Like Jeremiah’s times, ours:
Certain stories in scripture are windows into your own time. Most of the book of Jeremiah is for ours.

Reading Jeremiah (my favorite prophet, priest, poet) again today, as a lens on our own times. Shaking of empires, weak leadership, not listening to or being able to recognize, the voice of the Lord (The Voice which is in the tone of Love) coming through Jeremiah etc. There are many parallels to now—increasing shaking between the nations daily. Lots of false interpreters, few true ones. The media was bad in his times (he had to publish several times, as some of his first drafts were burnt!), didn’t think long term or contextualize properly.

Conversely, Jeremiah said that,
“Israel is the Lord’s hallowed portion”-His chosen way to symbolize Himself and actions into history—His central symbol and dwelling place, among the nations, so symbolize His heart for humanity, and the nations. If she would turn, her punishment would be softened. But she was involved in two great evils-rejecting God Himself, and building for themselves their own cisterns.

His sacred symbolic people did two great evils in those days, as we still do. They rejected the fountain of Living Waters (the right Source of Life), and they built for themselves cisterns to hold the water in (their own security system). Rejecting God and building cisterns of our own spirituality-two grave sins which continue now. To stare at our own cisterns is narcissism at it’s worst–relying on our own resources to sustain and heal us, rather than trust in Father. My own talents will carry me into eternity, types of thinking are deadly.

These are two types of sins and are specific. One is rejecting God Himself (even the idea of their being a Most High or something over us who is meant to govern our thoughts and actions), the other is forging our own containers of spirituality. We cannot even begin to heal without recognizing a Higher God from whom we need help. We are sinners in need of God. If we throw out sin, we are not in a position to be in need. We have sinned and are in need of Higher Healer.

The water speaks of whatever type of spirituality we fill our hearts with. And they were guilty of building their own spiritualities rather than the one provided by God. To reject God, and to build our own spiritual containers—both of these sins put them in a place about to be more severely judged. He would rather not, and offers ways out. Jeremiah said if the king surrendered the city would be spared. The prophet was thrown into the pit for that “word”. Had many accusers, and one advocate—Ebem Melech the african, who pleaded to the king to let Jeremiah, the prophet out of the pit. Those are the characters in the story.

The plot is about a nation being judged for denying there is a God, and for making up their own systems of spirituality instead. Interesting.
God offered them a way out, but they didn’t take it again. A Mercy path, which they wouldn’t walk because they feared the wrong things.

So, in their case, Jerusalem and the temple was destroyed. Wives were raped, men were humiliated and mocked etc. That was the word. Both your feminine and masculine would be demoted, destroyed. And it happened.

Jeremiah warned, interpreted and offered future hope; he also bore witness in his own poetic heart (was very human, complained lamented even quit the job once), to the suffering, and stayed in Jerusalem to see it destroyed- openly seeing and lamenting poetically God’s Heart, during the burning and rape of his city. Wondering where the Jeremiah’s are in our times? We need some.

Those risen up to warn beforehand, and sit with during, interpreting the news of the day (his outer court job), counsel kings both good and bad ones, and offer future vision afterwards from God’s perspective. We need those guys around these days!

We need some Jeremiah’s these days. Enjoying looking at the world through his times today. I like looking at the stories in the book as lenses to see through into and interpret our own times more accurately. Human patterns haven’t changed. Nor has God. Fun and weighty study today. Information has different densities! Jeremiah’s time had a weight which is present now.

We are in times like his, and need to consider our steps. And the patterns of those who didn’t follow His before.

Blessing for women!

Sorry, every once and awhile, i just have a pure father moment….a steam directly from his Heart. Wanted to share this one!
Listen women! I just want to bless you all from a place of wholeness from a man of God (obviously by His Grace), who is not in competition with you or wanting to abuse or use you, or who needs you for my own needs. Be blessed and seen women! I’m very thankful for you all.
In the midst of so much confusion (crisis in distinctions-gender and every other area!), just want you all to know how dearly you are loved, appreciated, covered, and seen, adored, cared for, and warred for. Speaking from His father heart to you all. Be blessed lovely sisters, wives, mothers, grandmothers! Father love to you in the deeper spaces of your subtle, and unseen, and ever more becoming beautiful, parts of your hearts. You are dearly loved cared for and seen. Sorry for all our sins against you, but we are here, and care about your journey, and will protect it. Sorry for any areas we have not been enough present! Much love, from true (by His Grace) father’s in Him, everywhere. D
You are seen and loved by me in His Father’s Heart! Just so you know. We must surpass gender wars in order to allow His Kingdom to come in. Let’s love one another. It’s about the time!

America you are tired, stop taking yourselves so seriously.

Time to just pray and serve. Make good burgers for the poor and outcast. Try to remember who you really want to be-your first love. You don’t have to be in the spotlight to do something actually important!

Just BE it America, don’t worry about the DO it part for a second. You can’t do, when you don’t know who you are. Draw in and heal. Pull back in the stripes of your tattered flag until the red turns to healing blood. Become who you really are again, the world will probably still need it, eventually.

As for now, draw within and pray to recall who you really are. And those who are still humble enough to pray, pray! God still likes you, but it’s getting frustrating for Him, and us all as well. It’s ok if you can’t lead now, if you must, then lead by healing yourself in public.

Work on Silence America. That’s not an easy task for your personality, i understand.

Work on entering Wisdom’s quietness. Work on pausing before you speak. Work on only moving in Love’s tones. Work on not reacting to the instant news. While your leadership pulpit sinks, let your latter words be spoken in humility and kindness–let the best of your heart shine as you go down willingly. Let your inner conversion become your story, while the cameras are still rolling friend. Be happy to decrease if He increases. Try to be a John the Baptist if you still have in you!

I don’t know why the world followed a teenager, maybe you had to parent too soon. Sorry, but you still have a role to play–how about clapping for other nations who are now doing it better, and sitting on the back row, until you have a more fully formed word in your heart.

America, i still love you, you were a great idea, despite your current performance. Your heart is still pumping, but your mind needs to humble into Wisdom’s rhythms, the child must respect the parent. The parts which constantly react, must come into the garden, before moving in action. Your flag is over-extended. It has been for years. He will reel it down and heal the tatters, if you go low. You are entering amnesia as your parents did, humble yourselves enough, and you will recall your story again. The Narrator is still speaking over you, but your streets are becoming schizophrenic. And…

Watch your comedians, they are telling more of the truth now. At least they are trying to speak well. God still loves you, but you are currently rudderless friend. A good leader knows when to step off the stage, and let others guide, until they are centered again. America, you are not centered. Work on being a monk for awhile until you remember your deeper self. Your desire to love, serve and care for the oppressed is still in there, but you need to sit with yourself and your God for a while.

And other nations, stop looking to her for leadership for a while, she’s in spiritual therapy for few seasons. Maybe that will give you room to seek something Higher than America as your Ultimate. And please pray for her-she’s a bloody mess.

And America, I still love you. But you have to get over yourself to become yourself again now! And by the way, I’m still enamored and in love with you- lovely bright hopeful, good soiled, inventive, golden freedom dreamer friend!

Developing a lifestyle of prayer…

“Prayer allows us to look through the right “looking glass” and see things more as they actually are. For this reason alone, prayer is one of the most important orientations and practices in our days. In times of blurred vision, we need the right lens. It comes in prayer. Prayer clears off confusion.” That alone would make it one of the most important spiritual practices.”

Prayer still feels like the most important practice to becoming fully human! It opens us to that Divine intersection which transforms us and those around us.
Reading lots on prayer these days. And trying to stay in a playful and prayful orientation. Feels like the most needed inner orientation and constant practice in our times.

Yesterday read a great section from Dallas Willard on integrating the physical body in prayer, as part of what we bring into that position towards Presence. “My soul follows hard after you.” King David said. Prayer transforms us, and puts us in a position to be useful instruments of Grace to others. It was Jesus’ primary practice of often turning towards. Prayer teaches us to govern the soul from our hearts! “Be still, my soul,” David prayed over himself!

To change the outer, we come in prayer to transform and then act from the inner. Jesus prays before temptation, before his own death, and even on the cross we overhear him praying—having that heart to heart with His Father. Authentically talking to His Father. Again, in Jn 17 we overhear Him talking to God about his disciples. Great passage about their unity in love. One of my very favorites!

Anyways, in the light of our times, prayer seems like the most obvious first response. To turn towards often. Pray is that constant authentic talk we have with God which positions us for His Presence to enter and guide and form us. In a world of constant turbulence, it also feels like the best way to stay in Love.

Enjoying studying prayer, as i pray. Prayer is practical, it’s not esoteric, it places us in the right position for our greatest good to occur in us and out towards others!

The priest Henri Nouwen, used to pause in the middle of conversations or meals with people, to make sure he was praying. I like that.

To invite in The Actual Presence is essential for depth of conversation, or even interpreting the latest news. Another practical fruit of prayer—come let us reason together, we gain a larger and more accurate interpretation of events from that prayer space. Puts us in the Peace of His Own Being. Prayer still matters, it’s not just religious!

Prayer is our constant inner orientation from our deeper self towards God. It is a “practice” which turns into a lifestyle.

Prayer is an orientation, and inner attitude towards God of trust and dependency. It has so many fruits: inner transformation, helping get through spiritual warfare, giving us intimacy with other’s real selves, just to mention a few.
Prayer is our constant inner orientation from our deeper self towards God. It is a “practice” which turns into a lifestyle.

Each of us leaves a wake behind us, how love filled it is, is up to us! We invite others into the best of what we carried. This becomes most obvious when we pass…what wake are we building and becoming while here?!

Today felt like I needed to read the beginning of Genesis and the end of Revelation. Then came across this passage where Jesus was asked something, and immediately referred to the garden, and then the new city at the end, to answer it!

We ask our personal questions in a continuum which stretches back to the garden and forward to the new city! The place of complete restoration. And our lives exist somewhere in that tandem between!

When assessing some situation think back to the garden and forward to the new city, and see it in the light of both-the original plan, redemption and the living hope of where the true story is heading. Keep it in that continuum. All the secrets of God are in those two uninterrupted spaces. The light of understanding shines from both ends in The Book.

When they would ask Jesus a question, He would answer in view of the garden, His work on earth and the future city of God. All the patterns of the kingdom are present in those two bookends of history! And all the light we need to contextualize our own stories in the present! Looking backwards and forwards helps contextualize our daily problems was the practical wisdom which came from today’s study!

Find the good soil!
Today, had a fellow come up and genuinely ask a question. So easy to answer a real quest-ion!
Readied soil is the best! Waiting for it is the test..when a person is ready to grow, they come and ask. As do each of us. Then the best seeds of whatever we carry, go right in and bless the good soil of one another!
This happened today, as a young man came up and asked me what he should do next in life-relationally, career wise etc. Easy to answer and get a vision for someone who is truly seeking. It must be like that with all of us.
When we truly authentically seek, we find. There is a law somewhere in there. But for me, it is so much easier to bless those who are hungry to know something. God seems to respond to genuine hunger.
Look for the readied soil in ourselves, and one another! That’s where the new seeds of growth go in and reproduce! Just a little gem from counseling again. I learn so much while helping others grow! Lots this season about how to sow with Wisdom.
Where’s the soil where your real questions in life are churning? That’s a good place to plant new seeds! In ourselves and others!

The weight of our hourly words:
We may not wake up in the same words tomorrow; let today be where we speak in the tones of love, as if for the first time, to one another! Us all friends, from the beginnings, en-toning love’s song to one another as if for the first time.

To move Love’s tone towards one another is everything. It’s the hourly weight of our words.

The weight of our hourly words:
We may not wake up in the same words tomorrow; let today be where we speak in the tones of love, as if for the first time, to one another! Us all friends, from the beginnings, en-toning love’s song to one another as if for the first time.

To bring One’s love tones towards one another is everything.