“Moses said to the LORD, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’  If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”  The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”  Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.  How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”  And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.” Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”  And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.  But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”  Then the LORD said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock.  When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.  Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”  ”  Exodus 33:12-23

Moses said to God, “Show me your glory.”  God replied back in a rather prophetic statement, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in FRONT of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence.”

Then, prophesied through the prophet Isaiah and fulfilled with the prophet John the Baptist, a voice of one calling in the desert, “Prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.  Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.  And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it.”  Isaiah 40:3-5a; Luke 3

God’s glory is revealed in the person of Jesus Christ.  Before Jesus came to Earth, man could only look upon the back of the Lord, not upon His face.  Christ brought the promise of personal intimacy with God.  God’s glory could be manifest to us and  through us because of Jesus.  We can now peer into His eyes and relate personally to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  The wall of separation has been destroyed and we have access to glorious relationship with our creator….knowing and being fully known.   Once, to look upon God’s face represented a violation of His Holiness which resulted in death, now it has been fulfilled in His Son!  What once brought death through the flesh, now brings Life and Peace by His Spirit!  Jesus is the supply and fulfillment of all of God’s requirements for man!! 

The beckoning of the Lord right now is to show us His glory.  In response to Him, my cry has been, “God, show me your glory.  Show me Jesus in new measure.  Show me greater intimacy than I’ve ever known! Show me truth where I have believed lies.  Help me to move forward with you, where you want to go.  Help me to see with your eyes and hear with your ears.  Help me to be grateful for your goodness, even in the face of hardship.  My cry remains as Moses’  “Show me your glory!” 

Join with me today, and let your cry be in response to His revelation.  The glory of the lord will be revealed and all of us together see it…..Christ in us, the hope of glory.

“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Cor. 3:18

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”  Col. 1:27

Due to company rights, I could not link to the song “Show me your glory”, by Third Day.  You can find this song on www.youtube.com or www.godtube.com.  Meditate with me on it and believe God to show His glory like never before in your life.

#1  I am Overcome in this world

“I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.  Then I called on the name of the LORD: “O LORD, save me!”  The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.  The LORD protects the simple-hearted; when I was in great need, he saved me. Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.  For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling,  that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living.  I believed; therefore I said, “I am greatly afflicted.”  And in my dismay I said, “All men are liars.”  How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me?  I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.”   Psalm 116:1-13

#2  He Overcame

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33

“For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of 1.  grace* and of the gift of 2.  righteousness* reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.”  Romans 5:17

*2 free gifts that God has given that will enable you to reign in life NOW!

1.  GRACE:  Grace is the gift of God’s good-will and loving kindness toward us.  The lexicon says that it is the merciful kindness by which God, exerting His holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ.  Where He keeps, He strengthens, He increases them in Christian faith, He brings knowledge and affection and where He kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues.

2.  RIGHTEOUSNESS:  Righteousness, as defined in the lexicon, is the condition acceptable by God and approved by God.  It is integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking, feeling and acting.

Through Jesus, God has freely given you His good-will, His loving kindness, His acceptance and His approval to enable you to REIGN in life right now!!!!

*3 truths that will change your life NOW!

1.  How God acts towards  you:   God has good-will towards you.

2.  How God feels about you:  God loves you and His love is kind.

3.  What God believes about you:  God accepts you fully and approves of who you are.

 What is the product of these free gifts and truths……

“The fruit of righteousness will be PEACE; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence  forever.”  Isaiah 32:17

Let’s declare these truths and receive His promises together:

By a decision of my will I choose to receive God’s abundant provision of grace and the gift of righteousness that He died to give me.  I will reign in life because of Jesus Christ.  Everything that He died to give me I receive today.  I refuse to feel guilty for receiving things freely.  I accept these priceless gifts by faith.  I realize that they are presents and that I need them for my survival.  I receive your tools of help.  I ask you Lord to help me understand and receive your good-will toward me.  Where I have perceived your will as bad in my life, I reject those lies and run towards the truth of your word.  Help me know your feelings of love and kindness; especially in the places I have felt rejected, unloved, afraid, abandoned, and harshness.  God, I want to completely believe that I am accepted and approved of.  Help me to embrace these truths boldly in the face of the lies of rejection that I hear daily in this world.  Help me believe that you accept me fully and are in complete approval of who I am; that you freely give me integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking, feeling and acting.  I need you Jesus!  Now, by the power of your Son and His love for me, release your peace, quietness and confidence in my soul in immeasurable proportion today, in Jesus Name!  To God be the Glory!!

Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.”  Psalm 42:7

My friend Sue let me know of the following article published in Biola Magazine called The Reward for Serving God.  The article is the thoughts of a Pastor as he returned from a trip in India where he and his church worked with the victims of the largest modern-day slave trade area in the world, the Dalit people.  We know these people from the term, “Slum Dogs” displayed in the movie, Slum Dog Millionaire.  I don’t know if you are like me or not, but normally, when I read this type of article I really fight feeling guilty.  Not sure why, but I would imagine it is because I feel some personal responsibility to help change their world, yet overwhelmed by the need, so much so, I’m not sure where to begin……  This time was different; upon reading this article, I didn’t feel guilty or limited, but motivated….not unto works, but unto surrender.  I felt drawn in…..like God called to my deep and required a response of my soul…..

He writes:

“….I was stirred by my time in India. I returned more focused and gospel-centered in my ministry. I learned something valuable that will forever define my Christian life.

I learned that the reward for serving God is more of God.

The reward of serving God is not a meaningful life,

nor is it Christian celebrity-ism.

The reward is not building Christian community or relationships (though community is a by-product of it).

The reward for serving God is a great capacity to know and love God.

I learned this lesson through the joy-filled Christians who labor for the gospel in India’s educational centers and local churches. These brothers and sisters go beyond an American “work week.” They are no longer slaves to Hinduism, but slaves for Christ. Their reward is more of God. As they serve the cause of the gospel, their capacity for knowing Christ grows and deepens….”  Aaron Orphaug

Paul said it like this in Phillippians 3:8-11  “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ–the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.  I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,  and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” 

On a contemporary note, this message was communicated well in the book, The Shack, by Wm. Paul Young.  The main character, Mack, is described as having a “wide” relationship with God compared to his wife’s relationship, which is described in the book as being “deep”.  As the storyline unfolds you see a progression in Mack’s capacity to know and love God.  The author demonstrates with this comment, “And with respect to God, Mack is no longer just wide, he has gone way deep….  But the dive cost him dearly.” 

You have a capacity for deep within you.  Wells are deep.  God calls to the deep within you.  Do you hear God calling to your deep today?  Are you willing to let go and let God take you deeper?  Are you willing to let God show you Himself?  Whatever is keeping you, let’s join with Paul and consider everything a loss compared to knowing Jesus Christ and just dive in!!!  Yes, I can look at my life and focus on what I have lost, just as Mack did.  Or I can choose to look at Jesus, and believe Him.  I have learned that to do that and dive deeper is incredible gain. It is revelation of God Himself.  It is complete hope.  So, dive with me today deeper in Him!  Sink or swim, I’m diving in!!

“LOVE!!!

Just think about

how much God loves us!

God never has to ask us

what we’re thinking about.

He knows our hopes and desires,

our aspirations and dreams.

HE LOVES US.”

                Thelma Wells

This was the beautiful Valentine’s Day card my mother and father in law sent to Floyd and I on Valentine’s Day.  I tear up every time I read it…..it really speaks to my soul.  I suppose it gave me a glimpse of God’s love for me in a new way. 

The scripture says, “ O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.  You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my every thought when far away.  You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am.  You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.  You both precede and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.”  Psalm 139:1-5 NLT. 

Verse 3 in the Good News Translations says,

 “You see me.” 

I love that concept…..God sees me.  He sees every desire, every hope, every dream.   There is something very liberating about, not having to create a check list of your dreams to get God to notice them and which ones have not been met yet!  This revelation is incredibly freeing!!!  When God is working on you and the timing of your life’s purposes, those feelings of being “invisible” are VERY REAL and those lies hurt while you still believe them….. 

…..then the truth comes over and over again and starts to absorb into the core of who you are…….then the lies begin to pale in comparison to His truth, as in Corinthians saying I am known and Deuteronomy and Zechariah calling me the apple of His eye!  That’s why it is so important that you consistently read the Bible.  Not so you can become a better Christian….so that the truth of His word absorbs over and over again into the core of who you are…..then you begin to believe what God says about you instead of the lies.

Someone recently asked me if I really believed what I taught…. that God loves me?  My response rolled right off of my tongue before I even had a chance to contemplate it, “I definitely believe it more now than I used to.” 

Oh, to understand the depths of His love for us!!  What a journey…… 

Just like you, I am learning of His love one revelation at a time.  I grow in my belief with each truth spoken to my soul (like in the card above or each time I read a scripture).  It is a life-giving relationship that I entered into with my King.  Somedays I “feel” more loved than others, but I definitely have more revelation of His love for me today than I did 40, 30, 20, 10, 5, or even 1 year ago!!  Thank you God!!

Friends, know that He sees you today…..not in a way that wants to catch you doing wrong.  He sees YOU!  Your heart, your motives, your dreams…..He sees WHO you are and WHY you are who you are.  

HE SEES YOU…..  HE KNOWS YOU….. and HE LOVES YOU ALWAYS!!

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

There are many great love stories in this world.  But none surpass His to you….

(An excerpt from Come Away My Beloved by Frances J. Roberts)

“O My beloved, abide under the shelter of the lattice-for I have betrothed thee unto Myself, and though ye are sometimes indifferent toward Me, My love for thee is at all times as a flame of fire.  My ardor never cools.  My longing for thy love and affection is deep and constant.

Tarry not for an opportunity to have more time to be alone with Me.  Take it, though ye leave the tasks at hand.  Nothing will suffer.  Things are of less importance than ye think.  Our time together is like a garden full of flowers, whereas the time ye give to things is as a field full of stubble.

I love thee, and if ye can always, as it were, feel My pulsebeat, ye shall know many things the knowledge of which shall give thee sustaining strength.  I bare thy sins and I wish to carry thy burdens.  Ye may have the gift of a light and merry heart.  My love bower is the place where ye shall find it, for My love dispels all fear and is a cure for every ill. Lay thy head upon My breast and lose thyself in Me.  Thou shalt experience resurrection life and peace; the joy of the Lord shall become thy strength; and wells of salvation shall be opened within thee.”

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

“This is love: NOT that we loved God, BUT that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”  1John 4:10

The Lover of your soul is calling……

….Receive My Love Today

….Lose Thyself in Me

….Be Still in My Presence

….Come Away with Me…. My Love!

“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,  in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.  And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.  And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.  For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,  and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.  And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled  in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight–  if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the HOPE of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven…” Colossians 1:13-23

As I flew over the countryside this past week to and from a women’s conference I was apart of, I couldn’t help but survey how incredibly different the world looks climbing from 10,000 feet to 20,000 feet and then on to 30,000 feet.  How incredibly manageable the world appears the higher you go.

It seems that going higher for even a few minutes puts everything in perspective….

As you look from the ground where I live in NW Arkansas, the fields seem to stretch miles and miles, as far as the eye can see; you reason how difficult it seems to feel like you are gaining ground as you walk through them.  Overwhelming by foot….  But by plane, as you climb higher, you see that each field becomes a small piece of an even larger picture……just like a patchwork quilt.  This makes it so much easier to see where each element starts and stops.  You understand in just a few seconds how incredibly hopeful it is to know that God always has the 30,000+ foot view!

Sometimes our world can seem insurmountable, impossible, and impassable!  Sometimes it can extend as far as the eye can see and you might even feel as if there is no end in sight….no hope in sight.  If you can relate, then it is time for you to get a new view by His hope!  Jesus is the 30,000+ view!  He puts life in perspective, gives us a manageable view of our world, and victory in the everyday!  He takes what seems as impossible and takes us higher in Him until we are not moved by what we see any longer.  As we approach those fields of life we mount up with wings like eagles, we run and do not become weary, we walk and do not faint.  He is our hope in every way!  He is our hope every day!  He is “Messiah”!  The Anointed One!  All our Hope is in You , Jesus!

“As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.”  I tell you, NOW is the time of God’s favor, NOW is the day of salvation.  We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we COMMEND OURSELVES in every way:

in great endurance;

in troubles, hardships and distresses; 

in beatings, imprisonments and riots;

in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;

in purity, understanding, patience and kindness;

in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love;  

in truthful speech and in the power of God;

with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 

through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report;

genuine, yet regarded as impostors;

known, yet regarded as unknown;

dying, and yet we live on;

beaten, and yet not killed; 

sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;

poor, yet making many rich;

having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 

We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us.  As a fair exchange–I speak as to my children-open wide your hearts also.”  2 Cor. 6: 3-13

I had a conversation with my son last night as I was helping him get ready for bed.  He has a birthmark in the center of his chest and he asked me what it was and if Jesus had given it to him?  We had a discussion about birthmarks and I then showed him one of mine.  This got me thinking about birthmarks, and I remembered a similar conversation I had as a child with my mom….she had a small mole on her face and when I was young she used to darken it with black eye liner.  I was so curious why she would want to enhance it rather than cover it up…. she said that it was called a beauty mark and that it was a sign of beauty.  Why not show it? 

Just as Paul encouraged the Corinthians in the above passage, if you have walked with God for any length of time you can appreciate and understand that there is plenty of opportunity to cause offense and be offended in this world.  There is ample opportunity to encounter any if not all of the things on this list as you engage in what God has called you to.  So, commend yourselves in every way!  Rather than being ashamed and covering up the struggle, or taking offense silently and then subsequently closing your heart, think…. “beauty mark“!  Be commended today with the mark of His beauty and hold your head high!

You are engaging in these awesome signs of His beauty….redemption, reconciliation, and restoration.  Why not show them?     

My prayer today is that you will see your life in His light.  That you will understand that because you have availed yourself to God’s will that struggle is inevitable but that He has heard you and helped you!  I pray you will feel His “proudness” for you.  See His love for you.  Know His approval today!  If you are weary, offended, or even internally bankrupt, commend yourself in everything as He is commending you.  Embrace Him, and open wide your hearts, and see yourself the way that He sees you today…..Beautiful!

You are so very loved!

“Lord, how they have increased who trouble me!  Many are they who rise up against me.  Many are they who say of me, “There is no help for him in God.” . 

But You, O Lord, are a SHIELD for me, MY GLORY and THE ONE WHO LIFTS MY HEAD.” Psalm 3:1-3

“GOD IS [already] beginning to arise, and His enemies to scatter….”  Psalm 68:1

God is already beginning to arise in your life….can’t you feel the intense pressure to run from Him?  To run to other vices, other ways to cope and be comforted….this is a sign.  He is showing you how to interpret the signs….resist the urge to run FROM HIM and do exactly what you feel like NOT doing…..run TO HIM.

He is arising; He is disorganizing the organized chaos of your life and releasing His order.  You can trust Him.  The enemy has been stirred by His scattering, just like a hornet’s nest interrupted. That’s why everything in your life seems crazy.  But know the truth today, that you are the blessing, you are His workmanship, you are alive, you are healed, you are free, you are helped, and you are loved!

Most of the time you are exactly the opposite of what you hear in your own ears and feel in your own heart.  The enemy whispers lies.  Lies that you have probably believed most of your life.  Lies that are so familiar you might even think they are your own voice.  Lies about what God thinks of you….lies that you have believed and that have embittered parts of your heart towards God.  Lies that drive you away from Him instead of towards Him.

Today is the day of truth.  Today, when you hear the voices that you are worthless, hopeless, helpless, pitiful, doomed, unloved, rejected, abandoned, and so on, I want you to learn to interpret differently….by His Spirit.  Instead of lowering your head and agreeing with the voices I want you to lift your head and agree with them.

WHAT?

Because you know that WITHOUT Jesus, you are exactly those things, BUT WITH Him you are exactly the opposite!!!!

Resist the implication of the familiar voices and run to the arms of the one who lifts your head, not makes it lower.  Run to the one who has declared life over you, the one who has resurrected you by His blood, who arises in victory over you and scatters all of your enemies!  Run to the one who Lifts your head, not Lowers it.  Let Him show you exactly what He thinks of you through His Word.  Let Him show you how to interpret His voice.  Let Him show you how to trust Him.  Let Him show you how much He loves you….

  “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”  Psalm 43:5

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”  Psalm 73:26

Meditate with me on this truth!

Enjoy this vintage video and celebrate God and His timeless truth…..our hearts and our flesh may fail, but God is our strength and our portion in this life and in the one to come!

Praise Yourself Happy and Hopeful with me today in Jesus Name!