god

The Inclined Heart…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s another gray and rainy day in Virginia, but it’s a NEW day and a Gift from the Master to me. I understand that each day is a Precious Gift, but it’s more than that – each new day is another opportunity to Glorify my God…and THAT excites me! So, each day, rain or shine, I do my Part to Prepare for whatever He has for me. I am Confident that I can “do all things through Christ who strengthens me” but I also know that none of that is possible UNLESS my Heart is Inclined toward Him. So, with Bible in hand and a hot cup of coffee, I set out to enter into His Presence each day Ready to learn and Eager to Grow. It’s easy for me to comprehend how “the mountains bow down and the seas will roar at the sound of His Name” when I witness His glory at the beginning of each new day. “I sing for Joy at the work of His hands” and everything within me is Inclined toward my King. Isn’t that the way it works for you too?

It amazes me when I hear people comment on how “it’s easier” for me to be Inclined toward Him at sunrise because of the view I’m blessed with. There are no words to describe my view that’s for sure, and it’s an Honor to have been chosen to Steward this beautiful place. But when you’re looking at the photos of the view from the front porch, you’re not just looking at the Work of His Hands, you’re looking at my Heart through the lens of a camera too. When you read the Words that describe where I am, you’re reading the words from a Heart that is Inclined toward a Mighty God. When you Walk my journey through photographs as I describe what’s going on in my world, you’re seeing it all after it’s filtered through a Heart that is Inclined toward Him with a Heart that knows that it doesn’t belong to me at all! The mountains aren’t the only things to bow down at the sound of His name…I do too. Sometimes I bow down in the physical sense but ALWAYS bow down in the Spiritual sense. I long to please Him and I long to Serve Him so being sure that my Heart is Inclined toward Him is even more important to me than air is, and THAT’S why you see the Work of His Hands through a photo and a few simple words.

When the Heart is Inclined toward Him it’s impossible NOT to see the beauty in everything around you. Of course, you see the beauty in His creation – that’s a piece of cake especially when the view is so spectacular. But with a Heart Inclined toward Him, you even see the beauty in the not-so-beautiful too. You can see the beauty in others when they aren’t so kind to you because you know that He loves them just the same as He loves you. You see the beauty in brokenness because you know that God has a beautiful Purpose behind the scenes IF the broken one is willing to be Inclined toward Him in all things and through all things. You can even see the Beauty in heartbreak and sickness because you know that He will Spin it into an opportunity to Glorify Himself no matter the outcome IF the Heart is Inclined toward Him. There’s no end to the beauty we can see if we look at Life through the lens of a Heart that’s Inclined toward Him! That’s the Key to being a Light in a dark world no matter what’s going on around us. One Day the King will come back, and when He does, my Heart will be Inclined and it will leap with Joy whether I’m on the front porch of this beautiful farm or not. That’s the Nature of the Heart Inclined toward the King of all kings!

My heart is Ready for this new day and I’m excited that He will find me Worthy to be of Service…even though I don’t Know the Details yet. With an Inclined Heart, anything is possible! Every moment, every encounter, every word, and every image will be filtered through my Inclined Heart and I’ll be Ready and Willing to be used by the King anytime He’s ready for me.

I was born for such a time as this!

How about you?

My God Doesn’t Make Mistakes…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. Last night God brought the rain we’ve been praying for and this morning everything is rich and green all over again. It’s amazing what a little nourishment can do when God opens up the heavens and how nature seems to appreciate the rain as much as we do. I watched this deer come out of hiding in the brush as she led her triplets to “greener pastures” for reasons I don’t understand. This mama deer is a rare creation – not only because she gave birth to triplets, but because she is what is known as a “Piebald” which means she has a very rare genetic mutation that causes her to have lots of patchy white fur. Her fawns still have spots, so it’s impossible to see if they’ll carry the same gene…only time will tell. Sad as it is, some people believe that Piebalds should be exterminated to stop the “bad” genes from continuing to “taint” future herds, but I am confident God doesn’t see it that way. After all, MY God doesn’t make mistakes and He sure doesn’t make decisions based on what the outside looks like. Isn’t that the way you see it too?

If only people could travel through the journey of life without a care in the world just like this Piebald does, the world would be a better place. This beautiful deer is oblivious to her genetic differences, and she doesn’t care if humans think she is “flawed” or not. She doesn’t have the intellect it takes to worry about bringing “imperfect” life into this world – she fills the world with God’s beautiful creations instead. If only people could (or would) stop trying to look like somebody else the world would be a better place. If only they could stop trying to remedy a “flaw” that actually adds to their beauty just the way it does for the Piebald the world would be a happier place. If only they could see aging as a Gift from God and stop ridiculous attempts to reverse the clock, the world would be filled with more content grandma’s and grandpa’s. If only they would stop mutating their bodies into something unrecognizable, the world would be filled with people who believe they’re actually worthy of Love. God knit each one of us together in our mother’s womb and, just like Mama Piebald, He thinks we’re beautiful just the way we are. To God, the outside is not of much importance at all because the outside is just the shell that houses the Soul (for now). If only the world would focus on the INSIDE more than it focuses on the outside, the world would be a godlier place to be.

I’m sick of life-altering decisions being made based on the outside because I Know only the inside matters at all. I’m sick of upheaval in my Country over the color of skin…and I’m really sick of the focus on skin color and gender as part of the selection process for the leader of the free world! Have we become so obsessed with the outside that the inside has become irrelevant? God help us. Who in their right mind casts their vote on what the candidate looks like instead of their ability to lead? I may not be the brightest bulb God ever Created but I’m wise enough to understand that brown skin, orange hair, and/or body parts have zero relevance whatsoever when it comes to casting a vote for ANY position in the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His site! If only people would TRY to love others the way He loves us…if only they would accept the fact that what we look like on the outside doesn’t hold a candle to what we look like on the inside! If only the world…including opinionated Christians…would actually believe what the Bible says – that God ordains the leaders based upon who He wants to lead and absolutely nothing can change His Plans- the world would be a wiser and more peaceful place to be. No doubt people are outraged to hear that some believe this beautiful “flawed” deer should be exterminated so as not to taint future generations AND YET it doesn’t phase them at all that life-altering decisions in America are being based on race and gender. Hmm…

My Country is in turmoil BUT my God is in Control and He doesn’t make mistakes. Absolutely nothing slips past Him and everything needs His Approval. Although He knit us together in our mother’s womb, He’s not looking at the outside for flaws…He’s examining the Inside of each one instead. He didn’t mess up when He created the Piebald and He won’t mess up when He Ordains NEXT leader of the United States. He is the great I AM. He IS all. He SEES all. He’s the Leader of the entire Universe and He has a Perfect Plan for the leader of the free world (and beyond) that I Trust with everything within me.

How about you?

Not Gauged By “Feelings”…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. To kick off this new day I sat waiting to feel the Presence of the Lord as I usually do, but I can’t say that I actually did. I know my Omnipresent Lord is always with me but I wanted to FEEL Him this morning. I praised Him. I exalted Him. I thanked Him and I made a few requests – but I didn’t “feel” anything in return. When I didn’t “feel” anything I set out to examine my Heart to see if there was any reason within me for the silence. The last thing I want is for something within me to hinder my Relationship with the King of all kings, so that’s ALWAYS the first stop to check the pulse of our Relationship. He’ll NEVER wrong me…but have I wronged Him? I found a few things that I needed to Adjust and I asked Him for Forgiveness – and I felt uplifted even though He was still “silent.” Some people might wonder why I try so hard sometimes, but that’s because He’s my everything and I’m desperate for my God. The words of the Psalmist define my Heart far better than I can “As a deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for Thee, O God.” Isn’t that the way it is in your Journey of Faith too?

It can be so easy to gauge anything in life by what we feel or don’t feel, but a Quality Life isn’t measured by what we “feel.” We don’t exist to be entertained, and we won’t always have warm fuzzy feelings. Everything in life has a season of silence – from work to relationships to time with Living God. When we don’t “feel” excited, or successful, or loved, or appreciated, or anything else we often point to someone or something else for the reason why. Silence isn’t always a bad thing, but when things are silent the FIRST STOP should be to examine ourselves to see if there is anything within us that is hindering the “feelings.” That is NOT taking the blame for every season of silence – it’s doing our Part to find the Truth. As long as we insist on placing blame for how we feel or don’t feel we never Mature and we lose much more than we gain. I don’t know why I didn’t “feel” anything from my God this morning, but I DO KNOW that the most important thing for me is to be sure that I’m NOT the reason why. After that, I continue to do my part and I NEVER read into what I feel while I wait patiently for Him.

I’ll be doing lots of things in His Name today but the most important thing isn’t necessarily what to do with my mind or my hands – the most important is the Condition of my Heart while I Serve Him. If I don’t “feel” from someone else, the first stop will be for me to Examine myself before I ever turn to them for the cause. I’m desperate for my God and Pleasing Him is my Biggest Priority. If I have that part right, everything else just falls into place “feelings” and all.

How about you?

Be Still…He’s Waiting For You!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. My first thought was of the Living God when I opened my eyes this morning – He’s my first thought and my Biggest Priority in this Journey called life. I couldn’t wait to get in His presence so I headed out to the front porch eager to see what He had in store on this new day. What I saw took my breath away and it prepared me to sit in the presence of my Mighty God. I went from feeling “small” and insignificant in the big scheme of things to Praising the One Who Created me for His Purpose and Who Calls me by name! Hallejulah! Just like everybody else, there are plenty of other things I could choose to be doing in the early hours of any new day, but NOTHING compares to being in His Presence. His Word says to “be still and know that I am God” and it’s that “still” part that feeds my soul the most – more than Christian music playing in the background or a long walk to commune with His creation – it’s when we’re “still” that He is able to drive a Message home, and it’s when we’re “still” that He can Speak directly to the Heart of His people with no outward distractions at all. So, “still” I am day after day. Isn’t that the way you spend your morning too?

It’s interesting to hear how some people define their “quiet time” with God. Some people have a Bible reading plan to help them stay on track to read the entire Bible from start to finish and they never venture off track on their own. Some people put on Christian music while they prepare breakfast for the family and somehow in the middle of morning chaos, they believe they’ve had quiet time with the King. Some people read a page or two from a devotional and call it a day. Some people dedicate time to homework for a Bible study they’ve committed to and they label that as “quiet time” instead of extra credit. Some people read a chapter or two from a book written by a Christian author and that becomes “quiet time” for them. Some tune into a sermon on TV or on the Internet and they’ve sold themselves on the quality of their quiet time in their recliner. Some people multi-task by listening to a spiritual message while they work out at the gym or take an early morning walk or run. Some pray on their way to work or listen to a spiritual message along the way. There’s absolutely NOTHING wrong with any of these things because each one is an effort to fill the mind and the soul with Good things. BUT none of these things can be defined as “quiet time” and none of them leave room to “be still” before the Living God. None of them make room for those miraculous moments when God unexpectedly “shows up” in the quiet. Although God is always with us, and I’m sure He likes some of those attempts we take to fill our world with Him, I believe He likes it best when everything else in the world is set aside and tuned out and He gets some SERIOUS one-on-one time with His child in the quiet.

I’m just an average woman with an above-average Faith in the Living God and the Priorities in my very busy Life are in order. He’s my FIRST priority and it shows in all that I am and all that I do! It’s because of Him that I know how to Love. It’s because of Him that my Faith is unshakable. It’s because of Him that I Persevere no matter what. It’s because of Him that I hurt for the Lost ones and I do my part to Share. It’s because of Him that I have a Future laid out for me that is more beautiful than the mind can imagine – a place where there is no more sickness, sadness, or pain. With all that said, WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD I NOT make time to sit in silence before the Throne of a Mighty God? There is no doubt about Who my Heart belongs to. There’s no competing with my time because my world Knows that He comes first. I’ll always have a mile-long list of things to do and I’m (at least) as busy as the next guy, BUT before I get busy on any new day, I get “still” and in those “still” moments the world isn’t even a blip on my radar screen. He gets the One-on-one time that He tells me I need in order to live the Life He Created me to live. The King of all kings WANTS to spend time with His child and there is no greater Joy in my Life because of it. I’m being still.

How about you?

Don’t Let The Thief Rob You…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I started out with a mind full of chaos this morning, and if I hadn’t Surrendered it all to the Living God, that mindset would have wreaked havoc on this new day from start to finish. Thankfully, I had my attitude Adjusted by the Author and Perfecter of my Faith and my mind full of chaos quickly became a Heart full of shame…shame for doubting and shame for waking up with so little Trust in a Mighty God. The scattered clouds in the morning sky were a sweet reminder to me of the battle that goes on in the mind – a battle only possible IF we allow the enemy to whisper lies of defeat…and we willingly listen. But when we DETERMINE to “take captive every thought” – to Focus on God Almighty instead of the chaos – all things come together to paint a beautiful picture just like the one God painted over the farm this morning. It’s when we determine to focus more on the Son than we do on the scattered clouds that we’ll find Victory and Peace in the chaos every single time. Isn’t that the way you look at taking control of the chaos before it takes control over you too?

It would be so easy to allow the circumstances of life to turn into mental chaos sometimes UNLESS I make up my mind to focus more on my Mighty and Merciful God than I do on the chaos. If I’m not careful…if I’m not diligent in battling my own thoughts and fears…I could easily spend LESS time in the presence of the Living God instead of MORE time when I need Him the most. I could easily begin looking for logic in the chaos and I could easily try to “fix” the chaos on my own. But that doesn’t make any more sense than it would for me to try to fix the clouds in the sky! The God of all Creation is the ONLY one that can do that and He’s the only Solution to chaos. It’s when I feel as if I’m in over my head that I force myself to slow down and I take the time to Refocus my Heart on the One who holds the world in the palm of His Hand. He’s the Heavenly diffuser of chaos! With Him I’m unstoppable. With Him I’m Victorious. With Him I am Strong. With Him, I can do ALL things. He’s the Wind beneath my Wings and the source of my Strength. He’s the Son behind the scattered clouds and He’s the Solution for the chaos. There is absolutely NOTHING I can’t overcome IF I put Him first and IF I take the time to strengthen myself for the ride by taking captive every thought. This is the key to everlasting Peace.

I may have hit the ground with a mind full of chaos this morning but I’m not the same woman now after my Time with Him. Nothing clears the chaos like a Firm Reminder of who I Belong to! I’M TAKING CAPTIVE EVERY THOUGHT just like He tells me to and I refuse to allow the liar from Hell to rob me of my Peace. After all, that liar can only get FROM me what I willingly surrender to him because he has absolutely no power over a Child of the Living God. The chaos in my mind hasn’t completely faded yet, BUT I have no doubt that if I keep doing my part to take captive every thought, it will be over soon and I WILL be Victorious. I don’t have all the answers for the chaos (yet), but I have the ONLY Solution for it all. My mind, my Heart, and my Soul have been readied for the ride and now I’m more focused on the Son than ever before!

How about you?

It’s Just Noise To Me!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the One who scattered the stars in the sky and knows them each by name with a Heart eager to Learn and overflowing with Love. I Prayed and read from my Instruction Manual, but I had the hardest time trying to concentrate this morning! At first, I couldn’t figure out what my problem was, but then I realized the problem wasn’t with me or my ability to focus – the “problem” was due to a couple of crows in a nearby tree making a lot of noise to disrupt an otherwise quiet and beautiful morning. The more I thought about how a couple of noisy crows could disrupt my time with the Living God, the more it reminded me of the Journey of Faith at such a time as this. All those noisy “crows” in the world today SO determined to be heard have managed to take the focus off the Living God and onto the “theory of the month”. Sadly, while most of the noise is intellectually (and emotionally) stimulating, it has absolutely no eternal relevance whatsoever. With each “crow” – with each tweet – with each post – and with each conversation, the noisy ones are doing their part to divide the Church but they can’t see the Forest for the trees. Isn’t that the way you see the world too?

I’ve been told to “pay attention” to what’s going on in the world by some of my closest friends and because I refuse to pay attention to the world (and the White House), I’ve lost a few along the way. Some think I’m ignorant of what’s going on. Some think I’m being deceived because I’m not jumping on board. Some have even called me a “trader” for not doing my part to win the world over to what’s coming out of Washington. I’ve been insulted and shunned more times than I can count. What they don’t realize is that I believe there is absolutely no end to the corruption in this dark world and that anything is possible. They don’t need to sell me on that! The difference between us ISN’T that I believe one way and they believe another…although that’s the picture Hell paints. The real difference between us is that I’m too focused on the One who already died for me to sacrifice even one minute of my life to theories. God is still on the Throne, He sees it all, HE ALLOWS it all, and vengeance belongs to Him. The Living God doesn’t need me to spread darkness into the world – He “needs” me to share the Light with a world that is much closer to Hell than it realizes…and to encourage people of Faith to stop making noise that has no Eternal significance and to get back to God’s business before it’s too late.

The world could be flat after all, who knows? There might be a cabal with a deep-rooted agenda. The reset could be just around the corner. Children are being sold and sacrificed every day. We might have a President propped up on a pillow and another corrupt election just around the corner. All these things are horrific, but they don’t deserve my Focus. My Focus is on the One True God. The One Who sees it all. The One who allows what He allows and rejects whatever He rejects. The God who gives and takes away. The God who ordains ALL our leaders. The One who gives Life and who hates evil. The One who is coming for me One Day soon. My Focus is on Sharing the Good News – the ONLY News that matters in the Bigger Picture. I’m Focused on Eternity and God is my King.

So, if you’re busy making noise like the crows about things that have no Eternal Significance whatsoever, I’ll be praying for you but I’ll tune you out as surely as I tuned out the crows that were robbing me of Quality Time with my God this morning. I’m only interested in One Leader and One Future and everything else is just noise. In case you don’t know by now, I’m not recruitable. I’m SOLD OUT for the King and His Story is the ONLY one I share.

How about you?

How About A Walk Down Broken Lane?

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. When I met with the Living God this morning to give my Praise, my Thanks, and to make my Requests known, I was feeling a little inadequate to accomplish all that He has for me in this Journey called Life. So, the Author and Perfecter of my Faith walked me down Broken Lane to remind me of how Strong I really am and just how it came to be. There are lots of things in the past I’d much rather forget…at least in the human sense…but the Hand of God brought calamity my way many times in my life…not to break me…but to Build me into a Usable Vessel and to make me strong for Him. I went from feeling inadequate to BELIEVING I have everything it takes to Serve the King of kings…ALL because of my brokenness. Isn’t that the way you look at your life too?

It can be so easy for most people to throw in the towel when they experience brokenness, but they miss out on all the Strength that can be found in Victory when they do. Some people shake their fists at God and demand answers when calamity strikes, and some people hide under the bed. Some people spend what seems like forever “asking” for answers for why the trials showed up in the first place, while others are consumed with self-pity because God is being so “mean.” Some people gloss over the “break” experience as if it’s just a minor setback and they’ll brush it off without a second thought. Some people experience brokenness but they stay so busy trying to hide it from the world that they miss out on the Beauty that is just around the corner if they’ll just let go and let God do what God does best. It makes me sad to see all those wounded people so clueless about the process and it makes me even sadder to know that they can’t be Used by the King as long as they remain on Broken Lane. God takes Brokenness and Spins it into Strength IF we just accept the Purpose behind the storms.

I wish I could have avoided the pain and suffering of Broken Lane, but I wouldn’t be a Strong Vessel for Him today had He not taken me there to Shape me into what He needs me to be. I find comfort when I read about all those Saints of the Bible who were Broken for His Purpose too – like Paul on the road to Damascus and David after his sin with Bathsheba…and the list could go on and on…people He walked down Broken Lane JUST so they could become Strong in His Name. Brokenness doesn’t end well UNLESS we accept His Purpose for our lives in the good times AND in the bad ones too. It takes understanding that brokenness comes with a Purpose much bigger than we can see on this side of Heaven…but we never fulfill the Purpose if we aren’t willing to look at Brokenness for what it really is…a chance to be Readied for Service….an Opportunity to become Stronger than ever. I’m not sure if I’d refer to what God does as a “test” but He definitely forces us to flex our Spiritual Muscles to make us Stronger. The Author and Perfecter of my Faith has a Perfect Master Plan and He longs for each one of His children to be willing to walk down Broken Lane with Purpose! Will we become weaker or stronger in the end? Will we see Broken Lane as a sign of a “mean” God or a testimony we’re willing to share with someone traveling down Broken Lane too?

I started off this new day feeling inadequate for the Job, but He set me Straight by walking me down Broken Lane all over again. He reminded me of where He’s taken me and how Strong I really am in His Name. He Encouraged me with Heavenly Reminders that I have EVERYTHING I need to do what He’s Called me to do and that Victory is mine. I Serve Him well…I Love Him and Trust Him completely…and I’m grateful for Broken Lane….the place where I found my Strength through Him. I’m a Vessel for the Living God…an Ambassador for Jesus Christ. I’m a force to reckon with in His Name…and it all began with brokenness.

“The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength.” – 1 Samuel 2:4

Claim Your Victory…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

THIS POST WAS WRITTEN SEVERAL YEARS AGO BUT IT WAS A TREMENDOUS ENCOURAGEMENT TO ME THIS MORNING. I PRAY IT BLESSES YOU TOO!

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 before the sun came up but this morning was a little different than my average morning, this morning instead of seeking His Will, I Claimed my Victory instead. I marched around this farmhouse and I marched across the front porch, and the longer I marched the louder and bolder I became. Sometimes I struggle with life but I never struggle with Faith – so when I’m feeling “shaky” I begin to shout out all the Promises of my God and I claim my Victory as if it has already shown itself in my Life. He’s my God and I’m His child, and He’s already Told me how the Story ends. So, for all the in-betweens I face in this Journey Called Life I just keep claiming my Victory and I’ll persevere until the end. Isn’t that how you handle your struggles too?

“Taking captive every thought” is easier said than done when we’re facing “trials of many kinds.” If the trial is big enough, all the “what ifs” could drive us insane if we dwell on them, and before you know it we give the enemy an edge to push us over the edge because of it. But there isn’t a trial that God isn’t already aware of and there isn’t a problem He can’t solve. The real problem is that we can’t see the Victory as long as the mind is a muddled mess! Our ability to stay focused in His Word or in prayer is nearly impossible because our mind keeps going back to the mess instead. So when that happens to me, I eventually begin to SHOUT out the Victory He’s already told me would come. I know when I shout out the Victory He hears me for sure…but I know my enemy does as well…and the more I SHOUT the Bolder I become as all those fiery darts set out to destroy me are diminished…at least for now. When I SHOUT out I’m overriding all those things that have been consuming me and I Stand Taller than ever before! This is the Key to battling the spiritual war and it’s the Key to Victory over it all.

If anybody saw me shouting out they’d probably call for help. I’m loud, and bold, and determined. You might hear me SHOUT things like; “MY GOD parted the sea, healed the sick, and raised the dead THIS IS A PIECE OF CAKE for Him!” – MY GOD placed the stars in the sky and knows them each by name – and He calls me by name when He says “you are mine!” – MY GOD knit me together in my mother’s womb for SUCH A TIME AS THIS” – “MY GOD Prepared me for this battle before the foundations of the earth!” – MY GOD will use everything to “work together for Good” because I love Him and I’m called according to His Purpose” – MY GOD says “no weapon formed against me will prosper!” – “WATCH my God bring Resolution!” – WATCH my God bring healing!” – WATCH my God stomp out conflict!” – WATCH my God Strengthen” – “WATCH my God bring Peace that surpasses all understanding!” – “WATCH my God make all things Perfect” – “WATCH my God bring Miracle after Miracle over my life!” – “He’s the same yesterday, today, and forevermore and HE’S GOT THIS!”- and so the SHOUTING goes, with countless proclamations of VICTORY and the Goodness of my Perfect God.

There is no end to the things I can proclaim as I shout out my Victory to my Amazing God…the God of Miracles… and sometimes I wonder if He gets a little more pleasure out of my SHOUTING Victory throughout the Heavens…shouting out like the Warrior I’m Designed to be…than He does when I have a muddled mess going on in my head as I search for answers like a child. I don’t know for sure, and I don’t know His mind…but I do know that the SHOUTING Victory Strengthens me no matter how weak I felt before it began…and I KNOW MY GOD hears me.

How about you?

Is There Anything “Beneath” You In His Name?

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I don’t need anything outward to make my time with the Living God richer or more meaningful than it already is, but what I see from where I sit in the morning is just the right touch for my time in the Presence of the King of kings. With a hot cup of coffee in hand, the Word of God at my fingertips, and the Touch of the Master’s Hand visible all around me, I feel like the Royalty He says I am. This morning I sat there for the longest time just listening to the sound of the birds singing in the rain. They were making the very same happy sounds as they make on a sunny day. It seemed like when the rain fell harder they only sang louder and when it slowed down their sounds were softer too. It’s too bad most people can’t live with the same “outlook” – to do whatever needs to be done on any given day, and to Glorify the Creator through it all. Isn’t it just like God to use a little rain and the sound of the birds to speak to my Heart today?

People of Faith generally have lots of thoughts about Heaven and even more questions about what it will be like when we get there. They wonder about things like – how we’ll recognize each other in Heaven and what our “new body” will look like…and they wonder what age they’ll be. They look forward to seeing their loved ones who have already made their Journey Home, and they wonder if they’ll be there to greet them when they make their own way Home too. They wonder what Jesus meant when He said “In my Father’s house there are many mansions” and they wonder if they’ll live with their family in a mansion on a street paved in gold. They speculate on who they’ll talk to first and they look forward to Time with Paul and Peter. There is no end to the list of things people want to understand about Heaven, but there is ONE thing they rarely even mention…and that’s what they’ll be doing when they get there. No doubt there will be Praising as we hear “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty”24 hours a day, but there’s more to it than that! Understanding the Journey from start to “finish” determines how we Serve and Share today.

Most people willing to Serve the King on this side of Heaven are only interested in the things they believe they would enjoy doing. They like the idea of the “sizzle” kind of service, those high-profile roles some are called to fill. But when it comes to “behind the scenes” menial tasks, well, those things are beneath them and that’s often when you’ll hear something like; “I don’t feel called to do that.” Unlike the birds singing in the rain today, they aren’t willing to do whatever needs to be done on any given day to Glorify the Creator. Instead, their service is conditional and based on their sense of self-worth. It’s a good thing Jesus didn’t allow a (sinful) sense of self-worth to prevent Him from getting His hands dirty in the trenches of Ministry! Instead, He reached out to the lepers, the whores, and the demonic AND He washed the feet of His disciples instead of the other way around. I doubt there will toilets in Heaven, but IF there were, how many people so curious about Heaven would still want to go there if they knew they’d be assigned to cleaning toilets for eternity…how many would be like the birds so willing to sing in the rain no matter what?

Service may come in all kinds of shapes and sizes but God doesn’t. We bring Honor to the King when we’re willing to give thanks and Glorify Him in ALL things. We bring Honor to the King when we feel privileged to have been found worthy to Serve no matter how big or “small” the job appears to be from where we sit. We bring Honor to the King when we’re willing to sing in the rain just like the birds do no matter what we’re asked to do in His Name..from preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to cleaning holy toilets. He’s my God and I’m His child and I strive each day to be like those birds – willing to do EVERYTHING in His Name and to never stop singing in the rain. When it rains hard, I’ll just sing louder – and when it lightens up I’ll soften right along with it. It’s my Honor to Serve the King and I pinch myself just to be found Worthy by Him to do WHATEVER He calls me to do on this side of Heaven all the way through Eternity!

How about you?

Don’t Quit On This Side Of The Grave!!!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. Sitting alone in His Presence this morning was like a Prescription from Heaven for everything that was ailing me. The “bad news” is that I sometimes don’t respect my own limitations, and sometimes I Give until there’s nothing left of me to give. The Good News is that I know where to go for Rest and Revival and I know HOW to get my Soul Refreshed for the next round of Service. The solution isn’t for me to do LESS for the Living God – the solution is for me to be sure that I’m Empowered to do ALL that I can do to Serve while there’s still breath in my body because I know that there’s still breath within me for a Purpose much bigger than myself. Isn’t that the way you deal with “limitations” too?

It can be so easy to make excuses for why we don’t do this or we can’t do that, and the older I get the more I hear those excuses from my peers. Plenty of physical limitations come with age, that’s for sure, but lots of people throw in the towel WAY before they are no longer able as if their age defines their ability. Oh, there are plenty of things I’m unable to do that I could easily accomplish in my youth but I didn’t give them up easily. I’m not in “denial” I’m in Kingdom Service! The bottom line is that it doesn’t take youth to be able to Serve other people, it just takes a willing Heart, and when the Heart is willing to do the work of the Living God, He’ll provide the Resources and the Energy that will flow supernaturally until the Job is Complete. That’s how you KNOW when it’s God Working! When we’re in Service Mode for the Work of the Living God, it’s not US doing the Heavy Lifting on our own. In fact, we’ll never be left alone to do a Jesus Job! When we’re willing to do what He Calls us to do He’ll bring the Resources out of the Spiritual Woodwork, and He’ll surround us with a few other Willing Hearts to help us complete His Work.

I surrendered my Life to Jesus Christ a long time ago and I’ll gladly be Serving Him all the days of my Life. He called Moses at the ripe old age of 80 so I am confident that He doesn’t discriminate over age when it comes to Willing Vessels. I wonder what HE thinks about all those people who quit on this side of the grave as if they get time off for (or from) good service? As for me, it will be my Honor to give Him everything I’ve got all the days of my Life and I won’t be making excuses. I Know better than to tell God what I can and cannot do because I already Know that when He comes Calling, He’ll give me everything I need to complete the Task. I’ll make the excuse-makers look bad here and there BUT there might be a few that I’ll inspire instead.

How about you?