Will You Draw Back The Curtain, Lord, And Show Us What Is Really Happening?

By E. H. McClary (Bubba)

In ancient Greek theater, the sound effects, music and singing, lights, shadows and the narration, or the “Voice of God” often came from behind the curtain at the back of the stage.  At the end of the play, “The Apocalypse”, the curtain was drawn back, to reveal what is really going on. This is where we get our word in the English:  Revelation.

I asked my friend, Ed King, one of the early warriors in the Jackson, Mississippi movement for civil rights, if he would let me convert one of his overhead presentations to a PowerPoint presentation for him so that he could concentrate more on the presentation and less on changing the overheads.  He sent a large folder of them and I began to scan them.

The very first slide was a photo taken from a textbook, shot of the Vietnam memorial in DC.  Ed was there, staying with his brother in Virginia for a while and he wanted – needed to see the memorial because the artist, Maya Ying Lin who created this memorial also created the design for the memorial fountain in Montgomery, Alabama, which lists names and death dates of those who died in the struggle for civil rights, just as the memorial in DC lists the names of those who died in the struggle to try to save the people of South Vietnam from communist domination.

The second slide was of the Civil Rights memorial in Montgomery Alabama, at the Southern Poverty Law Center, also by Maya Ying Lin; same stone, same type face.

This Juxtaposition is striking for a number of reason and on many levels. The people of South Vietnam could have saved themselves from the communists of North Vietnam but they could never save themselves from the combined forces of the communists of the USSR and the PRC.

The people of Mississippi, Alabama, the rest of the south, could have ended the domination of Jim Crow, however they could never end the domination of Jim Crow powered by the hate of the KKK and all the other bigots in America, combined with the silent acquiesce of the rest of the American public.

Ed had also promised an old friend that while he was at the memorial he would make a charcoal impression of the name and death date of her son, a U.S. Marine who was killed in 1968, in an ambush near the border with North Vietnam. 

Ed was out one day and felt an intuition that he should go to the memorial and make the charcoal impression.

In the textbook photo there is a lady standing looking at the names as the photographer shot the picture and you can see her shadow as the afternoon sun shines on the memorial.  The Photographer is somewhere looking through the view finder of the camera, far enough away that he and the camera are not reflected in the glass-like surface of the memorial. Yet there appears to be another image in the surface of the memorial. The image is much too large to be the reflection of the small lady or even of the Photographer. The person who shot the picture would be looking down into the viewfinder of a 50 mm camera, or it could be the photographer if the image had a camera up to its face, which it does not.

This photo was not taken the day Ed was there, I only mention the presence of the extra image because I’ve been told by others they have seen similar phenomena and I don’t believe in coincidences.

After getting the impression Ed went home and that evening he called his old friend back home in Jackson to tell her he’d fulfilled the promise he’d made and had the charcoal impression he’d said he would make. She immediately began to cry and asked why he’d gone to take the impression today.  Ed said he was near there and had a sudden intuition he should do it lest he forget and come home without it, no particular reason other than that sudden feeling that he should and asked why are you crying and why do you ask?   “Today is, would have been my son’s fortieth birthday”

The Sun is 93 million miles away. Its light travels to us at 186 thousand miles per second and takes about eight minutes to get here. The gravity of the earth exerts the same force on every piece of matter that happens to fall into its gravity well causing everything to fall at exactly the same rate, 33 feet per second squared.  14 billion years ago all the matter in the universe was in just one place.  God exhaled and in the exhalation said there would be light.  The only reason any of this is important is that God has provided everything in this entire universe He created, everything we need for life, for love and happiness. God wants us to love and nurture each other and be happy. Every once in a great while he allows a few of us to see through the floor of heaven beyond the real and the hard facts that define reality as we know it, to the great truths of life as we should understand it, so we will remember that all we really see is “Through a glass, darkly”.

Sanctified

 Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, AND to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. (KJV)

I have been camped out on this particular verse since I came across it several weeks ago.  Actually it captured me.  There are two words in this part that I needed to look at:  inheritance and sanctified.  The latter we will look at first – which appears to me to be a condition to receive.

To “sanctify” here, as in other places, means to set apart for holy use (set apart for God to use) NOT holy-ness.  Since no man can cleanse himself from sin this cannot possibly be the meaning.  In this sense, a partnership with God.  The Greek word is hagiazo; basically it means to separate from a profane to a sacred use; to consecrate self wholly to God and His service.  The primary meaning is separation, not making holy.  It has to do with our being “use-able” by God for His purposes.  I don’t know about you, but that is reason to exhale in relief.  So my question now is, “How do I get to this set-apart place?”  Can you see now how this has made me ponder – a WHILE?

I believe and the Word bears witness that we are changed and separated (sanctified) when we are born again.  When we willingly give our lives to him, He literally separates us from the crowd. 

So, does that mean that I am to sell everything, abandon everyone and go to work in Africa?  Probably not, but maybe.  Here is the path my pondering has taken me.  In the second chapter of the Gospel of John, there is a wedding.  Mary, Jesus and a couple of close friends are there when the event runs out of wine.  Mary says an interesting thing, (verse 5) “Whatsoever he (Jesus) saith unto you, DO IT.  (KJV)

Beloved, there are “good works” and there are “God works”.  Good works are good things we do, necessary things, but these bring us the glory and have a temporary reward.  Things that need to be, should be done, things we have the means and talent to get done.  There is nothing wrong with these things or doing these things as long as this is not all we do.

On the other side of this coin are God Works.  Doing what He says, when He says IT.  This is sanctification – set apart for His use.  He gets the Glory, the work has an eternal purpose and we get the reward…a real Win-Win.

There are many “good people” who do “good things”, but does that make them sanctified?  Sanctification is something God does with us so that the “works” are initiated by Him, completed by us with His provision and power.  Exchange the word “works” for “obedience” (whatever He saith to do, do IT).  Then the understanding of the scripture in James 2 hits the mark; “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works (obedience) is dead.  (ASV)

We have the beginning of an understanding of sanctify..Let’s ponder this a few days and then talk about our inheritance.

Able to Build You Up

Able to Build You Up

 Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. (KJV)

Last week I came across this scripture and it stopped me in my tracks.  I know you understand, sometimes you are just reading along and, BAM, you read a sentence and you just stop and say, “WOW!”, then you re-read it and highlight it and think about it off and on all day.  That is what this is for me.  I pick up my Bible to read further, but my eyes and mind go back, so obviously He isn’t finished talking to me (us) about it. 

Last week this scripture brought to mind a reoccurring dream I had years ago about a house and garden that represented the work the Holy Spirit was doing in and for me. So my daily muse has turned to, “Why?”  He (the word of His grace) is ABLE to build me up, but why?  There is a purpose in all He does.  Some, to be sure, build just to be building or create, just to create.  There is pleasure in the process of building and creating – such an investment of time, creativity, physical and emotional energy, however, seems such a waste without a purpose, at lease for me. 

The Greek for, “build you up” is epoikodomeo (I don’t even try to pronounce it):  meaning to edify, build up in the faith, or build any kind of structure.  Other places you will find this Greek reference is I Cor. 3:1-14 (v9 For we are laborers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building); Eph. 2:  ²⁰And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; Col. 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. And, Jude ²⁰But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost…(all KJV).

This need to build us up suggests a ruin of man, just like the house and garden I saw in my dream; a wreck of our body, soul, and spirit, which must be repaired and made new again as (and here it is, beloved – the PURPOSE) The Habitation of God by the Spirit.  Oh my, all that for this – that I may be His habitat.  I am (me – the least deserving of the litter) the Temple, the dwelling place of His Spirit.  I am God’s movable house – His Winnebago (no, really!).

To further examine this process I can go deeper or challenge you to do your own research and ponderings with the following seven topics.

1.      The Foundation:  I Cor. 1: 11-15; Eph. 2: 19-22

2.      The Model or Plan:  II Cor. 3:18; Col. 3:10

3.      The Materials:  Rom. 3:23; 5:12-21; I Thes. 5:23; Psm. 51:5; Eph. 2: 1-9

4.      The Tools: 

a.       Word – Rom. 1:16; Jn. 15:3; 17:17; Eph. 5:26; Jas. 1:18; I Pete. 1:23; Heb. 4:12

b.      Blood – Matt. 26:28; Eph. 1:17; Col. 1:20; Rev. 1:5;Heb. 9-10

c.       Grace – Acts 20:32; Jn 1:7; Eph. 2: 8-9;

d.      Spirit Gifts – I Cor. 12: 4-11

5.      The Workers:

a.       God – Jn. 3:16; Phil. 2:13

b.      Christ – Matt. 1:21; Gal. 3:13-14; Heb. 4: 14-16; Jn. 16:23-26

c.       Holy Spirit – Jn. 16: 7-15; Rom. 8: 1-13, 26; I Cor. 6:11; Tit. 3:5

d.      Angels – Heb. 1:14

e.       Man (us) – Jn. 3:16; II Tim. 2: 4; Rev. 22: 17; II Cor. 6; Phil 2: 12; II Pete. 4-10; I Jn. 1:7; Jude 20-24; Eph. 4: 11

6.      The Goal:  II Cor. 5: 17; II Cor. 3: 18; Eph. 2:19-22; 4:13; 5: 27; Col. 3: 10;

7.      The Result:  Eph. 2:19-22; 4:13; 5: 27; Jn. 14: 1-3; I Thes. 4: 13-17; Rev. 21-22.

Who knew the Word talked so much about buildings and building (construction)?  Who knew that all this work He does in us and for us is as important to Him as it is to us?  He is worthy and He makes us worthy – sea worthy, road worthy, habitable.  Good news all around, agreed?

I wonder if I have finished my musing of this passage?...we will see

Choices

 

In a recent televised sermon, T. D. Jakes said, “I am not defined by my past; I am defined by my future.”

 

Daily, we are becoming the person we choose to be.  Amen, Mr. Jakes!  The failures of my past only define me if I am unable to learn and turn.  The successes of my past only define me, if I camp out there and stop growing and moving ever forward. 

The devil likes to remind me of my past mistakes and he often uses people to remind me.  I simply tell him, “It is written… I am forgiven (I John 1:9) and I have been redeemed (Gal. 3:13) and My Lord will make ALL things work together for my good (Rom. 8:28).  And when it comes to people’s condemnation, I simply and sincerely say, “I have asked for my Lord’s forgiveness and if this (event/choice, etc.) has offended or harmed you, please forgive me.”  If they don’t – that is between them and their Lord.  I cannot fix that.  I can bless them, hold up my head and walk on.  Jesus has forgiven me, I am accepted in the beloved (Eph. 1:6).

Even the best, most-accomplished people, with long track records of successes have lives punctuated by slips, slides and mini-turnarounds.  That is why the ability to recover quickly and get back on course is so important. 

I believe the ability to recover quickly comes from these ingredients: 

(1)   Confidence in who He is; Confidence in the Truth of His word and promises; Confidence in who we are in Him; Confidence in the fact that you are forgiven and He is for you (who can be against you?); Confidence in your support system.  Confidence is built on relationship. 

(2)   The culture and support system that surrounds us motivates us to make the extra push that can provide the needed margin for victory.  It was not legalism or religion that Paul spoke about when he said that we were not to forsake gathering together.  We need each other.  Resilience is not simply and individual characteristic or a psychological phenomenon.  It is helped or hindered by the surrounding support system.

(3) Changing our mind and what we believe about ourselves.  Self-condemnation is rampant in most believers’ lives.  We must recognize it and stop it.  Self-justification and self-righteousness is also rampant.  Any focus on “self” is a focus toward failure.  Look these references up in your Bible (Gen 6:5; Pr 15:22; Isa 55:7 & 59:7; Jer. 4:14; Matt 15:19; I Cor. 13:5; Gal 5:19; Phil 4:8).  Learn what God’s word says about our thought life.

(4)  Grace!  It is His Grace that gives me the ability and the power to do that which I cannot do.  It is Grace that went with Abraham and Isaac up the mountain of sacrifice.  It is Grace the walked the hill to Calvary.  It was Grace that was sufficient for Paul’s weakness (infirmity).  It is Grace that saved my dying soul and Grace that will take me through.

We are not defined by our past.  We are defined, beloved, by the choices we make today.

Faith

1 Peter 1: 21

…Who by him (referring to Jesus) do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. (KJV) emphasis mine

Early in my new relationship with God, I received a lot of “Faith” teaching.  There is nothing wrong with this, I just let my focus get on “my faith” and not my faith in God.  In other words, I began to believe if I really believe and had enough of the right kind of faith, I could move mountains, change the world, etc.  My faith was in my faith like some great positive thinker or new-age, mind over matter mystic.  That certainly failed me often.  That failure made me think that I must be a poor excuse for a Christian, if I don’t have enough faith to accomplish (whatever I was “believing” for).

I was putting the cart before the horse in that my faith and hope is from Him and in Him NOT that He joins me in my hoped outcome.  My hoped outcome in any situation should be determined by my reliance on His plan, which is for me and my good and/or the good of those I’m interceding for.  This comes from a firm reliance, gained over time, in the faithfulness of His word and His daily relationship with me.

This allows me to gain the positive hope that will pour out of my mouth in any given situation.  Not the negative, gloom that comes from the circumstances of any given situation.

Let's start first by identifying what I mean by negative.

Negative is an unrelenting focus on what is wrong; the tendency to grab hold of the problem so tightly that I can't receive a solution. (by the way... negative people will call this behavior "realism" or "reality thinking." Acknowledging the thorns and ignoring the rose is NOT reality.)

Can I now believe that I can give Him my fearful thoughts about a problem in my life (Phil. 4: 6-7), do I really believe that He can work all things for my good (Rom. 8:28), can I trust His plan for me (Jer. 29:11), can I believe the He prepares good things for me in the presence of my enemy (Psm 23)?  Yes!  I am learning (I’m a slow learner) that my faith in God is a restful place and not a focused power to overcome the circumstances.

Two years ago at the age of 60, the division of the company I worked for closed down and I lost my job.  I applied for and interviewed for positions in other parts of the company, without success.  Someone said that starting over in a new position, with a new company, AT MY AGE would be difficult.  I grabbed that negative thought and the fear inside me began to grow.  I quickly realized what was happening and repented.  I began asking God to change my focus from this negative to His way of thinking.  Almost immediately, I thought, “My age and my experience are an asset to anyone and any organization.”  I began to confess that every time fear would run thought my mind. 

I was able to do a lot of reading at that time, take refresher classes on the skills I needed to keep sharp and focused on God finding me the right position at the right time…He did and I’ve been enjoying it for over a year now.

I, like you, have ongoing trials; things are not all falling into place as I planned.  Not being in control of all the circumstances of life is a challenge to my flesh and my attitude.  But I make myself change my focus and remember faith – real faith in Him – is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22), and within every piece of fruit is the seed for the next.