Mountain Top Moment: It's a musical journey

Just back from Holy Yoga training retreat, today I am taking you on a musical journey as I reflect on what the Lord is teaching me.

Carinthia – I Am With You Always:
 I went in to retreat hungry.  Craving to hear from Him... Up close and personal.  I wanted that "mountaintop moment" of coming face to face with my Holy Creator.  I was screaming..."SHOW ME ME GOD!!!  Show me who YOU are.  Show me who I am in YOU".

A Great Big World – Say Something: 
Lord you tell me... "call to me and I will answer you and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known."  -Jer 33:3
See, I was striving after Him.  Calling to Him.  He gently said," stop striving and BE STILL...

The xx – Try:
But still, I strived.  I strived to surrender (and in case you're wondering, duh...this doesn't really work)  He said, "beloved, let go.  I am here.  He gently reminded me that I am saved by grace & He has sent His son to save me.
"Saving is all His idea, and all His work.  All we do is trust Him enough to let Him do it.  It's God's gift from start to finish!!  We don't play the major role."  - Ephesians 2:8


Josh Garrels – Never Have I Found:  
But, He said, "you have a choice to make.  Me or the world.  Flesh or the Spirit."  If I simply open my hands, He will take all of the junk of this world exchange it for freedom.
"The thief approaches with malicious intent looking to steal, slaughter, and destroy; I came to give life with joy and abundance."  -John 10:10

Mumford & Sons – Awake My Soul:
You know what?  The world keeps pulling me back.   So I white knuckle.  I drag my wrecked self, broken and insecure toward the lies of this world.  The lie that "in these bodies we will live and in these bodies we will die."  I self doubt.  I worry that I might need to hold on to some of the "things" of this world!  They are my protection.  If I could just get to the top of that mountain.
 But He says..." NO!  I have more for you.  I have life in abundance.  Joy for tears.  I am offering you freedom!  Simply receive grace.  That's it.  You have already arrived."

Muse – Madness:
So this idea of grace is finally starting to take hold.  I must turn from this flesh driven life and be transformed.
"Do not be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renaming of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" - Rom 12:2
I hear his voice..."do you love me?  Feed my sheep".  See, it's not about ME.
Now.... I have finally seen the light.

Bethany Dillon – In Christ Alone
My "all about me" quest to the mountain top began to shift to praise and worship.  The focus became less about me and more about Him.  It is in Him that my hope is found.

KB – Church Clap (feat. Lecrae)
Just as I can't fake a strong core, I can't fake true faith.  If I simply"go through the motions of worship and praise, I will be left empty and weak.

Matt Maher – Lord, I Need You
Wait.  Oh no.  I am pulling back again.  I. Can't. Surrender.  I can't give it all to You.  I can't live by the Spirit.  This world is calling me.  Distracting me.  tempting me.  But again, he takes my hand and leads me to the path of still water and restores my soul.  And so I sing...."teach my soul to rise to you"... and I rest agin in the promise that I am be transformed by the renewing of my mind.

Hillsong Live – I Surrender - Live
..."here I am down on my knees again surrendering all."  He tells me.  "you are wasting time WAITING to grow closer to me...waiting to fully embrace my love..." "Stop waiting and LIVE TRUTH...."" You have been on the mountain top this whole time.  LOOK AROUND dear, THIS is what you were created for.  To glorify me and enjoy me forever.  STOP striving.  Rest, embrace freedom.  Live love."
"God delivered His people out of the bondage of captivity in babylon.... God was wonderful to us; we are one happy people"

Jeremy Camp – Overcome

So finally the striving and begging gave way to freedom and praise.  Worthy of honor and glory and worthy of all my praise.  Awesome and great is your name.  You exchanged ashes for beauty.  Tears for joy!

Chris Tomlin – Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)

My chains are gone!  I've been set free!!!  I am now able to look around in awe & wonder.  I am on top of the mountain.  Met by my Maker.  

Mercy and Forgiveness

Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."
What does it really mean to be merciful… To show mercy?  I think I treat others fairly.  I try to "do unto others as I would have them to do unto me"! I take dinners to friends who are having a rough day (sometimes)… I help friends with childcare issues… I even let others pull out in front of me in traffic if I am able! Ahhhh…. BUT.  Those same friends have been bringing me dinners when I needed them, helping me with my kids, and I am always so thankful when SOMEONE finally lets me out when I am trying to pull out of the High School at drop off time!   Justice is getting what we deserve.  Mercy is something altogether different!  Mercy is receiving something that we do not deserve! Forgiving someone who has not earned forgiveness!  How many times should we FORGIVE?  What if what that person has done the "unforgivable."  
In Matthew 18, Peter came to Jesus asking the same question… "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me?  Up to seven times?  Jesus answered I tell you, not seven times, but SEVENTY-SEVEN times." 

BUT how are we able to do this?  How can we possibly have mercy for someone when they have shattered our hopes and dreams?  When they have harmed those that we love the most… or when they have stolen that which is most dear to us?  HOW can we possibly have mercy?  Well that is an easy answer:  we can't unless the Holy Spirit intercedes and changes our hearts.  The Hebrew word for mercy is "cheesed".  The word means more than just sympathizing with another, or feeling sorry for them… even more than simply empathizing with them.  It means to get right inside another person and see life through their eyes.  To think with their minds.  To feel with their feelings.  It is taking on all their past experiences and feeling the weight of them as we see the world through their eyes.  It is ONLY through the POWER of the Holy Spirit that we can do this.  Forgive the unforgivable.  Love the Unlovable.  
Then, we too will be shown mercy.  

  

Meekness is not weakness

"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." -Mark 5:5

Think, for a moment, about success.  What comes to mind?  A "go getter"?  A big house with a nice car in front of it?  Straight A's, scholarships, awards…we teach our kids to set their goals high and go after them, right?  Not to settle for mediocrity.  But Jesus tells us that the meek will inherit the earth.  What does this mean?  As I dug into this verse, I came to the conclusion that Jesus DOES want us to be ambitious …driven… successful!  He just wants us to do it in a meek manner.  

Christ Himself was meek.  He was humble & forgiving, full of grace and mercy!  He was also Full of passion and power! POWER brought under control.  Soooo, the meekness that Jesus is preaching about is one of humble submission.  This takes strength, friends.   The Greeks used the word praus to describe the a wild horse that has been broken. That once wild, bucking horse is now a calm and submissive. But that horse still has the same strength and passion, it is just channeled for the benefit of it's master.  See, the way I understand it, meekness is is not an extinguishing of our inner passion,  it is igniting it!  Then instead of just letting it burn freely, we channel our passions!  We channel our God-given spiritual gifts, and our Christ given Holy power to be used for His glory.   It’s not a weakening  of our passion… it is CHANNELING it…. !  And in doing so we become rich. 

  "You're blessed when you're content with JUST who you are-no more, no less.  That's the moment you find yourself proud owners of everything that can't be bought."-Matt 5:5 The Message Bible

Blessed are those that mourn

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."-Matthew 5:4

God is the ultimate Comforter.  He can turn ashes to beauty.  He promises to bring us hope and a future, even in the midst of the storm of great loss.  Have you experienced a loss so significant that your whole life seemed meaningless and hopeless?  Well, this is His promise to you: "You will be comforted!".  In essence, He says "CONGRATULATIONS... I see your great loss and I will turn your dark moment into glorious light... I will give you hope."

I have been witness to great tragedy and loss.  I have heard the echoes of a friend's desperate screams in the midst of sobs.  I heard the cries that rang of complete loss.  Held the hand of a young widow as she looked in her daughter's eyes and told her "Daddy is in heaven"... And I was there as the sun rose behind the mountain, when the shock of loss turned to raw mourning. 

Jesus says "Blessed are those who mourn"....This "empty, nothing left to give" type of mourning is what Jesus was talking about.  Do you grieve this deeply for your sin?  I ask myself if I have truly ever felt so convicted of my sin that I fell to my knees like a grieving widow.  Do we TRULY connect our sin to the death of our beautiful Savior?  When will we get to that point?... The moment the Holy Spirit convicts us in such a way that we are completely empty of self. The point where we are so distraught over our sin that we have nothing left.  When we realize that we powerless...keenly aware of our lack of control.  When we (and maybe you already are! )get to that point, then, we will have no choice BUT to surrender.  When will die to self Jesus will bring us into a spiritual maturity and we will be blessed, for we mourn.  And we will be comforted. 

Being Blessed

What does it really mean to be blessed? I dove into this question this week as I began studying Matthew 5... the Beatitudes.  So here is the scene.  Jesus was just baptized by John, publicly blessed by His Father, and we witness the  manifestation of the Trinity as the Holy Spirit descended like a dove.  After being tempted in the desert, He began His public ministry, and gave us a sort of road map to the true path of "blessedness".  Not happiness.  Blessedness... Like skim milk vs. cream.   To be blessed is to be Spiritually prosperous. "To walk righteously in joy".  To have EVERYTHING you need.  "FULLfilling" JOY-not dependent on your life circumstances, or your paycheck, or your health, or you child's successes... a deeper seated contentment.  The Hebrew translation of blessed , esher,  really got my attention.  It implies the sense of congratulations! "CONGRATULATIONS!... You are poor in spirit!"  "CONGRATULATIONS! ... You mourn."  It is an expression of approval from our God!  Why in the world would he congratulate us when we are "poor in spirit" or when we mourn??? Because He knows the rest of the story... The ending.  He knows that when there is less of us, there is more of Him.  He knows that when we mourn, our Heavenly Father will embrace us and fill us with a love and a peace that we can not humanly comprehend.  So go.  Be blessed. 

...to be continued!  

Where was God on Sept. 11, 2001?

"...You planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good... easy now... nothing to fear."- Gen 50:20 The Message Bible

We live in a broken world.  A world with disease, senseless murders, & broken hearts.  

How can we possibly imagine, much less LIVE a “Kingdom Life” in this world? 

Well, the Bible tells us that when we are following the will of God, and fully surrender to Him, the Kingdom of God, even if only a glimpse, is available to us!  NOW.  Even in a broken world, where sin and evil are rampant... Where children and spouses die, and where people choose darkness over Light. 

 Do you remember what you were doing on September 11, 2001 when our freedom was attacked and many lives were lost, along with our sense of security?  Did you wonder that day where God was???  God promises that HE IS WITH US.  He promises to go before us and prepare a way for us.  EVEN if our path is right smack on a course of tragedy, disease, & heartache.  Still, God's plan's are always good.   His plans reveal His power and love for us.  EVERY TIME.  It usually takes time and a hindsight to see the big picture of His perfect Plan.  As many people mourned the tragic loss, and raged with anger for the terrorists, I was given a special gift on Sept 11, 2001.  I was blessed with a perfect blue eyed angel named Evan McKay Froning.  As I held an angel in my arms, I was keenly aware that God’s goodness WOULD NOT be overcome by evil plans. His Word promises us, time and time again that He is sovereign.  And He is GOOD.  

 " It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”-  Deut 31:8

I wanna be free!

This morning while talking with some great ladies,  the question was posed ,"are you living free"? Sure, I was born and raised in a "free country", but am I truly living HOLISTICALLY free?  Or am I living as a slave to myself and the world?
Galations 5:1  "It is for freedom that Christ set us free.... Ok, so re-read that. So HE gave us freedom so we could LIVE FREE.   Having any sort of "false Gods" puts us the bondage of slavery. It chains us to our former self.  God's plan for you and for me is a life of abundance.  Of Wholeness, joy, peace, joy and comfort.  FREE. When we live in constant fear of our futures or when we maintain unhealthy relationships.... when we share irritation or even hostility to strangers (ie the Walmart Clerk who is going so sllllloooowww), or to the ones we love the most! ... When we use our "freedoms" to indulge in the flesh, we are allowing ourselves to be burdened by the yoke of slavery.  Instead, Lets "live FREELY-animated and motivated by God's Spirit. (Gal 5:16)  This does not mean we walk around always being perfect.  We are human.  We will fail because of our freedom.  But that same freedom can set us free.

Gal 5:22-23  But what happens when we live God's way?  he brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard-things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity.  We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people.  

I want to live like that.