The Fruit Of The Spirit - In The Mystery Of Christ
Joy - Part 1
Last night God did something special.
It was June 21, almost the longest day of the year. And I there was a beautiful double rainbow - shining very brightly. It lasted until sunset - more than an hour - in fabulous beauty.
My son and I were discussing the colors. Then he said something amazing: "In the old days, they must have wondered where the colors came from - almost like if God made it." Well of course God did make it. But what he meant was that now we understand how a prism breaks light into it's parts, ete etc etc.
And just as soon as we understand it scientifically - or think we do - it loses much of it's "wonder". The same thing holds true with genetics, DNA, and the wonder of the birth of a new child.
My father, who was a research scientiest, said such thinking was semi-insane. When you understand how something works (a little) you have MORE to marvel at, not less. But human pride is such that if we think we understand something, we lose all our humilty and stop experiencing much of the ecstasy of wonder we would have in ignorant humility.
Chistians learn about the bible and . . .
I think you can see where I'm going with this!
That is why we are so INSISTANT that we must REPENT and BECOME LIKE CHILDREN. We must become BLIND so that we might truly SEE. Unless we're born again, in this way, we cannot SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
We've also preached this as an ECSTATIC AND JOYFUL GOSPEL MESSAGE. You need to be SET FREE from your CONTROLLING HUMAN MIND.
But can you now see how your controlling human mind HOLDS YOUR HEART IN BONDAGE?
Your mind is a TYRANT.
This is why people get drunk. And it almost works. And most people would rather be around a pleasant drunk than an UPTIGHT KNOW-IT-ALL bible thumper.
When we think we understand God, WE ARE A FRAUD and misrepresent the truth.
Yes, God's mysteries are all revealed to us in Christ. And the New Testament is the revelation of the Old Testament mysteries. Yet "mysteries" they remain - incomprehensible to the mind of human reason.
God's truths are only truly understood in simplicity and humility.
That's why I laughed until I cried when my father said he thought I should get a "Doctorate Of Divinity".
Yeah God! I've got you ON TOAST. I've got a doctorate in . . . uh . . .YOU!
I'm laughing hysterically even now!
Roll all the theologians up in a ball and pitch them somewhere where they'll do no harm.
Yes, I know some of these guys are super humble.
We're talking about the EXCEPTION here, folks!!
But what about US?
We're all a bunch of junior theologians. And we've made ourselves into ridiculous little "gods".
So now we can't even fully appreciate the beauty of a rainbow - much less the amazingly beautiful things in God's sacred word!
So dive into that beautiful thing called "brokenness".
Trust me, if you weep until your tear fountain runs dry, you'll see the rainbow in a new light.
OH GOD!
I LOVE YOU!
YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL BEYOND WORDS!
And, yes, the beauty of God's Sacred Word will be even MORE marvelously revealed to you in true wonder beyond words.
Do not defile it with a "human tool". Build your altar of "unhewn stones".
Handle God's word with true reverance.
Do not defile it with human doctrine and the teachings of denominations and man - or your own foolish human thoughts.
Then you'll discover what LOVE is.
Then you'll experience . . .
TRUE JOY!
