A Revelation! Page 20

Have you ever had a revelation-an inspiring thought that brought with it a crystal-clear understanding of something?   One definition of revelation, as used in the context is “A communication of truth to men by God, Himself!”  Another is “The act of revealing divine truth”.  Have you ever had an epiphany?  An epiphany is defined as “A sudden recognition of or insight into the meaning, reality or significance of something”.   That is a mouthful.   In layman’s terms it is Truth revealed suddenly.  Both a revelation and an epiphany are based in truth.  In order to recognize either we must be open to the facts of something….or truth, itself!  In the very least, we must have our hearts open to that pesky truth-revealer called reality. 

Truth cannot be found if our minds are closed to new discoveries.  A closed mind will rarely have an epiphany or revelation.  We can put our heads down and keep our vision narrow….and move through this life as is….but really, how productive or fulfilling is that?  I have a family member who lives this way and it seems so finite.  We can and do veil our minds for many reasons… disappointment that seems un-recoverable, sickness that seems invincible… conflict that seems  intolerable, monotony that seems insufferable….or even fatigue that seems unbearable.  When we find our lives and our hearts looming along these lines it is certainly time for a revelation.  Our hearts need to cry out for it. Our prayers need to insist on it.  Our souls need to expect it.  Our God is capable of delivering it.   

 It seems that a revelation or an epiphany is brought about in our lives for the very reason to inspire change.  Sometimes all change requires of us is a simple little adjustment …but there are times we need a renovation; an over-haul; a transformation.  The creator of this universe specializes in transformations.    He knows when we are in need of huge change…. mentally, emotionally and particularly, spiritually.  A revelation can put us onto the path to restoration and the end result can be transformation.  There are many things that will happen between these three points…. and what this entails is greatly personal for each of us; however, seeking truth is at the heart of this!

An epiphany, or an ah-ha-moment, will sometimes surprise us with hidden truths.  These truths may knock us around a bit.  They may surprise us so much that, for many reasons, we fall to our knees.  Though painful, this is not a bad thing for truth sometimes brings us great relief.  While on our knees let’s allow truth to pour forth.  Grace will meet us in that moment if we are willing to acknowledge the truth of this new-found revelation. 

God says in Hebrews 4: 16:
 “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence,
so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

The best thing about this scripture is that we are being invited to the throne of grace and once there we will find mercy and grace in our time of need.  We are encouraged to approach God’s throne withconfidence.  Where do we find confidence or courage when we’re standing at the throne of the Living God?  Well, let’s back-track a bit.  When we’re standing before a judge in a court of law-we speak the truth.  When we are standing before a preacher or priest on our wedding day, we speak truth.  To follow suit, when we are standing before the throne of the Lord of Lords…let’s speak the truth.  I believe that if and when we find ourselves before the Creator of the Universe, we are there because of conviction and or need…. and we are there to seek the revelation of truth.  In contrast, people standing on misconceptions or inconsistencies do not generally stand in confidence-they waver.  The directive then is to stand in truth and therefore confidence.   God knows the difference.

Scripture also says:
 The Lord longs to be gracious to you.  He rises to show you compassion.
  The Lord is a god of justice.
 Blessed are those who wait on him.”
 Isaiah 30:18

The above scripture tells us that once we’re at the throne of grace we’ll find ourselves standing before a gracious God, no-less.  What an honor that the King of Kings rises from His seat to show us compassion.  Do you remember a time when you were shown compassion?  It brings forth a feeling beyond appreciation and thankfulness.  It reaches the heart of us and fills us with understanding and great relief.  For some of us- to receive compassion is truly a revelation-something that was once beyond our vision and understanding.  It is pure grace; full of honor, favor, mercy, kindness, leniency, something undeserving.   This type of grace can save us….and the Bible tells us that, indeed, it does. 

“But because of his great love for us, 
God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ 
even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved.”
Ephesians 2: 4-5

A sudden recognition of the significance of something!  Divine truth-revealed.  God is in the business of revelation.  If your heart does not know this perhaps it’s time to lift your head up from the mundane and expose yourself to the vastness of the horizon.  God can be found there…and it is a beautiful sight.  As proven by our universe that is literally beyond our vision, reality is based in the seen and the unseen.   With this said, there are things not visible to the naked eye that can only be seen with a heart that seeks truth.  Look for it!

“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those
whose hearts are fully committed to him.”
II Chronicles 16: 9

Song reference: 
Give Me a Revelation-By:  Third Day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytCt8WrxDj4

Something to Ponder! Page 19

Let’s ponder the truth of this:  God whispers into the Quietness of a Humbled Heart!  To find that quietness let’s pull away from the modern and hectic world we live in and into a visual of a quiet dirt road.....

 Stop and listen to the birds chirping and the wind blowing.  Sense and feel the fog lift and the sun crack through the trees.  In this place we can quiet our souls and purposely center our thoughts…and hear those things in the recesses of our mind that need to be heard.  Let’s walk down this quiet path awhile and center ourselves again.   We need to!

Unfortunately, back in the real world…..

Busyness distracts, recreation attracts and obligations subtract from any free time we might have.  With that said there doesn’t seem to be much opportunity to focus on God’s voice…you know… the one that whispers into the quietness of a humbled heart.  Often we cannot hear God’s voice because of these distractions!  We’re so busy with our agenda’s and listening to the voice of others-their tones and inflections, their meaning and implications, their intentions and expectations that a quiet mind and humbled heart are simply not available.  A quiet mind…forget about it.  A humbled heart…well,  It’s too busy pumping the blood to fuel the body that summons the energy for all that “busyness”. 

In the meantime, while listening to those voices (usually via cell phones) we are multi-tasking…and we are really good at it!   We busy ourselves in this modern world with our going and blowing and the shifting and juggling of our obligations that inevitably we miss out on huge blocks of family-time.  Our homes are empty and dinner is uncooked as we run around with our children and the greatest of intentions.   Instead of enjoying the simplicity of family-life we go and go… we move and groove…forgetting that our loved one’s voices could fill our home and our over-worked hearts with sounds of laughter and love!   The truth of it is our children’s voices are heard from the backseat of our cars and then on fields and in gyms.  Are they ever at home???  Are we?

Home!  Thoughts of it tug at our hearts in endearing ways.  It brings to mind the nostalgic; it centers us on the important ….and it instinctively reminds us of love and family.  Even if we didn’t grow up in a loving home….somehow we just know that home is meant to be synonymous with something stable and enduring.  For each of us, how we live our life is determined by how we live each day.  It compiles.  Are we on the right course long term for ourselves... and for our children?  Are we showing them on daily basis that family-life is important….or are we teaching them that busyness equals success and that happiness and contentment can and should be found in this go-and-blow strategy.  Through all this are they learning to be centered-at peace.

 If you ask me, I don’t think we spend enough time at home these days.  The world is so entertaining and we don’t want to miss out!  The path to success will be blazed with go-getters and we don’t want to be left behind.  This philosophy steals our peace and quiet.  I’m as guilty as the next.  But, when I finally do slow down I realize that by shuttling my children to and fro and by placing them under the tutelage of others…I am missing the opportunity of personally teaching them how to be a confident and successful person.  I need to set aside time to teach them values and principles…not just sports techniques or dance moves.    With all this running around…when do I to have time to teach them anything?  It’s manners on-the-go, food on-the-go, and life- on-the-go!   Yes…let’s enrich our children’s lives with experiences and sports and allow them to grow creatively…..but let’s also fill them to over-flowing with time to be a child, to just be themselves….to  rest.  To be!

Really, I think we all need to realize it is OK to slow down and enjoy the quietness of simplicity.  It is a purposed choice that we are all free to make.  Certainly, the way each of us create our family dynamic is personal and between ourselves and God.  My point is that, if we have not already done so, we need to give ourselves permission to slow down and ponder what is truly important and necessary in the lives of our family members and then go from there. 

Our busyness is just one check-point from which we may need to seek God in quietness.  Certainly we have other concerns, needs, and personal hurdles that would benefit from the solace of peace which we can find in the presence of God.  Stop for a minute and let me ask you a question:   “Do you need to stop for a minute?”

 Now that we’ve given ourselves permission….let’s go back to the peace and quiet of that dirt road for a while: 

As we stand on the dirt road of life we can quiet our lives by choice and literally sense it- as God whispers important truths.  When our conscious thoughts connect with our unconscious we become acutely aware of what is important!  Believe me….God is found in this place.  Finally, those things in the recesses of our mind have an opportunity to become clear and almost audible for we know truth when we hear it!

 Ahhhhh!  God is centered in that quiet place….and can be heard with a humbled heart.  “Listen!”

I Thessalonians 4: 11-12
“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”

Music Download recommendation:
  I Don't want to Go.
By:  Avalon
(OK, the title of this song is funny-but it's  beautiful & worth listening to.)

Bothering the Judge! Page 18

Read Luke 18: 1-8

As we move further down the path of these pages it is my purpose to continue to share what God  has done in my life and in doing so….show you how to look for God’s presence in your own.  With these writings it is my goal to move us both out beyond the fog that clouds our vision and impedes the panoramic view of God’s blessings-those gifts of answered prayer, His protection…His best.  I have consistently found that God blesses us in quite unexpected ways; with that said…we should wake up each day expecting the unexpected.  That feeling of “expectation” sharpens our minds and creates an inner excitement that makes each day worth getting up for!

In previous pages I’ve written how God can reach down and save us from deep waters of circumstance.  The following excerpt from my life is an example of that.  I’ve previously written about the fact that my husband and I faced the challenge of closing a business.  There are years-worth of pages I plan to write- with high hopes of revealing God’s majesty and power and, in contrast, His humanity and compassion with which He takes care of those He loves.  I’ve written, out of context, about some of my encounters with God and His word; but the one below is the most profound.

These actual events are a pure, black-and-white lesson from God Himself as He visibly worked within the circumstances of one the most trying times of my life.  This is a literal example of how God speaks to us through Scripture.   May your spiritual eyes see it…may your growing faith perceive it….and may your faithful heart believe it…. as you read and gain a glimpse of God’s mighty hand at work!

Bothering the Judge: 

The Waters of Circumstance:

 About a year ago, my husband and I went through a major life-change when we closed our business.  To be honest, opening that business was as well…but that is another story!  Anyway…to add to this unfortunate circumstance, the attorney we selected was unwilling to fully understand our case due to his business philosophy and, in my opinion, lack of due-diligence.  The line of communication was blatantly closed very early in our business relationship and due to that our best interest was not on the radar.  Because we paid-in-advance we continued to try to work with him to reach a resolution and win financial protection from the Courts.  Obviously, we are between a rock and a hard place!  Even more than when closing our business, we walked, completely blind, through great turmoil because of the weak attorney-client relationship.  Hindsight, it is clearly evident, that through these precise circumstances, God taught us a mighty spiritual lesson which required that we navigate through deep, dark waters of circumstance, where faith was our only light. 

The Courts:

 Without getting too in-depth, we filed a case seeking legal protection from the courts after closing our business…AND, in turn, the Court filed a Motion-to-Dismiss our case-which would leave us with no legal protection against financial ruin.  With this motion pending, our attorney advised, many times, that we allow the courts to dismiss our case; but this would leave us unprotected financially and the legal ramifications would still be sitting before us.  We had a court date of Feb  7^th, where we could present our case and hope for the best.  We felt our odds in court were 50/50 and presenting our case was better than just allowing it to be dismissed.   We had been praying fervently…and were simply not on the same page with our attorney.  We wanted to go to court…but he firmly advised us not to and was adamant that if we did, we would not win. 

The waters of circumstance were overwhelming; we were battling waves of uncertainty.  We needed a second opinion! So, on Thursday Jan 13^th, we went and met with another attorney in a different county and sought his advice.  We were desperately looking for Plan B regarding legal and financial protection.  This  attorney looked over our documents in-depth,  was confident that there was room for revision and a positive outcome  and advised us  to go back to our attorney, insist that  he revise our filing and that we should be able to “go to court” and win our case.  This was a double-edged sword.  It was good news on one hand…we had a chance.  It was bad news on the other because we would have to face our attorney and ask him to revise our filing.  This is a bold move for anyone but that very day we summoned the courage and did just this. 

God’s voice through scripture:  Later that day, my mom called and asked how our meeting went.  She told me that she was “bothering the judge” on our behalf.  I was unfamiliar with this scripture, which is in Luke 18: 1-8.  She explained that “bothering the judge” referenced a parable in the bible where a widow kept persistently bothering the judge asking for justice from her adversaries.  The judge, as to not be bothered by her again, granted her appeal.  I smiled, knowing my mother as I do, and told her that I appreciated her persistent (and precise) prayers and moved on with my day.  I sat down to do a bible study and was looking up a scripture and incidentally came upon Isaiah 41:21 which says

“Present your case” says the Lord.  “Set forth your arguments” says Jacob’s King.

Wow!  Biblical legal advice twice in one day (about petitioning a judge no less)!  Usually when God reveals something so specific I am amazed…but I had begun to question how to hear from the Lord!   To be honest, I was weary and my faith was floundering.  Instead of finding this profound…I took it in—very cautiously.

God’s Voice of Persistence:  On Sunday, Jan 16^th, three days later, we attended church and, lo and behold, the pastor used the parable in Luke 18: 1-8 as a reference on prayer.  Of course, it was about the widow bothering the judge.  My mouth fell open.  Again I was reminded that “the Judge granted the widow’s plea because of her persistence”!   Ok, so God had my attention…I knew He was telling me something very specific.

Again….God’s Voice of Consistence:  On Jan 19^th- 3 days later, I sat to do my bible study and, as usual, read the daily devotional in my favorite book Streams in the Desert.   That exact scripture was the reference point of the devotional:  Luke 18:1 “Jesus told his disciples…that they should always pray and not give up”.   To be redundant…the “bothering the judge” parable follows in verses 2-8.   I was actually shocked on this day… and became acutely aware that “ GOD IS SPEAKING TO ME”.   I was willing to admit that God was all over this issue!  I perked up….I was ready to battle my adversaries again!!  

Know what you pray:  Mind you, that with each passing hour I knew that the day of reckoning was coming and that I would be required to stand before God and the judge and ask for relief from our adversaries.  My mind was never free from this intimidating fact….so my only recourse was to pray!   On Jan 26^th, I did just that and asked that God would draw close to me and that I would be empowered with the ability to hear clearly, see clearly and discern clearly the Voice of God. 

God’s Hand at Work:  On Jan 27^th, a day later, we received a call from our attorney and he stated he had good news…we were making head-way with the Trustee of the Court.  They had changed our court date to March 7^th…and needed more information regarding our business and the lease.   This call was clear alright!  Our attorney had changed his tune; he was optimistic!  He is now working on our behalf....AND was the Court’s Trustee for that matter.  I was fully aware that Persistent prayer had changed our course and black and white Scripture had given us direction.  We stepped out in faith.  We stayed the course.  We listened to God’s voice instead of our attorney’s advice (quite frankly).  As we stood neck-deep in the murky waters of circumstance, God began to work on our behalf.  His work was obvious….and if you read the quote from Isaiah 41:21 out-loud…God’s voice is actually audible for it IS a quote after all!

“Present your case” says the Lord.
 “Set forth your arguments” says Jacob’s King.

With enthusiasm….I emailed these details to my Bible Study Class because we were studying Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer and this was the exact lesson that was being taught.  The timing was amazing! I wanted to share how I was hearing God’s voice through scripture and how my current experience was proving the lesson to be precise; succinct.  Here is part of that email: 

Just as Discerning the Voice of God, teaches:   God is Persistent and works for us in a very personal way.   God gave me a literal directive:  “BOTHER THE JUDGE”.    He was extremely persistent with His message….and clearly personal with His directive.  This battle is still raging for us…but we are not battling alone!!  I would be blessed if you’d be a prayer warrior along-side me…as my husband and I move forward to Bother the Judge on March 7^th, 2011.  Please know that we’ve confessed that no matter what the outcome that day…we know we’re in God’s will…and He will provide everything we need.    I hope that this encourages you…and stands as an example to the truth of what we are studying….and to the fact that God speaks to us through scripture!  He knows our needs and answers our prayers. He is a God of mercy.  May God receive the Glory!!!  My heart is open…and my eyes are on the horizon….Rain Down Victory!!!!  Rain down!”

The day after I sent this email to my classmates….the earth shifted (metaphorically…..)!  Here is that email to my classmates sharing the amazing news…..again, one day later no less!

“I have AMAZING, AMAZING, GOD-FEARING, ON-THE-WATCHTOWER NEWS!!! I received a phone call from our attorney this morning around 8:15 AM.  He told me that he had talked to our Trustee and the Trustee said that he didn't want any more documents...he was tired of our case...and that he was lifting the Motion to Dismiss!!!!  Those are the exact words!!!!!  (just like the parable).” 

To the blog reader:

There is a biblical tie-in to the fact that it took 3 times for me to recognize that God was speaking to me.  If you read I Samuel Chapter 3 you will see that God also called Samuel's name three times before he knew to say "Speak Lord, for your servant is listening". 

God walked with me through these trying circumstances, spoke to me, three times no less,  through black & white scripture, gave me specific direction and it all played out…..Just like the Parable!  We were planning to go to court….BUT, instead, God granted us relief from our adversaries!  Is that not fascinating?  Is that not profound?  Is that not beyond ironic?  THAT, my friend, IS THE VOICE AND HAND OF GOD!

 He is persistent! He is specific and clearly personal.

Want to have God’s power, love and protection in your life?  Get to know Him!  Draw close this His word, depend on Him at all times….and trust that He will work it out for your good. Believe in scripture.  Trust the truth of it!  Wait on the Lord….and He will renew your strength!  He will indeed reach down and draw you out of deep waters.  Why is that, you may ask?  The most simplistic reason of all….because He cares for you! 

I Peter 5:7
“Cast all your anxiety on Him for He cares for you”.

Song Recommendation:
Even If
BY: MercyMe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6fA35Ved-Y