“Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty”
How many times have I seen that? Thought about it? I understand what folks are saying but it leaves so much up to happenstance. Serendipity. (Many years ago I taught on a response to that from the side of a believer, one empowered by grace and infused with love.) Continue reading Practice, Purpose & Beauty
Jim Morris told us in 1966 to “break on through to the other side”.
Many of us have desired breakthrough. Part of it is coming to an understanding of what we are leaving, moving through and headed towards. Over the years I have heard a lot of prophetic words on breakthrough. People get excited. (I do.) But at some point we must look at what it means. It is one thing for me to offer you a candy bar. “You shall have chocolate.” Another if chocolate is not high on your radar screen. It also brings more excitement and understanding to your world, if for instance someone says “you shall have a Payday” and that is your favorite candy bar in the whole wide world! Continue reading Your Light Will Break Forth
Yesterday it was a gathering of my family. My five children and the grandchildren. It was the culmination of a great weekend. Family.
Folks often try to put labels on family. What it means? Where it goes? What it stands for? I think we can initially define it as a group of people connected by common bloodlines. Or relatives. Those in relationship. But as is the case in my family, a blended family is not unusual. Where children might have non-biological parents. (Or conversely, parents who have children “they were not directly involved with” biologically”.) Continue reading The Power Of His Love
Why even announce for 2015? Why seek the Lord at all for this? Is it any different?
Throughout yesterday as the messages of hope and the future appeared, I thought “I agree”. “Amen”. “Good for you!” I know people get caught up in resolutions and change. They want to see the new year as better than the last. There is a hope on the table. Continue reading 2015-A Time Of Romance, A Vision Of Purpose
Treadmill
The last few days I have watched this recurring vision. A vision of a treadmill. Now many people use treadmills. A treadmill is great for walking or running when it is cold outside. But the reality of it is, it is nothing like being outside walking. And where do you go? Where do you end up?
I should say in advance I am not a big treadmill fan. There is nothing wrong with them, they just aren’t me. I am an outside kind of guy. I like walking along rivers and through the woods. Continue reading You Can Get Off Anytime
I have lots of unusual dreams, but last nights was perhaps one of my most bizarre. It was over a few “dream spaces”, interrupted by awakening and still kept coming. I suspect there is a greater measure related to the “Easter weekend” but it still took me by surprise.
In the dream I was on an island in the middle of a large lake. I could hardly see the shore line. I thought the island “looked” familiar. There was security roaming the island. Despite the impression of it being on a lake, somehow I felt that we were encountering tides. Continue reading The Lord’s Hand Is Not Too Short
I was ministering in our local fellowship. Our team was there. When I got done, a man stormed out of the service. He was yelling “he did not even mention my blog”. I was dumbfounded. He pushed my wife over into a row of chairs. I was far enough from him that I could not get to him. One of my friends headed out to speak to him. I saw them go out the door together. I knew it would be okay. He had been under lots of pressure lately, so I was not too worried about it. I walked towards my wife and the others who had been pushed aside. Seeing they were all okay, I headed outside. Continue reading Manipulation And Control…Meet Grace!
I had a dream and in the dream the following occurred.
There was a man whom I knew well. He had been hospitalized. He was in a hospital room that was absolutely discouraging and depressing. I made arrangements to have him moved to a very bright, sunny room. As they were moving him, another older woman appeared. Again, it was someone I was familiar with. She asked if she could be moved as well. The room was secured. As I went to pay I was told it was $207 a week. Even in the dream I was wondering, “how is it so low?”
Like I often do upon awakening, I began to process the dream. The low price, the bright rooms, the lifting of discouragement. $207? I did some research and I ended up after some time of prayer and thinking with the following thoughts.
The whole counsel of God. When I saw 207 I thought a place, a person, something like that. But what I ended up with was I felt strongly was that at the end of the month it would be 828. Immediately the following scripture came to life.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Why 4 weeks? Because I believe the Lord is saying there is a fullness to His counsel. And there is a “his purpose” that has to be looked at. Not our purpose or what we think or want to see, but his purpose. What is his purpose?
His purpose. Rather than taking a scripture and applying it there is a “whole counsel” of God available to bring restoration and fullness to people’s lives. Rather than seek your purpose or what you are “called” begin to investigate what His purpose is. And start to live it. “Apart from Him we can do nothing.”(John 15:5) For the manifestation of His presence is from Him through you. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33) What things? Kingdom things.
Why a month? Because there are cycles of harmony, just as there is a cycle of the full moon. A reminder of His continued presence. A moon that causes ebbs and flows. There is a pulsation of the impending goodness of God being manifested in the earth.
Encouragement. Many are living in the house of healing but not experiencing it, being relegated to the darkness because of their not knowing. There is a sound of encouragement in the air. Lives are being brought to the light.
The time is now!
I found myself “upset” this morning as I was thinking about the sickness trying to affect people. I saw a post that frustrated me, because like sickness, it further entrapped people. I saw invisible enemies stealing joy. I saw people creating enemies that were not real and allowing the illusions to be empowered. I saw dabbling with old covenant thinking and the application of principles that ought to have disappeared with the work of the cross. Yet there they were!
The word dabble means to immerse one’s hands or feet in liquid and stir it. I sensed even as I wrote this that the dipping hands in waters brings a sense of cleanness but can never accomplish what the blood was for. The lifting of your clean hands is not the result of your actions but His actions. For that is a kingdom reality. (I am not talking about a prophetic act or the invalidity of the old covenant being a shadow of things to come.)
I was frustrated. I understand hardship and the desire to be “free” but I know it will never be found by acting as if God is external and afar. It will not be resolved by works, traditions or religion.
The kingdom is at hand. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy. Today. Right now.
Grace has done it.
Too many are looking for the answers to be found in old covenant thinking and application. Stop going someplace or seeking for but recognize that you are that place! You are the meeting place of God (John 1:14), you are the table in the wilderness set amongst your enemies, you are the garden of goodness. (Song Of Solomon 5:1) Your cup is running over!
Stop trying to go someplace and start being the place. Stop trying and start being.
In Isaiah 32 it tells us that rulers will be like “shelters from the wind and refuges from the storm.” We are kings and priests. We are rulers in a kingdom with a King. We are Some Place. Where we are light can be found. When I think about heaven and the wow’s of God I am reminded that all things are in Christ and He holds all things together. (Colossians 1:17) Taking that one step further He dwells in me. Heaven is in my heart! So when I think of stellar explosions of light, I think of supernovas sending the light across the galaxy. And that folks is carried in Him and He is tabernacling in you.
Today there is a flooding of light coming to your life, your cup is overflowing. No longer shall you give from a half full expectancy but you will function from an “all filled” up experience. Stop “dieting” with God and eat the fat and drink the sweet (Nehemiah 8:10) and enjoy the fullness of His goodness. Today engage in the understanding of His marvelous light, for His appearance is not a “light affliction” but a light affection. Today you will lift up holy hands! There is a celebration today over you. His purpose is revealed. “He is a good God, worthy to be praised.” No more living in the dark. No more wondering. His reach towards you knows no bounds.
I saw angels being dispatched as hands were raised. I saw lives changing and heard sighs of relief.
Today is the day the Lord has made…
The last month or so many of us have been concerned about destiny, purpose and who is supposed to do what.
I have said previously, that it is God’s purpose and destiny that I make myself aware of. In the process I get what I need for my personal “destiny.” I do not focus on what I am going to do, but simply being a vessel that is yielded to Him that He might express His life through me. Waiting on Him is important. James 1:4 So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. Continue reading God’s Purpose and You
