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Beware of Hoarding and Squandering!

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s bitter cold and snow is on the way again and I can’t wait to see God blanket the farm with His glory. The Living Waters Farm is Holy Ground…not because of me or anything I do here…but because it was given over to the Living God a long time ago to do with what He wants to do. It belongs to Him and not to me and it’s because I don’t claim it as my own that He has poured out more blessings than most people can even imagine. Each day is a new day filled with new beginnings and I’ve handed my Time over to the Living God all over again this morning. Nothing belongs to me! I have plenty of goals and good intentions, but if I take on any day with just ME in mind, it’s bound to not work out so well. No doubt the Master of my Life wants me to dream – and He tells us to never quit- but the things I’d chase in my own will aren’t necessarily what He wants for me – so, He wakes me up to a New Day filled with New Beginnings and I give it all back to Him. That’s the ONLY way I can be a usable, flexible, unstoppable Vessel for the Love of my Life! Isn’t that how you look at your New Days filled with New Beginnings too?

Everybody is given the same 24 hours a day despite how many people claim to “not have time” outside of their daily routine. They seem to have an allotted time to eat, sleep, work (and play), but there is no “allotted time” for the Living God, and “sacrifice” isn’t even in their vocabulary. When God attempts to shake things up for them by putting a need in their path that would require them to step outside of themselves to serve someone else…they refuse. “I’m too tired” – “I’m too busy” – “I don’t know how” – “I’m too old” – and “Let someone else” but the Most High God already Knows these things and when He comes Calling and He expects us to Serve Him (sacrificially) anyway. I don’t see any room for excuses when Jesus said, “For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me”. Not only did Jesus not care who was tired, or busy, or missing their favorite TV show, He said, “Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” to those too busy serving themselves to serve the needs of others. I’m no expert but I don’t think the Master of all Creation has tolerance for the selfish excuses we make for squandering life away while refusing to Serve the One who died for us. When (if) we have a Heart for the King, we’re not just “willing” to serve…we’re Honored to serve and THAT’S what giving it back to the King looks like.

It is so troubling to consider how much of our time is squandered despite knowing that the Bible says, “What is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away”. When you think about it, we really don’t have much time here on earth to Complete the Plan God has for each one of us…yet most people willingly and knowingly squander it away. How much of what we have – from time and attention to material things – can (and should) be given to someone else and yet we hoard it for our own pleasures? How much time spent parked in front of a television could be selflessly given to someone else in need? How much time scrolling through social media searching for the latest lies could be shared with someone needing a hug or a shoulder to cry on? How much of the leftover meal was tossed into the trash instead of being shared with someone in need? How much of what you have in the bank will be directed toward “investing” in your future or satisfying your own desires? The list is long and the excuses are lame, that’s for sure. But One Day “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” and we’ll all go face-to-face with the Living God. When an account of Life is given, do you really believe that the Alpha and Omega will listen to all the lame excuses for why we chose to serve ourselves and our own pleasures instead of Serving the King? Giving it all back to Him is the Key to a Fulfilled life with more Joy than any amount of money could ever buy.

I don’t have any more time than anybody else – in fact, I have less than most people and not because “I’m busy” but because I give it all away to the King. When you’re Willing to turn the New Day filled with New Beginnings over to Him and His Will (and not your own), you’ll be blown away by all the Work that He’s had for you to do in His Name all along. Serving the King of all kings is the greatest Honor of all and the more you Give away, the more Fulfilled you are. When it comes to Kingdom work, no squandering is allowed. I have Time and a Heart conditioned for the King and I’m excited about ALL that He has for me on this New day of New Beginnings.

How about you?

Are You Whining To The King?

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It snowed yesterday and throughout the night and what I saw this morning as the Master woke up the world was nothing short of heavenly in my eyes. I usually roll with the flow when it comes to the weather because I Trust God’s hand in it all. I don’t mind the rain or the snow because I know God is nourishing the earth. I don’t whine about the winds that sometimes rage through the farm because I Know that God is either drying things up, pruning trees, scattering seeds or all the above. Why would I “bite the hand” of the One who feeds me by whining about His Work? However, every once in a while I do have a weather Request from the God who “scattered the stars in the sky and knows them each by name” and yesterday was one of those days. I prayed for Him to hold back the snow for a specific period of time and for a specific Purpose…and He did. He held back the snow. He held back the winds. He gave me everything I asked for – NOT because He wanted to please me but so that He would be Glorified through it all. My God is an awesome God.

It’s mind-boggling how easily God’s people can whine and complain about things they have absolutely no control over AND miss out on countless Blessings when they do. The Bible says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” so we have an open invitation to make our Requests known to the same God who caused the sun to “stand still”…but I don’t think He has much tolerance for whining because whining equates to saying that He’s not doing a good enough job in your eyes. Who do you think you are to criticize the Work of His Hands without even an ounce of Gratitude for all the other Blessings in the Journey of Life? Be careful what you wish for or whine about you might just get an abundance of what you’ve prayed for as a consequence of your selfishness. The Israelites learned a hard lesson about just that and they paid the price for their whining (while ignoring countless blessings). “If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!” Now the Lord will give you meat, and you will eat it. You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, but for a whole month—UNTIL IT COMES OUT OF YOUR NOSTRILS and you loathe it”. Oops. God can be pushed too far and He won’t always tolerate whining from His people. Trusting His Will – Believing that He always Knows best – that He never makes mistakes – is the Key to a Surrendered Life.

I’m an imperfect woman living an imperfect life and I’m pretty sure I whine every once in a while without even realizing it…at least not at first. But the Closer I’ve drawn to Him the more I Trust His Will in all things and I enjoy just going along for the Ride. He’s my Protector. He’s my Provider. He’s my Deliverer. He’s my God, and as His Child, I know He only wants what’s best for me…not to be confused with something my flesh wants for me. Sometimes I make a “selfish” request so that I can do a Selfless thing in His Name and my God not only hears my prayers but honors them too. But if He hadn’t held back the snow yesterday as I Requested I still wouldn’t have whined. Instead, I would known with absolute certainty that the God of all Creation had Good Reason not to hold it back and I would have been Satisfied with His Will. “For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil”.

I’m of “full age” – how about you?

The ONLY Truth That EVER Matters!

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s bright, beautiful, and unseasonably warm (55°) this February morning in Virginia and I could have stayed on the porch all day. Once again the Living God lit up the farm with Majesty, and no matter how many times I witness the Work of His Hand, I am in awe of Him. When I went before the Throne of the God of all Creation this morning He did a good Work in me…work that I desperately needed for the Journey. I’m troubled by this troubled world but not for reasons most people are. I’m troubled to see SO MANY of my brothers and sisters far more interested in speaking out about the troubled world than they are in speaking to the troubled world about the Good News of Jesus Christ and I find myself whispering “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” more and more each day. This magnificent sunrise was a firm Reminder to me to focus on His Majesty…the Light of the world…and to be a Testimony through it all – NOT just for the lost – but to my brothers and sisters too. Isn’t that the way you see you Purpose too?

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” are the words spoken by the Savior of the world when he was wrongly accused and ultimately murdered by the rulers of the land. If anybody ever had the right to speak out against the political wrongs it would be Jesus Christ…the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords. If making sure the troubled world heard about its wrongs was of any importance to Him at all, He would probably still be hanging on the Cross to get the final accusations out. Instead, His heart broke for them and He cried out to His Father to forgive them “for they know not what they do.” Jesus died for ALL including the ones who hung Him on a cross like a common thief. He died for the thieves, the rapists, the abusers, the abductors, and all the politicians the world whines about today. The final words of Jesus were beautiful words…Compassionate words…words of Love, Hope, and Forgiveness. That’s the story of Jesus Christ; the one whose very nature we are called to take on. “Be holy as I am holy”! It’s not humanly possible to be without sin like He was, but it IS humanly possible to care a whole lot more about the Final Outcome than we do the troubled world itself, and having the “last word”…words of Love, Hope, and Forgiveness is always a choice.

Sometimes I close my eyes and try to imagine what it would be like if my brothers and sisters, so determined to spread what they believe is happening behind the scenes would begin to spread the Good News with the same passion and conviction! I wonder what it would sound like to hear “Jesus is Coming!” or “Have you heard what Jesus did?” a whole lot more than we hear character assassinations in every shape and size. I wonder what the world would be like if it could hear personal Testimonies of what Jesus Christ has done in our lives instead of a repeat of the latest political rhetoric and how we’ve been wronged by man. I wonder what it would be like if we longed to see Heaven a whole lot more than we long to see justice here on earth. I wonder what it would be like if God’s people would cry out “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” instead of shouting out insults at those they hate as if God gave them special permission. I wonder what it would be like if my brothers and sisters understood that they’re being used by the enemy – like pawns of Satan – just as surely as their enemies are, and they’re not messengers for the Living God the way they think they are because they fail to speak Love, and Forgiveness right along with all their “truths.” Hmm…

Watching how so many of my brothers and sisters are weighing in on the world breaks my heart…it is one of the saddest times of my life, for sure. But there’s more. Watching them trade Fellowship with their brothers and sisters for a remote control sermon as if all they need is entertainment sure explains how we got where we are. The flipping back and forth between their favorite pastor and their favorite news channel must be challenging at times for those who don’t understand that God is a “jealous God” and there is NO CONTEST for time with Him. Sometimes I wonder if we read the same Bible or serve the same God at all, but more than that, I find myself whispering “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” more and more each day…a prayer for all those lost people too ignorant to know what they’re REALLY doing, and for my brothers and sisters who ought to Know better but choose to be caught up in the war.

As surely as God brings the sun each morning, I’ll do my best to make sure that the Light of my Faith outshines the darkness around me and I’ll DETERMINE to be the Witness He’s called for me to be. Oh, and because I LOVE HIM, I’ll continue to feed His sheep too. He’s my Priority. He’s my Good News. He’s my Savior. He’s my Rock. HE IS THE TRUTH and that’s the ONLY TRUTH this troubled world needs to hear about.

Amen?

Complacency Has No Place…

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I’m so grateful to have met with the Living God in the warmth of this old farmhouse, and although I stepped out onto the porch to take in a breath of winter air and snap this photo…that was enough for me. It’s just like the Author and Perfecter of my Faith to use those few seconds of “pain” to send a Firm Reminder to me this morning about how it takes stepping into the “uncomfortable” to make a Difference in the Bigger Picture of Life. There is Peace in my home and warmth for the coldest of days…thank God. But unless I’m willing to step into the uncomfortable in the Name of Jesus Christ, all those things are just blessings that never make a difference at all. Isn’t that the way you look at your Journey of Faith too?

It can be so easy to settle into our lives and become dependent on our creature comforts as if the Living God wants us to sit back and be fat, dumb, and happy. The more comfortable we become the more excuses we make for staying put. It’s a blessing to have a warm home and a wonderful family, but complacency is born when we focus all our attention on things inside the walls where we’re the most comfortable while refusing to step out for Him. When Christ calls us to Himself, He doesn’t call us just to be warm and safe and comfortable within the confines of our homes. He makes sure that we know that our family is the first priority as we raise up a Godly generation…but He never intended for us to sit back while He Works. In fact, His Instructions are just the opposite – we’re told to GO FORTH and He doesn’t discriminate for age and sex…we are without excuse. Yes, He wants good things for us! After all, He’s the Provider of the home and our warmth. But warm couch potatoes don’t serve a Purpose in the Kingdom of God and they can’t have an Impact on the world UNLESS they’re willing to get uncomfortable for Him.

Not everybody is intended to serve in the mission field in places I’ve never even heard of, but EVERYBODY claiming to be a follower of Jesus Christ is expected to be Serving and sharing the Gospel. God doesn’t call us to do nice things that make us feel good. He calls each one of us to Bold things in His Name so that we shine the Light where it’s needed the most. Jesus spent some quality time with people along the way…from the disciples to His closest friends, and He was a guest in many homes where fine food and wine flowed freely. I’m sure He spent some time teaching when He was inside and I’m sure He had a little fun too. But that’s not where His Greatest work was done and Jesus sure didn’t stay put. He went to where the hurting people were and He ministered to them in His Name. Jesus set the example for all of us! First, He met their practical needs with Compassion SO THAT HE COULD open the door to minister to their spiritual needs…the most important part of Serving others. Jesus didn’t beat around the bush. He didn’t leave them with “God bless you.” Instead, He made sure that each one knew where to place their Trust and how to find their Hope. How much of that are we doing these days?

What good purpose does it serve to “minister” to the needy or to meet a practical need of a suffering soul if we NEVER MENTION JESUS CHRIST in the process? Handing the homeless a pair of boots in the middle of a winter storm is a very nice thing to do – but sharing the Message of Hope is a whole lot nicer and it will last a whole lot longer than the boots. Saying “God loves you” is one thing – sharing the MESSAGE of Salvation is another. How many lost opportunities do each one of us have to answer for one day? How many times have we failed to mention the Greatest Hope of all to a total stranger? How many times have we cowered down because we cared more about what someone thought of us than we did about their Eternal life? Of all the things that we can do to help someone in need, the Greatest Gift we could ever give to them is to share the Gospel…the Gift of Life. How sad that Jesus gave us one job to do while we’re here drawing breath on earth – but we’re so comfortable in our warm homes that we refuse to do it?

The cold air was painful enough for me at daybreak but the Reminder I got felt like ice water to wake me up all over again. Jesus IS coming…and He’s coming soon. There’s no time for us to sit back in a warm home and REFUSE to share Hope with the world. I don’t have to “get out” as much as I need to REACH OUT and you’ll NEVER find me ASHAMED of the Gospel of Jesus Christ or being too much of a coward to Share Him. I’ll meet every practical need that I’m able to meet, but you can be sure that when I do the Focus will ALWAYS be on how to fill the biggest Need now and forever. A warm pair of boots is one thing. The Gospel is another.

Will you be sharing Him today?

I’m Not Budging Without a Heavenly Action Plan…

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s still cold outside right now, but it promises to be warmer again today, and just the mere thought of warmer temperatures makes me smile. I’ve spent some time with the Living God this morning “drawing circles” around a few things in my life that I need Solutions for, and I refuse to budge from this circle of prayer until I have an Action Plan that was Designed in the Heavens for my circumstances. I’m not daring God and I’m sure not testing Him. Instead, I’m making sure that He sees my Commitment to finding the Right Solution, and I know for sure that He hears me… because He always does. I don’t know how long I’ll be in this “circle” but I’m willing to wait for as long as it takes and I’m Trusting in the outcome before I ever see it. I believe. The Bible says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see”. I have absolute confidence in what I “hope for” – now all I need is to patiently wait for the Perfect Solution He has! Isn’t that what your Relationship with the Living God looks like too?

I’m not one to pray simple prayers and I certainly don’t just pray sweet ones. I have BIG Requests of the Living God so I don’t approach His Throne like a wussie and I don’t approach Him with doubt. I’ve been taught how to pray by the Master Himself, and I’m a Warrior when it comes to prayer. I know that my prayers need to begin with Praise to a Mighty God, so when it comes to that part, that’s where I spend the beginning of my time with Him. “Our Father, which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy Name” means that His Name is HOLY and we need to be sure to declare it and to Believe it. I know from His Word that the Heavens praise Him 24 hours a day with “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty Who was, Who is, and Who is to come”. When I think of how beautiful that must sound as the Heavens declare the Majesty of my God I weep. One Day I’ll hear those Praises myself when I enter into Heaven with Him. Wow. After I praise Him, I thank Him for all that He is and all that He does for me and my family. I could spend 24 hours a day for all of eternity on that part alone because His wonders are “too many to declare”. After I’ve spent my time Praising Him and then Thanking Him it’s time to ask for Forgiveness. No matter how hard I try, or how well I live, there’s always something that I need to be Forgiven of…He already knows whatever it is and He’s always ready to Forgive me BUT He still wants to hear it from me and He wants to see my Humility as I stand before Him. Then, AFTER ALL THAT, it’s time to make my Requests known to the “Great I am”. One thing I am sure of is that it takes entering His Presence with the Right Heart for either of us to be prepared to talk about Requests. It’s ONLY after I Praise Him for Who He is and I thank Him for all that He does for me and I address my Wrongs, that I can approach His Throne with Confidence and a Faith that can move a mountain.

I know His Word pretty well and I’m not afraid to say so when we Meet. I know Who He is and I know What He says. I know that He will never leave me nor forsake me, and I make sure that He knows that I Believe it. I know that He says that I don’t have to worry about anything at all because if He cares about “the birds in the air”, surely He will provide for me and I don’t have a single doubt that He will. I know that He’s the One that has given me a soul-winning, saint-spurring Ministry and I’m not afraid to ask Him to “enlarge my territory” so that I can reach more. I know that He says that He will “take you by the right hand and lead you” so as long as I’m willing to surrender to His Leadership everything is going to be alright. BUT I also know that if I stand before my God like a wussie, and I pray without Believing my own words, I should have no expectation at all that my prayers will be heard at all. I pray with boldness and I Believe in the results long before I see them because His Word says, “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do”. When you think about it, how could ANY child of the Living God pray without actually believing what they’re praying for?

I Declare Victory over the challenges in my Journey of Faith every day. I don’t just ask Him if He’ll help see me through (AS IF I don’t want to be a bother to Him) because there is no comparison between “surviving” and absolute Victory. I make sure that He Knows that I’m Armed and Ready for Battle, I don’t hide under the bed and ask Him to fight the Bully for me, I use the Tools He’s already given to me for Battle and I follow my War Instructions well. I don’t spend time begging God for things to be “His Will”, and I don’t address Him with meekness. I refer to His Promises and I Declare His Majesty instead and when I pray, I BELIEVE. I don’t always get what I ask for because what I ask for isn’t always within His Plans for me…at least for now. But I could spend the rest of my Life making a list of ALL of my Requests that have been Honored by the Living God and all of the Miraculous things He’s done in my Life. I stand on His Promises and I Believe…and I always will.

I’ve drawn a “circle” around a few things in my Journey of Faith and I know that Jehovah Shammah (“God is there”) is hearing every Word I speak and He knows everything within my Heart. I know that HE knows that I won’t budge from the “circle” until I hear from Him – until he provides the Solutions that I’m praying and Believing in. The Bible says, “And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?” so I Know that God doesn’t mind my Relentless approach to things I’m praying and Believing in. I’m a Child of the Living God. I’m a Warrior. I don’t quit. I’m unstoppable and unshakable. Most of all, I Believe.

How about you?

Desperately Looking For Hope…

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. They say it is going to be 50° and windy today which should finish off the lingering snow and dry the ground. My God thinks of everything. I had a dream a few nights ago and no matter what I do, I can’t seem to shake the image of what I saw. In this dream, I got out of bed and raised the shade to my bedroom window that faces the barn, and what I saw took my breath away! The snow was deep and there were people for as far as my eyes could see…all of them headed to The Well. They weren’t the usual bright and beautiful faces I see on Sundays, these people were tired, sick, hungry, scared, and broken – each one desperately looking for Hope. In my dream, I didn’t hesitate to get dressed on a cold winter morning and head down to the barn to help those desperate strangers. No doubt some needed food. Some needed shelter. Some needed rest. Some needed love but they ALL needed Jesus and I was just the one to Share Him with them. As I continue to ponder that dream, it has become clear to me that the God of all Creation painted an image of everyday life on this earth. Each one of us is surrounded by tired, sick, hungry, scared, and broken people looking for Hope. What we do with them paints a picture of the Depth and Degree of our Faith. “Whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me”. Isn’t that the way you see the Journey of Faith too?

It can be so easy to look the other way – especially in a world of tight schedules and more distractions than we can shake a stick at, but we miss out on what Jesus has for us (all) when we do. In my dream, when I saw all those faces desperate for Hope, I was immediately overwhelmed with compassion and, to the extent possible, I could FEEL their pain and fear. I didn’t stop to think through anything whatsoever, instead, I rushed to Serve them just the way Jesus would. I didn’t think about the fact that they were all “strangers” – and desperate ones at that – the Bible says, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it”. I didn’t think about how some of the desperate ones might be “criminals”, instead, I remembered what the Bible says, “Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering”. I didn’t worry about how I would feed them because the Bible says “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them”. I didn’t have one single fearful (or doubtful) thought, I was Focused on Love instead and I Knew that He brought them here for a Purpose. I Knew in my Spirit that God would Provide for all the physical needs no matter how many people showed up. My “job” was to show them unconditional Love and to tell them about my Jesus and I was confident that He would take care of the rest.

There is no doubt that God uses me (and countless others) to warn the world about the consequences of not following Him and the high stakes of ignoring the needs of the desperate ones. Some people stay clear of me because they get sick of hearing it but as long as the Bible isn’t sick of “saying” it, I won’t be shutting up. Some people roll their eyes when I quote (for the millionth time) “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever YOU DID NOT DO for one of the least of these, you DID NOT DO FOR ME.’ Some people laugh in my face and tell me to “lighten up” but that’s never going to happen. Jesus doesn’t want anybody to perish so if my fellow Believers think they won’t have a price to pay for refusing to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the dark world or for refusing to “do for the least of these” I’d say they might want to spend a little time in His Word. He will set them straight…hopefully before they hear “Depart from me, I never knew you”.

I’m very grateful for that dream because it served as a reminder to me of my Purpose and what the Living God expects of ALL of His people. The tired, sick, hungry, scared, and broken ones are everywhere but even the churches don’t see them…or they refuse to look. The desperate ones are on every corner…school…office…restaurant…gym…and though their needs vary, the Solution is all the same. They need Jesus. I don’t need to go looking for the desperate ones (nobody does), He’ll bring them to me instead and when He does I can choose to serve them and love them just the way Jesus did OR to ignore them completely and take the chance of hearing “I NEVER KNEW YOU”. The desperate ones may not be lined up here as far as the eye can see and they probably won’t be walking through the snow to get to The Well but one by one I’ll serve them all the same because the One who died for me said, “Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me” and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my Jesus. He died for me…I live for Him.

How about you?

A Different Day…But The Same Heart Still…

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No photo description available.

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Living God before the sun came up and I gave thanks for a warm dwelling on this cold day; a luxury many others don’t have. It’s 9 degrees this morning and the ice on the trees and the fields won’t be melting any time soon even though the sun is bright and beautiful. The temperature of the sun never changes, but even it can’t melt the ice if the atmosphere around the ice remains cold. As I stood there admiring the beauty of the icy limbs and the blazing sun, the Lord spoke to my Heart with a reminder of how this is what life will look like as we draw closer to the End. The Light of God will always be there and His “temperature” never changes…but there will always be icy ones that refuse to be melted no matter how Bright the Light of His Love shines. What an Amazing God to speak to my Heart through the icy limbs on a cold day.

It’s a dark world riddled with turmoil as the Spiritual war rages in the heavens. The more the Light of God shines, the icier the world becomes as the limbs relentlessly fight to remain just where they are with no interest in being warmed by the Son whatsoever. Sometimes when the Warmth seeps through even just a little, the icy ones fight even harder for their “right” to remain where they are. Jesus said “they will hate you because of me” and that’s true – but it’s not until we Shine the Light to Warm things up do we Understand just what Jesus meant by that. Fear of being hated will often silence Carriers of the Warmth so the ice keeps clinging to the trees like never before. All it ever takes for ice to melt is for the atmosphere around it to warm up, and when that happens the ice is powerless. I dream about what the icy world would look like if more Carriers of the Warmth were willing to Shine despite the hate they’d experience if they did. The “temperature” of the Living God never changes and He has the Power over all…BUT His people are commanded to Share the Warmth so we can change the atmosphere of the ice, and yet so many refuse to be hated because of Him.

The icy conditions don’t exist just because of the lost ones, they exist because of some Proclaiming to Know Jesus Christ too. There are lots of enemies in the Camp and they freeze over often when they hear things they don’t like or they choose to spread hate over Love. Sometimes they talk about Warmth, but the icy condition of their heart is what the world really sees, and the enemy rejoices to see one of God’s Warmth Carriers spitting out ice instead. We talk a lot about Revival but that’s a “be careful what you wish for” kind of thing. When Revival begins, the ice will rage even more than it does today, and those Willing to Share the Warmth of the Son will be hated like never before. The Good News is that One Day the Son will show Himself to the world again, and when He does, all the icy ones will melt at His feet and confess that He is Lord too. Now that’s a Good Dose of Warmth the icy ones need to hear and it’s what the Warmth Carriers share despite the hate we experience when we do.

God used a simple image of ice clinging to the limbs to ignite my Heart this morning. I’m Armed and Ready to Carry the Warmth of the Son to everyone, everywhere, despite what it might “cost” me. I experience more hate than most people can imagine but that only Propels me to Share more when I do. The Atmosphere around me is so warm that the icy ones feel it by what I say and how I Live. There’s absolutely nothing the icy ones can do to harm me but the harder they try, the harder I Work to be the best Carrier of Warmth I can possibly be. He died for me…I Live for Him. You can’t go wrong when you look at the Journey called Life what way!

How about you?

Beware of the Thin Layers of Ice and Snow

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s below freezing again this morning and the little bit of snow that fell days ago is still lingering on the ground. As I sat in the Presence of the Most High this morning, I thought about how sometimes just a little dusting of sin or adversity can fall upon life and if we’re not careful it can linger for way too long too. That small layer of snow and ice can cause more problems for us than a foot of snow ever could because it appears to be so harmless and yet it’s nearly impossible to find your footing. What an amazing God I serve that would use a layer of ice and snow to drive home a Message about how anything standing in between me and my God is ALWAYS a problem no matter how harmless it appears to be on the surface. Isn’t that the way you see your Journey of Life too?

It’s interesting how man is inclined to gauge sin like the weatherman gauges the accumulation of snow and ice. Many people deny that sin is sin to very the One we profess to Serve, and that a “little white lie” is no different than murder in His eyes. The “big sin” isn’t always easy to hide, and if it’s big enough, the world will have a front-row seat to watch the journey. There isn’t usually much debating over “big sin” because the offense is crystal clear to all. But when it comes to those “little sins” – the countless things that can stand in the way between us and our God, now that’s a different story to many of God’s people. They’ll excuse away things like an angry heart, a bitter tongue, judgment, or gossip as if they’re somehow superior to a drug addict or adulterer in the eyes of the Lord. But they’re only fooling themselves, Those thin layers can be a slippery slope that can linger for a very long time (sometimes an entire lifetime) and they definitely stand in the way between us and our God…until we repent and turn away, that is. If we want to be pleasing to the God of all Creation, we need to care as much about doing away with the thin layers as we do the blizzards. They ALL stand in the way between us and the Author and Perfecter of our Faith.

There’s a lot that goes into a Rich Relationship with the Living God…time, praise, service, etc., but the way to true fulfillment isn’t what we do on the outside, it’s the willingness to Examine ourselves on the Inside that matters the most. It’s when we Examine our own Hearts that we’ll see those layers for what they REALLY are, and when we see them (to the extent possible) the way God does, we can’t get rid of them fast enough! We see the long-term ripple effect of our harsh words that can sometimes last for generations. We see the damage we do by pointing out wrongs to our loved ones as if we’re the judge and jury. We see what a bad Witness we are in this dark world by behavior we excuse away as if it doesn’t matter to God but every layer matters to Him. Pride and arrogance have to be buried for us to be willing to Examine our own Hearts. Those thin layers of ice don’t usually melt away over time, they need to be forced away instead. If we want to be pleasing to the God of all Creation, we must be willing to Examine our Hearts for anything standing in the way of the Rich Relationship He wants with every child.

There’s no action needed to do away with the thin layer of ice and snow at the farm – it will melt on its own eventually. But when it comes to my Heart and my Rich Relationship with the One Who died for me, I won’t be buying time hoping thin layers go away on their own like the ice on the ground. I don’t want ANYTHING standing between me and my Amazing God and I’m willing to face whatever I need to face and to repent of whatever I need to repent of so that I can have THE BEST Relationship with Him until He calls me Home. After all, the King of all kings died for me, it only makes sense that I would Live for Him!

How about you?

He Already Knows…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It was 0° at sunrise this morning and although I’m longing for some warmer days, I accept what it is today because I trust the Master’s Hand with everything in my Life. He already Knows my plans have been thwarted because of the snow, ice, and cold and He Knows that we haven’t been able to gather at The Well for a few weeks because of it. He already Knows that people are struggling just to heat their homes and that schools are closing until the conditions are safer for the kids and the buses. He already Knows that some people don’t have shelter to escape the bitter temperatures and that some will lose a life or limb because of it. He already Knows it all because He’s already in Tomorrow. As I considered my God who is the “same yesterday, today, and forevermore” I was overwhelmed and I began to weep. I didn’t need to tell Him that I needed a little “extra” this morning…He met me right where I was on this cold January morning because He already knows EVERYTHING about me, He Loves me, and He died for me! The Love and Compassion of the Living God never cease to amaze me. Isn’t that the way it is for you sometimes too?

From where I sit, it seems so easy for some people to believe they’re small in the eyes of a busy God all because of the natural thought process of man, but they miss out on the most amazing Relationship when they do. We tend to gauge our relationship with the Living God the way we gauge all of our other relationships, but God doesn’t work that way. Some people have a hard time accepting that God could forgive them of something horrific they did in the past, but that’s because they know that man is inclined to withhold forgiveness like a judge and jury even though the God they profess tells them to forgive no matter what. Some people struggle to conquer a wrong and they repeat it over and over again because they refuse to accept His Grace. But even Paul struggled with that one – “For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” and God loved Paul enough to hunt him down on the road to Damascus because He Knew Paul was the perfect man for the “job” – past and all. What’s “good” for Paul is good for you and me BUT we need to learn to Trust the Hand of God like Paul did especially when we don’t necessarily like the way things are going. That’s the Key to a rich Relationship with the King of all kings.

Man issues “tolerance limits” on relationships but God never does…because Christ already paid the price and He’s always ready to forgive when we ask. Some people live as if they can hide their dirty little secrets forever but that’s because they don’t Trust in the God who holds tomorrow…the One Who already Knows it all and loves us anyway. Nothing slips by God – not the 0° temperatures at the farm this morning and not things the Devil likes to tell us are “secret”. The enemy comes to “rob, kill, and destroy” and nothing gives him leverage like believing that God is too big to care. As for me, I Know that I’m a child of the Living God and He says that I’m Royalty and because I Know WHO I am in Christ, I’ll never think my life is too small to matter to a big God.

Gauging the Love of God the way we gauge our other relationships is a clear sign that we don’t understand who He is at all. In fact, it goes to show that it’s not YOU who is too small for Him…it’s Him you think is too small for you! His Word says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, “declares the Lord.” There’s not a relationship on earth that is “perfect” and not a human being that will never cause you pain; but that’s the nature of man. God never stops loving. He never gives up on us no matter how many times we fall. He can’t be fooled. He sees it all. He knows the Heart. He knows the mind. He forgives it all. He doesn’t have boundaries on His Love, and He’ll forgive the offenses matter how vile every single time we Repent.

Gauging His love against every other love is not only an insult to the One that “scattered the stars and sky and knows them each by name,” but it’s absolute foolishness! Who would want a god that loves us the way man does? Who would want a god that could be fooled? Who would want a god that says, “I’ve had enough!?” Who would want to serve a god with limitations and boundaries? It’s only when we stop looking at the Living God as if He has the nature of man that we find Peace and Joy AND Love as we’ve never known before!

I began this day with the coldest temperatures we’ve seen in a while and important plans that have been thwarted because of it. Instead of feeling sorry for myself, I inclined myself to the Author and Perfecter of my Faith – the Creator of this new day – and I spent time Reinforcing my Trust in the One with the Master Plans. I found my Peace in a world I don’t understand. I found my Joy that always “cometh in the morning” and I found my Contentment. You won’t hear me whining no matter what today (or tomorrow) brings. God has great Plans for me and when He says “forever” I know He means it. I’m looking forward to my Forever with Him and I want to Glorify Him until He carries me to my New Home to live “happily ever after” with Him!

How about you?

El Shaddai Never Sleeps…Do You Trust Him?

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The farm was blanketed in another layer of snow yesterday and the temperature is dangerously low this morning. It’s always quiet after a snowstorm as the snow absorbs the sound and the wildlife takes cover and it’s a beautiful sight to behold the winter in the Winter Season of this thing called “Life”. Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall – all is well with my family, this farm, and the world around me because El-Shaddai (God Almighty) protects it 24 hours a day. The Bible says, “No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength” so I rarely attempt to fight battles on my own anymore. Instead, I put my Trust in the One Who “scattered the stars in the sky and knows them each by name” and I “work out my Salvation with fear and trembling”. It’s no small thing to call out to El-Shaddai for help and it’s no small thing when He answers. As I sat in His Presence this morning I was overwhelmed by His Might. The One Who opened up the heavens for the snow to fall on the farm LOVES ME and He holds my Life in the palm of His Hand. I feel His Love and Protection every day and I’m forever grateful for Him. But when I pause to consider His Might – and I understand the outcome of any situation isn’t in my hands at all – it’s an indescribable feeling. When I pause to consider the Power of the Living God it doesn’t make me feel small in comparison to Him…instead, it reminds me of just how much Power is right at my fingertips ALL because of El-Shaddai. Isn’t that the way you look at the Journey too?

It can be so easy for people of Faith to lose sight of what it means to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” and they overlook the Power of a Mighty God when they take matters into their own hands MORE than they place the matters in His. But our Power doesn’t come from our own actions, and no matter how resourceful we think we are, we’re never the ones to “fix” whatever it is that’s wrong. It’s always the amazing El-Shaddai at work even for the most “trivial” things. There are plenty of horrific things going on all around the world these days, and it would be easy to get caught up in them, but El-Shaddai sees it all…cares about it all…is with us through it all…and He’s got it all in the palm of His Hand. There’s a tremendous sense of Peace and Power that comes just by knowing that El-Shaddai is ALWAYS there and ALWAYS listening. Hmm…He’s Jehovah Shammah too! The best part is that He doesn’t need social media to speak to His people and nobody can twist His arm or thwart His Plans. There is Power in His Name.

The Bible says, “You believe that there is one God? Good! Even the demons believe that and shudder.” Even the most evil shudder at the mention of His Name and yet we hear His name mentioned more in vain than we do in Praise. So many people have bought into the “God is love” concept but they refuse to Believe that God is to be feared too even though the Bible warns them that “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Believing He exists is one thing – Living as if you Believe is an entirely different story. When you Believe, you Surrender, and you understand the Power that is within you because of Him. You find Peace in Knowing that “No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.” When you get out of your own way and Surrender to El-Shaddai instead, you call upon His Name for everything. When you Surrender, you fearlessly mention His name and you’re excited to share Who He is. When you Surrender it’s easy NOT to become overwhelmed because you see His Hand in everything and it’s overwhelming to know that El-Shaddai…the God of all…the Prince of Peace…the Great “I am”… is there with you through it all. When you Surrender, the tears of Joy flow freely at the mere thought that El-Shaddai will never leave you nor forsake you. When you Surrender, you KNOW there is Power within you – all you ever need to do is tap into it. There is Power in His Name.

I spent Quality Time with a Mighty God this morning surrounded by snow and I gave thanks for His Power and Might. The more I considered how “big” He is, the Stronger I felt. ALL things are possible through Him and I know He doesn’t grow tired of me asking for the “impossible” and Believing those things will come to pass…all because of El-Shaddai – my Mighty God…the omnipresent and omnipotent God of my Life that sees it all…cares about it all…is with me through it all…and the great I AM has it ALL in the palm of His Hand. “No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength”

How about you?