Shaken Not Stirred....Hag. 2:7

THE CALL

One of the most remarkable and crucial places in scripture is Ex. 3:5.  Moses stands before the Lord God almighty and God requires something of him…the shoes.  Moses has a decision to make here.  If he fails God by NOT taking off the shoes, Israel will be lost.  The people of God will remain in slavery and torture.  The ‘seed’ of God will be lost forever and Messiah will not come.  If Messiah isn’t come, we are all lost in our sins.  This is where it all hinges.  I believe all of heaven is watching as the Voice calls from a burning bush.  Do we realize that our obedience or disobedience to God will effect future generations?  Moses’ decision will affect the whole natural nation (Israel) and the whole Spiritual nation (the Church).   

Let’s look at these shoes for a minute.  These were no doubt sandals and were hand-made.  This is the only MAN-MADE element in this whole account.  God is there.  The bush that God made is there.   The ground God made is there.  The man (Moses) God made was there. But the shoes were of man.  God says simply “Put them off.”  Now let me chase a rabbit or two.  I believe God was saying to put off man-made things.  The only thing separating Moses and the Holy ground was something man-made.  What are we standing on?  Our thoughts and ideas of God and church for centuries have the influences of man.  Are we standing on man-made things?  Do we realize that only the thickness of a sandal keeps us from standing on Holy Ground?   We can simply miss God THAT MUCH! 

In our lives we all have closets full of ‘shoes’ that keeps us off Holy ground.   Our sandal might be a job or a career.  It might be a ministry or some other good deed.  To Abraham it was his son Isaac.  To Jonah it was his homeland.  To Peter, James, and John it was their nets.  To many it was their Dads and Moms and friends.  To Paul it was his intellect and religious training.  What separates us from standing on the spot God has made?  What’s your sandal?  Why would God ask Moses to remove the smooth leather sandal and stand on a rough, dry, uncomfortable ground?   Because God is found in the hardness of life.  He is found in the rough and dry times of life.   Sometimes God requires something as simple as a shoe.  He never asked Moses to slay his son.  He never asked Moses to leave His family or to give up his career…but He could have.  This time it was only sandals.   It could be a habit, a car, a CD, a book, or a number of other simple things.   Or it could be a bank account, a farm, or a relationship.  These are all sandals that keep us off our holy ground.  

Moses had dwelt in this land for 40 years.  I’m sure he had passed by ‘this spot’ many times.  What was so different about this time?  I think it is very possible to miss God day after day as we go about our daily routine.  He places burning bushes everywhere we go.  God used a bush.  Did you ever wonder why?  God speaks through the thorns.  What a picture of Christ.  He is our burning bush! God could have just ‘spoken’ to Moses.  God chose a ‘bush’ or something frail to speak through.  Often God will use the frail things in our lives to share His voice.   God can speak through the weakest of the weak. God often inspires me through my children. Or sometimes though trees or grass.   I’m sure Moses had stood on this very spot lots of times before.  He had been tending sheep for some 40 years.  Teacher Rob Bell asks, “Do you and I walk on holy ground all the time, but we are moving so fast and returning so many calls and writing so many emails and having such longs lists to get done that we miss it?” 

Remember what Jacob said about his dream.  “God is in this place and I wasn’t aware of it.”  (Gen. 28:16)

I think we have made God so religious that many times we miss His sweet voice.   As God used a simple bush to save a nation, he may speak to you through any element of nature.   His voice is like the sound of many waters…again, something of nature. (Rev. 1:16) Are we listening?  Are we watching?  

June 09

James H. Coates

When I look at a patch of dandelions, I see a bunch of weeds that are going to take over my yard.
My kids see flowers for Mom and blowing white fluff you can wish on.

When I look at an old drunk and he smiles at me, I see a smelly, dirty person who probably wants money and I look away.
My kids see someone smiling at them and they smile back.

When I hear music I love, I know I can't carry a tune and don't have much rhythm so I sit self-consciously and listen.
My kids feel the beat and move to it. They sing out the words. If they don't know them, they make up their own.

When I feel wind on my face, I brace myself against it. I feel it messing up my hair and pulling me back when I walk.
My kids close their eyes, spread their arms and fly with it, until they fall to the ground laughing.

When I pray, I say thee and thou and grant me this, give me that.
My kids say, "Hi God! Thanks for my toys and my friends. Please keep the bad dreams away tonight. Sorry, I don't want to go to Heaven yet. I would miss my Mommy and Daddy."

When I see a mud puddle I step around it. I see muddy shoes and dirty carpets.
My kids sit in it. They see dams to build, rivers to cross, and worms to play with.

I wonder if we are given kids to teach or to learn from? No wonder God loves the little children!
 

Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away."

James

When I look at a patch of dandelions, I see a bunch of weeds that are going to take over my yard.
My kids see flowers for Mom and blowing white fluff you can wish on.

When I look at an old drunk and he smiles at me, I see a smelly, dirty person who probably wants money and I look away.
My kids see someone smiling at them and they smile back.

When I hear music I love, I know I can't carry a tune and don't have much rhythm so I sit self-consciously and listen.
My kids feel the beat and move to it. They sing out the words. If they don't know them, they make up their own.

When I feel wind on my face, I brace myself against it. I feel it messing up my hair and pulling me back when I walk.
My kids close their eyes, spread their arms and fly with it, until they fall to the ground laughing.

When I pray, I say thee and thou and grant me this, give me that.
My kids say, "Hi God! Thanks for my toys and my friends. Please keep the bad dreams away tonight. Sorry, I don't want to go to Heaven yet. I would miss my Mommy and Daddy."

 When I see a mud puddle I step around it. I see muddy shoes and dirty carpets.                       My kids sit in it. They see dams to build, rivers to cross, and worms to play with.

I wonder if we are given kids to teach or to learn from? No wonder God loves the little children!
Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away."

James

When I look at a patch of dandelions, I see a bunch of weeds that are going to take over my yard.
My kids see flowers for Mom and blowing white fluff you can wish on.

When I look at an old drunk and he smiles at me, I see a smelly, dirty person who probably wants money and I look away.
My kids see someone smiling at them and they smile back.

When I hear music I love, I know I can't carry a tune and don't have much rhythm so I sit self-consciously and listen.
My kids feel the beat and move to it. They sing out the words. If they don't know them, they make up their own.

When I feel wind on my face, I brace myself against it. I feel it messing up my hair and pulling me back when I walk.
My kids close their eyes, spread their arms and fly with it, until they fall to the ground laughing.

When I pray, I say thee and thou and grant me this, give me that.
My kids say, "Hi God! Thanks for my toys and my friends. Please keep the bad dreams away tonight. Sorry, I don't want to go to Heaven yet. I would miss my Mommy and Daddy."

 When I see a mud puddle I step around it. I see muddy shoes and dirty carpets.                       My kids sit in it. They see dams to build, rivers to cross, and worms to play with.

I wonder if we are given kids to teach or to learn from? No wonder God loves the little children!
Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away."

James

This is a RE-POST from back in June 08...James

6/4/08

Well...here I go again.  Folks, I get SO TIRED of hearing people say things, religious things, to God that really make no since at all!  I flipped on a Christian radio station the other night (mistake) just to see what was on.  I heard this minister saying things like: Lord, just come down....Lord, just abide with us...Lord, fill this house (building) and several other ridiculous things.  The minister seemed to be very serious and very pure in his motive.  Well, the truth is the Lord has already come down 2000 ago and if we are His, he already abides IN US.  Also, the Lord will NEVER dwell in a building again.  True, He did live in the first Temple in Jerusalem, BUT now He lives in us.  It's really totally unbiblical to ask God to live in a house that man has made.  This is OT talk not NT reality.  This makes no since!!  People gather these OT verses and pray them in NT days.   You often hear folks say, "Lord just rend the heavens and come down."  (Is. 64:1).  People sure spend a lot to time asking God to do things that He has already done IN CHRIST.  Can you imagine me buying a car for my son's birhtday and then in a few days he asks me for a car??   How silly would that be...to ask for something you already have?   Well, I made this same silly mistake for years until my eyes were opened and are still being opened.   People also spend a lot of time asking God to to things that He's never gonna do.  Deception is everywhere it seems.  The serpent tricked Eve.  He took something SHE ALREADY WAS and deceived her with it.  He said 'you will be like god.'  Folks, she was already LIKE GOD!   This mistake got her and us in a lot of trouble.  He said, ' you will know good from evil.'  She already knew she shouldn't taste of the fruit.  Paul said 'I fear as the serpent tricked Eve THAT YOU TOO WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE SIMPLICITY OF CHRIST' 2 Cor. 11.  May we stop asking God to do what He has already done.  May we see and walk in what Christ has done for us.  And may we STOP believing God for OT patterns to work in NT reality.  Alot of prayers that are being prayed each Sunday 'at church' or in general, have already happened.

Just Thinking...James 

Last week we were hit with the worse storm (ice) in Ky's history.  It was SO BAD at our place!  It's amazing how God uses the natural things, like nature, to speak to our hearts.  On Tuesday (Jan. 27th) I was looking outside the window.  What a total mess!  Trees were falling every few seconds.  I noticed something about the trees.  They were all covered in ice...much ice!  I noticed the trees falling the most were those that didn't have a lot of branches.  The trees with lots of outreach were not falling as much.  The heavy extended branches brought a balance to the tree.  Those with no mighty limbs were falling left and right.  Then it dawned on me...WOW!  We have got to reach out to those around us.  No matter how spiritual we get or no matter where God has us at the moment, we have got to be like the trees in our back yard and reach out!  Men and women are dying all around us.  Many of them are not ready to meet God.  Like the trees, we all get weighted down with things.  Those that will stand are those who are reaching out to the other trees.   I realize that most of us view 'outreach' differently.  Some people think that if we can get people to church and build up a large congregation we have done well.  We need to look at what we are bringing them in to.  It is so easy to bring people into a religious mess.  Having a full 'church-house' doesn't really mean that we are reaching people.  Jesus brough people into the Kingdom (His circle).  In future blogs I want to talk about the Kingdom of God and what it is.  What was it that turned the world (of the first century) upside down?  God help us to be like the trees (Ps. 1) and extend our arms to the trees around us.  Let's be Jesus to someone.....REACHOUT!

James

For about a week now my friend and Brother in Christ, Lonnie Hatfield has been in Kenya.  I am so glad I had some time with him before he left.   Last Sunday we visited his local gathering.  Afterwards, we went to Taco Bell and then to his house for coffee.  Lonnie is probably one out of five people I can truly talk to.  I can talk to lots of people, BUT there is only a few I can REALLY share my heart with.  Three years ago God begin in open my eyes about lots of things concerning, church, and the true body of Christ.  Lonnie was going through the very same thing.  We were working together in a large network and had no idea that each other was being questioned by the Holy Spirit.  We had no idea that each other was being flipped upside down.  We resigned from the network and gained a KNITWORK....Hearts Knit Together (Col. 2:2).  Lonnie is in Africa today.  Fulfilling his heart's desire....working with orphans and just LIVING the life of Christ without any religious performances.  Knitting his heart with many people like Johnny Brooks and family and others.  I envy you Lonnie...we love you and miss you!  See you in April!!

You can keep up with Lonnie by going to: www.babulonnie.com

Also you can go to my 'photo' link and see our house gathering with Lonnie and several men.

James 

On Tuesday morning at approx. 1:00 AM, we were hit with the worse ice storm in Ky's history.  Right now, I am sitting at a friends house in Leitchfield, KY.  Our power went off at 3:00 AM (Tuesday morning).  Joy and I quickly put our 4 children (and us) in a 8 by 8 bedroom.  We sealed off the window and stuffed things under the door to keep the cold air out.  We lit the candles and tried to stay warm.  I would love to able to say that I was in a great mood and everything just right (like us men of God do) BUT I failed over and over.  God is amazing how He reveals how bad we really are... We DID have a lot of fun and we had been needing some quality 'family time' and WE GOT IT!!!   As Joy and I laid there in the darkness, we counted 81 trees that fell all around us.  We prayed for the safety of God.  Not one single tree touched the trailer.  Praise HIM!  There were over 300 trees down on our road alone.  Our area looks like a tornado ripped though or something!  On Wed., we were rescued by 4wheelers (ATVs).  We were taken to Leitchfield KY to the nearest shelter; the Grayson County High School.  There were over 500 others there.  We were provided for and we truly thank God for all those who worked hard to pull off such a task!  We later moved to my Mother-n-law's for the night.  The next morning we moved to my Sister-n-law's neighbors house for the day.  Then, later that night, we moved to my friend Bill's house.  What a Week...What a God!  Most of the county is still out of power.  Our county has partical power and it may take 3 weeks for all the power to be restored.  One thing for sure, even thought we knew this storm was coming, we had no idea how bad it was really going to be.  I believe this is how it is with God.  We know things are going to get tough...the signs are all around us... BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA HOW BAD IT'S REALLY GOING TO GET... This is only a small taste of what is coming to this country.  I'm not a prophet...JUST LOOK AROUND US.  Joy and I are going to learn how to simplify our lives.  We are going to learn how to live closer to the land and to each other.  We are spoiled ladies and gentlemen...we are spoiled.  My complaining shows it!!!  We don't know how to handle inconvience.  Going 4 days without a shower and a change of clothes was very hard.  There are people who have to live like this and are more happy than we are.  At the High School there were no MP3 players...now Wii Systems and very few cell phones.  Nothing really mattered but SURVIVING!  All of the sudden ALL THAT STUFF really meant nothing...only being together and taking care of one another.  I truly thank God for meeting all our needs and taking care of us.  However 3 people have been found dead. 

Thankful Indeed...James 

When we think about 'great people' in the scriptures, usually our minds goes to folks like, Moses, who parted the red sea...or Elijah who prayed down fire from heaven...or maybe King David....or Daniel who survived the lion's din.   The disciples came to Yahshua (Jesus' Hebrew name) and asked Him, "Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?"   I'm sure they thought that maybe He would say one of those names or perhaps one of THEM.  Apparently the way we measure 'greatness' and the way He measures it are two different things!   I'm sure they were waiting on JUST the RIGHT answer.  Maybe they were thinking "will He pick me."  Jesus brings a CHILD out in front of them and says, "Unless you become like THIS, you can't inter the Kingdom of Heaven.   I'm sure they thought, "well, there He goes again....not making sense."   'Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’   Why would He tell these men they would have to be converted and BECOME as little children.  Appreantly they had some misunderstandings about God that were simply NOT TRUE.  Sound familiar??  Jesus knew these men would have to be torn down in order to be built up.  They would have to forget ALL THEY BEEN TAUGHT and become as a little child in the sight of God.  I have a 7 year old boy named Cameron.  Cameron is a great child.  He is so special to my heart.  However, he knows nothing of the 'real world.'  He cant pay bills, drive, carry on 'adult' conversation, hold down a job or anything like that.  He is a child.  Cameron totally believes anything that I tell him.  Right now, I could go home and say, "Guess what Cameron...on my way home, I saw a pink elephant up in the sky."  He would say, "Really??  Take me to see him!!!"   My other children, however, wouldn't believe me at all and would say 'NO WAY DAD...YOUR CRAZY!!!'  God is saying, in order to understand who I am and what I have to say, you have to become like a child....you have to be converted...you have to be reduced down.   This deal soul, is a painful process!  Paul said in Phil. 3 "Forgetting those things that are behind..."  THOSE THINGS Paul was talking about are the 'religious' things he used to be and do!  Who is Greatest??  Those who really don't know anything...contrary to what we have been taught.  We have been taught (in church) the more we know, the better we are...KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!   However, God teaches the opposite...the LACK of KNOWLEDGE IS GREATEST!!   This IS how we increase in HIS KNOWLEDGE...by becoming like children and forgetting all we know.   

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS.......

Just Thinking.....James

Not a lot going on today...I've been to E-Town with a friend to take care of some media stuff for a friend.  My friend, Bill, and I have started a new business called Hope Media Service... www.hopemediaservice.com  and trying to get some folks interested in what we do.  It's snowing pretty hard here in Ky and I've got about a 30 drive home.  Just wanted to tell my readers how much I appreciate you for reading this blog.  I know sometimes I say some pretty odd stuff BUT please know I am hungry for TRUTH and sometimes when you are still RE-LEARNING things I have to share what I'm learning OR BLOW UP!! 

I have such a desire in my heart to see those who truly love God come together.  We hear a lot of talk today about 'revival' and so forth.  I think more than 'revival,' I want to see God make His people ONE (John 17).  There are 39,000 denominations today.  What if your body was cut and divided up in 39,000 different pieces??  I love to see people 'at one' with each other.  To lay down our differences and live life together and to share love, real love one for another.  I have a freind in TN who is maybe going to come here each month to bring people together.  NOT to build something, but to get together with folks and share together and to watch God do what He does best...bring us together.  I am very excited about what might happen!!  Even if it is monthly for now, who knowns what might happen as our hearts unites in His love...The last thing we need right now is MORE MAN-ISM...man's way of building 'church.'  We ARE the church...I can see (in these last days) pockets of people being together...helping each other and laying down our lives and differences.  Little house churches or communities of people who are together...really together in love and unity.  Not just for a two hour meeting on sunday, but real unity that only God brings and we dwell together.  This is real heavy on my heart today. 

God make us one!

James

On my last blog, I talked about 'seeing Christ.'  I want to continue the same thought on this blog.  When God provided BREAD for the children of Israel, they called it, MANNA.   The word MANNA means- WHAT IS IT?  They didn't know what it was.  They were looking at something that they had never seen before.  God provided all that they needed and they didn't know what it was.  They had seen bread many times BUT this was different...totally different.  Jesus was referring to this (Ex. 15) in John chapter 6 when He said, "I am the bread of life..." 

TYPES OF CHRIST

1. Manna came from God...like Christ
2. Manna was white (pure)...like Christ
3. Manna was round (no beginning and no ending)...like Christ
4. Manna had to be received...like Christ
5. Manna had to be picked up or you would step on it...like Christ
6. Manna had to get IN YOU...like Christ

THE MOST AMAZING TYPE OF CHRIST...

The most amazing part of this typology is the 'not knowing' part.  God provided the Manna, BUT they didn't know what it was.  Just like today.  A lot of the 'church world' today doesn't know Him for who He really is.  He is still manna (Bread) today...people are still saying, "What is it."  Do we really know what Christ looks like?  Is He this altar boy who hangs out at 'church' that we go and worship on Sunday?  We have made the living Christ this religious figure that go and visit for a couple of hours a week.   Do we really think that He lives in a building?  Or this mystical being that sweeps by as we worship or when we get into 'one accord' for two hours?  God help us!!  Just like the children of Israel did in their day...we are still saying...what is it??? 

James...... email  me  ....jameshcoates@yahoo.com

First let me say Happy New Year to all the readers!! 

Today, i've been thinking about how Christ really looks.  I've often said that we know SOME about the Christ in heaven, however, we know VERY LITTLE about the Christ HERE...THE CHURCH!  Does the church resemble the one that walked amoung us?  I don't think so...for the most part.   Seeing Christ can be a shocking thing!!   I remember a few years ago listening to a certain person on the radio.  I listened every day and I really had a mental picture of what I thought He looked like.  Every time I would hear this person's voice, I would see him in my mind.  This went on for months before I actually met him.  I just knew he looked JUST LIKE the person in my mind...HOWEVER, I was no where close!  I couldn't believe my eyes!   The voice matched but the face wasn't even close!  I just couldn't belive it!!  This is the way we are with Christ.  We have things drawn up in our minds that are simply not true.  When we really actually SEE the Real Christ, we are shocked and can't believe it!  

Remember, Mary didn't know Him in the Garden.  The very Christ stood before her and she thought He was a gardener (John 20:15).  She had been with Him BUT she didn't know him.  She knew Him from only ONE WAY...the way she had always known him.  Now, the resurrected Christ stands before her and she don't know who He is.  Folks, this happends all the time TO US!  How many times has He stood before us and we didn't know Him?  We have a mind-set of how He looks and we can't see Him for who He REALLY IS.  Our religious minds are God's worse enemy.  Mary knew Him 3 days ago, but now, she thinks He is someone else....wow...this blows my mind!!  Ask God to reveal Himself to you and fasten your seat belt!   But don't be suprised if He leads you to people....

Just Thinking Again....

James