Thoughts from Isaiah 10:27

 Thoughts from Isaiah 10:27

 

From Isaiah 10:27 we get the popular, but erroneous, sayings in the church, “the anointing breaks the yoke.” This started from the KJV translation of this verse.  Most of the other English translations have translated it as the anointing oil or fat that breaks the yoke.  The Hebrew word used in this verse is semen, pronounced sheh’-men, which means grease, especially liquid (as from the olive, often perfumed; figuratively, richness:-anointing,xfat (things), x fruitful, oil (-ed) ointment, olive, pine. (Strong’s definition). In looking at every verse where semen is used in the Old Testament it is speaking of the oil or the fat itself and not the specific act of anointing.  

Now with a proper understanding of what the verse we can see the real meaning and depth of what it is saying to us even now.  To help with this I have included the verse here from 3 different English translations. 

 

Isaiah 10:27NKJ Version It shall come to pass in that day
That his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, And his yoke from your neck, And the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.

Isaiah 10:27 NIV In that day their burden will be lifted from your shoulders, their yoke from your neck; the yoke will be broken because you have grown so fat.

Isaiah 10:27 ASV And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall depart from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed by reason of fatness.

 

In the NIV and ASV we see that God is really using the example of animals who are yoked and who grow so big, fat, that the yoke used is broken by their fatness.  This is not a fatness of laziness. In this context it is from being well fed and taken care of having an abundance of food and care. 

 In looking at the context of verse 27 it is speaking of the remnant of Israel that God will bring back from captivity. Those who have returned to God, God will bring back to the land of Israel and prosper them.  With that in mind if we take the anointing oil /fat itself to be representative of the Holy Spirit Himself then it is not correct to see verse 27 in the light of the yoke being destroyed by the Holy Spirit?  What if we read this verse as follows:

 

“That his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, And his yoke from your neck, And the yoke will be destroyed because of the Holy Spirit” or “In that day their burden will be lifted from your shoulders, their yoke from your neck; the yoke will be broken because you have grown so in the Holy Spirit” or “And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall depart from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed by reason of Holy Spirit.”  

 

I believe that a better understanding of this verse is found in the importance of the Holy Spirit Himself, who He is and not in what He does.  I think that it is easy to get caught up in what God does more so than who He is.  When we get caught up in simply what God has done, is doing or will do instead of who He is these lead us to seeking and loving Him for what He can DO for us instead of seeking and loving Him because of WHO He is.  

If we only love Him and seek Him for what He can do for us isn’t that a little messed up?  Think about it, while it is nice to be appreciated and loved for what you do or have done isn’t it much more satisfying to be appreciated just for being you? How would it, or does it, feel to have your spouse, children or friends only love and appreciate you because you do something for them or buy them something?  If that is the basis for their love and appreciation what happens if the day comes and you are no longer able to do or to buy them something? 

 How about us? Is our love and appreciation for The Lord and others just simply transactional?  Is it that we love and appreciate someone as long as they can do something for us and keep doing stuff for us?  Is this how we view God, our spouse, our children and our friends, as transactional partners? We will love and appreciate you as long as you do something in return for us?

Don’t misunderstand I believe that we need to be appreciative and thankful for what God and others have done and do for us.  I just believe that we need to look beyond the doing to the person, to who they are and to love and appreciate them just because they are them. 

It is because God is love and loving that come the His acts of love regardless of if we love Him back or not.  It is not a transaction it is His character.  Stop and think, if God only showed love to get something back, instead of it just being an outpouring of His character, would He truly be loving?  Would He real be love?  Flip that around, if we only show love to God and others simply to get something in return is that really love?  Could it be that most issues in our relationship with God, our marriages, families, friendships, relationships in general are because love has been distorted into a transaction? 

 

The Essence of the Kingdom

 The Essence of the Kingdom 

 

Recently I have been doing a deep dive into joy.  As I was searching the Bible to see all that it had to say on the subject of joy I came upon this verse, Romans 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

My thoughts then went to Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you

In looking at both of these verses I see that, logically, what we need to be seeking first is righteousness, peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit.  

Sadly, many today in the church are seeking after so much that is not the kingdom or trying by their efforts to produce a God’s kingdom here on earth through various means but really, they are building their own kingdoms. Luke 17:21, says, “nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”  God’s kingdom is not an earthly kingdom that can be made to come about by political maneuvers and man’s efforts.  True righteousness, peace and Joy can only come from God and therefore can only be evidenced in our lives from our being in Him and He in us.  

 

Covet vs Content

 Covet vs Content

 

The word covet isn’t a word that is that common in our daily, American, vocabulary but it is something that we American’s are very familiar with.  Just reading the definition of Covet, -To desire inordinately; to desire that which it is unlawful to obtain or possess; in a bad sense, basically describes the majority of American’s life. A really good synonym for covet is LUST.   Sadly, this goes for those in the church as well as those outside the church. 

All we need do is look at James 4:1-3 and then look around us.  Doesn’t it explain a lot of what is going on in our world? Even though James 4:1-3 doesn’t use the word covet we can see that its definition applies here. James 4:1-3 “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.”

If we are honest with ourselves coveting comes really natural and easy.  Not something that we had to learn or work at, it is just there and grows. On the other hand, Paul, in Philippians 4:11-13, speaks about having learned to be content, “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  

It is easy to take from Philippians 4:11-13 that the learning to be content is something that we need to do in our own efforts and strength.  That it is a long arduous process and that we need to go through some mountain tops and valleys to obtain this learning and that we just need to struggle along in Christ until we obtain in but never fear because we can do it because Christ will give us the strength to make it through.  That is pretty much the way I have thought about it until this morning. 

This morning, I read a verse that I have read hundreds of times before and today my eyes were open to what it was saying. Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have.”  I read this first part and it was good but nothing super special.  Basically, don’t covet, be content BUT it is the second part of the verse that POPPED, “For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  The key word was FOR.  My conduct, my life, can be lived without covetousness, that desire inordinately; to desire that which it is unlawful to obtain or possess-lust, for or because Jesus will never leave me nor forsake me.  To emphasis the meaning let me paraphrase Hebrews 13:5, “Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you and thus you can be content and have no need to covet anything else.”  It isn’t about our struggling to learn how to be content it is about abiding in Jesus and Jesus in us to where we see that He is our contentment because He is the fullness of everything we could ever want or desire.  Coveting/Lust is the lie that tells us that we can find what everyone really longs for, real love, is found in sex, money, fame, and things.  Really that is what drives us.  Everything that you or I have ever desired when you boil it down to its core, we will find that it is the desire for love, real love (real love defined by God, not by man).  

Thing is that no matter how hard we work, or scheme, or lie, cheat, or how many wars we fight we CANNOT obtain it through our efforts.  The GOOD NEWS is that we don’t have to because real love is the free gift of Jesus.  Jesus is the love that fulfills every desire we have ever had or will ever had.  When we are full of Jesus it doesn’t matter if we have billions in the bank or not a cent to our name, we are content.  He is the One that fills every hole, heals every wound, gives us our value, our reason for being and living. When we know, I mean really know and that is easy to do, Jesus, we know what contentment really is which means that there is no longer a place for coveting.  

Full and Less

 Full and Less

 

During my time in the hospital the Lord showed me that I am lacking in Joy. As I meditated on this, I began to see some things. My definition of full and less weren’t God’s definitions. 

To truly be full is not just to be at capacity but to be at capacity while it is flowing out at capacity. Anything short of that is less. Using these definitions if I am full of something it should be easy for people to use that as an identification of me.

Question, how do we identify or label a person as joyful? Is it because we see a trickle of joy coming out every now and then or is it because we see joy flowing out of them in capacity?

People identify us by what they see flowing out of us at capacity, good or bad. 

This led me to some self-reflection and to this conclusion. I need to be more and more abiding in Jesus and Jesus in me. Each part of the fruit of the Spirit should be something people identify me by because I am full of the Spirit because I am abiding in Jesus. There should be no joyless in my life or any other less of anything God has for me. NOT because of my efforts or behavior modifications (John 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.) BUT because of Him abiding in me and I in Him and that producing the fruit of that relationship of abiding. (John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.) If I was to spend my time trying to make myself joyful, I would be as successful as a branch cut off an apple tree trying to produce apples. (John 15:6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.)

The only thing in the process that I can accomplish is limiting what God desires to be fully flowing through me. My lacking in joy, joylessness (having less joy than God intended for me), is simply me not receiving all that God has for me. Unlike my previous reaction to something like this I am not going to worry or fret. God’s intention was not to give me a harsh rebuke or to condemn me but rather a revelation of His more that He has for me. That whatever has been hindering can go and that I can receive ALL that He has for me by just abiding in Him, His Word and His Love. 

Basically, I don’t have to work on behavior modification because as I abide in Him (which means I am abiding in Him Word and Love because these can’t be separated from Him) He’s going to be producing His fruit through me. I am going to be filled to capacity and pouring out in capacity because He is the source not me. 

For those struggling with something, anger, hate, words coming out of your mouth that shouldn’t, control, anything sinful, anything negative, STOP FOCUSING ON IT. Instead focus your attention on abiding in Him. You can’t stop yourself from doing any of it long-term NOR can you do any of the good you know you should do, successfully, in your power. (Romans 7:15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.) 

You know what you can do? Die to abide. Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

The Secret Place

 The Secret Place

 

Matthew 6:6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

 

Today this aspect of the secret hit me out from this verse.  I believe that there is more here than just Jesus telling us to not be like those who pray out to draw attention to themselves.  I believe that He is giving us an invitation.  An invitation to something very special, the secret place. 

When I think of the word secret other words pop to my mind, private, intimate, special, hidden, protected.  If I take these words and put them with the invitation that Jesus is giving, I get the following, pray to your Father who is in the secret (private, intimate, special, hidden, protected) place. 

I believe that there is a connection here between us meeting with the Father in the secret place and all the way back to the beginning of creation.  In Genesis 3 we read of God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, the implication being that He came to spend time with man.  God desires relationship with us so much so that He wants to meet us in a secret place just us and Him.  

In the modern, western, Pentecostal/Charismatic church we have fallen into a trap of elevating the cooperate gathering, and the bigger the better, to the place where we meet God.  I believe that is because of the emotional feelings that we experience in these meetings.  I am not saying that God isn’t there and that people don’t experience God in those times because He is there and He can be experienced there.  What I am saying is that we miss so much more of what God wants to have with us and we will never experience the depth of relationship if that is what we limit ourselves to.  

I would, for a moment, like to use a romantic relationship for an example.  Many people have found their romantic partner in a crowd place and through out the relationship had many good times in public, places around a lot of people.  The question I would pose is this, did the relationship grow in the crowds in public or in the places away from the crowds?  

It is kind of hard, actually impossible, to develop a really close, intimate, special relationship with someone in the crowds.  From my own experiences when I found a girl I liked and who liked me I would do everything I could to find time to spend time with them just the two of us.  When I was in college there was this girl, I liked so much that I would cut class to spend time with her.  I actually cut my science lab so many times that I forgot what time it actually met and didn’t go to that lab for the last half of the semester.  I didn’t care because my focus was on being with this girl. Spending that time getting to know her meant more to me than actually doing what I was supposed to be doing in college. Many a marriage has fallen to divorce because the husband and wife got busy with raising a family and life and stop spending time together by themselves. They saw each other and spoke to each other every day but they lost the intimacy because they stopped finding those times apart from everything else just to be in each other’s presence. Sadly this happens far too often in our lives as believers with our relationship with God.   

One last question; Ever wondered why you have felt God so powerful in cooperate gatherings on a Sunday and then feel like you are walking through a desert Monday through Saturday? 

Let us take Jesus’s invitation to heart and come to the secret place daily.  

 

Ireland-Count Down.

 Ireland-Count Down.

Finances

I felt that the number I needed to believe for was $10,000 with the majority of this being used to sow into ministry that is going on there and to help with getting new ministries started. I have also been believing and declaring 100-fold return for anyone who invests/sows/gives into this. Link for the gofundme https://gofund.me/a904c595 or you can give in person.

To borrow from Philippians 4:17 “Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.” 

Itinerary 

Departing Syracuse April 25 

Arriving Dublin, the morning of the 26 

Faith Mission Durrow, Co. Laois, Came to Believe 12step retreat 26^th- 29th. 

29^th-5^th of May  My plan is to visit different ministries of Living Waters (that Sean’s church) does throughout the week in different locations, Portlaoise, Kildare and Finglas. I am also going to visit some of the other Elim churches that are in the country and build relationship while taking advantage of the open doors that will be there along the way to minister to individuals I run into. 

May 6^th Flying back home. 

Prayer

Focus-That I am focused over the remaining 22 days till I leave on what Jesus has me to do now. I don’t want to miss opportunities here by being distracted by the future.

Open Doors-That I see every single door opening. I believe that the big is going to come in and through the small. So, the doors are not going to appear to be large but actually small even very small. I don’t want to miss a one of them because each one holds huge Kingdom things. 

For those I encounter-That whoever I encounter or encounters me encounters the Love, Joy and Peace of Jesus. To borrow from Acts 4 that with all boldness I may speak God’s word, by stretching out His hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Jesus. To raise the dead, cast out demons, heal the sick and to preach the Kingdom.