Fight on

I pursued my enemies and overtook them. And I did not turn back until they were consumed. I shattered them, so that they were not able to rise; they fell under my feet." (Psalms 18: 37 and 38 NASB)

I was meditating on this recently and had a picture of a battle with an enemy of some kind. I fought him to a standstill and left him wounded and exhausted--but, significantly, not dead--just wounded and backed into a corner.

Like the knight in the Monty Python movie The Holy Grail who had his arms and legs hacked off but kept fighting the enemy in my mind came back. He had been pressed back but not defeated.

We need to fight on until the enemy is utterly crushed, unable to rise again but all too often we stop fighting when the enemy lets up the attack. Instead of fighting until the enemy--bet it doubt or fear or joylessness--is crushed utterly we let up when we feel a little better,

Fight on.

Burn

Every man gives his life for what he believes and every woman gives her life for what she believes. Sometimes people believe in little or nothing. One life is all we have; we live it and its gone. But...to live without belief is more terrible than dying, even more terrible than dying young."--Joan of Arc as she was being led to the stake.

We will give our lives for something--it may be for the Kingdom of God or it may be for trifles, but we will give our lives for something.

What do you burn for?

What price for your destiny?

1Now Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in^(A) Jezreel, beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2And after this Ahab said to Naboth,^(B) "Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house, and I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its value in money." 3But Naboth said to Ahab, "The LORD forbid^(C) that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers." (1 Kings 21:1-3)

King Ahab want Naboth to sell his land. He even offered better land in return. Naboth, however, refused because the land he held was his heritage and he valued his heritage more than property or wealth. Or perhaps his heritage was his wealth.

The question I have is--what is the price of your heritage?

To put it another way---what is the price of your destiny? What would you sell your destiny or potential for?

Let's say God gives us--as we enter this life--a bag full of potential. What would it take to cause us to surrender that potential forever? Would the promise of security through this life be enough to make you, make me, forever give up hope of reaching for our destiny? We are born into the Kingdom with a high calling in Christ Jesus. But we settle for so much less than what we could reach by the power of Christ in us.
I remember Peter Daniels, an Australian believer and billionaire once confessing he feels he has reached only the level of two out of 10, so far as reaching his potential goes. That is a challenging thought indeed. But sadly, it is likely true, few people have come anywhere close to reaching the potential we have in the Kingdom of God.

I know this, I don't want to settle anymore for mediocrity. I have a growing desire to reach for that elusive thing called potential.

But the question remains--what is the price of our potential? If we were offered bondage, with the promise of complete comfort and security, but at the price of potential, would accept bondage?

How much would we sell our dreams for?

Or is our calling something that is beyond price? I think it is--The price to pursue our God-given dreams is surely great. But, then, there is no promise of security apart from abandonment to God and His grace.

Press on in Him.

The bruised bride

In my vision I saw a highway stretching to the west, with mountains in the distance. I knew the mountains were the Rocky Mountains.

I saw a figure coming toward me, walking along the ditch. She was a bride, but her dress was torn, ripped at the knees and elsewhere. Her knees were bloody.

Her makeup was smudged, her hair messed up and her face scratched.

The sense was that this bride, this precious had been kicked out of the wedding car. And this stirred within me the compassion of Christ for his bruised and battered bride--those precious ones who have not experienced so much of His love and grace in the church as of the condemnation and wounding of the self righteous and proud.

The sad fact is many have come through church bearing wounds and unfed. They have, in their hearts and minds, lost their beauty. But they are still the bride, still beautiful to the groom.

And they will be restored.

For thus says the Lord God; Behold I, even I, will both search my sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from their countries, and will bring them to their own land, and will feed them on the mountain of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in a good pasture, upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be; there they shall lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. (Ezekiel 34:12-14)

P.S. As Faye and I were considering our move from Manitoba to Alberta, I was extremely anxious during a scouting trip to look for a house. A realtor gave us a tour of the communities surround Calgary and I remember going through Okotoks, turning toward Black Diamond/Turner Valley, climbing a hill and then at the top of the hill, looking to the mountains, I saw the road in the vision. And my anxiety vanished.

The Lion of Judah

Bear with me as I exhibit my flaky side.

See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying "yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the Heaven." This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God, an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:25-29)

As we were worshipping this morning I began to see a mental image of the Lion of the of the Tribe of Judah. I was looking out the front window of the house looking off to the southwest (I believe) and I saw the Lion on the hill off in the distance.
He began bounding off the hill rapidly running toward the house. As he came near I saw this lion was absolutely enormous. His front paws filled the front yard--his breath seemed to shake the house.
He bent down to look into the window and his eye filled the window.
As I gazed into this eye, which was a deep midnight blue, I could see a host of images reflected in it.
I could see the cosmos. I saw this valley, with the Okotoks erratic and the hills. I saw eagles circling the valley
I could see fire.

I also saw people I knew, people from our group--some were dancing in celebration. Other approached the fire and began to blaze, without suffering injury.

I saw some walking along a narrow mountain path--sheer rock on one side and a terrifying fall on the other. As they walked this pathway the trail would crumble behind them so there was no turning back. This trail was curving around the mountain so it was impossible to see any distance ahead.
It was as if the Lord was asking each one--are you prepared to follow by extreme faith? Are you prepared to make a stand, with no turning back? How much, how deeply do you trust me? What price are you willing to pay.

Then my vision pulled back. I saw this enormous lion pick up the house of worship in his mouth and he began to play with it, much as a cat plays with a mouse. He then set it back on its foundation but only upside down. He then went bounding away.

The Lord will set us on our heads. But really he will be setting us right side up. Our perspective has been for too long skewed. What we thought was right side up, was really upside down. The coming shaking is a shaking of the love of the father for his children. It will be a shaking of restoration and a putting of things in order--at long last.

Let it be, Lord.

"The Levitical priests, the whole tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the Lord's offering by fire and His portion. They shall have no inheritance among their countrymen; the Lord is their inheritance, as He promised them." (Deuteronomy 18: 1 and 2)

As I read this passage this morning, I felt the Lord say this:

"All my people are called to be Levites--set apart for My purpose--called to love and honor and serve Me in all they do. To be My people wherever they go. And to bring glory to My name in all that they do.

They will live by My hand in all that they do. Their source will not be their jobs or their businesses--although they will honor me in that world--but Me. Look to Me for life even as you do your work as unto Me.

I will be your provider. In times of economic shaking those whose trust is entirely in Me will be safest and will draw many to Me."

The solemnity of revival

In his classic book on revival, In the Day of Thy Power, Arthur Wallis says:

It is a deeply solemn matter to seek God's face for revival, for He may deal with me as He does not deal with others.

I'm reminded of a Biblical passage that says something to the effect that from whom much has been given much will be required.

It is often said there is a price to be paid for revival. I am sure part of the price is that revived people--those who have truly been touched by the power of the Holy Spirit in that sovereign event called revival find themselves living at a different standard. Comfortable mediocrity, or complacency must fall off and new passion and purity and power must come in.

Sins once thought insignificant increase in felt significance. God deepens a process of searching and trying and purifying. Awareness of His presence and holiness and power and purity increases, while awareness of our need and desperation also increases.

There is surely joy in all this--but I suspect a life--once touched by the power of God, will be forever spoiled for the ordinary.

So, Lord, spoil me for the ordinary.

Wild horses

I had a mental image earlier today of standing in front of a herd of stampeding horses.

These horses are magnificent creatures--absolute warhorses.

They thunder toward me and just as they are about to trample me the horse part like a river.

They literally make the earth shake with their size and power.

The sound of their hoofbeats is like thunder. As they stampede past me their manes flow in the wind and I can hear the sound of the wind in their voices.

As I am in the middle of this stampede--this river of warhorses--I see myself swing myself up onto one of them and participate in this flow into battle.

What the Spirit seems to be saying to me is I (we) have a choice. I can resist the mighty flow of the Spirit and respond in fear and be trampled. Or I can embrace the move of God and go for an amazing ride with God.

Father take me where You want me to go.

Daily consecration

Another thing about consecration--we can take this life of being set apart literally one day at a time. In fact, we can even treat it as a moment-by-moment kind of thing.

Even as we make a lifetime commitment to obey--to give the Lord that absolute, unconditional yes, we live this life moment-by-moment.

In other words, today matters. The next moment matters. The next breath I take is a gift from God. The next action I take is the action of a man whose life belongs to God.

Live for Him today.

Commitment

I just read this in the book 177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class and I think it applies, somehow, to consecration.

"When everyone else is tired, exhausted, and burned out from the battle, the great ones are just getting warmed up. It's not that they don't fatigue; but their commitment to their dream keeps them going...Champions don't recognize pain, because they have a commitment to do what it takes to win."

The connection is this--consecrated people burn their bridges behind them. They make an absolute unconditional commitment to press forward into God and all God has for them and they never turn back.

Consecrated people leave Egypt behind forever.

Consecration

Murray had a powerful exhortation this morning about consecration.

We are to set apart--committed to God's purposes--committed, in advance, to say yes to whatever He calls us to.

Whatever means whatever. And the yes is unconditional--given before the call is made.


Who does this call to a consecrated life apply to? Does it apply only to those called to paid ministry?
Actually it is clear the call to consecration applies to all believers.

I am satisfied God has called me to business. And by faith I am developing big dreams and visions for this business.

But God has been speaking to me consistently about consecration. My whole life is to be set apart for Him--that includes business--which is becoming a central part of this life He has led me to.
The life of a business person is not a lesser calling--not if it is truly God's calling on my life. It is a calling as surely as anything in what is traditionally regarded as ministry.
Does God's glory not fill the whole earth?

Joshua 1:3 says "Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given to you, as I said to Moses."

Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread---every place that the sole of your foot shall tread.

God wants His people to extend the kingdom to world of finance and business. And that requires business people who are set apart for His purpose--who are committed, in advance, to obey in the realm of finances--who can be trusted with riches because they have died to self.

This requires anointing as surely as that required for pulpit ministry.

This requires surrender.

This requires willingness to carry the cross

This requires integrity of heart and prophetic vision.

This requires people who walk in intimacy with the Father and who know the privilege of sonship.

This requires courage and a life hidden in Christ who is above.

May I be found a worthy servant.

The martyr's prayer

I find this message to be truly powerful. Give it a listen.

The cross, a crown

As I was worshipping with the group this morning I received a picture of myself in the presence of God.

As I was on my face before God something was placed on my bag--this item was oscillating between a cross and a scepter.

The point, as I pondered this, was there will be no authority in Christ, apart from the cross. Or to put it another way, the pathway to authority runs straight through the cross.

Kingdom authority comes to those who have fully met Christ at the foot of the Christ--my life for His.

Lord come meet your people in power.

Called to worship

We are all, without exception, called to worship and intimacy with God.
Busy-ness is not an excuse.
Nor is intimacy and worship limited to the professional ministry.
We all have both the right and the obligation to press in to God and to seek His felt presence.

The Lord has, for instance, been speaking much to me about the importance of people called to business and finances to seek the Lord and to soak in his presence.
Time can become pressing on people of business--but time with the Lord will be returned and multiplied.

It is in His presence that the anointing falls.
It is in His presence we become set apart for His purposes.
It is in His presence we receive His mantle of authority and experience His love and power.

And we all need to walk in the anointing. We all need His direction. We all need to live consecrated lives--whether pastor, or worship leader, or businessman or carpenter.
We fall short of God's purpose if we limit consecration and anointing to the sanctuary--it must also extend to all areas of a world that desperately needs to know and experience the Living God who is reconciling all things to Himself.

Lord fill and anoint Your people today.

I Stay Near the Door

So I Stay Near the Door, an Apologia for My Life
by Samuel Shoemaker

I stay near the door.
I neither go too far in, nor stay too far out.
The door is the most important door in the world--
It is the door through which men must walk when they find God.
There's no use my going way inside, and staying there,
When so many are still outside and they, as much as I,
Crave to know where the door is.
And all that so many ever find
Is only the wall where a door ought to be.
They creep along the wall like blind men,
With outstretched, groping hands,
Feeling for a door, knowing there must be a door,
Yet they never find it...
So I stay near the door.

The most tremendous thing in the world
Is for men to find that door--the door to God.
The most important thing any many can do
Is to take hold of one of those blind, groping hands,
And put it on the latch--the latch that only clicks
And opens to the man's own touch.
Men die outside that door, as starving beggars die
On cold nights in cruel cities in the dead of winter--
Die for want of what is within their grasp.
They live, on the other side of it--live because they have found it.
Nothing else compares to helping them find it,
And open it, and walk in, and find Him...
So I stay near the door.
Go in, great saints, go all the way in--
Go way down into cavernous cellars,
And way up into the spacious attics--
It is a vast, roomy house, this house where God is.
Go into the deepest of hidden casements,
Of withdrawal, of silence, of sainthood.
Some must inhabit those inner rooms,
And know the depths and heights of God,
And call outside to the rest of us how wonderful it is.
Sometimes I take a deeper look in,
Sometimes venture in a little farther;
But my place seems closer to the opening...
So I stay near the door.

There is another reason why I stay there.
Some people get part way in and become afraid
Lest God and the zeal of His house devour them;
For God is so very great, and ask all of us.
And these people feel a cosmic claustrophobia,
And want to get out. "Let me out!" they cry.
And the people way inside only terrify them more.
Somebody must be by the door to tell them that they are spoiled
For the old life, they have seen too much;
Once taste God and nothing bu God will do anymore.
Somebody must be watching for the frightened
Who seek to sneak out where they came in,
To tell them how much better it is inside.
The people too far inside do not see how near these are
To leaving--preoccupied with the wonder of it all.
Somebody must watch for those who have entered the door,
But would like to run away. So for them, too,
I stay near the door.
I admire the people who go way in.

But I wish they would not forget how it was
Before they got in. Then they would be able to help
The people who have not yet even found the door,
Or the people who want to run away again from God.
You can go in too deeply, and stay in too long,
And forget the people outside the door.
As for me, I shall take my old accustomed place,
Near enough to God to hear Him, and know He is there,
But not so far from men as not to hear them,
And remember they are there, too.
Where? Outside the door--
Thousands of them, millions of them.
But more important for me--
One of them, two of them, ten of them,
Whose hands I am intended to put on the latch.
So I shall stay by the door to wait
For those who seek it.
"I had rather be a door-keeper..."
So I stay near the door.

I keep a copy of this powerful poem in my odds and ends binder and read it often. And every time it stirs me deeply because it awakens many deep longings in my heart.
It touches a portion of my heart that has always been dissatisfied with certain experiences of institutional church and what I would call a preoccupation with the mundane stuff of simply keeping the building and programs operating from week-to-week while, frankly, touching no one outside the church. (I say that as someone who is not particularly gifted in evangelism.)

Here is the wrinkle God has thrown at me --It seems I am now among those who long to go way in to the depths of this great house that God or His heaven are. And I ask myself--have I forgotten those who linger and fumble and stumble outside the door, looking for the latch--looking for the One true Way to Life?

They cannot be forgotten.

But...perhaps...We enter into the depths of God, for their sake too. Perhaps, by His grace, we are able to stand at that doorway to life with one hand out to those stumbling in the dark and another extended to God Himself and bring them together.

Perhaps--our hunger and thirst for God can bring us to a place where we are able to bring bread and life to others who have not yet found Him.

I stood on our balcony once in the early evening and watched the lights of Turner Valley and Black Diamond in the near distance.

Each light represented to me someone who desperately, desperately needs the reality of Christ--with a hunger and thirst and ache and cry that can only be met by Him.

So we cry out for more of God for their sake too.

Meet us today

Meet Your people today, Father. Please meet us today.

Unveil Your beauty.

Grant us to joy of Your felt presence.

There must be more

One great hindrance to holiness in the ministry of the Word is that we are prone to preach without pressing into the things we say and making them real to our own souls. Over the years the words begin to come easy, and we find we can speak of mysteries without standing in awe; we can speak of purity without feeling pure; we can speak of zeal without spiritual passion; we can speak of God's holiness without trembling; we can speak of sin without sorrow; we can speak of heaven without eagerness. And the result is increasing hardness of the spiritual life.--John Piper in Contending for Our All.

I think Piper is exactly right. Head without heart ultimately leaves us cold and spiritually. There are, of course, opposite challenges of passion without the spine of solid biblical truth and Piper inevitably comes back to that spine.

What we are contending for here in the foothills, however, is to press into the reality of Christ--to contend for Heaven here on earth--today--to press into genuine holiness and passion for God and all His glory.

We want all the reality of Christ. At least, I confess, I do. All believers must some time have been confronted with the thought there must be more than this. Let that frustration not leave us discontent but somehow willing to settle for less simply from weariness.
Let it drive us--at least me--more deeply into prayer--more deeply into worship and willing to take more risks for the King and His Kingdom.

Lord Jesus reveal Yourself among us.

Fountain of Living Waters pour over this land today.

Hungry and thirsty

I am so very hungry and so very thirsty.
It has been a long time since the thirst has been so strong.
But that is surely a good thing--because those who are thirsty will drink most deeply. And those who are most hungry will be most satisfied.

After that, of course, comes more hunger and thirst because this type of satisfacti0n leaves you hungering and thirsting for more.

Oh God fill us.

A fresh start

My wife Faye and I moved from Manitoba to Alberta to start a new life. We had no reason, in particular, to move other than a strong sense of God's leading.
He has met us here.
There is no life apart from life in God.