Peace

| December 7, 2015

My son,

I know you beg and plead for me to give you the answer you seek. You want direction now. You feel so overwhelmed you just want an end to the agony of uncertainty. The problem is that answers like that only give temporary relief. Yes, if you got the answer today, you would no longer have to agonize over what that question, but the peace would be fleeting. As soon as you got that answer you would immediately begin to worry about the next step on the journey. You would then take up all the stresses that the first answer you received brought to mind and begin to agonize over them, begging me again for answers for the next set of questions.

True peace can only come through relationship with me. Life will be filled with choices, waiting, sudden plunges that make a roller coaster look tame, and mundaneness that wears on the soul. Simple directions will not give you peace. Only when you turn to me, seek me and walk with me in relationship will you know peace. For when you stand beside me, you learn to trust in me no matter the circumstance. In those shared moments there is peace that will sustain and encourage your heart more than any answered question can bring.

Peace, I AM

Verses for consideration: Philippians 4:4-7, Romans 14:13-17, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Heaven

| December 5, 2015

Dear Servant,

So many have asked about heaven over the years. Yes, it was built as my word describes. Gold, silver, jewels and so many wonders you cannot imagine them. It is a glorious place and human thoughts and words cannot begin to describe how beautiful is its design and construction. As you marvel over a city made with gold and precious stones, let me ask you a question. Are you impressed by wood? Concrete? Plastic? Modern buildings on the earth use all of those materials every day. I doubt you give them a second thought.

You see in my heaven, those “precious” things that are used in construction are just building materials, of no more value than asphalt, concrete, sand or gravel. They are simply building blocks. What is precious in heaven is what I made heaven for. My son promised that he would prepare a place and he would one day return and take those that trusted in him to that place. It is not the place that is sacred, rather it is the adopted family, you and all who believe who one day will live here because of my son’s sacrifice that will make this place glorious, beautiful and sacred. Do not get confused about the building materials. Instead focus on the architect who prepared for you an eternal home.

Architect, I AM

Verses for thought: Revelation 21, John 14:1-4

Joy

| December 3, 2015

Dear Servant,

The secret to true joy lies in salvation. Sin leads him to despair, lostness and separation from all that is good. Only through salvation, through the sacrifice of my son can life be redeemed. When life is redeemed, then man can know true joy. His burden has been lifted, his life can be lived in true freedom. Joy is bound to follow when a person understands that they have received life that can never be taken away.

Why do you lack joy as my follower? You, like so many, focus on this life and forget the salvation you have received. You worry about every petty detail of life and miss the joy of knowing that in light of a forever life with me in heaven, these daily distractions are insignificant. Compared to your salvation in my son, everything else you own and treasure is a handful of dust, scattered into the wind with no thought of where it went. Turn to the things that matter, salvation in Christ and joy will follow.

Eternal Joy, I AM

Verses for thought: Psalm 51:10-12, Psalm 13, Isaiah 61, John 15:9-11, Hebrews 12:1-3

Bargaining

| December 1, 2015

My child,

When things do not go your way, you often turn to bargaining. You offer to be more holy, to pay attention to my word more, to work on a sin I have revealed to you over and over again, and anything else you think will sway me to grant what you wish. You will offer anything if only I will act on your behalf and make things work out the way you want. You seem so much like to immature child when you attempt to bargain with me.

What do I want instead? I want surrender. I know your world often sees surrender as only pertaining to an army that marches through and pillages and plunders all its path. Human hearts cry out with passion, “death before surrender”. The kind of surrender I ask for you have never seen in this human world. Holy surrender is to lay down your desires and wants, to allow my grace to flow over you, washing away the sin, cleansing the soiled areas, healing the broken parts and leaving you covered in my grace and blessings. Quit your bargaining, surrender to me and allow me to lead you. Trust in my goodness and cast yourself on my grace.

An Overwhelming Flood, I AM

Verses for consideration: 2 Corinthians 1:18-22, Matthew 6:5-15, Psalm 128:1-4

Waiting

| November 29, 2015

My child,

Waiting is something most humans do not deal very well with. They get easily frustrated and impatient. They often rush forward to “fix” the problem themselves and sometimes make matters worse. In their haste and impatience they lose sight of the gift of waiting. What is the gift of waiting you ask? Waiting reveals the heart.

As you wait, whatever is in your heart will be brought to the surface. If it is trust in me and my goodness then it will show and patience will have its day. If it is doubt and fear, then frustration, anger, selfishness, pride, etc. will come to the surface and be visible for you to see. Do not turn away from the waiting I have for you. Trust in me. Let the waiting reveal your heart. What needs pruned and discarded we will face together. What needs cultivated and strengthened we will work on side by side. Let the gift of waiting come and expose what is in your heart.

Waiting with you, I AM

Verses for thought: Psalm 27:13-14, Psalm 5, Psalm 37:7, Titus 2:11-14

Thankful

| November 22, 2015

Dear Father,

Thank you for salvation, my only right to enter your presence, may I never take that for granted. Thank you my health, may I use it to serve you. Thank you for my mind, may I set my thoughts on the things of your Kingdom. Thank you for my family, forgive me when I take them for granted. Thank you for friends who challenge me to walk in your ways, help me to challenge them as well. Thank you for the daily needs and so many comforts I take for granted. Forgive my greed and my begrudged sharing. Thank you for calling me son, I do not deserve it. Thank you for allowing me a small part in your Kingdom, help me to serve with joy. Thank you for joy, may I not snuff it out with bitterness and pride. Forgive me foolish thoughts of entitlement, replace it with a true picture of grace.

Trying to be thankful, I am

Verses for consideration: Psalm 69:30, Psalms 100:4, Colossians 1:11-14, 3:16-17

I will not be publishing new posts until November 30.  May you have a blessed Thanksgiving! His servant and yours,  Glen

Bearing Burdens

| November 20, 2015

Dear Servant,

The way to bear your burdens is to not bear them at all. Instead, bring them to me in prayer and allow me to bear them for you. Before you begin to recount all the times you have been overwhelmed by your burdens you have brought to me, you must understand this secret about burdens. It is not enough to pray about the burdens. To recount their pain and difficulty to me is not enough. You must leave the burdens at the altar. That is really the hardest part. Just telling about them is fairly easy. People will tell all about their struggles with anyone willing to listen. The problem is to lay them down and not pick them up again. When you come to my altar bring the burden, but then trust me to deal with it. Leave it laying on my altar. When the burden comes again, come back to me in prayer and lay it down again. Only by intentional leaving and continual leaving again in prayer will you begin to be able to trust me with the burdens and allow me to bear them.

Your Burden Bearer, I AM

Verses for thought: Matthew 11:28-30, Psalms 68:19, Galatians 5:1-6, Galatians 6:1-6

Beyond what is comfortable

| November 18, 2015

My Child,

If you only serve within areas you are comfortable or skilled how will you ever know what you can do through me? Yes, I have gifted you and I expect you to use your gifts to serve me, however, those gifts cannot be the limit of what you do for my Kingdom. You must learn that by trusting in me, allowing me to work through you, you can accomplish so much more for my Kingdom. Yes, it will be uncomfortable and will at times be trying. Learning to be at peace in uncomfortable circumstances is just one thing you must master. There will be other things, like surrendering to my spirit when you cannot see the outcome, not responding to your feelings, but instead my leading, and so many more. Yet, when you step outside of what is comfortable for you and trust in me, you will experience some marvelous opportunities as a part of my Kingdom.

Waiting for you, I AM

Verses for consideration: Hebrews 13:20-21, Romans 12:3-8

Standing Beside You

| November 16, 2015

My child,

You asked me today for my best for you. I have given it. I am standing beside you in the chaos to encourage and comfort you. No, I did not take away the chaos. I did not calm the raging storm. I did not show you the future to keep you from feeling like you are groping in the dark. Rather I am standing beside you. Perhaps there would be some benefit from me calming the storm or answering your questions and at the right time I will do that. However, today what you need most is my presence. I know you struggle to lean on me in the midst of the storm and patience comes hard for you. Allow me to stand beside you. Allow me to comfort you even when you do not know the outcome. Allow our walk together to be sweetened by the chaos of the storm blowing around you. That is my best for you today and will allow you to face both good days and more storms for many years to come.

Standing beside you, I AM

Verses for consideration: John 14:15-21, Jeremiah 8:18, Job 1

Good Gifts

| November 14, 2015

My son,

The problem does not lay with the blessings I have given you. Having your needs met and many wants satisfied is not the problem. Comfort and stability are not the issue. Health, friends, peace, and all the other blessings I have given you are also not the trouble. The problem lays in your worship of the blessings. I have given you every blessings for you to enjoy. While you bask in the blessing continue to worship me with a grateful heart. Often instead of honoring me and my provision, you worship the gifts I have given you, even to the point of becoming petty, protective and bitter when you think your comforts are being threatened. Do you not remember the children of Israel in the Old Testament? Once they got into the promised land they turned their back on me and began to worship idols. Do you not realize that they began to value the gifts I had given them more than me long before they bowed down to idols? Keep your focus on me! Worship me! Seek me first, with a grateful heart for every gift that has been given to you.

Giver of All Good Gifts, I AM

Verses for consideration: James 1:16-18, Deuteronomy 32:15-22, Isaiah 42:1-9

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