Author: words and signs

Entering into rest

Entering into rest

“Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:”

Psalm 146:3-5

There is no rest to be found in the council of this world. However hard we try and whatever great people we seem to find, there is no help for the inner person, except the one who made us in the first place. We seek advice, support, help, and a companionship that will fill all the gaps in our psyche, and make us feel whole.

People are only people. They are fallen and fallible, just like us. Why would we seek them out? Why do we think that any person can make us whole?

The thoughts that we think; our remedies; our devices for solving problems, are all fleeting. We have an idea and it disappears as quickly as it came to us. We can record our ideas in words or pictures, and some will see it and it might be remembered for some time, but not forever. As soon as our breath leaves our bodies, we are truly gone. There is no more communication with other people, and our contribution to this worlds system has finished. We each leave things behind, but few remember.

As we think on these deep issues, the reality of meaninglessness kicks in and we can find ourselves hopeless and in despair without the knowledge of a loving God who waits for us in the shadows until we come to our senses. Ecclesiastes is all about this huge issues and so applicable for us today. It is worth reading this book and mediating on it.

“Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless.”

Psalm 108:12 BSB

People are weak and cannot stand against even human opposition, so why do we think we can resist the enemy of our souls? He is a powerful foe and can overpower us easily without the strong power of the Holy Spirit who helps us to resist and overcome. To look for help anywhere else is foolish. We all must walk with God in our individual lives and are be responsible for our thoughts and behaviour. Leaning on other people, is not an option we should be dreaming about.

People get married thinking that the partner will support all their needs and be the help needed to walk through their world. It is not so. Without Christ we are helpless and cannot do anything. Without Him, everything is impossible. With Him, all things are possible. Marriage is our closest relationship that it is possible to have in this life, but it is not a support mechanism for our souls. It is our responsibility to stay close to Christ and walk with Him, helping and encouraging each other to do the same.

Sisters and brothers in Christ can be helpful, but often not. We are all fallen creatures and want recognition and validation. There are few who walk uprightly with God, and those who do walk up rightly, have learned to stay close to Him and not another. This is the strength given by God through the teaching and power of the Spirit within.

How can I then rest? We rest only in the arms of Christ. Jesus is the only comfort and hope for the human souls and heart and mind. Only He is reliable. The help of man in the spiritual circumstances of Iife, is worthless. No one can resist for us, reason for us, fight for us… Christ has fought and won, and we gain the victory through him, not another. There are many who rise up and set themselves as “princes” and “councillors,” but they are not. Anyone who takes the place of Christ in the human psyche, is not godly.

“But Jesus didn’t trust himself to them, because he knew everyone, and because he didn’t need for anyone to testify concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.”

John 2:24-25

Jesus knows what we are like, and kept Himself in the love of God, through communion with the Father in heaven. He did not ask advice from the disciples, who were incapable of understanding so many things, until the Holy Spirit came, or from any recognised human authority. His rest was in God alone.

“My soul rests in God alone. My salvation is from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress— I will never be greatly shaken.”

Psalm 62: whole Psalm…

This is the wise Psalmist who spent his young life on the run from danger. He had men with him to support him and protect him, but the Psalmist recognises that it is not the protection he needs. Rest is in God alone. It is a state of mind that keeps itself steady, in the Word of God and the promises of “Yes” and “Amen.”

Life is a raging sea, and unless the mariner is in the boat, we are ruined! Life is a war and unless the Master is in command, we are totally defeated…. Life is a symphony and unless the Maestro is conducting the orchestra, there is no sound at all…!

Rest is not inactivity, but a state of mind. It is not about how much sleep you are getting or how regular your relaxation times are, but if God is your portion and your praise. This is the powerhouse of the Christian life. God-filled, God-orientated and God-driven activity for the coming kingdom, which will be a place of such rest in the power of the Spirit forever. We enter into that rest fully, when we get there, but in this life, we take the rest God gives to us, and continue on loving for Him and serving Him alone.

“Let us fear therefore, lest perhaps anyone of you should seem to have come short of a promise of entering into his rest.”

Hebrews 4:1

This is our only concern. That we will not enter that eternal rest and miss the mark of the right calling of God. This is for every Christian, not just a chosen few. We seek to not come short and to work out our salvation with “fear and trembling” so that we are sure we are in the kingdom and not unprofitable servants.

We rest on Christ the author and finisher of our faith. Only He can do this. It takes the Eternal Son of God to save us and keep us as we walk through this dark world and bring us safely home to heaven, where we can rest and praise and worship and serve with great delight, forever… this is the inheritance of the saints.

“…. that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, for all endurance and perseverance with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love; in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins.”

Colossians 1:10-14

“For the LORD has chosen Zion. He has desired it for his habitation. This is my resting place forever. Here I will live, for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provision. I will satisfy her poor with bread. Her priests I will also clothe with salvation. Her saints will shout aloud for joy.”

Psalm 132:13-16

This is the rest that keeps us going in this life. This is our eternal inheritance and our motivation to keep going and serve relentlessly, with all our being, living sacrifices which is our spiritual worship….

The Second Death

The Last Judgment: John Martin

The Second death

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1HvMKT2Z0Gj7DFXEnk1aRN?si=UEd1ZA_ySd-PMbtEyh_Axw

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. He who overcomes won’t be harmed by the second death.”

Revelation 2:12

Death, the universal foe. The body dies and the soul goes on into another dimension. This is the first death. The second death is the permanent separation of the soul from its maker and God. It will happen at the end of time and all those who choose it, will regret it.

“I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found no place for them. I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.”

Revelation 20:11-15

This is a picture of the great, final assize of the human soul. Those who do not possess eternal life, and who’s names are not written in the Book of Life, are forever thrown out into darkness, to suffer their fate. Death and hell themselves are put into this lake of fire and so it is the second death. The soul and body both go there to pay for the sin committed in this life, and there is no way out. The prospect of salvation is over, and all hope has gone, only torment is left. The body and soul are separated from God eternally, and this is the worst possible scenario for the souls made to love God and enjoy him forever. The deeds done in the body are used to convict the sin infested soul, who has never been forgiven, because it would not come to God and ask for it. The books record these deeds, and these souls are accused by their deeds and condemned by them.

“He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” He said, “Write, for these words of God are faithful and true.” He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes, I will give him these things. I will be his God, and he will be my son. But, for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Revelation 21:5-8

In this passage it is spelt out for us again. The Lord Jesus is making everything new and finally and irrevocable dealing with sin and sinners. He tells us who He is. “Alpha and Omega” the “First and Last” the “Beginning and the end” He is the Eternal Son of the One true God. He has always been and always will be. He is the life giver and the life taker. He holds the keys and death and hell and He will decide what happens to these two imposters from His throne, and all who choose their ways. These sinners deliberately gave up the opportunity to have eternal life, and to overcome their sin and be forgiven from it. They did not overcome temptation and fear, but succumbed to it and now face it all eternally.

For those who over come, they receive the very life of God and eternally sonship with their Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ, the judge of all the earth.

The list is here for us to see. Cowards, who refused to suffer with Christ in their life on earth, but chose the comfort of this world instead. They passed up faith and remained dead in their sins, with no spiritual life and no hope of a life with God. Sinners who have the root of sin in their heart and mind – pride and covetousness for the status and filthy goods of this world’s system, which they exchange for the grace of God, thereby rejecting God and never able to enter into life. Abominable people who pollute everything and everybody they meet. Life-haters and takers, unclean living people, who live for sexual gratification and selfish gain. Evil lovers and Satan worshippers, who love his ways rather than the ways of God. Those who refuse to worship God and bow their knees to his Lordship and reign in their lives. All who love falsehood, spread falsehood and live lives of fake godliness and religious legalism. All these face the second death. God will not contaminate human society any more with these depraved people.

”Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over these, the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with him one thousand years.”

Revelation 20:6

The Blessed and Holy are those who overcome the devils tribulation and are raised in newness of life by God, into the everlasting kingdom to reign with Christ. The difference could not be more stark. We cling on to our natural rebellious heart against God and doggedly pursue our sin, and we reap eternal judgment and death, or we repent, believe and reign with God..!

We now understand why God calls the sinner “foolish.” We are foolish in the extreme when we reject Christ and choose death instead.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. He who overcomes won’t be harmed by the second death.”

Revelation 2:11

We must overcome…we can overcome, for Jesus Christ has done it for us already on the cross of Calvary. There is no need for fear, because He has faced it for us already. Let us hear what the Spirit is saying and bow our knees to Him alone.

The Second Coming

Cloudpillars Sky 62
Podcast on Spotify

The Second Coming

THE SECOND COMING

“For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left to the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with God’s trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.”

1 Thessalonians 4:15-18

There is much debate and argument about this sure and certain event that is spoken about in the Holy Scripture. The Lord Jesus himself promised that He would return to end the world and take His Beloved people to heaven forever. It is unthinkable that evil should go on for ever, and it will not. Satan has his day, and is even now, is “the strong man bound” (Matthew 12:29) 

When Jesus will return is a secret. It will be a huge surprise to everyone, except those who keep their eyes on the skies and are waiting expectantly for that great day. (Mark 13:32) It will be sudden and unexpected and exceptionally dramatic. The sky will open and Christ descend with the hosts of His people, who have gone before us in death. (1 Thessalonians 4:14)

We will hear the trumpet sound, the Lord will come down with a mighty shout of victory, also the Archangel, who will awaken the dead bodies of the saints. They will, rise, with their redeemed bodies, to meet the Lord in the air and by reunited with their redeemed souls. Those who are alive on the earth at that time, will, then also rise up and meet the glorious throng in the air. The church of Jesus Christ will be complete, and there will be no more reason to keep, human history going. It will be over. 

The saints of God will all be gathered home to heaven, with their dear Saviour, forever. The kingdom will come in all its glory and death will be finally and devastatingly defeated.

This is it. No more chances, no more time and space, no more world. The judgement will surely happen and the Lord Jesus will not be the Saviour anymore, but the judge of all the earth. Those who have rejected Him, will now be rejected by Him. There will be no going back, and the future for these people, will be eternal destruction, punishment to pay for their sin, which they refused to repent of and be forgiven. (Daniel 12:2)

The debate around this event is dangerous. It takes our minds and heart away for the crucial state of thinking that we must adopt. We must be ready, every day, for the Lord to come for us. It should make us restless, restless to tell, others to be ready and restless to see His face. We all have people around us who are not ready, so what should we be doing in this time? Should we be worried  about the Millennium, when it is, where it is, how long it is, and if we are in it….?!!

People are perishing and dying in this sins, and we remain silent to them. This is the mark of someone who doesn’t take the reality of the coming of Christ seriously. Judgement is real and it should affect how we think and act and speak. 

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be destroyed like this, what kind of people ought you to be in holy living and godliness, looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, which will cause the burning heavens to be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.”

2 Peter 3:10-13

This is the sure and certain future. Are we thinking like it or are we coasting along safe and sound without a thought about the lost souls who will inhabit a lost eternity without a Saviour? This world is ending. It is always ending and one day soon, it will finally be destroyed and there will be a new place where only righteousness dwells. The ungodly will be forgotten for good and God will stop the rot of sin for good. We must rejoice in this and be glad that salvation will come and the kingdom will triumph over all. 

“….knowing this first, that in the last days mockers will come, walking after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” 

2 Peter 3:3-4

Are we in this category? Do we think God will not keep this promise. We like the other promises to help us and protect us, but not these kind of ones.! We become mockers and walk through our days with no care about this event. We will be shocked and surprised when it happens and fear will take hold. 

“For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control. Therefore, don’t be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but endure hardship for the Good News according to the power of God…”

2 Timothy 1:7-8

This is God’s intention for all who believe. The Holy Spirt within the believer gives power, love and clear thinking. Self-control to live right and speak right with good intentions, will include living with the coming of Christ in a clear view. We endure the ridicule of others, to gain Christ, which is far better. 

Don’t be deceived into foolish argument and intellectual strife. Live for God. Wait for the Lord’s return and spread the good news that Jesus is coming and righteousness will prevail. Don’t be oppressed by mockers, but wait patiently. (Psalm 40)

“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. Those who were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘What if there isn’t enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward, the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Most certainly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ Watch therefore, for you don’t know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”

Matthew 25:1-13

What a passage of Scripture for these days! 

Are we ready? If He comes today at lunchtime, will your heart and mind be ready? 

The door will shut. We must be watchful because we don’t know so many things. If you are ready, rejoice in this great hope, this amazing provision of the Lord. The kingdom will come, for Jesus prayed it. “Thy kingdom come, on earth, as it is in heaven….” 

The Second things

The Second things

The Second things

The Second things
The Second things

“Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away from them every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.”

Revelation 21:3-4

God has come to us and dwelt with us. We didn’t even know, we are so insensitive to His ways and purposes. But some did. If you believe, you do know, and God is your God. One day He will completely annihilate suffering forever. If fact, really it is gone already, we just don’t enter into the reality of that truth. We dont need to cry, but we do. It’s a kind of release of emotion, when things are getting hot for us. We do weep, but it doesn’t last. Somehow He binds us up and the tears stop and we feel better, comforted by our Saviour’s presence with us. There is nothing like this…

We will face death, our lovely bodies will deteriorate and there will be more tears, but not forever. Jesus is coming back and the kingdom will come fully in all it’s glory. All sin, that notorious disease that haunts us and we love (!) will be over, death defeated and all tears forever put to flight. The first world has gone, the second has come. 

Gods people will come down into their kingdom in breath-taking beauty and glory. They will finally enter into their destiny, to rule with Christ forever. The first set of events, known as human history, will be over, and the second things will come into their own. The first world will have passed away and the second will be here. Tears will not even be remembered and their will be no record of them in the history of that blessed place. Everything related to tears will be forgotten and have no record of why  they were necessary at that olden time. The new time will be eternity forever and we will live there is great joy. 

I cannot wait… rejoice now…

“Praise THE LORD! Praise, you servants of THE LORD, praise the name of THE LORD.

Blessed be the name of THE LORD, from this time forth and forevermore.

From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, THE LORD’S name is to be praised.

THE LORD is high above all nations, his glory above the heavens.

Who is like THE LORD our God, who has his seat on high, who stoops down to see in heaven and in the earth?

He raises up the poor out of the dust. Lifts up the needy from the ash heap; that he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.

He settles the barren woman in her home, as a joyful mother of children. Praise THE LORD!”

Psalm 113

The BiPolar God

It’s the last day of Mind health awareness week, I am reposting this as we need to be ready to understand.,. I do not seek to bring God down to our level, but to elevate BiPolar people….

The BiPolar God

The BiPolar God

BiPolar is a state of living where a person feels everything deeply and this can affect their behaviour and mindset. It is interpreted as swings of mood from extremes, but that is a subjective judgment. Sad things make us sad, and happy things make us happy. If you felt things deeply, you might have a more prominent reaction to life’s events. For the BiPolar person, sad is really sad and can lead to depression, and happy things can lead upward to an elevate state of mood. Sad things can also lead to an elevated state of mood, as over-compensation. It is very complicated and different for every person. 

It can be frightening until you understand it and come to terms with it, in yourself. It makes you a particular kind of person. Very creative, innovative, intelligent, resilient, patient, non-prejudiced (because you experience so much of it) super-sensitive and god-orientated. The kindest people I have known, I have met in psychiatric hospital. There is good reason for that…

The down side is painful. When tragedy strikes the BiPolar person will feel it very deeply. The emotions are heightened by chemical reactors in the brain and the intelligent mind will analyse and seek to understand the reasons why things happen. The analysing can get out of hand and lead to circular thinking, which can descend up or down into a state of mind. This can lead to a growing sense of sadness and a darkness descends on the life called Depression. In this mode, the mind will interpret everything negatively and it is almost impossible to counteract. The mind will systematically destroy everything and drag the person down in to a deep, dark pit. This is Depression.

 This is a very debilitating state and very difficult to get out of. Breaking free often means hitting a bottom and gradually building your way up again. It can involve hospital admission, which is very painful and often contributes to difficulties. Hospital can be a kind of refuge, but it creates a barrier to the “real” world. It can provide a buffer against what is causing the depression, and a reprieve for the daily grind of tedium, by providing another kind of tedium! Drug therapy can be good, but can also lead to problems in the future, with side effects and dependency.

It is good to find other strategies to help oneself get well and stay well. If the root of them problem can be found, that is the best way to deal with the sadness and learn to cope with the fall out from life events. Life events are often glossed over or we are somehow forced to stay with situations that are destructive to us. The sufferer may understand situations, but not be able to do anything about it. This is very debilitating for them, and leads to a lot of disappointment. It is good to have people or a person to talk to at this point.

People do need other people, but often there is no one around to help. The analysing can be a great help and a great hindrance at the same time. The sufferer learns to rely on themselves a lot, and this can undermine trust in other people. The analysing needs guidance, and it needs to have a foundation to turn to and a counsellor to guide and support the thinking, but this is rare. BiPolar people often protect themselves with silence. 

The up side is also painful, but seems the better option, at first. Being busy and doings things that keep our spirits up can get out of hand too… we can find ourselves “medicating” ourselves on what we do, say and think. We can be doing things to keep our psyche up, so that we avoid the terrors of Depression. This can be behaviour traits, or substance abuse. The addiction factor can be quite strong for BiPolar people. We can find ourselves involved with alcohol, cigarettes and other fairly dangerous substances, to try to alleviate the pain. The up side can lead to inflated thoughts and megalomania. It also contributes to paranoia and feeling of over-worthiness and under-worthiness.

Thought processes are really important, and the BiPolar person has to train themselves and keep their thinking on an even keel. The thoughts feed the feelings and we have to recognise the value of these two aspects of human character and keep them in their right places. This needs a lot of practice.  Up thoughts need tempering just like the down thoughts. God is completely involved in this massive, lifelong process, since He knows all about it and has made the BiPolar mind, as He has made all minds. To be in touch with Him, really is life and peace. He is the bedrock of the cure and the education of the mind. We need BiPolar minds, precisely because if the way they operate. BiPolar people are worth having around. 

The BiPolar mind is special and not to be trifled with. It can produce amazing outcomes, and creative solutions. The foolishness of other people can be a big burden. Foolishness generates stigma, which is completely destructive. People do not understand and it is unfair to ask them to do so, when they are not informed. This can be a terrible burden. This very much contributes to isolation and stagnation in thought and activity. Inclusion does not often seem offered to BiPolar people. 

The affect of powerful drugs can muddy the water, and hospital, while somewhat helpful at first, can really damage the sensitivities of mind sufferers. There are things that go on in hospitals that should not be. This needs to be addressed. 

Bi Polar is a difficult state to live with and not to be treated lightly. To be a Christian in close touch with God, is the best way. Mind sufferers are sensitive to the spiritual ideas, thought and feelings, and need to be able to discern what is best and right and good, the same as everyone else. Kindness is a feature of people who suffer in this way and sharing is key. Sharing experiences and ideas is a good way to get help in your own mind, as you see what others are saying too. However, the trust factor kicks in here, and sufferers try to manage alone, as it seems the safer option. 

BiPolar is lonely and isolating because of the lack of engagement with other people. People are scared because of the stigma that follows the labelled person around. Sufferers are special people, but never feel it. They are capable of so much good, spiritual good too, but rarely get the chance to show it or do it. 

The prophets of old were all this way, super sensitive people, devoted to God and open it His will and words. King David was BiPolar, we see that from the profile of his life and the incredible writing of the Psalms. The Apostle Paul also has the marks of BiPolar illness throughout his life and work. He asked God to take it away, but BiPolar is a state of being, not necessarily “illness.” The name is just a label for a set of recognisable “symptoms” and so the diagnosis is set. There is no recognisable “cure” but maybe “cure” is not necessary… Paul had to learn to live with it, and he did with amazing consequences for us all..!

This brings us to stigma. We do not want our favourite Bible people to have this stigma, so we deny it and continue to label people in our world as really ill or “unacceptable,” which Bible characters are protected from, Anyone who doesn’t fit in and exhibits different kinds of thoughts processes, is intelligent and creative and who’s mindset is unusual, we label with something. The Prophets of God had these traits.

The BiPolar mind is different and the ability to feel deeply is different, so “they” are not “normal.” This is unfair and prejudicial. This mentality is everywhere. People are afraid, and so they sideline and label the sufferers as “weirdos” or worse.

This is the root of prejudice and negative attitudes to BiPolar people. 

All the time, God draws close to them and they have propensities that normal people don’t have. BiPolar people are kept at bay and regarded suspiciously, because they are not included or allowed to fit in. This causes so many problems for the sufferer. But resilience takes over and God gives the strength to overcome. 

Jesus felt deeply for people. He healed them all, taught them, gave up everything for them and allowed Himself to die to save them, and us.. His life was full of extremes. Was He BiPolar? Does He understand? It must have been extraordinarily difficult for Him to live with us.! The downs and ups must have been huge for Him. 

Gethsemane was a dreadful low time, such sorrow and pain that is unimaginable, as Jesus knew what lay ahead in the next days. The glory of the Transfiguration and the Resurrection, such highs! Yes, Jesus knows all about it and has sympathy and camaraderie with BiPolar sufferers. Surely no one suffered stigma more than He did. They hated Him for no reason. 

Do we serve the BiPolar God?  He feels our pains and our infirmities even now in heaven. Jesus prays for us, to cope with what burdens we are given to bear. His empathy for us and towards us is perfect. He is not ill, as that is impossible, since he is the Healer, so is BiPolar an illness, or just a different state of mind? 

Our society is so riddled with prejudice about any number of things, and BiPolar people suffer more than most. It is the last great taboo. The last social prejudice to be addressed, and it will never be addressed fairly, because of the nature of the situation. BiPolar people will always be left out, because of the label, not because of who they are. They are judged wrongly and unjustly and this can have two effects. One effect is they will retreat into themselves and keep out of participating, or they will rise up and fight. The ones that rise up, are able to do amazing things, as history records. 

Which ones rise? The ones that are regarded by the people around them and allowed to thrive at their own pace and in their own way. The ones that do not experience prejudice and the dishonour of being forced into ways of living and working that are not natural to them. This is actually the same for everyone! 

God does what He pleases, He chooses, He creates, He upholds everything, He feels everything, knows everything and plans everything. Is He the BiPolar God? The only thing that stops us saying “Yes!!” Is our prejudice…

Faith perfected

“You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected..”

James 2:22

This verse continues to speak about the faith of Abraham and how it was and is seen, and is recorded for us by God, in His Word. As Abraham sacrifices his son in response to God’s command, so his dependency on God was clearly seen. The fact that Abraham carried out a command, not knowing the written Word, or the knowledge of how God’s promise to him would be fulfilled, is astounding faith. God stopped Abraham from sacrificing his son, as Abraham had passed the test of faith. He had to show his obedience and total trust in God. He was willing to give up his one hope, simply in obedience to God. In faith he obeyed and was willing to give the son of promise into death, as God commanded him.

The faith in Abraham’s heart and soul is clearly seen, because of what he did. His faith in God worked alongside his works of faith to show his obedience. It is easy to speak obedience and not act upon it. Abraham heard the Word of God, and acted upon it so that his faith in that Word was revealed.

And more. Abraham’s act of faith perfected his faith. The works were not a separate act, but moved in Abraham to strengthen his faith and make it move towards perfection. In this life we are not yet made perfect, but we will be. As we live for God and obey Him, so our faith changes and grows and we become more like Christ. Faith is not a static state of being, but forged in trials and testing as, and moves us forward into the holiness of God.

“Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been put to grief in various trials, that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ— whom not having known you love; in whom, though now you don’t see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory— receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

1 Peter 1: 6-9

Faith and works are the perfect marriage between God and the redeemed person. There can be no divorce process. If we have saving faith and sanctifying faith, we will show it in increasing works of faith, obedience and love. Faith to do miracles is one thing, but faith to obey is quite another….

Beautiful as the moon

“Who is she who looks forth as the morning, beautiful as the moon, clear as the sun, and awesome as an army with banners?”

Song of Songs 6:10

These analogies could hardly be bigger or more all encompassing.! The sun, the moon, a huge army…

When the beloved woman approaches her beloved, it is like the morning coming up. The rising of the sun after the darkness of night. The sun of love has dawned and is filling the loving heart of the beloved with light and heat. This is also an analogy for the feeling of Christ towards His beloved church. He is the Beloved and the day arrives when He comes back for His church. It is like the morning arriving and the dawning of the new day of heaven when all Jesus’ people are gathered in to Him. Nothing is more delightful to Him than they are. The arrival of the people of God in heaven will be as the sun rising for Christ. It will be the beginning morning of eternity for the people of God and for their Lord Jesus.

It is also the feeling of Jesus when His child approaches Him each day for fellowship and prayer. This is His true desire that they should do that. It is His delight to meet with us and fellowship with us at every opportunity. How delightful to live in that fellowship constantly and to be able to talk with Jesus the Lord, at any time. We have free access to God, because of what Jesus did on the cross for us. As we meet with Him each day, it is as the sun rising for us, and we enjoy the close fellowship of the Sun of Righteousness. For Jesus also, it is His true delight to have personal relationship with us.

The beloved woman is “ beautiful as the moon.” On a full moon the silver disc is as beautiful as it gets. The glowing circle looks perfect in the night sky, hanging by nothing but the power of God. It is a borrowed light from the sun, and is not a light source. So also we shine like the moon in glory, the borrowed glory of our Beloved Sun/Son and we shall be like Him in His glory one day. Even now we can have that light in our lives that others will see and want for themselves. The light we show is our love for God and for other people.

The sunlight is searching and brings good vibes to us. We feel better in the sun. It benefits our body, making vitamin D; our mind, in that it improves our feelings and therefore our psyche; and our souls, as it lifts our spirits, so we feel better able to praise God and be thankful. The sunshine purifies and clears the air and kills germs and other unhelpful micro-organisms on fabrics and surfaces. The heat cleanses and the light helps us to see clearly. This is also the purpose of the Holy Spirit, who leads us into all goodness and truth. He cleanses us daily, especially as we meet with Him, and gives clarity of vision as we walk through our day.

This woman is going to be good to her beloved and good for him. She will stand by the truth of their love forever. She is like an army that will not be stopped in its mission and fight against evil. She is described as “awesome.” So the confident and fearless church of Christ reigns on earth and brings many daughters and sons to glory. We are not defeated people, though gentle and sensitive to evil, but victorious in our overcoming of the sin in our own lives and therefore useful to God. We live rich lives for Christ, a great army of warriors with banners, showing their worth and ability. We do not hide away our glory, which we now have. We live rampant lives of faith, hope and love…

The iteration of learning

How we learn so that we can grow

The iteration of learning

The reality of fractals is a stunning idea – all created, on purpose for the world and beyond. They occur through the iteration of numbers and objects, a recurring set of small changes that make up the whole. 

Dictionary definition: Merriam-Webster

“the action or a process of iterating or repeating: such as: a procedure in which repetition of a sequence of operations yields results successively closer to a desired result: the repetition of a sequence of computer instructions a specified number of times or until a condition is met.”

Iteration is a kind of repeating. Something like a number repeats it’self, but something is added each time to slightly change the patterns. This creates new patterns. This is the process of creativity. We take an idea and develop it by adding and developing, analysing and researching probable destinations. We choose one, usually, but we could choose more. 

There is no limit to iteration, it is a creative process, therefore is limitless. Ideas are limitless, we just don’t think of them! The usual functioning of the brain depend to a great extent on how it has been taught. This can cause limitations and shut down many thought processes. The idea that children should learn for themselves, is a good one, as the child can learn at their own pace, in their own way. This is not the prevailing philosophy at this time in history, but that is another discussion…

The free mind is able to think for itself and make creative decisions without stricture. The creativity availability to us is limitless and the manifestations of ideas is for every person. Learning in a meaningful way depends on it. Learning must depend on making decisions and solving problems, otherwise it is just learning steps to do a particular task, which turns us into mindless machines. Our present system tends to do this. Art and music are very important to the human psyche and are becoming more important as we become more technology orientated and spend increasing time with machines. 

The ability to express is crucial, and everyone needs to be involved. God knows this and so we have the facility of praise. This is the fractal of praise. We express with every sort of us, body, mind and soul. The Christian is at home when involved with praise, and this is the atmosphere of heaven.

Learning is so enjoyable, or should be. Every day we are being taught by the Lord, all kinds of things and the blessing of knowing this is huge. To know God cares about you enough to be involved with you, is so full of confidence giving power. 

As we learn, we repeat and embed the skills in our minds and muscles. Thinking skills, practical, intellectual, social, spiritual skills that give us the tools of life. Not just for this world, but preparing us for the next world also. One lesson learned then leads to another. Every lesson has reinforcement and plenty of new need to learn to make it interesting for our minds. To have the same lesson over and over is so tedious, but to be able to move on to new things every time, gives us interest and motivation or learn more. One lessons building on another, and we gain complexity in our thought processes. 

All the skills we need become more and more complex but as we master them, we come highly skilled at all that we are being taught. This is for everyone, not just the favoured few. 

“Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened…”

Matthew 7:7-8

If we want to learn we will seek it out. If we seek wisdom we will find it. If we seek God we will find Him. Our will is involved in this. Unfortunately the things of this time and space can stamp out desire, and we just go on in the vein of least resistance. We must resist that promoting and look higher. 

We are born with such potential, and no one is empty. Everyone has gifts to use and bestow on other people. We start of simply and gain the complexity over time and as we learn our skills. One skills leads to another- we literally, branch out and our skills set develops and becomes a huge tree-like structure. 

We become mature and are not phased by learning. We become good learners and gain satisfaction for our work and activity. This is the blessing of God, not just earning money. To be happy earning your way in life, is a good place to be. It requires learning and building and effort. To be able to work and learn and grow is so important for every person. We are not meant to mind machines…

Our world systems are also undermining our personal resilience to persevere with things we find a challenge. It’s easy to give up, but then the learning also stops. The ideas need to be coming into our minds to keep the interest up in what we are doing. These ideas need to come from ourselves so that we are self-motivated and gain confidence in our ideas and thought processes. So often this is taken away. Personal resilience will helps us learn all through our lives and keep going, because it is pleasurable. 

If we keep following what we are told, we will eventually stagnate and there will be no progress and no satisfaction. Life becomes tedious and options close down. This leads us into a place where there is no choice and no liberty. 

“If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”

John 6:36

If we have the liberty of Christ in us, we are truly free, even though we might be in physical chains. The mind that is free can find ways through the gloom and will know the intense teaching of God. A true education gives us this power. To know the Scriptures is life and peace, since they are the person of Christ. To know Christ is the way of liberty, and no one can stop us from growing and making progress in our inner life as well as the outward manifestations of success. Our spiritual life will branch into a huge fractal of the Grace of God. As that grows we become more Christ-like and full of good works. We learn more and more and grow in statue as a woman of God. 

We take care of our bodies so that the fractals remain in good working order and our lives are long and fruitful. We feed our minds with all good things and exercise them in a wide variety of ways, learning new skills all through our lives. Our souls grow more and more godlike. We learn our lessons from scripture and the teaching of the Holy Spirit in our minds and souls. The fractal grows and we become like mature trees of the forest, wise, discerning, full of the fruit of good works and ready for heaven…  

The mind fractal

The Mandelbrot set: Gods thumbprint

The mind fractal 

Nothing is quite the same since Mandelbrot opened our eyes to see what we can’t see. There is pattern and unique qualities in everything. Nothing is obvious and infinity is real. 

Every leaf on the tree is unique, like every human. God doesn’t make copies…

The simplest looking shape or object that exists has depths that we cannot see or fathom. They are unseen and conceptual in nature and yet, you can understand the reality of this phenomenon, it is mind reeling. You can investigate this idea and device on YouTube.

Our minds fall into this idea too. How deep and wide can the mind go? It doesn’t just exist in our heads, because we can project out from ourselves everywhere. We can imagine, and use tools to see some things far away and once inaccessible. We come up with ideas and wonder where they come from. We have emotions, desires, wants, a badness there too. 

We can also think about God and have the ability to relate to Him in our souls. These are all fractals – the fractals of mind, soul and body. Eternity is set in our souls and minds and yet we run from it. The idea we live and die and that is the end, is an anathema to the enquiring mind. This understanding is the fractal of the soul, because our soul is how we relate to God. Every aspect of us, body, mind and soul, is fractal and fractals within fractals.

The body has its system fractals, nerves, blood, homromes, bones, cell systems, breathing systems, waste systems, etc…

The mind has thoughts, ideas, desires, wants, needs, emotions, control of other systems (making it very crucial to the person function) our personality, character, etc

The soul has the unique and God given ability to relate to Him. Without this out souls are actually dead. When alive we relate to the Holy Spirit, experience all kinds of spiritual blessings – love joy, peace, patience, temperance, etc… and over all, daily grace to face and do all things. God kindly gives these things to those who don’t believe also, but it is temporary and fleeting. Our personal soul is the “real” us, and when we are alive in our soul, we are really alive. It affects everything we are, body and mind as well.

 If the Mandelbrot set is so complex, yet beginning with basic simplicity, what about us and our amazing minds?

The Mandelbrot set is simple compared to our mind. The mind is a most amazing fractal, who can understand it? We do not even understand ourselves. That branching pattern is everywhere in our bodies, and no less in the neutrons, and in the joining of the neutrons of the mind. The mind grows, as do all the living fractals. Trees.. start with the branching roots, branching systems within the cells, branching branches and the veins in the leaves, all a huge fractal with smaller fractal entities too. It’s everywhere. What a legacy to leave behind.

The internet that is such a blessing in so many ways, is another huge fractal. The main frame, the computers linked to it, the other devices we have invented to work with it, and the engagement with our own mind, all fractal and fractals within fractals. 

It turns out that Mathematics really does hold the answer to everything. Infinity is real, recurring is real, and that eternal idea, infiltrates every part of our world. We cannot escape from the reason of it. It all works beautifully, until something goes wrong.! Mistakes are made and the pattern and magnificence of the fractal is lost. We loose sight of the glory of what we are and the beauty of the things around us, especially the living things. If we could see with new eyes that glory that still dwells in our world, we would then lift our eyes to God and see Him also. 

The God of all things, who is the author of every fractal, will never abdicate His place in the whole, scheme of things. He is forever God, and reveals Himself to whoever He pleases.

Spiritual life is also fractal. Stories within stories, truths behind stories… the eternal, doctrines of God, and the systems of theology, are amazing fractals and only accepted and understood by the renewed mind to that same God. Only when God is fully engaged with the human mind, can we see the truths about Him. The Scripture is a fractal. To know it is life and peace, the perfect will and truth of God. To accept it is true life.

To enter this world involves putting to death the wreaking of fractals, the disease that contaminates and shuts down our minds and souls. This disease will destroy the beauty of every fractal and keep the human mind in chains forever. The mind cannot be destroyed, neither the soul, but it can be rendered useless to God and for ourselves. It is foolish to hang on to a disease when we could know life and peace.

The realisation of the fractals of nature can be the way in to understanding the fractals of mind and soul. But the acceptance of these things comes from God. We are left blind without Him, and never really enter in, or get to the bottom of the rabbit hole. I don’t know if Mandelbrot saw the end game. Maybe he did, for maybe God revealed it to him at the end. I hope so. What a great mind he had, so unique and he has opened the way for us to think about ourselves and our world in a unique way.

However, the fractal of the word of God is with us, always. It is totally accessible and anyone can read it. The Spirit of God is willing to show us meaning and give us understanding. He is willing to give the gift of light. Why would we not take it? It is the greatest understanding there is and the gates to wisdom open. Understand this fractal for your good and for great joy. It is perfect and will lead you into all truth. It is not just a book, but the person of Christ, revealed to us by God and kept by Him.

I wonder did Mandelbrot ever read it, and what he thought as he read it. No one knows, but we seek our own enlightenment to see things that God sees in the light of His revealed day. 

Then there is eternity. What a fractal that will be. Fractals within fractals, within fractals.!! The complexity will keep our renewed minds busy forever. The beauty will be stunning, the perfection of that place will resonate with us in our body, minds and souls forever. Perfect peace and joy. Faith will give way to the reality of the fractal of eternal life.

We can know it now, in Christ. It is already the possession of those who believe. Open the door to the fractal of the new life in the soul and you will really see and hear and know… 

Gossip


“A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much.”

Proverbs 20:19

It can appear so harmless. A few choice words about the other person, a remark spoken as a quick aside, and we give a negative impression of someone. A chat about someone behind their back, and you are closer to your friend that you are talking to. The gossip seems to cement us in horrible ways that do not reflect the character of God.

If you relate something to another person, you must know it will get out there some way of other. No one is reliable and as situations change, people change too and their relationships come and go. People get the permission of history to gossip about others. Prejudices grow…

Someone said “gossip kills” We might never murder someone in the body, but we kill their character and murder their reputation really easily. The tongue is such a monster and it is attached to our brains. What we think about other people is important, as it comes out in our speaking. Even if the things are true, they do no good to us. We must always leave everything we see and hear with God. Only He can sort this stuff out.

“….If anyone doesn’t stumble in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also. Indeed, we put bits into the horses’ mouths so that they may obey us, and we guide their whole body. Behold, the ships also, though they are so big and are driven by fierce winds, are yet guided by a very small rudder, wherever the pilot desires. So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest! And the tongue is a fire. The world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by Gehenna.”

James 3:2-6

James recognises the problem straight away. He is talking about faith related to works, and speaking is part of that. Our speech and manner of talking should reflect our faith, not justifying ourselves, or excusing what we are saying. How we speak is also important, not roughly, accusingly or stubbornly. Our speech should always be tempered with the Spirit of God.

We should cut down the talking, certainly about other people. How can we say meaningful things when the other person is not there to explain, or defend themselves !? Even if the person doesn’t hear us, they will still know by our manner towards them. We often speak down to people, we don’t really respect them, and pride is a great problem for us all. It’s better to say nothing. It’s better to not understand the person, than try to thrash it out with a third party, who is only human and doesn’t know what the other person is going through either. It is better to not analyse others, because we don’t know their situation, mindset or motivations. It’s too easy to judge.

No one tells a gossip anything of importance and no one wants to be friends with a gossip. If we gossip we show ourselves as untrustworthy and lacking in discretion. We will simply gather people around us who do the same things and even lead others astray by our nasty talk.

We all need to be discrete and think about what we say to other people. Some information is too much for people, and needs to go to God, alone. This builds our relationship with Him, and strengthens our trust in Him as a person, and keeps our hold on His character. We see more clearly what God is like and we are attracted to Him and want to be like Him. Gossip destroy all that and keeps us always earth- bound.

Talking all the time is no good. It’s a bad sigh when someone else can’t get a word into the conversation. We should have time for each other, and speak words of hope and healing, not destruction. The tongue has the fire of hell on its tip. We keep it at bay, by keeping good conversations with God our Father, and leaving our misunderstandings there with Him.

“A perverse man stirs up strife. A whisperer separates close friends.”

Proverbs 16:28

“A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.”

Proverbs 11:13 NLT

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

Ephesians 4:29 KJV