Questions

Who Are You, God
That You Would Love One Like Me?

Who Are You, God
That You Would Use One Like Me?

Who Am I, God
That You Would Plan My Destiny From The Beginning?

Who Am I, God
That You Would Extend Your Mercy To Die For Me?

What Is The World To You, God
That You Would Care To Bring Forth A Bride For Your Son Out Of My Ugly Brokenness?

What Is The World To You, God
That You Would Pour Forth Your Amazing Grace Before Such An Ugly World?

Who Are You, God? LOVER!
Who Am I, God? BELOVED!
What Is The World To You, God? DESIRED!

Song of Solomon 8:5-7, Isaiah 62:4-5

In Response To The Terrorist Attacks In Israel

In praying for Israel in the wake of the recent terrorist attacks and Israel's response to them, I was meditating on scripture and the Lord gave me Isaiah 42:6-9 and Matthew 5:13-16. We must stand before the Lord in the identity we have received as believers in Yeshua and reject the idols of convenience, success, and materialism we have accepted even within the church. The Lord said through the prophet Isaiah, "I am the Lord, that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you." - Isaiah 42:8-9

We must be prepared to be a light as Gentiles to everyone we meet whether Jew or Gentile even as we have received light. Yeshua himself said, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden" and "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." - Matthew 5:14,16

Pray for Israel right now, pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and especially that Prime Minister Netanyahu has the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Yeshua during this time of crisis for Israel. - (Eph. 1:17-19)

Three Ways to Forgive

1. Be a Screen Door

     Like the wind blows through a screen door, let blustry comments, stormy blasts just blow right past. Incidents can only hit hard if you have your front door closed. But having a screen door policy allows some of the pain to blow by, us all hidden in Christ….

2. Only Believe the Best

     When you believe that everyone is always just doing their best, that we never war against flesh and blood but against the principalities, that in light of this fallen world and sinful limitations, they truly are doing their best… this changes everything. Love bears all things, hopes all things, believes all things and whatever is good and pure and lovely, think on these things.

3. Tell the Thankful Truth

     The truth is, there is always something, a lot, to give thanks for and that is the truth about every single parent. Consider offering a father, a mother, the gift of a jar full of slips of paper with your gratitude and thankful memories jotted down. This kind of grateful truth-telling helps to heal old wounds.

Here I Am, Signing Up Again

     Here I am again, Abba. How often do I seem to want to stray away from your heart? My heart's desire is to be wholehearted, childlike, and mature in my trust in you and in my love for you. And yet, I find myself again and again throwing a childish fit when I don't receive what I think you want for me. I don't want to disqualify myself when you don't disqualify me, but I don't want to make a religious excuse for my sin either. I love you, Abba, and I want to please you in everything that I do. I didn't please you yesterday, and I missed a great opportunity to partner with you in prayer. Please forgive me and set my heart again in the place of wholehearted devotion to you. You are my greatest treasure and my greatest pleasure, and I don't want to sacrifice your presence on the altar of my own selfish desires that don't really satisfy anyways. I know that I can only love you as much as I receive and understand how much you love me. I sign up again to love you with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength, Abba. In Yeshua's Name, Amen.

What Have I Been Missing?!

     I have started to realize lately, that I might be missing many dynamics of relationship that God wants me to see and start to walk in.

     A brother in God here at the International House of Prayer has said, "We are creatures made with eyes, noses, hands and mouths, and it is through these five senses that we commune with God." This makes a whole lot sense when we consider how much creation can and does speak to us in many ways.

     Consider with me the examples of the sweet smelling rose or the amazing beauty of the lilac in full bloom. Or consider the awe-inspiring nature of a night sky filled with aurora borealis. Yet, I never considered just how clearly my Abba (father) in heaven actually does encompass speaking to me with all of my five senses if I'm willing to see, listen, smell, feel, or speak.

     Our Lord is so full of mercy and lovingkindness in that He continues to offer us the choice of setting our hearts fully and steadfastly on Him and abandoning all other pretenses that keep our hearts separated from Him. I've encountered this again in my daily life with realizing just how casual I am with my love for Him and yet He still draws me away into His presence again.

     Oh, Abba, help me to catch the little foxes that spoil the vineyard of my heart! Make me your garden again that I might rule and reign with you through prayer in Your Presence.

From Streams In The Desert

May 24

 

Rock Flowers

 

"Thou hast shewed thy people hard things" (Ps. 60:3).

 

I have always been glad that the Psalmist said to God that some things were hard. There is no mistake about it; there are hard things in life. Some beautiful pink flowers were given me this summer, and as I took them I said, "What are they?" And the answer came, "They are rock flowers; they grow and bloom only on rocks where you can see no soil." Then I thought of God's flowers growing in hard places; and I feel, somehow, that He may have a peculiar tenderness for His "rock flowers" that He may not have for His lilies and roses. --Margaret Bottome

 

The tests of life are to make, not break us. Trouble may demolish a man's business but build up his character. The blow at the outward man may be the greatest blessing to the inner man. If God, then, puts or permits anything hard in our lives, be sure that the real peril, the real trouble, is what we shall lose if we flinch or rebel. --Maltbie D. Babcock

 

"Heroes are forged on anvils hot with pain, And splendid courage comes but with the test. Some natures ripen and some natures bloom Only on blood-wet soil, some souls prove great Only in moments dark with death or doom."

 

"God gets his best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction."

His Ways Are Higher - Abba, The Righteous Judge

We don't truly understand the nature of the King to whom we have pledged our allegiance to even when  He gives us the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of His Son, Jesus.

We only have a fleeting image from the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) as to the nature of the Kingdom we are born again into.

What does God say when those in despair cry out like the widow did to God, "Grant me justice against my adversary"? (Luke 18:3) Will God not speedily avenge them and bring about justice? (Luke 18:1-8) Even the unjust judge spoken of in this passage gave the widow justice when he was wearied by her tireless and unceasing cry. How much more God who is the Righteous Judge!