Show me your glory!

Do you ever feel just absolutely stuck?

  This was me the past few months. But the funny thing is, I was stuck in an awesome season with the Father; prayer and scripture came so easily. My Secret Place with the Lord was at it's peak, yet something inside me screamed, "There's so much more to Him!!"

  I was craving a move and a shift in our relationship. I wanted to be like Peter, who's shadow healed the sick. I wanted to host the presence of the Lord so strongly, it brought people to repentance.

  So, why, Lord?

    Why am I stuck doing the same things, at the same times, and not seeing much progress?

  It took me so long to realize - I'm in this for all the wrong reasons. 

I lift my hands in worship because I feel His presence. 

I read scripture because I want to have cute underlines on every page.

I pray because I know He'll answer my requests.

  Everything was all about me. 

  I kept asking God to take me deeper, when in reality I only wanted His benefits, and not any of His glory. And God's not in the business of selfishness, lemme tell 'yah.

  I realized, this whole time, I've been completely missing the point. 

I receive revelation to GIVE revelation; not to keep in a box and show off.
We're filled to empty into others; not build our own personal spiritual Kingdom. 

So, my question to you is, are you feeding off His presence, or His glory? When the going gets tough, do you want to feel His benefits, or experience His goodness? 

To the Infinite, all finites are equal.

2 Kings 6

New Living Translation (NLT)

The Floating Ax Head

6 One day the group of prophets came to Elisha and told him, “As you can see, this place where we meet with you is too small. 2 Let’s go down to the Jordan River, where there are plenty of logs. There we can build a new place for us to meet.”

“All right,” he told them, “go ahead.”

3 “Please come with us,” someone suggested.

“I will,” he said. 4 So he went with them.

When they arrived at the Jordan, they began cutting down trees. 5 But as one of them was cutting a tree, his ax head fell into the river. “Oh, sir!” he cried. “It was a borrowed ax!”

6 “Where did it fall?” the man of God asked. When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it into the water at that spot. Then the ax head floated to the surface. 7 “Grab it,” Elisha said. And the man reached out and grabbed it.

Elisha is great, am I right?
His faith is through the roof, obviously. He wasn't thinking "Oh, goodness.. What if I pray, and look like an idiot, because the ax head doesn't come up.."He also wasn't thinking "Oh, goodness.. What if I pray, and look like an idiot, because it wasn't God's will for the ax head to come to surface..." (I am sooo convicted of this.) (By the way, if you ever feel this way, recognize it is the enemy. God 'changes His mind' often. If we declare things will happen, and we have the faith to back our declaration up, He will pour favor onto us.)

Elisha was thinking "We can't get work done without this borrowed ax head. Lemme pray about that." and THAT is what I absolutely love. 

I actually read about this story in a book I am reading, called In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day. (FANTASTIC BOOK, BY THE WAY. I can't get my nose out of it.) I am here to expand on what I got from this story, and share a few quotes from Mark Batterson, the author.

  My beautiful friend, Nicole, asked me to pray for her fingernail not to fall off, because she had slammed it in a door. 

  Of course, I was completely willing. But it got me thinking about the story of Elisha. How God poured favor out on Elisha, even when it was just simply an ax head. It wasn't a life or death situation, Elisha just wanted that darn thing back, and he knew God was willing to defy all odds, just to fulfill his request. 

See, the issue isn't our view of the situation, the issue isn't even the situation itself. The issue is our view of God.

The issue isn't that Nicole's finger was slammed in a door. She knows God is willing to answer the 'small' requests, just as He is the 'big' requests. 

As Matt Batterson says it, "To the Infinite, all finites are equal."

God doesn't look down at a woman praying for her mother with cancer, and say "Hmm.. This is a bit too difficult to do. Maybe next time." If He can split the Red Sea in TWO, He can bring healing, just like His word says!

Psalm 103:1-5 

"Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things."

There is no situation too large for our God. He made everything, and He knows everything. That means He is in CHARGE of everything. What makes you think He can't provide good things for His children?

That include all of the small things. 

God is forever. 100 years is NOTHING to Him, because He sits in a fantastic place where there is no such thing as time. 

Healing a woman with cancer is no different than healing a fingernail. 

To the infinite, all finites are equal. 

As Mark Batterson says, "We have big requests and little requests. We have 

easy requests and difficult requests. But that is a false construct. The truth is this: To the Infinite, all finites are equal. There is no big or small, easy or difficult, possible or impossible. When it comes to God, there are no degrees of difficulty. There are no odds when it comes to God. All bets are off."

Kinda puts our situations into crazy perspectives, am I right? 

Yeah, I'm right.

How do you view God?

  Before this post begins, let's take a moment to list 5 things that we are thankful for.
I mean, think deep. Do not say the obvious things, like 'family,' or 'friends.' What do you ABSOLUTELY adore, that God has blessed you with? Or things that you just appreciate?
   For instance, here are my 5 things.
      1) The way the leaves crunch under my feet as I walk
      2) The sound of a new Christian saying the name of Jesus.
      3) The peace that passes all understanding.
      4) Every line in my knuckles.
      5) A clear night sky.  Have you made your list yet?
    No?
  ....
    Okay, I can wait.
  .........
  .....
I hope you aren't continuing reading without making your list. It's important, in order to continue. You're done with the list? Awesome!
  Verbally, thank God for everything on your list. Express your thankfulness for these things out loud! Explain to our Creator WHY you are appreciative for these things.
     ( Yes, He already knows why. But that does NOT mean you can't tell Him. You may find out 
          a few things about yourself that you didn't already know. ;) ) When you're finished praying, continue reading.

How did you thank God?
-Did you say "Dear heavenly Father, I sit in your presence in utmost awe and adoration of The Most High, whom shall reign etc."  ..?
-Did you say "Dear God, Thank you SO much for blessing me. You're one awesome Creator! I wanna thank you for etc." ..?Neither way is bad! After all, we ARE praying.
Alright, look guys. I'm going to be blunt. Is that okay? Alright, cool.

 You pray to God how you view God.

Let's reflect.

  If you picture God as being the Creator of the Universe, -  the one who crafted every star, molded every mountain - If you view God as the Beginning and the End, If you are humbled by the presence of God ; You probably prayed something along the lines of the 1st prayer.
  If you view God as a loving and caring Father, the One you can run into the arms of, the One who wipes your tears and holds your face in His hands, who created every hair and wrinkle in your skin ; You probably prayed something like the 2nd prayer.
( I am not an expert, I am not a guru. I am not saying this is how it always is. )

  Different people have different personalities. Those personalities include our thoughts of God.
Some people view God as a 'human being', meaning He can laugh and understand situations.
Some people view God as a god, meaning He rules and judges.

  But what if we were to be both?
What if we didn't sound like a southern Baptist preacher using words no man knows when we pray? What if we didn't say "yo, whuttup, Jesus?"
What if we had humbleness and respect, but not to an extreme? What if we could laugh with God, and learn to see God as our Papa?

"Yo, whuttup, my man, Jesus?"
Have respect for your Saviour! You're talking to the VERY One who crafted and hand carved the lines and holes in every tree, painted each leaf with precision and perfection ; You're talking to the One who made your hair and eye color to perfection, who makes sure you make it from school/work to home safely, who knows the thought of EVERY person and thing at once, who cares for the birds in the air, and the mice in the fields.
 Yes, He is your friend. But He is NOT to be ran over. He may just flip over your tables.

"Dear precious Heavenly Father, I praise thee with thy mouth.."
'Heavenly Father'? Do you talk to your earthly father like that? So why do you talk to your Heavenly one with words you do not understand?
Stop putting up a front. Your Creator knows exactly how you are ; He MADE you to be yourself. So why do you put up a 'holy frontation' when it comes to prayer, and the ways of God?
I honor your respect for God. I appreciate the fact that you humble yourself before Him, but dude, you're over doing it. That very God you're praying to loves to hear your thoughts. He loves for you to scream, cry, laugh, smile, while praying to Him. Your emotion is what He adores, because it means you are REAL while praying.
Humble yourself before God, but treat Him like your Papa. Laugh with Him. He has shown me COUNTLESS times how humorous He really is. Believe it or not, but He actually tells me funny things, and tells me jokes... He is as real with us as we are to Him.


God treats US like WE treat God.

Trade your "thee"s and your "thou"s for "awesome" and laughter.
Trade your "yo"s and uncaringness for "Holy" and "Righteous"

Take a listen to this song, PLEASE.. It's called God by Eddie James.
 The first words are "A.W Tozer teaches us, in his book called 'The Knowledge of the Holy,' that the most important thing a Christian can do, is to think rightly about God." If those words do not give you chills, I don't know what will.
Take a listen. I will post the lyrics, as well.
You. Will. Not. Regret. It.


















God In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God
The same was in the beginning
With God all things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made
It is He who has made us and not we ourselves
For we have one God and Father of all
Who is above all, through all, and in you all
God, the Holy Ghost, spirit of truth, indwelling power
God, the Son, Jesus, the same
Yesterday, today, and forevermore

Jehovah, Yeshua, I AM, Elohim
Kadesh, He's Holy, None compares to Him
Glorious, All-Sufficient, Triumphant King
For Thy pleasure You created all things

(Rap)
Yeah, that's right we're talking about God the Creator
Talking about the Ruler of all
The I AM who created man
He's the Rock, He's the Lion and He's the Lamb
Almighty leaves Satan deceased
He's the Most High, Satan's the least
He defeated Him, He's victorious
Our God's too powerful, He's too glorious

God before the foundations of the world you were God
Before dominions, the heavens, the earth, and the angels
God before the galaxies, water, wind or the air we breathe
Nothing and no one can exist outside of Thee
For You are God
Who can counsel, advise, instruct, direct or give wisdom to God
Who has weapons or an army to wage war and defeat our God
Who has insight, who has revelation to describe the One whose ways are past finding out?

Jehovah, Yeshua, I AM, Elohim
Kadesh, He's Holy, None compares to Him
Glorious, All-Sufficient, Triumphant King
For Thy pleasure You created all things

(Rap)
Yeah, that's right He's kadesh
He's holy, He's different, yeah He's the best
Ain't no match for Him, He's on top
That's right yeah He's coming and He can't be stopped
He's unstoppable that's 'cause He's too strong and He's the boss
Overall He's over all and above everything else our God stands too tall

God The greatest insult is to take the work of one's hands and call it God
Even greater is to take the work of His hands and call it God
Provoke His jealousy, fire burning envy
Take anyone, take anything and put it in the place of the true and the living God
His glory shall not be shared with another
God, exclusive, you can have no other lovers
God wrapped in humanity, He gave His life for me
In Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily

Jehovah, Yeshua, I AM, Elohim
Kadesh, He's Holy, None compares to Him
Glorious, All-Sufficient, Triumphant King
For Thy pleasure You created all things

(Round)
God, God, God, God, You alone are God
Eyes like fire, hair like wool, feet like brass, voice of many waters
Kadesh, Holy, Sovereign, Different, voice of many waters
Holy, worthy, holy, worthy, holy, worthy

Glorious in holiness, fearful in praises
You do wonders, who is like unto You?
For You are
Glorious in holiness, fearful in praises
You do wonders, who is like unto You?
For You are

(Round)
God, God, God, God, You alone are God
Eyes like fire, hair like wool, feet like brass, voice of many waters
Kadesh, Holy, Sovereign, Different, voice of many waters
Holy, worthy, holy, worthy, holy, worthy

Glorious in holiness, fearful in praises
You do wonders, who is like unto You?
For You are

Jehovah, Yeshua, I AM, Elohim
Kadesh, He's Holy, None compares to Him
Glorious, All-Sufficient, Triumphant King
For Thy pleasure You created all things


Oh praise Jehovah, Kadesh, Yeshua
Cuz there's no other, You're God and You're Holy
Oh praise Jehovah, Kadesh Yeshua
Cuz there's no other, You're God and You're Holy
Oh praise Jehovah, Kadesh, Yeshua
Cuz there's no other, You're God and You're Holy


You're God, You're Holy
You're God and You're Holy
You're God and You're Holy
You're God and You're Holy











Stay firm, fam.
Remember, I am always here to talk. Email me at any time.

What time is it? Time for Christ.

  What is time, and why do I feel so strongly about it?

  Time is so hard to define, because of how much power it holds. Time can grow beards, time can mend a broken heart, time can get a runner from start to finish, time can raise a family. We can't take back time. The beard can't ungrow, the whole heart can't be unmended, a runner can't run from finish to start, a family can't be unraised. What is done, is done. It can't come back.

  Heaven is eternal because it rests in a place untouched by the grip of time. The angels live in a single moment that lasts for eternity. Us humans can not comprehend such a magnificent thought, because we have only known the sound of a ticking clock. We've only known the sign of wrinkles and rust. Things get used. People pass away. 

Matthew 6:19-21 

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

    On the last day of creation, God did the most magnificent thing.. He rested.
  "Yeah, wut ev. He was tired." No, you don't understand. The Creator of the Universe RESTED. He made His masterpiece, and He decided to enjoy His masterpiece by RESTING in it. This means that God placed Himself in time. The one untouched by the grip of time, touched time. And rested.. What. A. Rebel. Isn't God awesome?
  Just mere seconds hold more power than any human. Two seconds can start a heart attack, make a silence awkward, cause a car crash, produce a child, lose a game of Minute to Win It, etc.
 

  Do you understand the power of time, now? Our time is so important.. We can spend our day serving the elderly for Christ, or ganging up on a group of teenagers. The difference can be life or death when it comes Judgment day. We can use our day to sign stacked paperwork, or we can use our day giving ourselves fully to God. (I am not saying working is bad. I am saying if you put work before Christ, that time can mean Heaven or Hell.) 

  The most important and significant worship we could EVER give our Creator is our time. Our Creator invented time, so He understands how we could get sidetracked from our personal relationship with Him. That is the very reason He created it. What FULLY devoted Christian doesn't have time for their God? What bride doesn't have time for her bridegroom? What children don't have time for their father? I believe God created time to rule out the jerks who want a free ride to salvation. Like a fast food worker who wants the money, but not the effort it takes to receive the money.

   God honors our time. It only takes 5 minutes out of your 24 hours to tell God how much you love Him. How much He means to you. The more time we pour out to Him, the more favor He pours on us. We can spend 5 minutes in His presence, or 5 hours.
  You know how WONDERFUL it feels to worship God? So why don't you do it more? Why do you spend 30 seconds praying, 5 minutes reading in your Bible, and 23:55:30 preforming actions that will not benefit in your eternal life? We are all guilty of this. Christ doesn't want 5 minutes and 30 seconds. He wants our SACRIFICE of time. Not our left over time. Christ gave HIMSELF. Why can't we sacrifice that 3 hours we were going to party away? We are called to follow the way of Jesus Christ, Christians! That includes His MANY sacrifices.
   "I am too busy to pray." You are too busy NOT to pray. If you've got so much going on that you can't wake up at 5:30am and tell God how much of a blessing He is by studying the word, then you need to PRAY for time. Carve out hours - you will get your reward.

 

Psalm 39:4-5

Lord remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered - how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. my entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.

Proverbs 16:9 

We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.

 

Our personal butler and homie-g, Jesus Christ.

  A few days ago, I decided it was time to catch up on decorating my stationery for pen pal letters. I also decided I wanted to hear a recent Jentezen Franklin podcast. So I (somehow productively) did both at the same time.
It was probably the best decision I have made in a while. (Though my decision in outfits this week have been extraordinary. Just saying.)
There was a quote that really made me stop what I was doing, and instantly write it down.

"God is not our butler. God is not our buddy."

How true is this? I mean, really. God is not someone we can snap our fingers at, and say "Job, please." or "New shoes, please." God is not our buddy. He is NOT our 'homie' and He is NOT someone we call when we need a ride, or $20 dollars, or someone to cover for us when we sneak out of the house. No, no. Our GOD is not limited to what we say. He does not answer our every demand. He does not cater to our opinions. He doesn't even CARE about our personal opinions.
I REPEAT. Jesus Christ, King of Kings, Lord of Lords does NOT care about our personal opinions.
Do not get the wrong idea, family. Jesus cares for us. He loves us dearly. But Jesus is holy. He is omnipotent and omnipresent. Just because "I do not like neighbor Carl, so I won't stick $20 in his mail box" when Christ specifically told us to do so, is unacceptable. When we finally meet Christ, and He brings up this situation, what are we going to say? "I wasn't feeling it." or "You know, I didn't like his attitude.." So.. We're ignoring our CREATOR'S orders, "because we weren't feeling it?" That isn't going to cut it. Stop being absurdly selfish, pick up your cross, and follow Him.

Back on subject.

I've really been caught up in this quote.

"God is not our butler. God is not our buddy."

Geez. It's a bit intimidating. I'm looking at the letters of this quote, and it's like they keep staring me in the eyes. The letters jump off the screen and mess with my mind. "God is not our butler. God is not our buddy."

God is not our butler.

I'll say "Hey, Dad. You love me, right? There's this REALLY awesome guitar this guy wants to trade on Facebook Swap, and since you love me, and all, I was kinda hoping you would let this guy want to trade his really cool guitar, for my much cheaper one.. I love you.. bye." and just expect God to do it for me.
 

But, the funny thing is, He answered my prayer. Just, not in the way I was expecting.
 

See, a few hours later, I looked at the post and DECLINED the guitar. My heart didn't want it. My heart was completely satisfied with the guitars I currently have. I don't need, and can not afford, a brand new guitar. I do not mean money wise, I mean spiritual wise.

I believe, if God would have answered my prayer, He would have become more and more like my butler; answering my every demand just because I ask Him. Isn't it funny how it should be the other way around? Aren't the servants supposed to cater to the one who signs the pay check? Aren't the created supposed to cater to the creator? Yet, we can not complete a simple task that He asks for, because we are "too busy" or "don't feel like it." Bologna, family. And yet, we're all guilty of it.

Why are we so needy? Why do we continuously beg and plead God for worldly treasures? Doesn't He teach us to store our treasures in Heaven, where moth nor rust destroy? Simple answer - Because we view God as our personal butler. It's like, instead of asking Christ to be our personal Savior, our Lord and Savior, we ask for Him to become our personal butler, our Lord and butler, but mostly just our butler. No Lord involved, until we get what we want. Isn't that great? (Sarcasm intended.) What are we, worldly?

 

 Romans 7:14-25  

   So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is the sin living in me that does it.

  And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can't. I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it's sin living in me that does it.  

  I have discovered this principle of life - that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God's law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. 

Romans 8:5-6

Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.

 

 

Please, read every bit of those verses. Read them twice. Mark them in your personal Bible.
Not sure where those verses tie in with this .. If you find out, let me know. But seriously, I just love those verses.

anyways..

Family, let's not be so needy.. Let's not beg Christ for things, yet, get upset when we don't get the answer we want. Let's learn to trust in His steadfast love. His burning desire to capture our filthy hearts. His longing for fulfillment in Him. He wants nothing but the best for us. Can we learn to believe that?

 Matthew 6:31-34
 "So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today."

 

God is not our butler.

God is not our buddy.
How often do we see shirts or posts that say "Jesus is my homie." or "Me and Jesus are tight" (I am not talking about the Jesus Is My Homeboy shirts. I understand the story behind that.) at first, I was like "Oh, that's cool! Reppin' my man J-e-z." But I got to thinking.. How disrespectful. God isn't our "buddy"..
I looked up the word "buddy" on urban dictionary, and here is what the definition says.

Buddy - friend, pal, compatriot, someone you don't know the name of, someone you don't want to tell the name of

"Someone you don't want to tell the name of" .. Does that not get your blood boiling?
But notice the part that says "Someone you don't know the name of."
What if - someone notices their blessings. Someone understands the earth wasn't merely created by mistake. Someone wants to know more, CRAVES to learn more. But has no access to more.
 Jesus Christ is their buddy. He is there, while they are left unknowingly, in their presence.

God isn't our buddy. We aren't ashamed to call on the name of Jesus in a public area. We aren't afraid to tell our family about the precious blood of Christ.
God isn't our buddy. We are past the place of learning His name. We are past the unknowingness.
God isn't our buddy.



Rest easy, family.