Tag: Spiritual wisdom

Here we will look at an agricultural symbol pointing to Jesus. It starts with a question that Jesus asks the Pharisees, trying to get them to think beyond their preconceived religious ideas. Had they understood the symbolism in the scriptures they revered they would have been able to see Jesus as the Messiah or at least they may have had the humility to seek clarification from Him. This exchange took place in the days leading up to Jesus arrest and crucifixion.

⁴¹ While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, ⁴² saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?”

They said to Him, “The Son of David.”

⁴³ He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying: ⁴⁴‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool” ’?

⁴⁵ If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?” ⁴⁶ And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore. Matthew 22:41–46 (NKJV)

These the last questions the religious leaders asked of Jesus prior to His arrest and subsequent crucifixion. The Pharisees were both puzzled and silenced by Jesus question. Yet Jesus gave them a clue in the paradox between the Messiah being David’s son and yet David referring to Him as Lord. The answer lay in the scriptures they studied. First we have Isaiah, and later a clearer exposition of this verse in Revelation.

            ¹ There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. Isaiah 11:1 (NKJV)

In context it is clear for us looking back that that Isaiah was prophesying about Jesus and it is made very explicit in Revelation from Jesus Himself.  

¹⁶ “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” Revelation 22:16 (NKJV)

The clue to answering Jesus question to the Pharisees is seeing Jesus as both the source (root) and outcome (branch). They lived in an agricultural context with olive trees and grape vines being very important in their daily lives. The Hebrew word translated as ‘stem’ could refer to either a stump or stock but clearly pointed to a source. It is humanly impossible for someone to be their own ancestor, thus the need for spiritual revelation.

Jesus was quoting Psalm 110 when He asked His question about David calling the coming Messiah Lord. The Pharisees knew it because Psalm 110 was a well known Messianic reference. While it is obvious to us, the answer was still available to the Pharisees had they understood the symbol of the Messiah being both root and branch.

Here are further clues, also made explicit by Jesus.

⁴      Who has performed and done it, Calling the generations from the beginning? ‘I, the Lord, am the first; And with the last I am He.’ ” Isaiah 41:4 (NKJV) – see also Is. 44:6, 48:12

⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8 (NKJV)

As both the beginning and the end Jesus was the root and branch, the source and outcome. As such we can celebrate His work in our lives as Hebrews presents Him.

¹ Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1–2 (NKJV)

We can have confidence that no matter what we are walking through in this season, He is faithful.

⁶ being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; Philippians 1:6 (NKJV)

Oftentimes when we read some of the things in scripture, particularly symbolic things in books like Revelation or Daniel we are left shaking our heads. It is easy to simply move on to something easier to grasp. Yet if we see the scriptures as a unity, 66 books inspired by one divine author and penned by many human authors, we can draw wisdom from these symbols. There are patterns that we can see across scripture if we look. Once we see the repeated patterns some of the symbols are easier to understand. An example is the image of Jesus as the Lamb in Revelation. However understanding the symbols in Revelation requires a solid foundation in the Old Testament (OT).  

⁶ And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Revelation 5:6 (NKJV)

Here we have Jesus depicted as the Lamb. The word ‘midst’ is used twice in this verse showing that the Lamb is the focal point of the attention of John as the observer. Earlier in 5:1 we have the Father on the throne holding the scroll. Then we see the Lamb in the same place. In my mind’s eye I see this lamb as superimposed over the image of the Father on the throne and at the same time in the Father and the Father in the Lamb. 

The Lamb has seven horns and seven eyes. The passage tells us that the eyes are the seven spirits referred to earlier in 1:3, 3:1, 4:5. The point is not that Jesus is an actual lamb but that He was the sacrificial Lamb for the sins of humanity. The fulfillment of the OT type. Seven in scripture is the number of completion or fulfillment. Some refer to it as perfection. I prefer the idea of completion or fulfillment as Genesis refers to seven days to complete creation and seven days complete a week. The seven eyes mean that Jesus has complete access to see everything. Nothing is hidden from Him.

The seven horns. Horns represent power or authority because they represent the power of horned animals. We see examples in the OT of horns that represent power and authority, both good and bad.

² The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2 (NKJV)

⁴     “I said to the boastful, ‘Do not deal boastfully,’ And to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up the horn. ⁵ Do not lift up your horn on high; Do not speak with a stiff neck.’ ” Psalm 75:4–5 (NKJV)

¹⁷   For You are the glory of their strength, And in Your favor our horn is exalted. Psalm 89:17 (NKJV)

¹⁰   But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox; I have been anointed with fresh oil. Psalm 92:10 (NKJV)

⁷ “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. ⁸ I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words. Daniel 7:7–8 (NKJV)

Now back to the Lamb with seven horns in Revelation. What the image communicates is that the Lamb has complete authority. We see this in The Great Commission.

¹⁸ And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Matthew 28:18–20 (NKJV)

The message of the Lamb with seven horns and seven eyes is that Jesus sees and knows all and that in the events about to unfold He has complete authority. If we know Him we can rest in this reality in scripture.

²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰ Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. Romans 8:28–30 (NKJV)

This use of symbols may seem like a roundabout way to get to the message of Romans 8 but John knew the OT so the message of the horns, eyes and seven would not have been mysterious to him. Instead they would have brought assurance, as they should for us. 

I will continue looking at symbols in scripture in future posts.

Let’s take a fresh look at the brief battle between Davie and Goliath in 1 Samuel. This battle is generally presented as the underdog achieving victory against overwhelming odds and has become a cultural icon. It is true that if David had fought Goliath on the terms that Goliath anticipated he would have been easily defeated. However David didn’t do what everyone else expected. David’s key to victory was thinking about the battle differently and thinking differently about who he represented and was. Below we see some different perspectives.

⁸ Then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 1 Samuel 17:8 (NKJV)

¹⁰ And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” 1 Samuel 17:10 (NKJV)

²⁶ Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 1 Samuel 17:26 (NKJV)

Goliath referred to the Israelite army as the servants of Saul and the army of Israel. David saw Goliath as defying God’s army. Furthermore, David saw the source of deliverance as the Lord not his own skill or strength.

³⁷ Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!” 1 Samuel 17:37 (NKJV)

I recently read Malcolm Gladwell’s 2013 book David and Goliath. It is not a Christian book but what I appreciate about Gladwell is that he thinks differently and examines his topics in a way that most don’t. His book was about people who overcome against all odds. It is also a book about seeing things differently, like the biblical account of David and Goliath.

In looking at what happened with David and Goliath he references the three kinds of warriors in ancient battles, Calvary (horsemen and chariots), Infantry (foot soldiers in heavy armour) and Projectile warriors (those who used arrows and slings). The battle between David and Goliath would have been quickly over with David dead if David had tried to fight Goliath as an Infantry soldier. However, David fought as a Projectile warrior, not on Goliaths’ terms or the terms all the spectators from both armies were anticipating. Gladwell said a ballistics expert from the Israeli Defence Forces calculated that in less than two seconds David could have fired a stone at Goliath that would have hit his forehead with the force of a bullet from a modern small handgun – a rock traveling at about 200 kilometres per hour. It could have easily penetrated his skull or minimally rendered him unconscious.

David’s key to victory was twofold. First, he trusted in the Lord. Second he did the unexpected and met the enemy from a positon of his strengths and skills. David did what he was good at not what Goliath wanted. In thinking about this I wonder about thinking differently and being a bit paradoxical in our approach.

David took what he had. We can to do the same. He is clear that His ways are not ours. For example He sent Peter the uneducated fisherman to the Jews and Paul the educated Pharisee to the Gentiles. The opposite of what we would expect. So whatever He has called us to do let’s bathe it in fervent and frequent prayer and then we follow His leading based on what He has given us.

A brief breakdown of spirit, soul and body is helpful as we continue our study. Our body is obvious as we see, touch and interact with it. I understand our soul as our mind, will and emotions. We think, reflect, exercise choice and feel emotions. Our spirit has three functions as well – conscience, communion and intuition. My point is not to create fine distinctions as much as to identify processes. At the end of the day the Lord designed us to function as an integrated whole. With our spirit we encounter Him, we feel joy at His presence and open our lips and raise our hands in worship. A wholistic response to encountering His presence.

In looking at our spirit we grow fruit in it (Galatians 5:22-23), we commune with Jesus with it (Romans 8:14-16) and our conscience and discernment develops as our spirit is nourished by a daily diet of His word (1 Peter 2:2, Hebrews 5:13-14). Thus, if we are walking in the Spirit, we will experience the growth and maturing of the fruit of Jesus character in our lives, a deeper sense of His presence leading and guiding us and a clearer sense of the decisions He would have us make.

In my own life I remember a few years into my walk with Him I was going to do something, the what is not important and frankly I don’t remember exactly what it was I had planned. However, I had been feeding my spirit on His word. In the course of making a decision I very clearly heard inside of my spirit the following verse.

⁸ This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. Galatians 5:8 (NKJV)

I didn’t do whatever it was I was going to do. This demonstrated to me the very obvious fruit of being in His word. I wasn’t sitting reading scripture when this happened, I was walking around somewhere but He used my time in His word to guide my decision making.

At other times I have had the sense to do or not do something but not from a scripture verse. It is more of an internal sense or leading. It may be an inner prompting to call someone or to pray for someone. Many of us have probably had the experience of thinking about someone and they call us or vice versa, we call them and they say, “I was just thinking about you.” He is very practical in how He leads us and as we pay attention to these inner promptings our relationship with Him deepens.

I have had dramatic examples of His leading over my 35 years of walking with Him. Yet most of the time it has been the simple promptings, a scripture or person coming to mind. I am committed to being in His word and find that out of that I grow in my knowing of His presence and purpose. I have things I am still seeking direction on, some that I have been holding before Him for many years. In cases like this I seek to trust that His direction will be revealed in His timing. It doesn’t mean I never question of wonder; it means that when I pause and reflect, I come to a place of rest in His faithfulness.

So, let us pay attention to His leading and promptings, let us nourish our spirits on His word and let us desire what Paul gave expression to, our whole being given over to His purpose.

²³ Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NKJV)

In this post I am continuing to focus on our heart focus. To that end here is something significant that David wrote.

Psalm 86:11 (NKJV)

¹¹   Teach me Your way, O Lord;

I will walk in Your truth;

Unite my heart to fear Your name.

The note in my bible says the alternate translation of the phrase ‘unite my heart’ is ‘give me singleness of heart.’ In essence David was praying for his heart to have a singular focus on the ways of Yahweh so that he could walk in truth. If we study David’s life it is obvious that he had a few failures on this journey. I am confident we have all had failures. Yet if we want to walk in Yahweh’s ways, which are truth, we need only look to David’s approach and emulate it.

In addition to the above verse David is also recorded as the author of the following two verses.

Psalm 103:7 (NKJV)

⁷     He made known His ways to Moses,

His acts to the children of Israel.

Psalm 27:4 (NKJV)

⁴     One thing I have desired of the Lord,

That will I seek:

That I may dwell in the house of the Lord

All the days of my life,

To behold the beauty of the Lord,

And to inquire in His temple.

We don’t know the order in which David wrote Psalms 27, 103 and 86. However, what is evident is his possession of a singular desire to pursue God with all his heart, a recognition of the need to go beyond His acts to His ways, and an awareness that he needed God’s help to succeed. If we examine David’s life both the failures and successes are evident. While David only receives a passing mention in the hall of faith chapter in Hebrews 11:32, scripture testifies about two commendations that David was given that no one else in scripture ever received.

David is referred to as a man after God’s own heart in 1 Samuel 13:14 by Samuel and in Acts 13:22 by Paul. David is the only one in scripture described in this way. The description was given before David was anointed and called to be king because God knew his heart, both the coming failures and the continual pursuit of God’s heart. The other commendation is that Jesus is seated on the throne of David even though Saul was Israel’s first king. The throne was seen by God as being truly established by David and was prepared for Jesus (Luke 1:32).

In relation to our hearts the message of David’s life is twofold. First, it isn’t about whether we fail, we all will to some extent, it is about the desire of our heart before and after we fail. Secondly, it is about the reality that God’s final analysis of our lives is based not on our failures but on our pursuit of His heart. David had some major failures but each time his eventual response was one of repentance and a renewed seeking of God’s heart. Should we choose to do likewise we too can look forward to a commendation from the Lord on that great day. 

Let’s ask Him to help us to be people after His heart.

The first line in Song of Songs 1:4 is very powerful.

Draw me away! (Song of Songs 1:4 NKJV)

Sit with that heart cry – Draw me away.

When Jesus trod the dusty streets and hills of Israel He didn’t walk around with a sign that said “I am the Messiah!” So what drew people to Him and what drew Him to certain people? I think these are important questions to consider because I think they can teach us a good deal about what will deepen our walk with Him today. We can assume it was His miraculous ministry but if we start at the beginning we find it isn’t the case. In John we read the following.

³⁵ Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. ³⁶ And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”

³⁷ The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. ³⁸ Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?”

They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?”

³⁹ He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).

⁴⁰ One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. ⁴¹ He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). ⁴² And he brought him to Jesus.

Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone). John 1:35–42 (NKJV)

We can infer from the passage the Andrew and the other disciple of John the Baptist possessed a hunger for more because they were already following John the Baptist when Jesus came on the scene. When Jesus asked what they wanted there answer clearly pointed to their desire to be wherever Jesus was. At this point the only major thing that had happened were the events at Jesus baptism. Yet they saw something in Jesus and He saw something in them.

When we consider this we know that Jesus lived on earth but that He also lived in and from another realm. He simultaneously dwelt in the presence of people and before His Father in communion with Him. For the spiritually hungry this was what drew them, they sensed the fragrance of that realm. Here is how Jesus put it.

⁶     Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

For they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6 (NKJV)

I believe it is our hunger for reality that draws Him to our hearts. I have known people who regularly saw and smelled things in the spirit realm, both good and bad. I know in my own life I have had a couple of experiences of smelling a wonderful fragrance during worship. On another occasion while a few of us were worshipping in a sanctuary there was a beautiful singing accompanying us from high up in the corner of ceiling in the sanctuary. I think at those times the veil between the natural and spiritual realms was simply lifted a bit and what was really real, the spiritual realm, broke through.

As we enter into a new year it seems wise to ask Him to draw our heart away, to increase our hunger for Him and to deepen our awareness of the heavenly realm we are called to, to pull back the veil so that we might function more fully in the two realms the born again are called to walk in.

More to come.

Proverbs contains many examples of how we are to weigh our words.

³²  The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, But the mouth of the wicked what is perverse. Proverbs 10:32 (NKJV)

Implicit in the word ‘acceptable’ is the idea of knowing what to say when. We are likely all familiar with saying something that didn’t come across as intended. I know I tend to use humour a lot and have used it many times to lighten the mood in difficult or tense situations. While generally effective it didn’t always work. At the same time I wasn’t always tuned into Jesus presence when I spoke. Many years ago a pastor shared an experience with me. While he was doing his theological training he was working as an aide on an adult psychiatric unit. One of the patients was out of control and they had to physically lock him in another room. He felt the need for wisdom so prayed an asked the Lord what to do. He got the distinct impression he was to offer the man a cigarette. He said he responded, “But Lord, You don’t smoke.” The impression wouldn’t leave and he offered the man a cigarette. He immediately calmed down and the situation was resolved. In this case what was ‘acceptable’ didn’t make natural sense but was very effective.   

Conversely the opposite can happen. I remember going to church one morning. I was struggling with something and feeling discouraged. I have no memory of what it was about as this was over 20 years ago. What I do remember was meeting a fellow I knew just outside the door. He asked how I was doing, I told him. He cheerfully responded, “Aren’t you glad we win in the end!” He didn’t know what was acceptable at that moment. It was clear he wasn’t interested in how I was doing and I don’t recall ever sharing anything meaningful with him after that. As stated, while I don’t remember what I was discouraged about all these years later I clearly remember his non helpful response.

If we take this principle of using words that are acceptable it doesn’t mean always being positive and upbeat. It does mean we have our heart tuned to His and know what to say. As it says elsewhere in Proverbs.

¹³  He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him. Proverbs 18:13 (NKJV)

We are called to hear hearts and then respond. If we move to the New Testament Paul said we are to speak the truth in love and he outlined what is to accompany our words.

¹⁵  but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head–Christ– Ephesians 4:15 (NKJV)

²⁹  Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. Ephesians 4:29 (NKJV)

⁶  Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Colossians 4:6 (NKJV) We are to speak truth in love, speak words that build others up and carry grace and our words are to be salty, they are to have a purifying and preserving effect. This requires a dependence upon Him so if we are not already doing it let’s learn to lean into His heart as we interact with those around us. Particularly in this difficult season.

Physically where I live we are in winter – a cooler quieter time where even the trees seem to hibernate. Their roots are frozen in the ground and the deciduous trees appear to be dead. Sap, the source of vitality for the tree, is not running. This season prepares us for the glorious beauty of spring. However, we still need to go through winter to arrive at spring.

In reflecting, I appreciate a number of things about winter. I enjoy the sun shining off the snow, the sparkle on the trees and getting out and walking and cross country skiing in trees. At the same time as we near the end of November I start thinking that we only have to get through December, January and February, plus the days start to get longer at Christmas and that it usually doesn’t get really cold in March!

When we have a winter that is usually around five months long it feels like we don’t really have four seasons. One of the standard jokes is that we have two seasons, winter and construction! I think that those orange signs that crop up every spring are protest signs, you know the ones when you near the end of one of the seemly endless road construction projects, ‘End Construction.’

In a similar vein let’s reflect on our hearts. I know for many we have dealt with a seemingly endless season of Covid restrictions, limited social contact, disrupted worship, loss of ‘normalcy’ and other related impacts. It has become very wearying and we are in a place where many of our hearts are crying out in protest, ‘End Covid.’

Yet while we pray and wait it seems wise to consider what He is seeking to accomplish in our hearts in this season. This heart season has created an opportunity for reflection. An opportunity to rest in Him as we wait or the beauty of spring. We can be assured that change will come. The issue is how we will have changed through this process. I know I have a deeper appreciation for the privilege of gathering with others to worship, pray for one another and draw from His word and presence. My goal is not to get back to normal, it is to draw closer to Him and learn to better carry His presence in this season and out from this season. Prepared for His purpose.  

Below are some encouraging verses to strengthen us in this season.

²³  Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23 (NKJV)

⁸  When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.” Psalm 27:8 (NKJV)

¹⁴  Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! Psalm 27:14 (NKJV)

⁶  My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26 (NKJV)

Scripture tells us the following.

¹²  Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him. Genesis 26:12 (NKJV)

The latter part of the verse, ‘and the LORD blessed him’ is one of those ‘no kidding’ statements. To sow seed in a time of famine and reap an abundant harvest requires the Lord’s blessing. Some context is helpful. As the region entered into famine Isaac received a specific word from the Lord.

²  Then the LORD appeared to him and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. ³  Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. ⁴  And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; ⁵  because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” Genesis 26:2-5 (NKJV)

Isaac was being blessed because of the obedience of his father, Abraham. His later natural harvest was a prophetic picture of the spiritual promise, ‘in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.’ We know this was fulfilled when through Jesus salvation was made available to the nations. Applying it to our lives, Jesus our elder brother sowed His life on the cross and reaped the lives of all believers – past, present and future, as a harvest.

Jesus may call us to sow no matter our season. Decades ago I heard a missionary share how the Lord sent him into Cambodia in the late 1970’s when the Khmer Rouge were slaughtering everyone and all the Westerners were fleeing the country (the Khmer Rouge killed 1.5 – 2 million people, roughly a quarter of Cambodia’s population from 1975-78). He saw a great harvest of souls from sowing the gospel in the country against all natural odds.

Jesus calls us to sow seeds and stated the following regarding sowing His own life in the crucifixion.

²³  But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. ²⁴  Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. ²⁵  He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” John 12:23-25 (NKJV)

As we hear Jesus heart and make a decision to lay down our own lives and agendas let us seek His wisdom for where we are to sow. As we seek where to sow we can reflect on the incredible capacity that lies with seeds. In the image below we see the ongoing fruit of a small seed being sown in a difficult place.

In this season we have need of perspective. In 1 Samuel 17 we have laid out for us a key to victory in the battles we face. In this encounter the Philistines gathered to battle Israel and Goliath was coming out every day and challenging someone to come out and fight him as the representative of Israel.

As a nation, from King Saul on down everyone was hoping someone would take on Goliath, and win. They, like Goliath, seemed to view themselves as the armies of Israel. Part of Goliath’s ongoing taunt was as follows.

¹⁰ And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” 1 Samuel 17:10 (NKJV)

In essence Goliath said we have our army and you have yours. Goliath saw the armies as representing two different nations or people groups.

David had a different perspective.

²⁶  Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 1 Samuel 17:26 (NKJV)

David referred to Goliath as ‘this uncircumcised Philistine (circumcision was the sign of the covenant) and he referred to the army of Israel as, ‘the armies of the living God.’ Israel had a covenant and God was their defender. This perspective gave David great confidence.

So in view of what is happening in our culture there is clearly a need to shift our perspective. The result of David coming and bringing a different perspective was that a nation was shifted into action and they routed their enemies. This type of experience is not unique to David, it is a pattern in scripture. We can also look to John the Baptist. He came to a nation that was awaiting their Messiah but it was all future based. John came with a different perspective.

¹  In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ²  and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” Matthew 3:1-2 (NKJV)

While everyone else was waiting for the kingdom to come John showed up and said, ‘It is here!’ It was right at hand, people just needed eyes to see. John did no miracles but there was such an anointing on his message that the nation came out to the wilderness to hear him.

⁴  And John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵  Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him ⁶  and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. Matthew 3:4-6 (NKJV)

Again, one man with a different perspective impacted a nation. A commonality with David and John was that they had a different perspective and an anointing to shift a nation. However, more importantly they had a hidden life in God that was the source of their different perspective. They modeled what Jesus taught.

⁶  But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 6:6 (NKJV)

We need a perspective that will shift our cities and our nation but we need to get this perspective not from a renewed vision but from a hidden life encountering God in the secret place.