Sitting in the sand pit…do you want to live forever…forever young…do you really want to live forever. Lyrics to a song as I read your post Roy.
I have so enjoyed the magnificent sensitivity expressed in Rays recent responces to allegations of his arrogance. Oh God is so good to come down to our earth and speak His Words to Day and Night. He is God. Can you hear His tone? Can you feel the freedom?
Roy, when you said
“I'm not going to except anything less, this is how its going to be.” RThat is really letting go of the bar in mid-flight. Oh ROY my dear brother. Therein is the exhibition of King Nebuchadnezzar re-portrayed before us through you! You are not going to….not going to…NOT GOING to wh…wha…WHAT? YOU..YOU are NOT…what?
Roy, what an awesome thing God shows us through you! As Nebuchadnezzar.. no sooner had he uttered the words
Dan 4:31 While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.YOU Roy, you WERE walking, talking, and receiving communion with GOD quite UNLIKE Nebuchadnezzar who was in self approval mode! You were in God’s embrace, His intimacy and confidence. You WERE. Few EVER get to experience that. FEW! You were there just like Neal Armstrong…one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind! Look where you were. What a privilege.
Then you came to tell us about it. God caused that. HE knew you would do as all of mankind would do in your shoes! He chose you to do exactly what you did. Just like Adam before you and every single human being who has ever drawn breath. We all would affirm our desire, our authority, our will, our ability and our, dare I say…sovereignty! You have done what many continue to do every day of all the days of their lives. You expressed your mortality in denial of God’s Sovereignty, and God in His awesome breath taking Love for you, He did not send you strong delusion> God "sent you" as like King Nebuchadnezzar, who loved Daniel, who rewarded and applauded Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who loved God and came to know HIM.
Roy YOU were shown the consequence of the illusion of having free will outside the Sovereignty of God. God showed you and made it painful enough for you to be caused to take note and to share in the humility of acknowledging that God is Good and He causes EVERYTHING. God LOVE you Roy.
Not only that, but God caused you to catch hold of me in my trapeze artistry within the high rafters of the Forum flying through the air after letting go of the bar, and whoosh, there I go again, right here in your post, performing the majesty of flight in the Spirit of God while we stand again looking up, seeking His Kingdom and knowing we are in His Plan and Purpose and LOVE. Where are you going next? Aha for the joy of it ! And Ray, as sick as his flesh is, he is there right at the top taking the highest winds and feeling the deepest awe! Oh for the LOVE of God, who would go so far. You? I? Could God be possibly preparing us for something?
Perhaps..maybe can we dare hope? I think I can if you can, if we can. Can we? I am going to I think, so bye! God’s got me and you and everyone and everything. Where am I going. I don’t know. Maybe to the trampoline, maybe the swimming pool….maybe just on the floor again for a while or to the other class of life God has designed as He makes me and you and us fit for His Purposes and Plans. I cannot ask you to do anything for me and from myself, I can expect less. God does what He does better than any man.
Dan 4:34 And at the end of days, I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up my eyes to Heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored Him who lives forever, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His rule is from generation to generation.
Dan 4:35 And all the people of the earth are counted as nothing; and He does according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the people of the earth. And none can strike His hand, or say to Him, What are You doing?
Dan 4:36 At that time my reason returned to me. And the glory of my kingdom, my honor and brightness returned to me. And my advisers and my lords came for me, and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me.
Dan 4:37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and exalt and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth and His ways judgment. And those who walk in pride He is able to humble.…and He is able to exalt, restore and raise up for HE is our honor and strenght, our Resurrection and our Life, that
Heb 11:40 for God had provided some better thing for us, that they should not be made perfect without us. WE are the Kingdom...Ref L Ray Smith.
Luk 6:36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
Luk 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:1Jn 3:20 For if our heart condemn US, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth ALL things.The in breath, coming together, is life. God working all things TOGETHER for the best to those who love Him. The out breath is death, dispensed carbon monoxide that is exhaled, not coming together, for those who do not love God. God is breathing us in. That is the sweet perfume that is rising up through Christ into the lungs and heart beat of our God, the Body of Christ.
Arc
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The conceit of modern man is that we can understand everything and therefore dominate it." David Suzuki Geneticist