Spending Time With The Father

I miss having access to the church sanctuary to meet with the Lord.  I know God is everywhere and any place I pause to worship becomes a sanctuary.   But there is something special about meeting God in a place that has been specifically set aside for intimate and private fellowship with the Lord.

Precious were those times when early in the morning before the staff arrived, or in the evening after everyone had left; I would go into the sanctuary and lay on the altar in quiet communion with the Lord.  Sometimes I'd pray, and sometimes I'd just lay quiet, listening for His voice.  I felt a connection with the patriarchs Abraham, Issac and Jacob when I lay their awaiting His arrival.  

Around 1:30 am, the day after Thanksgiving I awoke from my after dinner-guest gone home nap and began the task of cleaning up the kitchen.  As I washed dishes and scrubbed pots and pans I started worshiping the Lord in song and praise.  And then as it had happened many times before when I laid on the altar, the presence of the Lord came into my kitchen and ministered to me.  Even at work, in the privacy of my office I'm blessed with His intimate presence as I kneel in prayer seeking His guidance and  blessings in meeting the demands of my job.

Truly God has accepted my kitchen and office as a sanctuary for communing with Him.

VOICES

Since the mid 1980s I've been hearing in my ear the following:

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; I ordained you a prophet to (my church).  For you shall go to all to whom I send you.  And whatever I command you, you shall speak.

Do not be afraid of their faces,  For I am with you to deliver you."  "Do not be afraid of their faces lest I confound thee before them.  I have made you this day a defensed city and an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole land.  They shall fight against you but they will not prevail against you; for I am with you to deliver you."

"See, this day I have set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant."  

Are you speaking to me Lord?  I'm just a woman, a nobody.  No one will listen to me!

"I have made you a watchman over (my church) hear the word from my mouth, and give them warning from me.  Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house."

"Clean the rubble off my foundation and BUILD MY HOUSE!"
Who am I Lord?  Are you really calling me to serve you as you did the prophets of old?  No one will believe me.  The last pastor you sent me to sent out emails implying that I was delusional------------gifted, but delusional.  

"A voice crying out in the wilderness, 'Make a straight path to the Lord!'"
If John the Baptist was here today he wouldn't be welcomed in any of our churches.  
Three times I've been asked to leave and just recently I was secretly voted out the church without the congregation's knowledge---"religious" leaders fear me, lay people hear me and seek God.

This morning as I thought about these things in prayer I heard the following phrase from a song-------
"God has spoken, let the church say, Amen"

A Day with JaNice

I spent yesterday afternoon with my middle daughter, JaNice. She took me up north (North-side Chicago) with her to run some errands. I regret not bringing my camera----there was so much to see. I hadn't visit this part of the city in years.  

We went to a place called "Reckless Records" to pick up some CDs she had reserved.  I didn't know there was any place that still sold records.  It was fun looking through the selection of LPs seeing titles and artists from my teen years. The store even sold 45s, cassettes, and 8-track tapes! From the DVD section we purchased 4 old favorites.

JaNice (doesn't like being photograph)

From there we visited neighborhood bookstores, and took in the sights of a very diverse community lined with outdoor cafes and various ethnic restaurants.  At one of the bookstores I found a copy of Mary Higgins Clark Mystery novel, "Stillwatch." Stillwatch was the first book I read by Clark.  I've been reading her books ever since.   Of all of her mystery novels that I've read, Stillwatch is still my favorite.  

The lakefront was bursting with life! The beach was filled with people grilling, jogging, bike riding, and just stretching out on lounge chairs enjoying the view.  Chicago has such a beautiful skyline. That and the sailboats made Lake Michigan a picture perfect postcard scene.

A Still Small Voice

When experiencing unforeseen circumstances in life and/or ministry we often seek advice from our pastor or close friends. We strain to hear God’s voice of direction through a sermon, or a song. We’ll pull out our Topical Bible looking for passages that mirror our situation to explain or make sense out of what we’re going through. And many times God will speak to us through others and through specific examples from the Bible.  But there are also times when God will speak through the still quiet moments of a seemingly mundane task.

One of the easiest to grow houseplants for me is the philodendra. I like the fact that it can be grown in water or potting soil, and it produces lush green cascading vines. I had notice that for some time one of my plants appeared to be dying. One by one its long lush vines withered, turning yellow and then brown before falling off the main branch. Yet there was new growth shooting up near the base of the plant. In an attempt to save the last of its dying vines I clipped it and placed it in a separate container of water with a few drops of plant food. The next morning, the clipped vine had made a miraculous recovery! The leaves were no longer drooping, they were pointing upward and the green color had returned to its stem. It was here, in this unexpected moment of serene amazement that God spoke peace to the bewildering situation I was going through. 

There are seasons of growth when it becomes necessary for God to "clip" us, setting us apart from the group in order to prepare us to bear more fruit, either in a different position or in a new location for His purposes. If we cling to where God desires to remove us from, like my vine, we will wither and become unproductive.

It's Not Over........It's Only the Beginning

Since June I've been in a battle that I thought had come to an end.  But as of today, the battle still rages.  I heard a song by Israel Houghton this past week that encouraged me greatly. 

When God is ready to do a new thing in His children, He often uses persecution to move them from their places of comfort to grow them, to bring them into a greater level of ministry.  In the US as it was in Jesus' day, very little persecution comes from the spiritually lost; it comes from the people we hold dear to our hearts------the place where we live, and worship. 

Whewwwww...........................

Can you believe it?!  The New Year is almost half over.  For almost two years I've been writing a weekly column for a community newspaper, which is one of the reasons why I haven't been posting regularly.  Beginning today I hope to rectify this and resume at least weekly postings.  There is still much to write about as I continue to walk on the water with Jesus.