Upending Order?: Universal Psychosis

 There's not time to write much right now. 

I still keep thinking on how we're being given over. Especially as recognizing we are presented with reflections of ourselves, inherent present judgments: we make ourselves a caricature of what God created us to be, and He turns us over to that, all the more...to defile ourselves, from the outset, then increasingly to rejection of all reality.

One of the matters especially prominent in meditations has to do with evidences of judgment which the Lord cited as fundamental, in the 3rd chapter of Isaiah: 

4“I will make mere lads their leaders, 

and children will rule over them.”

5The people will oppress one another, 

man against man, neighbor against neighbor; 

the young will rise up against the old, 

and the base against the honorable.

12Youths oppress My people, 

and women rule over them. 

O My people, your guides mislead you; 

they turn you from your paths.

...

Granted, I know these statements are made in the context of significant cultural events. I realize He is speaking directly to Judah (whether there are specific implications thereby for the church, only He knows). While I also know all of Scripture is God-breathed and suitable for instruction, conviction, correction, and training in righteousness--iow, suitable for all things needful, for us.  

He presents us with snapshots of His being and will and He reserves the right to allow the consequences of sin to break forth. And as the above-cited matters were provided as signs (being divine ordinances) of judgment upon the nation of Judah, it seems entirely feasible to consider that He would ordain such as signs of judgment, at any time. 

I twice encountered--broadly and enthusiastically proffered, as it happens--children castigating an assembly of...perhaps school board members...last week. In two different states in the U.S. 

Adults have done so, as well, but that was not received with such fervor. 

Also, consider the Thunberg situation, for another precise example: this is a child being exalted as a (the?) world leader, for one of the focal points of the religion of our day. 

I encounter the same thing in academia, as well--the students judge the teachers, and the teachers are to look to students to gain the most information on how they are to "better" their work. 

What's perceived as being socially responsible--requesting the insight of youth--moreso indicates that the wisdom of the aged is now despised. That whole matter has been many months contemplated, though the point made at the 12th verse has been contemplated since 2014:

As tough a pill as that was for me to swallow, for women to be placed in positions of prominent leadership in government (and in the church) is presented as a sign of God's judgment. 

For more context on the struggle with that specific: 

When I first came to know Christ, there was a dual-edged desire for belief that this matter is other than it is. 

First off, in my zeal to know God and to explore the breadths and depths and heights and width of understanding His ways, I wanted such pursuits to explicitly characterize all of my purpose in life: occupationally, professionally, as a matter of gainful employment. It seemed right to me, that if I should have such a desire to know Him, and relish the pursuit with such poignancy beyond measure, then it should be absolutely undeniable that I could occupy a position as pastor. Yes, I encountered those "troublesome" verses in the New Testament, but thought surely there had to be some explanation other than to disqualify me out-of-hand. So, I spent about a year and a half searching, reading, discussing, praying for some way for those verses to mean something other than what they say. It was too close to home--too emotional and personal a matter, to divulge this struggle with others, apart from in exceedingly trusted company. 

The second aspect which made this matter too close to my heart to allow open discussion: my mother pastored churches...for the last (seven or so) years of her life. She was an ordained lay-speaker for the Methodist church, assigned full pastorate of three churches in WV where no one else was available (willing?) to accept leadership. It was bad enough to consider her suicide in the new light come through Christ, but to further consider that she was disobeying God's direct command by taking on the position of pastor?--that was beyond the pale. 

I couldn't stomach either of those notions, at first. But continual study, continual prayer, and over the course of being healed by God's gracious kindness and love toward me--learning to trust Him more wholeheartedly, increasingly thoughtful of the decision to do so...were such that, eventually, He gave me grace and peace to lay down my armor and accept that His will is far superior to my desires and fears.

On the one hand, it's not about restricting me from doing something I'm "suited for," but about having created me for other roles--in Christ, humility being the foremost calling (coming to Him contrite, denying oneself as to pursue His righteousness), I'm called to submit to His will rather than my own desires: recognizing again and again that He knows what is good, and though my heart may try to argue otherwise in selfishness, whatever "seems" to me to be right is of no merit or second thought whatsoever, to any degree that it contradicts what His express will truly is. And where there are matters which are by any means unclear?--the better way is, for loving God, to err on the side of restraint: It is far better to deny myself rather than displease the One most dear: far better to forego something uncertain than to rationalize indulging myself and end up grieving His Spirit. (Oh, if only I had that clarity always!)

Secondarily, He has led me to know a different sort of love--different from the purported love I practiced while a worldling: godly love isn't expressly contingent on never disagreeing with others but rather, recognizing that God is supreme and His love is purest, true love upholds are pursues what He has revealed as right, recognizing such is truly so and ultimately effects good for all. Where there exists any disagreement with God's express, ordained will, the most loving thing to do is to plead for a conformity to or reconciliation with His will: this expressly entails making apparent any divide which exists between His will and whatever else is at-hand. So, love requires distinguishing between what is true and what is not. Love requires presenting such matters for discussion. 

So, I can love and still honor my mother without having to either a) pretend there weren't major points of disagreement or b) refrain from recognizing and accepting some of her actions were at odds with God's will. This latter is still a huge struggle in the midst of a society which increasingly demands that everyone not only "tolerate" but also approve of everything done by everyone, especially when undertakings and ideologies exist in defiance of God. 

The social norm which indicates that people must be considered either beyond reproach or absolutely reprobate may be a convolution of the reality of what it is to either be in God's kingdom or in the kingdom of darkness, however it absolutely forsakes reality: we're all sinners in the hands of a righteous God. 

None is without sin, even as all are commanded to repent and believe on the Gospel. Having ever thus repented, such will never cease so long as there's life and breath on this earth.

All to say, though, the notion that women being placed as leaders hits home for me in a lot of ways. And the Lord has humbled me, to acknowledge that His truth is correct. I still am conflicted about matters, in terms of what's appropriate: even to share here, as I do--I don't know who comes, I don't know who reads. But I'm not undertaking to lead, I'm not set out to teach. I'm sharing what the Lord has opened my eyes to, moreover, as a testament to His work, a testament to His faithfulness, and out of a desire to glorify Him through this, trusting that He will use this as He sees fit. Period. 

I think of Deborah, sometimes. She was the major outlier in the Old Testament--being a woman raised up by the Lord, to judge the nation of Israel. And even to lead, and as a prophetess in some capacity, as His judge. And yet, His choice of her as such was within the paradigm of what was spoken through Isaiah--it wasn't a matter of changing the status quo, but of indicating judgment, as there were no men righteous. 

Psalm 68:11 had been the last-ditch effort, attempting to recast all the rest of the whole of Scripture: I clung to that, for a time, trying to make it mean that women were preachers of the Gospel in the same sense that pastors lead churches. Problem is, that's not what the verse says. And we do see evidence of Moses' sister leading the women in song, praising God, prophesying. And even of witnessing of the truth of God, in Christ's earthly ministry. Yet, though each was given a position as witness of His identity, sharing the Gospel...they were not pastors. These women, such as the woman at the well, were given great honor to be made the purveyors of revelation from God, of God, without being made to be elders, priests, bishops. Even Phillip's daughters, who were prophetesses...gave prophesy. But they weren't called pastors. 

It's not a matter of being ill-equipped, but of being called to submit to God's ordained order--which submission goes against everything in us which opposes Him. If we will not submit to so small a matter as His ordained roles, then what else have we already forsaken?

Everything He is, and which He has given as a archetype directing us to recognize His ways and nature: one of the foremost being Christ's relationship with the church, signified by marriage. 

Reading Malachi last week was gut-wrenching, of that matter. Love covers a multitude of sins. Is there any one of us who is without sin, when it comes to idolatry, which is spiritual adultery? God is explicit in that last point, regarding all He has spoken through the prophets, and finally in His Son. At which point, when we falter, does He then cut us off with a writ of divorcement? Where is that paper, for us each? Did Christ not nail it to the cross, in His own flesh? And for those who make excuse according to two verses in Matthew's Gospel--to be entirely consistent, divorce must be granted over pornography "use," since Christ explicitly indicated that to be adultery since what's in the heart is what's effective before God, and ultimately for the wife as well whether physical encounter is involved. 

The crux of the matter is moreso: who are we not to extend that same mercy, spouse to spouse--till death do part? If Christ put to death in His flesh what was written against us, for an eternal covenanting with us, and has made us one with Himself, all?...who is man to separate what God has united, even with a portion of His Spirit in the union? 

Paul very clearly indicated that even as the law is unto death, so is marriage. And for those, of this latter, who experience desertion or require it as a matter of sparing life and haleness of one's dependents...how great a grief. And yet, the call was to remain alone or be reconciled to one's spouse.

Had we not forsaken and compromised on that matter, refusing to uphold vows, refusing to commit to vows, rationalizing the savagery of divorce, perhaps the rest would not be so severely manifest now. 

As He wills, though. As He wills. And yet, one sin yields to the next. Formative union with Christ is forsaken, then the Headship is compromised, perforce such division: women become the head, in the world. So, what growth can there be, then? Only stunted, at best, as the body itself is unwholesome: immaturity is the extent of development, so youth are considered wise guides. And a confusion of all purposes proliferates, besides. Increasingly. Now, to the extent that people "marry" inanimate objects and physically incapacitate themselves, and to speak definitively on truth is considered violence. 

May He give grace for the day, as all we have is either daily manna or famine: the choice is ours, though sovereignly ordained. 

Christ's Call: Counterfeits Crumble

 The last and this, particularly, I am so frustrated: those things which are recognized are beyond ability to adequately convey. 

This is something always the case with the Gospel. Which, now recognizing that's the case, alleviates fear surrounding always considering expressions incomplete. There is always a sense of having faltered from communicating sufficiently the truth of Christ and His word and His work. Moreover, that's submitted to God, seen as a paltry offering laid before Him, as to dare even speak of His truths except that to refrain would be untenable, terrifying, unsettling beyond measure: ever a sense of urgency, but with no relief apart from pleading.

Being here and sharing here is a part of that endeavor, though different: what He has given, of grace, wisdom, insight, deliverance, I am compelled to share. Not unwilling, but of gratitude and in awe. Fear-wearied and grief-stricken, sometimes, to recognize something further of the wretchedness of mankind and my own sin, yeah. But desiring to share, nonetheless. All I can do is still trust the Lord to give grace to others, even as He has to me, in what remains awaiting sanctification and what yet needs conformity to truth, of my own perceptions which are shared: I don't always perceive rightly, as my lens is still so distorted. And there's so much still to learn (for eternity to come, there will be, even once seeing face-to-face). 

Sometimes the inadequacy of ability to convey the severity and extent of a matter is a point of grief, though--wanting to plead more clearly, to relay the significance of what is with greater articulation of point and scope. If we would all just read His Word more continually, and live and breathe in the matters of His presence and faithfulness, we would walk more completely in the light of truth. 

There is a thing happening now, like an inversion. As an outworking of recently prior ideas considered here, this is proliferate. 

And yet, those who know their God will stand firm and do exploits. 

Consider our calling--the people of God. Those who call themselves by the name of Christ are called to love, as He loved. This, in such an encompassing and absolute manner that by nature, the very act seems as though a new commandment: the course has always been to love God and from that position, to love others. The entirety of the Ten Commandments which He codified in written form, writing on stone by His own hand...are an exegesis of those two matters: Love God, and in loving God, love others. 

Seek justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God. 

There is no partiality. There is no partisanship, in serving God, even as there always has been and always will be a distinction according to those who obey God and those who refuse Him still--nonetheless, the call is to love Him, and from that position of deference, love others as He ordains. 

According to all truth and righteousness, in other words. 

Departure from the first, greatest commandment inherently signifies departure from the second, which is like it: we cannot fundamentally reject God, which is to reject truth and righteousness, and synchronously pursue and accomplish truth and righteousness--this is not merely a matter of such matters being inherently contradictory, but of such notions constituting ontological opposition: what "is not," simply "is not;" whereas, what "is," therefore "is." What "is" may not "not be," just as much as what "is not" can not "be." Why these matters have taken up so much time and thought may never make sense to me. 

On which note, it's worth mentioning--as I've heard it more-or-less presented, somewhere along the lines of the past few years' of study: when discussing matters such as these, if someone attempts to argue against the very existence of reality (and/or truth), they're actually blatantly insisting their argument has no merit toward credence from the outset: if nothing "is," or if truth didn't exist, there would be no valid position from which any argument could be made. Put another way: if someone tells you nothing is true or nothing is real, they're telling you not to take them seriously. So, don't. Just share the Gospel, if the Lord wills.

Creation attests God exists as our Creator, and attests He is all-wise, all-powerful, and righteous, and as being so--as Creator and sustainer (we still exist, after all)--it follows that He requires accord with His nature, of His creation. Our consciences attest to this very fact. 

So, central to the commandments is deference to God. Our calling, for all who are called by His name, is to walk in love. Even as Jesus walked. He gave Himself up for us, an offering for sin. 

He calls us to love as He loved. We are to esteem others more highly than ourselves, moreover. For wherever is envy, so is all manner of horror and destruction, in community. 

All's topsy-turvy now. All the more we must submit to God for all guidance, to truly walk in love, while reviled, while despised, while spurned, mocked, castigated, berated, and even when and were assaulted. We must take up our cross, daily. He has borne, and He will carry. Our sins. Now us, even in this walk. 

Righteous zeal is passionate, yet not unchecked. Righteous zeal is subject to God, knowledgeable, rooted in love of Christ. The spirits of the prophets have indeed been subject to the prophets. And so, we must be temperate in all things, letting not our anger give way to sin. For vengeance is the Lord's, in all cases. 

We will plead His truth, plead with our fellow man (which is man and woman, as from Adam), and plead with one another: with all exhortation. We will plead with God, foremost and ever, even as to be fitted to all the rest. 

If we forsake turning to Him and relying upon Him now, foremost and centrally, we will not stand in the day of adversity. And woe is the one whose strength fails him in that day. If we know Him, as to love Him, we will renew our strength. He is with us--His Spirit, living water, overflowing. We must continue to turn to Him, and keep returning to Him, fixing our eyes on Christ. 

Present sufferings will not compare to that day, eternal: knowing we deserve no reward, and then even just to see His face...what will it be, dear friend, to finally look upon the face of that One who loved us, giving Himself up for us? While we yet despised Him. To enter His presence, fully, and be destroyed of all which is unlike Him in an instant...and undone, except to worship, eternal? 

We will overcome. For He has overcome, and it's not now by our might, nor by our strength that we will walk in the light of His truth, but by His Spirit. So, stand firm. Know Him. Love Him. Do that which He ordains and calls, and equips, and gives speech as to do: ever tempered by the grace of His love and peace, to guide and guard your heart. Keep your thoughts fixed on Him. See all in light of His truth, only. Trust Him for deliverance. He will deliver. He will complete the work which He began. 

This current shift is a reiteration of prior days, in ways: legislating "good," enforcing "kindness," requiring "unity," mandating "charity," which is to say--mandating "lovingkindness." The world powers are defining what is good, now, and mandating lovingkindness: mandating self-sacrifice, moreover, as unto new life and liberty. Learn the creeds. Submit to the word from on high. God is not essential, since they now dictate what is true and what worship is desirable and acceptable. 

God's requirements for assembly and His principles for worship have been relegated to a position of being considered option, at best. Death rules, instead, and dictates what to worship, and how and when: according to the new high priest/s. We may only worship as they permit. 

I understand the moment of true concern which inspired many to capitulate last year, conceding that assembly to worship was not essential, conceding God's mandate not to forsake assembly (especially as the day draws near) was contingent on circumstances and what was most considerate to other people in particular circumstance. Yet, I think we were all wrong to do so, for even a moment. Love is not love, apart from submitting to God. And if He has mandated a thing--whether we agree or not, whether we understand or not--we are to strive in the Spirit of God to obey. Whatever the cost. We may grieve as we go, but if we know Him and trust Him, we must follow Him and submit to His righteous demands--as to our loving Father, who knows better than we do what we, and all others, need. 

So, now, a bounty of counterfeits for all the decrees of God and fruits of His Spirit are running amok, and being treated as law. If we don't want to serve and obey Him, we will be subject to those laws which we have erstwhile chose, per refusal to submit to His designs. He allows us to have as we wish, to a point. Some, to discipline and grow in grace, and others to store up wrath for the day of judgment. 

So, then, will we love as He loved? But by grace alone, I assure you it will be so: He will be glorified through His people. 

Father, convict us. Mold us, please, into the image of our Beloved Saviour. Let our love for Him flourish, in the light of a burgeoning realization of the depths of His love for us. Oh, dear Lord, please help us to see you more clearly, that we would long to set aside all hindrances and distractions, and just bask in the light and the joy of your Presence and your glorious hope, in Christ Jesus. 

You are able. You are mighty to save. You set the boundaries of the sea, tell the waves, "This far, and no further," and You cause the sun to rise, life to persist, and our every breath to nourish our bodies. You can cleanse us, that we will walk more serenely in the light of Your love, to Your glory. Father, may we glorify You? Lead us, Father, please--in the way we should God. Turn our eyes continually to Christ. 

Please, Dear Father, have mercy on us, for Christ's sake: cleanse us, all the more, to Your glory. Let us be content in You, and draw many more to Yourself, please. 

These things which are so exalted in opposition to Your truth, to Your Spirit's wondrous work--Oh, Lord, please cast them down, trample them in the dust. I know You will. I know You will be glorified, in all the earth. Father, please glorify Yourself in us, Your people. Let us love as You have called us to love, and speak words of truth and peace, as You have ordained: Father, please give us speech. We know naught to do as we ought, and yet by Your Spirit, may we be ever more pleased and content to be kept and led. 

Lord, please store Your Words in our hearts: Give us temerity and tenacity, to engage your Word openly with all humility and let it sear itself in our minds and our hearts, for every day, henceforth and forever: let us never lack remembrance of Your Words, dear Lord. 

Be honored in our lives, Father. Amen. 

Mockery: Divine Judgments

 There are so many things, lately. God will not be mocked. 

If we choose to worship anything other than our Creator, who sustains all of creation...He gives us over to delusion. It was explained to me once in terms which were so poignant, of His wisdom in giving us to quite a fitting judgment: we give glory which is His due to objects of our own creation or even to those other creatures which He has made, rather than to honor and worship and obey the One who gives and takes life, and He thus also allows our minds to be convoluted in a like fashion. Analogous to worship of what is made, what is creaturely, versus the Almighty Giver of Life, then also do we destroy ourselves increasingly in a fashion directly correspondent. 

Our primary purpose is to worship Him. And we were also tasked with taking dominion over the earth. As were were to fill the earth, and subdue it (in a positive fashion, all, as to God's glory--increasing the yield, restoring from the curse's distortions...sowing and reaping that which is good). Our thoughts become futile, empty, void of our first purpose: we cease to recognize our calling as creatures created to worship our Creator, created to serve and enjoy Him as His created being, so we falter even from the ability to discern rightly. Our hearts being darkened--we cease to walk in understanding, we can no longer recognize truth for having forsaken it at the most fundamental level. We have forsaken that which is the most vital and integral truth of all: Our God reigns in the heavens and He does as He pleases, and He is to be praised and honored as God. 

So, our minds are void of fundamental understanding--bearing in mind that fear of God is the beginning of knowledge and of understanding; See: Proverbs 1:7, Proverbs 9:10, and all of creation{Romans 1:20}. And being blind to the truth, foolish of mind, our hearts falter from rightful purpose, and having defiled our very being by faltering from what is rightful and pure, we have made a mockery of the high calling which was given to man as image-bearers of God. And in doing so, we are given over to those beliefs, desires, and activities which present an increasingly severe caricature of our purpose and calling. Ultimately, as we increasingly revile our Maker, we are given over to defile and destroy what we were given to use to honor and glorify Him: our intellect, our hearts, our bodies, our lives.

Everything is destroyed in an increasing, somewhat proportionate correlation to our faltering.

We are mocked by our mockery of truth, which is really, actually very appropriate. 

Ultimately, it's as unto death. Increasingly, even, there are those who are so given over to this judgment that they maim themselves intentionally, to fulfill what they believe is appropriate. Unto eradication of all ability, bit by bit. 

Even as the greatest proponents of "liberation" from God now celebrate and attempt to propagate self-genocide, itself eroding reproductive odds, increasingly...so, too, does implementation of self-induced sterilization gain traction for all ages. We had chosen to make a mockery of ourselves, and increasingly we choose to deepen and broaden the manifest methods of our self-destruction. If we refuse to choose life, we actively choose death, by design. There is no alternate paradigm, no matter how clever we believe ourselves to have become--rather, the point is that in our attempts at cleverness we make ourselves increasingly to be fools. And this is manifest along all lines.

Will we repent and seek God, and submit to Him? Will we choose life? 

Globally, death is the new drug: heady, it is. And it seems we can't get enough. 

The things which go on behind closed doors, with those in power--what bits I know, I have not recounted. Really, beyond mentioning--to even speak of such things is sin. 

And it's not as though there haven't been similar atrocities. Yet, how much will God permit? How far will He allow this to go?

Have you ever wondered what it would be, for the land to vomit up a nation? (Leviticus 18:25, Leviticus 18:28, Leviticus 20:22) ...that the very land, itself, would rise up against mankind? There's something very unsettling at the idea of that, and yet what is it for there to be famines and earthquakes in diverse places, and the tossing of the sea become a terror? (Luke 21:25-32, Matthew 24:6-8) 

We don't know the day nor the hour when Jesus Christ will return. But we know He will. 

So many things.