The Fading Night

Shrieks howl as evil deeds are seen
yet unseen for the time being
The cry of Heaven cannot tolerate
scenes of evil alloted to the righteous for long

If stars were ever to cease shining
in the the sky pitch black
it is time for concerning glances of
Utter darkness and gnashing of teeth

Staggering drunks have their fill
for now under the cover of night fall
to be lain uncovered in an age of dawn

There are chosen stars singing now in both
East and West
Praying for Justice, and the rending of heavenly
night sky with sun beams enveloping bright

As a day is a thousand years and a thousand years a day
so is the suddenly of God

Stature

Sometimes I am afraid
Of an insecure eye
Of Saul in us all
The One outwardly rugged and tall
The Second inwardly peevish and small
Kingship making light of the altar call
The realized weight of it all
makes for slippery falls

The eye is naked and weak
not regarding the sacrifice
procuring the sword first
while masking the pain under
Royal Robes of ultra-violet

The seeming covering is faltering
and the crown covered with the dust

Is he among the prophets?
To be determined in judgment law......

A New Poet

I discovered an old poet. His name is William Blake. He lived during an age of Romanticism (1757-1827) or so the experts call it. He was a romantic and a mystic. What little I know of the man and his works I thoroughly enjoy. Most importantly, He loved Christ.

Maybe more specifically he did "sow the seeds" of Romanticism as the back of the book would say, so perhaps he was a father of sorts to the romantic age that came later. I don't know. I need to do some research.

I bought Blake's selected works with a Border's gift card along with "Catcher and the Rye." I don't know if the purchases are in any way conncected. Only time will tell the tale.

I feel I will drink deep of his works from dusk till dawn. Lord willing this will happen. All creatures praise Him. Blake is mere flesh.

The Testimony of George Fox

A faith I have come to greatly admire is that of Mr. George Fox. This is the man accredited with starting "The Society of Friends" or otherwise know as "Quakers". Quaker was a deragotory term used to describe the Society of Friends because men would quake when they would preach or Friends would quake themselves in meetings.

George Fox live in 17th century England (1624-1691). This was a time of great political turmoil. Governments switched from being Republics to Monarchies. One thing to be said about the man was that he was greatly loved or hated. Oliver Cromwell himself knew Fox was peaceful and godly, and gave him space to minister.

George Fox never took oaths to names of kings in court. This got him in big trouble. He was thrown in prison because of it. He was convicted by the command of Christ.

Matt. 5:34-36
"But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,
or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. "

His boldness and conviction for Truth (note with capital T) is certainly to be noted. His testimony has impacted me personally. A man I greatly admire said of Fox that he was one of the few Christians since the first few centuries of Christendom to live like an actual apostle. I would concur.

This quote is a staple to Foxe's conviction. The quote came at a time when Cromwell had died in England, and the uncertainty of the times made men fear new political arenas. Fox was resolute with his office and calling regardless of the ruling pontiffs.

"Stand in fear and dread of the Lord God; His power, life, light, seed and wisdom, by which ye may take away the occasion of wars, and so know a kingdom which hath no end, and fight for that with spirtual weapons, which takes away the occasion of the carnal; and there gather men to war,as many as ye can, and set up as many as ye can with these weapons."

Foxe's weapon was the Word of God. He had no need for gun powder. This generation will do best to take note.

Rethinking the Amorphous Blog

Perhaps blogs are not intended for poetry. I don't know who sets the guidelines for blogs, but I do intend to write more about personal events and happenings. I guess I am going to begin to use this as a journal of sorts. Lord willing this will ensue.

Egyptian Dreams

Nevermind the forgetful times
O Sleeper
Awake, Awake I will be your dreamer

Faces wax cold ebb and flow
with iridescent glow
Awake, Awake, I will be your dreamer

The pulleys take ancient lifts
of slave master, in and out, up and down
sliding loads all around
falling sands on grounds
Shakeable and Shaking
in damp chills when
hard rains call
The slave and master
make ruin in Egyptian towns

Whose heritage? Tis the question lingering
The dry winds blow the fortress down
on conquerable kingdoms
What remains? Tis the question everlasting
Whose Arbiter? mortal pharoah must give momentary
edicts and answers

Edwardville Cops....a Haiku

Well we went on a road trip, and we did get pulled over by Edwardsville, Kansas cops. My friend had double registration tags on his van, hence the suspicion. They wore their badges alright. We did nothing wrong. No arrests and/or tickets. Praise God.

The lords know their space
Territorial is sane
Flashing red and blue

Cowritten by Dylan Gatton and Ben Sojka

On a War Memorial Day

Sometimes justice is further from reach than you think
It is antiquated in an assortment of General drink
Myriads of color flashing in the sky
Some white, some pink, and some purple dye

Falling judgment rain on the face
Will the grave feel its pain?
When fallen slain is projected on semi-tall places
Can white-washed masses grab the pain?

Crowds enjoy the fire works and flies
It is the sundry night mood of summertime
Maybe this will help seclude our senses
And exchange our visions with better lenses

Death awaits at your stoic door
Will Adam tremble at the news?
When their symphonic stench is felt in every place
Can death himself speak at the news?

Always hope is fleeting if you view him down the gun
The barrel still sounds louder than life rays of sun
Adam from the dust you came and fall
beating against the wind in military call

A Poem, An Answer, A Dark, Remedial Solution

Sport and Jest, Sport and Jest, Sport and Jest
The Thrice cup of lightness drink down
And splosh the laughter all around
While babies' blood wails from the ground

Sport and Jest, Sport and Jest, Sport and Jest
Continual parties for your ales
But you ensue your own driven nails
On coffins for young, sturdy males

Sport and Jest, Sport and Jest, Sport and Jest
The Games are played in arenas
Yet are won by blood thirsty hyeanas
Whose stripes always bleed through

Progressive Seasons of Lent on the forehead
Will light shine through?
Will light shine through?
Will light shine through?

A Judgment, An Council, A Dark, Remedial Solution

Testing the Spirits......

The church needs more pairs of eyes to see the obvious. The eyes I have in mind are spiritually discerned in nature. In charismatic circles many unusual things in times past have flown under the radar to the forefrunt. The Lakeland "Revival" was a disaster because men chose to believe hype instead of testing claims or the spirit behind the event. If we are to see true revival today, men and women will need to be equipped by the Spirit in order to test the spirits in our churches. If testing the spirits is a higher gift from the Holy Spirit, it has almost been completely neglected today. Those who may have had the gift in these circles have been pushed aside to push the agenda of men or fallen angels at worst.

I have in mind one human activity that could have three different entities on it. The human activity is laughing. Laughing could represent much either for righteousness or unrighteousness. In Zecheriah 9:15-17, we see the people of God rejoicing as if drunk with wine. I would have to say this would imply laughter. It reads as follows-

"The LORD of hosts will protect them, and they shall devour, and tread down the sling stones, and they shall drink and roar as if drunk with wine, and be full like a bowl, drenched like the corners of the altar. On that day the LORD their God will save them, as the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land. For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty! Grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the young women."

In Genesis, I believe we get three different vantage points of spirits behind the activity of laughter. Three different events of laughter are recorded in the testimonies of Hagar and Sarah.

Laughter in unbelief/flesh
Gen. 18:11-15
Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, "After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?" 13The LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?' 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son." 15But Sarah denied it,[saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid. He said, "No, but you did laugh."

Laughter given by God in the birth of promise
Gen. 21:6-7
6And Sarah said, "God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me." 7And she said, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age."

Laughter of the enemies of the promise and perhaps demonic?
Gen. 21:9-10
9But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing. 10So she said to Abraham, "Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac."

The laughter of Hagar is seen as a laughter of mockery or provocation. Hagar's spirit of laughter provoked Sarah to despise Hagar and her child Ishmael.

I believe these three texts cast their light on just one human activity, and the spirits associated behind each event. The question that needs to be asked more often would have to come from the Lord Jesus himself. When he saw the disciples inquiring to call fire down from heaven to kill the Samaritans, he told them, "Ye know not what manner and spirit are ye of." (Luke 9:55)

And that would be the issue and question still to this day.

Sickness and Sin?

The first thing is first. I will say that not all sickness is directly associated with personal sin in one's life. This was the mistake of the Pharisees in the gospels. They associated the cause of one man's ailment with a personal sin or the sin of his kindred (John 9:2). Not all disease is due to sin in one's life, but the purpose of this particular entry is to show some passages that teach a direct link between sin and health. My assesertion is that the Bible teaches the Holy Spirit has a direct affair in managing the church, and that he brings about some illnesses in order to refine/discipline His church. The illnesses are brought about because of sin.

Here are two passages. The first is explicit of my point and the second is implicit in nature.

1 Cor. 11:27-31

"For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died."

James 5:14-15

"Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven."

Unfortunately these passages don't directly correlate to modern day church affairs. When is the last time you saw someone fall ill due to sin when taking communion? The presence of God in the person of the Holy Spirit cannot tolerate sin in His church. This is most evident in the book of Acts. When He really shows up, He may have to take some names (Acts 5:5-11). Look at Ananais and Sapphira.

It is not a matter of debate. When the Holy Spirit really comes to refine His church, He will not tolerate sin. Little white lies have no room in the inn. We are left with trivial sin management in the flesh if we don't have the Holy Spirit actively working. Churches in America have the former and not the latter.

Tolerance never used to be a virtue until this present crooked generation was born.

Two Kinds of Believers?

Luke 10:38-42

"Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? tell her then to help me.' But the Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her'. "

Jesus does not want a domesticated woman. He wants a worshiper, even though He loves both the same. The nature of this passage is not so much about the object of worship, Jesus, as it is about the worshiping subjects. The subjects are the recepients of the blessing of gazing upon the face of Christ.

The minds of Mary and Martha were in two different places. Martha's mind was busy about the mundane. She thought she was assigned the all-imporant task of preparing the room for the Kings of kings. The problem is she thought she was assigned the chores for the kingdom, and she even wanted this perceived assignment to come upon Mary. Martha wanted Mary to share in her burden. The characteristics of Martha's frame were worry, fear, anxiety, and many such things. She thought her will was the perfect will of Christ. She was wrong.

I can only picture the placid nature of Mary opposed to the worry of Martha. Mary was simply loving the best she knew how at that point. Martha thought she was loving God and doing the best for the kingdom. She was missing out on the face of God promised to the ancient Hebrews in which many righteous men yearned to look.

I believe this passage as far as I know in part is revealing something critical in part. It reveals a type of temporal loss to the sincere believer. The paradigm in the flesh is service for the kingdom. Doing, doing, doing, when Christ calls us to be, be, be, a worshiper. Mary reveals the tranquil nature of the one gazing upon the face of God. The perfect will of God is so simple, yet we complicate it.

The Lord pity the domesticated ones of which I have been apart.

The Discipline of the Father

Heb. 12:5-7

"And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

'My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by Him. For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives.'

It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons."

By the Holy Spirit I was revealed the worst form of discipline God could give a son. It is simply the deprivation of the light of His face, the thing His people need and want the most.

The background to this illustration was provided on a summer vacation I went to with my family. We arrived at a theme park. The theme park put on a dog show where we caught the tale end. The trainer saw there was an extra crowd that came so he decided to acclamate some of his more inexperienced dogs to a smaller crowd. As the trainer was throwing his frisbees around for the dogs he began telling of how he trained these dogs. He loved his dogs. You could see it in his eyes. He picked up some of the dogs from abusive situations as puppies. Those puppies were a wreck in terms of performance at first. They were frightened, scared little things. He explained that his method of punishment wasn't to physically hit them as nuisances nor harm them by wiping their noses in their own doo-doo so to speak. If they did something wrong especially while in training, the trainer would then turn his back, withdraw his face and ignore them. The dogs would then go frantic. Their master hid his face. They were desparate.

The master trained the dogs by teaching them relationship. He did not whip them in to shape or even bark orders. He did not simply have them do things, he was training them to be something. The dogs performed gloriously in front of a crowd because the master dealt with them most lovingly and shrewdly. These exploits were totally based off of a relationship.

The worst part of all this is that we can be the frantic little dogs and not even know it. This method of discipline is an art form that only God can lead us in. The one whom He sets His love upon will be familiar with His discipline and the methods of His frowing providence in a hidden smile.

The Lord bless you and cause His face to shine upon you.

Spirit's Judgment vs Flesh's Judgment, Part 2

Rom. 12:3 "For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned."

This verse is critical to give us a proper understanding of introspection. Paul without grace as Saul definitely did not have the authority to judge himself properly. He was what he himself described in this verse as qualifying for elitism. A good definition of elitism is given in this verse, "to think of himself more highly than he ought to think,". This is the flesh's condition. The flesh does a brilliant job of puffing itself up even while making a pretense of humility.

The gift of grace is the ability to properly judge oneself given the measuring rod of faith. This is a sober reality to the true Christian. This must drive us to true humilty. Do I have faith? That is the question. I contend if we understand the nature of this grace and this measure of faith, the Lord will have use of us in His kingdom. Until there are righteous jugments given by the Spirit we are guilty of wallowing in unbelief and autonomous pride. We need to realize our lack of faith, and repent to the Lord that He may fill us afresh. Lord forgive us for our pride and unbelief. Wash us in the blood of Christ.

May the body of Christ begin to function again in God-given authority like in the days of old.

Spirit's judgment vs flesh's judgment

What we need in the Christian life is righteous distinctions. In a sense we need a measuring line that righty divides truth from error. Taking part in a righteous judmgent is what this generation needs.

As Christians we are called to take part in the righteous judgment. The disciples were promised to judge the twelve tribes of Israel, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Christians are promised to judge fallen angels. 1 Cor. 6: 13-"Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!" Righteous judgment is an intricate part of our destiny. It is even a commandment in this life from the Lord Jesus,John 7:24- "Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment."

Unregenerate flesh only judges matters skin deep. The Lord calls us not to judge with the world's judgment. The world boasts of numbers, stature, and charisma. This judgment does not go far enough with God. The wisdom of this world is foolishness to Him.

Matters relating to spiritual concerns are impossible without the illuminating Holy Spirit. Without Him we are left with the shallow depths of the world's judgment, a world that puffs itself up in pride. Judging matters rightly is a gift from the Spirit that only He can provide in His infinite brevity. He humbles the proud, and calls into existence humility when it did not exist before. Look at Nebuchadnezzar.

Romans 3:27-28- "Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by a law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law." Humility is exercised in a dependant faith, and our faith is perfected by the Spirit to teach us and lead us into all truth. We have nothing to boast in or offer God. The gift of righteousness is provided in His Son. We are left with closing our mouths, falling on our faces, and worshipping in His presesnce. He is working this in His people. Only He can do it. No flesh may boast before Him.

The Blessing of Jacob

In the scriptures we find repeatedly God identifying Himself as the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. This identification from God tells us something striking about His character. Most singularily, God identifies Himself as being the God of Jacob and Israel.

Phrases such as"The Mighty One of Jacob," is used repeateadly in the psalms. Psalm 14:7 states "Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad."

In the Old Covenant we see shadows and types of Christ in singular individuals and redemptive events. The life of Joseph is totally a story of redemption. Joseph is highlighted for his redemptive qualities, and the whole outworking of his life was to preserve a remnant of Jacob's family from the consequences of a major famine.

In the testimony of Jacob we find no such redeeming quality or character. In the reading of this man's life all we seem to find is his preoccupation with his own self-preservation. This drive and striving for life and blessing came at others' expenses repeatedly.

I am convinced the testimony of Jacob is a type and shadow of the church. Nothing of Christ comes to mind with this man for he had no reedeming quality. If I could sum up Jacob's life with one phrase it would have to be, "Lord, bless me in spite of me". There was no cause in Jacob's life for God to have reason to bless him, but even in spite of this the Lord met with him, strove with him and blessed him.

The real marvel in Jacob's life is that it screams God's grace. It screams of the preview of the blessings of Christ prepared for us before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1). Even now there is a meeting place for the people of God. Our constant default in the flesh is to rearrange everthing in our lives and THEN God will bless me and look upon me favorably and meet with me. For in the flesh we operate on this level. When we have a visitor we arrange and clean our houses for their own enjoyment. I now trust when the Lord of glory visits, He will arrange His temple as He see fits.

We need to become more of Mary and less of Martha because if not we will miss out on the blessing.

The flesh, suffering, and glory for God

I was reading my Bible about three months ago, and while I was reading it was as if one verse in particular jumped off the page and smacked me in the face. To put it another way, I believe it was the Holy Spirit's finger highlighting it. That verse was John 21:18, and it reads, "Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go."

This verse captures everything I am going through presently it seems as well. The context of this verse is Jesus' and Peter's reunion after Peter's denial of His Lord. The Lord was prophesying over Peter a hard thing about his future, one in which his flesh could not receive. Jesus was describing the death of Peter on account of his witness for the gospel and the way in which he would glorify God.

I must say I have realized I must suffer with Christ outside the camp. The flesh in my own life must be crucified daily. This practically has not happened on a consistent basis in times past. Lord let me not repeat my folly. He who has suffered has ceased from sin, and those who abide in the Spirit will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. The man in Romans 7 must be a miserable person, I can identify with him perfectly in times past. It is now time to transition to Romans 8 where I realize my weakness, and cry out Abba Father. Abiding in the Spirit and knowing the Father's love is a wonderful thing. It can only be decribed as other wordly. That's why the world cannot receive Him, that is the Holy Spirit.

I want to know what it is to suffer for Christ on His terms, for this is a priviledge where true joy can only be found. Life will be void and meaningless if we chase after the comforts of Sodom, it will all burn away anyway. Righteous Lot must have been a miserable Lot while in Sodom.

There is a revival for God's people. Even so come Lord Jesus.