Times of Refreshing

From Henry’s Desk

 

“ … that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19, NIV)

I have used the above text a few times in preparation for and the continuation of renewal.  Using the whole verse, Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, you can easily see four steps:

                                                                                                   

1.      Repentance

2.      Returning

3.      Restoration

4.      Refreshing

 Let’s take a look at it in another situation, our time alone with god.  Nothing is more important than our relationship with God, and it is important to build intimacy with Him.  In order for that to take place, we need to spend time alone with Him.

I know I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know, but if you are like me, sometimes your quiet time is right on, and sometimes you are in a slump.  I thought I’d write a few things for the slump times.

First of all, don’t get into a situation where you feel like you have to do certain things every time, that is just legalism, and won’t bring life.   There are many things you can do to spend time in God’s presence, i.e. prayer, scripture reading, meditating on scripture, singing, spiritual reading,  thinking, etc.  I want to focus in on sitting in His presence.

If you are having a spiritual slump, or even if you are not, I think this will help you.  Go to a place that is quiet where you will not be disturbed.  Get before the Lord repenting of substituting business in place of Him.  Tell Him you are returning to Him, that He is all you want and that you just want to sit in His presence.  Ask Him to restore your fellowship with Him and then wait.  As He brings His manifest presence, don’t say anything.  Just stay in His manifest presence, connected with Him, letting His presence wash over you, fill you, heal you, direct you, refresh you or whatever else He may want to do.

He wants to spend time with us and we are changed in his presence.  I am reminded of the song “Who Am I” by Casting Crowns.

 Who Am I
Casting Crowns

 Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You're

Chorus:
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

Who Am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again
Who Am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me

I am Yours
Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
'Cause I am Yours
I am Yours

Emails To Henry # 5 - Day by Day

Dear Henry,

Just how long will we try to content ourselves with the things of this world, already knowing they won't satisfy. And why would we choose friendship with the world over God anyway? Especially in light of James 4:4 which says You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

We have chosen to love the world and the things of the world irregardless that 1John 2:15-16 says Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. And yet we continually try to provide security and a future to our lives through worldly wisdom instead of taking time to hear God and put His wisdom into practice in our lives.

However Hebrews 11:6 says But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. If we believe God is who He said He is and believe He will do what he said He will do, then let's come before Him and receive His reward.

Of wisdom God says in James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. Wisdom says in 8:33-35 Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD.

God wants to bless us, God wants to reward us, God wants to give us wisdom for living, empowerment for serving, love for sharing, and miracles for praising. He actually wants to spend time with us!

In finishing 2 Corinthians 4:16 says: Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

Keeping Devotion,
jim

Giving & Receiving

From Henry’s Desk

 

One day a couple friends and I were sitting at my dining room table having a light conversation about giving and receiving.  One of them reached into his pocket, pulled out a dollar bill and stretching it towards me said “Here, I’ll sow this dollar and receive back two.”  Without thinking, my immediate response was, “Sure, if that is the level you want to play at, you can.  However, if you want to play at a higher level, you can do that too.”

Now it wasn’t the amount of the money that made it a low level interaction, it was the portion of his potential ability that he was willing to invest that made it low level.  Now don’t go off on a tangent thinking God just wants my money.  God wants your heart, but if He has your heart, you will give.  Is He your treasure, or are you possessions, money, and valuables your treasure?  If He is your treasure, there is no competition.

Jesus in speaking of the widows mite said, “She out of her need has given all she had to live on, therefore she is the biggest giver.”  Giving is not based on an amount or percentage, it is based on ability, potential, motivation, attitude, and obedience.

Now I set out to write about sowing and reaping, but it appears I have ended up on giving.  When we give we think about percentages (i.e. 10%), or amounts, (I.e. $1, $5, $20, $50) while God looks at our potential to give based upon how much He has prospered us.  And by the way, if He has greatly prospered us, but we have been selfish and spent it on ourselves, or poor stewards and do not have much to give, He doesn’t think, “Oh well, they were poor stewards, I’m not going to hold that against them.”

What’s in our hearts is what we treasure.  If money and things are at the heart of our lives, then we will only give a portion out of what‘s left over.  If God is at the heart of our lives, then we will be givers.

We need to ask ourselves, “What’s in my heart, what do I treasure?”

Eat, Drink, And Be Merry

From Henry’s Desk

“ … eat, drink, and be merry …” (Lk 12:19)

Now we all know that these words did not bring good results into the rich man’s life in Luke chapter 12.  As a matter of fact, his life was taken from him that very night.  What gives here?  Does God not want us to enjoy our life, enjoy our living?

But of course He does!  The words of the rich man did not come from a grateful heart, but from a heart satisfied with its own provision, his future secure by his own hands.  It was an attitude that says, “I have arrived!  I have need of nothing!” It is also shouts, “The ‘here and now’ is all that is important, this side of the grave is all that life consists of, and I have need of nothing and that is all that matters.”

God save us from satisfaction with this life, from counting on temporal treasures for our security, from fulfilling selfish ambitions.  1 Jn 3:15-17 (MSG) says,

“Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world--wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important--has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out--but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.”

God wants us to be satisfied in and enjoy Him.  He also wants us to enjoy living, and enjoy creation but without becoming distracted by them.  They are not the main thing -  He is.  God receives glory when we are satisfied in Him.  God receives glory when we enjoy living.  God receives glory when we enjoy creation.  God receives glory when our hearts are filled with gratitude to Him for life, living, creation, provision, etc.

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 (NLT) says:

Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat well, drink a good glass of wine, and enjoy their work--whatever they do under the sun--for however long God lets them alive. And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life--that is indeed a gift from God. People who do this rarely look with sorrow on the past, for God has given them reasons for joy.

So let’s thank God, live well, and enjoy living.  It is a gift from God.

Another Perspective

From Henry’s Desk

“ … with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength …”

Another Perspective

I once read the following in a book: (It was in 2001 and I do not remember the title)

There are three types of Christians: thinkers, feelers, and doers.  And we have denominations custom made for each.

Ÿ  The thinkers want the feelers to get logical.

Ÿ  The feelers want the thinkers to lighten up and smell the roses.

Ÿ  The doers want both types to get in gear and start evangelizing. 

My response was ‘that is correct‘.  I had never thought of it that way before, but it certainly lines up with what I have seen.  Of course this goes not so much to a persons spirituality as to their basic psychological make up, which influences their spirituality.

By now you have already thought of folks you know in one category or another, and even have placed yourself in one.  With a little thinking you will probably start to see that you have become a combination of a couple of them.

I came into the Kingdom as a thinker, became a doer, and am now wanting to be a feeler.

I don’t think we are really supposed to be one or the other, but should transition into all three.  As a matter of fact I believe that is what God wants.

God did not say, “Love Me with all your mind or love me with all your soul or love me with all your strength.”  He said, “Love me passionately with all your mind all your soul and all your strength.”  Now we all have giftings and inclinations that cause us to be more motivated towards one or another of these, but the fact remains that God wants us to love Him with everything that we are, our whole being.  And we need people around us that are geared differently than we are in order to influence us in those areas we are not inclined towards.

Left to ourselves, we would only hang out with those who are like us, and would form our own little groups like Trinity Theological Temple, Mystic Missions, or The Savior’s Servants.  I believe that God would have us together, influencing one another, and the world, for Christ.  If we would learn from one another, we would have a much more balanced life.

The X Factor

From Henry’s Desk

 The X Factor

 

I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

(Jn 10:10b AMP)

My wife Sandy and I almost didn’t get married because of a game of checkers. One of the first times I went over to see her, she wanted to play checkers (she also enjoyed watching Lawrence Welk when she was a teenager - go figure).  We played our first game, and not being a game type person, I really didn’t try too hard. I did not care if I won or lost and did just enough to get by and didn’t jump if I didn’t want to.  Well, she was not happy with that at all.  Actually she was quite irritated, and told me I was too passive.

We then proceeded to play two more games at a much higher level of intensity.  I didn’t like being called passive (laid back would have sounded better to me), and I played very aggressively.  When I went home, I did not ever plan on seeing her again, feeling very offended at having been called passive.  Of course, I did see her again and we did eventually marry.

I was thinking about living the other day, specifically about living passively verses living passionately.  To live passively is to be content to just get by, to never jump, to always hold back emotionally, physically and verbally.  You never rock the boat, you just drift along, no surprises, no chances, no enthusiasm and nothing extreme by any means.

Living passionately, on the other hand,  means putting yourself out there.  Passionate living requires involvement.  It is robust with energy, emotion, action and verbal outbursts!  It will make you take chances, jump and do things you wouldn’t ordinarily do.  It is life on the edge, extreme living, abundant living, life lived to its fullness, full of enthusiasm,  nothing held back!

So, do you think Jesus was saying, “I have come that they might just get by”, or “I have come that they might experience and enjoy life lived to its fullness, abundant, action packed, and eXtremely satisfying.”

I think Jesus wants us to jump into the life He has for us with both feet and gobble it up for His glory!

Weed-eaters, Dirt Daubers, & God's Voice

From Henry’s Desk

 

For God does speak-now one way, now another- though man may not perceive it. (Job 33:14, NIV)

I was thinking today about a time, the Lord spoke to me in what I thought was an unusual way.  As a matter of fact, it was so unusual that I missed it.  What really made it unusual is the fact that it came in a very normal and usual way.

One day around the end of winter and beginning of spring, I was preparing to do some weed-eating.  I went out to the shed, got out my weed-eater and started trying to crank it.  I did all the right stuff, but the weed-eater would not even try to start.

After a bit, I decided it was not going to start and put it back in the shed.  As I was closing the shed door I found myself thinking about an incident in Junior High shop class.  The teacher used to sabotage a lawn mower engine and we would have to figure out what was wrong with it and then get it started.  I remembered the time he stuffed a paper towel into the muffler keeping it from starting.  I walked back up to the house and never gave it another thought.

A few days later, I took the weed-eater to a small engine repair shop and told them it wouldn’t start.  The mechanic took a small nail or some such thing, stuck it into the muffler opening and broke up a dirt dauber nest that was in it.  The weed-eater then started right up.

Then I understood about the memory from shop class.  God was talking to me in an unusual way using a usual function of my mind, to be exact, a memory.  I would have saved myself a lot of time and effort if I had recognized that God was speaking to me with that memory, telling me what to do to fix the weed-eater and get it started.

I wonder how many times in our lives God has been speaking to us in one way or another, but we didn’t realize it.  How much time, effort, finances, etc. would have been saved if we had been expecting God to speak to us, and then paid attention.

I think that I’m going to remember that God does speak, that He does it one way or another, and I’m going to pay better attention.

Sowing Seeds of Fire

From Henry’s Desk

 

-the sower went out to sow …

 

-bored people are dangerous people …

 

If we learn from our mistakes, then I am learned.

If we grow through adversity, then I am growed.

If we are what we eat, then I am sweet.

If we are what we think, then I am a mess.

 
           -henry

 

I am not impressive, but on the other hand, I’m not impressed with myself.  I am impressed with ONE person, He is Jesus Christ, Son of God/Son of Man.  Not to be understood so much as to be experienced. 

 Kind of like a “fireball”, from my childhood.  This was a hard candy ball, red and very hot on the outside, and cool and sweet on the inside.  To be told about is was one thing, but to suck on one was quite another.

The red outside was unbelievably hot and hard to take, while the white inside was incredibility cool and sweet.  It was well worth the time and heat to get to the inside. 

Of course, there were some who would never open it up, not even considering what it had to offer.  And some would pop it in their mouths, and then spit it out, unable to endure the heat.  There were others who tried just licking the fireball, but their real desire was the sweet without the heat.

And there were some who paid the price willing to make a sacrifice

They endured to the end and their comfort did not defend

Willing to live, willing to die, and willing to die to live again

Are you bored?  Go experience a fireball.

Destiny's Song

Destiny overtakes and apprehends its recipient, plants a seed, and potentially reaps a harvest. Your destiny is what is growing inside of you, getting bigger and bigger. Destiny captures your heart, mind, will, and emotions.

The fire of destiny does not get started by you, but you must add fuel for it to keep going and growing. Unattended, destiny will only sputter, but never set your life on fire. It will only give fleeting glimpses of purpose, with no lasting passion, In the end, it will die unfulfilled as also its recipient.

TEND THE FIRE GOD HAS PUT IN YOU!

The fire must be kept burning on the alter continoulsly; it must not go out. (Lev 6:13) Destiny sings tomorrow's song. We must hear and begin singing and dancing to its song today...

Destiny sings tomorrow's song...

TIGHT PLACES - The Promise of Beauty To Come

TIGHT PLACES - The Promise of Beauty To Come

(From 2/09/09)

Sometimes I have to put people in (through) tight places to get stuff off (out) of them.  You may wonder, but don’t wander (escape) from the narrowness I put you in.  It squeezes out death and I replace it with life.  I take you from a narrow place into a wide place, from a closed place into an open place. 

A flower bulb is a closed tight place, but it holds the promise of beauty to come.  It opens and releases more beauty and life than the bulb (tight place) could ever have held

As the promise of the bulb, so the promise of the tight (narrow) place.  There is something larger and better than where you are or even where you have been that will come as you let the tight place do the work I have assigned it - that you may more fully do what I have assigned you. 

As the flower must endure the bulb before it can release it’s beauty, so you must endure the tight (narrow) place before you can release my beauty.  The bulb is not a bad place for the burgeoning flower.  The tight narrow place is not a bad place for the burgeoning Christian - it is the promise of beauty to come.

Burgeon:

1. To send forth new growth (as buds or branches): sprout, bloom

2. To grow and expand rapidly: flourish

3.  To make or become greater or larger

Synonyms: amplify, build up, enlarge, escalate, expand, extend, grow, magnify, multiply, soar, wax

 

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”  (Mt 7:13-14)