ARTICLE

21st Century Apostolic

/ 'face2face' - Gareth Duffty / 4 Comments

As we advance in the 21st Century and following some of the gains in understanding over the last decades on the Apostolic ministry and its function there are certainly joys of advance along with concerns in our day.   In our travels we find places where no one would receive the apostolic or are reluctant to call any one apostolic, may be a little thinking of ‘it all ended with the 12’.   Alongside this we find a huge growth of the apostolic that seems like every time some one sneezes an apostle is appointed and the apostolic positioned to he higher than others taking control, taking a hierarchical title for position.    Both have the same effect and produce the wrong function and aims and the calling discredited.   Yet for the church the apostolic, just as the other Ascensions Gifts (Ephesians 4:11) are required for the body of Christ to come to maturity, which must be our greatest burden to see the maturity of God creation, ‘Christ filling all in all’, humanity and creation restored to the Fathers first thought and ultimate intention.   It is in the light of these extremes my journey of writing is to discover what is necessary today so I offer these thoughts as we attempt to practice them.   This is the first part of my thought I trust you will enjoy a look forward to the second part.

The apostle is one part of the complement of gifts given by the ascended Christ to our world. These ministries (Ephesians 4:11) are the gifts of the ascended Christ himself. For he “… Gave of himself…” Gifts to mankind, so that Christ will be fully produced in his ecclesia, church.

Without the full complement of gifts (Ascension gifts) maturity and the fulfillment of God’s call will elude his cosmos, creation.

Apostles are those that have the grace and the ability to break through barriers cross boundaries and have a primary concern with the maturing of God’s people.   Apostle Paul said of himself that he laboured “… until Christ is formed in you…” he would only seek to find Christ amongst them. These are clues to the new Testament Church, and the apostles, which are outlined within the pages of the book and begin to paint a picture for us of the church and apostles.

Apostles are an active agent to bring the whole rule and order of the father to Earth; they are advance agents of the kingdom of God.   Adam was planted in the garden of God to extend the order of the father into all creation so too apostles are planted in the garden of God’s creation to extend his rule. They establish the kingdom, proclaim the kingdom and advance the kingdom

The apostolic grace brings with it and imparts an atmosphere of,  “I can do in this”, it leaves an empowerment, it stimulates within the people of God an ability to cross over, and breakthrough.  Wherever there are boundaries they cross, wherever there are walls they leap over they change environments, there is within every apostle an inherent desire to remove restrictions.

They carry the grace, wisdom and skill in the building of Gods abode, his ecclesia the church. For the apostolic is a “… Wise master builder who has laid a foundation …” (1 Cor. 3:10) They are able to bring God’s ultimate goal and heart to the people of God, in the place of their appointing, and in the times they find themselves in. They are not consultants or advisers, but builders of the house of God

Apostles were clearly necessary in the early days of the church, as recorded in the New Testament, to bring heaven to earth and seek to remove the separation of the secular and the spiritual. They are as necessary today, as then, to bring the church to maturity and release creation from its futility, (Romans 8) as they work in harness with the Holy Spirit to bring about the freedom of the sons of God.

Ephesians 2:20 outlines that the apostles along with the profits they are part of the continuity of God in the establishment of the people of God and the maturing of creation, this foundation of apostles and prophets-which is Christ.   The apostles then have the same effect as Christ, that the Christ is ongoing “radical”, if you follow the etymology of the word radical meaning, foundation, forming a base. Christ was radical as he dealt with our foundation and the foundation of creation, the apostle and prophet equally are radical, in terms of the church the dealing as they deal with foundational matters.

Apostles will be amongst us until the body of Christ reaches its maturity, corporate maturity and the unity of the faith (Ephesians 4:12,13). They will diligently labour until we live in the light of the work of Jesus in the cross, until we are one; the apostle declares aloud that we are one.

Paul an apostle says that apostles occupy a principal place amongst the equipping/Ascension ministries, that is they are to “first apostles” (Ephesians 4:7-11; 1 Cor. 12:28) however earlier in the book of Corinthians he outlines apostles are “…last…” (1 Cor. 4:9), So what did Paul mean? Although Paul lived in a world and was formed by Greek thought, he spoke and wrote from a different vantage point; clearly he had a Trinitarian view of God, and understood the relationship within the Divine family to be one of ‘perichoresis’. That is the constant moving relationship amongst the Father, Son and Spirit, a moving, spinning dance, with each party pouring out themselves to the next, being more interested in the other than themselves, bringing pleasure to one another and filling and enabling each others aims. Each one speaking of the other, each one lifting the other, it is not with a hierarchical thinking and mindset that Paul speaks more about functional necessity, as  in every foundation, that the apostle is first functionality. Yet “lastly” he speaks is to indicate the nature of all apostles as the extension of Christ as the servant of the people of God. Apostolic therefore in position is functionally first but positional last, being the servant of all as Christ.

We see that with true apostolic ministries there is not found any sense of superiority they however known their own going continuity and necessity. Apostles should take on the attitude of the chief apostle, Christ himself who became a servant of all “he came to serve not to be served”. Apostles do not take to themselves position or demand honour, but serve pouring themselves out for God’s purpose.

Apostles have an interest and burden for the design of the house of God, and creation, and bring their craft as wise master builders to bear on the building of the house. Paul used the term wise master builder, but fully understood that there were many other apostolic gifting’s and characteristics involved. As you read the scriptures you realize there are a number of other Apostles also named in the New Testament, who did not belong to the 12, we have James, Barnabas and Paul himself even Andronicus and Junias were held in high regard amongst apostles (Romans 12).  In some church traditions even Mary Magdalene sent to the apostles by Jesus himself is recognized as one sent that the gathered saint did not receive her words, so we are told.

It could be said that the Father is apostolic in nature that he sent himself, sending himself in creation and then sending the Son to explain Him (John 1:18) and from there sending the holy spirit, finally sending the people of God to be the apostolic nature of God. There will come a time when the church becomes apostolic in characteristic and realizes its “sent-ness” into creation.

Into Infinity & beyond – A journey beyond

/ 'face2face' - Gareth Duffty / Leave a comment

OK own up how many of us went and saw or watched the film ‘Toy Story’, more than that how many of us went on and watched the full series?    Since the release of the latest even been approached by a number who said they were moved to tears while watching in that release as lives were put at risk!    The film introduced a character called ‘Buzz Light Year’ a spaceman figure who coined a phrase as he burst into super stardom on the silver screen “into infinity and beyond” this has become his calling card.

Having mentioned the coined phrase of ‘Into Infinity and beyond’ now that’s a challenge how many of us ever realised that our faith would be a journey of such magnitude.    When it was all about getting my sins sorted then to find that it was an adventure that would draw us beyond anywhere that we imagined.

The challenge of it, the necessity of believing, having a faith, trusting fully the Father, realising that this 70 to 120 year life span was just the beginning of a journeying to a beyond.   Yet our Christian faith is based on a Kingdom of God that has arrived and yet is still arriving, that we have tasted of an age to come and we are to bring that age to bear to our world whatever world you live within.   We are people who too can introduce each other with these words of into infinity and beyond!

A journey to another world

When we consider that it’s not only an age that is still breaking in upon us but also daily we deal with journeys to other worlds.  The worlds of new experiences, of the mind and new understandings new worlds journey’s, worlds that we have to break through or cross into to become part of.   There may be attitude crossovers (a world beyond) we need to deal with, may be life actions, habits that are necessary to adjust which will mean crossing over to another world.   Consider this the joy of health, the amazing recreation of limbs we read about in the scriptures, as Jesus declared “reach out”, as he touched eyes and coffins these are journeys to another world not just healings and miracles.   The different world of the lame and blind that once survived for a living now having to go and find industry as the reason for begging has gone, “another world”.  From being carried daily to a spot at the ‘gate beautiful’ to now caring your own bed, providing a living source for yourself, “another world”.

Walking our faith is more often about letting this other world of new experiences, new relationships, new vocabulary and ways of doing life to break in upon us allowing the implications of this world affect our immediate life, realising that I have to negotiate the implications to my immediate surrounding and actions.   For some being at home with your self is another world.  Being loved, being touched is a yet another world for.    Others are challenged in just trusting or letting go is another world for them, letting go of their own world and embracing another prepared for them is a real cross over.

While some struggle with the challenge to become part of another world often refusing to change and will not cross over there are a growing number we see brought into our living rooms nightly through the 24 hour news channels’ who long for another world where poverty holds no control where is produces a lowly dependence, it’s another world they ask for along with the abused, the let down, the political prisoner, the revolutionary we see in many nations today fighting to survive.

We have to deal with our prejudices and preconceived ideas to get into this other world, a necessity of developing a turning towards God way of life, repentance is not a one-off event but a constant attitude, not just turning away from sin but more positively and accurate turning towards God, constantly turning towards Him therefore constantly turning away from some things.   Let me pose a question is not perusing the Father a turning towards him in a constantly consistent attitude, another world?

Here is a journey to anther world in biblical narrative

Acts 10:17-20 – The journey to another world.

Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate;

18  and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there.

19  And while Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.

20  “But arise, go downstairs, and accompany them without misgivings; for I have sent them Myself.”

New worlds are closer than what you think.    They are in the next room, or building, on the next plane trip, in the next meeting of people, in the next thought, or at the next event.

Jesus through personal involvement brought through people together into a new world, a world of a new creation.   In all these new worlds up hold our differences without a willingness to occupy new worlds we will never be the divers people of God.    We should cultivate our distinctions, celebration our divers nature to do so we have to look beyond ourselves away from where we are safe and move into new worlds.    We will find the reality when we cross to unfamiliar, totally new worlds and discover real truth is truth everywhere all the time; it can function in any culture and in any world even if we do not occupy it.

  • The book of Acts tells us how the word of God connects from culture to culture.

God is not trying to get into the world He is already out there.

Acts 10:1-

Now there was a certain man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort,

2  a devout man, and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people, and prayed to God continually.

Firstly let me say that this great new world requires a generous person to travel to it, generosity is not just giving money, that’s just one of generosities manifestations, being able to accept different forms, different ways and thinking is generosity as well.   Generous with those who cannot give you anything is the thing that matters, that may be a challenge for many who are utilitarian, giving when nothing can come in return.      Here Peter had to give not seeing anything that the people of Caesarea could give back to him, he was one of the people of God, the Jewish root and what can a Gentile add, look out a new world is rushing at you Peter!

None of Peter’s way to date ways was enough to make it in God in this new world that now he was thrust into by the Holy Spirit, pluralism says as long as you are sincere its enough, I say its necessary to embrace and cross not just sincere.    We must not fall into that trap as believers, we are new world people.

Before Peter could deal with Cornelius he had to deal with himself.

You cannot move out until God deals with yourself.   Another world is drawing you calling for you knocking at your door for you and I to embrace.

“No so Lord” said Peter, how can these words be coupled together?

This story is not about food although you cannot connect if you cannot eat together, break bread, make covenant and pass the salt.

God was dealing with a barrier that was lesser than the salvation of the world, lesser that his plan that Christ might fill all in all, was not only dealing with it but also removing it.    What Peter got on the rooftop was not enough, your vision, prophecy; insight is not enough, he needed the journey from Jerusalem to Joppa, this journey became the producer of the greatest changed in him.   In the journey he had to deal with the unknown, his own prejudice’s and challenges as he did he becomes more and more part of the ne world

When you meet people who God wants to do something with they don’t meet you on your terms.    When God wants you to do something it tests the temperature of where you are.

  • All you believe becomes reality when you’re on the journey and making it happen.

To change it requires personal involvement, we must bring eternal values to a real level.

It took years to get the gospel to Joppa yet within a few hours the gossip got back to Jerusalem.   The word got back to Jerusalem prior to Peter getting back.    Breaking into another world means we will have to deal with much of the response created by history.    When the gospel breaks out of a culture something dramatic will happen.

Beyond boundary people

Joshua 3, this passage paints with words the experience of a people who went beyond, the Hebrew who lives beyond migrating over a river and city to a new land, a promise, crossing over every boundary that is not the Fathers.   The narrative is there that we might realise that we are not to be held up with any boundary, boundary crossing is the way of our faith that we can truly be FREE!

Many boundaries to negotiate, to take a view over then run on towards greeting the challenge, boundaries of our intellect that we must go beyond for example.   The way we have presented the gospel it is now time to go beyond the religious boundary, to find a new way to communicate the gospel of the Kingdom, realising that the ways of yesterday are irrelevant to societies needs.   Please do not hear that the message of Christ is irrelevant, far from it, it’s just the way we have communicated to date served an old day, a new world awaits us.    We are finding that in a divers people groups along with a divers church many ways of explaining our faith along with bring Christ to an individual is not king but the Holy Spirit is the way of ministry.   In this new world where we are to be led by the Holy Spirit therefore becoming ‘sons of God’ (Romans 8), to be true heirs while maturing.    We must not take away the supernatural or no boundary or new world will be crossed into.

History has men and women who have gone beyond their point of experience to bring about the new day.    They went beyond!     YOU ARE TO BE ONE OF THESE BEYOND PEOPLE; IT’S YOUR ETERNITY.

Essential, Primary for our TIME

/ 'face2face' - Gareth Duffty / Leave a comment

Three seasons of time are spoken of in relation to Jesus, “… yesterday, today and forever…” I would suggest to you that time is a gift created by the Father and given to you along with a place, both are creational gifts given to humanity.     We make the mistake of seeing eternity as a long period of time but actually it is no time, a place where time is not, the place that time was created from as a gift to you and me.      Place and Time are to be celebrated, let us focus on Time for now, time is to be redeemed, time is to be accounted for, we learn to “…number our days…”, asking the Father to teach us to make them count. This is not a heavy judgment but a celebration, looking forward to making each day full in destiny and purpose.

Hebrews 13:8 tells of three seasons whether Christ of God should be found in yesterday, today, or forever, in other words in every day, hour, minute, even second, it encourages us with the statements of “For Jesus doesn’t change—yesterday, today, tomorrow, he’s always totally himself.” (Message).

Within yesterday, today, tomorrow we engage in many activities, many focuses, many visions, all of which require us to draw upon the three resources we have in life, these three resources, time, money and of course people.  In the three seasons of yesterday, today, tomorrow we have three resources people, time and money, it is  the way in which we take hold of these resources and combine them in the seasons that  have a major impact and influence on what we call the Kingdom of God.

Let me suggest to you a further ‘threesome’ that is necessary in life’s scope, to make sense of what would sometimes appear to be a senseless world and bring clarity to confused circumstances. I will offer this threesome as questions, firstly asking  you to ponder them, and consider your ways in the light of each answer

What is the Primary purpose of God in History?

What is the Essential purpose of God in Christ?

What is the Essential message of God for our time?

I have a one word answer for you to ponder, it is the answer to all three what’s –  RESTORATION

What do I mean by that?       Simply as a definition one could say “ bringing things to their final state” or “Progress of God’s purpose to its fullness”. We are not looking to restore back to any particular moment in history or time, but restoration embodies the restoration of Gods full intention when he spoke into being seasons and time.    Restoration to Gods ‘ultimate intention’, what He had in view when he said “Let there be…”

In order to understand the message of God for our time, lets call it the “now” time and word of God we must first note the phrase “Times (seasons) of restoration” Acts 3:21.    We must take note that in the midst of such a time, a season of restoration all that the Christ will see the culmination of God’s plan with him calling an end of this age.  

Seasons – what picture does this word cultivate “times of refreshing” what has been established in our perception as we think of this phrase?

There is much talk about Revival along with the necessity of Revival to transform our world, which I could completely concur with. However Revival alone is not enough and we must keep hold of this, it must flow into Reformation, which in turn must bring Restoration, anything less would be a distraction and a loss of the full intention of God.     Revelation must flow to first find its continuity of thought and practice then it will turn to a season of being established so that every revelation becomes part of life, each previous flowing into the other, each one leading, directing us forward from one to another to achieve the climax of God in order that advance and continuation are walked together.   For far to long the so called new negates and departs from the old by saying “for the sake of the new”, yet in the new is the essence of the old that propels us forward, certainly in understanding and renewing our image of God as its all progressive and accumulative is it not?

Although we look through history, history that we can appreciate unraveled when a season flowed from one season to another such as Luther, Wesley, and Whitfield each had its impact and made its contribution.   In our lifetime we see a variety of seasons, baptism, gifts of the spirit, healing, moving in the supernatural, worship and praise, disciples, faith, restoration of apostles and prophets, kingdom,  all these have had a season, and we have watched as they have flowed, one to another. Yet we are still waiting ‘…times of restoration…’, of fullness. The seasons are accelerating by, rushing into each other, and becoming a part of each other. each one building on the last,  with each  revelation and experience belonging to the whole.

As we look through history, history that we can appreciate as it connects and is clearly continuous, unbroken as we look at season moving form one to another such as Luther and Reformation flowing and the Wesley’s taking advance with Whitfield contribution and so on to toady, each had its impact and made its contribution.    What about in our short lifetime we have see the recapture of truth regarding baptism, gifts of the spirit, healing, supernatural, worship and praise, discipleship, faith in life, restoration of apostles and prophets, Kingdom focus all these of being seasons that I have been involved with and transformed by the truth caught in the season. Yet we are still waiting for the ‘…times of restoration…’ of fullness. These seasons are accelerating by rushing into each other to become part of each other as each one of these revelations and experiences belong to the whole.

This is an unstoppable move of God, as we see the rushing of the Holy Spirit to complete the eternal purpose, bringing the church to its fullness and the final glorious condition where all of creation would see the Christ of God (Heb 11:10,16; 12:22; 1314; rev 21:2, 21:10).    The Holy Spirit is working to bring maturity in the church, making her the instrument of blessing worldwide, not so much as all of us becoming evangelists, although we must all share our faith, but becoming a corporate evangelist, communicating the life of God to mankind in a way that draws them to become the Disciples of Christ. In an incarnational way while being culturally relevant “…explaining the father…” John 1:17 (NASB) to our generation and time is part of our task as well.

This is the Essential message of Jesus.

God fully expressed in mankind “Word became flesh”, you and I might become the incarnation, in order that our Neighbours and work colleagues find the full expression of God in their daily routine of life. This is no science-fiction story but a truth, God’s ‘Tomorrow-Age’ mankind, mankind in its final condition, in the image of God, will rule and fill creation (mankind the lover of mankind, mankind the communicator of God, mankind the disciple maker).    The essential message of Jesus brought mankind and God together to be engaged together, to become one, to be in finally partnered with the Godhead.

The message of God to our time is not so much what we are saying but it is what you and I are becoming.    Are we becoming the word made flesh again? Our words becoming tangible, effecting lives, two questions to ponder and open up conversation on are as follows I think you will be surprised at some of the answers as you listen to the debate.

What we are becoming as individuals in Christ?

What we are becoming as a corporate Christ the church, ecclesia?

This tomorrow aged people flesh out the:

Love of God

Life of God (happy, content, excited, fulfilled)

Nature of God (Light & Love also what he is like Creator, Saviour, Father, James 5:20 disciple)

Being as he was, he is “ perfect” – complete, holy, righteous, well-adjusted

Perfectly at home in humanity

Perfectly at home in God likeness

All this brings demands upon us as we seek to become mature in the fullness of Christ we are to:

Know Godright concept

Know ourselves

Live in reality

Live as a community of the King

Live in the power of God’s life

What is the message of our time?   WE ARE TO BE LIGHT ON A HILL LOVE IN EVERY DAY ACTION WE ARE TO EXPLAIN GOD. 

A closing thought, If ours does not prove to be the final generation of TIME, let mankind look back on who “WE BECAME, WHO WE ARE”, not what we taught in information only but what we walked and hwo transformation and Restoration came to God’s creation. As we serve God in our generation.

His purpose: his interests: his will and goals.

We pray that history of our day, remember yesterday is now part of history, will have more to say about the many, the mature, the full corporate people of God rather than of just about one or two but the full body of Christ being who they are.

To BE in your TIME

/ 'face2face' - Gareth Duffty / 1 Comment

Between the Lines, Between the sheets, Between the pages, Between a rock and a hard place, BETWEEN TIMES…

Much of our lives are spent in a certain kind of mind-set, and experience.  it is often necessary to learn the skill to be able to enjoy the times of our lives.   How many of us are living between promise and accomplishments, between being told it’s coming and the arrival.   the Scriptures are filled with this, are they not?    We read the accounts and stories and miss one fundamental tool in Gods equipment, that is, a word comes but the distance between the utterance of the word and the arrival of that word, can be soooo looong!    take even the promise of the Messiah 100’s of years, and if you include the promise to Adam and Eve of the “crushed head” of the garden experience, 1000’s of years.   yet the words and the promises are no less relevant and potent, it is the skill of staying in and holding on, or better said it is learning to live in  the BETWEEN TIMES.   we are all, if loving God, between the times people, actually all of humanity are living between the times when it comes to Gods love and promise fulfilled, along with his intent and cause arriving.

There is a skill for between the times, the learned skill of trust, of continuing, of setting your face like flint when that which comes towards you looks different from the promise.   stay with the times by fully encountering the between times.

A classic  picture of this is Acts 1, having lost, the Christ gone, and being told to wait , setting in order the loss and appointment of Matthias, yet they were between times, were they not.   Christ had ascended and the Holy Spirit had not come, the fulfilment of Old Testament promise.   Living with each other while between times.   who would not say that’s enough, or I’m not sure if its true, let’s get out of here, long enough, certainly we miss heard, did God say?

Acts 1 is the story of 120 people in a room waiting for release along with arrival, it’s a skill of attitude and keeping faith, how many give up and change their theology because it’s not come quick enough, or even come as we determined it, between times are dangerous times and empowering times.    we have heard many expound the ‘Kiros’ moments, the right or opportune moment (the supreme moment) and direct it to a particular event, i would suggest to you that we live in constant ‘kiros’ moments, dangers and opportunity, always between the times – danger and opportunity

The dangers of when we see nothing happening, in these between times we try to make it happen, Abraham did it  with the promise of a child, he tried to make it happen in the between times.   I wonder about the appointment of Matthias, was that God breathed or were they also simply trying to make things happen.   You can not say that, well it is interesting that we hear nothing of him from that moment on?   be careful in ‘In between times’, if the command is wait, then wait, hold to the promise don’t let it go by trying to make it happen with your own with effort.

The lessons of between times must be, when God speaks, when simple direction is given, take hold of it  with both hands and live in it, not in another moment or event, simple really, between times is a time to keep to the directions given.   this opens up the reality when nothing is happening and there is a God creating between times.   it is the  Fathers problem not ours, hold to Him.

Like many at the beginning of any new year the question of what God is saying comes up and the pressure to say something of significance comes upon us, let us thank and celebrate the workings of the Holy Spirit in our world.  Lets stop being CSI Christians, scientifically looking into more and more detail of where God has been, and oh yes honour the past, but the past is surely for the future, learn  to live in the light of the promise, so that we can say where God will be and not where he has been, a truly prophet people.     I read recently some 1.2 million communities – families – churches have been established with 250 million people coming to Christ in the last 6 years World wide WOW wonderful testimonies of God at work,   yet in all that if I compare with whats happening to whats coming it is still a drop in the ocean, as Christ fills all things and the church moves towards its goal of Christ everywhere with creation transformed to be like heaven here and now, restoration to Fathers first intent, there is so much more to come.   As the old saying goes, made famous by a USA president “you ain’t seen nothing yet” we are between times!   The awakening, the times of refreshing, revivals that will bring the Season of Restoration is still breaking in on us, it is happening but  we are still  between times.   So what do I do, just do  what i have been directed, keep it simple, do what God has said, get on with it and nothing more, keep my thoughts, don’t try to make it happen and loose.  live and enjoy the in between the times, help others to live and welcome the promises fully with both hands and with excitement.

Some might say, well I am going to get it now, i trust you will,  but the bible narrative is too full of lessons of having to hold the promises, just as Mary did with Jesus in hearing the coming promise of a son she learnt not only to say “be it unto me”  but also to “ponder it in your heart” and make it living, there giving room for the promise to be cultivated and grow.    It is important this year ahead, I believe much will come to pass this year, people are believing, faith is raising and much will break forth, but we have to live between the times, to see the promises of God come to pass in our ‘kiros’ day.  Are you willing to put your trust in God… even when nothing is happening?

The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.       Albert Einstein

In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same.                  Albert Einstein

Distinction between the past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.        Albert Einstein

Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.               Steve Jobs

How safe is your FUTURE?

/ 'face2face' - Gareth Duffty / Leave a comment

 Not a welcome question in the times we live in.  With people concerned about work, finance, health and many other things.   So how safe is your future?

Perhaps safety and future are strange bed fellows yet they do fit, security can be found in little really work, relationship, finance, security seems to be the incorrect term to use, I think safety is more apt today.   If my future is safe, I will take risk or chose to walk trusting God.

So how safe is your future?  The Psalmist I see often asked himself questions of future and questions of safety he would often cry out, then somewhere in his cry he would find the answer.  “By your words I can see where I’m going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path” he said in Psalm 119:105 that the power of these words, certain words that is, bring safety.   Words that are the nature of the speaker, light that illuminates, God begins with “Let there be light” (his condition – see earlier blog) and here the writer still encounters this same pulsation, crafted, uttered words that cause pathways to be seen.   Words that do not breakdown but build up, words that raise up the pathway, the safe footed ways in front of each of us.

These safe words have the ability to direct, to show you where you are going, they are certain words not throw away comments but “your words”.  For safety sake, I better make sure I am hearing “…your…” words, making sure I can distinguish “…your…” words Lord.   So many say that, this and that are your words, but can I hear them form the source of light?   I recently sat in a gathering where it was declared strongly that the main event, the focus of all Gods working was this ………… and yet no mention of Christ or the filling up of all things in Christ was mentioned.   It really was the produce, or the in teaching for now, they were not “…your…” words, not safety bringing words but simply fashionable words, gathering people around the fashionable point.  Not light that illuminates and brings safety but so-called light that only builds our own events.

Make us able to distinguish true words in so much noise ”…your…” words safety words, perhaps that is why there is the lack of a safe future, we are not sure how to distinguish good words, successful words from safety words.

Safety is YOUR words in YOUR people so that YOUR community will ensure that YOUR words and will be done!

These words not only inform us of the Fathers will but also shows us how to follow the right and avoid the wrong ways, safety pathways, safe futures.

Ancient lamps were filled with oil to illuminate, their shapes changed with the potter and fashion and what was practical for purpose, we as the people of God change our shape, and it really does not matter,  it’s the light that illuminates and that matters rather than the changing shape, safety is not in the changing shape but in the words that illuminate.

Safety words bring a safe future “Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me.  I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my mediation.   I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts” (119:98-100) it is mentioned three times, these illuminating words make us “wiser” and gives us “more insight” and “more understanding”.   This is not the boast of a ‘smarty’ a superior human, but it is some one who has discovered safety in this word “…your…” words.   If we learn what God says you will know things that will amaze the people around you.

Wisdom wiser than mine enemies!

If you want this kind of wisdom we are going to have to switch off the TV, stop getting distracted give ourselves in response to a Father that loves us, pick up his spoken word and listen to the spirit as we turn to the book.   I can discover the wisdom that delivers me from my enemies as I hear the word.

Wisdom wiser than my teachers

Human wisdom can only take you so far but those who know how to take in the words of the Father and the Son will truly take in wisdom.   The reason for this wisdom is simple, a disposition learned of “your testimonies are my meditations” this learning is not by chance or  a wow experience, but by turning and considering, the way I ponder and what I mediate upon, all that I fill my mind and heart with.

Wisdom wiser than age

I have stuff to say that is older than me!    There is always much to learn from those who are older than us however age by itself does not equal wisdom there is such a thing as “old fools” who started as “young fools” and just got old.   Wisdom comes from years of obeying the words of the Father.  The “understanding” mentioned here means the ability to penetrate with insight into difficult issues.   You know how to tackle life and its hard edges as you have seen God at work in the word and in his illumination.

Again the reason this is possible is simply “I keep your precepts” wisdom does not come by osmosis or magic, simply superior wisdom comes by doing what the word says.

So lets read, and obey so we might find a safe future.