Week 32 THE LIFE and The Way of Love

What I have learned this year:

The Truth about myself and God

• God is infinitely good and complete.
• God is my Father, I am his daughter.
• I am remade in the likeness and glory of my Father.
• Nothing can separate me from His Love.

The Way I choose to walk

• I align myself with the Truth of who I am and who He is.
• I see with spiritual eyes before the physical.
• I surrender my attachment to all other identities.
• I remain in His Love.

Now I must learn to live this LIFE in this world out of what I believe. To live my life in Jesus. This is the manifestation of the Father and myself on earth as I am in heaven, evidenced by love, joy, peace, and power. 

As I realize my true identity I begin to walk in love, joy, and peace on earth as it is in heaven by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit, help me remain in His Love so the world will see and know Him.

Jn 17:23
I in them and You in Me, that they may become perfectly one, SO that the world may know that you sent me AND love them even as you loved Me.

Jn 14:16-20
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the SPIRIT of TRUTH, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees HIM nor knows HIM. You know HIM, for HE dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

** I gessoed a napkin to the page and wrote the words with microns

Week 31 Step Out of Prison
GE 12:1-4; 15; 17:1-8

   Abram was stuck in Haran (named after his dead brother.) But the Lord came to him and spoke, “Move on. Leave your father’s house and name and follow the Way I present before you.” 
   There were promises made and movement happened. But he didn’t exactly leave his father’s house behind… He was still connected to his old name by his nephew, Lot.
   Movement towards Bethel where Abram called on the Lord to receive more direction and promises before he took a turn from the appointed path. He forgot the promise of protection. So, in order to save himself, he headed towards Egypt where a series of bad decisions (with a side of the Lord’s mercy) brought them back again to Bethel. And here Abram let go of his old identity in releasing Lot and accepting a life free from the past family prisons. And soon he would accept his new name. The Lord of Heaven and Earth, Abram’s Creator and original Father, revealed Abram’s true identity as Abraham, Father of Many. (My version of Genesis 12-17)

Lord, help me walk in my new name. Amen.

The lyrics below are from the song ‘ABRAHAM’ by Josh Baldwin. Find it…it’s worth a listen.   (https://youtu.be/zRZ2zleNiC4)

There is a mountain in between
What you have said
And what I see
Standing before this offering
My failing heart
Will fight to believe

*Chorus*
On this altar
On this road
You have called me from my home
The weight I carry is not my own
Spirit move this heart of stone
How can I walk in my New Name,
‘Father of Many,’
A promise you gave
And on this altar
And on this road
I lay down my flesh and bones

Here on this mountain
I have climbed
Wrestling doubts that flood my mind
When ashes and dust are all that remain
Will hope for the world still comes from my veins

(Chorus)

And I will sing out
Until I believe now
Your faithful to carry me
Oh I will sing out
Until I believe now
You’re faithful to carry me

(Chorus)

Genesis 12:1-4a 
Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram went, as the Lord had told him…
Genesis 13:14-18 
The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.” So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.
Genesis 17:1-5 
When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.
Rename yourself and follow the leader

Week 30 Step Out of Prison
MK 8:34-36

I think I am stuck. I need to move forward. But I am ..stuck.. fast at this spot in the road, a road I had once successfully been traveling. Why?

Once, Jesus called the crowd over to Him and said, “Whoever desires to follow after me on My road must CONTINUALLY be forgetting his connection to himself: his old broken identity and life. Instead, continually take up your Cross and join Me on the Way as My sibling under the banner of My Name. You see whoever desires to save and protect his own identity will end up destroying it anyway, but whoever gives up his identity for Mine and My good message shall actually heal and restore his original identity also. After all, what advantage is there for a person to acquire every earthly desire but damage your spirit. (My paraphrase of Mark 8:34-36)

Things I forgot while traveling this road:

I need only LISTEN to the Lord’s voice.
I am now in God’s family, my old family name and prisons are NOT my identifers. 
I am a new creature in Christ, I DENY the old and take on the new. 
I follow the Way that has been blazed before me FORGETTING old paths that lie behind. 
No looking back; see ONLY the author and finisher of my faith.
Forget my old identity… press towards His Identity 

Mark 8:34-36 
And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”

Week 29 Beautiful Brother and Savior

I’ve been reading about trailblazers through history and I am reminded of a local hero, Daniel Boone. A Quaker born in the north, he enjoyed the wild outdoor life. When his family moved to North Carolina he began exploring the back country.

Before long he had opened up new trails into the future state of Kentucky. From 1767 on, he spent the better part of the next 30 years exploring and settling the lands of Kentucky, including carving out the Wilderness Road, paving the way for westward expansion. 

Many people followed his roads and today our country stretches from coast to coast.

Daniel Boone had many faults, yes, but his willingness to be the first and to conquer fear for others does remind me of my Heavenly Brother Jesus, the founder of my salvation. In this case, founder means pioneer or trailblazer. 

Jesus paved the way first with the intent that I would follow His trail, forgetting what lies behind and pressing forward towards the x that marks the spot. He has marked the trail in His Grace and Mercy so that no matter what path I take it will lead back to His Way. 

That’s what older siblings do, show the way forward.

Hebrews 2:10-18  For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many SONS to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them BROTHERS, saying, “I will tell of your name to my BROTHERS; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the CHILDREN God has given me.” Since therefore the CHILDREN share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the OFFSPRING of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his BROTHERS in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Week 28 Beautiful Brother and Savior 

Romans 8:28-30

I love this verse, ‘all things work together for good to those who love Him and are called…’ and then the next part has been a bone of contention amongst believers for a few hundred years.

Now I’m not here to argue predestination. I don’t believe God lives in this space-time continuum anyway. But because of man spending so much time pondering that question, many have never focused on the next part…
He created us in the “image of his Son, that HE MIGHT BE the FIRSTBORN AMONG MANY BROTHERS and SISTERS…”
God created us in His image… again. Adam and Eve forgot they were already created in His image, but through Christ we are recreated into the image of His Son, Jesus, WHO IS OUR BROTHER!

I didn’t have an older sibling to look out for me. But I looked out for my younger brothers. Not that I was a great older sister, but still, as I travelled through life first, I shared my experiences with them. I paved the way with my parents to make life easier for them. When harsh words were spoken by others I convinced them the words were untrue. Even when we fought, I still fiercely cared and do care about them. 

If I, as an imperfect older sibling, cared, how much more does my older Brother Jesus care for me, model Life for me, and walk with me. We are Family. My journey is to follow in the way my Big Brother has paved for me.

Now, I can easily say that I am the Heavenly Father’s daughter, but I am learning that I am also sister to my Chief Elder, Jesus. Can you comfortably say these things yet? If not, go back and read my previous posts for 2017 and join me on the journey of reconciliation with Abba and His Family.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that HE MIGHT BE the FIRSTBORN AMONG MANY BROTHERS and SISTERS. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. Romans 8:28-30 NIV

Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.Ez 37:13-14

Week 26 Like a child 

I attended a lovely retreat in Wisconsin this past week. On day 1 we each received a unique ‘journey’ picture. Photos taken by a couple of talented photographers on the team, these pictures were to be taken into our quiet time with the Lord so he could share personal messages with each of us over the course of the week. I got this beautiful picture of a fawn under a picnic table. 
Deb, the photographer shared how she caught the pic under a picnic table and how peacefully the little deer posed for the shot.

As I looked at that precious animal I asked myself some questions: Where is its mother? Why isn’t it running away? How does it even know to look at the camera?

Then the Lord shared these keywords: vulnerable, trusting, unsteady, resting, seeing, hearing, alone, childlike.

I choose to put it with this verse because I feel a sense of trust in this little vulnerable creature. Though its limbs wobble and cannot flee, it sits at rest without fear, as if it trusts that it is safe. Those large black eyes and alert ears consider the danger, but see something else in Deb, something beyond its natural understanding. Something innocent that draws the fawn into its own calling as an object lesson for me.

Oh that I can see the Truth in my hostile or scary surroundings and rest fearlessly as a child in His arms.

Proverbs 3:5-6   Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Photo credit to Deb Jelinek

Week 25 Seeing is Believing 

I love sunlight. 
And although children like to represent sunshine with the color yellow, I know that’s not what I actually see. In actuality I cannot even see sunlight, but I can see the vibrant results of its presence. 

With the correct tool, I can indeed see the actual makeup of light. A simple glass prism helps my eyes see what I cannot by myself. As light passes through a prism it breaks up into its component parts and comes out the other side as all the colors of a rainbow. 

I love what sunlight does for my vision, but what I can’t see with my natural eyes is even more stunning.

In the same manner, the Holy Spirit of wisdom and revelation allows me to better see my Heavenly Father, His riches in me, His power and Hope. Paul thought these were important enough that he prayed that we would have spiritual eyes wide open to see them.

And so I pray that the glorious Father may give us all the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that we may know Him better. I pray that the eyes of our hearts may be enlightened in order that we may know the hope to which He has called us, the riches of his glorious inheritance in us, His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.           Ephesians 1:17-21 NIV

Week 24 Seeing is Believing

This year I have learned that if my ‘vision’ is clear my earthly experience will be full of light, but if it is not clear I will see darkness. Viewed through the wrong lens, I will see brambles instead of blackberries, offense instead of grace, fear instead of love. And I will even defend my belief that I am indeed seeing properly.

I know this is Truth, yet why don’t I see clearly?

I am still seeing through the wrong eye, distorted by beams of offense and grievance. In Luke 6:41 the Greek word for plank, log or beam is dokos. Dokos does not mean any old piece of wood and it does not mean log. It means a supporting timber. If I judge anything when I am not perceiving through light, I will judge wrongly because I support my judgment without the light of God’s Truth. My truth must be disassembled in order to see.

Jesus said if I follow Him, I will never walk in darkness. As I follow Him, I let go of old grievances against myself, others and even my Father; I tear down these supports that have defined my view of the Kingdom. But, as I follow the Light of the world, I become the light of the world. And suddenly my eye is full of light, the beam is gone and I can freely build on a foundation of Truth. Then I will be able to lovingly help others follow the Lord.

Luke 6:41-42
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you proclaim to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to help remove the speck from your brother’s eye.