Reckless Love Comes Easily Through Covenant

I John 4:19 
We love because he first loved us.

What brings deep satisfaction to a man or woman? To love and to know your love is returned, and preferred to all others.  This does not come through a one night encounter, but through making a commitment till death us do part!

Isn’t that an amazing statement—we love because Jesus loved us first.

Jesus exemplifies relational covenant love. He is faithful and we also are called to be faithful in our covenant to our spouses.  Simply, it is our promise before God and whoever witnessed our marriage ceremony to love, to lay down our rights, to serve, to be all that we can be for that one we are joining ourselves with, till death parts us. 

It is one thing to love, but to have that love returned brings great contentment. We share great joy with the newly engaged couple that is bursting forth with shared love. It is time to celebrate! The bride exclaims, “I have found the one who loves me in return!” The groom proclaims, “I have found the one who has deemed me honorable and trustworthy. She has chosen me above all other men, and her love is singularly towards me!”

I am reminded of a child’s game. You send a note to the one you like the best. They are to check the appropriate box, yes or no. Do you like me in return? Do you remember how hurtful this was though to see the no box checked or when the next week the one you liked checked someone else’s yes box? This is child’s play, but we are so programmed to love and to be loved. Our Heavenly Father made us in His image, His very nature is love, and He is true to His covenant with us.

It is probably one of the worst pains felt, to be betrayed by the one you love. If we could see into our hearts, I’m certain you would see a gash in it. You see when you enter the covenant of marriage you become one flesh with that person. The Lord said, this is a mystery—it is a little difficult to understand in our minds. Some know all to well how painful it is when this one flesh has been violated by adultery. Others have watched a loved one or dear friend experience this pain. I believe it must be worse than the death of a spouse. It feels as if your heart is literally breaking-in-two, a tearing of that one flesh.

Ephesians 5:31-33 (NKJV)

For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”  ³² This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. ³³ Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

In a healthy marriage there is a trust dynamic at work. You have confidence in the character of your spouse. This sets in motion the husband freely giving of himself to his wife and she gives herself freely in return. He does not lord over her in a demanding way—on the contrary he serves her. The wife’s desire is to be submissive to her husband as she would be to the LORD. It is a beautiful mystery, a beautiful symphony of giving and receiving. I said this statement recently about my husband. “I know that he would literally lay his life down for me.”  This assurance has come through seeing his commitment to our marriage and his deep love for me. 

A woman and a man will respond with a reckless abandoned love for one another when they love and that love is returned. With time we have confidence that the one we love is committed for the duration of life.  It is a safe place within the marriage covenant and the marriage bed is undefiled. Your children also recognize and feel the security and sense the peace that comes from this beautiful union between their parents.

Precious Father,
I ask that you would teach us to love the way you love. I ask that you would give us good understanding of what it means to be in a marital covenant with our spouse.  Show us the little things that we can do to demonstrate our unconditional, committed, passionate love to our spouses. Help us work on the areas that cause us conflict in our marriages. Perfect us in your love. 

Autumn comes but once a year...enjoy!

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (ESV)

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven

I am so very thankful that we are made in the image of our great God. He had a great idea when He decided to create our world and our lives! You know how it is, when the wheels start turning in your head about a project around the house. Or how about when He stirs in your heart and gives you a glimpse of your special gifting or calling. You have excitement and anticipation of what it will progress into. You can hardly wait till your husband gets home to share the idea with him. Can we just for a moment stop and meditate on, He spoke the world into being, He made the night and the day, and He set the seasons in motion. Wow! This is where our creativity comes from, we are made to create and His amazing plans for us continue on throughout our lives even as the seasons continue to come and go.

I love that God made the world to have seasonal changes. This has been an excitement for me since I was a little child. You see, I grew up in Northern Florida and it was warm most of the year, but around October things would change ever so slightly. I loved the cooler mornings, the yellow mums and pumpkins sitting out on the porches.

I have been in fall mode for about two weeks now. I absolutely love experiencing this season for the first time since we moved to Texas. Living here is a little like Northern Florida as the temps are just slightly cooler, but I can see that people are loving it. I saw a man today at the post office wearing a sweater vest and I had to smile even though it’s going to be 90 degrees today. I can imagine him saying, “ I can wear this it’s fall!”

Nate and I just moved from Albuquerque. You can smell green chili roasting all over the city this time of year. It is the most amazing scent and one that I miss. I remember last year purchasing a bag of these delightful peppers, and after they roasted them for me they were put into my car. My Kia smelled like green chili for weeks! I loved it!

Today I will bake an acorn squash, along with sweet potatoes, apples with cinnamon and brown sugar. That’s the menu at our house today. You could say that this is our culture, but more than that it is an outward expression of God in me. I want to give Him credit for this beautiful season we call autumn. I am so thankful for change because it breaks the monotony of our lives. I believe God’s influence in our lives is ever changing also. He is at work always posing the question, “would you consider this?” Let’s take time to listen and see what He is saying in this season of our lives.

How can the Apostle Paul be so certain of God’s good work in us?

Philippians 1:6  (NASB)
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

Paul was so convinced of their amazing future that there was no timidity in writing the letter to the church at Philippi.  This church was dear to Paul’s heart as it was the first church established in Europe. God had directed Paul through a vision to go to Macedonia.  I love this passage of scripture. It details the intercession of the Macedonian people crying out, “Come help us!”

Acts 16:9-10 (NASB)
A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Paul, Silas, and Timothy set out immediately for Macedonia.  They had the word of the Lord and did not delay. As Paul was speaking to a group of people down by the riverbank, one of the first people they met was Lydia.  The Lord opened Lydia’s heart to believe the gospel message Paul was sharing. The church at Philippi was birthed in Lydia’s house. This was the beginning of the Gospel and the church in the western world! Oh how thankful I am for this first journey to Rome.

Paul sent this letter to the church in Philippi from a Roman prison a decade later. He loved the church, the body of Christ so very much that he desired to encourage and exhort her. These were not fanciful, empty words. He knew salvation would have its perfect work in the person who surrendered completely to Jesus. Jesus the Author and Perfecter of their faith would complete it!

A word of the Lord:

I will bring you through to the end. I will perfect and complete all that concerns you. Do not become weary and give up in the process. I am patient and I see the end result. You are beautiful in my eyes. The intended outcome is quite spectacular!

Are you greater than the One who created you?

A ridiculous question and yet we often take on tasks that are only meant to be handled by a righteous God, or we take credit for the wisdom and justice that flows through our lives. These are both wrong postures to take. We are not becoming a god. Can I suggest that we learn to rest in God’s sovereignty and trust His voice to move us when we need to move?

Isaiah 10:15(NASB)

Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it? Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it?

I love living and moving in the Kingdom of God. We should be actively advancing the cause of Jesus in every aspect of our lives. God is the One who gives us the ability to do just those things. He has given us life, breath and even the desire to pursue Him! He has brought salvation through Jesus His Son. He has put the Holy Spirit inside of us to lead and guide us throughout this journey on Earth. Reflection on those things alone causes praise to well up inside of me!

But, He has more to offer… the question is, can we handle it without pride rising up?

Isaiah 61:3 (NASB)

So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord.

I believe this is interesting terminology that this writer chose to use. It’s a figure of speech calling us a tree. Not just any tree though, a mighty righteous oak. So, Isaiah under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit says, you will be known by your strength for you will have a root system that goes really deep enabling you to stand during crazy storms of life. Isaiah undoubtedly had heard the story of when Abraham parted company with Lot, he moved his tent and came and dwelled in Hebron by the great Oaks of Mamre.  He would have been familiar with these immense trees, maybe even lounging under them to keep out of the scorching sun. Like the oak we are to be a shade for people, to keep the sun from harming them. We are called to offer shelter for God’s people and also to the world as they ask for it. We will be given the ability to walk in a right relationship with the holy God. Jesus acquired this for us through the cross.  A righteous standard is laid out for us to walk by, it is outlined for us in the Bible.

God brings this beauty and glory to His people. The above scripture speaks of us being planted by the Lord. He is our Creator. He is the One who gives us life and who causes us to grow into what He has purposed for us to be! That is being a planting of the Lord.  Let’s be filled with gratitude and give Him the glory!

A word of the Lord

You will be as the great oaks of Mamre. I will make sure of this. I will cause you to stand strong in times of despair and adversity. Raise your head up… you are beautiful in my eyes. A planting of the Lord, I did this for a display of my glory and splendor.

Till I have your goodness, I can never have your happiness

This is a quote of Miss Elizabeth Bennet from the movie Pride and Prejudice. There is a measure of truth in this statement, as we press into God the fruit of His Spirit matures in us. Goodness is ours absolutely; joy most definitely, but not always happiness, as this is contingent on outward circumstances and not our position in Christ. Goodness shapes our character; joy is an amazing fruit of living a God-filled life.

2 Chronicles 7:3(NASB)

And all the sons of Israel, seeing the fire come down and the glory of the Lord upon the house, bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground and they worshiped and gave praise to the Lord saying, Truly He is good, truly His loving kindness is everlasting.

The sons of Israel were moved to thanksgiving and praise because they witnessed a supernatural act of God. Seeing the fire burn up the sacrifice was a pretty amazing sight to see, I’m sure of it! But, I think the climax of the day would have been the Presence of God’s glory! All they could do is worship and praise their God who is completely and selflessly good to His creation.

God is completely good, like he is completely love, and completely holy. To experience the glory of the Lord is unbelievably wonderful. Once you have tasted of His sweet goodness truly nothing else compares! So, wonderful in fact that it consumed the Israelite’s in their humanity and pressed them to the ground. They became weak in the flesh under this incredible goodness being displayed. I have heard an easy explanation of God’s glory as being a measure of His goodness covering you or passing before you. I don’t think we can truly comprehend what this means. God’s glory can also be described as weighty. Perhaps this is why it’s hard to stand under the glory of God.

Everything God does is motivated from a position of goodness. When you experience goodness in any aspect of your life it is because God is in it. You give thanks when you experience His goodness. This in turn brings glory and honor to Him.

Simply put when we see the beauty of God’s Creation, or the birth of a baby, we cry out…Oh my goodness! When a depraved person, held in the captivity of sin, turns to Jesus, the One who brings freedom, we stand in awe of God. He is perfectly good and is so willing to share His glorious creation with us, His created.

Genesis 1:31 (NASB)

And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.

Buttermilk biscuits, a cup of strong coffee and my sweet memories

Biscuits were almost a daily staple for breakfast as I was growing up. We loved the Southern delicacy that was soft on the inside with a crust browned to perfection. Momma was from Tuscaloosa Alabama and could make the best scratch biscuit you have ever put into your mouth. I have vivid memories of her teaching me how to make them. I can hear her voice as if it was happening today, “Janet Renee, get into this kitchen and help your momma.”

 She would start with some flour, and I mean some, because momma never measured anything. Then she would make a well in the middle of the flour and add her oil. To this she began pouring in the goodness of buttermilk. Oh my! This is what gives them the amazing flavor! Swirling round and round she would stir not with a spoon but with her hand. She would make it into the most beautiful mound of soft, supple dough you have ever seen. She would pinch off about a hand full and shape them somewhat into a biscuit.  A greased cast iron pan would hold the creation and into a very hot 450-degree oven they went. The aroma of hot biscuits baking and strong black coffee brewing is a comfort akin to being all wrapped up in your coziest blanket and sitting by a wood burning fire.  In just minutes we would be putting a slab of butter in them with jelly oozing out all around the edges.

On those special occasions where we had visited my dad’s relatives in Shreveport Louisiana we would return home with dark cane syrup. This combination was something close to Heaven, I am sure! I guess my most favorite way of having them served to me and one of my earliest memories is sweetened coffee milk with a biscuit in it. We would eat it with a spoon to make certain we got every last drop of this perfection. Daddy never gave it a second thought giving his little ones coffee. It was part of his culture growing up in Spanish Lake, Louisiana and he passed it on to us kids. I can hear him saying, “It is good” in his best Cajun accent.  We loved it!

So, my memories flooded me this morning as I was standing in my kitchen making momma’s scratch biscuits. I miss momma and daddy terribly and it is so odd that they are no longer part of my life. I can still feel their love as I remember those mornings around our kitchen table. The many things that they taught me will live on through my children. I can see myself with my little grand daughters step by step showing them how to make momma’s scratch made biscuits, as we reminisce about days gone by!

Proverbs 17:6 (NIV)

Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.

He is able…are we willing?

 

Zechariah 4:6 (NASB)

Then he answered and said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.

When the Lord requires a new level of holiness from us, it is not to be obtained by our own strength or merit. It is only through humbling ourselves before Him and relying on His strength and power to achieve what He has asked of us.

A word from the Lord:

Abstain from all that defiles you. I am calling you to live a life set apart unto me, a life worthy of my name, one that represents me, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Be holy as I am holy.

When I heard Him speak to me this morning about being more set apart, it did not cause alarm or dread. I can’t possibly accomplish holy living on my own. I believe that's how we get over into wrong thinking. I submit to the Holy Spirit and wait and see how He prompts me. It may be as simple as adjusting an attitude of my heart, or possibly repentance. It is His job to uncover these issues and to lead us into all truth. It is not for me to put regulations and rules on myself and certainly not on others!

2 Corinthians 9:8 (NASB)

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, always having all sufficiency in everything; you may have abundance for every good deed.

Grace has the power to change every circumstance! You only need to appropriate it. Apply this amazing grace to your present circumstance and watch God make the changes in it. He is able and willing to change that which concerns us. The Holy Spirit will begin to show us what needs to be tweaked in our lives. We submit to His leading and apply grace to the area of need, and then wait and see the beautiful transformation take place. I don’t know how long this process will take; it is different for each of us. There is no formula or timetable, so be patient and wait. We will see the deliverance and salvation of the Lord in our lives!

Seeking wisdom from Holy Spirit today, and He never disappoints!

I quieted myself, shutting out the noise of everyday living. I need to hear His voice today. Holy Spirit you are so faithful to share the wisdom of Jesus.

A word from the Lord:

Abstain from all that defiles you. I am calling you to live a life set apart unto me, a life worthy of my name, one that represents me, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Be holy as I am holy.

You have heard the old adage, birds of a feather flock together. Let’s look at this through our kingdom eyes. You become like the one you spend the most time with. You take on his or her characteristics and mannerisms. Likewise as we are ever before the Lord of grace we become more like Him.

A few days ago before going to church I heard this from the Lord.

“You are a reflection of my glory. As you gaze at me, you become more like me.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NASB)

But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

When we come into the knowledge of knowing Christ as our Lord and Savior, a spiritual veil is removed.  We gain a better understanding of who He is. We see clearly what was hidden before our conversion. Holy Spirit makes this possible, as He is the one that leads us into all truth. He directs us to Jesus…always.

 As we are led into this truth, faith rises in our hearts. Once our hearts were shut up and dead to the things of God, but are now alive and transforming daily as we sit before Him. Our acquaintances begin to see a difference in us. You may hear that you look more rested; you are taking on a youthful glow! This is reflecting His glory! His ever-increasing glory!

How to stand in faith when the vision God has given is slow in coming

How do we stand in faith when the vision God has given to us tarries?

To answer the above question you simply press into Jesus and you pray without ceasing.  I do this to keep in faith and to not give into fear. It is so hard especially when others know of your plans and they are waiting with you. I often wish it was just God and myself walking this out without anyone else having knowledge of me hanging onto the precipice.

  

Psalm 27:13-14  (NASB)

I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.

  

Holy Spirit will you meet with me today? This is my prayer most days, but on this day I guess you can say I was desperate.

You know how it is when the God of the Universe speaks to you this amazing plan for the next phase of your life and you believe him. It begins small but then it grows and consumes your thoughts, your dreams, and your plans for your future. Then you wait! God’s timing is perfect, but really does it have to take this long? Sometimes it does.

I was not idle in the waiting.  I knew that there were many things that needed to fall into place.

So…what do we do?

• We believe what He says…HE Will DO!
• We believe God is always motivated by goodness and love.
• We believe we will see His goodness now, where we live, and where He is calling us to minister His Kingdom!
• We wait prayerfully.
• We gain courage through reading the word of God and praying in the Spirit.

Hold fast and don’t give up! I have a plan and it will come to pass. Don’t lose hope in it tarrying. Trust me in the process. Guard what I have entrusted to you. The call on your life is precious again I say guard it. I have set before you life…Take hold of it with all of your might!

Is the fountain of life flowing through you today?

What does that actually mean?

Jesus is the Living Water, when you spend time learning from Him, you will be filled with Holy Spirit and satisfied with good things and a victorious life. You will also be a conduit for this life giving water to flow through you to the world.

  

Jesus is the answer…always.

Psalm 36:9 (NASB)

For with Thee is the fountain of life; In Thy light we see light

I want the life of Jesus flowing through me. This speaks of a non-stagnant flow. It is fresh and relevant. When we take time to sit in His Presence we take on His characteristics. In His light or His Presence we see our way clearly! The path of life is illuminated for us.

Psalm 34:5 (NASB)

They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed

Moses glowed with the Presence of God and had to cover his face so that Aaron and the Israelites could look at him. I want to radiate Jesus and never have my face turned downward in shame again.

Jesus is this fountain!

I am the fountain of life. All who come to Me for strength and purpose will not be turned away or disappointed!