I am Father's favorite, and so are You!
Pieces fall Like torrents of tears Washing away The dust of years Can they be caught Gathered in mercy's hands Kept in safety Will the broken stand Lifted up Like the guardians of time Remembering a past Promising a new sign But can they be caught Held in mercy's hands Kept in safety Will the broken stand
Broken spirits Rising Dust stirring, earth falling away Spirits buried Hidden beneath the concrete of civility Stone faces Turning Wind blowing, glaciers crumbling Spirits frozen Invisible in sight of polite society New lives Emerging Hearts rousing, darkness fleeing Spirits resurrected Revealed by the light of the kingdom
Can we look upon our own poverty – our own emptiness and inability? Earthen vessels easily broken and destroyed – formed out of clay and half-baked in the kiln – fragility in motion. An empty clay shell waiting to be broken, crushed by the world. No strength to withstand the battering forces of the world. The darkness concealed within released when the exterior shatters.
If we gaze upon and accept our total emptiness, poverty, helplessness, what is left? What is the meaning of what has gone before – a shadow, a dark turning of mere existence without purpose, direction, substance?
No! Jesus promised more than this. He promised to fill the earthen vessel with his Spirit, His light. The glory of God shining forth from every crack and imperfection. Darkness banished and weakness replaced with His strength. Divine destiny and purpose revealed.
Are we willing to admit our utter poverty to receive the marvelous riches of His glory?
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3-10, ESV)
Distant memory
Hazy blue rising
Calling, beckoning
Moving forward it remains
Looming, growing
Shrouded in mystery, inviting
Gone the distant vision
Shifting scenes
Journey and vision meld
The vision consumed
Clouds swirling, embracing
Cool breeze touching dry skin
The destination beginning
Valleys, hills, rivers singing
Journey here with me
There are journeys to
journeys through
and journeys from
There are journeys of remembering
and journeys of forgetting
There are journeys of discovering
and journeys of giving
Cherish each journey
Missing a journey is missing life
Fear has stolen my life. Now I am taking back territory.
Sometimes we hear a teaching that really changes our life. For me a message by Danny Silk did just that. It was a simple message about our comfort zone and “Championville”. Championville is out there in that terrifying place that is out of our control. Something about Championville lit a spark in my spirit. I wanted to be in Championville.
So I drew out his illustration from the lesson and kept it on my desk for a long time. I would look at it and wonder, can I go there? Finally I decided if I didn’t do something now, I would never do anything. So following the motto go big or go home, I picked the craziest, most radical group I knew to join for a missions trip to South East Asia – the Banov’s from Global Celebration.
As I prepared to go, I knew if God didn’t show up, I would be an utter failure and failure was my biggest fear. However, if God did show up, then what I believed in my head would become what I actually experienced and knew in my heart.
God, of course, showed up as he always does when we step out in faith. And even though to the world’s eyes I might not have been the most outgoing, “successful” team member, just being there was a great victory. Father wrapped me in his love and peace the entire trip. I simply rested in that place and followed along. Fear did not and could not infiltrate his wings of love.
We experienced amazing things – healing, salvation, love, joy. We were blessed with getting to love on and minister to orphans, individuals in the red light district, individuals who lived and worked at the garbage dumps, and in the slums. It was an amazing and life changing experience that would not have happened if I had listened to the voice of fear.
2 Timothy 1: 7 (AMP): “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self control.”
The Kingdom of Heaven is Spiritual, but it manifests in the physical.
If we are in the Kingdom of God, we are not in the Kingdom of the World. If we are not in the Kingdom of the World, then we don’t operate by its principles. We operate by the principles of the Kingdom of God.
The Kingdom of Heaven looks like something. It looks like a feast of love, peace, joy, forgiveness, wholeness, healing, deliverance, mercy, and goodness.
Those in the Kingdom of Heaven are wearing a wedding garment – the robe of Jesus’ righteousness.
Those in the Kingdom of God are enjoying a great feast prepared by the Father to honor his Son.
When we are born through water and the Spirit, Father delivers us into the Kingdom of his Son with pleasure and celebration.
The Kingdom of God is a construct that is outside the religious, political, and economic construct of this world. In fact, it defeated the construct of this world. [Colossians 2:15 “Then Jesus made a public spectacle of all the powers and principalities of darkness, stripping away from them every weapon and all their spiritual authority and power to accuse us. And by the power of the cross, Jesus led them around as prisoners in a procession of triumph. He was not their prisoner; they were his!” The Passion Translation]
Setting you free logically through contextual interpretations.
A girl and her adventures
The Power of Story
"...that where I am you may be also." Jn.14:3
Cades Cove Gallery - Barry Spruce Photography
