THE UPRISING

The blessings that are promised for obedience to God can not be acquired through any other means except through obedience. Apart from obedience, they can not be acquired through prayer, through  

 fasting, through declaring nor proclaiming in faith-filled confession. They can only be acquired through obedience.  Do we fill our prayer time making requests for that which only obedience can release to us? Are we asking for that which is not rightfully ours to have?  If some of the blessings we desire are indeed in sync with us having met the covenant conditions, then by all means we should be heard praying both in faith & with fervency for them to be released to us.  But until then, perhaps our time is better spent first asking for the heart & grace to obey, rather than first asking for the rewards of the obediences we have not yet accomplished.

The love of God is unconditional - The covenent promises of God are not.      

             Grace & mercy are unconditionally ours for the asking...

                                  Intimacy with God is not.   

              Intimacy with God is not given by merely asking for it,

                         but also by intentionally cultivating it.

 

Before much more talk of Christ in your life,

much more talk of you in His Life.

Some things about Himself which God wants us most to find,

 He hides to be found only by those, ya know,

who count Him worthy of diligent seeking.

The line does not go... "Want & you shall find";

It goes... "Seek & you shall find".

Most of the time when the word fear is attached to a proverb, psalm, or commandment about God, it is not referring to terror or intimidation, or being really, really scared of Him. But instead, to reverence.

Fear: respect. reverence. honor. awe.

The fear of the Lord helps you consider your choices not just in the light of God's unconditional love & unfailing grace, but also in the light of what honors & dishonors Him. 

This kind of fear is a very specific aspect of the way God wants to be loved.  

Affection between you & God reminds you that you have His heart.
Fear reminds you that you wear His name.
Affection reminds you you are His child.
Fear reminds you you are not an island. 
Affection reminds you that you can climb in His lap, be completey authentic, & encounter grace.
Fear reminds you that your obedience or disobedience effects God & has ramifications in how the world perceives God.

A man careful to obey God, not because he is afraid of the consequences to himself, but because he is aware of the worthiness of God & the consequences to God, His kingdom, His purposes, His name, this man rightly fears the Lord.

Standing toe to toe with my defections & affections & demons & deadlines - writing love notes & suicide notes which convey that i'm in the freedom of a continual farewell - Inside the gates of God's kingdom & inside the grit of the city's bustle, there i am & there i go.... heading up toward that Galatians 2:20 ledge above while trying to put this crazy good love to practical good use below... Yeah, it's good here. It's very good here. It's finger-licking, foot-washing good here.

 

 

 

more than i want my life, i want Yours

more than i want provision for my journey,

i want the Instigator of it.

more than i want Your solutions,

i want Your heart.

more than i want something f-r-o-m You,

i want something w-i-t-h You.

 

A friend of mine preached at church recently, & during the altar-call  he went up front,  prayed for himself,  and got saved.

recent morning devotions

& meditations

consist of impaling myself on

this thing called LOVE,

till I'm recognized

only by the blood stain

& the permanent scar

that has courage, humility,

healing, & joy

as its testimony.

Chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it. ~Colossians 3:12-14(MSG)

 

Most live a life too fast or too unfasted for time immersed in God's own words.

it's all up for grabs - all of it.
take what You want.
keep what Ya need.
counsel like it's going outta style while
opening up my deaf ears to hear every word.