It's Your Love

It's amazing how freely we are to judge the world in which we live.  Sin is rampart all around us--free sex, gambling, drinking, cursing, not being good providers, not nurturing our children properly,  and the list goes on etc.etc. 

 

Then the Lord calls out to us "I shall make 'My' enemies 'My' footstool"  To some the enemies could be those obvious sins we see, with our eyes, in the world at large.  Yet today I believe the Holy Spirit is taking us into a deeper level.  "What is your participation in sin? Do you vote for it? condone it? Ah, your heart, where is it?  Are you pre-occupied with TV shows, news, games, magazines?

 

As we seek and pursue the things of God we must be conscience of the Heart of God in our lives.  His pulsating love made ready--flowing out toward us)

 

"Make the world go away-place your head on My shoulder, Say the things you use to say, and make the world go away!"  I know these are words to a very old song... Yet they seem appropriate.  beloved, Jesus is call and singing those words to us, today.  We were created minister to the Groom!  To love and sing adoration's to Him our maker.

 

If you find yourself judging things and people around you, you are probably being called to a higher place....  Judge and be judge!  Love and be loved!

If you are seeking, knocking, and leaning into the spirit realm for more, say this prayer with me.

 

Father, I (we) are so desperate for Your loving embrace.........Cone in like a flood, knock me over, over take me with Your love.  Let the water of Your Word erase all the guilt and shame.  Replace it all with Your amazing Grace.  I thank you for it is Your love that will bring me to a new level of healing, a new level of maturity, a new level of living in Christ Jesus.

Grovey Kind Of Love

Jesus', purpose in life, was to live a lifestyle that was pleasing to the Father.  His ultimate goal was to open the communication path from us to the Father directly!  So Jesus made a way so we could be intimate with God the Father! He died for our wrong doings!  Once this way is established, (the way our personal salvation through Jesus), we enter our first and foremost call--a personal intimate relationship with God our Father.  All the trash in our lives does not matter.  All that matters is that we pursue a relationship with Him.  As time progresses, those things will fall to the wayside!

 

2 Corinthians 6:2  For God says, "At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you." Indeed, God is ready to help you right now. Today is the day of salvation.

 

As we get to 'know' His acceptance, and 'receive' His loving kindness in a safe ca-coon He provides, we begin to grow and flourish.  Our whole life changes, our goals, aspirations, intentions everything about us begins a Metamorphose  process. 

 

When life seems gray and everything and everyone seems to be crashing down what do you do? I take a journey back into memory lane.  Here is a piece of my reminiscing with my Father.

 

I return to that day of blessing as a seven year old running freely and dancing about in Your presence. I could almost feel your warm smiling face shinning upon me on my first communion day. I could have danced all day knowing that You would be my friend forever. 

 

Then again, I returned to you as an adult rehearsing the guilt, shame and the torment of sin and sickness.  But never-the-less, I came running and You opened Your arms wide receiving again as you did when I was seven. 

 

WoW, as I think upon those times I feel relief, refreshed, replenished and the infilling of your Love continues to bring me into a deeper freedom.  Lord today, I run to you--dancing at the waters' edge rejoicing in advance ready to receive a greater measure of Your Transforming Love!

 

Your presence, is a source of all healing!  Your presence is ultimately all we need! If you are feeling

 

Pray this prayer with me:

 

I will trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not on my understanding or any man's understanding.  In all my ways I will acknowledge and testify to all He has done in my life....And I know that He will make my path according to His purpose for my life!  Amen Amen 

Proverbs 3 :5,6

Shaking Loose!

I began reading Isaiah 22:8-11 and began thinking on what all of that meant for us today!  Then it began to flow out of my innards'!   

All of our defenses have been stripped away!  So we run into the safe place to be equipped.  We take inventory and inspect for defects and assess our needs.  We store up water and rebuild ourselves.  Notice WE did everything….   Auh!  All our foolish deeds to correct and make whole on our own are done in no avail…  We never ask God for help until we have to other alternative.  Our Father knows our ways and deeds before they ever happen and He prepares for us a place of escape.

Yea, yea, yea, my soul wines and complains….this is not it at all!   Instead of going up to the mountain of the Almighty I run to a friend (whatever).  Instead of reaching out to the Spirit's wellspring I empty my cistern into a love ones ear.  But the water of the Lord is not only refreshing and renewing it is filled with the Father's Loving embrace. 

He has reminded us to weep and mourn for our very souls.  Calling out to us to reposition ourselves, make a shift, and make a change!  Turn from our old stinking-thinking ways.  Instead of reaching out for the new life we carry on in "sin" we keep on doing the same old….the same old is sin if it is taking us slowly and surly away from God's embrace and friendship.  We continue with 'church' as usual and repeat our rituals, prayers, deeds and celebrate our holidays with no heart felt expression toward God or toward His people. 

Jesus is crying out "Run toward me, there you will find rest for your souls and there you will find peace of mind, there you will find solutions to all of your dilemmas."  As we run, we will find that those things will fall to the way side and we will continue to gain momentum into His Presence and into His Will.

Then I was lead….Lamentations 5:8 (according to Dianne) Sin has become our masters and we are so deceived and think that there is no one left to rescue us?

Take a step into His presence…He is saying "I the Lord have made you and I will not forget to help you.  I will sweep away your sins like the morning mists.  I have scattered your offenses like the clouds.  Return to me for I have paid the price to set you free! There is nothing like the Blood of Jesus to set us FREE! (Isaiah 44: 21-22 according to Dianne)

 

Protect the Balm of Gilead

Have you ever had days that you just don't want to do anything?  Well I have.  It is that time for me now. No reading, no talking, no going, no nothing!  That is what I want to do.  Now, I am not saying I am not doing anything.  Deep within me,  I am hearing just be quiet.  Be still.  Be alert! Be WILLING. 

 

Then early one morning this week, I heard as plain as day, "Protect the Balm of Gilead!"  I began  thinking on this.  I knew the Balm has to do with healing and the anointing.  So I began to research it further. 

 

The Old Testament there are types and shadows of things to come in the New Testament.

 

Genesis 37:18-25.  Joseph was thrown into a pit left for dead!  Remember? (are you looked upon as less or weird because of who you are in Christ? or cast aside because of your beliefs?) Now his brothers saw a caravan coming, a caravan of Ishmaellites, who took balm, spices and myrrh from Gilead to Egypt.  (Took from the place of God to the unsaved!) They were prostituting the things of God!   Ishmaellites are the decedents of Ishmael, representing to me, something created or forced out of our own strength.  (Are you pushing the envelop? straining in your own intellect, power and strenght?)

 

These are the questions I have asked of myself; then I remembered the feeling of wanting to do nothing.  That is not laziness, it is the Holy Spirit telling me to smell the Rose of Sharon!  Harken to the voice of the Spirit! Act upon His leading!

 

So what is this Balm of Gidien? A tree or shrub 12-15 feet tall.  It is indigenous to the mountainious areas arround Mecca!  The sap from this tree is known for it medicinal healing oil.  AH!  the place of God (Mecca)  Let us go up to the mountain of God and allow the Holy Spirit (oil) make itself know.  The Spirit the Christ within! us.

 

Back to what I heard, "Protect the Balm of Gilead!"  Protect the Christ within, your annointing, your God given talents and abilities.  Protect them, do not let the ungodly abuse what the Lord has given.  Don't let others, unknowingly take, what is not theirs, or protitute you--sell you short! Guard that gift He so lovingly gave you to be shared with those He instructs.  Go up to the mountain and grow into the maturity He has called you to be.

 

Allow His word to be a lamp for your feet and a light unto your path!  Psalm 119:105

 

For His statues and this teaching was given to be a lamp to light the way ahead of you.  His corrections of discipline is the way to life not distruction.  Proverb 6:23

 

May this be an inspiration for your meditation time with Him!

 

 

 

Weeds!

Puttering in the yard is a great summer activity.  Distributing mulch, pulling weeds and planting are some of the things I like to do.  One after noon, I made myself around toward the Celebration House front door.  I realized that the crab grass was over grown!  It was very noticeable and in great contrast with the rest of the lawn.  So I planted my stool in the middle of the weeds and began pulling the crab grass out and turning the ground over. 

 

People enter and exit through this entrance each week.  No one commented on the crab grass, maybe they did not even see it, or maybe it was not noticeable or important to them.  Perhaps they did not want to offend us and decided to over look it! 

 

Sometimes--I believe that is how we treat sin in our lives and in the lives of those we love!  

 

In no time at all that ugly grass was gone and grass was seeded and nicely moisten with great nutritious top soil.

 

Today I took an inventory of my own neglected sin that lingers in my life; and in the lives of those I love.  Clearly, I can see where I will begin to uproot sin, stinking thinking and unbelief in my life.  I will begin to replace the ugly with the living Word that will take root and grow as I meditate and seek God's heart for my life.  Knowing that, I will produce fruit for others to see as well. Hopefully I will be an encouragement to them as they also seek and meditate!

 

I will take notice in others lives also.  And I will speak loving words to them encouraging them to change also.

 

John 9:4 Jesus speaks saying "But to demonstrate Gods power all of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent me, because there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end. 

 

John 9 5-7But while I am still here in the world, I am the light of the world." Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and smoothed the mud over the blind man's eyes. He told him, "Go and wash in the pool of Siloam" . So the man went and washed, and came back seeing!

 

Siloam means sent!  WE are all sent into this world with a purpose--mission if you will to serve God and man.  As the Father directs we obey, as we are sent we also shall return healed!

 

May these words give you opportunity to ponder on your life and of those around you.  What is your heavenly Father prompting you to change?  Who is your Father sending you to.?

Great Exchange Part II

When we pray, it is spiritually appropriate for us to fully expect God to honor His Word and do what you have requested!

 

Paul is such a great encourager to us.  He describes the difficulties he encountered in his ministry.  Just as Satan regularly tried to disrupt Paul's ministry, the enemy has also attempted on many occasions to hinder our purpose for the Gospel.

 

In moments when worry or fear are trying to wrap its' life-draining tentacles around me, I rush back to the truths found in Phillippians 4:6  Just as I followed this verse so long ago, I still feel the drawing of the Holy Spirit to follow His leading once again.  Whenever I begin to get anxious or overwhelmed the Lord leads me from worry and fear to a thankful, praising and peaceful heart.  As the Scripture tells, ...His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus"

 

I am continually learning that if I am faithful to and apply His Word I will experience the wonderful, assurance of God's hand in my life and the magnificent peace He so freely gives.

 

So don't let worry wrap its tentacles around you.  Instead, listen to Paul's advice about how to deal with the problems and concerns that try to assault your mind and emotions think on Phillippians 4:6 according to Dianne:

 

" Don't worry about nuthin--and that means not one thing at all!  Instead, come into God's presence and give Him those things that concern you so He in exchange gives you what you need.  Be bold, not arrogant, and passionately make your request known to God making certain that an equal or greater measure of thanksgiving goes hand in hand with your asking.  You have every right to as boldly, so go ahead and insist the God your Father meet you in your darkest hour!" 

 

Then think of these things.... As our minds and hearts on in Christ Jesus all else fades away! 

 

Psalm 40:3 He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be astounded. They will put their trust in the LORD

 

Psalm 62:8 O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.

 

Let this be your confession:  I confess that I am not ruled by worry, fear, or concerns.  I go to God with those things that are leading me astray from His peace and guidance.  I will clearly make my feelings and needs known to my heavenly Father.  I expect an answer to my dilemma because of the promises in God's Word.  I know exactly ho to boldly make my requests.  I always match my requests with thanksgiving, letting god know how grateful I am for everything He does in my life.  I will survive and victoriously overcome each and every circumstances that tries to come against my family, my relationships, my ministry, my fiances and my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus' Name! 

The Great Exchange

Don't worry about anything, instead pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thak Him for what He has done."  Phillippians 4:6

 

I vividly remember a time in my life when I was very concerned about something that was about to occur.  Although the challenge before me really wasn't so life-shattering, at that moment it seemed huge and mountainous!  Therefore, I was extremely concerned!

 

I'm sure you know what it's like when worry tries to consume your mind.  It has a way of rehearsing itself over and over and magnifying issues to the point of becoming ridiculous, but when you're in the midst of that thing, it seems so uncontrollable.  Only after the event has passed do you realize how silly it was to be so worried about something that was unimportant in the big picture!

For example in the past I was consumed with worry.  I paced back and forth, fretting, thinking and pondering, making myself even more nervous by my anxious behavior.  I was nothing but a bag of nerves.  Realizing how deeply I was sinking into worry, I reached for my secret weapons--praying in my spirit language.  Then I went to the Word to find peace for my troubled soul.  I began to rehearse the past victories Christ brought me through.  I opened to Phillippians 4:6!

 

I began flushing those things from my mind so I could concentrate on God's Words to me through that verse.  I could see God was calling out to me prodding me to put down my worries and come boldly before Him making my request known to Him.  As I focused on this verse, I suddenly saw something I could do to relieve myself of this tormenting elephant.  The Word tells me to lay down my worries!  Ok, I understand, I would be set free from worry and fear!  So I began the process of laying it all down....and immediately began praising Him and giving Him thanks for all those past victories.  In a matter of moments I laid them down and picked them up again and finally was able to look past those worries and found my troubled mind-set was replaced with a thankful, praising, and peaceful heart!  That was the great exchange!

 

As years pass, I will have many occasions when worry and fear will try to plague my mind.  It would be a lie to say I am totally free from that "worry mind-set".  At times, challenges have been simply been enormous but God is faithful.

 

To be continued....