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Last night, 10/28/08, I saw a little bit of an episode on PBS Nova regarding “Fractals.”

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fractals/scal-flash.html

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fractals/scale.html

“Because they appear similar at all levels of magnification, fractals are often considered to be infinitely complex (in informal terms).”

Fractals seem to be God’s fingerprint or brush stroke again. We are in His sandbox or garden. A previous blog, One New Man, mentions His fingerprint on creation. I believe the DNA structure and process is His fingerprint as well.

“So many things turned out to be fractal that the word “chaos” itself (in operational science) had redefined, or actually for the FIRST time Formally Defined as following inherently unpredictable yet generally deterministic rules based on nonlinear iterative equations.”

https://www.miqel.com/fractals_math_patterns/visual-math-natural-fractals.html

The above underline quote reminds me of Romans 8:28. To those called of God, His plan and purpose inexhaustibly prevails continually in every situation given. Faith by grace has no bounds. If one instance fails, then there is grace for the next instance. If that way doesn’t work out either, then there is still grace for the next time. If another instance succeeds, then there is grace available to continue to change again, grow and mature. From His fullness we have each received grace for grace, John 1:16.

A fractal often has the following features:

• It has a fine structure at arbitrarily small scales.
• It is too irregular to be easily described in traditional Euclidean geometric language.
• It is self-similar (at least approximately or stochastically).
• It has a Hausdorff dimension which is greater than its topological dimension (although this requirement is not met by space-filling curves such as the Hilbert curve).
• It has a simple and recursive definition.

The ‘fractal’ nature of and in the Word reiterates His purpose and will over and over indefinitely with no end. It procreates and propagates itself similar to fractals, but is more than mathematics. It recreates itself continually. The pattern of truth does not change at any magnification. I believe the depth of truth has no end.

In Is it God’s will for me to have this?

I said speaking of my mother, “After the gangrene developed, one toe was amputated. Then another. The last time we were at the hospital the doctor said, ‘We will need to cut off the foot from the ankle down.’ ”

I recall my mother and father crying. I ask myself today, “Why were they crying?” Well, I’d say bad news is one reason. I don’t know of anyone who wants there foot cut off.

Then another thought came to mind, “They cried because they believed what they heard.”

I wonder to myself, “If the faith unto fear was redirected to the living Word and its promises what could have happened?”

Why are we so ready to believe doctors, just any book, commercials, anyone with a degree, anyone without a degree, mechanics, technicians, politicians, and yes even ministers?

I have fallen into this from time to time I guess because I don’t want to think for myself and assume what I hear is truth.

Not all facts are truth.

What?! Chapter and verse brother. Okay.

John 11:14, “Lazarus is dead.” FACT.

John 11:43-44. Lazarus was asleep, woke up and came to life. TRUTH.

So, if you feel a cold, fever coming on are you truthfully sick according to the Word? Or factually?

Facts don’t set me free.

Facts impart knowledge, but no true power. Facts only have only so much power in this world.

For example, hypothetically, I am fired or laid off from work. FACT.

God is Jehovah-Jireh and He will supply all my needs. TRUTH.

I believe the Pharisees operated in facts, but were unable to refute Jesus’s doctrine and authority which was based on absolute, undeniable, all-convincing, liberating Truth.

I believe that is why when Christ spoke it says, “They marveled.”

They were use to hearing facts and ‘head knowledge’, but were unaccustomed to revelatory, life-changing truth.

Prior to accepting Christ and even afterwards, I was a sinner. Even after accepting Christ, I went through many unnecessary trials due to my ignorance.

The facts are prior to Christ I was a sinner. I did things that were bad. After His salvation, I have still made mistakes, but I am learning from them and understand I do not have to repeat them anymore. That is a crucial part. Otherwise, what is the point? Is Christ who he said he was or not? If so, then where is the reality of him in my life?

So, the facts are “I was a sinner” and “I still make mistakes”, but what is the truth?

The truth is I am forgiven. My trespasses are not counted or reckoned to my account so that I might live in “newness of life.” The truth is I am new creature in Christ. The truth is the old has gone and the new has come.

In the early days of Jesus’ ministry, the disciples were not sure who Jesus really was. They did not know who He was in spite of all His teachings, miracles, signs and the good works he did.

Matt. 8:23-27,

Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

The spirits knew who He was and He didn’t tell them.

Matt. 8:28-29

When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”

In Mark 5:6 and Luke 8:28, The demon-possessed man came to Jesus even on his knees! He definitely knew who He was.

If we know who Jesus is then miracles, signs and answered prayers should not be a surprise to us, but a way of life.

Under sensationalism, I am led by how I feel. Since Jesus was not led by how He felt perhaps that could be one of the reasons why the disciples did not recognize Him. Some might say, “But He was led with compassion sometimes.” Once again the lens of sensationalism dims the light of the word of truth. The motive of the compassion of Christ is described in 1 Corinthians 13. This is supernatural compassion rooted in truth, mercy, grace and love.

If my walk is based solely on sensationalism, then my emotions and physical senses will likely betray me. Truth cannot betray. It is not in its nature.

Sensationalism definition:

a. the doctrine that the good is to be judged only by the gratification of the senses.

b. the doctrine that all ideas are derived from and are essentially reducible to sensations.

I brought my lunch to work today and forgot a fork. I went downstairs and grabbed a three plastic forks and two spoons. The thought came to mind, “Perhaps you shouldn’t use the utensils unless you buy something.” For some reason, I didn’t think it was a big deal. They were mere plastic utensils. So, I got the utensils. I saw Marcus in the hallway. He said, “Hi.” I said, “Hi.” I was pretty fast in getting the utensils and was able to catch up with him and another guy in the elevator. In the elevator, Marcus said, “That was fast. What did you do get some forks? Using the cafeteria utensils for your own personal use?” I thought to myself, “You’ve got to be kidding. Should have stayed put at my desk.” In my infinite wisdom I replied, “I buy enough downstairs in the cafeteria that I think they can afford a few utensils.” I also said, “If I was using the utensils for my kid’s birthday party that would be different.” Or would it?

Now, I was back at my desk thinking about this. The Holy Spirit was actually dealing with me about this. Now, I asked Him, “What should I do?” Funny how now I adhere. I heard, “Go down stairs and put back the utensils.” My reply was, “Are you serious?” I heard it again three times. So, I got up and went down stairs. My motive is my witness of Christ. I truly wanted and desired to do the right thing since it seems I probably made an ill-advised choice.

The reader now may think I am crazy, but everyone’s convictions are different. I was not under condemnation, but like I said my desire and will is that my light shine with purity, sincerity, and authenticity. I do not want my light to have a flicker of hypocrisy. Jesus did not walk on a tightrope everywhere, but freely walked in His love.

Okay, so I am walking ready to put the utensils back and get there to do it. The thought came to mind, “Don’t do it. You don’t have to do it. That’s enough.” People were everywhere in the cafeteria. I did not hesitate on with this choice. I walked away and this thought came to mind,

“MY WILLINGNESS MAKES YOU RIGHTEOUS.”

It echoed and I reiterated it to myself over and over.

It was His willingness in me taking me back to the plastic utensil repository. I was walking in faith. In His faith. It seems His will and mine were the same. When I heard the words, “My willingness makes you righteous” it was then I realized it was Him in me and not just me.

Paul says in Phil. 3:9, “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”

His willingness makes me righteous. By His will, I am the righteousness of God.

Heb. 8:10, “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

Heb. 10:7, “Then I said, ‘Here I am-it is written about me in the scroll- I have come to do your will, O God.’”

Heb 10:9, “Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second.”

Heb. 10:10, “And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

You are what you eat OR digestion unto assimilation. No digestion then no assimilation.

In Hebrews 4:2 it says,

“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard [it].”

https://preceptaustin.org/hebrews_41-2.htm

Mixed (4786) (sugkerannumi from sún = together, with + keránnumi = mix) it mans to mix or blend together and figuratively to join together.

Barnes writes that,

The word “mixed” is supposed by many of the best critics to refer to the process by which “food” is made nutritive, by being properly “mixed” with the saliva and the gastric juice, and thus converted into chyme, and chyle, and then changed into blood.

If faith is not mixed with the Word when it is given or heard, then the words are not spiritually digestible or edifying. The words will only be applicable to build dead works and the pseudo-foundation for religion. They will build that which has already been destroyed in Christ at the cross, Gal. 2:18.

If the faith is mixed with the Word, then the Word becomes a part of you or really you and you grow into and become the Word eventually.

Romans 10:17

Faith comes first by hearing, Matt. 13:9.

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Hearing the Word brings quickened, life-changing revelation. As revelation reoccurs, faith augments. Word will then propagate other Word that gives birth to other Word and so on in non-stop perpetuation. This process of hearing, receiving, conceiving, and digesting profits or causes increase in the hearer.

If there is no increase then is the Word being mixed with faith?

This blog builds on “Is it possible to pray without words?”

Went to the gym yesterday and did a little swimming. I would go underwater and come back up. The thought came to mind, “You can pray underwater.” I thought, “Hmm, yep that is possible.”

Then I thought some more and I remembered a topic of discussion I have from time to time with a friend of mine. That is, we can also pray in our dreams. We can receive revelation in our dreams as well.

I recently learned that I pray continually as Paul says in 1 Thess. 5:17.

In one instance, prayer can be a verbal supplication of spoken words.

It can also be a spiritual continuous flow of consciousness and awareness of Christ and God the Father.

The continuous spiritual consciousness and communication is motivated by grace and not my self-strength.

I found an interesting article in Time magazine that says,

“they glimpsed a revolutionary idea about the brain: the ability of mere thought to alter the physical structure and function of our gray matter”

“Mental practice resulted in a similar reorganization” of the brain, Pascual-Leone later wrote.”

“Even more profound, the discovery showed that mental training had the power to change the physical structure of the brain.”

This tells me that as revelation grows in me by the quickening of the Holy Spirit, my mind or soul is sanctified. It is set apart to be what it was created or designed to be unto the fullest by grace. It is supernaturally set apart to be like the mind of the Last Adamic pattern, Christ.

To me, the “fullest”, according to God, is infinite measure.

This is what I believe Paul says in 1 Thess. 5:23. Whole triune sanctification.

2 Cor. 10:5 (NIV) says, ” We demolish arguments and every pretension (imagination) that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

When thinking of 2 Cor. 10:5 years ago I thought that whenever a non-beneficial thought came to my mind I needed to wrestle with it. This does not harmonize with Rom. 8:6, “…to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace.” Also, if I am spiritually minded in Christ the will and desire to think unhealthy thoughts dissipates in Him. I believe this is what 2 Cor. 10:5 is saying.

Wrestling actually empowered those types of thoughts and my mind became more entangled with what it was wrestling with. Embracing the unhealthy, non-beneficial, negative thoughts brings death and enmity with God.

So, to apply 2 Cor. 10:5 as something that I actively do on my own part by myself is not accurate. In doing so, my mind leans towards the first part of Rom. 8:6, “For to be carnally minded [is] death…”

I think the demolition of arguments, pretensions, and imaginations is done in Christ. He sat down at right hand of the Father because He said at the cross, “It is finished.”

If it is done then there is no one to wrestle. If I am not under condemnation, Rom. 8:1, or the judgment and guilt of the law, then who am I wrestling with? Paul says in Rom. 7:24-25 that Christ has separated me from this body of death. What body of death? The old nature or who I was prior to Christ on the cross. He is dead. In Christ, I am alive and a new creature.

So, years ago I believe I was wrestling with the dead me. I was trying to fix or even save him when I didn’t have to because he already was saved.

Got off on a tangent, but a good one.

Another thought came to mind in the pool.

We can pray in our sleep.

The consciousness of Christ does not stop if we pray without ceasing. If we can pray in our dreams then we have the Christ-given authority in dreams as well.

Christ is the High Priest all the time or forever even in our dreams.

I had a dream Saturday night, 10/18/08. All I remember is that I was in a hanger on a military base with two other soldiers. We were talking about our “buddy” and fellow soldier who died. Not sure if it was even in battle though? I recall myself having strong sense grief and weeping for the “buddy” and hugging the two soldiers in grief because I was so overwhelmed for this dead soldier. I’ve been praying about this and this is my interpretation.

I felt impressed to go to Jeremiah and query the word “weeping.” To my surprise, I found the following scriptures:

Jer. 9:1, “Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night for the slain of my people.”

Jer. 13:17, “But if you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly, overflowing with tears, because the Lord’s flock will be taken captive.”

Jer. 14:17, “Speak this word to them: ” ‘Let my eyes overflow with tears night and day without ceasing; for my virgin daughter–my people– has suffered a grievous wound, a crushing blow.”

The apostle Paul tells Timothy in 2 Tim. 2:3, ” Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”

Other soldier references are: 1 Cor. 9:7, Phil. 2:25, Philemon 1:2.

I believe I had ‘godly sorrow’, 2 Cor. 7:10, in me for the “buddy” who died. The buddy was my brother in Christ and the law killed him, Rom. 7:11. He may have not even died in the field of combat which is why I think I was uncertain. His death was unnecessary, possibly in vain and without purpose.

Typically, a hangar is a garage or storage facility for aircraft. These aircraft can be fighters, reconnaissance, or and long range bombers.

It seems we had the skill to fight wars from above. This reminds me of Isaiah 40:31.

Isaiah 40:31 reminds me of being filled with the Spirit of God which is only possible under the New Covenant by the finished work of Christ. So, I see the hangar as the New Testament Church under grace.

Matt. 13:31, 37, Matt. 17:20, Mark 4:31, Luke 13:19, Luke 17:6, 1 Cor. 15:58, Gal. 3:16, 19, 29, Heb. 11:11, 1 Pet. 1:23, 1 John 3:9

Characteristics of a seed:

1. It roots itself deeply, according to the purpose of its nature, in something other than itself (good soil) and remains there. Once rooted, it is established and not able to be self-uprooted.
2. It is always growing and stretching upward towards the sun.
3. It reproduces, replenishes, and bears fruit once mature.
4. It contains a vast amount of information in a very small area.
5. It contains the DNA or knowledge of another tree or the DNA or knowledge of creation and/or life.
6. The focus and purpose of a seed does not change.
7. The intrinsic nature (or will) of the seed is to live and not stay dead.
8. Under resistance, the seed that has fallen on good ground has potential to sanctify itself and naturally grow.
9. The tree gives fruit according to its nature freely with no charge.

Matt. 16:13-18
“When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
“And I also say to you that you are Peter”

Gal. 1:12 says, “For I neither received it of man (or flesh and blood), neither was I taught [it], but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Jesus told Peter he was blessed after he saw who Jesus really was.

I cannot be under a curse if I know who the giver of the blessing is. I cannot be blessed if I do not know who gives the blessing.

In Matt. 8:27, the disciples said, “Who can this be?” They did not know who He was. You must know the truth in order for it to it to set you free. I have known believers(including myself) who know the bible, its verses, perhaps the Greek, and can quote it fluently, but are in bondage to an area in their life behind close doors. This makes no sense if the truth sets you free?

That is because it is the power to them that believe, Eph. 1:19. They who believe, believe because they know. If they know, then they are growing in grace and knowledge of Christ. In this knowledge of Christ, I grow away from things that once had control over me. I am made righteous by faith through grace unto holiness.

When Jesus asked, “Who do you say that I am?”, He called Peter by his earthly name or identity, Simon Bar-Jonah. After Peter saw and acknowledged who Jesus is, Jesus then called Simon Bar-Jonah, Peter or Cephas (Aramaic) with means ‘little rock’ as a fragment of a larger rock. He also told Peter of the authority we have in Him.

Also, it says in verse 21, “From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.”

Now, the Lord could tell them what was going to happen because they saw Who is really was.

How do I know where I am going if I do not know who the leader is or the captain of the ship? He should be telling me where I am going if he is the captain. Christ is the GPS in me. He is more than that.

Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles. He ministered to Gentile Christians in Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colosse, Antioch, Thessalonica, and many others. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12:28, “Apostles first, prophets second,…”

Who is the apostle to Austin, Texas? The general answer is Christ. True, but it was also Christ through Paul, Peter, and John to the early church. Why don’t we hear anymore of such people? Why is pastor, teacher, evangelist or even prophet (sometimes) acceptable, but God forbid an apostle? It seems like things were very different in the early church when they were around or accepted. Paul also said apostles were last in 1 Cor. 4:9. In the books of Acts, they turned the known world upside down, Acts 17:6. Why? How? It is the same doctrine and same Jesus preached today isn’t it? Is it? If so, then where is the church of Acts if it is?

There is a term for the five ministries mentioned in Eph. 4:11. Some call it the five fold ministry. In the Body of Christ, Paul mentions five ministries in Eph. 4:11 and not six or seven, but five.

Why do I have four fingers and a thumb? The thumb in some ways seems insignificant, but is the most-medial of all the digits of the hand. The thumb enables the hand to grip or grab things.

Wikipedia says the following about the thumb:

The thumb contrasts with each of the (other) four by being the only finger that:

• Is opposable (only digit that can touch all other fingers)
• Has two phalanges (bones) rather than three like the other fingers
• Has its inmost phalanx so close to the wrist
• Has much greater breadth and stubby proportions
• Is attached to such a mobile metacarpus (which produces most of the opposability)

I am going to state the obvious. The human body has two arms, two legs and one head.

Christ indeed is the head, but the apostle Paul says, “We have the mind of Christ.”

How can the other four ministries be active, but one be obsolete? If that is true, then I could cut out other parts of scripture in the New Testament as well like John 3:16, but that would be absurd.

Hypothetically, if I had only three or four fingers to read a five digit/finger book then I would only read the book as a three or four finger book because I would only be aware or cognizant of the fingers I have always seen. It would be all I know. The world is not flat.