Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s the morning after a heavy rain and now God has brought the wind to dry things out all over again. There was no sunrise to see this morning, but from where I sit the aftermath of the rain we’ve been praying for is spectacular. No matter what the weather is like on any given day, it is as if God Almighty hand-paints His Majesty right before my very eyes. This morning my Heart went from solemn to celebration as I watched this new day unfold, and the course of my time with Him was redirected. I started out focused on His birth and all of the circumstances surrounding His humble beginning…things we should never overlook. But God made it clear to my Heart that He didn’t just want me to consider the birth of His Son – He wanted me to CELEBRATE Him instead…so Celebrate I did this morning.
My mind can’t fathom what it was like so long ago when my Savior entered the world. A virgin girl was chosen to be the one to carry Him in her womb, and there was no need for a doctor’s exam to confirm her pregnancy or to prove her virginity. Her fiance’ kept his promise to marry her and he accepted what the angel of God told him…there was no need for DNA to confirm whose child she carried. Without a text message conversation, this girl’s relatives immediately knew she was pregnant because John leaped in his mother’s (Elizabeth) womb at the sound of Mary’s voice and the Holy Spirit came upon her that very moment just as it was foretold. Without cell phones or the Internet, news traveled fast about this Child…the Savior…the King…because the details of His arrival, His life, and His Purpose were foretold long before He was ever born. Without the benefit of GPS, the 3 wise men found their way to Him and without the benefit of online shopping, they brought Him the most precious gifts under the sun.
Most of the world will celebrate Christmas next week, but most of the world won’t be celebrating the birth of my Savior at all. Some take advantage of this time of year and although they light up a Christmas tree and wrap up gifts, they don’t Celebrate my Savior… they just use His birthday as an excuse to have fun. Some will proclaim to Believe but they don’t “buy in” to all of the details of His birth that were foretold LONG before He was ever born as if the Word of God comes a-la-carte and we can pick and choose the parts we like the best. Some profess to be people of Faith and yet they don’t pause to celebrate in Savior-style and when (or IF) they “tell” the story of His birth on Christmas morning it will have as much excitement as a trip to the mailbox. Some will sing Happy Birthday to Him on Christmas morning and seconds after they sing they’ll dive into gifts and shovel down a feast, and He won’t be mentioned again…as if they’ve done their duty to acknowledge Him. Some claim to Believe and they’ll celebrate next week but the focus and thanks for all of those gifts their children receive isn’t on the Savior at all…but on a fantasy fat guy in the sky who determines if they’re worthy or not.
I’ll soon be celebrating the birth of my Savior at the farm with my family, and you can be sure that it’s Him we’ll be celebrating. We know that “there is no good thing apart from Him” so He’ll get thanks for it all. We know that He is our Provider and that every morsel of food and every gift we exchange is only made possible because of Him. We’ll be celebrating Savior-style and we Believe every single Word of the story of His Birth…a baby born to a virgin…our King…our Savior…our Wonderful Counselor…our Mighty God…our Everlasting Father and our Prince of Peace!
Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I crawled into the presence of the Living God this morning feeling like there wasn’t much of me to give for no good reason at all. I sat there in silence with a cup of coffee in hand and I eventually said “Here I am, Lord.” That quiet beginning turned into a magnificent Time with my Magnificent God as He Recharged me for this new day. His Love Reminded me of how much I mean to Him and His Direction reminded me of how much more I have to Give. Like David, Job, and Elijah before me, sometimes I grow weary and sometimes I need to be Recharged; and just like those saints before me, God always extends a little extra Compassion at just the Right Time before He nudges me back into Motion for Him. He knows my Heart and He understands the Journey and He always keeps His Promises. Isn’t that the way you look at Him when you’re weary too?
One of the most difficult things for people to understand is that a little suffering comes along with the Journey and it’s that lack of Understanding that leads to trouble if we aren’t careful. We may be referred to as “saints,” but we’re still just human beings…and when we suffer it’s real suffering. David was scared and depressed more times than I can count though God referred to him as “a man after God’s own heart.” David taught me to cry out to God without shame, and his life comforts me because God didn’t get impatient with David and He didn’t say “suck it up” – instead He always came to David’s rescue with Love and Compassion…and new Marching Orders when David was ready.
Job hit bottom after everything was taken from him…his children…his possessions….his ability to create wealth…and he “wished I’d never been born” even though God referred to Job as the “most righteous” man on the planet. Job’s story taught me that you’re never too righteous to suffer and that God always restores His people…if we continue to cling to Him through the suffering, that is.
Elijah was a favored prophet and God released Miracles time and time again through him. You’d think Elijah would know (from his front-row view of Miracles) that he had no reason to despair. But Elijah was human just like I am, and he grew weary and suffered with despair too UNTIL God came to the Rescue with an extra dose of Love and Compassion. After Elijah was strengthened for the Journey…He received New Marching Orders. We don’t get to avoid the suffering, and sometimes we’ll grow weary, but when we turn to the Alpha and Omega with our weary hearts, He’ll ALWAYS extend Compassion and Love and He’ll ALWAYS give us New Marching Orders once He’s Restored us for the Journey again. This is the Key to Growing in Faith through all circumstances.
I felt like there wasn’t much of me to give when I first woke up this morning, but the Love of my Life showed up with Love and Compassion and He comforted me the same way he did David, Job, and Elijah before me. His Love and Compassion will always see me through, and the Holy Spirit will always reveal schemes of the enemy set out to defeat me. I’m ready to do the Work of my Father with Hope and Excitement all over again because I understand the Journey and I know how to Fight the war and win. There’s NOTHING I can’t endure! Yes, there will be a little suffering until He calls me Home BUT none of it will get the best of me because when I’m weary I turn to the Best of All.
Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Master of the Universe with a front-row view of the fields and absolutely nothing could be sweeter (to me) than to Witness His Hand first thing in the morning. God “expresses” Himself through nature and nature Responds to His Commands because God is the Master of it all. His Light Shines in my Heart, throughout my Life, and over this old farm day in and day out. It’s His Light that brings Life to my Instruction Manual and His Light that burns the Words into my soul. When I see Him shed Light over this old farm, it represents a whole lot more than just the sun shining over a property to me because I know that without Him I wouldn’t be here at all, and it is His Hand that protects this old farm day after day for His own Purpose. Nothing on this earth and no person in my life “belongs” to me and I can take no credit of my own. Isn’t that the way you look at your life too?
It can be so easy to take credit for the good things in life…from the great place we live to the people in our lives, but we lose sight of the Might of His Hand in our lives when we do. It’s not easy to wrap the head around a God that ordains every piece of our lives and connects the lives of people together as surely as a child connects legos. But the same God that “knows every hair” on our head…who “knew us before” the earth was formed…and stores our “tears in a jar” knows every other thing about our lives too! He will send someone into your Life to help you along the way as surely as He will make the sunrise or bring the rain tomorrow. He will Draw you to the Right Words to Strengthen you or to Lead you as surely as He scattered the stars in the sky and knows them each by name. He will Command the angels to protect you from harm and He sets the Circumstances for when you’ll go Home to be with Him. It’s ONLY possible to find True Peace and Joy throughout the Journey called “life” when we Embrace the fact that He’s got every single piece of the Puzzle in the Palm of His Hand, and as surely as the sun will rise tomorrow He’ll take care of you and me.
Getting to that place where we realize that we’re powerless sounds like a sacrifice to most of the world, but that’s only because most people still believe that they have control over the Journey and the outcome. Surrendering the Control of Life over to Him is a place of Strength and not weakness and it’s the way to the “Peace that surpasses all understanding” no matter what. God gives us free will to Love Him or not, and He gives each of us Gifts and talents for our Assignment here…whether we use them or not is a choice for each of us to make. He gives us “the ability to create wealth” and He’s the God that can “give and take away”. God gives us a “spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind”….fear doesn’t come from Him; we accept fear and fester it all on our own. God makes the sun shine and He made it stand still once too. He plans the day of birth and He knows the day of death. He’s our Provider and the very roof over our heads is only possible because of His Will. Surrendering our control for His Power is THE MOST empowering thing we can EVER do, and He won’t ever let us down. When we KNOW that He’s in Control of it all, we get busy doing all those things He Commands us to do while we’re here…instead of trying to micromanage things, we have absolutely no control over them at all. It’s almost like God saying “I’ve got this…now get to work and do what I Created you to do”. I have Power because He gives it to me, and He gives it to me because I KNOW that without Him I’m powerless. He gets Credit for everything and everyone in my Life because it all belongs to Him.
I met with the Master of the universe this morning and I’m ready to do His Work. I won’t let a spirit of fear creep in because He’s given me “a Spirit of power, and of love, and a sound mind”. I’ll be working hard today but I don’t have to worry about the Outcome. He’s got that…and I’m going about my Father’s business, Trusting Him, Thanking Him, and giving Him Credit for it all!
Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. When I stepped out onto the porch to welcome in this new day I saw that God dusted the mountain with snow overnight- an outward reminder of the winter season ahead…and a sweet reminder of where I am in the Journey of Life. Today marks the beginning of a new year in my life and I’m now in the winter season…a time when most of the hustle and bustle is behind me and where Wisdom is my greatest attribute. A time when my body shows signs of age and most things about me aren’t what they used to be. A time when my kids are now raising their kids and they don’t need me the way they used to. But for all the things that are “behind” me now, the Greatest Season is still ahead. I’m a Vessel for the Living God and He’s using me like never before. I’m a Voice for the Kingdom and I’m speaking up like never before. I face each new day with great anticipation, and I prepare for the Wonderful things He has in store for my Life. It’s a beautiful life and a blessing to be in the season capped with snow. Isn’t that the way you look at your Journey of Life too?
There aren’t many things that make me crazier than to see people squandering a life that has so much Potential…especially during the season capped with snow. Some people crawl through life like slugs as they get older with no joy or excitement at all. It’s as if they lost a little happiness each year along the way and they don’t seem to care to look for it again. They sound more like Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh when they speak…as if even uttering a word is a major effort and their age can be heard in their voice. They’re convinced that the best is behind them, so they have no Excitement for today whatsoever and sometimes they even wonder why God hasn’t taken them Home yet. Some people face each new day as if it’s a burden they are forced to endure instead of the Blessing that it really is. Some people look at the life of someone else and they’ll claim that IF they had a life like theirs, they could be happy too… as if outward things make the biggest difference of all. Some people believe their happiness is dependent on other people and they convince themselves that if they had the “right” mate or a houseful of kids, they could be happy just like the rest of the world. Some people have aches and pains and other physical challenges, and they embrace them like an old friend with no expectation of it ever getting better. Some people quit living a LONG TIME ago and they’re just biding their time until the end. They’re already dead, they just haven’t made it to a coffin yet. But in all fairness, anybody can live like that (and at any age) IF they fail to see that Life has a Purpose much Greater than themselves and much broader than the 4 walls of their solitary confinement. Nothing ever changes unless we do our part to change it, and no long-lasting Joy can be found without a proactive Focus on a Mighty God…all the days of our Lives!
There are plenty of people who look at my life and they could write a list a mile long for why THEY think it’s easy for me to be happy. They look at outward things or they hear me laugh or watch me smile and they convince themselves that joy comes easier for me than it does for them…but that’s not true at all. I determine to be happy and I insist on peace…and I’m old enough and wise enough to know where to go to find both. I refuse to surrender to the woes of “old age”, and I know where to go for my Strength. I meet each day with Great Anticipation, and I expect Good things each and every day…still. When I face trials and tribulations (just like everybody else does) I know where to turn for my Comfort and my Strategy. When the Devil tries to beat me up, I don’t lick my wounds – instead, I run to my Protector and I let Him take care of business on my behalf. I determine to be happy and I put in the effort it takes to sustain it…no matter what’s going on around me. I’m filled with Gratitude in ALL circumstances…it’s not possible to pick Life apart or lose your Joy when you remain Grateful through it all…especially in the Season capped with snow.
Age has no relevance at all when it comes to enjoying our days or making a Contribution to the Kingdom of a Mighty God and you’ll never hear me making excuses as I grow older. I’m like a child on a Christmas morning ready to open the Gift of each new day… and you’ll find me Savoring the Blessings like treasures. I work hard to be this way! I do my Part to Live out this Life with Purpose! When you Walk with Purpose, you’ll ALWAYS find happiness and Joy…no matter what season of Life you’re in.
Thank you, God, for the years capped with snow and for another Season to Serve you everything within me.
Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Author and Perfecter of my Faith as He woke up the world and I got a spectacular view of the world around me. I don’t step outside on a cold December morning to make sure everything is still alright at the farm – I step out to take it all in as if it’s the first time I’ve ever seen the beauty that surrounds me and I give Thanks to the Provider of all. I pray over the boundary lines of this old place, and I pray over every brick. I pray for Provision and Protection and Peace – but mostly I pray that God use this old place the way He uses me…to be a Witness of His Grace for all the world to see. Every piece of my Life belongs to Him, including this old farm, and every day I give Thanks as I Surrender it back to Him. My Life IS Him and my Future is already in Place and I have One Life, One Love, and One Job to do. With that in mind, my Biggest Priority is doing what He wants me to do, when He wants me to do it, and to Share Him with the dark world from this old farm and beyond. Isn’t that the way you look at your Journey of Life too?
It can be so easy to complicate our Journey and to compartmentalize life into logical little sections, but we lose the Main Message when we do. We strive to have a time and place for everything and everything in its place. Relationships go here and kids go there. The house goes here and the work goes there, and although we get stretched pretty thin sometimes, we manage to cover most of the pieces most of the time. We have so many roles! A mate….a parent, and if we’re blessed with longevity, we’re grandparents too. We’re a friend. We’re a worker. Unfortunately, most people change their hats to become who they’re SUPPOSED to be in each one of the roles. Sometimes Faith will be mentioned in passing and sometimes it will be the Main Attraction. Unfortunately, most people are “different” people to fit the occasion as they’re living out the Journey of Life. It’s only when we are Confident that Life IS HIM, and that the Future is already set in Place, that we eventually become a One-size-fits-all. When that happens, we’re the Same Character no matter where we are or who we’re with and our entire world knows Who we Belong to and What we stand for. When we sincerely Embrace that we are “made in His image”, that He “knit us together in our mother’s womb”, and that He knew us “even before He formed the earth”, THEN we begin to See that the entire Journey is with Him, for Him, because of Him, and every piece of life blends together for His Good….24 hours a day.
If we find Comfort in knowing that God is “the same yesterday, today and forevermore” then we need to Honor Him by being the same Character in every “compartment” of our lives. Putting on the Christian Hat when it’s convenient (and non-threatening) and then wearing it when we feel like it, doesn’t go over very well with the Living God. From the clerk in a grocery store to our supervisors at work, they should all see the same person wearing the Stripes of their Faith and Speaking the Words of His Grace with gentleness no matter what’s going on or who we’re with. It’s not alright to blast some poor clerk in a grocery store or a waitress in a restaurant – no matter how bad the service is in your own opinion. God Ordained the moment and He might just be checking YOUR Pulse to see how you’ll react when you’re “wronged”. Will you turn the other cheek OR will you retaliate because you “deserve” better? Don’t look now, but when you blast off over things YOU THINK deserve, you’ve already removed your Christian hat and you’re in self-righteous mode instead. Hmm…
The Stripes of Faith are supposed to be “burned” into the Soul and when we have One Life, One Love, One Job we’re sure to wear the Stripes that Reflect His Character every single day in every single compartment of this Journey called Life. My God knows I belong to Him. He IS my Life. He IS my Love. He IS my Job. I am the same to a rude clerk in a grocery store as I am to a friend no matter what’s going on because that’s what He Teaches about Character. I Represent the King of kings and the Lord of Lords and it shows in every area of my life…and through every brick of this old farm. There’s nothing special about me BUT I am Royalty, and I’m sold out to the One Who died for me.
God Painted a magnificent picture in my Heart this morning and I Surrendered my entire world over to Him once again. I’ll strive to be of Good Character the way He expects me to be because I’m an Ambassador for Jesus Christ. When I see injustice or I experience wrong I’ll pray for the Other instead of making sure that I’m heard, and IF I say or do something that is out of Good Character as an Ambassador for Jesus Christ, I’ll Repent. God expects His Vessels to be 100% SOLD OUT in His Name. I am.
Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. From the looks of things, this day could easily be considered a dreary one, but there won’t be anything dreary about the day itself for me. I spent my time with the Living God giving Thanks more than anything else, and my Heart is bright enough to light up this entire old farm if that were possible. The Blessings overwhelm me. Answers to my prayers Humble me. His Perfect Plans for my Life inspire every minute of my Time. He’s a Mighty God worthy to be Praised. This morning I’m especially thankful that He chose me to be One of His Own and that there is an entire generation following in His Footsteps too. The Seed of Faith that He planted within me will last for generations and generations to come. Hallelujah! Isn’t that the way you see your Journey of Faith too?
Thirty-six years ago today my oldest son was born. It wasn’t an easy season of life and I wasn’t overjoyed to be expecting my third child. I didn’t know how I’d handle another baby with two already at home and a busy job working to feed them all. I was worn out, unhappy, and in self-centered mode. While I was preparing to be discharged from the hospital after his birth, I was told there were serious complications and my baby boy was immediately placed in the NICU. I began to pray like never before, beginning with confessing my selfish heart that could worry more about how “I” was going to handle my burdens than I was about the blessing of this child and I begged God for mercy. After a long week of praying and waiting for bad news from the barrage of testing they did on my sweet baby boy, his symptoms abruptly lifted and he left the doctors perplexed. “We can’t explain it”, they said, but I sure could! There were miracles wrapped all around the birth of my son, but the Miracle of healing was brought on by the Power of a praying mother and a very Merciful God. He heard my prayers…He’s heard every single prayer I’ve ever prayed for this precious son of mine and there are no words to express my love for him. What a wonderful man He’s become…one that would make any mother proud. He’s healthy and strong, loving and kind, and He loves the Lord…and his Mom …thanks to a Kind and Compassionate Merciful God.
Look out when a godly mother sets out to pray! She knows how to do battle on behalf of her family and she knows Who to Trust with the results. I’ve spent entire nights pacing the floors of this old farmhouse while I battled through challenges at home and God was Faithful and Merciful every single time. I didn’t spend my time begging. I didn’t spend my time doubting. I spent my time appealing to a Merciful God for mercy and wisdom to get through and I TRUSTED Him with my family. I claimed Victory over it all. I poured Living Water into my children every single day of their lives and I was a Reflection of my Faith through it all. They saw Him in me. Prayers over my children were for things much bigger than good grades or sports, I prayed for the eternal things instead. I prayed for their souls. I prayed for their future mate. I prayed for a godly generation. I prayed for my grandchildren before they were ever even thought of. One by one each one of my children accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and today their lives Reflect their Heart.
Today I’m celebrating the birth of my wonderful son 36 years ago today and I’m STILL giving thanks to God for hand-picking me to be his Mom. Seeing answers to prayers come to life years after I prayed them makes me even MORE thankful to my Mighty and Merciful God. I’ll never stop praying for my family…for the big things and some little things too. I’ve got generations covered already as I pray for my children’s children and beyond. I know God hears the prayers of this praying mother and I know that my prayers never “expire” over time.
Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cold and clear and absolutely beautiful on this November morning. The view is something I never take for granted because I know how fast things can change. One minute it could be clear and sunny and the next minute torrential rains…the same as it is with the Journey of Life. One minute I could be strong and able and the next minute I could be as weak as a kitten…the same as it is with the Journey of Faith. There’s a pretty good chance of me getting caught outside in the rain with no umbrella, but there is absolutely NO chance that I’ll get caught off guard when God does some Spiritual “shifting” that will impact us all. I do my best to prepare for the rain but I give it my EVERYTHING to Prepare for the Last Days and I’m “working out my own salvation with fear and trembling” just the way I’m taught to do. Isn’t that the way you see your Journey of Faith too?
I’m not sure how much warning about the Last Days is enough warning for the people who proclaim to know Jesus. They seem to believe that as long as you proclaim to Know Him then you’ll be good to go when the King comes calling as if you earned a one-way ticket just by saying “yes” to the King of all kings and absolutely nothing more is expected of you in the Journey. But it involves a little more than that. For example, the Parable of the 10 virgins is a warning straight from the Throne of God about what happens if we aren’t prepared for the Bridegroom when He comes for His bride. In this case, all ten of them knew the Bridegroom was coming, but only 5 of them were Prepared for the day. The other five, even though they Knew who the Bridegroom was, even though they were excited about His coming in the beginning, had fallen away in the process and they perished because they weren’t ready when He arrived. There are countless other examples of how narrow the Gate to Heaven is and what God expects of His people BUT these days the church would rather not talk about the “scary stuff” and withholding the Whole Truth about Salvation has become the “norm”.
Not hearing the name of Jesus Christ day in and day out, from one corner of the earth to another should never be accepted as “norm” but that’s what it has become. Rarely hearing of a life that has been Transformed by the Power of Jesus Christ is another. Not seeing Bibles toted around like appendages for all the world to see should never be accepted as the “norm” – but we’ve opted for technology to access His Word for the sake of convenience instead. Witnessing a prayer in public shouldn’t be a rare thing for God’s people, but we’ve opted to pray in silence instead so that we don’t take the chance of offending someone. Here’s a news flash for you – If they’re offended by prayer whispered in public, just imagine how offended they’ll be One Day when they’re escorted to the Eternal place that nobody wants to talk about these days.
Jesus was soft and gentle when He walked the earth (in part) to show us what Love looks like, BUT watch out because He’s coming back like a LION! Sadly, all the ones who believe that just saying “yes” to the King is enough to see them Through Eternity will be regretfully (and eternally) surprised…and that’s where I come in. Hiding my Faith will never become the “norm” for me, and as long as there is breath in my body I’ll do my Part for it not to become the “norm” for anyone God puts in my Path. I proclaim the name of Jesus Christ day in and day out so His Name is heard by all and, as the Bible tells me, even the demons shudder at the sound of His name. I pray anywhere and everywhere without fear of the consequences…and I don’t concern myself with offending someone else. If seeing my Bible in hand makes someone squirm, I’ll know that what I’m seeing is the kind of Conviction that happens supernaturally when darkness is exposed to the Light. I’m honored to be called a Child of God and it shows. You’ll see Jesus IN me for as long as I live and I’ll Share the Glory of God until He calls me Home and there “ain’t nothing normal” about that!
Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Master inside the warm farmhouse today and I when looked out to see what kind of morning He painted this morning, all of me Surrendered to all of Him and my Time with Him was all about Praise. I usually have many things to take before the Throne of my God, and I have lots of needs to pray for, but today, all my Heart could do was Praise Him for all that He is and all that He does for me. Eventually, I opened a hymnal and I sang a few old-time hymns to the Lord of my Life without making a sound. God doesn’t care whether I can carry a tune or not, but He does care about my Heart and He can see my Heart singing with Love for Him without me even making a sound. It makes my heart swell with love to hear a child singing a song just for me…why would it be any different for my Father? I think it must make God smile when we meet with Him with Praise in our Hearts without an agenda or a list of things we want from Him. Don’t you think about things like this too?
I understand the need for there to be order in the churches to some extent – especially with so many demanding it – but we put God in a box when we put order and schedules ahead of Him. It’s sad to know that if you dare to quit worrying about pleasing the people, the people quit coming. I wonder if people realize that when the focus shifts from pleasing God to pleasing the people, God might just quit coming too…and sometimes He does just that. Church is just part of the Sunday schedule for lots of people and they want to know they can plan on what time they’ll set free to go about their day. If the service takes a little longer than “usual”, the church staff will definitely hear about the delays on Monday morning. Everything is timed to perfection…time for 3 or 4 songs…time for a few announcements… time for an offering or communion… and finally, time for the Pastor to speak. If the Pastor is speaking for God, I wonder what it would look like if God spoke to the Pastor’s Heart for longer than his allotted time? What if the second or third service ran overtime because God had something special to Say to His People? As long as we keep God on OUR schedule we’ll never know the answer to that because today, pleasing the people is taking precedence over Pleasing the God of all Creation. Heartbreaking…
Yes, church services today are fine-tuned and well-oiled and most of them run like clockwork just like any other well-managed business. But I wonder what would happen in the orderly church if our disorderly God showed Himself there one Sunday? What would happen if the Holy Spirit decided to move in a Mighty Way and disrupted order in the process? Would He be told that He needs to be on the schedule if He wants to Speak just like everybody does? How many people would be tapping their feet or looking at their watches impatiently as the service went into overtime? How many people would complain as the Praise songs seemed to have no end? How many people would be more focused on the pot roast in the oven or the long lines at the buffet than the Blessing of some Extra time in the presence of the Living God? When God shows up schedules have no significance whatsoever, and when God shows up there is no longer “order.” How many people professing to be HIS people are a whole lot more concerned about “order” than they are about seeking His face? How many people actually long for Him to show up and Disrupt the order at all? My guess is that most people would prefer a scheduled visit to an impromptu Showing by the King. Sad but true.
I’ve seen what happens when we stop trying to please the people and focus on Pleasing God instead…HE SHOWS UP like never before! I’ve seen what happens when someone is so moved by the Spirit that they break out in song because they can no longer contain their Love and excitement. I’ve seen what happens when a Pastor preaches in the Spirit with no regard for the schedule because He’s too Lost in God instead. I’ve seen what happens when Truth is preached with more concern over feeding sheep than filling pews. I’ve seen what happens when the Pastor’s watch beeps to notify him that his time is up. I’ve seen “sermons” closed out unfinished in order to not upset the “flock.” I’ve seen churches split over the type of music – the quality of the musicians – or the length of time we sing to God. I’ve seen notes of correction handed to a Pastor at the end of a sermon more times than I can count. Sadly, these people will SAY they want to see revival but they need to be careful what they wish for! Revival is gloriously “disorderly” and schedules don’t come into play when people are “lost” in Jesus. But as long as we’re intent on people-pleasing to keep the pews and the bank accounts full…as long as we’re running church services like a well-managed corporate meeting…as long as we keep the God of all Creation in a box, we won’t grow – we won’t see people come to their Faith – we won’t hear a Testimony of the power of God – and we’ll rarely see a baptism – and we WON’T see Revival. Is law and order really worth that to you?
The “order” of my time with the Living God was altered this morning, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. It didn’t matter what I “usually” do or how I “normally” spend my time with Him. What mattered the most was that I had a Heart full of love for my God this morning, and I wasn’t looking to Him to do anything for me. I Praised Him. I sang in my Heart to Him. I told Him how much I love Him. I gave Him thanks upon thanks for all that He is and for good He is to me….and He showed up this morning in a Mighty Way.
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So, is God on your schedule, or are you on His?
“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me” – Psalm 13:5-6
Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cold and windy, and the fields are filled with deer on this new day of a new week in the Journey called Life. I met with the Living God with great anticipation this morning and I opened my Instruction Manual with excitement. He’s the One and Only Constant in this Life…the One I can count on to be there any time I draw near to Him and He’s the only One who will always and forever have Time for me. He’s the One who never disappoints…never gives up…never fails to Forgive…never stops Loving. He’s the One who gives me Strength. He’s the One to Sustain me. He’s the One who planned my Purpose before I was ever born! Of course, I began this new day with Great Anticipation! Isn’t that the way you see the Journey of Faith too?
Things are buzzing this time of year as people frantically prepare for the holidays. They’ve just wrapped up shopping for the Thanksgiving feast and now they’re searching for just the right gifts. Many have already begun to celebrate Christmas before Thanksgiving even arrives and in their rush to get to the holiday they really want to celebrate, they blur what’s right in front of their eyes. Some will set out to buy “the world” for their loved ones – checking off from a wish list that was provided to them while others are praying to have the money to buy even one. Kids are filled with great anticipation as they wait for Santa to show up for Christmas and lots of them are warned that the “naughty” ones receive nothing from him at all. How ironic that the Reason for the Season is to celebrate the One and Only that Loves and Forgives even the “naughtiest” of naughty. There’s no end to His Giving and Forgiving and yet, He takes the back seat to Santa in the homes of LOTS of people professing to be Children of God. With Him, being “nice” doesn’t cut it at all…He already paid the ultimate Price for all the “naughty” ones like me. He wants to be Acknowledged as the One and Only Reason for ALL Seasons…period.
Parents will flock to the malls and stand in long lines just to have a chance to get a photo of their little ones on the lap of a guy who gets credit for bringing their gifts. I guess that seems like an innocent fantasy to most people…but I’m not sure it is to God. I’m pretty sure it would make God smile if parents were willing to stand in long lines just to have the chance to Introduce their little ones to the Giver of all Gifts. I think He’d like it a lot if the little ones were encouraged to climb onto His lap to pour their hearts out about their wants and needs too. There’s no question He’d like it if they confessed the “naughty” things to Him – but when they do He’ll be quick to Forgive instead of threatening to withhold Gifts or Love. It’s nice to have decorations around the house that are a reminder of the birth of the King, but it’s even nicer when we look forward to the Season with Great Anticipation because of Him and not despite Him.
I met with my One and Only with Great Anticipation this morning and I’m facing the day with excitement. Not even a child on a Christmas morning can compare to the excitement I feel in my Heart because of Him day after day. The Reason for the Season won’t get blurred with fantasy around here and nobody else will get even the slightest bit of credit for the Gift of Love or the abundance. He’s my One and Only. My Reason. My Life. My Love. My Strength. My Redeemer. My Provider. Only my God will get credit for the blessings of the season…from my wonderfully imperfect family to the feast we don’t deserve, to all the gifts placed under the tree that represent the gifts that were delivered to the King on the night He was born. I’m looking forward to this Season to honor the One who died for me with Great Anticipation and it’s going to be AMAZING because of Him! Plenty of people will hear about the day He was born throughout this holiday season…but I’m going to be sure they hear about the Day He died to pay the Price for all the naughty even more.
Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Living God from inside this morning with a hot cup of coffee and a warm Heart ready to learn. This time of year most of the leaves have fallen to the ground and if not for the beauty of the sunrise and a few flags, there would be no color at all. As I sat in silence in the Presence of a Mighty God, I thought about how finding the “color” in Life is a choice and how so many people “opt out” in search of other things that make them happy in a different kind of way. As surely as I search for color in the winter sky, I search for Color in my Journey of Life too…those Beautiful opportunities to be used by the King of all kings that get missed by so many. “Color” is the Source of my Strength and the Joy in my Journey and it’s a choice whether I look for it or not. If I choose to focus more on the world around me than I do on the Color, I’d be in hibernation for the winter and my Life would have no Impact on the dark world at all. Isn’t that the way you look at the Color of your Life too?
We’ve just finished celebrating Thanksgiving and we’re fast approaching Christmas so there are LOTS of people looking for an opportunity to serve the “less fortunate”. It’s a good thing to extend a kind hand for holidays, but I can’t help but wonder where all that compassion is the other 363 days of the year. I recently read about a woman who is “sad” because she knows of someone from her church who has become homeless and “it’s getting cold outside.” She’s made phone calls to other churches and shelters in her area…and even the government for help – I’ll give her credit for that. Every place she called had plenty of ideas for the cold homeless woman…everybody pointing to someone else to fix the “problem” – but so far she had found no solution and she commented on how “sad it is that nobody is willing to help.” There are countless people who would do what she’s doing…willing to make a few phone calls as a cry for help on behalf of someone else…but very few are willing to accept the Opportunity to add Color all on their own. I think God ordains LOTS of opportunities like this one, but most people look for someone else to step up instead of adding Color to the situation all on their own the way God may intend for it to be. When Opportunity knocks…it’s time for Color!
Jesus said, “Whatever you do for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you do for me.” I wonder…would we just make a few phone calls for Jesus too or would we actually take Him into our home to get Him out of the cold? Would we scurry around looking for someone else to help Jesus so that we wouldn’t suffer the inconvenience ourselves, or would we roll up our sleeves and get busy blessing Him? Would we stay away because He didn’t smell good or look good or would we see Him in Living Color the way He sees us? Would we tell Jesus to “get a job” or tell Him that he’s getting what He deserves based on poor choices…and would we leave Him outside to teach him a lesson? Would we look for a few pieces of used clothing we can live without, or would we buy Him a new coat of his own? Would we point Him to a soup kitchen or look to the government to feed Him, or would we prepare a feast fit for a King in our own home? Would we protect the holiday table prepared exclusively for our own people or would we make room for Him at the Head of the table instead? One “sad” woman looking for somebody else to help…one cold, homeless “friend” looking for a miracle…is one HUGE opportunity to Serve the King of all kings in Living Color. “Whatever you do for the least of these of mine, you do for me.” Color makes all the difference.
I’m looking for the Color in this Journey of Life today and my Heart is ready to Share. I’m an Ambassador for the King of all kings ALL YEAR LONG and if He ordains an opportunity for me to bless “the least of these brothers and sisters of mine” I know it’s a chance to Serve HIM!
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 from inside this morning with a hot cup of coffee and a warm Heart ready to learn. This time of year most of the leaves have fallen to the ground and if not for the beauty of the sunrise and a few flags, there would be no color at all. As I sat in silence in the Presence of a Mighty God, I thought about how finding the “color” in Life is a choice and how so many people “opt out” in search of other things that make them happy in a different kind of way. As surely as I search for color in the winter sky, I search for Color in my Journey of Life too…those Beautiful opportunities to be used by the King of all kings that get missed by so many. “Color” is the Source of my Strength and the Joy in my Journey and it’s a choice whether I look for it or not. If I choose to focus more on the world around me than I do on the Color, I’d be in hibernation for the winter and my Life would have no Impact on the dark world at all. Isn’t that the way you look at the Color of your Life too?
We’ve just finished celebrating Thanksgiving and we’re fast approaching Christmas so there are LOTS of people looking for an opportunity to serve the “less fortunate”. It’s a good thing to extend a kind hand for holidays, but I can’t help but wonder where all that compassion is the other 363 days of the year. I recently read about a woman who is “sad” because she knows of someone from her church who has become homeless and “it’s getting cold outside.” She’s made phone calls to other churches and shelters in her area…and even the government for help – I’ll give her credit for that. Every place she called had plenty of ideas for the cold homeless woman…everybody pointing to someone else to fix the “problem” – but so far she had found no solution and she commented on how “sad it is that nobody is willing to help.” There are countless people who would do what she’s doing…willing to make a few phone calls as a cry for help on behalf of someone else…but very few are willing to accept the Opportunity to add Color all on their own. I think God ordains LOTS of opportunities like this one, but most people look for someone else to step up instead of adding Color to the situation all on their own the way God may intend for it to be. When Opportunity knocks…it’s time for Color!
Jesus said, “Whatever you do for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you do for me.” I wonder…would we just make a few phone calls for Jesus too or would we actually take Him into our home to get Him out of the cold? Would we scurry around looking for someone else to help Jesus so that we wouldn’t suffer the inconvenience ourselves, or would we roll up our sleeves and get busy blessing Him? Would we stay away because He didn’t smell good or look good or would we see Him in Living Color the way He sees us? Would we tell Jesus to “get a job” or tell Him that he’s getting what He deserves based on poor choices…and would we leave Him outside to teach him a lesson? Would we look for a few pieces of used clothing we can live without, or would we buy Him a new coat of his own? Would we point Him to a soup kitchen or look to the government to feed Him, or would we prepare a feast fit for a King in our own home? Would we protect the holiday table prepared exclusively for our own people or would we make room for Him at the Head of the table instead? One “sad” woman looking for somebody else to help…one cold, homeless “friend” looking for a miracle…is one HUGE opportunity to Serve the King of all kings in Living Color. “Whatever you do for the least of these of mine, you do for me.” Color makes all the difference.
I’m looking for the Color in this Journey of Life today and my Heart is ready to Share. I’m an Ambassador for the King of all kings ALL YEAR LONG and if He ordains an opportunity for me to bless “the least of these brothers and sisters of mine” I know it’s a chance to Serve HIM!
…thanks to a Kind and Compassionate Merciful God.
My Front Porch 
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