The oky’s Podcast

January 31 - OKY

January 30 - Heaven on earth

January 29 - Pains like labor

 
Ok, the last couple of days we have been talking about the supernatural vs. the Spiritual. 
 
Today I want to share with you why this is so important to me! Hopefully you will have the chance to process some of this and possibly even begin to view things a little differently as well. So again, I always love feedback! Feel free to text me at 630-995-1253, or always, you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, or email at Michaelgrove1@icloud.com. I have this all in today’s show description as well. 
 
But today, I want to start by reading Acts 1:1-10 and Romans 8. 
 
So please, follow along with me if you can. In the end, I will take my time explaining some of it’s meaning and why it is so important to the conversant. 
 
Acts 1:1-10
In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 
 
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
 
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by HIs own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit come on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 
 
 
Ok, Let’s talk about his one for a minute first, then we will jump into Romans 8 some. 
 
So Luke is writing this. He had written his first book  - the gospel of Luke - by interviewing people and finding out all that Jesus had done while he was here on this earth. When we jump into Acts 1, we are in this spot where Luke knows some of what happened leading up this, but is now in the middle of the Acts of the apostles unfolding. It is likely that he has a first hand experience with these events. We know this because Paul mentions Luke in several of his writings. So he was there with Paul as some of this unfolded. 
 
But listen to what happened. 
 
The people were there with Jesus, and he was about to leave them. 
 
But before he left, he gave them a command. That was to say in Jerusalem. 
 
Now for the Jewish followers, they were still waiting for the restoration of power to be given to the Jewish people. So they asked, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 
 
Now this is an interesting question, because Jesus had just told them what he was going to do. He said, “do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John Baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” So they knew he was going to baptize them with the Holy Spirit. And the first question out of their mouth equates to this - Lord, are you doing this for our own sake? Will we be restored to power? 
 
And Jesus answers them with this - 
 
“It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 
 
Now, if you didn’t know this, He just formed concentric circles around the ares they were to witness in. You have their central understanding of their home - Jerusalem. Then you have Judea and Sameria - these they knew, but were not necessarily welcomed in. In fact, if you go back through the gospels, you find that they were almost stoned to death, and even had a murder attempt on Jesus in these lands. And then the final piece extends out past these lands to the end of the earth. 
 
What is Jesus telling them about the Holy Spirit here? 
 
They will receive power, and it will take them into all of these lands to see the gospel preached. What is the gospel? The good news. The hope that Jesus is making all thing new for those who would turn their hearts to him. 
 
So they asked if he would restore power to them, and Jesus basically said - not really. I will send you to restore all people from here to the ends of the earth. 
 
Get this - The reason the Holy Spirit was given, was so that Jesus’s followers would go into the rest of the world and see people restored by the gospel message! And, this wasn’t a power that was going to be granted for special occasions during special events. . NO! This was a power that they were going to receive in their lives as the Holy Spirit filled each of them. Again, this wasn’t supernatural - this was the spiritual once again invading the natural realm to bring both together again. Which is what Jesus prayed for by the way. But in order to hear that one, you will have to listen tomorrow. . . . 
 
Ok, but let’s jump now into Romans 8. This is one of my favorite text about the Holy Spirit. 
 
We read the first part of Romans 8 the other day. So we won’t read it again. But if you forgot about it, this is Paul’s address that the Spirit brings us life as children of God. It was more proof that the spiritual is intertwined with our natural lives. 
 
Let’s start in vs. 18
 
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into freedom and glory of the children of God. 
 
Let’s stop here for a second. 
 
Paul is saying that the suffering they have gone through because of the gospel, is nothing compared to what God will do in their bodies as he restores all things. Get this, he isn’t thinking through carnal eyes here, he is understanding that God will restore all things in the future. And this restoration, is a physical one, not just a spiritual one. Catch that! He isn’t just believing one day he will be in heaven and all things will be ok. No, one day heaven will come down to earth and restore all things. In that moment, humanity will be made pure and brought into the full gory of God. In the mean time, there is a process that is taking place. 
 
Then he explains the result of sin from the garden of Eden. He says that creation was subject to frustration, not by its own choices but by the will of the one who subjected it. .  Remember, the earth was subject to the curse of man. God said the earth would produce thorns. It was going to be stubborn towards mankind trying to cause it to thrive. This wasn’t God’s prescriptive curse on the earth. This was a result of man’s sin. Not because God wanted it this way, but because by sinning, man brought darkness into the world. And this darkness does only what it knows how to do - consume all signs of life. 
 
So the physical earth is subject to the spiritual curse that took place when sin entered creation. Again, spiritual and physical intertwined. But let’s keep reading
 
Vs 22
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. 
 
So stop there for a minute. The whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 
 
The imagery here is great! 
 
What do you think of in this text. The groaning as in the pains of childbirth - There is pain. There is a tense amount of suffering. . But it all has hope that something new is about to happen. There is a rebirth of new life that will make all the pain forgotten and in the past. And the earth itself is crying out for this. 
 
Here is what I think. The earthquakes, natural fires, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, floods and tsunamis, any sort of natural disaster - These things are the earths way of crying out! They are screaming for restoration! The cry of the earth is - fix me!!!! I didn’t want to be this way, it’s not my fault, now make it right!!!! PLEASE!
 
Get this, the so called Natural Disasters - they are really Spiritual cries of the earth begging for restoration! Get the power behind this! The earth is crying out to be made whole again! But it doesn’t stop there. Keep reading in vs. 26
 
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. 
 
Catch this! This is powerful. 
 
In the same way the earth is crying out for restoration, the spirit fills us with the words and groaning that would make us desire the same restoration for everything around us! This is the power of the Holy Spirit. That we would have a deep desperation to see the people of the earth restored and made whole. But not just a deep desire. . . . A desperation! One that cries out with hurricane force and explodes with volcanic power, trembles with earthquake magnitude that we would see the lost restored in relationship with the Lord as the broken and desperate also find health and wholeness - through the ability to thrive! 
 
This is what happens when the Spiritual collides with the natural world. The reaction is a desperate motion that would do whatever it takes to redeem all things back to God. 
 
And listen to how Paul concludes this section. . 
 
Vs. 28
 
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
 
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died-more than that, who raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 
 
“For your sake we face death all day long; 
We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 
 
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 
 
FEW!!!!
 
That’s a power section!
 
And it all hinges on the understanding that the Spiritual is actively at work in the natural through and in you and me! The Holy Spirit was given to bring the powerful work of the Holy Spirit into your daily life, that you might be an agent of restoration to the world around you. And when you do that, Nothing can separate you from the love of God. Not only that, you bring the love of God to those around you! This all happens because the Spirit fills you and works through you to see - not supernatural things take place, but spiritual things. Spiritual things that are beyond the grasp of demon. Spiritual things that the whole physical earth and creation s in alignment with as it groans and screams out for restoration! Spiritual things that keep us and hold us in the love of God through Jesus Christ our Lord! 
 
And for that reason, the spiritual is more powerful and more consistent than anything supernatural. It’s not random acts that denote spontaneous manifestations of the LORD. It’s continual outpourings of the Spiritual realm that give us the power to be more than Conquerors. 
 
So please. . . 
 
Stop looking for supernatural! 
 
It’s a waste of time! And quite frankly, so miniscule. 
 
No, believe God’s power to do the spiritual. And the spiritual is constantly at work to restore all things no matter what the cost! 

January 28 - Through HIm

Yesterday we talked about the fact that God doesn’t operate in the supernatural. He operates in the spiritual. The main reason this is important is because supernatural indicates something above nature and outside of it. But God isn’t removed from this natural world. He didn’t create and then step back and become hands off. he created and then stays involved in creation. It’s not an exception when we see God’s powerful hand intervene. It’s usually just the exception when we realize what is happening. 
 
I strongly believe this way, primarily because how God created the world. 
 
Now we’ve read the Genesis account already this year. But let’s read John 1. This is the most telling part of this concept for me. 
 
John 1:1-5
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 
 
Ok, just a simple few verses here to discuss today. 
 
In the beginning was the Word. . .What is the Word? 
 
This word ‘logos’ is a word that was familiar to both the Jews and the Gentiles. In the Old Testament, the “word” of God is often personified as an instrument for the execution of God’s will. 
 
Psalm 33:6 - By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. 
 
Psalm 107:20 - He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.
 
Psalm 147:15-18
He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. 
He spreads the snow like wool
And scatters the frost like ashes. 
He hurls down his hail like pebbles.
Who can withstand his cry blast? 
He sends his word and melts them; 
He stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow. 
See, the usage of Logos was often used to describe something going forth from God and fulfilling his promises. So, for his Jewish readers, by introducing Jesus as the “Word,” John is pointing them back to the Old Testament where the Logos or “Word” of God is associated with the personification of God’s revelation. And in Greek philosophy, the term Logos was used to describe the intermediate agency by which God created material things and communicated with them. 
 
Think of if this way. You have three parts to the LORD. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father is spirit, and is not a physical part of God. The Spirit is the rûaḥ, or breath of God. Jesus - well he is the physical manifestation of God. So Spirit, Breath, and physical body make up the Lord. Jesus not only represents the physical part of God, but also every single word that was spoken that would ever show the heart and desire of God. Jesus told us in Matthew 12:34 that what the heart is full of, the mouth will speak.  . . . . In essence, Jesus is the overflow of God’s heart. He came forth as the embodiment of God’s heart. 
 
But let’s keep reading. 
 
In the beginning was the word (Jesus - the physical piece of the trinity that shows the heart of God.) And the word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.. 
 
So this fully human - physical manifestation of God - was with God in the beginning. In fact, this Word - Jesus - IS God. 
 
John is helping us understand that this physical side of God has been there since the beginning, and is fully God. 
 
But listen to verse 3 again. 
 
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 
 
Think now, What does Jesus represent? The heart of God, and what? ? ? The physical side of God. Jesus is the physical piece of God. 
 
Why would all things be made through him? 
 
Well, if all things were made through God the father - it would be a spiritual world. 
 
If all things were made through the spirit - it would be a breath of a world. 
 
All things had to be made through Jesus, so that they would physically exist. 
 
So the spirit of God breathed the heart of God straight through the physical person of God (Jesus) in order to bring the physical world into existence. It’s not just that God spoke it. . It’s that God spoke it and his words passed through the physical body of Jesus. . . 
 
Why? 
 
Because through him all things were made. 
 
What does the word through mean?
 
It’s a motion. A passing into and out of something or someone. 
 
All of Creation was made as the words of God passed through the person of the Son of God and into the physical realm of existence. Without this physical person of God, nothing would have been made. And by passing through the Word in order to exist in the physical realm, it all carries the same meaning and intent as the Word. 
 
What does Jesus say bout himself as a system of directing? 
 
John 14:6 - I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 
 
He is directing all people back toward what? ? ? God! 
 
In fact, if you know him, you have seen the father as well. 
 
And all of creation is working in harmony with Jesus to draw people back to the Father. 
 
This is why Paul says, in Romans 1:20
“For since the creation of the World God’s invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”  
 
Paul is saying the same thing. 
 
The whole of creation came through Jesus in order to help draw us back to God. It is all bringing us back into the presence of God, because it was made to glorify the physical part of God that created it. 
 
Ok, so what does all of this have to do with us viewing things as Spiritual instead of Supernatural? 
 
Well, God created the physical world, by passing his words through Jesus so that it was all made. God reached into the physical in order to make sure all things were able to exists. And without the Word, nothing would be made. But listen to the next part. Not only was the physical world made this way, but John continues - 
 
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 
 
In him was our ability to have physical life. God breathed through the Word to create the world. It is important that mankind was formed out of this created dirt as well. By this, God took a piece of the physical ground that passed through the physical Word, and then he breathed his own breath and spirit into us. 
 
Look how close God was to creation as it came into being. Not only were his hands all over it, but it physically passed through the Word of God in order to exist. And then, God breathed a deposit of his breath into mankind as well. God was all over creation as it began. It passed through him and was filled with his breath. The creation narrative would imply that he is definitely not supernatural, but was spiritual. 
 
So the question is, did it remain that way, or did something change? 
 
Well King David would suggest that Creation is working the same just as Paul did. Listen to Psalm 19:1-6
The heavens declare the glory of God;
The skies proclaim the work of his hands. 
Day after day they pour forth speech; 
Night after night they reveal knowledge. 
They have no speech, they use no words; 
No sound is heard form them. 
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, 
Their words to the ends of the world. 
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. 
It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, 
Like a champion rejoicing to run his course. 
It rises at one end of the heavens 
And makes its circuit to the other; 
Nothing is deprived of its warmth. 
 
David suggests that all of creation is still proclaiming the name of the Lord and the glory of God. 
 
Think of the Old Testament for a moment. 
 
IN Exodus a pillar of cloud led the Israelites through the day and a pillar of fire by night. 
The waters split in two and created dry ground for the Israelites to walk on as they crossed the red sea into safety. 
 
Joshua saw the sun and moon stand still in Joshua 10, and large hail stones came down and defeated the Amorites 
 
The mountain of God shakes and his presence falls on it in a cloud as God speaks to Moses and gives him the Ten Commandments. 
 
And the ground opens up and swallows the people of Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and their followers after they rebelled against Moses in Numbers 16. 
 
Straight through the old testament and into the new where a virgin birth brought our savior into the world. 
 
When Jesus was crucified there was complete darkness and the temple curtain tore in half. 
 
Paul and Silas were in prison praising God and the physical chains fell from them and the people around them. 
 
Philip baptized the Ethiopian Eunich and then was teleported to another place. 
 
Here is the point, all through the Bible we see examples of God’s interaction with mankind. The physical world was created through Jesus and is near and dear to the heart of God. He isn’t removed from it, he is intertwined with it. 
 
Even listen to what Jesus said as he gave his final commandment to mankind. 
 
Matthew 28:18-20
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
 
Ok. He declared that he had all power and authority in heaven and on earth. He rules and reigns. So he commissioned his people and left us with a promise. . . And surely I am . . . What? ? ? WITH YOU always, to the very end of the age. 
 
He isn’t removed or far from us. 
 
He is not supernatural. 
 
He is spiritual. . And in essence, still a part of his created world. 
 
So what does he expect of us now? ? ? 
 
Well, for that you will have to come back tomorrow. 
 
But for now, that’s all the time we have left for today. I love you, and God bless!

January 27 - NOT supernatural

Supernatural. . . 
 
Have you heard that word used before? 
 
I keep hearing it in the church context, and to be honest, I’ve used it in the church context multiple times. . . But what if I told you that supernatural is not a biblical word. In fact, it’s not even a biblical concept. Look for it in the Bible. . . Let me read all of the verses that use the word supernatural real quick. . Ready. 
 
Done. 
 
That’s right, I bet you didn’t know this, but the word supernatural isn’t even in the Bible. The word closest to it - sorcery or witchcraft . . .
 
So why do we use it so much? 
 
The term Supernatural was given wide platform by the philosopher Thomas Aquinas in the early 1300s. It was used as an attempt to describe the works of God that were not easily explained by natural law. These things were above nature or Supernatural in explanation. They couldn’t necessarily be described by natural terms, so they were supernatural. 
 
Then in the enlightenment period, the words supernatural gained ground by mystics and  scientists in a feeble attempt to quantify things that we just didn’t grasp or have the words for. Especially in the miraculous world of the believer, there was no good words to describe the work that God was doing to intercede in the middle of the natural world where we live. . . But this has deep theological misunderstandings of God and nature. 
 
But first, let’s read the words of Paul in Romans 7. 
 
1-6
Do you not know, brothers and sisters - for I am speaking to those who know the law-that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released form the law that binds her to him. So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man. 
 
So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released form the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. 
 
Ok, stop there for a moment. There is a distinction Paul is making. First you have the way of the flesh. This is focused on the carnal senses of humanity. That’s why he talks of the sinful passions aroused by the law.. the law didn’t arouse sinful passions. What is he talking about? 
 
No, in the flesh, all we understand is the things that appeal to the natural senses. We are not worried about any other realm, because we find our being inside of the natural order. But the law brought this into question. The law suggests there is a higher way of living. It goes back to the chaos. The law points out the disorder that we are drawn to, and admits there is something different we are to live up to. And Paul gives a brief definition of it here. He says “we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.”
 
This is him saying that we understand something to be beyond the natural laws that we are drawn to, something much deeper that causes us to live the way of the Spirit. Now this isn’t a dualistic philosophy that says the body and the soul are separate. Instead, it is a philosophy that says the body is governed by something more spiritual than the physical realm. 
 
But continue reading. This is one of my favorite passages of scripture. 
 
Vs. 7
What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart form the law, sin was dead. Once I was alive apart form the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.  
 
Ok, he is further proving his point. The law points out how his human desire is drawn to the things that are out of order. The commands that were meant to point out what leads to death, were condemning, because we can’t help but be drawn to sin. . . What piece of the meta-narrative is this describing? 
 
Part 2 - Mankind is drawn to the chaos. 
 
But listen to Paul as he continues to battle this out. 
 
Vs 13
Did that which was good, then, become death to me? By not means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death , so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. 
 
We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 
 
Ok, here it is again. He is making a distinction between the two pieces. . You have the law which is spiritual, and the human body, which is unspiritual. These are two different words in the original greek. . .
 
Spiritual - pneumatikos - pnyoo-mat-ik-os’ - meaning of the spirit, or relating to the human spirit or rational soul, as part of the man which is akin to God and serves as his instrument or organ. 
 
This is the spiritual part of us that doesn’t belong to the human nature, but is part of what God is doing and is intertwined with our very existence. 
 
But then you have
 
Unspiritual - Sarkikos - sar-kee-kos’ - meaning fleshly or carnal
 
Paul is making a profound distinction here. There are two parts of me. There is the part that lives in this world in the flesh and is ruled by the nature of the flesh. This part only understands sin by the natural order introduced in the law. But then there is the completely different side of me that is the spiritual. It is the part that is close to God and serves as the vessel to understand the mission and purposes of God. Two distinct parts, embodied in each person. So keep reading on. He says, 
 
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do-this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
 
So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, Waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! 
 
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.  
 
This is his final recognition that there are two laws at work. The law of the flesh, and the law of the spirit. It’s like bringing to worlds together. And he beauty is, it is how God is intertwined into his creation. He isn’t separate from it, he is at work calling the spiritual side of us into order with the spirit of God. Though my earthly carnal body is in this world, the spirit of God is calling me into a different order that aligns with the creator. 
 
Can we agree so far, that this isn’t supernatural, this is spiritual. God calls us to his spirit to reject the order of being slaves to sin. Our flesh is being called into subjection to the law of the spirit that makes us right with God. . . 
 
Ok, but keep reading into Romans 8. 
 
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 
 
Ok, first benefit of the spiritual. It sets us free from the condition of this mortal human body. And it did it, only because Jesus became flesh and broke the yoke that tied us to the sin of this flesh. He left the spiritual and entered the physical so that we would be set free from sin and death. Listen to what he says next. 
 
Vs 3
 
For what the law was powerless to do because it was weekend by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 
 
This who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed but the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed but eh flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. 
 
You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not hav the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subjected to death because of sin, the Spirit give life because of righteousness.
 
Stop here before we get to the next verse. 
 
I want to make sure you are getting this. Paul is showing the the sinful human nature is in contrast with the spiritual nature that is called to be with God. However, Jesus came into the natural world in order to maintain justice between the sins of the carnal self and the righteousness we obtain in the spiritual word through Jesus. 
 
You might be asking yourself right now. . OK. . But how does this prove the misuse of the word supernatural? I haven’t heard anything yet. .  Well, let’s keep reading. . vs.11
 
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. 
 
Stop!!!!!!
 
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead. . . . Ok, Paul has described this as a spiritual event. It isn’t supernatural. It is spiritual. Why spiritual? Because the spirit is not separated from creation. It is distinct between carnal and spiritual. It is intertwined the entire time and working together with the natural. 
 
And, here is the kicker - the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. . . . . 
 
That’s not serrated from the natural. That’s mixed into it. 
 
See, the problem with the term supernatural, is that it implies something that is not part of this natural world, taking over the laws of the natural. While that might seem like the same thing, focus on the first part of that equation. Something that is not part of this natural world.  . . . . .
 
To suggest something of God to be supernatural would suggest that he is not part of the natural world. It suggests that God exists outside of our daily lives instead of intertwined with our human existence. The problem with this. . We lose the benefits of sonship. Listen to how Paul continues
 
Vs. 14
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the Children of God. The spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoptions to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. 
 
See, the reason the word supernatural feels more comfortable for most people, they haven’t yet let their flesh share in the sufferings of Christ. So their fleshly life is controlled by sin, and not yet brought to the spot of being ordered by the Spirit. So there is a separation that keeps them locked into a world of sin, when we were meant to be set free and live spiritual lives unto the Lord. 
 
I know this is deep. But hang with me for a second as I try to break this down. 
 
We aren’t looking for supernatural. This implies something that is separate from the natural and doesn’t have bearing on us until it mysteriously intervenes. Not the case with the Spiritual. The spiritual is constantly at work within our lives and the lives to those around us. The Spiritual does the work of reconciliation and calls us to reconciliation as well. I’ll talk more about that in a couple of days. But we aren’t meant to be intrigued by supernatural. We were meant to be engrained with spiritual. 
 
The spiritual leads us deeper into Christ. The Spiritual has the power to raise Jesus from the dead and in turn can raise us to life. The Spiritual fights against the law of the flesh and fills us with it’s fruit - which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control. God isn’t separate from you. He doesn’t work in supernatural ways. He is intertwined with you. He works in spiritual ways that are beyond our fleshly understanding. After all, the earth was breathed into existence by the spirit and through the flesh of Jesus. . We will talk about that one tomorrow. . 
 
But be assured, God is actively working throughout his creation. He isn’t far from you. In fact, listen to the words of King David in Psalm 145:18 - The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. . . 
 
The Lord is near to all who call on him. . . . To all who call on him in truth. . . . 
 
Take a moment to call on the Lord today. And as you do, feel the presence of God all around you. Not supernaturally outside of creation and sporadically coming into it, but mixed in the very fabric of everything that he created, that we would be able to see the Spirit of God move, as he calls us deeper into his presence. . . 

January 26 - Abram and Melchizedek

We will continue reading the life of Abram today, as we read Genesis 14. 
 
At that time when Amraphel was king of Shinar, Arch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goyim, these kings went to war against Ber king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorroah, Shina king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboyim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). All the latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea Valley). For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 
 
In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim and the Hornets in the hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran near the desert. Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazezon Tamar. 
 
Then the king of Sodom, the King of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboyimm and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the valley of Siddim against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arch king of Ellasar-four kings against five. Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills. The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom. 
 
A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshkol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. He recovers all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.
 
After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 
 
Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, 
 
Blessed be Abram by God Most High, 
Creator of heaven and earth. 
And praise be to God Most High, 
Who delivered your enemies into your hand. 
 
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. 
 
The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.” 
 
But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “With raised hand I have sworn an oath to the Lord, God Most High, creator of heaven and earth, that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me-to Aner, Eshkol and Mamre. Let them have their share.” 
 
 
Ok, let’s take this apart a little bit here. 
 
First you have Amraphel the king of Shinar. If you have a study Bible, you probably see a note next to the name Shinar. This is actually what would later be called Babylon. Remember I told you about Babylon. What was the main problem that Babylon always represented? 
 
-Selfish pride. 
 
Babylon is the embodiment of the thought that we can do it on our own, and in our own strength. It is symbolic of this concept that we know better than God. 
 
And this is the theme throughout this story. 
 
King Amraphel was king of Shinar (Babylon). 
 
He joined forces with 3 other kings, one being Kedorlaomer king of Elam. . Now he is the king that is really behind this battle. See, for 12 years he has subjugated all these other lands, and in the 13th year, they began to rebel against him. So they went out against all these lands and conquered them and then raided their cities taking whatever they wanted - including Lot. 
 
But Abram brought just 318 men into battle and defeated these kings, rescuing his nephew Lot. 
 
But this is the key part of this story. 
 
At this, Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High. . . What does this symbolize? 
 
Well Holy Communion. Before it was ever instituted by Christ, Before the passover or any other symbolism the bread and wine could have represented, Melchizedek brought this communion to Abram. Then he spoke a blessing over Abram, 
 
Blessed be Abram by God Most High, 
Creator of heaven and earth. 
And praise be to God Most High, 
Who delivered your enemies into your hand.
 
And what was Abram’s response? Vs 20 - Abram gave him a tenth of everything. 
 
So Melchizedek brought him a reminder of the work God was doing, and Abram gave him a tenth of everything. See, when you truly want to please God, it costs you. We talk a lot about the blessings of God and the reward of following him. But the truth is, it will cost you something if you are truly going to follow the Lord. If we are trying to build a name for ourselves, we won’t receive the blessings of God in our lives. 
 
Which is funny. How do we associate the amount that people are blessed? 
 
By the materials possessions they have. 
 
We see someone who has a nice care and a great house, fine cloths and lots of money, and we think they are blessed. 
 
But I can tell you, 
 
I live in someone else’s house, struggle to find jobs to pay the bills, have the same clothes I’ve had for years, and have the blessing and favor of God more on me now than I have ever experienced it! 
 
Because it’s not about making a name for yourself. When you are able to say that you don’t want anything to point toward your name, but you would rather honor God. . . You will be blessed beyond the material things that you feel fulfill you. 
 
After being blessed by Melchizedek, and after giving a 10th of everything to the Lord, listen to what Abram told the king of Sodom. . . 
 
Vs 21
The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.” 
 
But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “With raised hand I have sworn an oath to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’
 
Abram is making sure there is a distinction between what the world has to offer, and what God has for him. 
 
Remember the promise from Genesis 2 that Abram received? 
 
God told him, 
 
“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.”
 
Abram knew that it was God who would build him and use him for the Glory of God. Nothing any human or even his own hand could do would ever amount to this type of purposed fulfillment. So he was clear - I will not accept anything that isn’t completely saturated with the presence of God. He is my provider, my defender, my strong tower, and my God. Him and him alone are my portion. 
 
I wonder, 
 
How often do we give in to things, ideas, concepts, jobs, bosses, that we think will make us famous, or give us a name. Trust me, it is so easy for us to think that our job title gives us prestige and power. It’s easy to thin that the size of our company or the number of employees we oversee all have something to do with a blessing from God. The truth is, those all relate to our ego and our name. The only thing that matters though, it how much we bless the name of the Lord. We have got to be people who do not give in to the influence of other people who would stroke the ego to build a name for ourselves. 
 
The king of Babylon would suggest that our accomplishments and our power are signs of our worth. But Abram clearly displayed that his worth is found in how quickly he was willing to give God the glory. 
 
Question for you as we close? 
 
In what area have you quickly given into the king of Sodom and accepted the wealth of building your own name? In what areas have you taken the credit to say you deserve to be honored, or that people should recognize how good you are and how powerful you are? 
 
Trust me, it is the natural tendency of human life. We all want to be noticed and feel like we are valued. But true value comes from honoring God and realizing that He has seen you and blessed you enough to be full of life and promise!
 
So whatever it takes, strip away the layers of pride that make you feel like you have to build a name for yourself. Allow God to do whatever work he needs to do in and through you, so at the end of the day, you will be able to look back and say, “Everything I’ve done today was through the power of the Holy Spirit, and so I will bless the name of the Lord in all I do! He alone deserves the glory! 

January 25 - Others Go First

Have you ever noticed how selfish we are? 
 
I’ll just tell you, one of our family values is ‘Others Go First.’ 
 
For this reason, I try to park at the back of the parking lot whenever I can so that others can park in the front. It will be a rare day for you to see me get food before anyone else when we are eating together. I will always let others pick the place they want to go or what they want to do. My heart is to always put others first because this is the example that we see in Jesus. 
 
Yet let me be honest for a second before you think I’m better than I really am. . .
 
When I’m driving, I lose my patience. . . wait, let me start that over. . When I’m driving. . . I don’t even have any patience. I feel like people drive so obliviously, that I - as an intentional driver - will just get out of there way by going ahead of them and getting the job done of driving. . To be honest, I don’t really care about others when I’m driving. I think it’s because deep down inside, I don’t think others deserve my patience. . . They just need to drive or get off the road. 
 
But I know that’s not the right attitude. 
 
My heart is that I would always put others first. 
 
And I’m sure that is your heart too. 
 
But part of the chaos we live in, is that we are selfish people who have our own interests in mind all of the time. 
 
What would it look like though, if we though of others above ourselves? 
 
In Genesis 13 we read a great example of what true selfless generosity looks like. 
 
So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold. 
 
From the Negev he went form place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier and where he had first built and altar. There Abram called on the name of the Lord. 
 
Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. And quarreling arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time. 
 
So Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between you herders and mine, for we are close relatives. Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.” 
 
So let me just give some commentary here. 
 
Abram was the one given the promise from God that this land would belong to him. He was the one with whom God would make a great name. Everywhere they looked, the land belonged to Abram. 
 
In addition, Lot is growing in possessions and herds and flocks because he is traveling with Abram. The blessing of God on Abram’s life is causing everything around him to succeed, and that success is growing Lot’s possessions and family. Yet he gives Lot the choice to pick the land. He says, “you pick. If you go left, I’ll go right. If you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.” 
 
What selflessness of Abram. 
 
He was willing Lot have his choice, even though ti all belonged to Abram. 
 
Let’s keep reading now, because Lot’s response is pretty telling of his heart for others. 
 
Vs. 10
 
Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. Now the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord. 
 
So get this, 
 
Abram gives lot his choice of the land. He told him to pick and go whichever direction he wanted and then Abram and his flocks and family would stay the opposite direction so that they all had space for growth. And what is it that Lot did? He looked around and saw all the lands. But when he saw the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar, he realized it was well watered like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt. It was the best of the best land. Lot saw it and his eyes lit up. 
 
Now mind you, Abram saw this too. He was there with Lot and knew what the land looked like. Yet he still told Lot to choose. And he did.. . . he picked the best of the best of the lands. He saw how amazing it looked and how it looked good for him and his family, and he took it! 
 
Abram didn’t argue or suggest anything other. He simply allowed Lot to have the pick of the land, and then he went the other direction. See, I think Abram wanted Lot to succeed. He wanted the best for Lot, so he let him choose first. 
 
How much do you want those around you to succeed? We live in such a cut-throat society, that we are constantly fighting over getting our acknowledgments and making sure others know what we’ve done for them. But true selflessness, simply wants others to succeed so that they get filled with blessings and honor. 
 
If you are a leader - boss - owner of a business in any capacity - Let others succeed! Help them achieve their best! Make them win before you bring in the wins for yourself! See how God blesses you when you help those around you succeed! 
 
Well read what happened next. 
 
14
The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around form where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.” 
 
God blessed Abram. He made sure to remind him that he would bless him inside of this land. The good heart of Abram beared the fruit of blessings. But the selfish heart of Lot. . .Well, that led him in the wrong direction. There is a little foreshadowing in this text. It says that this land was good because it was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. It also says that the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord. 
 
The selfish heart of Lot, only led him to a place where there was evil and disobedience to the Lord. 
 
See, this is the same with us today. 
 
Our selfishness will always take us toward the dark chaotic mess that entraps us. When we put our needs above that of others, it brings us to places that we don’t even realize are actually pretty rotten and bad for us. 
 
But I promise, every single time - when you put others first, it honors God, and he blesses you because of it. Now hear me! I didn’t say others bless you because of it. In fact, you might put others first and get trampled all over! But God will always see you and bless you, as long as you do it for the purpose of seeing the best for them. 
 
But it’s your choice! You can be selfish and try to get everything you can, whatever way you can. I’ve never seen that end in a way that was healthy for someone. OR, you can choose to say, I’m going to put others first! When you do, I’ve never seen someone regret being the bigger person who honors others no matter what. 
 
So like Abram, may you put others first! May you think of others above yourself, and make room for their success! And when you do, may you see the blessings of God, as he leads you to places, you never could have imagined on your own. 

January 24 Abram - A great nation

Part 4 - God has invited us into the process of redeeming all things back to him. 
 
Genesis 12:1-9
 
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 
 
“I will make you into a great nation 
And I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
And you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you, 
And whoever curses you I will curse;
And all peoples on earth 
Will be blessed through you.”
 
So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. 
 
Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
 
From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the lord. 
 
Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev.
 
 
This is the beginning of God’s plan. 
 
He set apart Abram so that he would be a nation. 
 
But the promise wasn’t for Abram. 
 
It wasn’t even for his offspring. 
 
It was for ALL PEOPLE. 
 
So this is the extent of God’s desire to dwell with mankind. He set up Abram so that he would start to be a people. “I will make you into a great nation.” 
 
God was looking to show his desire for community with mankind but starting to build a great people. And from that group of people, God would bless all of mankind. This would happen when eventually Jesus came from this family line. But don’t miss the point here. This wasn’t about making the name of a people. The Israelites weren’t better than other people, they were just the vehicle in which God chose to bring redemption to mankind. And he did it by involving Abram and his family. 
 
See, God wanted to redeem us. 
 
But he also wanted to invite us into the process of redemption. 
 
So before the coming of our savior into this world, he set the patter. Mankind would be involved in redemption. As shares in this creation that was brought into existence, God started by inviting Adam into the process by naming the animals. Then he instructed Adam and Eve to rule over the land and have dominion. Then he invited Abram into the process of bringing redemption to all people. Eventually, Joseph and Mary, the disciples, the apostles on the day of pentecost, and you and I today would all be invited into the redemption of all things. 
 
See, this simply follows the pattern of how God has always done things. HE invited us into creation, he invited us into creating a name for his people, he invited us into the birth of the messiah, and he invites us into his work today. 
 
God desires redemption for all people. 
 
But he desires to work through us to make it happen. 
 
See, if you want to know God’s plan for you life, it is simply this.  - To love him, and help others know the love of God as well! 
 
So if you want to do his will - help redeem all things back to him! 
 
And that happens, by being a people filled with he presence of the living God! 
 
So be filled with his spirit, and let him use you, to bring redemption to the people around you! 

January 23 - Haran

Have you ever felt stuck because of something that happened in life? 
 
Maybe it was the loss of a loved one, or maybe a job that fell through when you thought it was the dream job that you would have with you forever. . . 
 
Or maybe a sickness left you or a loved one in the middle of a life that you never imagined. 
 
We all go through things at times that can try to stop us in our tracks. . . . 
 
But what if us stopping and never recovering, means that we are essentially missing out on the biggest blessing we could ever imagine? 
 
There is a great story in Genesis 11 about Abram’s father. I want to read it for just a moment. 
 
Genesis 11:27-32
 
This is the account of Terah’s family line. 
 
Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot. While his father Terah was still alive, Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans, in the land of his birth. Abram and Nahor both married. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Lahore’s wife was Milkah; she was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milkah and Isiah. Now Sarai was childless because she was not able to conceive. 
 
Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they settled there. 
 
Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Harran. 
 
Terah had three sons - Abram, Nahor, and Haran. 
 
But while he was still alive, his son Haran died. I can’t imagine what it is like to be a parent who loses a child. This must be so difficult. 
 
I’ve talked with parents over the years who have had a child die, and their hurt and pain is ongoing! But they all tell me how every little thing reminds me of their child. It’s hard to have holidays without the entire think taken up by thinking of their child, or its hard to watch certain shows, hear different sounds and music, or even eat certain foods. Everything is a reminder of them. 
 
Now Terah was on a journey. It must have been so hard knowing that his son Haran had died. 
 
But listen to what it says there were traveling to. 
 
Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan.
 
Ok, what is Canaan? 
 
It is what will soon be called the promised land. 
 
Terah was already headed there before God ever promised it to Abram. How amazing is that? Terah was headed to the promised land! 
 
So why did he stop? 
 
Listen to the next part. 
 
Together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they settled there.
 
Why did he stop and not go to Canaan?
 
Well because he came to Harran. 
 
Now I know they are spelled differently and have a little different of a pronunciation. 
 
But imagine for a second what was going through Tera’s head as he traveled through Harran. 
 
I can tell you right now, having talked with parents who have lost a child - the city of Harran, would have reminded them of Haran. 
 
See, sometimes we go through things and they are so heavy that they keep us from moving forward. We get stuck in a place waiting for the hurt and pain to go away. But it never does. 
 
This is why it is so important to be real with how you feel. If you don’t find ways to process grief and frustration, one day you find yourself headed to the promised land, but settling for a reminder of what was. 
 
I know hurt has different ways of manifesting throughout a person’s life. I also know that not all grief is handled the same way. But I also know, how you feel is real! And if you don’t address it, it will control you. You have to find ways to process hurt, pain, let-downs, disappointments, trauma. 
 
The healthiest thing you can ever do, is to be real with how you feel. To simply sit down and admit what is going on and how you feel because of it. And even better, being able to express this to someone else. If you can do that, you will find ways to work through the way you feel, and even come out stronger on the other side! 
 
I don’t know who this is for, but whatever it is you are walking through - take the time to stop and evaluate why you feel the way you do. It’s the first step toward healing. If you will stop and be real with how you feel, it is more likely that you will end up in a land filled with milk and honey. 
 
Look, 
 
Whatever you are facing has real feelings and emotions attached to it. 
 
Don’t breeze past that. 
 
Take the time to stop and evaluate how you are feeling. 
 
Let God heal you
 
And when he does, 
 
Let him lead you to a place of rest. 
 
I don’t know who this is for, But I’m praying that God frees you from the hurt that you carry. Be healed in Jesus name. Walk in freedom, as you follow God’s hand of blessing. . . . . 

January 22 - Babel

Genesis 11:1-9
Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. 
 
They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” 
 
But he Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then noghitn they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” 
 
So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel-because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth. 
 
 
Part 3 - Mankind is drawn to the disorder.  . 
 
We love to do things our own way. . .
 
Even for those of you who are rule followers, there is still a sense that your ability to follow the rules makes you feel a certain fulfillment. So you do it your way - which is following the rules. Anything else, leaves you feeling confused and frustrated, so you do it the way that is best for you. You follow the rules in front of you because it makes sense to you. And everyone should do it your way too. 
 
The human condition has always wanted to do things their way at some level. This was Adam and Eve’s sin. They wanted to understand everything God understood instead of simply obeying him and seeking out his plan. 
 
This has plagued us since Genesis chapter 3. We want to do things our way. 
 
This is the chaos of disorder. Instead of following the order that God intended in Creation, we do things our own way. 
 
So the people were drawn together to build a city. And it wasn’t a city that was meant to represent the brilliance that God had placed in them, it was a city meant to (4) “make a name for ourselves.” They wanted to feel some pride and be able to make a name. So they decide they will build something that represents their own abilities apart from God. They believed they could hold their fate in their own hands. So they even attempted to build a tower that reaches to the heavens. This just means that they were trying to build a tower that held the power to rule over themselves, free from the hand of God. 
 
I’m reminded of King Solomon’s words in Proverbs 18:10-11
“The Name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. 
The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it a wall too hight to scale. 
 
King Solomon is referring to this idea that we can often rely on our own abilities and powers to make a name for ourselves. It’s with my hands that I built my wealth, it is by my own power that I’ve raise a family that has accomplished what it has. .  I built my business. . . My smarts has opened these doors. . . That is a self reliance that mimics the people of Babel. . . 
 
The best thing you can ever do, is recognize that you are a child of God and that your gifts are meant to honor and glorify him. Because when we act on our own pride, trying to build something in our own strength, we only invite the very thing we were trying to prevent. 
 
They said, “Let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” 
 
They relied on themselves to be elevated into a position of authority over their own fate, in an attempt to keep their biggest fear from happening.  - their fear - a loss of unified power. See it’s interesting that even in this early state, they understood that they were better together. They knew that there was power in city. Yet they were trying to direct this power to only increase their own authority and power. 
 
So the very thing they were trying to prevent, ended up being their destruction. 
 
God saw the condition of their heart, he saw that they were so prideful that they were trying to build a name for themselves, and they were trying to save themselves instead of looking to God. So he scattered them. The very thing they didn’t want to have happen, only happened because of their pride. God scattered them so that they would be humbled and turn to him. 
 
See, when we write God out of the equation - when we try to take control and do things our way instead of God’s way - it only causes the very things we are trying to avoid. We become subject to the loss of protection from God, and invite destruction upon us.
 
And this land became known as Babel - the home of the babylonians. And from Genesis 11 - the end of revelation, Babylon is known as the city that continually tries to pull humanity into a spiral of self reliance, and denial of God as the true authority. It’s evident in today’s society so clearly. Anything that rejects God and boasts the ability to decide for ourselves, only feeds this spirit of Babylon. 
 
So we must continually have the attitude of Christ. So humble and gentle, so conscientious of God’s plan and sovereignty that even the Messiah’s words were - Not my will, but yours be done! We must have that same heart. So humble and open to the leading of the Spirit, that we do not try to build a name for ourselves, but simply say, what every you want Lord - I will do it! Because I’m not trying to build my name, I’m trying to represent you like you designed me to do! So not my will Lord, but yours be done in my life!!!!!