Category: Kingdom of God

The Poor In Spirit

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)

Journey to the Mountain

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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

Journeys

pathwayThere 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

My Simple Testimony of Facing Down Fear

Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Phnom Penh, Cambodia

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.” 

Kingdom Realities

lion-and-lambThe 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]

Hidden One

The Hidden One sings –

Hidden in your love

Hidden in your mercy

Under the wings of the mercy seat

Protected by my Jesus

Loved and adored by the King

Who dare touch one of His Hidden Ones!

The King replies –

Dwell in the secret place, my Love

Never leave this abode

Your hope and peace reside here

Enter in and never leave

The rest reserved for my people – it is this secret place

Where you stay hidden in my love

Surrounded by my presence

Saturated in my peace

A place of total rest and restoration

A continual, eternal Jubilee!

Love Letters from Jesus: Awaken! Awaken! Awaken!

rose gardenI wait for you my love.  I am outside in the garden calling to you.  My voice rises to your heart calling you forth.  Rush into my embrace of love.  There is nothing purer, nothing greater than my love for you.  You are like a tender child peaking out, looking for me.  Hesitant to run out, afraid of harsh words.  But there is nothing negative in me.  I only come to heal and love you.  I come to restore and maintain your innocence.  Your child like faith is there.  I come to restore you.  Let me touch your heart and bring forth the wonderful treasures there.  Trust in me always to love and adore you.

I see you coming – running through the door.  Your radiant beauty illuminates the garden.  Your song is more beautiful than the birds.  Your scent more pleasing than the roses.  You fill my garden with love.  I love you dearly.  You are my beloved.  Share your heart with me.