See the rainbow?

Stopping suddenly, she clutches the arm of her fellow sojourner, "Oh, wow!" she gasped. "Do you see that?" 

          "See what?" was the reply. 

"That beautiful rainbow," said the women, still in awe.

          "I see the blackness of the storm..." spoken slightly as a question.

"Oh, it's beautiful - all of the radiant colors!"

          "I see several shades of gray, is that what you're referring to?"

"No! The colors! See the sun beaming through the darkness; its light is reflecting through any particle able to absorb it. See the spectrum it's producing?"

           The answer only consisting as a look of puzzled suspicion.

"And look, it's even a full bow - complete from one end to the other!"

          "All I see is broken storm clouds..."

"Exactly! The storm - there'd be no rainbow without the storm. But look what the sun does with all those 'would be' destructive molecules - it's beautiful!"

          "I'm still - it's just not there for me. It seems to be clearing though, that's good."

"No, No! Look at the sun! See its rays? Now look at the storm -
                            see the rainbow?"

Sufficient

 <sup>Luke 18
18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none [is] good, save one, [that is], God.
20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.
21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
26 And they that heard [it] said, Who then can be saved?
27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

The man had learned the instructions and kept them, but that wasn't going to save him. Would selling all of his riches have saved him? Nope. Living a life that was very self-sufficient was a life that could easily be lived without God, if his focus and relationship with his God was based on checking off a list and labeling himself good. Jesus asked him not to do something that was difficult for him to do, but impossible. Why did Jesus ask such a task? So that this man would realize his need for God, realize that he hadn't had God, but a checklist. Why does God want us to know his instructions? So that we know they're impossible to achieve, and so that we continually know how big He is, how gracious He is, and how much He loves us.

Any trial in your life, count it as joy!! For it is in the difficult things that you reach out to God. He doesn't make you self-sufficient, but becomes your sufficiency.</sup>

Risk the Outlook

In light of the recent death of Osama Bin Laden one comes to realize that although a mastermind of evil has fallen, many, many others continue to be at large...Not only do their hearts feast on acts of evil, but they look to perpetrate that evil on all of the free world. What strategic plan could possibly be in place that would seek out the minds and hearts of the wicked and detain them before catastrophe strikes... There is no offensive play without a defensive initiative - evil must initiate first strike before repercussion for one's actions can be determined - - but what if that deep-seated hate could be uprooted in many hearts before that terror is enacted upon our individual liberties -  
I know it's ignorant to think that there could possibly be a diplomatic 'solution', but I can't help but hope that a diplomatic 'outreach' would do some good. (Maybe one already exists, and I just haven't heard about it) I'm not talking about giving them crayons and telling them to express themselves, but what if the case was pleaded to the most vulnerable(the youth) in the region, stating that by following extremists they are being set up... they're taking on insane men's battle.
They're being brainwashed and we can't judge them for that, but we could present some truth and let truth do what truth only can do, and that is set them free. It's doubtful to think bellowing out that they are 'sinners in the hands of an angry God' would do much good, but maybe with a little divine inspiration we could infiltrate some of the hate with a lot of love(a 1965 song just entered your head, didn't it :/ ). As silly or ignorant as it may sound, to me it is equally ignorant to think we can catch EVERY bad guy before something happens...
What if through a mass release of the Bible in Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc. we could allow for a comprehensive deliberation of all the available facts. If the Bible is not already at their disposal they cannot be expected to make a legitimate unbiased decision based on a one-sided argument. Give them the necessary resources and let them decide if we are all infidels saved by grace or if we are infidels predestined for death... If it doesn't change one individual's mindset, if it doesn't change the outlook of one deceived person than we've waisted some paper. But if by divine liberation one plot to annihilate the lives of others is suppressed - lives will be saved. Wouldn't it be worth the try?

Looking Forward to Opportunities

I learned something about myself recently, and I thought in the cataclysmic event that somebody else may have a similar personality trait I'd pass along what I've learned.;)
I've learned that whenever I'm dreading a connection with other people whether it be through a get-together or a phone call or whatever the instance, I'm dreading it because I'm looking to be blessed by that person or persons and the possibility of not receiving affirmation or blessing...the probability that I just might not get anything out of it is there - therefore I dread that connection. BUT if I can look at every conjunction with another humanbeing as being an opportunity to bless them, to esteem them through maybe a kind word or a smile or a compliment...then I find that I actually look forward to that opportunity.  

Stretching

Getting together to rejoice in the knowledge of Yeshua and to further your understanding of His past, present, and future is breathtakingly energizing, isn't it?! This evening I was fortunate enough to witness Him in such an amazing and beautiful way -


A particular women who gathers with us - she's had a very rough life...her entire life through, and it has left her with a certain mannerism, temperament, and hygiene that is not always accepted by those around her. My parents have taken this women under their wing, doing her laundry, taking her out for coffee, giving her an overall sense of purpose. Proudly I contend that not everyone is as stretchable as my parents. So, my family and I had been discussing whether the people getting together this evening would continue to pallet this women's idiosyncrasies or whether they'd eventually shy away from her... The general consensus was that everyone getting together would more than likely sustain a certain level of tolerance and prayerfully that tolerance would last and last. And in that hopefullness we went to our gathering - 
 And God showed up.


The people didn't gasp at her snide joking, but played right along, teasingly calling out - good evening ornery! Not only did they ignore her odoriferous aroma, but they embraced her with warm hugs of affection. They didn't slip into a corner to gossip about her matted hair, but pulled out a comb and lovingly maneuvered the comb's prongs through the knotted strands, all the while complimenting and encouraging her femininity.Of course, she lavished in the attention, flourishing with every drop.
Yes, God was there. And it was beautiful.

Love Me?

Believing in a Creator always poses the question: Why? Why create a being ingrained with self-reliance and freewill? Why create a being knowing they'd sin and be hidden from Him? Why have so much power and show such restraint? 

But what if the being without a beginning and without an end, whose dwelling is in a sustenance without borders or laws, decides -
                      He wants to be loved?

He knows He can create a life form that loves Him, but only out of fear, He knows with His omnipotent power He can form a conscienceless creation who provides for His every need...
                                but what if He wants to be loved?

He decides to create a being with decision making abilities, and then gives them a choice. The choice was simple 'love me and know me or decide you want more'. The completed beings decided they wanted to not only know Him, but to be Him...
This was not a surprise to the Creator... in fact, this was His plan from the beginning. Now their minds overflowed with choices, choices of good and evil, greed and compassion. The Creator knows if He wants to truly be loved He can only be known in part. If the creation knows its full creator, fear would take the place of love, want would take the place of need, and the Creator would again be without a companion.
So in desperate need to simply be loved the flood gates of His presence remains restrained upon the earth. His swooning for His creation though, is as a geyser, uncontainable, submerging life in His affection. So there He waits in His longing... wanting so desperately to win her love. 
You...
      are the creation...

created for one purpose...
                                    to be His love...
                                                    if it is your choosing...   

Set Apart

The description I wrote down for my blog when I first started it was 'Christian, faith, Christ, Christian living' so I thought it important to jot down a few things to help define what it is I am referring to....

The God I believe in and am reverent to is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

I believe God's chosen people are Israel; the strangers who exited the land of Egypt with Israel were under the same covenant as Israel, just as those who exit the darkness into light and serve Elohim are they themselves in covenant, the bride of Christ, God's chosen people. (Lev 19:34 and so many other verses...)

Elohim gave His people for their success a set of directions we know as the Ten Commandments.

He also gave days of Holy convocation(set apart gatherings) to set His people apart so they may make known their love and engagement to Him. (Lev 23)    

I believe Elohim entered the dimension we know as earth as a human being, born of a virgin into the Jewish lineage. Yehoshua walked the earth as a man, enduring as a man, remaining sinless. He was crucified as the Passover lamb making the sacrifice for all sins.  

He arose from the dead on the third day. His spirit now is dwelling with us.

And it is in His spirit that I hope we can commune with one another and proclaim His greatness... and that in essence is the structure for this blog.