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.

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!