GOD'S PASSIONATELY, PURSUING NATURE

God's love reaches side-by-side with His justice as He gives us the choice to live this life and the next with or without His presence in our lives. Because of the belief in a lie, humanity disobeyed God and ever since, our relationship with Father God has been torn asunder. Then Christ Jesus was sent and has restored ALL of humanity's relationship with Father God. No matter the degree - past, present and future sins have been forgiven through our faith in His sacrifice. 

Yes, from birth we are the walking condemned. However, since Christ's sacrifice the same walking condemned are walking saved individuals. These people just have to accept His free gift of love. What will you activate and live out of - a disobedient, rebellious nature OR acceptance of a Christlike lifestyle.

The degree of God's love is unfathomable, but I still set my mind, heart and imagination on it. The degree He gave up, the degree He suffered and the degree He will still go to love on us is mind and heart blowing! Christ's sacrifice satisfied every human's sin in history - past, present and future. There is no word, thought or deed that Jesus did not miraculously pay for on The Cross. The phrase "It is finished" that Christ declared on The Cross means Paid In Full.

God woos or courts our hearts, minds and lives. Jesus said, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them," (John 6:44). If Hitler would have truthfully and sincerely repented, God would have restored Adolf's relationship with Himself through Christ's blood and victorious resurrection. But Hitler chose to hate God and His people, the Jews, so he receives the hand with Justice in it. There are no constraints on God's compassion and saving grace, but there is an equal scale of justice awaiting those who refuse this ultimate gift.

Yes, God woo's or courts the hearts of those that do not know Him but once the decision is made to have a relationship with Him, Paul is convinced that nothing can separate us from His love again.

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)

In the parable of The Lost Sheep in Luke 15:3-7, the lost sheep is not an individual animal outside the fold needing to be added to the family of sheep. The sheep spoken of in this parable is one that was already part of the fold - "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them." The shepherd leaves the ninety-nine he has, goes, finds, tends to the sheep's needs and brings it back into the fold - rejoicing! 

Notice the Lord did not mention another sheep going after the lost one, nor a servant of the shepherd, but The Shepherd himself went after the lost sheep. What a passionate love, a compassionate heart, a personal Master and Savior that Jesus has pictured for His own. 

There is a song called Reckless Love by Cory Asbury whose lyrics are perfect at this point. The chorus goes -

"And oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God.
Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine.
And I couldn't earn it, and I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away.
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah.

Bridge goes - 

There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me

There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me"

_____________________

God's Passionately, Pursuing Nature

CHRIST THROUGH US (My Faith During Covid-19)

Ever since the virus of 2020 hit the globe in March, I have been questioning God - 

1. Where are you Lord?
2. What are you doing?

I have listened out for His voice in my spirit for the answer. I have listened in the sermons and teachings of others for His answer. I have asked others on a one-on-one level and listened for His voice in that setting. 

Many of the answers I receive are appropriate due to the omnipresent, all-powerful, all-knowing God that Christians put their faith, trust and hope in. Answers like God is on His Throne, everywhere and inside of us. Answers on the line of God is orchestrating history and this virus is just a step toward the chaos of The Tribulation Period. 

However, just like a two-year old in the faith, I always come around to the "why" question. I ask God, "But why Lord, knowing you are all that we need, you are All-in-All, and we have been crying out to you, will you not respond favorably and rescue the world from this virus and not let any more lives pass through the doorway of death?"

I have come to believe and receive from the Lord that trust in God's powerful prophetic plan shown in its due course is necessary. God's power and promises will be fulfilled, if not through His children then by whatever means He sees fitting. During this challenging time of suffering due to the virus, Christians need to pay homage to their Following of Christ by finding creative ways to execute the Great Commission and fulfill the prophetic Call on their lives.

"Moses and the children of Israel were in the wilderness and the Lord was about to punish them for their constant murmuring and unbelief. Moses, thinking in the natural, questioned God's ability to carry out His judgment (Numbers 11:21-22)

Moses's doubt challenged the power of the Divine (vv. 1-15). Had Moses forgotten that he had been not only a witness but also an instrument of the Almighty's work? God's matchless power had not waned from the time He had inflicted the plagues on Egypt, parted the Red Sea and rained manna from heaven. The Great I AM had not become weak or weary--He remained the same and His power was undiminished." [p.250, Earth's Last Empire, The Final Game of Thrones by John Hagee]

For some strange reason, I get like Moses a lot. The next mountain or great challenge in front of me looms greater than the one behind me and the climb to conqueror it even more daunting. I have prayed that The Lord remove this virus mountain, but He has not answered that prayer. Some mountains the Lord climbs with you instead of removing. This is the wonderment of it all - after travailing through the issue, He still seems to be silent. But in the silence God asks all believers - "Have you forgotten the power of your witness and my power in you as my instrument?"

In this Covid-19 Virus attack on the world, the Christian must keep his/her eye on Christ and His power and promises He has for us. Both of these, His power and promises, are released through studying, receiving, getting excited and sharing God's prophecy and its fulfillment.

"The study of prophecy and its fulfillment reveals that God's powerful hand will stretch as far as needed to achieve His divine plan. This is the same power that measures the depth of the seas and the heights of the heavens (Isaiah 40:12).

The greatest proof of God's power lies within His Word and its fulfillment, which includes our personal redemption from sin and conformity to Christ's resurrection. It is through the fulfillment of His Word that God responded to Moses's doubt. Remember this truth:  God is power. His Word is power; therefore, when God speaks--it comes to pass!" [p.250-251, Earth's Last Empire, The Final Game of Thrones by John Hagee]

There is no better person to speak to the condition we are facing and God's presence in it than Christ Himself. Just as we have many questions swirling around our heads and faith, the disciples did also and The Lord responds to us all - 

"Let not your hearts be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me." (John 14:1)

However, Jesus did not stop with don't worry, everything is going to be o.k., just keep your eyes on me. In the very next verses, The Lord gave all those who believe in Him prophetic hope by saying,

"In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself that where I am, there you may be also." (John 14:2-3)

Because Christ's prophetic track record was perfect, revealed to the disciples in person and explained to two in particular on the Road to Emmaus - the promise to return was believed by them and believers down through the ages.

God's prophetic call on our lives will be seen to completion. Sound familiar? Paul encourages the believers in Philippi by the Holy Spirit - 

"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)

God told Abraham he would be the father of all who would believe and so it was (Hebrews 11:8-12). The Virgin Mary was told she would give birth to the Son of God and she accepted this great responsibility (Luke 1:38). Paul's conversion came with a price - many sufferings and this was revealed to Ananias (Acts 9:13-15). 

All these people, with or without difficulties at first, came to believe in Christ and place their trust of their future in His hands. When Jesus confronted Thomas after The Resurrection, Christ was also confronting me. He said, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29) Although at the time this was referring to Christ's bodily victory over death, Hell and the grave - I also believe we are blessed in believing in the Power and Promises we have not yet seen. The prophetic that is yet history, in many cases through us, has to be in us first - 

"To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:27)

I have been allowing challenging situations define me, like this virus, instead of who Christ says I am, whether in or out of trials. If all Christians would believe and operate in the power of God's prophetic plan over their lives then perhaps the world, especially during this time, would see more of Christ Through Us.

REPRESENT HIM WELL

The bottom line is to represent my Savior, Christ Jesus, well. I believe this idea begins with the realization of Christ's sacrifice for each of us, then moves to an attitude of passionate desire and need to serve and represent Him for life. He died for me, I'll live for Him should be every Christian's life-formula.

Whenever humans represent another individual, business, government or the like - usually that means the party we are representing cannot physically be present. The burden then falls hard on The Ambassador of the person, company or nation to reflect the other party accurately. There is no doubt that we have failed miserably at portraying our friend, work, country and God to others in the past. But there is a Helper, especially for presenting Christ to people.

God's representation method is slightly different from humanity's. With humanity, where the represented party is not present when we personify them, God is. His Holy Spirit is standing next to others when we witness to a friend, acquaintance, co-worker or stranger. His Holy Spirit is in the crowd when we share our testimony or teach to a gathering about Jesus. His Holy Spirit is hovering over a nation and pricking the hearts and ears when a leader speaks of the grace of Christ The Savior.

However, even more comforting than the Holy Spirit in the audience is the assurance He is beside us with our friend, on stage with the masses and supplying the script for an entire nation - to us, the ones who desire to represent Him well. He is our very present help in time of need. He is someone who will stick closer than a brother. He watches and hears how we represent Jesus and counsels at the same time on how to better mirror Christ's presence and characteristics on earth. The bottom line is I want to Represent Him Well.

WHISTLE WHILE YOU WORK

I was reading about King David's plans to build the first Temple of God and was reminded in my study that -

1. He bought the temple site
2. Gathered materials
3. Appointed 24,000 Levites to work on it
4. Appointed 6,000 to Oversee the construction
5. Ordered 4,000 to Guard the structure while it was being built
6. Here's the kicker - and Ordered 4,000 people to play instruments and sing praises to God during the building.

Ever heard the expression "Whistle While You Work"? The notion is to make the day easier and more light-hearted by whistling or humming a tune. The exception here is I encourage a Godly Whistle, hum or song to come forth. That is my impression to all who are taking on new responsibilities or remaining in old ones in your church, work and community. 

As you minister - hum, sing and praise the Lord. Let there be an Atmosphere of Praise and Worship established Before, During and After the service or whatever event is before you. This praise will lay the foundation or set the tone for people to experience church and you. Plus, this benefits our own souls.

Perhaps you are already practicing this. If you have implemented something to this nature in your church and personal life - well done. However, if this is the first time you have heard this Impression or Idea then I strongly urge you to run with it - this is why I am writing to you. I know I don't do this enough so I need to get back at it. But it is my hope and prayer that wherever you are and whatever capacity you are serving in that, unto God, you will "Whistle While You Work".

THE DIFFERENCE

Of all the things and people to believe in today, Christ Jesus is The Difference. So, many faiths require you to work toward your salvation, if it is truly obtainable in the end. Jesus Christ only asks you to accept His love gift - His very life, death, and lifestyle to be a part of His family.

Jesus is The Difference among other gods and He made The Difference to those who would believe in Him. Christ could have just lived the perfect, Godly obedient life while displaying God's power of miracles through Him and teach God's Word only to die a martyr's death. History would not have a Savior if this were the case. 

When John recorded Christ's last moments on the Cross, he stated, "When He [Christ] had received the drink, Jesus said, 'It is finished.' With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit." (John 19:30). The phrase "It is finished" in the original language is teleo (tel-eh'-o) meaning paid or to discharge a debt.  The saving, redeeming or paying part of Christ's visitation was complete but His whole mission was not yet concluded. If Jesus had stopped here, at paying our debt at The Cross and did not rise from death, Hell and the grave, there would not have been any Victory.

The cart before the horse is a challenge in this situation normally. However, what if Jesus had gone straight to the afterlife and conquered death, Hell and the grave supernaturally? Then the decision to skip all the suffering, pain and agony of the whole trial and crucifixion would not have fulfilled His prophetic Word, would not make our Savior relatable to all the hardships we experience and would not be The Difference. No other faith has their main figure, deity or not, dying for the fallen relationship with God Almighty.  

Although Christ prayed three times for another way, Jesus did not skip out on any part of the suffering. This should tell you about the severity of the situation for even The Son of God. In fact, Isaiah many years before Christ's arrival would prophesy the cruelty done to Jesus and grimness of His visage - "Just as there were many who were appalled at him— his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness—" (Isaiah 52:14).

Christ's birth, life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension were all part of His mission. I don't believe you can pick out one of these and claim it as the sole mission of The Lord. He was not born to be just a man, but fully man and fully God. He did not come here merely to live life, but live it perfectly, so we may fail and find mercy and grace in Him. He not only visited the first time to pay our sin-debt, but to secure our victory over the payment of sin which is death. He did this by taking back His life from death and walking out of the tomb. 

This necessary appearing all started a long time ago with the fallen angel named Lucifer, known also as the devil. John describes Christ's mandated first coming like this - "The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work." (1 John 3:8).

If Christ had not come when He did and did what He did and how He did it - several things would undermine Christianity. His messianic prophetic Word would be in jeopardy due to all the prophesies and foreshadows of Christ's first visitation. 

Next, if Jesus had not followed through with Father God's Plan as The Son of God knew it, Jesus would not make The Difference with the Christian faith; Jesus would would be a non-relatable Savior and our relationship with God would not be mended. But praise God Hebrews 4:15 declares - "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin."

Lastly, if Jesus had not followed through on every syllable He heard Father God utter in His ear, there would be no difference to other faiths in our world. Other faiths have a deeds or works related scheme to be accepted into their paradise, we call these religions. Father God reached down to humanity with the life of His Son as the redeeming love gift - we call that relationship. We only have to accept by confessing with our mouth that Jesus is Lord or Master and believe in His resurrection (Romans 10:9). This is The Difference. 

THE VOICE OF GOD

In 1 Kings 19:11-13 the voice of the Lord is described as "a still small voice" or "a whisper". However, most of the encounters with God's voice leave the recipient and the reader of God's Word quite awestruck.

When a thunderstorm arrives in my area, I will often step out on my front porch, not only to assess the severity, but to listen to the thunder and watch the lightening. I stop and imagine it as God's voice speaking to me. You might think I'm crazy or at least unsafe but observe what God said to David in Psalm 81:7  - 

"In your distress you called and I rescued you, I answered you out of a thundercloud; I tested you at the waters of Meribah."

Then in John 12:29, Jesus speaks to God the Father and Father God audibly replies -

"The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him."

Other verses that speak to God's voice as thunderous are...

Job 37:4
"After that comes the sound of his roar; he thunders with his majestic voice. When his voice resounds, he holds nothing back."

Job 37:5
"God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding."

Job 40:9
"Do you have an arm like God’s, and can your voice thunder like his?"

Psalm 18:13
"The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded."

Psalm 68:33
"...to him who rides across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens, who thunders with mighty voice."

Have you ever heard loud, powerful, window-rattling thunder? Imagine hearing the wings of an army of eagles fly overhead. Have you ever heard the crackle and sizzle of lightening as bolts attempt to find their mark? Have you ever been in the presence of a strong trumpet blast or volley of notes? Imagine yourself standing beside Niagara Falls and hearing that constant deafening roar. Have you ever been in a large crowd and just stopped and listened to the murmur of the mob? Ever wonder what the voice of God sounds like? The previous descriptive questions are Biblically based depictions of God's voice.

In addition, God's voice has been linked in Scripture to the breaking of Cedars, the shaking of the desert, the twisting of the oak, the shattering of Assyria, speaking from a cloud, and even His voice reaching the dead and they hear Him. 

The following are the locations and more of the descriptions of the voice of God that were alluded to above.

"Speaking to him from between the two cherubim..." - Nu. 7:89

"spoke to you out of the fire." - Dt. 4:12

Discipline related - Dt. 4:36

"a loud voice" - Dt. 5:22

"resounded" - 2 Sam. 22:14

"roar of His voice" - Job 37:2

"majestic" - Job 37:4

"thunders in marvelous ways" - Job 37:5

"is powerful" - Psalm 29:4

"breaks the cedars" - Psalm 29:5

"strikes with flashes of lightning" - Psalm 29:7

"shakes the desert" - Psalm 29:8

"twists the oak" - Psalm 29:9

"mighty" - Ps. 68:33

"will shatter Assyria" - Isa. 30:31

"sound of their wings was like the voice of the Almighty" - Eze. 1:24

"was like the roar of rushing waters" - Eze. 43:2

"was like the sound of a multitude" - Dan. 10:6

"a voice from the cloud" - Matt. 17:5

"the bridegroom's voice" - John 3:29

"all who are in their graves will hear His voice" - John 5:28 (Wow!)

Gives intructions - Acts 10 and 11

"the voice of the archangel" - 1 Thess. 4:16

"trumpet blast" - Hebrews 12:19

Heaven and earth will be shaken by His voice - Hebrews 12:29

From heaven while on a mountain - 2 Peter 1:18

Trumpet like - Rev. 1:10

Rushing Waters - Rev. 1:15

Zephaniah 3:17 says, "...he will rejoice over you with singing."

When I was growing up, I could tell you without looking, who was walking from one room to the other and who was literally talking behind my back. All the times I have been on a team, in a job or part of a church family for an extended period of time - I knew them.

Because I shared so much time in my relationships, I could distinguish voices out from the opponents on the court as I played against another team. Because I saw them everyday at work, I knew the cadence of my coworkers from afar in the parking lot. Because I sang, worshiped, traveled and learned with my brothers and sisters in Christ, I knew their voice, cadence, heart and presence when they were around me - seen or not.

Has your name ever been called from where you cannot see the caller for the moment, but just by the voice you recognize the person? That is familiarity. That is time spent with that person. That is recognition of a bond that is close enough to have developed to that level. That is relationship.
Many of us have associated The Voice of God with a good baritone or smooth bass voice, compliments of the movies and t.v. (i.e. James Earl Jones and the like). However, if you were one of the individuals who lived during the time of Christ you actually got to hear the voice of God in human form. They heard the Word of God, the Logos, made flesh, speak. That which Father God uttered as words before creation, now was flesh and speaking. Wow! Get your mind around that!

John speaks about Christ's voice when Jesus, picturing Himself as The Great Shepherd and us as His sheep says, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me." (John 10:27). For the Christian today, God's Word and His Holy Spirit within the believer are how Christ mainly speaks to us. Jesus stated - "But the Advocate, 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." (John 14:26)

The original word used for "know" in John 10:27-28 - "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me." - is ginosko, meaning to know absolutely; be sure; to understand in a great variety of applications and with many implications. The word implies an intimate, developing relationship that God knows everything about. Jesus adds to this wonderful relationship that these same people who listen to my voice will not only have everlasting life, but the quality and/or spunk of life will be upgraded forever.

God has a magnificent voice and has used it many times to acquire the attention and obedience of nature and humanity. Where God's voice was unmistakable in the past, His voice is a matter of faith, diligence in His Word and Godly Discernment today. Especially since Christ's visitation, God's voice is built on a relationship with Jesus by accepting His sacrifice for our redemption.

When God speaks to me via His Holy Spirit now-a-days, my mind's ear hears the recall of God's Word in my own voice in a peaceful tone. However, God's voice will one day be undeniably unmistakable to all. As Jesus steps down from His throne in Heaven and pierces the thin cloak of invisibility, He will descend with "a loud command" (1 Thess. 4:16). This shout, this resounding utterance, this Voice of Thunder will be enough for all Christians to be transformed or glorified and the dead in Christ to rise first, then the remaining believers will meet them and Christ in the air to go Home.

Meanwhile, God says, if you are part of the fold, you will want to and need to stay tuned into God's frequency for discernment of all things. To help in this effort, remain a man or woman of integrity. Also, continue to pray to Him, allowing for some listening time. Permit the Holy Spirit and Word of God, when you read it, to guide you in all truth because this is His Voice. His still small voice continues to speak today even though I look forward to hearing the thunder in The Voice of God. 

A PARTICULAR TRUMPET

To me, there is no sound like that of the trumpet. I like all the horned instruments, but the trumpet grabs my whole being and demands my attention. The trumpet has an atmosphere of declaration or proclamation whenever its sound goes forth.

The uses of the trumpet are varied. The trumpet has been used to introduce the presence of a king. The trumpet has been used to signal troops to charge into battle. The trumpet has been used for signaling the rise of the sun and the going down of the same (Reveille and Taps). The trumpet is even used as an instrument of musical enjoyment alone or within a symphony. 

In Scripture, many times trumpets are a battle cry of the immediate demonstration of The Lord's power. Trumpets were sounded before the people shouted at Jericho and the walls fell down flat at the power of God (Joshua 6:16-20). Also, trumpets were sounded first then the jars that were in the hands of Gideon's soldiers were broken. The entire Midianite camp was thrown into disarray by the power of God at the sound of the trumpets (Judges 7:19-24). 

Trumpets were used in the calling the Hebrew people to camp and to break camp to travel (Numbers 10:5, 7). Trumpets were used in Jewish festivals and there is even one called The Festival of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:23-24). Some of the most well known trumpets are those that have the judgments of God that follow them, found in the Book of Revelation.

However, there will be a certain trumpet that some songs declare Gabriel will blow, but at which the sound will finalize God's command and the archangel's words as The Lord descends to take His glorified Bride home. 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 describes this event -

"Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory.'"

When you marry this passage with 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, you get the order of things. This passage reads -

"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air."

The order then is - (1) the Lord descends from heaven with a loud command, (2) has an archangel say something, then (3) The Trumpet Call of God is sounded. Only after The Trumpet sound do we start seeing the results - the dead in Christ rising first, then those who remain being "caught up" or Raptured to meet them and Jesus in the air. 

Ever heard a king or submarine captain declare an immediate law or order into action, but the law/order does not activate upon the words coming out of his mouth. There is a seconding of the declaration by the next in command - for a king, his advisor and on a submarine the captain has his executive officer. The seconding is a way of verification and agreement from the representation of the king's council or captain's crew. The sound of the trumpet is what makes the law active for the king and on a submarine you simply have the carrying out of the command after the words - "Very well then...".

With this imagery in mind, we can now picture our Lord returning for His Bride. When He descends from Heaven, I believe His command is a personal, transforming one - "Chad Pritchard, be glorified through my victory and come home!" Then perhaps the archangel echoes that command and proclaims Christ worthy to declare it. Then The Trumpet sounds and the execution of the words spoken comes into being - perishable clothes itself with imperishable and mortality with immortality. First, those who have already died in Christ go to meet Him, then we join them to be with Him forever, but it all begins with A Particular Trumpet.