Am I on track?
What's missing in my walk that grieves God or misses the point?
Have you asked yourself what God desires from you that just isn't part of your walk?
Perhaps something that may be culturally muted or lost?
Recently I'm asking myself -- how critical is fasting?
I think the Lord is telling me it's very important.
It's not taught much in American churches.
To be honest, it feels a bit like manipulation to me. . . if I do this, God, you're supposed to do this.
It feels like a ramped up form of begging or attention getting from a busy Father.
I've been pondering this for months.
The Lord is firmly urging me into fasting. How is he doing this?
repetition....repetition....repetition
~ As ministry deepens and I see more of God's heart to heal and set free, a phrase Jesus said to his disciples keeps echoing in my mind, 'this kind comes out only with prayer and fasting'.
~ As one of my "dream girls" at EMI prays over me a few months ago she says something like, 'God wants you to embrace fasting...and I'm not talking about cutsie fasting, either.' I took that to mean minimal or "cheap" fasting -- like giving up chocolate or potato chips. [Uh oh]
~ In our October session of International School, Iko, a young Nigerian pastor, fasted every day of the school till 3pm. His father who was also attending said it is customary in Nigeria to fast on your birthday. It's a way of life there. Kind of like breathing.
~ I also "happen" to be in a new weekly fellowship with Susan, a new friend who leads prayer ministry in my new church. We found ourselves talking about fasting. A lot. It's been a struggle for her to embrace, too. She loaned me a book that has been very helpful.
With mutual encouragement we've been pressing into fasting.
Some highlights that are sticking with me:
• Fasting exposes our weakness -- the tyrany of the body and human appetite (check).
• Fasting is a means God gives to meet us in our weakness & reveal His strength (check).
• Fasting is an expression of hunger for more of God (check + check!).
How can I not do this then?
If it's not manipulation of God but partnership with him, I'm IN!!
FASTING SLOWLY
Rather than set myself up for failure by trying to fast for days, or even 24 hours, I started by fasting from dinner to 3pm the next day. Drinking only juice or water. Doable.
The challenge is disciplining my thinking away from a growling stomach and insistent thoughts of how long it will be before I can eat. I'm trying to take time to pray rather than steam roll through my TO DO list...my typical day.
This must not be typical at all! That's the point!
Stomach growls...I lift up a prayer.
Food thoughts intrude...I think of something to praise God for.
Lunch hour: I go for a prayer walk and listen.
So far the fruit of this seems to be a stronger nudge to examine what may be hindering freedom in my prayer and ministry power. It has made me self-conscious.
I can see how certain things rule me....
like turning on the TV first thing in the morning and first thing when arriving home from work....
or unwinding every day by playing computer games, for hours!
[You know it's bad when you close your eyes and see an imprint of game characters on the inside of your eyelids!]. . .
or reading about God rather than being still and listening for His voice.
Rather than sliding into a guilt trip I'm working to acknowledge a truth and choose something else. To choose. That's the point!
Walking through the routine of every day becomes somewhat hypnotic.
Fasting seems to remove the fog.
It awakens.
If this is a step higher up and deeper in (C.S. Lewis) to my relationship with God, how I hear Him and work out my salvation...then it's something I want to embrace.
Eventually I might get up to days or even weeks of fasting.
For now, it's a decision to move forward one step at a time.
Take it on as an adventure....a date....
Giving myself grace and seeing what God will do!
That I can embrace!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Stand in Awe of God
AWE-ful!
Have you ever gone on a silent retreat?
Committed a day to be with God - to listen for his voice?
To pray without ceasing?
I've always wanted to do this, and finally committed to do it this month.
October's autumn has always been a season (my favorite) when it's easy for me to sense God.
The brilliant blue of sky, the woodsy smells, the wrapping up of green in a redgoldorange blaze of glory -- moving on into browns and greys and whites.
It invigorates me.
My retreat took place at a Jesuit center nearby with fifty or so other women.*
I was thrilled to run into friends there and to catch up over a healthy brunch.
Then the call to 4 hours of silence.
We hungrily walked over the grounds to land in a quiet spot and seek our Father....each in our own way.
Nature oozes God.
Getting away from home and work and traffic and noise distractions is soul food.
No words necessary. Just being. To be. Be.
I took a full hour beside a river and its sensory offering to quiet down. Finally, I asked God, "What's on your mind for me?" and opened up my Bible.
"Stand in awe of God."
Stand in awe. . .a command. An act of obedience.
Remember what he has done. Worship him. He is faithful. He provides. He loves me. He heals me. He calls me into partnership with him. He gives me authority. He prepares a path. He imparts himself into me. He expresses himself through me.
He is able!
Stand in awe. . .a promise.
More is coming.
Anticipate.
Awe: "profound reverence and respect for God, tempered with fear that makes us want to please and obey Him. . . solemn wonder mingled with dread. . ."
The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology
The history of the word awe started with "fright; terror" (1200's) and morphed into "awe inspiring" (1300's). By the 1600's awe was applied to God in the sense of overwhelming reverence or fear (respect).
This is more the tone of the Bible reference I had opened to read and meditate upon.
The reference is Ecclesiastes 5:7. The prophet is confronting God's people for being lax in fulfilling their promises to God. "He has no pleasure in fools...."4b
We so easily offer words of love and commitment to God and each other and so often fail to follow through. Better not to promise at all.
God is not pleased. Destruction results.
Meaningless.
In our culture not following through on our word has become permissable. Excusable. Even acceptable. "That's just the way s/he is." "Take what s/he says with a grain of salt."
We don't expect much from each other.
God is not pleased.
Awe-ful also means to me that God does not condone the "whatever" mindset of today.
It lacks respect -- for him -- for others -- for ourselves.
Bottom line, if we promise and then don't do it, we have lied.
God is then misrepresented. His reputation is smudged because of his people.
Let us be standing in praise and anticipation.
Let us mean what we say and say what we mean.
Let us recover "solemn wonder and dread."
Let us know in our inmost being that you are, indeed, an Aweful God!
*For silent retreat info in Cincinnati, contact Judy Haag, timeofrefreshment@gmail.com
Have you ever gone on a silent retreat?
Committed a day to be with God - to listen for his voice?
To pray without ceasing?
I've always wanted to do this, and finally committed to do it this month.
October's autumn has always been a season (my favorite) when it's easy for me to sense God.
The brilliant blue of sky, the woodsy smells, the wrapping up of green in a redgoldorange blaze of glory -- moving on into browns and greys and whites.
It invigorates me.
My retreat took place at a Jesuit center nearby with fifty or so other women.*
I was thrilled to run into friends there and to catch up over a healthy brunch.
Then the call to 4 hours of silence.
We hungrily walked over the grounds to land in a quiet spot and seek our Father....each in our own way.
Nature oozes God.
Getting away from home and work and traffic and noise distractions is soul food.
No words necessary. Just being. To be. Be.
I took a full hour beside a river and its sensory offering to quiet down. Finally, I asked God, "What's on your mind for me?" and opened up my Bible.
"Stand in awe of God."
Stand in awe. . .a command. An act of obedience.
Remember what he has done. Worship him. He is faithful. He provides. He loves me. He heals me. He calls me into partnership with him. He gives me authority. He prepares a path. He imparts himself into me. He expresses himself through me.
He is able!
Stand in awe. . .a promise.
More is coming.
Anticipate.
Awe: "profound reverence and respect for God, tempered with fear that makes us want to please and obey Him. . . solemn wonder mingled with dread. . ."
The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology
The history of the word awe started with "fright; terror" (1200's) and morphed into "awe inspiring" (1300's). By the 1600's awe was applied to God in the sense of overwhelming reverence or fear (respect).
This is more the tone of the Bible reference I had opened to read and meditate upon.
The reference is Ecclesiastes 5:7. The prophet is confronting God's people for being lax in fulfilling their promises to God. "He has no pleasure in fools...."4b
We so easily offer words of love and commitment to God and each other and so often fail to follow through. Better not to promise at all.
God is not pleased. Destruction results.
Meaningless.
In our culture not following through on our word has become permissable. Excusable. Even acceptable. "That's just the way s/he is." "Take what s/he says with a grain of salt."
We don't expect much from each other.
God is not pleased.
Awe-ful also means to me that God does not condone the "whatever" mindset of today.
It lacks respect -- for him -- for others -- for ourselves.
Bottom line, if we promise and then don't do it, we have lied.
God is then misrepresented. His reputation is smudged because of his people.
Let us be standing in praise and anticipation.
Let us mean what we say and say what we mean.
Let us recover "solemn wonder and dread."
Let us know in our inmost being that you are, indeed, an Aweful God!
*For silent retreat info in Cincinnati, contact Judy Haag, timeofrefreshment@gmail.com
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Rod and Staff Love
Where are my shepherds?
During EMI listening to God prayer recently, I sensed the Lord saying, "My people need my rod & my staff."
Implicit in that statement is two things:
1. we, being like sheep, need the touch of God's rod & staff
2. we, his holy priesthood, are called to carry God's rod & staff.
My sense is, again, that we are vulnerable.
In previous blogs I've talked about the realization that people are struggling through many difficulties and are vulnerable -- hearing God's voice is essential to spiritual well being.
One of the ways He has chosen to be heard is through those who seek his voice, walk in obedience and come along side to encourage others in their faith journey.
Bearing His rod & staff means...
to listen
to show love & compassion
to guide & protect
to confront in love.
In American culture, we don't see shepherds and herds of sheep, so a rod & staff is not a familiar daily tool. Scripture uses a lot of shepherding imagery:
Psalm 23 - "Thy rod & thy staff comfort me."
Isaiah 53:6 - "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way..."
John 10:11 - "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep."
A shepherd's rod & staff are an extension of his hands and help him to care for his sheep.
We are an extension of God's hands in this world, are we not?
A rod is like a walking stick with weight to it. Its uses are multiple:
to redirect wayward movement
to protect against predators
to examine health & well being
to comfort.
A staff includes a hook and is a longer extension of the shepherd's arm, making rescue from cliffs and brambles possible. *
I see more and more people hungry for loving proximity.
For someone who cares.
A "with me" person.
A heart invested in their well being.
If God is saying we need to bear His rod & staff, from Him and for others, it seems to me to mean deeper involvement. To invest time & heart in people.
IS CHURCH A CARING COMMUNITY?
I remember reading a book on community 20 years or so ago by Dr. M. Scott Peck, The Different Drum: Community Making & Peace (1987) -- he made a statement that shocked me, yet resonated as so very true in my own experience. It landed in my memory like this...
Christians (churches) are stuck in false community. We miss growth into real, vibrant community because we avoid the necessary path of conflict & disagreement. We hide. Realness and honesty can produce conflict, so we choose to pretend everything is alright.
We pursue peace undercover of nice. God showed me "nice" is often a lie.
False peace is not peace.
REAL IS MESSY
So often the pressure of hidden reality eventually surfaces...sometimes explosively. Exploding churches, ministry teams, friendships and families produce the damaged fruit. A lot of sheep are walking wounded evidence of explosion damage.
Even if explosions don't happen--everything is kept calm and quiet--too often neither does much of anything else. Superficial gets boring. Life and growth eventually are stunted.
A cry I hear over and over again from Christians is that they are tired of superficial Christianity. Yet we demand it at the same time. It feels safer. Truth is, it's easier. But it's deadly. Is it better to have loved deeply and lost than never to have loved deeply?
If we choose to play it safe in superficial relationships how can we ever move into ministering to the deep heart places where we all really do life. How can we grow? heal? transform into the image of Christ? Know God and each other intimately?
Is it possible to know God intimately and hide from each other?
I don't think so. God dwells in our inmost being. Our heart is His temple. If we hide our inmost from each other, how can we touch God together?
Then again. . . what if we don't hide our deepest selves. Do we know how to bring grace and truth to someone's struggle? embarrassment? pain? shame? Damage has also been done to people who chose openness....only to be judged, rejected, lectured, denied, oversimplified.
It takes skill to be a safe person...
to wield a rod & staff with wisdom and grace and compassion.
We've been given the privilege of venturing with each other into our holy of holies, our deep heart where God dwells. Where our true thoughts and feelings live and rule. Healing needs to happen there. We need each other to journey the path into transformation. We need a corrective rod and a rescuing staff now and then.
Who's carrying them for you?
Those of us who take on the tender authority of God's rod & staff must remember to take off our shoes. . .we are tending to holy ground.
* Phillip Keller's book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23
During EMI listening to God prayer recently, I sensed the Lord saying, "My people need my rod & my staff."
Implicit in that statement is two things:
1. we, being like sheep, need the touch of God's rod & staff
2. we, his holy priesthood, are called to carry God's rod & staff.
My sense is, again, that we are vulnerable.
In previous blogs I've talked about the realization that people are struggling through many difficulties and are vulnerable -- hearing God's voice is essential to spiritual well being.
One of the ways He has chosen to be heard is through those who seek his voice, walk in obedience and come along side to encourage others in their faith journey.
Bearing His rod & staff means...
to listen
to show love & compassion
to guide & protect
to confront in love.
In American culture, we don't see shepherds and herds of sheep, so a rod & staff is not a familiar daily tool. Scripture uses a lot of shepherding imagery:
Psalm 23 - "Thy rod & thy staff comfort me."
Isaiah 53:6 - "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way..."
John 10:11 - "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep."
A shepherd's rod & staff are an extension of his hands and help him to care for his sheep.
We are an extension of God's hands in this world, are we not?
A rod is like a walking stick with weight to it. Its uses are multiple:
to redirect wayward movement
to protect against predators
to examine health & well being
to comfort.
A staff includes a hook and is a longer extension of the shepherd's arm, making rescue from cliffs and brambles possible. *
I see more and more people hungry for loving proximity.
For someone who cares.
A "with me" person.
A heart invested in their well being.
If God is saying we need to bear His rod & staff, from Him and for others, it seems to me to mean deeper involvement. To invest time & heart in people.
IS CHURCH A CARING COMMUNITY?
I remember reading a book on community 20 years or so ago by Dr. M. Scott Peck, The Different Drum: Community Making & Peace (1987) -- he made a statement that shocked me, yet resonated as so very true in my own experience. It landed in my memory like this...
Christians (churches) are stuck in false community. We miss growth into real, vibrant community because we avoid the necessary path of conflict & disagreement. We hide. Realness and honesty can produce conflict, so we choose to pretend everything is alright.
We pursue peace undercover of nice. God showed me "nice" is often a lie.
False peace is not peace.
REAL IS MESSY
So often the pressure of hidden reality eventually surfaces...sometimes explosively. Exploding churches, ministry teams, friendships and families produce the damaged fruit. A lot of sheep are walking wounded evidence of explosion damage.
Even if explosions don't happen--everything is kept calm and quiet--too often neither does much of anything else. Superficial gets boring. Life and growth eventually are stunted.
A cry I hear over and over again from Christians is that they are tired of superficial Christianity. Yet we demand it at the same time. It feels safer. Truth is, it's easier. But it's deadly. Is it better to have loved deeply and lost than never to have loved deeply?
If we choose to play it safe in superficial relationships how can we ever move into ministering to the deep heart places where we all really do life. How can we grow? heal? transform into the image of Christ? Know God and each other intimately?
Is it possible to know God intimately and hide from each other?
I don't think so. God dwells in our inmost being. Our heart is His temple. If we hide our inmost from each other, how can we touch God together?
Then again. . . what if we don't hide our deepest selves. Do we know how to bring grace and truth to someone's struggle? embarrassment? pain? shame? Damage has also been done to people who chose openness....only to be judged, rejected, lectured, denied, oversimplified.
It takes skill to be a safe person...
to wield a rod & staff with wisdom and grace and compassion.
We've been given the privilege of venturing with each other into our holy of holies, our deep heart where God dwells. Where our true thoughts and feelings live and rule. Healing needs to happen there. We need each other to journey the path into transformation. We need a corrective rod and a rescuing staff now and then.
Who's carrying them for you?
Those of us who take on the tender authority of God's rod & staff must remember to take off our shoes. . .we are tending to holy ground.
* Phillip Keller's book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Wolf vs. Happily Ever After
God makes me laugh.
In last night's prayer ingathering at EMI, we took time to listen to God and seek His voice. Then we prayed. [Twice monthly; it's open to anyone who wants to gather before the Lord...]
The first word that came to my mind was "wolf."
"What does that mean Lord. Is that from you? Tell me more."
The next thought that came was, "The wolf is at the door."
"OK....what are we suppose to do about the wolf at the door?"
The next thought was, "Don't open the door."
It made me laugh.
Such an obvious answer, but also with that bit of humor from a Daddy who knows his kids are just a little dense.
"What is the wolf?"
"...temptation....fear...."
That was just the beginning of a night of seeking understanding.
As we talked through scriptures we felt lead to read (below), here's what I believe the gist of it is. . .and I know it's a message for me.
Maybe it is for you, too.
The heart of the night's understanding for me is to let go of my idol of happily-ever after. My relationship with God is strongly based on the supposition that God will make everything turn out right and good.
I believe God is showing me this is an idol I have been worshiping.
I must let go of it and replace it with the truth. . .no matter what happens, God will be with me in the midst of it. I may not always see or experience my definition of "good" -- that does not mean my Father is not present and active.
I sense this is important because I'm vulnerable to a favorite wolf-inspired temptation... disappointment and discouragement. Ultimately these move me into fear. Fear immobilizes.
God needs his people to be free to mobilize into obedience.
God is showing me that I'm vulnerable to disappointment in this God I created, and ultimately what follows is disillusionment. I shudder at the thought of ever hearing Jesus saying to me what he said to the twelve: "Do you want to leave me too?" John 6:67
The thought of drinking Jesus blood and eating Jesus flesh was too much for many disciples to accept. They assumed he was talking about cannibalism. Many turned back and no longer followed him. Jesus was speaking of spiritual truth and life that they could not understand. Their lack of understanding anchored their lack of belief. They quit.
Why didn't Jesus try harder to convince those who did not believe?
He explained the truth and left them to their decision. If he had argued them into accepting what he said, wouldn't they still run up against their lack of faith at some point?
Why didn't he encourage them to stay with him even tho they did not believe in him at that point? They might have changed their minds.
...But wouldn't they also cause disunity? Perhaps resort to gossip and grumbling and ultimately poison the pool and cause "bitter roots" to grow throughout the team?
For me, this is Jesus modeling the importance of letting go.
As Christians we have a tendency to believe the "good" thing is to stay in community no matter what. Love bears all things, right?
But Jesus shows us that love also lets go. It is not possible to serve in unity if some of us persist in anger & bitterness or are fighting a foundational teaching or goal of the group.
I believe we will see the Church undergo more "splitting."
This has become a dirty word in the faith community.
If I'm hearing God clearly here, there comes a time to say goodbye to those we cannot fellowship deeply with....
cannot speak honestly & directly for fear of hurt or a negative reaction....
cannot openly share our pain & burdens for fear of rejection or judgment...
cannot move forward into obedience because we're looking back & reaching for someone who is pulling in a different direction.
In some cases. . .
it's truly not a matter of who is right and who is wrong.
Our enemy will gladly tear us apart and mortally wound the church if we let him.
The church is being sifted.
A wolf is at the door.
Don't open the door to your temptations of idol worship and fear.
Trust the Lord.
He is in our midst.
Scriptures that surfaced included:
Psalm 114 + 115 +112
Isaiah 2: 1-4 + Isaiah 1; 27-31
These passages hooked my attention:
'Even in darkness, light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is secure, he will have no fear. . ." Ps 112: 4-8a
"Tremble , O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water." Ps 114: 7-8
"Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. Why do the nations say, 'Where is their God?' Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. But their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. . .
O house of Israel, trust in the Lord-- he is their help and shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord -- he is their help and shield. You who fear him, trust in the Lord -- he is their help and shield...The Lord remembers us and will bless us...he will bless those who fear the Lord--small and great alike." Ps 115:1-13
In last night's prayer ingathering at EMI, we took time to listen to God and seek His voice. Then we prayed. [Twice monthly; it's open to anyone who wants to gather before the Lord...]
The first word that came to my mind was "wolf."
"What does that mean Lord. Is that from you? Tell me more."
The next thought that came was, "The wolf is at the door."
"OK....what are we suppose to do about the wolf at the door?"
The next thought was, "Don't open the door."
It made me laugh.
Such an obvious answer, but also with that bit of humor from a Daddy who knows his kids are just a little dense.
"What is the wolf?"
"...temptation....fear...."
That was just the beginning of a night of seeking understanding.
As we talked through scriptures we felt lead to read (below), here's what I believe the gist of it is. . .and I know it's a message for me.
Maybe it is for you, too.
The heart of the night's understanding for me is to let go of my idol of happily-ever after. My relationship with God is strongly based on the supposition that God will make everything turn out right and good.
I believe God is showing me this is an idol I have been worshiping.
I must let go of it and replace it with the truth. . .no matter what happens, God will be with me in the midst of it. I may not always see or experience my definition of "good" -- that does not mean my Father is not present and active.
I sense this is important because I'm vulnerable to a favorite wolf-inspired temptation... disappointment and discouragement. Ultimately these move me into fear. Fear immobilizes.
God needs his people to be free to mobilize into obedience.
God is showing me that I'm vulnerable to disappointment in this God I created, and ultimately what follows is disillusionment. I shudder at the thought of ever hearing Jesus saying to me what he said to the twelve: "Do you want to leave me too?" John 6:67
The thought of drinking Jesus blood and eating Jesus flesh was too much for many disciples to accept. They assumed he was talking about cannibalism. Many turned back and no longer followed him. Jesus was speaking of spiritual truth and life that they could not understand. Their lack of understanding anchored their lack of belief. They quit.
Why didn't Jesus try harder to convince those who did not believe?
He explained the truth and left them to their decision. If he had argued them into accepting what he said, wouldn't they still run up against their lack of faith at some point?
Why didn't he encourage them to stay with him even tho they did not believe in him at that point? They might have changed their minds.
...But wouldn't they also cause disunity? Perhaps resort to gossip and grumbling and ultimately poison the pool and cause "bitter roots" to grow throughout the team?
For me, this is Jesus modeling the importance of letting go.
As Christians we have a tendency to believe the "good" thing is to stay in community no matter what. Love bears all things, right?
But Jesus shows us that love also lets go. It is not possible to serve in unity if some of us persist in anger & bitterness or are fighting a foundational teaching or goal of the group.
I believe we will see the Church undergo more "splitting."
This has become a dirty word in the faith community.
If I'm hearing God clearly here, there comes a time to say goodbye to those we cannot fellowship deeply with....
cannot speak honestly & directly for fear of hurt or a negative reaction....
cannot openly share our pain & burdens for fear of rejection or judgment...
cannot move forward into obedience because we're looking back & reaching for someone who is pulling in a different direction.
In some cases. . .
it's truly not a matter of who is right and who is wrong.
Our enemy will gladly tear us apart and mortally wound the church if we let him.
The church is being sifted.
A wolf is at the door.
Don't open the door to your temptations of idol worship and fear.
Trust the Lord.
He is in our midst.
Scriptures that surfaced included:
Psalm 114 + 115 +112
Isaiah 2: 1-4 + Isaiah 1; 27-31
These passages hooked my attention:
'Even in darkness, light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is secure, he will have no fear. . ." Ps 112: 4-8a
"Tremble , O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water." Ps 114: 7-8
"Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. Why do the nations say, 'Where is their God?' Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. But their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. . .
O house of Israel, trust in the Lord-- he is their help and shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord -- he is their help and shield. You who fear him, trust in the Lord -- he is their help and shield...The Lord remembers us and will bless us...he will bless those who fear the Lord--small and great alike." Ps 115:1-13
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Radical Children
A few months ago,
I believe the Lord brought a brief, but very strong awareness to my mind.
It was unbidden and something of a surprise.
During our snowed in New Years Day, I was relaxing at home working on a jigsaw puzzle. Dave was watching one of those Asian movies about a little boy who was born to be the saving Kung-fu force of a nation in peril. [Not my kind of movie, actually.]
Strong thoughts came to my mind:
~ This generation of young people will be called to intense and even dangerous action for the sake of the Kingdom.
~ Our children will be fierce and faithful warriors.
I believe God will be giving gifts of prophecy and words of knowledge to young people.
Parents will be challenged to fully entrust their children into God's hands.
They must not hinder them.
I have heard prophecies that God is going to use unexpected sources, like children and prisoners, to have great impact for the sake of the Kingdom of God.
God will be working through non typical sources of wisdom.
I believe this is part of our journey into deepening faith, and being able to discern the voice of God. Many people will be led astray by "typical" sources of wisdom. People who claim to speak God's words, but are not.
If you find yourself uneasy in a "Christian milieu," seek God. His Spirit in you may be urging you into discernment. Discernment is not critical in nature; put on compassion and choose to walk in the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, kindness, self-control.
Again, I have no idea when this time for radical children of faith will be.
But it does tell me I need to pray for these young ones and their parents, and for the churches that are nurturing their relationship with God and preparing them for these future days.
Lord, prepare our hearts for such a day when children will be instrumental in the battle between good & evil.
"The Lord says, 'I will make an agreement with these people. I promise that my Spirit and my words that I give you will never leave you. They will be with your children and your grandchildren. They will be with you now and forever.'" Isaiah 59:21
The Lord says, "I will make you wise. I will show you where to go. I will guide you and watch over you." Psalm 32:8
Thursday, May 20, 2010
It's About Being the Body
This entry is for those who asked me for more details. . .
~how I'm hearing the Lord's leading,
~what kind of confirmation has there been,
~how I'm preparing for emergency food storage.
Please understand, I am not assuming everyone should be storing food.
This is not about survival;
this is about the Body of Christ being in a position to bless others.
What are you to do? Seek Him.
REFUGE
Almost 17 years ago, influencing our decisions to buy & then remodel our house were strong in-the-back-of-my-mind thoughts about. . .
~ the necessity of something other than just city water supply,
~ the benefit of the wood burning stove,
~ heating & cooling efficiency
~ extra rooms that could be made a private living space if needed, etc.
We even played with the idea of naming our new home REFUGE ON THE ROCK.
I know. . . it makes me smile. Watching how God works is fun!
Truth is, I forgot all about those thoughts . . .until the past year or so.
"COINCIDENCE CONFIRMATIONS"
As I mentioned to a very few people in recent months that I was beginning to store emergency food, I was surprised to hear I was not alone. In the span of a couple weeks, the Lord revealed others:
~ a couple from church had similar urges and actions, as did her mother who is leading preparation meetings in her home;
~ a Christian businessman recently felt led to create emergency living space in a warehouse and to drill for water--which happened to be uncharacteristically close to land surface;
~ a local pastor is instructed to store food in large quantity.
Some are saying that God has called the city of Cincinnati in particular to be a city of refuge. A high percentage of chaplains are being trained here. That's a hmmmmmm.
WHY?
I don't know what the scenario is for this situation that is coming. I've heard everything from mid-west earthquake, social upheaval, enemy attack, and economic collapse to the beginning of the End Times. God often doesn't give us the "why"...
HOW?
My actions have been based mostly on research. I would LOVE a very clear check list from heaven, but that has not happened.
HOW LONG?
What time span are we preparing for? I don't know. My sense is about 2-3 months.
For what it's worth, here's what I'm doing.
WHAT?
The number one priority is water.
You can live a month without food, but not water.
Pray and research your best options.
I bought a water purification bottle in the camping section at a local store.
I wandered down the aisle to see what makes sense to have on hand: fire starters/ flint, water proof matches, water purification tablets, etc.
Food gets expensive; storage containers are important to consider. It's doable to stock up on rice and canned goods, but the expiration dates are generally within a year. [White rice stores longer than brown rice.]
Quite a few companies are specializing in emergency foods which are designed to last a decade or more. Web sites abound for homesteading, survival, and emergency life styles. I just glean from them what seems to make sense, and subtract fear based decisions.
Research indicates freeze dried food is the most palatable and easy to prepare. You can buy prepackaged meals or individual cans of things you like and want, such as dried milk, eggs, fruit, etc. Depending on how much you want to store, food is available in bulk packaging of daily meals for however many people (and years) you want to prepare for. I believe it is wise to make preparation for additional non-family members. Be sure to include salt in your stash.
One company I'm using is called Ready Reserve Foods.
http://www.readyreservefoods.com/home/
Another is Food Insurance
http://www.foodinsurance.com/
MEDS
Consider prescriptions. I'm holding onto 3-4 tablets from each prescription and building up a couple months worth in reserve.
POWER OUTAGE?
Not sure if we're just dealing with need for food and water, or also lack of electricity. I've been preparing for both scenarios.
Heating water to cook is essential, so I bought a camp stove. They can only be used outside because of gas fumes.
For what it's worth, that's the gist of what I've been doing so far.
Growing veggies is a whole other adventure! Talk about lessons in patience!
I like this thought that surfaced at this week's staff meeting. I think it applies well to this scenario of preparation. I close with this thought today:
Some spend their lives seeking to avoid a nightmare;
God gives us life to live it abundantly.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Fear Not: The Lord Confides
I'm intrigued...
by how many people are telling me they also sense God urging them to prepare for something that's coming...some are planting veggies and storing food, too. Hmmmm.
To Fear & To Fear Not!
OK, so a piece of what's happening now is a fear battle.
As the world around us gets wackier and He leads us into these new thoughts and actions, I believe he's drawing us into a deeper level of knowing and fearing Him. . . and at the same time admonishing us to "fear not"!
FEAR NOT:
The Lord made it very clear to me that worry has no place in anticipating what is coming and what God is doing.
~ Hoarding thoughts tempt me. Then thoughts of rotting manna come to mind. I'm trying to lean into the truth that God will supply my daily needs.
~ Holding on to money seems wise. Yet He's putting situations before me that call for generosity. Hmmmmm.
We, his people, are assured that He is going about his business and we can trust Him. Fear will undermine.
FEAR OF THE LORD:
We may be entering into a season of spiritual "shock and awe".
God is revealing to us more of who he is. He's moving us into levels of respect and obedience that seem radical. Even crazy.
~ We will be in awe of him.
~ We will grow in our worship and dependence.
~ We will partner in His purpose as it unfolds.
We are to seek Him more.
I happened upon some scriptures recently that are worth checking out:
Ezekial 11:19-20: "I will give them a desire to respect me completely. I will put a new way to think inside them. I will take out the stubborn heart like stone from their bodies. Then I will give them an obedient heart of flesh." New Century Version
Psalm 25 (spotlight v. 14 -- "The Lord confides in/tells his secrets to those who fear/respect him; he makes his covenant/agreements known to them." NIV/New Century Version
Isaiah 42 (spotlight v. 8-9 -- "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." NIV
Psalm 91 (spotlight v. 2 -- "I will say of the Lord, 'He is my place of safety and protection. You are my God, and I trust you.'" New Century Version
The Lord, in his goodness and mercy, is confiding in his sons and daughters -- preparing us and giving us opportunities to bring His impact onto the scene.
We have growing opportunity to partner more closely in what He is doing.
We have nothing to fear. Hmmmmm.
Hope something there encourages you, too.
He is able~!
Pam
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