Thursday, September 11, 2008

My Father’s Voice



This is a repost from last year that spoke to my heart in light of His growing intense fondness of the one He chose to call Richard.



The entrance into the Kingdom (or the Kingdoms entrance into you) is through the panging pains of repentance crashing into a man's respectable goodness; then the Holy Ghost, Who produces these agonies, begins the formation of the Son of God in the life.

The above quote is from Oz Chambers.

I woke up this morning with the clear and distinctive sound of my Father's voice saying to me, 'Why do you call me good?' I believe this was Him wanting to further illuminate what I had been pondering on from Oz's quote, and how it was used to speak so deeply to me.
You can read the full account of this (in the bible) dialogue between Jesus and the young rich ruler who came to Jesus and asked the quintessential question, "Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life"? Then Jesus says, "Why do you call me good?" Following this it gets real dicey.

I do not see God the Father coming to lost humanity and saying to those like this young rich ruler, you've managed your life well, and have such admirable and sought after qualities, I'm going to now simply add (grant you your one wish) Me to all of that which has been working so well for you in your life~ha!

I think what Oz says in his quote is most fitting in this unfolding drama, not just with this so called self-made, self-righteous young man but of all humanity.
It is my understanding that this fallen world system, aka, the Matrix is something that far surpasses any form or flavour of religion, but in fact has become a diabolical woven scheme that has all of us firmly believing, we're doing our own thing, living our life. It is the only reality any of us have ever known, and that reality has so tainted, so warped our perception, that apart from the normalcy of who God the Father is, and experiencing His love, no one will convince us that what we are seeing, experience is anything but real.

Maybe David was seeing and coming into a dimension of reality that seems to fly way beyond any radar detection?
From one of the illuminating times in his journey he said, "Behold, I was shaped in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part you shall make me to know wisdom.
I love this saying, "Nothing is as it appears to be".

Was it as Oz said, the Holy Spirit being responsible for these crashing panging pains that were hidden as it were from this noble pursuer of exemplary living that were soon to go off in his life as if stepping on a land mine?
I do not know how any of us can begin to understand this God of love when its through such devastation that He brings into our lives. Yes devastation, why, because we have only known a false reality, a lie that has defined who we think we are.
Again as Oz says, this most needed and necessary crashing intrusion into our lives is the preliminary steps our Father takes in "forming the life of His son in us".
Those whom He foreknew, he predestined them to BE conformed into His likeness and image.

I trust this will be something from His heart to mine, to you that will provoke you to think way beyond what we think is the norm.

Rich


7 comments:

Tracy Simmons said...

Oh, please DO keep reposting your older posts. It's going to take me forever and a day to read all you've written and this way makes it so much easier :).

Seriously, though, I realized one thing about your posts that is really striking me and that is the language that you use. Not many speak it. I look for blogs just like yours because not only does your heart come across loud and clear, but the language you use is so rarely used in Christendom. It sparks up that LIFE that dwells in me.

You are a huge gift to my life right now, and I'm thanking Father for you.

Rich said...

Tracy,

I am humbled by what our Father expressed here to me this morning through you, my heart aches for Him.
For so long I have lived yes, as His son, but living it out more like an abandoned orphan. I am daily discovering a voice, my own unique voice He is delighted in hearing, as I cry out, Abba, Papa, thank you for making me YOURS.

Recently while on vacation in Toronto with my wife we took a 2 hour double decker bus tour through a wonderful section of the city. In our travels, I couldn’t help but observe the sky scrapers all around me, I commented to my wife, I wonder if any of these people milling all over the place ever ‘look up’?
In saying that looking back now, I sensed Him saying, Yes, look up for your place of habitation/rest is IN me sitting at the right hand of our Father, not here on earth.

Father thank you for Tracy and Rich, richly infuse them with your wild and extravagant delight!

Anonymous said...

Rich,
Great blog...again!

Such truth to this. Father is, in essence helping us "die" to the Old Self whom we are truly not. As we do so, we are becoming more and more our True, Authentic Self in which Papa so beautifully designed us to be. As we continue to grow and "be" whom we ARE, we will reflect God more and more.

Blessings,
~Amy :)
http://amyiswalkinginthespirit.blogspot.com

Rich said...

Amy,

I know I say 'Love' a lot, but I LOVE this; "and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth."

When as we discover we R NO longer who we are being told, reminded of by the father of lies, its as if we look at our selves and go, What the heck am I wearing these rags over these fine taylored threads He purposed for me.

The continued metamorphosis continues..Behold what manner of Love has been etched into us, that we might BE called the sons of God, and yet, It has not fully been revealed who we R, but when we shall SEE Him, we Shall BE as He IS!

That is in the now Amy, Rich and all who are loving His appearing to those he said, And I will Perfect that which I initiated in you!

Tracy Simmons said...

Rich, I know exactly what you mean. I had such a revelation a few months ago that I was no longer an orphan. My head has known this for years, of course, but I finally "got" it in my heart.

The journey I am on now is to learn how to live from His Life. On some days I feel like the slow kid in the class, you know :-). But, He's in no hurry at all....

Rich said...

Tracy,

Another time I will post about the time I was wakened out of a dead sleep because of hearing what I thought to be my little boy at the time, shouting out, "Daddy"! :)

Tracy Simmons said...

I look forward to it!