Nicodemus in Disguise

Hypocrisy is in the midst!
Yes it does still exist.
Take a look around.
There is judgement in this town.

“Heresy!”
came out of the mouths of Pharisees
who held tight to the law,
instead of following Jesus.  

"Blasphemy!"
shouted those in Capernaum
who accused John the Baptist
as being possessed by a demon.

Can you hear them now?
“Since you sit with sinners, then you must be like them.”
“What is wrong with you?” 
“Why are you mingling with the condemned?”

But I say to you,
you who are wise in your own eyes,
you walk in vain,
like a Nicodemus in disguise.

Just wait and see
and you will finally believe
for Judgement Day 
is coming for you and me.

Korazin and Bethsaida
are not the only places miracles have been done
for right here in Clermont
souls of men are being won.

"Open your eyes and see
everything the Father has trusted unto me.
Stop walking among the secular
so you can learn to trust and believe.
Father has hidden my ways to them
who are wise and clever to logical ways of men.
I seek the meek 
the humble in spirit and sight
for they come like children
excited to learn what they might."

Self-righteousness
lies within the proudest of men.
They rely on their goodness,
and their pride from which it stems.
The same characteristic was embedded in the soul of Job.
Do you remember how his story was told?
Despite being upright, he fell into the sinner's plight;
He dug his own hole, the more that he spoke.
Over and over again, he spoke of how innocent he was.
It was daunting to hear him act on the whim
that nothing was wrong within him.

"If I were to take back his spirit
and withdraw my breath,
all life would cease
and humanity would turn again to dust!"

He was like Nicodemus in disguise, for sure.
He believed in himself.  He was so self-assured.

So what about you?
Are you like Nicodemus too?
You have become so good
at finding fault with men.
Do you really believe
that you can clearly see
the log that blinds them?

How can this be?
Has the apple fallen far from the tree?
Knowing good and evil has become a stumbling block to thee.

A log is entombed in your own eye
and it is buried so very deep.
You don't even realize
your stumbling block is six-feet under
layers of heavy concrete.

I am the Amen,
the medicinal salve for your eyes.
I am the faithful and true witness
who dispels all of the enemy's lies.
I am the origin of all that exists.
I am the Word that allows you to persist.  
Who you think you are
is so very contrary to me.
They will know me by my fruit
so stop being a stumbling block to me. 

While you have kept my greatest command,
to love Me with all your heart.
You struggle with the second,
to love your neighbor as YOURSELF.

I know this is hard for you,
because you have foolishly determined from within 
that loving yourself is a deplorable sin.

While dying to flesh is absolutely true,
sin has distorted your view. 

Dying to flesh has become twisted to mean
that we must hate the flesh that we live in.
While we know that the flesh is inherently full of sin,
I am not saying to kill yourself or to throw your towel in. 

Don't misunderstand why I have come.
I have come to the heal the brokenhearted,
and to turn the heart into flesh
from a heart of stone that you've worn.

No!  I did not come to abolish the law of Moses
or the writings of the prophets. 
I came to accomplish their purpose.  
I came to reconcile my spirit back to me
It is the cry of my heart
that you will have faith to believe.
Your zeal for knowledge and activities
has prevented you from building
a genuine relationship with me.

Many say
they want more of me and less of them, 
but is that really true?
Are they willing to let go?
Are they willing to let me lead,
when I ask them to walk through?

Introspection is the mission field
of my Spirit working in thee.
Thoughtful meditation of the heart
is how spiritual eyes come to see.

So, I ask you to plead your case to me.
When did I tell you not to consider
the image I created you to be?
Are you not a three-part being,
made in the image of me?
I created you as spirit, soul and body,
so tell me,
which part should be the amputee?
I knitted you together in the womb,
so why would you assume
your mind, will and emotions mean nothing to me?
Why would you discount one part of yourself,
when I have clothed you wholly
in my glory?
Do you think I have made a mistake? 
Can I not transform
the one I have reconciled back to me? 

It is true,
self by Yourself is rotten to me,
for how can you be fruitful if you are separated from me?

But self covered under my blood
 is how I created you to be.
Designed for the work that I want you to do.
My holiness transforms you,
and brings you back to me.

True transformation
requires the inner parts of you
being fully exposed to me.
For when you are true,
I can trust that you are
faithfully devoted to me.

Since peace, love and joy are a part of my fruit,
then why do you believe that emotions are bad?
Doesn’t the mere thought of eternal separation
cause you to be sad?

Do you think I would give you a soul
for no reason at all?
Do you think I created you to be numb
and without hope?

Scholars scoff at the heuristic
imposing their logic upon men;
and discovery can be what is needed to
to create an open end.
For when we are open
we often will see
that the blood of Christ was poured out
for even sinner's like me.

Curiosity and wonder
may be where the journey starts for some.
"Come just as you are"
is how I call the the ones that I love.

Those who know - just know,
They follow their heart.
They act spontaneously
and they do not depart.

So men like Nicodemus
be careful not to dissuade
those who step forward
to follow my way.

Stop telling my people
to stop trusting their feelings,
Your job as my disciple
is to show them my mercy and love.

Intimacy in marriage
is formed through deep affection
between a groom and his bride.
I ask you this,
how do you form a deep connection
if you constantly slam the door and hide?

Stop bringing me your sacrifices
of all that you do,
instead show me your heart
and show me that you are true.

Do you have any idea how much I love you?
Do you have any idea what I willingly went through?
I've sent my only son to cover your filth with his blood.
It is only his living water that washes away your mud.

My law does not free you
from the sin that spiritually separates us.
Instead it reveals your brokenness, 
so I ask you now, "In whom do your trust?"

Even my servant Paul told the people to pray
"for the eyes of their hearts to be enlightened to God's ways."

Listen carefully,
Nicodemus in disguise.
It is time to smell the coffee
and stop following lies.

When I call you to sit
at the sinner's table with me,
will you drink of my blood
and eat the flesh of me?

When I ask you to lay down
all that you know,
will you give it up freely
when I tell you, "It is time for us to go."

Did you know that a change of heart
is produced by my Spirit?
A man cannot redeem a man,
no matter how much fear you put into it.

It is truly our faith that delivers us from sin.
It truly the blood of Christ that redeems us back to him.