Dreaming with God

"I do not forget your  dreams and desires.  I placed them there," says the Lord. Birth of a Dream... It was in my teen years, after several trips to Mexico ministering to orphans and the poor, that I told the Lord there was nothing else I'd love to do more with my life. From there a journey began and the Lord charted my course... from my home in California to Kenya... Minnesota... Russia... Nepal... China... and Minnesota again. For the past several years the journey has been focused on cultivating a lifestyle of prayer and sharing this with others. From this place of prayer, God has been imparting His heart to me. Over the past several months specifically, He has rekindled old dreams within me and is awakening new ones. Even as I began writing this, the song lyrics at the top of this post were overheard and I was reminded of His faithfulness to keep me ever aware of His leadership. He has masterfully woven together countless things to get His message across to me in this season. At the core of that message is this: "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in... Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." - Jesus in Matthew 25:35,40 Stepping Out...Much of the path ahead remains hidden to me, but God has made some important first steps clear. While I continue giving leadership to developing the prayer ministry at Bethany, God is also opening doors for me to gain much more experience in serving the poor and ministering His love to children in need -- right here in Minneapolis. Ask me if you want to hear more... Are there any dormant dreams God wants to re-awaken within YOU?

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.

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.)

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.

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!

The Secret of Contentment

Content (World English Dictionary definition)
— adj
1.	mentally or emotionally satisfied with things as they are
2.	assenting to or willing to accept circumstances, a proposed course of action...
— vb
3.	to make (oneself or another person) content or satisfied
— n
4.	peace of mind; mental or emotional satisfaction

We all know the declaration of Paul in Philippians 4:11-13, but tonight I am refreshing my memory and asking God to help bring within me an increase in this radical posture of heart...

...for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

I've been contemplating this "secret" of contentment more intentionally over the past week as I prepare to teach briefly on the "gift and calling of singleness" to the missionaries in training at Bethany College of Missions.  I've taken time to reflect on contentment in general as I realize more and more what a testimony it declares of the goodness of God -- that whatever our circumstances, whether married or single, rich or poor, experiencing great success or obscurity... contentment is not only possible, but ought to be a genuine characteristic of those who have encountered the love of Jesus and are being anchored in it.  I'm not convinced I fully pass the "contentment test" in all areas of my life, but I have my heart set to consistently pray for the Holy Spirit to give me grace to grow in it (and that, my friends, is the real secret!).

I want my life to speak of the reality David proclaimed of God in Psalm 16:11...

You make known to me the path of life;
 in your presence there is fullness of joy;
 at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

But, if I am to be honest, the hardest reflection of the night has been this little excerpt below that I came across online (hard because it exposes to me how much room for improvement I have in cultivating deep gratitude in both my heart and speech)...

Steps to Contentment

1. Allow thyself to complain of nothing, not even of the weather.
2. Never picture thyself under any circumstances in which thou art not.
3. Never compare thine own lot with that of another.
4. Never allow thyself to dwell on the wish that this or that had been, or were, otherwise than it was, or is. God Almighty loves thee better and more wisely than thou dost thyself.
5. Never dwell on the morrow. Remember that it is God's, not thine. The heaviest part of sorrow often is to look forward to it. "The Lord will provide."

—Published in G. F. Maine's "A Book of Daily Readings"

Holy Spirit, give us grace to testify of the goodness of God as You enable us to fully trust You, live out true contentment, and overflow with thanksgiving.

Jesus: The Great Intercessor

Sometimes my prayers feel weak, and I'm tempted to think they go unheard or could be left unanswered.  In times like this my heart gains confidence and hope in knowing that Jesus is before the Father in the heavens... PRAYING FOR ME and for you.  Think of it.  Before the throne of God you have an advocate, a mediator, an intercessor who, as you present your requests to Him, presents them to the Father.  He takes up our cause... and the Father will not deny the prayers of His Son.  Take courage, Jesus is praying for YOU!

Romans 8:34 Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised— who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

Hebrews 7:25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Luke 22:31,32 "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."

John 17:20-26 "I [Jesus] do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one... so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory... that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them."

What Does Love Look Like?

I have come face-to-face with my own selfishness much too often lately.  Seeing it surface pains me, especially in those times when it catches me by surprise (come on, don't tell me your sin doesn't sometimes surprise you!).  And so I have been asking the Lord to send His Spirit to help me grow in selfless love... although I'm aware that I have got a loooooooong way to go, I am encouraged to know that I have a Good Shepherd who knows just how to lead me on this journey and He delights in doing so (praise the Lord!).

The following two Scriptures have been particularly meaningful in this season as I ask the Lord to transform my heart.  We know the first one so well, but the Amplified version of it has given me more to ponder and caused me to say "OUCH!" and "HELP!" over and over again.  The second is a self-proclamation of the beautiful nature of God that is a powerful revelation for us to remember and thank Him for...

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (Amplified)  Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.  It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].  It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.  Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].  Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].

Exodus 34:5-7a (ESV)  The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin...

Secrets for Abiding

If you've read many of my blog entries, you'll know that I am passionate about learning to pray and to encounter God through studying His Word. It was a pleasure to be given the opportunity a few weeks ago to share some of this passion with the students at Bethany College of Missions in a class I entitled "Secrets for Abiding". Admittedly, I can't take the credit for much of the content as I have been taught by many others over the years -- first-hand, via books, and through online teaching... and by the best teacher of all, the Holy Spirit (John 14:26).

If you're interested in listening or reading more, you can find my notes and audio by CLICKING HERE.

Here's a sneak peek:

As we have real encounter with the Lord in His Word, the Word can more readily flow out of us from a place of personal, experiential understanding (Eph 3:19) and empower us to grow in love for Him and others (1st & 2nd commandments: Mat 22:37-40; Mk 12:29-31; Lk 10:27). Our first calling as believers is to wholeheartedly love God which is impossible without both cognitive and experiential knowledge of Him. As for other callings; preachers, teachers, prophets, evangelists, intercessors and worshipers can all be more effective in ministry when the “inner-storehouse” is filled with the Word of God, which comes from a lifestyle of abiding (Jn 15:7-11).

The Joy of Listening to God

In my own struggle to learn to pray and listen to the Lord, I've been encouraged by the writings of many others who have been on that journey as well. One such author is Joyce Huggett.
Here are three very practical points from her book The Joy of Listening to God:

Guarantee God a certain time each day [specifically for listening prayer]: five minutes in the morning, perhaps, and five minutes in the evening. Don't set your heights too high. You can always give God more time than you promised initially but if you earmark half an hour and manage only five minutes your listening will be drowned by guilt feelings.

The most unselfish prayer is the prayer you pray when you least feel like it. Then you pray out of love for God, not because it appears to benefit you.

The crucial time is when we are not formally praying at all. True prayer must be integrated into our life. There is something phoney about the person who 'lives' in church but has a very bitter tongue.