Intricacies of Life

 

 

I was walking through a "year round" Christmas store and couldn't help but notice all of the Christmas villages on display. From afar, they looked nice, caught my eye, but when I really got up close and looked at all the intricacies of each individual piece, it made the display that much more beautiful and appreciated.

I began to think about our lives and how all too often we look at the BIG picture and we miss the "little" things. Years pass us by and all we can account for is eating, sleeping, and paying the bills ~ a life of what appears mundane when you look through it with "surface" vision.

We do this day after day acknowledging the "existence" of people, places, and things but never noticing their beauty. We grow weary concentrating on what we don't have and miss out on the enjoyment of what is right at our fingertips.

Looking at the villages I was also reminded of a couple of verses in Psalm 139, "You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank You for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it."

When an artist puts detail into his creation: a painting, a sculpture, a writing ~ it is put there for a reason... for the observer to take notice and find enjoyment in the beauty of it...

God is the Master Creator, the Master Artist and He is into detail! Everything He has ever created is an authentic masterpiece made for not only His pleasure but for ours! BUT we have to slow down to find the joy in the NOW.

Let’s stop merely glancing over the big picture of life. Hit the “zoom in” button and you’ll discover what a fleeting look will never see.

Begin studying the individuality of your children. Love them BIG now right in the midst of their annoyances and quirks. Begin noticing the deeper things deposited within your spouse, significant other, or your friends rather than maintaining “how’s the weather” shallow encounters. Quit waiting for an “easier” or “more convenient” stage of life to live in the now. Before you know it, the chance you had is over. Everything gets pushed off for a future that never comes.

“Slow down and smell the beauty in life…” ets

Honor

Honor protects, submits, is willing to yield, and is quick to listen. Our reaction to instruction reveals our understanding of honor. We lack honor if we grumble and complain or just outright do not follow instructions because we think we have a "better way."

We are called to honor both God and man. Living a life of honor is God's way. Without it we are clearly in disobedience to His Word.

"Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you." Exodus 20:12

"In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered." 1 Peter 3:7

"Elders who do their work well should be honored and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching." 1 Timothy 5:17

"Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king." 1 Peter 2:17

"Honor the Lord with your substance." Proverbs 3:9

"Remind people to be submissive to [their] magistrates and authorities, to be obedient, to be prepared and willing to do any upright and honorable work, to slander or abuse or speak evil of no one, to avoid being contentious, to be forbearing (yielding, gentle), and to show unqualified courtesy toward everybody." Titus 3:1-2

Dishonor is a seed for tragedy and loss. When we choose a life of dishonor, failure will be our harvest. Marriages will fail, relationships are damaged, careers are lost, our relationship with God is hindered.

The little foxes spoil the vine (Song of Solomon 2:15)... It's the little things that destroy. A practical example: A wife asks her husband to put the toilet seat down or a husband requests that his wife not allow the children to get into his toolbox. When the spouse disregards the request over and over again because they find it unimportant, their lack of honor opens the marriage up to growing resentment. Over time, this "little fox" can be the cause of a total breakdown in the marriage.

Dishonoring is never worth the loss it brings. Start planting seeds of honor for a harvest of blessing from the Father! :)

"If anyone serves Me, he must continue to follow Me, to cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying] and wherever I am, there will My servant be also. If anyone serves (honors) Me, the Father will honor him." John 12:26

Peace

 

 

 

Written for those who have endured emotional or verbal abuse… The battle that rages... the roller coaster that never comes to a halt.  It may not leave outward bruises and scars, but the inward “soul scarring” is a pain that doesn’t just go away with a band-aid and time.

Only the One who made us can restore us back to wholeness. In the midst of your raging storm, I pray you look to Him ~ where your release and your peace is found.

 

Peace

Crashing waves

Bruise my shore

Howling winds

Blow in once more

Torrential rains

Pelt my skin

Lightning bolts

Come again

Turbulent waters

Staggered stance

Cycle repeated

In this dying dance

 

Trembling knees

Strike the ground

Eyes glance up

To where help is found

 

An instant hush

The storm to cease

All at once

A soul at peace…

Beauty

 

As the leaves rustle across the ground

In the cool autumn breeze

I gaze at Your creation

Where Your beauty is clearly seen

 

I see Your beauty as the sun comes up

It’s written across the sky

As the sun warms me, I feel Your love

When nighttime settles, I wonder why

 

Why You choose to share such beauty

With one who fails You every day

Though I fall short time and again

Each morning You meet me anyway

 

In the quiet moments I sit and think

In awe of what I see

As the wind blows by, I hear Your voice

Whispering to me…

 

You notice the beauty around you

The intricacies through and through

But as splendid as this all appears

My beauty is wrapped up in you…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggGwDrxrC2k&feature=related

Reveal to Heal

 

 

"Praise the Lord. I'm blessed" are often things you hear repetitiously in church when asking someone how they are doing. I understand the need to be positive. I understand that we are not to live by our feelings. I understand we need to confess what the Word says about us. BUT I also know there are people right in our churches who are broken. They fear saying how they really feel because "that wouldn't be faith talk." 

 

It is time for the church to become a safe haven; a place where people can reveal in order to heal. Do we camp out on the problem? No. But once we know there is a problem, we can offer the solution. I encourage everyone to be more sensitive to the inner cries of those around you. You have in you what people need to be free. However, you can't help them if you don't know help is needed. We need to make ourselves available so that His healing power can flow through us. 

And remember: Healing is a process. Helping someone who is emotionally broken requires time and a whole lot of patience. A lot of people do not want to invest that kind of commitment in the lives of others. This then leaves us with churches full of people putting on their “church face” and never being real with one another. Is this what “church” is supposed to be all about?

“The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me, because He has anointed Me [the Anointed One, the Messiah] to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity” Luke 4:18

 

All that’s hidden

 

 Must be revealed

Nothing gets past Your eyes

You know the darkness underneath

You know the inner cries

 

You want to peel the mask away

And erase all of the fakeness

You are not pleased with the lies

You’ve come to expose the weakness

 

You desire that all of Your children

Would have oneness with each other

But these walls are such a hindrance

Of us being real to one another

 

You know everything about us

The reasons we are insecure

Only You have the answer

To release us from this fear

 

It can’t be done in our own strength

The supply comes from only You

Deliver us from this bondage, Lord

Make us a people who walk in truth

Character

Our character, if not developed and matured, will eventually catch up with us and knock us down from the platform in which our gifting and talents have taken us.

We all have seen it. Highly gifted performers who have the world's attention but lack of character shows through in their actions and their credibility is marred. Ministers, oftentimes those with a worldwide voice, but EVENTUALLY their character flaws shine through and it's the very thing that dethrones them from their position. Marriages that appeared "OK" suddenly end in divorce. The "perfect" child becomes the prodigal... Why? Because the hidden issues of the heart have been ignored.

"The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them." Proverbs 11:3

Our greatest weaknesses, if left undealt with, will surface to the top. You can only wear a mask for so long. The rubber band eventually snaps and what used to hide you has now left you revealed. The self constructed platform that once elevated your ego comes crashing down from the weight of the junk that was left unchecked.

Bandaids are not a substitute for surgery. Developing our character is a deep work that requires facing our heart issues not covering them up. Building godly character takes place in quiet, "at the feet of Jesus" times: diligently exposing ourselves to the Word of God and letting it shine a light on those areas that do not line up.

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." Psalm 139:23-24

Slow down and take a look at who you are. Not who you lead others or yourself to believe. Not what your reputation says about you. Who are you when no one else is looking? What heart attitudes reign behind your smile? What would God say about your character?

Lord, we all have "stuff" that we cover up so beautifully. On the outside everything looks good and yet inside their is decay that needs a touch from You. Whatever it is in our lives that is keeping us from fully serving and pleasing You, please shine a light on it. Shine Your light on the ugly parts so that we can, with Your help, become all You have called us to be. We want to be a living example of Christ in the earth - not a false representation that gives Him a bad name because of our undealt with "stuff." We love You, Lord, and we desire to become more and more like You.

Grateful in the Storm

 

 

We need to consciously make the decision to be grateful IN our negative circumstances. Grateful that in these times God can do His greatest work in us if we allow Him. God's love amazes me that even in self induced messes, He still wants to work in our lives for the ultimate goal of bringing us closer to Himself. Knowing this, we need to change our outlook during the storms of life... True character is shown and true character can be grown during tough times... Let's use it to become better! :)

Repentance

Oftentimes we are so driven to a life of perfection that our "repentance" becomes a method. It becomes about us; OUR feeling "a clean slate," OUR feeling "right," OUR success driven thinking to personally have victory over sin. In doing so, we miss the real point of repentance ~ opportunity to connect with the very One's heart we grieved. A moment of embrace. A beautiful occasion to hear, “You and I are okay.”

Spills

 

 

"I need ALL of you" I heard the Lord speak. ALL of me. He wants the good, the bad, and the ugly. He wants the things I am ashamed of. He wants the pains, the struggles, the frustrations, the questions. ALL.

Notice He didn't say He "wants." Though He does want all of us, in order to work in us, He NEEDS our cooperation.

We have to quit shoving things under the rug with God. It's impossible to love Him with all of our heart, mind, soul, body, and strength - as we claim we do, if we don't give Him all of it. Just as an earthly relationship with secrets, it's those very things that destroy the intimacy and damage the relationship. We need to expose to Him the things He already sees - which in turn grants Him permission to heal, mend, and adjust our mindsets so we can be all we are called to be in Him.

Anything unrevealed will not be healed; will not be cleaned or made whole. If I spill something on the floor and leave it undealt with or carelessly spot clean, the damage remains. It may be visible damage or it may be damage that is only seen when the carpet is removed. In order to restore or fix the "spills" in our lives, we have to confront them head on by allowing God in. We must allow Him to shine His healing presence on the condition. When our "free will" chooses to let God in, He then has something to work with.

Upon opening the door to Him in ALL areas, we then need to trust Him. Trust Him that whatever He tells us is for our benefit and the benefit of others. Trust Him that even if what He tells us is painful at the moment, it's always for our greater good. He may require you to rip out the carpet to get to the spill. You may be, along with God, restoring the floor. Not an easy task. Not a joy ride... but His purpose is always greater... It's always to get you to the other side - to the side of His will - because He knows that it is in His perfect will, in His presence, joy and fulfillment are found.

I challenge you to surrender your ALL. Expect Him to do some rearranging because He will. His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts... He won't always do what we are comfortable with. The process isn't always a quick work because anything rushed is rarely done well.

Quiet yourself. Wait on Him. His voice is calling out, "Give Me ALL of you."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LcyQOLVS_U

(Matthew 22:37, Isaiah 55:9, Psalm 16:11, Psalm 139:23, Psalm 51:10-12, Isaiah 53:4-5, Psalm 30:11, Jeremiah 29:11, Jeremiah 18:4)

Veils

I scurried around the kitchen taking care of my children’s hunger while worshipping along with the music on my laptop. Suddenly I had to come to a dead halt, not knowing that MY "hunger" would be met that afternoon. Leaning onto my elbows on the counter, eyes shut ~ the One being worshipped reached down to touch me: depositing into me the only way to feed my longing to know Him more intimately.

“…the veil of the temple was torn in two.” (Luke 23:45)

Ultimately the veil has already been torn for our free access to God, where we can come BOLDLY to Him, but we hang our self constructed veils that keep us from confidently approaching Him.

I see Jesus, just the lower half of Him (in a white robe). His hands outstretched beckoning one to come to Him…

A woman, behind a white veil – sheepishly, she pokes her head around to see Him. She knew Him. He knew her. That was evident.

As she made her way to Him, there were rows of veils to maneuver around. Each veil had a name: Shame, hurt, bitterness, resentment, anger, guilt, abuse, abandonment: All in which were blocking her from coming to Him FULLY. She longed to be with Him, but these veils…

She loves Him and is in relationship with Him. She is a worshipper… but she only presents to Him the “pretty” parts ~ ashamed of those unhealed areas of her life.

We think these veils protect us. We shy away because of shame. We even unconsciously doubt His acceptance because of false perceptions of our worth due to what we’ve been through or because of earthly relationships that have caused us deep pain.

The most intimate relationships are born out of being vulnerable to share your whole “story.” This is why He is calling. He longs for all of you and He knows the healing power His presence brings. Beloved, He is beckoning you…

Longing for a love exchange

Abandoned and free

I anticipate our togetherness

As you make your way to Me

Suddenly you cower

From Me, your eyes divert

Veils drape around you

Tailored by years of hurt

I see the shackles tighten

Binding up your heart

You hold from Me the broken

Only giving Me a part

A part of who you really are

A portion of your soul

I need to embrace it all

To mend and make you whole

Restoration only comes

To places you let Me touch

Press past your own resistance

I’m the One who you can trust

Anxiously I beckon you

As a husband to his bride

To make your way again

Confidently by My side

Recklessly abandoned

To My arms you quickly run

Cradled in My acceptance…

Veils dropping… one by one

Unsealed

 

Unseal my lips that I may praise You. Psalm 51:15

When you look back at the history of when Psalm 51 was written, David was going through a very tough time. He had an affair, murdered his mistresses' husband, and was dealing with all of the earthly and spiritual effects that his poor choices had brought about in his life.  Nathan, a prophet, comes to him and lovingly, but sharply rebukes him for his sin. David is convicted and repents...

What is silencing your praise? What is it that hinders you from telling God how wonderful He is? What mutes you from speaking of His goodness to others? 

Maybe like David there are areas in your life that need to be made "right" with God. Because of shame you avoid Him. Because of the guilt of your choices, you refrain from sharing Christ with others in fear they will mark you as hypocritical.  Maybe you think you've just done too much bad to ever be accepted by God. 

Remember this - Jesus would have died for you if you committed one sin or if you committed 1,000! There is no limit to the power of His sin cleansing blood and there is NOTHING that stops His unending love for YOU! (Romans 8:35-39)

Lord, I lift up every person reading this.. I pray You reveal to them that which is silencing them and keeping them from You.  Unseal their lips that they may praise You. And in the midst of their praise, may their hearts be unlocked to feel the warmth of Your unconditional love.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPj5rDyNpR0&feature=related

Fear

 

 

We are all well acquainted with the emotion that bears a choke hold. It's ruthlessness. It's torment. It's an enemy to faith, a thief that robs you of life - imprisons you to a false reality.

Anxiety, depression, doubt, worry, hurt, anger, sadness, low self esteem, unworthiness. It comes disguised underneath many different emotions, but it all comes down to one thing:

FEAR.

The paralysis for some is the dread of what could happen years down the road, anxiety associated with an unpredictable economy, and for many it is the torment of what today, the next hour, the next minute will bring.

"...fear has torment." 1 John 4:18a

Fear is not only an emotion, but a spiritual force. It is very similar to faith in that both have an unshakable belief in an unseen future. Fear trusts circumstances, natural predictions, the enemy's lies, and self. Faith trusts God and what His Word says. Fear is negative faith.

Fear is an enemy of God. It in essence rips Him of His lordship in our lives. We become self focused and not God focused. We put our trust in the wisdom of man rather than in the power of God (1 Cor. 2:5). We no longer see Him for Who He is and who He desires to be in our lives... He solely becomes a gateway to Heaven, but in our day to day living He is diminished to a dusty figure placed on a shelf. 

God is love, and the Bible says that Perfect Love casts out fear. God is THAT perfect love.

"There is no fear in love (dread does not exist), but perfect love turns fears out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment. He who is afraid has not fully experienced His perfect love." 1 John 4:18

Father, we want to know Your love... Your love is our freedom. Your love removes shackles. Your love delivers us from all fear. You are not what our circumstances look like. You are not what the latest trends define You as. We commit to growing in the knowledge of who You truly are as defined in Your Word, and through that knowledge - growing in intimacy with You... We know that in experiencing that intimate love - fear has no more room in our lives. Thank You for Your love and the hope and peace it brings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uztHkNujb5o

"I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears." Psalm 34:4

Scripture Buffet

When we fail to be in God's Word and read what He has to say - we tend to create our own litmus test as to how we are doing spiritually, how obedient we are, how much better we are doing than our neighbor. We take certain Scriptures we want to give ourselves wholeheartedly to and others we conveniently pass over because they don't appeal to us, require too much of us, or they are a challenge to our personality. We deceive ourselves when we think we can pick and choose.  God isn't into serving buffets.

"Man does not live on bread alone, but on EVERY word that comes from the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4

And in all truth, as obedient as we may be in the Scriptures we handpick, we are still living in disobedience.

"For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws." James 2:10

Please don't misunderstand me. I am in no way saying we are saved by our works or that our works define our Christian faith. We need the Holy Spirit working in us to be able to live a life pleasing to God. It is nothing we can do in and of ourselves. BUT it is our responsibility to align ourselves with the Holy Spirit. It is our job to cooperate with His working in us to make adjustments in us that line up with what God desires from His children.  If we truly desire to serve God, our actions will line up with our confession.

 

 

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." John 14:26

We point fingers and we whisper about others, but are we lacking in an area that just might be different? OF COURSE WE ARE! We have to get our eyes off of judging others. We have to quit comparing our lives to them and look at our lives in comparison to the Word - the whole Word. It is one thing to be concerned for a fellow believer. We should be! BUT if it is out of a heart of love, we will not shun or condemn the person, but will reach out to them.

We are saved by His grace. It's all about what Jesus did and nothing of ourselves.  We all need His continued grace and mercy each and every day because we all fall short. In different areas? Yes. Other's faults tend to look worse in our eyes when put next to our own, but not to God. He sees all shortcomings, all sin the same. We all need the same shedblood to cover us.

I think if we start viewing it as God does, the time we spend gossipping and throwing stones at others can then be used to seek Him with our whole heart. It becomes "How am I measuring up to Jesus?" Rather than "Look at them. I can't believe they call themselves a Christian."

 

If we are seeking Him with our whole heart, we will have His heart. We will view others differently. We will love them differently. We will reach out to embrace, not to crush.  We Christians are all foreigners TOGETHER in the earth. It's time we stick together, spur one another on, build one another up in the faith.  Our strengths are different. Our weaknesses are different, but we are all on the same team.


Lord, we need our eyes opened, our hearts humbled, our spirits hungry for Your Word. Jesus is the Word made flesh and we know apart from the fullness of Your Word, we limit ourselves in knowing You.  All too often times we create a god in our own image that suits our ways and our lifestyle. We want to serve You, the ONLY true and living God.

We ask for Your help to stay focused; that we wouldn't let any church tradition or teaching bind us up from searching You out more; that there'd be no sin we'd rather hold onto than You. We refuse to let this flesh of ours rule us - whether it be what we consider big sins of adultery, stealing, addiction and the like or what is categorized as small sins: "white" lies, dishonest gain, gossip, speaking ill of others etc. Help us to realize that sin is sin. It cost Jesus the same price for each and every one of them.  He paid a debt we could never pay. How dare we think it okay to take it for granted and okay "little" sins in our life as if You don't see. May our eyes be opened, Lord, to see our lives, our hidden lives how You see it. Just as Jesus told the people, "You must leave all and follow Me." May nothing in our lives be too precious to let go of for Your sake, Lord.  Please shine a light on those things we are holding onto tighter than we are You.

Kindness

 

 

Many people are inclined to react negatively due to undealt with, unhealed issues in their own lives. Every person is fighting a battle of some sort. That is why it is important to lay aside your natural response to take offense, and love the "unlovely."

We haven't been called to give people what they deserve. God has commanded us to treat others as we wish to be treated. We are also shown in Scripture that whatever it is we do to another (negative or positive) we are doing to Jesus Himself. And YES, this includes our spouses and our children :)  

So before you lash out and choose harshness over kindness, pause and picture Jesus standing before you. All hurt inflicted on another is grieving the very heart of God.

"Rudeness, yelling, anger, and swearing are a weak man’s imitation of strength." (Author Unknown)

Let's be kind to one another. Kindness makes you more attractive :)

(Ephesians 4:31-32, Matthew 7:12, Luke 10:27, Proverbs 20:3, Proverbs 29:20, James 1:19, Matthew 25:45)

Power in His Name

 

 

I overheard my 4 year old son, out of the blue, declaring, "There's power in the Name of Jesus! Grrr!"

Made me chuckle at the surety in the statement coming from such a small vessel, but it threw me quickly into a moment of reflection. How often we forget what's behind that Name: JESUS.

"Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor and gave Him the Name above all other names, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11)

EVERY other name is subject to the Name of Jesus!

What "name" are you battling? Is it sickness? Depression? Anger? Addiction? Poverty? Relationship problems? Begin to speak His Name over your situation. Even if you can only muster enough strength to whisper, "Jesus" - continue to do it over and over again. There is unfathomable power and authority behind that Name! (Matthew 28:18)

 

Salvation in the Name of Jesus:

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

“And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.” Acts 2:21

 

Demons flee and protection found in the Name of Jesus:

“But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the Name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour.” Acts 16:18

“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My Name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Mark 16:17

 

Strength and soundness of mind in the Name of Jesus:

“And His name, through faith in His Name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.” Acts 3:16

 

Healing in the Name of Jesus:

“Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the Name of your holy servant Jesus.” Acts 4:30

“Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. By faith in the Name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ Name and the faith that comes through Him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.” Acts 3:6

 

The Name that saves. The Name that heals. The Name that strengthens. The Name that calms the storm. The Name of hope. The Name of victory. Jesus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXH0MjGe10s

The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in Him you will have life by the power of His name.” John 20:30-31