Is your sink empty or full?

I was praying the other day, lead to thoughts of marriage. It seems that many Christians are having trouble in their marriages. I wanted to see what Papa would have me pray about and look to in the scriptures. The following is my view on what I heard Him say:

I was drawn to Ecclesiastes. Solomon exploring the 'world' around him and finding it lacking much, seemed to be what Papa was leading me to. "Vanity of vanities. all is vanity.", he says. I was focusing on that portion of the scripture. I asked what Papa was saying. I believe He was pointing out that we look to things that bring no fruit to our lives, to fulfill it. An idea that has been around for many years.

Laying that thought over the 'relationship of marriage', I realize that the enemy has another back door through which to steal, kill and destroy us, as individuals and in our marriages.

If we are looking to our spouse as a vanity, they will never be able to give us what we need or fill our love banks. Solomon was looking for wisdom, for the meaning of our lives and for strength to survive. He didn't "find one man or woman in a thousand worth his while. Yet (he) did spot one ray of light in this murk: God made men and women true and upright; we're the ones who made a mess of things." - The Message.

And there is the lie that the enemy would have us believe. That those things would be found in a man or a woman ... a spouse. We make messes of things on our own, so how can we find what we need to be fulfilled and feel satisfied in another who messes things up?

I am not saying that our spouses cannot fulfill certain things in us: What I am saying is that EVERYTHING needs to be found in Papa first. My strength, my answers and my meaning in this world is found in Him. In His life, death and life again!

The things that my spouse can give me need to be coming through and from that place in them that is satisfied and fulfilled by Papa too. Therefore, when we fail each other - and we will - we are safely kept from falling because we are kept under His wings.

On the other hand, I also felt that Father was pointing out to me that the things He intended for us and our marriages were forgotten by some. That the intentions of the King that knows all, were deemed untruths and possibly not good enough anymore. That trust was gone. Trusting that even through hard times, He has control and we are always in His hands.

To quote a section of a friend's poem,

"The earth trembles

And even as the pain intensifies

The brokenness reveals a greater glory

A magnificent surrendered beauty

That will not die."

Sometimes, we don't want to wait for the greater glory ... the pain is too much. So maybe we find ourselves looking to other things that fulfill and make us feel happy again. Those things though that we find, are not what Papa intended us to have. They are counterfeit.

I found a section of the Wedding Feast Parable interesting. Matthew 22:2, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain King who arranged a marriage for his son ..." The idea of an arranged marriage, here in the West, sends most of us into a state of fear. What of my choice? My feelings? My love?

Isn't this though what Father does with us if we are surrendered to Him? He arranges us in a life that we may or may not understand at times. We may have to get used to things being a certain way. We may not understand the path ahead. Sometimes we may not even feel happy in the situation He has us in. But we continue on because ...

We

Trust

Him

Along with praying, I received a picture from Papa. It was of a sink that used to be filled right up. The drain has been pulled though and it is empty now.

If this is you, I ask you gently but urgently to look to the Father to put that plug back in and to have Him fill you up again. Look to Him for everything you need and seek Him for the trust you need to get through the hard times.

Come meet Him at the river ....

This was sent to me today, by a dear friend. It is an entry from Kenneth Copeland. It is such truth that I just wanted to post it.

"So often we miss out on what God wants to do for us because He doesn't do it the way we think he should. We work up an idea in our minds about how He's going to heal us, for instance. We think He's going to send some famous preacher to lay hands on us or that He's going to knock us off our feet with a blast of His power. When He doesn't, we let our faith drop and foul up what He has actually planned to do.

That's what Naaman did. He went to Elisha expecting to be healed in a particular way. When it didn't happen that way, the Bible says he went away in a rage.

What Eishal told him to do was simple. Dip seven times in the Jordan. Naaman could do that. But it didn't fit his idea of how his healing should take place. He thought Elisha would heal him by waving his hands around and calling on the Name of the Lord.

Naaman stormed away and he would have missed out on his healing if one of his servants hadn't talked him into giving Elisha's instructions a try.

I used to be like that. I wanted spectacular experiences from God so badly I was missing out on the experience God had planned for me. Once I realized that, I quit looking for feelings and spectacular manifestations and just started expecting God to keep His Word.

I remember I went to a meeting one night with my ankle messed up terribly. The pain was so severe it went from my foot all the way up to my shoulder blades. But I went into that meeting expecting God to heal me.

During the praise service, I ignored the pain in my foot and just sang and worshipped with everyone else. When the preaching started, I got my Bible and got involved in the Word. Sure enough, sometime during that service I was healed. I don't know when it was. I didn't feel anything. I didn't see any sparklers go off. I didn't even realize I'd been healed until after the service. I got about halfway to the door and thought, "Glory to God, my foot's well."

Don't let your own ideas of how God's going to work rob you of your healing or your deliverance or your prosperity. Just trust Him and let Him do things His way. He will work mightily in you."

Come meet Him at the river .....

Take it slow .... and love.

It seems that there is a resounding echo from many voices to slow down this season. Take your time. Do not get overstressed. I wonder what source these warnings come from? I would like to think that they are from The King ... "Slow down My Children. Remember who you are and who I have made you. Remember that this time of year, is to remind you of My Promise of Love! Be at Peace. Have My Joy. Do not be swept up into a chaotic frenzy for fleshly fulfillment. Love one another, as I love you."

Love .... it is that simple.

I was reminded of a love letter, written many years ago. It was written on paper, not emailed. It was written with a pencil, not palm pilot tool. It was written from the heart in a moment of dire need to relate to a lover that was not close by.

Remember the ones you love. I hope you enjoy the letter and this season.

"Good morning on July 7th -

Even when I am in bed my thoughts rush to you, my eternally beloved, now and then joyfully, then again sadly, waiting to know whether fate will hear our prayer.

To face life I must live altogether with you or never see you. Yes, I am resolved to be a wanderer abroad until I can fly to your arms and say that I have found my true home with you and enfolded in your arms can let my soul be wafted to the realm on blessed spirits. Aalas, unfortunately it must be so. You will become composed, the more so as you know that I am faithful to you; no other woman can ever possess my heart. Never - never. Oh God, why must one be separated from her who is so dear?

Yet my life in Vienna at present is a miserable life. Your love has made me both the happiest and the unhappiest of mortals. At my age, I now need stability and regularity in my life. Can this coexist with our relationship? Angel, I have just heard that the post goes every day andtherefore I must close, so that you may receive the letter immediately. Be calm; for only be calmly considering our lives can we achieve our purpose to live together. Be calm. Love me. Today. Yesterday. What tearful longing for you. For you. You. My life. My all. All good wishes to you. Oh, do continue to love me. Never misjudge your lover's most faithful heart.

Ever yours.

Ever mine.

Ever ours.

L

- Beethoven

Never Failing!

So the other day I was overcome with emotion. Great sobs came over me. I felt like I was a failure. I was failing my children, because once again, I was cooking them Kraft Dinner for dinner.

I was crying in my mind, "I should be making vegetables, stew, potatoes. This isn't right! This isn't what a mother does!" Honestly believing I was harming my children.

Immediately, Holy Spirit spoke and whispered sweetness that I needed to hear.

It wasn't enough. I cried out, "I'm failing them!"

Again, instantly Papa spoke in a firm but compassionate voice ... a voice only Papa can use ... and said, "I WILL NOT!"

I know we all have areas in our lives where we feel like a failure. The great thing is ... HE IS NOT!

I WILL NOT FAIL YOU!

I pray that this will resonate through you to your very core.

A question ....

I wanted to pose a question to anyone for comment ...

Are you open to love?

He is Risen ... He is Risen indeed!

“Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb … (it was empty).” Matt 28:1 NLT

When there is a death, there is a resurrection. Someone shared that today. A most beautiful promise from Papa, indeed. Think about what He is saying …

The same person as the above shared a story to illustrate her point.

She was called to her Mother’s death bed in a nursing home. She left after staying for a time. On her way out, a woman stopped her. The woman, very sick as well, commented on how much the Mother would be missed. The response was, “Thank you. I know she is with Jesus now, in a better place.” The conversation continued.

“Jesus??”
“Yes, Jesus. Do you know Him?”
“No.”
“Would you like to?”
“Yes. Very much.”

So, the woman accepted Jesus into her heart right there and then. Our Author ran down to the (Nurses) office filled with joy. On the way down, she heard the LORD speak to her clearly, “When there is a death, there is always a resurrection!”

This true experience stuck with me and had me thinking …

“Then He turned to the host. "The next time you put on a dinner, don't just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. You'll be—and experience—a blessing. They won't be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned—oh, how it will be returned!—at the resurrection of God's people." Luke 14:12 The Message

I found the above scripture to mean more to me, seeing it in the context of the story. That every opportunity to bless others, can be Papa bringing life, in a response to death, through us. The ageless victory of life over death, can be seen in our every day lives. While we’re waiting to receive our blessing from Papa, at the ‘great’ resurrection … let’s see how many ‘miny’ illustrations of Jesus’ resurrection we can bless others with day to day!

Happy Easter!

Story by Bridget Elwood
Painting by Lydia van Knijff

Fallacious Programming

I was reading Wayne Jacobson’s ‘Lifestream’ blog and found his latest entry to hold the quote below:

We are in an age of religious complexity. The simplicity which is in Christ is rarely found amoung us. In its stead are programs, methods, organizations, and a world of nervous activities which occupy time and attention but can never satisfy the longing of the heart. -A.W. TOZER-

I totally love this quote. It is the mission statement of what I feel Papa is doing in my life right now. My follow blogger Paul wrote recently, “We do not have our governments kicking in the doors of our churches. Our lives are not at risk preaching the gospel. Yet we are the most fearful group of Christians in the world.” I believe that a portion of the fear we live in as Christians, is the fear of Papa being in control. “If we stop the programs, where will we find ourselves?” Even farther still, “If we stop the functions, how will He be able to do anything?”

It is not hard to find yourself throw into the mix of things that are not from Papa. It's easy to stay in the 'comfortable', soft, sleepy business of programs. The things we find ourselves conjuring up to bring in the masses and rev up the church. Then when you pull yourself from it ... or should I say, when He pulls us from it, we find ourselves facing another challenge. The challenge of, "What do I do now?"

Trust. Trust and believe. Believe that He is our source. That He is in control. That He is the key to everything. That He is what will move us. That He is The One who opens doors no man can open and closes doors no man can shut.

We believe that we are okay. We are okay because we are in His hands.

And we will find that Papa has many ideas for moving His church. That He has many ways of the lost seeing Him and believing that He is their King! We will begin to see that when everything we do has the heart beat of Heaven, He can move mountains!

I believe that we will do many things, when we let Him be in the driver’s seat.