Love, Life, and the Kingdom of God

The past 24 hours have been a blessed wild ride in the glory of God!

From sometime last afternoon, God was just speaking to David and I about so many amazing things. I am going to prune it though just because I don’t want to talk anyone’s ears off or talk about half-baked plans. So…without further ado.

At church last night, Russ Klein, a prophet of the Lord, spoke in both our Sunday School class and our service. He had been speaking out our church every night since Wednesday and what a blessing it has been! Yesterday stands out in my mind the most, though. In Sunday school, he spoke about how the church of America has lost it’s reverence for God… it’s respect. Too often, we just go to God with our shopping list and forget that He is so much greater than that. And…. how often do you say “Oh my god”? (Don’t answer that, I really don’t want to know.) We use God’s name in our every day vernacular  but without the awe or respect that should go with it. It is absolutely disgusting. God isn’t Walmart or Kroger – He is the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE. I can’t even begin to fathom what that even begins to say about His greatness. But, you know what is cool? He wants to be our friend. That’s why He gave us Jesus. People often are too afraid that God is going to be disappointed with them to be real with Him, to be able to even start being friends with Him. I know I certainly struggle with this.

Russ talked about how his wife struggled with this for a long time – even after they had started going around the world going prophetic ministry together as man and wife. But one day, in the middle of communist Poland back in the 80s, Jesus got a hold of her heart and she was filled with the power of God. She prophesied over many people – one after the other – for four plus hours! And the next day, she was given a crazy vision! Like John the Revealer (or whatever people call him) of the book of Revelation…. God lifted her up into His presence. She was completely in the physical world (in a van with their ministry team) and at the same time completely in the heavenly realm. She found herself kneeling at the throne of God and He beckoned to her… and she sat on His lap. From that moment on, Jesus has been her best friend.

This story really touched me because I totally understand the shame in coming before God. So many nights when going into worship, I feel so gross! Physically, emotionally, spiritually… I often feel so unworthy and like my voice isn’t something God particularly wants to hear. People have told me (and I have read in the Bible) so many times, and I know in my mind (and sometimes in my heart) that God wants to be my friend, not just my God. But sometimes, I don’t remember that. I become afraid that He won’t let me into His presence. But, I have Jesus in me! When I call out to God, He hears Jesus! And when we are friends with God, like He desires, He confides in us, tells us His secrets, His plans for this world (Psalm 25:14)! How awesome is that?

We spent a great deal of time talking about what it looks like to have an intimate relationship with God – Russ said that everyone’s way of spending time with God, loving God is different. We all have different love languages. For example. With people, my love languages are (all of them, haha, but especially) touch, quality time, and words of affirmation. So, yesterday, I went with David to work… we sat in his little cubicle for a few hours and he worked while I worked on wedding stuff. Believe me, I was so happy just being there spending time with David (who was not spending time with me). Comparatively, some of my most powerful times with God haven’t been the times when I prayed for 5 hours straight or fasted for a day (or even a week)… it hasn’t been time spent on my knees (literally)… it has been time on the go. When I am driving, when I am washing dishes… when I am running or riding a bike. The mornings when I wake up and say (out loud and for real) “Good morning, God! How are you doing?” or when I see a beautiful sunrise, flower, lake, person, or whatever! Some of my best time with God has been slumped over a piano, plinking out old hymns and singing, holding back intense tears. It is great – so often, I feel like God is the one who calls me up to see how I am doing. I mean, I spend time with Him (not enough, sadly)… but even when I let my busy schedule distract me, He always manages to show me His love in the most simple ways. And it is enough.

Regardless of how rudimentary this sounds, it was so empowering to hear it again last night and I was able to bring that into worship that evening. Worship was so good last night – I know that I blessed God’s heart and, believe me – He certainly blessed mine! There was one point in worship where I was just praying that God would be blessed by my voice and I had a vision of Him smiling down on me the way that a loving father who is proud of you would. Later during worship, I saw outstretched arms and I felt in the very fibers of my being that it was God reaching out for me to run to Him.

We sang “More Love, More Power” and I was praying through that song: “More love, more power, more of you in my life. I will worship you with all of my heart, I will worship you with all of my mind, I will worship you with all of my strength cuz you are my God, you are my God” and then Art, who was leading worship, asked if anyone needed healing and, like most times when asked this recently, I raised my hand. Judy, a woman from our sister church in Dearborn Heights, came over to pray for me. I asked her to pray for my ankle, which wasn’t hurting at the time, and as she did, I heard God say to me “I have touched your ankle; I have healed your ankle.” Right after that powerful moment, we sang Hillsong’s Healer: “I believe that You’re my Healer / I believe that You are all I need / I believe that You’re my Portion / I believe that You’re more than enough for me / Jesus, You’re all I need” – it was so amazing. I began praising God for His work, for touching me the way that He did… and I told Him, “Lord, I want to shake mountains in your name!” And He said, “You will.” I could hear the smile in His voice. I asked Him how I was to do it and He said, “Feed my sheep.” A moment later, after more praising God, I said “God, I love you!” And right away, I heard, “I love you, too.”

God loves me, too. Wow. That’s enough for me: time to go shake some mountains!

***

There is something amazing going on in my life – God is showing up in radical ways: providing financially for David and I as we plan our wedding, speaking to us about what He wants for and from us… =]

Today we were reminded of God’s faithfulness and goodness in a really awesome way, too! We were at 12 Oaks mall in Novi and a Christian song started playing. It was a love song to God. This has been happening for a few months. It doesn’t matter where we are, a love song to God will come on or we will come across a Christian singing worship music in Potbelly’s! We have been praying for months now that God would be Lord of SE Michigan, especially Dearborn and Detroit. And since then, worship music has been playing wherever we are. It is like a Spirit of worship is following us. The Spirit of the Lord is going with us! It is so amazing! So encouraging! This is what happens when the church rises up together to pray and worship the Creator! The Kingdom of God is where His people are, where they praise Him, and lift up His name in boldness!

Be blessed and bless God today!

A lesson on love: I held her hand.

A month ago, on a cold, wet Tuesday, I went with several Christian women on an outreach to some of the Muslim women from Detroit and Dearborn. We were going to a missionary named Liz’s house for a Christmas party where she would share the gospel with the women, feed them, and give them gifts. Most of us met at my church and we all piled into an old school bus that now belongs to a church in Detroit. (They call it the Party Bus.) When I got on the bus, I was asked by one of the women running our end of the outreach to sit with a Muslim woman. She directed me to an old women wearing a black head dress and black clothes. I don’t remember her name, I just remember the darkness in her eyes, the pain and anger. I asked her if she had gone with them to Liz’s house before. She told me that she couldn’t understand or speak English with some very broken sentences and gesturing. I looked around and saw that this was the case for most of the women around me. Most of them had very poor holds on the English language. Now, I can understand a few languages and speak two… however, Arabic is not one of them. At all.

For the first ten or so minutes of the hour long bus ride, I sat mute, occasionally smiling at the elderly woman with whom I was sitting. At one point, I struck up a feeble conversation with an American woman, Jill, sitting behind me. She had also given up on trying to verbally communicate with the younger muslim woman with whom she was sitting. The conversation quickly died – I could see that she didn’t really have an interest in talking with anyone. I felt this deep desperation bubbling up in me: I felt like I was supposed to be there ministering to the women but I couldn’t figure out how to communicate with them. So, I began praying.

“Jesus, help me to show these women your love. Help me communicate. Give me a way to minister to them.” I looked over at the woman next to me and again there was that deep unhappiness in her eyes. They were completely devoid of life. Tears came to my eyes – how was I supposed to reach her? I started to pray for her heart and that she would feel God’s love in a real, tangible way on this outreach. I just started thinking: when I am upset, physical touch really reaches my heart. It was worth a try, so I reached for her hand. Her face erupted in this hug smile and she drew me into her bosom for a hug (she is a good hugger, too. She is like a Muslim equivalent to a Russian babushka). After that hug and a good hearty laugh, she let me go. But, I shook my head and took her hand again. I just smiled and wrapped her old, leathery hand in my young hands. Immediately, I could see her eyes welling up. Her mouth started quavering and she looked out the window while a few tears fell down her face. She squeezed my hand and wiped her sparkling eyes with her other hand. We held hands the entirety of the ride to Liz’s house. And the woman I was sitting with smiled, laughed, and chattered in Arabic happily with the Muslim women around her often stopping to raise up our joined hands and shake them, laughing with joy. I don’t understand what she was saying, but guessing by the tender, loving glances I received from all of the Muslims around me, it was all good.

When we got to Liz’s house, which is a beautifully historic house, some American women took our coats for us and we all took off our shoes. It was like going home. We were ushered into a sitting room that was filled with chairs and couches. The woman I sat with, still holding my hand, and I sat down on the couch together. Another Muslim woman, from Eygpt named Fatima, sat on the other side of me and together the three of us and the many other woman in the room were ministered to by Liz and her friends and family. With the help of an excellent translator, she shared the gospel, the Christmas story, and had a dear friend sing for us.

Liz told us a story about how she and her husband lived in England for many years as missionaries. While there, she felt alone because of the cultural differences. They speak the same language in England, but it is a different country and when your family is across the vast ocean, you can feel rather small and lonely. Before moving to England, Liz had discovered a Christian song artist named Nancy Honeytree and quickly discovered that Honeytree’s music blessed her soul. So she brought all of her CDs with her to England. That music was a huge blessing to her while in England and anytime she and her husband visited home, they would get new Honeytree albums. God knew that Liz was lonely, He knew that music blessed Liz’s soul…. so when Liz emailed Nancy and invited her to come play in England, God orchestrated it in a way only God can. And one night, Liz found herself in her house, in England, with Nancy Honeytree playing guitar and singing for just her. God knew that is what she needed. Liz told us that God knows our hearts like this – He knows what we want, He knows what we need and He wants to bless us. Many of the women were moved by this story. (Honestly, I cried a little when she told us about this story because I know what she was talking about and I think many of us do.)

After the music and sharing was over, Liz asked if any of the women wanted to know Jesus the way that she does. And the woman I was holding hands with, let go of my hand, raised both of her hands, tears in her eyes, and shouted “Me! Me!” and when we prayed the prayer together, her face was lit up with light I rarely see these days – it was pure joy.

She held my hand the whole rest of the day, often chattering at me in Arabic, and when I didn’t understand her, she would tug on a bilingual speaker’s dress and I would be told “she says you are so nice. You are so beautiful. Or “she wants you to come visit so she can cook you lots of arabic food. You would like that, yes?” Her eyes glowed, her anger wrinkles, and weariness was gone. She was so beautiful.

I don’t know if she still has that ageless beauty that comes from Jesus today or if that prayer she prayed actually did anything in this moment, but I do know that Jesus broke some chains in her, that God showed her the beginning of the depths of His love.

***

Talking with David about this later, I really learned a valuable lesson: Love isn’t just an emotion, it is an action. And while I knew this already, I discovered it in a tangible practical way. I learned that communication is so much more about your actions than your words. And I learned that my dream to go around the world with David sharing God’s love is not that far off – we’ve already started in Dearborn. I also learned, from my wise fiance, that it is often not about the harvest, it is about the sowing. We can’t always stick around to reap the harvest, but we can trust that God will do all the watering needed if a heart is willing to receive and that He will place people where they are needed. That is a beautiful thing!

And you know? I may not have been able to reap the harvest in this woman’s life, but the life that I saw spark up in the ashes of her soul…? The joy I saw radiating from her eyes? That was enough.

People get ready: Jesus is coming!

The past year or so, people keep telling me that they think Jesus is going to be coming back soon. Everytime they’ve told me that I’ve first thought “don’t be ridiculous” and then “Shoot, I hope not…. we are not ready for that!” That last thought is always quickly followed by a longing to see my Jesus face to face – not to die, just to be in the presence of my Lord.

But, my fiance had a dream last night that really shook both of us up (in a good way). Go read his blog post to read about that dream.

We, as the church in America, need to rise up and take our place in the Bride of Christ! It has been spoken over us so many times that we are like the church in Laodicea. If you go to the book of Revelation, this is what Jesus says to them:

“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Rev 3:15-22

We think we have it pretty good here…. with our nice cars and houses, our great jobs…. (I know I am speaking generally – I don’t have a fancy car or a job at all), but we have become complacent. WE NEED TO RISE UP AND DECLARE THE NAME OF JESUS! And not just for ourselves, but for our unsaved brothers and sisters.

Yesterday, Luke – one of the pastors of our church – gave a brief message during one of our 40 Nights of Worship services about our call and purpose as a Christian. He likened us to the army and took West Point’s motto for the title. “Duty. Honor. Country.”

We have three duties:

1. Study the word.

2. Pray continuously.

3. Evangelize.

A note on prayer real fast… I don’t mean telling God what you need or what I want. In Philippians 4:6 it says: “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” You can ask him for what you need, but it says nothing about giving God your grocery lists… it says nothing about complaining or telling God you deserve something (believe me, after our sin and Jesus’ sacrifice the cross, we deserve nothing)… we must give God THANKS! Worship him! Praise him! He deserves it and more!

Honor – The Bible says to honor our mother and our father… but God is our father, too, right? So, shouldn’t we honor him as well? And what a better way to honor him than to love him and do what he says, to obey his commandments!

Country – If you look up country in the dictionary, you will see that it means “the people of a nation”. Not the land. Not the buildings… the people. We are called to love all people. Love your neighbors!

If you truly love your neighbors, you will rise up and take a stand for what you believe in! Tell people about the God who made them from dust and breathed air into their lungs. Tell people about the God who loves them!