Quotes: God Shaking Our Foundations

Charles C. West once said “We turn to God for help when our foundations are shaking, only to learn that it is God who is shaking them.”  This is a quote that has had a profound effect on my life; both in its truth, and in its reality.

Very often in our lives, it seems like the world is falling down around our ears. Everywhere we look, things are being torn down; no matter where we are in life, it seems as though it is nothing more than complete upheaval. For those in positions of power and wealth, times like this can be extremely concerning; for those who have far less, it can be downright terrifying.

The thing to keep in mind is that God is always in control. It is hard to focus on this in moments like these, but it is in these moments when it is vital to turn to He who directs our steps and lights our paths.

Here in the United States, there is a partial government shutdown taking place. I'll not go into the politics of it at the moment, because those views are better left to my personal blog, for one; and for another, politics can be a grave distraction from the things of God for many. Suffice to say, our political leaders have dropped the ball once again, but in doing so, have granted us all a fantastic opportunity to seek God in our daily lives. We must seek Him not only for guidance and direction in our spiritual walk, but now we have a "real" reason to seek Him as our provider.

I use quotations because many of us know that He is always our provider. Many of us know Him to be the source of all we have. Yet in this current time, many more are having to face the reality that God is not just the Provider in hard times, but He is the Provider at all times.

Our foundations have been shaken, my friends; shaken by political upheaval; shaken by personal tragedy and hardship; and shaken by a sudden lack of those things which we consider to be vital and important in our lives- Indeed, things which we consider to be necessary. Some of us have lost our methods of transportation; some of us are facing uncertainty in the area of benefits; some are seeing the warning signs of layoffs; some seem to be trapped in locations far from home with no way of getting back; and still others have found a loss of will to continue on.
Yes, these are all times of hardship, and can indeed be times of chaos - If we allow them to be.

The answer to the hardships and trials we face is a mere prayer away; nay, even a simple whisper. Our loving Creator will provide all our needs, but there are times when we must ask. The days are coming, and coming soon, when we as followers of Christ must rely upon Him solely for the provision that we require, and now is as good a time as any previous to make that change.

Allow me to give an illustration from my own life- I was uprooted from my home state of New Hampshire and brought to New Mexico for no other reason, it seemed, than to languish. I had a job lined up out here, but when I arrived, I discovered that they had given it to someone else. I found myself staying with a friend, my benefactor to whom I will forever be grateful, and looking unsuccessfully for employment. No matter where I went; no matter how many applications I filled out; no matter how many resumes I dropped off, I could find no work anywhere.
That is when I realized that God had brought me here for the sole purpose of learning to rely upon Him, and at that point, I'd been attempting to make my own way- All the time, complaining to Him for not opening doors. I required a time of sincere repentance, and refocused my vision so that my eyes were upon Him day and night.

Shortly after these events, I found work with a gentleman from my former church in his auto detailing business. Yet again, I find myself forever grateful to him not only for the work, but for opening his home to me when my other living situation fell through. After about a year, he received one of the desires of his heart, and was accepted to study at Oxford.
No matter what events transpired, however, so long as I kept my eyes upon Christ and relied upon God for the provision of all my needs, He saw to everything. Employment when needed, housing when required, and the provision of money, food and transportation at all times. Never have I gone without my needs since I returned control of my life to Him.

I share this story with you all, not to show how righteous or amazing I am (because such a statement would be a far cry from the truth!), but to encourage you, our readers, to look to God for all things. He will always provide- I have learned this truth in my own life, and will continue to learn this lesson in greater and bigger things.
My prayer for each of you is that God shows Himself to be as amazing, if not more so, in your lives as He has in mine. Indeed, I pray that each of you see greater blessings in your lives than I have seen, so that those around you may see and believe.

May God bless and keep you all in His mighty hand, safe from the intentions of the enemy, and provide all your needs- For though your foundations are shaking, it may very well be He who is reminding you that He must be first in all things in your lives.

The Things of the Unseen

As Christians, we are told over and over that we are to be aware of the very real nature of the spirit realm.  I use the term generally in order to reference all things that are hidden to the eyes of man, but which are nevertheless very real.  Angels, demons, and all other created creatures which are not seen with the natural eye are still as real as you and I, and should thus be granted the same amount of respect as that which is given the things of this physical realm... At the very least.
Ironically, the majority of the secular world also believes, to some degree, in the existence of the supernatural.  The most popular thriller and horror movies incorporate aspects of the unexplained, and shows such as Ghost Whisperer, Medium, and Ghost Hunters enjoy large followings even now.  I say this is ironic because, as one Christian rap artist observed:

"They scoof at the Bible and the things that it tells- They'll believe in stars and astrology but not in Heaven or Hell?!"

What is, perhaps, most ironic is that within the Christian community there remains a strong disavowal pf anything supernatural that isn't easily relegated to one side or the other.  Concepts such as ghosts, invisible creatures, or crying/bleeding statues are looked upon as imagination, or most popularly, things straight from the devil.  With the way mainstream Christianity reacts to these paranormal activities, it's no wonder we are portrayed as crackpots and worse in modern entertainment.  (The Waterboy's mother comes readily to mind with her oft repeated phrase "it's the DEVIL!")
So, what I'd like to do today is an exercise in broadening the mind.  We'll examine several kinds of phenomena, and look to the Bible for commentary.

Let's start with crying or bleeding statues.  This is very often associated with Catholicism, and usually involves a statue of the virgin Mary or some other saint bleeding or crying.  Most often, healings or some other sort of miracle occurs from physical contact with the liquid, and this is usually followed by a surge in faith.  It is important to note also that the majority of these events take place in areas where signs and wonders move people more than words.
Now, when addressing this topic, I am often referred to the writings of Jack Chick, whose take on this sort of happening is always that it is of demonic origin.  Friends, whatever you do, don't base your theology on ChickTraks.  He firmly believes the Catholic church to be Satanic, and rejects the fact that Protestantism sprang from Catholicism; instead, he espouses the exact opposite which is completely contrary to historical fact.  Anyone that rejects truth and substitutes their own should, at the very least, be viewed critically.
This to the side, the Bible is full of accounts regarding inanimate objects being used to give signs and wonders to those people who placed less stock in mere words.  The stone giving water twice; the burning bush that wasn't consumed; the idol of Dagon falling before the Ark of the Covenant; these are just a few examples of such cases.  Even Christ warned that the rocks would cry out praise if the people did not.  A crying statue in comparison?  Why not!

Ever heard people talk of seeing dragons, or any other sort of creature that no one else has seen?  How often they are ridiculed!  These are creations that are mythical or invisible; things no human eye can see and no one has ever recorded scientifically- Of course jeering and derision is the default response to such claims!
Yet in Ezekiel, the prophet writes about creatures that are otherwise invisible.  In Revelation, John observes a pestalence- a kind of locust/scorpion hybrid that no human has ever seen.  Pterodactyls are supposedly extinct, yet sightings are reported every year around the world.  Moreover, anyone who claimed to have seen a Coelacanth was thought crazy... Until, that is, a fisherman ended up with one in his net.

Ghosts are a favorite for church disparagement.  Every ghostly encounter is immediately and gleefully condemned as demonic activity.  I will agree that the majority of these are, in fact, the work of familiar spirits... But not all.  The Bible itself offers proof that the spirits of humans can, on occasion, appear to the living.  Look at Samuel's ghost appearing to Saul- Had that been a familiar, the witch's reaction would not have been nearly so violent, considering she would have dealt with familiars on such a regular basis it would have been a ho-hum matter of course.

In its zeal to paint the devil for what he is, the Church misses hundreds of opportunities to introduce the supernatural of God to unbelievers, and that is a tremendous disservice to both parties.  So, the next time you hear of some supernatural occurance, dear reader, do as the Bible instructs: Test the spirit of the account with the Holy Spirit.
Then, seize the opportunity to open that person up to the supernatural God of Creation, for Whom nothing is impossible.

Finding The Balance (or, Pick the Jesus in the Middle, Stupid)

(NOTE: This entry originally appeared on Renegade's Rants, April 3, 2008.  It is being re-shared here because the message is more important than ever.  It is our hope that you are able to take something away from this that edifies, encourages and strengthens your resolve to know Christ for yourself; intimately and thoroughly, allowing no one to bring things out of balance!)





...I'd like to spend some time sharing my thoughts which sprung to mind after reading the following comment from a dear, dear friend of mine. He stated:

"I just don't like the intellectualism that so many live in that seems to crowd out the working of the Spirit... ...I think there's a better way then a Sunday morning sermon and not much else."

Indeed, I too have seen this brain over God approach. Sadly, many who follow this way are being led astray. They study and study the Bible, but without the Spirit of God providing understanding, it becomes just another book, albeit a rather ornate, expensive one.

My initial thought, then, is that we must rush to the Spirit. I'm sure this is where some folks now stand, honestly. If you were hurt in the church of the Dry Word, than you must immerse yourself in the Holy Spirit River.

The issue with these approaches, however, is vast, it is large, and most importantly, it is exceedingly dangerous.

You see, each of these approaches takes a bit from the Word of God, and runs the full field, not realizing that they are scoring for the rival team. Intellectual study has a very firm place in the church, or we would not be encouraged time and again to do so. The oft quoted verse is "study to show thyself approved."
However, we are also told not to study too much, because, as it says in Proverbs, "Too much study wearies the body."

We are told several times to listen to the council and follow the instruction of the Holy Spirit. However, we are also cautioned against false prophets, and perhaps the most direct, brutal and shocking caution regarding taking things out of context is found in Galatians 1:6-9, which reads so strongly I simply MUST quote it directly:

Galatians 1:6-9 (New King James Version)

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

As you can clearly see, changing the Gospel to say what it does not say is to be taken very seriously. From the very beginning, the words of God were considered sacred. Nowhere is it better shown than when Israel put the pieces of the tablets into the Ark of the Covenant. It was then carried by priests, defended by the nation, and by God Himself. He takes His word seriously, as should we.

What has this got to do with anything? Plenty.

You see, when people go to the other end of the spectrum and believe that the Spirit is the be all end all, certain issues arise. For one thing, the Holy Spirit is not the extension of God which is to be worshiped. When the Bible speaks of the Spirit, it speaks of a Helper and a Guide. All praise given the Spirit of God is deflected to God the Father.
The wonder working power which many are so earnest for is not meant for a special parlor trick or to tickle a fancy- It is meant for two things: Those who need it's touch, and drawing those folks to Christ, and through Him, to salvation. It is a physical manifestation of God's power.
Craving this power, to the exclusion of God, is not only wrong in that we seek the gift and not the giver, but also in that it GRIEVES the Holy Spirit. More to the point, dear friends, it is dangerous.

Take the example of Simon the Sorcerer. Here was a man who saw the wonders of the Spirit moving mightily through the followers of Christ. He saw it, saw what it did, and he wanted it. So, he went to Peter and said, "Give me also this power," and offered him money for it. He was refused, rebuked, and told that the reason the Spirit would not rest upon him was because of his heart condition.
Many of those who go actively seeking the Power without thought to the Giver do not have the right heart condition. This is the reason that, when the Spirit ministers to those it came to minister to, its physical manifestations leave and go where it is needed, even when those who are seeking the power are still claiming it.


The fact of the matter is that this life requires BALANCE.


Balance is not something that we as humans can do alone- We can balance a bike, we can balance to walk, we can balance our checkbooks... Most of the time. However, we cannot balance ourselves. As it states in the Word, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?" (Jer. 17:9) This fact is echoed throughout the Bible, such as in Mark 7:20-23, "...What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

However, YHWH is a God of order, of balance. It is through Him and His power that we are able to achieve balance. To seek one aspect of Him alone is to once again go out of balance, falling out of His will, out of His grace, and as such, out of His protection.

Seeking the Spirit of God is a wonderful journey- But it is not one to be taken without the Word of God to guide you. Furthermore, the study of the Word in one's own private time is glorious- But only when the Spirit is with you.

A gifted author by the name of Ted Dekker once stated in his book THR3E that there are three persons in each of us- The good, the Evil and the soul caught in the struggle.

So it is with our search for God. We can seek His words, and die for lack of His Spirit. We can seek the Holy Spirit, and die for lack of guidance. Or, we can seek after and follow the example of Jesus the Christ, Jeshua, and achieve that balance which He embodied.

Scripture and Spirit; Works and Faith; Law and Grace- It is all modeled for us in the life of Christ Jesus.

I'd like to leave you with a quote from another good friend of mine, one who has walked some very dark paths in his life, and so is keenly aware of the Light:

There are three Jesus' out there.

The first Jesus is the one people invoke when in a theological debate.

{the Word alone}

The second Jesus is the one people invoke when their car won't start. 

{the Spirit alone}

The third Jesus is the one who calls us out of darkness.

{the balance}

Which Jesus do you serve?