paid attendee

This year I have four significant friends who are getting married. Thus far, two of them have offered to pay for my plane ticket to attend their wedding. Imagine the Bride paying for me to attend her wedding. It’s hard for me to believe that my presence at their wedding is so important that they will pay for me to get there! I’m humbled and reflective of the work of the Cross.

Jesus has paid for me to come to His wedding too. His death on the Cross paid for us (the church) to marry Him. True: He is marrying me, so technically He is paying for my (our) wedding, but He is marrying the corporate body of Christ as well. It’s not a perfect analogy of course, but still my heart has been impacted by the generosity of my sisters and has given me incite into the love Jesus showed on the Cross.

Deep communes with Deep

Simple revelation

 

            A couple weeks ago, I was in dialogue with the Lord concerning this infection I’ve had for almost three months. I could feel offense rising in my heart and the scorn of God’s goodness based on my circumstance.  I confessed my offense to the Lord and asked Him to give me a heart free from it. I thought I had talked to God about it. However, His voice whispered, “Why are you offended?” I had not really considered the details of what I was feeling, only the obvious responses of my heart. The name of God as ‘counselor’ came to mind as I began to process with the Lord about my internal traffic. As we talked, lies and accusations came to the surface and were scattered by the light of His countenance. This subtle difference in the way I talk to God has made a huge difference in my emotions! Rather than feeling anxiety or frustration about certain areas, I am learning to talk to the Holy Spirit as my Counselor and though I may not have an answer, I am filled with peace that surpasses understanding. My circumstance hasn’t necessarily changed, but I know God is in the midst of it and I don’t feel the discomfort of hidden emotions and thoughts that I didn’t want to have. The underlying offense in my heart did not end with confession and a desire for change. Rather, it was necessary to get to the bottom of things through the council of the Holy Spirit. We have access to the treasures of wisdom and knowledge through Christ dwelling on the inside. Thank you Lord for the indwelling Spirit!

Florida, a place where things make sense!

It was glorious riding across the Florida border! Florida, finally a place where things make sense! Florida, a place where it rains with the sun shining brightly- praise the Lord! Now this makes sense to me! Florida, where there is water…everywhere!!! Oh, I love the coast! Yep, we got big trucks, southern hospitality, accents that sound like me and outdoor BBQ’s with paper plates! Palm trees, old people and boats…beautiful! Now this is normal!

 

It’s great to be in my home state! I will be a little spoiled after spending a week looking out my back door and seeing the river! Lord, thank you for the coast! Indeed, God has set boundaries for the waters and each time I look out my backyard, I’m reminded of the power of our Creator God. 

 

For those who know what this means, ‘howdy ya’ll !!!’

Daddy’s Little Girl

It was the revelation of “God liking me” that unlocked my heart a few years ago, and again, Father God has poured out His affections in this special testimony…

 

As I was searching for a great deal on a rental car for the trip I’m currently on, I was stunned by the low price I found. I saw this little button just sticking out, calling my name J the button with the word, “Convertible.” I thought, “Wow, it would be really cool to rent a convertible for a couple weeks.” So I clicked on the button to see what the price was and, of course, it was much higher so I disregarded it. However, I kept praying over the next weeks for a convertible for my trip.

 

Thursday- the day to pick up my compact car for rent- got to the dealership and they had two cars in the compact class, but only one had cruise control. The one with cruise had really bad gas mileage. So, the dealer told me to take that car to the airport location and pick from their large selection. Once at the airport, I looked at about 5 cars in the compact car class and none had cruise control! So the manager offered to give me a free upgrade to a luxury car- I think a Hondai sonata. As he was punching the info in on the computer, he asked me the dates I’d be gone. After telling him, he said that car would not be available for those dates. Back to the drawing board! So I began to pray, “Lord, give me a convertible!” The manager found a car, but didn’t tell me what it was. He took me out to the car, said, “Have a great trip to Florida, no extra charge!” It’s a beautiful white convertible!!!! Who is my Daddy?!!!! Oh, there is nothing spiritual about getting a convertible. Father gave it to me because I’m his daughter, I asked and He wanted to pour out his love on me. He gave me a convertible because He likes me! He’s crazy about me! 

To know or to be known?

I was reading through Galatians last week and came across a verse that didn’t make sense to me, so I asked the Lord to tell me what it meant. Galatians 4.9 says “Now, however, you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God…” The context here is Paul’s encouragement to the Galatians to walk in grace and not to be enslaved by the Law. They have come to know Jesus, thus are free from the Law.

         When reading this verse, I thought, “when we say ‘yes’ to Jesus and receive salvation, we ‘know God,’ so why does Paul change this around to salvation being ‘known by God?’ Doesn’t God know us all, saved and unsaved? He is able to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart and knows what’s in a person, so what is Paul talking about here?”  Then, the revelation came… The verb ‘to know’ in the Bible often means ‘experientially’ knowing. Thus Adam ‘knew’ Eve and Eve bore a child. For God to experientially know us- that is to be one with us- we have to receive His Spirit. This only comes by receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior. Therefore, when we receive salvation, we become known by God, because He gets to experience us by becoming one spirit with us. If we reject Jesus, He loses part of His inheritance and actually misses something. He loses the inheritance of being one with that person. This is the God-given dignity of our choice and the humility of God to wrap up part of his eternal destiny with his creation!

         Salvation doesn’t end with the entrance of the Holy Spirit; rather it’s just the beginning! I want to be fully known by God. I want Jesus to have access to every part of my heart. I want Him to fully know me. My prayer for greater grace to surrender more of my life to Jesus is now, “God, come and know me!”

Treasure Hunt

In praying Psalm 16.11, “Show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand there are pleasures forevermore,” God has been opening up my hunger to know more of the Word of God. One of my new favorite games to play with God is treasure hunting. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in Christ Jesus. So I’m searching Him out to find the treasures hidden within His presence. I am finding joy and pleasures that far surpass any worldly entertainment. Praise God!

 

Tonight I’ve been meditating on the promise God made to David in 2 Samuel 7, “that his throne would be established forever.” The verses that stuck out to me came from David’s response to God’s promise, 2 Samuel 7:25, 27-29, “And now, O LORD God, as for the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, confirm it forever; do as you have promised…For you, O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house’; therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you.  ²⁸ And now, O Lord GOD, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant;  ²⁹ now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you; for you, O Lord GOD, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.” The treasure I found was that God’s promise provoked David to pray. David had confidence in God’s promise thus had courage to ask God for it.

 

Jacob also prayed God’s promise back to Him. When Jacob was about to pass through the home of Esau, he was terrified, uncertain of how Esau would receive him after having duped him out of his birthright. God promised Jacob he would “do him good and make his offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted because of their number” (Gen 28). In Genesis 32 when Jacob is about to encounter Esau, Jacob prays this back to God. In his fear and trembling, he found comfort in the promise of God. Praying God’s promise actually helped him face Esau.

 

Truly God’s word is a comfort and a refuge for those in need. I am provoked all the more to pray the scriptures, knowing that I too will find strength and grow in the knowledge of God as His word is written on my heart.

Kids and Me

One night last weekend I babysat for two boys ages 4 and 7, another night two girls ages 3 and 4. Boys and girls, what a night and day difference! The first night we played with trucks in a sand box, built roads and closed with a show of Power Rangers. The evening with the girls consisted of playing with dolls, playing dress up and pretending to be princesses, ever waiting on their prince charming. What struck me in both instances was the lack of reality the kids were living in. I’m all about using the imagination and stirring up creativity, but theirs seemed to hit a ceiling with fairy tales and super heroes.

            As I watch children in this city each week, my heart is faced with how much we are inundated with the ways of the world and I’m convicted of my own separation from the reality of who God is. While fairy tales and superheroes don’t exist, there is a Man who is a King, the Prince of Peace, Ruler of the kings of the earth who is alive and coming soon. This is reality. God rebukes Israel for turning from Him to worthless things and in doing so becoming worthless themselves. We become what we behold. I don’t want to live in fantasy, I want reality. I want to fill myself with what lasts forever. There are permissible things in this world, not wrong or bad in themselves, but may not be beneficial.  I want to pursue that which will edify my soul and bring me life. My flesh is so weak in this journey, but I know the Lord is helping me and will continue to reveal the superior pleasures that come from His right hand.  We sang a chorus tonight that sums up my thoughts, “By Your (God’s) will I exist and I was made, I was made for Your (God’s) pleasure.’ I want to live in the pleasure of God, which is both higher than that which can create apart from Him and gives Jesus the labor of His soul. (^NKJ Isaiah 53:11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.)

6 am Transition

Time:6am. Ah, nothing like a hard days work completed and ready for bed. The 6am transition is not just a switching of worship teams, it is where two days come together- the morning section beginning their day as we are still finishing the one before.

 

Since switching to nights, 6am has looked a bit different. The smell of 6am isn’t quite what I remember. While I’m fragrant with the day’s labor, there are many who come into the prayer room fresh for the day. Cologne, perfume and scented lotions; certainly we are the aroma of Christ, both spent and fresh. In addition, there are the recent coffee fumes lingering both on the breath of those passing by and in the briefing room. I don’t drink coffee this late!

 

Fragrance isn’t the only difference. The scene changes with color as well. Oh, yes, the prayer room becomes filled with the divine exchange of white; from white skin worn by the night critters to white hair of those grown in wisdom.  There is nothing like seeing a bunch of older folks passing handshakes and slapping five so early in the morning. The skin color darkens a bit, since these folks actually see the sun. Then again, our black brothers and sisters help keep our average color slightly darker then the morning. What a privilege to serve with you!

 

In closing, there is this matter of counter culture. In college some adult leaders told us the reason our college Sunday school class attendance was so small/sporadic (sometimes party of one- the teacher) was because it was too early in the morning. No one wanted to get up that early. Our 6am team trumps this assumption. Indeed, there are fiery young folks who have rebuilt their schedule to awaken the dawn with praise. Truly Jesus is the worthy of our praise.  

 Amen and goodnight.

The power to move a nation

Last night while in the prayer room, we were singing a song with the lyrics “You have vested in me the authority to determine a nation’s destiny, we humble ourselves and pray and we turn from our wicked ways, come and heal our land”

Each time we sing this song, the atmosphere of the room changes. Suddenly we get connected with the reality of prayer. Prayer is the government of God. In the humility of God, He chooses weak and broken people to partner with His purposes in the earth. God will do more if we ask.

I was thinking of Moses’ intercession on behalf of Israel. In Exodus 32.11-14, God was so angry with Israel. Moses cried out to God, on behalf of Israel, reminding Him of His promise to make a great nation of Israel. God heeded the cry of Moses and did not bring the disaster He was going to pour out.

 As I consider the humility of God, that He would not only listen to the voice of His creation, but submit Himself to it by coming in flesh, I am amazed and fall more in love Him. What are mortals that He is mindful of them? Truly the humility of God is something that angels long to look upon.

A tribute to a virtuous woman…

I received a phone call Saturday night with the news that Hanokh and some of his family had been a bad car accident in India. His mother and nephew have been in critical condition. After fighting for her life for two days, yesterday, Hanokh’s mother passed away.

During my short time with Mrs. Gohil, I can say that she was a woman of virtue. Being around the age of 70, she continued in her faithfulness as mother and wife of her household. Many of the nine children, though grown with children of their own, still live in the house with her and her husband. Every morning I came downstairs for breakfast, she was hard at work hand-washing the family’s laundry. She had a joyful countenance, always smiling with a precious gaze that would cause even the gloomiest heart to rejoice. Psalm 34 says, ‘those who look to the Lord will be radiant.’ Her face shinned with the light of Jesus. Mr. and Mrs. Gohil were going to celebrate their 50^th wedding anniversary this year, a testimony of devotion to one another. After having met all nine children, I can say that her calling as a mother was extremely successful. Her children and household are filled with the love of Jesus. She served her children and her husband and her God until the end. I feel privileged to have spent some time with her on this side of eternity.

How can one be consoled for the loss of a beloved parent? I am reminded of Paul’s words to the Thessalonians: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. ¹⁴ For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. ¹⁵ For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words. Though we will miss our beloved Mama Gohil, we set our hope on Jesus, knowing that there will be a day when we are reunited, never to part again.