Diplomatic Immunity!

Years ago, when I was first introduced to Christ For The Nations worship, there was a song I really enjoyed titled "No Eye Has Seen."  The song was an exact quote of I Corinthians 2:9 set to music.  The song was intimate, made you glad you were saved and reminded you that God has good things in store for us.  However the song only tells half the story.

But as it is written:
      “ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
      Nor have entered into the heart of man
      The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

The Bible continues:

I Corinthians 2:10, 12 "But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God."  "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God."

The Bible says, "since the beginning of the world" (Is. 64:4) man has not had clue what good things God has in store for us.  In fact in I Co. 2:8 says if they did know they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. 

However, as a believer He has revealed all things freely given to us by God.  This where it gets interesting.  If God has revealed these things then where is the victory in the lives of believers?  Where is the joy, unspeakable and full of glory?  Where is the demonstration of the power of God?

I believe that it comes down to one thing.  Understanding the we are Ambassadors for Christ. (II Co. 5:20)  Or we could take it from the perspective of being pilgrims on the earth.  (I Pt. 2:11)  In either case imagine living in one of the most morally deprived, oppressive nations in the world.  However,  you are not a normal citizen you are the Ambassador of the United States to that nation.  While you live there you live under different laws.  You are not subject to the oppression of that government.  Your laws are those of the Nation you represent.  As long as you remember this you will be able to successfully represent the United States to this nation. 

However, if you forget who you represent and the fact that the entire government of the United States is behind you; it's possible that you might start to come under the oppression of that nation.  It may effect your mood, you may make decisions out of fear, you might find yourself imitating the culture, etc. 

In my opinion this very thing happens to believers.  God reveals great things to us (i.e. ~ Definition of Sozo ~ salvation, wholeness, healing, rescue, restoration.).   However, when circumstances happen in our lives contrary to God's revealed truth, we are more influenced by the culture in which we live or our past experience.  We forget that we live here under different laws because we represent a different kingdom.  (I could spend quite a bit of time building my case but in an attempt to keep this blog short - I am just going to quote one verse. "while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."  II Co. 4:18

If we are going to be all that God has called us to be and represent Him correctly. . . We have to wrestle with the decision. . . Either God's Word is true or are circumstances are.  Jesus lived a life of miracles proving that God's Word always trumps circumstances.

I'll end with this:  As I am trying to express.  If you allow your culture and/or circumstances to define truth, you will never understand all the things God has freely given us.  A carnal mind cannot comprehend these things.  They are to great. 

I Corinthians 2:13-16 " These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. ¹⁴ But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵ But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. ¹⁶ For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ."  

I MISS THE WAY. . . .

Years ago Michael W Smith came out with a song titled, "I Miss The Way."  It was a song written to somebody who walked away from the Lord and started living life for themselves. 

I Miss the Way YouTube Link

Here is the verse:

Once a true believer
Once there was a fire in your soul
You were the epitome of blessed faith astir
With thirst for holiness
And hunger for the Word
Now you move in other circles
To the beat of different drums
And I see only glimpses of the one you used to be
The inspiration that you were to me

I spent a lot of time tonight praying for friends that aren't currently serving God. 

I am going to share something with you that is important and hopefully God will use it to remind you how much He loves you.  READY -- Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus did not start out as a betrayer!

Luke 6:12-16 "One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.  When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:  Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor."

Think about it, Judas saw everything all the other Apostles saw.  The blind eyes opening, the lepers made whole, the dead raised, the sea made calm, the feeding of the multitudes, etc.  He heard the same teaching and saw the kindness of Jesus towards sinners.  Yet, for some reason he still became a traitor. 

Why?  While Peter, James and John and the other apostles where getting to know Jesus, Judas was in the background stealing money and making plans on how to betray Jesus for more money.  Judas never got to know Jesus as an intimate friend.   Jesus was just a way for him to make money.

Friends please listen.  Your life is where it is because of one thing.  At some point you lost intimacy with the father.  At some point you stopped getting to know Him and allowed other things to come and draw away your affections.  I know this world has so many distractions, but I also know NOTHING compares to being in that place where you hear the heartbeat of God.

Unfortunately, I can't force you spend time with Him, your godly parents (as hard as they may try) can't give you this intimacy through osmosis.  Even going to church or having grown up in church doesn't give you intimacy.  Only you can make the choice.  Being married and living in the same house doesn't mean that I know my wife's most intimate thoughts and desires.  Those are discovered by time together communicating, listening, loving, etc.

If you do "draw near to Him, He'll draw near to you."  If you seek Him you will find Him, When you seek for Him with all your heart.  Don't worry, He's just waiting to lavish you with His love. 

Jesus never stopped loving Judas.  Till the end He called him friend.  It doesn't matter how far you may feel like you have fallen He's there waiting to show you His love.

I am going to end with the chorus of  "I Miss The Way."

I miss the way His love would dance within your eyes
I miss the way His heart was the soul of your life
And somewhere in the saddest part of heaven's room
Our Father sheds a tear for you
He's missing you, too

WHAT CAN MAKE A GROWN MAN CRY?

So you may be thinking -  "Wow didn't Jeremy just do a  blog entry?"  I know! I decided to live life on the wild side and do another one back to back.  :)  No the reality is; I was encouraged to write more blog entries, but make them shorter.  So this is my attempt at both.

The other day I was walking in Meijers and thinking about the Scripture, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."  John 14:27  By itself this is great verse.   Jesus, who knew no worries, is giving us His peace.  Hmm. . . . However, this is what hit me.  Jesus is Sar-Shalom.  He is the Prince or RULER of Peace.  (Isaiah 9:6)

As I was walking I was overwhelmed with this fact.  Fighting back tears so I didn't look like a psycho walking through Meijers, I began to realize this promise of peace like I have never understood it before.  Think about it.  Jesus, the RULER of all peace is now giving us ALL of His peace.  Is it any wonder that it is called a "peace which surpasses all understanding?"  (Philippians 4:7) 

To begin understanding this we have to know what peace we are being offered.  The Hebrew word for peace is Shalom - still a common greeting and farewell between Jews today - literally means "being in a state of wholeness or with no deficiency.  It was meant to act as a blessing on the one to whom it was spoken: "May your life be filled with health, prosperity, and victory."

In an attempt to shorten my posts. . . . I am going to end with a story of peace from the New Testament.  May "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."  In fact, let me say it correctly. . .  "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Mark 4:35-40 (The Message)

 ^35-38Late that day he said to them, "Let's go across to the other side." They took him in the boat as he was. Other boats came along. A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused him, saying, "Teacher, is it nothing to you that we're going down?"  ^39-40Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, "Quiet! Settle down!" The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. Jesus reprimanded the disciples: "Why are you such cowards? Don't you have any faith at all?"

Now that's peace. . . . When it seems like the ship is sinking and the end is near, to take a nap without a care in the world.

I want to point out something.  Jesus was in perfect peace.  He was in total control.  If He said lets cross over to the other side, then they were going to cross over. . . . Not drown.  Nothing in our life takes Him be surprise.  He isn't in heaven thinking. . . . "I didn't see that one coming."  But did you notice that He did not act until the disciples cried out to Him. 

 He wants us to come boldly to the throne of Grace.  Not in fear like these disciples, but instead asking for mercy and grace to help in the time of our need.  You can ride the storm out with Jesus in the boat and make it to the other side, or you can ask Him to calm the sea.  Either way, if Jesus is in the boat your going to make it to the other side!