Funny, I thought I'd written on this subject before... but when I went looking for a paper on the subject, I only found transcripts of conversations with some folks on the Internet - folks that were disturbed or upset or confused about some "issue" or other. Seems there's a LOT of that going round!
"CHRISTIAN, HOLD THY PEACE!" The Lord Spoke those Words to me some long time ago in the form of a Command (meant for me...), and as a Vision for (Answer to) the nagging question, "How NOW, Jesus???" That is, just HOW am I supposed to "Be Anxious for nothing!", as Paul States in; Phil 4:6 (KJV) Be careful ("anxious"-RSV) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Odd then, that, after having been "all over" this subject before, there would suddenly "appear" a whole, new "fathom" to it that had never "caught" my attention - no? NO! This is JUST the Way of the Living Word, and a very good reason to remain "open" to further Light from Above - on any subject. But before I begin to discuss this "new" Light (for me), how's-about I excerpt some of the "tidbits" gleaned from those transcripts I mentioned?;
It is my understanding that we get our English word "mystery" from the Greek word "musterion", and that we must not think of God's "Mysteries" as something God Is "hiding" from us, but rather, we should "see" such in "Light" of Jesus' Words, "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom!" [Lk 12:32] And also as, "...Christ Jesus, Who of God Is Made unto us Wisdom, and Righteousness, and Sanctification, and Redemption!:..." [1Cor 1:30]
"Obedience" to the Truth [Light] Which the Holy Spirit Leads us (in)to IS the "Believing" Jesus Said Is the "Work of the Kingdom!" [Jn 6:28,29] And it is by "Beholding" [Him!] This Truth, we are "Transformed" ["metamorphoomai-'zed'"] "from Glory unto Glory; being 'reNewed' in your mind..." [2Cor 3:18] It's what MAKES and KEEPS us BELIEVERS!
The Lord has Taught me, "It's not ABOUT your being 'wrong' or 'right'" [correct, as I see it]... "It's about My Work *IN* you!" [we are HIS "HandiWork!"]. Also, the Lord Corrected me too about "studying" [oh I know all too well the exhortation to "study to show..." (2 Tim 2:15)]; ...but I had it all wrong! He Wanted me to SHARE [Dine!] with Him! Well,... that made quite a difference!
The word "theology" is such an unfortunate word,.. hapless! No man "studies" God! Nor Will God be "scrutinized" by such audacity. God Freely Gives Himself [in Revelation] to those *HE* Chooses! And He Intends man to KNOW Him... not *OF* Him! [Man "turns things upside-down!" [Isa 29:16]] God Is neither "hiding" nor "silent" nor "absent".
God Makes "Corrections" in me; sometimes even over my "protestations!" And, sometimes, it takes what I call "going to the 'woodshed' with God, to "get things straightened out!" There is an old deeper-Life "saying" which says: "God takes us up to His mountaintop to show us His Vision; only to take us down into His Valley to Pound us into the SHAPE of that Vision!" God's not in the "entertainment" business. He Wants to Mold us INTO some Likeness of His Vision! That's what I mean when I say things like, "is that ALL RIGHT with you???"; ...or, "Do you MIND???"
As to "error", that's simply the "nature of the flesh" we're here [In-Christ] to Overcome by Faith! "For whatever is Born of God overcometh [by "mortification"! [Ro 12:1,2]] the world [in our self-flesh]; ...And **THIS IS** the Victory that overcometh the world, even our [Living, Alive-In-us] Faith [The Word, "Quickened"]!" [1Jn 5:(4)] There's only one "Solution" to "error" in ANY of us; ...Repentance!
Christ Said "Perfect", & "Finished"... any "less", is NAUGHT! Indeed, the finest fraud, the largest lie contains the MOST truth (without being True)! But God Teaches us there is no "defense" against "ambush"; but that **HE** Is the "snare"! ["As a 'thief' in the night!" {darkness, while "others" slumber!}]. But God Is Both Lamp and Path; our Living Way.
"His Words for us are, "Let NOT your heart be troubled!"; and "take NO thought!"; and ("Look at these lilies over here. Think you can top one of them???")... We are to "Walk SHOD!", if we are to "Walk in the Spirit!". "Shod" with God's Armour of Peace-Gospel. Lose this, and the ONLY "interface" [or prophylactic] God Provides which enables us to Travel as "Exiles" in this world, and to Maintain ["Keep"] His Peace!, ...is lost! At that point, we subject ourselves [inside & out] to the "mercy" of the carnal world! We BECOME "dinner", instead of the Honored Guest at a Banquet the Lord Prepares for us "smak-dab" in the middle of our foes! Eaten by "giants", instead of "Giant-Eaters!" Overcome, instead of being "Overcomes!" [Like the TV commercial ; as the husband uses the t.v. remote & turns on every electric appliance BUT the t.v.!, the wife says; "...THAT's not it!!"] Christian..., HOLD THY PEACE!
I am never "free" to comment on, or take "sides" in any "issue" with carnal ["carnivorous!"] overtones! These "issues" are neither new, nor novel. That such "religious inflammations" should "titillate" the divisive in ANY of us, should not impress those of us who owe our Peace to God! Paul warns each of us to let PEACE be our "umpire" [Grk="brabeuo" used ONLY here, in Col 3:15]... and he then seals it with the "clincher"... "to the Which also ye are **CALLED**!"
We are CALLED to Peace [in our "members"]. Now I know folks think that just means in the "church body", but I beg to differ. WE are a "body" too! And, as we are enjoined to "take every thought captive to Christ...", o we have "many parts"; many "levels" of maturity, development, belief, unbelief, etc., etc., etc! We must "hold the Head" [Jesus Christ Col 2:19], or we become a "house-divided"... and won't "stand"! [Cannot "Endure unto the end"-Mt 24:13, Mk 13:13... as "Saved **IF!*"] Let none of us deceive ourselves, our "house" WILL be "Stormed" by God! God Tests that which He Builds to Prove it (Worthy). PEACE is our Calling, AND our Umpire.
If we allow our heart to be hardened by such "issues", we risk being tempted by the "tribulation" & of having our "love wax cold"! [Which I believe is the "tribulation" of these Harvest-Times!] Remember "Christ's Law" [Gal 6:2] to "bear one another's burdens"! And, as our Lord "washes" our dirty ["world-sullied"] feet, so He also Bids us do with one another!
As to factions, controversies & "cares of the world", we must not "confer with flesh & "blood", but God ONLY. And as to our Growth in Christ we must never be "bound" by ANY man's opinion! We cannot Keep Christ's Peace while "clinging" to pain & self- pity - we must "cast them [and ALL our cares] on Him!... for HE Cares for us!"
True, God Teaches us that He MAY use "iron to sharpen iron" ["man against man"] from time to time. "Iron sharpeneth iron; So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." [Pr 27:17] But, consider this:... "For there **MUST** also be HERESIES ("factions") among you, [so] that they which are approved [genuine!] may be manifest among you!" [1Cor 11:19 see also Jude 4] So, Love is at Work in us... to Make Peace at the "Crossess-of-Repentance", that we may live the "crucified-Life", "Hid with Christ In God!" Therefore, ..."Count it all JOY JOY JOY!
It is this issue of "clinging-to" which is at the heart of anxiety. I am convinced that it is our refusal to turn loose of some character flaw, carnal care, or painful loss, from which the Lord would liberate us, that causes our defection from His Perfect Peace. We often use the excuse that it is because we don't understand - rather than lack of Faith in the One upon Whom we depend. Simple unbelief!
When a "tug-of-war" begins over some self-willed preference, our "house" becomes divided against itself, and we begin to wobble. Should we persist, we will surely topple over altogether! But children must be Taught by Discipline that what the Parent Says is Law - and is always for the best interests of the child - even when cannot "see" it. Enter Faith. Faith Sees Beyond. But learning to Trust Living-Faith is another aspect of Maturity, & only comes with experience.
Anxiety is little more than an attempted "coup" , or an overthrow of the Government of Peace by dis-obedience. In this we clearly see WHY Jesus profoundly Stresses the necessity of "Abiding" and remaining "One-WITH-Him" (even as He was/is with His Father!).
But maintaining Perfect-Peace (which "passes our understanding" Phil 4:7) is only possible as we maintain the Re(A)l-ationship in Perfect-Love (which "passes our knowledge" Eph 3:19). And this is only possible as we Follow His Obedience to His Father - even to the cross!
I am convinced a good definition for "frustration" is: "An unreasonable expectation we've adopted!" Are you "expecting" from flesh what Jesus Teaches us is "futile"? Jesus Said, "That which is born of flesh is flesh; and that which is born of Spirit is Spirit!" Jn 3:6 And again, "It is the Spirit that Quickeneth [Gives Life!]; the flesh profiteth [can Do] nothing [of Eternal Value]: The Words that I Speak unto you, THEY are Life! [Eternal!]" Jn 6:63
And, as to the "["Super"]-Nature" of this "New-Creature", John says: "[The "Sons of God"], which were Born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of the Will of God!" Jn 1:13
But, [tho Born of God's Own Will], the "fragrance-of-flesh" "lingers" on & on & on! For as long as we "suffer limitation", and are "subject to the world", and must be "in, but not OF the world"... the battle rages; inside ALL of us!
Frustration? Jesus Told us, "Let not your heart be troubled..."; and "Take no thought"; and "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's Good Pleasure to Give you His Kingdom!". But, ..ever try to, "let not your heart be troubled"??? Rough!
"Rough Words" are "hard" to "bear" [Jn 6:66]. Jesus Said to His Beloved Disciples, "I have yet many things to say to you, **but ye cannot BEAR them now!" Jn 16:12 [And John concludes his Gospel with the astonishing statement; "And there are also many OTHER things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written! Amen." Jn 21:25 Did Jesus "compress" [alter, "warp"] time for His Disciples? Who knows?
Paul comments on this "hard-Words" issue: "I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to BEAR it..." 1Cor 3:(2) [I do wish I always had the Grace and eloquence to "pull my punches" when it comes to "meat" the Lord has Give me to chew!] I sometimes think I forget that other's may already HAVE a "mouthful-from-God" [if you don't mind!]... and maybe THAT'S the reason they can't "accept" ["receive"] more "meat" from me! Ha! [Not that God Has gone "out of His Way" to "Appoint" me "guardian" over everyone else's "conscience", ANYWAY! God Forbid!]
Anyway, Jesus Tells us we "Keep ["gain"-RSV, MOF] our souls ["lives"-RSV] by our Patience" [enduring suffering]! (Lk 21:19) [As we are "Saved **IF!** we endure..." [by Patience!] (Mt 24:13, Mk 13:13] Well, that's one Fruit of the Spirit I don't see ANYONE "rushing to claim" credit for having "gobs" of ....Patience! Sooo... we all need to learn to "Cast our cares [those "worldly-weeds" that "steal the Word" right out of our heart!] upon Him!"
Don't "GO" where God don't "SEND" 'ya! ..But remember; God "KEEPS" where [whom] He "SENDS"!
The Scriptures tell us to "Let the Peace of God RULE in your heart, to the Which also ye are CALLED!..." [Col 3:(15)] That word "rule" is ONLY used here. It's the Greek word "brabeuo" and literally means "UMPIRE" - or "call the shots" - "or be your Boss!" [Notice too that we are told that the Peace of God [which ALWAYS "passes our understanding!"] is what we are CALLED to!!]...["Gospel of Peace"]
If YOU have to "call the shots", Ask God for Wisdom, and then Follow the Spirit of His Peace-In-Christ! "Don't go where *Peace* Hasn't "Called" you! [Where you cannot "Abide" [Remain] in Peace!] Then, Trust the Lord to "KEEP you in His Perfect-Peace as you STAY [fix] your heart on Him!" [Is 26:3] [Even as David was "after" God's Own Heart!] He Will, because He's Faithful & you KNOW Him!
[So much easier to Give than Receive "advice", huh? But I will tell you that my own Mom is also dying-by-inches just now.]
It's hard. REAL hard sometimes, to DO what Christ Says. Hard because He seems to think we can "do ALL things through Him...". Trouble always is - do we believe this? Oh, it's easy enough to talk about in quiet moments of serious contemplation; when we're musing about all those things that we think we ought to believe. But when it comes right down to the real "nitty-gritty"; where the "rubber meets the road"... are we "Strengthened" by Him: DO we "do all things" in (with) Him?
It's a bit "muddy" in the King James Version, so I'll print it here for you to see it for yourself; Phil 4:5 (KJV) Let your moderation ("forbearance"-RSV, MOF) be known unto all men. The Lord [is] at hand. 6 Be careful ("anxious"-RSV, MOF) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
See that word "moderation"? Know what it means? How about that other word, "forbearance" - know what it really means? Well, I was a bit "fuzzy" as to what Paul was "getting-at" here too, so I looked up "forbear" in my Webster's - here's what it says; "FORBEAR": refrain from, be patient, forgo, eschew, shun, sacrifice, abstain, fast from, keep from, withhold from, to deny oneself something for the sake of an end, to hold oneself back from doing or indulging in something."
Now in 2:5, Paul makes this rather astonishing Statement: Phil 2:5 (KJV) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Just what "Mind" do you think Paul has "in-mind" here? And what attitude or spirit of "forbearance" (as above) was in Christ Jesus, anyway? Could it be that Paul is referring to one & the same "Mind", Attitude or Spirit here?
And notice that Paul Says that we are to "Let this ______ be known unto all men"! Does he mean that we are to SHOW this "Mind which we let be in(side) us" to the world? And just what is it that Paul expects us to exhibit publicly?... "forbearance"? Hmmm... Have we seen much of this "shown" to the world lately? And, as for us... do we really think we know how to do this?
"Life's-a-bitch!" - ever hear that? There's just lots of suffering & trials & temptations & vexations out there these daZe. Ask anyone! Why there's a conference or symposium or seminar on stress and "coping" and managing tension every time you turn around, it seems. Why?
Things seem to be getting faster - ever notice? But it must just be some figment of my own imagination; some illusion, or just part of getting older, I guess. Wrong!
Jesus Warned us it would be like this; that the days would be "shortened" as this Grace-Age goes into Labor-Pangs, and dies to give Birth to the New Dispensation.
Have you noticed a strong temptation to get "sucked-into" some cause or issue or debate or "position" lately? "Take a STAND!" "A man that stands for nothing will fall for ANYTHING!" - Ever hear that? But Paul States unequivocally, 1Cor 10:12 (KJV) Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
So... HOW are we to DO (obey) what both Christ and Paul Command - "Be anxious for NOTHING!"?? Well, both give us the answer; "Cast all your CARES (burdens) upon HIM!". Do we? All??? Every day? Every thought?
God has Promised to KEEP us where He's Called us - as (if) we REMAIN ("abide", faithfully) IN Him - that is, to FIX OUR HEARTS ON Him. He Is, after all, King of Peace. And His Dominion is, after all, Peace (on Earth (with-in us) as in (with) Heaven.
We are at Peace when we are at-Peace WITH God (in-Christ). But it's all about God's Own Government in us.
I am convinced that Baal-ism was (is) the religious worship of SELF. The name "Baal" merely means "Lord". It is used in many different ways (even by God Himself) to mean just that. The fact that it may have been ritualized, systematized and made religiously official in time of old, does nothing to disguise the true deception of the "lordship" of self as the very nexus of paganism.
God Exposes this very thing as the very "source & center of Zion's sin & Israel's crimes", to quote the Moffatt translation:
Micah 1:13 (MOF) To horse and drive away, O Horsetown (Lakhish), O source of Sion's sin, where the crimes if Israel centre! Micah 5:10-15 (MOF) "On that day", the Eternal declares, "I will cut off your war-horses and destroy your chariots, I will root out the towns of your country and ruin all your fortresses; I will deprive you of your sorcery --- you must have no more wizards; I will cut out of you idols and sacred stones --- you must no longer worship things you manufacture; I will uproot your sacred poles and destroy your images [[ and in wrath and fury I will inflict unheard-of punishments upon pagans!]]"
Horses and chariots ("war-wagons") were abominable to God as a "source of strength" for His Own People. That they should depend-upon these for their "strength", and not God Almighty, their Lord, their Creator, their King... was tantamount to wanton "whoreing-after" the pagan-ways of those upon whom God had not Showered His Protection, Salvation, Grace and Holy Presence! This is the very meaning of the term, "dis-Grace-ful"!
Self-reliance. Shame. Disaster.
The core of Christ's famous "Sermon on the mount" seems to "pivot" on the great Theme of God-Dependence. As though, if we are to take Jesus Christ SERIOUSLY..., we may now merely Ask, Seek & Knock, and that, by Seeking "FIRST" (as in FOREMOST), God's King-Dominion of Righteousness (in-Christ), we simply leave everything else to God! "What???", Jesus Says... "Your Heavenly Father doesn't Know that you have need of all these things???" And again..., "What??... He Knows but won't help you???"
This "God-Dependency" Jesus Refers to IS His very Own Re(A)l-ationship WITH His Father - no... "OUR Father in Heaven Who's Name is HOLY!" Odd, how Jesus keeps coming back to that same Theme over & over again, huh? Abiding! Remaining! Continuing! Enduring, etc.
Serious stuff, this tiny topic, "anxiety". Stress is a killer, all right - but not just of the body; but of the Spirit as well! To be in anxiety is to be "out of Spirit" - that is, "cut-off" ("severed") from Christ! (see Gal 5:4-RSV). Is it any wonder, then, that a person in this state of utter confusion is so liable to "bewitching", as were these "foolish Galations? (Gal 3:1-RSV).
Peace is all about His King-Dominion. Whether He's Lord, or self is. Will Peace Reign ("call the shots")... will Peace ENDURE in me, or will I be divided against myself again? Having now made Peace with God-in-Christ, will I now "let" this "Mind" be in(-side) me? Will I be Strengthened (re-Newed) by Him, so that I can be Called-upon to "do all things in-Christ"?
When Jesus Christ Exhorted me to "Keep thy PEACE!", I saw this as no less than His Mandate to be responsible/accountable for my very Citizenship Papers in His Kingdom. This Peace, as it were, appeared to me to be my very Birth-Certificate ("Title-Deed") and my "Pass-Port", as it were, to God's Very Presence! Having been Awarded such a Precious Prize as this mortal is inept to describe, would I now treat it as some "fantasy", some "illusion" some "myth"?
Ask anyone who's BEEN there - inside some tragedy, some horror of loss, some desperate, confusing, paralyzing fear or pain or confusion or humiliation - some altogether-too-common a mortal dilemma - out of which there IS no way!... Ask any Christian who's God's Almighty Hand of Comfort & Calm and Assurance and Peace and Loving-Kindness and Presence is so overwhelmingly Evident... about one of these life-defying circumstance... and they will assure you that God is VERY Real. But till one has been there, don't expect that one to have been made a believer of...
Shame is, that those of us upon whom God's Own Beatitude and Blessings Shower upon daily... are, even so, so often overwhelmed by floods of unbelief. And, more's the shame, oftentimes, we don't even notice! Well, is there a place of continual-Abiding in-Christ: a place where we can Remain and Continue in His Living-Word(s) and Endure (Patiently) "unto the End"? If it were not so, Jesus would have TOLD us. But He DID Tell us that we can. And, though it is "impossible for man, but not for God!", we are given the KEY when we are Instructed to "Come UNTO Me...!" & "Cast ALL your cares on Me...!" & "Deny self, take YOUR cross DAILY to follow Me!". These we can do. Will we? Do we really want to? As we are honest with God, when we find (to our shock & horror!), that, in fact, the answer is, "NO!"... will we "confess" to the Lord; will we entrust even this to Him?; and will we "forebear", that is, "fast" as God has Asked us to... in "not hiding our SELVES from our FLESH"?
God's Government means DISCIPLINE - His! Folks just don't seem to get it, that His Peace IS His Lordship in us - that is, His Discipline, His Rule, His Authority, etc. Well, there's nothing "for it", then... but to repent! Thank God for that Right-in-Christ!
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