Tag Archives: grace

Hospitality-It is not about you

Matt, TinaOver the week of Vacation Bible School we had the opportunity to see an area of hospitality put into action. That area was putting a sizable quantity of food out for hungry young children and keeping everything running. Continue reading Hospitality-It is not about you

Walking Into Grace

When I want a hamburger, I do not go to a salad bar. (And vice versa.)
When I want Ford, I do not go to GM.
And when I want grace, I do not go to the law.
When I seek freedom I do not seek religion.
Not sure why so many think grace is not Jesus. Or why they would settle for mixture.
If I want to grow, it is not the law that will provide.
I plant myself firmly in the arms of grace.

2 Dreams About Crime

Just a thought?
Just a thought?

2 Dreams About Crime

Do you ever wonder where you dreams come from or the whys. I do. All the time.

I was out late last night for the fireworks, baseball game. My daughter and grandchildren were going to spend the night. By the time I crawled into bed it was approaching the 1AM side of life. I went to sleep. 5AM hit hard. I wandered out, started the coffee and turned the AC on. I went back to bed and fell asleep.

The first dream-I was somehow working undercover in a community much like where I lived. I recognized the building style and even some of the people. In the dream some well known people were using their influence to control people. Their method was through a medication familiar to many former drug or opiate users.  Suboxone® or buprenorphine. The purpose of this medication is to provide enough of an effect so as to avoid withdrawal and yet provide a ceiling of sorts-no super high.

Agonist-An agonist is a chemical that binds to some receptor of a cell and triggers a response by that cell. Agonists often mimic the action of a naturally occurring substance. Whereas an agonist causes an action, an antagonist blocks the action of the agonist and an inverse agonist causes an action opposite to that of the agonist. (Emphasis mine)

In the dream I found myself working to uncover what they were doing. I found that the people were just as addicted to the “replacement” as they were with their first choices of heroin and such. What I also found was that they felt bad, guilty and without value or hope.

At one point I found the table set up before one of the buildings. On the table was a Bible with a cutout carrying these medications. As I thumbed through and found the hidden hollow, the men pulled guns. I took off running as fast as I could. They were older and I was faster but I did not think I could keep it up. I ran up in the woods and they continued to follow. The dream ended there as I thought “climb a tree” or “hide in a cave.”

Dream 2

It happened seemingly on top of the first. In the dream I had been identified as one who advocated “freedom without restraint” and many were opposed. They had control of people’s money, housing, food and even relational choices. I found myself forced “underground” sharing the scriptures of His freedom, His calling, His hope. Many were “brainwashed” as to what scripture said, often taking it out of context and reducing it to rules. As I explained that the scriptures were not a set of rules to govern by, but in fact the representation of a person in Jesus Christ, I was found guilty and chased.

I began to speak loudly against the controls, the laws that held in bondage. Throughout the night and day, I found myself going house to house. Each house once darkened, turned to light in my wake.

I awoke.

It is clear to me that the “law” will not work or set people free. Whether that law is from the Old Testament  or a rule made up in the minds of men to have people act proper.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

1Corinthians 15:56 The sting of death [is] sin; and the strength of sin [is] the law.

In both cases, men used the law to constrain, to withhold the goodness of God. We are on the cusp of an outpouring of His grace in this country. It is not rules but relationship. It was once said that “rules without relationship breed rebellion.” Much of what we see in this country from our schools to our government and even to much of the church is a system of flaw, empowering sin by the setting of rules with no understanding or grid (Acceptance of Christ is part of that grid.) for change, for it has little value. We have exchanged education for enlightenment. We have traded relationship for rules. Cared more for godly experience than Godly expression.  And in many cases wrapped it in scripture to make it “right.”

We are in the midst of a change. Many will be surprised. We are encouraging people to imbibe more of the same. I have said for years we have “inoculated people with just enough Jesus to make them miss the real thing.” Perhaps that is wrong on one level meaning that if they get Jesus, it is His job to overhaul. At the same time has our presentation of Christ and who He is made them have no hope?

Even as I type this I see a groundswell of His goodness. Is it too easy? Yes! Perhaps that alone is what pulls it out of the realm of “us” and puts it into the realm of “Him.” 1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

Do not steal from others what is His to give. Do not offer a Jesus not in keeping with New Testament realities.

 

 

The Garden Culture Of His Grace

Hitting the target
A word for today.

The culture of grace is at hand…

This morning I received an amazing letter from a friend of mine. He has not be around that long. It was pretty amazing.  Over the last few weeks, He has seen the blessing of God and His hand move. Last night he wrote me to tell me of many new blessings, but here is the last part.

“So last night for the first time in 17 years I ran 2 miles . When I got off the treadmill I was sweating but hardly winded. AMAZING .I realize that 2 miles may not seem like much but for me with all my “issues” that was like running a marathon. God is amazing , his word is true, and he is always faithful. Thanks for listenin.”

Frankly , I needed to hear it. The last few days have been rough. Lots of amazing things have been happening. But lots of difficult things have happened too. I have felt like “lots” has been on fire. Finances, health, etc.. But you can never give up or stop contending. God did not promise you a rose garden. I rejoice in the fiery trial because there is a promise at the end. 1 Peter 4 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. Continue reading The Garden Culture Of His Grace

Seeds And Ideas Sown In Our Lives – The Idea Of Mixture

A Word To Hear
A Word To Hear

I have been on the subject of distraction for a week or so. (Though I am sensing a shift to “My grace is sufficient for thee…”) I see too often one of the greatest mindsets of the church to change is that, A-His grace is sufficient and B-The cross is where it “all begins.”

Frankly, much of the church has been selling a bill of goods while others are buying the bill of goods. What do I mean by that? We have been telling people what to do, removing their freedom, while the church has refused to take the time to think on its own. (Anyone who did was often pushed to the side because they had the “spirit of Jezebel.”) Continue reading Seeds And Ideas Sown In Our Lives – The Idea Of Mixture