New School

There’s a phrase Holy Spirit has been whispering to me all week.

“School of unpopular belief (thought)”.

Jesus was of this school.

He took everything man had known about God and turned it upside-down.

He was (is) the New and Complete revelation of who God is.

He came and made God known.

No longer (only) a distant Divine being, but a personal, nurturing, loving Friend.

The ways of man are not God’s ways, nor His thoughts man’s thoughts.

And so, He came to earth so that man could know His ways and His thoughts.

We have been given the mind of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:16)

I have a devotional which was published in the 1930’s and written by two women who recorded what Holy Spirit said to them for an entire year. 

Here’s what I read this morning, 

“Truly man’s thoughts are not God’s thoughts, nor man’s ways God’s ways. 

When you seek to follow Me in all, it frequently means a complete reversion of the ways of the world…

but it is a reversion that leads to boundless happiness and peace.”

This is the exact revelation Holy Spirit has been giving me!

In fact, yesterday He said to me,

 “Man is arrogant in his idea that he has Me all figured out; 

that there is some formula to relationship with Me which can be mass produced and copied. 

Man places bonds upon man when he “teaches” that 

in order to have “right standing” with Me one must do

 “this and that”, “thus and such”.

A heart which is truly humble realizes that one’s perception and understanding 

of who I AM today can (and will) change tomorrow

 as I reveal to them, more and more about Myself.

I never change, but man’s understanding of Me does. 

This is growth, progress, forward motion.

The one whose understanding of me never changes has grown stagnant.

(And we know that stagnant water breeds disease).

Yes, there are fundamental Truths about who I AM, 

but the simple Truth is that Christ has given every one access to My throne 

and whoever trust in Him (John 3:16) has My constant guidance and council.

Jesus’ life on earth made Me known.

I am telling you this so that you will share it 

and help the captives realize that they have (already) been set free!”

WoW!

 Who am I that God would speak so freely to me?

~A beloved daughter of the Most High King 

with access to all of His riches and glory

~that’s who!

And you know what?

You’re a beloved child of this Most High King too!

Hallelujah!

God Thoughts No. Forty Eight

The other day, 

a friend sent me a text message 

about how he had been feeling some things in his spirit

 that he was being prompted to pray over.

Then the Lord awakened him at one in the morning 

and had him intercede on those things.

He had stayed up all that day and was feeling very tired.

After a while, 

Holy Spirit told me to pray for rest for this friend 

and so I texted back that 

I was, indeed, praying for him to have peaceful rest 

when his “prayer assignment” was finished.

That led to a little “text discussion” 

where the Lord had me say,

 “Rest is good. It is from God. 

He enjoys resting with us; 

like a parent with their baby”.

It turned out to be a two-fold “a-ha” moment for us both.

The Lord blessed me with that beautiful picture 

as both my friend and I remembered how sweet 

that time with our infant children really was.

Then came the “a-ha” that we have been taught, 

“Rest in the Lord” 

(which is great);

But, how often do we hear,

 “Rest with the Lord”?

A child rests in a parent

(or caregiver)

 because he been taken care of by them.

It is a natural process for a small child.

But to rest with that parent 

is to feel love, comfort and intimate relationship.

At first, we learn to rest in the Lord;

 that is, trust Him, refuge in Him.

But to rest with the Lord 

is to have close, intimate relationship with Him.

Rest with the Lord shifts and expands 

our realization of the relationship.

God goes from caregiver & protector to 

caregiver, protector, lover, friend, Dad.

What an amazing thing that God, 

Creator of everything, 

came to have loving, intimate relationship 

with those whom He created

-US!

He is not only a God to be revered, 

but a loving, nurturing Father 

to be loved & known!

Oh how He loves us!

Are you accepting that love? 

God Thoughts No. Forty Seven

Learning to live in the reality of the simplicity

of a life in Christ is astoundingly liberating!

When Jesus said that the Peace 

He gives transcends human understanding,

He wasn't kidding.

For the past couple/three years 

I have held onto those words 

as if my life depended on them 

(in fact it has).

In the midst of chaos and turmoil, 

I have clung to those words and made them mine 

(Jesus said them, so they were mine to begin with).

They have become my lifeline.

At first I had to remind myself of those words-

What did Jesus say?

Oh yeah, Peace!

But as I held tight to them, 

they began to sink deep into the core of my being.

They became real; 

living, breathing entities 

which have sustained me.

Every day (literally) I have had opportunity to 

test them, cherish them, cultivate them and live them.

Some days are easy

and some days 

take a conscious effort to stand on them;

allow them to course through my being 

and infuse me with Peace.

As I purposed to learn to do so, 

the Truth of these words became reality.

The things which used to nearly paralyze me with fear

 no longer have a hold on me.

They lurk and threaten, but they have no power.

I have allowed Peace to rule my life.

Jesus truly does give a Peace 

which transcends all human understanding.

The feeling of true Peace is almost indescribable.

My hearts sings,

My body rejoices,

My soul soars,

My burden is light!

It is amazing!

 

The most incredible part is that 

this Peace belongs to every one of us.

Jesus said,

 “The Counselor, Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) 

will teach you everything;

that is, He will remind you of everything I said.

I am leaving you with shalom (peace)-

I am giving you My shalom.”

Matthew 14:26-27

Peace belongs to us.

Jesus left it here.

He has (already) given it to us.

It is an unfathomable gift!

And as with all gifts, we have a choice.

We can either pick it up and use it

OR

We can lay it aside and ignore it.

Thank you Holy Spirit for reminding me!

Thank you for your constant guidance;

The One, the only, True Counselor

who, indeed, has all of the answers!

May Peace rule and reign in your heart

~today and always!

Shalom!

God Thoughts No. Forty Six

The more I press into the Lord, the more of Himself He reveals.

One of the most resounding things He continually reveals 

is that relationship with Him is much simpler than we make it.

So often we approach our relationship with Him 

based upon our relationships with other people.

This is backwards.

Jesus’ life, death and resurrection 

made relationship with Him simple.

Before Jesus, man relied on man for relationship with God 

(through Moses, priests, etc.).

Then Jesus came so that we would be free 

to have direct access to Him.

Yet, still today, 

man teaches that man needs to depend on and rely upon man to 

“learn” how to have “proper” relationship with God.

But after Jesus’ ascension (back) into heaven, 

Holy Spirit came to all men; 

to speak with, to teach, to dwell with and to indwell.

The written Word (Bible) is absolutely relevant 

but so is His spoken Word, 

which He longingly desires for each of His children to hear.

Holy Spirit is as relevant to us today as He was to Abraham.

He is alive and moving just as much as He was at Pentecost.

So why do we insist that we need “learned” men 

to teach us how to have relationship with God?

I have walked and talked with Jesus all of my life.

When I was a child I did not question Him,

I simply believed Him. 

I knew Him.

He was my greatest delight and treasure.

Then as I got older, men began to influence my thoughts and perspective of Him.

By the time I was a teenager I was tightly wound and bound in and by legalism.

Gone were the days of sitting, playing and sharing with Jesus.

Those days were replaced with self-loathing, 

berating of self for short-comings, 

and loads of prayers asking for forgiveness for wretchedness 

which ultimately bred an attitude of Pharisaical self-righteousness.

Many are the people I have injured with judgment.

Many are the bonds I have tightened around others.

Many are the years of my life wasted 

on trying to follow the laws of man 

in order to “figure out” how to please God.

But, God…

Good and gracious Lord…

Plucked me up and out of that situation.

The past five years have been filled with His grace 

as I have thrown out all I was ever taught about Him 

and have become an open, supple, yielded vessel

 to His voice, His mind, His Spirit and His leading.

It has been an amazing journey.

The freedom and liberation which comes from 

an unhindered relationship with Him is phenomenal.

I have, once again, become the open & trusting child I once was.

No longer bound by man or by Satan,

 but FREE in Christ (which is what He gave to all men).

To those I have judged, condemned and bound,

 I am truly sorry.

I pray that each one realizes that Jesus IS Lord 

really means that you are Free.

To everyone who knows Jesus IS Lord,

I pray that your relationship with Him 

would be real, honest and unhindered.

Each one’s relationship with God is personal and unique.

It is the only perfect relationship.

I pray that a revelation of this 

would cause each one to base all other relationships 

upon relationship with Him and not the other way around.

IT is what (has) set us free to begin with!

God Thoughts No. Forty Five

Jesus summed up the Law with one word

~Love.

A realization of His Love sets the heart soaring.

He came and has (already) set every captive free.

A caged animal that has been set free

does not embrace or realize it until

he walks out the door and into the open.



(photo - giochbr.deviantart.com)



It is only by embracing His Love that one is able to truly Love in return.

When we Love (truly), the Law is fulfilled.

Because we are free in and by His Love,

we are free of the responsibility of others.

It is not (never was) our job to change people.

The “salvation” of others is not (never was) our responsibility.

Jesus’ death on the cross is what “sealed the deal”.

Since He finished it,

 there is nothing we need to (or can) do to add to it.

It IS Finished!

Period

Our job is, simply, to share the “Good News”

 which is-

Jesus IS Messiah;

 the One mankind had been waiting for!

Jesus IS Lord!
 

So, because we believe (accept, understand) this Truth

and His great Love

has manifested itself in our hearts,

our job is to share it, declare it;

shout it from the roof tops!

Since I have, personally, received the Law (Love)

and have experienced it first-hand,

IT is what compels me to shout it for all to hear.

Freedom in Love creates a desire within

that all would see it-

~Truth.

And Truth is-

Jesus Loves you!

You are (already) saved by His Love

which placed Him on the cross on your behalf.

He became sin so that you would be perfect
-a New Creation

-without spot or blemish.

Now He waits,

by your side,

for you to embrace Him.

To declare that, indeed,

He IS Lord!

It really is that simple!

Accept it.

Accept it and BE (truly) free!

(photo - wildanimalsphotos.blogcu.com)



In & Out of Season

People come;

 people go.

Some are kind;

some are rude.

Most,

are both.

In our lives for a reason;

gone at the end of a season.

It matters not who has been there;

or who hasn't been.

What matters most

is how you have allowed them to effect you.

And most of all;

to Love them

 regardless.

Heart's Cry

O God, my God

I do cry

This poverty

Will you defy?

Jesus, Jesus

No more delay

Lest my soul

Fall into decay

Despair, despair

All this care

Will my hope

You not repair?

Holy Spirit, precious Spirit

Hurry I pray

Lest my heart faint

And give way