It is What it Is

This morning I woke up with a song playing in my head.  It is a song by Matt Redmond called “Blessed be the Name.” Sometimes walking with the Lord is like a radio station that plays in your spirit man all the time.  I call the station WGOD.  I hear songs, scripture, and revelation all the time.  I have learned to live with it (it’s actually not all that uncommon; I have heard many people talk about the same thing). It’s a background noise to which I am not always paying attention.  This morning I was tuned in bright and early.  I stopped to listen because I felt the nudge in my spirit that God had something to say. I knew it was important; the Lord does not make small talk, nor does he chit chat.

                Redmond’s song is a scripture reference to Job 1:21 which states “and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." It is Job’s response to God permitting his children, and property to be taken away.  I admit, I became a little nervous.  “Lord, is something about to go down? Do I need to be ready?  My sister and I had just had a conversation about our parents’ health, and we are both very concerned about what the near future may hold. I have been through the deaths of three people that I loved and cherished literally one month apart from each other over the last three months.  I am still grieving the losses. One death I expected; the others were a complete surprise, so I am just a little gun shy concerning trouble right now.

  The Lord said, “If I did decide to take your mother or father today, what could you do about it?”  I shook my head.  Nothing.  I could do not one single thing about the decisions of the Lord. God is sovereign.  That means He does what He wants to do, when He wants to do it, and He is under no obligation to report to or consult with any of us.  He sometimes involves us in the process; however, in the end He retains absolute power.  It’s hard to accept that you can pray and fast, do everything right, but still lose the house, the car, the job or the family member.  Some storms we create ourselves when we try to control the direction of our own lives.  Other times we are like Job—unaware that in another realm there is a pre-meditated storm that is being prepared for us. To know that the storm comes not because of our disobedience or rebellion, but because of our faithfulness and integrity makes it that much harder to accept or understand.  It doesn’t seem very fair does it? I can think of a LOT of people who “deserve” hardship, but even the person with the most intimate relationship with the Lord struggles when God permits bad things to happen to good people.

                I was thinking about that when I said to God:  “Lord, it kinda sucks that good people get really bad stuff happen to them, and it seems that those who are wicked seem to get promotion, opportunity, and favor.  I am no hater, but how do I minister to people about your sovereignty when you permit something to happen in their lives that is devastating? How do I minister to myself?"

                The Lord’s voice was gentle, but firm.  “Renita, I do not need you to defend my decisions, nor will I defend my decisions to you.  My thoughts are not your thoughts, Child. My ways are not your ways,” He said, referencing Isaiah 55:7.  Even when you don’t understand, I do understand.  That has to be enough for you and for anyone that you encounter.  Even when you can’t understand why I do what I do, you have to trust Me. I see your entire life even before you take your first breath in the world. I know when you make bad choices; I know when you make good choices.  I also know how some things will affect your life, and how you will respond to it.  When I permit difficult circumstances in your life, I have already weighed the trouble versus the results, and I make a decision based on what good can come from your life despite the hurt that the circumstances will bring.  I don’t make these decisions lightly, Child.  When you are broken, I am broken; when you are disappointed, I am disappointed. I dislike seeing you grief-stricken, but I am willing to permit it, if I can see a benefit in the outcome. That is what you must trust.  I can and will take the most devastating situation and turn it around for your good. Oh, and Child, I am God enough to handle your fear, your disappointment, and even your anger.  I will love you through all of it. It’s not easy; it is what it is.”

  I sighed. When I was younger,  I thought Job was being super deep when he made a declaration to bless the Lord through his brokenness.  I could not imagine anyone being okay with God taking everything away.  However, as I have grown in the Lord, and especially since I have experience now a countless number of Job moments, I can see why Job said what he said.  It’s not that Job was just so holy that everything that happened to him didn't hurt.  He practiced what some of us take a while to learn; acceptance.  Acceptance isn't nonchalantly shrugging our shoulders and walking away.  Acceptance says, “Lord I am struggling with this, but I am willing to walk this out with You, and let go of all my pre-conceived notions of what should, would, or ought to be.  It’s enough for me to take this situation at face value, and to give You the opportunity to show me Your grace in it.”

  There is no pat answer to trouble. It’s insensitive and almost arrogant to assume that there is.  But we do have God’s grace to see us through to the other side—and we do have faith to know that there is the “other” side to look forward to.  David said it eloquently when he said in Psalm 27: “I would have fainted if I did not believe that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.” He did live to see God’s goodness, and we will too. 

A Cup of Coffee and a Slice of Heaven: A Spiritual Law of Motion

A Cup of Coffee and a Slice of Heaven: A Spiritual Law of Motion: Ephesians 3:20:  Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we can ask or imagine, according to the power that wo...

The Balm of Gilead

              As I exercise in the morning, I often listen to gospel to help motivate me not to sit down.  Exercise is not my favorite thing to do; in fact, I consider it a necessary evil.  As I stretched, Karen Clark Sheard’s Balm in Gilead played on my Rhapsody.  Even though I listened to almost an entire playlist of various artists, it was her song that kept reverberating through my mind.  Whenever I have a song, a scripture, or phrase that continuously plays in my head, I know to pursue the Lord about it.  It is often His way of introducing a new conversation to me.  When I pay attention to the background noise in my heart, I am often gifted a nugget of revelation from the Lord.  So when I sat down to have coffee with the Lord this morning, I asked Him about the song.  He replied that He wanted to talk to me about some things that were on His heart this morning.

                I felt my heart sank.  As an intercessor, I often feel the Lord’s emotions when He is grieved about something.  I think that people think that the Lord is vengeful and wrathful and full of anger.  His wrath is real; make no mistake.  However, more often the Lord is sorrowful and grieved over the condition of the world—and the condition of Believers everywhere.  “Ok,” I said with resolve.  “What do you want to say?”

                The Lord did not hesitate.  “Renita there is a season of great acceleration that is coming for My people.  They will see great growth in their lives.  It is a year of Jubilee, and many will see Me hand move on their behalf for their needs. I will move many in this one season further than they could have ever gotten on their own in ten years.”

                “Well, that doesn’t sound bad at all.  You seem grieved.  Why is this grievous for you?”

                In response, the Lord led me to Jeremiah 8.  I read through the entire chapter, with my heart sinking as I poured over each word.  The Lord began to speak to me about the brokenness of His people, and how they have sought everything to manage their brokenness.  They have tried everything—that is, except Him.  He said many would not receive His best, because they were not willing to let go of their way of doing things.  In fact, this time of acceleration would be a blessing to many, but it would be a curse to others. He asked, “Renita, what is the entire Kingdom based in?”

                “Seed, time and harvest,” I replied immediately.  The Lord then said that there were those who had planted seeds of brokenness [sin, unrighteousness, control, bitterness, vindictiveness, unforgiveness, rebellion, etc.] that has taken root in them, and those seeds would harvest in this time of acceleration.   They would eat the fruit of their ways (Prov. 1:31). Literally, instead of seeing a time of Jubilee as they rested in the Lord, living off the harvests of seeds sowed in righteousness, they would experience a time of great brokenness.  “My people are sick, Renita”, He said. “They go to workshops, and retreats, they read self-help books, and seek relief from shamans, false prophets, and religious gimmicks” but they won’t come to Me.  They will not yield their ways, and their hearts to me to find healing redemption in Me.  Child, Is there no balm in Gilead?  Where is their physician?”  He led me to Isaiah 1: 6.  “⁶ From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness or health in [the nation’s body]—but wounds and bruises and fresh and bleeding stripes; they have not been pressed out and closed up or bound up or softened with oil. [No one has troubled to seek a remedy.] (AMP)”.  The Balm of Gilead was a salve that was known for its healing properties.  After the Israelites settled in the Promised Land, the Tribe of Gad who had settled in Gilead became well known traders in this healing oil because the trees that contained the base properties grow in abundance there.

“I am the Balm, Renita.  I am there Great Physician. Only I can bring them the healing that they need.” I would that My people would yield their hearts to Me, not only for salvation, but I want them to let Me be Lord.” 

“What must we do Lord, “I asked, including myself in the number.  I am need of that Balm too! “Lord, most of us, don’t really realize that we have made something an idol, or that we have not really submitted our lives to You. How do we know what we must yield to you?”

The Lord brought to mind a common refrain.  “Pay attention,” He said.  What is a recurring issue in your life?  Is it money? Is it relationships? Is it sexual sin, or compulsive behavior? Is it purpose or career? I call you out of darkness by irritating that which is holding you in bondage. When you identify those places Renita, first understand that they are only symptoms of a larger issue. In order for you to kill a weed, you can’t cut off the heads of the weeds, you must dig up the root.  You and My people must let Me get to the root of your issues so that I can heal you and then you can experience my best in your lives. It is a painful process, but when I heal you, you will be healed.  When I save I save you, you will be saved (Jeremiah 17:4).

I repent for those areas where I have not given the Lord access.  I call those places sin, and I yield those things to the Lord.  And for those places that I cannot muster the strength to yield I pray that He show me the truth, and that I allow that truth to make me free.  I pray that for my brothers and sisters in Christ—that we submit to the ministration of our Great Physician, and allow His healing oil to soothe our hearts.

A Spiritual Law of Motion

Ephesians 3:20:  Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we can ask or imagine, according to the power that works in us (KJV)

As I had coffee with the Lord this morning, I worshipped quietly, waiting on Him to speak.  I have noticed that when I come to the table with a lot on my mind, it sometimes takes a few minutes for me to submit to the quiet leading of the Lord.  I sang to Him as I sipped my coffee, and as I did my muddled thoughts began to clear, and the impending cares of the day began to recede.  I felt led to research Newton’s Laws of Motion.  I am not a physicist, or even a science buff for that matter, so the fact that the three Laws of Motions kept nudging me was in itself a message from the Lord.  Of all that things that I think about, I can easily declare that Isaac Newton and his laws are not one of them. As I read, the Lord began to deal with me about His “Spiritual Laws of Motion.” I was especially intrigued by a quote from a science teacher:  It’s not that people cannot understand the Laws of Motion; it’s that they do not believe the laws of motion.”  Whoa. That stopped me in my tracks. “Ok,” I reasoned with the Lord, are you saying that the reason that many of Your people are not progressing because they don’t believe?  That’s when one of my favorite scriptures began to reverberate in my mind:  Ephesians 3:20.  As usual, because I can be little slow on the uptake, the Lord broke it down for me.

“Child, it’s not the people don’t believe in Me.  It’s that they do not believe in the Me that is in them.  My people pray diligently waiting for Me to act on their behalf, and many times I am waiting for them to tap into the power that I have deposited in them to really see change in their lives.  Renita, I have given my people a treasure hidden in darkness (Is 45:3). That treasure is the Holy Spirit.  In My Spirit there is My wisdom, My way, My understanding, My authority and My heart.  My people use Me as a weapon to be wielded offensively or defensively, but they do not understand that they are not using me effectively.  They have reduced me to a feeling, or an indescribable spooky entity.” He sighed. “I am not just what gives them goose bumps in worship, nor am I a familiar spirit that helps them find their keys.  I am their treasure, a key to the hidden places that unlocks the mysteries of this world. If the enemy had known that this power would be released through Jesus’ crucifixion, he would have abandoned his plan. This is why Paul wrote in 1 Cor 2:6-8: Yet among ethe mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not fa wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, gwho are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, hwhich God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of ithe rulers of this age understood this, for jif they had, they would not have crucified kthe Lord of glory. (ESV).”

Then He prodded me.  “What’s Newton’s First Law of Motion?”  I remembered that from Dr. Flower’s class in 7^th grade: “A body in motion tends to stay in motion.  A body at rest tends to stay at rest.”  He continued.  “If a body is a rest, what must happen for it to become mobile?”  Ok, this was easier than I thought. “A force must encounter the body that is at rest, so that change can occur,” I said confidently.  “Yes, that’s right. Child, I am the force that brings about change to the Body of Christ.  You have taught on power many times.  What is the power that I speak of in Ephesians 3:20?”. “Dunamis,” I replied.  “It’s the kind of force that is behind the legions of angels,  and the kind that causes dynamite to explode.  It’s what created the world; it’s what raised Jesus from the dead.”  “Right again,” He said.  “If I can exceed and do more than can be asked or imagined, why aren’t my people progressing?  The light finally came on.  “Because we don’t understand the power that works in us.”

He went further.  “Renita, do the Laws of Motion change just because you don’t understand them?”  No, they don’t.  “Neither does my power change just because My people don’t understand how I operate in them. Jesus came that My people would have life, and life more abundantly (John 10:10) However, if they want an abundant life, they must stop looking at My Spirit as a resource, and begin to seek me as the Source. “My people don’t understand that Jesus was sent to this earth as Word made Flesh (John 1:1-4), but He died so that my people could become flesh made Word.   I never intended for life to be a force that happens to My people.  I intended for My people to be a force happens to life!"

“Clutch the pearls”, I thought.  “Have I been limiting my life by not tapping into this power that I thought I understood?”  I immediately began to think of all the things that I needed to do in order to bring this power forward.  The Lord interrupted me.  “Child, this is not a revelation that should cause you to begin to strive. Accomplishment is not indicative of My power at work.   In fact, this revelation should cause you to rest in Me rather than work harder.  It is; in fact, the key to working smarter. “How do I do that,” I countered.  The Lord never missed a beat. “Pay attention,” He said simply.  “Before you run off and try to do something in your own power, began to pay attention to your natural and spiritual environment.  What season is this? What’s happening around you?  What thoughts keep coming into your mind?  What drives you, and why?  You can only answer those questions through Me. The key to tapping into My power, is to tap into Me.  I cannot be separated from My word; but knowing the word is not enough.  Let me be the Word at work in you.  I will reveal to you that which is  my priority through My word, your circumstances, your dreams, your frustrations, your relationships and your motives.  All you really need to do is cooperate with what you see me doing in your life.  Seek me for the strategy; and I will give you good success.”

Pay attention, then do what I am doing.  It seems so simple, but the simplest things to grasp are often the hardest things to practice! It takes real discipline to submit to God’s strategy, but it is well worth it to receive all that He has for us.  I am so grateful that He is longsuffering and patient, because it has been more than a notion to grab a hold of just a nugget of His wisdom.  However, I am willing to keep seeking Him because I want HIS PLAN. I just don’t want the basic no frills plan, I want the exceedingly, abundantly plan! My prayer for me and my brothers and sisters in Christ is that we be loosed from our own understanding, and that we can acknowledge Him in all our ways so that He may direct our steps (Proverbs 3:5-6). When we have managed that, then the Body (of Christ) will be in motion and stay that way!

Where Are You?

Where Are You?

God’s Original Intent for Us

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees in the garden.  Genesis 3:8

His Spiritual Likeness 

When God formed Adam (the first man) his intent was to create one who was like Him, and who would take care of the garden that God had created for himself.  It is interesting to notehow man was formed even from the beginning.  When God created Adam, he said,

“…Let Us make a man in our image, according to Our likeness, let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. 27 So created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis 1:26-27KJV

The word image in the Hebrew is tslem.  It means mere, empty image or like tumors, mice or heathen images.  The word “make” means to “ordain and produce”.  This meant that man’s frame was empty—a “cut out” (like a paper doll) that simply looked like God.  However, then God says, “…according to Our likeness….”  The word likeness in Hebrew is from the word dahmah, or to compare, resemble; to imagine or think.  In other words, when God made man, he made him first to look like Him, but then He gave him the ability to act like Him.  We were God’s first representatives in the earth, not only designed to be mere caretakers---but we were like Him. We could imagine and think, so we were designed to be creators  too. We had something in common with Him. We were not just clones; we had His spiritual likeness. 

We are the Sons and Daughters of God

The Word goes on to say that God then God “formed” man from the dust.  That word, form(Heb. Yatsar) means to “frame” or to “squeeze or to shape”, and breathed  or panted like a woman in childbirth.  I like that, because I had always envisioned that God simply blew out, like he was blowing out smoke from a cigar.  Instead, it seems that God panted (or labored over man), forcefully blowing his Spirit into man’s frame until man caught on   and became aliving thing (Genesis 2: 7).   Now man not only looked like God, and acted like God; he now had God’s Spiritual DNA.  In that life-giving moment in the garden, we became sons of God. That excites me! How often since that moment in the garden has God labored with us and blew life into us until we caught on?  Yet, he has never taken our sonship from us! No matter how many times we have failed, God holds our spiritual place for us!

We are All One by Our Spirits, Not by Our Flesh

In Genesis Chapter 2, verses 21-25, we find that God formed woman out of man and presented her to him.  Man and woman were naked and unashamed in front of each other, and we can safely assume that they had the same relationship with God.  That kind of relationship was only possible, because God is a Spirit and when he blew breath into man, “breath” was actually His Spirit.  So when God saw man and consequently man saw woman (and vice versa), they only recognized each other’s spirit.  

So when the Spirit of God was strolling through the garden in Genesis 3, He wasn’t looking for man’s flesh, He was looking for what was for all practical purposes Him.  God was strolling through His creation but He was in search of His children—His likeness or those with His DNA.    Because they had consumed what was never intended for them to eat, Adam and Eve no longer lived through their spirits; they now only recognized flesh—in which there dwells no good thing ( Romans 7:18).  Because of their sin, the couple hid themselves. Instead of being able to present their spirits to God and continue to be in complete fellowship with Him, they hid themselves and covered their flesh; which was always only intended to be a “cut out” of God’s image (Genesis 3: 8).That's why you can't count on the one man or woman who is made for you being a perfect flesh.  They may have not have a big butt and a smile, or they may not have a six pack, and weapons for arms.  It's natural to notice each other's flesh, but if we don't recognize the spirit that resides in the flesh; we've missed it.

What Does God Want from Us?

Notice that the Spirit of God was strolling through the garden in the “cool of the day”.  This indicates that His walk was intended to be relaxing, casual, and reflective.  If you and I were to take a walk in our favorite garden or beach in the cool of the day with our spouse or special friend, we would be looking for a relaxing, loving, reflective and transparent encounter with them.  God was in search of the same thing when He came looking for Adam and Eve. The truth is this:  We were never intended to be strangers to God; uncomfortable, tentative and cautious in our presentation.  We are His, created in Him, by Him and through Him. We have always been and will always be his family—joint heirs with Christ, who is the first-born of all creation (Colossians 1:15).  We were always meant to come boldly before the presence of God, in order to enjoy a continuous and fruitful relationship with Him.   While our sin can separate us from His presence, we can never be separated from His love (Romans 8:35-39).

If you are reading this, it means that the Spirit of the Lord has come searching for you.  In Him, there is no such thing as coincidence. .  As you know, all things work together for the good of them who love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).  My question to you is this:  Where are you? 

The Good Shepherd

¹⁴ I am the Good Shepherd; and I know and recognize My own, and My own know and recognize Me—

¹⁵ Even as [truly as] the Father knows Me and I also know the Father—and I am giving My [very own] life and laying it down on behalf of the sheep.

¹⁶ And I have other sheep [beside these] that are not of this fold. I must bring and ^[c]impel those also; and they will listen to My voice and heed My call, and so there will be [they will become] one flock under one Shepherd.

¹⁷ For this [reason] the Father loves Me, because I lay down My [own] life—to take it back again.

¹⁸ No one takes it away from Me. On the contrary, I lay it down voluntarily. [I put it from Myself.] I am authorized and have power to lay it down (to resign it) and I am authorized and have power to take it back again. These are the instructions (orders) which I have received [as My charge] from My Father.:11-

-John 10:11-18 (AMP)

                As I had tea with the Lord this morning, we discussed the plight of a good friend of mine who is going through a very difficult season.  Because I have been through what she is going through, I understand the pitfalls that await us as God sets order in our lives.   I remembered my own wrestling season with the Lord, and asked why these seasons of change have to be so difficult for us to get through.  Even as I talked, began to see a picture in my mind, and a John 10 scripture passage came to my remembrance.  I saw a picture of a sheep that was entangled in briers and sticker bushes.  The sheep was bleating and struggling in the patch trying to untangle himself. Instead of the sheep finding freedom, his struggling was making the situation worse.  Then I saw a man come to the sheep and kneel down beside it. He began to comfort the sheep and pet him in order to calm him.  Then he gently held the sheep, and calmly began to pick the thorns and sharp twigs out of the sheep one by one.  The sheep continued to struggle because the shepherd’s ministrations were painful, but the shepherd held him firmly and continued the process.  After some time, the shepherd gently lifted the sheep out of the patch and tended to the sheep’s wounds.

                The Lord said to me:  “Child, I am the Good Shepherd. I see the predicaments that my sheep get into, and I know how come and untangle them from the places that they fall into.  If my Sheep will let me, I will untangle them from their broken places and move them into a safe place.  It is then; and only then that I can truly attend to their wounds and heal them.  Being untangled is more difficult for my sheep than the healing, because they fight against their “brier patches” so long, that they are tired, and when I come to help them, they fight Me because the untangling process is long,  painful, and tedious.  However, My sheep know Me, and they recognize My gentle voice, and My touch and they need to know that I will never become impatient and be unnecessarily harsh, nor will I abandon them regardless of their situation.  I am faithful (can be trusted) to take them through the process, then I will heal them from their wounds.  

                That really blessed me, and brought me some healing for some of the areas that I am wrestling through.  I am a little slow, but I finally get it when  Paul wrote in Philippians 1:6:  

"Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus".  The idea that I "arrive" and my process ends is not really the truth.  I do heal, and I do grow, but if I am truly HIS sheep, I  will keep healing and keep growing until the day that I am finally reunited with Christ.  That neutralizes the enemy's attack on my mind that keeps me locked in my expectations that I should be in a certain place at a certain time.  It also neutralizes any tendency on my part to compare my journey with anyone else's.  Wherever I am, is where God expects me to be, whether I am in the brier, in the healing place, or if I am walking by the still waters and chewing sweet grass.  He is with Me, and that is enough.