A View Through Another Window

A View through another Window (Careful in your reading - there is a purpose for repetition - Learning!)

"Call me not Naomi (meaning delights), call me Mara (meaning Bitter), for the LORD hath dealt very bitterly with me." Ruth 1:20 Naomi (at this point of her life) had no idea ... at first ... that God had a greater plan; a plan that was far beyond the imagination of creation. 

Here is a fact that we must consider: When our delight for life is stripped naked by the bitterness of loss, loneliness and incapacitating pain... unbelief easily wraps its arms around "the broken one" chaining hope in a prison of dark despair. But He, who is altogether lovely in His plans for His kids, is perfect in His deliverance ... if only the darkened eyes will turn to acknowledge His light... And that those, called on to encourage the abandoned, will hear the Voice of the Encourager and rise up to ... Touch!

Don't miss this ... God made it obvious, it is not just a nice story in the Word ... He attached her name to the Book - "RUTH" - for she would do what others could not do, and probably would not do. She saw the unseen rewards of a future with God's "Still small voice", more influential than the loud boisterous lies of temporal pain. And she began the life of the name she was given - "Friendship: 

- with the depth of continued companionship

- for the purpose of shepherding 

- to the end of Love's protective and nurturing deliverance. 

Every component of Ruth's life had made her perfect for God's repurposing of all of her broken pieces (that typically would be an immense handicap in the midst of this world's economy) and place her in God's mysterious eternal plan for His Glory and our good.

"Uniquely prepared by life's experience to be repurposed for the Will of God amidst the conflict of spiritual forces at work in the struggle for the souls of men". 

Have you trusted Christ as your Lord and Savior? 

Are you feeling the inequities and injustices in the Kingdom around you? 

Do you hurt with the hurts of others? 

You are strategic; He has and is repurposing you ... You are called to potential discomfort to bring comfort where HE CALLS YOU .... DAILY! 

The promise is this 

... If God calls us to come beside an embittered one, we will have to have a thick skinned prayer life ... We will have to fight back a river of curses, with many of them seeming to be aimed at us but hang in there - "Though weeping may endure for a night season... Joy comes in the morning." 

... We will be part of God's amazing plan to work all things together for the good of "those who are the called according to His purpose" 

... We will be those who will hear "Pray as touching" 

... We will be those who "Comfort with the comforts of God whereby we keep on being comforted." ... We will experience being "more than conquerors" through Jesus Christ. 

Psalm 54:7 - "For He hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen His desire upon mine enemy." 

For you, I'm quietly waiting,

For you, I'm weakened by the wonder,

Of you, I know the weight you're under

When He's calling your name.

For you, my heart is breaking ... 

For you ... Oh please listen to the Voice of God.

HLFA,

Jeff

Call me Mara

"And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me." Ruth 1:20 She had no idea that God had a greater plan, a plan that was far beyond the imagination of men. Fact though: when delight is stripped naked by bitterness, unbelief easily wraps its arms around the broken one bringing its chains of despair. But He, who is altogether lovely in His plans for His kids, is perfect in His deliverance ... if only the darkened eyes will turn to acknowledge His light. 

From out of the far end of the hallway of overwhelming depression, walked a lonely and broken but resolved encourager; and together... Bitterness and Friendship locked hearts for the hope of future delights. They would move forward into the light of Faith's amazing journey, while slowly sensing a resolve that the journey was not about them. The journey's blessing would extend beyond their earthly existence, and Ruth, an outcast, would become and known as one of the direct ancestors of the Messiah (but generations after her time). 

We never know this fully, BUT His plans for us are always beyond our wildest dreams. "Delight thyself also in the LORD, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart". Ruth's story is not an isolated event that has no significance to our lives today. She must have known in her heart that she had joined herself to a family that was destined by the delights of the God of Israel. She was chosen by a son of Israel for marriage, and his banner over her was love, but short lived. 

Although she was an outcast, a "less than desirable" with an estranged heritage... Illegitimacy was involved in her nationality; but she was brought into this blessed family and no doubt cherished that relationship even when that connection seemed severed by the loss of her Father n law and her husband in one fell swoop. There was potential comfort and purpose awaiting her if she returned to her people; but her desire was drawn by the wisp of eternity's sweet essence. 

The prospects of the present was to be the walk with her widowed Mother n law, who at best was embittered due to the events that had waylaid them both. 

The past was like a snuffed candle with a very limited time for its smoke to arise. The present was in the hands of a Kindred Redeemer who didn't even know they existed yet. And the future was where the future always is... behind the veil of promise but encircled both by the birds of song and birds of prey.

Isaiah 53:1-3 - The struggle ... A faith that founded on the appearance of success and prosperity for its proof will flounder miserably in the reality of a God who values the uprooted, the dry ground, the common, the outcast, and the insignificant... Prophetically like Jesus.

Psalm 45 - The vision of the Beauty of the King Beyond ... 

John 14:1-3 - Planning for us beyond the devastation, but the perfect rescue of the Cross ... 

We may momentarily want to be called Mara (bitterness), but He has sent another Comforter ... let Him walk us through the Vale... we will find ourselves in the Field of Blessing. 

HLFA, 

Jeff

Recover the Smile

"O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more." Psalm 39:13

While the King was measuring his life by the precepts of the scriptures, he glanced at those bowing before him in fain adoration. He noticed the dagger-like looks at him... coming from the dark corners of the room ....while they thought he was not looking; but he held his tongue. While he was musing, he began to hear, within his heart, one of the sweet songs of praise that he had written while under the stars of the Bethlehem sky not that long ago keeping watch over sheep.

As the song played in his heart, a fire was kindled and began to burn within him ... Then he spoke: "Lord, bend my focus to know that I have an end, that I am not eternally invincible, and help me to begin to value my days. In that valuation, let me know my frail nature against the backdrop of your awesome eternal power. I stretch out my hand and realize that my life in my hands is not much longer than that fragile span, and that my age is nothing when I measure that against You; for every man in his most excellent moment is nothing more than nothing." 

And the song played on as he bowed his spirit in a broken and all but crushed worship. Reality opened an assault on his lust of the flesh, his lust of the eyes and his pride of life. He saw that his walk, as well as all other men, was without eternal substance and significance; and his pious quiet moments, while shuffling proudly through his riches was a vain exercise because those riches would no doubt end up being gathered by strangers. The king also realized that every stroke that bruised his life, every backhanded blow of cruel correction, every rebuke for his stepping aside when no one was watching ... Was beginning to dry him up and all of his superficial glory was consuming away like the dry dead moth dust. And why... because he had learned the sweet taste of stolen bread and the numbing deathlike peace of the sleep under the strong drink of this worlds delusions. 

"Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not Thy peace at my tears; for I am a stranger ... with Thee, and a sojourner ... As all my fathers were."

The King's brokenness was real as he called out to God -"O spare that gaze that can cast me away, look and consider me; that I may recover the strength of my smile which is Thy smile, before I try to move one step more ... For without your help to recover the joy of Thy salvation, I will be no more." 

We dress in solidarity and we act in uniformity. We are proud of our conformity, though lost in purposeful ambiguity and pompous regality. "The wretched cause" has controlled us in our choice of identity to the point ... that we think that our stubborn appearance tells all on-lookers that "we are strong and we are right"; but in reality, even the simple see that we look exactly like the spoiled, selfish children that we are. Like the long line the misguided actors that are added to failing history, we take our stand like so many other white washed mausoleums that have stood against the storms of time; but inside our hearts are sullen, rotting and fading as we draw further away from His eternal provision of real and lasting Grace Life. The Smile of God is Gone! 

"O Spare us, that we may recover Your Smile."

HLFA, 

Jeff

Only a Song

Hey Tenderhearted Believer ... 

Here is something for a breath - a little visit into His-tory – Pray before you read and listen with your heart --- this will take about 10 -15 minutes of your time but give you a special blessing when it is all said and done. 

Jeremiah 2:34 -"Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these." 

(With all the current ongoing conflict over the precious lives of the unseen ones in the womb, it is worth the visit to a time when the world was not too much different 23-24 years ago - we are living in the increasing birth pains of the Second Coming of Christ): In 1995 a Senior at Chambersburg Area Senior High school (Joshua Redding) … wanted to impact his school for Jesus. He had started the first “Bible Club”, and was enjoying the liberty of the Mission field that he found both in a store front mission, "pizza" ministry(that God had placed on his and his Dad's heart), and the Halls of his High School (after leaving a Christian School situation). 

In this challenging senior year … He entered the yearly school talent show, but not without a fight. The Song he had chosen had a very brave and stark message that he wanted to deliver to his classmates and potentially the world (a world around him that seemed to be hardening its heart to the cries of the innocent). Due to this message, it was blocked in its original form because of the obvious “Prolife” message, but with the help of his “Pastor” Dad, we worked a compassionate compromise that widened the scope – “Child Abandonment and Abuse”. With the rework of a few key words no one blocked his performance – BUT the now broadened Message pierced far more hearts than can could have been expected. 

During the passionate brokenness of the performance ...Teachers, administration, and the student body was actually moved in the moment. And a key, unseen event, had now made an indelible mark on the ears of the listeners. One miracle in question was how a single song would actually lead to the salvation of a star CASHS athlete named Jason? 

Jason was in the audience as Joshua performed and was deeply moved by the song and the overtly encouraging response given by the whole auditorium. He, like most of the student body and teachers, groaned with disappointment when Joshua did not take first place. Jason left the auditorium with the words almost haunting him ... "Let me live, I know I can, let me live, let me live ... one more day!" 

Weeks later, alone in a family cabin... totally depressed and out of control because of his secret addiction ...with no one to witness but the family cabin, Jason raised a gun to his temple … unexpectedly, the song that he had heard just weeks ago ...at that very moment ... began to play softly but surely to his soul. The words brought clarity and determination to his disillusioned heart – “Let me live, I know I can - let me live - I know I want to; let me live, I know I can- let me live- I know I want to ... I want to live, live, one more day; I want to live... one more day !”… the gun lowered. 

Just a song, sung passionately by a red headed classmate in an all but rigged talent show … stopped a horrendously catastrophic tragedy that would have ended the life and the future of a soul for whom Christ died for, and potentially eternally. BUT THE SONG BECAME HIS CRY . As he laid the gun down and walked toward the cabin door, hope filled his heart "that something was going to change" - he would be rescued; and He immediately called his parents, and soon after, willingly, entered a rehab. 

God's plans are always so amazing! Later in the year, … and definitely not knowing all of the story yet; the Franklin County Coroner, called and asked me if I would visit a potentially demonically influenced Teen that just got out of rehab (by request of his parents). Note: This was actually not an unusual request from Ken because he would ask for my help more than once, to team up in situations like this. What was unusual was that this was my first day back to work, after my Colon-Cancer-Surgery-Time in the hospital (still recouping). The Coroner actually offered to pick me up after work (I still wasn't fully healed enough yet to drive myself) so that we could go visit this young man. (It actually kind of freaked out the company where I worked when I told them to pray for me... "the Coroner is picking me up after work" (then I told them why). 

Jason was ready and waiting for us to arrive ... 

After a few moments of sharing the Gospel with him, Jason bowed his head and asked Jesus into his heart. Immediately after his prayer he looked directly at me and asked 

"Your last name is ... Redding?" 

I answered "Yes?" " 

He continued "Are you related to a red haired guy named Joshua Redding?" 

Again I answered "Yes?" 

He immediately began to weep and tell of the event in his family cabin, the gun he had pointed at his head, and Joshua's talent show song coming to his rescue... 

– The God connection was overwhelmingly evident... between Joshua and the song, and that I was Joshua’s Dad, and I had arrived here in Jason's home leading him to the One who brought the song to his rescue. We bowed our heads again in joyful thanksgiving. 

All the time the Coroner (who was always a little fearful because of some of his past incidents with pretty scary stuff) was quietly watching on, and was still worried of Demonic influences, even after hearing this miraculous display of the extravagant plans of God's Grace; He held up a small metal cross in front of Jason's face and challenged him to read the inscription on the cross, and to read it out loud. 

Jason reached out and took the cross and read the inscription, "Jesus Christ is LORD!" ... Jason smiled like a little child on Christmas day, and said "So cool, can I get one of these?" The Coroner wrapped his arm around Jason's shoulder, totally relieved, and said "Sure, you can have that one, my new found brother". We prayed and all went on our ways rejoicing. 

That was 1995... Today, Mawcore, with our music ministry of hope driven rock music, ... is thinking of resurrecting this song written in 1995; and in up-n-coming days... we are hoping to be gather a team to pray, and a team to re-sculpt and to appropriately re-orchestrate this song that cries for The Innocents. ... Our hope is to make a mark, by awaking hearts to care in the rescue of these little ones, who are being murdered without a voice to be heard. There is a broader announcement coming for Mawcore... In a little over a day ... please stay tuned on Facebook and Twitter for the announcement --- join us... be a part of the Wellspring. 

If you would like to be part of the potential team of prayer warriors as we move forward please respond to this message...and to the announcement coming. If you do, you will be hearing back from us ... Even if you don't respond, please PRAY with and for us. 

It has been said lately: The two most dangerous places to be - in the uniform of a Police Officer and in the womb of an expectant mother. The police need our support and have a voice, but innocent ones are dying daily ... and their voice needs to be heard. "Let me live, let me live, let me live ... one more day!" 

"For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life. But I trusted in Thee, O LORD, I said, Thou art my God. My times are in Thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me." Psalm 31:13,14,15 Or as Phil Keaggy put it in his song The Survivor - "You are my God...deliver me from the solution that they have planned" 

HLFA, 

Jeff 

PS - Please feel free to forward the link to this devotion to any tenderhearted brothers and sisters that you think may be encouraged. http://seetheseams.blogspot.com 

Unless

"I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." Psalm 27:13-14. 

Have you ever felt almost gone, strength drained, enthusiasm fading away ... Gave everything you had, and everything that was given, was taken with little gratitude returned? "I had fainted, unless" ... Unless.

Have you ever felt mowed over by the overwhelming onslaught of negative propaganda? So much bad news and personal disappointments... Feeling that your world is getting darker and darker? ... And "that Hope" that has been promised, is waiting way too long and is way too far off to count on? ... "I had fainted unless" ... Unless.

UNLESS ... There is a "perfect causing" from Above, that supports and strengthens our God gifted eternal resolve - belief, we vacillate between faith and doubt. That "belief" (needed and longed for) is constantly being given so we can "See" ... "Perceive" ... "Understand". That vision from above allows us to focus on "the goods", the good property, the "Goodness of the LORD", in a land of perpetual "green", ever replenishing life ... Today and forever. 

The enemy longs to squelch and blur our vision of the "wide open life" of God's goodness. He wants us to live in the squalor of disappointment and discouragement, while we are taught a false piety that just humbly waits for the future - sweet by and by. The enemy constricts and constrains our vision of the green pastures, the flowing fresh water, the constant springtime revival, the lively sustenance and constant maintenance of this abundant life. 

Satan will focus his servants of wickedness to expend their demented efforts on devaluing the unsung gifts, pointing at the open scars, reminding of the constant pain; causing the focus to shift from the goodness of God to our internally supported disqualification. If we could only realize that there is also a living strategy for our short comings and handicaps ... In the hand of God they are the lethal weapons that allow us the ability to charge right into the frontline of the Enemy.

"I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." Psalm 27:13-14. 

Here is how deceitful the enemy is -- He would have us believe that we are not worthy or that others are more worthy to see the goodness of God. 

Here is the strong admonition from the heart of God -- "Wait on the LORD" - ("Wait, Look for, hope for, and eagerly hold the highest expectation of the LORD") - and HE will (desires to) undergird, support, and strengthen your heart"; And if that command wasn't enough the Psalmist repeats it "Wait, I say, on the LORD.:" 

Unless - He had unleashed my faith to see -

 the Green pastures would become a wasteland. 

Unless - He had unbridled my lips to drink - 

the flowing fresh water would settle and stagnate. 

Unless - He had revived my senses to feel - 

His Springtime renewal would be a polar freeze. 

Unless He had sustained and maintained my life - 

of all men I would still be most miserable. 

I had fainted in these days -- if not for His Goodness. 

Believe and Live!! 

HLFA, 

Jeff 

Church of the Most High God - be unchained by the Word of LORD!

"Although"

"Although" ... What an interesting word. In spite of all of the amazing points of God's provision, there remains one thing that is irreplaceable and overwhelmingly desirable...One thing that we need... WE NEED HIM!

Have you ever stood in the middle of the flow of a massive crowd that was moving in the opposite direction that you were? Have you ever been caught in the fierce force of the ocean's undertow? Have you ever found yourself in a vehicle that had hit a patch of black ice and you were caught helplessly in the spin off into the unknown? Have you ever felt the waves of vertigo that would not allow you to lift your head? 

Have you ever faced the words "you best get your life in order!" ? Have you ever held the stillness of a small lifeless child and virtually drowned in the tears that fell from your eyes? Oh, if only You had been here! 

We have immense promises and possibilities that flow from the heart of God to us as His beloved children. His very character displayed in creation and described in scripture shout the untiring greatness of His power, the inexhaustible nature of His provision, the selfless focus of His loving-kindness and His ever renewing faithfulness. Why the delay ... wasn't Lazarus and His sisters(Mary and Martha) loved by Jesus? 

It was even clearly stated in John 11:5 "Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus." Well yes we could learn of the powerful provisions of God here -- 

- Time does not limit the works of God, 

- sickness doesn't terrify our Savior, 

- and death has absolutely no finality with our God. 

- Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. 

These are all great truths from a distance and especially when we are not in the passenger seat of catastrophe. 

Although, I truly think a greater truth was revealed in this passage, and it was found in Martha's words when Jesus arrived on the scene (potentially late by earthly standards). John 11:21 - "Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." and in her sister Mary's words soon after in verse 32 ... (almost like she had been coached by Martha) "LORD, If Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." 

We have no idea of the truths that are at our disposal in times of great duress and distress. We often sit under the false counsel of disappointment because of the pressure of time, sickness and death; But God does not penalize us for our fragile spiritual reflexes. He knows that we too will murmur under the sound of our breath - "Lord, if only you had been here!" 

Years ago I taught an extremely small but elite Sunday School class. It consisted of 2 students - My youngest Son, Jeremy, and the older adult handicapped son of one of our couples that attended church. This handicapped young man was at possibly half the mental capacity of Jeremy though Jeremy had just hit 13. I was reading from one of the Gospel stories that told of the paraplegic that was healed... as both Jeremy and this young man listened on intently. 

I felt overwhelmed by the mental and physical handicaps of this young man; and internally was hearing my own internal voice saying "Lord, if only you were here!" So I took a risk and asked the question - "What would you say to Jesus if He ... physically ... was right here?" 

Jeremy was potentially in the same frame of mind as I was -- so I directed the Question to this young man. I repeated the Question because I wasn't sure if he really heard me. All of a sudden the young man began to rock back and forth with excitement and shouted out while pretending to hug someone that he felt was there - "I would say - Jesus, O Jesus, I love you and I would give You a big hug!" 

Both Jeremy and I were challenged by his response. He didn't even consider his own healing, like the story ... He just wanted to hold and to love Jesus. We were wondering if we might be the ones that were handicapped. 

All the provisions for protection, peace and prosperity can be found in Him ... but the true test of what we really need is found when all those provisions are challenged... then we truly find the best thing ... we only need Him. 

Psalm 18:2 - "He is my Rock (my cliff), my fortress (siege works, prey net), my deliverer (my escape), my God (my mighty one), my strength (cliff rock wall), in whom I will trust (seek refuge), my buckler (covering shield), the Horn of my Salvation (flask of my victory, ray of light of my deliverance) and my high tower ( inaccessible height)"

 .... "ALTHOUGH" even with all of these verbalized provisions... by verse 6 distress had arrived: "I will call upon the LORD, and I cried unto my God: and He heard my voice out of His temple, and my cry came before Him, even into His ears." 

Although - You just have to read what happens next -- Look out enemies Here He Comes! 

HLFA, 

Jeff

The Piercing Shield

If only I could adequately describe the vision of "the refuge" where "the Ache" can lead us. What form or image of defense has the King provided for those that Love His Name? The Spirit teaching us Scripture has an amazing way of devotionally pulling our hearts into that wonder if we let Him.

Here is some strong devotional advice from a seasoned Saint, known as the Scarlet Sinner: "I heard the Voice of Love singing ever so sweetly ... 'Want not My Word to find evidence that thou art right; desire not to read My Love-letter to correct thy fellow Saint or to the waylaying of the froward, hold this Song fast in your heart as the wreathed, thorned crown of our suffering Savior, who loved our souls unto death and back' ."

Meditate momentarily on the Crown - the encircled wreath of thorns ... that momentarily protecting as well as piercing the brow of the Savior. O the irony of the pain on both sides of the thorns; the former of the crown could not fashion it without a piercing, the brow could not receive without a piercing; and the image of the crown so distanced and shielded our Savior that it would be just Him and the Father to deal with the only sacrifice that could perpetually offer salvation to those who would believe. 

"He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life; but he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life... but wrath of God abideth on him." John 3:36

"Destroy Thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels: cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against Thee."

"But let all those that put their trust in Thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because Thou defendest them: let them also that love Thy name be joyful in Thee."

"For Thou, LORD. Wilt bless the righteous; with favor wilt Thou compass him as with a shield." Psalm 5 :10, 11, 12.

("Thou compass him as with a shield.")The Shield - the favor, the surrounding, the wreath, the piecing, the barb, the hook, a large shield and buckler, the cold of snow, the thorn, the crown ... The blessing!! All these are wrapped in the image of His shield provided by His favor for the kids of the King. 

The Shield is what allows us to fearlessly serve others in this life and serve with the full protection of eternity. However, on this side of the eternity, the shield is not seen; but the power of this Shield of Favor will be and needs to be... realized, and gratefully accepted. 

The shield provides His distance in the connection between the temporal and the eternal. This is why (experienced by His Kids) ...out of nowhere comes a sense of safety, an eternal call, a humble comment, a shared brokenness, a vital conversation, a radical conversion, a spiritual blessing; 

... and alternatively ... at the same time the shield can create a sense of unrest, a fearful glance, an angry outburst, a contemptuous reply, and a hurtful turn. There is pain and promise on both sides of the Shield.

Remember:  This is a devotional thought and can feel a little mystical; but isn't it amazing how God's people struggle to connect with Him ... Many times it is because the imagination has been numbed by lifestyles and choice of mental stimulation. Somehow imaging the greatness and glory of our God beaming out of eternity in our favor is treated as taboo. 

Children and young believers are constantly chided for thinking that God somehow personally intervenes in the affairs of humanity. What does it mean to you -- "Emanuel, God With Us" "Touched by the feelings of our infirmities." "He first loved us." ... How we see God loving us the link to our effectiveness in encouraging others of His love. 

When our total being is vested fully in His love for us, it will effectively spill over into the lives of others. Imagine being loved by the God of all creation, let it thrill your heart and then share it with all that you come in contact with. The shield will protect you!

Like the Psalmist, cry out in desire for the favor of the Piercing Shield... He is with you children.

HLFA,

Jeff

Dog Lick Deliverance

Drenched in his own sweat, his own tears, his own blood, and the blood of his enemies dripping from his weapons... there in the midst of the battlefield he stood. Some would say he was the champion, but his heart was telling him something very different. As his eyes panned the scarred earth and torn bodies around him, he realized he was the only one standing. There were no cheers, no songs, no witnesses, no admirers: no mercy. What had he done? What had he won?

He fell to his knees in the midst of the carnage and wept. He realized that his heart was satiated with the contempt of his enemies, the proud. With the fire of hate still raging against his senses, he felt as if there was absolutely no room for anything of true worth in his life. His heart was so heavy and so full of darkness that there couldn't be any space for the smallest light to flicker. There on his knees he gave into his total exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep. O Proskuneo where are you? Just then a large wounded mastiff crept up to the warrior, licked his hand, and lay down beside him.

"Unto Thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that He have mercy upon us. Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for are exceedingly filled with contempt. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud." Psalm 123

Wiping the sweat from his brow, and sighing, then loudly exclaiming, "Man, glad that was only a dream!" NOW ... Hauntingly, he realized that the dream had revealed the deep truth of contempt's captivation of his heart: though he hated the attitudes shown to him in the past, the treatment of "the scorner" and the mockery of "the proud" ... Over the days and years of quietly bearing the embarrassment, he had allowed disdain to fill his heart, and he had become what he hated. He was so exceedingly full of contempt that there was no room for the things that could bring healing to him and others: he could not find room for forgiveness, mercy, grace, faith and love in his life.

Although he thought he was a skilled spiritual counselor with plenty of lifetimes of wisdom's experience, he had become a source of negative attitude, controlling decisions, discouraging conjecture, hasty opinions, and woeful cursing of the life of others. The scariest thing was he began to cast away people who truly loved him ...with this overwhelming contempt. Either, or ; black and white; no gray in his perspective, and a hard hearted, stubborn answer had become the reflex of his lips. He knew the answer and didn't have to think about (or did he?); but what he had no power to offer, had become his greatest need ... MERCY.

O Proskuneo where are you? He slid out of his bed, fell to the ground and lifted his eyes ... looking and longing with his soul for the comfort of the Masters hand. O he would kiss that hand if he could find it offered. Tears seemed unquenchable in this moment, but it was here ... in his new found worship, in the midst of his tears... that he found Mercy offered. Worship prevailed! 

Until we face the exceeding contempt that we could be harboring beyond fullness, we stand stubbornly in a battlefield with only one unsung, one self proclaimed ... hero. And the song that we sing in that painfully awkward solitude carries the saddest of all melodies right to the heart of God ... Sing away, hear Him say - "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28 

HLFA, 

Jeff

His Love, Our Identity

It was a long way from the angel's song, the shepherd's awe, the wise men's visit, the Star's shine, and the manger's humility -- but The Unfolding moments were the culmination of the events that overshadowed the Birth. The Passover was near: preparations were in place, Glory was to come, the traitor had been treated as the guest of honor and had left into the night ... The inner circle was on the edge of the cliff, while the world was being prepared for the reception of the idea of "Crucify Him!"

"Therefore, when he (Judas) was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in Himself, and shall straightway glorify him. Little children, yet in a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." John 13:31-35

Under these circumstances the "Little children" of the Kingdom were being prepared for their change, their royal robes, their new identity, and their place in the world: Jesus' Love extended to one another.

Christ Follower: Our ethnicity, our nationality is His Love... though We will live as strangers and pilgrims.

Lovers of Jesus: Our supernatural color is Love... O Rest in the difference of the Color of His Love.

Kids of the King: His banner over us is Love... Humbly but securely let Him fly it over us.

His Love should be what overwhelmingly adorns and defines us. 

The problem is that we think that we thrive within our critical view of other's failures and suffering. Our exploitation of God-events in our lives should be for the sole purpose of drawing us closer to him, not as an advertised example of "this is what you get when you are right with God"(How does that work for a faithful servant who is suffering with a terminal disease?). 

It may be a security issue: Are we secure enough in what His Love is doing for us, that we are not threatened by God blessing someone else. Are we sure enough of His leading, that the mandate to love others is not measured by what always appears to be bad timing and fumbled words: His Love will always reveal itself as -- "We will be the eternal interruption".

Psalm 133 --- His Love is the bond of Unity! 

Merry 10th Day of Christmas! 

HLFA, 

Jeff

The Shadow Ache

He appeared to be no more than a Shadow. For so many years he had maintained vigil at this spot, at this particular time of year, while the ebb and flow of life passed him by. Rarely considered of enough worth to gain a stray care filled glance or a momentary attentive ear; he still positioned himself to smile and welcome all. He seemed relentless in holding to The Hope, the Hope that the long awaited promise might be made known in these days of fading light. Year after year, he would lift his voice to all within hearing range, and passionately remind patient listening hearts, "He is coming, do not fear, lift up your hearts for His Rescue, for He is near!"

Romans 8:22 - "For we know that the whole creation groaned and travails the in pain until now." 

The Ache ... "O there has to be a way out!" "Rescue me, deliver me, help me, save me, hide me... O Lord!" So many stories throughout the centuries that have extended from and led right back to the Cross. All of our stories will and must lead us at some point to the Cross of Jesus, for without that confrontation there is no forgiveness of sins, there is no everlasting life: there is no Hope for Heaven. Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man comes unto the Father but by Me." 

Without the healing power of the Spirit of God through the Word of God in our lives "The Ache" will sooner or later lead to our bitter destruction. The sad thing is that it usually manifests itself in an increasing numbness and widening distance from the Voice of God. He doesn't stop calling, even unto our last breath...because "He is not willing that any should perish" ... But as we turn a deaf ear to His loving pleas out heart begins to harden; and the longer we habitually turn our eyelids upward, the easier it is to let His voice fade into the sea of devalued opinions and strayed God-void notions.

"The Ache" is the driver, the harsh connection within the futility of our own efforts against an unseen enemy that stacks the odds against us. "The Ache", is also the driver that can be empowered by God to keep our hearts, not only connected to Him (because we need Jesus, we need Him every breath of our life), but broken for others.Jesus is very intimately aware of "the Ache" - "Jesus wept." John 11:35 

As our High Priest, He has purposely positioned His emotional response within the groanings of our infirmities, in the intimate knowledge of our inexpressible feelings. Romans 8:26 - "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Fear not "the Ache" - don't hold back the tears - reach out for cleansing so that you can arise with the song of the Spirit. 

"O Sing unto the LORD a new song, sing unto the LORD, all the earth." Psalm 96:1 

Our fragile broken song is so needed in these days of truth jilted by arrogant doubt, and light hampered by selfishly dark improv. Let us rise up and welcome the Coming King in the Spirit that He has imparted to His rescued aching kids.

Merry Christmas and God Bless everyone!

HLFA,

Jeff