I AM LOVED

This Un forced Rhythm of Grace (URG) is an understanding that I've been getting and a journey I've been on for the last 10 years. Im living it and it is amazing and I want to give it to you.  But you have to want it. The Bible also teaches me that there is a way that seems right to man and it ends in death. I can easily "seems right" my way into death of relationships, death to my faith and death to my health. This unforced and graceful way of living is a secret...THE SECRET (not like the book)  a mystery and it's been revealed to us in scriptures by the Jesus the Lover of our souls. Look!

Matt 11:25-26

25 At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. 26 Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way!

He lived on this earth and knows what we're up against and wants to teach us a new way to live that doesn't take us to sleeplessness, resentment, emptiness, restlessness and dissatisfaction and discontentment. 

It's an adventure and it's a blast!! Will you think about joining me?  

Do you want to be well? What do you want for me to do for you? Jesus asked these questions many times in his 3 year ministry walking on our planet. 

I did want to be well and to be taught by Him.   I found myself sitting on my couch alone in the middle of the day, crying out to God. All my efforts and all my getting brought me to a rather ugly place, I was ready ...ready to lay it all down and let Jesus redefine me and my life and my way of doing things and even greater, my way thinking about things.  

 

*I had fixed my way out of relationships with friends...I could no longer be the worlds greatest rescuer and fixer and savior and my friendships crumbled because they were set up on that foundation. He alone is our fortresss our rescue and our hero!* I had read all the books and had parented from a place of fear and personal determination. My kids were not going to turn out a certain way. I was going to protect them from evil. I had become a sin vigilante, of sorts. They were each struggling and in deep need for Jesus' rescue...not mine! 

* my sweet marriage of 20+ years was deteriorating as Miguel and I were at each other's throats because our youngest son. He was confused and acting out from ugly childhood experiences, from being molested and his resulting responses. He was struggling with his sexual identity. I felt Miguel needed to be more and he resented me and thought I needed to be less. We really just needed to be on our knees praying together for our marriage and our family, not trying to fix each other and blame each other. 

I was ready to re-learn and I asked God, "How could all this be happening to me I have lived for you?"  "No Keely you have followed a bunch of rules and set up formulas and lived from a place of fear. Perfect love casts out fear.."  Now it's time to learn, if you're ready, my way for you.

I found Matt 11:28-30 and it was like water to my thirsty soul. Good News.  

 

28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

I needed Jesus and grace and not just attending church and trying to be good and vigilance....the law

Not realizing it at the time ...that thought and understanding was my first step into peace and into the URG! 

Matt 5:3

"God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

Not just my name written in eternity but an "On earth as it is in Heaven" kind of life...a new style of living. ....a kingdom life. 

Let's talk the kingdom!  I love this subject because this is the heart of the message I am compelled to share...we've all heard the term "kingdom living". This is what Jesus came to give us ...new life, His life, a life run and powered by Holy Spirit!  I don't get one bit of my old mixed with a bit of His new way. It's all new!  Jesus taught that we don't pour the new into the old container. Look.  

Matt 9:16 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. 17Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.

He makes me new and I then become different and my ways of thinking and responding to life is radically changed. We are gonna explore this way of living together over the next several weeks! I'm so excited. Are you? This feels like a vortex, like another world. But it's not, it's ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. I now live my life on earth for His purposes. I wanna live like that, don't you? Purposeful. Abandoned. Loved. Loving. 

"And the life I now live I live as unto the Son of God" 

Galatians 2:20

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Eph 4:21-24

21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness

• SO I LIVE IN THIS EARTHLY BODY BY TRUSTING IN JESUS AND HIS LOVE FOR ME AND FOR OTHERS. 

• So, basically the old selfish insecure angry self protective and powerless upset self inside me died to make room for Holy Spirit to take up residence in me.  God wants to bring that free new person out of me and onto this planet for kingdom purposes, so I need to cooperate with Him in putting off the old me and becoming like Him...being made in His likeness. Representing Him on this earth and living with His peace 

It's the supernatural life that we are called to when we get saved out of the pit and Jesus puts His Spirit inside of us. We are told in scripture that "as He is in this world so are we" and that it's "Christ in me the hope of glory".  This life ceases to be about getting love from people and trying to manage my world so that I can be ok. It starts to be about divine encounters with Him. He pours His love into me and then it comes spilling out of me all over whoever He has put in my path. And because I'm not living my life rushing around with my own agenda and leaving no margin, I can stop and listen for His divine direction. I can really love people.  I can be with them and encourage them through prayer and listening to try inviting Jesus into their situation, just like He has taught me to do for my own circumstances.  He sees them as precious and special and wants me to take the time to love. Love is always the agenda for Jesus!  And the other really cool part of this exchange is that He is more concerned about my well being and loving me than I've ever been. He takes amazing care of me in ways I never even thought to ask or imagine! I am on assignment for Him, living in the URG and He worries about me so I don't have to be obsessed with my own needs!  I'm over myself! Amazing exchange, wouldn't you say?  It's a crazy and amazing way to live and it's the gospel. How did I miss it all those years?  

So I ask you before we begin. Can we go on this adventure together?  Will you let Jesus show you how to deal with literally every circumstance, relational issue, and frustration in your life?  Are you willing to let him make a way in the desert a path through the wilderness. 

 

Isaiah 43:1918"Do not call to mind the former things, Or ponder things of the past. 19"Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert. 2

Are we ready to live this new life Jesus died for us to have? Not just an assurance of heaven when we die but a new way of living and moving and having our being while we live this thing out on earth as it is in heaven?

Acts 17:28

For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'

Are we ready to read Gods Word to know him better and to hear from Him for our own life and circumstances? Not just to know more scripture or to be able to quote verses. Gods word teaches me that knowledge puffs up but love builds up.  If I'm not building up in love, what am I doing? It can easily become religion and rules and the law instead of goodness and grace and love in a beautiful rhythm.  We need to get to know LOVE...to be built up in love so we can love our neighbor and ourselves. Jesus loves me so much that He won't put up with me not loving myself.  You see, He has had to teach me how to even love myself.  He points out ares to me where I am not being loving to myself.  He points out attitudes that keep me stuck in old thinking and keeps me from walking in the newness He has for me. I am in a place of discovery...discovering just how deep and high and wide and long is the love of a Christ for me. 

Are you ready to discover that love?  To really start to live as a loved person?  

The other day I started to tell God how I loved Him and I felt Holy Spirit interrupt me...

(journal entry)

Don't say "I love you Lord?"

love as you allow more of me into your life. I am teaching you the definition of Love, so be careful as you declare your love for me. 

Declarations can sometimes bring self condemnation. 

It's so odd. For the last few weeks when I start to tell You that I love you, Lord, I feel a check in my spirit.....an interruption...."No Keely, you don't even begin to know the definition of love. Declare instead my love for you. I loved you first before you were formed and before even your mom saw you. I loved you first while you were clueless about me. I loved you continuously while you were trying to be good enough and earn relationship with Me, while you were setting up formulas. I loved you while your heart was distant and distracted and in sin. I spanned the distance you created between us as I ran to you while you were still far off.

I am Abba! (Hebrew for Daddy God) I am Love! You will become

Declare the unchanging truth of My love instead...that is safer ground for you, for sure. I am love and I am filling you with this new Love. 

So ok then Abba, what would you like me to say to you when my heart is full and I am feeling so grateful to You?  You made me to want to reciprocate in relationship and that's what You and I have now,... a real live relationship. 

  Ahhhh ok I got it..... "I am my Beloveds and He is mine". Got it!  I am Yours and You are mine. "Abba, I belong to you". And I thank you for true love. I just didn't know!!!! 

 Maybe someday soon I will get to tell Him "I love You." But for now, Im still learning what love is. I get to say to Him, "You love me...thank you, I receive"  His definition of love is so different than all the culture and even from what the Christian culture has taught me. So, for the next couple months lets hear it from him afresh and straight from His mouth! Right out of the first gospel, Matthew. His Words..the red letters. 

 Whatdya say?  

Let's pray together...slowly. Can we pray out loud? 

I admit I need you Jesus

I am wanting to learn your new ways for my life

Show me how to surrender 

I want to come to you as a little child

Trusting you and letting go of my old ways

Teach me your unforced rhythms of grace

Give me an even stronger desire for you 

Create a hunger in me for your Words of Truth

I will learn to walk with you work with you and watch how you do it. 

Fill me Holy Spirit 

thank you for the longing I already feel in my heart for you

Thank you for loving me so well. 

I am yours and you are mine

Amen

 

Have an awesome week practicing living in the URG! 

Love

Keely

Rejected or Redirected

One of the situations I was dealing with over the break was rejection. It came at me hard and strong. It wasn't new, it was an old rejection. One that I had already dealt with and really thought was behind me. Well now, This was truly a chance to see if it was behind me and healed or if there was still a piece of it sticking out that the enemy could get me to bite onto!

You see I can't have a reaction if the thing is healed can I?

Chloe example:
Like my Golden Retriever,  Chloe's face right now has a hot spot with a scab on it.
I am waiting for it to completely heal over, otherwise she keeps scratching at it and it can get infected all over again.

Do I follow the path rejection wants to lead me down? Where does rejection take you???
It takes me to some ugly places.

Insecurity and not enough, bitterness followed by judging, feeling shame..or fragmented, 

like if I can only get them to change up, I can get that piece of me back, fragmented. That is not wholeness in Christ.

So in this situation facing an old rejection again, I sensed the Holy Spirit whisper. "Do you really want to go there? Isn't that part of the "old" stuff? Our new path doesn't head in that direction...will you let me re-direct you in this old rejection?  Will you let me take you to a new place with this hurt?  Can we do something new? Something different?  Will you give up self protection, at least just for today?" I was faced w a choice. Like I say to my young girls. : "we always have a choice"

Will The Lord still love me if I choose the path of rejection and the resulting pain? Yes He promises to never leave me or forsake me in both the New Testament and Old Testament.
Heb 13:5 and Deut 31:6.

But I felt myself intrigued and desiring something different for my heart this time around. I know where the old path leads ...been there done that! He wants to show me a new possibility with an old rejection. God doesn't see our problems the way we do...He sees new possibilities.

So it hits me. The choice is:

REJECTION OR REDIRECTION 

I can trust Him because His possibility will not be negative because we are told that in Christ all things are Yes and Amen.

2 Cor 1:20 For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding "Yes!" And through Christ, our "Amen" (which means "Yes") ascends to God for his glory.

I am also reminded that if I choose His path it will always lead me to victory...not just a little.

2 Cor 2:13-15

" But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ’s victory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere, for we are the sweet fragrance of Christ [which exhales] unto God, [discernible alike] among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing"

What does that sound like to you? It sounds like a float in a parade to me!  He leads us in triumph on a float in a parade and it's covered in flowers with his fragrance and He has a special seat for me on that float! It's fantastic!  Look at Eugene Peterson's version of this verse in the Message bible.

2 Cor 2:14-16

"In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life."

You see the enemy has me measured for my coffin as he was very clear about his plans when he spoke through Jobs wife, "curse God and die"

Job 2:9 "

His wife said to him, "Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die."but God has me marked out and measured for my seat of victory on the float!
 Eph 2: .And raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.…"

Let's do some business with the old rejection and let's choose the new re direction down His path.
If you are like me and sick of rejection leading you down an ugly path ...then sisters let's pray together right now.

Assume the position...hands raised, palms open in a place of surrender and ready to receive from The Lord:

Lord I take authority of a spirit of rejection that has been determining too many lives and hearts in this room right now for Jesus sake:

I reject rejection out of my life and heart
I refuse to follow rejection down that old path
I receive your redirection Abba, which comes with promises
Promises of new life
Promises of new hope
Promises of victory in Jesus
Promises of love and acceptance.
Amen

Holy Spirit I sense your joy and your excitement over us, your girls
Seal this work in us and whisper your reminders all throughout the next days and weeks to come.

Proclamation for June 2014...let's start making proclamations over our life and our identity.

We are no longer victims of rejection, we are victors being redirected!

Love,
Keely

LET

It all started last week when the word "Let" just kept coming at me... 

Finally, I was like, "I got it, Lord....I am encouraged  to choose the position of my heart in any and every matter."  In this case we are discussing our marriages in our focus group that meets once a month.  So the idea of "letting" my heart choose God's way as it relates to my spouse is the subject on the table today.  

I sometimes find myself thinking that I just get to react to my spouse however I feel...but NO. I need to choose my attitude, regardless of his. I don't just get the luxury of giving vent to all my unruly emotions with him, while in every other relationship I guard my thoughts, my mouth and I consider my reactions carefully.  

LET is just a small three letter word but I'm beginning to gain a deeper understanding of it's power! I'm reminded that in everything, I have a choice. This has been my mantra with the young girls in Bible study on Tuesday afternoons as I often ask them to repeat it after me. "I always get to choose".  

God says we can "let" our hearts do things....can you think of any "Lets" off hand?  

I found just a few in scripture in a couple short minutes:

Let not your heart be troubled

Let yourself delight in The Lord,

Let His mind be in you.

Let each of you esteem another as of higher importance than yourself

Just to be completely transparent I will share that for many years I had a haughty opinion of myself and saw myself as superior to my spouse in communication, in spiritual matters, and in decision making (especially with the children).  I was wrong and it was a setup for some unhealthy patterns in our family and marriage. This was the working of my flesh!  God had to humble me under His mighty hand so He could rework our marriage and family. He showed me that neither male nor female is higher or more superior than their spouse.

 (Gal 3:27) For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

We are a team and God has a specific design for how this works....beautifully!  I get a picture of a tandem bicycle. Both people are riding and working together as the one person in front guides the bike so it doesn't run into the ditch. Total teamwork, complete agreement and power to move smoothly and efficiently in a positive direction. His direction!!!  

I was humbled as I realized my way was not Gods way. As always our example is Jesus Christ.  

Phil 2:8 "he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death even death on a cross!"  

Have I humbled myself enough to die to my way?  Death...it all comes back around to dying to ourselves or as Lois said the other night when we were meeting with she and Greg to prepare for their night of sharing with our marriage group.... "coming to the end of myself". This was a huge process in both of their lives as they candidly shared with us last Saturday. Their story is nothing short of miraculous!  They were married 20 years, divorced 12 years and remarried 6 months ago. They both had to be reconciled with God first after realizing their own way was killing them. They had to DIE. This is another three letter word but actually powerful and potent in the life of every Believer as we decide to LET Christ become The Lord of our life and not just Savior over our eternity. Christ came alive in them individually, as they LET Him take over and run their worlds. Then, as He had His way in heir lives individually, He performed a miracle of redemption and new life for their family! And, it all started with a death. Dying to self and coming alive to Christ and his way for my life. Funny, but a dead person doesn't have to push for their own way because they are dead.  Look at scripture on this:

 Galatians 2:20  (NIV)

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

 Can we make a monumental choice to LET our flesh, with all it's desires to be on top and have our own way, DIE? If I were to look at "my way" purely from a factual standpoint....it's not really working anyway, is it? Or as Dr Phil's famous one liner goes...."How's that workin for ya?"

Can we be open to let the Holy Spirit teach us a new way? I saw this set of verses in a whole new light as I was writing out on my deck last Saturday morning. 

2 Cor 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old gone, the new is here! 

BUT LOOK AT WHAT IS RIGHT AFTER THIS VERSE!!!! 

Vs 18  "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation".

 (Definition:  Reconcile- cause to coexist in harmony: make or show to be compatible, settle a disagreement) 

How can I stare at this verse and miss it?  When we DIE, we can then be truly reconciled to Christ, meaning we can let Him have His way with us. Then we can go on and be reconciled to each other .....then we can turn around and become reconcilers!!! HOW? 

Look at the next verse:

vs 19  "that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation." 

Not counting our sins against us...not keeping score, keeping track, proving my point by holding up the proof...that is not forgiveness..that is not the way of Jesus.  Miguel and I used to have this running score card that we would pull out on each other to gain the upper hand. All this card did was put us at odds with each other  as we compared everything from chores, to time away from the home, to who cared more. Silly and counterproductive .....do you have one? 

When we can decide or LET the other person be free from our score card with the help of the Holy Spirit and by choosing to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, we can then "be lifted up" .....UPGRADE!!

  1 Peter 5:5-7 ...all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." 

It's literally a promotion!! I am promoted from my current position to ambassador. Let's look at the final verse in this sequence.  

vs 20 "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us."

 As part of our focus time together in our marriage group, we split off for a 10 or 15 min time alone with our spouse. So today as you go off together and alone...LET us choose to destroy the dividing wall between us.

Eph 2:14  For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 

 LET us choose to rip up the score sheet and forgive one another from the heart "not counting sins against each other". LET us choose His way of reconciliation and peace for our marriages and our families as we "LET not our hearts be troubled" 

Before you go, just close your eyes and listen to these verses...can we hold our spouses hand?? Can we LET love have it's way?

Phil 2: 3

LET nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind LET each esteem other better than themselves LET this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 

Another version of the same set of verses:  

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus" 

Matt 5:16 "LET your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify God"

How about letting our light shine before our spouse and let them see the miracle of the new person being built up in Christ so that they begin to glorify our Father in Heaven?

Ps 95: Come, LET us worship and bow down. LET us kneel before the LORD our maker, For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, 

 A repeat of the above in the New Testament  

Hebrews 3:7-8"is why the Holy Spirit says,“Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness."

Part of this LET is choosing not to harden our hearts but to soften them in recognition of the working of the Holy Spirit as He directs us in our marriage relationship and in the heart we have toward one another. 

In Love and Grace

Keely

Come to Me....as a child

As I was reading Ann Voskamp's book 1000 gifts, I came across something she wrote on page 54 that literally stopped me in my faith tracks.

 "I forget Eden and naming and nails, and it all seems just a bit....juvenile.  Contrived." 

She was talking about the feelings of foolishness and juvenile-ness that come up in the middle of this experiment of counting to 1000 gifts, this practice of Eucharisteo. 

I think, "yes, I have experienced this voice of ...almost shaming." Then I realize, when I'm following The Lord, stepping out in literally anything new, the adult, the reasonable voice comes into my heart and mind. It says, "Stop this foolishness, stop this crazy childlike behavior, this vulnerability....ahhhh  there it is ....vulnerable. None of us like to feel vulnerable, exposed. but isn't that the essence of being childlike? 

It's true, there is a vulnerable aspect to this faith walk. Jesus says to believe without seeing. It feels like a game of blindfold sometimes. He said this to Thomas, the doubter and to Keely, the reticent, blessed are you who believe even though you haven't seen me. (John 20:29)

I am suddenly feeling like The Lord is pulling back the veil for me on another of His kingdom secrets and it leaves me feeling so excited. I even find part of this mystery in my very favorite chunk of scripture. Yes, you guessed it Matthew 11. Woo Hoo! (Look to the left of the margin and to the title of this blog). Just three verses prior is this fabulous find! It's sub heading is 

"Jesus' prayer of Thanksgiving" (wouldn't that be classified as Eucharisteo?)
Matthew 11:25"At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way!" 

As I walk in childlike vulnerability, I'm feeling myself become more filled with faith and more courage to step out. But, as far as this vulnerable faith walk, I'm thinking, "Lord, how far do you want me to take this attitude? In what areas of my life would you like me to apply this?"

I feel the Holy Spirit instantly whisper into my heart, "Your love walk."  

How do I  break that concept down in the areas that are right where I live every day?

FORGIVE FASTER AND WITHOUT STIPULATIONS AND LOVE QUICKER WITHOUT RESERVATION

The "adult voice says, I will forgive, but I cannot forget. I'm thinking, "Lord if I forgive, they'll just do it again!"  Jesus responds instantly with an affirmative. Yes they will do it again and probably 70 times 7 more times.  (Matt 18:22) . My forgiveness does not hinge on the security of knowing they will not ever offend again. It depends solely on the unconditional love and complete forgiveness Jesus offers me every moment of every day. Over and over, again and again with abandon and with love. Unreal! Crazy!  Childlike?  

Forgiving and loving like this are both perfect examples of me letting go of self protection and choosing to trust God with my well being.

Just like I'm practicing Eucharisteo, I am practicing love and forgiveness...Jesus style.  

Along with this choice to step out in faith and follow Jesus like a child in the areas of the heart, comes right on the heels of this decision the voice of cynicism. For example, in the area of relationships, if I'm hurt it's just plain easier to stay out of the sandbox, to isolate and keep a measured distance, whereas a child jumps back in and asks the next kid to be his friend. 

Adult Cynicism vs. Childlike vulnerability. Self protection vs. trust in God

Look at these concepts...which ones bring joy, delight?  God tells me that in Him I find joy and that if I delight in Him,  He will give me the desires of my heart. (Psalm 37:4) These are promises for all of His children!  It's like a double positive! I let God love me with abandon and enjoy Him and I get to be even more blessed with everything I truly desire! 

I want to live my life differently in light of this truth. Instead of measuring everything...what time is it, how long do I have, what have I accomplished today, how much will it cost, how many calories have I eaten, what's my budget. ...Jesus says to live in the "unforced rhythms of grace"and not get all worked up about time and productivity, not to worry about the things that unbelievers chaff over. 

Matt 6:31-33

"So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

I might even err on the side of loving too much, on the side of forgiving too often and too easily. I might laugh too loud or cry too hard or waste time just to listen to and be closer to another.  I might just end up believing Him to the point of childlike faith and vulnerability and maybe even looking foolish....or being part of a miracle.

Again I'm reminded that the Kingdom ways are so opposite of the ways of this world. 

The way to climb up the ladder in the Kingdom with Jesus, is to get lower and serve. 

Matthew 23:11-12The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted

The way to mature in the Spirit is to become more humble like a child. 

Matt 18:4 So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.  

I can risk it all when I know how loved I am. He is so very lavish with me! If He does take something away He will care for it or them until this time of living on this earth (the classroom) is over. It's so short and so temporary. Gods got me, I need not fear or self protect or make for myself. 

My personal prayer:

I love you Abba. It's another uncovered mystery! It's an olive branch of hope and it leads to excitement and joy and more love and more forgiveness and more delight!  I love you as you explode into my heart with your truths! Thank you for giving me another olive branch to fly back to the ark with! To my bible study sistas who, like me, need encouragement and a new hope. 

Your prayer and reflection questions for the week:

1) Where is God asking your heart to step out in Him, to follow Him in childlike abandon, but you just feel like it would leave you too vulnerable? 

2)Ask Him to transform you and to grow your trust in Him. 

3) Find the gift in the possibility...write it/them

I love you
Keely

He hears my cry

Last week I shared with you that in this current season of my life The Lord has called me to be like

the dove that brought Noah the olive branch. This olive branch was literal proof of new life and hope for a new way. While spending time with The Lord this last week He led me to a verse that really touched my heart and fueled this new hope.

Psalm 116:1-2
I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.
Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. 

I just love the thought that The Lord is not only listening to me but leaning in to hear me when I call out to Him. He listens like He is waiting for me to speak to Him...wanting me to talk to Him.

I feel so filled with gratitude by the compassion and love this verse incites in me that I must respond. I want to love Him back and listen to Him. Funny, but as I look further into Psalm 116, King David felt the same.  Look at verse 12 

"What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me?" And, then David gives us the answer in verse 17; "I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of The Lord forever!"

What does It mean to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving? I think it means to thank Him when it's a sacrifice, when it's hard, when I don't feel like praising Him because I'm hurting and would rather do and feel anything else. Look at a few verses that use the same term, "sacrifice of thanksgiving (praise)".

Hebrews 13:15 (ESV)

"Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name......(instead of rehearsing the problem)"

Psalm 107:22(ESV)

 "And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!"

There are tons more verses in the Bible that use this term!  I feel like it's one of those mysteries The Lord reveals to His children as we lean in and desire to grow up into Him. (Ephesians 4:15). Then I remember Romans 12 about offering my whole self as a living breathing sacrifice to The Lord. Oh my, what God could do with my life if I offer Him all of me and at all times!

Romans 12:1 (ESV)

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." I am thinking that "presenting my body" to God, includes my mouth...what I say, and my mind..."think on these things"(Phil 4:8).

There are two voices inside me, the Holy Spirit and my own. Who do I want to listen to? He is teaching me to hear His voice over my own, over my pain, my issues and the noise they create in my head.  I would prefer to follow His voice and leading than my own finite understanding. Jesus gave me the Holy Spirit because He knew I needed Him to live victoriously.

John 14 (MSG)-The Spirit of Truth

“I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!" 

ESV 16 "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever"

With all of this in mind, Why not practice offering Him a sacrifice of praise right now? We did this together in Bible Study on Monday night and Tuesday. I think it was a transformational moment for many of us.  Pull out your journal and turn on your favorite worship song and just write out your heart on the pages.

1. Tell Him your stuff ...your hard stuff and how it leaves you feeling
2. Ask Him for help and guidance, for His perspective on your difficulty 
3. Now practice finding something you can offer, the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for while in the midst of your trouble....the gift. One of a thousand!

Keely

"AND BEHOLD, IN HER MOUTH WAS A FRESHLY PLUCKED OLIVE LEAF"

After watching session #1 of 1000 Gifts small group study, I was left with some of my own questions....Do I look right past the gift, the beauty ....and start reaching? Just like Adam and Eve looked right past the beauty of the garden.....reaching for the apple?  Am I really so different from old Adam and Eve?  Why do I love the garden after I've been kicked out of it? 

Why do I wonder why I didn't try harder, love more, say (or not say) the needed words until after the relationship is broken? 

I want to get on the front side of this thing called life and beauty and grace and joy.

God’s Word teaches me just how to do just that by learning how to walk in the Spirit! And this book we are studying, "1000 Gifts" is going to be a big help to me in this endeavor.

My son Gabe happened to call me Sunday night and ask me if he could pray over me. "Uh Yeah!!"  In his prayer he mentioned that I was the Lord;s dove. Weird huh? But my mind immediately went to Noah's dove in Genesis. So the next morning I went straight Genesis 8 and read that part involving the dove. 

At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made and sent forth a raven. It went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. Then he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground. But the dove found no place to set her foot, and she returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her and brought her into the ark with him. He waited another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark.  And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth.

I thought to myself, "Lord I can imagine the thrill on Noah's face as the dove flew back with hope, peace, and a chance for a new start. The storm is over. We can go back out and try again at this life thing!"

The bible refers to this actual dove in scripture as a "she"!  For me, personally, after Gabe’s prayer for me, the fact that the dove was a she was pure delight!! 

This she dove brings proof (the olive leaf) and the good news of new life after devastation. This thought brought that beautiful scripture to mind from Isaiah 61:4 (ESV)

" They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations;
They shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations."

 I'm here to tell you there is new life after a flood.  There is hope after your life has been devastated. There is a place of peace after the horrible storm that pretty much drowned out all your dreams. Here is an olive branch from The Lord. There is a hope that does not disappoint. And that hope has a name.....Jesus.Rom 5:5 tells us;

"And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." 

Let Your peace Lord, replace the striving and the disharmony in our lives...simply naturally hopefully just as sweet and as natural as the dove carrying an olive leaf to Noah.  Step by step. 

Let us choose to be like the little child Jesus talks about in Matthew 18:2

"And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. "Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

 And remember last week’s sweet verse. Psalm 131:2 

"But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content."

 Let's get rid of the cynical adult. The voice of the cynic says, "Been there done that" but the heart of a child wants to believe and trust and run to Him. 

Well I'm just "childlike" and filled with enough faith to believe and trust that He brings new life and new hope when I choose to turn to Him and put my trust in Him. I believe God has been preparing my heart to bring this message to you and to bring to you this olive branch of hope.  Someone reading these words right now needs this oh so badly!  He is coming with a promise of new life if we will trust Him and make Him the center, the Lord of our lives. I believe we can do life with a fresh newness....throwing out the discontent that permeates our attitudes and inviting in a new way, the way of graceful and joy-filled thanksgiving offered up to The Lord. I must remember that at times this is an effort, a sacrifice.

Psalm 50:23

"But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors Me...." 

Here is the key to pushing forward...it lies in my choosing. We like Noah have to be willing to open a window. Genesis 8:6.

"After forty days Noah opened a window he had made in the ark" 

 My heart is just like that window and I can choose whether or not to open it up to The Lord. I often remind my young teen girls in our afternoon Bible study, we get to choose. I have them repeat it after me quite regularly. God loves me but I get to choose. Have you been closed up for a long time? Will you soften your heart and open a window for the Holy Spirit to come and bring you hope....perhaps a new way of living, with Jesus as the center of your life?

Maybe you've made Jesus your Savior for eternal life with Him, but you have never given Him Lordship of your life on earth as it is in heaven?

PRAYER

AH LORD GOD I THANK YOU

FOR HOPE THAT DOES NOT DISAPPOINT.... JESUS

I NEED AN OLIVE BRANCH TODAY, HOPE...ITS A GIFT FROM YOU

AND I RECEIVE IT LIKE A LITTLE CHILD.

FORGIVE MY CYNICAL SIDE

YOU PROMISE THE OLD PASSES AWAY AND ALL THINGS BECOME NEW WHEN I

CHOOSE YOU

AMEN

Contentment

Psalm 131:2
But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content.

Feel the peace inside after reading that verse.....
Contentment comes as I choose to trust, choose to quiet myself...

God just keeps offering me new opportunities to draw close to him no matter how I have lived...this group is just another one of those.

John 15:5-8
The Message (MSG)
5-8 “I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.

Choosing to look to Him and not to others for my hearts needs brings peace. I love to remember "peace pushes everything else off the table and sets a place for joy".
He gives me his peace. Not peace like the world gives. No one can restore my heart or secure my position like He does. Whenever I look for this in anything or anyone but him, I leave disappointed, discouraged, discontent......

Contentment immediately changes my vision. When I'm content I can see the gift and the blessing. I can give Him thanks and truly praise. When I'm discontent I see nothing but the lack, the missing. Like Adam and Eve...where are you holding out on me God?  I don't trust your hand or your heart towards me. I need to reach...get what I need for myself.

Can we start down the path of contentment together?
Let's repeat that opening verse together and make it a prayer in our  hearts to God.

Psalm 131:2
But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content.

Feel His Peace?

Ready....set GO!

We had an inspiring night Monday as the Leader Chics shared what was on their heart.  Powerful!  A big thank you for all the yummy salads and appetizers too.

Don't forget that we dive into the study this upcoming Monday/Tuesday. We will give out books and pick our groups.

We have a couple new ideas to implement as well. When you bring your friend we will make sure you don't get split up. Also, we will be discussing the short video and looking up the coordinating Bible verses together in our small groups. Any take home study is to enrich your private time between you and God.

If you have felt discouraged or discontent this week, this study is for you....really truly!!!

Looking forward to diving in
Love
Keely

I am excited to share with you the short spring study for 2014! I really want you to know that as I've been on this path to learning how to live in The Unforced Rhythms of Grace, God has brought along a few books that have literally changed how I operate daily on a very deep level. This book is one of those. I realized through this book that there is so much beauty and so many everyday gifts I just don't see. I'm not blind, I'm just blinded by my life circumstances and the moods they can bring along with them. Blah...discontent...frustrated...bored...insecure....fed up....  I was missing the GIFT of right now. Maybe you have been too? We were meant for more and I have discovered that I can have that "more" here and now as I let my vision be shifted to really truly see.

I am thrilled to have discovered there is a study guide and DVDs! Come and join us as we learn a new way together. "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past." 

Watch the Trailer for 1000 Gifts

Isaiah 43:19

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Ezekiel 36:26I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Join us evenings on Mondays starting 4/29/14  6:30-8:30 pm

Weatherly Inn

6016 North Highlands Pkwy

Tacoma, WA  98406

Or come mornings starting Tuesday 4/30/2014 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Dave and Connie Resinger's Home

8812 52 Ave Ct W

University Place, WA 98467

Join us for the inspirational dinner night at the Weatherly Inn this upcoming Monday!! 

Don't Miss out on God's Healing and Hope Today

While praying for my bible study sistas, I was asking God, "What can I do to create a safer atmosphere, a loving, safe place and what can I do better.. ..different? How can encourage them more in their faith? Right after praying this prayer I went to where I left off in my own personal Bible reading, Exodus 6. Look what I found!

Exodus 6:6-7,9

New Living Translation (NLT)

 “Therefore, say to the people of Israel: ‘I am the Lord. I will free you from your oppression and will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment.  I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt. So Moses told the people of Israel what the Lord had said, but they refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery." 

Other translations read:

Esv  "broken spirit and harsh slavery"
MSG "beaten down in spirit"
KJV “anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage."

Then it dawned on me.

WE CANNOT RECEIVE WHEN WE ARE IN A PLACE OF DEEP DISCOURAGEMENT OR IN BONDAGE OF SOME SORT! 

This truth in scripture led me to share with my sistas on Monday night, "please don't let your life circumstances and pain keep you from hearing the Word of The Lord tonight!"

A great man in the Bible also almost missed out on the healing hope and help that God had for him, personally, because of his life situation and his intense feelings of humiliation. We learn of him in the Old Testament but Jesus also mentions him in the New Testament. This man was Naaman, the great Syrian General for King Aram.

2 Kings 5:5

Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.

Naaman was a national hero who enjoyed fame and success....but he was a leper. This meant he couldn't really enjoy his life, his family or anything else. Leprosy was a very isolating disease that created a situation of loneliness without human contact for the leper. They had to call out "unclean unclean" wherever they went. No one could come close enough to even touch them for fear of contracting the disease themselves. Leprosy also signifies in scripture the sinful condition before washing in the Word and the grace of salvation. The enemy of our souls tries to isolate us and cut us off right in our place of pain. God wants to heal us and set us free from our malady.

THE ENEMY OF OUR SOULS WILL ISOLATE US RIGHT IN THE VERY PLACE OF OUR PAIN. GOD WANTS TO HEAL US AND SET US FREE TO ENJOY COMMUNITY.

The story continues with a servant girl, who had been captured and brought from Israel to serve Naaman’s wife, telling them of the prophet of God in Israel. She convinced Mrs. Naaman to have her husband go to Israel and see this famous man of God. Naaman goes to the king of Aram and the king immediately responds and sends him with a personal royal letter and an entourage of officials and gifts for the prophet. The story then takes us to Israel where Naaman finally arrives at the prophet Elisha's residence. But much to Naamans chagrin, Elisha sends his servant out to tell Naaman to go wash in the Jordan river seven times. This response from the man of God just fries Naaman’s bacon because he thought he would get special attention due to his notoriety and social status. Naaman starts to leave the vicinity, but his officials talk him into going back and doing as Elisha told him. This is almost too much for Naaman because he also feels the Jordan River is dirty and beneath him. He even goes into a tirade about how he couldn't believe the prophet chose the Jordan River when all these other rivers are so much more suitable. (After a bit of research I found out the Jordan is the lowest body of water in the world at 1300 ft. below sea level.) Naaman washes seven times in obedience to the prophet and gets healed of leprosy! He rejoices greatly and in the process renounces his false gods and decide to serve the one true God of Abraham.

I love that God healed him before he believed! He just had to be willing to invite God into his pain and seek out help from the prophet while humbling himself. He had to be willing to put away his pride enough to do as he was instructed. He had to believe this miracle of cleansing was at least possible, to step outside his own comfort zone, or should we say, step below his perceived dignity and status and humble himself.

In studying this story it also occurred to me that Jesus Himself went into the Jordan and sought out the prophet of his day and was baptized! Wow! Our savior humbled Himself and was immersed in the Jordan River! What love, what humility, to follow His Fathers plan and willingly humble himself as a man and then go even further! Just like we have been studying in Hebrews, Jesus is our high priest who understands our weaknesses and humbled himself even to the death on the cross.

God has a plan and if Naaman doesn't get on board he will miss out. Just like us. God says He has a plan for me of hope and good and a future (Jer 29:11) and I need to do whatever he asks of me to walk in that plan. ...uncomfortable? Probably.

Just like with Peter when Jesus wanted to wash his feet. Jesus said if I don't wash you, you can have no part of me. Just like with John, even though he felt unworthy to carry Jesus sandal, Jesus required John to baptize him according to the Fathers plan.

We must get over our sense of unworthiness as we discussed last week. And, we must get over our sense of pride as we see Naaman doing. I must not question my need to be washed in the Word and washed in the Blood of Jesus to accept this grace. Notice with me how human nature is either pushed to one extreme or the other. We either refuse to be washed by Jesus because we feel unworthy. Or, we refuse to go down to the river and wash seven times because it is beneath us and dirty and humiliating. Which is it for you and I? Are we feeling unworthy because of our past sin and shame. Or are we feeling unwilling because we don't want to be humbled and admit our need publicly? Naaman had to wash in the dirty Jordan in front of everyone. And, he had to do it seven times! Am I willing to go ask for prayer? Am I willing to walk to the altar in front of everyone and admit my neediness publicly? No, God doesn't want to shame us, he wants to heal us and set us free and answer our deepest prayer. 

Sometimes The Lord wants to partner with me to do something that I feel is above me (unworthy) and sometimes He wants to partner w me in something I feel is beneath me (pride). 

"Oh Abba keep me from either extreme, I pray!" 

Could it be that the answer or solution or miracle for every one of us is through one of these doors? The door of unworthiness and insecurity or the door of pride and that's beneath me, or embarrassing? Could it be that our answer to prayer is just on the other side of one of these three responses?

 1) The person who may not have even thought to invite Jesus into the pain.Like Naaman initially didn't even know there was a God who was powerful enough to heal him until his servant girl told him.

2) The person who has invited Jesus in but is unwilling to do as He has instructed. Like Naaman upon hearing the instructions immediately dismissed them because they felt too hard, too humiliating. 

3) The person who has invited Jesus into the problem, who has even obeyed His instructions, but is struggling with perseverance.

Naaman was asked to wash more than once or twice. He was instructed to keep at it and wash seven  times. Persevere in obedience. …John and the baptism of Jesus….. Jesus wanting to wash Peter’s feet…. Naaman and his unwillingness, as a national hero, to go down to the dirty Jordan….The Israelites and their inability to hear Moses' message to them about hope and freedom because of their broken hearts. Today we need to step out like the Israelites did when they crossed the Jordan. Today is our crossing and our washing in the Jordan. In the water of the Word. The Word who became flesh and dwelt among us! The Word who has all the answers to life! The Word who says He carries healing in His wings.

Step out in prayer.

Step out in humility to obey.

Step out in perseverance to keep pushing forward in faith. 

Prayer

Oh Jesus don't let me cower from your miracles because of unworthy and insecure feelings! And at the same time please don't let me miss your freedom and breakthrough because I'm prideful and I won't walk to the water and be washed. Where are you trying to wash me and I'm resisting? Make me willing, I pray against my stubborn resistance. Where do you want to upgrade me and I'm resisting because I do not feel worthy? Help me to get past myself and recognize that You alone make me worthy.  Open my eyes to false humility and false pride! Both extremes keep me from being washed in your presence and in the upgrade. You have for me here on earth as it is in heaven. Amen

Let me leave you with one parting thought:

We have a Savior who was willing to get dirty, to go "wash in the dirty Jordan" and he even spoke out about the incident with Naaman in Luke 4: 27. And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.

Lord you are clearly saying that more healing and hope was available to others plagued with leprosy. Many more could have been healed and walked out of their isolation and pain if they had only been willing to come, wash and be clean.

We come to you Lord Jesus! Wash my feet my hands and my head. I have nothing to lose but pride and everything to gain!! 

Truth Bows Down to Unconditional Love and Grace

While sitting and journaling in my quiet place this morning, I got this overwhelming impression   from The Lord, "Tell them how much I love them, tonight”!  Immediate emotion surfaced in my heart.  I thought, "I can't Lord!" That is such a huge subject and I don't even hardly get the unconditional love thing for myself!!  What if I screw it up? Who am I to tell them?"  So I prayed right then and there.  "I'm Yours Lord and you love me just because you love me, because you love me, because you love me." 

So I guess I'll start right where He has shown me His unconditional love just this very week. He revealed something about His love that I'd never seen before. I had a big "aha" moment while I was in the depths of feeling bad about myself Thursday early morning.

I woke up on that particular morning feeling really bad about myself. In my tired and self-centered mood the evening before, I had hurt my husband's feelings. I justified myself by thinking, "Well, what I said. It’s the truth". I took my miserable self before The Lord in my quiet time and told him how sorry I was and how bad I felt. I even wrote a heartfelt apology email to Miguel. But, I was going into sort of a spiral of feeling poorly about myself until The Lord brought to my mind 

Romans 8:1 

 "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." 

Now...no condemnation. Yep that's it, I was feeling totally condemned. So I spoke the verse out loud to myself all alone in the house and just laid my head back and let it sink in. It's for me ...it's for now!  It's for this immediate failing. I instantly felt comforted. God loves me and will help me and forgives me and washes me clean. He will always redeem my poor choices if I bring them to Him. You're probably thinking well, selfishness...come on, Keely.  So let's up the anty...for the sake of this teaching. What if I'd committed adultery that night and I'd already had 5 husbands and was living with the 6th. What if I'd sacrificed my firstborn to a god like Molech, or rather in our culture ...aborted my baby last night at the local clinic?  Would I still be able to lay back my head in repentance and say the same thing? I'm forgiven and God loves me and there is now...no condemnation?  Yes, a resounding Yes, Yes, Yes!  His love is unconditional and his forgiveness is irrevocable and his grace covers all my sin. Not just the more “acceptable” sins we can discuss in Bible Study.

Stay with me here....back to my head back and knowing I'm His….Right after speaking that verse out loud, something came up in my heart about the whole thing with Miguel. Remember when I shared how I'd justified myself the night before? “The words spoken were the truth”, I thought.

Why is it I think I have to be totally "honest" about my feelings with Miguel? Is it that sometimes that brand of "truth" is just a selfishness that is insensitive and uncaring and wants relief?  Then it hit me. Truth submits to the higher authority. Truth is not the highest ground....love is!   Love takes precedence over truth. "And the greatest of these is LOVE."  Love must lead my mouth and love must guide the "truth" I speak.

ALL TRUTH BOWS TO LOVE, GODS LOVE:

If it's God’s truth it will submit to God’s love. I feel like sometimes I lift truth up to a place that is even higher ground than God’s unconditional love and rule of kindness   I often let truth lead the way. 

TRUTH MUST BE PUT THROUGH THE FILTER OF GOD'S LOVE:

Love is first. Love is always out front, in the lead.  I must remember this in all my relationships and in all my dealings with others. 

GODS LOVE NEVER CALLS ME OUT. HE CALLS ME UP:

Lord you always speak the truth to me in love. God never shames me and calls me out. He loves me unconditionally and calls me up higher and closer to Himself to a place where He can love me even more.  "Lord, let me take on that quality. I pray that kindness and gentleness would always be on my tongue.” This reminds me of the proverbs chapter on the Godly woman.

Proverbs 31:26
"She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue." 

Philippians 4:5 (NIV)
"Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near." 

My honesty should never diminish another...ever.  I don't have to say everything I think or feel, even if it's coming on strong and all up in my grill. My job and my character is to say the honest thing that will uplift another and call my loved ones to a higher place.  Speak the whole truth in love.

Eph 4:15-16 MSG

"God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love." 

I've been on such a quest for truth that I've put it up higher than love at times.  In writing this I realize that God’s Grace is higher than truth too. This is where the unconditional love part comes in to fight for me and love me regardless of my condition.  As Christ's disciples we are taught by the word that we have 3 enemies. These 3 enemies of our souls; the world, the flesh, and the devil need to be addressed where this unconditional love and truth piece is concerned.

The World Is the Enemy:

The world has a system of "do good, get good, do bad, get bad."  The world will tell me I'm just not enough or I'm too much to ever possibly do anything for God!  After all, I don't have this and I haven't done that.  No formal education, money, position, status etc. It's all true.  But I read in God’ s word that He equips me and that He make me competent to do His work and that He gives me the mind of Christ. I also read that He calls the foolish of this world to confound the wise and He calls things that are not as though they were. (Heb 13:21,  2 Cor 3:5, 1 Cor 2:16,1 Cor 1:27, Romans 4:17).The world’s truth about me fades in the light of God’s truth and unconditional love.

The flesh-my humanity, my mind will and emotions are the enemy:

 I know the truth about my past behavior and sinful choices.  I have bad motives sometimes and hurtful thoughts and selfishness and pride and and and.  So here's the deal as I'm seeing it.  God loves me with unconditional love and that trumps all. The truth is I don't deserve it. The truth is that I should have to make up for my sins and pay back what I owe. The truth is that I haven't done anything big and awesome to be deserving of His love, or to be used by Him ..(.like say Mother Theresa or Heidi Baker). But again, here is Gods truth:

Romans 8:31-39: God's Everlasting Love 

" What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect?It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? …. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

BAM...TAKE THAT TO THE TRUTH BANK!

The devil- who is a liar and the father of lies is the enemy:

He is also happy to throw truth in my face.  Truth that hasn't gone through the filter of God’s Love and Grace for me is damaging. Satan will lie to me about my worth and value and try to use the "truth" of my actions and sins to diminish me and keep me down. He will use lies and will mix them up with the "truth" of who and what I am in light of my sin and short comings. The enemy will use lies and truths to condemn me and keep me from allowing God to love on me like He wants to. Satan’s goal is to keep me from my purpose in Christ, to convince me that it's too late for me or...I missed it.....I blew it. These are all lies from the pit of hell! As long as there is breath in my body, I can turn my heart toward The Lord and live in His plan for me.  I can be forgiven, redeemed, justified and made new.

My personal journal entry:  Lord, I've prayed with so many women lately that are trying to earn your favor. We throw around the word grace so much and yet don't really stop to think about what it really means. Even your death and resurrection can turn into me trying to earn it by giving up something. For me in this very moment grace is you saying that I'm of much more value to you than my message or the word I bring to bible study. This is grace. You love me more than my ability to perform or earn.  I guess I don't really truly understand this love that you want to give me. The people I love most on this earth still require things from me that I feel I need to give them. You require nothing but my willingness to come to you. To lay down my efforts and ask you to forgive me and fill me with your love.

Truth must bow to love…. And the greatest of these is love! His love, not my piddley ability to love! His love that says "Come to Me if your heavily laden or weighed down with sin."  His love that says He will tenderly takes my hands that are gripped ever so tightly. 

“You can't fix it Keely, but I can. Will you let go? Will you walk with me through this and work with Me and watch How I do it? Will you stop forcing your way because it seems best to you and let me teach you my unforced rhythms of grace for this situation, for this relationship?  If you will just let me have it and trust me you will learn how to take a real rest...like bone deep. A rest for your soul." 

God, I don't get this kind of love yet, but I'm learning. I'm listening. It's hard sometimes because the culture is really loud in my head about my "doing".

Ending Journal Entry: 

What If tonight we all walked out of here with just one slightly different piece of unconditional love that we'd never seen before? What if we all realized God wants to be something or someone to us now that we've never allowed Him to be, or imagined He could be? 

Prayer

Lord you know how much we need your love. You know how we throw truth around like a knife. Forgive us and wash our hearts clean of pride and selfishness. Fill us with your supernatural love. A Love that can love the unlovely or forgive the unforgivable.

Thank you and praise you Abba, for your unconditional love!

Amen