Author Archive: Pastor Mark

Face intimacy

Face to Face

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Today’s message was all about entering into and seeking out times of intimate communion with God. These times of communion will always result in Jesus being further revealed to us. This in turn deeps both our reverence and love for Him. The results, if ongoing and regular will produce hearts of happy obedience to Him and a business in regard to kingdom work.

Seeking God. Seeking His face. Face to face and even calling up the name of the Lord are ways the scriptures refer to drawing near to God, in order to have Him revealed to us. This is often done in times of genuine distress, but CAN be done ANYTIME!

We have this promise from Him, that if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us in return. That if we seek, we will find. If we knock, the door will be opened to us and if we ask we will receive.

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, because they will be filled.”

And when Jesus had words for the lukewarm church of Laodicea, Jesus took it upon Himself to do the knocking with the promise that if anyone will open the door and LET HIM IN, He would come in to them and eat supper, the principal social meal which denoting intimacy and friendship. So it is no stretching of the text to say that this is an invitation to face-to-face intimacy with our Lord, Savior & Friend!

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Contentious Wife dripping

A contentious wife is like a continual dripping!

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This chapter seems largely focused upon relationships, wealth, poverty and the acquisition of wisdom and knowledge.

There are four passages which stand out from the rest and for different reasons.

Verse 7 is perhaps the most complex proverb in the entire book, at least in terms of structure. Out of 375 proverbs, all but this one are two line proverbs – this one consists of three lines. At least in the original Hebrew. When it was translated into the Greek Septuagint they somehow managed to convert the same thought into a 3 two line proverb. In the end, we sided with a translation which largely agrees with the NIV.

Verse 11 says good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. It would be hard indeed to receive more solid life advice!

Verse 19 which talks about men who cannot control their wrath and that punishment is not far off. The second line however, offers piece of advice which is almost satirical in delivery in that it says, “if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again! – sage advice!

Finally is verse 22 which almost seems as if Solomon is pulling back the cover on a truth that once it is read seems so obvious, but which I think rarely occurs to us – “What is desire in man is steadfast love (or faithfulness)…”

In all, this chapter seems almost lack luster if read through without real attention, but there are gems which are buried in plain sight.

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Purposeful Intimacy

Purposeful Intimacy

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This morning we began taking a deeper dive into the way God designed us to experience closeness in relationships.

Relationships that last long enough, tend to grow more mechanical and utilitarian over time. While there is certainly some comfort and safety to be found in the familiarity of such relationships, it also can be a breeding ground for discontent. But there are things God has “baked into” the human experience that can maintain not only the relationship, but its passionate drive as well.

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Name Lord Tower

The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower

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Throughout this most excellent chapter of Proverbial statements are some which require a bit of a deeper dive.

These include the meaning behind the use of the phrase “the name of the Lord” and warnings against isolationism. That fools take pleasure only in their own opinions. The need to fully hear a matter before answering and the power of a strong human spirit causing one to gain victory over sickness of body and soul.

These are just a sampling, but there is much depth of understanding in these words.

I hope this teaching regarding them will be a blessing to you!

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Target Testimony

The Targets of our Testimony

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Being in God’s Kingdom has both privileges and responsibilities. Many of Jesus’ parables were about our stewardship over these responsibilities.

First and primary among these regard our fellow Christians. This is not a secondary issue but a primary one!

Secondarily is our testimony before the world.

We are NOT here to feed only, but to be trained and equipped for kingdom work. It IS important that we mature spiritually, but the deception of the enemy is to believe that we are growing in Christ’s likeness when we never engage in Kingdom work.

Our coming together for encouragement, instruction, community and impartation and reception of grace through one another is to have the ultimate effect of maturing us into Christ’s image and mobilizing us in kingdom work!

The difference between the way this is typically encouraged in churches today and what I am calling on you to do are two major points.

1. I want you to invite them to Christ – NOT church.
2. I want those who follow you here, to have already met Christ!

Don’t bring them to church to have the pastor or others do you evangelistic work FOR you. You win the lost and they will follow you to where you get fed.

All of this can be accomplished by programs and pressure from your church or pastor, but what it produces are altars built to God, hewn by human tools.

The only way Christianity really works, is when it is real, living and an automatic overflow of your own walk with and hunger for God!

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