Cooperative Mission. . . . . .Nov. 26, 2013

"God blesses us, That all the ends of the earth may fear Him."   Ps 67:7

God's original intention with man was a cooperative movement. Adam and Eve would rule, oversee, and procreate the earth in cooperation with God.  A joint functioning between the Creator and created with mutual love and trust would bring success. Sure fulfillment would be achieved by the integrity of both - God who speaks, wills, and creates, and man who honors and obeys.

Forward through Adam, Abraham, Israel, Christ, and today Christ and His church with the Holy Spirit, God's original intention remains His present intention. Nothing has been altered or changed, every event in history, present, and into the future has one grand intention, to redeem as many people as possible!

The role of the church and Christ on earth will be revealed, that the ends of the earth will fear Him! The revival of magnitude is yet to come and the church's role revealed.

Is God interested in politics, presidents, and governments? Yes! Every opportunity will be taken with all peoples and nations to accomplish His will to redeem many sons and daughters for HImself forever!

Whole Heart or Pretense? . . . . . July 30, 2013

"Judah did not return to me with her whole heart, but in pretense",  Jer. 3:10.

We are challenged by God to walk by faith not by sight. Faith is moving and going where you cannot see  allowing and trusting God to lead us while we follow.   I picture a tall and long wall with a door in it. On one side of the wall are the present and known experiences. Faith is going through the door not knowing what is on the other side. Faith is not turning back or changing your mind. It is not a pretense of activity but a whole heart movement into something not seen.  Faith is trusting someone other than yourself -  ultimately a supreme and sovereign God!

The Lord will be our treasure . . . . July 4, 2013

Isaiah 33 and Haggai

After the leaders and the people began to obey The Lord and fear Him.  (It will begin with the leaders - for leaders lead.) The Lord said, "I am with you....and The Lord stirred up the spirit" -- of the leaders and all the people!

There is no lack of communication; God is not silent about our future. It is more likely we have chosen not to consider His words. The scriptures detail thoroughly our future. The church will be the voice and standard of justice and righteousness to all nations, and Christ will lead His church. He will be the stability of the whole earth, an abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of The Lord will be our treasure, (Isa 33:5-6).

Do we choose not to see? Are we reducing our "faith" to see only what aligns with our life?

The church is not the body of Christ if it is disfunctional. Denominations and churches choose to disagree and separate from each other - supposedly in the name of Christ. How foolish! Can He be separated? No! Yet exclusive thinking leaders think Christ will visit and stir them up! Impossible - any stirring up would be by human religious hype.

God will dwell among people who obey Him and love and trust each other.

Theology of rest "with" God . . . . October 1, 2013

Heb. 4:1-16                                                                                                                                    

Our "withness" with God should exist continuously in life. A Christian is one who both follows HIm and is "with" Him,  notwithstanding the two parts are united.   We cannot say I am a Christian and not follow HIm. The words of Jesus "come follow Me" denote leadership motives with us when we give Him trust - again the united parts. Likewise,  when we hold our confidence sure in Him we will share  continuously in His rest.

It is quite normal 'with' HIm that our faith is tested. And it seems with time testing increases, and with that our faith. This, I assume, is God's intention to gain greater objectives through us. Without question testing and pains are never wasted 'with' God,  for this is the way of the cross in us!

If we think following Jesus Christ is easy and free from testing it is possible a different Christ has been presented to us. Rest i n Christ is not freedom from challenges and anxieties - we live in a human body, seeking this kind of rest is like trying to escape reality and will not work.  Yet His words, "I will give you rest" is rest with life conditions!

October 2012 two bones in my neck was broken; now I am almost fully recovered. Regaining conscienceless I sensed complete safety, security, and sovereignty in God. Likewise the absence of fear or anxieties, and no pain in the following months.  Was this a fun feeling? I didn't like the collar holding my neck, the itching skin, the immobility, my right arm was sleeping, the damaged nerves to my eyes caused my eyes not to function properly as one sat in the corner unmoving. Some things in life are not fun, but His peace and rest overarched it all!

We enter the rest in Christ by faith and endurance. It is not rest from the natural human conditions but an 'otherkind' - a tangible, supernatural, and transcending time and space rest in God!

Religious performance, good works, and self-identity are barriers interfering with the rest available in Christ.  "Come with Me" - entering His rest is the main thing!--and everything else follows in proper order. We become spiritually and emotionally bent and disordered any other way.

Disobedience, or stubbornness, or pride hold us from entering because we choose not to place faith in Jesus Christ. These we properly deal with.

"Come follow Me" is an invitation without options!  We are free, He will never interfere with our choice!  Choice will determine consequence! Either, Christ is Lord.... or we are lord.

 Also: Concurrently, if we have not entered His rest the two most necessary, mysterious, and powerful elements of God for us depreciate in potential  - His grace and peace.

Stepping off the map . . . August 27, 2013

I was challenged by our worship community last Sunday. It seems more people are taking courage to leave for far places than are arriving. As I'm an adventurist of sort thinking and moving outside the box has been quite normal. Yet it is normal for Lois to leave 'normal' with some hesitation so God gives her necessary grace for our success.

Success is no accident. It does not just happen, it takes time, initiation, and patience for movement and proper movement produces success.  Resistance to success is the pressure to be normal, to align with group objectives and mentality.

Great men and women will step off the map. They will go where others fear because they trust God has spoken and will not give in to human reasonings.

We enjoy reading of mystery, danger, and challenge, yet unfortunately due to reasons we often choose not to engage ourself.  God's story is about challenge and mystery - a grand movement in progress.

(Excerpt from THE HOBBIT by J. R. R. Tolkien)
"Then Bilbo sat down on a seat by the door, crossed his legs and blew out a beautiful grey ring of smoke that sailed up into the air without breaking and floated away over The Hill.

'Very pretty,' said Gandalf. 'But I have no time to blow smoke rings this morning. I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it's very difficult to find anyone.'

'I should think so - in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner! I can't think what anybody sees in them,' said our Mr. Baggins."

Are we willing to share in an adventure - of the highest cause? To redeem for the Kingdom of God those lost in the Kingdoms of Me. There is extreme violence - if we could see, among kingdoms and strong resistance to the rule of God and His kingdom.

Jesus is looking for those who will share in an adventure He is leading. You can join with Him!  It takes courage and willingness to step off the map.  I have seen there are only a few and from a few there are many.

Or...you could read about it later and wish you had experienced adventures like that!

Family gathering. . . July 23, 2013

“Children are a living message to a future we will never see.”

Recently on a Saturday afternoon about 40 came to the Loyal Pederson family gathering at the cabin on Loon Lake.  

Mom, all five of my siblings, many of their children, their children's children, and Uncle Clayton -- ages spanned from one month to about 86 years. This is something to write home about!

A mixture of children running around, people eating, movement, laughter, and conversations. I noticed Scott sitting by the fire as if contemplating. We talked. Who can explain this? Family? The power of two people? My Dad was a farmer, a man of the land. He was born and died in basically the same location. His children and grandchildren live and are witnesses of God to nations! I am not idolizing my parents; the story of Lois's family and siblings is similar.  This is simply the result of a multiplying covenant between two people and God (Isaiah 59:20-21). Family is powerful--it always has been--for good or bad.

There is a consistency from early memory of my grandparents at the farm to the present. They had 9 children--6 boys and 3 girls--and most of them had more than the average size family. It would take me some effort to recount the cousins I have just on my father’s side! Gatherings were in the same house on the farm we now own.  They always started with prayer; we were a Christian family. Clayton began our time at Loon Lake with prayer.      

What is this all about? You and me? It is a grand principal much larger! It is about us, under an overarching intention of God for the redemption of people and nations. Can we swallow that? Father God wants many sons and daughters. For this purpose He made a covenant with us, that together with Him He may receive and give that for which He created us.  

    

We cannot allow ourselves to be dominated into life issues not transcendent in eternal value.

Conclusion: God is a covenant keeping God. There is a covenant we enter into by obedience.  It is a Genealogy of faith where spiritual reproduction will continue beyond us. Life is about multiplication -- disciples who make disciples. If you understand the gospel you are not too young or too old to make disciples. 

Friend, if you are single everything applies (likewise Isa. 59:20-21). Some of you are like spiritual children and are producing children.  I am really proud of you! This is the call of God, discipleship, and what redemption is about! The biological family is a dim reflection of something more grand called the spiritual family! Here is our co-responsibility with Christ, the reason Jesus came, the desire of the Father, and present work of the Holy Spirit!  

God has blessed us to be a blessing to all nations -- everything in order, prioritized, one heart at a time--all nations, relative, friend or enemy, a foreigner or people in a far country. 

Winston Churchill . . . . June 24, 2013

Thoughts from reading Never Surrender -- a novel about Winston Churchill.

War and Revolution are in every corner of the earth with disaster and hard times.

Know your enemy, and do not underestimate the evil system. There are wolves which appear as sheep and some believe they are sheep. They are double minded. Confronted with truth they will expose themselves as who they really are. You will be surprised by their strong reaction and protectionism.  Likewise an evil spirit hiding within their disobedience will cause fear, physical and emotional  trauma, and sleepless nights. This spirit is vengeful.

Not realizing we face a formidable enemy is a danger.

From a hidden position the evil system is very active. The subtly is people will believe a lie convinced it is truth.

Deception is the hallmark of evil strategy. It must somehow override moral  laws and appear right. Isa 33:1

Jesus leaves with us a peace the world does not understand. Don't allow your heart to become troubled.

Where do we begin? Truth -- involves everyone, (unity) -- trust -- His leadership.

We do not have a choice. You quit, you die.  Without victory there is no survival.