Freedom Is Calling

“So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. I'm speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.” Romans 12:1-3 (Message)

I awoke this morning to be thinking about the renewing of my mind how that is so needed. How that today I choose to be not conformed to this world but transformed fresh, newly, as though yesterday did not happen and as though tomorrow is what it is not promised.

Last night I spent a couple of hours with friends in a worship / praise set led by Matt Jackson. For those reading this that do not know Matt is the Worship Leader for Fullness Christian Fellowship were I attend church. Some things were happening last night that in that setting where Truth was declared in song, Light was released by the New Sound, Worship in Spirit and Truth occurred, and High Praise was offered could only be labeled as miraculous. So you the reader and I are on the same page I offer the following to convey to you what I mean by “miraculous”: regarded as caused by supernatural intervention: apparently contrary to the laws of nature and caused by a supernatural power. Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

There was an intervention taking place over this region. At one point the Lord gave me this vision. Within the open portal of light that was over the physical location where we were gathered I saw descending from Heaven a small company of Angels. These were like shafts of light I saw that this was their battle armor they were released to war. They moved in battle formation in cadence with the song that was being released. This small company moved out from the portal of light into the streets of our community and soon encountered their target … the purpose of their release … and engaged in war a full legion of demons … the fight was swift, precise, and done with amazing tactics! Right before my eyes a legion of demons were slain! No prisoners taken and not one escaped! I came back to the room where the song was ending and sensed such victory and freedom and realized we were singing “ freedom is falling, freedom is falling, freedom is falling all around” “shout, shout, shout, for joy” “sing, sing, oh my soul let the healing flow, freedom I have found”!

I realized what I had just experienced was an aspect of worship and praise that is so powerful it releases Angels to fight and bring freedom. Father of Light released a provision of Heaven for us in this city last night. I am waiting and I am expectant to see the fruit of the miracles of last night and the freedom found because of that legion of demons with the bondage, sickness, and misery they were inflicting now no longer exist. Victory won. Territory taken and we are set as watchmen on the wall.

I am writing this because it will take a renewing of our minds and a determination to not be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds … so I will close with where I started:

“So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily
recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. I'm speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.” Romans 12:1-3 (Message)

Let us not conform but be transformed lived with renewed minds ... let the Jesus be lifted high!

O Happy Day

The subject that I had sensed some weeks ago to post here is still developing. I say that to say what follows is fresh in this moment and not so much related to the initial prompting to get out of me and onto this space and before whomever is to read it.

The freshness of this is now…today yet the catalyst to form these thoughts came by mail some weeks ago just prior to my 59th birthday. This planted seed of inspiration was sent by the staff of Fullness Christian Fellowship where I and Denise attend church. Every member of FCF gets one of these on their birthday each card signed by Pastor Bart and all the other staff including the interns at the time. Honestly, I look forward to this card. I am not certain why but I do. It is most likely because it is a simple yet effective way to encourage. We all need encouragement even if one thinks otherwise. Who was it that said “No man is an Island”?

The card came, it was opened (ok, I do confess, with excited anticipation!), read, then placed standing up on our kitchen island so I could see it there … for weeks.

Yesterday while moving it I read the thought on the front cover of the card.
It reads:

“Each day God is writing
New things upon our hearts,
And our years are the chapters
That record His faithfulness.”
Roy Lessin

I was captivated by this in that moment. Challenged beyond any measured response by these words. Not so much challenged to do something grand…but challenged to dare to believe that everyday God writes new things upon my heart.

For example: New mercies, for I am desperate in my need of his mercy. New faith, for I am extreme in my need for today’s measure of faith. New grace, for I am so in need of the grace to walk in the faith that he measured out to Roger Humphreys for this day.

I can not worry about yesterday…it is gone. I can not fret over tomorrow cause I am not promised tomorrow. Today though…today is a new day for God to write upon my heart…and He wants too! I want him too!

He writes upon your heart as well. What is he writing? Well, take look at the years past and you have an accounting … a manifest of God’s faithful, relentless expression of Himself through your days. This is true of me and of you.

I am challenged and sense the urgency to remain aware each day of his writings upon my heart. Why? you may ask. For this reason, His writings create a choice I must make.

Will I acknowledge the posting of my Creator upon my heart?

Will I embrace those postings and allow them life for the outward expression of Father’s plans and purposes for the day intended to be expressed through me?

BTW: I love seeing what Father has written upon other’s hearts as well. It truly makes for a good read!

Well I'll Be...!

This will be my first blog post in some time and it will also be a short blog to celebrate in brief the remembrance of ... that is not true cause I actually did not remember what I had forgotten which was my user id AND my password which one must have to blog on one's blog.

For three actually four days counting today I have been at at total lost as to how to sign into this blog site. I had something I wanted to post but could not because I totally forgot both my Id and Password ... oh ... I have already said that once before I think. Did I say this is a short blog to briefly celebrate my remembering which I actually did not? I have Technical Assist to thank as they obviously did remember!

However, I am certain I will not forget it again as I have taken out insurance to assure my self that this will not possibly happen again. I screen printed the response email from Technical Assist as to what my user name is ... yes I know... it was my name all along. Well I'll be ... who would have thought that? But... but... before you go all hysterical with laughter remember I just had a birthday and I am way over the hill ... and the user name I chose though my own is one that I seldom used in this context and ... Well I'll be ... just give me a little grace here, ok?

So, with my user name AND (new) password in a safe place so I shall not have to face the embarrassment of having to confess how I forgot my own name and the chosen password I thought I could easily remember ... Well I'll be ... who would have thought this possible?

Anyway, I close this blog so I can began to gather my thoughts for the upcoming post that I wanted to do four days ago before I forgot my own name and password. Ok, Well, I'll be... where is that "ENTER" key?

Family Is The Only Word To Describe FCF

This has been a good weekend. The weather had something to do with it but not everything. Funny, last weekend here in central Alabama people were all bundled up and building snowmen. This weekend we were in short sleeves watching base ball practices. Only in Alabama!

For the most part I missed the snow last weekend, well almost missed it. We arrived home on "snow day" late afternoon from an overnight trip to Mississippi. Upon brining our car to a full stop in the garage with speed that I have only seen my wife move at while shoping she exited the car, took a straight path to the patio at the back of our home (shaded from the sun) where she found what she was looking and hoping for: enough snow to make a snow man. It was a tiny snow man for sure. However, Denise manage to locate snow, build the minature "Frosty", take his picture and post him on FB all within the time it took me to unload the luggage and other travel necessities from the car; 10 minutes tops. She amazes me...really. I know, it was a small tiny snow man...but she posed him after making him so she could get just the right shot for FB!

Anyway, as I was saying, this has been a good weekend. There was the home group meeting that took place Friday night. Family! That is the only way to describe the setting. We ate and had fellowship together, we worshiped our Lord, and we encouraged each other with genuine words and deeds that went with us from that place. It was special as always. We look forward to getting together again soon. Family! It is the only way to describe it.

Then Saturday morning some of us gathered at the soon to be home of one of our home group family to lend a hand in the move. The joyful and thankful look on the face of our friend as the task for that morning was completed spoke thanks enough. Meanwhile while we rested we had fellowship, laughing, talking, planning future gatherings. Family! It is the only way to describe it.

This morning, we gathered at Fullness once again to fellowship with and celebrate the Great Redeemer. Family! Together we sang songs, and spiritual hymns and received the Word of God from Mark Colvin who did an ecellent job! During this time we greeted each other with hugs, conversations, and laughter. We wept for joy too and at times danced and clapped our hands with more laughter and great joy as we were together. Family! it is the only way to describe what we have at Fullness Christian Fellowship!

It was a great weekend indeed! I can not wait until the next get together of this Family!
R

Out of the Ordinary

Daily routines are good. I acknowledge this somewhere inside of me. Perhaps it is from my military training. No, maybe from my parents? Perhaps it is from the years of school...naw! It must be innate. Why else would I recognize the benefit and even cherish my rock solid unshakable daily routine? For example,(you have liberty to make your own life application here) each week day I start by waking, showering, dressing, fixing a (point friendly) lunch, packing the car with me, my lunch and my wife and off to work we go to be stopped just a few hundred feet from my driveway by the daily school bus! BTW, the bus driver must be on the same internal clock as me as evidenced by the fact that no matter the variances in the hour of my departure, which in truth can only be a few minutes + or - any morning given to how ridged I am in my routine, she picks up the same kids who stand waiting at the same spot (most days) on the sidewalk of the same side of the street to file into the bus in the same order and take the same seat as they are off to school where they continue a daily routine of classes….wow! Bus moving on, I continue my daily 22 minute drive (most days) to my office where I continue the ordinary routines of my work day! Double wow!!

If you have not already pick up on the interchangeableness of “routine” and “habit” it is certainly not from the lack of a good effort on my part.

I say (at least somewhere inside of me) “Enough already!” Give me the life of a non-conformist!”
Laughable, to say the least, that this comes from my mouth! Those of you who know me well enough are shaking heads and clucking tongues.

I, as do you most likely, love…no demand… a daily dose of routine! Structured scheduled fixes of regularity that comes from staying in the safe zone of habits!
In our routines and our habits we do not have to think or process we just…function! And thanks to those habitual routines, pretty darn well too!
So, is our predictability our fortune? The mundane our salvation? What would happen if for one day you and I broke out of the ordinary of our lives, crossing over the threshold of our fear, stepping into the realm of faith? Most of us live more near that threshold than we would care to admit - hearing the call to step over our fear and out of the ordinary.

You don’t think so? Allow me to name a few people who had the routine of their day interrupted and out of that interruption chose to cross over their fear and live life out of the ordinary: There was Mary, the mother of Jesus. There was Joseph, Mary’s husband. There was Jesus. There was John, Peter and the other disciples called by Christ Jesus. There was Paul (who was Saul). There was Luke. There was Timothy. There was Mary Magdalene. There was Ananias of Acts 9 who by the internal prompting of the Holy Spirit went to pray for Saul, who up until a few days prior had persecuted even ordered the execution of people just like Ananias. These are only to name a few. There are many others I could name but only one stands out for this day!


So much so that I must name and salute that person … YOU!

Captured

"For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand [anywhere else]; I would rather be a doorkeeper and stand at the threshold in the house of my God than to dwell [at ease] in the tents of wickedness." Amplified Bible

After reading Psalms 84:10 sometime back I was taken by the expression of words, more accurately, captured by the picture painted there. A man who had made a choice!

I chewed on this thought a bit. My thinking went something like this: He made the choice upon his being allowed to glimpse God's dwelling place. The place must have been some kind of showy.

Then it hit me! It was not so much the place even though it was certainly excellent (think about it a "house" compared to a "tent"?)!

No, what caused the choice by that man was not the WHAT but the WHO.

When getting an obstruction free glimpse of God (that would be Jesus being lifted up) the choice becomes clearer and the line that divides what is holy and what is not is no longer gray but very bold and easy to notice. Absolutely the choice cost but the cost is worth it!

My point? Well here it is. This is what a Psalms 84:10 doorkeeper does: helps another get a closer more unobstructed view of the Most Holy God. How? By lifting up Jesus the only door by which man my enter into the dwelling place of the Most Holy God and invites "whosoever" will approach His courts and house to not hesitate but go on in where a more intimate relationship with God will occur.

Heart for the journey

So, I have taken the plunge. The journey continues and at this time it has brought me to this place....a "blog". The name of this "blog", "a doorkeeper", has its roots in a desire. A desire not for myself but for...whosoever.

You see, I firmly believe that as one reads the posts appearing here a door will open and "whosoever" will hear their name being called...and join the journey.