Joy

God has really taught me a lot about joy this past year. I hope to share what I have learned in the coming weeks and months. This subject is something I have not really seriously considered in my life until recently. I encourage you to think about how you would answer the following questions: What is true joy? How do we experience it? How do we sustain it? How do we pass it on?

I won't expand on any of these thoughts tonight except through a visual example...

I cannot but be joyful when I see this picture


"You have filled my heart with greater joy" Psalm 4:7

Speaking in Parables

There is a curious passage in Matthew 13 (The Parable of the Sower) where the disciples ask Jesus why he uses parables to teach the people. Jesus responds by saying:

This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving." For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them. (vv.13-15)

Truth hidden in story form

Jesus explains that he hides his message in parables because the people are stubborn and have hardened hearts. At first glance, that would seem like a good reason to be clear and straight-forward with them rather than cryptic. But the implication is that even if he spoke to the people plainly, they would still not receive his message. Jesus taught in parables to conceal truth rather than express it more clearly. This is actually a loving action because if the people understood the message they would be accountable to live it out- something they were not prepared to do. We will be judged according to what we have been given.

Another consideration is that there were probably some people in the crowd who genuinely wanted to know and follow Christ. This parable was an appeal for the spiritually hungry to search out answers to the mystery. Whenever there is something we don't understand in our faith, it is a divine invitation to greater intimacy with our Lord. Those who are earnest will draw close to Jesus and listen for his voice. I pray we may have humble and passionate hearts to know God more, especially when our understanding is limited.

"The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." Matthew 13:11-12

Mysteries Hidden In Creation

The field of bionics or biomimetics seeks to apply principles and characteristics found in nature to engineering and technology. For instance, when the first Japanese Bullet Train was built in 1964, it could travel at 120 mph. But whenever the train exited a tunnel, there was a loud boom and the passengers would complain that the train felt like it was squeezing together. An engineer discovered the solution to this problem by studying kingfishers and designing the front of the trains like these diving birds' beak. Today, Japan’s reconfigured trains are quiet exiting tunnels and are 10 percent faster and 15 percent more fuel-efficient than their predecessors. Learn more about this story and other biomimetic applications by clicking here.

The Kingfisher diving for food

This fascinating story reveals that there are amazing mysteries hidden in creation still waiting to be discovered and applied. All of them have one thing in common- they reflect the glory of God as Creator and Lord. The greatest application of studying nature is not for the advancement of technology but the enlightenment of our knowledge of God. The Church will lead this revelation revolution for it is the Holy
Spirit which guides us into all truth. One day the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the seas!

"The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge." Psalm 19:1-2

Beginning Again

My family and I have passed our one year mark of living in Redding. It also feels like a year since my last post... That is partly due to my computer dying. I pray your summer has been fruitful and marked with great joy and blessing. My time has been memorable: spending time with my family, Writer's Conference with Paul Young (author of "The Shack"), ministry trips to Utah, Nevada, and Southern California, visits from both sets of parents, praying in the Healing Rooms every week, celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary, and working on a book about joy. Jenney posted some funny videos of the kids of some our summer experiences- you can check them out by clicking here.

Visit to Burney Falls- what President T. Roosevelt
called the 8th wonder of the world

I will begin the second year of Bethel's School of Supernatural Ministry on Tuesday. The first year of school was the most transformational year of my life. I believe this one will be even better. I am hoping to start blogging again on a more consistent basis. Bless you and may we grow even more in our love for God and people in this new season!

"Praise be to his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and Amen." Psalm 72:19