God is in the business of redemption (Gen 1:26). We are created in God’s image. God is eager to reveal Himself to Man in the midst of his or her chaos. What does this verse mean?I am called to remember. This does not mean remembering where your keys are, but remembering your past. Every past event is right, as God gave it to you. To live in the present is to know(1) and understand. The problem with Adam in the garden is that he did not remember. Moses asked the Israelites to remember. The Hebrew word for “male” used in Gen. 1:27 means “the remembering one.” What a strange word to describe a man. It means we have a reason to remember. We are called to remember that God is faithful to His people and that He reveals Himself to us.I am called to speak. Unlike the secular creation accounts with their sex and violence, the biblical account of creation shows God bringing the world into existence by speaking. God spoke order into chaos. Man is called to speak order into chaos in the name of the Lord. Later, in Gen 4:26, we see men beginning to speak with God’s authority as it says men began to call upon the name of the Lord (Yahweh, a personal God).I am called to step into the chaos. Remember the Israelites had to step into the Jordan to get to their Promised Time or Place. Before then, Moses had to stand before Pharaoh – more than once – into his chaos. Jonathan had to stand alone before the well-armed Philistines with only a sword. Esther stepped before the King – the story repeats over and over again. Nehemiah stepped into the chaos when he returned to Jerusalem and say the people there with no purpose, vision, or security.In the story of the first temptation, Romans 5:12ff makes it clear that Adam sinned first, then Eve. Adam was with Eve at the time of the temptation (Gen. 3:6). Yet Adam did not remember the intimacy he had with God. In the Hebrew, it translates as Adam chose not to remember. Adam did not speak and was silent. Finally, Adam did not step into the chaos. For this reason we see Adam sinning before Eve ate the apple.Like Adam, we choose the tragedy. We face tragedy every day. Jesus comes in and doesn’t remove the tragedy, but redeems it.Satan says your story is over, give it up.The Gospel says tragedy is the beginning of the story.When my wife died after battling leukemia, I thought the story was over.God spoke – I was to go to the beach, rent a horse, and race it on the beach.God told me secrets on that day that I still am trying to hear and act on.The story wasn’t over.Which story are you living?(From notes from a message by Don Hudson. Also see The Silence of Adam: Men of Courage in a World of Chaos. Larry Crab, Don Hudson, etc.)1. The Hebrew word for know here is yada, and refers in Gen. 4:1, Jer. 29:11, Ex 13-17).From Carl’s book Beyond Illusion, Leading from Reality (copyright 2010 and available here.
Catching the Wind
Carl will be speaking on September 14th at Rolling Hillis Community Church, 3550 SW Borland Rd, Tualatin Oregon 97062. He will speak to the Young Singles class at 10:45 a.m. . Probably about 75 there, but anyone is welcome.Title: Catching the WindOne of the reasons our personal faith has so little authority in changing the world about us is that we have never really fully connected with God’s transcendent vision. We don’t see the reality. We see only the illusion.Carl will share some examples from the Bible of where people were trapped by their illusions. He’ll also share some of his own story and how you can move out of those and reclaim your heart and dreams. You will also see some steps and strategies for moving to the reality God has for you and how to catch the wind.Here are some relevant resources:Books: (John Eldredge) Wild at Heart, Captivating, Waking the Dead, Epic Hegstrom, Paul , Broken Children, Grown-Up Pain: Understanding the Effects of Your Wounded Past. Search his name on Amazon.com for more. Also see the interviews:http://www.sidroth.org/site/News2?abbr=rad_&page=NewsArticle&id=6205&security=1042&news_iv_ctrl=1185
Prayer and the Website
We have opened up a new catetgory on the main menu on prayer. Lots of good stuff there. The city-reaching stuff is still there under the church. Enjoy! Within the next few days, we’ll add more to the prayer resources.
What Isaiah Tells Us
Isaiah made an interesting prophecy (Is. 49:1-3 NKJV)“Listen, O coastlands, to Me,And take heed, you peoples from afar!The LORD has called Me from the womb;From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name.And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword;In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me,And made Me a polished shaft;In His quiver He has hidden Me.”"And He said to me,’You are My servant, O Israel,In whom I will be glorified.’ There are four interesting points here:You are called to purpose.Isaiah was called to a purpose from his mother’s womb – He was named before birth. Isaiah means Jehovah and deliverer. His purpose, or calling, was defined before birth. The word purpose (1 Tim. 1:9) comes Thesis implies authorship. God creates us before birth for a purpose and calling. That purpose will be completed. It is already completed in te heavenlies. We are called to complete it on Earth. This petition is in the Model Prayer as given by Christ: May your purpose be done on earth as it is already done in heaven.The spoken word – God’s purpose – has power and authority.The verse says that Isaiah’s word is spoken as a sharp sword. It has both power and authority to accomplish God’s purpose. The Greek refers to this as the rhema word, a word that acomplishes that for which it is spoken.The rhema word is protected and hidden.This passage states that this word, spoken with power and authority, is hidden to protect it from the Enemy.God’s purpose is to glorify His name.The whole agenda has the purpose of glorifying God’s name.
