Dust in the wind...

MT 6, 7: And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits; and He instructed them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a mere staff--no bread, no bag, no money in their belt-- but to wear sandals; and He added, "Do not put on two tunics." And He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave town. "Any place that does not receive you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake the dust off the soles of your feet for a testimony against them."

Mishna [Keilim, 1:6-9] relates that there are ten levels of holiness in the Land of Israel - "the Land of Israel is holy, and Yerushalayim is holier than it, etc." Similarly, the verse says, "The remnant in Zion, and those left in Yerushalayim, shall be called holy" [Yeshayahu, 4:3].

From Soria, (the land that David conquered) to the Temple Mount, the land of milk and honey was layered in importance. This is not tradition, it is of God that this importance comes from. The nearer you get to Him, the holier the place of you're standing.

Yeshua clearly states that if you are not received, "shake the dust off your feet." He is stating that sanctification is in degrees and that if you won't even hear the message, or the Word, you are no where in Him. It is an all or nothing proposition. He will knock on your door. He will enter in. He will offer you the bread of life and fountains of living water. And if you don't receive Him or His followers...

You will be dust of the unholiest place.

You will be...?

The gatekeeper

Luke 7, 11: Soon afterwards He went to a city called Nain; and His disciples were going along with Him, accompanied by a large crowd. Now as He approached the gate of the city, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a sizeable crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, "Do not weep." And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise!" The dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother. Fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and, "God has visited His people!" This report concerning Him went out all over Judea and in all the surrounding district.

Widows in the Holy Land had no one to provide for them except a son. This is why Yeshua told Yohannon, "Son behold thy mother," ...and to Miriam..."woman behold thy son." Yeshua (Jesus) was telling John to take care of Mary as Jesus was no longer going to be able to fulfill that role.

When the women in Luke was burying her only son, she was burying her only hope for survival. When Yeshua came and touched the coffin, (the body wrapped in burial shrouds, carried by the bearers) and the bearers came to a halt.

When you have a vision or a dream that the Lord has given you. Don't let despair overtake your understanding. Everything is the Lord's. You own nothing. You don't even own your own soul, you are only responsible for it's condition. On that great day of judgement the Lord will decide where your soul will remain. You have no say in the matter, you only have a say in what you do with it in this world. During this event in Luke, the death of those circumstances was complete with one touch of God.

Lay your dreams on His altar and allow Him to have the glory of your success. How much greater will the celebration be for all when the crowds realize that it was not of your doing, but of the Lord's? God is infinite, and His love covers all. Your abilities are finite, and only cover you. Which reality inspires and fortifies the kingdom:?

There are many that try to be earthly gatekeepers. These individuals seek dominion over ideas, money, access, all of the commodities of this world. They trade character for control and power for peace.

Rom 8, 38 : For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When the widow's dream left the confines of the walls of her understanding and come into contact with the Creator, new life issued forth. We find out that the ultimate gatekeeper is our "self" and our walls of unrestrained pride. With a simple touch, the gates were flung open and the widow's dream restored.

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock"...


The Gate Keeper

Going, going...gone

Joh 3:30 : "He must increase, but I must decrease...

The current situation you find yourself in is only today's predicament. What will you do about the eternal question laid before you by your Savior? "Feed my sheep, Love one another as I have loved you, Leave the ninety and nine behind and go after the one...

Money won't solve the immediate anymore than it will solve the future. 1Ch 29:15 : "For we are sojourners before You, and tenants, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow..." There is no provision that you may provide for yourself or family that can be compared to being clothed in His provision. If you are your Father's son, and your Father knew you from the beginning, then does not your Father know what you need? "You have not because you ask not." What is Jesus saying? That if we ask He'll give us the posessions that we desire and the life of leisure we dream?

Jesus is saying that If you want eternal life it is yours for the taking. It is about eternal, indestructible issues, not dust and chaff to be blown in the wind. No man comes to this until he has given up his desires and asks to be a useful tool of the kingdom. When that happens, whatever riches come your way will be as trash thrown upon the fire. Wealth is measured in the closeness to the King of King, being so near to Him that His knocking on hour door is as your very own heartbeat.

You can absolutely attain that nearness that He desires from His sons and daughters, first you must decrease that He might increase. Like a fire burns the slag and only the gold remains, you must reduce yourself till you're...

going, going...gone.

03 02 01

Dates are an important part of life. How could a modern society survive without the Julian Calendar or the cycles of the moon? (a plug for my Jewish friends). However when did God become involved with dates and times and busy schedules?
 
Php 4:6 :Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. To take your cares and cast them on the water is hard for some and easier for others. The dichotomy of a man confident in the peace of Christ and the man worrying where his next meal is coming to represent the split twin compasses that guide us in life.

Do I trust God in all my heart to provide and open doors for my future or do I go try to make a world for myself devoid of His influence and favor? What do I do when the rough patches come time after time after time?

One must come to the place where the relationship is so close that even though you haven't been invited to dinner, you know the table is set. There is a seat ready for you. How you handle the rough patches may lead more men to Christ than any words you might say.

In the words of St. Augustine: "go to all the corners of the earth and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, and if you absolutely have to...open your mouth."

Sing His praises in everything you do. Focus on the verticle relationship and the horizon will be limitless. The days and weeks will blur into a tapestry of forgiveness, love and understanding.

How am I able to be anxious for nothing?

Happy anniversary Amanda.

Million Dollar Lie...

Once again the country's elites have bestowed the golden statue on a film that promotes the worst of values...murder.
From none other than Clint Eastwood, the rough and tumble rider has indeed ridden into the sunset. Whatever moral compass he used in the past to produce his work, true north is not to be found in this story about giving up and letting go.

Scheduled to come out in 05, after pre-screening the move was rushed out for a December release. More on this story can be read at the following site:

million dollar pay out...