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,
Camelot

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,

Camelot

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,

Camelot 

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)