Man, I tell you, I post a pic of the Iranian flag, and people run the other way.
MacNelley! He done did become a turrurist. That thar #FloridaMan has a steerange look about ‘im.
No, no. I did not become a turrurist. I just realize the possibility that Yeshua has people in Iran and Tehran that might know Him and be about their Father’s business, even when the chips have been down for 43 years.
And the Ayatolloahs cannot stop nor forbid that advancing, if there is no brooking of compromise under the context of Revelation 12:11.
Desire, yearning…
They overcame by the blood of the Lamb, and the Word of their Testimony, and because they did not love or desire to preserve their lives so much they shrank back from death.
So, What Does This Have To Do With The Gospel of Matthew?
I will show you, friends.
“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
“‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
Matthew 2:1-12 ESV
So, these magi were likely astrologers from the courts of Persia (Iran).
See, even the Persians led the way when it came to authentic, divine worship of the Jewish king, before his own people. And this worship came from a heart full of internal yearning, joy, and yes, even desire. That joy of desire, having read the portents in their own land, they sent not just three dudes on camels with some of the costliest gifts of their time, but a CARAVAN and a full litter of armed escorts, scribes, cooks, porters, etc. to protect and supply that caravan and the goods.
If you have that kind of priceless treasure present, then are you not going to hire a BRINKS truck to secure it, because of misplaced desire on the part of thieves and bandits?
Now, as they arrive in Bethlehem, they evidently had some sort of announcement which piqued Herod’s misplaced desire and jealousy, prompting him to summon these magi.
And listening to the voice of Herod, they followed the path of the star to the place where Messiah lay.
And they presented gifts of desire, according to the Fractal of three, The gift of the Father, Gold, given as a memory of Jesus’ true home, where the gold was translucent like glass, which allowed His beauty to radiate through His realm. The gift of the Son, Frankincense, recalls the Sons’s chief desire: intercession for those who know Him and those who do not yet know Him, for as the quintessential Exhorter, He is not going to let the Father or the created order rest, that none should perish. His heart is for all coming to repentance, and therefore He will deny or restrain giving vent or air to the incense of his intercession that His Father’s House might be made full. And the gift of the Holy Spirit, fragrant Myrrh, showing the deep intimacy in His presence that comes with death and the embrace of pain, which is the Exhorter’s portion in order to earn strong authority in reality, and as a result of that suffering, the fragrance of Christ is released.
And in response to their desires being executed, Father, the G-d of the Translucent Gold gave them a gift: a dream came to them that night following their worship of this Jewish Messiah, saying, “FLEE A DIFFERENT WAY!”
So, my question to each of you is, what is the fruit of your desire. Is it life, or is it death? What can we do to increase the desire and the execution of all that is good, praiseworthy, and of good report?
It is an especially difficult question to consider when all hell is breaking loose.
What, when you provide gifts of desire, will be released to you? When what is inside of you comes out, then there will be a Return on Investment.