I was praying from the moment I woke up today. "Lord, shine Your light into the darkness of this day!" Then I opened up my bible to Psalm 80 (vs 1-3)
"Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who dwell between the cherubim, shine forth! Before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up Your strength and come and save us!
Restore us, O God; cause Your face to shine and we will be saved."
I started thinking about halloween and all the darkness that will happen today. And our government, the corruption and poor leadership. Our bleak future, with healthcare, debt and a host of other problems and I just cried out,
"Resore us, O God; cause Your face to shine and we will be saved!!!"
And I stopped right there because it hit me: It's all about Him.
Everything is about Jesus. If we got a glimpse at the One who captivates the cherubim 24/7 for all of history, we wouldn't pray for anything else ever again! Only for Him. For more of Him. Greater revelation. And when He comes to us, His light casts out any darkness in an instant.
We don't have to pray about the darkness!
We just have to ask Jesus to come. He is light. When you turn on a light in a dark room- BOOM. End of darkness. There's no need to pray about the darkness or cast it out- it's just gone. Like that.
Solving our problems isn't hard for Jesus. It's easy peasy stuff for Him. Being a glorious light that takes over the world comes natural to Him!
Seek the man, Jesus. Ask for more of Him. Search for the knowlege of who He is. Pray for His light, the glorious light that lives between the mighty angels.
When He shines forth His light, everything changes.
At the end of this age when darkness covers the earth, you know what we'll cry out?
COME LORD JESUS! The Spirit and the Bride say, COME!
SHINE.
LM
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Friday, October 25, 2013
God could leave you alone...
Do you ever see people and think, why on earth do they have it so easy? They're not pursuing the Lord; they're living in self-indulgence; they're not following any of the rules of Christianity 101 and yet they prosper! They succeed in business, have nice homes, great vacations, new cars- they have the life! It doesn't make sense!
While you are here, struggling to follow the Sermon on the Mount lifestyle, fulfill the great commission, and you can barely keep your head above water. You fast and pray and still are overwhelmed with work/school/relationships. You keep your heart pure and in return are misunderstood and attacked. All day long you are plagued and chastened...
Sound familiar? This was the heart state of the writer of Psalm 73. Go ahead, read it. Get out your bible or go to this link: Ps. 73
He despairs until verse 17, "until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end." I believe this means that when he paused, set his heart and took the time to seek the Lord, the Holy Spirit gave him understanding. Perspective of the situation. He realized that God simply left those people alone. The ones who shut God out of their lives. After a time, the Lord stopped knocking (Rev 3:20). But the writer knew that when this life was over, their end was fast and bitter.
And he figured out that those who seek the Lord gain His attention.
If there's anything you want in life, it is for God to pay attention to you.
When that happens, when you have come to the place of righteousness (Acts 10:4), hunger, simply trying as hard as you can to seek the Lord- God will turn His attention to you and say, "This is a good vine. I'll prune this one to bear much fruit." What a privilege! When the writer understood this, his whole outlook changed and he was horrified at his attitude (vs 21-22). He realized what we can also know for sure:
No matter how hard the storm, we are ALWAYS with God.
He holds us up with His own hand, He guides us with His counsel and will welcome us into His glory! Besides, what could we ever want in this life in the way of nice houses, successful jobs or easy relationships when we could have Jesus???
Even in our lowest times, when we lose perspective and turn to despair against God (like the beginning of this psalm), He is our strength! He never leaves our side and He will give us Himself. (vs 26) Mind. Blown.
It is very important to know that when God turns His attention to you, so does the enemy. And he will do everything in his power to destroy your faith. And those other people- the ones with the nice cars and easy lives? They are NO THREAT to the enemy so he leaves them alone. So in a way, it's sort of a twisted compliment when you come under great attack... Even so, satan's only real power is deception. Lies. Making you believe God has left you alone, doesn't love you, is disappointed in you. LIES. Remember that.
( I get a comic-book picture in my head, you standing in the middle- satan on one side throwing lies, chaos and turmoil at your earthly situations. God on the other side, shooting strength, revelation, power, love and help on the other side. )
It's a fight. But here's what we know: verse 28
-We have to trust God. (always believing He loves you and has your BEST in mind in EVERY situation and responding out of that heart attitude.)
-We will declare His works. When we know God does everything for love we will be bold in standing up for Him- defending Him to the world who scoffs, explaining Him to the church who is hurt and confused.
This psalm is a very important revelation and easy to lose. Keep it in your heart and steward it well! Help those around you who are struggling, understand.
Going back to the beginning, I'll end.
Psalm 73:1 "Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart."
God could leave you alone. If He didn't love you so much.
Keep runnin'
LM
While you are here, struggling to follow the Sermon on the Mount lifestyle, fulfill the great commission, and you can barely keep your head above water. You fast and pray and still are overwhelmed with work/school/relationships. You keep your heart pure and in return are misunderstood and attacked. All day long you are plagued and chastened...
Sound familiar? This was the heart state of the writer of Psalm 73. Go ahead, read it. Get out your bible or go to this link: Ps. 73
He despairs until verse 17, "until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end." I believe this means that when he paused, set his heart and took the time to seek the Lord, the Holy Spirit gave him understanding. Perspective of the situation. He realized that God simply left those people alone. The ones who shut God out of their lives. After a time, the Lord stopped knocking (Rev 3:20). But the writer knew that when this life was over, their end was fast and bitter.
And he figured out that those who seek the Lord gain His attention.
If there's anything you want in life, it is for God to pay attention to you.
When that happens, when you have come to the place of righteousness (Acts 10:4), hunger, simply trying as hard as you can to seek the Lord- God will turn His attention to you and say, "This is a good vine. I'll prune this one to bear much fruit." What a privilege! When the writer understood this, his whole outlook changed and he was horrified at his attitude (vs 21-22). He realized what we can also know for sure:
No matter how hard the storm, we are ALWAYS with God.
He holds us up with His own hand, He guides us with His counsel and will welcome us into His glory! Besides, what could we ever want in this life in the way of nice houses, successful jobs or easy relationships when we could have Jesus???
Even in our lowest times, when we lose perspective and turn to despair against God (like the beginning of this psalm), He is our strength! He never leaves our side and He will give us Himself. (vs 26) Mind. Blown.
It is very important to know that when God turns His attention to you, so does the enemy. And he will do everything in his power to destroy your faith. And those other people- the ones with the nice cars and easy lives? They are NO THREAT to the enemy so he leaves them alone. So in a way, it's sort of a twisted compliment when you come under great attack... Even so, satan's only real power is deception. Lies. Making you believe God has left you alone, doesn't love you, is disappointed in you. LIES. Remember that.
( I get a comic-book picture in my head, you standing in the middle- satan on one side throwing lies, chaos and turmoil at your earthly situations. God on the other side, shooting strength, revelation, power, love and help on the other side. )
It's a fight. But here's what we know: verse 28
-We have to trust God. (always believing He loves you and has your BEST in mind in EVERY situation and responding out of that heart attitude.)
-We will declare His works. When we know God does everything for love we will be bold in standing up for Him- defending Him to the world who scoffs, explaining Him to the church who is hurt and confused.
This psalm is a very important revelation and easy to lose. Keep it in your heart and steward it well! Help those around you who are struggling, understand.
Going back to the beginning, I'll end.
Psalm 73:1 "Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart."
God could leave you alone. If He didn't love you so much.
Keep runnin'
LM
Monday, October 14, 2013
"Abide in Me." A word for the guilty...
John 15:7 "If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you."
There is nothing new about this story. It is as old as the garden...
Once upon a time, any time, maybe even today... there were two little children, a brother and sister, who lived in a little village of no significance and had a quiet little life. They had a grandma who lived just a mile away from them, in a little woods and every day they walked to her house and she welcomed them joyously having prepared all kinds of fresh baked goodies and delicious treats. They would eat and play and sit on her lap while she told them fascinating stories and sang beautiful songs. By the time they left it was dark but she gave them a lamp which lit their way home and kept them warm and safe.
One year the children started school. They were so busy! They made new friends and joined sports teams and clubs. Soon they stopped going to their grandma's house every day because they didn't have enough time. After a couple days they missed the freshly made sweets and goodies but they went to the store and bought cookies with their friends. And they still walked to grandma's every week, on Sunday. But their visits had changed. Now they were full of their own stories of school and friends. They would tell her their troubles and problems and she is full of wonderful answers. Sometimes they stop and listen to her but mostly they just talk. And they must leave before dark now because they are so busy on Monday! So they no longer needed the lamp to light their way and they ran home fast to keep warm.
One Sunday they missed their visit. Friends invited them over and, "it's just this one time," they tell each other. But for the rest of the week they feel bad. They think of their grandma waiting all day with fresh sweets. How she must be disappointed in them! Maybe she is angry because they did not come see her. They've never seen her angry so they must imagine what it is like and it is terrible! As the next Sunday approaches they begin to fill up with dread... they imagine her at the door waiting to judge them for missing their weekly visit. Surely she won't have baked anything for them this time! Maybe she won't even let them into her house. They don't deserve to go there anyway, or enjoy the treats or listen to the wonderful stories and songs. They feel a twinge of longing but the guilt wins over. They should wait, give themselves a time out for their bad behavior- two weeks of staying away from grandmas, they decide.
Well, two weeks turns into two months and more. They still think of grandma's house in the woods, so near yet so hard to get to... oh the yummy treats! They begin to desire them again but they cannot make the journey. Maybe if they will write to her she will understand! So they write a letter explaining in great detail how busy they have become and apologizing over and over and over. At the end they ask her to send them a few treats. Nothing much or fresh, just anything leftover in her cupboard. They wait and in a few days they receive a package full of all their favorite sweets. They are not warm or fresh but still good and as they eat they are filled with thankfulness. (But they only express their gratefulness to each other, and when the sweets are gone they soon forget.)
This goes on for years. Sometimes when the children crave goodies they write to their grandma and usually they receive a package. They are thankful but always too guilty to visit her. A few times, when they run into trouble, they write a long, desperate letter for help. And she writes them back, sometimes with advice but usually with stories like she used to tell them. They are too busy to read them and discover the answers that are buried inside.
So their lives went by in this way. They never went back to her house. They sometimes wish for the days when they were young and visited her every day... ohhh but that ONE week they missed! She would never forgive them for that. And as they neared the end of their lives they thought of making the trip, just once more... but maybe not today, maybe tomorrow. Or next year.
What do you think they do not know? That their grandma stands at her door every single day of their life? That every single day she made fresh sweets and brought out interesting things to show them. She made her home ready and prepared lamps, bright and shining for them. She stood at her door looking, waiting for her beloved ones. Every day she waits.
Every day He loves.
You are always longed for, never rejected. Push delete and go back to the house.
You are much loved.
Keep running!
LM
There is nothing new about this story. It is as old as the garden...
Once upon a time, any time, maybe even today... there were two little children, a brother and sister, who lived in a little village of no significance and had a quiet little life. They had a grandma who lived just a mile away from them, in a little woods and every day they walked to her house and she welcomed them joyously having prepared all kinds of fresh baked goodies and delicious treats. They would eat and play and sit on her lap while she told them fascinating stories and sang beautiful songs. By the time they left it was dark but she gave them a lamp which lit their way home and kept them warm and safe.
One year the children started school. They were so busy! They made new friends and joined sports teams and clubs. Soon they stopped going to their grandma's house every day because they didn't have enough time. After a couple days they missed the freshly made sweets and goodies but they went to the store and bought cookies with their friends. And they still walked to grandma's every week, on Sunday. But their visits had changed. Now they were full of their own stories of school and friends. They would tell her their troubles and problems and she is full of wonderful answers. Sometimes they stop and listen to her but mostly they just talk. And they must leave before dark now because they are so busy on Monday! So they no longer needed the lamp to light their way and they ran home fast to keep warm.
One Sunday they missed their visit. Friends invited them over and, "it's just this one time," they tell each other. But for the rest of the week they feel bad. They think of their grandma waiting all day with fresh sweets. How she must be disappointed in them! Maybe she is angry because they did not come see her. They've never seen her angry so they must imagine what it is like and it is terrible! As the next Sunday approaches they begin to fill up with dread... they imagine her at the door waiting to judge them for missing their weekly visit. Surely she won't have baked anything for them this time! Maybe she won't even let them into her house. They don't deserve to go there anyway, or enjoy the treats or listen to the wonderful stories and songs. They feel a twinge of longing but the guilt wins over. They should wait, give themselves a time out for their bad behavior- two weeks of staying away from grandmas, they decide.
Well, two weeks turns into two months and more. They still think of grandma's house in the woods, so near yet so hard to get to... oh the yummy treats! They begin to desire them again but they cannot make the journey. Maybe if they will write to her she will understand! So they write a letter explaining in great detail how busy they have become and apologizing over and over and over. At the end they ask her to send them a few treats. Nothing much or fresh, just anything leftover in her cupboard. They wait and in a few days they receive a package full of all their favorite sweets. They are not warm or fresh but still good and as they eat they are filled with thankfulness. (But they only express their gratefulness to each other, and when the sweets are gone they soon forget.)
This goes on for years. Sometimes when the children crave goodies they write to their grandma and usually they receive a package. They are thankful but always too guilty to visit her. A few times, when they run into trouble, they write a long, desperate letter for help. And she writes them back, sometimes with advice but usually with stories like she used to tell them. They are too busy to read them and discover the answers that are buried inside.
So their lives went by in this way. They never went back to her house. They sometimes wish for the days when they were young and visited her every day... ohhh but that ONE week they missed! She would never forgive them for that. And as they neared the end of their lives they thought of making the trip, just once more... but maybe not today, maybe tomorrow. Or next year.
What do you think they do not know? That their grandma stands at her door every single day of their life? That every single day she made fresh sweets and brought out interesting things to show them. She made her home ready and prepared lamps, bright and shining for them. She stood at her door looking, waiting for her beloved ones. Every day she waits.
Every day He loves.
You are always longed for, never rejected. Push delete and go back to the house.
You are much loved.
Keep running!
LM
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