Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cloudy and chilly this morning but it will be warmer today and the sun will be shining off and on from sun up to sundown. The warmer weather is the perfect prescription for a soul longing for Spring. Just when I think I’m finished with winter and I can’t take it anymore, God switches things up as if He’s giving me a glimmer of hope for brighter days ahead. The beauty of the morning sunrise definitely enhances my time with the Living God, but I don’t need a sign of any kind to know that He’s there. He’ll always show Himself to me if I just seek Him out each day. Isn’t that the way it is with you too?

God is the Master of it all and He has the Power to do anything He wants to do to show Himself to the world. He doesn’t need to prove anything to His Creation or to you and me, but sometimes He shakes things up a little as if He’s high in the Heavens sending a reminder to the world that He is the Creator, the Keeper, and the Protector of it all. Beyond His Power, His Might, and all of the outward things He uses to get the attention of His people, it’s the “still small voice” of God that I long for in my life.

At the time when Elijah was commanded to go to the mountaintop to get his instructions from God he was exhausted, he was depressed, he was discouraged and he was scared. Even though God had shown Himself to Elijah time and time again in ways that I can’t begin to imagine, Elijah had lost his hope and his will to go on. As He stood on the mountaintop waiting for God to pass by, winds strong enough to break up the rocks on the mountain came – but God wasn’t in the wind. Next came an earthquake that shook the earth and rattled the mountains – but God wasn’t in the earthquake. Next came a raging fire – but God wasn’t in the fire. It wasn’t until a sweet gentle breeze passed by Elijah that He knew he was finally in the presence of the Living God. It was in the quiet of the moment that Elijah heard the voice of His God and it was in His presence that Elijah found his hope…and in the darkest moment of my Life, that’s where I find mine too.

I like to think Elijah didn’t need to see the big signs and wonders to know that God would meet with him and that He knew the voice of his God so well that he recognized it when he heard it. Through all of the drama and all of the outward signs and all of the things that could have distracted Elijah if He was looking for God to prove Himself to him, he waited on the “still small voice” of his very big God.

I look at the beauty of each new day and I give thanks for the storms, the blizzards, the wind, and the sun. All of these things are living proof of a Living God and they sure look good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia – but what I long for isn’t the outward beauty of each new day. What I long for is the still small voice of my God that can be found in a gentle breeze and I listen for it each day from this old farm in Virginia. I don’t need signs and wonders any more than Elijah did – I’m already overwhelmed by His Majesty and Power. Instead, I look and listen for that “still small voice” that comes from a God that loves me enough to meet with me and speak to me as His child if I just stand on top of that mountain…if I ignore all of the other big distractions around me…if I don’t look for outwards “signs” of Him and if I just wait to hear that “still small voice” of my God.

I’m listening for the Voice of my true Love today and nothing around me will distract me from Him. He’s my God and I’m His child. When you look at it that way, who could ever want for more?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cold and sunny this morning but it’s supposed to be a beautiful warm day later. In anticipation of feeling the warmth and soaking in the sun, I bundled up and enjoyed a few minutes outside on the front porch with my God. My need to feel the sunshine and my hunger for Time with the Living God outside doesn’t need to make sense to anybody else. Some people try (and fail) to dissect or psycho-analyze my need to be outdoors to receive my greatest Blessings from God. My need for the sunshine and the Son of Man doesn’t need to be “biblically correct” although some people try to intellectualize my Journey. It’s pretty simple when you think about it. God went from my head to my Heart a long time ago and it’s my Relationship with Him that matters more than any head Knowledge. My Quality Time with Him is more precious than anything I could gain with a Ph.D. in theology. The Author and Perfecter of my Faith dwells within me and I’m so in love with Him it’s hard to even think straight sometimes. Isn’t that the way it is supposed to be in the Journey of Faith?

If we aren’t careful, the mind of man can thwart the Heart faster than you can say “amen”. These days many people are focused on raising up intellectual Christians by offering mini Bible courses on Sunday mornings but they stay away from the painful, “unpopular” topics that invite conviction. So, the head is being filled with Biblical Knowledge, and often the Heart is left lukewarm. Wisdom and Knowledge are critical components to our Journey of Faith and it’s not possible to have too much. But a Faith based on Knowledge alone is lame. It’s when we surrender the Heart to be refined, molded, taught, convicted, and everything in between, Faith makes its way from the head to the Heart; and when it does, knowledge and wisdom are the natural Next Step. Our Faith is only a Working Faith when it goes from the head to the Heart…and, due to the nature of man, the Heart has a never-ending need to be cleansed and refined. Relying on Head Knowledge isn’t enough for the Journey of Faith. After all, the Pharisees had a whole lot of head knowledge with no Heart Knowledge and it didn’t end well for them any more than it will for you or me.

Passion is what propels us in every area of life. When we’re passionate about our vocation, it doesn’t seem like work at all and we’re propelled toward success! When we are passionate about our children, teaching them how to be loving, kind, respectful, compassionate people (aka Christ-like) is far more important to us that the ABCs or scholarships. When we’re passionate about Christ…so in love with Him that He consumes our thoughts and inspires us to want to be pleasing in His Eyes, everything else just falls into place. We’re convicted of our sins. We repent. We weep in shame at the thought that we could sin against our God! We look for Answers and we seek Guidance in the Word of God. We dwell in His Presence for as long as it takes to “get it right” and to get right with Him. We seek Knowledge and Wisdom and we couldn’t NOT share the Gospel of Jesus Christ if we tried. Even without a PhD in theology, the Holy Spirit can (and will) teach us things supernaturally and He’ll speak to the Heart of every willing Vessel. The Word is our Truth. The Spirit is our Teacher. The Son of man is our Hope.

I’m a complex Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ but my “needs” in the Journey of Faith are pretty basic. I need to see the beauty of God in every day beginning at sunrise. I need to breathe in the fresh air as I thank God for my health. I need to sit quietly in His Presence and I’m willing to wait for as long as it takes until He speaks to my Heart. And, after that, I’ll settle in to get more head Knowledge that will immediately go to my Heart.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Living God with no expectations at all and He surprised me with the Lessons He had for me today. It’s when I set aside my own agenda and surrender to His instead, that the most amazing Words flow from the Throne of a Mighty God straight into my soul. What a sweet reminder to me this morning that I’m not supposed to just walk in the Light, I’m supposed to “walk in the light as He is in the light” and in order to do that, I have to set aside my own will and my own agenda and do what He has for me without question. This isn’t a sign of weakness, but a sign of Strength and it’s part of my life that makes no sense to the world. Isn’t that the way it is for you too?

It can be so easy to live a Life according to how everybody else thinks we should live, and we create our own turmoil when we make that mistake. There’s an opinion out there for every move we make and there’s criticism ready for every mistake. Most of us want to make decisions that “make sense” and we’ll look for reinforcement to rationalize our moves because of it. Some of us have people in our lives that somehow believe that they’re appointed experts and they don’t mind speaking up about what we’re doing wrong and what we should be doing right. It’s human nature to feel more comfortable about our every move if other people agree with us, and sometimes when our plans “make sense” to them we can easily misconstrue that to be a “sign” that we’re headed in the right Direction. Although God sometimes uses His people to help confirm His Plans, the opinions and instructions from the rest of the world don’t matter at all when God has Plans for us that don’t make sense to anybody else but Him. To “walk in the light as He is in the Light” means that we follow His lead ESPECIALLY when it doesn’t make sense because when God sends us in a Direction that makes no sense, Faith kicks into overdrive and that’s where the biggest Miracles happen. Living a Life that doesn’t make sense to the rest of the world is the only God way to live. This is the key to Trust.

There’s so much about my Life that doesn’t make sense that it would be impossible to list it all. Time and time again I’ve been told what I should do and I’ve been lectured for not following advice. I’ve weakened a time or two and I followed the lead of another, even when His Spirit was speaking a different tune to me…and I’ve paid a price bigger than most people can possibly imagine because of it. When people come my way with opinions and instructions that differ from what I know to be True from God, I realize that they are more intent on being a stumbling block for me than a Messenger sent by Him. His Plans are rarely rational and His Plans don’t have to make sense to anybody…even to some of His “well-meaning” People. When God tells me to do things that make no sense to the outside world, He surely doesn’t want me to look for approval elsewhere, and when God tells me to do things that make no sense to the world, I know He’ll be using me to be a Witness to the world of what Faith really looks like.

God told Noah to build the ark even though Noah had never seen rain. I’m pretty sure that Noah became the focus of mass mockery (even to his own family) because what he set out to do according to God’s Instructions made no sense at all. If Noah had surrendered to mockery and had he ignored God’s Instructions that made no sense at all; none of us would be here today. It’s when we are willing to do things according to God’s Plans ESPECIALLY when they don’t make sense that we can be used in ways that have the Biggest Impact on the Kingdom in His Name. This is the key to Obedience.

I’ll keep living a Life that makes no sense and I’m ready to tell a good God story about the Journey anytime He gives me an audience. I’ll leave people shaking their heads over the Miracles I’ve experienced and I’ll show them what it looks like to keep moving forward even when my Direction doesn’t make sense to anybody but God. I’ll share with them how He “pulled me out of a miry pit and set my feet on a new foundation” – how He “put a new song of Praise on my lips”… and how I’ve been singing ever since ESPECIALLY when it makes no sense to the world. When we get on the other side of what didn’t make sense, we see the Miracles and why God had us do what He had us do…and it all makes sense in the End. I LOVE walking in Faith that sometimes makes no sense to anybody but God.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The pond is filled with geese, the field is filled with deer and my heart is filled with Peace and Hope after my time with the Living God. It may not be spring yet but it’s getting closer each day and I’m longing for my time on the front porch again. It’s there where meet with the Living God to draw my Strength and get my Direction and it’s there where I share my Heart, my time, my coffee, my stories, my laughter, the fields, and whatever words I gain from the Living God along the way. It always comes down to what we’re willing to share in life. Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be?

It’s easy for most people to share part of the good things in life. A good experience, a good story, a good joke, even a good recipe, or a good report card. Though sharing these good things is a pleasant thing for the receiver, the one who benefits the most is the one doing the sharing. It feels good to share good things. But when it comes down to sharing things below the surface of life…the kind that can make an eternal difference…most people draw the line. They won’t freely share their heart, their space, their time, or their resources with another human being even though it’s these very things that we share that have the most impact on the Life of another. It always comes down to sharing.

It’s not easy for most people to share uncomfortable things in life. Things that might sting the other or things that might cause them to suffer consequences by being a messenger of the painful. Though there are plenty of people out there who get pleasure from being the one to toss in the uncomfortable, most people prefer to avoid it altogether. It’s the dodging of the uncomfortable things that allow rebellious behavior in children, deterioration of relationships, failure in business, and a refusal to share our Faith with the world. It always comes down to sharing.

It’s not easy for most people to share the “bad” things in life. When it comes down to sharing their biggest mistakes and failures, their darkest hours, the pain of their past, or their worst circumstances with another; they guard the details out of pride and selfishness and bury the past in the past as if putting it there serves any purpose at all. These people guard the “bad” details of their life like Fort Knox and they’re far too busy tiptoeing through tulips in an attempt to paint a picture of a perfect life that they miss the opportunity to turn their trials into a blessing for another. It always comes down to sharing.

If you sit with me on the front porch of this farm in Virginia one day, you’d better be prepared to hear about the “bad” things in my imperfect life. I cherish the tulips but I don’t tip-toe through them when it comes to my Journey. My trials and tribulations will curl your toes BUT you’ll be dancing in the end when you hear about the power of the Living God and you see how He has brought me to Victory over and over and over again. It always comes down to sharing.

I’m an Imperfect woman living a beautifully imperfect life and I’m always armed with Love and Truth and Willing to Share. I don’t like making people “uncomfortable” but I love them enough to speak Truth into their souls that could ultimately make an Eternal difference. It’s funny how it works…the more share with them, the more they share with me, and before you know it I see a rich testimony growing out of a simple conversation…all because I was willing to Give exactly what they needed when they needed it. It always comes to sharing. I’ll be sharing all the days of my Life – simple things that make a Difference and Bigger Truth that changes the entire Picture of their Journey of Life.

How about you?

1 Corinthians 9:19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s too cold to spend my time outside with the Living God the way I like to, but I can’t resist stepping out to see the Touch of the Master’s Hand and snap a photo to share. I’m not a photographer and I don’t spend time setting up the shot…I point and shoot. When I looked at this image a little later on all I could do was smile. It’s as if the sky was reflecting what my Heart feels. My Heart is on fire for the Living God and I’m blinded by His Love. So, when I looked at this image I immediately thought about the Fire of God that reaches from Heaven to earth…a fire only He can create…a fire only He can ignite. His fire cannot be managed by man and the Results of exposure to His Fire can’t be faked. Isn’t it just like the Living God to burn a message on the Heart of this humble servant using an unusual shot of the morning sun?

Things are pretty simple when it comes to our relationship with the Living God. We either Love Him…or we don’t. Kind of loving Him isn’t acceptable to Him and it equates to “hate” in His eyes. Faking “faith” for the sake of pride or image or to humor someone else won’t end well for the “hypocrite” because God will not be mocked and He can spot a “fake” from zillions of miles away. Unfortunately, the Church is filled with “fakes”…spectators going through the motions BUT not on Fire for God at all…people doubting (or denying) the Power of the Holy Spirit, and critics on the sidelines attempting to snuff out what God is doing. We can definitely put a stop to revival when man attempts to intervene BUT we can’t stomp out His Fire no matter how hard we try. Genuine Revival is a Supernatural showing up of God…a Fire reaching from Heaven to earth. Revival can’t be created by man. It can’t be invented or mirrored. You can’t plan for the Fire of God to show up…it just does. Revival is not an event on the calendar, although we schedule them in hopes of seeing changed hearts. Revival is a spiritual wave of Almighty God that comes crashing in and Ignites a Holy Spirit Fire within humbled hearts while it crushes hard hearts to bring them to their knees supernaturally. Revival is driven by the Fire of the Holy Spirit and I am confident that I will see the Fire of God right before my eyes the same way I feel it in my Heart. That’s what Faith looks like!

I’m excited about what God is doing. In the Kingdom. Through Revival. In my Heart. In my Life. In my Journey of Faith. I have a Supernatural Fire within me that no man can snuff out because I guard my Heart like a fort. I have an adversary that would love to throw cold water on the Consuming Fire I feel but he is Destined to lose the war and I’m Determined to fight the battles. I want more of His Fire. I want more of His Word. I want more of Him. And I want to see the Fire from Heaven to Earth. I long to see Revival with my very own eyes BUT I won’t be chasing it around and I won’t be trying to copy it. I’ll continue to Believe and I’ll make sure my Heart is a worthy witness instead.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The Master of all Creation woke up the world with the gentleness of a lamb this morning and all of nature seemed to be at peace. These deer graze very close to the front porch, and they don’t necessarily run off when I step into their space, BUT they are intuitively on high alert prepared to run when it’s time to run. As I considered my furry friends on high alert, it reminded me of the Journey of Faith. In the days of Noah people were clueless about the predictions of the flood and they went about having fun despite the warnings. How sad it is to think about all those clueless people wishing they had listened to the Warning. And so it is today. Far too few people are like my furry friends, on High Alert and ready for the King because they don’t take the Prediction of the coming of the King seriously. Because I take it seriously I am forever on High Alert and relentlessly warning the world around me so they don’t get caught off guard like they did in the days of Noah. Isn’t that the way you see your Journey of Faith too?

They are calling for temperatures in the 70s today in Virginia and many people are busy preparing for a day of reprieve from the colder weather. Shorts and T-shirts are ready to go and I’m sure there will be a few extra rounds of golf played today than there have been so far this year. One little hint of a warm sunny day and the world seems to shift into celebration – ready for fun in the sun that is guaranteed based on the predictions of man. But there’s another Prediction that doesn’t get nearly the attention OR the excitement as a warm winter day and it’s a Guaranteed Return on “investment”. It’s not a “maybe” – it’s not a “probably” – it’s a definitely! The King will come “like a thief in the night” when least expected and it will be like the days of Noah (if we aren’t careful) when He does. THAT’S why being on High Alert every day is non-negotiable in His eyes. He wants us to anticipate, be ready, and be filled with excitement about His Return! Jesus says it a lot better than I ever could: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?” That sure puts a warm winter day in Heavenly Perspective!

I’m excited about lots of things in my life including this warm winter day, but what I am most excited about is that this day brings us one day closer to the Return of my King. He’s coming for me! He has a place in Heaven for me! He’s going to wipe away every tear and I’ll never know sadness again! He’s going to give me a new body and I’ll never know sickness or death! My debt is paid in full and I have been redeemed by the Creator of all! If that’s not reason enough to be on High Alert I don’t know what is! I am on High Alert and I’m Prepared for the Journey…until that Day comes, I’ll be doing everything I can to be sure that others are Prepared too.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I was on the run yesterday morning and I missed my time on the front porch entirely so today felt like Christmas morning when I made my way back. The Bible says “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands” and I love to watch Him work as the skies proclaim the work of His hands that no meteorologist can adequately define. He’s my God and I’m His child. He promises to never leave me nor forsake me BUT I need to do my Part to strengthen the Relationship I have with Him so that it will continue to mature. I need to do my Part to confess anything in my life that could thwart the Plans He has for me. I need to do my Part to chase after Him with a Heart thirsting for more. God never fails, but man sure does as we attempt to run the Show for God. So, I cling to the “One who began the good work within me and I’ll continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” Isn’t that the way you see your Journey of Faith too?

God promises that He’ll never leave me nor forsake me but He doesn’t say He won’t “remove” Himself should I forget Who He is. We’ve seen the Spirit of God “removed” from a church body thousands of times when man took control and attempted to put God in a nice, neat little box. The sad thing is that most of the time the leaders in the church didn’t even realize that the Presence of God was no longer there because they were too caught up in running a well-oiled machine called “church” or bickering back and forth to notice. When you remove God it’s not like there is just a void where He was…man and the enemy work hard to fill that void as fast as they can and destruction comes soon after. Funny thing, in all the times I’ve seen a church fall into destruction, never once have I heard the church confess that it was man who kicked God out by trying to make God conform instead of allowing Him to make things “messy”. When God moves it can get messy – in the church and in the lives of its members…a good, beautiful kind of “messy” we should all be hungering for. Being willing to let God move to a point where things get “messy” is the Key to seeing the Glory of God!

I’m just a simple woman living a simple life in Virginia but there’s absolutely nothing simple about my Walk with Jesus. I’m willing to get my hands dirty when I need to. I’m willing to suffer persecution when I speak up. I’m willing to teach Truth at the “risk” of hurting others because I love them enough to tell them about the consequences. I’m rolling up my sleeves and I’m on my knees ready and waiting for the Glory of God to fall upon my Life and The Well…and I BELIEVE I will experience Him in supernatural ways because He says so. No detail, no inconvenience, and no schedule will ever tempt me to put God in a box.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s raining and cool today and a short visit on the front porch was just what my heart needed. This time of year I begin to long to be outside at sunrise and the “cloud” of wintertime begins to take its toll. I cling to the fact that one day soon the Lord will lift any signs of Winter and Spring will officially take its place. That’s a promise I am confident I can stand on because I’ve seen it so many times before. But as surely as I long to see the Living God lift the signs of Winter, I long, even more, to see His Glory as He pours out His Spirit for all the world to see. Now that is a day I long for! But I don’t just talk about it like I do the weather, and I don’t just pray about it like so many do. I’m longing and I invite Him in the same way as Moses did when He said ““Please, show me Your glory”…and God did. I’m Believe in those things I haven’t even seen with my eyes yet because His Word says so. I am CONFIDENT I will see the glory of the Lord manifest in my Lifetime and that I’ll be an eye-witness to things I used to criticize and doubt. Isn’t that the way you look at the Last Days too?

Over 100 years ago revival broke out in a barn in California and it rocked the entire world when it did. When people heard about the revival (by way of the Los Angeles Times) they came from all over the world to witness in real-time what they’d only read about in the Bible. The glory of God showed up and the fire of the Holy Spirit could be seen coming off the roof of that barn. History tells us that the fire department was called to put out the fire on the roof of that old barn several times…but the fire department can’t put out the fire of God…man does that instead. Fifty years ago another revival broke out in another barn in South Carolina…and man snuffed it out over time too. Today, revival has broken in Asbury University in Kentucky for the second time in history, and there seems to be no end to what the glory of the Lord is doing on campus…until/unless man gets ahold of it, that is. Criticism and warnings are spitting out across the globe by people who have their own man-made opinion of what revival is supposed to look like because they don’t believe the Holy Spirit still shows up today the way it did during Pentecost. The Bible tells us to be aware of such people who “have a form of godliness but deny its power” so I don’t let the deceived impact what I believe…not anymore. Revival is here. He’s pouring out His Spirit. The glory of God will be seen by many and felt by all…and we’re going to see it in this old barn in Virginia.

If you don’t expect to see miracles, you won’t. If you don’t believe the Holy Spirit works through people in miraculous ways today, you won’t experience it for yourself. If you don’t expect to see revival, you won’t. If you don’t believe that the glory of God (Shekinah Glory) will ever be experienced by man again, you are going to be very surprised. Many things will lead up to “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess” and I have to believe part of that will be because of the ones who once doubted begin to see how wrong they were along for putting God in a box. I used to be one of them myself. I listened to the doctrine of man and denied the power of the Holy Spirit for today. I don’t care much about doctrine anymore, and I don’t listen to man when it comes to what the Bible really says about such things. Instead, I have the Last Word for the Last Days coming state from the Bible. I have the Ultimate Teacher of His Word through the Holy Spirit. And I already have a Spiritual Authority a whole lot Higher up than man. Because of these things, I no longer put God in a box. I believe in miracles. I am confident that I will see His Spirit poured out and I expect to see His Glory in my lifetime from an old horse barn in Virginia.

I’m praying for Revival but not in the way you might think I am. I’m not praying for it to begin…it’s already beginning just the His Word says it will. Why would I doubt and continue to pray for Revival when I already know it will come before the King returns? I’m not just praying and I’m not expecting God to do all the “heavy lifting”. I’m warning others. I’m preaching Truth. I’m celebrating what I don’t see. I’m praying with BELIEF and I’m reverently praying against the ones desperately trying to put out the fire just like man has done so many times before. I’m praying for the fire of God to be seen from the rooftops on and off the farm…so clearly that neighbors call the fire department! I’m INVITING the Holy Spirit in and I’m asking God to show us His Glory…and when He does…nothing about the old barn will ever be the same again. I’m waiting for the miraculous Hand of God and I’m already thanking Him before I ever see Him manifest His glory for me to see with my eyes.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Living God this morning with a Teachable Heart and a Spirit in need of Refreshment, and that’s precisely what I Received straight from the Throne of my Mighty God. If I’m going to have a Teachable Heart, then I need to be ready, willing, and able to take Correction from my amazing God, amen? I’ve been in agony over the trials of someone in my Life and I’ve gone to the Throne on their behalf countless times. But what He showed this Teachable Vessel this morning, is that my Heart needs to be purified and Compassion needs to replace my desire for things to be different. Compassion isn’t just feeling sorry for someone, Compassion is feeling pain WITH them and it can’t just be brushed away to go tend to everyday life. So, this morning was Recharging time with my God to ready myself for this New Day and for whatever He has in store for me so that my Heart is strong enough for the Journey. Without Him, my Compassion would dim, and without Him, I couldn’t carry the burdens at all. Isn’t that the way it is for you too?

It can be so easy to hear about the suffering of someone else and say “I’ll be praying for you” without having heartfelt Compassion at all. Some people think that a whispered prayer once or twice and they’ve fulfilled their duty to Pray. No doubt those prayers are Treasured in the Heavens just like all the rest, and the Living God doesn’t have a “quota” on prayers before He’s willing to Answer, but when the Heart is moved with Compassion it’s not enough to whisper a prayer here and there. Christ-like Compassion will drive us into Action and onto our knees faster than we can say “Amen” because we feel their pain and suffering. Countless times Christ was “moved with Compassion” and He took care of Business every time. He didn’t just pause to whisper a prayer once or twice…that’s not enough for a Heart filled Compassion. I’m pretty sure Christ wouldn’t have rested unless He filled the need because that’s what Compassion does to a soul. That word for “moved” describes a physical response to the pain of another…Christ felt it deep within His gut where real Compassion lives and THAT’S the kind of Compassion He wants His people to have too!

It wasn’t always some horrific tragedy or disease that caused Christ to be “moved with compassion.” When He looked out into a crowd of thousands of people who had gathered to hear Him teach, Christ was moved with Compassion as He considered that they’d been tuned in all day for Spiritual food but had no food for their physical needs. He could so easily have ignored something as simple as growling stomachs during a long “church meeting”, but He was MOVED with Compassion for their needs, and when you’ve been moved like that, NOT filling the need is NOT an Option. It’s beautiful to consider all the miracles Christ performed because He was MOVED with Compassion and it’s overwhelming to see that when Compassion like that kicks-in MIRACLES begin to happen. Christ-like Compassion coupled with the Belief that the same God that performed miracle after miracle so long ago STILL performs them today is the difference between a whispered prayer here and there and a Heart MOVED into action on behalf of someone else!

I’ve shed many tears over this situation and I know each one has been stored in a jar because He loves me…and He hears me. I’ve prayed LOTS of prayers over this situation and I know that each one is like incense in Heaven to Him because He loves me and He hears me. But I’ve also shaken my fist in “righteous indignation” as I watched circumstances that could so easily be remedied with Love instead be sprinkled with hate. I’ve watched with a Heart ready to burst with Compassion as the love that is supposed to keep no record of wrongs keeps throwing salt onto deep wounds…and then I repent so that I can make my way to Heartfelt Compassion all over again instead. It’s sometimes Lather, Rinse, Repeat with the human Heart with each step drawing us closer to Him IF WE HAVE a Teachable Heart. The important thing is to be more focused on our Relationship with the Living God than we are on the circumstances of others that are sometimes unbearable to watch. But I can’t “fix” the circumstances, I can only fix myself. That is the Key to Spiritual Maturity.

My Heart is inclined toward the ones I know, but I’ve shed plenty of tears for strangers too. I don’t have to carry their burdens, that’s for sure…but a Compassionate Heart drives me into action and it drives me to my knees for friends and total strangers alike. If I were to define the Compassion of Christ – I think it would look something like that.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I see the Majesty of God in a simple sunrise and it’s as if the light illuminates my Time in His Presence and it makes me hunger for more. That doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to some people…especially those sleeping through the sunrises in life…but that’s the way it works for me. I praise. I pray. I hunger for more of Him every day. As I thought about my hunger for more this morning, I was Reminded of a woman so long ago who knew that if she could just touch the hem of the garment of Jesus, she would be made whole. If I want to be all that He Created me to be, it takes a Heart like that…a Heart with unshakable Faith and a Heart desperate for more. So, I reached for His “hem” like never before this morning, and He filled me with everything I need for the Journey of Life today. Isn’t that the way you seek Him too?

It can be easy to overlook the Power available to all those who Belong to Jesus Christ because we live in a world riddled with lies and deceit…but we miss out on the Miracles if we do. It’s not much different today than it was so long ago when that woman found her way to His hem in a massive crowd of people surrounding Jesus. I’m sure some in the crowd were around for the ride, while others were there just to see what Jesus could do. There must have been some who just thought it was cool to see Jesus in action as if they needed to be entertained! But this woman was there because she KNEW Jesus was her Hope. It wasn’t a surprise to HER that she was instantly healed the moment she touched His hem. No doubt she had prayed countless prayers for healing throughout the twelve years she suffered. No doubt she cried a million tears living as an outcast because she was labeled “unclean” and therefore unworthy to be around others. Even her own family had rejected her. But when this woman heard about Jesus she didn’t “hope” He could heal her…she KNEW He could heal her if she just got close enough to touch even the hem of a garment. There was no magic in the garment itself, the “magic” was that she Believed…absolutely, positively, without a doubt. Lots of people follow Him and plenty claim to be His child, but far too few actually Believe that if they could just “touch the hem of his garment” they would be healed…absolutely, positively, without a shadow of a doubt. Is it any wonder people don’t see Miracles for themselves if they don’t believe they’re possible in the first place?

I began this magnificent new day hungering for more. I Believe in Him and I Believe in Miracles…absolutely, positively, without a shadow of a doubt. I serve a supernatural God and I expect supernatural things as part of my Journey of Faith. His Word isn’t a history book to me, and it can never become obsolete. God is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore, and the same Jesus who healed that woman so long ago stands at the right side of the Throne of God today, ready, willing, and able to perform Miracles in the lives of all who Believe. My Faith is unwavering…I’m unshakable…and because of that, I’m Unstoppable too. I’ll be reaching for the hem of His garment all the days of my Life and nothing can stop me from sharing the God of Miracles with the world.

How about you?