THE END

I’ve been saying this for several years now, “If you need a new beginning in anything, Jesus is. If you need an end to anything, Jesus is.”

                In John 1:14 we find, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (NASB)  Jesus is one of a kind filled, complete within grace and truth.

                Verse 16 says, “For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.” The word of in Greek is “out of” meaning out of the very center or essence. The word fullness is as verse 14 meaning complete.

                Since He is complete and we have received out of His completeness we then too are complete in His essence. Peter confirms this in I Peter 1:15-16 which says, “but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all behavior because it is written you shall be Holy, for I AM Holy.”

                He whose mind, whose thinking, whose thoughts are stayed, placed on Him will be at perfect peace (shalom) because he places his trust in Him. Is 26:3. Isn’t that the end we are all looking for? Our seeking is ended when we find ourselves, our soul in Him for He is our rest within grace and truth.

THIS LAND (CONT’D)

All that I truly possess is out of the grace that is Christ. Anything that I say I have and which does not line up with the Living Word is a lie or some fantasy (again a lie). Since this body that I possess has been given to me by God I should steward it properly as I do any other worthwhile gift.           And to obtain its true intended functionality I most assuredly need to follow Paul’s injunction in Rms 12:1 and offer my body as my spiritual service of worship.

But there is another part of that which Elohim has made me to be for it is out of Him I was born of the Spirit (Jn 1:13) and so therefore have a body which is spirit and of a divine nature which cannot be corrupted (1 Ptr 1:23). My soul is caught between the earth and heaven. I have each day the option to serve one or the other.

“Choose this day whom you will serve”.

In the last stanza of the song “Exodus” (See yesterday’s post)I find this trueism: that until I shed this earthen suit, it is my home within which I live, and move and exist, given to me by God and “if I must fight, I’ll fight to make this land my own for until I die this land is mine”. Until I shed the mortal and put on the immortal there will be conflict.

That speaks to the individual but we are also collectively the body of Christ and so it is that there too if I must fight, then I’ll fight for what is true. The weapons of our fighting are not carnal, not of the flesh, but mighty in God to the destruction of each and every lie, white or otherwise, that comes against that body (2 Cor 10:4-6). How? By speaking truth one with another because we are members of Christ’s body (Eph 4:25).

Christ’s body is not composed of a multiple or multiplied bodies. We were all baptized into one body with many parts, members (1 Cor 12:13-14).

Speaking truth?  Yes, truth. There is no compromise in truth. Truth is and it is Christ.

However, it is impossible to help anyone whose will it is to walk at variance with what is truth. If we want to truly walk the path, the Way, then we must walk in the guidance of the Holy Spirit who leads us into, I say again, into THE TRUTH.

“Apart from Me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5).

Oh, Heavenly Daddy, I now ask help us to give in to the leading of the Spirit and give up all to You so that we be filled and completed in the Truth of who You are in us and because of that infilling we will be true witnesses by, of and for Your Glory in the earth. Your Word is Truth. Thank You, Daddy. Thank You so much. We now, right here right now, believe and thereby receive that which for which we’ve asked.

WATCH’A BEEN DOIN’

On the back side of the desert just tending sheep

Livin’ day to day

Always hopin’ someday, somehow, someway,

To do something really ‘mportant, you know?

Gets awful dry and hot sometimes out here

Winter’s not much differ’nt, just colder

Yep, just spending time out here gettin’ older.

Awful lonely at times, you know?

Got a toothache while on the mountain.

Long way to town, and in the rain.

Talk about pain upon pain

When the medicatin wore off, you know?

I’d try to get another job but nobody’ll hire

An old coot with his old way of doin’

An I’m not ‘bout to go ‘round foolin’

Folks about who I am, you know?

Get mighty tired sometime of that sheep smell

(Folks probly get tired of mine too)

Speshly when after its wet, woo!

Never did get use that, you know?

There are times though when it’s worth it all

‘Cause you know sometime on a dark night

When everything gets really quiet

The heavens start  talkin’, you know?

You know what I’m talkin’ ‘bout, right?

When there ain’t nothin’ but you and God

Your heart gets took up off’n this here sod

That’s the place I’m awantin’ to stay, you know?

Well you know, been good talkin’ to ya

Hope to see ya now and then

Shur good to sit a spell withn’ a friend

Make shur your asayin’ your praers. Gotta go.

TOOK A LITTLE SIP

Took what I thought would be a little trip, to get a little nip;

All I wanted was Just one little sip

Of that brand called New Wine.

And that’s how it began and all it took, now I’m on the hook

‘Gotta search for that recipe Book

And the Vintner of a thing so fine.

Already know you too want to go, drink of that special flow

Where the fullness of one cup you’ll know

Something’s got a hold on you.

Yep, you’ll see His face; He’s been waiting you to embrace

All that unmerited favor, that eternal grace

That’ll take you beyond what you thought you knew.

It’s a place oh so very, very near, so give me your ear

So you’ll be sure that you hear

The words I’m about to say.

Simply ask of the Lord above to introduce you to His Love

And the Spirit of Truth will come as a dove

To lead you oh so far, far away.

To that predestinated place, to be a captive of grace

And enabled to now come to face

And receive all that’s been prepared for you.

To fully and freely receive and then to freely give

So others too might drink and live

Out of that cup where all that is is forever true.

THIS LAND

I was remembering the song from the movie “Exodus”:

This land is mine God gave this land to me
This brave and ancient land to me
And when the morning sun Reveals her hills and plains
Then I see a land Where children can run free

So take my hand And walk this land with me
And walk this lovely land with me
*Tho' I am just a man When you are by my side
With the help of God I know I can be strong

(Repeat *)

To make this land our home
If I must fight, I'll fight
To make this land our own
Until I die, this land is mine.

                When I was in college I was a member of a fraternity and we had won a singing contest where I had a brief solo. After the contest some of the members were talking of next year and they wanted me to sing the song above. Over and over the first three lines have come to me periodically over the years and even more so over the last year and thus this writing.

                Now I see and see more fully why I’ve been led to this place. With so many in the body of Christ with sickness and disease of every kind I have been in prayer and asking the Lord, “What is the deal? We are to be above this stuff. What is the deal?”

                Once a few months ago when I heard this part of the song, “This land is mine, God gave this land to me”, I had the thought, “My physical body is of the earth and God gave me this body for a specific purpose (much of which is yet to be disclosed to me), so yes this land is mine and I need to defend it with the weapon Christ gave me, Truth – His word is Truth. And furthermore, since my wife and I are one flesh I need to defend her body as well.”

                You can readily see that this kind of thinking will lead to much more meditations of the heart for we are of the generation that is to take back all that the devil stole.

                More tomorrow....