Shepherd — Page 7

>What’s the big ‘ta-do’ About Money?

August 6, 2009 By David Roberts Leave a Comment

What's the big 'ta-do' about money? If we have some, we think it's the source of our needs being met. If we don't have 'what we think is enough', we spend our time trying to get more, in order to get our needs met. Do we not know how to simply rest any longer?

The entire word of God is one example after another of simply trusting God and that He is trustworthy. Our brains cannot accept that we have no part in our daily needs being provided. We find it difficult to live in the 'now', yet we experience glimpses of living in the now, where peace is our only guide and whatever work is done is being done 'through us', rather than 'by us.'

There is nothing wrong with giving up on something when there is nothing you find in it desirable. In fact, we should 'lay down' things that aren't of benefit to us. There-in lies the illumination of our problem in our human situation. Money is not the answer. God is the answer.

The contradiction and challenge to living in the world is that our natural mind isn't 'on board' with our source being God and being so fully accepted in Him. We aren't comfortable with our new identity and feel we must produce sweat to feel good about being part of the answer. Man's way of doing things is all wrong. Money is not the answer. Man is not the solution, man is the problem. God is the answer and He is always found now, no matter where you are.

We either have a little money or we don't, but I am still asking, "What's the big 'ta-do' about money?" If we believe in God's economy, everything will be right on time or you will eventually change course, either of which are fine with God. Is it really well with your soul or are you just moving your lips? You can't counterfeit trusting in God but you can change course, any time.

I am,
David

http://restorationhouse.com/

Additional reading: Exodus 34:12; Matthew 6:24

>Really Only One Way to Commit Suicide

July 27, 2009 By David Roberts Leave a Comment

We had a beautiful meeting this morning and wanted to share what is happening in me...

At least the past few years, it seems as though I have been removing things from my life that were distractions. Things that would interfere with my relationship with Christ were dealt with one at a time by identifying and discarding, sometimes painfully open and sometimes quietly alone. This may seem like the right thing to do on the surface but there is a way that seems right to the flesh but it is not the way of the Lord. I'd like to share a little testimony about the past few years and if it means something to you, that's great. If it doesn't, then that's okay too.

I feel I should warn you that what you may read isn't a definitive statement of fact, but rather an open confession of my thoughts and relationship with Life.

I have this revelation that the local organization, traditionally called the local church, is not necessary for redemption. I so love the local church (people) that it's easy to see the distinction between the organization and God's people. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the local organization is, many times, a great hindrance to believers. Rules and pressure placed on the individual person make it a place where grace is seldom found. Tue love takes a second place to our location, do we have enough parking spaces and how we are gonna pay for all 'this'. True grace is always accepting. Organizations are groups of people with flaws and problems that sometimes make good decisions and sometimes really 'screw' things up.

If you'll think back just a few sentences, I made a statement that I have a revelation about... (we'll you read it). That isn't exactly true. The revelation I have isn't about anything external. The revelation I have is that Christ loves and accepts me, not based on anything I have or have not done, but based on His very nature. The revelation is that the 'temporary' me isn't what counts. It's the permanent me, the eternal me that He is separating(ed) like bone and marrow, thoughts and intentions. The true me is life itself and cannot be separated from Him. The true me isn't based in worldly dimensions or understanding. The true me is eternal and without beginning or end, at least as my natural mind can understand. It was a trick that I believed for far too long that said, “what I did mattered”. It is the human condition that wants to be validated and praised. God's revelation to me was that there was nothing my flesh had to offer that was of value, yet He died to take it ALL, and give me that new identity based in Light.

Well, armed with this new insight into Light, my 'temporary' me just loves getting involved in the mix and distorting God's simple grace and truth. God's simple grace is that He is an accepting God and loves all people (yep, even Hitler, Billy Graham, Ted Bundy, Obama, Bush, or anyone else you can name). Standing against the Light of Lights, everything comes up short. The local organization is not anything all that special except it is a really good place to fellowship and possible learn and hear about (from) God. You could say the same thing about a grocery store or maybe even the neighborhood bar too. There is nothing that measures up to His grace, and that is why we (I) need it so very much. I should not remove myself from a situation because light exposes darkness. Light was meant to expose what was hidden.

One more time, I'd like to take a shot at stating clearly what the problem is with my earlier interpretation of my revelation. We were talking about suicide this morning and why that is wrong. Persons committing suicide simply aren't dealing with their 'now'. They aren't dealing with the present reality around them in a 'head-on' way. They are dealing with it by 'cutting' 'it' out of their lives, but they haven't really dealt with what's happening. The same is true with my revelation (or false revelation). I actually believed that because the local organization had no redeeming value that I should trim it from my life; I felt I should remove the distraction so that what was left would be holy. Actually, what I was doing was committing a different kind of suicide, but suicide just the same.

There is no action you or I can take to make us more acceptable to God. Isolation didn't work for me, and was the source of much restlessness the past few years. God didn't intend on trying to fix everything that is wrong in the world around us. The light in me was meant to be light to illuminate what is hidden, and then leave it alone. If we isolate ourselves from everything that doesn't measure up, there isn't anything left. Nothing this world can produce is even in the same realm as this God (Light) we know as our salvation.

I guess to sum it up, I am learning to trust Him more fully. I am, right now, by faith, allowing His light to illuminate in and through me, what is hidden. There is really only one way to commit suicide and that is not to live in the 'now'. Don't jump to the conclusion that because you see something, you should 'fix' it. You may be seeing it because measured against the wonderful Grace that is offered in Him, nothing compares. Lighten up and enjoy life!

I am, David

http://restorationhouse.com/

>Is it possible to ‘Take Advantage of God’

July 25, 2009 By David Roberts Leave a Comment

>Take advantage of God. Sounds a little shocking to just say it like that, but God wants you to take advantage of Him, His goodness and His Grace. He wants to show you great and marvelous things you have never seen, and He can't do that while you remain in the old mindset you were first born. Should I take advantage of God? Yes! Let me explain...

The term, take advantage is traditionally substitutable for rude behavior and not appropriate. Well, that may well be the case for common courtesy but God isn't interested in following rules He didn't establish. God has established one basic rule (or guideline) and it is that God gave Himself as a free gift because our very best wouldn't be good enough. If we don't take advantage of His free gift, we will continue trying to be good enough.

Many ministries were born with purity of mind and heart, only to quickly begin to follow the patterns of behavior. Behavior isn't what God came to change... He came to change your mind... When your mind is changed, the behavior will supernaturally follow.

God is love and in Him there is no effort. He rules all and has His way in everything, all the time. To take advantage of God is to 'get in' with Him, through His sovereign, irrevocable invitation. God's identity then becomes your identity. You become one with God and nothing can separate you from His love.

It seems as though most our prayer requests are requests to bring God into our dimension, which He gladly comes. But, it is God's desire for you to come into His dimension. Is God interested in our lives? Sure He is, but He is more interested in our Life and revealing our identity, which has little to do with our outward appearance or decisions.

Should or can I take advantage of God? One might say that it is 'human nature' to try to please God through 'being good' and trying to do the right thing, but the problem is that 'human nature' cannot please God. God wants to reveal to you, a heavenly nature, to live 'above' human nature. To even think you shouldn't take advantage of God's grace and love is to think that we owe God something and reject the whole idea of grace. There is nothing God needs to make Him whole. There is nothing God is in lack of to make Him complete. If I don't take advantage of Him, my life will be meaningless and without any eternal purpose. God's ultimate purpose for you and me is that He reveal our true identity to us, which is eternal.

Just like on the television infomercials, you can to take advantage of God right now by simply not relying on human nature and trusting Him.

I am, David
http://restorationhouse.com/

>What does God’s Face Look Like?

July 13, 2009 By David Roberts Leave a Comment

>I received a call from a friend the other day. He asked me, "In your opinion, what does God's face look like?". I wasn't able to talk right then so I asked him to call back in just a few minutes. He never called back so I did think a little on his question and it made fresh again the Realness of His love for me. Well, here is my answer... God doesn't have a face... at least in the terms we normally think about it. God is spirit and not in the natural... It is people who insist on reducing God into a 'time-based' existence, which He willingly goes along with for a while, but that doesn't change the essence of who He is. Now, there are really two ways 'face' could be defined, at least the way I'm thinking about this right now... The first is in the literal sense (a natural face that we can see and touch) and the second is in the figurative sense (a portal, if you will, into knowing Him)...

The religious answer that is 'pat' for believers is that "Jesus is His face"... I don't disagree with that but I think I want to discover more about how that applies to my existence 'In Him'. I also don't disagree with the answer that He is in every human, that His face is in every person... Actually, that argument could be made and again, I don't disagree with that answer either.

Human beings have this thing about having to know and define everything we come across. We have this compulsive disorder to be able to control everything. We think about 'light' and because we don't understand it, that we won't embrace it. Actually, because darkness doesn't understand the light is to actually 'prove' His existence (John 1). The fact that darkness doesn't embrace 'The Light' is merely a condition of our natural man, which won't (can't) embrace anything it can't define.

Man needs to 'know'. Man needs to control and have in neat stacks, to keep account of everything and everyone. Society has conditioned our thinking to the point that we don't understand the language of God... His language is the one language that is undefinable... His language is the language of love, the unknown tongue. Even with this agreement, we have a tendency to define 'the language of love' and create mental pictures of how this applies to our lives, both now and in the future... How about we just trust Him and know that if we are walking in 'The Light' we will speak and know His language. What's all this got to do with 'His face', you might ask... Well, I'm getting there fast.

God made a way for me (insert your name) to have an earth suit, yet still be a spiritual creation with an identity formed in Him. There is an eternal God which isn't seated somewhere in harsh judgment of all our 'actions', but rather embracing each of us as His own, based on His 'action'... He isn't looking at the outside, but He is looking at the true 'me'. It seems as though God went to a great deal of trouble to show His love for me. He has given me an identity not based in worldly circumstance but built in a name that is above every name. Any item, thing, creation, person or whatever that is a portal to the revealed truth of Him and His love for you is His face.

There isn't an answer like our human condition cries. God didn't come to fit into your world, He came to bring me into His. Darkness needs to control; but light just proclaims and shines. You are created in His image with the blueprint of our Father as the core of your being. In fact, you and He are one, and there isn't anything you can do to separate you from His love, which is Him. Do you need to know what His face looks like?... Recognize the love of God anywhere and everywhere and you are seeing His face (portal). Does He have a literal face?, you decide but I think He is bigger than that.

I am, David
http://restorationhouse.com/

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