Half an Hour

Phil: 4:6 -"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

"Revelation 8:1 - "And when he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in Heaven about the space of half an hour."

One Scripturally noted "half an hour" - and a silent "half an hour" at that; and it happened like a snapshot portrait of and "in Heaven". Lets look at the portrait:
There is a scroll like book that has the focus at first by the Heavenly photographer and it's seventh seal has just been broken ...The seal's opening brings a half an hour of silent preparation for the next Apocalyptic sequence of events. Seven angels that are standing before God are given seven trumpets. And another angel comes and stands before the alter with a Golden Censor for Frankincense; and he is given much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden alter that is before the Throne of God. The smoke of the incense mingles with the prayers of the saints and ascends upward before God out of the angel's hand. The angel then fills the censor with the fire from off of the alter and hurls it to the earth...at that point there are voices, thundering and lightning and an earthquake on earth.The finish of the portrait refocuses on the Seven angels that are preparing to sound their trumpets.  (Read - Revelation 8:1-6)

I had to stop and realize that all the prayers of all the saved culminate in this moment in a royal fragrant ascent before the face of God. A silent half of an hour -- where all Heaven's focus is the frankincense mingled prayers of God's kids. God pauses the cataclysmic events of judgment to let all of Heaven's witnesses and all of Earth's readers of Revelation know that HE RELISHES THE PRAYERS OF HIS PEOPLE.

How do we value our time of prayer with our God? Is it a duty? Is it a repetitive labor? Is it a time of regretful wording of phrases? Do we hesitate because we feel unworthy to request anything from God? Have we agreed with the discouraging whispers of Hell saying ... "who are we to presume upon the goodness of God"? Do we even pray at all?

When the disciples heard Jesus pray -- They desired that He teach them...They must have sensed there was a power filled connection there ... He gave them an outline (that some call the Lord's Prayer or "The Our Father"), and then encouraged them over and over again throughout His time walking with them... to pray. He knew that life would fill in the burdensome details, and that they could learn to cherish the time as much as He and the Father have cherished their time together throughout all eternity.

Think about it: A "half an hour" out of the "thousand years as a day and a day as a thousand years" --- Eternity stopped for a measure of time that we understand, so that we would know that God values our prayers ... they are the cherished royal scent of Love's connection between Earth and Heaven.

Please come boldly to the Throne of Grace in these days of growing need -- and you will find GRACE to help in yours and others time of needed supply.

PRAY!!! And let God love you.

HLFA,

Jeff

PS - 1/2 hour as 20.83333 years or 20.83333 years as a 1/2 hour.



Fallen Entertainment

"Emanuel - God in the Midst of us". My thought in writing this weeks devotional challenge is not to offend the reader and definitely not to embarrass those who may have been involved in the narrative portion of the diatribe. (Take a deep breath and follow along if you will, bear with me because this may be stark and even offensive).

The early morning lower decibel endearment was broken by the sound of a harsh piercing voice of a female who had definitely had too much to drink, way too early in the morning. She was having real trouble maintaining her posture and not slurring her words. She wasn't trying to hide it, in fact she loudly announced to all near the exact potion of choice and her triple abuse of it. She let every one know that she was physically hot, but "not that way" with a laugh. She could barely hold her eye focus in any one direction.

Fortunately to her surprise and pleasure, she was standing right in line where she needed to be to catch her flight... (of course she needed help by kind bystanders to get her phone ticket in place for boarding). "Do I look ok? Man am I hot! Am I slurring my words...laugh?" Was repeated over and over as we boarded the plane.

Those near her in line did all they could do to avoid eye contact; and once on the boarding ramp, they did their best to leave her behind and scatter into the belly of the plane.I was one of those ... but ... her place in line was right behind me and she must of made a strong mental note of that. I was able to duck into the plane under the stowaway bins of the plane into a window seat, and immediately stare out the window like I had always been there. Hopefully, safe from embarrassing interaction.

Then I heard that same irritating voice ... "There you are!" and to my initial dismay she chose the seat right next to me. And it wasn't long that she cajoled another "male" passenger to take the aisle seat next to her. His first question to her was "You been drinking?" And so with awkward laughter she proceeded to brag on the volume of her "fire balls" and how hot she was and how numb her lips were. It turned out that he was a fan of her choice of drink.

For some reason I became deeply burdened but knew that serious communication was out of the question... she was ready to flirt with any male that would show her attention. Her laughter was only a guise for the real pain that had created her choice for over-medication. The banter was so broken and disconnected that it was hilarious to passengers and crew all around her - she became the flight entertainment.

Before long though, her plan and her pain was being revealed. Three failed marriages, and an "ass-hole(quoted by her 3 times in a row)" 21 year old son, and she was on her way to a lewd weekend getaway with a "friend"{that she met through work communication where they both overly revealed each other through e-mail, texting and nude pictures}. "But I am not a bad person, I am an honest CPA, and my mother used to make me go to church and I used to play the autoharp." WOW what sad fragmented thinking. Although she was laughing this all off, the undertone was breaking me somewhere inside of the Father's shared heart.

As one more drink on the plane led to her momentary sleep; I was given a glance of an unveiled past, and I saw a tiny little blond haired, blue eyed girl ... with a stare and a smile that would fill a room with innocence, but the image was immediately shattered by the nightmarish reality of her adult choices without Godly guidance. She slept; I stared out the window and let the tears of God's Spirit work on my soul. She was so in need of a rescue ... "Jesus, you intervened and changed the life of a woman who had gone through 5 husbands and the one she was living with was not her husband ...please rescue this fallen princess, I know you care."

Just that morning I had read through every 20th chapter of the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs (My day of the month plan); and Proverbs 20:1 came to mind, "Wine is a mocker and strong drink is raging, whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." Then my heart saw a fallen princess - "It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor princes strong drink. " Prov. 30:4. "Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto that is of a heavy, harlot's heart." Prov. 30:6 . My eyes clouded as I prayed for this dying, heavy hearted fallen princess. "O is there not a Father to care? Oh yes there is, and I will continue to intercede for this one fallen princess for she told me that her name was Laura."

In the last days there will arise many deceivers, false prophets, and parroting followers of those that go about leading by the dilution of the Words of Scripture with educated opinions and claims of offering a cafeteria style approach to solving Theological divisions. These dark clouds without healing rain purport to offer unity, but then choose what and who to berate and belittle. Rather than seeking unity among believers based on firmer foundations of scripture, and a "both, and" approach to interpretation of the words, this empty dreamers reflexively name and mark those (in mocking disrespectful fashion) who may not see it their way .

We need to rise up Oh people of God with greater personal devotion to the reading and study of God's Word, to times of more compassionate outward living, and seasons of more passionate prayer. Having hearts full of his Word and lives full of His Holy Spirit let us intercede in the presense of our High Priest, Jesus, for the souls of humanity.

In light of His Coming -
Live fervently,
Love undivided,
and stand amazed at His daily rescue!

HLFA,

Jeff

The Vanishing Dream

"Now, it should have been a lot more fun than this. Everyday as I left my office I passed into the alley of broken dreams and wasted years. Everyday I reasoned within myself: I have everything, every opportunity, every break and I took hold of my own destiny ... only to find time wrapping its tentacles of spent years around my vision and tightly restraining my slowing steps. As I gained recognition and prestige, I had to face the unavoidable --- was losing liberty and sacrificing rest; and with no such occupants visiting my house, my life was waning for lack of lasting purpose. I had gained the whole world, but I fear I may have lost my own soul." The Vanishing Dream of the Scarlet Sinner.

"Blessed is he that is reading to understand, and they that are hearing the words of this prophesy, and are carefully attending to the details written therein; for the measure of time is closely enfolding"... Revelation 1:3 --- This is truly the challenge found with the reading of every word of scripture, but this verse spells out that the devotional and passionate reading of the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ will bring a blessing.

Where is the reading and study of the Bible in your life?

Where are you in this moment of "Thy Kingdom come"? Where is your Heart in the midst of His desire "Thy will be done"? ... "On Earth as it is in Heaven" .. Are you open to a daily overwhelming sense of His presence in your life, that carries with it the burden for the souls of others? Do you have a tough time with passing the moments of potential eternal opportunity by spending them in the muttering of superficial non-consequential sentences shared with others?

Real life in Christ is the game changer, will you live it?

A heart addicted to The Truth and engrained by the passion of God (to reach lost men, women, and children with the Good news of His Son Jesus Christ), will always find itself in "the middle". There will seem to be a inequity in the lifestyles of those who are oblivious to the nearing end of time (whether by death or by the "catching away"). Why does the Christ Follower have to always sense the perilous position of one not connected to Christ?

Why do those in love with Jesus fear for the lives of the disconnected, but at the same time fear being targeted for demotions or overlooked for the promotions of the world?

NOTE to the listening heart: BECAUSE The Truth is so obviously simple and devastatingly compelling, it is often shoved out of the way in order to not risk it growing in control over our lives, or hidden away to not risk offending someone that could be our opportunity to the acquisition of temporal "success". The "Now " needs of this life weigh heavily on every life - "What will we eat, what will we drink, and what will we put on?" Eternity presses us also but with a different force of reckoning - "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." A life without a connection to Real Life has no lasting purpose here and forever; and sooner or later will implode with the realization of the vanity of vanities, all is vanity. Truly without Christ "all is vanity" now, and without Him is Hell forever.

2 Peter 3:9 - "God is not slack concerning His promises, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." His promises are sure -- whether promises of eternal joy, or promises of eternal sorrow...what appears to be a delay in either is called long-suffering.

What He says - He will do!

Trust His word, don't resist His word.

Don't Live the Vanishing Dream!

HLFA,

Jeff