Serpents and Doves Part II

"Wise as Serpents"
Gen 3:1:
Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field that the LORD God had made. All throughout scripture and history the serpent is a symbol of wickedness and trickery. No doubt a reputation gained from what immediately transpires in the verses following the above notation.

I have spent a lot of time observing snakes in their natural environment, which curiously enough is mostly dense, open field. I'm currently on a mission to catch a "smooth grass snake" in the northern Illinois region. They are a rarity this far north, but they are a beautiful snake with a brilliant jade to emerald green coloration. Very hard to spot in any type of grass. Snakes are masters at observation, waiting, and ambushing - all attributes shared by our enemy, Satan.
Pound for pound, snakes are masters of the hunt, and very, very, clever.

If we are wise as serpents, we are as smart as our enemy. If you are as smart as your enemy, you know all of his tactics; you know his nature and it is impossible for him to surprise you or catch you unaware. It is impossible for him to use you. John 14:30-31 Jesus says this "I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in me" 31) But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandment, so I do . Arise, let us go from here.

Satan had no sway over the actions or mortality of Christ. Christ reigned by subjection to the Father.To be as wise as your enemy but reckoned as a sacrifice to God. After all, obedience is better than sacrifice. You now become the ultimate weapon. You become a dwelling place for the living God, called according to His purposes. The bible tells us not to ignorant of the enemies devices.And you become the image-bearer of what every person needs and wants: Jesus Christ.To take up our cross is to take up arms against the work of Satan in our lives and others. Christ in us is the hope of glory.
God, help me to be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves.

Serpents and Doves.

So how do I defeat my self serving motives?




The obvious answers here are:

Be like Jesus

Live the Word of God.



Cool, how's that going for you?

I'll tell how I'm fighting for those things.



Mathew 10:16 is an interesting and curious verse.

It reads like this in the new king James: (Jesus is talking to his disciples.)

16) "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves."

Without going into the behavioral comparisons to sheep and wolves/predator and prey, I really want to concentrate on the last half of the verse:

"There fore be as wise as Serpents and harmless as doves."

I started to meditate on this verse after several different people mentioned it to me over a period of about two weeks. I just kept hearing this verse.

In Leviticus 12:8 the scriptures tell us what a new mother should bring before the Lord as a sin offering and atonement sacrifice for those who are unable to bring a Lamb to the alter. It is, in fact, two turtle doves or two young pigeons.

In regards to us in the world, God calls us to be as harmless as doves. In this reference I believe Jesus was speaking of the lowliest most affordable offering and sacrifice. Even the poorest of souls could afford the dove offering.

The interesting thing about an object of sacrifice is that it's purpose is already decided. In many cases, even before it's birth. It simply is what it is. It is a one time offering, yet we are called, through Christ, to be more. Paul said that we are to be a living sacrifice. A perpetual sacrifice, if you will; a continual present tense with present purpose. Paul also said, "I die daily."

An object of sacrifice is an object of harmless, humble existence towards the benefit of others. Its power is in its fulfilled purpose. It neither needs to fight for its preservation nor defend the life it has.

Reactionary

I went home miffed tonight. Yes "miffed."

miff |mif|
verb [ trans. ] (usu. be miffed) informal
annoy : she was slightly miffed at not being invited.
noun archaic
a petty quarrel or fit of pique.
ORIGIN early 17th cent.: perhaps imitative; compare with early modern German muff, an exclamation of disgust.

That's hilarious. I totally didn't think that was a real word, let alone a proper context for it.
I usually get miffed right after I've become a reactionary Jerk.

How do I become a reactionary jerk? What benefit is it to me? None. It's a dirty trick I play on myself that avails nothing but vain mutterings for the rest of the evening. Sometimes even into the next day. I have noticed that I start to become reactionary when I am not in the WORD, or actively contending to spend time with Jesus and/or be as He is.

A similar thing happened last weekend: I ended up miffed again. This time I was miffed at myself, so I went for a walk to find the root of this thing because really I hate myself when I'm like that.

I started to do the thing where I beat myself up in some weird, self-righteous, self-punishment thing. I don't think that's what Paul meant when he said, "beat my body into subjection."

Anyhow, after the pity party I just started quoting scripture over me. Things like, "I must decrease and He must increase," "In these three abide: Faith, Hope, and Love. The greatest of which is love," and lastly, "Be still and know that I AM God." So I waited, and I was still, and I fought my thoughts to be still towards the Lord.

The Holy Spirit then asked me a question. He said, "What is your (my) motivation for helping or ministering to these people?"

The question was weird, and I didn't know how to answer it. Then He asked why I stop ministering and serving and raising up people. That really hit me hard, and got me thinking.

My conclusion was an ugly one.

I have a great gift to see potential in people, to pick out a person's strengths. I can be very good at encouraging. There is nothing wrong with nurturing some one's gifts or potential, the issue is motivation.

What often happens to me is that the people I'm ministering to/mentoring mess up, or step out my plan for them. So I get upset for a little while. Then I get over it, only I never treat the person the same. I quit a little part of them. Not all of them. Not right away. Then if they change my plans for them ...

Let's take a second to analyze my plans for them first. It's ugly too, folks. Sorry.

I believe I manipulate people's potentials in God so they can eventually fulfill my own plans and agendas for things I am too chicken to step out and do before God alone. I'm cultivating potential in people with the hopes that it will potentially serve me. Not all of me, just what ever I'm lacking.

Ouch.

So if said persons step out of that plan or grooming enough, I eventually quit them all together.

How did I come to this conclusion? I base it on the way I treat people that I don't think have much potential. Now, everybody has potential; I know this. I know the verse in Jeremiah that speaks of God's plans for us. However, not everyone has potential towards me.

You can say it: that's just ugly.

So the Lord continued to speak to me and said, "Christ in you is the hope of glory." Then, Holy Spirit breathed back into me the person of Jesus and his life towards Judas Iscariot.

Jesus knew well before Judas kissed Him to a tree that Judas was building hatred and resentment towards him, that he was going to sell Him out. And yet Jesus never changed the position of His heart towards Judas. He still saw Judas the way He had intended Judas to be. He still went to the cross for Judas. He still laid down his life for a man that did not want His life. He never stopped working towards Judas' full potential.

He never stops working towards my potential. He is the only one who can fulfill my potential, my life in Him. It's Christ in me that is the hope of glory. It's Christ.

Hebrews 7:9-12-

But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. 10) For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown towards His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11) And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12)that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

I'm not miffed anymore. Now it's just a matter of putting to death those things, and putting on Christ.

Things I'm thinking about

Things look to be slowing down enough for me to put some things down in hardcopy and digital copy. I'm in the process of tackling two subjects that have been on my mind for a few years now.

The nature of Satan, and self indoctrination. Mainly through Movies. We've all heard the stories about subliminal messages, and back-masking on music albums. I believe that there is a much more sublte way the enemy works, and we welcome it by convincing ourselves that it's a morally affirming harmless escape. Be careful little ears what you hear, be careful little eyes what you see. I remember singing those words in my sunday school class growing up.
I used to think it was a silly conservative goody goody song. It was, but it's true.

I am very selective about what I allow my self to see, and feel when it's under the pretense of entertainment. Or mindlessly escaping my said reality into the world of imagination on the big screen. In my past, I would watch anything I wanted. The condition of my heart became a fragile mirror of what I had filled it with. Thanks be to God for the restoration that is in Christ. It has taken me years to deprogram.
I'm certain I still am. I have noticed a stark contrast in the level of faith and the ability to believe God at His word, in people who do not have such easy access to media. Or whom do not seek that type of entertainment.

I have begin to notice a popular trend in movies geared towards the youth. I used to only see it in adult orientated films with more mature themes. While the popular theme of children's media was usually "You have the power to be what ever you want so long as you believe in yourself enough" A seemingly noble battle cry against low self esteem, and the disadvantaged.

I have noticed a far more dangerous and deceptive theme in almost every movie geared towards the youth in recent media. An indoctrination that coencides with this neo science and reason vs the God. Anything being associated with Religion or tradition being confronted as ancient lunacy. It's a new age of enlightenment and it's geared at this last generation.

More to come.

I MUST STAY HERE.

This is a letter I wrote to my wife in 2006. I need to "Abide" in this place.

I miss you. I'm rocking Cory Russel's Ancient Paths (CD available through the One Thing bookstore) ... I'm really falling in love with Him, Lex. It's scary and beautiful - I'm letting go and there is no returning from here. My heart feels it will never be able to bear it. The one thing I've always longed for is the one thing my heart is dying to run from. It's fear is that it will become completely powerless to this Love. Oh, what a wretched Liar my heart is, professing to know and understand love and desire without ever knowing or being willing to go to the source and remain immersed. It screams!!! "You won't be able to breath!!! You'll die there!!! The current is too strong, and you can't touch bottom in this place. No one can hold their breath for that long!"

Then He just whispers to my spirit, "I breath for you here; I am the Breath of life. Your insecure heart only has ideas, and those ideas lead to idol worship where you truly die. I AM. Don't settle any more - break free and run, Run, RUN!!! In My river you don't swim; you don't keep your head above water. I AM the River of Living water; I AM the River of Life. You don't need to breath when you dwell in Life itself. It will sustain you beyond mortal ideology. Your entire understanding of what it takes to be alive has come from dead things. You've mistaken concepts of time and measure as Life. To understand Me those things must be put to death in you. You can't beat them into submission and keep an eye on them. You have to kill them. I Breath for you here, because I AM."

I am undone.

Who are the fathers of modern science again?

William Smith was a man hired in the 1790’s for the purpose of surveying and the Somerset Canal in England. While enjoying some time to himself he began to carefully examine and record the different layers of strata in the earth. He used his “goofing off” to create the first geological map of the entire country. He pretty much transformed the Science of Geology.

Later in 1900 A French physicist Named Teisserenc De Bort discovered the stratosphere, when he sent unmanned balloons into the upper atmosphere.
Prior to that in 1883 after the eruption of Krakatau (crack a tow ah) The atmosphere become heavily contaminated with particles of the once thriving island. These particles produced remarkable optical effects easily seen with the naked eye, all over the world. Today it is recognized that the observations where actually a pre discovery of the stratosphere under the influence of Krakatau.

2700 yrs ago there lived a Prophet by the name of Amos. A book written and titled after his names sake has some very interesting statements. That I found while researching about the last days.
Amos 8:14
He who builds His layer in the sky, and has founded His Strata in the Earth:
Who call for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the face of the earth.
The LORD is His name.
2700 yrs ago scripture mentions the layers of the Atmosphere as well as the layers in the Earth’s Strata.
On top of all that, it goes on further to reveal the process of distilled rain. Mentioned previously in Job as well. Water is brought up from the ocean forms clouds and pours out on to the land.

Eat your heart out Modern Science. You’re a day old donut.

A Brilliant conclusion and confirmation.

So Friday night Switch was in full swing. The worship went well, and the preaching was...........well with God all things are possible.

Any how, during alter ministry one of the young men came up to me for some prayer.
I Immediately sensed a difference in his spirit from last week. As we were praying I felt Holy Spirit show me a few things about him. I shared both things. First was that I felt he took on burdens that were not his at all. Nothing serious, but after a while the weighed his soul down. Second I told him that his spirit seemed much more aware and lively. His countenence was much different, he seemed lighter.

He sat quietly for a moment........thinking about the word. Then he smiled like a small epiphany had just hit him square between the eyes, and out of sheer suprize he let a one of those......."heh oh yeah I get it laughs"

So I looked at him and said "what's up man, whatcha got"

He looked at me still smiling and thinking about it. " I lost my IPOD for a week"

That was revelation from God, and both words confirmed right there. The music he listened to and the stories and the senerios in the lyrics had a profound effect on the condition of his soul. So much so that even he saw the difference under unforseeable circumstances. When you listen to songs about heart ache and rebellion and hopelessness. You take in those words along with the emotions and spirits that perpetuate a bondage to those things. Ever cry to a song, or sulk to a song about a breakup? Or felt completely powerless, like you were always going to get the dirty end of the stick the rest of your miserable life?
Or maybe you felt wonderful and happy after a some praise and worship music? Felt like God was on your side and you could do anything?

He was taking on the burden of the author of those songs. Just I like used to. Even though he didn't write those songs and didn't live the authors experience....it became his.

Just as Lot's soul was vexed and tormented by the things he saw and heard day after day.

The Generation from Lot.

The greatest consequence to Lot was the generation that proceeded him. Though he found mercy in the Lord's eyes and was spared the judgement of Soddom and Gomorrah. He still had to reap what he allowed to be sewn into his family just from what was around them. His Daughters having grown up in that enviroment had a perverted understanding of God and morality. So much so that incest was acceptable to them for continuing a bloodline. So they got their father drunk and procreated with him.

If we continue to fight being Holy as God is Holy. Rationalizing Grace. (we are the only creatures who have the ability to rationalize. I look at that word as Ration of lies. I believe it directly linked to the nature of Satan,and the original sin)

We must shed this life from us completely. We must "put off the former things" and strive to know what it is to be a new creation, to renew our minds. To set the standard of Truth,given to us from the source,The Word of God.

Please pray for our youth. Please pray for this generation, I believe it to be the last generation. At any ate it is the last of it's kind.

Fight the seductive voice of settling for anything less than living in Christ until you are one with Him. Fight it to the death.

The Christian Soul vs The Human Self.

(continued from the last line of the last post)

Wether they were Christian or not. I stopped feeding "The Individualistic Infantile Self" Here's how JP Moreland describes one of the 5 parts of an empty self in his book " Love Your God With All Your Mind" published by NAVPRESS.

It is widely recognized that adolescent personality traits are staying with people longer today than in earlier generations, sometimes manifesting themselves into the early thirties. Created by a culture filled with pop psychology, schools and media that usurp parental authority, and television ads that seem to treat everyone like a teenager, the infantile part of the empty self needs instant gratification, comfort, and soothing. The infantile person is controlled by infantile cravings and constanly seeks to be filled up with and made whole by food, entertainment, and consumer goods. Such a person is preoccupied with sex, physical appearance, and body image and tends to live by feelings and experiences. For the infantile personality type, pain, endurance, hard work, and delayed gratification are anathema. (Accursed) Pleasure is all the matters, and it had better be immediate, Boredom is the greatest evil, amusement the greatest good.

Wow.................so I see some empty self in me. How about you? The most troubling thing about these traits is they are found all over the Western Church today. I find the level of Apathy and carousing in vetern "believers" astonishing.

I think the single most contributing factor to this type of self is what we feed ourselve. We will eventually acclimate to the enviroment that we surround ourselves with. "Your vision is your future" so to say.

2Peter 2:7-8 Says that "righteous Lot" (Remember Peter is addressing us the Christians) was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked, and that dwelling amoung them tormented his Soul day after day. Simply by what he saw and heard, it wasn't even nessecary for him to participate in the wickedness for it to have a traumatic effect on his soul.

If you could tatoo your soul this is how it's done. No wonder the Christian mind is where it's at today

Most of our youth are going through the same struggles by one means or another. They've even admitted to know what the source of the battle is for them. It's not hard to figure out what the source is. It's what continues to remain despite everything else the've done to assess the problem. They continue to listen to the same music, media, and they have the same nonChristian relationships. What's a good definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over again yet expecting different results.

I hate you Satan. You are defeated. God is faithful and Just to finish the work He started in our youth, Church, and Me.

(Sorry if My spelling and grammar were crummy these last few posts, I'm working with a limited time for editing and my spell check isn't working)

A Warning From Lot

I've been really trying to meditate on 2Peter 2:4-11
4)For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell ( the word used for hell there is actually the Greek word "Tartarus" taken from Greek Mythology. Tartarus, is a place that is lower than hades and is reserved for the most wicked humans,gods,and demons) and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 5) and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher fo righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; 6) and tuning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 7) and delivered righteous Lot who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8) (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)
now it's important to mention here that Peter is addressing Christians here.

I think it's amazing what he says about lot. If you go back and read Gen 19:1-29 you can see some of the effects the "seeing and hearing" the deeds had on lot and his family. Peter refers to Lot as a "righteous" man, something to think about.

Lately we've had a lot of oppression coming against the Youth of our church. I hear them telling me about how they are struggling with things and we pray about it together and they presume to repent, and leave that thing behind all the while holding a " Man I hope I'm through with this " type of uncertainty lingering behind their eyes. I remember my struggles in my youth with veiwing pornography, speaking evil of people (and by evil I mean saying things like "That person should just die already" as a joke......right) I prided myself on wearing my heart on my sleeve so everyone could see my burdens (or at least hear about them all the time). I battled a whole slue of unessesary sinfulness.

Oh I would get convicted, and "repent" (feel sorry, for feeling sorry) and make my promises to do better next time, and say bold things like I'm never doing that again. As if I could do it in my own strength..............yeah right. I finally decieded to Repent one day. (what a novel Idea) The first order of buisness was to remove the things contributing to this type of sin conscieousness. I Got rid of my television and VCR first. I decided to never purchase a video game system again. And eventually I freed my mind and heart from any and all music that did not glorify God and promote a life of Holiness. I decided that God ment more to me than my emotions and only he could fix me. Not someone with a clever melody perpetuating insanity and then singing over and over again about the madness that has become life to them.