There’s a scene in The Maltese Falcon where Bogart is dealing with one of the Villains… he says a famous line, for me anyways, Go see the video HERE.
A very telling scene. Its similar to another one, I often quote it, but I have no idea who said it, “I’ll do what I want when I want for however long I want”
The moment in the movie there the little weasel, Joel Cairo, getting slapped is played by Peter Lorre. Its a mystery noir film. The lady, Ruth, in the hotel room there with them is acting sketchy also. Boggy’s in love with her already at this point, so he doesn’t take kindly to Cairo getting rough with her. There are many times in the movie where Bogart is underestimated. They don’t know who he is. His partner that he started the private eye shoppe with, by this time in the movie, has been murdered. He’s not happy about that. He’s got a stake in the outcome that goes beyond making a buck. It’s a murder that’s personal.
Have you ever been bullied? Someone is intimidating you, and eventually you have deal with them, one way or another. The Apostle Paul, I think, was warning a bully… let me go look it up, you can come along LOL
1 Corinthians 4:14 I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me. 17 That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church. 18 Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. 20 For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. 21 What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?
Wow, this is what I’m learning here! Paul is asserting who he is. There are those who are speaking against him. There is division in the church. He’s about to come to them in person, and will there be slapping or will there be a spirit of loving kindness… regardless, Paul knows the Power of the Holy Spirit. He, himself, found out big time on the road to Damascus, when he was slapped! Check out Acts 9!
Do you know the story of the King that was eaten by worms for not giving Glory to God? Acts 12 is the story. We read, ” 2 He [Herod] killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also.” What gets me is he wasn’t all that different from Saul, whom we read about in Acts 9, uttering murderous threats. Aslan is not a tame lion.
I’m leading up to a scripture, LOL
Now take a look at couple or few scriptures with me/for me:
John 7:1-10; Acts 9:1-6; Revelation 1:1-19 Take a look at verse 17 & 18 there…
I sent my adult son a text the other day, “I would like to apply for the position of FATHER, resume available upon request.” He sent me back, “LOL what are you talking about.” Because as I pray for him, in the trial he’s now going through, I find myself weeping, like Christ Jesus himself, over Jerusalem.
He’s famous in my heart for saying things, being impetuous perhaps. And, you know what? I love him so much, because each of these things are the heading of the book he’ll one day write about his Daddy. Cuz they’re words that God will use to teach him, train him up…
- I don’t wanna be like you when I grow up
- I’ll treat you like my Dad when you start acting like one
- I’ll never give [lend] you money
- I love you, Dad.
You know what? Each of those things is as much true, as not. The man I was when he spoke that first word… God was saying that to me. Hebrews 12!
I AM his Father… that’s my identity. But what does it matter, if he doesn’t see me as that. Where does one find the means to such a position. In one respect he’s quite right… I blew it. I am a fallen creature, not deserving to lead anyone… I am, and certainly I have been a rotten Father. I hold out the truth to him, beckoning him to come in from the cold, come to the full reliance upon our Father God. In the meantime God has placed others in his life, to testify about the goodness, and faithfulness of God, and there is most importantly the ministry of the Holy Spirit, who will get the job done! Amen Ephesians 1:11.
There’s a fascinating scripture, I finally found it, thank you Lord. Thank you Holy Spirit for reminding me where it is. John 14:26
Joshua 3:7 is where God tells him, then in Joshua 4:14 we see that God soon after begins to fulfill that promise to him.
““This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.” Joshua 3:7
God has done this in my second marriage. He has exalted me. He has placed me at the helm, Psalm 127, and I have been put in authority, one that my wife and son honour and respect. But its a work done through him. Oh, fathers! Husbands! Do you long for the respect and most importantly, the submission of those under your care? Take this humble man’s word and ask God to teach it to you. Turn to God, repent, and ask God to raise you up.
Tangent or two… there’s a picture of this sort of thing I want to flesh out and you’ll find it here: CLICK HERE. <this is another scene from a movie, The Hunt For Red October
And also, a bit more a look at how God works within my marriage: CLICK HERE
Back to Jesus there… lets look at Philippians 2:5-11
Do you have a hard copy of the Bible, that’s even better, go get it, I’ll wait here… I would that you take this idea up… get to know your own copy of the word. A W Tozer talks about this, he didn’t even fathom our modern day helps, but he knew the value of getting alone with God, and his word. And meditating upon it. The word of God is the Sword the Spirit wields, check out the Amplified rendering of that verse. Ephesians 6. I’m so thrilled to find that as I am obedient to this word I’ve received, that I am extending to you now, what wonderful benefits there are! Ryan is a man I’ve recently met. By his say so, he is a new Christian. What does that expression even mean? He is, yes, a new creation, as we all are. But I welcome him most gladly into my life, if for anything he is that pure soul who has found the living presence of God in his heart! And he has a bible in his hands. Whenever you see him at our home group, he’s got it open, and he’s paging through it, and being guided by the Holy Spirit. I don’t know if I’ve told him yet, but I’ll tell him again, he reminds me of myself. I see it and I like it. My strength is renewed. The warrior of former days is being raised up again. Up from the ashes. Oh that none of us would ever become “been there done that” Christians. Oh that we would ever be naively following the Spirit’s lead, hopelessly dependent upon his Holy Spirit, and glued to his revealed word! In their book, “How To Read the Bible For All Its Worth,” Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart point out that we are to daily read in the one translation of our choosing, and they help you figure out what is best there for YOU, and to study it by comparing other translations.
Picture the Bible, that copy of the bible in your right hand, as your proven weapon! Physically in your right hand. You’ve got it with you, and there is a soul sent by God, for you to deliver the good news to, and they see you draw it from the scabbard, and slice and dice the enemies lies! And bring healing balm to their wounds. And they peak at the sword in your hand and resolve to have a copy of their own. To imitate what they see in you.
Back to Jesus, in Philippians 2:
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
So, I want to draw your attention to this part in verse 7, “…but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men” That’s what I see in John 7 there. His reaction, and actions are all governed by God the Father. When we are told to be like Jesus, this is what it means. Listening obedience, that’s a action! And when you walk in the Spirit, another way to describing it found in Galatians 5:25.
(you know, its a link, yeah? Look it up… take some time to see for yourself, I know Ryan would, he’s got his bible open right now, looking it up)
As I looked over another example of Christ Jesus our Lord dealing with unbelievers…
Matthew 21:12–17, Mark 11:15–19, Luke 19:45–48 and finally, John 2:13–19
These are where all four gospels give an account of Jesus clearing the temple. Part of my calling of late, a window on what God has coming, for his word to us is to BE READY. Is that he is clearing out the Temple! And I’m not talking about the tares and the wheat. I’m talking about what we see in John 6, where Jesus spoke the word plainly, and many of his disciples walked away. He then turned to the Twelve, “how ’bout you? Do you want to leave?”
What I notice is that its John’s gospel where the Jewish Leaders ask him, “Who do you think you are?!?” That’s our modern vernacular…
<The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” John 2:18 niv>
Jesus answer has always intrigued me, “19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” His own disciples don’t completely understand this until after he’s crucified and is raised again. see verse 22.
So here I am… do you know who I am? I’m the one he’s sent… he’s seen me under my fig tree… I believe in Him! I am listening to his voice. Oh, God, that I be obedient to that voice… I don’t need YOU to believe in me. But if you are my brother, if you also are called to obedience to his lead…
What’s today’s message for you? I’ll be meditating on it now… send me a message: walkingdownvimy@gmail.com
If you got all the way to the bottom of the page here, we could be friends, or better yet, brothers… ❤
Running Down Vimy 