All We Need Is Love

If you ask most christians today, "what is the one thing you would like more of in your life?" you would get such a wide variety of answers. Some spiritual and some not. However, I fear that the thing you wouldn't hear overwhelmingly is "love". Yet, when we read the bible we find this being the primary thing that is to be within our lives. Jesus summed up the whole law with this one word; LOVE...first towards God then towards our neighbors. Why is it that we desire so many other things instead of love? Ie. God using us in some aspect of ministry, having the gifts of the Spirit operating through us, or a number of other good things. But none of this means anything without love. Not the love that we can muster up within ourselves but the unconditional love that comes from God. This is the most important thing that can be within any child of God's life. It doesn't matter how much you know or how much you do, but how much you love. Oh, if we could just love more the body of Christ would be transformed.

Nothing Left to Trust In.

It's amazing to think that when I started serving the Lord, about 25 years ago, I thought I fully trusted in Him. Now to some degree that was true, but 25 years later I feel like I am just learning what trust in Him really is. And I readily admit that I have a long way to go.
It is easy to say, "God, I trust in You", and to the most part we believe it. But, it is a totally different thing to walk down a path that seems to leave you with nothing else to lean on except God. One by one, God seems to remove these things until we are in a place that we feel so vulnerable and alone.
The children of Israel faced the same thing, after God had miraculously delivered them from the hand of the Egyptians, God led them in a very strange route right to the Red Sea. He basically took away everything that could have been some benefit to their escape when the Egyptians came after them. However, this is the exact thing that sets the stage for God to step in.
I believe the biggest step is allowing God to take us to this place. We don't have to go; we can choose another path; one that is easier, but definately won't produce the same results.
I think when the children of Israel were crossing the Red Sea that they were terrified. Just think about, a wall of water on the right and a wall of water on the left. And everything within them was telling them that they shouldn't be there; Any minute we could drown; Problems are all around us. However, their feet were on dry ground.
You may be surrounded right now by circumstances and problems that are telling you the same things; Any minute you will be overwhelmed; You shouldn't be here; You will be defeated. Howver, by God's grace, you are still standing. You are alive! You have made it one more day! All you have to do is get your eyes off the wall of problems to your right and to your left and set you eyes on Jesus because He is going to see you through. One step at a time, a little by little. God didn't just pick up the children of Israel and put them on the other side. He made them walk through a place that they had no business being. Surrounded by their problems and just a second away from death, God led them step by step until they came out on the other side.
Your going to make it! Just trust that God is there and He will walk you through everything that shouts your demise. And on the other side you will have a song that has been born out of anguish and hardship but will be the sweetest praise you have ever known.

Momentary Relief

Have you ever had a time when God seems to pull back the veil that seems to be hanging over you and give you just a glimpse of something that makes everything your going through seem to vanish? I have had so many of these moments in the past year that I honestly can not count them all. I assume that we have these moments more often when we are walking through the valley. It is amazing what we can "get use to" at times. Sometimes trials and sufferings become such a norm that we forget what it is like to rise, even for a moment, out of these. I know God's children all over this world are experiencing these things on a level like I have never seen in my life time. God is preparing His church and His people to be a true representation of His Glory. We are learing to trust in Him, lean on Him, and become completely surrendered to His will. These are all things that I thought I knew all about and have been doing for some time. However, I feel now that I am only beginning to learn. In the midst of this though, God will lift me up in a moment and give me a view, that is so refreshing, that He is in control and all is well. I know that I need these times and they usually come when I am not expecting it.
I pray that God will lift your veil, if just for a moment, and give you a glimpse of Him. That's all it takes. Just one glimpse of something we didn't see and our spirit's are lifted and our soul is rejuvenated.

Precious in the Sight of the Lord

Psalm 116:15 tells us "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." I don't think we can even begin to comprehend the beauty of this verse. We see loss, heartache, hurt, and death, but God sees victory, union, perfection, and life eternal. Maybe it's because we are so surrounded with the material and only occasionaly see with spiritual eyes that facing the loss of someone in the family of God is so tough.
But I find comfort in this: Anything good that I have received from someone in the Lord, was not something from them but Christ within them. Though they may be gone, Jesus is still here; within me and others. So, the true life is not gone but still here to bring life on an ever increasing level!

A Dynamic Year Coming to a Close

Not only in this church has this been a "Year of Repositioning" but also in my families. I had no idea when the Lord had given this word how far it would reach, but it has left no area untouched. The Lord has moved so many things around that I know the effects will be eternal. He has worked in our weaknesses and our waiting upon Him at every turn. We look forward to a dynamic year as God moves us into another realm to realize the fullest potential of those things He has repositioned. He is Faithful!!! Have a blessed New Year in Christ!

Suffering in Christ

I Peter 4:12-14 (NIV) 12Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

There is a suffering for every child of God that has made the stand to go forward in God no matter what the cost. As soon as we make this stand, all hell breaks loose to try and turn us from this. You see God will do miraculous things within us. All He is looking for is a person, a people, that will say, "God we want You and You alone, have your way within us". I believe nothing awakens the powers of hell like this does. The devil will give us a life of ease and blessing as long as we do not make this stand. He will bless "our ministries", he will lay of our families and do anything he can to keep us from making this stand. But when that burning deep within our spirit cries out for more of God and will not be satisfied with anything less then it begins.

We will go through a suffering for His namesake that most christians today will not understand. No one can understand it until they actually experience it. But one thing you can be sure of; Once you make this determination in your spirit then you will be thrust into a realm of suffering unlike you have ever experienced. But, let me tell you this!!!! There is a fellowship with Christ that can only be experieced as we enter into this with Him. There is a sweetness to be had in Him as we break and collapse into His arms over and over.

Do not grow faint! Do not give up! You are not alone! God is raising up a remnant in these last days that are going through the same things all over the face of this world. Count it all joy brother. Count it all joy sister. For God is revealing His glory within you and through you in a greater measure than you have ever imagined possible.

From Bible Story To Life Story

How many times have you read a bible story or passage of scripture and understood the message contained therein only to have it revealed maybe years later in your life? I believe this is how everything is worked out in the lives of God's people. It seems like we have gone years and years studying, learning, and doing our best to live the same principles with very little succes or actual growth. I have seen in the past few years such an increase of these things being lived out or better yet brought into fruition in the lives of christians in such a beautiful way. And, the one phrase that I keep hearing over and over is, "Did I understand any of this before?"

You see, there is a huge gulf between the "bible story" and that being applied to our lives. God never intended it to be just a story or principle for learning, but to be something that would be wrought our within us by the Holy Spirit as we yield to Him continually. I really believe that we are going to see such and increase of this in the last days as God the Father prepares the Church for the return of His Son.

Now this is not something we are going to just see in new believers. Oh, no! We will see it in believers who have been serving the Lord 40, 50 and 60 years and they will start moving into a deeper realm in Christ than they have ever experienced or imagined. Hallelujah! This excites my spirit tremendously. God is simply looking for a people, a remnant, that will lay aside their own agendas and self and allow Him to raise up what He wants for His glory in these last days.
Are you ready? Do you feel a pulling in the depths of your soul to get closer to God? If so, then just surrender to Him your all. The Holy Spirit will do the work and guide you into all truth. Even so come Lord Jesus!