Always

Have you ever been in sweet prayer with God and not wanted to leave?

I have.

Praising, Praying, sitting in His Presence. Wonderful. Especially at Christmas!

But His nature beckons us to have His vision and Go! Go and make disciples. Go and make peace. Go in love. Go in relationship.

My heart hesitated this morning, wanting nothing more than to stay in His Presence. Finally relenting with the cry of Moses' heart. (Exodus 33:15) If I go, go with me?!? His Response...

"Always"

All iN,
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Ministry Now

It occurred to me that what I assumed was the obvious response to the cable guy asking what I do and what is a parsonage, would be to invite him to church. As the words left my mouth, I realized I was wrong. As Christians, we are sent to be ambassadors of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5) I knew enough to ask permission to pray for this man covering pain with sarcasm. I could have prayed for him then and there. 

Our God is timeless and rich in mercy. For me and for him...missed opportunity not missed prayer. Praying still. 

James 3:18,

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Deep Faith

"There’s a simplicity about God in working out His plans, yet a resourcefulness equal to any difficulty, and an unswerving faithfulness to His trusting child, and an unforgetting steadiness in holding to His purpose." —S. D. Gordon

"The clinging hand of His child makes a desperate situation a delight to Him." - Streams in the Desert

The above quotes reiterate where my mind has been playing lately. Thinking through the prayer of my heart...Lord, increase my faith.

This amazing contrast between the All Powerful God and the peace of my own heart as I trust Him. 

I imagine this tension rope that at first could not be stretched too far from the "believe" and the "see". Now as I walk more each day by faith, my prayer is still increase my faith. The rope is a bit longer and can be stretched a bit tighter. I know God is faithful. I know God is good. This delights my heart to see what and how He will provide and work all things together. What an amazing journey!

However the delight of my heart this morning was my husband dropping me off at the airport. I said I'll meet you in Newport News. He responded with a prayer and promise. Wow! A fellow sojourner riding this ride of faith during one of the biggest faith leaps of our lives. The joy swelling up in me is from a deep place and our eyes are on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.

To God be the Glory,

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Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

Yesterday, my pastor and I announced to the church where I currently serve that God has called me to serve in another church on out district. An exciting and painful reality as this bittersweet transition unearths so many amazing memories and also heart filled faith for the next adventure God is leading us in. There is not doubt in me that my ability to hear the voice of my Father so clearly is because of these precious saints that have mentored me, taught me, and loved me well.

And so God multiplies us and gives us increase. The God of this city is still God over the mountains and to the sea. My cries out the following verses:

“May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests. Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

Psalm 20:1-7 NIV

http://bible.com/111/psa.20.1-7.niv

Our God is faithful and He will continue to prove Himself faithful. Our God is good and He will continue to prove Himself good. May God be glorified in our lives as we part so that when we come together again, our God will receive exponential praises through our obedience to Him because of His great Love for us.

We are one in the Spirit, we are One in the Lord

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Down in the Face

Until the day when we see our Savior face to face, we have the opportunity to face life in sin or In Him.

In Genesis, Cain's face was downcast, his offering rejected by God...

but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:5-7 NIV)

Why?

Sin

God gave him opportunity to go and do well, but well he chose sin and death.

In Joshua, Joshua"s face was downcast, God's people were humiliated and defeated at Ai and word was spreading.

The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. (Joshua 7:10-11 NIV)

Why?

Sin

God gave the people of Israel opportunity to go and do right and they chose cleansing.and yes there was death to the part of Israel that sinned, but victory at Ai was on the way.

Is your face downcast?

Why?

Sin

forgetting faults and excuses...confessing pride and unbelief.

Take the advice of David, the command of Scripture. 

God is faithful! God is good!

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Rahab Loses Everything?

Rahab said to the spies that Joshua sent to Jericho in Joshua 2:9

“I know that the Lord has given you the land"

Later we are told in Joshua 2:15

"Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the city wall, so that she lived in the wall."

And the first thing that happens in this battle --the "walls of Jericho" fall and crumble to the ground. All that she has is gone.

Do you think she at some point calculated the cost...or at the moment her house fell, was their regret, fear, or faith?

We know where she landed as the ancestor of Jesus, but in the midst of the circumstances, I can only imagine her interior life based on my own inward struggle of faith in spite of what I see. It makes sense that a woman of such faith as Rahab would be in the family line of Jesus.

At times my heart/strength may fail, but (here is the faith) my God You never will!

James 3:18,

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Jesus, Shine on me!

Light exposes the true character of everything because light makes everything easy to see. That’s why it says: “Wake up, sleeper! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:13-14 GW)

I quote scriptures all the time like...

Ask for wisdom, Jesus gives wisdom to all without finding fault. (James 1)

May your love abound in knowledge and depth of insight( Philippians 3, 1 Thessalonians 1, Colossians 1)

When I pray these scriptures, I am praying for Jesus to shine on me, light up my heart, motives, actions. If i do not invite and allow His Light to shine on me, I find myself much like this cartoon below kind of being aware and trying to think and love and have my being in Christ but with no direction or clue what that looks like. Just like the blind leading the blind. 

James 3:17-18,

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However, the wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure. Then it is peaceful, gentle, obedient, filled with mercy and good deeds, impartial, and sincere. A harvest that has God’s approval comes from the peace planted by peacemakers. (James 3:17-18 GW)

Lack Perspective...He Still Heals

When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?"

“I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.” Jesus told him, 

“Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! 

But this miracle happened on the Sabbath, so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, “You can’t work on the Sabbath! The law doesn’t allow you to carry that sleeping mat!”

(John 5:6-10 NLT)

Jesus asked about his will. "Do you want?" The man responded implying his desire to get well but "I can't" after a long time being there reveals both his frustration in the current circumstances, but also his perseverance of faith and hope. 

The disconnect was the man had no perspective of Jesus yet. 

But in the next moment, something happened. Jesus, the Author of Life spoke Life and Healing into this man. With what would be a simple command to anyone but a crippled man who can't move. And in obedience to this new revelation of perspective with Jesus standing at the center of it, he got up, took up his mat , and walked. 

Voice your frustration to God whose perspective is always higher than yours and unlike the Jewish leaders who rested on their wrong perspective. Listen to the Author and Finisher of your faith and obey. 

You will be glad you do. 

Luke 1:38,

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Sometimes Faith...

Sometimes faith is like Moses and the children of Israel coming to the Red Sea...only his staff entered before the waters parted and stood high on both sides, fire behind leaving only one way to go. 

Sometimes faith is like Joshua and the children of Israel coming to the Jordan River...only after they entered into the water did the water part leaving one wall of water and open plain on the other side.

Sometimes faith is not like either one of those. 

Luke 1:38,

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Faith Pile Up

I love word pictures. So whether the title of this blog finds you in this stage of faith...

Your faith is active and piling up in prayer and trust as you wait on God's timing. 

Or this stage of faith...

Like Joshua, who commanded a leader of the twelve tribes to take a stone from the middle of the Jordan River as they crossed through on dry ground. So in gratefulness they remember the faithfulness of God and have kindling for faith to increase. 

Don't lose heart, don't give up, for in due time you will reap a harvest.

Luke 1:38

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Tending to His Glory

In reading the writings of John Wesley, he speaks of living a life that "tends to the Glory of God".

My prayer agrees with his written prayer today...

"Trusting in the compassion of our all-sufficient God, let us pray, 

O Father of mercies, help us with your grace.

Direct our paths, and teach us to set you always before us.

O Father of mercies, help us with your grace.

May whatever we do or suffer this day tend to your glory.

O Father of mercies, help us with your grace.

We are not ours, but yours. Claim us as your right; keep us as your charge, love us as you children. 

O Father of mercies, help us with your grace.

Amen.

May Your Word be he meditation and guide of my heart this day...

God alone is wise. Glory belongs to him through Jesus Christ forever! Amen. (Romans 16:27 GW)

Glory belongs to our God and Father forever! Amen. (Philippians 4:20 GW)

“Sing to the LORD, all the earth! Day after day announce that the LORD saves his people. Tell people about his glory. Tell all the nations about his miracles. “The LORD is great! He should be highly praised. He should be feared more than all ⌊other⌋ gods because all the gods of the nations are idols. The LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are in his presence. Strength and joy are where he is. “Give to the LORD, you families of the nations. Give to the LORD glory and power. Give to the LORD the glory his name deserves. Bring an offering, and come to him. Worship the LORD in ⌊his⌋ holy splendor. Tremble in his presence, all the earth! “The earth stands firm; it cannot be moved. Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad. Say to the nations, ‘The LORD rules as king!’ Let the sea and everything in it roar like thunder. Let the fields and everything in them rejoice. Then the trees in the forest will sing with joy in the presence of the LORD when he comes to judge the earth. “Give thanks to the LORD because he is good, because his mercy endures forever. (1 Chronicles 16:23-34 GW)

Luke 1:38

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Compelled

Clearly, Christ’s love guides us. We are convinced of the fact that one man has died for all people. Therefore, all people have died. He died for all people so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for the man who died and was brought back to life for them. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15 GW)

I memorized this verse standing beside my daddy on the banks of the Jordan River in Israel. The version I learned says " Christ's love compels us." I have not looked up the difference between guide and compel but in my heart it has a different feel to it. Both are right and of God, I believe. 

This is also the verse that my bible was opened to on the day I was ordained. 

My prayer today is that my life in character and in action would live up to and lean into this reality of purpose. Jesus gave His all to us. Can we not trust Him with our EVERYTHING?

Luke 1:38

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Best You Can

So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll be worse off than we were at first.” Pilate replied, “Take guards and secure it the best you can.” (Matthew 27:64-65 NLT)

Sometimes our faith in what Jesus said or promises to us still lives in the realm of the possible. The guards believed that the fact that the tomb would be empty was still humanly possible. So they sent a guard to prevent that scenario.

Are we limiting God based on what we can see, expect or pull off doing the best we can. 

Well Jesus blew that lid off the tomb, may He do the same for our faith.

Psalm 73:26

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In The Know But Did Not Know

Read John 11. Notice the change in information that Jesus gave the disciples.

After Jesus said this, he told his disciples, “Our friend Lazarus is sleeping, and I’m going to Bethany to wake him.” His disciples said to him, “Lord, if he’s sleeping, he’ll get well.” Jesus meant that Lazarus was dead, but the disciples thought Jesus meant that Lazarus was only sleeping. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, but I’m glad that I wasn’t there so that you can grow in faith. Let’s go to Lazarus.” (John 11:11-15 GW)

1. "Our friend ... I'm going." Jesus wanted the revelation of who He is to lead them to the Truth, not the circumstances.

Lazarus was dead. Jesus said sleeping. Why He did this is not spelled out, but given Thomas' comment in verse 16...

Thomas, who was called Didymus, said to the rest of the disciples, “Let’s go so that we, too, can die with Jesus.” (John 11:16 GW)

One reason was probably to protect a doubter's faith, by putting the Truth of the situation in who Jesus is and not in the circumstances. Revelation would have come to Thomas along the way if Jesus had not had to speak plainly, the difference would have been that the revelation would have come through the eyes of faith that saw Jesus "wake the sleeper" before.

2. The disciples had always followed Jesus because of who He is, but now Jesus was inviting them to a deeper walk with Him. "Our friend, Lazarus" The invitation was to share in the compassion that was compelling Jesus to "go to Lazarus".

3. After telling them plainly, "Lazarus has died." Jesus still compelled their action to Lazarus. Not to a city, not to follow Him, but to someone in need, "Let's go to Lazarus." 

John challenges me.
Do I know the character and faithfulness of Jesus enough to be in the know even when I have limited information?
Do I have faith in Him in such a way that I know the One who called me is faithful?
Do I believe that God is good? (Thomas took all he was hearing from Jesus and believed Him, but one thing Thomas forgot in the equation of his conclusion...God is good, all the time.)

Psalm 73:26
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Why?

Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers. (1 Timothy 4:7-10 NLT)

Why? That's usually what runs through my mind when I start back in an exercise routine. Before the actual start date, I am talking myself into it with all the whys in the world, but once I start I seem to lose focus and forget them all.

The light and momentary situation becomes so real, so big, so hard, so fast.

After that, the struggle.  I remember the reasons but the pain and circumstances, the waves of lightheaded exhaustion and the demands or mistakes of fellow strugglers overshadow me. My mind is in a constant battle of perspective. 

I can't distinguish this description now from exercise and life at times, until I read this scripture. Life is more important, specifically the holy life that God requires is more important than anything, including my own sustainable health. Not to minimize other things, but to understand that these moments in life that seem so hidden, the thoughts that remain unsaid, these duties that seem insignificant, these decisions that affect no one but our attitude, well they are paramount. These are the building blocks of true life and godliness. 

So I continue to struggle through things that devastate my heart. Circumstances that I can not change. Losses that I can't redeem, actions I can't erase.

Until the moment that I catch my breathe.

Remembering that "these light and momentary struggles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." ( 2 Corinthians 4:17)

Remembering where my hope comes from. 

Remembering my Lord, my Father, my Savior, my Friend.

He will never leave me, nor forsake me. He sees every tear, He knows my every thought, He loves me with an everlasting love, He is for me and not against me, though my father and mother forsake me, my God, He never will. He is faithful, He is true. 

Also He is no respecter of persons, so that means, He will do the same for you. Don't give up. Training is underway. There is no way you can fail, so throw your all on God.

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26

Psalm 90:17

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A Song?

I wrote a prayer song to God many years ago. I did not officially write it down, but it comes back to my mind from time to time. 

Precious Lord, You're my heart's desire,

Fill me with Your fire, burn inside of me.

Morning Star, light my path to You,

Lead me to Your throne, I need You alone.

1. Longing to be where You are

2. Dying my only choice

3. Living to know who you are

4. Waiting to hear your voice

I numbered the second stanza because, when I first wrote it my understanding of God put these words in numeric order (1,2,3,4), but after walking with God and saturating in His Word and Presence, I sing them in 1,4,3,2.

I understand, His sheep hear His voice, and the Good Shepherd never leaves us or forsakes us. 

I also understand it is in losing your life for Christ's sake, that you truly live.

(John 10:27, John 10:11, Hebrews 13:5, Matthew 10:39)

Thank you, o God for transforming my mind and my understanding, Your even gooder and better than this mind started out believing. You are faithful.

How's Your Flow?

Living Water has been on my heart. Jesus said in John 7:38, "Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them."

Recently I was sharing in my church's Sack Lunch Gathering (you can find the recording for January 15, 2015 posted on February 3, 2015 here.)

After talking a bit on different seasons or scenes from a rivers life, one lady came up afterward and said she grew up going to school at the top of Niagara Falls. She said all that we talked about was true, but another cool and overwhelming truth that overshadows all other lessons to glean from this "river scene" is the sound. She said the went through school with the sound of rushing water in the background and it overwhelmed everyone's lives, until they got used to it. I guess it is like jet noise in VA Beach.

Not to belabor, but John the Revelator said that the voice of Jesus sounded like the sound of rushing waters. Oh to have my life overwhelmed by His Word, His Voice, His Prayers, His Promises, Him.
When I think of the love that the Father has LAVISHED on me (1 John 3:1), scarce being able to take it in. One picture I get in stereo is Niagara Falls. I think I would like to visit there.

Revelation 7:17
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