lynn gardner

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?

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?

Go Tell It On The Mountain…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I had an Intense meeting with the Author and Perfecter of my Faith this morning and He spent some time Refining my Heart. The One who Created me is Kind and Compassionate BUT when He is doing business on the Heart He doesn’t pull any punches. He shined a Heavenly highlighter over a few of my weak spots and He reminded me of His Might. Part of my Lesson this morning made me Repent and weep with shame, and part of the Message made me overflow with Joy – but none of the Message would have been possible, nor would it have any impact on my Life whatsoever, had I refused to be willing to be Molded by my Maker again this morning. When it comes to things like Heart and Character, there’s no such thing as being “complete”…at least not on this side of Heaven. There’s always room for Improvement and I’m driven to be all that I can be for Him. Isn’t that the way you look at your Lessons too?

There are lots of reasons why most people don’t continue to Grow for as long as they live, but I think the biggest reason is pride. It’s often said, “Pride comes before the fall” but that’s a spin-off from Words in Proverbs that drives the message home a little deeper… “pride goes before destruction, a haughty (arrogant) spirit before a fall”. Pride is what prevents us from being willing to be transparent, and pride is what keeps us from sharing our Trials and Victories. Pride is when we convince ourselves that we’re something we’re not and that we’re bigger and better than we really are. Pride is what makes us run from the Spirit of God when it’s Lesson Time, and pride is what stands in the way of revealing our weaknesses. Pride is what prompts us to judge someone else, and pride is what makes us lie to ourselves about who and what we really are. Pride drives greed, and pride drives lies. It’s pride that will stop us from helping the helpless, and it’s pride that leads us to lose our identity in wealth. A prideful heart refuses to admit when it’s wrong, and pride stands in the way of forgiveness of another. There’s no end to the destruction that pride brings with it, and eventually, pride will build a shell around the Heart that it is so hard that we’re no longer Recognizable as God’s People and we’re useless to the King. There’s no room for pride if we want to grow and until we get a handle on pride we can’t find the humility that Jesus Christ is looking for.

I’ve been slapped around by people of Faith more often than I can count when they hear me confess my weaknesses or when I share my trials or temptations. I’m a Child of the Living God but that doesn’t mean I’m flawless – I’ll always be a Work in Progress! It’s actually their pride that would have them believe that if you are a person of Faith, all those things are “in the past” and shouldn’t be shared with the world. They’re only fooling themselves. All of us were instructed to “go tell” – unless I “tell my story” the world will never know how Powerful my God is! Unless I tell them how He Transformed my Life and molded me into a usable Vessel they may never Know how Good He is and what’s possible for them!

I have no pride when it comes to being a Vessel for the Living God, and I know that the more I Share about my Life and His Work, the more inclined God will be to use me to help someone else. My History isn’t just a pile of junk…even though it’s felt that way sometimes…my Life is a Powerful, Living, Breathing Testimony, and I’m not too proud to share it. Every single piece has Grown me, and every pain has made me Stronger. But most of all I know that “all things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to HIS purpose” …so ALL of my “mess” has been used for Good in my life too.

My Life has Purpose, and I’m humbled to be used by the King. I’m a Loud Voice for His Majesty and Grace. My Testimony is shared without shame OFTEN and I’ve learned just to pray for the ones who Profess my Faith but believe “good Christians” don’t talk about “bad” things while they refuse to SHOUT praises to the God who saved them from things they’re likely “ashamed” of too. Whenever the devil tries to sneak pride into my thoughts and I’m inclined to take credit for things in my life that I have no business owning at all…it’s time for a Lesson on Humility straight from the Throne of the Living God. The more He Teaches…the more I Tell…and I shout His Goodness from the mountaintops! I don’t necessarily like it when it’s Lesson Time, but I’m Ready and Willing to be Molded by my Maker so that I can be ALL that He intends for me to be for as long as there is breath in my body.

How about you?

Isaiah 52:7

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

On High Alert…

/ 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 Master before the sun came up and I sat in His Presence for the longest time. My eyes were closed as our time was coming to an end and when I opened them up I saw that I was surrounded by deer on all sides. There were fourteen in total. Most of them were grazing but a few were on high alert. As I sat there enjoying the scene, God reminded me of how this is the way it is with His people today. Many people are nonchalantly walking what they claim to be the Journey of Faith but they’re too busy filling their own needs to notice what’s happening around them…while far too few are on High Alert. If I made a sudden move and issued a loud sound all of the deer around me would notice me and all of them would scurry away. One Day Jesus will make His move, and a loud Trumpet will sound to announce Him, and His Presence will not be mistaken even by a lost world. Some of us will join Him when that happens and we’ll be happy the Day has finally arrived. But those nonchalantly “grazing” with no care in the world for Him will be left behind. Isn’t that the way you see it too?

It’s not easy to understand how so many people seem to be nonchalantly grazing through life or why they don’t understand the Urgency at hand. A Focus on the Word of God would surely set them straight, but they prefer to focus on other sources instead. Whining about world affairs, the economy, “bad” people, and crime are merely a means of entertainment as long as they overlook what’s going on behind the scenes in the Heavens and they refuse to Proclaim the name of Jesus Christ in this dark world. The darkness we see raging all around us could so easily be snuffed out if enough Light would shine in its presence because darkness cannot exist in the Light. Every evil thing could be blown away if only we Believe in the Power that God has graciously given to His people…but few people believe that to be true. How people can Believe in a Supernatural God but not in the Supernatural means to fight the Supernatural Spiritual war is not easy to comprehend. As long as they believe they’re powerless…they are. As long as they believe they can’t do anything to Fight…they can’t. As long as they believe that they’re “doomed”…they are. But that’s not the way it’s supposed to be for God’s people. Anybody with the desire to be equipped Supernaturally to do their part in this war in the Heavens just needs to BELIEVE that it’s so…and it is. This is the Key to Victory and the only way to Win the War.

The complacency I see all around me keeps me very busy. I’m like a “watchman on the hill” doing my part to wake up a sleepy church and to help it find its way bay to its First Love. I’m doing my part to proclaim the name of Jesus Christ every chance I get and I’m doing my part to send evil back to where it belongs because I’m Empowered by the Creator of all. I’m doing my part to extend Compassion to the ones nonchalantly grazing and I’m doing my part to Speak the Truth…even if it sometimes hurt. I’m doing my part to Share the Gospel every time God opens the door for me to do so and I have no fear of the consequences when I do. As long as there is breath in my body I’ll be doing my Part and if the Living God calls me to do more, I’ll do that too. I’m on High Alert. The King is coming and One Day every knee will bow in His Presence. My Part is to do whatever I can do to “save” as many as I can from what’s in store for those who don’t believe. The way I see it, that’s what we’re ALL called to do.

My Mission has been Refinforced this morning and God used a small herd of deer to do it. I KNOW what He’s called me (and you) to do and I am Armed and Ready Supernaturally for the Job. I BELIEVE I have all that I need to do what He’s called for me to do and I believe that my Supernatural God has equipped me with access to Supernatural things to authenticate that I am a child of the Living God and to show the dark world what I’m Made of. I have no fear of what’s in store and I don’t fear the consequences of boldly proclaiming my Faith. The way I see it, if I should die for Serving the One who died for me, there is no greater honor.

How about you?