Learning to Spend My Inheritance

Psalm 31:21-22 Praise the Lord, because he showed me how wonderful his faithful love is when the city was surrounded by enemies. I was afraid and said, “I am in a place where he cannot see me.” But I prayed to you, and you heard my loud cries for help. 

Do you find yourself in that place today?  Where you think to yourself,  'I am in a place where he cannot see me'. 'I'm out of sight, out of mind.' 'God is not hearing my prayers.'  Are you feeling alone - like you're being swallowed up by oppression... fear, hopelessness, grief, doubt, depression...? When things like that hit us, we feel so alone...weak and vulnerable.  We feel like we are disconnected from the Lord and can start believing the lie that says we might not make it out. That things won't get better. That He gave up on us. Or that we aren't worthy of His attentive help. 

But God sends His Holy Spirit to remind us of His faithfulness. He reminds us of all the times He has dug us out of the trenches.  Scooped us up out of the waves. Lifted our weary heads. Led us through the sea on dry land.  Spoken a word that empowered us to persevere. Sent us a friend we didn't know could relate. Wrote a song just for us to hear.   All these things are the Lord saying, "I'm here with you, darling.  I see you - it's impossible for me not to see all because I'm everywhere. Lift your eyes to Me, where your help comes from. I will be your help in these times of trouble. Call out to Me and I will answer.  You're never alone. It's never too deep for Me to pull you out.  I chose you. I want you to be with Me. I love you with an everlasting love. My faithfulness reaches to the skies." 

If you are not in that place of oppression currently, can you recall a time when you were?  Chances are yes, you can. And when you recall His faithfulness to you in that place, remembering how He was your help, hear God saying this to you. "I have showed you My kindness and My faithfulness. I have showed you I'm trustworthy. I have pulled you from the miry clay. Sing of My love and faithfulness. Share your story. Share the hope I've called you to and the inheritance I've given so generously to you. Tell of My mighty deliverance.  Receive My Spirit. Allow Me to equip you to shine a light in dark places. Allow My Spirit to anoint you to preach the good news, heal the broken, proclaim freedom for captives and release for the prisoners, to comfort the sad, and to rebuild the ruins."

Isaiah 61:1-4 "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations."

God does not save us, deliver us and heal us so that we can keep it to ourselves. He gives us a chance to partner in His story. A chance to use and apply the gifts He has entrusted to us. Ways to spread His love. Ways to lend a hand to our brothers and sisters that have come upon hard times. To testify of His goodness. To encourage people to believe the message of salvation, healing and deliverance that is in and through Jesus Christ.  To be a servant of our living, mighty God that formed us and knit us together.  It is what we were made to do. To worship Him. Devote ourselves to Him. Love Him. 

1 Corinthians 1:9 Amp - "God is faithful, reliable, trustworthy, and therefore ever true to His promise, and He can be depended on; by Him you were called into companionship and participation with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."

When we shift our thoughts to dwell upon His faithful love, we cannot help but be swept up in a resounding gratitude and a certain awe of Him.  Our hearts respond with an adoration - an honest, pure desire to break open our alabaster jars and pour our perfume over His feet.  We realize as we gaze upon His splendor that He is worthy of all of it. 

Don't hold back today. Give Him everything you've got!  Because what you have is enough for Him!  He multiplies it and makes it way more vast and effective then you ever dreamed. 

"Jesus, we love You!  Oh how we love You! You are the One our hearts adore. 

Our affection, our devotion, poured out on the feet of Jesus..." -- Paul McClure

In love, 

Kerri 

Don't Be Surprised

I wonder sometimes why we are surprised when people don't respond to us in a positive way when we follow Jesus.  When we observe His leading and attempt to follow His truth and way, even our own family or friends are sometimes turned off by it.  It should not be a surprise.  Even Jesus Himself experienced this with His family.  His own brothers didn't even believe in Him (John 7:5).  

Jesus said He didn't come to bring peace but a sword (Matthew 10:34).  He brought truth.  Sometimes the truth hurts, doesn't it?  We have to be careful not to be offended by the truth, but teachable.  Willing to listen to God, Who is above all.  Matthew 10 talks about how persecution will come against believers/followers.  We see it in our country every day (it just may not be violent yet like with some nations).  God's truth is on trial.  We have the choice to believe His Word or not.  But if we believe it, we surely can expect to be persecuted in some form or fashion.  

Jesus said we need to be okay with that.  We need to know that serving God is worth it.  Believing Him is worth it…it's life to our souls.  We need to know that He sees us following Him and He will reward our faith.  Regardless of reward, He is worthy.  He created us and gave life to us.  He created heaven and earth.  Apart from Him, we have no being to begin with.  That truth alone sets my feet in a firm stance of worship.  He is worthy of all worship.  Our eyes and ears should be upon Him.  

This teaching Jesus declared through Matthew 10 is incredibly important for us to know in this age.  I believe the Spirit is trying to awaken us to follow Him without hesitation and regardless of what people think.  To know the Word, know the Source, know what's coming, and know how to overcome.  His Word tells us.  His Spirit teaches us and brings His truth to remembrance and equips us.   We either believe it or we don't.  

"Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.  These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;  Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;  Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.  As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

“Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting. If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

“The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!

“So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

“Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” (Matthew 10:16-42)

Father God, steady my mind and heart on the truth of Your Word. Set firm my feet upon it so that I am not swayed by things happening around me or by people that intimidate and come against me.  Help me be comfortable - even joyful - with the fact that while it will not always be easy, it will be SO WORTH IT!  Because You are worth it.  I love You, Lord.  Let my life reflect that!! 

Trusting

Psalm 40:3 And He has put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many shall see and fear (revere and worship and put their trust and confident reliance in) the Lord. 

God so wants His people to trust Him. It must be so hard to see His kids running scared and unwilling to rely on Him. To see His beloved children struggling to get by. I picture a dad holding his toddler in the water for a swim lesson. But instead of relaxing and trusting daddy's hands to not let them sink, they flail around and strain to keep their head up out of the water. My kids were always ok until we'd try to get them to float on their back. It just scared them to not be able to see and to not feel in control.  Sometimes I picture God trying to help us rest in His careful, competent hands for a swim lesson.  Only we too often don't rest but strive to swim in our own style, timing, and expertise.  Yes He wants us to learn to swim, but when we are experiencing something new and difficult, He wants to be the One to show us what to do.  If we are flailing around trying to work it all out on our own, not stopping to look into His eyes and see how trustworthy and confident and wise He is, we really can get exhausted.  And when exhaustion takes over, we start to sink.  His heart is to equip us for the deep waters, but we have to be willing to yield to His capable hands and instruction.  

As we allow God to show us the way, we become adept swimmers in the deep.  We become confident - not in our selves, but in the skills and knowledge and impartation we've received from our God.  His ways are higher than our ways.  His thoughts higher than our thoughts.  Depending on Him is vital.  His teaching, His strength, and His encouragement make the journey so much easier and so much more fun!  

Hebrews 13:5-6 "...for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! Assuredly not! So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?

TRUST by Kristene Mueller 

(Those Who Dream CD)

It's the sweetest thing to trust you

just to know You've got everything under control

it's the sweetest thing to trust you 

just to know You've got everything 

and You are making me a mountain

making me a mountain that cannot be shaken 

You are making me a mountain 

making me a mountain that cannot be moved 

high up on a rock looking out at the horizon

watching as the storm rolls in wondering if my heart will survive it 

as the waves crash all around me and I can't remember what it feels like to be free 

I know You're making me a mountain

making me a mountain that cannot be shaken 

oh You are making me a mountain 

making me a mountain that cannot be moved 

You say, I've got you my baby, oh I've got you

it's quite the mess you're in but it's nothing Love can't fix 

so sit here upon my shoulders and watch as it all unwinds 

You are making me a mountain

making me a mountain that cannot be shaken 

I know You're making me a mountain 

making me a mountain that cannot be moved

Light

Open up, let the Light in...
--steffany gretzinger


1 John 1:5 And this is the message, the message of promise which we have heard from Him and now are reporting to you: God is Light, and there is no darkness in Him at all -no, not in any way.

Psalm 18:28 For You cause my lamp to be lighted and to shine; the Lord my God illumines my darkness.

Isaiah 49:9 Saying to those who are bound, Come forth, and to those who are in spiritual darkness, Show yourselves, come into the light of the Sun of righteousness. They shall feed in all the ways in which they go, and their pastures shall be not in deserts, but on all the bare grass-covered hills.

2 Corinthians 4:4-7 For the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers’ minds that they should not discern the truth, preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ the Messiah, Who is the Image and Likeness of God. For what we preach is not ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves merely as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God Who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts so as to beam forth the Light for the illumination of the knowledge of the majesty and glory of God as it is manifest in the Person and is revealed in the face of Jesus Christ the Messiah. However, we possess this precious treasure -the divine Light of the Gospel -in frail, human vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves.

Jesus once again addressed them: “I am the world’s Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in.” John 8:12

“Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light." Matthew 6:22


Lord, let the Light of Your Presence penetrate any darkness in our lives. Let it infiltrate every space there is. Let all voids, all closed-off places, all secret places of our hearts be brought into Your Light. The light that brings life. The light that brings revelation. The light that brings joy...the kind that lifts our countenance and spirits upward. Let Your light shine inside of us, that we would reveal Your light to those still in darkness… that they'd be saved from dark places by Your light. Your light is truth. Your light is just. Your light is warm. Your light is powerful - much more so than darkness. Your light is a guide, leading us on a good path…to mercy and to goodness. Your light shows us how and where to walk. Your light gives us hope. Your light is beauty. Your light is majesty. Your light is pure. Your light is joy. Your light is love. Let our eyes look upon You. Be ever before us. As we look upon You, our eyes beholding You, we shall be filled with Your light. Brilliant light. Thank You Jesus!

Write Your Word on My Heart

For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (AMP)

And Jesus replied to him, It is written, Man shall not live and be sustained by (on) bread alone but by every word and expression of God. Luke 4:4

But He answered them, My mother and My brothers are those who listen to the Word of God and do it! Luke 8:21 

Holy Spirit, I ask You to be my guide continually as I read the Word of God. Bring revelation to my mind and heart that leads me into a place of encountering You. I want to feed upon the words You speak and experience them firsthand so that I am not quick to forget them. I ask for understanding as I read these precious scriptures so that I might learn to walk in Your ways. Doing what You do and saying what You say. Holy Spirit, cause me to remember the ways of the Kingdom and cause me to recall all that Jesus did here on the earth. Bring to my remembrance the promises You made to Your children. Show me Who You are and who I am in Your great story… Heal me through Your Word… Deliver me by the truth of Your Word…equip me for everything in this life and in the next… Give me wisdom to live with integrity and compassion and love beyond reason… Write Your Word on my heart and on my mind…engrave it so that it is part of my very being. You are my greatest delight - my treasure. I love You, Jesus. You bring me peace and fill me with joy, knowing I'm Yours. Thank You God…thank You.

We Are His

The matter of knowing our identity is of upmost importance, yet so many of us do not have it settled yet.  I believe God wants to eradicate this identity crisis that so many of us deal with once and for all.  I hear it in different posts, sermons, worship songs...He is speaking through all avenues to tell us something.  Something of great importance and significance!  He wants us to know, with all our heart and mind, that we are His sons and daughters.  We have an identity, and our identity is that we are His.  We belong to a Family - a family that should be growing by the day.  A heavenly family that will one day be established for all of eternity...peaceful, joyful and overflowing with love.  Our Father is adopting sons and daughters and preparing them for Kingdom living.  

The family unit is clearly under attack, and it is losing values and morals by the minute, let alone forfeiting its intended purpose.  It’s no wonder we struggle with understanding and accepting our true identity.  The enemy is wreaking havoc in homes across the world, creating a perversion of what family was intended to be.  Generational patterns of destruction - abuse, abandonment, and neglect - cloud our conscience and vision.  Just turn on the news and you’ll see it.  Fathers abandon.  Mothers check out.  Brothers and sisters fight and struggle to learn how to make it in a world that lies and cheats and hurts.  It is producing bitterness, resentment, a great deal of fear, disrespect, and a generation that disregards authority because of a lack of trust.  It shows up in schools, in the workplace, in entertainment...this brokenness of heart which often finds it’s outlet through violence or addiction.  People attempt to either numb the pain with their drug of choice or just unleash their internal rage upon whomever is nearby.  Walls are erected around the heart leading to isolation, which strangles the life right out of its captive.

If I’m honest, sometimes our culture seems so broken, that it almost feels too far gone.  And I begin to feel helpless...perhaps even a tad scared.  Watching the news is a challenge for me because of the negative tone - the continual bad news that is presented.  Sorting truth from lies.  I hear all sorts of stories and see things unfolding in schools and homes and workplaces that makes me nauseous.  But if I allow these bad reports to make me cringe in fear, what hope do I have?  That would be none!   But that’s not the case...

THERE IS A SAVIOR!  And His name is Jesus!  He fought the battle and won.  Now it’s our turn to put on our salvation helmets and step into a place of agreement with this identity we have in Him.  He lives in us.  Do we live like we believe that?  Do we live like we are sons and daughters?  Or do we live like slaves to fear and sin?  Where is our faith?  Our hope?  Our dreams?  One by one the enemy is stealing, killing and destroying these treasures in us.  So what are we going to do about it?  

My spirit screams inside to do something!  I listen to the Bethel crew sing the anointed songs on the “We Will Not Be Shaken” CD and I am encouraged to stand!  To believe...that despite the way things look, He can change it all in an instant...a word...a breath.  He can save and deliver us like He did with Gideon and crush the enemy that seems so overwhelming!  God called Gideon a ‘mighty man of courage’ and Gideon said ‘Huh?  Oh sorry - You’ve got the wrong guy’.  But God saw the treasures in Gideon and called them out.  He brought life to dead places.  Gideon’s family must have bought into the lie long before that they were nobodys, weak and poor.  God knew better.  He knew what He created.  And He knew what His Spirit could do through a willing, obedient vessel.  

In Song of Solomon we find God calling forth the bride’s beauty even before she knew it was there.  She saw herself as dark.  He called her lovely.  She became what He called forth in love.  We are becoming what He’s calling forth in us.  Much like the bride, or Gideon, we are believing we are weak and poor.  But God says differently.  He says we are way more!  I found a picture that made me think of this.  It’s a picture of a new planting, but the beauty of what it’s to become is staked in the ground next to it.

We are ever-maturing into what He designed and created us to become.  We are seedlings, planted in the rich soil of His love, part of His Family.  We may feel fragile and small, but He gives us a picture of what we will become when fully grown.  He prophetically speaks over us what we will look like and what we will produce.  Be encouraged and satisfied knowing that if you’ve made the decision to call Him Lord, if you are pursuing Him, He will grow you into His very image.  You’re already starting to look like Him...there’s a family resemblance for certain. Put a stake in the garden of your heart to remember what He says you are growing into.  Something beautiful!  Something fruitful!  That way when the enemy comes with lies they don’t stand a chance in taking root in us.  God’s truth is already established there.  

Let’s resolve this identity crisis.  Let’s become the sons and daughters He’s called us to be.  Are there things we need to learn that fall under this category?  Yes.  But let’s settle the basics.  In all honesty, I believe that we HAVE to be secure in our identity in order to stand and face what is going to come against us.  We have to know who we are and Who’s we are (which should make us feel very humble and very thankful and very motivated to share!).  If we don’t and if we doubt, we will not be able to stand strong on solid ground.  The new plantings will be choked out by weedy lies.  We have to get it.  We have to understand who we are so that we will not be shaken.  We have to stand strong in our identity so that we can win the hearts of those still lost.  Many want to be found.  Many are looking for a light in their darkness.  Many are longing to belong to a family that loves them.  Knowing who we are and what we have makes it much easier to tell someone what they’re missing.  The confidence of knowing we are sons and daughters of a good God that loves us deeply - that is key to sharing the gospel.  

I pray God will release revelation to us all about who we are.  I pray His word, His truth,  will reach the heart and not just the mind.  I pray our hearts will grasp how deeply He loves.  How confident and sure He is in calling us His.  How sincere His promise of forgiveness is.  I pray He will open our eyes, ears, minds and hearts to know the hope we have in Him.  The power that resides within us as we welcome Christ into our heart.  I pray that we would become aware and awake to the possibilities around us to share the Good News and the goodness and love of God.  And that our God of LIGHT will pierce through the dark places and release hearts to worship Him.  You alone are worthy, Lord God!

Kerri Barfield

LOVE

L-O-V-E…the subject in my mind and heart as of late.  I've been trying to write this post for months now and have had a terrible time putting my thoughts on paper.  It's deeper than I can express here.  God is taking me deeper into His love, teaching me more about how He loves and how that draws us into loving Him, ourselves, and others. Every teaching, every song, every sermon I hear draws me more and more into focusing on His love.

I think I've learned this lesson of 'God loves me' more than once.  But it's an ever-increasing revelation, you know?  It is multi-faceted.  It relates to everything in my life.  My salvation, my marriage, my children, my home, my church, my dreams…  It is weaved throughout the fabric of my existence.  There's really no escaping it.  It surrounds me.  "The earth is filled with Your love, Lord" Psalm 119:64

I recently read an article written by Mike Bickle about loving God, receiving His love, and then being able to love ourselves and others out of the fullness of His love.  One thing Bickle said was, "God's love cannot diminish or grow…because it's already perfect, full and constant.  He is love."  We must come to trust in the perfect, wholehearted love of God.  He is faithful.  He's not like the spouse that walked out on the marriage or the mother who walked away from her children for drugs.  I've heard way too many of these stories.   However, "the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." (Psalm 100:5)  Our own personal experiences may make it hard to believe, and the worldly beliefs we encounter daily certainly tempt us to doubt, BUT... God is good and His love endures forever.  We have to believe.

I heard a quote while at a retreat that said, "How glorious the splendor of a heart that trusts that it is loved." (Brennan Manning)  There is beauty in that statement.  It makes me think of my babies when they were tiny tots - so trusting of Mom and Dad.  They had no fear of anything really because they trusted we'd take care of their needs.  They had never experienced otherwise.  They were adventurous and brave and fun!  A heart that trusts it is loved can be free.  Knowing you're loved allows for a sense of safety.  To be yourself.   My kids will dance like you wouldn't believe in front of me…perhaps not so much in front of strangers.  (That goes for me too!)  They feel free to be themselves with me.  They feel safe.  They trust my love.  1 John 4:18 says, "There is no fear in love…"

Mike Bickle says that the same love each part of the Godhead has for the other parts is the same love He has for us.   He loves His Son, and the Son loves the Spirit equally as much.  The Father loves us as much as He loves the Son and Spirit.  Wow!  I mean, I know we hear about God's love for us all the time, but suddenly there is something new in it for me.  There's some freshness to it that makes my heart sing.   How much easier it is to love others when we are secure and rooted in His love.  How much easier it is to love our brothers and sisters, our parents, our spouse, our friends - when we know that we know that we know we are LOVED.  Fully.  Wholeheartedly.  It's freedom!

In Psalm 136, every verse ends with "His love endures forever".  I mean - He's clearly trying to help us understand!!  There's nothing we can do to make Him stop loving us.  He's always with us, loving us.  His love goes on forever.  It's just Who He is.  You can't separate love from God - He is love.  You can't separate yourself from His love.  It radiates from Him…everywhere, always, forever.  

1 John 4:17-21The Message (MSG)
To Love, to Be Loved
17-18 God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.

19 We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first.
20-21 If anyone boasts, “I love God,” and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to love both.

We know Father God loves His son Jesus. We know Jesus loves His Father. We know they both love the Holy Spirit.  It's the 'fellowship of the burning heart', as Bickle describes it. A heart that beats passionately and loves WHOLEHEARTEDLY. The great Three in One loves us with that same love. There is no flaw in it. No deception. No disloyalty. No disregard. No forsaking. It's pure, faithful, consuming love. We will never be able to love ourselves or others well unless we know this burning love of God. It is the answer. It is what will heal our hearts and bring us into wholeness. It is what will empower us to love ourselves and others.  It will empower us to live as children of light (Eph 5:8).   Trusting in His love creates a safe environment for us to love Him lavishly and to love His people…those that He 'longs to gather, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings' (Luke 13:34).  "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law." (Romans 13:8)

People are starving all over the world for this Love.  People are hungry to know this Love.  People are asking, 'why didn't anyone tell me?' and writhing in pain because they lack this sweet, nourishing, safe Love.   Now more than ever, I hear Him beckoning us to share His love.  Share His heart.  I was once one of the lost ones.  I was once starving for that kind of love.  I once asked the question, "Why didn't anyone tell me?"  I'm glad someone finally cared enough - loved enough - to tell me of His great love.  How deeply grateful I am…how deeply I long to do the same for others now.  

It's funny.  Today the boys were watching the Falcons game on tv and their motto is "rise up".  I am thinking that is what we should say to encourage one another in our faith…in our calling.  Rise up!  Rise up, Church!  Rise up men, women and children!  Rise up and sing of the goodness and love of the Lord!  Rise up and fulfill His call to proclaim the Good News.  Rise up and declare the goodness of God!  Rise up and love your God with all your heart, soul and strength!  Rise up and love your neighbor as yourself!  Rise up!  The earth groans as it waits for us to take our rightful place as sons and daughters, so rise…and shine!  LOVE!