SEEKING THE SON

Seeking the Son, finding Him in the quiet of the morning, reading His word, loving Jesus with my whole heart—but without the ability to fully comprehend His love, I sing: “Give thanks to the LORD, invoke His name; make known among the peoples His deeds! Sing praise, play music; proclaim all His wondrous deeds! Glory in His holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD! Rely on the mighty LORD; constantly seek His face.” ~Psalm 105:1-4 ~ TRUTH IS that I AGREE with this AWE inspired thought: “You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body.” ~C. S. Lewis ~ and of course "BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD." LISTEN to what the Spirit is saying: "Then the angel said to the women in reply, “Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified.”’ ~Matthew 28:5 Taking time to be quiet and listen to what the Spirit is saying is to exercise self-discipline. 'It is a dangerous thing to be satisfied with ourselves.' ~~St. Teresa of Ávila

TRUTH NOT PUBLIC

Our country was founded by intelligent men that published the first English bible for the use in American schools. President Jefferson arranged for the Marine Corp to serve as the choir at the Capitol Hill Church! The truth shall set us free indeed! One nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. God plants His own dreams in the human heart and when that dream matures, and when the time is His, and right ~ God fulfills His plan through the bumbling and the willing. Thomas Jefferson penned the constitution yet in his private life he owned slaves. We are all filled with contradictions, we all fall short, and we all need a Savior ~ "What man meant for ill, God will use for good." SALVATION cannot be sold or earned. It is not a reward that God dangles before man like a carrot before a stubborn mule. Salvation is a free gift and that is the GOOD NEWS, that is His capital idea! God in His mercy offers salvation NOT to one nation, not to one descendant, not to one culture, not to the aristocrats, republicans, or democrats, but to ALL people. We are here to represent the King of Kings - NOT the pale, gentle, meek, mild Jesus ~ but the Christ of the gospels. Jesus confidently walked and talked in the streets of Palestine, Bethlehem, and parts of Asia. He was bronzed by the sun, He was fearless and with His strong, rugged carpenter hands he tossed the tables of the money changers, He had fun at weddings, He satisfied unspoken needs, He raised the dead, gave sight to the blind and loved equally the politician, the prostitute, shepherds, fishermen and the woman at the well. Jesus called a spade a spade and He allowed the actions of hatred to crucify the character of the proud. Jesus got a kick out of walking on water and challenging the puffed up Pharisees to consider what they believed. He chases and chastizes the hearts of those who love Him that they too shall NOT judge, as they forgive as they have been forgiven. It is the jolly good business of the saved to introduce equal love to the unlovable, to the shattered, torn, and unforgiving souls of society. Jesus enjoys our earnest attempts, our fumbling and resistance to His generosity. He wants to hear our laughter, a good joke, great music and our humble confessions of missing the mark or the boat. All Capitol ideas are delivered from the mind of Christ unto us to act upon. AMEN

OSCAR FOR TRUTH

The Holy Spirit tells us the TRUTH --- "It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He now showed them the full extent of His love. The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God; so He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him." JOHN 13:1-5 --- SOME LESSONS FOR TODAY: A) Jesus knows the motive of every heart, even the Judas in us. B) Jesus has all power. C) Jesus took off His outer clothing, unlike Adam in the garden of Eden, Jesus has nothing to hide from us, He has no shame, He has no pride. D) Jesus poured out His living water into the empty basin of all mankind and He washes us clean. Mary poured out all she had because she loved Jesus, He had just raised her brother Lazurus from the dead! VISUALIZE Jesus, the Holy Spirit telling us the Truth, and yet some still do NOT believe? Must we also see miracles in order to believe? "Sir they said, 'we would like to see Jesus'." John 12:21 Excitedly Andrew and Phillip raced to tell Jesus that even Greeks wished to see Him. Without restraint of their internal jubilation about their close friend Who would soon rule the world --- Jesus knew the motive of their hearts and He had already rebuked them for their pride --- Knowing all things, compassionately He said "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified." John 12:23 --- In this 3 hour epic movie that does not add one word to the Gospel of John, we hear the living Word and watch Jesus gaze into the troubled faces of His disciples. He knew that they just did not get the agony He was about to suffer. In love Jesus then explains "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." John 12:24 --- One life changing lesson in this scripture: ONLY when we die to our selfish desires, can our life increase the harvest of souls for His kingdom. "His heart was touched and He was deeply moved. Where have you buried him. Jesus wept." For one seed to produce more grain, it MUST fall to the ground and die. The blessing of a broken heart, a broken pride, a demolished dream --- is death to ourself, a life's meaning as the world teaches. God is attracted to weakness, NOT because weakness is noble, but because the WEAK heart has more room for God. In our moment of weakness is when we realize what Jesus is saying to us. Consider the LYRICS to Amy Grant's new hit song "More than a Halleluiah" On this side of the cross, His lesson is clear --- the TRUTH of this principle was made manifest in the death of Jesus on the cross. Like a grain of wheat, the mission of God complete, Jesus came down into the pit, into the world to be seen, that we might believe. To be put to death publicly, that His death would produce many seeds, many believers, many followers. ONLY in our weakness can He be our strenth. Jesus KNOWS our weaknes, He knew the weakness of each disciple too. He uses the weak to confound the wise. Jesus knew that He would send the Holy Spirit in His absence, and that in the future, generations of people would understand through the Counselor. So without explaining what was meant in words, Jesus said "The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." John 12:25 What did this mean? Disciples then and today are baffled because to choose to die to our ways---when in our education, in our world, this makes no SENSE ---the cross, the life and death of Jesus confounds the wise! Because it takes FAITH in the purpose of Jesus to crucify our desires for recognition and importance. To fully YIELD our lives to the purpose of God, is to understand what Paul said "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." The power in a single seed, a single life... is in the portion we allow the Holy Spirit to rule. It is ONLY in our full surrender that He is glorified through us. That is when one is willing to hate this life on earth, to die to it's own: will, goals, dreams, desires, wants, needs, plans, rights and personal reputation. Jesus said "If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me." Whose approval do we seek? Approval and blessings from the world or from Jesus, the Son of God? Who do we listen to? What voice calling out in the desert? "I am the Good Shepherd -- I know My sheep. The hired man runs away because he does not care about the sheep. I am willing to die for them. They will listen to My voice and become one flock" One church, one body united in Jesus Christ. Are we afraid of speaking about our faith in public because we will be laughed at? "Those who speak on their own authority are trying to gain glory for themselves. But He who wants glory for the One Who sent Him is honest. There is nothing false in Him." Then Jesus told the Pharisees, the highly regarded teachers of the law of Moses "Stop judging by external standards, and judge by true standards." Today, on this side of the cross, as per His promise, the Holy Spirit resides in our body which is the temple of God. As Jesus taught in the temple, He said in a loud voice "Do you really know Me, and know where I am from?" "A branch can only bear fruit if it remains in the Vine."

DIVINE GUIDANCE

What if we could receive FREE divine guidance? Would we submit to it? Would we want to remain connected and directed to "walk this way"? How would we discern if this way is the best for us? Statistics show us that 20 million Americans consult astrologers or pychics each year and over 70,000 spend $4.00 per minute on the physhic hotline each week. So it is true that people want guidance and they are seeking it from persons that are sitting ready to take money for such guidance 24 hours a day. Darwin's 'theory' of evolution changed how many think, perceive God or beliefs about divine guidance. TRUTH from God includes helpful WARNINGS. "The thief comes only to steal (seeds of truth) and kill (hope in God) and destroy (dreams); I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." How cunning of the thief to use men such as Darwin and ------to convince people who seek guidance that there is no God. However, all the words found in the bible are God breathed. "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." Darwin was NOT divinely guided to write his books, his theory is man-made. Who do you count on in times of confusion? Who is quick to listen, and forgive? Where can you go to get a free guide book? What could you tell a friend in confidence and know that you would get an apt reply? The Holy Spirit is ever present, He is quick to listen, and respond with truth as He gives you understanding of the Holy Scriptures. He will lighten your load and show you the way! God chose the authors of the Bible, who were Spirit filled and enabled to write words of truth, guidance and encouragement to His people. "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned." Let this eroding sculpture represent a person who accepted Christ. We each shall die, our body will decay. By asking for Jesus to come into our heart, we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, (the white dog) and the sinful nature of man, (the black dog). The dogs are always fighting over the soul that the Holy Spirit wants to use for good, and the liar wants to destroy. Which dog wins the battle? The one the person feeds the most! In order to stay on the right path, to remain connected and directed by the Holy Spirit, we must feed the Holy Spirit to maintain our close relationship. Walk with the Holy Spirit, speak to the Holy Spirit, rely on the person of the Holy Spirit to guide you in times of decision, choice, direction and trouble. WHO do you call, at what hour of the day, to ASK to receive the divine Person, the all powerful Person, the One who gives the gifts, the One who does the supernatural work in people? In order to be filled with the Holy Spirit, you must call out to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, at anytime, night or day. ASK JESUS to take residence in your heart, and He will send the Holy Spirit as your Counselor, your Comforter, to dwell in you forever. BELIEVE He is One with God the Father, the Father is in Him, and He is in you. Then get yourself a bible and read the book of John. If you have asked, and you have believed, then you will receive the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit will give you understanding of what you are reading. "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." Before His last supper, Jesus said 'walk this way' and He also said "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come." Jesus always spoke the truth "I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father. I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." God and the liar speak to us through people, and through books. How do we know who is guiding us? Test and compare what you hear in the holy sciptures. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and give you understanding. Go to a man or woman that has mature faith and get counsel. Scriptures teach us 7 ways that the Holy Spirit works through us. 1) Sometimes the Holy Spirit speaks directly to you. "The Spirit told Philip, 'Go to that chariot and stay near it'" -- Philip obeyed what the Spirit said and the result was that Philip led a guy from Ethopia to believe in Jesus. That new believer spread the gospel throughout Africa. (Acts 8:29)
2) Sometimes through prayer and fasting. Esther prayed and fasted for three days and the Holy Spirit gave her words to speak that saved the Jews. The Holy Spirit gave her comfort, patience, and courage to go before the King, to risk her life to save the Jewish people.
3) Sometimes through circumstances. "Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been KEPT by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia." (ACTS 16:6) Have you been nudged "don't go there"? You felt a tug, a pull towards a different direction?
4) Sometimes through dreams and visions. "After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them." (ACTS 16:10) Dreams mostly occur while we are sleeping, visions are generally thought to occur while we are awake.
5) Sometimes through inner prompting. "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me." (ACTS 20:22) Have you ever felt compelled to travel somewhere without a clear purpose? Think back and reflect that journey --- What surprise? How were you blessed? .
6) Sometimes through other believers. "After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said "The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles." (ACTS 21:10) So when Paul was imprisoned, he was forewarned by the Holy Spirit - and from prison Paul wrote the book of Ephesians.
7) ALWAYS the Holy Spirit speaks through scriptures. "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your forefathers when he said through Isaiah the prophet..." The Holy Spirit is the greatest promise that every believer NOW has testimony to witness. How has the Holy Spirit illumined your mind? When did the Holy Spirit transform your confusion into understanding? In what circumstance did the Holy Spirit change your fears into faith? "Ask and it shall be given."

WHO is in your BOUQUET?

Let us stop sometime this month and gather up a bouquet of friends for the purpose of pure enjoyment! Why not add a Posie to that Rosie? Why not surround that Daffydill with a Marygold? Our Father used His mighty brilliance when He caused a tiny seed to bloom so vibrantly! Consider the radiance, the elegance, the absoul-ute extravagance of God's finest creations right here in the Central Valley! What a collection of lovely, what a stunning array we find in our own backyards. When we take the time to surround our petals with a variety of colorful girlfriends, we become a breath taking, head turning, question provoking garden BOUQUET! Who is in your bouquet? Pick any flower that dangles down the right side of this blog. Click it and be dazzled by the unique personality within its bloom! Discover a bevy of souls who thrive as brides of Christ ready to hug, poke, joke, and laugh! Some grew out of rocky soil, some grew threw cracks of cement, and some bloomed in a downpour of rain! Our JOY keeps us Sweet,
Trials keep us Strong,
Sorrows keep us Human,
Failures keep us Humble,
Success keeps us Glowing,
But ... only friends ...
Keep us Blooming!!!
You are a Sparkle Peep to someone
and I hope to be blessed by your laughter. HO HO HO!
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Any prayer requests will be royally respected and brought to our King! KEEP the VISION of ALIVE and THRIVE as you live in full bloom! Each breathe allows us to fill our lungs with the oxygen that He created to give us words to speak, and voices to sing. You are His unique creation and I am blessed to have you in my bouquet. We are God's rare and beloved peeps of faith, each born with a purpose and given the gifts to fulfill His will. Lord Jesus I pray that You touch the soul of all who click into Sparkle Peeps, that You cause a burning yearning to know more of You. I ask YOU Lord Jesus to cause each weary heart to be refreshed with a personal REVIVAL of the Holy Spirit. May the Holy Spirit give us depth so we can be His breath. Thank You Lord for Anne Graham Lotz who was obedient to You when she wrote "Pursing More of Jesus". Thank You for the hearts you have given us, and for the love you deposited in us! According to Your will Lord, may the Light within each Sparkle Peep implode and become an attractive flame that draws thousands. I thank You Lord for the joy and peace we all ENJOY as a result of Your purpose and pleasure to watch us grow! I pray that my life will bring You honor and glory! AMEN