Do Not Weep, My Soul

Do not weep, my soul
For that which 
You may not have.
'Twas was never
Your portion
To be known.
Look into tomorrow
And see the 
Shoots of grass,
For they are the seeds
You have sown.
 
Though you may never
Feel the blades
Gently beneath your feet,
Take courage and know
Their roots are strong,
And their fruit is sweet.
 
Silently you walk alone,
With seeds and water 
In your hands.
Steady your gaze,
With your face in the wind, 
As daily you
Tread these lands. 
 
Take courage, my soul
Do not feel bereft,
Truly your burden is light.
'Tis only a lie,
Whispered by he who hides, 
Deep in the cloak of night.
 
Wrestle not against flesh,
Wrestle not against blood,
'Tis a war in the spirit,
You see.
The prince of the air
Seeks your very life,
Though a defeated foe
Is he.
 
Feed your faith,
And starve your fear,
Put on your armor and stand!
Speak the word daily,
Wield the sword
Of the Lord,
Drive out the beast 
From the land!
 
Be not ashamed,
Of what you may not have,
Only be ready each day,
As the Lord God commands,
Whether seen or unseen,
To faithfully love and obey.
 
Take up your cross daily,
Lay down your pride, 
Your anger, your fear
And your hate.
Embrace the Lord Jesus,
Lay it all down,
Lay it down
Before it's too late. 

Saying Sorry

I read a quote by Joyce Meyer that asks, "Are you willing to take on the role of a peacemaker? Are you willing to be the first one to say, "I'm sorry"?"

I began to think about those two words, "I'm sorry". They are often the hardest words for a person to say. It may be generalized that men have a harder time saying theses two words than women. While I do not have official data, I can only surmise as to the reasons this may or may not be true.

In the dictionary sorry is defined as:

1. causing sorrow; grievous
2. grieved for a loss, a mistake, a sin, etc. ; feeling sorrow, regret or penitence
3. melancholy; dismal; gloomy; mournful

The act of saying I'm sorry can seem like an arduous task. Maybe we still feel right in our minds, therefore we should not have to be the first one to say it. Perhaps we are not ready to let go of the sting of the event, the anger or grief that it brought, so we hold on. Pride refuses to yield. Our role as a superior (as in a parent, boss, leader) prevents our lips from uttering such a phrase that may be so great as to restore peace, harmony and even healing to another. We defiantly say within ourselves, "No! I will not  be the first or the one to say, "I'm sorry." We are right and that is how we plan to stay.

As a parent we should realize the importance of being able to tell our children, "I'm sorry." Our willingness to yield ourselves to their forgiveness molds them and teaches them a valuable truth. Parents mess up. We make mistakes and we should acknowledge it when we do. We should seek to minister to our children the healing words of a heartfelt apology. We, in the church, often speak about serving one another in love. Our children should not be the exception. We should serve them in love as well.

As a boss or leader it may be even harder to say, "I'm sorry." Many industry leaders are taught to never apologize, as it can be perceived to admit fault, blame and/or responsibility. At some point someone needs to be responsible. Fear often dictates where common sense, common decency and courtesy should prevail.

It would seem that the phrase, "I'm sorry" could be the most under-used phrase, despite the power that the words may have when spoken from a sincere, contrite heart.

Doctors often heal bodies with medicine or therapies designed for the affliction. They are trained in their profession and/or specialty. Words and wrong actions are wounding to the very core of our being. They often have a more devastating effect on people than the affirmities their physical bodies may face. Hearts are broken, spirits are crushed, self-esteem is stripped away, our sense of worth is made worthless and the brightness of our intellect is often made dim simply by the words we speak to one another.

I do not want to be justified at the expense of your spirit and your mind being crushed. If that is how am I justified then perhaps I have been lied to and perhaps I have believed the lie. What about you? Have you believed the lie? Do you need to be right more than you need to make things right?

We do not have to have specialized training to administer healing words. We can begin today, this very moment, in administering the healing balm of a sincere apology. We can change our actions or behaviors that inflict pain or that antagonizes another. Love, humility, empathy, remorse, gentleness, peacefulness and forgiveness are all instruments of healing that we can carry with us everywhere we go.

Psalm 139:23-24 "Search me, O God, and know my heart;Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me,And lead me in the way everlasting."

God's Holy Hush

It is a beautiful place in prayer when one arrives to the place of silence as a Holy Hush fills the room and all prayer seems to cease. With eyes closed, hearts beating with expectation and hands lifted toward Heaven in reckless abandon, you can almost feel your spirit lifted to the threshold of Heaven's gates. You can sense the Holy Spirit's presence as you anxiously await God's words to be spoken, as you await a work of His hands. His presence is almost tangible like a thick fog that engulfs you all around. His presence is safe, secure and, at times, exhilerating. It is in these moments that you want to be so completely yielded to Him so that you miss nothing. Your ears strain to hear, your mind is eager to absorb His truths, your hands reach a little further toward heaven as though you could actually touch its gates. Your list of petitions has long ceased to be mentioned as you simply marvel in His glory. 

"Be still and know that I am God." You hear the whisper of the word of God reminding you. Then it happens.

You find that you cannot be still. The Holy Hush that seemed to draw you to the very gates of Heaven has now been interrupted. "Be still..." It seems so simple, yet it is a struggle. How often has the Lord invited us into His inner court? How often has He longed to share the deep secrets of His heart to a willing child of His? Despite how comfortable the silence of the Holy Hush is, whether in a group or alone, it seems it is often interrupted. How long is too long to "Be still and know that I am God"? I would say that if we failed to get to the part that says, "...and know that I am God", then we probably did not wait long enough. 

I believe many people have been trusting the Lord for a breakthrough in their lives, whether it be in relationships, finance, health, faith or other. 

Breakthrough is defined as: 
1. a military movement or advance all the way through and beyond an enemy's front-line defense.
2. an act or instance of removing or surpassing an obstruction or restriction; the overcoming of a stalemate.
3. any significant or sudden advance, development, achievement, or increase, as in 
scientific knowledge or diplomacy, that removes a barrier to progress  

Let us be challenged to truly learn to wait upon the Lord. Let us endeavor to fulfill this command in all its simplicity. Let us, "Be still and know that I am God." Perhaps it is then that we will have our breakthroughs as we learn to war in the stillness of God's Holy Hush. Many blessings to you all.

Faithful Beginnings and Fair-Weather Christians

Luke 6:12-16

12 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. 13 And when it was day, He called His disciples toHimself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles: 14 Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; 15 Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; 16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.

Before Jesus chose His twelve disciples He spent the night in prayer to God. Once chosen He called them apostles. This passage brings two thoughts to mind.

First, when you have a decision  to make do you spend valuable time in prayer so that you may discern the right choice? Jesus had many followers but He needed to assemble a team, an inner circle whom He could teach, instruct, guide, mold, prepare and ultimately send out to spread His message.

His team included a traitor, deserters and one who would deny Him three times. Jesus did not seem perplexed by this as He made His way to to the cross. He is not recorded at having second guessed Himself or the Father in regards to the men who were called and chosen to be His apostles. 

John 2:23-25 tells us, "23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man."

Jesus knew what was in man. He knew what was in the men He chose that day, yet He was obedient to the Father when He appointed them. He looked beyond who they were with limitations and saw who they could become. We need to be the same way.

We need to be dedicated to prayer.

We need to know the Father's voice. 

We need to be obedient.

We do not need to second guess what we know the Lord has told us. 

We must be faithful even when it seems we are being betrayed, even when we have been deserted, even when we have been denied. As we take up our own cross we must be faithful to the end. 

Sometimes when it seems our plans are falling apart and people are not who we thought they should be, it is then that things are really beginning to come together. We must not be short-sighted. If our plans were prayerfully sought, then we should trust the Father to see it through to the end despite what our eyes may see and our ears may hear.

If we are not dedicated to prayer, if we do not know the Father's voice, if we are not obedient we will continually second guess everything that comes our way. We will be ruled by emotions and fears. We cannot  be faithful to the end if we are not faithful to begin. 

Secondly, verse 16 says that Judas Iscariot became a traitor. He was not that from the beginning. He was chosen to walk with Jesus. He was given a chance to know the Savior. Hen then had to make a choice. The same is true for each of us. We have a chance to walk with the Savior but we must make a choice. 

Jesus was not a fair-weather savior. He did not die when it was convenient nor was He surrounded by friends and comforters. He taught, loved, mentored, prayed for and encouraged his disciples in spite of what He knew they would do. On the darkest day of His human life He was alone. Even upon the cross He was forsaken by the Father as our sin was placed upon Him.  

He had the power of heaven at His disposal,

Yet He remained upon His cross

For the love of a world

He knew was lost.

Forsaken by His Father,

Deserted by His friends,

Jesus's love kept Him

On His cross to the end.

What will keep you to the end? Don't be a fair-weather christian, only serving God on the good days. In all your ways and through all your days acknowledge Him and serve Him to the end.