Learning the art of forgiveness

750 years after the law for humanity was established Jesus said, “ I haven’t come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. (Matthew 5:17)

 The law couldn’t be abolished or set aside until it had been fulfilled, and its full effect and intent were realized - showing that humanity can't please God in our won effort, the law was given to show the sinfulness of man and that God's holiness is unattainable without a suitable bridge between man and God.  

 Only after these lessons were learned and their importance realized was grace able to be introduced. The effect of the law would no longer be necessary but the love of Gods heart and his desire for reconciliation for us could be introduced through Jesus and his atonement. 

 I have a family member living in my home that brings an ungodly sense of anger and bitterness that unsettles my home daily. There are eruptions that take place that enrage my heart. I am learning forgiveness doesn’t make room for offense or feelings. Forgiveness is not predicated on season nor on condition but on sheer obedience to the command to forgive because I have been forgiven. I don’t like it and it doesn’t make me happy nor do I look forward to it but I do recognize the importance of forgiveness. Oh and when Peter comes to Jesus asking:  “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times? My brother and sister are not of the same family in Christ but the very person next to me. Jesus tells Peter his generous idea of seven times is a bit off center, Jesus's teaching on forgiveness here is unlimited times for the same offense within the same day. That is the concept of forgiving your brother seventy times seven times.

 So what does learning the art of forgiveness look like? Is it just biting your tongue and controlling an outburst of your own (sometimes justified) anger? No, forgiveness has to be heart felt and starts way before that person or people get under your skin. That is why I label this “The art of forgiveness”.  This is forgiveness that has to be nurtured, even cultivated, a yielding that has to be practiced and empowered by the working of the Holy Spirit. Like anything else birthed through conviction and transformation buy the Spirit, we need to keep in step with the Spirit so we don’t fulfill the deeds of the flesh. Hmmm… like outbursts of anger? It’s not about not being mad or not taking the opportunity to put someone in their place but it is about dying to self and the application of obedience in the small things that lead up to the big things. Believe me if we don’t work out our own salvation… the whole living in obedience and dying to myself daily thing… we won’t do the Godly thing when the biggies come knocking at our door.

 Like the practice of medicine, godliness is also something that needs to become a practice and has to be applied every day to be successful at it.

 I’m praying for you, as my Christina brothers and sisters just as I am praying for me to continue in obedience in the practice of godliness being right isn’t always the same as being righteous in his sight.

The Things Hero's Are Made Of

Hero’s are misplaced characters today. Regardless if they want the title or not, sports figures become the go to hero’s of young people and adults alike. With the lack of leadership in our culture, hero’s are in high demand.

 A hero is defined as a person who is admired for achievements and noble qualities, someone who shows great courage.

 I like a hero as much as the next person, like everyone I’ve been let down by people I’ve looked up to. Today my focus is more on biblical characters that God has raised up as role models and heroes.

 I want to tell you about one of my biblical hero’s named Benaniah. This guy has a lot of qualities I would love to emulate; by God’s grace I hope some of them are a part of who I am.

 Benaiah was in charge of King David’s guard. He was one of what was known as David’s “Mighty Men of Valor”. So David chose to put him in charge of his bodyguards. He needed a good man for this task. Saul was after David so he needed someone he could trust to have his back. Then David’s son Absalom tried to kill him. Not on Benaiah’s watch!

 Benaiah was also the commander of David’s mercenary forces, the non-Jewish guys who fought for David.

 Benaiah was also the son of a priest. He was a PK! He grew up knowing the value of worshipping God! He was a lover of God and a lover of the things of God. I like this guy a lot! His dad, Jehoida was one of the priests who gathered 3,700 men who supported David when he was crowned King. See 1 Ch. 12:21.

 2 Samuel 23:23 and 1 Ch. 11:23 tell us that his grand father was a valiant man from Kabzeel. He has a great family line who are lovers of God and studs, don’t’ mess with these guys they mean business!

  One of the coolest things Benaiah did, a little crazy but really cool! He came face to face with a lion on a snowy day. The lion started to chase him, he ran past a pit, but the lion didn’t make it, he fell into the pit. Benaiah stops running, goes back to look into the pit, then he jumps in and kills the lion! Wait, who does something like that? God’s man, who is raised up for God's own purpose who would later be put in charge of protecting a man after God's own heart, that’s who. You can find this in 2 Samuel 23:20 and 1 Ch. 11:22. Right before he kills the lion, Benaiah killed two Moabite heroes. Our English version of the Bible refers to the Moabite hero’s as the two sons of Ariel of Moab. The KJV makes this idea take on more of an interesting meaning it actually translates Ariel as “Loin Like Men.” Benaiah was a mighty man who killed to heroes from Moab that were as strong and as brave as lions! Then he kills an actual lion!

 Bemaiah also killed an Egyptian giant. This Egyptian was about seven feet tall. His spear was the size of a weavers beam; ok that's a spear was about 2-2 ½ inches round! Benaniah takes his spear and kills him with it! This guy is a beast!

 He also has his hand in making sure Solomon becomes king of Israel. Solomon’ half brother, Adonijah, declares himself king while David is still alive. We know Solomon is God’s man to lead Israel after his dad. Benaiah is loyal to King David and fully backs Solomon. (Kings 1:36) His mercenary army parades Solomon to his coronation. Benaiah is also the guy who kills the guys who are against Solomon. (1Kings 2:24-46) Including Joab, the trader who was the commander of David’s army. So Solomon the wisest man on earth makes Benaiah the commander of his army. Smart move king!

 Benaiah loved God; he loved his king and devoted his entire life to each in every way that honored God. These are the things to be admired in a person's life. The things that make up true heroes.

Research by Jeffery Kranz

Quiet Enough to Hear the Heart Beat of God

There is an anechoic chamber where I work.
 The construction consists of a mesh cloth floor suspended 5 feet above a concrete floor. The walls are concrete and have 15 inches of insulation with 6 inches of dead space between the concrete and insulation, then a cloth mesh 6 inches away from the insulation. The concrete walls are in the shape of an octagon creating a room designed to completely absorb reflections of sound. They also insulate from any exterior sources of sound. The chamber is completely sound proof and used for testing the true sound of instruments with no outside interference. There is one light inside the room that is turned off during testing operations so there is no sound made by electricity moving through the elements inside the light bulb.

 One day I was asked to perform some repairs inside the chamber. After the repairs were complete I was asked if I wanted to experience complete silence. I jumped at the opportunity. I laid in the middle of the room suspended 5 feet above the floor. The door was closed and the light was turned off. It was really relaxing. After about ten  minutes and the absolute silence became deafening. I began to hear my own heartbeat, soft at first then to my surprise the longer I remained still the sound of my heart became really loud.

 While I was praying tonight I remembered that day. I thought about what it was like for John to lay his head on the chest of Jesus at the last supper. Did he hear the heart beat of God in his ear? I find my self with an increasing desire, to hear the heart of God. What does he think? What can I do to please him? Amos 3:7 says: Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets. And John 16:13 tells us: But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. Prophetic revelation is a gift from the father’s heart to us. When I read that we can come boldly before the throne of grace and find healing and restoration for our souls in Hebrews 4:16, this is not mechanics for church life, it is our Father's personal invitation for each one of us to come to him and spend time with him. I want his heartbeat in my ears to be so clear and steady that it drowns out the influence of the world that draw me away from his desire for my time.

 The invitation is real, it is clear and it’s the cry of the heart of our loving Father. Come to me! In my presence you will find wholeness. I want to show you great and wonderful things that i offer from my creation. I want to show you the greatness of my Kingdom, the greatness of my Spirit, things you don’t know about yet; things to come. I want more for you then the brokenness and poverty the world offers. Things you never imagined or dreamed of. He cries out to us - Come boldly before my throne of grace. So much is waiting for us in his presence.