Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Post from August 2004
Part of what I wanted to do with this blog is post some e-mails that I sent out in bulk over the years to friends, family, and acquaintances. This was from August 2004 before I moved from San Antonio, TX back to Holden, MA where I currently live. Much has changed since then. My debt is at about $4000.00 and I start my first full time job with benefits since I lost my job in January 2004. I have worked many part-time and temp jobs since then but nothing with benefits. The way has still been hard but I have been taken care of and I can honestly say I have shared in some of the sufferings of Christ for Righteousness sake over the past year. A little less worry would have taken me a long way through the times of trouble.
E-mail from Late August 2004:
It’s been brought to my attention that I haven’t sent out any e-mails lately. I’ve thought about that and I know why that is the case. For quite some time (since I moved back to Texas in February) I have been undergoing a spiritual awakening and healing. I have experienced amazing power, comfort, and healing (spiritually and of the heart) from the Lord more in the past 6 months than in the past 13 years combined. It was easy for me to talk about such things, including the painful trials of tears that I was undergoing because they always led to more freedom and healing than I could have imagined. My heart was awakening and the times of joy and fellowship I had with the Lord were what I had been looking for. I knew I was on the path less traveled and it was leading to an “abundant life”. How could someone not talk about such blessings? Lately, it has not been so abundant, in my soul the dark clouds have rolled in, and the periods of sun are only as if the random ray of light breaking through the storm clouds that thicken overhead. My joy is sporadic at best and sadness and confusion are often my lot. Even physical pain have entered the picture in which my back is now worse that it’s been in over 4 years, I’ve also added a knee injury to the equation that makes it painful to go on my hikes through the woods where I would spend time with God in conversation, thought, meditation, and prayer. What I believed would be taken care of with a job to be able to pay my bills, has not happened, and now I am at the point of moving back home to Massachusetts where at least I can live rent free with family until I get a job and start paying back my debt. (Which in all honesty is about $15,0000, $5000 in personal loans, $5000 in credit, and $5000 (of disputable debt) to the IRS, I hate to admit all this but it’s true, between selling my car and cashing out my 401K I can pay back most of this, but I cannot get at my 401K because of issues I will not go into here, and my car has not sold yet, and it seems I may need it to move.) I am not looking for sympathy or help financially; I have put myself in this position because of poor money management when I was making more money than I could spend, and I also made some quick and foolish decisions with a tax accountant. I also would have been back to work already had I not had drug addiction in my past. I also have had the best summer of my life and enjoyed many of the benefits of all the travel I had done with my previous job to include free rental cars, hotel rooms, and airline tickets domestic and international. I have been to Israel, Abilene, Knoxville, Massachusetts several times, Hampton Roads, Jacksonville, and lastly the Grand Canyon. And because of so much hospitality from friends and family, and frequent flyer benefits, the cost of all of this was about $2000.00, the biggest cost being gasoline for the autos and hotels in Israel. To me that is pretty amazing and I am truly blessed and thankful.
I had a few people over last night and one of the verses in Scripture was 2 Corinthians 1:3-7:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
I began to ponder the verse and think “What are my afflictions that I have been comforted in so that I can share that comfort with others.” The first thing that pops to mind is that most of my troubles if not all were of my own making. They were not afflictions brought on because of my faithfulness to Christ but rather my disobedience. Even drug addiction, Hepatitus C, and the one year miserable treatment I underwent last year for Hepatitis was brought on not because of persecution and afflictions but rather wild living, sexual immorality, and drug and alcohol abuse. Now I can testify about God’s mercy that he has shown me to even be able to write this letter (I should be dead), the forgiveness that has been given me, a clear conscience before God and man, and even the healing (my latest blood test shows no traces of the virus in my blood, Yeah!), but I have not even begun to know what it’s like to suffer for righteousness. Even my current struggles, are rooted in my past disobedience, even my back pain has a deviant story to it that I have told only a few trusted brothers. Now I will admit that many of my struggles, trials, and temptations were brought about by deception, lies, and trickery of the enemy, ignorance on my part, and a lack of any form of Godly upbringing; my childhood was not my fault, but as an adult I am responsible for own actions. God has healed and is healing my past, he has bound wounds of my heart that were very painful to venture into and given me a hope for a future I could never imagine. I think it’s time just to be Thankful for his Mercy, grace, and wonder and put off my temporary struggles, move back home (Lord willing), and get on with life.
I do not know where the road I am on now leads. I do not know how I will get out of debt. I do not know how or if my back will get better. I do not know where or when I will go back to work. I have more “I don’t know’s” than you can imagine, but I do know that I have been forgiven, am loved, and that the Lord has good plans for me, and maybe I can take rest in that “just for today!”
Matthew 6:25-34 ESV "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Or as verse 34 reads from the NIV:
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
E-mail from Late August 2004:
It’s been brought to my attention that I haven’t sent out any e-mails lately. I’ve thought about that and I know why that is the case. For quite some time (since I moved back to Texas in February) I have been undergoing a spiritual awakening and healing. I have experienced amazing power, comfort, and healing (spiritually and of the heart) from the Lord more in the past 6 months than in the past 13 years combined. It was easy for me to talk about such things, including the painful trials of tears that I was undergoing because they always led to more freedom and healing than I could have imagined. My heart was awakening and the times of joy and fellowship I had with the Lord were what I had been looking for. I knew I was on the path less traveled and it was leading to an “abundant life”. How could someone not talk about such blessings? Lately, it has not been so abundant, in my soul the dark clouds have rolled in, and the periods of sun are only as if the random ray of light breaking through the storm clouds that thicken overhead. My joy is sporadic at best and sadness and confusion are often my lot. Even physical pain have entered the picture in which my back is now worse that it’s been in over 4 years, I’ve also added a knee injury to the equation that makes it painful to go on my hikes through the woods where I would spend time with God in conversation, thought, meditation, and prayer. What I believed would be taken care of with a job to be able to pay my bills, has not happened, and now I am at the point of moving back home to Massachusetts where at least I can live rent free with family until I get a job and start paying back my debt. (Which in all honesty is about $15,0000, $5000 in personal loans, $5000 in credit, and $5000 (of disputable debt) to the IRS, I hate to admit all this but it’s true, between selling my car and cashing out my 401K I can pay back most of this, but I cannot get at my 401K because of issues I will not go into here, and my car has not sold yet, and it seems I may need it to move.) I am not looking for sympathy or help financially; I have put myself in this position because of poor money management when I was making more money than I could spend, and I also made some quick and foolish decisions with a tax accountant. I also would have been back to work already had I not had drug addiction in my past. I also have had the best summer of my life and enjoyed many of the benefits of all the travel I had done with my previous job to include free rental cars, hotel rooms, and airline tickets domestic and international. I have been to Israel, Abilene, Knoxville, Massachusetts several times, Hampton Roads, Jacksonville, and lastly the Grand Canyon. And because of so much hospitality from friends and family, and frequent flyer benefits, the cost of all of this was about $2000.00, the biggest cost being gasoline for the autos and hotels in Israel. To me that is pretty amazing and I am truly blessed and thankful.
I had a few people over last night and one of the verses in Scripture was 2 Corinthians 1:3-7:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
I began to ponder the verse and think “What are my afflictions that I have been comforted in so that I can share that comfort with others.” The first thing that pops to mind is that most of my troubles if not all were of my own making. They were not afflictions brought on because of my faithfulness to Christ but rather my disobedience. Even drug addiction, Hepatitus C, and the one year miserable treatment I underwent last year for Hepatitis was brought on not because of persecution and afflictions but rather wild living, sexual immorality, and drug and alcohol abuse. Now I can testify about God’s mercy that he has shown me to even be able to write this letter (I should be dead), the forgiveness that has been given me, a clear conscience before God and man, and even the healing (my latest blood test shows no traces of the virus in my blood, Yeah!), but I have not even begun to know what it’s like to suffer for righteousness. Even my current struggles, are rooted in my past disobedience, even my back pain has a deviant story to it that I have told only a few trusted brothers. Now I will admit that many of my struggles, trials, and temptations were brought about by deception, lies, and trickery of the enemy, ignorance on my part, and a lack of any form of Godly upbringing; my childhood was not my fault, but as an adult I am responsible for own actions. God has healed and is healing my past, he has bound wounds of my heart that were very painful to venture into and given me a hope for a future I could never imagine. I think it’s time just to be Thankful for his Mercy, grace, and wonder and put off my temporary struggles, move back home (Lord willing), and get on with life.
I do not know where the road I am on now leads. I do not know how I will get out of debt. I do not know how or if my back will get better. I do not know where or when I will go back to work. I have more “I don’t know’s” than you can imagine, but I do know that I have been forgiven, am loved, and that the Lord has good plans for me, and maybe I can take rest in that “just for today!”
Matthew 6:25-34 ESV "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Or as verse 34 reads from the NIV:
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Monday, February 20, 2006
Lessons learned...
My older brother and myself have been trying to put on an Alpha course for new believers and seekers of the gospel. Alpha was designed at Trinity Brompton in England and has been used all over the world to teach a foundation to Christianinty. He had conducted several at his home already and seen many new believers come to faith and be baptized. We have both left the church we were attending and have been visiting another and are not completely plugged in, but it was decided to have another Alpha class at his home. It has not been easy. It's amazing the excuses people use to back out of anyhting that could bring them closer to God even after commiting themselves to go. Anyway this past Sunday we were to meet again and a friend of mine who said he would go was supposed to attend. I had made alternate plans (since I am part of another group that meets every other Sunday) and couldn't attend so I called him to let him know. Immediately his response was then he probably wouldn't go either. Through a "twist" of fate I mentioned how my brother, whom he grew up with, would be there and a few other tidbits of information that may make him more comfortable to the surroundings. After this I said, "so if you could find the Courage to attend you would be well rewarded." As soon as the word Courage was mentioned, all changed. Of course he had he Courage and so he went and was blessed. I pondered this and from reading "Wild at Heart" by John Eldredge I realized that if you want to get a man to do God's will apeal to their courage and they'll have a much harder time saying No. What man wants to be considered a coward? Bravery, strength, courage, the longings of the heart of man and the qualities so seldom seen in today's churches. Even my brother Dave doesn't want to become a Christian since most of the "men" he sees at church have a rather effeminate and passive disposition. But was Jesus like this, the apostles? No they took the world on and spoke the truth even to the point of death. They stood up, addressed crowds when not asked to, said the most politically incorrect teachings of their time and many wanted to rid the earth of them. Their mission was not for the faint hearted and neither is ours. If men, including myself, could rise above this "Mr. Roger's" type Jesus and see him for who he is, it would change the world. He drove out the money changers without permission, told parables about the leaders that offended them and made them want to kill him. He never appologized for who He was and made no concession to the enemy to appease him. He touched the untouchable, loved the unloveable, and constantly embarrased his followers. He always spoke his mind and was completly fearless as to the opinions of others. How many Christian men do you know like that today? Would you want to be one of them?
Monday, February 06, 2006
Walk with me...
Walk with me…
Of ten I tell of my own experiences but today I thought I start with one that was told to me by a Christian brother in Texas. He was sharing about how for a difficult period of time in his life he would wake up early to pray, study his Bible, and seek the Lord. This went on for many months and during that time the Lord took him through some situations that he had no clue as to how to solve, but the Lord was faithful and brought him safely through them all, and he knew it was the hand of God that carried him through. After the course of time, he stopped his morning fellowships and went back to a typical lifestyle we see so much of in the church today. A prayer here and there, some fellowship, church service, a praise now and then, but no more devoted daily time with the Lord. Again after some time had gone by he began his devoted times in the morning. The day he began again, he heard God say to him 3 simple words. In all the time he has told the story no one has ever guessed the heart of God in this matter, and even I want to keep you in suspense to try to figure out what was said for it reveals the Divine Heart of God in a way we have completely missed in our churches and fellowships today.
The thoughts of a quiet time with the Lord each morning may bring you to say. Great that’s all I need is another “thing to do” to be devoted to God. You are already busy enough and how could you possibly fit another 20 minutes to an hour or so to daily seek the Lord before all else in this crazy world. We have wives, husbands, children, jobs, friends, hobbies, church, bible studies, conferences, exercise, school, and the list goes on. But yet we know we are not satisfied in all of these things to do. Could there be something missing? Have we completely missed the heart of God in these matters? Many of us have an aching in our hearts that says something in terribly wrong. It may just be a hunch that something is not quite right but we can never put our finger on it. I’m going to church, reading my Bible, praying, and yet I still haven’t discovered this “abundant life” that the Lord has promised us. “I came to give them life and to have it to the full” (John 10:10). We give lip service to the “personal relationship with Jesus” yet we know we have tasted little of the storerooms of heavenly blessing that he wants to pour out on us. We get a little here and a little there but never these “rivers of living water flowing out of our hearts” (John 7:38) He talking rivers, or from some translations streams, but never spurts now and then.
We have become more like the children of Israel that Isaiah prophesied about:
For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule ; a little here, a little there.
Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people, to whom he said, "This is the resting place, let the weary rest"; and, "This is the place of repose"-- but they would not listen.
So then, the word of the LORD to them will become: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there-- so that they will go and fall backward, be injured and snared and captured. – Isaiah 28:10-13 (NIV)
Notice the Lord’s message, a resting place and a place of repose. Not being the literary scholar I had to get out my American Heritage dictionary to understand repose – 1. The act of resting or the state of being at rest. 2. Freedom from worry, peace of mind. 3. Calmness, tranquility
This sounds a little like the words of Jesus: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." – Matthew 11:28-30
So what is the end of those whom the word of the Lord has become burdensome with do and do, rule on rule, a little here, a little there. They will fall backward, be injured, snared, and taken into captivity. Not the promise from God I’m looking for.
So if your thinking that a suggestion for a daily quiet time with the Lord is more of a burden then you may have some soul searching to do and I cannot help you with a mere letter, it may be time to stop what you are doing and find the Jesus that the Bible talks about rather than what you have perceived Him to be. But may I suggest that the Lord really wants to be First in your life, above all else, a treasure that value is immeasurable. Not just an afterthought after a busy day, or a quick prayer before hopping in the car to go to work. Could it be the daily laying down of our burdens and filling ourselves first with Him will allow the daily troubles to be easier, lighter, and allow us to able to rest in Him.
I have little authority to speak on these matters for now it’s been 8 days since I started this new pilgrimage. For me one of my closest times of communion with the Lord is going outside, often in the woods, or hiking, just walking and talking with the Creator of the Universe. So that is what I have been doing. I think this is different for everyone and each must find the way to be filled in His presence each day. For we cannot give was has not be given to us. Recently I met with two men in search of deliverance from some demonic strongholds in my life that kept resurfacing and keeping me from hearing from the Lord. After much talk eventually they laid hands on me and prayed for me. I was given a prophetic message from one of the men and a book “God Calling” from the other after all had been said and done. I have so longed to hear God speak to me, regularly, for I am really not sure what I am doing, or where I am going at this time in my life. There was more to the prophetic message but the end of it was:
Walk with Me. Know Me. Delight in Me.
And I will speak to you.
Your destiny will unfold before your eyes and it will be good and one that befits a man.
I pondered this for several days for I figured if I knew how to walk with Him, Know Him, and Delight in Him then He would speak. But truth is I did not know how to do that. I also tried to read the book that was given to me. I would read and quickly forget what was written with no effect. So after the 3rd day I decided the only way I know how to Walk with Him is through my times in the woods or the walks and hikes I’d take now and then communing with Him. But it was never a daily occurrence just when I had some free time. I thought maybe a daily walk, before all else, would unlock this door. The very 1st day after coming back from my walk, I picked up the book “God Calling” that was given me, and behold it was treasure before my very eyes. What was once worthless and invaluable had become priceless. Sometimes I walk long, sometimes short, sometimes left, sometimes right, but the daily communion is starting to light a path that I had not seen. Some days, just small talk, other days deep revelation, today I was brought to my knees in tears with the morning star shining just before the dawn. I never know what is next but I’m starting to believe there is much more to a daily morning devotion then I could have ever imagined. Just maybe Jesus was on to something when he retreated to lonely places (Luke 5:16) and mountainsides (Matthew 14:23, Luke 6:12) to pray...
So now let us return to my earlier story about my friend who started a quiet time with the Lord each morning, then stopped, only to return again. Had you guessed the three words the Lord spoke to him when he returned? Maybe “I love you”? No, that would be too easy. Go even deeper, what would you say to a friend or loved one you hadn’t seen or spoken to in a while? Three simple words that reveal a secret part of the Divine Heart of God that we so often overlook. The Three words are...
…I missed you.
Of ten I tell of my own experiences but today I thought I start with one that was told to me by a Christian brother in Texas. He was sharing about how for a difficult period of time in his life he would wake up early to pray, study his Bible, and seek the Lord. This went on for many months and during that time the Lord took him through some situations that he had no clue as to how to solve, but the Lord was faithful and brought him safely through them all, and he knew it was the hand of God that carried him through. After the course of time, he stopped his morning fellowships and went back to a typical lifestyle we see so much of in the church today. A prayer here and there, some fellowship, church service, a praise now and then, but no more devoted daily time with the Lord. Again after some time had gone by he began his devoted times in the morning. The day he began again, he heard God say to him 3 simple words. In all the time he has told the story no one has ever guessed the heart of God in this matter, and even I want to keep you in suspense to try to figure out what was said for it reveals the Divine Heart of God in a way we have completely missed in our churches and fellowships today.
The thoughts of a quiet time with the Lord each morning may bring you to say. Great that’s all I need is another “thing to do” to be devoted to God. You are already busy enough and how could you possibly fit another 20 minutes to an hour or so to daily seek the Lord before all else in this crazy world. We have wives, husbands, children, jobs, friends, hobbies, church, bible studies, conferences, exercise, school, and the list goes on. But yet we know we are not satisfied in all of these things to do. Could there be something missing? Have we completely missed the heart of God in these matters? Many of us have an aching in our hearts that says something in terribly wrong. It may just be a hunch that something is not quite right but we can never put our finger on it. I’m going to church, reading my Bible, praying, and yet I still haven’t discovered this “abundant life” that the Lord has promised us. “I came to give them life and to have it to the full” (John 10:10). We give lip service to the “personal relationship with Jesus” yet we know we have tasted little of the storerooms of heavenly blessing that he wants to pour out on us. We get a little here and a little there but never these “rivers of living water flowing out of our hearts” (John 7:38) He talking rivers, or from some translations streams, but never spurts now and then.
We have become more like the children of Israel that Isaiah prophesied about:
For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule ; a little here, a little there.
Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people, to whom he said, "This is the resting place, let the weary rest"; and, "This is the place of repose"-- but they would not listen.
So then, the word of the LORD to them will become: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there-- so that they will go and fall backward, be injured and snared and captured. – Isaiah 28:10-13 (NIV)
Notice the Lord’s message, a resting place and a place of repose. Not being the literary scholar I had to get out my American Heritage dictionary to understand repose – 1. The act of resting or the state of being at rest. 2. Freedom from worry, peace of mind. 3. Calmness, tranquility
This sounds a little like the words of Jesus: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." – Matthew 11:28-30
So what is the end of those whom the word of the Lord has become burdensome with do and do, rule on rule, a little here, a little there. They will fall backward, be injured, snared, and taken into captivity. Not the promise from God I’m looking for.
So if your thinking that a suggestion for a daily quiet time with the Lord is more of a burden then you may have some soul searching to do and I cannot help you with a mere letter, it may be time to stop what you are doing and find the Jesus that the Bible talks about rather than what you have perceived Him to be. But may I suggest that the Lord really wants to be First in your life, above all else, a treasure that value is immeasurable. Not just an afterthought after a busy day, or a quick prayer before hopping in the car to go to work. Could it be the daily laying down of our burdens and filling ourselves first with Him will allow the daily troubles to be easier, lighter, and allow us to able to rest in Him.
I have little authority to speak on these matters for now it’s been 8 days since I started this new pilgrimage. For me one of my closest times of communion with the Lord is going outside, often in the woods, or hiking, just walking and talking with the Creator of the Universe. So that is what I have been doing. I think this is different for everyone and each must find the way to be filled in His presence each day. For we cannot give was has not be given to us. Recently I met with two men in search of deliverance from some demonic strongholds in my life that kept resurfacing and keeping me from hearing from the Lord. After much talk eventually they laid hands on me and prayed for me. I was given a prophetic message from one of the men and a book “God Calling” from the other after all had been said and done. I have so longed to hear God speak to me, regularly, for I am really not sure what I am doing, or where I am going at this time in my life. There was more to the prophetic message but the end of it was:
Walk with Me. Know Me. Delight in Me.
And I will speak to you.
Your destiny will unfold before your eyes and it will be good and one that befits a man.
I pondered this for several days for I figured if I knew how to walk with Him, Know Him, and Delight in Him then He would speak. But truth is I did not know how to do that. I also tried to read the book that was given to me. I would read and quickly forget what was written with no effect. So after the 3rd day I decided the only way I know how to Walk with Him is through my times in the woods or the walks and hikes I’d take now and then communing with Him. But it was never a daily occurrence just when I had some free time. I thought maybe a daily walk, before all else, would unlock this door. The very 1st day after coming back from my walk, I picked up the book “God Calling” that was given me, and behold it was treasure before my very eyes. What was once worthless and invaluable had become priceless. Sometimes I walk long, sometimes short, sometimes left, sometimes right, but the daily communion is starting to light a path that I had not seen. Some days, just small talk, other days deep revelation, today I was brought to my knees in tears with the morning star shining just before the dawn. I never know what is next but I’m starting to believe there is much more to a daily morning devotion then I could have ever imagined. Just maybe Jesus was on to something when he retreated to lonely places (Luke 5:16) and mountainsides (Matthew 14:23, Luke 6:12) to pray...
So now let us return to my earlier story about my friend who started a quiet time with the Lord each morning, then stopped, only to return again. Had you guessed the three words the Lord spoke to him when he returned? Maybe “I love you”? No, that would be too easy. Go even deeper, what would you say to a friend or loved one you hadn’t seen or spoken to in a while? Three simple words that reveal a secret part of the Divine Heart of God that we so often overlook. The Three words are...
…I missed you.
