Leaving Facebook for Good?

“Leaving Facebook for good?  Don’t you think that’s a little over the top?  Aren’t you jumping too fast?  You could just make sure your security and app settings are adjusted to keep your information safe.”  Right?  Isn’t that what most people would think – and, some of my friends have actually said this to me as I'm pondering shutting it down.  Yes, I would have agreed with them a few weeks ago, though, I’ve had sneaking suspicions about FB and all of the other online sites and tools we use to communicate and navigate our lives with now.  And I've had real misgivings about how thoughtlessly we share personal data with them.  I had known that nothing free is really free – but, I did not fully understand how the cyber world truly works -  the shady nuances of responsibility on the internet and the real possible ramifications of my ignorance.  The savvy businesses and individuals who are taking advantage of all of those things are banking BIG cash money every day hoping that we happy ignorant users will never find out or perhaps, that by the time we do we’ll be too entrenched and attached to our comforts to want to let them go, despite the malevolent entities who manipulate us with them.

So, with Cambridge Analytica’s scandal recently (if you want to know more here is a short article that explains it well:    https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/03/the-cambridge-analytica-scandal-in-three-paragraphs/556046/) I really had a prompting to consider things more deeply.   You see, I am not really fearful that my data is out there (I know it’s all been pretty much out there somewhere long before FB arrived on the scene).  However, initially, I believed there were honorable people legally safeguarding my data.  I am now very concerned about what happens to me as a result of my data being out there and how people are able to utilize it with impunity in ways I utterly disagree with and may have no awareness about.  The idea that I could be targeted with specific information and possibly prevented from seeing other information without any awareness, that is where I have to look at what part I play in knowingly or un-knowingly partnering with this.  I have always been very careful about not using any apps (I don’t take quizzes or play games or other online things that require permission that grants access to my information) or allowing apps access to my information in FB. All of my security settings are very carefully set and reviewed every few months along with my passwords.  I take things like that seriously.  But, when I read in the article how the person developing this app for Facebook was able to access data about not only those users who agreed to grant access for use of his app but also their friends and that the app then saved that information into a private database instead of immediately deleting it, that is where I began to see the very bad possibilities.  All my careful settings and making sure not to use apps - out the window!  Being friends with even one person who did use apps for games or quizzes – BAM, I have apparently given permission to access and use my data with no permission on my part actually being given.  REALLY?!  I didn’t agree, but have no choice? Facebook, how is that NOT A BREACH! WOW!  The fact that Facebook itself did not know that this developer had put in place a private database until a year after it had been in use - that is plain carelessness.  Where were Facebook’s safeguards about this type of development?  Where, subsequently, was the lawsuit against this developer on behalf of FB users who did not give permissions?  And where was the care in retrieving that data and taking precautions with all other app developers?  Facebook is in no way naïve about the possible misuses of people's data and information.  It is their duty to protect their subscribers from these types infringements.  And, that no one really knows how many other app developers for FB did this same thing (seems many people may have less than scrupulous ways and means in this industry) – that’s where I have to wake up and smell the coffee.  And, because all of the legalities of this are still in question – wow, just wow.   Is the horse already out of the gate – yes, and it can never be put back in again.  I can likely never really recover my data from all the places it’s gone to and who knows where it is and how it’s being used and re-used!  But, I can stop further sharing of any new data and limit my exposure to the influence of these platforms and where and how I decide to share my information to others.  And, I can help my friends and family to understand, be aware and make, hopefully, more informed choices about it for themselves.

Initially, I started a FB page to keep up with family and friends located far from me.  It was an easy way to contact, interact as little or as much as I liked, see activity with my family and post activity to my family and friends.  In more recent years it had become a communication tool for even those who live close by and an encouragement tool.  I’d felt the prompt to share more of God’s word, His heart, encouragement to people, care, compassion, tools that help and information that was positive and useful and it facilitated more personalized interaction with many people quickly with ease.   It’s more and more clear how FB has been used to do some amazingly good things and facilitate information getting to people for help in ways that would have been much more difficult in the past.  The question I ask is, at what cost?  I did not sign up for the personal cost exacted.  And, I’m not sure how many people really realize what they are signed up for or, in actuality, where it may eventually lead.

Despite the precautions I take when using FB, there is no denying the addictive nature of it.  If I allowed it – I could easily spend whole days on it with no real sense of time ticking by or care that it had.  There’s only one other thing I’d had that kind of experience with and it was electronic games – when I could lose a 5 hour block of time and not even know where it went playing GameBoy.  I learned how insidious these sorts of things can be.  I put games down so fast and never went back, I still don’t pick them up today because of that experience.  And, I don’t own a cell phone also partly due to that type of reach.   I enjoy reading and interacting with people, but, the type of interaction FB affords is not to be confused with “in person” relationship.  It is no substitute – though it can lull you into thinking you are having a real relationship with your friends and family.  And, with these new revelations I am quickened to realize that I may not have the authority over my intentional sharing that I think I do and that I may be the target of some very smart folks with little to no conscience or constraint that wish to shape and persuade me in ways I’m not even aware!  It’s not too far a leap to see why eliminating my FB page would be a very wise decision.

I have had a real prompting to pray about inactivating my FB page permanently.  As I’ve been praying about it a sense of some important things have come to me about it.  Inactivating FB would definitely make it harder to touch base and interact easily with people I love dearly and have influence in positive ways I would not easily have without it.  I would not have the ease of access to a lot of information that I really appreciate personally and pass on to others.  I would find a huge connecting piece of my life gone.  But, then it came to me, maybe there is a better way and maybe I’m actually missing more than I’m gaining by not exploring it.  Maybe there is something else I’m supposed to be doing that actually makes deep and real connections more effectively.  Facebook does not offer opportunity for some irreplaceable real things.  It’s an imposter – a counterfeit that has had some truly beautiful benefits, but, more darkly hidden real risks.  And, we’re now being made to think that imposters with risks are the only sensible way to really navigate our busy, busy big world. In this push, push, push where we’re ever pressed to do more and more and where we connect in real ways less and less, we are being literally starved and more isolated by our own misled strivings to deeply connect through these vehicles – it makes my heart sick.

I read a quote that is attributed to Mark Zuckerberg – it says, “Our philosophy is that we care about people first”.  With what has come to light this month, Mark, if you really did say that you need to take a long hard look at whether FB's actions have really lined up with that philosophy.  Or, maybe we just need a clearer definition, "Which people?"

Whose Thoughts?

I was praying with someone recently and invited them to sit silently and receive what Jesus had for them. A few minutes later, as I always do, I asked them if they had any impressions or what came to them.  The person I was praying with said, “I didn’t have anything”.  I said, “That’s okay, sometimes people don’t get any particular thing”.  At that point, the person said, “But, I did have a thought come to me.”  It was very interesting, because the actual thought the person shared was basically a reminder of something shared in scripture.  It was, in essence, a thought from Jesus.  The person did not initially connect that this thought coming to them in a time they were waiting for something from Jesus could actually possibly be from Jesus at all. When I pointed out to them that God knows them very well and understands their personal make-up even better than they do and would know exactly how to connect with them in a way that makes sense to them, the person actually connected the dots.  It was an, “AH HA!” moment.  They noted how they’d had thoughts come to them at times and never equated that it could be God speaking to them.

People ask me all the time, “How do you know when you are maybe hearing something God is saying to you in a thought and how do you know if it’s not just your own thoughts?”  It’s a good question and worthy of asking.  I’ve touched on it previously, but, discerning between your thoughts, God’s thoughts and the enemy’s thoughts is usually pretty straight forward, though there can be lots of mixing.  Human thoughts can be fairly self focused – typically.  We are focused on our immediate needs a lot of the time – or whatever task or decision is at hand.  These are sort of everyday, automatic type thoughts – I’m hungry – what sounds good,  She’s cute – wowee,  I need to get gas in the car, need to call mom today, that deadline for my report is Tuesday…and so on.  Whereas God thoughts and/or enemy thoughts are a little different – I’m not saying we can’t have thoughts ourselves that are thoughts God has had or thoughts the enemy has had,  I’m just saying it is a moot point that we worry about whether those thoughts are our thoughts or not.  We ultimately did not have those specific thoughts first – is the point I’m making.  They are not original to us.  They originate in God or the enemy.   We just get to line up with one or the other in our mind.  I’m not saying the enemy controls us or God controls us – but, I am saying we can knowingly or unknowingly align/submit ourselves at any given time with the thoughts of either of them.   That is part of what “taking every thought captive to Christ Jesus” is about, awareness.  We have to notice -  have some notion of where a prompt is coming from.  And this awareness comes by our spirit.  Our spirit connects with God’s Spirit when we’ve trusted in Christ to bring us back into relationship with God.  Where we're operating from God's likeness in Christ.

The enemy of our soul knows our history better than we do – he understands our weaknesses and failings well – he knows the self-doubts and outright lies we hold and nurture (many times very unconsciously).  It is his goal to destroy us or put us out of action in our share of Kingdom life – so the thoughts he continually throws into our minds are typically self-hate, contemptuous, hopeless, condemning, vicious, mean spirited, doubting, suspicious, and negative.  Whereas God is always for us – He sees us as the champions He made us to be in Christ and growing up all the time into all the things in Jesus that we truly are!  He has no illusions about where we are at, but, His thoughts are never vicious or condemning, but kind, gentle, caring, energetically joyful, hopeful, delighted and powerfully victorious!   I’m not saying God is never intense or convicting – He can be like a Father who pulls a small child back quickly and strongly from running into a street full of traffic.  That quick powerful conviction at times is not the same thing as condemnation and contempt.  The difference is easily discernible – God’s love is full of care for our very best and our heart knows the difference.

In my recent prayer time with the friend I met up with – I noticed something very interesting, people, many times are very worried when they cannot understand which thoughts may be God’s thoughts and which thoughts are theirs.  It’s vitally important to them to be able to know.  They don’t want to be deceived, which I can perfectly understand.  When this usually comes up is when a fantastic thought that is really so good comes that a person doesn’t really think about themselves – for instance, “You make my heart glad”.    When that or something like that comes some people think – wow, am I being conceited or too overly hopeful or self-deceived – is that just my inner “pie in the sky” wish or longing?  When, what they should really ask is, does it line up with God’s word and heart about them or if it's about someone else - does it line up with God's word and heart for them too?  That is the perfect measurement.  I am not saying that we should not regularly examine ourselves before God – being truthful with Him about our shortcoming and need for Him and to be honest about where we can continue to grow.  But, what I am saying is that when a word of that type comes to our mind – if it lines up with God’s word and heart – then we can trust that whether it’s our own thought or God’s thought that it was God’s thought first and it is trustworthy.   At that point, we do not need to worry if it was our thought or not.  We must also remember transforming is continually growing more and more like Christ - His character and way of living.  It stands to reason that our thoughts will become more and more His thoughts when we are growing up in Him through His Spirit.  And, we have lots of grace for practice in this process. 

There are also thoughts that come that are difficult to tell whether or not they line up with God’s word or are from the enemy.  They may be action promptings that sort of give you a nudge to do or say something.  You can see if they line up with God’s word and heart at the time you have them, but, there are times there is no telling because the action being prompted does not necessarily fall into categories noted in scripture.  You can check in with your spirit and see – "do I feel peaceful about this", as a way.   But, even then there are times you may feel a little awkward or silly about it.  Say for instance, you see someone you don’t know and you have a sudden urging that you should go up to them and give them money or do something for them or there are words you’re hearing as thoughts that come to you that don’t seem to make much sense to you, but you’re being sort of prompted to go say them to the person.  Unless they are violent or morally questionable (which typically points right away to their origin), they may be things to try to walk out.  These are personal examples for me – I’ve actually had them happen.  For me, in those instances – I call them, "promptings" – I usually follow through on them, even if I'm tentative about it. I will go up and give the words and ask if they mean anything to the person, or I’ll do or offer to someone what I’m prompted for.  Sometimes they know exactly what I’m talking about – it’s meaningful or something comes at just the right time in the right way and sometimes not.  Whenever something I’m prompted for does not seem to be a fit or work out or they say no, I don’t know what you’re talking about.  I just usually apologize or say – all’s good and smile.  It’s not for me to determine in advance if it will work out or not, just to try to be faithful to follow through.

We do not have to be perfect, just teachable and willing – we can believe for things not yet apparent to us – promises of God.  We can make mistakes and learn and grow and remain humble.  Though our thoughts are not God’s thoughts and our ways are not His ways (as God’s word clearly states), I love what God’s word also says through Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:6-16 -

1 Corinthians 2:6-16 The Message (MSG)

^6-10 We, of course, have plenty of wisdom to pass on to you once you get your feet on firm spiritual ground, but it’s not popular wisdom, the fashionable wisdom of high-priced experts that will be out-of-date in a year or so. God’s wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of his purposes. You don’t find it lying around on the surface. It’s not the latest message, but more like the oldest—what God determined as the way to bring out his best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene. The experts of our day haven’t a clue about what this eternal plan is. If they had, they wouldn’t have killed the Master of the God-designed life on a cross. That’s why we have this Scripture text:

No one’s ever seen or heard anything like this,
Never so much as imagined anything quite like it—
What God has arranged for those who love him.

But you’ve seen and heard it because God by his Spirit has brought it all out into the open before you.

^10-13 The Spirit, not content to flit around on the surface, dives into the depths of God, and brings out what God planned all along. Who ever knows what you’re thinking and planning except you yourself? The same with God—except that he not only knows what he’s thinking, but he lets us in on it. God offers a full report on the gifts of life and salvation that he is giving us. We don’t have to rely on the world’s guesses and opinions. We didn’t learn this by reading books or going to school; we learned it from God, who taught us person-to-person through Jesus, and we’re passing it on to you in the same firsthand, personal way.

^14-16 The unspiritual self, just as it is by nature, can’t receive the gifts of God’s Spirit. There’s no capacity for them. They seem like so much silliness. Spirit can be known only by spirit—God’s Spirit and our spirits in open communion. Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God’s Spirit is doing, and can’t be judged by unspiritual critics. Isaiah’s question, “Is there anyone around who knows God’s Spirit, anyone who knows what he is doing?” has been answered: Christ knows, and we have Christ’s Spirit.

As we continue to grow into the likeness of Christ – we will think His thoughts more; pray His prayers more; do what we see Him doing more; His Kingdom will be present on earth as it is in heaven more – despite sometimes our bumbling or the enemy’s interference. On earth as it is in heaven, just my thoughts or are they? J

Needy and Blessed

Suffering, many go to great lengths to avoid it.  Of course, it’s painful.  Most people inherently do not like pain.   I do not particularly like pain – just for pain’s sake.  And, I have been very good at managing my life to avoid pain.  I've written about the season of life I'm in where pain has been a fairly constant companion.  Where, in 2016, my husband sustained a work injury that put the weight of my household and his care squarely upon my shoulders while at the same time the company I work for also was undergoing changes that pressed down hard upon me physically as well as emotionally – making an already difficult situation almost unbearable.  I went through my husband’s recuperation and my company’s internal insanity in a daze of shock.  Much of it seemed surreal.   In the last year my own health issues and the loss of loved ones and health issues of family members have put additional burdens on me that I never envisioned would come to me.  Though I have not endured the most terrible things that can happen to humans, I’ve had constant pain and challenge that I believe would try the strongest of individuals.  At times it felt like crawling into a hole was a very inviting idea.   But, God.  

In this season, where so much was pressing in and it felt like death at many points – God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit – He has shown me kindness as I have never known it before.   I could not have understood the depth and detail of His great kindness in any other place, time or situation.  For His kindness to me – I am so grateful.  It’s always been available to me, but, I realized I could not access it from all the places of ease and comfort and success that I’ve had.  Those things actually prevented me from seeing that He was there always offering to connect so kindly to me.   Isn’t that the great dichotomy? In order to receive some things – you must be poor.  Having serious needs can bring very a great opening of your eyes to the greatest need and the ever available fulfillment of it.

I spent a great deal of my life trying to never really need too greatly.  I've blogged about my parents who loved me, but who could not help me with the pain of my terrible chronic ear infections from babyhood into teens. From that I learned that needing was not well understood or appreciated.  It was not okay to need too much – people could not help you with some things (even when you asked).  At some point it became too painful to need.  It seemed as though the answer was not to need or have any expectations at all.  This brilliant idea circumvented human failures and the whole crushing disappointment of needs that never would be met.  Hoping just became a trap of unending pain.   Better not to really hope for those needs.

Step in God – who is ever the most generous, loving, faithful, present, active, powerful and willing of Fathers, whose life it is to see His beloved children grow and overcome and savor His goodness to them in every way.   He is not the sidelines sort.   Never one to sit idly by – He is actively in life with His beloved at every detail.  He's led, prompted, guided, put activity and materials in my life and path - He's never left my side - has always been present and always put me into places where His generosity flows - most greatly in the midst of serious suffering.  He's taken things from my hands and out of my life and put other things in.  Through it all - He has shown Himself so faithful and present.

For me – I do not believe I would have been able to perceive God’s great goodness in this time if not for all the growth He’s given me all throughout my life through so many of His beautiful children and the healing He’s given me in so many areas of my heart.  He placed just the right people (my community) in my life all along the way to bring me safe family to be real with and to grow with.  To learn how to endure hard things well.  To learn from and help others learn.   I am so grateful for those people God’s blessed me to know and do life with.  They are keepers – not perfect but real and willing to walk through hard things together.  It’s knowing these kinds of people that made me able - when I came face to face with them - to admit and share my needs.  They supported me in the hardest of times – praying for and with me, encouraging me, being there for things, seeing the best and calling it up in me, giving me opportunities and platforms.  I can’t say what that meant to someone like me who did everything in their power to never need anything from anyone.  What a joy to know there are people to be safe with needs about and to be out ahead, partnering and perceiving, many times before a need could be asked!   It doesn’t mean they met the needs that only God can, but, they met needs that He’s given them discernment, grace and ability to meet.  And, we really have grown so wonderfully together – in ways we could never grow otherwise with Him and each other. Wow, I have learned what being poor is at a whole new level.  It’s about a wealth that cannot be counted in money, status or worldly power systems.  Pain, suffering and seeing how desperately we need God and each other and seeing how God meets us there so BIG - yes, I would have missed Him entirely, but for the help He’s given me in the midst of suffering and pain.  Thank you, God.

I still have so much to learn, so far to grow, so much more to see.  I’m not even at the start.  I’m a blind woman, dull in my wits and abilities. Poor – it’s the most wonderful to be poor – where resting on God and those beloved He’s placed around you is all that you can do.  Ahhhh - what a relief.  It’s where you learn in a whole new way that you can’t give what you have not first received.

It's a TEST!

The car won’t start, you’re running late, the baby is screaming. You get the car started and while baby is still screaming, you believe you are moving forward and are just about convinced the reign of terror you are in is over when - BOOM!  Dropping baby off you break a heel lose balance and fall scraping your hands, cutting an arm and bruising your face. Whew!  An over the top level of ridiculous!  This is a hypothetical scenario, but, whenever this sort of thing happened I used to land at, “REALLY?” Some years later I congratulated myself that I’d grown and graduated to, “This is a test” when these things would come.  Now, now I am truly humbled.  It actually took until today. Today Papa showed me. Thank you, God for persisting with me.  These situations are not places to stare skyward, shake a fist and say “Really?”. Nor are they a test to see if you remember all the things The Holy Spirit has taught you up to this point in your walk.  They are, in reality, the place where Jesus runs to you, offers His hand with eyes of deep compassion, care and understanding as He’s cleansing, healing, comforting.  Not a test, an invitation.  I’m invited to receive comforting, help and care from God – things I’ve been unaware are even available to me from Him in those places at times. They are just a highlight of an invitation to an ever unfolding real relationship all the time.

If a good friend was present as you fell on your face and got hurt – they’d run over to you and express their concern and sympathy, ask what you needed, how you felt, they’d help you up, help you patch up or get you to help and express their sadness to you that it happened and empathize how it must hurt.   God is our very best friend.  He knows us better than we know ourselves and He cares! 

For so many years I thought of these hard things – really over the top difficult places - were a set up, God testing me to prove to me that I was able to be an overcomer in Him.  Trouble is, while He is growing and raising me to be an overcomer, it’s never something He was making me fit to do separate from awareness of Himself or His presence, love, compassion and help.  I need Him and to know He is present.  It’s not smarter or better for me to ever think I am being toughened up or strengthened so I can go through these things without awareness of Him – silly me, somehow I thought it was!  Wow! BAM! – Misperception blown up!  That was a big one!

And it all started with that psalm - “As the deer…”  I didn’t even want to take on the exercise.  I went to answer the questions and felt disconnected from God.  I set it aside, put down my pen and all of a sudden God started downloading thoughts about His real desire to satisfy my real thirst and need.   Could have knocked me over.  I began typing them out and was astonished to see that He was reminding me I’m made for HIM!  I can’t do life by myself – I am not designed for it and I will die of thirst.  Funny, I’ve known that at some level, but, I saw it so differently.  I always thought, I was supposed to be able to do things alone at some point if God had taught me.  He was never teaching me to do things alone.  I am never going to outgrow my need for God.  That is somehow very reassuring.  He’s actually growing my awareness of Him and changing my very heart in that process.  That’s true grace, the kind of goodness your efforts can’t earn.

Invitation - not test.  RSVP - YES, to your Invitations, God!

Unlikely Heroes

I was reading through Matthew again this week and in going through the ancestors of Jesus I stopped at Salmon and Boaz.  For those who read the Bible and remember, Boaz became the husband of Ruth, the Moabitess.  I was thinking about this and decided to read the book of Ruth again.

It struck me how Ruth, though she was from Moab, when her husband (who was an Israelite) died – did not wish to stay with her birth family/country – but went on alone together with her widowed mother-in-law Naomi back to Israel.  Her widowed sister-in-law Orpah returned to family in Moab, but, Ruth did not.  You can see it was a strong desire and conviction on her part – to go forward to a land (one that Naomi and her husband had left to come to Moab because of famine) and make Naomi’s people her people and their God her God.  That took great courage.  Not knowing if she would ever be accepted, but risking everything to stand true to God and her husband’s mother.  She showed determination and great fortitude to do this.

The other thing that stood out to me was Boaz.  He was an older man – well respected and established in the community.  When he sees Ruth in his harvest field and hears about her story – he immediately has respect and compassion for her.  It would have been enough that Boaz found her unswerving faithfulness to her widowed mother-in-law (who is a relative of his) admirable – but, he favors Ruth very quickly and obviously.   He asks her to stay in his fields and not to go to others – he notes that his girls and people will protect her and she can stay harvesting behind and with his girls.  He then speaks aside to his men and asks them to not be harsh with her for gleaning and to allow her, even if it’s too close within the area they are still cutting the grain, and tells them to actually pull out and leave extra good grain stalks for her to pick up.  This is an immediate reaction by him.  I got to wondering why a man of such standing would even take notice of this woman or be so favorable so immediately to her.  Then, I remembered – as I was reading the ancestors I saw that Boaz’s mother was Rahab and it clicked. 

Though scholars dispute that Rahab, Boaz’s mother, is actually the same Rahab the harlot  that housed, hid and informed the spies of Israel about her city at Jericho, and who was spared along with her family because of it when Israel defeated Jericho – it would seem really possible that she was the same woman.  Wouldn’t that be just like God? His counter-intuitive way of weaving all sorts of people in and through Jesus’ ancestry.  Proves again God is not scared of our blatant and shameful sin (even to Christ’s human lineage).  It also would explain why Ruth may have found such immediate acceptance and protection by Boaz – even to the point of his doing everything necessary to marry her (though it meant carrying on her dead husband’s family line through her and potentially entangling his own family and property).  What a theme – two foreign women who saw immediately that embracing and holding fast to God (and His people), though He was foreign to their people, was worth risking everything.  Makes you think - could we be heroes?  I mean, the odds for them were never really good in their culture, but God.  They saw Him and what He offered and they (for their part) accepted Him and stood fast on that through swirling circumstances.  It's funny, it made them heroes, really.  The same is open to us! Trusting Him over everything else through it all.  He proved the very best risk and both of them (Ruth and Rahab) are referred to in Jesus’ ancestry!

I always find it fascinating, looking back on human history in the Bible, to see how God is so intricately and intimately involved.  Humans have their part, but, God has always known how to make tragedy into treasure.  Where those who see God's offer to them act and stand upon it - He makes them to be heroes in that partnership.  He’s done it before countless times and continues on making the most unlikely of heroes.

A Picture is Worth How Many Words?

I love working with words, they’re like little messengers.  Crafting them into brilliant combinations that move, inform and encourage – it’s a passion of mine.

However, there are visual things words have no ability to adequately capture or convey.  Things like the grandeur, awe and beauty in nature, seeing delight in someone's eyes, the over the top wonder of babies and small children. Visual ques go straight to work on us and affect us directly.  Just as with anything – some things are very good and wholesome and exposing our eyes and brains to them can be calming, uplifting, enlivening, refreshing and healthy.   They can also, inform, convict and motivate us to action for things needed.  And, some things are not good and may be divisive – exposing our eyes to them may stimulate us, but, the effect is un-wholesome and ultimately destructive.

Art can be like that.  It is really good at reaching us in a non-verbal way.  Conveying thoughts, emotions and information in a way that goes quickly to our brain without our real awareness about it.  The wonderful oil painting above is by a friend, Mark Dahle (I’ll tell you the name of it at the end of this post).  When I first saw it I was fortunate to get to see the live painting up close and I had a very interesting experience.  I had not been much of an abstract art fan.  I figured people who liked it just had a very different set of eyes and taste from mine. I could never really see what people enjoyed about it. Then, I had an opportunity to really sit and look at some good abstract work and it became clear to me that I had been missing something.  I never really took the time to both look and see thoroughly.  Because I could not find anything recognizable in them – I had pretty much dismissed abstract works.  When I sat with this painting for the first time, the sense I had from it was that it was actually saying something to me – talking.   Seems funny – it was a communication style I had no real experience with previously – not like words from a mouth or on a page or talking in any sense with sound or language or even thoughts.  But the best I can describe it (with words) is that it was talking to me.  I don’t know what it was saying, but the sense of it was kind and the tonal quality was both deep and bright and animated.   As I looked at this work, there were areas that drew my eyes again and again. Blue and white areas toward the upper center left of the painting, a yellow triangle almost at the edge of the canvas on the right about half way up as well as the yellow motion sensation all across it and a few other areas that always catch at my eyes.  I found it a one of a kind experience just to view it.  It left me with an uplifted sensation and I still take time to look at a photo of it now and then for periods of time - funny thing, it’s still talkin! J  Its effect on me is like that of a field of bright cheery flowers – you see those and it just makes you smile inside.   

I believe, as with many things, abstract art is part what you observe mixed with what you yourself bring to it.  Various people will take away various things because they all notice different things about the work and bring something different in and of themselves to it.  If you like, try it,  take time to look at the painting and see it.  Afterward – notice how it affected you.  It may be very different from what I experienced and that is completely legit.  You can do this with various abstract works to see the various results you may get.  I usually have a better experience with live paintings in person than in an electronic image.  It’s pretty fun, actually.  I’ve been to many famous museums and seen very great works; it’s fascinating how different each of them is.

Our world is filled with many visual things all vying for our attention.  Some are very healthy and good and some are not.  All of them affect us subconsciously - some rather insidiously.  It is important to be aware that while words can influence us – the visual images we allow through our eyes do so even more quickly, strongly and below our conscious awareness.  Its one reason advertisers and movie and television producers use sexualized images of women and other subconscious inducements, and carefully craft what they present – nothing is by chance. It’s up to us to intentionally guard our eyes as they are a direct gateway to our brain and mind.   It can sometimes be tricky to look at some things and have a sense of whether or not they are harmful.  It may be helpful to: 1. Know the source – sometimes knowing what’s behind something can help us discern the motives involved.  2. Make a concerted effort to notice how it affects you – if you’re put in states of mind that are causing problems it may not be for you.

I believe God is releasing many artistic individuals in their gifting to create all sorts of works that stir responses of honor, joy, love, purity and goodness in our world via many things we see all around us every day.  Take some time to take notice of them and buy and gift the ones that are promoting and perpetuating good things.  Additionally, it’s a time where taking time to expose our eyes to expanses of nature and interaction with live human faces and uplifting real visuals vs. electronics and virtual visuals should be intentional on our part.  Our brains know the difference.  Take time to nourish your vision and brain with something uplifting and good!

Thank you, Mark, for allowing me to use an image of your painting. 

Creation: The Fifth Day - In The Air. © Mark Dahle 1992

Kingdom Glory or Zombie Apocalypse?

The last few nights I’ve been woken up by images and thoughts.  I’ve tried to return to sleep, but finally tonight I’m praying and just up writing out what I received.  Kingdom Glory or Zombie Apocalypse?  You have a choice to inhabit the existence of one or the other - both do exist.  While it seems these are polar opposites (and they are) – they will and do in fact both occupy the same time in history - now.  Oh, you didn’t think the Zombie Apocalypse was real?  It’s real – take a good look at the souls out and around you in society and the world.  Do you see a trend?   It may not be manifest in the way popular movies and video games portray Zombies - all horrific dead, rotting walking corpses, however Zombies are real. 

So, the good news – just as Zombies are real, so also Champion Overcoming Warrior Children of God are real!  And honestly, it’s not really a fair match up at all!  The souls of human beings are literally being transformed into one of two things and the dividing line is so clear in our times.  People are either rejecting their old lie of a “self” life and embracing true life (oneness in God) provided through Christ Jesus and growing as a glorious Kingdom Ambassador and Child of God - one who knows God has rescued them from their dead worthless self existence and ways and made them completely new and crazy good in Him – His cleansed mirror images, reflecting Him – shine meisters!  One who now constantly continues to receive and pour back out His life in greater measure, practicing the life of God – in the unique, singular “one of a kind” way that they have been designed to shine Him in the world in their sphere of influence and in oneness with others in God's Family.  A life of interacting with, loving and worshipping Him every moment and letting that flow out in strong protector characteristics – aligned with God’s will and other Kingdom People in community, healing the sick, raising the dead and casting out demons, bringing help and life to widows, orphans and the down trodden of our world in just their every-day life.  Those who shed abundant bright light and life everywhere they go as an outflow of the love of God flowing in and through them – these are Kingdom people and they bring the Kingdom with them – they literally shine the light of heaven, bring Heaven to Earth.  Love is their authentic currency.  Joy and Peace are the hallmark and calling card of these people and markedly exist in every interaction through deepest challenge to greatest triumph!  Every challenge becomes just another proving ground to them of the true and real “Can’t get to the bottom of it” evidence of the Goodness of who God really is!  These are no victims of the world or society.  They know in whom their life is established and they do not fear physical death nor are they overcome by the schemes of the enemy.  They stand blazing glorious for the one worthy of all glory.

Those on their way to or in full Zombie mode (dead rotting souls) have sold out (bought in to the lie and deception) and go on to live out the bent and ever further bending of their original design, personhood and soul into unrecognizable death and dark monstrous contortions.  It may start out very slight almost un-noticeable to untrained eyes – this veering further away from God’s life.  The bend may be very slight in the beginning, but anyone who has seen the ending trajectory knows it is always completely far far away from the Plumb-line – the true perfect straight line.   Some even believe they can somehow change their mind and turn it around at the 11^th hour of their life and come back to God (they’re deceived in thinking they somehow may be able to know how and when they’ll die).  The truth is – there comes a point where people are not even aware they’ve reached a point that they can’t change their minds.  They’ve so repeatedly kept on in the same direction that it’s impossible for them to do it and they’re lulled all along by this lie that they think they can do it at the end.  God’s mercy allows some to actually come to Him, but, others have so thoroughly embraced the lie that their conscience is burned and scarred – no longer able to receive God’s goodness to them.   Eventually, they come to a point where they are no longer living in any real way.   They have moved so far away from real life, finding it very normal to practice and participate in death, that they've lost the ability to accept life in themselves.  They are dead yet still exist, roaming the earth– warped predatory loathing and self-filled consuming machines – bereft of real love, compassion, joy, peace or any semblance of mercy or original human design.  They try to devour all in their path, hoping their prey will satisfy the empty despairing void inside– but, it never does.   Do you see the reality of Zombies yet? Many can be rescued – cured of this Zombification if they turn in time and give up embracing the self-lie and embrace instead God’s amazing and available offer of oneness with Him in Sonship.

The question to ask – am I aware of what track I’m on?   Relying on me and my wants and felt entitlements and abilities = Zombie-Ville.   Giving my life to God and trusting Him, enjoying knowing Him and loving Him and others more, walking in all that Jesus died to give me on the cross and putting off the old dead self and putting on the new bright amazing life of God, His heart and mind, uniquely in the way only I’m designed to wear it in this world and forever = Amazing Kingdom Child of God. 

Are you headed for Zombie Ville? Take note of the road you are on and then take seriously the invitation of God (He'll never force you, but, you don't want to miss this train!).  Don't wait, times are unsure and things happen quickly!  Choose you this day whom you will serve.  He’s more glorious and wonderful than you know and He loves you and has been waiting for you to turn to Him.  

 Proverbs 16:25 The Message (MSG)

²⁵ There’s a way that looks harmless enough;
    look again—it leads straight to hell.

 Proverbs 12:28 New Life Version (NLV)

²⁸ Life is in the way of those who are right with God, and in its path there is no death.

 Matthew 7:13-14 New Life Version (NLV)

¹³ “Go in through the narrow door. The door is wide and the road is easy that leads to hell. Many people are going through that door. ¹⁴ But the door is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life that lasts forever. Few people are finding it.

 Matthew 24:10-13 New Life Version (NLV)

¹⁰ Many people will give up and turn away at this time. People will hand over each other. They will hate each other. ¹¹ Many false religious teachers will come. They will fool many people and will turn them to the wrong way. ¹² Because of people breaking the laws and sin being everywhere, the love in the hearts of many people will become cold. ¹³ But the one who stays true to the end will be saved.