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Have you ever thought about Jesus’ crown of  thorns? Yes, Jesus was crucified. He suffered the most horrendous form of torture known to man in that day. When those Roman soldiers shoved that crown of thorns down on Jesus’ head embedding those long nail-like thistles into his skull, God shows us why.

Why was that crown of thorns on the head of Jesus? Why not the ankle, or the arm?  The answer?  Is not negative thinking a “curse?”  And where does “thinking” occur? In the mind (in the head.) Thorns are a symbol of the curse. When Jesus took upon Himself the sins of the whole world, this means He took the curse ( by wearing that crown of thorns) upon Himself so we could be free from negative thinking!  Do we not reap what we sow? I do not want to reap from a negative thought life. This crown of thorns upon the head of Jesus Christ frees us from the curse that is on us by living in this fallen world.

Originally, God created a perfect world. The Bible says in the Book of Genesis, ” And He saw that it was good.” But Adam and Eve, our first parents, sinned.  They sinned (disobeyed God) by eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You see, the enemy, satan,  in the form of a serpent, wanted them to leave God’s Kingdom so he enticed them, with what was pleasing to the eye, to  join his kingdom of darkness and curse. Even though satan’s kingdom looked appealing, it brought sin and death – the curse.  Consequently, Adam and Eve  ” fell ” from God’s grace ( favor.)  And when they fell they brought that curse upon the perfect world God created. Part of that curse is negative thinking. Again, I do not want to reap any situation that would come about from negative thinking!  The Bible says in Philippians 4:8, ” Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any moral excellence, if there is any praise,  THINK,  therefore, on these things.” The Bible, our owner’s manual, suggests to think ( ponder, meditate) on these things.

The Bible, our owner’s manual, is our training manual. In other words, thinking God’s thoughts is a matter of discipline. How do we discipline our thought-life? We discipline our thought-life by ” feeding “  it the Word of God. Spend time in your Bible everyday. MAKE time to think God thoughts. It will change your life!

 Living in this world without being under the care and protection provided by Jesus Christ, who took the curse that is on this world and on me…..and you, leaves us open to whatever may befall us. When we  live in The Kingdom of God. We can live, move, and have our being in the Kingdom Jesus died so that we might have. He died so that we might be free from these ” many dangers toils and snares” ( a line from the song Amazing Grace) to live fully and freely in Him.

If you want to come out of this cursed world and into the shangrila that is the Kingdom of God pray with me: Jesus, thank you for dying for me. Come into my life and be my Lord and Savior. I turn from my sins and my negative thinking and turn to you. Forgive me of sins. Help me to read your Bible everyday, so that I may become more like You -  Light in a dark and cursed world. I pray this in Your holy, precious Name. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer for the first time, please let me know by making a Comment. You’re on your way now. May God richly bless you to be a blessing!

Saturday, June 25, 2011
2:21 PM

On this picture perfect day, with the late afternoon sun casting shadows over the valleys and swales of Double Top Mountain in the distance, the plaintiff wail of a local train chugging  its way across ol’ Double Top adds to the ambiance of lovely Sylva, North Carolina. We’ve watched this story unfold from the deck of our family summer home over the course of twenty- six years. It’s Shabbat, or Sabbath, and we’re resting according to the fourth commandment; enjoying the opportunity to commune with the God of Creation. Such a privilege!

Last evening, over a glass of aged red wine, Bruce and I sat out on this deck admiring the works of God’s Hands. It was as if we were seated in the balcony of a movie theater as we observed, on the far horizon, the wispy white shapes and shades of a ” cow’s head’s” turning into ” an old man smoking a corn – cob pipe.”  That great ball of fire setting in the west lit up the night sky in shades of coral and violet casting a preposterous, jazzy pall as a backdrop for those vaporous cloud “apparitions.”

I recall reading somewhere that it’s the Holy Spirit Who animates Creation. And He surely does! This afternoon Spirit breeze is encouraging the leaves and trees to nod and bow in agreement – according to God’s Word. Smart. In fact, as Bruce and I discussed last night, this is what the Lord calls us to do. Through coming to God through His Son, Jesus Christ, , we are now “seated in His Kingdom – in heavenly ( or mountaintop) places.” Not only are we then privy to a front row seat on the movie screen landscape of God’s creation, but from here we can have a heavenly or higher, perspective. How do we enforce our Kingdom authority? We enforce our Kingdom authority by saying what God says and obeying what He says.

In the natural, physical state, being on a” mountain” is what people try to create with their lives in their own strength. Do you remember that childhood rant, ” I’m the king of the castle, and you’re the dirty rascal?” Mountains, in the Bible, are a metaphor for exaltation. Romans 3:23 states ” For all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.” Religion is man’s attempt to bring himself up to God. But true Christianity is God coming down to our level to bring us up to His. Only God can do this through His Son, Jesus Christ. This is why the prophecy in Isaiah 40 states: ” Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill shall be brought low………………….the glory of the Lord shall be revealed in this.” So, God wants to bring us up to His glory through our humility( valley.) Isn’t that exciting!

What is this “glory” of God? The definition of “glory” in the biblical sense is – God’s goodness and mercy, His Name, His compassion, Truth, and The Ten Commandments. This has to do with the nature and character of God. Jesus is the personification of these characteristics – come to earth. He is God’s glory. And so now, as a believer in who Jesus is, I have been made able to share in His glory – to live this Heavenly Mountain Top Experience of glory. How about you? The Bible says ” God resists the proud but gives grace( favor) to the humble. Humility – that’s how we climb higher in the Lord! And then we can exhibit the fruit of the Spirit ( God’s characteristics) : love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control……………but that’s for another entry

Have you ever experienced vertigo? Recently, one morning as I swung my legs over the side of the bed to sit up, the room suddenly began to spin slightly. As I grabbed hold of the side of the bed and closed my eyes, the dizziness began to subside.

As I pondered the sudden onset of this passing phenomena – this dizziness –  I began to wonder if suddenly being ” off  balance”  was being used by the Holy Spirit to whisper to me to examine my inner life.  Was it, indeed, “out of balance? “  Was my own inner  “out of balance”  life beginning to manifest itself in my outer, physical life as ” vertigo? ”  Of course, dizziness is a diagnosed, documented physical condition occuring in a large portion of the adult population, but still……..I began to examine my spiritual life in light of  “balance.”  And I must admit I unearthed some ”rocks” of hard truth. I found I was unnecessarily, and to a large degree, too ” busy.”  I had mistaken ” busyness ” for being  ” all I can be “  in the Lord.   As I admitted what I had long slightly suspected, I shouted, ” Stop this train! I want to get off! “ And I did!  And I will NOT get back on. Purely and simply, I decided to trust God and be led by the Holy Spirit instead of dragging Him along on my exhausting self-made “must do’s .”  What a relief! I have it all, why was I “striving?”

I am joyfully relaying this episode in my blog to (1.) Write the vision down.  (2.) Because I believe a life of  “self-examination” through the scriptures is a must for any lover of Christ  - who took the penalty for sin thus allowing me freedom to love and serve when He beckons - in His Name,  not mine.  Because of His sacrifice, I am free  – and that means free from the “ conveyor – belt life. ” No longer striving to keep up. I have let go of this kite string called ” busy” and watch with decided satisfaction as the kite floats up, up, up and away; drinking deeply of the life of one who is “called”  ………led by the Spirit ……not  “driven.”

Finally, Spring has sprung! Although we still experience cool evenings, I do believe Spring is here to stay. And ohhhh, such a spectrum of glorious shades of  lavender and moss, coral and lemon grace our Tennessee landscape. And the Bradford Pear Trees in their virginal white pale are in full bloom. Glad I’m allergy free! It’s good to be alive in the Land of the Living.

Spring is making good on her promises. New beginnings; isn’t that what God says He gives us? Each season is full of surprises. Oh, we can schedule events but let’s not miss God’s blessings along the Way ” A man’s heart plans his way. But the Lord directs his path.” ( Proverbs 16:9)

Bruce and I will be beginning a new adventure just after Passover Season. I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, it’s all good.

Romans 3:23 says, ” For all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.” What does this mean? In other words, what IS sin and what does it mean to ” fall short of the glory of God?”
The Bible defines “sin”  as “the transgression of the Law.”  Okay, then…. what is the definition of  ” transgression” and what is meant by ” The Law?” (1John 3:4.) The definition of  the word trangression means ” violation.”  The moral standard of  The Law ( the 10 Commandments – not the 10 Suggestions:)), which God wrote with His finger on the tablets of stone He gave Moses,  is the requirement for all mankind. You may be asking, “Oh, yeah? Who says so?”  God Himself says so in His Word, the Bible.
So, have you ever told a lie? Have you ever coveted anything? If you have, you have transgressed the Law – as all have done for ALL have sinned..and have “fallen short of the glory of God.”  This, quite simply, is why we need a Savior. Almighty pure and holy God will never fellowship with transgressors of His Law. The Bible says if we break even one commandment, we are guilty of breaking all of them ( James 2:10.)  Therefore, we are guilty. Jesus is the guiltless, pure,  Son of God whose blood cleanses us from all sin when we call upon Him.
What is the “glory of God?” In Hebrew, glory is ” kavod.” This has to do with God’s awesome and holy character. And so, in Christ, He connects us to the nature and character of God. Jesus IS the “glory of God” - which is Love in it’s purest form.
How can we be forgiven of our sin and be re-connected to our Creator God? Pray with me: Jesus come in to my life and forgive me of my sin. Thank you for providing pardon for my transgressions. I receive You and the good news of the Gospel. I repent and turn from My ways to Your ways. Teach me Your ways, for it is in Your Name I pray. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer for the first time, please Comment and let me know.  Get into a  Bible believing church and begin reading your Bible. The Book of John is a good place to begin.

   It’s January again! 2010 is in the record books and brand new glorious 2011 has arrived! I read through my Everyday With Jesus Bible ( with devotions by Selwyn Hughes) and have begun reading and learning again at the beginning.  And it’s even richer the second time around!!

I can hardly believe it! 2010 is almost over!  2011 is upon us! And I have read the Everyday with Jesus Bible almost all the way through as I said I would at the outset of 2010.

As good as 2010 was ( and it’s not over yet), despite political shenanigans, and any personal maladies that may have befallen any of us, I have a sense that 2011 is going to be even better! I don’t say this – or even think it – without proof. Where is this proof? In the Word of God. The Bible says:

• I am filled with the knowledge of the Lord’s will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding( Colossians 1:9)
• I let the Word of the Lord dwell in me richly in all wisdom( Colossians 3:16)
• The Lord perfects that which concerns me (Psalms 138:8)
• It is true unto me according to God’s Word(Psalm 119:25)
• The Lord has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant and the blessings of Abraham are mine (Psalm 35:27;Galatians 3:14)

I rest…………and I rest my case – which is stocked with the Word of God :))

As I prepare to leave on a 7 day cruise with my mother, Aunt Hilleary ( named after my grandfather, Hilleary Arthur Brown) and my beautiful sister Lee, I am sure to pack the Fruit of the Spirit upon which to snack. The dilemma is that my Everyday Bible is too heavy for the suitcase, so I’ must bring several meditations. Ah ha!!! ( I just had one of those ” ah ha” moments:)) I’m going to make copies of my seven day’s readings so I’ll have them. Takes effort but it’ll be worth it.

Every day I must make a decision; whose will shall be be done today – mine or my Father in heaven? As with many opportunities in this life, it’s a choice. In order to bring God the glory due His name, I must decide to allow His will to be done. I must make the choice to spend time in God’s word every morning. In order for me to become the word God has spoken me to be – that pure, perfect word in order that I may speak it into the lives of others; not the distorted, garbled word of my own making – I must read God’s word and ask Him to speak to me through it. As the psalmist, David, says in Psalm 130:5-6, ” I wait and put my hope in His word. I wait for the Lord more than watchman for the morning.” Do you realize the intensity involved here? A watchman on the wall may look away for a moment, scratch his foot, turn away by distraction. But one who watches for that first, very first, glimpse of dawn can never look away not even for a moment. This is the goal for my quiet time, and, indeed, my life. I want to hear from the Lord. I want to do His will. I want to walk in His word. The Lord says in Psalm 32:8, “……..I will guide you with My eye.” How will I see the Lord’s eye move if I look away?

The Devil has a cleft in his foot. He was created by God, perfectly; upright, beautiful, a musician. He decided to become greater than his Creator. God made the devil’s foot to be perfect. It was the devil, himself, who caused that cleft in his foot. He disobeyed God – and that’s what sin is.

Lord, not my will but Thine be done! Thank You!

Wisdom means bringing together all the dynamics of my being into harmony with the word God is speaking me forth to be in the world. The question is: What exactly is that word God is speaking me forth to be? And how do I become this word? I believe it begins with how I read scripture. Am I reading informationally – reading  to reinforce my own idea of who God wants me to be based on MY agenda which either comes from God or does not? Or, reading  formationally which allows the word to shape me into the image of Christ ( the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us – Jn 1:2,3) which is God’s intention for all who are new creations in Christ. But determing the specific word He has spoken me to be (not a garbled word of my own making) involves a process of “allowing” not “pursuing”; of “being” not “doing.”  The word God spoke me to be must ultimately be a harmonious word because it is a word for the wholeness of others. My life goal is to become shaped by the word of God. More on this later.