Deep Calls To Deep

What's in a Name?

2010-03-15T23:10:00.000-05:00

There's so much in the Bible that we glance over and move right on because we fail to see the relevance of it. I decided that if I wanted to get to know Jesus more I would take a look at his family. I thought one way to do that was to do a word search on the meanings of the names listed in the genealogy of Jesus found in Matthew 1:1-16. This is not an extensive study, but more of an introduction that will hopefully encourage others to do a more thorough study. I will share here what I found and some thoughts about Jesus - who his is and who he is toward us.

Abraham - "father of a multitude" - Jesus was referred to as the "firstborn among many brothers" Rom 8:29
Isaac - "to laugh" - Jesus must have been joyful as little children loved to come to him.
Jacob - "heel catcher, supplanter" - Jacob caught the heel of his brother and took the birthright. If we catch the heel of Jesus, we will get the birthright.
Judah - "praised, celebrated" - Jesus is worthy to be praised and we celebrate the life He gives.
Perez - "a breach" - Is.30:26 - The Lord binds up the breach of his people and heals the stroke of their wound.
Hezron - enclosed" - Romans 4:7 - Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
Ram - "high" - Psalm 91:1 - He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Amminadab - "one of the prince's people" - We are the people of the Prince of Peace.
Nahshon - "enchanter" - Actually means to attract and delight. Some use a wrong spirit to do this, Jesus uses the Holy Spirit.
Salmon - "raiment, a garment" - The woman with the issue of blood only touched the hem of his garment and was miraculously healed.
Boaz - "in him is strength" - His strength is made perfect in our weakness.
Obed - "serving" - Jesus washed the feet of the disciples.
Jesse - "wealthy" - Psalm 112:3 - Wealth and riches are in His house and His righteousness endures forever.
David - "beloved" - Luke 20:13 - He is the beloved son send by the Father.
Solomon - "peaceful" - He is the Prince of Peace.
Rehoboam - "enlarger of the people" - Means to make larger, increase in size, broaden, expand
Abijah - "my father is Jah" - He is the son of Jehovah.
Asa - "physician, or cure" - Jesus healed their diseases.
Jehoshaphat - "who Jehovah judges" - II Tim. 4:8 says He is a righteous judge.
Jehoram - "whom Jehovah has exalted" - Acts 5:31 God exalted Him to His own right hand.
Uzziah - "strength of Jehovah" or "Jehovah is my strength" - Luke 1:51 He shows strength with his arm.
Jotham - "Jehovah is upright or perfect" - Col. 1:28 Every man is shown perfect in Christ.
Ahaz - "possessor" - Jesus possesses the keys to death and hell.
Hezekiah - "the might of Jehovah" or "strength given by Jehovah" - Rev. 12:10 "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ."
Manasseh - "forgetting" or "causing to forget" - Phil. 3:13 Forget what is behind. Strain toward what's ahead.
Amon - "builder" - Upon the rock, Jesus will build His church.
Josiah - "whom Jehovah heals" - Matt. 10:8 "Heal the sick, raise the dead..."
Jeconiah - "whom Jehovah establishes or appoints" - Ez. 16:62 He will establish His covenant with us and we will know He is God.
Shealtiel - "I have asked of God" - Jesus said to ask what we will in His name and we will receive it.
Zerubbabel - "born at Babel (confusion)" - God will bring confusion to scatter the plans of man.
Abiud - "my father is majesty" - Jude 25 "To the only God, our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Eliakim - "raising up by God" - Jesus raised the dead to life.
Azor - "helper" - Heb.13:6 "The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid."
Zadok - "just" - I Jn. 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive them.
Akim - "the Lord will establish" - Jer. 33:2 The Lord formed and established the earth.
Eliud - "God his praise" - Phil. 1:11 The fruit of righteousness comes through Jesus to the glory and praise of God.
Eleazer - "help of God" - Heb. 4:16 "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
Matthan - "gift" - Eph. 2:8 We are saved by faith through grace, which is gift of God.
Jacob - "heel catcher or supplanter" - Genesis 3:15 - the offspring of women will strike the heel of the devil.
Joseph - "let him add" - I Cor. 3:8 Neither he who plants or waters is anything, but God gives the increase.
Mary - "their rebellion" - This rebellion is not a negative one against God, but is where Jesus rebelled against the laws of man that were contrary to the laws of God. He rebelled against the kingdoms of this world to establish the Kingdom of God.
Jesus - "Jehovah is salvation" - Acts 4:12 "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

Forgetting Those Things That Lie Behind

2008-09-23T20:08:00.002-05:00

Philippians 3:13-14 "Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
If there is one thing we need to do - it's to forget the past. Forgetting our own mistakes is top of the list of what to forget. Taking our past into the future will guarantee that we will not reach our goal. It's like wearing a weight around our neck. We would want others to forget our past, but then we don't forget it ourselves.
We need to forget our past successes. If we find something that works, we will continue to try and replicate that rather than relying on Holy Spirit to follow what He would have us to do. We develop a pattern and a crutch when we don't let go of past successes.
The third thing we need to forget in order to achieve our future is to forget the sins and actions of others. We often see people as being frozen in time and that they have not and cannot change. We see ourselves as changing, but don't envision that others could change. We need to release them because holding on to them keeps you held back.
Yesterday is over. It ended last night. Today is the only day you have and what you deposit into it today will cause you to reap the reward of it tomorrow. Regrets will always cause you to look back and go back. Worry will cause you to look around you and not move. Faith causes you to look up and move forward.
"Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. See, I am going a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wilderness." Isaiah 43:18-19

All About Love

2007-12-02T09:29:00.000-06:00

Because God so loved He gave, so also should we "so love" and give. We need to allow the light of His love to shine out from us. How does love show itself? How do we know we are operating in love?

Once I was listening to a lady speak that I have great admiration for. She said if she could ask for just one thing from the Lord...I listened intently thinking it would be surely be "love"...and she said "peace". I was so surprised and began to ponder that. I discovered that peace is the barometer or measure of love. To the degree that we feel peace in our lives is the degree that we have love in our lives. We cannot walk in peace to all people without walking in love toward them.

The expression of love is goodness. Jesus went about doing good. When we are filled with love there is a natural goodness that come out of us wanting to serve and to help others. We don't stop to think how serving others would benefit ourselves, but only see it will help those we love.

The essence of love is gentleness. Love is not harsh or rude or demanding it's own way, but is filled with kindness and honoring others.

The test of love is long-suffering. It's standing by others when they are hard to stand by. Love stays when it would be easier to walk away.

Faith is the power of love. Faith only works with love and love stands strong with faith. It's believing for greater things for each other. When we love others we call upon the love of God to move on their behalf.

Temperance or self-control is the inner working of love. Love changes things on the inside of us without us having to work on changing. It's knowing that we don't have to respond out of our own feelings or thoughts, but to allow the love of God to flow through us.

The realization of loves results in meekness. When one is fully walking in love there is an automatic meekness. It's easy to walk in humility when operating in love for others.

Joy is the result of love. What a delight there is in the heart when love is fully expressed and received. There is such a sense of security and confidence when we fully love and are fully loved.

Reflections

2006-11-27T15:18:00.000-06:00

In order to reflect, water must be still. The more still it is - the more exact will be the reflection. In order to be a more exact reflection of God's nature and glory, we need to be still...very still before Him. I also saw in this picture the verse where Jesus said "greater works shall you do" as the light that is reflected off the water is actually brighter than the visible sun in the sky. This is a season where those who have prepared themselves in stillness will find that they are reflecting a greater light because of the increase that He is bringing. He desires greater works from us more than we desire it, but He can not do it with those who are tossed to and fro with every wind, but can only use those who are willing to stand in quietness before Him and allow His glory to be reflected. They must also enlarge their borders so that the trees by the shore will not obscure the sun from finding it's reflection. So all the things in life that would want to grow up around us and block His light have to have their distance and we must be large enough to accommodate their need for water without draining us and making us too small to reflect the light.

Rivers are a glorious thing and needful, but sometimes God wants us to be lakes of tranquility. There is still water, there are still rocks and trees and life inside, but a different purpose and different setting. Sometimes it's about diving in and sometimes it's about floating. We can go from the river to the lake in the same day depending on the need. Sometimes even within the same hour. But both places are needful in our life. Some people stay too long at one when God is telling them to move to the other.

Blessed is he who comes in the Name...

2006-11-18T16:00:00.000-06:00

One of the banners I saw hanging in a church in Israel said "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the L-rd". I began to ponder the meaning of that verse. The full context of that verse is Matthew 23:37-39 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say; Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." These words were spoken by Jesus. At first I believed that He we referring to Himself as one who comes in the name of the Lord, but I do not believe that is what He was saying. He does not have to come in the name of the Lord - He IS the name of the Lord.
I believe this is speaking of Jews accepting Christians. One of the definitions of the word "Lord" is "Messiah". Christians not only come in His name, but are called by the name of Messiah - "Christ". They were first called Christians in Antioch according to the scripture. I believe that He cannot return until the Jews proclaim a blessing over the Christians.
In this present day of so much renewed hate of Jews and Israel, it is the Christians that are standing with them. I believe it is a very prophetic hour of solidarity that will usher in the acceptance, the blessing, and the unity of both faiths. This will put into motion the opening of the door for the Messiah, Jesus, to return.
Come quickly Lord Jesus.

Hem of His Garment

2006-08-05T16:46:00.000-05:00

"I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple." -Isaiah 6:1. The train is the hem of the garment. Isaiah saw it fill the temple. Further, he Bible also states in I Cornithians 6:19 "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?" God still wants to fill the temple with the hem of His garment. We are now the temple and therefore the hem of His garment is in us. In Matthew 14:35 it says that "people brought all their sick to him and begged Him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak and all who touched him were healed."
If that same hem of the garment is on the inside of us, then when people touch the hem that is in us, they should receive healing as they did when they touched the hem of Jesus' clothing. We need to have the faith that the power of God resides on the inside of us and willing to let as many touch that power as have faith to do so.
It's time to touch others with His healing power and let them touch us to receive it. Freely we have received...freely give.

Sunflowers

2006-06-25T21:33:00.000-05:00

Sunflowers are not what one considers to be a dainty flower. They often grow to be 3 meters in height and are more a cluster than a single flower. Sunflowers need fertile, moist and well-drained soil just as a Christian can only grow in soil that is fertile - infused with life giving resources - and not dry, but saturated with the water of the Word, which needs to be fresh and not stagnant.

Most of the sunflower heads are turned toward the east, which is where the sun rises from. Flowers that are immature and in the bud stage will follow the sun as it crosses the sky and at night return to the direction of the east to await a sunrise. The flower grows the best in full sunlight. These are things that Christians must do to grow - keep their face to the son and stay in direct sonlight.

As the flowers mature and reach the blooming stage, though, they cease to follow the sun across the sky. The stem stiffens and freezes the flower in the Eastern direction. In this state the flower becomes loaded with seeds. The seeds are used as fruit and also can be changed into oil. This is quite a parallel to what Christ desires of us. To have fruit and be ready to be changed into oil. Often as Christians reach this place, they get set in their ways and perhaps a bit "stiff necked" toward God, just as the flower does. There are 2 types of sunflowers. One will continue to keeps it's head turned to the sky, but the other will lose it's stiffness and bow it's face toward the ground. Gardeners prefer the kind that "looks nice", but the farmer prefers the one that bows as it reduces the damage caused by the birds and the loss from disease.

Transition

2006-06-24T09:20:00.000-05:00

Cloud by day. Fire by night. What would it be like at the time of transition - the changing of day to night and night to day? I do not think that one would leave and the other one come. That would create a void. God does not like voids. So one must think that there would be an overlap of the two - a simultaneous presence of both. This could be a fearful time and not at all what one would be accustomed to during the day or during the night.
In the seasons of our lives when God is shifting us from the night season to the day season (or the other way around) it can seem like a confusing and conflicting time with much going on around us. We need to learn to not be shaken during these times, but trust that it is just a time of progressing from one state to another. If we allow ourselves to be shaken by this display of seeming opposites converging we may be tempted to retreat back into the season that God is calling us to leave. Keep pressing through. It will not always be this volatile. The transition will take you to the cloud or fire by itself, but there will always be a presence.

Enough Virga Rain

2006-06-05T22:41:00.000-05:00

Far too long now the body of Christ has been content with virga rain. We send prayers into the Heavens and when the rain of the Spirit comes we settle for virga instead of a downpour. Virga is rain that does not reach the earth. It makes a spectacular view and the clouds are certainly promising of something big, but it remains in the Heavens and does not reach where it was sent to. We send prayers up, but don't pull the answers all the way down. We give up before the moment of contact.
We are often content with the show of God's power, but not wanting to see the full demonstration of it. We want to look good, more than we want to see results. The upper levels of Heaven are doing there part, but the lower Heavens are not charging the atmosphere to pull the rain to the earth. It is no longer enough to have virga rain, we need to pull down a saturation of Heaven for the miracles and signs and wonders...answers to our prayers.

What will it take to pull down the power? Love. Love sent from the earth to the Heavens to pull down the love from Heaven. Loving enough to pull results from Heaven, not just enjoying a show. The earth is dry and crying out for a rain of His presence.

Faces of Israel

2006-01-23T21:28:00.000-06:00

The faces of Israel...each has a story. Some are just beginning, some have many chapters. The faces of the children as they take in the mysteries of the moment. Do they wonder about their future? Do they have a hope and an expectancy? Will fear take root in their hearts?

The faces of the women as they go about their daily routines. Do they know that God hears their prayers? Do they know joy...or only the travail in the desire for peace?

The faces of the men as they carry the burden for the nation. Does the heart of the Father beat in theirs? Do they know the strength that He would gladly give them?

May the rest of their stories be bathed in peace and joy and fulfill all that God has destined for them. May they come to know the One who has life more abundantly and gives freely of His grace and mercy.

Life Out of Death

2006-01-02T21:39:00.000-06:00

This unassuming picture from Israel doesn't seem like much at a first. It looks like a pile of rocks. In reality it is the ruins of what once was a prosperous area. This is all that is left of the walls that used to contain people and the vibrancy of life.

Long ago it was crushed and destroyed by the hands of men who's only desire was to bring death. Every person within the city perished.

As one looks at these rocks the destruction is evident. Without hardly being notice, though, are the green bushes that have pushed their way through the rubble to seek the sun for new life. They are a hope of a fresh tomorrow, of new life and new hope. It doesn't matter how solid the rocks on this earth are, the green plants always press their way to the surface.

In our lives when we experience times of destruction and death of dreams and futures, God will always bring forth new sprouts of life that are colorful, beautiful and vibrant. Out of every death He will always bring life...and that more abundantly.

Upper Room Moment

2005-11-13T02:50:00.000-06:00

I believe that God is always trying to speak to us and show us things that we often miss because we do not tune in to Him. When at the Upper Room in Jerusalem where the Last Supper was believed to have taken place, I felt like I was missing something. So I prayed and waited on the Lord as I strolled around the room. What is it, Lord? Is it something in the people that are here praying and observing? Is it something in the room itself, perhaps a detail overlooked? Then I felt compelled to look straight above my head. On the ceiling was this round disc that had a figure carved on it. The figure was actually raised. It looked more like a ram with wings. I tried several times to take a picture to capture it, but the flash seemed to wash it out. I tried holding the camera still and not use a flash and the imaged showed up much better.

The verses in Genesis 22 immediately came to mind. Abraham set out to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, but God stopped him and provided a ram in the thicket to sacrifice. I thought of how Jesus became our sacrifice after the meal in the Upper Room. The carving on the ceiling became very significant at that point. The wings represented a divine sacrifice from Heaven for our sakes. It spoke very deeply to me of what Jesus went through for us.

Salvation is not free. We were bought with a price that only He could pay.

Who was and is and is to come

2005-11-11T21:40:00.000-06:00

Shortly after arriving in Jerusalem I heard the Lord speak that we had come expecting an experience, but God was going to give us an encounter. He said that many had come to the land seeking the God that was and they left with an experience of walking where He walked. We had come looking for the God that was and is and is to come. That is exactly what we found.

We could see where Jesus had been as He lived on this earth and also what God was doing in the land and in the people today. He showed us prophetically what was to come in the fullness of His time. We knew we were a part of a bigger tomorrow.

This picture captures the word He spoke. In the background is the old city...what was. The center is the new city...what is. The flowers in the foreground express the blooming of what is to come. He holds the past, present and future...of the earth...and of our lives. May it be more than an experience...let it be an encounter with the Living God.

New Beginnings

2005-11-05T05:33:00.000-06:00

Back from Israel. Amazing journey of a lifetime. So many things to capture that cannot be fully expressed in photos or words. Praying that the memories will not too quickly fade.

Even in the places of trama and toil with barrenness of land, there is a vibrancy of life that springs out of the most hidden of places. A beauty that cannot be described, only relished for what it truly is.

There is beauty in peace. Why do so many want to destroy that peace and that beauty? Why take away the essence of what is life and love? Hope is the springboard for the future. We can hope for understanding and tolerance. We can hope for love to prevail. We can hope that there will be enough tomorrows to reshape the world that exists there.

Shalom. More than a greeting. It's a prayer.