Spiritual Ponderings

As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. (Mark 11:20) Many have wondered about this story where it seems clear that Jesus explicitly caused a death, at least the death of a tree. While Jesus never even came close to causing death to a living being, this incident was so unlike the life-giving Jesus that His disciples were caught by surprise when they saw the dramatic effect that just His words had on the tree in a very short time. What was going on there? Clearly Jesus was not just miffed by a tree that didn't have fruit when it had the appearance that it might. He knew it was not the season for figs, yet He examined the tree looking for fruit anyway. I am told that fig trees do have fruit when their foliage is full, unlike most other fruit trees. I don't know myself for I have never been around a fig tree, but evidently something much more profound is going on in this story besides just a pretentious tre...

Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12) For many years I puzzled over the meaning of these words of Jesus. How could it be realistically possible for anyone to be able to do 'greater works' than Jesus Himself? I know, the most common explanation given for this is to interpret it to mean a greater volume of works done collectively through the body of Christ. And while Jesus could possibly have had that in mind, it just doesn't satisfy me. As I was reading through a story found in Luke 8 this morning I suddenly realized that what was described there perfectly matches this reference to 'greater works' Jesus spoke of. And in this story it literally describes a greater quality and effectiveness of work, not so much a greater quantity. Is it true? Absolutely, and with rather clear reasons as to why as I am st...

For about the past week I have been challenged to wrestle with the issue of authority. For most of my life I have had real conflicts with authority which have embedded powerful triggers deep in my psyche that have caused problems at times. Abuse of authority early on and dark pictures of God and His attitude towards me led me to assume many things that have both kept me afraid and also created deep seeds of rebellion that have shaped much of my life over the ensuing years. For about a week I have been recording insights that keep coming to me regarding this issue of authority. I am coming to see more clearly distinct differences between the counterfeit ideas and practice of authority compared to what I believe is God's version and exercise of true authority. Some of these insights have come as a surprise to me, but they are also bringing relief and are having the effect of disarming some of the feelings of rebellion and fear that have long laid latent buried in ...

Just before I woke up this morning I experienced a most intense dream. Too many times such intensity involves fear that wakes me up full of adrenaline, but this time it was the opposite. I can't remember anything about the circumstances in the dream, only that somehow I suddenly began to perceive the truth about the above quote that has mystified me all my life. Yet as soon as I awakened from the intense emotion this revelation caused in me, I couldn't remember the answer that had just produced that reaction. As I lay there trying to recapture the lost epiphany praying for God to bring it back to me, I scrambled to recall the phrase or quote that was associated with it. A little later I went looking for it in my computer and this was the closest I could find to what I remember hearing growing up. Although I did begin to perceive an explanation different from what I had previously had about these concepts, I also realize how much I need to become more deeply ...

He that overcomes, I will... This is a repeating theme in each of the messages of Jesus to the seven churches recorded early in the book of Revelation. Yet I have come to realize that overcoming has itself become a confusing issue for many people. I know for myself what I long assumed was meant by overcoming was that I was supposed to work very hard (with God's help of course) to overcome sinning, down to the minutest detail in my life, my mind and thoughts. This led me at a very early age to become consumed by an obsession to eliminate every transient thought I might find in my mind that was not something that God could approve. Sadly the result of this was not holiness as I was trying to accomplish but rather a frenzied, increasingly desperate state of mind bordering on and tending me toward literal insanity. At the age of 16 after a number of years suffering from this obsession having taken over nearly every waking minute of my life, pushing me closer an...