An Audience With The King

(photo from zazzle.com)

Imagine having a private audience with the God of the universe, the King of kings! Imagine sitting in full view of His splendor, knowing He hears every word you say and they matter to Him. Imagine Him putting everything else on hold and looking into your eyes, holding your hand and meeting your needs with everything at His disposal.

Whether you realize it or not, this happens every time His children pray.

Years ago, I sat praying, and my imagination showed me a giant wooden door opening slightly. A bright light burst through, and I gasped with awe, knowing that God was right on the other side of that door. Panic danced through my veins as I realized the door was opening for me. What would I say? Tears rolled down my cheek as I realized that this is what happens when I pray.

But, why would the almighty God of everything grant me an audience?

I have, at least a partial understanding of what I’m capable of, I’ve been around a few decades. But, in His great love for me, His grace and the awe inspiring idea that still, He allows me a private audience with Him – every time I pray, should overwhelm me, it should overwhelm all of us.

An all encompassing love is a love that encompasses all that I am, all that I was and all that I will ever be, even the broken parts and the ugly pieces.

There may be some who can’t get past my past. But, God has no problems with it at all, because He’s forgiven the sin and uses every struggle I’ve faced for my good and His glory. He purposefully called to me, drawing me to Himself and, at a time when I would hear Him, He revealed His love for me.

So many descriptive words can be used in conjunction with God’s love; unconditional love, never-ending love, whether-you-want-it-or-not love, whether-you-feel-you-deserve-it-or-not love, pure love, and so many more. But, I’m at a loss to find a perfect word that envelops God’s love, because He IS love.

His love forgives me, because it’s His loving kindness that draws me to repentance in the first place.

His love is wild; it cannot be tamed or controlled. Not deserving His love, or denying He is, cannot stop Him from loving us – or His desire for intimacy with us.

The next time you pray, know that you’re talking privately with Him, that He’s giving you His full attention; that you’re partaking of His splendor and majesty and know that He hears you.

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” – 1 John 5:14-15 (NKJV)

Attention Please!

(Picture from junocreative.com)

Where’s your attention lately? You’re finances, your backache, your heartache, your weight, and/or your children? There’s a spiritual connection – if you’ll make it.

If you’re anything like me, when a part of your body (or family) hurts or begins demanding your attention for one reason or another, you become more aware of it, learning more about it; how it works, its importance to your body and your overall health and happiness. This became huge in my life when I suffered from migraines, and it’s huge now that I’m dealing with weight issues.

So, let’s ponder this together.

Let’s say you’re trying get rid of a few fat cells, you’re overweight and frustrated. Could it be that God is using your situation to draw your attention to what you’re consuming and why you’re consuming it? Not just the junk food you reach for when you’re stressed or the foo-foo coffee drinks which are so easy to get addicted to, but spiritually? So much of what we eat these days isn’t even “real food” – the chemical additives have become more of the ingredients than what the food item was supposed to be in the first place. How much of what we take in spiritually is junk food, and not “real food”?

You’re concerned about your finances? Perhaps God’s drawing your attention to those of us who are going without, the lack in the body of Christ. Not just the lack of money, but so many other things that God provides freely for us. For example, grace – how many of us don’t avail ourselves of the grace that God lavishly pours out over us? But, instead, beat up ourselves us continually.

What if your mind is on sex a lot? God can use that to draw your attention to the lack of intimacy within the body of Christ. Intimacy is huge! Shannon Etheridge pointed out in one of her books, that intimacy means “into-me-see”. We have walls up to protect ourselves from each other. How many people can you see into? Do you let others see into you? See any problems here?

Headaches? Any one suffer from chronic headaches? It might be that God is trying to draw your attention to Jesus Himself, the head of the Church; which is the body of Christ, and all that He is; His fullness, His sacrifice, His blood, His death, burial and resurrection – all of it. So much to be learned and received there!

NOTE: I am NOT saying that God causes these things in our lives – but rather, uses them to get our attention and point us toward the things that have His attention.

What if your back hurts? Is God calling you to be the backbone of His body? Our backbone can make us stand tall, and move with authority. But, the backbone also holds everything else together; our nervous system runs through our back, impacting the rest of our body. Chiropractors can manipulate a back and affect other things in our bodies from pain, to allergies, to bed-wetting, to who knows what else. There’s a lot to ponder there!

Do your toes or feet hurt? Could God be trying to communicate with you about your walk with Him? We sometimes stray from the path we know He’s set before us. Perhaps we’re not on the “straight and narrow” like we thought we were, like we started out to be…

What about someone who’s underweight? God might be drawing your attention to those amongst the body of Christ who are under nourished, underfed - spiritually. Does He want you to teach; to feed His sheep? Jesus said we don’t live by bread [food] alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. He also said that His meat [food] was to do the will of His Father.

Biting our tongue, or a toothache or a canker sore on your lip can steal your attention. Hmmm, our mouths; that might be an obvious one. But, look at all the possibilities – I hope you pray and ask God what the spiritual connection is here; the spiritual point to ponder. Is He drawing your attention to profanity that slips from your lips; even cursing [using the phrase “God damn” someone or something]. Or is He trying to point out our negative self-talk, those negative words we speak to, and over ourselves? Or the negative way we speak to, and over those we love? Do you ever catch yourself calling people (or yourself) insulting names? Look into God’s Word and learn the importance of and power in your words!

What if nothing’s “wrong” – but, you’re pregnant or caught up with toddlers? God may be drawing you to see the children of God with new eyes. We’re all God’s children within the body of Christ; this is where His love thrives, in the hearts of His children.

What about repeated “bad hair days” or going bald? God might draw your attention to your covering. Is there something you do, by habit or on occasion that draws you out from under His protection; that takes you off in a selfish or ungodly direction? Or – is He calling you to be one of His protectors? An intercessor, to cover us in the body of Christ? Or to physically protect us?

Failing vision? Maybe God wants you to take another look at what you’re looking at; the things that take your eyes off Him, leading you in other directions. Or perhaps He’s nudging you to draw your attention to the unseen; to look beyond what our physical eyes can see!  J

Whatever it may be that demands your attention, look for its spiritual application. What might God want to draw your attention to through this? Whether it’s something I’ve mentioned or not, pray over it and ask God to show you Himself. I’ve made some suggestions, but God alone knows what He’s speaking to your heart.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding...” – Proverbs 3:5 (NKJV)

(Picture from sodahead.com)

We're Not Orphans

(photo from tabernaclefortoday.org)

To say there’s no God makes us orphans. The other day I tried to put myself into the mindset of someone who says there’s no God. I can’t even image there being nothing greater than my own existence; no purpose to our lives. It was a scary moment that literally took my breath away.  - Without God – there would be no love; to remove God from our world (if that were even possible) would be to remove all love.

God created everything with purpose, whether we understand the purposes behind everything or not. Personally, I think we could have survived and thrived as humans on this planet without mosquitoes, but, I’m not God.

On one hand, I thought – life would literally be a rat race; utter chaos, if there were no God to hold it together. But then, no, without God, there would be no life.

Life doesn’t just exist; it’s a complex, master symphony! Imagine an orchestra with no conductor and everyone playing their own song – no symphony would come out of that.

If we were a child, suddenly discovering ourselves to be totally alone, no other human to be found, how frightening would that be?! I guess depending on the age of the child, it’s not impossible that he should survive; but what an intensely horrifying revelation to find that you’re totally alone.

Without God, we are alone, with no one to emulate; no one to love us like only our Creator can.

In recent years I’ve begun to feel my connection, not only to God, but to the world He created for me; for us. Sure, I sound a little crazy when I say I wish I could hug the mountains, but I do! My spirit soars when I’m surrounded by vivid plant life. A thrill dances inside of me when a breeze merely brushes my face. But mostly, my heart gushes with something that feels stronger than any definition of love I’ve read when I look at people; all people. My heart breaks when those people are in any kind of pain. The fixer in me of course wants to come to their rescue. But, I’ve also come to realize that their situation is not mine to fix. Much like the butterfly literally needs to break free of their cocoon on their own to survive; we all have our own situations and hurts, fears and sorrows, pains and suffering, anguish and anger – to break free from. I’ll help when I can. But, I’ll love when I can’t.

I love

I love because

I love because God

…first loved me

God is.

And God is Love.

Rejoice.

“We love because He first loved us.” – 1 John 4:19 (NIV)

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” – 1 John 4:8 (NIV)

It's Mine

(photo of LaMarcus Aldridge found at blazers.topbuzz.com)

While singing a song about surrendering all to God and withholding nothing, a thought crossed my mind that made me uncomfortable. What am I withholding? What parts of me am I not yielding to Him?

The first thought that popped up to answer was: Am I holding back the way I feel about myself?

What won’t I release into His hands, and more importantly, why won’t I release it? It’s really not that I can’t let go, but for some reason I choose not to, as if what I cling to is safer with me than with Him Who knows all.

He wants all of me.

My hopes, my accomplishments, my past, my present and my future; any shame or worry, all my fears and my talents, my time, my disappointments, my thoughts; my children, my finances, my worries, my dreams, my insecurities, my boastings, my secrets, the unforgiveness I harbor, my joys, my struggles – He wants it all.

He nailed my shame to the cross on Calvary, along with my sins and my shortcomings.

He can teach me through both my accomplishments and failures and He can put them in a place where they can’t distract me anymore.

He can….

What can I possibly hang on to, thinking it’s better off in my hands than His?

Don’t I truly trust Him?

I can find plenty of scripture instructing me to surrender everything to God.

Yet, with trepidation, I admit to holding back, to looking past the things I hold on to, even while singing about surrendering all…

Sometimes we don’t see things in black and white, good or bad; we see gray areas, places we don’t want to look at closely and make a commitment.

This morning our pastor asked and answered, “How do you see (with your spiritual eyes)? You’ve got to have Light!”

So, it’s back to the Word I go. His Word is Light. I need revelation and I’m thinking I’ll need some courage to go with it.

It’s a new year, with new opportunities to take a fresh look at what challenges us and where we’re going.

What are some of the things you hold back? Why? Can we commit together to seek Him through His Word, and surrender all that we are to Him?

“And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” – Genesis 1:3 (NIV)

A Skeleton Key

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There’s always someone to blame; the lover that tore your heart from your soul, the fool who assaulted you, the teacher who said you’d never amount to anything, the kids who called you fat, the director who would never cast you in a leading role, the co-workers who mock your singing, the parent who was too overbearing or the one who didn’t care at all.

And of course, the there are always folks to point back to at pivotal points in our lives, the ones who made a positive difference; the teacher that pointed you out as a leader, the ones who saw potential in you, the parent who gave all they had to help you succeed, the friends who stuck with you through thick and thin, the lover that still loves you – faults and all, the friends who chime in with your singing - harmonizing to cover for you when you fall off key.

There are many people who have come and gone in our lives, they’ve all shaped us in one way or another. Some have shown us the evil side of everything living, others who have lifted us up when we were lying at rock bottom, those who walk beside us, and those who step on us when we’re down.

We love to revel in the joy our friends draw out of us, and we often blame our failures on those who came across our path with nothing good in their hearts.

We can harbor hatred and become more bitter with each passing day, focusing on everything negative. Or we can let go of our anger and let the enemy of our soul choke on it, focusing on all we have to be thankful for. We can approach every rock in our path as a stumbling block or a stepping stone. Certainly some are harder to get around than others, I’ve climbed a few boulders, myself. No one says this is easy.

But on behalf of those whose heart-breaking actions were unintentional and those blind to the pain they were causing at the time, I offer this olive branch, a skeleton key that opens very old doors:

“In the past I may not have loved you like I should have

I may not have loved you like you needed to be loved

I may not have poured into your life the things you wanted from me

            But, please, forgive me and let me love you now”

From those whose intent was plain evil, I have no words, but forgiveness is the same key to unlock your freedom from the hold they still have over you.

We can seek healing – or excuses, but not both. We can forgive and move forward, or point blame and wallow in our anguish. No one from our past can make that choice for us.

Enter the holidays (and the rest of your life) with joy and thanksgiving by letting go of a past that can’t be changed and embracing the future where we write the words on each page.

“…Go in peace. Your journey has the LORD’S approval.” –Judges 18:6 (NIV)

“No discipline [today’s example, the discipline of forgiveness] seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” – Hebrews 12:11 (NIV)

(Words in bracket are mine.)

“For, whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. For theeyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” – 1 Peter 3:10-12 (NIV)

“Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.” – Jude 1:2 (NIV)

The Hammer - My Christmas Story For You

The Hammer

by Helen Williams!

Since Mary and Joseph had been turned away from all the inns and told they could stay in a barn and that their child could sleep in the newly made manger when he was born, that’s where they found themselves the next morning. Their child had been born late in the night, a boy child. They named him Jesus. He lay quietly on a bed of hay in the manger. As Mary sat there watching him sleep, she couldn’t help but notice what a beautiful manger it was. Considering it was built to hold hay for the cows, she wondered why its maker took such care and put so much delicate work into it. Her husband, being a carpenter, might know. She called it to his attention and asked him why he thought the carpenter that built it would have made it so ornate.

‘Well, either he just takes a lot of pride in his work, no matter what he’s making, or he had nothing much else to do and decided to put all that detail there to keep himself busy. Or perhaps God told him that our child – His child, would lay there. Only the carpenter himself knows. And yes, he did a wonderful job on it. But we’ll probably never know who made it, dear.’

As he was answering Mary some straw from the hayloft sifted through the boards and they heard a rustling coming from above.

‘But then again,’ he whispered, ‘one never knows.’

He tiptoed around to the steps that led to the hayloft and as quietly as he could, climbed them. When he got to the top he boldly asked, ‘Who’s up here?’

He waited for an answer. At first there was silence. But when he saw the straw moving, he asked, ‘Shall I come see for myself?’

At that, the straw moved a lot and from it emerged an old man. He tried to stand, but lost his footing and sat down.

‘Hello, master. It is only I, the keeper of the animals. I mean you no harm. I sleep here alone. I’ll be on my way about with my chores now.’

He got up and hobbled to the top of the steps as Joseph descended. He came down slowly. By the time he reached the last step, Mary eagerly asked him if he knew who had made the beautiful manger.

He nodded his head. ‘It was I, ma’am.’

Mary noticed that even though he was on the ground now, he didn’t stand up straight. She complimented the craftsmanship he’d so skillfully used on the manger but had to ask, ‘Why did you make it so special? A manger is for animals to eat from. You made it look like a piece of furniture for a king’s house.’

‘Ah yes, ma’am. I did make furniture for the king’s palace, and he did like it to be perfect. I can still work as well as I used to, even though I’m all bent over now. So my work carries on. Though the only job I could get was here. You see ma’am, once you’ve worked for the king and been let go, no one wants you. I’m a reproach among men and they don’t even know why. The king didn’t like the way I look. When I was young and strong looking they liked to have me as the king’s carpenter. But as I’ve aged, time has not been so kind to me. The longer I live, the more bent over I stay. When the king dismissed me no one would even look at me. I felt as though he’d spit on me. All I managed to bring with me was that big ol’ hammer there.’

He pointed it out. ‘So now, you must know that God’s hand is upon me for me to make such a craft using such a big hammer. The other tools I use, I’ve made myself. They too are meager, but that big hammer was once in the king’s carpenter shop. I guess it’s rather special to me. I worked there a long time.’

As he rambled on, he came nearer to the baby and was straining his neck to see him. Joseph sat down behind Mary, putting his hand on her shoulder. They both smiled at the man. Mary asked, ‘Would you like to see our baby? Come closer. He seems to have awakened by your voice, but he’ll not cry.’

‘Why, his eyes are opened and he’s just a newborn. I’ve never seen the likes of him,’ he chuckled. ‘It looks as though he’s looking right up at me, almost as if he knows me. Cute little boy. What did you name him?’

Joseph spoke up, ‘His name is Jesus. Come closer. Would you like to hold him?’

‘Oh, you can’t trust my back. I don’t think I should.’ But there was a look of yearning in his eyes.

‘God’s hand is upon you, remember? You said so yourself. Pick him up and hold him close,’ Mary said.

The old man came closer and bent over to pick him up, praying he’d be able to hold the boy Jesus. As he stood up, he kept straightening himself to a standing position. At first he didn’t even realize he stood up straight, as he did in his youth. He smiled at the child and talked to him ever so quietly. He looked at Mary and said, ‘If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was trying to tell me that he knows me. Just the wishing of an old man…’ His voice trailed off.

(photo from harrolds.blogspot.com)

Suddenly realizing he was standing tall, he exclaimed, ‘Why, little Jesus, if you could see me now! I’m standing again! It’s a miracle!’

He held the baby close to himself and began to dance around the room. Joseph smiled at Mary and she said, ‘It’s not the first one to happen in this barn.’

After returning the baby to the manger, the man said, ‘I’m blessed by the hand of God, indeed. I can’t repay God for the miracle He’s done in my life, but I do want you to take my hammer with you when you go. I want you to teach this young child to be a good carpenter. As he grows, show him how to bring life to something as simple as a piece of wood. And tell him about me when he’s older. And tell him about the manger. And, I wish I could tell him myself. If you were going to be around for a while, I’d make him something to take with him, from me. But I’m sure you’ll be moving on shortly here. So take the hammer, please. The hammer reminded me of when I worked for the king. But my walk will remind everyone that I walk for the king, now.'

His eyes gleamed with joy and delight.

Joseph accepted the hammer from the old man and promised that it would be Jesus’ to use as he grew, knowing that he’d have to be quite a little man to swing that hammer. It was a big one, indeed.

When Jesus was big enough to swing the hammer, the first thing he made was a manger for his donkey to eat from. He took time and care and lovingly made it after the pattern his mother had described so many times. When he’d completed his work, he called his mother to see it. He led her by the hand into the workshop where he and his father worked so diligently. She was proud of his work and her eyes filled with tears.

Jesus said, ‘Mother, if my donkey can come into the house, we can keep it there! It does look beautiful enough for a king’s house, doesn’t it?’

(photo from thebiblicalworld.blogspot.com)

It sure does, my son. But the donkey stays outside. We’ll keep the manger forever. It will remind us how our heavenly Father wants us humbled before Him, so He can lift us up with His blessings. The manger you laid in was truly a blessing, to me, as well as to the old man. I wanted you to have the best, but God wanted you to be born in a barn. But in the midst of that barn, He let us know that He was there with us. Oh my Jesus, I love you.’ She hugged him tight.

As Jesus grew older, he grew in the wisdom of God and in love. He always showed his love, never esteeming himself more highly than others. He knew that it was better to give than to receive and he knew that he would give the ultimate display of love at the appointed time. He knew that when you lend, expect not to receive back what you’ve lent. And he always gave his best, which is why when a city boy came out to where Jesus lived, looking for the biggest and heaviest hammer he could find, Jesus gave him his.

The boy told him, ‘My father is the biggest man in the city and he has a big job to do. I told him that I would find just the right hammer for the job and I’ll keep looking until I do.’

Jesus stopped him and said, ‘Why did you promise to find this special hammer for your father?’

‘Wouldn’t you?’ the boy replied. ‘Besides,’ he added with a whisper, ‘if I do bring home the perfect hammer, he won’t send my mother and me away.’

Jesus told him, ‘Well, you’ll need a little help to carry my hammer. It’s very big; just right for that big job. I’ll help you carry it.’

They walked together for almost a mile. Pointing, the boy announced, ‘There’s my father. We live over there. He will be pleased. Would you like to meet him? Come on.’

The boy ran ahead of Jesus, calling to his father. Looking up, he saw them coming.

‘I’ve found the biggest and best hammer for you, Father!’

His father looked at Jesus and furrowed his brow. ‘Do I know you? You look so familiar. Your look says you know me.’

‘No,’ Jesus replied, ‘you don’t know me yet.’

He handed him the hammer and shook his other hand. After Jesus turned to walk away, the man looked at his hand, the one that held onto Jesus’, running his fingers over the palm as if he were feeling for something.

‘He was a big man, wasn’t he, Father? He sure had a big hammer, and he gave it to us, Father!’

Years later on a hill called Golgotha, Jesus saw that hammer again, and it was being used for a big job alright. After the soldier swung the last blow of the hammer, he looked at the man he was nailing to the cross. His eyes filled with horror as he recognized his face. He fell to his knees but quickly got back up before anyone would realize that his heart was being pierced. It seemed like forever as he looked into Jesus’ eyes, everything he’d ever done came up in his mind. He felt so helpless and he somehow knew why.

(photo from lynnmosher.blogspot.com)

Jesus said to him, so quietly that no one else heard, ‘Now, you know me. And yes, I’ve always known you, and I love you.’

It was no coincidence that his marriage was mended from the day he received that hammer.

It was no coincidence that his son was standing there beside him, also in a Roman soldier’s uniform.

He dropped the hammer and walked away from the cross, looking back only once. In his heart he grieved. But he knew that God knew of his grief when Jesus cried aloud from the cross in the air, ‘Father, forgive them. They know not what they do.’

He followed after the disciples – forgiven and alive for the first time in his life.

Have you yet to hold that hammer in your hand?

The house the King desires to live in is your heart. What have you let Him build there – with His hammer?

The Anointing in His Presence

(Now Faith available on Amazon.com)

Who’s rubbing off on you?

Our pastor tells about when he had a camel named Kramer. Anyone could tell when he’d been spending time with Kramer; he smelled like Kramer.

What scent do we carry with us throughout the day? Can people tell we’ve spent time with God? I think they can, if, indeed we truly have spent time with Him. I don’t just mean taking a few minutes to breeze through some passage in the Bible that we read as an obligation; but truly spending time in God’s presence.

Sometimes I’ll see a woman with a glow and marvel; she’s a Christian and it shows. On occasion, I’ve even approached her to ask. Of course, she beams with joy to discover Jesus shining through her to whoever may gaze her way. That ‘pregnant glow’ that we hear tell of, is alive in her, too. Though she may not be pregnant with a baby, God’s Word is growing in her, to birth all sorts of blessings He wants to pour out on those around her.  

I may have noticed that ‘glow’ in you, too, in person, or through something you’ve written or shared via Facebook.

Right now I’m reading a book entitled, “Now Faith” by Cheryl Stasinowsky. Each page reveals tremendous evidence that she’s spent time in the presence of God. Her words are anointed. But, just as everything has its season, her words may not jump into your heart immediately, as they’re doing to me. I think the readiness of our heart enters into the equation, as well. I’m reading it slowly, and purposefully, it’s overwhelming me. I feel like I’m entering a holy place, wherever I’m at when I read it. I was in a drive-thru line the other day and I pulled out the book, even there, I felt God; alive and in my car with me, tangible. I’m getting ready for a new level of fulfillment; of anointing!

Join me? Let me smell some God on ya! Let me see your glow!

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen…. 

(To read all of Hebrews chapter 11, click on the blue link above.)