Isaiah 11

1There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of(A) Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.2And(B) the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.3And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.(C) He shall not judge by(D) what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear,4but(E) with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with
equity for the meek of the earth;and he shall(F) strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and(G) with the breath of his lips(H) he shall kill the wicked.5Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and(I) faithfulness the belt of his loins.

fhdfh

Bible verses always have their ambiguities. Verses that break the mind, puzzle the intellect, and generate question marks in daily journals. This passage is no different. Here, there shall come someone from the line of jesse. As the bible begins to describe this special person, one of the descriptions is :

2And(B) the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD

What does this mean? There are all sorts of bad implications from these 3 spirits. Here are some possibilities:

1. Greater -> lesser, lesser, lesser
2. Equal -> Equal, Equal, Equal
3. General -> specific, specific, specific

My first objection is, why not just have a list? And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom, understand, counsel, might, knowledge and fear of the lord? There is a strange grouping -

1. Wisdom and Understanding
2. Counsel and Might
3. Knowledge and Fear

Perhaps the second item is more interesting than any of the other ones. Wisdom and understanding are married as husband and wife. Knowledge and fear makes sense, not as strongly. But what the heck is Counsel and Might having to do with anything? What the heck is a spirit of Counsel? Counsel has an idea of advice, knowledge, speaking, or compassion and understanding. Might implies strength confidence and action. It is almost as if these two are not even on the same measuring scale!

And following - a even more difficult section:

He shall not judge by(D) what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear,4but(E) with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth

I personally like this verse because of the fact; he will not judge with what his eyes see or ears hear. How many a situation has been mis-understood to the bad social digestion of all! The contrast is stark! In comparison to eyes and ears, he judges with righteousness. The author doesn't even explain how the judgin will work. Only that it will, and it will be right. It also says decide with equity.

Equity
1.the quality of being fair or impartial; fairness; impartiality: the equity of Solomon.
2.something that is fair and just.

and following "for the meek of the earth" another puzzling phrase. How does he decide "for" a people group? At first glance i would have thought they would decide WHO the people group is. But deciding "for" them seems to be a representative. Why would the meek of the earth need someone to judge"FOR" them?

Needless to say, many questions, but good none the less to know that the LORD is right, and when he comes all will be seen, all my rotten deeds, all my hypocrasy, and even if there is but a slight sliver of goodness in me, it will be found, and it will be found that it was from GOD alone. Praise be to God who has put conditions on salvation, but has fulfilled them himself. How shall we walk away from such a God!

Isaiah 10 - The rod and the master

12(W)
When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem,(X) he[a] will punish the speech of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the boastful look in his eyes. 13(Y) For he says:

"By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I have understanding;I remove the boundaries of peoples, and plunder their treasures; like a bull I bring down those who sit on thrones.

14My hand has found like a nest the wealth of the peoples;and as one gathers eggs that have been forsaken, so I have gathered all the earth;and there was none that moved a wing or opened the mouth or chirped."

15Shall(Z) the axe boast over him who hews with it, or the saw magnify itself against him who wields it?As if a rod should wield him who lifts it, or as if a staff should lift him who is not wood!

16Therefore the Lord GOD of hosts will send wasting sickness among his(AA) stout warriors,and under his glory(AB) a burning will be kindled, like the burning of fire.

17(AC) The light of Israel will become a fire, and(AD) his Holy One a flame,and(AE) it will burn and devour his thorns and briers(AF) in one day.

18The glory of(AG) his forest and of his(AH) fruitful land the LORD will destroy, both soul and body, and it will be as when a sick man wastes away.

19The remnant of the trees of his forest will be so few that a child can write them down.

The rod and the master. This particular passage interests me because it shows the method of the Lord in punishing the arrogant heart of the king. The first verse is actually quoted from the king of assyria.

"By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for
I have understanding;I remove the boundaries of peoples, and plunder their treasures; like a bull I bring down those who sit on thrones.

14My hand has found like a nest the wealth of the peoples;and as one gathers eggs that have been forsaken, so I have gathered all the earth;and there was none that moved a wing or opened the mouth or chirped."

Pretty pompous isn't it? like a bull I bring down those who sit on thrones. I have never touched an ax, a sword, nor any type of armament, so i find this difficult to relate to. You, the common american reader have rarely conquered anything larger than a tomato or a tomato-sized dog. So for this moment, i will speak of other more practical applications. Do we believe in Human fuel? Human power? How do we remedy the lack of perceived output of happiness and good times? Is it "try harder"? That's simple man's talk for "I believe the human element, the human ability".

I find these thoughts particularly strong in educational systems. Our product is a direct measurement of our effort and intellectual ability compared to everyone else. I have found myself very unhappy being average. But being average among what? At a top university level education, which is not bad. But, no, I need to be more than that! Sad is my pride. Perhaps the more telling signs is the suggested remedy? Work harder, think more, read more books, get smarter, find a program, throw all energy towards your achievement! And who has guaranteed that all that input should have any influence on the output of our lives?

And what does the bible say about speech that is like this?

15Shall(Z)
the axe boast over him who hews with it, or the saw magnify itself against him who wields it?As if a rod should wield him who lifts it, or as if a staff should lift him who is not wood!

I am a tool nothing more nothing less. Oh lord, forgive me for the years and years i assumed my ability and smartness. everything comes from the lord! Everything! All drawing, all perceived conversation, all great teaching, all learning; they are gifts from the lord. How often i have called myself the bull, the tiger or the lion that makes the kill when it is really the lord who glues all things together. Praise be to God! That we may experience the life that he has prescribed, and that we can see his workings first hand! I am a human tool! How can I boast of he who wields me?

Do I really understand my spot? my place ? My problems? What puzzles has the lord provided for me that I may be used for Glory by the spirit?

How not to Walk in the way of a people

Isaiah 8 - 11For the LORD spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me,
and(R) warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: 12"Do not call(S)
conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and(T) do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. 13But the LORD of hosts,(U) him you shall honor as holy.

Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. 14And he will become a(V) sanctuary and(W) a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15And many(X) shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken."

Steps to walk in a different way

1. Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy
2. My take on this particular passage is judgment. Let us be careful of how our judgment lines up with other people's viewing glass. This seems harmless from the outside, but judgments are made on a standard. Having similar judgments compared to other people shows a similar worldview, or a similar standard of truth. E.g. if you lose all your money to a storm and call it a tragedy, then you are showing your standard of good is "with money". In the same way, if you find yourself judging a situation very similar to those around you, then you need to re-evaluate your truth center, and truth priorities.
3. do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread
4. This is more of the negative version of the first point- do not fear what they fear. The simplest one is dying. We need not fear death as the rest of the world does, for we have a saviour, and a wonderful heaven awaiting us, where we will be with our God, our Lord. The only requirement is that we would want to go there. If we don't love God, the God of the bible, how shall we go there? And if we get there and do not love being with him, then what use or bliss is heaven?
5. On another level, we should not fear the world, nore words, nor grades, nor people, nor poverty, nor sickness. Did not the Lord cause us to be born? Did he not cause us to grow into maturity? How can we claim and fear that our lives have started, and no one is watching our paths? If God shall start it, if god shall work it even when were not cognizant as infants, then how shall he not finish it, even we are conscious?
6. One of the more striking aspects of the stories of Jacob, Moses, David, and others is the fact that God interceeded from the beginning. Not only that he interceeded when they were children, and also, if any of these men were equipped with power, he also interceeded then. How shall God NOT be able to influence these silly capitalistic eyes?
7. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread
8. It is a strange comparison to compare worldy fear to God. I fear being hungry tomorrow. Instead, i should fear God somehow? How? That I shall die? Even unbelievers fear that moment by moment. We can fear death without fearing God! Sickness, death, famine, all these things we can fear without fearing the Lord. How does fearing the Lord, and letting him be our dread replace all the commonplace fears that clog most people today?
9. Suggestion: perhaps fearing the lord is the standard and the power. For instance, my fear is that I am hungry now, but perhaps my fear should be that i might cross my God in some evil way. Or that later today i shall find myself very close to a sinful vice. Is it him that we fear to displease? One who has given so much, one who has destined so much of our life from Good? How shall we leave and walk away from such a God?
10. Do we fear the Lord?

Nebuccanzzer, am I?

30"The king reflected and said, 'Is this not Babylon the ^(BE)great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?'

31"While the word was in the king's mouth, a voice came from heaven, saying, 'King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you,

32and ^(BF)you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and ^(BG)seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the ^(BH)Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.'

33"Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled; and he was ^(BI)driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws.

34"But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the ^(BJ)Most High and praised and honored ^(BK)Him who lives forever;
For His dominion is an ^(BL)everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
35"^(BM)All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
But ^(BN)He does according to His will in the host of heaven
And among the inhabitants of earth;
And ^(BO)no one can ward off His hand
Or say to Him, '^(BP)What have You done?'

Most times, I imagine Nebuchadnezzar in a small column called "bad guys", I of course am found in the "good guy column". It's an humanly display of pride, we always hope the best for ourselves. But what has made Nebuchadnezzar good/bad?

30"The king reflected and said, 'Is this not Babylon the ^(BE)great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?'

An innocent statement? Maybe, but how often have I also made the same claim. Last night I spent some time meeting a friend's cousin. It was fun, but was it because of the work of my hands? No, it was a gift from God, in almost every aspect. But here's the sneaky question; was i thinking that at the time? At the time i will admit, my ego powered up and took the throne. My jokes, my words, my stories, my doing. Is there any hope to train us towards what is right?

And even more than that, when I think of school, how my priorities rapidly change. A good grade, and it becomes a recognition that always SHOULd have been there: I am awesome. But when i get a bad grade, I assume some sort of fluke. How fervent and repeated my heart is to exalt itself. Everything should be accredited to God.

Considering these things. It is only a matter of time, till i too will find my place in the fields, my senses gone from me, and living like a wild animal. Assist me oh lord, to kill, well, me! I do fear thy hand, and the sting of instruction, but if the doctor's knife does bleed, let it be in your hands more than any, for you are gentle, wise and powerful.

Fancy Parties

Isaiah 5

11Woe to those who(O) rise early in the morning, that they may run after strong drink,who tarry late into the evening as wine inflames them!12(P) They have lyre and harp, tambourine and flute and wine at their feasts,(Q) but they do not regard the deeds of the LORD, or see the work of his hands.

In all honesty, I may be taking this out of context. Literally i do not know if this applies to me. Still it is quite frightening. This passage is describing, as i interpret it, men that are pleasure seekers. "who rise early in the morning, that they may run after strong drink".

Though I am not a drunkard, nor a pursuer of all things hemp, I do remember my earlier days and video games. I would wake up, play my brains out, then go and crash to sleep. Man, what a life. Strangely I remember those days fondly, but now as i think about it, I almost sickens me. I think its the thought of just sitting there for an extended period of time. Still, most likely have not learned my lesson. Within the last two years i bought World of Warcraft and played my brains out for a year or so off and on. I guess old habits die hard. Either that or I'm just not used to the real world.

that hobbie has come and gone like many things. The next phrase is interesting - They have lyre and harp, tambourine and flute and wine at their feasts,(Q) but they do not regard the deeds of the LORD, or see the work of his hands.

I read this passage and think something along the lines of - we may have all the fancy of things, even the best of the best, games, people, food, entertainment, and great parties. But do we regard the deeds of the LORD? Can we see the work of his hands? It could be that this passage is referring to the pleasure seeking in the world as a replacement for God's creation. It could also be a simple recognition problem on our part, that we do not recognize God's part in our enjoyment?

the Phrase seems to imply that the deeds are separate from the other things. See the works of his hands are also separated ideas meaning they are unrelated. The later passage gives some hints-

24Therefore,(AH) as the tongue of fire devours the stubble, and as dry grass sinks down in the flame,so(AI) their root will be(AJ) as rottenness, and their blossom go up like dust;for they have(AK) rejected the law of the LORD of hosts, and have(AL) despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.25Therefore(AM) the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people, and he stretched out his hand against them and struck them, and(AN) the mountains quaked;and their corpses were(AO) as refuse in the midst of the streets.

They have "rejected" the law of the LORD of hosts, and have despised the word of the Holy one of Israel. This rejection is not a emotion rejection for it, but a general disregard for it. There are two types of rejection, mental and emotional, and also physical. There is "I would really like to go to your party, but i cannot make it," rejection, and also "I would never ever be found in your house, or at your party, rejection."

It is of hte first we find ourselves most guilty. How often we have smiled on the bible, and commended its precepts, and re-written its commands. And Yet, do we actually do them ? it is an overlooked blight that we do not actually do what we love, for our heart goes to something else. Usually, our own pleasure takes the cake, literally.

Materialism

Isaiah 2:6For you have rejected your
people, the house of Jacob,because they are full of things(I)
from the east and(J)
of fortune-tellers(K)
like the Philistines, and they(L)
strike hands with the children of foreigners.7Their land is(M)
filled with silver and gold, and there is no end to their
treasures;their land is(N)
filled with horses, and there is no end to their
chariots.8Their land is(O)
filled with idols; they bow down to(P)
the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made.

I feel rather guilty for my warehouse of dreams. One of the benefits of looking for a new apartment is observing other people's arrangements. Walk into a tightly packed and organized studio, and one might guess the tenant to be a shrewd haggling dealing man. Find a large flat screen TV with neo-modern sofas that break your spine, and the owner is likely a high powered executive. Still across the board, the larger the volume of items found in an apt, it is assumed a larger income.

For all the things in our household, what do we have ot show? I remember the Piper quote well, "at the end of your life, do you want to go to God and say ' look at my shell collection God! Look at my Golf swing! Or do you want to be known for something more?"

And look how Isaiah speaks of israel:
"they are full of things from the east"
I don't know exactly what that means, but if we look at the following list, we can get a good feeling for what he is talking about. Silver, God, "no end to their treasures", horses, chariots, idols. And in short, it is all summarized by this one line:

"their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands,"
I believe some of this meaning may not translate to us, the beneficiaries of a market economy. It seems that most of the items we obtain or get are made for us by some factory in a far off land. Back then many things are hand made. Other riches are pillaged or captured from conquering other countries. The spoils of hard work were much more tangible.

Perhaps an exercise will help. Though we don't make or conquer our treasures, we work for them. If you, kind reader, have a job, or a occupation, or a specialty which you are compensated for, what is your heart's desire? What object is at the forefront of your eyes, and in the sensitive part of your ear? When work's gears grind you to despair, what image keeps you toiling? Is it another shiny object? Is it a person? Is it your house? Is it your future? Then consider then, are we bowing ourselves before idols? That we press on for some fancy car, or fancy toy? Perhaps that we endure all things for a secure future on this earth?

Of all Creation we are Evil

I remember his tone most of all.

Erik was always a calm man, especially around the word. Even more so around people who were curious about God's teachings. One time I eavesdropped couch counseling, and the quote has always stuck with me.

"All creation obey God. All creatures, all the seas, the storms, and the earth. Of all these things, humans are the only ones that do not obey. Of all creation, WE do not obey the creator"

When spoken like that, I have a flash of just how much of a rebel I am. To think, there be a nation, no, a great sovereignty, and I am but a foot soldier waving a stump of a fist at my orders. How am I to be looked on with any favor? Can I be considered with any courage? No, my purple heart should be made of thorns, and my gold necklace into iron shackles. Even in a progressive society like today, if you rebel against authority, you will be punished severly.

And not only do I find myself stopping in the midst of a battle, but i find myself stopping others also, encouraging or enticing them not to fight. Not to raise arms, but to sit and eat our rations!

In Isaiah 1 it says:

Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O(H) earth; for the LORD has spoken:"Children[a](I) have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me.3The ox(J) knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib,but Israel does not know, my people do not understand."

Though i fully understand this is speaking of Israel as a nation in the old days, my heart still resonates, and my conscience accuses me, I am of the very similar behavior. I do not know, I do not understand.

5Why will you still be(O) struck down? Why will you(P) continue to rebel?The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.6(Q) From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it,but bruises and sores and raw wounds;they are(R) not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil.

This is not literally happening to me, but why should i be surprised when various afflications come about? Why am I surprised that my books do not satisfy, and my games leave me empty?
Why am i surpised that through all the excitement I have found through the years, i find myself still wanting more?

12"When you come to(AB)
appear before me, who has required of
you this
trampling of my courts?13Bring no more vain
offerings; incense
is an abomination to me.(AC)
New moon and Sabbath and the(AD)
calling of convocations— I cannot endure(AE)
iniquity and(AF)
solemn assembly.14Your(AG)
new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates;they have
become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.15When
you(AH)
spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you;(AI)
even though you make many prayers, I will not
listen; (AJ)
your hands are full of blood.16(AK)
Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of
your
deeds from before my eyes;(AL)
cease to do evil, 17learn to do good;(AM)
seek justice, correct oppression;(AN)
bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.

How I don't pay attention to how i come to the lord! How true harrison is, coming to the lord is a cleansing thing, a precious thing. Let us take a good assessment of ourselves before we come ot the lord! We just walk right in an pray, which is ablessing, but where has our reverance gone? We are so very very very lucky that we may enter in an have an audience with the Most High, yet we walk in and presume on Jesus' covering to cast about feeble requests like a babbling child.

Deep Deep?

Every sunday I walk through double glass doors and slouch in line for a donut. It's usually a twistee, accompanied by a friendly conversation. I launch my bible in the middle of a large sections of seats; it really doesn't matter who I sit next to. This is the sunday routine.

A regular part of church service is announcements. The token well-suited Seminary student slips a few jokes, and proceeds to dish out the weekly dosage of events and info. The phone numbers and times are ho-hum, but if the announcement concerns a missionary, preaching, or a church service a whole different attitude blooms. Vibrant eyes, lots of teeth in a smile, a proud timbre, a slight tilt of the head, with increased blinking; it's like he just ate a 100 dollar meal.

He just really believes in what Mr.Visiting Speaker, or Special church service; no big deal right? Well, one encouragement is great. But as in many things, if all the announcements have the same enthusiam, then no announcement really stands over another. If everything is important, then nothing is important. Important is a class of priority over another, which means something has to be disposable, or neglectable in order for another thing to be essential, to have prominence.

Is it regular to display the same vigor for the lord week by week? I assumed it was fececiousness? There was something about the lips or the eyes; I didn't believe the authenticity.

Perhaps this is subtle part of maturity of Christ. Christ is eternal; he is divine. Why should desires dissipate? Why should affection falter? The object does not tarnish nor change. Some would call this boring, but remember, Christ is perfect. Interest should be due to him. So why does our emotions fly through perpetual mountains and valleys? Probably because our desires are too weak. Well spoken was C.S. Lewis when he diagnosed the human condition. A large part of maturity in God is continued affection for our lord. Not a large vault of information. We are not theological servers to hold information. We are hands, hearts, legs, and bodys for the fruit of the lord. We are as mature as our fruit. Fruit is action. Galatians, 2 peter, all list these things. Maturity is affection!

Poor Jeremiah

Vulnerable to imminent danger, Israel searched for a response. The remnant in Judah ears and minds echoed with the murmurs of the strong Chaldeans; their conquest possibly consuming their city. Very aware of their weakness in military power, two solutions remained. The simplest solution gambled on cat and mouse; Israel would lock in and hope to go unnoticed or bypassed. The second possibility moved the people of Israel under the Protection in Egypt.

Stomaching uncertainty, the leaders sought God's wisdom on the issue. By request, Jeremiah prayed to the Lord for 3 days. At the end he got an answer, and guess what?

The people didn't like the answer.

If you will remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I relent of the disaster that I did to you.

Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: If you set your faces to enter Egypt and go to live there, 16 then the sword that you fear shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine of which you are afraid shall follow close after you to Egypt, and there you shall die.

And Amazingly enough the people answered:

You are telling a lie. The Lord our God did not send you to say, Do not go to Egypt to live there, 3 but Baruch the son of Neriah has set you against us, to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they may kill us or take us into exile in Babylon.

How many times do I find myself in similar situations? Zero. I have no clue what Chaldeans are, or how they look. Chaldeans could be a skunk people with an aversion to humans that shower with excessive amounts of dove lotion. But this is not the point, do I listen and obey God?

Consider the story. Israel ASKED for what God's opinion and then bypassed it. Were they actually looking for instruction? Perhaps they were looking for a divine affirmation to the plans that they already had in mind. Many times Ill have an opinion in mind. I will consult other people, but this "consulting" hides a secret search for affirmation. If I present my opinion to someone that disagrees, I will continue "consulting" until I find someone that agrees. So how humble was I really? Half a rice kernel's worth, I'd say.

A vile part of me has contempt for Israel. They knew it was the word of God! Obey! Duh! It's always easier to fuss from the skybox. Try griping on playing field. For all the people knew, Jeremiah was the forgotten crazy uncle. He wasn't married; he would stand in random places and just start talking. How were they to know? The strategy Jeremiah recommended bunkered the remnant in a spot that offered less protection. Egypt was a long standing nation and military power, who wouldn't want to sit in their lap for a few generations? So, if judgment and frustration comes to mind, pause to think a bit, and a little compassion please. Figuring out the voice of God was not so obvious.

The nights are quiet, and my prayers rarely possess me to beginning conversations with "Thus sayth the lord". I don't hear the voice of God. No writing burns on my bedroom walls. No donkey comes to my window to rebuke me. So in some sense i don't have the same tension as Israel. Though I don't have the enlightenment to the word of God, I do have his word. His word says simple things like sin not, believe, have mercy, search for the lord. What of economics? What about schooling? What about life choices? How can I get this setup or situation in life? These questions are not resolved in the bible. Will i believe simply or make somethign complex about the whole thing? That is my call. The word has spoken well, and thoroughly that I should live simply. Will I do that much? Will i resist formulation for Joy, strategies convenience, or even wisdom for ministry?

"the foolishness of God is stronger than the wisdom of men"

Early Mornings confession

The motherly sun streams through the arms of several skeletal branches. Green leaves bask in the glow of gamma rays, er, whatever rays are out there. Little leafy green lights illuminate an ogre in an orange shirt and black sport shorts. The projected pattern leaves a tiger like appeal. That ogre is me.

This oaf-y feeling always strikes me outdoors. I am in awe. The specifics, or the culprit for this awe eludes my detective mind, but the crime is still there. Outdoors is grand, it is liberating; freeing. I wonder if a mad scientist will one day isolate this gene too, so I can take different pills for different countries. Blue pill: sweden, red pill: harvard campus, yellow pill: grand canyon, which would i choose. Until then, I'll keep opening my front door, and keep taking a stroll.

C.S. Lewis, beloved by many, and pondered much by me, has said

We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.

There is a illustration there: that humans in our inept desires, and faulty senses, settle for much less than we should. God is behind the door, but we care not, we have our meager pile of rocks that will be our focus; our family. Our imaginations are too poor to dare for higher.

I find that in nature I am guilty of 2 crimes. I am both guilty of having no daring desires for a high exalted God and similarly puckered eyes and ears to nature around me. The sun brings no mystery, its luminous warmth is not felt. Calming chirping and murmurs of life is static on my selfish enclosed contemplation. The one thing technology, movies, and computers cannot do is smell, and I do not appreciate it! The smell of nature is perhaps some of the best!

How far have I fallen, or perhaps, I was always in the pit. May the lord have mercy upon me and repair ears, eyes, touch, smell, taste, and most importantly the spiritual heart in which to sense him. Or perhaps, may he give them to me for the first time.

1 John

2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

And there it is. The secret of purity. Is there any man who is plagued and harried more than me? My purity has long left me at the first strong desire. As Romans ominously dictates, "No one seeks after God." I was no different. I am no different. I see selfishness frosting every word, every squeeze of my hands, and leading of my feet. And selfishness is the dessert of evil.

How then shall I purify this rotten and hollowed heart?

If I endeavor to use the bible, or to concentrate on issues, or to focus on the philosophical reasoning underlining human nature; all efforts are human. But what does 1 John prescribe?

Hope.

Hope in Christ Jesus, that his righteous is enough. Hope that we can't do it. Hope that it is finished. Hope that Jesus has bought us bodies of purity that will come to us. Hope that the holy spirit has been placed in our hearts to search for purity, for Christ, for God.

How does one endure in such a hope? 50 years seems impossible. hopes die young. Hopes of joy derived from Toys, people, or riches seem to dim within hours, if not years. Who will keep the fire of hope continuing? Christ! God our Father! The holy spirit!

We have been granted with a power that is not our own! It is beyond comprehension. In honor of that verse, I do not offer a solution that is consistent or thorough, I only offer what the bible offers me. Hope in Christ. Hope it is enough, live free. Should you not live this way, see the prison that you, my kind reader put yourself into.

John 1:1

"In the beginning was the word"

 

Some notes - there is a definite genesis reference, using a similar introduction.

"In the beginning, God created the heaves and the earth.."

"was"

The simplicity of the phrasing, "was the word" brings a feeling of infinite absoluteness. One of the problem verses is the "was" word. Is the "was" diminutive? In other words, is the "was the word" a past even that changes in accordance with time? The popular interpretation is "was continually". It is simply referring to a past reference of time.

"the word" - logos, or lagas

The assumed interpretation is that the "Word" is christ. This is only implied in the structure of the sentences, but not in any direct manner. The word is how we know people. The word is given by God so that we may know him. The word is not merely some knowledge or some static information. It is creative, it is powerful.

The important part of this line is to bring this solemn and deep feeling. Simple sentences with mystery built in command a certain reverence, and drippings of infinity and divinity.  

"The word was with God"

The greek comes out to something similar to "the word was towards God". As we take this verse, the word existed separate alongside God. This also rules out the word meaning "the being of God the father". This also rules out that the word is a byproduct from God somehow.

"the Word was God"

This is the confirmation that the word IS god also. It is the confirmation of the divine, and the classification is the same. This sentence is different than "God was the word". This sentence is a singularity. Meaning that all of God is fully in the Word. This is confirmation.

Old?

Lie once, the soul shatters, lie twice and tears will still fall, lie for a lifetime and you can be rich.

What is it about this universe! The law of diminishing returns is one heavy gangster. It makes bad men badder, and even haunts the good deeds to forgotten closets. It is as if a huge negative aura permeates, well, everything!

"One of my greatest fears is that I will grow cold like an iceberg ... (john piper)"
Similarly, I fear one day I will just not care. Not like some carefree, fun loving child, but more like a over-basted swine, sitting on some couch, immobilized by laziness and selfishness. Who can imagine such a ghastly existence?

I can.

Most far-fetched ideas appear too high on the shelf of life to even have a sphere of influence. Minuscule practice, little sins, or small good deeds count as small steps in a 5 mile long trail. But as our God would design things, the small things add up to the large ones. 38 years of lying will foster sores on our hearts, full of envy, secret motivations, and the puss of hypocrisy. How small our minds our.

Perhaps our prison is the very moment that we dwell, forgetting the past, and blind to the future. A villain is built over years, not over weeks. And how shall we know we are not the new countenance of human disaster and desire? Small thing after small thing on the balance will tip the scales and show us our true nature.

Romans 1

24Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Who then can be saved?
With men, it is impossible. How can we exceed our times? Remembering the old, the wise, and the previous. How do we exceed our nature, our very existence? How do we exceed the bondage to humankind? We cannot.

Praise be to God, who unlike mankind, lived in an amazing way we cannot comprehend, and died in love to God, and not to self. Amazing grace, amazing love, how can it be? Indeed.

Colossians 1:23 - Accepting?

22But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—

It's never been so hard for accept something.
It is the Gospel that we accept. It's the Gospel that saves. But how sure can we be?

Some examples of my response

1. I know that its there, but I'm not sure - Imagine you were yanked out of a huge flood, saved from drowning, but you are still holding your breath
2. I know its free, but I'm not sure - It's like going to Costco for free food samples, unsure of the "free" aspect, and leaving behind some cash.
   
3. It's a gift, but I don't want it to be - Receive a brand new suit for your birthday. Then slowly pay back each person by hiding money in places they won't look.
4. You have peace with God, but .... - Its like the war is over, but you sit in your chair geared up, and waiting for enemy troops to come invade your country.

Remember : my currency is not prayer. My chasity is not money. My purity is not even mine to achieve, and it buys me nothing. Good things are not earned from God, they are given.

Colossians 2:1-5

1For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, 3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love,
Paul longs for hearts to be knit together in love! He longs for people he has never seen to before. He makes a strong connection in encouragement here. Note the participle, "being knit together in love". This phrase modifys encouraged, it answers the "how" question. The question is, what is being knit together with what?

1. Christians being knit to each other
2. Laodiceans being knit to paul
3. Christians being knit to God

All three of these choices can operate well with the "in love" modifier. One hint is the goal. If the goal is : to reach all the riches

1. We need each other as fellow believers to find the riches in christ
2. Very similar to the first
3. Christians now are knit with God to reach all the riches.

I will take the rule of nearest antecedent, and say that it is primarily choice 2, which extends to choice 1. Specifically Paul and laodecia is the reference. Some observations

1. Paul is talking about those who do not see him face to face : SEPARATION
2. Referring to "hearts that may be encouraged" referring specifically to believers' hearts

Running with this observation, unity of the heart is indispensible for the riches.

What are the riches

Full assurance of understanding - This sounds like a full guarantee, or a strong confidence of understanding.

Knowledge of God's Mystery - this is interesting because it is a mystery, how can we know it? But the mystery as stated is Christ.

which is Christ, 3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge
This answers a lot of issues. Why would we need confidence in comprehension? What is the dilemma.

The dilemma is this: what is God planning? Why all the convoluted revelation? What is it all for? Be assured. It is christ. In every way it is Christ. Why the pain? Why the suffering? what about the promises of old? Christ in every way. This is the mystery of God. Be confident, you know everything now.

which is Christ, 3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
There are two possibilities I consider here.
1. That the coming of Christ, his death and resurrection; in all that are treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
2. Christ himself, his character, his example contains treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Both choices seem legitimate, but the big hinge is the "in whom". The "in whom" seems to point to Christ as the person, and not so much as the fulfillment of Christ in the large salvific plan.

Christ was full of treasures of wisdom and knowledge. He was not full of treasures of popularity or power, or beautiful exterior. He brought knowledge, and living a poor physical life in comparison. How strange the wonder of our god to paint such interesting pictures.

Colossians 1:21-22 Enemy of hte mind?

21Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of^[f] your evil behavior. 22But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

Maybe Enemy of the mind refers the way God feels toward us.
One hint is in the context "reconciled you by Christ's physical body". Reconciled means to make peace, to correct. Is the enmity on both sides?

Man, the bible is difficult. What does "by Christ's physical body through death" mean?

On a side note, how can anyone study the bible without studying romans? Each of the epistles is a case study. All the epistles use the concepts found in romans to make their magic. If we could reference romans, this would be a much easier task.

Colossians 1:21-22 In continuation of Goodness

21Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of^[f] your evil behavior. 22But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

21Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of^[f] your evil behavior.

Well that's it folks. We've lost. We were enemies in our minds because of evil behavior. The interesting thing about this sentence is the order. We were alientated. We were enacted on. By what? What cause? If we look at Romans 1 we see that we were given up to our evil desires. Our hearts wandered far, and longed to be away from God, so god gave us to those desires. But this passage seems to imply differently. There is a phrase - "because of your evil behavior". Our repeated trespassing has brought us exclusion.

It is interesting that we were 2 things at once. 1.) Alienated from God, and 2.) Enemies in your minds. What does Enemies in your minds mean? The two phrases are definitely parallel, but not necessarily synonymous. Man.... english language. Perhaps it means

1. I think I'm an enemy
2. My mind is the only enemy, not my body

Ok.. im fizzling right now...

Romans 1: 18 and on

18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

28And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

I read a C.S. Lewis quote a while ago. It was something along the lines of:

"Imagine you are visiting a country, and find many of the people sitting around watching the slow unveiling of a piece of bacon. Wouldn't you think something was wrong with their appetites? It is not necessarily starvation, or not necessarily glutton"

and similarly from Merton:

"Only a good man knows what bad is. A bad man knows either. A good man would feel terrible about his badness, because he understands both good and evil. To the bad man, everything is quite evil, all the time."

The wrath of God is a scary thing. Our natural being is a pleasure sink. That sink is not easily plugged. As romans states, we were meant to see God and acknowledge him for who he is, yet we now find ourselves mucking around in the physical, trying to make up for the divine. What a travesty! Imagine! Trying to substitute a picture of pill rather than the real medicine. There are few resemblances, and even fewer common effects. Eating the picture will do nothing more than upset your stomach, medicine will make you feel better.

Ok, so that is not the best example, but I am of a finite mind. My only ability is to imagine the divine consistency. And how deep our sin is. The end of Romans i have cited states that we were given up to be full of all these nasty things. Perhaps the most terrible part is that we know them to be wrong, and yet we do them. The other terrible thing is that we encourage others to do them.

How bad are we really? And who's standard are we using to say so?

Most days I wake up and I don't feel that bad, short of a bad argument or a malicious deed the day before. If i sit at my favorite restaurant with my desired sandwich, I do not feel particularly evil. And yet we are. Our most blatant and blaring quality somehow goes unnoticed.

Maybe its because we are quite quite bad. I've always wondered just how bad we are. Many times we read Romans one and say, my, that sounds a lot like a horde of evil soldiers set on conquest, but by heavens, that does not describe myself.

What does 1 John say? If you say you do not have sin, you lie, and the truth is not in you? And also even what Merton said before, we are ignorant; the cause is the lack of any silver of good.

Who will save such a people?

Only God almighty.

From Piper 4 Mistakes I hope you don't make

From Piper's sermon - 4 mistakes not to make

1. Bigger is better than smaller
2. New is better than Old
3. Having is better than Being
4. Visible is better than invisible

This four points shot through my head in the middle of a Warcraft match. These little philosophical bullets penetrated my thought path and well, are still floating in the cerebellum. I marvel that but a few words can be so malleable to embody so many situations.

I am quite aware that some people don't know what to do with these small tidbits. Some people prefer sayings like "Don't waste your life", or "careful not to spend too much money". That is all fine and good. But for me, these sayings are the trees for the forest of application. Some of the very roots of healthy trees are these 4 truths. And no forest of maturity will grow, unless I have stable trees in every issue.

I could talk about larger is not necessarily better than smaller. There is david. There is the mustard seed. There is the small faith of hannah. There is the faith of abraham. There is the small faith of the centurion. Even small disciplines grow to be huge tidal waves. And we wonder why we cannot change.

We cannot learn to lift a car till we train ourselves with rocks, then with microwaves, then refrigerators, then ovens, and eventually cars. In the same way with our lord and the parallel battle of living holy and fighthing sin, let us plan similarly. Fight the week ones, then target the big ones.

It all starts small

Colossians 3:1-4

1So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

If there is any encouragement
This statement is a guarantee. There are many things that encourage, but if there is ANY encouragement in Christ, "complete my joy". "Of being in unity. Paul longs for unity in the church. His longing is that all people would be servants first.

Rivalry, conceit, humility, these are to be our garments, covering a heart that counts others to be much much more significant. It is his desire that we all care for others.

My roommate preached a message on this years ago.
"If you always are taking care of other people, who will take care of you?"

God will.
"But ...." Anything that follows those 3 little words is a lack of faith in our Lord God. Does he not promise all things? Why do we not have them? Because we do not have the knowledge or the wisdom.

Colossians 1:21-23

21And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation^[g] under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

3 Things Purposed by the dying of Christ's flesh

1. Present me Holy
2. Present me Blameless
3. Present me above reproach

Holy - having a spiritually pure quality, dedicated or devoted to the service of God
In all ways we are to be presented pure, and dedicated and devoted to God. Holy has the direct idea of God mixed in with the perfect purity. One can have a pure rock. But that purity has no connection with God or divinity. The word Holy added implies God's touch or interest in this particular object. "Pure rock" vs. "Holy rock" is very very different. "Holy" demands honor and reverence. "Pure" means uniform.

Blameless vs. above reproach - is there any difference here? Blameless is literally, without blame; there is no reason to blame this object. There is no fault to be had on our subject. Above reproach. Above is interesting, in comparison to something like "beyond reproach". In this phrase is a little concession that the object is indeed possible of being reproachable.

Being beyond reproach would imply that reproach would not dare come close to you. But being above reproach seems to say that the razor comes close, but we are still some distance from being cut.

if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard

Continuing on. Good tennis players do not make one good shot. Good bands do not put out one good song. Great people and great teams are the ones that perform above the standard consistently. Continue. What a strong word. The power of God changes. It does not avert, it does not detour, it does not delay. The power of God changes course, and that course must be followed. We must not follow empty channels in our journeys but hold to the hope of the Gospel.

What is that hope? That we may HAVE God. That we might know him! Why is knowing him of the utmost? It is because our hands are incapable, our eyes are unworthy, our hearing too weak. What shall contain Almighty? The fraction that can be HAD of God is in is word, and in the Holy Spirit that dwells in us. What containers do we have? The heart and the head.

Now how do we grip? How do we grab? How do we touch? Our minds and our hearts have no fingers and no palms. The only thing we are left with is great emotion for our lord in our hearts. To have God in our mind, we know him. It is not a knowing God like there is a test, or a structure that must be understood. No, knowing God is how we may have but a piece of him in our minds.

Disclaimer; by saying we "have" God, I am not implying that there is a limitation of God or an amount of God, that would be a blasphemey.

Oh hope, weak mind, weak heart, that we might be joined with God. Continue. Continue on the hope of the Gospel.

Colossians 1:11

• May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 12giving thanks^[d] to the Father, who has qualified you^[e] to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

One thing I will always admire about my father is his kind tone. It was warm, and felt trustworthy and sophisticated. Come to think of it, he never really had a lot of spunk, or slang. Reading this verse reminds me a lot of my father speaking to me.

"May you be". What humility! "May"! He didn't choose "should" or "could" or "definitely". It is a strong wish, much like a small child's wish for a gift. There is great uncertainty about what will happen, but that does not tarnish the gold and the iron resolve to wish all the more. How we have so moved beyond wishing. May we wish great things in our God who promises lavish promises to us! We don't throw pennies to a murky pond, but great thoughts and desires to the fountain of creation and life, YHWH.

"Strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might" This phrase brings to mind the very familiar boy's dream of being terribly powerful. All boys desire to be strong, courageous, a warrior of sorts, no matter what body we are gifted with. I imagine many many stories where the old master teaches his ways to his young apprentice, who has been entrusted with secret power. I also think of many stories where the young hero must sit and gather his great power for a difficult battle.

According to his glorious might. "According" means "along the same vein" or "as to be expected as" or "similar to". All power is parallel or similar to "his glorious might". What a peculiar topic! Do we see any glorious might before us? Do we see the potency of oblivion on display? Standard day to day living shows us very little of glorious might. What might we know of glorious might?

• He conquers death
  
• The world is upheld in constancy
• Our hearts go on without our commands

Note also
glorious = delightful; wonderful; completely enjoyable; brilliantly beautiful or magnificent
might = superior power or strength.

How utterly confusing these words are. How can there be beautiful strength? Or wonderful strength? And why are are reinforced by a beautiful/wonderful power/strength? If the battle demands "all" power. Why are we given "wonderful" strength?

• Guess: because Strongest power we are given is at the same time, the most wonderful news. Much like the best thing to do for an incapacitated soldier, is to give him his full health and fighting ability. What strong power, and also, how wonderful to have his arms and legs back!
  

All power must be gathered because of the coming battle. But what is the nature of the coming storm? what is it that should require "all power"?

"for all endurance and patience with joy"

The battle is not a dark wizard. No, it is not a band of thieves. it is not a long lost revenge seeking father either. It is fighting these foes day by day, repeatedly. Any small imp can topple strongholds given much persistence and determination. Perhaps this is why the bible sets us on that road also. One does not fight chess players with water guns, nor soldiers with 3-point basketball shots. Sword to sword, fist to fist, iron to iron.

The same persistent evil in the world that slowly steals at you must be fought with the same vigilance and determination. Each battle is dire. Distress is not to be given quarter either. If a battle is lost, vigilance must be preserved, do not cry over land lost, but press on for the land kept. And in the same way, conquer the darkness, our sin, our human weakness, ounce by ounce.

To do this for YEARS! What a thought. And to do so with JOY! Oh how weak our arms feel, and how hollow our legs seem. How can such a thing be possible? How can one be a such a soldier?

Only by Wonderful power.

Colossians 1:9-10

• asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord,

Spiritual wisdom. I think i've heard numerous numerous sermons on Spiritual Wisdom. Fingers on keyboard now, I cannot think of a solid definition. What is "spiritual" wisdom? And similarly, what is "spiritual" understanding?

Physical wisdom, well that sounds like telling people not to stab themselves. "Physical" in front of wisdom is the goal. Physical goodness, or peak performance is the goal, and then "wisdom" would be the maintenance, the path, or the choice.

Physical wisdom could also just classify what the wisdom is concerning. Wisdom of all things that are physical.

So, what is "spiritual" wisdom? It could be the choices and paths that lead to the highest/bestest spirit? Or it could just be wise things of all things that are spiritual.

I am even more perplexed about "spiritual" understanding. Can we really understand spirits? Watching some of Warner Bros. cartoons, such as Yugioh, gives me some interesting ideas. Spirits are captured in gold objects, and inhabit them waiting for unsuspecting teenagers with bad hairdos. One their hosts are possessed, then proceed to play demon bridge or hearts with other dead Spirits. Doesn't exactly strike me as divine.

The one aspect that colors a lot of these shows, stories, and tales is other-worldlyness. There is another world. There is more than what we see. There is another realm. Ok, so the other realm isn't filled with alternate universes, giants, midgets, or elvis presley, but its there. And God dwells there.

When i think about it, there are many elements that human kind has picked up on in "spirituality". It is just a pity that we do not assemble the ideas in the correct fashion. We do not take the hints to lead us to our culprit, God almighty. We fancy clue by clue, and try to imagine what sort of interesting magician has left us peculiar oddities. Where are the hungry? Where are the desperate? Have we become so inenebriated that we float physically, and spiritually now also?

With these two difficult terms, we are truely at a loss. Wisdom is indeed far better than much Gold. May the lord bless us with his understand from the word, and the principles assembled by the Holy spirit within us.

Colossians 1:9

• 9And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

Urgency. I hear a urgency. The pressing need of prayer, a constant request, repeatedly submitted to the lord.

Remember asking for a guitar many times. Repeatedly. When that phase ended. I continued again, like a shrinking lobbyist, rallying for more funds for poor little children on the street. Well, my desires were much more selfish. Timmy wanted a shiny new guitar. I remember pestering my folks for more money until they gave it to me. They didn't even give me the full amount, but i took what i could get. I wasn't even sure i would GET the money. Still, a hungry dog chasing after the steak I pressed on.

How humbling my prayer practice is in comparison.

It's the numbers, no, its the time, and even at the core, its just a weak desire. The enemy has me harrowed in on all fronts. From eye-viewed reality, circumstances loom closer. From mind-silo, thoughts seem exhausted. And From the hearth of my soul, the fountain seems to be drying up.

If I would only pray more.

It's a huge disconnect! HUGE! I feel the powerlessness. I feel the weakness. I feel the anxiety and the fear. Why not pray? Why not pray? Why not pray?

I just don't. What evil that is! Be amazed oh heavens, this tiny man has skipped and frisked his most deepest foundation! He has tried to hold his own breath under toxic, when a request would have fished him from the depths!