Gut Wrenchers: Has it all been a waste?

Has everything I've poured into the church--the time, energy, money and devotion--been a waste?

Looking back over my life at certain points over the last few years, it was easy to hear the enemy of my soul whispering that it was all a waste. To entertain and become mired in disdain and see as worthless the years I sought to serve the Living God through my membership in the LDS church. To give power to the one who only comes to steal, kill and destroy the work of God in me, and to let myself be filled with despair, disappointment and regret.

And yet.

And yet the Holy Spirit would whisper comfort, and Jesus would come alongside and point out the many things I learned in those years that He has promised to use in His work. Even now, I am beginning to see some of those promises fulfilled--character traits and personal discipline that I carry because of my religious upbringing that are necessary strengths for such a time as this, in the place God has planted me.

And as I have moved forward one step at a time, I've found beautiful confirmation and encouragement to forgive myself, both from hearts that carry the love of God, and directly in the written word of God.

"I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better." ~Maya Angelou

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God." ~Romans 8:28

“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” ~Colossians 2:13-14

"Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives." ~Hebrews 2:14-15

Don't despair. And don't fear. Our God is big and strong, and He can handle every and any question you might have. He knows how to turn your defeat into victory. And He knows how to comfort and heal you, no matter what might be wrong. He cannot be offended by the earnest in heart, and His treasured joy is to answer us and to comfort us when we are seeking and wrestling and struggling. 

Our God is a good, good father.

Testimonies of Christ: Kim Simpson

This is a guest post by Kim Simpson. I really appreciate Kim being willing to share her words here. I am continually amazed at the variety and intensely personal characteristics of each person's encounters with Jesus, and I love hearing each soul's unique voice as those experiences are shared. Thank you, Kim, for your voice.

"Beautiful, amazing things have been happening in my life. The Lord has blessed me. As I have sought Him and focused on His will, things have become easier. I hear direction from my Father in Heaven and the Holy Ghost. I have even been blessed to hear the voice of the Savior, Jesus Christ. What a special gift! There are so many things I want to record, but I will start with that one.
One night around the middle of this month, I was praying. I was next to a sleeping Luke in bed. I'd been praying about specific things. In my recollection, I feel a lot of it was asking for direction and confirmation of choices. At the end of that, I paused. My heart yearned for understanding. I asked to learn more about my relationships with both my Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ. I expressed how I feel close to and known by my Father in Heaven. And how praying to Him and hearing His reminders of His love for me helped me feel close to Him and loved by Him. With my Savior, however, I expressed that I feel love and gratitude and respect for Him. It was just after I expressed this that I heard Jesus Christ's voice for the first time in remembrance. He said, "I know you, Kim." He knows me. Personally. He does hear my prayers, even though I address Father in Heaven. He knows me. I felt so honored and loved that He would let me hear His voice. I hadn't expected an answer right away. I anticipated guidance on where to look to learn more. But in this tender mercy, I was given comfort through a powerful, immediate answer. My Savior's voice was different than my Father in Heaven's. It was lower, younger-sounding and penetrating. There was no mistaking it. I was able to continue my prayer to both of them. I felt in harmony with them. My ghost/spirit became holy as I communed with them. We were as one. It was such an honor. A gift. I felt filled with love and light. Thinking back now, I don't remember many words, but I can still clearly hear His voice."
Today, June 15, 2016, I testify that He is here. Jesus Christ is here. He is real. He is present. I testify that He speaks to me. He teaches me as much as I am ready and willing to receive. And He always does so with love, patience and kindness. He is eager to receive me and each one of us as we receive Him. I testify of His great love for each of you. He knows you. He knows YOU, just as He knows me. And He loves you. He loves you with a more powerful, beautiful love than I think any of us can comprehend. But time and time again, He has shown me that His love for me is not dependent on anything I can do. He loves me. He just loves me. And a few months ago, He told me that He welcomes me anytime "without reproach." That means without "the expression of disapproval or disappointment." He knows me and knows it is meaningful to me to be reminded that He will always meet me with love and eagerness, never disappointment. He will meet you that way too. I absolutely believe that. I hope you believe that too. I love each of you whom these words will reach. May His peace be yours."  

My journal entry from October 27, 2014 - The first time I heard my Savior, Jesus Christ's, voice.

The Struggle Lies in the Waiting

I dreamed once I was barred on my way by a stone wall, thick and high. I looked at it for a moment, and then began to walk back and forth in front of it, waiting on the Lord. As I waited, I sang. I praised God. I was JOYFUL.

Then the earth shook. 

And the wall disintegrated.

The struggle lies in the waiting. The flesh wants to beat itself against the stones, leaving us battered and bloody instead of securely faithful and exultant in the promises we've been given.

God will make a way.

Let's do our waiting in an attitude of worship and praise, and stop blaming God for the gashes and bruises we so needlessly give ourselves when we try to use our own strength to overcome what stands in the way God has called us to walk.

Confirming the Words of Jesus Christ

Feeling contemplative today. Doing a little looking back, a little looking around, and a lot of looking up.

I've had people--people that love me, people I don't even know, people I do know but who insist on online anonymity--make harsh judgements about who I am and the state of my heart. These are judgements that I once made about people who "left the faith", and so I understand where they're coming from. I had been taught apostasy came only from one root: pride. Pride that led to trusting in the arm of flesh, trusting in your own (or someone else's) wisdom. Pride that cherished and nurtured offense, and therefore separated people from the church community and the "saving ordinances" that were the only hope to get back to Father in Heaven. A simple formula, with a simple solution: get humble and get right with God (meaning that church) so you could be saved. Salvation comes only through the "only true church", and so disagreement with the mainstream was the primary indicator of spiritual peril.

And yet.

Abinadi

Alma

Samuel the Lamanite

Paul

I've been called antichrist, compared to the lying, scheming practicers of priestcraft in the Book of Mormon, accused of amassing a following, of leading others astray, of losing my testimony and abandoning myself to the darkness of my own wisdom, warned I'm heading down a deceived path from which there is no return and that I'm taking my family with me, whose sin and blood will be upon my garments at the great and last day.

But.

I look around me, and I see a life radically transformed.

I look within me, and I see a woman radically healed.

I look around me, and I see a life overflowing with loving community that I had never known before. Community that unleashes the power of heaven into lives that are far from the direct touch of God. Love that protects and guards so a true vulnerability before the throne of grace can be discovered by each heart, and the healing offered by the Lord Jesus Christ flow without restriction.

I look around me, and I see miracles happening. Physical healings that, before, I had only read about in scripture. Emotional healing that counseling says isn't possible. Mental healing that flies in the face of psychology and psychiatry, bringing broken souls into wholeness, utterly removing the need for psychotropic medications.

I look around me, and while I see plenty of hardship and heartache and all kinds of ways that I need to be further renewed and healed and empowered by the grace of God, I see faith operating in revolutionary, transformative power.

I look around me, and I see astonishing beauty worked as I follow the voice of God that I hear on a regular basis.

I look around me, and I see the fulfillment of dreams God has given me, and the gradual unfolding of others that He gave seemingly just so I could stand rejoicing with Him as His goodness and lovingkindness is brought to pass; just so He could share His plans with me, and I could experience alongside Him the joy He feels as He works them out before my eyes in wondrous, perfect, amazing ways I could never had imagined.

I look around me, and I see a home and family beginning to come out of the broken patterns of the past and walk in joy together through this life.

I look around me, and I see face after face God has touched through my prayers in a moment of need--my memory populated by eyes filled with wonder, glistening with the uprush of tears that comes when God shows up in their hearts and they taste the sweetness, the comfort, the hope, of His love.

I look around me, and I see the fulfillment of EVERY promise in scripture that I desperately longed for, but never received, no matter how hard I tried, no matter how "faithful" I was. Blessings pouring down from heaven in rich supply that I never dared hope for before.

The fruit is here. The power of God is here. I'm seeing it everywhere, and learning a little more each day how to let that be powerfully evident in every word, every deed, every interaction.

I have read the words of Jesus Christ, have taken His invitation to test them, to try them, to see if He will keep them. And I can say I KNOW the goodness of God. This is not a "knowing" that comes from logical syllogism based on other things I believe. 

I KNOW. 

Jesus Christ spoke the truth. He IS the Truth. You can believe Him: what He said, what He did, what He promised. The words He spoke, giving us the key to knowing who truly believes Him, can be trusted today. His promises are sure. He is faithful.

I have never been taken through a more humbling, more deeply deconstructing process than I have over the last few years. I have never lost so much, nor gained so much. And while the things I have laid on the altar may seem idolatrous sacrifice to some, all I can do is respond with the words Jesus Christ gave us for moments like these:

“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” ~Mark 16:17-18 (see also Mormon 9:24)

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” ~John 14:12

I am seeing these things fulfilled in my life, and the lives of those around me. I have new kidneys. Depression is banished. God has used my hands to heal injuries, headaches, and more. And I'm not expecting you to take my word for it. This is my testimony. I only hope my testimony works in your life to do what testimony should do: provide you a chance to approach God and say:

"Do it for me, God. Show me the truth of Your words."

I look around me, and I see miracles. Everywhere. When the apostles worked miracles, they were public. With very few exceptions, Jesus' miracles were public. The excuse that miracles are "too sacred" to share, and that we just don't talk about them is a classic playground cover-up for the fact that the healing and creative miracles of Jesus and the apostles are largely the stuff of cultural legend now; the usual case is that someone knows someone who knew someone who experienced a miracle or a healing. Some select few are published in church magazines or on the official website as rarities to be held up as proof that miracles happen, to somehow endow a futile priesthood with power from on high in the face of a dearth of heavenly authority. I was taught to be satisfied with the "miracles" worked through science and the labors of mankind, taught that my expectation should be that God will not heal, will not restore. It would be wonderful, yes. But not to ever actually expect He will. When I began asking where the miracles were, I was quickly hushed and sidelined.

 And whosoever shall believe in my name, doubting nothing, unto him will I confirm all my words, even unto the ends of the earth. ~Mormon 9:25

I look around me, and within me, and I see the words of Jesus Christ confirmed. You can, too.

And who shall say that Jesus Christ did not do many mighty miracles? And there were many mighty miracles wrought by the hands of the apostles. And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles. And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust. ~Mormon 9:18-20

To Those Who Rely on His Name

“But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name–[Isa. 56:5.]”

John 1:12 AMP

What does it take to become children of God? Believing, receiving and welcoming Jesus Christ. And even then, perfection in performance is not required:

"Jesus said to him, “If you can believe,[a] all things are possible to him who believes.”

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” ~Mark 9:23-24

This father was willing to lay his heart out on the line so his son could be healed. Willing to say to Jesus, "I don't have this believing thing down very well. But oh, how I want to! Give me faith!" He trusted God to the point of a public confession of his shortcoming, relying on the character of Jesus to cover where he fell short.

What a small price to pay for becoming children of God! Looking at my life, the costs that have followed choosing Christ alone might seem heavy. And yet, with the laying down of each sacrifice, I have been set free. 

Father, you are wonderful. I love being your child--free to approach you as confidently as a little one does a loving parent, safe in the knowledge that you are my safe space, you are my refuge, you are my healer. Though a storm may rage all around me, in you I have perfect peace; I stand in the eye when my gaze is fixed firmly on you. Thank you so much for who you are and the unbounded generosity of your nature. Please show me how to walk more fully in that, and to put your love on display for all the world to see, in Jesus' name, amen.

True or False: All You Need is Love?

True.

"He who does not love does not know God, for God is love." ~1 John 4:8 NKJV

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets'.” ~Matthew 22:36-40 NKJV

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." ~Matthew 6:31-33 NKJV

And all of Matthew 14: John the Baptist is beheaded, and Jesus goes off alone to a deserted place. A multitude followed Him, and he had compassion on them: healing their sick, ministering to them until into the evening. The disciples thought He should send the people away to find their own food. In the preceding chapters Jesus taught powerful lessons about the no-limits mindset of faith. Now that there is a huge, hungry crowd before His disciples, in verse sixteen He simply answers their request to send the people away with these words: “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” The disciples respond with unbelief--with the assertion that they don't have enough food. So Jesus shows them that what they see with their eyes should not limit what they can do, and He feeds the five thousand with what would be a light snack if shared amongst the twelve.

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 “If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? {12} “Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” ~Luke 11:9-13 NKJV

We absolutely have needs. Many different kinds. And the greatest, deepest, most vital need of all is oneness with God--to be filled by God and be in God as Jesus set the example for us. When we do that, everything else falls into place as our priorities match up with God's priorities for our lives: our vocation, our responsibilities, caring for physical things, etc. I'm not advocating an ascetic lifestyle, rejecting family and comforts in order to somehow draw closer to God. I'm saying that God already KNOWS everything that we need, and when we make Jesus our Good Shepherd, everything else takes its proper place in our lives. The psalmist wasn't joking around when the 23rd psalm came into being. We still have to be disciplined, we still need to be diligent in the things God has given us (family, work, etc.); all the while with our eyes set on the Lord of Hosts, steadily walking our our lives trained on His true north.

On "Qualifying"

I'm trying to figure out how the word "qualify" doesn't mean "earn". Even in the dictionary, the definition is a specific instance of "earn". 

Qualify:

1: be entitled to a particular benefit or privilege by fulfilling a necessary condition.

     A. become eligible for a competition or its final rounds by reaching a certain standard or defeating a competitor.

     B. be or make property entitled to be classed in a particular way

2. become officially recognized as a practitioner of a particular profession or activity by satisfying the relevant conditions or requirements, typically by undertaking a course of study and passing examinations

And if this word truly is only another way to say "earn", then I don't think it deserves a place in my vocabulary when talking about my relationship to God.

Jesus's atoning sacrifice and victorious resurrection is finished. He has already fully given the gift in the completion of that work. When He won, His victory applied to everyone, everywhere, completely and fully. The only question is whether or not we will let it inform our lives, empower and change us, so we are not damned to walk out or lives in this fallen state, charting our course by the wisdom of the flesh, placing our feet by the light of our own feebly-kindled sparks.

I am a BIG believer in being diligent, in being obedient to God, in expending focused effort to bring my actions into alignment with the truth. The key is that truth isn't principles to apply. Truth is a Person to pursue relatioship with. Truth is His way of seeing the facts that elevates us into new liberty and empowerment. The fruit from that is way way way too sweet to me to live any other way. And the moment I start thinking about my life in terms of what I *do* having the power to determine what God will give, I get tangled up in a mindset that must earn mercy and grace. A mindset that says Jesus won't extend His victory to me unless I shape up. That my behavior determines what God is willing to give to me. But that isn't the case. God has already given the gift, fully and completely. It's now up to me to RECEIVE it. The gift is sitting right there in front of me in His outstretched hands, waiting for me to take God at His word and experience life from within what He has prepared for everyone who loves Him and believes Him.

For all but the last few years, I firmly believed that my behavior determined not only what God would give, but what God COULD give. That He doled out blessings based on my performance. And yet, Jesus has said some pretty wild things about believing Him being the first and most important requirement. I was always quick to append conditions and requirements to His word in those instances . . . and yet that's just what we're NOT supposed to do. We are to understand what He said (praying in His name = praying in accordance with His character and nature, as in Hebrew culture your name IS your nature), and then believe what He said (again, in Hebrew culture, your actions revealed your belief; there was no belief without action).

In order to receive what is offered, we have to believe God, to learn to see things the way He does. That looks like an engraved invitation to crazytown, because Jesus's life was a long string of words and actions that appeared full-on certifiable. People have been institutionalized for less weird stuff over the last couple of centuries. Five thousand hungry people in a desert place? No problem, He says. You feed them, guys. Friends out in a boat on a raging sea? No problem. Just walk across the water to join them. And Peter, you come out for a stroll, too. Unclean woman with an issue of blood touches His clothing? No problem. She's completely healed and restored, and He doesn't spend the week in purification. And so. many. more.

Truth is how God sees the facts. The main work I have before me, as a believer, is to learn to see things the way God sees them. If I believe God, then I align my thinking with His thinking, and my behavior follows naturally, even though it often requires persistent effort. The most powerful tool I have is belief--believing what God says over everything and everyone else. Right belief--right thinking--is a key that opens doors and releases us into powerful freedom.

What to Do with the Record of the Jews?

Among the sentiments in the LDS remnant movement that have troubled me is the idea that the Book of Mormon teaches that the Bible is so corrupt it can't be trusted, that there is little to no value in it, that we should focus entirely on the Book of Mormon and other things we call "modern scripture".

Following are the verses from a vision Nephi recorded in 1 Nephi 13:21-29 most commonly referred to when this topic comes up.

21 And the angel said unto me: Knowest thou the meaning of the book?
22 And I said unto him: I know not.
23 And he said: Behold it proceedeth out of the mouth of a Jew. And I, Nephi, beheld it; and he said unto me: The book that thou beholdest is a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; and it also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets; and it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates of brass, save there are not so many; nevertheless, they contain the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles.
 24 And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God.
 25 Wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God.

The record of the Jews didn't go to the Gentiles in any volume until after Christ commissioned His disciples to go and preach the gospel, baptize and disciple all nations. Thus, the "book that proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew" includes the writings that have become the New Testament.

 26 And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away.

Some have tried to pin the name of a specific denomination on these verses. I'm of the opinion that it refers to any who follow the flesh as opposed to the Son of God. Just as there is only one conspiracy, headed by the adversary, there is only one "Great and Abominable Church", and it stands in opposition to the Church composed of those who love, follow, and know Jesus Christ.

 27 And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men.

This is the fruit of following the flesh. Every time.

 28 Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God.

The phrase "gone forth through the hands" indicates translation, as the record came from the twelve apostles in Greek and Aramaic, and could not be received by the Western world at large unless it was translated. The first example of this is the Latin Vulgate Bible. Latin was the ecclesiastical language of the Catholic church, and until roughly 1500AD that was the main way the Bible was disseminated to the world. Check this out (and read that whole page; it's fascinating):

"In the 1490’s another Oxford professor, and the personal physician to King Henry the 7th and 8th, Thomas Linacre, decided to learn Greek. After reading the Gospels in Greek, and comparing it to the Latin Vulgate, he wrote in his diary, “Either this (the original Greek) is not the Gospel… or we are not Christians.” The Latin had become so corrupt that it no longer even preserved the message of the Gospel… yet the Church still threatened to kill anyone who read the scripture in any language other than Latin… though Latin was not an original language of the scriptures."

It seems very likely that this is one of the fulfillments of these verses. The Latin Bible was the dominant (and only legal) Bible for an incredible number of years. Bible translations into other languages were burned, and their translators (mostly) executed for the majority of that time. Now, back to 1 Nephi 13:

 29 And after these plain and precious things were taken away it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest—because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God—because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them."

Now, add to this historical context (i.e. the issues with the Latin Vulgate) this verse from 2 Nephi 33:

"14 And you that will not partake of the goodness of God, and respect the words of the Jews, and also my words, and the words which shall proceed forth out of the mouth of the Lamb of God, behold, I bid you an everlasting farewell, for these words shall condemn you at the last day."

Nephi here, in his final farewell, specifically includes the Old and New Testaments in the scripture that we are to respect (give weight to/take seriously/not treat lightly/etc.), for they have the weight to damn us. (The angel just defined the words of the Jews as those that come through Jesus' twelve apostles in 1 Nephi 13:26.) If you count the Book of Mormon as scripture, you cannot explain this verse away. Nephi unequivocally urges us, in the portion of his record which carries the most weight, to respect the record of the Jews and the words of Christ.

So, this leads us to the question: "Just how accurate is the Bible?"

Well, that depends on the translation, as the record that comes from the Jews is "pure" (1 Nephi 13:25). For example: King James gave his translators a list of fourteen criteria for translation. Some of the criteria addressed practical issues of translation and how to resolve differences amongst the committee. But there were also points that constrained the meaning and ensured the KJV would support the Anglican church (especially #3 and #4 in the above link).

There have been a tremendous number of ancient manuscripts discovered that date back to as early as 100AD (or earlier), and the accuracy of the later manuscripts is pretty much unheard of.

There are quite a few translations available now, in print, online, and via various Bible apps. (I prefer Blue Letter Bible's app, and the YouVersion Bible app from bible.com. Studylight.org is also great.) Those resources allow you to read the English in various translations, compare them, and (with the exception of YouVersion) see what the original texts contained, complete with exhaustive cross-referencing and detailed definitions and usage guides. As I've heard said, "If you've got a Bible, read it." But if you want to get into the Bible in the way that it was intended, then you've got to do some digging.

Do your research on the various translations. Each one has a purpose and each organization has a motivation. Some are heavily biased. Some not so much. Some have great Old Testament renditions, but their New Testament translations are heavily skewed by their bias (Holman Christian Standard Bible, for example). It's on us to look into the translations, to perform our due diligence in digging out the meanings of the various Greek and Hebrew words when we find something that the Holy Spirit points out, and above all, to read the Bible through the lens of the Holy Spirit--and none other. (I've had some great moments where I've been reading, God has whispered something to me, and then as I've done the word studies in the original language, really awesome things have been revealed to me. It's one of my favorite things now.)

The Bible has been a powerful tool in the hand of God in bringing me to know Him so much better. This blog is ample evidence of that. The Old Testament put on display for me the incredible power of God and His constant willingness to show up and work astounding miracles for the wayward and stubborn Israelites. He is every bit as eager to show up and work miracles for me! The New Testament brought into powerful reality the overwhelmingly tender and unbounded love of God, uncovering an understanding of how God sees and responds to me that I had never grasped before. Reading the Bible has blasted traditions of my fathers, has made me question and search and study and has borne sweet, sweet fruit of radically increased faith and a far greater ability to live in the reality of what God has said, instead of my own thinking or ideas or paradigms.

And, if this post does nothing else, please: allow God the chance to use the "record of the Jews" to work miracles in your life, too.

Zion is Flat

This has been on my mind lately . . . a journal entry from 2014.

6 April 2014: Zion is Flat

"I keep seeing the same vision today: a host of people, standing nearly shoulder-to-shoulder on a broad plain. There's one person pointing to heaven, towards a deep blue break in the clouds where a ray of glorious, gilded blue-white light shines downward upon him and a little around him in the crowd. While the light and the man it shone on had color, everything else was gray: the clouds, the earth, the people, everything. This person was calling out with all his strength, directing people to seek Jesus. But he stood no higher than the rest of them. He could share the message he had been given from God, and there was nothing but atmosphere between the people and the veil of clouds overhead.

"As I've thought about that over the last little while, I've wondered if the tower of Babel wasn't what I've been taught all my life: an ancient Sky Needle of sorts, trying to pierce the sky. Rather, maybe it was a high podium of sorts to elevate the arm of flesh above reliance upon God . . . to put some men above others, to rule and usurp the role of Savior from the promised One. Building a tower to get to heaven could mean that those people believed that by building unto themselves a hierarchy and sustaining someone they saw as the mouthpiece of God, they could have easy, guaranteed salvation.

 

"Then I saw that same vision again, with some people amongst the many building skeletal timber structures, like scaffolding without a building, to get themselves closer to the clouds, to elevate themselves and gain the advantage above their fellows on the ground. As if being higher meant the clouds would open more readily for them. 

"Over time, as more rays of light pierced the clouds and shone down upon others, bringing them and the grassy earth beneath into springtime color, more of the people standing on the plain began pointing to heaven, crying the same message as the first man: "Seek this Jesus, and He will be found . . . for I have found Him!" The rays of light fell only on those standing on the ground— while the structures, their skeletal form silhouetted by the even gray of the cloud cover, remained in deepening shadow. As the clouds opened to reveal light to those who petitioned heaven, they thickened over those who chose to stay away from the light, who concentrated on working on the scaffolding, refusing to even come and see what it was like in the light.

 

"When God rises to shake terribly the earth, all of those works of timbers will disintegrate, injuring or killing those upon, around and underneath them, those who carry idolatry in their hearts instead of His image. Only those with their feet on the ground and their eyes trained upward into the light that God shines down upon them will find sure footing in that day. They will have set up nothing above themselves, and so need not fear anything falling on them. And God will continue to rend that cloudy veil and shine more and more upon the people below who cry out to Him. Others who look around themselves will see the evidence of that light on others around them and have a facilitated chance to receive it, emboldened by the testimonies around them. Pressing closer to the places where the light shines, to taste and see the light for themselves, they will learn how to open the clouds above themselves and maintain that connection, that conduit, on their own. As more and more seek Jesus Christ, there will be more and greater clarion openings in the clouds. Some will gather together with like-spirited folk, aggregating both the light and the lack thereof, and yet others will go out into the areas where there is darkness, bringing the torn veil with them to allow the glory of God to shine in that place."

John 3:16

S: “For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.” ~John 3:16 AMP

O: In the beginning, our first parents betrayed this world into the hands of the enemy of our souls. And God was willing to offer Himself to reclaim it.

A: This mystery, this miracle that is the atoning sacrifice and victory of Jesus Christ its something I think about every day. The magnitude of that offering and the unbounded healing and freedom that flows unceasingly from it only continues to amaze and humble me more and more the longer I meditate on it. I have been forgiven much. And will be. Always. Because I believe. Truly believe, as reflected in my life. The price already paid; my debt remitted, redeemed in full. What a faithful God we have, who is constant and true in the face of all human frailty and unfaithfulness.

P: Dearest Jesus, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You have radically changed my life, both directly and through the believers you have planted in my life. I don't think I will ever cease to be amazed at what you have done, and what you continue to do. Your unstinting generosity and the delight you take in blessing the human race, the abundant flow of your mercy and grace, fill my life with such joy I often don't know what to do with myself. Lord, show me what to do with this joy. Show me how to release it into everyone around me. And use it as you wish, to fulfill the longings of your heart for the world you love so desperately. Amen.