'Till I See Him.

let HIS word go free...

What a challenging piece of scripture...I hope it speaks to you like it did to me tonight!

JEREMIAH 20:9

"If I say, I will not make mention of the Lord or speak any more in His name, in my mind and heart it is as if there were a burning fire shut up in my bones.  And I am weary of enduring and holding it in; I CANNOT CONTAIN IT ANY LONGER."

The LORD's Commission.

Whenever we as christians hear the word commission we, at least I, immediately think of "The Great Commission."   However, it was brought to my attention that Christ had a commission.  Our role model not only lived a life that was exemplary, he had a commission just as we have.  However, this commission came from his heavenly father, premeditated before the beginning of time.  In the old testament Isaiah prophecies about the coming of Christ and his "job" while ministering to the people of this earth.  Isaiah 61 says: "THE SPIRIT OF THE SOVEREIGN LORD IS ON ME, BECAUSE THE LORD HAS ANOINTED ME TO PREACH GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO BIND UP THE BROKENHEARTED, TO PROCLAIM FREEDOM FRO THE CAPTIVES AND RELEASE FROM DARKNESS FOR THE PRISONERS, TO PROCLAIM THE YEAR OF THE LORD'S FAVOR AND THE DAY OF VENGEANCE OF OUR GOD...".  Christ was sent to us to set us free, to "proclaim liberty" (NASB).  Looking to to the new testament we find the fulfillment of Isaiah's message.  Luke 4 tells a story of Jesus coming to Nazareth, where he had been raised, to share a message with the people.  He enters the synagogue on the Sabbath and the scrolls with Isaiah written on it were handed to him.  He read out of Isaiah 61 HIS COMMISSION.  The people that day, as Jesus pointed out, were witnesses to this fulfillment of scripture.  In verse 22 the people asked, "Isn't this Joseph's son?".  They were so mesmerized by Jesus' words that they didn't believe it was him!  How amazing would it be if we were so buried in our father's will that when we spoke of Him people began to ask, "It's that a child of God?"

Get excited....God is gonna move!

For the past several months Erin and I along with Katie have been planning and planning and planning for a girls weekend in August that is centered around Proverbs 4:23 ("Guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life").  It is going to be a weekend full of laughter, God's word, love, singing, and fellowship.  It is called beauty overflowing.  I am so pumped to see what God is going to do in each and every one of these girl's lives :-)  This is a picture we used for the letter to the parents explaining what this conference is all about! Katie does such an amazing job taking pictures...God has certainly blessed her with an incredible talent! 

Inspiration.

This  warmed my heart last night! I hope it does the same for you :-)

Sisters.

Sisters.  They are such a vital part of life.  We argue, yet can embrace; we hate each other at times, yet have an endless love.  My sister and I are crazy together.  We dye each others hair, steal each others clothes, talk to complete strangers, get rainbow sprinkle ice cream at wee hours of the morning, and even send a box half way across the midwest full of complete junk just to make the other one smile!  I do not know what I would do without mel-belle.  She was gone this week to World Changers in New Orleans, Louisiana and I felt like my other half was gone.  I couldn't call with silly questions and I didnt' receive and calls to see what I was doing.  Simply, my phone didn't ring nearly as much.  It was like an awkward silence that lasted for days!!  However, when I when I saw my sis Sunday afternoon, we showed up in the same dress...the EXACT same dress.  At first we decided that we were huge dorks for being in public with the same outfit and then laughed because we had chosen the same thing when getting ready.  I love that!!  Of course we took pictures of our awesome ensemble as well as our matching phones.  This picture is one of many...it warms my heart :-)

Uncreated One.

This video is from Passion 2007 (Atlanta).  The words are so humbling..."O Great God, be glorified. Our lives laid down, Yours magnified. O Great God, be lifted high. There is none like you..."

Who Have I

When sin consumes your life....

The past 2 days God has had two mentors in my life suggest the same passage of scripture to dive into (neither knowing the other suggested it).  I opened my bible this afternoon praying that God would show me something powerful:

Psalm 51

1Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;

According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.

2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity

And cleanse me from my sin.

3For I know my transgressions,

And my sin is ever before me.

4Against You, You only, I have sinned

And done what is evil in Your sight,

So that You are justified when You speak

And blameless when You judge.

5Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,

And in sin my mother conceived me.

6Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,

And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.

7Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8Make me to hear joy and gladness,

Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.

9Hide Your face from my sins

And blot out all my iniquities.

10Create in me and clean heart, O God,

And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11Do not cast me away from Your presence

And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

12Restore to me the joy of Your salvation

And sustain me with a willing spirit.

13Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,

And sinners will be converted to You.

14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation;

Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.

15O Lord, open my lips,

That my mouth may declare Your praise.

16For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;

You are not pleased with burnt offering.

17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

18By Your favor do good to Zion;

Build the walls of Jerusalem.

19Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices,

In burnt offering and whole burnt offering;

Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.

How amazing is our heavenly father!!!  This passage is a prayer, a cry, to God from King David after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba.  David had her husband Uriah killed and had hit rock bottom with sin completely consuming his life.  David fell before his God and praised the creator and giver of mercy.  He sought forgiveness and begged God to deliver him from "bloodguiltiness" (the guilt from killing Uriah).  However, the most power words of David are from verses 16 and 17.  David, I am sure after doing and exhaustive search for a way to fix the mess he made, realizes that nothing of this world would be sufficient.  He says in verse 16, "You do not delight in sacrifice....You are not please with brunt offering."  David is saying that if I could have given you something God to show that what I did was wrong, I would have done it.  God's power comes in verse 17..."The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart."  David seeks to bring himself - his broken self - before the Almighty Judge.  He brings himself before God with a broken, sorrowful, but confident spirit.  He comes before his God knowing that he will not be let down ("You will not despise!").

How often we (me) comes before the throne hoping that God will grant us grace, once again; praying that He will show compassion, once again; searching for the words to explain our sticky situation, once again.  But what we fail to remember is that God is a God of BOUNTIFUL GRACE, God is a God of GREAT COMPASSION (verse 1), and God is a God of COUNTLESS RESTORATION!!!! Praise the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords....He is, I Am. 

Manners.

Working at a pool I see and hear A LOT.  Some positive things, but most often it is bickering, fighting, whining, cursing, you name it.  At times I get so very frustrated that I am constantly surrounded by such negativity.  I believe it is my mission field, as is anyone's place of work, however, tonight I was just drifting farther and farther into a funk when I heard this boy, Jonathan, say the kindest words.  What is even more astonishing is that this young boy has several disabilities, one of which is speech related.  Here's the story:

Another boy at the pool came up to Jonathan and asked for his diving ring back explaining that he was playing with it and Jonathan had picked it up on accident when diving for his own rings.  Jonathan proceeded to return the ring and both boys went about their business.  A few moments later I heard Jonathan say to the other boy, "Here is one of my rings for you to play with, since you were so honest."

I was shocked, stunned.  Rarely do you hear and see such generosity, and such genuine kindness.  Never underestimate the power of a kind, gentle spirit...

Iron for the Soul.

"INVIGORATE  my soul so I can PRAISE You well,

Use Your decrees to put IRON in my SOUL."

-Psalm 119:175 (message)