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?

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

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.

Oh the Wonder...

"I'm alive because an Eternal God dreamed of me before the world began.  He then formed a plan within Himself to be with me forever."  -- David Sliker

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.

The Return of the King

When the King returns, He'll split the Mount of Olives in two - Zechariah 14:3-5

"Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal..."

Wondering and trembling at the thought...
As Jesus sat upon the Mount of Olives to teach His disciples about the end of the age and His return (Mark 13) did He simultaneously feel the gravity of the awesome events foretold in Zechariah that would one day ensue upon this ridge that King David had also walked a thousand years before Jesus had (2 Samuel 15:30)?  Isn't it just like God to weave together dramatic events of desperation, destruction, redemption, and glory... all to unfold in a single location over the span of several millennia?

For thousands of years, devout Jews have hoped for a glorious king, a Messiah, to lead them victoriously to the fulfillment of the promises of God to turn their shame into praise and renown throughout the earth (Zephaniah 3:18-20 & Jeremiah 33).  Over the years, some 70,000 Jews have been buried on this ridge, believing that upon the return of the King foretold in Zechariah 14, those buried here would be among the first to be resurrected.

The next time you find yourself feeling the desire to be fascinated, instead of popping in a movie or picking up a written work of fiction, grab your Bible and ask the Holy Spirit to anoint your mind and heart to "experience" the scenes that have unfolded on the Mount of Olives, and those that are still yet to come.  Let the Holy Spirit grip your heart with awe as you see how God has woven together so many significant moments in this one place... a nearly two mile long, olive tree dotted ridge which runs north to south just a half mile walk to the east of Jerusalem.

"Venture" to the Mount of Olives for an hour or two and take in the sights, sounds, and emotions of these events that have and will take place there:

• Luke 19:28-40 ~ Jesus' "Triumphal Entry" into Jerusalem before the crucifixion
• Luke 19:41-44 ~ Jesus weeps over Jerusalem (with elevation 100 feet higher than the city, the Mount of Olives offers a great view of the city and Temple)
• Luke 21:37-38 ~ Jesus lodges here before the Passover
• Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:26-42, & Luke 22:39-46 ~ Jesus prays at Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives before His arrest
• Matthew 26:47-56 ~ Jesus' arrest
• Acts 1:6-12 ~ Jesus' ascension into heaven
• Zechariah 14 ~ The coming Day of the Lord

I'd love to actually travel to Israel someday and walk the dusty path leading up the Mount of Olives... to ponder these scenes and tell Jesus that I long for the day when He will return to that very place at the culmination of His amazing age-old story... when He'll come as a zealous warrior and split the mount in two to provide a way of escape for His beloved people in their time of greatest need.  Lord, we're awaiting the return of our victorious King who rescues and saves and will establish everlasting justice!

Comfort for God's People (Isaiah 40:1-5)
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

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...

Sound of the Final Trumpet

My heart is exhilarated this morning as I study and pray in the Prayer Sanctuary! I woke up this morning remembering that today is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish Feast of Trumpets, and considered how in my own heart today I wanted to acknowledge longing for the sound of that trumpet and return of the King, Jesus Messiah. The musical prayer watch we're streaming in via the internet (check it out here!) is singing and praying around the New Testament passages of the Second Coming of Jesus Messiah with the sound of the final trumpet and the team even has trumpet accompaniment! My heart can't help but leap with longing for that Day... the reality, glory, and drama of it all will far eclipse that final battle scene in JRR Tolkien's "The Return of the King"... this previous post unfolds the story much more thoroughly than I will here.

I pondered these passages:
Revelation 10:7 - ...in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.

Revelation 11:15 - Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever."

1 Thessalonians 4:16 - For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.

And then received this email from some dear friends:

Today, the first day of the Jewish 7^th month, is the Feast of Trumpets (Numbers 29:1/Leviticus 23:24). The word Teruah means “shouting” or “raising a noise”. The sounding of the shofar during this Feast is calling for the Messiah to come. To the Messianic believer the Messiah has already come and we call for His second coming thus fulfilling the Feast of Trumpets. In traditional Judaism, this Feast has also been called Rosh Hashanah (Head of the Year) and is considered the Jewish New Year.

It is very significant that according to Torah the shofar is to be sounded on this Feast day. For the sound of the shofar is also meant to stir fear in the heart and to inspire teshuvah (repentance) Amos 3:6 The Feast of Trumpets marks the beginning of a 10 day period of prayer and repentance which culminates on the fast day of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). These ten days are known as the Days of Awe.

Waiting for the return of our Mashiach Yeshua,

Dennis and Joy

Yes, Jesus Messiah, You alone are the King that I want and I join with many others around the world today in praying that You would come home!

Eyes Like a Flame of Fire

"But you, O Lord, know me; you see me, and test my heart toward you..." 
Jeremiah 12:3

"Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord" Jeremiah 23:23,24

This morning my heart is thanking the Lord for His love, mercy, and patience toward me. He is a relentless pursuer of my heart and continues to lead me back to the same truths, patiently determined, to help me "get it." Though since my childhood I've been taught the truth that He sees me and knows even my unspoken thoughts, I have often managed to find ways to forget that truth and behave as though I do not believe it. This "forgetting" conveniently comes when I'm tempted to seek my own pleasure and gain apart from God's way. How the words of this hymn ring true in my life: "Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love..."

"...The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire..." Revelation 2:18

The first time that I really remember stopping to pray and ask God to reveal the weightiness of Revelation 2:18 was about a year ago as I was leading a group study on the book of Revelation. I was struck by the declarations that Jesus Himself speaks in Revelation 2 and 3 about who He is. I was confronted; forced to wrestle with the implications of His self-disclosures, like: "...I am he who searches mind and heart..." Revelation 2:23. Deep down, I knew that this statement of Jesus was true, and that I had been dull of heart; I had not consistently been living my life as if it were really, REALLY true.

"But he knows the way that I take..." Job 23:10

Now, of course, I'm talking about so much more here than outward appearances. I grew up in the Church; I have had a deep love for Jesus and passion for His Word ever since I can remember. But as I continue to study the Word, I'm seeing that beyond any outward appearances or good behavior, God cares much more about my inner motives from which these things flow. Does my ministry to God and others come from a place of humility and genuine love, desiring for Him alone to be glorified?

"...you who test the minds and hearts, O righteous God!" Psalm 7:9
"And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit..." Romans 8:27

The motives of my heart and my secret thoughts are seen by God and matter to Him... in fact, He even tests my heart and sets up opportunities for it to be refined, challenged, and strengthened in love and obedience. This testing is His mercy and love toward me, because He and I both know that without this work of His Spirit within me, the tendencies of my heart are toward selfishness, pride, greed, criticism... and yes, the list could go on! Fire, though it can bring pain, has great potential to purify. God has set His eyes on you and me in love, to help us through the journey of being refined and strengthened.

"...I will set my eyes on them for good... and they shall be my people and I will be their God..." Jeremiah 24:6,7
"...I am the one who knows, and I am witness, declares the Lord" Jeremiah 29:23

Over the past year, I've often prayed that the Lord would take this truth beyond knowledge in my head and work it into my heart in such a way that it changes the way I think, the way I view reality, God, and others. I can see that God's been answering that prayer as I've been reading the Bible and the words of the passages I've included in this post have seemed to jump off the pages. These revelations of who He is are a gift to us, a gift that is meant to be received and pondered. As we meditate on the truth and ask His Spirit to make it real to us, we can be changed. I want to be changed more into His likeness. Holy Spirit, thank You that You are more than able to sanctify me as You "wash me with the water of the word" (Ephesians 5:26).

"O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar... and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it all together... Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?" Psalm 139:1-4,7

Photo Journal

It's rare for me to use my blog for personal updates as I ordinarily have it dedicated to reflections from time in prayer and in the Scripture, but technology troubles have led me to use it on this occasion for giving friends and family a pictorial glimpse into recent happenings... enjoy!

In the midst of helping to see the Daniel Institute through its "birthing" stage as a new ministry these past few months, there have been additional happenings in my life...

..Family visit in Boston..In early June I had a wonderful week in Boston visiting my sister Katrina's family. Erik and Kat were wonderful hosts and little "Sophi" brought me much joy and refreshing! AND, she's due to become a big sister just before Christmas!

..Ladies' Study..
I'm half-way through leading a summer-long study with a group of 10 ladies (a few pictured with me below). We're dialoguing and praying through the book of Daniel and weekly having our hearts stirred to go much deeper into knowing and loving the Lord. Their hunger for God is spurring me on, not to mention the life of Daniel!

..Lakeside Fellowship..
My "home group" (five young families I gather with weekly to pray, worship, and study the Word together) have been enjoying the (unpredictable) Minnesota summer weather these past few weekends. With seven little ones under five, we've loved play time and BBQs in the "Land of 10,000 Lakes". Though our adventures usually end with tornado warnings and thunderstorms, we haven't been deterred from spending time building stronger friendships and sharing our love for Jesus (and food!).

Photo credits to Kerry Bowman

..China Team Reunion..
My China teammates and I had the joy of reuniting this week after 2.5 years since we'd all been together. I love these two families and marvel at the way God is pursuing each of our hearts as our life journeys unfold. You may have been praying for these friends of mine leading up to and throughout the two years we ministered together in China, so I thought you may want to have the opportunity to take a peek into the Bupp & McQueen families online (click on their names to go to their respective sites).

..Goodbye Childhood Home..

My parents just sold their home of 31+ years on California's Central Coast and have bought a new place on the other side of the country! They'll be moving to Boston in mid-July to be more hands-on grandparents to Sophia and her new sibling on the way. I'll miss having regular visits to beautiful California where many dear friends, extended family, and church family are... but I'm proud to have parents who are so filled with love and faith that they would obey Jesus when He asks them to do something so unlike what they've previously known!

Mom & Dad (Nanna & Papa), summer 2009
with their two granddaughters in their California backyard

Stylin'! Me (the youngest) with my siblings, Katrina & Jeremy,
circa 1981 & 1983 at the house Mom & Dad have just sold in Paso Robles, California

Thank you for sharing in the journey with me!