BRIGHT FUTURE!

Last night at CHURCH IN THE NOW MIDTOWN was awesome...pics of it are posted on the CITNM Facebook page...thanks to everyone who came out for the service (and thanks, especially, to all of you who brought all the delicious food!). Also, for those of you in the Houston TX area, I'll be ministering tonight at CORNERSTONE FELLOWSHIP (currently meeting at Grace Lutheran Church 2515 Waugh Drive 77006). Here's today's affirmation from A Year In The Now...

"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the times comes."
(Matthew 6:34 – The Message)

Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because my attention is on the Kingdom, and the Kingdom is always in the now.

Today I will not worry about what's coming up, because the things that I am dreading may not even happen, and the unknown things are impossible to prepare for. But regardless of what tomorrow brings, I will face it with the confident assurance that the Lord perfects all that concerns me.

Today I will run toward the giants that intimidate me, the way David ran toward Goliath. I will not give place to cowardice, but will be aggressive enough to intimidate the thing that is trying to intimidate me!


Today I will have no fear of the unknown, but will anticipate the adventure with appreciation for the attitude of authority that I have attained through accepting the Word of God as an absolute anchor for the soul!


Today I will start making plans to go to a higher level, preparing myself for new responsibilities.


Today I will believe that my latter is going to be greater than my former as I go from glory to glory.

Today I will enjoy the day, believing that tomorrow will be even better. I will protect my dreams and visions today, and today I will live in the now!

Father, help me be ready for what’s ahead, and thank You, in advance, for how good it’s all going to turn out for me.
In Jesus ’name, amen.

The Kingdom of God

Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.

Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference?

Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.

If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

Matthew 6:26-34, The Message

LITN XVIII, Verses 18 - 43

18. One day a certain ruler came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, You’re good…so I ask You…what good thing must I do to be in full possession of eternal life?"

19. Jesus answered, "Why do you question Me about what's good…in fact, why do you even call Me good? God is the only One who is good.

20. If you want to enter the life of God, just practice His precepts…keep His commandments…and you will manifest His goodness in your life. You know them...'You shall not commit adultery'...'You shall not murder'...'You shall not steal'...'You shall not give false testimony'...'Honor your father and mother.'"

21. “That’s it?", asked the man, "That’s all there is? I’ve kept all those commandments practically my whole life, and I’m still not good."

22. When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “Look, if you’re really that serious about manifesting the character of God in your life, you still lack one thing. Go sell everything that you have, give everything that you make from the sale to the poor, and the entirety of your possessions will then be in the Kingdom, and all that you own will be deposited into the heavenly realm.”

23. When he heard this, he became very sad. The idea of selling everything…this suggestion of total abandon…just seemed too extreme for him, especially because he was wealthy, and had a lot of possessions. Jesus’ words not only caught him off guard, they also overwhelmed and depressed him.

24. Jesus looked at him and said, “I tell you, truthfully, it is really quite difficult…extremely hard…for a rich man to become a subject in the Kingdom of God.

25. In fact, it’s easier for a camel to go through that little gate that they leave open at night in the walls of Jerusalem called ‘The Needle's Eye’…the gate that is so low and narrow that a large animal can only pass through it on its knees, unencumbered with baggage...than for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God."

26. For some reason, those who heard this were staggered by these words. They said to Him, “Well, then, if that’s the case, who has any chance of being fit for the Kingdom, at all?”

27. Jesus replied, “Things like this are virtually impossible when only using human strength…but with God’s help, anything and everything is really possible!”

28. Then Peter spoke up and said, "Well, now that you mention it…we may not have had the kind of wealth that that man has, but we’ve left everything that we did have to follow you. What are we going to get for our sacrifice?”

29. "Truthfully, no one who sacrifices home, wife, brothers, sisters, parents or children because of their desire to follow Me, and to manifest the Kingdom-life

30. will fail to get every bit of it back many times over! And this is in addition to the promise of the full blessings of eternal, or ‘now’-life."

31. Then Jesus took the Twelve aside and said to them, "All right...we're going to Jerusalem now, and everything that has been written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled there.

32. You should all know that He will be delivered over to the Gentiles, and they will mock Him, insult Him and spit on Him.

33. They will also flog Him, and then they will kill Him...but on the third day, He will rise again."

34. The disciples weren't able to grasp any of this. Even though this wasn't the first time that He had told them about it, they just had no comprehension...no idea of what He was talking about.

35. But they started out for Jerusalem, anyway; and as Jesus approached Jericho, which was on the way, He saw a blind man sitting by the roadside, begging.

36. When the man heard the crowd that was following Jesus going by, he asked someone what was happening.

37. They said to him, "Don't you know? Jesus of Nazareth is passing by!"

38. Without missing a beat, he called out, "Jesus...Son of David...have mercy on me!"

39. The ones at the front of the entourage rebuked him and told him to shut up, but he shouted even louder, "Son of David...have mercy on me!"

40. Jesus heard him and stopped in His tracks. Then He ordered the man to be brought to Him. When he was brought near, Jesus asked him,

41. "What do you want Me to do for you?" And he replied "Lord...I just want to see."

42. Then Jesus said, "All right, then...receive your sight...your own faith has healed you."

43. And, sure enough, he immediately received his sight and started following Jesus, praising God with a loud voice. When all the people around saw what had happened, they praised God, too.

MkITN IX, Verses 30 - 41

30. So they went on from there and passed along through Galilee, but He didn't want anyone to know where they were, or where they were going.

31. His reason for wanting to keep such a low profile was that He was particularly focused on teaching His disciples at this time. As they travelled He said to them, "I want to prepare you all for something...you need to know that the Son of Man is about to be betrayed and delivered into the hands of enemies, and they will put Him to death...but after He has been killed...in fact, three days after he has been killed...He will rise from death."

32. But even though He spelled it out for them like this, they had absolutely no comprehension of what He was saying, and for some reason were afraid to ask Him to explain it further.

33. Eventually, they arrived at Capernaum, and when they were all together in the house, He confronted them about something, asking them, "What were you boys discussing and arguing about on the road?"

34. But they all froze, and didn't say a word, because on the road they had argued and debated with one another as to who among them was the greatest.

35. So He sat down and called all the twelve of His disciples together, and He said to them, "Look...I want you to understand this Kingdom principle...the bottom line is this...if anyone desires to be first, he must be last of all, and servant of all."

36. And to drive home His point, He took a little child who was there in the house with them, put him in the center of the group, and, taking him in His arms, He said to them,

37. "Remember this...whoever in My name and for My sake accepts, receives and embraces a child like this also accepts and receives and embraces Me. And, it follows, that whoever receives Me receives not only Me, but Him Who sent Me."

38. Then John said to Him, "By the way, Teacher, the other day we saw a man who does not follow along with us...You didn't appoint him or sanction him or approve him...You don't even know him...but he was driving out rebel spirits in Your name, and we told him that he was completely out of line to do that, and commanded him to stop it immediately, because He is not one of us... and not one of Yours!"

39. But, to their surprise, Jesus said, "Oh...you really shouldn't have done that. Don't ever restrain or forbid someone like him from doing something like that; for no one who does a mighty work in My name will soon afterward be able to speak evil of Me.

40. But that's not even the point...what you must realize is that he who is not against us is for us. It's just that simple!

41. And, furthermore, the truth is that whoever gives you a cup of water to drink just because you bear the name of Christ...just because you are making a difference in the world through His power and authority...will be guaranteed a sure reward. A basic act of kindness like this is, in the big picture, an important contribution to the Kingdom...driving out spirits...giving a cup of water...it's all the same, and it's all valid."

MkITN IV

1. Again Jesus went back to teaching by the lake, and a huge crowd gathered around Him. So once again He got into an offshore boat in order to sit in it on the water, and everyone either stood or sat along the lakeside on the shore.

2. And He taught them many things that day in His signature story-telling style, using illustrations and comparisons, and in His teaching He said,

3. "Listen to this! One day a sower went out to plant seeds in his fields.

4. And as he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and the birds came and ate it right up.

5. Some other of the same kind of seed fell in the gravel, where there wasn't much soil...and it just sprang right up, but didn't put down roots because it had no depth capability;

6. So in the heat of the sun it was scorched, and because it had not taken root, it withered away just as quickly as it had come up.

7. Other of the same kind of seed fell among the weeds, and the thistles grew and pressed together and suffocated the life right out of it, and it became utterly useless.

8. And still other seed of the same kind fell into good, healthy soil, and produced grain, growing up and increasing, yielding up to thirty times as much in some spots...and sixty times as much in other areas...and even a hundred times as much as had been sown in some places."

9. And He said to them, "If you have an ear to hear what I'm saying, then hear it...consider it...comprehend it!"

10. As soon as He was alone with the Twelve after the session had ended, they began to ask Him about the illustration.

11. And He said to them "You've been given insight into the mysteries of God's Kingdom...a revelation of its inner workings...an understanding of its day-to-day operation. But those who can't see it yet are intrigued by My stories, but that's all they are to them at this point...stories...illustrations without introspection...metaphors without meaning.

12. These are the ones spoken of in the Scriptures...they indeed look and look, but they do not see and perceive...they hear the words over and over again, but do not grasp and comprehend them. But as soon as they open their hearts to the light, they will turn to Me and be forgiven of their willful rejection of the truth."

13. Then He said to them, "Surely you understand this story...I mean, if you don't get this one, how are you going to understand any of them? The whole truth is incrementally revealed in prophetic pictures...sort of like a puzzle put together piece by piece. Do I really need to spell it out for you?

14. All right, then...the sower sows the Word.

15. The ones along the roadside are those who have the Word sown in their hearts, but when they hear it only with their intellect, the Adversary comes immediately and steals the message that was sown in them.

16. And in the same way, the ones sown on the gravelly ground are those who, when they hear the Word, are at once sort of infatuated with it, and have an emotional response to it;

17. But they have no real root in themselves...no sense of covenant relationship to the Word...and so they endure for a little while, but when trouble or persecution arises on account of the Word, they immediately become resentful and basically fall apart.

18. And the ones sown among the thorny weeds are others who hear the Word with some real comprehension;

19. But the daily cares and anxieties of the world just sort of wear them out, and so they get distracted by the illusions of the age, looking for pleasure and false glamour elsewhere, being deceived by the empty promises of riches...and so, without even noticing it, the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and strangle the Word, and it becomes fruitless in their lives.

20. And, finally, those sown on the good, well-prepared soil are the ones who hear the Word and openly receive it, accepting the personal responsibility for their own soil-maintenance. They welcome it and have a mature relationship to it, and so they bear fruit...for some it's thirty times as much as was sown...for others it's sixty times as much...and for still others who fully embrace these concepts, it's even a hundred times as much!"

21. Then He went on to say, "Look...does anyone bring a lamp home and then put it under a basket, or hide it under the bed? Of course not! The lamp's purpose is to be put up high somewhere...like on a lampstand where everyone can benefit from its light.

22. The mysteries of the Kingdom are hidden temporarily...they must be sought first as a revelation or a new birth. But the bottom line is this...there is no hidden spiritual truth that won't eventually be revealed...every part of the truth is meant to be known, either now or later.

23. So again I say...If you have a spiritual ear to hear, then listen deeply, and perceive and comprehend these things."

24. Then He added, "You really need to pay attention to everything you are hearing. Guard the gate, because the ear is a major gate to the understanding...the measure of thought and study you give to the truth you hear will be the measure of Kingdom-life you manifest. That's why I say 'if you have an ear' (singular)...not 'if you have ears' (plural). It's not just what you hear, but how you hear it that determines the reality that is ultimately created in your life.

25. Let Me put it this way...to him who has will more be given...and from him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. Hear this only with your spiritual ear, and you will understand it."

26. Then He said, "Here's something else you should know about how the Kingdom of God works...think of it as being like a man who scatters seed upon the ground,

27. And then he releases it...he doesn't sit there in the field, looking at the spot where he planted the seed, waiting and worrying about how and when it's going to produce something. In fact, in a way he forgets about it...continuing to sleep and rise night and day, while the seed just naturally does what it was destined to do...it grows! And the man doesn't try to overthink the laws of nature...he just embraces the mysterious wonder of it.

28. Meanwhile, the earth produces by itself...living and thriving alone on the original word that created it in the first place. And the miracle of the seed is then manifested through a process...first a simple, inedible blade of grass appears...then a bud with only the promise of grain comes...then the full, mature grain eventually ripens, and is then ready to be harvested.

29. Then and only then the man returns...still not fully understanding how it all worked, but recognizing a potential harvest when he sees it. And then he eagerly puts in the sickle and reaps what he sowed.

30. Now, let's see...what other picture of the Kingdom can I paint for you? What other story can I tell you that will make you see it from another perspective?

31. How about this? It's like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth;

32. Yet after it is sown, defying all natural logic, it grows up and becomes the greatest of all garden herbs, and puts out huge branches...so big that even eagles come and nest in it!"

33. And with many other such stories or word-pictures Jesus spoke the Word to them, as they were able to really 'hear' it...or as was fitting to their experience or maturity level.

34. In fact, He basically explained everything like this to them in story form...but privately to His disciples He interpreted the meaning of each story or illustration, making sure that they didn't overlook the deep profundity housed in the elemental simplicity of each of them.

35. On that same day when evening had come, He said to them, "All right...that's enough story-telling for one day. Let's go over to the other side of the lake now."

36. And leaving the throng, the disciples piled into the boat in which He was sitting, and, along with some other boats, they all launched out into the deep.

37. But when they got out into the middle of the sea-like lake, a furious storm of hurricane proportions unexpectedly arose, and the waves started beating into the boat so violently that it filled up with water in just a few minutes.

38. Meanwhile, Jesus had disappeared from their company into the stern of the boat, and had fallen into a deep sleep there on a leather cot. The frantic men found Him and woke Him up, saying, "Master! Does it even matter to You in the least that we're all about to die?!"

39. And, giving no response to their indicting question, He calmly stood up and ordered the wind to settle down, and said to the sea, "All right...hush now! Be still!" And immediately the wind ceased its raging, and there was a great calm...an entirely different scene, with clear, peaceful skies, and a lake that looked as if it was made of glass.

40. Then He turned around and looked at His astonished staff, and said to them, "Why are you so fragile and fearful? You're not strangers to the sea or to storms...how is it possible that you sometimes seem to have no faith at all?"

41. And this just took their awe of Him to a whole other level. Stunned, they stood there in the quiet peacefulness, and could think of nothing to say to Him in their defense. But as He went back to finish His nap they looked at one another and said, "Who is this? What kind of Man gives orders to the wind and the water...the storm and the sea...and gets them to obey Him?"

MITN XXV

1. "Now, back to the subject of the Kingdom of/from the heavens...it's comparable to ten young bridesmaids who took oil lamps and went out to greet the bridegroom.

2. Five of them were silly and undiscerning...and five were smart and perceptive.

3. The five who didn't have a clue took lamps, but no extra oil.

4. The intelligent bridesmaids took flasks of oil to keep their lamps burning for an extended period of time.

5. Well, the bridegroom didn't show up when expected, so as they sat around waiting for him, the bridesmaids all fell asleep.

6. But sometime in the middle of the night someone yelled out, 'He's here! The bridegroom's here! Go out and greet him, as is customary for dignitaries, and accompany him into the city, and to the wedding feast!'

7. Then all ten of the bridesmaids got up and readied their lamps for use.

8. But the five who were irresponsibly unprepared said to the other ones, 'Our lamps are going out...lend us some of your oil.'

9. They answered them, 'There might not be enough to go around...you need to go buy your own.'

10. And they did go to buy their own, but while they were out making the purchase, the bridegroom arrived. When everyone who was there to greet him had gone into the wedding feast, the door was locked.

11. Sometime later, the other bridesmaids, the silly ones, showed up and knocked on the door, saying, 'Sir, we're here. Let us in.'

12. But he answered, 'Do I know you? I don't think I know you.' And he treated them as strangers.

13. Now, obviously the Son of Man knows the people who are His own creation, the foolish ones, as well as the wise ones...but I use this illustration to remind you to stay alert at all times. The operation of the Kingdom is very much about personal responsibility, and you have no idea when a visitation...an answer...a missing piece...a 'bridegroom' for a wedding, if you will...might arrive. So keep your eyes open, and stay ready for Kingdom manifestations!

14. And, speaking of personal responsibility, I could also say that the Kingdom operates like a man who was about to take a long journey, and called his servants together, and entrusted them with his property and investments in his absence.

15. To one he gave about $5,000. To another he gave about $2,000. And to another he gave $1,000...to each in proportion to his own personal ability. Then he departed and left the country, leaving the whole operation of the business with them.

16. The one who had received $5,000 got busy immediately, and in a smart investment deal, quickly made another $5,000.

17. Likewise, the one who had received $2,000 used his skills to double his money, as well.

18. But the one who had received $1,000 just decided to maintain, rather than to multiply...so he went and dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master's money in it.

19. Now after a while the master of those servants returned, and settled accounts with them.

20. And the servant who had received $5,000 came and brought him $5,000 more, saying, 'Master, you entrusted to me $5,000, and here I have made another $5,000!'

21. His master said to him, 'Nicely done, you good and faithful servant! You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little bit of finance, and now that I see what you're capable of, I will put you in charge of a lot more. Consider yourself promoted to live the lifestyle that your master enjoys...consider yourself a master, as well!

22. And then the one who was given $2,000 came forward, saying, 'Master, you entrusted $2,000 to me, and here I have gained $2,000 more!'

23. His master said to him, 'Nicely done, you good and faithful servant! You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little bit of finance, and now that I see what you are capable of, I will also put you in charge of a lot more. Consider yourself also promoted to live the lifestyle that your master enjoys...and consider yourself a master, as well!

24. Then the one who had received $1,000 also came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a harsh and hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you had not winnowed the grain. I know that you were just lucky in life, and that's why you have what you have.

25. So I was afraid, and I went and hid your money in the ground. But you'll be happy to know that every penny of it is here!

26. To his surprise and dismay the master answered him, 'You lazy, good-for-nothing loser! Do you indeed know that I "reap where I have not sowed, and gather grain where I have not winnowed?"

27. You don't know the first thing about how I acquired my wealth...but you should have at least invested my money with the bankers, so that at my coming I would have received what was my own with interest! Did you honestly think that I would be impressed with the hole in the ground idea?

28. All right, here's what's going to happen. The two of you who doubled your money can keep what I gave you, along with your profits. But take the $1,000 away from this guy, and give it to the one who has the $10,000!'

29. And the master spoke something that is indicative of how the Kingdom works, for he said 'To everyone who has will more be given...and he will be furnished richly so that he will always have an abundance. But from the one who does not have, even what he does have will be taken away from him.

30. And throw the good-for-nothing servant outside in the cold, where he will weep over his missed opportunities, and grind his chattering teeth in regret!'

31. One more thing...when the Son of Man is fully revealed in all His glory, and all His messengers with Him, then He will sit on the throne of Kingdom authority.

32. And the people of this nation will be gathered before Him, along with those from every other nation, and He will cause a separation in them as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats.

33. And He will have that which is compassionately righteous and sheep-like in them to be at His right hand, but that which is wickedly indifferent and goat-like to be at His left.

34. Then the King will say to those who appear to be at His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit as your very own the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

35. For I was hungry and you fed Me...I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink...I was a stranger and you welcomed, entertained and took Me into your home...

36. I was naked and you clothed Me...I was sick and you visited Me, and ministered to Me...I was in prison and you didn't forget to come to see Me.

37. Then the just and upright people will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we ever see You hungry and gave You food, or thirsty and gave You something to drink?

38. And when did we see You as a stranger and welcomed and entertained You? When did we see you naked and clothed You?

39. And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and came to visit You?

40. And the King will reply to them, 'This is the absolute truth...in so far as you did any of these things for one of My brethren, especially for one of the least in the estimation of men...one of the disenfranchised...one of the unfortunate ones... one who is overlooked and ignored...you did it for Me. My Kingdom is built on these principles.'

41. Then He will say to those who appear to be at His left hand, 'It's a different story with you...this part of you that is cold and uncaring needs to be gone and cursed...purged in the fires of judgment!

42. For I was hungry and you gave Me no food...I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink...

43. I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me or entertain Me...I was naked and you did not clothe Me...I was sick, and in prison, and you did not remember to visit Me, nor did you care at all about ministering to me.'

44. Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when did we ever see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to Your needs?

45. And He will reply to them, 'This is the absolute truth...in so far as you failed to do it for the least of these in the estimation of men...as you failed to care...as you didn't even notice the suffering going on all around you...you failed to do it for Me. In your callousness you have violated the most basic principles of My Kingdom, in which the first will be last, and the last will be first!

46. Then those who are uncaring...indifferent...unfeeling...will go into the fire for a period of time...into a fiery trial that will ultimately burn out everything in them that is beastly and goat-like...until, at last, they are empathetic and compassionate to 'the least of these'...until they are like righteous sheep, humble, and fit for the Kingdom...and then all those who are just and upright and in right standing with God will enjoy the fullness of the eternal life."

MITN XVI, Verses 13 - 20

13. Now when Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He called His disciples together and pointedly asked them, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

14. And they answered, “Well, some say that You are the reincarnation of John the Baptist, or even that of Elijah; and others believe that you are Jeremiah of old, miraculously appearing in this present time, or that You are a modern manifestation of one of the other prophets.”

15. With no surprise at their answers, or response to their observations, He pressed them further, asking, “But who do you, yourselves, say that I am?”

16. Simon Peter, almost always the first one of them to speak up, replied, “I say that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!”

17. Then Jesus answered him, “You are truly blessed, Simon, Son of Jonah, because flesh and blood, or natural, human reasoning, has not revealed this to you. You have gained this insight through tapping into the perspective and paradigm of My Father Who is in the heavenly dimension.

18. And since My Father has revealed to you Who I really am, I'm going to reveal to you who you really are. So I tell you, your name is now Peter/Rock, or as the Greeks say, ‘Petros’ (the masculine form of the word ‘Petra’). In other words, others may see you merely as a rolling stone, but you are cut from The Rock, or the ‘PETRA’, nonetheless; and it’s on this Rock…this massive formation like the Rock of Gibraltar…that I will build My Church! Yes, My Church will be built on a mammoth, unshakable, and unmovable revelation of the I AM, from which you have spoken…and the gates of death, and of everything else from the dark side of the unseen realm (or ‘Hades’, as the Greeks call it in their mythology), shall not be able to overpower it, or be strong enough to hold out against the magnitude of it!”

19. And through this revelation, I will give people like you the very Keys of the Kingdom of/from the heavens. So with this power to unlock or lock up heaven on earth, as it were, whatever you declare to be improper and unlawful in this dimension, must be what is already declared improper and unlawful in the heavenly realm. In the same way, whatever you declare to be lawful on earth must be the standard norm in the heavenly realm. You can actually bind or loose…forbid or permit…lock or unlock…with the authority that comes from these revelation-keys!

20. Then He strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that He was Jesus, the Christ, so that each individual would have to know Him by their own revelation, as well, and not by means of hearing it from “flesh and blood”.

MITN XIII, Verses 1- 23

Verses 1 - 11 were previously posted on the comments page:

1. On the same day Jesus went down to the beach and simply sat by the water to meditate in solitude.

2. But when the people saw that it was Him, they began to gather around Him in such great numbers that He got into a boat and remained sitting there, while the huge crowd stood on the shore and stared at Him in silent expectation.

3. And so He began to teach by telling them many things in didactic allegories or parables, saying, “A sower went out to sow.

4. And as he sowed, some of his seed fell by the side of the road, and the birds came and ate them up.

5. Still other seeds fell on rocky ground, where the soil was so shallow that it was virtually nonexistent; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil.

6. But when the sun rose, they were scorched, and because they had no root system to nourish and anchor them, they just dried up and withered away.

7. And other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and suffocated them.

8. But other seeds fell on good soil, and yielded healthy grain. Some produced a hundred times as much as was sown, some sixty times as much, and some thirty.

9. He who has spiritual ears, let him listen and let him perceive, discern and comprehend by spiritual hearing."

10. After the conclusion of this teaching, His disciples came to Him and asked, “Why do You speak to them by telling these stories?”

11. And He replied to them, "I have unveiled the secrets of the Kingdom of/from the heavens to you first, but not to others yet.

12. You see, this is the way it (the Kingdom) works…everyone who uses what he/she already has within himself/herself (because the Kingdom is within you) will attract even more to himself/herself. But people who don't utilize what they already have within, will lose even what little they have already manifested without.

13. When I teach, I use allegories, or “stories”, as you call them, because they force my listeners to activate their inner vision, and to hear My words in their spirit. When they look only with the natural eye, they cannot see, and when they listen only with the external ear, they cannot hear or understand.

14. In this sense is the process of fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, which says: You shall indeed hear and hear but never grasp and understand; and you shall indeed look and look but never see and perceive.

15. For this is about what is happening right now in this nation…and this nation's heart has grown grossly fat, their collective mind has become dull, their ears are heavy with prejudice so that they have difficulty in hearing, and their eyes they have intentionally and tightly closed. If this were not the case, they could see and perceive, they could hear and comprehend, and, most importantly, they could grasp and understand with the heart what can never be seen or heard with eyes and ears. If they allowed for this kind of insight and perception, I could turn and easily heal every one of them of the disease resulting from their self-inflicted blindness and deafness.

16. But you are blessed in spite of all that because your eyes have chosen to see, and your ears are purposefully open so that you can actually hear what I am saying now.

17. You don’t even realize the full impact of this, but it’s true anyway…many prophets and seers…righteous men and women of old who longed to see into the future…actually yearned to see what you are seeing right now. They believed for it, but did not see it. They wanted to hear what you are hearing, but they were not able to connect with it.

18. So listen with your heart, then, to the meaning of The Tale of the Sower:

19. You see, while anyone is hearing the Word of the Kingdom with nothing but the external ear, they fail to grasp and deeply comprehend it. So when something or someone who is adversarial to the Word that they have heard, challenges their revelation of it, that adversary is like an evil one who comes and snatches away the seed that should have been sown in the heart. Regardless of how much life-potential the planter scatters, when the seed remains un-sown…when it just sits lightly on the surface…it is vulnerable to enemies. This is symbolic of what was sown along the roadside.

20. As for what was sown on the thin and rocky soil…this is a similar issue. This represents the one who hears the Word (even beneath the surface), because he/she actually has the ability to comprehend the Kingdom on a deep level. So immediately this one welcomes and accepts the Word with joy, and embraces the revelation of it.

21. But even though he/she can recognize and receive Kingdom revelation, this person has no real internal root system, because he/she has formed no genuine relationships in the Kingdom. As I have already told you, the Kingdom comes in corporate revelation, so the “roots” here are the relationships that nourish and anchor an individual. So, because this one is isolated (and therefore rootless), he/she is inconstant, and only lasts a little while. When affliction or trouble or persecution comes to challenge the Word, at once he/she is caused to stumble, and just falls away because of his/her own disconnection.

22. As for what was sown among thorns, this is he or she who truly “hears” the Word…this one has both the required roots of relationship and the desired depth of discernment. But even though this one has everything that is needed, he/she fails to consistently get rid of what isn’t needed. And so the cares of the world…the wrong perception of the daily duties of life… and the deceitfulness of riches…the wrong idea that riches are something external…simply choke out and suffocate the God-breathed Word. In this case, someone who obviously should be fruitful and flourishing becomes bleak and barren, just by ignoring regular, basic garden maintenance.

23. And as for what was sown on good soil, this is he/she who hears the Word with the heart, or with spiritual ears, and grasps and comprehends it! This is the one holds onto their roots and gets rid of their weeds (they keep the relationships and let go of the cares), instead of the other way around. This one indeed bears fruit, and yields in one case a hundred times as much as was sown, in another sixty times as much, and in another thirty. In other words, a person’s harvest is ultimately determined by the quality of their soil, not by the amount of seed that is sown into them."

MITN XI, Verses 1- 15

1. After Jesus had finished charging His twelve disciples, and preparing them for what they were possibly facing, He went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.

2. John, meanwhile, had been locked up in prison on orders of Herod Antipas (in reaction to his condemnation of Herod's marriage to Herodias, the wife of his brother), and the effects of his incarceration had put John through some changes, both mentally and emotionally. So when he heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent his disciples

3. to ask him, personally "Are you really the One who was to come…the One the prophets talked about…the One we’ve been expecting…the Christ? Or should we part with our illusions concerning you, and start to look for someone else to fit that description?"

4. Jesus, without being defensive, non-emotionally replied to them, "Just go back and simply tell John what you hear and see...

5. All that he needs to know is that the blind are receiving their sight, the lame are walking, those who have leprosy are being cleansed, the deaf are hearing, even the dead are being raised, and the good news is being proclaimed to the disenfranchised and the destitute.

6. And blessed is anyone who accepts this as My validation, without offense because of their perception of Me, and does not even think of asking such a question."

7. But as these disciples were leaving to take Jesus’ pointed reply back to John, He began to speak to the crowd about him, before anyone could form a negative opinion because of this exchange of words...before anyone could bring an accusation against John due to his obvious doubt and insolence. He said to them, "Just what did you think you were going to see out there in the wilderness? A little weakling who doesn’t speak his mind…a reed swayed by the wind?

8. If not, then what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes…a sell-out for the religious establishment? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings' palaces, and a shaky reed would never have the nerve to challenge me in this way.

9. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? No doubt…that’s what you wanted to see, and that’s what you did see. But, I tell you…this man, regardless of the mental battle he may be having right now in that lonely prison cell…is still a prophet…more than a prophet, in fact…a prophet, and then some.

10. This is the one about whom Malachi wrote: 'I will send my messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.'

11. This is the absolute truth, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater in history than John the Forerunner. Yet, ironically, in this kingdom which he introduced to you…in this new paradigm where the first shall be last, and the last shall be first…the order of things will be so radically changed, that whoever is perceived to be the least important…the least significant…the least worthy in the kingdom of/from the heavens, is actually greater than he!

12. You see, for a long time now…even from the days when John the Forerunner was at the height of his influence…right up until this very moment…the kingdom of/from the heavens has been subjected to a kind of violence, as it were. People have tried, in one way or another, to literally force themselves into God’s kingdom through their own efforts. Men of passion, like John, have demonstrated this “violence”, and, frankly, it has been allowed, because there was basically no alternative.

13. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied the coming of this kingdom, up until John appeared on the scene, and manifested their prophecies into this reality. They spoke it into spiritual existence, but he literally opened it up for you in the material world.

14. And if you are able and willing to grasp this concept, he is actually the Elijah who was to come.

15. Whoever has discernment, let him perceive what I mean by that."

So...What Did You Think?

(click to enlarge)

Wonderful Wednesday!

Hey bloggers,

Thanks for your prayers, expressions of love to my parents, and thanksgiving to God for His protection of them yesterday. Amazingly, they seem to be doing fine, and will be at service tonight...

Several of you commented on the pics yesterday (thanks)...here's some more that I like, along with a great passage of Scripture...

Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.

Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference?

Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.

If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

Matthew 6:26-34, The Message


See you tonight...