phenomena of "an army with horses and chariots... surrounded the city" may see anew with spiritual perception. "And Elisha prayed, O Lord, open his eyes so that he may see the Lord's Army" and the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and he saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha." The servant was granted spiritual perception by the Lord through the prayer of Elisha. The servant could then see that God's presence was greater than the presence of the enemy.
And so it is with us today because we live in a time that has banished the real enemy to the outer boundaries of the faith. The Diabolos is less real or not real at all to our narcissistic culture. Some may not think that he is not real because they do not believe in immaterial realities. For them only what is visible is real. The enemy of our souls does not care whether or not he is seen as real because unbelief in his existence does not diminish his power to havoc the souls of people.
Peter, the wise and spiritually mature under-shepherd, tells the constantly believing ones that spiritual discretion is mandatory in the life of faith. We must also watch or be ever on guard because the Antidikos which is another name for the Diabolos is very real. As the Antidikos the Diabolos is our tenacious adversary in a lawsuit, or one who seeks to overthrow our testimony of faith. He is looking for grounds of impeachment against us. He follows us as a devoted companion gathering information for a case against us.
He desires to swallow down whole the spiritually unwary. His intent against us is cunning and sinister. Therefore we must counter his activity with a radical devotion to the appropriation of the Word of God. The intake and metabolism of the truth is the consummate weapon of our warfare. On the other hand, those who do not will find themselves causalities in the war for our souls. Their lives will be characterized by passive mediocrity. They will have little or no strength to fight the good fight of faith. They will depend upon mere shallow outward conformity while inside their souls they are in a state of present conflict.
I say these things in love and truth because the Diabolos is not seeking to take prisoners of war. He is walking about as a roaring lion seeking those who he may swallow down whole. Get serious about your spiritual life. Be on guard for our intense spiritual enemy-Diabolos.
Blessings to you.
For more information about Dr. Rich and his teaching ministry please follow his blog and visit his website.
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