Dec | 27 | Proclamation, Provision, Peace & Power

Dream Word – REST

Esther 6:6-9 So Haman came in, and the king asked him, "What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?" Now Haman thought in his heart, "Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?" And Haman answered the king, "For the man whom the king delights to honor, let a royal robe be brought which the king has worn, and a horse on which the king has ridden, which has a royal crest placed on its head. Then let this robe and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that he may array the man whom the king delights to honor. Then parade him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him: 'Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!'" NKJV

Proclamation, Provision, Peace & Power

I was awoken in the night with these words in my ears and I believe it is because they mean something to me, indeed, they are special to many and to most.

Our text for tonight is taken from the story of the wicked Haman! He hates the Jews, but is about to have is hatred and jealousy found out and gruesomely rewarded. The evil which he intended for others and their families is about to be visited upon him and his family! It’s historical fact and yet it still makes a great operatic score and oratorio and dare I say, that it would also make a fantastic pantomime! Maybe I go too far!

Haman, just a chapter previously has been boasting about being blessed by the king, most evidently seen in his riches, his children, his status and so forth. These things most certainly meant something to Haman that’s for sure. Now for tonight, let’s lay aside Haman’s megalomaniacal tendencies and obvious demonization and look at his desires. Speaking as a man, I find that frighteningly, his desires and satisfactions are in fact the same strong driving forces which I find in me and I tell you, their fulfillment are also seen as marks of blessing even in the church, for who does not want to be seen to be blessed by the King, seen to be honoured by the King, seen to be provided for abundantly by the King, seen to be granted peace and seen to be given power to reign by the King? Yes, in our society, possessions are power, but in the church, possessions are not only power, but they are affirmed to be outward proclamations of providential blessings and divine honour from the King and oh what peace such possessions bring us and oh what accompanying power they can bring to us within the church. Maybe I go too far.

There is everything that is Biblical about laying up for ourselves treasure in heaven. There is everything Biblical about longing to hear in heaven those most marvellous of words ever spoken to any individual, “Well done you good and faithful servant!” Yes, there is everything Biblical about seeking crowns and commendations in heaven. In heaven, in heaven, in heaven! The New Testament is a heavenly book and for Christians all of this heavenly seeking, makes us other world people, makes us strangers and pilgrims, makes us true disciples of Christ.
It seems to me that we have, for convenience sake, maybe even for covetousness sake, taken the Old Testament material and the earthly promises and blessing made to Israel and made them New Testament signs of accomplishment, badges of honour if you will, marks of a man of God in this world and I tell you that the desire in me to possess these things, is a great one and it is fanned into roaring flames by the church of today.

Tell me, just what is your rod of measuring success, both for yourself and for other men? Might the following of this lie also get you hung on a gallows? Maybe I go too far. What do you think?

Listen: - These are the things I want you to teach and preach. If you have leaders there who teach otherwise, who refuse the solid words of our Master Jesus and this godly instruction, tag them for what they are: ignorant windbags who infect the air with germs of envy, controversy, bad-mouthing, suspicious rumors. Eventually there's an epidemic of backstabbing, and truth is but a distant memory. They think religion is a way to make a fast buck. A devout life does bring wealth, but it's the rich simplicity of being yourself before God. Since we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless, if we have bread on the table and shoes on our feet, that's enough. But if it's only money these leaders are after, they'll self-destruct in no time. Lust for money brings trouble and nothing but trouble. Going down that path, some lose their footing in the faith completely and live to regret it bitterly ever after. (1 Timothy 6:2-10 from THE MESSAGE)

Pray:- Lord come temper all my desires with the honesty of heaven, in Jesus name I pray, amen.

Nov | 13 | Quiet Querencias

Dream Word – REST

Psalm 27:4 One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. NKJV


Quiet Querencias

Hemmingway in his 1932 published book ‘Death in The Afternoon,' writes a treatise on the source and descriptions of courage and fear, through the spectacle of the Spanish Bullfight and in so doing, highlights the most dangerous place for the Matador in his attempt at slaughter, and that is, the Querencia.
There are in effect three phases to a Bullfight:

First, the ‘Levantado,’ where the giant bull arrives on the scene, proud and angry, its giant neck holding high its impaling horns. At this point the bull’s mighty musculature of a neck is lanced repeatedly by the Picadors and the sharp knives of the razor Banderilleros. The bleeding neck muscles cause the bull to slowly lower its horns.

The second phase is the ‘Parado’ where the bull is now slowed and kept at bay.

Eventually the slaughter moves to the final phase of the ‘Aplomado’ where the exhausted bull, transfixed now on but one red object straight ahead, is thrust through by the matador, his sword plunging down through the centre of the sorry bulls now tired neck, severing in two its pumping heart. The crowd cheers, roses and seats are thrown in the arena, people applaud profusely!

In each stage the fighting bull will keep returning to one particular point in the ring; that one point of constant return is its ‘Querencia,’ its defendable position of felt safety. All animals and all humans have this kind of returned position, this home as it were, this defendable place of felt safety. It is said that if the Matador tries to kill the bull whilst it is in its ‘Querencia,’ then undoubtedly the matador will be badly gored, even killed. The Matador’s intent then, is always to get the bull out of its ‘Querencia.’

Friends tonight this bullfighting picture may be a very uncomfortable contemplation, but never the less a very necessary one. If the devil is the Matador that plays us each to death, then let us note that we each have our Querencia, our defendable place of felt safety. This is a place from which we gain sustenance, from which we gain strength, from which we gain respite from the heat of our days. Your personal Querencia may be a physical place, it may be an occupation, it may be a group of acquaintances, or it may be as simple as a hot bath or as profound as a week in a monastery, but for you it is your Querencia!

Get there regularly for be sure of this: If you are tired, bloodied and with your head and horns down and not in your Querencia, then the devil is out to kill you and it will be by a piercing through your heart.

Listen: - For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavillion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; (Psalms 27:5-6 NKJV)

Pray:- Oh lead me, to the place where I can find You. Oh lead me to the place where You will be. Lead me to the Cross, where we first met, draw me to my knees, so we can talk. Let me feel your breath, let me know you're here with me. Oh lead me , to the place where I can find You. (Delerious)


 

Mar | 26 | When You Bust a Gut.......

Dream Word – REST

1 Kings 19:3,4 And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, "It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!" NKJV.

When You Bust a Gut....


Like I said, I had just arrived back from a visit to the U.S.A. Since 911, travel is no longer any fun and pulling four bags with a total weight of around 150lbs from the circulator of a baggage claim and then carting it to your next destination can be harmful to a man in his late 40’s, especially after 8 hours on a plane bent double and eating bad, very bad, beef lasagne. So anyway, that accounts for my pain of today. I won't tell you where, but only a man gets pain there! Ouch. As far as I can tell, rest and maybe anti-biotics (?) are the only remedy for this kind of over exertion.

Now, believe me when I tell you there is a spiritual parallel here, for I know that spiritual over exertion can lead to the same bow-legged walking pain, can lead to reproductive incapacity, can lead to embarrassment and if left untreated, it can also lead to painful depression, even a depression that tends to thoughts of checking-out without even exchanging your chips. This was Elijah’s problem you see, despite a few thousand unbent kneels to Baal, he was nevertheless, the only one to be bending his knees in lifting the heavy and dead weight of a backsliding Israel.

It is amazing just how many ailments, physical, emotional, mental and even spiritual, that can be cleared up with rest, relaxation, good food and medication, provided nothings busted of course! If that happens you need surgery and then rest, relaxation, good food and medication. Be careful what you are lifting out there fella. If you can get help, for apparently there are always a thousand strong backs somewhere, then get it! If however these one thousand are well hidden, them make sure, you pace yourself, train yourself, and if necessary get yourself a truss!

My jocularity belays some very serious stuff here though. Spiritual over exertion can so drain you, so empty you, so exhaust you, that the consequence of ills it can bring upon you, can fill that tired, painful and aching emptiness with such death, that it can destroy your ministry, destroy your testimony, and kill you dead. Believe me, I have seen it happen and here tonight, it was happening to Elijah and frankly, he didn’t give two hoots.

If your spiritual exertion has led to pain, then you had better rest up. I tell you, it’s a sin to let the lack of a few days regular rest rob you of further weeks, months and even years in the ministrations of your God.

Listen: - So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen's equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant. 1 Kings 19:21 NKJV.

Pray:- Lord, strengthen my back, give me the humility to ask for help and then Father, when I bust a gut, help me rest, even renew my youth like the eagles and then give me also this same raptors keener sense of sight, to view the coming prosperous years that will spring from this my rest. In Jesus name I pray, amen.