Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas (also known as Tabitha) had made while she was still with them. Acts 9:39
I wonder if Tabitha's footsteps down the long path that led from her home to her workshop struck fear into the heart of Satan and caused the walls of hell to tremble. I wonder if the angels of heaven suddenly rose to attention when she gathered her tools and threw her fabrics out on the table. I wonder if the heart of God swelled with delight and his throne glowed and shot out new bursts of power and light to the earth below when the aged hands began to weave with deep tenacity and careful accuracy. Her robes, her tunics, her garments were extraordinary. Why? Because every breath she withdrew from the cold thin air were breaths of passion for her savior and her God. And those breaths were fierce as she worked, and they delivered the strength and the artistry she needed to give back her best display of love to her master as she sat at his feet and worshipped through her craft and served those around her.
What a thought. As you pour the cup of cool water for the thirsty child, heaven is advanced. As you feed the starving man, God's throne is exalted. As you sweep the floors in the church's foyer, the hounds of hell are silenced. And as you craft the song, paint the picture, build the bench, direct the play, retell the bible story, organize the outreach, love your spouse, teach your child, put food on the table, all heaven rejoices! For the character of God is on display, his wisdom is made manifest, darkness is pushed back and one more small portion of redemption and purification and paradise regained is woven into His precious creation. The work of our hands is warfare. The tapestry of our hearts devoted to Him...is worship.
And when God's word says that through the church his manifold wisdom is being made known to the rulers and the authorities of the heavenly realms, I want my life to scream out and echo through eternity the magnificence of the Almighty. And wether I am singing out with all my strength, guitar in hand in the solitude of my home or cleaning tables after the homeless have had their fill, my desire is that all the angels of heaven would gather around the throne, like Tabitha's friends gathered around Peter and say..."look at the garments he made!!!! Look at his garments of praise He made for you! God be glorified!!!
God's word says that human hands cannot serve him. Tabitha's friends weren't bragging on the fact that she could bust out some sweet threads...although she could. They were showing Peter the precious tapestry of an anointed woman of God, in love with her savior, who devoted every stitch to bring him honor. In Christ she had learned to live and move and have her being. The marvel of the colors and the quality of her design were accomplished by a heart that desired that the manifold wisdom of God be made manifest to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms!
Whatever we do, may we do it with Tabitha's intentions....to show forth the beauty of his holiness, the splendor of his majesty, the glory of his redemption, the mystery of his love...and may we pour the cup, wash the tables, and sweep the floors to demolish the works of the kingdom of darkness and root out the evil in our own lives and in the lives of others around us.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Where Are You?
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:14
It is impossible for the unregenerate man to understand the things of the Spirit of Christ. He cannot because he has not. He has not tasted the mysteries of God's heavenly kingdom...of which are invisible...of which are not of this world...of which we have tasted and have been made stewards of...guardians. We carry about in our hearts the secret knowledge that has been hidden from man through the ages and revealed only to us, the saints. The reservoir of living water, the mystical road to the great heavenly city, Jerusalem, the invisible highways that lead to an invisible land, the ever-increasing majestic breath that fills our lungs, and the unrelenting living hope that we will appear with him in glory, a glory that's just almost visible if only a bit...is foreign to those that are lost and living within a death. There is no bridge to cross over to them, no language that can connect with them and no understanding contained within their hearts, apart from a supernatural move of the Holy Spirit of God. In modern terms...they haven't a clue.
This is what drives me continually night and day almost with holy ferocity to intercede and groan and yearn with all of creation to see these desperate souls who know nothing of what they have not and are blinded, be delivered. The god of this world, the evil one, the prince of the power of the air has blinded the minds of the unbeliever so they may not see the light of the glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is why I absolutely cannot understand why every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, every follower with any intention of seriousness in their walk are not literally breathing every breath, may your kingdom come, your will be done...awaken the hearts of those that are lost and dying! Remove the scales from their eyes. Soften their hearts and enlighten their minds with the light of the saving knowledge of Christ, the gospel of his kingdom, the glory of his cross.
When I walked the streets of Austin, TX twenty years ago, I was walking dead. The cords of death did truly wrap around me. God truly rescued me because he delighted in me. I believe if it were not for the prayers of the saints I would have died and entered an eternity of darkness and horror. I could not see. I absolutely could not see. God penetrated the darkness and by His Spirit entered my world, delivered me from the domain of darkness and by the blood of His son, Jesus Christ, translated me into the kingdom of light.
They do not know. They cannot see. They only taste of this world, this realm. Will you pray for their release from bondage? The last few days I have been at a company meeting out of state. We were given a lot free time. The revelry was rampant as you can imagine. I spent my time reading about the revivals and awakenings of the past. I spent my time hidden in prayer and intercession, pleading with God to show me what else I can do, what else I can pray to see revival, to see another great awakening...praying that not one more soul in danger of losing him forever would be lost. I don't know what else to do. I don't know what else to do but awaken in intercession and fall asleep in intercession.
Many, if not all, revivals and awakenings of the past began with mighty prayer revivals of small groups of people. I would like to know who are the folks nowadays yearning for a move of God so much so that they would give themselves not only to personal prayer but unrelenting, continual meeting in corporate prayer...prayer to see the mighty rushing wind of God's Holy Spirit come in great power for the sake of His glory and for the sake of the lost sheep of Israel? Where are the saints in this day, in this hour sacrificing everything to see the lost saved and the church be glorified...glorify your bride oh Lord. I want to know who are the watchmen on the wall? I want to know who the people are that live night and day with the secret companion of intercession. Who are the saints that secretly long with God's heart to see his will and purpose accomplished in the earth?
As I fly back from my meeting, hovering above the clouds, looking down on the city of Dallas, I can almost see them. I can almost see rows and rows and rows of warring angels, chariots of fire, and holy cannons loaded and ready to surge through the city, held back by only one thing...the lack of a praying church...the absence of the smoke of the incense of the saints' intercession. Your words will release them. Your knees will empower them. Your travail will drive them. Will you join them?
The book of Job says the intercessor is God's friend. Is there any nearer, dearer place to the heart of God than the secret chamber of prayer?
Where are you?
It is impossible for the unregenerate man to understand the things of the Spirit of Christ. He cannot because he has not. He has not tasted the mysteries of God's heavenly kingdom...of which are invisible...of which are not of this world...of which we have tasted and have been made stewards of...guardians. We carry about in our hearts the secret knowledge that has been hidden from man through the ages and revealed only to us, the saints. The reservoir of living water, the mystical road to the great heavenly city, Jerusalem, the invisible highways that lead to an invisible land, the ever-increasing majestic breath that fills our lungs, and the unrelenting living hope that we will appear with him in glory, a glory that's just almost visible if only a bit...is foreign to those that are lost and living within a death. There is no bridge to cross over to them, no language that can connect with them and no understanding contained within their hearts, apart from a supernatural move of the Holy Spirit of God. In modern terms...they haven't a clue.
This is what drives me continually night and day almost with holy ferocity to intercede and groan and yearn with all of creation to see these desperate souls who know nothing of what they have not and are blinded, be delivered. The god of this world, the evil one, the prince of the power of the air has blinded the minds of the unbeliever so they may not see the light of the glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is why I absolutely cannot understand why every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, every follower with any intention of seriousness in their walk are not literally breathing every breath, may your kingdom come, your will be done...awaken the hearts of those that are lost and dying! Remove the scales from their eyes. Soften their hearts and enlighten their minds with the light of the saving knowledge of Christ, the gospel of his kingdom, the glory of his cross.
When I walked the streets of Austin, TX twenty years ago, I was walking dead. The cords of death did truly wrap around me. God truly rescued me because he delighted in me. I believe if it were not for the prayers of the saints I would have died and entered an eternity of darkness and horror. I could not see. I absolutely could not see. God penetrated the darkness and by His Spirit entered my world, delivered me from the domain of darkness and by the blood of His son, Jesus Christ, translated me into the kingdom of light.
They do not know. They cannot see. They only taste of this world, this realm. Will you pray for their release from bondage? The last few days I have been at a company meeting out of state. We were given a lot free time. The revelry was rampant as you can imagine. I spent my time reading about the revivals and awakenings of the past. I spent my time hidden in prayer and intercession, pleading with God to show me what else I can do, what else I can pray to see revival, to see another great awakening...praying that not one more soul in danger of losing him forever would be lost. I don't know what else to do. I don't know what else to do but awaken in intercession and fall asleep in intercession.
Many, if not all, revivals and awakenings of the past began with mighty prayer revivals of small groups of people. I would like to know who are the folks nowadays yearning for a move of God so much so that they would give themselves not only to personal prayer but unrelenting, continual meeting in corporate prayer...prayer to see the mighty rushing wind of God's Holy Spirit come in great power for the sake of His glory and for the sake of the lost sheep of Israel? Where are the saints in this day, in this hour sacrificing everything to see the lost saved and the church be glorified...glorify your bride oh Lord. I want to know who are the watchmen on the wall? I want to know who the people are that live night and day with the secret companion of intercession. Who are the saints that secretly long with God's heart to see his will and purpose accomplished in the earth?
As I fly back from my meeting, hovering above the clouds, looking down on the city of Dallas, I can almost see them. I can almost see rows and rows and rows of warring angels, chariots of fire, and holy cannons loaded and ready to surge through the city, held back by only one thing...the lack of a praying church...the absence of the smoke of the incense of the saints' intercession. Your words will release them. Your knees will empower them. Your travail will drive them. Will you join them?
The book of Job says the intercessor is God's friend. Is there any nearer, dearer place to the heart of God than the secret chamber of prayer?
Where are you?
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Tethered To The Divine
"abide in me and I in you" John 15:4
He loves you.
He loves you.
I'm not sure you got that.
He loves you.
It's unquestionable. It's so complete.
He has you deep...deep in His heart. The forces of a thousand hells could come to destroy you...you...and HE would risk everything to protect you...and he did.
Try something. Set aside some time to read the book of John from beginning to end without interruption. It's only 30 pages or so and it reads better than any novel ever written. It is 30-some pages of the last three years of Jesus life, and the intense drama and supernatural content is astounding. Set aside this time and read it with one thing in mind. Every word, every action, every miracle, every hardship, every difficulty, every painful blow, every sleepless night in prayer, every dinner with the disciples, every moment to moment temptation, and every wrestling match with satan himself was done for the love of only one person...just one person...YOU.
This man...God...who got up every morning and clothed himself and ate breakfast and cut wood and debated men and healed the sick and died horribly and now rules from the heavens loves you intensely. And here's the best part...His blood, his flesh, his DNA flows in and through YOU...if you want Him. The God who stretched out galaxies and spoke nebulas into existence loves YOU. His tabernacle that no one could ever approach now lives in you...if you want Him.
Try something. Set aside some time to read the book of John from beginning to end without interruption. It's only 30 pages or so and it reads better than any novel ever written. It is 30-some pages of the last three years of Jesus life, and the intense drama and supernatural content is astounding. Set aside this time and read it with one thing in mind. Every word, every action, every miracle, every hardship, every difficulty, every painful blow, every sleepless night in prayer, every dinner with the disciples, every moment to moment temptation, and every wrestling match with satan himself was done for the love of only one person...just one person...YOU.
This man...God...who got up every morning and clothed himself and ate breakfast and cut wood and debated men and healed the sick and died horribly and now rules from the heavens loves you intensely. And here's the best part...His blood, his flesh, his DNA flows in and through YOU...if you want Him. The God who stretched out galaxies and spoke nebulas into existence loves YOU. His tabernacle that no one could ever approach now lives in you...if you want Him.
"on that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me, and I am in you"
Wow...it's like He was "tethered to the divine"...and so should we…"abide in me and I in you"...so complete...do we really need...anything...else? His DNA, His Spirit flows through us and connects us, unites us to a place unseen...a place unknown...a place where Ephesians says we've been given everything.
"who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ". Eph 1:3
For a couple of years my wife used to wake up in the middle of the night terrified she was most certainly going to die...right then. She was panic-stricken. In fact, we concluded they were "panic attacks". It was totally impossible to talk her out of these moments of panic. She just needed someone to clutch, to hold tightly until the fear subsided. She needed to be tethered to someone, some power, to some love until the panic passed.
If you read the chapters of John you find Jesus in constant conflict. You find Him continually offered well-meaning advice from his disciples or threatening accusations from angry mobs. Yet, He never moved, He never spoke, He never breathed...apart from the Father. He was tethered...to the divine.
I am nothing, a nobody in the eyes of the world...and I love it. My life is a secret and so are many thousands of other "nobodies" that walk the earth. Waitresses, clerks, managers, moms and dads, and just ordinary people who as John Wesley said, "their hearts have been strangely warmed within". They contain a fire. and in the midst of every painful trial and cold night they know that Jesus LOVES and LIVES in them supernaturally. They are tethered to a power so much greater than themselves that every act and every seemingly ordinary moment can be lived in GREATNESS serving Him.
Jesus spent some sleepless nights in prayer to stay close. Sounds like a good idea...every now and then. Some retreats to His word and some days of fasting might be just the thing to bring us back to the awareness that we abide in Him and He abides in us. I have tasted many, many bitter days and I have met fear and hardship on many levels. I have friends right this moment that are facing fears and possibilities of loss that I can hardly fathom. But I have yet to know a day of following Christ that I could not somehow reach deep within and deep within his word and find that I am tethered to a God that is a Father. This God is intensely in love with me.
For a couple of years my wife used to wake up in the middle of the night terrified she was most certainly going to die...right then. She was panic-stricken. In fact, we concluded they were "panic attacks". It was totally impossible to talk her out of these moments of panic. She just needed someone to clutch, to hold tightly until the fear subsided. She needed to be tethered to someone, some power, to some love until the panic passed.
If you read the chapters of John you find Jesus in constant conflict. You find Him continually offered well-meaning advice from his disciples or threatening accusations from angry mobs. Yet, He never moved, He never spoke, He never breathed...apart from the Father. He was tethered...to the divine.
I am nothing, a nobody in the eyes of the world...and I love it. My life is a secret and so are many thousands of other "nobodies" that walk the earth. Waitresses, clerks, managers, moms and dads, and just ordinary people who as John Wesley said, "their hearts have been strangely warmed within". They contain a fire. and in the midst of every painful trial and cold night they know that Jesus LOVES and LIVES in them supernaturally. They are tethered to a power so much greater than themselves that every act and every seemingly ordinary moment can be lived in GREATNESS serving Him.
Jesus spent some sleepless nights in prayer to stay close. Sounds like a good idea...every now and then. Some retreats to His word and some days of fasting might be just the thing to bring us back to the awareness that we abide in Him and He abides in us. I have tasted many, many bitter days and I have met fear and hardship on many levels. I have friends right this moment that are facing fears and possibilities of loss that I can hardly fathom. But I have yet to know a day of following Christ that I could not somehow reach deep within and deep within his word and find that I am tethered to a God that is a Father. This God is intensely in love with me.
As I walk through my day knowing that His mercy is not only new every morning but every second, I praise Him, I cry out to Him, I search for Him, I intercede with Him, I groan with Him, I die with Him, I live with Him, I love Him…and I thank Him...because I am tethered to Him…forever.
Tethered To The Divine
"abide in me and I in you" John 15:4
He loves you.
He loves you.
I'm not sure you got that.
He loves you.
It's unquestionable. It's so complete.
He has you deep...deep in His heart. The forces of a thousand hells could come to destroy you...you...and HE would risk everything to protect you...and he did.
Try something. Set aside some time to read the book of John from beginning to end without interruption. It's only 30 pages or so, and it reads better than any novel ever written. It is 30-some pages of the last three years of Jesus life, and the intense drama and supernatural content is astounding.
Try something. Set aside some time to read the book of John from beginning to end without interruption. It's only 30 pages or so, and it reads better than any novel ever written. It is 30-some pages of the last three years of Jesus life, and the intense drama and supernatural content is astounding.
Set aside this time and read it with one thing in mind. Every word, every action, every miracle, every hardship, every difficulty, every painful blow, every sleepless night in prayer, every dinner with the disciples, every moment to moment temptation, and every wrestling match with satan himself was done for the love of only one person...just one person...YOU.
This man...God...who got up every morning and clothed himself and ate breakfast and cut wood and debated men and healed the sick and died horribly and now rules from the heavens loves you intensely. And here's the best part...His blood, his flesh, his DNA flows in and through YOU...if you want Him. The God who stretched out galaxies and spoke nebulas into existence loves YOU. His tabernacle that no one could ever approach now lives in you...if you want him.
"on that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me, and I am in you"
Wow...it's like He was "tethered to the divine"...and so should we…"abide in me and I in you"...so complete...do we really need...anything...else?
This man...God...who got up every morning and clothed himself and ate breakfast and cut wood and debated men and healed the sick and died horribly and now rules from the heavens loves you intensely. And here's the best part...His blood, his flesh, his DNA flows in and through YOU...if you want Him. The God who stretched out galaxies and spoke nebulas into existence loves YOU. His tabernacle that no one could ever approach now lives in you...if you want him.
"on that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me, and I am in you"
Wow...it's like He was "tethered to the divine"...and so should we…"abide in me and I in you"...so complete...do we really need...anything...else?
His DNA, His Spirit flows through us and connects us, unites us to a place unseen...a place unknown...a place where Ephesians says we've been given everything.
"who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ". Eph 1:3
For a couple of years my wife used to wake up in the middle of the night terrified she was most certainly going to die...right then. She was panic-stricken. In fact, we concluded they were "panic attacks". It was totally impossible to talk her out of these moments of panic. She just needed someone to clutch, to hold tightly until the fear subsided. She needed to be tethered to someone, some power, to some love until the panic passed.
If you read the chapters of John you find Jesus in constant conflict. You find Him continually offered Well-meaning advice from his disciples or threatening accusations from angry mobs. Yet, He never moved, he never spoke, He never breathed...apart from the Father. He was tethered...to the divine.
I am nothing, a nobody in the eyes of the world...and I love it. My life is a secret and so are many thousands of other "nobodies" that walk the earth. Waitresses, clerks, managers, moms and dads, and just ordinary people who as John Wesley said their hearts have been strangely warmed within. They contain a fire and in the midst of every painful trial and cold night they know that Jesus LOVES and LIVES in them supernaturally. They are tethered to a power so much greater than themselves that every act and every seemingly ordinary moment can be lived in GREATNESS.
Jesus spent some sleepless nights in prayer to stay close. Sounds like a good idea...every now and then. Some retreats to His word and some days of fasting might be just the thing to bring us back to abiding in Him as He abides in us. I have tasted many many bitter days and I have met fear and hardship on many levels. I have friends right this moment that are facing fears and possibilities of loss that I can hardly fathom. But I have yet to know a day of following Christ that I could not somehow reach deep within and deep within his word and find that I am tethered to a God that is a Father. And this God is intensely in love with me.
For a couple of years my wife used to wake up in the middle of the night terrified she was most certainly going to die...right then. She was panic-stricken. In fact, we concluded they were "panic attacks". It was totally impossible to talk her out of these moments of panic. She just needed someone to clutch, to hold tightly until the fear subsided. She needed to be tethered to someone, some power, to some love until the panic passed.
If you read the chapters of John you find Jesus in constant conflict. You find Him continually offered Well-meaning advice from his disciples or threatening accusations from angry mobs. Yet, He never moved, he never spoke, He never breathed...apart from the Father. He was tethered...to the divine.
I am nothing, a nobody in the eyes of the world...and I love it. My life is a secret and so are many thousands of other "nobodies" that walk the earth. Waitresses, clerks, managers, moms and dads, and just ordinary people who as John Wesley said their hearts have been strangely warmed within. They contain a fire and in the midst of every painful trial and cold night they know that Jesus LOVES and LIVES in them supernaturally. They are tethered to a power so much greater than themselves that every act and every seemingly ordinary moment can be lived in GREATNESS.
Jesus spent some sleepless nights in prayer to stay close. Sounds like a good idea...every now and then. Some retreats to His word and some days of fasting might be just the thing to bring us back to abiding in Him as He abides in us. I have tasted many many bitter days and I have met fear and hardship on many levels. I have friends right this moment that are facing fears and possibilities of loss that I can hardly fathom. But I have yet to know a day of following Christ that I could not somehow reach deep within and deep within his word and find that I am tethered to a God that is a Father. And this God is intensely in love with me.
As walk through my day knowing that His mercy is not only new every morning but every second, I praise Him, I cry out to Him, I search for Him, I intercede with Him, I groan with Him, I die with Him, I live with Him, I love Him…and I thank Him because I am tethered to Him…forever.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)