Recently I spoke with two different individuals who were both experiencing rough bumps in the road. As I listened to each of them at different times, I noticed a difference in their words, their body language, even their countenance. Both individuals are strong believers; both individuals are faithfully serving the Lord. Yet there was this difference. It was not until I began to seek Holy Spirit's wisdom concerning what I was seeing that revelation came. In one individual the countenance was bright and shining. It came through the eyes as well as the tone of voice. The other was clearly battle weary. What makes the difference?
All of us have experienced seasons of battlefields. I can still clearly recall some of my worst times when there was no one to depend on except the Lord Himself. Finances were a disaster; job situation worse; and no family or friends around to support me in this valley of darkness. Yet even in this deep isolation, I remember being the most determined. I was not about to let the dark side control my life and my countenance. My worship was more fervent. My joy in the Lord was my rock. In fact it is easier to be passionate when things are going wrong then when everything is just peachy keen, at least that is how it is for me.
We aren't the only ones though who have experienced dark times and had to rely on the Lord. Consider Job - no don't tune out yet. Job was certainly in a very dark place and was having difficulty being joyous in his circumstances. In fact he lamented a lot about what was happening to him and talked to God A LOT about it. However if you read Job carefully you will find wonderful little nuggets of truth in his statements. Job 12:13 "But true wisdom and power are with God; counsel and understanding are his." 22 "He floods the darkness with light; he brings light to the deepest gloom." What wonderful truths about out God. If we seek His wisdom, power, counsel and understanding, we will find them. He will indeed flood our deepest gloom with His light.
Consider also the disciple Paul. Talk about experiencing some dark places! Everywhere that Paul went, beatings and imprisonment found him. I have been seeking true understanding about the power in which Paul walked that allowed him to endure near death multiple times. Recently I hurt my foot, not badly praise the Lord, but enough that it was painful and difficult to walk. I found myself thinking about Paul's beatings and could not imagine incurring that kind of pain and still being able to function. Then I was quickened by Holy Spirit about today's contemporary martyrs who are incurring the same severe beatings and execution that the early disciples faced. I was chagrined to realize how easy we have it with freedom to worship and speak about the Lord with very few prohibitions.
Luke wrote in Acts about Paul and Silas. Acts 16:22-25 A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn't escape. So he took no chances but put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. Around midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. The inner dungeon was like a cesspool. They had suffered a severe beating. Their feet were clamped in stocks. Yet they were singing hymns and praying. OK. How bad are your circumstances?
The Lord has quickened my spirit that some of you out there are really struggling right now. No, you haven't been severely beaten and then locked up in stocks and thrown into a cesspool of a prison. Even our most serious prisoners in this country have it better than some innocents who are poverty stricken, trying to survive in a world that has been turned upside down. There is a sense of panic in many people and a sense of hopelessness in others. Yet still there are many who are maintaining their hope in the Lord and His power, wisdom, counsel and understanding. That is what allows these folks to continue moving forward, one day at a time, even sometimes one hour at a time. Our hope must be in the Lord and not in our ability to pull ourselves out of this mess called life.
This does not call for a relinquishment of our responsibility to continue to walk when we feel like giving up. There are many analogies used frequently to describe this process, e.g. one can sit in the driver's seat of a car forever. However it is not moving forward until you turn it on and put it in drive. God does expect us to be responsible in carrying out our part of our assignment. We cannot passively sit and say, "You do it, God. I am too tired." Even in times of being still, we are still actively seeking Him and praising Him. Job talked to Him and acknowledged His power and glory. Paul and Silas sang and prayed, and went right back to work wining people over to Christ! What are you doing in the midst of your circumstances?
My friends, I encourage you, no matter what is happening in your life, to keep it all in perspective. God is not only our hope but He is in control and will provide wisdom, power, counsel and understanding. He will be the light in the darkest of places for you. Let Him flood your deep gloom with His love. It is there for you. He is there for you. Embrace Him and permit Him to embrace you.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
A Fresh Encounter
Have you ever felt as if you needed a fresh encounter with God? Hopefully your response is yes - more than once! All of us need an opportunity to "refresh" with the living breathing Holy Spirit. It is not that He has evaporated from within us. It is a need to go to the next level with Him and grow even more intimate in our relationship with Him. A fresh encounter says to our Lord, I want to hear You tell me more of what dwells in the secret places with You. I want to experience what the Psalms describe as deep calling to deep. Psalm 47:5-8 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me-- a prayer to the God of my life. What an awesome expression of our deepest need in the midst of the storms of life to connect with our God, our promise and our salvation.
Two weekends ago I was humbled and privileged to witness a wonderful group of men receive a fresh anointing from Holy Spirit. All began this journey of three days from different beginning points. Yet all were unquestionably elevated to a new level of intimacy with Holy Spirit. The first requirement for any of us who desire to go deeper with Him is to become available to Him. We must invite Him to take us to wherever we need to be. Frequently there is a hunger, but in our finite existence we are not sure how to satisfy that hunger. Do we even understand that we are hungry? Do we comprehend what can truly satisfy that hunger as nothing else can? Do you?
We all desperately need more of Him in our lives, but how we acquire this will be different for each of us. As I watched the weekend progress, I observed individuals transform each at their individual pace. The Lord permitted me to serve these wonderful gentlemen as a prayer warrior as well as just being where I was needed as a laborer. This enabled me to be on the sidelines and yet spiritually in the midst. My own hunger and need was being met simultaneously because of the powerful presence of Holy Spirit. When you are under an open portal of heaven, the anointing that flows will sweep you off your feet just as flood waters sweep everything due to their mighty power. Rejuvenation, refreshing, cleansing are just a few ways to describe how this feels.
How do we get a fresh anointing in the midst of the chaos of daily life? The first step is to acknowledge that you need a fresh anointing. Recognize that status quo in your spiritual life is not enough. Yearn for more. Nurture that yearning so that it grows so intense it begins to dominate your thinking, your day, your evening, your sleep. More of You, God and less of me. When that yearning becomes alive in you, you then begin to seek His face in new ways.
Two weekends ago I was humbled and privileged to witness a wonderful group of men receive a fresh anointing from Holy Spirit. All began this journey of three days from different beginning points. Yet all were unquestionably elevated to a new level of intimacy with Holy Spirit. The first requirement for any of us who desire to go deeper with Him is to become available to Him. We must invite Him to take us to wherever we need to be. Frequently there is a hunger, but in our finite existence we are not sure how to satisfy that hunger. Do we even understand that we are hungry? Do we comprehend what can truly satisfy that hunger as nothing else can? Do you?
We all desperately need more of Him in our lives, but how we acquire this will be different for each of us. As I watched the weekend progress, I observed individuals transform each at their individual pace. The Lord permitted me to serve these wonderful gentlemen as a prayer warrior as well as just being where I was needed as a laborer. This enabled me to be on the sidelines and yet spiritually in the midst. My own hunger and need was being met simultaneously because of the powerful presence of Holy Spirit. When you are under an open portal of heaven, the anointing that flows will sweep you off your feet just as flood waters sweep everything due to their mighty power. Rejuvenation, refreshing, cleansing are just a few ways to describe how this feels.
How do we get a fresh anointing in the midst of the chaos of daily life? The first step is to acknowledge that you need a fresh anointing. Recognize that status quo in your spiritual life is not enough. Yearn for more. Nurture that yearning so that it grows so intense it begins to dominate your thinking, your day, your evening, your sleep. More of You, God and less of me. When that yearning becomes alive in you, you then begin to seek His face in new ways.
Begin your search by studying the Word in a different manner than you have previously. If you were doing a daily devotional that has become routine, create a different routine. Seek a new resource that can present the Word to you in a new light. Challenge yourself to one of the in-depth devotionals that tackles more of the Word than a single verse. Commit yourself to a daily time of being still with Him either while you are doing your devotionals or at a different time of the day. During this still time, make an effort to truly be still so that you can hear His voice. Remember that it is hard to listen when we are chatting away. Don't let your prayer time with Him become a repetition of the same thing everyday. Have a conversation with Him. Be real. He is not only Abba caring for you as His child, but He is also your lover and you are His Beloved. Believe that as you speak with Him daily.
James 4:8 Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you. It is the beauty of this love relationship we have with our Lord. Think about those people about whom you care the most in your life. What happens to those relationships when you spend time together, sharing the highs and lows of your life? You grow closer. The opposite happens when you are too busy to spend time with each other. Distance grows and then it takes time to once again feel the intimacy that once existed. The very same principles operate in our relationship with our Lord. Spend time with Him; share your heart with Him and experience a new level of intimacy and revelation.
I challenge each of you to do something differently this week to draw close to God so that He can draw close to you. If you journal, then record the changes that will inevitably slowly occur in your life as a result of this new effort on your part to be intimate with the One that loves you beyond your imagination. If you don't journal then just jot down an occasional revelation as it comes to you. Put it in the margins of your calendar or somewhere that you will not lose it. :-) Experience the power of a fresh anointing. He is waiting for you.
My apologies for this post being delayed. We experienced computer issues that involved having to purchase a new computer. God was so faithful though that no data was lost. He is so amazing!! Thank you for your continued interest in hearing a fresh Word from Holy Spirit through this humble vessel. Blessings!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Living an Expectant Life
I have a wonderful mini-poster created by Chuck Swindoll that reflects on the power of attitude in our life. Many of us have heard numerous sayings on that same topic of how our attitude molds and shapes not only our day but our life in total. How seriously do you take that advice and what does that have to do with the Lord in our lives? Recently our precious Lord, my Abba, has revealed to me new depths of that perspective on life and it has unquestionably shifted my entire life into a new dimension. I believe that many of you are ready for a similar shift in your lives and my prayer is that through sharing what has happened to me, you will be able to step into that new dimension.
Several posts ago (August 24th), I shared with all of you that I was celebrating my 57th Birthday. I also shared the significance of the numbers in my life and the patterns that God has consistently used to speak to me, guide me, counsel me. What I did not share was the battle that I was also fighting. My birthday had become a time of remembrance about what I have lost in the natural realm with my obedience to following the Lord in the spiritual realm. In the last 7 years of my life, there was so much turmoil with people that I have loved for most of my adult life. Just as the Lord warns us in scripture, we will be set apart and find relationships dear to us become estranged because we chose to follow Him. So birthdays that are for many people time of celebration with family are for me a time of feeling a void for what is no longer in my life.
Please understand that I am grateful beyond words for the love that God has placed in my life and do not for one minute take it for granted or feel that it is somehow inadequate. But when you are set apart from those that you have loved since the beginning, there is a human sorrow that is present. With that being said, the approach of my birthday was acknowledgement that certain people choose to not be a part of the celebration of who I am or what God is doing in my life. There is a tugging of my heart (flesh) strings that is difficult. Therefore as the day of my birthday approached I really wanted it to pass by as quietly as possible without anyone acknowledging it. But God had other plans.
Just as He had given me the promise of my future in the revelation of the numbers and patterns in my life, He wanted to insure that I understood He was serious about the manifestation of that promise. Those were not idle words on His part. The shift in my life into this new season of promise was to begin on the day that I wanted to forget, the day He brought me into existence. My birthday. One small surprise after another demonstrated to me that God was directly showing me His hesed love through those who are in my life now. Without being cognizant of the shift, my spirit was making a transition to a new level with Him, a new level of intimacy and a new level of hope. Each unveiling of His love for me brought a wave of joy that was so unexpected, yet I was still transitioning so the battle was not quite done.
Over the next day or two the Lord and I conversed deeply about the things that I was battling and He kept showing Himself just as the sun begins to breakthrough after a thunderstorm. First you see the single rays that peek through the departing storm clouds. Then slowly the rays broaden and the heat of the sun begins to warm the damp earth all around you. Finally the clouds are only on the horizon and the sun is brilliantly reflecting off everything that has been freshly washed. This describes exactly what was happening in my spirit and by Sunday morning as I worshipped and lingered in His presence, I was totally captivated by the infinite love of my Lover God.
His message to me was simple yet so profound: Live a life that is expectant of my love, not one that recognizes it after the fact. Live a life that demonstrates that you know without any doubt that I am always about to do something extraordinary for you, my Beloved. Look for my surprises with every breath that you take, in every person you meet, in every aspect of your life. Know that I am here, know that I am your God, know that you are indeed the apple of my eye. Know that in my sight you are indeed "fearfully and wonderfully made"! Psalm 139:14
Living a life that is expectant is different than living a life with expectations. Our expectations are putting God in a box, telling Him exactly what we are expecting Him to do. We put limitations on His magnificence and ability to do exceedingly more than we could possibly expect. Isaiah 55:8-9 "My thoughts are completely different from yours," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." The One who created everything that exists today from our human bodies to the vast universes has a plan for our lives that is so incredible, so beyond our imaginations, if we will just trust Him to guide us. Psalm 37:23-24 The steps of the godly are directed by the LORD. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand. Did you catch that? Every detail of our lives.... Can you embrace the power of that in your life?
I am embracing that power. I am experiencing a freedom that I have not enjoyed at this level yet in my life. I am expecting my awesome Lord to surprise me each day as I keep my eyes on Him. Understand that is a requirement of walking in this level of joy. If I am not constantly watching Him, I will easily miss what He is doing in my life. If I become preoccupied with my life and not HIS life, I will totally miss the blessings He is pouring into my life. Remember the expression, "It is all in the details"? Well it really is. God is into the details of my life and through the details comes the grand plan that He has developed for me. Yes, the year 5770 is going to be amazing for this 57 year old Beloved of God. I am eagerly awaiting the most amazing year of my life to unfold! How about you?
Several posts ago (August 24th), I shared with all of you that I was celebrating my 57th Birthday. I also shared the significance of the numbers in my life and the patterns that God has consistently used to speak to me, guide me, counsel me. What I did not share was the battle that I was also fighting. My birthday had become a time of remembrance about what I have lost in the natural realm with my obedience to following the Lord in the spiritual realm. In the last 7 years of my life, there was so much turmoil with people that I have loved for most of my adult life. Just as the Lord warns us in scripture, we will be set apart and find relationships dear to us become estranged because we chose to follow Him. So birthdays that are for many people time of celebration with family are for me a time of feeling a void for what is no longer in my life.
Please understand that I am grateful beyond words for the love that God has placed in my life and do not for one minute take it for granted or feel that it is somehow inadequate. But when you are set apart from those that you have loved since the beginning, there is a human sorrow that is present. With that being said, the approach of my birthday was acknowledgement that certain people choose to not be a part of the celebration of who I am or what God is doing in my life. There is a tugging of my heart (flesh) strings that is difficult. Therefore as the day of my birthday approached I really wanted it to pass by as quietly as possible without anyone acknowledging it. But God had other plans.
Just as He had given me the promise of my future in the revelation of the numbers and patterns in my life, He wanted to insure that I understood He was serious about the manifestation of that promise. Those were not idle words on His part. The shift in my life into this new season of promise was to begin on the day that I wanted to forget, the day He brought me into existence. My birthday. One small surprise after another demonstrated to me that God was directly showing me His hesed love through those who are in my life now. Without being cognizant of the shift, my spirit was making a transition to a new level with Him, a new level of intimacy and a new level of hope. Each unveiling of His love for me brought a wave of joy that was so unexpected, yet I was still transitioning so the battle was not quite done.
Over the next day or two the Lord and I conversed deeply about the things that I was battling and He kept showing Himself just as the sun begins to breakthrough after a thunderstorm. First you see the single rays that peek through the departing storm clouds. Then slowly the rays broaden and the heat of the sun begins to warm the damp earth all around you. Finally the clouds are only on the horizon and the sun is brilliantly reflecting off everything that has been freshly washed. This describes exactly what was happening in my spirit and by Sunday morning as I worshipped and lingered in His presence, I was totally captivated by the infinite love of my Lover God.
His message to me was simple yet so profound: Live a life that is expectant of my love, not one that recognizes it after the fact. Live a life that demonstrates that you know without any doubt that I am always about to do something extraordinary for you, my Beloved. Look for my surprises with every breath that you take, in every person you meet, in every aspect of your life. Know that I am here, know that I am your God, know that you are indeed the apple of my eye. Know that in my sight you are indeed "fearfully and wonderfully made"! Psalm 139:14
Living a life that is expectant is different than living a life with expectations. Our expectations are putting God in a box, telling Him exactly what we are expecting Him to do. We put limitations on His magnificence and ability to do exceedingly more than we could possibly expect. Isaiah 55:8-9 "My thoughts are completely different from yours," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." The One who created everything that exists today from our human bodies to the vast universes has a plan for our lives that is so incredible, so beyond our imaginations, if we will just trust Him to guide us. Psalm 37:23-24 The steps of the godly are directed by the LORD. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand. Did you catch that? Every detail of our lives.... Can you embrace the power of that in your life?
I am embracing that power. I am experiencing a freedom that I have not enjoyed at this level yet in my life. I am expecting my awesome Lord to surprise me each day as I keep my eyes on Him. Understand that is a requirement of walking in this level of joy. If I am not constantly watching Him, I will easily miss what He is doing in my life. If I become preoccupied with my life and not HIS life, I will totally miss the blessings He is pouring into my life. Remember the expression, "It is all in the details"? Well it really is. God is into the details of my life and through the details comes the grand plan that He has developed for me. Yes, the year 5770 is going to be amazing for this 57 year old Beloved of God. I am eagerly awaiting the most amazing year of my life to unfold! How about you?
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