Deep Wells

“"For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water.”

Jeremiah 2:13 NASB

http://bible.com/100/jer.2.13.nasb

Most of the time we see sin as the problem. But it's not. Sin is the solution. We had a problem, and we solved it our own way. 

Beginning with Adam and Eve, we've sought to solve our problems ourselves. We are trying to be like God without God. But we can't. It's a long, slow death, because we were designed to be connected to Him. 

I'd always been taught that my sin made God pull away from me. That's a lie. Nothing can separate me from the love of God. What can happen is that I let my shame or my pride make ME pull away. It's like potty training a toddler that doesn't want to poop in the potty. You realize you haven't heard he or she in quite a while, and you know they are somewhere hidden, pooping. It's not the poop that separated you from them, it was their realization about the poop. ☺️

Don't hide with your poop. Don't focus on it. Just bring it to God and flush it. Nothing separates us from Him. Nothing. We can come boldly before the throne of grace and talk to our Daddy. And nothing satisfies like Him. There's more to be had. Always more. Further up and further in. 

https://youtu.be/KcJaKj45QGA

Between Your Ears

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.”

Romans 12:2-3 NASB

http://bible.com/100/rom.12.2-3.nasb

I love how the verse that talks about renewing our mind precedes the verse in how to think of ourselves. Isn't it funny that it says not to think more highly than we ought to think, but it doesn't say what we ought to think? 😆 God wants to talk to you about you in your relationship with him. He wants you to learn to use the mind of Christ. I say use, because we all have it and most of us don't employ it. We still think with bitterness, unforgiveness, rejection, fear, worry. When we try to solve life with ourselves as the solution, we miss the mark. That's what sin is; missing the mark. We can't fix ourselves; we have to die. 

The Holy Spirit wants to teach you how to think. I love how Graham Cooke says, "If the thought you're thinking isn't working for you, have another thought!"

When we start aligning our thoughts with His, the fruit of the spirit doesn't grow up funky. Lol. We had a barn when I was young that we stored potatoes in. Some rolled under their racks and hibernated. Then they'd sprout but look really weird; long, pale and alien-like. That's us with an unrenewed mind. 

God never used the term 'wretched sinner' to refer to us. Those are our words, and they are wrong. God came as the son of man to die for His creation. He feels passionately about us. He alone decides our worth, and we were worth it. 

Bill Johnson says, "I can't afford to have a thought in my head about myself that isn't His." 

What would happen if we began to think like Jesus, and see ourselves as He sees us? 

The One and Only

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."”

John 13:34-35 NASB

http://bible.com/100/jhn.13.34-35.nasb

This is really the only commandment Jesus gave us. In the Old Covenant there were Ten Commandments, of course compounded by many more rules. In the New Covenant there is this one. If you want a further description of what it means to love each other, read 1 Cor 13. It's not there to just be quoted at weddings. 😆 It's 11pm right now and I've committed to writing a daily devotional. That's love. I think. ☺️

You can't love without being loved first. It's impossible. Fortunately God foresaw this; We love Him because He first loved us. 

Most of us live with an idea of love, but not an encounter with the God of Love. Philosophy and brain farts can't get us there. We need to have heaven meet earth like a sloppy wet kiss in our hearts. Then again and again until we overflow. 

The church hasn't been known for Her love. Let's change that. ❤️

Rednecks and Jesus

“Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.”

Acts 4:13 NASB

http://bible.com/100/act.4.13.nasb

Peter and John were fishermen. They didn't go to seminary. They weren't cultured. They were basically rednecks. I've met rednecks in upstate New York, Long Island and Connecticut. I've met rednecks in the south, where everyone expects them to be. They are fun people...and they definitely have culture; redneck culture. Lol. They value fish fries, family and a good beer. The closest to philosophy they come to is, 'Here's your Sign'. (A redneck commentary on stupidity) 😅

The people listening to Peter and John were aware of their background as fishermen. Which was in stark contrast to their confidence, authority and the content of their message. At the end of this verse they realized what has transformed them; they had been with Jesus. 

Being with Jesus had transformed them as men. Their identity and mission and presence had been irrevocably changed. 

I've read a lot of books, listened to a lot of sermons, studied a lot of things. But what has marked me is my time spent with Him. Time in His presence, reading the Word, and learning to hear His voice. 

The person I am today is unrecognizable from the girl that first said yes. He's a friend. He's a Father. He's a lover. And He wanted me. 

He wants you. At this moment, He wants to hang out with you. He likes you. He sees the you you've never even conceived of. He sees you whole, walking in power and authority. A redneck that has been with Jesus. 

“" Who is this coming up from the wilderness Leaning on her beloved?" 

Song of Solomon 8:5 NASB

http://bible.com/100/sng.8.5.nasb

Profit

Again awake in the wee hours last night. Here's the verse that spoke. 

“Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, Who leads you in the way you should go.”

Isaiah 48:17 NASB

What is profit? Well, in a strictly economical sense, it is the money you make after you pay off your initial investment and your overhead. Like product and salaries. If there is no profit, the business will fail. 

I read this verse last night and I felt such a strength in God's tone. Ownership. Fathership. "You are mine. I will lead you. You can trust me. I will teach you to live an abundant life." 

There is no profit in meager possibilities. It behooves us nothing to live in lack. Even more, it behooves others nothing for us as believers to live in lack. Fiscally, lack of character, lack of love. We will fail if we don't have more than enough; enough to spill it onto others. Profit. 

It's said that hurt people hurt people. The opposite is also true. Healed people heal people. Freed people free people. Blessed people bless people. FORGIVEN PEOPLE FORGIVE PEOPLE. 

That last one is so important. I see so little grace and love is in the world. If the Church truly knew how much she is forgiven and loved, how could we impact the world? 

The goodness of God is waiting on us.  😊❤️

What's At The End?

I grew up thinking that when I got to heaven, all my life would be played before everyone. Like a movie. All my actions, attitudes and expressions revealed before everyone. Then God would judge me. 

But it says in John that those who believe will not be judged...that is, condemned. 

“For God did not send His Son to the world that he may judge the world, but that the world may be saved through him; he who is believing in him is not judged, but he who is not believing hath been judged already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

John 3:17-18 YLT98

http://bible.com/821/jhn.3.17-18.ylt98

There will be a Great White Throne Judgement, but we will not be judged based on our unrighteousness, but our righteousness. Remember, Jesus is our righteousness. I heard a great description of this recently. Instead of a movie screen, our our life will be before us and a fire will burn it. The wasted time, immaturity, wrong actions and attitudes will be burned away like chaff, and what remains; what we did out of relationship Him...that is what will remain. The jewels on our crown. 

I like this example in that it is based on Jesus, not on fear and shame. "You better act right or we will see it on your movie!" Lol. 

This takes all the fear out of my relationship with Jesus. I get to pursue Him, be pursued by Him, and watch my heart grow in love. This is a good good life. ❤️❤️❤️

Parenting, A Measure

"Parenting isn't measured so much by what you do, as by who you are." My husband sent me that quote early this morning. I find this scary true, or excitingly true.

Children happen. One day I woke up and I was a mother. How do I do this thing called mothering? I felt prepared. I knew how to change diapers, dry tears, schedule naptime. I'd say the first few years were easy...considering. Then one day I woke up and realized I'd made people. That was a shock. Little minds, little hearts.

I look back over the last twelve years and I know that it's been a mess. Life was a mess, and so was my parenting. I was so busy trying to put myself together that I had nothing left to sow into my kids. That's the blessing and curse of generations.

God created family for blessing. It's an organism that passes down amazing things from one generation to the next. The consecutive generations should never have to rebuild what the first started. But, as with everything he touches, the enemy came to steal, kill and destroy. What was created for exponential glory could be circumvented for exponential devastation. A very large percentage of us come from broken and unhealthy families. What kind of parenting does this foster? More brokenness.

I look back over the last twelve years and I see Jesus. Always there, waiting to love me. Heal me. Put me together. He is always faithful and kind. I see myself with grace. In the Old Testament Sarah was described as mocking God when she was told she'd have a baby in her old age. In the New Testament she's described as the one who counted Him faithful. That's the beauty of the Cross. We aren't alone. We can be grafted into the Family that has no beginning and no end. God enjoyed Family so much that He recreated it. That's us. If we want it. I don't come from brokenness. I come from Wholeness. I am infinitely loved.

A good man or woman gives an inheritance to their children's children. I want to give so much more than just a financial blessing to my family line. I want to give peace, hope, joy, faithfulness, kindness, gentleness. Love. That's the Measure of God. Filled and Overflowing.