New Website

Check out our new website...there are a few video clips as well!  www.cleansefillpour.com

It matters where your roots are...

I noticed little trees growing in my neighbours gutters today. Actually, I'd hardly call them trees. Sprouts, are more like it, that are destined to die...but not before causing some real problems for my neighbor.

It reminded me the importance of having seed planted in good soil and the necessity of roots growing deep. They reminded me of Psalm 1:2-3, "but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields it's fruit in its season and its leaves does not wither."

These sprouts will never bear fruit...they will never produce what is intended. They will only cause stoppage and clogs in the gutter system. I wonder if a Christian without strong growing roots could do the same? Cause problems, stunt growth and cause clogs? It matters where we are planted and that our roots grow deep....are we like trees planted by steams of water or in gutters? 

The Last Adam...

" Our Heavenly Father is still carrying out His purpose of making man in His image. Although His original purpose is the same, He is not using the original man to bring it about. All is now centered in the Last Adam, our Lord Jesus Christ." - Miles Stanford, The Green Letters.

The Last Adam, Jesus. The Head of a whole new correct image bearing race....the Body of Christ, sealed by the Spirit.  It's a profound thought, image, and mystery....nothing, absolutely nothing of the first creation- of the first Adams image will last. It's utterly and completely corrupted. Our flesh is sold, in every way, to sin....death....and destruction...and it must go. ( 1 Corinthians 15:36-50) Apart from Christ, there is no hope. 

But God.

" But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ, by grace we have been saved, and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace toward us in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:4-7 

The Life, death, burial and resurrection of the Last Adam, Jesus....by grace and faith in His finished word secures us into His new creation.  We are strategically placed, woven with great intention and purpose into His singular masterpiece- the Church.  Sealed and given everything for life and godliness....to be formed and transformed into the correct image of God, as our individual part of His Workmanship. Praise you Jesus!! Yes and Amen!

Love this song....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWceJIBuPL4

Praying with Jesus

I've been thinking about prayer lately, I ran across this excerpt  from the book  Hidden in Christ by James Bryan Smith;

"Setting my mind on the truth that Jesus is praying for me has changed the way I pray. I now pray with Jesus, not simply to Jesus. Jesus is interceding  for me (and you) so I offer prayers for my family, friends, and myself with Jesus, to our heavenly Father."

How is this possible that I can now pray with Christ, not simply to Him?  Think on that, it's powerful!  I'm not sure I've ever considered what a privilege and powerful thing it is to pray with Jesus...He is not praying with me, He is praying for me.

Hebrews 7:25, "Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."

But as I learn to pray, I pray with Him. As my mind, heart, passions, desires, and kingdom heart-set is transformed my will aligns more, and more with His, I pray with Him....in accordance to His will. When I think of a "posture" of praying with Him I see alignment....coming together before the Father.  I see community. I see unity. I see grace-filled beauty ,and magnificence. I see transformation. I see boldness.

My eyes and faith are so small though, so as I learn to pray with Him according to His will...I am so thankful that the Spirit intercedes, transforms and translates for me. I can come boldly before the throne of Grace, in faith, knowing that it will be translated well....by the Spirit and Son.  

Romans 8:26-27, " In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."   

How do I learn this?  How do I practice prayer? Does this have to be all complicated?  And formulaic ? A system of prayer? No. I think it is very organic. Very relational. I'm not saying it should be disrespectful,  impertinent , or too casual...yet prayer in Christ shouldn't  be in whimpering fear.  I'm learning to pray with Jesus. 

I'm reminded of Psalm 37:4, "Delight yourself in the LORD; and he will give you the desires of your heart."  As we learn who we are in Christ...as we delight in the LORD, in Christ.  As we delight in Him...we are changed, transformed, eyes are opened, hearts softened. Desires changed. Kingdom heart-set altered. I think we learn to pray with Him...

Check out the website www.cleansefillpour.com

 

New website!

www.cleansefillpour.com

Wanting "Off", But Not Alone While Staying "On"...

 I'm what my mom would call; "a late in life 'surprise' to the family".  Back in that day women, with high-school aged kids, over the age of 40 did not have babies.  Well, "Surprise!", my mom birthed me at the age of forty.  My parents were thrilled, but my sisters were horrified!  This interesting new family mix gave me all kinds of birth-order issues. I've got only-child issues, firstborn of this new family unit issues, and according to my sisters....baby of the family issues, all wrapped up into one.  I guess this gives the Lord a lot to work with.  I have control issues on all levels. 

I was the only daughter to grow up, and remain near my folks so that has meant; as they have aged, that I became their primary family caregiver.  I'm so grateful for the forty years I had while my dad was healthy, and whole, when I could really lean on my parents.... I experienced their love for the Lord, example of faith, and I'm so thankful for that.

But as they aged, and as the Lord allowed my dad to go down the path of Alzheimer's, life got very tough for everyone.  My mom was his full-time caregiver, and it almost killed her.  For five years she loved, cared, and slowly started to waste away herself.  I actively watched.  During the last year of my dad's life as she got sicker, and weaker;  my job got harder and much heavier.  

I'll never forget a morning in May- driving my dad to a VA Hospital appointment.  I'm not a fan of not knowing where I'm going. I'd never been to this hospital, which was an hour away from home.  My mom was so sick that morning, so I had to take my dad to this appointment alone. We drove towards an unfamiliar place with no landmarks, and my dad was no help at all....he just sat in the passenger seat, quietly singing mixed-up songs.

That morning represented so much more for me than simply driving to an appointment.  I wasn't  just driving to an unfamiliar place....I was on a unknown path in life, that I couldn't get off of.  I had no idea where the road of Alzheimer's was heading, and I hated it. 

All those birth-order fisrtborn, only-child, baby of the family issues were surfacing...I demanded control- on some level- and cried out to the Lord..."I'm so scared!  I don't know where I'm going, not just today, but on this path... and I want OFF this road of life!"

 I'll never forget, driving seventy miles an hour down Hwy 65,  how the Holy Spirit dropped a verse that I had studied right into my troubled heart and mind.  Quietly, gently, but oh so very securely....God was in control. 

"I will lead the blind by a way they do not know, in paths they do not know I will guide them.  I will make darkness into light before them and rugged places into plains. These are the things I will do, and I will not leave them undone."  Isaiah 42:16 (NASB)

He was calling me to trust, and follow Him, even on this path of Alzheimer's.  God promised, Jesus promised....those who are His are HIS, and He will never leave us or forsake us.

He didn't.  We were blind, and He led us,  it was rugged, but we walked sure-footed.  It  was a long, tough, dark road with my dad, but God was faithful, and He didn't leave anything undone,. And now...even now...He uses it for His purposes.  He uses all things, and I'm so thankful for that.

"Oh Lord, thank You that nothing is wasted in Your eyes.  Use all things, even the hard things for Your purposes in our lives and in the lives of others.  In Your priceless Name, Amen."

Mentoring Moments

Doing the Bible Study "Influence" by Jan Silvious and Pam Gillaspie this summer....it's really good. This week Pam wrote " Mentoring doesn't always involve long periods of time.  Mentoring opportunities can surface in an instant.  If we're not paying attention, though, we can miss it."

Been thinking on this, what a fantastic thought(s).  Two things hit me.  First, mentoring doesn't mean BFF (Best Friends Forever). In order to be mentored or to mentor....you don't have to have everything in common, or love shoe shopping and late night chick flicks!  For Biblical mentoring to happen, you both need to love Jesus and love what He loves.  Do you realize what kind of pressure and expectations this kind of understanding can release?!  We can be ourselves and still impact each other....without complete common ground in this earthly realm.  We share common ground in the eternal realm and that's what most important.  

I'm not saying it's not important to have girlfriends, but from an eternal perspective what we REALLY  need to grow up in discipleship are some sisters in Christ to walk with (and we don't have to be best friends). We need pouring in and pouring out.  This can happen in a moment ....in person, by a book, in a class, on Facebook, at church or in a casual conversation that turns to the things of The Lord.  Ok. So this brings up a great point....do we look for the things of The Lord around us?  To talk, think and express the things of Jesus? 

Second thing that hit me.  This kind of mentoring can happen in an instant so I need to be paying attention.  See why the understanding is so important....if I'm waiting around for the perfect mentoring relationship where the heavens part and the angels sing ( get the picture in your head!) I might very well be missing a boatload of mentoring moments....to learn, be challenged, stretched and grown in.  Because I'm longingly looking off up in sky for the "perfect" mentoring fit for me.  

So. I'm being challenged and sharpened in how I look at mentoring moments in my life,...both in receiving them and offering them.  Love it!  Think on this with me, it's worth your time!

Trained eye...

You need a trained eye when caring for flowers.  I've never had a green thumb, more like a black one. I kill things that are alive, not human or animal things, don't worry!  But green things?  Ummmm....they don't last long.  I'm pushing myself this year, stretching and growing and trying to keep 3 (yes only 3) potted flower pots alive!  It's been 2 weeks now....I feel so accomplished!   

As I was purchasing my flowers from Walmart, I asked the lady next to me if the plants that I had chosen were easy to kill?  Yes, I'm just that inept.  I had chosen wisely but she leaned over my cart and started to pull off wilted blooms....while pulling she said, "just water and pull off the dead flowers."  Ok, I can handle that, did you know you were supposed to pull off the dead flowers?  And if you do, others will come up?  

No wonder my thumb is black and I always kill plants....I knew they needed water and sunlight but I've always tossed them out when they got all wilted and dead....and come to think of it, many times while the plant itself was still green.  Could it be that the plants were still alive and able to flourish and all that was needed was the care of cleaning the dead blooms off and allowing the new growth to come out? 

Can I just interject, there is a boatload of spiritual principals to glean here!   Shocker, I know.  How often do I look at areas of my life (or more likely others) and consider it too dead, too useless, too unusable and "toss it out", when fresh blooms are hiding right there....in plain trained eyesight?  

Well, I was excited to get these flower planted and start caring for them in a much healthier way.....after a few days I inspected and started pulling those dead wilted blooms....but as I looked, I honestly couldn't tell if some of the blooms were dying or just coming to life.  They looked the same to me.  Obviously, the dead dead ones were easy to see....but there were a lot that looked " mostly dead" and I pulled them out but realized that they were the new growth ones instead....I needed a more trained eye. 

Lessons learned:  Trained eye needed, practice needed, careful inspection needed....patience needed.  And that's just for plants, what about life?!    Yet another spiritual lesson.  Oh how I need a "Trained Eye" pruning my life and need my eyes trained as I look around at myself and others.  What grace to have a Master Gardener working in the garden of life....and training His Sevants to have a trained eye.  

Free....

I don't feel particularly free...free to be how The Lord wired, made and placed me in the Body.  I'm just not feeling it.  I FEEL displaced. 

  I KNOW a lot of stuff, but what do shows what I truly believe. We act on what we truly believe. In other words, I can talk a good game, but what I think about, feel about and do about all those things testifies to what I actually believe. It's true because it's true. 

So in other words,  I don't have a fear problem, I have an unbelief problem. I don't have an anger problem, I have an unbelief problem. I don't have a worry problem, I have an unbelief problem. Again, it's true because It's true. Now my unbelief issues often times work themselves out in fear, anger, worry and so on! So all those things are issues....they just aren't the root issue. 

What does this have to do with my opening remark about feeling free?  I've spent a lot of time these last few days under the weight of judgement, fear, anxiety and worry.  Life and feelings just get that way sometimes...feel me?  My eyes get on me, others and others responses to me and that creates an even bigger mess! Can I get an "Amen!" My feelings start to be my guide and that is never a good idea.....and I always end up getting stuck. Stuck in unbelief.  Always. Good feelings are never good enough and they don't last and the bad feelings....well , we don't have to go there!   Working over some of these root issues of unbelief....it's worth working over.   

I'm really thankful that The Lord does not have these issues.....He is never low on belief and His belief is never ever misplaced. He never trusts in me. He trusts in Himself in me....He has enough belief. And it is correct belief-always. Pondering on that this evening ....Philippians 1:6 and then Paul's prayer in 1:9-11.