The Fruit Of The Spirit - Peace (Part 6)

Many of you are destroying those you love - and not even knowing it.
Or maybe you're just destroying yourself.

We're doing the exact opposite of what they need.

Your children will, normally, want all the marvelous things technology can provide.     Computer games, now, make the toys you used to play with look like ridiculous stone age relics.     With all the stimulating media, you're lucky to get your kids to enjoy reading, much less doing their homework.

Bible reading???
Forget about it!    You may as well try to get the opposing ends of two magnets to stick to each other.

It can become a genuine addiction.    I've seen symptoms of painful mental - and even physical - withdrawals.   I've EXPERIENCED physical withdrawals.     When you pull your children, or yourself, from whatever they use to pass time - everything from wasting their time with their friends, to playing computer games - they will do anything and everything to break your resolve.

As we entertain ourselves, we lose the capacity to function without it.    We become very weak.     We lose the ability to focus and concentrate.     We also lose the ability to function socially.

Many Christians no longer fellowship, not because they don't want to, but because they've completely lost the ability to do so.     They literally can not do it - not in their current state. 

This is the most prevelant disease in America today.    One can trace every evil to this one thing - a lack of inner peace.

People have begun to medicate their children and themselves - with drugs - once movies, games and other distractions, cease to be effective.

There's an epidemic of bipolar and psychotic behavior - even among Christians.
Don't believe what psychologists tell you about a 'chemical imbalance'.   All addictions manifest as 'chemical imbalances".    It's called "withdrawals".

Consider bipolar behavior.    I've seen it end virtually overnight.     We'll discuss how in a few moments.

But many "bipolar" persons swing wildly from the "buzz" they get from the stimulation they get when you take them out, or let them chat on the computer, or watch a movie.     Since they have become shallow there is nothing there to moderate the swing upward.    There's no "resting place".     Then, coming down, there is that same lack of a resting place - so they plummet into the depths of dispair.

Chemically, with the high, a large dose of seratonin (a feel good hormone) is released into the brain.    I have seen their seratonin virtually zero out on the down swing.    I learned alot about this, since my wife's relatives were genetically prone to very low levels of seratonin in their brains.    I had a case where one was in absolute anguish.    It was made far worse by a low carb diet.     This Christian was a sweet, trusting lady.    But she got to where her nerves were screaming - as her seratonin went so low that it left her in anguish.    They doctors gave her some drugs that barely touched the symptoms.    I, famed doctor that I am, prescribed a HUGE pill.

A baked potato.
It worked.
The carbs triggered a release of seratonin and she was completely healed.

But the best prescription, for long term success - BY FAR - is worship and praise.    Read through the other posts about how brokenness releases the tyranny of the mind and sets one's heart free.     Tremendous healing takes place from that process.

Here's how one adolescent was cured, virtually overnight.

The teen complained of extreme boredom.    This teen misdiagnosed his own problem.    He thought he needed more social interaction, more fun things to do, less rules and restrictions, and lots and lots of computer time. 

He thought boredom was the lack of activity.
I explained to him how I walked in the woods, totally alone, much of my spare time in my youth.    I explained that I did not feel lonely or bored.    I genuinely pitied my peers who desperately needed to be around others.   

One thing I hated, at the time, was that my father was very unpredictable about when he could pick me up after my training as a cross country runner.     I would sit for 4 hours, sometimes.    I'd sit and watch the sun go from high in the sky until long after sunset.     At first, my mind would scream, in boredom, at the slow passage of time.    Then my mind sort of 'gave up' - and I experienced peace.

Now I know that brokenness, in the Love of Jesus, can provide me mystical union with Jesus.    Then, since I am dead to the agitation which causes boredom, I can experience peace.

One gets addicted to JESUS.     Times of prayer and meditation no longer seem long or time consuming.    It ends way too soon!

So the teen got up early with his father and half slept through his father's "hour of prayer".    He understood that his lack of "inner peace" was his problem - not a lack of social interaction or things to do.

The kids had been in horrible crisis after crisis.    That all ended virtually overnight.    I realize that is kind of rare.   But the effect of TWO THINGS, learning to be still, and learning to enjoy praying in the Spirit, with beautiful worship music, has a powerful impact.

Then, too, you begin to feel things again.    You smell scents you never noticed.    The sky looks more blue - or storm clouds more strangely ominous and impressive.   

Suddenly, you're on a VIRTUOUS CYCLE UP, rather than a VISCIOUS CYCLE DOWN.

I've been through this, too.
So one day it hit me . . .
Why do the birds sing so sweetly?
Why is the sky so blue?
Why do the flowers smell like paradise?

I'm in LOVE!

I'm in LOVE with the source of all life!     The Holy Spirit becomes a marvelous comforter.    No woman on earth could provide such comfort - though the Spirit works through my friends and family in many ways.    I adore my Lord!    My heart leaps like John the Baptist at any mention of Him.    When we have Communion, I begin to tremble involuntarily and hot tears begin pouring across my cheeks.

My point?
Before I had a PASSION for my Lord.    But it could only go just SO DEEP.
After he brought me to a place of greater PEACE, in his dying to the flesh - which I obtain via MYSTICAL UNION WITH HIM - not in THEORY but in reality . . .

Well . . .
Then I felt the Passion of his Love much more strongly.
You get all the depth.
You get all the shades of the rainbow.

Time slows down.
You begin to live.

PEACE is a beatiful thing!

I have to say something kind of jolting at this point.
Running to any and everything else - rather than mystical union with HIM -
even BIBLE READING
can be idolatrous
even Spiritual Adultery.

FOR YOUR OWN GOOD
Go to HIM!!

His words to you:
"What fault did you find in me that you turned to all your other lovers?"

You worship a block of wood and become like it.   You cannot see.   You cannot feel.   You cannot save yourself or anyone else.

So let Him LOVE you!
Let Him HEAL you.

Quit running!

You may experience withdrawals at first.
My body was in anguish all night long a couple of times.
But I just rested in his death and let the waves of nervous tension wash over me until they were spent.

And all the while I worshipped HIM - sleeping with quiet worship music playing in the background.
That's a great idea.

One last thing.
The suffering teen sort of scorned the worship music at first.    He didn't want to.    But you remember when you were a kid.   Your brain sort of mocked whatever your parents were into - no matter how much you loved them.

That passes.
I explained brokenness.
I explained how being broken would open his heart and let the worship music wash through his soul.   In the broken state he would stop resisting.

It worked.

And when worship music washes through the human soul, it enlives your heart and soul.

So stop thinking it's love to help our kids avoid facing "boredom".
They'll need your help.
But it's the exact opposite of what they think.

If we lived in the Mystery Of Christ - as spiritual people - rather than keeping busy night and day - we would live in a world of DELIGHT - and save our kids immeasurable harm.

Do you ever yell at your kid?
Uh oh!
You caused the problem.
Now you yell at the kid???     Not good.

Stop!
Get off the world's evil treadmill!

In Jesus, you will begin to TRULY LIVE!
You will have inner peace.
Then, in HIS Resurrection Life, with a peace that surpasses all understanding ruling your heart and mind, you will find yourself in a NEW DAY of freedom.

The Fruit Of The Spirit - Gentleness (Part 1)

Gentleness draws people to the Lord.

So let's consider how the world sees us - and why those who make a spiritual (mystical) experience of Jesus central to every moment of their lives will project a GENTLENESS that is extremely attractive.

The John Michael Talbot tune, "My Yoke Is Easy", opens with a hauntingly beautiful flute melody.   It sounds like something you'd hear in the Garden of Eden or the Paradise of God.    In your heart you picture a gentle people - a people who would love each other in life or death - a people who would even love their enemies.

Just like most modern Christians.
What?
Not???
Hmmmmm . . .

It's not the message.    When Christians were tortured mercilessly toward the end of the dark ages, their tormentors are recorded as saying things like, "They pray for us as we torture them.    They love all men.    We would almost think they were the very children of God rather than heretics and the children of Satan."

That's because they WERE the very Children Of God.

But they had a simple gospel that had, as its primary goal, to obey, "The Great Commission" - to make disciples, teaching them "to obey everything which I have commanded you".     They were crazy that way.

They didn't have Schofield Bibles back then.   They didn't KNOW that Jesus' teachings in "The Sermon On The Mount" held "neither the privilege or duty of the church".    They didn't have a multitude of "Bible Schools" to teach us how to disobey the bible and feel good about it.

We aren't too dumb.
We're too smart.

Something tells me that if we followed Jesus, in the power of His Sweet Holy Spirit, just seeking to be CHRIST-LIKE, we could be as loving and gentle as the gentle People Of Jesus of old.

The truth is simply this:   You cannot live in Romans 8 and be any other way.

We have explained in previous discussions of the Fruit of The Spirit that religion, human effort, and the human "mind of the flesh" are forever stuck in Romans 7.     In that realm, you can try as hard as you want - if you even get that far - and you'll still fail.

The frustration of Romans 7 drives people nuts, so they go to liars who speak of a false "grace" which forever leaves them stuck in Romans 7.

What do we really need?
It's very simple.

We need to be broken.   We need the closeness and attachment to Jesus that comes when we are before his cross as he pours out his life's blood for us.    That causes our religion and pride to snap like a twig.    When you see him as Lord, with the humility of one who has been brought to emotional and mental surrender, then you get to have a "personal relationship with Jesus Christ" - not before.

You simply can't talk "theology" in Romans 8.    I know people claim to.   But they are not speaking the truth.     God won't live like a lab rat - for you to dissect.     He doesn't want you to analyse him - or His ways.    He wants you to get rid of your ridiculous pride and submit to him.    He OWNS YOU, not visa versa.   And he bought you with his life's blood.   That's very personal.

In Romans 8, the Law Of The Spirit of Life sets you free from the Churchianity you learned from man.    It's real, it's spiritual, it's very "mystical".   

In Romans 8 you wouldn't be able to explain why Jesus doesn't mean what he's plainly saying - any more than you'd flirt with the Pastor's wife.   It's profane.   It's wrong.   It's not appropriate.

Spirituality, in Jesus, is always humble, submissive - and gentle.

Gossip goes away.     That inner lack of peace is dealt with.     More on that later.    We'll do another posting on "Peace".

You can tell a tree by it's fruit.
Modern American Churchianity - evangelical, pentacostal, or whatever - does not seem "gentle" to the average unbeliever.    

No doubt we are when our knees first hit the floor at an altar of repentance.     But then we are educated by the mutant spawn of "Bible Schools".     Man takes the place of Jesus.

Once we become much, much dumber - dumb as a little child - we get to see the Kingdom of God.

Could Leonardo paint the 'Mona Lisa" with Crayons?    Would you do brain surgery with a screw driver?    Would you trim hair with a weed whip?

Your unbroken mind of human reason, full of pride, full of folly, cannot be used to handle spiritual things.    That's what Jesus was trying to tell Nicodemus.    "You must be born again to see the Kingdom Of God."

When we live in Romans 8 we are "Led Of The Spirit'.      If are not led by the Spirit, like the Wind, we are not His Children.    Spirit gives birth to Spirit.    That's why it's "mystical".     Our spirits communicate with the Spirit of God.    Our communication is in the realm of the Spirit, not the mind.

Jesus' words are "Spirit and Life".    But without the Spirit we can't handle them.

So live in Romans 8.    Let the "Law Of The Spirit Of Life", in Christ Jesus, mystically set you free from the "Law of Sin and Death".   

Not theologically.
Not theoretically.
In your actual experience, in how you think and feel.

Then you will bear good fruit and gentleness will flow out of you like a river.

The Fruit Of The Spirit - Peace (Part 5)

This posting combines several powerful scriptural ideas that connect in "The Mystery Of Christ".

We will discuss the "Sabbath" concept, being "Dead" in Christ, the scriptural concept of "Sleep" and "Dreams", and - of course - PEACE.

This is for all you "soccer moms" and "soccer dads" - even if your kids are actual Americans who like games where points actually get scored! 

The beauty of our society is that we have so many conveniences, and make such good wages per hour of work - far more than what has been available through history - that we should be "living the Dream" like never before. 

Well, it turns out that Maslow had it all pretty much totally wrong.    When men and women have wealth, health and security, they get shallow and unspiritual.    It is the poor who are rich in faith.    When people are broken, in danger, suffering, and facing huge obstacles - then they go to God for peace.

Nonetheless, we should have a movement, among Christians, to LIVE THE DREAM.

Picture this:

We establish software companies which generate great wealth.    The programmers live in an idyllic paradise.    We have engineers, historians - all manner of experts in vitally important sciences.

Our disadvantaged and disabled are given work on farms, or in specially designed workships.    Alcoholics and drug addicts get free, and work with their hands.    I know of such places.   I LIVED in such a place.   I started on a hippie farm and plan to end on one.

But we squander our wealth.     We run in circles.    We look only after ourselves.    We don't even give ourselves a break - much less anyone else.

God has one word to us:   "STOP!"

I will not take time to quote all the New Testament scriptures about the Sabbath.   People argue - is it Saturday or Sunday?    Most miss the point entirely.    Some rest - snoring like monsters on the couch.    Something tells me we don't get it.

The primary meaning of the word "Sabbath" is just this:   "STOP".

We stop and get off our demonic treadmills - our religious treadmills - our kid activity treadmills - our running around and shopping treadmills - our self pleasing entertainment treadmills.

We wear ourselves out with all our shopping and entertainment.  
And many of our religious programs are just the best excuse we have for not facing ourselves in peace.

We can't face ourselves.    We can't rest in God's presense.     We are driven, harassed, guilt ridden and oppressed.

Paul goes into great detail to explain how we don't work our way to heaven.    But religion, by definition, is exactly that no matter how you cut it.

The "good" is the best weapon of Satan to block the "perfect" - real spirituality.

We're doing God's work???    But our lifestyle is so nasty that no unbeliever would be drawn to it.
How is that doing God's work?    It misrepresents God.    God's been resting since he got done with day SIX!

"I've been in the WAY OF GOD for FOURTY YEARS!"
God:    "Yeah.   And if you'd just get OUT of my way I could reveal myself to people!"

We've rejected the mystical (spiritual) side of what it means to be a Christian.    This renders our religious activity both shallow and oppressive.    And for all who claim that reading the bible is the way to serve God - we sure reject alot of what the bible teaches us!

Stop!   Just STOP!
There.
That's better.

Now you can start living the dream.     Sure you'll serve.    You may find that, like Jesus, you get pretty busy sometimes.    But Jesus always had the STOP TIME - alone with his Father.

If he needed it, we do.
And we need a DAY of peace.   So plan a Sabbath.   The actual day makes NO DIFFERENCE.    You may work a swing shift.   In that case, it will "swing" with you!   There are good reasons for Saturday as a day of rest.   It's part of our heritage and reflects God's Seventh Day Rest.    But God made the Sabbath for US, not visa versa.    So find time for peace.    Find time to STOP.

We are dead in Him.   Dead people are really good at one thing:   Stopping.   Jesus called it sleep.    And it is completely valid to connect the two ideas.     "I lie down and rest.    I rise up again because the Lord sustains me."  (from Psalm 4).     Jesus laid down in the "sleep" of death - as he called it.    And he rose up with new life that could never die again.    We die daily.

This is all in the Mystery Of Christ.

So this is where I part ways with most bible teachers.     Your controlling mind is ever restless.    It won't stop.   It won't yield control.    That's why you run around like a chicken with its head cut off.   Your controlling mind wants to keep control.    It fears that, if you rest, you will mentally rest and give control of your thoughts to God.

Then what would happen?    Your heart is SET FREE!   You start living.

So you pull your little controller aside, have THAT TALK, and fire him!    The Holy Spirit is going to direct me.    No more SLAVE DRIVER.    No more Pharoah.

Unbelievers had no week.   They had no weekend.    When people rested they got BIG IDEAS that should not be coming into their pretty little heads!    So we start wanting Freedom!     We rock the boat in so many ways!

And Caesar says, "Clearly, you have too much time on your hands."

Jesus is our Lord.    The ruler of this age can just get lost.   We will NOT submit to his SLAVERY any more.   Caesar killed our Lord.   Now he can't touch him.   We, too, have passed from death to life.    They can kill the body but not our Spirit.  

So
"Do not submit again to a yoke of bondage!"

You get to enjoy a Sabbath Rest all day, every day.
You don't work.
You may play REAL HARD.
But you no longer labor.  

We can live in radically new ways.

Let's wrap up with some thoughts on death, sleep and dreaming.

Do you want to LIVE THE DREAM?
Start with Communion.
When we are in Communion we are mystically joined with Jesus, and each other, in the Spirit.

I know Communion in most churches is a quick snack of crackers and juice.    That's not communion folks.    Why should we not be allowed to think on Him, join with Him, feel his LOVE, feel all he suffered for us - and enjoy sweet Love toward Jesus and Each Other?

Most church services are exercises in RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.
Wow!
If we can't "rest in Him" in church, how in the world will we do it in the hustle and bustle of daily life???

Ever think about that?
Probably not.
Do you know why?   For all our talk about Grace, we often live in the works of religion and works of the law.

And do you know what gets lost?    The whole concept of LOVE.
Hug each other quick before the meeting and SOAK IT UP.    That'll be all for you.

But when we rest in Him, our love toward each other vastly increases.

We need to "Live The Dream"!
You sleep, you rest - and then you Dream.

This is appropriate isn't it?
What is a dream????

A dream is the beautiful experience we can have, in our sleep, when our controlling mind has it's hands tied behind it's back and has to sit in the corner praying for a nightmare!

Awake or asleep, we dream.
Why?
We are in the sleep of Spiritual death to this world in mystical union with Jesus in his dying.
Our controlling minds, and our habits, must give up control.

Then our hearts are SET FREE.

They are going to burn me as a heretic!
But I'm telling you, when you rest in Him, "Your young men will see visions and your old men will dream dreams."

And those dreams will SET US FREE.
They won't be able to cram that genie back in the bottle!

Don't get me wrong, folks.
People who live in God's peace serve, submit easily to authority in the church, do not gossip, and gather in the lost sheep.     And since they don't run to the mall every hour on the hour, they have plenty of money to give for the care and upbuilding of others.

But don't expect the Pharoahs of this world to let you free without a fight.
And lots of slaves will bug you, too.

But never mind them!
You are free.
And those who the SON SETS FREE are FREE INDEED!