Monday, September 27, 2010

Into His Courts With Praise

The Lord is My Shepherd
(Psalm 23 from the perspective of a Child)




Jesus is my helper; he gives me all I need.

Jesus gives me a bed to sleep in at night.

He gives me enough water to drink and enough food to eat.

Jesus gave me my Mommy and my Daddy
He gave men all my Brothers and sisters, my dog and my cat, and all my aunts and uncles and grandparents who love me lots.

My Mommy and my Daddy always make sure I listen and obey
Just like Jesus asks me to.

My Mommy and Daddy are always there when I am afraid.
When bad things happen, they hold my hand and make me
Feel safe...and they pray...

Jesus is still my best friend when my friends are not being very nice to me. .

Jesus loves me when I am naughty and when I am nice. When I am tired and when I am awake.

I could never ask for anything more.

No matter what happens, I feel loved every day of the week. I know my Mommy and my Daddy love me. I know Jesus loves me.

I know Jesus will never leave me for the rest of my life. He loves me very, very much, and will love me forever and ever and ever.

Amen


Sunday, September 19, 2010

Set My Heart on Fire

And my heart burns for You...
And my heart burns for You...
A simple, simple song we sing in church every so often. As I sang along today in church I suddenly began to question just what this song is saying, just what this song really means, to me, mostly. So I stopped singing. I sat down and closed my eyes. I began to ask God. I wanted answers. I asked God...God, Just what does a "heart burning for you" look like. I waited and I waited...I asked fervently and he gave me an answer. One I feel I really must share. Various teachers have always told me, if you don't understand something chances are other people don't either. so under those assumptions that there just may be people with the same question, here is the answer God gave to me, himself.

What does it mean to have a heart burning for Jesus?

Constant, constant was a key word in God's answer. To have your heart burning is to want Jesus constantly through out your day. To not be able to stop thinking about God. To not be able to stop talking to God. To have you heart burn for Jesus is to be walking constantly beside him as you do with your best friend. This is just part of it though. There was some more to his explanation.

When your heart is so on fire for Jesus, Your fire is so in control (with Jesus help) Of course we know that when we rely on Jesus and are following after him, when we give him the wheel there is nothing to worry about.

He went on to say when your Heart is on fire and your eyes are totally focused on him, He will begin to show me things. It is then that I can see people in their state of need. See their uncontrollable fires and, with God's help, try to show them how they can come to not only manage but to control their fire...that it may not run their life and how to give God all the control.

I got the picture of a school hallway. All around me was a bunch of little fires walking around. Some are huge and blazing hot and uncontrol and few are burning steadily and some are completely out, just a pile of wood. God showed me the few fires burning steadily are the passionate, not-just-sunday morning christians. These are the people that want to not only see change and see lives saved but they are marching off to do so. They're eyes are totally focused on their saviour. They are helping the other fires spark, and get in control. These fires are tryng to spread...

The Uncontrollable fires are those Christians who go to church on sunday morning and that is about it. They say they're christians and they believe whole heartedly, they pray and read their Bibles but they are not really taking it in, they are not doing something with the knowledge and they are just living their life. They really aren't focusing their all on Jesus. So when something goes wrong they are not prepared to deal with it causing their fire to go out of control. They haven't learned how to control their fire, they haven't learned to give Jesus their everything. That is the key.

The third group of people are those who don't know Jesus. They don't even have a fire started. They are just a pile of wood. They really don't have anything to burn for and to strive for. After all what is a life with out Jesus?

God told me that when my heart is passionately on fire for him, when I am totally focused on him, He will give me the abilty to see these people and it is then he will give me the wisdom and the knowledge as to what to do. And this isn't just for me but for everybody. But only when we have completely put all our focus and trust on him. Only when Our hearts are burning intently for him. Our King Jesus Christ. And that's a promise...

God has left me with only one questin now...and so I ask you, What does your fire look like?

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Neither Death nor Life...

Romans 8:38-40
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.



This vision came to me last year...I had not thought to write about it ti'll now but here it is...I feel as if God gave this picture to me to share with others.

A girl is running, trying to get somewhere. I don't know where but she is in a hurry. She doesn't make it. She can't. For suddenly she is completely surrounded by a crowd of demonic men and women. They won't let her past. They are circled around her, beating her, taunting her. Calling out the worst possible threats and names one can call another. The cuts and bruises they are giving her are horrendous. She is kneeling now, curled in to a little ball. She can't get up, she won't get up. She feels humiliated and helpless, she feels ver insignificant. There is nothing more she can do...Her tears of shame soaking the ground. She is going to die.

All of a sudden something happens. She can hear footsteps, someone is coming. Someone is running. More attackers? She braces hersef for the worse. Clenches her eyes shut, Her heart is beating rapidly, her throat dry and raw. She feels weak.

Without another thought She suddenly finds herself gliding swiftly through the air. Someone is carrying her, "To safety or to death" she wonders though deep down she knows it could only be to safety. The man, for she knows its a man by now, just keeps
whispering words of comfort and love. His strong arms hold so much compassion. he is Whispering things like "Don't worry my child everything is going to be alright. Your're with me now, They can't defeat me inasmuch as they try"



He breaks through the wall of her enemies without much effort. He truly is stronger than them though she could never imagine someone so, not the way she felt those beatings.

He places her down on the ground a safe distance away from her enemies and proceeds to take care of her fully and completely. After he picks her up and holds her in his arms and speaks gently to her. It is here that she suddenly realizes just who her rescuer is. For it is here that she finally is able to catch a glimpse of his face.

"Jesus..." she speaks, her voice very weak.

Now it all comes back to her. She rememebers just how much he loves her, that his love surpasses all things. That no matter what nothing could ever separate her from her Heavenly Father....

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Run to the Throne and Embrace Your King

We run to Your Throne
Where we belong
Every heart will sing
That Jesus is Lord
Casting all else aside
For the joy of our Christ
Let Your Glory fall
Our hearts are filled with Your Fire



Such a good song that has really been on my heart lately. "We will run to your throne WHERE WE BELONG" WE belong at his throne, WE belong on our knees worshiping our Saviour. What more could we ask for?

So many times I imnagine myself running...Running in to his presence. I see angels surrounding the throne room, Everything is shining with light...It is beautiful. yet my eyes, usually they would be wandering around the room admiring everything in sight, but they aren't. They are focused so steadily and intently on Him. MY King...My Savouir. I am running to His throne just as he asks me too. And when I get there I am embracing him, I practically fall in to his arms. The love his arms hold overwhelms me. He holds me closely. He protects me, I know I am safe and secure when I am in his presence.