John 15:1-2 "I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."
It seems like the more I study, the more that is revealed to me. I have read this verse numerous times and just today saw the phrase "He cuts off every branch in me". I never noticed that Jesus was talking about those that are in Him. So, if we are in Jesus, and are not fruitful.....
I believe the Lord wishes us all to be fruitful. We are not here to just become a Christian and decide "Okay, that is done, now I just wait for His return". No we are here for a purpose. We all have a purpose. All are created to worship our God, but we have a perfect plan made just for us. There is a call on each one of our lives, a design that is created to fit the talents and gifts that the Lord gave us. It does no good to have a wonderful talent of singing if you are going to sit on the bench and not sing. Sometimes there are reasons that you sit out for a while, but do what you were made to do. Some people are gifted with teaching, wonderful teachers they are. But somtimes things happen and we tend to get hurt or disappointed and decide we will not do that anymore.....but this is what the Lord created you to do. Personalities have no place in the plans of the Lord, just obedience and willingness to follow Him.
The sadness of this, is when someone steps down from their ministry, their teaching, their singing, their preaching due to reasons that cannot be helped, sickness, weariness, whatever; needing time for the Lord to restore them and refresh their gifts, time for the Lord to bring a newness into their spirits. Then when some do this, talk begins, people wondering what is going on, and gossip starts. What a sadness falls on the Lord. All these folks need is some time to regain their balance, get their lives in order and continue on the call of the Lord. They want to be productive fruit again. They want to keep close to the Vine where that restoring life can continue to flow through them.
Those that decide there is not enough glory, not enough money in what they are doing....not enough appreciation, so they just quit that the Lord has called them to. We all know people like that. I don't have to look far, the mirror is close enough. I remember getting so discouraged and disappointed in people that I did not sing for a good while. I just sort, well, I guess I thought I was going on strike. How foolish I was. What occurred was a total period of unhappiness, misery, and gloom not doing what the Lord called me to. I am so thankful He did not cut me out of my Savior while I was being so childish. I would like to think that all who are called to do things for the Lord respond. Perhaps they are like me and never truly read that scripture in the manner it was written.
Father, I don't know why this was written today. I know it showed me some things but I trust You and I know You don't have me write something that is not needed for someone. Please, Lord, make this what You designed it to be. I trust in You, my Lord. I thank You that You have gifted me, that the fruits You have developed in me come to light through the love of Jesus, my Savior. I give You all the Glory, all the Honor, all the Majesty. Unto You, my King, I give all my worship.
02-29-12
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
THE GENTLE BUFFER
Psalm 32:7 "You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance."
When I first heard the words Gentle Buffer, immediately I thought of the protection of the Lord. How He surrounds us with His love and keeps us from all harm. Then my mind went to the fact that He is our mediator with the Lord, a buffer from what would be, perhaps, anger of the Lord when we fall into sin, or when we are slow to follow His direction. I know without the intercession of the Lord, I believe our God would get a little, if not a lot, annoyed at us for the direction we sometimes go. "How long" I can hear Him saying when I foolishly do something contrary to His direction. If doesn't take long though for the Holy Spirit is faithful to bring us back to where we should be in Him.
The Lord moves in strange ways at times. After giving thought to these meanings of what Gentle Buffer may mean, the Lord showed me just what He meant. When we give our all to the Lord, when we submit ourselves to Him, and are born again, we begin a new life in Him, as He begins a new work in us. His work is never finished, and will not be until that day that we join Him in Glory. We strive to be more like Jesus each day, well, this is what we should be doing. If you are not living each day to be more and more like our Lord Jesus, whose blood has washed us clean from all sin, then you need to return to the foot of the cross and remember that beautiful sacrifice that was made for you. I am drifting again, Lord.
Our days are filled with so many things that tend to grab hold of us, sometimes staying on for a while, perhaps someone said something that was hurtful, perhaps we responded in like.... there are things that we still need to be released from, the things that are harbored in our spirits, the things that we desire to be rid of, those things that are not of our Lord. So in comes the Gentle Buffer. So gentle, that you will not know He is there. But as we seek His face, as we desire to be more like Him, the Lord gently buffs all those things off you. He removes each instance so softly that we will not know it has happened until we awake one morning and realize that we have a lightness to our spirits, that there is a little spring in our walk where heaviness was before. What a blessed Savior we serve, so precious, that He will not leave us in our state of spiritual weariness over something we have done, or not done if that is the case. He will always be polishing off the rough spots until there is such a smooth appearance to us....."in His image".
Lord, I believe You are all these things, all these meanings of Gentle Buffer. Our Intercessor, always bringing us righteous before our God. You are our Protector, keeping harm from us, surrounding us with Your love. And You are the Blood that has cleansed us and washes us daily, removing all those things that can keep us from the relationship of the Father that we desire so much. Gentle Buffer, sweet Lord Jesus, how I thank You, how I worship You....I love You so. You are all my righteousness, I stand complete in You, and worship You, worship You, Jesus Christ my Lord.
02-28-12
When I first heard the words Gentle Buffer, immediately I thought of the protection of the Lord. How He surrounds us with His love and keeps us from all harm. Then my mind went to the fact that He is our mediator with the Lord, a buffer from what would be, perhaps, anger of the Lord when we fall into sin, or when we are slow to follow His direction. I know without the intercession of the Lord, I believe our God would get a little, if not a lot, annoyed at us for the direction we sometimes go. "How long" I can hear Him saying when I foolishly do something contrary to His direction. If doesn't take long though for the Holy Spirit is faithful to bring us back to where we should be in Him.
The Lord moves in strange ways at times. After giving thought to these meanings of what Gentle Buffer may mean, the Lord showed me just what He meant. When we give our all to the Lord, when we submit ourselves to Him, and are born again, we begin a new life in Him, as He begins a new work in us. His work is never finished, and will not be until that day that we join Him in Glory. We strive to be more like Jesus each day, well, this is what we should be doing. If you are not living each day to be more and more like our Lord Jesus, whose blood has washed us clean from all sin, then you need to return to the foot of the cross and remember that beautiful sacrifice that was made for you. I am drifting again, Lord.
Our days are filled with so many things that tend to grab hold of us, sometimes staying on for a while, perhaps someone said something that was hurtful, perhaps we responded in like.... there are things that we still need to be released from, the things that are harbored in our spirits, the things that we desire to be rid of, those things that are not of our Lord. So in comes the Gentle Buffer. So gentle, that you will not know He is there. But as we seek His face, as we desire to be more like Him, the Lord gently buffs all those things off you. He removes each instance so softly that we will not know it has happened until we awake one morning and realize that we have a lightness to our spirits, that there is a little spring in our walk where heaviness was before. What a blessed Savior we serve, so precious, that He will not leave us in our state of spiritual weariness over something we have done, or not done if that is the case. He will always be polishing off the rough spots until there is such a smooth appearance to us....."in His image".
Lord, I believe You are all these things, all these meanings of Gentle Buffer. Our Intercessor, always bringing us righteous before our God. You are our Protector, keeping harm from us, surrounding us with Your love. And You are the Blood that has cleansed us and washes us daily, removing all those things that can keep us from the relationship of the Father that we desire so much. Gentle Buffer, sweet Lord Jesus, how I thank You, how I worship You....I love You so. You are all my righteousness, I stand complete in You, and worship You, worship You, Jesus Christ my Lord.
02-28-12
Monday, February 27, 2012
SOAKING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD
Hosea 6:2 "After two days he will revive us, on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence."
This scripture showed me that sometimes we cannot just call upon the Lord after repentance and expect that He will be right there. I believe He may just wait a day or two to see if we were truly sincere in repentance or if it was just "lip service" to get Him to answer a need we had at the time. After so much rejection, I can see Him waiting, waiting to see if we are truly seeking Him, needing His grace and mercy to forgive us of our sins, to restore us.
I was putting on some body lotion the other day, and it seemed like I had not applied any at all. My dry skin just soaked it up. So I applied some more, and then actually needed a third application before it seemed like enough. There is nothing, I find, that the Holy Spirit will not use to enlighten me on the Word of the Lord, bringing the thoughts of the Lord into a life application to me. The Holy Spirit told me just as we read the Word of God, as we study His Word, it is like the first application of lotion. Our spirits can be so dry and thirsty that a one time reading will barely touch the surface of our spirits. It is only after continued reading and studying the Word that we begin to notice the dryness disappear. I don't know why some neglect their spiritual life. I tend to neglect my physical body more so than my spiritual life. I will fail to use lotion until I see that my hands are so damaged. But I cannot allow my spirit to become as my hands. I can see the Lord wanting me to take care of the body He dwells in also, and I am going to put forth a better effort. But the most important thing I do each day is begin my day with the words of the Lord. Then devotionals to lead me into thinking of what the Lord has done for me, the blessings that are showered upon me each and every day and the thoughts that the Holy Spirit would give me concerning the things I read. But the Word of the Lord is a powerful tool each morning to deliver you into a place of security in the Lord, a place of perfect peace.
At noon each day, if I am staying in my office, I use my IPhone to read from the Bible app I have. I just need that mid-day refreshing, that reminder that the Word of God can and does soak into my spirit and draw me into the presence of my God. Worship music playing also draws you into the presence of the Lord as it fills your heart with that song that you can sing to Him yourself, loving on the Lord, thanking Him for His goodness. As you worship, as you read, you will be begin to soak in the presence of the Lord. As you spend more time in worship and reading, you will begin to feel your spirit fill up with the Lord. Such presence....such sweet presence.
As children of God, we truly have no excuse for a dry spirit. It only takes a few minutes a day to pick up your Bible and read. I find the more I read, the more I desire to read. It is like taking a sip of a delicious cup of tea, and finding you cannot put the cup down until every last drop is gone. When you begin to read of the Lord's love for us, of His beautiful provision; when you read of the sacrifice that our Jesus made to save us from sin, His words of forgiveness.....how can you put this down with just reading a few words. His words are life, they are bread and drink, filling every hunger inside you and taking away that thirst that nothing has been able to satisfy. It is His presence you soak up each time you read His Word; He comes alive in you as you read.
Our God is on every page of the Bible; He sits across the room watching our faces as we read, seeing what reaction we have to what He tells us there. I was reading a little book on Worship as I waited for my car to be washed this afternoon and I was reading scriptures there telling me about the changing of worship as the Holy Spirit came upon those there in the upper room waiting for the promised power from Jesus. As I read the words tears filled my eyes as I knew that we have received such a gift when we are born again in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of our Lord, living in us....never being without Him, having Him so close, filling us with His love and power, His joy and peace. How blessed we are, friends, how blessed we are.
Make time to spend in the Word of God. Make time to listen to worship music, let the Holy Spirit lead you into worship with it. Let your hearts rejoice in the miracles that the Lord does for us each day. Read, sing, love....soak in the precious presence of the Lord. He gives Himself freely to all those that truly seek Him, that desire Him more than life....He freely gives all He is to us.
02-27-12
This scripture showed me that sometimes we cannot just call upon the Lord after repentance and expect that He will be right there. I believe He may just wait a day or two to see if we were truly sincere in repentance or if it was just "lip service" to get Him to answer a need we had at the time. After so much rejection, I can see Him waiting, waiting to see if we are truly seeking Him, needing His grace and mercy to forgive us of our sins, to restore us.
I was putting on some body lotion the other day, and it seemed like I had not applied any at all. My dry skin just soaked it up. So I applied some more, and then actually needed a third application before it seemed like enough. There is nothing, I find, that the Holy Spirit will not use to enlighten me on the Word of the Lord, bringing the thoughts of the Lord into a life application to me. The Holy Spirit told me just as we read the Word of God, as we study His Word, it is like the first application of lotion. Our spirits can be so dry and thirsty that a one time reading will barely touch the surface of our spirits. It is only after continued reading and studying the Word that we begin to notice the dryness disappear. I don't know why some neglect their spiritual life. I tend to neglect my physical body more so than my spiritual life. I will fail to use lotion until I see that my hands are so damaged. But I cannot allow my spirit to become as my hands. I can see the Lord wanting me to take care of the body He dwells in also, and I am going to put forth a better effort. But the most important thing I do each day is begin my day with the words of the Lord. Then devotionals to lead me into thinking of what the Lord has done for me, the blessings that are showered upon me each and every day and the thoughts that the Holy Spirit would give me concerning the things I read. But the Word of the Lord is a powerful tool each morning to deliver you into a place of security in the Lord, a place of perfect peace.
At noon each day, if I am staying in my office, I use my IPhone to read from the Bible app I have. I just need that mid-day refreshing, that reminder that the Word of God can and does soak into my spirit and draw me into the presence of my God. Worship music playing also draws you into the presence of the Lord as it fills your heart with that song that you can sing to Him yourself, loving on the Lord, thanking Him for His goodness. As you worship, as you read, you will be begin to soak in the presence of the Lord. As you spend more time in worship and reading, you will begin to feel your spirit fill up with the Lord. Such presence....such sweet presence.
As children of God, we truly have no excuse for a dry spirit. It only takes a few minutes a day to pick up your Bible and read. I find the more I read, the more I desire to read. It is like taking a sip of a delicious cup of tea, and finding you cannot put the cup down until every last drop is gone. When you begin to read of the Lord's love for us, of His beautiful provision; when you read of the sacrifice that our Jesus made to save us from sin, His words of forgiveness.....how can you put this down with just reading a few words. His words are life, they are bread and drink, filling every hunger inside you and taking away that thirst that nothing has been able to satisfy. It is His presence you soak up each time you read His Word; He comes alive in you as you read.
Our God is on every page of the Bible; He sits across the room watching our faces as we read, seeing what reaction we have to what He tells us there. I was reading a little book on Worship as I waited for my car to be washed this afternoon and I was reading scriptures there telling me about the changing of worship as the Holy Spirit came upon those there in the upper room waiting for the promised power from Jesus. As I read the words tears filled my eyes as I knew that we have received such a gift when we are born again in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of our Lord, living in us....never being without Him, having Him so close, filling us with His love and power, His joy and peace. How blessed we are, friends, how blessed we are.
Make time to spend in the Word of God. Make time to listen to worship music, let the Holy Spirit lead you into worship with it. Let your hearts rejoice in the miracles that the Lord does for us each day. Read, sing, love....soak in the precious presence of the Lord. He gives Himself freely to all those that truly seek Him, that desire Him more than life....He freely gives all He is to us.
02-27-12
Sunday, February 26, 2012
THE LIGHT FLOWS
John 14:46 "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness."
The Light of the world. A Gift, a precious Gift. The Lord had come as our Savior, to redeem us from all our sin, but there was more, so much more He had to give us. His Light, the glorious Light that shines in heaven as it's only Light source....that One who is the Source of all redemption, all salvation, all healing, all comfort, all provision, all restoration and refreshing. The only Light that will never burn out, fade away, or fall to light our way.
When we fail to see the Light, when it has become dim to us, it is not the Light that is not the same, it is the condition of the hearts of man. If the heart of man is not seeking the Lord only, when it has surcome to the wiles of the world, it is that which causes the Light to seem dim. It is the blurring of the eyes of man by sin or shame that has dimmed the Light. As one would change a light bulb at home when the bulb dies, the change to restore the Light requires only a prayer, a repentive prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to help you restore that relationship with the Lord. Forgiveness is waiting the child who has stepped into the darkness once he comes before the Lord with his heart open asking the Lord to forgive, to restore them once again to Himself. The blood of Jesus that cleansed you when you were saved, when you were born again, never loses it's power, never loses it's mercy. It just takes a heart that desires the Lord, that loves the Lord. The Light will fall when the prayer of a repentive heart goes up.
This morning in services, as worship was rising to the realms of heaven, as my hands reached up to the Lord, I saw His hands coming down to mine. From His hands came rays of light, His glorious Light and they flowed into my hands and all through my body. The Lord told me as I serve others in His Name, as I stretch my hands out to others showing His love and grace, giving His comfort, and as they receive Him into their hearts, then His Light from my hands would extend to them. And as they would do the same to others, His Light would move to another and another and another until His Light was flowing into the world, all around the world. His Light bringing redemption, healing; sharing love and grace to all His children, uniting us with His Light.
The Light of the Lord, the warm, loving, healing Light that came so long ago. When His Light comes into darkness, darkness disappears. Can you see what the flowing of His Light from one to another can result in? Can you see the Light of our Savior overtaking all the darkness in this world, bringing joy and peace to all that call upon His Name? Salvations, healings, restoration to families, to friends.
Lift your hands towards heaven as you read this, look at the hands of our Savior, see that beautiful Light that is flowing from His hands and let that Light flow through you. Now carry that Light, touch others with His Light and let His love flow with the Light. Pray for that one you have touched, that you have shared His Light with, that they will share the Light with another and begin to pray for that one. Before long.....we can be His extended source of His Light..... watch the darkness disappear.
The Light of the world, will never cease to flow, to brighten lives with love. Jesus is the Light of the world. He is the only Source of Light that will never fail us. Joy and peace.....from the Light of Heaven, from the Throne of the King.
02-26-12
The Light of the world. A Gift, a precious Gift. The Lord had come as our Savior, to redeem us from all our sin, but there was more, so much more He had to give us. His Light, the glorious Light that shines in heaven as it's only Light source....that One who is the Source of all redemption, all salvation, all healing, all comfort, all provision, all restoration and refreshing. The only Light that will never burn out, fade away, or fall to light our way.
When we fail to see the Light, when it has become dim to us, it is not the Light that is not the same, it is the condition of the hearts of man. If the heart of man is not seeking the Lord only, when it has surcome to the wiles of the world, it is that which causes the Light to seem dim. It is the blurring of the eyes of man by sin or shame that has dimmed the Light. As one would change a light bulb at home when the bulb dies, the change to restore the Light requires only a prayer, a repentive prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to help you restore that relationship with the Lord. Forgiveness is waiting the child who has stepped into the darkness once he comes before the Lord with his heart open asking the Lord to forgive, to restore them once again to Himself. The blood of Jesus that cleansed you when you were saved, when you were born again, never loses it's power, never loses it's mercy. It just takes a heart that desires the Lord, that loves the Lord. The Light will fall when the prayer of a repentive heart goes up.
This morning in services, as worship was rising to the realms of heaven, as my hands reached up to the Lord, I saw His hands coming down to mine. From His hands came rays of light, His glorious Light and they flowed into my hands and all through my body. The Lord told me as I serve others in His Name, as I stretch my hands out to others showing His love and grace, giving His comfort, and as they receive Him into their hearts, then His Light from my hands would extend to them. And as they would do the same to others, His Light would move to another and another and another until His Light was flowing into the world, all around the world. His Light bringing redemption, healing; sharing love and grace to all His children, uniting us with His Light.
The Light of the Lord, the warm, loving, healing Light that came so long ago. When His Light comes into darkness, darkness disappears. Can you see what the flowing of His Light from one to another can result in? Can you see the Light of our Savior overtaking all the darkness in this world, bringing joy and peace to all that call upon His Name? Salvations, healings, restoration to families, to friends.
Lift your hands towards heaven as you read this, look at the hands of our Savior, see that beautiful Light that is flowing from His hands and let that Light flow through you. Now carry that Light, touch others with His Light and let His love flow with the Light. Pray for that one you have touched, that you have shared His Light with, that they will share the Light with another and begin to pray for that one. Before long.....we can be His extended source of His Light..... watch the darkness disappear.
The Light of the world, will never cease to flow, to brighten lives with love. Jesus is the Light of the world. He is the only Source of Light that will never fail us. Joy and peace.....from the Light of Heaven, from the Throne of the King.
02-26-12
Saturday, February 25, 2012
THE JOURNEY (The Journey's End, Part 7.....The Reward)
Philippians 2:5 "Your attitude whould be the same as that of Christ Jesus."
My journey, Lord, it ends with You, in Your Throne Room. You have brought me thus far and I know my journey is not complete, but I have seen the things You have opened my eyes to, and I know my journey ends with You, in You.
You desire each of Your children to have the qualities of Your Son, Jesus. You began my walk by showing me that You would always be with me, nothing will happen to me as long as I am in Your will. You showed me the need for my feet to follow Your directions; as Jesus walked in Your will, in Your desire for Him. What You planned for Him to do, He obeyed You completely. Jesus was a servant to all those around Him. Jesus, the King of kings, spent His time serving others. You desire me to be a servant to Your children as Jesus was. Then Father, You showed me the importance of what my eyes see and how I needed to listen for Your quiet, still voice. In worshiping You, my heart has found oneness with my Savior who lived His life in worship to You. I want to live my life, give my life as a worship offering to You, my God.
Each aspect of this week's writings on The Journey, Lord, You have given me words designed to develop me to live my life as Jesus lived His. You desire me to be as Jesus. This is Your plan for each of Your children. To walk, to speak, to listen, to feel. Every sense we have should come into line with Your Word. We were made to worship You. We were made to live our lives giving You glory. In all I do, Lord, I should live as Jesus lived. I not perfect, I make mistakes, I need the mercy You give me new each day. I need the continual washing of the blood of Jesus to keep me righteous in Him before You. But I see that I am to constantly strive and continue to develop an attitude like Jesus. He was love, He was forgiveness and pardon, He was mercy and grace. Because of Jesus' sacrifice for us, we have been made sons and daughters of God. We have been given access to the throne room of God. But there is this journey that we are on, and the journey, the Lord has shown me, is the process to become more and more like Jesus. The journey may last long for some of us, or it may seem short but each step of the way, with the Lord's grace showered down on us, with His mercy flowing with the blood of Jesus, and with His love, that precious love that never fails, never ends, we can become more and more like Jesus.
We can become that one that at the end of the day, knowing we have given our all to walk in the steps of Jesus, we can come to the Throne Room of the Father, and sit at His feet, or climb up in His lap, and hear Him tell us, "Well done, my good and faithful servant". Have you thought of the reward that is. We all hear about the reward that one day will be ours in heaven, but now, this day, on earth, we can enter the Throne Room of the Lord; there will be Jesus standing in front of the Father, and as we walk up behind Him, the Father looks to see who is there. Righteousness is what He sees as He looks at us through Jesus; pure, cleansed in the Lamb we stand. And then as He calls our name.....as He calls my name, and invites me to come; "Come, My child, come sit with Me". That my friends, those words that I love to hear, that is my reward, your reward....here on earth; heaven comes to earth to bring us the reward for seeking to live as our Savior did, to share His love, not judging but showing compassion to all; showing mercy and grace, giving each other room to grow without blame, without chains binding us down. Peace will be our mantle, laughter and joy will fill the air as the freedom of our Lord flows to all who follow Him. And the reward that is above all things, presence with the Father, my God.
02-25-12
My journey, Lord, it ends with You, in Your Throne Room. You have brought me thus far and I know my journey is not complete, but I have seen the things You have opened my eyes to, and I know my journey ends with You, in You.
You desire each of Your children to have the qualities of Your Son, Jesus. You began my walk by showing me that You would always be with me, nothing will happen to me as long as I am in Your will. You showed me the need for my feet to follow Your directions; as Jesus walked in Your will, in Your desire for Him. What You planned for Him to do, He obeyed You completely. Jesus was a servant to all those around Him. Jesus, the King of kings, spent His time serving others. You desire me to be a servant to Your children as Jesus was. Then Father, You showed me the importance of what my eyes see and how I needed to listen for Your quiet, still voice. In worshiping You, my heart has found oneness with my Savior who lived His life in worship to You. I want to live my life, give my life as a worship offering to You, my God.
Each aspect of this week's writings on The Journey, Lord, You have given me words designed to develop me to live my life as Jesus lived His. You desire me to be as Jesus. This is Your plan for each of Your children. To walk, to speak, to listen, to feel. Every sense we have should come into line with Your Word. We were made to worship You. We were made to live our lives giving You glory. In all I do, Lord, I should live as Jesus lived. I not perfect, I make mistakes, I need the mercy You give me new each day. I need the continual washing of the blood of Jesus to keep me righteous in Him before You. But I see that I am to constantly strive and continue to develop an attitude like Jesus. He was love, He was forgiveness and pardon, He was mercy and grace. Because of Jesus' sacrifice for us, we have been made sons and daughters of God. We have been given access to the throne room of God. But there is this journey that we are on, and the journey, the Lord has shown me, is the process to become more and more like Jesus. The journey may last long for some of us, or it may seem short but each step of the way, with the Lord's grace showered down on us, with His mercy flowing with the blood of Jesus, and with His love, that precious love that never fails, never ends, we can become more and more like Jesus.
We can become that one that at the end of the day, knowing we have given our all to walk in the steps of Jesus, we can come to the Throne Room of the Father, and sit at His feet, or climb up in His lap, and hear Him tell us, "Well done, my good and faithful servant". Have you thought of the reward that is. We all hear about the reward that one day will be ours in heaven, but now, this day, on earth, we can enter the Throne Room of the Lord; there will be Jesus standing in front of the Father, and as we walk up behind Him, the Father looks to see who is there. Righteousness is what He sees as He looks at us through Jesus; pure, cleansed in the Lamb we stand. And then as He calls our name.....as He calls my name, and invites me to come; "Come, My child, come sit with Me". That my friends, those words that I love to hear, that is my reward, your reward....here on earth; heaven comes to earth to bring us the reward for seeking to live as our Savior did, to share His love, not judging but showing compassion to all; showing mercy and grace, giving each other room to grow without blame, without chains binding us down. Peace will be our mantle, laughter and joy will fill the air as the freedom of our Lord flows to all who follow Him. And the reward that is above all things, presence with the Father, my God.
02-25-12
Friday, February 24, 2012
THE HEART THAT WORSHIPS (The Journey, Part 6)
John 4:24 "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and truth."
The most important part of our journey, the beauty of the entire experience is obtained when we worship the Lord with all our heart. We must, I repeat, WE MUST realize the importance of worshiping our Lord God. I realize so many think that the most important thing we have to do for the Lord is to win souls, and I will never discount that as it is vital, urgent in these last days, to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, but the Lord will see that they hear. It will be a natural flow of salvation to others as they are led into true, intimate worship of the Lord. As they see us worshiping, as they see the Glory that falls upon us as our spirits connect with the Spirit of God, they will be drawn into a heart felt desire to experience that also. Those that do not at that time, will have other times as the Lord will not let them go until they have every opportunity to come to Him. This is what the Lord shows me. This is what He has made clear to me for several years now. I was made, you were made, with one sole purpose on earth. Our God made us to worship Him alone. To give Him our whole hearts, surrendering to Him with complete abandonment in heartfelt worship.
Worship that comes from our hearts, pure and honest worship, thanksgiving to the One who gave us life, eternal life, by sending His Son to be a sacrifice for our sin; to offer to us the intimate fellowship with Him alone, this is what the Lord desires most from us. When He draws us together in a corporate atmosphere, when He watches as we begin to sing, He listens to the hearts of those singing. He doesn't notice if notes are off key, if voices are broken, shaky, strained; He listens to the intent of the heart. Are the hearts offering up their complete love to Him, are they worshiping Him just for Who He is, their Father, the Lover of their soul, the Creator that holds them so close to Him; or are they just singing to sing, because it is what everyone is doing, or they worshiping wanting to impress Him or others. It doesn't matter if you sing the words right, in fact, a true worship leader will tell you to sing a new song from your heart to the Lord, he/she will encourage you to sing from your spirit as the Holy Spirit leads you to worship the Lord, to love on Him, to glorify Him alone.
A worship service that is seeking to lift up their voices to worship God, in spirit and in truth, people attending these services where the Lord is their objective, touching His garment, touching His face, looking into His eyes; these worshipers will lift their voices in unity and the songs of their hearts will literally break open the doors of Heaven, beckoning the Glory of the Lord to come down to them, to reign in their hearts, to come into the sanctuary they have prepared for Him with their worship. God so loves this atmosphere, He delights in that worship, that praise that He sees coming from their hearts. Worshipers in this place will experience the infilling of the Holy Spirit as the Presence of the Lord falls upon each one of them, as His Glory Cloud fills the place and miracles begin to take place. Healings of bodies, of minds, of relationships begin to pour out onto those present; weeping as the burdens lift from the shoulders of so many that were not even aware of them, tears pouring down the faces of those are lifted up to the Lord, and then laughter from the purest joy found in heaven or earth begins to fill the air as freedom fills their spirits. Then more worship rises to the Lord in forms of thanksgiving and praise for what He has done for them......and it all began in their hearts, in the pure desire of worshiping the Lord.
No journey will be satisfying unless it begins with the knowledge of the importance of worshiping the Lord. No journey can take place unless the heart has the desire and the pure need to worship the Lord. I no longer have just the desire to worship my God, I need to worship Him. It is what I have to do. The Lord has been so good to me, He has blessed me so with His presence. Once you have been in the presence of the Lord, once you have felt His arms hold you and known that love, that intimate love pour throughout your spirit, warming your body from head to toe, you will have to worship the Lord. There will be no life in you without worshiping the Lord. It will become who you are as it is who I am. He drew me to Him and taught me to worship Him, He instructed me just how to worship Him, just what pleased Him, and then He filled me with that love of Him that left no desire for anyone or anything else, and now I know no other way to live; He is my every breath, my everything, and I have to worship Him with all my heart.
02-24-12
The most important part of our journey, the beauty of the entire experience is obtained when we worship the Lord with all our heart. We must, I repeat, WE MUST realize the importance of worshiping our Lord God. I realize so many think that the most important thing we have to do for the Lord is to win souls, and I will never discount that as it is vital, urgent in these last days, to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, but the Lord will see that they hear. It will be a natural flow of salvation to others as they are led into true, intimate worship of the Lord. As they see us worshiping, as they see the Glory that falls upon us as our spirits connect with the Spirit of God, they will be drawn into a heart felt desire to experience that also. Those that do not at that time, will have other times as the Lord will not let them go until they have every opportunity to come to Him. This is what the Lord shows me. This is what He has made clear to me for several years now. I was made, you were made, with one sole purpose on earth. Our God made us to worship Him alone. To give Him our whole hearts, surrendering to Him with complete abandonment in heartfelt worship.
Worship that comes from our hearts, pure and honest worship, thanksgiving to the One who gave us life, eternal life, by sending His Son to be a sacrifice for our sin; to offer to us the intimate fellowship with Him alone, this is what the Lord desires most from us. When He draws us together in a corporate atmosphere, when He watches as we begin to sing, He listens to the hearts of those singing. He doesn't notice if notes are off key, if voices are broken, shaky, strained; He listens to the intent of the heart. Are the hearts offering up their complete love to Him, are they worshiping Him just for Who He is, their Father, the Lover of their soul, the Creator that holds them so close to Him; or are they just singing to sing, because it is what everyone is doing, or they worshiping wanting to impress Him or others. It doesn't matter if you sing the words right, in fact, a true worship leader will tell you to sing a new song from your heart to the Lord, he/she will encourage you to sing from your spirit as the Holy Spirit leads you to worship the Lord, to love on Him, to glorify Him alone.
A worship service that is seeking to lift up their voices to worship God, in spirit and in truth, people attending these services where the Lord is their objective, touching His garment, touching His face, looking into His eyes; these worshipers will lift their voices in unity and the songs of their hearts will literally break open the doors of Heaven, beckoning the Glory of the Lord to come down to them, to reign in their hearts, to come into the sanctuary they have prepared for Him with their worship. God so loves this atmosphere, He delights in that worship, that praise that He sees coming from their hearts. Worshipers in this place will experience the infilling of the Holy Spirit as the Presence of the Lord falls upon each one of them, as His Glory Cloud fills the place and miracles begin to take place. Healings of bodies, of minds, of relationships begin to pour out onto those present; weeping as the burdens lift from the shoulders of so many that were not even aware of them, tears pouring down the faces of those are lifted up to the Lord, and then laughter from the purest joy found in heaven or earth begins to fill the air as freedom fills their spirits. Then more worship rises to the Lord in forms of thanksgiving and praise for what He has done for them......and it all began in their hearts, in the pure desire of worshiping the Lord.
No journey will be satisfying unless it begins with the knowledge of the importance of worshiping the Lord. No journey can take place unless the heart has the desire and the pure need to worship the Lord. I no longer have just the desire to worship my God, I need to worship Him. It is what I have to do. The Lord has been so good to me, He has blessed me so with His presence. Once you have been in the presence of the Lord, once you have felt His arms hold you and known that love, that intimate love pour throughout your spirit, warming your body from head to toe, you will have to worship the Lord. There will be no life in you without worshiping the Lord. It will become who you are as it is who I am. He drew me to Him and taught me to worship Him, He instructed me just how to worship Him, just what pleased Him, and then He filled me with that love of Him that left no desire for anyone or anything else, and now I know no other way to live; He is my every breath, my everything, and I have to worship Him with all my heart.
02-24-12
Thursday, February 23, 2012
THE HEARING EAR (The Journey, Part 5)
Revelation 3:20 "Hear I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."
Our God is very sensitive. Surprising isn't it, that a God that is so powerful, so mighty; a God that can flash His light across the sky as His voice thunders and shakes nations is sensitive. For generations, He has been rejected, criticized and mocked in everyway known to man. As many times as He forgave and restored His children they still turned from Him. Our God sent His Beloved Son to earth to physically die for the sins of all mankind, redeeming them of all sin, being beaten for all illnesses, all disease, and rose again to fulfil scripture and to prove that the Word of God is true. Jesus sent His Holy Spirit to dwell with the children of God that repented, receiving new life in Him, to guide and help them, to show them the way to the Father's heart. But still so many reject the Lord, ignore His commands and live in their sin. So now, the Lord does not force Himself on anyone. He stands outside the door of our heart and knocks. Can you imange the Lord God asking to be invited in? But yet, He does. He quietly asks to enter your heart, compelling you to open the door to Him and let Him share what He has with you. And He waits.....
The quiet, still voice you hear is the Spirit of God. That beautiful, sensitive voice of the Spirit beckons you to open the door to the Lord, to invite Him in, to receive the blessings that the Lord has been storing up for each of us. I love to hear that beautiful voice of the Holy Spirit. My Lord does not have to wait outside my heart, He is so welcome in my heart. My entire being shutters at the thought of my God being turned away from some hearts. It breaks my heart to know that He waits for those who refuse to hear His voice, to hear His knock on their heart's door. But His love, His unconditional love causes Him to wait, and to call, and to listen for that invitation to come in.
Those of us that have invited the Lord in; we that have made our hearts a sanctuary for the Lord to dwell in, we know the joy that hearing the voice of the Lord brings. The journey that we make each day from rising up in the morning to our lying down again at night, our day is spent listening for His voice. For those words of love and affection. The Lord is so sensitive, He is such a romantic to those that love Him so much. People that have rejected the Lord have no idea how loving and kind He is. They will never know how He plans each of our steps with such care, such detail that nothing is left lacking as we journey on. All things are prepared just perfectly for those that love the Lord and listen to His voice.
Our ears need also to be very sensitive when we are talking to those that are lost. So often our minds are telling us what this person needs, what they are lacking, just how we should tell them of the Lord. But do we really always hear what they are saying. We need to listen with discernment, hear the heart of the person and not necessary the words they are speaking. So often words are put out there to form a barrier, to protect them from more hurt and pain. We need to hear beyond what they are saying, hear their heart, and let the love of the Father flow through us to them; draw them out of their pain with love and comfort, sharing what the Lord has for them if they will just listen for His knock and open the door to their heart for the Lord to come in and heal them, satisfy their need for love. Ears that listen, that truly hear......
Holy Spirit, sweet Spirit of my God, speak to me and let me always know how I can please my Lord. Give me ears to listen, ears to hear what my Father is saying to me. Make my ears amplify my hearing so I will hear that quiet, still voice of the Father, so that discernment is part of my hearing to help others and to know when it is my Father that is speaking to me.
I thank You, Lord for hearing ears that You have given me for the journey. Make them ears that hear what You want me to hear, your love and encouragement for each step of the way. What joy is mine, in the presence of my God, Whose voice is the sweetest, most beautiful music to my ears.
02-23-12
Our God is very sensitive. Surprising isn't it, that a God that is so powerful, so mighty; a God that can flash His light across the sky as His voice thunders and shakes nations is sensitive. For generations, He has been rejected, criticized and mocked in everyway known to man. As many times as He forgave and restored His children they still turned from Him. Our God sent His Beloved Son to earth to physically die for the sins of all mankind, redeeming them of all sin, being beaten for all illnesses, all disease, and rose again to fulfil scripture and to prove that the Word of God is true. Jesus sent His Holy Spirit to dwell with the children of God that repented, receiving new life in Him, to guide and help them, to show them the way to the Father's heart. But still so many reject the Lord, ignore His commands and live in their sin. So now, the Lord does not force Himself on anyone. He stands outside the door of our heart and knocks. Can you imange the Lord God asking to be invited in? But yet, He does. He quietly asks to enter your heart, compelling you to open the door to Him and let Him share what He has with you. And He waits.....
The quiet, still voice you hear is the Spirit of God. That beautiful, sensitive voice of the Spirit beckons you to open the door to the Lord, to invite Him in, to receive the blessings that the Lord has been storing up for each of us. I love to hear that beautiful voice of the Holy Spirit. My Lord does not have to wait outside my heart, He is so welcome in my heart. My entire being shutters at the thought of my God being turned away from some hearts. It breaks my heart to know that He waits for those who refuse to hear His voice, to hear His knock on their heart's door. But His love, His unconditional love causes Him to wait, and to call, and to listen for that invitation to come in.
Those of us that have invited the Lord in; we that have made our hearts a sanctuary for the Lord to dwell in, we know the joy that hearing the voice of the Lord brings. The journey that we make each day from rising up in the morning to our lying down again at night, our day is spent listening for His voice. For those words of love and affection. The Lord is so sensitive, He is such a romantic to those that love Him so much. People that have rejected the Lord have no idea how loving and kind He is. They will never know how He plans each of our steps with such care, such detail that nothing is left lacking as we journey on. All things are prepared just perfectly for those that love the Lord and listen to His voice.
Our ears need also to be very sensitive when we are talking to those that are lost. So often our minds are telling us what this person needs, what they are lacking, just how we should tell them of the Lord. But do we really always hear what they are saying. We need to listen with discernment, hear the heart of the person and not necessary the words they are speaking. So often words are put out there to form a barrier, to protect them from more hurt and pain. We need to hear beyond what they are saying, hear their heart, and let the love of the Father flow through us to them; draw them out of their pain with love and comfort, sharing what the Lord has for them if they will just listen for His knock and open the door to their heart for the Lord to come in and heal them, satisfy their need for love. Ears that listen, that truly hear......
Holy Spirit, sweet Spirit of my God, speak to me and let me always know how I can please my Lord. Give me ears to listen, ears to hear what my Father is saying to me. Make my ears amplify my hearing so I will hear that quiet, still voice of the Father, so that discernment is part of my hearing to help others and to know when it is my Father that is speaking to me.
I thank You, Lord for hearing ears that You have given me for the journey. Make them ears that hear what You want me to hear, your love and encouragement for each step of the way. What joy is mine, in the presence of my God, Whose voice is the sweetest, most beautiful music to my ears.
02-23-12
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
THE EYES THAT SEE (The Journey Part 4)
2 Corinthians 4:18 "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
If you fix your eyes on the things you can see, and do not look inward to what the Spirit is showing you, you will live in fear of the things you see and of the unknown things you cannot see. Our eyes are a beautiful gift from the Lord. With the eye, we can look out onto the earth that the Lord created and see such beauty.....but we can also see the ugly things that are there also. If one says they only see the beauty and never see the things that are grievious to us, those things that are grievious to the Lord, then they are lying to you and to themselves. It is impossible not to see everything if we are looking at the world. BUT GOD and only God can make those things that are unsightly bearable in Him. We see things that are hurtful to see, they tear at our hearts. Knowing how upsetting these things are to us, can you feel for a moment the Lord's heart as He sees what happens on the earth He so lovingly made so long ago. As He looks down on us, there is no doubt in His mind, in His heart that sending His Beloved Son to die for our sin was so necessary, for without that precious sacrifice of the Blood, we would all be lost, destined for the pits of hell. But because of His love for us, we have been forgiven.
O Lord, I have no idea of this message. It seems like what I had seen to be for this evening, will be like so many, not what You wanted to say at all. The eyes that see. What is it we are chosing to see as we follow our Lord on this journey? Are we looking at the things that the Lord leads us to look at or are we letting our eyes gaze at the things of the world, just a little too long.....perhaps we are thinking it won't hurt if we look. How foolish we are to think that if we just linger on the other side for a moment longer than to just pass through on our journey it will not affect our walk. Things have residual qualities that will come up in your mind when you least expect it. That movie you watched, that TV program that really should be rated X for a Christian, but....well, it's on TV how bad can it be? A trick of the enemy to be sure. Those little suggestions made in the sit-coms that so many laugh at...well they will appear in your mind when you are teaching your Bible Study Class or when you are seriously praying for a loved one, or a sick one at church. I don't believe that these things that pop up in our minds at these times are all from the enemy. I believe the Lord allows some of these things to cross our minds so we can see the dangers of what we have allowed our eyes to see. What we see, can go into the spirit.
When we see some horrendous things that we have no control over, we need to pray for this situation and give it to the Lord. Pray and ask for His divine intervention to protect and provide for the outcome of this to bring Him glory and honor. Somethinigs are so heart breaking, it is plain to those that are in the Lord how necessary it is to share Jesus with everyone. Then give it to the Lord. But when we look at some things, when we sense the Holy Spirit warning us from them, when we feel uncomfortable about what our eyes are seeing, those things will come back to you, time and time again, until you ask the Lord to forgive you for allowing them into your spirit, and that you will be more careful what you watch, what you allow your eyes to see.
Fix your eyes on the things that are unseen, the purity and glory of our Lord. Allow those things of God, those things of beauty, His Holiness; those things of worth and instruction, His Word; those things eternal, His Love.....allow these things to come into your eyes, to flow into your spirit, to reside in you. These are the eternal things of the Lord. The priceless beauty of His earth, His creation. Lift your eyes above street level and look above to the images of our Savior's hand held out to us, wanting to bring us above all the things that we should not see and show us the things He would have us see.
Our journey will be one road bump after another unless we fix our things on the things of the Lord and not on the things of the world. The saved and unsaved alike are watching with eyes that see exactly what we see. What will you show them through your eyes? Will you show them a world that the Lord has made for us in Him; will they see the beauty of His love coming from you? Will peace radiate to their eyes from your face? The only thing some people will see is you. Will you show them Jesus? Let the journey hold fast to the path that is lit by the Saviors love, the Light is there for your eyes to see and to behold the Lord.....in all His Glory.
02-22-12
If you fix your eyes on the things you can see, and do not look inward to what the Spirit is showing you, you will live in fear of the things you see and of the unknown things you cannot see. Our eyes are a beautiful gift from the Lord. With the eye, we can look out onto the earth that the Lord created and see such beauty.....but we can also see the ugly things that are there also. If one says they only see the beauty and never see the things that are grievious to us, those things that are grievious to the Lord, then they are lying to you and to themselves. It is impossible not to see everything if we are looking at the world. BUT GOD and only God can make those things that are unsightly bearable in Him. We see things that are hurtful to see, they tear at our hearts. Knowing how upsetting these things are to us, can you feel for a moment the Lord's heart as He sees what happens on the earth He so lovingly made so long ago. As He looks down on us, there is no doubt in His mind, in His heart that sending His Beloved Son to die for our sin was so necessary, for without that precious sacrifice of the Blood, we would all be lost, destined for the pits of hell. But because of His love for us, we have been forgiven.
O Lord, I have no idea of this message. It seems like what I had seen to be for this evening, will be like so many, not what You wanted to say at all. The eyes that see. What is it we are chosing to see as we follow our Lord on this journey? Are we looking at the things that the Lord leads us to look at or are we letting our eyes gaze at the things of the world, just a little too long.....perhaps we are thinking it won't hurt if we look. How foolish we are to think that if we just linger on the other side for a moment longer than to just pass through on our journey it will not affect our walk. Things have residual qualities that will come up in your mind when you least expect it. That movie you watched, that TV program that really should be rated X for a Christian, but....well, it's on TV how bad can it be? A trick of the enemy to be sure. Those little suggestions made in the sit-coms that so many laugh at...well they will appear in your mind when you are teaching your Bible Study Class or when you are seriously praying for a loved one, or a sick one at church. I don't believe that these things that pop up in our minds at these times are all from the enemy. I believe the Lord allows some of these things to cross our minds so we can see the dangers of what we have allowed our eyes to see. What we see, can go into the spirit.
When we see some horrendous things that we have no control over, we need to pray for this situation and give it to the Lord. Pray and ask for His divine intervention to protect and provide for the outcome of this to bring Him glory and honor. Somethinigs are so heart breaking, it is plain to those that are in the Lord how necessary it is to share Jesus with everyone. Then give it to the Lord. But when we look at some things, when we sense the Holy Spirit warning us from them, when we feel uncomfortable about what our eyes are seeing, those things will come back to you, time and time again, until you ask the Lord to forgive you for allowing them into your spirit, and that you will be more careful what you watch, what you allow your eyes to see.
Fix your eyes on the things that are unseen, the purity and glory of our Lord. Allow those things of God, those things of beauty, His Holiness; those things of worth and instruction, His Word; those things eternal, His Love.....allow these things to come into your eyes, to flow into your spirit, to reside in you. These are the eternal things of the Lord. The priceless beauty of His earth, His creation. Lift your eyes above street level and look above to the images of our Savior's hand held out to us, wanting to bring us above all the things that we should not see and show us the things He would have us see.
Our journey will be one road bump after another unless we fix our things on the things of the Lord and not on the things of the world. The saved and unsaved alike are watching with eyes that see exactly what we see. What will you show them through your eyes? Will you show them a world that the Lord has made for us in Him; will they see the beauty of His love coming from you? Will peace radiate to their eyes from your face? The only thing some people will see is you. Will you show them Jesus? Let the journey hold fast to the path that is lit by the Saviors love, the Light is there for your eyes to see and to behold the Lord.....in all His Glory.
02-22-12
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
THE HAND THAT SERVES (The Journey, Part 3)
John 12:26 "Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, my servant also will be."
After the Lord gave me all the parts of The Journey, I sat thinking about those that serve. My mind went to the story of Mary and Martha. Jesus and His friends had come to visit and Martha was busy preparing a meal. I would imagine that it was the best in the house, for Jesus was there, an honored guest. I can see her busy in the kitchen working so hard to make everything perfect, wondering where Mary was, she needed her help. I can see her coming into the living area and seeing Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to Him. The heart of Martha so longing to be where Mary was, and her mind telling her there are things to do, and why wasn't Mary helping. The conflict of her heart and her head caused her to blurt out and complain to the Lord about Mary not helping. Then the Lord told Martha she was worried and upset about many things....see He knew her heart, He knew what was on her mind. Only one thing, Jesus told her, was needed and Mary had chosen that which was the best, and He would not take that from her. I don't think Jesus was being cruel to Martha, I think He wanted her to realize that although all her preparations were good, they were not what was the most important.
Remember the last big meal you prepared? A holiday meal, when everyone was coming to your house and there was so much to do, you worked for days and was cooking a lot of food and by the time the company arrived all you could think of was making it perfect. You did not enjoy the day, you spent no time with the company, no quality time as you were in the kitchen preparing and then cleaning up. Then they were gone, and you could not remember spending any time with them, enjoying them, sharing the day with them.
I believe Jesus wanted Martha to realize that although preparations and wanting things to be just right for company often leaves us unsatisfied as we miss the part that is the most important. Being with each other, enjoying each others company. As with Mary, she wanted to spend her time with Jesus. Being with Him, listening to Him speak, tell the stories that would remain in her memory forever. Martha, I truly believe, wanted this also, but could not get past what she had been taught was the more important. I think so many of us were raised with the same beliefs, making everything perfect for company, making sure everyone was satisfied. I can remember my mother so tired at the end of the day after company left and she had not spent any time with them to speak of. I followed right in her footsteps. The Lord has taught me that it doesn't matter near as much what you serve to your guests as long as it is done with lots of love and attention. The attention that is given as you share time with them, visiting and laughing with them, enjoying their company.
Serving the Lord should be just that. Serving Him with joy, giving Him your time. Don't spend so much time doing things for the Lord that you fail to spend that quality time with Him, just sitting quietly with Him, listening to the things He will want to share with you, being in His presence. The Lord loves all we do to serve Him at church or in groups and ministries, but you cannot serve two masters. The enemy is very good at keeping you so busy with "good" works that you fail to have time to spend with the Lord. Spending time with Him is the better thing to do. You need to spend quailty time with our Lord. Climb up in the Fathers lap and let Him tell you how much He loves you and what He has planned for you. Look up into His eyes and tell Him how much you love Him, how you cannot take another step, do not want to go on without His being with you, without His presence surrounding you. You need this respite with the Lord daily, this time to serve Him with your adoration, giving Him your attention, serving Him alone. The journey will not be near as wonderful, near as beautiful, without this solace with Him each day.
02-21-12
After the Lord gave me all the parts of The Journey, I sat thinking about those that serve. My mind went to the story of Mary and Martha. Jesus and His friends had come to visit and Martha was busy preparing a meal. I would imagine that it was the best in the house, for Jesus was there, an honored guest. I can see her busy in the kitchen working so hard to make everything perfect, wondering where Mary was, she needed her help. I can see her coming into the living area and seeing Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to Him. The heart of Martha so longing to be where Mary was, and her mind telling her there are things to do, and why wasn't Mary helping. The conflict of her heart and her head caused her to blurt out and complain to the Lord about Mary not helping. Then the Lord told Martha she was worried and upset about many things....see He knew her heart, He knew what was on her mind. Only one thing, Jesus told her, was needed and Mary had chosen that which was the best, and He would not take that from her. I don't think Jesus was being cruel to Martha, I think He wanted her to realize that although all her preparations were good, they were not what was the most important.
Remember the last big meal you prepared? A holiday meal, when everyone was coming to your house and there was so much to do, you worked for days and was cooking a lot of food and by the time the company arrived all you could think of was making it perfect. You did not enjoy the day, you spent no time with the company, no quality time as you were in the kitchen preparing and then cleaning up. Then they were gone, and you could not remember spending any time with them, enjoying them, sharing the day with them.
I believe Jesus wanted Martha to realize that although preparations and wanting things to be just right for company often leaves us unsatisfied as we miss the part that is the most important. Being with each other, enjoying each others company. As with Mary, she wanted to spend her time with Jesus. Being with Him, listening to Him speak, tell the stories that would remain in her memory forever. Martha, I truly believe, wanted this also, but could not get past what she had been taught was the more important. I think so many of us were raised with the same beliefs, making everything perfect for company, making sure everyone was satisfied. I can remember my mother so tired at the end of the day after company left and she had not spent any time with them to speak of. I followed right in her footsteps. The Lord has taught me that it doesn't matter near as much what you serve to your guests as long as it is done with lots of love and attention. The attention that is given as you share time with them, visiting and laughing with them, enjoying their company.
Serving the Lord should be just that. Serving Him with joy, giving Him your time. Don't spend so much time doing things for the Lord that you fail to spend that quality time with Him, just sitting quietly with Him, listening to the things He will want to share with you, being in His presence. The Lord loves all we do to serve Him at church or in groups and ministries, but you cannot serve two masters. The enemy is very good at keeping you so busy with "good" works that you fail to have time to spend with the Lord. Spending time with Him is the better thing to do. You need to spend quailty time with our Lord. Climb up in the Fathers lap and let Him tell you how much He loves you and what He has planned for you. Look up into His eyes and tell Him how much you love Him, how you cannot take another step, do not want to go on without His being with you, without His presence surrounding you. You need this respite with the Lord daily, this time to serve Him with your adoration, giving Him your attention, serving Him alone. The journey will not be near as wonderful, near as beautiful, without this solace with Him each day.
02-21-12
Monday, February 20, 2012
THE FEET OF THOSE WHO GO (The Journey, Part 2)
Isaiah 52:7 "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!".
For a long time, I have been aware of the fact that "not everyone who is called, goes...and not everyone who goes, is called". I also know that when the Lord calls you to begin a journey with Him, not everyone will go. There are a lot of reasons why some do not want to step out on a journey with the Lord.....uncertainly, fear, family. I know there was a lot thrown at me when the Lord called me to journey with Him. When He told me I was to move to the Dallas area, the enemy had a field day with me. First he approached me with the weather, making sure I was aware of the difference in what 250 miles could be like in weather. I heard tornados, hail, snow, ice. Well, I am from the Gulf area, lived there most of my life and I know what hurricanes are and how they product tornadoes. Have driven in snow and ice, and hail occurs everywhere it storms. So he couldn't get me there. Then he decided to put guilt on me for the duties, the things I did at the church I attended. That got me for a while until the Lord told me that that was not my concern, He was calling me, He would take care of those things. And He did, beautifully. Then He began to move everything in His power, in His strength. I knew He was in everything. But so many people cannot get past those things that are brought up to them. It takes trust, unfailing trust in the Lord, knowing that if you just trust Him, He will make everything right for the journey. Family, friends, weather, housing, finances....He is unlimited in His Power and His resources to take care of all things.
Those who step out in faith with the Lord, who begin their journey....their feet will be blessed. The feet of those walking on a journey with the Lord will travel in many places, in many manners...it could be that the journey is only in your hometown, where you are already. The Lord does not necessarily move you to put you on a journey. A journey is a life in the Lord. A stepping out to do what He leads you to do, whether it is at home, in your town, or moving to a different location. It is a leap of faith in doing His will, giving His message to those He sends to you or that He sends you to.
When you become born again in the Lord, when your sins are forgiven, grace has been poured over you and mercy renews you daily, the Holy Spirit dwells within you. EVERY PLACE your feet touch, that you walk, becomes Holy Ground as the Lord is with you. Where you stand is Holy Ground. Your body, your heart and soul become Holy Ground. As often as we sing the song Holy Ground, so often we think it is where Jesus will walk, where He will stand....but He lives in each of us. Where we are is Holy Ground. The feet of those that journey with the Lord, constantly are on Holy Ground.
Our Lord annoints His children to do the work He has called them to. He does not call us then abandon us. He gives us each day, the necessary grace and strength we need for that day. The next day, He gives again. His annointing flows through us as we share His Word, as we share His love and mercy with others. The love we show others, the love that He has placed in our hearts for those around us, leaves us and flows into them with the annointing of the Lord. Those words are there to touch their hearts, drawing them to the Lord, giving them access to the Father, to His presence.
The feet of those who go....how blessed are those who will trust, who will obey, and who will step out to spread the good news of the love of Jesus; who will show His peace that is in their hearts. Showing is so much stronger than telling. People tend to believe what they see. They will see if you truly have God's peace...and if you are His child, it is there in you, for He has given it to all of us. Let the words of our mouths be constantly a cry of joy, of victory, as we proclaim to all that Our God Reigns. That He lives, that He will come again, and He will never forsake us.
02-20-12
For a long time, I have been aware of the fact that "not everyone who is called, goes...and not everyone who goes, is called". I also know that when the Lord calls you to begin a journey with Him, not everyone will go. There are a lot of reasons why some do not want to step out on a journey with the Lord.....uncertainly, fear, family. I know there was a lot thrown at me when the Lord called me to journey with Him. When He told me I was to move to the Dallas area, the enemy had a field day with me. First he approached me with the weather, making sure I was aware of the difference in what 250 miles could be like in weather. I heard tornados, hail, snow, ice. Well, I am from the Gulf area, lived there most of my life and I know what hurricanes are and how they product tornadoes. Have driven in snow and ice, and hail occurs everywhere it storms. So he couldn't get me there. Then he decided to put guilt on me for the duties, the things I did at the church I attended. That got me for a while until the Lord told me that that was not my concern, He was calling me, He would take care of those things. And He did, beautifully. Then He began to move everything in His power, in His strength. I knew He was in everything. But so many people cannot get past those things that are brought up to them. It takes trust, unfailing trust in the Lord, knowing that if you just trust Him, He will make everything right for the journey. Family, friends, weather, housing, finances....He is unlimited in His Power and His resources to take care of all things.
Those who step out in faith with the Lord, who begin their journey....their feet will be blessed. The feet of those walking on a journey with the Lord will travel in many places, in many manners...it could be that the journey is only in your hometown, where you are already. The Lord does not necessarily move you to put you on a journey. A journey is a life in the Lord. A stepping out to do what He leads you to do, whether it is at home, in your town, or moving to a different location. It is a leap of faith in doing His will, giving His message to those He sends to you or that He sends you to.
When you become born again in the Lord, when your sins are forgiven, grace has been poured over you and mercy renews you daily, the Holy Spirit dwells within you. EVERY PLACE your feet touch, that you walk, becomes Holy Ground as the Lord is with you. Where you stand is Holy Ground. Your body, your heart and soul become Holy Ground. As often as we sing the song Holy Ground, so often we think it is where Jesus will walk, where He will stand....but He lives in each of us. Where we are is Holy Ground. The feet of those that journey with the Lord, constantly are on Holy Ground.
Our Lord annoints His children to do the work He has called them to. He does not call us then abandon us. He gives us each day, the necessary grace and strength we need for that day. The next day, He gives again. His annointing flows through us as we share His Word, as we share His love and mercy with others. The love we show others, the love that He has placed in our hearts for those around us, leaves us and flows into them with the annointing of the Lord. Those words are there to touch their hearts, drawing them to the Lord, giving them access to the Father, to His presence.
The feet of those who go....how blessed are those who will trust, who will obey, and who will step out to spread the good news of the love of Jesus; who will show His peace that is in their hearts. Showing is so much stronger than telling. People tend to believe what they see. They will see if you truly have God's peace...and if you are His child, it is there in you, for He has given it to all of us. Let the words of our mouths be constantly a cry of joy, of victory, as we proclaim to all that Our God Reigns. That He lives, that He will come again, and He will never forsake us.
02-20-12
Sunday, February 19, 2012
THE JOURNEY
Luke 9:3 "And He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag, nor bread, nor money, and do not have two tunics apiece."
As I was sitting in church this morning, the Lord spoke distinctively to me. You are on a journey; I knew I was to write about this. Then He spoke more to me and I saw it would be sort of a series of writings that He was giving me. So good is the Lord, so faithful. I cannot explain how or why He has chosen me to write, I just know that when He gives, as long as He gives His words to me, I will be His servant and write what He gives; I will share it where He says to share. He did not make me wait long for confirmation, for the pastor ended his sermon talking of a journey. Thank You, Father, for Your words to me. Now, the journey....
My journey began some months ago, actually almost one and a half years ago. So many of you know the story so I won't retell it except to say that from the moment the Lord began my journey, I have never had any doubt it was called and inspired by Him. He made the arrangements and set the journey in motion. You know it is a God called journey when everything He said to do, He moves things in place to make it possible. And don't bother thinking when you know it will begin, as it will begin in His time, in God's perfect time. I will skip ahead to what He told me about the journey this morning.
When you take a walk, it is usually a predetermined time and place. It has a destination, the walk usually has a time limit and a return. A journey is so different. A journey with God begins when you place your complete trust in Him. As He instructs you just follow, you go, knowing that He is there with you, there is no fear of the unknown.....and there will be a lot of unknowns. The only thing that is necessary to take is your trust in Him alone. Along the journey, there will be things that happen for God's purposes; resulting in glorifying Him. You will have obstacles in the way from time to time....do not let these things dismay you as the Lord is watching to see how you approach these obstacles. He is watching to see what your first thoughts are....do you try to do things in the natural or do you call to Him for His help, to ask for His intervention in this blockade. It is the first of many tests that will occur on the journey. When you rightfully ask Him for His help, don't be shy and for goodness sake, don't be prideful, it so pleases the Lord when you admit this is hard and you cannot do it without Him, that you need Him each step of the way. Admiting we have no control over obstacles that come into our life is an important step in our relationship with our Father.
As you travel along this journey, pray, continually pray. Just keep an ongoing converstion with the Lord. You will find that He has a lot to tell you when you give Him your complete attention. This is basically my daily prayer, this converstion that I keep with Him. I talk to Him knowing He is right next to me....you don't have to see Him to know He is there, you will feel His presence.
You knew this was coming next, didn't you? Worship. Let worship become breath to you. As you breath in the freshness of the air that the Lord puts around you, that fragrant air filled with His love, sing out songs of thanksgiving to Him. Sing of your love for His Name, sing of the glory that fills the skies when you look up toward His throne. Worship with your whole heart, from deep within your soul, let the Holy Spirit lead you in spiritual songs, songs of deep, soulful cries of adoration for God, the Lover of your soul. He loves You so. Lord, I know You love me. I feel Your presence as I write, my heart sings out to You, loving You, adoring You. Hear my words of love to You, my God, listen as I praise You.
As a walk usually comes to an end, the journey. as long as you let the Lord lead you, will not end until one day you are standing in front of His throne. What delight knowing that the Lord knows where my journey will end. I don't need to know what each turn and bend will be like, I just have to know that the Lord is with me. I know that things will happen along this journey to develop my character; to strengthen my faith in Him; and to give me witness of His grace and His mercy. As He continues to fill me with His mercy, daily renewing my strength, I am restored to a new level with Him. I can see clearer each day the new direction for that part of the journey. My Lord is never short on mercy, He never ceases to bless me with all my needs, my body glows with health and my heart is filled with the joy of my Lord.
I love You Lord, and I thank You that You have chosen me for this journey....How blessed I am to know that I am Your child and Your beloved, dear one......Hold my hand, Lord.....I am ready to continue the journey.....
02-19-12
As I was sitting in church this morning, the Lord spoke distinctively to me. You are on a journey; I knew I was to write about this. Then He spoke more to me and I saw it would be sort of a series of writings that He was giving me. So good is the Lord, so faithful. I cannot explain how or why He has chosen me to write, I just know that when He gives, as long as He gives His words to me, I will be His servant and write what He gives; I will share it where He says to share. He did not make me wait long for confirmation, for the pastor ended his sermon talking of a journey. Thank You, Father, for Your words to me. Now, the journey....
My journey began some months ago, actually almost one and a half years ago. So many of you know the story so I won't retell it except to say that from the moment the Lord began my journey, I have never had any doubt it was called and inspired by Him. He made the arrangements and set the journey in motion. You know it is a God called journey when everything He said to do, He moves things in place to make it possible. And don't bother thinking when you know it will begin, as it will begin in His time, in God's perfect time. I will skip ahead to what He told me about the journey this morning.
When you take a walk, it is usually a predetermined time and place. It has a destination, the walk usually has a time limit and a return. A journey is so different. A journey with God begins when you place your complete trust in Him. As He instructs you just follow, you go, knowing that He is there with you, there is no fear of the unknown.....and there will be a lot of unknowns. The only thing that is necessary to take is your trust in Him alone. Along the journey, there will be things that happen for God's purposes; resulting in glorifying Him. You will have obstacles in the way from time to time....do not let these things dismay you as the Lord is watching to see how you approach these obstacles. He is watching to see what your first thoughts are....do you try to do things in the natural or do you call to Him for His help, to ask for His intervention in this blockade. It is the first of many tests that will occur on the journey. When you rightfully ask Him for His help, don't be shy and for goodness sake, don't be prideful, it so pleases the Lord when you admit this is hard and you cannot do it without Him, that you need Him each step of the way. Admiting we have no control over obstacles that come into our life is an important step in our relationship with our Father.
As you travel along this journey, pray, continually pray. Just keep an ongoing converstion with the Lord. You will find that He has a lot to tell you when you give Him your complete attention. This is basically my daily prayer, this converstion that I keep with Him. I talk to Him knowing He is right next to me....you don't have to see Him to know He is there, you will feel His presence.
You knew this was coming next, didn't you? Worship. Let worship become breath to you. As you breath in the freshness of the air that the Lord puts around you, that fragrant air filled with His love, sing out songs of thanksgiving to Him. Sing of your love for His Name, sing of the glory that fills the skies when you look up toward His throne. Worship with your whole heart, from deep within your soul, let the Holy Spirit lead you in spiritual songs, songs of deep, soulful cries of adoration for God, the Lover of your soul. He loves You so. Lord, I know You love me. I feel Your presence as I write, my heart sings out to You, loving You, adoring You. Hear my words of love to You, my God, listen as I praise You.
As a walk usually comes to an end, the journey. as long as you let the Lord lead you, will not end until one day you are standing in front of His throne. What delight knowing that the Lord knows where my journey will end. I don't need to know what each turn and bend will be like, I just have to know that the Lord is with me. I know that things will happen along this journey to develop my character; to strengthen my faith in Him; and to give me witness of His grace and His mercy. As He continues to fill me with His mercy, daily renewing my strength, I am restored to a new level with Him. I can see clearer each day the new direction for that part of the journey. My Lord is never short on mercy, He never ceases to bless me with all my needs, my body glows with health and my heart is filled with the joy of my Lord.
I love You Lord, and I thank You that You have chosen me for this journey....How blessed I am to know that I am Your child and Your beloved, dear one......Hold my hand, Lord.....I am ready to continue the journey.....
02-19-12
Saturday, February 18, 2012
HOLY RAIN
Ezekiel 34:26 (Message) "I'll make them and everything around my hill a blessing. I'll send down plenty of rain in season-showers of blessing!"
This morning as I awoke, I lay there listening to the rain, thinking I would have to drive to work in it, but then a second later, thinking that as it rains it washes the dust from the trees, gives the ground and all the plants, the grass such a refreshing drink of water. Then as I began to thank the Lord for His goodness to our earth, thinking of how He takes care of all His creation. I knew that just as the physical rain watered the earth, His spiritual rain refreshes my soul.
Holy Rain. It is a Holy Rain. So often we cry out in our thirst for the Lord, but His rain, His Holy Rain is there for all who truly run after Him, who seek Him with their whole heart. His sweet Holy Rain.
Sweet Holy Rain
Fall over me
Wash me Lord, with
Your cleansing power
Let me feel You
Setting me free.
Free from the dusty residue
That sin leaves on me
Rain Your Holy Rain
Through my spirit daily, Lord
Refresh me with Your love
Shower me with Your blessing
Touch my life.
Let me feel Your presence
Let me flow in Your Holy Rain.
There is so much in just living daily life that causes us to grow weary, leaves such a dryness to our spirits. Life can be difficult at best; can you just imagine what folks go through when they do not know the Lord? On the most difficult day you can imagine, we know that the Lord is with us, He will never leave us, we have the Lord to bring us through what comes our way. Bur for those that do not know our God, those that think He is not real; can you just imagine their misery, their pain? It breaks my heart knowing that there are those that are trying to get through this life without the hope of our Lord, without the knowledge of His love. He loves them so much, but they do not know His love; either from lack of knowledge or their choice. I know it grieves the Father so much that some of His children know Him not. He pours out His blessings, His Holy Rain on the just and the unjust. The difference is that we recognize His hand on us, His touch; they have no knowledge of Him, of His goodness. They think that they are blessed because of something they did......it will amount to nothing as they will not know to thank the Father, to acknowledge His love for them. How sad, how very sad.
Our Lord, Our Savior wants us to share His love with all we come in contact with. He pours out His Holy Rain on us to annoint us to go in His Name, to go in His love to share with others. He pours out His refreshing to our spirits, our souls, His healing, powerful Holy Rain. Strengthening us, renewing us so we can witness of His goodness, His grace, His forgiveness and mercy. If we go out, if we share what we receive from Him with all, then that Holy Rain will continue to fall on us, it will never cease to satisfy our thirst for Him. We will walk with Him daily as He will never leave those who live for Him, who love Him so.
My Lord, I love being in Your Holy Rainfall. Let my soul be refreshed continually in Your Rain, in Your beautiful Rain. Give me the words, give me the compassion, give me the grace to share Your love with everyone. Let those who are looking for You see the Light You have put in me, and let me do all I do to glorify Your Name alone. Let me share Jesus with everyone I meet. Let Your Holy Rain flow in my path, in me, on me and through me. In Jesus Name.
02-18-12
This morning as I awoke, I lay there listening to the rain, thinking I would have to drive to work in it, but then a second later, thinking that as it rains it washes the dust from the trees, gives the ground and all the plants, the grass such a refreshing drink of water. Then as I began to thank the Lord for His goodness to our earth, thinking of how He takes care of all His creation. I knew that just as the physical rain watered the earth, His spiritual rain refreshes my soul.
Holy Rain. It is a Holy Rain. So often we cry out in our thirst for the Lord, but His rain, His Holy Rain is there for all who truly run after Him, who seek Him with their whole heart. His sweet Holy Rain.
Sweet Holy Rain
Fall over me
Wash me Lord, with
Your cleansing power
Let me feel You
Setting me free.
Free from the dusty residue
That sin leaves on me
Rain Your Holy Rain
Through my spirit daily, Lord
Refresh me with Your love
Shower me with Your blessing
Touch my life.
Let me feel Your presence
Let me flow in Your Holy Rain.
There is so much in just living daily life that causes us to grow weary, leaves such a dryness to our spirits. Life can be difficult at best; can you just imagine what folks go through when they do not know the Lord? On the most difficult day you can imagine, we know that the Lord is with us, He will never leave us, we have the Lord to bring us through what comes our way. Bur for those that do not know our God, those that think He is not real; can you just imagine their misery, their pain? It breaks my heart knowing that there are those that are trying to get through this life without the hope of our Lord, without the knowledge of His love. He loves them so much, but they do not know His love; either from lack of knowledge or their choice. I know it grieves the Father so much that some of His children know Him not. He pours out His blessings, His Holy Rain on the just and the unjust. The difference is that we recognize His hand on us, His touch; they have no knowledge of Him, of His goodness. They think that they are blessed because of something they did......it will amount to nothing as they will not know to thank the Father, to acknowledge His love for them. How sad, how very sad.
Our Lord, Our Savior wants us to share His love with all we come in contact with. He pours out His Holy Rain on us to annoint us to go in His Name, to go in His love to share with others. He pours out His refreshing to our spirits, our souls, His healing, powerful Holy Rain. Strengthening us, renewing us so we can witness of His goodness, His grace, His forgiveness and mercy. If we go out, if we share what we receive from Him with all, then that Holy Rain will continue to fall on us, it will never cease to satisfy our thirst for Him. We will walk with Him daily as He will never leave those who live for Him, who love Him so.
My Lord, I love being in Your Holy Rainfall. Let my soul be refreshed continually in Your Rain, in Your beautiful Rain. Give me the words, give me the compassion, give me the grace to share Your love with everyone. Let those who are looking for You see the Light You have put in me, and let me do all I do to glorify Your Name alone. Let me share Jesus with everyone I meet. Let Your Holy Rain flow in my path, in me, on me and through me. In Jesus Name.
02-18-12
Friday, February 17, 2012
BLIND TRUST
Isaiah 12:2a "Surely God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid."
Trust in the Lord. The Word of God is filled with scriptures that tell us to trust God. There are so many beautiful examples of the results of trusting God. But do the children of God truly trust Him? I know a lot of people that trust the Lord with all that is in them. I trust my God. I can remember when I did not, as I was sure I needed to be "on top" of things so everything would be okay. One of the most wonderful days of my life came when I realized that I could not do the things that needed to be done and I had to give my complete trust to God. Now I trust Him with everything. My life, first, and everything that stems from it; my family, my friends, my job, finances, everything. Nothing is not given to the Lord for His safekeeping, I trust Him completely.
We all know people that say they trust the Lord....but this trust only is as far as what their eyes can see. If they cannot see things happening, those things they say they trust God for, then their trust diminishes. They want to know the outcome of that trust. For a child of God to be totally His, there must be a blind trust. To trust in God, first, He is unseen. To trust in Him, we must develop a child's attitude. Remember when you were small and your earthly daddy would tell you to jump from something into his arms....remember those words, "don't worry, daddy will catch you"? Remember how scared you were, but you knew your daddy would not let you fall. Our Father is more than that. Not only will He tell you to jump into His arms, He will give you the amazing joy that will resound in your entire being when you land in His arms.
It is easy to trust in someone, something you can see. But when it comes to the secure walk with the Lord, you must have blind trust. Develop scales over your eyes when it comes to seeing what the enemy wants you to see. No matter how bad circumstances may seem, no matter what you hear or see, true trust in God begins in your heart, in your spirit. You have to know He is real, you have to believe in His unconditional love, You must believe on Jesus Christ, that He died for your sin, to give you that beautiful relationship with the Father, Whom you could trust with your life, as Jesus trusted Him with His life. Jesus walked up that hill to where He would hang on a cross, trusting the Father, knowing that the end result would be Glory. The Father inspired the writing of the Bible and filled it with example after example of what He did for His children who trusted Him. Even thought they could not see where He would lead them, they followed Him, trusting Him all the way. The disciples followed Jesus when they were called, they did not know what would happen, where they would go, but they recognized His voice as their authority, and they blindly trusted in Him.
Now don't mistake this to say that if we follow our God, we are mistakedly trusting Him. I am not saying that. I am saying that if you expect to see where you are going then you are not trusting the Lord. We must follow, not seeing, but being blinded to all circumstances around us that would cause us to fear, to be afraid of what we cannot see. Blind trust means that we will not see the darts of the enemy, we will not fear what is unseen, but blindly trusting in the God that created all, in the God that gave us life, in the God that loves us with such a passion. Blind trust is rewarded with answered prayer; it is rewarded with joy and peace in our lifes; it is rewarded with eternal life with the Father. For if we can trust Him in those things we cannot see, think of the reward that lies ahead when we do get to see our Father, when we are with Him in Glory.
Father, I am not going to fear what I can not see. I will blindly follow You as I know that You never let me out of Your sight. You see where I am going, You see what I am going to do, and You guide me and deliver me safely each day. A blind man depends on a guide dog.....he has to trust that dog. He knows if the dog stops, he should also stop, there is danger. If we are to trust the Lord, we also must give Him the reigns to our life, we must listen to His Holy Spirit that guides us daily, and do as the Holy Spirit tells us. We can only trust if we are willing to obey. If you say you trust the Lord, but do not follow His instructions, then you are not trusting.....you are simply giving lip service to a God that can see what is in your heart, knows what you are thinking. You are not fooling the One that matters, only man.
"Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey." I trust You, my Lord God. You have given me life beautiful, You have given me joy unspeakable, and You have given me more reasons to know I can trust You in all things, seen and unseen. I will blindly trust You in all things, as You see what lies ahead of me when I cannot, You know where the pitfalls are and keep me from stumbling. And if I fall, I know, I can trust You to catch me and put me back on Your road where I belong. I trust You, my Lord. I love You.
02-17-12
Trust in the Lord. The Word of God is filled with scriptures that tell us to trust God. There are so many beautiful examples of the results of trusting God. But do the children of God truly trust Him? I know a lot of people that trust the Lord with all that is in them. I trust my God. I can remember when I did not, as I was sure I needed to be "on top" of things so everything would be okay. One of the most wonderful days of my life came when I realized that I could not do the things that needed to be done and I had to give my complete trust to God. Now I trust Him with everything. My life, first, and everything that stems from it; my family, my friends, my job, finances, everything. Nothing is not given to the Lord for His safekeeping, I trust Him completely.
We all know people that say they trust the Lord....but this trust only is as far as what their eyes can see. If they cannot see things happening, those things they say they trust God for, then their trust diminishes. They want to know the outcome of that trust. For a child of God to be totally His, there must be a blind trust. To trust in God, first, He is unseen. To trust in Him, we must develop a child's attitude. Remember when you were small and your earthly daddy would tell you to jump from something into his arms....remember those words, "don't worry, daddy will catch you"? Remember how scared you were, but you knew your daddy would not let you fall. Our Father is more than that. Not only will He tell you to jump into His arms, He will give you the amazing joy that will resound in your entire being when you land in His arms.
It is easy to trust in someone, something you can see. But when it comes to the secure walk with the Lord, you must have blind trust. Develop scales over your eyes when it comes to seeing what the enemy wants you to see. No matter how bad circumstances may seem, no matter what you hear or see, true trust in God begins in your heart, in your spirit. You have to know He is real, you have to believe in His unconditional love, You must believe on Jesus Christ, that He died for your sin, to give you that beautiful relationship with the Father, Whom you could trust with your life, as Jesus trusted Him with His life. Jesus walked up that hill to where He would hang on a cross, trusting the Father, knowing that the end result would be Glory. The Father inspired the writing of the Bible and filled it with example after example of what He did for His children who trusted Him. Even thought they could not see where He would lead them, they followed Him, trusting Him all the way. The disciples followed Jesus when they were called, they did not know what would happen, where they would go, but they recognized His voice as their authority, and they blindly trusted in Him.
Now don't mistake this to say that if we follow our God, we are mistakedly trusting Him. I am not saying that. I am saying that if you expect to see where you are going then you are not trusting the Lord. We must follow, not seeing, but being blinded to all circumstances around us that would cause us to fear, to be afraid of what we cannot see. Blind trust means that we will not see the darts of the enemy, we will not fear what is unseen, but blindly trusting in the God that created all, in the God that gave us life, in the God that loves us with such a passion. Blind trust is rewarded with answered prayer; it is rewarded with joy and peace in our lifes; it is rewarded with eternal life with the Father. For if we can trust Him in those things we cannot see, think of the reward that lies ahead when we do get to see our Father, when we are with Him in Glory.
Father, I am not going to fear what I can not see. I will blindly follow You as I know that You never let me out of Your sight. You see where I am going, You see what I am going to do, and You guide me and deliver me safely each day. A blind man depends on a guide dog.....he has to trust that dog. He knows if the dog stops, he should also stop, there is danger. If we are to trust the Lord, we also must give Him the reigns to our life, we must listen to His Holy Spirit that guides us daily, and do as the Holy Spirit tells us. We can only trust if we are willing to obey. If you say you trust the Lord, but do not follow His instructions, then you are not trusting.....you are simply giving lip service to a God that can see what is in your heart, knows what you are thinking. You are not fooling the One that matters, only man.
"Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey." I trust You, my Lord God. You have given me life beautiful, You have given me joy unspeakable, and You have given me more reasons to know I can trust You in all things, seen and unseen. I will blindly trust You in all things, as You see what lies ahead of me when I cannot, You know where the pitfalls are and keep me from stumbling. And if I fall, I know, I can trust You to catch me and put me back on Your road where I belong. I trust You, my Lord. I love You.
02-17-12
Thursday, February 16, 2012
I CAN FLY
Romans 6:10 "The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God."
In the spiritual realm I can fly. Chains that once held me captive have been removed. They no longer bind me down. I was watching a bird soar this morning as I drove to work, so free was the bird. I was feeling somewhat envious. Then of course, guilty...that old tool of the enemy hit me but the Lord quickly removed it and spoke to my spirit. "You are free of guilt; free of those chains that held you down. In the spirit you can soar in the heavenlies with Me".
There are no longer chains or shackles that can bind the children of God. We have been set free by the blood of Jesus. When we come to the Lord, confess our sins and He cleanses us with His precious blood, we are free of any past sins, residuals of guilt and any sin to come; we are free...free...free.
It is so hard for some to come to this realization as they cannot imagine a love so compete to have done what was necessary to bring us into the realm of righteousness in Christ Jesus. But your acceptance of this truth does not change its reality. Sins are forgiven....get over yourself. Who are you to doubt what God can do. As you are commanded not to judge others, the same goes for self. Do not judge yourself. Do not judge who the Lord has made free. Yes, we are underserving, we can never be deserving of what the Lord has done. It is a free gift to us because the Father loves us so much. We must accept this gift, as it is the will of the Father. He loves us so much and wants to have that intimate relationship with us, He holds this gift out for each of us, with such love from His heart. I will never turn away from this beautiful gift. If someone that loved you gave you a costly gift, would you refuse it because you felt unworthy? No, you really would not. You would delight yourself in that gift.
You should more delight yourself in the gift of forgiveness, salvation that our Lord Jesus paid such an extravagant price for...His life for you. His life so we could be free, free to soar with Him in the heavenlies.
There are times when the enemy will try to put doubt that I have heard correctly from the Lord. But as I listened to Pursuing His Presence this morning, about an hour after the Lord has told me I could fly and gave this word to me, the words that He had spoken to me came through loud and clear from as a word came from Psalm 124:7 "We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler's snare" and then Terry said "so we are free to fly". The Lord confirmed, I had heard Him correctly. His word to me was clear.
Free to fly. Because of my Lord's love, His extreme love..I am free...free to fly.
02-16-12
In the spiritual realm I can fly. Chains that once held me captive have been removed. They no longer bind me down. I was watching a bird soar this morning as I drove to work, so free was the bird. I was feeling somewhat envious. Then of course, guilty...that old tool of the enemy hit me but the Lord quickly removed it and spoke to my spirit. "You are free of guilt; free of those chains that held you down. In the spirit you can soar in the heavenlies with Me".
There are no longer chains or shackles that can bind the children of God. We have been set free by the blood of Jesus. When we come to the Lord, confess our sins and He cleanses us with His precious blood, we are free of any past sins, residuals of guilt and any sin to come; we are free...free...free.
It is so hard for some to come to this realization as they cannot imagine a love so compete to have done what was necessary to bring us into the realm of righteousness in Christ Jesus. But your acceptance of this truth does not change its reality. Sins are forgiven....get over yourself. Who are you to doubt what God can do. As you are commanded not to judge others, the same goes for self. Do not judge yourself. Do not judge who the Lord has made free. Yes, we are underserving, we can never be deserving of what the Lord has done. It is a free gift to us because the Father loves us so much. We must accept this gift, as it is the will of the Father. He loves us so much and wants to have that intimate relationship with us, He holds this gift out for each of us, with such love from His heart. I will never turn away from this beautiful gift. If someone that loved you gave you a costly gift, would you refuse it because you felt unworthy? No, you really would not. You would delight yourself in that gift.
You should more delight yourself in the gift of forgiveness, salvation that our Lord Jesus paid such an extravagant price for...His life for you. His life so we could be free, free to soar with Him in the heavenlies.
There are times when the enemy will try to put doubt that I have heard correctly from the Lord. But as I listened to Pursuing His Presence this morning, about an hour after the Lord has told me I could fly and gave this word to me, the words that He had spoken to me came through loud and clear from as a word came from Psalm 124:7 "We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler's snare" and then Terry said "so we are free to fly". The Lord confirmed, I had heard Him correctly. His word to me was clear.
Free to fly. Because of my Lord's love, His extreme love..I am free...free to fly.
02-16-12
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
CLINGING TO THE CROSS
1 Corinthians 1:18 "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
I wonder sometimes why all do not accept the Lord as their Savior; how can it not be obvious to all that Jesus died to save them from all sin, and to give them life with the Father, eternal life through Jesus Christ. So many are depressed, miserable, dying in their sin, and still they continue to run from the truth, from the love of Jesus. They laugh at me. There are times I pour out what the Lord gives me into these writings, knowing that there will be so many that scoff at what I have written, that won't begin to understand what is written here, what the Lord has shown me, but I write still, clinging to the Cross.
It breaks my heart when I feel my Father's heart grieving at the indifference of His children; yes, even the unsaved are His children. But what grieves Him even more, are those that call themselves His children, but live like they know Him not. They take the bread offered by our Lord, and eat, but share it not. They take and drink, but look away at another's thirst. They take the mercy given freely by the Lord, but give no mercy. They are a barnacle on the cross of our Lord. They take and close it unto themselves, keeping all to themselves.
We are not meant to be a barnacle on the cross. A barnacle lives in shallow water, just taking enough in to keep themselves going but not getting into the deep, the flow of the river of Life. A barnacle is a feeder that keeps in it's hardened shell, impermeable, letting no one in. They continually fight to gain higher ground at the price of the ones they climb over, that they push aside, hurting on their way up to impress our Lord. But that barnacle is seen, from the beginning the Lord is watching the one who claims to be in His service, but is only promoting self, wanting his reputation to increase in favor of man. Do they not know that in this corrosive state they will be brought down. I believe the Lord will tolerate these barnacle types as long as His children are not hurt; but once this begins to happen and the one who is taking, helping themself to what is meant for all, they will be brought down, exposed.
Father, I keep taking these words away and you keep putting them back. I am not understanding who this in intended for; I know my spirit is crying out for understanding, for knowledge of Your intentions. Show me, Lord, please show me. Let me worship You, Lord. I worship you, I worship You. All I know to do is worship You. Let my sacrifice to you be in total love, let me be a sweet fragrance to You Lord, let me follow Your will, let me do Your work. I worship. I worship. I see, I see. Thank You, Lord....
The only way to prevent corrosion, to prevent becoming a barnacle of life, in the service of the Lord, is to continually give worship to the Lord. To continue to let the will of God become your desire. The only way to prevent from being a hardened shell of a person, to prevent taking all for yourself from God and not letting it flow through you is to constantly let yourself be used by God. Forget self. Negate the thoughts that come from the enemy to take, and take, and take. Listen to the Holy Spirit as He instructs you in the Name of Jesus, to give, to give, to give. As you are filled with the love and grace of God, pour it into other's lifes. Let that bread of Life that comes to feed you be shared with everyone around you. It will not run out, there will be more tomorrow, and the day after. Jump into the river of life with a force that drives you deep down into the flow from the throne of God. Drink deeply of that sweet water and then let it pour out of you to show others that they too can be satisified with the water from the River of God, that water that will cease their thirst for anything but Him, for our Lord God.
Cling to the Cross. Cling, for your life depends upon it. But cling as a sponge, not a barnacle. Cling as a sponge soaking up all that the Lord gives you, but then let Him squeeze you over others. Let Him use you, let your life be a witness to His mercy and goodness. My Lord, I will cling to the cross, that cross where You died for me; that cross where I can go when I am losing my way. The cross will always be there for us to remember Your sacrifice for us; it will always be there showing Your love, Your unconditional love for all.
Your peace, Lord, awaits all who will come to the cross and let you remove the barnacles from their eyes to let them see Your love. Your Word waits there for all who will shed the barnacles from their ears and listen to those life giving words, the instruction You give us for a victorious life. And Your joy, Lord, awaits all who will let the shed blood wash the barnacles off the hearts that have been hardened by life, and become a vessel, an instrument of praise and worship to You alone. Your healing power will rescue those whose spirits have been dying from lack of the vital waters of life that only You can pour into us.
O, my Lord, how I love You. I see, Lord, I see. I understand now. Life can cause barnacles to develop, but You, Lord, You alone can remove them and do so as often as we come to You, clinging to the cross that You overcame. Life begins at the cross. I will cling to the Old Rugged Cross, all the days of my life, until You, my Lord Jesus, come for me on that victorious day. That glorious day.
02-15-12
I wonder sometimes why all do not accept the Lord as their Savior; how can it not be obvious to all that Jesus died to save them from all sin, and to give them life with the Father, eternal life through Jesus Christ. So many are depressed, miserable, dying in their sin, and still they continue to run from the truth, from the love of Jesus. They laugh at me. There are times I pour out what the Lord gives me into these writings, knowing that there will be so many that scoff at what I have written, that won't begin to understand what is written here, what the Lord has shown me, but I write still, clinging to the Cross.
It breaks my heart when I feel my Father's heart grieving at the indifference of His children; yes, even the unsaved are His children. But what grieves Him even more, are those that call themselves His children, but live like they know Him not. They take the bread offered by our Lord, and eat, but share it not. They take and drink, but look away at another's thirst. They take the mercy given freely by the Lord, but give no mercy. They are a barnacle on the cross of our Lord. They take and close it unto themselves, keeping all to themselves.
We are not meant to be a barnacle on the cross. A barnacle lives in shallow water, just taking enough in to keep themselves going but not getting into the deep, the flow of the river of Life. A barnacle is a feeder that keeps in it's hardened shell, impermeable, letting no one in. They continually fight to gain higher ground at the price of the ones they climb over, that they push aside, hurting on their way up to impress our Lord. But that barnacle is seen, from the beginning the Lord is watching the one who claims to be in His service, but is only promoting self, wanting his reputation to increase in favor of man. Do they not know that in this corrosive state they will be brought down. I believe the Lord will tolerate these barnacle types as long as His children are not hurt; but once this begins to happen and the one who is taking, helping themself to what is meant for all, they will be brought down, exposed.
Father, I keep taking these words away and you keep putting them back. I am not understanding who this in intended for; I know my spirit is crying out for understanding, for knowledge of Your intentions. Show me, Lord, please show me. Let me worship You, Lord. I worship you, I worship You. All I know to do is worship You. Let my sacrifice to you be in total love, let me be a sweet fragrance to You Lord, let me follow Your will, let me do Your work. I worship. I worship. I see, I see. Thank You, Lord....
The only way to prevent corrosion, to prevent becoming a barnacle of life, in the service of the Lord, is to continually give worship to the Lord. To continue to let the will of God become your desire. The only way to prevent from being a hardened shell of a person, to prevent taking all for yourself from God and not letting it flow through you is to constantly let yourself be used by God. Forget self. Negate the thoughts that come from the enemy to take, and take, and take. Listen to the Holy Spirit as He instructs you in the Name of Jesus, to give, to give, to give. As you are filled with the love and grace of God, pour it into other's lifes. Let that bread of Life that comes to feed you be shared with everyone around you. It will not run out, there will be more tomorrow, and the day after. Jump into the river of life with a force that drives you deep down into the flow from the throne of God. Drink deeply of that sweet water and then let it pour out of you to show others that they too can be satisified with the water from the River of God, that water that will cease their thirst for anything but Him, for our Lord God.
Cling to the Cross. Cling, for your life depends upon it. But cling as a sponge, not a barnacle. Cling as a sponge soaking up all that the Lord gives you, but then let Him squeeze you over others. Let Him use you, let your life be a witness to His mercy and goodness. My Lord, I will cling to the cross, that cross where You died for me; that cross where I can go when I am losing my way. The cross will always be there for us to remember Your sacrifice for us; it will always be there showing Your love, Your unconditional love for all.
Your peace, Lord, awaits all who will come to the cross and let you remove the barnacles from their eyes to let them see Your love. Your Word waits there for all who will shed the barnacles from their ears and listen to those life giving words, the instruction You give us for a victorious life. And Your joy, Lord, awaits all who will let the shed blood wash the barnacles off the hearts that have been hardened by life, and become a vessel, an instrument of praise and worship to You alone. Your healing power will rescue those whose spirits have been dying from lack of the vital waters of life that only You can pour into us.
O, my Lord, how I love You. I see, Lord, I see. I understand now. Life can cause barnacles to develop, but You, Lord, You alone can remove them and do so as often as we come to You, clinging to the cross that You overcame. Life begins at the cross. I will cling to the Old Rugged Cross, all the days of my life, until You, my Lord Jesus, come for me on that victorious day. That glorious day.
02-15-12
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
JUST ANOTHER DAY
"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor My covenant of peace be removed. I chose you and set My affection on you because I love you. Know therefore that I am the Lord Your God. I am a faithful God and I will keep My covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments." (Paraphrased from Deuteromony 7:12,13 from Daily Declarations for Spiritual Warfare)
Just another day. I decided not to pay too much attention about it being one of the "heart" days. I have always advised young men getting ready to get married that they could forget a lot of days, but two were very important as they are heart days....Valentines Day and wedding anniversaries. Those were days that mean a sharing of love between a man and a woman. Special days that needed to be remembered. Robert always had something special for me, bringing me flowers when He could still shop and then when he could no longer enjoy getting out to the stores, he had a place where he ordered gifts for me, only to want me to open them before that special day. He could hardly wait to see my face when I opened his gifts. But that is no more, I only have memories, sweet memories. So, just another day. I would just go about my day and not think of love, sweethearts, all that stuff.
Went to Sam's on my lunch time, just needing a few things. I always take a little time to browse the Christian books they have, any Bibles I may not have, anything that the Lord might put a little light on for me to pick up. Well, He did put a light on this little daily devotional entitled "Daily Declarations for Spiritual Warfare". I looked at a few pages and thought it would be a nice addition to the other three I read each morning. So I bought it. When I got in the car, I decided to read today's declaration and it began with what I wrote at the beginning. I began to cry, sitting in the parking lot at Sams, as my heart grew so tender, so open before my Lord.
My Lord was determined that this would not just be another day. He wanted me to know that I was not alone, I was not forgotten, I was special. The Lord wanted me to realize that He loved me with such affection, so much that He wanted me to remember His covenant with me. His peace will always be upon me; His provision will never end, and His love will keep me unto Himself forever. I will be blessed each day, coming in, going out, whatever I put my hand to in His Name; whatever He leads me to do will be blessed as I follow Him each day. He has a plan for me that is going to bless me, a plan that will give me great joy as I worship Him, as I witness of His Goodness to those around me. I will be a woman of great joy and peace and He will see that all that oppose me, will be defeated. He will keep me in beautiful health. I am His beloved and He is not going to let me ever have what I thought was "just another day". He wants every one of my days to be special, He wants me to know that I am loved with a consuming love, His passionate love for me. He wants me never to forget His great love that will never end, never cease to be able to touch my heart, to make my heart tender and open before Him.
02-14-12
Just another day. I decided not to pay too much attention about it being one of the "heart" days. I have always advised young men getting ready to get married that they could forget a lot of days, but two were very important as they are heart days....Valentines Day and wedding anniversaries. Those were days that mean a sharing of love between a man and a woman. Special days that needed to be remembered. Robert always had something special for me, bringing me flowers when He could still shop and then when he could no longer enjoy getting out to the stores, he had a place where he ordered gifts for me, only to want me to open them before that special day. He could hardly wait to see my face when I opened his gifts. But that is no more, I only have memories, sweet memories. So, just another day. I would just go about my day and not think of love, sweethearts, all that stuff.
Went to Sam's on my lunch time, just needing a few things. I always take a little time to browse the Christian books they have, any Bibles I may not have, anything that the Lord might put a little light on for me to pick up. Well, He did put a light on this little daily devotional entitled "Daily Declarations for Spiritual Warfare". I looked at a few pages and thought it would be a nice addition to the other three I read each morning. So I bought it. When I got in the car, I decided to read today's declaration and it began with what I wrote at the beginning. I began to cry, sitting in the parking lot at Sams, as my heart grew so tender, so open before my Lord.
My Lord was determined that this would not just be another day. He wanted me to know that I was not alone, I was not forgotten, I was special. The Lord wanted me to realize that He loved me with such affection, so much that He wanted me to remember His covenant with me. His peace will always be upon me; His provision will never end, and His love will keep me unto Himself forever. I will be blessed each day, coming in, going out, whatever I put my hand to in His Name; whatever He leads me to do will be blessed as I follow Him each day. He has a plan for me that is going to bless me, a plan that will give me great joy as I worship Him, as I witness of His Goodness to those around me. I will be a woman of great joy and peace and He will see that all that oppose me, will be defeated. He will keep me in beautiful health. I am His beloved and He is not going to let me ever have what I thought was "just another day". He wants every one of my days to be special, He wants me to know that I am loved with a consuming love, His passionate love for me. He wants me never to forget His great love that will never end, never cease to be able to touch my heart, to make my heart tender and open before Him.
02-14-12
Monday, February 13, 2012
THE KISS, THE SEALING OF THE COVENANT
Hebrews 12:23-24 "You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel."
Does the Lord watch movies with you? I find, as He is always with me, He is there when I watch movies also. I was watching an old movie yesterday afternoon, and the couple had spent a good bit of time together but had never kissed. She would not give her kisses lightly as they meant she would be giving her love when she kissed someone. So as the movie went on, finally, she decided to kiss him. As she kissed Him, the Lord said "That is the sealing of the covenant".
Here is what the Lord told me concerning this statement. The Lord told me that when we, as new Christians, begin to find our way to Him, there is a time of courting that we really do not always recognize as such, but it is a type of courting. Our Lord woos us to Him with His love, with His sweet tenderness to us. As we learn to trust Him, He draws us closer and closer. Then as we begin to seek Him, as we begin to desire His presence, He comes to us. Then He sometimes leaves us again, to see if we will want Him more than anything we have in our lives. As we begin to worship Him with our whole hearts, with a desire that is unlike anything we have known before, our Lord, our precious Lord comes to us and gives us that "kiss", sealing us to Him in that marriage covenant, the Bridegroom to His Bride.
As when at a wedding ceremony, as the minister has the vows repeated by the groom, then by the bride, as they make their vows before those present, they are pledging their love to one another. The Lord said as we begin to put our relationship with Him before that with any other, when we declare to the world, as they can see we belong to Him alone, it is our pledge of love to Him. He has already pledged His love to us; He declared His love to us on the cross, as He died to give us life in Him, and as He rose again, declaring His love and pledge to return for us. It is this time that the courtship would commence and give us the time to pledge our vows to Him. So as the groom and the bride declare their love, then as everyone has witnessed such, the minister finally says to the groom "you may now kiss your bride". It is this kiss that seals the covenant that all have witnessed, the covenant of the love, of the devotion promised between the groom and the bride.
When the Lord Jesus delivers that "kiss" to His Bride, the covenant is sealed. He declares that He will never let you go, and you declare that He is the only desire of your heart, the true love of your soul. The "kiss", have you received that "kiss" from the Lord? You will know when you are given that special "kiss". If you have not known that "kiss", could it be that you still have other things that you are putting before your love for the Lord? Could it be that there are things in your life that are keeping you from seeking after Him alone, from desiring Him more than life itself. His presence must be where you want to be more than anything in the world. His presence will never keep you from being who you are, for if you are in the Lord, His presence will give you all you ever dreamed of. Seek after the Lord with your whole heart, desire Him more than anything, and love Him, love Him, love Him. Worship the Lord from the depths of your being, He will hear those songs of love and come to you. As He sees your true desire, He will find it impossible to leave you, and He will give you that precious "kiss", sealing the covenant between Himself, the Bridegroom, and you, His Bride.
Thank You, my King, my Bridegroom for Your precious love. I will never let go of Your love, I will never forget when You "kissed" me, sealing Your covenant of love and devotion with mine for You. It was that "kiss" that gave me the most complete joy, and the beautiful contentment that I now have in You.
02-13-12
Does the Lord watch movies with you? I find, as He is always with me, He is there when I watch movies also. I was watching an old movie yesterday afternoon, and the couple had spent a good bit of time together but had never kissed. She would not give her kisses lightly as they meant she would be giving her love when she kissed someone. So as the movie went on, finally, she decided to kiss him. As she kissed Him, the Lord said "That is the sealing of the covenant".
Here is what the Lord told me concerning this statement. The Lord told me that when we, as new Christians, begin to find our way to Him, there is a time of courting that we really do not always recognize as such, but it is a type of courting. Our Lord woos us to Him with His love, with His sweet tenderness to us. As we learn to trust Him, He draws us closer and closer. Then as we begin to seek Him, as we begin to desire His presence, He comes to us. Then He sometimes leaves us again, to see if we will want Him more than anything we have in our lives. As we begin to worship Him with our whole hearts, with a desire that is unlike anything we have known before, our Lord, our precious Lord comes to us and gives us that "kiss", sealing us to Him in that marriage covenant, the Bridegroom to His Bride.
As when at a wedding ceremony, as the minister has the vows repeated by the groom, then by the bride, as they make their vows before those present, they are pledging their love to one another. The Lord said as we begin to put our relationship with Him before that with any other, when we declare to the world, as they can see we belong to Him alone, it is our pledge of love to Him. He has already pledged His love to us; He declared His love to us on the cross, as He died to give us life in Him, and as He rose again, declaring His love and pledge to return for us. It is this time that the courtship would commence and give us the time to pledge our vows to Him. So as the groom and the bride declare their love, then as everyone has witnessed such, the minister finally says to the groom "you may now kiss your bride". It is this kiss that seals the covenant that all have witnessed, the covenant of the love, of the devotion promised between the groom and the bride.
When the Lord Jesus delivers that "kiss" to His Bride, the covenant is sealed. He declares that He will never let you go, and you declare that He is the only desire of your heart, the true love of your soul. The "kiss", have you received that "kiss" from the Lord? You will know when you are given that special "kiss". If you have not known that "kiss", could it be that you still have other things that you are putting before your love for the Lord? Could it be that there are things in your life that are keeping you from seeking after Him alone, from desiring Him more than life itself. His presence must be where you want to be more than anything in the world. His presence will never keep you from being who you are, for if you are in the Lord, His presence will give you all you ever dreamed of. Seek after the Lord with your whole heart, desire Him more than anything, and love Him, love Him, love Him. Worship the Lord from the depths of your being, He will hear those songs of love and come to you. As He sees your true desire, He will find it impossible to leave you, and He will give you that precious "kiss", sealing the covenant between Himself, the Bridegroom, and you, His Bride.
Thank You, my King, my Bridegroom for Your precious love. I will never let go of Your love, I will never forget when You "kissed" me, sealing Your covenant of love and devotion with mine for You. It was that "kiss" that gave me the most complete joy, and the beautiful contentment that I now have in You.
02-13-12
Sunday, February 12, 2012
"AND I, I WAS YOUNGER STILL"
1 Corinthians 11:24b "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me".
I was watching the news early this morning and of course, everyone was talking about Whitney Houston's death, how she was so young, only 48 years old. So many people were saying sweet things about her and truly talking about her dying so young. People spoke of how they remembered her and that her memory would always be fresh in their minds. As I watched this, the Lord spoke into my spirit and said "And I, I was younger still". I began to weep, as I realized that He was only what we consider about 33 years old. I could feel the Lord's heart as He was hurting that this child, this child of His died so young. But the Lord spoke to me, saying, "I was so young when I died, in man years, and look how I am remembered".
How do you remember the Lord; how often. So many, as the Lord told me, remember those who died in the years to come, on their birthdays and the anniversary of their death. Those days are celebrated. Then my Lord said: "That is when I am remembered by the majority of Christians". It is true, sad to say, but our Lord is remembered mostly at Christmas, the time of His birth, and at Easter, the time of His death. He walked this earth for so few years, ministered only a couple of years and then He was sacrificed for our sin, as an atonement, a complete atonement for our sin, for all sins, past, present and to come. The finished work of sin's atonement, completed in the early years of our Lord's life. And now, remembered by most twice a year.
As I wept, the Lord held me, and told me, "but for those who worship Me daily, who seek Me and run after Me, longing to be One with Me, those are the ones who hold My hand never forgeting Me, Who I am". How true and how sad it is to know that there are children of God who do not have a special relationship with Him; that do not know what it is to walk daily with Him. So many go to church and that is their time each week with the Lord, a couple of hours. Habit, just what they are supposed to do on Sunday, perhaps there is more. But for the most part, our Lord Jesus is only a Sunday type of remembrance. When the Lord's Supper is observed at the churches, I feel so many Christians vow in themselves to worship, to thank the Lord daily, to live in Him, but then Monday comes, along with its trials, its oppressions and Jesus is forgotten. When He should be remembered, He is forgotten, as the enemy comes in and successfully destroys those vows made the day before. Then the week goes again, without remembering our Lord.....unless, He is needed for a miracle. How would you like it if you were only called when someone needed you to do something for them that was impossible for them to achieve, so they called you. Then after you help them, you were left alone again, until the next time....
"Do this, in remembrance of me." I believe this extends to more than just the Lord's Supper. I believe, when we wake up in the morning...."Do this (awaken) in remembrance of me". We wake up because of the blessings of the Lord, that we should live, and not perish. Remember the Lord as you see the sunshine, the moon shining, the wind blowing, the rain falling. Think of the Lord as you eat a meal, thanking Him for His provision. As you drive to work, that you have a job that the Lord has given you, providing for you and your family. Lift your voices in worship to the Lord, remembering His beautiful love for you that will never cease, His mercy, His grace upon your life. Remember the Lord when a friend tells you how they love the friendship between you, for it is the Lord that has brought this friend into your life. When you see someone standing on the side of the road in need, remember the Lord as you give to them, bless the Lord by caring for His children. In remembrance of the Lord, let everyone see your love for Him, let all see Him living through you.
Sad, it is so sad, when we see someone, whether they are "in the spotlight" or just regular folks like me and you, when we see them die before what is consider their time. It grieves the Lord. But what grieves Him even more is to be forgotten by those He died to save; those that He died to free from bondage of all sin, of all the old laws, giving to each of us, life, life eternal, here and in Heaven. Life in Him that is truly reserved for those that remember Him, each and every day. Without the Lord in your daily life, you are not truly living the life that He died to give us. He is the Life of each and every one truly called by His Name, a child of God, a living memorial to the Lord of Life, the King of kings, and the One who loves us with a passion. He, our Lord Jesus, wants to be remembered on other days besides, His birthday......and His death. He wants to live in our hearts where He is our first truly our one constant thought. Jesus....Jesus...He lives within my heart.
02-12-12
I was watching the news early this morning and of course, everyone was talking about Whitney Houston's death, how she was so young, only 48 years old. So many people were saying sweet things about her and truly talking about her dying so young. People spoke of how they remembered her and that her memory would always be fresh in their minds. As I watched this, the Lord spoke into my spirit and said "And I, I was younger still". I began to weep, as I realized that He was only what we consider about 33 years old. I could feel the Lord's heart as He was hurting that this child, this child of His died so young. But the Lord spoke to me, saying, "I was so young when I died, in man years, and look how I am remembered".
How do you remember the Lord; how often. So many, as the Lord told me, remember those who died in the years to come, on their birthdays and the anniversary of their death. Those days are celebrated. Then my Lord said: "That is when I am remembered by the majority of Christians". It is true, sad to say, but our Lord is remembered mostly at Christmas, the time of His birth, and at Easter, the time of His death. He walked this earth for so few years, ministered only a couple of years and then He was sacrificed for our sin, as an atonement, a complete atonement for our sin, for all sins, past, present and to come. The finished work of sin's atonement, completed in the early years of our Lord's life. And now, remembered by most twice a year.
As I wept, the Lord held me, and told me, "but for those who worship Me daily, who seek Me and run after Me, longing to be One with Me, those are the ones who hold My hand never forgeting Me, Who I am". How true and how sad it is to know that there are children of God who do not have a special relationship with Him; that do not know what it is to walk daily with Him. So many go to church and that is their time each week with the Lord, a couple of hours. Habit, just what they are supposed to do on Sunday, perhaps there is more. But for the most part, our Lord Jesus is only a Sunday type of remembrance. When the Lord's Supper is observed at the churches, I feel so many Christians vow in themselves to worship, to thank the Lord daily, to live in Him, but then Monday comes, along with its trials, its oppressions and Jesus is forgotten. When He should be remembered, He is forgotten, as the enemy comes in and successfully destroys those vows made the day before. Then the week goes again, without remembering our Lord.....unless, He is needed for a miracle. How would you like it if you were only called when someone needed you to do something for them that was impossible for them to achieve, so they called you. Then after you help them, you were left alone again, until the next time....
"Do this, in remembrance of me." I believe this extends to more than just the Lord's Supper. I believe, when we wake up in the morning...."Do this (awaken) in remembrance of me". We wake up because of the blessings of the Lord, that we should live, and not perish. Remember the Lord as you see the sunshine, the moon shining, the wind blowing, the rain falling. Think of the Lord as you eat a meal, thanking Him for His provision. As you drive to work, that you have a job that the Lord has given you, providing for you and your family. Lift your voices in worship to the Lord, remembering His beautiful love for you that will never cease, His mercy, His grace upon your life. Remember the Lord when a friend tells you how they love the friendship between you, for it is the Lord that has brought this friend into your life. When you see someone standing on the side of the road in need, remember the Lord as you give to them, bless the Lord by caring for His children. In remembrance of the Lord, let everyone see your love for Him, let all see Him living through you.
Sad, it is so sad, when we see someone, whether they are "in the spotlight" or just regular folks like me and you, when we see them die before what is consider their time. It grieves the Lord. But what grieves Him even more is to be forgotten by those He died to save; those that He died to free from bondage of all sin, of all the old laws, giving to each of us, life, life eternal, here and in Heaven. Life in Him that is truly reserved for those that remember Him, each and every day. Without the Lord in your daily life, you are not truly living the life that He died to give us. He is the Life of each and every one truly called by His Name, a child of God, a living memorial to the Lord of Life, the King of kings, and the One who loves us with a passion. He, our Lord Jesus, wants to be remembered on other days besides, His birthday......and His death. He wants to live in our hearts where He is our first truly our one constant thought. Jesus....Jesus...He lives within my heart.
02-12-12
Saturday, February 11, 2012
BLESSED ARE THE EYES THAT SEE
Luke 10:23 "Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see."
Father, I have no idea where You are going with this scripture. I only know as I read it, it was spotlighted and I knew there was something You wanted to say to me about it. I know you show me things, I have begun to see things in Your Word that I have not seen before as I read these scriptures. There is a fresh look about the Word as I read it now that I did not see before. You have begun to open scriptures to me and shown me things in them that I did not see before. I do know, as You have shown me before, that You will reveal the Word to Your children in ways that minister to them for what they need at that time; the same scripture that ministered in one way will minister to them completely different the next. It is Your Word and You use it as You need to ministering to me, to Your children.
As I write these words each night, Lord, I know that there are those that probably do not agree with everything I write, but You have shown me that it is to me that You share these things. Some writings probably do not have the same meaning for others as they do to me, but then I know from some messages I have received that so many of them have ministered to others also. So what I am seeing, I believe I see for others also. Your Word, it is the same for yesterday, today and tomorrow. It will never change, but as we change, as we grow in our knowledge of You, we will begin to see more and more of the hidden messages that You have for us there. The hidden words of the Word are hidden from those that would not understand, and I believe until we, Your children, are truly seeking You with all our hearts, all our souls, we will not understand. But once we find our place in You, once we know that we are in You and You are in us, then You begin to reveal the mysteries of the Word. We begin to understand those things that simply confounded us before.
Whereas once the scripture just read as it is printed, now there are secrets that come to life when reading them. What a joy it is for me to read the Word and see it spring forth with a message to me. It was there all the time, but I did not have eyes that could see it then.
Lord, I love You. I pray that eyes that read this begin to see what it is that they must see to become those children to whom You reveal the mysteries of Your Word. If we do not seek after You, to desire You above all else, to want to feel Your heart, to need You every moment of each day, to need to be in Your presence, then nothing will be revealed to us. You know the hearts of man, You know what is their desire, what they want most of all. When that desire and want is You above all else, then they will see what could not be seen before. I love the way You draw us to You, then pull away some so we will seek You in a deeper way. For a while I felt You with me all the time, then it was like You had moved back. I did not understand until You showed me that I had begun to take Your sweet presence for granted, and was not seeking after You as before. As I repented, as I spent the time to seek after You with a renewed desire, You once again came to me, and this time You knew I would never take Your presence for granted, that I would be so blessed each and every time I was with You. I can never get enough of Your presence Lord, never. I will seek after you, I will run after You with a desire from the depths of my spirit, with my whole heart, longing to always be with You.
I now see with eyes that behold the Glory of my Lord, eyes that see the love poured forth from You to me, and with eyes that will never keep looking for the hidden mysteries of my God as revealed in His Word of life.
02-11-12
Father, I have no idea where You are going with this scripture. I only know as I read it, it was spotlighted and I knew there was something You wanted to say to me about it. I know you show me things, I have begun to see things in Your Word that I have not seen before as I read these scriptures. There is a fresh look about the Word as I read it now that I did not see before. You have begun to open scriptures to me and shown me things in them that I did not see before. I do know, as You have shown me before, that You will reveal the Word to Your children in ways that minister to them for what they need at that time; the same scripture that ministered in one way will minister to them completely different the next. It is Your Word and You use it as You need to ministering to me, to Your children.
As I write these words each night, Lord, I know that there are those that probably do not agree with everything I write, but You have shown me that it is to me that You share these things. Some writings probably do not have the same meaning for others as they do to me, but then I know from some messages I have received that so many of them have ministered to others also. So what I am seeing, I believe I see for others also. Your Word, it is the same for yesterday, today and tomorrow. It will never change, but as we change, as we grow in our knowledge of You, we will begin to see more and more of the hidden messages that You have for us there. The hidden words of the Word are hidden from those that would not understand, and I believe until we, Your children, are truly seeking You with all our hearts, all our souls, we will not understand. But once we find our place in You, once we know that we are in You and You are in us, then You begin to reveal the mysteries of the Word. We begin to understand those things that simply confounded us before.
Whereas once the scripture just read as it is printed, now there are secrets that come to life when reading them. What a joy it is for me to read the Word and see it spring forth with a message to me. It was there all the time, but I did not have eyes that could see it then.
Lord, I love You. I pray that eyes that read this begin to see what it is that they must see to become those children to whom You reveal the mysteries of Your Word. If we do not seek after You, to desire You above all else, to want to feel Your heart, to need You every moment of each day, to need to be in Your presence, then nothing will be revealed to us. You know the hearts of man, You know what is their desire, what they want most of all. When that desire and want is You above all else, then they will see what could not be seen before. I love the way You draw us to You, then pull away some so we will seek You in a deeper way. For a while I felt You with me all the time, then it was like You had moved back. I did not understand until You showed me that I had begun to take Your sweet presence for granted, and was not seeking after You as before. As I repented, as I spent the time to seek after You with a renewed desire, You once again came to me, and this time You knew I would never take Your presence for granted, that I would be so blessed each and every time I was with You. I can never get enough of Your presence Lord, never. I will seek after you, I will run after You with a desire from the depths of my spirit, with my whole heart, longing to always be with You.
I now see with eyes that behold the Glory of my Lord, eyes that see the love poured forth from You to me, and with eyes that will never keep looking for the hidden mysteries of my God as revealed in His Word of life.
02-11-12
Friday, February 10, 2012
THE TENDERNESS OF GOD THE FATHER
Lamentations 3:30-32 (Message) "Don't run from trouble. Take it full-face. The 'worst' is never the worst. Why? Because the Master won't ever walk out and fail to return. If he works severly, he also works tenderly. His stockpiles of loyal love are immense."
My spirit was so reflective today. I was thinking how very awesome, how Holy was our God. How everything created was His creation. No one else can take credit for anything made, in the heavenlies or on earth. What a mighty God we serve!
Then I began to pray for some friends that so need the Lord's touch and some children that I know with cancer; asking the Lord to touch them, to heal them. I began to thank the Holy Spirit for drawing me unto the Lord in such a precious relationship where I know I can just talk to Him and lay my concerns, my intercessions at His feet. Then I was overcome by the sweet presence of the Lord and was touched by His tenderness, by the open tenderness of His heart. What a beautiful relationship I have with my Lord; I know those of you that have this same relationship with Him, where you can feel the tenderness of His heart.
So many teach of the God that created the earth and all that is within it, displaying His power and might. Others teach of the "fear" of the Lord, not to be frightened of Him, although I know there are those that have need to be afraid of the God that is tiring of the meaningless cruelty that is displayed on earth by those who have no regard for the things of our God or for His children. But the "fear" is a holy fear, a reverent fear of knowing that there is One that is above all else, our God that can at any moment bring such havoc down on earth and would definitely get the attention He deserves. But that is not His way; at least not now; it could possibly be coming if the people of earth, especially the children of God, do not begin to live as the Lord desires them to....there will come a time when answers to behavior will have to be given to our Lord. But with all the teachings that we hear these days, we don't often hear about the tenderness of God, the Father.
Our Father, our wonderful Father, has such a tender heart for His children. All through the Bible, even when He had to chastise His children, He did not have the heart to just leave them forever. He would always return and draw them to Him, forgive their sins and be their Father again. Time after time, He was taken advantage of, His love and mercy just treated like it were they that were so deserving instead of the God that loved them so. All the thanks, all the love should have been given to the Lord, but so many just took Him for granted; and then just left Him again.
But for love, you and I probably would have never known life. The Lord, our God, could have just destroyed earth and everyone on it, and that would have been that. But for love. The fact that our God, our Heavenly Father, has such a tender heart for each of His children. I know His heart is so tender to me, for me, as I feel Him so often. I can feel His heart just melt when my heart aches for my friends, my family. When I am upset, I can tell He is upset. When I am distressed, my Father reaches down and surrounds me with His love, with His sweetness, holding me until I am steady on my feet again. Do you know the arms of the Father; do you know the sweet words from His heart, coming through the Holy Spirit, whispering to you that no matter what happened, He is with you and He will take care of you. And then He tells me those sweet words that makes my heart heal with it's gentle balm...."I love you, dear one". Those are His words for me, "dear one". When it was confirmed to me that those were His words for me, that it is how He thinks of me, I began to limit my use of those words. Those words became like priceless jewels to me. So special, I love how He thinks of me. His tender words so so precious, nothing can take the place of God the Father talking to His child.
The tender mercies of my Lord are new each morning. Nothing that happened yesterday matters today, all of those things are far away and the grace and mercy of the Lord come pouring down each new day. This could not be if our God was only a God of Power and Might; our God has qualities that astound the human thought. He is Power, He is Might, He is Fire, He is Light, He is the Creator, the Majestic I Am....but He is also my Father, my Redeemer, my Portion, and He is the Lover of my Soul, who loves me with a tenderness that is indescribable, so precious.
Thank You, my God, my Father. You know my heart tonight Lord, as I think of Your sweetness, Your tenderness to me today, each day. I just want to praise You, it is what You made me to do, and I am humbled by the honor I have to worship You alone.
02-10-12
My spirit was so reflective today. I was thinking how very awesome, how Holy was our God. How everything created was His creation. No one else can take credit for anything made, in the heavenlies or on earth. What a mighty God we serve!
Then I began to pray for some friends that so need the Lord's touch and some children that I know with cancer; asking the Lord to touch them, to heal them. I began to thank the Holy Spirit for drawing me unto the Lord in such a precious relationship where I know I can just talk to Him and lay my concerns, my intercessions at His feet. Then I was overcome by the sweet presence of the Lord and was touched by His tenderness, by the open tenderness of His heart. What a beautiful relationship I have with my Lord; I know those of you that have this same relationship with Him, where you can feel the tenderness of His heart.
So many teach of the God that created the earth and all that is within it, displaying His power and might. Others teach of the "fear" of the Lord, not to be frightened of Him, although I know there are those that have need to be afraid of the God that is tiring of the meaningless cruelty that is displayed on earth by those who have no regard for the things of our God or for His children. But the "fear" is a holy fear, a reverent fear of knowing that there is One that is above all else, our God that can at any moment bring such havoc down on earth and would definitely get the attention He deserves. But that is not His way; at least not now; it could possibly be coming if the people of earth, especially the children of God, do not begin to live as the Lord desires them to....there will come a time when answers to behavior will have to be given to our Lord. But with all the teachings that we hear these days, we don't often hear about the tenderness of God, the Father.
Our Father, our wonderful Father, has such a tender heart for His children. All through the Bible, even when He had to chastise His children, He did not have the heart to just leave them forever. He would always return and draw them to Him, forgive their sins and be their Father again. Time after time, He was taken advantage of, His love and mercy just treated like it were they that were so deserving instead of the God that loved them so. All the thanks, all the love should have been given to the Lord, but so many just took Him for granted; and then just left Him again.
But for love, you and I probably would have never known life. The Lord, our God, could have just destroyed earth and everyone on it, and that would have been that. But for love. The fact that our God, our Heavenly Father, has such a tender heart for each of His children. I know His heart is so tender to me, for me, as I feel Him so often. I can feel His heart just melt when my heart aches for my friends, my family. When I am upset, I can tell He is upset. When I am distressed, my Father reaches down and surrounds me with His love, with His sweetness, holding me until I am steady on my feet again. Do you know the arms of the Father; do you know the sweet words from His heart, coming through the Holy Spirit, whispering to you that no matter what happened, He is with you and He will take care of you. And then He tells me those sweet words that makes my heart heal with it's gentle balm...."I love you, dear one". Those are His words for me, "dear one". When it was confirmed to me that those were His words for me, that it is how He thinks of me, I began to limit my use of those words. Those words became like priceless jewels to me. So special, I love how He thinks of me. His tender words so so precious, nothing can take the place of God the Father talking to His child.
The tender mercies of my Lord are new each morning. Nothing that happened yesterday matters today, all of those things are far away and the grace and mercy of the Lord come pouring down each new day. This could not be if our God was only a God of Power and Might; our God has qualities that astound the human thought. He is Power, He is Might, He is Fire, He is Light, He is the Creator, the Majestic I Am....but He is also my Father, my Redeemer, my Portion, and He is the Lover of my Soul, who loves me with a tenderness that is indescribable, so precious.
Thank You, my God, my Father. You know my heart tonight Lord, as I think of Your sweetness, Your tenderness to me today, each day. I just want to praise You, it is what You made me to do, and I am humbled by the honor I have to worship You alone.
02-10-12
Thursday, February 9, 2012
WHO/WHAT ARE YOU WORSHIPING?
Psalm 81:8-9 (Message) "Listen, dear ones.....get this straight; O Israel, don't take this lightly. Don't take up with strange gods, don't worship the latest in gods."
The Lord began to minister to me as I worshiped Him this morning. I was worshiping and singing, just talking inbetween words of melody and saying that my desire was that all would worship Him alone. The Lord spoke to me and told me that so many had gotten weary, just weary of the walk. He said, they were tired of waiting, they wanted instant gratification of their work for Him, they wanted to see results now, actually He said yesterday, and they were going on; they had stopped worshiping Him and were going to settle for less that what He had for them, in order to have the "NOW" thing.
Can you just feel the hurt, the pain in the Lord's heart? After all He has done for us, His children; after time after time bringing us out of disastrous situations, seeing that we were taken care of, and yet, there are so many, just as with the Israelites, that wanted it now, got tired of the walk, the waiting, the struggle and decided to go after other gods.
Other gods are anything that takes the place of the Lord in your life. When you decide that you do not want to worship the One who has given you life eternal, but decided that you will just do your thing. Some people actually continue to go to church, or to a different one, if the church they were not attending does not have the modern programs, the feel good message, the indifference to worship, true worship; you know the kind of place that doesn't make you feel like you should give the Lord 100% of yourself in worship, in praise. Nothing required of you at all. Some gods are those ministers to whom you begin to think has all the answers and you just don't think anyone else can tell you anything. You listen to everything they say and never check it out in the Word, or test anything they say. You are making yourself a god. Anything that takes the place, first place in your life besides our God, becomes your little god.
The Lord is a jealous God. He will put up with this for a short time, giving you some time to come back to Him on your own; but it will be shortlived. He will draw you back to Him, wooing you gently with His love; if you still refuse, He will cut you off from His Spirit, it will be a dark day when you realize upon calling out His Name in need, that He will not answer until He sees your heart completely turned back to Him. He will make you wait until He is all that you desire before He answers again. You will have to prove that our Lord is your only God.
Inanimate objects can become your gods also; people that spend all their time in front of the TV, in activities other than giving to the Lord their time; time reading the Word, time worshiping and praising Him, time devoted to witnessing of His great love and grace. I have seen people make their children their gods; completely engrossed in their children without a thought of the Lord until something happens and they need help. Be careful friends, what you worship.
Sadly, so many of us never think of these things as gods. But they can be if we are not careful. The enemy is so sly, he can have you engrossed in something that seems perfectly good, and yet if it takes the place of God in your heart, it is another god that you worship.
For those of us that choose to worship only the Creator of life, our God, the Great I Am, will have the reward that the Father has been desiring to give us. Only we will have the peace of the Lord, and the unmistakable joy that none other can give. We alone will have the blessings of the Lord rain down on us in abundance.
Father, forgive us all if we have let others, things, take the rightful place You should have in our hearts, in our lifes. Holy Spirit, check our hearts and show us, reveal to us those things that should not be in first place in our lives over our Heavenly Father. Convict us of anything there that is not of our Lord, keep us ever mindful of the One whose Name we bear. Let us always be worshiping You, my God, You alone. For You alone are worthy of all praise, You alone are the Holy One; You alone should be worshiped; for You alone are God.
02-09-12
The Lord began to minister to me as I worshiped Him this morning. I was worshiping and singing, just talking inbetween words of melody and saying that my desire was that all would worship Him alone. The Lord spoke to me and told me that so many had gotten weary, just weary of the walk. He said, they were tired of waiting, they wanted instant gratification of their work for Him, they wanted to see results now, actually He said yesterday, and they were going on; they had stopped worshiping Him and were going to settle for less that what He had for them, in order to have the "NOW" thing.
Can you just feel the hurt, the pain in the Lord's heart? After all He has done for us, His children; after time after time bringing us out of disastrous situations, seeing that we were taken care of, and yet, there are so many, just as with the Israelites, that wanted it now, got tired of the walk, the waiting, the struggle and decided to go after other gods.
Other gods are anything that takes the place of the Lord in your life. When you decide that you do not want to worship the One who has given you life eternal, but decided that you will just do your thing. Some people actually continue to go to church, or to a different one, if the church they were not attending does not have the modern programs, the feel good message, the indifference to worship, true worship; you know the kind of place that doesn't make you feel like you should give the Lord 100% of yourself in worship, in praise. Nothing required of you at all. Some gods are those ministers to whom you begin to think has all the answers and you just don't think anyone else can tell you anything. You listen to everything they say and never check it out in the Word, or test anything they say. You are making yourself a god. Anything that takes the place, first place in your life besides our God, becomes your little god.
The Lord is a jealous God. He will put up with this for a short time, giving you some time to come back to Him on your own; but it will be shortlived. He will draw you back to Him, wooing you gently with His love; if you still refuse, He will cut you off from His Spirit, it will be a dark day when you realize upon calling out His Name in need, that He will not answer until He sees your heart completely turned back to Him. He will make you wait until He is all that you desire before He answers again. You will have to prove that our Lord is your only God.
Inanimate objects can become your gods also; people that spend all their time in front of the TV, in activities other than giving to the Lord their time; time reading the Word, time worshiping and praising Him, time devoted to witnessing of His great love and grace. I have seen people make their children their gods; completely engrossed in their children without a thought of the Lord until something happens and they need help. Be careful friends, what you worship.
Sadly, so many of us never think of these things as gods. But they can be if we are not careful. The enemy is so sly, he can have you engrossed in something that seems perfectly good, and yet if it takes the place of God in your heart, it is another god that you worship.
For those of us that choose to worship only the Creator of life, our God, the Great I Am, will have the reward that the Father has been desiring to give us. Only we will have the peace of the Lord, and the unmistakable joy that none other can give. We alone will have the blessings of the Lord rain down on us in abundance.
Father, forgive us all if we have let others, things, take the rightful place You should have in our hearts, in our lifes. Holy Spirit, check our hearts and show us, reveal to us those things that should not be in first place in our lives over our Heavenly Father. Convict us of anything there that is not of our Lord, keep us ever mindful of the One whose Name we bear. Let us always be worshiping You, my God, You alone. For You alone are worthy of all praise, You alone are the Holy One; You alone should be worshiped; for You alone are God.
02-09-12
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
BREATH OF GOD
Genesis 2:7 "the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being."
As I was driving home tonight after going to dinner with a friend, I was thinking of the Lord and how He is so precious. I was listening to Holy, Holy, Holy and the words "God in three persons, blessed Trinity" just resounded in my spirit. I was thinking of how important the Father is to me, how I can do nothing without Him; how I do not want my life to be without Him, without it being centered around Him and that my very life depended upon Him. The Holy Spirit spoke to me and said "your life is the Breath of God".
My life is the Breath of God. Without the Lord being the center of my life, there is no life. Without His touch on me, His breath in me, there is no life. Now I know people live everyday without knowing the Lord, even though He is their Father also, they either do not know Him or choose to deny Him, His existence. I believe even though they breathe, there is no life. Do you watch people? I do, especially looking at their expressions, but mostly their eyes. Even when there are smiles on faces, laughter in their voices, the eyes will always give you the truth of their hearts. So many people may be smiling but there is such sadness, such misery in their eyes. The eyes are just dulled over, lifeless, they are missing the Breath of God.
Without the essence, without the knowledge, without the presence of God in your life, there is no real life, just existence. The love of the Lord is given freely to all, but only those who choose to receive His love, to ask Him into their hearts know what real life is. Real life that has been given freely to those who have repented of their sin, and asked Jesus to enter their hearts, to be their Savior; only those that have asked Jesus to be a part of their lives know this freedom. These lovers of the Lord know what true peace is, the peace that passes all understanding, they don't know why they are at such peace, except it is due to their faith and trust in the Lord; it is there with them bringing them such joy and such life.
My Father, my Lord God, how I long for more of You. I have tasted the wonderful life You have breathed into me and I want more, more of You. There is not a moment that I do not want to be in Your presence; to fill Your arms around me, holding me, reassuring me that You have my life in Your hands and it is going to be alright; it is going according to what You have planned for me. I have only to rest in You and let You give me each breath, each moment of each day to walk in You. The faithfulness of Your love sustains me, the knowledge that You never change gives me daily hope and Your touch on my life has filled me with joy and peace. I will never leave You, Father, never. I will carry Your Word in my heart, I will carry Your trust in my spirit, and I will always know that with each new day, there will be the refreshing Breath of my God to fill me and strengthen me. I love You so.
02-08-12
As I was driving home tonight after going to dinner with a friend, I was thinking of the Lord and how He is so precious. I was listening to Holy, Holy, Holy and the words "God in three persons, blessed Trinity" just resounded in my spirit. I was thinking of how important the Father is to me, how I can do nothing without Him; how I do not want my life to be without Him, without it being centered around Him and that my very life depended upon Him. The Holy Spirit spoke to me and said "your life is the Breath of God".
My life is the Breath of God. Without the Lord being the center of my life, there is no life. Without His touch on me, His breath in me, there is no life. Now I know people live everyday without knowing the Lord, even though He is their Father also, they either do not know Him or choose to deny Him, His existence. I believe even though they breathe, there is no life. Do you watch people? I do, especially looking at their expressions, but mostly their eyes. Even when there are smiles on faces, laughter in their voices, the eyes will always give you the truth of their hearts. So many people may be smiling but there is such sadness, such misery in their eyes. The eyes are just dulled over, lifeless, they are missing the Breath of God.
Without the essence, without the knowledge, without the presence of God in your life, there is no real life, just existence. The love of the Lord is given freely to all, but only those who choose to receive His love, to ask Him into their hearts know what real life is. Real life that has been given freely to those who have repented of their sin, and asked Jesus to enter their hearts, to be their Savior; only those that have asked Jesus to be a part of their lives know this freedom. These lovers of the Lord know what true peace is, the peace that passes all understanding, they don't know why they are at such peace, except it is due to their faith and trust in the Lord; it is there with them bringing them such joy and such life.
My Father, my Lord God, how I long for more of You. I have tasted the wonderful life You have breathed into me and I want more, more of You. There is not a moment that I do not want to be in Your presence; to fill Your arms around me, holding me, reassuring me that You have my life in Your hands and it is going to be alright; it is going according to what You have planned for me. I have only to rest in You and let You give me each breath, each moment of each day to walk in You. The faithfulness of Your love sustains me, the knowledge that You never change gives me daily hope and Your touch on my life has filled me with joy and peace. I will never leave You, Father, never. I will carry Your Word in my heart, I will carry Your trust in my spirit, and I will always know that with each new day, there will be the refreshing Breath of my God to fill me and strengthen me. I love You so.
02-08-12
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
TALK TO ME
1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 "Be joyful always; Pray continually."
These scriptures I think would do well in reverse also; for as you pray continually, you will be joyful always. Praying is not demanded of us, but all through the Word, we are encouraged to pray, pray, pray. This is the main source of communication with the Lord God. He will never demand of us to pray or to communicate with Him, but He so desires that we do. This is one of the most important thing we can do each day, talk to our God. Had He not thought it so important, you would not see so many examples of prayer in the Bible. Jesus took the time to teach the disciples and the people to pray, giving us a prayer that teaches us all the beautiful ways to pray to the Lord. "Our Father (call Him by Who He is; He is our Father, He is our Creator), Who art in Heaven (the beautiful home that has been prepared for us); Hallowed be Your Name (His Name, holy, consecrated, sacred...say His Name is reverence, in pure love); Your kingdom come (ask for the kingdom of God to come to us, now, this moment); Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (desire that the Lord's will be done here in your life as His will is in heaven, give your will unto the Lord for His use alone, to infiltrate it with His sovereign will); Give us today our daily bread (each day ask the Lord for what you need for just that day, stay in the present with the Lord, for He wants you to concentrate on just one day at a time and trust Him for all the coming ones); Forgive us our debts (our sins, our trespasses, cleanse us, Lord) as we forgive our debtors (if we wish to have our sins forgiven, we must forgive others; holding no grudges, no bitterness against them, but releasing them from their wrongs to us); And lead us not into temptation (ask the Lord to protect your minds, your hearts from yielding to temptation; to give you strength to withstand any temptations of the enemy); but deliver us from the evil one (the evil one, the one who will stop at nothing to come between you and the Father).
Praying continually is the best way to stay in tune with the Lord. I talk to the Lord all day long. You can call it prayer, at times it takes on the form of formal prayer, but the rest of the time, it is just talking to the Lord about what is going on, asking His healing for friends, sometimes for myself, asking Him to give strength where needed, providance. The time I enjoy the most while talking to the Lord is just the time I spend in His presence, telling Him how much I love Him. Thanking Him for the blessings He gives me, and for His precious love, are some of my most enjoyable moments. He so loves just being visited with, having me spent time with Him because I love Him, no reason, but just because I love to be with Him. You may think this is being overly spiritual but it really is not. I just love the Lord and can't think of a better One to talk to about whatever enters my mind. If I see the clouds in the sky, I might tell Him how pretty they are or what a gorgeous moon that is. These are His creations, don't you think He might like to hear how we enjoy them. You tell others how wonderful things are, try talking to the Lord and telling Him how you enjoy what He has done. Those beautiful sunsets are not by accident. I believe the Lord gives us such beauty to draw us into conversation with Him about them, to tell Him how wonderful they are, and to thank Him for giving us such beauty to look at, to enjoy.
The Lord is constantly speaking to His children "Talk to Me". Do you not hear that sweet, gentle voice imploring you to visit with Him? Don't wait until things get so rough and you hit your knees to pray and ask for the Lord to help you. I am not saying He won't, He loves you. But what a wonderful blessing you are missing when you don't talk to the Lord, when your prayers do not lift up to Him in an ongoing conversation of love and honor. It honors the Lord when He realizes how you have chosen to pray and to talk with Him about everything. Your needs, your desires, your prayers for others - He particularly loves to hear you pray for others, that you are interceding for others. This is the heart He desires you to have; a heart for others over yourself. What joy He feels when He sees His children loving each other so dearly as to pray for them.
I love You Lord. I love to visit with You, to spend my days and nights with You. To know You are with me when I awake in the night, knowing I can talk to You right then. I don't have to wait for an assigned time of day to pray, I can lift my voice to You anytime I want to, it is Your will for me to do so, it is Your great pleasure for me to do so, anytime, anytime at all, You are waiting to talk with me. Thank You Lord, my Father, for one more day. Father, You know the urgent prayer of my heart tonight and I lift my friend to You. I trust You completely Lord and always will. You are everything to me, my Lord, my King, my Father, my most trusted Friend, my deepest Love, the Lover of my soul. I will always talk to You, as I know You will always listen for my voice.
02-07-12
These scriptures I think would do well in reverse also; for as you pray continually, you will be joyful always. Praying is not demanded of us, but all through the Word, we are encouraged to pray, pray, pray. This is the main source of communication with the Lord God. He will never demand of us to pray or to communicate with Him, but He so desires that we do. This is one of the most important thing we can do each day, talk to our God. Had He not thought it so important, you would not see so many examples of prayer in the Bible. Jesus took the time to teach the disciples and the people to pray, giving us a prayer that teaches us all the beautiful ways to pray to the Lord. "Our Father (call Him by Who He is; He is our Father, He is our Creator), Who art in Heaven (the beautiful home that has been prepared for us); Hallowed be Your Name (His Name, holy, consecrated, sacred...say His Name is reverence, in pure love); Your kingdom come (ask for the kingdom of God to come to us, now, this moment); Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (desire that the Lord's will be done here in your life as His will is in heaven, give your will unto the Lord for His use alone, to infiltrate it with His sovereign will); Give us today our daily bread (each day ask the Lord for what you need for just that day, stay in the present with the Lord, for He wants you to concentrate on just one day at a time and trust Him for all the coming ones); Forgive us our debts (our sins, our trespasses, cleanse us, Lord) as we forgive our debtors (if we wish to have our sins forgiven, we must forgive others; holding no grudges, no bitterness against them, but releasing them from their wrongs to us); And lead us not into temptation (ask the Lord to protect your minds, your hearts from yielding to temptation; to give you strength to withstand any temptations of the enemy); but deliver us from the evil one (the evil one, the one who will stop at nothing to come between you and the Father).
Praying continually is the best way to stay in tune with the Lord. I talk to the Lord all day long. You can call it prayer, at times it takes on the form of formal prayer, but the rest of the time, it is just talking to the Lord about what is going on, asking His healing for friends, sometimes for myself, asking Him to give strength where needed, providance. The time I enjoy the most while talking to the Lord is just the time I spend in His presence, telling Him how much I love Him. Thanking Him for the blessings He gives me, and for His precious love, are some of my most enjoyable moments. He so loves just being visited with, having me spent time with Him because I love Him, no reason, but just because I love to be with Him. You may think this is being overly spiritual but it really is not. I just love the Lord and can't think of a better One to talk to about whatever enters my mind. If I see the clouds in the sky, I might tell Him how pretty they are or what a gorgeous moon that is. These are His creations, don't you think He might like to hear how we enjoy them. You tell others how wonderful things are, try talking to the Lord and telling Him how you enjoy what He has done. Those beautiful sunsets are not by accident. I believe the Lord gives us such beauty to draw us into conversation with Him about them, to tell Him how wonderful they are, and to thank Him for giving us such beauty to look at, to enjoy.
The Lord is constantly speaking to His children "Talk to Me". Do you not hear that sweet, gentle voice imploring you to visit with Him? Don't wait until things get so rough and you hit your knees to pray and ask for the Lord to help you. I am not saying He won't, He loves you. But what a wonderful blessing you are missing when you don't talk to the Lord, when your prayers do not lift up to Him in an ongoing conversation of love and honor. It honors the Lord when He realizes how you have chosen to pray and to talk with Him about everything. Your needs, your desires, your prayers for others - He particularly loves to hear you pray for others, that you are interceding for others. This is the heart He desires you to have; a heart for others over yourself. What joy He feels when He sees His children loving each other so dearly as to pray for them.
I love You Lord. I love to visit with You, to spend my days and nights with You. To know You are with me when I awake in the night, knowing I can talk to You right then. I don't have to wait for an assigned time of day to pray, I can lift my voice to You anytime I want to, it is Your will for me to do so, it is Your great pleasure for me to do so, anytime, anytime at all, You are waiting to talk with me. Thank You Lord, my Father, for one more day. Father, You know the urgent prayer of my heart tonight and I lift my friend to You. I trust You completely Lord and always will. You are everything to me, my Lord, my King, my Father, my most trusted Friend, my deepest Love, the Lover of my soul. I will always talk to You, as I know You will always listen for my voice.
02-07-12
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