What Do You see?

I gaze out the familiar window at the silhouette of hilltop trees standing, muted in the mist. As I scan a little closer, the pine and the stately fir line the meadow’s edge. Still closer is the Dogwood, Maple, and Rhododendron.

Jesus and I have met in this familiar place before. In my moment with Him, I ask, “What do you see Lord?  What do you see?” 

I see all of nature, the earth and all it's inhabitants languishing under the heavy weight of sin. I see nature longing for my coming. I see it standing, ready to burst into bloom with a joyful shout at the first sign of my return. [Isaiah 35:1,2] 

I also see so many of my children; the ones whom I have created; whose faces are indelibly printed on the cross; standing afar off.    

Not I, Jesus, not I. I’m not standing afar off.  Do you see me?  I want to be near you.  I want to be in your presence always!  I can hardly wait to see you face to face!

I do see you standing there.  I see others with you.  I see them honestly seeking me; seeking the power of my Holy Spirit; seeking to call attention to the nearness of my coming. I will pour out my Spirit on them and they will boldly put out into deep water and let down their nets for a catch. [Luke 5:4] I do see you. 

The catch will be great.  Keep an eye out for these miracles because they will come.  And then you will SEE, too.   

Oh, so little time…

So many people in the valley of decision… 

I must wait as well, you know.  

I must await my Father’s command.

I must wait until I hear those 3 beautiful words:

IT IS TIME!  IT IS TIME!

 copyright 6/15/2014 

Music For The Soul

This morning I walked out the door of the home where I house-sit.  I noticed the birds in their chorus and was struck by how many there were and how many different sounds I could hear. I stopped and listened to them and Jesus whispered, " They are singing to you.” 

The thought startled me as I never considered that He would make them sing for me.  I thought they sang to praise their Creator!  His words of love moved me to tears. I stood there with my hands extended to heaven and humbly listened as they bathed my soul in music.  

Their music was exalted for their Creator.  And yet all the glory He receives He returns right back onto us.  What manner of God is this?  That He should love us like this?

How I long for all of God's children to allow Him to enter into their space on such an intimate level. Where He can commune with you mind to mind, ear to ear, heart to heart, and soul to soul.  When He touches your spirit on that level, then there is nothing that will be too hard for you to bear.  And like Paul you will say “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…”

copyright 6/22/2014

A Sabbath Rest

Is there anyone who has not been somewhat rebellious at sometime in their life? I’ll bet even the most promising candidates have had their moments, even if it wasn't entirely apparent to the casual observer. 

To be rebellious, Webster says, is to be insubordinate; to resist control. Is there something wrong with resisting control? I guess it would depend on whose control you were resisting. Scripture talks about Israel being rebellious on their way to the land of promise. "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion." Hebrews 3:8,15 and 4:7. By resisting God’s control, they were rebelling and God had something to say about that. "So I declared on oath in my anger, they will never enter my rest." Hebrews 3:11.

You've probably known someone who, because of their stubbornness, kept repeating the same mistake time and again. In your frustration for them to succeed, you slapped your forehead and exclaimed, “I swear!  They are never going to learn!” It wasn’t that God wanted to take away His blessing of Sabbath rest, it was just that this band of Israelites couldn't seem to trust God beyond today's miracle, for Hebrews 3:19 states: "They were not able to enter [God's rest] because of their unbelief." Look at their downward progression.

Their unbelief, or the lack of trusting that God was working for them, rather than against them, led them to rebel. 

Their rebellion left them with no desire to be obedient to the laws that were put in place for their instruction and well being.  That, in turn, deprived them of the blessing of rest. This lack of trust, put them in control and out of the hands of God.

This control business seems to play a predominate roll in the lives of ancient Israel as well as in our lives today. James says when we doubt, [disbelieve] we are like "a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." James 1:5,6 

What Jesus has done is to take our heavy burdens and carry them Himself. He wants to take our messes and make something beautiful out of them; to turn uncertainties into certainties.  He wants to take the crushing weight of sin’s guilt and turn it into peace. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you...let not your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:37. 

The Sabbath rest that Paul is talking about in Hebrews is not about keeping a day. The Sabbath rest is a state of being. The reason why Jesus didn't want us to carry heavy burdens or labor on the Sabbath is symbolic. You see, when we come to Jesus, we lay our burdens down at His feet; He takes those burdens and in their place He gives us rest from carrying those burdens. The Sabbath, then, is a symbol of Jesus, and becomes a whole new way of thinking. It is now a day of celebration. Celebrating the freedom we have in Jesus. And it doesn't stop there. You’ll notice that the days of creation ended with, “ and the evening and the morning were the first day,” and the second day, and the third day, and every day until the sixth day. However, there was no evening and morning for the seventh day. That would be because in Jesus Christ our rest never ends; it is available to us twenty-four hours every day. 

Hebrews 4:7 says "God set aside a certain day and called it TODAY." Why? Because TODAY, like the Sabbath rest, never ends. By the time tomorrow comes, it is already Today; ever present; never ending.  There is a Sabbath rest then for those who believe…Today.  

copyright 6/19/2014




    

Mind views

  Today is as beautiful

As the view from your mind.

YOUR DECISION

copyright 6/19/2014

Going It Alone?

  When this was written, it seemed God wanted it to be as if He were speaking, so that is what was done. Rest assured, I am only a messenger, nothing more.

If ever you needed Me, it would be this very moment in time. I want to cry out to you.

Are you watching? 

Is there anything at all that indicates to you that I am on my way?

Are you listening? 

The very ones you call weak; the very ones you ridicule as unable to stand on their own; they are My children who live with a peace that outside circumstances cannot disturb. They don’t need to get drunk so they can find their courage or lose their pain.  They don’t need to prove their worth with how they look or with what they possess. 

Listening to what people are saying; how they are saying it? So many mockers, mocking the truth in order to escape the truth.  They label me a Fairy Tale so they can keep their secrets, their pride, and their imagined control. "Look at me, I am free!" they say.  “I’m free to do as I please!”  Yet they battle addictions, anger, lust, and the insatiable hunger for money. Is this the freedom you were hoping for?  

Have you really taken the time to notice what the “freedom” of the world is offering? 

Do you suppose it’s possible that the world has actually deceived you? The pleasures it offers you are no pleasures at all, but rather chains to keep you bound.  

Are the inhabitants of this world growing kinder? Is love breaking out so peace can reign?  Is there evidence that the earth is growing younger? Is the soil producing a greater abundance with more nutrients than ever before?  Is your future secure?  Is the world giving you all you have ever hoped for?  If your answer is yes, then continue to ignore what I’m saying.  But if you desire something more, if the elements of your world are out of control; if you are honestly longing to be free and experience a peace that lasts forever…

…then come.

Come to me, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.  (Matthew 11:30)

Everything comes with a price, doesn't it?  Yes.  This, too, has a price.  You need to relinquish control.  That’s right. The price for this peace is to give me your burden of control.  I will trade your burden for peace.  I long to give you peace.  I long to save you from the minefield of this world.

This life is like a mine field standing between you and freedom.

The creator of the mine field (enemy of your soul) has calculated where to place every mine in order to deceive and destroy.  One of his tricks is to place a few counterfeit mines along the way.  That way, you will feel more at ease when you see that nothing tragic occurs when you accidentally step onto it.  You continue on your path, passing several more inactive mines. Then you find yourself in the middle of the mine field.  You look around and you can’t remember which ones were safe and which ones were lethal.  Take one step in the wrong direction and you’re toast.  When you come to that place and you realize that there is nowhere else to go, look up.  Take my hand that is extended to you and I will guide you through the field.  You will be safe.  I have traveled this road before and I know it well.  I will take you safely through to the other side, where freedom awaits you.

I’m right here.  My hand is extended.  Do you trust me?  

I am ready to get out of this minefield.  Are you?

Here, take my hand...

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified....for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."  Deuteronomy 31:6

copyright 6/4/2014

We Praise You

Have you considered the lofty clouds,

 flashing their brilliant colors in praise,

 as the sun finds rest from the day?  

  Have you heard the melodies birds display,

as they raise their voices in prayers of praise,

before they lay their heads to sleep?

   Banners of green in evening breeze;

the trees will praise among the leaves 

and sky, to honor the gift of freedom.

  The heavens declare this wondrous fact,

that the starry host of jewels smile back,

to the God who gave them light.

  Let us join creation's joy, as they say,

to Jesus alone, the truth; the way.

We will praise You!  We will praise You!

  Along with these, let my words still praise,

while I sleep a while in the grave,

'til I awake, to praise you in the morning.

Deuteronomy 32:3,4

copyright 6/4/2014

Games We Play

   I often house-sit and dog-sit for some friends when they’re out of town.  The dog I take care of happens to be the biggest German Shepherd I have ever seen. Every person who sees her for the first time is in awe of her remarkable size.

  Her greatest joy, and total obsession, is chasing balls. Her body mass is not a deterrent for the chase.  In spite of her size, she is able to glide through the tall grass with the greatest of ease, and leap over rocks with the beauty of the mighty horse.  However, there is a large problem we encounter with these ball-throwing sessions that she so desires.  

 When I throw the ball she bursts into immediate action securing the ball tightly in her mouth. Then this is where things get rather complicated. Once the ball is safely in her jaws, she becomes quite unsure about actually bringing it to me. She starts making her way in my direction as I remain perfectly still. She stares at me; drops the ball, and then picks it up again; stares at me; drops the ball, and before I can place my hands on it, she snatches it up again.  She then circles around me like she's marching around the walls of Jericho with the band of Israelites.  

  As she circles, she gets closer and closer to me but never actually relinquishes the object of her affection.  She clearly wants the joy of running and catching the ball and I badly want to give it to her, so I encourage her to give it to me, but with little results. I eventually become frustrated and say to her, “Don’t you get it?  Don’t you realize that you are denying yourself of what you want by not trusting me with the ball?”  

  That ball-game pattern repeated itself again today when suddenly I realized something about myself.  

  I do that too, don’t I?  I do the same thing to God. That ball; my life. Circling; circling… when will I trust Him enough to lay it all at His feet?

          copyright 6/3/2014