Running After Papa – Page 21 – Discipline. Faith. Obedience. Endurance.

God’s Holiness [1 Cor 5:9-11]

I Corinthians 5:9-11 (NIV)

9 I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (1 Co 5:9-11). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Is this not a command on living holy lives? If I am not supposed to associate with someone who calls himself a believer and lives as the world lives, then that would also mean that as a believer I am not suppose to live that way… yes? I am so tired of seeing men who claim to be believers, who claim to have had a life changing encounter with Father God, treat him with such carelessness and apathy. I have seen men get free of the crap in their lives, those strongholds that so easily ensnare us and then like a dog returning to their vomit, walk (willingly)back into sin again – knowing full well that God will forgive them again… and again… and AGAIN.

Is there that little regard for the holiness of God? Is there that little “…fear of the LORD..”? Woe is me, should I take God’s grace for granted! He IS merciful – thank you Lord – but lest we forget that he is also Holy and Just.

I am a firm believer that when someone truly encounters the Living God, you cannot NOT be changed. When we really – and I mean really – get into the presence of God, we walk away changed. We cannot help but be changed by His presence. My fear is that all too many people get to the shoreline of the ocean of his presence and dip their toes in and call that a “transformational” experience with God.

Look at Romans 12:9-21 (The Message) for how to live this life we are CALLED to live…

9–10 Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

11–13 Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.

14–16 Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy; share tears when they’re down. Get along with each other; don’t be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don’t be the great somebody.

17–19 Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody. Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.”

20–21 Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don’t let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.

Peterson, E. H. (2002). The Message : The Bible in contemporary language (Ro 12:8-21). Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress.

I’m telling you, we are commanded to live this way. Read the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). This is a pretty good summary of those passages and that sermon that Jesus gave.

Would Jesus command us to do something we were in capable of doing? There is, on more than one occasion, where Jesus himself says “Go and sin no more.” (John 5:14, John 8:11) I’m tired of giving into sin, whatever that sin may be, if it’s being judgmental, if it’s getting angry or hateful, if it’s pride (and it always boils down to pride)… whatever it is… it is all SIN and it is PUTRID in the nostrils of the God I love and serve. My Father in Heaven is holy and worthy of my best and He calls me to live differently. He calls me to die to my selfishness and my flesh – which is all sinning is – giving in to what “I” want to do and not what He wants me to do.

Action Items:

Renew my mind by memorize Romans 12:9-21 from The Message
Train up my kids in the way that they should go by having them memorize this passage.

Father God, You are so holy. I am not. Help me to die to my rotten, stinking flesh today. Live my life through me according to Galatians 2:20 today. Let it be to me according to thy word! May I become a living example of Romans 12:9-21 so that people don’t see me when they look at this flesh-pod, but they see the Jesus in me. Keep me forever humbled before you and live through me so that I might not sin against you. If and when I fail, make me quick to repent in true humility and sincere brokenness before You. You are my life and I die to myself before you today. In Jesus’ name, let it be.

Running After Papa…

Orienteering – Map and Compass

A few weeks ago I took my son on one of his favorite Cub Scout events. It’s called Cub-O. It’s an all-day outdoor, orienteering event where the Cub Scouts learn to read and follow maps with a compass to various “flags” all over the Scout Camp. Each “flag” is worth a some point level (5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40) and the object is to get as many points as you can in the 2-hour competition window.

As I said, this is on of my son’s favorite events and this was our third or fourth year to go. However, on this particular event, Papa dropped a little manna my way and I’ve been chewing on it for a few weeks, letting it marinade and watching as Daddy gave me a small piece of the puzzle, a little at a time. It wasn’t until 2 weeks later that I had, what I thought was a semi-complete thought pattern / and spiritual lesson. Saying that, know this is a work in progress. We will see how Papa adds to it as time goes on. I was able to give this as a devotional to a group of close friends and was encouraged to share it on my blog… so here goes.

Let’s start with some definitions:

MAP – Webster defines a map as a “…representation of a flat surface” … it is also defined as “… to plan in detail.” These are both very good and pertinent definitions. Basically the Map at Cub-O was a representation of Sid Richardson Scout Camp at Lake Bridgeport. It showed elevation changes, trees, valleys, rivers, power lines, clear paths, obstacles, etc. Maps are drawn in relation to a fixed point – in this case Magnetic North. So there are magnetic north lines that run all the way the length of the map, for references. A map will also, if you know how to read it, tell you where you are, where you want to be, how to get there and what you might encounter (good and bad) along the way – depending on the route you take.

COMPASS – Webster defines a compass as “… an instrument that indicates direction.” The compass, when used correctly, marks the direction we are to take to get to the destination we are seeking. The compass is used to help up get from where we are to ANYWERE on the map.

ORIENT – Webster defines orient (by the way, this is a verb) as “… to set or arrange in any determinant position, especially in relation to the points of a compass” and also as “… to set right by adjusting to facts and principles.” To orient oneself is to adjust the direction by which I am heading based on my compass reading.

OK. So, in case you don’t know how this works in real-life, let me briefly describe what they teach the boys at Cub-O.

Open the MAP where you can read it.
Identify where you are – this is not always as easy as it seems. There are no “YOU ARE HERE” dots like at the mall or the zoo! This is done by looking at the surroundings around you and finding those same things on the map.
Locate your destination, at Cub-O it’s the next “flag” on your plan.
ORIENT the COMPASS to the MAP. This is done by aligning the magnetic north lines of the MAP with the “guide” lines in the COMPASS dial. This makes sure that your map and compass are aligned properly and that the “north” point of the compass point is pointing north.
Once you’ve ORIENTED the compass to the map, then you ORIENT your body with the COMPASS. This means you hold the COMPASS flat and keep the “north” point of the dial in the “north” marking (on my compass it’s the red side of the dial in the red markings).
Walk in the direction of the arrows on the compass. As long as you keep the COMPASS aligned, you will walk in a straight line to your next destination.
Continually monitor your surroundings, the obstacles, the trees, the grassy parts, the elevations changes so that you can see you are or are not on track.

Hopefully that’s clear as mud, but the spiritual application is much easier to see…

The MAP

Let’s start with the MAP. Doesn’t that sound a lot like the WORD of God… the Bible… the WRITTEN WORD (Logos) of God? Isn’t God’s word written in relation to a “fixed point” i.e. Jesus? Doesn’t the Bible tell you where you are, where you want to be, how to get there and what kind of obstacles or blessings you may encounter along the way – depending on the choices you make? Isn’t the Word of God what we use “… to plan in detail” what God is calling us to be?

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:7-8, NIV)

“”I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man. “Keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn,” (1 Kings 2:2-3, NASB95)

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NIV)

These passages reference the WRITTEN word of God, the MAP, per se. What is the result? “Then you will be prosperous and successful” and “…that you may succeed in all you do and wherever you turn.”

The COMPASS

Now, let’s turn to the COMPASS. This was one of the missing “pieces of the puzzle” as God began to reveal this word in me. As I sought His wisdom and what he was saying, He showed me that the compass, in spiritual context, is the SPOKEN WORD.

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:10-11, NASB95)

The Hebrew word for “word” in verse 11 is dabar and means 1. statement, what is said, word, saying, message, communication.2. speaking,

If the compass is the spoken word, then where are those spoken words coming from? Jesus tells us where all spoken words come from.

“Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.” (John 8:43-47, NLT)

If, according to our definition, a compass is “… an instrument that indicates direction,” then those spoken words (either by a person, or the thoughts within our head) are one of two things. According to Jesus, all spoken words are either TRUTH or LIES.

So how do we discern those words we hear to be truth (from God) or lies (from the enemy)?

ORIENT The Map

Reviewing our definition of ORIENT is to “… to set right by adjusting to facts and principles.” Can we agree that “facts & principles” represent TRUTH?

This is where it gets really interesting, because 2 Cor 10:1-6 tells me that it’s not at all easy out there.

“The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity. ” (2 Corinthians 10:3-6, The Message)

This is a powerful verse! Not only does it say that we could have two conflicting points of reference / direction, but it also tells us exactly what the final destination is! “…building lives of obedience into maturity.”

So the first step we take is to orient the SPOKEN WORD (COMPASS) to the WRITTEN WORD (MAP) – sound familiar? – Does the word I am hearing align with the truth of the Scripture? This is critical because if it doesn’t, then we’ll be working with a broken compass and heading in EXACTLY OPPOSITE of where we want to go. This is why Paul said in 2 Corinthians that we are to be “… taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ…” (2 Cor 10:5-6 NASB) because Jesus said there is an enemy whose sole purpose is to “…kill, steal, and destroy…”
(John 10:10) all that God has laid up for us. So we first “…set right by adjusting to facts and principles” the spoken word against the written word (the truth).

ORIENT Your Self

Now that I’ve taken every word (thought) captive to determine it’s truth, now comes the really hard part! The second part of orienteering is to orient my self (my body) to that spoken word, to that truth that will lead me into maturity. What does that look like? James has a idea….

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4, NIV)

Persevere… Embrace trails with joy… OUCH!

I want to review a verse we mentioned earlier….

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:10-11, NASB95)

I was really bothered by the last half (all of verse 11) and I asked the Lord “what does that mean?” Here was his reply ( I have to thank my friend Michael for helping me decipher the word spoken to me (he helped me orient the compass to the map!)

“Bryan, Although I can be, I’m not always going to be the loudest voice in the room. I’m not going to speak intimate and personal things into you until you are in a position to receive them and hear me. (I have to orient myself to the compass) I have said in my Word, my spoken word will not return void, so if you are not listening, then I cannot speak into you. I do not change and I cannot go against my written word. When you are aligned and in a position to hear me, then I will speak those truths that move you into a life of obedience into maturity. Because My word cannot return void and cannot return without accomplishing what I desire, then I have to know you are going to hear and receive My word.”

Can I just say WOW! That has put a whole new perspective on my time with Him.

Daddy, I am awed by YOU! I cannot ever get over how much you pursue and how much you love me. To know that you are always watching, waiting to see when I am going to be in a position to hear you and receive Your words of life. I am overwhelmed with your goodness and your continual mercy towards me. Help me Father to listen intently. Help me to align those words I hear with the truth of the Scripture and then align myself with your truth. Help me keep my account short with you so that nothing hinders my communication and relationship with you. Draw me close to you because you’ve promised in your Word that if I draw near to You, you will draw near to me. Meet me in the daylight and meet me after sundown. Thank you for loving me enough to speak into me and to know my every thought, need, want and desire. I submit my self to you and your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Running After Papa…

X-Rays & Hearbeats (Ps 27:4)

Psalms 27:4 (NIV) “One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.”
The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Ps 27:4). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

I had a friend years ago who was studying to be a Chiropractor. As we looked at my x-rays, I asked him how do they see small fractures, dislocations, or any other abnormality. I was surprised at his answer. “We look at hundreds and hundreds of normal x-rays. Then when one comes that is not normal, it’s easy to spot. In the same way, they are trained to listen to hundreds and hundreds of heartbeats through the stethoscope so that when they hear one that’s abnormal, it’s easy to catch it.”

Isn’t that a great picture of a spiritual truth? With regard to my own transformation into His likeness (who is the only normal X-ray) I need only look at Jesus, to “gaze upon the beauty of the Lord“, hundreds of times, to know what the standard is. When I KNOW the normal X-ray, then I easily spot those “abnormalities” in my own life.

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 16 (NIV) But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (2 Co 3:16-18). Grand Rapids: Zondervan

Transformation into the likeness of Jesus is the goal. In order to do that, I have to get rid of all the “abnormalities”, all the crap, a.k.a. SIN, in my life. An unconfessed sin in my heart is very much like a hairline fracture. If I don’t heal it, it will get worse, causing more pain and eventually could lead to other, more costly and painful, issues. God is so cool! I love how everything in nature sings his name and proclaims truth about Him.

In order to heal my “fractures”, I have to confess my sin to Him.

1 John 1:8-9 (NLT) 8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
Tyndale House Publishers. (2004). Holy Bible : New Living Translation. “Text edition”–Spine. (2nd ed.) (1 Jn 1:8-9). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.

The crucial part of that step is to confess it in brokenness and true repentance. The Book of James says we should turn our laughter to mourning and my joy to gloom and humble myself before the Lord (James 4:8-10).

Father,

I am so thankful that you are the perfect example… the “normal X-ray” for me to learn from! I pray that your revealing light will shine its light in my life – in all the nooks and cranny’s exposing those “hairline fractures” and those “abnormal heartbeats”. Father God, break my heart over my sin. Show me my cesspool and just how much my sin is putrid in your nostrils. Show me my sin Father so that I might confess it to you so you can cleanse me and make me whole; then I can make my life a living sacrifice that his holy and pleasing in your sight and in your nostrils. In Jesus’ mighty name I pray.

Running After Papa…

Heavenly Cologne [Song of Songs 4:9-15]

As you know, the Song of Solomon is not only the marriage manual, but it is also an allegory of Father God and the Church (which is you and I). In that context, I am awestruck by the first words of our Lover (Father God) on the marriage night with his bride. This is Father God speaking to each and every one of us.

“Behold, you are beautiful, my love, behold, you are beautiful! ….” (Song of Solomon 4:1, ESV)

Do you see yourself as beautiful to Father? I am quite used to singing about His beauty, but I am very unaccustomed and unconfortable – especially as a man – to seeing myself as beautiful in the eyes of God. To be honest, I often struggle with this, yet I believe it is crucial to view myself through God’s eyes and not those of my enemy or my flesh.

“Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, come with me from Lebanon. Come down from Mount Amana, from the peaks of Senir and Hermon, where the lions have their dens and leopards live among the hills.” (Song of Solomon 4:8, NLT)

God is calling me – calling us – to come away with Him. To come out of those places where lions and leopards roam, hunt, and devour. He is our protector and we are safe with him and He passionately loves and adores his bride (which is you and me!) With this new perspective – read the following passage. Note: The term “sister” is actually a romantic term of endearment – from the Hebrew word ‘achowth (אָחֹות) – of which, one of the meanings is “beloved”, “bride”, “of intimate connection”.

“You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride; you have captivated my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace. How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much better is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your oils than any spice! Your lips drip nectar, my bride; honey and milk are under your tongue; the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon. A garden locked is my sister, my bride, a spring locked, a fountain sealed. Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates with all choicest fruits, henna with nard, nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense, myrrh and aloes, with all chief spices— a garden fountain, a well of living water, and flowing streams from Lebanon.” (Song of Solomon 4:9-15, ESV)

The Lover of our souls is captivated with us! Isn’t that wild? Read the passage again and this time look at all the references to the senses, just in this passage. I underlined all the sights, smells, sounds, tastes, textures in this passage. Father captured my attention in Song of Songs on how many reference to physical senses (touch, taste, smell, sight, sound) there are, but has drawn me particularly to the sense of smell. I believe He has something awesome to show us. Did you see all the fragrances in this one passage? There are tons of references to smell, not just in this passage, but in the whole book of Song of Songs.

One night on my Quest, I was overwhelmed by the realization of how my sin must smell to Father God. I heard a speaker one time, that likened the depravity of our souls to the foulest stench of a cesspool. This picture has haunted me and is something that for the last 18 months continues to come to mind. When He convicts me of my sin, be that a judgmental attitude or act (the greatest struggle I face today), or some other prideful or selfish act, I wonder what I that smells like to Him. It causes me to wonder what I smell like to Him, all the time… even right now as I sit here writing this devotional. I often wonder if I am so accustomed to my own stench that I am unaware of some unconfessed sin, some unearthed root of bitterness, or some unrelinquished anger I am holding onto – stinking up his nostrils.

Our ability to smell and various odors is an amazingly potent stimulus. Bruce Turetsky, a University of Pennsylvania associate psychiatry professor, suggests that different scents may “have a greater ability to bring up an emotional memory in you than seeing a picture or hearing a voice.” How many times have you smelled cookies, turkey, cinnamon, (_fill _in_the_blank_) and it stirs up some deep rooted memory that you haven’t thought of in years? All of a sudden you remember a time, way back when, at Grandma’s house, or at a Doctor’s office, or whatever. Our sense of smell is amazing. One of my favorite parts about the Discovery Channel’s show “Dirty Jobs” is when the host – Mike Rowe – in the midst of what looks like the foulest, yuckiest, stinky-est, muck around – stares right into the camera with that perplexed, yet disgusted look and a says, “I wish you could smell this!”

In the context of smell, Father has dumped several thoughts on me and I’m going to try to put them together in as concise a fashion as possible.

Not By My Own Sight:
It is commonly known that people who lose one of their physical senses (e.g. sight, hearing, etc.) often experience a heightened sensitivity to their other senses. In other words, they hear things they never heard before; they smell things they have never smelled before, etc. I believe Father is telling me, telling us, that we often rely too much on our own sight – on what we “see”.

“Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” (John 12:3, NIV)

Judas saw an extravagant offering and objected to it. Jesus reprimanded him for his short-“sightedness”. I submit that the fragrance that filled Father God’s nostrils that night wasn’t that of the nard, but that of Mary’s heart and devotion. She was living out “… walk by faith, not by sight.”
Father wants us to walk in His sight, not by our own sight.

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1, ESV)

God is calling me to look through His Eyes at myself, and not my own eyes. It’s also a call not to look at myself through the jaded eyes of my enemy, the Devil. Revelations says that the Devi
l stands before God day and night continually accusing the Saints. My accuser wants me to see myself as defeated, as a loser, as a liar, as a cheat, as … . That is NOT how Father God sees me. That is now how the Lover of my soul sees me. He sees me as Beautiful. (Song 4:1) But, I’m a sinner… how can he see me as beautiful? Because of the cross….
Confession:
I have been praying about a statement I wrote earlier, “I often wonder if I am so accustomed to my own stench that I am unaware of some unconfessed sin, some unearthed root of bitterness, or some unrelinquished anger I am holding onto – stinking up his nostrils?” Humanity’s sense of smell is not as acute as other creatures of God’s creation, for example, the dog. I’ve heard it said that a dog’s sense of smell is hundreds of times sharper than ours. Where you and I smell a cake when we come into a room, a dog does not smell a cake, but smells each individual ingredient in the cake: flour, sugar, eggs, baking soda, milk, and so on. This is why I can’t always see or smell myself. When I come home from a run, I stink. I don’t smell it because I’ve become accustomed to it as I “became stinky.” When I get stinky (and usually it’s my wife that tells me I do) I can go throw on a little deodorant, or cologne to cover it up. I know that when I can smell my own stink, I’m in a BAD WAY!!! I believe there is a spiritual truth here. If good things smell good and sin stinks, I smell the “overall” fragrance. Father does not. God smells each individual fragrance, aroma, and odor. I can cover it up so I don’t smell anything stinky at all, but that not what He wants. He doesn’t want me to cover it up, or blend it in; He wants to wash me out and cleanse me of all unrighteousness. How? Confession as He convicts me.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,” (Ephesians 5:25-26, NIV)

In this passage, God is the husband and he is washing his wife (us) clean.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, ESV)
Growth & Usage: Once we’re clean, then Papa wants to put on the sweet fragrances of Heaven. He wants to douse us up with his cologne. Father’s “cologne” for us is Christ living in us, our transformation, and our spiritual growth and sacrifice.

“But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.” (2 Corinthians 2:14-15, NLT)

Those fragrances – that cologne of Heaven – are varied and fragrant as we live transformed lives and grow in our walk. We all know that fruits have various smells and individual and attractive scents. Oranges don’t smell like apples, bananas don’t smell like figs. I believe to Father – who can smell every individual scent – the fruits of the Holy Spirit each have their own individual aroma and fragrance (Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control). A stagnant and rotted fruit stinks. Again, this is another spiritual truth. We have to continue to grow in the Lord. We have to continue to grow those fruits. I have to continue to nurture and feed and create an atmosphere for the growth of the Fruits. Just like a stagnant pond stinks and kills the life in it, a stagnant life stinks to Father and kills the relationship living in it. We can’t become stagnant – we have to continually strive or more growth, because we NEVER arrive, until God brings us home.

I submit each virtue also carries it’s unique fragrance as we live out in our transformation, as in 2 Peter 2:5-7.

“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.” (2 Peter 1:5-7, ESV)

Those who are fortunate enough to know what the fragrance of true Freedom smells like, must continue to hone our sense of smell to live in that Freedom. We have to learn to hunt down that scent and be attentive to the individual fragrances, not the “overall smell”. It’s not about the overall smell, it’s all about pure fragrance and how Our Lover sees us. He washes us and cleanses us. He puts his cologne all over us. He relishes in our fragrance as he passionately pursues and woos and romances us.

Take Away’s

See ourselves through the eyes of Father God.
A regular life of confession and repentance.
Tend to the garden of Spiritual Fruit and Character.

A good friend of mine summarized this devotional well after he read it saying.

“I see the dichotomy very clearly now. We have a clear choice to make as believers: His fragrance or our stench.”

I think that sums it up pretty well….

Running After Papa….

Armor Up! [Ephesians 6:13-18]

I thought I’d post part of my daily prayer and quiet time around the Spiritual Armor of God.

Eph 6:13-18 NIV

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:13-18, NIV)

Belt of Truth – I pray that I would live in, understand, discern, love and pursue truth today. I pray that I would speak truth and would hear truth. I would evaluate everything in the light of God’s truth. I pray against misunderstanding and confusion.
Breastplate of Righteousness – I have no righteousness in me. The only righteousness is that of Jesus Christ. I have nothing to bring to the table so help me today to walk in humility, considering all others better than myself. Because I have no righteousness of my own, I have no room to be prideful.
Feet Fitted with Gospel of Peace – May there be peace everywhere I place my foot today. Father, help me to be prepared to give an accounting of the joy that is within me today. Help me be ever prepared to tell the story of your grace to those whom you put in my path and to recognize those divine appointments. Help me be prepared to go where you send me and take your gospel of peace.
Shield of Faith – Help me wield my faith well today. Help me stand fully behind my faith and face the adversary. As your word says, help me extinguish every fiery arrow the enemy lobs my way today. Enlarge my faith and my shield today.
Helmet of Salvation – Guard my eyes from things I shouldn’t see. Guard my ears from things I shouldn’t hear. Guard my mind from things I shouldn’t think. Father, help me see you and hear you today. Help me tune into your frequency to hear you above all the other noises and distractions. Help me only do what I see you doing and say what I hear you saying. Help me to discern and hear others correctly so there is no miscommunication or misunderstanding.
Sword of the Spirit – Help me keep my sword sharpened today and ready to be drawn. May I lop off the enemy’s head with one mighty blow. Help me continue to hide your word in my heart as I memorize Scripture. Help me today to review and remember that which I’ve memorized so that my shield stays sharp, ready to use in a moments notice.
Pray in the Spirit – Help me to pray always today, every kind of prayer and petition. Holy Spirit, intercede for me today, praying for those things which I do not no how to pray for.
Be Alert – Father, hone my sensitivity to the spiritual to recognize when I, my family, or my brothers are under attack. Do not let me wander about aimlessly or ignorant to the enemy’s plans, attacks or intentions. I am your warrior, You are my God!

Running after Papa…

Created to DO! (Eph 2:10)

Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“

I used to have the wrong perspective on this verse. When I read it, I thought God prepared me to do good works. This left me always looking around for what God prepared me for. I needed to figure out what he made me to do. Does that make sense? Have you ever felt that way?

Look at the same verse in The Message version.

Ephesians 2:10 (The Message) “He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.“

This has TOTALLY changed my perspective on this verse! I had it all backwards. God is moving and doing in the lives of people… period. He doesn’t need me to accomplish His plan. However, he wants me to join him in what HE IS ALREADY DOING! He is preparing the work for me to do.

Example… I lead a den of 4th grade cub scouts. When we “do” our meetings, before they come, I prepare for them what we are going to do. If we are going to do a craft, I may lay out the supplies. I may pre-cut some wood or paper shapes. I may make sure the crayons and markers are available. I may pre-trace a pattern. You get the idea…

God does the same thing for me! He just wants to me be alert to what he’s prepared for me. Check this out…

Ephesians 6:18 (NIV) “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep praying for all the saints.“

This passage is the last of the “Armor of God” passage (Eph 6:10-18). If I’ve got my armor on and am standing in defense to the Enemy’s attack; if with the shield of faith I am extinguishing all the fiery arrows of the evil one; if I am constantly praying in the Spirit, then all the distractions will be gone. That which remains would likely be what the Lord has gotten ready for me to do… that which He wants me to join him in doing!

Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NIV) “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.“

Father, I pray that I’m armored up and prayed up so that I might join you in the work you are already doing. Thank you for preparing the work ahead of time you want me to do. Amen

Running After Papa…

Who? What? (Eph 1:11)

Ephesians 1:11 (The Message) 11 It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for.

Who am I and what am I living for?

Ephesians 1:7-9 (The Message) Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making.

For one, I am a free man. Abundantly free!
Second, I am provided for. He thought of everything,[and] provided for everything we could possibly need…
Next, I am included. … letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making.

Can you just see Father up there all giddy with happiness as He contemplates the plans he made for each and every one of us? I can just see Him laughing and giggling saying “He’s gonna LOVE this!”, “Oh! This is going to knock her socks off!”, or “Wow, when he learns this lesson, he is going to grow, GROW, GROW!”

From where does my identity come? From being in Christ. If I truly die to my flesh – die to my self – then and ONLY then can Christ live IN me and THROUGH me. Remember the key verse: It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. (Eph 1:11)

Living in my flesh, I am a Son of Adam.

Dying to my flesh, I am a Son of the Living God.

In dying to my self, I am alive. I become the hands and feet of Jesus on earth.

So I ask you. WHO are you? WHAT are you living for? (Continued on the next post…)

Running After Papa…

Are You Satisfied? (2 Pet 1:5-11)

2 Peter 1:5-11 (New King James Version)

⁵ But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, ⁶ to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, ⁷ to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. ⁸ For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

¹⁰ Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; ¹¹ for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The New King James Version. 1982 (2 Pe 1:5-11). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

What does “diligent” mean?

dil•i•gent \ˈdi-lə-jənt\ adj

: characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic effort : painstaking 〈a diligent worker〉 syn see busy — dil•i•gent•ly adv

Merriam-Webster, I. (2003). Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary. Includes index. (Eleventh ed.). Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, Inc.

busy \ˈbi-zē\ adj

1 a : engaged in action : occupied

b : being in use 〈found the telephone busy〉

2 : full of activity : bustling 〈a busy seaport〉

3 : foolishly or intrusively active : meddling

4 : full of distracting detail 〈a busy design〉 — busi•ly \ˈbi-zə-lē\ adv — busy•ness

Merriam-Webster, I. (2003). Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary. Includes index. (Eleventh ed.). Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, Inc.

Someone I love very much told me recently (not in these exact words) that he was satisfied with his relationship with the Lord. I was shocked. I’m not quite sure how to respond to such a statement. I personally don’t understand it, now. But then the Lord began to remind me of how there was a time when I too was satisfied with my relationship with him.

I heard a very wise preacher last night, one who has been in the pastorate for over 50 years, talk about this passage. He read the definition of “diligent”. I began to ask myself if I was being diligent in my relationship with Christ. Would Father find me “characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic effort” in my pursuit of Him? Could I be considered “engaged in action”; “being in use”; “full of activity” in adding to my faith the listed characteristics? (virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, love) That’s a lot of “adding to”!

Satisfaction leads to passiveness. Passiveness leads to stagnation. Stagnation leads to sin. James 4:17 says “Anyone then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” Why wouldn’t someone do what they know they ought? Because they’re satisfied with where they are.

There was a time a couple of years ago when I was the same way. I was blind to my passivity. I was blind to my pride. I honestly thought that I was a really good guy. I used to marvel when my pastor would say from the pulpit, “I have so many faults and rough areas in my life that God is dealing with me on.” I couldn’t understand it. I couldn’t honestly think of very many faults where I needed to work. Boy was I blind!

About 16 months ago, I went on a Quest. On my Quest, I discovered how blind I really was and how bound I really was in my sin. On my Quest, I learned what it really meant to love and serve my wife. Just ask her. I can honestly say that this past year or so has been the best year of our marriage in 17 years…. by leaps and bounds! Note: we didn’t have a bad marriage before hand, but we have an amazing marriage now.

Even more than the transformation of my marriage, I discovered what a relationship really is with Father God. I never really knew what that meant growing up. He was so big, so invisible and so far away. I didn’t hear Him. I didn’t KNOW Him. On my Quest, I discovered that He was there all the time. I learned how to hear Him. I heard Him speak things over me that I will never forget. I gained my identity as one of God’s beloved sons. For the first time in perhaps forever, the Bible came alive. I cannot wait to dig into God’s word daily.

For the first time in our marriage, I became the spiritual leader that my wife had been praying for.

What I discovered is that my Quest was not an event, but the beginning of a journey…. a lifelong journey of a real relationship with God. A relationship that I pursue daily, hourly. I yearn for time with Father.

I will NEVER be satisfied with my relationship with Father. I want to continue to be diligent to add to my faith to get to the point at the end of verse 10 “…if you do these things you will never stumble…“. Every day I want to close the gap between where I am and where He is. I only pray the same for you.

Running After Papa…

Because He Is Worthy (Ps 135:1-3)

“Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord; Praise Him, O you servants of the Lord! You who stand in the house of the Lord, In the courts of the house of our God, Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; Sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant.” (Psalm 135:1-3, NKJV)

Can I share something with you? This past month Father has really shown me something that has changed my whole perspective. He has really rocked my world a little. I believe there are some of you here, tonight, that need to hear what I am going to say.

A month or so ago, I was trying to have an extended, dedicated worship time with the Lord and I kept getting distracted by different things around me, things that annoyed me, at one point I got a migraine headache. I was getting angry and frustrated because I so wanted to enter into uninterrupted worship with God. As I sat in my frustration, Father God began to download this thought into my mind.

“I am God. I am Holy. I am worthy of your praise all the time. I am worth of your praise regardless of your surroundings. I am worthy of your praise just because of who I AM.”

Wow! That blew my mind. I have been chewing on this for the last 4 or 5 weeks and it t has certainly gone beyond that time and moment. It has created a monumental shift in my attitude of praise of my Father. You see, here is the truth He has revealed to me…

My circumstances change, my surroundings change, and my “feelings” change – sometimes moment by moment. But my God, my Heavenly Father, the only God of the entire Universe, The Creator of Everything – MY GOD NEVER CHANGES. If He is worthy of my praise when all is well, then He is ALWAYS worthy of my praise!

I may have a lot on my mind from the day or from work, but God is still worthy of my praise.
I may not feel like singing this song, but God is still worthy of my praise.
I may not know or like the song the leader chose, but God is still worthy of my praise.
I may have a migraine or the flu, but God is still worthy of my praise.
The person next to me may not be able to carry a tune in a bucket, but God is still worthy of my praise.
The person next to me may be talking on the cell phone, but God is still worthy of my praise.
I may be carrying the biggest burden of my life, but God is still worthy of my praise.
I may not be able to pay my house payment or my bills, but God is still worthy of my praise.
There may be a baby crying in the sanctuary, but God is still worthy of my praise.
I may have just lost my job, but God is still worthy of my praise.
I may be dying to a terminal disease, but God is still worthy of my praise.
I may be ________(fill in the blank)_______, but God is still worthy of my praise.

You see, when I let other things distract me or prevent me from praising Him – just because of who He is – then I have let something else come before God. The Bible is pretty clear about this. It made one of the top 10 – “You shall have no other gods before Me.” I don’t know about you, but my Bible calls that idolatry. So can I invite you to give praise to the God of the Universe, the creator of all, the one who died for you and me, just because he is worthy? Can I invite you to totally abandon yourself to praise and personal worship of Him today? Can I ask you to examine your heart and make sure there is nothing else before Him in your life as you enter into His presence?

Running After Papa…

It’s All Crap! (Phil 3:8)

Phil 3:8 (NIV) ⁸What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ

In the previous verses, Paul describes his life up until his point of conversion. He had a life of status, power and position. He was IT when it came to the Law. He was a Jew’s Jew. He had achieved much in the realm of his chosen path. In this verse, he references his loss of all his status, position, power… the very definition of who he was. He even viewed his ministry as a loss – remember that he was a Pharisee – his very life was his ministry.

He considers it ALL rubbish. Interesting translation of the Greek word that was translated to “rubbish”…

From Strong’s Enhanced Lexicon:

4657 σκύβαλον [skubalon /skoo·bal·on/] n n. Neuter of a presumed derivative of 1519 and 2965 and 906; TDNT 7:445; TDNTA 1052; GK 5032; AV translates as “dung” once. 1 any refuse, as the excrement of animals, offscourings, rubbish, dregs. 1a of things worthless and detestable.

He considers everything he spent his whole life pursuing and striving for, everything he had worked so hard to attain, his whole former existence a load a rubbish. He basically considered his whole life a pile of crap IN COMPARISON to knowing Christ! Wow! I’m not sure I’ve ever considered that before. That is a hard line. That is a hard stance. Do I consider everything I’ve ever done (not that I’ve done that much by the world’s standards), everything I’ve ever accomplished, everything I value most, – my marriage, my children, my ministry – everything I’ve spent my life shaping, striving, and pressing toward… do I count them ALL as a pile of crap in comparison to knowing Christ?

I am reminded of the words of Christ in Matthew 10

³⁷“Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; ³⁸and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

For a little more than a year now, by Papa’s direction, I have been intently, purposefully, focused on serving and loving my wife. Ephesians 6:25 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,” I tell you this not for boasting sake but to tell you how difficult this stance is now to take. I have purposed and focused on cherishing, adoring and serving my wife in order to love her like Christ loved the church. Now I am faced with the question of “Do I consider our marriage a load of rubbish in comparison to knowing Christ?” Wow… If I’m honest, I’m not sure that I can make that kind of comparison because I absolutely adore my wife! I want to be able to make that comparison. I am pursuing that kind of relationship. I am running after Papa with all I have (hence the name for my Blogsite).

Father, This day I praise you for who you are. I choose this day to consider EVERYTHING as a loss compared to knowing you. This day, I purpose to lay aside everything and in comparison, consider all things – this is hard to say –ALL THINGS – including my marriage, my wife, my family, my ministry, all that I cherish on earth – I consider them rubbish, trash, and dung compared to knowing Christ more. I choose this day to love NOTHING more than You. I pray James 4:8 “Come near to God and he will come near to you…” into my life and choose to come nearer and nearer to you precious Lord. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Running After Papa…