Psalm 2
1Why do the nations rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
2The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
3Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
4He that sits in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
5Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and distress them in his great displeasure.
6Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
7I will declare the decree: the LORD has said unto me, You are my Son; this day have I begotten you.
8Ask of me, and I shall give you the nations for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.
9You shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
10Be wise now therefore, O you kings: be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
Here is another example of a suprising new way of looking at a familiar verse, and a surprising way in which it came about. I am a truck driver for a freight company, and because it has been slow lately in the driving assignment that I have, they have me working the freight dock in the meantime. Well, that is one of my least favorite jobs to do, and now it is cold and always for me, a laborious boring task. I liken it to breaking big rocks into little rocks!
Once again Cindi comes into play here. I texted her to say that I was working the dock, and she replied that God must have some plan in mind. I joked that I was camping at camp murmur (see previous post). We joked about God taking delight in our misery, and I quoted "He that sits in the heavens shall laugh!"
Then the thought immediately strikes me with a question: "Who is the "he" that is sitting in the heavens? Where are you sitting? Aren't you seated in heavenly places?" Well, look at that verse in Eph. 2:6 "And has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:"
Okay, so lets look at some of these things. First thing that comes to mind is that "Heavenly Places" is NOT a location. It is not a literal place, it is a LIFE. Have you ever met someone very happy, and they say "I am in heaven!" They are not far from the truth! If we get our mind out of the natural earthy mindset, and focus on the mind of the Spirit, then we can have our head in heavens too; figuratively of course.
Secondly what comes to mind is that we are seated. Sitting in the figurative sense, as well as literal I guess is a place of rest, and a place of authority. A king sits on the throne. A judge sits behind the bench. These are places of authority, and there is no activity, but rather being at rest in the work that is being accomplished.
So, there we have it. We are sitting at rest in a place of authority in the heavens! And laughing, while we are at it! Ha. What then does that mean? Well, my guess is that it is more out of a sense of security and safety in the Sovereignty of God! In other words, not a care in the world. And why should we have a care in the world, when we are not of this world!? And when those in the world system would try to threaten our position in the heavens, (look at vs. 2,3) then we can laugh at the absurdity of it all (vs 4)! I think their derision maybe comes from confusion about their failed efforts.
I am sure that a more thorough examination of this Psalm would provide much more insight than the brevity of this post is meant to convey, and yet at the same time, if this provides a spark for some revelation of your own, then it is more than purposeful as kindling so to speak. Permit me if you will, some more comments.
Over and over we are reminded to "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" Phil. 2:5 and to,"Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Col. 3:2 and also to, "be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,..." Rom.12:2. I am reminding myself by also telling you this, that we have been blessed in abundant measure; more than we could ask or think, in ways that go beyond any material measures! How could material things ever compare to the Grace and Peace and Love and Mercy that we have received from the Lord? How much worldly riches would you spend in exchange for one moment of Revelation of Truth that you have received from the Creator of the universe? Frederick Martin Lehman 1868-1953 tried to explain such a task in the following lyrics:
The love of God is greater farThan tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,And pardoned from his sin.
When years of time shall pass away,And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray,On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—The saints’ and angels’ song.
Could we with ink the ocean fill,And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,Though stretched from sky to sky.
For us all to live each day with our hearts filled with an attitude of such wonderous awe, I cannot imagine ever having a day not overflowing with Heavenly Laughter!
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Camping In Your Murmuring!
It can be interesting how inspiration or revelation will sometimes happen. I think you might enjoy a recent personal example.
My wife Cindi, related to me about a conversation that took place with her boss where she works. He happened to hear her sighing, and asked her what was wrong. At first she said that nothing was wrong, but then after some prodding, she told him that she was just murmuring like the Children of Israel did in the wilderness.
This prompted a long conversation about various things including different translations, and meanings of words and misinterpretations of the Bible. Curiosity about the possibility there might be some hidden gem in the meaning of murmuring in the Old Testament, lead Cindi to look it up in the original Hebrew language of the Strong's Concordance. Here is what that says:
Strong's Number: 03885 awl
Original Word Word Origin awl a primitive root
Definition to lodge, stop over, pass the night, abide (bold my emphasis)
(Qal) to lodge, pass the night to abide, remain (fig.)
(Hiphil) to cause to rest or lodge
(Hithpalpel) to dwell, abide to grumble, complain, murmur
(Niphal) to grumble
(Hiphil) to complain, cause to grumble
Translated Words
KJV (87) - ... the night, 14; abide, 7; continue, 1; dwell, 1; endure, 1; grudge, 1; left, 1; lie, 1; lodge, 33; lodge in, 2; murmur, 14; remain, 6; tarry, 2; variant, 3;
NAS (84) - abide, 2; dwell, 1; endure, 1; gazes, 1; growl, 1; grumble, 4; grumbled, 7; grumbling, 2; hang all night, 1; last, 1; left over, 1; lies all night, 2; lodge, 9; lodged, 6; lodges, 3; making, 1; night, 2; pass, 1; remain, 1; remain overnight, 2; remain with you all night, 1; sleep, 1; spend, 2; spend the night, 21; spent, 3; spent the night, 7;
What struck her, and myself as being odd was how that murmuring not only translated into grumble and complaining, as was expected, but how could it possibly also translate as lodge and abide? I think camp was another translation too. They certainly seemed to be pretty strange comparisons, and neither one of us could figure it out!
And so I thought it would remain a mystery. There was no reason to think otherwise, I had no intention of researching it any further. Then a few days later, one morning, I heard Cindi say something downstairs in our house while I was getting ready for work upstairs. Thinking she was talking to me I asked her what she said. She told me in jest, "I was just murmuring..... or camping, I don't know which!"
To which I replied, "Maybe you are camping IN your murmuring?"
And then it struck me!
Camping in your murmuring! Dwelling in your murmuring! Lodging in your murmuring! Murmuring and Living there! Perhaps that is what the verse is trying to convey. The idea that the Children of Israel were not just a little upset, and then it passed, but rather that murmuring became their whole life!
Hey, we all grumble and complain sometimes when things don't go our way. Often the complaints might be over little things that cause momentary inconveniences. In a hurry going somewhere, and a shoe lace breaks, or the car won't start, or you get a flat, or there is construction, or you get a ticket! All are reasons to cause us to murmur temporarily.
Now, consider the Israelites during their journey in the wilderness. Think of why they were "wandering" in the first place. Because no matter what happened they were never satisfied. For 400 years they were in slavery to Egypt, and all those years they would murmur because of their bondage. Then they were delivered by miracles from their bondage, and no sooner got their first taste of freedom, that they complained against Moses over and over again, and in fact, their complaints were really against the God who delivered them and not Moses. They dwelled on their complaints time and time again. Never satisfied! They actually longed for their slavery to Egypt once again!!
Thing about that the next time you start to murmur. Is it something that is rare and passing, or are you murmuring so often that you find yourself Camping In Your Murmuring!
My wife Cindi, related to me about a conversation that took place with her boss where she works. He happened to hear her sighing, and asked her what was wrong. At first she said that nothing was wrong, but then after some prodding, she told him that she was just murmuring like the Children of Israel did in the wilderness.
This prompted a long conversation about various things including different translations, and meanings of words and misinterpretations of the Bible. Curiosity about the possibility there might be some hidden gem in the meaning of murmuring in the Old Testament, lead Cindi to look it up in the original Hebrew language of the Strong's Concordance. Here is what that says:
Strong's Number: 03885 awl
Original Word Word Origin awl a primitive root
Definition to lodge, stop over, pass the night, abide (bold my emphasis)
(Qal) to lodge, pass the night to abide, remain (fig.)
(Hiphil) to cause to rest or lodge
(Hithpalpel) to dwell, abide to grumble, complain, murmur
(Niphal) to grumble
(Hiphil) to complain, cause to grumble
Translated Words
KJV (87) - ... the night, 14; abide, 7; continue, 1; dwell, 1; endure, 1; grudge, 1; left, 1; lie, 1; lodge, 33; lodge in, 2; murmur, 14; remain, 6; tarry, 2; variant, 3;
NAS (84) - abide, 2; dwell, 1; endure, 1; gazes, 1; growl, 1; grumble, 4; grumbled, 7; grumbling, 2; hang all night, 1; last, 1; left over, 1; lies all night, 2; lodge, 9; lodged, 6; lodges, 3; making, 1; night, 2; pass, 1; remain, 1; remain overnight, 2; remain with you all night, 1; sleep, 1; spend, 2; spend the night, 21; spent, 3; spent the night, 7;
What struck her, and myself as being odd was how that murmuring not only translated into grumble and complaining, as was expected, but how could it possibly also translate as lodge and abide? I think camp was another translation too. They certainly seemed to be pretty strange comparisons, and neither one of us could figure it out!
And so I thought it would remain a mystery. There was no reason to think otherwise, I had no intention of researching it any further. Then a few days later, one morning, I heard Cindi say something downstairs in our house while I was getting ready for work upstairs. Thinking she was talking to me I asked her what she said. She told me in jest, "I was just murmuring..... or camping, I don't know which!"
To which I replied, "Maybe you are camping IN your murmuring?"
And then it struck me!
Camping in your murmuring! Dwelling in your murmuring! Lodging in your murmuring! Murmuring and Living there! Perhaps that is what the verse is trying to convey. The idea that the Children of Israel were not just a little upset, and then it passed, but rather that murmuring became their whole life!
Hey, we all grumble and complain sometimes when things don't go our way. Often the complaints might be over little things that cause momentary inconveniences. In a hurry going somewhere, and a shoe lace breaks, or the car won't start, or you get a flat, or there is construction, or you get a ticket! All are reasons to cause us to murmur temporarily.
Now, consider the Israelites during their journey in the wilderness. Think of why they were "wandering" in the first place. Because no matter what happened they were never satisfied. For 400 years they were in slavery to Egypt, and all those years they would murmur because of their bondage. Then they were delivered by miracles from their bondage, and no sooner got their first taste of freedom, that they complained against Moses over and over again, and in fact, their complaints were really against the God who delivered them and not Moses. They dwelled on their complaints time and time again. Never satisfied! They actually longed for their slavery to Egypt once again!!
Thing about that the next time you start to murmur. Is it something that is rare and passing, or are you murmuring so often that you find yourself Camping In Your Murmuring!
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Honor The Revelation In You
Last month my wife Cindi and I went to the 35th Anniversary ministry conference at the House of the Lord in Dickson Tenn. hosted by Bob and Charlotte Torango. It was my first time there, after a long awaited intention to go, having finally come to pass! While this post is not meant to center on the convention, I would like to recommend the ministry of both Bob and Charlotte, as worthwhile to anyone wishing to hear a mature word from the Word that is sure to bless any efforts you make to explore what they have to offer by clicking Here.
It was on our way home (during the 13 hour driving time of some 850 miles or so), that I was discussing with Cindi something about what Bob said during his message. Without the tape to review, I believe I would still be accurate in conveying that what he basically said was that there are many times ministers would "dumb down" or "water down" their message to accommodate the lack of maturity of their hearers. It is needful to bring the maturity up to the level of the message, not the other way around.
My comment to Cindi about it was that "We must each honor the revelation God has given us!" Not everyone has the same understanding of Truth. No one person has all Truth, but some do have a greater understanding or revelation of Truth than others do; it is simply a clearly unarguable fact. Some are sure that there is a God. Others know that Jesus is their Savior. Still others know that Jesus is the Savior of the World! Whatever the level of revelation, none of it is possible without the Holy Spirit! I Cor. 12:3 "Therefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Spirit"
I remembered I wrote an earlier post where I said "There are many ways that lead to the ONE Way!" "Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me" John 14:6 and also John 6:44 "No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." So, I am persuaded that whatever we believe is a direct result of whatever purpose God has intended; even for those who are without acknowledging any faith; to those who are not of any Christian faith; all the way to those of the highest level of Spiritual revelation; each is a result of the planned purpose of God!
So what does that mean, that it doesn't matter what anyone believes because all will eventually be saved? Well, yes and no. Yes all will be saved, but no, it does matter what one believes because that is the reason for the Gospel, to spread the Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ and free people from their bondage to sin!!
It does matter if someone has no faith, or a false faith, because that is NOT Good News, and in spite of knowing that God's will and purpose has brought them to this point, you must be sensitive to the Spirit so as to not dishonor the Revelation of Truth that is in you! It is NOT okay to leave them in their sin and deception, and bondage to sin and death! What love is that? Our hope should always be that God would use us as a vessel for His purpose to share His Love for Creation with those we meet, so as to be a part of setting creation free!! While we do know that ALL creation will be saved according to the plan of God, what we do not know is when that day will come for them, and whether He will use us on that day to set them free NOW!
Consider Paul's earnest desire in Eph. 3:11 "According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. 13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. 14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named , 16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."
Paul was not content with the revelation that he had to keep it to himself. He did not think that since God's purpose is to save all of creation, he did not need to share that fact with others now. As a matter of fact, it was almost impossible for him to keep such a glorious Gospel secret! And because he could not keep it secret, he suffered many things at the hands of those who did not agree with him, and who wanted to silence him.
I often think how hard it would have been for Paul to be the first to have a revelation of the Gospel to the Gentiles, and to then proclaim it to everyone for the first time. At least we have the benefit of the Christian Gospel being a known quantity, in spite of the fact that we also know there are many levels of understandings, and misunderstandings!! However, when Paul would preach to the Jews, they knew the only written word they had at the time; the Torah, (the Old Testament). He had to take what Scriptures they knew, and to explain to them the revelation of the Truth of the meaning of those Scriptures, much like we might take the verses that many Christians know, and try to explain to them the Spiritual depths of Truths contained in those Words. Much like I try to do with these blog posts.
All I am wanting to do with this blog is to honor the revelation that is within me, and to share what insight I have been blessed with receiving from the Lord, in the hopes that He would take these feeble words, and to give them the power needed to expose more of the wonders of the unspeakable goodness of our Glorious Lord and Savior. If anything I write gives you any greater spiritual understanding than you had before, then please, recognize the greatness of the gift you have been given, and Honor The Revelation In You
It was on our way home (during the 13 hour driving time of some 850 miles or so), that I was discussing with Cindi something about what Bob said during his message. Without the tape to review, I believe I would still be accurate in conveying that what he basically said was that there are many times ministers would "dumb down" or "water down" their message to accommodate the lack of maturity of their hearers. It is needful to bring the maturity up to the level of the message, not the other way around.
My comment to Cindi about it was that "We must each honor the revelation God has given us!" Not everyone has the same understanding of Truth. No one person has all Truth, but some do have a greater understanding or revelation of Truth than others do; it is simply a clearly unarguable fact. Some are sure that there is a God. Others know that Jesus is their Savior. Still others know that Jesus is the Savior of the World! Whatever the level of revelation, none of it is possible without the Holy Spirit! I Cor. 12:3 "Therefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Spirit"
I remembered I wrote an earlier post where I said "There are many ways that lead to the ONE Way!" "Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me" John 14:6 and also John 6:44 "No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." So, I am persuaded that whatever we believe is a direct result of whatever purpose God has intended; even for those who are without acknowledging any faith; to those who are not of any Christian faith; all the way to those of the highest level of Spiritual revelation; each is a result of the planned purpose of God!
So what does that mean, that it doesn't matter what anyone believes because all will eventually be saved? Well, yes and no. Yes all will be saved, but no, it does matter what one believes because that is the reason for the Gospel, to spread the Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ and free people from their bondage to sin!!
It does matter if someone has no faith, or a false faith, because that is NOT Good News, and in spite of knowing that God's will and purpose has brought them to this point, you must be sensitive to the Spirit so as to not dishonor the Revelation of Truth that is in you! It is NOT okay to leave them in their sin and deception, and bondage to sin and death! What love is that? Our hope should always be that God would use us as a vessel for His purpose to share His Love for Creation with those we meet, so as to be a part of setting creation free!! While we do know that ALL creation will be saved according to the plan of God, what we do not know is when that day will come for them, and whether He will use us on that day to set them free NOW!
Consider Paul's earnest desire in Eph. 3:11 "According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. 13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. 14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named , 16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."
Paul was not content with the revelation that he had to keep it to himself. He did not think that since God's purpose is to save all of creation, he did not need to share that fact with others now. As a matter of fact, it was almost impossible for him to keep such a glorious Gospel secret! And because he could not keep it secret, he suffered many things at the hands of those who did not agree with him, and who wanted to silence him.
I often think how hard it would have been for Paul to be the first to have a revelation of the Gospel to the Gentiles, and to then proclaim it to everyone for the first time. At least we have the benefit of the Christian Gospel being a known quantity, in spite of the fact that we also know there are many levels of understandings, and misunderstandings!! However, when Paul would preach to the Jews, they knew the only written word they had at the time; the Torah, (the Old Testament). He had to take what Scriptures they knew, and to explain to them the revelation of the Truth of the meaning of those Scriptures, much like we might take the verses that many Christians know, and try to explain to them the Spiritual depths of Truths contained in those Words. Much like I try to do with these blog posts.
All I am wanting to do with this blog is to honor the revelation that is within me, and to share what insight I have been blessed with receiving from the Lord, in the hopes that He would take these feeble words, and to give them the power needed to expose more of the wonders of the unspeakable goodness of our Glorious Lord and Savior. If anything I write gives you any greater spiritual understanding than you had before, then please, recognize the greatness of the gift you have been given, and Honor The Revelation In You
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