Too often we hear people talk of whether or not something has value. The slightest thing has the potential for polarization. I have long ago come to the conclusion that value is found in Jesus. And what He holds to be valuable is what has value and value that remains. Continue reading The Depth Of Our Love
Tag Archives: darkness
Is It Time To Celebrate?
I see all too often those that are dragged off course by the error of teaching, the deceptions of life and the unwillingness to rise up. And the hard part is knowing where some of it all ends. As you read this piece today I would like to encourage you to not allow the enemy to draw you to the side, to pull at you and destroy you. Continue reading Is It Time To Celebrate?
Removing Darkness For Goodness’ Sake
This morning I went through some technology frustration. This program would not shut off. Another would not respond. Things did not work the way I had planned or the way they ought to. So, I find myself running a little later than normal. Delays are great opportunities to see patience worked out in one’s life! Continue reading Removing Darkness For Goodness’ Sake
Satan Has No Authority Here
In the middle of the night I was awakened because I began to cough. I got up, grabbed a glass of water and returned to my bed. I sat there and the situations of the last few
days began to mount up in my mind. At 2AM it always seems to be a time of just you. I needed to focus or my alternative would be to get up and “walk it off”. I called upon the Lord and He appeared to me. But “calling” someone is the easy part a lot of the time. Then you have to have a conversation. And so the conversation began. Continue reading Satan Has No Authority Here
Sometimes In The Darkness…
Yesterday while driving down to visit my daughter in another state with my grandson, an accident caused me to make the decision to bypass rather than wait. (My alerts were showing up to 2 hour delays.)So, I got off the highway. My phone GPS tried to explain reason, but I went into the mode of “just keep moving south”. I began to take little back roads and side streets. I soon realized I had entered the “not so nice” section of the city. I saw signs of the difficulties of inner city unrest while viewing the poverty and brokenness. Fortunately there was but one “tense” moment and were soon back near the highway. We got to see some wonderful Christmas lights on the way out and the rest of the trip was fairly uneventful. Continue reading Sometimes In The Darkness…
The Tension Of Community
The pressure of community exists. It causes us to be better or worse. To step out side or to move inside. Whether we talk about the church community or we discuss the actual community we might live in there is a pressure of sorts.
Yesterday I read as a young black rapper opened up on the community of Ferguson. He came down on the side of “what are you doing, what are you thinking”. He chided them for not “policing” their own. With regard to the living condition he said “who is going to take care of if you don’t? If you urinate in the hallway how is that someone else’s fault?” Both rappers Pharrell and BoB were denigrated by their own for their comments and encouragement to take responsibility for their communities. Continue reading The Tension Of Community
Choosing To Go Over
Last night a good friend called me. Ironically I was headed to bed, having already fallen asleep earlier, sometime around 7. (It was a l-o-n-g day.) But we had not spoken for a long time. His wife has been dealing with some pretty unusual sickness issues. I wanted to bring comfort and so I stayed up. On some levels it was more for me than for him.
A lot of our conversation was focused on the “next” step. I needed that. Continue reading Choosing To Go Over
Where Does My Hope Come From?
Too often in our lives we are confronted with the idea that we don’t count. That what we do does not matter.
The last week I watched yet one more crazy incident affect the lives of neighbors, school children and a community. The issue is not the incident itself but the feeling of hopelessness that has gripped the community. As I read the blogs, the articles, the comments, it is clear that the “insecurity” that has prevailed is increasing rather than decreasing. “Doesn’t God love everyone Lee?” Absolutely! I believe that beyond a shadow of a doubt. Continue reading Where Does My Hope Come From?
Nameless, Faceless, Placeless? Keep Watching!
(Over the last couple of days I wrote two articles on the tactics of the enemy. The first was on disconnection in the body and the second on the attack of health.)
The last few days I have written two articles on the tactics of the enemy. Even as I wrote about the weapons of the enemy being disconnection and attacks against health, there has been a lifting of the “darkness” that has impacted lives. I won’t lie when I suggest it feels like “too little, too late” on some levels. Some people have gone on to be with the Lord. Others have incurred huge medical bills, lost touch with friends and family. And I am angry! Angry at the work of the enemy and his deceptions hurting people. Continue reading Nameless, Faceless, Placeless? Keep Watching!
Needing The WOW of God!
The feet dangled over the edge. Below in the darkness, swirled rushing waters. Is there a God he thought as he inched forward.
The car veered sharply to the right to avoid the large animal. At that moment everything went in to slow motion as the vehicle took on a life of its own.
Is there a “wow” of God for them? For others? Our lives are often caught up in a pathway that allows us to encounter people, sometimes at their lowest points. I certainly have been around my share of people who had come to their last steps.
When I perhaps 9 years old I delivered newspapers with a man. We would spend 2-3 hours in this large vehicle, going down roads, jockeying from one side of the road to another, each of us placing newspapers in waiting newspaper tubes. One of the last houses we could do each day would take us by one of the cemeteries in our town. The house right before it had a large German Shepherd that would race towards me as I opened the mailbox each day. The dog was big and it was dark that winter afternoon. As the box closed I saw a car with an interior light ahead. The man I worked with said to me “stay here.” He walked over to the car and saw the note. The man had killed himself.
I find an increasing number of people calling out to God to “just take them home” as the pain is too much. The loss too great. I get it. In my early years as a believer I had lost much though I had gained everything. Depression over my past burdened me. I had “tried” I thought. “Done everything” I was sure, but still I was plagued.
Finally a situation out of my control occurred in my life. I could not do this anymore, I thought. I went out to the garage and began to plot my demise. Life had spiraled out of control for me. My best was not enough.
I needed the WOW of God. Adding insult to injury was an accident where I was hit by a taxi cab. Now walking was painful. “Where are you God?” I wanted God to “fix it.”
Where is the boat? Where is the life preserver?
As the snow covers the darkness of the ground and brings beauty in a wondrous way to the city about me today, I think WOW! Beautiful. Oh, I know it is only temporary. I understand it is “not needed”, but it changes the look, the appearance of things.
What would the “wow” of God look like for you? What would it change? Anyone who has read my work knows I have experienced powerful encounters with God. Paradigm changing, life changing encounters. Yet, today, like many I need a “wow” of God. I am not suggesting we try to move “mountaintop to mountaintop” enduring the valleys of time in between. I am not thinking we need to go event to event, but maybe just listen for the “still small voice.” What we do in between in many regards is “up to us”.
Do not think I am talking against visitations or encounters or moves of God. I am not. I am speaking of avoiding the discouragement that has the ability to rear its ugly head when it is not happening. When it is not a powerful move and it is hard. Last week I saw the “provision” of God in a dream. So real, I got up and began to look for it. I have not found what was seen in the dream, but I have not given up.
I have had this thought lately that people need to know others are on their team, caring about them, praying for them. Each time I think of the religious persecution endured by so many, I wonder, what are their thoughts while they sit in prisons. Do they believe people remember their names, their families, their values?
One of the greatest values I see on the horizon is the “wow” of God looking like you or appearing through me.
I was thinking yesterday in my “quiet” time some of the following.
Many folks know me. But it is but a few that know the things I go through. I think Jesus went through something similar. Many knew His name. Knew “Him”. But how many allowed His touch, His life to permeate their being?
When you go through a struggle, sometimes you just don’t know. I am sure the 12 disciples found it easy to get frustrated with the people who “pulled” in Jesus. But how much more concerned were the even smaller inner circle of perhaps 2-3? Or John? They knew.
Discouragement has the ability to undermine you when you least expect it. The more I come to know, understand and labor in my faith to enter His rest, the less I am “discouraged” about. I find the scuffs of life disappear and have less value or impact upon my life.
Many years ago I had a garden and a woodchuck was working hard to get first dibs on my vegetables. I did something incredibly dumb (I was but a young boy!) and despite my best efforts he prevailed. He kept coming back.
Not everything that would hinder you or beset you “disappears”. Sometimes it does but not always. Not necessarily today. I remember many years ago a commercial series that ran by Fedex. One of their lines was “when it absolutely, positively has to be there.” (The video is pretty funny.) What is it you need now?
Let us begin to encourage one another in the “now’s and wow’s of God.” I have many friends who need miracles. Some have been contending. Holding on. Sitting on the edge of their “window ledge” waiting for God to move. But I submit we are the “moving” of God here on earth. (Sometimes what we call sovereign is simply us “wrapping our brain around it”!)
Today is your day. How do I know? God said so! You are postured for a miracle because you are His. His delight. Proverbs 8:30 says “Then I was beside Him, as a master workman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him, “
Today is a day of rejoicing. Begin to rejoice and be glad in it. He trusts you. He trusts me. Let us not get caught up in the despair but let us be caught up in Him.
Even as I finish this, I saw a large owl swooping out of the skies, moving through the trees, chasing after the small animal over the snow covered landscape. And just as it looked like “all was over” I saw a large hand deliver the small animal out of the way. The owl never veered or swerved, but it was if he “expected” it.
God is delivering you today!
