Stirred to Stand in the Gap

Did you know that over 27 million people are enslaved around the world and a child is trafficked every 30 seconds... and did you know that the injustice goes on in our own backyards, not just in foreign lands? 
 
I was moved to tears last week as I attended a screening of the film Nefarious: Merchant of Souls. This exceptionally well made documentary unveils the appalling reality of the global human trafficking crisis. It is time for Christians to gain awareness and commit to pray for Jesus to redeem these broken lives. There is HOPE. That hope is Jesus, the only hope for true and lasting justice. Don't miss this eye-opening film... follow this link to find a free screening near you!

Psalm 9:8-10 "And He will judge the world in righteousness; He will minister justice to the peoples in uprightness. The Lord also will be a refuge and a high tower for the oppressed, a refuge and a stronghold in times of trouble. And they who know Your name will lean on and confidently put their trust in You, for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

The Call to Return

Luke 5:15,16 - But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.

The Lord has been calling me once again to return to the place of sitting at His feet; to give Him my focused attention, worship, and a listening ear. In recent weeks priorities had become misaligned for me as the pressure of busyness drew my attention into a multitude of directions. I found that even my scheduled prayer times in the Prayer Sanctuary had become primarily task/agenda driven and void of His life. After a few weeks like this, the Lord graciously got my attention with a chorus I overheard while in a time of *distracted* prayer: “I wanna be like Mary, sitting at Your feet, lavishing my love upon You. I choose that one thing, I give all for love, surrendering everything for You. You are my great reward, You’re who I’m longing for. My beautiful inheritance, Jesus” (Ashley Prior). In the midst of being distracted by "much serving" I remembered what got me excited about prayer in the first place: Jesus is worthy to be sought and adored; He wants to be known and loved. Simple.

The passage above from Luke 5 inspires me to take Jesus' example to heart and be vigilant to take time to genuinely commune with God... no matter how busy the season. In the past two weeks, as I've been more intentional about letting God set the agenda for our time together in the Prayer Sanctuary (i.e. leaving the computer and to do list at home!), He has lovingly met me in fresh ways. He is so kind!

Luke 11:38-42 - Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."

Longing for More

This prayer from A.W. Tozer's The Pursuit of God gripped me when I first read it over 12 years ago and ever since it's been one I've kept coming back to again and again. It speaks powerfully to where I often find myself... longing to be filled with more longing for God. I challenge you to join me in using this prayer as a launching pad into your own conversation with God today... Imagine the amazing outcome of this prayer being answered!

O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, that so I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away." Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

The Wise Vinedresser

Having grown up surrounded by vineyards on the Central Coast of California, the vineyard illustrations in Scripture usually leave me feeling nostalgic. But a recent read through John 15 on the vine (Jesus), the branches (us), and the vinedresser (the Father) didn't exactly bring warm-fuzzy feelings... 

"Every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit." John 15:2

Ouch! I can't imagine that any "branch" feels comfortable during the pruning process... change, removal, or death of dreams, ministries, or relationships brings pain. Perhaps without the understanding that this temporary pain is unto more fruitfulness, the pruning process would be unbearable.  Several years ago a missionary friend composed the reflection below on the vine and branches. Seeing the love and wisdom of God's ways as the Gardener within my life has helped to protect me from feeling offense toward Him. If you haven't already experienced God's pruning in your life, it is sure to come... so it is my hope that these reflections will encourage us all to trust that He does know what is best for each of us.

The purposes of pruning are several: the health of the plant, structure, and fruit production.

When a vinedresser prunes a vine, he looks at the following: is the branch diseased or healthy? If it is diseased, is it contagious and/or spreading? Is the branch structurally sound; are there any defects or branches interfering with one another? Lastly, the vinedresser wants the branch to produce the best possible fruit. For this to happen, he must remove enough of the branch so that much of the sap goes into fruit production and not into leaves and branches. But he must also not take too much of the branch or it may die.

Initially, the branch starts out as a bud or graft in the outer bark of the vine. The point of germination is in the outer layer of the vine. At this point, the branch is very vulnerable to injury. Its bark is soft and green and easily damaged.

In succeeding years the branch is pruned and the character of the branch changes. With each successive year the diameter of the branch increases and much more sap is able to pass through it. The outer bark becomes brown and rough and more resistant to injury. The join between the branch and the main vine becomes stronger as the main vine adds "wood" and embeds the germination point of the branch into the vine itself.

Over time, the "root" of the branch becomes stronger, both through its "root" being in the vine and through its increase in diameter. The increase in diameter allows an increased amount of sap to flow into the branch which can then support a larger amount of fruit.

The vinedresser always keeps the vine's sap-to-branch ratio high by never letting the branches get very long and by pruning off most, if not all, of each year's fruit-bearing branches.                                                    - Robert Baerg

 Lord, give us grace by Your Spirit to love and trust Your leadership, that You might be glorified as we abide in You and bear much fruit to give back to You.

His Life in the Wilderness

Tucked away in a screened-in porch in the woods,

all day long it was as if Jesus took this seat across from me:

And I encountered life in Him in the wilderness.

His refreshing came...

through the summer leaves.

His glory shone...

in the cascading sunlight.

His whisper echoed...

in the rustling wind.

His hope was declared... 

through the pockets of blue sky.

His joy resounded...

in the bird songs.

Thank you for spending the day with me, my Dearest Friend!

 

The Wilderness Fellowship Prayer Cabins

July 2-4, 2011

Powerful Little Trumpets

"Blow the trumpet in Zion... call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants..." (From Joel 2)

I love seeing little children come to Jesus in prayer, believing that He hears them and confident that He will answer!

Once a month we gather the band and invite people of all ages to come together to pray that God would be known, loved, and obeyed in our region. We call it the "Joel 2 Prayer & Worship Gathering" in the spirit of the call which the Lord gave to the prophet Joel for young and old alike to gather; giving their whole hearts to God while asking for His mercy before the day of His return.

There are few ways I'd rather spend a Friday night! We sing, we dance, we read the Word, and we pray. At our most recent gathering, many of our young ones responded to the invitation to come forward to pray for other children in Minnesota. They prayed for the poor, for unsaved friends, for God to send people to tell children about Him, they prayed that the children of this region would know the love of Jesus and love Him in return. My heart was moved, but most importantly, I believe that God's heart and hand were moved because they asked. These little voices are powerful little trumpets!

A Welcomed Wilderness Experience

Spiritually Dry? Barren? Uncertain? Lonely?...

When Christians use the term "wilderness" to describe their spiritual state, what do you envision? A spiritual wilderness experience seems to imply an unpleasant time for the testing of one's faith. Let's be honest, no one really desires to go to a spiritual wilderness but if the truth be told, we have a Good Shepherd and He knows best how and where to lead our hearts. If He brings us to the wilderness, we can trust that it is for our good and in the end, we will be better for it (and hopefully grateful)... cue the perfect song, "Beautiful Mercy", in which Laura Hackett explores the Hosea 2:14-16 wilderness:

                        

 However, in the future I will allure her;

I will lead her back into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.

From there I will give back her vineyards to her,

and turn the “Valley of Trouble” into an “Opportunity for Hope.”

There she will sing as she did when she was young,

when she came up from the land of Egypt.

“At that time,” declares the Lord, “you will call, ‘My husband’;

you will never again call me, ‘My master.’

Hosea 2:14-16 (NET)

This past weekend I was blessed with a different kind of wilderness experience; one that was deeply refreshing for my spirit. I willingly went to this wilderness seeking a quiet place to have a long conversation with Jesus, the Good Shepherd. I drove two hours from my home to The Wilderness Fellowship where I had reserved a little log prayer cabin in the woods for the weekend. Technology free, alone, still, quiet... just Jesus, His Word, the woods, and a few lakes... the ideal setting for me to focus on listening to God. To my readers in Minnesota: I highly recommend these cabins if you feel the need for a time set apart to encounter Jesus!

Here's a portion of what I wrote in the cabin's guest journal:

I was so in need of a simple, quiet, anointed place to allow the Lord to help still my heart and mind so I could hear from Him. I came seeking... to hear His voice; to give Him time to speak to my heart as a Shepherd. He did hear my cry and responded by speaking, comforting, and strengthening me.

This was my first visit to The Wilderness, but I am certain that it will not be my last. Now that I've experienced that I hear Jesus more clearly in this stillness it will be hard to stay away!

Returning to the Twin Cities today on Resurrection Sunday, my heart feels revived and ready for the next leg of the journey with Jesus... a little foretaste of the coming Resurrection!

If you're not yet convinced to reserve your own time at The Wilderness, perhaps my dear friend Angela's blog post on her own experience will help. (You'll notice I borrowed her pictures with permission as I forgot to bring my camera along.)

Resurrection Day Repost

It's Good Friday and I'm headed off to a little prayer cabin in the woods for the next few days. I'm planning to quiet myself and spend most of the time letting Jesus do the talking... maybe I'll return on Resurrection Sunday with some fresh perspective?

This Sunday millions around the world will remember together the day Jesus conquered death and gave us hope for the Day when all death will be overturned. As I head out, I want to reflect again on the wonder of this very special day that is approaching. So, I'm reposting my Easter Sunday entry from last year - this truth never gets old and bears frequent repeating!

It's Easter morning and I suppose it shouldn't surprise you that I've got the resurrection on my mind. Truth be told, this morning I've been thinking that Easter has just recently become my favorite holiday (and that has nothing to do with chocolate!). I've always believed that Jesus Christ really did rise from the dead, but it's only recently that I have been wrestling through what the Bible says about the earth also being "raised" or restored to original perfection under the leadership of Jesus after His Second Coming... and that has changed a lot in my mind!

If you are like me, you may have often pictured heaven with lots of clouds, streets of gold, perpetual singing... but not really tangible... and honestly, a little boring when you think about being there for millions upon millions of years. But, consider the thought of heaven and earth becoming one and actually being able to work in and enjoy creation as it was always meant to be known, in a body that will never die. I'm not sure about you, but to me, that sounds like something to look forward to! I've recently reflected on much of this more fully in other blog posts, so dig deeper there and into the Word itself if you're raising that "she sounds nuts" eyebrow that I would have raised if I had read this a few years ago.

This Resurrection Sunday I want to leave you with a few Bible passages that ought to fill your heart with joy and hope and blow your mind if you take some time to ponder the implications:

1 John 3:2 - Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

Philippians 3:20,21 - But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body...

1 Corinthians 15:52 - in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

Faithful Unto Death

...Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. - Revelation 2:10

I've been wrestling through a look at what a human heart goes through in the midst of suffering and it's left me asking the Lord to strengthen my love and faith. I need the Holy Spirit's help to embrace His leadership even if it were to lead me to walk through tremendous suffering and sacrifice.

I cannot recommend the book "Perpetua" highly enough. To be honest, I’m not one to read novels often, but after a few strong nudges, I gave it a chance.  What ensued was a journey for my heart that surprised me and provoked me to deeper hunger for Jesus... I was captivated.  Nearly every chapter of this novel has brought me to my knees in prayer before the Lord; asking for His help, for His grace, for the refining of my heart, and for an increase in love for Him.  "Perpetua" is based on the true story of a Christian woman who was martyred for her faith around 202 AD.  The last several chapters of the book are filled with content from the real-life journals that this courageous young noblewoman wrote while being held in a Roman-ruled Tunisian prison awaiting her trial and execution before a crowd in an arena with wild beasts and all.     

For the past several weeks I’ve been facilitating a book club for women to journey through this heart-gripping novel together.  I’ve marveled each week as the Lord has helped us to share openly with one another, brought us to tears, and drawn us to Him in prayer.  We’ve all been stirred by the way Perpetua lived in constant awareness of the presence of Jesus and learned to cultivate ongoing communication with Him.  It was this strong relationship with Jesus that helped Perpetua to remain faithful to Him without fear of persecution or of a martyr’s death.  

Lord, grow this kind of inner reality within me...

Grace

Pure and simple.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works..." Ephesians 2:8,9a

Thank you, Jesus. Lord, may I be ever mindful that it's ALL You.

Hearing His Heartbeat

Tonight there was a resounding "YES!" within me as I reread these words written in 2002 by my dear friend and mentor, Nita Steiner.  I remember feeling a great big "amen" in my heart nine years ago when I first read this... and with every passing year since, I'm more and more certain it's true:

"No matter what the primary focus of God's call and destiny is for their lives, each one must learn to hear His heartbeat and move with Him, and this kind of partnership is only possible through a lifestyle of intimacy with Him.

The missions movement that is emerging today will be fueled by the love and affection of One Who endured the cross for the joy of having a Bride to rule and reign by His side forever. And that which will empower the Bride to endure the suffering necessary to gather in the final harvest from all nations will be her desire for the heavenly Bridegroom. May the grace and power of the Holy Spirit take us into the heart of God and back out to the nations with His fiery love!"

Pray Without Ceasing?

The Apostle Paul boldly claims that the will of God for us is to PRAY WITHOUT CEASING, among other things (1 Thessalonians 5:16-24).  But what does he really mean and how is such a mandate possible?  Today I appreciated the notes on verse 17 from the ESV Study Bible:

"Pray without ceasing suggests a mental attitude of prayerfulness, continual personal fellowship with God, and consciousness of being in his presence throughout each day."

The truth is, I am utterly and completely unable to truly live this way no matter how disciplined I try to be.  That is, this is impossible apart from the constant help of the Holy Spirit.  But then, it seems to me that this is the idea: continual communion with the Lord, empowering from the Spirit, utter and total dependence on God.  The more I learn, the more that I experience, the older I become, the more I realize that I am weak, my heart is prone to selfishness, pride, independence from God... I frequently (more than just once daily) need to consciously acknowledge that I need Jesus, that I need the empowering of the Holy Spirit to help me to love, to obey Him, to serve well.  Because I know I cannot do any of this without Him, I must humble my heart before God and invite Him to keep me mindful of my need.  I invite Him to remind me to pray for His leadership in my thoughts, words, and actions.  I invite Him to live this day with me, to lead me in every way.  And my heart thrills at the knowledge that He actually wants to live this day with me, by my side, in constant communion.

We Will Be Like Him...Kingdom of God (part 8)

"Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust [Adam], we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven [Jesus]." - 1 Corinthians 15:49

Few things overwhelm me with wonder like this topic. You and I were created to be fascinated, so take a moment to muse [to gaze meditatively or wonderingly] with me on the ultimate destiny of all lovers of Jesus: the coming resurrection of the body; a physical body within which Christians will dwell in the presence of God forever. Scripture tells us some of what will not be in the resurrection: no more sickness, no deterioration (gray hairs, wrinkles, stiff joints...), no death or pain... But what will be? Could it be that you and I will perpetually appear 33 years old and in pristine physical condition? The ESV Study Bible notes on 1 Corinthians 15:43-44 claim: 

"the Christian's resurrection body will be physically attractive beyond anything imaginable...  by spiritual body Paul does not mean an immaterial body but a body animated and empowered by the Holy Spirit."

What could it possibly look like to be "raised in glory"?

Daniel 12:2,3 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

Matthew 13:43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

2 Corinthians 4:17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

Will we have the ability to pass through walls, as it seems the resurrected Jesus did when He suddenly appeared among the disciples who were in a locked room?

And what about food? Will we actually need to eat, or just have the privilege of eating simply because it is pleasurable? Revelation 2:7 speaks of overcomers eating from the tree of life in the paradise of God, but will this actually be necessary for their sustenance? And, of course, there is the all-important question that has made for many amusing conversations with the guys who tease me for not appreciating meat: will we eat meat or be vegetarians?

I've often tried to picture the moments in which this will all take place... the sounds, the sights, the emotions, the physical feelings, and the mechanics behind it all. Will God use any of our original physical matter to form these glorified bodies? What will my heart feel the first moments I realize the culmination of the age has been accomplished and a whole new age which will never end has been ushered in... and I've been transformed?  

Matthew 24:31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

1 Corinthians 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

Philippians 3:20,21 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

What will it feel like to be completely and utterly without sin (this part really excites me!)? The ESV Study Bible notes on 1 John 3:2 speak of being "intellectually without falsehood or error, physically without weakness or imperfections, and filled continually with the Holy Spirit."

What will it be like to dwell in the presence of God forever?

2 Corinthians 4:14 ...we know that the one who raised up Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus and will bring us with you into his presence. 

There are endless questions to ponder, most of which will remain unanswered until Jesus returns.

1 John 3:2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

What aspect of the resurrection most thrills your heart? What about the resurrection seems hardest for you to fathom?

1 Corinthians 2:9,10 But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"—these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

11 Prayers for 2011

Some biblical prayers I'm asking the Holy Spirit to help me keep coming back to again and again this year:


#1 Lord, help me to love You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Psalm 119:10  With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!

Mark 12:30 ...you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

#2 Open my eyes so I can truly see the marvelous things in Your Word! 

Psalm 119:18  Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.

Ephesians 1:17,18 ...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints...

#3 Lord, help me to fully love others with my thoughts, words, and actions.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7  Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

James 1:27  Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

#4 Jesus, teach me humility & meekness - that I may please You and be great in Your eyes.

Isaiah 66:2  All these things my hand has made... declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

Matthew 5:5  Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

#5 God, help me to grow in receiving Your amazing love and believe that You delight in me.

Zephaniah 3:17  The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Ephesians 3:17-19 ...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

#6 Lord, make Your name to be the praise of ALL the earth, for You are worthy of nothing less! 

Psalm 96 ...Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!

#7 Holy Spirit, strengthen me to be steadfast (pleasing to You) in difficulty. 

Matthew 24:13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

James 1:12  Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.

#8 Jesus, help me to grow in trusting Your leadership; loving Your ways in my life and in the earth.

Proverbs 3:5,6  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Luke 7:23 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.

 #9 Help me to be quick to repent and receptive of Your grace to help me obey You.

2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.

Psalm 51:12 ...uphold me with a willing spirit.

Psalm 119:133  Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.

#10 May I be pure in heart, that I may see You.

Psalm 24:3,4  Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart...

Matthew 5:8  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

#11 Come, Lord Jesus!  Things are not right here on earth without YOU!

Titus 2:13 ...waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ...

Revelation 22:17;20  The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price... He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!