king-of-all-kings

Beware of Hoarding and Squandering!

/ www.LivingLarger.life / 1 Comment

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?

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?