More Through Mercy - December 15, 2013

Mark 10:48 - Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Blind Bartimaeus learned a life-changing lesson the day he cried out to Jesus for his sight. In the depth of his despair over his blindness he ironically found that it was essential to feign a loss of hearing toward Jesus' followers. He needed to disregard the sway of the crowd that kept telling him to mind his manners. Social decorum' or first century Jewish etiquette was the last thing on Bartimaeus' mind as he shouted to be heard over the crowd. He knew that if he let this opportunity pass there might never be another. He could not concern himself about what those following Jesus might think of his persistence to gain the attention of Jesus. The scripture tells us that Jesus stopped and told His followers to ... call him here (Mark 10:49). The blind beggar does something next that is quite extraordinary. Bartimaeus throws aside his cloak, probably his only worldly possession, and leaping up he comes to Jesus (Mark 10:50). In the next two verses we share in the beautiful exchange between the Lord and this blind man. Christ first secures Bartimaeus' desire from his own lips. This created faith in his own heart as he heard his own desire vocalized. Then, the Great Healer spoke wellness to the man's eyes which immediately open upon Christ's declaration of healing. This is a most glorious example of a man desirous of a touch from the Lord and the mercy of a loving God to do so.

Oh, for more Blind Bartimaeus' in the church today who would not be silenced! Of equal need are those who would not seek to quiet the oppressed, but would encourage their deliverance by allowing them to come to the Lord. You might ask, how has the church hindered those seeking Christ to find Him? Jesus made an important distinction regarding "how" Bartimaeus was to come to Him. He told the crowd to "call him here". Jesus could have just as easily called the blind man Himself, but He desired that the crowd would call him. This is an important lesson for today's church in western Christendom. We may state that Christ can deliver men and women of any sin that would beset humankind, but do we really believe that, or more importantly, is that what we want? Blind beggars were a nuisance in ancient Palestine. They were dirty, often offensive in their "panhandling", and they were generally looked down on as those who "had it coming". As we recall from the disciples conversation with the Lord in John chapter 9, the disciples tried to ascertain what was the root cause for this man to be born blind from birth -- his sin or that of his parents (John 9:1-3). The Lord states "neither", but that God's glory might be demonstrated. Just as people's views and perceptions were skewed in Jesus' day regarding cause and effect regarding blindness, so today many in the church are skewed in a pharisaical way regarding sins that are reprehensible and sordid in origin. In the past 20 years or so, the western church has grown demonstrably in its ability to embrace the alcoholic and the drug addict. During a good part of the 20th century, these were sins of the flesh that many could not confess because of social stigma. Even more so today, those in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are finding that anonymity is not as essential as it was when the 12 Step Program began in the 1930s. Today, many notable figures in the public sphere are finding strength by confessing their weakness. However, what of the dark, demonic sins that often find fertile soil in these and other addictions? Are we as a church ready to embrace these and "call them" to our Savior?

For the western church to move in more of the grace that the Lord is so desirous to pour out, we must learn to love ALL as He loves them. This means all manner of "untouchables" that would seek freedom from their spiritual blindness. The church might find more forgiveness for those that would escape a life of homosexuality or pornography or prostitution. These are immoral sins that usually involve only "willing" participants that share in this sordid behavior. However, many would believe that those who would prey upon children, in both sexual and murdererous fashion, would have no forgiveness in God's plan of salvation because they have preyed upon the innocent. While accounts of these horrendous behaviors might sicken on a daily basis in our 24/7 news cycle, our judgment on these can often be premature to that of our Father's in Heaven. He desires that NONE would perish but that ALL would find salvation in Him (II Peter 3:9). Beloved, have we opened wide our hearts to love all as He commanded us? Or, are we like those following Jesus telling those who are reprehensible by our standard that Jesus wants nothing to do with them. I believe in my heart that once the Church, the true Body of Christ, comes to a place of willingness to love those who are the despised of this world, that we will see a revival of His love break forth that is unparalleled since the beginning of times. We will see those very much like Blind Bartimaeus in his day, throw off all protection or anything that they have hidden with a "cloak" -- feelings and apprehensions of shame and distrust. These will be cast to the wind IF the Church of Jesus Christ will lay aside the heart of what they believe a Christian should be and begin to embrace the love that God will show them. They only have to be willing to "call these" that are so desirous to come. They just need to know that a Savior came for them also, to break them free from any and all sins that would seek to master them.

You might say, "I can't love people like that! There is no way that I could accept an ex-stripper, or a delivered alcoholic, or an ex-producer of pornographic movies, let alone a "supposed" child molester who says he or she now knows Jesus! I just can't!" That is the first step, Beloved. When we tell God we can't, then it allows Him to begin to move upon our hearts to tell us "we can". Personally, my fleshly heart that seeks to defy Jesus' command to love all rebels at the thought! (Somehow, I might delude myself that as a recovering alcoholic my sin is not worse than some.) However, where sin abounds grace does abound all the more (Romans 5:20). Christ is not only ready to give grace to all who would but come to Him, but He is also ready to pour out MORE of His grace and mercy on a parched and dry church. In order to know the love of Christ, we must walk in the love of Christ. This means loving all, regardless of where they might be in our perceived judgments. Thank God for those who are reaching out to those who are the "untouchables" of this world -- to those calling to these to come to the Master to receive their proverbial "sight" and to no longer walk in darkness. However, we must give our whole collective heart for this type of transformation to occur, where God can fill up the church with more grace and mercy than we ever believed possible. Are we willing to say that we have never loved in this manner but we desire to? It will only happen if we first "see" and then ask for His heart, so that we can truly lead those to the Light who will not find it in any other way. Lord, make us MORE to those we would despise in our own flesh by giving us MORE of Your heart!

Father, give us Your heart to love the unlovable, to cherish those whom the world despises. Help us to see the great treasure in the sordid of this world whom Your Son bled and died for. Lord, we cannot do this without your love. Give us Your heart. Give us MORE mercy and grace that we might give it away. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

The Simple Gospel - Part II - December 8, 2013

Titus 2:14 - Jesus Christ gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

The simplest expression of the Gospel is that Jesus Christ gave Himself, as Paul describes to his son in the faith, Titus. Christ's "giving" had one ultimate purpose -- redemption of mankind on a grand scale that would forever set us free. Humankind was hopelessly locked up in bondage to sin without no possibility of escape, except through a sinless Man's sacrifice on our behalf. Both literally and figuratively, every man, woman, and child was held as a slave to sin with a cruel master that would ultimately torment us for eternity. Hopelessness was our legacy both in this life and the one to come. However, a Savior came to redeem us all from the "slave market of this world". He is a benevolent master that seeks a people for His own possession, that will love Him with the same love in which He loved them. Paul tells us in I Corinthians 6:14 that we have been bought with a price, therefore we should glorify God in our mortal bodies. The price, beloved, was more than we could ever muster. We could never hope to gain our own freedom, but only through His purchase we are set free to serve and to love Him. For a few, this will be a reality (Matthew 7:14). However, for the vast majority this will not be their experience either in this life of the one to come. They will subject themselves to the slave market of this world and the eternal prison of death eternal.

Horace Greeley, famed editor of the New York Tribune reported on a massive slave auction in Savannah Georgia in 1859. A staunch abolitionist, Greeley was appalled at the treatment of the 429 men, women, and children to be sold at this well-advertised "event". The break-up of two plantations was the cause of this wholesale bartering of human beings, and the majority of these families being sold were terrified of their future prospects. One man in particular that caught Mr. Greeley's attention was a slave named Elisha. This large black man had a wife and two small children. He sought to persuade a benevolent looking gentleman to purchase his family. He fawned over this prospective "Mas'r" with degrading humiliation, hoping that he might secure a glimmer of hope for his family in possibly a humane environment. The buyer passed over Elisha and his family and purchased other slaves, much to their dismay. Another situation that the editor pens is regarding "Molly". Whether this young lady actually had a lame foot, no one would ever know. Purportedly, she was examined by a doctor in Savannah and was given a clean bill of health. However, she dragged her foot most convincingly while on the auction block. She only fetched $695 (equal to over $15,000 in today's economy) whereas she might have been sold for upwards of $1600 if she didn't show herself to be a possible cripple. To a slave, a reduced price was to be rejoiced in. A pre-civil war slave could never hope to save up over a thousand dollars to purchase their freedom. However, if one could reduce their worth to $300 or $400 it was conceivable that they could one day purchase their liberty through the help of "friends" from the north. To a slave, freedom without health was to be prized more than health without freedom.

The parallels between this 1859 slave market and the slave market that Satan still successfully operates on this earth are striking. Although Jesus Christ came and paid the price for all, most insist on remaining with their old master because of their own fear and the lies of their oppressor. Post-Civil War found many ex-slaves in disbelief of their new found freedom. Many returned to their plantations after a short hiatus because they truly knew no other life than that of being subjected to a harsh master. Even today, there are many "Elishas" that might be seeking the best for themselves or their families, yet they don't believe that a benevolent Master has already set them free. God Almighty has redeemed them and bought them with a price to follow Him out of love and respect, not out of fear of retaliation. Yet, they continue to seek out another way -- possibly their belief in the pursuit of wealth and security as the kind master they seek. Or, in dark retrospect, they feel unworthy of any kindness and give themselves to wicked addictions such as lust, alcohol, drugs, pornography, or any number of other besetting sins -- all because they feel unworthy. Then, there are the "Mollys" that may seek to humble themselves through various "religions" in order to purchase their own salvation through their own set of works. If we go on seeking to free ourselves from the slave market of sin, we will invariably find that we are still mastered by sin's master. Jesus said: Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:34-36). How ludicrous and illegal it would have been if the south continued with these open air markets of human trafficking after the Emancipation Proclamation and the end of the Civil War! Yet, it is equally appalling that Satan still manages to convince most that Jesus Christ NEVER came to purchase their freedom. Instead, they continue to seek out other avenues of salvation that ultimately only lead to despair and hopelessness.

Paul tells us in Galatians 5:1 that it was for freedom that Christ set us free, so therefore stand firm and don't be subject once again to a yoke of slavery. Those who have never understood that Christ came to redeem us for Himself, should seek God until their eyes are enlightened and they know beyond any doubt that Christ has rescued them from the domain of darkness (Colossians 1:13). Those of us who know Christ and have experienced His freedom should never again submit ourselves to the pains of our old master. Our "old self" WAS crucified with Christ Jesus on Calvary's tree, and our body of sin WAS done away so that we should no longer be slaves to sin (Romans 6:6). Therefore, we should walk daily in that reality and rebuke our old master to his face if he ever comes around with his lies of bondage. We are FREE, beloved! We are FREE to serve a benevolent Master who perfectly cares for our well-being. He desires that we all enter into His joy so that we might desire to share His love with others. There are thousands daily, going from the slave market of this world to a much graver, darker prison of torment -- more horrific than our imagination can even comprehend. It is our responsibility to work the works of Jesus (as His zealous slaves) for our loving Master, and pull some back into the freedom that Christ gave to all. May we all work to loosen the shackles of those who are crying out in desperation before time, as we know it, draws to a close.

Lord Jesus, thank you for dying for all of humankind that You might redeem us from the slave market of this world. We accept your benevolent love that you have so graciously offered. We receive our proclamation of emancipation from Your heavenly throne and we choose the life You've given to each and every one. We thank You and praise You! In Your Precious Name, Amen!

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

The Simple Gospel - Part I - December 1, 2013

Titus 2:14 - Jesus Christ gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

The gospel of Jesus Christ will never be about us. It has always been about Him and for Him. Christ's redemption was never meant to "bail us out" of our troubles. It was the expression of a Father's heart toward children in rebellion, that He might make us offspring in the exact likeness of His Son whom He sent to redeem the world. Hudson Taylor, missionary to China wrote poignantly about coming into a deeper understanding of what Christ had done in his own heart. He states: It was the exchanged life that had come to me -- the life that is indeed "No longer I"... It was a blessed reality "Christ liveth in me." And how great the difference! -- instead of bondage, liberty; instead of failure, quiet victories within; instead of fear and weakness, a restful sense of sufficiency in Another. Just as salvation or justification from sin was never for our ends but for "Another", so purification or sanctification is only for Him and for His glory. If we seek to keep salvation for ourselves and not share it, or to cloister ourselves away from life to keep from sinning, then we only strengthen our flesh and the selfish position of the "old man" that should now be crucified and done away with in Christ (Romans 6:6: Galatians 2:20). Paul lived and breathed a deep understanding of what he declared to his child in the faith, Titus, in our opening scripture. Paul understood that a profound knowledge of redemption plus God's sanctifying power equals a zealous desire to live for Him. This equation cannot be reversed or it simply will not work. One cannot say that through seemingly "good deeds" that one will purify one's self and then achieve redemption. This is humanly impossible and a fatal error if one attempts to change the order of salvation. An impenitent sinner will never embrace the idea that redemption can be afforded to them by anyone or anything other than by their own efforts. Conversely, a humbled man, woman, or child that knows they need redemption will never again look to their "works" to justify themselves. They understand they have committed high treason against the King of Heaven and without Jesus Christ as their Redeemer, they are lost.

An epiphany of the Lord's redemption is the catalyst that leads to the deeper life in Christ. Without a deep realization of what Christ did for humankind on Calvary's cross, there can be no deep cleansing or purging of body, soul, and spirit. The flesh will not submit otherwise. If someone has only a casual understanding that Christ died for their sin, then one might accept Him as one selling a bit of "fire" insurance. The fear of God has gripped them to the point where they are convicted of their sin as the penalty of eternal damnation. They choose to accept Christ for this assures them a place in eternity with Jesus and away from the tortuous flames. Beloved, if one stays in this frame of belief then they are truly playing by the precipice of decision and may or may not be saved by the "skin of their teeth". The fear of the Lord may be the thing that brings a man or woman to the Lord, but it has to be a love for Christ that keeps and perfects them (II Corinthians 7:1). While the fear of hell fire may be on a man's mind when he comes to Christ, the fire of purification best be in a man's heart to keep him in a position to grow in God. If we call ourselves Christians, and yet shrink from His purifying fire, we should question our position in Christ. For if we love Him, we will obey Him (I John 5:3), and to keep His commandments should not be a tiresome chore. If we see with eyes of gratitude, knowing that He has saved us not only from the fires of hell but also from the burdensome life we have created for ourselves outside of God's love, then we will embrace the flames of purification, leading to a sanctified life. Just as the gospel of redemption is not about us, neither is sanctification. It will never be so that we might proclaim our own "whiteness" and holiness to others. It is so we can have fellowship and walk in the light as He is in the light (I John 1:7). Only then will we begin to work the works of God (John 6:28-29) and lead others to the light even as the Lord Jesus demonstrated nearly two millennia ago.

The Simple Gospel of Jesus is further stated in John 5:19: Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. Jesus knew who He was. He was and has always been the Son of God. He didn't need redemption, because He is redemption. He didn't need purification because He is purity. Jesus could and would not do anything that He did not first see His Father doing. There was a conscious understanding of what the Father would or would not do because their Natures were totally united. In the same way, Christ has become to us redemption -- He has become to us purification and sanctification, allowing for His people to move within the very Nature of God in the same way as He moved in that of His Father's. Although He was perfect, Christ lived a life of obedience by continually learning a life of subjection to the Father (Hebrews 5:8). He suffered in His sinless flesh the pangs of temptation yet with perfect obedience. His perfect Spirit taught his earthly flesh how to come under the dominion of His Father, which created a lighted path for all to follow. Just as Jesus was "zealous for good deeds" through His sanctified life to His Father, so we too must walk in total surrender to Jesus. We should do only those things which we "see the Son doing". Once we submit to His life within, we can be assured that the works will be of heavenly origin.

Jesus desires for us to rest in His work that He has already accomplished (Hebrews 4:1). He desires for us to cry out until we come into such a revelation of His redemption that we are lovesick in heart and would follow Him anywhere. He further desires that we would stand and not shrink from the fires of purification He would bring into our lives. For truly, we are set apart and sanctified for His use. Only as we are holy vessels, cleansed for the Master's use, can we then go forth even as the Son shined upon this earth many centuries ago. We will then be redeemed, purified servants, zealous to go anywhere or to do anything for Him. This is the Simple Gospel. This is the Exchanged Life. Do you hear His call? He beckons all to come and to live as He lived for His Father, always eager to do His will.

Heavenly Father, give us eyes to see and ears to hear the great redemption You purchased long ago through Your Son's death. Help us Lord to stand in the midst of Your purifying fire, trusting and loving Your every desire. And then let us go forth with zeal to do your will. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Thanksgiving - November 24, 2013

Psalm 116:12-13 - How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.

Most parents teach their children basic manners when they are juveniles. These include being gracious to others, respecting grown-ups, and saying thank you when someone gives them something. Teaching children graciousness enables them to enjoy life and garner the love and respect of others. Without a doubt, giving thanks is the touchstone that releases blessings in a person's life. As nearly all religions teach a form of reciprocity, there is no clearer message of "getting what you give" than the Apostle Paul's admonition about sowing and reaping (Galatians 6:7-8). So, why is there so much grasping rather than giving in our world? What is the motivation for a person wanting to withhold rather than to be a generous giver of thanksgiving for what they possess? For truly, everything we claim to possess was given to us. One might argue, "I have worked hard for everything in my life, and no one has given me anything! I am a self-made man!" While this type of arrogant bravado may sound good to many, it is untrue. EVERYTHING a person has is given to them by parents, teachers, siblings, or anyone with any influence to speak into another's life. The ability for a person to tie their own shoes to that of making wealth are undoubtedly instruction that they received from somebody at sometime in their respective lives. Ultimately, all good gifts come from God (James 1:17) so to believe that someone has engineered their own prosperity is ludicrous and an affront to God's word.

Material things are important to recognize as coming not from ourselves, but from others and ultimately God. However, of even greater importance is our thanks to God for what He has given and continues to give in both the physical and spiritual realm. He has given us basic guidelines to follow to sustain the blessings that the Lord so freely gives. God's requirements of those He has called and chosen are relatively simple. Often they are not easy, but they are not complicated. When many of us accepted the Lord Jesus Christ into our lives as our Savior, we came to a finality regarding who we were and who He is. At that juncture between heaven and hell, we knew that the free gift of God could never be earned but it must be accepted as something freely bestowed from the Father above. So, with this "attitude of gratitude" we accepted the free gift and thanked God for His Son's sacrifice on our behalf. Hence, we may ask along with the Psalmist in our opening scripture the rhetorical question: What can I give back to the Lord for all He has given me? The answer, of course, is nothing but our thanks and praise. To "lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord", is nothing more than to lift up Jesus and praise the Heavenly Father for sending Him to die in our place. For many of us, this was our position for months and possibly years after we were saved through grace. When we thought on Calvary and the sacrifice of God, we were overcome with gratitude and thanksgiving. As time went on, however, we may have grown distant in our understanding and feelings toward God and what He has done on our behalf. The "cup of salvation" is no longer being lifted up in remembrance but has become neglected and empty where once it overflowed.

One reason people are not thankful for what God has given them is that they don't understand or they have forgotten the value of His gifts. So often we judge ourselves by our most recent failure rather than seeing ourselves as God views us. If we had eyes to see the indescribable riches that Christ has bestowed on mankind, then we would be continually thanking Him for the bounty He gives us daily. So, how does one who knows Christ regain their spiritual vision, to once again have "eyes to see" the glorious riches that He gives all who have put their trust in Him? I believe there are two ways that must converge to give wholeness to a thankful relationship with God. One is learning and knowing, once again, our positional standing with our Maker. We must be vigilant to always be asking that God would reveal Himself to our inner man through His wisdom and revelation (Ephesians 1:17-19). If we truly understand that all things that are Christ's are ours also, then we will be once again struck by His awesome gift(s) and will be overcome with joy and thanksgiving (John 3:16; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 1:3; Ephesians 1:5-7; Ephesians 2:7-9). The other is constantly developing our conditional relationship with our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ by thanking Him for what He has given. While praise and thanksgiving may be the natural outflow of a man or woman's life that understands their position in Christ, times will come when they don't "feel" like praising and giving thanks. According to Paul, it is always the will of God to give thanks, no matter what the circumstances (I Thessalonians 5:18; Romans 1:21; Hebrews 13:15). If we balk at doing this simple daily exercise, we don't allow our hearts to be open to God's revelation of what He has done on our behalf. If we consistently give God praise no matter what, we are "filling the cup of salvation" once again and allowing it to overflow into all areas of our lives. By training ourselves not to grumble or complain, but to instead give thanks to God, we thereby break every chain of the enemy. By our praise, WE command the victory as we lift up the cup of salvation and call upon His glorious Name!

Beloved, God desires us to always be grateful and thankful, even when we don't feel grateful or thankful. The great truth is that He has already given us all things in the Beloved, Jesus Christ. It is our responsibility to acknowledge all that He has given and to continually give thanks and praise. In these times, our cup definitely overflows with the goodness and favor of God on our souls. But even in the times where we don't want to thank God, these are the most critical times to do so. The enemy would seek to keep our cup empty and dusty and hidden in a corner of our soul. However, once we start thanking Him, by a volition of the will, then once again our cup begins to fill and to overflow. Then, we can say with Paul, with true love and sincerity of heart: Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (II Corinthians 9:15)

Heavenly Father, thank you for the wealth that you have given each and every one of us who know your Son as our Lord and Savior. Our cups certainly do overflow with praise and thanksgiving for all you have done. Let us never cease to praise You, Lord, even when we don't see as we should. Heal our spiritual vision as we continually lift You up in praise and adoration. In so doing, always keep our cups of salvation full and overflowing to bless others. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Holy Fragrances - November 17, 2013

Song of Solomon 4:16 - Awake, O north wind, and come, wind of the south; make my garden breathe out fragrance, let its spices be wafted abroad. May my beloved come into his garden and eat its choice fruits!

Smells can be intoxicating as well as repulsive. I remember going into bars and saloons back in my practicing alcoholic days. Entering the doors of such establishments on any given evening would flood the nose with both familiar and pleasant aromas. Cigarette smoke, beer, and liquor would produce a cacophony of smells that gave this addict a sense of peace that he was "home". However, to venture into the same bar the next morning before the proprietors had a chance to clean up would often blast the senses (including one's "smeller") with the foul stench of stale cigarettes, beer, and liquor. Depending on the saloon and the clientele, one might also smell the cocktail of various human excrements mixed in with the remnants of the previous night's debauchery. What was perceived the night before as a glorious fragrance became a horrendous odor less than a day later. Most recovering alcoholics and addicts that have any length of sobriety from alcohol, cigarettes, and/or drugs would testify that the smell is no longer intoxicating and desirable. It conjures up memories of a devastated former life full of sickness and misery. Those who abstain have re-trained their senses to appreciate the absence of these foul things in their lives. Even more so for those who have trusted in Jesus Christ. For as they once were the walking dead going from "death to death" now they are His righteousness being transformed from this life to the one to come (II Corinthians 2:14-16). God has set them on a course to train their senses (Hebrews 5:14), to appreciate the fragrance of Christ that we all will emit if we are given to His pleasure through obedience.

In our opening scripture, Solomon's bride speaks about a garden filled with an abundance of fragrances that she desires the King to find delight in upon his visit. She invokes the winds to blow upon her garden to omit its delectable odors. Just as God sends his rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:45), so He also sends winds upon everyone's respective "garden", both sinners and saints alike. Whether we wish to acknowledge it or not, everyone is growing a spiritual crop that will either produce a garden of sumptuous fruit or a barren patch or thorns. Life's rain and winds will cause our gardens to either grow for God or to be forever cursed. Ultimately, the winds will come for everyone, whether sinner or saint. Sometimes, they will be gentle breezes but at other times they will be winds of adversity. The north and south winds mentioned by Solomon's bride are indicative of change, and yet she desires and invokes them by her plea. In ancient Israel, as well as today, the north wind was typically a rain or a snow event (in the higher elevations), dominated by a low pressure system. South winds generally brought heat and dry winds through a pronounced high pressure atmosphere. These were merely cyclic weather patterns to be expected.

Before knowing Christ, when steeped in my sin and addiction, the winds would often blow creating havoc in my life as well as those around me. The devastation of the tornadic winds of sin created despair and hopelessness in both my life and those of my family. However, the same winds would blow in other's lives that were walking with Christ in a surrendered manner yet without the same effect. Tempestuous winds will blow in everyone's lives regardless of their relationship to God as previously stated. However, this relationship or the lack therof depends on what will be wafted about in the "blowing" process. High and low pressure systems bring times of abundance and times of drought, yet Solomon's bride was desirous of their respective movements throughout her garden. She understood that times of abundant moisture would be a watershed or storehouse for times of drought. Similarly, the winds from the south, or the "high pressure" times would create a resilience and fortitude to her garden that constant moisture could not provide. As a metaphor for our lives, we need the winds of change. We rejoice in times of refreshing from the Lord (Acts 3:19) but we must equally embrace the times of drought when we don't sense His presence. We know if we but trust Him that our proverbial "garden" will once again spring to life and waft about His lovely fragrance as He dwells within us. For truly, we may be His gardeners but He will always be the true Husbandman. As we submit to Him through all circumstances, both good and bad, then we will understand what Paul spoke of when he said that we are "fragrance of Christ to God" (II Corinthians 2:15) -- for some an odor for death and for others a fragrance leading to life.

If we know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, then we have the opportunity to produce a garden within our souls that is ripe with fruits for His glory (Galatians 5:22-23). However, if we choose to live for ourselves, believing that our lives are our own, then we will create nothing but a barren wasteland that is only suitable for fire. The winds will come upon all of our lives, creating "lows" and "highs" with their times of plenty and want. God's blessing will only abide on HIS garden as we have given it back to Him in an attitude of submission. If we seek to take and selfishly tend what God has entrusted to all, then a curse will remain upon the garden of our heart and it will remain barren for eternity. Has your "smeller" been transformed by the work of His Spirit? Is there an aroma of life or death wafting from your soul this day? Can we say along with the bride, "Awake", to the winds of adversity to create within us a deeper, richer, holier life with the Husbandman of our Hearts? He desires that we would all imitate Solomon's lovesick bride and yearn for Him to come into our hearts and find much fruit for His glory. May it happen for Him and for His Name's sake. Come, Lord Jesus, come!

Father, may we be perfected by the winds of adversity that would waft about your holy fragrances. Give us lovesick desire for Your Son to come into the garden of our heart and find the delicacies of holiness that He so desires. Help us to love only Him, for He is the one who gives true life through times of plenty and times of want. Sanctify us in Your Name. In Jesus Name, Amen!

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

God's Discipline - November 10, 2013

Proverbs 12:1 - Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

The word discipline can often create negative connotations. Children might think of strict parents while a young cadet may visualize his or her drill sergeant barking out commands. The implication of personal discipline generally means that an outward force has the intent of bringing our inward being into subjection toward its will and ultimately to a place we'd rather not go. (However, in most cases, we know that is where we should end up for our own good!) Take exercise for example. We know that exercise is good and that it produces a sought after result of good health. However, look at how many of us balk at submitting ourselves to the daily discipline to achieve this desired goal. We may do well for a while, but then for whatever reason, we tend to compromise our resolve and fall back into our former state. Why is this? Is it because we are unmotivated and lazy and we don't desire to be in shape? I don't believe that is the case although it may appear that way in some instances. Many people forgo exercise because other things crowd out their time, such as work or family or any number of life's activities. That is not to say that exercise is more important than work or family. One could use the same example toward striving to be a more disciplined parent or a worker, and one might "relapse" by going to the gym to escape it all! No, what I'm talking about is a disciplined lifestyle that is able to embrace all responsibilities, including familial, social, and personal. Not only to embrace, but to love discipline as that which powers the engine of life.

Solomon points out a diametric attitude regarding discipline to many in our present world. The wisest man to ever walk the earth (besides Jesus Christ) states that a love of knowledge will mean that a person is in love with discipline. The word knowledge that the ancient king speaks of is derived from the Hebrew word yada which has a much fuller and deeper meaning than it's English counterpart. In western civilization, we may take the word knowledge as meaning an understanding of any given subject. The Hebrews, however, used this word to describe not only understanding but also perception, experience, and recognition. Perception was not limited to man's perspective but was intertwined with God's, just as man's experience was not complete unless we experience God within the midst of our respective lives. These all led to a total understanding and recognition that God Himself is the author of all knowledge -- the very creator of wisdom and enlightenment. Just as one cannot separate true wisdom and knowledge from the Person of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, one cannot divorce themselves from God's discipline otherwise they are none of His (Hebrews 12:6). It is something all should seek because from it flow His knowledge and His life.

One might ask, "How then does one love discipline? Is loving God simply enough, for if we love God will we not want to keep His commandments?" If we all, when we gave our hearts to Christ, came into a place of joyous enlightenment and saw Him in His full revelation, then we would most certainly embrace His discipline (or discipleship, if you will) with a passionate surrender. However, we see dimly in our present state and need Him to reveal His true character to us through degrees (I Corinthians 13:12). Therefore, embracing discipline as we would embrace Jesus, can be a test of character in the beginning of our journey. (If we don't have the desire as Christians, we should ask the Lord who will grant us grace to begin.) Some will fail to see that the Jesus Christ they accepted into their hearts was not only love but He was also the embodiment of discipline. As the writer of Hebrews tells us, it can be uncomfortable in its initial stages but will reveal the character of our Risen Lord like no other practice: All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness (Hebrews 12:11). For example, many runners will tell you (this one included) ...that the only thing harder than running is not running! The knowledge and the understanding of what the run produces is not always enjoyed during the exercise but the thought of not doing it is unthinkable. When those who are disciplined by a daily routine, to break it means to somehow lose the "daily manna" that the discipline creates. The remorse of letting one's self down is more trying than the physical exertion of the run itself. It is the same way when one disciplines themselves to walk a balanced life with their Lord. To do anything more than the bare minimum, in the beginning, is hard and takes work. To do anything less, once a disciplined life is attained, is a betrayal of both one's self and the Lord.

We all seek balance in our hectic 21st century lifestyles. We would all like to claim that we live disciplined lives that are well-rounded. If we know the Lord Jesus Christ, then we stand a chance to find true balance. If we don't know Him, we may have some external things in order but the inner person of the heart will still be dead and unknowing. Solomon used the word yada to imply an all knowing and all understanding knowledge was possible through a love of discipline. However, this discipline cannot be divorced from a love for God and His dealings toward His beloved children. To love discipline is to love knowledge. To love knowledge is to love Christ. For only through a submission to His loving commandments will we find humble hearts and a joy to grow in His discipline as the Creator molds and shapes us for His will. May we all find that glorious place of loving His knowledge through the firmness of His counsel. May we all love God's discipline as it empowers us to be transformed into His image!

Heavenly Father, teach us to love your discipline. Though it may be uncomfortable and somewhat daunting in the beginning, give us the wisdom to embrace it as we pursue the knowledge and understanding of Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Perfect us as children of the Most High and brothers of our Savior through the affirmation of disciplined love. We thank You and give You all the praise and glory! In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick

Jesus Likes Me, This I Know ... - November 3, 2013

John 15:13 - Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

Jesus likes me, this I know,
He is with me where I go,
Everyday, thru thick and thin,
Our friendship will never end.

Yes, Jesus likes me,
Yes, Jesus likes me,
Yes, Jesus likes me,
He’s with me where I go

Most people who believe in God, when asked the question, "Do you believe God loves you?" will invariably answer in the affirmative. However, if you pose that same question in a bit different way asking, "Do you believe God likes you?" then the answers will vary. Some might say haltingly, "I hope so" or "I guess He does", but in most instances there isn't that same conviction in their answer as when asked whether God loved them. The truth is, it is easier to believe that an all-loving God loves us all then to believe that He actually likes us and desires to be with us. I mean, you get the chance to pick your friends, but you're stuck with your relatives, right? Honestly, we may be sons and daughters of God but does He really want to "hang out" with us as friends? Not only does He desire our company, but He is committed to a friendship that is so perfectly loyal that such fidelity is beyond our mortal comprehension. In addition to God loving us is the fact that He likes us. And the reason He likes and loves us is because He first loved and liked His Son.

In so-called love there is oftentimes a sense of obligation and duty -- in liking someone, there is no sense of “having to” but “wanting to”. Liking someone is often times easier to understand than loving someone because when we love a person it usually involves a plethora of emotions, primarily because humankind does it so imperfectly. A person may be hurt when a loved one lets them down. Another may feel wronged because their wife or husband did not love them with the same earnestness that they first showed toward their spouse. People will always disappoint us in the arena of love because we all hold our own ideals toward this most perfect notion in our respective minds. However, "liking" someone is different. Liking a person often is divorced of pre-conceptions of how we should behave toward that other person -- it is merely a show of affection that is most often demonstrated by a desire to spend time with their "friend". God the Father demonstrated this most poignantly when Jesus was water baptized and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him. The Father stated first that Jesus was indeed His "beloved Son", but then He states His pleasure that His Son's relationship with Him invokes. The Oneness of the Father and the Son (John 10:30) pleased the heart of the former in ways that we can only speculate. When the Heavenly Father spoke the words, "You are my beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased" (Luke 3:22) it must have created a holy stir of rejoicing in heaven and a trembling of the demons on earth. This was a oneness of relationship that we all can hope to attain.

Beloved, God our Father in heaven has given us the same relationship to Himself through the blood of Jesus. Through His competed work on Calvary, we are not only loved by God (as much as He loves His Son Jesus) but we are also liked equally as much as sons and daughters of the Most High. If God loves and likes His Son, most assuredly He feels the same way about the "brothers of Christ". For Jesus said He was not ashamed to call us brothers (Hebrews 2:10-11) and God is overjoyed to call us His children, heirs with His Son (I John 3:1). Furthermore and in agreement with the Father, Jesus understood the importance of friendship. In the Old Testament, only those who were the "special" and set apart individuals could be "friends of God". Abraham had this distinction (Isaiah 41:8) as well as did Moses (Exodus 33:11). However, the new covenant by His blood allows ALL to draw near the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16), allowing us all access to our God-friend! Even Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, calls us friends as stated in our opening verse. Let me pose a question: Do you make friends with people you don't like? Of course you don't and neither does Jesus! He is thrilled to be our friends as we should to be His, as we obey and walk with Him. Just because we're "spiritual relatives" doesn't mean that God is somehow obligated to be nice to us. Some may have memories of their earthly fathers or mothers in this regard -- that their parents felt obliged to spend time with them as children because that was what was expected. However, when it came down to it, there was just too much insecurity and dislike in many parents toward themselves that they couldn't effectively love nor even like their own children. This has never been the case with the Heavenly Father. While there will always be things that we do that He may not like (e.g. selfishness), He will never associate the behavior with our person. He only sees our mutual friend Jesus within us, living ever to make intercession and to come speedily to our defense (Hebrews 7:25).

Once we truly understand that God not only loves us but that He likes us and desires our company, then we in turn will grow in our desire to spend time with Him. If we know that there is a Loving Father in heaven and a "Friend that sticks closer than a brother" who dwells within us (Proverbs 18:24), then we will continue to grow in that knowledge that He desires us, above all things, to be our closest friend. There is no one who will pursue us, will need and love us and who will even like us as perfectly as the Triune God. He desires our company like no other. Let us all come at His beckon for He cares for us with a love and also a liking that no other can begin to attain. He is our Friend and we are His companions, a band of brothers and sisters that is bound together for eternity! Amen.

Lord God Almighty, thank you that your love is so complete that you care for us as friends. You like us, Lord, and You desire to spend eternity with us. Thank You for this incredible love which You have given all who call upon Your Name. We give You the glory for You are worthy! In Jesus Name, Amen.

Jesus likes me, this I know,
He is with me where I go,
Everyday, thru thick and thin,
Our friendship will never end.

Yes, Jesus likes me,
Yes, Jesus likes me,
Yes, Jesus likes me,
He’s with me where I go

Your Barefoot Servant,

Rick