Just Thinking
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Philippians 4:8 NASB
Dwell– How much does the visual model of reality and culture affect us? Compare that to the auditory model of ancient cultures. What mattered in the ancient world was not what you saw but what you heard. This is a concomitant of the royal/kingdom culture. What the king said mattered even if you didn’t see him. How far have we wandered from that model? Don’t we want to have a “sign” before we commit? But the Bible is written for and by people who were audio-sensitive. How does this change how we read the text?
Consider Abraham. He never read a single word about God. What did he know of God and how did he worship? What was his experience of God? Visual? Auditory? Both? God commends Abraham for his faith. What was that faith based on?
Do we become cerebral believers when we fix our attention on the words of the Book rather than the word (rhema) of God? Do we lose our ability to hear God speak? Or did we assume that because we have a written record, God no longer speaks?
Is He a silent God or are we the deaf children?
Perhaps I need more practice listening.
If God is your friend, what does that mean? The basis of all prayer, since Yeshua corrected our understanding, is friendship—not obeisance. What does it mean when Yeshua says, “I call you friends” (John 15:15)?_______________________________________________________
In Genesis 18:22 God stands before Abraham. What does this posture mean? What does it imply about the relationship? What is the word order in the verse in Hebrew and why did the rabbis desperately try to change it?
The Idealist Culture: We are comfort addicts. We believe that life should be wonderful for us. Notice the reaction to the discomfort and annoyance when there is a change in the security measures at the airport. We don’t believe that we should have to put up with any of the inconvenience. After all, we are law-abiding people. We are entitled to a life without trouble.
In Christian circles, this becomes a life that God should bless. I am entitled to blessing because I am a believer. Belief guarantees rewards (on my terms). “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life” doesn’t seem to fit any of the biblical characters. They all suffered, struggled, agonized, and experienced abandonment. Yes, they also had joy and peace (sometimes), but that doesn’t seem to be the norm. When did all this entitlement to comfort become our goal?
The Biblical view is much more sobering and much more realistic. The world is fallen. Uriah dies at the hands of a “believer.” Bad things happen to good people. Yeshua tells us to expect them to. How can I truly believe when I am confronted with a world that leaves me alone in the dark?
The Biblical view is that the world (the culture) is in fundamental opposition to faith. Therefore, faith will always be a struggle.
Psalm 73:1-3 is a struggle with perspective. Greatness vs. fame. Which one matters? What are you willing to do to reach it?
Why should I believe when the world teaches and appears to demonstrate that I can do well without Him? Why believe when it seems apparent that I am completely free to pursue evil and get away with it? Why not be a winner rather than an alien-resident loser?
Ps. 73:13-14 is a poem describing the confusion about why the world is the way that it is.
Where is the place of turning from the world’s point of view to God’s point of view?
Ephesians 5:25-27. How do I wash myself from the world’s stickiness?
We don’t need to be centered in our emotions. God loves us because of Who He is, not because of who we are.
How does God prepare us for the dark night of the soul?
What do I do now, Lord? The servant waits to hear the master’s voice and be sent.
How do I wait?
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The Beatitudes portray Yeshua as the second Moses. What Yeshua speaks becomes the debar of God – authority. He speaks from the mountain. He speaks as an agent of the divine. He leads his people to the mountain. He frees his people. He is the deliverer.
The only person who can live out the Beatitudes is the one who is in full relationship with God. The paradigm shift from “I can’t make it” to “I can do all things through Christ” is colossal. As long as the enemy is attacking, I am on the right track. When I stop being hounded, I’m probably accommodating.
The Holy Spirit is born into me – conceived in me (John 3). I am not born into the Spirit. The “born again” language implies that the action of birth is my action. But if I were to say, “conceived again,” then it is clear that I have no part in the action at all. God’s spirit is conceived in me and must reach its full expression once it begins to grow. Just as Yeshua is conceived by the Spirit into Mary’s body.
The process is the replacement of the Spirit in the space that was occupied by me. I must die so that the Spirit can live. There is only room for one person in the space occupied by me.
Colossians 1:24
Everything that God intends for me is resident in the moment of conception, just like everything that I will be physically in this world is already contained in the DNA when the egg is fertilized. Nothing new is added that was not already present in that moment, but how it gets manifest takes time.
Topical Index: thoughts
“(rhema) of God”. God is an action. I think the action of His speaking is not meant to conform to existing matter (perhaps even the matter of ears!): I think the side effect of His speaking IS a change of matter: of reality. When God speaks, not only do things happen: become: things are created where they weren’t before, too. God’s faith through the action of His speech makes “things which are not as though they were” (Rom. 4:17). This is no ordinary speech!
Truth convicts: truth JUDGES: truth, like all the speech of God, CHANGES the listener, for better or for worse. An encounter with the Spirit of God, Who was given to “lead us into all truth”, leaves everyone changed; whether they wanted to be or not. I think this is the real reason God does not manifest Himself on the throne of His power on earth (even though He could) for when (not if) He does, no choice against Him is left: all changes possible are according to His will then, for none of us have wills that can stand against the face of Him that sits upon that throne. In that day, the truth will judge us all.
I think grace is where God ABSENTS Himself from space and time so as to respect our power of choice: choice that He hopes will pick Him. I believe the written Word respects our power of choice, too. It lies on our shelf; passive; like all other present truth; hoping that when we pick it up to read that we will, per instructions, take its Interpreter with us Who will activate those words into changed hearts and lives. But He waits for us to choose: to act first: to ask. I think truth whispers to give us room to hear, as well as answer, from a place of freedom, even if that freedom is being artificially manufactured literally out of the flesh and blood of Someone who is standing in our gap for us: bridging life to us who are choosing death as fast as we can pull it off our shelves. The grace of God stuns me.
Thank you for the thoughts, Skip. And thank you, YHVH, for your Holy Spirit, too. If Skip is right when he says “There is only room for one person in the space occupied by me.” then I pray that we agree together with that Spirit so that the “right spirit may be formed in us”, for Paul says, in agreement with Skip, that “he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit (ICor. 6:17). May I die today, like Paul, so that He may live – act – in me. I pray that the unimpeded action of God be poured, by His Spirit, through us today!
Excellent Laurita ! Thanks for teaching, very helpful !
The way you wrote, it was easy to hear, and see it, so I could digest it. Thank you again
“only room for one person..” reminds me of what Yeshua said about two masters
Thanks for sharing all that additional stuff. Greatly appreciated. Way too much food to consume in one sitting. Will have to return repeatedly in order to benefit from the insights and wisdom! It’s the whole process of knowing, as in head knowledge, and knowing as in experiencing! Grace required.
“The Biblical view is much more sobering and much more realistic. The world is fallen. Uriah dies at the hands of a “believer.” Bad things happen to good people”
The way of this modern “Christian” cultural is much the opposite. Only good things should be happening to good people because “You reap what you sow.” However, we are promised, “In this world you will have trouble, but TAKE courage, I have overcome the world.” We are overcomers through it all because of who He is, not because of who I am. May I continue to stay close to His word, His voice. He is as close as the mention of His name. Psalm 145:18 “The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, To all that call upon Him in truth.” Fill me with Your truth that I may ever be close to You. Thank you, Skip, for sharing your collection of thoughts and questions that I may chew on it today.
A humble thought or two.
We all have a “place” where the pushes and pulls
of world influence cannot penetrate. Oh, these influences
can be stormy and uncomfortable, but they cannot get into
that “place”.
Why?
God designed us that way. Because it’s in this “spirit place”
where He meets us. Like Abraham, we all assimilate our
experiences, good and bad, and as we work them out we’re
sensing “another reality” deep down within our core that’s
seemingly always safe.
And it is safe. He’s there, awaiting our conscious arrival.
In order for us to fully occupy this space, He quietly reminds
us, as He did with John the Baptist, that He must increase
and we must decrease. It’s a more gentle way to say “die”.
When we do, faith is fully formed in that space as we and He
finally exist as one in THE relationship He’s created for us
since the beginning.
I’ve been retreating to “that place” a lot lately and finding refuge there from the storm. Every time I enter it I say, “Hinneni.” (Here I am) and wait on Him.
(Forgive my transliteration of the Hebrew. I know it leaves a lot to be desired!)
Thank you so very much for this bountiful feast for mind, body, soul and spirit. Lately, I feel very much like an alien-resident loser. Those who don’t seriously study the Bible and seek to committed Followers seem to be so much happier and connected in what appear to be loving relationships. Sometimes I feel like Uriah’s mother hearing about wonderful King David. You really helped me today and I very much appreciate your thoughts today, Skip. I’ve been praying for God to speak to me about many of the truths you brought up. I think He just did.
“We don’t need to be centered in our emotions. God loves us because of Who He is, not because of who we are.
How does God prepare us for the dark night of the soul?”
Is not the answer to the above question found in the previous sentence?
“The paradigm shift from “I can’t make it” to “I can do all things through Christ” is colossal.”
Might the paradigm shift be truly colossal if the focus is removed from both emotional I’s and in actuality focuses on WHO HE IS?
Interesting that the Word of the Day is DWELL and that you stated “What mattered in the ancient world was not what you saw but what you heard.” I hope that a “product plug” is not out of order here. There is a new audio Bible app called DWELL which is really good. I first heard of it a couple of years ago on KICKSTARTER and have been eagerly waiting for it’s rollout on Android phones. It gives you a choice of 4 diiferent readers and the option of having soft background music (original scores). It has many other features which make you want to listen more. My understanding is that it can be listened to for free (with ads?) or for a small subscription fee monthly or annually. You might give it a listen and see if Romans 10:17 is an accurate translation.
Thoughts in response to “Just Thinking”
Dwell?
I need to ‘study’ on this a bit.
My legal status is ‘doulos’;
my relationship is ‘friend’.
Concurrence challenges my grasp of it.
My Lord…(my friend),
Is it anything like my experience?
Like living within my ‘circle’…my דּוֹר?—
or my marriage covenant?
You are above me.
Yet you also present yourself
before me.
Ever remaining
just the necessary distance
that I must run to you, ‘lest’
you turn and depart.
I have learned to desire legacy…
not riches, or fame.
”May his memory be blessed.”—
a life that has expressed your compassion, mercy, justice —
and ultimately is found ‘upright’.
I found the ‘place of turning’—
it is in you.
And now, O Lord,
For what do I wait?
Cleansing…
a renewal of life.
The life of the flesh, of all living creatures
is in the blood.
The lifeblood given was His.
Life for life; His for mine.
The living water—
necessary for sustaining life
and for cleansing.
For life…
That rock was to be struck—
just once.
‘Following’, the rock was to be ‘spoken to’.
For cleansing…
That he might sanctify her,
having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word.
If we confess our sins,
He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar—
and his word is not in us”.
Sanctified…
set apart…
’unto’ him.
‘Apart’ from that Word,
we neither have life,
nor cleansing.
Do I also want to go away… ’apart’?
Lord, to whom shall I go?
You… you alone… have the words of eternal life.
And I have believed, and have come to know,
that you are the Holy One of God.
“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in you.
Look!
The place of God’s dwelling is with man.
He will dwell with them,
and they will be his people.
And God himself will be with them…
as their God.
Amen.