The Acquisition/Sold Out

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

Matthew 13:44

Imagine that you are an ordinary farmer, plowing the earth of an ordinary field, preparing the land for planting. You are working the land, having leased this property for years, doing what you've always done, just keeping both hands on the plow. The blade is carving through the ground as you concentrate to keep the furrows straight, then suddenly as a clod of earth is turned, you notice a glimmer, the rays of the sun reflecting something different, just for a moment. In all the time you've been tilling this land you have never seen anything like this before; stopping the plow you begin digging, sifting the dirt through your fingers. Then you find it: a huge diamond, and as you brush off the rest of the dirt even your untrained eyes can see its amazing color, clarity, and size.

Your mind is spinning, your heart is beating out of your chest. Looking about, you bury the diamond again, carefully marking the place, and acting nonchalant, you race home. As quickly as possible you liquidate every asset, selling off everything. Everyone close to you thinks you have lost your mind. There is nothing seemingly special about this property, those near and dear to you try to dissuade you, but you are determined. Approaching the land owner, you try not to be over eager and strike the deal of a lifetime, acquiring  the field, both the seller and buyer overjoyed at the outcome.

We sometimes use the term for a person who is on fire and focused on OneThing-Jesus our Messiah- as "sold out". When the Lord breaks through and plows things up, we find Him if we are seeking...  in the Spirit we catch a glimmer as the veil is parted. The sum value of  everything else is as dust on the scales, compared to the weight of glory found in Jesus, we strive to apprehend that which has apprehended us (Phil.3:12). 

Beloved, let's be "sell outs"...trade the good things in life for the best.

Staying Tender 310

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful,
unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,”
so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
We have come to share in Christ,
if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.
As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”
Who were they who heard and rebelled?
Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?
And with whom was he angry for forty years?
Was it not with those who sinned,
whose bodies perished in the wilderness?
And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed?
So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.
Hebrews 3:12-19

The above text is read at Passover (the Hagaddah, meaning literally "The Telling") from the book of Exodus recounts the amazing story of God delivering the entirety of the nation of Israel from 400 years of slavery in Egypt. The people saw the plagues, walked through a parted Red Sea, were led by a pillar of fire by night and cloud by day, drank water from a rock, ate manna from heaven, never had to deal with shoes or clothes wearing out, and saw Moses speaking directly to God. Can you imagine that? What would be our response to such things? Yet these people, including Moses and Aaron, all died without entering into the Land of Milk and Honey, their bones scattered in the deserts, their children being the ones who claimed the inheritance. Only Caleb and Joshua, totally believing the Lord, the only two of the twelve who had spied out the land choose to believe, and brought back the good report, entered in. Two out of millions.
As strangers and sojourners in a strange land, we need each other. We are to share our testimonies, being transparent about our struggles and triumphs, lifting each other up when we stumble, encouraging one other. Rebellion comes when we take our eyes off the Lord, and turn our focus inwards towards ourselves.
Deception is not detected by the deceived ones.
We are our brothers' and sisters' keepers.
We are responsible for each other, provoking and sharpening one another in love,
right up until we cross the Jordan and enter our rest.
Hear His voice today beloved. Stay tender.

Vision 229

“You is kind. You is smart. You is important.”
― Aibileen Clark to toddler in The Help

When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? 
My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” 
Judges 6:12, 14, 15 

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."
Philippians 2:3, 4

How do you see yourself?
How do you see others?
How do you think our Father sees us?

In The Help,  Aibileen speaks life over her young charges, declaring that they are kind, smart, and that they matter (are important). I was reminded as I watched this that these are words not forgotten as we mature, just as words spoken that are hurtful are not forgotten.
They either nourish our lives or poison them.
Gideon is one of my favorite Bible personalities. In his self assessment to the angel, I see myself, and in my mind echo th words that were spoken over me by my mother that scarred me: " you'll never be half the man your father is."  Gideon grew up being reminded of what he couldn't do, as well as his family's diminutive position within Israel's tribe hierarchy. But God saw Gideon's heart, and He had a different plan.
Using our natural eyes we tend to see ourselves one of two ways: very low self esteem like Gideon, thinking they have nothing to offer, or an inflated ("legend in their own mind") conceited ego/mindset   as if  they're "God's gift", which causes them to look down on everyone else.
We can also look at others in their current state and see only their many faults, instead of seeing them the way God sees each of us-a work in progress. A vessel needing to be filled. A possibility. Worthy of receiving the same grace and mercy that our Heavenly Father has extended to us.  Revelation  comes from The Helper, the Holy Spirit, who creates a new mindset, revealing that all things are possible-for each of us- through and with Jesus.
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13 

Wrong in the Name of Righteousness 193

"When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him."
Luke 22:49-51

The disciples of Jesus were committed to their perception of righteousness.
The Holy Spirit had not yet fallen on them...they were zealous in their own minds,
and so they raised their swords, thinking that they were protecting their Master and themselves. But they misunderstood. They had somehow missed the message of the first and second greatest commandments: loving God first, and loving others secondly, and therefore what would flow outwards as such a response.
Jesus restored an injured man of the harm that a disciple acting wrongly had caused.

In the history of the Church, countless wars have been waged in the name of Jesus and a wrong sense of righteousness. In my humble opinion, the Church has been fragmented by doctrines and dogmas, the Body of Christ  dismembered, by a wrong sense of what the righteousness of God really is supposed to manifest, namely unity, restoration, renewal, and reconciliation:
"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves." Romans 12:3-5, 10

Beloved, ask the Holy Spirit to enable us to extend the same grace to those we have previously judged, and probably misjudged, spoken against, or caused discord in the Body-just as our Father has extended so much undeserved grace and mercy on each of us. 

Father Knows Best

"The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; the devout are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil."
Isaiah 57:1

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Isaiah 55:8, 9

An amazing young man in Kansas City died this week, after being fatally injured in a terrible car accident.  The prayers  of thousands for his healing were going up to the heavens for 2 days as he lay in critical condition. He  loved the Lord with all his heart and he loved others as himself. He was actively involved in ministry, both locally and internationally. He was a worshipper, had a girlfriend he loved, and his whole life was before him, but the Father who had ordered his steps and the numbers of his days took his home. Why?
At least that is the way we, the creatures, see things. The good, the righteous are taken from among us, suddenly and without warning, and those who are left behind, find ourselves struggling to find answers to unanswerable questions. Why, God?
It is in this place, when there are no more tears left, when we are too exhausted to cry any longer, when we are finally quieted and still and falls into our Abba's comforting arms that we realize, yet again, that we are just the clay, and we must trust in a great truth: Father knows best. We can't not lean on our inadequate, shallow understanding.
Let us ask our Father to help us to see things from a heavenly perspective: "no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9

"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." John 12:24, 25

No mind can conceive what waits for us, but for those of us who have been caught up into heaven, who have been granted a brief glimpse into what is coming, we are rendered homesick and lovesick. The way time here is measured is changed, and everyday that passes is a day closer to going home,. Death has no sting-it has become a way-point, like changing planes at an airport.
So remember, beloved, Father knows best.

Shake Well Before Using 8

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat."
Luke 22:31

"Shake well before using".

These instructions are often on the labels of all sorts of products.
 It seems that when the container, or vessel,  sits for a while, the ingredients have a tendency to separate. The heavy, thick, and dense stuff settles to the bottom, the light stuff to the top.
The only way to reconstitute the ingredients and make it usable for what it is intended for is to follow the maker's directions: shake that container vigorously before using.
Similarly, our Maker knows that our "ingredients", especially our God- given gifts, have a tendency to settle.  As we sit , shelved and undisturbed or unchallenged, or perhaps frozen by a variety of fears- of man, failure, foolishness, rejection, discouragement, and more, we can become inert and ineffective. But the Lord in His omniscience knows that the very things we can often dread - upheaval, shaking, pruning, and refining- brings reconstitution and restoration to a vessel, as trials can stir our gifts. Instead of devastation, potency is restored, and the vessel (us) is no longer rendered inert but transformed into powerful and useful, each able to fulfill our destinies!
It is what we are created for.
So don't fear a shaking, beloved.
You are about to be used for His Glory.

The Greatest of These (Abridged)

Love suffers long  and  is  kind to me when I don't deserve kindness, but judgement;
Love  does not envy me but rejoices in my success;
Love does not parade itself nor does it flaunt or agonizingly tease me in my downfalls or failures,
it is not puffed up nor does it behave rudely, even when every right to do so exists,
Love does not seek its own, is not provoked, love thinks no evil nor ever wishes me any harm;
Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but  rejoices in the truth;
Love bears all things, turning the other cheek to me,  in the face of offensive or wreckless behavior,
Love believes all things, and hopes continually for all things to my benefit and goodness,
Love endures all things even when I am thoughtless, causing pain and injury.
Love never fails. Love never fails. Love never fails.
Tongues, knowledge, prophecy....it will all fade away, and what will remain?
Faith, hope, love, these three stand ; but the greatest of these is love.
Lord, let me go and do likewise.
I Corinthians 13

King's Ransom

"Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit  who  is in you, whom you have from God,  and you are not your own.  For  you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s."

I Corinthians 6:19, 20 

" The bishop approached him and said, in a low voice, 'Do not forget, ever, that you have promised me to use this silver to become an honest man.' 

Jean Valjean, who had no recollection of any such promise, stood dumbfounded. The bishop had stressed these words as he spoke them. He continued solemnly, 'Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil, but to good. It is your soul I am buying for you. I withdraw it from dark thoughts and from the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God!" 

~Victor Hugo, Les Miserables

Believe it or not, last night was the first time I have ever seen any version of Les Miserables, although I heard a great deal. I was so struck by the truth that was spoken by the bishop to a wicked and depraved Jean Valjean, after this criminal was caught red handed with the bishop's silver wares. In the 1996 movie the bishop pulls back the hood shrouding this convict's face, the metaphor of moving from darkness to light, from evil to good, as he says the above words that changed a man, and everyone he touched, forever. 

As I tearfully watched this it hit me, yet again, but in a new and profound way: This is what God who loves us so furiously, beyond what we can fathom, has done for each of us beloved! He has paid a King's ransom for us-the price was the very life of His Son. Without His redemption we would only be what judgement measures: liars, thieves, adulterers, and worse.  As I watched that scene it was a reminder, and it was as if I was that criminal and Jesus Himself was pronouncing over me the words of the bishop. Ransomed by the love of the Father, now go out and do likewise. We are not to listen to the accuser, who like Inspector Javers, is always trying to use judgement and self righteous offense  to remind us of the old man, in ourselves and others. We have been forgiven and ransomed. Let us be ambassadors of love. 

This is the message of the Gospels.

Serendipity/ Kairos

ser·en·dip·i·ty  

The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way: "a fortunate stroke of serendipity".

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who  have been called according to his purpose."

Romans 8:28 

I love the word serendipity.
The definition of serendipity is a"chance" development of events producing a beneficial outcome, but  in God there are no "chance" outcomes! What the world calls "coincidence" is what  I called God-incidence, when God does amazing things and chooses to remain silent. A better term would be "kairos"- Kairos (καιρός) an ancient Greek word meaning "the right or opportune moment (the supreme moment"). A momentous convergence of timing and opportunity, divinely orchestrated to glorify Himself and bless us simultaneously.
God works out all things for the good of those who love Him, even in the face of a seeming disaster;  when we are in the midst of trials let us remember that "it ain't over, till it's over, which means when God says it's over.
Furthermore remember the words of Jesus Himself: “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But  seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:31-33
Jesus is the "author and finisher" of our faith (Heb.12:2)...it starts and ends with Him, and let us fix our gazes on Him, and not be overly concerned about the process, and rejoice even when we don't understand some things that may be happening in our lives currently.
Serendipity...Kairos... God is on the throne  and in control!

Peace Makers or Peace Keepers? 188

"Come now, let us reason together.."
Isaiah 1:18

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
Proverbs 27:17

We all know the old adage, "If you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything at all."
Perhaps this is rhetorically correct, but sometimes isn't an uncomfortable discussion or confrontation necessary - that may bring provocation and conflict-before reconciliation or peace can be achieved? Let me rephrase this: What happens when no confrontation comes?
Let me propose to you: Not peace, not reconciliation, but unrest and more trouble.
Matthew 5:9 reads : "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God".
Peace is the result, when contention and unrest are dealt with thereby bringing reconciliation and sought. Sometimes making peace is the result of a battle, or on a personal relationship level,
the result of  some wrestling and exposing things that may be unpleasant to discuss,
but nonetheless must be worked through, in love,  to resolution.
Peace keepers are not the same as peace makers;
peace keeping is nonconfrontational but never deals with the issues.
The UN "peacekeepers are the foremost example I can think of here.
Being confrontational doesn't mean being unloving...it means that you care enough to resolve, it takes courage, love and a sound mind, and may require even sacrificing personal comfort levels to remedy.  Offense, bitterness, and hurtful thoughts, real or imagined, grow and thrive in fertile pastures of nonconfrontation.
So, beloved, don't confuse the two: peace making or peace keeping.
Today, let's ask God to help make us peacemakers. 

Overcast 189

"For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; 
weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. "
Psalm 30:5

"But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. "
Malachi 4:2 

This morning I was talking to a friend, whom the Holy Spirit uses to deliver a word to me quite regularly. 
To be honest, I was telling him that I felt heavy hearted, and the message he delivered to me was this: "Sometimes emotions can be like cloud cover that obscures the sun from our sight;
Go outside and turn your face towards the sun." 
Does this mean that the sun is not shining? 
No, of course not, even in overcast weather, or when we have "clouds" over us, 
the Son of righteousness is shining, and with this realization we are able to bask in his healing rays. God's mercies are new every morning, and in the morning sunlight we are meant to be. 
The power of the Son's love and His righteousness burns off dark emotions that are like clouds, fog, and other inclement elements...today beloved turn your face and your heart towards the Son....

Gifts in Unusual Wrapping 194

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
Romans 8:28 NIV84)

Last night we had a couple over for dinner; and although we have been friends for some time,
they had only been to our home once before. As we stood in the kitchen, I began to recount some of our history in this house and how things happened,  seemingly terrible events that ended with incredible blessings. Take our roof, for instance...the original roof that really needed repair was dmaged in a windstorm that resulted in our house getting a new roof, that was much better than the original. Consider the floorings and master bathroom ... on a Thanksgiving Day the hot water heater which was located in the master bedroom closet (of all places!) burst a main water supply pipe and the floors were damaged throughout the house. We ended up with an insurance settlement more than sufficient to replace the grungy worn out flooring throughout the whole house and remodel our master bathroom .
The blessing that was really over the top for me was what happened as a result of my recent illness and hospitalization. I had prayed for some time for the Lord to give me more time to spend with my family. My youngest daughter was growing up so quickly, my job requiring so many hours.
I was stricken with a MSSA (staph) infection so severe that it brought me through heaven's threshold into the throne room of the Almighty, causing endocarditis which is an inflammation of the interior lining of the heart muscle. It damaged one of my heart valves and severely damaged my hearing.
I convalesced at home though for 5 months, at the same time we decided to home school Elli, and so I was able to spend 5 months with my wife and my youngest daughter. How many of us get to spend such a significant amount of uninterrupted real time with those we love, especially our children in their formative years?

Isaiah 61:3 reads that God will "give a crown of beauty for ashes"; how amazing is that thought?

Beloved, perhaps you are in the middle of trials, or sitting on an "ash heap", or  maybe you have just passed through one of life's valleys. Search your memories and recount how many times God has given you beauty for ashes, restored what locusts have devoured, or replaced mediocrity-with something extraordinary.

Forgiveness, Unforgiveness, and Honesty 313

When someone does something, whether intentional or not, that is hurtful or offensive, or both... what do you do? Sure, we all know that Jesus Himself told us how to handle offense:
"For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." 
Matthew 6:14, 15
Here's the truth: If we don't forgive others their sins against us, our Father will not forgive us! Jesus said it, and God is not just a man that He should lie.

I need to make a confession right here: Recently I was hurt by the actions of some folks I considered close to me. I was offended, I felt they were inconsiderate, and what they did made me feel like they didn't care. I had every right to feel this way, they were dead wrong, and I wanted to hang onto my own self-righteousness. I said that I was not offended, which was a lie. I lied to others about this, saying I was "fine" and I lied to myself, but I couldn't lie to the Lord. He sees into the core of our thoughts, our hearts. I was very much offended. Instead of addressing it and determining in my heart to forgive immediately, I let it fester and take root. I was not forgiving a man his offense against me. Some would perhaps argue that grace would cover my unforgiveness, but I take Jesus at His word, over the words of Paul.: "Your Father will not forgive your sins", and I will chose to forgive, and not just this infraction but all others who have offended or hurt me. The prospect of standing before my Father in heaven and instead of hearing Him say, "Well done good and faithful servant", He declares, " Cast him out into utter darkness, I never knew him" is  frightening, and this must be part of my walk, working out my salvation with fear and trembling. There is another facet of this, too, where I am not the offended, but in fact the offender. How many have I hurt and offended? What would happen or does happen when they walk in offense and there are other roots of bitterness? Is not gossip fueled by these very things?
I have been forgiven much, by others I've hurt who have loved me and covered me even when they had the "right"  not to. But even more than that, I have been loved, covered, and forgiven, really forgiven, the Son taking my place on the cross meant for me.

The Point of It All

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.  And though I have  the  gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith,  so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  And  though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love  does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;  does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;  does not rejoice in iniquity, but  rejoices in the truth;  bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are  prophecies, they will fail; whether  there    are  tongues, they will cease; whether  there is knowledge, it will vanish away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part.  But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.  For  now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then  face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these  is  love."
I Corinthians 13:1-13 NKJV

Refuge 195

"I will say of the  Lord ,  “He is  my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” 
For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. 
In  their  hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. 
“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; 
I will set him on high, because he has  known My name. 
He shall  call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; 
I will deliver him and honor him."
Psalms 91:2, 11, 12, 14, 15

Today I was discussing with a friend some of my testimonies regarding close calls,
situations where I was sheltered from impending serious injury and disasters.
There were 3 bicycle accidents where I was thrown over the handlebars,
one of which was late at night on a drawbridge 40 feet above Biscayne Bay.
I was not wearing a helmet in any of these, I could've broken my neck or other bones, got a concussion or worse. Just a few scrapes and scratches.
I had a motorcycle accident where I car turned right in front of me,
3 serious car accidents, 2 involving pick up trucks, 1 with a big delivery truck while I was driving a small Datsun (Nissan) car, and yet I was protected. He delivered me yet again from a near accident involving a gasoline tanker that jack knifed on a wet highway that had been right next to me only seconds before, shortly after I was born again...Hallelujah!
There have been many other close calls, too many to count.
The Lord has been my refuge and my shelter, and He is yours too.
Beloved, look back at your life,  recount with joy the goodness of the Lord, and give thanks always.
A mighty fortress is our God!

"Be strong and of good courage,  do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the  Lord  your God,  
He  is  the One who goes with you.  He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 

A Practical Lesson

"For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?  But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."
Romans 8:24, 25

Have you ever heard someone say, "God, please give me patience, and give it to me right now?"
Well, this is my prayer. It's not just mine though, I would have to say that most of us struggle with grasping the discipline of  learning to be patient, learning to wait on the Lord.
One of  my most recent blogs deals with this very thing; it's indeed a major struggle!
Yesterday was Shabbat and we were having a guest over for a Shabbat meal, and I needed a loaf of challah bread. Now, we normally just buy one from a supermarket bakery...it's fast, easy, and convenient. So I'm thinking to myself, "I'll just go buy a challah", but the Holy Spirit breaks in and whispers: " this Shabbat, Hugh, you and Elli are going to make your own challah." I google "challah recipes" and as I am reading the recipe I notice the primary ingredient : patience.  It takes over 4 hours to mix, knead, proof and bake challah, but the end result was this big, beautiful challah loaf, and I thanked my Father for that small and practical lesson.
Patience. It is required, not easily attained, and of course, it takes time. Embrace it,beloved,  learn it, and enjoy the fruit it will ultimately bear.

"But those who  wait on the  Lord shall renew  their  strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint. "
Isaiah 40:31 

Deferment/ Expectation v. Reality

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."
Proverbs 13:12

Stricken with a life threatening illness and hospitalized for a month, followed by 5 months of healing and convalescence...I was more than ready to start back to work, or so it seemed.
 I had been approved to start driving a car again. I had been going faithfully to rehab for cardio and vertigo issues, completed the sessions, and so I scheduled my return. I was welcomed back with tremendous warmth from all my colleagues, which was really great! But that day I fell flat on my face. I encountered difficulties I had not expected.  I had high expectations for myself; for my performance and ability to adapt, but I left confused and tired.
My hopes had not been realized, my expectations were in fact not realistic.
I was reminded by everyone that I needed to take it easy, take it slow, and learn to be patient and learn to wait on my Jevovah Rophi, my Healer.
It's true; hope deferred makes the heart sick. I have had more than my share of weariness and weaknesses. I confess here and now that I am impulsive and am inclined to run ahead on my own, not waiting on the Lord. Like an impatient Abraham who couldn't wait for the Lord to bring him a son without Sarah's bright idea, or Moses, who when dealing with a thirsty Israel struck the rock twice,  not waiting for the water to gush out as an always faithful God said it would.
My impatience.  I struggle to acquire and apply patience,  the very thing that is essential to reaching higher, diving deeper and really getting the fullness of the relationship that the Father promises.
Do you?
"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;  
but those who hope in the  Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
Isaiah 40:29-31

52 Days 182

In spite of tremendous odds against them,
Nehemiah and a relatively small group of God's people
rebuilt the broken down walls around Jerusalem in just fifty-two days.
Their enemies tried everything:
lies, fear, discouragement, false prophets, threats, and more,
and the more the work progressed the stiffer the opposition became.
Nehemiah, though, knew the voice of the Lord,
and he also recognized the lies of his enemy, and was not deceived!
We are not to be deceived either.
As sons and daughters of the one true living God who are building or rebuilding that "wall", or whatever that work He has commissioned in our lives , the enemy tries to sneak in and sow his tares.
 A few seeds of fear here, a few of discouragement there,
some lies sprinkled in for good measure…
but God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of courage and a sound mind,
planted and rooted deeply in God's love.
Perfect love, specifically God's love, casts out all fear,
and when God is for us, nothing, absolutely nothing, can stand against us. 
NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST US WILL PROSPER.

So think on those such as these, beloved...Moses, Joshua, Nehemiah, David, Gideon, Barak, Abraham, Noah, Peter, Paul, and so many others in that great cloud of witnesses that some day we will be part of...our God is an awesome God!

"When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates—  They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.” But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”    One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, “Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you.”    But I said, “Should a man like me run away? Or should someone like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!”  I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.  Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophet Noadiah and how she and the rest of the prophets have been trying to intimidate me.  
So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days."
Nehemiah 6:1, 9-12, 14, 15 

Coming Out The Other Side 190

"In all this greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. "
1 Peter 1:6, 7

"Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”    He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” "
Daniel 3:24, 25

February 1 is a milestone for me, as I returned to my "day job",
6 months and 1 day after I was hospitalized and almost died.
 I am here though, to testify of the goodness of the Lord.
Yes, there was travail, pain, tears, losses, but there were relationships revived,
spiritual gains for many,  encouragement that came from my friends and family,
amazing provision and love shown to me and my family.
Through all of this ordeal I never was depressed, rather,
I was joyful at the goodness of the Lord, and how He drew me closer,
and closer still.
In His presence is fullness of joy!
My Abba's tenderness and furious love was so evident in spite of what could've been taken as a dark time. I was pressed down, but not abandoned or destroyed!
Beloved, we are never alone; God is always with us, especially in the fire,
just as Jesus was in the furnace with Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego.
As I continue down the road of recovery, I know that I do not travel alone.  It is with the knowledge that God is with me, with those who seek Him, a very present help in the best of times and troublesome times alike.


"The Sovereign  Lord  is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, 
he enables me to tread on the heights.
Habakkuk 3:19 NIV

The Right Kind of Slave

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."
Galatians 5:1

"But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted.  You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. "
Romans 6:17, 18 

I was reflecting during worship recently on one of the manifold attributes of Jesus.
The Holy Spirit brought to mind my life before Jesus, when I was a slave to sin, not righteousness. Interestingly, I thought of myself as a liberated, intelligent free thinker, my own man, and I followed the ways that seemed right to me, but I wasn't free at all. Inside of me there was a desperation, the sickening knowledge of being chained to evil and hopelessness, and the desperation was sometimes quiet, sometimes raging...the whole point of my life then was to eat, drink, and party to try to cover that desperation just like asphalt and black top paving covers a parking lot, but inevitably what is underneath sprouts through...
Then God came down, Jesus came to my heart because I believed, confessed, and asked Him to.
He broke off of me the crushingly heavy yoke of sin,  and I took up a new light and easy yoke that Jesus custom made to lift me up.
I am now a slave to righteousness, and my Master is not a cruel slave driver.
He has delivered me, revealed Himself to me as I seek Him,  given me precious gifts from on high. He has  made me a co-heir along with Him, and  calls me brother and friend.
His banner over us all is love, and woven into this fabric is His mercy, grace, lovingkindness, long suffering, power perfected in weakness, wisdom perfected not in reason but in obedience and faith, joy, and much more.

Power in His Name/Correlations

"Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.)  When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground."
John 18:4-6

There is power in the name of Jesus! In this scripture the soldiers, officials, priests, and others came looking to arrest Jesus, I am uncertain exactly how many gathered to take one "man" into custody, but there was quite a crowd, and they got much more than they bargained for.
At the mere proclamation of Jesus revealing Himself,  "I am He", there was a supernatural shock wave that radiated outwards from Him, and they were literally blown off their feet!
As Christians, imitators of Jesus, we have been given authority to preach the Gospel, and over all m
"I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.  However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
Luke 10:18-20
Jesus tells us, encourages us, to use His name when we pray, as we work, as we live:
"And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.
You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."
John 14:13, 14
It's His power, not ours; it's by His Spirit, not by our strength or might, beloved, that Kingdom work is done. There is an inverse correlation regarding our weakness/ strength quotient: we are most likely to call on the name above all names when we realize how powerless and weak we really are. It is in the place of weakness that pride and arrogance have vanished and the heart cries are uttered...
"In the name of Jesus..."

A Valuable Lesson 206

"King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh's daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites.  They were from nations about which the  Lord  had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love.  As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the  Lord  his God, as the heart of David his father had been.  He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech the detestable god of the Ammonites.  So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the  Lord ; he did not follow the  Lord  completely, as David his father had done. The  Lord  became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the  Lord , the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice.  Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the  Lord 's command.  So the  Lord  said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates."
1 Kings 11:1, 2, 4-6, 9-11

King Solomon was visited twice by God Himself, you'd think that would be enough to keep him on the path of righteousness, right?  Wrong. Solomon, known as the wisest man to ever rule a nation, was warned, over and over again, not to take foreign wives, not to intermarry,  because his heart would be turned away from God, but he didn't listen. The very heavy price paid was his loss of godly wisdom, and on his descendants his sins were visited: the splintering of the kingdom and a legacy of heartbreak and disaster, as the descendants of Solomon did evil, following idols instead of El Shaddai, who had delivered them, loved them, cut a covenant with them, and performed so many miracles.
Are so many of us not like Solomon? God Himself has delivered us from our own slaveries, loved us furiously, provided for us, healed us, sent His Comforter and Helper, the Holy Spirit, and yet...many follow Solomon's path embracing the world.
God's eyes roam the earth looking for those with lovesick hearts, those who hunger and thirst for Him;  He desires relationship with us, but yet so many in the  Eklesia have been diluted and polluted spiritually, loving the things of this present darkness, having opened doors that should never have been opened.  A floodgate of evil then is released- the equivalent of Solomon embracing and fusing himself with unholy things, even after hearing the voice of The Lord. Conscience and discernment becomes dull, hearts become hardened and cold, and before you realize it, you are so far away from God, just like the Prodigal Son, or Solomon here in 1Kings 11:11.
But there is hope! The Lord says, " Return to Me and I will return to you" Zech. 1:3
No matter where you are beloved, God is still waiting with arms outstretched towards you!
As you run towards Him you will find that He meets you-with even greater vigor.

The Miracle of Grace 207

Pride  goes  before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before a fall.
Proverbs 16:18

There is a way that seems  right to a man,
But its end is the way of  death.
Proverbs 16:25

Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the  Lord  a man avoids evil.
Proverbs 16:6

As a new believer reading the holy scriptures, I remember the shock and surprise I felt when I read about the fallings of  people in the Bible. I am talking about the fallings of many, who had the blessings of the Lord on their lives, ministries and kingdoms: Saul, David, Solomon, Samson,  and so many others, from days of old right up till today. Somehow I expected them, because of legend, to be flawless and perfect heroes, not to actually have been real people who had to deal with lust, anger, jealousy, and the corrupting impact of wielding absolute power. They all had confidence and pride in themselves- the result of forgetting that it is God alone who is our everything.
I remember thinking, even saying to the Lord, just as Peter said, reflecting the opinions of ten of the other disciples -"Jesus, I will never deny you, never turn my back on you, never be one of the fallen that I've read about in yout Word.  How naive of me, as I did not know what lay ahead of me, wasn't aware of the trials and temptations that would present themselves. I, like us all, would (and will) be tried, sifted, and refined, and as the storms swirl about the only safe place is found in Jesus, through the amazing grace He affords us.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– Ephesians 2:8 
All of us-all of us-sin and fall short (Rom.3:23),  and in these days as even the elect fall like flies,  my goal is simple:
Cling to Jesus as tightly as I can, thanking Him for His abundant grace, mercy, and redemption because of His finished work on the cross and strive to abide in Him.
I share the lyrical sentiments of the late Rich Mullins:"So hold me Jesus, I'm shaking like a leaf..."
Beloved, let us be ever mindful, never prideful...maintain our straight ahead focus, and not turn to the left or right.
As John Bradford said," There but for the Grace of God go I".

The Value of A Life 202

"In the beginning  was the Word, and the Word was  with God, and the Word was  God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and  the life was the light of men."
John 1:1-4

My daughter and I watched the classic 1946 movie, It's A Wonderful Life tonight.
Normally a holiday staple for us, the busy-ness of the season delayed its viewing until tonight.
This viewing  was a bit different for my daughter because she is at an age now of increased understanding, and asked a lot of questions.
In the movie, the main character, George Bailey, in the throes of feeling sorry for himself,
wants to end it all by committing suicide, but he  has an opportunity to see what the the impact of his life would be, and as most of us know, his never being born changed everything-for the worst.
He momentarily had taken his eyes off the prize, and when faced with the most seemingly difficult debacle of his life, he considered ending it all by suicide, but of course the movie has a very happy ending. Clarence the angel showed George the truth about the value and impact of his life on so many around him, even from a young age. In one scene, George saves his brother, Harry, from drowning in an icy pond, which cost him some of his hearing in his left ear. Harry grows up, thrives, joins the Air Force as WWII breaks out, and as a fighter pilot, shoots down two enemy planes that were about to attack an Allied troop transport. If George had never lived, Harry would've drowned in that pond, would not have been there to shoot down those enemy planes to keep them from sinking the troop transport and all those on board, hundreds of men, would've died, dramatically impacting the lives of countless others.

Jesus tells us to walk the narrow path as we imitate Him, to love God with all we've got, and to love  each other. We are to pick up our crosses daily, crucifying and denying our "selves", all the while understanding how valuable we are to our Creator God.
The path is narrow and it not level, no, it is rife with hills, steep dips, potholes, and all manner of "hazards".
Jesus tells us that "in this world we will have trouble, but we can take heart, because He has overcome the world."  In other words, it ain't easy!
This life is all about intimacy: knowing and loving God our Father,  the people that God has placed in our lives, and developing an understanding that however sometimes mysterious,
we all impact each other.
Beloved, you are so valuable! Think on these things today, as you as live, move, and have your being, reflecting His love and light, fulfilling God's purposes for your life, and being used to impact others.

Shining and Salty 196

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
Matthew 5:13-16

Are you salty and shiny?
I was just at a conference where there was more than 25,000 fiery believers,
the ONETHING 2012 conference at International House of  Prayer Kansas City
(www.ihopkc.org ).
As a believer, it is so great to be in that environment where we are surrounded by others of similar mind and spirit. We are not made to remain in the "salt-shaker", however; Jesus calls us,
commands us, to go into all the world and preach the Good News and to make disciples.
We are all missionaries...have you ever thought of yourself in this way?
We often think this means a missions trip to Africa, India, China, the Middle East, the farthestmost parts of  the world-but the reality is that the mission field is immediately around us...from right inside the four walls of our own homes, that we would be most excellent examples, in word and more importantly, in deed, first to our own children and families. We are to be reflections of Jesus, and to radiate outwards...in every place we go, at our jobs and in the marketplace, every relationship,
God is arranging divine appointments.

Remember: We are in the world, but not of it, beloved! We are the ones that are called to "overcome the world", to be people of  the Jesus culture in these last days that will affect changes in our culture. We are to counter the pagan post-modern culture, by being imitators of Jesus and not to losing our "saltiness"-  having our witness diluted and polluted, thereby becoming ineffective for the Kingdom.

"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For everything in the world–the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does–comes not from the Father but from the world." 
1 John 2:15, 16 

Contenders

Behold,  children are a heritage from the  Lord , 
the fruit of the womb a reward. 
Like arrows in the hand of  a warrior 
are the children  of one's youth. 
Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! 
He shall not be put to shame when 
he contends with his enemies  in the gate. 
Psalms 127:3-5

Yesterday I bid my 19 year old daughter goodbye, at least for the time being.
It is difficult as a parent to let go, and yet is so necessary
She has begun a new phase of her life at university 600 miles away,
she has a new residence, and is an adult now,
stepping into all the privileges and responsibilities that go along with that.
There is separation anxiety, to be sure, mostly on my part I think,
but my anxiety is mitigated by what I know to be so true about her:
she loves the Lord Jesus, and mercy, grace, and lovingkindness
will follow her all the days of her life,
she has within her the spirit of Deborah...
wisdom, bravery, and a warrior's heart.
She is learning to be a contender for the Kingdom of God.

"Praise be to the  Lord  my Rock, who trains my hands for war,  my fingers for battle.
He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield, in whom I take refuge"
Psalms 144:1,2a

Trials & Triumphs 199

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

James 1:2-4

It is by trial that we are strengthened; in the furnace of tribulation our faith is forged.
There are situations and times of testing that are necessary.

However uncomfortable, it is under pressure and fires of affliction,
that in the Lord makes us bright and shiny.
Rough edges are burnished off and impurities burned out,
just as a diamond is created from common coal.
Rare and precious perfumes are created by the crushing of petals.

Let us cling tightly to the great promises, provision, and protection of a sovereign God who is our Abba-Father, for He purposes ALL THINGS, especially trials, for our good- and our growth.

How Far/ Lengths 106

One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick.  Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.  When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. 
When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” 
Luke 5:17-20 

 In this passage it is clear that these men's belief systems combined so powerfully with their trust in the Lord Jesus that they will go to any lengths to get to Him with their paralytic friend.
Every normal entrance way was blocked, but they did not just walk away with a shrug of their  shoulders, saying, "Hey man, we tried, but it wasn't possible to get to Jesus."
The Scriptures tell us that these believers would not be dissuaded by any obstacles,
climbing to the roof with great effort, they broke through the outer roof and ceiling, working furiously with debris flying off as they worked, lowering their sick friend into the immediate proximity of Jesus. Often times we are in a place where we have a roof over us,
where we feel our prayers are "bouncing off the ceiling" and we are not being heard by God,
but this is not true beloved!
We can have what has already been afforded us: when belief, faith and trust combine together-
and we are enabled to tear through the ceiling and we are face to face with Jesus, our healer when we are sick, provider for all our needs, protector from every threat, lover of our souls, shelter when storms are all around us, and so much more.
How far will you go, beloved, what lengths are you willing to go to-to be in His Presence?

Compliance v. Defiance 196

"Now the serpent was  more cunning than any beast of the field which the  Lord  God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the  fruit of the trees of the garden;  but of the fruit of the tree which  is  in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you  touch it, lest you die.’ ” Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.  For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 
Genesis 3:1-5

I once saw a bumper sticker that read, "GOD SAID IT, I BELIEVE IT, THAT SETTLES IT."
What a different world we would be living in if Eve-and Adam-would've trusted the Father and had been compliant, instead of defiant! In speaking to His Chosen People Israel,  God said repeatedly: "I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD, YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME."
What is it about human nature, about me, that is so innately defiant?
Why is it that the only way for most of us to learn compliance is by God allowing us to exhaust ourselves, exhaust our flawed human strivings, until we are broken and shattered?
I had to learn this the hard way, and am still learning compliance and obedience,
as defiance is worked out of, and broken off of, me.
I am a work in progress, basking in my Father's love, as His Holy Spirit whispers to me:
"Keep going, fix your eyes on Me, do not listen to those other voices, 
forge straight ahead as you focus on Me. 
As you do I promise to make all things possible."

Seeking 141

On most news stands and at check out counters at retail stores everywhere there are publications prominently displaying filth and gossip, championing self-worship,  while exploiting and exposing the dysfunction of so many pitiful celebrities, and every other vile worldly thing,  while a small discount rack off in a corner of the stores sits God's Holy Word  on a dusty shelf, or the bottom rack of some unlikely place.
 It is often not easily located , but in it is found the greatest of treasures. 

"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem  and asked, “Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. "
Matthew 2:1, 2, 10, 11 

The Magi went to great lengths and great expenses to find the King of Kings. 
They didn't listen to the voice or bidding of  the evil King Herod, 
the predominant voice of the natural world, whom they recognized as worthless and vile. These "wise men" were looking for the One foretold of,  whose coming advent had been revealed to their hearts and minds, but not to the high priests of Israel, 
Caiphas and Ananias, nor the Pharisees, whose hearts had become cold and hard.
God doesn't do things off in a corner, but the world we are passing through will try to obscure the Light of the World. 
Counterfeits and shiny things abound everywhere, but nothing can satisfy us, answer our longings for wisdom, meaning, and purpose except for Jesus, 
His Holy Spirit, and the power found in God's living and active Word.
In this season remember: Wise men still seek Him.

Prosperity 201

"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health,
 just as your soul prospers."
III John 1:2

There is a direct correlation between the condition of the soul and the condition of the other facets of our existence. I have read this scripture many times,  as many of us have, and I have a confession to make: there have been many times in my Christian life whereas I have shuddered deep inside upon reading these words-because of the poor and reprobate condition of the core of my being, my very soul. These words are a double edged sword; a soul that is well fed and familiar with the Holy Spirit is the guiding force of a life centered on our magnificent Obsession, Jesus,
but a soul that is broken down, and guided by a seared conscience and hardened heart is in desperate straits, and when in this place we cannot deny it.
Prosperity of soul can only come when we seek the sovereign LORD with all our heart-trust, 
it doesn't necessarily mean material wealth, but a type of prosperity where the knowledge of God's Word and His promises is in perfect synchronicity with our trusting Him, even when the world we live in is turned upside down and tremendous shakings are tearing the natural world asunder, and our every need is met.
So I pray for you, beloved, for the prospering of your soul, as you experience real life and abundance   found only in Jesus.

Overboard 200

"I  would    have    lost    heart,  unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the  Lord
 in the land of the living."
Psalms 27:13

The Christmas season is meant to be celebrated with great joy, but this is also the season where more people suffer from depression than any other season. At times when I've grown depressed, cold, suffered from illness, or simply not am not feeling the Holy Presence of The Lord
I feel like Jonah-thrown overboard in stormy seas.
Sinking fast and reaching out for something, anything, but sinking anyways...
but then as my soul faints within me, I remember the LORD
and from the depths of my brokenness my prayers break forth,
going upwards towards the LORD and into His holy temple.
The LORD brings me up, bringing me back to life from the miry pit of depression,
loneliness, and darkness...
"e en though You cast me out of your sight, yet I will look again towards Your holy temple."
Beloved, Salvation is of the LORD,
Sacrifice to Him today with your voice and heart of thanksgiving.

He said: “In my distress I called to the  Lord , and he answered me.
From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry.
 You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas,  and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers  swept over me.
 I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight;
yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’
The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.  To the roots of the mountains
I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you brought my life up from the pit,  O  Lord  my God.
“When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you,  Lord ,
and my prayer rose to you,  to your holy temple.
 “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.
 But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you.
 What I have vowed I will make good.  Salvation comes from the  Lord .”
Jonah 2:2-9 

Illumination 203

Again therefore Jesus spake unto them, saying, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life. "
John 8:12

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;  on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. "
Isaiah 9:2

Yeshua is The Light.
Chanukah begins  tonight, and we will kindle the Chanukiah
( the special Chanukah menorah) lights.
The eight candles are lit off of one special candle,
the Shamash or servant,  that is positioned higher than the others:
"See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted."
Isaiah 52:13
The metaphor is clear: the shamash is Yeshua, the One who is the illuminator of our lives,
both to bring us out of the darkness of sin, and to light the paths of our hearts, minds,
and souls, and the Holy Spirit is the oil that keeps that light burning brightly.
 Without Him our "candles" would never be ignited, we would be doomed to darkness,
both in this life and the eternity that awaits us all.
Walk in His light beloved...

Sure Foundations

"For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,
his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light.
It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.
If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.
If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames."
1 Corinthians 3:11-15

My daughter is 19 and not quite sure what she plans on for a profession, and I'm fine with that.
What she is doing at International House of Prayer University is building a firm foundation with Jesus as the chief cornerstone of her life.
Parents often are solely concerned with what their children will become vocationally, which is often a source of pride to the parents. The most important concern we should have as parents is that the real inheritance being passed to the children is eternal life only found by being born again, surrendered and sold out to Jesus our Messiah, and the revelation of the knowledge of God which only the Holy Spirit can give.

One of the founders of Harvard had said that "the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the foundation upon which all other knowledge is built.". Indeed Harvard was created to spread the Gospel. In the world we live in most people decide what they want to do for a living, without actually having any relationship with the Father whatsoever, and this vocation becomes their identity, when the truth is that the only identity we really have is we are either children of God and co-heirs with Jesus-or we are not.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.  But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27 

Fixed 230

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.
For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. "
2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Recently we had the opportunity to visit dear friends.
In the course of conversation and asking about others
that we knew in common we were told that, sadly, many of them had walked away from the faith.
They had fixed their eyes on men, and were not prepared for the fact that our lives, our walk with Jesus, will bring trials and difficulties.
There will be heartaches and a great deal of shaking and breaking,
and none will escape it.
Somehow many never understand that God can't use us
until all the garbage and rubbish is removed from us,
that at some point(s) we will be sifted and shaken like rag dolls in the mouths of wolves,
and we must go through the furnaces of affliction to burn off the dross of self .
Unless our eyes are fixated on Christ alone we will be offended, hurt and injured.
Instead of pressing into He who is our Hiding Place
we will revert to attempting to find peace, solace, and contentment in the world,
but it will bring only emptiness, darkness,  and pain.
Beloved,  if you find yourself far away, in such a place it's time to come home.
God, who is both your Father and Bridegroom,  awaits you!

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” "
John 8:12 

Telling Me So 1

"Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so..."
A famous theologian, towards the end of his life, was asked by students, what the most important  thing he had learned in his Christian walk was.
His simple and profound answer is what was stated above:
JESUS LOVES ME.
Of all the wisdom and knowledge imparted, throughout the seasons, and the weathering of life's storms, this one thing remains, and is the core paradigm that all of my thoughts about God, who is my Father and Bridegroom, my Cornerstone, my beginning and my end, and everything in between.
Jesus loves me, and I can love because He loved me first, and the realization/ revelation of this changes everything, how I think, feel, act, He is the greatest love of my life, of our lives, beloved.
Today embrace this one thing, cling to it, and never release your hold on it.
JESUS LOVES US.

Give Thanks

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.    
Let those who fear the Lord say: “His love endures forever.”  
It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.    
It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.    
The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.  
 I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done.    
The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone;  
 the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.    
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.    
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you.    
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. (Psalm 118:1, 4, 8, 9, 14, 17, 22-24, 26, 29 NIV84)

On our Thanksgiving holiday we can easily get wrapped up in the process.
There is food to prepare, and people coming and going; football games,
Black Friday sales, the reason we gather can be lost.
We have a God who delights in us, whose mind is always on us.
He desires, more than anything, for us to love Him as furiously as He loves us,
and to fear Him as a child fears a good father.
His goodness surrounds us, and we may be aware of so many things to thank our Abba for, and  barely scratch the surface, never knowing the depth, height, width, or length of  His love.
Beloved, make everyday, every moment of each day, Thanksgiving.
He is more than Worthy.

Reminders/ No Separation

"What, then, shall we say in response to this?
If God is for us, who can be against us?
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all–
how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?
 It is God who justifies.  Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”   No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,
neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. "
Romans 8:31-39

Life can, at times, bring us down when our flesh gets the better of us.
Anxiety and depression are at all-time highs, with mental health care professionals counseling record numbers of people, with record numbers of anti-depressants being prescribed.
People seek peace, comfort, counsel, and joy in things other than the only source- God Almighty, the One and only, but there is none! Nothing can separate us from His love-nothing! Remember that we are always on His mind, beloved, and how He loves us! He is for us, not against us,  He didn't spare His one and only Son -for us!  Jesus is at the right hand of our Father, interceding for us!
Today, remember that we are more than conquerors, and what our inheritance is- because of the work He finished on the cross. 

Words 290

"If a man makes a vow to the  Lord , or  swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall  do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. "
Numbers 30:2

"But  whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected  in him. By this we know that we are in Him.  He who says he abides in Him  ought himself also to walk just as He walked. "
I John 2:5, 6

If it's not in writing, it's not..."

Ever heard this before? One of the most basic principles taught in law schools, is this very concept, the ideology that the spoken word, (hearsay) "doesn't count". In this post-post-modern culture we live in, many believe that lies don't count. They say:"it's negotiation", or "everybody does it".
But this is not how the Lord wants us to operate; we are to let or "yes" be yes, and our "no" be no, and promises made verbally are meant to bind! Such things are recorded in the heavenlies and forces moving in our lives are affected by how we respond to the things we say, and promises made or even implied with the intent to make another person believe we were promising something.
My father who was not a believer taught me that when you shake hands and commit yourself verbally- technically what lawyers call hearsay- that you have committed yourself .
Beloved, as believers, let us not be part of this world, operating duplicitously,
Let your word be your bond.

Divine Protection

"For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;  
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him,
for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.  
With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.” "
Psalm 91:11, 14-16

On November 12, I was traveling during a dreary and stormy morning with my wife and one of my daughters on a Tennessee highway. It is our habit to always pray for the Lord's traveling mercies and His protection all around us. The traffic was fairly heavy in both directions, when all of a sudden  a car going the other way hydroplaned, doing a "NASCAR" spin, and left the road, crossing the median - headed right towards our car! As that spinning car careened towards us, Lisa shouted "JESUS JESUS JESUS!" and suddenly the out of control car collided with a wire cabled fence. Pieces of that car and other debris were flying towards us and a few small pieces glanced off our vehicle, but we had been spared! Praise Him!
There are so many forces operating, both in the natural-and the supernatural. Jesus tells us that whatever we bind on earth is bound or loosed  in the heavenlies- the supernatural, and vice versa . Matt.18:18
We each have been afforded so many situations where our Abba has extended His divine protection,  more than we can count or realize...today beloved, call on Him who is our divine Protector !

On Fire

“I baptize with  water those who repent of their sins and turn to God.
But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."
Matthew 3:11

You have a beautiful custom home that is just perfect: 4000 square feet, media room, granite counters, professional chef's kitchen, beautiful master suite and bath ... there's just one problem-it is engulfed in flames and you have just 60 seconds to grab what you value most-what would you take?

Now apply this to your entire existence: not just your house and all it's stuff, but your life; your entire paradigm. In contemplating this scripture :" He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire",  Abba is clearing speaking to us: I am igniting you and now, right now, choose rightly the things that are most valuable.
Fire has many purposes: Illumination, refinement, purification, and as His holy fire burns in each of us, it accomplishes all this and more.
When we surrender, He comes..."But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap."
Malachi 3:2

Pearls/Garage Sales 209

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 
When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. "

Matthew 13:45, 46

"The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. 

The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass." 

Revelation 21:21

I have been thinking lately, meditating on the true value of knowing Jesus, and all that entails.
The metaphor of the merchant- those who are seekers of things of value, the Pearl-Jesus himself, and finally the realization that His real true worth outweighs the value of everything else.
The rich young man in Matthew 19 could not recognize that he was face to face with that Pearl, so tightly was he clinging to his stuff. I am sure that he recognized, perhaps too late, that all the things he valued that held sway over him were worthless in the end. Many of us live in a materialistic consumer oriented, western society of relatively rich men and women who are clinging so tightly to their stuff, that many would not be willing- let me restate that-are not willing- to get rid of them in exchange for the Pearl.
Paul found it, counting everything else as loss, he recognized that it wasn't an even trade!
The life he walked away from, and the things his contemporaries treasured was really just garbage.
His prayer for the Ephesians and for us?

"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength" 

Ephesians 1:17-19

Jesus is our all-in-all.
The twelve actual gates of the New Jerusalem are each one enormous pearl, a metaphor for Jesus as the Gate. Without receiving Him, without selling off every other part of the idolatrous paradigm  to invest in the Pearl of great price we cannot enter in, cannot begin to know the incomparable depth and riches of the revelation of the knowledge of Jesus.
Beloved, is it time for your garage sale? 

Stirred and Shaken 153

He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give... I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
"Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” "
Matthew 28:18-20

I am having my tables turned over-again, and I will try to explain here what I'm feeling.
Two weeks ago I was given a book entitled Radical, by Pastor David Platt, which I highly recommend.
I must confess that I feel both encouraged - and indicted.
  The premise is that we are commanded to make disciples, that we are not here to accumulate material wealth, the American dream- that God's purposes for us are clear. I was unprepared for the depth of the challenges that are put forth, which are right out of the Word....that all believers are to be missionaries,whatever their harvest field is.  We are not here to fulfill an empty American dream that has linked the Gospel to amassing stuff while the world is full of those who have not heard the Gospel, who are sick and hungry, and dying without ever having a chance to know Jesus as Messiah.
I am sold out, love sick for Jesus, don't care about excess accumulation, and we have always been givers, share the Good News often, but I still have children still to raise, and a responsibility to  support my family, and dealing with recovering from a long hospitalization ...my struggles are dealing with the feeling  that I could do more...that I need to do more to share the Gospel, to make disciples, to be more and more radical. So I ask God as I continue to be stirred and shaken: Lead and guide me, empower me with your Holy Spirit, help me not to fear the unknown or be tied to stuff that may be holding me back.
I don't know if you have had any of these questions, but I am confident that as we move forward seeking Him that he will direct our steps towards radical biblical Christianity

Not By Might 269

“If you love me, you will obey what I command. 
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever– the Spirit of truth. 
The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. 
But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 
Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. 
Because I live, you also will live. 
On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 
“All this I have spoken while still with you. 
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, 
will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."
John 14:15-20, 25, 26

So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty. 
Zechariah 4:6 

"It's the real thing" - Coca-Cola slogan

I can't do anything in my own strength.
By myself, operating on my own, I'm just floundering about,
just barely treading water enough to keep my head above water.
In myself all I can think about is-myself.
Without Jesus, without being filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit who is my Comforter, Teacher, Director, Reminder, there's only the daily grind as motivated by the concept of "self": what will I eat, drink, wear, sleep, earn, buy, sell, live- my strength and power is as nothing.

To be filled with the Holy Spirit is the only way we can fulfill our purposes and find meaningful abundant life in Jesus the Messiah- without Him we can't even remember what Jesus told us (Jn 14:26). So why are so many Christians wary and fearful of allowing themselves to be filled with the Spirit?  Yes, it will be different, and even unpredictable at times because we hand over the "helm" of our lives to the Holy Spirit. We learn to hear the voice of the Lord through the Spirit:
"This is my way, walk in it.", not the voice of the accuser who wants to keep us captives.
We learn to move from the comfort zone, and we are enabled to love those who we may have despised, judged, or hated, as we realize how we are furiously we are loved, even when we despised ourselves.
Beloved, if you are filled with the Holy Spirit praise the One who fills you, and pray for the filling of those who are not. To those who are not yet filled, fear not, release the false sense of control you have  to God who is sovereign and desires to fill you up with the good stuff, the real thing, His Holy Spirit.