Let Them Come Home by Abraham Piper

The article below was written by Abraham Piper (John Piper's son). I actually copied it straight from another blog and am keeping it here because it's just so ridiculously powerful and practical.

The following is Abraham’s account written for Decision Magazine.

When I was 19, I decided I’d be honest and stop pretending I was a christian.  At first I pretended that my reasoning was high-minded and philosophical. But really I just wanted to drink gallons of cheap sangria and sleep around. Four years of this and I was strung out, stupefied and generally pretty low. Especially when I was sober or alone.

My parents, (John and Noel Piper) who are strong believers and who raised their kids as well as any parents I’ve ever seen, were brokenhearted and baffled. (See sidebar story below.) I’m sure they were wondering why the child they tried to raise right was such a ridiculous screw-up now. But God was in control.

One Tuesday morning, before 8 o’clock, I went to the library to check my e-mail. I had a message from a girl I’d met a few weeks before, and her e-mail mentioned a verse in Romans. I went down to the Circle K and bought a 40-ounce can of Miller High Life for $1.29. Then I went back to where I was staying, rolled a few cigarettes, cracked open my drink, and started reading Romans. I wanted to read the verse from the e-mail, but I couldn’t remember what it was, so I started at the beginning of the book. By the time I got to chapter 10, the beer was gone, the ashtray needed emptying and I was a Christian.

The best way I know to describe what happened to me that morning is that God made it possible for me to love Jesus. When He makes this possible and at the same time gives you a glimpse of the true wonder of Jesus, it is impossible to resist His call.

Looking back on my years of rejecting Christ, I offer these suggestions to help you reach out to your wayward child so that they, too, would wake up to Christ’s amazing power to save even the worst of us.

1. Point them to Christ.

Your rebellious child’s real problem is not drugs or sex or cigarettes or porn or laziness or crime or cussing or slovenliness or homosexuality or being in a punk band. The real problem is that your child doesn’t see Jesus clearly. The best thing you can do for rebellious children—and the only reason to follow any of these suggestions—is to show them Christ. It won’t be simple or immediate, but the sins in their life that distress you and destroy them will begin to disappear only when they see Jesus more as He actually is.

2. Pray.

Only God can save your children, so keep on asking Him to display Himself to them in a way they can’t resist worshiping Him for.

3. Acknowledge that something is wrong.

When your daughter rejects Jesus, don’t pretend that everything is fine.

If you know she’s not a believer and you’re not reaching out to her, then start. And never stop. Don’t ignore her unbelief. Ignoring it might make holidays easier, but not eternity.

4. Don’t expect them to be Christlike.

If your son is not a Christian, he won’t act like one, and it’s hypocrisy if he does. If he has forsaken your faith, he has little motivation to live by your standards, and you have little reason to expect him to.

If he’s struggling to believe in Jesus, there is little significance in his admitting that it’s wrong to get wasted, for instance. You want to protect him, yes, but his most dangerous problem is unbelief—not partying. No matter how your child’s behavior proves his unbelief, always be sure to focus more on his heart’s sickness than its symptoms

5. Welcome them home.

Because your deepest concern is your son’s heart, not his actions, don’t create too many requirements for coming home. If he has any inkling to be with you, don’t make it hard for him. God may use your love to call him back to Christ. Obviously there are instances when parents must give ultimatums: “Don’t come to this house, if you are …” But these will be rare. Don’t lessen the likelihood of an opportunity to be with your child by pushing him away with rules.

If your daughter stinks like weed or an ashtray, spray her jacket with Febreeze and change the sheets when she leaves, but let her come home. If you find out she’s pregnant, then buy her folic acid, take her to her 20-week ultrasound, protect her from Planned Parenthood, and by all means let her come home. If your son is broke because he spent all the money you lent him on loose women and ritzy liquor, then forgive his debt as you’ve been forgiven, don’t give him any more money—and let him come home. If he hasn’t been around for a week and a half because he’s been staying at his girlfriend’s—or boyfriend’s—apartment, urge him not to go back, and let him come home.

6. Plead with them more than you rebuke them.

Be gentle in your disappointment.

What concerns you most is that your child is destroying herself, not that she’s breaking rules. Treat her in a way that makes this clear. She probably knows—especially if she was raised as a Christian—that what she’s doing is wrong. And she definitely knows you think it is, so she doesn’t need this pointed out. She needs to see how you are going to react to her evil. Your gentle forbearance and sorrowful hope will show her that you really do trust Jesus.

Her conscience can condemn her by itself. Your role is to stand kindly and firmly, always living in the hope that you want your child to return to.

7. Connect them to other believers.

Obviously, you are distant from your wayward child; otherwise you wouldn’t think they’re wayward. This is another reason why pleading is better than rebuking—your relationship with your rebellious child is tenuous and should be protected if at all possible.

But rebuke is still necessary. A lot of rebellious kids would do well to hear that they’re being fools, but you’re probably not the one to tell them. Try to keep other Christians in their lives and trust God to connect your son or daughter with a believer who can point out your child’s folly without getting the door slammed on them.

8. Respect their friends.

Of course your daughter’s relationships are founded on sin. And, yes, her friends are bad for her. But she’s bad for them, too. And nothing will be solved by making it evident that you don’t like who she’s hanging around with.

Be hospitable. Her friends are someone else’s wayward children, and they need Jesus, too.

9. E-mail them.

When you read something in the Bible that encourages you and helps you love Jesus more, write it up in a couple of lines and send it to your child. The best exhortation—better than any correction—is for them to see Christ’s joy in your life

Don’t stress out when you’re composing these as if each one needs to be singularly powerful. Just whip them out and let the cumulative effect of your satisfaction in God gather up in your child’s inbox. God’s Word is never useless.

10. Take them to lunch.

If possible, don’t let your only interaction with your child be electronic. Get together with him face to face if you can. You may think this is stressful and uncomfortable, but trust me that it’s far worse to be in the child’s shoes—he is experiencing all the same discomfort, but compounded by guilt. So if he is willing to get together with you for lunch, praise God, and use the opportunity.

It may almost feel hypocritical to talk about his daily life, since what you really care about is his eternal life, but be sure to do it anyway. He needs to know you care about all of him. Then, before lunch is over, ask about his soul. You don’t know how he’ll respond. Will he roll his eyes like you’re a moron? Will he get mad and leave? Or has God been working in him since you talked last? You don’t know until you risk asking. God will give you the gumption.

11. Take an interest in their pursuits.

Odds are that if your daughter is purposefully rejecting Christ, then the way she spends her time will disappoint you. Nevertheless, find the value in her interests, if possible, and encourage her. You went to her school plays and soccer games when she was 10; what can you do now that she’s 20 to show that you still really care about her interests?

Jesus spent time with tax collectors and prostitutes, and He wasn’t even related to them. Imitate Christ by being the kind of parent who will put some earplugs in your pocket and head downtown to where your daughter’s CD release show is. Encourage her and never stop praying that she will begin to use her gifts for Jesus’ glory instead of her own.

12. Point them to Christ.

This can’t be stressed enough. It’s the whole point. No strategy for reaching your son or daughter will have any lasting effect if the underlying goal isn’t to help them know Jesus.

The goal is not that they will be good kids again. It’s not that they’ll get their hair cut and start taking showers; it’s not that they’ll like classical music instead of deathcore; it’s not that they’ll vote conservative again by the next election. The goal is not for you to stop being embarrassed at your weekly Bible study or even for you to be able to sleep at night, knowing they’re not going to hell.

The only ultimate reason to pray for them, welcome them, plead with them, eat with them, or take an interest in their interests is so that their eyes will be opened to Jesus Christ.

And not only is He the only point, but He’s the only hope. When they see the wonder of Jesus, satisfaction will be redefined. He Himself will replace the money, or the praise of man, or the high, or the sex that they are staking their eternities on right now. Only His grace can draw them from their perilous pursuits and bind them safely to Him—captive, but satisfied.

God will do this for many. Be faithful and don’t give up.

This Little Light of Mine

In the beginning was the one who is called the Word. The Word was with God and was truly God. From the very beginning the Word was with God. And with this Word, God created all things. Nothing was made without the Word. Everything that was created received its life from him, and his life gave light to everyone. The light keeps shining in the dark, and darkness has never put it out. 
John 1:1-5

Dark or darkness in this passage is described as this: metaphor used of ignorance of divine things, and its associated wickedness.

The verse that I highlighted above stopped me in my reading tracks this morning. I read it over and over again and let it settle into my heart. "The light keeps shining" and "darkness has never put it out". Memories of the times I've allowed darkness to put out my light or even seep in and become the primary source began to roll across my mind.

There is one event--that is both past and present--that this verse touches and causes me to examine. While I'm going to protect those who haven't given permission to share their side of the story, I can refer to this event as 'the broken relationship', and this broken relationship is a very present source of emotional roller coaster rides for me. From confusion to anger to pain to apathy, since last November my heart hasn't settled, and more often that not, when I think of this relationship I feel anger--which I know from my Freedom journey with Gateway, that this really points to a wound.

I'm not writing now to mull over the details of this brokenness or its accompanying emotions, but to jot down what Holy Spirit impressed within me as I read the above words. If you back up just one verse we read that "his (Jesus) life gave light to everyone." Simply put, since our life comes from Jesus and that life is light, then darkness should never be able to put our lights, just like it couldn't with Jesus.

The other day I was reading a favorite blog author and came across this golden nugget--among a multitude of nuggets: Reaching a point where you say "enough" to a toxic environment is not cowardly--it is so very brave. [Jen Hatmaker, When Is It Time to Walk Away?, April 21, 2103]

Read the post and you'll see that she's not giving permission to throw in the towel because a relationship is hard work. What she is stating is that there sometimes comes a point in the brokenness where it just may be the wisest decision to either remove yourself from within it or give permission for it to no longer be a part of your life. This line spoke right to the 'broken relationship' and that place in my heart that just keeps turning it over and again.

I have not thought of the decision that was made last November regarding this 'broken relationship' as brave, but cowardly--or just finally giving in and consequently ... giving up. Much has been deposited into my heart since that time, each golden nugget making sense and resonating, but not capping the well, so to speak. This particular sentence settled deeply within me, but was still missing the mark by 'thismuch'.

And then today... the revelation that the light keeps shining and is never put out by darkness, combined with the above golden nugget and the understanding I've received about blame and control with relationships, put a period at the end of this punctuationless (my made up word) sentence that's been hindering me since November.

"Enough" was both asked for and given almost six months ago. I understand now that it was not cowardly on our parts, but necessary to the health of the rest of our family, and to the party asking/demanding said release. I cannot control someone's feelings for or against me, but I do have control over what I do with mine. I also cannot walk another's journey to freedom and healing, but I have full control over the freedom and healing that I choose to pursue, or not. So I will choose to release the stranglehold of negative emotions and pursue true healing (from the hurt I hold) and freedom (from the negative emotions attached to it).

And this light? Well, I've let the darkness of this situation cast a shadow for too long over the light that is supposed to overcome darkness, and in that allowing of the presence of the shadow, the light in my life has been dimmed and has kept me from praying for a 'light revelation' for the other one.

Is there a situation or relationship in your life that God may be asking you to let go of? He may be telling you it's time to let it go for good, or He may be asking you to release it for a season so that there's room for Him to work in that space. That's for Him to speak to you, and no two situations are the same. Just because we label something broken doesn't mean it's immune from redemption or resurrection. Regardless of the permanency or temporal answer, what God doesn't desire is for a shadow of darkness to overcome the light of Jesus inside of us, and the light we are called to be to and for others.

Two weeks before the night of the 'broken relationship', God gave me a verse--a promise--that, unknown to me at that time, spoke right to the situation that was going to occur. He was laying down a red carpet of promise along the path of brokenness to keep our hearts steady and focused on and encouraged by the One who's word never returns void.

His Word keeps our light shining in the darkness.

Beauty Redefined

Source: sundayinbed.tumblr.com via Babs on Pinterest

"I am weathered but still elegant ..." Song of Solomon 1:5 {TheMessage}

[I AM] encouragement

Last Sunday, Anthony and I attended a meeting at Gateway for Small Group Section/Zone Leaders. The last part of the meeting consisted of the leaders getting in groups just to pray, encourage and prophesy over one another. love.Love.LOVE. times like this!

As we were huddled in circles drawn by chairs and prayers began being lifted up, I felt HolySpirit spark my heart and heard His voice begin speaking. I grabbed my notebook and pen and wrote as fast as the words came. When there came a pause in prayer, I shared this with our group.

These words were God's heart for us and a reminder of [who] He is, and I wanted to share them with you, too. Sometimes, just having our Dad tap us on the shoulder and say, "I AM here", is all we need.

I AM the LORD your God
I go before and behind you
I encircle round about you
There is no place, no crack, that I do not cover
I AM your strength and shield; your strong tower
I AM your peace
I AM your wisdom
I AM your safety
I AM your joy
I AM the answer to your every question
I AM laughter in the midst of your frustration
I AM the eye in the center of your raging storm
I AM your comfort in the lowest place
I AM your all in all
because I AM

Gut-Check and Healing

I posted the following to my Facebook page on January 31st so that I could share a story, a moment, of God's power through healing. After reading through the comments I received, I decided I didn't want to lose this moment somewhere on Facebook, so I'm keeping it here ... where it belongs.

Yesterday, Teighlor talked to me about pain she's had in her neck, with almost constant headaches, for the past 2 months. We'd though it was muscular and that she was out of adjustment. We tried massages, different pillows, etc., but nothing worked. Yesterday something didn't sit right with my gut. I was legitimately concerned. So was Teighlor. I knew in my knower, without knowing what, that it was more than a sore muscle. Immediately I heard HolySpirit tell me to take her to the Healing Rooms at Gateway Church last night. They laid hands on her and prayed. The woman felt the "small lump" at the base of her skull when she began praying. Teighlor and this woman both felt intense heat at the spot where she laid her hand during prayer. After prayer, Teighlor's pain (which was constant) was gone and so was the lump! This morning, she woke up with no pain for the first time in 2 months! PRAISE GOD! I don't know [what] He healed, I just know He did! I know what He spoke to me and I believe the gut-check I had was from Him as much as the word He spoke to bring her to the Healing Rooms. He is healer!

[Healing occurred on Monday, January 30, 2012]

Shut Up and Pray

HolySpirit has been whispering a theme to me for the past few weeks. His words came nicely the first time, "Talk less. Pray more." WisdomWords spoken through a Titus2 leader that hovered over my heart and seemed tangible enough for me to chew on. Simple statements speak volumes to me, and God knows me best.

I was frustrated. Tired. Worn out. Life was not being fair and I wanted people to know it. I didn't desire to spill all the beans, just enough to make me feel better.

When I didn't exactly heed those words in full embrace, HolySpirit was kind enough to deliver them again with a bit more punch, "SHUT UP and PRAY!" And sometimes simple statements have to be backed up with strength [because] God knows me best.

Do I think my God to be rude and lacking in love to say 'shut up' to me? Absolutely not. Quite the contrary, I know Him well enough by now to understand His intent. He loves me too much to [not] shout a declarative statement of safety. Wouldn't I shout at my child about to run into a street, all in the name of protection? Absolutely.

My God is protecting me while at the same time teaching me. That is what a [good] parent does.

Evening, morning and at noon will I utter my complaint and moan and sigh and He will hear my voice. ~ Psalm 55:17

Casting Cares

This blog showed up in my email inbox just as I was beginning to seriously feel completely overwhelmed by too much life, too many circumstances, and too many decisions ... all pouring in within the past five days. Coincidence? I don't believe in coincidence.

The moment we are able to finally let go and let God work is one of the most liberating and peaceful moments we will ever find ourselves in.
Today as I opened my inbox, and looked at the number of questions and issues that I had to deal with, I seriously had a moment where I thought, "This is all too overwhelming, too demanding, too time consuming, and altogether too much."
Then I breathed and remembered that God was not waiting on me to do, decide, or handle it all; He wanted me to trust Him in the midst of it all. For when I am weak, He is strong, and when I am at the end of myself, I can totally lean into, trust, and rely on Him. When I don't know what to do HE DOES. When my heart is overwhelmed I am led to the rock that is Higher than I. This isn't a nice theory, but is an available reality to us all.
We can know in our heads that we can cast our care on Him for He cares for us, or we can allow it to permeate the very fabric of our being and actually believe it in our hearts...and then do it.
So today I have decided to practice what I preach and "cast my care." And you know what? I now feel that I can face any giant and scale any wall. It is not because anything externally has changed, but because I have chosen to lift my gaze off my circumstances and inadequacies and instead to "fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." He has our back.
Try casting your cares on Him today, for He does care for you. [Christine Caine]

It's God. Knocking on my heart. Reminding me that He knows, in the midst of when the whole of who I am is beginning to feel the weight of everything.

Casting the ^[c]whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, ^[d]once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you ^[e]watchfully.^{(B)
    8}Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [^[f]in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.
    ⁹Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset--rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same (^[g]identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world.
    ¹⁰And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you.
    ¹¹To Him be the dominion (power, authority, rule) forever and ever. Amen (so be it).
1 Peter 5:7-11

OneWord

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid." John 14:27

Strong Enough

Strong Enough [Matthew West]
You must, You must think I'm strong
To give me what I'm going through
Well, forgive me, forgive if I'm wrong
But this looks like more than I can do
On my own

I know I'm not strong enough to be
Everything that I'm supposed to be
I give up, I'm not strong enough

Hands of mercy won't You cover me?
Lord, right now, I'm asking You to be
Strong enough, strong enough
For the both of us

Well, maybe, maybe that's the point
To reach the point of giving up
'Cause when I'm finally, finally at rock bottom
That's when I start looking up
And reaching out

I know I'm not strong enough to be
Everything that I'm supposed to be
I give up, I'm not strong enough

Hands of mercy won't You cover me?
Lord, right now, I'm asking You to be
Strong enough, strong enough

'Cause I'm broken down to nothing
But I'm still holding on to the one thing
You are God and You are strong
When I am weak

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength
And I don't have to be strong enough


Psalm 28:6-9 [Mixture of The Message and New Living Translations]
Blessed be GOD-he heard me praying.
He proved he's on my side;
The Lord is my strength and shield
I trust him with all my heart.
I've thrown my lot in with him.
Now I'm jumping for joy,
and shouting and singing my thanks to him.

GOD is all strength for his people,
ample refuge for his anointed king;
Save your people and bless your heritage.
Lead them like a shepherd;
And carry them in your arms forever.

And Speak HE Has!

There was no way for me to know it. How HolySpirit was writing through me the very thing He knew I would need to cling to just nine days later. He knew the challenge that was just up ahead and provided a word to show me then, and remind me now, that 'God knows'.

"With arms open, wider than they were before, because space taught me something. That [this space] should always only be temporary, never permanent. And that arms were never created with the intent to push away out of rejection or misunderstanding but to take in and speak love without words."

And so, with a desire in full bloom to understand, to find the purpose, to heal all hearts involved, but especially just to be filled with enough courage for today, I asked God to speak [a] word to me. To remind me that He's got this; because even though my faith is strong, I don't ever claim to be so full that I don't have room for more.

And speak He has!

Here's everything He has spoken to me since last night, not even a full day ago. I purposely did not include the individuals' names from which these words came as I believe it's more important to recognize TheSource, HolySpirit, as the giver of LifeWords.

[If you recognize your tweet or text or spoken word here, know that I received it and that I know your name and have already prayed blessing over you for being a vessel used by God.]

"A single seed can grow a tree. There is an identifiable root to all of this. That one lie, welcomed in, dwelt on, invited to consume, can cause brokenness that cannot be measured. That one seed has been allowed to grow into a [fruitful] tree. It's being tended to. Watered. If this can be shown, can be stopped, there will be freedom to become free."

"Fear is unbelief. Know that God can work anything out for those who Love the Lord! He's got it under control."

"Once something is exposed, it loses its strength."

"Once the Lord gives you a Word, a Promise ... stand firm on it! And don't move."

"Flesh and spirit are at war. Until this is fully grasped, a very divided human will be seen. Like two people. Revelation needs to come that the two are connected, and that the spirit controls the flesh."

"When we allow God to be our defense, we have all of the resources of heaven at our disposal."

"How can we claim we have forgiven someone and yet not make allowances for that person's imperfections in our lives? How can love ever be expressed by making a choice to do what is best for "me" in a situation over someone else's needs?"

"Many times in life, when someone commits an offense against us, it is because they don't know what they are doing. I do not mean that they are not aware of their actions, but they might be in a different place in their own understanding of love."

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

"Don't quit. This is your part in the Christian life. Growth and victory are assured if you will not give up."

"One drop of water helps to swell the ocean; a spark of fire helps to give light to the world. None are too small, too feeble, too poor to be of service. Think of this and act."

I know that God's Word is the only word that can multiply because most of the above words were not written or spoken with 'me' in mind. Well, except in God's.

I asked Him for [a] Word today, and He gave me "more than I [had] asked for or imagined". (Ephesians 3:20) He just continued pouring out little droplets of HolySpirit encouragement and wisdom.

If you need a Word today, feel free to borrow one of mine. :) Or just ask God for a fresh one just for you. There is no shortage of words in heaven!

Walk Through ... Don't Just Read

““The Kingdom of Heaven is like…” is not a statement which introduces institutional principles. It is the beginning of a description of a place that He has been and we have not.” Bob Hamp: Change The Right Thing, Pt. 3

"This is a beautiful statement. Really. Beautiful is what came to my mind immediately. This was my revelation moment in this blog. I felt Holy Spirit whisper those words as I read them … and they instantly transformed (supernaturally) from words into a beautiful doorway, awaiting my entrance. "Walk through, don’t just read." That’s what I heard. And my heart has begun singing…" [my comment on this blog]

When Holy Spirit decides to breathe life into words, I'm generally unprepared for the moment. It hits me upside my heart like a locomotive running head long into the most ginormous pile of TempurPedic mattresses. I feel the force of the blow of truth and can hear the steaming hiss of wisdom; but instead of the impact being life-threatening, it's cushioned by grace, and the foreboding hiss is transformed into a life-giving whisper.

Revelation is caught in my heart in the same manner a water balloon is caught in a balloon tossing contest, except Holy Spirit is both the tosser and the catcher. He lobs up a balloon full of living water and then rushes over and uses a purposefully gentle motion to bring that balloon into my heart. Instead of allowing LIFE to hit his hands like a brick wall and splatter  - leaving the contents to evaporate on the ground  - He uses tenderness to absorb the blow so that same LIFE is given the opportunity to soak into my soul and become transformational.

A Brief Pause in HIS Words

Tonight, Anthony and I attended a special night of presbytery at Gateway that was very intimate. A small group of people [about 25-30] get invited each month to be encouraged and edified through a time of prophetic mentoring. We got an email a few weeks back informing us of this monthly gathering [we didn't even know existed], letting us know we'd been invited by someone in Gateway leadership. Not really sure what to expect but highly intrigued, we RSVP'd and put it on our calendars.

At 5:30, Anthony's iCal alarm went off on his phone with a reminder for us and I just about had a heart attack. Between the whirl-wind of the day, Teighlor's drama group commute and Anthony staying home sick from work, I had completely forgotten about the meeting. I used the next 30 minutes to get ready, ran to pick up Teighlor from drama, came home and picked up Anthony, drove through Wendy's for an impromptu, on-the-road dinner and made it to the Southlake campus with a few minutes to spare.

Walking through the parking lot, we ran into Brittney, Amped's All-Around Assistant, and found out she had been invited, too. And then when we signed in, we discovered that the three of us were in the same group for the prophetic time.

The night started with some worship, then prayer and a brief discussion of what the night held and how it would run...then we were dismissed to head off with our group to the room where we were assigned. Three members of Gateway's Prophetic Ministry Team joined us. We had a total of five individuals [us, another married couple and Brittney] in our group. Each of the three prophetic ministers had spent time praying for us and had come with what God had laid on their hearts to share.

It was such an awesome time listening to God's heart for each person in that room. I'm so glad they recorded each session because I'm going to transcribe what was spoken over me and post it here [but that won't be until some time next week when a digital file is available].

Until then, I'm going to let the words [that I remember] settle on my heart and pray for His confirmation and peace about what was spoken...not that anything spoken unsettled my soul...just gotta always bring the word right back to God and test them against His Spirit.

HIS Words [12]

For the past few weeks, I've been purposely posting scripture and what I've heard the Holy Spirit speak to me about what I read. Having a new expectation to hear God through HIS Word [and only HIS Word] has been a heart-opening experience for me.

This morning, God changed things up on me. Isn't He so good at that? Never letting things stay the same for too long, lest we become too comfortable in our expectation of Him to speak and move as He's done the day before.

Daily, I read one blog that comes to me via email. Every so often, the author sends a couple snapshots to jar us out of our expectant complacency for black words on a white page. Today he sent pictures of beautiful, autumn leaves, and this morning I did what I normally wouldn't do...I clicked on the link that would take me out of my email and into the comments section [on his website] for that particular blog. I was curious to see if anyone had posted a comment about these particular photos. [God was just about to change things up on me]

The first comment was quite long, but this passage spoke to my heart:

"I sit here [in a 2nd story sun room overlooking the Tennessee mountains] every morning, year around, and watch God change His creation. No amount of money could buy the peace and pleasure that the Lord provides as He changes the scenery on a minute-by-minute basis as I look out the windows."

Was this anonymous reader quoting scripture? Nope. But he was quoting truth, and all truth comes from God. [THIS] truth hit my heart immediately because as I was reading this comment I, too, was sitting in my sun room [dining room used as a sitting room] with a gorgeous view of my front yard.

[THERE] was God's voice...in this man's comment and in the scenic view of this moment. He didn't require me to open my Bible to speak to me - although it won't deter me from doing so - He only required me to open my eyes and ears...and look and listen.

At that moment I was inspired to capture what I was seeing outdoors and the place - here on my futon in my sun room - where I now choose to meet with Him each morning. This room is my piece of peace.

My view out the front window [from my futon]

My dining room converted to my sun room

My sleepy-eyed video trying to capture "Raining Leaves"

[Note: I realized as I watched these videos that I had ventured outdoors in ONLY my t-shirt and underwear, so totally unaware of my dress code because I was not quite awake. Yikes!]

I'm so glad God chose to reach my heart in a different way today by showing me that even though I'm on this journey in HIS Word, He's not boxed into black and white, either.

HIS Words [11]

Job’s three friends refused to reply further to him because he kept insisting on his innocence.

Then Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the clan of Ram, became angry. He was angry because Job refused to admit that he had sinned and that God was right in punishing him. He was also angry with Job’s three friends, for they made God appear to be wrong by their inability to answer Job’s arguments. Elihu had waited for the others to speak to Job because they were older than he. But when he saw that they had no further reply, he spoke out angrily. Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said,

“I am young and you are old, so I held back from telling you what I think. I thought, ‘Those who are older should speak, for wisdom comes with age.’

But there is a Holy Spirit within people, the breath of the Almighty within them, that makes them intelligent.

Sometimes the elders are not wise. Sometimes the aged do not understand justice. So listen to me, and let me tell you what I think. “I have waited all this time, listening very carefully to your arguments, listening to you grope for words. I have listened, but not one of you has refuted Job or answered his arguments. And don’t tell me, ‘He is too wise for us. Only God can convince him.’

If Job had been arguing with me, I would not answer with your kind of logic! You sit there baffled, with nothing more to say. Should I continue to wait, now that you are silent? Must I also remain silent? No, I will say my piece. I will speak my mind. For I am full of pent-up words, and the spirit within me urges me on. I am like a cask of wine without a vent, like a new wineskin ready to burst! I must speak to find relief, so let me give my answers. I won’t play favorites or try to flatter anyone. For if I tried flattery, my Creator would soon destroy me. [Job 32]

I wouldn't normally post an entire chapter, but God spoke to my heart in context to what is written in its entirety. I was actually looking up Job 32:8 because it was mentioned in Sunday's message, and I had noted it for further study this week. Not wanting to just take the single verse, I read all around it so that I could understand why this was said.

A few thoughts stuck out for me:

• I loved Elijuh's handling of this situation. He gave respect to his elders and let them speak first. A sign of good character.
• BUT, when they were done speaking, he didn't allow his age to keep him quiet when righteous wisdom and truth were burning within him.
• AND, instead of just spouting what "he" thought, he showed spiritual maturity in giving the glory for true intelligence to the Holy Spirit.
• Wisdom is not a "natural byproduct" of age. Yes, those who are older have lived longer and can speak from experience, but [experience does NOT equal wisdom].
  
• Many people live through so much but still do not possess the ability to give guidance or advice that is wise because they speak from behind their filters instead of seeking to only say what the Holy Spirit would speak through them.
  
• One of the Holy Spirit's names is Wisdom. He is extolled in the Proverbs. Without the discernment from and wisdom imputed by the Holy Spirit, we cannot expect to speak wisely.
  

I did not read forward to hear what Elijuh had to say because I was captured by his desire to speak out--righteously and with wisdom--but will tomorrow.

HIS Words [10]

IN LIKE manner, you married women, be submissive to your own husbands [subordinate yourselves as being secondary to and dependent on them, and adapt yourselves to them], so that even if any do not obey the Word [of God], they may be won over not by discussion but by the [godly] lives of their wives, when they observe the pure and modest way in which you conduct yourselves, together with your reverence for your husband;

[you are to feel for him all that reverence includes: to respect, defer to, revere him--to honor, esteem, appreciate, prize, and, in the human sense, to adore him, that is, to admire, praise, be devoted to, deeply love, and enjoy your husband].

Let not yours be the [merely] external adorning with [elaborate] interweaving and knotting of the hair, the wearing of jewelry, or changes of clothes; but let it be the inward adorning and beauty of the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible and unfading charm of a gentle and peaceful spirit, which [is not anxious or wrought up, but] is very precious in the sight of God.

For it was thus that the pious women of old who hoped in God were [accustomed] to beautify themselves and were submissive to their husbands [adapting themselves as secondary and dependent upon them].

It was thus that Sarah obeyed Abraham [following his guidance and acknowledging his headship over her by] calling him lord (master, leader, authority). And you are now her true daughters if you do right and let nothing terrify you [not giving way to hysterical fears or letting anxieties unnerve you].
1 Peter 3:1-6

As I was reading through 1 Peter yesterday, this passage of scripture caught my eye. In the Amplified Translation, there is so much expansion of what is meant in each verse. Here are the words/phrases that stood out as it relates to what God treasures in a wife:

• Adapt to him
• Pure
• Modest
• Reverence
• Inward Beauty
• Incorruptible
• Gentle
• Peaceful
• Precious
• Dependent upon him
  

And then I read through, again and again, the extended definition for what it means to reverence my husband:

• Respect him
  
• Defer to him
  
• Honor him
• Esteem him
• Appreciate him
• Prize him
• Adore him
• Admire him
• Praise him
• Be devoted to him
• Deeply love him
• Enjoy him

Interesting point to note: The passage in 1 Peter written to "wives" is six verses long. The passage written to "men" is one.

"In the same way you married men should live considerately with [your wives], with an intelligent recognition [of the marriage relation], honoring the woman as [physically] the weaker, but [realizing that you] are joint heirs of the grace (God's unmerited favor) of life, in order that your prayers may not be hindered and cut off. [Otherwise you cannot pray effectively.]"

My mind and heart are overwhelmed. This is not a one day journal entry...this is where I stop and dig deeper. To be continued...

HIS Words [9]

Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing.

Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good, here's what you do:

Say nothing evil or hurtful; Snub evil and cultivate good; run after peace for all you're worth.
God looks on all this with approval, listening and responding well to what he's asked;
But he turns his back on those who do evil things.

1 Peter 3:9-11

I was struggling this morning with trying to understand the reason[s] why so many people are content with the lighter side of Jesus...what I call the fluffy, feel good stuff. I find it so easy to ask "why?" with such a judgmental heart, that it bothers me that I can ask "why?" with such a judgmental heart.

I had a Twitter conversation about this today and then headed outside to hear from Jesus. This is what I read [above].

Although my Bible didn't magically fall open to "judge lest not you be judged" or "take that log out of your own eye first" [paraphrase mine], those two verses followed in my mind after reading the above passage.

And then God brings this scripture to mind:

Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Phillipians 4:8 [The Message]

HIS Words [8]

Out of my distress, I called upon the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free and in a large place. Psalm 118:5

As I was reading through the Psalm used as reference for today's D.I.B. blog, I hit verse five and stopped. God broke this verse down for me "just like THAT" and instantly made this applicable to my life.

Out of my distress, I called upon the Lord: Financial downfall [Anthony's business drying up] took its toll beginning in January 2009. For months I cried out to God to save his business and save our home; and then resigned my prayers to, "If Your will is for Anthony to move on and for us to leave this home, then AMEN [so be it]!"

The Lord answered me: By August our home was foreclosed, and Fellowship Technologies developed a Director of Communications job specifically for Anthony. In September, we got offered a few thousand dollars to leave our Bedford home earlier than the legal eviction date and God opened up a home for us in Keller for less rent than our mortgage.

And set me free: Even though foreclosure moved us on, freedom came in releasing our bond to Rachel through a mortgage which still held her name alongside Anthony's.

And in a large place: Not only did God provide us a home for less than our Bedford mortgage, but our home now is twice as big than what we previously owned--when you consider the land, the home, the garage and the pool. ONLY God can do that!

Thank you, Lord, for speaking so clearly this morning and in such a quick and concise way; for revealing your goodness in such a tangible way.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. ~Psalm 118:1

HIS Words [7]

Hallelujah [Praise the Lord]! Blessed man, blessed woman, who fear God,
Who cherish and relish his commandments,
Their children robust on the earth,
And the homes of the upright—how blessed!
Their houses brim with wealth
And a generosity that never runs dry.
Sunrise breaks through the darkness for good people—
God's grace and mercy and justice!
The good person is generous and lends lavishly;
No shuffling or stumbling around for this one,
But a sterling and solid and lasting reputation.
Unfazed by rumor and gossip,
Heart ready, trusting in God,
Spirit firm, unperturbed,
Ever blessed, relaxed among enemies,
They lavish gifts on the poor—[share freely and give generously]
A generosity that goes on, and on, and on.
An honored life! A beautiful life!
Someone wicked takes one look and rages,
Blusters away but ends up speechless.
There's nothing to the dreams of the wicked. Nothing.
~Psalm 112 [The Message]

AMEN! Such encouragement to simply stand firm in God!

HIS Words [6]

The Story of the Persistent Widow

Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit. He said, "There was once a judge in some city who never gave God a thought and cared nothing for people. A widow in that city kept after him: 'My rights are being violated. Protect me!'

"He never gave her the time of day. But after this went on and on he said to himself, 'I care nothing what God thinks, even less what people think. But because this widow won't quit badgering me, I'd better do something and see that she gets justice—otherwise I'm going to end up beaten black-and-blue by her pounding.'"

Then the Master said, "Do you hear what that judge, corrupt as he is, is saying? So what makes you think God won't step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won't he stick up for them? I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet. But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?"

Before I opened by Bible today, I asked God, "What do You want to speak to me about today?" I opened my Amplified Translation and was struck with the desire to read from the New Living Translation. I went to my bookshelf and found two: a hardcover and a paperback version. I grabbed the hardcover and then put it back because Alec told me it's the one the kids use to read. I then picked up the paperback version and when I got back to my room and opened it, inside were my notes I had written down from the prophetic time during the 2008 Day Retreat at Coli and J's. At the bottom was this note: Luke 18:1-8, "My Scriptural Mission".

During this past week, God has put people before me that need prayer...my persistent prayer. This is His way of reminding me [a spiritual bull dog] of the purpose He's put on my life for prayer.

"God, reignite the passion for prayer that I seem to walk out only in seasons. You have laid purpose on my heart for prayer, yet it's the one thing - besides abiding in Your Word - that I seem to have the most difficulty staying committed to. I come against the enemy who daily attempts to put things in my path to keep me out of prayer, to steal the power I have through Jesus to affect change through prayer. I ask forgiveness for my lack of persistent faithfulness and recommit myself to this purpose.

HIS Words [5]

"External religious worship [religion as it is expressed in outward acts] that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this: to visit and help and care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need, and to keep oneself unspotted and uncontaminated from the world." James 1:27

This morning, as I sat down with my Bible, I got a call from Anthony regarding a text message he received asking if "we" could pick up both girls at school tomorrow, instead of our normal time at her house. Immediately, I was struck with the thought of "we means me" because I don't work.

Just as quickly, the above verse came to mind.

I am so thankful that God's Word came quickly to dispel that battle of my flesh. Who the orphan or widow is - or, in this case, the one in need - does not matter. What matters is my response.

The world tells me that "I don't have to"," it's not my responsibility".

And then God speaks, "Help those in need and keep yourself uncontaminated from the world."