Freedom thru Forgiveness 1
God’s job description is to cover the entire creation with His nature. His chosen strategy is you and I. By placing His nature in us and allowing us to re-present Him in the geography we inhabit, God is fulfilling His mission, and expressing His love to us simultaneously.
I start here with every stronghold I address because we must know that our freedom is first about the Kingdom of God, and second, about us. We benefit from God being committed to His job description, in the same way we benefit from the sun being at the center of the Solar System. Our freedom is an outgrowth of God’s absolute commitment to His mission. If He actually put us first, the whole system would implode. Putting us second is the most loving and generous thing God can do for us. His first priority is Being Himself, the only thing that could ever actually allow us to be ourselves.
Having set this foundation in place, it is important then to recognize that the God whose nature we carry does not love conditionally, and His emotions are not subject to anyone else’s behavior. If they were, He would cease to be God. No one can make God cease being Love. In the face of evil, injustice and pain, God stays absolutely true to His nature.
Forgiveness, our forgiveness of those who have wronged us, is not some requirement we face in order to fulfill a mandate to be good christians. Forgiveness is God’s gift to us to allow us to be fully ourselves (repositories of His Nature) in the face of evil, injustice and pain. Forgiveness is a gift that God gives us so that we might be able to be free, right now, in the middle of this still fallen world. It is a gift that allows us to continue to love and not have our well-being be subject to anyone else’s behavior.
The greatest obstacles to our receiving and using this gift are our misperceptions about forgiveness; what it is and what it is not. Over the next several posts, I want to help us all tap into one of the greatest gifts that God has given us. I hope you want this too.
The Tree of Life
When Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden of Eden, I am certain that the Garden was also kicked out of them. Life in the Garden was filled with unique attributes. Life outside… well, let’s look.
After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. Genesis 3:24
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” Matthew 4:17
We first must understand that all of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew. It has been translated through the generations to give us the English Bibles we have today. Translation is a tricky process, as you cannot take the translator out of the process. Translators have their own perceptions that affect the process. Kind of like human communication in every arena. Teaching in other nations, when my own interpreter does not understand the concept I am conveying, they cannot accurately convey the meanings embedded in a teaching.
Let’s look at the verse above through different eyes. Anytime our eyes view God as mean, or rigid, we must assume we are viewing Him incorrectly. I fear verses like those above could lend us to viewing God incorrectly.
First, the story. Adam and Eve have just sinned, and God has come to describe what comes next after their mess-up. They took into themselves the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This changed everything, and God began to adjust some things to go with this new circumstance. His last adjustment is described in the verse above.
He set a cherubim with a flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of life. Darn that cherubim. Stupid sword… we should be able to get to the tree of life. Shouldn’t we?
What if the english here is not an accurate picture of what God set in motion. We picture a vigilant guard, standing in protection mode to prevent access.
The “Flaming” sword does not imply flames for intimidation or destruction, rather the Hebrew word here, lahat means “enwrappping” or magic, covertness, and is sometimes translated as enchantment. The word implies then, that whatever is happening with this sword has an effect on perception. Add to this the word haphak which we translate “flashing back and forth” and is more accurately understood as changing or distorting, and we see that this cherubim is using his sword to disguise or hide the WAY through distorting or disrupting our perception.
Now, what is he guarding through this method of disguise, the tree? No, even the English says he is guarding, or distorting the way to the tree. So our mind pictures him blocking a path. But the Hebrew word is derek, which can mean a literal path, but more strongly indicates a mode of living , or a course of life. I might say a way of thinking.
Put it all together and we see that God has placed this angelic creature here with a mechanism which will confuse our perceptions, so that the way we might try to locate the Tree of life will not actually locate it. In other words, we cannot access the Tree of Life through our way of perceiving, through the knowledge of good and evil. Trying to access the Tree of Life through our knowledge of good and evil is a bit like trying to know love through quantum physics.
There is a way to get to the tree. Humans knowing good stuff and bad stuff is not that way.
Not only did we leave the Garden, but the way we perceived reality in the Garden left us. It had to.
So how do we access the Tree?
The second verse listed above is the answer to this question.
Jesus tells us, “repent, for the Kingdomof Heaven is near”.
Because we have tried to access the Tree of Life through the Knowledge of Good and Evil we read that verse like this, “Straighten up, God is coming soon.”
But the word “REPENT” is not at all what we think. This word is all about perceptions. Specifically it is about changing our mode of perceptions. Sound familiar? The word repent means “think differently”. Not just different. Differently. Change the way you take in the world around you. Becuase the Kingdom of God, the reality of His Spirit, the Source of Life… is NEAR.
You cannot access it by doing good, and avoiding bad, you must change the frequency on which you are receiving. Apparently I will have to write more about this in the days ahead…for now, begin to think differently. Could the Tree be near right now, but hidden from your eyes?
I really like Grace
At the top of my “What I like about God” list is His Grace. Not the “I can get away with stuff” part. In fact, I am pretty sure that part of Grace is not really grace. I like the “it’s there when I need it most“, and the “it is exactly what I need” aspect of grace.
I fear that some people view grace as this crazy idea that God has suspended His opinion temporarily. As if the church age is a period in history during which God has lowered His standard. He had to, right? We can’t meet His standard, so the opinion, (often unconscious) is that God brought the bar down, so that we could all clear it. In our culture, a “grace period” refers to a period of time when we can get away with not following through.
Not a single day passes in which your behaviors and choices have no effect on your life. If there were such a thing, what would happen if you made a Would you miss out on the benefits?
Grace.
Grace is power. Not encouragement, not motivation, not approval. Grace is Power. It can be encouraging, and motivating, and it can help you know you are accepted, but those are the effects, not the substance. Grace is an energizing force, which, when inhabiting people, generates through them the same impact as comes from the Giver of Grace. It is raw energy. I can either manufacture from my will and actions good behavior, or I can receive Goodness from the original source. Grace is the raw energy that enables me to actually be the person that God originally created me to be. On my own, apart from Grace, I am merely a poser and a stumbling imitation. I like Grace because it empowers me to actually be the man that I always wanted to be.
I like that it is available most, when I need it most. We so often focus on the “get away with stuff” thought that we may cheapen and miss the beauty of this gift. “Where sin abounds, Grace abound all the more” Paul tells us. And anticipating the natural human tendency he immediately says, “I am not telling you to sin more in order to get more”, as if we need to. Listen, the need is so constant and great, that the idea of conjuring up one more opportunity to “need grace” completely spits in the face of the One who paid a high price in order to offer us overwhelming love.
I tend toward weakness. My default setting is still selfishness. My mind seems to have, well, a mind of its own. My need for Grace, for an injection of God’s Nature, is ongoing. To make intentional choices to destroy myself and others because I believe God has suspended reality for this age is not presuming on Grace. It is choosing to act separate of the One Power which can bring life instead of death, and health instead of destruction. God will still love you, but you just signed up for pain. He will always have open arms, and fill you again tomorrow, but He loves you enough to allow you to reap what you sow on earth.
I need Grace every day, to flow through me and bring the effects of God into my circumstances and geography. I am grateful I do not have to earn God’s empowering presence. That would send me into a never-ending downward spiral in which I need God in order to change, but I cannot get God unless I change. Thank God, HE offers more of Himself at the times I need it most.
I really like Grace.
Hearing the truth about what God says
I came across this post the other day, and it’s a great reminder for us to really consider the truth of God, and what he has to say to us. Most of the time, we get it wrong. We struggle against the lies that are so embedded in our soul, but we have to let Truth prevail, because the Truth will set you free (John 8:32).
You say
God says
You say: It’s impossible
God says: All things are possible ( Luke 18:27)
You say: I’m too tired
God says: I will give you rest ( Matthew 11:28-30)
You say: Nobody really loves me
God says: I love you ( John 3:1 6 & John 3:34 )
You say: I can’t go on
God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)
You say: I can’t figure things out
God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5- 6)
You say: I can’t do it
God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13)
You say: I’m not able
God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9:8)
You say: It’s not worth it
God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8:28 )
You say: I can’t forgive myself
God says: I forgive you (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)
You say: I can’t manage
God says: I will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19)
You say: I’m afraid
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear ( II Timothy 1:7)
You say: I’m always worried and frustrated
God says: Cast all your cares on me (I Peter 5:7)
You say: I’m not smart enough
God says: I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1:30)
You say: I feel all alone
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)
God of the Morning
I love the mornings. The start of a new day. Mornings are full of potential. Freshness. Newness. So much opportunity!
I think one of the key reasons why I love mornings is because it’s like a major restart for me, both physical and spiritual.
Physically, my batteries have been recharged, my mind is at peace and the day is full of opportunities of what could be.
But I think it’s the spiritual side of mornings that really get me excited. Here are a few scriptures I think about in the morning:
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“Through the LORD’S mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22, 23).
“Let me hear of your unfailing love to me in the morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I have come to you in prayer” (Psalms 143:8).
“How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up in the morning, you are still with me!” (Psalms 139:17, 18).
“His anger lasts for a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may go on all night, but joy comes with the morning” (Psalms 30:5).
“Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly” (Psalms 5:3).
“But as for me, I will sing about your power. I will shout with joy each morning because of your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety in the day of distress” (Psalms 59:16).
Be encouraged! If you have failed, messed up, missed God, or just wonder if he cares about you, then you can know this: God’s presence is with you each and every morning. Call upon him. Listen and let us love wash over you.
Recent Posts
- The Knowledge of Good
- What do you believe about God?
- Go to the Mattresses
- Sin Mangement Vs. Forming Jesus In Us
- Focusing on your problem or focusing on God?
- Think Again
- What does it mean to Repent? What is repentance?
- Chasing your Passion
- Stop praying for revival, and BE the revival
- Divine Power within us to ask
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