The Prophet's Place

We have a view of life that there is a light side which is pure, good, and selfless.  We also believe that there is a dark side which is corrupt, evil, and selfish.  We also believe that between the good light side and the bad dark side that there is gray, neither light good or dark bad–just gray.

We envision the light side as ethereal and far above us and that only a few live there–we see it an an unattainable goal.  We view the dark side as beneath us, that we may have touched that dark side, but we would never live there.  Truly evil people live there, but we do not.  We live in the gray area, neither good or bad–just gray.  We view the light side as a narrow band.  We view the dark side as a narrow band.  We view the gray side as vast and that most people live there, that its okay to not have reached the light as long as you do not live in the dark, just live in the gray–just gray.

We are wrong.

There is a light side and a dark side.  There is no gray.  There is good or evil, nothing in-between.  There is pure or corrupt, no chasm that separates.  There is selfless or selfish, not a midpoint where a person can be selfless/selfish at the same time.  There is no gray.  Gray is an illusion–a Satanic smoke, a dream from the Devil.   There is no place that is not light or dark–just gray.  We want a gray so that we are not convicted about not living in light.  We want to believe that people like us cannot be in the dark.  We want God to not be so holy and our sin to be so sinful.

We are wrong–no one is just gray.

There is not a great chasm between the light side and the dark side, but a razor’s edge.  Living in the dark, but close to the line where the light is does not make you in the light.  You are still in the dark.  The only way to be in the light is to step from the dark to the light.

Jesus can move us to the light.

We will remain in dark as long as we are comfortable thinking it is gray.  Deception is comfortable, but the problem is that we were created to live in the light, so we are never satisfied, never going to be satisfied anywhere in the dark.

The light calls to us.

Am I going to step into the dark?–yes. Unfortunately I have and will cross into the dark until I reach the place where there is not darkness and there is only light.  Yes, I have been in the dark, set up camp, tried to make it feel like home, but it is a sickening feeling once you have lived in the light to cross over the razor’s edge into the dark.

As long as there is light “Gray” doesn’t exist, only dark and light.

I don’t want to live in the dark.  Once you have tasted the light, deluding your self with a “gray” concept provides no contentment.  Light continues to call.  You can use the excuse that most people live in the “Gray”.  Your friends live there.  Many churches unknowingly abide there.  Most of our society dwells in the dark and think they live in the “gray”.   There is no gray.

Today seems like a good day to step over the razor’s edge into the light.

Repentance is described as making a U-turn. It is not just a random turn or eventually you make a circle and end up back where you were, a story often repeated. True repentance in a Biblical since is a turning from sin, but not toward a void. It is turning from sin toward a deliberate goal–JESUS.  Moving toward the target JESUS stops the cyclical pattern of sin.  Fixing our eyes on JESUS deminishes the distracting power of past sin. When we take our focus off of JESUS, we begin a U-turn back toward sin.  The goal, victory, permanence of Repentance is found in JESUS!

(more…)

“There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus.”
Jesus is my best friend. He has proven that over and over, even if the cross was not enough proof. I am not a very good friend, however. A friend likes to spend time with the person they love, to get to know them better and better. They want to try the foods that their friend prefers. They want to go the places where their friend is. They want their friend to be happy, so they don’t leave dirty clothes lying around if their friend doesn’t appreciate it. They want to be friends with the people their friend likes. A friend will protect their friend from enemies. They do not say things that hurt or offend their friend. They are always telling others about their friend–what their friend does and says. If their friend sends them a note or a card, they treasure it and read it over and over. They share the wonderful thoughts their friend sent with others. They wake up every morning excited to spend the day with their friend and are sad when their friend is away.
The Christian walk is fairly simple if we remember Jesus is our friend, and if we treat Jesus as a friend that we love.
“There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus, No, not one! no, not one!”

Desires are not evil in themselves. Desires are part of GOD’s creative act. We desire food to desire. We desire liquids. We desire companionship. All are good, good for us, and GOD given, but sin corrupts our desires. A desire for food becomes gluttony, which is bad for our health. A desire for liquids becomes an addiction to alcohol, again bad for health. A desire for companionship becomes lust which can lead to adultery and other sexual sins,, bad for our relationships, our minds and our bodies. Ultimately, our desire should be for JESUS. With HIM as our desire, HE will realign every other desire for our benefit and for the good of all around us. If we do not have JESUS as our desire, eclipsing all others, our desires will always continue to be off center, attempting to satisfy what can only happen with JESUS.

Holiness literally means being “Set apart”. We are told to be “holy” as our God and Savior are “holy”. What then does it mean to be set apart? Does it mean to be different in appearance? It can be if the appearance of others is against the nature or expression of God. Different emotionally? It can be if the emotions of others is contrary to the emotions of God. Different in actions? Yes, if the actions of others do not line up with the actions of God. Being set apart is not necessarily different than others. We are not setting ourselves against them. Jesus humbled himself to be with us and go through our experiences.  He was, however, totally dedicated to the Father. We are to be totally dedicated to Jesus! If others are there with us in total dedication, great!. If not, then we will be set apart from them, not choosing to be different, but choosing to be with JESUS! What would set us apart is that we are with him and they are not. The choice is ours to be with Jesus–the choice is theirs to not be with Jesus. The separation is their choice. We need to be holy, but not as a spiteful thing, because we would prefer all to be with us with Jesus. Holiness is just the natural result of someone lost in Jesus.

My walk with God varies at time from hot to cold, on to off. What I am learning is to focus not on my walk but who I am walking with–Jesus. Focus on Him and the joy of all that His love provides. It is a great day walking with Jesus today!

Sometimes relationships reach a crisis where one person in a relationship has to intervene to help protect others in the relationship.  In my relationship with GOD (it’s always me who gets off track–GOD can be trusted to stay on the straight and narrow path, HE’s just that way!), GOD will step in to save me from myself.  HE will speak softly, encourage, and tug, and T . H . E . N,  HE will shout, hit me with a 2 by 4 and threaten me.  You might think HE is being mean, but HE is not.  In fact, I am thankful when HE threatens.  It seems to wake me up to the seriousness of the path I am on, or not on.  It let’s me know how much HE loves me that HE cares enough to step in.  I even apologize to HIM that HE has to do it, but again, I am thankful.  After the wake up call and I get back on track then I realize how much I love HIM and how much I have missed in our relationship. Thank you GOD for caring!

The relationship GOD has called me into with HIM is not one that I define.  That’s a good thing, but it frustrates me.  Why?  Because I think and I feel and I want, sometimes, a different relationship that what HE wants.  I want one where HE is there when and I need HIM and want HIM, but otherwise HE is just in the background waiting for my call.  I want HIM to listen to me, but to only speak when I want HIM to.  I want HIM to judge those I think are my enemies, but to always have mercy on me. I want HIM to move when I say and at my speed.  It sometimes drives me crazy that I am in a relationship with the CREATOR of the universe and my SAVIOR who has ALWAYS EXISTED, KNOWS EVERYTHING, and has ALL POWER, and HE will not do things my way.  Sometimes, however, I surrender and love and trust HIM and then I am glad HE is in control of this relationship.  At those times I have HIS peace and I am truly content.  I make our relationship difficult.

I didn’t start this whole relationship thing–GOD did.  HE created me, pursues me and paid the price with JESUS to have a relationship with me.  I want a relationship, well sometimes, but I want it on my terms and my way.   I want a relationship where GOD is there when I want HIM but otherwise HE is quietly in the background waiting for me to call and when I call HE comes immediately.  I want a relationship I can control regardless if that is best for me or if it even satisfies me.  If it satisfied me why would I look other places.  GOD, however, wants this sold out, totally abandoned, exclusive, 24/7 relationship with me.  I run from it because I feel out of control, even though I am not happy in control.  You see one of the problems with the relationship with GOD is I cannot be in control and have it.  I didn’t start it, can’t define it, do not have the power to maintain it.  When I am in it, however, surrendered and at rest, letting HIM run it–it is so good!!!!  It is work, however, because I want to take the control back and then it crashes.   More later . . .

What GOD wants with me is a relationship, a relationship of love, trust, reliance, dependence.  When I want that also, I move into a new realm–a place of unbelievable dimensions and a new way of operation.  However . . . what I usually want is stuff.  As long as I want stuff, when GOD wants HIS kind of relationship, we are neither one satisfied.  I rail against GOD, and HE waits for my childish tantrums to cease and my hunger to grow to the point that our desires coincide.  Then when I have a desire for a relationship of love, trust reliance, dependence I discover that a true relationship is work.  more later . . .