John 16:19 ". . . Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said . . .?" was immediately highlighted to me this morning. And the light bulb came on. When this happens, it makes me laugh, or chuckle. Usually because it is such a simple thing. It was right in front of my face all along.
How often have I had a thought or wondered what was meant by a certain scripture, or message; and my first response was to go to another believer? And I would say to them, "Read that scripture and tell me what you think that means."
It's actually rather funny that I've done that. The Apostles did it too. They did it early in their relationship with Jesus. Later on, they stopped doing that. Why? Because they learned that the answer wasn't in 'figuring it out in their own minds' or 'asking their friends'.
They learned to go directly to the Source and ask. Jesus had told them, "ask and it shall be given unto you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened." (Matt 7:7)
The best understanding (revelation) is one that is given directly to me from Him. I remember it.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
it hurts
as I was talking to Him this morning, I felt He told me to be silent. I did. I sat in silence and I waited. After a few minutes I noticed a pain. I've had it now for a couple weeks, but it wasn't strong enough to really be concerned. Just enough to wonder where it was coming from and why it was there. Now it was there again.
I heard Him say, "what are you going to do about this pain you've been ignoring, but there's a tiny worry deep inside?"
I knew immediately. This was my chance. I'm going to trust Him. I'm going to go into His presence and grasp hold of healing. I know it's there. And I know He wants me to have it. I could go to the Doctor and find out what it is, and get all the details. But, I don't care what it is, or what the details are. I don't trust Doctor's anyway. They almost killed me too many times. They make mistakes. And they 'guess'. My God has never tried to kill me. He has always been there. And He has always been right. He never guesses. He knows.
So, I put my hand on the area. Then I closed my eyes and went to Him. I found the place of sweet Love and I sunk deep into it. Then I quoted some of the scriptures about healing, "by the stripes that Jesus suffered on my behalf, He made healing available to me, and I take it now".
Soon I began to feel a very warm, toasty heat radiating in the place where my hand was resting. It felt so good. Really, so, so good; so, so warm; so, so wonderful. I thought about how we often pray for things like this and spend a minute, two, or five; then we are done. We quit. We leave. I didn't want to leave. I wanted to stay. It felt like it was healing, and it felt so good. I wanted to stay. So I did. I was there for many minutes. I don't know how long. And I didn't care. I had even turned off the ring tone on my phone and shut the door of my room. OH! Oh, yea, I was interrupted for a minute; but I still didn't quit; I stayed and waited; and then continued.
Eventually, it seemed to slowly dissipate. It seemed to be over. I said, "Lord, I know that you are healing me. I believe. You said that all I needed was Faith the size of a mustard seed. I KNOW I have that much. I have more than that. This healing is mine and I'm keeping it."
I went on with my day. I don't have a preconception about the healing. Like, I don't know if the pain will come back and I will do it again. If so, I will. I don't think of it like being defeated, or losing my healing. I feel like . . . it just takes what it takes. I will do what I need to do. And I will believe. Because Jesus said it.
I heard Him say, "what are you going to do about this pain you've been ignoring, but there's a tiny worry deep inside?"
I knew immediately. This was my chance. I'm going to trust Him. I'm going to go into His presence and grasp hold of healing. I know it's there. And I know He wants me to have it. I could go to the Doctor and find out what it is, and get all the details. But, I don't care what it is, or what the details are. I don't trust Doctor's anyway. They almost killed me too many times. They make mistakes. And they 'guess'. My God has never tried to kill me. He has always been there. And He has always been right. He never guesses. He knows.
So, I put my hand on the area. Then I closed my eyes and went to Him. I found the place of sweet Love and I sunk deep into it. Then I quoted some of the scriptures about healing, "by the stripes that Jesus suffered on my behalf, He made healing available to me, and I take it now".
Soon I began to feel a very warm, toasty heat radiating in the place where my hand was resting. It felt so good. Really, so, so good; so, so warm; so, so wonderful. I thought about how we often pray for things like this and spend a minute, two, or five; then we are done. We quit. We leave. I didn't want to leave. I wanted to stay. It felt like it was healing, and it felt so good. I wanted to stay. So I did. I was there for many minutes. I don't know how long. And I didn't care. I had even turned off the ring tone on my phone and shut the door of my room. OH! Oh, yea, I was interrupted for a minute; but I still didn't quit; I stayed and waited; and then continued.
Eventually, it seemed to slowly dissipate. It seemed to be over. I said, "Lord, I know that you are healing me. I believe. You said that all I needed was Faith the size of a mustard seed. I KNOW I have that much. I have more than that. This healing is mine and I'm keeping it."
I went on with my day. I don't have a preconception about the healing. Like, I don't know if the pain will come back and I will do it again. If so, I will. I don't think of it like being defeated, or losing my healing. I feel like . . . it just takes what it takes. I will do what I need to do. And I will believe. Because Jesus said it.
Monday, December 20, 2010
grouchy
After riping the head off the guy at Comcast, for a problem created by his company, not himself, personally; I apologized to him for my bad behavior and went to my room overcome with remorse and being appalled at the horrific and ugly thing I saw in myself, I began to sob. And feeling so ashamed, I asked God to forgive me.
His response was immediate. "You know, that kind of behavior comes from not trusting Me."
My heart agreed, suddenly seeing that my reaction was out-of-control because I saw the situation as being out-of-my-control. I hadn't paused in that moment to consider God, my Friend, my Father, my Source, my Savior. I had immediately jumped into the situation without a pause.
I remembered Moses. He lost his chance at seeing the Promised Land because he reacted to an out-of-control situation. He didn't pause and consider God - His Lord.
Thankfully I have Jesus, and therefore I know that I won't loose anything because of my reaction. I repented and He is just to forgive me of all unrighteousness. This was a perfect example of un-right-ness. But, I was still appalled that such behaviour showed up suddenly in me. I had been complacently confident that I was in control of my emotions and never "lost it" anymore. Well, I had been proven wrong. "Who can control the tongue?" is a scripture that comes to mind.
Regardless of years spent on my knees, hours spent in His Word, an eternity spent in His Presence; I do not have the power to control even my own tongue. In my remorse and repentence, I asked Him to take that hidden, "out-of-control" thing within me and make it like Him. This one thing I can do. I can ASK. And He has the power to accomplish this.
I thanked Him again for this wonderful freedom He has given me that I don't have to spend the whole day in self-condemnation anymore because my "self-appointed" halo slipped and choked me.
Joy has returned. Thank you, Jesus.
His response was immediate. "You know, that kind of behavior comes from not trusting Me."
My heart agreed, suddenly seeing that my reaction was out-of-control because I saw the situation as being out-of-my-control. I hadn't paused in that moment to consider God, my Friend, my Father, my Source, my Savior. I had immediately jumped into the situation without a pause.
I remembered Moses. He lost his chance at seeing the Promised Land because he reacted to an out-of-control situation. He didn't pause and consider God - His Lord.
Thankfully I have Jesus, and therefore I know that I won't loose anything because of my reaction. I repented and He is just to forgive me of all unrighteousness. This was a perfect example of un-right-ness. But, I was still appalled that such behaviour showed up suddenly in me. I had been complacently confident that I was in control of my emotions and never "lost it" anymore. Well, I had been proven wrong. "Who can control the tongue?" is a scripture that comes to mind.
Regardless of years spent on my knees, hours spent in His Word, an eternity spent in His Presence; I do not have the power to control even my own tongue. In my remorse and repentence, I asked Him to take that hidden, "out-of-control" thing within me and make it like Him. This one thing I can do. I can ASK. And He has the power to accomplish this.
I thanked Him again for this wonderful freedom He has given me that I don't have to spend the whole day in self-condemnation anymore because my "self-appointed" halo slipped and choked me.
Joy has returned. Thank you, Jesus.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
promises revealed
so this morning as we talked, He reminded me of a dream I had last night. It was a wonderful dream; a vacation type thing, in Mexico. In it Dennis & I were talking about buying a place down there for a regular place to spend time. Prices were really cheap and the people treated us . . . like Royalty. Yes, it was a wonderful dream. And Dennis was so happy and relaxed . . . AND he wasn't smoking.
I sighed . . . a deep, satisfying sigh. And as I settled back into His presence, I realized that it isn't just Resting in Him that is like Vacation; but HE is like Vacation.
He pointed me to Luke 8:15
15But as for that [seed] in the good soil, these are [the people] who, hearing the Word, hold it fast in a just ([a]noble, virtuous) and worthy heart, and steadily bring forth fruit with patience.
Yesterday He had pointed to the previous verse and said it was me . . . the one about the Word being choked out by the cares of the world. And I had immediately seen that it was true; then I repented and asked to be the person in the 15th verse. Now today He was telling me that, this is what happens in a person's life who takes Him/the Word into their heart and nurtures, loves, appreciates and cherishes every moment/word. That Word produces. He stressed that to me. That Word produces. Not just spiritually, but in every aspect of life. He made it clear that the dream I had wasn't only a dream; but a beautiful gift He wants to manifest in my life as a gift to me, as a result of the Word. Not that I neccessarily focus on that gift, because it is the focus on Him that produces. However, like Psalm 37:4 - this is delighting in the Lord . . . and it produces. It produces lots of wonderful things. Things from the Lord. Things like Joy, Peace, Health . . . and the desires of your heart.
He wanted me to know that this dream wasn't an empty mind game. It was a treasure deep inside my heart. It was a desire. Maybe I wasn't actually trying to achieve it. Maybe I have thought of it as just outside my reach. But He wanted me to know that as a result of my Resting, Peaceful comfort in Him; in my boundless Joy in Him; it was producing.
And I shouldn't be surprised when I begin seeing the results.
I sighed . . . a deep, satisfying sigh. And as I settled back into His presence, I realized that it isn't just Resting in Him that is like Vacation; but HE is like Vacation.
He pointed me to Luke 8:15
15But as for that [seed] in the good soil, these are [the people] who, hearing the Word, hold it fast in a just ([a]noble, virtuous) and worthy heart, and steadily bring forth fruit with patience.
Yesterday He had pointed to the previous verse and said it was me . . . the one about the Word being choked out by the cares of the world. And I had immediately seen that it was true; then I repented and asked to be the person in the 15th verse. Now today He was telling me that, this is what happens in a person's life who takes Him/the Word into their heart and nurtures, loves, appreciates and cherishes every moment/word. That Word produces. He stressed that to me. That Word produces. Not just spiritually, but in every aspect of life. He made it clear that the dream I had wasn't only a dream; but a beautiful gift He wants to manifest in my life as a gift to me, as a result of the Word. Not that I neccessarily focus on that gift, because it is the focus on Him that produces. However, like Psalm 37:4 - this is delighting in the Lord . . . and it produces. It produces lots of wonderful things. Things from the Lord. Things like Joy, Peace, Health . . . and the desires of your heart.
He wanted me to know that this dream wasn't an empty mind game. It was a treasure deep inside my heart. It was a desire. Maybe I wasn't actually trying to achieve it. Maybe I have thought of it as just outside my reach. But He wanted me to know that as a result of my Resting, Peaceful comfort in Him; in my boundless Joy in Him; it was producing.
And I shouldn't be surprised when I begin seeing the results.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
How to celebrate
Yesterday, I asked Him how to celebrate Him. I really want to. But I want to do something that would really mean something to Him. After all, I can't run out and buy Him a gift like I would do for a friend. What can we give God? Worship. That came to me first. It is the one thing He desires most from us. So, I turned to Psalms again and immediately found chapters 145, 146 & 147. I read them aloud to Him with all my heart. It was definately beautiful worship.
And as my heart soared with the beauty, the holiness, and the love . . . and suddenly He gave me a gift. A promise. He dropped it into my soul.
I hesitate to share it with you. Why? It's a little like something so special; so very, very special; like I'm still staring at it in awe. Maybe soon.
It's so beautifully ironic that in my search to find a way to celebrate Him . . . and in the middle of that celebration . . . He gives ME something.
And as my heart soared with the beauty, the holiness, and the love . . . and suddenly He gave me a gift. A promise. He dropped it into my soul.
I hesitate to share it with you. Why? It's a little like something so special; so very, very special; like I'm still staring at it in awe. Maybe soon.
It's so beautifully ironic that in my search to find a way to celebrate Him . . . and in the middle of that celebration . . . He gives ME something.
Friday, December 3, 2010
a sabbath; a vacation?
We went on vacation for 2 weeks.
Before we left, a topic had been wallowing around in my head; the topic of Sabbath. There are more than one, you know. But those Sabbath's were Law. My question was how they fit today - since Jesus. He didn't take away . . . He perfected; He fulfilled. So, how does that fit with the subject of the Sabbath?
I didn't get my answer immediately. It came slowly . . . as vacation unfolded.
Vacation is like Sabbath. However, vacation is man made; and it's about us; what we want; where we want to go; and what we want to do.
Sabbath is about Him; and about Love. Each Sabbath was about Rest for us and about Celebration of Him in some way. They are a Gift from Him. He gave them to us for a purpose.
In a way, they are His expression of vacation.
Here's how: He WANTS us to rest from work; He wants to give us a time of Joy and Celebration; He wants us to understand at the deepest level how His Love works; how all encompassing it is - how high, how deep, how wide. It's bigger than our minds can fathom. Only our Spirit, languishing in His Rest, can really experience a TASTE of that Love. But when we do . . . oh, my. Our taste is only the edge of something so all encompassing that we cannot express it.
Sabbath is beyond vacation. It is beyond. Loving Him so much we honor Him if we observe His Sabbaths. Loving us so much, He makes it the perfection of Rest, Joy, Celebration. . . of Him. He IS Sabbath. Does this mean that it is done and over? No, on the contrary. It means that as we fill up in Him, we DESIRE to celebrate Him; and He completes that desire with His perfection.
We spend time trying to plan the perfect vacation. God has already mapped it out with such precision and Love that it is an Ocean compared to our raindrop.
Find out yourself how you can celebrate Him in a way He created for you to do so.
Before we left, a topic had been wallowing around in my head; the topic of Sabbath. There are more than one, you know. But those Sabbath's were Law. My question was how they fit today - since Jesus. He didn't take away . . . He perfected; He fulfilled. So, how does that fit with the subject of the Sabbath?
I didn't get my answer immediately. It came slowly . . . as vacation unfolded.
Vacation is like Sabbath. However, vacation is man made; and it's about us; what we want; where we want to go; and what we want to do.
Sabbath is about Him; and about Love. Each Sabbath was about Rest for us and about Celebration of Him in some way. They are a Gift from Him. He gave them to us for a purpose.
In a way, they are His expression of vacation.
Here's how: He WANTS us to rest from work; He wants to give us a time of Joy and Celebration; He wants us to understand at the deepest level how His Love works; how all encompassing it is - how high, how deep, how wide. It's bigger than our minds can fathom. Only our Spirit, languishing in His Rest, can really experience a TASTE of that Love. But when we do . . . oh, my. Our taste is only the edge of something so all encompassing that we cannot express it.
Sabbath is beyond vacation. It is beyond. Loving Him so much we honor Him if we observe His Sabbaths. Loving us so much, He makes it the perfection of Rest, Joy, Celebration. . . of Him. He IS Sabbath. Does this mean that it is done and over? No, on the contrary. It means that as we fill up in Him, we DESIRE to celebrate Him; and He completes that desire with His perfection.
We spend time trying to plan the perfect vacation. God has already mapped it out with such precision and Love that it is an Ocean compared to our raindrop.
Find out yourself how you can celebrate Him in a way He created for you to do so.
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