One Year Ends; Another Begins

One of my favorite elements of the holidays is Christmas lights. Yes, some can be garish and downright gaudy; however, most are very tastefully done. We don't see these Christmas lights much during the day, but oh, how they twinkle and give life to the darkness of the evening.

 

Yes, I did say darkness. That's the thing about light: It's true glory is revealed in the midst of darkness. That's when light is most noticeable.  One tiny flicker in total darkness can be seen for miles and miles.

 

As I was driving into town for church last evening (Dec. 26), I noticed how "dark" the night was.  Most people had already extinguished their beautiful Christmas lights for this season.

 

I am so thankful that we serve a God whose Son's light and Holy Spirit's illumination can never be extinguished.  THE "Light of the World," THE only true "Hope" of mankind - His light shines still in the midst of the blackest darkness of our lives.

 

This divine light radiates ever onward, ever true, ever sure, ever strong. It is powerful to save, mighty to deliver and to heal, and compassionate and loving and forgiving to all who will simply come. Every day He bids us to "come to the Light." We come as we are, He comes as He is, and voila! Miracles occur, the greatest being our royal transformation into sons and daughters of the King.

 

Recently, a passage of scripture poignantly reminded me of this wonderful "Light" - Acts 12:1-19.

 

The setting of this passage takes place during some very dark days in the history of the early church.  Herod the Roman ruler of northern Palestine, Judea, and Samaria curried favor from the Jews over whom he ruled by antagonizing the believers of Jesus.  He laid hands on many of them and mistreated them in all kinds of ways.  He had James, the brother of John and the first apostle to be martyred, put to death with a sword which pleased the Jews who cried out for more.

 

Herod eventually set his sights on Peter.  He seized Peter, put him in a prison guarded by four squads of soldiers, and intended to deliver him to the Jews after Passover.  While this was going on, "prayer was being made fervently by the church of God" on Peter's behalf.

 

On the very night before Herod was to bring Peter forward, an amazing miracle happened.  Peter was sleeping between two soldiers bound with two chains with guards in front of the door watching over the prison.  "An angel of the Lord suddenly appeared, and a light shone in the cell."  Peter's chains immediately fell off his hands, and the angel hurried out of the prison.

 

At first, Peter wasn't even sure what was happening was real. It wasn't until he was totally free of the prison that Peter awakened to the realization that "the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting" to do.

 

Peter traveled to Mary's house, Mary the mother of John (Mark) where many were gathered praying for his release.  When he knocked at the door, the servant recognized his voice, but because of her joy she did not open the door and instead ran to tell everyone. Peter continued knocking, and finally someone let him in.  "The Lord has led me out of prison."

 

That same Light that shone in Peter's prison cell still shines today.  That same Light that loosed Peter's chains still breaks the chains of bondage today.  That same Light that rescued Peter and led him out of prison still stands ready to rescue and to lead us out of our own hellish prisons.  Yes, that Light - JESUS - still exists and today stands ready to fee and redeem in the midst of the darkness of our lives and of that in the world.

 

This holiday season, I am so thankful for the Light of the World.  How He has shone in the midst of my past few months!  I am so humbled and appreciative for His rescuing me and allowing me a little more time with my family and friends.  I am also humbled and appreciative for all of His "little lights" who did not shrink under a bushel somewhere but who have offered me joy and hope and friendship and food (WOW! What amazing food!) and love.

 

May 2016 be filled with His light, His love, His life, His joy, His peace, His purpose, and a HOPE beyond anything we could expect. Love to you all.

 

             

 

 





 



You Call Me Friend

 

O, Light that lighteth every man,

O, Bread that feeds us all -

 O, Holy One from the heart of the Father,

before You I stand in awe.

 

The great I Am, the Eternal Word,

the Beginning and the End -

how can You share Your heart with me

and choose to call me Your friend?

 

I come before You,

lay my dreams, my life at Your feet

not looking back, eyes ever forward,

at home in Your love, at home in Your arms

because You choose to call me -

You called me Your friend.

 

You, who can do anything,

whose breath gives life to all,

whose hand crafts the tiniest eyelash -

before You I humbly fall.

 

O, King of Kings, El Shaddai,

whose word makes all things new,

how can You share your heart with me

and choose to call me Your friend?

 

I bow before You,

lay my dreams, my life before Your throne

not looking back, eyes ever forward,

at home in Your love, at home in Your arms

because You choose to call me -

the King of the Universe calls me -

You call me
Your friend.

 

 



Everything will live wherever the river flows.  Ezekiel 47:9 

There's a River of Life

There's a river of life deep inside of me

It cleanses all my sin.

There's a river of life restoring purpose,

flowing deep within.

 

There's a river of life bringing freedom.

It makes my broken heart sing.

There's a river of life nourishing my spirit,

flowing deep within.

 

There's a river of life carrying me onward.

It floods my soul with peace.

There's a river of life healing my sickness,

flowing deep within.

 

Jesus is that river

flowing deep inside of me.

Jesus is that river

making me free.

 

Jesus is that river

flooding me with peace.

Jesus is that river

making my heart sing.

 

Jesus' arms are open

inviting all to come.

Jesus is that river

calling all to come on home.

 

Won't you let Him come

into your heart?

His love will change you,

give you a brand new start.

 

There's a river of life deep inside of me.

Could be a river of life deep inside you too.

 

 



Remember Us

In the morning

every morning,

send us word of Your awesome love.

Let it rain down

and cover all of us

with Your precious, cleansing blood.

 

Remember us.

Remember us, O Lord.

 

Every day, Lord,

yes, every day,

show us the ancient paths,

and as we journey

through our years,

may we strive to enter Your rest.

 

Remember us.

Remember us, O Lord.

 

Remember us,

but forgive our sin.

Remember us.

Unleash Your Spirit within

our hearts, Lord,

our lives -

yes, in our hearts

and in our lives.

Remember us, O Lord.

 

to go where You're going,

to see as You see,

to hear what You're saying,

to be truly free

 

to know by Your spirit,

to hear Your heart's song,

to stand in Your presence,

humbly bow before Your throne

 

receiving forgiveness,

strengthened by grace,

warmed by Your mercy

and the smile on Your face

 

tender blanket of love

thrown over me,

quiet joy, assuring peace -

all, so precious to me

 

You are so precious to me.

 



 

 

 

You turned to me

when I called your name,

and your eyes were filled with fear.

Your heart was full of shame,

and you cried . . .

 

"Lord, I've turned and forgotten you."

 

"Life seemed so hard.

All seemed in vain.

Nothing went right.

Nothing was gained."

 

"Lord, I turned and forgot you."

 

"How could I forget your goodness?

How could I ignore your grace?

How could I be blind to your faithfulness

and the love upon your face?

 

"Forgive me, Lord.

Cleanse now my heart.

Open my eyes, my ears.

Show me where to start.

 

"Lord, I come.

I humbly come to you."

 

The past is past.

This moment, new.

I stand here now

arms wide open for you.

 

Yes, life is hard,

but nothing is in vain.

There is nothing to lose now.

Everything is gain,

for never

have I ever

forgotten you.

 

"Lord, I'll not forget your goodness.

Nor will I forget your grace.

I'll not be blind to your faithfulness

or the love upon your face.

 

"I receive now your forgiveness

and will walk strong in  your grace.

I believe in your great mercy

and in your goodness in this place.

 

"Lord, I now

humbly bow

before you."

 

 

*****************************************************************

 

 

Though my eyes have seen many bitter things

and my life didn't turn out like my dreams

and my heart felt so desperately alone,

I've seen your goodness

and have known your comfort

and have felt your gentle touch in this land,

yes, in this land.

 

 



So, I rest today in who God is.

This alone is faith.

Nothing here surprises Him.

Nothing can escape

His loving eyes, His jealous heart,

His boundless faithfulness.

He knows and cares like no one else.

Today, I'm truly blessed.

 

The Importance of What You Name Yourself

Recently, I was inspired to teach from a book I've been reading, Staci Eldridge's Becoming Myself.  I bought this book about 6 weeks ago, and have read it through twice now.  Each time I read it, God heals and frees me a little more. 

The gist of her life message seems to be: what we call ourselves and others is powerful and shapes ours and their destiny.  What we name ourselves and others either brings life or death.

When I think back over some of the thoughts I have about myself during any given week, I realize that many of those thoughts are negative like - "Nothing I do ever turns out right."  "I might as well quit."  "Everything's falling apart."  "What I'm doing isn't useful."  "I'm never going to be rid of the pain.  I'm always going to be walking with a cane."  "I'm all alone.  No one understands me."

When I hear these things and allow them to occupy my mind, certain things happen.  First, I walk around feeling accused and condemned.  Then I might isolate myself from God and others because I'm feeling this way.  When I do this, I become depressed and maybe even suicidal, thinking what difference has my life made on Planet Earth?  From there it's just a gradual spiral downwards.

This downward spiral is just where our enemy wants us to live - CAPTIVITY!  He wants us focused on our failures and our "not up to par" selves instead of focusing on God's faithfulness.  He wants us to concentrate on our broken selves instead of looking for Jesus, our Healer.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.

~ Hebrews 12:2

 

This is real spiritual warfare.  Our mind is where the real battle takes place.  Who would have thought that a small space about 6-8 inches wide (right between our ears) is a major battlefield?

 

What we think about ourselves, what we name ourselves, is vital.  Our thoughts and words have power - the power of life and death, blessings and curses - power to affect our destiny and the destiny of others.  The words others name us carry the same power.

 

Why?

• Thoughts become words.
• Words become actions.
• Actions become habits.
• Habits become character.
• Character becomes destiny - WHAT WE THINK WE ARE!

In the beginning of our Christian walk, we get so caught up with "rules" and what we do. However, God is more concerned with our heart, with our character than He is with our deeds.

 

How do we wage war on this battlefield?  Our one and only defense is the truth - JESUS WON!  He understands us; He gets us; He likes and loves us.

 

Jesus suffered just as we did and overcame it all so that He could make a way for us to overcome.  Look at some of the ways people named Him.

 

He was despised and rejected by men,

a man of sorrows, familiar with suffering.

Like one from whom men hide their faces,

He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows,

yet we considered Him stricken by God,

smitten by Him and afflicted.

But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,

and by His stripes we are healed . . .

He was oppressed and afflicted . . .

By oppression and judgment He was taken away . . .

For He was cut off from the land of the living . . .

assigned a grave with the wicked . . .

though He had done no violence,

nor was any deceit in His mouth.

~ Isaiah 53: 2-9

 

The secret to winning the battle is that WE WIN BECAUSE HE WON!  WE LIVE BECAUSE HE LIVES!  WE HAVE HOPE BECAUSE HE IS OUR HOPE.

 

If we live in Him, we are defined by His finished work on the cross, not by our failures or our past or the words and names others call us and we call ourselves.

 

If what we are thinking or what others are saying does not line up with the word of God, then it is a lie - a lie we need to erase from our thinking.  Believing these lies strips us of our authority as a child of the King and causes us to live as a captive in prison somewhere out there.

 

What is the truth of God?  What does God say about us?

• We are His beloved children, destined to reign with Him.
• We are our Father's delight, the "apple of His eye," the ones He desires.
• We are the beautiful, perfect Bride of Christ, His beloved (dear to the heart, admired, cherished, darling, esteemed and favored one, honey, lover, precious, prized and respected one - YES, YOU!)
• We are His ally, His friend.  We have been given a mission to cooperate with Him in advancing His kingdom here on earth.  Our life has purpose and a definite destiny.  We were born for a reason, a divine reason.

When we believe something is true, it affects how we live.  An old saying says, "Seeing is believing."

In Christ believing becomes seeing.  God expects us to believe what He says about us.  He expects us to see ourselves and others from His perspective, Heaven's perspective.  When we believe these things, we receive and achieve so much:  intimacy, joy, purpose, peace, healing.  These in turn bring humility and gratitude and a deeper love for, a nearness to Jesus and all that He loves.  WE ARE LOVELY TO HIM!  PERIOD!!



 

God is into naming and renaming things and people which should convince us that what we name ourselves and allow others to name us is important.

God's Obsession With Names

• Adam's first job was to name the animals.
• All throughout the Bible, we see a name and then an explanation of what the name means.
• There are lists and lists of names throughout the Bible. So and so begat so and so who begat so and so, etc.  Probably about half of some of the early books of the Bible are nothing but lists of names.
• God is not shy about changing someone's name to reflect the person's personality and character traits and his destiny.
• Look at the many names we have for God and for Jesus.

God loves names, and undoubtedly they are important to Him.  In fact, we are promised several times in scripture a new name, one from the very mouth of God (Isaiah 62: 1-4 / Revelation)

God desires to bring His light and love and life to every area of our lives.  He doesn't want to heal us partially; His desire for us is wholeness.

After He captures our hearts, He begins with our mind.  Our old dead thinking has to be buried and then resurrected to believe all that He says about us and all that He has in store for us.

In the beginning, God looked at all that He had created and said, "It is good."  Today, He still stands in heaven and looks at all that He has created and says that it is good - HE MADE US AND WE ARE GOOD.

• We are a new creature in Christ.
• We are a conqueror, more than a conqueror.
• We can walk in victory, strong and empowered by Him.
• We are safe in Him, secure and provided for.
• We are a mighty river through which the life and love of God flows.
• We are the BELOVED of God.

This is NOT the power of positive thinking.  This is the power and the love of God Almighty, the Creator of the Universe, and of Jesus His Only Begotten Son, and of Holy Spirit, our Guide and Enabler in this life.

If you don't know what your name means, find out.  Your parents didn't randomly name you that; God had a hand in it too.  Somehow, He influenced your parents in some way because there is destiny in your name.  Don't be satisfied with the first definition; dig deeper.  Also, ask God what your spiritual name is.  Sometimes we can know this. 

A Heavenly Exchange

Major choice today -

surrender to fear and die

or embrace love and live?

 

Fear enslaves ALL.

Love conquers ALL.

 

He stands,

arms open

ready to overwhelm us with love.

 

This love empowers,

enables,

encourages freedom.

 

Freedom empowers,

enables,

encourages desire.

 

Desire emblazons us,

nothing is too high

or too deep

or too wide
or too difficult.
Nothing is impossible.

 

Desire asks,

"How much do you want?

Just how much delight can you experience?

How much of Me can you stand?"

 

Desire awakens dreams

for ourselves

 and for others.

 

Who am I?

Who can I become?

How can I help them become?

 

In essence,

life and LOVE Himself have the undisputed final say

while fear skulks away,

hiding,

waiting to pounce another day.

 

Dream, my soul!

Forget not ALL His benefits -

forgiveness,

healing,

peace,

wholeness,

redemption,

salvation,

love,

compassion,

satisfaction -

Yes, He satisfies our desires with GOOD things -

 renewed youth as a bonus.  (Psalms 103: 1-5)

 

Free to soar to heights never flown before.

Free to go to places never seen before.

Free to do things never done before.
Free to know as never known before.

Free to BE.

 

Fear is not our friend and ally,

just an obstacle in our way,

something that denies us our birthright,

something that trips us,

warps us,

and steals from us

life and ALL it could be.

 

Raise the white flag today!

Surrender,

not to fear

but to God,

to His love.

 

His embrace is ALWAYS safe.

His plan is ALWAYS good.

His love, perfect.

 

Heavenly exchange -

fear

 -or-

love, desire, dreams, freedom

for our lives and those we love -

death

-or-

life abundant.

 

You do the math.

 

 

 

He,

who for the joy set before Him,

dared to die so that I might live

reconciled through His death,

saved through His life.

 

This, to the amazement of the universe.

This, to the glory of God.

 

Not I,

but Christ living

and moving in and through me -

this now is hope -

the Hope of heaven,

the Glory of God,

the cry of my heart.

 

Through faith,

heaven's gateway,

truly this can be.

 

Mr. Tozer says,

"Through faith, all things given.

Through faith, all things received."

 By faith, ALL is accomplished -

miracle of miracles.

 

 

Living Shadows of the Divine

To arise and go to the Father,

to become all that was first in His heart,

to desire the best whatever, wherever,

to truly turn and make a new start,

to declare, "Not my will, but Thine, Lord,"

to do what I was created to do,

to love all as He loved and deny self,

to see the divine in everyone else, too -

This is the will of my Father.

This, the example of the Son.

This, Holy Spirit's mission.

Make it so, Lord.  Make us one.

Do Not Fear

Do not be afraid, my little one.

I am greater than all that causes you to fear.

 

You were made to soar,

to ride the winds of My spirit,

not cower somewhere in a dark cave

shivering and alone.

 

Fear paralyzes, steals

your boldness, your confidence =

both birthrights.

 

I made you

to speak, to sing, to move, to heal, to live with confidence,

not in your own abilities,

but in Me, in Mine.

 

Fear chokes the passionate flame

I deposited in your heart.

That flame, that passion

is none other than Myself, My heart, My precious spirit.

These are

your Guide, your motivation -

not fear.

 

Fear, if allowed to survive,

usurps faith

canceling all forward movement,

unleashing stagnation -

spiritual suicide.

 

Faith enables you

to speak of all you've seen and heard

and to boldly go where you have never gone before.

 

Who needs fear?

Who needs frozen, numb souls that feel nothing?

Who needs frozen bodies that go

nowhere, experience nothing, say nothing?

Who needs frozen minds that can no longer dream?

Who needs frozen hearts

who know not how to love or live?

 

Fear is the enemy of freedom and all its gifts.

Who needs chains, bondage, captivity?

 

My blood paid the price of your freedom.

You are free to have the aroma of divinity

about you at all times,

free to have divine purpose

every moment of every day,

free to extend your hearts and hands

to all who come your way,

free to be filled with all Goodness Itself.

 

There is absolutely

no beauty,

no happiness,

no fulfillment,

no future,

no restoration

in fear.

 

Send Us

Send us.

Send us, Lord.

Send us.

Send us.

Send us, Lord.

 Send us.

Where You lead we will follow.

Seek all those who are lost.

Where You go, we will go.

We'll go.

 

Send us.

Send us, Lord.

Send us.

Send us.

Send us, Lord.

We will stand in faith,

believe all Your promises.

By our love the whole world will know

 

that You care for the broken and the lonely and the unlovely.

And all who have lost hope can be restored.

You care for the widows and orphans, those without a home.

The sick and the oppressed can be made whole.

 

Send us.

Send us, Lord.

Send us.

Send us.

Send us, Lord.

Send us.

We will go with Your name on our lips.

We will go with Your passion in our hearts.

We will go with Your power in our hands.

Lord, we'll go. 

The Summons

 

A summons was issued.

You answered the call.

"Seek the Lord while He may be found!"

Not knowing what this no-return journey might involve.

A highway there is

called the "Way of Holiness."

Its travelers are few.

Its width, even less.

Only the redeemed,

the ransomed of the Lord,

will return and enter Zion

proclaiming the majesty of God's living Word.

Singing, shouting, dancing,

peace, gladness,silence, tears

holy signs of their redemption -

freedom, finally, after all the years.

So, journey onward in peace.

Remain faithful in His love.

May your journey be successful,

cleansed by His precious blood.

May every step be ordered.

May heavenly messengers faithfully guide.

May you have all necessary provisions

and an occasional resting place in which to hide.

May the Lord blazon mightily before you

in fire by night and cloud by day,

searching out places for you to camp,

revealing divine pathways.

May He bless the work of your hands

as His work your hands earnestly seek.

Faithfully, He will watch over you

as His commandments you diligently keep.

Remember His care in the vast deserts

though all you sense is fatigue and thirst.

Your journey has the Lord's approval.

Remain steadfast and rejoice.

And as the good hand of God is upon you,

remember those not yet where you are.

Reach out, encourage, enable them

so that their journey too may go far.

p.s. inspired by the Israelites as they moved into the promised land

 

 

Why do I run

from book to book,

concert to concert,

service to service,

conference to conference,

song to song

seeking spiritual treasure?

 

All this running to and fro,

this seeking,

simply wears me out

making me hungrier and thirstier.

 

Do I want to die of thirst

or succumb to hunger?

 

Why,

when there is beside me

in my own neighborhood

a fountain that never runs dry,

a banquet,

a feast

poured out by Your generous hands?

 

Where else do I need to look?

 

Your eternal, uncreated hand does everything for me.

 

Why seek bread in books or elsewhere

when Your hand will feed me?

 

Why seek cleansing and healing everywhere

when Your hand will cleanse and heal me?

 

Why seek someone else's fire

when Your hand gives fire to purify and refine me?

 

Why look for guidance wherever

when Your wisdom is enough to shape me

into something worthy to bear Your name

and to show Your glory?

 

You have everything I need.

 

You are everything I need.

 

You provide all I need.

 

All is in Your hands, Oh, God.



 

Let us not be enemies

but live as Father and child.

Let not my flesh be master

and my appetite for the world run wild.

 

Let my vision be focused

on holiness, righteousness, and truth.

Let my heart be centered,

mind visually fixed on You.

 

If I must have an addiction,

let me be wise and adamantly choose

a divine and holy elixir,

a heavenly liqueur

 

that makes me thirsty and giddy

and seek the wide world o'er

for something simple, untamed, alive

over which I have no control -

 

a mysterious wind, a holy Piper perhaps

whose distant music rouses my feet to life,

or a warrior King, eternal purpose at hand

whose sword and might and cry

 

announce freedom for all who will follow -

liberty, fair play, new life,

something worthy - "to die for,"

something enormous, larger than just me.

 

Oh, please let us live as Father and child.

Let us not be as enemies.

 

 

Oh, Love,

who hast made me what I am

and delights in what thou hast made,

thou changest not.

 

 

As the priests of old donned the names

of the blessed on their hearts and shoulders,

so I am engraved upon thy heart, hand, and might.

 

Love, mercy, and strength rest there.

So do I, Lord.

So do I.

 

Carry me tenderly there,

and let thy heart's passion encourage mine

so that my heart is impassioned with thine.

 

Let thy hands' mercy fill mine

so that my hands do the divine.

 

Let thy might strengthen me

that I might stand strong and courageous in thy love.

 

Without thy help,

all is lost.

 

My love will fade,

my strength will wane -

no mercy in my breast.

 

With holy cords bind me to thy heart, thy hand, thy strength.

Be thou my sustenance.

Be thou my all.

 

As there is no shadow of change in thy heart,

let no inkling of treason be found in mine.

 

Persist, mighty Lord.

Persist!

 

Please do not give up on me.

My love secured by thine . . .

or death.



 

 

'Tis a world filled with chaos and trouble,

rivers of tears,

fountains of hate.

 

We struggle to survive,

to smile,

to remember that this multitude of woes

only seems like a barrier of bronze remaining unopened.

 

The unmovable is but a momentary diversion

whose sole purpose is but to distract,

to disappoint,

to frustrate.

 

'Tis but the tempter's invitation to quit,

merely a dark cloud behind which a great light shines.

 

The light shines always

regardless of the cloud or the night.

 

Our task is to see the light,

to believe in its beneficence always,

to hear its gentle song in the night,

to know it has purpose for our lives,

to touch its tears and its strength,

to stand steadfast,

solid like an oak that bends in the roughest wind

but does not break.