Devotion

The Kingdom is much like a precious gem that is locked in a light-less vault. Its value is often passed by until it exposed to the full spectrum of light and then the desire for a connection begins. Very few risked touching Jesus in a devotional way ... I can only think of two (named) that are mentioned in the Gospels ... Mary Magdalene and John, the beloved Apostle. 

In the verse below there are two different attitudes in the stride or run to the tomb to the tomb caused by Mary's announcement of the "emptied" tomb (they have taken him!) One of guilt because of a hype-filled failed response to the Jesus connection and the other was a devotional broken curiosity movement. None the less, they both end up at the tomb. ... See the verse below: 

John 21: 20 - "Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following: also leaned on His breast at supper, and said Lord, which is he that betrayeth Thee? " 

NOW - Peter was able to walk briefly on the storm tossed waters, but it was John whom leaned back into the comfort of the breast of Jesus. Possibly by the movement of the Spirit (that stemmed from the words of promise to the tribes of Israel from Moses in Deuteronomy) ... But regardless, John acted devotionally appropriate to the call of the Spirit -- Devotion differentiates the substance and evidence of faith from the fading hopes and dreams of fantasy. Deut. 33:12 "And of Benjamin he said, the Beloved of the Lord shall dwell safely by Him, and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between His shoulders" (Sounds a little like the character and actions of John, the Beloved). 

Story Time: 

As the terrifying shrieks and snarling howls of the Hordes of Hell filled the terrestrial Sound Scape of the Lost; The Demonic legion of warriors left behind nothing but pillaged and burnt remains (of what was once life) as they raced across the fields of fallen dreams. The hopeless and deceived occupants of the land were no match against this Horde's weapons of soul destruction that were dripping with the blood of the fainted innocent, the pridefully resistant, the hyped sympathetic, and the worldly submissive ... All alike, those without Love's pure connection had no strength to stand against the onslaught . 

The goal of the horde: Smash through the Door, take the keys of the Kingdom by Force, destroy all Hope, and raise their Black Flag of Evil Victory over Eternity destroyed. 

The tumultuous event stopped short of the Door, as a strange almost paralytic fear swept over every warrior in the ranks of the Horde. Caught off guard, one of the rank had all but reached out and almost touched the handle of the Door ...when ... There was an overwhelming realization ... before them ... that there was no obvious resistance, no opposition army prepared for defense, no shout or call to arms ... But there was a still small voice that was cancelling out all the noise of this destructive host ... The Still Small voice said "Enter In!" 

One shaking gruesome warrior was pushed reluctantly to engage the handle of the door - And his touch, O That touch, rippled through the entire host with a terrifying vision flashback of something "vanishing point" ancient, pure and good ... But hauntingly... long lost in the memories of rejection ... 

The Touch sent a sensation that that they all so longed for, but now and forever sat in the prisons of denial. The result of the shock wave of the memory actually accidentally forced open the door. The vision inside overcame and totally obliterated the mindset and purpose of the enemy.

As it swung wide open ... There was an immediate blood curdling scream from the Horde that blasted like a subsonic wave and turned them to flight. As they fled in the total opposite direction of the Door, a self-slaughter began and continued furiously by the fear of being slaughtered, and the total destruction of the Army of Evil took only a moment. By the panicking swings and trashing of their own destructive weapons that had been purposed for others... Their destruction was complete, the battle was over. The Black flag fell onto the carnage pile of their own demise. 

What was the image behind the door? 

Picture a Father in a well lit, warm, stately, comfortably, welcoming chair ... Picture Him holding a small sleeping child in the protection of his arms, within the comfort of His breast. Let this picture of love fill your heart ... 

It is what we all desire ... 

To be held, 

to be covered, 

to be safe, 

"between the shoulders" of the Father ... 

Within the Heart of our God. 

Move forward by devotion, not by the hype of duty. 

Only those who know His Love, can truly share His love. 

Drop your heart to its knees, cast aside all pride 

... Let Jesus Love You! 

HLFA, 

Jeff

Protected Communication

"The unknown wood of the Ark was covered with a tar/pitch on the inside and the outside ... that no matter what would batter the vessel from the inside or the outside ... Atonement was protected - the occupants would be safe, and saved." (RS) 

“Praise waiteth for Thee O God” Psalm 65:1, God’s character is so different from ours. We really have no clue as to the manifold difference of His amazing character, but if our hearts are welcoming His care, we can get glimpses of glory for “faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen”. 

For a moment ... Think of the communication gap and bridge between an infant and a parent. Even though there is a momentous physical, mental and emotional difference between them; trust and reliance grows as it is learned moment by moment with every interaction on the part of both the parent and the child. {Trust Him as an infant trusts the parent. “Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child she in no wise enter therein.” Luke 18:17. Seek this relationship early on.} Because of needs being met, a most beautiful smile develops between of the forming character of the infant and the parent; this smile was directly related to the helpless response of the child to the reception of the parents tender care. 

But we still have such a long way to go and there will always be a gap in communication “Why is the baby crying?” - “He is a grown man, what was he thinking?” This earthly relationship is always under the scrutiny of our “quick to doubt” hearts; and stays within the never ending turn of our mortal learning curve. 

His ways are not our ways ...God does not have to stare at us, nor carefully scrutinize our condition, nor question why we did whatever we did, or plan what is His next steps would be with us: He hears our prayers ... He is constantly connected by the faithfulness of His Spirit to our deepest needs and desires. Unlike us, In Him there is no misunderstanding, no ulterior motives, no embarrassments because of our poor decisions, no disappointment by our self-inflicted scars ... only the purest preparation for the outpouring of His Grace into our groaning for His Eternal Love. 

Today, tomorrow or sometime in the near or distant future, we will all face a discrepancy or defect in our character that will produce a falling that will be of our choosing: we will need Him. We will need His grace, His forgiveness, and His love ... that will lead to our restoration and new re-purposing of our lives. 

He was a fisherman, then a follower, then a denier, a liar, and a curser. Oh, there was no way he could be brought back into the Love circle. No way, until he would hear “His voice” say - "Lovest thou Me?" And three times he would hear his own voice say “Thou knowest!” 

Our sinful choices will deny our eternal position in Him. Our momentary iniquity will cause us to lie about our “blood” connection to Him. And we may even find that we will try to fade and fold into the crowd of unbelievers via a curse or an oath. BUT because "He first loved us"... we will find Him waiting, we will know He is longing for us to turn His way ... and when even before it happens He will be running toward us with open arms, a robe, a ring and a welcome home reception. 

The pain and memories of failure 

will be ours for a time, 

but daily applying His words to our scars 

they will become His and not just mine 

... little by little ... 

Our past indiscretions will be forged into a weapons

that will be turn back the darkness of pride and bring a new dawning of freedom and light. 

“Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, 

Thou shalt purge them away.” Psalm 65:3 

(Purge - to cover over, propitiate, atone, reconcile, to cover over with pitch ... do you remember anything that was covered by pitch - within and without?) 

HLFA, 

Jeff

Cookies

A small ray of sunlight found its way through the crack in the grate at the top of a broken cistern that had been converted into a prison cell. Days before the prophet had been lowered into the dank, cold, and unwelcome surroundings that was to be his reward for speaking the Truth of the LORD. "Thus saith the Lord" hit hard hearts provoking them the wrong way, and this wet hole in the ground would be his opportunity for ministry, and he would minister. What?

Beloved as he was, he was also perceived to be an arrogant witness to the Resurrection of Jesus, and therefore, an insurrectionist of worst kind; no threat on his life would silence him. Even boiling oil did not kill him ... so off to an abandoned island for the rest of his life, but when the day of the LORD arrived he worshipped as at other times... but in a choir of one. What?

Though she had rescued so many from the cruel capture, torture and death of so many of her people, she watched her life slipping away in a concentration camp, powerless to stop the death of her family. As a strange turn of events set her free ... Did she walk into freedom... bitter and angry? No, her heart full of His love and forgiveness would continue to allow her to open her life, mouth, and pen to offer praises to the Grace of God. What?

Her life had a daily constraint because of the pain and scars of an accident. That accident that would have killed her if not for the voice of God saying "Move to the middle!" But even with this rescue, the impact left its scars ... Every step, years later, would scream "How could God do this to you if he loves you?" Her heart many times would agree until she would purposely stop to hear the promises of God. And though so many days it seemed healing was not coming any time soon ... She looked with her aching heart at those that she loved, longing for their comfort, and she said... "Can you get me some cookies out of the freezer?" And she would rise up, walk against the pain and faithfully care for and love those that God had put in her life. What?

"Be not deceived God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth that will he also reap". Phil. 6:7 ... "And let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not." Phil. 6:9 ... "Be ye kind one to another, tender hearted forgiving on another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Eph. 4:32

The story of our Christlike service to others has its real power when our weakness in suffering is overshadowed by His strength to love others through us. We may be hurting at this point in our lives, and it may not even be obvious too others, but healing begins when we lay our lives down for those whom Christ died for... all. 

Live openly for Jesus! 

Go bake those cookies!

HLFA,

Jeff