Psalm 51:11 "Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me."
I am reading a new book on my Kindle about Jesus. There are a lot of books about Jesus out there, and some I can just not seem to get into, but then there are the books that are written by folks that have a heart of worship, a heart so like mine.....well, these are the books that I can just fall into, almost as though I am writing the book myself. I see myself in every other line.....so it was this morning early, as I took a few moments to spend time learning more about my Savior. I say all this, and yet, it was not Jesus to whom my attention was drawn but to my God instead. As I was reading in the book, about the walk Jesus had on earth, about His life, and then about His death.....I was drawn into another realm where I seemed to sit in the presence of God as He told me what He had gone through while Jesus was on earth.
My Father told me His most agonizing moments when Jesus was being beaten, spit upon, cursed.....all those horrific things that my precious Savior suffered BEFORE He was hung on the cross.....this paled in comparison to the moment.....that heartbreaking moment as Jesus took on the sins of the world, those minutes as He hung there, sin draped over Him like a second skin.....and He was alone....totally alone..... nothing compared to those moments, because He could not look upon sin, because sin caused a breach between His Beloved Son and Himself, and God turned away.....those moments were heartbreaking to our God. But it was necessary, for the final sacrifice to be made, so death could be defeated, sickness and pain could be conquered.....and so sin would no longer be an unbreachible bridge between our God and ourselves. Jesus paid the price to restore man's relationship with God. But our God paid a price too..... Can you imagine giving up part of yourself, and that is what a child is....part of you....but giving this child, perfect in all aspects, no sin......no defilement.....completely without sin.....for a world of Christians that just decided that living in sin was easier, decidedly safer......no rules......no commitment.....no responsibility..... and you were going to give your child to die for these people......I am not sure I know a human that would, much less could, do this. But God did, and He suffered such agony when He was forced to turn from His precious Son.
Every blow was felt by God, every accusation cut deep as His Son, the Innocent One was making the way, doing what He was sent to do. It was necessary, sad to say, but necessary for the Christian to know what victory over sin is, what victory over death, over sickness, over heartache, over disappointment.....to know victory today, it took the suffering of our Lord Jesus then.....and our Father....our God.
As we are walking the path the Lord has set before us....the way that God, our Father, has made for us, His plan for our lives.....every hurt, every accusation, every disappointment and heartbreak.....they are felt by the Father's heart. He grieves when we cry....I believe He knows every tear I have shed in my life time....just think on this.....if the Lord knows every hair on your head by number, how many there are, how many there use to be, what has been lost.....then don't you think He would know, so very well, how many tears you have shed.....don't you think He would know every time that you wanted to just quit....give up.....but your love for Him, your passion for His presence, for His touch on your life......made you get back up and keep going, refusing to quit because the One who called you had never quit on you.
We will suffer agony in this life......our Lord Jesus suffered great agony......and our God, perhaps the greatest agony of all. Victory requires sacrifice.....sacrifice of our thoughts for His, sacrifice of our plans for His....and the ultimate giving up of our will, for His will for us. It truly is the agony of victory....but in victory agony turns sweet.....turns precious.......turns into eternal life.
Pats Pennings
11-12-13
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Sunday, August 4, 2013
DANCE LIKE DAVID
2 Samuel 6:14 "Then
David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen
ephod”; v16: “Now as the ark of the Lord
came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window
and saw King David leaping and whirling before the Lord; and she despised him
in her heart”.
I always go to church expecting, I always expect the Lord to
show up, and to give me something, a new word.
Sometimes a word from the Lord is personal, but I find most times, it is
a word He means to be shared with others, to give them the same clarity, the
same new wisdom that He gives you.
Understand me please, I do not take credit at any time for any of this….I
only know that if I am prepared, if I am expectant, if I do my part, the Lord ALWAYS does
His. So before I went into church, I
made sure I tore some pages from my little notebook, tucked them inside my
Bible and had my pen within easy reach.
As we were praising the Lord, the song began “When the
Spirit of the Lord comes upon my heart, I will dance like David danced”. As we sang, the Lord began to speak to
me. David was stripped down to just his
linen ephod, it was a short garment that was worn over their clothing, but it
gave freedom for dancing; nothing fine or kingly about the one he wore. The Lord showed me that as David wore this
unrefined garment, he was setting aside all there was about himself, about his
worldly status, and worshiping the Lord in sheer abandonment, and that this is
the same attitude that the Lord wants us to come before him to worship
Him. Yes, you say, well we have no royal
attire so we are already stripped down to commonness. That is not what the Lord was telling
me. He wants us to abandon ourselves,
abandon those self-righteous attitudes, fear NOT what others think about us as
we give ourselves into complete glorification of our God, into total surrender
of self unto Him. Just let go of all our
inhibitions and religious chains of propriety, of the “proper” behavior in
church we have been taught since childhood, but to just relax and rejoice in
His presence and dance, dance, dance like David did.
Just as Michal did……rise herself up in religious attitude,
in her “position”, her “status” in life….
There are some folks in churches that have this “status” and think they have to
be on guard of how they behave at all times.
Behavior that is expected of a Christian is not the same thing as
behavior of a child of God dancing before Him, praising, worshiping Him with
all their heart. No one should ever feel
they are above the call of sheer abandonment to worship God. What a disappointment they will feel, and
truth be told, I have a feeling there was a part of Michal that wanted to be
that free….although nothing was ever said like this….and I am sure at that time
if you had asked her, she would deny it….if you met her today….it might be a
total different story. The reason I can
say this openly is that I know that feeling.
There was a day when I thought I could not abandon myself to worship,
what would people think, how would it look.
Yes, foolish I was….but no longer.
However, the people that will seem to despise you for this behavior are
mostly the people that wish, they too, could be free to worship in complete and
total abandonment to the Lord.
We are meant to be free in the Lord…..we are meant to be
free from fear of what other’s think of our worshiping the Lord with all our
hearts….we are to be free to show the love we have for our Lord and to be a
testimony of that love, that freedom of worship….an example for others to see,
to desire, and to join in.
When the Spirit of the Lord comes upon my heart, and He does
very often, I will dance like David dances, I will shout like David shouts and
I will worship like David worships. I
use the word in the present tense, because…..if this is how David, or I, or you
worship on earth, it will only intensify when we get to Heaven. I know David is leading throngs of people,
dressed in righteousness, in complete abandonment, worshiping our Lord, giving
Him all the honor, all the glory, for He alone is worthy of all our worship,
all the time….true worship in complete giving of ourselves, complete and
unashamed abandonment…….it is all about HIM!
Patspennings 8-04-13
Sunday, July 28, 2013
THE OBSESSION WITH HORROR
Galatians 5:17 "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish."
You cannot look around you.....at what is on television, what is at the movies, on the news...it seems like everything now is beginning to have a common theme.....horror. I can remember as a child, movies that were considered horror movies were designed to frighten, scare you....but momentarily, the horror faded as soon as you walked out of the movie as you knew it was not real, not conceivable. But not today....for a long time now, I have noticed the building up of movies, shows that played off what was happening in the world....and if it was not happening, then after watching some of these movies, shows, it was enacted in fact. And people literally ate it up.....people are fascinated by evil, wrong doing, horror.
Yes, I can feel some of you will disagree with me, but think about this. What is it about things that are so horrible, devastating to people, hurtful.....sinful....that draws people to watch, again and again? If folks did not watch these things, trust me, eventually movie makers, television producers would begin to see, and to do more of what was desired. They only produce what sells.....and it sells, because?
What we see, what we watch, these things are what begin to abide inside of us. As I have never enjoyed horror movies.....why would I intentionally want to cause myself to be frightened, fearful? But these things begin to take root inside. I can remember when video games were about frogs, silly men in hats wanting to climb to higher levels....but then they became about shooting robots....and then the robots took on the form of humans. And kids, and adults all over the world began to shoot humans on video games, the horror of it. Just could not get enough of it. The more you killed, the better you were. And they wonder why kids, grownups can just shoot people in mass and be unaffected by it. Total obsession with horror till it no longer bothers you....it just feeds that lustful spirit.
Do you want to be obsessed with a horror that I feel was the most horrible scene ever known? Place yourself on that middle cross, the one Jesus hung on.....feel the horror of the sin of every person, past life, present life and the sin of those lives to come....our sin...as they were flung, as they whipped the body, the heart, the Spirit of our Lord Jesus.....and if that horror is not enough, feel past the physical pain and feel the horror of your Beloved Father turning away as you were too "horrible, sinful" to see, to know. Then descend into the true horror of the world, of the universe...and YES IT IS REAL... descend into HELL. Here is true horror, the horror I cannot think of any Christian wanting to experience....descend into hell and see what our Lord saw there.....He saw those there that had not chosen Him, that had turned from the Lord, from our God, and now would live eternally in a horror that never ends. Feed your obsession here.
These types of movies, shows of horror, they satisfy a lustful spirit. I cannot tell you what to do if these are things you enjoy watching....I can only ask that you look at them as our Lord would have you look at them....with His heart, through His eyes, in His Spirit..... One day there will be a line drawn in the sand...... why wait till that day.... Choose your obsession...will it be of our Lord, His Spirit, or will it be of the lust of the world.
Thank You, Lord, for being my All.
Patspennings
07-28-13
You cannot look around you.....at what is on television, what is at the movies, on the news...it seems like everything now is beginning to have a common theme.....horror. I can remember as a child, movies that were considered horror movies were designed to frighten, scare you....but momentarily, the horror faded as soon as you walked out of the movie as you knew it was not real, not conceivable. But not today....for a long time now, I have noticed the building up of movies, shows that played off what was happening in the world....and if it was not happening, then after watching some of these movies, shows, it was enacted in fact. And people literally ate it up.....people are fascinated by evil, wrong doing, horror.
Yes, I can feel some of you will disagree with me, but think about this. What is it about things that are so horrible, devastating to people, hurtful.....sinful....that draws people to watch, again and again? If folks did not watch these things, trust me, eventually movie makers, television producers would begin to see, and to do more of what was desired. They only produce what sells.....and it sells, because?
What we see, what we watch, these things are what begin to abide inside of us. As I have never enjoyed horror movies.....why would I intentionally want to cause myself to be frightened, fearful? But these things begin to take root inside. I can remember when video games were about frogs, silly men in hats wanting to climb to higher levels....but then they became about shooting robots....and then the robots took on the form of humans. And kids, and adults all over the world began to shoot humans on video games, the horror of it. Just could not get enough of it. The more you killed, the better you were. And they wonder why kids, grownups can just shoot people in mass and be unaffected by it. Total obsession with horror till it no longer bothers you....it just feeds that lustful spirit.
Do you want to be obsessed with a horror that I feel was the most horrible scene ever known? Place yourself on that middle cross, the one Jesus hung on.....feel the horror of the sin of every person, past life, present life and the sin of those lives to come....our sin...as they were flung, as they whipped the body, the heart, the Spirit of our Lord Jesus.....and if that horror is not enough, feel past the physical pain and feel the horror of your Beloved Father turning away as you were too "horrible, sinful" to see, to know. Then descend into the true horror of the world, of the universe...and YES IT IS REAL... descend into HELL. Here is true horror, the horror I cannot think of any Christian wanting to experience....descend into hell and see what our Lord saw there.....He saw those there that had not chosen Him, that had turned from the Lord, from our God, and now would live eternally in a horror that never ends. Feed your obsession here.
These types of movies, shows of horror, they satisfy a lustful spirit. I cannot tell you what to do if these are things you enjoy watching....I can only ask that you look at them as our Lord would have you look at them....with His heart, through His eyes, in His Spirit..... One day there will be a line drawn in the sand...... why wait till that day.... Choose your obsession...will it be of our Lord, His Spirit, or will it be of the lust of the world.
Thank You, Lord, for being my All.
Patspennings
07-28-13
Sunday, July 14, 2013
SIGHT AND SOUND
Hebrews 12:14-15 "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord, looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble and by this many become defiled...."
I am so uncertain as to this scripture....but as I looked to see what the Lord said about what He had spoken to me just a couple of hours ago, this is the one He led me to. I am sure, though, as I write, it will become plain to me....and I pray to you also.
I struggled since yesterday about where to attend church this morning....I still have not found where I feel the Lord would have me go......as I am looking for a church locally, one nearby where I can become more of a part of than just Sunday morning worship when I drive 30 or 40 miles to get to.......so I struggled.....did I want to go where beginning of the service is not set in stone (I am so on- time oriented.....well, I just feel others should feel that way also....you can see what the Lord puts up with me....He is dealing with me on so many things, breaking the chains of my thoughts.....showing me His thoughts), but here the people are loving, and it is a church the size I am seeking; or was I going to attend a much larger church, actually a satellite church but the worship leaves my heart aching and needing more. Well, I piddled around too long to attend the first and so I went to the second option.
As worship began, rather I would consider this praise as it was a upbeat, many worded, quick paced song.....I found myself thinking, "O Lord, I just want to worship You with these people, just worship You...." but I tried to enter into the song. Well then I saw the lights flickering on the walls, the music beginning to attack me like noise and I began to notice the way the people on the platform were dressed.....real trendy, men with that kind of actor type of unshaven look....new male wardrobe styles you see on NY runways.... Well, you get the picture....I was sinking fast.
I then heard the words "Sight and Sound" flood my spirit. And I knew what would follow. I knew the Lord was beginning to download into my spirit something I was to write. My first thought, forgive me Lord, was "Not now Lord, I can't sit and begin to write at this time". But, as I have found, the Lord gives when He is ready....NOT when we are ready. And so He began to speak to me. I found by the time He was finished why He was giving this to me at that moment....at that precise moment. Like lots of folks, we have a mind that has learned how to block out what we don't think is meant for ourselves.....You know some of those scriptures that we tend to feel, well that surely doesn't pertain to me.....those times. The Lord wanted to show and tell me these things right then, because that is when I was allowing the enemy......the enemy of my own mind to distract me from Him, from seeking His face, His presence. This, when I think on it, is exactly what I pray and ask the Lord to do for me.....not to let me fall into a sinful place with my mind....my heart.....any part of me that is not of Him. Here I was beginning to fall into the very trap I ask Him to keep me from and I wanted to argue His timing on it. Well, you can imagine how I felt when He was done. All I could think then and now is "Forgive me Lord, forgive me".
I was allowing what I saw.....which there was nothing wrong with, but the enemy knows which of my buttons are still being dealt with by the Holy Spirit, he knew just what to show me.....just what to let me hear, twisting and turning so that I would begin to find fault, displeasure, dislike with and to....to distract me from the very reason I went to church. I went to join in with the others there in a corporate time of worship to my Lord, to my God. I went to join with the body of Christ.....to become united with them to pray and worship the King of kings, the Lord of my life. Not all music will be the kind of worship music that I find draws me instantly into the presence of the Lord, the worship music that I cannot hear without drawing me right into worship from my spirit, from my heart.....I don't understand all this, and I am not saying this to make it seem that my preferences are right and others wrong....that is not what I am saying. I am just saying that I, we, should never let anything distract us when we are "with the body of believers" to keep us from the object of our being there....to corporately worship, corporately pray, corporately seek the Lord.
When our hearts, when our spirits are seeking the Lord.....truly seeking the Lord, we must be so careful not to let what differences in our worship preferences, our dress preferences, any of our personal preferences to interfere or take our minds off of the importance of joining together in church. Keep our hearts, keep our minds on the Lord. Ignore what is around you in worldly form and concentrate on the spirits that are reaching out to the Lord.....that is what the Lord was showing me. It is the spirits of those around me that is important, not what they look like.......it is the spirit of the music.....the words being sung......praises to the Lord, our God......that is what is important.
Now that I believe I have put down all the Lord wants me to.....I looked back up at the scripture He gave me.....bitterness.....like unrest so easily can spring up within you when differences.....sights and sounds.....abound. Keeping my eyes on Him, dear friends, keeping your eyes on Him....our only sure way to keep our hearts pure, our spirits undefiled....the only way.
Thank You, Lord, for Your words to me........I know You, with loving grace, have forgiven me for what wanted to rise up in me......You touched me with Your immediate word, as I have asked You to do.....and took me eyes off the world and drew them back to You, where I always want them to be. I love You so much. Thank You, Lord.
patspennings
07-14-13
I am so uncertain as to this scripture....but as I looked to see what the Lord said about what He had spoken to me just a couple of hours ago, this is the one He led me to. I am sure, though, as I write, it will become plain to me....and I pray to you also.
I struggled since yesterday about where to attend church this morning....I still have not found where I feel the Lord would have me go......as I am looking for a church locally, one nearby where I can become more of a part of than just Sunday morning worship when I drive 30 or 40 miles to get to.......so I struggled.....did I want to go where beginning of the service is not set in stone (I am so on- time oriented.....well, I just feel others should feel that way also....you can see what the Lord puts up with me....He is dealing with me on so many things, breaking the chains of my thoughts.....showing me His thoughts), but here the people are loving, and it is a church the size I am seeking; or was I going to attend a much larger church, actually a satellite church but the worship leaves my heart aching and needing more. Well, I piddled around too long to attend the first and so I went to the second option.
As worship began, rather I would consider this praise as it was a upbeat, many worded, quick paced song.....I found myself thinking, "O Lord, I just want to worship You with these people, just worship You...." but I tried to enter into the song. Well then I saw the lights flickering on the walls, the music beginning to attack me like noise and I began to notice the way the people on the platform were dressed.....real trendy, men with that kind of actor type of unshaven look....new male wardrobe styles you see on NY runways.... Well, you get the picture....I was sinking fast.
I then heard the words "Sight and Sound" flood my spirit. And I knew what would follow. I knew the Lord was beginning to download into my spirit something I was to write. My first thought, forgive me Lord, was "Not now Lord, I can't sit and begin to write at this time". But, as I have found, the Lord gives when He is ready....NOT when we are ready. And so He began to speak to me. I found by the time He was finished why He was giving this to me at that moment....at that precise moment. Like lots of folks, we have a mind that has learned how to block out what we don't think is meant for ourselves.....You know some of those scriptures that we tend to feel, well that surely doesn't pertain to me.....those times. The Lord wanted to show and tell me these things right then, because that is when I was allowing the enemy......the enemy of my own mind to distract me from Him, from seeking His face, His presence. This, when I think on it, is exactly what I pray and ask the Lord to do for me.....not to let me fall into a sinful place with my mind....my heart.....any part of me that is not of Him. Here I was beginning to fall into the very trap I ask Him to keep me from and I wanted to argue His timing on it. Well, you can imagine how I felt when He was done. All I could think then and now is "Forgive me Lord, forgive me".
I was allowing what I saw.....which there was nothing wrong with, but the enemy knows which of my buttons are still being dealt with by the Holy Spirit, he knew just what to show me.....just what to let me hear, twisting and turning so that I would begin to find fault, displeasure, dislike with and to....to distract me from the very reason I went to church. I went to join in with the others there in a corporate time of worship to my Lord, to my God. I went to join with the body of Christ.....to become united with them to pray and worship the King of kings, the Lord of my life. Not all music will be the kind of worship music that I find draws me instantly into the presence of the Lord, the worship music that I cannot hear without drawing me right into worship from my spirit, from my heart.....I don't understand all this, and I am not saying this to make it seem that my preferences are right and others wrong....that is not what I am saying. I am just saying that I, we, should never let anything distract us when we are "with the body of believers" to keep us from the object of our being there....to corporately worship, corporately pray, corporately seek the Lord.
When our hearts, when our spirits are seeking the Lord.....truly seeking the Lord, we must be so careful not to let what differences in our worship preferences, our dress preferences, any of our personal preferences to interfere or take our minds off of the importance of joining together in church. Keep our hearts, keep our minds on the Lord. Ignore what is around you in worldly form and concentrate on the spirits that are reaching out to the Lord.....that is what the Lord was showing me. It is the spirits of those around me that is important, not what they look like.......it is the spirit of the music.....the words being sung......praises to the Lord, our God......that is what is important.
Now that I believe I have put down all the Lord wants me to.....I looked back up at the scripture He gave me.....bitterness.....like unrest so easily can spring up within you when differences.....sights and sounds.....abound. Keeping my eyes on Him, dear friends, keeping your eyes on Him....our only sure way to keep our hearts pure, our spirits undefiled....the only way.
Thank You, Lord, for Your words to me........I know You, with loving grace, have forgiven me for what wanted to rise up in me......You touched me with Your immediate word, as I have asked You to do.....and took me eyes off the world and drew them back to You, where I always want them to be. I love You so much. Thank You, Lord.
patspennings
07-14-13
Saturday, June 15, 2013
MY FATHER.....THOUGHTS OF THE PAST AND THE PRESENT
Ephesians 6:2-3 "Honor your father and mother (this is the first commandment with a promise), that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land."
Because of tomorrow being Father's Day, I find myself thinking deeply about my father, my daddy. So many thoughts passing through my mind.....daddy teaching me to ride my first bike, how he went round and round the house holding me on the bike....I have to laugh as it was forever before I could ride that bike, in fact, truth be told.....my sis rode it before I did. But daddy tried so hard to help me. I remember one Valentine's Day, daddy came home from work with chocolate hearts with our names on them. A Christmas when he and mama had just finished putting the gifts under the tree at 3:00 in the morning and we woke up.....daddy told us to go back to bed....but a minute later he was up, lighting the fires so it would be warm while we opened our gifts....I can remember he had a hard time saying no.
I also remember being punished because of bad grades and not getting to go to the dance.....I was in my room and I can remember daddy staying up late, long after the dance would be over....not able to sleep because he knew I was so upset and it hurt him so, ....but he had told me, if my report card was bad, I would be punished.....and daddy was so loving, but he was consistent. He was not one to just let us have our way when he knew what was better for us.
Strange, though, my memories are so different in some ways from that of my brother and sister. I believe all children grow up with different memories, having seen their fathers, their daddies in a different light from each other. I know families where one child will remember a very happy childhood and the other will think it was horrid. I believe it has a lot to do with love....and with forgiveness....and with forgetting, a choice to choose the good memories and let bad ones go, especially when your dad is no longer with you. The Lord gives us the good memories for comfort, at least He has me.
Our Heavenly Father has children that often fall into the same categories. I have a loving Father that I know, no matter what I do, will love me, because I am His child. And yet, some of God's children see Him as a harsh, punishing God.....He gets blamed for all the bad things in the world...and by some of His own children. Can you imagine how that hurts Him. I can hear Him feeling "My children do not know me, not at all". And the sad thing is, so many do not try to know Him personally, get close to Him.....would not dream of spiritually crawling up on His lap to talk to Him. My Father is loving, He is a protecting, gentle Father. But He means what He says in His Word. To be able to respect my daddy.....I learned to respect and fear my Lord. Not fear as to be afraid of Him....how many misinterpret that fear.... it is a study in itself that everyone should do. Get on the right path in your thoughts of our Father in heaven....I believe it will make a difference in your thoughts of your earthly fathers also.
Seems to me I am beginning to ramble here....but so many thoughts going through my head, my heart....my spirit longs to express to you the respect that is due.....even if some do not have fathers that have stayed around, that you feel earned respect from you....the Lord did not say in His Word, to respect your father and mother "IF they deserve it"......He said to respect them so things would go good for you. This is a commandment.....not a choice....and it is the first commandment given with a promise at the end....."that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land". For those that have a hard time doing such....remember all things are possible with God. Let the Holy Spirit lead and show you how to make this possible.
Well, daddy, you always knew I was a loving child and have grown into a loving woman. I love because you taught me love, and because you taught me God is love. How could I not love, unconditionally love, because that is the way you loved me and that is the way my Lord loves me. Love should not depend on what others do for you, or to you.....it is not their heart that controls your love.....it is your heart........ Daddy, it's Father's Day tomorrow.....you are always in my heart.... and tomorrow, more so.....our birthdays are coming up in a few weeks.....remember the parties for both of us with family....they being two days apart.....there I go, memories again. I love you daddy. I love You Father, thank You Father, for these moments in time.
Because of tomorrow being Father's Day, I find myself thinking deeply about my father, my daddy. So many thoughts passing through my mind.....daddy teaching me to ride my first bike, how he went round and round the house holding me on the bike....I have to laugh as it was forever before I could ride that bike, in fact, truth be told.....my sis rode it before I did. But daddy tried so hard to help me. I remember one Valentine's Day, daddy came home from work with chocolate hearts with our names on them. A Christmas when he and mama had just finished putting the gifts under the tree at 3:00 in the morning and we woke up.....daddy told us to go back to bed....but a minute later he was up, lighting the fires so it would be warm while we opened our gifts....I can remember he had a hard time saying no.
I also remember being punished because of bad grades and not getting to go to the dance.....I was in my room and I can remember daddy staying up late, long after the dance would be over....not able to sleep because he knew I was so upset and it hurt him so, ....but he had told me, if my report card was bad, I would be punished.....and daddy was so loving, but he was consistent. He was not one to just let us have our way when he knew what was better for us.
Strange, though, my memories are so different in some ways from that of my brother and sister. I believe all children grow up with different memories, having seen their fathers, their daddies in a different light from each other. I know families where one child will remember a very happy childhood and the other will think it was horrid. I believe it has a lot to do with love....and with forgiveness....and with forgetting, a choice to choose the good memories and let bad ones go, especially when your dad is no longer with you. The Lord gives us the good memories for comfort, at least He has me.
Our Heavenly Father has children that often fall into the same categories. I have a loving Father that I know, no matter what I do, will love me, because I am His child. And yet, some of God's children see Him as a harsh, punishing God.....He gets blamed for all the bad things in the world...and by some of His own children. Can you imagine how that hurts Him. I can hear Him feeling "My children do not know me, not at all". And the sad thing is, so many do not try to know Him personally, get close to Him.....would not dream of spiritually crawling up on His lap to talk to Him. My Father is loving, He is a protecting, gentle Father. But He means what He says in His Word. To be able to respect my daddy.....I learned to respect and fear my Lord. Not fear as to be afraid of Him....how many misinterpret that fear.... it is a study in itself that everyone should do. Get on the right path in your thoughts of our Father in heaven....I believe it will make a difference in your thoughts of your earthly fathers also.
Seems to me I am beginning to ramble here....but so many thoughts going through my head, my heart....my spirit longs to express to you the respect that is due.....even if some do not have fathers that have stayed around, that you feel earned respect from you....the Lord did not say in His Word, to respect your father and mother "IF they deserve it"......He said to respect them so things would go good for you. This is a commandment.....not a choice....and it is the first commandment given with a promise at the end....."that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land". For those that have a hard time doing such....remember all things are possible with God. Let the Holy Spirit lead and show you how to make this possible.
Well, daddy, you always knew I was a loving child and have grown into a loving woman. I love because you taught me love, and because you taught me God is love. How could I not love, unconditionally love, because that is the way you loved me and that is the way my Lord loves me. Love should not depend on what others do for you, or to you.....it is not their heart that controls your love.....it is your heart........ Daddy, it's Father's Day tomorrow.....you are always in my heart.... and tomorrow, more so.....our birthdays are coming up in a few weeks.....remember the parties for both of us with family....they being two days apart.....there I go, memories again. I love you daddy. I love You Father, thank You Father, for these moments in time.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
THE SIN OF SILENCE
Genesis 3:6 "So when the woman saw that the tree was good for good, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate."
Once again, as I was reading the
Word, I find that my reading of the scripture has been in error. I have
read this passage so many times and only today, my eyes were opened to the
words "she also gave some to her husband WHO WAS WITH HER, and he ate”.
Adam was right there. I, like so many people, would place the blame of
the sin on Eve, who gave to her husband the forbidden fruit....and the blame is
her’s, it is the serpent’s, and it is Adam’s. But as I view this sin,
this direct disobedience of what the Lord commanded them, I see another
sin. I see the sin of silence. Adam was with her.....have you, as
I, always thought that perhaps Adam was off tending the garden somewhere else,
or resting, or doing what sport might have been done in that day...but no, the
Word of God reports that Adam was right there, with Eve, as the serpent talked
to her, he must have heard every word said.
And what did Adam do? It appears
he did nothing. He did not at any time
question what Eve was doing….he did rebuke the serpent and send him away,
telling him to leave them alone….he did not stand with the Lord and uphold what
the Lord had told them as true….he did not one time say, “I respect my Father
and I will not disobey Him”. And then
when the Lord confronted them, he blamed Eve.
And yet, I feel his sin was as great….his sin of silence.
Now I am not trying here to begin
a discussion on who is truly to blame, or what should have happened….we all
know who is to blame and what should have happened. But before we begin to cast judgment, let’s
look at this in the now-time. How many
times have we seen a friend, brother or sister…..begin to do something, say
something….that we knew was wrong, that we knew was not God’s way…..and yet, we
held our voice, we held our voice from telling them, from advising them of God’s
way, of even perhaps, something we had done similar and how we suffered from
the guilt of disobeying the Lord. As
young people, did you stand by and watch a friend cheat on a test…..perhaps
take a pack of gum or candy from the store…..and said nothing. No mention to that friend that it wasn’t
right….that it was against what was true, what was just, what was Godly. So afraid of their disapproval…their opinion….of
losing that friendship…. So we said
nothing. Sin of silence.
So who has the greater sin? In God’s eyes, all sin is the same…sin is
sin, no degree in His eyes, no sin worse than the other, or least than the
other. Sin is sin. Do you think that when we keep silent about
wrong doings, about sin….we are innocent of the sin? When you see someone mistreating another, do
you say something or do you just turn and pretend not to notice. When someone tells an off color joke…..do you
laugh, or even sit silent but say nothing.
When another wants to tell you “juicy” somethings, commonly known as “gossip”,
do you listen or do you tell them that it is not a Christian thing to do? We all know church folks that “in the guise
of wanting to tell you something about another….for prayer sake”. We all know the difference…. and if you think
you don’t, then get in your prayer closet and pray…the Holy Spirit will teach
you.
Silence is golden, it has been
said. But it is golden when it is you….when
it is you that refuses to repeat that “I heard” you were told. Silence is golden when you refuse to take
part in a group telling off color jokes…..silence is golden when instead of
worrying about friends approval, you silently begin to pray….to ask the Holy
Spirit to lead you, to give you the words to say to your friend, in love, about
what they are doing, the wrong of it.
You can see, dear friends, that as
I was reading these words this morning, the Holy Spirit began to speak very
strongly to me. To show me the error of
my ways and how to walk in the truth. In
the truth of the Lord there is no fear…..”what can man do to me”. To stand for the ways of the Lord, to be a
child of the King who loves others enough to be honest with them about what
they are going to do, are wanting to do….or something they have done….when
asked what you think…. Silence is not golden.
Love others enough to speak God’s Word to them….to help them deny the
enemy (the serpent) and obey our God.
Don’t stand by, as Adam did, and let them sin, then help them indulge in
their sin by doing nothing……and when God comes calling…..you will see who has
done the greater sin….If you’ll remember, not only Eve was punished.
Thank You, Lord, for Your words to
me….for Your forgiveness and mercy given me….let me keep Your ways, Lord, and be
an example, a friend to my friends and family.
Pat’s Pennings
05-26-13
Sunday, May 19, 2013
FOUNDATION OF GRACE
1 Corinthians 13:13 "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love."
My Father and I, through His Holy Spirit, had a conversation today. I love it when my Father takes the time to explain things to me, to show me a word, or a part of scripture that perhaps was being missed. The reference scripture above was not the Word that He was focusing me on, but it is the reason for all the things that He has done for me and for you. His love.
The base, the foundation of all grace is love. The Lord loves us all, even though I like to think of myself, and you also, if being truthful......we like to think of ourselves as God's favorite child. You know, the one that if He looked over a group of us, we would be the first chosen to climb up on His lap to talk to Him. I see that as me.....you see that one as you. It's okay, I think as He loves us all the same, He doesn't mind one bit that we know we are special to Him...we are!
But as love is the foundation for grace, then the grace differs. Each of us has needs that are different from one another. The Lord treats us individually. What I need in my life will be so different from your needs. Grace, I believe, is applied daily according to the need we have for that day. Where I may rise in the morning, after a bad nights rest, I may need grace for strength of body, clarity of mind.....and you may have slept a full eight hours and wake up refreshed but are going to have a long day at work....you may need grace for extra body strength and stamina. We have individual needs and God's grace is applied to each of us accordingly.
I have been studying the Holy Spirit, reading and seeing that grace applied to me through the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2:3, the Word tells us "Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat on each of them." Again, we are treated individually......we, when we are born again, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are given our own spiritual tongue. No one's is alike. I have seen folks mimic the tongue of another, but it is not theirs, their true spiritual tongue is unlike another. I like knowing that when I am praying in my prayer language, my own prayer language, instantly the Lord knows it is me, just as He knows your voice, He knows your spiritual language voice. How special we are to the Lord, that He takes the time to treat us special, individual.
What a horrible thing it would be, I feel, if we were lumped into one big group and dealt with as such. I shudder to think of any of you, my dear friends, being judged for my sin. I would not have wanted that for any of you. Nor do I believe you would want someone else paying for your sin in the past. But the Lord treats us separately, He deals with us individually, and He keeps those things to Himself, and after the sin was purged from us by the blood of our Savior, Jesus, the Lord, our God, threw those things as far from Him, never to be reminded of them again. We do not treat our eyes as we would our hand, but they are all parts of our body. The Lord treats us all special, individual, and yet we are all a special, important part of the body of Christ, the Bride of our Lord.
The foundation of grace is love. Love is the foundation for all that transpires between the Lord and us. Thank You, Lord, for treating us in love, with divine mercy that comes anew each morning, Your grace is flowing down to us from a never ending river of love and that love that is shown gives us a glimpse into what is waiting for us in You.....eternal life. What grace is mine, given from Your love divine.
Friends, when you think of how the Lord treats us, all different, individually, but with the same love behind His affections, His gifts, His blessings, His mercy and His wondrous grace. Thank You, Lord. Thank You, my Father.
05-19-13
My Father and I, through His Holy Spirit, had a conversation today. I love it when my Father takes the time to explain things to me, to show me a word, or a part of scripture that perhaps was being missed. The reference scripture above was not the Word that He was focusing me on, but it is the reason for all the things that He has done for me and for you. His love.
The base, the foundation of all grace is love. The Lord loves us all, even though I like to think of myself, and you also, if being truthful......we like to think of ourselves as God's favorite child. You know, the one that if He looked over a group of us, we would be the first chosen to climb up on His lap to talk to Him. I see that as me.....you see that one as you. It's okay, I think as He loves us all the same, He doesn't mind one bit that we know we are special to Him...we are!
But as love is the foundation for grace, then the grace differs. Each of us has needs that are different from one another. The Lord treats us individually. What I need in my life will be so different from your needs. Grace, I believe, is applied daily according to the need we have for that day. Where I may rise in the morning, after a bad nights rest, I may need grace for strength of body, clarity of mind.....and you may have slept a full eight hours and wake up refreshed but are going to have a long day at work....you may need grace for extra body strength and stamina. We have individual needs and God's grace is applied to each of us accordingly.
I have been studying the Holy Spirit, reading and seeing that grace applied to me through the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2:3, the Word tells us "Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat on each of them." Again, we are treated individually......we, when we are born again, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are given our own spiritual tongue. No one's is alike. I have seen folks mimic the tongue of another, but it is not theirs, their true spiritual tongue is unlike another. I like knowing that when I am praying in my prayer language, my own prayer language, instantly the Lord knows it is me, just as He knows your voice, He knows your spiritual language voice. How special we are to the Lord, that He takes the time to treat us special, individual.
What a horrible thing it would be, I feel, if we were lumped into one big group and dealt with as such. I shudder to think of any of you, my dear friends, being judged for my sin. I would not have wanted that for any of you. Nor do I believe you would want someone else paying for your sin in the past. But the Lord treats us separately, He deals with us individually, and He keeps those things to Himself, and after the sin was purged from us by the blood of our Savior, Jesus, the Lord, our God, threw those things as far from Him, never to be reminded of them again. We do not treat our eyes as we would our hand, but they are all parts of our body. The Lord treats us all special, individual, and yet we are all a special, important part of the body of Christ, the Bride of our Lord.
The foundation of grace is love. Love is the foundation for all that transpires between the Lord and us. Thank You, Lord, for treating us in love, with divine mercy that comes anew each morning, Your grace is flowing down to us from a never ending river of love and that love that is shown gives us a glimpse into what is waiting for us in You.....eternal life. What grace is mine, given from Your love divine.
Friends, when you think of how the Lord treats us, all different, individually, but with the same love behind His affections, His gifts, His blessings, His mercy and His wondrous grace. Thank You, Lord. Thank You, my Father.
05-19-13
Monday, April 29, 2013
COMPLACENCY AND ACCEPTANCE - GREVIOUS TO OUR GOD
2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, who are called by my name,
will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked
ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal
their land.”
The Lord has been pouring into me for the last few days,
just keeps having me look at the things I see on television, the things I read
on Facebook, and the way this world is headed.
Calling me to write, to put His heart in words as He gives to me. As I kept putting it off, then the Lord began
to bring Jonah to mind. When He wants me
to write something, He works on me with one thought after another until He
shows me where I am headed. And so
tonight, ……
As I read the Word of God, as I look at this scripture in
particular, God is speaking to His people, who are called by His Name…..us,
Christians….He is not even speaking to those who have rejected Him, who do not
worship Him, who do not call Him Lord.
It is grievous to me when I see the sin of this earth, as I
know it grieves the Lord. But what is
even more grievous to the Lord is the complacency and the acceptance of the
sins of the world. The more it is put
before us, the more things become ingrained in our subconscious, and the more
it sinks in, the less it is thought about.
It becomes a part of everyday life….but it is sin. Complacency, acceptance toward things that
are contrary to the Word of God becomes as sin in us.
It is God’s people, those of us who call Him Lord that He
speaks to. It is for us to come out from
the crowd, to step out and make a stand for the things of God, not the things
of the world. He calls to us to pray,
not to judge others for their sin, not to criticize, but to pray for the
opening of their eyes, their hearing to be awakened to the things of God, not
the world, to step away from their sinful ways and to repent of their sin. And IF we are walking as we should before
God, IF we are praying for these lost in sin, then WE WILL be able to lead them
to the foot of the cross, where in repentance….they too, will receive
forgiveness and eternal life in Jesus Christ.
Father, I pray this is as You would have me write, that Your
thoughts will be seen here, not mine, and that Your Word will be instilled upon
the hearts of those who call upon You as their Father. I pray that our sins of complacency and
acceptance will be repented of, as we seek Your forgiveness and thank You for
Your mercy and grace on our lives. Let
us then Lord, be as One with You, to show Your love, to show Your mercy and be
a roadmap that others can see to find their way to You.
Patspennings 04-29-13
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
THE HEARTBREAK OF THE VINEYARD
Isaiah :1-4 "I will sing for the One I love, a song about His vineyard: My loved One had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then He looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit. Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between Me and My vineyard. What more could have been done for My vineyard than I have done for it?
Dear friends, this passage in the Word is entitled The Song of the Vineyard in one of my Bibles, but I was touched by the Lord's heart this morning and realized it was rather "The Heartbreak of the Vineyard". Go with me for a moment and picture this in your spirit. The Lord clearing out all the debris of our lives, from every crooked path we had walked, the sin in our life, and yes...what some of you might consider big sin....little sin...but dear friends, sin is sin....so consider all the sin in your life; the Lord cleaning us up, washing us gently.....I see Him using the finest, softest cloth as you might use on a baby's face to dry their tears......He dried our tears of shame, heartbreak, disappointment with His soft, gentle hand, and made us into the finest vineyard imaginable. Have you been to a vineyard, have you noticed so many have those beautiful rose bushes, trained up into small trees at the ends of the rows, it's fragrance enhancing the sweet smell of the ripening grapes? That is what I see. His fragrance lingering over the vineyard of our hearts, of our souls, of our spirits. The watchtower.....in the vineyard, here is the Holy Spirit, placed in us to guide, to minister, and to administer His presence with us. The winepress, used I feel by the Holy Spirit to squeeze and press us into the perfected, one day, saint of the Lord. How beautiful this view from our spirits, don't you agree? What plans the Lord had, all the preparation, all the pricks and cuts in His hands as he trimmed away the thorns, as He cleared the brambles each day, pruning and caring for us, each so special to Him......I tell you, friends, right here, my heart just cries out to my Living God thanks and gratitude for His caring for me, for His gentleness in His handling of me each day.....and....my heart cries as I feel His disappointment, His hurt as He looks down at His vineyard today......as He looks for that harvest of good grapes.....I see this as the worship of His children, to whom He has given so much care....as He looks for that harvest of how we show His love and mercy to others......See how many look upon the vineyard of the Lord and criticize us, thus criticizing Him....looking at so many in the church....backbiters, judgers, those too busy about their plans to allow Him to work through them.....judging what the Lord has done....proclaiming to have a better way that His way....
What more could He have done than He has not done? How could He do more, He certainly could not have loved more....He gave everything of Himself to us and asked so little.
I will worship my Lord each moment of my life....I will dedicate my life to glorifying my Lord at all times. There is not a place I know to go but to Him. I want Him to look down on the vineyard He has planted in me and see a good harvest. Yes, I will fail at times, but His watchtower is within me to press me back into that place where I love to be, in the arms of my Lord. Friends, let the vineyard the Lord has planted in you become the fragrant, overwhelming production of good grapes, of resounding sounds of thanksgiving and worship to the One who has kept us and longs to keep us close always. Let the heartbreak of the vineyard become what it was intended "The Song of the vineyard" a rising, beautiful, song of worship to our God.
Patspennings
04-17-13
Dear friends, this passage in the Word is entitled The Song of the Vineyard in one of my Bibles, but I was touched by the Lord's heart this morning and realized it was rather "The Heartbreak of the Vineyard". Go with me for a moment and picture this in your spirit. The Lord clearing out all the debris of our lives, from every crooked path we had walked, the sin in our life, and yes...what some of you might consider big sin....little sin...but dear friends, sin is sin....so consider all the sin in your life; the Lord cleaning us up, washing us gently.....I see Him using the finest, softest cloth as you might use on a baby's face to dry their tears......He dried our tears of shame, heartbreak, disappointment with His soft, gentle hand, and made us into the finest vineyard imaginable. Have you been to a vineyard, have you noticed so many have those beautiful rose bushes, trained up into small trees at the ends of the rows, it's fragrance enhancing the sweet smell of the ripening grapes? That is what I see. His fragrance lingering over the vineyard of our hearts, of our souls, of our spirits. The watchtower.....in the vineyard, here is the Holy Spirit, placed in us to guide, to minister, and to administer His presence with us. The winepress, used I feel by the Holy Spirit to squeeze and press us into the perfected, one day, saint of the Lord. How beautiful this view from our spirits, don't you agree? What plans the Lord had, all the preparation, all the pricks and cuts in His hands as he trimmed away the thorns, as He cleared the brambles each day, pruning and caring for us, each so special to Him......I tell you, friends, right here, my heart just cries out to my Living God thanks and gratitude for His caring for me, for His gentleness in His handling of me each day.....and....my heart cries as I feel His disappointment, His hurt as He looks down at His vineyard today......as He looks for that harvest of good grapes.....I see this as the worship of His children, to whom He has given so much care....as He looks for that harvest of how we show His love and mercy to others......See how many look upon the vineyard of the Lord and criticize us, thus criticizing Him....looking at so many in the church....backbiters, judgers, those too busy about their plans to allow Him to work through them.....judging what the Lord has done....proclaiming to have a better way that His way....
What more could He have done than He has not done? How could He do more, He certainly could not have loved more....He gave everything of Himself to us and asked so little.
I will worship my Lord each moment of my life....I will dedicate my life to glorifying my Lord at all times. There is not a place I know to go but to Him. I want Him to look down on the vineyard He has planted in me and see a good harvest. Yes, I will fail at times, but His watchtower is within me to press me back into that place where I love to be, in the arms of my Lord. Friends, let the vineyard the Lord has planted in you become the fragrant, overwhelming production of good grapes, of resounding sounds of thanksgiving and worship to the One who has kept us and longs to keep us close always. Let the heartbreak of the vineyard become what it was intended "The Song of the vineyard" a rising, beautiful, song of worship to our God.
Patspennings
04-17-13
Sunday, April 7, 2013
THE KEYHOLE
Revelation 3:7 "These things says he who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens".
Thank You, Lord God, that You remain Who You are at all times. Nothing changes in the heavenlies, nothing goes amiss in Your Throne Room. You remain Holy, You remain True.
As I was worshiping in service this morning, my eyes closed, giving my heart to the Lord through the song of my spirit, I saw in my spirit a "keyhole". As I waited to see what the Lord was showing me, I saw people looking through the keyhole, seeing the glory of the Lord in ALL His beauty inside. Then they would stand up and begin to question "where is the key? I want to go inside, please show me the key". And they were so distressed. As I wondered why I was seeing this, the Lord, bless You, Lord, He began to speak to me. What He told me seems so clear, and yet, so many do not see.
The Lord told me that these people are looking for a key, the way into the door. How foolish, He said, these people are, as the key to the door to His throne room has been given to all who call Him Father; to all who call Him Lord. The key was given when we gave our life to Him, when upon repentance's floor, as we lay before Him, asking His forgiveness of our sin, thanking Him for the love that took our precious Savior to the cross, we received the Key. The Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the Friend that would never leave us, our Guide, our Teacher, the Key.
Through the Holy Spirit, we have access to the door of the throne room of God. As the Holy Spirit leads us, He instills the desire to worship the Lord with all our being, to lay ourselves before the Lord, pouring out the songs of our heart to Him. As worship leaves our lips, strengthened by our spirits joining the Holy Spirit, the door of the throne room opens. As worshiping children of God give Him the sacrifice of their praise, the true worship of a child that adores their Father, the windows of heaven open and begin to fill us with the Light, begin to fill us with the melodies of heaven that blend with our song, and create a new song unto the Lord. As this new song resounds upward to the ears of our Lord God, He begins to pour out His blessings upon us, causing an echo of praise to rise from earth to the sky, filling every one that will listen with their spirits, knowing that on this day, the Holy One, our God, has been touched with our love, with our song. We are One with Him.
And yet.......so many fail to see what they have, within themselves, waiting to open the door for them, waiting to show them that the door is not locked, it has been unlocked for some time.....and yet....
Let the Holy Spirit rise up in you, friends. He is so willing, He has been waiting, He has been assigned to bring you through the door. You do not have to look through the keyhole, you can walk through the door into the fullness of the Lord, into His grace, receive His joy, know His peace. You have the Key, you need to let the Key take you places you only saw through the keyhole and dreamed of.....let the Lord, let our God, be a reality to your heart, to your mind, in your soul. Let the Spirit of the Living Lord take you through.
I thank You, Lord, for Your words of encouragement, of restoration, of joy. I love You, my God.
Patspennings 04-07-13
Thank You, Lord God, that You remain Who You are at all times. Nothing changes in the heavenlies, nothing goes amiss in Your Throne Room. You remain Holy, You remain True.
As I was worshiping in service this morning, my eyes closed, giving my heart to the Lord through the song of my spirit, I saw in my spirit a "keyhole". As I waited to see what the Lord was showing me, I saw people looking through the keyhole, seeing the glory of the Lord in ALL His beauty inside. Then they would stand up and begin to question "where is the key? I want to go inside, please show me the key". And they were so distressed. As I wondered why I was seeing this, the Lord, bless You, Lord, He began to speak to me. What He told me seems so clear, and yet, so many do not see.
The Lord told me that these people are looking for a key, the way into the door. How foolish, He said, these people are, as the key to the door to His throne room has been given to all who call Him Father; to all who call Him Lord. The key was given when we gave our life to Him, when upon repentance's floor, as we lay before Him, asking His forgiveness of our sin, thanking Him for the love that took our precious Savior to the cross, we received the Key. The Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the Friend that would never leave us, our Guide, our Teacher, the Key.
Through the Holy Spirit, we have access to the door of the throne room of God. As the Holy Spirit leads us, He instills the desire to worship the Lord with all our being, to lay ourselves before the Lord, pouring out the songs of our heart to Him. As worship leaves our lips, strengthened by our spirits joining the Holy Spirit, the door of the throne room opens. As worshiping children of God give Him the sacrifice of their praise, the true worship of a child that adores their Father, the windows of heaven open and begin to fill us with the Light, begin to fill us with the melodies of heaven that blend with our song, and create a new song unto the Lord. As this new song resounds upward to the ears of our Lord God, He begins to pour out His blessings upon us, causing an echo of praise to rise from earth to the sky, filling every one that will listen with their spirits, knowing that on this day, the Holy One, our God, has been touched with our love, with our song. We are One with Him.
And yet.......so many fail to see what they have, within themselves, waiting to open the door for them, waiting to show them that the door is not locked, it has been unlocked for some time.....and yet....
Let the Holy Spirit rise up in you, friends. He is so willing, He has been waiting, He has been assigned to bring you through the door. You do not have to look through the keyhole, you can walk through the door into the fullness of the Lord, into His grace, receive His joy, know His peace. You have the Key, you need to let the Key take you places you only saw through the keyhole and dreamed of.....let the Lord, let our God, be a reality to your heart, to your mind, in your soul. Let the Spirit of the Living Lord take you through.
I thank You, Lord, for Your words of encouragement, of restoration, of joy. I love You, my God.
Patspennings 04-07-13
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
EMERGENCY CONTACT
Hebrews 4:16 "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Today was the day for annual tests.....none of us like these things, but we just get it done. As normal, one of the questions asked was "Who shall we put down for your emergency contact". The first thought, the first thing that came to my mind was "My Lord God, my Father". I know who to call in case of emergency. I know where my help is and from Whom it comes, always.
It caused me to remember when I was moving to Dallas, three members of my family and I were loading Roberts 300 pound wheelchair in the back of a pickup truck when it slipped and fell on my right hand. I was moving in 3 days and still had lots to do. As it hit my hand, out of my mouth came the words of my heart....."Help me Father". As we watched my hand double in size and turn deep purple and black, my family was wanting me to let them take me immediately to the hospital for they knew, they were sure my hand was smashed, bones crushed. I stood there, feeling no pain, and after a couple of minutes, began to close my hand.....nothing broken. By that night, all the color had returned to normal and I still had no pain.
I knew on Whom to call. Immediately upon those words of faith coming from my lips and rising up the the Throne room of my Father, He touched me with His grace, with His love, with His power. He surrounded me with the healing waters from the River of Life and let His Glory be shown. As my family called me that night, to see if surely I did not want them to take me to the hospital for x-rays, for medical treatment, and as I told my brother-in-law that my hand was back to normal, skin color the same as the left hand, he basically was in disbelief. I assured him it was true, and he knew, there was no doubt that the Lord miraculously healed me, protected me, kept me from harm. What a witness this was to my family. They saw what my hand looked like....they knew the weight that had fallen on it....they saw first hand the Glory of the Lord.
My emergency contact will always be my Heavenly Father. There is no doubt where to go when I feel threatened by this world, when the enemy decides to torment me....and he never fails to give it a shot when I proclaim the Majesty of my Lord God. But as he has found out, time and again, he fails. I will never cease to glorify the Lord and sing praises to Him.
Who is your emergency contact? I realize we need folks listed on the paper, someone to call, available help should they need it (you noticed I said they....seems like The Name of The Lord doesn't quite fit on their line) but we know Who to call in time of need. We know Who will never fail to come, He is right with all always, we need only to mention His Name and we feel His Presence. If you are not sure that when you call, He will come, then perhaps a searching of your heart would be the thing to do now. Check and see why you are unsure....I promise you the uncertainly is not on the Lord's part. I know His heart and He loves you dearly. Trust Him....HE'S ALWAYS ON CALL.....
Patspennings
03-20-13
Today was the day for annual tests.....none of us like these things, but we just get it done. As normal, one of the questions asked was "Who shall we put down for your emergency contact". The first thought, the first thing that came to my mind was "My Lord God, my Father". I know who to call in case of emergency. I know where my help is and from Whom it comes, always.
It caused me to remember when I was moving to Dallas, three members of my family and I were loading Roberts 300 pound wheelchair in the back of a pickup truck when it slipped and fell on my right hand. I was moving in 3 days and still had lots to do. As it hit my hand, out of my mouth came the words of my heart....."Help me Father". As we watched my hand double in size and turn deep purple and black, my family was wanting me to let them take me immediately to the hospital for they knew, they were sure my hand was smashed, bones crushed. I stood there, feeling no pain, and after a couple of minutes, began to close my hand.....nothing broken. By that night, all the color had returned to normal and I still had no pain.
I knew on Whom to call. Immediately upon those words of faith coming from my lips and rising up the the Throne room of my Father, He touched me with His grace, with His love, with His power. He surrounded me with the healing waters from the River of Life and let His Glory be shown. As my family called me that night, to see if surely I did not want them to take me to the hospital for x-rays, for medical treatment, and as I told my brother-in-law that my hand was back to normal, skin color the same as the left hand, he basically was in disbelief. I assured him it was true, and he knew, there was no doubt that the Lord miraculously healed me, protected me, kept me from harm. What a witness this was to my family. They saw what my hand looked like....they knew the weight that had fallen on it....they saw first hand the Glory of the Lord.
My emergency contact will always be my Heavenly Father. There is no doubt where to go when I feel threatened by this world, when the enemy decides to torment me....and he never fails to give it a shot when I proclaim the Majesty of my Lord God. But as he has found out, time and again, he fails. I will never cease to glorify the Lord and sing praises to Him.
Who is your emergency contact? I realize we need folks listed on the paper, someone to call, available help should they need it (you noticed I said they....seems like The Name of The Lord doesn't quite fit on their line) but we know Who to call in time of need. We know Who will never fail to come, He is right with all always, we need only to mention His Name and we feel His Presence. If you are not sure that when you call, He will come, then perhaps a searching of your heart would be the thing to do now. Check and see why you are unsure....I promise you the uncertainly is not on the Lord's part. I know His heart and He loves you dearly. Trust Him....HE'S ALWAYS ON CALL.....
Patspennings
03-20-13
Monday, March 18, 2013
BUILDING HIS KINGDOM
Hebrews 12:28 "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear."
As I was driving this afternoon, I was noticing all the new buildings going up; the apartments, homes and offices. Then came to mind, all the new construction on the roads, highways, freeways. As my thoughts expanded, the Lord began to speak to me.....
"And who is building My kingdom.....where are the many desiring to build and enlarge My kingdom? Who is paving the road to the door to My Throne room?"
All the new construction, everywhere you look. Homes going up faster than you can count them, they are built, sold; and apartments are filled so quickly. Road construction is everywhere, difficult to get around, but as soon as one part is finished, another one begins. As I wondered about the words the Lord spoke to me, I could feel His heart as He watched us run about here on earth trying to build, enlarge, and occupy.....so busy, so concerned with what is to be on earth......so many not thinking past this earth to the only Home worth occupying one day. So many never feeling the security of knowing of a Home that awaits us when this journey is over, when this journey is completed.
The Lord showed me scripture after scripture concerning building.....a house built on sand....the necessity of making certain of a sound foundation for your house.....for His house in you; His abode in you. We are the Lord's earthly dwelling......we have the power given us by our God to build in His Name, to make solid the foundation of His dwelling here on earth.....to provide those who do not know, truly know Him, the bricks to build with, the sure Rock on which they should build. All these buildings that are going up, unless He builds, unless He is the foundation on which they are brought up, they will fail, they will tumble down, destroyed surely as if they were made of paper. We have the power to see that these buildings are founded on His Word, with His blessings.
The highways, so many, so entangled like a web, actually will go nowhere unless they are lit by His Light, the Light that will keep us on the straight path, the Light by which those who are lost will find their way as they are drawn back to the warmth of that Light, to the fragrant love that flows from the only Light that never grows dim. The Light that will bring us safely to the Throne room where we may sit and rest awhile from our journey, to be restored and renewed with His love, with His grace and sweet mercies. If not for His Light, the highways will develop sink holes of which those unseeing will succumb and fall in. Who will keep His Light shining? Who will show the way.... who will share the Word so that those traveling will be kept free from snares?
Yes, who is willing to lay down their own tools, their own building to set aside, and first build the Lord's house......in their hearts.....on this earth... for His Glory, for our God's pleasure and His delight. To Honor Him with the tools of our labor, with the workmanship that is truly our best effort, our best for His Glory......
As you travel life's pathway, be thankful that you have the Light showing the way.....be thankful that you know His Kingdom come....on earth as it is in Heaven; be thankful that your house is built on the Rock that withstands all the forces of the enemy.....but be thankful enough to spread the tools given to you by our Savior, by our Lord, with all those around you. For His Glory let us expand His Kingdom on earth....let His Kingdom stand taller than those new buildings being built; let His Kingdom come first, let His Will be done in us, in our cities, in our nation, on this earth. Let us be builders of His Kingdom, builders of His House.....let us lift up our Lord Jesus, His Light for all to see.....that none will perish, but will stand strong in Him.
PatsPennings
03-18-13
As I was driving this afternoon, I was noticing all the new buildings going up; the apartments, homes and offices. Then came to mind, all the new construction on the roads, highways, freeways. As my thoughts expanded, the Lord began to speak to me.....
"And who is building My kingdom.....where are the many desiring to build and enlarge My kingdom? Who is paving the road to the door to My Throne room?"
All the new construction, everywhere you look. Homes going up faster than you can count them, they are built, sold; and apartments are filled so quickly. Road construction is everywhere, difficult to get around, but as soon as one part is finished, another one begins. As I wondered about the words the Lord spoke to me, I could feel His heart as He watched us run about here on earth trying to build, enlarge, and occupy.....so busy, so concerned with what is to be on earth......so many not thinking past this earth to the only Home worth occupying one day. So many never feeling the security of knowing of a Home that awaits us when this journey is over, when this journey is completed.
The Lord showed me scripture after scripture concerning building.....a house built on sand....the necessity of making certain of a sound foundation for your house.....for His house in you; His abode in you. We are the Lord's earthly dwelling......we have the power given us by our God to build in His Name, to make solid the foundation of His dwelling here on earth.....to provide those who do not know, truly know Him, the bricks to build with, the sure Rock on which they should build. All these buildings that are going up, unless He builds, unless He is the foundation on which they are brought up, they will fail, they will tumble down, destroyed surely as if they were made of paper. We have the power to see that these buildings are founded on His Word, with His blessings.
The highways, so many, so entangled like a web, actually will go nowhere unless they are lit by His Light, the Light that will keep us on the straight path, the Light by which those who are lost will find their way as they are drawn back to the warmth of that Light, to the fragrant love that flows from the only Light that never grows dim. The Light that will bring us safely to the Throne room where we may sit and rest awhile from our journey, to be restored and renewed with His love, with His grace and sweet mercies. If not for His Light, the highways will develop sink holes of which those unseeing will succumb and fall in. Who will keep His Light shining? Who will show the way.... who will share the Word so that those traveling will be kept free from snares?
Yes, who is willing to lay down their own tools, their own building to set aside, and first build the Lord's house......in their hearts.....on this earth... for His Glory, for our God's pleasure and His delight. To Honor Him with the tools of our labor, with the workmanship that is truly our best effort, our best for His Glory......
As you travel life's pathway, be thankful that you have the Light showing the way.....be thankful that you know His Kingdom come....on earth as it is in Heaven; be thankful that your house is built on the Rock that withstands all the forces of the enemy.....but be thankful enough to spread the tools given to you by our Savior, by our Lord, with all those around you. For His Glory let us expand His Kingdom on earth....let His Kingdom stand taller than those new buildings being built; let His Kingdom come first, let His Will be done in us, in our cities, in our nation, on this earth. Let us be builders of His Kingdom, builders of His House.....let us lift up our Lord Jesus, His Light for all to see.....that none will perish, but will stand strong in Him.
PatsPennings
03-18-13
Sunday, February 24, 2013
LET THE DEAD BURY THE DEAD
Matthew 8:22 "But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead"."
The middle of this month brought memories, some sweet, some sad and some rather devastating to my spirit. Only for a time, but nonetheless, it was there. The fourth anniversary of my husband's death, six days later, the anniversary of his burial. The sadness, the grief came over me for a while....then the overwhelming memory of how my Lord carried me, held me and strengthened me. But while I was in this place, the Lord spoke to me and said "Let the dead bury the dead". He began to talk to me about the place I was in and how He did not want me visiting that place again. "Remember the joy" He said, but let the pain go, let the sadness go and to let my spirit forever be freed from the prison cell that the enemy would attempt again and again to lock me in. For ever how short a period it may be, the Lord does not want us there.
As He spoke to me almost two weeks ago about this, and I knew it was something He wanted me to share with you, I just could not write. The Lord would not let it go. He kept speaking those words, "Let the dead bury the dead" at different times of the day, interrupting my thoughts of other things to bring me back to these words, to what He had given me, to what I was to share.
We cannot serve the Lord while we are serving the past. Our past, the things that happened, belong in the past. Now, please, friends, do not misunderstand me. In no terms is this to say you should not grieve the loss of a loved one. This is a pain that comes to everyone on earth at times, and this grief is going to overwhelm us for a good while. But grief of a loved one and living in the past with that grief is two different things. To mourn the loss, to miss that loved one, to have thoughts of them is one of the ways we coupe with loss. But I know I was going to places I did not need to go. I was going into that hospital room, reliving those moments when I said to turn off the respirator, listening to those last grasps for air....this was not healthy. It is not healthy for us, physically or spiritually. And these are the things that the Lord, our God, wants us to run from. Those memories, they are not the ones that give way to memories of the life shared that should be what we think of. Let it go, give those thoughts to the Lord, lay them at His feet and let Him restore your spirit with joy and peace.
When I woke this morning, the Lord once again speaking these words to me, and my determining to write today......the Lord gave me something more. He said "Let the dead bury the dead"....and then He showed me sin, failures, disappointments.....He showed me hurts, anger, fear....He showed me divorce, He showed me lost friendships.....places where we carry guilt from our actions, from our words, from behavior patterns....things we have done, things that cannot be undone....but things He has taken from us, forgiven us for, washed us clean in His redeeming blood.....dead things that need to remain buried. All these things that the enemy uses to throw at us with delight, these things that take us from our mind set on what the Lord has for us, and causes us to momentarily take our eyes off our Jesus. It throws us off the path that is set before us, removes us from usefulness and weighs us down. Let us, dear friends, refrain from going back to those things of our past mistakes, of those words spoken by us or to us in anger, those things that tend to redress us in the old man's clothes. When the enemy comes, sly dog, cloaked in what may appear to be concern, inviting us into his pity party, refuse the invitation with joyful sounds of "By His stripes" and "Washed in the Blood". Begin to praise our Lord, sing to Him songs of love and worship....trust me, you will begin to be lifted up from that pit and satan will not stay around to hear the end of the song. Remember Whose you are.....and What you are.....you are God's beloved.....a child of the King.
Father, I pray that these words reflect the spirit of the message You gave to me. I ask that they reach the eyes of those You intend them to and that they, as I, will leave the grave, and rise up to You, rejoicing in the Light You give, and serve You with all their hearts. In Your strength I walk, in Your Name I pray.
PatsPennings
02-24-13
The middle of this month brought memories, some sweet, some sad and some rather devastating to my spirit. Only for a time, but nonetheless, it was there. The fourth anniversary of my husband's death, six days later, the anniversary of his burial. The sadness, the grief came over me for a while....then the overwhelming memory of how my Lord carried me, held me and strengthened me. But while I was in this place, the Lord spoke to me and said "Let the dead bury the dead". He began to talk to me about the place I was in and how He did not want me visiting that place again. "Remember the joy" He said, but let the pain go, let the sadness go and to let my spirit forever be freed from the prison cell that the enemy would attempt again and again to lock me in. For ever how short a period it may be, the Lord does not want us there.
As He spoke to me almost two weeks ago about this, and I knew it was something He wanted me to share with you, I just could not write. The Lord would not let it go. He kept speaking those words, "Let the dead bury the dead" at different times of the day, interrupting my thoughts of other things to bring me back to these words, to what He had given me, to what I was to share.
We cannot serve the Lord while we are serving the past. Our past, the things that happened, belong in the past. Now, please, friends, do not misunderstand me. In no terms is this to say you should not grieve the loss of a loved one. This is a pain that comes to everyone on earth at times, and this grief is going to overwhelm us for a good while. But grief of a loved one and living in the past with that grief is two different things. To mourn the loss, to miss that loved one, to have thoughts of them is one of the ways we coupe with loss. But I know I was going to places I did not need to go. I was going into that hospital room, reliving those moments when I said to turn off the respirator, listening to those last grasps for air....this was not healthy. It is not healthy for us, physically or spiritually. And these are the things that the Lord, our God, wants us to run from. Those memories, they are not the ones that give way to memories of the life shared that should be what we think of. Let it go, give those thoughts to the Lord, lay them at His feet and let Him restore your spirit with joy and peace.
When I woke this morning, the Lord once again speaking these words to me, and my determining to write today......the Lord gave me something more. He said "Let the dead bury the dead"....and then He showed me sin, failures, disappointments.....He showed me hurts, anger, fear....He showed me divorce, He showed me lost friendships.....places where we carry guilt from our actions, from our words, from behavior patterns....things we have done, things that cannot be undone....but things He has taken from us, forgiven us for, washed us clean in His redeeming blood.....dead things that need to remain buried. All these things that the enemy uses to throw at us with delight, these things that take us from our mind set on what the Lord has for us, and causes us to momentarily take our eyes off our Jesus. It throws us off the path that is set before us, removes us from usefulness and weighs us down. Let us, dear friends, refrain from going back to those things of our past mistakes, of those words spoken by us or to us in anger, those things that tend to redress us in the old man's clothes. When the enemy comes, sly dog, cloaked in what may appear to be concern, inviting us into his pity party, refuse the invitation with joyful sounds of "By His stripes" and "Washed in the Blood". Begin to praise our Lord, sing to Him songs of love and worship....trust me, you will begin to be lifted up from that pit and satan will not stay around to hear the end of the song. Remember Whose you are.....and What you are.....you are God's beloved.....a child of the King.
Father, I pray that these words reflect the spirit of the message You gave to me. I ask that they reach the eyes of those You intend them to and that they, as I, will leave the grave, and rise up to You, rejoicing in the Light You give, and serve You with all their hearts. In Your strength I walk, in Your Name I pray.
PatsPennings
02-24-13
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
SEAMLESSLY BOUND
John 19:24 "Let us not
tear it", thy said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get
it." This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said,
"They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing."
Casting lots for the beautiful undergarment of Jesus. Made in one piece, woven together top to bottom, seamless. Can you imagine how precious this piece of clothing was? This piece of cloth, so woven that no seams divided the front from the back, the top from the bottom. One continual piece of cloth. And even the soldiers, intent only on satisfying their own greed, knew how special this was. I do not think it was by chance that the one piece of clothing Jesus had that was seamless, without beginning, without end, was the clothing that was the closest to his body.
Casting lots for the beautiful undergarment of Jesus. Made in one piece, woven together top to bottom, seamless. Can you imagine how precious this piece of clothing was? This piece of cloth, so woven that no seams divided the front from the back, the top from the bottom. One continual piece of cloth. And even the soldiers, intent only on satisfying their own greed, knew how special this was. I do not think it was by chance that the one piece of clothing Jesus had that was seamless, without beginning, without end, was the clothing that was the closest to his body.
The Lord had given this to me some
days ago, probably two weeks now, as I read a book where the story was told of
our Savior on the cross, suffering for me….for you, and the soldiers at the
foot of the cross casting lots for His clothing. Each time I walked into the room where that
book lay, the Holy Spirit would bring these words back to mind. At the time, I thought His words would be
about the way we seem to cast lots with our lives, taking chance after chance,
not truly committing to our Lord, not giving our will over to His will, knowing
that He knows what is best for us, but to continue to bet on our lives……
But as I sit here writing I can see
what the Lord intends to show me. This
piece of clothing, the one so thought so priceless by the soldiers that they
did want to tear it, the clothing closest to His body……to His heart…..is us,
dear friends, the Bride. This, the
Spirit is showing me, is how we, the Bride of Christ is, is to become, is to be
received by our Lord. As a cloth, as a
garment worn closest to your body, we want that garment to be of the softest
nature….not to scratch or irritate, but gentle to the feel, soft and warm. This garment should be pliable so that as it’s
one continuous piece, will fit without pulling away uncomfortably, but with
movement it flows easily with us. This
garment in one piece means it should not become unraveled as the threads might
give way with heavy duty work or being tugged at constantly to go a different
way. This garment…..as the one that lay
next to the Savior’s body…..His Bride should reflect herself in like
manner. We should be of the softest
nature, having a gentle, warm feeling for the members of the body, not allowing
ourselves to scratch or irritate others but to be as one with each other. We should be flexible so that when the Lord
moves us one way or the other, we can flow along with each other as needed, His
way, not our own. And we, the Bride, should
be strong, knitted together as one body, not letting the enemy’s piercing words
or pulling separate us from one another.
One continuous piece of cloth….we should be one continuous body, made
into one that will draw our strength, our peace and our joy from the heart of
our Lord, to be so close to His heart, as one body, that we will be as the
priceless undergarment worn by our Jesus.
I realize this may seem strange,
this reference of the Bride to that undergarment, deemed so priceless as to its
unique oneness, but that is exactly what the Bride of Christ should be. Unique to its oneness, that others may see,
and others may feel, that this Bride, this extraordinary beloved Bride of
Christ is a gift, not only to us for being chosen, but the gift to our Lord for
what He has given us. Can we not be One….can
we not become united in our thoughts, in our work for the Lord as He calls us….each
with our own part, knitted together so closely that it is impossible to become
unraveled…..and in our worship…..as one choir, as one voice, in loving worship
and honor of our One Beloved Lord. To be
the closest to Your heart, dear Lord, as One body, seamless bound…..committed forever to You.
Pat'sPennings
02-20-13
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