Tuesday, June 11, 2013

This Day

                                                                       
My Father,
Thank you for this day set before me, that your banner over me is Love. Help me walk into it with gratitude. Let me not take your name in vain through it, but deliver it as manna for the spiritually hungry. Let the words of my mouth, the meditations of my heart and the actions of my will be pleasing and profitable to you. Stand in the gap between between me and the others you place in my way. Temper my words, turn, twist, unfurl and re-wrap them so they are heard by the receiver as you would have them heard. All lovely. All grace. All mercy.
In the Great Name of Jesus, Ya'hus'hua
Selah




Psalms 19:14  Song of Solomon 2:4 Ezekiel 22:30

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Who's Minding the Children?



When He saw the crowds, he had compassion on them,
 for they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Matthew 9:36

I've been pondering sheep lately, particularly as relates to the metaphorical title of God's children.

I know, I know, I can hear your deep sigh, Not another sheep analogy!  My apologies, but...

I understand sheep to be rather stupid animals. Apparently, they wander off a lot. And left to their own, will walk right into harms way, eat toxic vegetation, and are actually so timid will stare at moving water and die of thirst before bending the knee for a drink.

"The ONLY sure protection for the sheep is the ever-watchful shepherd."*

Without a Shepherd, sheep die.

For He is our God, 
And we are the people of his pasture,
the sheep of His hand.
Psalms 95:7

SO, who's minding the children, err, sheep? 

Of course God is ALWAYS tending his children, in fact scripture says he actually pursues us, even if we refuse him!
I have learned a new word this week-Radaph. That's hebrew for pursue, literally- meaning to hunt down. Surely goodness and mercy shall pursue me all the days of my life.    psalms 23:6
"When I'm hurting, His grace hunts for me. When I'm plagued by problems, His goodness pursues me. No matter where I go, goodness and mercy are in hot pursuit of me. "**

We were never promised this life would be easy. As long as we walk this planet, persecution will be part of the package.
But sheep that recognize their shepherd are promised His eternal eye and care. So while we might, and probably will, be harassed, we aren't left without help.  

I understand harassment.

He would typically arrive around 3:00 in the morning, just moments after my husband left for base. 

We were newly married, living on a military income,  enthralled with our new life, and our first home--  a tiny, one bedroom duplex in Ft. Lawton, Oklahoma. It was sparsely furnished,  decorated only with  young love that envisioned a life time of bliss ahead. It was our castle.

Until 3:00 am rolled around, that is.  

I learned to expect his visit-- would lie paralyzed with fear on my bed, waiting.
I knew he had come again when I saw his shadow on the shades, and heard his heavy breathing outside my bedroom window.
With no phone, we were too poor, and no weapon but a butter knife, I listened for agonizing minutes as he attempted to pry the front door open. Or the window air-conditioner. Or the back screen door. He was relentless. He harassed me and made my life a stalking nightmare EVERY morning for 3 months. 

There is only one safe place for us in this world, and that is in The Lord.  The Lordour true pasture
Outside the flock, we are helpless.

I was harassed. But I wasn't helpless. I was a sheep with a shepherd. And I was safe in His care.


I lift up my eyes to the hills--where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2




*Swindoll, chuck. Living the Psalms.
** Ann Voskamp, A holy experience


 Jeremiah 50:7







Sunday, June 2, 2013

Flight of Faith--Radical Obedience



Have you ever held on to something (or someone) you knew you should let go of, yet the wings of your desire just couldn't cut loose from the current?  You know, that certain goose--sin--in your life that wants to take its place at the front of the V, pulling the thermal of your course errantly south?

In spite of an inner unction to cease flight and re-route, you fly on.

So what do you do when your faith, challenged by temptation, takes flight in a direction that will clearly result in a migratory mishap?
Reset your compass of course!

Look up ; Set your affections on things above, not on things below.
Surround yourself with God, and Godly influences ; friends, reading material-especially scripture, music, and activities.

Look in ; Examine yourself to be sure you are in the faith. Pray for the Lord to give you a discerning heart to distinguish right from wrong.
As you pray, beware of falling victim to the "strive" mindset. While obedience to scriptural commands is definitely a theological axiom, ultimately it is--Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord,  that victory is discovered.
In other words, relying fully on human effort to extract oneself from a stronghold of sin will always fail.
Striving fails--Spirit prevails. Every time!

Look East ; Look to the eastern horizon where The Sun of righteousness rises with healing in his wings.
Confess your sins, change your course by pulling out of formation, and then hold to the promise--He will remove your sins from  you as far as the east is from the west.

And whatever you do?  DON'T LOOK DOWN.

Can you do it? YES!
Can you let that thing go? YES!
Will it seem like your dying? Probably.
Will the reward be greater than imagined? Absolutely!
Refuse to turn back!

Do not be afraid, I am your very Great Reward.
Genesis 15:1


Colossians 3:2  2 Corinthians 13:5  1 Kings 3:9  Zechariah 4:6  Malachi 4:2 Psalm 103:12